Disclaimer: As always I own nothing but the original characters and the situations I put them in. Everything else belongs to somebody else which by now everyone should know. Thanks to all my loyal readers and I hope you enjoy this latest fic. Thanks again for reading and have an awesome day!

Temperatures Rising

"If you don't get out of my office this minute I swear to God, Allah and every other deity known to man that I'll castrate you." Umeda snarled, glaring at the younger man who grinned back at him, obviously not getting the fact that he was perfectly serious about this. He wasn't feeling well which was very bad for Akiha. Especially if the annoying bastard didn't make like Tom and Cruise, Umeda thought darkly, his glare piercing. If only looks could kill...

"You're such a sour puss today." Was the cheerful reply, the young photographer used to Umeda's threats. Since he'd discovered the fact that his current favorite person in the world was working nearby he'd made it his goal to drop by whenever possible. After all these months of the doctor's constant abuse and threats, Akiha was nearly unflappable when it came to Umeda's threats. Since he'd just been threatened with castration, that was saying something.

"Shut up." Barely managing to restrain his growing urge to go looking for a scalpel Umeda turned his chair so that his back was to Akiha. Rubbing his temples with his fingers Umeda closed his eyes in frustration, his shoulders slumping dejectedly. He was too worn out to get out of his seat and kick the annoying idiot out. As it was, the bastard would just come back again. He always did. Like that annoying cat from that kid's song. He'd always hated it as a kid.

Walking around the desk Akiha took a seat on the top of the desk, looking at Umeda with growing concern. Something had to be very wrong if Umeda wasn't literally kicking him out after having him around for over ten minutes. "Are you okay?" He asked, cocking his head to the side questioningly as he studied Umeda's face. "Do you have a headache?"

"Yeah, its name is Akiha."


Used to such cracks Akiha hopped off the desk and moved to stand between Umeda and the wall, crouching down slightly so that he was on eye level with Umeda. As a photographer his business was to absorb and analysis the people put in front of him to photograph. Reading the doctor's face Akiha wasn't surprised to see pain as well as annoyance in Umeda's eyes when they opened to shoot daggers at him. "I think you need some R and R." Akiha stated bluntly, for once being straight to the point as opposed dancing around it. "Mizuki said that you haven't been feeling well the past couple of days. You won't be much good here if you're sick too."

"Did he now. Well my health isn't his business, much less yours." Umeda resorted, grinching his teeth as his head continued to pound, worse now that he had Akiha to deal with. He'd been fighting a bug of some sort for a week and Akiha definitely wasn't the cure for what ailed him. More like poison. The idiot did ride around in a Bug after all.

"He's just worried about you." Akiha stated as he shook his finger at Umeda who looked ready to chew nails or his finger off. Of course they both knew that Mizuki was a girl and that the other knew this. They'd just silently agreed not to ever bring it up, one of the few things they ever agreed on, Akiha thought dryly. Right now he needed to get the sexy but incredibly stubborn doctor to go home early for some rest. You'd think a doctor would take better care of himself.

"Well if you want me to feel better, get the hell out of my office!" Lurching to his feet Umeda weaved slightly as the blood rushed to his head. He'd been sitting too long, he thought dimly, even as he felt strong hands latch onto his shoulders. Blinking in annoyance he swatted at them, not really surprised when Akiha ignored the hint. "Let go, you idiot." He snarled, vaguely surprised at the strength of those hands. Who'd have thought?

"Like hell I will!"

"You never listen to me!"

"Oh and that's not calling the kettle black."

"Shut up, you pig headed, girlie haired idiot!"

"You shut up, you stubborn, prickly assehole!"

"Don't tell me to shut up!"

"Then don't tell me to shut up!"


The two glaring at each other it was a toss up as to who was angrier. Umeda was mad as hell that he was too out of it to give Akiha the ass kicking he was just asking for and Akiha was pretty angry at the doctor as well, hating to see the doctor in this state almost as much as he hated it when Umeda called him an idiot. "Just leave me the hell alone." Umeda ordered roughly, using his strength to push away from Akiha, causing himself to go stumbling back against his desk. Akiha, taking advantage of this, moved in and boxed Umeda in against the desk. He was not going to be ignored.

"Not until I know you're going to start taking care of yourself." Was Akiha's stubborn reply as he glared right back. He wasn't afraid of Umeda after all. Well..at least not in this state. Umeda was always a force to be reckoned with but right now he was looking like hell warmed over. He'd just have to risk his health and force the doc to see reason, Akiha decided with firm resolve, hoping that it wouldn't involve too much bloodshed. His blood in particular.

