Chapter 12 to 22
12:
It was warm and dark in the apartment, stuffy so that it was hard to breathe. How did Hiro survive such humidity? A flick of a switch allowed his companion to shed light upon the small, typically Japanese rooms. Shuichi threw his limp body onto the bed. His arms bounced on the mattress in a rhythmic way, reminding him of the way his limbs flailed when he and Yuki would make love. Immediately he rolled his face into the pillow to suffocate the thought. There were so many thoughts of Yuki, the young vocalist could drown in his slowly fading affection.
Hiro was so understanding of this, not having made a peep for minutes. It was like the rational man, most likely thinking through his friend's problem for the best solution. Such a presumption was the cause of what Shuichi foolishly said next.
"So, Hiro, what am I supposed to do?"
13:
At first the red head thought he was referring to the sleeping arrangements, so he could not stop himself when he piped up saying, "Well, you usually lay in the bed, close your eyes, and- oh..." He was not surprised at the fact that Shuichi was asking him for advice, but this was the first time that he was actually without the answer. So he began with the obvious and hoped that throughout the course of the conversation that he would figure it out. " You can stay with me as long as you like, and I'll do anything that you need me to do. Help yourself to my clothes, and my apartment will be your home until you figure things out."
Hiro was surprised that for once his friend was not crying, usually he would start and go on until Hiro hit him to shut him up. Sweeping down to the occupied bed, Hiro placed a calloused palm onto his best friend's forehead, and jokingly questioned. "Shuichi, are you sick, you haven't cried since we left the apartment..."
14:
"WHAT?!" The pink-haired vocalist thrashed about like the child Hiro was implying him to be. It was an outrage, but embarrassingly true; he did tend to overreact. But he was left questioning why this time was different. Shuichi flopped helplessly back onto the bed, gazing emptily at the ceiling; however, there were no answers in the white stucco surface.
"I just feel different this time. Usually he'd be mean and I'd whine and cry until someone gave me attention. Once I calmed down, this would go back to normal. But I don't know what to do now. It feels as though there is nothing worth saving." His eyes began to water. He had been with Yuki for so long, he couldn't imagine what it would be like without the cold, stoic and strangely affection blonde with him. And still he would rather try.
The cold started to sink in, chilling right to the bone. He curled into the guitarist's lap, purring at the heat his friend emitted.
15:
It was always comforting to have Shuichi close to him, he didn't know why, but it just was; it was so different from anyone else, and at times he even longed for the sensation. A soft smile crept up his pale lips, and his arms instinctively went around his best friend; however, a soft ripping sound alerted him that perhaps the motion was a little bad for his current attire. "Sorry Shuichi..." The shirt was honestly too tight, and it bulged when his muscles contracted beneath it, "I'll fix it tomorrow." Tearing it from his body, he resumed the initial task, and just held the other close to his heart.
To be honest, this had been the first time in a while that he had the chance to really hold the other. When they were teenagers they would share a bed, and Shuichi would just curl up against him, whispering in the dark; they would talk until they were both too tired to go on, and he was never certain when, but soon enough he would be asleep too. But Yuki had completely ruined that. Yuki had stolen away those moments, and even when Shuichi would run to him screaming that it was the end, he was still afraid of touching the novelist's Shuichi. But was Shuichi really his again? The thought was fearful.
"Perhaps we should get to be though, ne? We can share my bed. It will be like old times."
16:
The thought seemed pleasant: 'just like old time.' It had been quite a while since their high school days, and Shuichi barely had time to reminisce anymore. This evening was the perfect opportunity. He just hoped Hiro did not want to sleep right away. They could talk until they could no longer stay awake, and say stupid things and jokes without restraint. Shuichi stripped the shirt from his shivering body and dove beneath the blankets. He would have to sleep in his boxers, not having brought any clothes to Hiro's place. How careless of him. Though the guitarist was originally and nicely dressed, it just wasn't his style to wear such clothes. He would eventually have to work up the nerve to go to Yuki and at the least collect his things. That is, unless the blond came to him first.
