The Uke Flu

Chapter Thirty-Six: Gift

"Nowaki what the hell are you doing here?"

Hiroki's startled bark slid into a hiss as Aki began to stir in his arms. He suddenly realized that if he started yelling, he would undoubtedly wake the sleeping boy. He strode over to his gaping partner who had just finished taking off his shoes.

"Well?" Hiroki demanded in a harsh whisper. He half expected Nowaki to retort: "I should be asking you the same thing, Hiro-san" but what his giant said instead completely floored him.

"Hiro-san…" Nowaki raised one large hand and tenderly brushed Hiroki's cheek. "You look so amazing."

Nowaki had long been a man of imagination and Hiroki figured into this greatly. In fact, he was the primary subject for most of Nowaki's creative conjecture: picturing his Hiro-san in various outfits and poses was a mainstay of his daydreams. When he was feeling racy, Hiro-san in an apron was a favorite. When he was feeling homey, Hiro-san interacting with children in a paternal way was also at the top of his list. As he'd always thought his chances of really seeing either one of these things was pretty remote, to come upon these two looks together, unexpectedly, caused Nowaki a bit of visual overload.

Hiroki slapped Nowaki's hand away with a growl and a new wave of heat rolled into his cheeks. It was bad enough that Nowaki had caught him like this, but then for the huge sap to say such a thing in front Akihiko was absolutely mortifying.

Akihiko's eyes had immediately lit up, sensing Hiroki's disadvantage. He knew it was cruel to tease when Hiroki was obviously in such a state, but he was still feeling hurt that Hiroki hadn't confided his situation the last time they'd met. It had been a blow that he'd had to surmise it after seeing his best friend in the background of one the tabloid TV shows Misaki watched. Besides, this interaction between the professor and his overgrown lover was perfect fodder for the new "Flu" romance Aikawa had asked him to write.

"I agree with you, Kusama-san; your partner is lovely like this." Akihiko smirked at Hiroki and watched the man's color deepen. "It's such a natural look for him."

"Shut up, Akihiko, you ass!" Hiroki had to bite back the volume. "And take your brat… Now!" Hiroki turned so that Akihiko had access to his slumbering son.

"But he looks so comfortable." Akihiko smiled, crossing his arms. "Honestly, Hiroki, do you really want to disturb him? Besides, as I said before, this is something you're going to need to practice."

Hiroki adjusted his hold on Aki as he glared at Akihiko.

"Kamijou-san…" Misaki stepped out of the kitchen. He was drying his freshly washed hands on a small dish towel. His face was composed once more but his gaze was down.

"I put the pastries in the oven. Did you want to watch me make that filling…"

Then Misaki looked up and saw Nowaki. His red-rimmed eyes lit up and he offered his new guest a beautiful smile.

"Nowaki-san, how wonderful to see you." Misaki looked at Hiroki. "I'm so glad you decided to tell him about the cooking lessons, Kamijou-san. I was worried a bit about your keeping it a secret." Hiroki frowned at Misaki. In this moment the young man reminded him so much of his blasted oblivious brother, Takahiro.

"Cooking lessons?" Nowaki blinked, cocked his head slightly, and looked at his partner with a puzzled expression. Hiroki felt yet another wave of blush; it seemed to be high tide for him this afternoon. He dropped his gaze down at Aki.

"Will you please come and take your son, Misaki-kun?"

Now it was Misaki's turn to blush. Unlike his brother, he was at least discerning enough to realize that his old professor hadn't actually told Nowaki what he was doing. He stepped quickly over and skillfully took Aki from Hiroki without waking him.

"You're taking cooking lessons from Misaki-san, Hiro-san?" Nowaki repeated his question, but it was expressed with a look and tone of awe and not accusation. This, in and of itself only made Hiroki blush harder.

"Usagi-san, why don't you come and help me in the kitchen for a minute?" Misaki gazed pointedly at Akihiko. He recognized the look in his lover's eyes and knew that if the doctor and the professor weren't careful they would soon find themselves in another one of his perverted rabbit's novels.

