I own NOTHING, so don't come suing me or I'll cry and bug the hell out of you. And if you're still reading this, then you're a FREAK, start reading the damn fanfiction and not the disclaimer!!!!!
A Place To Call Home
By Hiruma
**********
Sage pulled into his driveway in front of his small house in Sendai. He had just gotten off work and now he had to make an important phone call. This morning he had looked on the calendar and discovered that today was the tenth of October, it was Rowen's birthday. He often wondered what the archer was up to these days, it had been five years since they all moved out of Mia's mansion, Sage still didn't know where his best friend was living. All he had was a phone number to contact his friend with, that didn't really help much since Rowen's number was unlisted and he couldn't get an address to go with the phone number. Once a year he saw his friend, Rowen would come by for Sage's birthday and he would stay for a week, the others would come by too. Every time they had asked Rowen for his address, but Rowen would just say that he'd give to them later and he'd never give it to them. Sage just hoped that where ever Rowen was, he was having fun on his birthday.
Going inside his house, Sage picked up the phone and dialed Rowen's number. Like every year, he got the answering machine.
"Hi, this is Hashiba Rowen, I'm obviously not here, so leave a message and your number after the beep and I'll get back to you." BEEP.
"Hey Ro, it's Sage. I wanted to wish you a happy birthday and just give me a call, okay? Bye."
Hanging up the phone, Sage ran a hand through his blond hair, his thoughts still on Rowen. Ever since they all went their separate ways Rowen had been on his mind more often than his liked to admit. He was always very excited when his friend would come to visit him, probably more excited than the others. And it wasn't unusual if the archer would popped up in his dreams at least once a week.
"God, you'd think I'm in love with him," Sage whispered to himself. He froze. Did he love Rowen? No, that wasn't it. He was only concerned about him. His friend had changed over the five years and became even skinnier, Sage was only concerned about him.
**********
"Can I buy you a drink?" asked a man, he was one of the regulars at the tavern and he had always had his eye on the young bartender. The man wasn't bad looking, not at all, and he was still young, it was just that the bartender just wasn't interested. The man never got the hint and shamelessly flirted with the tender, even though it was a boy about a year younger than him.
The bartender shook his head, "No thanks, I don't drink." He then turned his attention to another person sitting at the bar, but the man grabbed his arm tightly before he could move away. "Hey! Let go of me!" the bartender tried to jerk his arm back, but he had gotten too skinny for his own good and his once strong arms had weakened considerably. Had it been about five years ago, the bartender would've easily jerked his arm away, but it wasn't five years ago, this was now.
"Excuse me, is there a problem?" a voice snapped angrily behind of the man. It was the owner of the bar and she did not look happy.
"No, of course not," the man muttered, quickly finished his drink and left the bar.
The owner smirked and sat down at the bar, looking at the bartender. "Same guy as usual, huh Rowen-kun? Told ya this is a risky business for cuties like you."
"I need the money, Sky-chan," Rowen replied.
"Can I get a vodka tonic over here?" a young lady at the bar asked.
"Sure, just a sec," replied Rowen as he got out the vodka and tonic water.
Sky rolled her eyes, "I can give you money, just ask, I'd do anything for you."
"I know would," he muttered under his breath. Then he smiled kindly at the young lady and handed her the drink, "Here you go, Miss." Turning back the Sky, he shook his head. "I can't accept money from you unless it's in the form of a pay check."
"All right, but you don't have to work on your birthday. For god's sakes, man! Go out and have fun for once!"
