It's been a long day.  I've just arrived back in Tokyo after going to visit my brother.  Tatsuha's a good kid, but damn, three days hearing about "Sakuma Ryuichi-sama" can really get on a guy's nerves.

I grab my luggage and start to walk towards the front gate.  Tohma is supposed to pick me up, there was no way in hell I'd let Shuichi touch my car.

Ugh…  I'm really not feeling so well.  Probably just jet lag, but from a 15 minute flight?  Whatever, I'll just get some sleep when I go home, if the baka'll let me.

"Ah, Eiri-san!"  I hear Tohma call from the wall.  He's got sunglasses on to avoid detection.  I subconsciously touch mine on the bridge of my nose; I wouldn't want to get groped by some obsessed fan.  The girls I can handle, but some of the guys are strong… the one in Kyoto had my pants half way down before I could stop him.

I walk over to Tohma, my luggage dragging behind me.  I nod in recognition when he smiles.

"Welcome back, Eiri-san!"  He takes my luggage and starts to walk towards the parking lot.  It's still freezing outside, and I pull my thin jacket close to me as we make our way to Tohma's car.

It feels food to sit on leather again, rather than Tatsuha's motorcycle, my father's old Nissan or an airplane.  Tohma just sighs and turns on the car, then blasts the heat.  Just at a glance, I can tell he's frustrated with something.  Mika and I are about the only ones who can read him.  Us and maybe Sakuma Ryuichi, but he's a bit of an enigma to me.

"You okay?"  I ask emotionlessly.

"Yeah…"  He sighs deeply, smiling at me.  It's a fake smile and I know it.  He may be ten years my senior, but he can't outsmart me that easily.

"What happened?"  This time I'm not so cold.  Tohma's just like Mika in a way, you can't stay detached.

"It's both Sakuma-san and Shindou-san."  Tohma laments. "I haven't heard from either of them since out left last Friday."  Since I left?  I imagine Shuichi and Ryuichi going at it like rabbits.  I visibly shudder, that's far too scary to even think about.

Another, scarier image arises.  Shuichi and Ryuichi alone, with no supervision, in my house.  I'll be surprised if the thing is still standing.

"How about you?"  Tohma asks, and he seems a little more interested than I.

"Can't complain…"  I say as another wave of nausea passes over me.  He smirks.  That's the problem with growing up around someone.  You may know them like a book, but they know you too.

"You have brown eyes."  He says with a twinkle in his.  Dammit, I've been found out.

"I haven't felt wonderful since I got off the plane."  I admit.  Best go for a euphemism.  I don't think 'I feel like a dying squirrel' would go over well.

"Ah" was his only response.

One hour and forty-five minutes later and we've only just arrived in Hamura.  If traffic continues like this, I won't be home until sunrise.  I glance at Tohma, he looks stressed.  I know he's tired, and is missing dinner with Mika.

"You wanna just go to your house?"  I ask, scanning the road ahead — nothing but brake lights.  He looks at me with a shocked expression.

"Eiri-san, wouldn't you rather get back to your place?"  He asks me.  I would, but I'm feeling really gross.

"This traffic is ridiculous, and I haven't slept since five this morning.  I'll never get home at this rate."  I sigh.  I'll call Shuichi from Tohma's.  Let's hope the baka can survive another night.  I sure as hell know I don't want to.

Tohma nods and pulls off the freeway.  It's almost midnight and I'm starting to fall asleep.  Damn, I really don't feel well.

In less than ten minutes we're at the Seguchi residence.  Every time I visit here, it amazes me how large it is.  For two people, both with full time jobs, their house is almost twice as large as mine.

"Well, here we are."  Tohma says to no one in particular.  I nod and we get out of the car.  Damn, it's cold.  I grab my suitcase and walk up to the door.  It's unlocked, as usual.

I walk calmly into the foyer and drop my suitcase.  Mika comes running to the door and, pausing only slightly to glance at me, hugs Tohma.

"Tohma!  God, I was really worried!  There was a huge accident in Dogenzaka!"  Mika rants before Tohma, looking drained, pecks her on the lips.

"Well," he muses, "we're fine, just a little tired.  Eiri-san's going to stay here tonight."

Mika looks at me puzzled, is it that rare I'd do something nice for Tohma?

"Really?" She asks incredulously.  "Eiri, did something happen with Shuichi?"

I blush crimson and shout. "What?  I can't do something nice for my brother-in-law without it being odd?  Nothing is wrong with Shuichi and I!  I just don't feel well and I want some sleep!"  Oh great.  Way to go, baka.

"Not feeling well?"  Both of them are feeling my forehead.  If I didn't know any better, I'd say they both just chibified right in front of me.

"I'm fine."  I mumble and they both drop to the floor, dumbfounded.  "I'm going to call Shuichi, then go to bed."

I notice Tohma's grimace when I mention the baka's name, but I choose to ignore it.  Shuichi and I have been together for two years, and it's about damn time he gets used to it.

I walk to familiar path to the guest bedroom and close the door behind me.  Walking over to the phone I call my number.

Ring.  That brat had better not have wrecked my house.

Ring.  Or even worse, my car.

Ring.  He'd better answer the phone.

Ring.  Or I'll… call again?

Ring.  "Damn it Shuichi!  Answer the—"

I stop mid-sentence when I hear the phone being lifted.

"Moshi moshi?"  The voice isn't Shuichi's, but rather that of a certain American vocalist.  "Shuichi and Yuki's house."

"I'm perfectly aware it's my house, Sakuma-san."  I hear a brief shriek on the other end.  "What I'm wondering is why you're answering its phone."  I hear shuffling followed by my baka's squeal.

"Yuki!"  He exclaims brightly. "Are you almost home?"

I bite my lip, this is going to be harder than anticipated.  "Unfortunately not, baka.  Traffic's horrible and my stomach hurts, so I'm staying over at Tohma's tonight."  If I could see through the phone, he'd be about to throw a fit.  Poor Ryuichi.

"Oh…"  Gods, why does he have to sound so damn depressed?  "But you'll be home tomorrow, right?"

I smile — sometimes the brat's just too cute for his own good.  "Yea, if I don't decide to got visit my friends in America."  I smirk, that'll freak him out.

"Yuki!"  I hear his desperate cry on the other end.  The guy's too horrible at mind games.  "You wouldn't, I mean, aren't you tired?"

I chuckle.  "I'll see you tomorrow.  Oyasumi."

"Yuki!"  I hear him start to rant.  "That's just mean!  I mean, honestly, you big jerk—" I hang up the phone.

Before my head even hits the pillow, I'm asleep.

My eyes shoot open, and I feel bile rise in my throat.  I gag and jump out of bed, running to the washroom.  I throw myself over the toilet and completely empty my stomach.  Great, now they'll really worry.

I gasp and throw my head over the bowl again.  I growl.  I hate being sick.

After my stomach's nice and empty, I sit back on my knees, scowling.  I'm a little out of breath, but miraculously, the nausea's almost passed.

I lift myself up, noticing how weak my arms are.  I'm really not liking this.  I stumble to my suitcase, pulling my toothbrush out of it.  Putting it in my mouth, I move to the sink, running the water.  Ugh… there is no worse mix than toothpaste and vomit.

I glance up at the mirror, and almost drop my toothbrush.  My eyes are focused at the reflection of my abdomen.  Is that, fat?  I bring my right hand up to my abdomen and poke it a little.  Oh God, there's leeway.  It is fat.  When did I eat fatty foods though?  And aren't I always careful to exercise?

It's got to be because I'm sick.  My skin is looking a little pale too, more so than usual.  Oh, wonderful…  Shuichi's going to freak out when he sees me.  I grab a shirt out of my suitcase and pull it over my head.  Still rubbing my stomach, I open the door and walk towards the stairs.

Glancing at the clock as I make my way down, I note that Tohma's alarm is set to go off fifteen minutes from now.  Rubbing my eyes, I make my way into the kitchen.  I really need some coffee…  I let out a sigh of relief when I see the pot of caffeine-y goodness.  Thank God for automatic coffee makers.

Pouring myself a mug, I slouch down onto one of Tohma's many leather chairs.  My hand absently rubs my abdomen as I stare at a brown spot on the otherwise pure white walls.  How'd that get there?

I stand up and move towards it.  As I get closer it starts to look more and more like, chocolate?  How in the hell did Tohma get a chocolate blotch on his wall?  How could anyone, for that matter, get a chocolate stain on their wall?  The only person who could possible manage that would be Sakuma Ryuichi.

I tense violently as I remember my telephone conversation with Shuichi.  Those two are still alone, unsupervised, in my house.  I suddenly feel a strong urge to get home.