Impulse: A Relationship Short

Hospital
Tokyo, Japan
June 2015
(Matsumoto, Kenichi)

“You are such a fucking idiot.”

“You’re welcome,” Matt croaked. Kenichi rolled his eyes at him and folded his arms over his chest. “Ow, shit – did they get him? I hope they got him,” the ginger managed as his nerves began to cooperate again. “And that you didn’t get yourself get banged up like the first time.”

“Yes, well – we’ve clearly changed positions this time,” Kenichi grumbled. It took Matt a number of seconds to focus on Kenichi’s face. The businessman had a few scratches and a healing bruise, nothing too bad. He briefly remembered pushing him away before the big, searing pain in his chest. “Don’t be so reckless next time. You know we swore to clean up our act.”

“Can’t exactly clean it up if you’re dead, can you?” he gave Matt a hard look and the ginger glanced away. “Instinct, asshole. I’ve been doing this for a few years and you expect me to get used to not being that guy who guards your ass all day?”

“Yes, I do expect that!” the other snapped, “I’m not the only one you’re guarding, Matt. You’re my right hand, not my shot or my conman. We’re better than that. You’re better than that. Don’t argue,” Kenichi added with a glare. “We agreed, remember? No more shady deals in the underground or using you as a meat shield. Those times are over.” He stood up and straightened his tie, proceeding to look away from him. “You’re getting time off.”

“The company–”

“The company can live without you for the next few weeks or month.” At the other’s offended look, Kenichi rolled his eyes. “Get over it. I’m not having you bleed all over your table and the carpet. I just got it cleaned.”

“You’re rich enough to replace all the carpets I’ll bleed on.”

“I’m not wasting my money on that.” Kenichi dropped something on the nearby table and took his coat, “I’ll be working on filing a report for the police.” That made Matt struggle to sit up, “And if I were you, I wouldn’t force myself to move.”

“What–”

Kenichi pressed a button on the wall and spoke into the mic, “Yes, nurse? The patient in room 119 has woken up.” Not minding the dirty look Matt threw him, Kenichi watched with a smile as a nurse walked into the room and started tending to the latest patient. “You’re an asshole for making her worried.”

* * * * *

Hospital

June 2015 

(Maxwell, A)

“You told me he was awake,” A whispered. Kenichi nodded, rubbing the woman’s back comfortingly.

“He was. Nurses had to put him under again. He woke up earlier than expected,” he explained. A gave a small nod and kept her hand on Matt’s, eventually lacing their fingers together. Kenichi swallowed nervously as he watched. “Matt deserves all the rest he needs. I didn’t ask for him to do this.”

“He did it on impulse.” A edged away from Kenichi’s touch and leaned her head on the bed, still holding onto Matt’s hand tightly. “If he had his weapons on him, he wouldn’t be like this, but…this just proves how dedicated he was to starting fresh and starting again.”

For me, Kenichi thought guiltily. And for you. He couldn’t see it, but A was smiling despite herself. The female’s eyes closed. “I…I should get going.”

She said nothing, and Kenichi took that as his cue to leave. A stayed in that same position, eventually peeking up at him and waiting for Matt to wake up.

That wasn’t the first time something had happened to either of them. A was prone to injury when out on an investigation while Matt’s earlier duties as Kenichi’s guard made him come home with scrapes and bruises here and there.

However, the few times either of them got into the hospital never really became something the other got used to. There were times wherein either of them would rush to the hospital without care; times wherein they would either be emotionally shut away or explosive.

For Matt, he couldn’t bear to see his wrongdoings affect the ones he cared for the most. The ginger didn’t want a repeat of what he did to her years ago. He especially didn’t want her to be harmed because of him, his past, and all the things he had done while he and Kenichi were on the very top.

A, on the other hand, didn’t want anyone or anything else taken away from her. She had lost her parents, her friends, nearly her teammates – and Matt was one of the few she decided to take a chance on. She believed that he was the one who would break the wheel; the one who would ultimately prove to her that not everyone you love leaves.

The night she had received the news, her heart dropped to her stomach and A swore she couldn’t breathe. There was a chilling numbness and then fear; fear and anger and fury and shock –

(Touta drove her himself.)

“I know you were doing the right thing,” she mumbled quietly. “But I swear to God, you have to stop putting yourself out like that…” A looked at her resting boyfriend and kissed his hand, eyes scanning over his face and his closed eyes. “Kenichi feels guilty. It’s not obvious, but he’s guilty and wants to make it up to you. Even he knows you weren’t supposed to take the shot for him. Fucking asshole, you worried me,” she whispered, biting her lip and squeezing harder.

“…sorry, sweetheart.” A’s eyes widened and Matt smiled weakly at her, giving her hand a squeeze back. “Couldn’t let him down.” Immediately tears formed in her eyes and he frowned, gently tugging his hand away from hers and wiping the tears away. “Hey…don’t cry. I’m awake,” he attempted, and she swatted his hand away with a sniff.

“Don’t do that!” she said harshly, “I-I was waiting for you at home and then I get a call from Touta telling me that something happened to both of you – do you have any idea how worried and scared I was?” Matt gave a small chuckle and reached out to stroke her cheek gently. “Bullet wounds and fractures and a near concussion – you’re a moron!”

“I already got called an idiot by Kenichi. Don’t rub it in,” he answered sheepishly. A gave him a glower and wiped her eyes, Matt watching with a growing fondness. “I’m alive, right?”

“Pull that shit off and you won’t be.”

“Got it.” Matt struggled to sit up and A gently pushed him back down, her eyes moving to glance at his injured form. There were bandages around his chest, a stitch around his shoulder area, bruises littering his face; she wanted to kiss all his wounds and the thought of him attacked made her clench her fists in anger. “Baby…”

“We’re trying to find the assholes who did this to you. Kenichi already filed his report. Once we do, I’ll–”

“Let them take care of it.” A gave him a look and Matt took her hand again, gently rubbing her knuckles and attempting to reassure her. “…please. I’d rather have you stay here with me than go out and risk getting hurt yourself.”

“They did this to you,” she started, but Matt shook his head.

“They’re not worth your anger, A. They went out to kill Kenichi, I did my job – previous job – and stopped them. That’s what matters, yeah?” the dark-haired woman looked hesitant. “…if you’re going to do it for someone, do it for Kenichi.”

She wanted to protest. It was Matt they injured and nearly killed, her Matt they nearly took away from her –

…come to think of it, they would have taken him away from Kenichi, too.

Her form relaxed and A closed her eyes. Once more she found Matt’s fingers running themselves over her cheek. “A…”

“I haven’t exactly rested nicely since I got here,” she said tiredly. Matt frowned. “I’ve…sort of been here the night you got hurt, and they allowed me to stay. It was Kenichi who asked me to go home and get a proper rest before I came back. The time I was gone, you woke up.”

“You were waiting for me?”

“I was waiting for you, idiot.” The thought made him smile sadly.

“You shouldn’t have.”

“Shut up. You’re awake, you’re alive…and I don’t want to end up coming this close to losing you again. Do you understand?” he nodded meekly and A returned to her earlier position, resting her head on the hospital bed. Matt inched to the left slightly, giving her a bit more space. “Do you mind?”

“Never. Get some sleep for a bit, sweetheart. I’ll be here.”

“You better,” she muttered, yawning soon after. Matt could only smile and pat her head with his free hand, humming something until he could hear her breathing deeply. Blue eyes watched with a look of mixed adoration and guilt.

I’m sorry for scaring you.