The Coffeeshop ~My Gravi fic~

[The_Scarlet_Rose]

Chapter 1


"Okay, no spitting in the coffee if I get mad at a customer... anything else?"

Shuichi Shindo shifted in front of his new boss. His pink hair and purple eyes shining in the early afternoon light of the cafe. The lady crossed her arms across her chest, and sighed.

"You don't belong here kid." She muttered

"Gotta pay the bills somehow." He replied back "Anything else?"

The woman paused, as if thinking, and started to shake her head. But then the door opened, and Shuichi heard the familar 'ding' of the bell hanging above it, a sound that he would come to hate.

"Oh yeah. That guy." She began

"Who? Him?"

Shuichi geustured towards the pale blond man that had just entered.

"Yeah, that guy. He's a regular, comes in at 11:15, everday..."

"Everyday?"

She nodded.

"Hasn't been late in... oh... two years or so..."

Shuichi turned to look at him, as he sat down at the counter, sheding his overcoat and waiting patiently.

"What's his name, Hayuna?" He asked his boss "He looks familar."

"Eiri Yuki." Hayuna replied

"Eiri... Yuki..." Shuichi said, letting the name roll off his tongue "The romance novelist?"

"One in the same." Hayuna replied "I think he's down on his luck..."

"What makes you say that?"

Shuichi noticed that she wasn't looking at him anymore, but at Yuki, who seemed to be completely unaware that he was the topic of dicussion.

"Because his tips have gotten smaller." One waitress piped up "Couple years ago, he'd toss a twenty on the counter without a second thought." She sighed, swirling the coffepot in her hand around "Now... he's barely counting change. I miss the good ol' days."

They both laughed.

"But everyday," The waitress continued "All he orders is a small black coffee. Most times you don't even have to talk to him, just pour and he'll pay... and if you're lucky, tip." She smiled, winked and walked away

Shuichi sighed.

"I'll take care of him." Hayuna said

Shuichi looked at Hayuna. The woman looked tough, but was obviously a sweetheart. Afterall, she had given him this job, when he had absolutly no experience what-so-ever, but he was a fast learner, and pretty down on his luck, not to mention funds, and she had a kind heart.

"No." Shuichi said "I will."

Shuichi took a deep breath, and moved over to the man.

"What can I get you?" He asked

He looked up at him, and Shuichi nearly gasped at the man's beautiful amber eyes.

"Didn't she just tell you?" He asked, cocking his head to the side and cracking a grin.

Shuichi blushed. So he'd heard...

"Yeah..." He said, turning around and reaching for a mug and a coffeepot. He turned back to Yuki, setting the cup down and began to pour.

"You're new." Yuki said

"First day."

"Hm." He replied "What's your name?"

"Shuichi."

Yuki looked up at Shuichi, to in turn, find the pink headed boy staring at him.

"Shuichi?"

"Yes?"

"You're pouring coffee on my hand."

Shuichi looked down and gasped. Sure enough, there was a big puddle of coffee on the counter, and a decent amount coating Yuki's hand.

"I-I'm sorry!" He shouted, turning around and searching for a towel.

Yuki grinned, and reached forward towards Shuichi's waist, pulling him towards him.

"What are you..."

And then, Yuki pulled free the towel that was tucked there.

"Oh."  

[The_Scarlet_Rose]

Chapter 3


Shuichi awoke on his cramped bed. The light shone through his thin curtains, and he hoped that he'd made enough in tips that week to buy new ones. Looking over at his door, he realized that is was fixed, and was surprised, because he was pretty sure he fell asleep last night before finishing.

And then Shuichi noticed something else. Someone else lying next to him, their arm draped behind his head. Yuki.

'That's right...' Shuichi thought 'He helped me... he must've finished when I fell asleep...'

He breathed softly, Shuichi looked up at him. His blond hair was tosseled and his thin, pink lips were parted. Shuichi felt himself scoot closer to him, but convinced himself that it was just in an attempt to not fall off the bed. But what he did next wasn't.

'Maybe just a small one...'

Shuichi gently pressed hips lips to Yuki's, his eyes closed. But then the snapped open, when he felt Yuki respond, kissing him deeply and moaning softly. They parted when the need for air grew.

"Well, that's one way to start the morning." Yuki said, looking over at the alarm clock "It's 10:00..."

"Oh crap!" Shuichi shouted "I'm so late!"

