Disclaimer: I own nothing from Seraph of the End and everything belongs to their respective owners.

It's Not Copy-Paste

Mitsuba had been initially worried when Yoichi came running into the recovery waiting room, out of breath because of how fast he must have been running. That worry had instantly turned to relief, however, when the brown-haired boy smiled and told them – in between exhausted breaths – that Yuichiro was awake.

The blonde girl hadn't taken any further thought and instead let herself be lead on instinct; she ran out of the room and down the hallways as fast as she could. When their comrade had suddenly fainted (and not to mention the strange and somewhat creepy events that had led to that), she had felt overwhelming concern swallow her. Not that she would want to show it as much as the others since, if Shinoa saw it, the purple-haired girl would tease her about it to no end.

As she ran, a sudden burst of anger hit her. How dare he stay asleep this long! A whole week?! What exactly was he thinking, making us worry like that? Of course, she knew that the dark-haired boy probably had no control over how long he was asleep, but it felt better when she had something to direct the sudden emotion on.

Thankfully – for everyone's sake – the door came first and not Yu's face. She kicked into the barely open door without a second thought, putting all of her anger into the action. "Hey, Yu! It's about time you woke-!" The blonde was midway through shouting at the teen before she froze, not quite believing the sight she was seeing.

All three occupants of the room immediately blushed and Mitsuba found that, when she went to interrogate them, her words were easily flustered. "W-what were you two doing?!"

"I-I… uh… we…" The black-haired boy instantly scrambled for an answer, apparently just as embarrassed as she was from whatever they had been doing. Shinoa, however, quickly regained her composure.

"I was just showing Yu where I was bitten, that's all."

"Ah…" The blonde girl fought to control the blush that was still spread onto her face. The more she thought about what she had barged into, on how guilty they had looked… it made her chest squeeze in a painful way that she hadn't felt before. But why…?

"Hey, keep it down. We're all in a hospital." Kimizuki's voice startled her, but his words inflamed a small amount of the anger that she had felt.

"Excuse me?!" You would have been screaming if you came in on what I saw with the same assumptions! She silently steamed off to the side, watching as Yoichi laughed a bit at their banter. The brown-haired boy quickly tried to stop anything that would have come from the words.

When Yu had requested to help get his 'family' back, the same squeezing sensation persisted in her chest. He had figured out that his brother was alive, but he still looked like he was hurt. Maybe he didn't know what to think? Yu did say that the one vampire was his family, but how could that have happened?

They all agreed, of course, to help in any way they could. When Yoichi and Kimizuki came back with glasses of water for everyone, the room delved into silence. Shinoa was the first one to break it.

"Our squad is on leave until Yu gets better," they had all been told this information at the briefing and – by how the dark-haired boy was reacting (or lack of) – she figured that he had heard so as well. So why was she repeating the information? "So… about what I mentioned earlier…"

Huh? Mitsuba didn't understand what she was referring to, but Yoichi seemed to grow excited at her words. The brown-haired boy smiled as he sat the empty glass down on the bedside table.

"Oh, Mitsuba-san, I was thinking that we could give you a tour of our school!(1)" the smaller boy stood up and walked towards the tray they had brought the water in, gathering some of the glasses that were lying around.

"A… tour? Why?" she had to admit that the idea sounded kind of fun, but what made them suggest this? And when exactly did they think of the idea?

"You haven't been there, right?" it was Kimizuki who asked her as he leaned against the wall. This prompted her to shake her head.

"I received my training at a different facility."

"Then we could show you around!" Yoichi's excitement invaded the conversation again as he smiled. "I know all sorts of great places to show you!"

"Do any of those places involve ones that you were bullied at?(2)" Yu decided to butt in with a teasing remark, causing four out of five of the occupants to laugh.

"No! Well, not a lot of them, but really I meant to go to them for different reasons!" Yoichi's defending comments made them laugh harder. She felt bad that one of the reasons had been so negative, but Yu's comment had been so out-of-the-ordinary that she could help but laugh.

"It's alright, Yoichi. I'm sure the others have places they would rather not recall~" The first part of Shinoa's teasing remark caused them to fall silent, but the second part received a blush from the brown-haired boy. "I wonder if any other spots are places where something secret between you and a… girlfriend – perhaps – could have happened~"

"I-I've never had a girlfriend," Yoichi backed into the wall, suddenly embarrassed and nervous as he stuttered. Shinoa seemed to know when she should quit though, because the conversation never went anything beyond her remark.

"Either way, a tour might be nice, but have you ever led a tour before?" Kimizuki tried to – thankfully - get the conversation back on track after the purple-haired girl's awkward teasing. Yoichi seemed to grow even more embarrassed at the question before.

"Well… not exactly, and I guess I've never really spoke in front of big crowds either. I was figuring that it might be easier if I was with friends…" The brown-haired boy trailed off, his gaze focused uncomfortably at the wall.

Instead of teasing him, however, Shinoa had a helpful suggestion. "Why don't you give a practice tour? It could be the three of us~"

"Three?"

