WARNING! CHARACTER DEATH AND CANCER! This will be AU since one of the characters in the main shipping will die. I mean, why would I end the challenge when a character of the main pairing is dead in this theme?

Also, I blame SuzuriHeinze for making me write this sad theme.

Edit: Dear Lord! This was made back in July? June? So that's why the writing style doesn't match with me now. I was going to rewrite it, but got lazy, then I found it and...yeah. Said "Okay fine" and posted it like this. LOL

25. By Your Deathbed

Little Mac huffed and puffed as he continued to punch the sandbag. Ryu smiled, watching his lover while he was training. The boxer had been working hard to get the gold medal, and it made Ryu happy when Little Mac was happy to train.

Doc, on the other hand, appeared to be nervous. Sweat formed on his forehead, and he swallowed frequently.

Ryu seemed to have noticed. "Doc?" he questioned.

Doc turned to face Ryu. "Yes?"

"What's wrong?"

Doc's eyes widened. "Uh…nothing!"

"But you're sweating. Are you sure you're okay?"

Doc sighed. "Well…Mac baby…he's just…"

Ryu stared at him, wondering what was wrong with Little Mac. "And? What's wrong with him?"

"Well—"

Suddenly, they heard a groan, and Ryu turned his head in time to see Little Mac collapsing to the floor. Ryu gasped, and his eyes widened as he ran towards the unconscious boxer.

"MAC?! MAC!" he called.

There was no response.

Doc ran towards the two, kneeling down to check on Little Mac. "Oh no…" he muttered.

"Doc! Call an ambulance!"

"O-On it!" Doc nodded vehemently as he rushed out of the gymnasium.

Ryu paced back and forth in the hospital, his heart beating fast. Doc was in tears, his lips pressing into a thin line.

Ryu wanted—no, needed—to know what had happened to his lover, and he asked Doc, "Doc? What happened? Why did he suddenly faint like that?"

Doc stared at him, wiping away his tears. "I…"

"Doc," Ryu spoke firmly. "Please tell me what happened."

Doc sighed. "Mac baby…he…" He tried to hold in a sob. "He developed cancer."

Ryu's eyes widened, and he growled. "And you never told me about this?! DOC! I could've spent more time with him!"

Doc sighed. "Ryu...He told me not to tell you."

Ryu stared at Doc, his heart breaking in two. "Doc…he—he really told you that?"

Doc nodded. "Yes…he doesn't want to worry you like that."

"But wait!" Ryu gasped. "Does that mean he's—"

Doc nodded. "Yes, Ryu. He was diagnosed with cancer. It was too late for the doctors to do anything about it."

Ryu felt tears springing from his eyes. "Why…?"

The two then heard the door opening, and a nurse walked in.

"Ma'am?" Ryu asked hesitantly. "Is Mac…?"

The nurse shook her head. "I'm sorry…There's nothing we could do."

Ryu's mouth fell open. "No…" He shook his head. "That's not true! This is just a sick prank!"

The nurse's expression didn't change. "I'm sorry sir…he doesn't have very long."

Ryu felt his heart breaking more. Tears streamed down from his eyes. "No…he—he can't be…"

"I recommend you see him to say goodbye," the nurse suggested.

Ryu sighed, nodding.

The nurse let Doc and Ryu into the room. There, Little Mac was hooked up to a heart monitor, and by the looks of the lines, his heart was beating slowly.

"M-Mac?" Ryu gasped quietly, more tears falling down.

Little Mac opened his eyes, turning to see his trainer and Ryu. "Doc? Ryu?"

Ryu rushed towards the dying boxer, and he hugged him. "Mac…why didn't you tell me?!" he sobbed. "I could've spend time with you more often…I—"

"Ryu…" Little Mac smiled softly, hugging him back. "Please…don't cry."

"But Mac—"

"Please…that's my last wish…"

Ryu sniffled, holding his dying lover close. "Mac…I'm so sorry you had to go through this…"

Little Mac shook his head, albeit with difficulty. "Don't be."

"Mac…Mac…" Ryu sobbed, holding Little Mac tighter. "I-I love you, and I always will."

Little Mac's smile grew somewhat wider. "I-I love you too, Ryu…Please…live on without me…"

His body then went limp, and the heart monitor let out a long beeeeeeeep.

Little Mac, the Champion of the Box Ring, was dead.

Ryu held Little Mac's lifeless body close, sobbing. "MAC!" he sobbed. "I-I love you..."

The funeral was quick for Ryu, and eventually, he and others were ready to bury the deceased boxer. When the casket containing Little Mac's body was lowered into the ground, everyone threw roses down—Ryu's was the last one.

Once the funeral had ended, everyone left…except for Ryu. Ryu stared at Little Mac's grave, which was beside his mother and father's.

He sniffed, tears still streaming down his eyes.

"Mac…"

Cosntructive criticism is welcomed!

Beta reader: h34rt1lly