Program Break
Disclaimer: I don't own GTO, or anything related to it.
When Kikuchi wakes up, it's to the sound of a crowd gathering and gasping. He wonders why he's on currently lying down on the cement road, and he also wonders why his vision is so –
Ah, right. Kid. Speeding car. Onizuka's hero complex rubbing off on him. Now, it starts to make sense. Kikuchi is wishing that it hadn't, because now his genius mind starts to work and the ramifications of being hit by a car were now screaming through his mind.
He absentmindedly brings up his arm to his face, wiping off the fluid he feels there. Opening his eyes, he sees that his vision is tinged with red, and the realization that he has a head injury comes right after.
There's no pain, curiously enough; if anything, he just feels a bone deep weariness, that tells him to forget about everything and go back to sleep.
The scream of his name gets his attention, and he opens his eyes again to see Yoshikawa and Uehara running toward him, expressions of shock and concern on their faces.
They aren't here, yet. I have a little more time to nap, he thinks, as he closes his eyes and muses that he's going to be late for his meeting with Kanzaki.
When he awakens again, he is still at the scene of the accident; it's gotten a whole lot busier since the last time, though. Hearing the sound of Yoshikawa's voice, he opens his eyes again and looks to his left, where he sees the boy speaking with what looks to be a police officer.
Judging by his wild gesticulations, he doesn't know what happened. Neither do the rest of the Onikumi (when had they gotten here?), judging by the questioning, worried tones. He attempts to push himself up, to reassure them, but finds that his left arm won't obey his commands. Broken, he supposes.
Fortunately, the slight movement gets the attention of the Holy Forest students, and they all charge over to his side, led by Onizuka, who looked far more calm then he should have been.
"Onizuka. Everyone," Kikuchi greets, his voice neutral. The blonde nods back tightly, his jaw clenched.
"Ambulance is on its way, Kikuchi," Onizuka told him, none of his usual ebullience present. "Hang on, okay?"
Hang on. Not the words he would choose to reassure someone. Nevertheless, Kikuchi tries to nod –
Only to get his first taste of pain for the evening. The tortured gasp that forces its way past his lips is probably due to a muscle injury as opposed to anything deeper (hopefully, anyway) but he doesn't care, because it hurts like hell –
"Don't move, idiot!" Onizuka scolds, but Kikuchi doesn't hear, because unconsciousness has temporarily freed him of the pain. A mixed blessing, to be sure, but it's one he'll take.
His next awakening lasts for no longer then a minute, but it's more pleasant then the other ones; he feels someone gently wiping his face, and it's quite nice, he thinks.
Opening his eyes again, he sees Kanzaki kneeling beside him, her dichromatic eyes focused on him and him alone.
Any other time, it would have felt nice, but he was unable to appreciate the moment right now. She looks at him steadily.
"Hi, Kanzaki. Sorry I'm late."
She rolls her eyes. "Go back to sleep, Kikuchi," she orders (not told, because Kanzaki Urumi did not make recommendations) him in a level, calm tone.
"… the child?" Kikuchi suddenly asks, his eyes still open and staring at the blonde.
"I think he's okay. A little bruised – and a lot traumatized – but nothing therapy won't fix," she tells him flippantly, her hand still stroking his forehead tenderly.
Kikuchi pursed his parched lips and nodded, closing his eyes again. "As it should be. I might wind up dying for him after all, so he'd better make it through this."
The boy falls asleep again almost immediately, sparing him the sound of her silent gasp and the sight of the almost imperceptible shake of her head.
When Kikuchi is aware again, he is glad to note that he's finally awoken in a place that isn't the scene of the crash. As he opens his eyes again, he sees the sterile white ceiling of a hospital, along with the face of a man who looked like he was in his mid 40's. Doctor, in all likelihood.
"… what's going on?" Kikuchi inquires plaintively, making sure not to sound too panicked or afraid. The doctor notices immediately, and quickly looks down with a gaze that is neither chastising nor patronizing.
"We're wheeling you into surgery right now," the man informs him, his tone not changing at all.
Kikuchi resists the urge to smile, despite the pain he is in. He guesses that if the man knew how old he actually was and stopped going by mere physical appearance, he'd be a lot more reassuring.
