style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>This I
Promise You
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Sequel
to:style='font-size:10.5pt'> “My Heart
Beats Like A Drum”
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Written
by:style='font-size:10.5pt'> Chochowilliams
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Disclaimer:style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'> I do not
own Gravitationstyle='font-size:10.5pt'> or the characters from it.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> I do not make any money from the writing of
this story.
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Summary:style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Could it be that Shuichi really is just
paranoid or is there something about the new neighbor?
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Chapter
Summary:style='font-size:10.5pt'> Paranoid?style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Or something sinister?
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Warning:style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'> M/M,
hentai, romance, drama, angst, OOC-ness, language, mpreg, masturbation, anal,
oral, death, Shuichi/Eiri, Hiro/Ayaka, Hiro/Suguru
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Insert:style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'> Scenes from
“Give in To Me”, “This I Promise You”, by *NSYNC, No Strings Attached
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>A/N:style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'> This was
out previously several years ago. So it
may not be up to par with some of my other stuff.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Sorry.
But I hope you enjoy it otherwise!
I want to thank pixiegrl121style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>, Fahaar, Acherona for your reviews.
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>
+---+---+---+
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>When the
visions around you
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>Bring tears
to your eyes
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>And all that
surround you
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>Are secrets
and lies
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>I’ll be your
strength
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>I’ll give you
hope
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>Keeping your
faith when it’s gone
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>The one you
should call
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>Was standing
here all along
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>And I will
take you in my arms
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>And hold you
right where you belong
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>‘Til the day
my life is through
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>This I
promise you
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>This I
promise you
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>-“This I
Promise You”, by *NSYNC, No Strings
Attached
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>style='font-size:10.5pt'>
+---+---+
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='font-size:10.5pt'>(Last Time)
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>The elevator
slowed as it came to his floor. Shuichi
pushed away from the back wall as he heard the familiar ping.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> The doors slid open and he stepped out when
Jacob indicated it was alright to proceed.
He started down the hall towards the apartment he shared with Eiri and their
son when the door to what used to be Chosokabe Kita-san’s apartment just this
morning opened and out stepped a man who had to be at least Hiro’s height.
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>Jacob came to
a sudden halt before him and held out an arm, which forced Shuichi to stop.
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>“Aah!style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Hello!
You must be, Shindou-san,” the man greeted with a wide toothy grin when
he spotted Shuichi.
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>Shuichi
forced himself to smile at the man.
“Hello,” he returned with a small voice.
He felt his smile waver. The man
had a pale complexion, but not like Eiri’s.
It was more of a sickly paleness.
Almost as if the man could keel over at any moment.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> The narrow eyes the color of mud seemed to
bore deeply into Shuichi’s. An
abnormally large nose took up most of his long face.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Shuichi found himself taking several steps
backwards away from the guy.
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>“I’m Rinjin
Yasashii,” the man introduced. He
stepped forward. “I’m your new
neighbor. Nice to meet you.”
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>Shuichi
stared at that hand with those white skeletal digits Yasashii was holding out
to him. A wave of fear washed over
him. He could not explain it, but he did
not like this guy. Not one bit.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> There was something about him.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> But thinking he was being ridiculous, for he
did not even know the man, Shuichi tentatively stepped forward and shook the
man’s proffered hand. Yasashii’s clammy,
wraith-like fingers closed around his and Shuichi fought against the impulse to
pull his hand back and race into his apartment to sterilize it.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Instead, he remained where he was with a
forced smile on his face. “N-nice to
meet you too…Rinjin-san.”
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
+---+---+
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Chapter
1: Is it Paranoia?
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'> style='text-decoration:none'>
style='font-size:10.5pt'>Paranoid.
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='font-size:10.5pt'>They told me I should not worry about it, that he was
probably just another “obsessed fan”. I was
not so sure about that, but they reminded me that in the decade I have been in
the music business, I have had countless fans just like him, fans so overtly
obsessed.
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='font-size:10.5pt'>I hate to admit it, but they are right.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Some have even been downright clinically insane.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> I had been chased, mulled and stalked in
almost every way, shape and form from everyone from fanatical groupies,
conservative traditionalists, angry parents who think I am “corrupting” their
young children, to the most obvious people: the damn media.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> I have seen my share of scandals.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> I even have several restraining orders
against said people. You name it.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> I have been through it all.
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='font-size:10.5pt'>Therefore, yeah, I could see their point.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> I mean, this person has done nothing even the
most remotely threatening. I have not
received any phone calls, nor have I received any letters or packages.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> He has not been cornering me, begging and
threatening me to go out with him. No,
this person was the perfect gentleman, a very good friend and neighbor.
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='font-size:10.5pt'>Did I say “neighbor”?
Oh, yeah. The person whom
everyone was telling me I had nothing to worry about lives right down the hall
from the apartment I share with my long time boyfriend Uesugi Eiri.
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='font-size:10.5pt'>Rinjin Yasashii was aptly named.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> He was the gentle neighbor.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> He never made any noise, never had his
television or radio on too high. He
never had any parties that got too loud and out of control.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> If any of his neighbors got too loud and
rowdy, or bothered him in any way, he would very kindly ask them to please keep
it down. He was the ideal person to have
as a neighbor but that was the problem.
He was too perfect.
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='font-size:10.5pt'>Why then, do you ask am I being paranoid of a man that
was seemingly the ideal person to live next door?style='mso-spacerun:yes'> I have absolutely no idea to tell you the
truth, but from the moment I stared into his midnight blue eyes and shook that
warm, silkily soft hand when he moved in our building a month ago, the guy has
just plain given me with creeps.
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='font-size:10.5pt'>Stupid, right?
Probably, but I cannot help it!
This Rinjin guy always just happens to be wherever I am.
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>“What a
coincidence,” he would laugh huskily.
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='font-size:10.5pt'>Uh huh. Yeah,
right. If you believe that, I have a
bridge to sell you.
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='font-size:10.5pt'>Rinjin-san just happened to score tickets to
every concert and appearance Bad Luck did.
He just happened to have backstage passes to all of our
concerts. He just happened to
leave and return from work at exactly the same time I did every single
day. Even when I overslept or had to go
into the studio early or when I got home late?
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>“Come on,
Shu,” Nakano Hiroshi, my best friend
told me when I spoke to him about my creepy neighbor, “don't be so paranoid. I think
you're reading too much into this.”
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>“But Hiro…”
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>“Maybe the
guy has the hots for you or something and is just afraid of saying
anything.” style='font-size:10.5pt'>He shrugged.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> “Anyway, the guy hasn't done anything,
right?”
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>“Well, yeah,
but…”
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>
style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>“Coincidence,
Shu-chan,” Eiri told me when I spoke
to me.
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='font-size:10.5pt'>Coincidence?
Bull fucking shit.
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
style='font-size:10.5pt'>Rinjin Yasashii-san made my skin crawl.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> He gave me the heebie-jeebies.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Every time I came within three meters of the
guy, I have a panic attack. My mouth
dries. I cannot breathe and I start
sweating buckets. For the life of me, I
cannot explain why I always become like this around this guy!style='mso-spacerun:yes'> He really is nice, kind, and gentle.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> He is a good friend, but…If I were a woman
they would call it woman's intuition, right?
Well, my intuition is telling me he is up to no good and it is only a
matter of time before the shit hits the fan, but until then, I am trying to
heed the advice from Hiro and Eiri. I am
trying to make myself believe that this “gentle neighbor” meant me no harm and
that I was only being paranoid but I was soon to find out just how right I was…
style='font-size:10.5pt'>
---TBC---
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Preview:style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Promises in the Dark
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>A/N:style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>style='mso-spacerun:yes'> I know.
I know. Short, right?style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Trust me.
It’ll be worth it. Besides that,
going back over this so I can add Riku isn’t an easy task let me tell you
because I’m essentially rewriting the story.
So, please excuse if there are a few times when it’s obvious that Riku
is an add in. Other than that, what do
you think so far?
style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>Oh!style='mso-spacerun:yes'> And for those who haven’t read the prequels,
please do so. This story as well as
“Because of You” (the sequel) will make more sense.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> It’s all interwoven and connected.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> First, it’s “Parental Revenge”, “Give in To
Me”, “My Heart Beats Like a Drum”, “This I Promise You” and then “Because of
You”.
