This I promise You

Chapter 20: Returning

It was the middle of the night when something woke me from a sound sleep. I stare at the ceiling, suddenly wide awake and not sure why. Usually when something like this happens, it is because I have to go to the bathroom, but not tonight. Tonight was different, especially when an eerie feeling comes over me. It suddenly feels like I am not alone, like someone is watching me. It was a feeling we all get when we are at home alone, but I know I am not alone because Eiri is asleep next to me. But this…this was different. Without turning my head, I stare down the length of the bed and freeze. I lie petrified under the sheets and stare at the figure standing in the middle of the bedroom, directly between the bed and the door. An unspeakable fright and panic washed over me. Fear took away my ability to speak, to move, to breathe. I stared at his chest, struggling for some reason with myself not to stare into his face. Why, I do not know.
Without moving, without taking a step, the figure was suddenly standing at the very foot of my bed. I feel my heart leap out my chest. My breath quickens. But I still cannot move. I am completely paralyzed, whether by fear or something else I do not know.
Then out of the corner of my eye, I spot someone appear out of nowhere. He seemed to just glide across the room until he had somehow pushed his way between the foot of my bed and this shadowy figure without IT taking a step back. This newcomer I study and realize it was my grandfather who had passed away a few years back.
My grandfather stands with his hands outstretched and his back to me. I suddenly felt my fear and panic vanish. A sense of calm washes over me. I close my eyes and fall back to sleep, knowing that my grandfather would take care of everything.

The next morning, Shuichi was sitting at the breakfast table, staring into his juice. He could not stop thinking about the weird dream he had last night. Had it been a dream? Or had it actually happened? It felt so real that he knew it had to be, but at the same time it felt surreal, like something out of a book or movie. It reminded him of something he saw on those daytime talk shows. “I’m here today with people who claim to have had an encounter with the spiritual kind.” It scared him to think that it might have been real. To think that some…entity could just appear inside his bedroom, a place where you were supposed to be safe…That scared the shit out of him, but at the same time, knowing that whatever happened, he always had his family to protect him, that made it seem a little more bearable.
Shuichi blinked when Eiri set a plate before him before sitting down across from him with a plate for himself. Picking his chopsticks up, he broke them apart, muttered, “Ita da ki masu,” before shoveling the beautifully prepared Japanese breakfast into his mouth. He was so hungry! It felt like he had not eaten in months!
His chopsticks paused halfway to his mouth, Eiri watched his husband in amusement. With a shake of his head, he went back to eating. It was amazing he had been able to find anything to cook, seeing as for the past four months he has been practically living at the hospital, but apparently someone had done some shopping. The whole kitchen was stocked. Eiri had a feeling he had Tohma to thank for that. He took a sip of his coffee, realizing just how quiet it was. It was unusual for the apartment to be this silent when Shuichi was home. He was not sure if he liked it or not.
“You’re awfully quite this morning,” he observed, setting his cup back down.
Shuichi shrugged since his mouth was full of food. “I was thinking,” he admitted, swallowing.
Eiri cocked an eyebrow as he shoveled some tuna into his mouth. He had a smart retort ready for that, but decided against it when he saw the thoughtful, distant expression on his husbands face. “About what?”
“A…dream I had last night.”
“You’re not sure?”
Used to his husband being able to read him like an open book, Shuichi only nodded. “It…I think I was awake, but…It just seems…”
“Tell me.”
And he did. Shuichi told him about waking up and finding that man, that…thing at the foot of his bed and of his dead grandfather coming to protect him.
Afterwards, silence stretched between them. Eiri truly had no idea what to say. Truthfully, just hearing Shuichi talk about that creepy dream made him want to bless the house. “Maybe it was Yasashii, trying to make you his one last time,” he joked, picking up his coffee mug. Shuichi paled and Eiri mentally cursed. Wrong thing to say. “But from what you said, your grandfather came to your rescue, right?” He shrugged, taking a sip of his coffee. “Maybe now you’ll stop having all those nightmares and we can finally have a decent nights sleep.”
