"Hiro . . . please . . . if you'd just . . ."
Eiri watched as Shuichi sighed and tossed his cell phone onto the coffee table. Then the former vocalist slowly burst into tears. Automatically, the novelist took his lover into his arms and let the younger man cry himself out.
Shuichi was being far too forgiving and patient with Hiro, in Eiri's opinion. If it had been Eiri in Shuichi's position, he would have washed his hands of Nakano Hiroshi a long, long time ago. It was ridiculous, the amount of effort Shuichi was putting into salvaging his friendship with the guitarist. The former singer just did not know when to quit, even when it was tearing him apart.
Then again, Nakano Hiroshi had once been in Eiri's place, back when Shuichi was falling in love with the novelist. The guitarist had probably felt the same way about Eiri then as Eiri felt about Hiro now.
And, truthfully, Eiri could not blame Shuichi for wanting to hang on to his childhood friend. Hiro had looked out for the former vocalist and had protected Shuichi when no one else had or could. Hiro was to Shuichi what Tohma was to Eiri. The thought of what Tohma was to him and how he would feel if he ever lost the older man chilled Eiri, and he quickly buried it in the recesses of his mind. It did not bear thinking upon so he was not going to do it. Besides, there was nothing in this world Eiri could do that would ever truly push Seguchi Tohma out of his life.
Slowly, as his crying had started, Shuichi's tears subsided, and his breathing evened out. Eiri kissed his forehead, making a silent vow to be there for his lover no matter what. Always and forever.
In time, he hoped Hiro would, too.