You and Me

By Rin Amaru

Disclaimer: No… I don't… OWN IT!

A/N: Sorry this is taking so long! Summer is gone, school has begun, and so has the load of homework. Goody… I appreciate your patience! Only 3 more chapters! (Including this one!)

Chapter 9

Live for Me

Here we are again in another hotel after another, albeit short, plane ride. Today, we are in Miami. Miami means sun, beaches, round-the-clock sake, and irritating hotel personnel.

The idiots behind the desk swear we only booked one room when we definitely booked a suite. I was standing next to Yuya when she called to check up on our reservations. Those stinking bastards…

Yuya's face was turning red again, "I told you! We have a suite! A suite means two rooms with sleeping room for all of us! What part of that don't you understand?" She fished around in her purse for the sheet she printed off-line confirming our reservations. When she found it, Yuya stuffed the paper in the flustered hotel guy's face.

"M-miss, I understand that, but our computer has no record of you booking that room," the bastard said, obviously trying to defend his honor. I hope he gets fired.

"No, you don't understand," Yuya shouted, looking like she was about to severely maim the hotel employee, "I booked a suite for August 5th on June 28th, see? It says that right here!"

August 5th… that date rings a bell…

I felt a nudge in my side. Growling, I turned to face a giddy Benitora.

"Yuya sure is on edge today!" he laughed, his affection for her blatant. At the sound of his voice, Sasuke's golden eyes snapped at Tora.

"You… Didn't we tell you to go get our luggage from the rental car? Are you that stupid?" the boy hissed, "Besides, you don't even know what Yuya's been through every August 5th… Jerk…"

Damn… That's right! Nozumo died four years ago today. I had gone to see him in the hospital an hour before his monitor went flat. Only Yuya was in the room then.

I had just returned home from my freshman year at Saint Anselm when Muramasa told me Nozumo had fallen ill. He had always been a sickly guy, working long hours to have enough money for his beloved little sister. He had even paid for my martial arts classes because Nozumo knew he didn't have time to do them himself.

Late one day, on the anniversary of my mother's death, I was sitting alone in the middle of our cul-de-sac, staring up at the night sky. I had to have been about 13 then, each year wishing more and more that I could disappear and be with my mother. Life meant nothing to me anymore.

Nozumo must have noticed me out there because I suddenly felt his presence beside me.

We sat there silently for a long while, knowing we felt the same pain. His and Yuya's parents had died years before, leaving them behind to fend for themselves. I heard Nozumo take a deep breath before he spoke.

"Kyo, I know how your heart must hurt. I know how you must wonder why people leave us. In my own personal experience, I have found that the weak, the elderly, the idols, all the people who should have lived… die. Only the strong, only those with a will to live, survive. The strong live, the weak die… Which are you, Kyo?" Nozumo whispered the last few words, making the speech he'd most likely rehearsed in his head thousands of times to console his own empty heart that much more emotional. Just as he was comforted, I found strength in his words.

I never again wished for death.

"MURAMASA! These retarded hotel freaks claim I didn't book the suite!" Yuya screamed. She had called my ill father in a last attempt at sanity. If she got any more riled, someone would certainly die. I heard my father's smooth voice over the phone, soothing her into handing her cell phone to hotel employee. Someone, who I assumed was the manager, came running up to the desk to see what the commotion was about.

After being debriefed, the manager spoke to Muramasa, looked at the crumpled print out Yuya had, and gave us a $150 discount on the sweet he allowed us to use. A look of relief washed over Yuya's lovely face. She then put away the crumpled paper and took back her cell phone.

"Thank you so much, Muramasa…" she said happily, gratitude apparent in her voice. My father's garbled, but soft, voice rambled on for a moment or so. Then, Yuya continued with the old man chiming in every so often, "I know what day it is… I'm fine; you don't need to worry about me. Well, we're going upstairs to unpack… I hope you're feeling better… Yes, I'll tell everyone you said 'hello'. Goodbye!"

Yuya flipped the lid down on her phone and led us to the elevator. I'm not sure if anyone else noticed, but Yuya was definitely not 'fine'.

In fact, she was very nearly in full-blown depression. Death does that to people.

Kyoshiro tapped the blonde on the shoulder. After receiving a fierce glare, he asked, "Yuya, what floor are we on? We kind of need to push the button eventually…"

Yuya had been blankly staring at the level buttons, not quite comprehending the world. She giggled nervously and pushed level three. It lit up a dim golden yellow color, matching the rest of the large elevator.

Why are they always so dim? It makes you wonder what really goes on in there…

Almost immediately after Sasuke successfully slid the key card into the door, everyone scrambled to put their bathing suits on. They were headed for the beach, conveniently located just outside the hotel.

Akira, Sasuke, Kyoshiro, and Benitora went down to the hotel beach while Yuya went to cool off in her room. As for me, I went to my own room, kicked off my shoes, flopped on the bed, and turned on the TV.

After 15 mindless minutes of trying to find violent war movies to watch (it was the late afternoon… nothing gory was on…), I suddenly remembered what Akira had informed me of last night:

"I'm afraid Yuya has fallen for you…"

Now that I'm out of last night's sleepy stupor, I realize this thought scares me; a lot. A million thoughts come rushing into my head at once. Do I love her? Would she stay with me forever? Would she really tour with me when I go solo? Will she leave me for someone else?

Doubt clouded my mind and filled it with voices:

She is a lot like Sakuya. Would it be all that surprising if she ditched me?

No, she wouldn't do that. She's a good person.

Like hell, she is! She may appear all nice and perfect, but I know, deep down, she's just like her… She could just as easily break my heart again. Do I want that?

No, I don't want to be hurt, no one does. But I'm willing to risk that, right?

Do you want her?

…Yes… Yes, I do! Now shut the f up, voices, or I'll poke you with a Q-tip!

Geez, touchy…

I jolted…awake… I had been asleep? Gazing at the clock, it definitely couldn't have been more than 15 minutes…

I looked up at the TV to see Spongebob flipping those retarded crabby patty things… Stupid kids shows… They were so much better when I was growing up…

Getting out of the nest I had subconsciously made for myself, I shut off the TV and walked out of the room. I decided I was going to find Yuya to make sure she was alright. It is the anniversary of her beloved brother's death, you know…

Opening the door to the room she, Akira, and Sasuke will be sharing, I immediately turned my head towards the sound of muffled sobs.

There she was, the beautiful Yuya, curled up in a lounge chair on the tiny porch, clutching a pillow to her chest. I hated to see her like this.

Completely unaware of my presence, I tapped her on the shoulder and whispered in her ear, "Hey, Dogface… I thought you were stronger than that…"

Shrieking, she thwacked me with the pillow, beating me to the ground. Frustrated with her sad feelings, Yuya continued to hit me (it didn't hurt) until I restrained her hands, pulling her into my lap and leaning against the side of the bed.

She continued to cry for what seemed like an eternity, grabbing at my shirt and cuddling closer. It was almost as if she would only feel safe if she crawled up inside me, protected from the cruel world. Awkwardly, I rubbed her back until her sobs lessened.

"You know," I croaked, breaking the silence, "You're brother once told me that the strong live and the weak die…"

She looked up at me, red, wet eyes filled with fury, "Are you trying to say my brother was weak?"

"No…" I replied, "Your brother was strong, but not strong enough for an enemy like cancer. What I'm trying to say is, that you should be strong so that you can survive. Nozumo would want you to live, right? He wouldn't want all the years he spent working his ass off to take care of you to be in vain, right?"

A loud sniff, "No… but—"

"Then become strong enough to live. Live for him, live for everyone who worries about you, live for…"

"You?" Yuya added, smirking a little. I released a rare smile and kissed her forehead.

"Yes, Yuya, live for me."

A/N:Sorry this is so short, sorry it took so long, and sorry it's so sappy! I need to get this out of the way for the next chapter, which will definitely not be very sappy. Anyways, I'll try my hardest to bring the final two chapters to you as soon as possible with all of my school work. R&R!