Once again, thanks for all the reviews! They keep me going! (smiles…) Hmm… if you don't really have anything to say over time, you can just drop me a review that says "update soon", and I'll get the message. Heehee… Love ya guys!
Anyway, I've just started school again, so might be kinda busy. But I'll try my best to update regularly.
Here you go… the latest chapter:
Notes: (1)oyasumi: good night
DISCLAIMER: Gravitation does not belong to me.
MOU ICHI DO
Chapter 10 --- Stuck with you
Shuichi walked in the direction of Yuki's apartment, frowning at the big brown envelope in his hands. The sky was overcast and the wind was picking up fast, and all around, people were hurrying to get home.
It was evident that a storm was about to arrive soon.
I had better get this to Yuki fast… or I'll get caught in the typhoon. But why did I agree to help Mizuki-san do this in the first place!
Shuichi frowned harder and sighed.
Soon, Yuki's apartment was in sight. It was all too familiar for Shuichi, as he had lived there for so many months in the past. Everything was far too familiar that he felt a little hurt and out of place.
He took the same old lift up and walked down the same old corridor to Yuki's unit.
Here I am… How do I get in without the key? Oh yeah… the doorbell. I didn't use the doorbell very often in the past…
Ding dong…
Shuichi waited.
And waited.
Is Yuki still asleep?
Ding dong… ding dong… ding dong… ding dong… ding dong…
"Stop that irritating noise! Can't you wait-" Yuki was yelling loudly in a pissed voice when he opened the door and found himself face to face with Shuichi.
"Hi… sorry about that. Mizuki-san had to return home urgently, so she begged me to pass the draft back to you…" Shuichi was struggling to keep himself in check, pulling at his shirt awkwardly. "Here! I have to go!"
He shoved the brown envelope into Yuki's hands and turned to leave as quickly as he could, taking fast, big, stiff strides back towards the lift. He vaguely heard a voice calling after him that sounded like Yuki's, but he was too afraid to acknowledge it.
The lift doors closed.
And opened at the first storey again.
Argh! I acted so stupidly back then! It's so embarrassing! I hope Yuki… wait. It's raining!
"No… It's a storm! The wind is so strong and it's raining cats and dogs! Damn! Now I won't be able to get back to the hotel!" Shuichi screamed and pulled at his hair in desperation. "What should I do!"
He leaned against the wall and slid down onto the floor, burying his face in his hands, feeling lost. With tears of helplessness in his eyes, he looked out again into the streets, but nothing was visible except the pouring rain. Depressed, he then hugged his knees close.
Placing his chin on his knees, he sniffled, looking like a lost puppy.
"Hey…"
Shuichi's ears pricked up at a familiar voice. He turned, eyes widening.
"… Yuki?"
"I wanted to tell you that it's going to rain heavily real soon, but you didn't seem to hear me…"
Why… he looks worried. And it's as if he ran all the way down here…
Shuichi found it hard to breathe.
They stared at each other for a short moment.
"Do you… do you want… to come up and wait till the typhoon dies down?" Yuki muttered and glanced away.
"… huh?" Shuichi felt his heart hammered loudly in his chest.
What should I do? I can't go anywhere else anyway… but Yuki's house? The house I used to live in?
He considered his options seriously, and realized that in fact, he had only one option.
"Ok… thanks…"
xxxxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxxxx
Shuichi looked around, noting that nothing has changed much. The apartment was very neat and empty, just like the time when he first moved in… Yuki's style.
"Do you want anything to drink?" Yuki asked from the kitchen.
"It's ok… you should just concentrate on your work. I'll get the drink myself. I haven't forgotten where the things are all kept-" Shuichi stopped and stiffened when he realized what that meant.
There was an awkward silence before Yuki spoke again.
"Ok… just… help yourself."
Shuichi only breathed a sigh of relief when Yuki retreated into his study room.
God… what was I thinking! Stupid me…
He got himself some water (there was only beer in the refrigerator), and sat down on the couch, switching on the TV. Fortunately, the TV was working, and the news was on now.
"… Experts have estimated that this bad weather will last for 1 to 2 days, and everyone is advised to stay home during this period of time…"
Shuichi hung his head. 1 to 2 days? Doesn't that mean that he's going to have to stay with Yuki overnight?