“You think so,” Shuichi asked him.
“One can only hope,” he muttered.
“What?”
Eiri was saved from having to repeat himself by the ringing of the phone. He stood and crossed the kitchen. “Yeah…Yes...Oh, yes. Shiratori-san. What can I do for you?”
Shuichi raised an eyebrow. Shiratori-san? Who was that? And what did they want at seven-thirty in the morning?
“...Yes…Thank you.” Eiri hung up the phone and turned to see a patiently waiting Shuichi behind him. “That was Yuri Shiratori. She and her partner are the ones who moved into Rinjin-san’s old apartment. I called them while you were in the bath and left a message about you wanting to check out the apartment.”
“And? What did she say?”
“Both she and her partner leave for work at nine, so anytime before then.” With a squeal, Shuichi jumped out his chair and tossed himself at his husband. He hugged the man tightly, planting wet sloppy kisses all over his face. Eiri held onto his husband as he tried to regain his balance. “Ack! Enough, you damned brat!” Eiri walked back to the wheelchair and plopped the smaller man into it. How the hell Shuichi had managed to jump him was beyond him. He had figured that since his left leg was nothing more than a bump on a log, he would be safe from that shit. Guess not, he thought. He glared down into his husbands smiling face. “C’mon, let’s get this over with. Dr. Hikari is coming over for your session at ten and then you have to go for your physical therapy at two.”
A low groan escaped Shuichi. He slumped down in the chair as Eiri wheeled him through the house to the front door. “Why can’t we just have a nice, quiet day at home,” he whined.
“You, quiet?” Eiri snorted. “Never gonna happen.”
“Hey! It could,” Shuichi argued, turning around in the seat to face his husband.
Eiri raised an eyebrow.
“It could,” Shuichi pressed.
“Sure, Shu. Whatever you say.”
“It could.”
“Uh, huh.” They stepped out of the apartment, seeing the hired goons standing at their posts. Do they ever sleep, Eiri wondered? “We’re going next door,” he told them in English.
“Yes, Sir.”
Eiri walked down the hall, where Shuichi was already waiting in front of the door. He stood several feet away and watched the emotions race across his husband’s face. “Shu,” he called softly. Shuichi blinked and turned to look at him. “Are you sure about this?” Eiri walked up to stand next to him. “You don’t have to do this, if you don’t want to.”
“I know, but I have to”
“Alright.” Eiri knocked on the door. He really did not want Shuichi to have to go through this, to relive that awful experience, but Shuichi was right. It was something he had to do.
There was a loud click and the sound of a chain door before the door opened revealing a young woman in her early twenties and another slightly older woman behind her. Both women had long dark brown hair pulled back in neat ponytails and black eyes that was spewing with all the excitement they were trying desperately not to show at the idea of THE Eiri Yuki and THE Shuichi Shindou coming into their house. It was obvious they were both office drones from the conservative skirted suits they wore. “Ah, Yuki-san. Shindou-san,” the younger one greeted with a slight bow. “I am Yuri Shiratori.” She swept her hand to her companion. “And this is my partner, Shuri Oda. Please, come in.”
Eiri nodded his thanks and stepped inside. Immediately, he saw Blade take up post outside the door. Marcus moved to stand behind Shuichi. Eiri assumed he was going to accompany the singer into the apartment. What they had to fear from two women who did not look like they could hurt a fly was beyond him, but then again looks could be deceiving. He learned that one the hard way. Both women took in the two muscle bound foreigners and suddenly looked a little uneasy. “They’re Shu’s bodyguards. Blade’ll stay outside and Marcus while accompany us inside if that’s alright with you,” he explained.
The woman exchanged a quick nervous look. “T-that’s fine,” Yuri Shiratori squeaked.
Eiri glanced at his husband, waiting for him patiently.
Shuichi was slightly pale and his hands were trembling. Gulping audibly, the singer wheeled himself through the front door. He inclined his head at the two women. “Arigato, Shiratori-san, Oda-san. I appreciate it.”