Wasting no time, Shuichi snuggled up to his friend, arms and legs entwining with the other's. It was such routine to behave this way, yet it had been so long since he was close to the redhead like this, something felt different. Whenever he was close to Yuki this way, it usually involved sex, or something more erotic than sleeping or chatting. As a natural reaction, the magenta-haired vocalist felt his organ harden at the sensations from such closeness. He hoped more than anything that his companion didn't notice. Pulling away would seem suspicious, but the longer he stayed pressed into the redhead, the worse it would become. Paralyzed with confusion and fear, Shuichi stayed put, only with the thought that maybe it wasn't too obvious.
17:
It really was proving to be difficult, trying to regain the comfort that he and the younger once shared; after all, he was not the only one Shuichi had so intimately entangled with, and the same for him. It all seemed so very sexual to him now, almost impossible to fight back the familiar urges. He could no longer stop his hand from so lightly combing through Shuichi's silky locks, sliding his face ever closer to that of his friends. Hiro could smell Shuichi's shampoo, a blend of vanilla and something else, perfuming that pink mop.
'This is not some girl, this is Shuichi.' His mind repeatedly shouted, trying to sedate that warm fuzzy feeling with that of another, to allow the nostalgia to rush back in, rather than this tidal wave of new and strange emotions. His free hand rested atop the other's slim waist, and he could swear that through their tangled limbs, Shuichi was experiencing the same dilemma. 'Poor guy...' he sympathized; it was always easier to view everything as someone else's problems, because if they were someone else's, then Hiro could fix them.
"So...."
18:
Shuichi held his breath a moment, everything would pass with time. He relaxed his muscles, to ease the tension that had been building, and slowed his heaving breath to a normal pace. It was kinda weird to feel this for his best friend; not something anyone would ever predict. Thoughts of singing, of fully clothes people enjoying themselves, and fuzzy bunny rabbits being run over by semis calmed his hormones. Besides, no matter what he felt, he could do anything. It was Hiro after all.
"So, how has it been without Ayaka?" Shuichi innocently began, not realizing that it would probably arouse hurt feelings from the redhead. When this dawned upon him, he could have slapped his idiotic face for saying such a thing. But hopefully Hiro would change the subject rather than maybe get mad at him for bringing the subject up. When nothing happened, he quickly started a new topic. "I mean....uh.....hear any good songs lately. There was this one on the radio the other day. Wow, I really liked it. I didn't catch the name, but if I ever hear it again..."
19:
Sighing as his cheek rested atop his best friend's head, Hiro tried to find the words to explain how he was feeling. "To be honest, I don't think there was anything there in the first place. Just a pretty face," he admitted, although he cut out the main reason, 'something to take away from Yuki.' It hadn't taken him long to realize that was the reason his infatuation had grown to such heights, but he was already trapped; and although he missed the fond caresses, and long conversations, there was someone even more suited to that, the latter that is.
"Shuichi," he felt like an idiot for being about to ask the next question, and it would most doubt lose the comfortable atmosphere when he did, but it had been eating at the back of his mind, and he had to rid himself of the annoyance. "What was the first thing that attracted you to Yuki?" But soon the question was replaced by another, more personal one, "did he even hold you in the night, until he fell asleep?" The red head couldn't see how the other could stand it so long if there was no tenderness; Shuichi thrived on things like snuggling, and random conversation. Or at least the Shuichi he knew did...
20:
"Of course he did." Shuichi announced, naively proud. Everyone seemed to think Yuki was terribly cold, but it wasn't completely true. There had been times, late in the evenings, after they had made love, that the blond would pull him close and he could smell the other's scent. It wasn't frequent, and for all Shuichi knew, his lover could have been sleeping, but those times happened, vivid in his memory. For every cruel, hurtful, or simply inconsiderate thing he'd done, Yuki made up for it with at least one of the complete opposite. "There were times, I'm sure you won't believe, that he was so gentle and......loving, I guess. It's true."
