The door swung shut with a loud shriek as Takumi pushed the wheelchair inside. "Kids, Mother's home!" he called.

Kisaragi raced around the corner, quickly followed by Kanna. Takumi made sure to calm them down before they made it to Kamui.

"Mother, you're home!" Kanna shouted.

Kisaragi put his hand on his younger brother's shoulder. "Shh, Kanna. You know Mother has been through a lot. Let's be quiet."

Falling silent, Kanna gently hugged his mother. She quietly and jerkily wrapped her arms around his back. She gasped for words, but nothing left her mouth.

Takumi cleverly hid his tears from his children. Stepping forward, he gently ushered his wife up the stairs. Setting her down on the bed in the guest room, he remained beside her. "You don't know how long I've waited for you to come back home," he said tenderly as he moved a few strands of her hair out of her eyes.

Kamui smiled. Though speaking was still a struggle for her, she tried to utter a few words. Although she failed in that regard, she leaned against his chest and sighed. For what seemed the longest time, the two remained like that. Takumi held her close, his face pressed up against her shoulder. Suddenly, he realized that she no longer smelled of roses and fresh candles. Instead, that pleasant smell was replaced by the faint but distinct odor of hospital and sickness.

He drew in a sharp breath as that realization hit him. All this time, he had always told himself it would be fine when he had thought she would never be the same. He had always told himself he was being silly. That it wouldn't actually happen. But now that thought was suddenly very real. And very terrifying. Maybe Kamui really never would be the same.

Gripping her tightly without realizing it, Takumi felt fear spike through him as tears fell down his face. "Kamui," he murmured as he held her close. He felt her reach out her right hand and stroke his cheek lightly. She definitely seemed more in control of her body than her voice. Suddenly, he remembered when he first admitted he loved her.

Kamui sighed as she placed her bags on the table. "Can you not put that mug on the table? You need to put a coaster under it."

Takumi jumped upon hearing her words. Hastily grabbing a flat object Kamui called a coaster, he slid it under the mug and looked at his lap quietly. Kamui walked past him, her high heels clicking on the tile floor. Sitting in the chair across from him, she brushed her hair back and sighed. "Sorry if I upset you. Work was stressful today." She crossed her legs coyly and looked down at him with an intense gaze. "So, what are you here for, Takumi?"

"I, um," Takumi stuttered, his gaze flickering over every which way, "came because I wanted to spend some quality time together," he finished, lying through his teeth. To be honest, he came to admit his feeling for Kamui. However, intense feelings of fear kept him from speaking what was truly on his mind. After all, him and Kamui… It wasn't right.

Kamui smiled as she got up. "How about we go to the balcony?"

Takumi smiled as she opened the sliding glass door. Walking out and sitting next to her, the two looked at the blue sky above. "How do you like the view?" Kamui asked.

"Definitely better than back at home," Takumi replied, intending for some light humor.

Kamui frowned, however. "Oh… I hope you don't think I was bragging or anything."

"N-no, no!" Takumi shouted a little too loudly for comfort, his eyes wide with panic. "I'm not offended in the least! Nope, not at all."

"Hmph," Kamui said softly as she petted his head. "It's funny. To everyone else, you're the quiet and cool Takumi. But around me, you're really shy. And you tend to panic a bit sometimes."

Takumi remained quiet, his eyes fixed firmly on his lap. "To be honest, Kamui, there's a reason why I act like this." Suddenly feeling something strange course through him, he grasped Kamui's hand and looked her in the eye. "To be honest, Kamui, I act this way-"

That's why.

That's why.

That's why…!

"-because I love you," he admitted.

For a moment, she just seemed shocked. "Why, Takumi… I…" She shut her mouth as she looked out in the distance contemplatively. "Honestly, there's no words to what I'm feeling. It's a dirty, perverse thing to be attracted to your sister, even if there is no blood relation between us."

Takumi looked away and bit his lip. She's gonna think I'm some kind of freak, he thought to himself.

"However, I'm also feeling some kind of…almost warmth at hearing your words," she finished. She looked him in the eye. "Takumi, there are a lot of things in this world that scare me. And loving you is definitely at the top of that list."

For a moment, he didn't know what to feel. Was Kamui's love worth the despair she felt over it? Would that make him selfish if he was happy about her loving him back?

And then.

And then.

And then…!

Kamui smiled and hugged him. "Since that really scares me, you'll protect me, right?"

Takumi nodded blankly. "Keep on loving me for a while, 'kay?"

"That's why… That's why… I love you, Kamui," Takumi sobbed. "I was supposed to protect you. And I failed."

It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair!

Kamui stirred slightly as she pulled away. "All…right," she murmured softly. "Umi all…right."

Nothing was fair anymore. Him, her, no one! In this unfair, cruel world, there were only a few that escaped true punishment. Dyed in red, everyone wanted blue. Dyed in blue, everyone wanted red. And it was all stupid and pointless. All of it, all of it, all of it! Nothing mattered anymore in this unfair world. Nothing except him and Kamui.

Finally, Takumi lifted his head to see that Kamui had fallen asleep. Quietly and tenderly, he laid her head back and covered her up. After planting a kiss on her forehead, he stood at the doorway. For a moment, he worried about the possibility of her having a muscle spasm and injuring herself. And instead of pushing it away, he accepted it. And that's why…it's unfair, he thought to himself as he walked downstairs. For the rest of my life, I'll be suffering with worry over Kamui. He smiled. But that's what I signed up for. I promised to protect Kamui from what she's afraid of.

Sighing to himself, he sat in between Kanna and Kisaragi to watch TV. It's gonna be a hard day tomorrow, he thought to himself.

Ah, I really took a while to finish this. To be honest, I was contemplating just leaving fanfiction. I had the worst Christmas. I had the worst sinus infection the doctor's seen all week and my boyfriend dumped me. On top of that, I couldn't stop eating and crying all week after that. I gained four pounds last week. And yeah, I know it's no family tragedy, but it really hit me hard. Plus, fanfiction hasn't been working out for me lately. I've been stressing about views and favorites and stuff. The usual. I just am having the hardest time getting anything done. I don't even know if I can make it to the end of this story, to be honest. I hope to, but I don't know how long it will take. And after that, I'll probably be taking a break from fanfiction. I don't know if it'll be a permanent one or not. Do you think I should stay? Ah, what am I saying? Seriously, it's not like anyone gives a damn anymore. I feel like some kind of washout. Anyway, hope y'all enjoyed, though I doubt it.