Author's Note: Bonjour, et bienvenue tout le monde! Wow, how was that for some awful French…yes, anyways, once again, this chapter was a struggle, but I did it, and I'm quite proud of this one…
Warnings: (haha I finally get to put this up!) a tiny lime…haha sorry, can't manage anymore in the story quite yet…it just wouldn't fit in…
Alright, just reading through the story, and there are soooo many discarded story lines that I started it's pathetic…and in my notes at the end, I keep hinting at things that I can't remember what I was hinting at! I said that there was a reason that Toby didn't have a last name, and now I can't remember why…oh god I feel ridiculous…Also, chapter 10 implies that Tohma and Eiri are the same age, which they obviously are not…blahhh….
I'm putting all the things that bother me right here, and this bothers me: Tai is absolutely nothing like Shuichi…it's actually killing me…but truly, I read somewhere that if you get amnesia, parts of your personality can be suppressed…I dunno…
Chapter Twelve
"…Oh my god…my head…"
"…Arghhhh…"
Tai and Tobias were currently standing in front of the mirror in the bathroom, supporting their heads on their hands, and peering blearily at their run down appearance.
"You look like shit man…"
"Yeah, cuz you're one to talk…"
"Okay…we both look like shit…"
They stumbled back to the room, trying to hold each other up. Tai collapsed back onto the bed.
"It feels like people are drilling holes into my head…oww…"
Tobias looked back at his friend from where he was digging through a pile of stuff in the corner. "Well you have it worse off than me…man…what did you take? You were so, so out of it…"
"I don't know," he rolled onto his stomach, moaning, "I really don't remember taking it…actually, I only remember walking in the door of the club…and after that everything is blurry…were we talking to some guy…?"
"That blonde guy…Eric or something…I didn't get his name clearly."
"No."
"What?"
"No, his name wasn't Eric…He was Japanese…I think it was…Eiri?"
"Okaay…um…how did you remember that?"
"I dunno…it's like maybe I knew someone with that name…but I don't remember!" The last word was screamed at the ceiling. "Eiri Eiri Eiri Eiri…oww…my head…"
Flashback
"Oh my god it's Yuki Eiri! Over there!"
"Where, where!"
"Over there! With the coat and sunglasses!"
"Get him!"
"Run—"
--------------------------------------------
"We have Yuki Eiri as our talk show guest today. So, Eiri-san, we're all dying to know…any new stories in the making?"
"Maybe…"
"Would any of these ideas include an inside look of your relationship with—
-------------------------------------------
"Oh that Yuki Eiri is so handsome!"
"Mmm…I hear he's quite the charmer…"
"I heard that he's going out with that singer, from that band…"
---------------------------------------------
"Eiri! Eiri! Any comments about your forbidden relationship?"
That voice…
"I wouldn't comment on a forbidden relationship, even if I had one!"
"Ahh, so you admit to harbouring a secret love affair?"
---------------------------------------------
End Flashback
"Leave him alone!" Tai awoke to find himself screaming into Tobias's shoulder.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah…just my head…hurts so much…"
"Was it another memory…?
"Uh…"
"Was it?" Panic was rising in Tobias's voice, and he said the words a little harsher than he meant. Surprised, Tai raised his head off his friend's shoulder and frowned. The expression on Toby's face wasn't like one he'd ever seen on the easy going boy before. It was taut and stressed, and there was even a degree of fear in his eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"What was it about?"
"Why? What's wrong? Tell me!" As hard as he tried, Tai couldn't keep his voice from raising.
"Nothing."
"It's not nothing!"
"Really…it is…but it's just…well…did you see anyone…just now?"
"Uh…yeah…a man."
"A friend?"
"I don't know! I can't remember who he is…just the name…Yuki Eiri. think he was…or is…famous or something, because I remember watching TV and seeing him. But I can't remember where I was! Or why I was watching this show…or why I was with him. But I got the weirdest feeling when I saw him, it was so…strange.
"No…I can't…just grasp it…it's just so close…but I can't get to it…"
Tobias clamped his hands down on Tai's shoulders and shook him, startling the boy out of his dream like state. "So he wasn't…um…" His cheeks coloured. "A…boyfriend or anything like that?"
"No!"
Taking in a deep breath, Toby exhaled calmly and relaxed visibly.
