Authoress here. Finally.

Seriously, I need to apologize for the wait. I've had this chapter written for nearly a week, and I'm now just updating. Before you start throwing tomatoes, let me blame it all on school. Kindly direct the launching of rotten fruit at my teachers, bless their hearts.

Without further ado, chapter NINE!

Three-Way Tie
Chapter Nine: Perfectly Bad Timing


Gravitation

"I'm sorry, Mr. DuFresne." The man at the Information desk looked up from his computer screen. "There's nothing listed for Aoyou Tsumaru."

"Damn." Alex ran a hand anxiously through his blonde hair. "I thought it might be too soon to try and find her."

"I'm sorry, Mr. DuFresne." The man said again. "Is there anyone in Tokyo that might know where she is?"

In a mindless motion, Alex pushed his glasses further up his nose. "No one I know."

The man at the Information desk shrugged unhappily. "Then there's nothing more that I can help you with."

"Wait." Alex's mien wore a concentrated frown. "Himoru…Himoru….damnit, what was her last name! Himoru…Oska! Himoru Oska! Search for her!"

Caught up in Alex's excitement the man frantically typed the name into the computer's serch.

"Here she is, Himoru Oska!" The man crowed. "23674 Sibuya Avenue, down by the train station!"

"Excellent. Thank you." Alex grinned, taking the sheet of information the man handed him. "Thank you very, very much!" He turned on one heel quickly and exited the center.

Another woman, seated in the desk next to the man who had helped Alex, leaned over. "Was he looking for Aoyou Tsumaru?"

"Yes. You know her?"

"Know her?" The woman snorted. "Half of Tokyo knows her! Hokatu, you really should start reading Watoshi to Tokyo."

"Is she a movie star or something?" Hokatu asked, irritated. "And I can't read that girly magazine! People would think I'm gay!"

The man on the other side of Hokatu leaned over from his desk, drawing out a rumpled magazine. "I ain't gay. My wife subscribes, but I read it too. Have a look see, Hoka-kun."

Hokatu took the magazine, eyes racing over the large picture plastered on front. "That's…ah, heck, it's on the tip of my tongue! Oh yeah, Shuichi Shindou, right?"

"Keep reading." The woman informed him.

"Doubters of Shuichi Shindou should meet his long time girlfriend, Aoyou Tsuma- Aoyou Tsumaru! That guy, Alex DuFresne's girlfriend is Shuichi Shindou's girlfriend too!"

"I wouldn't say 'too,' Hoka-kun." The man told him in a low voice. "Think about it. She came to Tokyo from America without leaving this so-called love of her life an address. Not a single clue to where she might be! If that's not blunt, I don't know what is."

"Whatever the case may be," Hokatu said. "It's probably best he didn't find out the truth from us."

The other two freverently agreed.

Gravitation

Yuki looked up from the newspaper he had been studying when the front door slammed shut.

"Shuichi? Aoyou?"

"Yeah, it's me." Aoyou walked tiredly into the kitchen, her briefcase full and her visage tired.

"How was work?" Yuki's eyes returned to his newspaper.

"Actually…" Aoyou put her briefcase on the table and drew out the thick stack of paper that was his manuscript for his latest novel. "It was quite unnerving."

"How so?" Yuki wasn't really paying attention; his voice sounded bored and monotone.

"Well…" Aoyou slammed her hand down on Yuki's newspaper, effectively ripping it from his grasp and pinning it to the table beneath her palm. "Let's just say I met some interesting characters."

"What?"

"Such as Sunou, Yahio and Shuro!"

"Oh," Yuki carefully extracted the newspaper from beneath her hand and folded it neatly. "I see you've read my manuscript."

"And how!" Aoyou fumed. She was really starting to work herself up into quite the temper. "How dare you use a character so like myself!"

"And here was I, thinking you'd be flattered." Yuki said calmly.

"FLATTERED!" Aoyou shrieked. "You had her and a Shuichi-based character doing hoochy-coochies in an ally way, for crying out loud!"

"So?"

"SO!"

"What are you, some sort of echo?" Yuki said irritably. "So what? I've used no names, no real indication of who you are; what's the fuss?"

Aoyou felt an inexplicable anger making tears well in her eyes. "It's just- just You can't do that!"

"But I can, Aoyou. It's legal."

"Bastard!"

"Listen Aoyou, this is no big deal! You're making illogical leaps and inferences that you have little proof for, and you're still getting overly angry!" Yuki said, anger and exasperation coming into his voice.

"Overly angry! I sure as hell don't feel like I'm over-reacting!" Aoyou raged.

"You're anger is out of control! You have the shortest temper of anyone I've ever met!" Yuki flared back.

""Look who's talking!" Aoyou screamed. She glared daggers at him, hugging her arms tight to her chest, as if to restrain herself from hitting him.

"Please, Aoyou. Settle down." Yuki stood up and moved around the table. He attempted to put his hands on her shoulders, but her palm came out of no ware and smacked his cheek.

"You pervy bastard! How dare you tell me I have a temper when you've done so much to inflame it!" Aoyou ranted on, even though her heart wasn't in the fight anymore. She was wondering why she was so violently angry. A logical side of her mind told her to calm down, apologize, and realize it wasn't that huge of a deal. Who knew how many real people and events were represented in books? As an editor, she should know this the best. But pride kept the steam of fury coming.

