rlm@2: This took me an afternoon while waiting for everyone to set up my brother’s 
rlm@2: birthday. ^-^ It was either this or a Chuck E. Cheese romance story (my little 
rlm@2: brother’s turning 7, so that’s where we’re going ;_;) and I’m more morbid than 
rlm@2: that. ^-^;; I think the scariest thing is that I do have a plot centered around a 
rlm@2: Chuck E. Cheese. O_o Good thing I don’t have characters worked out yet. ^-^ 
rlm@2: Oh well. This is my second Sasami & Misao story and it wasn’t as happy as I 
rlm@2: would have liked, but I’m glad I got the chance to. ^-^ They make such a cute 
rlm@2: couple. ^=^ Hopefully I can again soon. ^-^ If you like this or have any 
rlm@2: suggestions for a future story I could do about them, please e-mail me. ^-^ 
rlm@2: Thanks so much for reading. *hugs* Oh, and I know that I’m reusing a the title 
rlm@2: from a CCS fic I wrote, but the friend I got the title from didn’t like it so I’m 
rlm@2: hoping this one will fit better. ^^;; Then again, third time’s a charm, so you 
rlm@2: never know.
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Heather
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Love Lies Bleeding
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: By Amazoness Duo
rlm@2: amazonessduo@hotmail.com
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 	Emptiness. The cold, infinite emptiness in her heart was all that made 
rlm@2: up Misao’s world for the moments it took to listen to the answering machine. 
rlm@2: Her mother was going to be late again and she wasn’t supposed to wait up. Her 
rlm@2: cram school had called about her extended absences. And the doctors wanted to 
rlm@2: run more tests. Possibly even another operation. 
rlm@2: Whenever the world was at it’s darkest, something happened to make 
rlm@2: matters worse. She had had an awful day at school, that sea of people that hardly 
rlm@2: knew her and hardly cared rushing past, catching her in their wake. Her body 
rlm@2: ached horribly, a reminder of how sick she had been feeling all day. No one had 
rlm@2: seen her when she had collapsed from the pain in the hallway. When she had 
rlm@2: passed into unconsciousness, an awful dream about an evil blonde girl fighting 
rlm@2: Sasami in a cute magical girl outfit played out for her. It wouldn’t have been so 
rlm@2: horrible if she hadn’t been the blonde girl in the dream. She never wanted to 
rlm@2: fight Sasami, to ever cause any trouble to her best and only friend. 
rlm@2: The horrible pains had been scaring her more and more lately. She 
rlm@2: could barely see past the pain at times as it consumed her. It was becoming 
rlm@2: clearer and clearer to her that she was going to die. She was getting sicker. 
rlm@2: Which meant more operations. And her mother would have to work even harder 
rlm@2: and later to pay for it all. She barely saw her mother as it was and the poor 
rlm@2: woman was already overworked. She didn’t want to make things worse. Holding 
rlm@2: herself, the pale girl shivered at the thought of another operation. The hospital 
rlm@2: frightened her. If anything, it just made things hurt even worse than they already 
rlm@2: did and made her mom worry about whether or not she’d pull through. The look 
rlm@2: on her mother’s face when she was talking to the doctor the last time chilled her 
rlm@2: soul. Her mother never did tell her what he had said, but she feared the worst. 
rlm@2: Everything was cold. Everything was lonely. Everything hurt her. 
rlm@2: Misao brushed away pained tears from her aquamarine eyes. It hadn’t occurred 
rlm@2: to her at first that she had been crying. She contemplated the crystalline droplet 
rlm@2: as more streamed down her cheeks. Her lips quivered as a sob escaped her. She 
rlm@2: hugged herself tightly against the harshness of the world. If only she were with 
rlm@2: Sasami, then maybe... No, she couldn’t depend on Sasami all of the time. She 
rlm@2: was already a burden on her mother. Was she a burden to Sasami as well? The 
rlm@2: other girl offered her unconditional friendship when she needed it the most, 
rlm@2: helping her and spending time with her when everyone else was usually content 
rlm@2: to ignore her and let her die in a corner somewhere. There was no doubt in her 
rlm@2: mind that she would have died a long time ago had it not been for Sasami. But 
rlm@2: now the thought that she was just burdening the blue haired girl with her own 
rlm@2: insecurities and loneliness hurt her deeply. Why did Sasami waste her time with 
rlm@2: her? Did she feel sorry for her? No one else thought she was worth the time of 
rlm@2: day.