"I'm so afraid…that you'll wake up one day and realize that there's someone waiting for you somewhere…back in Japan or something…and…and you'll…"
"I'll what?" Tai had to bow his head right to Tobias's face to catch the rest of the confession.
"You'll leave me like everyone else did."
Confused, Tai curled up his forehead in an effort to relieve the pain. Then, in an instant, he understood.
"No!" The entirety of the situation hit him then, "Never, I'll never leave you! Have you been…worrying about this…all this time…?"
"No, absolutely not."
"Me thinks the lady doth protest too much."
"Shut up…that's not even how it goes…and maybe I was…a little…"
"A little what?" Toby shot him a death glare. "A little worried. But only a little."
"There's nothing to worry about! We'll stick together, forever, right?"
"Promise?"
"Promise."
"…a blood pact."
"What?"
"A blood pact. To seal the promise." He pulled a pocket knife out of his jacket.
Tai was still wary from his last encounter with a knife, and flinched visibly.
"Don't worry, I won't hurt you, like they did…give me your palm."
The small boy hesitated, fingering his still tender arm, but the look in his friend's eye strengthened his resolve. He cautiously touched his fingers against Tobias's hand.
The older boy lightly skimmed his hands across the palm of his hand, and gently raised it to his mouth. Chills ran through Tai's body as he placed a chaste kiss on the back of his hand.
Surprised, Tai didn't even feel the knife gliding across his skin until it pierced the flesh.
"Ow!"
"Sorry…" But the joy in Tobias's eyes took away any traces of pain he could have felt, and as they held their fingers together, the most beautiful smile graced the older boy's face, and he slowed leaned over to Tai's face.
This time, Tai didn't move away. Instead, he ran his hand along Toby's face, and drew him closer. The smell of the blond boy was…intoxicating…he took a deep breath, and was dizzy with desire. Looking up into his eyes, and seeing them already half closed, completely contented, was so arousing. His waiting lips, flushed cheeks, hot hands, was too much for him.
Not able to wait any longer, he hungrily leaned into Tobias's strong body, licking around the base of his neck, and receiving luscious moans from him, then finally, finally moving on to his lips.
Tobias's delicious mouth was already open in anticipation, and he attacked it viciously, trying to make up for all the time he'd been avoiding this wonderful contact. He couldn't even remember why he'd been afraid. This was so right.
He felt Tobias push up against him, struggling to take control, and he let him, for the time being…A hand splayed against his chest, forcing him backwards onto the floor, then a warm, familiar weight on his chest.
Tai stared up into the glowing eyes of the gorgeous boy lying on top of him.
"Why weren't we doing this before…" He muttered breathily, as Tobias slid down along his body to suck softly along his neck, and then down to his chest.
"I dunno…"
Tobias got lower and lower down his body, and Tai propped himself up on his elbows to look down at him.
"No, too fast…" Tai grabbed a fistful of blond hair and playfully tugged his head back up to meet his lips again.
His tongue was attacked with pent up passion, and ravaged by Tobias's revenge for stopping him. A gasp escaped his mouth as suddenly a hand was cupped against his groin. He feebly pushed it with his hand, but Tobias began massaging him through the thin material of his boxers, and Tai couldn't help bucking up against the pressure.
"Ahhh…"
"Hey assholes! Hurry the fuck up and get out to the bus! The whole fucking neighbourhood is waiting for you! We not allowed to leave until you get your asses downstairs!"
"Go away, we're busy!" Tai shivered at the sound of Toby's lusty deep voice. "We're not coming today…"
"Oh, I bet you're busy, fucking your boyfriend, right? Too bad, get out here now! Or I'm getting Mrs. Hift."
Tai felt the weight slowly lift off of him, and he groaned, trying to pull the boy back on top of him.
"Please, can't we stay…just today…?" He hated the sound of his voice whining.
Yuki hates that
Whoa, where did that come from? This "Yuki" again? Who was he…? Despite what he had told Tobias, he was still unsure of what their relationship had been. His stomach lurched.
"Nevermind…" Tai averted his eyes from the older boy, who looked as though he was seriously considering staying. A look of surprise flashed by his eyes, but just for a second, because then he nodded his head.
"Whatever you say…anyways, hurry up and get ready."
