Hi everyone! I originally wrote this as a birthday present to someone special, but then I decided to share it all with you! This an AU one-shot between Yuki and Shuichi. They meet for the first time at one of Tohma's parties. Bad Luck has already released their first CD, which was very successful. Yuki is engaged to Ayaka, but they don't live together.
Disclaimer: I don't own Gravitation and the song "You and Me" used belongs to Lifehouse. I also changed the "shes" to "hes" in the song, in order to accommodate the fact that this is a story between two males.
Three or four cusses used, suggestive themes, etc. Nothing too bad. Enjoy!
It Was the Way He Smiled
Eiri Uesugi (commonly known as Yuki Eiri to the general public) was extremely bored. He was at one of Tohma's ridiculously extravagant parties, sulking on a soft beige couch. Everyone else, including his fiancé, Ayaka, was up and bustling around elsewhere, excitedly chattering, laughing, and in some drunken cases, singing and dancing. There were way too many people at this particular party, from Tohma's business associates, to Mika's mild acquaintances, to some stupid bands that didn't deserve to be as famous as he was.
Luckily, Tohma's house was large enough to accommodate all the people that showed up. This didn't change the fact that Yuki did not like parties, did not like being asked for autographs, and most importantly, did not like people.
What was Yuki doing at a party? His sister had threatened him, because some of her friends were "dying" to finally meet him. His future wife had pleaded with him, saying that it would be weird to show up at a party without him. His brother-in-law had forcefully suggested that he go to the party, not without flashing his brilliantly fake smile first of course.
So as soon as Yuki had arrived with Ayaka, he had smiled and politely talked to his adoring female fans (all while mentally lighting them on fire), left Ayaka with Noriko, and lied through his teeth when Tohma had asked him if he was having a good time. And everyone was satisfied with this, because no one minded when Yuki retreated to a more secluded room in Tohma's house.
Yuki was in a tiny, intimate room that consisted of a few comfy couches, a glass table conveniently thrown in the middle adorned with drink coasters, dim lights, and smooth jazz music playing the background. He would have gone to sleep, but he knew that Tohma was scurrying around looking for him by now… and the blonde didn't want to wake up to the pianist sitting on top of him, caressing the side of his face or something bizarre like that.
When is the night going to end? Yuki took his cell out of his pocket and checked the time. It's only eleven… Tohma's parties usually ended around one or so.
Yuki let out another sigh and gazed around the room. He saw some kid with green hair, deep in conversation with one of Tohma's underlings… Yuki frowned, trying to remember the man's name. Blue hair, dorky glasses, neurotic… The blonde then shrugged in defeat, turning his attention to the boy instead. This one was a relative of Tohma's… and they had plenty in common, despite the fact that they looked nothing alike. They were serious, no-nonsense, hardworking pianists. They were both blatantly rude sometimes. They were both famous, as well.
Yuki then looked at a married couple, friends of Mika's. They were lovingly gazing at each other, with passion and sincerity that he would never share with Ayaka. Theirs would be a marriage of convenience, much like Tohma's to Mika. Yuki frowned, slightly unnerved by the love seeping out of the lovers' pores.
Looking at the pair made Yuki sick to his stomach. True love didn't exist. These two were mostly likely going to be fine for about two years. Then the wife would get pregnant, moody, and unreasonable. The husband would become irritable, impatient, and distant. They'd start having arguments, screaming matches, door slamming contests… until of course the kids were born and then they'd pretend to still be in love, hiding behind fake smiles, flippant I-love-yous, and meaningless kisses.
Finally, when that lifestyle became too unbearable and using the kids as an excuse to stay together was finally worn-out, the once happy couple would divorce, splitting the "family" and psychologically ruining their children's lives. But of course before the parents went their separate ways, all while court dates and child support payments lurked about in the future, they would never neglect to proclaim their endless love for the children and needlessly remind the kids that they were never to blame.
And people wonder why misanthropy exists.
Yuki scowled, completely disgusted now that he had mapped out the couple's future. To put it frankly, he was pissed off… and praying that he would never have children with Ayaka. He stood up abruptly, earning a questioning glance from Tohma's cousin, and left the room just as quickly.
Once out in the hallway, Yuki leaned against it, bending his head and wishing himself elsewhere. He never should have come.
Yuki stood there in silence, keeping his eyes shut. This calmed him somehow. No one walked through the hallway, which was a good thing, too. The blonde began breathing deeply. His psychiatrist had said something about not analyzing other people's lives, that it was none of his business and all that. Well, what the hell was he supposed to do, sitting there all alone, all while those two love birds practically infected everyone else in the room with the possibility that true love existed?
And besides, he was a writer, and writers thought about everything. Well, in his case, everything bad, being that he was a hopeless pessimist, but that didn't make a bit of difference. There was nothing wrong with predicting the future. Actually, he wasn't predicting; there was no doubt in his mind. That couple was doomed to divorce.
After arguing with himself for about two minutes, Yuki finally grew tired and decided that he wanted more wine. That would mean going into public area. He would have to endure annoying small talk and be social for about ten minutes. And because he would have to be stationary for a while, Tohma would miraculously find him and never let the writer out of his sight again. At this point, Yuki just wanted to slit his throat and be done with it.
Maybe that damned psychiatrist was right… maybe I do think too much. Yuki opened his eyes, only to find Tohma himself standing right in front of him. You've got to be freaking kidding me!!! How the hell did he find me so fast?!? No one is supposed to be here!!!!
"Eiri, Eiri. What are you doing out here?" Tohma grinned widely at Yuki, and gestured to the noise coming from down the hallway. He began walking down the hallway and Yuki had no choice but to follow, damning all of humanity for spawning such a control freak like him. "Now, now, Eiri, don't glare at me like that. There's someone you need to meet. He would like an autograph, I believe."
Yuki inwardly groaned, raising his eyes to the heavens. What did I do to deserve this? The blonde writer shuffled his feet along, wearing his sullen expression until Tohma led him into a huge room stirring with social activity. The room was packed and everyone was talking and smiling and drinking and it just made Yuki feel even sicker. To make matters worse, both Mika and Ayaka were in this room.
Yuki followed Tohma through the crowd, forcing himself to smile at those he passed by. At last, the pianist stopped paying attention to Yuki. Tohma was conversing pleasantly with some blonde, American man wearing shades and holding a large rifle. Before Tohma could turn around, Yuki had already leapt for one of the empty couches. He did not want to be around some gun-happy creep.
After safely seating himself in a light green couch, which was decorated with dark green swirls, Yuki let out an uncomfortable sigh, his eyes darting about the room, taking in his surroundings. So far, neither Mika nor Ayaka had noticed his presence. And Tohma wasn't concerned with him for once. If any one of them began to make their way towards him, Yuki would just disappear into the crowd. It was the perfect plan. He would just sit here quietly, until…
"Neeeeeeeeeeeee, have you seen Shu-chan, na no da?" An annoyingly high-pitched voice broke Yuki's mental concentration. He nearly jumped out of his skin. Ryuichi Sakuma, lead singer of Nittle Grasper, was currently prancing about in front of the blonde, holding his giant pink… thing, of course. "I was talking to him and then he disappeared! Did you see him?"
"No." Yuki answered curtly, more than ready to bash Ryuichi's head in. The man was in his thirties and he acted like he was ten. It was too bizarre. He must've had some kind of Peter Pan complex; it was the only logical explanation-
"Okay! Kuma-chan and I will keep on looking, na no da!" Ryuichi skipped off into the distance, leaving a relieved Yuki behind. No sooner than Ryuichi's beloved Kuma-chan left Yuki's eyesight did a pink head pop up from behind the green couch.
"What the hell?!?" Yuki jumped, turning to look at the male hiding behind the couch. He had messy, pink hair… and startling, purple eyes.
"Sorry… I was just hiding." The male stood up and jumped over the couch so that he was sitting next to Yuki. His energetic movement appalled Yuki and he was forced to bite back his automatic rude comment. "Sakuma-san is my idol and everything… but he's tiring me out. I'm pooped."
Yuki raised an eyebrow in reply. So this was "Shu-chan". He looked quite familiar. "How old are you?" The blonde found himself asking the male.
"Nineteen. I'm Shuichi Shindou, by the way." The boy, Shuichi stuck out his hand towards Yuki, with a bright smile on his face. Yuki reluctantly shook Shuichi's hand. "And you're Yuki Eiri, right?"
"Yes." Yuki answered, a little perplexed by Shuichi's smile. It was unlike any smile he had ever seen before. It wasn't phony and sickly sweet, like Tohma's smile. It wasn't mischievous and perverted, like Tatsuha's, nor bossy or condescending like Mika's. It certainly wasn't like the writer's smile, too forced and small to convey any kind of happiness. No, Shuichi's was a genuine, happy smile that reached his eyes and lit up his entire face, proclaiming to the world "I'm happy! You should be, too!" And for some odd reason, Yuki liked Shuichi's smile.
"Yeah… my sister Maiko begged me to get an autograph from you." Shuichi laughed, making Yuki's eyes widen slightly. How could the boy have such an effect on the blonde? "She kind of threatened me, too."