"What's your name, son?" the doctor asks distractedly, as he barks out directions and orders to those around him.
"Kikuchi. Kikuchi Yoshito, third year at Holy Forest Academy, junior high level, class 4," he tells him, making damn sure that he thows his school details in there. If he dies here, he will at least make it known that the boy who lost his life saving a child was from a class led by a man everyone thought to be worthless. He owes Onizuka that much, anyway.
The doctor nods. "I see. Well, Kikuchi-kun, we have very good doctors here, so let's see if we can fix you up, hmm?"
Kikuchi wants to snort, but holds himself back. Telling him he was in junior high had made the man patronizing, as expected. Still, he was oddly grateful for his attempts to reassure him.
"Where are my classmates?" he inquires suddenly, wondering if they had gone home worried (the logical choice) or if they were still here, waiting (the dumber choice, but the one that Onizuka undoubtedly sanctioned.)
Kikuchi thinks later that it was serendipity that opened the set of double doors ahead of him; when they swing open, he sees the faces of seven familiar people looking in. He weakly tries to crane his head upward…
Murai was the first one to see Kikuchi, as evidenced by his mad yell and attempted sprint forward. It takes Onizuka suplexing him into the floor to stop him from going any further, and Kikuchi hears the voice of his boisterous teacher as he fades away again.
"Moron! That leads to the operating room! You think you can just charge in there like that? And Kikuchi, what did I say about NOT MOVING? Jackass!"
The genius then realized that he had seen the faces of all his classmates – with the exception of Kanzaki's. He looked down before he had gotten a totally clear view of the expression on the blonde's face, and he was somewhat glad for it.
See, he wasn't afraid right now. Kikuchi knew that if he saw Kanzaki look as broken and frightened as everyone else did, that fact would change.
He awakens to a mask being slipped onto his face, and he blearily opens his eyes to see the doctor standing over him.
"We're going to start now, Kikuchi-kun," the man informs him, as he adjusts the mask. "Can you count backward from 100 for me?"
As Kikuchi breathes in the anaesthetic gas, he closes his eyes again and starts to think, using his own rhythm.
Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.
Breathe…
Kikuchi knows that he's awake now, but he feels so nauseous and terrible that he doesn't bother to look this time. He still hears, though.
"So, he's gonna be okay after all, eh?" Murai.
"Yeah, but it was pretty touch and go there for a while, though." Fujiyoshi, followed by another 'Yeah' from Kusano.
"I'm so glad! I thought that he was a goner when I saw him…" Yoshikawa.
"I-idiot!" came the exclamation, with the sound of a smack following it. "Don't say things like that!" Uehara, undoubtedly.
"Would you two keep it down?" Onizuka's voice rang out. "The guy just got out of surgery, and he needs his rest! Now, if this ever happens to me, be as loud as you want. I can take it!"
Kikuchi somehow knew that Onizuka was flexing at that last statement. Still, it was bad form not to acknowledge one's sensei…
"Onizuka," Kikuchi groans tiredly. "Just so you know, I blame you for this. Your stupid hero complex rubbed off and nearly got me killed," he tells the older man, his voice muffled by the oxygen mask.
That was all he got out before closing his eyes and blacking out again, so he missed Onizuka's exaggerated indignance and the excited chatter from his friends upon hearing him speak.
Had he stayed conscious for just a little longer, however, he would have noticed his mind register disappointment that he heard nothing from his fellow genius.
Kikuichi is on plenty of painkillers for the next few days, but he remembers the visits clearly – his friends, as well as the family of the child he saved. (The outpouring of gratitude, though flattering, was so unnerving that he'd kept quiet for most of the visit, though admittedly so did the kid.)
All except for Kanzaki, anyway. He wasn't sure if he should be offended or not, considering her normal personality.
Still, it's a shock when he wakes up one day and feels the familiar sensation of a gentle hand stroking his forehead. He doesn't say anything, for fear of making the hand stop. He thinks he knows who this is, and he wants to spare her pride.
Still, as the delicate fingers brush across his lips, Kikuchi can't help but smile against the skin.
