A/N: this is following the events of ch. 7 in Drug & Drop (the new name of Legal Drug)

Disclaimer! I OWN NOTHING! COPYRIGHT GOES TO CLAMP! Hehe if I did…well…let's just say RikHaya would be a bit more than just co-workers XD

~x*x*x*~

Kazahaya groaned as he looked at all of the boxes that needed to be unpacked and put on shelves. This was so much harder now that Kazahaya was the only one in the shop and Rikuo…well Rikuo was out doing whatever he could to find Tsukiko. Kazahaya would never admit that he missed him, out loud anyways. He missed the teasing and, quite frankly, he missed Rikuo's presence. His presence that always made Kazahaya feel safe and grounded. Without Rikuo there at the Green Drugstore…it just wasn't home anymore.

"Kudo-kun, we're going to close early…we'll finish up in the morning, alright?" Kakei said, worried for his employee's health now that no one was there to watch him.

"Okay, Kakei-san. Goodnight," Kazahaya replied wearily. He stood from his crouched position, walked out the door, and climbed the steps to the apartment. Kazahaya closed the metal door behind him and locked it. He slowly slid to the ground and put his head on his knees.

Kazahaya hadn't been eating, or sleeping for that matter, very well. He was, quite literally, worrying himself sick about Rikuo. Kazahaya's already frail body was beginning to show signs of sickness: fever, no appetite, cough or sneeze here and there, and the chills. His psychic power was already growing stronger as he grew weaker. Kakei hadn't mentioned the other job in a week. It'd been that long since Rikuo took off. He figured Kakei didn't ask him because Kazahaya couldn't do them, at least, not without Rikuo.

Kazahaya stood, swayed just a little, and then flopped down on his bed. He wasn't hungry, so he figured he might as well just try to sleep.

The room was filled with alcohol bottles scattered across the floor. A small being stood and was saying something. Kazahaya looked down and saw himself collapsed and unconscious in someone's arms. No—he thought—not someone's. Rikuo's. This was Rikuo's memory. How Kazahaya had gotten there he didn't know, but he did know that this was the last job he had done…involving the "child" that was trapped there. Kazahaya focused on the creature's moving lips, desperately trying to read them. He caught a few words:

"That which connects you to her is something you have within your grasp."

Kazahaya's eyes widened.

~x*x*x*~

Kazahaya jerked awake.

"I was in his grasp…" He whispered growing more horrified by the moment.

Her. If it was a person Rikuo was familiar with then the only answer could be that "her" referred to Tsukiko. Kazahaya paled. If he was connected somehow to Tsukiko it meant—he gulped, suddenly nauseous. Kazahaya flew out of bed and rushed to the toilet to throw up what little he'd had for breakfast. He sat there like that for a long time: his back against the wall. He felt miserable.

The next morning Kazahaya had, indeed, skipped breakfast and came to work early. His face was pale and his mood way down in the dumps. Kakei picked up on it and couldn't fathom what could possibly be wrong. He doubted it was Rikuo, after all this looked like a very fresh wound to the heart. However…Kakei got the feeling that Kazahaya's future was now blocked to him, and this worried him greatly.

Kazahaya began to unpack the boxes that had been left there last night. He was so engulfed in his depression that he didn't even realize what he was unpacking. Condoms. The source of endless torment from two adversaries: one, who was not there, and the other who was quite surprised when he realized that the kid wasn't even reacting to the item he was stacking on the shelves.

"Kakei," Saiga began, "what the hell is wrong with the kid?"

Kakei frowned, deeply saddened and worried for the boy.

"I don't know," he said finally, "but it's scaring me, Saiga."

That did it. Saiga walked over towards the kid and hauled him to his feet. Kazahaya gasped in surprise.

"Kid, what's wrong with you?"

Kazahaya paled more. "N-nothing," he stuttered.

"Kudo," Saiga said threateningly.

Kazahaya pulled his arm away from Saiga's grasp and rubbed it gingerly.

"I just haven't been feeling well lately is all," Kazahaya murmured.

Saiga raised his brows in suspicion, "Do you need cold medicine?"

"I don't want any." Kazahaya's gaze darkened.

This surprised Saiga even more. Now he really knew something was up. Then, almost on impulse, Saiga wrapped his arms around the kid's waist…who didn't squirm. This made even Saiga worry incessantly. That was when he realized that the kid didn't feel quite right—no, in fact, the kid felt even skinnier than before.

"Kazahaya? Have you been eating?"

The kid stiffened immediately in his arms, but did not answer. That would be a "no", Saiga's instincts yelled.

"Kazahaya, what's going on?"

Unfortunately, this is when Kazahaya's fever decided to take a turn for the worse and make him go lightheaded. Saiga felt it when the kid slumped in his arms and knew that the body would be limp.

"Kudo-kun!" Kakei yelled, seeing the now limp body in Saiga's arms. "What happened?" Kakei asked Saiga with an urgency.

"I don't know. He just suddenly…fainted…"

Kakei felt Kazahaya's head and his eyes widened, "Saiga…he's burning up!"

With that in mind Saiga carried the kid to the break room and laid him down on the couch while Kakei got the supplies needed to treat his fever and later the cold. He put the cold cloth on Kazahaya's forehead and then he told Saiga to go make some rice porridge.

Kazahaya stirred. His eyes fluttered open and he heard a relieved sigh to his right. Kakei was kneeling next to him and was smiling at him with a face torn between worry and relief.

"Kudo-kun, what's happening with you? How did this happen…?" Kakei asked.

Kazahaya closed his eyes and looked Kakei in the eye. "I got sick. Because I haven't been sleeping…and then I lost my appetite."

"Kudo-kun...oh here's your rice porridge." If Kakei hadn't turned his head to look back at Kazahaya at that moment, he would've missed the gag, but he did see it and it scared him. "Kudo-kun…?"

Kazahaya met his gaze, but didn't explain. Instead, he lowered his head in shame. "Gomen'nasai…" he whispered, tears falling down his cheeks. He quickly covered his face with his hands as the misery set in and refused to be ignored any longer.

Saiga and Kakei looked at each other, but equally confused by the situation.

"It's all my fault," he sobbed, "All mine."

This was breaking the two men's hearts as they watched Kazahaya break down.

"What's your fault, Kudo-kun?" Kakei asked gently.

Kazahaya sobbed more at the question. "Tsukiko-san," he whispered, "Kei. This is my fault. All of it…I'm so sorry…" he whimpered.

"Kudo-kun? What are you talking about?"

Kazahaya lifted his head and gazed at Kakei with tears still running down his face. "Rikuo," he realized, "Rikuo is going to hate me when he realizes—if he hasn't already. That's probably why he's avoiding me…" Kazahaya's head dropped and more tears fell.

"What are you saying? Rikuo cares—"

"NO! He won't. Not after this."

"Kudo-kun…" Kakei looked almost wounded.

And then Kazahaya fainted.

~x*x*x*~

A/N:

Whew~! That plot bunny taken care of. More to come~ hehehe I figured I'd be mean and leave this as a cliffhanger. Sorry~ muahaha you could say Clamp is a bad influence :D

Please review~! ^^ thanks for reading.