"Fine, I'll show you I'm okay and then you can LEAVE!" Using his strength Umeda pushed Akiha away, managing it only because Akiha had thought the older man had nothing left strength wise. Heading straight for his medicine cabinet Umeda got out a thermometer and deftly stuck it under his tongue defiantly, glaring at Akiha who simply stood in front of him, quietly waiting for the results without comment. After enough time had passed Umeda pulled it from his mouth and stared at the number in disbelief. Wanting to be sure he went over to his desk and retrieving his glasses looked at it again. "Well, hell." He muttered, dropping the thermometer on the desk.

Picking it up Akiha read it, only knowing enough to know that it probably shouldn't be that high a number. "Is this really bad?"

"No, but it's not good either." Running an annoyed hand through his hair Umeda could feel how hot his skin was against his hand. Damn. Now he was going to admit that Akiha might have been onto something when he'd said he was too sick to be here. He was just used to feeling out of it this early in the morning, seeing as he was never completely awake until at least noon. But the headaches, loss of appetite and the lack of energy really were clear indicators that he shouldn't have ignored. He just really hated being sick so he tended to deny it when he was. Well except when he'd been in school, then everyone had known. He'd disliked school even more then being sick. No one had been able to understand why he'd chosen to work in a school, even if it was all boys. How to explain the joys of being the one making the younger generations lives living hell.


Akiha thought about saying that he'd told him so but didn't want to make things that much worse. The last thing he needed was for the doctor to go into denial again, just to spite him. He would, the doc was twisted like that. "So you'll be okay with some rest and stuff?" He asked cautiously, watching Umeda like a hawk in case he got dizzy again.

"Yeah." Shaking his head he picked up the phone to inform the principal's secretary that he'd caught the bug that was going around and that he was heading home. He figured after a solid day's rest and relaxation he'd be up to coming back tomorrow. She wasn't pleased with the news but she was too afraid of him to argue.

Akiha didn't agree with his plans to be back the next day but he knew that he was lucky to get Umeda to admit that he needed to take the day off to begin with. After Umeda got off the phone Akiha poised his next point which was likely to piss the doctor off even more but had to be said. "You shouldn't drive home in this condition you know."

Giving Akiha a dark look Umeda was already plotting all the terrible things he was going to do to Akiha once he recovered from this. First thing he'd do was take some scissors to that ponytail of his, Umeda thought darkly, closing his eyes for a moment to enjoy that image before opening them again. So what if Akiha had been right all along about him being sick? He was feeling lousy and he had to blame someone, Akiha being the favorite choice since he had made it his mission in life to annoy the hell out of him anyway. Turnabout was only fair play. Plus, it was a nice incentive to get better sooner since he couldn't make the pain's life a living hell if he wasn't physically up to kicking the son of a bitch's ass. "I don't have a car here anyway. I'll call a cab." He finally said, dragging his mind from his plotting long enough to respond to Akiha's nagging.

"I've got a car, why don't I drive you home? It will save you money."

"One, I don't like you. Two, do you really think I want to squish myself into that vehicle and three, I don't need to save my money and even if I did I wouldn't consider using it to get away from you a waste."


"For Christ sakes!" Eyes flashing dangerously now Akiha marched over, getting right in Umeda's face as he slapped his hands down on the desk, leaning forward so that their noses were practically touching. "What the hell is wrong with you? Maybe I am annoying some times but that doesn't mean I deserve to be treated like this every second of the day! I'm trying to help, you selfish bastard!"

Opening his own mouth to blast the son of a bitch good Umeda's cell phone went off like a network beeping out the swear words on a television show. Glaring at Akiha Umeda pulled out the phone, using it as an excuse not to yell and waste what little energy he had left. Seeing the number on his screen his whole demur changing as he quickly pressed talk and brought it to his ear, Akiha forgotten. "Ryoichi?"

Your voice sounds strange." Came the familiar amused voice on the other hand. "All that smoking you do is finally catching up with you I see."

"Maybe." Was his laughing reply, though it sounded forced even to his ears. God he felt awful now that he knew how sick he really was. What a time for Ryoichi to call too. The bastard had worse timing than Nakatsu.

"Anyway, I wanted to know if you were available tonight. Our usual place for nine?"

"Sure, I'll be there. Nine tonight."

"See you then." Was his careless response as Ryoichi hung up without even a proper good bye.

Turning his phone off Umeda returned his phone to his pocket than turning back to finish what he'd started with Akiha actually took a step back at the expression on the younger man's face. "What?"

"You're sick, barely standing, with a temperature in the danger zone and you're making a date tonight." His voice cold to the point of causing frost bite Akiha's eyes were dark with icy rage unlike anything Umeda had seen before. "He calls you and you run to him like a dog, don't you? He treats you like crap most of the time, always putting himself before you and you don't care, as long as he throws you a bone once in a while you're happy as a clam to beg at his feet."

Jaw dropping in shock Umeda couldn't think of what to say, unable to think of anything so that all he could do was stare dumbly at Akiha.

"Forget about the ride. I'm out of here and I won't be coming back. I have no intention of becoming like you, waiting at your feet for some small scrape of affection for the rest of my life until I die alone, bitter and cold like you. I'd sooner die right now." Turning on his heels Akiha marched out of the room, slamming the door hard behind him.


Using his desk for support it was ten minutes before Umeda even had the thought to call a cab. Akiha's words had been like knives and the fact that there was no blood loss visible meant nothing. Few verbal attacks had shaken him more and in those moments he'd been even more afraid of Akiha than he was of his sister. No, that wasn't right. Umeda thought as he tiredly pulled out his phone once more to place the call. It hadn't been Akiha that had scared him but the picture he'd painted of his own life. The life Akiha had described was too close to home for him to bear. Thankfully, he had a taxi service on speed dial and after arranging for his pick up made his way out of the room and slowly down the hallway to wait out front. He was going home and drugging himself to the gills so that he wouldn't have to think anymore. Completely forgetting all about the plans he'd made moments before all he could think about was escaping into oblivion where Akiha's words couldn't reach him.

"Doctor Umeda! Are you okay?" Turning his head slowly Umeda watched his favorite student, Mizuki, run over to him with a worried look on her face as she grabbed his arm. "Are you sick?" She continued, wrapping her arm around his waist as she moved to support him as she slid under his arm.

"Yeah, looks like. I have a taxi on the way."

"I'll help you to the main gate than."

She wasn't much help thanks to the height difference but he was glad for the company as they slowly made their way through the hallways. He listened to her ramble about everything that had happened to her since he'd seen her last and about how she was one of the few people in her group of friends who wasn't sick. Not making a sound he tuned her out, her voice enough as his thoughts went back to what Akiha had said. It was rare that he even listened to the bastard at all but this time his words had been directed too well to ignore or forget about. Was that really how Akiha saw him? Some mindless mutt who groveled at Ryoichi's feet and kept coming back no matter how badly he was treated? And was he? That was scarier and deeper than he wanted to look into himself.

Well aware that she was being ignored Mizuki could see that he was deep in thought so she stayed quiet, leading him out front and seeing him into the cab, paying the cab driver extra if he'd walk the doctor to his door to make sure he got there all right. Waving him off Mizuki could only hope that he resolved whatever had put that look on his face while he was recovering from his cold.


The cab driver seeing him to the door Umeda paid him the rest of the money and let himself in, dropping his briefcase to the floor without bothering to care if he banged it up or not. Shuffling through the hallway that led into the kitchen he headed straight for the fridge for some orange juice to increase his sugar levels and hopefully give him enough energy to make it to the bathroom where glorious medication waited. Draining the glass he filled it again to use for swallowing the pills and headed back into the other hallway, turning into the bathroom with a relieved sigh as he set the glass on the counter before weaving over to the medicine cabinet. Everything starting to blur around the edges he forced himself to focus long enough to concentrate on reading the labels with the too damn small printing. Finding what he was looking for he forced the lid open and dropping two tablets into his hand shoved the pill container back into the cabinet without bothering to put the lid back on properly. Stuffing the pills into his mouth he quickly followed them with a gulp of juice, draining the glass quickly as his vision blurred worse than before. Using the wall as a support he forced one foot in front of the other as he crossed the room to open the door leading into his bedroom. Making it to the bed through sheer will he collapsed onto the covers and was unconscious in seconds, all energy used up and gone.


Deep in slumber he dreamed that he was in a dark room where there was no lights and no sign of life anywhere. He was just standing in the darkness, nothing in sight but more blackness without a hint of anything going on around him. Than, faintly, a light appeared in the distance and slowly began to grow as it got closer and closer. Walking towards it out of instinct Umeda was surprised to see that the light was coming from a candle, one held by a small child with black hair and even weirder, Mizuki's brown eyes. The child couldn't have been more than five and once she was close enough he saw that she was smiling up at him with not only Mizuki's eyes but her smile as well. "What the hell...?"

"Mommy says you're not supposed ta swear in front of me, Uncle Hokuto." The child reminded him with a grin, cheerfully wagging her finger at him.

"Your Mommy?" Umeda repeated, wondering what the hell kind of dream this was supposed to be. "I don't understand. What the hel-What's going on?"

"I've come to help you, Uncle Hokuto." The child explained, reaching out to take his hand. "I'm gonna help you figure out what you're going to do tonight when you wake up again."

"What I'm going to do tonight?"

"Uh huh. Cause the choice you make is gonna be real important so I'm gonna show ya the consequences so you don't screw things up. I love you lots and lots so I want ya to be as happy as Mommy and Daddy. You aren't real happy right now, are you?"

"What the hell did I take instead of cold medicine?" Was all he could think to say.