"Shu..."

"Hayuna's gonna kill me!"

"Shu..."

"It's my first week and I'm gonna loose my job!"

"Shu!"

"What?"

"It's Saturday."

Shuichi froze.

"Oh."

"Come back to bed." Yuki murmered sleepily

Shuichi looked back at Yuki. Was he talking to him? Afterall, they'd just met a few days earlier, but Shuichi could already feel a special bond between him and the obviously olderman growing.

Yuki patted the space next to him.

"Come on." He said softly

Shuichi slowly slipped next to him, and breathed in his crisp, fresh scent.

"Yuki?" He asked

"Hm?"

"How old are you?"

"23."

"Oh." Shuichi sighed, relieved.

'Not that big of a difference.' he thought

"Yuki?"

"Yeah Shu?"

"Why do you call me that?"

"What? Shu?"

Shuichi nodded. Yuki poked open an eye.

"Because... I think you're cute."He said simply "And Shu's a cute name."

Shuichi blushed.

"Do you not like it?" Yuki asked

Shuichi shook his head.

"No, I do."

"Good."

Shuichi felt a light kiss in his hair.

"You smell like... strawberries."

"They're my favorite."

"So I noticed."

"Huh?"

"I looked in your kitchen last night. Are you aware that you have nothing besides Captin' Crunch and strawberry pocky in your pantry?"

Shuichi swallowed a laugh.

"Yeah... I'm a pretty simple guy."

"Somehow I doubt that."

There was a peaceful silence.

"Yuki?"

"Hm?"

"Can I see your apartment today?"

Yuki smiled down at him.

"Sure."

----

"Wow! You live here! It's gi-freakin-normous!"

Yuki looked at Shuichi, who laughed.

"Well, compared to your closet, I'm sure it is."

"Shut up!"

Yuki laughed.  

[The_Scarlet_Rose]

"And you say you're down on your luck! How do you afford this?"

"My publishing company pays for it... and they're going to stop if I don't get out a best seller this year..." He ran his fingers through his hair

"Don't worry. I'm sure you will." Shuichi said, kissing him softly "I'm sure something will hit you."

"Believe me." Yuki said "It already has."

"What?"

Yuki looked down at the smaller boy wrapped around his shoulders.

"Something... on the day I first met you." He murmered

Shuichi looked at him, curious.

"What is it?"

"It's a surprise."

"Do you have it written down?" Shuichi asked

Yuki brought his hand to his temple.

"It's all up here right now." He said

Shuichi frowned, but then smiled when he looked around the apartment. He detached himself from Yuki, and ran up a step to sliding glass doors, and peered out.

"You even have a pool!"

Yuki smiled and tucked his hands in his pockets, watching the boy move from place ot place.

"Yuki, I'm envious."

"Why?"

"Because you have this nice place!" He shouted "I'd be so inspired if I lived here and--."

"So live here." Yuki blurted

Shuichi turned to him, just to see Yuki bring his hand to his mouth.

"What?"

Yuki swallowed and repeated.

"Live here."

"Huh?"

Yuki shrugged.

"Move in with me. Or would you rather go back to your doorless closet?"

"IT'S NOT A CLOSET!"

Silence. Then the both burst into laughter.  

[The_Scarlet_Rose]

Chapter 4

"This feels like a dream." Shuichi murmered

He lay cuddled in Yuki's arms after a few moments of passionate kissing. Even though the two had shared a bed for nearly a month, that's as far as they'd gone. Shuichi was both anxious and terrified of the day when they progressed. Yuki nodded and cuddled closer.

Shuichi still worked at the coffeeshop, and Yuki still came everyday, only now it was more kissing over the counter than talking. Shuichi can still remember the first time Yuki came in and greeted him with a kiss, he'd turned beet red and the spotted Hayuna slip Shi, one of the other waitresses, a fifty. He wasn't sure why, and didn't really care to ask now. His day's were spent mostly resting, spending time with Yuki, and trying to read over Yuki's shoulder the book he was writing.

"I have a surprise for you tonight." Yuki murmered

"What?" Shuichi asked "Did you buy me something? I hope not, because..."

"I'm broke?" Yuki asked bluntly

"Well.. there's that... and that I don't have anything to give you."

Yuki smiled.

