Story: Reverses Collide

Anime: Gravitation

Chapter 10: Deterioration

"Shuichi!! Shuichi!!" Eiri screamed as hard as he could. It was still so dark outside even if it wasn't that late because of the transition from winter to spring, and though it wasn't raining anymore, everything was slippery. Eiri had already fallen on his ass a few times. But now matter how badly it hurt, he knew he had to get to where Shuichi was.

Though the note Shuichi had left him did not say specifically where his destination would be or why he was leaving Eiri, Eiri just knew what it meant. He only had enough time to run to one place. The park where they had met. Eiri could only hope that Shuichi had chosen that spot. The railing that got a beautiful view of Tokyo. The railing that guarded people from falling down a dangerous cliff.

Eiri couldn't feel his legs he was running so fast. His throat was so dry from breathing heavily. Every time his body wanted to give into the pain, memories of Shuichi reminded it why he had to endure the torture. He finally made it to the location. Eiri's heart raced and fell when he didn't see Shuichi in sight.

"I…was wrong?" Eiri breathed heavily. Then where is he? Shuichi…where did you go? He asked himself desperately. "Where are you?!" He fell to his knees on the wet ground, not understanding a thing that was happening. Did you run away? Did you get on a plane? Did you…kill yourself? Eiri felt helpless and started to cry. What made it worse is he knew no one was hearing him. No one was going pick him up and tell him it would be ok and that Shuichi was safe. He didn't know what to do. If he called the police, how would they find him? Eiri dragged himself home, deciding to wait a day to see if news came up at all before he started to panic even more.

The next day Eiri showed up for work expecting Hiroshi and Suguru to be taking the day off if Shuichi had committed suicide. Bracing himself to see an empty recording room, he walked in holding a breath. Though, it thoroughly surprised him to see Hiroshi practicing on his guitar.

Confused, he spoke up to get Hiroshi's attention, "Hey, have you seen Shuichi?"

Hiroshi looked up, also confused, "What are you talking about?"

Eiri shook his head, "Never mind." He went to leave the room when Hiroshi spoke again.

"No…you mean…he didn't tell you?"

Eiri turned around quickly, "Tell me what?" He tried to keep calm, not knowing what the severity of what he was going to be told.

Hiroshi blinked just as confused as Eiri, "He left Japan, Eiri."

Eiri's heart dropped, "What…? Why?"

Hiroshi shook his head, "He just called me this morning telling me not to get all panicked. That's all I know."

Eiri felt frozen. Why Shuichi? Why couldn't you tell me? I was so worried about you…

"Eiri…you don't look well…why don't you take today off?" Noriko asked from the back of the room.

"Yeah…I'll do that…" Dazed he nodded and slipped out of the recording room.

In the elevator, Eiri closed out all the senses around him. Who would know where he is? I have to find him…I need him… A memory came back to him from not too long after Eiri's birthday.

"Eiri, stop leaving your crap on the floor already!" Shuichi said irritated. It was probably the twelfth time today that he had tripped over Eiri's belongings.

"It's not crap! I don't know how it got there..." He responded like a child.

"So, a fairy just transported your 'precious items' from the bedroom onto the floor here." Shuichi emphasized jokingly the importance of Eiri's things.

Eiri just gave him a dirty look, and just as he was about to speak, the phone rang.

Shuichi sighed annoyed, "I got it." He walked over to the end table in the room, and picked up the phone. "Yeah?" He asked.

"You shouldn't greet your old friend like that you know." The voice said on the other end.

"Fujisaki?" Shuichi asked surprised he was bothering him. "Do you need something?"

"No, not really."

"That's a surprise." Shuichi said even more stunned, "Then why are you calling?"

"Oh, you make it sound like that I only try to contact you for my own interest." Shuichi opened his mouth to object, but Suguru spoke before him. "Anyway...I am aware that Mr. Eiri is staying with you. Yet, I have to ask if his really searching for an apartment still."

