Authors Notes: This is another Junjo Romantica fanfic, this one may just kill me. I don't know what's gotten into me, but I feel compelled to write this. So please understand, it will have a happy ending.

Disclaimer: I do not own Junjo Romantica. I wish I did.

How It Was

The walls were getting closer, or so he thought. He could see the faces coming at him, each one told a different story. Misaki grabbed his head and hair in frustration as he collapsed to his knees, feeling hot tears wanting to escape his closed eyelids.

The one to his left spoke horrible things, like he was threat and how he should be eliminated. "Usagi-chi-chi" Misaki whispered that name. Fuyuhiko Usami, his blackish eyes were glaring a hole into Misaki. To Misaki's right, he saw "Usagi-ani" he whispered a little louder than the last. Copper green eyes were staring into him, repeating the words, "I'm going to steal you away."

Behind him was Sumi-senpai and Isaka-san, scowling at him, "You're only getting in the way." Misaki couldn't take it. Only one wall was empty to faces. In front of him, was blank. No door no window. Nothing. He couldn't leave this room no matter what he did, the door for his exit would not open to him. He would have the same nightmare every night, ever since he had met everyone.

"Usagi-san…I'm sorry," he said and that was when the tears would fall. He would scream for Usagi-san to save him every night. And when he was finally able to escape, he would wake up with red puffy eyes. Lucky for him, Akihiko would never notice and so he was free from his questioning. Lately he had been trying to avoid sleep for that reason alone. So much to the point that he tried extra hard to pass everything he did.

Not that other teachers minded, but his literature teacher, Kamijo Hiroki would notice. At first it was just an improvement, but then he would take notice of the small things. Misaki would sit up front, avoiding Sumi. The kid would take notes with lightning speed, but sometimes, it looked as though the kid was trying too hard.

Because Hiroki would notice, his advisor Miyagi Yo would notice the changes in his friend. The teacher seemed to be focusing too strongly on his work, and actually did something strange. One day Miyagi had come in to find that Hiroki had cleaned the whole office, and was sleeping on the desk. It wasn't right.

Kusama Nowaki would come home on some nights to find Hiroki sulking in their room over a book. At first he thought it was just work related, but found it was something more. Questioning his lover, Hiroki finally told him he was worried for his friends lover, Takahashi Misaki. It was no secret, since one day Miyagi brought his even younger lover Shinobu Takatsuki to a grand meeting at the park where the couples came out with their secrets. Some were surprised, others were not. The couples were friends ever since.

Finally Akihiko. He loved Misaki and would do anything for the teen. He would buy everything the kid even desired. Akihiko would help Misaki through anything. That's what lovers did right? So why did he have the feeling that something was wrong?

He would question Misaki about it, who at first would cast his head down and smile, his eyes shadowed out by his bangs. As time went by Misaki would just walk away and haul up in his room to do homework. It had been three weeks since Akihiko had been able to touch Misaki last, and it was killing him.

The day had come when the couples were meeting up to have a picnic. Hiroki and Nowaki were setting up the blanket and trays for food, Miyagi and Shinobu were taking drinks from the car. Then last but not least, Akihiko and Misaki were carrying food to the blanket. Everyone had sat down, and was enjoying themselves.

The youngest of the group had become good friends. Shinobu and Misaki were laughing as they talked about how school had been. Both had worked very hard the semester. It had at first started out as nothing, Misaki had been sluggish when Shinobu had given him a playful hit to the shoulder. Misaki looked at Shinobu like 'what was that?' but said nothing. Then Shinobu would say something, only to have Misaki ask what he had said because he hadn't been paying attention. The other teen thought he saw something.

"Hey Misaki? You have dark circles under your eyes, have you been sleeping?" Misaki gave him the same look that Akihiko didn't like. "Heh heh heh, Shinobu, you're really funny," Misaki lowered his head and took a sip from his drink.

Nowaki, being the doctor he was, took immediate notice in the complexion. Misaki looked paler since the last time he had seen him. 'This is what Hiro-san was talking about huh?' He thought. The rest of the day went by without a problem, and as the group waved each other goodbye, Misaki was dragged back to Akihiko's car. "Misaki, is it true?"

Misaki didn't look at him, he didn't want Akihiko to find out. This was his problem, he couldn't stop it. He didn't want Akihiko to be hurt. "Is what true Usagi-san?" He answered carefully so that he wouldn't sound suspicious. "Have you been sleeping?"

"Of course," he answered quickly, "I probably haven't been sleeping right, but I have been, I'm fine Usagi-san." They sat in the car and were silent the whole drive home.

Several hours passed, and dinner had been made, eaten, and put away. Akihiko had to stay up because he had another novel to work on, so he gave Misaki a good night kiss which had become ritual. Since he was so busy, he couldn't do anything more than that. "I love you Misaki, please sleep well," he kissed him again and left to his office. Misaki stood there, feeling the heat in his face suddenly go cold.

As the author retired for the night, Misaki sat in his room, staring at the wall with watering eyes. His bottom lip quivered, and the tears finally came out. Every night Misaki feared to go to sleep. For four weeks now, he had the same nightmare plague his thoughts. He couldn't escape, and he was alone on this. He thought he should be used to it by now, but he wasn't.

He never wanted Akihiko to suffer, so he would do this alone. "I love you Usagi-san." He said, his voice choking on the name as he hid his face with his knees. He didn't think he'd sleep tonight, but he was wrong.