AN: This is my first foray into the Legal Drug fandom… I don't own the characters… The lovely ladies of CLAMP do. Anyway, this is shounen-ai… If you don't like, don't read. Thanks to my wonderful beta, Neko Kate-chan… The most lovely lady ever:grin: Onto the story.

Cry

It all started with a stupid question. Himura Rikuo was stocking the shelves with cold medicine in preparation for the upcoming cold season. It was at that time that Kudo Kazahaya had walked up to him and asked it.

"If I were to disappear, would you cry?"

Rikuo had looked at Kazahaya with a frown on his face. Without even thinking about it, he answered, "No," and turned back to his work. He didn't notice the sad look on Kazahaya's face. As it was, he barely heard the fair-haired man's reply.

"I didn't think you would. No one would."

Rikuo had turned around to ask Kazahaya why he felt like that, but the other teen had already disappeared. Rikuo frowned. It wasn't like Kazahaya to not yell about Rikuo's response, nor was it like Kazahaya to ask that type of question. Rikuo sighed. The younger teen hadn't been acting like himself at all lately, and it seemed that only Kakei knew why, although he wasn't saying anything.

Deciding that Kazahaya would probably be back to his normal self later, the dark-haired teen continued to stock the cold medicine, filing his roommate's strange behavior for later contemplation.

Half an hour later, Rikuo was done. He looked around the store, but Kazahaya was nowhere to be found. Confused, and just a touch worried, he knocked on the door to Kakei's office. A muffled "come in" was heard, and Rikuo opened the door and went inside.

Kakei was sitting at his desk, looking over some paperwork for the store. "Is there a problem, Rikuo?" The older man had his elbows propped on the desk, hands clasped. His head was tilted to the left side, and his hair framed his cheek. If Rikuo hadn't known Kakei better, he would say the man was truly concerned.

"No problem," he replied. He hesitated, and then asked, "Do you know where Kazahaya is?"

"Ho ho ho!" An arm rested on Rikuo's shoulder, and the dark-haired teen sighed. Saiga, Kakei's lover, was grinning like an idiot. "Worried about the boy?"

Rikuo rolled his eyes. "Get your arm off me, Saiga." As an afterthought, he said, "No, I was just wondering where that idiot went. He left me to close the store alone."

Kakei smiled. "I gave him the rest of the day off. He didn't look well, and his eyes were red." Kakei's smile grew. "I think he's coming down with something."

Rikuo muttered something under his breath before turning to leave. Gently, he closed the door, leaving Kakei and Saiga alone.

Saiga took his coat off and tossed it on the couch. Smirking, he perched on the side of Kakei's desk. "Are you ever, in all the time that you're going to be around them, going to be straight with them? Why not just tell Rikuo the truth about what's going on with Kazahaya?"

Kakei's smile disappeared. "In this instance, it's not my decision to tell. Not even Kazahaya knows that I know, and if I had told Rikuo, and he had confronted Kazahaya, then their relationship would grow even more tenuous."

Saiga sighed. "I know, but I just wish they'd both just get over their hang ups and get together already. Maybe then Rikuo would lighten up, and Kazahaya would settle down."

The fair-haired man's smile reappeared. "I wouldn't hope too fervently, Saiga. They are how they are."

----…----…----…----…----…

Rikuo went up to the small apartment that he and Kazahaya shared. When he opened the door, he noticed one thing: It was far too quiet. Usually, when Kazahaya was home alone, he'd be making something to eat or sitting in the kitchen humming. Today, the front room and kitchen were empty.

More than a little worried, especially when his mind reminded him that Kakei thought his roommate was coming down with something, Deciding that Kazahaya was probably in their room, he made his way to the door. He hesitated, wondering what he would say to the younger teen when he entered.

Figuring that he would just wing it when the time came, he opened the door and entered the room. Quietly, he entered the room and stopped at what he saw. Kazahaya was on his bed, crying. Rikuo could see the harsh sobs wracking the slender body, and it was more than the dark-haired teen could stand. He hated to see Kazahaya cry…

Quickly and quietly, he made his way over to the fair-haired teen's bed and silently wrapped an arm around the crying boy. Rikuo wasn't familiar with comforting people, but he tried. He ran one hand soothingly up and down the smaller teen's back, murmuring nonsense in an attempt to calm Kazahaya down.

Kazahaya had stiffened when he felt Rikuo's arm go around him, but had relaxed into the awkward embrace when Rikuo had begun to murmur. Now, the fair-haired teen was all cried out. He raised his face to his roommate and allowed Rikuo to take in his swollen eyes and flushed cheeks.

As soon as Kazahaya had looked at him, Rikuo smiled gently. "So, you gonna tell me why you're in here crying like a girl?"

On a good day, Kazahaya would flush and start yelling. On a bad day, he would start hitting, but today, he merely averted his eyes. "It's nothing."

Rikuo sighed. He knew that Kazahaya was lying, but he wasn't sure whether or not to press in this case or leave it be. Deciding that in this case, he truly wanted to know what the reason was, he gently replied, "You're lying. What's wrong, Kazahaya?"

The dark-haired teen watched as the younger teen bit his lip in an attempt to stall. "Why do you care, anyway?"

The older teen frowned. "What do you mean? Of course I care. We're roommates and partners." I love you, he added silently.

It was true. Rikuo did love Kazahaya, but his way of showing it was kind of 'tough love.' He wasn't sure whether or not his roommate felt the same way, and he didn't want to force his feelings on him, but being around the younger boy was just too much sometimes, and the opportunities to tease him were too numerous to pass up. Although, as he looked at his roommate now, he saw the disbelief evident in his face. Could he really think that I don't care?

"You don't care. You said so yourself," the younger teen pointed out.

The dark-haired teen cocked his eyebrow. "When did I say that?"

Kazahaya pouted. "When I asked you that question earlier."

Rikuo sighed. He remembered the stupid question, and his answer. He didn't remember anything about saying that he didn't care, but as he looked at Kazahaya, he knew that the younger teen seriously believed that he didn't care, and it was hurting him. But why? he wondered. He hates me. A thought began to form in his mind.

He remembered Kazahaya's face as he waited for the answer to his question. It was hopeful, as though he truly needed to know. He remembered the soft voice that Kazahaya spoke in as he responded to Rikuo's answer, how the end of his reply was just above a whisper, how there was tremor in his voice. Does Kazahaya really hate me?

Deciding to take a chance, Rikuo lifted Kazahaya's chin and forced him to look into the older teen's eyes. "I do care about you, Kazahaya," he whispered. Then, he leaned into the younger teen, making it clear by his eyes and actions what he was going to do. He leaned in slowly, giving the younger teen every chance to pull away, but Kazahaya closed his eyes and leaned in as well.

When their lips met, Rikuo's eyes closed. It was a short kiss, mostly a brush of lips, but it was more than enough for Rikuo, who had never thought he'd get that far with his roommate. He pulled back with a contented sigh and looked at the younger teen.

Kazahaya's eyes were still closed, and Rikuo couldn't help himself from placing another gentle kiss on the fair-haired teen's lips. He pulled away again and kissed the tear trails on the younger teen's cheeks. When Rikuo looked at Kazahaya again, the teen's eyes were open and staring in confusion and amazement at Rikuo.

"Now, you idiot, listen to me," Rikuo began. He felt Kazahaya stiffen at the word 'idiot,' but the dark-haired teen continued before Kazahaya could say anything. "I never said I don't care about you. I only said I wouldn't cry if you disappeared."

"See?" Kazahaya whispered softly. "You don't care."

Rikuo shook his head. "You don't get it. If you disappeared, I wouldn't cry because I wouldn't have time to. I would be out there, looking for you. I would cry if you died, because I could never bring you back. If you disappeared, then there's still the chance that you're alive, and that I can drag your scrawny ass back, even if it is against your will."

Kazahaya looked down. "Really?"

Rikuo smiled. "Yes." He pulled Kazahaya onto his lap, settling his arms more comfortably around the younger teen's waist. "So, what was with the question, anyway?"

Rikuo watched as Kazahaya flushed. "Umm…"

The dark-haired teen smirked. "Come on, Kaza, surely someone with animal instincts such as yourself can remember why you asked a question."

"RIKUO! Of course I remember, it's just… Uhh…" The younger teen trailed off.

"It's just what?"

"Did you call me Kaza?" The younger teen blinked up at Rikuo, as if just realizing what the older man had called him.

Rikuo blinked in confusion. "What does that have to do with anything?" he questioned.

"I like it," Kazahaya replied with a smile. "It's… cute."

The older teen rolled his eyes. "It's not cute. And are you going to answer my question or not?"

Kazahaya pouted cutely. "It doesn't matter, does it?" Rikuo glared, and Kazahaya sighed. "Fine. It's just, it's almost been a year since I left home, and I was wondering if anyone noticed. If anyone cared." The fair-haired teen shrugged weakly.

Rikuo pulled Kazahaya closer to him, gently kissing his forehead. "People do care. If not from where you left, then Kakei, Saiga, and myself." He paused for a moment. "Okay, I care. Kakei in his own strange way, and who the hell knows about Saiga? But I'm sure he does since he's always flirting with you."

The younger teen tilted his head to the side, as if he were going to say something. Instead, he just shook his head and snuggled into Rikuo's chest. Rikuo rested his cheek on Kazahaya's head. "You know what Rikuo?" he heard Kazahaya mumble.

"What?"

Kazahaya lifted his head and looked into his roommate's eyes. "You're pretty comfortable, for an evil person." Kazahaya grinned.

Rikuo rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah? You're pretty light for pig."

"I AM NOT A PIG! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE TRYING TO DO, HUH YOU JERK?" Kazahaya yelled.

Ahh, Rikuo thought, everything is back to normal, except I now have a new way to shut Kazahaya up. The older teen leaned down and kissed the younger teen, who was still yelling. As soon as Rikuo's lips touched Kazahaya's, the younger teen closed his eyes and leaned into the kiss, slowly parting his lips in invitation. Yup, I definitely like this new way to shut him up.

That was Rikuo's last thought before all thoughts turned immediately to what was happening with him and Kazahaya.

----…----…----…----…----…

End

AN: Sorry if they seem a bit OOC… The idea for this fic just wouldn't leave me alone, and Rikuo decided he actually wanted to be nice. :sigh: Anyway, reviewers are loved above all else. :grin: