This short story is a gift to a wonderful friend of mine on her birthday. I hope you and anyone else who happens to read this enjoys it. Happy birthday, Justice!

More to come.

Xion, out


Dying Wish

"Madoka.." Homura breathes as she stares at the floor, fingers tangled in the mess of hair she has strung into a braid over her left shoulder. Her glasses slide lightly down the bridge of her nose. Her pale complexion only seems to get more pale the longer she stands before the girl her heart beats for. Madoka tilts her head, her eyes slightly widened, "What is it? Homura?"

Madoka tries to smile, "Why do you look so upset?"

Homura looks at her and all the resolve she had gained suddenly disappears when she meets those pretty pink eyes. She looks down, choking on her words, "M-Ma-I.. Um.. Ah.. The th-thing is.. Uh.."

Worry crosses Madoka's face and she slowly wraps her arms around the ebony haired girl, "Whatever it is, you can tell me. You can tell me anything. I'm not going to be mad."

Tears fill Homura's eyes and she whimpers, "You p-promise?"

Madoka nods, pulling back a step. She smiles softly, "I promise."

Homura nods, taking off her glasses to wipe her eyes. She puts them back on as more tears threaten to spill over. Madoka takes Homura's hand and pulls her gently over to the couch, sitting her down, "Just breathe. And talk to me. I'm here for you."

"Stop.." Homura looks down. She clenches her hands into fists, gripping the hem of her school uniform skirt, "Saying that."

Madoka frowns, lightly putting her hand on Homura's, "Homura.. Please, if something is bothering you.. I want to know. I want to help. Is it your heart? Do you need to go back to the hospital?"

"That's.." Homura sighs, looking at Madoka again. Tears fall down her face, "Madoka.. I.."

Madoka tilts her head lightly, reassuringly caressing Homura's hand. She smiles softly, "It's okay."

Homura's lip trembles and she pulls away, standing. She turns away from her, "I can't. I can't say it while I.. Have to look at you.."

Madoka stands as well, reaching out for her. She hides the hurt with a smile and turns Homura to face her, "Come on.. There's nothing you could say that would-"

Homura pushes her, sobbing, shutting her eyes tight, "I'm dying!"

Madoka freezes, staring at her. Her eyes widen and she trembles. She covers her mouth, tears filling her own eyes, "Wh-what..?"

Homura turns away, sobbing, "I'm dying.. Madoka.. My heart.. We can't afford the bills for the procedures.. My parents.. The stress of it when I was a young child.. All the bills.. The years I lived in the hospital.. My Father couldn't take it.. The stress of it all, the worry.. It killed him.. And then my Mother's car accident a few months ago.. All that debt.."

She turns back to Madoka, taking off her glasses, "I could never force all that onto you and your family because you took me in.. So.. I'm canceling everything. The procedures, my hospital room, the check ups, the prescriptions.. It's all gone. And.. I'm going with it.. My doctor says I won't live more than a week without the medicine, and even that alone won't save me. But we can't afford it. I'm not piling my debt onto you. I love you too much to burden you like that."

Madoka shoves her, screaming, "How could you?! Just.. Just.. Decide to die! To.. L-leave me..?"

She drops to the floor, sobbing, "How.. How could..?"

Homura slowly sits in front of her, "Madoka.."

She looks up at Homura and shakes her head, "Why.. Didn't you come to me? I could of helped you.. We.. Can work something out. We'll get your debt payed.. You.. Don't have to.. To.."

"I know this is hard.. And.. You don't understand.." Homura sighs softly, trying to control her own crying, "I don't want to die, Madoka.. I also don't want to make you cry.. But.. I have to do what's right for you. The burden stays on me.. Until I die.. I can't go to a hospital, I can't pay for it.. So.. I'm going to go back to my parents' house.. Get rid of my things, Madoka. I won't burden you like I did my parents."

"A disorder you can't control isn't a burden you're putting on people!" Madoka wipes her eyes, "Please, don't leave. You can stay here, Mom and Dad don't mind. They love you like a daughter, you know that. Even after we came out together."

Homura looks away, shaking, "M-Madoka.."

Madoka moves and pulls Homura close. She whispers in her ear, "I won't abandon you because things are hard."

Homura holds her tight, crying harder, "I don't know what to do.."

Madoka rubs her back, "I know.. I know.. But it'll be okay. We'll figure something out. I'll talk to Mom and Dad. We'll fix this, I won't let you die, Homura."

Madoka pulls back, standing, "Get some rest. Mom and Dad will be home soon. I'm going to check on Tatsuya."

She bends down and picks up Homura's glasses. She smiles softly as she uses on hand to wipe away Homura's tears, and then she gently places the glasses back on the girl's face. Homura tries to smile, but she can't. She nods slowly and then Madoka stands straight, holding out a hand to her. She takes Madoka's hand and then sits back on the couch. Madoka smiles at her once more before disappearing to check on her baby brother. Homura leans back, staring up at the ceiling. Tears continue to spill down her face.

What am I going to do? They can't pay for everything I need to stay alive. I know that, but they'll never accept it. I can't let them take on my debt, if they start paying for it, the debt will go in their name.. It won't matter if I die, because they'll still have to pay it. I don't know what to do..

