Enchanted


Shinkai was beginning to feel like this outing was a bad idea, despite being the one to organize it. His day hadn't been the best to begin with, and work had left a bad taste in his mouth.

All in all, he really wasn't feeling the social scene, but for everyone's sake who was going, mainly for Fukutomi, Shinkai sighed, put on a nice shirt, and went downstairs to meet his friend at the door.

Maybe with a bit of encouragement he would have a good time. Besides, Kinjou was bringing some of his friends, and according to Kinjou, these said friends would be more than a handful. Shinkai felt somewhat guilty looking for things to distract himself already, but he consoled himself that if his methods worked like they usually did, then he would be in a good mood before they even reached their destination.

Once he got outside and greeted his friend, they both got into the blond's car and began the short commute to the downtown area, where they were to meet Kinjou and his newly acquired posse.

When they were parked and had begun the around-the-block walk to the karaoke bar, Fukutomi side-eyed the redhead. "Why did you arrange something that you don't want to go to?"

Shinkai sputtered for a moment at his friend's bluntness. "How was I supposed to know that I wouldn't want to a week ago when I did want to go?" After a pause, full of a meaningful look from Fukutomi, Shinkai laughed lightly. "Don't worry, I'll be fine, promise."

Fukutomi raised a brow. "I know you only usually come to these things for my sake, but I don't want to drag you here if you're not enjoying yourself."

After a second of silence, Fukutomi looked over to find Shinkai giving him the 'Well, shit.' face. It astounded Shinkai sometimes, how transparent he was to Fukutomi.

The redhead shook himself out of his stupor and waved away the blond's concern. "I told you, I'll be fine. Just give me a bit, I can shake off a mood pretty easily." He smiled just slightly in reassurance, and when Fukutomi sent his own little smile across to him, the redheads smile turned into a grin.

They had just walked up to the front door of the karaoke bar when there was a sort of scuffle somewhere down the block, from the opposite direction they came. At least they thought it was a scuffle for all the shouting that was happening, but as the small group of people got closer, Shinkai recognized Kinjou, and that must mean that the three other people with him, two of which were shrieking like Tasmanian Devils, must be the new people he was bringing.

Handful indeed. As they neared, Shinkai could have sworn he saw Kinjou's eyebrow twitch, and he finally reached forward and grabbed a shoulder of both the people screaming, a redhead and a raven, and said something to them in a low tone that had them both stiffen and silence themselves.

The end result was a quiet street and Kinjou looking far too smug.

Fukutomi snorted next to him, and Shinkai couldn't even help the small chuckle that slipped out. When the small group stopped in front of them, and Shinkai turned away from Fukutomi to greet them, the words caught in his throat, his eyes drawn to the raven heading the group.

During the time the group had been walking to them, either the redhead talking to him or pedestrians had effectively blocked Shinkai's view of the raven, but now that they were face-to-face, Shinkai wasn't prepared for how…beautiful he was.

The stranger turned to face him, a crooked grin on his face, and eyes as dark as his hair. "Hey, I'm Arakita Yasutomo." Shinkai took the offered hand, and the raven did a small mock-bow. "Enchanted."

Amusement edged Arakita's tone, and Shinkai felt his face heat up as he smiled back. "Shinkai Hayato, pleased to meet you, Yasutomo."

Arakita's grin turned slightly wry, and he turned his face away, muttering something about given names.

Fukutomi suddenly snapped a finger in Shinkai's face, and the redhead flinched. "Heh?"

Fukutomi was looking unimpressed. "Have you been listening at all?"

Shinkai's eyes flitted from Kinjou to Fukutomi, a sheepish smile on his face. "…To…?"

Fukutomi was looking deeply unamused as he turned to walk inside the building. "Looks like you're figuring out everyone's names on your own."

Ahh, he missed the introductions. The redhead felt a little bad, but still, he hung back and started to talk to Arakita, about school, if he had any siblings and or pets, what type of music he liked to listen to, and sing, as it were.

