Rain tapped against the window accompanied by bolts of thunder that danced across the sky. Two boys where in a room at an inn. One was sleeping peacefully, the other tossing furiously against the sheets in his bed. His dream was a nightmare..

"Aniki! ANIKI!"

He ran towards his brother who was laying on the ground with a heavy bleeding wound.

The boy cried wanting his brother to wake up or move.

He didn't know he was crying out loud or calling his brother, but he was. Amiboshi went to his side and softly shook Suboshi. His eyes jolted open and looked around with fear until his gaze came to the one who was sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Anki.." He whispered, in tears. Amiboshi hugged his younger brother, trying to calm him down. It was like this for a while. Suboshi kept on having nightmares about loosing the one most dear to him in all the world. The only thing was that if one day…they would come true.

"Go to sleep Suboshi.. I'm here…I won't leave I promise." Ami whispered reassuring words in his younger twin's ear.

"You promise?.." Suboshi looked up into his bother's kind eyes. Ami nodded. "I'll always be here for you." He smiled, "Go back to sleep."

Suboshi laid back down and closed his eyes as Ami took out his flute and began to play. The tune was soothing and helped Suboshi drift off into slumber.

As the sun perched on the horizon, yet was hardly seen through the clouds in the sky, quietness was disturbed by a sound of someone waking up. The boy turned and stirred as he finally opened his eyes. A faint cough was heard, making Suboshi jump up into a sitting position. "Aniki?.." He looked over at his brother's bed to see him there. What scared him was he did not look well.

Suboshi bit his lip and quietly made his way over. "Aniki.." He shook the older one gently. Ami shifted and turned to look at Suboshi, "Hm?...what are you doing up so early…the sun just began to rise...I think anyway."

"Oh um…are you all right?" The younger one watched, waiting attentively for an answer. Ami smiled, "Yes I'm fine. Why are you asking?" He put his arms behind his head and looked into his brother's eyes. Suboshi shook his head, "Never mind…I'm just a bit edgy I guess.."

"There's no reason for that…get some rest. We have a long journey ahead of us." Suboshi nodded and went back into his bed but not quite asleep. After a few minutes, Ami was restless and sat up looking out the window. His breathing was a bit not normal but he paid no mind to it.

Suboshi watched quietly to see if Ami was lying to him or not. Ami curled up coughing into the sheets. This almost gave Suboshi a heart attack but he refrained himself from doing anything. He knew Ami would still just deny it. He turned over, not wanting to see anymore. He wished his brother wouldn't lie to him but Ami was always trying to show he was strong. Suboshi smiled and went to sleep once more.

A strike of thunder bounced through the air, a small thump followed. Subo awoken to find no one in Ami's bed. His gaze shifted to the floor and almost leaped over to his brother. "Aniki!…Ami! Ami!.." Suboshi lifted up the body of his older brother. His face was flushed with fever and body trembling. While crying, he tended to Amiboshi as best as he could. He placed him in the bed and covered him with the blankets. A soaked cloth was placed on his forehead and a hand held his…never going to let go.

Suboshi wiped his eyes, he was so worried about his brother. He wished he would wake up, move, or just show some sign he was still there. "A-Ami…I'm here…I won't go anywhere…just like you said you wouldn't leave me…please...Ami wake up.." He smiled in relief as he saw his aniki open his eyes.

"S-Suboshi…" Ami spoke in a weak tone of voice. Subo looked at him, "Do you need anything? Is anything wrong? Are you in pain? Ami say something!" Amiboshi laughed a bit, "Calm down.. I'll be all right. I probably just caught a little cold.." Suboshi checked his temperature and frowned some, "I don't think just any cold would give you a fever like this. Maybe I should go look for a doctor. Aniki I'll be right back!" Before Ami could open his mouth, Suboshi was out the door and gone.

Amiboshi sat up in the bed, looking towards the gray colored sky. He shivered some pulling the covers only his body. Suboshi came back in a few moments later with an irritated look on his face. He was a bit surprised to see Amiboshi sitting up but he walked back over and took his old spot on the bed.

Ami knew that look on Subo's face. "What happened?" He asked quietly. Suboshi folded his arms, "'It'll pass…just give him lots of fluids and rest. He'll be fine'…Damn doctors. They don't know anything." Amiboshi smiled and rested his head on the silky pillow closing his eyes. Suboshi rambled on a bit more but became quiet as he noticed Ami had nodded off to sleep.

He stroked Ami's forehead tenderly and whispered to him quietly, "Aniki…don't ever leave me.." Suboshi laid his head down next to Amiboshi's pillow and watched as his brother slept.

Later on in the day, Suboshi was woken up as he heard his brother's harsh cough. "Aniki.." He whimpered, hating to see Amiboshi like this. After all, his brother took care of him, fed him, watched him, tended to his need and was always there for Suboshi but right now in return, all he could do was watch his aniki struggle to fight against his illness.

Suboshi rewetted the towel and placed it back on Ami's forehead. Subo was a bit startled as he saw two blue eyes looking up at him, but he just smiled and tried to make Ami go back to sleep. He could tell in relation to when he was ill as well. He didn't want to eat, drink, sleep and just kept whining. But Ami was nothing like this. He just wanted to cry as he felt so useless. Suboshi felt two arms draw around him into a hug and couldn't help but burst into tears.

"Suboshi...stop…I'm all right. Please…I don't like seeing you sad." Ami spoke gently trying to sooth his brother from his fears and sadness. He began to hum softly, the tune settled Suboshi very much and the two brothers were left in peace one in the others arms…

Yes, it was your sweet voice calling my name

that saved me from despair when I stood at the cliff's edge.

Let's become one, holding each other so that

the two crosses we bear become one.