Aftermath I

Yuliang regained awareness in increments, drifting in and out of consciousness at random.

There was a smell of apples in the air that let him know his brother was near and a fading smell of lavender that belonged to Elys. That was all he got before he was pulled under.

Yuliang squeezed the hand in his grip comfortingly, making it jerk before he drifted back to sleep.

"Please wake up soon, brother. I miss you. There's so much going on right now, and I don't know what to do," Yukio's broken pleas brought him back to awareness once more, but Yuliang could do little more than twitch his hand before he was drifting back again.

There was a lot of activity going on around him. Lots of people going in and out. Lots of people talking quietly and the occasional argument. He could also feel the numbing feeling of foreign Energy entering his system every once in a while. It was unpleasant, and he wished to move away from it, but he was immediately held down and forced to go back under.

"Why is it always you, brother? Why are you always the one that has to suffer?"

What did he mean? Yukio was the one that was always suffering, not him. Why else would his brother always be crying? Yuliang grumbled, wanting to protest, but his mouth felt like it had cotton stuffed in it and his jaw felt like it was locked in place. Feeling drained by his efforts, Yuliang drifted back to sleep again.

"How is he?"

"According to the Emergency Healer, his body is fully healed, but his mind is still in shock, so he will probably take some more time to wake up."

There was a sigh, "I'm not sure if he'll want to wake up, considering the shitstorm waiting for him."

"Professor!"

"Pardon the language, Mr. Davos, but it's the truth. We are in dangerous times right now, and the people wish for a figurehead."

"My brother is a child! Professor Belmont. He will not be used as a figurehead for war!"

"That's not up to you to decide now. Hundreds of people, most of them children, have died under the hands of the Ebrenians! My only brother included! Yet, your brother and his lover survived! If you think that they'll be able to get out of this war, you're fucking dreaming!"

"I don't care what the media is twisting this story as. That man is not my brother's lover, and my brother's name will not become linked to a damn fucking WAR!"

"You think the people care about your opinions?" Belmont sneered coldly at Yuliang's brother. "You think war cares about your feelings?"

Yuliang watched the two people squaring off against each other through heavily lidded eyes, trying to make sense of the words he was hearing. It was only when Belmont took a threatening step towards his brother that Yuliang forced his body to move and pulled himself up into a sitting position.

"Do not touch my brother, Belmont," he croaked out, his mouth and throat feeling dry and unused.

Two heads whipped in his direction.

Yuliang reached for the glass on the bedside table with a stiff hand that trembled from the strain, ignoring the needles and tubes stuck to his hand.

The water was a bit lukewarm when he sipped at it, but Yuliang didn't care. It did its job.

"Brother, you're awake!" Yukio exclaimed, rushing to him with tear-filled eyes, looking as if he was barely restraining himself from pouncing.

Yuliang accepted the gentle hug from his brother, who could not help himself in the end.

"I missed you, Yuliang. Why do you always do this to me? Why didn't you wake up sooner? Do you hate me that much? Do you want to leave me that badly?"

Yuliang was too tired to do much else than placing the glass of water down and returning the hug. Rubbing soothing circled on his trembling back and making soothing sounds while scenting him.

Yuliang's shirt was soaked through with his brother's tears, snot and saliva, as Yukio clung to him tightly. It brought back memories of the months after their parent's death. Yuliang's heart hurt for him.

He looked over his brother's shoulder and caught Belmont's eyes as he stood off to the side, his arms crossed defensively. He was watching them with narrow pain-filled eyes clouded with anger that Yuliang had never witnessed on the man before.

He was curious, but Yuliang had no desire to be burdened with other people's misery, so he directed his attention back to Yukio, whose grip on Yuliang's body had tightened to the point of pain.

Yuliang didn't mind.

He pressed a kiss to his brother's hair and held him close.

"I'm here, Yukio. I'm here."