Disclaimer: Gravitation and its characters are the property of Maki Murakami. I make no profit from this other than pleasure.

This is an AU, chapter one caveats still apply. :D

Warnings: Serious calorie alert.

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Chapter Seven:
Strawberries and Cream
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"Why doesn't he just stay here?"

The suggestion was out before Eiri thought. Mostly, he wanted to end the stupid argument between the two musicians and get on with the serious business of finishing the pizza and moving on to the strawberries still lingering in his fridge, awaiting marriage with whipped cream and shortcake.

Touma had brought enough of the dessert for an army—which meant he might actually have enough to share with these two teenagers.

Maybe. If he ate enough pizza first.

Two sets of eyes were staring at him, one purple, one dark-grey.

"What?" He snarled, and reached for another piece of extra-everything pizza.

"Do... do you really mean that, Yuki-san?" Shindou asked, in a tiny voice.

"Hell, no. I just want to finish dinner." He said around a healthy bite. He chewed and swallowed, washing it down with beer. "Listen, Shindou, it'll only take a few days for Touma's accountants to crunch the numbers. He'll give you guys an advance—" Or Eiri would know the reason why. "—and you'll be out. In the meantime, I assume you'll spend your days at the studio, getting the new CD cut...new mixes, or whatever it is you music-types do. I've got a deadline." Never mind it was three months away. His creative juices were flowing, had been since this damned brat had intruded into his life, and at this point, anyone got between him and his computer at their own risk. "You can sleep here. God knows I have the room. No skin off my nose."

And it would assure those words kept flowing rather than stagnating in a mind that would undoubtedly develop an annoying tendency to wander off into wonder what's happening to the midget-muse mode. No different than giving a key to one of his (many) female muses. Once he was gone, he'd just reprogram the alarm . . . again.

Ah, the joys of the electronic era.

He reached for another piece of pizza.

Shindou just stared at him. An unreadable look that might, if he were someone else, be disturbing.

"It... it sounds like a pretty good solution, Shu," Nakano said hesitantly, but with a puzzled glance at Eiri. The long-haired guitarist had been eyeing him suspiciously ever since he kissed the screaming brat. Trying to figure, no doubt, where his explanation of the previous night's events fit in with that kiss.

It was a good thing he didn't ask, since Eiri himself didn't have an answer. Like so much else in the past forty-eight hours, the kid just inspired him to do strange things.

Dammit.

"Shuuichi?" Nakano repeated and Shindou blinked at last. Then nodded. He plucked a piece of pepperoni off the cardboard, nibbled off the crusted cheese, before sitting back, cradling his cup of hot chocolate between both palms, taking the occasional sip.

Avoiding everyone's eyes. Embarrassed, no doubt. There certainly didn't appear to be much thinking going on behind the hooded purple eyes.

Finally, with an inarticulate murmur, he rose to his feet and took his hot chocolate out onto the balcony, sliding the door quietly shut behind him, to stand, sipping his cocoa, staring out across the park to the city beyond. The sunset made his dark hair glow with curious pink and gold highlights, and within the glow, tiny sparks of colored light... the jewels still clinging to his smooth skin.

Eiri did like his view.

"Why'd he do it, Yuki-san?" Nakano's gentle voice intruded into his visual moment.

Why're you asking me? He almost said. Almost. A look at that worried young face somehow stopped it. They were young. So very much younger than the three years that actually stood between them and him. It was a strange position for him to be in. He didn't quite know what to do with it. He wanted to berate them both for being idiots, Shindou for getting into it in the first place, Nakano for not noticing the change in his so-called best friend. Idiots. The pair of them.

Idiots, yes, but idiots with dreams.

He'd been the same. Once.

"He's an idiot," Eiri said abruptly, salving his conscience in that much. He never had believed in white-washing the truth. "And so are you."

Nakano flinched and hung his head.

Dammit. If the guitarist had sniped back, this would be a hell of a lot simpler.

"Idiots with dreams." Reluctantly, he tempered his assessment. "There's no bigger idiot in the universe, and no bigger mark. He did it because he believed in his singing. You didn't notice for much the same reason. Done is done, Nakano. Don't let guilt rule your life."

