Rating: Mature

Disclaimer: I wish the boys were mine, but they're not! I borrowed the characters from Takanaga-sensei

Warning: Language, sex, yaoi

Summary: What's it going to take for Souichi to say the three little words Tetsuhiro wants to hear?

Aftershocks

Chapter 1

Souichi stood in the hallway looking at his bedroom door in shock. It was locked. The key was on his nightstand. "You've got to be kidding!" he roared. He stomped to the living room and plopped onto the sofa. He lit up and started puffing while fuming, 'Morinaga's never going to let me live this down! Forget that it's all his fault; if he wasn't such a sneaky pervert I wouldn't have needed the damn lock!' He nodded to himself with certainty.

"Of course lately he hasn't been here much," he grumbled to himself. That fact was causing a whole different set of problems. 'At this point, the lock really is unnecessary. When he's here he doesn't need to be sneaky; when he's gone there's just no reason for it.' Souichi started pacing, "I can't back down! If I give in now he'll know he's won! I just can't do it!" He thought a bit longer. 'Well whether it stays or goes I need to get into my room,' and he headed to the kitchen to find a screwdriver.

Tetsuhiro was tired. It had been a long week and he was anxious to get home. He smiled at the thought. He hadn't had a place he could really call home for years and now he'd finally achieved it. He would be there, waiting (although he'd act like he wasn't). Tetsuhiro just couldn't believe his luck. Not only had he found the love of his life, the real love, but that man had started to love him back!

'Not that he could ever say it,' Tetsuhiro sighed to himself. 'With Sempai, it's always his actions rather than his words. I just have to keep that in mind.'

He was at the station, the train was starting to slow down and the dark-haired man glanced out the window. He frowned, rubbed his eyes, and looked again. Sempai was standing there!? He was trying to look casual but Tetsuhiro could tell he was a bit impatient. He kept looking at the clock hanging nearby. Tetsuhiro was thrilled, but he wondered what the blonde's excuse would be.

"Oi, Morinaga!" He'd been spotted, "Well you finally showed up! Took you long enough."

"What do you mean? The Shinkansen was right on time!" Morinaga checked to be sure.

"Yeah, whatever," Souichi started for the exit.

"So what's up Sempai? You usually don't meet the train," Morinaga was curious as he followed him.

"It's no big deal," he wasn't making eye contact, "I just need your help," he mumbled.

Morinaga started to get worried, "Sempai…what did you do?"

Souichi whirled to face the younger man, his cheeks reddening. "Who said I did anything?" he said defensively.

"Every time I come home from Hamamatsu something is broken. You're unfailingly rough on the appliances!"

Souichi glared then looked away, "…my room," he muttered.

"Huh? I didn't hear that Sempai."

The blonde faced Tetsuhiro furious, "I locked myself out of my room!" he shouted. "Happy now? I managed to remove the lock but I want you to check it out, ok!?"

"That's it?" the younger man was relieved. "Good; that's an easy fix."

Souichi bristled, "And just what's that 'good' supposed to mean?"

Tetsuhiro smiled, "Just that we won't have to call a plumber or electrician."

Souichi scowled and stomped off ahead; he couldn't argue back, he was a horrible housekeeper. Everything he touched broke. It pissed him off. He was not helpless! He could handle anything, so why was he so incompetent around the apartment? First it was the dishwasher, then the oven, next the TV. Well he had thrown his ashtray at the TV, but even so, that was no reason for it to break!

He sighed as they reached the apartment. Morinaga heard him and smiled. He knew his lover's moods well enough so he kept quiet; he didn't want to get slugged.

"Ok, let's see," Morinaga headed toward the bedroom door. "You know Sempai; it would just make sense to take it off permanently," he started conversationally. "Where's the lock?"

He didn't expect much from their talk, he was used to being summarily turned down and he wasn't surprised when Sempai snorted, "Not on your life! Here it is; can it be fixed?"

"I don't know; aw come on Sempai," Morinaga looked up. "It's not like you need it anymore. Lately when I'm home we're together and when I'm not here you don't need it."

"Don't care! It's nice to have just in case. I never know when you're going to revert now do I?" Souichi wasn't about to give in, it didn't matter that he'd been thinking along the same lines. "Anyway you're just using logic to confuse me so you can jump me whenever!" Morinaga sat back and gave the older man a look.

"Have I tried anything recently? No, I haven't! Don't keep using that tired excuse. If you have to keep the lock at least come up with a better reason, sheesh!" and he continued to work on it.

'Ok, yeah, so it was a bit lame, but hell if I'll ever admit it to him!' Souichi grunted and crossed his arms. 'His hair needs a trim,' he thought as he watched it brush his collar. He almost reached out to touch it but pulled back at the last minute.

Morinaga said something and looked at Souichi, smiling until he got a good look at the other's face. "Sempai?" he said softly, "Did you hear me?"

All Souichi could think was, 'Damn he smells so good!' "Huh? No I missed it," he answered. He couldn't take his eyes off the younger man's face. 'It's been too long.'

Morinaga handed to lock to Souichi, "See right here? The pin's been snapped in two. What on earth did you do to cause this?"

Souichi tried to bluster, "I didn't do anything! The door just slammed shut and the lock flipped. What a shoddy piece of shit to break under just that little bit of pressure."

"Just how hard did you slam it!? If you want to replace it with another one, we'll have to wait until tomorrow to get it."

"No way am I paying to replace that! It'd probably just happen again anyway!" Morinaga's presence was making it hard for him to focus. 'Ah crap, I want him!' When he looked up again Morinaga was standing in front of him in shock.

"You said you won't pay for a new one?" he gulped. "Does that mean…it can stay off?"

"Do you want to replace it?" Souichi asked dryly. He shoved it back at Morinaga. "Go ahead and get rid of it if it's useless." 'What am I saying!?

He glared at Morinaga who gave him a sweet small smile and replied, "Thank you Sempai. You just made my day – no my year!" He leaned toward the other man and gently kissed his cheek. Well he was aiming for his cheek but Souichi had other ideas and turned it in to a full-on French kiss.

Neither man knew or cared what happened to the lock as they walked/stumbled their way into Souichi's room and closed the door.