One month

3|there

The hospital is shrouded in menace. It always has been, since Tsukasa was small. His Hahaoya first pointed it out, when Saki was almost half-way through her long stay.

Now she's back and he should have been there to help her in the ambulance, he should have been looking after her more, he should have been with her every second, looking

out for her. He should have been, he should have been, he should have been....

Rui pats Tsukasa's shoulder, and says

"It's not your fault. You thought she was better, everyone did."

"But-"

Rui sighs, putting both his hands back onto the wheel.

"No ifs, no buts, no coconuts. You know the rules. Now please stop blaming yourself. Or...i'll tickle youuuuuu"

Then it's Tsukasa who sighs. They've reached the hospital and are getting out of the car. He'll never know what Rui whispered, no! What is he thinking! Tsukasa must focus on Saki. A future star wouldn't be thinking about Rui when his sister is in hospital, and he is Tsukasa Tenma!

"A future star!"

Rui averts his eyes, because why does he have to look so cute when he's trying to stay strong. Why? Rui ponders upon this thought and almost loses the man himself.

Thankfully he finds him just as a horde of doctors and nurses rush by. A second later and he would've lost the love of his life. Wait, what? Where did that come from?

Saki's door is open and when they slip inside, she's asleep in the bed. A person in the corner that they hadn't noticed speaks up.

"I gave her enough Temazepam to fell an elephant. She won't be waking up any time soon."

Then with that, the nurse left.

Tsukasa set up the sleeping bags that Rui had packed, crawling into one and drifting off. Or, that's how a non-Ruikasa story would go.

After the nurse left, Tsukasa sat down in front of Saki's bed, and whispered to her. Rui pretended not to notice when Tuska shed a tear, and busied himself unpacking the sleeping bags. When Tsukasa was done, he crawled into one of the two and pretended to be asleep. Rui fruitily got into the other one, and tested to see if Tsukasa was really asleep by holding out a hand. Immediately, Tsukasa took it. Rui squeezed his hand and counted Robo-Nene's to fall asleep. He got up to 88 before he started snoring. Tsukasa was used to this and, actually, it helped calm his racing heart. Then he thought about Rui and it was racing again. But in a good way, he thinks?...

In the morning, Tsukasa wakes up to Saki's beaming face juggling plushies, which were a gift from Toya. He groans and sits up slowly. By the time he has done this, Rui and Saki have resumed full flow in their conversation, skipping over sad stuff and giving each other nicknames.

Once Rui leaves to go get some coffees, Saki turns to Tsukasa and says

"He's a find, if I wasn't lesbian and with Ichika, Shiho, and Honami- I'd snap him up. You're lucky, Tsu."

Then, since she can't make a dramatic exit, Saki turns on her heel and swishes her skirt.

Tsukasa doesn't even notice. She does it again, this time he does and then choosing his words carefully, he asks-

"Saki. Does it seem. Like me and Rui, are dating?"

Saki replies immediately, "Yes, it does. You aren't???"

A face-palm is all Saki gets by way of response.

Rui's coffees are a welcome distraction, and Saki asks if they're from the cafe that he works at, Tsukasa is about to reply, "He doesn't work at a cafe, silly!" However Rui nods, and Tuska learns something new about his best friend. Best friend. That's all.