Boneca [Doll]

Chapter 42: Deserve to be

Jona found himself sprawled on the floor, the relentless pounding on the door reverberating through the room.

"Junko, answer me," Kurosaki-san's voice echoed from outside.

"Damn it, Kurosaki. Just open the damn door or I'll shoot it off its hinges," Luuk retorted.

The doorknob rattled, but Jona lacked the energy to stand up and open it.

"Finally," Luuk exclaimed, shoving the door open and kneeling beside him. "You scared me, for God's sake. What were you doing?" Luuk pulled him up, concern etched in the lines on his forehead. "Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself? Why are you on the floor?" He meticulously examined every inch of his arms.

Jona glanced out the window; darkness had settled.

Kurosaki-san tousled his hair, shook his head, and left the room. Despite always looking youthful, the lines on his skin now betrayed the years of worry Jona had caused him. He'd been an ungrateful child, making him fret for him over fourteen long years.

"You've been unresponsive for hours." Luuk enveloped him in his arms, his heartbeat racing against his chest. "I was scared to death."

"Por que você ainda está aqui?" [Why are you still here?]

He held him at arm's length. "Porque nada do que você diz me fará deixá-lo, Junko." [Because nothing you say will make me leave you, Junko.]

Even when he thought his tears had dried up, hearing Luuk call him Junko stung his eyes again.

"Foi a minha escolha." [It was my choice.] He cried into his chest. "Foi tudo culpa minha." [It was all me.]

Luuk kissed his head. "Get up." Helping him sit on the bed, he said, "I'll go get something for you to eat."

Jona shook his head.

"Eat. You haven't eaten the whole day. Wait here."

In less than five minutes, he brought him dinner.

"Eu não me sinto como comer." [I don't feel like eating.] He buried his face in the pillow when Luuk touched his elbow.

"Kurosaki cooked this for you. I have no idea what they are, but he says these are your favorite." He pulled him into a sitting position. "This squishy eggplant-looking thing looks good. Eat." He brought the spoon to his lips.

Again, Jona shook his head.

"Come on, honey. It's not every day that you get to eat from my graceful hand. Consider it a blessing on your part." He winked.

Jona bit the inside of his lips to stop the unwelcome grin.

He smiled. "Eat, sweetheart. Please."

His stomach rumbled from the sweet smell of the eggplant. He hadn't eaten anything for two days. "Have you eaten?" he said and drank the water he passed her.

Luuk's smile wavered. "Yes. Though I don't like Japanese food."

"This is not Japanese food. It's Portuguese. And you always loved the Japanese food I cooked."