Life and Death are Lovers on a Coffee Date

Chapter 21

[Country of Fhorn, 8:30]

Outside the hospital are a panting group of hybrid, one being carried behind one of his mates behind his back. The trek was long as they rushed due to Kouya's symptoms getting worse, relying on Jun's abilities of navigation to finally lead them to where they are now. The threshold of Erdstrum Hospital.

"We're *pant* here, quickly let's go to the counter." The group rushed inside breathlessly and was met with a little bunny chatting with the nurse in the reception, due to their abrupt entrance, the hooves and moves sound was enough to catch the nurse and the receptionist's attention. The gaze of Katherine quickly observed the situation, and upon noticing the patient on the back of his fella, she quickly and steadily observed the symptoms of the to-be patient. Katherine knew what must be done.

"Mara, ready me a stretcher and page Azir for me, ASAP. Boys follow me." Katherine led the way to the ER as the others in the hall made way for the sudden emergency, assessing the situation, they all stood out of the way of doctor Katherine. "Lay him down here." Along the running group, a duo of squirrel hybrid and a dog ran along the pace, equally matching their speed. The wheeled stretcher soon flipped open and with the help of the nurses they steeled down the feverish husky panting in hot breaths while he struggled. Katherine seems to know what she was doing as if not the first time.

"Another curse of the god Aphrodite."

The door swung wide as the doors clashed with its limit before them is doctor Azir waiting patiently, perking up as soon as the loud bangs of the door echoed in the wooden room.

"What happened- "Before Azir could continue, his eyes landed on the husky on the stretcher, upon seeing the symptoms, his eyes widened.

"You already know what it is don't you?" Azir nodded to the question.

"What is it?" Seemingly left out, the group was tense and exhausted from the marathon as well as the panic swelling up in their veins.

"Let the doctor handle this, let's get out." Katherine escorted the trio outside the room, leaving the door closed with a click on the way. The group was unsettled for now, but seeing the calmness of the bunny before them, for now, they must trust the hospital that actually will take them in.

Azir cast a symbol of an hourglass on top of the air, slowly descending into Kouya's body, at the tip of Azir's fingertips, the little grain of sand fell on Kouya's mouth, then suddenly, Kouya coughed and awoke in his deep slumber. The fever had subdued as he no longer struggled in his breathing nor balance, glowing on his chest seemed to be a golden hourglass symbol with complicated writing formed in a circle, Kouya was confused and more so as sands were in his mouth, coughing up the excess.

"What happened to me, where am I? Where are my friends?" Kouya was slightly panicked as he questioned everything and everyone around him, but only the doctor was in front of him holding a glass of water in his hands.

"Calm down, one question at a time little one." Azir soothed the man down, slowly, he focused on his breathing, his tension slowly fading as he gulped the water in one sitting. The symbol pulsing glows on his chest.

"What is this?" he pointed.

"That is a time rune, your body is temporarily paused as you can move in time, as long as you're within my presence, the time rune will pause your body and the symptoms you're facing." Baffled by the things around him, Kouya scanned the surroundings, the forest theme of the surroundings helped him relax though, the light scattered in his room and leaves waved creating a secret symphony as it swayed. As much as questionable the situation is and... magic? Kouya learned to expect the unexpected, adapting quickly as he knew to believe what he can see.

"What's... going to happen to me? Kouya asked calmly, but the tone in his voice was coated in concern, staring at the person who was keeping him alive right now.

"You're cursed. Curses can't be removed but some curse requires a certain requirement, and I know you already know of it, you already know what to do." Azir sat down with the husky. His presence assumingly to calm Kouya of his predicament.

"I- I don't know..." Kouya lowered his ears in defeat, deep inside him, he always knew what should be done, but his mind rejected the thoughts as fear is the heart of commitment and love after all.

"I don't want to be the one to tell you this but, you must confess to your other." Azir replied, Kouya raised his head slowly preparing an answer,

"But I don't know who my other is." It's a lie, it's always a lie, he knew since before, he knew since the needles started stitching my chest without a thread. With Azir's finger, he poked Kouya's heart area as its vibrations suggest that the heart is pumping in an accelerating manner.

"I think you do." He always knew, but he doesn't want to face the reality that he is attracted to the same sex as him, not that there was anything wrong, but in his mind, he was afraid, and other than that, he doesn't know why he had feelings FOR him.

That was another lie.

Kouya was confused and scared, he didn't want to ruin the bond they built up during the one month of his reconciling visit after years of not being present in his life, and moreover, he didn't want to abide to his selfish desires.

He was too great for him.

He wasn't a great lover and he knows that although he was popular with girls, dating a few and quickly ending in a week or two, and if it dragged on, maybe even a month. But those relationships are all due to his looks and the 'bad boy' attitude. But Howl, he saw so much more and accepted him, he didn't leave him alone during his fight, instead, he was cheering him on, even embracing him in his arms as he saw his vulnerable side nor did he have his stubbornness get the best of him. But those embraces were so dear to him, it is what he didn't know he needed, so much better than those of his past.

"I- don't want to ruin what we have right now..." Kouya cried hard, stuttering and choking under the overwhelming emotion coursing through him as he lowered his head, his arms wrapped around his head. Azir comforted the man as love can't be forced, but in his past encounter, he once saw the fate of the same man, but due to the cruel norms of his society and an absurd amount of pressure. That was, in his eyes, he saw a red string severed, lifeless of its crimson red color, no longer vibrant.

"It wasn't before long since I met someone with the same curse, he was the same as you are now, but in the end, after he bottled his feelings for so long, he regrets one thing, not admitting his feelings as he feared everything and anything. The bottle that can't be broken was sealed with fear and paranoia which then got the best of him, forever locking the potential power of affection, frozen heart, and frozen was he when found. But after his death, his supposed lover, the one he adored, came crying at his funeral having the same regrets as the man buried six feet under. He cried even after they left, the thick cold fog and rain didn't bother him as he hugged his gravestone. The difference between their regret is that one is living and one hadn't. Little husky, I wouldn't advise you to succumb to irrelevant thoughts as they lead to irrelevant endings." The light in the room dimmed down, Azir lifted his fingers, and there, revealed a crimson-hot red string leading in a direction. Kouya finally sees the view of Azir.

"This string leads you to your other, that's the beauty of this curse; it doesn't discriminate the same way a society or your thoughts do, but rather it is more of a blessing." Kouya was dumbfounded by the string before him as he held it, it felt alive, somehow, and someway, the curse that was killing him for months changed his perspective of the curse turning it into a blessing. How can something so deadly be something so beautiful? Maybe there is beauty even in the dark waters. Kouya calmed down, taking in the beauty of the red wisdom.

He knew what to do.

"Give me one month, doctor, please help me hold this curse until then." Kouya, despite his fear covering him, a glimpse of light shone on his chest that only Azir can see. With a smile, Azir nodded.