Warning: offensive remarks. Please do not get offended. If you get offended easily, read at your own risk and do not blame me.

Sometimes, it is necessary to put others' pain before one's own.

Nagisa lay in his room staring up at his ceiling. The events of that night still lingered within his head.

He had never seen Karma cry. He recalled the tall boy sobbing into his shoulder, how petrified he had seemed. His best friend had been suffering, and Nagisa had been too self-absorbed to see it. Before Karma had rung, Nagisa had… well, he had written a suicide note. He wasn't sure if he would ever need it, but now he knew for sure he didn't.

He couldn't kill himself when there was still someone who needed him. It would be selfish and cowardly, and Nagisa, though small and admittedly weak, was not a coward.

He would be there for Karma. And, maybe, Karma would be there for him in return.

Nagisa's mind wandered to his friend's face. Normally smug, last night it had looked so broken. Karma was strong, so strong to hold in all that fear. Nagisa could not imagine feeling like he could die inside of his own house.

With such thoughts spinning around, Nagisa closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

…

Karma was embarrassed. Had he really broken down in front of Nagisa? It was weak, and he didn't like it. Enraged, he starting throwing things in his sitting room. He let out a frustrated shout. Still seething, he stomped up to his room. His anger receded when a familiar feeling coiled inside of his stomach. He… he could do this. Sleep in his own room. Akabane Karma was brave, and he would. He had already gotten ready to sleep after Nagisa had left.

He was grateful. Nagisa hadn't said anything about his breakdown, just comforted him. And Karma vowed to do the same for his small friend. He had seen Nagisa's change in attitude and learning what had happened the day he had been attacked helped him to realize that his friend, his best friend, was hating himself. And Karma didn't that for him.

He cautiously sat on his bed. He shifted so he was laying face-up. His breathing was irregular. He willed himself to make it through the night. He thought of Nagisa and his bravery, and eventually managed to be taken into a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

In the morning he looked around. He was in his own room and he was fine. He was okay. He let out a bitter laugh.

He prepared himself for school, then remembered it was Saturday. He sighed.

He contemplated what he could do for the day. He settled on asking to hang out with Nagisa. He called the blue-haired boy. He listened to it ring. He heard a click, and then Nagisa's voice came through.

"What?" He sounded tired, as if he had just woken up.

"Did I wake you up, sleeping beauty?" He teased.

"Oh, Karma-kun. What's up?" That made Karma's mouth twitch up. Fondness for his friend welled up inside of him.

"You busy today?" There was no reply for a moment, Nagisa was probably trying to recall if he had something to do.

"No. My mom's gone, she left this morning and won't be back for a while."

"Where'd she go?" Another pause.

"I don't know." Karma frowned. He wondered where Hiromi could be.

"Can I come over?"

"Sure! That's be nice. It's been a bit since you came over. You can come whenever." He sounded happier. This made Karma feel better.

"Alright, see you soon." He hung up. He smiled to himself. They were going to be okay. Right?

A while later, Karma had departed his house and arrived at Nagisa's. He had made sure to lock the door behind him this time, after all, that was the reason for his attack in the first place.

He knocked on the door, and after a few seconds, it swung open to reveal the small teen that was Karma's best friend.

He greeted him, and Nagisa invited him in. Karma disliked Nagisa's house. But that was probably only because he hated Nagisa's mother. She was an awful woman who made her son dress as a girl. It was apparent to anyone who saw their interactions that Karma and Hiromi hated each other. (Karma could tell that the feeling was mutual by the way she glowered at him).

They headed up to Nagisa's room. It was dark. Karma drew open Nagisa's shutters.

"It needed some light." Nagisa shrugged, agreeing with him.

The two of them talked for a bit. Then Nagisa started complaining about homework, so Karma attempted to explain it to him, not having done it, but knowing it all the same.

After doing the best that they could with his homework, the two of them moved on to chatting again. They kept it light and airy until Karma saw a faraway look in Nagisa's bright blue eyes.