"Yeah, you do. You just don't realize it." He said softly

Shuichi sat up and looked at Yuki. He looked angelic in the morning light. His blond hair and amber eyes shone brightly. Shuichi felt as if he were floating, all the time. He found himself singing more and more, and his lyrics starting to come to him. But he wasn't ready to try and pick up his mic just yet.

"Yuki!" Shuichi shouted, clinging closer to his boyfriend "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

"But..."

"Shu... trust me."

Shuichi looked up at him, and nodded. How could he not trust him? He had given him a wonderful place to stay, rent free, and had inspired him in more ways than he could count.

"Yu-Yuki?"

Shuichi realized the place they'd stopped at, and the sign plastered above the door:

Open mic night.

"What?"

"Why did you... why would you do that?"

Yuki looked down at him, alarmed.

"I won't..."

He let go of Yuki's hand, hurrying in the other direction.

"Shu!" Yuki called after him, and then running to catch up to him "Shu! What is it?"

"I won't sing! I can't!"

"Why not? Are you afraid to?" Yuki challanged

Shuichi whirled around to face him.

"Afraid? Who's afraid here? Why don't you tell me Eiri Yuki why you really stopped writing books!"

"Because she died!"  

[The_Scarlet_Rose]

They both froze, there on the street, neither one wavering, or moving, until Yuki spoke again.

"I loved her... and she died... God, I mean, I was right there... we were... and... Nina... her name was Nina..."

"Yuki, slow down." Shuichi said, calmer now, taking his hands "Tell me what happened."

They made their way inside the building and sat down.

"We were walking. We had just gotten ice cream... and she wanted to walk home." He said, slowly, his eyes glazed over, as if reliving it all "She was so... beautiful... had the most amazing smile... Just lit up rooms with it." He looked at Shuichi "Like yours." He paused before continuing "She didn't want to take a taxi... said walking would be good for me. We started crossing the street... I dropped something... and doubled back for it. She stopped and waited... in the middle of the street... when I hit the sidewalk... I heard a honk and turned around... and there it was..."

Yuki swallowed, and didn't speak for a moment, Shuichi blinked away tears, and squeezed Yuki's hand harder. He started to tell him that he didn't have to continue, but Yuki did.

"A car... and right before it hit her... right before it broke her body into... Nina looked at me. And she was the most beautiful I'd ever seen her, and I swear she smiled..."

Shuichi could no longer hold back tears, they ran down his face and dripped onto his and Yuki's hands. Yuki didn't seem to notice.

"She smiled, and this car killed her..." He scoffed "I ran to her... calling her name... like that would bring her back somehow... but when I got to her, she just looked at me. She wasn't mad or anything... she just looked... like Nina... still smiling... for me. She died before the ambulance got there... right in the middle of this street... and I sat there, weeping like a child, unable to do anything. And ever since then... up until the day I met you... I haven't been able to write... anything at all. It's like... I felt that if I continued rising and getting better. Furthered my career, I'd somehow... leave her behind."

Shuichi could feel his heart breaking. Yuki looked up at him, his eyes painful.

"There's my story." He finished "Now you know it."

Shuichi moved forward and kissed Yuki, who kissed him back, pouring all of his pain and darkness into him. Shuichi willingly accepted it, willingly accepted all of his hurt, if he knew that it'd make Yuki feel better. When they parted, Yuki didn't say anything, just spaced out. Shuichi pulled his hands gently from his, and stood, making his way to the stage.

A few minuets later Yuki blinked a few times, only then becoming aware that Shuichi was gone. He sighed and let his head fall on the table.

'I told him.' He thought 'I wonder if he's okay... with seeing me like that... with knowing everything...'

Music started playing. Yuki felt his finger tapping to the beat, but his head still didn't rise, until he heard:

Obieta mezuki de iradatsu omoi uwaki na kaze hi hakisutete

Kaze ni hakisutete

Hibi-wareta rojou ni toketa Shingunaru

Wa kizauto daka nokoshite-iku

'That voice...'

Madoronda noizu ga asu o keshi-saru

mae ni

yabou ni hibiku kutsuoto okakete

'I know it...'

Doko ni mo tomarani

mitasanai emotion shikato kimete

oikose yo

furueteru shai na seikai no nuke-michi o

neratte

tadoritsuku basho e I Want New World

'It's Shuichi!'

Yuki lifted his head, to see his pink haired lover move about the stage, the entire audience moving and dancing with him. Yuki smiled to see him that way. Every eye in the room seemed glued on him, and he didn't seem to notice.

Muragaru fuan ni tsume o tatereba

mishiranu uso ni hajikarete

mote-amasu jikan ga sabitsuita machi o

warubirezu ni kazatte-iru

berubetto no koin dake o pakku ni

tsumete

meiro no you na yume no chizu wa irani

saka-maky kodou kara

kirakira gin no passion kakehiki dake no

yuuwaku

kowaresou na kimi no hitomi ga ikeru

doa tataite

sagashi-tsuzukeru You just a New World

His body moved with percision, as the crowed moved with him, some cheering him on, some dancing, and others just staring in awe. Yuki could only grin.

Mein sutorito ni kizamu semegi-atta

namida ga

ima mo kikoery kutsuon o hisumaseru

doko ni mo tomaranai

mitasanai emtion shikato kimete

oikose yo

furueteru shai na seikai no nuke-michi o

neratte

tadoritsuku basho e I Want New World

The music stopped, and the crowed screamed and cheered for Shuichi as he left the stage. Yuki stared in awe. He was amazing. That song was amazing. Shuichi carefully ducked around the people and made his way back to him.

"We performed her a while ago... my old band Bad Luck... they still had our music..." Shuichi explained

Yuki raised an eyebrow, still unable to talk

"I figured... if you can get over your fear... I can get over mine... right?"

Yuki smiled at him.

"Let's go home." He said simply

"Yuki... can you do something for me?" Shuichi asked, as they entered the apartment

"Sure." Yuki replied, locking the door and heading for the bedroom "What is it?"

Shuichi wrapped his arms around him and kissed him.

"Can you be mine... forever?"

"I already am."

Shuichi smiled, and then blushed.

"What?"

"Then... will you... make love to me?"

Yuki grinned.

"Shu. I've been waiting to here you say that, for a long, long time."

The two boyfriends, finally became lovers, letting all their fears, all their past pains and anxieties melt away in the friction between their bodies.


:: The lyrics are from the Rage Beat::  

[The_Scarlet_Rose]

Chapter 5

'Yuki... why did you leave me?'

Nina's hands reached for him. She was so close, he could practically smell her vanilla scented skin. Yuki smiled and walked towards her, arms outstretched.

'Why did you go?'

Yuki stopped for an instant to look at her, not understanding. Her hand dropped to her side, and her eyes narrowed in anger.

'Why aren't you still mine?'

Tires screeched.

"NINA! NO!"

"YUK!"

Yuki's eyes snapped open. He was panting, and a thin layer of sweat coated his body, he shook causing the bed to tremble slightly.

"Yuki, you were screaming..."

Yuki's eyes focused. Shuichi was leaning over him, his pink hair messy, as if he'd just woken from sleep. He blinked a few times at Shuichi, as if not recognizing him.

"Shu..." He said slowly

Shuichi nodded, and then reached forward to embrace his lover, but was surprised when Yuki hastily brushed him away and sat up, glancing at the clock.

"Why are you still here?" He asked

Shuichi cocked his head at him.

"Aren't you late for work?" Yuki explained

"It's Sunday..." Shuichi said slowly reaching for him "Are you mad?"

Yuki shook his head, not looking at him.

"It was just... my dream." He murmered 'Just a dream."

Shuichi smiled softly, and leaned on the olderman's broad shoulders, kissing softly between his shoulder blades.

"Spend the day with me." Shuichi whispered

"I can't." Yuki murmered "I have a lot to do today."

"Then let me come with you."

Yuki laughed.

"No." He said, shaking his head

"Oh come on Yuki." Shuichi said "Let me be your assistant for the day... I mean, you do so much for me.. .let me do something for you."

Yuki shook his head, blond hair falling amuck.

"No... well... there is one thing that you can do for me."

"What?" Shuichi asked eagerly

Yuki turned to him, and took Shuichi's hands and wrapped them around his neck. He brought his face close to his.

"Be there at the door, waiting for me when I get back."

He kissed him softy.

"To embrace me, and kiss me. Ask me how my day was. To hold me, and say those three little words. To stay with me forever. That's all I wish of you. And all I'll ever ask of you."

Shuichi blushed, and Yuki leaned forward, kissing him again, deeper this time. His hands roamed, seeming to know just where to touch, just where to caress, just how long to linger to make Shuichi moan. Shuichi melted into his lover, and Yuki pulled away.

