Disclaimer: Yep, the usual. Obviously, I don't own Gravitation and these
stories are for fun, not for profit. I'm borrowing characters from Maki
Murakami.
I appreciate all criticism, so please read, enjoy, and review. To those who do review: THANK YOU!! I love feedback.
Commitment
Part 2: Okaeri (Welcome Home)
About an hour and forty minutes ago, Shu had called from the airport to say he was back in Tokyo. Media hounds had met Bad Luck there, so they would be delayed. K would be driving everyone home, hopefully within the hour. Eiri had saved his work and shut down his computer. He hadn't felt like watching tv. Smoking, alone, wasn't enough to keep him busy. He didn't have anything interesting to read, either. He settled for making a welcome-home dinner for Shuichi. The dinner was almost finished by the time he heard, "I'M HOME!" echoing throughout the apartment.
He could hear doors opening and shutting in the outer hallway. "Eiri? Eiri?" Shu called out in a sing-song voice.
"In the kitchen," he called. He pulled plates from the cupboard and served up the food.
"Smells great!" Shuichi exclaimed. He stood in the doorway looking fantastic. He looked a little tired, but that hadn't dimmed the brilliant blue-violet eyes or the unnatural dark pink color of his hair. He wore a plain white button-down shirt tucked into black pants. It made him look more mature than his usual shorts and sweatshirt combonations did.
"Welcome home," Eiri said, coolly, setting the plates on the table. As soon as his hands were free, Shu jumped him, hugging him tightly and stealing a kiss. Eiri kissed him back, making certain Shuichi knew he'd been missed.
With a happy sigh, Shu laid his head against Eiri's chest. "You're so wonderful. I missed you."
"It was just three days," Eiri reminded him, unecessarily. He let go and took his seat. "Eat while it's hot."
"I know how long it was, but it always seems longer." Shu took his seat and his eyes widened when he saw what dinner was. "Did you make this special for me?" he squeaked. Eiri ignored him. "I love you, Eiri!" Shu jumped out of his seat to give him more hugs.
"Sit and eat it, brat," he said fondly. Shu laughed and did so. "How was the concert?"
Shu took a bite and tried not to answer with his mouth full. "Mm. Great! Hot." He got up and poured himself a glass of juice, talking. "The Europeans were really nice to us, even though we don't speak much English, or any German, or anything-- except for K, but he wasn't always around to translate for us. The concert was terrific! We played really well— I least, I think we did. They crowd seemed really pleased. Each of the three days we did a five-song set." He sat down, and paused to sip the juice. "There must have been, like, thirty or maybe fifty other bands! There were a couple, whose music I really liked, even though I didn't understand the lyrics. One of them was German and . . . "
Eiri ate, listening to his lover ramble. It was good to have him back. His energy seemed to fill their home. He made the place habitable and life, livable. When he was finished eating, Shu was still going on about the concert and how much money the event had raised for charity. Apparently, the three-day show had set a new record. Shuichi yawned and Eiri asked him, "How long have you been up?"
Shu looked at the ceilling. "Uh, I don't know. . . It was a twelve-hour flight, but because of the time difference, I'm all screwed up. We did a morning set to— I mean, yesterday and . . . I *think* it's a five hour time difference? I can't remember."
No wonder he looked tired. "Finish your dinner then, so you can get some sleep."
"No," he said mulishly. "I want to be with you. I missed you. Can't I just sit with you while you watch tv or something?"
"Then you'll fall asleep on me."
Shu gave Eiri a sheepish look as he covered another yawn. "Come to bed with me, then?" He didn't sound very hopeful.
"I'm not tired." He was almost sorry that he'd slept in today. As it was, there was no way he'd be able to sleep this early in the evening.
Shu dropped his head, "okay," he said quietly. His energy left him temporarily and he focused on eating for a moment. Eiri lit a cigarette and scooted his plate aside to make room for the ashtray. "Eiri? Dinner's really good. Thanks."
"I know what kind of junk you eat on tour." 'Junk' just didn't cover the endless rounds of fast food or take out and snacks consumed under the dual pressures of time and performance. Shu looked up and smiled, knowing the unsaid part about how Eiri cared for him and was watching out for his health. Shu finished his dinner and picked up the plates, setting them in the sink. He started to put away the leftovers and Eiri rose from his chair. "Leave it. I'll get it later."
"Okay," Shu said reluctantly. It was normally his job to clean up.
"C'mon, you need sleep." Eiri took his arm and from behind, steered him to the bedroom. Eiri sat on the bed, propping pillows behind him and instructing his lover to get ready for bed. He could tell that Shu was trying to squelch more yawns. He used the toilet, Eiri heard teeth- brushing, then he came back in to the bedroom and stripped naked. He pulled off a few pieces of jewelry, setting them on the dresser. Eiri smiled, admiring his body. Desire coursed through him. Shu caught him looking and Eiri crushed his cigarette out in the nightstand's ashtray.
Shuichi climbed onto the bed, settling himself over Eiri's legs. "I'm not *too* tired, you know." He leaned in for a kiss and Eiri couldn't resist; didn't want to resist him.
I want this for the rest of our lives, he thought.
***
Author's Note: This version has been edited *a lot* for fanfiction.net. ADULTS may read the full version at gurabiteshiyon.net. ;-)
I appreciate all criticism, so please read, enjoy, and review. To those who do review: THANK YOU!! I love feedback.
Commitment
Part 2: Okaeri (Welcome Home)
About an hour and forty minutes ago, Shu had called from the airport to say he was back in Tokyo. Media hounds had met Bad Luck there, so they would be delayed. K would be driving everyone home, hopefully within the hour. Eiri had saved his work and shut down his computer. He hadn't felt like watching tv. Smoking, alone, wasn't enough to keep him busy. He didn't have anything interesting to read, either. He settled for making a welcome-home dinner for Shuichi. The dinner was almost finished by the time he heard, "I'M HOME!" echoing throughout the apartment.
He could hear doors opening and shutting in the outer hallway. "Eiri? Eiri?" Shu called out in a sing-song voice.
"In the kitchen," he called. He pulled plates from the cupboard and served up the food.
"Smells great!" Shuichi exclaimed. He stood in the doorway looking fantastic. He looked a little tired, but that hadn't dimmed the brilliant blue-violet eyes or the unnatural dark pink color of his hair. He wore a plain white button-down shirt tucked into black pants. It made him look more mature than his usual shorts and sweatshirt combonations did.
"Welcome home," Eiri said, coolly, setting the plates on the table. As soon as his hands were free, Shu jumped him, hugging him tightly and stealing a kiss. Eiri kissed him back, making certain Shuichi knew he'd been missed.
With a happy sigh, Shu laid his head against Eiri's chest. "You're so wonderful. I missed you."
"It was just three days," Eiri reminded him, unecessarily. He let go and took his seat. "Eat while it's hot."
"I know how long it was, but it always seems longer." Shu took his seat and his eyes widened when he saw what dinner was. "Did you make this special for me?" he squeaked. Eiri ignored him. "I love you, Eiri!" Shu jumped out of his seat to give him more hugs.
"Sit and eat it, brat," he said fondly. Shu laughed and did so. "How was the concert?"
Shu took a bite and tried not to answer with his mouth full. "Mm. Great! Hot." He got up and poured himself a glass of juice, talking. "The Europeans were really nice to us, even though we don't speak much English, or any German, or anything-- except for K, but he wasn't always around to translate for us. The concert was terrific! We played really well— I least, I think we did. They crowd seemed really pleased. Each of the three days we did a five-song set." He sat down, and paused to sip the juice. "There must have been, like, thirty or maybe fifty other bands! There were a couple, whose music I really liked, even though I didn't understand the lyrics. One of them was German and . . . "
Eiri ate, listening to his lover ramble. It was good to have him back. His energy seemed to fill their home. He made the place habitable and life, livable. When he was finished eating, Shu was still going on about the concert and how much money the event had raised for charity. Apparently, the three-day show had set a new record. Shuichi yawned and Eiri asked him, "How long have you been up?"
Shu looked at the ceilling. "Uh, I don't know. . . It was a twelve-hour flight, but because of the time difference, I'm all screwed up. We did a morning set to— I mean, yesterday and . . . I *think* it's a five hour time difference? I can't remember."
No wonder he looked tired. "Finish your dinner then, so you can get some sleep."
"No," he said mulishly. "I want to be with you. I missed you. Can't I just sit with you while you watch tv or something?"
"Then you'll fall asleep on me."
Shu gave Eiri a sheepish look as he covered another yawn. "Come to bed with me, then?" He didn't sound very hopeful.
"I'm not tired." He was almost sorry that he'd slept in today. As it was, there was no way he'd be able to sleep this early in the evening.
Shu dropped his head, "okay," he said quietly. His energy left him temporarily and he focused on eating for a moment. Eiri lit a cigarette and scooted his plate aside to make room for the ashtray. "Eiri? Dinner's really good. Thanks."
"I know what kind of junk you eat on tour." 'Junk' just didn't cover the endless rounds of fast food or take out and snacks consumed under the dual pressures of time and performance. Shu looked up and smiled, knowing the unsaid part about how Eiri cared for him and was watching out for his health. Shu finished his dinner and picked up the plates, setting them in the sink. He started to put away the leftovers and Eiri rose from his chair. "Leave it. I'll get it later."
"Okay," Shu said reluctantly. It was normally his job to clean up.
"C'mon, you need sleep." Eiri took his arm and from behind, steered him to the bedroom. Eiri sat on the bed, propping pillows behind him and instructing his lover to get ready for bed. He could tell that Shu was trying to squelch more yawns. He used the toilet, Eiri heard teeth- brushing, then he came back in to the bedroom and stripped naked. He pulled off a few pieces of jewelry, setting them on the dresser. Eiri smiled, admiring his body. Desire coursed through him. Shu caught him looking and Eiri crushed his cigarette out in the nightstand's ashtray.
Shuichi climbed onto the bed, settling himself over Eiri's legs. "I'm not *too* tired, you know." He leaned in for a kiss and Eiri couldn't resist; didn't want to resist him.
I want this for the rest of our lives, he thought.
***
Author's Note: This version has been edited *a lot* for fanfiction.net. ADULTS may read the full version at gurabiteshiyon.net. ;-)