The Rewrite *Slow Updates*

Chapter Two- Part Two

My apologies for the long wait on the update- I've been a bit preoccupied to say the least. I hope that I can be forgiven.

When I come to again I can clearly hear what I can clearly recognize as Ritsuko's voice, then Shig's not soon after.

"Morishige, please, I just want to apologize to him, I just-"

"I said he's sleeping." Shig's voice was harder, darker, than it had been earlier, like a bear protecting its cubs.

"Morishige, please-"

"Ritsuko you can't keep doing this. You can't keep just up and leaving whenever you feel like it! Ayako might not remember but I do! You've done this too many times and it's fucking him up, Ritsuko!" I could tell, even from here, that Shig was trying his hardest to keep himself calm. I open my eyes slowly, seeing Shig standing in the ajar doorway, blocking Ritsuko's path. Ritsuko was slouched, staring down at his hands, large bags under his eyes stretching out to touch the bruise on his cheek. Had he gotten into another fight?

"I just need him to know I'm sorry." His voice is weak, which seems to surprise even Shig. "I need him to know that I don't mean for it to happen. I need him to know that I don't mean it, and I don't mean to hurt him." He shakes his head as he speaks, and I can see little tears streaming down his cheek and dropping off of his nose.

"Well you can tell him all that when he wakes up, okay? Just go- I don't know, just go sleep. Do something, Ritsuko, just go calm down."

Shig placed a careful hand of Ritsuko's shoulder, turning him to face further down the hall. I can't see his mouth move when he speaks.

"He told me. He told me about the cancer, Shig, about the chemo. He just kept talking about it, and about you, and about how he cared about you and I just-" He shakes his head again, " I couldn't stand listening to him talk about you like that."

"Ritsuko..."

"You just make him so happy, Shig, and he cares about you so much and I've fucked up so many times and said so many things I can't take back. But he still smiles because he doesn't even remember, fuck-" He lets out a humorless laugh through his tears, "I lost him so long ago and I can't ever take it back."

There was a long moment of silence before Ritsuko took slow steps forward toward his room. Only after the door is closed Shig speaks, slow and so quiet I can barely hear him.

"I'm sorry."

--

Several hours passed before I'd even thought about getting out of bed, my mind consumed with thoughts of Ritsuko and Shig's conversation. After Ritsuko had retired to his bedroom Shig had gone to the living room and turned the TV on, although I'm convinced he fell asleep before he could catch any new or totally exciting news stories. I sigh quietly, rolling over out of the blankets and out of the bed. As my feet hit the floor I hear the TV whirring with some news story about a car accident. My legs carry me to the door, out into the hall. I look back to Ritsuko's closed bedroom door and sadness washes over me. What had he meant by 'he couldn't take it back'? What had been done that I couldn't remember?

"We're receiving new word on the fire that has devastated the Belleville community. Last night, at approximately 8p.m. a large fire began , according to investigators, in the upper bedrooms of the home. In a statement given earlier this morning they say that four other fires were set in a similar fashion only hours earlier...."