Disclaimer: I'm just a geeky fangirl that likes to play around; I own nothing.

The Long Way Home: Chapter 14

Aki had compiled a lengthy list of people he'd never wanted to see again after being freed from his somewhat voluntary imprisonment. He hadn't put pen to paper, but it was clearly detailed in the recesses of his mind. Some were people he'd met recently, and some had been in his life for years.

Past patrons were on the list. They were mostly nameless, but definitely had faces that Aki remembered well. Young and old alike, handsome and hideous; he desired that none of their faces ever be seen again. His master, of course, was number one, but Mira had a strong position in second place.

He'd been angry at Ueno and his parents for planning a shindig behind his back, but he couldn't stay mad for long. Their actions were indicative of love on his parents' part, and at the very least caring on Ueno's. It would have been selfish to hold a grudge over an effort that had been made out of loving intentions. Aki wasn't that unreasonable.

He'd been so happy just a few short hours earlier. Ueno had been thoughtful and sweet, and the fact that he had put so much consideration and preparation into his gifts left Aki feeling elated. If only Ueno had just agreed to ditch the party with him. They could have done anything else and Aki would have been content. The two of them could have went to see another movie, watched television in his living room, went for a drink alone, done homework, taken a long walk, went to sleep early, anything.

But no. That hadn't happened, and the end result was a run-in with number two on his list. Mira wasn't on that list for one reason alone, either. Even though Mira was on the list, he didn't hate him. Aki didn't even dislike him. He was just a reminder of an extremely confusing, tumultuous time in his life that Aki longed to forget. Mira hadn't been a horrible lover or bad friend; quite the contrary, Aki knew without a doubt that Mira had experienced some very deep feelings for him. If things had progressed normally, they may have even ended up dating formally, the culmination of their continued intimacy and experiences together, not to mention they were always around each other due to their parent's closeness. Mira was almost family anyway. It would have been an ideal pairing, if they could have been honest with their families.

Mira clearly expected Aki's old feelings to resurface after reuniting again. Aki didn't blame him; he'd have expected the same, due to the circumstances that tore them from one another. Neither of them had the opportunity for any sort of closure. Whatever was developing between them had been snuffed out against their will. A year later, when Aki had left his master, set up refuge in his apartment and the urge to talk to Mira had taken over, Aki had stubbornly squashed it. During his first few days of real freedom, Aki experienced loneliness that ached in its intensity, loneliness that he couldn't explain. Not knowing where he stood with Ueno, and being estranged from family with no purpose any longer, Aki had felt disoriented to say the least. Sensing that Mira would at least try to understand and give him comfort, he had felt compelled to pick up his phone, but in the end refused to re-establish their connection. Talking or seeing Mira would have been comforting, but Aki didn't welcome the baggage that would come along with depending on him again. He didn't know how he was going to explain that to Mira, but he felt the need to, since he'd been hurt by Aki's inattention.

It had been a meeting he'd never wished to occur. Mira was the only one who knew everything about his past, and Ueno was the only person that knew of his present. Understandably, Aki didn't want them mixing because he didn't need the confusion.

Aki had no room for uncertainties now that he had Ueno. Ueno wasn't better or worse than Mira; they were too different to be compared. It wasn't a self-imposed rule of monogamy; it was just the way things were. Ueno had done so much to make Aki happy, and had such a calming effect on him, physically and mentally. In short, he made Aki's existence much more bearable, even pleasant.

He didn't question the level of attachment; he was afraid to. As it was, he experienced gnawing, empty sensations whenever they spent more than a few hours apart. Aki was fearful that Ueno would see him as too clingy, but in typical Ueno fashion, he didn't appear to be bothered in the slightest. Nothing ever appeared to bother him much, though he was still realistic. That trusting cheeriness and optimism refreshed him.

Today, he'd seen a side of Ueno that was very new. Ueno had revealed a jealous, drunk side. He wasn't an obnoxious drunk like other people he knew. If anything, he was more reserved and quiet the more he drank. He brooded more while intoxicated, as if contemplating life's mysteries and problems more intensely.

Aki thought he was actually kind of cute in that state. It became obvious that Ueno wasn't going to act up and embarrass himself or anyone else, so Aki hadn't attempted to intervene, but the heated glances that Ueno and Mira had shared were disturbing.

