Haha, some victory dance. Man, it's been too long. "Not much longer before I can wrap this up"? Talk about signing on for death right there. Did I forget to warn you that I'm horrible at plots AND endings? Hehe. How bout them Chiefs?
Warning: x_x Shuichi bashing. *sniff*
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This is a dream…I'm dreaming!
Or at least, I think I am. Why am I in the hospital? Usually when I dream I'm with Yuki and we're getting ready to pamper each other. Candles, food, wine…wait, I'm not old enough to drink…! But I don't see my Yuki anywhere. Now I'm shivering – it's so cold here without him. And I feel so weak; my hands are paler than normal. My lips are chapped and my hair is all messed up and I feel like I haven't bathed in days. Gross.
"Yuki!" I call out, finding my voice to be hoarse. That's odd.
Wow…no reply. That's unusual for my dreams. Deciding I should get out of this bed and start a search – he has to be here somewhere – I slowly sit up.
First mistake.
I clutch my forehead, desperately willing the throbbing pain to go away. This is supposed to be where my fantasies take place, not where my perceptions of hell come to life. Why does my head hurt so badly?
Second mistake.
All the memories are flooding my mind now, making me cry out. There's already enough pressure in there to launch a water rocket; why did I have to pile on more distress? Oh God…then I realize…I was beat up. Jumped, mugged, assaulted, attacked, assailed, tackled, laid into, knocked out, taken down…In real life, in the real world, somebody beat me up. Why would they do that? What did I ever do to them?
Damn that fat pocky man.
***
"What's going on?" demanded a livid Yuki. Machines were beeping and nurses were rushing into Shuichi's room talking about strapping him down. He'd just arrived and already, at nine in the morning, there was a ruckus. How typical of the boy to cause a commotion, even when unconscious. "What the hell is-"
A soft voice and an irritatingly comforting hand on his shoulder drew his attention away from the scene. "Yuki Eiri?"
Scowling, Yuki turned to the tall, middle-aged man who was obviously a doctor, shrugging the hand off. "That's me." His voice was acid. "What's up, doc?"
"Well, we're not exactly sure, Yuki-san, but he seems to be having some sort of seizure."
Fire flickered behind Yuki's pupils. "Then why the hell aren't you in there…" While snatching the foreign doctor – sounded American to him – by the lapels, he searched for words. "…fixing him?!"
"There's nothing I can do for him, Yuki-san." The doctor somehow remained calm. Must work in the ER. "Sometimes we have patients that come in who've been beaten so badly they hardly recognize themselves…and sometimes when they sleep they hallucinate or have spasms, much like young Shindou-san here." The sandy-haired fellow offered a small smile. "You shouldn't worry."
"If I shouldn't worry, then why the hell are all those nurses tying him to the bed?" Wow…that would be kinky at any time but now.
"Simply for his own safety, Yuki-san. Shindou-san was probably just dreaming about his ordeal, and that happens quite often – as I said before, and we wouldn't want him ripping out his IV's or falling from his bed."
Yuki slowly eased his grip on the doctor, the blaze fading from his eyes. He cleared his throat, glancing around as he realized how much he had just humiliated himself. This whole caring-in-the-open thing was going a bit far.
But the doctor, unfazed, extended a hand to him and the writer took it firmly. "I'm Karl Wright, Shuichi's doctor. I saw you here last night but I didn't get the chance to say hello."
Yuki felt like a big dumbass, but he gave the doc the best smile he could. It looked like shit. "Hello."
***
"I don't understand. Yuki!"
I really don't understand! Suddenly my body weighs fifty times what it normally does and I slam back down to the bed. It smells like old people in here. Hope they're not contagious.
My head is still pounding, but I've begun to work things out. There was a fat pocky man, too fat for his own good, I guess. Then there was me…
I wince just remembering. Unless the pocky man was lightning-quick or was magical – that would've been so neat! – there had to have been a third Shuichi-napper. And that would mean that…
Well, I don't know what that means. A conspiracy, I guess. How mean of them both. After I got hit over the head, I don't remember much of anything. Except…
"No!"