A stunned gasp and the fingers are gone. Too bad, he notes somewhat sadly. He looks up –
And sees Kanzaki, her hand still outstretched, looking very much like a lost little girl. Kikuchi smiles a little. He's not used to seeing her like this.
"Good morning, Kanzaki," he tells her, as he reaches over to the table to grab his glasses.
She looks at him, disbelief on her face. "You're alive."
Normally, he would have made some kind of smart aleck remark (she would have heard if he had died, after all), but he settles for nodding and continues to gaze at her.
Kanzaki stares back, looking very much like she's planning to do something –
Kikuchi watches, fascinated, as she draws up her hand to her lips, and tenderly kisses her palm…
Only to use that same palm to deliver an earth shaking slap to his face, her expression now disturbingly calm.
Kikuchi is not surprised very often. He is surprised now.
"Why – why did you…?" he chokes out, the pain inconsequential to the tempest swirling in his head.
She gives him a shrug, as she turns to leave. "I wasn't sure whether to kiss you or kill you," she informs him matter of factly. "Know that the latter took precedence, and will continue to until I see any reason for it not to."
Kikuchi is speechless, and remains that way until Yoshikawa and Uehara arrive together, inquiring about the slap mark when they see it.
He changes the subject.
It's a week or two later, and Kikuchi is in class again – granted he has a cast and several bandages still on him, but he's back. His friends welcome him back gladly (even Miyabi, who for all her animosity toward the Onikumi doesn't wish to see any of them dead.)
Onizuka takes the time to walk by his desk and give him a monster slap on the back, much to the chagrin of Fuyutsuki-sensei and the Vice Principal, who happen to be walking by.
He is doubled over for five minutes, as Onizuka explains himself, saying that the genius could handle it.
When Onizuka sees him, however, the blonde can only grin, and say "What I meant was, is that I doubted I would kill him by doing that."
The glares continue. Onizuka coughs, and looks at Kikuchi, who is sitting up by this point, looking rather haggard.
"Hey, how's the guy that laid you out doin'?" the Great Teacher asks Kikuchi suddenly, ignoring the sputterings of the Vice Principal and the affectionate sigh from Fuyutsuki-sensei.
Kikuchi blinks, looking at Onizuka. "I believe he's getting charged with drunk driving, though last I heard, that man is in worse condition than me."
"Che. Fucker deserved it for driving drunk. The brat?"
Kikuchi has to repress a smile at that. He hated to admit that part of him found the child somewhat endearing. "He's fine. A few bruises, but he's recovering well."
"Parents?"
"Still out of the country, but fully appraised of the situation."
Onizuka nods in affirmation. "Good! Well then, get back to work, Kikuchi!" he exclaims, as he marches off to God knows where.
The bespectacled boy bites down a laugh, knowing that Onizuka will be sure to inform the rest of their little group about what he had just said. Lunch was sure to be interesting…
A prickle on the back of his neck made Kikuchi look around – slowly. (His neck was still recovering.) He knew that someone was watching him, and as his gaze went to his left –
He catches sight of Kanzaki looking at him out of the corner of her blue eye, the contrast hitting Kikuchi a little more then it usually did.
As their eyes met, Kikuchi swore her lips tilted up in what looked to be a small smile…
His theory is shot down when he sees the flash of anger go through her eyes as she turns away, switching her attentions to the book on her desk.
His eyes narrow. He doesn't know what the hell the problem is, but he's finding out, one way or another.
It's halfway through lunch when Kikuchi catches up with Kanzaki. The blonde looks annoyed at being cornered (on the school roof, no less), but greets Kikuchi reasonably cordially.
"Ah, Kikuchi. Back so soon, are we?" she asks him, the annoyed expression being replaced by one of amused condescension.
The brown haired boy merely glares at her, and before he can stop himself the words leave his mouth before he's had any time to think about them. "Why are you acting like this?"
She is obviously taken aback, her confident façade vanishing as quickly as it had come. "Wh – what do you mean?" she asks, a small hitch in her normally composed speech patterns.
"Don't give me that," Kikuchi growls, closing the distance between them in three solid strides, the glare still present. Kanzaki steps back now, apprehensive.
"Please get back, Kikuchi. I need to – "
She is even more surprised when he grasps her right shoulder and stares directly at her. Kanzaki tries to look away, his penetrating stare doing its job very, very well.