rlm@2: Biting pain shot through Misao, her breathing becoming ragged as she 
rlm@2: clutched at her chest. Staggering forward, more tears fell from her. The entire 
rlm@2: house held a lonely silence, the only sound her own labored breaths. “Please, 
rlm@2: make it go away...” she begged. The pain in her body was almost as strong as 
rlm@2: the pain in her heart. Why did it always have to be this way? Why was she so 
rlm@2: weak? “Mama... Don’t take me back.. to the hospital... I’ll be just fine, I 
rlm@2: promise...” Whimpering at the pain that burned through her senses along with 
rlm@2: the hopelessness surrounding her, Misao struggled to get to her room. The world 
rlm@2: tilted on it’s side halfway up the stairs, making it ever more difficult to think. 
rlm@2: She needed to lie down. She needed to make it all go away. Her next step missed 
rlm@2: the stairs by a few inches, her disoriented body failing to compensate as the 
rlm@2: world dropped out under her. The pain became more intense as she fell back 
rlm@2: down the stairs. She barely got out a short yelp before she hit the floor near the 
rlm@2: foot of the stairs. 
rlm@2: Time stood still. It had no meaning to Misao. Her world was ablaze in 
rlm@2: pain and fear. “Mama...” she choked out, her chest aching as her breathing 
rlm@2: labored on. Weakly raising her hand shakily, she was shocked to see it covered 
rlm@2: in her own blood. Another silent sob escaped her bruised lips. She could see the 
rlm@2: door from where she was lying, her shoes all alone. Her mother wouldn’t be 
rlm@2: back for hours. Her heart shattered as she came to the painful realization that she 
rlm@2: was going to die all by herself. There was no one to comfort her, no one to ease 
rlm@2: her pain. 
rlm@2: ‘Sasami!!’ her feverish mind shot out in desperation. ‘I need to tell her. 
rlm@2: I need her to know or she’ll be mad. She’s the only one who cares. She’ll be 
rlm@2: mad at me if I don’t tell her why I’m gone.’ She grasped onto that one thought 
rlm@2: as her body began to go numb in a number of places, not dulling the sharp pain 
rlm@2: inside in the least. She barely managed to get a hold of the phone, pulling it 
rlm@2: close as she pushed the speed dial for her only friend. The seconds ticked on like 
rlm@2: hours, defeat threatening her as death’s door drew ever nearer. As she was about 
rlm@2: to give up, to quit like she always did, a cheerful voice answered.
rlm@2: “Moshi moshi.”
rlm@2: “Sa.. sa..mi...” Misao got out painfully. Her heart caught in her chest 
rlm@2: for a moment. The fear that she wouldn’t be able to tell Sasami before she was 
rlm@2: taken away gripped her. “..sami...” she whispered again into the receiver, her 
rlm@2: hand shaking.
rlm@2: Sasami froze. Something was dreadfully wrong. “Misao-chan? Misao, 
rlm@2: is that you? What’s wrong? You sound strange.”
rlm@2: Misao released a muffled sob, pulling the phone closer. “..it hurts... 
rlm@2: sami.. hurts so much… I’m sorry.. so sorry... I just… I want.. it to stop...” she 
rlm@2: barely managed to get out.
rlm@2: “Misao? Misao, you’re not making sense. What’s going on? Misao-
rlm@2: chan, you have to tell me what’s going on,” Sasami urged. She was growing 
rlm@2: frantic. Misao sounded awful and she could barely make out what she was 
rlm@2: saying. What could have happened to her?
