AN: It's the last part! The two go on their date and exchange presents…By the way, the song that's here is one that I wrote for the story... So, sorry if it's not good! Hope you enjoy!
Shuichi unlocked the door to find the living room empty. Glancing at his watch, he saw that the time was 6:10. They had reservations for an Italian restaurant that Eiri liked at 7:30, so he knew that his boyfriend hadn't left him.
Hiding the bag that contained the ring and book in his jacket in case Eiri popped out of nowhere. Cautiously, he made his way to the office. Seeing it empty, Shuichi took the opportunity to hide his boyfriend's presents.
Deciding that he should get dressed, and that Eiri probably went out to buy cigarettes or something else, the pink haired man made his way to their bedroom.
Noticing the door locked, Shuichi wondered if Eiri was getting dressed. Knocking, he called out, "Yuki? Are you in there?" When he didn't receive an answer, the vocalist shrugged and opened the door. Looking around the room, he spotted his boyfriend.
Eiri was lying on the bed sound asleep. Shuichi smiled. 'Yuki wouldn't want to miss our reservations, and he'll be mad if he doesn't have time to dress properly. I should wake him up.'
With a wicked glint in the vocalist's eyes, he gently sat down on the bed next to the sleeping man. Leaning over, Shuichi gently nipped the older man's earlobe. When this action did nothing more than generate a low moan, the violet-eyed man decided that more drastic measures were needed.
"Yuki…" he whispered into the other man's ear. Gently, Shuichi trailed a hand on the exposed chest of his boyfriend. "You need to wake up…"
Another moan, and Shuichi brought his mouth to his lover's neck. Trailing kisses down Eiri's neck, the younger man began to gently move his hands up and down the novelist's chest.
"Mmm… Keep doing that, and we're not going to dinner, brat."
Lifting his head, Shuichi looked at Eiri. Still not fully awake, the older man's golden eyes were softer, and sleep had softened his otherwise hard facial features. A small smile played on his lips, and Shuichi couldn't resist the urge to kiss him.
Eiri pulled away from the kiss first, knowing all too well that if things continued the way they were, they really wouldn't make dinner, and the novelist wanted this anniversary to be perfect for his boyfriend. "Get ready."
Shuichi leaned in for one last kiss before hurrying off of the bed and grabbing his suit. He paused at the door and looked back at his boyfriend. "I love you, Yuki!" That said, he rushed out of the room. A moment later, a door shut, and Eiri knew that Shuichi was in the bathroom getting changed.
"I love you, too, Shuichi."
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Eiri looked at his boyfriend over the table. Shuichi had been talking nonstop about something or other, but the novelist wasn't listening. Instead, he was doing something more interesting.
Watching Shuichi when he was excited about something was always fun. Most people who knew the hyperactive man would assume the more excited he became, the more hyper he became. That was not the case.
When Shuichi was truly excited about something, he became very serious. One would think that something bad had just happened, but if you looked in his eyes, you could see all of the excitement he held about that subject. His eyes positively sparkled, and when they did that, Eiri couldn't help but be mesmerized.
"Yuki?"
Pulled out of his thoughts, Eiri focused on Shuichi's face, and not just his eyes. The violet-eyed man was looking at him curiously. "What?"
"Are you ready to order, sir?"
Momentarily startled by the voice, Eiri looked to his side. A waiter stood there with a notepad, pen poised to take their orders. Nodding, the novelist ordered meat lasagna with a side salad. Looking at his boyfriend, he added a bottle of their most expensive wine.
Shuichi ordered fettuccini alfredo and a side salad. As soon as the waiter left, he began talking again. "So, Sakuma-san said that he wants to do a song with us, and he even wants me to write it!"
Eiri looked at his boyfriend, seeing the excitement shining in his eyes, and he had to kick the urge to tell him how beautiful he looked. Instead, he said, "Ryuchi hasn't heard your songs, has he? Otherwise he'd know you have zero talent."
Shuichi pouted cutely at the blonde. He knew that Eiri was teasing, and that his songwriting had gotten better, but it was an ongoing joke between them that always resurfaced whenever there was mention of the vocalist writing. "You're so mean, Yuki."
"And you love that about me," was the other man's deadpan reply.
Smiling at Eiri, the younger man reached his hand over the table and rested it on his lover's. Bracing himself for Eiri to push his hand off, he was surprised when the blonde turned his hand around, so that his hand and Shuichi's hand were palm to palm.