No! The memories are too awful to remember! Take them back! Send them away! Yuki! Why aren't you here in my dreams?
"Yuki!"
***
Yuki's head snapped up at the horrible sound screeching from inside Shuichi's room. His throat constricted at the realization that the screech was the boy's.
He turned no-nonsense eyes on the doctor who was trying to distract him by making small-talk. "I have to go in there."
"Yuki-san, if Shuichi-"
"I'm NOT asking, doc. Sorry."
***
Wow, it's been so long since I've had a nightmare – this one makes all the others look like fairy tales.
Except for the real nightmare yesterday.
Strange monsters are suddenly rising up from the very ground, swaying and booing and hissing at me with all their tentacles waving around and lashing at me, stinging me. They wrap around my wrists, ankles, throat, mouth, nose, waist…everywhere, until I just can't breathe anymore. You know how sometimes when you have a bad dream and you try to escape or fight back and the dream won't allow it? It's like my strength is non-existent, even though I strain to push and pull and get up and run. My movements are slurred and the huge, black monsters - stark against the bright white of the room - paralyze me with their electric tentacles.
I shiver and cry and moan, longing for Yuki. I don't understand why he isn't here, saving me, holding me, loving me.
"YUKI!"
***
He knelt down slowly beside the bed, ignoring the two nurses still tending to Shuichi who were indiscreetly giving him evil glares. His chest was heaving and his face was contorted into an awful, frightened mess, but he had stopped his wild convulsing and shaking. After hearing his name screamed out in what sounded like tortured agony, it only took Yuki seconds to appear by Shuichi's side. Eyes soft and concerned, he carefully took an unnaturally cold, pale, IV-ed hand between his own, gripped now by the obvious seriousness of his lover's condition. Doctor Wright better have been true to his name…right about not having to worry.
"Hush, little Shu, I'm here now." He added for good measure, with a sincere 'go to hell, bitches' written all over it, "I'm here to protect you from these demons."
***
What? How…? Yuki, is that really you? How did you get here? Nevermind…it doesn't matter…you're here…Oh God, Yuki, you're here!
I want so badly to throw my arms around him and tell him how much it means to me that he has come, but I'm still trapped in the motionless void the monsters put me in. Damn them. And the fat pocky man.
"Little Shu," he says quietly, stroking my cheek, "I'm here now, love. I'm here to protect you."
"Yuki." I manage to say his name, choking on my tears. Tears of happiness and relief. The monsters have all disappeared, leaving only Yuki's beautiful presence. I can smell him, that naturally intoxicating man scent. His fingers are so, so warm on my face, and his voice soothes away my headache as if it was never even there.
"Relax, Shuichi. You're safe here. No one will hurt you anymore. I promise."
That's all I need to hear. Sleep ensues so quickly that I don't even get to enjoy his comforting kiss. Figures.
***
"Seguchi Tohma."
"Eiri-san!"
"Meet me at Shelaat's in twenty minutes."
"Eiri-san, some of us are on a daily sched-"
"Just be there."
Click.
***
"Did you do it?"
"Of course I did."
"Did anyone see you?"
"No! What kind of a chump do you take me for?"
"Ehh."
"That's what I thought. Just remember – I'm the brains of this operation, you're just the brawn."
"Brawn?"
"The physical power. I'm the mind power. God damn."
"Oh…why didn't you just say so?"
"Anyway. Did you deliver the note?"
"To where?"
"To WHERE?! To the only place that would make sense."
"Uhh…his house?"
"That's right…did you do it?"
"Yah. Slipped it under the door."
"Did you sign it?"
"Yup."
"…"
"What?"
"…You signed it."
"Uh, yah."
"With your name?"
"How else do you sign somethin'? You sure you're the brains?"
"You're telling me you wrote the note, signed it with your real name, and slid it under that little fag's door?"
"Sure did."
"Don't you realize what you've done?! Now they have your name and they're going to track you down! IDIOT!"
"…"
"DAMNITT!"
