AN) This chapter is dedicated to Reiko Muraoka. She was nice enough to draw me a lovely picture of Hiro and Suguru doing naughty things! Well kissing anyway my imagination took over after that. Thanks for the pic it was awesome, and thanks for liking my story enough to draw it for me. YOU TOTALLY ROCK!
I was hoping to have this story done but it just keeps going. It looks like my twenty chapters idea has been thwarted. The problem with this is I'm leaning for college on Saturday… without a computer. I know they have computers at the college but I'm way too scared to type this thing out where someone might catch a glimpse. (I'm a closet fan fic writer) This means that from now on everything will be written down in notebooks to be transferred to computer later. I'll do my best to find a way to upload before Thanksgiving break. The upside to this situation is that I get a whole month off for Christmas, which I should have this story done by, and that means that I'll at least be able to upload it all at once as a big Christmas present. I fell horrible that I won't be able to update because I personally hate it when people don't, but I promise that this will be finished before Christmas, and I hope that's enough to make you stick around and see how it ends. That being said on with the show!
"Address book address book. Come on Eiri you have to have your family's information written down somewhere." Shuichi was currently looking through the many drawers in Eiri study. He was looking for Tatsuha's number, his concert was the next day and he wanted to invite the rather off teenager. He'd mentioned this to Eiri and the writer had told him to "go to hell" before locking himself in his study. Shuichi had searched the rest of the house while Eiri worked and come up with nothing. He'd almost given up when Eiri had come out of his office announcing that he was out of cigarettes and would be back in about twenty minutes. Although Shuichi wasn't always the brightest crayon in the box he'd leaned one thing living with his parents and that was how to be sneaky, or at least not get caught. He waited near the window until Eiri's car was halfway down the street before he decided the novelist wouldn't be making a sudden stop back in. He had dashed to the study and begun pulling drawers open. He wouldn't even dare touch his lover's laptop, no matter how good he was at covering his tracks the computer was something that Eiri would instinctively know had been tampered with. He checked the clock 9:44 PM he only had ten minutes at the most. Pulling open the last drawer on the desk he found only papers. Carefully he lifted the edge of them to see if there was anything he'd missed. Still no address book but a small piece of paper caught his attention. It wasn't lined up with the rest in his lover's usually neat fashion and seemed to be smaller. Reaching out he plucked it from beneath the rest, it was blank he turned it over to find that it was in fact a picture. What immediately struck Shuichi as odd was the fact that Eiri didn't keep any pictures. There were none in the house at all, Shuichi had noticed but had never asked about it, Eiri was weird that way after all. Shuichi studied the picture closely he recognized Eiri, only he was much younger, if Shuichi had to guess he'd say he looked about thirteen or fourteen. He looked at the man standing next to his young lover trying to place him. It didn't look anything like Seguchi so he was immediately ruled out. For some reason Shuichi found himself frowning, he didn't know why but seeing his lover look that happy, it seemed wrong that he'd never seen that look himself. It was like there was a whole Eiri that he didn't know. The ring of the phone startled Shuichi and he urgently put the picture and papers back closing the drawer and making sure everything was back in its proper place before answering the phone.
"Hello." He said softly.
"Shu-chan what's wrong you don't sound very shiny?" Ryuichi's happy voice asked.
"N-noting Ryuichi I was just thinking sorry. What did you call for?" Shuichi took the phone and went to sit on the sofa.
"Well our concerts tomorrow I just wanted to tell you to sleep well so that you'll be shiny for the concert!" Shuichi smiled to himself, knowing that Ryuichi cared enough to call.
"Thank you Ryuichi I'll go to bed early and make sure to sleep well." Shuichi said it as happily as he could.
"Okay! Kumagoro and I will see you tomorrow then." With a click Ryuichi was gone. Shuichi sat on the couch thinking about the picture for awhile. He desperately wanted to talk to Eiri about it, he was too afraid of his lover's reaction though. The phone rang again bringing Shuichi out of is brooding. He clicked the talk button but before he could say anything a familiar voice was shouting at him.
