Chapter 3-

Yukio was thoroughly soaked by the time he approached the hospital once again. Shura was waiting for him under the awning, a towel draped over her arm. Upon seeing him, she stepped forward, grasping his hand and tugging him out of the rain. Neither said a word as she toweled off his hair and face.

"How is he?" Yukio's low voice whispered.

"They found something else… the tumors are a secondary cancer. It looks like he's got a bad kidney. Rin is comfortable. They have him on painkillers and his friends are with him." Shura squeezed Yukio's hands, frowning at the scrapped, bloody skin. "Yukio. Things will be hard in the coming months, but we will be here for you too. I will be here."

Yukio wouldn't meet her eyes. He was sure she would be disgusted with him if she could hear his thoughts. He shook himself and stepped into the hospital, allowing her to lead him through the halls. With a shaky breath, Yukio entered Rin's room.

The Cram students looked up as the door opened. Kuro lifting his head from where he lay by Rin's side. Yukio was glad to see his brother have such a strong support team.

"Yuki!" Shiemi whispered, she stood and rushed to him. Her small arms wrapping around his stiff frame.

"How is he?" Yukio's voice was hoarse as he repeated his earlier question. He freed himself from Shiemi's clingy arms and read the numerous machines.

"He was awake for a little while. Fell asleep a bit ago." Ryuuji told Yukio. The boy's eyes were dark with bruise-like bags. All the students were looking a bit ragged.

"That's good. You need to get back to the Academy." Yukio told his students.

"But what's up with Rin?" Shima asked from where he lounged against the wall.

Yukio wanted to tell them. His more considerate side wanted to tell Rin first. The young half-demon didn't even know his condition yet.

"Rin should make the choice to tell you. And we need more information anyway. Shura? Take them back please."

The students looked ready to argue, but thought better of it. Then, Yukio was alone with Rin. Yukio sat in the chair Suguro had vacated and stroked Kuro's fur.

The quiet of the room settled around Yukio. His eyes flickered to the monitors every few seconds. He felt restless, hands jittery. He realized too late he was being left with his thoughts. He didn't like where they tried to take him.

The first thing he was aware of was the bone deep ache in his entire body. Next came the nausea. His stomach churning and his mouth was excessively wet. He weakly swallowed down the moisture, his eyes fluttering open. It was dark in the room he lay in. His heavy lidded eyes taking in the expanse of white ceiling, recessed lights dim and curtains drawn around a window to his left. His eyes lingered on the various machines hissing and beeping, the pole holding the bags full of liquid. He followed the lines down to his arm to where they capped to an IV catheter and the cool fluids leaking into his body. He then noticed a lump under the covers which he assumed was Kuro curled up by his hip, the cat keeping him warm.

His hand twitched, wishing to remove the thing pressed to his face. His blinks were longer than normal. But he didn't want to succumb to his body's needs till he knew where he was. The door a few paces from his bed opened without a sound, the light from the hall the only way he knew it opened. His tired, aching eyes watched as Yukio walked in quietly. To say his brother looked awful would be an understatement. Rin was mildly stunned to see his brother in a doctor's white coat. Yukio was pale, a cup of coffee in his hand, dark bags under his eyes. His turquoise eyes met Rin's then, his mouth falling open.

"Rin?" Yukio gasped, rushing forward and setting his coffee down. He eased the oxygen mask off Rin's mouth and nose, looking to the oxygen monitor.

"You loo' awful." Rin croaked, wincing at the soreness in his throat.

Yukio looked surprised. "Me?" He let out a bitter laugh. "Rin, you should see yourself." Yukio busied himself with a brown box on the table next to the hospital bed, lifting ice into a small cup.

"Where 'm I?" Rin rasped.

"An Exorcist hospital. You collapsed and seized on the way back to True Cross." Yukio replied.

Kuro nudged himself out of the blankets, roused by their voices. "Rin! Rin! You're sick!" The cat sounded so worried. Yukio held an ice chip to Rin's lips, the cold water easing his sore throat.

"I'll be ok, Kuro. Right Yukio? I'll be up in no time!" Rin looked to Yukio for support. Yukio looked crestfallen. Yukio was peering down at the cup in his hands. Rin squinted in confusion. "Right Yukio?"

"Rin…" Yukio fiddled with the ice. " You won't be feeling well for a while. You're really sick."

Rin scoffed and Kuro's eyes widened. "Yukio, you always overexaggerate things. I'm sure I'll be fine." Rin grinned at Kuro, lifting a hand to stroke the cat. Yukio watched Rin's hand tremble violently before reaching over and guiding Rin's cold hand to Kuro's head. Rin frowned at his hand, attempting to lift it higher to no avail and his arm began trembling violently. Yukio forced Rin to lay his arm back down.

"You're really sick, Rin. It's… not good."

Now it was Rin, who wouldn't meet Yukio's eyes. He studied his hand, clenching his fingers weakly, Kuro chirped wordlessly. "What's wrong with me?"

"You have brain tumors. They are called Metastatic tumors. A secondary cancer to another. Yours being kidney cancer." Rin's breath caught in his throat, his stomach twisting. "They are pretty aggressive and the prognosis isn't good Rin. They are to blame for many of the issues you've faced. The learning difficulties, the emotional troubles, the aches in your back and bones. Its spreading fast." Yukio's voice was steady even as his hands tightened on the cup.

"I'm dying." Rin summed up in a cold voice.

No! Kuro yowled. The cup in Yukio's hand crunched as he tensed. Ice spilled onto the floor, the sound loud in the near silent room.

Rin wanted to cry. He wanted to scream and argue against Yukio. But he knew it wouldn't change what he heard. The world wanted him dead. The Vatican wanted him dead. Even if he wasn't being eaten alive by cancer, he would still be facing impossible odds of passing the Exorcist Exam in only a few months. He sighed shakily, he relaxed his head back, eyes fluttering shut.

"I'm dead no matter what I do." Rin whispered.

"I'll be here, Rin." Yukio rested his hand on Rin's, not bothering to tell Rin he was wrong.

Rin let out a shaky laugh. "Are you my doctor?" His weak fingers tugged at the cuff of Yukio's coat.

Yukio smirked. "They're letting me help. And if I was the one to put your catheter in?"

Rin opened his eyes, shooting his little brother a weak glare. "Did you really?"

"No, your modesty is still safe." Yukio chuckled before becoming serious once more. "Rest. We will talk more about details and treatment later."

Rin fell asleep easily, head dropping, his mouth opening slightly. Yukio lifted the mask back over Rin's face, then stood to fiddle with the equipment. He checked Rin's vitals, and fluid bags, cleaned the mess off the floor before finally sitting down to drink his coffee. It was cold before he even got the first drink of it. Yukio turned back to his twin, his mind still going in circles. Rin shifted, whining in discomfort, his brow crinkled. Kuro head bumped Rin's limp arm, looking sadly at Yukio. Yukio reached out to hold Rin's hand, the smaller hand gripping his. Under his fingers, he could feel Rin's pulse, still strong and resilient. Rin's eyes were hanging partially open in that creepy way of his.

Yukio's lips twitched upward. Yukio loved Rin. He loved him more than he'd ever admit to anyone out loud.

"I'll save you, big brother." Yukio wasn't sure what he meant by those words. Perhaps it would be more humane to put Rin out of his misery. Perhaps Yukio will donate anything his brother needs, a kidney, plasma, bone marrow. Yukio continued to question what he wanted to do.