Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ Charisma, Maybe ❯ Overly Intimate Situation ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter Title: Overly Intimate Situation

Chapter 10

The moment I got Shuichi to his apartment and convinced him to unlock the door, I set about getting him a glass of water and some aspirin. I went back into the living room, dreading the conversation that was about to come up and apparently, if I was to judge by the way he was hanging his head as he sat on the couch, so was he. Either that or the hangover he had was really starting to hurt. I handed him the medicine and glass of water, which he gulped down greedily. He then slumped down on the couch while I sat down on a chair across from him.

We were silent for a while, like two children who had just got done play rambunctiously for hours. It was Shuichi who broke the silence, shifting slightly, but not getting up. “It had nothing to do with you, you know? When I saw him with that guy though, I realized that I hadn’t moved on like I should have. I didn’t want to be stuck in a rut anymore and well, you…”

“I was conveniently there. That was what it was, right?” Strangely enough, I’m able to avoid crying, feeling very calm and collected.

“Yes and no. It’s not like I would have kissed anyone.” I scoff and he rises up on his elbow, annoyed now. “Well, it’s true! I wouldn’t have kissed Sakano-san, K-san or Hiro. Or Seguchi-san either.”

Maybe it’s stupid, but I begin to hope for a moment. Not that I can let him know that. “Come off it. There’s still a million other people who you could have done all that stuff to. Millions of groupies, employees, people in other bands.” It’s true too. He’s still as popular as ever, if not more so. His look has matured quite a bit. He still looks too young, but there is an aura of strength there, one that he always had, but that he was never willing to put out in the open before.

“Well, I don’t like doing that sort of thing with random people. It has to be someone I like… And that I think is… attractive.” He looked embarrassed as he said the last part and feel myself turning crimson.

“But you said it was a joke.” I am so NOT letting myself get suckered in again, even if what he’s saying can be taken in so many different ways.

“I don’t know if it was anymore. I thought I was joking, but… Argh!” He turned around so that he was facing the back of the couch and muffled his face with a pillow.

I really, really want to know what he was going to say, but decide not to do anything as ridiculous as ask him, tempting as that might be. Because, as transparent as he is, Shindou will not give me a straight answer at this point. He’s the type that’s very emotional and sympathetic, but he suffers from a severe lack of empathy at times. Especially when it comes to himself. The only way for him to understand his own feelings is to go through this process of denial, frustration and anger. And god help me, because I’m along for the ride.

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“Yes K-san. No K-san.” Since Shindou didn’t want to be direct with me, I had gone ahead and called K to let him know that our vocalist had been found. I had then been forced to use all my wits to keep him from coming here and barging in. Not an easy task by any means, but I was managing admirably. Though that might have been because I had agreed to work at least ten hours of over time this week. “Yes, I’ll tell him that. Bye K-san.”

I turn around to glare at him. He’s still on the couch, facing away from me and has been immobile like that for quite some time. “You should be glad he’s not coming over here with guns and a helicopter right now. I had to give up some of my free time to appease him.” Shuichi did what might have been a shrug and an uh-huh, but it was hard to tell.

“How about I go make you something to eat?” Once again he does that mystery gesture. I take decide to take it as a yes and head into the kitchen. I dig out a pack of instant Raman and start the water boiling. Just as I dump the noodles in, I feel a pair of arms wrap around my shoulders, someone leaning against my back. I look back to see a sulky Shuichi’s head resting on my shoulder.

“So if you hate liking me so much, why are you in my house making me food after I acted like such a bastard to you?”

I roll my eyes at him. “Because I know it’s just the overly emotional idiot talking. You’re so overly emotional that you should be declared legally incompetent.”

“You’re a mean one Fujisaki.” He sighed, leaning against my back even more heavily.

“No, I’m just high strung and stuck around people who are psychotic. You should see me on my own. I’m a lot nicer. A real gentlemen. Or so my parents say.” Realizing that I’ve left the noodles in too long, I reach over and shut off the burner, removing the pan from the heat.

“A real momma’s boy.” He giggles at the look I give him, hugging me even tighter. “Since you’re so high strung, how about I help you relieve some of that tension later.” He smirked, in that creepy way that he’d been smirking lately. “After supper of course.”

Before I could say anything he had started setting the table, humming to himself. It’s simply amazing how he changes from one emotional extreme to the other, all without suffering severe whiplash. Though, truth be told, I’m not really relieved. I can’t be because now I’m dreading whatever it is he has planned later on.

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Of course, even now that it’s later, I’m still not sure what’s going on. He herded me into his bedroom and told me to remove my shirt and lay face down on the bed, a towel lying underneath me. He then dimmed the light and turned on some ambient music and pulled some bottles out of the dresser drawer. He climbed onto the bed, causing the springs to creak and straddled me so that he was sitting on my ass.

“Uh, Shindou-kun, what are you doing?” He says nothing though, opening one of the bottles and dripping the substance onto his hands. The air suddenly becomes very fragrant. It smells like… lavender? Before I can say anything though, he suddenly puts the hands onto my back and starts rubbing them in deep circles. “Shindou-kun?”

“I’m giving you a massage. You said you’re high strung… And man… what is this? It’s like your back is made of knots.” I am about to protest, except I have to instantly shut my mouth, because I am about to purr.

The moment the episode passes, I try to make small talk, which isn’t easy, because his fingers truly are magic. “How did you get so good at this?” I am immediately embarrassed as I realize that I’m whimpering.

“I dunno, just am. I used to try it out on Eiri all the time, but he usually didn’t like it unless he was really, really tired. He didn’t like anyone touching him that way, even me.” It’s silent once again and I regret bringing up such a painful subject. “But, you know…” He starts talking again, without warning, “I guess maybe it really was that he just couldn’t stand me touching him.”

I hear him sigh and he stops, removing those blessed fingers and climbing off of me so that he is sitting on the edge of the bed. I’m about ready to pitch a fit and demand that he continue what he was doing, except it hits me that such an act would not be tactful. And considering how badly I have been screwing up lately, I could stand to exersize a little more tact.

Once I realize though that the massage is indeed over, I sit up, and grabbing the towel I was lying on, begin to rub off my back with it. It may have been brief, but it really did make a world of difference. I feel like a brand new man. “So, are you really still in love with him?” I don’t look him directly in the eyes, because it would give too much away. I do not want to look like a jealous brat.

“Always will be. But, that doesn’t mean I can’t move on. I have to tell myself that I can live without him. I want to hold onto the strength I gained from him and never let go.”

I stare at him for a moment, then shrug. I was about to say something, except for the fact that I felt a sudden draft and realized that I was shirtless in front of him. Embarrassedly, I pull my shirt back on. The moment I am fully dressed, I look him squarely in the eye. “Okay, how about this then: do you like me? In a well, romantic or boyfriend sort of way?” There, I said it. And in the most embarrassing way imaginable.

“Uh… Well…”

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To Be Continued…

Yes, it’s another evil cliffy.

And just so you guys know, I have absolutely no fricken idea where the hell this thing is going.