A minute later, the waiter returned with the wine that Eiri had ordered. Pouring the wine into two glasses, the waiter set them in front of the two lovers. "You're food will be here shortly."
Eiri gave the man a curt nod, and he left. Slowly, Eiri twined his fingers with Shuichi's. Noticing the pink haired man's soft smile, the novelist gave his hand a small squeeze.
They sat like that until their food arrived.
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Eiri unlocked the door to the apartment he shared with Shuichi. It was a quarter to eleven, and the novelist knew that if the vocalist had to wait any longer for his presents, he would burst.
Taking off his shoes, Eiri excused himself from the living room to retrieve the CD and ring.
Opening the door to the office, he entered the room and went straight for the drawer where he had placed the gifts earlier. Retrieving them, he went back to the living room where his boyfriend was waiting.
Shuichi interrupted Eiri before he could give him the gifts. "Let me go get yours, and then we can exchange them, okay Yuki?"
Eiri nodded and took a seat on the couch, still holding onto the CD and ring. A minute later, Shuichi returned.
Violet eyes met golden ones, and neither man could talk. Their minds were too worried with how the other would react to the gifts. Shuichi wasn't sure if Eiri would even read the novella, while Eiri wasn't sure if Shuichi would like the song.
Eiri broke eye contact first. Lowering his gaze to the floor, he mumbled, "Hold on one more second." Silently, Shuichi nodded.
The novelist rose from the couch and made his way over to his sound system. 'Might as well get this over with. If he doesn't like it, I still have the ring. At least I know he'll like that.'
Quietly, he turned on the CD player. Opening the case, he loaded the CD into the player, and put it on track two. The quiet atmosphere filled with the low sounds of the synth. Taking a deep breath, Eiri turned around. Staring at Shuichi, the novelist began to sing.
I didn't know how to open upOr let my feelings show.
I was happy locked away
Behind my many walls.
But then you came into my life
And began to break through.
Shuichi stared in amazement. He had never heard the other man sing, and the younger man was surprised at how good his boyfriend's voice was.
You made me realizeThat I can't hide from you
And more importantly,
I don't want to…
Without you in my life
I couldn't see the sun.
Without you by my side,
My heart wasn't one.
I didn't know I could feel this way
But now I know, my love…
Without you I am lost…
Shuichi couldn't move. All he could do was watch as the man he loved began to move towards him. Soon, Eiri was in front of the smaller man, and still Shuichi couldn't move.
Eiri smiled and took Shuichi's hands.
I tried to make you leaveBut you wouldn't go.
I tried to make you hate me,
But you only loved me more.
I didn't know what to do
To show you that I care
And that I'll always be there…
Without you in my life,
I couldn't see the sun.
Without you by my side,
My heart wasn't one.
I didn't know I could feel this way
But now I know, my love,
Without you I am lost…
The music began to slow and Eiri lowered his head. Softly, he kissed his boyfriend.
The touch of Eiri's lips brought Shuichi out of his trance. Kissing him back, the younger man leaned into the blonde.
The novelist broke the kiss after a moment. Pulling away from Shuichi, he went back to the CD player and took the CD out. Placing it back in the case, he walked back to his boyfriend and put the case in his hands.
Shuichi looked that the CD case Eiri had just given him. On the front was a picture of the two of them. Violet eyes began to fill with tears as he opened the CD case and read the handwritten inscription.
Shuichi, I know that I haven't been the greatest boyfriend in the world, and that I act as if I don't need you… The truth is I do. I need you more than anything. I love you. Eiri Uesugi
Silently, tears began to fall from Shuichi's eyes. Looking at the CD, he read the writing that was printed on it.
Without You I Am Lost
Written and Arranged by Eiri Uesugi
Produced by Tohma Seguchi
Track 1: Without You I Am Lost (Vocals: Eiri Uesugi)
Track 2: Without You I Am Lost (Instrumental)
Shuichi looked at his boyfriend in wonder. "You wrote this?" Eiri nodded. "And you arranged it?" Another nod. "I didn't know you knew how to play…"
Eiri rolled his eyes and replied in a gentle voice, "Tohma is my brother-in-law. Mika, Tatshua, and myself can all play a synth."
The smaller man wrapped his arms around Eiri's neck. Standing on tiptoes, Shuichi kissed his boyfriend sweetly. "Thank you. This is the best present ever." Eiri's arms wrapped around Shuichi's body, and the vocalist rested his head on his boyfriend's shoulder. "You have a nice voice. You should sing more."
