A relatively long chapter for the extra long wait! To be fair, my computer broke a while back, so the lack of recent updates was actually because of a mix of procrastination, misfortune and sudden decreased motivation due to losing all of the yet-to-be-posted chapters that I had worked on already. But I finally got a new chapter up! Hallelujah!

Again, thanks to SukiSushi for your help, as she helped me with ideas for what could happen in this chapter as well, though I kinda took a possibility she gave me and went on a field day with it, so thanks for that! And thanks to everyone who's read, followed and/or reviewed my story already. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 6: TMI

To be perfectly honest, Misaki wasn't all that angry.

Misaki realized this as he sat in perfect silence after two hours on the train home, looking everywhere but at the source of his mediocre frustrations, leaning ever so slightly against his right side. He hadn't actually been angry since they parted ways with Takahiro, his older brother giving one last chuckle as he left them at their station. Still, he wasn't giving the other boy the satisfaction of knowing he did what was best. It just bugged him.

So they sat in semi-silence of the rickity train, watching the scenery fly by at a reasonable pace as the people around them carried continuous, easy conversations. Misaki nearly caved several times, the silence becoming heavy and suffocating to the point he just wanted to say something, only to stop and sigh instead.

About one hour from their home, Misaki had finally given in. He turned to Shinobu to admit defeat, only to stop short when he noticed his boyfriend asleep on his shoulder. He hadn't really noticed when the boy's slight pressure hand become his entire weight propped up against him, but he felt it now and, honestly, it wasn't uncomfortable in the least. For the millionth time that trip, Misaki held his tongue and let a sigh slip between his lips instead of words, but this time a soft smile took over his lips soon after.

Despite the slight frustration that still tugged at his brain, Misaki couldn't help but admit that Shinobu looked adorable this way.

Shifting ever so slightly, he leaned his head against his sleeping partner's and let his eyes droop, the last of his frustration ebbing away as sleep took him.

...

"I can't believe this."

"Don't look at me! It's not my fault!"

"I didn't say it was your fault! Though it kind of is."

"I wasn't the only one who fell asleep, you know!"

Shinobu sighed, pulling his bag behind him. "But you were in charge of funds. You said you and your brother were going to handle expenses so I shouldn't worry about bringing any money. Yet you didn't even bring enough for us to get back if we missed our stop."

"I'm sorry, okay?" Misaki exclaimed, followed by a low groan, to which Shinobu just rolled his eyes.

On the bright side, they hadn't missed their stop by much. Misaki had woken up about ten minutes after they had missed their stop, wasn't really able to recognize the scenery and because of this, asked the person next to them what the last stop had been. When they told them the place they had been meaning to get off was behind them, Misaki flipped. He shook Shinobu awake, filling him in quickly and worrying out loud over how they'd get back, to which Shinobu really wasn't able to offer any possibilities because he wasn't even sure where the next place they were stopping at was. Luckily for them, the train stopped only two minutes later, leaving them pretty far from home, but still within walking distance. Had they gotten any farther they probably would have had to call someone to pick them up and neither one of them really knew anyone who would be able and willing to do so.

It took them a good hour or two of walking before they finally turned onto their street, bags in tow and feeling relatively exhausted. Misaki wasn't sure what time it was exactly, but from where the sun sat it the sky, he could tell it had to be at least noon. The climb up their apartment's stairs felt like a five mile run to their tired legs and as he realized his apartment must be coming up soon, Misaki finally looked up from where his feet were falling to where his door should be. However, he came to an all-too sudden halt as he noticed a brown-haired girl standing in front of it, knocking daintily. Shinobu, currently shifting the bag he was carrying in his hand, eventually bumped into Misaki's back, looking up to ask what was up, only to notice the same thing that had caught Misaki by surprise.

"Risako?" he asked, catching the girls attention. She turned around, noticing the two boys as a smile spread across her face. She stepped closer to them, wrapping her arms around Misaki and then moving on to Shinobu.

"Hello!" she greeted cheerfully. "Where did you two go off to?"

"Misaki's brother took us on a short vacation." Shinobu explained, as Misaki moved to unlock the door for them as they began talking. He approached the door with his key now out before he noticed the relatively large gift basket sitting next to it. He ignored it for a moment, unlocking the door and inviting the two of them as he led the way into the apartment. Risako picked the basket up and carried it in before Misaki could bring it up and this caused Shinobu to notice it. He shut the door behind them and then finally asked.

"What's with the big fruits basket?"

Risako just grinned, handing it to him. "I picked it up for you two!" she announced, which caused Shinobu to give her a weird look. His gaze slid from Risako to Misaki, only to find the brunette looked both completely surprised and extremely excited.