She is chagrined when she finds she cannot.
"Let me go," and she is ashamed when her voice quivers slightly.
"No," Kikuchi growls, his voice low and hard. "Tell me."
The anger from this morning suddenly starts roaring through her veins again, and she finds the strength to shove him back hard. "LET GO!"
His (good) hand shoots out and grabs her elbow, pulling her back to him before she can get away. She is both upset and afraid now, as his behavior is far different from what he normally exhibited.
For that matter, so is hers.
"Are you ready to tell me, now?" Kikuchi asks her again quietly, the grip on her arm having eased up to almost nothing. The forcefulness that he had exerted earlier was gone, replaced by the quiet young man she usually knew.
She is confused. She does not appreciate being confused, and she shows it by renewing her struggles again. "Let go! Let go, let go, let go, let go…" She chants like a mantra, as she lashes out furiously…
The angry girl doesn't even notice she's crying until Kikuchi uses his good arm to pull her into a hug, her face burying into his chest.
The blonde breaks then, as she starts sobbing against his shirt, her fingers clutching at the fabric so hard he thinks it might rip.
He doesn't care.
"You had me thinking you were going to die, you jerk!" she exclaims loudly, as her sobs die down and are replaced by quiet sniffles.
Kikuchi doesn't say anything at all. He knows better than that.
"I mean, you tell me that you might end up dying for a child you don't even know, and what makes it worse is that you sounded so calm about it! You told me so like you were answering a question in class!"
"… and?" Kikuchi probes gently, keeping his arm around her.
"You're like me, Kikuchi – we never get questions wrong! Do you know how much I prayed that this one time, I would prove you incorrect? That your data was flawed, and so was your assumption? That there was no way you were going to die and leave me and that I was right to believe that you'd be just fine? I… I… I thought you were going to die…" she repeats now, the girl's emotional state taking its toll on her.
A beat passes.
"… I wanted to be proved wrong too, Kanzaki."
The statement comes out so deadpan that she thinks he's making light of her statements, and she gets mad again…
Until she feels his arm leave her back and slide up to her face, his palm sliding against her cheek. Her eyes close almost immediately, as she grasps his hand with her own and applies pressure, savoring the feel of skin against skin.
Standing here with him, and emotionally drained, she begins to cry again; quiet, silent tears as opposed to the furious sobs from earlier. His thumb hooks upward and tenderly wipes the droplets away from her eyelids; her response is to turn her head and press her lips against the side of his hand.
He doesn't even notice that he's started to kiss her tears away until she cups his face when he leans in, and guides his mouth to her own, the approach inevitable but still shy and tentative. She gasps when their lips actually make contact, and sighs when his hand starts to brush through her hair.
Kikuchi doesn't try to be aggressive, despite his male instincts screaming at him; he simply responds in kind to the movement of her lips, letting her dictate the dance for now. There would be plenty of chances to practice…
Well, he hopes, anyway.
He is brought back to reality by the soft mewl she lets out when he holds her form against his tightly, marveling at how well she fit against him.
"Stay," she whispers hoarsely, her arms wrapped around his athletic frame, her face still buried in his chest.
She doesn't have to explain that she doesn't mean 'stay' means just now; he already knows that she always reads things in the long term, and his heart leaps for it.
In the end, they remain like that for quite some time, neither wanting to make a move to leave.
In the end, the silence is broken by a small chuckle from Kanzaki, who sighs and lays her head against Kikuchi's shoulder.
"Hey. I'll make you a bet that whoever came up with the quote 'Genius accepts genius unconditionally' never had this in mind."
He laughs tiredly too, raising his head to place a kiss on her temple. "Idiot," he mutters, his right arm never once relinquishing her.
They both know that they have a long way to go; they have a lot of room to grow, in every way possible. But right now, with him holding her, the pleasant scent of her gold mane intoxicating his sense of smell, and the barriers of genius finally broken…
Everything seems all right.
Author's notes: Fluff and angst make for a good combo. Anyway, my only real note is that the "genius accepts genius" quote comes from Angels and Demons, but the quote fit so well I couldn't resist. As for the odd narrative… well, I just felt like trying it. And… that's it. Later!