Disclaimer: You know, I haven't got a clue who created Rave Master or what rich anime-producing company claims the rights, but I can tell you for sure that neither of them are me.
Rating: PG...God only knows what it is in the new rating system, though. K?
Pairing: Haru/Musica
Summary: It's the middle of the night and Musica is hiding from an enraged Elie in Haru's hotel room. Conversation ensues, because some things can only be said at four a.m. Slash, of the Haru/Musica variety.
AN: Gah, This is my first Rave Master fic – I've been a shameless Haru/Musica slasher since the moment they first locked eyes and decided to give it a shot, although, worryingly enough, Elie was my fave character to write in this. ; It's set straight after they arrive on Lyric Continent – their first night there, before they go anywhere or do anything.

Love to GregsterC and Minnow for impromptu beta work.

Awakening

'Night lasts so long, and four a.m knows all my secrets.'
Poppy Z. Brite, 'Lost Souls'

'Haru! Hey, Haru!' Musica raised his fist and banged on the hotel room door again. 'Haru, let me in!'

'Wh--?' Haru stumbled to the door, and Musica dashed in and slammed it behind him, breathing hard. 'It's four in the morning, what're you doing here?'

'I wanted to sneak in a quickie before Griff woke up,' Musica replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes. Haru folded his arms, somehow managing to look stern in just a pair of pyjama bottoms with smily stars on them.

'Okay, I'm hiding from Elie.'

Haru raised an eyebrow.

'Really. I went to the lobby to complain in person about how long my room service was taking and found her in the casino downstairs. I went over to say hi, and jolted the guy who was rolling the dice so her number didn't come up. She was reaching for the Tonfa Blasters when I left, so I thought I should lie low for a while.'

Haru winced at the memory of Elie at the roulette table, then yawned. 'Room service? Gambling? Geez, does no one ever sleep around here?'

Musica laughed. 'I forgot you aren't from the city. One night when this whole quest thing is over we're gonna stop in Blues City or Punk Street or somewhere, and I'm gonna take you out and show you just what you're missing by getting your full eight hours.'

Haru stretched, yawned again, and sat down heavily on the bed. 'I think I'll pass. Look, can I just go back to sleep now? You can turn out the light and hide in the closet or whatever, then Elie won't notice you and I can get some beauty rest.'

'Psht, you don't need it,' Musica replied dismissively, leaning against the door. 'Besides, it's not very polite of you to leave me locked in a wardrobe all night.'

'I thought you were meant to be the independent one,' Haru grumbled, rubbing his eyes. 'So, what exactly were you doing up at this time, anyway? If you were ordering room service you can't have been out on the town, so...'

'I was trying to figure out what's going on with the Oracion Six. We know Shuda, and there's the chick with the green hair and the guy with the dragon, which still leaves three that we've never encountered, unless that Sieg Hart was one of them too. And did you notice that Sieg Hart and the dragon guy had the same tattoo on their right eye? Shuda didn't have one, and the girl didn't, unless it was on her other eye, so it might have been some personal thing, but I'm sure I've seen it before somewhere...'

Musica paused and smiled slightly when he noticed that Haru was fast asleep on the bed, legs draped over the side and neck twisted to a painful angle. Mentally tossing a coin, he strode over and lifted Haru up gently, pulling back the covers and tucking him in, allowing his hand to linger for a moment on the warm skin of Haru's chest.

'You're coming with me?'

Musica jumped, flinching away from the contact. 'What?'

'What you were saying, about the Oracion Six,' Haru said drowsily, 'does that mean you're coming with me?'

Musica laughed softly. 'Did you think I'd just leave you to it? You wouldn't get very far without me, and you know it. How many times have I saved your life now?'

Haru smiled. 'But I thought you had your own quest.'

'I do, but I figure if I scratch your back, you scratch mine, right?' He smirked, trying not to laugh at the incredulous expression that appeared on Haru's face. 'What? I'm not the leader of the most notorious gang of thieves around just because I'm so good-looking.' He pushed a strand of hair out of Haru's face. 'Look, I'm going with you. You're my friend, Haru, you and Elie and Plue...hell, even Griff when I'm in a good mood; and I'm not going to let you all nearly get killed as soon as I turn my back like last time.'

Haru smiled again and shut his eyes, and Musica absently twirled a strand of his pale hair between his fingers.

'So, can I still crash here? I don't think Elie'll be done hunting me down quite yet and I don't wanna open the door and see her standing there ready to kill me.'

