I pulled my knees closer to my chest, leaning heavily against the railings of my staircase while I listened to my mother, bustling happily around in the kitchen, busy preparing our bentos in a hurried flutter. Even from here, I could hear her rich voice emanating from inside the room through the open door. With no defined beat, her humming was just a jumble of sound, but it still brought an easy smile to my face.

She always managed to improve my mood, even without necessarily knowing it.

I dared to step closer, making no sound as I descended the remaining distance. Instead of being normal, and simply conversing with her, I opted for my default shyness, and hovered in the doorway, peering out at her from behind the frame. All of a sudden I felt uncertain and awkward, doubt plagued my mind like a disease, and I was terribly afraid that, despite my best efforts, I'd only let Zero down. I had, after all, been so confident when I'd previously attempted to reassure the bluenette. He'd seemed so uncharacteristically distressed, I couldn't help but jump to a solution to remove the frown marring his features, I'd wanted to relieve him of his troubles, and maybe there was a part of me that also wanted him to depend on me for once.

Even if it was just a little.

The humming halted abruptly. That, I suppose, should have been my first clue. Unfortunately, I was far too busy wrapped up in my own troubling affairs to notice. How utterly selfish of me. "Hikari, what are you doing?" I flinched, almost as if I had been struck, and shrank further into the shadows, a sharp flush rising to my cheeks while the nervous energy twisting in my stomach made itself more pronounced. "Why aren't you dressed? If you don't get a move on, you'll be late."

Mentally cringing at my ridiculous behaviour, I spared a moment to scold myself, gather a deep breath, and edge into the room, squinting past the golden sunlight which flooded in through the sweeping windows. "Mental Health day," I said, softly, hugging my arms around my small frame and side-stepping to avoid the harsh glare assaulting my eyes. "I'd like to take one, if that's alright."

She paused, and fully turned to face me, lips pursed, eyebrows knitting together with concern as she studied me intently.

"Of course... But let me ask one question first," Her voice was slow, uncertain. When I didn't protest to her condition, the tenseness around her mouth lessened somewhat, and she allowed herself to continue with her work, addressing me over her shoulder as she did so. "This isn't because you're trying to avoid someone, is it?" I shook my head, and bounced up, perching on the far counter, lightly swinging my feet back and forth. She frowned, ceasing activity once more to hold eye contact with me for a brief moment. Evidently, I'd surprised her. "You're not fighting with anyone?"

I actually took a moment to think. "I'm not. Though, believe it or not, I'd much rather be doing that right now."

"That's quite a statement." I secretly agreed with her. The humming easily returned, with just as much vigour as the bounce to her step. Sometimes I couldn't help but wonder whether she had springs installed into her feet. She handed me a glass, and I took a distracted sip of the cool liquid, savouring how it slipped ice-cold down my parched throat, the movement of my legs making the water lap dangerously close to the lip.

"You're going to hurt yourself if you don't focus."

"When did you become so responsible?" Her eyes seemed to tease and glint and shine all at the same time, and it eased the tension of my shoulders. I crossed my arms with a loud huff, rosy cheeks already puffed up with air as I mock pouted. Her expression softened into one of motherly affection, and she ruffled my raven locks as she passed. "I can see you're worried, Hikari, normally you're far more cheerful. It's practically eating you from the inside out. If fighting isn't the problem, then what is?"

I squirmed for a moment, and avoided her gaze. "You said only one question."

She flashed me a grin, all pearly teeth and devilishly wide, taking on a positively angelic look of innocence. "Well?" She prompted, lightly.

I sighed, and my lips tugged up in a reluctant smile. I figured it was better to explain now, before she pulled her trump card. If Zero found my puppy-dog-eyes to be effective, he would be utterly crushed under the pure skill that Asahina Hitomi radiated like body heat. "I guess I'll surprise you, then. It's actually not anything to do with me at all, really. Zero just called, he said that Ichii's sick." I gnawed on my bottom lip for a brief period of time, choosing my next words carefully as I allowed my gaze to meet hers. "I promised to help care for him. They should be on their way right now."

She seemed to debate this information for a long moment, before slowly nodding her head. "I'll call the school and tell them you're sick. You're doing a kind thing by helping the boys, but this'll still count as one of your two days, so use the other wisely."

I beamed at her, and flung my arms around her middle in a massive, grateful hug. "You're the best."

She laughed, and gave me a quick squeeze back.

I quickly returned upstairs, leaving her to her business. Partly because our conversation had sapped what little time she had in the mornings and I didn't want to cause her to be late, and partly because I was concerned about parting from the sick boy for too long. I checked in on Ichii, the brunette was propped up by his elbows and coughing weakly in sporadic, agonising fits that stabbed painfully at my heart and seemed to be utterly destroying Zero.

In an attempt to quench his rising distress, I forcefully removed the bluenette and instead harboured him in own my room, which unfortunately prevented me from having the opportunity to change out of my nightwear- a pair of baggy shorts and a faded shirt that hung down around my things- I was almost certain it had previously belonged to Ichii, as was one of Zero's various jackets that had slowly accumulated itself into my wardrobe. In the many times I'd snuggled gratefully into its warmth, either inside the comforts of my home or outside on the street, I couldn't help but noticed how pleased it seemed to make the boy, but I hadn't yet felt the need to comment on it.

As soon as I hear the front door closing, both Zero and I clattered down the stairs almost immediately. Tabby mewled excitedly, and trotted along at our heels, despite the nervous energy that spiralled off Zero in big, suffocating waves.

"How are you doing?" I asked, twisting my hands nervously.

A muscle appeared to jump in Zero's jaw as he clenched it. He averted his eyes, and shook his head, seemingly unable to muster up the appropriate words to articulate his emotions. He managed to speak, after I allowed him a moment to collect himself. "I'm doing just splendid. My best friend is dying, how do you think I'm feeling?"

I rolled my eyes. "Be serious."

"I'm trying- it's not what I do best." His expression softened, and his shoulders bunched together in a helpless little shrug. "I haven't ever seen him like this before, it's a lot to take in. I mean, he looks like the dead." Ichii, I thought, would have punched him for that. If he was in hearing distance. And wasn't so sick that merely standing posed a challenge.

I clapped my hand on his shoulder, rising on tip-toes to do so comfortably, and manoeuvred him to face me accordingly, giving him a gentle squeeze as I did so. "It's alright, Zero. Honestly, he's not as bad as he looks. It's just a really nasty case of the flu." He still didn't appear to be too convinced. "The nightmares just make it seem worse. Trust me, he'll be feeling much better soon, I promise."

Tabby yowled loudly once more, and insistently began to rub herself against my leg, demanding attention. I sighed softly and stepped away, collecting her into my arms as I searched for a tin of cat food for her. "Zero, could you fill up a bowl with cold water? Leave a clean cloth in there, if you can find one."

"Tch. Shrimp's ordering me around like I'm her servant or something."

That amused me, and I poked my tongue out at him. "If I had servants, they'd be much better behaved than you." He shot my a mock scowl, while I cracked open the tin I had discovered and emptied it on a clean plate for the purring kitten. She appeared to be quite content when I placed her down, slinking over and digging right in to her meal.

When I focused on the boy, he was glaring at the full china bowl as if it had committed the most atrocious sins known to mankind. I relieved him of the fragile object, and frowned lightly at him to convey my disapproval. "Glaring isn't going to make him better, you know. It's going to take time. You might even have to wait a couple of days, Zero, so you'd better start being patient now."

"Fantastic." He said, sourly. "Waiting. My favourite. Next to skinny-dipping in acid and having some asshole watch me bleed to death."

I was going to respond with something equally snippy, when Zero's head whipped around so quickly it drew a startled gasp from my lips. If he had retained his dog ears, they would be swivelling to track the process of creaks from the stairs. "What an absolute ass." Zero continued to mutter venomously a whole colourful variety of insults under his breath as he led the way out of the room. I sighed, and placed the bowl on the counter, before following.

Ichii was pushing himself too far.

As usual.

Honestly, I didn't expect anything less of him.

"Hi-Hikari?"

The subtle tremor in Ichii's voice almost slowed me to a halt, but when Zero bounded up and steadied the older boy as his legs gave way, it sparked me back into motion. "What are you doing, Ichii?" I murmured, carefully pushing a few unruly locks from his eyes. "You shouldn't be moving about like this. You're ill, remember?"

His shaking hands ran up my arms, as though checking if I was all there, in one piece, then up my throat until they came to cup my cheeks. I allowed the action. He seemed to be in some kind of frenzied panic- if I stepped away, I was sure he'd only become more worked up. "Come on, Ichii. You need to stay in bed and rest, okay?" He frantically shook his shaggy head, and I chewed on my bottom lip and looked to Zero for assistance. The ever helpful bluenette merely shrugged, and I sighed, too busy with supporting the older boy's weight to really pay attention to his awkward incoherent mumbles as we guided him to the couch.

"Stay here," I ordered firmly. "Rest."

As I turned to leave, Ichii grasped my wrist in a silent plea for me to stay. Though I was rigid in my determination to care for the brunette, the desperation swimming in his ochre orbs made me falter. Expression softening, I traced the outline of his clenched jaw with my fingertips. "Relax," I whispered soothingly, observing how the tension was relieved from his body. "I'll be right back, don't worry."

He appeared to debate this for a short moment, before he nodded, and reluctantly released me.

"Zero, can you make him some soup while I look for medicine?"

Zero blinked exactly three times. "You want me to cook?"

I rolled my eyes, and wheeled around to face him. "No, I want you to wave your magic wand and make it rain from the sky. Obviously, I want you to cook."

He huffed and crossed his arms, a heavy scowl already twisting his features at my exasperated tone. "Are you forgetting that I'm a kitchen hazard?"

I sighed, and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Fine. I'll cook, you look for medicine. It's in the bathroom, but there's not much. Just bring it all down, I'll figure out what I need later. And try not to set anything on fire while you're at it." His mock salute didn't cause even a flutter of amusement, and after smiling sweetly at Ichii, who had been watching the exchange, nonplussed, I entered the kitchen.

Zero was worried, and that was understandable. But his worry made him hard to deal with, and right now, I had enough on my plate. It was already hard enough caring for a stubborn mule like Ichii. Speaking of whom, I was actually getting quite worried about him. His sudden strange behaviour was deeply unsettling, and the whole episode early this morning was totally unlike him. To make someone as gentle and mature as Ichii act like this, so child-like in his desperation, took a lot, and I had a vague feeling that this sickness was drawing on fears the boy buried deep within himself. After all, I had never seen such fury on Ichii's kind face before.

The water sloshed dangerously as I plunged the cloth in the bowl, expertly wringing out the excess and using the damp fabric to mop up the sweat beading across Ichii's forehead. His half-lidded eyes flickered, and he angled his head to face me, a grateful smile twinging at the edges of his lips.

Zero was watching my every move with hawk-like precision. I was certain that if he continued to pace that intensely, he would bore a hole right through the floor- which I certainly wouldn't be paying for. I could feel his sombre mood radiating off him, and, while his concern was touching, it was both immensely distracting and irritating, especially when I was trying to concentrate. Luckily for me, his incessant babbling had been lowered to a soft thrum by a single, sharp glare, otherwise I would be sporting a rather impressive headache- possibly the size of Cleveland- by now.

"How is he?"

"Exactly the same as he was five minutes ago." I replied, tersely.

I needed to focus solely on Ichii, and more importantly, the fact that the Bufferin (specifically the Kaze EX type) painkillers I practically had to force him to take, along with only several mouthfuls of soup, hadn't yet began to affect his fever. In fact, his temperature had only seemed to rise, along with my stress levels.

"He doesn't look good."

My fingers reflexively tightened around the cloth. I could feel my eye twitch. "That's because he's not."

He carefully considered this for a moment.

"There's been no change?"

I threw the cloth down.

"No." Releasing my breath in a low, angry hiss, I stalked into the kitchen, Zero perking up and following closely behind. "There's been no change." My ire only continued to grow as he observed me noisily searching the cupboards, slamming the doors with shattering force as I did so. "And there won't be," I was using even ounce of restraint to prevent myself from snapping at him, and instead hastily scribbled a list and shoved it at his chest. "Unless you stop pestering me."

