Special thanks to StarMaiden from AO3 for introducing and allowing me to use their OC, Norifumi Hajime to pair up with lonely Heath-kun! Let me know if you're interested in reading Hajime's complete bio which I will include as the character index in the next chapter. The story's already completed tho! :)

Chapter 10

"What do I need to know?"

The three of them exchanged looks, silence accompanied for a while. And at last, Tomoe was the one who broke it first.

"That Take-chan agreed to be my bone marrow donor."

"What?!"

Riku angrily glared at Takeru after switching glances from his brother. "And you didn't bother informing me about this...at all!" He stared accusingly, crossing his arms while he's at it.

"Look here, Riku. I've been meaning to tell you but-" Takeru began but Riku immediately interrupted, "Enough! I don't need any excuses! Takeru, this concerns both Tomoe and you! Both of you are important to me!" Riku raised his voice, he was almost in tears as a mixture of negative emotions raged inside him, wanting to break free.

Takeru quickly pulled the blond into a tight hug, all the while whispering close to his ear. "And you're important to me." That silenced Riku for a second. "Please understand that... I'm not risking letting you doing the transplant in your current condition and we're definitely not risking losing Tomoe-nii, got that?" The raven tried his hardest to convince the known-for-his-stubbornness Riku and smiled when the other quietly nodded. "I... understand... But, Takeru... Why you? You don't have to do this..."

"Everyone keeps telling me that." Takeru grumbled. "But, guess what? I'm still doing it." He grinned positively, ruffling Riku's hair until they became messy and some stood on ends.

Meanwhile, Tomoe, who was watching the little drama between his little brother and the raven, agitatedly pulled them apart, sticking his tongue out like a child to Takeru. "I said - stay away from my lil' bro', Take-chan."

"Yeah, yeah." Takeru sighed at Tomoe's childish antics whilst Riku giggled instantly. His overprotective brother versus his caring plus too kind boyfriend (?). It'd probably be a sight to see.

"Tomoe, you're awake!" Heath appeared from the door, followed by Ayumu and Hozumi. "Yagami-oniisan/Tomo-kun!"

"Guys! You're also here?" Tomoe's eyes glowed happily as he hugged back the two happy-go-lucky boys, nostalgia and a tiny bit of melancholia mixed together. He's been asleep for far too long to actually notice his other stride friends had also came to see him. "Wait, where's Kyou-" Tomoe looked around, trying to find the silverette's presence.

"...I'm right here..." Kyousuke suddenly spoke up from a plastic chair not far from him, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "How are you feeling, Tomoe?"

"I feel fine, Kyou. Don't worry." Tomoe flashed a reassuring smile and laughed lightly, his hand slipped into Kyou's, who came beside his bed. Kyousuke sighed in relief, and his lips curved upwards a little. "That's good to hear." He missed his jovial little lover so very much after almost three days not hearing his voice and that beautiful laugh.

"Ahem!" Heath was the one to voice out first before Tomoe and Kyousuke got the chance to be lost in their own world. "We're still here, y'know?"

"I think it's best we leave both Tomo-kun and Rikkun to rest for the night." Suggested Hozumi and everyone nodded in agreement.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Riku. But, I'll be in the waiting room if you ever need me, alright?" Takeru gently told the lethargic Riku, still drowsy from the meds. Riku shyly nodded. "Okay...thanks."

"How's Rikkun?" Hozumi, who just arrived at the hospital, asked Kyousuke in a hushed tone, careful not to wake the blond up. They were currently outside of the operating room, anxiously waiting for both Tomoe and Takeru.

Riku had fallen asleep beside the silver-haired man, his head leaning onto Kyousuke's right shoulder and his hand clutching Kyousuke's shirt tightly. "He's sleeping. After not catching even a wink of sleep last night." Kyousuke explained, tucking some of Riku's loose strands behind his ear. He must've felt so afraid right now, having to lost both of his parents and currently waiting for his older brother, possibly losing him. Kyousuke would do his best to take care of Riku until Takeru and Tomoe wake up again.

"I see.. And what about you, Kyou-kun? How are you holding up today?" Hozumi took a seat beside the silverette, a warm smile took form on his lips.