Would that he could take his own advice. But his path had been set long ago, with a guilt far greater than a bit of whoring for his art. These two...there was no reason to dwell on this fiasco. It was over. Done. Shindou had survived pretty much intact. Seguchi had agreed to take them on the primary label. To recut the CD. To promote hell out of them. They were on their way.

Yippee.

All they had to worry about now was the corrupting influence of the music industry itself and insanely idolatrous fans.

Hell, maybe Shindou had been tempered enough he could survive all that as well.

But it would take time for these two to figure that out. Time. And a few more stage appearances that ended reliably in their own beds.

Fuck. He took another swig of beer and bit into his pizza defiantly. Not his problem.

Nakano watched his friend for a time, worried looking, then sighed and followed him to the balcony.

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"Shu, I'm... I'm really wiped." Hiro's light baritone drifted in through the cotton that seemed to be filling Shuuichi's head. "If you need me to, or just want me to, believe me I'll stay, but if you're really okay with Yuki-san's offer, and if I want to get home safely, I'd better go."

Shuuichi forced himself to think, forced his thoughts away from the spiraling images of his recent past that were mixing so unpleasantly with speculations on the present.

"I'm . . . I'm fine, Hiro. Go. Please. I . . . I've caused enough problems. For everyone."

But Hiro hesitated, eyeing him like he'd grown a second head. Then:

"Is that why you said you'd stay here? Because you think you're a problem? Shu, say the word, and I'll take you home with me. We can manage. I just thought you'd be more comfortable here. I mean, you and Yuki-san obviously have something going—"

"We don't. I told you. I just met him."

A long silence during which he didn't dare meet his friend's eyes. If he did, Hiro would see the indecision, would insist on answers he didn't have, would bundle him onto his bike and take him home with him . . .

And he couldn't go. It wouldn't be . . . right.

"Shu." Hiro touched his arm. "What's going on here? You say you just met him, and now he's asking you to stay here? He's kissing you? More to the point, you're kissing him back?"

"I didn't lie, Hiro. I just met him in the park the night of our last concert. He saw my lyrics and mocked them and I challenged him to come hear us for real. The rest . . . hell, you know more than I do about why he . . . did what he did."

"And the kisses?"

He felt the heat rise in his face. "Doesn't mean anything. You heard him...it was just a way to shut me up. Stopped me from fainting, there in the hotel, and stopped me from screaming in the bedroom. I mean, get real. What could someone like him see in someone like me anyway?"

What the hell? Was that disappointment that had flooded him with that admission? But even before he'd given his body away to anyone willing to add to the Bad Luck budget, he hadn't exactly been the stuff of anybody's dreams.

But was that what he wanted? To . . . be Yuki Eiri's . . . perfect someone? Kami-sama, he hoped not. That was a dream doomed to disappointment.

Severe disappointment.

"Oh, Shu,...if you could only see yourself the way..." Hiro's voice caught, as if the words choked him, then Hiro's hands on his arms urged him around to Hiro's earnest face. "If you're telling me the truth, don't you see what he wants?"

He swallowed hard, and nodded. He wasn't that stupid.

"And you're telling me you're okay with that?"

"Yeah." And something inside of him eased at that admission. "Yeah, Hiro, I am."

"Dammit, if he hurts you—"

He stopped the threat midway with a hand to Hiro's arm. "He won't."

"You can't be sure of that."

"Yeah, Hiro. I can."

"How?"

"Those others...they didn't give a damn about me. Yuki-san...don't you see? He didn't have to notice. Didn't have to follow. Didn't have to help. But he did. He did all those things."

"So, you'll let him fuck you out of gratitude?"

He shrugged, and tried hard not to bite his lip. "Something like that."

"Dammit, Shu, you don't have to."

"I don't have to, but I need to. I think...I think, maybe I even w–want t–to." He stared up at his friend, begging him silently to understand that which he barely understood himself.

"Oh, Shu,...I wish..."

"Don't even go there, Nakano Hiroshi. You're my best friend in the whole world. I love you more than anyone, and I won't have you taking karma over this. I decided. I did. I'll live with the consequences. And this..." Somewhere, he found a grin. "This is one of the better consequences, I assure you."