Everyone quickly became confused at the suggestion, or more specifically the numbers involved in it. "Yoichi can lead Kimizuki and I on a practice tour. That way he'll be ready for when he can give you the tour, Mitsu-chan~"

"That makes sense," Kimizuki seemed to agree with her, but for some reason, the blonde girl couldn't shake the feeling that their group had been planning something behind her back. They wouldn't do that though… right?

"I-I don't want to make you feel bad that you have to stay behind though," Yoichi gave her an apologetic look. "You could come if you want to. I'm sure it will be fine."

"It's alright," she shook her head, pointing playfully towards Yu. "Besides, someone has to make sure he stays on bedrest. Wouldn't want him running around the hospital."

"I already agreed that I wasn't going to do that!" Yu shouted, sounding a bit irritated but happy at the same time. He probably knew that she was just joking since she had been there.

Another round of laughs ensued before Shinoa spoke again. "Anyways, let's get going to that practice tour~!"

"Right now?" Yoichi seemed as shocked as she felt. Apparently they hadn't planned that far ahead… What is she planning?

"Yep, now let's go!" Shinoa practically proceeded to drag Yoichi and Kimizuki out the door. Mitsuba quickly followed after her as the two teens walked ahead. She grabbed the purple-haired girl's arm before she could follow them.

"When exactly did you guys plan this?"

"Probably when you were having a bathroom break, Mitsu~" Shinoa's words almost made the blonde summon her axe. The nerve-! "Just kidding~ Really though, enjoy the time you spend with him."

The blissful, almost melancholy words made Mitsuba's actions stop. She stared, dumbfounded at her friend's sudden change in attitude before the girl's next words ruined the moment. "Alas, as the two fated lovers are left alone, what exactly shall they do~?"

"Wha-?! S-Shinoa!" Mitsuba shouted after the purple-haired girl, anger ignited again. Her friend was long gone though; skipping to catch up to the two other teens like nothing had happened. Of course, if the blonde raised a fight now, everyone would be curious… Shinoa and her stupid taunts!
As Mitsuba resigned herself back to Yu's recovery room, she briefly wondered in embarrassment if the black-haired boy had heard anything. A quick glance at him told her 'no.' He was staring at the window, most likely at something far away. She pulled a chair next to his bed, the noise surprising him out of whatever stupor he had been in.

An uncomfortable silence followed, neither of them sure of what to say. Shinoa's words rang in her mind again, causing her face to heat up in embarrassment again. Yu didn't seem to notice that, however.

"Huh? You have bandages too. Are you alright?" his words were weighted with concern as he seemed to notice her injuries for the first time. This caused her blush to deepen as she ducked her head, trying to make sure her hair hid her face.

"Ah… it's fine. No need to worry. I've had worse before." As she said the words, she found that her throat was dry. The squeezing in her chest was back, but this time it brought a wave of sadness. She felt like everything she tried to do, it was just a copy off of what Shinoa had probably experienced with Yu. She was simply pasting it over again, making her painfully aware that what she might have walked in on was something she would never reach.

"If you say so," he already seemed far away again, leaving her in silence as he continued to think. Of course he must have been overwhelmed by their current situation. Being on leave was something that was rarely granted, especially to a rookie squad.

"Did… Shinoa tell you about what happened on the battlefield?" hesitance came with her question as she glanced towards the wall. The subject made her uncomfortable, but she wanted to know what he had. To see if he knew anything and, if he did, to understand more.

In the aftermath of the battle, she had been given time to think. Many days, actually, as he lay in a coma. The pain she had felt when he passed out, when she thought he could have actually died… she didn't want to feel it again. And the events that led up to that… How he was acting… it actually scared me.

"Yeah, she joked a bit about it, but apparently I passed out before reinforcements came." What he had told her, it was technically true but… Did Shinoa keep it a secret? Does he really not remember what happened to him? As she stared at him, her thoughts must have been reflected in her purple eyes. "Is everything alright? You look like you don't feel too well."

"I-I'm fine!" she stammered, feeling her face heat up again at the concerned expression he gave her. His gaze didn't seem convinced and his hand reached for her forehead, most likely to check for some sort of fever.

The action, however, caused the pain in her chest to flutter back again, and she felt sick as she leaned away from his hand. "Stop it." Her tone made his hand's movement stop, inches from her forehead.

"Stop what?" the black-haired boy tilted his head a bit, confusion in his green eyes. She had to tear her gaze away, feeling fluttering again in her chest.

"Everything that you're doing… it's just like…" What I burst in on with you and Shinoa… It's all copy-paste…

She couldn't continue as she bit her lip, trying desperately to keep the tears from falling from her eyes. Yu stayed silent, unsure of how to act. She inwardly berated herself, wondering why he made her act… no, feel this way. Could Shinoa's words actually be true? Did she actually lov-?

"I just inquired about her bite mark," Yu's words caused more guilt to run through her. "I'm just glad everyone wasn't seriously hurt. That, if anyone, I was the only one…"

His words caused another bout of anger in her as she got up from the chair, turning away from him. "There you go again!"

"What do you mean by that?" his confusion was still evident and, if he hadn't already been injured and in a coma, she would have probably punched him. Restraint held her back; she didn't want to hurt him any further than he already was.

