When Shishido started falling asleep whenever he wasn't needed in front of the camera for five minutes and he began getting into heated, and loud, arguments with anyone on set who told him to do something, people began to steer clear of him. Many people chalked it up to his being an irritable drama queen who had just been handed another two photo shoots on top of the one he had just finished.

Neil, Jesse, their photographer, and two of the assistants knew Shishido well enough to put two and two together.

Neil poked Jesse's side and gave him a mild look. "You should have found a different model for these two shoots."

"They specifically requested Ryou," Jesse explained patiently, moving Neil's hand away. "They are also two of our highest paying accounts; who are we to refuse who they want in their ads?"

"You should refuse when he's going tick-tick-tick like a little time bomb," Neil said, poking Jesse's stomach again. "It's bad enough that he's been going for almost eighteen months without more than a week or two break between shoots. Now we don't even have breaks."

"It's never mattered to him before," Jesse replied, glowering.

"He's never had someone waiting for him before," Neil pointed out.

Jesse blinked a few times and looked shocked. "What?"

Neil squealed a bit and giggled. "You didn't know?"

"No!" Jesse said. "Tell me!"

"Choutarou Ohtori, the musician? Well, he and Ryou went to school together, and hooked up when they were in middle school. About halfway through Ryou's freshman year at Uni, they broke up! Which was when you, you slick devil, got Ryou to sign his soul away."

"I knew he had just gotten out of a nasty relationship with an equally nasty break up, but I didn't know it was with the famous musician," Jesse mused.

"He hasn't been famous that long, though," Neil chided. "Anyway, when we went back to Japan for that shoot about nine months ago, they hooked up again. Apparently they still had feelings for each other, and have been absolutely sweet as candy since."

"So why is Ryou so snappish? He should be happy if he's got a side dish," Jesse said.

"From what I've gotten out of Ryou, you interrupted something when you called that night," Neil replied, biting his lip in sympathy for Shishido.

"You mean to tell me that they haven't…?"

"Nope!"

"I think I understand a little bit more why Ryou acts like he's going to kill me," Jesse sighed.

"Mr. Lucas! Mr. Brooks! Come quick! Mr. Shishido has fainted!" one of the assistants cried, running in their direction.

"Tick, tick, tick," Neil sighed. "Boom…"

Jesse rubbed his eyes. "Exhaustion again."

"You have been running him rather hard," Neil protested.

Jesse sighed and flipped his phone open to call for an ambulance.

~

"He's on another shoot?" Taki demanded, hands on his hips as Ohtori flitted around the kitchen, making dinner for the three of them.

"He's avoiding you," Hiyoshi stated flatly.

"He is not," Ohtori sighed, a hand on his hip. "He's working. I did the same thing throughout University with the various performances I had."

"Yes, but you made time to see us," Taki pointed out, snatching a crouton out of the salad. "He's flying everywhere to do whatever."

"Taki," Ohtori began, only to be interrupted by the phone.

"I'll get it!" Taki bounced to grab the phone and answered cheerfully as Hiyoshi sighed and shook his head.

"Honestly, Ohtori. Long distance relationships never work out," Hiyoshi said. "Break up now, and spare yourself the pain further on down the road."

"Hiyoshi," Ohtori sighed.

"You've been together, what, nine months?" Hiyoshi asked; Ohtori nodded. "How much of that time have you actually spent together? You've been on, what, eight dates?"

"Seven," Ohtori corrected softly.

"Seven dates in nine months does not bode well," Hiyoshi advised.

"Hey, Ohtori?" Taki said quietly. "I think you need to take this call."

Ohtori frowned and looked over at a very somber Taki. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Shishido's in the hospital."

~

"You are not going to Greece just because that asshole landed himself in the fuckin' hospital!" Gakuto snapped, pouncing on the bag that Ohtori had just grabbed.

"I have to agree," Atobe put in, frowning. "What do you hope to accomplish?"

"Atobe-san, Muhkai-san, please," Ohtori sighed, looking terribly exhausted. "I'm going because I'm worried and because Neil told me to. He said it would make Shishido-san more likely to listen to what the doctors were ordering him to do."

"He lands himself in the hospital all the time, Ohtori!" Gakuto snapped. "He's in and out of them so often that it's stopped being put in the magazines! He always recovers within about two or three weeks! He'll get better without you there too!"

"I happen to think it's very romantic," Oshitari said with a smile, putting a hand on Ohtori's shoulder. "The level of devotion they have to each other is touching."

"I don't see Shishido running back here to be with Ohtori," Taki snapped, leaning against the door.

"What makes you think he hasn't been fighting to get a break?" Ohtori snapped.

"The obvious lack of his presence here?" Taki said, tilting his head to the side, his tone making it seem like the obvious answer.

"Will all of you just back off?" Ohtori demanded angrily. "I'm not going to give Ryou up again, okay? Especially not just to please a bunch of finicky friends who can't let something that happened almost six years ago just drop!"

Atobe nodded and stood. "I say we join you in Greece, Ohtori. We can stay at my villa there and enjoy the peace while Shishido recovers and finishes his shoot."

Gakuto scowled and then sighed. "And maybe we can give Shishido another chance."

"Thank you," Ohtori said with heartfelt thanks.

~

"I hate you," Shishido repeated, glaring at Neil. "Why did you call him?"

"Because I thought it might cheer you up," Neil sighed.

"IDIOT!" Shishido yelled, throwing one of his books at Neil. "You're going to worry him! You idiot!"

"But, I thought—"

"You don't think!" Shishido wailed, grabbing something else to throw at Neil. "Your fluffy little blond head can't think!"

"Hey!" Neil laughed. "You're the one with the fluffy head!"

"Am not!" Shishido snapped, grabbing the remote for the TV and chucking it at Neil's head.

There was a knock on the door that distracted both Neil and Shishido, causing the remote to connect with Neil's skull. As Shishido cheered his victory,

Ohtori was pushed into the room by Gakuto, Atobe, and Oshitari.

"Really, Ryou," Atobe sighed. "You shouldn't be throwing things at people if you're sick."

Shishido's eyes narrowed and he grabbed another book and threw it at the newcomers. "No! Out! I didn't ask for this!" he snarled, grabbing a card and tossing it like a Frisbee at Neil. "I'm going to kill you, Lucas!"

Neil ducked and began pushing the others out, chuckling evilly. "Ta, darling! We'll see you after you've had your medication and electric shock therapy!"

"FUCKER!" Shishido yelled as the door closed.

Neil laughed so hard he fell to the floor and gasped for breath.

"What was all that about?" Gakuto demanded, hands on his hips.

"Ryou hates hospitals," Neil said with a grin. "So he's an absolute nightmare most of the time. I had hoped that you might actually make him pleasant for once, Choutarou, but whatever. Not to mention he's pissed I called you."

"We heard," Oshitari said mildly.

"Ah, yes, he does have some good chords, eh?" Neil chortled. "Ah, but this is so much more amusing. He's always landing himself in hospitals because he works himself into the ground from stress and exhaustion, stupid little creature that he is."

Atobe raised an eyebrow. "Will he be all right?"

"Uhm…" Neil snickered. "He needs rest, relaxation, drugs, and to not be agitated. But we can hardly abide by those rules! He's just so much fun to torment!"

Ohtori cast a worried glance at the door before smiling slightly. "I'll see him later then. Give him some time to cool down."

"Ah…" Neil laughed nervously, "wait until after they give him valium."

Ohtori grinned a little and nodded. "Valium sounds like a good drug for Ryou."

The End

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