"I'm alright, thanks." Kyousuke replied, although fatigue and weariness prominent in his light-colored eyes. "By the way, Kadowaki isn't with you today?"

"Ah, Ayumu had extra class today. His mom almost strangled him when she found out he skipped it yesterday." A small laugh erupted from the petite blond as he recalled Ayumu frantically calling him as he was beaten half to death by his own mother, telling his supposedly 'last words' to Hozumi.

"I just want you to know that...! I love you, Hozumi! I really don't want to leave you just yet, we have so many things left to do - Like, going on a date, getting married and heck yeah have kids together!"

'Silly boy..' Hozumi thought to himself, without realising he was grinning from ear to ear.

"You seemed...happy." Kyousuke said out of the blue. And instead of jealousy, Hozumi detected sincerity and genuine happiness from the silverette. Almost like a father seeing his daughter off with another man kind of feeling. Playfully poking Kyousuke's cheek, the ever so cheerful Hozumi replied, "And so will you, once Tomo-kun walks out of this place, with an equally happy smile on his face."

"Thank you, Kohinata." Kyousuke chuckled. "And don't stab me with your finger."

"Hey, now~" The shorter teen pouted. "I'm not sure why... But I think everything will be just fine, Kyou-kun." Hozumi pulled his finger away before curving his lips upwards once more, his face never once lacking smiles.

Witnessing Hozumi's radiant positivity with his own eyes, Kyousuke couldn't help but smile as well. "I believe so too."

"Ow... it hurts like hell, Rikuuuu..." Takeru, lying on the bed right after the transplant, whined like a child. Tomoe, on the other hand, was sleeping soundly in another room with Kyousuke loyally waiting by his side.

"You idiot... How could you be whining so easily..." Riku quickly hid his face in Takeru's chest, he was close to tears from relief that both his most important people survived the surgery albeit knowing it wasn't a risky one to begin with. "I... I can't thank you enough..."

"Silly. I didn't do this just to hear your thanks." Takeru gently patted Riku's head and ran his fingers through the fluffy yellow hair. Don't cry now, princess.

"B-but still! If there's anything I could do for you..." Riku pressed his cheeks against the ravenette's firm chest, his heartbeats were strong and steady.

Takeru sighed while smiling wide. "I do... have one thing I always want from you though..."

"What is it..?"

"Riku, would you be mine?"

Rustic eyes popped open in shock. "E-eh? Why so suddenly..."

"Would you?" Takeru remained unmoved with his question.

"When you said 'be mine', you don't mean... that?" Riku hesitantly asked once more, in order to reconfirm Takeru's words.

"Yeah. That."

Ba-dump! Ba-dump!

His heart palpitating, his stomach churning, his breaths hitching. And what was bubbling from his very core was unexpectedly excitement. Riku wouldn't admit this so easily to the raven himself but he really did want it as well. How far did he actually had fallen for the man without even realising?

"O..okay."

"What?" Takeru jolted upwards. "What did you just say?"

"I said - okay! But, only after you're discharged and completely recovered, you dimwitted leg fetishist!" Riku blurted out in order to hide his embarrassment.

"Promise...?" Takeru, however, seemed unaffected by the childish insult he'd thrown.

Riku gazed deeply into Takeru's sapphire blue eyes before slowly nodding. "Promise."

"Yo."

Kyousuke looked up to find Heath, alone with a small duffel bag by his waist. "Hey, man." He altered his gaze back to the sleeping Tomoe, a soft sigh released from his mouth at the peaceful expression shown.

"Where's Yagami?" Light brown eyes wandered around the spacious room in search of the first year blondie. "Uh, the lil' bro."

"You just missed him. He went back with Fujiwara just now to get some rest." Kyousuke patiently explained to his ex-captain. "What's that?" He eyed the bag curiously before inviting the brunette to take a seat.

Sighing, Heath sat next to the silverette and eventually handed the bag to the perplexed man. "I brought you and initially Riku some change of clothes for tonight. Also, some toiletries and other stuff that might be useful."

The bag exchanged hands and Kyousuke unzipped the bag to find some spare clothes, towels, two toothbrushes along with a toothpaste and also... a very erotic-looking magazine. For gay men.

"Even a porn mag? Really now, Heath?" The silver-haired man gave a weird look to his friend. He didn't knew his friend was into that kind of thing.