"…Oh."
"Ugh."
"Sorry Len."
"Just shut up."
"…"
"Ugh."
A pause.
"Why do you hate him?"
"Because, you lumbering moron, fags don't deserve any better. To see one becoming famous and nobody seeming to care…it's disgusting! Besides…I had a bone to pick with that gay-ass boyfriend of his."
"Oh yah! He was the one who-"
"Don't! Don't even mention it. If that Yuki wasn't such a fucking queer, I'd still be in business. Forgive me if to this day I'm still sore about it."
"How come he said no to you?"
Another pause.
"I guess he knew just how evil I was."
Cackling.
"And he knew I hated fags. He was always so damn smart. Didn't know about him, though, until after he really came into the open with that little teenage freak. So I figured hey, what a perfect opportunity to get back at the man who put me out of business and a chance to teach that little twat about how the real world works."
"…How does it work?"
"If you're queer, you get the shit beat out of you. One way or another, that's how it works."
A new voice, a voice shaking with insurmountable fury, a voice that was like a wily vampire sidling up to the two men in the darkness of the alley, that was quiet but rock-hard with rage…breaks through the sinister banter.
"That's a pretty fucked up outlook, you piece of shit."
A long, pregnant pause.
"How about I show you mine?"
***
Touma grumbled to himself as he whipped around the corner down Shelaat, the road that had taken its name from its most profitable establishment. He was always surprised at how empty the streets were, considering how popular Shelaat's was. But then again, it was on the far side of the city, and the trashy side to boot. Somehow Yuki had found the place one drunken night and had fallen in love with it.
"Speaking of falling in love," he muttered aloud. His old friend had definitely been hit by that train. Yuki could hardly hide it anymore, although Touma saw it from the very beginning, long before Yuki allowed himself to even think it. The potential in Shuichi was overwhelming, both as an artist and as a lover for Yuki. He was outspoken enough to get himself heard, stood up for what he believed in, and was stubborn enough to coast through Yuki's bad days, bad decisions, and bad-ass attitude. Shuichi saw through that to what he wanted to see in Yuki…a sweet, loving man who had simply experienced a deep trauma in his childhood. So, the icecap that was Yuki's heart melted, slowly revealing the man of Shuichi's dreams. Shuichi couldn't stop the temper, or the memories or nightmares, but he could help Yuki through it all.
Touma hated admitting this to himself. He hated more, though, that Shuichi had to battle death before Yuki would admit it to HIMself.
He slowly pulled up behind Yuki's black vehicle, looking with slight disgust at the pub, wondering if it was even open at ten-thirty in the morning. Apparently so. Two more vehicles and a number of bicycles were parked and chained nearby. The neon sign flickered, somewhat falteringly, "OPEN."
But when he stepped from his car onto the curb, careful not to dirty his sleek white pants, Touma's ears caught wind of a voice he unfortunately recognized. And some thuds he did not happily anticipate.
If anything could distract Yuki from beating the living hell out of the form on the ground below him, it was not the slamming of Touma's door or his cries of "no" and of horror. It was not Touma's frantic attempts to pull Yuki away from the bloodied figure, beaten beyond recognition. The man – Touma guessed from the rotundity and shape of it – was literally black-faced from the kicks, his clothes smothered in the syrup of his own body. He was curled in a fetal position, shivering like a newborn puppy would left in the cold. Only…this was a human being.
"Yuki Eiri, stop this NOW!"
When Yuki looked up at Touma, he gasped and took a step back. It was as if a demon had possessed him. The blonde's eyes were very nearly black, perhaps just from the darkness of the alley, perhaps not. His chest was heaving, and his shoulders were hunched like some wild beast, tired from hunting its prey and finally killing it. There was blood splattered on his face, his clothes, and the dark stuff covered his hands and designer shoes. Yuki's knuckles were raw and ripped open. Touma's eyes welled with tears.
