Disclaimer :Of course, they aren't mine. Only Eve, which I'm ashamed to say was a product of my own creation.

Warnings: Angst

Yuki's door was locked. And Shuichi had forgoten his key when he'd left. He partly wondered if the door was locked because Eve was still here. Or because Yuki simply didn't want him in. He sighed, inhaled deeply and raised his hand to knock on the door.

"Shuichi?"

He froze in mid-knock. Yuki stood there, looking more frazzled than he'd ever seen him. Before Shuichi could say anything, Yuki had embraced him, clutching him tightly to his chest. Shuichi melted into the touch, breathing in Yuki's fresh scent.

"I've been looking everywhere for you. I went to Hiro's but he said you'd just left..."

Yuki didn't let go, only kept clinging to Shuichi like he had that night. Refusing to let him slip through his fingers again.

"Let go." Shuichi said

Yuki froze, and pulled Shuichi away from him, so that they were making eye contact.

"Shu... ichi?"

"I don't even know why I came..." Shuichi muttered "I didn't mean to... I just kind of..."

"Shu..."

"You slept with her." Shuichi blurted "Twice!"

Hastily the door was opened, and Shuichi was shoved in.

"Are you crazy?" Yuki shouted, closing the door

"Yes!" Shuichi yelled back "You slept with someone, in our bed!" He screamed

Yuki winced, as if every word brought on a painful blow.

"I--."

"And now you're here... acting like everything is fine?" Shuichi asked "It's not!"

"I know it's not!" Yuki yelled back "It's not alright, I'M not alright! And that's why I need you."

Shuichi froze. Yuki had never been one to share his feelings like this.

"I need you so much right now. To help me with this. Because I have to know, Shuichi. I need to remember everything. And for that, I'm willing to go to the bottom of the rabbit hole."

Yuki paused before speaking, pacing back and forth.

"I need you to be my safety harness. To pull me back up... can you do that?"

Shuichi thought for a moment, could he? After everything Yuki'd put him through. After all the pain and hurt, and tears. Could he still stand by Yuki?

"I love you Eiri Uesugi." He said softly "I always will. I don't think... I cannot not love you. And I know you love me. Even though you can't say it. And I'm willing to wait for the day that you can. I'm not leaving you. I told you once, you can't get away from me again. I'll hunt you down, no matter where you are, and I'll bring you back to me."

He neared him, tears brimming in both men's eyes. Shuichi placed his hands on Yuki's cheeks and spoke softly.

"Regardless of what it takes..." He continued "You do what you need to do. And I'll help you if you ask. And find you when you get lost."

Yuki's lips captured Shuichi's, passionate and hungry. He kissed him as if Shuihci's lips could wash away every drop of pain, heal every wound. Make him whole again. In the afternoon light, both men kissed as if it were the end of the world, and all they needed were each other.

"What day is it?"

Yuki looked over at Shuichi, who sat next to him Indian style on the floor. Yuki shrugged and flipped to the cover of the newspaper he was reading.

"According to this... Friday."

"How long have we been like this?"

"Not long enough."

Both men sat, or in Yuki's case, lay, nude on the living room floor, stretched out and relaxed. For a few days now (neither was sure how many), they had shut themselves off from the outside world. The didn't leave the apartment, the phone was taken off of the hook, and any knocks to the door were ignored.

Shuichi smiled and crawled over to Yuki, laying on his chest.

"Don't you think it's time we returned to the outside world?" He asked

Yuki groaned and rolled up his paper, hitting him on the head.

"Blaspheme." He said "We will do no such thing."

"But I haven't been to work in--."

He was quickly silenced by a kiss.

"Shs." He said, pulling Shuichi into his arms

"But Yuki." Shuichi whined "I'm tired of eating the same thing over and over, and I'm almost out of pocky."

Yuki sighed.

"You can live without pocky."

"And I'm bored."

At that, Yuki grinned, holding Shuichi tighter.

"Well, if you're so bored." He murmered in Shuichi's ear "Let's move into the bedroom."

"No... that's not what I meant..."

"You don't want to?"

"It's not that I... don't want to... it's just... I..."

Suddenly, Shuichi sat up.

"Let's go somewhere! Just you and me!"

"Where?"

Shuichi shrugged.

"The park?" Yuki suggested

"Or... not... how about we go farther?"

"Farther?"

Shuichi nodded.

"Why don't we... take another week somewhere..."

"Like?"

Shuichi shrugged, thinking for a moment. He looked down at Yuki's pale skin and godly body.

'He could really use a tan...'

"That's it!" Shuchi exclaimed

"What?"

"The beach! We'll go to the beach!"

REVIEW! Next chapter, some Yuki Shu healing time. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW