Leaving for the States
by: apocalipticoblivion
disclaimer: don't own, don't sue
Ryuchi Sakuma stood wordlessly in his apartment. He had just finished the biggest concert of his life, but how was he going to break the news to the others...
That he was leaving Nittle Grasper to debut in the states?
K, his manager, had told him to just write a note and not bother with the 'hairy details' until later. But, how
was he not to deal with the 'hairy details' when they were the most important people in his life?
Kumagoro stared up at him from the couch he had been sleeping on when he had left him before the show.
"Hey, Kuma. How was your nap?" he asked with a tint of sadness laced in his words.
The stuffed rabbit didn't say a word.
"That's great, Kuma." he smiled.
The rabbit tilted closer to Ryuchi when the singer sat next to him, moving the animal into his lap. "So, are you still wanting to go with K-san into the states?" he asked softly, not looking at the rabbit that was now seated on his lap. "No? I don't want to go either, but K-san said that it would be good for our career... and
Tohma is always looking out for our careers... Isn't that right, Kuma?"
Ryuchi pulled the rabbit to look it in the eyes. "You think we should just write the note?"
The singer tilted the rabbit forward so it was nodding. "Yeah... but that would be just plain mean, wouldn't it?"
He tilted Kumagoro forward again.
"Yeah... so when they come in here, I'll let you tell them. Okay?" He asked the pink, stuffed rabbit after he
had placed it back in his lap.
"Okay. Thanks Kuma, I couldn't do it without you..." he smiled at the rabbit, and laid down next to it on the couch, covering him and the rabbit with the bright, fluffy pink blanket that he had covered the rabbit with before the concert.
"Couldn't do what?" Noriko asked as she entered the room with Tohma.
"Nothing, Noriko-chan." he mumbled softly, snuggling further into the blanket.
"Then it can't be nothing, Ryu-kun." She said, sitting down by his feet. "Especially if it's coming from you while you're this quiet."
"I'm not quiet." he mumbled a little louder as he curled back under the blanket some more.
"Yes, you are Ryu." Tohma said to the childlike singer.
"Fine!" He said, sitting up and handing Noriko Kumagoro. "There, Kuma'll tell you!"
He dove back under his blanket.
Noriko and Tohma stared at the pink bunny.
Noriko was the first to move.
"That's lovely, Ryu. But, we'd rather hear it from you." she said with a small laugh.
Ryuchi sat back up and snatched Kumagoro, burrying his face in the pink bunny. "I don' wanna say it!!" he said nervously.
"It's too late now, Ryu." Noriko said, a grin appearing on her lips. "I'll tickle you to death if you don't."
"You wouldn't dare..."
She held her fingers out like claws. "Oh, wouldn't I?"
Ryuchi sat up like a statue. "Fine, K-san wants to take me to New York to premiere with XMR records... he won't take no for an answer."
Their faces went extremely pale. "W-what?" Noriko stammered. "You're kidding me, right? Right, Ryu-chan?"
"No... He really wants to take me to New York for a debut..."
Tohma's face softened. "If that's what you want..."
Noriko turned to Tohma. "What?! He can not go!"
"It's not our decision, Noriko-chan." Tohma sighed. "It's his."
Noriko looked back to Ryuchi. "You're not really going to go, are you? Are you, Ryu-chan?"
Ryuchi looked away from her to the now open door. K was standing in the opening. "I guess you've told them, then."
"Ryuchi..." Noriko muttered.
"It's okay, Noriko-chan." Tohma muttered, rubbing her back. "Nittle Grasper is disbanded until you return to us, Ryuchi." he smiled at the hit singer, "Don't take too long. We'll miss you, Ryu."
Tohma left the room with Ryuchi to help the singer pack for his trip, leaving Noriko alone with K. "It's going to be okay, Ukai-san."
She turned her gaze onto him. "It's all your fault."
Noriko took in his appearance. He was definately American, his hair was extremely long, so he kept it in a high pony-tail. He was wearing dressy-clothes, except he took off the coat, revealing his gun holster. The smile on that man's face was enough to almost make her want to smile as well. But, she repressed the urge wil pure anger and hate for the man. He was stealing her Ryu-chan!
