Kaiju No. 8 x Reader

Pt. 2 of Imagine... Soshiro Finding You on the Brink of Death (angst, fluff)

Angst, Fluff

Soshiro Hoshina x gn!reader

Warnings: mentions of hospital setting/devices

One week.

That was how long it had been since Soshiro had seen your alluring (e/c) eyes, heard your infectious laugh, blushed at your gentlest smile reserved just for him. The past 7 days of you in a coma after almost becoming a kaiju meal had been devastating for him and the rest of your teammates. You had many visitors over the hours you lied completely still on your hospital bed, but you weren't the only unmoving person in your room. Soshiro had rarely moved an inch from your side, only getting up to go to the bathroom. He couldn't remove himself from his seat next to your fragile body in case you woke up; he couldn't bear the thought of you being alone in such a vulnerable state anyway.

"They're under the best care here, Hoshina. Go get some rest," Captain Ashiro had told him on day 3, when Soshiro was sporting dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. He respectfully refused, and Mina knew better than to fight with him right now—he was as stubborn as he was talented with his swords. Every time the nurses came in to check your vitals, they looked upon him and his sad state of being with sorrow, feeling awful to see the man in such despair. They had taken it upon themselves to deliver meals for him since they all knew he wasn't leaving to eat. Even if most of the time the tray sat untouched, they took it as a win when a pudding or fruit cup disappeared.

Day 5 was the hardest for Soshiro. By that point, he was delirious from staying up practically all night in case you needed something. His typed reports stopped making sense, his brain nowhere near as sharp as usual due to the fog of grief that had settled in his mind. The steady beeps of your life support machine haunted his every waking moment, a perfect symphony of the anguish he couldn't escape. Thankfully, Kafka had heard about his vice captain's condition and visited that night, offering to take over Soshiro's watch in case you woke up. Soshiro was extremely reluctant at first, but he knew that you and Hibino were close; he also trusted the kind hearted man enough to know he'd be there for you in case something happened. With strong hesitation, Soshiro left your sight for the first time in 96 hours, heading to the shower. No matter how hard he scrubbed, he couldn't wash away the feelings of guilt he harbored over your injuries.

If only I was faster, stronger... I could've been there sooner. Stopped the kaiju from ever sinking its disgusting teeth into you. What kind of vice captain am I? What kind of... person am I? How could I ever expect them to love me back if I can't succeed in my one job of protecting them?

He let his tears fall freely, mixing in with the water from the shower head.

Day 7 was the point where Soshiro was just... there. He barely felt anything anymore, whether it was exhaustion, anguish, or anything else. He sat next to you like normal, gazing at your chest as it sank and rose with shallow breaths, but his eyes were glazed over in a manner reminiscent of a man without hope. The doctors didn't have an estimated time for you to wake up. With injuries as extensive as yours, there was no telling when your body would be ready to start running on its own again. Soshiro didn't know how to process that news; he liked seeing tangible results, and the fact that you had been hooked up to all these damn machines for so long and nothing had changed? It was pure torture to him. He found himself inching closer to you, if that were even possible, and he took hold of your hand with the softest of touches.

"I miss ya, y/n," he whispered, bringing your hand to his lips. He was careful to not disrupt the IV as he laid a gentle kiss on your cold skin, savoring the sensation of doing what had wanted to do since he first met you all those years ago.

"Remember the promise we made to each other when we were young and dumb? Now we're old and dumb," he chuckled humorlessly, "and you still have to keep up your end of the bargain. You have to survive. I can't lose you."

He took in a deep, shaky breath. "I can't lose you because I'm in love with you."

It was like the world was playing a cruel joke on him—he finally garnered the courage to admit he had fallen in love, but the object of his affections wasn't able to hear it. He let his head hang in misery as he kept your hand close to his face, eventually placing it against his cheek. He closed his eyes, wishing with all his might that you would wake up. If you died... he wouldn't know how to move on from such a devastating blow. He knew this macabre scenario had a high probability of happening in this career field you two chose, but he always had faith in his and your abilities to stay alive. To say that faith had been shaken was the understatement of the century.

"Y/n, please. I can't do this alone. I need ya back with me. You gotta keep fighting."

Soshiro went to place your hand back on the bed when he swore he felt your fingers move against his own. His eyes widened in surprise as his heart started slamming against his rib cage. Was that real or just his imagination?

It happened again.

And your eyes opened.

He slammed on the call button, informing the nurses of your awakening before turning his attention back to you.

"So-soshiro," you tried to say, but your throat couldn't form any words.

"Shh, don't say anything, darling, I'm right here. Always have been, always will be."

A grin swirled with anxiety and relief was present on his lips as he looked at you.

After a few hours of tests, doctors checking up on you, and small moments to collect your thoughts, you were finally able to form coherent sentences.

"You sat here the whole time? Now I feel bad," you said, a small frown gracing your features.

"Don't feel bad. I didn't want you to be alone, that's all," Soshiro told you, nervously scratching at the back of his neck. "Did you... happen to hear anything I was saying before you woke up?"

"What, like how we're old and dumb and that you're in love with me?" you said, trying your best not to laugh at his shocked expression.

"Huh? You actually did hear me? I thought that only happened in movies!" he whined, his cheeks tinged with red.

"No reason to be embarrassed, Soshiro. I didn't know how to tell you but I'm in love with you, too. I have been for a very long time."

Soshiro was looking upon you like you had descended directly from the heavens, his eyes gleaming with unbridled joy as his fingertips danced over your arm, tracing shapes in an intimate, comforting manner.

"I've been so worried about ya, sweetheart, but now that you're back with me, it's like I can breathe again."

You relished in the calm quiet of the room, basking in Soshiro's loving presence. He was exactly the driving force behind you willing your body to wake up. You could never leave him to walk this world alone.

"I also felt you kissing my hand," you said after a long bout of silence. "That was very sweet of you."

"Guess all I had to do was give ya true love's kiss to wake up?" he joked, his little fangs peeking out of his lazy grin.

"I'm looking forward to my real kiss when I get out of the hospital," you replied, attempting to wink at him.

He leaned his face over yours, his breath leaving goosebumps in its wake. "If you want, I can give you a preview of it right now."

You felt your pulse quicken and apparently so did the heart rate monitor you were hooked up to; the machine started beeping, alerting that your numbers were abnormal.

Soshiro kissed your forehead before sitting down again, smirking. "Do I make ya nervous?"

Now it was your turn to blush. "Watch it Hoshina, or I'll have you admitted into the bed next to me."

Soshiro burst out in his trademark laugh, grabbing at his stomach and wiping away the tears forming in his eyes. You could be given all the medicine known to man but nothing could make you feel better than the promise of being loved by the easily amused violet haired man who will never leave your side.