AN: This chapter is choppy, so apologies in advance.

Asami wasn't sure what woke him, so calmly listened to the dark for a few moments. Takaba's breathing seemed labored and he could feel the boy's body twitching against him. Takaba made a small, tortured noise and flailed, hitting Asami in the chest. Ah, so it was you. Bad dreams again, Akihito? He shook the boy's shoulder.

"Takaba, wake up." The only response was a moan. "Takaba!" The other woke with a sharp inhalation of breath and sat up. Asami could see the glint of sweat covering his body in the faint, but growing, morning light. Takaba seemed . . . extremely relieved as his hazel eyes locked on his lover's face. Much to Asami's surprise, Takaba wrapped his arms around him and laid his head against his chest.

"Bastard," Takaba sighed almost fondly. Asami chuckled quietly and ran a hand up Takaba's spine and into his sweaty hair.

"What were you dreaming about?" Takaba stiffened a little.

He hesitated. "Drowning," he muttered. As if I could tell you. Asami stroked his back and didn't say anything.

They woke later in the morning to the ringing of Akihito's cell phone. He furrowed his brow groggily at the unfamiliar number, but answered it anyway.

"Takaba-kun!" Ren-san sang. Akihito held the phone away from his ear, startled.

"Ren-san! How are you?"

"Perfect, though I am concerned for you, Takaba-kun," he continued in a serious tone. Akihito's eyes snapped up to Asami's.

"Why is that?" Akihito asked calmly.

"Because you left your memory card in my computer before leaving last night, silly boy!"

"Oh!" Akihito sagged with relief. For a minute he had thought Ren-san had discovered Asami's identity or something. "Sorry, I guess I was in a hurry."

"It's alright since you already emailed the editors the pictures. I have some news on that by the way."

"Really?" He perked up at that.

"Yes, I'm supposed to get a call from them later today. So here's what I'm thinking: since you're still in Hokkaido, how about you meet me for dinner? I know a great little restaurant near the lake I think you'll like. Then I can give you your card back and we can talk about what the editors said. You can bring Ryuichi-san along, too." Of course I'll be there, Asami thought with a smirk. He nodded at Takaba.

"Sure, that sounds great!" The young photographer gushed.

"You don't have to come along, you know," Akihito said as Asami drove them to the restaurant that afternoon.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world. Ren-san seems like quite the story-teller," he said snidely.

"I really don't see why you have it in for this guy. He's done nothing to you."

"He invited you to dinner."

"For work!" The hazel eyes blazed up at him

"He says it's for work."

"What am I? Your teenage daughter?" Takaba shrieked.

Asami grinned to himself. Takaba, so easy.

"Takaba-kuuuun!" Ren-san called across the parking lot as they got out of the car. His daughter was perched on his shoulders and his wife stood at his side, waving at them.

"Ha, you jerk," Takaba murmured to Asami as they approached the happy family.