As Shiro entered the room, he immediately noticed the bed at the center of the room. Laying there is Rin, currently looking outside the window with disinterest. He look so small at the bed that is obviously too big for him. He's sickly pale, his skin a pasty white. He look flushed and fatigued.

'Be strong,' Shiro thought, clenching his fist. 'for Rin'

"Hey, kiddo" Shiro whispered, catching Rin's attention.

"Tousan!" Rin beamed, but there is something different in his smile, like he's guilty and full of despair and he's trying to cover it up. Shiro didn't notice.

Shiro's heart dropped. That smile...how can he smile? Even when he's suffering...

Shiro forced a smile on his face. He inhaled sharply and sat on the chair beside the hospital bed.

"Rin..." Shiro gulped, "I have something to tell you."

"What is it, Tousan?" Rin tilted his head, his hair falling on his eyes.

Shiro grabbed Rin's hand and squeezed it comfortingly. Both for Rin and...himself.

"You...are very sick, Rin." Shiro trembled, "The-the doctor found an-an illness in your body."

"Does that mean, I need to take medicine?" Rin asked, eyebrows furrowing.

Shiro chuckled, blinking back tears.

"Yes, you need to take medicine." Shiro looked at Rin's innocent cerulean eyes. " That also means you can't get into fights anymore,"

"I'm serious, Rin" Shiro added when Rin opened his mouth to protest.

Rin closed his mouth for a moment but opened them again,

"But-but what about Yukio?! No one will protect him from bullies. And-and-"

Yukio's name struck Shiro like a cord. What about Yukio? He's already learning to use a gun to be an exorcist. And then now he will know that his brother have a terminal disease and probably only have eight to ten years to live?

He looked at Rin and whispered,

"We-we need to tell Yukio about this."

Rin's eyes widen in panic, "N-no! We can't-!"

"Rin!" Shiro exclaimed, grabbing Rin's shoulders, "We need to tell him. This is a serious matter. He's your brother, he have the right to know."

Rin looked away and mumbled,

"Fine."

UNSEEN=

As Yukio came home from training, he immediately noticed the lack of usual chattering and noise in the house. It's completely silent.

"Tousan? Niisan?" Yukio called, dread pooling at his stomach.

"In here Yukio,"

Shiro's voice came from the dining room. There is something in his voice that made Yukio nervous.

He walked toward the dining room and is greeted by the grim faces of his father and the clergymen, and a pale looking Rin. All of them are sitting while looking at him.

'Pale?' Yukio wondered, 'why does Niisan look pale?'

"Take a seat, Yukio. This is gonna be long conversation." Shiro spoke, is it just Yukio, or Shiro looks like he wants to cry?

"What's happening? Why is everyone so silent?" Yukio asked, sitting in front of Rin.

"Rin...collapsed this afternoon," Shiro's lips is pressed into a thin line, his eyes flashing.

Panic flashed in Yukio's eyes, "Collapsed? Niisan collapsed?"

"Yes," Shiro ran a hand through his hair. "The doctor said it-it's a terminal disease. The disease is unknown so they can't give Rin any treatments."

"The-the doctor also said that I-I only have eight to ten years to live right?" Rin's shaky voice echoed through the dining room, the expressions of the clergymen and Shiro obviously signals that Rin wasn't supposed to know that.

"H-how did you know that Rin? Did-did you eavesdrop on my conversation with the doctor?" the alarm in Shiro's voice didn't help Rin's guilty expression.

"I just want to know what's happening, I'm sorry." Rin apologized, looking down at his hands.

But Yukio paid it no mind. Yukio feels like the time stopped around him, the words 'eight to ten years to live' echoed repeatedly in his mind. 'Rin is dying?' Yukio stared at his brother's sickly pale face,

'His brother is dying?'

Unseen=

To anyone who's wondering, yes,this is inspired by Freefall. - LittleFireOfLife