"Surely you don't really want me in the kitchen… Do you, Misaki?" Akihiko purred as he watched the two men before him with a feline intensity. "I'm only bound to cause a disaster."

"Akihiko."

Misaki's tone was firm. He rubbed Aki's back soothingly when the sharpness of it momentarily disturbed the baby.

Akihiko looked over at Misaki immediately. That made twice in one day that Misaki had called him by his first name. Although the reasons for this were completely different, it made no matter to him: it stirred him immensely. It was obvious Hiroki and Kusama needed a moment for a private conversation here in the main room. Akihiko suddenly wondered, if he could get Aki back down in his playpen undisturbed, that perhaps he might be able to make a mess of Misaki again while they were in the kitchen. The possibility of helping himself to another serving of Misaki while the young man was trying to cook made him a bit nostalgic, as well as immediately aroused.

Misaki saw the gleam in Akihiko's eyes and sighed. "Come on, Usagi-san. I'll give you a snack." He turned and started walking back to the kitchen. "If I can put Aki down without waking him," he qualified, and then added, "Though really you know he shouldn't be sleeping again already; he'll be up all night tonight." Akihiko moved with agile grace and quickly caught up to his lover.

"Cookies and Misaki milk would be lovely," he whispered into Misaki's ear.

"Shut up, pervert," Misaki muttered. Akihiko set his hands on Misaki's shoulders and steered him into the kitchen.

"If things work out like I hope, you're the one who's going to need to be more concerned with keeping quiet." Even though the younger man didn't turn around Akihiko knew Misaki was blushing fiercely. The author sighed contentedly as the door swung closed behind them. It felt just like old times.

As soon as they were gone, Hiroki looked up at Nowaki from under a furrowed brow. "Yes, Nowaki, I am taking cooking lessons from Misaki-kun."

"But why, Hiro-san? And why didn't you tell me?"

Hiroki sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I started this because I'd like to offer you something when it's my turn to cook other than fried eggs, or that tastes off even though I followed the recipe.

"And now that you're… you know… I want to make sure that you eat well. You're getting too skinny, Nowaki."

With each sentence Hiroki's pink cheeks grew brighter.

"And I didn't tell you because, well... I don't understand why I haven't mastered this cooking thing. I'm a bright man… look, even Misaki can make a decent meal…" Hiroki would have gone on but his words were cut off when Nowaki leaned in.

"That is so sweet, Hiro-san, and you are so cute." He kissed Hiroki hard. Hiroki pulled back sputtering.

"Nowaki, you goof, knock that off! Don't say such sappy things! Akihiko could be watching and we'll end up in another one of his blasted books!"

"Usami-san's not watching us, he's having sex in the kitchen with Misaki-san right now," Nowaki offered confidently. Then his his forehead creased. "No… Wait… Not full sex. Usami-san's just giving Misaki-san a blow job."

"How in the hell do you know that?"

"It's my seme senses, Hiro-san," Nowaki smiled as if this sounded like a perfectly rational explanation. "By the way, Hiro-san…" Nowaki's grin slipped into something slyer. "Do you think Misaki-san will let us borrow that apron?"

"No, I am not going to ask if we can borrow this apron, you pervert," Hiroki huffed. He immediately reached behind him to untie it. The thing was plain white, but it still sported some ruffles. Hiroki knew he was never going to live this down.

"Now why don't you tell me why you're here and why you're not at home sleeping like you should be," he demanded, trying to divert his big horndog. Now it was Nowaki's turn to look uncomfortable.

He had woken up that afternoon feeling better than he had for a long time and, after what Hiro-san had done for him the previous night, truly and deeply loved. He had desired to do something to reciprocate. Once Nowaki figured out what he needed to do, he wanted the chance to carry out his plan before he went to work, though actually he had already been there briefly.

"I uh… wanted to give you something before I went to the hospital, Hiro-san. They asked me to come in early today." Nowaki walked over to one of the couches in the room and sat down. "I went to the university to find you and you weren't there. But I saw Professor Miyagi and he said you had mentioned something about coming here."

"Why didn't you just call me then?" Hiroki draped the apron over a chair before coming over and sitting down next to Nowaki.

