111. Proxy

It was difficult.

Rei always smiled, Rei was always stupid. Rei deserved so much more-- and yet, Drew always came into his way, making everything erupt into chaos once again.

What if everyone was right? That Drew was just a haunted spirit latching onto Rei, unable to let go because she was so incredibly selfish?

Who could say she wasn't?

Opening his eyes, Drew could've cried.

But tears-- Rei didn't have the strength for it. His whole body was weak, heavy, dead. His heart was beating-- Drew was relieved to hear the heart machine beep rhythmically. But limbs felt like lead and fingers felt like wood.

He was immobile.

Opening his eyes briefly, Drew eyed the pristine white ceiling, eyes swirling around the multicoloured phosphenes, trying to obtain her bearings.

Why? She could only think, Why am I here?

Why is it me?

Her consciousness began to drift, and then everything faded into black.

-

"Rei's awake!"

It seems she had shuffled a little, but what fully woke Drew up was the call. The panicked, yet excited voices towards the outside, alarming anyone outside.

Rei had been moved out of the ICU. 

"Rei, are you okay?" 

Yamamoto Takeshi, Drew recognized. He looked very weary, as if he'd stayed up the night. Upon closer inspection, Drew saw the Arcobaleno battle watch on his wrist.

Eyes adrift, Drew took in the crowd. 

Yamamoto-- Tsuna, Gokudera. Just them three. Raising a heavy, trembling hand toward Yamamoto, Yamamoto panicked. 

"Wait, you don't have to--" get up. You don't have to get up. 

This is Rei's body you're using.

But with Yamamoto's help, Drew sat upright. Removing the oxygen mask from his face, Drew looked at her own hand.

For some reason, her sight was blurred.

Gripping a fist, she suddenly found strength in her limbs. Wait, wasn't it supposed to be the opposite? Wasn't she supposed to feel even more lethargic than before? His body felt light. Mobile-- too easy.

On his left hand, the Void Ring was gone.

A panicked expression washed over her.

The ring-- the medium of flames. Where did it go? Concern flooded her senses, Rei hadn't taken it off since the day he got it and--

"Rei, calm down!" 

Yamamoto's loud voice snapped her out of it. Holding his shoulders, Yamamoto looked angered. 

That was when Drew noticed the ear-piercing beeping of the heart machine. Hitting notes rapidly, rapidly-- then as Drew took a breath and another-- it began to quell.

Gripping his left hand anxiously, Drew noticed the thick warmth at his throat. Bandages. Rei's throat-- that meant Drew couldn't speak. Shouldn't.

Not knowing how to ask for the whereabouts of the ring, she kept silent, biting her bottom lip in frustration. Where did the ring go?

What would happen to Rei? It may have been fine before, but now-- now that both Rei and Drew had awakened their flames-- there was nothing to contain both flames from running rampart. Who's to say the flames would coexist? Night flames and Cloud-- Night Flames didn't coexist with anything! Would anything happen?

No-- no, there were more things to worry about.

Why is Drew here?

Where-- where was Rei?

"Hey, Rei-san..."

Drew flinched at the voice. Tsuna's voice. Tsuna was covered in wounds-- bandages-- but was forcing out a smile.

"You're safe here. You're alright."

Clutching the sheets, biting her bottom lip-- Drew fought the urge to cry. That's right-- she remembered, what would Eve do at a time like this?

Breathing out, a very natural smile curled her lips. Loosening his shoulders, he let out a gentle nod. Closing his eyes for a moment of melancholy-- she opened them downcast.

Sending a look towards the silent Gokudera-- Gokudera lifted his head curiously. Yamamoto and Tsuna turned curiously as well-- and Gokudera sighed. 

Drew pointed at his left wrist, then pointed at Gokudera-- Looking down, Gokudera realized Rei was signalling at his battle watch.

Tsuna and Gokudera shot a look at Yamamoto.

"I'm not a translator!" Yamamoto whined defensively.

"I think he just wants to know what's going on?" Tsuna guessed.

Drew nodded.

"We had another round of the battles last night." Gokudera tried, with an annoyed sigh. "The Millefiore team and the stupid prefect's team had their watches broken."

Tilting his head aside, Drew recalled-- Two broken watches? Hmmm, it's the whole Adult Colonnello and Adult Reborn part, wasn't it? After this was...

"That aside," Gokudera raised his voice, "You better not get anywhere involved!"

"He's right," Yamamoto repeated sternly, "Stay here until you recover. No moving out of the room, alright?"

Their stern glances were foreign to Drew.

With a distant nod, Drew looked away. Those words were not meant for her-- they were meant for Rei. Drew did not belong here-- after all, no one even knew about Drew.

Drew didn't need to be here and no one wants her to remain.

Hey,

she mouthed the words slowly-- 

Thank you.

For being there for Rei. Even if I'm gone, Rei would be fine now.

She had the urge to cry-- but it didn't come. Oh, she remembered, I don't cry anymore. I shouldn't. Not as Rei, at least. She bore it-- and waited. 

I want to leave. I want to leave now, but how? I don't want to be here-- but how do I leave?

Like always, she was powerless.

-

Drew remained in Rei's body for hours. When Yamamoto spoke to her, about how cool and dangerous the Arcobaleno Representative Battles were. When doctors came in, his condition was affirmed, his drips were changed-- she pretended to be Ninomiya Rei.

And no one noticed.

No one, and Drew had no way of telling them otherwise.

-

"Rei!" 

All eyes turned towards Ninomiya Yuuichirou, who barged in. Amano and Kunomasu were in the room, checking for vitals on Rei's condition--

Without missing a beat, Yuuichirou stepped in and engulfed Rei in a warm hug.

"I was worried," he whispered, "So worried."

Guilt filling her senses, Drew bit her bottom lip and gave a weak hug back. What the fuck was she doing here? She was taking away, wrongly receiving the love meant for Rei.

Parting from the hug, Yuuichirou eyed his son.

Not knowing how to respond to the gaze, Drew forced out an awkward smile.

Sitting on a chair Amano casually pulled out for him, Yuuichirou's gaze did not leave his son. 

"Are-- Are you feeling alright?"

An obedient nod-- and an innocent smile. 

There was nothing much else to do, after all. Just to smile and nod. That was the only thing Drew could do now. She didn't know what to say-- she couldn't even say. She hoped Yuuichirou would leave-- and perhaps come back when Rei was around.

But Yuuichirou-- his face fell.

"Sae and Sui misses you a lot. They wanted to come, but they had school."

Drew gave a dismissive nod.

"Hey," 

The stern, cold tone Yuuichirou used surprised everyone. Amano and Kunomasu visibly flinched, their eyes snapping towards the father.

Yuuichirou's gaze was incredibly angered.

"Hey," he repeated, "Who are you?"