Rowen shook his head. Sometimes Sky just didn't understand. He had to work two jobs to support himself and didn't have nearly enough money to go to college, so he ended up working at a library during the day and at the bar during the night. At this rate, he'd never make anything of himself and it hurt to know that, but he wasn't complaining. He had a small, four room apartment and after rent he had just enough money to buy some food and odds and ends. When he first came here, he had to sell his jeep so he could pay the rent for his apartment, so he mainly walked everywhere he went or Sky would drive him. Every year he'd save up just enough money to buy train tickets to go to Sendai to visit Sage and his other friends. So he worked six days a week, holidays and hardly took vacation to manage that. Sky had tried to give him money before, but he refused, his pride getting in the way. He wanted to prove to everyone that he could make it on his own without anyone's help. But it was killing him. On the days he had off, he'd sleep most of the day, trying to catch up on sleep that he had lost during the week. Many times he missed meals because he had to get to work. Sometimes he felt that the only thing that kept him going was the fact that he had to work if he wanted to see Sage again. Even after all these years he was still in love with the blond, every night he'd snuggle up with the dark green sweater that used to belong to Sage, many nights he'd cry into it.
"Rowen-kun, I just want you to be happy," Sky gave her friend a lopsided smile. "You're going to work yourself to death."
"I can't afford to stop working, Sky-chan. Do you want something to drink?" asked Rowen.
"No, damn it! Listen to me!"
"Sky, now is not the time."
Sky knew better than to argue with Rowen when his voice sounded like that. She decided the big lecture was just going to have to wait until the bar was closed. Luckily for her, the bar was going to close in half an hour and she had just enough time to shoot some pool with the young guys who were dumb enough to play against her. Rowen couldn't help laughing as his friend went over to the pool tables and sucker the other players out of their money. No one could shoot pool like Sky could, well, except maybe him. Sky came back over to Rowen once the tavern closed and he was cleaning up. She went behind the bar, helped him wipe down everything and count the money in the register.
"As I was saying," she continued and Rowen could feel some big speech coming up. "You should really take more time off, try working five days a week like a normal person. And you wouldn't have any problems with money if you'd just let me help you out. You're all depressed, not like there was a time that I knew you that you weren't depressed, but I think that you were a hell of a lot more fun before you came here. Well, I wouldn't say party animal, but I bet you actually liked going out. Maybe you moving here was a big mistake."
"Look, I didn't have much of a choice," Rowen answered. "As I told you before, everyone was leaving and my father's apartment is a worse place for me to be in. I had nowhere to go. And it wasn't a mistake, it's just my first time really being on my own, it's good for me."
"It was a mistake. I think you should go move up to Sendai and live with your boyfriend, Sage."
"He's not my boyfriend," he muttered bitterly.
"Anyway, you should go up there. Soon."
"Moneys an issue, remember? If I take time off, then I'd only get paid vacation, I won't get any tips from the tavern and there goes my money for food for the week."
"What if I gave you the tips from the time your gone? I can work your shift and wear a nice mini skirt to get the guys emptying their pockets."
"I need tickets."
"What if you had them?"
"What's with all the 'what if' questions?"
"Just answer."
Rowen paused, then nodded his head. "Yeah, then I'd go." He nearly jumped back in surprise as Sky waved train tickets in his face with a big dopey smile on her face.
"Happy birthday, Rowen-kun! You're going to Sendai to visit your boyfriend next week!"
**********
Sage stayed up late that night, he knew Rowen usually didn't get home till the later hours and he wanted to be wake when Rowen returned his call. Stretched out on his couch, he read one of his books while waiting for the phone to ring. A few times Rowen didn't call till the next day, the archer probably didn't want to disturb him so late in the night. Every year Sage would wait up for his phone call, until he eventually fell asleep in the early hours of the morning. Putting down his book, Sage wonder what Rowen was doing at that moment. Was he out at a club, celebrating his birthday with friends? Maybe one of his friends gave him a party of some sort. Or, he could be all alone, thinking that no one cared if it was his birthday or not. Shaking his head, the blond refused to believe that Rowen didn't have any friends where he was living now, but that fear lingered in the back of his head. That the archer might be alone.
"Then next time I talk to Rowen, I'll have to ask him about that," Sage said to himself. His heart skipped a beat when the phone rang, he almost dove for the phone that was on the table by the other side of the couch. "Rowen?" he asked. He winced as a female voice came on the line.
