Staked
By SailorLight22
Chapter 1 - The Breaking Mask

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Well, I took the prompt thingie, (#3) so I guess I'd better get moving right along. Lol, this is my first Kiro fic, so don't expect too much.. Hopefully I won't fail so very badly as I fear, but you never know..

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Hiro stared at his best friend, wondering how he could have possibly managed to live as long as he had. "You did WHAT?" He asked, shaking his head. "Shu, he'll kill you. There's no way he'll go for it."

The pink haired singer smiled confidently. "Yuki loves me too much to kill me, Hiro! And it's just one little party, how bad could it be?" He bounced on his toes, the thought of the upcoming holiday making him even more hyper than normal.

Hiro sighed. When Shuichi got an idea in his head, nothing short of blunt trauma could get it out, he knew. Still, for the sake of their long relationship, he had to try to avert the oncoming disaster. "Shu, think about this. What do you think Yuki's going to do when he finds out that not only have you planned a party at his house, you've already sent out almost a dozen invitations? You know he isn't exactly social, Shu."

Sighing, he shook his head again. 'Well, at least I tried,'' He thought ruefully, watching the excited boy careening off the studio walls, oblivious. "So," He said, raising his voice, "Who did you invite, anyway?"

The boy grinned widely, landing with a thud right in front of his bandmate. "Well, you, obviously. And Ryuichi, Tatsuha, Suguru, Sakano-san...Uh, let me think." he tapped his head. "Oh, yeah! There was Seguchi-san, K, Yuki.." he trailed off, smiling.

Hiro gaped at him, bursting into laughter. "Shu.. You sent Yuki an invitation to a party at his own house?" Shuichi nodded, bouncing again.

"Of course I did, it would be rude if I didn't invite him!" Hiro sat down, clutching his stomach. Smiling, he couldn't help but feel that maybe Shuichi would get away with this crazy idea. Sure, the novelist he lived with was, in Hiro's opinion, a massive jerk, but he really did seem to love Shuichi.

The thought brought a pang of sadness with it, and his smile faded somewhat. Once, he'd fancied himself in love with his hyperactive friend, but as they grew older, he realized that it simply wasn't meant to be. Later, he'd met Ayaka, but she was so hung up on what she could have had with Yuki that no matter what he did, it never seemed like enough for her. They'd dated a few times, but eventually her interest in him had waned, and he'd let her go without a fuss when she had quietly announced that perhaps they should see other people.

Since then, Hiro had stopped counting the times that he'd sat at home alone, with only his guitar and the TV for company. He knew that he was young, and that people expected him to be living the high life that came with the band's sudden rise to stardom, but it just never seemed like the right time. Even when some of his bolder fans had slipped him their numbers or made blatant advances, he simply smiled and nodded, taking the hastily scribbled notes and throwing them away as soon as he could.

It wasn't that he'd given up, he thought, he was just waiting for someone he could trust. He didn't want to play games with love, he wanted to find someone to settle down with for a while, like Shuichi had done with Yuki. He knew that most people were thinking that he'd be a good catch, with his talent and looks, but he didn't want someone who would only see him as a toy, or as someone to pass the nights with while they looked for something better.

Sighing, he shook himself out of his depressing thoughts. "So, what time's the party, Shu?" He asked, quietly.

Shuichi smiled, making the victory symbol. "It's going to go from 8 to Midnight. Isn't 12am supposed to be the witching hour? I think someone told me that, but I can't remember who. Maybe it was Tatsuha, you know he talks about some of the weirdest stuff sometimes. Or maybe it was Ryuichi, he talks a lot too! It might have.." Hiro sighed, tuning him out as he continued to rant, unawares.

Glancing out the window, he noticed that it was already afternoon. "Hey," He said, cutting off Shuichi's ongoing tirade, "Where's Suguru anyway? Shouldn't we be practicing or something?" Shuichi stared at him, lost.

"Suguru..? Oh, Sakano-san said he called in sick this morning. It's just us today!"

Hiro frowned at him. "And you just forgot to mention this? Damn, I could have slept in.." He stood, picking up his guitar case. "Well, if there's nothing for us to do here, I'm gonna go home." He said, heading for the door. Just as he reached for the knob, the door flew open with a resounding crash, the wall behind it cracking with the force of the blow.

Hiro backed up, tripping over a chair as he stumbled away from the grinning form of the band's blonde manager, falling flat on his ass. "What the FUCK, man!" He cried, holding his aching rear. "Why do you always have to do that, K?" He demanded, scrambling to his feet indignantly. Behind him, he could hear Shuichi's barely stifled snorts, glaring at him briefly before turning his attention once again to the still-smiling American.

K raised an eyebrow at his pained expression, shaking his head. "How do you expect to dodge your fans if you can't dodge a simple door, Hiro? You need to be more alert." Leaning around the fuming guitarist, he spoke to Shuichi. "Got your invite, by the way. Great idea, Halloween is a great time to let yourselves go a little. Are you going to tell lover boy about it beforehand?"

