Can't Live Without You

Pairing: Sarutobi x Torikai

Genre: Romance & Hurt/Comfort

Disclaimer: I do not own Inugami-san to Nekoyama-san or any of its characters.

Author's Note: Hello, everyone! My name is Yuri and this is my first Sarutobi x Torikai fanfic. After watching episodes 7 and 8, I didn't think of a story about them until now. This is also inspired by a Lucky Star fanfiction "Heart of an Angel". So, here it is. Enjoy! ;)

Cough Cough!

Hibari Torikai covers her mouth with one long sleeve that's hanging down from her arm while sitting up on the hospital bed. She's unable to come to school again for a while since her condition is starting to get worse. She has been told over and over again to not leave the hospital while in this state, yet, as stubborn as she is, she walked out of the hospital to come to school. But it was for a purpose. She wanted to see her childhood friend, Sora Sarutobi. And though Sora had visited Hibari from time to time, ever since Hibari had somehow came to school again, she was able to make new friends, like Yachiyo Inugami, Aki Hiiragi, Suzu Nekoyama and others.

However, when Hibari came to school on a rainy day, the cold air had affected her somehow and was back in the hospital, feeling worse than before. As she looks out the window, she could see some dark clouds rolling by, meaning that it might rain today. The doctors had given her medicine just a few minutes ago, so she could move around a bit. The thought of her childhood friend makes her heart beat rapidly and she clutches her hidden fist on her chest.

"Sacchan," she whispers. Deep down inside, Hibari wished that she hasn't had this horrible condition in the first place.

"Inugami-san," the chairman says as she walks up to the dog-like girl. "You were unable to do your day duty again, so I had to do it myself."

Yachiyo turns around from the shelf she just checked and just smiles. "Oh, thanks, Sarutobi-san! You're my hero!"

Bonk!

"What the heck am I the committee chairman for?" Sora snaps after she raises her fist from hitting Yachiyo's head. "You should learn to do things yourself, you know?"

"Ahahaha!"

Aki walks over and crosses her arms while shaking her head in dismay. "That Inugami. She never listens, does she?"

"Tell me about it," Sora agrees.

"But still! Thanks for having my back, Sarutobi-san!" Yachiyo says, shaking both of Sora's hands happily.

"Yeah, whatever!" Sora turns her head away. "But next time, you're all on your own. Don't come relying on me all the time."

The bell rings for homeroom as Aki turns to leave.

"I'll see you later," she says as she waves at both the girls.

"See ya, Aki-chan!" Yachiyo waves. "Say hi to Nekoyama-san for me!"

Aki just waves as she walks next door. Sora sighs as she grabs Yachiyo's shoulder and drags her to the classroom. Sora has seen Yachiyo go head-over-heels with Suzu before, but sometimes, she would get very annoyed with it, just like how people would compare Sora to a monkey.

First period ends quite quickly as the class just took notes for the lesson. Next door, Suzu looks in the attendance record to notice Hibari is absent again.

"Torikai-san may not be here," Aki says. "But the question is: is she really absent?"

"I remember a couple times that she appeared out of nowhere," Suzu says. "Like when we first met, we thought she was a ghost or something. Good thing she was actually there."

"Yes," Aki agrees. "But . . ." She looks at the empty seat a couple seats from Suzu. "It seems that she's unable to come this time. She looked fine a couple days ago."

"It was before it was raining yesterday, right?" Suzu asks.

"Yes. Maybe she's unable to come to school because of the rain?" Aki guesses.

Suzu looks into the attendance book again. "Who knows? I hope Torikai-san is okay."

Aki looks away with a worried expression on her face. Hibari usually appears out of nowhere, but this time, it's different. Is it because of her condition? She hears a lot of people saying that Hibari was hospitalized, but some questions filled her mind, like "How long was Hibari like this?" or "How can she come to school in this condition?" and so on. Still, Aki is surprised that Hibari was able to come to school, despite her poor health.

The school day goes by and everyone gets up to leave the school. Sora exits the school in a hurry to the hospital. She heard about Hibari's condition worsening after staying out in the rain for too long while walking to school yesterday, which was very stupid in her opinion. Now, Sora is in a panic right now because of her worrying over her childhood friend. Unfortunately, the hospital is far from the school, so she had to drive about 5 miles from here. After all, she's mature enough to take driving lessons for a while, in which she passed 2 tests in the last 2 months. It took about a half-hour to get to the hospital and go to the third floor where Hibari is at room 323.

She knocks on the door, and hears a quiet, "Come in." Sora opens the door to see her childhood friend sitting up on the hospital bed, smiling.

"Hi, Sacchan," the sick girls say softly as she waves.

"Hi, Hibari," Sora comes and takes a chair that's next to the bed and sits on it. "How are you feeling?"

"Still the same," Hibari replies as she looks down at the covers. "In fact, I feel a lot weaker than before."

"Well, you shouldn't be standing out in the cold for too long," Sora says. "You know how it affects your condition."

Hibari smiles weakly. "I guess I wasn't aware of it until then."

Sora sighs and hands her half of her lunch. "Here, in case you're hungry."

Hibari gasps as she stares at the wrapped up bento. "Y-you're giving this to me!? B-but . . ."

"I know. You're more important right now." Sora turns away, blushing after she says that.

Hibari stares at the bento for a bit before taking it. She never thought Sora would be this caring, but then again, since their childhood, Sora was always being thoughtful.

"Th-thanks, Sacchan," the sick girl says softly.

"It's fine. You need your strength after all."

Silence fills the room as neither of them move a muscle. Sora looks over at her childhood friend, who is looking down at the bento, not taking one bite.

"Hibari," Sora finally says. "Do you think . . . you'll be able to live long enough until next year?"

The green haired girl doesn't make eye contact with her childhood friend. "I don't know."

"You've been in this condition for a while now," Sora reminds her. "If anything, it would be a miracle if you were to live until next year."

Hibari could only nod. In truth, she had been living with this weak body condition ever since she was born. The doctors predicted that this illness was genetic because her mother used to have it before being pregnant. And then, Hibari's mother died tragically from child-birth, leaving her father to take care of her. But Hibari's condition wasn't getting any better as the years went by, and her father knew it would happen. There was one time when Hibari suddenly collapsed in grade school just a few days after she and Sora first met. After getting checked in the hospital, the doctors told her father that she has a weak body condition, in which she had never realized until now. So every now and then, Hibari was sent to the hospital for some treatment, plus some education when they think Hibari is well enough to go. Sora was the only one that looked after her and by her side every single day and Hibari was very grateful that someone cared.

However, after 9 years of living with this condition, Hibari is starting to doubt her fight for survival.

"Am I . . . really going to be alright? What if I won't make it?"

"Don't ever say things like that!" Sora snaps. "Look how for you've gotten since you had this. And you were able to make new friends at school, too. So, don't ever doubt yourself, Hibari. After all, I'm always there for you."

Hibari blushes at Sora's kind words and quickly wraps her arms around her childhood. "That's so nice of you to say that, Sacchan~! Let's hear that again!"

"No way!" Sora shrieks as she blushes.

Thankfully, Hibari pulls away as she giggles. But then, a rough cough is heard, which Sora jolts up in alarm.

"Are you alright, Hibari!?" she says.

"I-I'm alright," the green haired girl replies softly. "I'll be fine."

"Maybe you should really lay off going to school for a while," Sora warns. "I'm afraid if you keep this up, you might pass out at any second."

"I understand," Hibari says as she lies back down on her pillow.

As Sora tucks her in, she gives her a worried look before leaving. Outside the door, Sora leans against the wall. Hibari, she thinks to herself. You're going to be okay. Don't you worry. I'll still stay by your side as long as it takes.

Inside Hibari's room, the green-haired girl looks up at the ceiling with a sad look on her face. Poor Sacchan. That look on her face . . . it makes me sad. I can't let her worry too much about me. It's been a few days, but . . . I still can't have her worry. What should I do?