[OPEN] Years fly by but I’m living, ‘fraid of dying [Day 315]

[bedheadstyle]

Who: Haruka and OPEN!
Open: Open
When: Day 315
Where: The old apartments, next to the mural wall Haruka was painting
What: The kid does have a heart condition. Even he forgets that sometimes...
Format: action
Warnings: Medical things!

[Haruka had lived with his condition his entire life. From day one he had never been like other children. When school had started for him he had stayed inside when the rest of the class went out, watching them quietly from a window while they ran and played with an ease he would never know. When other students asked him if he was alright with that he would just smile and say "I'm fine!", which in retrospect may have been a strange way to react.

It wasn't until high school that he truly wasn't bothered by it. That was when he had met Takane, another first year also sitting out of sports and other club participation for her own medical reasons. Though she clearly had no intentions of making friends with anyone, Haruka had wormed his way in to her heart and the two of them had been inseparable ever since.

That was doubly true when fate had seen fit to toss the two sickly kids in to another world together shortly after a particularly frightening and painful attack for Haruka. In a lot of ways, regardless of whatever friendships they did form here, they were all they had for one another. The only ones from their world, and the only people there with their weakened constitutions that made them unsuitable for any sort of travel or battle. They alone sat on the sidelines because they had no other choice in the matter, and while Takane had taken it as an excuse to be as lazy as humanly possible most days Haruka had gone full tilt with everything else that he could do.

He spent the morning with Takane as much as her sleepy self would allow, later mornings doing a lap around the Bastion at a slow pace in hopes that he could strength his body even just a little bit, and the rest of the day working away at the giant mural he had begun on the old apartment's side wall. Evenings after he'd cleaned up and had food were once again with Takane, usually playing some sort of video game together on the systems Colin had set up for them.

All of this had been fine for a time, but the more excited he got over the completion of the mural the more he started neglecting basic needs like periodic rest and even to a certain extent, sleep. Try as he might a good night's sleep wasn't coming to him as easily as it had been, his mind absolutely loud with ideas for more things he could do around the Bastion with his skills.

It probably wasn't the greatest idea to let the kid go hog-wild with this endeavor...

Not that he'd thought a damn thing of it at the time. In fact it wasn't until he was wrapping up another day of working on it, so very near completion, when he felt a familiar twinge in his chest and stopped cleaning the brushes he had been using.

A nervous, worried laugh escaped him, hand rubbing at his chest. He was imagining it, wasn't he?

He returned to the task only to feel it again. Along with it came a short, painful intake of breath that hardly filled his lungs. He closed his eyes and let a rare curse slip past his lips, dropping the brushes in the water bucket and moving for the ladder.]

I-it's nothing, it's nothing...

[A mantra chanted breathlessly as he went down the scaffolding, hoping he could make it over to the hospital (or Colin's workshop) before it got any worse.

Wishful thinking. Trembling, his foot slipped on the bottom rung and sent him to the grass with a painful. The wind was knocked out of him harshly, making it all the more difficult to draw air or even get to his feet.

Curled up where he hand landed, he could only lay there gasping for air and clutching at his aching chest. Did anyone but Takane even remember that he was out there... ? What if no one came by in time...

He was still conscious, but for how long?]

Comments

[bulletofhope]

[ Of course, Naegi was one of the few people in Bastion who actually remembered that Haruka was out here - and quite often at that, even having helped him a bit with the mural and learning about the different brushes in the process.

Today was no exception; Naegi had come out to see Haruka's progress on the mural again, since it had been a while since he last saw how much still needed to be done. It was looking really good, in fact--! Almost done, it looked like, since there was still one or two faces that needed to be painted in... he approached the scaffolds to climbed up and look for him, as usual-

-then he noticed the broken ladder. And then heard the panicked gasping. And THEN he saw Haruka's fallen form nearby and before he knew it he was running over to him, grabbing his free hand and squeezing it - as if telling Haruka that it was okay, someone was here. ]

Haruka-san...! Haruka-san, stay with me, I'm here...!

[ Naegi was already scrambling to help Haruka to his feet so they could get him somewhere, but where? While he was doing that, he was already shouting to anyone nearby since he was still only one person. ]

HELP!

ANYONE--! WE NEED MEDICAL ASSISTANCE OVER HERE--!

[freedom_engineer]

[Fortunately for Haruka... Colin doesn't just lock himself in his workshop for the day. Every hour or so, he comes out and takes a walk, checks in on things. It also helps that he tries to check in on Haruka at least three times a day, just to take a quick look at the boy's vitals.]

[You might call him a guardian angel, at this rate... If Naegi hadn't arrived first. Fortunately, you can never have too many helpers.]

I'm nearby! I'm coming!

[Have we mentioned that Colin's faster than he has any right to be? He comes around the corner, bounding off of the edge of the building, and coming to a skidding stop next to the two of them.]

Geez, Haruka...

[Yep, time for med scans, all while he's pulling out his medkit.]

[bedheadstyle]

[At least some one was keeping up on that. Yukio's absence wasn't exactly helping Haruka's self imposed neglect.

Naegi lifting him up was just as much of a God send as Colin showing up, and he slumped against he other teen while desperately trying to catch his breath.]

Haa... I-I thought I was... getting better...

[He smiled weakly at both of them, still trying to put on a brave face.]

Takane is gonna be mad at me...

[bulletofhope]

Well, of course she would be! If anything, she's probably gonna be just as worried at the fact that you just... kinda collapsed out here...

[ Siiiiiiigh. Naegi's just gonna be over here, helping Haruka stay upright as Colin examines him for any further damage. ]

What happened, anyway?