"Sorry, honey, this isn't him."
"I'm sorry, um, then, who is this?"
"Hi! My name is Suzuki Sky. Well, I just wanted to tell you that your boyfriend is going to visit you next week."
"My boyfriend?" Sage was very confused.
"Sky-chan!! I'm going to kill you! He's not my boyfriend!! Now give me the phone!" Rowen's voice was heard clearly in the background and he didn't sound very happy. Then there were sounds of struggling over the phone and a few swear words. Finally the girl gave a yelp of pain and Rowen gained control of the phone. "Um, hi, Sage."
"Hi, Rowen," Sage automatically smiled at the sound of his friend's voice. "So what's this I hear about you visiting me?"
"If you're busy or something next week then that's okay, it's just that my friend Sky-chan bought me train tickets to Sendai, but if you're busy then I'll just-"
"No, no, no, I'm not busy next week, I'm sure that I can get the week off. And, am I now your official boyfriend?" he could help teasing Rowen.
"I, well . . .um," Rowen tried to find the words to say. Sage smirked, he knew that Rowen had to be red in the face by now. "Well, Sky-chan, just likes to bug me, so she calls you my boyfriend, since on my vacation it's your house I go to and, um, yeah."
"I see," Sage bit back his laughter. "What day and time are you coming? I'll come pick you up at the train station."
"That's not necessary- Ouch! Damn that girl has nails. Sky, let go, damn it Sky, let go of the phone!" There was another struggle going on, this time, Sky won.
"He's coming next Sunday at noon. You better pick him up or I'm going to kick your ass."
"Then I dare not leave him stranded. I'll come to pick him up and thank you, Miss Suzuki, for giving Rowen a chance to visit me twice in a year."
"Please, call me Sky. And you don't need to thank me, god knows he needs another vacation. I mean really, how do you stay his friend? Rowen-kun's so up tight, work, work, work that's all he does and- Rowen! Stop it, I'm talking to your friend. Don't be rude and wait your turn!" There was more struggling.
"I'm so sorry about Sky-" Rowen began.
"What do you mean you're sorry about me?! If it weren't for me you wouldn't have a fucking job!" screamed Sky.
"Anyway, sorry about that. Um, I'll see you Sunday then?"
"Of course, don't forget I'm going to pick you up. Bye."
"Bye."
"Bye!" Sky shouted in the background.
"Bye, Sky," Sage raised his voice so she could hear. He waited until Rowen hung up first before hanging up the phone. He flopped down on the couch, grinning like an idiot. Rowen was coming next week. No matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't stop grinning. He never thought he'd be this excited to see Rowen, maybe because it was going to be just the two of them for a week. Normally Sage would've invited the others, but Ryo and Mia were in France, and Kento and Cye were very busy with the baby girl they just adopted, he only heard about it earlier today. Sage nearly flipped out when he heard they had adopted, he didn't even know they were a couple! He didn't have any objections about them being together, it was just that he wished they would've told him. And from as far as he knows, Ryo and Mia were okay with it too. He was sure that Rowen was okay with the idea as well.
"Could Rowen be with that girl?" he suddenly asked himself. But was she his type? Sage remembered the first year they were living in Mia's mansion, he and Rowen were laying on his bed talking one night.
He had asked Rowen. "What kind of person are looking for to share your life with?" Rowen didn't hesitate with an answer. "Anyone."
"Just anyone?" Sage had been surprised by his answer.
"It could be anyone in the world, as long as I love them and they love me back."
It really didn't matter if that girl, Sky, was his 'type' or not, as long as she loved him, Rowen would be happy. He just didn't like the thought of Rowen being with Sky. It wasn't like she had given Sage a bad impression, actually, she seemed like a very good friend, a bit wild, but a good friend to Rowen.
'Maybe I just don't want to see Rowen with anyone,' Sage thought, 'other than me.'
"Now where in the hell did that come from?" Sage asked out loud.
