Eee lookie, another update! Yee! Classes are almost done!! Yaa! My last day of classes is Tuesday, followed by two exams Friday, then this year of uni is finished for me!! Eeee! Then I can work on finishing all of my stories. Heh. And starting many more. . Oh well. Enough babble. A little warning for this chapter, make sure you have a toothbrush and toothpaste ready for when you're done reading, so you don't get cavities! Man, the sugar from my Peeps must be invading my brain, cause if you thought chapters up till now contained some sappy fluff, well, think again! My gods, I can feel cavities growing in my own mouth after having written this! Hee hee, sappy Bradley! He's so cute! Acting all tough for poor Schu. But does he reveal his true sensitive side? I will shut up now. ^^ Read and give me reviews! I live on reviews!

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"What's the matter Red? You scared? I thought it's what you wanted. Don't back out on me now you little bitch, you know my name, why don't you scream it?" Tears rolling down his cheeks, bruises clothing his body, he struggled again his older aggressor, vainly trying to get out from under him. Just as it was about to happen, as Yushi was reaching for him, the slam of a door woke Schu up, as he bolted upright, the sheets tangled around him. Had he slept all afternoon?

"Schu, where are you?" The German sank back against the headboard, relieved to hear that voice. He placed his feet on the floor, getting up and walking out into the apartment to find his boyfriend. Brad's back was to him, and he ran over to the American, throwing his arms around him.

"Bradley, I'm so glad you're home. I missed you." He buried his face against the American's chest, breathing in the mild scent of his cologne. He relaxed as Bradley's arms tightened around him, hugging him tightly.

"You have a bad day? I knew I should have stayed home."

"No, not at all. I slept all day. I guess, I just had nothing to do all day, so it made me realize how much I miss you when you're not around and there's nothing to occupy my mind?" He smiled up at the American, winking.

"Nice try. You're getting better at lying to my face every day. I don't know if that should worry me though." They laughed, as they walked into the living room. Brad sat down on the couch, pulling Schuldich down onto his lap.

"So how was your day Bradley? Were you bored? Did you spend all day worrying about me?"

"Busted. Today was useless, more of those stupid asinine group presentations we only get ten minutes to work on. It's so pointless. But that's life I guess, it's not all supposed to make sense."

"Don't go getting all philosophical on me please, your world of business is bad enough." Schu grabbed a pillow beside him and whacked his boyfriend with it, grinning as the American looked at him with a surprised look.

"What was that for?"

"That was a warning. You only get three warnings."

"Then what?"

"Then, I'll think of something."

"Ha, empty threats."

"I'll send you images of a naked Takatori Reigi." Schu grinned, as the smile on Brad's face twisted into a frown.

"That's not even funny."

"Then let that be your second warning."

"I don't like this warning system. It sucks." Brad pulled Schu's face closer to his, locking his lips with the German's. He stared up into Schu's sparkling emerald eyes. "Stand up for a sec." Puzzled, Schuldich stood up, watching as Brad rearranged himself on the couch, so that he was lying down. He patted the couch beside him. "Lay down with me." The German smiled, lying down next to Brad, his body half slung over him. He settled his head down on Brad's chest, timing his breaths with Brad's, the rise and fall of his boyfriend's chest a soothing comfort to Schu. He hadn't wanted to admit it to him, but he had felt very anxious all day, waiting for Brad to finish classes and come home. After he had spent an hour worrying about what he was going to do about Yushi, he had come to realize how much he hated being alone now. He felt so helpless, despite his telepathy. He didn't want to get off the couch ever again, he felt so secure and safe lying in Brad's arms, he couldn't help a sigh escape his lips. He felt Brad's fingers filter through his hair, faintly brushing his face.

"What are you thinking?"

"Just, about how happy I am, right now." He never liked that question, usually when someone asked it, too many thoughts were running through his head, and he couldn't discern which ones were important. But now, it was pretty clear what his thoughts were: don't ever lose Brad.

"Why are you so happy?"

"Bradley you know why I'm happy! Stop being a pain."

"I don't see how I'm being a pain. Unless it's not me that's making you happy."

"Bradley!"

"I know, you've found someone else, haven't you? Some hot young Japanese guy has taken your heart away, hasn't he? I knew this day would come." Schu's mind was reeling, hot young Japanese guy? Did he know? Did Brad know about Yushi in the locker room? How could he, he hadn't told anyone but Farf and Farf had gone out!

"Never Bradley! I don't want anyone but you! I'd never leave you!" Schu sat up, staring his boyfriend in the eyes as he said it, wanting Brad to believe that he meant it. How could he have even thought it? Didn't Brad trust in his feelings for him? Maybe he was trying to hint at something else. Schu's mind raced as he thought about it more.

"Schu, baby calm down. Is something wrong? I was only joking, I know you'd never leave me. Is everything okay?" Brad sat up, taking the worried German in his arms and holding him tightly. What had that outburst been about? He'd only been joking around with him like he always did.

"Oh, um I knew that. I guess I just had a long day."

"You slept all day. Hardly tolling on the brain dear."

"Maybe it's a sign that I shouldn't sleep all day, it messes me up." Schu smiled, trying to play it off as though it weren't important.

"Schuldich, if something is bothering you, you have to tell me."

"Nothing is bothering me Bradley."

"Are you sure? Nothing happened yesterday that you want to tell me about?"

"No!" Why wouldn't he drop it? He had to know what Yushi had done to him yesterday, he had to. But how?

"Schu, sweetie, I'm really worried about you. You're acting really strange. Just calm down, don't get all upset on me. I'm just worried. If you say nothing's wrong, then nothing's wrong. I just want to make sure that you know that if anything's wrong, you need to tell me about it so I can help you. I love you, I don't want you to ever worry about anything." Brad kissed Schu's forehead, as he held the German cradled to his body.

"I'm sorry Bradley. I guess I did go crazy. I just, I'm so happy with you, and I guess I just take it too seriously when you joke about us not being together. I wouldn't want to go on living if I didn't have you." Schu clutched to Brad tighter, feeling extremely emotional and even a little scared right now. Why couldn't he just tell Brad that he loved him? Why was it so hard?

"Aw baby don't worry. Nothing could ever tear you away from me. You understand? Nothing. I love you too much." Brad kissed him again, hugging him tighter, while wishing that Schu would just tell him what was wrong. He knew something was bothering the German, but he wouldn't push it. He would just baby him, and let him cry if he needed to, and he'd ask him again later what was bothering him. Whatever it was, it definitely seemed to be messing Schu up quite a deal.

"I'm sorry Bradley. You probably hate it when I get like this. I don't mean to get so emotional all the time, I just can't help it."

"Schu don't apologize for anything."

"No really Bradley, it must be so hard on you, to deal with me all the time. I mean, when we're together, I feel like such a child next to you. You're so much more mature than me; you never lose control of yourself like I do. You always tell me how you feel, and you never hide anything from me. I know it must be such a pain for you to have to wait for me like this, and I'm sorry. I'm trying so hard Bradley."

"Schu, shush. Why are you acting like this? We've had this conversation a million times before, what is it ever going to take for you to understand that it doesn't bother me? Schu I would wait for you forever, and it wouldn't bother me. I want you to be comfortable, and happy. Besides, you are young. Don't forget that. Yes, you carry a burden much heavier than most people twice your age, and your future is not exactly the brightest, but honey you're only sixteen, you still are a child. I don't want you to grow up so quickly; I like you how you are. Every time you cry, and every time you break down and get scared over something, it just reminds me of how untouched you are by all of this. You still have such a sweet and loving nature, despite everything you're going through. I want you to keep that as long as possible. Okay? I love you baby, I love you the way you are. I don't want you to change. I just wish you'd finally understand that and stop worrying about it." Brad hugged his German tightly, as he felt Schu's body shaking; he knew that he was trying not to cry. "Schu, you know you can cry if you feel like it, it's okay."

"Why don't you ever cry Bradley? I've never seen you cry since we've been together." Schu's voice shook as he spoke, but the question seemed to fit. If it was so okay for him to cry, why didn't Bradley ever cry?

"I do cry, not often, but it does happen. You just never see me cry. I don't like to cry in front of you."

"Why not?"

"Well, I just never want to upset you, that's all. You said it yourself, you never see me cry. How would you feel if you saw me break down? You'd start crying too, you know it. I'm here for you to cry against, I don't need to burden you with my problems."

"Bradley, you don't think you can talk to me about your problems? Why not? I could listen. I want to hear about them." Schu sat back, intent on hearing at least a hint of what could be troubling his boyfriend. "Do you cry over me?" The question was so innocent and fearful, yet so caring, that it nearly moved the American to tears there on the spot. Brad took hold of Schu's hands, holding them as he stared into his eyes.

"Well, when you come to me about a problem, and it's something like I feel I can't really fix, but I still act like I can, it bothers me, to see you hurting. You know, when you're hurting, I'm hurting too. But I can't ever show you I'm hurting, because you need me to be strong for you and to tell you everything will be okay, when inside I feel like everything's going to fall apart. I shouldn't even be telling you this now, with how you've been acting since yesterday. But there are so many times when I just feel so useless. You just get upset by so much, and I always feel like you don't really think I care about you as much as I do, and I just feel like I must not be doing such a great job as a boyfriend if I can't keep you from getting upset so often. I don't want you to think that you're a problem, or that you make me upset, because you don't. Because every time I let you cry, and say things to make you think that everything will be all right, and you fall asleep, and you're so peaceful and you're smiling in your sleep, when I look down and see you, and see that smile on your face, and know that it was my words that put it there, it makes me wonder why I ever worry about letting you down at all. Everything has worked out for us so far, and things will always work out. I guess we just both get too emotional sometimes. Maybe I should talk to you more though, about me. Would that make you feel better? If you knew more about my problems? Would it make us closer?" Schu was surprised at the question, surprised at the whole statement. Had Bradley just admitted to him that he wasn't as strong as he always seemed? That he broke down too?

"Bradley, just you telling me that now makes me feel better. I always thought you were so much stronger than me because you never got upset, but now that I know you do, it's like, I don't feel so bad for crying to you anymore. But if you ever get upset, I want you to tell me. Even if I do start crying, which I probably would, it would probably make you feel better anyways. Even if every time you tell me that things will be okay, and that you'll fix my problems, even if it is a lie, it still makes me feel better, just to know that you care." Schu moved closer to Brad, sitting on his lap and hugging him, kissing him softly. Brad hugged him back, burying his head in Schu's red hair.

"You're a lot stronger than you think you are Schu. Don't sell yourself short." They spent the next few minutes together on the couch, in silence. Schu had put the events of the day before out of his mind, concentrating now only on how much closer he felt to his beloved, glad that Bradley had opened up to him like that. It was a new experience, and he had loved every word of it.

"Hey, what time is it?"

"Three o'clock."

"Shit. Time to go pick up the kids."

"Uhh, about that."

"What?"

"Well, we only have to pick up Nagi."

"Huh?"

"Farf, well, he's at the arcade. You see, he got suspended from school."

"I don't want to know, do I?" Schu grinned, nodding his head as he and Bradley headed for Brad's jeep, to pick up Nagi from school. Farf would have thought up a good excuse by the time he got home, he always did. Schu would fix everything at the school tomorrow, and clear Farf's name from the record. He always did.