Chapter One

Maguri sighed as he sat in the living room of his apartment, which he shared with Takanari. He had been lazing out on their couch for roughly three hours, and had no plans on moving anytime soon. However, Takanari had other ideas for him. For the last half hour, he had been trying to convince Maguri to get up, and at least change out of his pajamas. It was four in the after noon, after all.

"Maguri, c'mon, we're supposed to be at Haine's in ten minutes. Maora is going to be really disappointed if he doesn't see you there," Takanari said from his room, as he put on his shoes, and then headed out into the living room. He stood in front of the TV, which Maguri's eyes had been glued the entire time he spent on the couch, and gave his friend a disapproving look. Maguri only yawned, and flopped his hand in a lazy motion for Takanari to move.

"Busy. Watching TV. Move please," he said, avoiding the issue al together. No one else knew about the spat that him and Maora had before Maora left to go to America. And according to all their friends, they were still the best of friends, and potentially a couple. According to Maguri however, they were basically through.

"Maguri. Stop it, what's wrong with you? Why don't you want to go see Maora?" Takanari drilled on, not budging from in front of the television. Maguri picked up the controlled and flicked it off, figuring that if he couldn't watch television, then he'd take a nap. His head rolled back onto the arm rest, and he closed his eyes. Although slightly irritated by his friend's insistence that he move, he understood Takanari's concern. Maguri was a social person, he loved his friends, even if he acted crazy and possessive sometimes.

"Shizun," Maguri whined, Takanari rolling his eyes at the old nickname Maguri refused to let go of. "I just…well, I can't. I'll explain it to you later. But I can't go."

Takanari sighed, partly in frustration and partly in concern. He had noticed Maguri was acting differently the last few days, ever since he got that letter from Maora actually, but wanted to respect Maguri's privacy. If he wanted to tell him what was up, then he would have. He didn't think it would go as far as Maguri avoiding being around after Maora had returned though.

"Alright," Takanari said, and turned to leave, stopping in the doorway to look over his shoulder at Maguri, who had turned to TV back on, and was staring at the glowing screen. "At least get dressed or do something."

"Yeah, yeah," Maguri said, waving him off.

"And me and Haine won't be here for supper, so fend for yourself."

"Yeah, I know. Now go, you're already going to be late enough."

Takanari left. Maguri grabbed the pillow behind his back, and clutched it to his chest, burying his face into the soft fabric. "Stupid Shizun. Stupid Maora," he muttered, the sound coming out sounding like more of a muffled mumbling rather then actual, coherent words. This was followed by a sniffle, then a cough, then the pillow flying across the room, hitting the opposite wall, and falling to the floor.

When Takanari got home that night - around 11:30 - Maguri had fallen asleep on the couch. His dishevelled clothing was the same as when Takanari had left. The only thing that had moved was the pillow on the floor against a wall, and a bucket of chocolate ice cream was melting on the coffee table. He had to give Maguri some props though, because his shirt was at least half off, which meant that he had made an attempt to stay true to his word. Takanari sighed, and cleaned up the mess his room mate had made, turning off the still glowing TV, and putting away various snacks Maguri had used to sustain himself the duration of the day. Then, with the disappointed shake of his head, he retrieved a blanket from Maguri's room, and draped it over the sleeping boy.

"Stupid Maguri," he muttered, and began to walk towards his room.

The next morning when Maguri awoke, he sat up on the couch, blinking lazily as the sunlight through the window burned his retinas. "Did something crawl up and die in my mouth?" he muttered, and then winced when a cup of coffee was slamming down onto the table beside him. He looked up blearily to see Takanari giving him a critical glare.

"You didn't brush your teeth, I'm assuming," he said, turning towards their kitchenette while sipping his own coffee. Maguri stared at the cup of steaming coffee as Takanari gave him no chance to speak.

"I see you didn't change like you said you would either."

"But I--"

"Maguri, you have five minutes to drink that coffee. Then you're going to get up off that couch, go get dressed, and come back here, where you will proceed to tell me why the hell you are so depressed."

"Shizun I--"

"Don't give me anymore excuses. You weren't there to see the look on Maora's face last night when he saw that you weren't coming. " He pointed an accusing finger at Maguri, while still holding something that looked like pity in his expression. "I didn't know what to tell him when he asked me why. I said that you were busy, and that you'd meet with him another time."

Maguri stared into his coffee for the moment of silence that had settled over them. He didn't really have much to say anymore. Maora was trying to repair the friendship, but Maguri still didn't want to deal with it. He took a sip of the coffee (which he now had three minutes to finish drinking).

"So you're going to lunch with him this afternoon."

Upon hearing this, he choked on the mouthful of liquid. Eyes widening he turned to his room mate. "You didn't!"

Takanari raised an eyebrow, and then smirked.

"You didn't! You're just joking!"

"You're going to work out your issues," Takanari said, and then delivered what was to be the end of their conversation, "whether you like it, or not."