TITLE: Forever

CHAPTER: Calculate

AUTHORS: Kami Beverly and WindKit

FANDOM: Furuba

GENRE: Angst/Comedy/(Romance?)

RATING: PG-13 (T)

WARNING: Erm… strangeness. Possible shonen-ai

DISCLAMER: We don't own.

SUMMARY: random kinda stupid things happen that are somehow funny but bring back terrible memories. They cry. They get over it. They help. The end.

NOTES: heh

The class was buzzing with noise as usual as the teacher walked into the classroom. Her expression, however, froze the sound. That is, except for the fly wandering around and perching on people's noses, but that was a different story.

Her eyes were shadowed evilly, and a crazy grin adorned her face.

A silent 'meep' crossed the room.

"Claaaass," she starting, voice hollow. "Because of yesterday's… ahem, incident, I've decided that the pop quiz that was scheduled for yesterday, and unfortunately did not take place, will not be moved. Instead… you will all fail!" And she exploded into crazed, wicked laughter.

"…Just kidding!"

They all fell out of their seats.

School was out for the day, and people were wandering about. A member of class 2C was hanging out with the 2F students. "Hey, weren't you guys supposed to get a new Korean exchange student?"

"Hey, that's right, we were, weren't we?"

"I wonder what happened to him…"

"Yeah, wasn't he supposed to show up right after we got out and join us this semester?"

"I think so, yeah."

"What was his room assignment?"

"Er… 417, I think."

The class fell silent. "Oh."

Then they all laughed. "Explains everything, doesn't it!"

"Yeah, no kidding!"

"No one could survive the Sohma wonders!"

"Mom, dad…"

"Hieu, darling? Why are you here?"

"Japan… was a huge mistake." He sweatdropped, and then, unexplainably sneezed.

"Hm… I wonder who's thinking about me."

Ayame hummed to himself, feet swinging back and forth as he lay on his stomach, writing in his journal.

Shigure was sitting at the desk, snoozing on his homework.

It was unusually quiet, and Hatori found that he rather liked it- it wasn't as though any of them were sulking, it was just… peaceful.

It wasn't to say that he always enjoyed the silence.

As a matter of a fact, there was this time…

Ayame had been sitting on the swings in the park, rocking back and forth as he wrote in the leather-bound notebook he always carried with him.

Shigure had suddenly jumped on him the way Ayame usually did, looking over his shoulder. His good mood had instantly vanished as he read the words, but he did not show it. "Aya! Watcha doin'?"

Ayame snapped to book shut, grinning nervously. "Nothing!" He laughed.

Shigure looked away, forcing a smile as he moved away. "Anyway, I've got homework."

Ayame stiffened at the words- Shigure? Homework? Something was up.

"'Gure-chan, you didn't read anything, did you?"

"No, of course not," he growled back, burying his hands in his pockets as he disappeared into the trees.

The dorm room had been strangely still that night, and Hatori could practically feel the tension between the two.

"'Gure..." Ayame had tried timidly.

"Save it," he snapped, not bothering to mask his irritation.

The teenager looked away and trudged off to the bathroom.

"What happened?" Hatori had asked calmly.

"Nothing important," he replied angrily. "As usual."

He didn't bother arguing.

They'd worked it out eventually, at least.

With a sigh, Hatori stood, brushing his pants off. "Dinner?"

"Teriyaki!" Shigure cried, tossing his papers in the air.

"No, no, Shiokara!"

"Sushi" His mouth watered

"Ice cream!"

"Yay! Ice cream, ice cream!"

"We are not eating ice cream for dinner." -.-;

As it were, Hatori had ended up just taking the two out for dinner- on his money, of course. He sighed as Shigure and Ayame babbled at each other as they clung to either of his arms. "Hey, hey, we're here," he muttered as they reached the ramen stand.

He dumped the pair off at a table and moved towards the counter.

"Meh… what's up doc?" The large furry creature asked him as it leaned against the counter, nibbling on a bright orange carrot. "What can I get'cha?"

"Er…Two bowls of pork, one bowl of shrimp and one bowl of chicken."

"Sure thing. Table number!" He handed the teen a small, red plastic triangle, with a bold black 8.

Hatori merely shrugged as he took it and left.

'What's with all the rabbits?'

After they had finished their meal, the trio began heading home. They discovered, as they left the shop, that the temperature had dropped greatly, and that rain was pouring down. As they began walking towards the campus, Hatori found himself worrying about Ayame and his health. The snake was a cold-blooded creature, as it were. As though on cue, Ayame transformed in a puff of smoke, clothes and small creature alike dropping into the puddle beneath their feet. Shigure stopped short, chewing his lip nervously.

Hatori sighed, bending down calmly to gather the pile of clothes, which he promptly handed to Shigure. He picked up the long, silvery snake for himself and cradled him against his chest carefully. They walked back to the dorms in silence.

"Tadaima," Shigure muttered dryly as he returned from the pharmacy, taking out the cold press he had bought. "How's Aya doing?"

"His fever's getting worse," the serious student sighed. "He's over 40 degrees…"

"I see. Well…" he shrugged, unable to think of anything reassuring to say. He handed the doctor-in-training a bowl of fresh water.

He methodically wiped the feverish boy's forehead with a damp washcloth as Shigure moved into the kitchen, wrapping the cold press in a paper towel. They worked wordlessly.

"He'll be better in the morning."

"Always is."

"Yeah… We should get to sleep."

The boy shivered. He was surrounded by a veil of darkness, alone and cold. "Where am I?" His voice echoed hollowly. "Hello?"

He could here the shadow of laughter around him, but it was distorted and cruel.

" 'Gure? Ha'ri?" His calls were left unanswered, though the shrieks of laughter grew in volume. "…guys?"

He felt cold, rough scales slidding against his arm. His head jerked as he looked at the spot, but he could see nothing but shadows. The sound of slithering emerged from his right for a second, but still nothing.

He whimpered, curling up on himself. "Guys?" The sound of his voice did not comfort him.

The slick, cool feel of scales came again, this time a brush against his collarbone. He stiffened, hands moving to remove the creature. In that instant, the long silver snake coiled around his throat. "Ha-" he tried, unable to choke any more out. "Ha- Shi-"

He coughed dryly, gasping for air. The snake, following its instincts, coiled tighter around its struggling prey. He couldn't make a sound.

The laughter grew deafening.

His eyes flew open as he was abruptly awaken, subconscious forcing him out of the dream, lest the experience of dreamed death cause a heart attack.

Ayame whimpered fearfully, rubbing his arms, trying to eliminate the goosebumps there. "Shigure?" he tried softly.

"Yeah?" He was infinitely relieved to hear his cousin's voice.

"Nothing, just wondering if you're awake."

"Are you okay?" The dog asked, peeking over the edge of the bed frame.

"Yeah." It felt a bit weird- Shigure usually hated the top bunk. He supposed it made sense, since he had been sick- or so he assumed, since he could not remember anything past walking in the rain- and since Hatori would have needed to get up quickly if something were to happen. "Just a nightmare."

A small smile flickered over the to-be novelist as he watched his cousin for a second before disappearing again. Ayame heard the creaking of the old wooden ladder behind his head and a moment later Shigure had crawled under the covers with him.

"We're here for you, ne?"

"Yeah… thanks."

Hatori was still awake long past the time their breathing had evened out again.