Living Lies
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, trust me, nothing, I can't even afford to pay for college I'm so broke.
Summary: AU Shuichi Shindou's life can't get worse, he's flunking school, his home life sucks, and his singing career isn't exactly where he would like it to be. Can a new stranger save him for everything, even himself?
Notes: Continuing on…
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Shuichi started to come too noticing right away his throbbing headache. Opening his eyes he realized that was a bad idea and groaned pitifully.
Shuichi started look around and check out his surroundings. The room was immaculately cleaned and there was nothing out of place. In fact, there was nothing at all in the room except the bed, one dresser, the doors to the closet, the door to leave the room, and a night stand with a single lamp and an ash tray. As his eyes kept wandering they finally stopped on a lone figure in the room. Shuichi closed his eyes and hoped the man would disappear.
"Finally awake then?" The voice asked from beside him. Shuichi risked the pain and opened his eyes again, this time focusing them on the face next to him.
"Yes, who are you?" Shuichi asked, not trusting this man even though his beauty far exceeded anything Shuichi had ever seen before. Shuichi couldn't help but blush as his eyes locked on the intense golden eyes of his mysterious stranger.
"The guy you passed out on, you ran into me, fell back and almost cracked your head, and then you pass out leaving me with no other choice then to take you back to my apartment to make sure you didn't die," the man said in a smooth deep voice while he was talking he took out a cigarette and placed it in his mouth.
Shuichi's eyes popped open and against his better judgment he shot up and pulled the cigarette out of his mouth and snapped it in half.
"What the hell did you do that for? That was my last cigarette!" the stranger yelled and Shuichi flinched and covered his head as if expecting to be hit. The stranger looked at his weirdly but didn't say anything further.
"Smoking if bad for you," Shuichi said crossing his arms but quickly thought better of the idea when his ribs protested.
"Whatever, now that your awake leave because I now have to go and get more cigarettes and there is no way I am leaving a brat like you in my house alone," he said. Shuichi scrunched his face up angrily but moved to leave anyway. The stranger didn't move to help him as Shuichi stumbled as his ankle gave out and Shuichi couldn't help but be angry at his lack of help.
"Thanks for all your help jerk," Shuichi spat out as he left the apartment. Getting outside he could see that the sun had gone down already. Shuichi couldn't help be afraid for Maiko; he had left her alone with 'him' all day. Shuichi turned and looked back at the apartment one more time, "Stupid jerk, I didn't even get his name," Shuichi said out loud before turning and walking away from the building.
xoxox
Back at Yuki's apartment he couldn't be more confused. Who the hell was that pink haired brat anyway? First he ran into him and smacked his head hard enough to crack a normal persons head wide open. Then he completely passes out, leaving Yuki only one choice which was to take him home. Then when the kid finally woke up the kid was annoying as hell and loud now that he thought about it.
"Whatever," Yuki mumbled and grabbed his keys, he needed a cigarette and he needed it now.
Glancing back at the bed that had been occupied only a moment before Yuki couldn't help but wonder, 'What was with that kid and why was he covered in bruises?' Not that Yuki was a pervert but when he picked the boy up the shirt rode up and Yuki could see bruises, new and old on the lower part of his boy's stomach. Yuki shook his head to clear his thoughts, what did it matter if the boy had bruises everywhere, he wasn't planning on seeing the boy ever again.
xoxox
Shuichi walked back to his house ignoring the pain in his ankle. All he could think about was Maiko and whether she was alright or not. Looking up at the moon he prayed to whoever would listen that she would be found unharmed.
Shuichi snuck into his house praying to everything possible that for some reason his father wasn't home and hadn't been home all day. When he made it into his room he felt his blood boil at the sight that met him. On his bed was his little sister Maiko sleeping peacefully with a black eye.
Shuichi got ready to turn around and get revenge but something stopped him, it was Maiko's soft voice calling his name in her sleep. Shuichi made his way to his bed and lay down next to her wrapping his arms around her. "Don't worry Maiko, I won't let this happen ever again," he whispered before falling asleep for the night and thanking God that tomorrow was Saturday because there was no way he would have made it to school if it wasn't.
xoxox
Shuichi woke to the sun in his eyes, squinting he looked over to the clock and smiled, waking up at noon was a good thing no matter what the reason. Stretching Shuichi winced at a stab of pain in the back of his head. Feeling around in his hair Shuichi felt the caked on blood in his hair. Slowing getting out of bed he decided a shower was in order.