His reminiscence made the poor vocalist's heart ache. His decision never to return to his Eiri now seemed harsh. As much as he was determined, there could be hope. Perhaps it was his illusion, but Shuichi knew Yuki would try to make it better; he was so confused, it made him sick.
Wrapping his arms tight around his companion, Shuichi nearly cried, "I have no idea what I'm supposed to do Hiro..."
21: I know it is my favourite number, but I don't think it would be too happy with me writing at it today.
The arms that trapped him hurt, but he wouldn't let on to it, if there was anything he could do, this would be it, it was the least he could offer the smaller. He could feel the salty tears along his collar, and it hurt him to know that there was nothing he could do to remedy the situation. If he were to logically consider the situation, he could see that both of them had been horribly wronged by the writer, and it was enough to make him jump to the conclusion that had been burning at the back of his mind.
Wrapping his arms around his best friend with enough firmness to not hurt Shuichi, but to assure him that he was there for him, he tucked the vocalists teary face into his neck, and stroked his hair in a soft rhythm. "Don't worry, no matter what happens, I will always be here for you. I'll protect you." Gently kissing the top of Shuichi's head, he slowed his breathing, hoping that his chest, pressed against Shuichi's own, would calm the rapid choking breaths. "I think you should try to sleep, and tomorrow morning, I will make you a big breakfast of whatever you want to eat, and then we will work it out together."
22:
The sensitive boy crumbled into his friend's embrace, the warmth and strength of it such a comfort. Though the other offered no advice, it was still relieving to know that someone was there for him. In this instance, Shuichi knew it was up him to solve his own problems, but obviously there were better things to do now. Rubbing the salty fluid from his eyes, the vocalist shakily spoke.
"What did we always used to talk about, because I can't think of anything..." He stifled a giggle, mostly at the irony that a loud mouth as himself was at a loss or words. It probably sounded strange to Hiro, who had become quite accustomed to listening rather than talking. Now it was up to the redhead to hold up the conversation. "So what will we talk about Hiro?"
12:
It was warm and dark in the apartment, stuffy so that it was hard to breathe. How did Hiro survive such humidity? A flick of a switch allowed his companion to shed light upon the small, typically Japanese rooms. Shuichi threw his limp body onto the bed. His arms bounced on the mattress in a rhythmic way, reminding him of the way his limbs flailed when he and Yuki would make love. Immediately he rolled his face into the pillow to suffocate the thought. There were so many thoughts of Yuki, the young vocalist could drown in his slowly fading affection.
Hiro was so understanding of this, not having made a peep for minutes. It was like the rational man, most likely thinking through his friend's problem for the best solution. Such a presumption was the cause of what Shuichi foolishly said next.
"So, Hiro, what am I supposed to do?"
13:
At first the red head thought he was referring to the sleeping arrangements, so he could not stop himself when he piped up saying, "Well, you usually lay in the bed, close your eyes, and- oh..." He was not surprised at the fact that Shuichi was asking him for advice, but this was the first time that he was actually without the answer. So he began with the obvious and hoped that throughout the course of the conversation that he would figure it out. " You can stay with me as long as you like, and I'll do anything that you need me to do. Help yourself to my clothes, and my apartment will be your home until you figure things out."
Hiro was surprised that for once his friend was not crying, usually he would start and go on until Hiro hit him to shut him up. Sweeping down to the occupied bed, Hiro placed a calloused palm onto his best friend's forehead, and jokingly questioned. "Shuichi, are you sick, you haven't cried since we left the apartment..."
14:
"WHAT?!" The pink-haired vocalist thrashed about like the child Hiro was implying him to be. It was an outrage, but embarrassingly true; he did tend to overreact. But he was left questioning why this time was different. Shuichi flopped helplessly back onto the bed, gazing emptily at the ceiling; however, there were no answers in the white stucco surface.
"I just feel different this time. Usually he'd be mean and I'd whine and cry until someone gave me attention. Once I calmed down, this would go back to normal. But I don't know what to do now. It feels as though there is nothing worth saving." His eyes began to water. He had been with Yuki for so long, he couldn't imagine what it would be like without the cold, stoic and strangely affection blonde with him. And still he would rather try.
The cold started to sink in, chilling right to the bone. He curled into the guitarist's lap, purring at the heat his friend emitted.
15:
It was always comforting to have Shuichi close to him, he didn't know why, but it just was; it was so different from anyone else, and at times he even longed for the sensation. A soft smile crept up his pale lips, and his arms instinctively went around his best friend; however, a soft ripping sound alerted him that perhaps the motion was a little bad for his current attire. "Sorry Shuichi..." The shirt was honestly too tight, and it bulged when his muscles contracted beneath it, "I'll fix it tomorrow." Tearing it from his body, he resumed the initial task, and just held the other close to his heart.
To be honest, this had been the first time in a while that he had the chance to really hold the other. When they were teenagers they would share a bed, and Shuichi would just curl up against him, whispering in the dark; they would talk until they were both too tired to go on, and he was never certain when, but soon enough he would be asleep too. But Yuki had completely ruined that. Yuki had stolen away those moments, and even when Shuichi would run to him screaming that it was the end, he was still afraid of touching the novelist's Shuichi. But was Shuichi really his again? The thought was fearful.
"Perhaps we should get to be though, ne? We can share my bed. It will be like old times."
16:
The thought seemed pleasant: 'just like old time.' It had been quite a while since their high school days, and Shuichi barely had time to reminisce anymore. This evening was the perfect opportunity. He just hoped Hiro did not want to sleep right away. They could talk until they could no longer stay awake, and say stupid things and jokes without restraint. Shuichi stripped the shirt from his shivering body and dove beneath the blankets. He would have to sleep in his boxers, not having brought any clothes to Hiro's place. How careless of him. Though the guitarist was originally and nicely dressed, it just wasn't his style to wear such clothes. He would eventually have to work up the nerve to go to Yuki and at the least collect his things. That is, unless the blond came to him first.
Wasting no time, Shuichi snuggled up to his friend, arms and legs entwining with the other's. It was such routine to behave this way, yet it had been so long since he was close to the redhead like this, something felt different. Whenever he was close to Yuki this way, it usually involved sex, or something more erotic than sleeping or chatting. As a natural reaction, the magenta-haired vocalist felt his organ harden at the sensations from such closeness. He hoped more than anything that his companion didn't notice. Pulling away would seem suspicious, but the longer he stayed pressed into the redhead, the worse it would become. Paralyzed with confusion and fear, Shuichi stayed put, only with the thought that maybe it wasn't too obvious.
17:
It really was proving to be difficult, trying to regain the comfort that he and the younger once shared; after all, he was not the only one Shuichi had so intimately entangled with, and the same for him. It all seemed so very sexual to him now, almost impossible to fight back the familiar urges. He could no longer stop his hand from so lightly combing through Shuichi's silky locks, sliding his face ever closer to that of his friends. Hiro could smell Shuichi's shampoo, a blend of vanilla and something else, perfuming that pink mop.
'This is not some girl, this is Shuichi.' His mind repeatedly shouted, trying to sedate that warm fuzzy feeling with that of another, to allow the nostalgia to rush back in, rather than this tidal wave of new and strange emotions. His free hand rested atop the other's slim waist, and he could swear that through their tangled limbs, Shuichi was experiencing the same dilemma. 'Poor guy...' he sympathized; it was always easier to view everything as someone else's problems, because if they were someone else's, then Hiro could fix them.
"So...."
18:
Shuichi held his breath a moment, everything would pass with time. He relaxed his muscles, to ease the tension that had been building, and slowed his heaving breath to a normal pace. It was kinda weird to feel this for his best friend; not something anyone would ever predict. Thoughts of singing, of fully clothes people enjoying themselves, and fuzzy bunny rabbits being run over by semis calmed his hormones. Besides, no matter what he felt, he could do anything. It was Hiro after all.