"I've gotta get dressed." He murmered softly

Shuichi nodded, and collasped to the bed as Yuki's body seperated from his.

"Oh... that man..." Shuichi said, bringing his hand to his lips where Yuki's heat still lingered "He drives me insane."  

[The_Scarlet_Rose]

A little while later, Shuichi realized he had dozed off, and woke up to here scuffling in Yuki's office.

"Hello?"

He slid off the bed and carefully made his way to the room. Inside, Yuki was bent nearly completly over his desk.

"Yuki?" He asked

There was a thud as Yuki jerked his head up, and hit it on the wall.

"Ow."

"Yuki... what are you doing?"

Yuki slid off the desk, plug to his laptop in hand.

"Taking this with me."

"Why?" Shuichi asked, grinning "Don't you trust me?"

Yuki shook his head.

"I do. But not that much." He replied "Besides, I don't know about people who come from closets..."

"IT WASN'T A CLOSET!"

Yuki laughed, picking up his laptop.

"And besides... oh." Shuichi suddenly stopped, when he noticed that you could see a clear outline of where Yuki's laptop had been and shear amount of dust that surrounded the only clean area oh Yuki's desk.

Yuki blushed, clutching the laptop to his chest.

"I couldn't afford my maid anymore... and I haven't..."

"Dusted in like a year?" Shuichi asked "When's the last time you've moved that laptop?"

"When I bought it."

Shuichi rolled his eyes.

"You talk about guys from closets... how about guys who don't clean?"

Yuki laughed.

"Say what you will, but you're still not going to be able to read the story."

Shuichi sighed in frustration. Yuki only laughed and kissed him.

"Get dressed." He murmered "Or are you going to stay like that all day?"

Shuichi's face flushed red when he realized he was standing there in only his boxers.

"Not that I'd mind."

"Go." Shuichi said, pushing him away "Don't you have to be somewhere?"

"Well." Yuki said "If you're going to look like that... Tatsuha can wait."

Shuichi took a cautious step back, before Yuki ran after him. Shuichi shrieked and ran in circles around the room.

"Yuki! You're going to be late!"

"Who cares?" Yuki yelled, lauging and running after him

The two ran in literal circles around the apartment, Shuichi screaming and running into things, and Yuki following close behind him, lauging, up until Shuichi tripped and fell over the back of the living room couch, landing on his back.

He gulped.

"Now... Yuki..." He began, noticing that Yuki was looking at him like a lion looks at his prey.

Yuki set his laptop down on a table, and slowly climbed ovre the couch, stradeling Shuichi.

"Yuki..."

Yuki wasn't listening. He shed his jacket and moved forward, slowly climbing over the couch and laying on top of Shuichi. He brought his face mere millimeters from his.

"Shu?"

"Hm?"

"You're blushing."

Shuichi swallowed, and blushed harder. Yuki smiled and kissed the tip of his nose.

"I have to go." He said, sliding off the couch.

Shuichi made a face as Yuki's warmth left his. Yuki winked at him as he picked up his laptop.

"You're still not going to read this though." He said, walking out of the door.  

[The_Scarlet_Rose]

Chapter 6

"So, you dreamed about her."

Yuki looked up at his younger brother Tatsuha, and nodded. Tatsuha's dark eyes, and face so like Yuki's, grew serious. Tatsuha was like his other half. He made up for all of the qualities that Yuki lacked. Together they made a perfect yin-yang symbol.

"It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Yuki nodded again.

"Almost three months..."

"I wonder what brought it on."

"I made love to someone." Yuki answered bluntly

Tatsuha looked up from the tea he was stirring and set down his spoon, and then looked around the cafe that they were sitting in.

"You mean... you haven't have sex since..."

"Nina..." Yuki murmered, shaking his head "No. Not until last night."

"You didn't have sex for two years?" Tatsuha asked, almost a little too loud "No wonder you couldn't write a book."

"Tat--."

"I mean, you're a romance novelist for crying out loud! You need to get laid!"

"Tatsuha!"

"Huh? Oh." He said, realizing where they were "Sorry." He smiled sheepishly "Back to the point, your dream?"

"She yelled at me, asked me why I wasn't still hers."

"Well, that's natural."

Yuki looked up at him.

"It is?"

