Disclaimer: I don't own gravitation, but its fun to use its characters for myself.
Chapter Two
Shuichi buried his head deeper into the pillows of his hotel room bed and tried to block the thoughts in his head. They were persistent thoughts that had deprived him of sleep for two nights now. He'd tried everything to undo them. Drinking had left him dozing and the dreams that came from that were scarier than the actual reality. He'd tried working out until he was exhausted. Being tired led to sleep and the dream monster. He was now reduced to sitting around his hotel room watching television, while music blared in the room.
K was being friendly and hadn't come to drag him out of his den. Shuichi figured Mika had probably asked him not to. He'd been a mess after their evening in the downstairs bar. Shying away from the reasons that had made him that way, he wondered if Yuki was doing well at home. He'd not gone to the hospital for Yuki. He couldn't. He was physically incapable of being around his lover right now, it terrified him.
Punching the pillows again, he sat up on the bed and looked around the dim room. Damn it, what the hell did his head need to quit thinking about Yuki. Getting of the bed, he reached for his cell phone and speed dialed his driver. Ever since he'd gotten a stalker, and almost been kidnapped, a driver was part of his security. Rico, his driver, was a silent burly man who he'd come to trust. Rico didn't judge him and always had his back in all kinds of situations. Lately, he'd become a confidant.
"I'll be down in a minute," Shuichi said when Rico answered.
"Alright," Rico answered.
Shuichi hang up and stood up, ignoring the shower he pulled a jacket over his black v-neck t-shirt. He wore black hip hugging pants he'd pulled on around three o'clock in the morning and white socks, grabbing up dark glasses; he shoved them on to his face hiding the bloodshot eyes. At the door, he slipped into black boots and stomped out of the pent house. Thankfully no one joined him on the elevator ride down; he couldn't cope with people right now. His head was throbbing with the effort to function as it was. He didn't think he could handle to be in anyone's presence. The doors opened and Shuichi strolled into the hotel lobby his hands in his pocket. Walking sedately, he headed for the front doors and was glad to see the black car waiting for him. He slid into the back and leaned his head back on his seat. Rico took off without needing instructions.
"Shuichi is off the grid," Hiro said to Suguru, later in the day. "I've been trying to get a hold of him for hours. He's not picking up my calls. Have you talked to him?"
"No," Suguru said, looking up from his keyboard and the music notes he was writing. "Come to think of it, he hasn't been acting himself lately. Do you think something is wrong?"
"I don't know," Hiro said with a frown. Ever since he'd started dating Ayaka, Yuki's ex-fiancée, Shuichi seemed to have taken a step back. He didn't call as much, and although they hanged up, Shuichi didn't talk about his life with Yuki the way he used to before. There was a time Shuichi would have walked into a room and Hiro would know something was up with him, but these days, he didn't have a clue. Rubbing a hand over his forehead, his frown deepened, this was his fault. He'd let their relationship slide. In his bliss, he'd let go of his best friend which wasn't right. "I need to see him, Suguru. Can you hold down the fort here for a while? I'll visit Yuki and Shuichi."
"That's fine; if you find Shuichi, tell him I finished the composition he wanted."
"Sure," Hiro said walking out of the studio with determined footsteps. His ride to the building that Yuki and Shuichi lived at took fifteen minutes. It was midday and traffic was becoming wild. Pulling into the underground parking lot, he got off his bike and headed for the elevator. On the ride up, he tried to call Shuichi again, but the phone just kept ringing over and over, no one was picking it up. Shrugging, he got off the elevator and walked to their door and knocked. Shuichi had given him a key incase of emergency, but he didn't like using it. So, he knocked again and waited for anyone to answer.
Yuki was in the kitchen swallowing his midday pills when the knock came on the door. Frowning, he swallowed the last of his water and placed the glass on the counter before he headed out of the kitchen. Where the hell was Shuichi when he needed him? Shuichi dealt better with visitors than he did. Shaking his head, he silently added that the visitor was probably there to see Shuichi anyway.
The knock repeated straining his nerves a bit, making it impossible to hide the frown on his forehead even as he pushed the door open. Hiro was standing there in his leather slacks and jacket, his red hair left to fall down his back, every bit the rock star he was. Yuki shrugged at the red head and returned back to the living room leaving Hiro to let himself in.
"Hey, Yuki," Hiro said cheerfully. "How have you been? It's been a while since I saw you. You haven't made it to our concerts recently."
"I've been busy," Yuki replied sinking into the leather couch and closing his eyes. He was so tired, his energy still hadn't returned from his stay at the hospital. Mika was sure to be coming in the next thirty minutes to force feed him. She was taking her role as nurse maid to the extreme. "If you're looking for Shuichi, he's not here."
"Really," Hiro asked as he walked around the couch to settle into an arm chair. "He's not picking my calls; I thought you two were at it."
"He's not here," Yuki replied curtly, his eyes still closed, his head resting on the back of the couch. "I thought he might be with you actually. He has a habit of running to you when things get hard."
Hiro cleared his throat before he said carefully. "Actually, I don't think he's come over to my house in the past couple of months. I'm starting to feel neglected."
"What?" Yuki asked his eyes opening as he sat up to stare at Shuichi's best friend. He knew exactly how many times he'd gotten Shuichi to run out of this apartment. Each time, he'd taken comfort in the fact that Shuichi would probably run to Ryuichi or Hiro. As per Mika, Ryuichi was out of the country right now, so if he wasn't going to Hiro's where the hell was he running to? "Are you sure?"
"Perfectly sure," Hiro replied with a shake of his head. "Lately, he's been a bit withdrawn. I'm starting to get the vibe that something is bothering him. Do you know what it is?"
Yuki rubbed a hand down his face and tried to decipher the situation. Shuichi was keeping their fights a secret from his best friend. This meant that only K and Mika knew about their current problems, and it really didn't make any sense. Hiro was Shuichi's brother. What was that punk thinking?
"Yuki," Hiro prompted again.
"He's fine," Yuki answered looking away from Hiro. He didn't know what to say. The truth was that he was being a bastard to Hiro's best buddy. As much as he relished engaging in punching match, right now he wasn't up to it. Besides, if the punk wanted to keep it from Hiro, it was none of his business. "Shouldn't you be asking him this?"
"I would if he could be found," Hiro said with a sigh. "Did he say where he was going when he left in the morning?"
Yuki kept his gaze fixed on the coffee table at that question. He really didn't know how to answer it without getting explosive. That punk hadn't been home when he'd returned from hospital two days ago. It had hurt more than the ulcer eating him up inside. It made him bitter, but then, he'd made it happen hadn't he. Where the hell was Shuichi?
"He went to work," Yuki said quietly. "You should try calling K; he might know where he's gone to."
"You're right," Hiro said his gaze moving over Yuki.
Yuki, afraid that Hiro might read too much, stood up and said dismissively. "Call me when you hear something. Shuichi is probably doing one of those stunts he pulls. I'll talk to him when he gets home."
"That's fine," Hiro said getting up as well. Giving Yuki a short bow, he started for the door. "Hey, Rico will know where he is anyway."
"Rico," Yuki asked with a frown. Who the hell was Rico?
"Shuichi's driver," Hiro said turning to look at him with a puzzled look.
Yuki nodded and waved his hand. "Oh yes, of course, I remember him. Tell him dinner will be early, if you get him before me."
"Sure," Hiro said, opening the door he left the apartment.
Yuki stared at the closed door for a few minutes before he could move. His mind running through all kinds of thoughts as to where Shuichi went running to, it had always been Hiro, who was it now? Had he found another lover? No, Yuki shook his head. Hiro would know about it. There was no way it was about another lover. Shuichi wouldn't be able to keep up with such a deception. Yuki groaned and ran a hand through his hair.
Mika was due here in minutes, he would ask her. She would know where Shuichi was running to.
Hiro wasn't sure what bothered him more, Shuichi's silence or Yuki's behavior. There was something so wrong about the whole situation. Yuki might be indifferent to Shuichi's flamboyant behavior but the man always knew where Shuichi was. Especially after the kidnapping, the man had taken it upon himself to be informed of Shuichi's monthly schedule. Today, however, Hiro thought as he stood staring at his motorcycle, it was apparent that Yuki really had no idea where Shuichi was.
Pulling out his cell phone from his jacket pocket, he dialed Rico. The driver answered on the third ring.
"What's up Hiro-kun," the man said.
"Hey, where's Shu-chan?"
"We just pulled up to their apartment building," Rico answered. "He told me to give him a few minutes; he just wants to pick a few things."
"Really, alright," Hiro answered and hang up. He turned back to the elevator hoping to catch Shuichi on his way up. It took a few seconds to wait for the elevator; he was back up to their apartment in five minutes. He found the door wide open and had to stare at the sight of Shuichi trying his best to put a hole into Yuki's chest.
"What the hell is wrong with you," Shuichi was screaming. "You didn't think I'd want to know something so important. You lied to me Yuki, you lied to me."
"You're so dramatic," Yuki said with a bored tone. He grabbed at Shuichi's arms but Shuichi pushed away and shook his head. "Where the hell have you been staying anyway? Do you have another lover?"
