The following morning, Shuichi awoke to an empty bed and the smell of cooking food wafting into the room. It must have been hunger that woke him--he hadn't eaten since before the previous night's concert. Oddly enough, the thought of their activities the night before didn't make him blush.

It would have, had everyone seen him kiss Yuki like that.

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"Eiri."

Eiri looked around in surprise at the sound of his first name--Shuichi had only recently begun to call him Eiri rather than Yuki, and it still startled him sometimes."What?" he asked. The tone of Eiri's voice surprised Shuichi sometimes, too. The novelist had been trying lately to be nicer to his lover, so the absence of the word 'brat' had caught them both off-guard.

Shuichi didn't let this distract him.

"Eiri, I'm leaving."

Eiri literally fell out of his chair. "Y-you're what?"

"I'm leaving." Shuichi held up the suitcase in his left hand. "I'm not leaving you, I'm just leaving here. We need a break. For a few weeks, you're going to be without me and I'm going to be without you. It'll be like I never came into your life. I just want to see how things work out." He took a deep breath. "I'll come back after a while to see how you're doing. At that point we should both be able to make a decision on whether or not we really belong together."

Silence fell. Shuichi watched as the novelist's expression turned gradually into shock…the briefest flash of hurt, and a moment of fear…but even as they stared at each other, both watching carefully, those blue eyes lost their depth. It was like they'd frozen over.

"Fine."

It was strange, though--Shuichi hadn't even thought of Eiri last night. He hadn't wondered how the novelist would react, nor had he had to remind himself that he wasn't technically cheating on him. Everything had disappeared, except...Ryuichi.

Well, as long as he was going to be a slut, he might as well do it thoroughly.

Shuichi crept quietly down the stairs and into the kitchen. There he was--Shuichi's gorgeous taboo lover, that perfect ass facing him as the older vocalist cooked. Shuichi sneaked up behind the brunette, noting that he was shirtless, and placed his index finger at his lower back. Slowly, that finger traveled upward, following the bumps along Ryuichi's spine and feeling a delicious shiver pass through him. He knew exactly what this did to Nittle Grasper's vocalist.

Ryuichi turned around and bopped Shuichi playfully on the forehead. "Jerk. Maybe now I won't give you any of these super-yummy amazing waffles," he taunted, waving a plate of huge Belgian waffles under Shuichi's nose.

The teen's eyes widened. "Those smell great," he said in wonder, making a grab for the plate.

"Ah-ah-ah," said Ryuichi. "I need my payback first."

"Payback?" asked Shuichi, still gazing at the waffles. "For what?"

Ryuichi put down the plate of waffles and took several steps forward, forcing Shuichi to stumble back until he was almost sitting on the kitchen table.

"You horny bastard!" Shuichi teased, feeling the erection pressed against his leg. "I barely touched you!"

"You know how I like to be teased," Ryuichi murmured. "Or are you not that observant?"

"I think I'm exactly that observant." The sly look in the youth's eyes betrayed the innocent smile on his face.

Ryuichi pushed Shuichi down and pinned him to the table. "Brat."

Blue eyes met violet ones, which were suddenly smoldering with rage. Ryuichi's eyes widened, realizing what he'd done.

"What..." Shuichi began dangerously, "...did you just call me?"

The brunette swallowed and opened his mouth. "Shuichi, I--"

"What did you call me?" Shuichi pushed the other male off of him and stood up, fists clenched.

A challenge. Ryuichi's eyes narrowed. "I called you a brat. Is that a problem?"

Shuichi took a deep breath and stared Ryuichi down. "No. It's not. Sorry I overreacted."

There were several moments of tense silence as the two looked at each other. Shuichi, used to looking up during confrontations, found it easier to keep control of his temper (and the subsequent tears) when he felt like he was looking at an equal. Rather than a superior, holier-than-thou bastard, he thought savagely. This softened him yet more, and he gave a small, apologetic smile. "Really. I'm sorry, Ryu-chan."

Ryuichi looked at him for a few more seconds, calculating, before he smiled back. "It's fine, Shu-chan. So, should I or should I not give you some of these waffles?" His smile turned sly. "Do you really believe you deserve them?"

"I don't know, Ryu," said Shuichi. His expression was serious, but there was that familiar mischievous twinkle in his eye. "Why don't you think about last night and tell me whether or not I deserve some breakfast?" There it was—the blush Shuichi had counted on. "Aha!" he said, grinning and kissing the flush spreading across Ryuichi's face. "I'll take these," he said, snatching them up off of the counter where Ryuichi had left them, "and I'll even set the table for you." He blew Ryuichi a kiss and bounced into the dining room…with a distinct limp to his usual springy step.

Later that day, the two vocalists had settled down on the couch together to watch a movie. It was a musical that they both loved, so naturally they were both singing along, when there was an unexpected knock on the door.