"Ah well… I can handle it… I can…" He lied down on the couch, trying to relax.
xxxxxXxxXxxXxxXxxXxxxxx
It was near seven when Yuki decided to stop TRYING to write. He wasn't able to concentrate at all during the last 3 hours as his whole mind had been occupied with thoughts of Shuichi.
He's here… so close to me…
He switched off his laptop and started for the living room. Opening the study door, he realized that it was all dark in the living room.
"Shuichi?"
He heard a faint sound coming from the couch. As he got closer, he held his breath. There on the couch laid a sleeping Shuichi, who had such a peaceful look on his face that it could melt the hearts of others, even Yuki's. Not daring to make a noise for fear of waking the boy up, Yuki glided carefully and sat down on the floor beside the boy. He lifted his hand to touch Shuichi's cheek gently and his heart almost ceased beating.
Shuichi made a slight movement but didn't wake up.
He's really so close…
Yuki leaned closer and closer, lips almost touching Shuichi's now.
"Hnn…" Shuichi yawned and rubbed his eyes so suddenly that it made Yuki jumped back, knocking into the coffee table.
"Ouch…" Yuki slapped a hand to his forehead, cursing and blushing at the same time.
Shuichi's eyelids flew wide open.
"Yuki?" Shuichi sat up quickly. "What are you- are you all right?"
Yuki stood up and walked towards the kitchen hurriedly, still cursing himself silently. "I'm fine… do you want to eat dinner?"
"Ah, sure! Are you cooking? Great! I haven't eaten Yuki's cooking for a long time!" Shuichi bounced towards the kitchen, excited. "What are you cooking tonight? Teriyaki chicken? Ramen? Or that dish… what do you call that?"
"You're so noisy… it's only dinner, and I'm cooking curry. You like curry, right?" Yuki turned back to face Shuichi. "And don't you enter my kitchen. You'll only injure yourself or-"
"No, I won't! You're so mean-"
They looked at each other in the eye, stumped.
I just acted like I'm still living here with Yuki! Oh no! I shouldn't have fallen asleep. It's clouding my mind!
Shit! What am I doing! First I tried to kiss him, then I'm acting like it's all natural for us to be together…
"Sorry…" Shuichi blushed furiously.
"… don't apologize for nothing…" Yuki muttered and continued preparing dinner.
Dinner was silent as the two ate quietly, busily cursing themselves in their own minds.
After dinner, Yuki decided that it was best to try to have least contact with Shuichi as possible, so he proceeded to 'hide' in his study room. He paused at the door for a moment and then turned to Shuichi.
"You can sleep first if you're tired. But leave the couch. Use the… room that's unoccupied…" And with that, he closed the door of the study room behind him.
Shuichi's eyes soften sadly as he looked at the closed door.
The room that's unoccupied… I guess he meant my old room…
His eyes wandered to the door of Yuki's bedroom, and then to the door beside it that opened up to his past bedroom. He mentally noted that he had hardly slept in his own bedroom back then. It was always… Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he turned to the shelf near the TV. At the topmost level were some… magazines and CDs? He frowned.
Yuki doesn't have the habit of reading magazines that were full of crap nor did he listen to music. So why were there so many magazines and CDs?
He pulled down some of the magazines, curious.
Men wear and cars? Ok… Yuki does like cars, but magazines on clothes? Weird…
Puzzled, he reached to pull out one of the CDs, but dropped the magazines (that were in his other hand) in the process. Cursing, he bent down to retrieve the magazines, with his other hand still holding on to the CD that he was trying to get. Now, that proved to be a bad idea as when he turned his attention back to the CDs, instead of getting one of them, he was met with many falling CDs and magazines.
"Oh shit. No!" The clumsy brown hair boy whispered urgently and desperately as he did not want to disturb Yuki.
But it was too late.
CRASH!
What the hell was that! Shuichi…
Yuki sighed and decided to check things out. As soon as he opened the door, he spotted a mess of CDs and magazines and a brown hair boy scattered around the floor.