“Think nothing of it,” Shuri Oda said, waving his thanks aside. “If you need anything, feel free to ask.” Shuri Oda and Yuri Shiratori backed into the living room, trying to stay out of the way. Marcus stayed directly behind Shuichi the whole time like a big black shadow. Eiri stood to Shuichi’s left hand side, leaning against the wall with a carefully blank expression on his face as he watched the effort it took for his husband to wheel himself through the foyer and into the living room.
Shuichi swept terror filled eyes up the long staircase.
He remembered clearly being pinned underneath Yasashii and looking up into those crazed black eyes, realizing for the first time just how far gone the man really was. Yasashii Rinjin had been a man who had lost all sense of reality. That was what had really scared Shuichi shitless that day, not the kidnapping, not the murder of his guards and the promise of more to come. No, Yasashii himself had been the most frightening thing about that morning.
In that same spot, Yasashii Rinjin had tried to…He had…He had tried to make Shuichi…his.
[Yasashii found himself getting hard by his love’s attempts to escape. Licking his lips in anticipation, he bent over, his face hovering centimeters from Shuichi’s. “Our first kiss, Shu,” he whispered.
“Don’t do this,” he begged, sobbing. Shuichi tried turning his head from the inevitable but long, skeletal-like claws clamped around his chin, holding him firmly in place.
“I love you, Shu-han,” Yasashii whispered right before their lips touched.]
Shuichi thanked Buddha that he had been able to fool Yasashii and get away. Otherwise…He shuddered to think what could have happened.
As his gaze continued down the hallway to the railing that was the only blockade between you and a dangerous fall, a shudder raced down his spine.
He could hear his husband’s panic filled voice shouting out to him, screaming at him to stop, but it had been too late. He had been speeding and the cars antilock brake lines had been severed. There had been nothing he could do.
[He felt the jarring impact as Yasashii crashed into the railing. The collision sent shockwaves through Shuichi’s body. Seconds later, the horrifying sound of splintering wood echoed through the apartment… He stared at the man he was strapped around with wide, terrified eyes.
Eiri reached the landing just as the railing gave. For a few precious seconds, the two men teetered at the edge. “Shuichi!” he cried, rushing forward. Time seemed to slow down at that moment. It seemed like Eiri had all the time in the world to get to his husbands side, but knew in reality that he had no time at all. “Shuichi!” He reached out for his baka, as he rushed forward.
Shuichi glanced over his shoulder at him, his eyes wide in fright, and a look of foreboding on his face. His eyes widened as gravity reached out with mighty claws and snatched them. With a blood curling scream, his husband vanished from view as everything around him rushed past him towards the ceiling. He closed his eyes tight against the sight quickening up to him at the speed of light.]
Shuichi snapped back to reality like he had been slapped. He took deep, even breathes to calm a racing heart and dispel the sudden panic that clutched at him. Blinking away tears that gathered in the corner of his eyes, he breathed through his mouth in an attempt to loosen a constricted throat. “I want to see the bedroom,” his voice came out breathless with an underlining layer of fright he could not quite hide.
Eiri glanced questioningly at the women. At Yuri’s nod, Eiri walked over to his husband and scooped him up effortlessly. Shuichi draped his arms around his husband’s neck for support as Eiri carried him up the stairs, with Marcus right behind them.
Standing before the closed master bedroom door, Marcus rounded the couple and tossed open the door, doing a quick search. Finding it clear, the bodyguard stepped back outside with a nod. Eiri felt his lithe lover’s hold on him tighten.
His breathing fast, Shuichi swept large eyes across the bedroom. The women had it set up almost identical to his and Eiri’s room. The curtains were tied back and the windows thrown open to allow the cool breeze to sweep through the apartment. It was a stark contrast to that night.