"Says the boy in his boxers…"
"Hey, I can get ready in two minutes…you on the other hand, take a little longer…"
"…you have a point…"
Ten minutes later, Tobias was waiting impatiently at the door while Tai ran frantically around the room wearing his boxers. Finally, after getting a good laugh at his friend, he picked a clean pair of jeans and a small shirt out of his drawers and threw it at Tai.
"Just get dressed…we'll figure out where your clothes went later…"
"Okay, thanks," Tai pulled on the clothes in record time and raced for the door. Tobias rolled his eyes.
"Let's get going…"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Eiri got up from his seat as the boarding call for his plane came over the announcements. All day long he'd been dreading the return to Japan…the return to his parents, to Tohma's mocking face, the confession to them…
He really didn't want to go back….he really didn't want to go back…so why the hell was he going back?
To his life, of course…to his editor…his annoying brother-in-law, to his equally annoying sister…an empty house, an empty life…not much of a life there…oh wait, his parents…they're always charming to spend time with…To tell the truth, if he stayed for a few more weeks…months….it wouldn't be a big deal…he could always email in chapters to Mizuki…
The writer stood in the center of the airport, earning death glares from overzealous travelers. Should he just stay…? Only for a bit longer, but maybe he could use a little more time to get over Shuichi before he went back to the constant reminders of his dead lover. Maybe…
Yes, he decided, he would stay, but only for a few more weeks…maybe a month…maybe two…okay, maybe not two months, Tohma would kill him…and then reincarnate him and let Mika and his parents kill him. Hmm…maybe just one month would be enough time to get his thoughts together.
He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Tohma's work number.
"Eiri? Are you on your way home?"
"Not quite yet Tohma…"
Silence on the other end for a second.
"You're staying?"
"Only for an extra month or two."
Another pause.
"I see…you still need time to let go of him…maybe a bit more time will do you some good. But Eiri?"
"Yes?"
"You can't avoid coming home…even if I have to come there and drag you back unconscious."
"I know. Good bye"
Turning to leave, he dumped his plane ticket into the trash can and walked through the airport doors back into the air of New York.
Flashback
"We're here! We're here! Yuki, we made it without dying!" Shuichi bounced out the doors of the airport and was hit by a blast of heat. "Oh, it's so hot Yuki, I'm glad I'm wearing shorts!"
Eiri coolly adjusted his sunglasses on his nose and walked out to stand beside his more-than-usually excited lover. The sun was just setting over the ocean, reflecting beautiful colours into the water and the clouds.
"Aren't you hot Yuki?" The incessant chatter broke him out of his reverie, but it wasn't quite as annoying as usual.
"Not really."
"Are you wearing sunscreen Yuki? Your skin is so pale, you might get a burn."
"I don't burn."
"That's what everyone says, and still they get bad burns, and ruin their skin, and get cancer and die and leave their healthy-skinned boyfriends all alone to put on their sunscreen all by themselves."
"Is that an invitation?"
"Um…sure."
"Okay."
Shuichi grinned and held out his arms expectantly at Eiri.
"Well, you don't expect me to put in on now, do you?"
"Why not?" There was the pout…uhoh…
"Because the sun is setting…you don't need sunscreen."
Eiri waited for the customary 'pleeeeeeeeeeeeease' so he could customary reply with his coldest "no" but it never came. Instead, he turned to see Shuichi staring at the down, clenching his fists at his side. His eyes were filling up with tears, and his nose was beginning to run, but still he didn't say anything. Eiri felt a wave of guilt crash into him.
"Shuichi?"
"Yes?"
Eiri sighed, "I'll put your sunscreen on for you, okay? Then we can go for a walk along the beach so the sunscreen will be put to some use."
He almost regretted it when Shuichi raised his head, and a crazy grin took over his face as he launched himself towards Eiri.
"Yah! I love Yuki!"
Almost…
End Flashback
Eiri stood staring at the smoggy sunset, barely visible through the buildings in the distance.
It was true, he definitely needed a bit more time before he let go.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Author's note: Phew, that chapter was a toughie…hmm….a bit longer than usual…and when I saw usual, I mean the amount that I mean to write, although mostly I go over that amount, so this is average…yeah….just thought I'd say that! Haha thanks so much for all the reviews! They're so great…still wondering about not being able to respond to them…is that true?