Hiro stared at him a long, long while, then cursed softly and pulled him into his arms in a warm hug.

"Love you, monkey-face."

"Ditto, bones. Now scram, will you?"

With a damp chuckle, Hiro released him and went back inside, sliding the door closed behind him.

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Eiri said nothing as the young guitarist shrugged into his coat and repeated his thanks. Shit, they made way too much of his part in this ridiculous soap opera. He had a bloodthirsty temper that just needed the occasional nourishment. But this time, Nakano didn't stop at the thanks.

"I–I hate to say anything, Yuki-san, but I am worried. Please don't... don't press him too hard for a while. There's something. Something he's not saying. I..." Words seemed to fail the guitarist, words Eiri, frankly, wasn't interested in hearing, any more than he gave a damn about whatever problems Shindou still harbored. It was all getting far too angsty for his taste.

Angst was why the gods invented therapists.

Besides, at the moment, his tastebuds were far more interested in strawberries and shortcake and whipping cream, as he counted his portion (with Nakano leaving) now richer by one.

"Look. I'm no shrink. I've got a bed. He's welcome to it. My hospitality ends there."

"Of course." Nakano cast the small figure on the balcony one final worried glance, then sighed and headed for the door. "I'll be by tomorrow morning to pick him up for work. We'll do our best to make him as innocuous a houseguest as possible."

"Good enough." Eiri thrust himself to his feet and followed Nakano to the door, where he said at last, "Hell, man, don't worry about him. I'll keep my claws retracted. Promise."

A weary grin appeared. "Can't ask for more than that. Thank you again, Yuki-san. For everything."

With that, his home was again his own. Finally.

Except for that small pest out on his balcony.

He combined the last of the two pizzas into one box, tossed the empty and put the leftovers in the fridge for breakfast, pulling out the makings for dessert. He made two, a manly- sized one for himself, a pint-sized one for his pint-sized pest (who had wasted half a piece of perfectly good pizza, so probably didn't want any anyway) and took the plates plus his coffee and a fresh cocoa to join Shindou out on the balcony.

Shindou had curled into a chair out of the breeze, his knees drawn up to his chest, his no-longer-hot chocolate cradled in the middle of the human ball.

"Brought you a warm-up," Eiri said, and traded mugs with him before settling himself on the second chair and the plates of shortcake on the bistro table between them.

Shuuichi tipped his head, his eyes going from large to enormous over the top of his mug. "Wow."

Eiri grunted, and handed him the smaller plate. "You're welcome to more, but have to prove you can handle that first, midget."

"A–arigato," the midget whispered and licked his lips. He picked up the fork awkwardly, and after watching Eiri's first healthy mouthfuls, started to work away on his whipped cream and berries, gingerly seeking the shortcake beneath with the tines.

Funny, Eiri took American utensils for granted these days. Most people he ate with were as facile with forks as they were with chopsticks. Obviously, this kid stuck to the finger-consumed side of American cuisine.

He'd finished his and returned with seconds before Shindou had managed half of his. Shindou stared at his second heap in some amazement, and Eiri lifted a brow. "Will you be totally disgusted if I admitted this is really my third? It's my favorite desert and I snuck some this afternoon, while you were snoring away."

Shindou's mouth made a little 'O' of wonder. "Then... that's why..."

"Why... what?" Eiri prompted, honestly curious.

"You... tasted... when I was screaming, and you... ki... I mean, when you, um, shut me up, I t–tasted strawberries. And cream. It seemed..."

"Weird?" Eiri supplied, trying not to remember his own reaction to the taste of Shindou Shuuichi. In fact, he tried not to think about the kiss(es) at all. Kisses he found himself time and again in the middle of before common sense even twitched, never minding who was watching.

What was it about that mouth?

"Well, unusual, at least. I..." Shindou's fork flipped free, clattering to the decking, and he dived under the table after it. Eiri ducked to help, and their fingers met on the silver shaft.

Shindou pulled back as if stung, scrambled to his feet and retreated to the railing to stare blindly outward.

"Shindou?" Eiri asked, going to stand beside him.

"Wh–why?" The tiny whisper barely reached him.

"Why, what?"

