Dear…everyone! I've rewritten the last chapter of Residential Error so please kindly reread it again if you have time to spare. I haven't changed much except for the phone conversation, but if you don't want to read it, I'll understand. Spoon feeding suggestion taken. Thank you. If anyone wants to read anything, please feel free to suggest. I aim to please.

With thanks to:

Teteiyus : Oh yeah. I want to talk to you! *hyperactive bounce* ^^ Mail me pwease?
Zeets : *huggies* Whoo! Food fight! Not. - -; But I'll do something about it sooner or later… *muses*
blackjack : Wai! You reviewed a lot of my fics. Thank you! *hug* I'm so very, very happy…
Camille : You found it funny? ^^; I tried to be, but… sigh… ;_; Thanks for your support anyway.
Fei : I know it sucks *dies* But you're so kind…. *hug*
Karina : Whee! *glomp* Another person who has reviewed more than one fic! Whee! *glomps* Spoon feeding suggestion in use. Thanks!
Gradual decline : Gomen ne I'm such an idiot. Heh. Thanks for the reminder. I appreciate it in buckets.
Shootingstar : Here's more *^^*
frostbite : Whoo! Thanks! You're so kind.
starlight kitty : I was worrying it'd be too mushy - -; but thanks for the support anyway *hug*


CHAPTER THREE

Ken blinked. Once, twice.

And oh.

My.

God.

"Ran?" he demanded in a forceful tone. Or so he hoped. His voice came out no more than a cross between a squeak and a yelp. "What did you… how… but then… when… where… ?" Ken winced inwardly at his endless incoherent babbling. Oh yeah. He was the picture perfect definition of coolness. Uh huh.

Ran smiled at him politely, as though Ken was intent on reciting some knock-knock joke the redhead couldn't quite place his finger upon. It was such a warm gesture, an effort meant solely to soothe that it made Ken want to run and hide under the table for his idiocy all the more.

Ran stepped forward and peered inquiringly over Ken's shoulder. He didn't even need to crane his neck… he was that tall. Ken froze as Ran leaned in and silk red tendrils brushed against his cheek. He was so close that Ken could smell his shampoo, inhale his soap, taste his scent. Ken stopped breathing altogether as the long lean planes of Ran hovered above his own, almost touching him, but not quite.

The nearness, to Ken, was a little too close for comfort. No matter how beautiful Ran was, he was a man. And his cousin, for that matter. Ken absolutely stuck to his guns. As pretty as Ran was with his wholesomely good looks and amazingly thin body (not that Ken noticed), Ken was most definitely not interested in turning into a gay (and incest) overnight.

Just as Ran was about to trip into his arms like some damsel in distress from a romance novel, Ken twisted away. He glanced at the redhead who offered another gentle curve of those soft red lips. He looked at Ken innocently without the slightest trace of anger or guilt, violet eyes wide and quizzical, if not bewildered towards Ken's sudden retreat.

Ken sighed.

Of course Ran wasn't hitting on him. What had he been thinking?

Feeling apologetic, he turned on his heel and gestured for Ran to enter. Which was exactly what the redhead did. Ran removed his leather boots and placed them outside the door in a neat line (A fact in which Ken appreciated, not that he noticed at all) before following Ken into the dining room.

Ran looked mildly confused. "Where is everyone?"

Ken had no answer at all to that. He followed Ran's gaze and surveyed the rapidly cooling food and abandoned chairs. All he had worked, those hours he had spared out of his busy schedule to buy groceries and tools, and everyone had took off. It couldn't be his cooking skills… he had taken pride in inventing different dishes that were uniquely Ken, and he had creativity. Both of which results in a great cook.

So where the hell was everyone?

Ken sighed and dropped into a chair, defeated. Ran was still standing beside the table, looking incredibly hot in his tight black tee and faded leather pants.

Not that Ken noticed.

Not at all.

"Ran, you hungry?" Ken asked, rolling his head to the side to meet Ran's calm violet gaze.

Ran's shook his head. "Iie. I… I already had a Sprite before I came…" He broke off into a gasp when Ken gripped him by the shoulders and forcefully guided him into a chair, careful to ignore his protests.

"Then today is your lucky day. I cooked this meal myself." Ken beamed.

Ran stared up at him with pleading eyes. "Do I have to?"

Ken flashed him an encouraging smile in return of which promised a very unpleasant death if Ran dared to refuse.

Ran glared.

Ken glared.

Ran glared again.

Ken glared back.

And Ran ducked his head and stared at his glass coldly as though he was willing the water to turn into ice.

Ken watched in mounting anticipation as the redhead stuck his spoon hesitantly in the soup sloshing around the porcelain bowl. Then he grimaced and set his spoon down.

Ken's face fell like a lost puppy whose master had yelled "Stay!" and took off to nowhere.

Ran sighed and picked up his spoon again.

He met Ken's eager eyes.

He sipped.

Paused,

Sipped again.

Then he picked up the bowl and downed its contents in one long swallow. He wiped his mouth with the heel of his hand, ignoring the sour taste at the back of his throat that screamed he had just tasted the grand champion out of the ultimate 'ick' factor.

But the rewarding look on Ken's face was almost worth it.

Stress almost.

Ran sighed and stirred his fork in the---what was it, salmon? Orange peels?---dish of yellowish semi-melted goo and wrinkled his nose before taking a tentative bite.

Ugh. Eau de toilet. The smell itself was more than enough to choke him, but Ken was staring at him so hopefully…

He forked a piece of pork and popped it in Ken's slightly parted mouth. Ken's eyes went wide. But he swallowed. And smiled.

Ran smiled back.

And they ate.

OMG Aya smiled! *shudders* Scary, ne? and Ken outglared the glacial ice prick! Whoo! *waves little Ken flags* Review pwease! *gets bricked* Well, what can I say? I'm blunt ^^;