Three to Tango

By Akaru

Chapter three: An unexpected visitor

Yuki's gold eyes widened as he stared at the array of DVDs spread across the coffee table. An action movie, a pair of horror flicks, three dramas—two of them based on Eiri Yuki novels…a romantic comedy, and a Nittle Grasper concert.

"Why don't you pick the first one, Yuki?" Shuichi offered happily.

Yuki analyzed the colorful cases before selecting the action film, deeming it the least of numerous evils. He popped the disc into the player and clicked on the television, settling into a corner of the couch. Shuichi immediately occupied the spot to his side, and Maiko curled up beside her brother.

"Anyone talks, and I'm shutting the movie off and…going to bed," Yuki grumbled as he barely prevented himself from threatening Shuichi with another discharge from the apartment. He wasn't quite sure why he wanted to put on a good front for the girl.

The movie went through the previews and eventually Maiko got up and headed for the kitchen. The boys waited a moment before Shuichi called out. "What'cha doing, Maiko?"

"Do you have any popcorn?" Maiko responded.

"It should be in the third cupboard by the refrigerator," Yuki called back when it became apparent that Shuichi didn't know.

"Thank you!"

The movie started just as the corn started popping. "Hurry up, Maiko!" Shuichi called out jovially.

"I'm coming. Where's the butter?"

"It's in the door of the fridge." Yuki responded when it once again became apparent that Shuichi had no clue.

"Thank you!"

Maiko returned with a bowl of popcorn, which she sat on the table before reseating herself. "Aw, I missed the beginning," she whined.

"We can go back, can't we, Yuki?" Shuichi scooped up the remote and began pushing buttons.

"Shuichi, why don't you let me do it?" Yuki held his hand out for the remote.

"I got it….I think…." At that moment the TV went black. "Um, oops?"

"Give it here, idiot."

"I can fix it!" Shuichi resumed the pressing of random buttons.

The TV did many tricks—some of which the older man and the younger girl had never seen before. It went fuzzy, it went black, it went blue, it went to some random spot in the movie, revealing a big explosion, before fizzling back into darkness. It got up and danced an Irish jig.

"Just give me the remote, idiot!" Yuki barked, snatching the object from Shuichi's fingers. By now the television was flipping randomly through channels and emitting thin puffs of smoke.

It took a moment to undo the damage Shuichi had done, but eventually Yuki managed to get the DVD back to the beginning of the movie and the trio settled in comfortably to watch the show.

An hour later, Yuki was still sitting on the sofa, watching the movie, much as he had when the movie had begun. Shuichi had curled up at his side and was sleeping soundlessly, and just beyond him Maiko was bawling her eyes out, sniffling and shredding a tissue, littering the odds and ends on the floor, which of course made Yuki scowl.

After a moment Yuki decided to speak up. "What is so upsetting, Maiko-san?" he asked as affably as he could manage through his irritation. His tone still came out rather clipped, but Maiko didn't seem to notice.

"It's…so sad…." Maiko sniffed in response.

Yuki blinked, looked to the television, then back to the girl. "It's a car chase," he stated incredulously.

"I know, but…but that car just burst into flames, and…." Maiko trailed off as she sobbed loudly.

Yuki nodded. "I understand, but that was the antagonist."

Maiko looked at Yuki as if he had grown another head. "But Yuki! Don't you see? That was a Maserati!"

Yuki smirked, having a new-found respect for the girl. Then the doorbell rang.

Yuki weighed his options. He could answer the door. Or he could ignore it, which seemed the likelier decision. It most likely wasn't anyone he wanted to talk to anyway. Maybe a door-to-door salesman, more likely his editor or a family member, such as Mika or Tatsuha. And with Shuichi curled up on his shoulder, he couldn't move without disturbing the boy's slumber. He so loathed waking the boy at that moment….

Then he looked up as he heard humming and noticed that Maiko had risen and was heading towards the door. Oh, dear, Yuki mused, wondering how Mika or Tohma would react to Maiko's seemingly familiar presence in the apartment. However he supposed his family and Shuichi's would have to become acquainted eventually, and for that reason he made no move to hinder Maiko's descent upon their visitor.

"Mmrph," Shuichi muttered sleepily, sliding down Yuki's shoulder.

Maiko opened the door of the apartment, and looked up as the new arrival looked down. Then both spoke in synchronicity; "Who are you?"

Maiko's eyes widened at the voice alongside hers. "Wow! You sound just like Yuki-san! Say something again!" she squealed.

Tatsuha stepped back in bewilderment. He eyed the unfamiliar person awkwardly until he caught sight of her eyes, then he relaxed considerably. "Is that you, Shuichi? What are you doing, cross-dressing? Or is this some cover to get past your fans? I admit it's a bit more ingenious than your usual disguises…" He trailed off as 'Shuichi' pouted.

"Why does everyone mistake me for Shuichi? I'd understand if we were identical, but we don't even look alike." Maiko said sadly.

Tatsuha gulped at his faux pas. "Um, I apologize. It's just…this sort of thing isn't exactly beyond Shuichi, really…" he cleared his throat. "Anyway," he began again as he stepped past Maiko into the apartment, following the sound of the TV toward the living room. "Who are you, if not Shuichi?"

Maiko trotted after him. "Maiko. I'm Maiko Shindou."

Tatsuha paused. "You are related to Shuichi, then. That explains the resemblance."

