2 DAYS LATER

"Well here we are." Said Shizuo patting me on the back. We stood in front of the hospital. I had an appointment with an oncologist thanks to Shizuo.

"You're evil." I said as I nervously secured the beanie on my head.

"Hey, not nice! I could always just leave you here."

"You leave me for even a second and I'm out of here."

"Ohhh! Touche!" Shizuo laughed, I smiled. I missed Shizuo, I missed that laugh and that smile. He was the only person I felt comfortable around, and things were finally going back to how they used to be. Like nothing's changed, except I have cancer.

We stepped into the main lobby of the hospital. I felt a cold chill run up my spine. I hated hospitals.

"Here, go sit down while I check you in." I complied and sat down in the first seat I saw. There were a couple of people in the waiting room, they all looked quite anxious. It gave me a bad feeling.

Shizuo walked over and sat down in the seat next to me, an old lady visibly tensed at his presence.

"...Shizzy-kun?"

"Mmm?"

"I... uh... changed my mind about this. I want to go home." I was about to get up but Shizuo put his arm out and pushed me back into the chair.

"Sorry Itsy, but it's too late to back out now." I started to panic. I didn't want to do this.

"Watanabe-san?" A gruff looking man came out of the double doors. Shizuo stood and held his hand out to me, I took it but Shizuo didn't let go and I was thankful; having his hand in mine was calming. "Hello, my name is Dr. Nozuka. I'll be taking care of you from now on. If you could just follow me." We followed the man back through those double doors and past some hospital rooms, and into the cancer unit.

"We are very happy to help you, Watanabe-san. The tumors in your bone marrow are quite large. We will try to shrink them with radiation and chemo, but we will most likely have to do surgery. Not now, but in time." I was trembling more with each step we took, my knees were shaking and it was hard to breathe. I was gripping Shizuo's hand as hard as I could. My knuckles were turning white. If Shizuo was normal, his hand would be killing him but he was oblivious to what was going on next to him as we continued down the hall.

"First, we will start you off with some radiation 5 times a week and chemotherapy 4 days a week. Some side effects to the treatment are nausea, headache, body aches, vomiting, hair loss, weight loss, and fever."

So many side effects. I was feeling really uneasy about all of this now. I stopped dead in my tracks.

SHIZUO'S POV

I hadn't realized Itsuki had stopped until I felt the pull on my arm. I looked back to see his hair was covering his face and he wouldn't take his eyes off the floor.

"Is there something wrong Watanabe-san? We need to keep moving, we have the radiation lab booked for a strict amount of time." He said with a tone of annoyance. I decided I did not like this man.

"Can't you see he's having a hard time dealing with all of this? Just give him a fucking minute."

"My apologies, I did not mean to upset you or Watanabe-san." He bowed. I kneeled down in front of Itsuki.

"Listen to me. You can do this, you can beat this thing. I know you can! You just have to believe in yourself. Alright? I won't leave your side. I'll be here every step of the way, I promise." Itsuki nodded.

"I'm sorry for taking up your time." Itsuki apologized quietly and bowed to Dr. Nozuka.

"Yea, let's go." We continued down the hall, this time I kept a close eye on Itsuki.

ITSUKI'S POV

Dr. Nozuka led us into the lab and handed me a gown.

"Put this on, you can keep your underwear on. I'll give you some privacy." I blushed. It was one of those open back gowns and I was thankful I could keep my underwear on.

The doctor walked out. Shizuo turned around and stood with his back facing me. I stripped down until the only thing I wore were my boxer briefs. I slipped the gown over my shoulders. I had some trouble tying it around the back.

"Ummm…. Shizzy-kun?" Shizuo turned his head to look at me, I could see a blush spread across his cheeks. "I… uh… can't tie the back.."

"Right…" He walked over to me and I turned around. He took the strings that laid by my sides and tied them in the back. "There ya go." I turned around to see his face was bright red.

The doctor walked into the room, interrupting me from my thoughts. I looked towards the floor, heat rising from my cheeks.

"Mr. Heiwajima-san. I need to speak to you outside please." The doctor led Shizuo out of the room, leaving me alone.

The doctor walked back in the room and told me to lie down on the table. Then he retreated back out of the room. When was Shizuo coming back?

"Alright Itsuki, just stay still. We will start soon." They were starting already?! But where was Shizuo. He said he'd be by my side through everything. Where was he?

"Umm... Dr. Nozuka?" I said shyly. The man was a little scary and I really don't like talking to people I don't trust.

"Yes, Watanabe-san?"

"C-could we maybe...wait to start...until Shizuo gets back?"

"No, I'm sorry Watanabe-san. We need to start right away and we can't have any one in the room that isn't either a doctor or a patient." I was panicking now.

"Please. Please. I can't do this without him here." I felt tears roll down my cheeks. I needed to know Shizuo was here. I was starting to hyperventilate; I was going to have a panic attack. It's only happened once before, the night Shizuo told me he didn't want to be my friend anymore outside his apartment. "I can't do this!" I was on the brink of snapping and running out of the room.

"Itsy-kun, I'm right here." Shizuo. His voice was coming from the speakers. "They let me in this other room so I can talk to you, okay? Is that alright? I can't be there in that room but at least you can hear me." I felt myself calm down. He's here. It's okay. My breathing slowed back to normal.

"Watanabe-san. We are going to start now. Just lay perfectly still."

"Don't worry; it'll be over before you know it. I'm right here with you." As Shizuo said, before I knew it, it was over. It only took a couple of minutes.

"You can get up now and put your clothes back on." I got up from the bed and took off the gown. I put my clothes back on and walked out of the room. Shizuo was there waiting for me.

"So how do you feel? Healthy?"

"Shizzy-kun, it doesn't work that fast." We laughed.

"Watanabe-san, here's your prescriptions. Just some painkillers and something for the nausea. See it wasn't that bad. We'll see you again tomorrow for chemo. That's where the real fun is." I visibly shook at his words. He smiled warmly and held out a couple of slips of paper with my prescriptions. Shizuo took them from him and gave him a nasty look. Then we walked away towards home.

"Maybe we can find a new doctor?" Shizuo asked. "Unless for strange reason, you like him? Because I most definitely do not."

"I was thinking the same thing..."

"So are you up to picking up Russia Sushi and going to Shinra's?" I felt good for right now so I figure I should get food before the nausea kicked in, and I missed Shinra and Celty.

"Yea... sounds good."