rlm@2: “..won’t go away... Always hurts... gomen nasai... Sasami.. I.. I.. love 
rlm@2: you..” Misao’s sob was more prominent this time. Her grip on the phone 
rlm@2: weakened. She didn’t want to go. Sasami meant so much to her. But she was her 
rlm@2: only reason to stay anymore and it didn’t look like it was her choice. 
rlm@2: “Misao-chan? What? I... Are you at home?” Sasami clutched the phone 
rlm@2: to her ear painfully, not wanting to miss anything. There was no response after a 
rlm@2: long silence, only ragged breathing. “Misao! Misao-chan!!” she screamed into 
rlm@2: the phone.
rlm@2: Was someone calling her name? “Mama..? Gomen, mama.. You won’t 
rlm@2: have... to work so hard.. anymore, mama..” Tears welled up as her eyes closed, 
rlm@2: falling off of long lashes. Misao could barely hear Sasami anymore, the phone 
rlm@2: slipping from weak fingers. The tears streamed down her cheeks, mixing with 
rlm@2: the blood dripping down her chin. She shivered in the cold, empty house. Alone. 
rlm@2: Always alone. 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: Sasami thanked all that was Holy when she found the door to Misao’s 
rlm@2: house open. Her initial reaction started to dissipate when she realized what that 
rlm@2: could mean. Anyone could have gotten in. Someone might have hurt Misao. She 
rlm@2: sounded in pain on the phone. What if... Sasami pushed off the thought as she 
rlm@2: walked inside. There was no time for speculation. She need to find out what 
rlm@2: happened. 
rlm@2: What she saw froze her in her tracks. Misao was lying not far from the 
rlm@2: door at the foot of the stairs, the phone next to her with a bloody handprint. 
rlm@2: Misao herself wasn’t moving, blood seeping through her ripped white school 
rlm@2: blouse.  “Misao-chan!!” Sasami gasped. Rushing to the raven haired girl’s side, 
rlm@2: her heart pounded in her chest. Her worst fear made her legs go numb 
rlm@2: underneath her as she sat down hard next to her best friend. She couldn’t be 
rlm@2: dead. That wasn’t fair. She needed Misao. Her hands searched desperately for a 
rlm@2: heartbeat, for any sign that there was still life in that weak, battered body. Misao 
rlm@2: made a weak noise as she moved under Sasami’s questing fingers. Stopping the 
rlm@2: search for a heartbeat, Sasami sat in silence for a brief moment. “Misao? Can 
rlm@2: you hear me?! Misao-chan, I’m here. I’m right here. Don’t close your eyes. You 
rlm@2: have to stay with me. I won’t let you go,” she said urgently. 
rlm@2: Misao’s eyes blinked open slowly. She could vaguely make out a shape 
rlm@2: next to her, blue blurs next to what she thought was the face. She wasn’t dead 
rlm@2: yet? When would her suffering be over? “Sa..sami?” she asked weakly. “You.. 
rlm@2: came?”
rlm@2: Sasami wiped at her eyes with the backs of her hands as she nodded 
rlm@2: hurriedly. “I had to. Of course I came. You’re my best friend, Misao-chan. I 
rlm@2: can’t leave you alone.” Misao was about to close her arms, but Sasami protested 
rlm@2: adamantly . “No, you can’t! Stay with me, Misao-chan. Stay here with me. I’ll 
rlm@2: get help for you. You’ll be just fine.” Sasami grabbed the blood stained phone 
rlm@2: off the floor and quickly dialed up the paramedics. 
rlm@2: “No, please don’t, Sasami..” Misao whimpered as she tried to roll over. 
rlm@2: “No more doctors.. I don’t.. I don’t want anymore doctors...”
rlm@2: Sasami’s insides were turned inside out at the pain in Misao’s voice. 
