The Rabbit Effect/The Death Cycle

Summary:- Chino and her friend Cocoa have been thinking about each other for awhile now...Problem is when one of them is in hospital...How far will the other's emotions go to break "Death's Cycle/The Rabbit Effect"?

Disclaimer: I do not own Gochuumon Wa Usagai Desu Ka. I am basing this on an alternative universe as the second season has not finished yet.

Cocoa dusted herself off as the cafe' prepared to close for the day. She looks over to Chino, who was cleaning her table, then back to her own.

'Is it so wrong how I feel for you? I mean...I don't want to be shunned away by you yet you keep pulling away from me' Cocoa felt a few tears fall down her face but she wiped at her face with her cleaning cloth.

Rize was by the counter, cleaning the cups as per what she normally did, when she looked up just in time to spot Cocoa wipping her eyes. "Cocoa?" She asked which made the peach haired girl stiffen. "Are you alright?"

Cocoa nodded a few times after getting herself together again. "Y-yeah Rize. Just a late night that's all, ehehehehe!" Cocoa faked, Rize could see straight through her but decided not to do anything about it...For now.

Chino looked to the whole cafe', smiling that it was at a satisfactory level, turned to the other two. "That's a job well done guys. I've got to get ready for dinner and such later so...Excuse me!"

Rize kept her eye on Cocoa as Chino walked past her. Rize's eyes widened slightly when she saw Cocoa stiffen more and more, then when Chino walked past her, Cocoa took in a deep breathe. 'Wait a minute...Is she? She can't be...'

When Chino had left the room, it was just Cocoa, Rize and Tippy. The latter two were looking at Cocoa still. They looked to each other and nodded.

Cocoa wipped her forehead several times. She was sweating...But for what? She couldn't possibly...But Chino wasn't even in her age range...But she... Cocoa growled to herself as she sat down. "For the love of it all...Why can't life be simpler?" She growled again, this time louder so that Tippy and Rize heard her, much to their suprise, and lowered her head into her folded arms.

Rize looked at Tippy. "Have a word with Chino if she comes back in. I'll have a word with Cocoa" Tippy nodded his head. "Alright". Rize walked over to Cocoa and pulled out a seat next to her, making the peach haired girl, again, freeze in place.

Rize slowly put a hand on Cocoa's shoulder. "Cocoa?" Rize frowned when the girl didn't move. "Look at me..." When Cocoa refused Rize had no other choice. She had to mention it. "I saw you looking at Chino earlier..." Rize whispered to her. Cocoa began to shake this time. "Cocoa?" Rize put her other hand on Cocoa's other shoulder as Cocoa rose her head to meet Rize's eye-sight.

"Cocoa..." Rize whispered as she saw just what kind of state her good friend was in: Cocoa was in floads of tears. She had her arms on the table still but her hands were in fists. "What can I do Rize? I can't do, anything, without getting Chino annoyed at me! I'm supposed to be...I'm..."

Rize sighed. "You're not Chino's older sister Cocoa. That's something you're just going to have to face up too. Do you honestly think Chino wants you around her like that?"

That did it. Rize didn't know how, but what she had just said did it. Cocoa pushed away from Rize as her tears started to rack her body. "Don't you get it..."

Rize shook her head. "What should I get? Tell me Cocoa! You're making no, logical, oh scrap that. You're not making, any, sense!"

Cocoa stood up and was about to mouth a response but at the door where Tippy was next to stood Chino. They both heard a cough from Tippy so Rize and Cocoa looked. Only for Cocoa's face to go more blue then Chino's uniform.

"What? I've heard everything from Tippy. What the hell is up with you?"

Before Chino could move Cocoa closed her eyes, letting her fists go back into normal hands.

"I'm waiting Cocoa"

Cocoa opened her eyes and faced Chino directly. Chino had her arms folded which relaxed when Cocoa's eyes opened again. "I left my family. I left everything to come here. Initially I wanted to prove to my family that I could do everything on my own...Being the youngest of a family and su-"

Chino cut in...Right at the point she probably shouldn't have. "I'm the grand-daughter of the owner of this cafe! You can't play that kind of ga-"

Rize saw Cocoa snap. The purple haired cafe worker stood up as Cocoa sighed. "You think life is a game!? Huh!? I don't see you suffering each night to get to sleep! I don't see you hiding your emotions that well! I came here and offered to work here to be around friends, NOT, enemies! You want to know what I've been trying to hide...Do you? Really!?"

Chino nodded as Rize stood in front of her. The pair nodded at each other while Cocoa felt all of her emotions wash out of her. Chino's Dad had literally just appeared behind Chino at this point.

"I...I...I love you Chino...There's no way around that...When I saw you...I went crazy...That's what you do...to me anyway. I've tried countless times to ignore it and play, big sister, and carry on with my life alongside you...I can't do it anymore...I just can't..." She looked to the floor while Chino was trying to work out words in her head to say to the peach haired girl.