'Sure, hold on, I'll scoot over for you.'

'No, that's fine, I can take the floor; and maybe the closet if that doesn't do.'

He was about to get up when Haru murmured, 'Musica?'

'Yeah?'

'Thank you – for coming with us. I know it was hard for you to leave Melodia again, and –'

Musica tugged gently on Haru's hair to shut him up. 'Haru, Melodia's in the past now. I love her, but it's not the same any more. I was going to go back to her, but then I thought about never seeing Elie or Plue or that idiot Griff again and I just couldn't do it. That's why I'm here, remember?'

'Or me?'

Musica looked up into Haru's eyes. 'What?'

Haru lifted a hand and tangled it with Musica's, tugging it from its spot nestled in his hair. 'What about the thought of never seeing me again?'

Musica chuckled quietly. 'That went without saying,' he joked, but his friend didn't smile. 'Haru—'

'There you are!'

Musica turned to see Elie silhouetted in the doorway, Tonfa Blasters at the ready and fire in her eyes. 'Do you have any idea how much money you lost me! I know you're the amazing Musica of the Silver Rhythm Bandits, who can steal a million at the flick of his wrist and afford hotels like this, but some of us have to—' She suddenly cut off and her eyes grew wide. 'Are you two...holding hands?'

'Damn, you've discovered our secret love affair,' Musica replied drily, dropping Haru's hand.

Haru pushed him away playfully. 'Don't listen to this pervert, Elie, he was using running away from you as an excuse to have his wicked way with me.'

Musica stifled a smirk, but Elie nodded. 'That I can believe. C'mon, Griff, Plue, let's leave these guys to it and go get some rest.'

Plue nodded sleepily from the end of Haru's bed – Musica wondered idly just how long he'd been lying there – and followed Griff and Elie to the door.

'I should be going too,' said Musica, getting back to his feet. 'I need to find out whether that room service order ever arrived after all.' He paused in the doorway. 'Night, Haru.'

'Night, Musica,' Haru mumbled, burying his face in the pillow.

The light clicked off, the door closed softly, and Haru rolled over to stare at the scarily white ceiling as if it were the solution to all his problems. 'What the hell was all that about?'

The ceiling didn't reply.

Despite their late nights, the group were up at nine a.m. and ready to start hunting for the next Rave Stone...well, two of them were.

'Where is he?' grumbled Musica, glaring up at the clock by the slightly-charred casino.

'I dunno, he's normally up by now,' Elie said, looking around the lobby. 'Whatever you two were doing last night must have taken a lot out of him.' She grinned slyly and Musica winced.

'It's not like that, nothing happened.'

'Bet you wish it did, though.'

He turned and glared at her. 'Elie...'

'I mean, I know you love Melodia and everything, but it's still obvious that there's something there...'

'Elie!'

'You know it's true—' She cut off abruptly and waved her arm in the air. 'Haru! Hey, Haru, over here!'

Musica stepped away before her waving did any permanent damage, and watched in amusement as Haru stumbled towards them, yawning widely despite the obscene amount of sleep he'd had.

'Morning, sleepyhead!' called Elie. 'Have a good night?' She winked, but Haru didn't seem to notice.

He paused and glanced up at Musica before turning back to Elie. 'Yeah, I did. Coulda done without all the interruptions, though.'

'Consider me warned,' she said, grinning again. 'Don't worry, I'll leave you guys alone now. I need to find another arcade and win myself a souvenir! See you at lunch, okay?' She waved and headed out of the hotel, and Musica watched in amusement as she promptly tripped over Griff, who'd decided to stick with her for the day.

'So, what're your plans?' he asked eventually, turning back to Haru.

Haru's stomach rumbled and he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. 'How about breakfast? We can eat, and then talk about some stuff.'

Musica sighed and looked down at him. 'Listen, there are some things which are best left to four a.m., okay?'

Haru opened his mouth to argue, and Musica pressed a swift kiss to his lips. 'Don't question it,' he said slowly, pulling away. Haru blinked.

'Now, you said something about breakfast?' Musica asked, and Haru nodded. 'I think we passed a little place on our way here, it's just down the road and it looked pretty cheap...' He turned back to see Haru still standing in the middle of the lobby, and reached out to him. 'Well? Are you coming, or do you want me to eat two giant plates of food all on my own?'

Haru took his hand and smiled broadly, and with Plue on their heels, the two of them headed through the hotel door and into the sunlight, ready to face bandits, the Shadow Guard, and the twenty-minute queue at the pancake house.

End