Well this is an odd idea I got…but I tell you it'll be good.

The Five Stages of Death

There are, as you may have heard five stages of death. These are the psychological stages someone goes through, as presented by Swiss psychiatrist Elizabeth Kubler-Ross in 1996, when said person is informed of when they are well on their way to dieing. Such as a terminal cancer patient, or one with cystic fibrosis (which people with this disorder do die at an early adulthood age depending on the severity of their case.) Either way, when you're given a time limit you normally go through these stages.

But one must notice, sometimes the person dieing doesn't experience these stages, or they may, but rather the person that loves them most do. Sometimes the family member, or lover, or sister, or maybe even brother experiences every one of these stages themselves.

And as the great and ever powerful Tohma Seguchi watched his brother-in-law crumble under the news of a recent and devastating death, he knew that this theory was true.

Stage One, Denial and Isolation

"You lying son of a bitch! You're lying! You're wrong! Get away from me before I beat you to a bloody pulp you stupid, manipulating, evil bastard! I hate you! Get OUT!"

Glass vodka bottles, ashtrays, pictures in frames, spoons and plates were all thrown with every intention to hurt him. Yet the man doing the throwing was in such a state of rage and disorientation that each item hadn't even come close to its target; Tohma's head.

"Eiri, calm down, please! I know this news is not of a good nature, but you must calm yourself for his sake! In a time like this you must remain calm so nothing more drastic happens-" Tohma cut himself off, ducking to dodge an art vase.

"I said get the fuck out! How the fuck am I supposed to be calm? This is your entire fault! You're just trying to take him from me! Well, you can't! He's mine and you can't have him!"

Eiri had clearly lost all sense, Tohma noted. But it should be expected. Trauma after trauma clearly bit at the blonde, and this was just the last straw.

Shuichi was everything, so without him, what hope was there for Eiri?

The novelist's fists curled around Tohma's white dress shirt, slightly lifting him. His body shook from a rage that no other could compare. With clenched teeth he slammed Tohma against the wall.

"Now I want you to leave and never come back. I want you to be miles out of site so when Shuichi walks through that door-which I know he will-, I don't want you to be any where near!" and with that, the door was opened and Tohma was thrown to the floor in the hallway.

Tohma sighed and stood, brushing his clothing straight.

"Well that went well…"

Stage Two, Anger

"How could you Shuichi? Why would you? You promised you lying brat! You said! You said you'd come back! You babbled on and on about how you would come home…why aren't you home?"

One week. One week of isolation, of denial and disaster.

The funeral was tomorrow.

Everything was thrown about the apartment, glass everywhere, everything was ruined, and everything destroyed. But what did mortal items matter? The one thing that was supposed to be immortal betrayed him.

Left him.

Eiri's heart mind and body was slowly deteriorating; he felt sanity slipping like sand through his fingers. He was delusional, a mental wreck, with no sign or hope of him getting better.

And yet, in his spurs of tears so hard it left him breathless, Eiri had found a way.

Found a way to keep Shuichi.

Eiri smirked. He curled his body in the corner, covering his face completely with his hands. Closing his eyes, he ceased all movement…including breathing.

Another smirk, 'I missed you Shuichi.'

Stage Three, Bargaining

"Eiri, please, you need to come with me. The doctor just wants to get you better." Tohma pleaded, banging on the locked bedroom door.

Eiri however, wasn't listening.

He was curled in the corner, hands over face, eyes closed as he held his breath. But it wasn't working.

He was frustrated, angry! Every time he did this an image so clear of his precious little Shuichi would come to him, talk with him, hold him, everything. When Eiri performed his recently found ritual he could touch Shuichi again, feel him, and Eiri knew that that touch was real.

No way could his Shuichi be dead.

But now, no matter how long he held his breath Shuichi wouldn't come back to him. Everything was just black and that was not something Eiri liked at all.

"Please…Shuichi…I'll do anything. Please, please, please come back! I'll stop drinking! I'll cut back on smoking! I'll spend as much time with you as possible if you just come back!"

The tears were back as Eiri's fear became realized.

Shuichi wasn't coming back.

"Please."

Stage Four, Depression

Eiri had brought Shuichi back. All it took was some pleading, and his Shuichi was back.

Tohma had sent him to a place with white walls, one large window-like mirror and a small bed with white sheets.

That didn't matter though, he had his Shuichi. Right there, in his lap. He could feel him; he could smell him and hear him so clearly it brought tears to his eyes.

'Eiri, you need to breathe.'

'I'm fine brat.'

'Bye Eiri.'

'No wait, Shuichi-'

Eiri gasped hard, taking in air as his hands flung from his face. His body shaking and he began panting hard, taking in all the air he could.

"No…Shuichi…"

And there he goes again…his precious, precious moments with his Shuichi were small and few, since people watched him at all times. He may be insane, but he could feel the eyes on him.

They didn't like it when he stopped breathing, said it was bad for him. They just didn't realize how much it hurt to not have his Shuichi…they didn't know that these few moments were the only times he felt okay.

But now Eiri felt hurt again and he tilted his head as tears slowly fell. This wasn't his first cry, nor would it be his last.

But these tears had a stinging sensation and he could feel the water running through his body in a painful manner.

His Shuichi was gone, and the emptiness in his heart was hurting him and letting him know how empty it was, just like a hungry stomach.

"Shuichi…I can't take it anymore…"

Stage Five, Acceptance

Eiri knew exactly how he could have his Shuichi forever.

For a few weeks, he just had to make them think he was okay enough to go to the bathroom alone, and that is all he needed.

See, the only way he could feel, hear, touch, and be with his Shuichi was to do his ritual forever, right?

So as quietly as he could, he turned on the water in the sink and sat in the corner of the white bathroom, pulling his knees to his chest and covering his eyes.

"I'll see you in a few minutes Shuichi."

And with that he held his breath.

Never to let go.

New Stage, Death

'Hi Shuichi.'

The End.

Well wasn't that the oddest one shot? I haven't written one in quite some time. My edit job probably wasn't great, but I needed to write so I could get back my muse for "The Wallpaper"

We've had storm after storm after storm, and temperatures at 18 degrees and it's killin meh