"Your fever seems to have gone down, but you're still feeling unwell." Nii-chan kisses the young Misaki's forehead, testing the warmth of the boy's temperature compared to yesterdays. Misaki smiles, hiding away his fears and guilt. He had ruined his brother's future yet again, ruined everything he ever came in contact with. If he didn't ask his parents to come home, they'd be alive. If he didn't catch a cold, his brother would still be able to get into college as a late applicant. He was ready to lecture his brother that he was responsible to take care of himself, responsible enough not to bother anyone, but even then it was useless thinking.
"I'm sorry… Nii-chan," Misaki whispers, his voice quiet.
The Great Lord Usami exhales the smoke, his eyes focusing on Misaki's closed door. He had finally left the boy alone when he was sure that everything was okay and immediately began working on his new idea. Calling up Aikawa, Usami thought that this new idea was riveting and very inspiring. He even went as far as switching roles in order to get his story across and from the looks of it, his editor seems to be on board with this.
"Mmhmm, this is wonderful! But if you could add the restraints to this section instead of over here," Aikawa shows the man the outline, switching from one page to the next, "then I think the story will be much more of a read. I do love Misaki taking action, the restraints on Akihiko make this…" Usami ignores his editor's squeal, still watching the closed door. Should he check on him? No, Misaki needs his rest. Should he attempt to make something again? Impossible, he'll hurt himself again and have a repeat of yesterday's incident.
Usami touches his lips, smiling. I was supposed to kiss your forehead to see if you were sick, the man thinks to himself. He chuckles, still smiling.
Misaki grumbles something incoherent, still in dream mode. He had a weird dream last night, but some parts were hazier than the others. A dream is just a dream, he thinks as he carefully rises from the bed. His dizziness had disappeared, the weak muscles seemed to have gotten stronger. Maybe all he needed was rest and just…quiet. No Usagi-san to do weird things to me or tease me, just quiet. I should've gotten a lot if I knew he wasn't going to do anything to me. Wait…no, that's not right. Misaki shakes his head furiously, his doubts fading.
The boy walks out of his room, but there's no sign of the man. His eyes glaze down the stairs and towards the kitchen area, but he's not there either. Taking a deep breath, Misaki walks to Usagi-san's study and to his relief and disappointment, there's not sign of him.
"Hehe," Misaki laughs nervously, but his emotions betray him when a droplet gently falls from his eye, cascading down to the floor. It stains the floorboards but Misaki ignores it, walking slowly to the Usagi's desk. His hand caresses the desk, the trembling fingers careful about making a mess of the papers stacked next to the computer.
"Maybe I was a bother to Usagi-san. He's not here and I should be happy, but… But I'm not. I don't want to be here in this house…alone. Where are you Usagi-san? Don't you know that leaving a sick person is dangerous? What if something happened to me and you weren't here?
Or what if something happened to him? The boy pauses, his fingers stopping just above the computer keys. Another trail of tears stain Misaki's warm cheeks before landing on the corner of the desk. What if Usagi-san…? No, he can't think about it, can't think about something so impossible like that. His parents were one thing and his brother is still alive, so something this stupid couldn't happen to Usagi-san, right?
"'…hands tremble, pulling Misaki away…'" Something catches Misaki's attention. While the computer itself is not to blame for whatever words the author has written, Misaki still feels compelled to smash it when he decides to read what caught his attention.
"'Misaki, not there,' Akihiko says, shuddering against his fingers." Misaki stops, his face becoming warmer and warmer. What's this? He keeps reading.
"'M-Misaki…I-' Misaki presses down on Akihiko, pushing in while his lips lean up towards his lover's hot lips." Something compels Misaki to read further, but he knows he's only digging his grave.
"'You still have a fever, so I'll cool you down,' Misaki whispers, thrusting into-'
"AHHHH!" Misaki stumbles back, screaming and pointing at the computer. The torturous words burn into the boy's memory and images of the Misaki and Akihiko characters swivel around.
"Forget it! I don't care if you die, you pervert!" Angry and embarrassed that he had worried about Usagi, Misaki erases everything from the computer, mumbling 'I hate you, I hate you' over and over. The stack of papers next to the computer were the printed versions and still in a rage over what he had just read minutes ago, Misaki shreds the papers into pieces, yelling 'Die Usagi-san!' as he rips away.
The door creaks open and a foot enters the threshold the same time a shout echoes from the second floor of the big, empty house. The man closes the door, a smile playing across his playful lips. Already a pinkish tint thanks to his fingers brushing against the spot his lover had kissed, the great lord Usami sets down his pack of cigarettes. With his coat left on, he looks up just as a voice screams 'I hate you, I hate you' over and over as if chanting something interesting.
Resisting the hunger that only Misaki can cure, Usami slowly makes his way up the stairs, his smile growing wider and wider as the distance between lovers grows shorter and shorter.