Echo Park
Here
I lie watching the cars on the highway
You're one of those lights
that's driving away
I'm standing in the dark wondering where you
are
I'm leaving my heart here in Echo Park.
-
Eiri is starting to scare me.
He's friendly AND is interested in my welfare.
I don't know if I want him to stay this way.
Okay, so fine, maybe it isn't that bad.
But what about Shuichi, then?
-
Shuichi walked beside Yuki, listening to the blond talk animatedly.
Yuki had brought him to an amusement park, and the two of them were taking a break from exhilarating roller coasters. Shuichi licked his ice cream and tilted his head to the side to look at Yuki.
He could barely believe that just a few weeks ago their positions had been reversed: Yuki the quiet, 'shy' one; him doing all the talking.
"It's really weird, you know, I mean, it's hard to believe isn't it, Shuichi? Can I call you Shuichi?" Yuki asked, pausing to smile at the boy.
Shuichi had to laugh at Yuki's abrupt change in character.
"Yes, of course." He said.
"Hey, it's Tatsuha!" Shuichi cried, pointing at the boy, who was leaning over the rail of the bridge looking down at the couples riding out of the tunnel of love. He was talking to another boy, most likely a friend of his.
Yuki chuckled. "Let's not bother him. By the way, do you know if he has a girlfriend yet? A serious one, I mean. I know us Uesugis are sluts by nature." he said jokingly.
Shuichi was reminded of his problems by Yuki's innocent question.
"I don't really know…from what I've heard he's been going at them weekly…." He answered.
Yuki's eyes widened. "He's that bad, is he?"
Shuichi shrugged, cramming the remainder of his ice cream into his mouth.
"Come on, Eiri, let's go ride something else." He said, grabbing the writer's sleeve. He didn't want to have to deal with the fact that he was Yuki's friend, and only that.
He didn't know if he would be able to heal.
--
"Ryu, was it?" Tatsuha asked, turning back to look at the blond boy.
"Yep." Ryuichi replied cheerfully. His fingers formed a gun and he pretended to snipe at the people below them.
"Are you and Shuichi like classmates or something?" he asked.
Ryuichi laughed. "Me? No way. I'm a singer."
Tatsuha raised an eyebrow. 'Oh really? Then how come I've never heard of you?"
"I don't know…I thought I was pretty popular." Ryuichi said, faking a thoughtful look.
Tatsuha punched him in the arm playfully.
"Hey, you wanna go do something?" he asked, gesturing towards the rides.
"Sure. What do you want to do?" Ryuichi asked, following Tatsuha.
"I don't know…anything but the Ferris Wheel. I hate that thing. It scares the skin outta me." He said shuddering.
"What? The height? Aren't roller coasters just as bad?" Ryuichi asked, looking up at the little children on the ride.
"I guess roller coasters are so fast I don't really have time to feel scared, huh?" Tatsuha said.
Ryuichi looked around for the largest and most terrifying ride.
"Okay, so how about that one?"
Tatsuha studied it for a minute.
"I like the way you think." He yelled, before racing Ryuichi to the ride.
--
The day was quietly slipping into night, one by one the people left the amusement park.
Shuichi sat on a bench beside Yuki, under the glow of a flickering street light.
"Shuichi, you know….I've been thinking….about, you know…us." Yuki said quietly. He looked Shuichi in the eyes.
Shuichi looked away, the excitement of the day quickly dying away.
He had been content with just spending a day with Yuki; he didn't want it to end. Not yet.
He didn't speak, so Yuki continued in his soft tone.
"I know you and I used to be something. Everyone knows it, I don't remember it, and now I –I can't feel anything for you anymore." Yuki said. "You know that, don't you?"
Shuichi nodded, bowing his head. His skin and throat prickled and his knew that hot tears had gathered in his eyes.
"I'm sorry." Yuki reached over and grabbed his arm. The feel of Yuki's touch made it hurt more than ever. "Shuichi? Look at me, please."
Slowly, he willed himself to turn and face the man he loved, even knowing that Yuki didn't love him back. His eyes met Yuki's and a single tear slid down his cheek.
"I was thinking, and you might hate me for this, but- Shuichi, do you want to kiss me?"
Shuichi didn't speak at first, scanning Yuki disbelievingly. Then he spoke: "You…you s-sure?" he asked, his voice quivering.
"It's alright. I owe you this much at least, this time it's goodbye."
Shuichi closed his eyes, savoring the kiss. The same warm lump in his throat felt like it wouldn't go away, and finally the two of them broke apart.
Shuichi looked down, tears sliding down his face. He wiped them away, fighting back the irresistible urge to scream and cry.
"Come on, Shuichi. I'll walk you back."
"N-no…it's okay. Thanks for today, Yuki. I had a great time." He said.
"Goodbye, Shuichi."
He heard the hesitation in Yuki's voice, then his footsteps walked off and slowly died away.
"Goodbye, Yuki." He whispered, finally raising his head.
And then the tears poured like rain.
-
Finally, an update! Yay! –looks around and sees no one- Hey, where did everyone go? Guys, I'm back! Cookie?
This has become like a ShuichiYuki fic more that TatsuRyu…..cripes. Don't worry though, all I need to do is work out a conflict and it'll become a full scale TR.
Review, please! Thanks for all the reading and for the reviews, people! I love you guys!
