Disclaimer: Dude, I am so screwed up right now.

Misaki: Well, yeah…you write Yaoi fanfiction. You're all screwed up.

Chey: No. This is not normal screwed up. This is not even pissed at the world screwed up.

Misaki: Then what is it?

Chey: This is: I have nothing to do screwed up.

Misaki: Meaning?

Chey: Under normal circumstances, I can do something, anything. And I can do that and two other things. But this is something that has only happened once before and it's scary.

Misaki: Spit it out already.

Chey: *dramatic whisper* I fall into a hysterical cleaning frenzy.

Misaki: …

Chey: Shut up, it's like cleaning OCD but only for a brief time. See, the problem is I have no work or school to keep me doing something needful for part of the day. But I have nothing for the next four days and I am slowly…losing…my…mind.

Misaki: So, you don't own Junjou Romantica?

Chey: Isn't that what I was saying?

Misaki: Okaaaaay, your mind really is going.

Chey: Yup.

Day Three—Afternoon

Because of the lateness of the hour when Ijuuin became functional and Hanehara's awakening, breakfast never actually came to fruition. Instead, Misaki served an early lunch that he and Hanehara-san ate at the dining table and Ijuuin nibbled at, at his drawing table.

Things were finally wrapping up. Misaki, satisfied that all would be well long before midnight, slipped away after cleaning up the kitchen to pack his bag and make sure he was ready to go. He didn't want to overstay his welcome and he also didn't much care for the strange looks he'd been getting from Sensei. They reminded him of Usagi-san when he was in a mood to be…recreational.

"Takahashi-kun?" Misaki jumped at the sound of Ijuuin in the doorway.

He spun and laughed awkwardly. "Ah, Sensei, I was just making sure everything was ready to go for when you're all finished up."

"But you aren't leaving immediately, are you? Inking will still have to be done and then there's dinner. I'm treating you. No assistant has ever gotten me to meet a deadline when I was this far behind." Ijuuin smiled sparklingly.

Misaki blushed. "You really don't have to do that."

Ijuuin shook his head. "I'm not taking no for an answer. I need you to come out and celebrate with me."

"And Hanehara-san."

Ijuuin shrugged. "In case you haven't noticed, she's not exactly social. I'll ask her but I doubt she'll say yes. She might even laugh in my face." He chuckled. "And then how will you feel, knowing that my assistant thinks I'm foolish enough to ask her to dinner?"

Misaki rolled his eyes but smiled anyway. "You should still ask her."

"I said I would." Ijuuin sighed loudly. Then he reached out and touched Misaki's shoulder. Heat flooded his fingertips. It had been a long time since he'd felt anything touching anyone. Misaki brought out something in him that he was pretty sure he'd quashed years and years ago. No one could maintain a real life and write a popular manga at the same time. He'd stopped thinking about love, just being with random people, mostly women, some men, was enough. Though it had been more men of late. More, brunet, young men who were discreet or didn't recognize him as a Mangaka. Some had green eyes, though that was hard to come by.

Instead, he got a quick fix more and more often. It was why he was so late with this deadline to begin with. He'd been so focused on the club scene, for lack of a better word, that he'd forgotten all about his art. He'd been trying to focus, but that hadn't been enough. Then the best thing possible had happened: the opportunity to get Takahashi Misaki in his arms. Or, at least, in his apartment for an extended period of time.

He wasn't about to squander this. Misaki would just have to be dragged along, kicking and screaming if necessary. This packing thing Misaki was doing had to stop.

"You know, you don't have to hurry to pack. I've still got plenty to do and it might take until after dinner, though not likely so—"

Before he could finish, Misaki's phone buzzed loudly on the dresser. He spun quickly and ran to it. "Hello?"

"Takahashi-kun, how are things?" The editor was quiet. Not quiet like calm and quiet. Quiet like barely contained horror, fear and/or panic.

"Things are fine. They're going great actually." Misaki laughed loudly and waved Ijuuin back to work. "Sensei is making a lot of progress. And Hanehara-san is keeping up. She's actually very close to catching up to Sensei."

"Excellent." His relief was palpable. "Thanks, Takahashi-kun. Keep working him like a dog. I want the chapter by midnight."

"I think you'll actually have it by dinnertime," Misaki replied.

"Maybe we should put you on everyone who has a deadline coming up." The editor laughed. "Call me when Sensei's finished and then when Hanehara-san catches up. They'll both do inking once Sensei is finished outlining so it will go faster."

"Yes, sir," Misaki replied and ended the call.

Misaki set the phone aside and finished packing. When he stuck his head out, Ijuuin was working hard and Hanehara-san was inking, her pen darting furiously over a paper. He slipped between them, going to the kitchen. En route, he glanced at their mugs and saw they both needed refills. Evidently they were desperate enough for the stuff that they were not only making do with the instant coffee, but mass consuming it. He might have to get more packets at this rate.

The moment he was in the kitchen and out of hearing range, Hanehara opened her mouth and said, "You really shouldn't flirt with the Marukawa assistants."

Ijuuin looked up from his work. "I missed the part where this is any of your business."

Hanehara shrugged. "It's not…until it is."

Ijuuin looked fixedly back at his work. "I'm serious."

"You're an idiot."

That effectively ended the conversation as both of them got back to work and Misaki returned with fresh coffee.

To be continued…

Chey: Ugh, that took forever. Sorry for my updating issues.

Misaki: Please, now you're just drawing it out.

Chey: So what? I'm putting off the inevitable now.

Misaki: Jeez, I'm practically ready to just get it over with.

Chey: Next chapter then. How's that?

Akihiko: Uh, don't I get a say in this?

Chey: No. Readers, please review and tell me what you think. Usagi-san, be quiet.

Thanks for reading!

~CheyanneChika