Author's Note: Oneshot squeal to Shattered Life. Song used is "Watching Over Me" by Thousand Foot Krutch. Link to Shattered Life: http:// www. fanfiction. net / s / 5257941 / 1 / Shattered_Life

Don't lie to me

He still was having trouble coping, but some how he had made it through the rest of the school year after Ren passed away. He spent a lot of time walking around town. He hadn't spoken to Kaoruko since the funeral, but the guys had. They were upset with him, because they figured as two people that were closest to Ren they should be supporting each other but they weren't. He'd see Kaoruko with Yankumi on occasion as he'd be walking to the vocational school with Kamiya. Kaoruko was always crying. And from what he heard, she had moved to a different apartment shortly after Ren passed, she couldn't bear living there.

But it wasn't like she was going home much...


I've seen everything I need

A lot of the time, if he was out late, he would see her walking home with some guy, both of them looking rather intoxicated, and every time he would see her at night she would be with a different guy. He didn't tell any of the guys what he had been seeing. It wasn't anyone's concern. Sure most of them would still visit Kaoruko on occasion, and Ichi and Kura would go every once and awhile to Ren's grave. But it was still none of their business about what Kaoruko was doing right? Come to think of it, it wasn't any of Yamato's business either.

He couldn't help but think though that deep down, maybe, just maybe that Kaoruko was dealing with her grief like this. She had lost her little brother that she had virtually raised. He was almost like a son to her, Yamato knew that much. But what was he supposed to do? It was his fault that Ren was dead! Ren got hit by those pipes because he was trying to protect Yamato!


And I've heard all the requests
Like a symphony of thieves

He decided to ask Kura or Ichi about it, but he knew the conversation would be difficult. All the guys were upset with him for not talking to Kaoruko, for some strange reason they thought that the two of them should be supporting each other more. Kura and Ichi were angry though because of the fact they hated seeing someone who was like an older sister to them so sad, and that Yamato wasn't doing anything about it. He couldn't understand what they wanted him to do about it. He was hurting as much as she was. Why was he expected to comfort her?

Despite being mad at him, the two older boys had agreed to meet with him. They had met up at Kuma's. They had only been sitting down for about a minute when Yamato finally broke into what he had been wanting to say.

"I want to see Kaoruko, but I'm afraid to." he told them both. Both of them blinked and sat silently for a moment. That was when Ichi finally decided to say something.

"Why?" he asked Yamato. "Why are you so afraid?" he asked again, elaborating on the question.

"Because, she was my best friend's older sister. She probably hates me right now since I never saw Ren right before he died." Yamato explained.

"She doesn't care about that. She just needs all the support she can get right now." Ichi informed him. "And who better to support her then the one other person who was also really shaken by Ren's death? Go see her. The worst she can do is tell you to leave." he added. Yamato just nodded. Ichi did have a point, though he had a feeling it would be difficult for him at first. That much was obvious straight away.


Don't cry for me
I don't need your sympathy

Yamato, shortly after he left Kuma's, found himself standing in front of an apartment. It was smaller then the one Kaoruko had lived in with Ren and it was on the third story of an apartment building. It looked to him as though the name 'Kazama' was written in a rather slow and sad manner. He looked at the name plate as he rang the door bell. He waited a few minutes. No answer. He rang again.

"G'way!" slurred a familiar female voice through the door.

"It's Yamato Kaoruko." Yamato called through the door. He heard a small gasp through the door and the sound of feet stumbling towards it. She opened the door. From the looks of it she hadn't had any visitors of the male gender the night before, seeing as she was actually dressed in a rather modest set of light pajamas meant for the summer months. They weren't skimpy, the top was short sleeved and the bottoms were long.

"What are you doing here?" Kaoruko asked him, leaving the door open and walking back into the apartment. Yamato wordlessly followed, removing his shoes and following her inside.

"I've come to see you obviously." he replied as he sat down on the couch and watched her set to work on making a cup of coffee. Her back was turned, but he could tell that she had rolled her eyes at that sentence.


I've got everything I need
Right here inside of me

"Why?" Kaoruko said simply as the coffee maker started to make the coffee. "I see enough of Yamaguchi-sensei and the rest of you lot that went to school with him." Kaoruko explained and he could tell that she was avoiding saying the name Ren. "I don't need you guys. And I've told that teacher of your's a million times that I've been handling things in my own way." she added.

"I've been handling it in my own way to. Though the guys seemed to think that I needed to come see you and help you through all this." Yamato informed her and Kaoruko rolled her eyes at that.

"Those friends of your's need to mind their own business." Kaoruko growled. "I still am handling it in a proper way."


And I know it's not that simple
But I think I'll get it right
'Cause no one else is listening tonight

"Really Kaoruko? I've seen you. You quit your job at the dentist's office?" Yamato asked Kaoruko. She didn't say anything, but Yamato continued. "I've been out during the night. Every time I've seen you you've been going home with a different guy." he informed her. "Dealing with it in a proper way? I'm not the one who's sleeping around."

"Who cares?" Kaoruko growled.

"Ren would have." Yamato said to her. "He loved you Kaoruko. You were his sister. Why have you been doing it?" he asked her again. She froze when she heard the name of her younger brother mentioned.

"Why haven't you talked to anyone about it? I know his death's been affected you as much as it has me." Kaoruko told him. She cast a glance over at the coffee maker to see if it was finished yet. Yamato looked down at his feet.

"It's my fault he's dead. That's why I don't want to talk about it." Yamato replied. "He died to save me, and even then I wasn't in that much danger. Why are you even letting me into your apartment? You should hate me." he told her, looking up at her as she walked over to sit across from him with a cup of coffee.

"I let you into my apartment because it isn't your fault." Kaoruko said to him. "He didn't think he was going to die. And even then, he wouldn't have cared." she told him. "As for me, no one gets it. I don't think anyone can get why we both hate ourselves. Why do you think I moved out of that apartment? I couldn't stand walking past his room. I bring my work home with me because it provides a decent distraction. I know he wouldn't have liked how I'm handling it-"

"Then why are you handling it like that? If anyone's not handling it properly it's you." Yamato interrupted. Kaoruko put the coffee cup down on the table that sat between her and Yamato.

"How else can I handle it?" Kaoruko replied. "I've lost enough in my life."

"Not by working at a hostess club and bringing home a different guy every night." Yamato told her. "Don't kid yourself."

"Not even you get it." Kaoruko snapped.


I know you're out there
And I know you care
'Cause I feel you
Like an angel watching over me

"I may not get it but I care about you." Yamato replied. She looked at him, a curious look on her face. "It's what Ren would want me to do." Yamato told her. She glared at him. In a sick and twisted way, she had wanted him to be here to comfort her because he cared about her personally. Not just because Ren cared about her.

"So your only here because it's your obligation?!" Kaoruko demanded of him. Yamato looked at her for a second.

"I came because I didn't want to see you fall apart. Call it what you like." Yamato said to her curtly. She rolled her eyes.

"Get out. You don't get it. And nothing you say or do is going to help me. Get over it." Kaoruko snapped at him again, getting up and walking towards the front door, opening it and waiting for him to take the hint and get out of her apartment.


Don't shut me out

Yamato got up to face her, eyebrow raised. They were inches away from each other.

"You seem so sure about that." Yamato said to her. "You could just be saying that because you know I can help you."


I'm an arson to myself
Who can't put out the fires

"To take the words out of your mouth. Don't. Kid. Yourself." Kaoruko repeated. "GET OUT!" she screamed in his face. Yamato smirked and Kaoruko continued to look at him defiantly.


Until there's nothing left
So take my broken glass
And help me make a window
So I can see your face

"Alright. I'll leave, but first I have one thing I'd like to say." Yamato told her. She looked at him now, half curious half angry. He kissed her lightly on the lips.


After all that I have been through

"I'm here whenever you do decide that you need me." Yamato told her. "Bye-bye." he said in farewell as he put on his shoes and left, leaving a stunned Kaoruko.