Shindou's response, when it finally came, surprised, Eiri had to admit, even him.

"I–I'm very sorry, but I–I think you'll want to wear a c–condom."

"Huh?"

"L–last night. They didn't. I've always been careful. V–very careful. But last night, I c–couldn't stop them, and—"

"Shindou, for god's sake—"

"I... I'll get tested, of course, but until then... and the test takes time, but—"

Well, that pretty well explained Nakano's fears.

Common sense lost again. He turned the kid around and shut up that random muttering via the very pleasant means he'd discovered, but this time the kiss led to quiet sobs and trembling in the undersized, physically and mentally exhausted body.

"Two things wrong with your plan," he murmured into the soft hair, swaying gently with his arms around the kid.

"O–only two?" Came up on a drowned chuckled.

Good. The brat's sense of humor wasn't totally cowed.

"One... Yuki Eiri does not, I repeat, not wear condoms."

"But—"

Eiri squeezed the protest into silence.

"He's also very careful. And he asks first. He doesn't do, if the tests aren't current and clean. He doesn't do if he doesn't trust. He doesn't obsess, but he is careful. In other words, he appreciates your warning."

"A–and the second?"

"Much as I appreciate the warning, Shindou, it wasn't necessary. I have no intention of committing the very moral crime from which I just worked fairly hard to extricate you."

Silence. A silence he couldn't begin to fathom, considering what this kid had been through in the past months, let alone the past twenty-four hours. He couldn't imagine what had led the kid to stay here, if he thought that was what Eiri had had in mind.

And yet, could he really claim not to have considered the possibility? Why had he followed the kid to the hotel? He excused his uncharacteristic involvement with his hatred of the whole vanity label concept, but he'd never been that altruistic before.

Because no singer in Shindou's position had ever . . . interested him before. And he had been interested, intrigued at least, well before he saw the kid backstage. Had he tailed him with thoughts of rescue? And of seeing those eyes light with gratitude? Not to mention the other benefits of 'rescuing' an already committed whore? And under the circumstances, was gratitude sex really that different from payment sex?

And why the hell was he questioning his libido now when he hadn't in his entire adult life?

Fuck. This kid . . . this kid was dangerous.

"If that's the case," that dangerously sweet voice continued at last, "then... Why?... Why'd you bring me here? Why intervene with Touma? Why ask me to stay? W–why'd you... why'd you k–kiss me? Wh–what do you... want from me in exchange for a place to sleep?"

He thought carefully before answering, determined to set a safe distance between himself and whatever it was this kid was doing to him.

"One: Because I didn't think you'd want the hospital and the attendant publicity. I was tired. You were out. Here, I could lie in my own bed and get some rest and with you there with me, I'd know if you hit some sort of crisis." And oh, hadn't that had unexpected benefits. He flashed on the previous night, with Shuuichi cradled in his arms, fitting so damned perfectly in the curve of his body. Shuuichi writhing with nightmares, clinging to him as to a life preserver while Eiri whispered reassurances.

The stolen kisses that calmed the panic and silenced the nightmares.

It had been a new, and unexpectedly appealing, experience.

He shook himself free of the insidiously attractive memory. "Two: Because your band is fucking good. Three: So we could quit arguing and finish dinner so I could have my shortcake. Four: To shut you up. And five: not a damned thing, other than the brownie points I'll make with your boss."

Shindou's sobs had ended at last. He had pulled away enough to stare up at Eiri, his amethyst eyes luminous in the moonlight. Filled with... damn, if he didn't know better, he'd say that was regret.

"Is that why you agreed to stay?" Eiri asked, curiously . . . disappointed. "Some false sense of obligation?"

Shindou shrugged, and looked away. A streetlight glinted off the largest jewel, a ruby in the center of the starburst on his forehead. Shying quickly from that insidious hint of disappointment, Eiri bent down and kissed that jewel, gently teasing it with his tongue.

"Hell, when it falls off, you can give me that."

He gave the jewel a final caress and pulled away to a safe distance.

A blink, and... he must have mistaken the regret, for surely that was a look of relief mixed with confusion.

"What now?" Eiri asked, irritated at the threat of more angst.

"B–brownie points?"