"Well of course he isn't. We're living together." Shuichi replied as if it were old news.

"And why may that be?"

"Gee, I don't know. Because he's my lover." Shuichi said loud and clear to make sure Eiri was listening.

"What?!" Suguru yelled from the other end.

Shuichi smiled evilly. Mission accomplished. He thought to himself.

Eiri was blushing now, "Who are you talking to?!" He squeaked.

"You know how I'm against that!! And of all people, my employee!!" Suguru was pretty fired up now.

Shuichi stifled his giggle, "Sorry, but I can't keep Eiri waiting for long. He's getting pretty upset that I left the bed." He hung up and fell on the floor laughing.

Suguru was utterly disturbed and dropped the phone onto it's receiver and shuddered.

Eiri stomped over to Shuichi, "Who was that?!"

"Oh...just Fujiaski." He smiled knowing that it annoyed Eiri.

"My..my boss?!" Eiri's eyes almost bugged out, "You told that to my boss?!" He squeaked. Eiri pinned Shuichi onto the floor, which was easy at the moment since Shuichi was already down, but Shuichi quickly reversed the position since Eiri was so weak. Shuichi was smirking as he knew Eiri wasn't able to get out of the position and Eiri just glared back. "Why did he call you?"

"He said we were unfit to be together." Shuichi said simply.

"For someone who says I'm their lover, you take it quite lightly." Eiri said clearly.

"I said that to him because he should know by now he can't tell me what to do."

"So what are you going to do about it when he gives me a hard time at work?"

"Trust me...he won't. Since I said that to him, he'll best know to keep his mouth shut."

Eiri smirked, "Want to prove to me that I'm your lover?" Since you flat out embarrassed me. Eiri thought, but decided to keep it to himself.

"Getting quick about that now aren't you?" Shuichi lightly chuckled before kissing Eiri.

Eiri's eyes widened, "Suguru." Once the elevator doors opened, he dashed out, and headed towards the stairs. The fact that he had just been in an elevator didn't register. He didn't need to know what floor he was on because he knew that all he had to do was get to the top.

Passing straight by Suguru's secretary, he entered the office, noting there was no one else in the room except for the man he was looking for. "Where is he?"

Suguru looked up from his papers to see a disheveled Eiri who was exhausted from running up the stairs. "Who?"

Eiri made his way to Suguru's desk, "Don't fuck with my head damnit, where is he?!" He slammed his hands on the furniture to make his point.

"If you're referring to Shuichi as 'he' than I apologize to be the one to inform you that he has left Japan." Suguru said calmly, keeping his victory against their relationship hidden as best he could.

"I know that! Where?!" Eiri gritted his teeth. "What country?! What town?!"

Suguru slightly smirked at his frustration, "He specifically said to leave out that information from your knowledge. So I must respect those wishes, Eiri."

Eiri backed off to a reasonable posture, looking like a lost puppy.

"Therefore, unless you'd like to be suspended for more misconduct, I'd advise you to take a vacation." Suguru waited for a response, sure to himself that Eiri would give up.

Eiri lowered his head and slightly laughed, "You bastard."

"Excuse me?"

The blonde straightened his face and looked Suguru square in the eyes, "You think I'll give up that easily? Playing as the puppeteer? News flash, it's my life. And if the only way to get that through your head is my resigning, then fine." He paused, "I quit." He turned and left the office in one fell swoop, totally emotionless.

This left Suguru shocked. He sat there, unsure if what he just heard was real. Finally deciding what to do, he picked up the phone and dialed Tohma's number.

Eiri found himself wandering aimlessly around the city. Nothing to do. Nowhere to go. No one to see. He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and looked up at the sky. Shuichi...where are you? He stared helplessly among the see of people around him.

A/N: I was going to end the story with this chapter but I thought to myself "NAW. LET'S KEEP IT ROLLING." So there will be two to three more chapters before it ends ;D