This is a Ruki/ Juri AU fic.

If you don’t like shoujo-ai then go away cause after this I’m planning a sequel too Bwhahhahaha…. -__-;;; but I’m a very slow writer so even Borrowing strength  is gonna take a while.

This was supposed to be a one shot ‘cause my brother challenged me to write one after he heard me dissing a poor quality Mira fic ^^;; but unfortunately he was right and I can’t write a one shot to save my life… in fact, I can’t write a good fic under 500 words to save my life… unless I do sequels and prequels and… you get the idea…

Italics – are thoughts

Borrowing strength

Chapter One: Alone

Juri buried herself deeper into the covers, eyes shut tightly as she held in her tears desperately. She tried to block out the scenes from the accident but they just kept coming and coming, she couldn’t stop them.

It was always the same and she would see them all in the car, happy and laughing even though they were tired and returning from a late dinner with old friends when two muscle cars would screech up the one way street. It was obvious that it had been an illegal street race. The two cars swerved but neither was in time to avoid the family car and instead hit both sides head on. Everything for Juri went dark then. And the light never came back since, Juri thought. After waking in the hospital Juri found that everything was dark even when she opened her eyes. At first she had thought it was night but hearing sounds around her and noticing that the dark was… just dark without any sort of shade or distinction made her realize… she had lost her sight. She was blind.

Tears rolled down her cheeks from her unseeing eyes as she cried. She cried for her parents, for her lost sight and most of all she cried because she was alone. She had no one now, an aunt she didn’t even know was supposed to take her in but she had yet to appear. She was stuck in the hospital where, while the nurses tried to be kind… were only kind out of pity and it was their job, Juri knew that. I want to go home. I want to go home. I just want to go home… She sobbed and the nurse having just stepped into the room stepped out again, letting the patient have some time alone, she could come back later.

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Ruki quietly closed the door to let her grandmother sleep. There was still quite awhile before visiting hours would be over and she would have to go home and report back to her mother about her condition but the woman had fallen asleep during her and Ruki’s Chinese checkers match and Ruki felt it would be best to let the older woman sleep. Ruki sighed, although she didn’t say so her grandmother obviously missed her daughter but the famous model had still to appear at her ill mother’s bedside, instead sending Ruki. She didn’t need to send me, I would have come visit ‘ba-san myself. Unlike her.

Ruki stuffed her hands in her pocket. It was difficult for her to see her grandmother like this. Her gran was the one that had practically raised her while her mother was away touring the world, “mingling” and drinking champagne with strawberries. Now the energetic woman she had once known was weak and hadn’t the strength to stay awake for a game of checkers. She walked, paced outside the door awhile before deciding on getting a drink from the vending machine.

But as Ruki walked past an open door she heard quiet sobbing from inside a room. Wondering why the door was left open and why it seemed no one was with this person who was obviously in distress, she stuck her head in and took a look around. The room was brightly lit with curtains open and sunlight flooding in. There were flowers in a vase and a pitcher of water by the bedside.

“Hello? Um… is whoever in here alright?”

Juri froze at the unfamiliar voice. It didn’t sound like any of the nurses that had been here trying to cheer her up. Out of impulse she lifted her head from the pillow to look towards the voice even though she wouldn’t see anyone anyways. Wiping the tear streaks from her face she replied.

“W-who’s there?”

No answer.

“Please, who’s there?”

Duh. Why doesn’t she just open her eyes and see who I am, I’m right here… Oh…

“I’m sorry, I was just walking by and heard a noise and I thought that maybe you needed some help or something. I’ll leave you alone now.”

Somehow that just struck a cord in Juri. “I’ll just leave you alone now…” No! I can’t… don’t leave me alone!

“Pl-please don’t. Stay, I don’t want to be alone.”

Ruki was surprised. This girl she didn’t even know wanted her to stay? Thinking about it for a second she looked at the girl. You could tell she had been crying as her face was slightly splotchy and her eyes lined with redness.

“Alright then,” Now Ruki was properly in the room and she stood awkwardly at the foot of Juri’s bed, shifting on her feet and wondering what to do. “My name’s Ruki Makino by the way.”

“I’m Juri… Juri Katou.” Even saying that reminded her of unpleasant memories… and of her parents. Juri held in a sob.

Ruki noticed the shudder that ran through the other girl and went to her side, putting a concerned hand on her shoulder. “Are you alright?” she repeated.

Juri nodded, “I’m fine, I’m sorry…” Why is she staying? She doesn’t know me, she’s not a nurse… she isn’t paid to be here. Why is she here? Because I asked?  “Thank you for staying with me but I’m okay now, really… I don’t know what was wrong with me.” Juri tried laughing it off like it really didn’t matter. Like she didn’t mind being alone. Besides maybe if she was alone she could convince herself that this was just a dream and not really happening to her, that her world wasn’t really as out of her control as it was.

It didn’t work, Ruki could tell the girl was still upset and she didn’t know why but Juri being upset, upset her. She didn’t want to just leave her but she decides to compromise and give Juri some time to gather herself.

“Listen, I was just about to go grab a soda, how about I get one for both of us and come back, okay? My grandmother’s asleep now so it’ll be good to have someone to talk to. Be back in a minute, Juri.” Forgetting she couldn’t see it anyway, Ruki waved and went off, closing the door behind her.

Juri sat there, unsure what to do. She’s coming back in a minute? What? I’m not alone. There is someone there. Thank you Kami, there is someone there.