"Begged?" Yuki raised an eyebrow… partially annoyed that this was the person Tohma had wanted him to meet. "I see."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to irritate you." Shuichi smiled apologetically. "It's just that my sister really, really loves your books and-"
"Just give me the damned thing so I can sign it." Yuki cut in impatiently. He wanted to leave, now. A hurt look passed over Shuichi's face, but the boy instantly hid it. Shuichi pulled a copy of Yuki's latest romance novel and a pen out of his pocket and handed it to Yuki. Yuki rapidly wrote on the inside: "To my loving fan, Maiko. Enjoy! Yuki Eiri."
"Thanks…" Shuichi awkwardly put the book and pen away. The two sat in silence for a while, both too nervous to say anything. Not that Yuki would ever admit that a teenager unnerved him so.
Just say something already! Yuki shouted at himself furiously. Rolling his eyes, Yuki turned to Shuichi. At the same time, Shuichi turned to Yuki. Gold met purple and at that moment, time froze.
Yuki found himself lost in the lavender depths. He didn't know why the boy was so tantalizing, he just was. And at that moment, Yuki was actually glad he had come to Tohma's stupid party. He felt like he was inside one of his books.
Yuki opened his mouth to say something, to complete the moment, to perfect it, but something brought them back to the real world. "I FOUND YOU, SHU-CHAN, NA NO DAAA!!" Ryuichi jumped right onto Shuichi's lap, causing the latter to let out a surprised shriek. Yuki's brain snapped back to reality and he instantly turned away from Shuichi, cursing himself and the rest of the world.
Ryuichi smacked Shuichi over the head with Kumagorou. "Don't leave me again, Shu-chan. Let's go shine together, neee?" Ryuichi got up off Shuichi and pulled the boy to his feet. "Tohma says we can sing now!"
"Ummm… okay." Shuichi stole one last willful look at Yuki, only to find the blonde staring flatly at nothing. "Bye…"
Yuki looked up into Shuichi's bright eyes and immediately regretted it. He almost lost himself inside them, but forced himself to look at Ryuichi instead. "Have fun." The blonde said sarcastically, crossing his arms over his chest. Why he even responded, Yuki didn't know. Or rather, he didn't want to know.
However, even Yuki couldn't deny the sinking feeling in his chest as Ryuichi led Shuichi farther and farther away, until the novelist couldn't see him anymore.
Shuichi Shindou inwardly sighed as he was pulled further along by his idol, Ryuichi. Usually, he would have leapt at the chance to sing with the older singer. But something about Yuki had seized him, like a bee immersed in a sweet flower. It didn't make any sense for the cold blonde to make such an impression on Shuichi; after all, they had just met. It was weird, though. Shuichi had always known that Yuki existed, had always heard others speak of him, but had never met him before.
He was gorgeous… Shuichi smiled to himself as Ryuichi pulled them both onto a wooden table that was set in the middle of the room. Two microphones were given to the two singers. He seemed to like me until I asked for his autograph…
"What do you want to sing?" Shuichi turned to Ryuichi, trying to forget about this Yuki. He was just a stranger and that was all he would ever be.
"Hmmm…" Ryuichi flung Kumagorou on the ground next to the table. "Whatever you want to! Doesn't matter to me!" Shuichi let out a sigh and looked out into the crowd. Nobody was paying attention to them at the moment.
Shuichi wasn't going to try and fool himself any longer. He had felt a connection with the blonde; he couldn't ignore or deny it. Sure, Yuki was a stranger now, but if Shuichi got to know him, then the writer wouldn't be a stranger any longer. Friendship equals foundation for future possibilities! My Triple F Policy!
Shuichi's amethyst orbs screened the area, until he found Yuki. The blonde was still sitting in the same place, thank goodness! The teen held back a laugh. He could see the famous author glaring at everyone in the room. Shuichi didn't know why Yuki was so angry, but he didn't care. All he wanted at that moment was: Yuki.
Shuichi grinned widely and turned to Ryuichi. "I've got it!" The pink-haired boy shouted joyfully, jumping on the table. This action caused everyone in the room to stare blankly at him. Even Yuki's amber eyes passed over him at one point. The fact that the writer acknowledged him for a spilt second was enough to give Shuichi the courage to sing for Yuki, to Yuki:
"What day is it? And in what month?
This clock never seemed so alive
I can't keep up and I can't back down
I've been losing so much time
'Cause it's you and me and all the people
With nothing to do, nothing to lose
And it's you and me and all the people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you
All of the things that I want to say
Just aren't coming out right
I'm tripping on words
You get my head spinning
I don't know where to go from here
'Cause it's you and me and all the people
With nothing to do, nothing to prove
And it's you and me and all the people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you
There's something about you now
I can't quite figure out
Everything he does is beautiful
Everything he does is right
'Cause it's you and me and all the people
With nothing to do, nothing to lose
And it's you and me and all the people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of-
You and me and all the people
With nothing to do, nothing to prove
And it's you and me and all the people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you
What day is it? And in what month?