[ Opening his eyes, the singer sat up slowly and gazed around him. He could not tell where he was. There was nothing but a sea of blackness above him, below him and around him. It entrenched him. It was so dark; he could not see his hand right in front of his face. Then there was the silence. It was just as thick, just as heavy and suffocating. There were no birds chirping, no creaking boards or settling foundations. He could hear none of the traffic that should be right outside or hear the conversations of people floating up from the street. The only sound was the buzzing in his ears the silence caused…From out of the darkness came two ghostly pale hands. Shuichi’s eyes widened in fright and he swallowed a startled scream. Scrambling backwards as the floating hands slowly traveled towards him, he felt the soft mattress underneath him vanish. With a startled yelp, he fell with a hard thud to the floor. Hissing in pain, he rubbed his tailbone.]
Shuichi shook away the memory violently, causing Eiri to almost drop him. Shuichi’s heart was racing as he remembered all too clearly the sheer terror he had felt at being trapped like a deer caught in the headlights. His breathing was shallow and sporadic, his eyes wide and glassy.
Eiri did not like this, but he kept silent.
Glancing across the room at the far corner, now hidden by a dresser, Shuichi saw himself huddling in on himself, tears streaming down his face, fear and panic flashing across his face. Across the room in a chair was Yasashii, calm and cool, but his eyes had a look of a crazed man. He saw him stand up and cross the room towards his hunched form.
[\"…It’s just you and me.”
With a terrified scream, Shuichi scrambled blindly away from the voice.
“Shu-han,” chuckled the voice. “I won’t hurt you, you know that! I’m here to help you! I want to save you!”
Shuichi hissed in pain as he smacked into something hard. Rubbing his throbbing head, he spit, “I don’t need your help! I don’t need you to save me! I don’t want anything from you, Yasashii!” He reached out blindly and felt the slick, smooth surface of another wall. Cursing, tears of pain and fear racing down his face, Shuichi sat with his back pressed against the wall, trying to search the darkness for his captor.
“That’s because that damn perverted womanizer has poisoned your mind! Why can’t you see that?” he pleaded.
“Fuck you! That ‘perverted womanizer’ is my husband! I love him and he loves me!”
“What about me, Shu-han?” Yasashii asked in a gentle voice. “Don’t my feelings count for anything?”
Shuichi ignored the question and tumbled to his feet, keeping his hands against the wall. Slowly, he began sliding himself along the wall, hoping to find a door, or something. He had to get out of here! He had to find Eiri!
“I know everything about you, Shu-han! Shuichi Shindou. Born on the sixteenth of April, your sign is Aries. You’re blood type is A and you love strawberry pocky. You stand five foot four. Your idol is Ryuichi Sakuma. Your best friend is Hiroshi Nakano, the guitar player for Bad Luck. When you were eighteen, you got signed to NG.”
“Shut up! That doesn’t mean anything! Anybody with a few yen could find all that out! What makes you so special?”
“I love you, that’s why!”
Shuichi laughed. “Kidnapping me and holding me against my will is love?”
“I’m trying to help you! Yuki-san has poisoned your mind against our love!”
“You’re crazy!”
“Only about you, my love.”]
Shuichi was not sure when they started but as the memory faded, he found his face drenched with tears. He wiped at then futilely and sniffed, but they would not stop. He turned and buried his wet face in his husbands shoulder and wept bitter tears, his shoulders shaking as he sobbed. Eiri hugged his lithe baka tightly, choking on his own sobs.
When his tears lessened, Shuichi lifted his head and wiped at his face. He glanced behind them at the hallway.
Yasashii made a terrible oversight that day. He left the bedroom door unlocked. That gave Shuichi the opportunity to flee, but instead of leaving the apartment like he should have, he stood at the top of those stairs and stared down horrified at the sight he saw. Both of his guards, Koji and Jacob, lying face down and unmoving. Or maybe Yasashii left the door open knowing Shuichi would escape and see his wonderful handy work, something he did for “their future”.
“Can you…Can you go over to the railing,” Shuichi asked his husband, his voice thickened by all the crying. Without a word, Eiri walked to the newly repaired railing and Shuichi glanced down into the living room below.
[Shuichi raced out of the room and down the hall towards the staircase. His gaze swept over the railing that separated the occupants from a twenty foot plummet and caught sight of the two prone figures lying sprawled out in the middle of the living room].