Shuichi nodded. "I sent him an invitation! I even put on lipstick so that I could leave a kiss on the envelope!" K stared at him for a second, then chuckled.

"Right. Anyway, the invitation said it was costumes only, huh? What are you going to be?"

The singer thought, pursing his lips. "I don't know yet. I want to do something with Yuki though. It would be so fun to dress up in matching outfits, or go as a famous couple!" He went on, but K had already shifted his attention to the still frowning redhead.

"How about you? Any plans, or are you just going to wing it?" Hiro glared mutinously.

"I'm not telling you. I might just go as myself." He turned, making his way out the door. Calling back over his shoulder, he bid Shuichi farewell, ignoring the friendly wave K directed at his back. 'Stupid jerk,' He thought, rubbing his injured..dignity. 'Who just busts in like that? Just because he's good looking doesn't make him smart, that's for damn sure.' Freezing, he ran his thoughts over in his mind. "I did NOT just think that!" He growled, irritated with himself.

Shaking his head, he left the building. As he walked to his motorcycle, he wondered idly about the party. 'I don't know what I want to go as,' He thought, climbing on and revving the engine. Leaving the parking lot, he headed in the direction of his apartment, noticing several shops advertising their costumes as he passed by. 'Maybe I'll take a look later.' He mused, stopping at a red light. Waiting for it to change, he allowed himself a moment to smile at the thought of Shuichi dragging Yuki through the shops.

Smirking, he shook his head. 'Like he's really going to dress up.' He snorted at the image of the stoic writer in one of Shuichi's ridiculous getups, what he wouldn't give to see the expression on the man's face when he got his invitation..! The light changed, and he drove the rest of the way to his home laughing at the idea of his friend's unbelievable idiocy.

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K sighed, waving at the night watchman as he made his way to the studio exit. Crossing the street, he bought a newspaper at the magazine stand, leaning against a lightpole as he flipped boredly through it, looking for anything of interest. Finding almost nothing worthy of notice, he folded the paper under his arm, returning to the parking lot.

Opening the door of his car, he dropped the paper into the passenger seat, sinking tiredly into the vehicle. 'What the hell am I doing?' He thought, closing his eyes as he leaned back. 'Instead of thinking about some party, I should be trying to find that bitch I married..' He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

Only a few people knew, but almost a month before, his precious wife had quite suddenly decided that she needed 'her space', sending him a Dear John letter enclosed with a stack of legal paper's cementing her decision. The thing that bothered him was the last document, a contestation of custodial rights. His loving spouse had quickly and ruthlessly attested to the fact that he was a habitually absent parent, naming his as a danger to their child's 'developing self image'. What that meant, he couldn't tell. The fact of the matter was, he'd been stripped of his parental rights, pending a court hearing to review his fitness to be a part of his son's life.

Judy had taken their son, disappearing into the woodwork with alarming success. Even after several days of frantic phone calls, numerous threatening conversations, and one heated discussion with his in-laws, he was unable to locate either his estranged spouse or their son. His soon-to-be-ex relations had assured him that Michael was being cared for, and that when Judy agreed to speak with him, they'd let him know. He'd uttered a few choice statements, and promptly hung up.

He'd spent several night awake, wondering how things had come to this. Sure, he had been gone for a long time, but she'd never said a thing. He assumed that everything was fine, then she'd done this. With a little thought, he realized that he wasn't upset, for the most part. The knowledge that Judy had left him paled in comparison to the loss of his child, and he had taken a moment to think about that. He'd come to the conclusion that perhaps a divorce wasn't a bad idea.

He knew that he was fond of his wife, hell, he'd loved her enough to marry her, hadn't he? But when he thought of her now, he couldn't remember exactly why he'd stayed with her for so long. Was it only for Michael? Somewhere along the way, they had grown apart, with the phone calls and letters tapering off to an uneasy silence, sometimes weeks or longer passing between them. K had realized then that he must have lost her a long time ago, but hadn't noticed it until it was far too late.

He growled, fastening his seatbelt. 'Thinking about it isn't going to do anything,' He started the car, heading for the nearest liquor store. 'I think I'll pay a visit to my old buddy Jack..' he mused, pulling up to the curb outside the store. Entering the building, he made his way to the right aisle, selecting a bottle quickly and heading to the register. After paying, he thanked the clerk, who smiled and nodded a silent good evening.

Returning to his car, he laid the bag next to his paper, continuing on his way home. Several blocks later, he saw a large ad for a specialty costume sale. Sighing, he decided to take a look around later. The thought of the singer's impromptu get together made him smirk. 'Poor Shuichi,' He thought, 'That boyfriend of his is going to go batshit when he finds out about that party. I hope he doesn't kick him out, he's late often enough as it is.'

