YaoiKitty: Well…yes, but not that part…I meant…well, yes, but I mean the other part…I'll tell you in the next chapter in case others want to guess…SINCE NO ONE ELSE HAS! (hint hint)

And this is mostly angst…I'll explain the change in POV at the end…you'll get it once I explain…unless you're really smart…which, of course, you are…

Chapter Nine: Missing Something Important

SHO

Sho wandered around the house for hours after he had shut the door on Kei. Everything reminded him of the vampire: The table, the fridge, his bed, the couch.

The couch. Sho couldn't even go near it after what had happened a few hours before. He shut his eyes, blocking out painful memories and yelling that he couldn't stand. "I need air," He said quietly to himself.

Pass through the crowd, to the place where the light leads you
As the soundless scenery is flowing past you

Quickly walking over to the window, Sho opened it, resting his forehead on the cool glass. Slowly opening his eyes, he watched as several people emerged from late-night bars and clubs. Looking down, Sho quickly stuck his head out the window, making sure he wasn't hallucinating. "Kei?" he asked the darkened alley. Shaking his head slightly, Sho realized that he had only seen what he wanted to see, and that Kei wasn't in the alley at all.

You opened your hands and were about to hold everything within your grasp
At the end of the rusted track

Bringing his head back inside the house, Sho glanced at his watch. 5:00 AM is what it read. "It couldn't be Kei... the sun's rising in an hour..." he said to no one in particular. "He can't survive without me... no... yes he can... I'm the one who can't survive without him..." Sho's thoughts trailed off into the darkness as he blindly wandered over to the television, falling back onto the couch that he never wanted to sit on again.

Quickly shutting his bloodshot eyes, he slowly curled up on the couch, falling asleep with tears streaming down his face...

I want to believe that something is there

Sho woke up hours later, probably around four in the afternoon, feeling warmer than he should have for sleeping on the couch. Opening his eyes, he realized that he was in his bed, covered by the warm, white covers. "How'd I get here?" Sho mumbled, rubbing his forehead. Glancing around the room, he noticed that it was much tidier than he had left it. "Damn. I'm sleepwalking again..." Sho said to the room, dragging himself out of bed and over to his dresser.

He stared at his reflection in the mirror, noticing how disorganized he looked. His braids that were usually perfect were tangled and unkempt, making his hair look frazzled. His cerulean eyes were bloodshot and had lost their childish twinkle. His skin was paler than normal and he had a sickening feeling in his stomach that something was missing in his life. Only then did he remember what it was.

Kei.

"I hope time stops like this,"
I wished with my simple words
No matter how much I gaze at you

The vampire had only been gone a day and Sho already needed him. Kei was right. Sho needed him already. His life was already in disarray. His mind swirling with these thoughts and the final words Kei had said to him, Sho rummaged around in his clothes drawers for some pants and a shirt. He shook his head slightly, trying to get rid of the echoing words: "You'll miss me soon enough." He walked to the bathroom quickly and stripped, stepping into the shower after dropping the clean clothes that were clasped in his hands on the sink.

Sho quickly turned the faucets, hoping that the water's noise would sooth his erratic mind. He leaned his head under the flow of water, letting the drops pour down his head and into his eyes. He kept his eyes open, hoping that the stinging pain would cause him to focus his mind on other things. He pulled his head out from under the water, realizing that it wasn't helping his queasy mind. Instead, he rested his forehead on the cold wall, letting his thoughts pour out.

Because I won't forget you smiling at me
I will never forget you…

"YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND! It's not that simple! It's not fun and games! Besides... you'd miss me too much if I were to leave."

The echoing sound of the drops from the shower calmed his nerves only slightly, but Sho was thankful for any sort of comfort at the moment. He then realized that he couldn't turn to Shinji or Toshi... they all thought he was sick with the flu and they didn't know Kei was gone. That might be hard for them to handle.

Sho felt helpless. His family and long-time friend and business associate wouldn't believe anything he said and the only one that understood and listened to him seriously was missing and possibly gone forever... he had no one to turn to.

Sho quickly turned his back to the shower, letting the water pour down his back. "How could I have been so stupid?" Sho asked himself, slamming his fist on the shower wall. It echoed slightly, which unnerved him slightly.

The wavering colors float in front of my eyes and disappear
Even if I close my eyes right now, I can't go back there again

"YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND! It's not that simple!... "YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND! It's not that simple!... You'd miss me too much if I were to leave... If I were to leave... were to leave... to leave... leave..."

Sho slammed his fist down again on the same spot, making a slight fracture in the tiling. He swung around and turned off the shower, reaching out of it to grab the nearest towel. As he dried his face, he could smell something familiar. Looking at the towel, he realized it was Kei's. Painful memories echoed back into his mind as he stared at the white, fluffy material.

"You seem to be using my towel a lot, Sho," Kei said, eyeing him.

"So? It's the nearest, I always grab the nearest thing." Sho replied, smiling. Kei grinned lustfully, making Sho quickly reply, "NOT like THAT, Kei! I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT!"

Sho smiled into the towel, laughing lightly. That had happened only a month ago, right after he had told Kei his love for him. Sho realized that it was painful to laugh at such a memory, but somehow it brought relief in his mind, remembering the fun times he had had with Kei.

"I hope time continues like this,"
I wished with my simple words
Only now I can tell you

Quickly, his mind on other thoughts of going out to wander the streets for some fresh air, he dried off fast and slipped into his normal leather pants and pulled the white shirt over his head. As he stepped in front of the mirror, he froze. He was wearing one of Kei's shirts.

"Huh!" Sho said out loud to himself. It was Kei's peasant-cut top. He made an odd sounding sob as he realized how much he missed the vampire. A tear trickled down his face and dropped onto the collar of the top Kei loved so much. Slowly, as though not to break the memories that flowed through his mind, Sho lifted off the shirt, setting it carefully next to the sink. His mind went numb and he stood there for countless moments.

Hastily, Sho ran out of the bathroom to his room to grab a shirt to wear, throwing his dirty white trench coat on over it. Looking around the house, he made sure nothing was on or burning or catching on fire.

As fast as he could, Sho ran over to the door, unlocked it, and ran outside into the blinding light of day which he hadn't seen for ages…or at least the past day. Taking a deep breath, he closed the door behind him and stepped down the few steps out into the crowded streets of Mallepa…

Because the true feelings inside of me
Won't just fade away...

KEI

Kei sat in the alley behind the window by their couch and TV, waiting patiently until he knew more of what was going on inside the house. He sat behind several trash cans that smelled horrible, but Kei didn't mind. He only wanted Sho to pay for what he had said. Although he knew it was cruel, he wanted Sho to know that he was serious, that being a vampire was harder than it looked.

He stood up, blocking out Sho's yelling voice in his head…

"Make me like you!"

Kei jumped suddenly when he heard the window across from him open. He glanced around, realizing that he was only half-covered in the shadows. But he couldn't suppress a smile by seeing Sho's face. He began to worry that he had blown his cover when Sho ducked his head out the window and called, "Kei?" Swiftly, he sunk back behind the bunch of trash cans.

Kei watched as Sho pulled his head back inside and glanced at his clock. Once Kei could see Sho staggering towards the couch that he never wanted to sit on again, he walked over to the window. Barely peeking above the bottom of the windowsill, Kei watched as the staggering Sho collapsed onto the couch, falling asleep immediately.

It was time to move.

Speedily, Kei jumped through the window, landing inside the house that he (supposedly) still lived in. He crouched down suddenly and crawled over to the edge of the couch, making sure that Sho was asleep. As he looked over the edge, he had to sigh in relief and pity. Slowly, he crawled over and stared at Sho, who was silently crying as he slept. Kei reached out a hand and wiped away the falling tears, quietly talking to Sho.