Tears flooded down Shuichi’s face and sobbed quietly. The pain of losing his bodyguards was still there. There was still a part of him that felt responsible for their deaths. That would never change no matter how many sessions he had with Dr. Chisa Hikari.
A phantom crash echoed through the apartment, jerking Shuichi’s gaze down towards the front door. He saw the door implode as Eiri burst through it, a knight in shinning armor trying to save his princess from the dragon. Shuichi snickered through his tears at the thought. Sighing, he leaned against his husband’s shoulder, sniffing as his sobs lessened.
Eiri gazed over the railing to the front door. He could remember the first thing he saw when he busted down the door.
[He pushed the door aside and stumbled inside the apartment, tripping over something that was lying right inside the door. Regaining his balance, he started over his shoulder at the limp bodies and cursed.
“E-Eiri,” came the cry from above him.
The writer glanced up and saw his baka alive and well at the head of the staircase. At his feet was their neighbor, clutching his face and crying. He blinked. “Shu, wha-what did you do to him?”
Shuichi smiled proudly. “Decked him.”
Eiri snorted, but felt a surge of pride. “I can see that, baka.”
“Well,” the singer said, fisting his hands on his hips, “that’s what he gets for trying to take what I reserve for you alone.”]
Eiri kissed the side of his husband’s head.
Shuichi turned his head and gazed at his husband through the thin veil of tears he had been unable to chase away. He glanced deeply into those golden hazel eyes and smiled. He tried to show the older man just how much he loved him, how much he meant to him and Eiri did. The singer’s face was soft and glowed, his eyes shinned. His color had returned, the shaking had subsided and the tears were drying. Shuichi reached out and lightly traced the side of Eiri’s face. Eiri smiled back, leaning into that touch.
“Ashiteru,” Shuichi whispered. “I love you.”
Eiri chuckled. “I know,” he whispered back. Eiri’s head descended until his lips brushed lightly over Shu’s. He touched their foreheads together, gazing into those big violet eyes.
Snuggling against his husband, Shuichi hugged the man tightly. “Let’s go.”
“Alright.” Eiri carried his husband towards the steps, but stopped and glanced over his shoulder at the railing. Today he was taking his husband home, but four months ago he had stood at the bottom of these stairs and watched as a deranged madman, covered in his own blood, went after Shuichi…
[“Duck,” Eiri shouted in panic.]
Shuichi glanced at his husband, concerned. “Eiri?”
Eiri turned a drawn face towards his singer. His pale eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
“Eiri!” Shuichi was always shocked to see this side of his husband. He almost never cried. He could count on one hand how many times he has seen Eiri cry and still have enough fingers left over to make a fist. “W-what’s wrong? Why…Why’re you-“
“I almost lost you that day,” he choked.
With tears in his own eyes, Shuichi hugged Eiri, feeling the blond writer squeeze him in return. “But you didn’t,” he whispered.
Eiri took a deep breath and nodded. He had not, but he could have. He hugged his baka tightly, closing his eyes against the tears that threatened to spill. “I love you, Shuichi.”
“I know,” Shuichi whispered back.
Down in the living room, Shuri engulfed her lover from behind, holding her tightly as they watched the men at the top of the stairs. Yuri leaned into the older woman, a soft smile on her face. She turned her head and glanced tenderly at her lover. Shuri smiled back, kissing her softly, then turned back to watch their neighbors.

Shuichi and Eiri walked out of the apartment and turned back to the women. “Thank you again.”
“You’re very welcome,” Yuri nodded.
“I hope everything works out for you,” Shuri told the men.
“Arigato,” Eiri said. “Come on, Shu.”
“Goodbye,” Shuichi nodded as he and Eiri headed back to their apartment.
Marcus and Blade took up their positions outside the door as the couple entered the apartment.
“Now we just have to make it through a session with Dr. Hikari and then your physical therapy,” Eiri told his husband.
Shuichi groaned as he wheeled into the living room. “Why’d you have to remind me,” he whined as the apartment door closed behind him.