"So, how has it been without Ayaka?" Shuichi innocently began, not realizing that it would probably arouse hurt feelings from the redhead. When this dawned upon him, he could have slapped his idiotic face for saying such a thing. But hopefully Hiro would change the subject rather than maybe get mad at him for bringing the subject up. When nothing happened, he quickly started a new topic. "I mean....uh.....hear any good songs lately. There was this one on the radio the other day. Wow, I really liked it. I didn't catch the name, but if I ever hear it again..."
19:
Sighing as his cheek rested atop his best friend's head, Hiro tried to find the words to explain how he was feeling. "To be honest, I don't think there was anything there in the first place. Just a pretty face," he admitted, although he cut out the main reason, 'something to take away from Yuki.' It hadn't taken him long to realize that was the reason his infatuation had grown to such heights, but he was already trapped; and although he missed the fond caresses, and long conversations, there was someone even more suited to that, the latter that is.
"Shuichi," he felt like an idiot for being about to ask the next question, and it would most doubt lose the comfortable atmosphere when he did, but it had been eating at the back of his mind, and he had to rid himself of the annoyance. "What was the first thing that attracted you to Yuki?" But soon the question was replaced by another, more personal one, "did he even hold you in the night, until he fell asleep?" The red head couldn't see how the other could stand it so long if there was no tenderness; Shuichi thrived on things like snuggling, and random conversation. Or at least the Shuichi he knew did...
20:
"Of course he did." Shuichi announced, naively proud. Everyone seemed to think Yuki was terribly cold, but it wasn't completely true. There had been times, late in the evenings, after they had made love, that the blond would pull him close and he could smell the other's scent. It wasn't frequent, and for all Shuichi knew, his lover could have been sleeping, but those times happened, vivid in his memory. For every cruel, hurtful, or simply inconsiderate thing he'd done, Yuki made up for it with at least one of the complete opposite. "There were times, I'm sure you won't believe, that he was so gentle and......loving, I guess. It's true."
His reminiscence made the poor vocalist's heart ache. His decision never to return to his Eiri now seemed harsh. As much as he was determined, there could be hope. Perhaps it was his illusion, but Shuichi knew Yuki would try to make it better; he was so confused, it made him sick.
Wrapping his arms tight around his companion, Shuichi nearly cried, "I have no idea what I'm supposed to do Hiro..."
21: I know it is my favourite number, but I don't think it would be too happy with me writing at it today.
The arms that trapped him hurt, but he wouldn't let on to it, if there was anything he could do, this would be it, it was the least he could offer the smaller. He could feel the salty tears along his collar, and it hurt him to know that there was nothing he could do to remedy the situation. If he were to logically consider the situation, he could see that both of them had been horribly wronged by the writer, and it was enough to make him jump to the conclusion that had been burning at the back of his mind.
Wrapping his arms around his best friend with enough firmness to not hurt Shuichi, but to assure him that he was there for him, he tucked the vocalists teary face into his neck, and stroked his hair in a soft rhythm. "Don't worry, no matter what happens, I will always be here for you. I'll protect you." Gently kissing the top of Shuichi's head, he slowed his breathing, hoping that his chest, pressed against Shuichi's own, would calm the rapid choking breaths. "I think you should try to sleep, and tomorrow morning, I will make you a big breakfast of whatever you want to eat, and then we will work it out together."
22:
The sensitive boy crumbled into his friend's embrace, the warmth and strength of it such a comfort. Though the other offered no advice, it was still relieving to know that someone was there for him. In this instance, Shuichi knew it was up him to solve his own problems, but obviously there were better things to do now. Rubbing the salty fluid from his eyes, the vocalist shakily spoke.
"What did we always used to talk about, because I can't think of anything..." He stifled a giggle, mostly at the irony that a loud mouth as himself was at a loss or words. It probably sounded strange to Hiro, who had become quite accustomed to listening rather than talking. Now it was up to the redhead to hold up the conversation. "So what will we talk about Hiro?"