Hello there! It's been a while since I uploaded. Honestly have been so busy for the longest time. Got a new job at a udon place and am in my last semester of college! So much going on, but since the holidays are coming up, I have some free time before the madness of final exams begins. I truly miss posting here so here it is! Hope you enjoy it!

-Violet

*:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o.｡.:*

"38.2 degrees," Chiaki looked at the numbers. 'This sucks.' He was currently in bed, curtains drawn, dim light in the room.

'The manuscript's done, and the first thing is catch a cold. This really, really sucks.'

"That's not the only thing that sucks." Kisa winked.

Onodera, Misaki, and Chiaki rolled their eyes. But Yukina sat staighter, his thoughts wandering about his seductive lover.

A flashback flashed on screen, where all the workers in the studio breathed a sigh of relief and stretched. A lifeless Chiaki leaning back against his chair was too tired to chime in.

"Thirty-two pages all done!"

"We're done!"

"I thought that they'd drop us for sure this time." As everyone celebrated this grand achievement, Chianki sighed deeply, his spirit threatening to escape from his body due to all the exhaustion.

The scene faded back to the present.

'I'll have to apologize to everyone once I'm better. Maybe I'll take them out to eat somewhere.' He groggily turned over onto his side. 'And then...there's Tori.' His cheeks blushed slightly more than before, and it wasn't due to his fever.

The scene flashed back quickly to when they had kissed. It quickly changed back to the present.

'Didn't Tori and Yuu start going out?'

"That is what you're concerned out?" Tori asked.

"At least he doesn't discriminate against kissing guys." Usagi eyes a certain brunette who purspously avoided his gaze.

He curled up more in bed, feeling uneasy for some reason. 'Why did he do that to me?' He remembered when he had seen his childhood friends quarlling in the rain. 'What the fuck?!' Tori had yelled.

'Maybe that was something aimed at Yuu?' Chiaki was trying to make sense of things. 'Like a substitute?'

"How do you come up with these ridicious conclusions?" Yokozawa was beginning to wonder the mental abilities of their best selling author. How he came up with amazing storylines was beyond him after seeing how his mind worked.

'Wait, what am I talking about? Is that all I mean to Tori?' He turned over again, tears welling up in his eyes now. 'And what could Yuu possibly dislike about Tori?' His voice cracked a little. 'He's pretty much the best guy out there!'

"You do realize you basically confessed your love for him?" Yuu said.

Chiaki seemed emberassed and sad at once when he realized that it must be hard for Yuu to watch this unfold in front of him.

Yuu seemed to have read his thoughts. "Don't worry. Maybe I'll get some good material for later."

Of course this went over Chiaki's head. Everyone else realized what he had meant and looked at Tori, expecting a comeback. But the only reaction that got out of him was a sly smirk and made him pull Chiaki onto his lap.

'They should be together, if that's what they want. Why do they have to get me involved?' He rubbed his face into his pillow to wipe away his tears.

'Too bad it's not me Tori's interested in.'

He suddenly realized what he just said and blushed even harder. "What am I saying?!" He rolled around in his bed, embarrassed he had even thought that.

"It's not like that at all! But what I mean is..." His outburst was interrupted by the sound of his phone vibrating. He reached over and checked who it was.

It was a text message: How are you feeling? If you're feeling bad, let me know, and I'll have you checked out by a doctor I know. You really saved me by making it to the end this time. And the firework festival you wanted to use as inspiration for the net time is this weekend. Do you want to go if you feel better?

'The firework festival...'

The scene changed to the weekend. Chiaki was walking up the stairs and going through the entrance of a shrine, but stopped mid step when he spotted Tori from a distance, wearing a black collar shirt and kaki pants.

"Hey!" Chiaki said, blushing a little when he realized his voice cracked a little. 'Ughh, my voice just cracked...'

"Let's go. Someone gave me a tip for a good spot." Hatori told his childhood friend as soon as he reached him, seemingly oblivious to Chiaki's inner turmoil.

"O-okay." They both began to walk further into the area, and ended up under a bridge.

"Ohh I see where this is going." Wink wink.

"Yeah good job Hatori! So sneaky." Kisa agreed with his lover.

'What should I talk about?' Chiaki wondered, uncomfortable around his childhood friend for the first time. 'This is so awkward.' He was walking behind him, and stared at Tor's back as they went by the riverbank.

'But he is my editor, and Yuu's always coming in and out of my place. I guess that's why he wants to make up with me.'

Tori suddenly stopped. It was now dark out, the stars beginning to shine through. "This is a great spot for watching the fireworks."

Chiaki looked around nervously. "I-it is? Then let's sit down." He began to lower onto the grass area around them.

"Your editor will change." Tori's words made Chiaki freeze.

"What?" He straightened out and faced him. "You mean it won't be you anymore?"

"It was my fault the manuscript was late this last time." A shadow covered his eyes, his expression unreadable. "I've lost your, the author's trust, and I took thnext logical step."

Chiaki began to talk "But—"

Tori cut him off. "There are many excellent editors in our department, so if you have someone in min, I could..."

"Now just a minute!" Chiaki exclaimed, his cheeks flushed with both anger and annoyance. "What's this, all of a sudden?!" Tori's response was to just stare at him, his expression serious.

At seeing that he was serious, Chiaki gasped and took a step back.

"Oooo rejected!"

"It's not funny. I was really shocked and confused."

In the distance, the night sky lit up and the sound of fireworks began to echo in the air, one after another. The water reflected the million little sparks of colorful light. Despite the beautiful scene before them, both brunettes were staring at one another, neither one breaking eye contact.

Another firework cracked in the air.

"I love you." Tori said.

"Huh?"

"You probably already know that," Tori continued, as did the fireworks, "but I wanted to tell you myself."

It took more than a few heartbeats for Chiaki to understand what he had just said. 'I love you...You probably already...What is he talking about?'

"Sorry," he said dumbfound, "but can you repeat that? What did you just say?"

He paused then asked, "But aren't you in love with Yuu?"

"Poor Tori. He literally just told you. How dense can you get?" Usagi shook his head, finding this situation very relatable.

Tori just stared at him.

'He loved Yuu andYuu loves him,' Chiaki's thoughts kept running, 'but they can't just admit it. So even though they started going out, it hasn't been going too smothly.'

"Don't just invent your own love story about us!" Tori and Yuu yelled at the same time, sneering at each other for having said it in unison.

'That's why Tori came to me and...'

"Why do I have to be in love with him, of all people?" There was a slight sneer to Tori's words.

This caught Chiaki off guard. "Am I wrong?"

"What about me or him gave you such a disgusting idea?" Tori looked truly queasy at the thought alone.

Chiaki began to blush. 'Then...then Tori really is in love with me...'

More fireworks burst to life above them.

"I got into this business because I wanted to be close to you." They were both now laying down on the grass. Tori resting his hands behind his neck, Chiaki crossing his arms around his middle, hugging himself tightly.

"I was happy when I became your editor."

"I never even noticed." Chiaki said, in a daze with this new discovery.

"I made sure you wouldn't." This made Chiaki turn to look at Hatori. "I mean, what would you think if you found out how I truly felt about you? Someone you only thought of as a friend. You'd think it was disgusting, that I've been in love with you for twenty-eight years."

"Of course I wouldn't!" Chiaki stood up, slightly outraged that he'd think that. Then he realized what he had just said.

'Wait a minute. I really don't find it disgusting at all.'

"I love you, too, Tori."

BANG. BANG. More fireworks.

"Yeah." Tori seemed sad and dismissive at once. "As a childhood friend." Chiaki looked away, thinking.

"You don't have to pretend. I know how you feel."

'Maybe I've been spoiled by everything you do for me, but...' "But I don't want you to leave!" Chiaki shouted, a shadow hiding his expression.

Tori finally looked at him and sat up as well. "You'd be fine with someone else." He placed his hand on top of the other's head as if he were a child. "You just think that because I happen to be right here."

'Happen to be? Who could replace Tori?'

Hatori dropped his hand. "Don't worry. We only have competent editors in our department." He stood up to leave.

"Wait!" Chiaki grabbed his hand. "Why don't you try to kiss me again?"

"Kyaaa! So bold!" Kisa screeched like a crazy fan girl.

Chiaki just blushed.

"Then we could see if it works or not."

Hatori stared down at him. "Just stop."

'I don't do something, he'll be gone!' Chiaki grabbed Tori's hand even tighter when the latter tried to move his hand away. 'No!' Chiaki's eyes were closed, cheeks redder than ever. 'I don't want him to go!'

"All right..." Hatori whispered. He knelt down and tilted Chiaki's face up so they were at eye level and closed the distance between their lips, never once letting his hand leave the other's flushed cheek.

Everyone cheered and catcalled. "Way to go Chiaki!"

The brunette in question shook his head. "You guys are way too much."

In the next scene back at Chiaki's place, the rain outside was falling heavily. At the entrance of the apartment, two pairs of wet shoes seemed to have been taken off in a rush.

Chiaki and Tori were now in bed, tirelessly kissing one another, both ignoring the fact that their clothes were wet and clung to their bodies.

"You're cold." Tori paused for a second.

"I can't help it. It was the rain..." Tori's hand slid down lower under the bed sheets, making Chiaki gasp and close his eyes.

He faced Tori again so they could lock lips again. Tori stopped again and buried his face in Chiaki's neck.

"Chiaki..." he murmured against his skin.

"Why do you have to go and use my name?" This made him suddenly more self conscious.

"Say my name too."

"Ohmygod." Misaki and Onodera covered each other's ears while they closed their eyes.

"Oh come on you two." Usagi and Takano said. "Quit pretending to be virgins. Everyone hear has heard you through the walls."

"Doesn't mean we want to see that up close and personal."

"Your name?"

"Yeah."

"Yoshiyuki." It was a tender whisper.

"Yes," Tori breathed out, "say it again." He pulled back a little so they could lock eyes.

"Yoshiyuki..." He all but moaned his name.

Chiaki grabbed the back of Tori's drenched shirt, pulling him even closer.

"I love you, Chiaki."

The scene went black.

In the next instance, Tori was sitting down in a cafe, reading over the papers in front of him, face serious.

"This sucks." He threw the papers on the table.

Chiaki looked shocked. He stood up, slamming his hands on the table. "Then it's the editor's fault, for giving bad direction! The first person I give it to is just disappointing. That might be why I can't help but lose my drive."

Tori reached cross the table and pulled him towards him and kissed him smack on the lips, cutting short his rambling.

Chiaki, thrown off guard, fell back onto his chair, grabbing his mouth, shocked by his actions.

"You'll be punished the next time you put out something boring like this." Tori said with a straight face.

"Oh my! Tori! You naughty boy!"

"I can let you borrow some of my tools if you want!" Yukina said, suddenly serious, and pulled a whip out of thin air.

"Ohmygod! Put that away!" Kisa said, blushing.

Onodera and Misaki blushed, their significant other's smirking suggestively.

"If you don't want that, then write something interesting!"

"Oh but I do want that!" Kisa mimicked Chiaki's voice.

"Don't put words in my mouth!"

"Yeah, put something else there." Wink.

"You guys! Stop it!" Yokozawa snapped. Everyone stopped giggling, scared to annoy him further.

Chiaki blushed crimson red, his mind going a millions miles per minute. "What are you talking about?!"

The shot on screen ended with the image of a blue sky and bright sun.

The ending began to play.

"Well," Kisa stood up, "I think that was enough for steaminess for today."

"I agree." Yukian stood up, his ever-present bowl of popcorn empty. "I have an idea!" He pointed at Hatori.

"Make dinner for us!" Everyone agreed.

"I'll help you if you want, Tori-san." Misaki quickly offered to help, earning a scowl from Usagi who was hoping to kidnap him to their bedroom.

Tori realized there was no way out. "I guess, but you guys better help set the table or there will be no food for you."

"Also," he said, "if anyone makes any more jokes about today's episode, they will be starved."

Everyone nodded, scared to see his scary side.

"Good." And with that, the whole gang enjoyed a delicious meal.

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Well, there you have it! Since I've been gone FOREVER, why not ask me whatever you want? I have seriously missed you guys. Always happy to see new readers and to see others who have stuck around from the beginning. Hope to post soon again!

-Violet