It's been so long since I updated that I think you should go reread this fic! (not such a hard task, if you'll remember how short these chapters are) If not, then dive in and try to figure things out. I'm thoroughly confused, that's for sure. Happy reading.

Kazahaya snapped up in bed at the sound of Rikuo's alarm clock. It was a first for him. Usually the older teen had to wake him up after he'd gotten ready. He hadn't responded to the alarm on his own in so long that it took him a minute to find it and shut it off.

He hit the silencer with his bandaged hand and all of his drowsiness disappeared. That set the tone for the rest of his morning. Whether it was dressing or going downstairs to the kitchen, his poor hand caught every corner, rail, and counter on the way.

Rikuo wasn't in the kitchen, either. Him missing a meal was even stranger than him not returning to the room last night. At least it would have been, if certain events the night before weren't taken into account. Kazahaya still didn't know what he'd do when he saw his roommate again.

But now all he wanted to do was fill his knotted stomach with plain bread and show up at work on time. He still had those stupid jars to pay for.

Kakei walked out of his office when Kazahaya came in.

"Good morning, Kudo, you're right on time."

Kazahaya sighed and returned the morning greeting.

"How's your hand?"

Kazahaya moved it and hid a wince. "Just fine."

"Good. I need you to go back and pull these products out of the storage room and stock them first thing." He handed Kazahaya a list, which he took with his good hand and scanned quickly, then turned to go fill.

"Oh, and Kudo?"

"Yes?"

"If you see Rikuo back there, tell him I said good morning as well." He smiled his smile and returned to his office, closing the door behind him.

Kazahaya thought that was a strange request from Kakei, but didn't say so. He'd follow orders, but if he could avoid Rikuo, he would, and Kakei could greet him himself. Why hadn't he just done it when Rikuo came in that morning?

Kazahaya cautiously opened the door to the storage room. No Rikuo in sight. He flicked on the light and let the door swing closed behind him with a soft whoosh. Looking over the list again, he saw that it was mostly vitamins.

Kazahaya trailed a hand across the row of shelves in front of him as he went down it, reading box names. He heard a groan from the next aisle and froze. He wasn't alone.

Rikuo woke up on the floor of the storage room when the lights flicked on. He was sore...everywhere. His neck, shoulders, back... Why the hell had he agreed to this stupid job? First he almost got jumped by some horny scumbag outside his door, then walking in on Kazahaya..., then on Kakei and Saiga, and now this? He'd much rather do some potentially dangerous job that involved strange powers and ended in him sleeping in his own bed.

He didn't realize though, as he groaned and stretched a kink out of his neck, that this was about to turn into his most dangerous job ever.

"Kakei, is this the end of this wild job yet?" Kazahaya stepped cautiously around the shelf and looked at Rikuo, half covered in rumpled sheets and rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"Kazahaya."

"Job? Part of your job was sleeping in the storage room? Why?" Kazahaya didn't understand it. Why would Kakei pay Rikuo to sleep in the storage room? Why would he send him with a bag of medical supplies that Rikuo didn't give him until after they'd been in the room for an hour? Why did he let Rikuo go on break just before he told Kazahaya to carry up those jars?

"Kazahaya, wait-" But the younger boy felt really hot. He wanted to leave Rikuo there sitting on the floor looking just as confused as he did.

Rikuo lunged and caught him before he could get to the door, though. He didn't think about it, he just didn't want another huge misunderstanding to crop up between them. Kazahaya jerked away forcefully, feeling and odd mixture of the fiery heat he'd been experiencing lately and a red flash of pain as he smashed into the shelf beside him. Hand first, of course.

A box of the vitamins he'd come in to get fell off the shelf just above his head and landed with a loud thump in between them. Kazahaya gasped painfully and clutched at his chest, pale and shaken.

Not knowing what to do, Rikuo looked at the younger teen, drew his eyes away, picked up the box and moved towards him and the shelf it belonged on.

"I-I need those," Kazahaya whispered.

"What?"

He feebly held out Kakei's crushed list. Rikuo took it, looked over it, and nodded. "I'll carry this one. Are...are you okay?"

"Fine." Kazahaya didn't mean to meet his eyes, he'd really been trying not to as he reached out and took the list back. But when he did, he grabbed Rikuo's hand instead and held it.

"Rikuo..." He felt recklessly calm. This was the most insane thing he'd ever done. But he wanted to know now, wanted it to finally be clear so he didn't have to keep losing control of himself the way he did. Rikuo had no idea how unnerving it was not to be able to control himself. Or so Kazahaya thought.

The older teen stiffened immediately at his touch. He didn't say anything. The box was suddenly very, very heavy.

Kazahaya stepped into him, going over the box that slid to the ground as he backed Rikuo against another shelf. Kazahaya felt the pit of his stomach burning.

"Kaza-" There was the faintest hint of a blush onhis cheeks. He turned his dark eyes away to hide what Kazahaya suspected he'd find. The root of all problems was desire.

Did Rikuo really desire...him?

I can't decide if I feel worse for Kazahaya or Rikuo...give me feedback in a review. Who is in a worse situation? And should this turn into one of those 'happy ending' fics where Kaza and Rikuo actually hook up (with a possible orgy that would involve Kakei and Saiga), or does Kaza even feel the same about Rikuo? (If you haven't got that the desire is all Rikuo's you're hopeless by now...)