On the Street of Dreams

Chapter summary: “I can because love does crazy things to people,” he whispered. “It can make them do and say things they would never normally do or say.”

***

Vanish Into the Night


Sitting at his desk, listening intently to what his two guests were relaying to him, a blank expression on his face, Tohma seemed to glow red in the setting sun that streamed in through the window behind him. The leather squeaked as Tohma sat back in his chair. He looked from one man to the other. “Are you sure?” he asked.

Ryuichi nodded. “Yes.”

“It’s a big responsibility, Ryu.”

“I know, but this’s something I want to do.”

Tatsuha gave Ryuichi’s hand a gently but firm squeeze. “It’s something we want to do,” he corrected.

Ryuichi smiled at him, his eyes sparkling with gratitude and appreciation. “Besides,” he said, turning back towards Tohma, “I’ve been more of a father to my brother than Father has been. Nothing’ll change except now it’ll be legal.”

Tohma regarded both men silently for several long seconds. Both Ryuichi and Tatsuha fought against the overwhelming urge to squirm under his intense stare. Finally, Tohma leaned forward. “You’re both set on this?”

Tatsuha and Ryuichi nodded curtly. “Yes,” they said together.

“All right,” the president said, sitting back. “I’ll get the necessary paperwork started.”

Ryuichi grinned at his long time friend. “Thanks Tohma!”

Tatsuha nodded at his brother-in-law. “Thank you.”

Tohma inclined his head. He has known Shuichi since he was born loved the pink-headed teen. He was like his little brother and would do anything for him, but when Nittle Grasper took off, he had not had as much time to devote to the boy. From what Tatsuha and Ryuichi told him about how the kid’s life has been; it was clear it had been a huge mistake on his part to let his career take all of his time. Starting right now, he would make up for that.

“Now, all you have to do is convince your parents to sign over custody.”

Tatsuha snorted. He crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t think we have much to worry about.”

Ryuichi’s smile slipped as he thought about everything Shuichi had had to endure not only in the short sixteen years of his young life, but just in the last week and a half.

Pushing away from the desk, Tohma stood up, signaling an end to the meeting.

Tatsuha and Ryuichi both stood in unison.

“Thank you, Tohma, for everything you’re doing.”

Tohma’s face warmed with a genuine smile. “Of course, Ryu.”

Tatsuha inclined his head and repeated his thanks. As both men turned to leave, Tohma called after them, “Tell your brother he has the next few days off to recuperate, but to expect to work twice as hard to make up for all this lost time once he returns.”

Ryuichi snickered and Tatsuha snorted. Tohma would always be Tohma. Telling the young president they would pass on the message, they left.

*

Tohma sat hunched over his desk, his chin resting on his laced hands. His eyes were hard and determined. Snapping out of his retrieve, he buzzed his secretary.

“Yes, Mr. Seguchi,” came the polite voice over the line.

“Get Mr. Saga on the line.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Then call my wife and tell her I will be late getting home.”

“Certainly, Sir.”

Tohma sat back in the chair and rested his two index fingers against his lips.

*

“Okay, thanks,” Eiri spoke into the receiver.

Without saying goodbye, he hung up the phone on his brother and headed down the hall towards the living room where Shuichi was watching television. Or had been. Eiri blinked at the empty couch. The television was off and the remote was sitting precariously on the farthest edge of the table. It appeared as if it had been tossed hastily. He glanced around the room and spied Shuichi sitting in front of the patio doors, the setting sun beating down on him. He was hunched over something in his lap and furiously scribbling away.

Eiri watched in rabid fascination as his young lover suddenly stopped whatever it was that he was writing and tilted his head back, eyes closed and hummed, tapping his pencil against what he could clearly see now as a notebook. Silence reigned once again as Shuichi stopped humming and continued writing, a look of absolute concentration on his face.

God, he’s cute, he thought as he watched the boy bit his lip.

Smirking, Eiri went back into the kitchen to finish working on dinner.

*

Eiri set the final dish on the table and walked to the kitchen doorway.

“Shuichi! Dinner!”

He hoped Shuichi was finished with whatever he was working on. There is nothing worse than being interrupted when inspiration hit. Any kind of disruption could spell disaster.

He went to the fridge to grab a couple of drinks, a beer for himself and juice for Shuichi. He set the cold can in front of his plate and poured the juice in a tall glass for his young lover. He knew Shuichi preferred pop, but starting right now the kid was going to be on a strict diet. Eiri returned the juice to the fridge and was about to take his seat when he realized he had forgotten the chopsticks. He opened a drawer behind him and as he reached in, he heard the sound of shuffling feet behind him. Setting the chopsticks besides the plates, he sat down and watched as Shuichi entered the kitchen and sat down, biting his lip, a worried look on his face.

“What were you working on?” Eiri asked curiously, as he dumped some rice onto his plate.

Shuichi blinked, snapping out of his retrieve and glanced across the table at Eiri. The plate of steamed vegetables stilled in his hands. “Huh?”

Eiri rolled his eyes and sighed as he put some noodles on his plate. “What. Were. You. Working. On.”

“Oh!” Shuichi’s face brightened and a huge smile split his face in two. He set the vegetables aside and took the plate of noodles from Eiri. “I was watching this anime,” he explained as he dumped some noodles onto his plate then set the dish aside. He picked up the rice and used his chopsticks to sweep a large amount onto his plate, “It’s 'bout these two guys who meet in the park and fall in love.” He set the rice dish aside and shoved some noodles into his mouth, “And I suddenly-“

Eiri grimaced. “Don’t talk with your mouth full,” he ordered using his chopsticks to sweep some rice into his mouth.

Shuichi finished chewing the noodles and swallowed. “Sorry.” He took a sip of the juice. “Anyway, I was watching this anime, I forgot what it was called, and I suddenly got hit by an idea for a song.”

Eiri took a sip of his beer. “I thought your debut album was going to be a collection of all your old stuff.”

Shuichi nodded, shoving some rice into his mouth. He chewed the food and waited until he had swallowed it before speaking. “We are, but that doesn’t mean I stop writing.”

“Hn. Were you having trouble with it?”

Shuichi shook his head. “Nuh uh,” he mumbled around a mouth full of vegetables.

Eiri waited for the kid to clarify that, but got only silence. “Okay,” he prodded, “so what were you thinking about so intently when you came into the kitchen?” He stuffed some beans into his mouth and washed down the greens with a gulp of beer.

Shuichi swallowed the food in his mouth. Without lifting his head, he played with the food on his plate, swirling the noodles around with his chopsticks and mumbled something.

Eiri choked on the bean/beer stew in his mouth. He covered his mouth with his hand, as he started coughing. Banging his chest with his fist, he swallowed the mixture painfully, his eyes watering. Still coughing, he reached for his beer and took another sip. Clearing his throat, his head snapped up and he glared at the boy. “What?” he demanded angrily. He better have heard him wrong.

Shuichi snapped his head up and glared defiantly at Eiri. “I was thinking about Taki.”

Eiri clenched his beer can. Growling, he gritted his teeth, gnawing his teeth. The silence of the kitchen was shattered by the unnaturally loud crinkling of the beer can under the pressure of the romance authors grip. “Why the fuck were you thinking about that asshole?” he asked evenly. He had to fight the urge to reach across the table and smack that brainless idiot upside the head.

Under his lover’s intense, angry glare, the boldness he felt earlier withered and died. He cowered away as far as he could from Eiri without having to leave the table. He dropped his head and fiddled with his hands in his lap. Tears blurred his vision and his chest tightened as he fought the urge to cry. He bit his lip to keep it from trembling.

Eiri sighed and rolled his eyes. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he said softly and calmly, trying to curtail his anger, “After what that asshole did to you-“

The defiance was back. Shuichi lifted his head and stuck his chin in the air. His mouth was set in a grim line as he glared at Eiri. “I know what he did,” he snapped. His voice quavered slightly. He sucked in a shaky breath. “Better than you do,” he added. Shuichi’s jaw trembled and tears filled his eyes again. Big fat tears rolled down Shuichi’s face. He sniffled. “But I just want to know…if he’s…”

“Who the hell cares,” Eiri snapped. “Taki Aizawa is a fucking asshole! After everything he’s done to you he deserves to-“

Shuichi shook his head violently. Tears free flowed down his face. He took a deep breathe, sobbing. “I know, but I don’t…I mean, he’s…”

Eiri sighed once again. It seemed as if he has been doing that a lot in the past several minutes.

Shuichi was the kind of person who would not wish anything even on his worst enemy, no matter what he may have done. He was the sweetest, kindest person Eiri had ever known. In his mind, despite everything Taki did to him, the man did not deserve to be killed. On top of that, Taki was the father of his unborn child; well, biological father anyway.

“Fine,” he sighed. “I’ll call the hospital later.”

Like the sun breaking through the clouds after a torrential storm, Shuichi smiled brightly. His eyes softened and his tears dried. He clasped his hands in his lap and bounced in his seat. “Really, Eiri?”

Eiri could not stop a small smirk from flashing across his face. “Yes, now, finish eating.”

The two of them finished eating in silence, enjoying one another’s company.

When he finished eating, Eiri leaned back in his chair, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it. Inhaling deeply, he exhaled a long thin stream of smoke and watched in rabid fascination as Shuichi all but inhaled his dinner. He raised an eyebrow as Shuichi piled on more food as soon as he could see the bottom of his plate. Where in the world does he put it all, he thought shaking his head.

Once his plate was clean, Shuichi stood up and gathered the dishes, including Eiri’s, and put them in the sink. He placed the stopper in the drain, squeezed out some dish soap and let the sink fill with hot water. Eiri watched in amusement as Shuichi then grabbed some empty plastic containers from a bottom cupboard and began putting the leftover food away. Once the last of the containers was put in the fridge, he shut the faucet off so that the water did not overflow and began washing the dishes.

Eiri leaned back in the chair and inhaled deeply on his cigarette. He’s such a good wife, he thought jokingly.

“Oh, before I forget,” Eiri said, breaking the silence after several minutes.

“Hm.”

“Tatsuha called earlier.”

“Why?” Shuichi asked, not turning around. He was hoping that his brother-in-law had not changed his mind and wanted him to come home.

“He said Seguchi gave you the next couple of days off.”

The dishes forgotten, Shuichi tensed, growing cold. His eyes grew wide. “He, he, Tohma… Does he…?”

“Yes, he knows,” Eiri finished. He tossed his cigarette butt into his beer can.

“What?!” Shuichi gripped the edge of the sink until his knuckles turned white.

Eiri shook his head as he stood up. He stood behind his lover and wrapped his arms around his tiny waist. He leaned his chin on the boy’s bony shoulder. He closed his eyes and breathed in Shuichi’s sweet strawberry scent. “Don’t worry. He won’t say anything.”

“H-how can you-?”

“You’ve known Seguchi for almost as long as I have.”

“Well, yeah, but…”

“Then you should know he won’t say anything, especially if it’ll come back to bit him on the ass.”

Shuichi thought about that. Eiri had a point.

He sighed and leaned into the warmth of his lover’s arms, smiling. He turned his head, buried his nose into Eiri’s shirt and breathed deeply. Eiri had a spicy, piney scent buried underneath the scent of stale cigarette. He would have to get Eiri to either quit all together or cut back on smoking now that he was going to have a baby.

Shuichi wrapped his arms around his lover’s and sighed, snuggling back into the hardness of Eiri’s chest. The writer tightened his hold and nibbled on Shuichi’s neck. Shuichi sighed and tilted his head back, allowing Eiri greater access. One of Eiri’s hands trailed down the front of the boy to cup him. He heard Shuichi’s sharp indrawn breathe. The boy moaned and thrust his hips into his touch. Eiri squeezed him, drawing out a loud, long cry from his lover. He bit the side of Shuichi’s neck. The boy gave a sharp yelp in response. Chuckling, Eiri licked and planted a kiss on the bite. He examined his handiwork, smirking in self-satisfaction at the red wound. An overwhelming sense of possessiveness washed over him.

“Leave the dishes for later,” he whispered huskily in Shuichi’s ear.

Shuichi drew in a shuddered breathe. Turning around in Eiri’s arms, Shuichi draped his arms around Eiri’s neck, fingering the ends of his silky soft hair and stared deeply into his golden hazel eyes.

Eiri tightened his hold on his young lover. He stared deeply into Shuichi’s exotic purple eyes, his hands dangling around the small, tight, round globes of the boy’s ass. Unable to restrain himself, he gave into temptation and squeezed Shuichi’s butt, pulling Shuichi tightly up against him. Their hardening cocks rubbed together. Shuichi tossed his head back and gave a throaty cry as a jolt of pleasure raced down his spine.

Eiri dipped his head and placed a chaste kiss on Shuichi’s lips. Pulling back, he glanced into Shuichi’s eyes and caught his breathe.

God, he loved this boy!

Unable to contain himself any longer, he captured Shuichi’s lips. The hand around his waist, gripped the back of Shuichi’s neck while the other one splayed against the boy’s butt, holding his tiny, lithe body against his. Even through the thick fabric of their jeans, he could feel the hard bulge constricted inside the tight confines of Shuichi’s boxers pushing against his own hardened cock. The feeling brought a groan deep in his throat and a breathy moan from his young lover.

He suckled, bit, nibbled and licked, taking possession of Shuichi’s mouth. Shuichi moaned and leapt up, wrapping his legs around Eiri’s waist, throwing the writer off balance. Eiri returned his hands to his butt while Shuichi ground himself against the hard protuberance poking into him. He ripped his mouth from Eiri and tossed his head back, hissing and crying out as another jolt of pleasure raced through him.

“Oh, God,” he cried. “Eiri!” Panting, he gazed into his lover’s eyes.

God, Shuichi was so sexy! He was flushed and hard with excitement. His eyes shinned with unbridled lust. Saliva dribbled down his chin. Eiri felt himself growing harder and hotter just watching his little lover. As Shuichi’s pink tongue poked out of his mouth and ran along his full-just-kissed lips, Eiri had to restrain himself from coming right then.

Growling, Eiri ate greedily at his teenaged lover’s mouth as he walked them out of the kitchen and down the hall towards the bedroom. Shuichi moaned into Eiri’s mouth as Eiri pulled on his lower lip. The vibrations sent tiny jolts of pleasure through Eiri’s body.

Eiri shut the door behind him with his foot and heard the soft click as he walked them both towards the bed, not once pausing in his ravishing of his lover’s mouth. Crawling across the mattress on his knees, he fell forward unceremoniously, with Shuichi still latched onto him.

The breath was knocked out of Shuichi as Eiri collapsed on top of him. He giggled, a smile splitting his face. He set his feet on the bed, his arms wrapped loosely around Eiri’s neck. “I love you, Eiri,” Shu whispered, searching the older man’s face.

A gentle smile warmed Eiri’s face. “I know,” he whispered, pecking him on the lips.

Eiri captured Shuichi’s lips. The kiss slowly deepened and filled with all the love and passion the lovers felt for one another, but stayed gentle. Shuichi parted his lips just as he opened his legs for his one true love time and again. As Eiri slipped his tongue into Shuichi’s mouth- their tongues dancing and caressing each other’s- one hand trailed down the front of the boy’s shirt and popped open the buttons. He spread open Shuichi’s shirt and ran his hand over the kid’s bare chest, across the sensitive hardened buds of his nipples. Shuichi ripped his mouth away from Eiri’s and tossed his head back with a loud moan. Eiri’s hand tailed lower and hit something hard and round. Curious, Eiri sat back and glanced down. His eyes widened in surprise at what he was holding in his hand.

Confused, violet eyes fluttered open. Shuichi blinked, trying to focus both his mind and his eyes. “Eiri? What…?”

Eiri looked from the ring to his boyfriend. “You kept it,” he whispered in shock.

Shuichi blinked, confused. “Huh? Kept what?”

“My ring.”

Shuichi dropped his chin to his chest and tried to see what Eiri was talking about. There, around his neck, was the band Eiri left on the pillow that first night. He blushed deeply. “Of, course. You gave it to me. It was a present from my Eiri.”

Eiri’s heart swelled and tears gathered in his eyes. He kissed Shuichi deeply. Shuichi moaned and wrapped his arms around Eiri’s neck. Eiri kissed along his jaw and down his neck. Shuichi “mmm’ed” as Eiri kissed and licked his way down his chest. His tongue lapped at Shuichi’s nipples.

“Please,” Shuichi huffed out before Eiri bit down. The teenaged singer laced his fingers through Eiri’s hair and gasped, tossing his head back. He cried out as Eiri pulled at his nipple with his teeth. It hurt, but the pain was not hurtful. The pain felt good. It was addicting, just as having Eiri’s huge cock inside of him was. “I want you! God, I want you! Please! Put your dick inside of me! Please!” His face grew warm as he cried out his demands.

A grin tilted the corner of Eiri’s lips. Shuichi was so cute when he blushed.

Standing up on his knees, he undid the top few buttons of his shirt and then lifted it over his head without bothering to undo the rest. He tossed the shirt over his shoulder, not caring what happened to it. He dropped back onto his hands and knees and kissed Shuichi deeply, plundering his mouth as if he would crawl inside. Meanwhile, his hands trailed lightly down Shuichi’s body to his jeans. He snapped them open with practiced ease. Sitting up, a trail of saliva linking them, Eiri hooked his fingers around the hem of the boy’s jeans and boxers and pulled them down in one swift yank. He threw them to the floor.

Eiri’s breath hitched as gazed down at the boy. Shuichi was incredibly beautiful. His member was engorged and standing at attention, saluting him in all its fine glory from between tuffs of black hair. His lithe toned body was slick and shinned with sweat. His chest rose and fell rapidly. The side of his neck was red from where he had been marked.

Shuichi, as he was being studied by his partner, examined Eiri in turn. The man was gorgeous beyond words. He was not muscular and did not have a body builder’s frame, but he was highly toned. His toned muscles were accentuated by the sweat that slicked across his body.

He sat up and reached for the button of Eiri’s jeans. He slipped the button out of the hole and yanked down the zipper, having a difficult time because of how tight the front of his lovers pants were. Raising his eyes, violet eyes locked with golden hazel ones. He watched Eiri through passion filled eyes as he reached inside his jeans and grabbed Eiri’s hard length.

Eiri grabbed fistfuls of his young lover’s dark pink hair and “mmm’ed” deeply.

Shuichi squeezed Eiri. He heard the writer suck in a breath. Shuichi found he liked hearing Eiri make noises, especially if he was the one causing his lover to make said noises. He stroked Eiri’s cock, still watching him. If possible, Shuichi found himself getting even harder as he watched his lover’s eyes glaze over and roll back. He started panting as an expression of eroticism cross Eiri’s face. Freeing Eiri’s cock from the confining restriction of his jeans, Shuichi ran his thumb over the head, dipping his finger into the pre-cum. Making sure Eiri was watching him; Shuichi raised his finger to his lips and licked the milky coating off seductively.

Growling, Eiri grabbed Shuichi hands, lacing their fingers together and dropped them both back to the bed, mauling his young lover’s mouth without mercy. Shuichi moaned into Eiri’s mouth. Eiri situated himself between his boyfriend’s legs and moved Shuichi’s hands above his head, holding them captive with one hand while the other one reached out blindly for the nightstand. He opened the drawer and searched for the only contents within it, a tube of lubrication gel. Once his hands closed around the tube, he flipped open the cap and squeezed out a sizeable amount onto his fingers, all without releasing his prisoner.

Eiri circled the boy’s entrance, elicitating more moans from his little lover. Shuichi hissed in pain and tensed, his insides clamping down as Eiri slipped his finger inside, squirming at how uncomfortable and gross it felt. Eiri waited patiently. Finally, Shuichi’s body relaxed. To get Shuichi’s mind off the pain and discomfort, Eiri licked the underside of the boy’s cock, twirling his tongue around the head. At the same time, the first mate joined its captain to help stretch the tight, narrow passage. Eiri jabbed his fingers deep inside and found that one sweet spot.

Stars exploded behind Shuichi’s eyes. He gasped and arched his back off the bed. He threw his head back and cried out. It was all too much for the boy. Eiri felt his body tense moments before he gave a sharp cry and had his first orgasm of the night. His seed leaked all over his stomach.

Shuichi fell back against the bed, lax, panting heavily. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to slow his racing heart. He licked dry lips and pried open an eye. He saw Eiri kneeling before him, gazing down at him with lust-filled eyes.
His eyes traveled down his boyfriend’s lean, hard body. His breathe hitched and he found himself growing hard as he watched Eiri stroke himself. He was obviously slicking his length with the lube, but it was so erotic! Shuichi licked his lips and squirmed. God this man was delicious!

Eiri smirked as he watched Shuichi. When Shuichi reached out to touch him, Eiri shied away and shook his head. He chuckled when the boy pouted. Recapping the tube, he tossed the lube over his shoulder.

Lifting Shuichi’s legs, he placed them over his shoulders and grabbed the boy’s hips. He stared into his lover’s eyes as he grabbed himself and placed the head of his cock at the boy’s entrance. Shuichi’s violet eyes stared up at him in anticipation and desire.

“Ready?” Eiri’s golden eyes asked.

Shuichi nodded, holding his breath. He hissed and tensed slightly as Eiri slipped the head of his cock inside him. He grabbed fistfuls of the bed sheets and breathed deeply, trying to relax himself against the large intruder forcing itself in past the tight ring of muscles. Eiri grabbed Shuichi’s cock and squeezed it, running his thumb along the underside and across the head where pre-cum was dripping out. Shuichi cried out. Eiri took the opportunity and pushed himself inside until his balls hit Shuichi’s ass.

Shuichi arched off the bed, his eyes growing wide, and clutched the sheets with white knuckles, crying out-loud with ecstasy. He clamped down on the large invader inside him.

Eiri sucked in a deep breathe. Panting heavily, he paused and glanced down at his lover in concern. “Shu?”

Taking a deep breath, Shuichi forced himself to relax. Panting, he opened eyes he had not realized he shut and glanced through heavy lidded eyes at Eiri. He adjusted himself and nodded, grabbing Eiri’s wide muscular shoulders.

Taking the boy at his word, Eiri pulled out until just the head remained, then slowly, he pushed himself back in. Shuichi arched off the bed and cried out. Licking his lips at the erotic sight, Eiri moved Shuichi’s legs from his shoulders to his waist and lacing their fingers together, laid between his lover’s legs and began a slow rhythm. He used his toes as leverage to press himself inside his lover’s tight passage and ease back out.

Shuichi gasped as Eiri pulled out and cried out as he thrust back in. It was the most incredible feeling. The sensation of feeling Eiri moving in and out was something no words could describe. It was addicting, a craving that never went away. “Nah, uh...Ah...Oh!”

Eiri loved to hear his lover’s cries of passion. It turned him on. His slow pace picked up speed. Above his own panting, he could hear Shuichi’s mantra.

“Um…Oh, God, Eiri…Nah!”

Eiri soon found himself lost in the hypnotic rhythm of being with the one he loved that when he felt Shuichi clamp down around him, it took him by complete surprise. Shuichi’s fingers convulsed around his as his orgasm ripped through him. The singer arched off the bed, his head flung back and his eyes rolled back. He gave a scream loud enough for the entire building to hear. The pressure around Eiri’s cock ripped his own orgasm from him. He arched his back and flung his head back, grunting as he released his seed deeply inside of Shuichi.

Panting and his limbs shaking, he pulled out of Shuichi and collapsed onto his back besides him.

Not caring about the mess they made during their lovemaking, Shuichi curled up around his lover, wrapping his arms around Eiri’s waist and hooking his legs around his. He squeezed him and planted a kiss on his chest. Sighing contently, Shuichi closed his eyes and snuggled against him, waiting for his heart rate to return to normal.

God! How he loved this man; this man who decided to take responsibility for another man’s child, who decided that his love was deeper than his fears and his prejudices. Shuichi’s forehead furrowed in thought. Frowning, Shuichi opened his eyes and stared across the now dark room. But…why?

“Hey, Eiri?”

“Hn.”

He sounded half-asleep, but Shuichi really had to know. “Why?”

Eiri pried open an eye with much difficulty and glanced down at Shuichi. “Why what?”

“Why…?” Shuichi played with the blond strands of hair that circled Eiri’s nipples. “Why,” he tried again, licking his lips, “are you doing this?”

Eiri raised an eyebrow. “This what? What the hell are you talking about?” He was starting to get annoyed.

“At the diner you said that guy was a…freak.” His voice shook as he remembered the disgust that had crossed his partner’s face. “And now…now here you are making love to…to one of those…freaks.” Tears slipped down his face. “A freak that’s carrying another man’s child!” He pushed himself up on his elbow and stared down at Eiri through tear-blurred vision. His jaw trembled as he spoke. “Why?”

Eiri felt his heart breaking at the tears that rolled down his lover’s face. Smiling tenderly, he reached out and cupped the side of Shuichi’s face. He brushed away his tears with his thumb. “I could ask you the same thing,” he answered truthfully.

Shuichi sniffled and blinked in confusion. “Huh?”

“How could you love someone who grew up hating neutrals? How could you trust that I won’t decide to just up and leave you one day? How can you fall in love with a man without once second-guessing it? You act as if it’s the most natural thing in the world!”

Shuichi giggled and used the heel of his hand to scrub away the rest of his tears. “That’s because it is!”

Now it was Eiri’s turn to be confused.

Shuichi giggled at the clueless expression on Eiri’s face. He lay back down and wrapped himself tightly around Eiri’s waist. “I was never in a relationship before,” he confessed. “And being with Kizou and Taki doesn’t count,” he added quickly. “I never…I’ve never been…in love.” He blushed at this admission. “I never even knew what it meant to love someone other than my brother, ya know? So, I…” He sighed and shrugged. “I don’t know if I can explain this so that it makes sense. I guess…I just don’t think that way. You fall in love with whoever you fall in love with and if that person happens to be someone of the same sex or someone of the opposite sex…” He shrugged. “Whatever happens happens.” He tilted his head back and glanced at Eiri. “Does that make sense?”

Eiri smirked and kissed the top of his head. “Yeah. Yeah, it does.”

Eiri sighed and stared up at the ceiling, deep in thought. How can he have made a complete one-eighty virtually over night? That was the question. The truth was he did not. The fear was still there. Like he told Shuichi earlier, it was not going to be an easy process or something that happened over night, but how could he go from hating a neutral to making love to one, especially one that was carrying another man’s child? That was easy.

“I can because love does crazy things to people,” he whispered. “It can make them do and say things they would never normally do or say.”

“Hm,” Shuichi smiled, cuddling closer to the warmth of Eiri’s boy. Then what Eiri said hit him like a ton of bricks. His eyes snapped open and he flew up in bed. “Wha-what?”

Eiri smiled, his eyes shinning. He cupped Shuichi’s stunned face and lowered his head until their breaths mingled. He opened his mouth, but shut it when he could get nothing to come out. He licked his lips and tried again. “Iloveyou,” he rushed out. He gave a sighed long and deep. That had been harder to say than he thought possible.

Shuichi’s eyes grew wide and filled with tears. With a cry, he flung himself at his lover and hugged him tightly. “I love you, too, Eiri.”

Eiri hugged Shuichi back, getting all choked up. I won’t ever let you go, he thought. Never.

*

Tatsuha sat on the armchair watching he lover face off with his mother and stepfather. Both father and son had an identical angry scowl on their faces. Mrs. Shindou had tears streaming down her face. Her eyes wavered and were filled with sadness and sorrow. She held a hand over a trembling mouth. A well of pity and sadness filled him as he watched the woman.

“He’s your son,” Ryuichi hissed through clenched teeth. His hands were fisted into tight balls of fury at his sides. His eyes were hard. His body was tight and tense. He was wound so tightly that one wrong move or word from his stepfather and he would snap. “How could you treat him like that?”

“Easily, because he’s not my son. I don’t have a son. I have a beautiful daughter who’s going to graduate head of her class.”

Ryuichi growled. Anger and hatred like he never felt before filled him. How could he say something like that?

Tatsuha stood up from the chair slowly, gritting his teeth in fury. “He came to you for help and what do you do? You throw him out! What kind of father are you? Parents are supposed to love their children no matter what or who they are!”

Mr. Shindou’s head snapped around. Tatsuha saw a flash of something in his eyes before it vanished behind an annoyed stare.

“Fine,” Ryuichi spit. All eyes turned towards him. “If that’s how you feel then you won’t have any problems giving up your rights as his parents to me and Tatsuha.”

Mrs. Shindou gave a sharp cry. Her eyes widened in shock. She stared at her son then her husband. G-give up her rights?

“Seeing as he’s not your son.”

Tatsuha saw that flash of something race across Mr. Shindou’s face once again, but before he could decipher what it was, the man’s face-hardened.

“Fine. Do what you will.”

Ryuichi blinked, taken back, as Mrs. Shindou gave a loud wail. He had not expected his stepfather to cave in so easily. He knew the man despised Shuichi, but still…

Ryuichi’s face hardened. He glared at his stepfather in disappointment and anger. “You’ll be hearing from Tohma Seguchi within the next few days.” He glanced over his shoulder at his boyfriend. “Let’s go, Tatsuha.” The singer turned back towards his parents. “Goodbye,” he said curtly, inclining his head in a brisk nod before stalking out of the house.

Tatsuha followed the man. He felt strangely more sad than angry.

***