Three Simple Words

The shrill beating of the heart rate monitor had begun to slow to almost nothing. Hinata clasped Yui's hands in his tightly, tears threatening to pour out as her breaths came out in low rasps. He reached over and brought his hand down to touch her face, stirring her from her slumber.

"H-Hinata?"

"Yes it's me," he replied with a warm smile. Her faint smile destroyed a part of Hinata inside, a knot forming in his throat. The seed of doubt and worry sown in his gut. Otonashi stood in the doorway, giving the two sometime, scribbling some notes down on the clipboard from his observations of the patient's current condition.

Hinata craned his head slightly spotting the doctor in the doorway. He rose from his seat following him outside, closing the door behind him.

"Is she going to make it," he asked, the known answer already destroying him from the inside out slowly.

"Perhaps," replied Otonashi, "It'll be a miracle, but with her resolve she might pull through. I haven't seen anything like this before in any of my studies or elsewhere, my colleagues know little about her condition."

"Then figure something out!" said Hinata, his voice rising, "You're the doctor here."

Otonashi visibly flinched on the inside, brushing his bangs out of his face without a word. "I'm trying everything I can I'll give her another dose of morphine to ease the pain, she might pull through though. She's a strong girl."

Five Days Later

Not strong enough. Yui passed away two days later, Hinata lost and confused, shouting unanswered questions at the walls of his home.

Hinata sat on the couch, staring at the barren coffee table before him, his eyes an empty shell of the happiness and joy that used to be there. He seemed only distant and unapproachable now, filled to the very brim with grief.

A knock resounded through the foyer to him. Hinata ignored it waiting for the person to leave. Another minute passed, and a knock greeted him once again.

Another minute, two, maybe three before another knock, "Hinata open up I know you're in there!" barked a muffled voice from behind the front door.

Hinata got to his feet, trudging towards the front door, his shirt wrinkled and buttoned sideways. He unlatched the door, and swung it open angrily, "What do you want doctor?" he asked impatiently.

"I stopped by to check up on you," replied Otonashi, scratching the back of his head, "I brought you some coffee."

"Do you do this for all of your patients?" asked Hinata in disbelief, taking the cup of hazel liquid from him eagerly.

"No, but Yui was one of my favorites and I know this must be hard on you. It was for me when my little sister passed away."

"You lost someone too?" asked Hinata in surprise.

"Yes," replied Otonashi flatly, his eyes recalling the past behind closed doors, "She's the very reason I decided to become a doctor."

Hinata said nothing taking another sip of coffee. "Would you like to sit down?" he asked, gesturing to the empty seat on the couch next to him.

"N-No," he stammered slightly, "I have to be off. My wife is expecting me home soon; maybe we can resume our chat sometime soon."

"Sure," said Hinata with a shrug of his shoulders.

"How about over coffee sometime at the Black Koi Brewhouse?" asked Otonashi, "Tomorrow morning closer to noon, I have some time off then."

Hinata nodded, "Sounds good."

Otonashi fumbled for the keys in his coat's pocket, struggling to slip the key into the lock. He pushed against the door forcing it open after a moment and ducked inside. He slipped out of his coat and hung it near the door.

He peeked into the kitchen finding it empty, the dishes still in the sink. With a frown, he set off through the rest of the house looking for any sign of his wife. He nudged open the bedroom door slowly with his knuckles, "Honey?" he called out worried.

Only silence greeted him. A piece of paper lying on the bed caught his attention. Otonashi crossed the room, snatching it up hearing something clatter to the floor. He stopped down to pick it up and set his eyes on a wedding ring encrusted with diamond.

His heart stopped for a moment and he braced himself his eyes skimming through the neatly written text:

Yuzuru, I have gone to the States to follow my dreams. I applied for a job in New York and received the acceptance letter today in the mail. This is something I have to do…

Know that I will always love you but I decided this was the only way. There's no way you could tear yourself away from your work, and I wouldn't want you too. Every day you save lives, I just need something to give me some fulfillment.

I hope you will understand some day.

-Kanade

Otonashi tossed aside the note angrily.

"She's gone," he gasped slamming his fist into the wall, "H-How could she run off like this. Without as much as a word to my face?!"

He snatched his wedding band off of his ring finger and hurled it at the front door down the hall, chipping it slightly. He covered his face with his hands and slumped against the wall, sliding to the floor awkwardly.

A few stray tears spilled out from in between his fingers.

The Next Day, Black Koi Brewhouse, 11:30 A.M.