This clock never seemed so alive…"
Shuichi closed the song off beautifully and grinned as everyone began cheering and screaming and clapping for him. Every guest had been mesmerized by his sweet, angelic voice, his voice that conveyed so much passion. Shuichi was so lost in the euphoria of the crowd, that feeling of fulfillment he got whenever he finished a song and obtained a desired reaction. And it was in this state that Shuichi's eyes found Yuki's.
Yuki was standing upright, staring straight at Shuichi. The blonde had finally realized who Shuichi actually was. And the writer had just been serenaded. And the writer was currently in shock, caught up in the mixture of the exhilaration of the crowd and his own deeply flattered feelings triggered by the touching song.
Shuichi smiled tenderly down at Yuki and pondered on whether to blow the novelist a kiss or not. The singer decided not to, thinking that the poor blonde was stunned enough. He simply chose to gaze down at Yuki, while the blonde stared back up at him. How Shuichi enjoyed looking upon the epitome of exquisiteness and seeing that same perfect countenance watching him…
However, their seemingly perfect moment was ruined by Ryuichi once again. "Nee, Shu-chan, you didn't let me sing at all! I've never heard that song…" Ryuichi pouted, stomping down on the table. "I wanna sing, too!" It seemed as though the crowd lost interest in Shuichi's performance the moment Shuichi tore his eyes from Yuki. The partygoers went back to their secular, selfish business and Yuki sat back down. Shuichi let out a sigh and then a brilliant idea popped into his head.
"Hey, umm, Sakuma-san, why don't you sing the next song? Then we can finish it up with a duet." Shuichi grinned mischievously, stealing a quick glimpse at Yuki. He was still seated at the couch, apparently bored stiff. Now's my chance! Without even giving his idol a second glance, Shuichi leapt off the table.
Shuichi began weaving his way through the crowd, determined to reach his final destination. And just where is he going? Ryuichi scowled suspiciously, but quickly covered it up with a huge smile. Shuichi, as if sensing Ryuichi's bitter thoughts, froze for a moment and began to turn around. He then shrugged off the feeling and continued meandering himself around.
Shuichi breathlessly broke through a mass of people and finally reached Yuki's couch of endless depression. Well, it certainly seemed that way, as if Shuichi had passed into another realm of sorts. Yuki was completely isolated from the happiness, the excitement… the very party itself. Why did he choose to be alone?
Shuichi wordlessly sat back down next to the irritable blonde. Yuki glanced at the singer, but didn't say anything.
Hmmm… what's a good conversation starter? "My sister is obsessed with you!" Nah, that's not good. Or… "I've never read any of your books, but now I wish I had!" Err… no. I need something good. Something that won't provoke him, cuz I don't wanna be beat senseless or begets a never-ending awkward silence, cuz I want him to remember me.
Shuichi thought and he thought hard. But in the end, it was Yuki who finally broke the silence. He probably sensed the mental strain Shuichi was putting on himself. "Apparently, you're not some one-hit wonder." Yuki raised an eyebrow at the famous boy. "I can see why." Shit! I didn't mean to compliment him…
"Thanks!" Shuichi grinned cheerfully. The babble was on. "Our newest song, 'Bird', just broke the top ten the other day! Hiro and I were sooo happy that day we stayed up all night and watched movies and ate junk food in his apartment! And even Suguru showed up, but he was late cuz by then we were already halfway done with RENT and he completely missed Castle in the Sky. Hiro actually went food shopping for the occasion; his fridge was never as packed as it was that-"
"Do you think you're as good as Sakuma?" Yuki interrupted Shuichi. The boy was babbling way too fast. He had to be stopped. But… it wasn't because Yuki was extremely annoyed. He didn't want to bash Shuichi's head in. He actually didn't mind Shuichi's senseless, meaningless chattering. The blonde thought it was… cute. And this distressed him.
Shuichi blushed slightly and looked up at Ryuichi, who was currently singing on the table. Wow… I didn't even notice that he started… The crowd didn't seem to be as mesmerized as before. This was probably because Ryuichi had sung at Tohma's other parties, so the people there were used to hearing him sing. On the other hand, it had been Shuichi's first appearance at one of Tohma's parties.
Ryuichi had the crowd captivated on a different level. He didn't have the new, exciting effect on the crowd that Shuichi did. This did not change the fact that people looked up at Ryuichi with ardent admiration. Shuichi hadn't earned that respect yet. "I know I'm not as good as Sakuma-san." Shuichi turned back to Yuki, with fierce determination in his eyes. "But I know I'm getting better with each performance. Who knows… maybe one day Bad Luck will top Nittle Grasper!"
"Is that so?" Yuki had no idea when Tohma had decided to pop up once again, but the manipulative blonde couldn't have chosen a worse time to appear. "In that case, Shindou-san, you had better get to work on your second album." There was an evil glint in Tohma's eyes… and it pissed Yuki off. The writer could tell how intimidated Shuichi was; the boy looked like he wanted to cower behind the couch.
Yuki's left eye twitched. "Don't you have somewhere to be?" The blonde spat out, crossing his arms over his chest. Shuichi gave Yuki a small, grateful smile. He saw some brunette making her way over to them and fast.
I wonder who that is. She sure looks pissed off… Shuichi cocked his head to one side. Yuki followed Shuichi's gaze and inwardly groaned. It was Ayaka and she was currently glaring at the blonde as she stalked over on her long legs.
"Eiri, Shindou-san isn't bothering you, is he?" Tohma completely ignored Yuki's rude comment. Shuichi's face paled. What if he was bothering Yuki?!? What if Yuki didn't want to talk to him?!? And why was Tohma acting creepier than usual? It seemed like everyone wanted to keep them apart…
"No, he isn't." Yuki said through gritted teeth. He didn't want to deal with Ayaka or Tohma so he stood up suddenly. "I don't feel well." The blonde looked down at Shuichi, who looked confused and slightly scared. "I'm leaving."
NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! Yuki don't leave me!!!!! Shuichi shrieked frantically inside his head as Yuki stood up. And who does he think he is, leaving me alone with Tohma?!? He'll escort me into his basement and gouge out my eyes!
"Can I come with you?" Shuichi blurted out, standing up as Yuki began walking away. The blonde froze and whirled back around. Shuichi even saw Tohma's eyes widen. Uh-oh… maybe I shouldn't have said that. Yuki's cold amber eyes stared him down for the longest time. All he could do was smile hopefully.
"Better you than him." Yuki shrugged and kept on walking. Shuichi wanted to jump with glee and throw a party, but he settled for catching up with the blonde instead. The two began making their way towards the door.
Yay! Yay! Shuichi couldn't help but beam widely like an idiot. He felt proud, standing next to Yuki as people stared at them. He was going somewhere with the famous novelist that every Japanese girl fantasized about. Shuichi began bobbing his head to the beat of the song Ryuichi was singing. He was in such a good mood!
As Shuichi walked along Yuki, he heard a slight pause in Ryuichi's song. He turned his head around to look at Ryuichi, thinking something was wrong with his idol, only to find Ryuichi staring straight at him. Although Ryuichi had successfully recovered from his slip, he wasn't even concentrating on the song anymore. Ryuichi was staring intensely at Shuichi and this unnerved the latter greatly.
"Let him stare." Yuki noticed Shuichi's reaction. Shuichi smiled up at Yuki and turned his head back around, temporarily forgetting about Ryuichi.
Shuichi followed Yuki down several hallways, through many rooms, and found himself deeply relieved when they finally exited the pianist's excessive home. They walked down the lollipop-shaped driveway, which was packed with cars of all sizes, shapes, and colors. Yuki wordlessly stopped short in front of a fancy, sleek black car that was obviously built for speed and style. Yuki's black car seemed to be an extension of Yuki himself. Shuichi smiled upon realizing this.
Yuki took his car keys out of his pocket and pressed a button on one of them. The car doors slid open by themselves. Shuichi's jaw dropped open as Yuki climbed into his car. He quickly followed suit and the doors gently closed themselves.
"Your car is sooo cool!" Shuichi jumped up and down in his seat. "I don't even have a car… you're lucky."
"You make how much money?" Yuki raised an eyebrow skeptically.
"Usually Sakano-san provides transportation for me. If not, I ride with Hiro on his motorcycle." Shuichi answered happily. "Hmm… where should we go?"
"Anywhere you want." Yuki responded curtly. He put the keys in the ignition and zipped off rapidly. Neither of them noticed Tohma's silhouette watching them from a window on the second floor…
Tohma Seguchi had quite a dilemma on his hands. He was currently alone in his dark study, the door shut and locked. His party was still going on elsewhere; nobody noticed his absence. The blonde was now perched at his wooden, cluttered desk. He glanced out the window again, just to make sure Yuki had really left.
Tohma was always prepared for the unpredictable. But no Madame Cleopatra could have envisioned that happening. Of all people… why Shindou? What was so special about him? Why was everyone so enthralled by him? And the main question, the one that made his very stomach churn with revulsion, was: why Eiri chose Shindou over him?