Pulling up to his house, he parked the car, gathering his things and exiting. He opened his door, turning on the lights before checking his answering machine. As he'd expected, there were no messages. He walked to his bedroom, digging into his closet for several minutes before deciding on a more comfortable outfit. He sighed, entering the adjoining bathroom. He removed his shirt and tie, dropping them into the hamper before starting the shower. He pulled the rubber band out of his hair, combing through it with his fingers as he turned to regard his reflection in the mirror.

'Well, at least I'm not ugly,' He thought, shaking his head. 'I don't think I look too bad for my age, anyway..' He snorted, thinking of some of the people he'd known in the States.'Bet I'm looking better than at least half of them.' He took off the rest of his clothes, putting them in the hamper before stepping under the stinging spray of the water. Hissing at the heat, he turned his back, the weight of his wet hair distracting him as he adjusted to the temperature.

Quickly, he washed himself, saving the chore of his hair for last. Working a palmful of shampoo through the weighty length, he groaned at the pins-and-needles feeling that resulted from keeping it pulled up so much. 'Maybe I should just cut it off,' He thought, but dismissed the idea. While caring for long hair was sometimes annoying, he didn't really mind it, and the style suited him. 'I wonder if Hiro has any trouble with his, it's pretty long too. Nice though..' He mused, ducking under the spray to rinse out the soap.

He spluttered, inhaling water as he gasped a curse. 'Why am I still thinking about him?' He wondered, shaking his head. 'He's just a kid.' He stepped back, turning off the water before wringing out his hair. He reached for a towel, wrapping it around his head as he grabbed a second for his body. Drying himself, he pulled on the clothes he'd chosen, a T-shirt and well-worn jeans. He removed the towel on his head, shaking his damp hair out as he grabbed a new rubber band and his comb, turning off the light before leaving the room.

Returning to the living room, he sat on the couch, gathering his hair over one shoulder as he began to comb out the snags. After he'd managed to untangle it somewhat, he decided against pulling it up again. His scalp still ached slightly, and he didn't feel like dealing with a headache. Sighing, he retrieved his bottle, carrying it to the kitchen in search of a glass. He took a large one from the cabinet, tossing a couple of ice cubes in for good measure before returning to his seat, flipping on the television.

Switching channels, he saw nothing of interest. Settling down, he left it tuned to one of the many horror films airing on cable for Halloween. "Might as well be a damned vampire myself," He mumbled, staring boredly at the screen as he opened the alcohol, pouring a decent amount into the glass. "God, I'm talking to myself, I must be losing it." He smirked, taking a sip of his drink. "Poor old Winchester, off his rocker with grief, left alone in his dotage.." He leaned back, swinging his legs up comfortably.

Just as he'd finished his drink, the phone rang, jarring him out of his thoughts. He leaped up, grabbing the receiver. "Hello?"

For a moment, there was nothing, then he heard a horrendous screech and several rapid crashes. Holding the phone away from his ear, he yelled. "What the hell is this? Shuichi, is that you?" The scream had sounded familiar, and he figured it must be the singer.

"K! You gotta help me!" The teen screeched again, his voice piercing. "Please don't let him kill me! I promise, I'll never be late again, tell him not to do it!"

K sighed. "So, Yuki got his invitation?" There was a heavy pounding in the background, and after a minute the boy whispered.

"Yeah, I didn't think it would come until tomorrow. He said he's going to.. Well, I didn't understand the first part, because we don't even HAVE a blender, but the middle sounded pretty bad. The part at the end was something about a hundred times worse. What'll I do?!"

K stared at the phone. "You..You mean you actually mailed the invitation? Why..Nevermind. What do you expect me to do, Shuichi? Shoot him? Just let him do whatever and get it over with."

The noise rose to astonishing levels as the singer wailed. "I can't! If I let him in, he's going to.. Ha, you can't do that Yuki, there's no way the toaster's going to fit up there!" He said, abruptly. After a second, he came back on the phone. "What do I do, K? Yuki's out there with a vegetable peeler, please don't let him get meeeee!"

K sighed, massaging his temple. "Shuichi, I don't know what to tell you. Why don't you let him calm down a little, and then get Hiro to pick you up or something? I'm sure it'll all blow over by tomorrow."

The teen sobbed, snuffling noisily. "I already tried, but Hiro said there's no way he's coming over here until Yuki stops talking about that other stuff. Hey, do you know what cauterization is, K?"

He groaned. "What does that have to do with anything, Shuichi?"

The singer whimpered. "That's why Hiro wouldn't come get me. Yuki got on the extension and said that he was gonna do that to my.." He screamed, blubbering amidst several more thuds, ripping sounds and random curses. After a minute or so, there was heavy breathing on the other end, and K sighed again.

"Hello? Shuichi, are you still there?"

The disgusted voice of the boy's lover replied, annoyed. "No, the little shit went out the window."

K gasped. "But...You live in a highrise! What the hell is he planning to do, fly?!"

