Ultimatum - Volume 2

Jiro stumbled up sweaty and pale, his glare fixed on Hide as his lips curled into a snarl.

"It's alright, Jiro. We're just saying goodbye," Natsuo said firmly, surprised to see his boyfriend act so hostilely. He looked at Jiro with a steady gaze as if he were trying to talk sense into him.

"I warned you, Hashimoto. Why the fuck were you touching him?" Jiro asked gritting his teeth. Natsuo noticed how his knuckles turned pale as his grip on the bedsheet tightened. He could see the veins in his neck and arms bulging as he struggled to control his temper.

"As did I, Takuya. You are just proving my point," Hide answered unbothered, keeping his expression calm.

Jiro's face twisted in anger as he let out a deep growl. He stepped closer to Hide, his fists clenched as if ready to punch him. Natsuo moved between them, gently grabbing Jiro's shirt and pleading with him to calm down. He could feel Jiro trembling underneath his fingers, his breath coming in short, shallow bursts.

"Get the fuck out of my house," Jiro commanded, his voice low and raspy.

Natsuo could sense the tension in the air as the rage radiated from Jiro, the coldness of his glare intensifying with every moment. Hide stood tall and confident, his posture exuding confidence as he stared unwaveringly at Jiro.

"Hide, just leave, please," Natsuo whispered, his voice barely noticeable.

"See you at school, Natsuo," Hide said as he pointed at him with a sweet smile.

Jiro lunged forward, his fist flying towards Hide in a clumsy attempt to punch him. Hide was fast and agile, able to dodge the blow easily. He stepped back, his expression still stoic.

"Try to get some rest, Takuya," Hide concluded, sympathetically eyeing Natsuo.

"Call me if you need anything," he said gently before leaving.

Jiro's brows furrowed as he opened his mouth to yell after him, but instead clamped his hand over his mouth and fell to his knees, throwing up the mix of alcohol that he had drunk earlier in the evening.

Natsuo walked in front of him with a disapproving look on his face, clenching his jaw as he frowned at him.

"You can lash out at me all you want, but don't attack my friends," he scolded in a serious tone, watching as he writhed in his puke-covered clothes.

"He provoked me," Jiro snarled as he spat on the floor, his body trembling in anguish.

Natsuo stared at him in shock, not understanding why he behaved that way. He knew that Jiro was not in the right state of mind, but he could not believe that he would take it so far.

"He did not," Natsuo snapped.

Jiro groaned as he vomited more, filling the bedroom with the foul odor of stomach acid and liquor. He staggered back, his face pale as he tried to stay on his feet.

Natsuo gloomily shook his head at the sight, feeling deep sadness and regret for not being able to protect Jiro from himself.

"He is... trying to take you away..."

Jiro started to wail uncontrollably, his body trembling as he whispered broken sentences in between his sobs. Natsuo watched him with a weight on his chest, despair engulfing him in an instant. He reached out and brushed his hand against Jiro's wet forehead, trying to comfort him in his small way.

"Come on, let's take a shower..."

(Later that night)

Natsuo lay in bed with Jiro's head resting on his chest, his breathing finally deep and even as he drifted off to sleep after bathing. But Natsuo remained wide awake, his gaze fixed on the ceiling as he was lost in thought. Jiro had clung onto him helplessly and in a confused state had mumbled about how Hide was trying to split them apart.

He had held Jiro close and repeated his words of love, trying to calm him down and make him understand that no one could take away his place in his heart. Eventually, Jiro stopped crying, his eyelashes still wet with tears as he was reassured by Natsuo's commitment to him.

Thoughts about Jiro's possible brain injury swirled in his mind as Natsuo lay there. He had seen the signs of it and he was concerned that the accident had caused a more serious injury than they had originally thought. His stomach groaned with anxiety at the thought of the possibility that Jiro's life would never be the same again. He was scared that Jiro's behavior may be forever altered and that he would always have to walk on eggshells around Jiro.

Another thought crossed his mind at that moment.

