A/N: This is chapter 2! Yay! It's in the present. :nod: I'll try to put a small poem in the beginning of the chapters that move normally.

Chapter Two: Frost

(This chapter is in the present. Time will move normally.)

The signs of winter given away

Late in the fall at the beginning of the day

As cold frost coats leaves

That were thrown cruelly from their trees.

"Get out of my space, fag," Yuki hissed, shoving Shuichi unceremoniously out of his office.

Shuichi sighed and frowned. He was used to it by now. The man had deadlines… But…

This sort of behavior from Yuki was becoming more and more frequent… unfortunately for Shuichi Shindou, because he was the one who would be hit, cussed at, or even, thrown from the room he shared with his novelist lover, Eiri Yuki.

It had been going on for far too long to be a stage, and even Tohma had noticed Yuki's sullen behavior… This was bad.

Shuichi trudged down the hall, and turned on the television to the music channel where a video by his friend's, Ryuichi Sakuma, band was playing. It was their newest song, called "Meddle". It was really good…

Shuichi resisted the urge to hum along. He didn't want another excuse for Eiri to come beat the snot out of him. It was becoming awkward at work, explaining the bruises. Of course, most believed him, having seen the infamous Shuichi Shindou trip over nothing but air molecules.

Only Tohma, Hiro, and strangely enough, Ryuichi had become suspicious; questioning him every time a new one showed. Suguru, K, and Sakano still remained blissfully ignorant, laughing along with Shuichi as he admitted to tripping over a shoelace, bumping into a door, or flat out face planting on cement.

Shuichi's stomach grumbled. He sighed, turning off the television, finding it an hour later from when he sat down, and his face wet. He sighed, wiped his face, and toddled down the hall to get ready to go buy some dinner. Yuki didn't cook for him anymore, either.

Crying really does make you hungry, he thought, pulling on a jacket, sunglasses, and a hat. He stepped into to the cool autumn air, breathing in the freshness. He closed the door behind him, peering into his wallet.

"Enough for dinner and a tip, maybe a taxi…" he murmured, pushing up his shades.

He strolled down the sidewalk, humming to himself. The tune to Nittle Grasper's new song really was infectious, and he soon found himself singing.

It made him feel better.

"Look! It's a Shu-chan, Kumagoro!"

Shuichi turned to see his idol, Ryuichi Sakuma, rushing towards him.

"Where's yah going?" Ryuichi asked, bouncing up to the pink-headed singer.

"Dinner."

"How cool!" Ryu bubbled. "That's where me an' Kumagoro are going to! I know!" the man brightened, the proverbial light bulb going off over his head. "We should eat together!"

Before Shuichi could protest, Ryuichi grabbed the boy, and dragged him down the sidewalk.

"Where are we going, Sakuma-san?!" Shuichi cried, rushing to keep up with the brunette.

"To Kumagoro's favorite restaurant!"

Shuichi sat across from Ryu, who was scribbling on the children's menu he asked for.

Shifting uncomfortably, the boy looked around the place.

It was a well-kept pizzeria. The smell of pizza crust and cheese wafted deliciously across the air. It made Shuichi sick to his stomach.

"Why did you take me here?"

"So we could eat together!" Ryuichi chimed. "And besides, we're friends, right, Shu-chan?"

Shuichi sighed. "Of course we are Sakuma-san." He really didn't want to deal with the older man's incessant and childish rantings. He was in one of those moods where all you want to do is stay alone and have a pity party.

Ryuichi grinned happily. "Me an' Kumagoro wanted to talk to you, too! See, Shu-chan's being very distant at work right now. His singing is suffering."

Shuichi sighed. He knew. It was one of those things that he couldn't concentrate on. "I've not been able to concentrate well, is all. It will be fine, Sakuma-san."

With a sigh, the brunette leaned across the table, serious. Waving away Shuichi's assurances, he dug immediately into the problem; "Shuichi, it's not one of those things that are 'fine'. You're becoming depressed."

"I'm not!" Shuichi snapped. "I'm just having a rough spot with Yuki. It'll blow over."

Ryu leaned back in his seat. "You said that six months ago, when we all first noticed."

Shuichi scowled. He strained his ears for a moment, and caught brief strains of music coming out of old speakers; he recognized it as Nittle Grasper's new song. Well, there's why Ryuichi was suddenly not all sunshine and pink bunnies. He almost preferred the bubblegum cuteness to the severity.

"I'll be fine! We love each other, and…" Shuichi was abruptly cut off by the arrival of their food. He picked up a slice of the cheese pizza and took a bite, looking for an excuse to not talk. As much as the smell made him sick, he ate hungrily.

Ryuichi ate as well, carefully watching Shuichi.

Once he was sure Shuichi was done cramming his mouth full, he addressed the matter again. "You're becoming frosty, Shuichi. You've pushed away all who care for you."

Shuichi scowled, then stood. "Thank you for your opinion and dinner, Sakuma-san. But I'm perfectly fine," he muttered, leaving.

Ryuichi sighed. "We tried, Kumagoro-chan. We tried…"

Yuki locked him out again. Shuichi sighed. It was midnight, and he had nowhere to go. Certainly not to Hiro's. He loved the man, but he really didn't want anyone prying into his life anymore.

Shuichi pushed off the ground, closing his eyes as he felt himself fly through the frosty air. Winter was coming he knew…

'I ought to get an apartment…' Shuichi mused as he swung back and forth, his boots crunching against the frost forming quickly on the ground.

'Yuki's like this frost… sudden, but harsh. It strangles the ground, the grass… it kills them. He's going to kill me one day.'