**********
Rowen stepped off the train with his duffel bag in hand, scanning through all the crowds, looking for Sage. He would've just walked to Sage's house, but no, stupid Sky just had to tell Sage to pick him up. Sometimes he wished that girl had a mute button on her. Sighing softly, he kept up his search for his best friend. After a few minutes and still no sign of Sage, Rowen just figured that maybe the blond had forgotten and started making his way through the mob of people. He was about to leave the train station when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Spinning on his heels, he found himself face to face with Sage.
"Did you forget already that I was going to pick you up?" Sage didn't wait for Rowen to reply, instead he gave him a hug, while mentally noting how nicely Rowen fit in his arms. "It's good to see you, Ro."
Rowen had to fight to keep from shivering as Sage's warm breath caressed his ear. He smiled and replied, "It's really good to see you too."
"Come on, we have a lot to do."
"We do?" "Not really, I just like to think that we do."
On the ride to Sage's house, they chatted about Cye and Kento's new baby girl that they adopted. Rowen and Sky had been really excited when they found out about it. Next June, Cye and Kento planned to bring the baby, so Sky was going to come up to meet everyone and to see the baby.
Sage couldn't help but feel jealous when Rowen talked about Sky. He was sure that they were just friends, however it felt like this girl was taking his job as Rowen's best friend. She was there for Rowen when he needed her, she was there for him to talk to, to be there when he was lonely. To do all the things he used to do for the archer when they were all still living together. Perhaps all of them moving away hadn't been such a great idea, they were all still close, but they only got to see each other three times a year and only got to see Rowen once a year. He didn't even think that Rowen went back to his family. The archer never said anything about his parents other than they were divorced and he was living with his father, who he did not get a long with. If Rowen didn't go back to his family, then where did he go? All these little thoughts fluttered through Sage's head and he pondered why didn't he think of this earlier.
"Sage? Sage?"
"Huh? What?" Sage glanced over at Rowen.
"I just wanted to tell you that we passed your house a block ago," Rowen was grinning from ear to ear, trying to keep from laughing.
"Sorry, I kind of spaced out," he made a U turn and headed for his house.
"Kind of? I said your name at least fifteen times before I got your attention. What were you thinking about?" "Um, what to get Cye and Kento's baby when they come in June," Sage lied as he pulled into the driveway.
Unfortunately for Sage, Rowen could read him better than any of his books. "Sure and I'm really a smurf."
"I knew it! I always knew you were a smurf," he ruffled up Rowen's hair and received a glare from the archer.
"Watch it blondie," he gave Sage a mock growl and stepped out of the car. Sage grabbed Rowen's duffel bag for him and they went inside the house. "So, what were you thinking about?"
"It was really nothing. Let's get you settled in the guest room," the blond went down the hall to one of the guest rooms. Rowen rolled his eyes, Sage was always very polite to all of his guests and treated them as if they were staying in a hotel, even if they were only staying for a week.
**********
The week went by too fast for Rowen, way too fast. It was nice not having to worry about anything and just to relax. He toyed with the thought of just staying in Sendai close to Sage, though he didn't know if he could find two jobs and he didn't want Sage to see him the way Sky saw him. Sky hated him working all the time and she was right, he was going to work himself to death. He couldn't bare the thought of Sage seeing him like this. The past five years he had been slowly wasting away and he knew the blond could see the difference in his appearance. Rowen wasn't as strong as he used to be, his arms became too weak for him to even use his bow anymore, he got tired faster and he had lost twenty pounds to his already thin frame. There was no way he was going to let Sage see him barely able to support and take care of himself. Sometimes he wished that he could stay at Sage's house and let his love take care of him, but that wasn't fair to Sage.
Rowen now lay on the bed in the guest room, staring at the alarm clock. It was two in the morning, Sunday morning, he had to leave in the afternoon. Slipping out of the bed, he stood unsteadily on his long legs, then slowly walked out of the room. He sneaked down the hall and carefully opened the door to Sage's bedroom. Peeking inside the bedroom, he was startled to see Sage look up at him from the bed.
