Title: Zutto Soba Ni (which I believe translates to "Always by your side".)
Summary: Eiji's been acting weird lately, and it's not just your normal everyday stuff.
Words: 796 (snap it's short! But it feels longer...)
A/N: I will tell you right now that this is a cancer fic, so if you hate those press the back button now. However, I will also tell you that this is NOT a leukemia fic. There are far too many out there for my liking, and I thought I might bring some other peoples attention to other problems. So far, I'm pretty sure this is the only fic I've seen with this problem. I will be writing based on research and based on the past experiences of one of my best friends Jo and whatever last years Science/Social Studies teacher told us, because she had the same thing. That is all.
May 7th, 2007: Re-written because the original chapter sucked. Only writing changes, content is the same.
Oishi Syuchiroh had to try and hide the extreme anxiety that plagued his face.
For the past two weeks or so his doubles partner, Kikumaru Eiji, had been far from just having "off days."
The normally hyper red-head had been having severe headaches off and on, as well as seeming extremely tired.
So tired, that Oishi hadn't been glomped when his partner had first spotted him. In fact, he hadn't even known Eiji was behind him as there was an extreme lack of noise from the acrobat.
It wasn't until he had turned around, and his green eyes met with distant, far-off, abnormal blue ones, that he had noticed the other boy.
"Eiji," Oishi said voice soft and worry still written all over his face, "Are you all right? Perhaps you should go home and rest."
"Nya, I'm fine Oishi. Just a little bit tired," Eiji replied, putting a smile on that was obviously forced.
Oishi sighed. "Just be careful, okay? If you're not feeling well you really should go home."
Eiji was about to respond when Fuji suddenly popped up next to him.
"Saa, Eiji we best be getting to class, it starts in ten minutes," and with that Fuji led Eiji away, however not before glancing at Oishi and giving him the "he'll-be-fine-I-promise" look. And Oishi could only hope he was right.
To Oishi's relief, Eiji's headache was much less severe by second period and nearly gone by lunch. Along with the absence of a headache he also gained some of his usual energy back, although he still seemed tired. Things actually seemed to be going rather well, until afternoon practice.
"Today we'll be doing an eye-training drill," Inui said. "Balls will shoot out of that machine in different directions at the same time very quickly and you will need to tell me how many you saw. You'll be doing this as a group activity." Inui said looking like he was about to turn on the machine. "Oh, and one more thing; anybody who saw less than the actual number of balls shot has to drink this," he said, holding up a pitcher of…actually it was reddish-greenish-purple, I guess you could say. With that the machine was set off and three balls were fired out of it.
"Kaidoh?"
"Ffssh, 3"
"Momoshiro?
"3"
"Echizen?"
"5"
"Oishi?"
"4"
"Kawamura?"
"3"
" Fuji?"
"Saa, 5"
"Tezuka?"
"5"
"Kikumaru?"
There was no response.
"Kikumaru?" Inui asked again. Eiji muttered something inaudible. "Sorry, didn't catch that."
"2" Eiji said in barely more than a whisper.
"2, did you say? I'm sorry the corre-" Inui looked up, thinking he must have misheard something. After all, Eiji did have the best eye sight of all of them."2?" Eiji nodded. "I see…well we'll just move on then," Inui said, ignoring the shocked looks on his teammates faces, half from Eiji only seeing two balls, half from the fact that Inui didn't make the normally hyper-active third-year drink his "juice".
With that the machine started up again, firing four different balls.
"Kaidoh?"
"Ffsssh, 5"
"Momoshiro?"
"4"
"Echizen?"
"6"
"Oishi?"
"5"
"Kawamura?"
"4"
" Fuji?"
"7"
"Tezuka?"
"6"
"Kikumaru?" No answer. "Kikumaru?" He looked over again to see Eiji sitting there looking helpless.
"3" he said in a voice that quavered and a face that let everybody know that he could very well brake down and cry right there.
Inui blinked a few times, before writing something down that wasn't legible, handing it to Eiji, and whispering in the other boy's ear to go see Ryuuzaki-sensei. With that practice continued, nearly everybody trying to spot the balls so as not to have to drink the "juice". However, two regulars ended up being victims of Inui's juice that day, and they were none other than Oishi and Fuji.
Inui's "juices" were the least of Oishi and Fuji's problems that day. No, their worries were strictly on Eiji. After practice both approached a very confused and distressed looking Eiji.
"Eiji," Oishi said, not even trying to hide the immense worry he was feeling, "What happened? Are you feeling all right? Perhaps you should stay home tomorrow," Oishi said, bombarding his already startled partner with more questions than he could answer.
"Nya, Oishi, I'm fine," Eiji said, forced smile plastered on his face, trying to re-assure his double partner.
"Eiji, what's wrong?" was Fuji's question, and from the fact that his blue eyes were almost completely visible it was difficult to try and stay composed.
"I-I was just h-having an off d-day," he stuttered quietly, looking at his feet. "I-I'll b-be fine tomorrow, I promise, nya," he said, both trying to re-assure himself and end the conversation.
The other boys nodded, and though both still wanted to talk they dropped the topic and walked home in silence.
AH!!! I'm sorry if it stunk/was really short. To be honest, I think this is the longest chapter of a story I've ever written. Anyways, no matter if you loved/hated/didn't care, please send me a review. Please? -does puppy eyes- Definitely not longest. XP
P.S. If you've been looking at my fics I've been writing a lot of random stuff lately. Just kinda experimenting and writing what comes to mind. Possibly starting on a oneshot KiriSomebody fic (I'm not telling who. MWHAHAHAHA!) As of edit: posted under the title 'Hidden Love'. Check it out, ne:)