Natsuo carefully slipped out of Jiro's arms, heading to the kitchen to get the opioids that Dr. Kawahara had prescribed for Jiro a few weeks ago.

He was horrified when he saw that the bottle was almost empty, and he realized that Jiro had been taking pills more frequently than recommended. Deep scolds ran through his head toward himself for not being more aware of Jiro's behavior and neglecting to notice the depth of his suffering. He had failed as a friend and companion, feeling guilty for not helping his partner to the fullest.

Natsuo quietly made his way back to the bedroom, slipping between the covers and pulling Jiro closer, hugging him tight as he frowned in his sleep. His lips kissed Jiro's head tenderly as if he was trying to make up for all the times he had failed to look after him.

(The next morning)

Natsuo had researched all the different treatment options available, trying to find the one that would be the most effective for Jiro's particular situation. He had read all the studies and reports, staying up until the early hours of the morning to make sure he had considered every possibility.

During his research, he found several rehab centers and asked to be contacted to get more information. He wanted to find a place that would offer Jiro the best chance of recovery.

Jiro slumped in their kitchen wearing his underwear, looking drowsy and with gray circles under his eyes. Natsuo sighed, knowing that he had a challenging task ahead of him.

"Please, sit down," Natsuo pleaded. Jiro poured coffee for himself, not even looking in Natsuo's direction.

"Where are my meds?" He asked in a groggy voice, causing his boyfriend to glance down at them.

"Here."

Natsuo grabbed them before Jiro could take the drugs, causing him to look up at him in confusion.

"I think we should talk about this first," Natsuo said, holding the bottle in his hand. Jiro sighed and put the coffee down, giving Natsuo his full attention as he slowly lowered himself into a chair.

The winter sun's rays descended from the windows casting a warm, golden glow throughout the room. Miso hid under the couch as if she knew the seriousness of the situation, quietly observing the two men from the safety of her spot.

"You shouldn't take these so much. You know that," Natsuo said with a worried expression.

"What are you trying to say?" Jiro asked, a hint of frustration in his voice.

"I wasn't strict enough with Ayumi and I am not making that mistake again."

"Stop it, before you even start," Jiro snarled as he attempted to grasp the bottle of opioids.

"You must get help."

A heavy silence filled the space as Jiro's eyes widened in disbelief at Natsuo's ultimatum. He could see the anger in Jiro's eyes, his jaw clenched as he stared back at him.

"How can I need help with something I don't have a problem with?" He asked in an accusatory tone.

Natsuo's face darkened as his fear came true that he wasn't getting through to Jiro. He knew he needed to be adamant and that he had to make it clear that he wasn't willing to tolerate Jiro's behavior. It was up to him to stand up for Jiro.

"There is no way I will watch you kill yourself with these - "

"I'm not killing myself with them! They help me with my pain!" Jiro shouted as he stood up and slammed his hands on the table, sending a thud through the air.

Natsuo rolled the bottle back and forth between his hands in a nervous manner.

"I'm worried about you... we can get you help and find a better solution."

"You can't treat me like a fucking child," Jiro said in a defiant voice.

"We'll find you another solution or I'll leave," Natsuo said as he looked directly at Jiro, waiting for his response. He knew that their relationship had always been their priority, but Jiro also had grown dependent on the drugs he'd been using. Natsuo could see the internal battle in his boyfriend's eyes and he was growing more anxious with each passing second.

Jiro's face wrinkled in rage as he picked up the coffee cup and threw it across the room, shattering it against the wall. Broken pieces of the porcelain lay scattered on the floor, the brown liquid slowly dripping down the surface. Natsuo's gaze remained locked on Jiro as he placed the opioids on the table, waiting for him to make his choice.

"I hate myself for believing Ayumi back then. I could have saved her if I was - "

"This is not the same!" Jiro snarled. His gaze shifted from the pills to Natsuo, his face flushed with a blend of anger and desperation.

Natsuo stood up from his chair and knelt in front of his spouse. He gently grabbed his hands and looked into his eyes, a deep despair in his own.

"I don't want to lose you, but I cannot go through your overdose again."