"I'm leaving. You can keep all my, earnings, or whatever...I'm not here...Good luck with life Chino...I've tried...You wondered who was crying at midnight each night since I got here? That...That...was me"

Before the three others or Tippy could say or do anything, Cocoa had turned on her heel and raced out of the cafe.

-With Cocoa-

Syaro walked very slowly downtown with Chiya alongside her. They were chatting about everything from Chiya's reduced rent rates for Syaro (Sixth-Month consecutive) to pens and eventually Rabbit House.

"You know...I'm starting to get the feeling that Cocoa likes someone in Rabbit House...I'm not sure though" Syaro whispered and Chiya nodded. "Good point. Who would she be able to choose from though?"

As the pair rounded another corner, they saw Cocoa racing down the streets of the town, tears falling from her eyes as though there was no limit to her tears.

"Was that..."

Syaro turned and began to race after the peach haired girl. "Cocoa!" Chiya turned and ran behind Syaro, she caught sight of Rize racing towards them. Thing was...

Where was Cocoa going?

-With Chino-

Chino was sitting down at one of the tables with Tippy and her father next to her. Her father was sat across from her while Tippy was next to her coffee cup.

Tippy was the first to break the ice. "Chino. Did you not know Cocoa had such strong feelings for you?"

Chino shook her head. "No..." She was shaking. Both Tippy and her Father knew why; Cocoa's revalation had been a shock to Chino and her entire system. Someone like Cocoa loved her? Chino wasn't sure about it...But she felt similar...

"You know how she always thought of herself as a bigger sister around you?" Chino nodded at her father. "She always wanted to protect you...Even when I spoke to her on one occasion. I didn't want to tell you because she asked me not to"

Tippy was irriatated by this. "So you KNEW about Cocoa's feelings for her, yet you STILL kept your mouth shut?"

Chino's dad nodded. "Yes. If I had said anything it would have made this situtation worse". Tippy nodded after a few minutes. "Yeah...I suppose it would..."

Chino picked up her coffee cup still shaking. "I shouldn't...I shouldn't have shouted at her"

Tippy and her dad nodded. "True. We didn't know it ran this deep for her though...Perhaps it would be wise for you to go after her?" Tippy questioned much to Chino and her dad's shock. "Think about it. If you were Cocoa...Would you want to be found by anyone ASIDE from you? Deep down...Think"

Chino closed her eyes and began to think. "I'm...Not sure...Wouldn't the town frown on..." Tippy scoffed. "You think I'd allow ANYONE to frown on you? Not a chance...Not a chance in hell"

Chino's eyes snapped open when she heard the door to the cafe open. Rize, Syaro and Chiya stood there panting away...Cocoa wasn't there.

Chino slowly stood up and put her cup down. "...Co...Cocoa?" She whispered and Rize looked to Chiya. Syaro on the other hand walked forwards and sat down on the other side of Chino. "We...We caught up with her..."

"Tell me...Please tell me she's okay..."

Syaro looked down while Rize looked to her. "She's hurt...Emotionally...and physically. We lost her at one point...It was just fate that we saw her..."

"Tell me what's happened..." Chino's small body was shaking with anxiety. Chino's father stood next to her as a form of support should she need it. Tippy rolled over to Syaro and looked at her in the eyes. "Don't tell us..." Syaro's eyes closed as Chiya finally said what they all had hoped for her not to say:

Cocoa's in hospital Chino. We don't know if she'll survive the night...She jumped from one of the bridges onto a wooden boat. By the time the medical teams got there...She had lost a lot of blood...

Chino's eyes went wider then saucers. "Cocoa..." Chino's father pulled his daughter into as warm a hug as he could. Feeling Chino's body begin to shake with emotions...He could almost sense his daughter about to cry...It was the same as when her mother had given birth to Chino...He had to be there...To be a strong a pillar for her as he could be.

Chino's whole body began to cry as the realisation of what today's events had done. Learning even more about Cocoa's past...Cocoa's emotions for HER...It was almost...Too much.

Tippy looked over to Rize. "Is anyone there by her side?" Rize nodded. "Megu offered to stay there until Sun-down. I'm going there, with Syaro, to be there for her if she needs us overnight..." Rize looked over to Chino and her father. "Chino?"

Chino slowly rose her head and looked to Rize. Rize walked over to her. "Cocoa gave me a message for you. You are not the one at fault here...She loves you so very much"

Chino nodded slowly while her father patted and rubbed her back. "Dad? Can I go and see Cocoa tomorrow? I mean...I know its a work-" Her father cut her off as she looked up at him. He had his understanding smile on. "Go and see her Chino. I suggest one of your friends goes with you"

Chino nodded. "Alright".

[To Be Continued...]