Mira, on the other hand, was one of those obnoxious drunks that Aki had grown to dislike. He was pleasant while in a nice frame of mind, but being angry before the multitude of beers entered his system, he was extremely irritating afterward. Aki knew him well enough to understand.

Aki was positive that was the reason behind the kiss. He wasn't embarrassed or angry about it; he understood why Mira had done it. The kiss had been sloppy and aggressive, and Aki knew it wasn't as much out of affection as it was to get a rise out of Ueno. It was also obvious Mira was tipsy and not in complete control; if Aki's memory served him correctly, Mira was a much better kisser than that.

That didn't explain him kissing Ueno, though. Aki almost felt sorry for him. He ignored the knowledge that his jeans were getting dirty and he must have looked ridiculous as he dropped to his knees and scuttled to Ueno's side. It wasn't necessary, as Ueno already had an attendee- his cousin, but Aki wasn't going to allow her to fawn all over him. In Ueno's condition, he just might unwittingly encourage her.

Who was he kidding? In any situation, Ueno would unwittingly encourage her. He wasn't stupid; he just didn't know how to be firm and tell anyone to get lost.

Irritation bloomed. Kanoko was kneeling at his boyfriend's head, cooing to him in a sweet tone that made Aki clench his fists and choose brawn over brain. Without even considering the consequences, Aki reached out and roughly shoved his cousin to the side. She lost her balance, sprawled awkwardly.

"Aki!" His cousin's voice was shrill and indignant. "What is your problem?"

Aki ignored her, sliding closer and balancing Ueno's head on his knees. "Hi, you."

Ueno opened his eyes, a contented smile gracing his lips as he blinked to sharpen his vision. "Hi."

"How do you feel?" Aki's fingers gently sifted through his hair, searching. "Do you hurt anywhere?"

"Not yet." Ueno's voice was thick. "What are you doin' to my head?"

Aki had to smile. "I was making sure you don't have any bruises or bumps. And unfortunately, I found one."

"That's gonna hurt later."

"Most likely." Aki looked up briefly, noticing the fading voices around them as bystanders either lost interest or after discovering that Ueno was relatively unharmed, returned to their seats or continued to mingle. This was nothing out of the ordinary for them anyway. Glancing to the side, he also realized that Mira had managed to stand, leaning on Aki's father for support as he was led away. His cousin had gotten to her feet and stalked back to her parents. The only one that remained in close proximity was Aki's mother, but she was picking up beer bottles and tossing them into the trash, bouncing here and there in those awe inspiring heels with an ease that Aki still couldn't understand, and wasn't paying attention to either of them.

Ueno closed his eyes again, sighing heavily. Aki did feel badly, but also wasn't able to resist some ribbing. "I think the party is over for you."

"Mmm..." Ueno's words were slurring, although Aki was unable to tell if it was because he was feeling the effects of the alcohol more strongly or because he was actually about to drift off into sleep.

"I'll take care of you," Aki's kept his words soft, melodic, and soothing, "if you do me a favor."

"Yeah?" Ueno managed to raise his eyelids, and it was obvious he was fighting sleep.

"Repeat after me."

"You're gonna make me say something stupid."

Aki spoke quietly, after a quick look around them to ensure they could not be heard. "I, Ueno, could have been upstairs having fun. Aki could have been mine."

"Are you kidding me?" Ueno's eyes cleared briefly, and he stared up at the lighter haired man, who only smiled serenely down at him.

"I'm very serious."

Ueno rolled his eyes. "I, Ueno, could have been upstairs having fun. Aki could have been mine."

"But I didn't listen to Aki because I had to be a good boy."

"But I didn't listen to Aki because I had to be a good boy." Ueno was already nervous, wondering what he would be parroting next. He felt woozy and incredibly sleepy, but he was able to notice that Aki's smile wasn't the sweet one he had just seen and was accustomed to; there was now a slightly mischievous curving of lips.

Aki ran soft, cool fingers over Ueno's forehead, his soothing ministrations and soft voice in direct contrast with his words. "And now not only am I drunk and injured, but I ruined my sexy time with Aki."

This was outrageous. "Forget that! I'll take care of myself. Now that you've got the upper hand you're just bein' mean." Ueno struggled to sit, but dropped his head back into Aki's lap as a current of dizziness made an appearance.

"But I'll help you upstairs, let you shower, tuck you into bed, and let you sleep all night. Doesn't that sound nice?"

