"Eiri, wake up already!"

The man in question simply rolled onto his side, dragging the covers with him and tossing them over his head. It was just too early to humor Shuichi.

"Dammit, Eiri, I said-- Wake! Up!

Eiri growled in frustration as the covers were somehow yanked from his hands and off his warm body, leaving him exposed to the bright, brittle cold.

"Dammit yourself, Shuichi. I'm trying to sleep, bastard, and it's too early to be up!"

Shuichi only grinned at his lover. Lion-colored eyes studied him unblinkingly, but Shuichi held his ground, determined not to waver under the intense gaze. Finally, Eiri gave up and looked away. Shuichi reveled in his small victory, and before Eiri knew it, his pink-haired half had burrowed under the covers, wrapping extremely cold arms around his comfortably warm stomach.

"Shuichi, I'll give you three seconds to get off of me."

Shuichi only snuggled closer, slipping his cold fingers down under the waist of Eiri's pajama bottoms, then under the fabric of his boxers. His hand was almost where he wanted it when Eiri swung at him.

Shuichi dodged the blow with speed that would have made a cheetah proud. Eiri himself was a little surprised when he encountered just air where Shuichi's face should have been. He looked around, startled to find the room apparently empty-- until Shuichi poked his head up over the side of the bed.

Expecting it, Eiri's fist met squarely with the top of the pale pink skull.

"OW! What the hell, Eiri?!"

Shuichi looked up, his hands over the throbbing spot on his head. His eyes were narrowed, turning a deep storm purple.

"I did tell you I was trying to sleep."

Eiri shrugged, running one hand through his hair and turning away from Shuichi. The more sensitive boy rubbed his head, eyes widening to almost impossible proportions, tears welling and making them shine. Just when he was about to let loose with the waterworks, Eiri turned back to him, eyes less hostile and a small smile on his lips.

"Shuichi, did you really think I forgot?"

Shuichi only turned on his happy waterworks.

*~*

"Mika, it's about Yuki."

Mika dropped a cinnamon stick into her mug of hot cocoa and stirred it around a couple of times. Then she turned around, leaning against the counter as she studied Touma.

"What about him?"

"He's gotten out."

Mika frowned, cocking her head a little.

"Gotten out of what? I wasn't aware that he was in any trouble."

Touma, who had been standing with his head down and eyes closed, looked up and pinned his wife with his aquamarine gaze.

Mika gasped, and the mug slipped from her fingers, making a dull thud on the tile floor, chocolate spilling out around her feet. Realization swept over her, and her eyes filled with fear.

"Touma, what about Eiri? He doesn't know anything about this and if Yuki comes back…"

Touma stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, comforting and protective. Mika clung to him, shaking slightly.

"Be calm. I've got people watching the airports, and if he shows up, we'll be the first to know."

Touma held her closer as she cried, hoping that Yuki was caught-- and soon.