Yuki growled. "He'd better fly, because when I get through with him, he's going to be too sore to walk. If you'll excuse me, I have some things I need to sharpen.." The phone clicked.

K blinked at the buzzing receiver, hanging up with a tired chuckle. "God, those two.." He mumbled, returning to the couch for a refill. He stretched out again, taking a long drink. "Maybe he'll get lucky. As high up as they are, he'd have a while to practice flapping."

He snickered at the mental image, finishing his drink in one gulp. 'I still can't understand how someone like Hiro could be friends with someone so.. Shuichi.' He thought, shaking his head. 'He doesn't yell, or throw tantrums.. Hell, he's certainly intelligent enough..' He bolted upright. "What the hell is wrong with me today? The next time I see that kid, I'm going to shoot him for taking over my brain!" He muttered, frowning.

Standing up, he put the half-empty bottle on the kitchen counter, switching off the lights before heading to bed. 'I guess I really am getting too old for this,' He thought, stretching out on to of the comforter. 'I don't even feel like changing..' He closed his eyes, slipping into an uneasy sleep.

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Hiro groaned, his hair fanned out against the white cotton pillowcase. Opening his eyes, he stared blankly at the ceiling, his breath coming in harsh pants as he tried to forget the dream that had awakened him. Again.

He'd never had a dream like that, so real that it was frightening.

In his dream he'd been lying in this very bed, sheets tangled against his back as he'd clutched the body above him, his legs wrapped tightly around very familiar, very male, hips. Even with the man's face buried against his neck, there was no mistaking the long strands of blonde hair that had fallen forward to brush his shaking arms, tickling his damp skin with their owner's every move.

Hiro remembered the sound of his voice, ragged with pleasure as he'd begged for more.. Shuddering, he rubbed his eyes, forcing the memories away as he sat up. "This is all his fault.." He grumbled, shaking his head. "He's too old to look like that, it should be illegal. Stupid jerk."

Standing up, he walked to the closet, taking out his usual jeans and T-shirt. Ignoring his almost painful state of arousal, he quickly dressed for work, pulling his fingers through his hair as he entered the bathroom. Washing his face, he stared at himself for a moment, frowning at the redness in his cheeks. "Stupid jerk." He repeated, grabbing a brush and pulling it roughly through his hair.

Turning off the lights, he walked to his kitchen, making a quick bowl of cereal for breakfast. He ate distractedly, feeling as if he'd be better off staying home. Putting the empty bowl into the sink, he picked up his jacket and keys, locking the door behind him on his way out.

Realizing that he was a little early work, he took his time, glancing again at the shops from before. 'I'll stop by on the way home,' He thought, 'If Yuki hasn't killed Shuichi yet, anyway.'

Pulling into the studio lot, he parked next to a familiar black car. 'Why is Yuki here?' He wondered, walking to the front door. Shrugging, he reached for the handle. Like deja'vu, the door flew open, slamming against the outside wall. Hiro yelled, stepping off the curb, his ankle twisting painfully. Just before his rear was reunited with the ground, a hand grabbed his arm, jerking him up roughly. Bouncing off of a white-shirted chest, he cursed at his laughing 'savior'.

"Dammit! Let me open a door, just once! What the hell is wrong with you?! First you keep me from sleeping, and then you try to knock me out to make it better?" He glared up, jerking his arm away. "Is there some odd ass American custom that says you have to give someone a heart attack at least twice a week or you'll go to hell? God!"

K stared down at him, his amusement fading as he continued to rant.

"This isn't some police raid, or one of those stupid search and destroy missions! Why the hell can't you just open the door, like a normal person? Do you have some deep seated need to intimidate random wooden objects, or is it just a personal goal to break as much shit as possible before you're 40?"

The man blinked, protesting. "Hiro.."

"Shut up! Don't say anything, not one word!" The guitarist snarled. "I can't believe that you never learned how to do something that simple! And shooting at people! Quit that shit too, because it isn't even scary anymore! You're such an asshole!" He shoved his way past the startled blonde, stomping to the elevator as he continued to mutter under his breath. "Crazy jerk.. Always crashing around like some big retarded ape.. As if there weren't enough reasons to stay in bed already.."

K stared after him, wide eyed.

The elevator chimed, and with a final glare at his manager, he entered. Stopping on the studio floor, he strode out, grumbling to himself as he approached the door. Opening it, he froze.

Shuichi sat on the edge of the table, most of his clothes missing, his arms and legs wrapped around his suspiciously rumpled lover. With a startled squeak, he pulled back, staring at his friend. "H-Hiro! We were, ah, I mean, Yuki was just dropping me off! Wow, you're early. Isn't it early, Yuki?" He laughed nervously. "Gosh, you'd better go! We should practice or something, Suguru's probably here too!"

Hiro closed his eyes, trying to hold his temper. "Please..Please tell me you don't do this every time you get here before I do. Dammit, I've had lunch here! You remember, slightly left of where your ass is!" He turned, shaking his head. "I'm going home. Tell whoever asks that I think I'm going to be sick."

