Well, I hope you guys like this chapter! Please don't shoot me if you don't O.o There's a bit of ShuxOC, and some RyuxShu brotherly love. Please enjoy! I love you all!

*Disclaimer-Still do NOT own Gravitation or it's characters. I only own my original characters.*

This chapter was betaed by Charsity

It Started With a Song

Chapter 3- Saved?

Yuki didn't see the text that he got from Shuichi until almost midnight. He had been so absorbed in his typing that he hadn't even heard his phone go off. The author removed his glasses and ran a hand through his hair. He then proceeded to light another cigarette. He felt bad for snapping at the kid. He really hadn't meant to, he was just really stressed. Writer's block really wasn't something he enjoyed. After putting out his cigarette, the author started walking towards the kitchen, realizing he was hungry. He texted Shuichi as he did so.

Hey brat, I know you're probably already asleep. Just answer when ya wake up. Wanna go to dinner tomorrow? Let me know, I'll make the plans. See ya.

Yuki knew that the singer would be hurt, but maybe taking him out to dinner or cooking for the two of them would make up for the yelling.

The blonde turned on the radio as he began cooking. He loved listening to music when the brat wasn't around. It reminded him of the kid, and it always managed to calm him down in one way or another when he was tense or worked up from writing. He hummed along to the songs he knew. He left the radio on as he ate at the counter, not really wanting to sit down just to eat. A song came on that he thought sounded familiar, but he wasn't quite sure. He listened closely to the lyrics, hoping they'd give him a hint to whether or not he knew it. He realized by the chorus that he didn't know it, but the lyrics got him thinking.

"Did you think that I would cry,
on the phone?
Do you know what it feels like,
being alone?
I'll find someone new

(Swing) Swing, Swing from the tangles of
My heart is crushed by a former love
Can you help me find a way
To carry on again."

Could the kid possibly fix him? He had been a lot happier recently. Yeah, they ended up fighting every now and then, but usually it was his own fault…not that he would ever admit that out loud. He did love the boy, he just wasn't sure if he was ready for him to know that. He wasn't sure if he was ready to trust someone with his heart again. He had hid it away for so long now. But maybe it was time to let someone in? Would the kid be able to heal his heart? He just wasn't sure…maybe if he thought about it a bit longer. Maybe he would be ready sometime soon. Or maybe not.

~ISWAS~

Unbeknownst to Yuki, Shuichi was actually still awake when he texted him. He just didn't answer because he was too busy singing with Ryuichi. They were doing karaoke with Ryuichi's brand new karaoke machine. Shuichi couldn't believe that he was actually doing karaoke with his idol. And to make it even better, they were singing Nittle Grasper songs! Shuichi was grinning like mad. After dinner they had watched some cartoons, had some ice cream, and then they had got caught up singing. They had been at it for hours. Even though they both new that they should be asleep since they had to work the next day, they just couldn't bring themselves care. They were having waaay too much fun! As they finished the song they had been singing, both singers giggled, falling back into the couch, trying to catch their breath. "This is so much fun, Shu-chan! We should do this more often!" Shuichi giggled. "Yeah, we should Sa-I mean Ryuichi-kun. I'm sorry, but that's gonna take a while to get used to." Ryuichi giggled, then grinned. "Hey, Shu-chan…think fast!" Shuichi's eyes widened in shock when he got hit in the face with a pillow. Ryuichi bent forward, laughing so hard he could barely breathe. He yelped when Shuichi retaliated, knocking him off the couch.

Both singers looked at each other before they busted up laughing. Shuichi fell off the couch and landed right next to Ryuichi, falling against his shoulder as he laughed. By the time they calmed down, both singers had tears rolling down their faces. The pink-haired singer couldn't remember the last time he had had this much fun. He looked over at Ryuichi as the older man yawned. "Kuma says he hasn't had this much fun in a long time, Shu-chan! But he's really sleepy. Maybe we should all go to bed, ne?" Shuichi smiled as the brunette hid a yawn behind his stuffed bunny. "Sure, maybe we should go to bed. Do you have a guest room, or should I sleep on the couch?" Ryuichi looked shocked, then smiled. "Silly Shuichi. We're all three just gonna share my bed!" Shuichi looked a bit skeptical, but shrugged. It wasn't like they were gonna do anything. And he shared a bed with Hiro all the time. He followed the older man through the house, hiding his own yawn behind his hand. It was past one in the morning, and he was definitely ready for bed.

~ISWAS~

It was almost one o'clock before Yuki finally went to sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about the fact that Shuichi wasn't there. He didn't really like that he was with that Sakuma guy. He didn't mind when Shuichi stayed with Hiro, because he trusted the guitarist. He didn't trust the singer of Nittle Grasper. There was just something about the singer that was…off. He couldn't really place what it was, but he just didn't trust the other man. He sat down on his bed, putting out his last cigarette of the night. He laid down and huffed out a sigh. It was so odd, trying to go to sleep in an empty bed. He was used to the warmth of his little brat. He just hoped the brat would forgive him. With that in mind, he fell into a dreamless sleep.

~ISWAS~

Shuichi was still exhausted when he woke up. They had stayed up way too late, but it was worth it. Ryuichi was still yawning and rubbing his eyes as they walked through the front door of NG. They walked to the elevator together, talking about maybe grabbing lunch together if they weren't too busy. Shuichi pulled his phone out, figuring he'd ask if Hiro wanted to join them. It was then that he saw the text from his older lover. He smiled slightly, but it faded after a moment. The brunette noticed and frowned slightly. "Kuma wants to know why Shu-chan looks sad." Shuichi looked up at the other singer and smiled. "It's nothing Kuma-chan! Shu-chan is just tired." Ryuichi knew the younger man was lying, but he decided to forget it for the moment. The elevator arrived and the boys walked into it.

"Hey Ryuichi-kun…do you think I could maybe stay over again tonight? We could do some more karaoke and I could order some take out for the two of us." Ryuichi's face lit up. "Really? Shu-chan wants to stay over again? Kuma says that's a great idea!" Shuichi laughed at the look of pure joy on the other's face. "Well, as long as it's okay with Kuma-chan, then I definitely will." The two smiled brightly before the elevator door opened again. "Well, this is my floor. I'll see you later, Shu-chan!" The brunette waved at the other man before he left the elevator to go to his studio. Shuichi let his smile fade again as he pulled his phone back out to reply to Yuki.

Sorry, I guess I forgot to tell you, but I'm staying the night with Ryuichi-kun again. Maybe some other time when you're not just trying to get me to forgive you without actually apologizing like you always do when you've upset me. If you really want me, then you'll learn to actually apologize like the man you are.

Shuichi's heart was racing after he hit send. He couldn't believe he had finally stood up to Yuki…even if it was just over text. But he was sick of the man treating him like he wasn't important. He couldn't just get away with it anymore. All he did was give the man his heart, the least Yuki could do was at least acknowledge it. He was sick of being treated like that. He would rather just spend time with his friends, or even have to live on his own or move back in with his family, than keep being treated the way he was being treated. He was more than happy to ditch Yuki for Ryuichi. At least Ryuichi would actually say what was on his mind instead of beating around the bush.

Right as the elevator reached his floor, his phone buzzed again. He didn't look at his phone, because he knew it would upset him, and he needed to focus. So he turned his phone off and continued towards the studio, a look of angry determination on his face. He threw the door to the studio open, stunning the other occupants. "Before you even say anything, just don't. I just wanna get to work." Hiro was the first to react, nodding slowly. "Okay Shuichi…well, what're you all looking at? Come on, let's get to work!" Hiro looked at Shuichi with a worried look as everyone scurried into their places. Shuichi forced a small smile on his face, mouthing "I'll explain later" in his friend's direction. Hiro nodded slightly, then got to work setting up his guitar.

~ISWAS~

By the time lunch rolled around, Shuichi was shaking with exhaustion. Not only had he not had enough sleep, but he was still upset about the text he had ignored. He texted Ryuichi from Hiro's phone, not even wanting to look at his phone.

Are you gonna be able to go to lunch? Oh, and this is Shuichi, I'm using Hiro's phone. And it's just gonna be us, K's giving us a long lunch break, so Hiro's going to see his girlfriend.

Ryuichi replied within seconds, saying they were already done for the day and that he'd meet Shuichi in the front lobby. The young man made his way to the elevators. As soon as he met up with Ryuichi, they put on some hats and sunglasses as disguises, then started walking to a quite café where they could eat without their disguises without getting mobbed. Shuichi was silent almost the whole way there, which worried Ryuichi; the younger man was almost never silent, unless just caught in thought. But the look on his face was obviously upset, not pensive.

Ryuichi sighed as he felt himself sliding into his serious persona. He hated his serious side, but he was really worried. "Shuichi, are you okay? You're starting to worry me…" Shuichi sighed quietly and pulled his phone out of his pocket, turning it on. "I'm…just stressed, that's all." The older man's deep blue eyes stared into Shuichi's purple ones. "Shuichi…I know you're lying. Don't lie to me, please. If you're upset, I wanna try to make it okay." Shuichi looked at the man for a moment, then looked away. I'll tell you once we're in the restaurant. I'm not really sure what exactly is going on just yet." Ryuichi raised a quizzical eyebrow, but kept his mouth closed.

Shuichi finally looked down at the text after they had both ordered their drinks. They were sitting in a booth, one singer on each side of the table. Ryuichi asked Shuichi a question, but the pink-haired boy didn't hear him. Silent tears ran down his cheek as he looked at the text he had received back.