"Yeah. I mean, you loved Nina. You probably still do. And part of you feels guilty that your heart is allowing you to move on. So it conjured up this dream of her. It's just your guilt eating away at you. Nothing else. I don't imagine it being anything other than that. Although, I figure you'll probably have more of these dreams... for a long time coming I imagine."

"I thought you were a priest, now you're a shrink."

"I'm also a male stripper on weekends." Tatsuha replied, then off of Yuki's look he said "I'm joking."

"You know... for a priest, you certainly aren't holy."

Tatsuha winked, and put his hands together as if praying.

"Far from it, Bro." He admitted, pulling a flask from his pocket and pouring it into his cup. Yuki shook his head in shame. "What?"

"It's Sunday for crying out loud!"

"So?"

Yuki rolled his eyes and sighed. Tatsuha took a sip and looked up at Yuki.

"So, who is this new person?" He asked

Yuki shrugged.

"It's a long story."

"We've got time."

Yuki sighed, and began his tale of how him and Shuichi met, of the coffeshop, and how they now live together.

"Bro? Don't you think you're moving a bit too fast?" Tatsuha asked

Yuki shrugged.

"I mean..." He continued "After Nina..."

"Well, that's the thing." Yuki said "I'm tired mourning. It's been two very lonly years. She's not coming back. I know that now. She's gone somewhere were I can't reach her, and I can't bring her back. So, like you said, I'm moving on."

"With Shuichi? I mean, you've only known each other for a month..."

"And some change." Yuki added "But, Tatsuha, I just, got so tired of living in that hollow place alone. So tired of being alone, and afraid of losing the first person to really make me laugh in years, that I just latched out. Grabbed hold, and won't let go." Yuki smiled softly "And I really like him. He makes me happy... And I'm almost glad that we moved this fast because... well..."

"Do you love him?" Tatsduha asked

Yuki looked up at him, amber eyes shining in the brightness of the cafe.

"I don't know."  

[The_Scarlet_Rose]

Chapter 7

'Is that what I feel? Love? Is that what this feeling is? This floating... this... happiness?'

Yuki looked down at Shuichi who slept beside him contently. The sun was rising, and Shuichi should have been up a long time ago, but Yuki just didn't have the heart to wake him. He knew he should, since Shuichi was practically providing most of their spending money, and Yuki's savings were starting to run low. But just the simply rise and fall of Shuichi's chest, the slight tint to his lips, made Yuki want to spend eternity like this. Not moving. Barely existing, next to his pink haired lover.

Sighing internally, he reached over, stroaking Shuichi's face.

"Shu." He whispered

Shuichi stirred, feeling the contact, and hearing Yuki's soft voice. He opened his purple eyes, to find kind amber eys staring back at him.

"Yuki." He said softly

Yuki smiled, loving hearing the name on his lover's lips. He started to lean down to kiss him, but suddenly remember why he'd woken Shuichi in the first place.

"Shu." He said again "Guess what time it is?"

Shuichi shrugged.

"5:30?"

Yuki shook his head.

"Higher."

"5:45?"

"Higher."

"6:00."

"Getting warmer."

"6:15?"

"6:17 to be exact."

"s**t!" Shuichi jerked up in bed, nearly slamming his head into Yuki's. He practically flew off of the bed running from room to room getting dressed "I'm going to be so late."

Yuki laughed, leaning back on the bed, watching Shuichi fly from one end of the room to the other. He finished dressing, his mouth still minty from the toothpaste, hopped onto the bed and kissed Yuki.

"Bye!" He shouted, running out the door

"Don't hurt yourself!" Yuki shouted after him  

[The_Scarlet_Rose]

Chapter 8

When Shuichi arrived home that night, the apartment was empty. Yuki probably hadn't been there all day. The only messages on the answering machine were the one's Shuichi left. A few hours rolled by without any word, and Shuichi began to get worried.

'What if something's happened?' he thought 'What if I loose him like he did Nina... what if...'

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard the front door open, a sigh, and a pair of keys jingle.

"Yuki?" He called, getting up from the large couch and running towards the writer. He started to tackle and hug him, but decided against it, when he saw the tired look in his lovers eyes. "Yuki?" He asked again

Yuki blinked a few times, his eyes coming into focus. He felt tired. He was tired. His body was drained, both physically, and emotionally.

"Shuichi..." He murmered

Shuichi embraced him, hugging him tightly.

"You didn't come today." Shuichi said, almost lecturing

"I know."

"I was worried."

"I'm sorry."

Shuichi looked up at his lover, who's shoulders weren't as broad as they usually are, but sagging and limp.

"You seem tired."

Yuki looked down at him, wrapping his arms around Shuichi's narrow waist.

"I am."

"Busy day?" Shuichi asked, walking backwards as Yuki began to move from the doorway

"Yeah."

"What'd you do."

"Met with my publisher."

"And?"

"She was so happy she nearly choked on her coffee. She loves my idea."

"Which is?"

"You'll find out when the book comes out."

Shuichi rolled his eyes.

"Why do you insist on torturing me?"

"Because it's fun."

Shuichi laughed, and then stopped walking. He then stood on tiptoe so that his eyes met the taller mans.

"And where else did you go?" He asked

Yuki raised an eyebrow at him.

"No where." He said

"You went to visit her, didn't you?"

Yuki released his hand on Shuichi's hips, and looked up at him.

"How did you know?"

"Because, you smell like lilly's and roses. Were those Nina's favorite flowers?"

Yuki nodded.

"Yeah. This whole place used to be decorated with them."

Shuichi suddenly felt a pain in his heart.

'She lived here. Slept in that same bed... walked those same steps... laid in his strong arms... am I just filling her spot?'

"Which was funny, because she convinced me to get rid of my cat."

Shuichi removed Yuki's jacket.

"You had a cat?"

"Yep. But it bothered her allergies... so..."

"What was it's name."

"Kiki."

"Kiki?"

"Yeah. I found that it was the only name the cat would answer too. I don't know why."

Shuichi laughed, leading his tired lover to the couch.

"What'd he look like?"

"She." Yuki said, as Shuichi proped his feet up on a pillow "She was for one, definatly the diva of our house hold..."

Shuichi laughed, pulling off Yuki's shoes.

"But she was jet black, with the creepiest green eyes I'd ever seen. It was... really scary actually. I mean, coming home to a pitch black house to find a pair of green eyes staring at you can really freak you... mmmm..."

Yuki opened his eyes to find Shuichi massaging his feet.

"What are you doing Shu?"

"What does it look like?" He asked "Don't you like it?"

Yuki allowed his eyes to close again.

"Why are you so good to me?"

Shuichi laughed.

"Because I..."

Yuki opened his eyes.

"You what?"

Shuichi blushed.

"Yuki I..."  

[The_Scarlet_Rose]

There was a loud banging on the door.

"Hey Bro! You in there!"

Yuki sighed and rolled his eyes.

"It's open!" He called, reluctantly sitting up, pulling his feet from Shuichi's skilled hands

A few moments later, in stepped Tatsuha.

"Bro!" He shouted

"You really do know how to kill the mood, don't you."

"Well hey, I figure if I can't get any, neither can you."

"Not get any, please. You've had more lovers in the last month than hot dinners."

"This coming from the man with a 'little black book' a foot thick?"

"Oh come on. It's nothing compared to the list of chicks you've banged and bailed on."

Shuichi cleared his throat.

"Oh... Tatsuha, this is Shu...ichi. Shuichi."

"Nice to meet you Shu."

Yuki chringed at the use of that name from Tatsuha's mouth. That was his name!

"You two look a lot a like." Shuichi commented "It's like... double Yuki."

Tatsuha raised an eyebrow.

"He's had a long day." Yuki explained, standing and leading his brother towards the door "But as I was saying..."

"Oh!" Tatsuha said, spinning and escaping his older brothers grip, leaving him holding only his jacket "I bring gifts."

Yuki clenched his fist, and swallowed his anger.

'Jeeze Tatsu, take a hint!'

"Gifts?" Shuichi asked "For me?"

Tatsuha nodded.

"Yep. Yuki told me that you liked strawberry pocky, so... I picked up a couple... dozen.. .boxes."

He moved to the door and picked up a grocery bag that he had brought with him.

"Dozen?" Shuichi asked "Oh now you have to stay! I haven't had pocky in ages!"

Tatsuha turned to Yuki, devilish smirk on his face.

'Priest my a**...' Yuki thought, joining the two

"And you know the best thing to wash down pocky?"

"Captin' Crunch?" Shuichi asked, running to the kitchen and returning with a box

"Uh... I was gonna say sake... but... that'll go down nicely two."

The three laughed and joked all night, until they all eventually passed out. Over dosed on strawberry pocky, sake, and Captin Crunch.