Title: A secret to my grave

Pairing: Asami/Akihito

Spoilers: None… I guess?

Disclaimer: Beloved Akithito and Asami is not mine, they belong to Yamane Ayano.

Author's note: This is my first fic ever. I've never written any fic before, I always indulge reading other's work. Don't know what made me write this stuff. Boredom perhaps... or the sense of not knowing what the heck I should do with my spare time. So, here it is... my first attempt. Sorry for the sucky grammar. Have mercy on me... hehehe. (Since I moved this story from my LJ as a backup, for now there's only up to chap 3 for this one.)

Chapter 1: The News

It was a bad day for Akihito. A very, very bad day. He had lost his job, fall into a puddle of mud, almost got run over by a car and most of all… he had fought with Asami. Sure they've fought before but it was different this time around. Yeah, maybe it was his fault for spatting such cruel words to Asami, thought Akihito. But then again, the bastard shouldn't have requested such a thing in the first place! Akihito growl once again as he realized that his train of thought had centered yet again on Asami. The perverted crime lord. His perverted crime lord. His perverted lover. The love of… hold on a second. What the hell did he just think? Did the rain mess up with his brain or something? There's no chance in hell he's going to admit that, even if it is in his own mind.

Frowning, Akihito ran towards the nearest bus stop to take a shelter from the heavy rain. He almost reached it when suddenly he felt his knees gave way, resulting in his body falling face first on the pavement unceremoniously. He could only growl in frustration as the people around him tried to stifle a chuckle. Thankfully, he had managed to save his prized camera from the fall.

The fuck just happened? Akihito thought while heaving himself up from the ground. Lately, his legs seemed to felt weak all the time. He tend to tripped over nothing and lose his footing even if he was walking in a straight line. At first he had thought it was all the bastard's fault. Asami did seem to find pleasure in fucking him so hard into the mattress until his legs felt numb. But since the occurrence of this recent symptom didn't match with their daily "activity", Akihito shrug it away.

Maybe it's the result of living a luxury life? Ever since he moved in with Asami, he didn't have to work at odd hours all the time. Sure, he does some favors when he was needed but that's it. Asami had made sure he wasn't snooping around his business or ever get near around the news of the underworld anymore. He felt caged for the first few months but it wasn't such a big deal once he got used to it. Though, he does miss the feeling of adrenaline running through his veins every now and then. Akihito couldn't help but smile at the thought.

Maybe his body was protesting the pampered life he lived now. He needed some way to move his body. He needed a healthy exercise. And no, the exercise context does not involve the word Asami and bed! That thought had somehow remind him of the last time he had whine to the bastard about his lack of "exercise". Boy oh boy, did he regret saying that. The next thing he knows, he was tied up to the bed for almost a week while Asami demonstrated various "exercise" moves. Akihito shuddered at the memory.

Whatever the case is, Akihito is determined to find out then answer before the next big assignment. It'll bring him no good if his legs turn jello when he's ditching the thugs. Even worse if he's caught red-handed by them. Asami will certainly be pissed if that happened.

~A~A~A~

Shit! Shit! SHIT! Akithito cursed as he ran desperately for his life. He looked back and cruse once again at the thugs behind him. Everything went smoothly just a few minutes ago. He had caught a clear image of the thug's big boss doing an exchange with a politician without any interruption. The thugs didn't even notice his presence! He had smiled victoriously as he packed his bags to leave but the inevitable happened. His legs gave away when he was climbing down the stairs (trying desperately not to make a sound) and he tumbled down the stairs.

As much as it hurts him to move after the fall, he knew immediately that his life was at stake. The sound of the impact echoed loudly throughout the building, signaling the thugs his presence. Hell, even a deaf person would be able to hear him! Cursing at his damned luck, Akihito quickly ran towards the nearest exit while the thugs followed suit. He had tried to ditch them ever since.

It would be easy to ditch them if his body was in the best condition. But right now, his legs weren't cooperating at all. It felt as if the bone in his legs were gone, melted somehow. He couldn't run as much as he couldn't walk. The only thing that managed to move him forward was his hands. He took hold of rusted steel he found lying in the alley and dragged his body with all his might. It was HELL trying to drag his body along with his immobilized leg while trying to ditch people who were crazy enough to kill him if he ever stopped running from them.

Running? Akihito couldn't help but to smirk at the irony. Rather than running, he was crawling!