That sounded very nice, but Ueno, normally good natured, put up a fight. "Why am I in trouble? Your boyfriend violated me, and I have to embarrass myself by saying stupid stuff?"

"It's not stupid." Aki smacked Ueno's forehead lightly. "You did ruin our sexy time. If you had gone upstairs with me, you wouldn't have had a chance to be… violated. And do not call him my boyfriend. You're sure you don't want me to take you to bed?"

"I do. But you're punishing me for no reason." Ueno's lower lip protruded and Aki stared in fascination. An out of character Ueno was fun to observe. He'd never been witness to Ueno pouting before, and it was oddly charming.

Aki whispered to him silkily. "Come on, and let me take you upstairs. Don't worry; no one can hear you."

Ueno closed his eyes again and the rumbling that came from his throat sounded suspiciously like a growl. "I'm drunk and injured, and I ruined sexy time with my Aki-chan."

It may have been a little emotional of Aki, but hearing himself called that for the first time since their meeting shook him. His smile turned gentle, and although Ueno hadn't repeated him word for word, he chose to let it slide. "Good boy. Let's get you to bed, okay?"

"Yeah."

"I'm going to try and help you sit up first. Do it slowly. I don't want you to get dizzy." Aki patted both of Ueno's shoulders before sliding his hands underneath, lending some support and muscle as Ueno eased himself into a seated position. "How is that?"

"Okay," Ueno confirmed, "but I am dizzy."

"Do you want to lie back down?"

"Nope." Ueno smiled through his wooziness. "I want you to tuck me in like you promised. I'm going to stand up now."

Aki shook his head. His man was a soldier. With a minimum of assistance from Aki, Ueno rose to his feet, blushing furiously as partygoers burst into applause, as if he'd just woken from life threatening surgery or scored a home run.

"They must all think I'm a loser now."

Aki chuckled. "Doubtful. They all seem to like you. Besides, this is what happens at parties with my family. It's normal. If anything, that was your initiation."

Ueno blinked in disbelief as Aki began to walk Ueno towards the entrance to the hallway. "Your boyfriend does this at every party?"

"Stop calling him my boyfriend. And no, that's not what I meant. My family gets a little weird once they start to drink, so I'm positive no one thinks you're a loser. We've all seen worse. Besides, your fall had nothing to do with that." Aki pushed open the door, ushering Ueno through, and they slowly approached the elevators.

Aki worried as he pressed the button for their floor, hoping the ascending of the elevator didn't cause Ueno discomfort or make him sick. Ueno bore the ride heroically, and there was no incident as Aki helped him into the apartment.

"I'm fine, you know." Ueno kicked off his shoes before entering the living area and collapsing on the couch. "I just need to lie down."

"Well, you hit your head pretty badly. You're probably starting to feel it now." Aki kneeled next to the couch, brushing Ueno's hair from his forehead. "You want to stay here?"

"Yeah." Ueno's eyelids drifted shut. "I'll be fine."

"What about my promise to take care of you?" Aki continued to comb his fingers through Ueno's hair.

"It's okay. You going back downstairs?"

"I'll stay up here with you."

"I'm not going to be any fun right now. You said so yourself. Sexy time was ruined." Ueno shifted to a more comfortable position, stifling a yawn.

"You're always fun."

"You didn't say goodbye to your family or thank them or anything. You probably should go back downstairs for a little while, at least." Even while in his current state, Ueno still had enough good sense to consider courtesies.

"I have time. They'll be here for a while."

"What about Mira?"

"I'm assuming that since he came without his family that he'll be staying tonight. Dad will probably just give him a room. Why?"

"Make him go away and never come back." Ueno mumbled childishly. "I don't want him to assault you again."

Aki smiled. "I'm more worried about you getting assaulted."

"He drooled on me." Ueno words were becoming more difficult to decipher as he hovered between wakefulness and dozing.

"Yeah, I'm sorry." Aki soothed. "Did it scar you for life?"

"Nah. But I don't like being kissed."

Aki moved to the edge of the couch, resting his elbows on his knees and balancing his chin on his hands. Ueno sounded almost childlike, and it was obvious he was still suffering from both the fall and the drinks. Keeping that in mind, Aki continued to speak to him as such, and his tone turned playful. "No? It's not fun when we kiss?"

"Mm, yeah. It's fun when you love someone."

Aki didn't reply, being struck speechless. Ueno was settling into heavy breathing that Aki had learned indicated that he was dozing, but steadily falling into a deeper sleep, so Ueno wouldn't have heard him regardless. Besides, Aki had no answer.

He gnawed at his lower lip, staring down at Ueno's peaceful face, his mind beginning to race. Was Ueno still that drunk, or was he using his inebriated state as an excuse to confess and he wasn't really as far gone as he seemed? Was Aki simply assuming that his words were directly related to the two of them, or had Ueno felt this way, afraid to tell the truth, but was aided by his drunkenness? What if Ueno was just talking out of his ass? What if his meaning of love was too broad and he was just using the term loosely when it had no significant meaning?

Aki leaned over, both of his hands on Ueno's stomach, and shook him gently. "Ueno?" He received no response, and tried once, then twice more.

What am I doing? Aki berated himself. Ueno wasn't feeling well. He'd suffered a nasty fall, dealt with his invasive and exhausting family, drank way too much, and had mostly likely been fatigued before the festivities began. He'd definitely done his part and deserved his rest, so it would be best to let him sleep. Aki would have felt better if Ueno had moved to the bed before passing out; he'd be more comfortable and probably sleep better, although he'd learned that Ueno could fall asleep almost anywhere, even sitting up.

Aki rose to his feet, not sure what to do. He wasn't sleepy, so going to bed was out. His homework was completed. The apartment was clean, but he never had to do much anyway; housekeeping took care of such things. Aki was sure the party was still going strong downstairs, but he'd much rather be where Ueno was, even though he wasn't much for entertainment at the moment.

Dammit. Aki didn't want to sit calmly like a good boy and let Ueno sleep. He wanted answers. He suddenly felt extremely childish, but what he did next made him feel even more juvenile. Without much thought, he snatched a pillow from the opposite arm of the couch, and proceeded to hit Ueno over the head with it.

Ueno didn't move, didn't even grunt, so Aki tried again. Again, again, and again, until he was out of breath, tossing the pillow back onto the couch cushions, burying his face in his hands. Pillows didn't pack a lot of wallop, and afterward, Aki was sufficiently ashamed of his tantrum.

It was stupid, really. Aki had never been interested in hearing the word love come from Ueno's lips before. He'd never anticipated or hoped for it. However, now that it was very possible that Ueno had accidentally let his true feelings slip, he wanted to hear it, and clearly. It hadn't been important to him over the last few weeks; all he'd been working on was a bond. He'd been so focused on the physical portion of their relationship, agonizing over stupid little things like when they were going to kiss next and sleeping arrangements that he hadn't noticed that the need to hear such words was even present.

Aki took several deep breaths, repeating the action until his blood ceased boiling and he was once again calm. The explanation could wait. Straddling Ueno's thighs, he leaned down until they were nose to nose, and gave him a little kiss before whispering his name.

Ueno's eyes opened slowly, and Aki rolled his own eyes. An assault with a pillow couldn't rouse him, but a peck on the lips and softly spoken words could?

At least he was up. Now hopefully Aki could persuade Ueno to get into bed. He wasn't going to play the desperate role and beg Ueno to repeat himself. Besides, Ueno was messed up enough that he might not even remember what he had said.

"I think you should move to the bed, okay?"

"Uh huh." Surprisingly, Ueno sleepily followed the instruction without any objection, standing up and walking slowly into the bedroom on his own, with Aki following closely behind in case Ueno lost his balance.

After Ueno was comfortable, Aki pulled the covers up and over his chest, tucking him in as promised. He decided to spend some time in the living room and allow Ueno to sleep without any disturbances.

"Can I get you anything? Do you feel sick?"

"No, I'm fine. My head just hurts a little. I'm sorry."

Aki frowned. "Sorry for what?"

"For ruining your party."

"You didn't ruin anything. I was teasing you before. It's kind of funny, at least now. Without you there, it would have been boring." Aki couldn't resist leaning over and brushing his lips lightly over Ueno's forehead. "Get some rest. I'll be in the living room if you need me."

Ueno opened his eyes open with difficulty, easing his arm out from under the blankets and fumbling for Aki's hand. "Not sleepy? What time is it?"

Aki checked his alarm clock before answering. "It's just after eleven. I'm not sleepy yet. I get more rest than you do. I didn't drink nearly as much as you did, and I didn't hit my head on top of all that. I'll be here when you wake up."

"Okay. You're nice to… me."

