Chapter 96 - Hinata's POV Something to Live For

Hinata felt docile from the sake he had shared with Ryōsuke. Both men only drank enough to feel relaxed. Ryōsuke returned to his doctor duties as soon as he packed away the bottle.

Hinata made his way to Akira's side. Kneeling close to the man's sleeping form in his cot.

Soft rays of light graced Akira's shallow cheeks. His lips were twitching in his sleep. His complexion was pale and clammy. He tenderly wiped his skin clean with a damp cloth.

He sighed when he saw the fresh bandage Ryōsuke had wrapped around his stomach.

Earlier, when they were in the office, Ryōsuke had deduced Akira's wound was deep due to the type of knife that was used to stab him. He had managed to surgically seal the wound, but he wasn't sure if he was able to stop long term damages.

Without saying further, Ryōsuke had hinted that Akira was hanging on to his fleeting life. The chance of full recovery was one in a million.

"Akira." Hinata whispered the man's name.

He flinched when Akira's eyes fluttered open. 

"Hinata." Akira weakly acknowledged Hinata. His lips twitching with a smile. "Did you say my name?"

Hinata noted the hope to his voice. He nodded.

Akira sighed, which caused him to cough.  Hinata assisted water from a cup into his parched mouth.

"Thanks." Akira sighed as he laid back to stare up to the thatched ceiling.

Sunlight was streaming through flower pattern cuts in the wooden ranma. He faced Hinata again. His lips stretched with a loving smile at the arrangement of shadows, depicting flowers, cast on the wall behind his lover.

"Beautiful Angel." He muttered. 

His heart raced with a fear that Hinata may no longer be within his reach. No one would.

"Hinata. Listen. Whatever happens to me. Don't blame yourself." Akira forced himself to say aloud and clearly. "I don't blame you for anything."

"What are you saying?" Hinata tensed. He frowned, not liking the words Akira was saying. They were too final.

"You're going to get better and give me a hug when you do," he said to give Akira some motivation for his recovery.

Despite what Rocko had advised him to do. He wasn't going to ditch Akira now. He'd be the man's something to live for.

He glanced about the recovery ward. Checking the bedsides and patients to ensure no one was paying them attention. He leaned towards Akira and tenderly kissed his lips.

Ryōsuke blinked with surprise when he stumbled upon their moment, as he was rising from the bedside of the patient nearby. He glanced about and realized no one else had seen their kiss. So Hinata was like him? He found the fact interesting.

Unaware, Hinata gave Akira more doting words to ensure the man's zest for recovery. He rose with reassurances of his return then left the ward and hospital to check on the others back at the house.

Aiyama-san and Miki were headed his way down the dirt track that led to the hospital, and village shops not far beyond it.

"Hina-chan!" Miki cried out as she slammed into Hinata's waist with her hug. Almost pulling down one part of his kimono.

Hinata chuckled and straightened up his kimono when Aiyama-san had managed to pry her off him.

"Sorry about that. She's happy to see you." Aiyama-san apologized.

"It's okay. I'm happy to see you both as well." Hinata patted the girl's head fondly.

He asked how the others were and was given a brief run down.

As they were talking, Rei and Kei went racing past them. With Nakamura-san's boys trailing behind. Seems they were hurrying somewhere to play a game of ball. Judging by the round object being carried underneath Rei's arm.

Hinata smiled at the sight them being kids.

"You did a good thing for Nakamura-san. And the twins." Aiyama-san casually noted as she watched the young boys turn a corner and disappear from their sight.

"Were you headed back?" She changed he subject.

Hinata nodded. He asked of her destination and added to the list of shopping they were intending to bring back to the house.

Aiyama-san and Miki continued their walk. Hinata returned to the house and was crankily greeted by Tama-chan.

He spent some time on the porch, patting the fat ginger tabby cat. Lavishing lots of scratches to its exposed belly and strokes on its back.

"You've been a good boy through all this." He praised his cat. "Thank you for sticking around."

Tama-chan sat up and stared at Hinata's face, before it turned to its own paws and began cleaning itself.

Hinata sighed and made his way inside the house, greeting Yuri when he was removing his shoes at the genken.

Yuri surprised him when he forcefully grabbed his arm and dragged him down the hallway to a spare room.

"Sleep." Yuri commanded Hinata as he pointed to a freshly made futon in the room's center.

Hinata attempted to reassure his alertness with a hearty yawn. Of course, Yuri wasn't convinced. He continued to gesture to the bed.

Getting the hint. Hinata gratefully accepted the gesture. Yuri left him alone in the room.

Hinata eased in between the crisp, clean sheets and blanket. He laid himself down, relishing the cozy warmth from daylight that streamed into the room through ranma and shoji panels. Feeling assured by the lively noises being made around other areas of the house. 

His eyes fluttered to a close and mind eased into sleep.