"My fault?" he asked with an incredulous look on his face.
"Yes." she growled, "It's your fault!"
"It is actually's XMR's fault, they're the ones who want Ryuchi." K said, his voice a lot calmer than Noriko's.
"I hate you." she hissed, staring him in the eyes.
Noriko stood up with Kumagoro, her hair falling into purple ringlets around her face, swaying as she moved over to the door, near K. She stared at him, "I want you to take good care of him. If you so much as harm a single hair on that idiot's head. I will never forgive you."
K nodded with a smile on his lips. "Aye, aye Captain."
The blonde haired American stayed in the silent room for a few minutes, his smile still intact. "I won't let this get me down. I have Ryuchi, and he's going to make it big with my help, Noriko-chan!"
Tohma sighed again, for the umpteenth time that night, "It's going to be very hard in New York, Ryu." he said to the boyish singer. "People are mean and cruel over there, they won't adore you instantly like people have here. But, it'll take some time. With, K-san with you, I think you might have a decent shot at making it big over in the states, Ryu."
Ryuchi smiled at the blonde haired man. "Thanks Tohma."
"But, you must do something for me and Noriko."
"Yes! Anything!" Ryuchi almost shouted.
Tohma smiled at the singer, "You must call, e-mail, fax, or do anything to keep in contact with us at least once a week, or once every two weeks, at the latest."
Ryuchi nodded, "I can do that!"
Tohma smiled and gazed at the door when Noriko entered saying, "Knock, knock." she walked over to
Ryuchi. "You forgot Kuma-chan."
Ryuchi stared at the rabbit, his eyes growing big. "KUUUUMMAAAA!!" he shouted, glomping her arm, along with the rabbit. "YAY!"
Noriko tugged her arm loose from the death grip that Ryuchi had locked it in. "Ouch, Ryu! You could've
broken my arm!"
Ryuchi looked at Noriko, then at her arm, then back up to her face. "I'm sorry, Noriko-chan!"
She waved her hand and turned around to help the singer pack up his things from around his apartment.
"Is everything okay now, Noriko-chan?" Tohma asked the purple haired synth once he stood next to her, placing his hand on her shoulder.
"No, everything's not alright, that bastard is taking away our Ryuchi."
"I know, and it's awful. But we don't have a say in this."
"Of course we do!"
"How so?"
"We're his best friends! We oughta have a say in this!"
Tohma squeezed her shoulder a bit with his hand. "But, we don't Noriko-chan. I'm sorry to say, but in this one we don't."
"Yeah, now go pack up over there." she pointed to Ryuchi's dresser.
Tohma cringed, "Do I have too?"
"No, let me do it then. You finish up right here."
"Thanks Noriko, you're an angel." Tohma said with a smile.
"No, you just don't want to go through Ryu's clothes. It's not all bad, he does have some cute things." she said, folding up his pants and putting them on the bottom of his clothes box. When she finished with both is pants and his shirts, he dumped the socks and underwear on top. "There you go, Ryu-chan. You're clothes from the dresser are all packed."
"Will you get the ones in the closet?" he asked, folding up his bed stuff.
"Hey, Tohma?" Noriko asked.
"Yes, Noriko-chan?"
"Why don't you have people over here, doing this for us?" she asked with a huff as she started to take the clothes off of the hangers and folding them to put in a different box.
He laughed, "Because it's a lot more fun doing it ourselves. We get to spend more time together."
Ryuchi smiled sadly, "So what's going to happen now?"
"Well, I'm going to continue with NG-records... I could hire you Noriko-chan, if you want?" Tohma asked with a smile.
"No thanks. I have a brat at home that needs my attention." she smiled, "But, I wouldn't mind a visit from either one of you. You'll be damned if I don't visit you Tohma, but I'll try to make it out to see you at least... once a month, Ryu."
Ryuchi smiled.
"Thanks for standing by me."
END Leaving for the States
A/N: one shot or continue?