"Thank you so much, Risako-san!" he all but chirped. Shinobu could tell Misaki would get more joy from the basket than he ever would so he held the gift out to his roommate, who took it gladly and set it on their table to examine.

"What's it for?" Shinobu asked, resisting the urge to fix her with a suspicious glare.

"Can't I just get my brother and his friend a nice fruits basket out of the goodness of my heart?" she asked mockingly, as she folded her arms across her chest. "I mean, if for no other reason, I got it for you two's anniversary."

If Misaki had a glass of water right then he would have done a spit-take. But even without the water he still managed to choke on air before he twirled around and fixed Shinobu with a glare that held all the rage he had felt a few hours ago.

"You told her too? Without even letting me know?! Who else have you told us about behind my back, Shinobu!?" Misaki demanded. It wasn't until after he had paused to wait for an answer that he noticed the surprised expression that had been on Shinobu's face ever since Risako had mentioned the anniversary, and now, the shocked expression on Risako's face.

"... "Told us about"?" Risako parroted, slowly turning her gaze to Shinobu. "What's he talking about?"

Shinobu took a moment to continue staring at Misaki, before turning to Risako with a forced blank expression. "Well, what were you talking about?"

"I... I thought...- hasn't it been a year since you both moved in here together?" she asked, sounding unsure of herself.

Shit.

"A few months short of a year, yeah." Shinobu confirmed.

"So then... what's he talking about?" Risako finally asked and in that moment Misaki wanted nothing more than to be invisible.

"Well...," Shinobu began, pausing to clear his throat, "He probably thought you were talking about the anniversary of the day we got together." Shinobu answered truthfully. Misaki almost wanted to angry about the fact that he was so honest, but he remembered that Risako finding out was now entirely his fault so he stayed silent.

"You guys are going out?" Risako asked them both in confusion. She then smiled a bit too brightly and said, "That's wonderful! I'm happy for you both! Though, I didn't think you liked guys." she told them, though it looked as though the last part was only directing it towards Misaki, much to Shinobu's confusion.

And just as Misaki began to stutter a reply, Shinobu exclaimed, "What, andyoujust assumed Iwasgay?!"

"Well, of course." Risako said with a smile, patting Shinobu's cheek. "I've always known. I knew you weren't just going to Australia for the education. I've heard the guys there are a real eye-candy."

The blush that covered Shinobu's face in that moment was like no other. "I did go for the education, though! And I haven't always been gay!"

"Keep telling yourself that, Shinobu. Maybe one day someone will believe you." she giggled.

And with that the tense atmosphere from only moments ago eased away. Misaki relaxed as he watched the two siblings bicker, finding slight humor in Shinobu's steadily rising frustration, and almost laughed at how Risako seemed to know exactly how to frustration him to his breaking point and then draw his attention away from it just long enough for him to calm down, only to set him off again. It was like clockwork.

"Oh, Misaki-san?" Risako called, causing him to snap out of his wandering mind.

She approached the couch and sat down at the far end, just as Misaki said, "Yeah?"

"Can you take that basket to the kitchen please? I'd like to talk to Shinobu in private."

Misaki stared at her for a moment, before agreeing. He decided to forgo telling her that the kitchen was extremely close and he could probably hear their conversation if he was near the door, instead taking it upon himself to take the basket to far end of the kitchen before opening it up.

The basket itself was probably store bought, but looking at it made Misaki wonder how much it really cost. It didn't really look cheap. The wood that gave it it's shape was intricately woven together in a beautiful design and looked pretty sturdy for wood that would normally be classified as twigs. Inside was a small note that Misaki assumed was there in case they weren't home and she had to leave it at their door. The fruit was a strange verity, having no real relation between the fruits. There were strawberries, then mangos, than a saran-wrap covered slice of watermelon, then a starfruit, etc. etc. There was also few strange shaped fruits covered in greenery and saran wrap that, after unwrapping one, Misaki realized wasn't a fruit at all, but instead a rice ball. He had to roll his eyes as this confirmed that Risako had a strange tendency to add rice balls in places they don't belong.

He looked over the last of the fruits for the next minute or two, taking each out and placing them on the counter as he went. When the basket was empty he contemplated putting the fruits (and rice balls) away, but figured Shinobu would probably want to look at the basket too, so he put everything back in just about the same order he'd dug it out in. He kept the rice ball he'd already unwrapped out, deciding since he'd unwrapped it, he might as well eat it. After fully unwrapping it, he noticed that there was actually a plum on it, so it still sorta had to do with fruit. Eating it only took a few moments though, so after the rice ball was eaten he found himself standing there with nothing to do. He thought about starting to cook, but he was still tired from the walk home, so take out seemed better, and besides, he didn't know what time Risako would be leaving and eating in front of her seemed impolite.

