Author's Note: I apologize for not updating so long, but I did not have time because the school year is coming to an end, meaning a whole lot of blasted finals. Thank you for your patience. Also note that this fiction is almost over, this being the second-to-last chapter.
January 1st.
For most of the world's population, it meant New Year's day. But for Horohoro, it meant Ren's birthday.
He didn't know what Ren would want at all, but he did manage to think of bringing a glass bottle of milk with him. Ren loved milk, and everyone knew that. He was ashamed of bringing such a simple gift, but there was not much else he could do.
"Yes, Tao Ren is allowed to have visitors today."
Those simple words were like music to Horohoro's ears as he walked through the hospital towards Ren's room, holding the bottle of milk as to not drop it. With a sinking feeling in his heart, he knew that this might be the last birthday Ren would ever celebrate.
He opened the door, trying to prepare his heart for the worst.
Apparently, Horohoro wasn't good at doing that.
The glass slipped from his fingers, smashing to the ground and shattering. Pieces of glass instantly scattered across the floor, tinkling softly.
Horohoro looked at Ren, eyes wide. The heart monitor was beeping in a terrifyingly slow pace. He didn't want to believe it, but he knew that Ren wouldn't be able to last much longer at all. A few hours at the most, as a matter of fact.
"REN!" he screamed, running towards him. The glass crunched underneath his feet as he knelt next to the bed, scanning Ren's face for any signs of life.
One golden eye fluttered slowly open and glanced weakly at Horohoro. Ren smiled softly at the Ainu, despite the fact that he was shivering.
"H-Horohoro..." he whispered. "It's...It's so cold..."
It is said that when someone is about to die, they feel cold.
"Hang in there, Ren," Horohoro begged, taking Ren's hands in his own and squeezing them tightly. "You can't leave me...not now, not on your birthday, of all days..." Tears were welling in his wide eyes as he begged Ren to stay alive.
"Don't cry, Horohoro..." His eyes were beginning to look glazed and dull, Horohoro could feel that he was slipping away from life, clinging on by only a small amount. The Ainu's heart was pounding wildly. There had to be something he had to do. Something. Anything.
"Ren, please!" Horohoro screamed, throwing his arms around the Chinese boy. "You can't do this to me, Ren...please...don't you die, don't you dare die...Don't leave me..."
Ren's breathing was becoming shallow, and his face was paling. The heart monitor's beeping was beginning to slow even more. Horohoro held Ren tightly, unable to keep the tears from falling freely from his eyes and onto Ren's body. His hand drifted to his chest to feel the heartbeat. It was so soft that it was barely even there.
"No...Ren..." His hands were shaking with grief and terror as the tears continued to flow. "Ren...I love you...you can't do this...hang in there, I'm begging you...Why? Why does this have to happen?"
"I...I'm sorry, Horohoro...I can't...I can't hold on...for much longer..."
"Shhh, don't say anything," Horohoro whispered through his tears. "You've gotta save your strength and fight, Ren...You can't die now, please, try to fight it..." He took Ren's cold face in his hands, leaning in for what would be their first, and last, true kiss.
He pressed his lips softly but firmly against Ren's, tears fringing his lashes. He held the position for a few moments before finally breaking the kiss.
"I don't want to die...I want to stay here, with you..." Ren's eyes were wide and dull, and they were brimming with tears that simply would not fall.
"Don't be stupid," Horohoro insisted softly, taking Ren's hand again. "Listen to me. When you die, you're gonna be old, you hear me? You're gonna live your whole life until you're an old, old, old geezer with grandkids and great-grankids and great-great-grandkids..."
"Is that so?"
Horohoro spun around to look at the door frame. Hao was standing there casually, smiling smugly as if he belonged there without a doubt.
"Hao...you bastard, who invited you here?" Horohoro hissed, glaring at him, his eyes burning with pure hatred. "Get out of here. I need alone time with Ren." His eyes narrowed as Hao ignored his demands and proceeded to approach, his footseteps sounding softly, but maliciously on the tile floor.
Hao stopped at the side of Ren's bed, gazing down with mild amusement and interest. "You don't look that great...But that's to be expected of one who is about do die, don't you agree, Horohoro?"
"He's not going to die!" Horohoro almost screamed, practically jumping out of his chair with anger. "Don't say something stupid like that! You don't know anything! Leave us the hell alone, you freaking stalker!"
Ren's eyes widened as Hao ignored Horohoro again and instead reached down to touch his face. His fingers brushed his cheek, and the older shaman let an amused smile cross his lips. "Your face is cold, Ren. He turned back to Horohoro. "Yup. He's gonna die, alright."
"SHUT UP!"
"There's no use trying to deny reality, Horokeu."
Hao's hand flashed, and the next thing they new, Horohoro was sprawled across the ground, blood trickling from his mouth.
"Horohoro!" Ren sat up in his bed, strugglig to try and stand on the floor despite his frail condition. Trembling, he climbed out of the bed, dropping to his knees and crawling towards the Ainu. "H-Horohoro? Are you alright?"
"Ren? How'd you get up?"
"Oh, how sweet," Hao commented icily. "Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Unfortunately, I think it's best I put and end to this...by killing you."
"Don't you dare touch Ren," Horohoro hissed, glaring angrily at Hao. "If you do, I-"
"Excuse me. I wasn't talking about Ren." He smirked again, a sickeningly sadistic malice shining in his eyes. "He's going to die anyways. Allow me to clarify. When I said I was going to kill 'you,' I was refering to you. Horokeu."
Author's Note: I bet all of you already knew this, but just in case you didn't...Horokeu is Horohoro's real name, Horohoro being simply a nickname he prefers to be called by.