"Nagisa… are you okay?" Nagisa looked surprised for a split second, but he covered it up and slipped on a smile.

"Of course. Excuse me, I've got to go to the bathroom." He stood up and vacated the room, leaving Karma with his suspicion.

Nagisa rushed to the bathroom and locked the door. He breathed heavily. He ran some cold water on his face. He didn't know why Karma's question hit him this hard. Everyone had been asking him the same thing. Nagisa thought it was… maybe… because Karma meant more to him. Nagisa blushed at his own train of thoughts.

Karma was just his best friend. Yeah, that was all. Karma mattered more because they were close friends. Friends.

He sighed.

Karma, on the other hand, was waiting for Nagisa's return. The short boy had been acting weirdly, and even though he had said he was fine, Karma wasn't buying it. He decided to do some snooping around. It was an invasion of privacy, but Karma cared more abut his friend's safety.

He looked under his bed, in his closet, and on his desk. (He vaguely registered that Nagisa had been in the bathroom for a while, but it wasn't his top priority at the moment). Finally, his gaze shifted to Nagisa's bookshelf. He removed some books from the middle of each row, and felt around with his hand. On the third shelf down, his hand brushed against a piece of paper.

He grabbed it, and pulled it out. It was folded. He unfolded it, and was met with a horrific sight.

It was a letter. Addressed to Nagisa's mother. Karma began to read it, disregarding Nagisa's confidentiality.

Dear mother,

I love you. I truly do. Please don't blame yourself, because it wasn't your fault. It wasn't anyone's.

Now that I'm gone, I beg of you to move on. If you have trouble sleeping, think of how much happier I am now, and hug your pillow.

But then forget about me. It won't be all that hard, I'm not really something to be dwelled on.

If you're starting to have trouble reading this, have Karma-kun read it for you. He's brave. I don't have too many regrets leaving this world. I just wish we'd had more time together. I should have told you I loved you more, mom.

And, Karma, you were are my best friend. I'm so glad I got to have someone like you around. I wasn't really planning on telling you, but if I'm to go, I might as well. I love you, Karma.

Please forget me.

Nagisa.

By the time he had finished reading the letter, his hands were shaking, and hot tears had slipped down his cheeks. He was angry, and heartbroken, and he felt love for the small boy. Sorrow, regret, and disappointment in himself was what he felt.

"Sorry I took so long, I-" Nagisa stopped when he saw Karma holding the note.

"What is this?" Karma choked out, his voice dangerously low. Fear creeped into Nagisa's eyes, as well as guilt.

'It's not- I…" he looked away, unable to finish any sentences he had started to formulate.

"What the hell is this?! Is this a suicide note?! What were you thinking?!" Karma yelled. His eyes burned with fury. He strode over to the small boy and grabbed his shoulders. He shook him as hard as he could.

"Answer me! Nagisa!" Nagisa whimpered in pain, but Karma ignored him. He shoved the small boy to the ground. He stormed out of the room.

"Karma!" Nagisa cried. Karma froze, halfway out of the door. "Please don't leave me." Karma choked. Crying again? Karma shook his head.

"How could you do that?" He turned to look at Nagisa, who was still curled on the ground.

"I'm- I'm sorry. I wrote it over before you, well, before you broke down. But I couldn't destroy it. I'm sorry, sorry! Sorry! So sorry!" He cried the word out and Karma looked horrified. He crouched next to the sobbing boy and hugged him. They sat there and cried together.

Karma vowed to stay with Nagisa for as long as he needed. He loved him, and would protect him, even from himself. They sat in silence for a while.

This terrifying situation was coming to what looked like an end. It would be a bumpy road, recovery. But the two of them could do it. Together.

And just like the sun always rises after a long night, things started to get better.

A/N: Thanks for reading! No, the story is not over yet. But I think the next chapter might be the last. Thanks to all of you who read this far, I appreciate it. Things will get lighter from here, less angst. I'm sorry if this was hard to read for some of you. ~Your satanic butterfly. Also, thank you to the guest who left that really nice review!