rlm@2: She knew that Misao had been a very sick girl for very long, but Misao had 
rlm@2: never told her about any doctor’s visits or anything about being so afraid of 
rlm@2: them. She gathered Misao in her arms when she was finally done with the call. 
rlm@2: “Oh, Misao-chan. Everything will be just fine. I promise. We’ll go get ice cream 
rlm@2: after all this. Or we’ll go to the park. No, you don’t like the park. We’ll do... 
rlm@2: We’ll do whatever you want to do. I promise.” Sasami’s voice break as tears 
rlm@2: began welling up in her eyes. She held her broken friend tighter. 
rlm@2: By now Misao was far to numb, the pain already having been plunged 
rlm@2: through indescribable in comparison to the pain that shot up from Sasami’s 
rlm@2: arms. Besides, it felt so warm, so safe, so soothing. She wouldn’t give up her 
rlm@2: spot in them even if the pain was unbearable. “Thank you... Sasami-chan..” Her 
rlm@2: body shook as she coughed painfully, small flecks of blood getting on Sasami. 
rlm@2: “I just... I want it to go away... I want it to stop hurting... I want it.. all to stop 
rlm@2: hurting..” Shaking her head weakly, more tears fell down her deathly pale 
rlm@2: cheeks. “I can’t make you.. promise that, Sasami.. because... I don’t want to be 
rlm@2: here..” Her voice was full of pain and sorrow, her small body shaking from the 
rlm@2: raw emotion inside. 
rlm@2: Sasami shook her head violently. “No, don’t say that, Misao-chan. 
rlm@2: Don’t leave me alone. Please, stay here with me. Please stay, Misao-chan. 
rlm@2: There’s still plenty of reasons to stay. I promise we’ll see them all together.”
rlm@2: “You’re.. you’re the only reason to stay, Sasami..” Misao whispered 
rlm@2: softly, trying to look up at the blue haired girl through her hazy vision. 
rlm@2: “Everything else... hurts too much.. I don’t want.. to hurt anymore..” 
rlm@2: Aquamarine eyes met pink ones, displaying all of the loneliness and unshed 
rlm@2: tears in the dimming orbs. 
rlm@2: “But.. me?” Sasami shook her head. How could she be the only thing 
rlm@2: worth sticking around for? She didn’t care. As long as Misao did, what did it 
rlm@2: matter? How she was, was trivial. “Misao-chan, I don’t want you to hurt either. 
rlm@2: If I’m you’re only reason, then please stay for me. I don’t want to be alone. I 
rlm@2: need you.” She brushed some of Misao’s matted hair away from her eyes, 
rlm@2: meeting them with her own teary eyes. “I love you, Misao-chan. Don’t make me 
rlm@2: go on without you. You still have to sing for me. You have to help me when I’m 
rlm@2: lonely. You have to... It doesn’t matter what you have to do as long as you stay 
rlm@2: with me, Misao.” She pulled Misao closer, on the verge of tears at the battle 
rlm@2: between life and death her friend was facing.
rlm@2: Misao blinked weakly, still trying to make out Sasami. “You... love 
rlm@2: me?” she asked tentatively. Her hand reached up slowly, brushing Sasami’s 
rlm@2: warm cheek. Her own hand was so cold. “Sasa.. mi-chan... I.. love you, too..” 
rlm@2: The coldness inside seemed to melt away, the pain becoming more bearable as 
rlm@2: Sasami held her close. “I.. love you..” she repeated with as much strength as she 
rlm@2: could muster.
rlm@2: Smiling softly, tears starting to trickle down her face, Sasami nodded. 
rlm@2: “Thanks, Misao-chan. Those are the nicest words I could ever hear.” Placing a 
rlm@2: hand on Misao’s cheek, she leaned forward, kissing the raven haired girl as 
rlm@2: gently as she could despite the pounding in her heart that ached for more. The 
rlm@2: soft lips were still bloody, giving the kiss a coppery taste. “Misao-chan...” 
