Six days later Yuuta tiptoed across the hallway and knocked on Fuji's door. It was almost midnight. Everyone except the brothers was asleep.

"Yuuta. It's February 28th."

Yuuta smiled and Fuji could hear him through the door. "I couldn't wait."

"I'm sorry," Fuji said. Something was definitely wrong. He sounded distant and vague.

"What?" Yuuta tried the handle; it was locked. The realization hit him. "Shuusuke, open the door. Let me in."

"No." Fuji's voice was quiet. "It's not happening, Yuuta."

Yuuta pressed his forehead into the door. He tried the handle again, hoping that in the time Yuuta's heart had been breaking the door had miraculously become unlocked.

"I'm sorry," Fuji whipsered again.

"Don't be sorry. Let me in. Please, Shu, we don't have to do anything." I just have to make sure you're okay.

"No."

"This is about Tezuka isn't it?"

Fuji's silence was all he needed for comfirmation. "Damnit Shuusuke. Why do you go to Tezuka-san for love? I'm right here."

"I'm sorry."

"I thought you wanted me. Wanted us."

"I thought so too."

Angry, Yuuta kicked the door. "What did you do with my brother? What the fuck did you do with Shuusuke?"

"I'm right here, Yuuta," Fuji said hollowly.

"NO! No. Shuusuke would say something like that."

"It is me."

"But you're not him. Because Shuusuke loves me. He wouldn't hurt me, wouldn't lock me out."

"I'm-"

"Shuusuke, if you say you're sorry one more time I will never talk to you again."

Fuji fell silent.

"When did you go fall in love with someone else? I thought...Didn't you go out with Tezuka-san to make me jealous? That's so twisted in and of itself."

"I can't take you down with me," Fuji told him. Yuuta could hear Fuji's voice raise a few octaves the way it always did just before he started crying. "I couldn't do that to my baby brother. If nothing else, I'm going to save you, Yuuta. I'm going to save you from me."

"What if I don't want to be saved?" Yuuta shot back. "What if..." But Yuuta knew it was no use. Fuji had made up his mind. The door would stay locked. They were just going to be brothers.

Then Yuuta heard the worst sound in the world. The sound of tears sliding down Fuji's pale cheeks. The thought made his own throat constrict.

"Shuusuke, you're crying. Don't cry." I hate it when you cry. It makes me feel so damn helpless. "I'll go away. We can just be brothers. Whatever, just don't push me away. Don't cry, Shu, don't..God, just stop crying. Do it for me. Okay?"

"All right, Yuuta," came the shaky murmur. "All right."

"You promised we'd always be together." Yuuta cursed himself. It sounded like he was whining. He, Yuuta, did not whine.

"We will, Yuuta, we will be."

And really, it was as if time hadn't passed. They were still kids and Yuuta had done something foolish and was hurting and Fuji was trying to make it all better.

Only time doesn't stop just becuase you want it to. Yuuta knew this. Really.

"So you love Tezuka, huh?"

"Yes. I guess I do." And god, it hurt Yuuta for Fuji to sound so confused and happy and in love.

"Then why aren't you with him?"

"He doesn't love me."

"Whatever." That's not a reason. Yuuta shook his head. "Then go get him, Aniki. They call you the tensai, right? If anyone can make Tezuka fall in love, it's you."