Glancing down at his hand, he remembered that before anything he should throw out the rice ball's wrappings. He glanced around, momentarily forgetting where the trash can had been after being away from home for a while, finally finding it perched next to the door where it'd always been. He walked over to it without thinking, dropping the wrappings into the trash bin and closing it again soundlessly. And just as he'd straightened up he heard Risako's soft voice – softer than he'd ever heard it before – muttering words that, if Misaki didn't know any better, sounded apologetic.

"... know he shouldn't have told me, and he knows he shouldn't have too, but he was hurt, Shinobu. It was hurting him and he thought I deserved to know."

"I can't fucking believe this." Shinobu whispered. Misaki recognized the familiar sound of his boyfriend's pacing and began to worry.

"He said you changed him... that you fixed him. And that he was grateful for the time that he spent with you because it helped him truly let go of his senpai."

"So I was a fucking remedy? Some ridiculous fling-slash-personal councilor? Not even that, but also, apparently, a marriage councilor?!"

"He thought of you as more than that."

"Clearly not or else this wouldn't have been a thing ever since I left!"

"It hasn't! We only got back together a few months ago! And it's been almost a full year, Shinobu! You yourself have moved on! Shouldn't Miyagi be extended the same courtesy?!"

Shinobu fell silent. The whole room fell silent. Even Misaki held his breath, heart throbbing as he eavesdropped on a conversation that he probably wouldn't have had any hope of not hearing to begin with.

After a few moments there was shuffling in the room, the jingling of keys that must have been Risako's, since Shinobu only had one. And when finally someone spoke, it was Risako's voice from closer to Misaki than before, but closer to the door than the kitchen.

"You and your boyfriend are both invited to the wedding. Dad says that you have to at least attend our re-engagement announcement that our family is hosting. I'll call you to let you know when it is." And with that, the door opened and closed again, announcing that Risako had left.

Everything was quiet yet again, in a different way than before, but still just as chilling. There was no static in this air. Just a cold emptiness. Misaki knew Shinobu was thinking whatever that had been about through more carefully, and while he did so, Misaki moved back over to the fruit basket.

He couldn't help himself; He was worried. Shinobu had told him about a lot of things from his past, but his last boyfriend had never really come up. He never really tried to hide it, but he was never one to elaborate on what kind of relationship it was, who the person had been or what they had been like. He only knew they had broken up because the other man had cheated on him and Shinobu had caught them together. But he knew that Shinobu had loved him. What he didn't know is if the remnants of that love were more powerful than whatever himself and Shinobu had now.

And not knowing scared him.

But when he heard Shinobu's soft walking approach the kitchen, he decided it best to distract himself rather then let himself voice his fear and curiosity. He quickly nabbed one of the apples from the basket. He didn't feel like eating it right now, though. He wasn't really that hungry anymore so instead he grabbed a knife to peel off the skin with. At least it would keep him busy, even if he wasn't overly fond of them that way.

He started peeling it quickly with the knife, not wanting it to look like he had only just started peeling it when Shinobu walked in. He slowed down when he heard the door open, already a third through the apple. It really wasn't all that far, but it was good enough.

It was hard to tell Shinobu was even there for a minute. The door shut, but there was no movement. It wasn't until he heard Shinobu walked over to the basket that Misaki really knew he was there. The dirty blonde stopped right in front of the fruit and Misaki fleetingly looked over at him from the corner of his eye.

"Risako left?" Misaki asked, eyes fixed on the apple he was peeling.

"Yeah." he replied, not elaborating any further. He started digging out the fruit and placing it in the fridge or in the appropriate places on the counter. Misaki didn't say anything and neither did Shinobu. The silence was beginning to intimidate the boy, and his hands began to shake as he focused extra hard on peeling the apple in his hand. And when Shinobu paused at the last item in the basket and scoffed, it caused Misaki to jump in surprise.

"Doesn't she know rice balls don't belong in a fruits basket?" he asked as he took the remaining rice balls out.

Misaki laughed shakily at this, nodding a bit. "I guess not."

The brunette became extremely aware of his eyes on him as he tried to control his shaking hands. Shinobu hadn't moved to put the rice balls away, but instead stood and stared as if studying him or waiting for Misaki to look up at him. But he couldn't. He just couldn't look at him right now.

"Misaki, are you okay?"

Misaki's shoulders tensed. "Y-yeah, of course!" he quickly insisted, still not looking up.

He paused for only a second, not giving any warning before he said, "You heard us, didn't you?"

"What?" he yelped, giving a startled laugh soon after. "N-no, of course not! I didn't here anyth- AH!" Misaki dropped the apple and the knife as his finger began to burn. A small cut lined his middle finger just deep enough for blood to start flowing at a steady pace.

