A/N: Thank you to: DragonDamsel, EclipseKuran, NitroTheKidd88, and timydamonkey for the new favs and follows! Although I don't quite understand how in the world you got through the first few chapters that had an excessive amount of spelling/grammatical errors, tangent ideas that made no sense, and twisted/pathetic sense of drama… but I've gotten a little better XD So thanks so much you guys! Ah, also, this is raw and unedited... I got impatient and impulsive~ ;P

Disclaimer: I own nothing except my life. Oh wait. What life? *sobs*

The plain, coffered ceiling stared back at me the moment I opened my eyes. The echoing sound of water hitting metal throughout my room reminded me that the rain from yesterday still hadn't let up. I let out a sigh as I sat up. A new day.

The floorboards creaked. He's here.

"Bored again, Josh?" An edge came with the question.

"Something like that," he responded oblivious - or ignoring it, my mind supplies - as he took a seat at my desk, legs crossing. "Funny, how you immediately knew it was me."

"What are you doing here?" I asked quietly not wanting to look at him.

"Why else would I be here again?"

I gave a half-hearted shrug not really wanting to acknowledge what I already knew. There was a moment of silence - much louder than the rain - that came over us before Joshua said anything again.

"Neku, did you take that medicine I left you?"

This again? "Obviously not, dipshit."

I could almost tell he's raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

"Do I really - Josh, I'm not a kid, don't treat me like one," I muttered annoyed. 'Just leave me alone,' resonated through even though it wasn't said.

"Neku there's a reason - "

"Yeah, there's a reason for all the shit you do, I get that, alright?" I snapped, my hands gripped the navy blue fabric. "I don't… I just… want to know why…" Fuck it…

I feel his stare, but pointedly ignore it. If Joshua's just here to play around with his toy, he can fuck off. I'm not up to this today. And god… why is it so hot?

.x

I repressed an irritated sigh. Why couldn't he just take the medicine without all… this? Noise were swarming around in clusters because of his mood and they were being a bother to my focus on the matter at hand. I flicked away a piece of hair shooting them with a small burst of power. As they screeched and fizzed away, Neku suddenly got up.

"I'm just going to get some water," Neku informed me, heading to the narrow hallway. His face was a bit flushed.

"I'll get something to drink as well then," I chirp, getting up following my ex-Proxy.

Neku was quiet until we entered the kitchen, "Isn't it a little hot to you?"

I stole a look at the back of his orange spikes as he made his way over to the sink before shrugging. I unconsciously took in the fact that the gel that kept his hair up was losing its holding effect, making his hair droop comically. I smile, amused. "Hm, no not really."

'His apartment is a bit stuffy, but only because it needs more ventilation. Maybe I should open a window later. He also needs something more healthy to eat than ramen...' I shook my head a little clearing my thoughts with a small grin. Neku would throw a hissy fit over me trying to mommy him.

"So what exactly do you have to drink?" I opened a cabinet and easily found a glass. Maybe he should have some Calpico or —

"Um, there should be something in the fridge…" came Neku's reply.

As I opened the fridge, my brow creased at what I saw. 'I wonder…' The middle shelf was lined with takeout boxes and disposable containers, whereas the top and bottom shelves had barely anything. I stared a moment more before moving to grab the familiar rectangular bottle of Calpico. 'Why is his fridge so empty?' Drink in hand, I closed the door before turning away, only to suddenly come face to face with Neku.

It startled me out of my thought, but I quickly masked it with a smirk… until I noticed something was off.

"Neku…?"

Neku's vibrant, dark blue eyes were now glazed over and seemed to look through me. His face was a lightly dusted red and his body seemed to sway with his breathing. But his Music… expecting the normally rapid-fire, exciting and rather pleasant sound, I was greeted with the sound of something akin to nails chaotically running across a chalkboard. A random burst of barely coherent Music made me wince as it occurred to me what was happening. 'Neku's Music is — '

"Joshua… why is it so hot?…"

I suppressed a shiver as those hazy eyes continued to stare through me.