"Why wouldn't I be?" Aki held Ueno's hand gently.

"Dunno." Ueno's voice was beginning to fade, and Aki strained to hear. "You dunno how to… can't be serious..."

Despite having just told Ueno to go to sleep, Aki shook him again. "What?"

"I'm a phase… or somethin'.." Ueno's slurred words trailed off, and seconds later, he was asleep.

Ueno was speaking gibberish now, so Aki knew talking was useless. He gave Ueno some privacy, shutting the bedroom door behind him before flopping onto the couch. As he sat and tried to figure out Ueno's special version of word salad, there was a sharp rapping on his door.

Aki wasn't in the mood for visitors, so he sat there in the hopes that whoever it was would take a hint and get lost, but that wasn't to be. The rapping continued, louder the second time.

Aki groaned quietly, and jumped up to answer it before the noise could wake Ueno. Using the peephole was a practice that became habit as he settled into the apartment, so he did as he normally would and quickly checked to see who was standing on the other side of the door.

Aki didn't disapprove of profanity; he just didn't often use it. But this occasion called for it, and he swore softly as he unlocked the door and pulled it open. "What do you want?"

"You're such a gracious little birthday boy. Where's your guy?"

Aki didn't answer Mira. He stood in the doorway with his hands on his hips and waited.

"You're not going to invite me in?" Mira peered at him, and Aki could tell that he was still slightly buzzed, although not as far gone as Ueno. He was good at holding his alcohol anyway.

His reply was bald. "My guy's whereabouts are none of your business, and no, I'm not going to invite you in. Haven't you caused enough trouble?"

"What are you talking about? Are you mad about our little kiss? Or did Ueno spill the beans and tell you about our talk?"

Aki scowled. "What talk?"

"Oops. Me and my big mouth. Well, come out with me and we can talk about it."

"Out where?" Aki cocked his head.

"To your afterparty, or whatever you wanna call it. Your dad moved it to the bar across the street. He wants to karaoke battle. All the cool people are there. I'll buy you a drink." Mira's smile was all innocence.

"I don't want to leave Ueno alone. Thanks to you, he's not feeling well."

"Aww. I didn't tell him to get drunk." Mira shuffled from foot to foot.

"You might as well have. You two were obviously challenging each other. And you made him fall. Exactly why did you kiss him?"

"Sounds like a conversation we could be having at the bar. You game?"

"Not really." Aki reached for his jacket. "But since I'm bored and want to know and you can't hang out here, I'm coming anyway." Ueno was fast asleep, so Aki figured stepping out for a while wouldn't hurt.

"Good." Mira grinned. "Besides, you don't want to miss your dad's performance. They're always entertaining."

"He sucks."

"He's still fun."

Insistent pounded interrupted Ueno's slumber. He drew the blankets over his head, an attempt to drown out the sound, but on it went, until Ueno rolled out of the bed, wondering where Aki was. Hadn't he said he'd be in the living room?

Ueno opened the door, stumbling into the darkened living room, which was empty. Ueno himself was a peephole advocate as well, and after he'd had a glance, he drew back, horrified. Where was Aki? He did not want to deal with this alone.

Then again, he didn't wish for anyone to go hairless, so maybe it was better that Aki had disappeared.

He could just ignore her. He stood there, waiting, but another round of knocking ensued. Ueno actually jumped; she wasn't giving up. He sighed, opening the door and stepping back.

"Looking for Aki? He's not here."

"I know." Kanoko didn't look the least bit irritated at having to wait. "He's at the bar with Mira."

Ueno's brow lifted. "Excuse me?"

"He's at the bar with Mira, along with everyone else. Aki's dad said you'd probably be in Aki's room, so I came up to check on you. If you're feeling better, you should come."

"What bar?" Ueno rubbed his temples. He was still feeling slightly off, but coherent enough to be annoyed.

"Just a small one. It's right across the street. Want to come along?"

Ueno didn't want to come along. He wanted to go back to sleep, but he wanted to do it with the knowledge that Aki was safe somewhere in the apartment, and not out with Mira, master of tongue assaults.

Ueno let Kanoko in, shutting the door behind her. "Okay, but give me a minute to get myself together."

Kanoko face lit up. "Great! We can chat a bit. I didn't get to talk to you much, especially with Aki in the way. He's awfully protective of you."

Ueno found his second wind, hurrying into the bathroom to fix his hair and brush his teeth before reappearing. "Ready to go."

