A/N This story is to celebrate my getting back into writing for my fan fic stories. As you can see if you go to my bio, I've pretty much put a hold on everything. I need to get into something fresh and new and well, FAKE, begged me to write for it again. Another thing, my other two FAKE stories are really dear to me, so eventually they will be going through a revamp and I'll start writing for them again. But for now, I'm going to focus on one story at a time, so this one for the time being. I'll only switch to a new (old) story if I get writer's block for this, or if I suddenly have inspiration and I have to write for another story.

Notes relating to this story: It's a holiday fic. It's terribly AU. It's blatantly slash. +rolls eyes+ As if I needed to tell you that. Things to note. The ages for everyone will not fit with their ages in the manga; this is during their teenage years and their age difference will be whatever I want to make it.

As for their personalities: I will do my best to keep them IC as far as I can. Keep in mind this is when they are young, so some things might be different and nobody is perfect and sometimes, it just has to be a little OOC. Don't get mad and kill me!!!

Sum as far as I can tell so far:

It's the holiday season, time for giving and sharing and Ryo who attends a private and really high class school, getting everything handed to him on a silver platter, finds himself volunteering at the local hospital. There the rich and somewhat spoiled, though still really sweet and innocent, boy, meets one Dee Laytner.

Dee is to put it bluntly, dying, of what, Ryo doesn't know. He won't say, and Ryo can't bring himself to ask. But Dee, sick as he really is, is holding on and acting strong and brave, charming nurse after nurse into getting whatever he wants.

As the holiday looms closer and Dee gets sicker, though he tries to hide it, the two boys find their selves in somewhat of a situation: Their feelings for each other are more then patient and volunteer.

Please excuse my grammar. If anything large stands out, feel free to point it out. Grammar is not my strong point. Please no flames, be respectful, and please review.

---

Snowflakes fluttered to the ground, touching and slowly melting on the spot. Seventeen-year-old Randy, who went by his Japanese name, Ryo, stood at his window, overlooking his lawn. His dark eyes were focused on the lone tree in the yard, watching as slowly it became alive in the snow flurry, bare branches shaking in the wind, as if shivering from the terrible coldness. Just thinking about the coldness outside made the lean boy shudder, his arms going around his shoulders, as if hugging himself.

The sandy haired young man sighed, blowing his hair out of his eyes. He went to his bed and set down, grabbing his pillow close to his middle, thinking of tomorrow. Tomorrow was a Saturday and the first day of his new job, so to speak.

Actually it wasn't a real job; it was a volunteering thing. In all his years, Ryo never even had to think about working to help make ends meet for his family. They were probably one of the better off families in the area.

Ryo went to a ritzy, very high class private school, had the best tutors, and went cross country for vacations. He had it all. He was filthy rich, but something was still missing. With everything he had, Ryo was not happy. Not truly happy. Of course he loved his parents and he loved how easy it was to get the latest thing, but . . . he still had an empty feeling in his heart.

He didn't get what it was, until one day he was reading a book about a girl who was dying; she had nothing and she was dying alone in a cold hospital. Ryo's heart felt wretched after he read that. He couldn't keep his mind off the realness to that story; somewhere out there, in his very town, there were people sick and dying . . . some without any family by their sides.

His parents thought he was crazy when he un-expectantly told them he wasn't going to Aspin with them during the holidays. He had a purpose and a fierce determination now; he was going to do what he could to give and not take this Christmas season.

The thought of meeting someone who was dying was a terrifying thought, but then Ryo thought of what it must be like for that person to know they were dying. It had to be ten times more terrifying. But having people by their side to help ease the pain of dying would make everything softer; it wouldn't fix it, not at all, but to be able to make someone happy in their last days, that would be worth giving up anything.

It really angered Ryo how selfish his parents had been when he turned down their plans for staying behind and going to the local hospital to work as a candy striper; that was the term Ryo knew of at least. All he knew was he was in charge of visiting and making patients feel their most comfortable.

So basically his job was to talk to the sick and dying folks, trying to brighten what might be for some of them, their last days.

His parents had tried to get him to change his mind, not so much saying it, as implying what use would he be to a person who'd be dead soon anyway? He supposed his parents couldn't help it; they were rich, stuck up snobs, as simple as that. They didn't have Ryo's soft heart.

"I'll be of use! I will be!" Ryo said, tears starting in the corner of his eyes. He turned his head and sighed, pulling his blankets around him.

"They might be slated as "dying" or they might have been given a time when they will go, but they're still here now, and they don't deserve to be treated like a number; they're still human . . . "

Ryo went on, mumbling to himself, all his feelings, letting his tears run until he was completely cried out.

---

Ryo grabbed his coat and umbrella, quickly bundling up, before he walked outside, walking briskly down the baby powder white pathway, his shoes making crunching noises in the snow. He walked to his black Mercedes, quickly getting behind the wheel before any more snow could sneak under his umbrella and get him even more soaked.

The man turned on his windshield wipers, quickly starting the car, turning his defrost on. His teeth chattered together as the car slowly, very very slowly, started to heat up.

When it was finally warm enough and all frost was off his windows, Ryo pulled out of the driveway and carefully made his way to the hospital.

---

Going through the automatic doors, Ryo looked around, taking in the appearance of the hospital lobby. It was decorated for the holiday, a large and brightly lit tree standing in the corner, with what looked like handmade decorations. On a closer look, he saw that they colored pieces of paper with patients names on them, each patient probably responsible for the decoration. Ryo’s heart clenched as he read one piece of paper. “I made this for Emily. She liked cats . . . I hope there are cats in Heaven.” The paper was decorated with a child-like drawing of a little girl surrounded by cats.

And that wasn’t the only one like that on the tree.

“This is for Suzie. Does God play with kids? Suzie will be lonely by herself.”

“Todd died. I hope he found the peace I’m still looking for.”

And it went on and on . . . each dedication getting sadder and sadder.

Ryo felt shivery as he walked up to the front desk; this might prove to be harder to stomach then he had first thought. He already felt terribly sad . . . how was he supposed to act when he was face to face to the actual sick and/or dying person?

“BEEP BEEP BEEP! Get out of my way!” A loud male voice yelled; Ryo barley had time to register what was happening, as he was roughly grabbed from behind and pulled to safety, the one who had yelled, zooming past him on a motorized wheelchair, an IV poll on wheels following, seeing as the IV was attached to the boy . . .

Ryo stared wide-eyed at the young boy, still not addressing the person who had pulled him out of harms way. What in the heck? Ryo blinked.

A deep chuckle filled the air. “That’s Mabel. Yes, I said Mabel. Long story, short, his parents named him after his grandmother or something . . . who knows . . . ”

Ryo looked behind him and had to force himself not to blush; he was staring into the most stunning pair of eyes he had ever seen. The boy was taller then Ryo and wearing street clothes. Most likely another volunteer. Ryo smiled, still a bit shaken.

“I see . . . is that safe . . . what he’s doing?” Ryo asked. The mystery man finally let go of his arm, giving Ryo a smile in return, his eyes strangely dull now that Ryo looked closer, and not focusing on Ryo’s face at all.

“Let the kid have fun while he still can,” Ryo’s rescuer said, making Ryo shudder.

“You’re lucky I was in the area and that I could hear the wheels before Mabel shouted, not to mention your footsteps.”

“Excuse me . . . ?” Ryo was a might confused. No, he was more then a little confused. He was terribly confused.

The man smiled. “I’m blind, kid.”

A/N Eeeeeeep!! Was the start terrible!? Do you want to read more?! What do you think? Who is the mystery man? OMG, could it be . . . review and find out next update!!