Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ Because of You ❯ Chapter 19 ( Chapter 19 )

Because of You

 

Sequel to: This I Promise You

 

Written by: Chocho

 

Disclaimer: I don't own Gravitation or the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

 

Summary: A new baby. An autobiography. A funeral. A pregnancy. A shocking discovery and a woman with a grudge.

 

Chapter summary: Tohma and Shuichi are given disturbing news that could the lives of the Uesugi-Shindou home forever.

 

Warning: Angst, m-preg, language, m/m sexual content

 

Inserts: “Escaping the Shackles” (original poem by me); “You Make Me Better” (Fabolus w/Neo); “The Way I Are” (Timbaland & Keri Hilson, DOE, Sebastian)

 

A/N: Let me warn you now. This story is going to become very angst-y from here on out.

 

 

***

 

 

Chapter 19

 

 

[Signaling, she followed the red Hyundai when it pulled into a parking garage.

 

Scott wanted things sped up. She was not sure why. It was a reckless thing to do, but who was she to argue? Like him, she had a very good reason to see one Shindou Shuichi dead and the sooner, the better.]

 

 

***

 

 

It had been quite a surprise to learn that Shuichi was “in the family way” mere months after the birth of Kira. Then when the announcement was made to the family that it was triplets suspected this time, everybody believed it to be a very funny joke, but when they were shown the sonograms, it became clearly evident that this was not some hoax that was meant to produce a laugh from the family. The sonograms were irrefutable proof that Shuichi did indeed have three human lives growing inside of him. To say they were shocked would be an understatement.

 

Multiple births were becoming increasingly common because of the likes of artificial fertilization. To have one without the aid of science was a rare occurrence, but to have two? The odds of that happening had to be astronomical.

 

Tohma wished his brothers-in-law the best of luck. They were certainly going to need it.

 

A couple months back, Mika made a comment about it being a good thing Riku was going to be graduating this spring and that both he and Shuichi had their licenses and that it was fortunate her brother and Shuichi seemed to have become car collectors because when the new babies arrived next spring, they were going to need all those cars in order to go anywhere together as a family.

 

That got Tohma thinking. Shuichi purchased a limited edition vintage 1969 Ferrari 365 GTS for Eiri for Christmas, but it was not a practical family vehicle and that was what the Uesugi-Shindou troop needed. So he purchased a Toyota Sienna 8-passenger 4-door mini van that was not even on the market yet.

 

As he drove through the streets of Naha, Tohma could just picture Eiri's expression when he showed up at his doorstep with this extravagant Christmas present. He had a feeling Eiri was going to sulk.

 

“I can provide for my own family, Seguchi.”

 

Tohma sighed. Eiri was not going to accept the gift without some scathing remark. He never did. He really was an ungrateful little git sometimes. He was sure Shuichi would accept it, though not before confessing how they were unworthy of such a generous gift and just could not in good faith accept it.

 

He was stopped by a changing light when his cellphone started to ring. A deep frown crossed his face as he read the ID on the LCD.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Double parked, his hazard lights blinking a warning to the other motorists, Tohma's grip tightened on his cellphone. It was the only outwardly indication that he was deeply disturbed.

 

“Are they sure?”

 

Please let it be a mistake.

 

“Yes, Sir,” his lawyer confirmed much to Tohma's chagrin.

 

Bloody hell.

 

“Keep me informed.”

 

“Of course, Sir.”

 

Tohma snapped his phone shut, ending the call in an all too familiar curtly manner. He fisted the small black electrical device hard enough to crack the outer shell then threw the phone into the passenger seat unkindly.

 

Deactivating the hazard lights, he peeled into traffic and teased the speed limit as much as he dared. When he decided to pay them a call in order to surprise them, this was not what he had in mind.

 

What a way to spend Christmas, he thought miserably.

 

 

~*~

 

 

“Does it have something to do with what came in the mail that time?”

 

A look of surprise flashed across Eiri's face before he could school his face, but he was not quick enough because Shuichi had seen.

 

“It does, doesn't it?”

 

Eiri turned to face his husband. Shuichi had a determined glint in his eye.

 

“Eiri?”

 

The unrelenting silence that enveloped them was beginning to scare Shuichi. He did not understand why Eiri was not saying anything.

 

“Eiri? Eiri, please,” Shuichi pleaded.

 

Eiri sighed. “Shu-”

 

Anything else he might have said was lost as a horn sounded suddenly.

 

He glanced over his shoulder and saw a midnight blue van sitting idle on the other side of the gate. Peering through bars of the gate and the slightly tinted windshield, Eiri said a brief prayer of thanks at whom he saw sitting behind the steering wheel. He never thought he would be so happy to see someone in his entire life.

