Disclaimer: I don't own Diabolo. There you have it the straight-up truth.
Author's Note: This was written as a Birthday present for Acey Dearest, my real-life friend. There's another one, but it's not required to understand this piece. The only real big connection is the titles and the fact they involve the same characters.
Summary: After Book Three. Kyouya is in the hospital. Kyouya/Tsukiko. And if I tell you more then I won't have anything to write a story about.
His Angel
The wheels of the pushcart squeak down the hall, interrupting his thoughts. How long does he have? Even with the curse of the Diabolo possibly gone, how long could his body fight the disease that grew within him? Even now, the idea of dying scared him. For such a long time he had dealt death to others, like it was a game in which he held all the cards. All that time he knew his own death was swiftly approaching. But now, nothing was certain. He could die today, or tomorrow for the sins he had committed in service to the Diabolo, or perhaps God would show him mercy he didn't deserve and spare him. He didn't know what would happen, and it scared him.
A nurse looked in the door of the room, and waved a girl in.
"Remember, visiting hours end in half an hour."
"I won't forget." the girl replied.
She sat in the padded chair beside his bed. Her dark hair fell over the back of the chair.
"Hi." She says. There's emotion behind the one word, enough to say all the things she hasn't.
"Why are you here again, Tsukiko?" He asks. He wasn't ungrateful for her presence, but for her to see him like this… so weak, so useless, he couldn't stand it.
"I thought you might like some company." She shrugs.
"I'll be fine. I told you that yesterday." This was not how he wanted her to remember him.
"You won't. I know it and so do you. Don't lie to me. I don't need for you to baby me. I'm not ready for you to go, but I know it will happen. I don't want false hope. That would make it worse.
He sighs. She's become stronger, more self-sufficient since the day in the condo. It's a good thing, but still he wants to be there the day she wins the war she's been waging against herself for as long as she can remember.
"It's not fair you know," she starts again. "The officials don't trust the teenagers. It's not their fault. I know they just worry about the welfare of the city as a whole, but it's just not right."
He nods. Even in this hospital, fear and hatred of teenagers of many citizens was blatantly obvious.
"The other patients here are worse then the doctors, but the distrust is here too." He replies.
The nurse opens the door to remind them of the ever shortening time. "Five minutes until you'll need to leave, miss." The nurse says to Tsukiko.
She moves the chair closer to the bedside. After she reseats herself, she reaches out to take his hand.
"I love you, Kyouya. I want you to know that. No matter what happens, I'll always love you. There will never be anyone else."
He smiles. It's not fair, the feelings they share. 'I'll die and she'll be left alone.' He thinks to himself.
"I love you too, Tsukiko. Don't come back to the hospital, please. I know it's an awful thing to ask, but I don't want you to see me any worse than this. I want you to remember me the way I was last month, able to move and do things."
Tears fall from her eyes as she nods. They hit the floor with a splash.
"If that's what you want."
"It is. It's hard I know, but don't cry for me."
She looks at him. She smiles, but it's forced. He just barely smiles back. She stands to leave. But before she walks away, she leans down to kiss him.
"Goodbye." She says afterword.
"Goodbye." He smiles as she leaves. He can die happy now, because his angel loves him, and that's enough.