Hinata sat alone outside at a table for two, a half-filled cup of coffee in front of him. Otonashi appeared with a cup in his hand taking a seat, "Sorry I'm late had to perform an operation on a patient unexpectedly."

Hinata nodded in understanding, "How are you."

"Fine," replied Otonashi after a moment struggling to find the right words.

"Seems like you're the one that needs some help doctor," laughed Hinata noticing the missing band, "Want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing really to talk about. She just got up and left I suppose, only left a stupid note behind," scoffed Otonashi taking another sip.

"Did you sleep well?" asked Otonashi curiously.

"Better than usual," confirmed Hinata.

"Good."

"The funeral is in a few days," said Hinata suddenly his eyes distant.

"I'll be there," replied Otonashi patting him on the shoulder, "Duty calls," he replied snatching up his coffee as his pager buzzed.

Hinata watched the red-haired man's form retreat down the bustling city street towards the massive hospital dominating the cityscape ahead.

Otonashi weaved through the crowd of people his mind set on Hinata, "Where do I know him from? He seems so familiar, but I just can't place it."

His thoughts continued to distract him for the rest of the day.

Two Days Later

Hinata kneeled before the grave silently. Not a word uttered. Otonashi stood behind, him his scarf billowing in the autumn breeze.

"Yui," called out Hinata quietly, "What am I going to do without you?" he asked, his question lost in the wind. His words hit Otonashi like a ton of bricks. I hate seeing him like this.

"Doctor," said Hinata suddenly, "Do you have something to say to her?" he asked.

"More like a gift," replied Otonashi warmly, his hand dropped inside of his jacket and plucked a tattered baseball from inside of it.

"What's that?" asked Hinata curiously, his breath catching for a moment.

"She told me it was the baseball you threw through her window all those years ago and that it is how you met. She kept it with her until the end," said Otonashi, breaking off his voice hoarse. He set the baseball before the beautifully carved gravestone and set it in the nest of flowers wreathed in front of it.

Hinata looked up at him his eyes wide. He sprung to his feet, wrapping his arms around Otonashi's neck clinging to him like a child, sobbing into his shoulder. Otonashi placed a hand on his back comfortingly.

"Doctor…"

"Please call me Yuzuru."

"Yuzuru, thank you…for everything, I know you tried so hard to save her and I appreciate that and I'm sorry for yelling at you a few days ago," said Hinata, his tears beginning to slow.

"It is fine; sometimes you just have to vent your feelings. I just happened to be your outlet."

"It was wrong of me though," replied Hinata regaining most of his composure taking a step away from the young doctor.

Otonashi dismissed it with a wave of his hand, "Let's get you home," he said, walking with Hinata to his car.

The drive was a quiet one, all the way to Hinata's driveway.

"Would you like to come inside for a quick drink?" asked Hinata.

"Why not?" said Otonashi after a moment against his better judgment.

He followed Hinata inside closing the door behind him, Hinata disappearing into the kitchen returning with a few bottles of sake.

He handed one to Otonashi and collapsed on the couch with a sigh, his eyes skimming over all of the photos of Yui on the mantle with him in some.

A few bottles of sake later, and Otonashi decided to finally take the next one from Hinata before he could down another.

"You're going to give yourself alcohol poisoning at this rate," said Otonashi.

"O-Otonashi," giggled Hinata, "Come 'ere."

Otonashi came closer, "I have something to tell you."

"Well what is it?"

Otonashi jumped forward as Hinata slouched face first towards the coffee table toppling over. He caught Hinata and helped him back up, "Thanks," he murmured staring into Otonashi's eyes weirdly.

"What?" asked Yuzuru after a moment.

Otonashi stepped back surprised, as Hinata pressed him against the wall. His lips pressing against his firmly, sending heat flowing through every fiber of his being.

He surprised himself again as he began to kiss him back.

A/N: Well another new story for the readers! I personally loved writing this chapter. Sorry if it seems depressing or a little angsty, but don't worry the story won't be like this for long (that much).

Anyway, a warm shout out to: . Who challenged me to write an Angel Beats fanfiction, which after falling in love with the anime, came up with a one shot, which I scratched for this. Don't worry lemons will follow in later chapters, bear with me fan girls and boys.

Review, follow, favorite, and PM with feedback and/or questions and suggestions. Drop by a challenge, I'll try to complete any challenge as long as there's a way to do research on a pair of unfamiliar characters.

More to come soon with this story, I really like where this is going, bye now!