LilacDreams1

Bobbing his head along to the familiar melody of Cage, Kaoru played out his part well, obviously having much practice. He watched his small fingers as he played, watched them move all over the neck of his black guitar, knowing exactly where to go. It almost amazed him in a very simple way. There were all those notes, those notes that were put together to make a song, and now he could play it perfectly. A faint smile played on his lips at the idea.
    Coming out of his thoughs, Kaoru glanced up, noticing the red-haired guitarist gazing at him from across the room. Their eyes locked momentarily before Die looked away, blushing slightly. Kaoru's heart was beating madly. What's wrong with me? he asked himself. Die's my best friend! Why am I feeling this way? Shaking his head to rid it of those odd thoughts, he tried to go back to studying his fingers. But it just wasn't the same.

***

    Why hadn't Die ever noticed how beautiful Kaoru was before? He gazed in awe at the other guitarist's high cheekbones, his purple hair that was meant for extravagant hairstyles falling around his face, framing it in a deep violet frame. His eyes wandered over his small body, his thin frame, his small hands expertly moving over the guitar's strings. Suddenly, Kaoru looked up, catching Die's eyes.
   Kuso! Die thought, casting his eyes quickly at the wall. He felt his entire face grow warm, knowing he must be bright red. Why was he looking at Kaoru like that? They were just friends! Yet something more than that had been nudging at him lately, a desire to be closer to the leader. He wanted badly to hold him in his arms and smooth his hair down lovingly, to kiss his fine lips, to-
    What am I thinking?? his mind screamed. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't push the thoughts from his head. Images and fantasies replayed over and over until he was ready to scream with frustration.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kaoru cringe slightly, bending his head down. Worry arose in Die and when the song finished, he carefully set his guitar down and wandered over to the other man. "Hey, Kaoru, are you okay?" he asked, placing a hand on the purple-haired man's shoulder.
    Kaoru rubbed his head, looking up at Die. "Yeah, I just have a head ache, that's all," he replied, yet his voice sounded stressed.
    Bringing his hand up, Die felt Kaoru's forehead worriedly. His eyes widened. "Kaoru! You're burning up!" he exclaimed. "I think you've got a fever!"
    Kaoru covered a cough with his hand. "I'm sure I'm okay."
    The red-haired man shook his head seriously. "No. You're getting sick. You shouldn't be up in this condition!"
    "You sound like my mother," Kaoru mumbled, yet he was glad that someone cared about his well-being, seeing as he didn't have the time to.
    "Well, maybe I do, but you should rest!" Die told him.
    "But- but practice!" he protested.
    "Screw practice!" the other guitarist exclaimed. "You need to rest!"
    Kaoru winced again, cradling his head in his hands. The pain throbbed from the inside and made him feel as though someone were running a knife right between his eyes. "Oh, God, maybe you're right, Die..." Kaoru groaned, bending over. Suddenly, he jumped up, running to the bathroom.
    "He's sick," Toshiya stated obviously.
    "He should eat healthier, and not smoke," Shinya added. "He brought it on himself."
    "If we don't have practice, I can go home and sleep!" Kyo exclaimed happily.
    Exasperated, Die demanded, "Doesn't anyone care about how he feels but me?!" Standing up, he moved to the bathroom to see if Kaoru was all right. When he passed through the doorway, he saw the smaller man standing at the sink, rinsing his mouth out with water, flushed look on his face. "Kaoru, do you want me to take you home?" Die asked him softly, moving behind the other guitarist.
    Swiping a hand across his eyes, Kaoru mumbled, "If it's not too much trouble."
    Die smiled reassuringly. "It's no trouble at all! Come on, let's go." He held his arm out to support Kaoru, savoring the guitarist's touch. It made him feel light inside, a bubbling happiness that wouldn't come between just two friends. Stop it! Die's head screamed. You don't feel that way! But as he walked with Kaoru out to his car, regarding the beautiful man out of the corner of his eye, he decided that he did feel that way. He was falling for Kaoru.

    "So are you going to be okay? Do you need me to come up?" Die asked, leaning out of his rolled down window as Kaoru stood next to his car, in front of his apartment complex.
    Nodding meakly, Kaoru responded, "I think I'll be okay. Thanks a lot for taking me home, it's probably best that I don't drive."
    A smile spread across the red-haired man's handsome face. "Any time, you can always count on me!" Kaoru turned to leave, walking slowly towards the building, then dashed suddenly towards the bushes, bending over and retching.
    Worry arose within Die and he parked his car, getting out and rushing over to the sick man. "Hey, maybe I should come in. You should stay in bed, I'll bring you whatever you need."
    Clenching his eyes shut one last time to make sure that he was done, Kaoru stood up, pretty eyes half-closed in discomfort. "Maybe you're right," he agreed. "I should be okay by this evening."
    Die placed a hand on Kaoru's back to steady him as they walked up to the purple-haired man's apartment and he had to fight the urge to let the hand wander softly across that expanse of skin, letting it trail up the back of the smaller man's neck lightly. He was merely helping him to his apartment because he was sick, he reminded himself, trying not to stare at Kaoru's face.
    Once they were inside of the leader's apartment, Kaoru immediately went to his bedroom, falling asleep quickly in his bed. Without making a sound, Die left the room and got a washcloth damp with cold water, then returned, tiptoeing quietly across the plush carpeting to the side of the other guitarist's bed. He looked so gorgeous lying there, hair splayed all over the pillow like a purple halo. Even in his sleep, his eyebrows were knit together, obviously from the discomfort he was feeling. Lovingly, Die swept his palm over Kaoru's white forehead, pushing the hair out of the way before placing wet cloth over the hot skin. He let his fingers drift lightly across the other guitarist's face, feeling the smooth skin under his fingertips. Not wanting Kaoru to wake to find him caressing his face, Die got up and grabbed a chair from across the room, dragging it next to the bed. I'll just sit here and make sure he's okay! Die thought.
    After a while of gazing longingly at the gorgeous man, Die found how boring just sitting there really was. Needing something to do, he stood up and went exploring around Kaoru's apartment. The leader's apartment was smaller than his own and crammed with things. He had one room entirely devoted to his music, with many guitars and hundreds CDs scattered everywhere. His livingroom was well equipped with a rather large stereo system and a big-screen TV. Die's mind conjured up images of him and Kaoru cuddling on the couch in front of that TV, starting out watching romantic movies and ending up making out on the couch. Blushing, Die pushed this thought to the back of his mind so it didn't give his body any ideas.
    Die spent the rest of the evening channel surfing and going back to check on Kaoru often, more often than was needed. Finally, eyelids becoming heavy with sleep, Die trudged back into the leader's bedroom, taking his seat on the chair again. Kaoru slept on, face flushed, but eyebrows relaxed. Reaching out, Die picked up the cloth from Kaoru's forehead, going to the bathroom and dowsing it again under cold water. Going back to the purple-haired guitarist, he leaned down, heart beating madly as he placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, then laid the cloth over it, as though preserving the kiss there forever.
    Die yawned widely, leaning his body over so as to rest his head and arms on the foot of the bed, the rest of him on the chair. Enjoying the feel of Kaoru's bed, he drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face.