Homura shivers and clutches her chest, she can feel her heartbeat quickening. She breathes slowly, trying to calm down. She only has a few pills left, and with the canceled prescription, she can't get any more without bringing back the debt. She stands and slowly leaves the house. She stares up at the night sky. The wind blows and she wraps her arms around herself. She starts walking down the side walk, pulling her phone from her shirt pocket.

"Hello?" a pleasant voice rings from the other side of the phone.

"Mami," Homura tries to stifle her crying, "It's Homura. I.. Need some advice. Can I come over?"

"Sure.." worry replaces the pleasantry in Mami's voice, "Is everything okay?"

"Can you.. Meet me at the park close to Madoka's? I'm not.. Feeling too well.." Homura replies.

"Of course. I'm leaving the house now. What's wrong?"

"Well.. I've.. Made some.. Decisions Madoka doesn't quite.. Agree with.."

"What do you mean? What.. Decisions?"

"I would rather tell you face-to-face. If.. You don't mind."

"Yeah, that's.. That's fine, pumpkin. Anything for you, yeah? I'll be there in about ten minutes, getting on the train now. Take it easy, don't stress yourself out. It's not good for your heart."

"Yeah. I know. See you soon.." Homura frowns lightly, hanging up. She turns into the park and looks around. Finding it empty, she walks over to the first pavilion she sees and sits down at one of its many picnic tables. The cold night makes her shiver and she looks around, hugging herself. She sighs and puts her phone on the table as it starts ringing. She recognizes the tone immediately, it's Madoka's. She knew Madoka would call after she found out Homura had left. Still, Homura doesn't answer. She knows this will worry Madoka, and she plans to apologize later. She just needs some fresh air, and fresh ears to listen.

Mami always gives the best advice, despite how she herself feels. Homura loves this about her, she's so caring, willing to put others above herself. She's like Madoka in many ways. It doesn't surprise her that it was through Mami she met the lovely Madoka in the first place. She silences her phone with a sigh, "I'll be home soon, I promise. I won't keep you waiting long."

Mami shows up a few minutes later and Homura waves lightly. Mami comes over and sits in front of her. She smiles softly, taking off her jacket. She hands it to Homura, "Here, you must be freezing."

Homura shakes her head, "I'm okay."

"You're ill.." Mami replies, sympathy in her eyes, "You're never okay. I've known you since we were kids, Homura. You don't have to lie to me. Take the stupid jacket."

Homura takes the jacket and puts it on wordlessly. Mami watches her, "So.. You want to talk? Not feeling up to making it to my place? That's fine and all, but I don't like you hanging around in the cold. You'll catch your death."

Mami immediately apologizes and Homura shakes her head, "I know what you mean. I wanted to talk to you specifically because you still talk to me like I'm human, not broken. I love Madoka with all I am, but even she makes me feel like I'm broken sometimes. She doesn't mean to, I know that, and.. I am broken. I.. Know that, too. And that's what I want to talk to you about."

Mami nods slowly, "So.. What is it?"

Homura sighs softly, "The debt.. From the hospital.. My parents are dead, so it falls onto me to pay it off, but.. I can't. I can barely make it through a day without my heart.. Freaking out.. So.. I've decided.. I'm going to take the debt with me. The procedure that can save my life costs more than the debt I have hanging over my head. I'd never afford it. I canceled everything today. My medicine, the procedure we've been working towards, I even gave up the hospital room I've basically been living in since I was six years old."

She looks Mami in the eye, "I'm going to die, Mami. I've decided.. To let myself die. I'll be dead by the end of the week.."

Mami is silent for a few minutes, just staring at Homura with a look of utter betrayal. She slowly composes herself and smiles lightly, "Is this.. Really what you want, Homura?"

Homura nods slowly, "I can't pile my debt onto her, Mami.. I just.. Can't. You should have seen the way she broke down when I.. Told her.."

"She's hurting. And so are you. Death is.. Horrifying. No one wants to lose the one they love. To be the one dying.. I can't imagine the pain you're going through." Mami touches Homura's hand, "But I'm here for you. Madoka is here for you, as is her family. You have people who care, people who will be.. Heartbroken to see you leave.. I know you need the medicine, I know all about your condition."

She smiles, a tear falling down her face, "You have no idea how many sleepless nights I went through, trying to find a cure for your heart. But, if this is truly what you want, I will support you."

Homura smiles softly, crying again, "Thank you, Mami. I knew you'd understand.. And.. I'm sorry for the pain this will cause you."

Mami shakes her head, "Don't be sorry for something you can't control. Regardless of the debt, I know you'd never be able to pay for the procedure. I knew you'd die one day, I just.. Hoped it was long after you graduated high school.. Lived a life.."

She stands, wiping her face, "Tell you what. You.. Will die at the end of the week, right..? Let's spend that week doing things you want to do. Just you, me, and Madoka. I'll help you with anything you want to do."

Homura stands, her smile widening a little. Tears continue running down her face and her pale complexion turns a rose color.

"I want to marry Madoka."