"What's this?" He asked, with a totally enchanting expression of utter stupidity, while I plunked myself back down next to the brunette.

I gently dabbed at Ichii's forehead, attempting to cool his feverish skin, and give myself a moment to cool off, before replying. "A list."

"I can see that." That was delivered in total deadpan. "What's it for?"

"Dinner." With lightning fast reflexes, he expertly caught the purse I fielded to him. "And medicine for Ichii. Please buy everything on there. And do take your time, you wouldn't want to miss anything."

I could feel him hesitate. Then, he sighed and his footsteps retreated to the door, which slammed shut behind him. I exhaled and shrank down, propping my back against the seat, and clutching my head. There was a short pause, and then I felt a warm hand cupping my cheek, and tilting my face up. Ichii was leaning over, eyes kind and instantly comforting. "You seem tense. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, it's all okay," I assured, in a voice that was no louder than a whisper. Our faces were incredibly close, and I expertly ignored how awkward it felt to crane my neck back like this. "I'm just a little stressed out, but I'll be fine." The pad of his thumb moved across my tingling skin in soothing circles, eliciting a semi-bright smile from me. "I feel a lot better now, so rest up. Zero shouldn't take too long out there, so I'll be in the other room, preparing the kitchen. Just call if you need me, okay?"

He nodded, and in the safety of the kitchen, I allowed myself to lean against the cupboards and fully expel my negativity. Concentrate, Hikari. Ichii is your priority right now. Gathering the plates, cutlery and chopping boards together, I glanced up, and gnawed on my lower lip. I needed to collect a saucepan. The only problem was, they were stored above the cabinet. Which I couldn't even reach the third shelf of without either standing on a chair, or being lifted by the boys, though this happened infrequently at times when I was far too stubborn to simply allow them to retrieve the item for me.

Now, if I tried to get a chair, Ichii would notice and stop me immediately. He took his self-appointed older brother duties far too seriously and apparently climbing on furniture violated some areas surrounding my safety. But then again, with Zero gone, Ichii was the only other person left in the house and with the state he was in, I couldn't exactly ask him for help- it would only do him more damage, after all.

Which left only one viable solution.

I'd have to try to get it myself, by climbing onto the counter.

I managed to do so without too much trouble, aside from some potentially heart-stopping wobbling, that is. Even though I was kneeling, the pan was still above my head. Feeling pleased with my progress, I took less care while I grabbing it, which, in hindsight, was a bad idea.

I overbalanced.

And screamed.

The pan slipped from my hand, crashing down in a cacophony of bangs that almost deafened me. I desperately threw my weight forward and grasped the handle for a cupboard door. It flew open as I fell, and my hand was roughly yanked away from the smooth, polished wood so hard that a twinge of pain shot up my wrist. I tensed, expecting to slam into the ground with bone-snapping force. Instead, I landed on something that was hard, and firm, but moulded to the shape of my body and absorbed the majority of the impact.

Laboured breathing sounded next to my ear, and the strong, shaking arms that had wound themselves around me tightened even further, pulling me closer to Ichii's chest.

I knew it was him. Aside from being the only other soul present in the house, I could feel the intense heat radiating from his body. His forehead was resting lightly against my shoulder, and I flinched when he moved, but he merely pressed a light kiss on the top of my head. "Idiot." He scolded, eyes half-lidded as he recovered. "That kind of reckless idea is supposed to be reserved for Zero only. Anything can and will go wrong when you're doing something as foolish as that."

Still feeling slightly dazed, I blinked sedately up at him. "You're supposed to be resting." That appeared to be the only half-decent thing I could muster up. "What're you doing in here?"

"Being a concerned friend and catching you? Heroically, might I add. Or, my personal favourite, preventing you from splitting your head open. And dying. Which, I wouldn't have appreciated, in case you were wondering."

I collapsed into hysteria. I wasn't really sure whether it was Ichii's words, his expression, or that near miss which caused it, but soon enough, Ichii's infectious laugh had joined my own. After what seemed like a life time, we quietened, and my eyes were drawn to the pan, lying upside down with a noticeable dent adorning the bottom.

That could have been my head.

