Chapter Text
Chapter 1
They're fighting.
It's their anniversary, and they've been fighting.
Honestly, Khaofang doesn't even remember what they're fighting about.
It's all just a big blur of messy yells, of insults both of them don't mean, and a slamming door.
"Well, if that's how you're gonna be, then maybe I'm just better off alone"
That's what he said before storming out.
Now, merely thirty seconds later, he's cooled down enough already to realise what the hell he just did.
He's immediately spinning on his heel. He's gonna give up half a decade just because he lost his temper once? About something he can't even remember anymore? Absolutely not.
All he wants to do is run back and apologise to his boyfriend and pretend that this whole thing didn't happen. Reset this evening that's supposed to be the best day of the year.
Said boyfriend who is now storming out of the door and towards him.
He's now running equally as hurried.
He can't even hear the sound of the car speeding in their direction until Tan has already called his name, wide-eyed.
Next thing he knows, he's being pushed.
Then, his vision blurs as he falls through the air and on the ground, trying to stabilise himself before he hits the asphalt, rolling around once.
He can hear the crash before he sees it.
Frantically, he turns around - and promptly wishes he didn't.
His hands are chaffed and his hip is hurting (that's going to be a big bruise) but he can't care less. He's up on his feet faster than he can think, scrambling over to the body lying on the ground.
No, no, no. It can't be. It can't be. It can't -
"NO!"
He's on the ground again, falling knees forward.
The car is nowhere to be seen.
Fucking bastard.
He takes out his phone to dial the ambulance, stating the situation as calm as possible (it's not really possible).
Tan is motionless but his breathing is shallow and his eyes are roaming until they fixate on Fang. He's still conscious. There's a slight upturn of his lip and he opens his mouth to say something only to be interrupted by a coughing fit which in return makes him groan in pain, twisting his body.
Fang doesn't know what to do with himself. So he lets his instincts take over. One hand scanning over tans body, searching for something, anything that represents a life threatening wound. The other softly cradles his cheek. He can feel the tears hot, running down his cheeks. There's just so much blood. And somehow not enough. Tan turns his head just enough to Look at Khaofang again.
Fangs throat feels dry and his head is buzzing with approximately a million thoughts but there's no words coming out.
He has to say something though. He has to.
'Get up. Get up, get up, get up. Get up you bastard!'
"Fang.."
His entire attention is back on Tan's face
"Teerak..."
Tan tries to reach out, but winces again and tightly shuts his eyes.
'Don't let him close his eyes! You need to look at him! He needs to know!'
His heart swells and breaks at the same time, if that's possible.
But his mouth stays shut.
"if I die-"
"You're not gonna die"
The words come out without having to think about it.
His voice sounds at least an octave higher, and at least 100 decibels louder to his own ears.
Fang frantically tries to wipe away the blood that's coming out of Tan's mouth.
It's an image not even the darkest parts of his mind would ever be able to make up.
Tan coughes weakly and holds on to fang's wrist. His grip is about 80 percent less than usual.
"If I die...I'm happy...I got to l-l-love you. I'm gl..glad.. it's...y-you"
"You're not gonna die"
It seems that that's the only thing that's coming out without forcing himself, like a broken record.
It's not enough.
"I-I'm.."
His grip loosens and his hand falls to the ground
"I'm..sorry.."
More coughing. More blood.
Where the hell is the ambulance?!
"I..did.. did.. didn't... l-l-love.. you..."
Tan's body is trembling
"Long.. long...en..ough"
A few more shallow breaths. Fang finds it hard to distinguish at this point whether it's Tan or him or both of them.
Truthfully, he guesses he's actually stopped breathing.
Tan's not moving anymore. In the distance, he can faintly hear the sound of sirens, but he's unable to register anything else.
He's not gone.
He can't be gone.
Not like that.
All Khaofang can still do is hold on to the body as strong as he can until the paramedics forcefully remove him.
(Later on he'll curse himself out, slap himself multiple times until he's bruised for a week and pulls out bunch of his hair for his complete lack of awareness and his useless brain forgetting the mechanics of CPR)
Fang is anxiously pacing around the waiting room. He fears that if he sits down, the wave of mental exhaustion will run him over like a tsunami, and he wants to be awake for the outcome of this whole nightmare (whatever that might be). He's been forced by his brother to get taken care of as well. But that's useless. How can they say he's fine? Saying he got lucky?! Lucky would've been if he died instantly and didn't have to experience this kind of hell anymore.
All of their friends have taken turns waiting around, Toey and Pun trying to calm Fang down by talking, Peem trying to comfort him by hugging, and the others just quietly observing in case he completely breaks down.
He knows how much Tan's friends care about him, and he appreciates their presence. But what shocks him is to see just how much they also seem to care about fang in this situation.
Phum has made it his mission to get food and drinks for every one of them and stopping each nurse and Doctor that crosses his way for updates.
Every single time he returns, Fang braces himself for the worst.
He shakes his head.
"Still nothing. I just- Fang, listen. We all want him to get through this, no one wants this to go that way but..I just want you to be prepared in case it does"
It looks like he's struggling to get the words out.
"No. I refuse. His last memory will not be us fighting"
"His last memory would be seeing your concerned face. He knows you care"
Fang is very well aware that Phum's only trying to help, but it's not working the way his brother expects it.
He swallows hard. The moment he tries to speak again his throat feels completely closed off, his voice cracking at the end of each word.
"I said so many bad things to him, Phum. I told him that maybe I'm better off without him"
He silently curses the universe. Out of all the things he wished for, and they give in for a lie? A horrible, stupid lie. The tears are coming out again.
"I said so much mean stuff when I should've told him things that mean anything"
Phum rubs his shoulder.
"He thought I wanted to break up with him"
"And he still threw himself in front of a car for you"
"What kind of idiot does that?"
"An idiot who would risk their life for the love of their life"
After a few more agonizing hours of waiting, the doctor approaches them.
"The surgeries seem to have been successful for now. His condition is stable, but his body was far too weak to handle the weight of it. We tried our very best, but he's in a coma"
"Do you know if- when he'll wake up?"
"It's hard to determine a specific duration. Judging by the severity of his injuries it could take days, or weeks. Or he might not wake up at all. He does seem resilient though. During the surgery, we almost lost him three times. His heart always started again. He seems pretty adamant on being alive, your friend. All we can do is wait it out and see if his condition improves"
"Can we see him?"
"Yes you can, but I would strongly advise to not overdo it. Some people can feel the presence of others, even in a coma, and I would recommend not putting any stress on him"
Q puts a hand on his shoulder
"Khaofang, you should go in first"
He turns and looks at them all. All his friends, just as concerned. All his friends, who dropped everything to come and support him. Them.
"It's what Tan would've wanted"
So, he follows the doctor.
Then, he courageously enters.