Author's Note: There were a lot of ways that I wanted to do this chapter, but it turned out like this, and I'm pretty happy with it, short as it is. I'll leave it at that, enjoy.

The Red Strings Encompassing Fate's Flower

Keiko Yanagiri

Chapter 5: The Girl's Confession

Nanoha got a little weaker today. She had been fine for a week, but I guess the cold temperatures took their toll on her, so now she was confined to bed once again.

While I was there I fed her warm soup, and made sure that she didn't strain herself too much. I felt like a mother, but at the same time I enjoyed myself since I liked taking care of her. I could sense her unhappiness at not being able to do things for herself, but nonetheless she seemed happy to be with me, and I was happy to be by her side as well.

My heart was beating fast again. It happened more frequently than before, and now I was painfully aware of it. I think I understood the reason now, why my heart beat so quickly while I was near her, but I didn't it expect things to be like this way.

Somehow, at some point, I had fallen in love with her, and now my adolescent heart ached at the mere thought of her. I wish things weren't like this, because it makes it hard to get close to her, and do things like feed her, because at the same time I'm possessed by an impure desire for her. I was ashamed and scared, of these feelings.

"Fate-chan, you're spacing out." Nanoha said, and I focused my attention on the task at hand.

"Sorry." I took another spoonful of soup and gave it to the girl, who gratefully ingested it.

"You've been like this for a while, is there something on your mind?"

I couldn't tell her that she was that thing. So I made up a clever lie.

"Just some homework that needs to be done, I keep forgetting." For some reason Nanoha's eyes became sad, I regretted lying.

"Fate-chan, you know you don't have to come here everyday and do this."

"I know, Nanoha."

"Do you?" Her accusing tone was unexpected and even a little painful. "Just because I'm sick you don't have to take care of me. I want a friend, not a maid. I want you to be here because you like me, not out of pity."

I was a little shocked to hear her say that, because I had no idea what she'd been thinking until now. I was a bit mad, but also happy that she was thinking about me so much.

I hugged her and my heartbeat sped up even more.

"I'm here because I want to be, because your my friend. I . . . ." I almost slipped up and confessed my deepest feelings for her, but held my tongue, I had said enough to make her return my embrace.

"I just wanted to be sure, sorry for being so silly." I shook my head and dared to hug her even closer to my chest. "Say, Fate-chan . . . " She seemed hesitant, and trembled a little. "Would you stay by my side, no matter what?"

"Of course, I'll always be there for you." Before I realized it, Nanoha had taken up a lot of space in my heart, and now, I never wanted to be separated from her.

Her tremors stopped, and she took in a breath and exhaled it slowly. "Fate-chan, can you close your eyes for a minute?"

"Okay . . . ?" I didn't understand, but I did as she asked, and closed my eyes. She pulled away from me, and then, moments later, I felt a soft sensation on my lips.

I recognized this, this feeling. Her lips, Nanoha's lips were on mine, she was kissing me. I couldn't understand her motives, but at the very least, I wanted to enjoy this, so I moved into to kiss her back. She backed away before I could, and instructed me to open my eyes, and I did so.

Nanoha was crying, and now I was even more confused.

"Nanoha, what's wrong, why did you . . . ." The tears kept streaming down her face, but she looked more scared than sad.

"Fate-chan, I did this because . . . I love you, so much." She smiled briefly, but it crumpled as my mind scrambled to reason through her words. "That's why I can't hide this anymore. Its unfair to you."

Again she took in and exhaled a hot breath, which hit my face and tickled my nose. Her eyes became serious all of a sudden, her lips trembled and the tears flowed even harder than ever.

"Fate-chan I . . . I'm going to die soon."

And then the world came crashing down in an instant.