Timeless

Aftermath

Kojiro POV
I was sitting outside the back door to the restaurant on a break. It was Saturday. The morning rush had just died down. I held the near empty cup of coffee in my hand. I hadn’t gotten much sleep. The night before had been a roller coaster of emotions. I knew Kaoru was going to beef against Adam, of all people. When he told me why, I knew I had to let him. He was going to fight for his freedom. I could respect that.
The thing was, he didn’t tell me what Adam got out of it. The words never crossed his lips. It was Adam who told me. Kaoru had bet his life! Was he insane. Not only was he going to give himself fully to Adam, he was just going to throw me in the trash. Anger raged in me watching that race. I wanted to strangle both of them. Albeit for very different reasons.
How could he just throw our friendship away? Did I mean that little to him? When I saw his board fucking grow, I couldn’t believe it. He won by a trick of his ingeniousness. Had that been his plan all along? Or had he counted on me saving him? I would have torn those ivory towers down to get my princess back. Didn’t he know that?
I couldn’t help but kiss him after he won. It was definitely not what he wanted. He didn’t return the kiss at all. Instead he had hung limply in my arms until I put him down. Adam had vanished into the crowd. Many of the skaters came up to congratulate Cherry. I left him standing there. Unsure of just where our friendship was.
I searched the grounds for Tadashi, but he too was gone. I hadn’t spoken to Cherry or Kaoru since. I went home. My over active brain refused to shut down. This deep hurt in my chest wouldn’t go away. I wasn’t sure what to do. If my presence in his life was causing him pain, then I should remove it. I had vowed long ago to make sure nothing hurt him. Not even myself.
As I was working this morning a plan began to form. I had an Aunt, Uncle and a few cousins that lived in Italy. I hadn’t seen them in a while. They were all older than me. Maybe I could go there for a bit. Get myself away. Find some way of living my life without seeing Pinky all the time. I knew I wouldn’t survive living in the same city, seeing him around, and knowing he didn’t want my friendship any longer. Why Kaoru? That was the question that still stung my mind. Why was he so willing to get rid of me?
I stood to go back inside. My heart a solid brick in my chest. I finished the last of the coffee. Reaching a hand out to open the door, I saw thin fingers grasp my wrist. A slender elegant hand held tight to me. I turned my head. He was barley able to stand. Gasping for breath he looked up at me. There was a deep fire in his eyes.
“Well, hello Pinky.” I cooed leaning against the door frame.
“He left. In the middle of the night. Went to America.” Kaoru ground out. I nodded slowly. Of course he didn’t come to me for me, he came because of something Adam did.
“Fine, he’s gone. Sorry you lost your boyfriend. What did you expect when you challenged him to a beef?” I shrugged. Turning away I went to step back inside.
“Kojiro, the vegetable guy is here. Do you want these beets?” The prep cook asked me. I glared at the miniscule purple bulbs in his hand.
“Hell no, what am I to do with those?”  I cried. I tried pulling my hand away. Tried to walk away one last time.
“Please Kojiro, don’t leave me.” The tiny voice sounded like it came from a mouse. I turned my head. His was bowed. His breathing was more erratic. Damn it, not now.
“Kaoru, calm down. Come on, deep breaths.” I moved to his side, wrapping my arms around him. His panic attacks had gotten so few lately. I thought he might be over them. Guess not. “Come, let’s get you inside.” I scooped him up. Wetness hit my shoulder and neck as he clung to me. He was stronger than he looked.
I carried him to my station where I had a stool set up. I sat him down. I was going to leave him there so I could get him water but he wouldn’t let go. I tugged on his hands, trying to feel where he had ahold of his own. He shoved them down the back of my shirt so I couldn’t reach them. It was also choking me.
“Don’t go, don’t leave me.” He wailed in between huge hiccupping sobs.
“I was only going to get you water. Come on, let go.” I squirmed attempting to find his hands again.
“NO!” He squealed.
“Is, uh, everything ok?” a voice asked behind me.
“Does it look ok?” I half snarled half sighed. Part of me was thrilled he was clinging so tightly to me. The vegetable guy walked around so I could see him.
“Anything I can do? My brother used to get panic attacks too.” He stated looking down at us.
“Can you get him some cold water?” I asked. He disappeared to do it.
“Kaoru, you’re choking me. Come on, let go. I’m not going anywhere.” He wasn’t talking any more. Instead I felt him shake his head in the negative, clutching me tighter. He did move his hands so that the shirt wasn’t against my throat, guess that was good.
“Kojiro?” my boss asked. “Do you need to take the rest of the day off?” I looked up at him.
“Would you mind?” I asked. He smiled.
“No, it’s been a while, but I think I still remember how to run a kitchen.” He teased me. “Take care of your friend.” I stood, lifting Cherry back into my arms.
“Thanks. I owe you.” I stated. He shook a finger at me.
“Yes you do, and it’s called the end of summer festival.”  I groaned. Kaoru’s grip tightened.
“Fine.” I agreed. He clapped his hands together.
“Yes, ok, now where is the stove.” He turned around in a circle. I chuckled. Carrying Cherry outside, I kicked my board down. The vegetable guy picked up Cherry’s.
“Wow, I didn’t know they made these so high tech these days.” He handed it to me.
“They don’t. He built it.” I stated proud of his brains.
“Amazing. Some talent.” I adjusted Kaoru’s body slightly so I could get a firmer grip on the skateboard. Basically I held it in my hands under him so he was sort of sitting on it. Kicking off I debated about where to go. I could take him to his house, or to mine, or… yeah that was where we needed to be now. I headed toward the drainage ditches.
The opening to the tunnel was small, I wasn’t sure if I could get inside with him in my arms. I barely fit any more. What if I hit his head? “Kaoru, we are almost to the cavern, do you think you could get yourself inside?” I asked softly. He nodded.
“Where’s Carla?” He asked.
“Whose…?” I began. The board in my hands spoke up.
“Right here, sir.” A distinct feminine voice said. Kaoru sat up. He took the board. I set him down, before watching him disappear into the cave. I should leave his scrawny butt there! I thought, even as I maneuvered to enter the tunnel. Why couldn’t I just let him go. He had tried to ditch me!
When I got inside, he was simply standing on the board, holding himself tightly. I pulled him back into my arms. Kicking the two boards together, I sat down holding him against my chest. He curled there quietly. I brought my legs up so he was kind of on my stomach. I rocked us back and forth on the boards.
“Tell me about Carla?” I said hoping to get him talking. I was fuming inside. This was all Adam’s fault. He had to know about Kaoru’s panic attacks. They were worse if people suddenly left without a form of closure for him. I wanted to smash that pretty boy face. Fuck up those God awful eyebrows!
“You’re squeezing to tight. You will bruise my butt again.” Kaoru’s soft voice floated into my ear. He pushed himself up from my chest. One hand over my heart. I wasn’t sure if he was doing it consciously or not.
“Carla’s my skateboard, and personal assistant.” He explained.
“I’m amazed at what you did. You are truly smart.” I smiled.
“Anyone is smart compared to a gorilla.” His tone was mild. I swatted his ass, he jumped a little.
“Now, are you going to tell me what’s really bothering you?” I asked.
“You first.” He poked me. I sighed, looking away from him.
“You were just going to toss me aside, for Adam?” I choked out unable to keep the emotions from my voice.
“You would have come for me, eventually.”  He stated. I turned back to him. His smile was soft, warm I just wanted to kiss those lips. “I knew you wouldn’t let him take me, even for a second. You would have beefed against him right then and there. We would have gone back and forth for each other until one of us beat him.” He smirked. I sighed.
“So, you did have a plan?”
“I made it so Carla could expand into a long board, just in case it was that close.” He pointed out. I shook my head.
“What am I going to do with you?” I asked mockingly.
“Be by my side always, just like you promised.” He said. He laid back down curling up like a cat on my chest. I hugged him closing my eyes. I stroked his hair listening to his breathing even out. With my eyes closed and the warmth of his body so tight to me, I fell asleep.
A chill ran over me, I blinked. I was cold why? Kaoru! I sat up.
“Hey, sleepy head. Your snoring was beginning to give me a headache.” He complained. He was sitting on the edge of the water.
“It’s not my fault I didn’t sleep well last night. I was under the assumption my best friend didn’t want to be my best friend any longer.” I growled.
“I don’t.”  He stated turning to look at me. I couldn’t breathe. Bent over I had been about to push myself up to my feet. Now, I just knelt there in my hands and knees. My heart stopped, dying in my chest at those words. I could only stare at the ground before me as it swam in and out of focus. What the hell was I going to do now? I turned my head just slightly to get one last glimpse of him. I watched in shock and horror as he stood up.
Hadn’t he just begged me not to leave him. Now what, he was just going to take his board and leave me? Was this some reversed shit Adam taught him? I couldn’t look at him. I kicked the stupid AI board out from under me.
“Take it and just leave then!” I managed to get out, my body shaking. Every nerve in it was dying. My life was over.
“You really are a stupid gorilla.” He stated as his hands cupped my face.