Tao tapped his fingers against the bed. He winced when he saw their pale blue color from lack of oxygen. Squeezing his hand he tried to feel something, anything, but there was nothing. The nurse came into the room and handed him some pills which he took with Yixing’s words in mind.

Night settled and he couldn’t fall asleep. He couldn’t believe that his strong, smart, funny, and kind Kris had tried to kill himself. Did he tell Tao that he wasn’t going to die? Why was he allowed to?

Anger surged through him and he stepped out of his bed. Quietly he snuck through the hallways. His section was easy to maneuver through, but as he approached the section Kris was being kept in he noticed more nurses present. Still he managed to evade them as he peeked in each room searching for Kris. Finally at the back of a long hallway he found him. Slipping into the room he pulled up a chair and stared down at Kris. Wires and tubes were hooked up all over his body and he realized that he probably looked like that when he was in bed. It was odd being on the other side.

Gripping Kris’s had he squeezed it, “Why Kris? Why did you try to kill yourself? Don’t you want to fight? You said that I wasn’t going to die so you can’t either. I promise that I will find you a liver and that no matter what you will live even if I don’t.”

The fingers twitched and Kris’s eyes blinked open.

“T-tao?” he breathed from beneath his oxygen mask.

“Shh don’t speak. I know that it’s difficult with the mask on, but it will help you breath.”

Despite Tao’s words Kris still struggled to sit before pulling the mask off.

“What are you doing here?” he rasped.

“Yixing told me what happened. What the hell Kris?! How could you do that?!” Tao stared down at the bandages around his wrists and he bit his lip. He could taste and feel the warm blood that came from his lip. Tears spilled over his eyes as he looked into Kris’s lifeless ones.

“I’m going to die Tao. Yixing told me that my liver was failing. I know that they won’t find a replacement; I know how these things work. Besides it’s not like I deserve to live. Everything that I do is bad. Yixing warned me not to get close to you when I first came, but look what I did. This is my punishment for not listening to him.”

Before Tao could think about it he had slapped Kris across the face. His hand stung and tears fell from his eyes, but his face remained angry.

“How dare you Kris, how dare you say that! Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve cared about something? You wouldn’t be ok if I gave up and decided to die so don’t you dare think for a minute that you have the right to do it instead. We will both fight and you will live.”

Kris’s face scrunched up and he started to sob, “B-but Tao… I can feel my body dying. The drugs and alcohol are killing my body and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. All I can hope for is a new liver, but the chances are next to impossible.”

Tao took Kris’s hand in his own and squeezed. “You will be ok. I promise. I swear on my life. You will live Kris so don’t ever stop fighting.”

Kris just shook his head up and down as he continued to sob. Reaching forward Tao wrapped his skinny arms around the crying boy and held him. Scooting over Kris made room so Tao could join him in the tiny bed. They stayed like that until Kris’s sobs died down. Gently Tao ran his fingers up and down Kris’s arm. Every time the bandage passed under his finger he flinched.

A commotion outside caught their attention and they tense up as lights were . A nurse burst into the room and stared at the two boys in the bed. They prepared themselves to be yelled at and scolded, but the nurse just started to talk.

“You boys need to come with me right away.” Both said nothing as the nurse unhooked Kris and motioned for them to follow her. Kris leaned against Tao as the followed the frantic nurse down the hall. They stopped in front of Yixing office, but a different doctor opened the door.

“Hello. You must be Tao and Kris. My name is Dr. Choi. I was Dr. Yixing’s boss.”

They took a seat inside of the office as the doctor sat in Yixing’s chair.

“What do you mean was?” Tao asked curious to where Yixing had gone.

Dr. Choi removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. Opening his eyes they were red and teary.

“I’m sorry to tell you this, but Yixing is dead.”

Tao’s heart sunk into his stomach and he felt like passing out. Next to him Kris also tensed up and gripped Tao’s hand.

Swallowing, Kris struggled to speak, “W-what happened?

“He was hit by a car today. Before they reached the hospital he was already dead. I’m sorry to tell you this, but it was important because as we were searching through his files we discovered something.” Dr. Choice pulled out a folder and opened it retrieving a document with Yixing’s signature at the bottom. “This was found in his office today. It’s his ‘will’ if you want a name for it. It says here that his body should be donated to all of those in need of organs except for his liver.”

“And why would that be?” Kris asked with a shaky voice.

“Before he left, Yixing had his liver tested for matches and… you are a match Kris. Yixing stated that if anything were to happen to him, his liver would go to you.”

Kris wanted to jump and shout with happiness, but at the same time wanted to collapse onto his knees to cry. He couldn’t believe this was happening.

“I know that you will want a moment to absorb all of this, but we would like to put you in the operating room as soon as we can. The sooner that bad liver is removed, the better.”

When neither of the boys said anything the doctor called for a nurse to take them back to their rooms. The nurse was about to remove Tao from Kris when Kris gripped Tao’s shirt, “Don’t go.” The nurses looked at each other and settled on putting them in a large joint room.

Tao lay in bed staring up at the ceiling, Yixing was dead. The doctor who he had known since he first entered the hospital had died. He had always expected to die before Yixing. Nothing had prepared him for this scenario. Tears pooled in his eyes and ran down his cheeks. Soon his chest heaved with sobs that he couldn’t silence. He felt Kris rubbing his shoulder and holding him but nothing was good enough. Nothing could heal the large wound that had been ripped into his heart.

“Y-your g-going to l-live Kris, are y-you happy?” Tao sobbed. Kris was crying by his side as he tried to smile.

“Y-yes. How can I n-not be happy?”

They cried for a few minutes before resuming their conversation.

“Who am I kidding Tao? Of course I’m not happy! Yixing is dead and I’m going to live! This is not how it’s supposed to work! Why god?! Why?! Why are you such a sadistic bastard?! God dammit!!!”

Tao just let silent tears stream down his cheeks as he lay limply in bed.

Finally they cried all of the tears that they could muster and sleep claimed them. 

Yay for double update!

 Please subscribe, upvote, and comment <3 

I'm sad to say that this story is coming to an end, but hopefully it was a good ride for you, it was for me ^^

Feel free to check out some of my other stories! 

Until the next update!