Enjoy the Silence
SilverThorn-2000
Christopher Addison sat in his dimly lit room. His hand danced as it traced pencil over paper in the last of the latest four pages of his manga, Rise. Once that was finished, he'd start the inking process before scanning it in for final work. After that, he'd hand it off to Milly and Tamia to be put in the school paper.
He sat back, looking over his work, then reached for his pen. That was, of course, when the shouting started. He spared a glance back over his shoulder, and chuckled.
"Swell. They're at it again."
"-I can't even believe you would be so inconsiderate!" came a girl's voice from the hall.
The door burst inwards as Chris turned back to his work. "I am considerate! Considerate of my money! You just need to quit picking everything that costs the most!"
With a slam, the door closed. "I'd tell you to take your shoes off, but I enjoy being able to breathe, and you wouldn't listen to me, anyways."
"Yeah, yeah. Listen-"
"No, Odd," Chris said, not even looking up from the work in front of him, "I am not giving you money."
Odd Della Robbia sighed. "But Sissi wants to-"
"You should know full well by now, Odd, I don't care what she wants. She certainly seems to grasp that point." Chris continued inking in silence, and Odd mused over what his friend had said.
Chris was, rather pointedly, not the friendliest of people where Sissi Delmas was concerned. He tolerated her, but kept his distance. When he spoke to her (or on matters related to her), he got coldly formal and precise. Sissi, in return, avoided any direct interaction with Chris. He was also the one person she never actually bullied, for reasons that varied by the occasion. (Milly and Tamia had told Odd and Ulrich on one occasion was that it was due to a standing threat Chris had to quit drawing Rise, and point the finger at Sissi as the reason. Given the popularity the serial manga held with the student body, it was actually quite likely.)
"So, what's this fight about?" Chris asked, tracing a line carefully. Odd leaned against Chris' wardrobe and sighed.
"She wants to go to the Subdigitals concert," the purple-clad boy admitted.
"And she just now brought it up?" Chris capped his pen and turned to look at Odd incredulously. The short boy shrugged.
"Odd, you'd be screwed even if I was feeling charitable enough to lend you the money. That show's been sold out for a month!" Chris' face twisted in dumbfounded disbelief.
Odd glared. "And you'd know that how?"
"Because I called and asked about it." Chris turned back to his desk.
"I thought you didn't like the Subdigitals." Odd persisted.
"I don't mind them. Yumi, on the other hand..."
Odd cut off further comment. Chris' devotion to his girlfriend was one of the few things about the tall, lanky youth that was well-known to Kadic's student body. Odd knew better than to belabor the point, in this case.
"So, why the concert? You said the other day at breakfast-"
"Use the brain beneath that pointy hair of yours, Odd. Think, for once in your life. Why would I be getting tickets to a band I wouldn't normally go see?" Chris slid the page aside and began work on the second one.
Odd thought. And thought. And thought some more. Chris had arrived at Kadic in the spring, a few weeks before the Spring Formal. It was also that time that marked when he and Yumi had begun dating. But it was fall. Late October. What was in October?
Odd's cheeks heated as he realized Chris had stopped inking the pages and was looking at him with a bemused expression. And it snapped into his head at that moment.
"Her birthday."
"Very good, my slow-witted friend!" Chris set his pen down and crossed his arms. "So, as you can imagine, I took some of the money my parents keep in my account and tried to obtain tickets. Except the show has been utterly, completely sold out since the week it was announced."
"So, what're you-" Odd started, but Chris held up his hand.
"That, Odd, is privileged information."
"Oh, come on! We're friends."
"And you're dating the best interrogation expert on the school rosters." Chris shook his head. "I intend to keep this to myself as long as I can."
Odd glared, annoyed with Chris distrust. "You've probably told everyone else already."
"Oddly enough, no. I've not." Chris leaned forward. "Molly and Aelita don't know when Yumi's birthday is. And, much like you, I told Ulrich that I'm playing it close to the vest."
"And when he got persistent?" Odd inquired. Ulrich was, after all, his best friend. And best friends tend to know each other's habits.
"I told him to go jump in a lake." Chris looked up at the ceiling.
"Was that why you both looked like you'd been slowly fed through cheese graters the other day?"
Chris looked sheepish. "Yeah. But that doesn't get back to Yumi."
"Got it." Odd looked at the ceiling.
The door opened, and Yumi Ishiyama paused in it. "Problem?" She asked instantly.
"Odd and Sissi were fighting again, and Odd needed a shoulder to cry on. Figuratively speaking." Chris shrugged. "And he was just leaving."
Odd shrugged and left without another word.
Yumi shut the door and leaned against it, slipping her shoes off. "What really happened?"
Chris turned back to his inking. "He wanted to borrow money to buy tickets for concert to take Sissi to."
"Subdigitals?" Yumi inquired, and Chris nodded. "I heard it was sold out."
Chris nodded again, mostly absorbed in his task. Yumi walked over and unrolled the sleeping bag she'd been using since she'd become Chris' impromptu roommate two weeks prior. Chris finished another page as she fluffed it out and laid the hand-knitted blanket over the top.