"Ouch… stupid CDs and stupid magazines… you didn't have to hit me so hard on my head! I don't want to become more stupid! Grr…"
Yuki watched amused as Shuichi began lashing out at his 'attackers'. He started smirking.
"What's this?" Shuichi stared in shock at the CD he was holding up in his hands. "Bad Luck's CD?"
It was only then did Shuichi realize that almost all the CDs scattered on the floor was Bad Luck's CDs. He gaped at them, while Yuki froze.
Shit. Yuki started to panic. He shouldn't have seen those cds…
"What are you doing?" Yuki snapped, trying to figure out some way of getting around this mess.
Shuichi jumped. "Yuki! Gomen! I was kinda bored so I saw this shelf and I saw some magazines and CDs and I thought of how weird it is for you to own this kind of stuff so I decided to check it out and I wanted to see what kind of music you were listening to but I was so clumsy that the magazines and CDs started falling on me and so we ended up like that!" Shuichi looked up at Yuki fearfully when he was done with his long explanation.
Yuki frowned and started towards Shuichi. He still rambles on and on, not knowing what he's saying… but he looks cute standing there in the middle of the whole mess… wait… did I just think "cute"!
"Just put everything back." That was the indication of Yuki's forgiveness.
Shuichi nodded furiously and moved to pack everything. He realized that he was way too close to Yuki, and so decided to take a step back... but unfortunately, he stepped onto a CD… and slipped… and started falling backwards, grabbing and pulling Yuki along with him.
"Ouch…" Both of them groaned as they met the cold, hard floor.
"Stupid brat… what-" Yuki felt his heart skipped many beats when he realized that he had Shuichi pinned under him on the floor. Shuichi was blushing furiously beneath him, with his fearful wide violet eyes staring up at him, waiting for him to move… but Yuki realized that he couldn't.
Somehow, their eyes were locked unto each other, and neither could move nor speak. The whole apartment was silent, except for the ticking of the clock and the pounding of their hearts.
Looking up into Yuki's mesmerizing golden eyes, Shuichi lost the will to move.
Why isn't Yuki moving away? Oh my god… we're so close that I can feel his breath on my face. His eyes are so beautiful and the way his hair falls over his face… no. I shouldn't be thinking like this! I have to do something!
But still, Shuichi was frozen on the spot below Yuki and he couldn't tear his eyes away from Yuki too.
"Why… why do you… have so many… magazines at home? Do… do you read them?" Shuichi stuttered, trying to focus on something else, hoping that Yuki will realize the awkward position they're in and move away.
"What?" Yuki frowned in confusion, and leaned in closer, eyes trailing down to Shuichi's lips.
Shuichi's heart thundered against his chest. He could felt Yuki's breath on his face again, this time closer.
Is Yuki going to… kiss me!
"I mean the magazines on the shelf that fell onto the floor. You don't read magazines, do you?" Shuichi whispered back, his voice cracking.
"Oh… those belong to Atsushi-" Yuki bit his tongue as he realized what he had just said and what it implied. He felt a piercing pain in his heart as he saw the mixture of emotions flashing through Shuichi's eyes: realization, disappointment, confusion, anger, helplessness, loss, and hurt, hurt, hurt.
Shuichi pushed Yuki off with a new burst of energy and gave Yuki a tiny sad smile, one that stabbed into Yuki's heart like a sharp knife.
"I see… I think I'm really tired. I'll just pack this mess up tomorrow morning, ok?" Shuichi stood up and strode to the 'empty bedroom'. "Oyasumi(1)…"
The door clicked close after Shuichi, leaving Yuki alone in the living room. He stared after Shuichi, at the closed door and then buried his face in his hands.
"God… what did I just do? I shouldn't have done that…" Yuki groaned and cursed himself for the millionth time that day.
But he wasn't sure…
Did he mean that he shouldn't have thought of kissing Shuichi, or that he shouldn't have mention Atsushi…
Because… deep in his heart, he understood that if he had not mention Atsushi, he would have gotten to kiss Shuichi for sure.
xXx TBCxXx
Ha… how's this chapter? They're just trying so hard to hold back their feelings. It's still the typhoon night next chapter! I love writing this part of the story…
More, more YukiShu next chapter. More then this chapter. MORE… (hint hint)