Soul of the Dragon

Chapter 39: Recover

Nobody made a sound in the hallway. It was either stare at the floor or just stare the backs of one's eyelids.

"Poor Yusei..." Rally whispered.

Then the door opened, and everyone was on their feet. Martha and the doctor walked out.

"Tell us, doc, how's he doing?" Crow demanded, clenching his fists.

"It looks like he'll make a complete recovery," Martha said with a smile.

"He'll need a few more days of rest in bed, but he'll be fine. Just keep him from underground duels for a while, okay?" the doctor added.

Rally let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding.

"So, what now?" Nervin questioned, appealing to the others for answers.

"Now we find that Dark Signer and make him pay!" Crow declared, punching a fist into his palm.

"Well, since everything's fine now, I'm gonna leave," Fish said tiredly.

"Okay, we're sharing a room. Go up the stairs and it's the second door on the left," Lise told her.

"Roger that," Fish yawned on her way out. "I'll feed Stupid for you."

Lise took her first easy breath since she'd arrived at Martha's. "Thanks..."

The silence was killing her. Yusei was sound asleep and wasn't going to be waking up any time soon. There wasn't any point in talking, but Lise just talked.

"I feel a very strange sense of déjà vu, except you're in the bed instead of me. Those days I spent in here, I would've gone crazy by myself. It-it was really fun and really nice to have someone to talk to and listen to me... so thanks..." Her face was steadily turning from pink to red. "I sound like an idiot, at least I think that's how I sound whenever I'm around you. You-You're just so frustrating! One moment I wanna kiss you and the next I wanna hit you! Damn...that sounds totally crazy. I'm just happy I can-I dunno... I was so worried, I'm just glad you didn't die, I guess..." She face palmed herself. "God Lise just shut up! He can't hear you anyway..."

Lise took a deep breath, stood up and tucked her twirled hair behind her ears. She leaned over Yusei, making sure the ends of her hair didn't brush against him by accident. Closer and closer, she inched slowly downward. I can't believe I'm doing this...What if he wakes up? And if that happens... Lise stopped two inches from kissing him. If he wakes up... I can't do this! It'll be like I'm attacking him in his sleep!

She withdrew and sat back in her chair. Her elbows rested on either side of Yusei's hand while Lise held her head in her hands. I'm so pathetic... Dammit...

"I thought you were actually going to kiss him for a moment," a low voice said softly.

Lise shot out of her chair, flailing her hands like some crazy spirit monster. "What? Who? That wasn't- Nothing- I didn't!"

"Relax," Martha laughed, coming into view. She took another chair and sat on the other side of Yusei's bed. She clasped her hands and gazed at Lise, contemplating.

"I wasn't... doing anything..." Lise tried weakly. Her face was bright red with embarrassment.

"Of course not," Martha grinned behind her hands.

Lise nodded. She was trapped. Suddenly her hands were very interesting indeed.

"You love him, don't you?"

"Yeah..." Lise whispered. It was a wonder Martha heard her.

The older woman sighed, a long and thoughtful sigh. "Well, what makes you think he wouldn't enjoy something like that too?"