The waiting room feels practically lifeless as she sits beside Ikuto, staring at the paperwork that he's filling out yet not bringing herself to read a single word of it.

Amu feels like broken shards of glass, having caused so much harm, but letting someone else control her choices.

Her fingers clench and unclench in her hands as if it's all that she can do to keep her mind from exploding in dark thoughts that have always found her too easily.

Ikuto stands up, not looking conflicted in the least bit, as he moves to the counter and hands the paperwork over to the smiling receptionist, and Amu vaguely wonders how that woman can smile now, doesn't she realize?
Amu watches the man that she walked here with return to his seat beside her.

"Why is your sister annoying?" Amu shifts closer, unsure if she'd even understand a familial love like that; she hadn't really had a chance to grasp at one, not with how quick family fell apart when she was involved.

"She's just," He seems a little unsure of how to answer her now, "She's just really affectionate, always has been, and she used to tell me that we'd get married one day." There's a sarcastic smile on his lips now that pierces through Amu's heart; she took away the joy of hope for someone that she'd never met and destroyed however his future would have went.

"It seems kind of nice that she loves you so much though." Amu shrugs, leaning closer, hating the way her own voice cracks as she tries to speak to him.

"She didn't understand marriage back then, not really." His eyes look a little lost in thought, remembering, "And either way, it's a lot different than you might think."

Amu wonders if a part of Ikuto has been learning to cherish that kind of love for what its worth as he suffers through this all; she can't help but flinch when she hears his name get called.

He stands fluidly like he's used to these appointments, and he probably is. Amu realizes.

She stands like a robot, but the nurse sends her a sympathetic smile anyway as if she's telling her that it won't be easy, but she'll have to be strong through this all.

Amu doesn't smile back, just watches as Ikuto follows the nurse into a small but sterile room and wonders vaguely if she should sit down in one of the seats or stay standing; she's unsure of how much she can support him or if she is capable of even making this a little easier on him.

The nurse asks mundane questions that Ikuto answers so easily that Amu figures that he's had to answer these same questions many times before.

She only surprises the two when she asks someone non-medically based, "Is she your girlfriend?"
It's simple, but Ikuto shakes his head and answers, "She's someone I've come to know lately, but we're not dating."

Amu vaguely wonders how he can hide so much of what led him here from the nurse and yet finds herself both feeling more guilty by not being able to be called a friend and yet almost wishing that she'd reached at least that level for him.

She knows that she doesn't even deserve this, but does not say a word against the kindness of his heart for him to let her come here.

The nurse doesn't believe them; her 'umm-hmmm' is as sarcastic as they come, but she leaves with a small wave and an encouraging smile anyway.

Amu slumps into the seat that she decided finally to sit in as she glances over to the patient wondering how often he must come here for check ups; her eyes stay rooted in place as it's all she can do to remember how he's still alive and yet the guilt that constantly pushes to the surface as if dying to leave her throat in some way.

Ikuto gives her a glance but does not say a word as he looks away and seems to be lost in thought yet again; Amu hopes more than she ever realized that she could that the thoughts will be happy ones and will stay happy.