A/N: Fair warning...we all know what's headed Takahiro's way around this point :/

Chapter 7: Crush

Takahiro had been a giddy, excited mess all week.

The first reason was that he had received an acceptance letter to his top choice, M University, which felt all the more rewarding because he hadn't been confident that his application was up to snuff (he suspected that without Usagi's help studying for the placement exams, it might not have been).

The second reason was that, after Takahiro's run in with a tearful Hiroki outside the Usami estate, he hadn't quite been able to shake that weird feeling, and it was making his thoughts jittery and disorganized.

At first, he had thought it was just a reaction to learning that the other teen was gay, and in love with his best friend. It set him thinking about things he had never considered before. He spent many hours mulling over it, expecting that the weird feeling would slowly normalize, but instead, he found the opposite happening. He couldn't seem to get the image Hiroki out of his head—except now, the image was doing some pretty indecent things.

By the end of the week, there was no denying it. Takahiro definitely had a crush on Hiroki.

He had found Hiroki intimidating and attractive from the first moment he laid eyes on him, but this in and of itself wasn't that strange for a mere first impression. Once he actually talked to Hiroki, he found his snappy sarcasm refreshing, and enjoyed his company. (People usually felt the need to be very nice and polite to Takahiro because he was a nice, polite person, but in truth, a nice, polite conversation often gets a little boring). However, it wasn't until he saw Hiroki crying that Takahiro was truly a goner. It was an unfortunate truth that he was attracted to angst (Usagi's piercing, tormented stories had been irresistible). He was also fascinated by the contradiction of Hiroki's ferocity and vulnerability. By extending a helping hand, Takahiro had instantly fallen victim to his own impulses.

However, while Takahiro was certain that he was developing feelings for Hiroki, he felt just as sure that they were not exclusive.

He was all too aware of the girls in his classes (though goodness knows he was too courteous to ever say anything), and it was just this tendency to look a girl in the face as opposed to anywhere else that had practically every female in his school vying for his affections (including a few teachers). He hadn't pursued anything because of a lack of interest, but more because he was overwhelmed with choice at the moment.

These thoughts all co-habited Takahiro's mind surprisingly comfortably, and so, as with everything else, Takahiro chose to simply go with the flow.

All in all, it was a pretty good week, and the warmth of spring in the air only heightened his cheerful mood.

Mind abuzz with all kinds of exciting thoughts and plans for the future, Takahiro hummed as he opened the cupboard, extracting various pots and pans in preparation for dinner.

"Oniichan, what are you making?"

"Hi kiddo!" Takahiro said, turning to his younger brother with an armful of food clutched to his chest. He hip-checked the refrigerator door closed. "I was going to make a rice omelet tonight. Sound good?"

"Yum!" Misaki answered, sneezing once before he clambered onto the stool next to the counter. His feet dangled just above the last rung. "Can I help?"

"Did you finish your homework?" Takahiro said sternly, peering over the top of his glasses and fixing his brother with a mock serious gaze.

Misaki gulped (he hadn't finished his homework).

Takahiro started laughing and broke into a huge smile.

"I'm only joking! Of course you can help...can you set the table for me?"

Misaki scrambled to get down from the stool at the same time he gave a violent sneeze, body shaking hard enough to lose his balance and slip off. Takahiro grabbed him at the last second and had been about to scold him for not being more careful when he noticed Misaki's flushed face and red-rimmed nose.

"Thanks oniichan," the boy said, sniffing loudly.

"Misaki, are you sick?" Takahiro asked.

"No, I'm fine," Misaki insisted, making a huge effort to brighten up.

"Don't lie to me...you have a fever, don't you!" Takahiro said, placing a hand on his little brother's forehead and feeling the heat radiating into his palm. He felt guilty that he hadn't noticed earlier. His parents had been out of town for the last few days, so Misaki had been under his care, but in truth, Takahiro had been so mentally elsewhere that he wasn't paying as much attention as usual to his younger sibling.

"Maybe," Misaki finally admitted, looking ashamed. "I'm sorry, oniichan. I didn't want to trouble you."

"Misaki, go to bed and I'll bring you medicine, and some dinner when I'm finished cooking," Takahiro said firmly.

"But—"

"Now!" Takahiro admonished.

"Ok," Misaki said miserably, quietly entering his room and shutting the door partway. Takahiro could hear the dresser drawers open as his brother shuffled around for his pajamas.

Takahiro put the water on to boil, then went to check the top cupboard where he thought they kept the medicines. He scanned the shelf but didn't see any, so he decided to ring his mother.