"I'll get it!" they shouted at the same time, and then looked at each other. Shuichi grinned. "Race you."

"You're on."

The two ran to the door together, laughing like children. Shuichi got his hand on the knob first and wrenched it open.

Laughter died in their throats and smiles faded when they saw that Eiri Yuki was standing at the door, looking very…Yuki-ish in slacks, a button-down shirt, and a jacket hanging open with a cigarette dangling from a cynical smile and sunglasses hiding his eyes from view.

"Hello, Shuichi," he said, then nodded in Ryuichi's direction. "Sakuma." His eyes never left Shuichi's face.

"Oh…hi, Eiri," said Shuichi in surprise. He looked back at Ryuichi, who had that cold, calculating look on his face again. "I…we didn't expect you."

"No, I suppose you didn't. Should I have called first?" There was the slightest hint of a mocking tone in his voice.

"No, of course not," said Ryuichi unexpectedly. "Why don't you come in?"

"Thank you," said Eiri. He stepped into the house, looking around. "I didn't mean to interrupt your movie," he said, that mocking tone still just-barely present. He turned to Ryuichi. "May I speak to you in private, Sakuma?"

"Sure. Shuichi? Would you go upstairs, please?" In the moment their eyes met, Shuichi saw Ryuichi's blue eyes move up and to the left…he was looking at the ceiling? No…he was gesturing to the top landing of the stairs. Shuichi had permission to eavesdrop if he wanted to. The pink-haired singer gave a small half-smile to show that he understood, and then made his way up the stairs.

"I imagine," began Ryuichi after a few seconds, "that you want to talk to me about last night."

"What happened at your concert last night was all over the news," Eiri said. "There are lots of conflicting opinions."

"I know. Tohma has been up my ass all day."

"I assume that Shuichi told you about us."

"Yes. He called me in hysterics that night."

"Of course. I knew he'd be doubting the…advisability of his actions just hours later."

"He wasn't doubting anything," said Ryuichi sharply. "He was upset because he hurt you. He knew that this was what you, as a couple, needed, but he was worried that he might have done it the wrong way. Even now, with your relationship on hiatus, he still thinks about you. He nearly punched me when I called him a brat earlier. Despite all that, he doesn't regret what he said."

Shuichi listened, amazed. Everything Ryuichi had said was true, but Shuichi hadn't said much of it out loud. It seemed that singing wasn't the only thing Ryuichi was good at.

"A bit touchy, are we, Sakuma?" Yuki was saying. "Why so defensive?"

"You know exactly why," Ryuichi said in a low voice. "You know as well as I do that I'm in love with the kid. No one's inspired me this much since Tohma, when we were his age."

Shuichi's eyes widened. It was obvious that the brunette had been in lust with Shuichi, but love was a much different story.

"And you know that I feel exactly the same way—including, oddly enough, the part about Seguchi. I doubt you've read any of my books, but you could say that my reviews have improved drastically since Shuichi bounced his happy way into my life."

The ill-disguised affection in Eiri's voice was enough to make Shuichi's heart melt.

"Actually, Yuki," Ryuichi began, "I've read all of your books. Snow is my favorite."

There was a short pause. "Well," said Eiri, "That is unexpected."

"I'm not as stupid as everyone thinks I am. I am capable of appreciating literature."

"It's not that," said Eiri. "I just wouldn't have thought that they were your style." There was a brief moment of silence before Eiri spoke again. "Listen, Sakuma. I understand what you feel for Shuichi; I'm sure you know that. And you understand how I feel for him."

Eiri paused, so Ryuichi said "Yes."

"Shuichi has changed me considerably. He doesn't know that, of course…or maybe he does. I don't really know; he's very perceptive. Frankly, I don't know how to be without him."

Shuichi's eyes widened and filled with tears. He couldn't decide what to feel—glad? Frustrated? Bitter? Eiri had never been this open with Shuichi, and yet he would open up to a total stranger? At the same time, though, perhaps Eiri was finally realizing that he wanted Shuichi in his life….

"Besides," Eiri continued with a smirk, "no women want to be with me anymore, so how else am I supposed to get off?"

There were a few moments of buzzing silence, both in the house and in Shuichi's brain, before the pink-haired pop star moved. He descended the stairs, crossed the living room at a fast pace and, before any of them had time to think, punched Eiri Yuki in the face.

Silvea Says:
Whoa. He did WHAT? I'm in shock; I have no freaking idea where that even came from. XD Anyway, guys, I'm really sorry. It's been months and months since I've updated, and I honestly don't feel that this chapter is up to par. It's short and it's a little awkwardly written. But I can't seem to let go of this story. I do plan on continuing it, since everyone seems so interested in the outcome, but I really can't promise frequent updates. I can say that I'll try, though. ^_^ -silvea-