"Is that all you are thinking about right now?" Shuichi demanded pacing the length of the living room. "If I'm sleeping with someone else, you know, that would probably make you happy wouldn't it. That way, you won't have to deal with me anymore. You'll just kick me out of our house."
"May be I should," Yuki said moving away from him to sink into an arm chair. "It would be better for you."
"You dare say something like that to me," Shuichi asked in surprise. "Yuki, seriously, what have I done to deserve this? I wanted to die when I heard you were in hospital. But then, Mika-san goes and tells me this thing you've kept from me for so long."
"It wasn't her place to tell you," Yuki replied to that.
"She obviously is worried for you," Shuichi bit out. "You don't care what I think, but please think about her for a moment. She's out of her mind with worry, and all you want to do is keep things inside. Who are you helping, because it's certainly not yourself?"
Shuichi ran his fingers through his hair again, the motion seeming like he was digging into his head. Tears streaked down his cheeks as he paced. Hiro couldn't believe the sight of him. He looked ravaged. He was caught in an emotional storm that had him shaking like a leaf. Dark circles graced his eyes, and his hair was disheveled. He'd lost some weight, and it didn't help that the clothes he wore clung to him like a second skin, clearly defining that lean body. His fingers shook as he let go of his hair.
Hiro wanted to cry at the sight of his best friend. What the hell was going on? Why were they fighting? And what were they talking about kicking people out of houses?
"My past is my business, Shuichi," Yuki said coldly. Making Shuichi stop in his tracks to stare at his lover, his eyes filled with anger. "But, I want you to know, if you're sleeping with someone else, I'll kill them."
Shuichi gasped and shook a finger at him. "I hate you," he bellowed with such pain, Hiro couldn't help stepping in.
"What the hell is going on here," Hiro demanded. "Shuichi you look like shit. Where the hell have you been?"
"Yes, Shuichi, do tell us," Yuki said, his golden eyes menacing, they never left Shuichi who'd turned to stare at Hiro in surprise. "Where have you been?"
"Hiro," Shuichi said softly. "What-, How are you here?"
"You weren't picking my calls," Hiro said with a frown. Forgetting to remove his shoes, he walked up to Shuichi and pulled him into his arms hugging him tightly. "Where is your phone? And why are you so upset?"
"I'm sorry," Shuichi said clinging to him tightly. "I must have left it at the hotel room. I just left, I couldn't sleep-
"A hotel room," Yuki said getting to his feet. "Who were you with? Tell me Shuichi, or I'm going to seriously thrash you. You were in a hotel room when I was in hospital?"
Shuichi trembled in Hiro's arms at that reaction, but before Hiro could say anything, Shuichi turned back and glared at Yuki. "Now you care where I was? Three days ago, you didn't care what I ate, or how my day was. But when it comes to having a lover, you want to have a say in it? That's real nice Yuki."
"You punk," Yuki said moving closer, ready to attack, but Hiro deftly pushed Shuichi behind him and blocked him. "Get out of my way, Hiro."
"Chill out," Hiro warned. "You had better take a seat and calm down. I need to understand what's going on here. When did you two start fighting like this? Shuichi what's going on?"
"I need to get some things," Shuichi said trying to move around Hiro. When Yuki moved to intercept, he held out his hands. "You had better stay out of my way right now."
"Shu-chan," Hiro demanded, grabbing his arm tightly. "What do you mean?"
"I can't stay here right now," Shuichi said with a sigh. He hurried to the hallway that would lead him to the bedroom he shared with Yuki.
Hiro stared after him and then his gaze returned back to Yuki. The older man was staring after Shuichi with a devastated look. He wasn't sure what was causing the problem, but they obviously still loved each other. How had things gotten this bad?
"Yuki-san," Hiro said quietly. "Why is Shuichi so upset? Is it true you kicked him out?"
"I did," Yuki said turning away and heading back to the armchair. "Your friend can be so noisy, I couldn't stand it anymore."
"Why are you accusing Shuichi of seeing someone else? You know he's not like that," Hiro said, anger rising at the nonchalant way Yuki was answering him. "You know he loves you right?"
"Love can't be the only thing in a relationship," Yuki snapped. "There are other things that need consideration, and we've reached as far as we're going to go. If he leaves that door today, we're done."
"You are such a bastard," Hiro said shaking his head. He turned and rushed after Shuichi. The master bedroom door was closed, and Hiro knocked gently before he stepped into the cool bright room. His gaze saddening when he it found Shuichi's lean figure lying face down on the king size bed as he cried with heart breaking sobs. "Shuichi," he murmured.
