Chapter 31

(A.N: Hey guys! It's been a little over six months since I last updated this fanfic...I'm sorry for the wait! I got pulled into the No. 6 fandom, and I finally managed to crawl out of my hole, long enough to write this update! So, hopefully you guys enjoy it. I'm trying not to fall too deeply into another hole, known as the Sherlock fandom. I watched the BBC show, and I am now hooked. But this is all off topic, and irrelevant, so I'm going to get back on track now! "This means someone is talking over the phone." "This means someone is speaking in another language." And TT means time passing, or scene changes. I am done rambling now, so, I'm going to answer the reviews from the previous chapter, and you guys can get on with the story! R&R? I'd appreciate it!)

Answering Reviews:

ShingetsuXMangetsu:

Thank you! I am glad that you enjoyed the wedding scene. I wanted it to be a happy, and forgiving moment.

TheGoth24:

I hope that everything is going okay for you, and your family. I know that having a family member in the hospital can be extremely difficult, as I have been down that road a few times myself. I know this is all coming very, very late, and I apologize for that, but I hope that everything is okay nonetheless. I would also like to thank you for your review! I love to see descriptive reviews, and you shared your emotions with me, so that was extremely helpful in creating this new chapter. As for the ending, I reveal nothing.

Luimeril:

I am glad that you – and a few others – have watched the movie, because of this fanfic. A Walk To Remember is one of my favourites, and it makes me cry endless amounts of tears, whenever I watch it. I am so glad that you enjoyed the chapter, and that the emotions came through alright. Thank you for taking the time to review, I appreciate it!

sathreal:

I am glad that you think so! Thanks for the review!

17BlackRoses:

I am glad that the beginning of the chapter was seen as emotional, because it was very hard to write that scene, without crying. And I was happy to write the apology scene between Taijo, and Fai. I felt like this was a positive change for his character. Thank you for your review!

3hourmonologue:

Thank you for your review! I am glad that I am fulfilling your headcanons – though I have no idea what they are. XD Still, glad to hear that you're enjoying the fanfic!

Carmen Veiga:

I am so happy that you're enjoying the fanfic! I'm glad that the emotions came through properly! "This story is amazing, and you are an amazing writer." Wow. I don't even know how to respond to that. Thank you. Really, that is just...Wow.

Star Fantasy Writer:

"For now." I had a giggle fit when I read that line. All I could think was: "Yes, you know what I'm like. Angst. Angst in every single corner of this fanfic." Thanks for reviewing!

AeroTundra:

Feel free to marry the fanfic, but only if I can attend the wedding! XD

I'm glad that you found this chapter to be beautiful, and inspiring...Thank you!

Jenmoon1:

Thank you for the review!

TT

He had just stepped out of the bathroom – where Kurogane was still just finishing up with getting dressed – and back into their bedroom, when he heard it. It startled him, because he hadn't been expecting the noise, and confusion swept over him as he picked up his cell phone.

Shooter was calling him...But wasn't Shooter downstairs?

Answering the call, he unlocked the bedroom door, and tugged it open.

"Shooter? What's going on?" He was speaking into the cell phone's receiver, as he began his trek downstairs.

"Fai, I...I didn't know who else to call...You're the only person I could think to call...I don't know what to do..." His voice was anxious.

"You're not making any sense; what are you talking about?" He walked down the hallway, and into the living room. There was no sign of Shooter, or Raiko anywhere, but Kamui was on the couch, with a cup of coffee in his hands.

"Fai, I need to see him, but I can't make myself go up there...I don't know how to do this. I need...I can't..."

"...Shooter, what's going on? You're scaring me, what's happened?"

"I...It's Raiko...He, uh...He's...Dammit!" His voice was breaking, and he sounded so completely distraught...

As Fai waited, he tugged on his shoes, concerned with the obvious distress in his friend's voice.

"...He's in the hospital...He was in an accident..."

His head reeled with this information, as he tried to steady himself against the front door. He knew he should be keeping himself calm...But this was serious. Raiko had never been in an accident before.

"How-how bad?" The words felt strange, coming from his lips. He hadn't used this dialect in years, and, because he didn't want many people to know that he could speak it, he labelled himself off a bilingual. English, and French; those were the only languages that he claimed to know.

But there had been a third. He had decided to learn it after meeting Raiko, and Shooter. They had learned it together, and used it as their secret code...

"I have no idea...The Nurse said he was in surgery, so I have no idea..."

Surgery. It was a lot more serious than he'd expected. Something had gone horribly wrong...

"I'll be there soon." He hung up the phone then, stuffing it into his pocket. He grabbed his keys, and unlocked the front door.

"Where are you going, Fai?" That was Kamui; who was watching him rather intently, from his position on the couch. But the blonde didn't answer. Instead, he pulled the door open, and rushed to get outside.

He was blinded by his emotions, and his surroundings were unclear. So when he crashed into the body of another person; he was both startled, and confused.

"Hey, where are you going in such a hurry?" That voice was familiar, and friendly...It took him a couple of seconds to realize that he'd collided with Fuuma.

"I need to go to the hospital." He'd reverted back to English again, knowing his friend wouldn't understand him otherwise. He tried to regain control over his breathing. He could feel his lungs becoming heavier, as that choking feeling crept up over him again.

He needed control, or else he'd end up coughing up blood...

"Alright...I'll take you then. I'll drive you over there. You're really not in a state to drive yourself." Fuuma took his keys easily, although he was reluctant to give them up. But there was no denying that what the raven had said was true.

He really wasn't in a state to be driving.

TT

The two approached the hospital doors, and Fai rushed ahead, to attempt to comfort Shooter; who was clearly surprised by the fact that Fuuma had come along, instead of Kurogane.

"Long story," he was determined to figure out what had happened, and where Raiko was currently located. But he didn't get the chance to ask.

"Police said he was riding his motorcycle – you know how I hate that thing – and he drove out on a red light. He wasn't paying attention to traffic, so he didn't see the pickup truck...It was going fast enough to send him off of his bike..."

"That's not like him...He always pays attention to where he's going, and what he's doing..." His friend was the most careful of all drivers, and he'd yet to be in an accident; until now.

"He was distracted." It was evident by his tone, that there was more to this story than the blonde had first anticipated. He met his friend's gaze once more, questioning him with his eyes.

"It's Mayu...She's here too."

TT

Raiko was out of surgery, and just coming off of his sedation when he entered the room.

Seeing his friend looking so absolutely helpless, made him understand how his friends, and family must feel, whenever he himself ended up in the hospital.

He couldn't allow himself to think about that; not now. What mattered was his friend's condition. A Nurse had explained it to him...Apparently, he had ended up with a comminuted leg fracture, from the impact of the truck. He'd also ended up with some minor cuts and bruises, from his fall from his bike...But he was okay.

Surgery had gone well, his leg was elevated, and all of his other injuries had been tended to.

Now, as he began to stir, Fai took to the chair that was positioned at his bedside.

"Hey..."

The raven didn't reply at first. His chest heaved on his inhale, and when he exhaled, his eyes finally opened. His gaze shifted to the blonde at his bedside.

"Fai...?"

"You're stealing my scare tactic."

"Guess I should be a little more creative then," Raiko responded, knowing that his friend was only kidding. He knew how relieved he was to see him awake, and in relatively one piece.

"So...Are you going to tell me why you're in a hospital bed?" He knew that this had something to do with Mayu...But he didn't know the details.

"...Mayu!" He attempted to sit up, but Fai eased him back down, telling him not to move so much.

"Lush man, can you do me a favour? Can you go down to the maternity ward for me?"

"Maternity...Wait, she's pregnant?" Now the blonde was completely confused.

"Was. She gave birth really early this morning, and wouldn't let the hospital call me until a couple of hours ago. I was thinking about that on my way here...I was worried. She's not doing too well, because her fiancée died in an accident last month, and she doesn't know what she's going to do with her babies..."

"Babies? She had twins?" He hadn't even known that she was pregnant to begin with.

"Actually, she had triplets."

Fai stared at his friend in disbelief. Triplets. Mayu had had triplets.

He frowned as he realized that she would be all alone, when it came to raising them...

"...See why I'm worried? One baby is more than enough, in her situation. How is she going to care for three?" It wasn't that the raven doubted the woman in question. He just knew her well enough to know that she was stressing out, and unsure of how she would handle everything.

When he didn't receive an answer, he turned his attention back to the blonde, and arched a brow, when he realized he was texting.

"Fai? What're you doing?"

"Telling your boyfriend that you're awake, and that he needs to take my place."

TT

He stepped into the room, looking nervous, and scared...

"Suya...It's okay...I'm okay..." Raiko rarely ever called his boyfriend by anything other than Shooter. But this was a hospital, so they needed to be discreet.

And he needed the reassurance.

The raven in question came towards the bed, and sat down in the chair that Fai had abandoned upon sending the text. Emerald eyes traced over the damage, and he cringed when he looked towards the elevated leg.

"Comminuted leg fracture. It's the worst of my injuries, everything else is minor."

"I hate that damn bike." He cradled his boyfriend's left hand between both of his own. He was glad that he was okay. He'd been terrified out of his mind, when he'd heard that he'd been in an accident, and that had led to him panicking. He didn't do well with hospitals. Not after what he'd lost in one.

"I know you do...And I can see how worked up you've been getting...I'm sorry..."

Shooter was trying his hardest to keep his composure, so he leaned forward, capturing Raiko's lips in a gentle, and loving kiss.

"I thought I'd lost you..."

Raiko felt the guilt coursing through him, as he reached up with his free hand, to pull the emerald eyed male down into another kiss. He knew about his history, and why he been so absolutely terrified.

And knowing only made him feel worse.

TT

Fai had discreetly exited the room, and closed the door behind himself with a sigh. His friend was okay, which meant that all that was left for him to do, was check in on Mayu.

But he would wait a little longer, before he did so. Because he could hear them coming. Rushed footsteps, unmistakably belonging to Kurogane, and Chi. One was undoubtedly panicking, while the other was simply confused, and trying to keep up.

"Fai!" The deep voice grabbed his attention, and he turned his head to look. He wasn't surprised to see his husband running towards him, nor was he when he was pulled into the raven's powerful embrace.

"You scared me. What the hell happened?" Those muscular arms stayed wrapped around him, even as Chi finally caught up to them.

"Raiko was in an accident. He has a comminuted leg fracture, and he's gone through surgery. He should be alright now."

"I told you it didn't matter how long you drive one; motorcycles are not safe."

"He was distracted, Kuro-rin. He was worried about Mayu." He pulled back slightly, and turned towards Chi,

"I'm supposed to go and check on her."

"She's here too? Is she alright?" Chi was completely lost.

"She's in the Maternity Ward."

Her expression changed from one of confusion, to one of surprised understanding. A smile broke out across her features, and she looked absolutely thrilled.

"Can I go with you?"

"Of course! She'd be happy to see you. And besides..." He turned his attention to Kurogane,

"She'll want to know all about you, Kuro-rin."

"Are you sure it's okay to leave Raiko here?" The raven knew that the male was okay, but he still didn't like the idea of him being alone; even in a hospital.

"He's fine. Tetsuya is in with him now." His answer was simple and he knew his sister would understand the explanation, but...

"Tetsuya?" Kurogane had never heard the name before.

Fai pulled himself out of his husband's embrace, and went to take his hand. As he did so, he pressed his thumb, index, and middle fingers against the raven's palm, in the form of a hand gun. He kept that position for only a second, before interlocking their fingers.

Understanding displayed itself in Kurogane's expression, as he allowed Fai to tug him along. Tetsuya was Shooter's real name, though he didn't use it, for whatever reason. He wouldn't pry, as it would be rather hypocritical of him to do so. Instead, he would respect the male's boundaries, and continue to address him by his alias.

TT

"Kuro-rin? Did you hear me?"

He blinked as he looked down at the blonde. He wasn't sure who this Mayu person was, or what kind of relationship Fai shared with her, but he did know that it shouldn't matter. They were married; bound together by a bond that was far too powerful for words. And even if Fai wasn't tied to him because of a ring, it wouldn't matter.

Their hearts had been fused together.

"I said: I'm going in alone for a minute. She's not expecting us, so I'll get her comfortable with the idea of guests, before you two come in."

"...Alright." He was reluctant to let him go, but he wasn't going to stop him, either.

A smile spread itself across Fai's features. He'd been in these shoes several times before – with Fuuma – and this was the first time that he'd ever seen Kurogane push away his doubts, to allow him to go to someone else. He was rather proud of him for being so strong, despite not knowing all of the details.

Leaning up, he brushed a kiss over the raven's lips; content when he responded. They remained that way for a moment, before Fai pulled back slightly.

"I love you," he whispered.

"Je t'aime aussi."

He loved to hear his husband speaking French to him. He'd been the one to teach him the language, and Kurogane had eventually explained that he'd wanted to learn it, because of his Mother.

She had wanted to learn it herself, and she had never gotten the chance.

Smiling slightly, Fai stepped away, and headed into Mayu's hospital room.

He knew that her situation was difficult, and that his visit would be a welcome surprise, so he kept quiet upon entering the room. He waited for her to clue in to his presence, as he studied her. She hadn't changed much, since he'd last seen her. She still had that long, ebony hair, and those brilliant amethyst eyes.

But now, they contained a sorrow, a pain. She was hurting, and stressed. She didn't know what to do, and it was evident by her expression.

However, most of it disappeared, when she realized that she had company.

"...Fai?" Disbelief in her voice, and a spark of delight in her eyes, she nearly climbed out of bed, but he stopped her, thinking it was best for her to stay seated in her current condition.

"Hi Mayu..."

"How did you-? You've been to see Raiko, haven't you? How is he? Is he alright?" The amethyst eyed girl questioned him with every possible thought, as he came to sit on the edge of her bed. Chuckling, he managed to answer.

"Your brother is fine. He's got a comminuted leg fracture, and some cuts, and bruises. But all in all, he's fine. He wanted me to come and see you, to make sure you were okay." He opened his arms for a hug, which she gladly fell into, with a sigh.

"I don't know what I'm going to do, Fai." The concern was evident in her tone, and he tried to reassure her that everything would be alright.

"How can you be so sure? I've got three kids, a house that I can't afford to live in anymore, and a giant hospital bill. And, on top of it all, Raiko's been injured, because of me."

"Hey, Raiko's a big boy. He'll be fine. Now, the real concern is you, and these babies." He pulled back to look her in the eye, as he said it. She frowned, the stress visible in her expression, as she ran a hand through her hair.

"A Nurse took them out for some final tests. They'll be back soon. I have no idea what I'm going to do. I can only afford to keep one of them with me, and that's adding in the fact that I have to downsize to a smaller house, maybe even an apartment. But what do I do with my other two? Where do I put them? I can't give them up for adoption; I don't want my children to grow up not knowing one another."

"That is a tough spot to be in. But we'll figure something out, alright?" He was trying to be reassuring, though he knew that there was only so much that he could do to help. Maybe he could use his saved funds, in order to help her to pay off her hospital bill. It wasn't much, but it would definitely dent it, in the very least...

"...Chi?"

Fai blinked, and turned around, realizing that his sister was standing in the room. He wasn't surprised that she had decided to come in without waiting for his cue, so he offered her a smile, as she approached their friend's bedside.

After the two women hugged, Chi spoke up.

"I wanted to let you know that you won't have to worry about your hospital bill. It'll be taken care of. And anything else that you may need, all of it will be taken care of." She met her brother's gaze, silently confirming that these were Kurogane's words.

"Chi...You can't..."

"No, I can't. I'm not." She smiled slightly at her friend's confusion, before she headed towards the door. She didn't offer an explanation. She simply opened the door, and waited for the raven to step into the room.

As he did so, Mayu stared at him, completely awestruck. She had never seen him before in her life, nor had she ever seen anyone that was built quite like he was. He was tall, muscular, and rather intimidating in appearance. But Chi seemed to trust him...

"I should have known that you'd get involved." That was Fai, who was smiling at the raven haired male. The look was fond, and loving; it piqued Mayu's curiousity, as she watched the two of them.

The stranger didn't reply, though he did smile. It was slight, but it was there, and Fai rolled his eyes with a chuckle, in answer.

"Thank you, Kuro-rin. You didn't have to make that offer."

"She's your friend, isn't she? I know that you want to help her, so it only seemed right." He didn't add in the fact that he wouldn't have been able to live with himself, had he left this woman stranded with three babies, and no way to care for them all.

"Yes, this is Mayu; she's a friend of the family, and she's also Raiko's older sister."

Kurogane blinked, and arched a brow. He hadn't realized that the male in question had any siblings. Though of course, he didn't know much about him in general, except for the few things that he'd learned through experience, and through his husband.

"Well, all the more reason to help then. Raiko would likely have my ass if I didn't." He was joking, of course. The amethyst eyed male would never dream of asking for any assistance, especially from someone he hadn't known very long.

"And since when are you afraid of anyone that's smaller than you are?" Fai knew that the raven was only teasing. And he was very well aware that Kurogane had more than one motive in wanting to help. While he didn't connect to people too easily; he also wasn't heartless. There were three very young lives on the line, and he had a soft spot for twins, thanks to a certain blonde. And triplets weren't much different in his eyes.

Kurogane answered with a bit of chuckle, as a Nurse entered the room, pushing a rather large incubator. She wheeled it up to Mayu's bedside, and opened it up, with a smile.

"All three babies are doing great. They're all healthy, all of their tests turned up positive results, and they are ready to go home with their Mommy."

"Oh Mayu, they're adorable!" Chi announced, looking down at the tiny bundles affectionately.

The Nurse dismissed herself quietly, as Mayu looked down at her children.

"Aren't they precious? I knew what to name the girl the second I saw her, but the boys..." She trailed, looking frustrated with herself, for not being able to name her sons.

"It's better not to rush. You'll think of something." Chi stroked her fingers over the arms of the smallest baby; one of the boys.

"Now, who do you remind me of?" She mused, smiling at the little bundle, as he squirmed around slightly, testing the movements of his limbs.

Fai chuckled, and shook his head with a bit of a smile.

"I take it you mean me."

"Of course! But your hair was lighter," she murmured, stroking her fingers over the dark wisps of hair that adorned the top of the baby's head. It had been a long time since Chi had last seen a baby. She'd been six years old when her brothers were born, and a lot of time had passed since then.

Fai slipped off of the bed, carefully, and went to look down into the incubator himself.

Three little wiggling forms looked all around themselves, though Fai knew that they couldn't see very much. Newborns could only see a distance of about eight to ten inches. He wondered how the world must look to them, so blurry, so out-of-focus.

Kind of like his vision, he realized, as he tried not to panic.

His eyes blurred the incubator, and all of its occupants. And when he took a step back - to ensure the safety of the babies, should he fall - he realized that the entire room was a big, cloudy mess.

"Fai?" Kurogane's voice called out to him, though his tone was gentle. The blonde hadn't even realized that he'd backed right into his husband. He'd just been trying to put distance between himself, and Mayu's children, because he didn't trust his own balance.

"Fai? What's wrong?" The voice was a little more concerned this time, and he felt the familiar heat of the raven's hand on his shoulder.

"Kuro...Dizzy..." His words sounded slurred, even to him. What was happening? He'd been fine mere seconds ago, and now he couldn't see anything clearly.

He was vaguely aware of the fact that Kurogane had lifted him up into his arms. He supposed that this was for the best, as he was prone to fainting. At least this way, he didn't risk falling in the first place.

"Should we get you a Doctor?" He was worried, and unsure of what to do. But Fai didn't feel like being poked, and prodded.

"Wait. Might stop on its own." He was tired of feeling like a rat in a laboratory; subjected to medications, and needles. If he could avoid it, then he would.

"Fai, I really think we should get you a Doctor." That was Chi. He'd forgotten that she was in the room with them. He knew that she was very stubborn about getting her way, when it came down to him getting help. But he hoped that she might go easy on him.

"Really, Chi, I'm okay." But he wasn't. Not quite yet.

He leaned his head against his husband's shoulder, breathing in his familiar scent, in the hopes that it would help him with calming himself back down. Deep breaths, those were the key, weren't they? He needed to be calm, or his body would go into overdrive, and then he would need a Doctor. He wouldn't be able to avoid the situation if it came down to that, so he needed to get a handle on things now, while he still had the chance.

He tried to force himself into focusing on his surroundings, and he slowly allowed his body to slump in his husband's hold, as his vision returned, and his body relaxed.

"You okay?"

"...Yeah." He sighed in relief, unsure of what had brought the dizziness onto him in the first place.

He was just glad that it was over.

TT

"No way. You are staying here, and that is final." Chi was adamant that her brother stay home, especially after his little dizzy spell at the hospital.

"No, I'm not. I'm going to Mayu's house, to help with moving stuff. You should stay here, with Raiko, and Shooter, considering you know how to care for babies."

She wasn't impressed, but she knew she couldn't argue. She knew how to care for babies. She had changed plenty of diapers, and bottle fed two little boys. And now, one of those little boys had grown up, and wasn't listening to her advice any longer.

"Fai..."

"I'm not staying. I have to help out, Chi. I can't sit here and do nothing, I've done enough of that in my lifetime. And besides, you know how to handle them," he gestured to the three little bundles that were currently lying on the pull out couch, tucked between Raiko, and Shooter.

She sighed in defeat, knowing that there was no winning here. Mayu couldn't stay herself, as she had to go to the house, to dictate what she was keeping, and what she would be getting rid of. So the only other person that could stay behind, and be useful, was Chi.

"...No heavy lifting, okay?"

"Okay. No heavy lifting. I'll leave that to Kuro-rin."

"If you need to take a break, you take one, understand?" She knew that having her brother make promises, wasn't entirely useful, but it would give her a little peace of mind.

"Yes ma'am," he teased, giving her a hug, which she returned, before pulling away, and turning her attention to Kurogane.

"Try to control your husband, okay?"

"I'll keep an eye on him." He turned his attention to the two ravens that were resting on the pull out couch.

"You," he pointed to Raiko as he said it,

"No moving, unless it's a washroom break."

"Yes sir," Raiko teased, saluting Kurogane with a grin.

The taller raven turned to Shooter next,

"And you. Make sure that your boy-toy-candy doesn't move around too much."

The grin on Raiko's face, faltered. His expression turned disbelieving, as he blinked in surprised confusion.

He had referred to Kurogane as Fai's boy-toy-candy, over the phone, while talking to Chi. He hadn't realized that the taller raven had been told about that, however.

Fai started to tremble with laughter - which he was desperately trying to contain - as he stepped out of the house. Raiko's expression had been absolutely priceless. He wasn't used to being taken off guard like that, and apparently Shooter found it to be rather amusing as well, because he was chuckling.

TT

They had been moving things around for a few hours now.

They were bringing everything out of the house, and setting it all down in piles. The keep pile had been separated into two very distinctly different piles; one was larger than the other. The larger pile was filled with things that were going to be placed in storage, while the smaller pile was filled with things that Mayu knew that she would need; clothes, bathroom necessities, etc. The other piles were filled with things that she was either going to sell, give away, or throw out. She had been meaning to clean the house out for ages, but she had never been able to bring herself to doing so, as she had been too upset by her fiancée's death to want to get rid of any of his things.

But now, she had no choice. She could not afford to keep all of his belongings any longer.

This was another reason that Fai had been so insistent on coming out to help.

He knew how difficult this situation happened to be, and that letting go wouldn't be easy. Especially considering the fact that so little time had passed since the loss of her fiancée...

He felt bad, as he picked up a relatively heavy box - breaking his promise to his sister - and carried it outside to the sell pile. It was a box filled with some of the previously mentioned male's more expensive clothing, and Mayu hoped that by selling it, she might make a little money. She had money saved up, enough to care for her children for a while, and to cover some of their expenses. But she wanted to have more, so that she could hold off on that nagging feeling of guilt, which was already taking a hold of her. She was getting so much help, from so many people...And she didn't feel as though she deserved any of it.

But she was thankful nonetheless.

Fai had been working nonstop this entire time, although he had promised to take breaks here and there. He hadn't felt the need as of yet, but he was starting to feel tired. He knew he shouldn't be pushing himself so hard, so when his cell phone started ringing a familiar tune, he decided that he'd take that opportunity to sit down for a minute.

After setting down the box that he'd been carrying, he pulled his phone out of his pocket, and hit talk. He knew who was calling him, and he'd been expecting the call, but it was still new to him. He wasn't used to receiving pleasant phone calls from this number.

"Hello?" He tried desperately not to sound too nervous.

"Hello Fai." The blonde relaxed slightly upon hearing the name, knowing how difficult it was for this man to address him by it.

"Hey Dad, I take it you got my message?" It had been difficult to leave it, as he was almost never alone. Kurogane generally stuck to him like glue, and when it wasn't the raven, it was Fuuma, or Kamui.

"I did...Are you okay? You sound worn out." There was genuine concern in his tone, which made Fai smile. He wasn't used to this, but he was enjoying it.

"I'm fine. I've just been hel-" The sentence trailed off as his vision began to blur.

"...Fai?" His Father's voice was worried now, as he tried to stutter out the rest of the sentence.

"I've just been hel...Help...Help-ing," he'd had to gulp in the middle of the word, as his world began to move in an unnatural fashion. It was like his eyes had become a broken movie reel, shifting down vertically, over and over again, as he desperately tried to get himself into a sitting position, without breaking anything.

But his legs didn't want to cooperate, and he couldn't get his body to do what he wanted it to.

"Helping M-Mayu with her m-move..." He'd remembered to finish his sentence, though it had taken some time. His Father was beginning to panic, asking him what was wrong, and whether or not he was okay, but Fai didn't know how to answer. He didn't even know whether or not he could.

The blonde couldn't focus, and the vertical shifts were making him feel nauseous. He stumbled, while trying to force his body into a sitting position, but he couldn't make himself go down. He was too afraid that if he went down, he'd pass out, and he wasn't in the mood to be waking up in the hospital again, he'd had enough of that damned place already.

"Fai?" A different voice questioned his name, but he couldn't determine where it was coming from, though he did recognize who was speaking to him.

"What's wrong?" Closer now, but the voice sounded like it was echoing in his head, as did his Father's voice, as he continued to question him through the receiver.

"...Fuuma...Can't...Dizzy..." He couldn't even explain the fact that he currently couldn't see anything clearly, or that he felt as though he was going to faint. He didn't want to faint. Fainting meant a direct trip to the hospital.

He felt his friend's study hands on his shoulders, and he allowed him to guide his body into sitting down. Fuuma sat down near him, and tugged the blonde into lying down, his head in the raven's lap.

Fai groaned, and curled up around his friend's knees. He closed his eyes, and set down his phone, as he tried to focus on breathing. If he could get his body to relax, he would be okay. If he could force himself into being okay, then he wouldn't have to go to the hospital.

Fuuma gingerly ran his fingers through the blonde's hair, trying to soothe him. He was concerned. He'd heard about Fai's dizzy spell at the hospital earlier that day, and now he was having another one. Things were taking a turn for the worst. His body hadn't solidified his illness yet, and at the rate that things were going...

He tried not to think about that, as stared down at his friend, completely oblivious to Kurogane, and Kamui, standing on the porch.

The shorter of the two ravens, set down the box he'd been carrying, and dashed off the porch. He rushed down the stairs, towards his fiancée, and their friend.

"Fai! Fuuma, is he okay?"

Kurogane watched him go, awestruck with the fact that Kamui never seemed to be jealous of their relationship.

No matter how many times Kamui saw Fuuma hugging Fai, or sitting with him, or joking around with him; he never seemed bothered by the fact that it was happening. And Kurogane knew that the shorter raven saw it all happening, so it wasn't as though he simply hadn't noticed. It was impossible not to notice those two. When they were together, they were noisy, and goofy, and extremely close...They loved one another, they had made that perfectly clear.

But, he realized, they'd made something else even clearer.

They had made it very obvious that, while they did indeed love one another, there were other people that they loved even more.

For Fuuma, this meant Kamui; who sat down next to him, with one hand on Fai's forehead, checking his temperature. They were bound together, just as Kurogane knew that he himself was bound to Fai.

He set down the box that he'd been carrying, and hurried down the porch steps, knowing that he needed to be there for his husband.

He crouched in front of them, wondering what it was that he should do. However, he wasn't confused for long, because as soon as Fuuma let Fai know that his husband was there, the blonde wanted to go to him. He wanted the raven. He would always want the raven.

So, being careful in doing so, Kurogane scooped the lithe male up into his arms, cradling him in the warmth, and security of his hold.

He wasn't surprised when Fai buried his face in his shoulder; he had done the same thing back at the hospital. If anything, he found it to be amusing.

"I'm beginning to think that my shoulder has some kind of healing ability." He was trying to lighten the mood.

The blonde chuckled weakly in answer, and mumbled something about his scent, and feeling better. He hadn't been expecting for him to be so honest, though he knew that it shouldn't surprise him. Fai was rather open, and liked to tease his husband endlessly. And although he tried to hide it, Kurogane couldn't stop himself from blushing slightly.

This seemed to be a little too intimate to be talking about in front of their friends, so he was glad that Fuuma appeared to be busy with Fai's cell phone. Kamui was still with him, but he seemed to be paying more attention to what Fuuma was saying, than to what Fai was mumbling.

The realization that their friends likely hadn't heard what had been said, made him sigh in relief. Fai chuckled against his shoulder, knowing that he had flustered his husband.

"That wasn't funny."

"Of course it was." He smiled as he continued,

"...And thank you, for coming to get me. I know I was safe with Fuuma, but I relax more when I'm with you."

"You were supposed to take breaks." He shifted the blonde into his left arm, freeing his right hand, as Fuuma got to his feet. He accepted Fai's cell phone when it was offered to him.

"I know. I should have listened...I'm sorry..."

Kurogane pressed the phone up to his ear, knowing that the person on the other end was Taijo.

"He's okay."

"Well that's a relief. He had me worried there, he started to stutter, and he sounded like he was struggling to speak. I thought, maybe..." He didn't finish what he trying to say, but he didn't need to. Kurogane knew exactly what he was implying. He couldn't come up with a reply, as the image filled his head, so he passed the phone back to its owner in silence.

"Dad?"

"Fai! I know that everyone said you were okay, but it's much more reassuring to hear your voice." The concerned tone still seemed so bizarre to him, but he appreciated it nonetheless.

"I'm fine. Now, about our conversation from earlier..."

"Right. I met up with him already, and he says we can come out tonight. So, whenever you're finished with helping your friend..."

"Okay, that works. Tonight should be fine. I'll have Kurogane drop me off at the house, and then we can go together." It was obvious to the raven that the house, was not a reference to their home. It was a direct reference to the place in which Taijo lived; the home that Fai himself had been raised in.

"Alright. Send a message my way, when you're getting close, and I'll make sure the car is ready."

"Will do. Bye Dad." He waited for his Father to tell him goodbye, before closing his phone. He could feel the heat of Kurogane's gaze, as the raven studied him, waiting for answers...But he didn't want to give him the details of the conversation.

"...What?"

"What was that about?" He was suspicious, because Fai wanted to be taken right to his Father's territory, and Kurogane still didn't trust the older blonde.

"It wasn't anything important. I just wanted to visit an old family friend, so I figured I should ask my Dad about taking me." It was a lie. The person they were going to see wasn't an old friend. Fai had never met the man before in his life. But he knew that he needed to see him.

Kurogane didn't buy it. He looked annoyed that he'd been lied to, as he set his husband back on his own two feet.

"Kuro-rin?"

There was no answer, as the raven wandered away. Fai understood then, as he set his eyes downcast. He'd upset his husband. He'd lied, and he hated to do so, but he also didn't want to think about where it was that he was going, or why he was going there at all.

He just wanted to do it, get it done, and over with, and move on with his life.

With a shuddering sigh, he wandered off to find Mayu, knowing that he needed to take things easy for a while, and figuring that he could help her to make some decisions while he did so.

TT

The drive was quiet.

Too quiet.

Tomoyo didn't like this. It meant that something bad had happened, and she wasn't sure what it was, but she hated to think that her cousin, and his husband, were fighting...Again.

It seemed to be such a constant occurrence. They were happy together, and then they'd argue. It was usually something simple, and easy to fix...But sometimes it was so complex that it made Tomoyo dizzy just thinking about it.

The biggest problem, was the fact that she could never figure out which situation they happened to be in. And not knowing just made the silence that much worse.

She settled for staring out the window...Only to realize that they weren't going home.

"Where are we going?"

When no one bothered with answering her, she started to get anxious.

First Kurogane and Fai refuse to speak to one another. Now, they were going in an unfamiliar direction, to a place that wasn't home.

She turned to look at Mayu, wondering if perhaps she was familiar with their surroundings.

"...Are we going to your old house? I know you used to live down here..." The amethyst eyed woman was confused, as she watched the familiar surroundings pass by.

Suddenly Tomoyo understood what was wrong.

Fai was going back to his old home, which meant that Taijo had something to do with this. Their relationship had never been great, and Kurogane didn't trust him...

So why were they going? What could the blonde's Father possibly want from him? He couldn't be planning on hurting him, because if he was, he was risking his own life. She knew her cousin well enough to know that it would take a lot to calm him back down, and that if he felt that Fai's life might be in jeopardy...

They pulled into a driveway then, and Tomoyo realized they'd reached their destination. Fai unbuckled his seatbelt, intent on getting out, but Kurogane hit the locks. When the blonde turned his head, to question his husband on what it was that he was doing, the raven wrapped one of his powerful arms around him, securing him in his hold. He didn't give him a chance to speak. He captured his lips, roughly, but not roughly enough to hurt him, and Fai couldn't help but respond.

Kurogane's taste, his scent, all of it was overwhelming, and for a moment, he was feeling rather heady. He was lost in the warmth of his tongue, and his powerful body, and he wanted more of him.

Gods he wanted more of him.

But the raven pulled away, slowly, gently, and his eyes displayed his concern. Fai cupped his husband's face, tenderly, trying to look reassuring. This was not a trip that would cause him any harm. There was no need for Kurogane to worry, but he simply couldn't tell him the truth.

Not now.

"It'll be okay...I promise..."

The raven didn't reply verbally. He gave a slight nod of his head, and allowed for the love of his life, to climb out of the car.

When the door closed behind him, Mayu cleared her throat, flustered by what she'd just witnessed.

"...So...Kurogane, huh?" She had assumed that there was some kind of bind between the raven in question, and Fai himself. But she hadn't asked.

"...Yeah." He kept his eyes trained on Taijo, who nodded at him, confirming a silent promise that this was not a trip that he should worry about.

"I'm sorry, but...Who are you, exactly?" She was completely lost on his title in Fai's life. Just how close were they? Judging by what she'd seen...

"...I'm his husband."

"His...What, when did-?" She cut herself off, and shook her head,

"Well that explains a lot."

Tomoyo giggled at the reaction that the love fest had received.

"You kind of get used to that after a while. They tend to forget that there are other people in the world sometimes."

"Says the one that taped us." Kurogane's deep voice was teasing, as he pulled the car back out onto the road. He was still feeling miserable, and confused, but he knew that he couldn't linger. He just hoped that Fai came back unscathed.

"That video is doing very well, by the way. A lot of views."

"A lot of...Wait a second, did you actually post that online?" He glanced at her in the rear-view mirror, unsure of whether or not he should believe her.

Her only answer was laughter, because she found his reaction to be rather amusing. She wasn't going to let him know if she was only kidding, or not.

It was much more entertaining to keep him guessing.

TT

When the blonde arrived at home, he came home to a rather quiet house.

Almost everyone had gone upstairs to sleep, with the exception of Shooter, Raiko, and Chi. The two males had no choice, as they always slept downstairs, and Chi was just waiting for her brother to come back home again.

They knew that Kurogane was waiting as well, though he had decided to do so in private.

"Fai..." His sister looked so relieved to see him stepping back into the house. He offered her a small smile, as he was feeling slightly tired after such a long day.

"Where are the babies?" He stepped out of his shoes as he asked the question, and let out a relieved sigh once they were off of his feet.

"Two are in Tomoyo's room, because that's where Mayu is sleeping, and it will be easier on her to have another set of hands to help her out. And the little one, is in my room." She was watching him, waiting for an explanation. But giving her one, would mean losing the control that he had on his emotions.

And he didn't want to lose his control.

"...Nothing happened."

"Then why did-?"

"-Chi, nothing happened, alright? I promise. I just...I just don't have the energy to talk about it right now." He was tired. His emotions had been all over the place that day, and now he just wanted to be with his husband.

He needed his anchor.

"...Okay. It's been a big day, for everyone. You should go up to bed." She knew her brother well enough, to know that he wanted Kurogane. She just hoped that the raven would be able to pry the information out of her brother.

Fai nodded, and said his goodnights, before retreating upstairs to his bedroom.

The door was unlocked - as he'd known it would be - and he opened it quietly; being sure to lock it behind himself, upon closing it.

He wasn't at all surprised to find Kurogane sitting on the edge of the bed, illuminated by the light of his bedside lamp. He knew that the raven wouldn't go to sleep if he was out of the house.

Especially if he was out with his Father.

Where were you? What happened? Why did you have to go with your Father?

The ruby eyes were speaking to him, even though his lips never moved. But Fai wasn't ready to speak, as he began to shed his clothing. He just wanted to crawl into their bed, curl up to his husband, and forget. He didn't want to think about what it was that he had done. He didn't want to think about what it meant. Doing this had made everything seem so final. And he didn't want for anything to be final. Not yet. Not when he had so much that he wanted to experience with his husband.

Upon removing his shirt, he met the raven's gaze once again.

He didn't want to lose everything that they had built up together. He didn't want to lose the strong arms that would wrap around him, comforting him; warming him. He didn't want to lose the tender kisses; nor did he wish to lose the rough ones. He didn't want to lose their stupid arguments, their late night cuddle sessions, or their teasing remarks.

He didn't want to lose their marriage.

But Fai knew, as he stood lost in his own world, that today had been important. Because today was the day, in which he had signed his death warrant.

"Fai?" The deep voice questioned his name, but he couldn't respond. He knew that what he had done today, had nothing to do with a death warrant at all. But it still felt that way to him, because it all had seemed so...Final.

"...Fai?" The voice was gentler now, and concerned. It pulled the blonde out of the darkness, and back into reality. He met his husband's gaze once more, unsure of when it was that he had looked away in the first place.

"Are you okay?" It wasn't the question that he wanted to ask, but it was important nonetheless.

"I'm fine." He held out his arms for his husband to see.

"No bruises. No cuts. Nothing. He wasn't taking me out to hurt me."

"Then what did he want?" He hated to leave the blonde alone with his Father. He didn't trust him. But he was thankful to see that there were no new markings on his arms.

"...I don't want to talk about it." Fai's knew that his answer wouldn't satisfy the raven's curiousity. He knew it, as he climbed into their bed, and felt his husband's weight shifting to follow him. But he refused to give in. He didn't want to have this discussion, because it would make everything so much more real, and saying it would make it all seem so final.

So he opted for the distraction, instead.

It wasn't difficult to pull off, as it had been a while since they had last been together in such an intimate fashion, and their bodies craved the contact.

However...

"You're supposed to be taking it easy, remember? I don't exactly think of this as: taking things easy." Kurogane hadn't forgotten about the blonde's little expedition with his Father, but it didn't seem to be nearly as important now, considering their current position.

He mentally cursed Fai, for being so good at providing him with tempting distractions.

"Kuro-rin, you really need to relax." The answer was simple, and those blue eyes displayed an affectionate determination.

He wasn't going to give up easily.

"Besides, as I recall, we never had our honeymoon." As the words were spoken, slender fingers gently traced their way along the flesh of one of the raven's arms. Those eyes closed for a moment, before flashing back up to the ruby gaze, with a look that made Kurogane bite his tongue, just to keep from groaning.

Gods he wanted to touch him. He wanted to lose himself in the slender frame, and the tantalizing taste of his lips, his skin...He wanted the sounds of his moans; wanted to hear him crying out his name, as he reached the brink of ecstasy. He wanted all of him then, and always...But he was terrified, right to his core, of overworking him when he was already so fragile.

"Kuro-love...You really need to rela-"

"—I'm scared I'll hurt you..."

Fai watched as the distraught expression crossed his husband's face. He knew then that Kurogane had been thinking about his illness, and considering the consequences that could arise from his actions.

He propped himself up, on one of his hands, and used his free hand, to stroke his fingers through his husband's hair. It wasn't that he hadn't considered the consequences...However, he didn't want to live in fear. He had done enough of that in the past. There was no reason to deprive themselves of the pleasure they both craved, and he didn't want Kurogane to fear the act of making love, simply because he himself was sick.

"Well then Kuro-love...I suppose you'll just have to be gentle with me." The words were murmured just before the blonde led his husband into a kiss. Their lips melded together, cautious, but passionate; seeking the other's warmth, and taste...

Kurogane felt his resolve slipping, as their kiss deepened. He was getting too close to the edge of submission; his fears were losing the battle.

The blonde beneath him let out a low chuckle, as his victory was becoming rather evident to both of them.

"It's not funny, Fai," Kurogane murmured, pulling out of the kiss, and turning his attention to grazing his teeth across the blonde's left earlobe.

"Nnh...You're right, I shouldn't laugh..."

The raven moved from his husband's ear, and over to his neck. He bit him, causing another moan to flow from those gentle lips once more.

"You're such a masochist."

"Says the one that's biting me; does that make you a sadist then?"

He was answered with another playful bite to the neck.

"...Perhaps I am a little bit masochistic..." The blonde murmured, causing the raven to stop what he was doing, so that he could meet his husband's gaze.

"...Fai?" Kurogane questioned the name, as he cupped the paler male's face in his hands.

"What's wrong?"

"I...I kind of...I want you to say it..."

"...Say what?" The raven was confused beyond belief by the turn in their conversation. And the silence that followed his question; wasn't helping.

"Fai, I can't say it, if you don't tell me what it is that you me to-"

"-My name...My...My birth name..." The blonde bit his bottom lip upon uttering the words.

Kurogane's expression softened then, and he kissed the blonde's forehead, gently.

"You sure?"

"Kind of. Maybe. I don't really know...But for some reason, I want to hear you saying it, at least once."

The raven let out a worried sigh, as he pulled his head back. He wasn't sure if he could make eye contact while saying the name; mainly because he didn't want to be the one to hurt his husband. He knew how forbidden that name happened to be, and how much pain it tended to cause the blonde in question.

But he had asked him to say it.

So, mustering up a tiny bit of courage – where his courage had run off to in the first place, he wasn't entirely sure – he managed to meet the blue gaze, as he murmured the blonde's birth name.

The silence that followed, threatened to swallow them both whole.

Yuui's eyes widened slightly, just slightly, but it was still enough to send Kurogane into panic mode.

"I'm sorry. Shit, I shouldn't have said it. I know how much you hate hearing your na-"

His speech was abruptly cut off, as the blonde led him back into a kiss. And although his lips responded, his brain was still trying to sort out what was going on. So when they broke apart once more, the first words out of the raven's mouth were:

"—name...What just happened?"

This, of course, caused the blonde to chuckle, as he ran pale fingers through his husband's ebony locks of hair.

"I wasn't sure how I felt at first...I was met with that uneasiness that's always come with hearing my name...But then I realized how silly it was of me, to be nervous about you saying it. Especially considering I'd asked it of you."

Kurogane's body relaxed, and he leaned forward to kiss his husband once again, content with the knowledge that he hadn't hurt him.

Yuui cupped one hand around the nape of the raven's neck, allowing the nails of his free hand to travel down the tan flesh of his husband's back.

Kurogane released a moan, and, unable to contain himself any longer; freed himself, so that he could remove the blonde's boxers.

Once the dreaded material was out of his way, he crawled back over the lithe body, kissing his way up the male's stomach, and chest, before hungrily recapturing his lips. He set his left hand firmly on the mattress, using it as his support system, so that he could ravish the body beneath him.

Pulling back out of the kiss, he turned his attention to the blonde's neck. His right hand roamed across the exposed flesh of Yuui's body, tracing over one of his nipples, causing him to moan. His hand continued to travel down the lithe body; which arched into his touch. And when he finally wrapped his hand around his husband's erection, he was met with an involuntary thrust.

"Haah..."

"Eager much?"

"Shut-u—haah!" The hand that had wrapped his erection, was now beginning to stroke his length, firmly, but gently.

"Nnh...Kurogane...Please..I nee—nnh...I need..." He couldn't speak properly. Not with this much pleasure coursing through him. But it wasn't nearly enough.

He needed the reckless abandon that came with his lover being buried inside of him. He needed the ecstasy, the passion, the fire...

He needed Kurogane.

"You need...?" The raven knew the answer to that question, but there was no way in hell that he would make this easy.

"In...Inside...Haah...I need you..."

As much fun as the raven had been having with tormenting the blonde, his own erection couldn't handle much more of this. Those moans were driving him absolutely insane, and he wanted more.

No, he needed more.

He stopped stroking – much to Yuui's disappointment – so that he could search through one of the night side tables, for their lubrication.

He knew the blonde wouldn't be disappointed for long though, as his fingers curled around the bottle, and he pulled it from the drawer. He listened to the moan of anticipation, and smiled slightly upon hearing it.

Upon coating the fingers of his right hand, he carefully set the open bottle on the night side table. And – once it was out of the way – he repositioned his husband's legs, so that preparing him would be easier to do.

The moans that erupted from the mere presence of his fingers, made it extremely difficult for him to maintain his composure. But he knew that it would hurt more, if he didn't give the blonde a chance to adapt to the presence in his body.

But Yuui wasn't too keen on waiting.

"Dammit Kurogane, if you don't get inside of me, so help me, I'll – Nnh..." His argument was lost, as Kurogane took over his lips once more. He could feel the raven shifting, as he applied lubrication to his own erection. He felt him change their positions slightly, as he positioned himself at the blonde's entrance. And then their kiss was broken, as the raven murmured his question.

"Are you absolutely sure about going through with this?" He looked worried, and Yuui smiled slightly at his husband's concern.

"I want you." His eyes held such passion, as he whispered the words. It was his only confirmation, and Kurogane knew that there would be no backing out of this now.

So, leading his husband back into a kiss, he slid into him; slowly, and as gently as was humanly possible. He wasn't surprised when the blonde tightened around him, as it had been a while since they had last engaged in this particular activity. So he broke their kiss, needing to ask whether or not he was alright.

"I'm fine...Just...Give me a minute." He hooked one leg around the backs of Kurogane's legs, keeping him in place. He needed to adjust, so that he wouldn't end up becoming too sore.

The raven understood, and kissed his way along the pale flesh of his husband's neck, relishing in the sounds of his moans. His tongue traced the blonde's earlobe, and Yuui shivered beneath him.

Kurogane resisted the urge to thrust, when he felt the blonde loosening up. He didn't want to rush him. He didn't want to hurt him.

Yuui was able to follow his lover's train of thought rather easily, for he repositioned his leg, no longer holding the raven in place.

The moan that escaped the blonde's lips, as Kurogane finally allowed himself to thrust, sent shivers down the raven's spine.

It took all of his willpower to be as gentle as was humanly possible. And even then he knew that it wouldn't be nearly enough. Because it had been so long, and their bodies craved the connection. They were hungry for one another; desperate to drive each other over the brink of ecstasy.

"Nnh...Kurogane..."

A grunted moan in response, and then...

"Yuui..."

"Haah!" The moan was louder this time. Hearing his lover speaking his name – his birth name – in such an intimate setting...It was indescribable. It was driving him closer to the edge, as were the thrusts that he was trying his hardest to meet.

Their bodies fit together, in a way that neither had ever thought possible. And the two of them fit together in ways that no one could have ever predicted.

Neither had ever intended to fall in love.

And now, it was inconceivable that one could ever be without the other.

"Kurogane..." This was the other way in which the blonde spoke his husband's name. With a lust, and a need. It was spoken behind a locked bedroom door, so only his ears could hear it. It came out on a moan, which sent another shiver down the raven's spine, as he continued with his thrusts.

He knew how close they were, and he knew that Yuui wouldn't be able to handle this much longer. It was evident in his voice, and his expression. And his actions – gods, his actions – as if his moans weren't already too much for the raven to bear. The blonde had been dragging his fingernails down the tan flesh of his husband's back; pulling him closer by doing so, and causing him to thrust more deeply.

Those hands clung to him now, and he quickened his pace slightly, listening to the answering moans, as they slipped past swollen lips.

"Haah...Kuro-nnh! Can't..." He didn't finish what it was that he was trying to say, but he didn't need to. His body was beginning to tremble, and the raven knew what that meant. He thrust more deeply than before, and Yuui clung to him more tightly. His body progressed from a tremble, to a full out shake, and the raven wrapped his free hand around the blonde's erection, pumping him to their rhythm.

"Kurogane...Haaah! Nnh..." He felt himself breaking, as the pent up pleasure finally reached its brink. His body clenched involuntarily, and the raven groaned in response, finding the beginning of his release, seconds after his husband did.

They rode it out together, savouring the connection, and sharing kisses as they drained themselves of their pent up frustrations. And when they were finished, Kurogane pulled a blanket up over them; knowing that Yuui was too tired to get up again.

He also realized, as sleep slowly began to take a hold of him, that the blonde in his arms, had managed to avoid confrontation yet again.

TT

Freshly showered, and slightly sore, Yuui was ready to face the day.

He came downstairs to find that there were three little bundles tucked between Raiko, and Shooter, and he smiled upon seeing them.

"Precious little things," he murmured, looking down at them in awe. He was a sucker for babies. He had always been the baby, in his family, so it was nice to be able to see some.

"Precious, and little alright. But also very needy," Tomoyo sighed, taking a drink from her coffee mug. She was still somewhat tired, from spending a fairly restless night, tending to the bigger of the two boys.

"I'm sorry, Tomoyo." That was Mayu, who was feeling rather guilty, for keeping the younger woman awake for most of the previous night.

"Don't be. It's not your fault, nor is it theirs. They're just babies, after all." Her smile was genuine, and forgiving. Mayu was thankful that she was so understanding.

Chi stepped back into the house – coming in from outside – and ruffled her brother's hair upon entering the room. She didn't fail to notice that he winced when he sat down on one of the couches, though she wasn't too concerned. Fuuma – who had just come downstairs – seemed to notice it as well, for he looked to his friend with an all-too-knowing grin.

"Rough night?" His voice implied that he knew just how rough his night had been, and the blonde felt his face flushing in embarrassment.

"There are children present!"

"They don't understand us yet. Nice try though!"

"I was referring to you, actually," Yuui teased, watching as his friend feigned a look of hurt in reply.

"Ouch."

"You started it." He noted that Kurogane, and Kamui, were both coming into the living room then, and he smiled at his husband as he approached him. The raven sat down beside him, and Yuui was only too happy to curl up against him, content in his embrace.

Kamui, however, sat himself down on the edge of Raiko, and Shooter's, bed. He wasn't a morning person, by any means, but his touch was nothing but gentle, as he tapped the curled fingers of the smallest baby's hand. His little fingers uncurled, before they wrapped around Kamui's finger, and the raven smiled at the contact.

Yuui blinked, staring first at Kamui, before turning his attention to Fuuma, in utter confusion. The male laughed, as he poured his fiancée a cup of coffee.

"Don't worry. If there's anything that Kamui loves – besides coffee – it's being able to unleash his big brother tendencies." Fuuma was completely unconcerned, as he added sugar, and cream to the coffee he had poured, before telling the raven that his drink was ready.

"Sorry little one, but can I have my finger back?" He wiggled the digit in question, and the baby uncurled his fingers long enough for Kamui to pull himself away. He retreated to the kitchen for his coffee, which he drank in relative silence, as the others continued with their conversations.

However, upon finishing his coffee, and setting the mug down, he turned his attention to his fiancée.

"You know, you left something rather important off of that list of things that I love."

"Subaru?" Fuuma guessed, though he knew that that wasn't what Kamui was implying. He set down his own mug with a hint of a smile.

"Well, him too. But I meant you." He knew that the taller raven was just teasing him, but he still felt as though it needed to be said. And he was content when Fuuma pulled him into his arms, and leaned down to kiss him.

His kisses were always warm, and comforting...

"Get a room!" Yuui announced, unable to resist the jab.

The kiss broke, and laughter ensued, as Fuuma gave his retort,

"We leave that up to you, and Kurogane, actually."

The blonde wasn't sure how to reply, so he resigned himself, knowing that he had been defeated in this particular round. He made a mental note to get back at Fuuma for that one later, as someone knocked on the front door. Chi rose to get it, and briefly explained who it was, so as not to take anyone by surprise.

"Are you sure he'll be okay around them?" Mayu questioned, knowing about Yuui's history with this particular guest.

"He'll be fine. All of that is in the past now, and besides, it's been forever since he's last seen a baby." She knew that it would be a long time before anyone would ever fully trust him, and that his apology hadn't fixed everything. However, it had greatly improved things, and she hoped that they would continue to improve from then on. She opened the door for her Father, and was happy to find that he was wearing a rather pleasant expression.

Mayu repositioned herself, moving to sit on the edge of the pull out bed, as she felt safer when she was near her children, and her brother. Taijo didn't question the movement, as he followed his daughter into the house. He was polite, and quiet, and he stood near the pull out bed, so that he could look down upon the tiny faces of Mayu's children.

"Been a while since I've last seen people this small," he mused, smiling at the little wriggling figures.

"The boys haven't been named yet, but the girl – the baby in green – is Eri," Chi piped up, filling her Father in. She had known that he would be curious about the names, and she had hoped that providing him with an answer to his unasked question, would break some of the tension in the room.

"Who does the little lad in purple remind me of?" Taijo chuckled, making eye contact with his son for just a moment upon saying it. There was no menace in that brief glance, nor were there any undertones of violence. His voice was friendly, and his eyes were amused – and bewildered – by the mere chance that an old friend of his children, had ended up having triplets.

"Chi said the same thing when she first saw him," the younger blonde piped up. He was happy to see his Father's reaction. He hoped that he would be better to these three, than he had ever been to his own children.

He doubted that this would be a problem.

"So, you came here to see the babies?" That was Kurogane, and Yuui didn't like the undertone in his voice, when he asked his question.

Taijo looked away from the triplets, to set a confused gaze on the raven.

"Yes. Chi told me about Mayu having babies, and when I inquired about coming over, she was extremely enthusiastic."

"I thought you might be coming over to tell me what it was that you two were up to yesterday."

"I thought Fai would tell you about that, so that you wouldn't worry." Taijo was lost as to what was going on. He had taken his son out, on his request, and now he was finding out that the younger blonde hadn't even bothered with explaining his absence to his husband.

"No, he hasn't said a word." The raven replied, shifting his gaze down to the blonde in question.

Yuui tore himself out of his husband's hold, and got to his feet in annoyance.

"This is really mature, Kurogane." His head throbbed, and he felt slightly dizzy, but he decided that it was due to the fact that he had gotten up too quickly. There was no need to panic every single time that he felt lightheaded.

"Well, you won't tell me what happened, so I figured that your Dad might." The raven was clearly bothered by the fact that Yuui was withholding this information. What could he have possibly done that was so secretive?

"I didn't tell you, because I wanted to forget about it ever happening. You already know what that trip wasn't about, so why do you need to know all of the details?" He wanted to continue with his tirade of questions, but he stopped himself when he felt a heavy throbbing in his chest.

Something was wrong, he realized, as Kurogane started to say something else.

The raven hadn't caught on to the problem just yet, but Yuui knew that he couldn't hold it in for long. He knew it, as he felt the cough building in his throat. He knew it as his vision blurred; becoming a vertically shifting movie reel once again. Only this time, something had changed.

This time, he heard the voice.

"...Yuui..."

"Fai? Are you okay?" That was Kurogane, but the blonde barely heard him, as the cough tore itself from his lungs, and into his hand. His flesh was stained with the blood of his internal battle, and he couldn't stop his body from surrendering to the coughing fit.

"Fai!" Panic now, as someone called for an ambulance. But he barely heard them above the sound of his body losing the battle.

He was vaguely aware of the fact that Kurogane was steadying him, but his vision – which he was desperately trying to bring into focus – was caught on the young blonde that was standing in the room.

"...Fai..."

He wasn't aware of the name leaving his lips.

All he was aware of, before unconsciousness took a hold of him, were his husband's hands, and his brother's voice; calling his name, and telling him to hold on.

(A.N: This isn't the last chapter. However, this does lead into the last chapter. And, I actually have two endings; one of which basically started this entire fanfic, and the other that came to me as I was writing the later chapters of the fanfic. When I post them, I will make sure to tell you which one is which. I still have to write them out...I have one started already, but it's far from ready. I have no idea when I'll next be updating, but, I will be updating! Eventually. In case anyone is wondering, the song that I listened to, to write this chapter, was What If, by SafetySuit. I cleared out my iTunes recently, and now this song's play count is at 579. Yeah, it took me a long time to write this chapter. Anyways. R&R? I love you guys, and I'd appreciate it!)