Author's Note: This short story was inspired by the musical/movie Rent. I felt very inspired after seeing it and this just sprouted into my mind. It is dedicated to all those who have died before their time.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, and that is the way it should be.

Please read and review, thanks.

Without You

The soft yellow room felt cold. Sunlight streamed through canary colored curtains hanging over the large window to the south, yet it provided no warmth. The two teenage boys stood by a sterile looking desk which spanned the north end of the room. Behind it a female nurse was busy moving back and forth, shuffling papers and adamantly avoiding looking at the two young men. The shorter of the two boys flickered for just a second, revealing a blue demon, his tail wrapped about his waist. But the image was gone so quickly one might think they imagined it. In the hand of each boy was a folded piece of paper. The taller brown haired boy was shaking slightly, the paper clasped so tightly that it had been crumpled.

"Go on, open it Bobby." The short black haired boy urged. His eyes were blank and he looked as if he was fighting to continue to stay on his feet. Bobby shook his head in jerky movements, clasping his eyes closed as small rivulets of tears made their way down his cheeks. "I…I can't."

"You must. Ve promised to do zis togetzer. I 'ave looked at mine."

"Kurt….." Both boys were shaking now, leaning on the counter for support. Bobby opened his eyes to stare directly into German's. On impulse, Kurt pushed something on his watch, revealing true blue furred self, his pale golden orbs staring back at Bobby. Two streaks of damp ran through the fur on his cheeks. The nurse jumped a bit at the sudden transformation but quickly went back to her work, keeping silent.

Bobby couldn't stand to look into those soulful eyes any longer and he turned away, only to have his own focus in on the paper in his hand. "I…I'm not as strong as you…."

Kurt moved closer to him, his tail enfolding itself around the other boy's waist. "You are zer for me, and I vill be zer for you." His three fingered hand moved over Bobby's shoulder, pulling him close. Taking a gulp, Bobby slowly loosened his grip on the paper, moving his other hand to take it. His hand was shaking so badly that he could not get the paper open. Suddenly a blue furred one held his, helping to steady it. "You can do zis."

Slowly, the paper opened, and Bobby's eyes moved over each line, as if each one held the fate of the world. Tears began to pour down his cheeks, and he took a halting gasp of air as the paper fell from his hand onto the counter. Tears had begun to roll anew down Kurt's cheeks and he pulled Bobby into a tight hug. Both boys were crying now, sobs echoing through the lifeless halls of the building.

The ride home was silent. Neither could truly think of what to say. Bobby just couldn't think about it, he was afraid he would lose it again if he did, so he spent all his time concentrating on the road ahead. Kurt stared out the window, his thoughts dwelling on nothing else but the results. It was his fault, he knew it. And he had just hurt the person he cared for most in the world. Tears continued to fall into his fur, however silent they may have been now. Why did he have so little self control? How could he have been so stupid and let this happen? Questions raced through his mind, but the only answers he could present were ones that only heightened his self enforced depression.

The car pulled up to the Gates of the institute, where they waited a moment for them to open before pulling up the long drive. Turning off of it, Bobby brought the car to a stop inside the large garage, clicking off the engine. He wipes away the stain of tears from his cheek and looked over to his passenger. Kurt still looked so beautiful, his dark fur looking so soft and well kept, even now. Not even the sad and depressed look that plagued him seemed to take a dent in them. The elf could look good in the middle of mud season during a thunderstorm to Bobby. "However long we have….I still love you Kurt." He gave him a weak smile and picked up the furry mutant's hand in his own, holding it tightly, close to his chest. The smile was returned, though the eyes were still full of sadness. "Aye, I know. And I love you too. Now and forever." They embraced briefly, a sweet kiss passing between them. Breaking from the soft hold, Bobby opened the car door and stepped out into the dim Garage, his eyes taking in the barrenness of the room and idly thinking that it was exactly how he felt.

Bamf Kurt stood beside him, his arm draped across Bobby's shoulder while his tail re-entangled Bobby's waist. The pair moved into the Mansion, the halls eerily empty as the walked down them. As they approached the main staircase, the Professor wheeled out of a side hall, giving a nod of his head to both students. "Good Afternoon, Bobby, Kurt."

"Hello Professor." was all that was returned from Bobby, his face averted. The professor frowned as he looked between the boys, but he did not speak. Instead, Kurt broke the silence. "Professor, may I speak vith you?"

"Of course Kurt. Follow me into my office." The Professor began to go back down another hall. Bobby gave Kurt a questioning look which Kurt silenced with a kiss. "I vill be back shortly. But I need to speak vith him, alone." With that there was suddenly a cloud of dark smoke, the scent of sulfur and a distinctive Bamf. Bobby looked at the air that once held his partner, licking his lips slightly, savoring the taste. Finally, he began moving once more up the stairs to his room.

The Professor reached his office a minute later, an anxious Kurt already there. "I take it that the test results were not what you had hoped." He said as he moved over behind the desk. "No, but ze were as expected. Positive."

Xavier nodded solemnly. "I am very sorry Kurt, for both you and Bobby. I have some news, but I am not sure how you will take it." Kurt moved forward from his position near the door crossing most of the room in less then a second, ill-placed hope in his eyes. "Vhat is it professor? Please." Xavier was staring at his folded hands on the table. "Your mutation. While you may be HIV positive, because you have such a strong physical mutation, your body cannot support AIDS. The disease will not advance any further in you."

A smile almost touched his lips at these words, but the realization and depth of them hit before it took hold. "And Bobby?"

"I am truly sorry."

A bestial howl escaped his lips as he almost fell to the floor, barely grabbing a chair and sliding into it. Salty drops had begun making their way down his cheeks again. Silence pervaded the room except for Kurt. Finally, he looked up again from his hands towards the Professor Xavier. "Zis is the Xavier Institute. We 'ave some of ze best minds in ze world here. Dr. Grey, Dr. McCoy, you. Surely zer is sumthing that can be done. You can help him…."

"We will do our best. We will try our best, Kurt."

Snow fell silently to the ground, softening all other noises as well in its descent. The black clad figures had all but left, leaving a solitary blue one beside the recently turned earth. He was kneeling there, his eyes glistening like stars. A frosted white rose was clasped in one hand, which he set gently down upon the ground. "I am vithout you…." He whispered at the cold stone plaque before him. "Zer is so much I 'ave deprived you of…and yet I am ze one to live….WHY!" He cried out to the unforgiving skies, the uniform grey offering no answer. "Why….." With a bamf which caused a small flurry, the blue mutant was gone, only to re-appear down at the bottom of the hill, where the Professor and Hank waited.

A pile of snow had begun to form on top of the stone as well as around it, slowly obscuring the words etched upon it:

Robert "Bobby" Drake

The coldest of nights were comfortable with you by our side

Winter will never feel so warm without you.