 

“Is that…? Seguchi-san?” Shuichi asked from besides him.

 

“Looks like.”

 

“Wonder what he's doing here?”

 

“And what the hell is he driving?”

 

 

~*~

 

 

“He's grown to look a lot like Shindou-san,” Tohma commented.

 

“You've noticed that too, huh?”

 

Tohma chuckled. “Like a little mini me.”

 

Eiri snorted.

 

They were standing by the staircase in the foyer watching Shuichi play with Kira in the television room. The seven month old Uesugi-Shindou was squealing in delight as Shuichi played hide `n go seek with him.

 

Shuichi dropped the throw pillow he had been “hiding” behind. “Boo!”

 

Kira squealed, flailing his arms and legs.

 

Eiri chuckled.

 

Tohma glanced at his wife's brother out of the corner of his eye and smiled. “You've really changed, Eiri-kun.”

 

Eiri immediately sobered and tossed a glare his brother-in-law's way.

 

“It's nice.”

 

Eiri rolled his eyes.

 

“Who would have ever thought you, of all people, would get married and have a family.”

 

“Apparently not you.”

 

“You didn't exactly do anything to quell those beliefs, Eiri-kun.”

 

Eiri gave a one-shouldered shrug. He supposed not.

 

He watched Shuichi pick up a bottle half filled with milk that was lying under the coffee table. It must have been left over from when Shuichi fed Kira before his nap. He winced and wished Shuichi would just go get a fresh one, but he knew from past experience that if he said anything, Shuichi would just argue with him until Eiri eventually relented. So there was really no point in saying anything in the first place. Shuichi scooped Kira out of the bouncy chair carefully and holding him in his arms, brought the bottle to Kira's mouth. Kira gazed up at Shuichi as he latched on to the bottle and began sucking hungrily as if this was his first meal in weeks. Eiri shook his head with a snort. He was definitely Shuichi's son.

 

Shuichi started to sway gently from side to side as he fed his son.

 

Eiri's ears perked up when Shuichi started humming a familiar slow melody.

 

Never turn back

Make your stand right here

In the bright sunlight

As the wind sweeps by

Return to the days

You long to remember

Crack the whip, hear it echo

Let it transport you to the Promised Land

Ignore the decay

And the false relics

But never turn back

Never turn back

Keep moving forward through to the unknown

Make your stand right here

Long to remember, keep them fresh

But never turn back

Never turn back

Reach for the highest plateau

Make sure not to fall

Keep moving forward

But never turn back

Never turn back…

 

While he had recognized the melody as a tune Shuichi has been singing off and on for weeks now, the lyrics were something he never heard before. He couldn't help but wonder what the meaning behind the song was.

 

As if reading his mind, Tohma spoke up into the silence that followed. “That was new.”

 

Once again, Eiri wished he knew what was going on inside Shuichi's head and then wondered if he really wanted to know.

 

“Will he be appearing on that Brooke Hogan song that Desert Star is remaking?”

 

Eiri glanced at Tohma quickly before returning his gaze to his husband and son. “You'll have to ask him.”

 

“Ryuichi brought over the tracks like he was supposed to, am I correct?”

 

Eiri tensed as the photograph of Shuichi speaking with Sakuma flashed through his head.

 

Sensing the change, Tohma peered at Eiri in concern. “Eiri-kun?”

 

Tohma's voice brought him back down. “Yeah, he brought them.”

 

Filing away the alteration in attitude for later, Tohma nodded. “So has Shindou-san been working on the song at all?”

 

Eiri shrugged. “A little bit.”

 

“Hm.” That must mean he still has some reservations. Tohma peered at his brother-in-law. “You didn't happen to say anything to him, did you?”

 

“Huh? `Bout what?”

 

“Appearing on the song.”

 

Eiri stared at Tohma with a blank expression on his face. “Of course not.”

 

Tohma nodded.

 

“What?” Eiri demanded. He, for some reason, suddenly felt like he should be on the defensive, but then when it came to his and Shuichi's relationship, he was always defending his actions.

 

“I suppose Shindou-san came to you when the venture was proposed?”

 

“Yeah, in fact he did,” Eiri confirmed. He narrowed his eyes. Why was he not getting a good feeling about this?

 

“And what's your opinion.”

 

“I told him it was up to him.”

 

“Ah!” Tohma nodded. He had expected as much.

 

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

 

“Nothing. Nothing at all.”