"Hi okaachan," Takahiro said, phone propped between his shoulder and his ear while he used both hands to open various other cupboards. "Where do we keep the cold medication? I thought it was in the cupboard above the sink, but I can't find it anywhere."

"Hi Taka-chan...I keep all the medication bottles under the bathroom sink," his mother answered. "Are you feeling ill?"

"I think Misaki has a fever," Takahiro said, hurrying to the bathroom. "But it's ok, I have everything under control."

"I'm sure you do," she said, "but actually, I have good news. We finished up our work early and were planning on leaving tomorrow morning to surprise you, but I don't see any reason why we can't leave tonight instead."

"Oh," Takahiro said, feeling enormously relieved. Though he was certain he could take good care of his brother, in all truth he would be glad to get a second opinion. "It would be nice to see you. Let me see what Misaki thinks."

Takahiro crept up to the door and peered into his brother's room. Misaki was sitting placidly in bed, covers tucked up to his chin, reading a manga.

"Hi buddy," Takahiro said, entering without knocking as his hands were full with the medicine and a glass of water. He handed them to the boy and rescued the phone from his shoulder. "Want to talk to mom? She says her and dad are going to head back early!"

Misaki quickly gulped the water and the pills, sloshing a bit onto the cover in his haste to get his hands on the phone.

"Okaachan!" he said cheerfully, though Takahiro could hear the stuffy nose muffling his bright tone. "Mmmhmm..alright...I will. Hurry home, okay?" He handed the phone back to Takahiro.

"I'm gonna go finish dinner," Takahiro explained as he exited and made a beeline for the now boiling pot of water. "See you soon."

He spent the next thirty minutes cooking, his actions mechanical as he was lost in thought.

When the rice omelet was finally ready, he spooned some onto a plate for Misaki and walked to his room, bringing an extra apron to spread on the bed in case his brother spilled anything again. However, a quick peek through the door showed Misaki fast asleep, manga propped open on his chest, rising and falling with each breath.

"So cute," Takahiro whispered, setting the plate down on the nightstand as he gently removed the book, carefully marking his brother's place, and shut off the light. He picked the plate up again and exited the room, shutting the door behind him.

He sat down on the stool in the kitchen, feeling oddly lonely in the quiet house. He suddenly had an idea. He grabbed his phone again and dialed. The other line picked up on the second ring.

"Ah, Takahiro!" the voice on the phone purred.

"Usagi-chan!" Takahiro said. "Are you hungry? I just remembered your parents are out of town also, and I know you hate cooking. Misaki is sick and fell asleep before dinner, so now I have way too much food."

"How kind of you to think of me," Usagi answered. "I'm starving." (In truth, the cook had prepared dinner a half hour ago).

"Please come over," Takahiro said eagerly. "Would you mind? My parents are heading home, but they won't arrive for a while yet."

"I'd love to," Usagi answered. "Let's see how fast I can get there. I want to try and beat my previous time," he chuckled. Akihiko had just received a sports car from his grandfather as his early graduation gift.

"Drive safely," Takahiro reminded him responsibly. "I'll see you soon."

They hung up, and Takahiro stood, deciding to wash the dishes and tidy up a little before Usagi arrived. Not ten minutes later, he heard the buzzer for his apartment ring.

That sure was fast, Takahiro thought as he buzzed Usagi up, not even bothering to check who it was. That idiot. He definitely sped on the way here.

He heard a firm knock on the door. Takahiro hurried to open it, the rubber dishwashing gloves still on his hands, prepared to lecture his friend on obeying the rules of the road.

Instead, the door swung open to reveal two police officers.

"Takahashi-san?" one of them asked, removing his hat.

"Yes?" Takahiro said, as politely as he could while trying to ignore the terrible, terrible feeling that was rising quickly through his whole body.

"I'm sorry to tell you there's been an accident," the man said, his voice heavy. Takahiro's mind leapt to Usagi immediately, so the officer's next words still caught him completely off guard.

"Your parents are dead."

A/N: There are all kinds of heartbreak in this world, but there is a huge, huge difference between an unrequited love and the death of a loved one. I have experienced both. That is the reason I will NOT be writing about this terrible part of the Takahashi's lives—the next chapter skips ahead some time, and after a few moments of reflection the story picks up again.

Please, reviews would mean the world to me :) so since we're halfway through the story at this point, I'd appreciate it a lot if you'd let me know you're out there, or if you have any suggestions/questions/requests! And thank you thank you thank you to MioMisaki, damons-hot-as-hell, FruityJunior, and especially puutiti for the reviews so far :D