<Marble Phone>

<ch5>

Yukiteru P.O.V.

No matter what I did, I couldn't stop shaking. It was nearing midnight and it has been two hours since Akise left. After the outside incident, if you can call it that, we went back to my house and I cooked something small for the both of us. Akise had been nothing but kind to me, never pestering me about the accident or why I would act weird. I wasn't sure how friends were supposed to be like but I was sure that Akise was a good one. 

The watch on my hand signaled that it was midnight and if anything, my shaking got worse. I contemplated calling my mom but I already called her last night. I was just going to steal her sleep and make her worry to the point where she'll get another job just to be at home. I didn't want that. She screamed and cried tears of joy after she got off the phone with her boss, tell her that she would get a promotion that would almost double her pay. I would never forget that face.

I stood up quickly, realizing that my phone wasn't even in my room. As I took a step down the stairs, a wave of nausea hit me, making me lose my footing and down I went the stairs. I landed flat on my stomach, feeling a sharp pain on my face. When I opened my eyes, my face was in a pool of blood. Panicking, I yanked myself off the floor, regretting it as sharp jabs of pain hit me just about everywhere. 

"Ridiculous.." I muttered. I touched my nose making sure it wasn't broken and proceeded to go into the bathroom, washing up the blood. The front of my shirt which was grey, was covered in blood, some of it even landed on my shorts. I looked like I got stabbed. 

Walking to the garage to get the mop, I felt like I was floating, barely aware that I was walking so slow that by the time I checked my watch on my wrist, it was 1:27. I stopped abruptly and yelled. Ever since the accident, I've had a terrible sense of time. It didn't help that he couldn't really think clearly either.

After cleaning the floor, and after rushing to get something to get the blood off the white wall, since he somehow put handprints covered in blood on the wall, probably to support himself while he was trying to get off the floor, it was already 2:15. This time he was sure he took a long time since blood stains on white walls don't come off that easily. 

On the coffee table in the living room, was my phone. I was hesitant to grab it. Who would I even call? My mom wasn't a choice. I sunk into the sofa, humiliation and loneliness creeping up on me as  I realized I had no else to call. I began shaking again, the jabs of pain from the fall returned, stronger than ever.

Then it hit me. I sure was dumb. I could call Akise. Who knows if he would be awake, but it was worth a shot right? After a few minutes of hesitation and swirling thoughts that clouded my judgement, I pressed the button.

After one ring I heard his voice. "Yukiteru." even from the phone, I could hear a smirk in Akise's voice. 

"Wow, you sure do pick up fast."

"I was already on my phone." 

"Akise."

"Hm?"

"I really don't want to bother you." My voice cracked.

"I already told you, you're not a bother. If anything, you're the opposite."

I sank even deeper into the couch. Even my voice was shaking. "I.. don't know.. how to put this.."

I heard shuffling around on the other side. "What happened? You sound like you're about cry.." Akise sounded so genuinely concerned, I actually started crying. I've never felt so pathetic but glad in my life. 

"I don't feel well." I said between sniffles. "I feel so nauseous and I swear it was only 11:40 ten minutes ago. I can't even think straight. My breathing feels constricted. I'm sorry Akise, you probably don't want to deal with me right now."

"I don't care if it's 3 A.M. I'm coming over right now, it sounds like you're having a panic attack." There was a loud cackling sound and what sounded like a slam of a door. "I'll be right there Yukiteru, see you in a bit."

"No! Don't hang up!" I ended up screaming those words. I began thrashing around on the couch , causing me to fall on the floor. I let out a small yelp and started rambling. "Please don't think I'm a freak..Please don't stop being my friend.."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Akise P.O.V.

My heart stopped when he muttered those words. "I would never stop being friends with you. If anything, I want to be more than just friends." I couldn't believe I let those words slip out of my mouth but it seemed like Yukiteru didn't realize the extent of his words. I was being too frank.

 It really sounded like he was in pain. I didn't know what to say while being on the phone. After a while he quieted down. "Yukiteru, I'm about to get there. Do you think you can open the gate for me?"

"It's already open. I never closed it." Turning the corner I saw that it was true. The gate was opened.

"You know that's dangerous, right?" I stopped running once I got past the gate. Panting, i slam the front door opening. I throw my shoes off and turn to run up the stairs when I heard a muffled cry. I slowly turned to see Yukiteru laying on the ground, his shirt was stained red and tears were streaming down his face.

I drop my phone and put him in my arms. "Hey, Yukiteru. Are you there? Why are you covered in blood? Yukiteru-kun?"

He opened his eyes and lightly ran his fingers through my hair. "I fell down the stairs around midnight. I then cleaned it up all the blood. It seems I hit my nose really hard but I didn't break it." His voice sounded strained and weak. He shifted uncomfortably in my arms and suddenly he shoved me away.

Despite the state he was in, his shove was hard, pushing me into the coffee table. I grunted. Yukiteru scrambled to get up and he was screaming hysterically. "Get away from me! Stop following me around! What's your deal with me anyway?" He slipped and landed on his side. He was grabbing his left side, right under his ribs and was curled up. He was screaming and I think I got why. 

"Yukiteru." I shaked him lightly. "Yukiteru, it's just a flashback. Look, I'm here." I shaked him a bit harder.

"Shut up Yuno!" Yuno? I wonder who that is. Well, right now that doesn't really matter.

I pinned his down. My arms on his shoulders pushing him down and my hips on his lower torso. Here goes nothing. "I'm not Yuno, I'm Akise, your friend."

He stopped screaming but he was still squirming. He wouldn't look me in the eyes. He's got to have medicine for this right? This is clearly PTSD, he has gotten treated for this right? "Hey Yukiteru, it's me Akise." I didn't know if reinforcing the fact I'm Akise would get him out of his stupor. He was having a flashback of sorts, and if I was right, telling him my name should bring him back because I'm not part of his flashback.

Yukiteru shot his eyes open and looked at me incredulously. Next thing I knew I was back onto the floor with Yukiteru in my arms. He was sobbing and hugging me like he hasn't seen me in years.