TBC

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A/N: My goodness. So much excitement over a few kisses. ;-) I have to admit, of all the elements in this story I thought might spark a controversial response, that one wasn't high on the list. I LOVE IT. This chapter and the next should clarify where Eiri's head was/is at, but to summarize, the first kiss, in the bathroom, was purely a visceral reaction to recent and current, er, visuals. He's intrigued by Shu, but there's nothing remotely like real love behind it. The effect it has on Shu, to steady him, is noted by our favorite author. Later, when Shu is in hysterics and the slap doesn't work, he gives that kiss-thing a try. Once it works, hell, in for a penny...at that point, it's become a bit of a game with sensory benefits.

Hopefully no small part of the shock value to the reader is the fact that the second kiss is in Shu's VP. It's supposed to shock (or at least surprise) because it shocks him...out of his hysteria.

As to Eiri kissing him in front of all the others...Eiri is someone who has pursued married women openly (according to the manga.) I don't see him as putting a lot of emotional stock into kissing as a normal rule, I mean, he doesn't put a lot of emotional stock into sex:D In the canon, he rebuffs Shu's public advances as part of the control game he plays with their relationship. He's got no reason for that here and is indulging in a teasing practice which he, frankly, is enjoying, both the teasing part and the sensory part. He LIKES kissing Shu! Shu is eminently kissable! (And that's about as canon as anything in this story:D)

Hika: I sympathize with your response to the teasing in the scene, but Shu really doesn't give them too much chance to reassure him. He's babbling pretty steadily. But the real key is in Hiro's comment: I guess we've left you hanging long enough to set the lesson. Sometimes, the best thing for someone isn't to coddle them, especially when they're teetering on hysteria. Hiro's very gentle with Shu when he first wakes up and while there are people there to confuse him. When it's just Hiro and Yuki it's more like a bit of timely teasing to set the lesson. Shu's been dangerously stupid, and Hiro doesn't want to say that to his face, but he needs Shu to realize it's not going to be all hugs and kisses and blanket forgiveness, and figures teasing is a lot more effective than berating.

Also, Hiro know all Shu's worries are going to be set to rest as soon as he can get a word in edgewise.

Eiri, OTOH, is still pretty . . . disconnected. Shu's just an interesting problem to him at that point.

And that, if I might hazard a guess, might be that elusive "something missing" that you, Nocturn Sadist, commented on. In the anime and manga, Eiri has, from the start, a precious vulnerability which we haven't seen in this story...yet. Shu makes a frontal attack on Eiri's deliberate disconnect from the world and he's got to cope, right from the start.

Here, he's still in control—more as I imagine him to be in the pre-Shu era, although with some added teeth. Although Shu's done a bit of insinuating into the cracks, he hasn't yet pierced that armor. I keep saying your reviews have taken this story places it didn't originally go, hence the rapidly shaping sequel. This story is really about Shu wiggling his way past Eiri's armor.

Tsubaki: As I see him, especially in this circumstance, while our darling Hiro is more worldly than Shu, he's still just out of High School...and more to the point, I don't think this is something he'd ever expect "waiting for the perfect girl" Shu to do. I think he'd be really surprised and upset. Not that it goes on, just that Shu got cornered into it. He's certainly horrified that he wasn't more worldly...in time to prevent its happening. It's, as they say, a learning experience. :D

Don't know if I'll be able to sell you on this Eiri or not. He's really acting on instinct, at this point, and responding to a practice he truly abhors (not surprising considering his past...yes, you can assume the whole Kitizawa event occurred.) Not that he's ever done the same for any other victim of the system, but no other victim of the system has ever chanced to make himself an individual to him. Shu has ignited, whether Eiri likes it or not, his vindictive side (rather than his protective side, though in this case, it amounts to much the same thing.) The protective-of-his-property instinct...that's coming on fast. :D

As for the touchy-feely (like the brush of the hand through the hair and the hand on the shoulder) my guess (if I were to get into his head at that point) is that it was a signal to Touma as much as anything. Far more meaningful to Touma than the kisses would be. This is probably the moment he begins staking out his territory. (Eiri would say pissing on trees, just to gross out Shu.) The fact that it steadies Shu is incidental to its greater value in the game with Touma.

Don't anyone mistake these for nurturing behaviors. :D

Scorch: Yup. This story is pretty much finished, though I'm doing some tweaking before posting...among other things, to take into account the comments people leave...Anyway, this story's ten, maybe eleven chaps long, depends on how it breaks up.

Glad you got the humor:D The fact is Hiro's really searching for a balance between understanding and making sure Shu knows he's really upset. :D

And I'm glad you caught Yuki's little double-take as he eavesdrops. I wasn't sure that would come through, and it was kind of a last minute addition. (That scene used to remain in Shu's VP until I added the Touma chapter.) I'm not sure myself if it's jealousy that motivated that move or just wondering how available Shu might be. ;-) Take your pick; I doubt it will be clarified, one way or the other. :D

Bubble: Sorry about the mixup. FFnet was going nuts again the day I posted Chap 6. This time, I just left it and eventually it sorted itself out. But the chapter was available, then not and advisements just finally arrived the next morning. Weird. Bless GB's simplicity, if not their reviewing system! (Does anybody know what the problem was there?) But FFnet appears to have settled at last.

As for Harry P...goodness, is there anyone left in the world who's not a fan :D:D It's a wonderful series, both the books and the movies. I've just finished the second task in the Triwizard Tourney.

Bakayasha: Ah, titles...I'm having fun with those. I wonder, however, when Yuki's favorite desert went from chocolate pie/cake (ref: Shu's babbling in the manga during the quiz show) and strawberry shortcake. Hmmmm...must be a seasonal thing. :D:D:D Likely the dedicated sweettooth requires a winter backup for strawberry shortcake:D

DiLong: Heh heh...Shu's closet exit. I think I've used that a couple of times in stories, though I think this is the first published use. I just visualize Eiri's bedroom as something rather beyond Shu's comprehension (his family's home seems a very traditional, sliding doors kind of place.) Too many options, and being Shu, he'd have to pick the wrong one. :D:D:D

A-E: I'm honestly not sure exactly how it will all wash out with Sakano, but someone's going to take the brunt for Touma having to give in (he'd never say lose!) to Eiri:D Oh...and I've been meaning to look it up. Eiri's first image of Shu onstage singing No Style (except I'm not sure that's what he's singing) is around page 95 in the first manga. Just compare that image with every other one of Shu and you see him truly in his element. The curious thing is, I highly question the TokyoPop translation on that page where Eiri says "different, but still crap." Fannish scanlation has it "Poetical talent. I knew he had the ability." Pretty different, eh?

Moon: Welcome back! I just love these reviews. Because you've read the original, it gives me a really good sense for how the changes affect the story. Chap 4: I think Shu's different situation is definitely the instigator for a more proactive Eiri. Shu always serves as an insidious reminder of Eiri's past, but here, his need is immediate and before the armor's cracked. As for the additional Hiro moments: we all have your input to thank for that:D Glad you liked it and you were absolutely right.

Chp 5: I think even in the canon that Hiro's always known which way Shu swings, just waiting for Shu to figure it out. :D I mean, the boy's obsession with Ryu is just a little obvious:D As for Eiri and Touma...Eiri's challenging Touma in his own ballpark and has taken actions in the name of NG which Touma has a choice: fight Eiri, or deal with some truly unknown fallout (which will be coming in the soon-to-be-written sequel...:D:D:D) That's why he's shocked into straight dealing rather than wheedling. Like I said elsewhere, this chap really began to open my eyes to poor little Suguru. Don't know what I'll do with it, but I'll think of something.

Chp 6: More kisses! Hee hee. Never remove any...just add more. Eiri's having way too much fun! This chapter really is the turning point of the story...and yes, I'm sure there'll be more changes to the original before we're done. The whole "Eiri eavesdropping" was a direct response to reviewer reaction. By adding that chapter, I had to figure out some way to expose the fact that the version of Touma-related facts Hiro gives to Shu isn't quite the truth. (A fact I didn't realize until I wrote that interim chapter.)

As you'll see here...more fallout from the Hiro assumptions regarding the relationship.

Next up...ooo, what should I call it? How 'bout...Liz Taylor Eyes.