Disclaimer- I don't own these characters!!! And this is a silly fic! So enjoy!!!

Only Once,

                I wish…

                It all started when Hikaru actually took a break from Go and went to hang out with his childhood friend, Akari. Akari had sounded normal enough when he'd talked to her on the phone the night before so Hikaru wasn't at all prepared to see her pale and pained face when he knocked on her door.

                "Hi Hikaru…" Her voice was barely over a whisper. "Come on in. I'll only be a minute." And with that she left him to close the door behind himself, more than a bit startled.

                "A-are you ok?" He called after her with a bit of a stutter.

                "Yeah." Akira answered after finishing a glass of water. "I'll be just fine!" She drawled out, quite out of character. He had never seen her like this! She grabbed her coat, apparently ignoring his dumbfounded and slightly worried looks. "We can go now." The redhead opened the door and led the way out. She only paused when they reached the streets to stare at him with her big brown eyes. "Where to, Hikaru?"

                "Uh…I… well…" He scratched his head. "What would you like to do?" Hikaru brushed his blond bangs from his face. "I'm free fo—" He trailed off and blanched as a familiar figure came marching towards him. "Oh no! I forgot to tell Touya that I wasn't going to meet him today! Akari I…" He wanted to make himself very small as his eternal rival continued to come nearer. His plea for help trailed off to nothing and soon he found himself facing Touya's serious clear green eyes.

"Hello." He nodded to Hikaru and Akari alike. "You forgot this at my father's go salon. Since you were late…" The polite voice became a tad steely. "I decided I would drop it off at your house. Your mother though insisted that I try to catch you…"  The backpack that Hikaru usually carried around him was shoved in the air between them. "Have a good day."

"Aah… uh… thanks Touya. I'm sorry I forgot to tell you that I had decided to take a day off." Hikaru tried to apologize. The taller boy sighed and it was obvious to Akari, even through her pain, that the other go player was used to hearing such excuses from her forgetful friend.

"It was my fault." She whispered softly. "I asked him to take me around…" She gasped a stab of pain ran through her, darkening her vision. She didn't even realize that she had been falling until strong arms caught her and steadied her without letting go. There was a yelp of surprise and of worry. Hikaru. There was the low voice, snapping directions. Touya. "Go-gomen." She tried to say. The pain was clearing up a bit. Oh how she had wished the pain killer would take action soon. Touya shushed her and bent slightly down before picking her up. And then they were moving. "I'll be fine… I will…" She tried again and was glared at. Now she knew why Hikaru always complained that he could never say no to Touya. His eyes… She closed her own. The spirit behind the dark green eyes was so strong. Too…strong…She hissed as pain came again, and like too strong of a wave to fight against, the darkness this time did take her in fully.

Hikaru was near panicking as he saw Akari become even paler than she had been and fall forward. He was thankful that Touya had been there. He'd felt frozen as he'd watch her fall. Later, he knew, much later, he would recall Touya's face of pure surprise and find it amusing. He didn't think he remembered ever seeing his eternal rival blush and look worried at the same time. But for now, Hikaru ran back to Akari's house and opened the door, calling out for Akari's parents. Silence greeted him and he cursed. Of course! Whenever you needed adults they were gone! He cursed again but was brought up short as Touya came in, holding Akari to his chest.

"Where can I put her?" He sounded just a tad strained.

"The couches I guess." He shook his head to indicate the direction of the couches. "The parents aren't home."

"She's fainted Shindo." Touya muttered, placing the girl gently down. He brushed aside the red strands of hair that was in her face before placing his full hand on her forehead. "Slight fever." He got up. "Did she tell you she was sick?"

"NO!" Hikaru shook his head vehemently. "She said she was fine. And you know girls…" He paused. Maybe Touya didn't… oh well there was that one lady who followed him everywhere from that Go Salon. "…usually they make a big deal out of something if they're in pain." Touya arched an eyebrow at that. "Well she does." Hikaru snorted. "Believe me." He paused for a bit. "Touya what should we do?" The voice of his eternal rival was suddenly very worried. Touya sighed. So much for just giving Shindo his bag and making him guilty for being late once again and then just leaving to go study. No. No… nothing could ever be that simple around the boy. He shook his head and turned to look at Shindo's friend…girlfriend? He bit his lip.

"Call the doctor, I suppose." He looked around. "Do you know where it is? She'd probably prefer to have you close when she wakes up rather than a stranger." Shindo cocked his head to the side making a face.

                "You're no stranger but the phone is… in that room I think." He pointed to a room across the hallway and Touya nodded. "Should I do anything in the meantime?"  He started to walk away when a hand snatched at his sleeve.

                "No… need…" The voice was soft.

                "Akari you're awake! You scared me!" Hikaru bounded to her side while Touya stared at the hand holding him back with a perplexed expression. "Are you all right? What's wrong with you?" The girl tried to smile for her friend but it ended as a grimace instead.

                "This happens every month, baka." The two boys blinked than blinked again before her words dawned on them.

                "Oh." Touya finally muttered, polite as always as Hikaru just shook his head, hands coming to cover his ears as he became pale.

                "That again." The boy moaned. "You could have warned me! You girls…"  Akari wasn't really listening to her friend though. She was curling up to her side and hoping, hoping that the pain would ease to be something bearable soon.

                "I wish…" She whispered through Hikaru's rant. "Only once, I wish that boys would know… exactly what it's like to be like this…how painful it is…" Her eyes fluttered to a close again and she never even realized that this time, she wasn't the only one that the darkness took in its hold.

A/N- I'm sorry… It's short.

The next chapter is on its way. I promise.

Hope you enjoyed this one.