"What's wrong, Rowen?" he asked, looking worried.
"I, ah, I couldn't sleep."
"Neither can I," the blond sat up and patted the empty space next to him. "Might as well stay since you're already here."
Rowen climbed into bed next to Sage. Sage laid back down, lifting the blanket so the archer could crawl underneath them. Without another thought, he reached over and pulled Rowen closer, letting his friend nestle against him. They laid in comfortable silence, each of them listening to the other breath. Rowen was perfectly happy there, being held by the one he loved. A sharp pain of sadness stabbed him, realizing that this was as far as it was going to get. He closed his eyes, holding back tears he knew that were coming.
"Rowen, is this how it's always going to be?" Sage's sad voice whispered to him.
"What do you mean?" Rowen didn't dare open his eyes, just the tone of Sage's voice made him want to sob.
"I mean, am I only going to get to see you once, maybe twice a year if I'm lucky, for the rest of our lives? You always look a little worse whenever you come. I, I don't want you to leave this time, stay with me."
"Are you serious?" Rowen had to open his eyes now. Stormy blue locked onto icy violet.
"Dead serious. I want you to stay here with me. Please."
Rowen almost gasped as Sage kissed his forehead gently and tightened his arms around him. "I have to find a job, you can't support us both and I don't even have a college education."
"We'll work something out, I promise. Please, don't leave me. I can't stand seeing you slowly dying, I want to take care of you."
"Sage . . ."
"Please, Rowen. For once in your life, don't think of yourself as a burden to everything and stop being so stubborn."
He didn't have time to answer, for Sage got rid of the space between their faces, pressing his lips against Rowen's and giving him his first kiss.
**********
Sky glanced at the time again, she had to get moving or she'd be late. She had to go pick up Rowen from the train station. Though Rowen had been a bit upset at her for buying train tickets for a vacation without his permission, she knew that it was for the best. Even if she had to work at the tavern and put up with drunken men, it was well worth it if it got her friend to have some fun. Grabbing her purse, she was about to walk out the door of her apartment when the phone rang.
"This better be short," she snapped at the person on the other line.
"Hello to you too, Sky-chan."
"Rowen-kun!" Sky squealed. "Is the train early?"
"No, I'm still in Sendai, I'm going to be staying here with Sage."
"Ha! I knew in time you'd stay with your boyfriend."
"Yeah, I'm going to be living with my boyfriend," Rowen said more to himself than to Sky.
The girl was lost for words for the first time in her life, but only for a few seconds. "You two got together!" She squealed so loudly Rowen had to hold the phone away from his ear. "Oh my god, this is so big!" "Calm down, okay? I need to ask a favor of you."
"Sure, anything."
"Can you bring the rest of my stuff up?" "You mean your whole two boxes worth of things." "Um, yeah, so will you?"
"Of course I will."
"Thank you, Sky-chan, I'll talk to you later."
"Bye Rowen-kun, wait a second!"
"Huh?"
"You sound happier, you slept with him, didn't you?"
Rowen laughed softly, "I'll talk to you later. Bye."
"Bye." Sky chuckled as she hung up the phone. "It's about time he got some. Damn, to be a virgin for that long, I don't know how he lives with himself."
**********
After talking to Sky, Rowen spent most of the day laying in bed with Sage. His head resting on Sage's chest, listening to the sound of the steady beat of his heart. Sage held loosely onto Rowen's hand and with his free hand, he stroked the archer's soft, blue hair. They talked softly to each other or just enjoyed each other's company.
"Are you going to miss your old home?" Sage questioned quietly.
"It wasn't my home," remarked Rowen, "it was just a place to live. This, right here with you, is a place to call home."
Sage squeezed his hand and shifted himself so that he could kiss Rowen on the lips. After giving Rowen a deep kiss, he said, "I love you."
"I love you too," Rowen smiled and closed his eyes as he snuggled against Sage. This was truly a place you can call home.