"I have something for you . . ."
The words echoed around Shuichi's mind as his lips touched upon Ryo's, his hands sliding up the detective's shoulders. A part of him wanted to see what the older man had gotten for him, another part simply wanted to taste Ryo and make the moment last for as long as possible.
Shyly, he brushed the tip of his tongue along Ryo's upper lip, a tentative request. The detective opened his mouth slightly, allowing Shuichi a bit of entrance, and the former vocalist felt his heart starting to flutter. Strong arms enveloped him in a warm and tender embrace, and Shuichi practically melted against Ryo. No one had touched him like this for a long time, not since the night before Eiri had been murdered, and a heady sensation washed over Shuichi. He wanted more.
He had just slipped his hands under Ryo's shirt, his fingers touching lightly upon heated skin, when someone knocked on the door. A soft groan escaped both of them, though they had not broken away from each other.
"Let's not answer it," Shuichi murmured. Ryo nodded his head in agreement, and they had leaned forward to kiss each other once more when the person at the door knocked again. This time, he also spoke.
"Shuichi? Are you there?"
Upon hearing that familiar voice, Shuichi hesitated. A flood of memories overwhelmed him in an instant, and he sensed Ryo's arms gripping him tighter.
"Who is it?" he asked in a whisper. Shuichi could barely find his voice, but he somehow managed to squeak out a name.
"Hiro."
"I'll let him in then."
Reluctantly, Ryo let him go and walked calmly to the door. Unable to help himself, Shuichi followed his movements. He truly wanted to see his best friend, he truly did. However, their parting had not been on the best of terms, and Shuichi trembled. Hiro had not understood then why he had been ready to leave. Then again, Hiro had been drinking a little as well. That day had been horrifically hectic with press conferences and constant band meetings. The two of them had needed a little downtime and a chance to unwind. Shuichi did not, could not, blame his best friend for being upset. So much had changed and not all of it was good.
The door swung open, revealing the guitarist in a dimly lit hallway. His hand was poised, as if to knock for a third time. When he saw Ryo standing there, Hiro smiled in an apologetic manner and lowered his hand.
"Hello," he said. "I'm looking for Shuichi. Is he here?"
"He is," Ryo said with a nod. "You must be Hiro. I've heard about you."
"I'm sure you have," Hiro murmured. His head turned a little in Shuichi's direction. Ryo followed his gaze until they were both looking at him. Shuichi nodded.
"Let him in, Ryo," he said. "We have a lot to talk about."
"I would think so," Ryo replied, stepping to one side. "Come on in. I'll fix some hot chocolate and coffee. Which would you like, Hiro?"
"Thank you," Hiro said, bowing a little. He stepped inside and kicked of his shoes. "And coffee will be fine."
The door closed the instant Hiro had entered, and then Ryo was on his way into the kitchen. For a minute or two, Shuichi and Hiro stared at each other, neither of them seeming to want to break the silence. Shuichi, though, could never be quiet for long. A tentative smile tugged on the corners of his lips as he spoke.
"Well, I don't need to ask how you found me."
Hiro chuckled at that.
"K," they said in unison then the two friends laughed. They both knew there was nothing their former manager could not do once he set his mind on something. The two friends moved from the door to the living room, sitting down on the sofa and in silence. Finally, Hiro spoke.
"I'm sorry for how things turned out between us," he murmured, keeping his eyes off of the singer. Shuichi glanced at him.
"Don't be," Shuichi replied. "We needed a break, Hiro."
"I didn't need to be an ass about it," the guitarist said. "Yeah, I was drunk, but it's still no excuse. You were hurting, and I was being a dick about everything."
"I wasn't exactly at my shining best, either," Shuichi pointed out.
"No one expected you to be," Hiro said, meeting the singer's gaze. "You'd lost the one person you would have died for. If you'd have behaved any differently, people would have questioned it."
Ryo brought in the coffee and hot chocolate at that moment, and Shuichi stood up to help. The sandy-haired detective did not care for messes of any kind, much like how Eiri disliked untidiness and clutter, and it was a trait Shuichi found comforting. He took Hiro's coffee from the silver tray and handed it to the guitarist. Hiro accepted the mug, smiling.
"Thank you," he said, his gaze traveling from Shuichi to Ryo. "It's a very nice place you have here."
"Thank you," Ryo replied, smiling in return. The gesture stole Shuichi's breath away. "Shuichi insisted it be decorated for Christmas. I think he went a little crazy, though."
"That sounds like Shuichi all right." Hiro winked. He took a sip of his coffee. "He's always been passionate about the oddest of things."
"So I've discovered," Ryo said. He sat down in the recliner chair. "I heard you mention someone named K . . . he helped you to track Shuichi here?"
"Yeah," Hiro murmured.
"I thought he was the band's manager." Ryo frowned as he picked up his own mug of hot chocolate.
"He is the band's manager," Shuichi answered. "But he's like American military or something. We had to get really creative if we didn't want him to find us."
"And to make sure we weren't bugged before we took off," Hiro added. "He takes his job very seriously."
"That's a good thing," Ryo commented. "Wouldn't want a slacker as a manager."
"No," Shuichi agreed. "We never wanted that . . ."
"He's in New York right now, too," Hiro murmured. "He's visiting his wife and son."
"Then it'll be a merry Christmas for them, too," Ryo said, his smile broadening.
"Yeah," Shuichi said. "He deserves it."
"We all do," Hiro said, and the three men touched their mugs together, as if to toast. In Shuichi's mind, it was turning out to be a very bright Christmas indeed.