Chris slid down beside her, and she smiled at him. He returned a relaxed smile, and she snuggled up quietly. It wasn't a perfect arrangement, and the school's staff (Jim and Headmaster Delmas in particular) disproved of their rooming together. Never mind the occasional argument over Chris' preference for having music playing (Particularly his favorite band, Lacuna Coil), while Yumi would prefer silence or Chris' own singing.
But she was safe here, away from the arguments of her parents, and to her, at least, that was what mattered.
Odd Della Robbia stalked into his own room. Kiwi glanced up, favored his owner and friend with a soft bark, and promptly curled back up next to Odd's pillow. His roommate, Ulrich Stern, was conspicuously absent.
Odd glanced at the shared study desk, and picked up a folded sheet of paper that was on top. Unfolding it, he began to read.
Odd-
Gone out. Molly surprised me with tickets to that new martial arts movie. Took Kiwi out for his evening business. Almost got caught. Better wait until J starts snoring before taking him out for the night. Back late.- U.
Odd translated from Ulrich's terse note-speak:
"Went out with my girlfriend. I took your dog out for you because you were busy with Sissi, and nearly got caught at it by Jim and/or Delmas. You'd better wait until they're asleep for that last trip of the night. I'll be back when the movie's done, and yes, I'll bring you the leftover popcorn."
Odd shrugged and collapsed on his bed. "Kiwi, what am I gonna do? I can't afford those tickets, and Sissi isn't going to buy the fact that it's sold out, anyways!"
Kiwi paused, scratched behind his ears, and licked Odd's cheek.
"I wish I could simply tell her I love her, but I owe her a big expensive date like that concert. After everything she's put up with from me..." Odd was silent. He wasn't usually this introspective around everyone else, but sometimes he needed to just work things out. Preferably out loud.
"Guess I'll see if she'll take a dinner at a nice resteraunt instead."
He closed his eyes and drifted off. Kiwi looked at him before curling up next to him. He was still asleep when Ulrich came in bearing a half-full bucket of cheese-topped popcorn.
"I want a concert and you have the nerve to try and get me to compromise on a dinner!" Elizabeth "Sissi" Delmas fumed at Odd the next morning.
"The nicest resteraunt in town!" Odd shot back. He was quickly growing tired of Sissi's selfish demands, and was ready to simply walk away from both her and their attempts at a relationship.
"Right, the burger joint two blocks over?" Sissi inquired sarcastically. Odd glowered at her.
"Patit Creek!" He snapped, and Sissi stared, her jaw flopping open. Patit Creek wasn't just a nice resteraunt. It was, in point of fact, the single most expensive, most formal resteraunt within walking distance of Kadic.
"Y-you're taking me to-?" she managed, and Odd sighed.
"I made reservations this morning. And I managed to get my parents to give me two months advance on my allowance." Odd admitted, and Sissi paled. "But I guess it doesn't matter to you, does it? All you want is that stupid concert!" Odd threw up his hands in frustration, and continued, cutting off any and all attempts at protest.
"I'll call and cancel. It's no problem. Never mind that, in talking to Chris yesterday, I found out that the concert you so desperately want to go to is sold out!" Odd stormed off, and Sissi stared after him.
Sissi forced herself not to cry, not to rage. It wouldn't do for a Delmas to do either of those things. She turned on her heel and stormed off into the park on the far side of the school's grounds, leaving groups of students staring after her.
"I beg your pardon?" Chris turned from his computer later that day.
"I said 'Odd was going to take Sissi to Patit Creek.'" Emily LeDuc told her lab partner flatly, pushing her thin glasses up on her face.
"I take it 'was' is the key word here." Chris stared at her, then shook his head. "Let me guess, Sissi got dumb and didn't let Odd finish telling her everything."
"Pretty much," Emily admitted. Chris forced himself not to start rubbing his forehead, despite the fact he felt a headache coming on.
"You didn't come here to gossip, Emily, or to tell me about the troubles of two people you could care less about. So why'd you come here in the first place?" Chris asked after a moment. Emily extended the medium sized brown envelope.
"Mail call."
Chris took the parcel, nodded his thanks, and turned back to his computer. Emily shrugged and left. He looked back as the door closed, and pried open the envelope.
"About time." He looked at the cover of the CD in his hand. "Time to spin some Karmacode."
He popped open the case and put the Lacuna Coil CD in his computer.
"Odd, I'm sorry! I don't know what else to say!"
Sissi stood outside the door to Ulrich and Odd's room. She really was feeling guilty about having blown up at Odd. She was feeling even worse that Odd had gone to so much trouble to try and please her, and she'd flushed his efforts down the drain.
On the other side of the door, Odd was curled up, not saying anything. He was angry. He was tired of Sissi's attitude, and tired of trying to keep any semblance of a relationship with her. She'd managed to wear away the care-free attitude he'd normally held so close to his heart, and that made him angrier. She didn't appreciate anything he tried to do for her.
"Odd, please, talk to me!"
"Go away!" he yelled finally, standing and shouting at the door. "I'm so tired your selfish wants and needs! Go make yourself happy, Sissi, because apparently you don't want any of the rest of us mortals to!"