"It's not fair you promised, you said you'd invite me to concerts! You went back on you word." There was sniffing on the other end as though the person was crying.
"Why hello Tatsuha you're lucky it was me on the phone your brother would probably hunt you down and kill you for that." Shuichi said, his good mood beginning to return.
"Oh I know there was no way it was bro, and no one else lives there so." Tatsuha was talking like a normal human being now, tears long gone.
"How can you be so sure it wasn't him?" Shuichi asked, he had no idea how the teen could be so confident.
"Are you kidding? Bro never answers the phone that fast. In fact you're lucky if you can get him to answer the phone at all." Tatsuha sounded more than a little irritated.
"I'm glad you called actually I was trying to find your phone number so I could invite you to the concert. Eiri wouldn't tell me what it was and I don't think he had it in the house, I looked everywhere." Shuichi propped his feet on the coffee table and stared out the window. It was raining and the forecast said it would continue for a whole week.
"So I can stay with you guys right?" Tatsuha asked.
"Sure but will you be able to get here in time?" Shuichi said, watching the lights of Eiri's car pull into the driveway.
"I'm already almost there; I just took a break to get some food. I figure if I just showed up there's no way bro can kick me out." Tatsuha replied.
"How are you getting here then?" Shuichi looked up at Eiri as he walked through the door. The novelist was sopping wet and didn't seem too happy about it.
"Who's on the phone brat?" The novelist asked. He shrugged his coat off and tossed it into the closet.
"Um it's just Tatsuha." Shuichi whispered the name as quietly as he could. The look on Eiri's face said it wasn't quiet enough though.
"And what exactly does my idiot brother want at ten at night?" Eiri asked suspiciously.
"Well it's a surprise." Shuichi said hoping Eiri would drop it at that.
"Whatever I'll be in my study." Shuichi watched till the door shut and returned to his phone conversation.
"Shuichi I'm gonna get back on the road. I should be there in about thirty minutes so make sure I can get in." With that Tatsuha was gone.
Shuichi put the phone back in its holder and went back to staring out the window. His thoughts wondered back to the picture he'd found. He couldn't get Eiri's smiling face out of his mind; he desperately wished he could see that smile for himself. He wanted to go ask his lover about it, but knew the reaction would be too much for him. He'd wait till after the concert, that way things wouldn't be so hectic. Of coarse there was always Tatsuha it was possible that he would know who it was, a cousin or other family member.
He was still gazing out the window when he saw a headlight pulling in. Getting up Shuichi moved to the window so he could get a better view. He watched as the helmet was pulled off to reveal black hair and familiar face. Shuichi rushed to the door and pulled it open for the other teen. He then watched as Tatsuha proceeded to drip all over the floor.
"You rode a motorcycle in this weather?" Shuichi said, helping Tatsuha remove his coat.
"How else was I supposed to get here? I hardly had enough money for the gas to make it. I'll need to be borrowing a few bucks to get home by the way." Tatsuha said grinning. He removed his shoes and headed into the house dropping his backpack on the floor. Shuichi followed close behind and picked the backpack up, it was soaking wet. Shuichi sighed as he took it and went to the dryer. He tossed the coat and clothes from the backpack in, then set the rest of Tatsuha's things on the top of the dryer. On his way back to the living room he glanced to make sure Eiri was still holed up in his study. Tatsuha was flipping through a magazine when Shuichi reentered the room.
"You okay Shu you don't seem like you're too happy." The other teen remarked not looking up.
"That's the second time today I've been asked that, I'm fine." He said, sitting on the other end of the couch. He didn't notice Tatsuha until the other teen was looming over him on the couch.
"My brother's deadlines hun? You know I'd never ignore you." Tatsuha stated, reaching out to take hold of Shuichi.
"Thanks but that's not what it is." Shuichi said, shoving Tatsuha back onto the couch. Instead of righting himself Tatsuha just propped his feed on the back of the couch and let his head hang off the edge.
"What is it then? You scared cause you're gonna be singing with Sakama-san?" Tatsuha asked, looking at him upside down.