Tohma needed to regain his composure. Order was all he had and he would keep it together. He would find a way to manipulate the situation so that it ended up benefiting him. That was what Tohma had always done and it was what he would always do. It was as simple as that. What was he even worried about? Shindou was no threat. He was all pocky and no peril.
Tohma leaned forward and folded his hands, concentrating as hard as he could. His controlling mind began toiling and toiling. He would not allow Shindou to destroy his order. It was unacceptable. And Tohma always had a solution, no matter the problem.
Now, economically, Shindou was an asset. The vocalist was an excellent singer and Tohma reaped the benefits of it. N-G Studios' wealth had practically tripled since it took the amateur band under its wing. Bad Luck equaled good publicity, as one of his secretaries had once told him. The boy was hardly ever in the tabloids, and if he was, it was never usually his fault. Yes, so there was no need to get rid of Shindou. In fact, why not exploit him even more?
Tohma grinned widely, despite the fact that no one could see him. He had his idea. It was perfect. It seemed as though, Eiri and Shindou were drawn to each other. What better way to force them apart than to force them together? He would disrupt their chemistry, he would thrust them together.
For once Shindou learned of Eiri's past, the boy would want nothing to do with a "murderer". Eiri's history would scare Shindou off. It was a given.
Eiri, on the other hand, would grow tired of Shindou's constant cheerfulness. It would remind the traumatized writer of the way he used to act before the incident with Kitzawa. Shindou's smiling, his clumsiness, his overdramatic ways, everything that made up Shindou would annoy Eiri.
This was inevitable, because at the end of the day, beyond all the absurdly unfathomable attraction between them, there was one truth Tohma could rely on: Yuki Eiri and Shuichi Shindou were exact opposites. They were doomed to stand apart, no matter what force tried to bring them together.
Among all the factors working against Shindou, family was the biggest hindrance. Ayaka would rather jump off a building than face such a scandal. Eiri's father would never allow such a controversial romance. Ayaka's family would be furious with Eiri and all associated with him. To put it frankly, Shindou wasn't worth the trouble, the risk, and the consequences. Eiri would realize that in time.
Eiri only had one factor blocking his pathway. Shindou would be willing to drop everything for the writer in time: his career, his fame, his happiness, even his voice. Shindou was naturally a giving person; he had always been. Unfortunately, this also made Shindou very likable. The sole factor, the destructive factor standing in Eiri's way was Ryuichi Sakuma. Ryuichi Sakuma was in love with the boy; everyone knew it but Shindou. Tohma knew that once Ryuichi found out the man would do everything in his power to keep Shindou to himself.
Maybe Tohma was jumping to conclusions. Maybe there was nothing to worry about. There was nothing but fleeting magnetism between them. Eiri might have dropped Shindou off at the singer's apartment. They might have gotten sick of each other already.
However, Tohma had seen the look in Eiri's eyes as Shindou sang to him. Tohma had never seen such a look on the blonde's face before. He couldn't even begin to describe the emotions he had seen. And that was why he would have to prevent future happenings. They could not fall in love; Tohma would not allow such a thing to occur. He was simply being preemptive.
Tohma jumped up as someone loudly knocked on his door. "Tohma… are you in there? Open up!" It was Mika, of course. Tohma strolled over and opened it.
"Is there something wrong?" Tohma raised an eyebrow, stepping out into the hallway and closing the door behind him. Mika wasn't alone. Hiroshi, Suguru, Sakano, Ayaka, K, Tatsuha, Ryuichi, and Noriko were all with her, looking at him expectantly. Tohma inwardly sighed. Sometimes he wished he wasn't always relied on; it was quite an amount of constant pressure.
"Where's Shuichi?" Hiroshi demanded angrily, as if it was Tohma's fault that Shindou had run off with Eiri.
"Did he really leave with Aniki?" Tatsuha studied Tohma curiously. And how ticked off are you about it?
"He's got some nerve leaving me here!" Ayaka began ranting and as if on cue, everyone began speaking at once. Tohma raised his eyes to the heavens. All this chaos was unnecessary.
"I assure you, there is no need for alarm." Tohma raised his hand and all the voices toned down. It was time for his flawless plan to commence. "Yes, Shindou-san did leave with Eiri. It is part of a business proposition I have come up with." The blonde turned to Hiroshi and Suguru, who, oddly enough, were standing right next to each other. "In order to intensify Bad Luck's status, you will be releasing your first Christmas Album in approximately three weeks. This album will be unlike your first, because all the songs will be written by Eiri himself."