"My phone died again," Nowaki offered sheepishly.

"So why not call from a pay phone or my office at school when you were there?" Hiroki regarded his partner suspiciously: Nowaki wasn't telling him everything. Nowaki looked down and Hiroki was shocked to see that the man was actually blushing a bit.

"Well, Hiro-san, when Professor Miyagi said you might be here…" Nowaki started and then paused. "I know we said we wouldn't tell people it was me, Hiro-san, but I thought if you didn't mind, it might be helpful if I could visit with Misaki-san." Nowaki gazed up at Hiroki again. "I mean he's been through this himself. I thought it might be nice to be able to talk to him about things."

Hiroki was moved by the uncertainty he saw in Nowaki's eyes and after what Misaki had said to him in the kitchen that afternoon, Hiroki thought having someone to talk to might be good for the other young man as well.

"Yeah, Nowaki, that's fine," Hiroki growled mildly. "Just know Akihiko is bound to give you a hard time."

Nowaki snorted. "Like he doesn't already?"

Hiroki shrugged. "It's his nature. He can't help it; he was born an ass."

Nowaki smiled at this and a tremendous gratitude filled his eyes. "Hiro-san, I said I had something I wanted to give you."

"Oh, right. So what is it?"

"This…" Nowaki reached into his pocket and pulled out a capped syringe and a small square packaged alcohol swab.

"What in the hell is that, Nowaki?" Hiroki's eyes widened considerably.

"It's the vaccine, Hiro-san," Nowaki held Hiroki's startled gaze. "I went and got it from the hospital this afternoon. I want to give this to you, Hiro-san."

"Are you serious?" Hiroki whispered. He still couldn't believe what Nowaki was saying.

"Hiro-san, outside of asking you to marry me, I have never been more serious in my entire life." Nowaki's dark eyes reflected his truth. "I thought all morning about everything you said last night and what you were willing to do for me. Please, be willing now to let me do this for you."

"I… I… don't know what to say, Nowaki." Hiroki was still stunned.

Nowaki set the vaccine and the swab on the coffee table. He reached over and gently took one of Hiroki's arms and tenderly rolled the sleeve further up until it revealed his professor's lean bicep.

"Our babies are going to be perfect, Hiro-san," Nowaki assured as he reached over and opened the swab and then professionally prepped his lover's arm. "And I think we both know that this is really what you wanted to do in the beginning."

Hiroki watched with huge eyes as Nowaki took the cap off the syringe. "It means everything to me that you wanted so much for me to be happy, Hiro-san. Here, hold your arm out like this," Nowaki directed. "I want you to be happy too."

With one hand Nowaki took Hiroki's chin. He leaned in and kissed him, the same time the other hand brought the syringe down into the exposed arm with practiced ease and pushed the plunger. In the midst of the kiss, Hiroki didn't even feel the slight stick of the needle.

Nowaki broke the kiss. "All done, Hiro-san," he whispered; his face was filled with a warm gentle love.

Hiroki looked down at his arm. "What's Akihiko doing now, Nowaki?" he mumbled.

Nowaki tipped his head to the side; he closed one eye and raised an eyebrow in concentration. "Blow job number two, I think. Misaki-san makes up in resilience what he lacks in endurance, I guess." Nowaki was stunned that as soon as he'd offered this information, Hiroki moved over and straddled his lap. Hiroki took Nowaki's face in his hands; it was his turn to offer an expression of wonder.

"Thank you, Nowaki." Hiroki's eyes glistened. He choked on the roughness of his own voice, but only for a moment before he leaned in to capture Nowaki's mouth, hoping his kiss would convey his gratitude better than his words could.

NEW AN: Sorry, guys, the end of the term has been kicking my ass. I know I said this before, but... "Things should be getting better soon and I'll get back into stride."

Your comments have been a lifeline and you have my deep Gratitude.

Sincerely,

Cerberus

OLD AN: BF101- Here's your Flu. Now I want more JR Potter, please.

EFG- All those reviews… you are amazing. Oh, and yes, when Hiroki wanted the student work in his bag to disappear… yeah, that was me.