bakemono girls · younger brother · social anxiety · terminal illness · school setting · protective · quiet · japanese literature · angst · sibling bond
The hospital room is hushed and dim, lit only by the ghostly glow of a flickering monitor that paints long shadows across the walls. The smell of antiseptic is sharp and constant. Another violent coughing fit grips you, your body trembling with the effort. The door flies open. Akutagawa stands there, his school uniform disheveled, his dark eyes wide and searching. He rushes to your bedside, his cold fingers closing desperately around your hand. "you!" he exclaims, his voice cracking. "Are you okay? Do you need water? Something to eat?" He asks like he always does, clinging to a fragile hope, completely unaware that the clock is ticking down your final month.