"Move dammit!" Akihito hissed at his legs desperately. "Move!" his eyes widen in panic when one of the thugs was almost upon him. "GOD DAMMIT MOVEE!" he screamed desperately when the thug aim the pistol at him. As if a miracle, Akihito could finally sense the nerve in his legs and scrambled to his feet evading the bullet that was aimed directly at his head.

~A~A~A~

Akihito arrived at the penthouse slightly 3am. Normally, Asami would have been home around this time but he was away this week. Something about business contract in Italy. Whatever, as if Akihito cared at the moment. He's thankful that the bastard wasn't around to witness his state. He looked awful with mud covering his entire skin. Even the receptionist gasps in disgust at his sight.

With a sigh of relief, Akihito dumped his mud covered sneakers in front of the door and headed straight towards the bathroom. Once cleaned, he dumped himself on the bed unceremoniously. His mind wandered off to the event that night. The stairs, the thug, the pistol and his leg. What's wrong with him? No rather, the question was… what's wrong with his leg?

It's as if he couldn't control his leg's movement. His legs felt sluggish… no… at that moment, he felt as if his legs had turned into stone! He eyed his leg suspiciously. He tried to move his right leg and it moved according to his will. He stood up and pace around the room, trying to catch the slightest numbs feeling in his leg but everything seemed just fine. He tried stretching to see whether it was cramps that he had experienced. Nothing. He jumped, tried to do a split… but nothing seems off.

He finally gave up and decided to retreat for the night. He was about to climb onto his bed when his legs finally gave away. The next thing he knew, his head banged against the chair and he was plunged into darkness.

~A~A~A~

Akihito woke up with a start the next morning. He was lying next to chair and he wondered a bit why he was lying there before he remembered what happened. His head throbbed painfully as he heaved himself up slowly. He sat on his bed, taking a few minutes trying to ease the pain in his head. His gaze fall on his lap. It was starting to worry him quite a bit. Heck, he could be dead if he had slipped and fall inside the bathroom! Akihito bit his lip as he made a decision. He truly needs to see a doctor, just in case, to see whether his legs have a brain of their own or something much more worrying. The later thought sends cold shiver down his spine. He hoped not.

"Takaba-san, does your family have any history of walking or speech problems?" asked the woman in white, Miya-san, with a serious expression.

It was a strange question in Akithito's opinion. Heck, the whole morning has been strange. He went to a normal clinic, before he was referred to a hospital where he was urged to meet this neurologist that has been constantly asking him strange questions and doing some weird test to him. But what's the point in whining? At least she's trying to figure out what's wrong with his damned leg.

Akihito shook his head. "No. Not that I'm aware of."

Miya-san nodded her head understandingly; her eyes were laced with pity. "Takaba-san, what I'm going to tell you is going to surprise you, I'm sure. Is there anyone we can contact? Any relatives perhaps? I'm sure you need all the support you can get."

Akihito immediately thought of Asami, but he chased the thought away as quickly as it came. "No… but I don't understand. What's this support all about? What's wrong with me? Are you saying…"

"Calm down, Takaba-san" Miya-san patted Akihito's shoulder. She eyed him for a few moments before she took in a deep breath to deliver the news to Akihito as slowly as possible. "You're diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis."

Akihito could only blink at that. "Amy-something what?" he asked confusedly before Miya-san began to explain in simpler terms.

"It's a disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord."

"Is it dangerous?" Akihito gape, his heart began to panic at the sound of "nerve cells" and "brain". Akihito knew he wasn't that bright, but at least he knows that anything related to the brain would not be a good sign.

"This disease would make the brain to lost control over muscle movement or initiate it" Miya-san said slowly. "From the average percentage, the chance of survival for this disease is up to three to five years…" Miya-san went on and explained further into detail about his condition. But Akihito was lost in his head. He couldn't grasp what he had just heard. He was dying?

No, this is absurd! It can't be possible! He was fine just a month ago. This must be a joke. He started to laugh, thinking that Miya-san was indeed playing with him. Maybe Asami was playing a joke on him. Yeah, that bastard could even bribe a neurologist if he wants to. Asami could even own this place, who knows? But Akihito knew, deep down inside it was the truth after all.

Miya-san watched Akihito pitifully as he laughed while a tear made its way down his cheek. A heart-wrenching cry followed suit.