Title: I don't swing that way
Rating: T, just to be safe. No lemons. I don't do sex scenes.
Summary: Shuichi's life couldn't have been better. Doting parents, loving sister, a steady girlfriend and a talent in singing. But when Shuichi is the only survivor in a house fire and is sent to live with his abusive aunt his perfect life crumbles. After meeting a promising young writer called Yuki, can Shuichi's life once again become perfect?
Ages: Shuichi's age is around seventeen, as he's still in high school.
Chapter one: Waking from a dream
Shuichi shifted impatiently from foot to foot as his mother examined his face, frowning as she searched for any marks marring his skin.
'C'mon mum! I'm all good. My face is clean. Now lemme' go. Riko's waiting." Shuichi groaned, slapping his mothers hand away and padding through the kitchen to the back door.
"When will you be back?" His mother called anxiously as he swung the flexible wire door open, slipping a pair of battered trainers on his feet. He through a charming but somewhat childish and taunting smile over his shoulder. "When the movie finishes!" He called back, vanishing from the house before his mother could call him back.
The door swung shut loudly behind him and Shuichi bolted down from the yard, rushing to meet a petite blond girl who 's slender arm's were wrapped tightly around herself, shivering in the cool night air, she frowned when she noticed Shuichi bouncing towards her.
"Late." She said in an accusing tone. Shuichi pouted, pawing at her arm like a puppy. "I'm sorry Ri-chan. My mum held me up. Foooooorgive meeeeee Riko-Sama." He pleaded. Riko rolled her eyes and disengaged her arm from him, taking his hand in hers.
"Since you're buying my ticket I'll consider it." She said with a mockingly serious expression.
Shuichi glomped her, causing the two teens to fall onto the hard pavement.
"Cut it out Shuichi! This is a new shirt!"
"I loooooooooove you Ri-chan!"
"Off me! Now!" Riko demanded struggling to pry Shuichi off her waist as he nuzzled her like a kitten. She heaved a sigh. "We're going to miss the movie if you keep this up."
Shuichi bolted up right, his expression one of absolute terror. He seized Riko's hand and shot up, flying down the street like there was no tomorrow, Riko dangling helpless behind him. A collision between the unstoppable force that was Shuichi and what ever happened to be in his way was inevitable.
"Oof!"
Shuichi stumbled back, letting go of Riko's hand in surprise as he struggled to maintain his balance and peer up at what ever it was he had slammed into.
"Watch we're your going you idiot."
Shuichi looked up at the growling man before him, one hand buried in his pocket the other pressed against his arm which was sporting a light bruising, a lit cigarette dangling from his lips.
Shuichi gawked openly at him until Riko nudged his arm. "Apologise." She hissed nervously eyeing the blond man who could have only been a few years older then them.
"I'm sorry. It was my fault --."
"It was entirely your fault you idiot." The man growled, striding off, knocking into Shuichi as he did so.
***
"Shuichi, will you stop sulking." Riko's hand slammed into the table as she stared in frustration at the pink haired idiot in front of her who was just glaring at his coke. He'd been silently fuming since his encounter on the street, unable to even pay attention to the movie. Now he was sitting in a corner booth at McDonalds, muttering profanities under his breath.
"I can't help it Ri-chan! That man made me so damn mad!" He growled, snatching a handful of chips from where his burger lay forgotten.
Riko hung her head. "This isn't like you. Normally it's impossible to get you to shut up or keep your mind on something." She sighed, picking at her low calorie salad.
Seeing Riko look so upset Shuichi shot into reaction, reaching across the table to grab her hand. 'I'm sorry Ri-chan! Sorry! Sorry! I'll be good now! See! Good!" He babbled earnestly. He squeezed his eyes shut as if concentration very hard on something.
"Forgotten! I've already pushed that jerk to the back of my mind!" Shuichi's eyes fluttered open and he grinned at Riko. Riko rolled her eyes and pulled her hand free.
"C'mon. We better go. Your mum will have a fit of you get home any later then eleven." She said pushing herself up and out of the booth. Shuichi bounced off to pay for their meal.
He was just pushing the glass door of the restaurant open when it swung open from the other said, hitting him squarely in the head and rebounding. Shuichi stumbled backwards as the person behind the door caught it.
"Ouch! Watch where your – IT'S YOU!" Shuichi was staring very openly at a rather surprised looked blond he was unmistakable the same man from the street earlier. The man stared at him for a few second and then brushed past, shutting the door behind him so the thin sheet of glass was between them.
Riko, sensing a brewing storm took Shuichi's arm and tugged him away from the fast food chain and down the street.
"I can not believe the nerve of some people! Can you believe him Ri-chan? He didn't even apologise for earlier!" Shuichi ranted as he walked quickly down the street in order to burn the anger building up inside him.
Riko took his hand to placate him. "Shu-chan." She said, using the pet nickname she had developed early in their relationship.
Shuichi calmed down and turned to look at her pleading expression. "Just forget about it alright. Please? For me." She stood on her tippy toes and kissed him lightly on the lips. "Please?" She added again.
