Paper Rings – A Modern Fairytale

By Windy McDohl

Disclaimer: These characters belong to Murakami Maki ©. The fanfiction belongs to me.

Warning: Yaoi, please don't read if you don't like this. Flamers are retards. Nothing to learn from them, so there! Take that, Reiji! Meow ha! XD

Plot Cockroach: I got a review that requested more Tatsuha x Ryuichi… more Ryuu-chan in my fanfiction, actually. Well, while I do have Ryuichi-based stories, why not a little more Tatsuha-kun? Hiroshi-kun can share. :D He's such a giving young man! Anyway, I was re-reading (okay, okay! So it's already the sixth time, I should think… well, okay, more than that) Lord of the Rings… I badly wanted to write an LOTR piece again, but that can wait. I thought something short of and yet fits, romantically a fairytale may work here. ^__^

Summary: In this life, there is no such thing as a fairytale, lest we make one, lest we live it the way we will it… will there, be for us, a fairytale ending as well?

Pairing: Tatsuha x Ryuichi, Yuki x Shuichi

Note: Manga-wise. Whatever I forget, I mix in. ^__^

_________________

It was pouring buckets; the sky seemed to be shedding tears as the thunder rolled outside. Tatsuha sighed. He pressed his palm against the dripping window, not quite feeling the rain, as the glass barred it out. Just great! Here he was, on a vacation away from daddy dearest, and he was now locked in with his sweet and winsome brother.

Snerk.

He had to get away.

"Hey, Eiri…"

Yuki didn't bother to look up from his laptop as he heard his brother at the doorway. "What, brat?"

"I thought that that word was reserved for your cheerful little boyfriend."

"It's reserved for idiots in general who try to run, or rather, ruin my life. Now what is it? Can't you see I'm busy?" the honey blond frowned. His little brother could be a pain sometimes.

"I'm bored," Tatsuha complained. "I wanna go out."

"Look, why don't you just sit down, switch on the TV, slip that Nittle Grasper CD in, and get brainwashed together with the baka for two hours?" Yuki suggested, his insipid tone getting hotter as the seconds ticked by each syllable in his sentence. "My deadline is in two days. Do something about it, will you?"

"How about I share Shuichi with you…"

"Please?"

Tatsuha sighed, relenting. Yuki looked extremely tired that late afternoon. The raven-haired youth guessed that his big brother hadn't been sleeping much either, or he was a blind man.

"I love you too, aniki," Tatsuha said as he stalked off. In the room, Yuki sighed, burying his head in his hands.

It had been said with less sarcasm than usual.

"Hey, Tatsuha-kun!" Shuichi chirped from his seat on the couch. He had just returned from work, by the looks of the mess on the floor, the mud tracked in; he had half a day off that day. The pink-haired singer grinned as he waved a new CD in front of his brother-in-law's face. "I just got this back! Sakuma-sama gave it to me!"

"What the… that's not even released yet! GIVE IT TO ME!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Shuichi griped, albeit good-naturedly. "Let's watch it together!"

"Keep it down, though," Tatsuha stole a glance at Yuki's room. "The dragon's feeling under the weather today."

"Aww, he is?" Shuichi at once got up, but Tatsuha pulled him down again.

"Shuichi, don't. Don't start." Slowly, he rose, and dragged the singer gently to the door. He opened it to a crack, nudging Shuichi to look in. There, on the laptop, fast asleep, was Yuki. He looked awful, in fact. Even in sleep, he wore a hassled look, the dark rings under his eyes more evident than ever, against the harsh white of his skin… but forty winks were better than none, anyway. Then, as quietly as he had opened it, Tatsuha closed the door. He stared at Shuichi.

"That's terrible," Shuichi whispered.

Tatsuha nodded. He didn't know why he was doing this that day, but he had matured since he last left his brother's house. Yuki had grown mellower since the arrival of Shuichi. That encouraged Tatsuha to visit him more… bringing him closer to his dream.

One day, he will meet Sakuma Ryuichi, and shake the foundations of his world.

But for now… "Switch it on switch it on switch it on!"

_______________________________

He needed an inspiration.

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAH I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE! IT'S SO GLOOMY NA NO DA! MY HEAD IS BLANK!!" Ryuichi ripped the papers into shreds. They had only two weeks more to release a full CD, and not just that one he had recorded free of charge, and unfinished, for Shuichi. They were short of a song, too.

"Ryuu-chan…" Noriko looked up in surprise. "Don't be too worried. It's not like you to worry too much."

"Take it easy, Ryuichi," Tohma patted his head. "The more you think about it now, the more difficult it will be for you to write the song… you know what they say. Inspiration can be found even in the cracks of an old building."

"Sorry for losing it like that," Ryuichi gave a sharp exhalation as he ran his fingers through his hair. "It's just that… ever since I came back to Japan, I've been getting blocks. It hadn't really happened in America, Tohma, Noriko. I just… I can't stand it na no da."

"Bad Luck," Tohma muttered, folding his arms and grinning. "And more than just those words."

"Yeah," Noriko leaned on her chair, pondering. Ryuichi was beginning to feel the strain of rivalry as well. But without it, there wouldn't have been any push for Nittle Grasper to get back together again. For all they knew, Ryuichi might have stayed on in America, perhaps even forever. "I think that you should stop for a while, Ryuu-chan."

"Yes… let's go out once the rain stops." Tohma looked out. Already the rain was running thin.

Ryuichi tucked Kumagorou under his chin as he stared at the falling drops of water that were crashing against the glass.

_______________________________

The music was left on throughout their 'fun time'. Shuichi was teaching Tatsuha origami, the art of folding paper into various objects. Storks were Shuichi's primary concern; he believed that Yuki would get better if he folded them aplenty. The black-haired youth could only smile. His brother did fall for a good person after all – and Shuichi had proved true to his word. It wasn't looks or money that kept him… there was something in Yuki, something worthwhile, which stopped him from leaving.

But then again, Yuki had been a very caring brother… until…

Tatsuha clenched his fist. He knew of the horrors that his aniki had seen.

"Why is your face red?"

Tatsuha looked up and grinned sheepishly at the now awake sleeping beauty, who was leaning against the wall and curiously staring at them, a beer can in his hand. "It's not… well, not for any bad reason anyway."

"Hmm…" Yuki was not convinced. "You don't even blush when you have sex. Now, why is that that you're doing so now?"

"Hey!" Tatsuha retaliated instantly. "How do you know that I don't blush when I have sex?"

"Mou… Yuki…" Shuichi stuttered; looking profoundly scandalized. The honey blond merely smirked, folding his arms, his beer can jutting out from under his elbow.

"Anyway, what is that that you are making there?"

"Oh! Yuki! Paper storks! They'll help make you get better!" And indeed, the magical paper storks seemed to have worked better than a fuda. Shuichi was pleased. He skipped up to Yuki and flung his arms around his stoic novelist. "You look SOOO much better now Yuki!"

Yuki smiled absently as he patted the singer's hair. His eyes, however, moved to train on poor Tatsuha. "And you?"

"Paper rings… yeah, well. They're easy to make."

"Hmm… so they are," Yuki raised a pale brow. Ah, the sign that he wanted time alone with Shuichi. Tatsuha grinned, getting up and sliding on a few colorful rings he had made as accessories.

"I'm going out now to hook some slut-seeker," the black-haired youth grinned maniacally, twinkling his fingers to show off those colorful props of his.

"Yes. Do that," Yuki nodded in mock approval.

"Bye, Tatsuha-kun!" Shuichi waved. Tatsuha made his way out, waving back, but never with a backward glance. Who knows what indignity would arise were he to do so… especially when you were bunking in with a hot big brother and that perverted boyfriend of his.

Outside, the rain had ceased to a light shower, rather like a spray of vapor, as like those from a sprinkler on a summer's day. The clouds had given way to a few rays of light, and Tatsuha lifted his face to breathe the cool air.

Bump!

"GAH! I'm sorry!" the raven-haired youth nearly jumped out of his skin. He hadn't been looking as he walked – and had evidently bumped into, or rather, accidentally kicked a child.

"It's okay na no da," the stranger didn't even bother to look up. He seemed to be looking rather forlornly into the drain, as if searching for something. Tatsuha took a quick glance at him, and found the problem at once.

"You lost your shoe?"

The stranger turned around, his eyes lighting up as brilliantly as the wide blue summer skies. Tatsuha now gaped in shock. There was Sakuma Ryuichi, kneeling in front of a drain, soaked to the skin and only wearing one shoe on his foot, while desperately looking for the other.

"Yeah, I was coming over to see my friend to get some inspiration for this song I was writing. It was raining and I got wet, so I hurried. Then, I tripped over a can and fell… my shoe was loose and it came off na no da! Plop! I heard it fall into the drain. I've been looking for it since."