"Aoyou." Yuki's voice was uncharacteristically soft. "If you're this uncomfortable with the book, then I'll scrap it. I won't write anymore of it."

"Y-Yuki." Aoyou stammered. "You-…"

She mouthed wordlessly, tears pouring down her face. Her vindictive side was urging her now, telling her to tell him to do what he suggested. Put a thorn in his side and twist it home! Cripple his career by stunting the growth of the wonderful work of literary art he was offering to destroy!

As if her fury were a fire being quelled by water, she subsided. "Yuki, you don't have to do that. The manuscript was wonderful. It's all really wonderful. It really i-i-is- Oh, Yuki!"

Aoyou's floodgates burst open, and a torrent of hot tears raced down her cheeks. She crumpled visibly, putting her hands to her face and bawling.

Yuki didn't know what to do. She kept sobbing into her hands. She really didn't have anything to be so upset about, yet here she was, acting as if someone had died.

Before Yuki could do anything, the front door opened and closed, announcing Shuichi's return from the recording studio. "Hey guys! I'm back, and there's gonna be a concer… What's going on?"

Shuichi's face clouded with concern as the amethyst eyes took in Aoyou's sorrowful state and Yuki's undercurrent of confusion.

Yuki didn't answer post haste; instead he gently drew the weeping Aoyou to him. "She's had a tough, long day."

Shuichi felt his heart twist, and a peculiar feeling settled in his stomach. Yuki let Aoyou's tears stain his shirt, just as he had done grudgingly and often for Shuichi. His arms were wrapped around her, one hand stroking her hair in a calming motion. His eyes were closed, and his chin rested on her head.

Shuichi acted without thought. He moved into the room and added his arms, taking the man he loved and the woman he cared for into his circle of quiet support.

Aoyou sobbed harder now. She had been angry, but had let the strain of her weariness blow it out of proportion. She knew that Yuki didn't deserve the onslaught of fury she had leashed upon him, and that fact made her feel all the lower. Now, two very special people held her forgivingly and with support.

The confusion and fear, plus self-loathing hit her as a sudden realization jumped to the foremost of her mind. She loved the. Loved them dearly. Not like one would love a brother, but with the kind of passion that never fails to make a heart ache with lust.

Gravitation

"Who did you say you were?"

Alex sighed. He was at the door of Himoru Oska's apartment, and she had only opened the door a fraction, leaving the chain still in the lock. Luckily, she was able to understand his English, and reply understandably.

"My name," he forced out past gritted teeth, "is Alex DuFresne. I'm Aoyou Tsumaru's boyfriend from the States.:

Himoru's eyes narrowed. "If you are…then you'll know her middle name."

Alex responded immediately. "Aoyou Francis Tsumaru."

"Her mother?" Himoru sniffed.

"Rosemary Tsumaru."

"Her father's name?"

Alex groaned. "Shigurutsu Tsumaru. And she's an only child who hates the dark and can't stand insects, except spiders. Can I come in now!"

"Fine." Himoru closed the door in his face, undid the lock, and reopened it. "Whaddya want?"

"I want to know where Aoyou is staying," Alex watched her face carefully for any clues. She first looked blank. Then comprehension crossed her face, followed by a smug look of secrecy. "Well, too bad."

"Do you know where she is?"

Himoru opened the door wider, letting him in. "She left America, you know."

"No really. That's only the reason I came to Japan, Himoru!" Alex said in exasperation.

"Why do you think so?"

Alex sat down on the couch at her invitation. "She wanted to start her career of international editing."

"And…?" Himoru watched him closely, voice suggestive of an ulterior motive. "She also wanted space."

"Are you saying she doesn't want to see me?"

She shrugged. "Depends. She really didn't say much on the subject when we chit-chatted."

"Please," Alex wheedled. "It's very important that I find her."

"Why?" Her stubborn questions were starting to really aggravate him.

"Because, how else am I supposed to give her this?" Alex reached inside his coat, fingers finding the inside pocket. He dug out a small, fuzzy black box.

"Is that?" Himoru squealed.

"Yeah." Alex tucked the box back inside his coat. "I wanna make it final. I want to marry her. I'll never get another girl as good as her."

Himoru chuckled under her breath, saying something that sounded strangely like "She's the ONLY girl you'll ever get."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing." Himoru purred. "In that case, Mr. Alex DuFresne, I have some information you'll find useful."

End Chapter


OOFDA.

Authoress here. Not too sure my circulation is as well, but who cares if my fingers get a constant blood supply? As long as they manage to keep typing, I'm good to go!

As homage to my sister, who's coming home to visit over Christmas, here's the theme song I wroted her…or at least the bit she had proudly displayed on her AIM away message:

"Momma learned her, Daddy begged"Oh please.."

Not much that could have been said to change her little head...

With a twist of the lip and a toss o' her hair she was so damn outta there...

She walks in, with that no shit don't quit attitude...

People cower, at the power she has

in those "danger warning" eyes

She's the premodonna queen..

Of everything."

I never said writing lyrics was my forte, now did I?

Totally random, but hey…it's late, I'm tired, my ring finger on my right hand is getting increasingly numb, and right now EVERYTHING is amusing! WhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeE!