Kin no Shuichi

Kin no Shuichi
Written by: Chochowilliams
Disclaimer: I do not own Gravitation or the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Summary: Shuichi and Eiri are working things out after a mistake on both of their parts nearly ended their five-year relationship. But what about Bad Luck? What does the future hold for them?
Chapter Summary: Shuichi says goodbye to one of his oldest and dearest friends.
Warning: M/M, romance, angst, OOC-ness, language, Shuichi/Eiri, implied Eiri/oc, implied Shuichi/oc
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A/N: Thank you to lilgurlanima, secret hidden within me, sun‘s and stars, Rebhist, ferler, fahaar, Acherona for your reviews. I always love hearing from you. You guys are the ones who kick my ass and push me into getting these chapters out. Thank you!

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Chapter 23: We Are Being Forced To Say Goodbye

Shuichi turned the dead bolt. The tumblers shifted loudly. When the door swung open, he went still. “Y-Yoshi?”

“Hey, Shuichi,” Yoshio Nakamura greeted sheepishly. “I, uh, know you said you never wanted to see me again, but…I thought you’d like to know that the issue you appear in comes out on Friday.”

Shuichi stood rooted to the spot. Unable to say anything. Unable to do anything. The only way Yoshio would have came by was when he was absolutely certain that Eiri was not at home, otherwise, him showing up like this was nothing short of suicide. Meaning he had probably been waiting and watching outside the mansion for God knows how long. He was not too sure how he felt about that. However, he really could not blame Yoshio for being overtly cautious. He would be too if their positions were reversed.

He had always known that Eiri was a very possessive individual.

Other than Maa-kun and Aizawa, Eiri had beat up his own younger brother years ago when he learned that the younger monk had had a hand in the harassing phone calls and letters Shuichi had been receiving during what had been (or so Shuichi thought) a friendly competition between Bad Luck and Nittle Grasper. So, having the knowledge thrown, quite literally, in his face that Shuichi had had an affair with someone he had grown up with had caused Eiri to march to the hotel Yoshio was staying at and beat the living crap out of him. He very nearly killed Yoshio. The only reason he did not succeed was that Shuichi had stepped in-between them.

It has been almost two months since then. He and Eiri had finally managed to put it all behind them and move on, but now here it was thrown back into their faces.

He was beginning to feel sick.

Yoshio swung his black leather briefcase around and pulled out a slim sealed envelope. “Here.”

Shuichi stared at the glossy package for several long seconds before he reached out for it with trembling hands. He swallowed the bile the filled his mouth.

“I tried to keep the fact that you were going to appear in this month’s volume as quiet as I could.”

Unable to say anything, Shuichi just nodded. He tightened his grip on the sealed magazine as his stomach flip-flopped queasily.

“But seeing as it’s coming out in a few days, I couldn’t stop it from being leaked.”

Shuichi went still.

“I know it’s sorta bad timing what with everything that’s been going on, but…”

Other than him, the only other people who knew that he was going to be featured on the cover of a gay porn magazine was Yoshio and Eiri. He hadn’t even told Hiro or Suguru, Mr. K or Mr. Sakano. Eiri had not even told Tohma, but now here his involvement with the controversial magazine was going to be splashed on the evening news. Crap in hell. This was all he needed.

“I, uh, just thought, you know,” Yoshio continued, feeling more nervous the longer Shuichi remained silent, “you’d like to know.”

Shuichi’s chest tightened and his throat constricted around a sob.

After what took place between them, Shuichi had been positive that he would never see Yoshio again.

Standing face to face with the man after almost two months, he was not sure how he felt. Of course, he was happy to see him. Yoshio was his oldest and one of his closest friends after all. Since the two of them were just babes in diapers, he and Yoshio have been the best of friends. There was part of him that had an almost irresistibly strong desire to glomp Yoshio just as he has been doing since they were children and drag him into the condominium for some tea. The stress of trying to deal with the ever-increasing tension between the members of Bad Luck and the strain of trying to juggle a hundred different other things at once had almost killed him a week ago and he desperately needed someone to talk to.

Usually, he went to Hiro when he was feeling conflicted and uncertain like this, but not this time. He just could not, in good conscious, continue to place his best friend in the middle like he has been doing thoughtlessly for months now. It was not fair. Besides, knowing Hiro as well as he did, he knew beyond any doubt that Hiro would tell him to do whatever made him happy. Hiro would sacrifice everything if it made Shuichi happy.

He could not go to Eiri either for the author just did not understand. Not really. Eiri was much like a Vulcan as his thought process was more logical. Like Hiro, he too would tell him to do whatever it was he had to do. That he would support whatever decision he came to. Eiri had told him countless times that he did not like it when Shuichi was sad. He wanted him to always be smiling. So talking things over with Eiri did very little to help him.

There was always Ryuichi Sakuma. The lead singer of his favorite band has helped him in the past, but…Even in the most serious of situations he tends to make light of and plays off as nothing that could not be resolved by just being “sparkly”. At times, he was grateful to his idol for those childish, yet deeply meaningful answers, but not this time. No amount of sparkle would help him to resolve his problems this time.

So that left Yoshio. Yoshio lent him an ear. Yoshio gave him a shoulder to cry on. Yoshio never judged him. Yoshio never blamed him. Yoshio never punished him for events that spiraled out of his control. Yoshio never called him names. Yoshio never pushed him aside. Yoshio always put him first before anything else. Yoshio never held anything back. He would tell him straight out what he thought and did not apologize. He always told him how it was and that was that. In that way, Yoshio reminded Shuichi a little of Hiro (minus the bop to the head). However, after what his supposed “best friend” did, taking advantage of him at his most vulnerable, Shuichi felt wary of the man. He was not sure about anything anymore when it came to Yoshio. It was like discovering that your lover had cheated on you. He claims it was just that one time, but how can you be positive? How can you trust that he is telling you the truth? Because he says so?

He head was spinning with indecision. What should he do? Oh, God. Tell me. What should I do?

Without a word, Yoshio gave a sad little smile, turned and started back down the hall the way he came.

There were so many things he wanted to say…

“Was it worth it?” Shuichi called out in a voice that was barely a whisper.

The only reaction that Yoshio gave that he had heard the question was the momentary pause in his stride.

Mournfully, Shuichi watched from the foyer of the condominium he shared with his partner of five years and their two-year-old daughter as Yoshio stood silent before the elevator. Sealed within a glossy white sealed envelope that he was clutching to his chest was the infamous issue of Blaze that had torn apart a twenty-year friendship.

He spied Yuri, one of the front desk attendants, standing behind Yoshio looking grim and menacing. Despite being no taller than he was and having less muscle than a toothpick, Yuri was looking very much the bodyguard. He wondered what Yuri had been doing here? Was he here because of an order given to him by Eiri? Or had he followed Yoshio up out of his own volition? Either way, when Eiri came home he was going to know that the man he had forbidden Shuichi to have anything to do with ever again had violated their agreement.

In the heavy silence of the hallway, the ping announcing the arrival of the elevator sounded unnaturally loud.

Panic set in immediately. If he did not say something now, then it was going to be too late. The elevator doors slid open. Yoshio stepped on. Yuri stepped on behind him. Shuichi’s heart jumped into his throat then dropped into his stomach much like it did when Eiri went way too fast over a hill. He stepped forward. He reached out a hand. The doors started to slide shut. He was not sure what, but there had to be something, anything, he could do or say that would keep Yoshio from stepping onto that elevator. For despite what he did, Yoshio still was and always would be his best friend. His mouth opened and an indistinguishable noise escaped. Neither man looked back. The doors closed with a thump. It was too late.

Shuichi slapped a hand over his mouth when a sob echoed down the hall. Tears filled violet eyes. His vision blurred. Stepping back into the condominium, he leaned his back against the door, using his full weight to push it closed. Sliding down the door, he collapsed onto the floor. Hugging the magazine to his chest, he dropped his chin and cried silently.

The worst part of the whole thing was that…

“He didn’t answer me,” Shuichi sobbed.

---TBC---

Preview: “The World Exclusive”

A/N: You have no idea how hard it was to get this chapter out. My muse and I were fighting over how it was going to be laid out for what seems like forever. She can be a bitch at times, but in the end, she’s always right. So annoying. So like usual, I gave in to what she wanted to do. I wanted to have a flashback, but that didn’t happen. Maybe I’ll be able to put it in another chapter. Maybe. Anyway, hope you liked it.