"Eiri…"
And when Yuki collapsed into Touma's arms, sobbing as if they were boys again in New York, Touma didn't care that his pants were no longer white. He held onto his friend tightly as all the frustrations of so much time came pouring out of Yuki's heart, tears rolling down his face as they never had before. Touma looked at the broken heap of what was once a man lying helpless and whimpering on the cold alley floor and couldn't stop the flow of tears himself. It was such a horrible sight – none like he'd ever seen before. Not even in New York. And to think Yuki had done this…
Yuki gripped Touma's jacket so tightly he nearly ripped it, bawling onto his shoulder. He'd never felt so exposed, so open to the world. But he couldn't have cared less. The man who gave him his first real distaste of heterosexuals and the man who had kidnapped his Shuichi and…who had beaten him senseless…had been brought to justice. Touma's tall pillar of strength was exactly what he had needed at that moment. The man's fingers soothed him, stroking his hair as if he were a child. Oh, how he felt like one. A boy again, having killed the man he had come to love…but who hadn't loved him back…he was only a boy. Shuichi was only a boy…
"Come on, Eiri-san…" Touma murmured. "We're done here. It's finally over. All of it."
*** 9 Days Later ***
"The two men suspected of kidnapping and severely beating pop singer Shindou Shuichi have both been apprehended as of Sunday afternoon and are being held downtown for questioning and will not be released until after their trial. Apparently the mastermind behind this horrible event did it to get back at Shindou's partner, renowned author Yuki Eiri, for refusing to let him publish Yuki-san's books. Good move, I'd say! Shindou's attorney has firm beliefs that the evidence against the two, quote – "vile men" – unquote, will be plenty enough to send them to jail for a lengthy amount of time. Shindou is recovering well, however, so fans of both talented men, put your worries away!"
Shuichi clicked off the television and slowly leaned back into the familiar crook of Yuki's arm. Although Shuichi had his doubts about them both being able to fit comfortably in the hospital bed, Yuki proved to be very agile and maneuverable despite his breadth. Not that Shuichi didn't already know all about that…
"Yuki," he said softly into the man's neck, nuzzling him lovingly. "Thank you for saving me."
Yuki took Shuichi's hand in his and held it to his lips for a moment. "I'm sorry I couldn't have been there earlier. Don't ever do that to me again."
The boy placed his hand on Yuki's chest and nibbled on the sensitive flesh just beneath his lover's ear. "This?"
Chuckling, Yuki wrenched his head away, rubbing the violated spot tenderly. "No, you little imp. Don't run off on me like that again."
"Oh." Eyes downcast, Shuichi let out a little sigh. "Yuki…what you did for me…to him…I want you to know that I…Well, I just…I want to say that you…and…"
"Shh, baka," Yuki said gently into the boy's shock of pink hair, stroking the length of his arm slowly. "I know."
Shuichi pushed himself up, sitting straight, letting Yuki's arm fall behind him, hand coming to rest on his hip. He waited until Yuki gripped him before putting a hand to the man's cheek, looking right into those damnably alluring golden hazel eyes. The sincerity swirling in Shuichi's big glowing orbs took Yuki by surprise, as it usually did. His words, however, did not.
"I love you, Yuki Eiri. I always will."
A tiny smile graced Yuki's lips and he opened his mouth to reply just as Shuichi's mouth captured his. Yuki considered pulling the little baka off him to finish what he was about to say, but he figured could wait. How hard could it be to remember three little words?
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Wow! It's done! Omg! *celebrates* The long-awaited ending! Hope I didn't rush it…it's 2:30 in the morning, haha. Wow…I hope you guys all liked it! Thanks so much for all the positive reviews, and definitely for the select few of you who think I'm Smut-Queen, or High Priestess of No-Plot. ^_~ I'm so giddy. Hopefully you are too. This is my first completed story on FF.Net. Woo.
Don't be surprised if you see an epilogue, hehe. But don't expect it!
I love you all so much! Thank you!
Upcoming: None too soon, I'm sure. Quite a busy time for little ol' me. Finishing up high school, you know how it goes. But I am working on an AU story, which the Gravi community desperately needs. Anyway…get back out there and review review review!