"I hadn't even thought of that." Shuichi said, the original fear he had returning to him. Why did Tatsuha have to remind him?
"Don't worry Bad Luck is every bit as good as Nittle Grasper. Besides they wouldn't let you sing with a god if they didn't think you were good enough." Tatsuha was now staring at the ceiling.
"Do you really mean that Tatsuha?" Shuichi asked, he thought he might cry.
"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it. I can't wait to see you two on stage together." Tatsuha's eyes got all starry at that. "I'm getting a backstage pass right? I love being out in the crowed but if I'm backstage I might get to met him!" He said excitedly. He sat up cross-legged on the couch facing the back still, his eyes pleading with Shuichi.
"Yeah you can have a backstage pass. I'll introduce you to Sakuma if you want." Shuichi said smiling. Tatsuha looked like he might faint at that. He flopped back onto the sofa his arms behind his head.
"So what's your deal then? Did you and my brother have a fight or something?" Tatsuha asked, eyeing Shuichi.
"Tatsuha is there anyone else in your family that has lighter hair? You know like a cousin ore something?" Shuichi asked, staring at his lap. Tatsuha seemed to think about it for awhile before he answered.
"Not that I know of. We don't have any cousins both our parents were only children. There's Tohma but he married into the family, I'm pretty sure bro's the only one, why?" Tatsuha asked.
"I was just wondering. I found a picture of Eiri when he was younger, but I've never seen the other person in the photo." Shuichi shrugged.
"How young does he look?" Tatsuha asked.
"I dunno it looks like he's a teenager." Shuichi said.
"It was probably taken while he was in New York then. You're lucky none of the rest of the family's seen any photo's from then. Well maybe Seguchi but he was with bro." Tatsuha trailed off as though it wasn't a subject that should be talked about. It was then that Eiri decided to make his entrance.
"Shuichi what the fuck are you doing laundry this late at night for!" Eiri's voice snapped from the laundry room. Shuichi heard the sound of the dryer being opened, then Eiri began to shout as he made his way from the laundry room to the living room.
"That's it I let you wear those pansy assed boxers with the cats on them but I draw the line at Nittle Grasper!" Eiri said, entering the room and stopping dead in his tracks at the sight of his brother. Tatsuha jumped up and grabbed his undergarments from his brother.
"What the hell are you doing here?" His brother growled at him, sending Shuichi an accusatory look.
"I came for Shu's concert, don't worry I'll leave the next day you wont even know I was here." Tatsuha's voice had a bit of a pleading tone to it. Eiri rounded on Shuichi.
"I told you I have a deadline. I don't have time to baby-sit you and my idiot brother!" He snapped at the startled teenager.
"I'm sorry Eiri we'll be quiet." Shuichi stated softly.
"Damn straight you will. I better not hear a sound out of either of you for the next two days!" Eiri snapped. He turned on his heel and disappeared back into his study.
Tatsuha sighed glancing at Shuichi; the singer looked like he was on the verge of a break down.
"Don't worry about it Shu. He always gets like this when he doesn't have his work done. He's not really mad at you he just doesn't know how to deal with stress." Tatsuha sat next to Shuichi patting the singer gently on the back.
Shuichi went to bed shortly after that. He thought about asking whether Eiri would be coming as well but decided against it. The novelist was completely absorbed in his work and didn't seem to realize there was a world outside his laptop. Shuichi slept fitfully and felt just as tired when he woke the next morning as he had the night before. He took a longer than usual shower and was beginning to feel a little better about the day until he stepped out into the hallway. There was a good deal of yelling coming from the front of the house, two of the voices he could make out as Eiri and Tatsuha, but the third sounded female. Creeping as quietly as he could Shuichi made his way to see what was going on.
"It's not my fucking fault the little idiot decided to take off!" Eiri shouted.
"Then explain why he's here! The least you could have done was inform the rest of the family that he was coming to visit you." The female voice snapped.
"I didn't tell anyone I was coming because I knew you guys wouldn't let me." Tatsuha said. He was the only one who seemed to have any control of his temper.
"Since when do you let Tatsuha stay here anyway Eiri? I thought he was too much of a hassle for you to deal with." The woman stated haughtily.