The bar was crowded, thanks to the sudden influx of patrons from Aki's party who didn't wish to stop the celebration.

Ueno and Kanoko entered together, but Ueno wasn't sure when he had indicated that it was acceptable for Kanoko to wrap her arm around his waist. If Aki was in fact inside, it wouldn't go over well, but Ueno found that he didn't care; after all, he had run off with Mira while he was fast asleep.

Ueno spotted Aki immediately. He was seated on a high barstool next to Ueno's assailant. He watched as they both simultaneously pounded drinks from shot glasses, and his ire grew.

He'd narrowly avoided becoming belligerent and hung over, but it was beginning to look like tomorrow would be a hell of a day anyway. He sat down at a relatively empty table, and Kanoko sat next to him. Much like at the birthday party, he was quickly joined by Aki's mother and father, as well as a few individuals he couldn't readily identify.

"Hey kid!" Satou-san clapped him on the back. "All recovered, I see. Good. Did you throw up?"

Ueno couldn't help laughing. "No, I'm good."

"Shame. If you heave, you have room for more alcohol." He raised his arm, signaling for a waiter. "Ah well. I'm pretty sure we'll all be trashed in the morning."

"Not me." Aki's mother delicately shook her head. "I've reached my limit. Someone has to walk you all to your rooms and keep you from flashing drivers."

"You have my word that it won't happen again." Satou-san smiled cheerfully, ordering a round of drinks for the table. "I'm buying. My son only turns legal once."

Ueno was surprised that no one mentioned the incident at the party. Maybe Aki had been right, and these folks were stranger than he thought. He shrugged. He was a little angry, and drinking seemed like a sound solution to his problem. He turned to Kanoko. "Order me something."

Kanoko literally glowed. "Order you what?"

"I don't drink a lot, so you pick." Ueno gave her a winsome smile.

Behind him, a few feet away, Aki finally noticed the new arrivals and set down his glass. "When did he get here?"

"Not too long ago." Mira replied. "With your cousin, I might add. Told you they had something going on."

"Be quiet." Aki said peevishly, picking up his glass again, "I'm still mad at you."

"You asked! At least I told you the truth. I could have lied. I was out of line, but what did you expect me to do? You completely ignored me for over a year."

"I expected you to leave well enough alone and keep your mouth shut. I didn't expect you to go behind my back and give Ueno a complex. At least now I know what he was talking about. I thought he was delirious at first." Aki finished off his drink and turned to the bartender to ask for another.

It was loud enough that it was unlikely that their conversation would be overheard, but at this point, Aki was beyond caring. Brown alcohol wasn't his thing, but he'd had enough of it tonight that it wasn't an issue any longer.

Aki was lying. He wasn't really mad. He'd been surprised, of course, and wondered why Ueno hadn't confronted him about his conversation with Mira, but he wasn't angry. He understood that in most cases, those who felt badly about something didn't feel better until someone else felt worse. Taking that into account, Mira's behavior wasn't excusable, but it was understandable.

"Furthermore," Aki began, turning to face Mira fully, "I think you're just trying to run him off and make me miserable."

"If you two broke up, you'd be miserable? You'd still have me." Mira's face fell.

Aki looked away. "That's not your business." He turned to sneak another peek at the couple, and met Ueno's eyes. To his surprise, Ueno immediately looked away.

Mira switched gears. "Ueno seems to be feeling better. That's the sixth shot I've seen him take since he's been here; a grand total of about thirty minutes. He and your cousin appear to be engaged in some sort of competition."

"I don't care." Aki accepted his new glass.

"Yes, you do."

"Do not." Aki said stubbornly.

"No? So you'd be okay being Uncle Aki?"

"What?" Aki looked up.

"They're probably going to head back to the hotel soon and get something going. Would you take their love child out to amusement parks, for ice cream, or be a pretend horsey for it so it rides on your back? Would you let it call you Uncle Aki, and buy it expensive gifts?"

Aki shook his head. "You're being ridiculous."

"Ueno doesn't seem like the type who would try to get anyone pregnant. I wonder if he's even had sex. Have you two done it?"

"That's also not your business."

"I thought so. You haven't. Or if you did, it was only once. Ueno seems like an oops kind of guy, actually, so maybe pregnancy is possible."

"Do I even want to know what an oops guy is?" Aki closed his eyes.

"Oops! How did my cock get in there?"