Shuichi's anger dissipated and he grinned down at her. "Forget what, Ri-chan?"
She winked at him and nodded to his house. She waved goodnight and disappeared.
With his girlfriend out of sight Shuichi's grin slipped into a frown as he fished his key from his pocket and unlocked the front door, stepping inside the hallway.
"Shuichi!" Shuichi felt an astonishing force slam into him and he was thrown back against the door as his younger sister, Maiko, clinging to his chest in a glomp that reviled his own – and that was saying something.
"You promised to watch that movie with me tonight." She pouted, allowing Shuichi to get up but clinging tightly to his sleeve. He grimaced.
"I forgot." He admitted. "I was just out with Ri-chan. I'm sorry sis, tomorrow morning okay?"
Maiko looked at him uncertainly. "Promise?" She asked.
"Pinky-swear." Shuichi said. Anyone who knew Shuichi knew that his 'pinky-promises' were to be taken seriously, him being the child he was.
Maiko entwined her pinky with him and the two shook.
"Shuichi? Is that you?" His father appeared in the hallway door looking tired and over worked. "You're late." He said sourly.
"Sorry dad. I just met this really rude guy and he got me really worked up." Shuichi explained biting his lip and frowning down at the carpet.
"Weird guy?" His mother's alarmed voice rang out as she appeared behind her husband, wiping her hands on a tea towel. "What kind of weird? You should look out Shu, guys like that are often perverts! Oooh… Should we report it to the police?" She wrung her hands franticly.
Shuichi shook his head quickly. "No! I just meant he was really rude. Don't freak out mum, I'll never see him again." He reassured her, bouncing over to give her a kiss on the cheek.
"I'm going to go to bed now. " He called as he ascended the stairs to his room.
"Hero called!" His mother shouted up after him.
"Alright mum!" Shuichi called back as he eased into his room, shutting the heavy oak down behind him. Sighing, he pulled off his shirt and rummaged through his closet untill he uncovered a pair of clean orange shorts for sleeping.
He changed quickly, yawning widely he threw a glance at his desk which was littered with empty pocky boxes and a half finished song he was writing for the school talent show. He crinkled up his face. Doubtlessly Hero had called about that.
Finish it later… He thought hazily, slipping into his bed he was out like a light.
***
It was the smell of acrid smoke that woke Shuichi.
At first, he thought he might have still been dreaming, and that the burning in his nostrils was part of the illusion in his mind. It took him a minute to realize that his room was burning hot.
Throwing back his bed sheets Shuichi bolted up right just as the fire alarm began to wail in the kitchen.
He stood frozen in shock for a second before the adrenaline kicked in.
"Fire." He whispered. He bolted for the door, reaching for the brass handle he recoiled. It was burning red. Swearing, Shuichi kicked the door with all his might and it burst open.
The second floor landing was covered in flames; Shuichi could only stare in horror at as they hungrily devoured everything.
He inched into the hall, shielding his face from the waves of unbearable heat with his arms he edged towards the stairs, which were being eaten by away by fire.
Need to hurry, hurry! He thought as panic clawed at his mind. He burst into a run. "MUM! DAD!" He shouted, running for his parents' room which was closest.
The scorching flames flickered around him and the air was thick with smoke. His eyes watered and it wall he could do to keep walking.
The door to his parents room was open and Shuichi was terrified to see two dark shapes slumped just by the bed, fire engulfing the entire room, licking at the hunched figures. Shuichi was able to get close enough to see that his parents were defiantly dead.
Tears streaming down his face, cursing loudly he headed to Maiko's room, timber falling as the roof began to give in, sirens wailing in the distance. Her door was covered in flames. Shuichi took a deep breath and shouldered his way through, closing his eyes to the smoke and going by memory.
He reached her bed and felt numbly around, his searching hands encountering a small figure, her chest rising up in down rapidly. His heart fluttered. She was alive.
Almost as if he thought to soon he became aware that she, and her bed were both on fire.
Swearing loudly he opened his eyes and snatched Maiko's pillow, hitting her with it until the flames eating at her were extinguished.
There was a loud crack and Shuichi knew the house wouldn't hold out much longer. Slinging her small frame over his shoulder he heaved her to the window, staggering as he used his elbow to shatter the glass.
He saw a crowd of spectators watching from the lawn scream and point at them just as a fire truck pulled up.
"Sorry Maiko." Shuichi whispered, as he eased his little sister out of the window, he looked down at the formidable drop to the ground below.
"DROP HER!" One of the watchers screamed from below the window. "I'LL CATACH HER!"
Trusting in them Shuichi dropped her. He saw the man crumble as she fell into his arms. There was a loud thump and the roof gave in.
Shuichi saw the wood falling, the flames coming, and without waiting he leapt out the window.
There was no doubt in his mind. This was not a dream. His life had been brilliant. In fact, he would later think of this as his awaking from what had been a beautiful dream.