"What, you might need that. When's the last time you jerk off? And don't lie to me." Heath said so seriously that Kyousuke failed to see whether he was joking or not. Then, Heath suddenly burst into laughter, further surprising Kyousuke. "Nah, I'm just joking. My sister was the one who helped me with the packing just now. You know she could be a bit...eccentric." Even that was an understatement. As the little brother, he should know best, Heath regarded.

Kyousuke nodded in understanding, plastering a mirth smile. "Diane-san, was it?" A strong fierce woman with mid-long curly brown hair and green eyes came into mind. Heath was always complaining about two of his control-freak sisters, both working in the modelling industry. He still remembered getting pulled in along with the other stride members to be models in Diane's company photo-shooting. Those were the days. Fun, nonchalant days he wished weren't gone...

"Y'know... Things just weren't the same ever since you and Tomoe left..." Heath quietly told his friend, a dear ex-member of their club.

"Heath..."

"I'll get you something to drink." Heath offered after a while and before Kyousuke could decline, he was already up and gone.

"That guy... always pushes himself so hard." Kyousuke said to particularly no one, staring off at the brunette's retreating figure.

He'd rejoin the team. Soon after Tomoe was up and well again. Kyousuke at least made up his mind that much.

"Let's see.. Kyou likes iced coffee, if I remembered it correctly..." Heath inserted a few coins into the coin slot, his finger was just about to push the button when another hand suddenly shot from behind him and quickly chose another drink instead.

"Excuse me?!" Heath snapped, angrily whipping his head towards the mysterious person, only to gape widely instead. The person was...

"Ha..Hajime-san?"

OH NO.

A taller bespectacled man with slick mid-length black hair tied into a neat short ponytail and bloody red eyes greeted the flabbergasted brunette. "Hello, Heath-kun. Fancy meeting you here."

"Wh-what are you doing here?" Heath slowly backed away. The man in front of him was Hajime. Norifumi Hajime, a university student majoring in veterinary slash the son of a florist slash his childhood friend which became his personal tutor. Or in other words, his least favorite person on Earth.

"I'm visiting an old friend of mine." Hajime chuckled at Heath's reaction, in which he found oddly adorable somehow. Everything about Heath was adorable in his eyes, truth be told. "And these are...for you." The older man magically produced a bouquet of red roses out of nowhere and handed them to Heath.

"How did you even do that..?" Heath questioned, he was always taken by surprise by Hajime's flower tricks. Every single time. Almost as if the black-haired man knew where he was and purposely bumped into him just to annoy the hell out of him. Heath didn't exactly knew why he dislike Hajime who was an excellent example of a perfect human being, gifted in both looks and academics and not forgetting, sports since the man got himself a black belt in judo, karate and even aikido. He was also very well-mannered and much loved by others.

But, what struck him as weird was the way Hajime treated him, contrast to other people. Hajime was always getting on his nerves for no reason at all, speaking in riddles, purposely making him mad... What did the man really want with him?

"Are you okay? And may I ask, do you have some kind of business here?" Hajime looked directly into Heath's eyes and the brunette felt his face suddenly grew warmer, having to be caught staring. "I'm...also visiting a friend. He's very dear to me." Heath stressed the 'dear' part on purpose, noticing a change in Hajime's expression instantly. There it was again... That look Hajime made whenever Heath mentioned other guys besides him.

Was he, by any chance, jealous?

Wait - that wouldn't make much sense at all... Maybe he's getting ahead of himself again. Weren't the two of them males to begin with? Heath wasn't too well-informed with Hajime's sexual preferences but he, for once, was- IS normal.

"Oh, really? Who is it, someone from the Stride Club?"

"Yeah, what of it?" Heath seemed to avoid directly answering Hajime's question as he bent down to take the canned drink from the vending machine. Jasmine green tea. His favorite. It was just like Hajime to remember insignificant things such as this.

"Nothing..." Hajime slowly rubbed his chin, seemingly occupied with his own thoughts. "Anyways, my mock exams will be ending soon so I'll be tutoring you as usual starting next week."

"Huh, is that so..." Heath mildly responded. He hated studying more than life itself. After receiving his marks from the previous mid-term exams, his older sister decidedly appointed Hajime to be his tutor although the brunette himself wanted nothing to do with the man more than he had if possible.

"You don't sound excited somehow. Don't you miss me?" Hajime purposely made a sad face and Heath swore he ought to punch him in the face.

"In your dreams, nerd."

"Ouch. Harsh."

"What's with you? Do you enjoy making me mad that much?" Heath angrily demanded, almost crushing the canned drink in his hand. Some of the hospital staffs glanced weirdly at their direction. Hajime brought his index finger to his closed smiling lips, the universal sign for 'be quiet'.

"No... But, as a matter of fact, yes..?" Came the ambiguous reply afterwards.

"Which one is it?!" Barked the hot-blooded brunette, his patience wearing thinner and thinner.

"You're as slow as ever..." Hajime simpered. "But, that's what makes you so adorable, I guess."

"I hate you." Heath turned his body from Hajime, ready to walk away from the ever so mischievous ruby-eyed man.

"No, you don't~ And I'll see you this Saturday, little kitty. To teach you something new..."

Heath's heart suddenly skipped a beat. Was he actually anticipating Hajime's lessons..? Or more like the dark-haired man himself..?

"Hell, no..." Heath whispered, angry but also a little confused in the inside.

Three months later: Takeru's apartment...

"Are you relieved now that Tomoe-nii's recovering steadily?" Takeru disappeared into the kitchen only to reappear with two mugs of coffee.

"You have no idea..." Riku let out a long sigh before taking the hot drink into his hand. "Thanks."

Now, everything would truly be alright again. Tomoe's well now although recovering still, Takeru's right here by his side and his uncle would no longer be there to hurt him...

All that's left was...

...keeping his promise with Takeru.

.

.

.

"Can I have my reward now?" Takeru seductively whispered as he successfully pushed the blond down on the bed. "Spread your legs, Riku..."

"Wait...! Are you sure you're feeling better already?"

"You bet I do."

"I-idiot! What d'you think you're-" Riku unconsciously moaned when the raven-headed reached under his boxers, stroking the tip of his cock which was already overflowing with precum. "You're this wet just from the kisses? Naughty, naughty~"

"Sh-shut up..ngh!" And Riku quickly unzipped Takeru's slacks before reaching underneath his briefs, securing his hold on the half hard cock, "Look, you're hard as well..!" As he began stroking it, Takeru immediately bit his lip to suppress a whimper, shuddering slightly. "You're feeling it too, right..?" That came out just a little above a whisper and Takeru held back the urge to come.

Reaching for the bottle of lube he prepared earlier, Takeru poured the cool liquid directly onto Riku's butthole and some to wetten his fingers.

"Cold!" Riku jerked upwards from the sudden sensation, much to Takeru's amusement.

"Well, I do need to prepare you properly... You don't want it to hurt, do you?"

"...dammit.. Wipe that smug face of yours..hhn?!" Riku jolted again, this time due to Takeru's sudden finger inserting into his lubricated entrance. "Ah!? Wait a sec-!"

It must had been more than thirty minutes or so since they've been going at it.

"It's gotten softer and wider now... Do you hear the lewd sounds it's making?" Takeru slyly posed the question while still expertly fingering Riku's anal.

"Y-you... where did you learn to do this..? Uhh!"

"..."

"D-don't tell me... you've done this before with someone else...!"

"Don't be silly... I only have eyes for you and you alone." Takeru reassured shortly after, probing his fingers deeper inside Riku.

"J-jerk! Uhhn- you're gonna break me-!" Riku weakly struggled to break free from the ravenette. The heat was overpowering, sweltering. Small whimpers could be heard from the red-faced blond, he was unused to such intensity. "S-slow down... a bit... Takeru..." He whispered hotly, but a bit too invitingly arousing in Takeru's opinion.

"Can I enter you now..?"

"Eh?"

Takeru pressed the tip of his member to Riku's stretched butthole.

"EEEH?! There's no way something that big would-"

"I'm sorry, Riku." Takeru let out another groan, directly to Riku's sensitive ear. "I don't think I can hold myself back after all." And with that said, he thrusted into the blond, in just one go.

"-fit~~"

Riku's whole body shook from the unfamiliar sensation, that was too electrifying yet oddly his body welcomed it enough. "Aahh! N-not too...fast..!" He whined, but held the ravenette closer so that their bodies pitted against another like they were glued together.

"Ri...ku..!"

"A-ah..! So...hot." Tears mixed with sweat and saliva as Takeru began pumping hard into Riku, each thrust wet and filling.

"Takeru!" Riku cried out, desperately and wantonly like an animal in heat. "Takeru..aah!"

The way Riku frantically calling his name with that lusty look in his eyes encouraged Takeru to ram in further and harder until the hilt. He wanted to treat the blond as gentle as he could but looking again at the very erotic expression Riku was showing and listening to his sexy voice over and over had all of his reasons flying out of the window. He couldn't.

"Uwah! T-too rough!" Riku screamed, delirious and high from immense pleasure. "Not there~!"

"...right here..?" Takeru repositioned himself so that Riku was laying on his back, and started to thrust in deeper and deeper until his whole cock was inside Riku.

"S-stop! I'm gonna cum..! I'm... I'm cumming..!" Riku exclaimed loudly, otherwise slim legs wrapping around the raven tightly. "P-please, no~!"

"Your actions don't match your words, naughty little Riku..." A breathy chuckle escaped from the ravenette. "It's not a 'no' but a 'yes', am I right?"

"Unnhn! That's not it- ah! cum..miiing..! Nyou..! Shtop-" Words began to fail the blond. Rustic eyes accumulated tears of sheer pleasure and pure ecstasy.

Takeru trailed his tongue from Riku's collarbone to his pink, erected nipples and began to diligently suck on them, one hand massaging them with such high intensity. "Shh... not yet. Just a bit more..!" The ravenette then brought Riku's rock hard penis into his hand, gripping it tight to prevent the blond from coming first.

"You... You're a..uh..beast..!"

The squelching and squishing sounds made from Takeru's hard thrustings almost drove Riku up the walls. It was hot. Passionately so. It was all too good. Ecstatic. Riku's little pants and gasps resounded throughout the room, along with naughty erotic noises and the blond could only shiver uncontrollably underneath Takeru and his overheated touches. Takeru's erection was growing bigger and harder the more he shoved it in and Riku could feel his insides tightening around the ravenette, clenching and relaxing alternatingly.

"Ta..ke..ru..! I wanna cum...please..!" Riku implored, unconsciously moving his own hips to match Takeru's thrusts. He was close now. He'd explode. His head felt so light and fluffy, he could barely think of anything else other than wanting to come real bad. "Takeruuu... please..."

"Okay... let's come together..." Takeru heaved another shaky sigh when Riku started clamping around him tightly, his hand continuously stroking the pulsating cock, ready to spurt juice at any moment.

"Yes! Haa...hurry...!" Riku desperately clung onto the ravenette and in his impatience, started leaving kiss marks all over Takeru's upper torso.

"Ready..?"

One last thrust and both of them reached climax together, their bodies arched backwards from the sensual overstimulation, moans erupted, desperate and loud.

"Aaahhn!"

.

.

.

"Sorry... I came inside you." Takeru, through heavy pants and half-lidded eyes apologised as he slowly pulled out from the trembling blond, white semen immediately flowed out of the throbbing hole.

"D-dumbass... don't apologise." Riku reached for the raven first and kissed him tenderly, nipping his lower lip afterwards. "It felt good so...wanna go for round two?"

"Who's the real beast here..?" Takeru asked rhetorically before peppering Riku with his moist kisses again. "I'll help you clean yourself afterwards..."

"H..huh?"

"Cuz I don't think you can even walk after this." A very dangerous smile stretched across Takeru's darkened face and Riku's danger alert switch seemed to be flipped on real hard.

UH OH.

"I.. I think we should stop here - gyaah!"

One year later...

"Takeru, hurry up! We'll be late for Tomoe's discharge party!" Riku yelled from the front door, urging the ravenette who was still in the room to get his ass out of there asap.

"Okay, okay~ My, our Riku sure has no patience at all, does he?" Takeru emerged from his apartment entrance, in a faded blue long-sleeved shirt and fitted black slacks. He was also wearing his glasses this time. One look at him sent another wave of butterflies in Riku's tummy. The blond was becoming more and more conscious of the raven-haired teen now that they started living together and yes - they were currently seeing each other, even Riku himself couldn't believe it.

