Love is... (ike x firkle)

Love is pain

Ike was a mess of blood and bruises. He hadn't meant to get in the fight, it just happened. He had been good friends with a ginger girl named ruby. Her older brother was named craig, ike had met him once too. Ruby was a nice girl, and she had a lot of friends. She also had a girlfriend; a beautiful girl named karen McCormick.  But some douchebag had tried to beat her up for it. Saying she was stupid, and ugly, and a fag. Ike couldn't help himself and he jumped into the fight to help ruby. Her nose was bleeding and her cheek was bruised. Her hair was no longer pulled into a ponytail and now hung messily around her shoulders. Her tears were enough to convince ike to continue beating up the boy who started the fight. They fought for a long time, though neither was sure how long. Karen went to get help, and Ruby stayed where she was frozen in shock and fear. When a worker from a nearby store finally came to pull the boys apart they barely had the energy to fight anymore. They were bleeding so bad, faces and arms covered in cuts and bruises. Their bodies coated in dirt and blood. Both of their faces bared scowls. 

They were both taken to the hospital. Ike faded in and out of consciousness, his vision blurred. The nurse gave him a shot. She bandaged him up. He saw his parents looking worried. His mom cried and his dad held her in his arms. Ike's brother kyle was there, he said something to someone ike couldn't see. Karen walked into the room holding ruby's hand. Both girls looked ashamed and worried. "I'm so sorry ike. I never meant for anyone to get hurt. No you especially. You were so brave." Her  blue eyes welled with tears. Ruby stared down at ike, she looked like she had been crying before. "I'm so fucking sorry. You didn't have to help me but you did. You saved me and your fucking hurt because of it!" She tried to keep from crying as she talked, blinking her eyes rapidly. "Girls, hey... I'm fine." Karen smiled and took his hand in hers. Ruby looked happy, but didn't dare touch him for fear of hurting him. "I'm glad you're both alright." The doctors hurried the girls out of the room after that, saying that ike needed lots of rest. Ike's parents were glad he was ok, and thanked god for what he had done. Kyle was the only one acting half normal.

"Feeling better?" The redhead asked. "Yeah. I'm fine." Ike tried to sound casual. "Do you want to see firkle. He heard about what happened. He's in the waiting room." Ike felt his heart stop. Firkle, oh god, firkle must be worried. "Yeah please send him up." Ike stupidly tried to fix his hair and make himself look half ok. It was stupid, but he didn't want the goth to see him hurt. Kyle smiled knowingly before convincing his parents to leave the room. The hospital room was cold, the soft beeping from the machines was driving him crazy, the iv's in his arms kept him from standing. He just wanted to see firkle. The goth entered the room quietly and stepped closer to the blue eyed boy. "I was wondering if you'd come." Ike teased. Then he got a better look at the goth's face and stopped laughing. His makeup was smudged, his eyes were rimmed with red, he looked even paler than usual. He was dressed in black and gray shorts, and an oversized t shirt. It was pretty obvious they were his pajamas.  The smaller boy had rushed here crying in his pajamas. Suddenly ike couldn't think straight. "Firkle, I'm ok. I can't believe you're here... you didn't have to-" he was cut off. Ike looked angry. "Of course I had to! You could've gotten yourself killed! What would everyone do if you were to die? No one would be able to get over a loss like that. Ever. Your parents would have nothing to live for. Your brother wouldn't be an older brother anymore. Ruby would have had to live knowing that you died to save her!" Ike knew it was all true but every word hurt. 

He moved forward and pulled the iv's out of his skin. It hurt, but not nearly as bad as doing nothing did. He wrapped his bruised arms around the goth and held him close, crying into his shirt. He couldn't be sure but he thought firkle might be crying too. "I never meant to hurt you. Or anyone. I just didn't want to see them getting beat up for their happiness."  Firkle had heard what happened, but he didn't quite understand why ike was so worried. He barely knew these girls, and people got beat up all the time. "Looking at her reminded me of you. She could have died. But as she was being hurt all she yelled was run karen, please run. She knew it would only make things worse but karen was her happiness and she couldn't jeopardize that." He took a deep breath. "I wondered if you'd be able to protect yourself if something like this happened to you. I know you carry a knife in your pocket and I know you can be strong, but if anything happened to you I don't know what I'd do." 
Firkle pulled out of the embrace to look at ike. I... I think you're stupid. What you did was one of the dumbest things I've ever seen. But I love you, I just don't want you to get hurt-" bloodied fingers shushed him. Ike pulled firkle into the hospital bed with him. The two boys sat in comfortable silence, feeling oddly at peace. The nurse came in but didn't say anything. She just let the two stay as they were. 

An: sorry for being inactive. I'll try to update more often.