"But - " Jiro still tried to insist, his breathing becoming more and more strained with every passing second.

"You can't put me through that again," Natsuo continued, his voice trembling and his eyes watering with tears.

"Do you have any idea what you are asking of me?"

The sun glowed behind Jiro's head, casting a shadow on his face. A faint ticking of the clock and the wind outside were the only sounds in the room.

"I can't live with his pain for the rest of my life," Jiro said, causing Natsuo to grab his sweaty palms even tighter.

"We will get you help - "

"The doctors already said there was nothing they could do!" Jiro yelled in frustration as he yanked himself free from Natsuo's grip and stood up, pacing back and forth.

"I'm stuck with this shit for the rest of my life, and you are asking me to accept it?!"

Natsuo's eyes turned hollow as his gaze lingered at the chair where Jiro had sat, emptiness and sadness overwhelming his heart.

"Then... you made your choice."

His voice was weak and shuddering as he was trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to burst out. His legs moved as if he was in a trance, slowly making his way to the door.

Jiro grabbed his wrist forcefully and hauled him back on the chair. He stood in front of Natsuo, his face contorted as he squeezed him with strength.

"After everything we've been through? After everything I have done for you?" He asked desperation etched on his face.

Natsuo winced in pain at Jiro's grip on his arm, but he didn't make a sound.

"I won't watch you kill yourself... after everything I did for you," he murmured, tears gushing down his cheeks as he spoke, his voice deep with emotion.

"Because of you, I sent myself to fucking prison and checked into that damn mental hospital!" Jiro shouted as his grasp got even tighter, twisting Natsuo's skin between his strong fingers.

"After all I've done for you, you're asking me to accept this?!"

"You have a choice," Natsuo said, but the darkness in Jiro's eyes only deepened.

"You promised me. You can't leave," Jiro reminded, his head tilting to the side as his eyes penetrated through him.

"And you promised not to let anyone hurt me... but you're the only one who keeps hurting me," Natsuo managed to sob, tears blurring his vision. The wet droplets ran down his chin, his chest heaving with bottled-up emotions. His heart broke into a million pieces as he looked into Jiro's distant eyes, the same eyes that once sparkled with love and joy, were now heavy with despair and pain.

Jiro released his grip and stepped back, leaving a bright red mark on Natsuo's skin.

"You can't do this to me..."

Painful memories flashed through Natsuo's mind as he looked at Jiro, the love of his life - memories of the past, of the mistakes he had made, of the hope he had lost. He remembered the promises he had made to Jiro, the promises he couldn't keep. The dreams that had been shattered and the love that had been so suddenly destroyed.

"You know I would follow you anywhere..." Natsuo whispered as he let his finger glide through the scar inside his palm, a reminder of the deed he had done to protect his loved one.

Jiro threw the chair he had been sitting on to the ground. He was pressing his lips into a firm line, his fists clenched, his breath uneven as he tried to understand what was happening.

"You want to leave me? After everything I've done for you? After all the risks I've taken for you? You want to leave me?!" He shouted, his suffering voice echoing through the room.

Natsuo could feel the tears streaming down his face as Jiro's words pierced through his heart. An uncomfortable lump formed in his throat as he tried to form a response, but no words would come out.

Jiro crouched down and pressed his head between his hands, his shoulders shaking as he let out loud sobs. His fingers dug into his scalp as he cried, tears of anguish dripping down his beard.

Natsuo thought that maybe it was destiny that they didn't get their partnership certificate. He wished that he had done things differently in the past, but he knew it was too late. It hurt him that the one he loved put the opioids before him and that he had been too foolish to notice the signs of the other's potential addiction.

Miso cautiously made her way toward him and gently rubbed her face against his leg. She looked up at him with her big, mournful eyes and meowed softly.

Natsuo slowly brushed his hand through her fur and his posture softened as he looked at her. He grabbed Miso and took his car keys.

"You can't leave! Don't you fucking dare to leave!" Jiro bellowed in a breaking voice after him. Natsuo's eyes burned with warm tears as he opened the front door. He could still hear his true love screaming his name as he closed the door behind him...