 

“Yeah, right. Everything that comes out of your mouth is a double entendre, Seguchi.” Eiri turned his attention back to the TV room. Kira had downed the rest of the bottle in record time and was sucking on the ear of his rag doll that, frighteningly enough, reminded Eiri of that idiot Sakuma's stuffed rabbit, which he still had. Incidentally, Sakuma was the one that purchased that rag doll for Kira. Eiri had wanted to give it to the Goodwill, or better yet, burn the damned thing, but unfortunately Kira had taken an instant liking to the cursed beast.

 

Tohma smirked. “You know me all too well, Eiri-kun.”

 

Eiri snorted. “You think?”

 

Tohma chuckled.

 

“…Hey, Seguchi.”

 

“Yes, Eiri-kun.”

 

“You do know that I can provide for my own family.”

 

Tohma chuckled again. “And that, Eiri-kun, is a most predictable response.”

 

“Then what's with the van.”

 

Tohma sighed. “I told you. It's a Christmas present from Mika and myself.”

 

“…”

 

“Eiri-kun, there really is no need to be so suspicious.”

 

“…”

 

“Not everything I do has a dark ulterior motive behind it…Recently,” he added.

 

Eiri could not argue with that.

 

Tohma sighed heavily. “Really Eiri-kun, can't you just accept this unconditional gift gratefully?”

 

“…”

 

“Not even a `thank you, Brother'?”

 

Not even bothering to waste his breath with a response that Tohma could repeat in his sleep, Eiri turned from him and walked across the foyer towards the kitchen.

 

Tohma grabs Eiri's arm. “Actually,” he says in a hushed voice, halting the writer's forward movements. “There is something I wanted to speak with you about.”

 

Eiri glanced at Tohma over his shoulder and the serious expression on the other man's face set him on edge.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Tapping his fingers against his leg, Shuichi's head bounced as he wound his way back to the couch.

 

“I'm a movement by myself.
But I'm a force when we're together.
Mami I'm good all by myself.
But baby you, you make me better.
You make me better.
You make me better.
You make me better.
You make me better.
You make me better.
You make me better.
You make me better.
You make me better

 

Yeah baby, them lames you playin' with.
They gon' put you down.
We tryin' to compliment you, you know?
Make it better.
Top-notch Tim.
Nice-look Ne-Yo.
Livin' good Lo-So.
They ask you how you doin' now, tell 'em better 'den them.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha.”

 

Reclaiming his seat on the couch, Shuichi noticed that the terrycloth rabbit that Kira's godfather had given him was gone.

 

“What did you do with it this time?” he asked his son.

 

After a quick search, he found it hiding underneath the bouncy chair. As he was about to hand it off, a new song came on the radio.

 

“Oo! I like this song!”

 

“I ain't got no money
I ain't got no car to take you on a date
I can't even buy you flowers
But together we could be the perfect soul mates
Talk to me girl"

(Oh) Baby, it's alright now, you ain't gotta flaunt for me
If we go Dutch you can still touch my love, it's free
We can work without the perks just you and me
thug it out 'til we get it right”

 

Shuichi wiggled the rag doll around, making it dance.

 

He laughed as his son cried out to him in annoyance, his fisted hands jerking about as he demanded the return of his toy.

 

“Alright. Alright,” Shuichi giggled.

 

He handed back the doll, which Kira snatched only to toss it away again.

 

Shuichi sighed. “You know, this's getting old, Kira.”

 

Reaching out, he scooped up the blue rag doll from the floor just as the familiar jingle of the house phone sounded. He glanced at it inquiringly as it rang again. Casting his son, who was waiting impatiently for his toy so he could continue playing fetch with his daddy, a quick glance, Shuichi pushed off the couch with the rag doll still in his hand and grabbed the phone extension from its cradle on the side table, lowering the volume of the stereo on his way. The caller ID said “Unknown”.

 

“Hello?” Shuichi answered. He turned and watched his son watching him. “What?” he breathed.

 

Kira squealed.

 

“Yes. Hello. This is Officer Takagishi from the Naha Police Department. Is this Shindou-san?”

 

“Yes,” he replied suspiciously.

 

“Shindou-san, I'm afraid there has been an incident-”

 

Shuichi sighed heavily. “What did he do this time?” He should have known.

 

“Shindou-san, I'm afraid that's not why I called,” Officer Takagishi interrupted.

 

Shuichi stiffened as he heard the deadly serious tone from the policeman.

 

Turning deathly pale, Shuichi collapsed into the chair behind him as the officers hollow words continued to pour over the line. His arm dropped and the phone clattered to the floor.

 

 

***TBC***

 

 

A/N: Shit man. When I first wrote the ending to this chapter, it was not as heavy, but when I went over it to do a little editing and whatnot, it completely changed and what made it worse was that at the time, “Unbreak My Heart” by Tony Braxton was playing on the radio. I gotta admit I just about burst into tears.