"You could have called me." He said, looking down at his lap. "If I can get from the doorway to here fast enough to catch you, then I'm sure I could manage the oh-so-challenging task of collecting a goddamn saucepan."

"I'll keep that in mind next time I try to coddle you too much." He gently ground his knuckles against my head. I didn't complain. My head could have been in a whole lot more pain if he hadn't have been there. "Thank you, Ichii."

"It's no trouble at all."

He managed to pull himself up, and stagger back to the couch, all but collapsing into the plush cushions. I tucked the blanket around his body, and perched on the arm, tucking my knees up close and sighing contently. He was fussing, and tossing, unable to find comfortable position. "Sleep," I encouraged, in a soft voice. Cracking one eye open, he looked pitiful, and his flushed cheeks reminded me of just how badly his illness must be effecting him.

Sliding down next to him, I allowed my hand to settle on his head, and gently ran my fingers through his unruly locks. The action appeared to soothe him. He shifted slightly so his head was resting in my lap and closed his eyes. "That feels good." I could feel his deep, contended sigh reverberating throughout his entire body. Silence prevailed for a lengthy moment. "I have to stay awake," He mumbled, so quietly I wasn't even certain whether he had spoken. "I always thought it was weird how long I've gone without having nightmares but, all of a sudden, here they are, and they won't stop. I know that if I sleep, I'll just have to endure it again. And I can't, not any more."

My expression dropped as I rubbed a lock of his russet hair between my thumb and forefinger. "It's alright, Ichii. It's just a dream, it can't hurt you."

His eyes opened, pools of ochre that melted in the golden rays of the afternoon sun. His silently shook his head, and exhaled heavily. "It's not just a dream. What really bothers me is that half of it is a memory. Remember when I told you about how me and Zero met? About how... my issues put both him, myself, and Sarasa in danger?" I nodded mutely, unable to form an intelligent response. He smiled wryly, and averted his eyes. "It was that day. That moment. Only, instead of Sarasa... It's you. And this time, no matter how hard I try, I can't break free of those restraints... Honestly, I'm not sure what hurts more; hearing your agonising screams, or seeing Zero's look of utter betrayal when he realises I can't save you."

"Don't say that. You're a lot stronger than you were back then. Even I can tell, and I haven't even known you a year."

"That strength apparently doesn't equate to much, if I still can't tell the difference between dreams and reality." His shoulders sagged, and the change in his expression twisted like a knife in my gut. "I'm sorry for attacking you earlier. All I could see was-" He stopped short, and shook his head, biting down hard on his lower lip to dispel the mental image that had formed. "... I just had to protect you, but I wasn't. I was the one causing you pain... " His face twisted in a grimace. "Sometimes I'm not too sure whether I've changed at all."

I cupped my hands on either side of his face, and forced him to look at me. "Don't." I said, in a stern voice. "You're always telling me that instead of being negative, I should think more optimistically and actually try before giving up. That I should have faith in myself and believe in my own abilities, so the same applies to you. Have confidence in yourself, Ichii. Believe in yourself. You changed for a reason, didn't you? You grow stronger each day to work towards your own personal goal. With that strength, you can protect those that precious to you. Focus on that goal, no matter how small it is, and never let your resolve waver." I smiled softly. "But, you know, I'll always be right here for you. You've taught me that depending on people for a change can be a good thing, because they can help you to grow in ways you can't even imagine."

"You've changed, too." It was a short, decisive statement. "Have you realised it yet? You've grown great lengths since we first met. You're not the same Hikari as before- you're stronger, you're braver, too. And much wiser."

My smile turned devilish. "Is that you're roundabout way of saying I'm right?"

He was smiling now, a weak, fragile movement that made my heart leap to protect it. "I suppose it is." His eyes closed in contentment as I gently twirled a russet lock around my finger. "Hey... I'm glad you're alright, Hikari. I really don't know what I'd do if you ever got hurt."

"The same goes for you and Zero. You're so important to me, even if I don't always say it."

I felt him relax considerably. "You don't need to go to so much effort. After all, it's pointless, I can read you like a book. You don't have to say anything if I can already see it."

When I woke up, it was to the sound of plates clattering in the kitchen, and an alien smell that was remarkably alluring. Ichii was the first to stir, and his yawning and stretching made me mumble softly, and burrow closer to his warmth. His fingers carefully threading through my hair enticed me to crack one eye open just a slit, and shoot him a drowsy, utterly peaceful smile. It hadn't quite occurred to me that we'd previously been curled up on the couch together, sound asleep.

"Hey," I greeted, lazily rubbing the sleep from my eyes and stifling a giggle when Ichii's stomach rumbled noisily. "What's cooking?"

"Pizza." Hiro said, arms crossed and grinning devilishly, silhouetted in the doorway by the dying afternoon light. "And if you don't get up, I won't save you any." Pizza was apparently as magical a lure as cute animals, because I was on my feet in less than twenty seconds, while next to me, Ichii shook his head to flop his hair into a half decent I-don't-care style that actually suited him pretty well.

Yawning, my brain had finally caught up with my body and pieced the puzzle together. I did a double take. "Hiro! When did you get here?"

"A while ago." Hiro's eyes twinkled. "The girl's said they'd stop by later, in case you were wondering. They seemed pretty worried about you at school."

I crossed my arms, and raised a challenging eyebrow.

"Not a satisfactory answer?" He guessed, grandly leading the way into the kitchen, sauntering about as if he owned the place. "I ran into Zero on his way to the supermarket." He nodded towards the bags piled up on the counter. "I'd already brought some medicine, and had been intending to visit, so it wasn't much trouble to help him shop." The aforementioned bluenette was sitting crossed legged on the counter top, a slice of cheesy pizza hanging out of his mouth, expression incredibly sheepish.

"Surprise?" He offered, around a mouthful. I crinkled my nose in disgust, and he swallowed appropriately before continuing, eyes averted to his feet as he extended a still steaming slice to me. "Hiro mentioned how you'd always wanted to try some."

I accepted, and happily chomped down. Ichii commandeered himself some, and tucked in with just as much vigour. "Sorry for being so snippy earlier."

He shook his head, looking rueful. "I was being annoying, I guess. It's fine." At my uncertain expression, he ruffled my hair. "Quit pulling that face, Shrimp. I said it's fine, didn't I?"

"Yeah."

I smiled, brightly and teasingly nudged him with my shoulder as he went to mess with my hair again. When my mother arrived home from work, with Kei and Ayumi in tow, they found all four of us piled together on the couch watching a movie, me squished between Hiro and Zero, and a half-asleep Ichii leaning heavily against the arm. In a normal household, this situation would have probably raised many questions. But I was proud to say that we weren't the conventional family.

Instead, all three of them merely seized the remaining slices, and my mother plunked herself in the far corner. She would have squished Hiro if the boy hadn't squirmed enough to sprawl me across Zero and Ichii. Giggling, I adjusted myself accordingly, tucking my legs neatly across all three of them, while Kei and Ayumi pouted, stole the pillows and made themselves a little den on the floor, smirking victoriously when Tabby joined them.

All of us jostling together, laughing freely and teasing each other, intently watching the movie at some points, and at others engaging in heated popcorn fights made my heart swell with warmth. This was my family, and I wouldn't change them for the world. They may all not be related to me by blood, but that didn't matter. The people in your life that want you in theirs, that unconditionally care about you and your happiness, that seek to protect you, and love you with all their hearts- they are your real family. And in my opinion, the bonds we had forged surely were worth far more than the simple ties that a mere liquid carried. They are my family, and I love every single one of them.

Ichii's breath was tickling my neck. I could hear his heart sedately beating in his chest, and the way he absently played with a lock of my hair spread warmth through my skin.

Smiling contently, I allowed my eyes to slide closed.

I really was blessed to have a family as great as this.

A/N: That concludes my twenty third chapter of Hikari's Tale. Whoa! It feels so weird that I've been writing this story for over a year now. I'm sad that it'll soon be ending. It would really help me a lot if I could get some feedback on this, to know how I can and improve or what people like is really helpful!

Guest: Your reaction was the highlight of my day! Thank you for reading it, and I'm happy that you enjoyed that last chapter.

James Birdsong: I'm glad you liked them!