Title: Letdown
Autor: Leya
Fandom: Gravitation
Characters: Tohma, Eiri
Disclaimer: All the characters are the sole property of Maki Murakami. I'm only playing with them.
Word Count: 820
Rating: R
Warnings: character death (implied)

Tohma has to discuss something important with Eiri but the writer just rejects him. He has to meet a deadline after all... Sequel to Time. Please read this one first otherwise this story won't make too much sense.


„What do you want?"

Taken aback by the harsh words his brother-in-law greeted him with Tohma almost reconsidered his decision to visit the novelist just to confide in him.

Why couldn't Eiri just pretend to be glad about his visit? Just once Tohma wanted to see a welcoming smile on the author's face instead of being greeted by this devastating mixture between annoyance and disgust.

„Can I come in? There is something I have to tell you."

After telling Mika the day before yesterday Tohma had believed that from now on everything would get easier but facing Eiri was thousand times worse than he imagined it to be.

The writer scowled but stepped aside, letting his brother-in-law enter the apartment. „Try to make it short. There's a deadline I have to meet."

„Of course, Eiri-san." Tohma faked his usual smile and almost instantly found himself at a loss for words. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted Eiri to know but now the moment finally had arrived and none of the words he so carefully prepaired on his way over here would come.

„Well? Are you starting to talk anytime soon or do you need a written invitation?"

„I..." Tohma just couldn't do it. His heart was pounding in his chest and suddenly he knew that he wouldn't be able to tell Eiri what was about to happen to him. Never before had talking to someone been this difficult.

Until now.

Tohma pulled his lower lip between his teeth, desperately trying to find a solution for his problem.

„Come on, Seguchi. I haven't got all day!"

'And I haven't got enough time to waste it by getting hurt by your indifference!'Tohma wanted to yell but instead he took out the papers the doctor had given to him and held them out towards Eiri.

„I have something you should read."

The writer eyed the small envelope suspiciously. „What's this?"

„Please, just read it. It's hard to tell and I prefer you read it for yourself and then we... we can talk about it."

„Oh, please! You are not serious, are you?" Whatever Eiri thought about the papers he obviously got it completely wrong. „I have absolutely no time for this shit!"

„What do you mean?" Tohma did his best to follow Eiri's train of thought but had to admit the novelist had lost him somewhere. „It's just something to read."

„Of course!" Eiri's voice suddenly turned cold. „Just something to read."

He started pacing the room in restless strides. Tohma watched him incredulously, not sure what to make of this odd behaviour.

„Please... just read it. That's all I ask from you."

„I said no!" Eiri stopped long enough to slap the papers out of Tohma's hand, watching them rain down on his carpet in a unsorted mess, before he continued his verbal attack. „You can't just waltz into my life and expect me to read the crap one of your friends has written! Do you really think I've time for something stupid like this?"

„That's not..."

„And to top it all you just expect me to follow your orders like a little boy. You give me the papers and I read it. You won't even ask if I mind when you bring them over, no you just assume it's okay to do so!"

„Eiri, please. You're wrong. It's about..."

„I don't care, Seguchi! I'm already more than three months behind my schedule because of that stupid pink nuisance that can't keep his mouth shut even if his life depended on it and now youare doing exactly the same!" Eiri viciously kicked against the small table in front of his couch, sending it skittering over the floor. „You know what? Come back when I've finished my novel and maybe I'm going to read this crap. And now get out, I really have some work to do."

In the deafening silence that followed his outburst Tohma swallowed the bile he suddenly could taste in his mouth and tried to maintain his composure even if it killed him.

And wasn't this incredibly convenient?

„I'm sorry, Eiri. I shouldn't have come but I just wanted you to know how much you mean to me."

„Yeah, I know. Now excuse me. You'll find the way out, I'm sure." Eiri waved him away and just then remembered the mess on the floor. „You forgot your papers!"

But Tohma was already gone.

END