Maiko nodded. "I'm his sister. Who are you, now?"

"Tatsuha Uesugi. Eiri's brother." Tatsuha smiled winningly.

"You look more like Yuki-san than I look like Shuichi," Maiko giggled. She ran forward and poked her head into the living room. "You have a visitor, Yuki-san. It's your brother."

Yuki scowled irritably. "I heard. Go distract him for me while I make an escape, okay?" He quickly shifted Shuichi to the couch and stood up. Shuichi murmured in protest at the sudden movement, slowly returning to consiousness.

Maiko tilted her head curiously, then turned back around. "They're in here, Tatsuha-san."

Tatsuha stepped into the living room as Shuichi pushed himself up into a sitting position. "Is it morning yet?" he muttered. Tatsuha's eyes glazed over.

Yuki cursed. He hadn't realized that his quick dumping of his lover might have awoken him; nor than anyone else might share his sentiment that Shuichi was positively scrumptious when still half asleep. While normally he wouldn't have worried about his brother and his lover, Shuich's uncanny resemblance to one pop legend tended to result in a bit of unpredictability on Tatsuha's part. For Shuichi's sake, Yuki reluctantly emerged from behind the television in time to see Tatsuha taking a seat near the oblivious singer.

"Touch him and die, Tatsuha." Yuki growled possessively

Tatsuha looked up and smiled. "There you are, Eiri. Fixing the television?"

"Something like that." Shuichi had at this point noticed Tatsuha's presence, and upon recalling the last time he had been left alone with Yuki's little brother, had shuffled over to the far end of the couch, leaving Yuki room to put himself between the two. Shuichi looked grateful and snuggled Yuki's arm, and Tatsuha just sighed. Maiko reclaimed a seat on the other side of Tatsuha.

"You guys are watching movies? Sounds like fun." Tatsuha decided to hang around for a little while. It wasn't as if that wasn't his plan in the first place. For once, he wasn't on a mission for Mika to harass his older brother. He was simply looking for something to do.

Yuki only grunted in response. Maiko sat up. "This movie is over. Let's pick another one."

Tatsuha eyed the movies still splayed across the coffee table before he spotted the Nittle Grasper DVD. "That one!" he shouted loudly.

"No." Yuki's voice told that he would accept no argument. Tatsuha pouted but turned back to the movies. Yuki sat up as well, and took the dramas from the table before Maiko could reach for any of them. If a action movie could make Maiko cry, a chick flick would give his apartment water damage.

Tatsuha selected a Stephen King horror, putting it in the DVD player. Yuki skipped through the previews as the foursome settled in to watch the movie. It was the one about the rabid dog. Yuki yawned.

The two Uesugi brothers lounged on the couch through the movie, chatting idly until Maiko shushed them. Almost halfway through, Yuki noticed how the younger Shindou was clutching Tatsuha's sleeve rather tightly. He smirked despite himself.

By then end of the movie, Shuichi was nodding off again, and Maiko was curled up in the other corner of the leather sofa. So Yuki escorted Tatsuha to the door, after reluctantly agreeing to let his visit again in a day or two. Then he stepped back into the living room. Maiko's futon had been set out in the living room, and Yuki easily scooped the sleeping girl into his arms and laid her out on the futon, pulling the covers up to her chin. Then he turned to his lover. "Shuichi."

Shuichi blinked, barely awake. "Mmm? What is it, Yuki?" he murmured sleepily.

"It's time for bed, brat."

Shuichi blinked confusedly. "…okay." He shrugged and laid back down on the couch. Yuki prodded him awake.

"In the bedroom tonight, idiot."

"Oh!" Shuichi clamored to his feet and followed Yuki down the hallway. Within moments the couple had shed their trappings and crawled beneath the covers. Yuki pulled his young lover into his arms, content to simply hold him a moment before he pulled Shuichi up and latched his mouth onto the boys' throat, pressing hungry lips just below his jaw and delighting in the feel of his pulse flitting against the smooth skin beneath Yuki's ministrations.

Shuichi moaned as sensual heat enveloped him. Then he clamped his hand over him mouth, eyes widening. He pressed his free hand against Yuki's chest, dislodging his lover.

"Yuki, stop! We can't!"

Yuki rolled off his lover, propping himself on one arm as he glared at that pink head. "What the hell's the matter?" he grumbled, not enjoying the interruption.

"We can't do this, Yuki! Maiko's out in the living room! What if she hears?" Shuichi babbled frantically.

Yuki growled. "So what? You actually think she doesn't know we're shagging like rabbits in here?" In fact Yuki was quite sure of the opposite. He had seen the gleam in that girl's eye, and would have bet she was outside the door listening at that very moment, if she was awake to hear at all.

"I-I know, but it's embarrassing." Shuichi whined. When Yuki seemed unaffected, he tried a different approach. "Think about it—what if it was Mika out there? Would you be comfortable knowing she was listening in on your private life?"

Dammit, the brat had a point. Yuki shuddered at the thought of doing the sort of things he wanted to do to Shuichi in his older sister's presence. He scowled at having lost the argument. "What are you expecting me to do? Are you going to deprive me of sex while she's here?"

Shuichi smiled. "It's just a week, Yuki. You spend longer than that in New York."

Yuki's scowl deepened, then he just rolled over and sulked. "You're going to pay for this," he muttered before settling in to sleep.

"I love you, Yuki." Shuichi kissed Yuki'scheek softly before he drifted off himself.