Why are you looking at me with that empty look?
I will be going soon, too
Yes, because everything's there now

"Oh Sho," he whispered to the sleeping man. "It's just like you to bring this all upon yourself. It's not my fault you're being tormented by your own thoughts..." Kei moved closer to Sho's face. "...You need out of this house... you're tormented by everything in it because it reminds you of me." He smiled slightly at the sleeping man. "Everything else in the world reminds me of you, Sho... I don't know how long I'll keep this up... keep distancing myself from you, but it won't last long, Sho... you'll forget about me if I keep it up..." Kei leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on the man's lips. Sho's eyelids twitched. "Sho, I love you, but I have to teach you a lesson... you need to know this. Don't give up. Just learn the lesson... I can't put it in you, and I can't take it out of you, you have to do it on your own. I know you can and you will."

"I hope time stops like this,"
I wished with my simple words

Kei reached over and grabbed the light blanket on the back of the couch and threw it over Sho to keep him warm. As Kei stood up, Sho began to stir. But all he did was pull the blanket tighter around him and mumble in his sleep. Kei caught a few words of it. "Kei...come back...don't...Kei..."

He smiled and ran his hand through Sho's hair comfortingly. "I'll be back," he whispered to Sho, who hadn't heard him. "But I have to clean this place up first..." He looked around and noticed that in Sho's distress, he had practically broken everything.

No matter how much I gaze at you
You smile at me, like you did back then

Sighing quietly, Kei stood up and walked over to the table, clearing away week-old drugged pizzas that Toshi had left there. He threw away a soda that had been opened but Sho hadn't touched it for several days. "God you live like a slob, Sho," he said, turning his head so he could look at the top of Sho's head, which was still leaning on the back of the couch.

Kei walked over to the closet, pulled out the broom, and proceeded to sweep the floor clean of the trash thrown on it. He then began to fill the sink with hot water so he could wash the piles of dirty dishes.

"I hope things continue like that day, like that time,"
I filled my wish into simple words

Two laboring hours later, Kei wiped his forehead off with a towel and looked around the house. Spotless, he thought to himself. Quietly, he walked back to the couch, where Sho still slept soundly, his mouth slightly agape. Kei smiled at the sight. "There. Now you have less work to do..." He told Sho quietly.

Slowly, Kei slid his arms around Sho's shoulders and knees and lifted him gently off the couch. Sho moved his head slightly so that it leaned on Kei's shoulder.

It was a slow progression to Sho's room. Kei, however, found it delightful to whisper to Sho... he could take all of his worries out and Sho wouldn't even know it. "How could you even live in a house that was that dirty?" He asked Sho, whose gaping mouth shut quickly.

Only now I can tell you
Because the true feelings inside of me

Tenderly, Kei laid Sho down on his side (the way he loved to sleep) in his unmade bed. "So that's what I forgot to do... Oh well, you're sleeping in it anyway." He said to Sho, who shifted slightly. Smiling, Kei pulled the fluffy white covers up to Sho's shoulders. Sho simply turned to lay on his back.

Kei kneeled down next to the pillow on the ground and ran his fingers soothingly through Sho's hair. "You're too sweet to let go." Kei said, ruffling the man's hair a bit. "I'll see you later Sho... but you won't see me."

Kei stood up, walked to the window next to the bed, and opened up the curtains. He immediately felt pain shoot through his body. Somehow he managed to close the blinds and regain his thoughts.

As fast as he could, Kei went to the front door and opened it. Luckily it was still shady so he had no problem going back to his "hideout" in the alleyway...

Won't just fade away...

HAH! I FINISHED! GO ME! And I even snuck a quote from 3 in there. 3 was the ESPN movie about Dale Earnhardt. It was really good.

Okay…now you should understand the POV's. They happen simultaneously if you're confused at all...

Lyrics are Wasurenai Kara.

More to come soon. But I have exams so... it may be longer...

And the next few chapters will have the different POVs in them...so too bad for those who hate it. NO, I'M NOT DOING IT JUST TO SPITE YOU. Trust me.