Shinkai was barely paying attention to anything but the raven he was talking to. He was absolutely entrancing, even more so because Shinkai realized that Arakita's grin was a mirror of his own. His expression was completely open, every emotion showing with perfect clarity, and when he smiled…Shinkai could barely handle it, melting inside every time he caught the other's lips turning upwards.

When they were finally situated in their booth awhile later, Kinjou and Fukutomi took one couch opposite the other four, and the mystery duo, who Shinkai came to find out were Machimiya and Ibitani, were on the couch next to Shinkai and Arakita.

Once they finally got started, Kinjou picked his song first, followed by Fukutomi, their eyes on each other almost for the entirety of their songs. Shinkai was still waiting for the two to sing a duet, and apparently Arakita was of the same disposition, as he found out, when the raven grumbled that they should just get on with it and kiss already, drawing a laugh out of the redhead.

Once it was Ibitani's turn, he knew exactly what he wanted, and as the beginning notes began to play, everyone minus Shinkai let out a quiet, low groan, prompting a round of warning glares from Machimiya.

It came as a surprise to no one but Shinkai when Machimiya began the song that Ibitani had picked, but it only took him a few seconds to realize that someone was actually doing a duet, and he smiled and nodded in approval, sending a meaningful look Fukutomi's way that had the blond averting his eyes.

Once Machimiya and Ibitani had finished their choice, Shinkai gestured for Arakita to take a turn, wanting to wait until last to choose.

He and the raven had been yammering away the entire time, albeit quietly, as to avoid any clashes with Kinjou, and Shinkai couldn't tell what he wanted more; to hear Arakita sing or keep talking to him.

He was overjoyed to find that he and Arakita didn't stick to any particular subject, but just talked about anything and everything that came to mind. It wasn't often that Shinkai found someone like this and actually had the opportunity to befriend them, so that was what he planned on doing.

Yes, Arakita was loud, and pretty rude, mostly to Machimiya, but he had made Shinkai laugh more in half an hour than he had been planning on laughing all night. He didn't hide how he felt either, which helped Shinkai immensely, because he didn't feel like he was walking on eggshells around him.

And when he smiled, not a smirk or a sneer, but actually smiled, Shinkai found that to be absolutely charming. When Arakita turned that smile on him, Shinkai felt a blush rise to his cheeks and a grin turn his lips, and it took him all of two minutes to realize and come to terms with the fact that Arakita had successfully captured his heart, and now held it captive with every smile and chuckle he directed at the redhead.

In short: Shinkai was a doomed man, and he had no qualms with it.

Arakita's song began, and Shinkai's heart leapt, anticipating hearing that beautiful voice singing, and he vowed that, tone-deaf or not, Arakita's singing voice would be his new favorite.

"Get out your guns, battle's begun.

Are you a saint or a sinner?

If love's a fight then I shall die

With my heart on a trigger."

Shinkai almost fell from his seat, so transfixed was he by Arakita's voice. If there was one thing Arakita Yasutomo was not, it was tone-deaf, and on top of having a wonderful voice, he sang with the most passion of anyone yet to sing. Shinkai just barely stopped himself from leaning forward in wonder, his eyes never leaving Arakita.

"I'm an angel with a shotgun,

Fighting 'til the war's won,

I don't care if heaven won't take me back.

I'll throw away my faith, babe, just to keep you safe.

Don't you know you're everything I have?

And I want to live, not just survive

And I'm gonna hide, hide, hide my wings tonight."

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Shinkai realized that Arakita's eyes hadn't left his since he started singing.

"They say before you start a war,

You better know what you're fighting for.

Well, baby, you are all that I adore.

If love is what you need, a soldier I will be."

On the last line, Shinkai felt his face heat up instantly, but the grin didn't leave his face, and Arakita's eyes didn't shift away from his. Shinkai honestly didn't think he would be taking his turn, as he didn't think he could properly speak in this condition let alone sing, before Machimiya let out a low whistle and commented to Kinjou.

"And you complain about Ibi and I being obvious." Without missing a beat, or looking away from Shinkai, Arakita's hand shot out and whacked Machimiya so hard he was almost knocked from his seat, only saved by Ibitani's quick reflexes, though not without a mutter of, "You absolutely had that coming."

It was enough to make Shinkai laugh, and at that he realized that his voice was indeed fine, so it was only polite that he repaid Arakita in kind, now wasn't it?

He had been contemplating what he would sing the entire time, and now he knew with absolute certainty what he had to do.

He whispered his choice to Fukutomi, who gave a long-suffering sigh in return, but turned to look up his song nonetheless.

Arakita raised a brow at him. "If you chose Phantom of The Opera I'm not talking to you anymore."

Shinkai placed a hand over his heart. "So cruel, Yasutomo!"

Arakita laughed, and Shinkai blushed, but Fukutomi was unmerciful, and started Shinkai's song, staring unamusedly at his redheaded friend.

Shinkai took a breath and began to sing.

"There I was again tonight forcing laughter, faking smiles

Same old tired, lonely place

Walls of insincerity

Shifting eyes and vacancy vanished when I saw your face

All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you.

Your eyes whispered, "Have we met?"

Across the room your silhouette starts to make its way to me

The playful conversation starts

Counter all your quick remarks like passing notes in secrecy

All I can say is it was enchanting to meet you

Oh Taylor I was so enchanted to meet you too

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

I was enchanted to meet you too"

Was it just him, or was Arakita steadily getting redder? Shinkai witnessed the curious combination of an embarrassed blush, but Arakita's expression was anything but. If anything, he looked…smitten. The raven's smile showed teeth, but it was so gentle, Shinkai almost couldn't look at him for fear of forgetting the lyrics, but he didn't dare look away.

"The lingering question kept me up

2AM, who do you love?

I wondered till I'm wide awake

Now I'm pacing back and forth, wishing you were at my door

I'd open up and you would say,

Hey it was enchanting to meet you

Oh Taylor I was so enchanted to meet you too

This night is sparkling, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

I was enchanted to meet you too"

Arakita's face had to have been hurting for how much he was smiling, but his smile didn't falter, not once. Shinkai was shocked when Arakita mouthed the last four lines he sang right along with him.

During the short pause, Shinkai leaned forward and whispered quietly in his ear. "Sing with me?"

Shinkai thought his heart would burst when Arakita picked up his mic and nodded. The two took up the song again as if they had practiced it.

"This is me praying that this was the very first page

Not where the story line ends

My thoughts will echo your name until I see you again

These are the words I held back as I was leaving too soon

I was enchanted to meet you too

Please don't be in love with someone else

Please don't have somebody waiting on you

Please don't be in love with someone else

Please don't have somebody waiting on you"

Shinkai could only hope that Arakita would look at him like this, eyes full of joy and love, every time they were together.

"This night is sparkling, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

This night is flawless, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone

Taylor I'll spend my whole life wondering if you knew

I was enchanted to meet you too"

Shinkai suddenly reached forward and gently pressed his index finger to Arakita's lips to prevent him from singing the next bit. The raven looked over at him in confusion, but Shinkai just smiled through the song.

"I was never in love with someone else

I never had somebody waiting on me

'Cause you were all of my dreams come true

And I just wish you knew

Yasutomo I was so in love with you."

Arakita's mouth hung open slightly, his eyes wide and unblinking.

Shinkai felt something heavy and cold settle in his stomach, until Arakita grabbed his hand and stood up, announcing it was time for a snack run before dragging Shinkai along with him.

Ibitani incredulously stated something along the lines of, "Christ, not subtle at all, are you!?" before Arakita slammed the door on him.

He dragged Shinkai to a corner of the main room, which was empty at the moment, with only two bartenders cleaning up and talking amongst themselves at the other end of the room.

Shinkai wanted to speak, but Arakita had since dropped his hand, and was now covering his face with both of his.

