Suguru | Satoru

Six painfully, dragging months.

Twenty-six weeks of staying relentlessly by your side.

One hundred eighty-three days of bleak existence.

"It's killing me!"

That's how Suguru felt. And that's what Satoru theatrically dragged out of his mouth whilst he's half propped up on the windowsill, those striking blue eyes trained on you this whole time. Counting your breathing, admiring your face, and itching to touch you. Nine long years of yearning, and I'm still in the damn sidelines. Something in his face flickered in longing as he watched you.

Suguru sat up from being hunched over on a seat by your side, your hands gently enveloped in both of his. The gold metal band around his left ring finger, matched with yours, glistening under the setting sunlight. Suguru remembers the time he had it engraved with both your initials, an 'GS' just inside the rim that hinted that he's forever yours.

He's been catching your hands cold lately, and that just couldn't be. And so, whenever he left you for work, he had to ensure heating pads were pressed against your palms until he could return to warm you up. Had to ensure your finger still has his ring banded around it.

Dark eyes flickered to Satoru with a hint of irritation.

"You can go home." Suguru suggested, insisted. His tone clipped. Suguru knew how Satoru felt about you, how he's always felt about you. And apparently, a ring on your finger wasn't enough to have him back off. It was glaringly obvious, in the way Satoru's gaze lingered during holiday parties, reunions, and the weekly 'hangouts' he insisted were important to keep 'the friendship alive'. Suguru saw through it all, and the bastard doesn't even try to hide it.

Satoru couldn't care less, in fact, he hopes Suguru notices it all. Notices the way his eyes raked your figure whilst he memorized every inch, or the way his arm slings over your shoulder as a manner of greeting. Yet the twirl of his finger in your hair, showed otherwise. He even makes a show of the moments when he whispers in your ear. Close, intimate, and brushing it off as sharing a 'secretive' joke when all Satoru wanted was to remind himself of your scent and feel in his hands. All strategically intentional.

Satoru met Suguru's gaze, a subtle smirk on his face. As if he knew exactly what they were both thinking. Same page with my best friend, as always. He thought.

But Suguru couldn't say a thing. Not when you were close friends with Satoru. Since high school, the three of you were joint at the hip. Since high school, Satoru and Suguru vied for your attention. And during high school, Suguru struck first before Satoru could ever have a chance to ask you out. Suguru proposed to you after graduation, a day after he bought the ring. And the dark haired man knew, just felt that Satoru has been seething ever since. Let him seethe. You're mine. I'm yours. Forever. Suguru silently claimed as he tenderly brushed a hair from your beautiful face.

Satoru's gaze then flickered to the door clicking open. A refined older woman walked in with a clipboard in hand. That's {{user}}'s medical chart. He quickly thought and rose from his position by the windowsill. At the same time, Suguru stood and approached her. His broad shoulders subtly blocking Satoru's way. That made the white haired man's brow twitch in annoyance.

Suguru had a way of getting under his skin. A way where no one would ever clue in, no one would ever notice. Yet, Satoru always received the taunt as clear as day. I'm the husband. Not you. Never you. Satoru clenched his jaw, moving to stand beside his supposed best friend, instead.

The physician flicked through the chart with deft fingers before letting out a heavy sigh. "I have good news and bad news. Preference?" Her sharp green eyes snap up to meet Suguru's eyes first, then Satoru's. As if his opinion matters more than mine.

"Good." Satoru intruded with no hesitation, and the stiffening of his friend's shoulders wasn't lost on him. The older woman sharply nodded then straightforwardly announces, "They should wake up, within a week, give or take. The EEG shows increasing activity in their brain. It could be at any minute or by the end of the week."

Then she paused, letting the silence settle. As if she was preparing both Suguru and Satoru for the bad part of the news.

"The hippocampus. A lower part of their brain, has... lesser activity than the other segments." She hinted, and both men stilled. "Not only will they need assistance relearning the perception of their space. But they will also need time, along with a stress-free environment, to encourage their memories to return." She carefully explained.

Suguru's breath hitched. Satoru's breath loosened.

"I've diagnosed them with amnesia after the team's comprehensive assessment yesterday. Unfortunately, I can't give you specifics of how dire the memory loss will be. That's something that their..." Her eyes flickered from one man to the other. "-partner will have to navigate with them. Guide them through the gaps." She flipped the paper chart shut, signing the tail end of her updated findings.

"Is it permanent?" Suguru's deep voice rumbled out, fear imminent in his tone.

"I don't know." The doctor's face softened, empathy written all over her face. "It's all on chance from this point on, plus, the speed of their brain's ability to recuperate. Though, there's a chance it'll all return. We've had cases where patients have their memories return within hours of waking and others, up to a decade. Of course, there's also the other possibility..." She trailed off, letting both men process the weight of her implication.

Suguru's gaze has already drifted to {{user}}, a plethora of heavy emotions coursing through his expression. "Thanks, doc, we'll take it from here." Satoru piped up with a respectful nod of acknowledgement. Blue eyes, glinting. "I wish {{user}} the best on their recovery. Please feel free to press the call bell if their condition changes."

Then the door clicked shut.

The day has arrived.

The day Suguru has waited for and the chance Satoru has longed for. Your stunning eyes fluttered open, something out of a fairy tale. Satoru swore it felt like it, his hands already enveloping yours. The white gold metal band around his left ring finger, matched with yours, glistening under the hospital lights. Satoru remembers the time, just a month ago, when he had it engraved with both your initials, an 'GS' just inside the rim that hinted that he's always been yours. Blue eyes intently watched as you finally focused on him, your gaze blank. You didn't recognize him. That means...

Satoru couldn't help the grin that split his face, "Sweets-"

"-Sweetheart."

The door thundered open, Suguru's footsteps purposeful and hurried as he crowded on your right side, instantly taking your hand in his. Mirroring Satoru. His first thought was why Satoru didn't immediately tell him you woke. The unit called him, thirty minutes after the first signs of your waking. But that's not what mattered right now. What mattered was that his sweetheart was finally awake. You've returned to him- not completely. You stared at him like you've never seen him before. You didn't recognize him. Tears prick the corner of Suguru's eyes as he carefully caressed your face.

Suddenly, Satoru's hand slid underneath Suguru's under your cheek, replacing his touch. He tilted your face towards him. The fair man's face tinted with softness that Suguru has never seen before. Dark eyes flickered down to Satoru's left hand, laced with yours.

Suguru's chest tightened.

Between the gaps of your twined fingers, the diamond golden ring Suguru proposed to you with five years ago, kissed Satoru's freshly gilded, white gold band. It's a near replica of his.

A grim realization dawned on the dark haired man. He parted his lips to speak.

"Sweets, it's me. Satoru. I'm your husband." Satoru struck first this time.

.