[freedom_engineer]

[Colin shakes his head and smiles at Haruka. He really, REALLY hates this medical thing, but he knows how to keep calm to keep others calm.]

Takane gets mad at everything, you know that.

You, Naegi right? Carry him to the hospital with me. We need to get him stabilized, and I can work better there.

[He turns and starts moving towards the hospital then.]

Don't worry though, Haruka. You're going to be okay.

I thought we told you not to push yourself?

[bedheadstyle]

Sh-she really does...

[Haruka gives a nod of thanks to both of them for being so speedy and helping him. He had really, truly been afraid there for a moment.

Though nothing was ever going to compare to the hell he went through in the classroom all those months ago.

He still had nightmares about what he saw after waking up in the hospital.]

I didn't think I was... b-but I guess I... haa... mi-misjudged how much I was doing.

[bulletofhope]

Got it...

[ Naegi nods at Colin, helping to support him from one side while Colin carries him on the other side, and sighs at Haruka. Seriously, if this is how you are usually then it's no wonder that Takane has such a short fuse...

Then again, he's only heard of her and not actually met her, so... he wisely stays quiet on that part as he shakes his head and lightly pokes his forehead. ]

Well, let this be a reminder to take it easy and not push yourself so much! Seriously, you had us both worried...

[freedom_engineer]

Don't scold him too much. That won't help anything. Right now, he just needs a little help.

[Colin keeps supporting Haruka as he moves, and with his other hand he reaches for his amulet to bring it up and use it.]

Ghaleon, can you please meet us in the hospital? Haruka's had an incident, and we could use another doctor here...

[bulletofhope]

Sorry, sorry! I'm just... really worried about him, especially since he's my friend...

[ Naegi sighs, relaxing to a degree now that Colin - and now another healer or doctor type - was on their way. ]

I'm glad he'll be okay, though. I'll just save the scolding for Takane-san when she visits him later... I'm pretty sure she'll have some words for him when she gets wind of this, anyway...

[bedheadstyle]

[Haruka doesn't get irritated often, or even much at all, but he's starting to scowl a bit now and it has nothing to do with how terrible he's feeling.]

Just because I'm... not doing well doesn't mean you have to talk over me...

[Seriously guys, he's right there.]

[freedom_engineer]

Not at all. I just don't want to see your situation aggravated is all.

[He smiles at Haruka.]

Working on engines is always easier. Engines yell differently if they don't like what you're doing...

[Yep, he's still gonna tease, even with Haruka feeling like shit.]

[bulletofhope]

[ This is your life now, Haruka. This is what happens when you have dorks like these two as friends and family. ]

Yeah...

Plus, this is a good thing! You're well enough to talk back to us, so you won't be stuck in the hospital for too long if you keep it up.

[bedheadstyle]

[It's a curse. Truly.]

I-it doesn't feel as bad as last time...

[He feels weakened and out of breath, but so far he hasn't felt the tug of darkness on his mind that would indicate a complete collapse. Obviously whatever had been done to him in the hospital before arriving here had helped a great deal, but not enough to prevent another minor attack.

Still, chances were he was going to be laid up for a while with this.]

at the hospital place ..... comes in late with starbucks

[headphoneactor]

[ Of course she'd been notified of what had happened. She was kind of dating him and all. So yeah, despite the fact that running was probably not good for her condition, she was running like the wind to the hospital. She didn't even stop to ask where his room was. She just kept checking all the rooms until she could see the familiar sight of her boyfriend.

Once she did, she stopped in the doorway, hunched over slightly and breathing heavily, coughing a little bit every so often and trying to fight back the feeling that she was about to pass out.

No, she couldn't pass out. Not when Haruka was sick. ]

H-Haru ... H-Haruka ...

wow I hope you brought some for me

[bedheadstyle]

[Haruka had expected she would be told sooner or later, though he had also expected far more yelling in his direction. Instead she showed up in barely better condition than he was, and he was the one in bed attached to wires and an oxygen tube.

It hurt to sit up but he forced himself to do so anyway.]

Takane... y-you should sit down...

caffeine is no good for your heart

[headphoneactor]

[ She wanted to bark back at him that he should lay back down, but she could hardly breathe. So, she took his advice and moved to sit on the edge of his bed to catch her breath. Hold, please. ]

a hot chocolate at the very least!!!!

[bedheadstyle]

[Haruka shifted to sit up himself as much as he could, reaching over to slip a weak hand over hers.]

Sh... should I call for Colin-san... ?

:|

[headphoneactor]

[ She still can't really talk considering how hard she's breathing, but she does manage to shake her head no. She'll be fine. Once she finishes gasping for air. ]

/cries

[bedheadstyle]

... Takane?

[Seriously. Please don't die. Give him some other sign that you're going to be okay!]

you big baby

[headphoneactor]

I-I'm ... [ gasp ] I-I'm fine ...

[ She's slowly catching her breath. Hold, please. ]

8(

[bedheadstyle]

[BUT. WORRIED.]

You don't... you don't sound fine.

8|

[headphoneactor]

I ran all the way here!!

[ THAT EXPLAINS IT RIGHT. ]

:c

[bedheadstyle]

T... Takane...

[WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!]

8| !!!!!

[headphoneactor]

[ BECAUSE I HEARD YOU WERE IN THE HOSPITAL AND I PANICKED OKAY ]

H-How ... how are you feeling?

[ I didn't mean to yell. ]

[bedheadstyle]

[Takane...]

... tired, now.

[Which is better than how he was feeling.]