"I'm not the one who let him in; you can blame the idiot I'm living with for that." Eiri growled.
"Hey you can't blame Shuichi for this it's not like you didn't know I was here last night." Tatsuha said sounding indignant.
"He's been nothing but a pain in the ass for the last month, if you love him so much why don't you take him home with you Tatsuha? I'd love to see the expression on fathers face when the two of you turn up hand in hand." At that there were footsteps headed his way. Somewhere in the back of Shuichi's mind he knew he should try to hide so that no one knew he'd heard. He found himself planted to his spot just around the edge of the hallway unable to tear his eyes from the floor. The footsteps rounded the corner, and Shuichi stared at the slippered feet that stopped in his line of sight. He was too afraid to meet the eyes of the man he knew was standing there. He was to afraid too look up and have the word's that were just uttered show through in those gold eyes as well. He felt a hand on his shoulder and swiftly shrugged it away as though it stung. He slipped past the novelist and out into the living room. Tatsuha was still arguing loudly with the woman, who Shuichi realized was standing right inside the door way. Both of them stopped when he came into view, and he could hear Eiri approaching from behind. He went to Tatsuha and tugged on his sleeve slightly.
"Would you mind giving me a ride to NG? I'm already late for work." He asked barely above a whisper.
"Yeah but I don't have an extra helmet." Tatsuha stated. He didn't know whether Shuichi heard him or not the singer had already slipped past his sister and was waiting outside next to his bike. Tatsuha turned to get his stuff from the closet. He caught a glimpse of his brother looking offended, as though the mean things that had been said were about HIM and not Shuichi. He then turned in a huff and disappeared back down the hallway. Tatsuha heard the sound of his brother's door being slammed shut, then made his way out to where Shuichi was. His sister seemed torn between which brother she most wanted to pursue yelling at. He was on his bike and out onto the street before she had a chance to chose him.
Tatsuha drove a good deal safer and closer to the speed limit than he normally did, seeing as how Shuichi didn't have a helmet. He had barely parked his bike in the NG lot before Shuichi was jumping off of it and heading toward the building. Tatsuha took off after him not bothering to remove his helmet till he'd caught up.
"Shu I'm sorry about that I didn't mean to cause problems for you and my brother." Tatsuha said, falling in stride with the singer.
"It's not your fault it's been working up to this for awhile now. I feel bad I've imposed on Eiri and now Tohma is going to have to find a new place for me to stay." His voice was quiet and his eyes never left the ground a few feet ahead of him.
"He'd just in a bad mood and my sister showing up bright and early didn't help matters." Tatsuha pleaded, as they entered the building. Just like that Shuichi was a completely different person, there was a smile plastered to his face and he was shouting happily at the top of his lungs to someone across the lobby. Tatsuha stood in stunned silence as he watched the singer bound across the room and latch himself onto a tall redhead. Snapping back to reality Tatsuha found he was being beckoned to follow the now hyper teen. Figuring it was best not to get lost in the huge building; Tatsuha found himself trailing behind the singer praying he would get to meet his idol. Tatsuha had no idea just how lucky he was about to become.
End Note) You know in the beginning I never even planed on writing Tatsuha into this story and now he's been rather central in two different chapters. What can you do? I hope you liked this chapter Eiri's being mean and Shuichi hasn't even done a thing wrong, that bastard. He's gonna regret being mean to Shu-chan though trust me. Read and review.
Reviews) The utmost thanks to:
Annie loves it, kluv 19, Sliver of Melody, mercuryrose, Catherine Lewie Rain, The New Shinigami Hikari, rebelyell59, blackyuki, tangerine-asuka, Vampiress-06, MasterChiefLover, nothing importan, Flame-chan, Draechaeli, Macmac, checkmarks, Lily Evans Potter Black Lupin, To-think-of-a-nice-name, Devin, Kenzie493, Nanoda-glomp, tis022, GoTinba, shady gurl, xXYukiXx, Tiki-chan, -Cookie- Tohma 911, amyrose300, Shinki.