Aki, in the middle of downing his shot, began to cough violently.

Mira patted him on the back. "Easy."

"How did you become so stupid?" Aki asked once he regained control of his breath, noticing that the gentle pats Mira had been administering had turned into a backrub of sorts. "Stop."

"Stop what?"

"Stop it." Aki was on the verge of losing his temper. The soft spot he had for Mira was still there. Why hadn't he dumped his drink over this idiot as soon as he'd fessed up about his talk with Ueno? He'd sat here and taken shot after shot and drank concoction after delicious concoction with the idiot instead, and gotten engaged in a conversation so idiotic that only someone drunk could appreciate it.

This was, coincidentally, what he was becoming. His fingertips were tingling and he was pleasantly warm.

He signaled to the bartender. "Ice water, please."

"Hah! What did I tell you? They're leaving."

Aki spun around in his chair, just in time to see the door swing shut. Ueno was gone, and so was his cousin.

"Where do you suppose they're going?"

"Stop being obnoxious. Y-you can be such a dick sometimes." Aki slid out of his seat for the first time in almost two hours, and realized that within that time frame, he'd forgotten how to use his legs.

"Whoa, Aki." Mira wrapped an arm around his waist to prevent him from performing a face plant. "Are those legs new?"

Aki looked up. "I'm done. I'm leaving."

"On your legs? I'd better come with you, Uncle Aki."

"Fine." Aki let Mira lead him to the exit. "Don't call me that ever again."

"But it has such a nice ring to it. It's not accurate, though. If Ueno and Kanoko have a child, it would actually be your cousin, not a niece or nephew. But that's here nor there, huh?" Mira waved to Aki's father, who had just climbed onto the tiny stage, microphone in hand.

The buzzed father frowned. "You're skipping out on my performance? Come on, you have to stay for at least one more song."

Aki whimpered as Mira pushed him into an empty seat. By the time his dad was finished, Aki's new nephew or niece may have already been conceived.

Or cousin, or whatever.

"You staying here too?"

"With my parents. We're on the fifth floor."

"Want me to walk you back?" Ueno leaned against the closed elevator door for support, polite to a fault.

"I don't think that's necessary. You've had at least twice as many drinks as me." Kanoko smiled and pressed the button for the ninth floor. "How about I walk you back?"

"Mm, 'kay." Ueno agreed cheerfully, although Kanoko clearly misread his enthusiasm.

The ride to the ninth floor was quiet. He'd left Aki at the bar without a word, and normally that would have upset him, but he felt a little empowered, actually. If he wanted to walk out on Ueno to hang out and drink with his ex, who was Ueno to interfere? He'd spent most of his time at the bar pointedly ignoring Aki, but it appeared that Aki had barely noticed his presence, so that effort had been in vain. Oh well. He'd still had fun amazingly enough, even though he'd had to deal with Aki's cousin. Watching Satou-san sing was horrifying and wonderful at the same time.

All in all, it had been fun. But now, he forced his legs into motion, and he was ready to literally drop. It wasn't a long walk to Aki's apartment, but Ueno felt like he was walking through mud, his steps slow and deliberate.

He leaned against the wall next to the door, digging into his pockets for his key ring. Holding it up to the light, he sifted through the few keys dangling from it.

Kanoko took the key ring from him. "Which one is it?"

"The biggest one."

"Alright." Kanoko selected it, but dropped her hand after a moment of thought. "Ueno?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you have a key to Aki's apartment?"

"He's my best friend, right? Makes sense, don't it?" Ueno gave her a big, dumb smile.

Kanoko tilted her head. "I guess so. I have a spare to my best friend's apartment. She always locks herself out."

Ueno didn't care, but he smiled again.

"Can I come in?" Kanoko asked hopefully. "Do you think Aki will care?"

Ueno pinched the bridge of his nose. Aki would care. "Uh.. It's probably not a good idea."

"Probably not, I guess. Aki's not around to ask, after all." Kanoko played with the key ring, disappointment evident.

"Sorry. Thanks for hanging out with me. It was nice to meet you all." He waited as Kanoko busied herself trying to best the door lock, and then reached out for the key ring.

One moment, he was resting his side against the wall for support, and the next, he had been turned, his back slammed against the wall that had just given him aid, the arm he'd extended for his keys grabbed by the wrist, the key ring itself falling to the floor. Too late, he realized that he was currently the victim of yet another lip-related assault.