"Misaki! Get your finger under water now!" Shinobu demanded, dropping the rice balls immediately. Despite his order for Misaki to do it, Shinobu's own hand flew out to grab the bleeding one, turning on the water with his other and holding the cut under the flowing water. And Misaki stood there, in a sort of frozen daze, as Shinobu held him in place and inspected the injured hand.

"Hold it here for a little while, okay?" Misaki just had time to nod before he was left alone in the room. But it only took a minute for Shinobu to return, now with the first aide kit. The bleeding from his finger had slowed and Shinobu soon turned the water off and grabbed the hand by it's wrist, guiding his boyfriend over to the table where he sat and began bandaging the cut.

We sat in silence again. Misaki watched as his roommate cleaned and bandaged the cut, noting idly that his hands were still trembling ever so slightly, but this time the tremors weren't from him. They were coming from the hands holding his own, which made him worry slightly, but he held his tongue. It seemed to take much longer than it actually did and for his hand to be bandaged, but even after he was patched up Shinobu didn't let go of the hand he was holding. He kept his gaze locked with the floor while Shinobu held his hand carefully and Misaki heard himself repeat the words he'd heard just a days ago.

"Do you regret it?"

Shinobu didn't look up for a second or two. And those seconds felt like years in Misaki's panicking mind. But eventually he did looked up, with brows that were furrowed and gaze Misaki couldn't meet.

"Do I regret what?"

Misaki closed his eyes, willing himself not to feel nearly as heartbroken as he felt. But he knew what was coming. He was so sure...

"Being with me." he all but whispered. "Giving up on... Miyagi or whoever it was you were with before..." He felt Shinobu's eyes bore into him. He wasn't sure if it was in shock or in thought. He hoped it was the former. But after another painful few seconds of silence, the brunette let out a chuckle. One that sounded weak to even his ears, but he had to try. He was making things too dramatic, he knew, and he had to break the tension somehow. But he looked even farther away before continuing. "It's okay if you are. I get it." He felt the feeling of tears stinging his eyes and wanted nothing more to pull his injured hand out of Shinobu's grip and go hide. Why was the other still holding his hand? "These things... they happen, right? It's no big deal, just tell me. I can take i-"

Before he could finish, Shinobu was up. He was standing, out of the seat he'd taken. It felt as if he stood a foot above Misaki like that, though in reality they were about same height. He took a step forward, and Misaki reflexively took one back. Then, another forward and another back, over and over, until Misaki's back rested against the far wall and Shinobu stood at his front. He wasn't exactly trapped, but he had no motivation to flee at the moment.

Hands finally left his injured one. One flew down to his left side, resting on his hip lightly, with a grip that they both knew he could easily brush off if he wished. The other went up his right side – past his arm, shoulder, neck – until it reached his cheek, where it held him softly, wiping away a tear there that had managed to escape. He felt the drop be wiped away and Misaki finally looked up into Shinobu's eyes, seeing a strange level of determination there, instead of pity or sorrow that he thought would be waiting for him.

"I regret nothing. Not breaking up with Miyagi, nor being here with you. Hearing that he's with my sister again hurts, yes, but it's not because I want him back. It's because I spent so long with him, you know? For so long I had thought I was most important to him, even if he rarely ever gave me reason to believe it so. And knowing that he could forget about that so easily, when not so long ago he was asking to have me back – an offer I had easily turned down – it just stings for some reason. Even if I was the first to get over what he and I had." He paused for a minute to look down. "I thought I'd be with him forever, Misaki... I thought he and I were meant to be together. I came back to Japan for him." He looked up so suddenly now, face growing closer to Misaki's while his other hand joined his first to cup the cheek of the boy in tears. "But I stayed for you. I don't want forever with him – I don't even want another day. I want to give all my time to you, Misaki. I love you."

Hearing such words with such confidence only made Misaki cry harder at first. And Shinobu held him as the tears poured out, resting his forehead against Misaki's and gently shushing him until Misaki had calmed enough to choke out a short, "I love you, too."

Shinobu smiled at that, telling his lover that he knew that and leading him to his bedroom, wherein all further tears would be kissed away and all sobs would be stifled between cuddles until they were both too tired to stay awake anymore.

Final notes for the chapter – just wanted to let everyone know that after I finish this story, which isn't looking like it's going to be in the immediate future, I'll be doing a mass-edit on the first one. I had to look back on it a lot for this chapter just to make sure everything fit just right and all the typos and lack of flow really bugged me. Again, I won't do it til after I finish this and it'll probably just be one huge mass update of all the chapters. It shouldn't effect the storyline hardly at all, really, it's just something I wanna do to make it better as a whole. SO, look forward to that if you wanna or completely disregard it, it's up to you. :P Thanks for reading!