Shinkai began to fret, and thus began to babble. "Eh, I'm sorry, was that embarrassing? That was really weird wasn't it? I'm really sorry I didn't mean to make you feel-"

"Oh my God shut up." Arakita peeked over the top of his fingers. His face was scarlet. "It wasn't exactly embarrassing…" Shinkai could tell Arakita was smiling behind his hand. "It was very…sweet." The raven hid his face again. "That was very, very sweet."

Shinkai paused for a moment, feeling himself blush just as hard, but then a smile rose to his face, and he reached forward and laid his hands on top of Arakita's, and the raven slowly lowered them from his eyes.

Shinkai noticed that his eyes were wet, and he gently moved his hands underneath Arakita's, cupping his face and revealing a watery smile. "Why are you crying?" His whisper was barely audible.

"I am not crying!" Arakita hissed. "…Yet." His wavering smile returned, and his tears didn't recede. "That was just really fuckin' nice, okay? Nothing like this has ever happened to me before…"

In the pause that followed Shinkai brushed his thumbs over Arakita's cheeks. "Would you let me…that is, if you want…would you let me continue to do things like that for you?"

Arakita looked away with a slight frown. "You literally just met me…"

Shinkai nodded. "I know, but even so, I like you."

Arakita's eyes shifted up to meet his. "I'm a pain in the ass."

"I know that already."

"Oi."

Shinkai grinned. "Hey."

"Hmm?"

"Are you doing anything after this?"

Arakita's blush had begun to recede, but now it was back. "Not really…"

"Would you be opposed to dinner with me?" Shinkai murmured to him.

Arakita gave him a small smile. "That sounds nice…"

Shinkai smiled back and leaned forward to rest his forehead against Arakita's.

The raven sighed, leaning into his touch, and Shinkai whispered. "Yasutomo…may I kiss you?"

Arakita looked up at him through his hair, eyes wide. Then his expression softened and he gave a small nod.

Shinkai smiled at him, brushing his bangs to the side and placing a soft kiss to his forehead before his hand brushed through Arakita's hair until it came to rest on his cheek once more.

Arakita's hands came up to cover Shinkai's, and the redhead leaned down, gently fitting their lips together. He kissed Arakita slowly and carefully, without deepening it into anything more intimate in case he stepped over a line. Their kiss lasted for a few more seconds, until he pulled away with one more peck to the raven's lips.

Arakita smiled up at him, and Shinkai kissed him one last time, between his eyes, and Arakita chuckled. "Come on, if we don't come back with food Ibitani's going to throw a fit and Fuku-chan might have a heart attack."

Shinkai snorted a laugh and followed Arakita to the bar, where he asked one of the ladies what kind of food they served. Once they had ordered their food and were heading back into the room, Shinkai offered Arakita a can of Bepsi.

The raven took it with an appreciative nod. "Oh, you and I are going to get along."

Shinkai just laughed and followed him back inside.


A/N

The songs for this are as follows:

Shinkai - Enchanted by Owl City

Arakita - Angel With A Shotgun by The Cab

Fukutomi - Better Than I Know Myself by Adam Lambert

Kinjou - We Are Unbreakable by Hedley

Machimiya & Ibitani - All I Ask of You from Phantom of The Opera


Welp. This is a thing. Am I kicked out of the fandom yet? TTwTT

This pairing is going to kill me, seriously, if I just don't come back someday just assume that I died of ShinAra feels.

The idea for this kept me up until literally 2 am and it didn't come out as good as I'd hoped. It just sounded better in my head. But I didn't write almost 9 pages for nothing, so there.

But even I have to admit, writing the fluffy bits at the end felt like falling in love 3 I just want my babies to be happy TT_TT

But yeah the sap was very strong with this one and love-struck Arakita gives me life.

(Just as one last thing I really loved writing sassy Ibi so that's probably going to happen again XD )

Heheh, have fun with this ;(^_^)/