rlm@2: Sasami wiped at her eyes, trying to control her emotions but finding it 
rlm@2: impossible. “Now you have to stay. You have to stay with me. Because I love 
rlm@2: you. And I won’t leave you alone.”
rlm@2: “Sasami...” Misao whispered weakly, managing a faint smile. “Thanks, 
rlm@2: Sasami... I don’t want to be alone..” She closed her eyes tiredly, feeling so warm 
rlm@2: and peaceful in Sasami’s arms. The pain didn’t even seem to be there, in her 
rlm@2: body or in her heart. The blue haired girl’s voice sounded so distant as she lay 
rlm@2: against her. Was it becoming more insistent? She couldn’t tell as everything 
rlm@2: started to slow down. She was so tired. It would be nice to get some rest. Some 
rlm@2: rest in the arms of the girl she loved. Everything started to get brighter as her 
rlm@2: spirits rose. She was finally happy. “I.. love you... sami..” 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: “Owww...” Misao tried to roll over in bed as pain stabbed her... 
rlm@2: everywhere. Her whole body hurt. She felt like she’d just gotten back from 
rlm@2: being beat up by her entire class. Except Sasami. Sasami would never do that. 
rlm@2: She tried to sit up in bed but found it nearly impossible. She weakly slumped 
rlm@2: back down onto her pillow. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the IV in her 
rlm@2: arm. Not the doctor. Anywhere but there. They always wound up hurting her. 
rlm@2: The chill of fear building inside of her was immediately quelled by a sweet 
rlm@2: voice near her bedside.
rlm@2: “Misao-chan! You’re awake,” Sasami exclaimed joyously, rubbing the 
rlm@2: sleep from her eyes as she slipped out of the chair she’d been sitting in and 
rlm@2: reached the raven haired girl. All of the worry that had been turning her stomach 
rlm@2: in knots for the past few hours finally loosened its grip on her. Seeing Misao 
rlm@2: awake reassured her that everything would be alright. 
rlm@2: “Sasami-chan?” Confusion swirled around in Misao’s still drugged 
rlm@2: mind. She wanted to pull out the IV, but somehow she doubted Sasami would let 
rlm@2: her go through with it. But just seeing the blue haired girl there was enough to 
rlm@2: soothe her frayed soul. 
rlm@2: “Shh... Try not to move too much. You’re supposed to get some rest. 
rlm@2: Your mother was really worried about you. The doctors spent a long time 
rlm@2: making you better. But she’ll be glad to know you’re all right now.” Reaching 
rlm@2: down, Sasami took Misao’s hand in her own. It was cold to the touch. A smile 
rlm@2: graced her face when Misao’s hand weakly held on. “It’s going to be alright 
rlm@2: now, Misao-chan.”
rlm@2: Misao’s eyes slid closed as everything slowly started coming back to 
rlm@2: her. All of the fear and pain from her memories seemed almost as potent even 
rlm@2: then through her sleepy mind. Tears welled up in her aquamarine eyes. Sasami’s 
rlm@2: warm fingers reached out, brushing them away from her soft, pale skin. 
rlm@2: “Sasami-chan...”
rlm@2: “I promise. I promise it will all be better. I’ll make sure it is because I 
rlm@2: won’t leave your side.” Sasami smiled brightly, even through the tears that 
rlm@2: started to build up in her own eyes. It had been quite a scare earlier, but now she 
rlm@2: was just glad she had the chance to fix things. She bent down over the other girl, 
rlm@2: giving her a soft, lingering kiss. “I love you, Misao-chan.”
rlm@2: Misao blushed fiercely but couldn’t do much else, her mind nearly 
rlm@2: freezing. The whole thing seemed worth it, if only for that. She would go 
rlm@2: through that pain over and over again if it meant she could be with Sasami. Her 
rlm@2: mind clouded over, but now with a much warm and fuzzier feeling than the pain. 
rlm@2: She couldn’t help but believe Sasami that things would be better. How could 
rlm@2: they not be with her? “I love you, too, Sasami-chan.”
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: 
rlm@2: