Chapter 1: Just A Little Cough

Constructive reviews are great - flames are not.

All characters' thoughts are italicized, underlined, and in bold print (all at the same time)

Just a quick note: 0 degrees Celsius = 32 degrees Fahrenheit (for anyone who does not use the metric system.)

========================Just A Little Cough========================

Shuichi has permanently moved in with Yuki, not that Yuki was complaining anymore, even though he didn't have much choice in the matter. They eventually moved into a regular house, because Yuki thought it would be a good idea seeing as two people don't require that much space. Which actually meant that the landlord who owned the apartments had kicked them out because he was homophobic? Shuichi had thought it would be cute to get a regular house instead of another apartment. After that things went smoothly for them… well, as smooth as things can go for those two. Of course, things can and do, often change.

Yuki and Shuichi were spending a quiet evening at home. Or rather, Yuki wished Shuichi would shut up for a change. Shuichi's antics were seriously irritating the young novelist.

Yuki was attempting to finish another novel; attempting being the key word. Unfortunately for him, Shuichi had just noticed the thick blanket of snow covering the ground outside their home and was eagerly pointing it out to the weary writer. How he had not noticed it last night during the heavy blizzard, Yuki did not want to know.

"Hey Yuki, look! It's snowing!"

"That's nice, Shuichi," Yuki said, his voice oozing sarcasm.

"Can we go outside?" Shuichi asked, clearly not noticing Yuki's obvious annoyance.

"Dummy, it's freezing outside," Yuki replied, getting more frustrated by the second.

"But I want to play in the snow!" Shuichi whined, turning his famous puppy eyes onto his lover. Sadly, for Shuichi that is, Yuki was nearly immune to the trick by now, and all he earned was a harsh look.

"Shuichi, I am not going outside while it's 0 degrees Celsius just because you want to act like a dumb brat!" Anyone everyone else would have noticed the annoyed tone of Yuki's voice and got the message to shut up, but not Shuichi. He just never let up.

"But Yuki…" Shuichi whined.

"Shut up!" Yuki half yelled at his infuriating lover.

"But Y-" Shuichi didn't get a chance to finish what he was saying before Yuki cut him off.

"One more 'But Yuki!' from you, and I swear I'll lock you out of this house." Shuichi was shocked by this statement.

"Yuki, you wouldn't!"

"Just try me," Yuki replied to Shuichi in his you-better-take-me-seriously tone. Shuichi, stubbornly, tried once more to persuade Yuki, but he'd reached the final straw for the novelist and Yuki finally snapped.

"That's it!" Yuki dragged Shuichi by the back of his shirt to the front door, wrenched it open, and tosses him into the snow. Before Shuichi could react, the door slammed shut, and a small click suggested that it had been locked.

'Peace and quiet at last,' Yuki thought as he smirked slightly, but just as he sat down to finish writing the phone began to ring. Yuki growled and snatched the phone from its stand.

"Do I even want to know who this is?" Yuki asked, deeply annoyed.
"YOU ASSHOLE!"
Yuki smirked – he'd know that voice anywhere.
"You said you wanted to play in the snow Shuichi, so go play in the snow," Yuki replied still very annoyed, but also slightly amused.
"YOU SON OF A-" Yuki hangs up before Shuichi can finish ranting.
Yuki reached for his computer just as the phone rang again. Rolling his eyes, he picked it up. He was in no mood to deal with any more of Shuichi's whiny rants, but he knew it would probably be even worse if he didn't go ahead and pick up the phone. Thinking it was Shuichi, he sharply stated, "I'm not letting you back in, idiot."

"Now is that any way to talk to your big sister?" came Mika's annoyed reply. She didn't like Yuki's attitude, not that anyone ever does.

"Hello, Mika," Yuki replied, his voice still oozing with annoyance, though he was almost relieved it was her and not Shinichi.

"Why do you sound hoarse again?" Mika questioned. Yuki could almost see the concerned look she was bearing.

"Sore throat," he lied, hoping it would be enough to satisfy her, but apparently it wasn't.

"Again?" Mika replied, sounding less than convinced.

"I was yelling at the brat a minute ago and it aggravated it," Yuki stated in his usual matter-of-fact tone. Mika still was far from convinced.

"What about the chest pain?" she continued to question.

"I was coughing a lot from a cold," Yuki replied.

"3 coughing spells in one month?" He could hear the frown in Mika's voice.

"It was just a little cough. Quit bothering me," Yuki said, getting more and more annoyed.

"'A little cough' my ass! That was 3 'little' coughs in the same month! Have you even seen a doctor since this started?" she asked, her concern nearly palpable.

"Don't need to. Thanks for caring! Bye!" Yuki replied and quickly hung up before Mika could question him further. He knew Mika was only looking out for him, for his own good, but she could still be far too nosy sometimes.

'Better go check on the brat.'(Thought format) Yuki thought as he walked to the front door. Yuki unlocked and opened the door just as Shuichi was about to attempt to kick the door down. Shuichi shoved a piece of paper in Yuki's face on his way in that said 'YOU BIG JERK!' Yuki ignored it, seeing as he was used to most of Shuichi's antics by now.

"Don't even start, damn brat. I warned you." Yuki stated as he turned toward his desk. Shuichi, being far too quick to forgive and worried about how worn out his lover had seemed recently, offered to make Yuki dinner.

"I'm not hungry. I ate while you were outside," Yuki quickly turned him down. Shuichi frowned– he knew that wasn't true- but he quickly shrugged it off

"Then let's watch a movie," Shuichi offered, since Yuki's habit of constantly wearing himself out was a great cause of concern for him, especially recently. Shuichi hoped that doing something together would make Yuki feel better.

"Nope, I'm-" Yuki was cut off as a harsh coughing fit overtook him, but he quickly recovered, "-I'm busy."

"Yuki?" Shuichi frowned, taking a step towards him, concern evident on his face.

"I'm fine, it's just-" Yuki sank into his chair as another coughing fit bombarded him relentlessly. He looked paler than he had a minute ago. "-Just a little cough," Yuki said weakly.

"No it's not - this happens all the time. You are always tired, and you haven't been eating. I'm really worried about you, Yuki!" Shuichi replied, practically in tears at this point
"Shuichi, I'm fine." Yuki attempted to convince his lover, but his attempt was in vain as another coughing fit caused him to tremble.

"See, you are not okay!" Shuichi shouted, extremely concerned for his lover. He had never had this many fits in a row before, and his skin was nearly transparent. "I think we should call-" He was cut off as Yuki gave off a couple of painful, oddly wet sounding coughs. Red dripped from his hand that was covering his mouth and into his lap. Shuichi realized what it was in an instant - blood.

Horrified, Shuichi ran to the phone as Yuki continued to gasp for air, and quickly dialed a number. Thankfully, it was picked up on the first ring.

"Segutchi-san!" He nearly shouted his voice unnaturally high with fear as he continued to watch Yuki's struggles.
Seguchi-san

"Shin-"

Shuichi frantically cut him off, "Yuki is coughing up blood and-"

"I'll be right there," Tohma hurriedly replied before Shuichi could finish what he was saying. Tohma abruptly hung up and rushed over. With nothing else he could do, Shuichi put down the phone and went back to Yuki's side, trying to think of ways to make him more comfortable. They didn't have to wait long as Tohma suddenly barged through the door a couple of minutes later. Together, they managed to get Yuki out the door and into the car, and after making him as comfortable as possible, sped off to the hospital.