Hiro's fingers strummed the strings of the guitar. It was his distraction. it alwasy seemed to help him take his mind off of things and it calmed him. Wether it was because his mind was uneasy or because he was stressed out, the stound of the guitar, wether pleasant or not, was something that brought him peace. It was early in the morning, about 1:30 ish, yet he could not fall asleep. Shuichi was upstairs alseep. He had come over in tears crying about a fight he had with Yuki. It seemed like they were always fighting, yet Shuichi refused to leave Yuki. he really loved him and no matter what they faught about, Shuichi would always return to his lover at home. Hiro loved Shu-chan more than he woudl ever know, which was the reason he resented Yuki.

Yuki had everything. A lifestyle that many would kill for. He was famous and had plenty of money, not to mention plenty of people swooning of him, both male and female. He also had the one thing Hiro would, could never have: Shuicihi's heart. Yuki could offer Shuichi the world and Hiro could only offer a place to stay and a shoulder to cry on. He felt slightly useless in Shuichi's life, yet he still refused to stop loving him.

Standing, he placed the guitar in the rightful place. He was clam now and tired too. He just wanted to go upstairs and climb into bed. So, he trudged up the stairs and headed over to the couch where the younger man was sleeping. He could see the little pink haired boy alseep and he decided it would be best if her let him slept. He grabbed the blanket that lay at Shu-chan's feet and threw it over him. The blanket fell on Shuichi's form and Hiro watched the singer breathe for a moment. He smiled to himself. He looked at the somberly sleeping Shuichi and decided he looked rather calm as he slept despite the days events. He was happy that he had calmed down enough to fall asleep.

Hiro decided it was his turn to retire for the night and started to head towards his room when he felt something tug at his arm. Shuichi had grabbed his wrist. "Shu-chan?" He had thought that Shuichi was asleep. Maybe he was wrong.

Shuichi attempted to sit up, but wound up falling forward and off the couch. Hiro gasped and tried to catch his falling band mate, but was one second too late. He kneeled on the floor next to him and Shuichi muttered, "Please...dont leave me." Shuichi closed his eyes slightly and lay on the floor in a dazed state, too weak to move on his own. Hiro went to help him up and placed him on the couch. Looking his commrade over, Hiro placed his hand on Shuichi's forehead. He was extremely warm. It seemed so unusual for him to be so hot. It was 20 degrees outside and it was not over 60 degrees inside. Hiro was slightly worried. Had Shuichi fallen ill?

Running to the kitchen he grabbed a cold dish rag. It was cool and he knew that it should help. He placed it on the singer's head and ran to the bathroom for a themometer. Walking over to Shuichi, he placed the themometer in his mouth. It was the mouth that he had longed to kiss. Now, Hiro was running around like an idiot because his friend might have a fever. It was probably something to not get worked up over, but still...he was worried.

The little white themometer beeped and Hiro took it from his half consicence friend's mouth. It read 104 degrees farenheit. He was bruning up and Hiro knew that a cold cloth and some tylenol would not bring down this fever easily. He decided that it would be best to bring him to the hospital. It was the only thing he could think of. He didn't know and home remedies or even what medication to go out and buy, but the doctors did. So, Hiro wrapped him a the blanket after throwing his jacket on him and called for a taxi. When it arrived he would bring Shuichi down, but there was no way that he was going to bring him out and make him wait in the cold. He sighed and soon enougrh he heard the taxi honk to grab his attention. His ears perked up and he lifted Shu-chan into his arms.

He was light despite the fact that he ate like no tomorrow. It was an easy trudge down the aparment stairs. Though, Hiro woudl have preferred to take the elevator, but it was broken. Why did it have to be broken right now? Could it have broken down tomorrow? He sighed, he was just whining when it was really Shuichi, who seemed the be completely drained, should be the one with the right to complain, especially since Hiro was the reason for the developing bump on his head.

Climbing into the car, Hiro barked, "The hospital please." He urged the man with his eyes and clung fast to Shuichi. It was a bumpy ride and it seemed that they hit every imaginable stop light and every single pot hole in the road. He was frustrated. It seemed like an eternity had passed before they had arrived at the hostpital. Shoving the cab fare into the driver's hand, he climbed out of the cab and rushed through the front door of the hospital building. The nurses there gave him a weird look as they attempted to analyze the situation. One of them came running over with a wheel chair and told Hiro to place Shuichi in the chair. He did as she told him and then she started a series of questions that Hiro didn't know the answer to. He was not as scared as he was worried. The nirse had another nurse call for a doctor and while she waited for him to appear, she stuck Shuichi with a needle to draw blood and then insert and intrevenous needle rigth after. Hiro watched with worry on his face. He didn't think he friend was that sick, but the nurse seemed to be panicking and when the doctor arrived he seemed just as disturbed.

Hiro forrowed his eyebrows together and looked around as the doctors rush his friend off. What was so wrong that they were leaving him out of the loop and behind? He wanted to go with his friend but hte nursses stopped him and said that they were going to run some tests and they would know in a little what was wrong with him. Hiro responded,"He has a fever...it's the flu. That's it. I just wanted to come and get some medicine. The nurse placed her hand on his shoulder and lead him to a chair in the lounge. He didn't want to sit, but she ushered him there and he just followed. Maybe he needed to sit. He needed to think.

So, Hiro sat. He racked his brain through the night. Shucihi had been at his place crying and maybe a little pale but he thought that it was from lack of sleep. He ran his hand through his hair and sat quitely.He thought to himself, 'I just came to get some medicine. He's okay...he has to be.' Hiro rubbed his eyes. It was now almost three and in an hour and a half his friend had been admitted into the hospital for some reason that he did not know of and he had blamed himself for not noticing atleast a dozen times, but he blamed it on Yuki atleast three dozen. He wanted it to be Yuki's fault, that way Shuichi would see it and leave him...then maybe Hiro would be able to tell him how he felt and what he truly wanted...who he truly wanted.

Hiro sighed again and leaned forward. When were they going to tell him anything? Where they ever going to tell him something? He was sick of waiting. Hadn't it been long enough. Just as he stood up and was about to march over to the nurses to beg for an answer the doctor who took Shu-chan away came into the room. He looked at Hiro and gestured for him to have a seat before he said, "I am Dr. Fujishima. I am treating your friend Mr. Shindou." Hiro nodded to acknowledge him and the doctor continued, "He has a severe case of lukemia."

Hiro felt his eyes open wide..."What?"

Author's Note:

I would like to thank Shelby who begged me for a super duper uber long time to write a HiroxShuichi fan fiction. I love you.

To Cassie who helped me figure out the spelling of words even when I thought I knew it already.

To Cheri who has me all figured out about the whole 'choose the opposite selection of what you want in order to get what you want' thing.

To Jenn's laptop who let me use it to type up this story even though I scorn the fact that the internet dies on you and that you don't have Microsoft Word.