Eiri chuckled. "I'll sing only for you, Shuichi."
Shuichi reluctantly pulled away from the embrace, deciding that it was time to give Eiri his gift, which Shuichi had placed on the coffee table the moment he had heard the music.
Reaching into the back, Shuichi pulled out the small paperbound book. Shyly, he handed it to Eiri, who took it.
The cover was a soft shade of lilac. In black cursive letters, "ONLY YOU" was printed. Underneath the title there was a picture of two rings on a periwinkle cloth and white rose petals. But that wasn't what made Eiri sharply inhale.
The author of this book was Shuichi Shindou.
Looking at his boyfriend for a second, he opened the book to the title page. The next page was the dedication, which Eiri paused to read.
Dedicated to Eiri Uesugi. I love you more than you'll ever know, and this story is to remind you of that. It's our story. I hope you treasure it as much as I treasure you.
"Do you want me to read it now?"
Shuichi nodded his head silently, and Eiri went and sat on the couch. His boyfriend followed him and sat next to him, placing his head on the novelist's shoulder.
It didn't take Eiri long to read it. Maybe fifteen minutes, tops, but it was a little longer before he could speak.
He didn't know that Shuichi could write like this. The story came alive, and not only because Eiri had lived the events, but because of the way it was written. The story was better than anything that he had read in a long time.
Pulling Shuichi closer to him, he turned his head and kissed his little lover. "I love it, Shu. It's perfect."
Shuichi smiled brightly at him. "I have something else for you."
Eiri smiled back at his boyfriend. "Really? Good, because I have something else for you." Pulling Shuichi onto his lap, he kissed the other man passionately.
A moment later, the two pulled away panting. "That's not what it was," Shuichi panted.
"Good, because that's not what I had for you, either."
Shuichi pulled the red velvet box out of his pocket and handed the box to Eiri wordlessly.
Eiri looked at Shuichi, shock written on his face. Pulling the red velvet box he had for Shuichi out of his pocket, he handed it wordlessly to the other man.
Shuichi looked at the box, surprised. Taking the box from Eiri at the same time Eiri took the box from him, he opened it.
Inside was a silver ring, much like the one he had gotten for Eiri. Gently, he took the ring out of the box. Looking at the ring, he noticed that there was an inscription inside: Forever Yours, Eiri.
As Shuichi was looking at the ring Eiri had given him, Eiri was looking at the ring Shuichi had given him. It was identical to the one he had picked for his lover. Turning it in his hand, he realized that there was an inscription. It said: Yours Always, Shuichi.
Eiri looked up to find Shuichi looking at him. Silently, he took the ring out his violet-eyed lover's hand, and slipped it on Shuichi's ring finger. Wordlessly, Shuichi did the same.
"I love you, Eiri Uesugi," Shuichi whispered.
Eiri kissed him. "When did I stop being 'Eiri Yuki?'" he whispered against Shuichi's lips.
Shuichi pulled back and stared him straight in the eyes. "I love the real you, as well as the public you. The real you is Eiri Uesugi, and I love him as much as I love Eiri Yuki." Shuichi paused, as if thinking of how to continue. After a minute, he continued. "You took the last name 'Yuki' to torment yourself for what you did, to allow Kitazawa to continue to haunt you. If you truly love me, then Kitazawa is gone. Therefore, 'Yuki' is gone, and all you're left with is Eiri Uesugi. And I love him with all my heart." As if to prove his point, Shuichi captured the stunned Eiri's lips in a kiss. The kiss was gentle and slow, and filled with all of the love that Shuichi felt.
Eiri pulled back after a few minutes, and Shuichi was surprised to find tears streaming down his face. Silently, the vocalist began to kiss his lover's tears away.
The blonde man gently pulled away from his lover's light kisses and looked him straight in the eyes, as Shuichi had just done to him. Taking a deep breath, he said, "I love you with every fiber of my being, Shuichi Shindou."
Smiling, Shuichi captured Eiri's lips in another kiss. After a moment, Eiri whispered in Shuichi's ear, "Happy two year anniversary, Shuichi."
"Happy anniversary, Eiri."
AN: That's it… Review and tell me how you like… Thanks for reading it! By the way, this is only the end of the anniversary... There is still one more big event for them to deal with, and I'll post when I'm done with it...