Feeling refreshed and clean Shuichi put on a black tee and some jeans. Making his way down the stairs Shuichi couldn't help but wince when he saw Maiko's face at the kitchen table.
"What happened last night?" Shuichi asked taking an apple and sitting next to her wanting to touch her face but he was sure it hurt and at this point there was nothing he could do to ease her pain.
"I could ask the same thing," she replied with a cat like smile, she had been worried when her brother hadn't returned last night but when he was sleeping next to her in the morning she figured everything was alright and possibly more. She thought that maybe he had found someone who was going to let him stay safe at their house instead of having him come back to this hell hole every night.
"Nothing happened with me, what I want to know why you have a shiner," Shuichi said seriously.
"Dad hit me," Maiko said simply.
"What? Why?" Shuichi asked incredulously, there was no reason for him to hit her.
"He asked where you were and I told him I didn't know, so he hit me," Maiko said shrugging her shoulders.
"I'm so sorry Maiko," Shuichi said gathering his sister for a hug; she just laughed into his shoulders and stroked the back of his hair like she always does to calm herself, his hair was always so soft and silky. This time however the action caused him to wince.
"Shuichi what happened?" she asked looking at his head seeing the nasty bruise there.
"I bumped into someone yesterday, literally, and I hit my head and then I passed out. The guy brought me to his apartment, he kind of took care of me, but after a rude remark I bolted," Shuichi said, even as he said it he felt a scolding coming on.
"You didn't say thanks?' she yelled.
"I sort of did, but he was really rude so I kind of added Jerk to the end of my thank you," Shuichi said in his defense.
"Well, you need to find him and thank him properly," she said.
"But Hiro said I should stay off my ankle, he said I could cause irreplaceable damage!" Shuichi exclaimed, not catching himself until it was too late.
"How did Hiro know you were hurt?" Maiko asked looking worried.
"I kind of collapsed during school yesterday and Hiro helped me out and bandaged me up. He knows, to an extent at least," Shuichi said, he knew it wasn't just his secret and he wished that Maiko wouldn't be angry with him.
"Oh Shu-chan, are you alright?" she asked, she wasn't angry Hiro knew, she was happy that her brother had someone to talk to and to take care of him properly, as much as she tried she was no doctor and at times wondered if her brother would be permanently scared.
"More or less, I only let Hiro look at my ankle and he said to stay off of it for a few days and ice it so I'm going to do that. Just be lazy around the house," Shuichi said excitedly.
"How is that any different from any other Saturday?" Maiko asked laughing at her brother's easy excitement.
"This one is totally justifiable," Shuichi explained like she should have already known that. Shuichi flashed a 100 watt smile and limped over to the couch.
"Well if you can't thank him want to give me his address so I can thank your mysterious savior?" Maiko asked wanting to get out of the house.
"I don't know, it was quiet a walk, and he might not even remember me, and he might be rude, after all I did run out on him. I don't think it is a good idea," Shuichi said without taking a breath in between but managing to blush when he thought of the man's face.
"I'll be alright, and this guy needs a thanking. I want some fresh air anyway," Maiko said trying to reason with him. She had baked some muffins that morning and this mysterious person was a perfect reason to get out of the house. And she couldn't wait to meet the man that made her brother blush, he had never outwardly before. Walking over to the freezer she got out some ice and placed it carefully on her brother's elevated ankle.
"Alright, I'm going to nap anyway. He lives on Chestnut Street in the Sakura apartment complex, apartment 4 I think," Shuichi said closing his eyes. Maiko smiled and kissed her brother on the forehead. Running upstairs she put on some make-up to make sure her shiner wasn't showing, satisfied with her job she went back down stairs.
Maiko took one more look at her sleeping brother, took her basket of muffins, and left the house. It was nice to be out in the sun and she couldn't wait to meet he guy that had caught her brother's eye.
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Alright, so I ended up writing two different chapter 4s but I liked this one the best. Tell me what you all think!!
