Frayed Ends
Chapter 4- Sorry, I've been lazy. I DO NOT OWN GRAVITATION!
"Just because he likes having you in bed with him doesn't mean he loves you!"
Shuichi looked as though he had been slapped.
"Why would you even say that, Hiro? I thought you were my friend! If Yuki hadn't already hit you in the jaw, I would have broken it by now. I hate you." Shuichi left the room, slamming the door behind him.
The next day, Shuichi awoke with a strange feeling. Then he remembered the previous day. His heart sank as he thought of his poor Yuki, suffering in jail because of his own stupidity. He felt even worse after recalling his conversation with Hiro. They had had fights before… but never this bad. Furthermore, he never told Hiro that he hated him ever in the course of their friendship… But it really wasn't every day that Hiro made such stupid accusations or felt the need to butt his way between him and Yuki. Just what had brought this about? Shuichi had been completely taken by surprise.
The environment at work was especially tense. Sakano had trouble keeping Shuichi and Hiro in the same room to get all the recordings done on time. Each of them made a casual excuse each time the other entered. Shuichi knew that if Ryuichi Sakuma ever heard the recordings made that day, he would probably sic Kumoguro on them all. Shuichi had definitely not been singing to his full potential. He left work with a sinking feeling. How could this get any worse?
When Shuichi reached the door to Yuki's apartment, he hesitated. He hated going inside to a big empty apartment-mansion. It was so lonely. Maybe he should go to-… but where could he go now that he and Hiro were fighting? His parents' place? No… he relied on them too much. He pushed open the door with a sigh and removed his shoes. He placed them on the mat to the side next to another pair of shoes.
Shuichi took three steps into the apartment, then turned back abruptly. Another pair of shoes?
"YUUUUKI!" Shuichi flew around the apartment, trying to locate the owner of those shoes. He checked the bedroom, the kitchen, and even his own bedroom until he finally reached a disappointing conclusion.
Yuki was in his office with the door locked.
He was probably angry. No, angry wasn't even the word. Shuichi took his place outside the door and waited. He found comfort in the fact that Yuki couldn't stay in there forever. Once he came out, they would sort everything out and it would be okay. Yuki always made it okay, even if this was all his fault…
Yuki sat on the other side of the door in his comfortable leather chair. He subconsciously knew that Shuichi was there, outside his door, but he made no move towards it. He heard a few sobs through the thick wood the separated his office from the hallway. Still, he didn't move.
There was more than one reason for his immobility. He just couldn't sort them out. He knew that he was angry. But it took him a while to realize that he wasn't mad at Shuichi, necessarily. It was that bastard Hiro. But then… Wasn't it Shuichi's fault that he was holding that bat in the first place? No… Shuichi was doing what Yuki probably would have done… except without a gun and with a bat. Maybe it was his own fault for his reaction.
He replayed the whole thing in his head. Who was really to blame? Hiro for his accusation, Shuichi for his instincts, or Yuki for his generally brutal response to an equally brutal assault?
More sobs. God, why wouldn't he shut up?
Was he feeling as guilty as Yuki was? Probably. He was probably feeling worse. The brat was too hard on himself.
Yuki limped over to the door. He contemplated opening it. He grabbed a pillow off the futon by the wall. Slowly, he allowed the door to creak open.
"Shui-"
"YUUUKI!" As expected, Shuichi shot into the room with all the speed and inaccuracy of a newborn bat. Yuki caught him swiftly in the pillow before his leg was further endangered.
"Yuki, you're limping! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
Yuki waited for Shuichi's random bursts of sobbing to subside.
"You stupid brat-"
Sobbing.
"Shut up, you idio-!"
Impenetrable wave of sobs.
"SHUICHI."
The boy in question halted his blubbering. He settled for little sniffles every now and then.
"They only let me out of jail because I haven't been officially accused of anything yet. I have to go to court to straighten this crap out." Yuki's body itched for the comfort of nicotine, so he paused to light up.
"Don't I get a say?" Shuichi demanded. "I'm the one who caused all this…"
Yuki didn't argue, despite those eminent doubts and regrets fresh in his own mind. It all started with that bat, after all.
"Yes. You're going to have to be a witness."
"YAY!"
"Not 'yay.' What if Hiro asks you to be his witness?"
"Um… I'll pick you."
"You realize that whoever you pick will probably decide who wins the case."
"Why?"
Yuki took a long drag on his cigarette to accentuate his annoyance.
"Because you're the 'victim.'" Yuki finally replied tersely.
Tears welled up in Shuichi's eyes again.
"Don't say that, Yuki."
Yuki pushed the deflated and half-heartedly protesting boy out of his office and closed the door softly. Shuichi's heart sank for the second time that day as he heard the lock click into place. He sat in the hallway crying for a little bit before going to Yuki's room and collapsing on his bed.
But the big, empty, black bed did little to comfort his fears and regrets.
END! Come back for Chapter 5, all! Chapter 5: The Trial