Fine brat. Have it your way. Why don't you just stay at that stupid Sakuma's house and leave me the hell alone. You can come get your shit when you can be a man and tell me you're upset face to face, you hypocrite."

Shuichi tried his best to stay silent, but a small sob escaped his lips, and after the first one had passed his lips, he couldn't stop the flood gates from opening. Ryuichi was immediately at his side, hugging him to his chest, saying nothing, just offering silent comfort. He didn't know exactly what was wrong, but he knew it had to be something serious. His phone buzzed and he picked it up from the table flipping it open. His eyes widened in shock. It was the only friend he had made while in America. The boy was just a few months younger than Shuichi. He was a singer who had been under K, but had decided to switch to the acting business, leaving K to manage Ryuichi. The singer had met Anthony when K invited him to a dinner they were having with other XMR singers. The man was apparently in Japan…and was standing right across the small café, looking right at Ryuichi.

Anthony walked over, his eyebrow raised in question. Shuichi had finally stopped crying and looked up, rubbing his eyes. "Ryuichi…who's that?" The older man looked down at the boy whose eyes were still rimmed in red. "It's a friend I met while in L.A….Shuichi, this is Anthony Kimmermen. Anthony, this is my friend Shindou Shuichi." The American smiled brightly, and Shuichi blushed slightly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Shindou-san," the man said in slightly accented Japanese. Shuichi's blush deepened. "Please, just call me Shuichi." The American smirked. Shuichi looked him up and down shyly. He was pretty tall, maybe a bit shorter than the author he was so upset with. He had black hair that was swept over one eye. And his eyes. His eyes were a beautiful green. The only color the singer could compare them to was a dark emerald. The boy was wearing a pale blue tank top and tight black skinny jeans. Not the type Shuichi normally liked, but he had to admit, this boy was very cute.

Ryuichi looked up at his American friend. "So…how long you here for, An-kun? You could always crash at my place if you want to. Shuichi's staying there tonight, but he'll crash in my bed, so there's plenty of room." The black haired boy grinned. "What happened to your little boy-toy, Ryu? And what did I say about that nickname? I'm not a girl Ryu." The older man laughed. "I can't help teasing you! And I'm still with Tat-kun. Shu-chan is like a little brother to me. He's one of my very best friends." He smiled down at the boy who he was still holding in his lap. The boy's face turned bright red. He hadn't realized…his idol thought of him as family? He was so happy he felt his heart would burst! He was brought out of this thought process by the other two talking. "So, where should we go? And I'll pay for us all, my treat!" Anthony grinned. "Well, I don't know any good restaurants here in Japan…why don't we let your "little brother" choose."

After they figured out where they were eating, they went to Ryu's apartment to get ready. While Shuichi was taking a shower, Anthony looked at Ryu, hoping to get some answers. "So, Ryu…what's up with the kid? He looked kinda upset when I first got there." Ryuichi sighed and ran a hand over his face. "I'm not sure, but I have a hunch it was his 'boyfriend' Yuki…" He then went into full detail of the relationship between his friend and the author. The fighting, the tears, how heartbroken Shuichi was every time they fought, and the rare moments where he was happy. By the time he was finished, he could barely control his anger.

" Oh wow…that's so screwed up…I should steal the kid from him. I'd treat him a lot better than that. He reminds me of an innocent version of you. And if I can handle your crazy ass, I'm sure I can handle him just fine. And besides that, he's really cute." Ryuichi looked at his friend, his facial expression almost scaring the younger man. "If you truly want to try to get Shuichi away from Yuki, I won't stop you, because he does deserve better. But I swear, if you hurt my Shu-chan, you will not like the consequences Anthony. You know that it's hard for me to find people that I trust. I do not want to lose Shuichi. He means too much to me." Anthony smiled a genuine smile. "Don't worry, old man. You know I would never hurt anyone. Not intentionally at least."

~ISWAS~

When they finally arrived at the restaurant, all the boys were excited. Shuichi was blushing almost the whole way there. He couldn't help thinking that Anthony might like him. It seemed like the younger boy was flirting quite a lot…and Shuichi couldn't help but flirt back. The black haired actor touched Shuichi's arm, smiled gently at him, told him how cute he was, and how adorable, and how sweet. Shuichi swore that he had a permanent blush painted on his face. By the end of the night, he couldn't even remember why he'd been upset earlier that day…and he wasn't even thinking about the author. Right as they were about to get the check, Anthony leaned over and kissed the other boy lightly on the lips. Shu's eyes widened, but when the other pulled away, the singer smiled at him, face as red as a tomato. Little did the happy group know, a set of angry amber eyes was watching this small display of affection.

Oooo. Who's the mystery man watching our Shu-chan? What did you guys think? Please review my lovely readers! Your reviews are like oxygen, they help me live!...they also help me want to write :3 I love you all! Ta-ta for now!

The song was "Swing Swing" by The All American Rejects

~SingingSparklyKuma~