"Neku, are you — "

I almost dropped everything as Neku pitched forward, nearly throwing the both of us to the floor had I not stepped back to support the sudden deadweight. Quickly setting the beverage and the cup down, I gripped his waist in one arm and clutched his other arm to keep him from sliding to the ground. I could feel his unnaturally hot skin through my shirt.

"Neku," I pulled him back from against me. His eyes were closed and weak pants exited his slightly ajar mouth. "Neku."

Getting no response from him, I let him fall back on me before I pulled out my orange cellphone from my pocket dialing one person.

"Hello, Hanekoma speaking," the WildKat owner's voice streamed through the receiver.

"Sanae," I said breathing evenly. I refused to believe that I was panicking. "I'll be there in a few minutes would you be so kind so as to prepare a room for me?"

There was a pause on the other line. As soon as I felt I'd snap, the CAT artist hesitantly replied, "Uh…huh, sure Boss."

With that I tucked my device into my back pocket before taking Neku and adjusting him so he'd be somewhat comfortable. Ugh, I don't do this sweating thing at all… and Neku is practically burning.

In seconds flat, we arrived at WildKat due to my teleportation.

Mr. H raised an eyebrow once he realized I wasn't alone. "'Phones?"

"He didn't take the medicine yesterday, Sanae," I responded curtly, trying to maneuver past the door leading to the back. "His Music is becoming destructive."

"I told you he had to take it, Josh," the other said coming from behind the bar to trail after me. "His Music is already damaged from the Long Game."

"I know that," I threw a condescending look back at the other as I got to the second door. I really ought to make Sanae remodel the cafe with less doors. "Neku, on the other hand, didn't give me the time of day to actually explain."

Mr. H gave a sigh before he twisted the knob. "The Higher Ups have been at my rear because of you, J."

"He," I nodded towards Neku. "Is more of a priority for me right now. If Neku dies again, he won't have the luxury of playing. The Angels have no business with Shibuya's ex-Players after they're back in the Real Ground." Especially Neku.

The other man regarded me through amused eyes as I set the redhead on the couch. I cut my eyes over to him, his thoughts very clear to me. "Sentiment is found in the losing side, Sanae."

He rubbed the nape of his neck sheepishly with a short, knowing grin before he turned serious. "Since I don't have any more of those pills, we have to do this… 'manually.'"

"Explain."

"As you know, Neku's Music is caving in on itself; some notes are out-of-tune and his Music doesn't quite know what it's supposed to do anymore, and being alive, it's causing his immunity to be weak and unstable. This is a result of spending too much time in the UG and — " he paused, eyes flitting towards me. "Because he spent that one week with you, his Music picked up a few things from yours that caused his Music to create notes that don't belong in the RG, making it fight with itself."

"Like when someone has cancer."

Sanae gave a grim laugh. "Something like that."

"Why didn't I notice his Music when I brought him back to the RG?"

"I assume the rogue notes had melded together quite nicely. 'Sides, J, I don't think anyone's ever had a Game so far like Shibuya's."

I realized what he meant almost immediately, "So I have to fix his Music."

He gave a curt nod and I felt my stomach clench. Neku's face scrunched up in pain or discomfort as a sour note was struck. Tuning someone else's Music was a meticulous job with a heavy price if you weren't careful. If Neku got erased because of this… I feel his hand clamp onto my shoulder as if steadying me.

Neku's Music is twisting, screaming, pulling away from me as soon as I dove into it. The notes were all out of order making it almost impossible to find Neku's original song. I narrowed my eyes out of habit as a Noise wormed its way to us. Irritation wasn't going to make anything better, but for me to concentrate I couldn't handle any distractions.

However, before I do anything it disappeared in a burst of static.

"Concentrate, Josh," Sanae muttered. "I got the Noise."

Time to get to work.

God, I really hate the after effects of this past Game.