I send out my most sincere apologies for ending the story so abruptly…wasn't very tactical of me, was it? Honestly, though, I felt the need to get the damn thing finished, haha. And what else could I say? They live happily ever after. And I do apologize for the lack of depth in my plot ('preciate the honesty Kit!) for those of you who were looking for a good plotty story. However, I did say in the very first chapter that it was just meant to be fluff, haha, and look what I did with it. Plots aren't my thing, unfortunately. It really sucks because I have so many ideas in my head but they all turn out like crap or just don't turn out at all. Kudos to those of you out there who make me look like a peon! Oh, and I'm sorry, I didn't realize you can't leave blank reviews. ^_~ Won't tease you with that anymore.

Since I couldn't bear to end the story with a coup de grace (anyone speak French?) by way of lethal karate chop, an epilogue ensues…Fluff only.

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Epilogue

          I haven't daydreamed since it happened. Every time I close my eyes and get lost in my own world of fantasy, all I can see is that horrible, endless white of the hospital. All I can hear is the clang of my chains as I roll and bounce in the back of the truck bed, all the while being poked by the sharp objects littering my temporary home. All I can feel is bone on my flesh, striking and lashing and whipping…and laughing.

          But I don't need to daydream anymore, so I'm not upset. I've learned that I can't waste my time yearning for some perfect Yuki that isn't even humanly possible. Yuki is just Yuki, the writer and the man. I love him for who he is, not who I want him to be. Wow...I could make a song out of this.

          Anyway, it's been two months since my kidnapping and the press is still talking about it. Imagine that. My attackers have been given 40 years, and I hope they rot in that awful jail. Yuki says the only reason they were given so long is because of who I am, but that's just as well. Actually, when I think about it, I feel bad for them…even overnight is too long to be in a place you don't know, alone and afraid, not knowing when you'll get out or when they'll stop. But everyone thinks they deserve it, and I can't exactly argue.

          Yuki has been very nice to me, but I can tell it's taken a lot not to yell and ignore me like he once did. He tries his hardest to endure me and to show me he loves me, though he still won't tell me to my face in those direct words. How hard can it be to say three little words? But that's just Yuki, and I love him for it. When I ask if he loves me now, he won't sneer or change the subject. He'll say "What do you think?" or "Wait and see" or sometimes he'll just call me a baka and make love to me. He's so sweet, isn't he? He's been very gentle with me ever since my attack, except on those few occasions recently when I accidentally spilled my grape juice all over his new transcript, and when he told me not to eat anything before dinner and I did and he fixed a nice supper for us…Sure, he yelled at me and tackled me to the ground and threatened to throw me out for not respecting him or whatever…but now whenever he gets really angry, we always end up in bed. Imagine that. But that's just Yuki, and I love him for it.

          "Baka?" Yuki said from the doorway of his office, leaning ominously against the frame, arms folded across his broad chest. "What the hell are you doing on my computer?"

          Shuichi jumped a little, startled, and turned in the rolly chair to give Yuki his best smile. He lost his ingenious explanation, though, when he noticed that his lover was wearing only his distinctive aloof aura. "Umm…typing?" This was the second time this week he'd walked around the house naked. Shuichi told him he could turn the thermostat down…

          Yuki arched an eyebrow in bemusement. "I see that. I guess I was unaware you knew how to type." Shuichi was too dumbfounded to respond, squeaking as Yuki advanced toward him. It was only until the author, bereft of clothing, knelt down beside Shuichi's chair and began to read what he'd been typing, that Shuichi acted. He quickly minimized the document, drawing a slightly suspicious, but more amused glance from Yuki.

          "What are you hiding?"

          "A lot more than you," the boy managed to say, breathless. Yuki had just gotten out of the shower. His hair was only slightly damp, and his body was…wow…Well, his body was dry, but Shuichi could detect a faint scent of soap wafting up to his senses. And if he didn't stop staring up at Shuichi through his dark lashes with those intense eyes…the cleanest room of the house was about to be defiled.

          Yuki chuckled. That's all it took - that low, masculine sound - for Shuichi to slip from his chair into Yuki's arms, Yuki cradling him like a child in his lap. Shuichi was no child, however, and quickly had one arm around Yuki's neck and the other clutching his smooth, bare back, nibbling at his beautifully angled jawline. It amazed Shuichi how quickly Yuki could get him in the mood.

          "Mmm…" was all Yuki could murmur out, pulling his lithe lover closer. "Shu…"

          "Yuki," Shuichi pleaded in a strained voice, biting his neck. "I need you so bad."

          "Unhhh…"

          "I need you to…" He paused shyly, but passion caused him to flick his tongue out and stroke the nips he'd inflicted on Yuki's sensitive skin, making the man inhale sharply. Shuichi's inhibitions flew out the window. "…to take off my clothes…"

          "Are you sure that's what you want, brat?" Yuki breathed, pulling the boy's shirt over his head. Shuichi's skin was hot to the touch, but the burning in those ardor-darkened eyes was what made Yuki stop.

