Disclaimer: I do not own Ouran or any of its characters.

I was skeptical about writing this one shot because I had no idea how it was going to turn out. When I was writing it, it look like absolute gibberish! But spurred on by my Winglica friends, I posted it here.

Enjoy!

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If You Had the Choice

Ouran One Shot Hikaru, Kaoru and Haruhi

Once upon a time there lived two swords, one named Joy and another Sorrow. Both were identical in every way, yet they were both very different. Without the other, they could never be – but Joy knew that one day they would be separated. He didn't like it but it was a fact that resonated within him. And it was a fact that Sorrow had not yet acknowledged...

Kaoru looked up from the book as he let the sun warm his face. After a while it started to get annoying and he got up to draw the curtains slightly. But not once did the thought of the two swords leave his mind. Kaoru looked back at Hikaru who was sleeping peacefully on the couch of the Third Music Room.

Kyouya had been tired enough to let everyone rest a bit before cleaning up the Host Club room. The heat was horrible and even though the air conditioning was turned up high it made almost no difference.

Both were identical in every way, yet they were both very different.

"Really?" Kaoru murmured to himself. The younger twin ran a hand through his hair and stood at the window looking at Hikaru for a moment as he thought to himself. Quietly he padded his way towards the chair he had been sitting at and resumed the story.

Both swords had names that had been forgotten long ago as had their location. But they took care of each other because that was how it was meant to be. Yet Joy lived with the knowing that their joy would come to an end one day.

"Wouldn't it be wonderful," mused Sorrow one day, "if we could become living beings? We could do as we please. We could share our joy with the world."

"But wouldn't that mean sharing sorrow too?" Joy asked. It was well known to Joy that Sorrow wanted to live and become a real being – yet he was so used to living in a world that consisted only of 'us' and 'not us'. But despite that, his desire to live was great.

"What do you want the most in the world Joy?" Sorrow asked him. It took a while for Joy to answer his twin. But no matter how long he thought he couldn't come up with an answer.

"I'm not sure." What was it Joy wished for? What was the thing he wanted the most? Surely he wanted the same thing as Sorrow did?

The next time Sorrow asked him the question, Joy responded the question with the same answer Sorrow had given him: to live and be real. Joy had no idea what he really wanted, and felt guilty telling his brother something that wasn't entirely true.

But seeing the joy on Sorrow's face made Joy happy. And as long as things stayed that way, Joy felt that Sorrow would find happiness – and Joy could be happy too.

Joy didn't think he would have to tell his twin what it was he really wanted for a long time to come. So every time the question popped up, Joy responded with Sorrow's answer. Yet little did he know his heart's desire was to be determined sooner than he had expected.

One day, Sorrow and Joy were visited by someone at that long forgotten place. It was a beautiful witch who had a chilling smile and cunning eyes that scared both.

"What do you want?" Sorrow and Joy asked in unison. The witch smiled,

"That should be my question." Sorrow narrowed his eyes and Joy could feel the hostility flow out of him. The witch took several steps closer and held out a slim hand towards them as they edged back. "I can grant your heart's desire for a price." Suddenly, the hostility was withdrawn and Joy could feel the happiness well up inside Sorrow.

"What would the price be?" Sorrow asked not revealing any of his happiness.

"That depends on the wish." Sorrow turned to Joy and smiled.

"This could be our chance – our chance to become real!" Joy returned the smile hesitantly, not sure whether or not this was a good or bad thing. His heart's desire? He still had no idea. But to be with Sorrow and to see Sorrow happy – wasn't that what he wanted the most?

"Have you decided?" The witch asked with a coy smile. Sorrow turned to Joy and nodded as Joy squeezed his hand.

"I wish to become a real person." The witch's eyes glittered.

"Are you sure?" Sorrow nodded confidently but Joy could feel his slight shake as he held his hand.

"The price?" Sorrow asked again.