He slammed the door, ignoring Shuichi's gasp. He stormed back to the elevator, viciously punching the call button. A second later, the doors opened, leaving him face to face with the unwitting source of his wrath. "Fuck! It's a conspiracy, it has to be!" He stepped inside, glaring straight ahead.

K frowned at him, still confused at the boy's earlier outburst. "Are you always so loveable in the morning?" He said, shaking his head.

The guitarist ignored him.

"Does it hurt, Hiro? If it's that bad, take it out and relax." He muttered. Hiro whirled, stepping close as he glared.

"What are you talking about? Some new bullshit, or are the voices in your head taking over now?" K leaned down, invading his space.

"I was just wondering if the stick was bothering you. You know, the one you've got up your ass."

Hiro choked, grabbing the taller man's shirt. "Screw you! If there was something up there, why the hell would it be your business? Why don't you go get yourself a nice cup of shut the fuck up, K? Or better yet, get some ass. Then you won't have time to worry about what I do or don't have in mine!" He snapped, shoving the other man away.

K jabbed the elevator's stop button, jerking him back around. "You need to watch that mouth, Hiroshi." He warned, softly. "Not everyone's as patient as I am." Hiro jerked his arm, shoving the blonde again.

"Let go of me! I swear, you've got three seconds until I forget that you're twice my size, K." He clenched his hands, his nails cutting into his palms.

"I'm seriously debating a career change, Hiro." K replied, his voice still low. "And I've already got one kid to worry about. So unless you want everyone in the building to see you get your perky little ass whipped, I suggest that you think really, really hard about the next words out of your mouth."

Hiro scoffed, smirking up at him. "Yeah, we know. I'll bet you're an excellent role model. Do you have these little talks with your son when he says something you don't like?"

He gasped, dropping the boy's arm. "Don't ever say that again. Not ever." He turned away, shaking his head. "I never thought you'd stoop that low, Hiro."

Hiro laughed. "Whatever, man. You don't know anything about me, not one damn thing."

K turned back around, staring at him in disbelief. "Nothing? Who do you think you're talking to, kid? I know everything there is to know about you. Don't assume that everyone's family is like yours, Hiroshi. Just because your father can't respect your choices doesn't mean that I don't respect my son's!"

Hiro slapped him, rocking his head back with the force of the blow. "I'll kill you! I'll fucking kill you!" He screamed, launching himself at the shocked blonde. "Who do you think you are? Don't you dare talk about my family, you stupid prick! My family wants me to be a doctor because they think I'll end up bumming in the street if I stay here with the band, but I made my choice, and now I'm sticking with it!"

He shook him by the collar, viciously. "If I can't be what they want me to be, I'm sure as hell not going to fail at this! They're afraid for me, you idiot! Don't you worry about your family?" His voice cracked, shrill with anger. "I'm not going to disappoint them, because they're all I have!"

K stared at him, his anger replaced with concern. "Hey, Hiro.. It isn't that bad, calm down. I'm sorry, ok?"

The guitarist shook his head, near hysteria. "It's not ok! I came here to do something for myself, and for them, and what do I get?" He laughed, humorlessly. "Let's review! First, there's my best friend, who can't get his emotionally constipated lover out of his ass long enough to do his job! Then there's our delightful prodigy, who doesn't want to be here, unless he can get some wood from one-upping on his own cousin!"

Shaking his head, he stepped back. "And it gets better! We've got a neurotic clown handling our business, a narcissistic freakjob running the show, and a big-name star skipping around like Little Lord Faunterloy, trailing a repressed homosexual delinquent monk behind him like a streamer!" He looked up at the blonde.

"And to top it all off, we've got a hot-as-hell homicidal maniac with entirely too much hair for a manager! Jesus, with all that going for us, how could we possibly fail?"

He gasped, slapping his hands over his mouth. K gaped stupidly down at him, floored by his rant. "Hiro.. I really am sorry. I didn't think.."

The redhead closed his eyes, his hands still clenched at his sides. "Just let it go, K. I told you, you don't really know me." He laughed dryly. "I don't think anybody does. Hell, I don't even know me, I'm never like this." He pressed the resume button, feeling drained. "I'm sorry too, that I made that crack about your kid. Things have been getting a little out of hand, stuff's starting to pile up. I never say things like that, that isn't me." He shook his head. "I thought screaming and raving was supposed to make you feel better, but that's not right. Everything I said, it's still there, underneath. I don't feel any different than I did before, I still need to get out of here before I lose it."

K nodded slowly. "Yeah, that might not be such a bad idea. You know, Hiro.. You really are pretty good at hiding that inner wildman." He reached out, awkwardly patting the young man's shoulder. "Don't you have anyone that you could talk to about that stuff? Not a therapist or anything, just someone who would listen, someone you trust?"

Hiro shook his head, tensing. "No. I'm not a kid anymore, so I try to deal with my problems like an adult. With all the band stuff, I don't really have time to get close to people right now, so making and new friends is pretty much a bust. As far as trusting.." He frowned, shaking his head again. "It isn't that I don't trust anyone, it's more that I don't want to put my problems in someone else's lap. The people I do know and trust are all in the same boat, K. Busy, with their own issues to handle. It wouldn't be right for me to expect them to drop everything and listen to things like that, things that they really couldn't change."

The door chimed, showing that there was only one more floor to go before the ground level. K looked down at the silent teenager, not ready to simply ignore what had happened. "Hey, you're leaving, right? Going anywhere in particular?" Hiro looked up, surprised.

"Yeah, I gotta get away from here. I thought about going home, but if I do that, I'll just end up dodging Shu. There's no way he won't come over as soon as he gets the chance. We..Well, I said some things that I probably shouldn't have. You know how he is when he gets upset, he'll moan to Yuki about it for a while, then he'll be right there beating down the door." He smiled thinly. "I'm really not up to dealing with that right now. I don't know where else I could go, but I'll find something."

Thinking quickly, K wondered if he should just let him go. The way he'd acted before, it was hard to know if another blow-up was imminent, but he didn't feel right about the entire situation. Something was very wrong in Hiro's life, that much was obvious. Wasn't it his job to make sure that the band as a whole was doing well? He made up his mind.

"I actually know of a place, kinda out of the way, quiet, you know. Maybe it would help you get your head clear, wanna go?" He asked, keeping his voice casual. "It isn't all that far, but not too many people go there during the day. It might not be much, but it's pretty close to where you live, if you don't like it."

Hiro looked at him dubiously, and K was sure that he was going to say no. After a couple of seconds, he nodded, a little wary. "Sure, why not? It can't be any worse than being trapped in an elevator with a maniac." He smirked. "If you want, I'll drop my bike off at home, and you can drive the rest of the way."

K graciously overlooked the 'maniac' comment in favor of his suggestion. "Sounds good to me. I'll just follow you out, then." He bowed towards the doors, indicating that the other should exit first. The guitarist stared at him oddly, but said nothing. "You know, age before beauty and all that."

Hiro looked over his shoulder at him. "Well, I guess that means you won't be getting off for a while, huh?" Snorting, he left.

K thought about that statement for a moment, almost missing the chance to get out as the doors started to close. "Hey, I think I've been insulted.." He grumbled to himself. "Huh, kids these days. No respect for the elderly."

Hiro's low laughter came back to him, and he shook his head. Crossing the lobby, he pushed open the door, walking out in to the early afternoon sunlight. Squinting, he spotted the guitarist about to leave. "See ya in a bit, then." He called, walking to his car. Hiro waved back, acknowledging him. Smirking to himself, he wondered exactly what he was trying to accomplish with this.

'You'd think I was worried,' He thought, starting the engine. 'But wow, I never would have guessed that he was hiding a temper like that..' Pulling out of the parking lot, he drove towards the guitarist's apartment, still wondering if this was a good idea. He parked at the curb, waiting for Hiro to come back. After a few minutes, he saw him and unlocked the passenger side door.

Hiro sat down, buckling his seatbelt. Glancing curiously at the blonde, he waited for him to speak. After several seconds of nothing, he huffed impatiently. "So, where is this place?" He asked, bluntly. K chuckled.

"It's just a little place I found when I was bored," He said, eyes on the road. "You should know that I'd check out my client's neighborhood, Hiroshi." The teenager snorted.

"More like stake out the place. Do you really think that someone's going to kidnap us? After twenty minutes of Shu, they'd be calling you, begging someone to please come get him before they shoot themselves." They both laughed at the thought of a pleading kidnapper trying his hardest to get away from the pink-haired singer's whines.

K nodded, smirking. "You got me there. I like the kid, but man, he can get a little annoying after a bit. Has he always been like that?" Hiro nodded.

"Even when we were in school, he did that stuff. Shu never changes. It's actually one of his good traits, you can always depend on him to be undependable." He shook his head. "I still can't believe that Yuki didn't kill him for this whole party fiasco."

K laughed, turning off the highway. "Yeah, I got a laugh out of it though. He called last night, said you wouldn't come get him because Yuki was on the warpath. Last I heard, he went out the window." He parked, turning to face the snickering redhead. "Well, this is it. C'mon, it's time to get in touch with nature."

Raising an eyebrow, Hiro hopped out, looking around. There was a moment of silence. "Whoa," He breathed. "I never knew this was here, how the hell did you manage to find it?" The small gravel parking area halted at the edge of a long stretch of grass, the open field covered thickly with trees of all kinds. Though cherry and red maple were prevalent, there were also many more, even a few spruce and pine trees here and there. The effect was one of peace, overall an inviting place.

He walked to the gate around the lot, swinging it open. "You coming?" He asked, looking back at the older man. He looked mildly surprised, but nodded.

"Yeah, be right with you." He locked his doors, and followed the guitarist through the gateway. Pointing, he showed him a spot that he'd visited before. "That's a nice place," He said, "If you like shade and quiet, it's for you." Hiro nodded, changing direction. Reaching the base of a large maple, he sat in the grass, stretching his legs out as he leaned on his elbows.

"Nice. Do you come here a lot?" K shook his head, settling down nearby.

"Just a few times, when I needed to think about some stuff. I don't know why more people don't come here during the day, it's a good place to get some air. There's more in the evenings, though." He snorted. "I guess people think it's a good spot for dates, since you can have your privacy." Hiro laughed, nodding.

"I'll bet. With all this 'shade', it would take a PI to find you in here after dark." He sighed, lying back, crossing his ankles. For a while, neither one spoke. Then, K cleared his throat, drawing a grunt from his companion.

"So, feel like talking about it? I might not be the best, but it doesn't take a genius to see that you aren't up to speed today." Hiro sighed, closing his eyes.

"I don't know why today started off so bad. I didn't really expect it to be like that, but one thing led to another, you know? The worst thing about it was that I've never just blown up that way before, not that I can remember. Everybody must think I've gone nuts.." He snorted quietly. "Hell, even the ice king looked surprised. I shudder at the thought, but he might not be as stupid as I'd thought he was. He knew enough to keep Shu from following me, at least."

K nodded. "Yeah, he's an asshole, but Yuki isn't retarded. He might act like a jerk, but I think he does care for Shuichi. If he didn't, I'd have shot him months ago for holding up our schedule." He glanced at the redhead casually. "And what do you mean, I don't let you sleep? I don't remember ever having to wake you up, that's always been Shuichi's problem area."

Hiro jumped, his face red. "Nothing, forget that. I was just mad and mouthing off, I didn't mean half of what I said."

K stared at him, frowning. "Uh huh. Well, I hope that goes for the stupid prick and killing me part too. I didn't mean anything was wrong with your family, really. I just don't like the idea of parents mistreating their kids. Life's too short for people to treat their children like extensions of themselves, in my opinion." He shook his head. "I understand that you want to make them proud of you, Hiro. All kids want the approval of their parents, but at the same time, you need to be happy with yourself."

Hiro blinked at him. "Wow, you almost sound smart. Don't tell me there's something you know besides how to fire off a warning shot?" The American scowled at him.

"Watch it, man. My brain's big enough to hold all kinds of goodies." He laughed suddenly. "I really am sorry about this morning though, and yesterday. I can't help being that way, just busting in. I never really paid much attention to it.. I wouldn't have hit you though.. I don't think." Hiro glared at him.

"Right. I'm totally reassured by your concern. At least we have good insurance." He shook his head, fighting a smile. "It is funny sometimes, though. That one time, when you jerked the door open on Shu and Yuki because you thought someone was choking was hilarious. I can't believe Yuki just sat there with his pants around his knees while you were shooting those rubber bullets at him, Shu was hysterical thinking you were gonna blow his nuts off." K snorted.

"Yeah, I'm not sure if Yuki's just that damn cool, or if he was too scared to shit." They laughed, remembering the singer's horrified shrieks and the author's stoic huff at the interruption. Finally, Hiro wiped his eyes, sighing.

"Thanks, really. I needed to let off some steam." K nodded, waving absently.

"No problem. You shouldn't let things bottle up like that though. If you're all tensed up, you won't be able to work, and then I might have to take steps to relieve your stress."

Hiro gasped, sitting up as he began blushing fiercely. The older man turned, staring at him. "Hiro? What's wrong now?" The youth shrugged, his face averted.

"I thought there was a bee.." He mumbled. "I hate those things, you know how it is."

K smirked, skeptical. "Yeah, sure. Big bad star, afraid of an inch long bug with attitude. God, the scandal." He rolled his eyes, ignoring the teen's annoyed growl. "Besides the obvious falsity of that statement, is there anything else bothering you? Anything I can help with, anyway?" Hiro gulped, shaking his head.

"No! I mean, it's nothing, I think I just need some rest or something. I'm..Not sleeping well lately, nightmares and whatever. It'll pass, really." He stood, stretching his back. "Well, I appreciate the trip, K. I think it would be cool to go home now, if you don't mind. Maybe I'll come back here sometime, it's really a nice place." The blonde also stood, brushing his pants off.

"I told you, it's no problem. I'm glad you liked it though. It's not much, but it's better than sitting at work stewing on your problems. C'mon, I'll drop you off." He started toward the gate, but the guitarist lagged behind slightly. "Hiro?" He asked, staring back over his shoulder. The redhead jumped, falling into step just behind him.

"Sorry, I was thinking. Let's go." K shrugged at him, continuing to the exit. As he walked, Hiro's eyes strayed almost painfully back down to his rear, watching with almost fascinated intensity as the maple leaf currently stuck to his pants twitched in time with his unhurried stride. 'God, what's wrong with me?!' He thought, following the leaf's movements raptly. 'One damn dream for a couple of weeks, and I'm checking out a guy that could tie me in a knot if he caught me.. I must be losing my mind..'

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They spent the drive back to Hiro's in companionable silence, each lost in his private musings until K pulled up beside the front walk. "Well, think you'll be all right by tomorrow?" He asked, turning to look at his passenger. Hiro nodded, smiling slightly.

"Yeah.. I think so. Just tell anyone who's still there that I'm feeling bad, or something. I'll talk to Shuichi later, so it won't be a big scene in the morning." He opened the door, unbuckling himself. "And by the way... What I said about our little group, I actually meant the last part, in case you were wondering. Bye!" He slammed the door, bolting up the walk as the blonde gaped at him in surprise.

"The hell..?" He mumbled, watching the guitar player dash up the steps. "Did he just say what I think he said, or am I really going senile?" He shook his head, grinning. "Well, at least someone thinks I'm...WHAT?!" He slammed on the brakes, ignoring the horns blasting behind him at his sudden halt. "Holy Father Hasselhoff, he just called me hot! Twice!"

Hearing the screech of tires, Hiro quickened his pace, darting into the building before the older man could decide to hurry him along with a few rounds from his trademark Magnum. Clutching his chest, he laughed weakly at his own foolishness. 'Jesus, I really am going insane,' He thought, walking up the stairs to his door. 'If I live to see 20, it's going to be a miracle!'

He unlocked his door, toeing off his shoes at the welcome mat before crossing the room to flop onto the couch. He sighed in relief at being home, away from the pace of the studio, even for a day. "He's right, though," He mused out loud, "I really can't keep putting myself through this shit. Nothing is going to change if I don't get over what everyone at home thinks of me."

Shaking his head, he smirked. "Great, now I'm not only having wet dreams about a maniac, I'm actually thinking of taking his advice. Not to mention talking to myself about it." Sighing, he sat up. "Ah well. As long as I have the free time, I might as well slack to the max." He stood, walking to his bedroom. Shedding his clothes, he pulled on a pair of comfortable sleeping pants before sprawling on the bed.

Burying his face in the cool pillow, he snorted. "Now, let's see if I can actually get some rest, without sharpshooting bigmouthed Americans jumping in.." He dozed, shifting every so often as the familiar feeling of his bed lulled him into relaxation. Gradually, he fell fully asleep, his breath coming deep and regular as he began to dream...

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He felt the warmth first, the sensation of phantom hands on his skin.. Sighing, he leaned into the caress, knowing that he could trust this person to touch him as if he were something precious. He could feel their heartbeat through the soft cloth of their shirt, a steady thump that reassured as it calmed..

Opening his eyes, he allowed himself to face the one he clung to, unsurprised by the thick fall of blonde, or the deep shaded blue of familiar eyes. No words were ever spoken in these dreams, none were needed.

Gazing intently up at his dream lover, he raised himself to his toes, smiling as the taller man bent predictably down to meet him halfway, their lips joining. Stifling a sob, he reveled in the sweet feeling of the man's hands on his back, guiding him down as he cradled his willing body against his chest. There was nothing as good as this in the waking world, he thought fuzzily.

The real world was full of hurt, loneliness and disappointment covering everything in a haze of diseased grey, souring the taste of life. As if sensing his depressed thoughts, the older man deepened their kiss gently, stroking his back in long, soothing movements. The raw feeling of his comforting embrace swept away the pain-filled musings, destroying the shadows that crept in the darkest parts of his heart until nothing remained but the need for this moment.

The understanding that it was a dream had no meaning here, not with the tickle of breath against his cheek driving his thoughts to just how much he craved this. He never thought that something could be so good, sensations powerful enough to leave him begging for relief even as he clung more tightly..

In the nonsensical way of dreams, there were no clothes separating them anymore, the sudden shift noted with only the most fleeting of sighs as he shivered. Arching up, he wrapped shaking limbs around the form of his passion, denying the tiny voice that wept at its falseness.

The man was obliging, sinking against his body in teasingly slow movements, his lips travelling the space between shoulder and throat as the smaller man whimpered softly against his hair. Wordless gasps and cries poured from him, his desperation to make this feeling last gradually turning to urgency, his hips bucking up sharply as his lover pulled away just enough to meet his gaze with half-lidded eyes that held nothing but adoration, his lips parting to shape the final missing piece of his deepest need..

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And he woke, that whispered endearment lost in the harsh jolt of reality's return.

Bolting up, he clutched himself tightly, feeling suddenly bereft. He slumped, the pain in his chest almost unbearable as he struggled to breathe. 'God, what's wrong with me!' He thought, shaking his head. 'I can't take this, it's killing me..'

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Yeah, I know this was supposed to be one short lil thing, but I hope that no one really minds the er... excessive length, lol. Anyway, I guess it's on to the next chapter of dubious quality