Sissi's eyes flooded. "Odd...Please..."
"Just leave me alone!"
Sissi broke down and tore up the stairs, hoping nobody would notice.
Odd slid down against the door, exhausted. The door tried to move, and Odd sighed. "Ulrich, do you mind?"
There was a pause, then, "Another fight?"
"What do you think?" Odd snapped, but Ulrich didn't respond. Odd didn't care.
"This is getting absolutely ridiculous."
Nobody countered Molly Argent's statement. Nor did anyone ask what she was referring to. Everyone already knew.
"I'd try and get them together, but I personally don't want to be around them right now," Ulrich Stern allowed himself bitterly.
Yumi rolled her neck against the hardwood of Chris' bed frame. "I don't think any of us do."
"And every time they try to apologize," Chris pointed out, "They get worse."
Ulrich nodded and looked at Molly. Chris didn't bother to ask. Their respective roommate's fights had to be putting undue strain on theirs, as well.
Molly tugged her blond hair free of it's pony tail and sighed. "So what? How do we get them to stop?"
Chris looked thoughtful. Everyone else looked worried. Anytime Chris came up with a plan, it tended to be fairly blunt and obvious. It wasn't that Chris disliked subtlety, it was that he just preferred the most direct route.
The conversation was interrupted by the outbreak of yet another shouting match. "I think I can deal with this," Chris commented, rising to his feet. Yumi glanced up at him.
"That annoyed?"
"I'd appreciate a little faith, love, if it's not too much trouble." Chris said over his shoulder. Yumi stuck her tounge out in response. Chris smiled, opened the door, and strode out into the verbal hurricane.
Yumi watched the door close. "I worry when he does that."
"-And why should I even care?" Odd snapped at Sissi.
"I'm trying to make up, you idiot!" Sissi volleyed back. "What do I have to say to get that through your head?"
"Maybe," Chris' tenor interrupted, "The two of you shouldn't say anything. The problem here seems to be that you say too much."
"And how would you know?" Sissi snapped at him, not caring much for any consequences.
"Well, like the song says, 'words are very unnecessary'"
Sissi looked at Chris, and then at Odd.
"'s just a suggestion," Chris said, retreating back into his room.
Sissi looked at the door, then at Odd. Odd looked back at her.
"...The diner down the street?" Odd suggested, and Sissi nodded.
"There. Problem solved." Chris jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "Your rooms should be safe once more, if not quiet for a little while."
"If it keeps Kiwi quiet," Molly muttered. Ulrich shook his head.
"Maybe you should take a break from the manga, Chris. You're starting to talk a little too dramatically," Ulrich commented on his way out. Chris, for his worth, spared Ulrich a glare. Molly growled.
"No arguing, you two."
"Yes, Ma'am!" Chris said in mock exasperation. Yumi laughed as her boyfriend shut the door behind their friends.
"So, what did you say to them?" Yumi asked after a moment. Chris smirked.
"Quoted a song."
"What song?" Yumi inquired of him. Chris turned to the computer and set the track playing. She curled up to her angel, pulling the blanket on her sleeping bag around them both.
In an all-night diner two and a half blocks away, Sissi slouched against Odd as they downed the relatively inexpensive hamburgers in silence.
It wasn't the best food, Sissi thought, but it was probably the happiest they'd been in a while. An old song crooned from the speakers.
"All I wanted
All I needed
Is here in my arms."
In Ulrich's room, Ulrich and Molly snuggled as they studied for their math test the next day. Neither said anything, but simply enjoyed each other's company.
The song from Chris' computer drifted through the vent in the wall.
"Words are very
Unnecessary
They can only do harm."
Chris and Yumi snuggled, much as they did every night. They, too, said nothing. There was nothing that needed saying.
Just above them, the song continued into it's finale, the driving rock beats and both vocalists singing over the well-maintained music.
"Enjoy the silence..."
Silver's notes:
Yeah, I know. Another quick story. I really ought to be working on a full sequel to Dance Among Stars, but I'm just not there yet. Sorry. It might be awhile.
Yeah, I seem to be writing heavy, emotional stuff lately. There's a few reasons for it. One is simple test anxiety (Math test in the morning, as I write this). The other one...well, I don't particularly want to go into it. Needless to say, though, my rather turbulent emotions seem to be showing in my fics.
The song at the end, if you're curious, is the song the fic takes it's title from. There's a couple version I know of. The original, I think, and the older of the two was done by Depeche Mode. The one I've been listening to, the more recent version was done by Lacuna Coil. In my opinion, the Lacuna Coil version is the better version out of the two.
Yes, Lacuna Coil is a real band. And yes, they really do have a CD called Karmacode. Go buy it. Now. It's not something you'll regret.
And, because I'm picky about this kind of thing, the group Jim's nephew belongs to is called the Subdigitals, not the Subsonics. Copyright issues forced the name change, and SD's Chris (Jim's nephew) states as much at one point. Just wish I could remember the episode that the comment's in...
Think I'll go to bed now, it's really kind of late. -ST2k