          "Yes."

          Hand resting on the boy's waist, his boy's waist, he slowly leaned down and kissed that damnably cute mouth, letting the boy know through a kiss how much he cared, how much he loved…

* - *

          "Yuki?"

          What? Yuki peeked open a lazy eye to see Shuichi's worried face looming dangerously close to his.

          "Are you asleep?"

          "Not anymore," was his gruff reply. He rolled over, away from Shuichi's endearing eyes and shoved his head under a pillow.

          He'd been dreaming.

          "Oh." Shuichi's voice sounded suddenly depressed. "I thought…" There was a pause, and Yuki could feel the boy's eyes boring into his back. Then Shuichi sighed and flopped back down onto the bed. After a moment he sighed again, making it annoyingly obvious there was something on his mind.

          "Stop making that noise," came Yuki's muffled request. He lifted the pillow and peeped out, meeting a pair of huge, hopeful, beautiful Shu eyes. "What?"

          Yuki was surprised when Shuichi snuggled close to him, throwing a leg over his waist, and pulled the pillow over both their heads.

          "What are you doing? Your breath reeks."

          Shuichi's pout was plain as day, even in the gloom of the pillow. "I already brushed."

          "Fine, fine, whatever…" He kissed the boy somewhere on the face to wipe that pout away. He couldn't handle it this early. "Now, why don't you tell me why you woke me up."

          "Gomen...Yuki…I thought you might have been awake already," the boy whispered, a hand shyly moving to rest on his lover's side. "You were talking."

          "Was I?" Being this close to Shuichi was like dangling meat in front of a starved beast. Yuki kissed him again. Victory! Mouth this time.

          "Yes…"

          "And I suppose I said something that bothered you?"

          "Yes. Well, no, but…" Shuichi began to get flustered and pulled away from a third kiss, flinging the pillow away, causing them both to squint against the bright sunlight. The singer sat up and put his hands in his lap, looking down at them nervously.

          Oh lord, what did I say? Yuki wondered, groaning as he shifted onto his back, rubbing his eyes. It had only been a week since Shuichi had come home from the hospital, and the boy was still a little on the fragile side. Hopefully I didn't say anything too mean. That would be typical. Ruin my nice-streak in my sleep. Damn it, Yuki.

          He sat up slowly and rested his chin on Shuichi's shoulder, wrapping his arms around the boy's waist from behind, trapping his arms, too. His eyes lidded halfway. "What could I say that would bother you so, little Shu?"

          "Well…" Shuichi continued to fidget and shift uncomfortably. "You've just…never said that to me before. And I…I don't know what to think."

          What the hell…? Yuki kissed his ear, for comfort or for pleasure, neither could tell. But luckily, it gave Shuichi both.

          "You said…you said you love me."

          Oh. Damn. When Yuki considered the dream he'd been having, and how real it had seemed, it all made sense. No wonder Shuichi was worried about whether he had been awake or not.

          Yuki slowly scooted around in front of Shuichi, who looked up at him pleadingly, wanting so badly for Yuki to say "Of course I love you, Shuichi, and I'm going to remind you every single day from now on until forever." He would have even settled for a simple "I do."

          But Yuki didn't say anything. He took Shuichi's face in his hands and kissed him, moving over him and forcing him to lay back onto the bed. Yuki's spindly fingers laced through his lover's and he moved them above the boy's head, holding them gently. He lowered himself against Shuichi's quivering body, kissing his forehead, lips, and then nose.

          "Shuichi," he began quietly, looking directly into the boy's loving eyes, "I was dreaming when I said that." Shuichi's face fell a little, but being a naturally happy person, he couldn't help but still feel so, so special in Yuki's touching embrace.

          "It's okay," he whispered softly, squeezing Yuki's hands. He reached up and stole a little kiss. "I love you anyway!"

          The author smiled down at him, at this young man who had put his faith, trust, love, and life into him, and him alone. Yuki refused to get choked up. Think romantic. Think novel! He knew, though, that what he felt was no work of fiction. It had taken him months to accept the fact that he had fallen in love again. Now, a few months after that to put it into words. And surprisingly, he didn't feel like he was walking down the plank, about to jump to his death. Surprisingly, he wanted this. He was ready.

          "But Shu," he began, releasing one of his hands and putting it against the boy's warm cheek, "I want you to know that it's the truth." Before Shuichi could ask what the truth was, Yuki silenced him with a hard kiss.

          Time stopped. Shuichi's heart, which had begun to pound, stopped.

          "I love you."

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Ja! However much more I may want to add on to this story, I must bid a farewell, an au revior, and a bon voyage. I want to give my thanks to all of you who liked this story enough to read it up to this point. Once again, sorry about the last chapter. x_X And once again, pray to the scribe gods that I can get somewhere with my AU ficcie. And that I can get my essay for PSU done.

Love ya all!