"You keep sacrificing yourself like you're replaceable. Well guess what? You're not." Mitsuba stamped her foot in frustration, still not turning around. She felt the pain in her chest again, and her throat was sore from being on the verge of tears. "What do you think everyone would feel if you would have died? Do you think we would just 'move on?' What if the vampires would have killed everyone when you came to rescue me? Do you really-?!"

The blonde was just about ready to cry, ready to storm out of the room because he just couldn't understand. His hand grasping her wrist, however, stopped her from moving. She trembled, crying silently while not being able to face him. He must have been so confused, because right then she felt so torn. I'm like cheap paper, ready to fall apart. I'm just copying off of Shinoa. He could never-

"Mitsuba," Yu said her name, taking a deep breath. "No one died. I didn't die, so why-?"

"'Why?!'" she repeated the question as she swung around, breaking from his grip. He just didn't understand, but everything he seemed to say or do caused her chest to tighten more in pain. "You could have died, and there was nothing I could do to stop it! I would have had to watch you die, when I care so much about you!"

His green eyes widened in shock at her outburst, but through it all the concern never left. He seemed surprised to be yelled at like this, and she didn't blame him. She hated the feeling, hated the way he made her feel so much that she wasn't sure what to do.

So she let her instinct take over again: she ran out of the room as fast as she could, desperate for him not to see her tears. She felt him reach for her hand again, but it didn't matter. He couldn't love her, she knew it. Not when he could have had Shinoa love him…

"Mitsuba, wait!" he shouted after her, his voice echoing through the hallway – or was it in her head? – as she ran. A curse followed as she heard something fall from inside the room, but she kept running. I'm so selfish! Why would he even come after me?

She was long out of breath whenever she stopped on the rooftop terrace. She wasn't even sure how she got here, but she felt like she couldn't go any further. The girl collapsed on one of the benches, closing her eyes as the wind blew gently by her. She wasn't sure how much longer it was, but a door finally opened, revealing another figure.

The person looked around the terrace before spotting her. Their gait slowed as they neared her, and she realized that, through her blurred vision, she recognized the person. Yu…

"Hey, uh…" he really didn't know how to speak right then. Instead, he opted to come sit beside her on the bench. She scooted a bit away from him, gazing at the open sky instead. Her heartbeat was extremely loud in her mind. "Are you… feeling alright?"

The same concern, after everything that she had said to him, made her break. She shook her head, silently sobbing as he let her lean on his shoulder. This lasted for a solid five minutes before her eyes were red and her face was wet with leftover tears. She was pretty sure that she didn't look great at all.

"Look… I'm sorry if I did something to upset you. I really didn't mean to," his tone was calm and apologetic as she continued to lean against him, content that some of her pain ebbed away. She shook her head against him, feeling bad that she probably had accidently gotten her tears and snot on his outfit with the motion.

"No… I shouldn't have yelled at you and I shouldn't have run off."

"Sometimes, all anyone can do is run," Yu's words were thoughtful as he stared at the sky above them. "I was worried that I had messed up. Besides, didn't you say that I shouldn't be wandering around the hospital?"

She laughed at his slight joke, feeling a bit better. "Yeah, I guess so." Her gaze sought his out, finding that his green eyes calmed her. She blushed at how close they were, but felt a sudden burst of braveness and leaned closer to him.

"Yu, I lov-" her words were caught off by a very loud, very surprised gasp from another person on the terrace. Or – to be more specific – a third group.

Standing near the glass doors to the terrace was a group of three: Yoichi (who was covering his eyes with his hands), Kimizuki (who looked very shocked), and Shinoa.

"Oops, there they are~ I hope we didn't interrupt anything~" Shinoa looked silently pleased at the predicament they were stuck in as both her and Yu blushed. She set us up! "Did you confess to him yet~?"

"Shinoa!" Mitsuba ran towards the girl, summoning her axe in an angered craze. Yoichi seemed to realize that he had walked in on something and gave her an apologetic bow.

"I'm so, so sorry! Shinoa said that we should tour the hospital since we didn't see you two in the room and I was practicing but I didn't realize that it was you two!"

"So this is your fault?!"

"Ah- no, I didn't mean to-!" Yoichi back away from her, hiding behind the significantly taller Kimizuki in fear. She turned her gaze to their pink-haired comrade, still feeling annoyance.

Yu laughed as he joined them, which caused everyone else to laugh at her embarrassed blush. She sighed, feeling as though her spirits were lifting as she began to laugh with them. One realization came into her mind, soothing what she had felt: it's not copy-paste.

(1) I don't know if Mitsuba went to the same school that they did, but I thought this would be an interesting prompt if she didn't.

(2) Implying that Yoichi had gotten bullied a bit longer and probably not only by the group of three in episode 2.

Well here's another Mitsuba X Yu fanfiction for all of you who enjoyed the last one! Wow, I seem to really like the angst for them… I guess it works though. Next one I do will probably be happier though (hopefully…). I hope you all enjoyed it and please let me know what you thought!

-AnimeWolfGirl9