"Oh." The witch smiled, "That will be paid in due course." Sorrow tightened his grip on Joy's hand as the witch started to cast a spell. Soon Sorrow was no longer beside Joy and Joy found that he was alone with that strange witch.

She opened her eyes, "And you? Do you wish to be a living person too?" Joy opened his mouth but closed it, "It isn't your hearts desire is it?" The witch asked after a while. Joy hung his head and shook it.

If it wasn't that, then what? What did he want the most? What was more important than being with his brother? And suddenly he knew. Looking up with fire in his eyes, Joy opened his mouth.

"I wish for –"

"Kaoru!" Haruhi's voice stirred Kaoru form the book and he looked up in mid turn, "Want something to drink?" The rookie handed him a glass and the younger twin took it gratefully. Haruhi glanced at the book and smiled when she noticed the title, "You're reading 'Joy and Sorrow' too?"

Kaoru nodded, "I just picked it up off the table because there was nothing else to read." Hearing this Haruhi made a face that made the younger twin laugh before he added, "But, it's an interesting book."

"I read it a while ago." Haruhi stated but then a frown appeared on her face, "But the author never wrote the ending of it so I never found out what the character wanted in the end." Karou flipped to the next page and found that that was where the book ended. He pouted.

"What a waste of time." He tossed the book onto the couch hitting Hikaru in the head. Hikaru stirred and batted the book onto the floor before returning to his nap.

"But you know...when I think about it, Joy and Sorrow are a bit like you and Hikaru." The girl said thoughtfully. The younger twin gave her an odd look wanting her to elaborate on the statement but she continued onto another subject.

"What do you think Joy wished for Kaoru?" He blinked and then shrugged. It didn't quite matter to him – his curiosity was gone. Not liking that answer, Haruhi persisted on it, "What do you want the most for Hikaru if it could be anything in the world?"

Kaoru uttered a small "oh" and was driven into silence for a moment before he answered,

"Happiness." The twin looked at Hikaru still asleep, "I would wish for his happiness more than anything." Haruhi smiled,

"The author of the book probably left the ending like that so the readers could think of his wish for themselves. But its obvious what he wished for if you read it properly."

But seeing the joy on Sorrow's face made Joy happy. And as long as things stayed that way, Joy felt that Sorrow would find happiness – and Joy could be happy too.

Kaoru remembered the quote and nodded slowly seeing that Joy had really wished for that, "I still want to know the ending though." Kaoru said in a slightly whiny tone. Haruhi chuckled slightly and moved over to wake up the older twin.

"But that's how the author wanted it to be. Maybe its better that way right?" she smiled, "And you know how you want it to end so isn't that enough?" As she turned her back to him Kaoru nodded to himself and a bittersweet smile appeared on his face.

I wish for his happiness more than anything.

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"What the price I have to pay?" Joy asked after he stated his wish. The witch's playful smile disappeared to reveal that this was a serious matter.

"Your price in exchange for your wish is your own happiness," she stated very bluntly. Joy's face showed no expression but understanding – he knew it would be something like this. "For someone precious to have happiness, the person wishing it must sacrifice his own in exchange." She explained, "Are you satisfied with that?"

Joy nodded,

"Sorrow is everything to me. And if he's happy so am I." The witch smiled and nodded but continued.

"Your brother's price has been paid." Joy looked up confused for a moment, "His price to pay was your happiness. By going away he had to pay with your happiness and yet you have given it to him." She turned, "Selfless brotherly love I suppose it's called." Silence filled the air before she spoke again, "Is this your hearts desire? For your brother to find happiness?"

Joy nodded without a second thought, "If I could give my brother anything in the world it would be happiness." He looked up, "I want him to have joy even if means I receive sorrow." With her back turned to Joy, he could not see the sad smile on her lips.

"So be it."

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I hope you enjoyed it ; And I hope nothing came off too confusing, after re-reading it myself I was a bit confused XD;