Fujiwara Takeru, his childhood friend and classmate, was now his boyfriend, his most precious someone. Well, although Tomoe still shared a tight spot with Takeru in terms of priority in all honesty.

Takeru walked up to the dazed blond and boldly smooched him on the lips. "...!? Wait- Takeru, we're outside right now!" Riku lightly pushed the obstinate ravenette away, his burning face took a darker shade of red color in just seconds.

"As long as I have you, I don't care what other people think~" Replied Takeru whilst naughtily licking his upper lip, with a mischievous plan in mind. "We'll continue this after the party, okay, princess?"

"Drop the 'princess' already!" Riku said with a frown and an oh-so-obvious pout. He hated himself for actually liking it when Takeru nicknamed him that. Love was truly a mysterious thing, wasn't it?

"I love you, Riku... so, so much." Takeru said out of the blue, causing the blond to blush on the cheeks once more.

"Ahhh, you're so shameless!" Riku responded, his voice a pitch higher than usual to hide his embarrassment. "M-me too... I love you too, Takeru..." The blushing blond said after a while, his hand slowly slipped into Takeru's own big, warm hand.

"So, let's go?" Royal blue eyes met rustic ones.

"Uh-huh. Let's."

"Heyyyy! Rikkun! Takerun!" From the distance, the both of them caught sight of their kind-hearted seniors, Hozumi and Ayumu, waving excitedly.

"Wha- Kohinata-senpai and Kadowaki-senpai? What're you doing here?" The overjoyed Riku rushed to the other blond and his partner, pulling Takeru along with him in his excitement.

"You guys sure took your time so we decided to drop by and personally pick you up!" Nana, also flocking around like an excited child, replied instead in an equally cheerful tone.

"Ah, Sakurai-san's here too!" Riku bowed apologetically for his late realisation.

From behind the two second years and the relationer, Riku saw all of his team members from Stride Club including his big brother and a person he didn't recognise. "Wait- everyone's here!"

"Well, why do you think that is?" Kyousuke was the one to speak up this time, redirecting his gaze towards his pouty lover next to him.

"Dammit, Takeru! Tell me you did not lay a finger on Riku while I was gone!" Tomoe swiftly pulled Riku into his arms and glomped at him tightly, not forgetting to execute a death glare to the other ravenette.

"Isn't it a little too late for that, Tomoe-nii?" Takeru simply smirked, wide and smug. "Congrats on getting released by the way~"

"I'll freaking kill you later, you cherry popping devil..!" Tomoe snarled at Takeru like an angered beast but was stopped in time by his little brother. "Behave, Tomoe. You're still recovering, remember?" Riku reprimanded, a slight frown evident on his forehead.

"..tsk! Okay, Riku-chan... Only cuz you said so." Tomoe nodded obediently.

"Haha, it's hard to tell who's actually the older brother looking at you two!" Heath chuckled lightly before turning his head towards his childhood friend, gone was any trace of smile on his face shortly after. "And what the hell are you doing, tagging along with me, shameless bastard?!"

Hajime made an innocent face, much to Heath's irk. "Arara~ Why are you so mad again? I'm here to guard you from the dangerous wolves lurking around here of course."

"The only wolf I see here is none other than you, sneaky old man!" Heath exploded while Hajime heartily laughed at the brunette's reaction.

All of them joined in the laughter together as they began walking back to Tomoe's place for the party.

His friends. His teammates. His older brother. And his boyfriend. Everyone was there for him. And they were laughing, smiling, having fun together. Thanks to Takeru, everything seemed to turn out fine, just as he promised.

'If it's you and me... we'll get through every obstacle in life, come hell or high water...' Riku chose to believe that. And he had a feeling he would be right, after all...

~The end~

A/N: Annnnnd... it's done! I'm finally done with the last chapter, whew~ My very first completed multichaptered story... I feel quite accomplished tbh.. Thank you so much, dear readers and followers for following this fic from A to Z, and for sharing your beautiful wonderful thoughts with me, you guys rock! :D

P.S. The sex scene was sucky af I know lol~ please forgive the inexperienced me~ *grovels*

See you another day, another time~ ;)