"Ah… well, let me help you," Tatsuha offered. He immediately got on his knees and started to poke at the muddy drain with a long stick.

The search went on for an hour. As they looked for the shoe, Ryuichi resumed making small talk with Tatsuha, who slowly began to respond and open up. Before long, they were chatting and laughing gaily as if they'd known each other since forever.

"Oh well, I believe it's gone for good," Ryuichi sighed. "Luckily for me, my friend lives nearby. Maybe I can borrow a shoe from him."

"If your friend's Shindou Shuichi," Tatsuha guessed; "It'll be a sure fit. You guys practically look like twins."

"You know Shuu-chan?"

"Yeah… I'm his boyfriend's brother… you know, Yuki Eiri? The novelist?" Tatsuha scratched his head. He didn't like too much publicity, but heck, if Sakuma Ryuichi needed help, he would jump to it.

"Oh, you know Yuki-san!" the singer got up, tugging at Tatsuha's arm. "Well then, let's go!"

"You can't possibly walk like this, can you?" the black-haired youth looked doubtfully at Ryuichi. He pondered for a moment before grinning. "Hey, I know! Why don't you wear my shoes while we walk back? Sure, they may be a tad bit huge, but I think it'll be more comfortable this way…"

"Then how are you going to walk?" Ryuichi was aghast. "You'll hurt yourself na no da!"

"That's okay… I'm a monk. I know basic arts, like those judo stuff, and my soles are real tough. C'mon! I'll show you!"

Ryuichi burst out laughing as Tatsuha took his shoes off to demonstrate his tough soles in action. Tatsuha found it easy to be with his rock-god, somehow, despite all that shining, he seemed very approachable and easy going. Ryuichi shone, not with the limelight, as he was always seen with, but at that moment, with the light of a kind smile and a good heart.

"Silly little Hobbit!"

"Hey, my feet ain't hairy!" he grinned.

"Nope, but you're cute like one, na no da!" Ryuichi crossed his arms. "You're my Frodo and my Frodo you shall be. I won't budge until you promise me to at least wear socks to protect your feet."

"Well then, hail Uesugi Frodo, Lord of the Rings!" Tatsuha held out his hands, strutting about and flexing his fingers to show off his astounding collection of magical paper rings. "And you, my elf Ryuu-chan, shall be the keeper of one, the One Ring to find them, and one to bind them, and into Nittle Grasper pitch their hearts to brightness. I hereby promise you to wear my socks and be a good boy!"

Kneeling down, Tatsuha pulled from his fourth finger a ring made of metallic golden foil, and dropped it into Ryuichi's palm. The singer peeked at Tatsuha through the hole and slipped it on.

"And hail Lord Ryuu-chan, lord of the one ring na no da!" he then paused. "What about Kumagorou?"

"Uh… I don't think any of the rings can fit him." Tatsuha stared at the pink bunny that was then soggy with rain. "What about a paper chain?"

"Well, where is it?" Ryuichi peered at Tatsuha's neck, here and then poking through his pockets.

"Ow, oww, hey, hey!" the raven-haired youth laughed, feeling ticklish. "I don't have one with me now! I can make one when we get back to Yuki's."

"Done."

Ryuichi nodded quickly. He then extended his hand to Tatsuha.

"What… eh…?"

"Come on, Tatsuha! Let's go already!" Ryuichi loosely linked their hands, his small fingers entwined with Tatsuha's, curling only just so gently. The black haired youth didn't blush.

Two young men walked back in the light, falling rain that day, one wearing only shoes, and the other wearing only socks, laughing and talking as they did so. Ahead, a rainbow graced the blue-gray sky.

In this life, there is no such thing as a fairytale, lest we make one, lest we live it the way we will it… and if we dream hard enough, and work, with our whole heart, towards it, there will be a fairytale ending for us after all.

--@-'---,--- おわり -,-----'-@--

Note: I know this sounds cliché in some parts. I got this idea off Yohtsuki's younger brother, who was making things out of paper. He made pineapples. The shoe thing was sort of like from Cinderella, wasn't it? But for you people who actually order Jump Comics, this came from Wild Half. When Miya-san lost her shoe, Taketo offered his. I liked that part. :D

Sorry, I know this should have ended with a lemon scene! Heheh! I couldn't! ^___^ Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!