Everyone was in shock. Tohma smiled and continued on: "Because Shindou-san and Eiri will have to work together for a period of time, I decided it would be best for them to spend some time alone. I do not intend for petty differences to interfere with the possible success of your newest album." The brilliant blonde finished, waiting for the unending questions to arise.
"ONLY THREE WEEKS?!?" Sakano was the first to crack the silence. He screamed and wailed out loud. He then crashed into a nearby wall and passed out.
"Why him?" Ryuichi narrowed his eyes at Tohma.
"I would like for Bad Luck's audience to broaden. If fans of Eiri's work knew he was working on a CD, they would be apt to purchase it." Tohma smiled, loving the possessive look in Ryuichi's eyes. "It's the perfect time of year and if we play our cards right, Bad Luck can increase its popularity sevenfold." Now all he had to do was make a few phone calls. Everything would work out.
"I understand why you've chosen Eiri-san." Suguru spoke up quietly, a frown on his face. "What I don't get is why they need to work together. It seems like a waste of time." There's something else going on here… I just know it!
"I wish to project this Christmas Album with a certain allure. The best of both worlds: Eiri, who conveys emotions through the pen and Shindou-san, who delivers those same emotions for all of us to hear. The world will fall in love with this unique, unpredictable collaboration." Tohma smirked pompously. "If you, however, think that my plan was poorly thought out, you may kindly suggest your own."
Suguru blushed slightly and chose not to respond. "Well, now that the 'crisis' is over, I have a loving hubby and beautiful child to go home to." Noriko obviously wasn't bothered by any of this. She strode over and gave Tohma a quick kiss on the cheek. "Great party as always. I promised Tetsuya I'd be home before twelve."
Tohma smiled so gently, it was almost a real smile. That was the price Noriko had to pay for marrying a man old enough to be her father. He gave her a curfew. "Goodnight, Noriko." The pianist patted her on the back.
"Bye Noriko!!" Ryuichi jumped on top of Noriko, which earned him a smack in the back of the head. "That hurt, na no da! Meanie!"
"Idiot!" Noriko snapped out, ready to hit him again. But she refrained from doing so and instead hugged him for a brief moment. "Goodbye, everyone!" The purple-haired woman saluted the group sardonically and strolled off by herself down the hallway. Everyone was caught in another awkward silence.
"I should get going as well…" Ayaka smiled sadly. "Unfortunately, I have no ride home now." She then turned to Hiroshi. "Nakano-san, would you please escort me home?" The guitarist nodded seriously and bid everyone a good night. The two walked off together, conversing with each other comfortably.
Tohma's jaw almost dropped to the floor. It was certainly a night full of surprises. She could have asked Noriko to give her a ride; the brunette had known Noriko for a while. But Hiroshi, whom she had only met this very night? It didn't make any sense! Tohma frowned suspiciously.
"Ch… Everyone's leaving…" Tatsuha beamed evilly at Ryuichi. "Would you like me to… escort you home?" Suguru inwardly shuddered at Tatsuha's actions.
"K is taking me home." Ryuichi answered, giving Tatsuha a weird look.
"Ah, but I can get you home faster!" Tatsuha pledged lovingly, inching even closer to his beloved singer. "The sooner I drive you home, the sooner you can be nestled underneath your warm sheets." With me in there, too, of course. Tatsuha ran his eyes up and down Ryuichi's body.
"It would be safer for K-san to drive Ryuichi home. We wouldn't want him to get mauled by any of his obsessive fans, now would we?" Tohma chuckled lightly, deliberately ignoring Tatsuha's glare. "Sakano, would you accompany Ryuichi?"
The phobic man immediately leapt up from the floor as if he had risen up from the dead. "Hai Shachou!" Sakano shouted out, grasping an astonished Ryuichi by the arm. "We'll be going now!" He bowed to Tohma about ten times rapidly.
"Bye everyone!!!" Ryuichi cried out and waved Kumagorou as he was dragged away by Sakano, a man on a mission. K shook his head, grumbled to himself, and trudged after them. Tatsuha muttered curses and obscenities with Tohma in mind. Tohma began asking Mika questions about the success of his party.
"Wait a minute!!" Suguru ran after K. "Don't leave me alone with him!"
"Oh come on… I'm not that bad." Tatsuha rolled his eyes.
"You should be at home by now, Tatsuha. You're still a minor." Mika narrowed her protective eyes at her little brother, as if noticing him for the first. She then griped him tightly by the ear. "I'm taking you home. On our drive home, you can think up of an explanation to tell Father. I'm sure he'd love to know what you've been doing for the entire night."
"Ow… Let go!" Tatsuha shouted out in protest as he was hauled away by his older sister. "Somebody… save me!!!!!!" Tohma walked back into his study and closed the door behind him. Bastard… Are you going to take a picture of my brother out of your safe and masturbate to it? Stop acting like you're better than me!
Tohma flicked the light on and sat down at his desk. Everything is going according to plan. They will not fall in love. He smiled maliciously and turned the television on. He would watch the news, as he always did. It paid to know what was going on in the world. And then, he would make a few phone calls, one of them to Eiri, in fact. After all, the blonde needed to be informed of his new job, didn't he?
The next morning, Shuichi woke up, completely rested and very comfortable. Despite the fact that he was lying down on a couch. Well, it was an awfully soft couch, which belonged to none other than Yuki Eiri. The singer smiled to himself.
Last night has been such a blast! The two of them had driven to a candy store (which was surprisingly open that late at night) and Shuichi had probably cleared out all of Yuki's money, buying every kind of candy he possibly could. Then Yuki had taken Shuichi back to his apartment. After Shuichi had explored every nook and cranny of Yuki's home by himself, the boy had found Yuki furiously typing at his laptop.
Shuichi, disregarding the fact that Yuki was working on his newest novel, begged to go onto a website called YouTube. Yuki acquiesced, realizing that it was quite hopeless to attempt to get any work done while Shuichi was there. Upon going onto the desired website, Yuki found videos of Shuichi's live concerts and the two of them had watched quite a few of them, all while Shuichi stuffed himself with candy, candy, and more candy.
While Yuki was taking a shower, Shuichi had then found extra copies of Yuki's most famous novels. As soon as the blonde had stepped out of the bathroom wearing only a towel around his waist, the boy had proclaimed that he would read every one that same night. Yuki had corrected Shuichi, saying that it was actually close to three o'clock in the morning. Shuichi had a mini-heart attack and declared that he needed his beauty sleep at once. So Yuki had thrown some sheets and a pillow onto his couch and Shuichi had gone to sleep on the blonde's couch.
Now Shuichi was sitting up in the couch, smiling in remembrance of his perfect night with Yuki. Shuichi leapt off the couch and scurried into the kitchen. Yuki was sitting at his table, sipping some coffee and reading the newspaper.
"Morning, Yuki!!!" Shuichi chirped happily, sauntering over to the fridge and taking a drink out. He then plopped down onto a nearby, wooden chair.
"You're still here?" Yuki looked at Shuichi once and then went back to reading the paper. He was surprised at the ease with which Shuichi moved around in his kitchen. It was as if the crazed boy belonged there. It was weird beyond belief.
"You'd better believe it!" Shuichi grinned widely and gulped his juice down. "You can't get rid of me!"
"Evidently, I can't." Yuki turned the page over. Why the hell was he reading the newspaper? It wasn't as if he could take anything in now. As a matter of fact, it was most likely impossible to do anything productive while Shuichi was around. So how the hell was he supposed to work with the boy for three weeks?!?
"I wonder if I'm late for work…" Shuichi said thoughtfully, putting a finger on his chin. "If I'm late again, Suguru will pull out his pocketknife and hack my spleen out. I figured he'd crack first. It's always the quiet-"
"I'll drive you." Yuki interrupted abruptly. Does he ever shut up? The blonde was annoyed with Tohma. He was strictly ordered by the man not to tell Shuichi that they would be working together. Something was up. Why all the orders, the secrets and above all, why a Christmas CD?
Yuki didn't like the holidays. He didn't like Christmas carols or mistletoe or reindeer. He hadn't been in the "Christmas spirit" for a long time. So who was Tohma to tell him to write Christmassy song lyrics? I'll jingle his bells alright… Yuki scowled darkly behind his paper. But then again, Yuki didn't approve of romance either and he had how many bestsellers? So maybe the CD would be a success. And besides, Tohma never usually asked him for anything. Well actually, Tohma never requested, he told. So either way, Yuki didn't have a choice.
Yuki stood up suddenly, ignoring Shuichi's questioning glance. "We'll go to your place first, then N-G Studios." The blonde walked into his living room and Shuichi scurried after him, picking his sneakers up and putting them on.
How did I get here? I'm in Yuki's apartment-and I can't believe he actually lets me call him by his first name-and he's acting like my chauffer. I really like him… But what if he's only being nice because… actually I can't figure out why he wants me here. Or does he? Shuichi frowned and halted in his tracks. Yuki noticed this and turned around expectantly, with one hand on the doorknob.
"Why'd you let me come with you last night?" Shuichi blurted out after a moment of hesitation. Could I have worded that any more stupidly?
"It was the way you smiled." Yuki answered immediately and that was that.
THE END