The girl was stronger than she appeared. Kanoko's lips were soft and moist, but Ueno couldn't be impressed; his only thought was help. His muddled thought process didn't tell him to fight back, but he raised his free hand, pressing it against the wall behind him in an identical position of his trapped arm in some sort of absurd surrender pose.

His legs began to tremble, and he forced himself to think rationally. Off. Get off me.

It wasn't as if she was stronger than he was. It should be easy to push her away. Maybe he could just shove her off, snatch up his keys during the process, then make a break for it, slip through the unlocked door, and then lock it. That would eliminate any unnecessary conversation. Maybe he'd never have to see her again, so it wouldn't matter.

It wasn't the best plan, but dammit, it was all he had. He steeled himself; he had to, as he wasn't in complete control of all of his faculties and actually had to contemplate his movements before he made them. Sudden pain bloomed in his bottom lip and he yelped in surprise as Kanoko's teeth clamped down on his sensitive skin. Sounds were faint, but at such a close proximity, he heard a muffled cry of pain and indignant shouting, and then he was free.

Ueno opened his eyes, the pain making it easier for him to focus. As he lifted his gaze, the first thing he saw was Mira, thin lips spread in a gleeful smile. In front of him was a figure that was most definitely not smiling.

The figure had a beautiful set of rich brown eyes with a crimson glazed overlay, the effect usually one of velvety softness, and one Ueno usually loved- when Aki was smiling or in good spirits.

Right now, those beautiful eyes were narrowed and scorching in their intensity. Ueno attempted to take stock of the situation and finally looked away.

My hero. Ueno couldn't help the silly thought while he fought against vertigo, raising a hand in defense and searching desperately for the right words, because this was actually bad. Ueno was reminded of being told by some faceless person that the quiet, calm ones were the most dangerous people. He was saved, but he now faced Aki's wrath, which wasn't merely bothersome like the kiss; it was terrifying.

Mira spoke first. It made sense; he was the only one in a somewhat stable frame of mind, had nothing to lose, and was uninvolved. He seemed to take joy in exploiting the situation.

"Wow, you get around, Ueno." He tapped Aki's shoulder. "But even so, let Kanoko go. She doesn't know any better."

Kanoko's neck was awkwardly arched, head tilted backward, and she reached back, squeezing Aki's wrist with her own hand as his slender fingers, threaded and tightly clenched in her processed hair, tugged sharply.

He lifted his head, looking at Ueno for the first time. He didn't speak first; he merely raised his free hand, finger extended.

He was pointing towards the door.

Ueno shook his head. He was a grown man; not an adolescent being sent to his room after misbehaving. I'm not going in there.

Aki's finger didn't waver. "Ueno. Inside, now."

"Nuh uh."

Kanoko looked pained and confused. Mira looked unconcerned, amused, even. He watched with interest as Aki and Ueno stared each other down in a drunken standoff.

Aki's expression was calm, save for his eyes. He gave the hand buried in his cousin's dark tresses a sudden jerk, rewarded by a string of protests. "If you think for one minute I'm going to spoil your kids, you drank more than I thought."

"Huh? Whose kids?" In open-mouthed astonishment, Ueno threw his hands up in surrender. "Fine. Let her go, will you?" He turned, hand grasping the doorknob. "Come on."

Aki waited until Ueno had the door open, and then relaxed, his slackened fingers sliding from the girl's hair. He didn't acknowledge either bystander as he stalked into the apartment, muttering under his breath and flinging the door shut behind him.

Mira and Kanoko, disregarded, were left to observe one another as the apartment door slammed.

"What just happened?" Kanoko massaged her scalp gently. "What is my cousin's issue? He didn't seem to care as much when you kissed him."

Mira finally laughed, unable to hold back his delight any longer. "You." He turned towards the elevators and strode down the hallway, Kanoko struggling to keep up, her heels and slight level of intoxication slowing her down. "Why are you following me?"

"I don't have any plans anymore, thanks to Aki. What am I supposed to do now?"

"You won't be doing Ueno tonight, that's for sure." Mira smirked. "Damn your cock blocking cousin all to hell."

They boarded the elevator, and he couldn't resist teasing her a bit further. "Haven't you learned by now to leave Aki's stuff alone?"

"What? Ueno doesn't belong to anyone; he's not a possession."

Mira shook his head. "You're still as dumb as dirt."