Behind the Glass (Komahina AU)

Chapter Sixteen: To Where The Heart Yearns

"It's going to be okay!" Hajime screamed as he tried to reach for Nagito. He felt weak due to the loss of blood from his tail being stabbed, but he remained focused on the white haired man.

"Hajime..." Nagito called out weakly. "Stay alive...for me..."

As he tried to move, the sword began to cut further into the skin, making him wince. He heaved out one long breath before he pushed through. The sword sliced through his tail, cutting it in half, but Hajime didn't care anymore. Screaming, he broke free and immediately flipped over to Nagito, placing him in his arms.

"I'm here, my love." He panted, brushing his hand on Nagito's cheek. "I'll save you."

Nagito smirked as he returned the gesture, his breathing was getting weaker. He was beginning to lose his grip on the bleeding wound, making Hajime panic.

Looking around, he got a glimpse of a big seashell on top of a table in front of them. It was known as a cassis cornuta and it was well known in his species as a way to create medicine. Gasping, he pushed himself over to the table and reached the top. Pulling it down fast, he then bit his wrist with his sharp fangs. It wasn't as painful as the sword injury, but Hajime felt numb regardless. Pouring his blood into the shell, he began to choke out one more tear from his eyes. As it fell into the mixture, Nagito began to lose consciousness.

"NO!" Hajime seethed through his teeth as he began to mix. "Don't you die on me."

Realizing he had no choice, Hajime took some of the mixture in his mouth and gave it to Nagito. As the human began to swallow it, Hajime then began to lick the wound and placed a few loose scales on. He did the same on Nagito's neck and he waited. It was slow, but it began to heal as Nagito began to breathe normally.

Hajime laughed in relief as he fell down beside Nagito. "I did it..."

Nagito grabbed Hajime and pulled him close. "You...I don't deserve you, you know?"

"You are my only light in this world." Hajime said quietly. "I would die if you were to vanish from my life. That's how much I love you."

Nagito kissed him gently on the forehead just before he fell asleep.
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He woke up in his bed completely rested, but confused. He noticed a little scar on his shoulder from where Mukuro stabbed him and touched it. He couldn't believe it. Fuzzy memories returned to him as soon as he saw
Hajime sleeping on the floor. His head and arms were resting on the end of the bed like a lost puppy.

He brushed his hand through his fingers, but he noticed something was off. Hajime's hand clenched some strands of hair...and some of them were white.

"Hajime! Wake up!" Nagito whispered as he gently shook him awake. His hazel eyes opened slightly and looked up into Nagito's silver eyes. The merman gasped and hugged him tightly.

"You're awake! I am so happy!" Hajime said as they broke the hug. "You were asleep for two days straight. I was so..." He noticed Nagito was looking elsewhere with concern. "What is it?"

Nagito saw a purple vein that was across his face. Looking at his neck where Junko stabbed him, it was covered in smaller, but similar looking veins going around the entry point. Taking the merman's shirt off, more veins appeared on the right side of his chest.

"What the hell...?" Nagito finally said in horror. "What did she do to you?" Hajime looked away, but Nagito cupped his cheek to face him. "Please. You have to tell me."

Hajime sighed, shaking from his sobs. "She stabbed me with a rare breed of sea urchin. The venom it produces may not be poisonous to humans...but it is to mermen. Without a cure...I will die...in five more days."

Nagito felt his heart break. After all they had been through, this was the one time he truly felt despair. Hugging Hajime, he began to cry out all of his emotions he held back. He couldn't let Hajime die like this. Losing him was the last thing he ever wanted. He could feel Hajime rub his back as he too began to weep.

"Nagito!" Gundham called out as he came into the room and saw the destruction. When the two boys looked at him, everything made sense. "Come! We need to get to the aquarium now."

Hajime tried to walk, but due to the injury to his tail, it was difficult. Nagito wrapped Hajime's arm in his shoulders as they limped our together. The merman noted to himself that he wouldn't be able to swim as he used to now. Junko had paralyzed him...and it was killing him.

They arrived and saw more damage to the tanks. Some of the fish have died on the floor of the aquarium or in their now empty tanks. Gundham growled as he could feel his anger building up. "That witch...!" He seethed. "She will suffer eternal damnation for this."

As they reached further back in the aquarium, Hajime noticed a tentacle reaching out of its tank. It was trying to get his attention.

"Nagito...take me there." He asked, pointing at the tank. As they got closer, Hajime pulled himself out of Nagito's support and into the octopus's tentacle. "Hello...I am fine...Thank you...Percy? What a nice name."

Nagito realized that Hajime was talking to the octopus and smiled. When he noticed a catfish in the same tank swam up and nudged slightly at the glass, he got confused.

"Hajime? What did that catfish say?" He asked.

Before the merman could answer, Sonia and Chiaki ran up to them. The latter slowed down and saw the catfish repeat its message. "He said that Hajime...has to go back home."
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To Be Continued...