There isn't regret on Ranmaru's face, not really, but Ai thinks that there's something on there the next day. Ai had managed to fix up what he was sure was throwing the song off after his call with the doctor, and they had given he song another shot.
(Reiji was as bright eyed as ever. Ai felt the fog shift around uneasily at the sight. He decided to pay closer attention to Reiji's expressions for now, to soothe the itch.)
Camus looks pleased with the fixes Ai had made, and Reiji is excited to sing, and Ranmaru looks a bit chastised, and Ai takes it all in as they sing together. It gives him a. . . pleasant feeling.
Ai would have to analyze it some more later.
"I knew you could do it, Ai-Ai!" Reiji squeals when they finish, throwing an arm around Ai's shoulder and nuzzling the top of his head.
"Thank you." Ai replies, patting Reiji's hand hesitantly. He's not sure if he should shrug Reiji off, so he doesn't. Not now, at least. Camus tilts his head towards the two with a slight nod. Approval
Ranmaru is conspicuously quiet.
"Well, Ranmaru?" Camus asks, heavy but slightly teasing. "What do you think?"
Ranmaru's arms are crossed tight, and he's got a glare, but when he speaks it isn't an immediate dismissal.
"It's better." is what he says.
Ai doesn't fight the way his lips twitch into a barely-there smile.
Working in an idol group was proving to be worthwhile. Even with the constant fighting, Ai was still enjoying himself thoroughly.
Well.
He had always loved the difficult.
In the end, even with the alterations, they had chosen to scrap the song. It hadn't felt quite up to the standard they were looking for but the composer seemed to be ready to rise to the challenge; she had taken their criticism head on and promised a better song next time she met them.
Ai understood her tenacity, so he thanked her for it. She flustered under the praise but smiled nonetheless. She had to have been brilliant to have been assigned to Shining Saotome's own pet project, so Ai was willing to give her a chance.
Reiji throws an arm over Ai's shoulders once she's gone, making a sly face and tilting closer towards Ai. Ai looks at him from the corner of his eye.
"Well Ai-Ai," Reiji begins playfully. "You seem interested in Miss Itsuki."
Ai tilts his head to look at Reiji, brows furrowing together gently.
"She is writing songs for us."
"That's not what I mean though!"
"Then what do you mean?"
Camus huffs a little in amusement as he watches. Ai can't help but glance over.
"I think he means romantic interest." Camus fills in, making another amused noise when Ai lets out a little "oh".
"No, then, I am not interested in her that way." Ai replies, shaking his head a little.
I don't think I can be interested, is what he doesn't say. The doctor was unsure as to whether to inform the rest of Quartet Night of Ai's android status, and Ai promised to vet them for the doctor, so he kept that comment to himself. Currently, Camus was the only one Ai was gaining confidence with, if only because Camus kept his own secrets extremely well.
"She's cute." Reiji prods, amused.
"There are rules in place against romance, Kotobuki." Ai shoots back, raising an eyebrow.
Reiji scoffs, throwing his free hand up to his forehead and leaning back dramatically. Ai stays stiff and still, practically holding Reiji up from where Reiji is gripping his shoulder.
"The heart wants what it wants Ai-Ai! Having rules in place to stop it just makes things even more passionate." Reiji declares, leaning up on the last word and giving Ai a suggestive look.
"Does it?" Ai asks, genuinely curious as he feels his neck heat up.
"Of course it does! It's the greatest source of musical influence-" Reiji begins, wiggling his eyebrows, only to be interrupted.
"All women do is ruin things." Ranmaru says suddenly, growling.
All eyes turn to him.
"That is a very broad statement." Ai murmurs. "Miss Yoshino is trying her best to write a song for us all. I do not believe that falls under the umbrella of "ruining things". I think quite the opposite, and I am pleased by how hard she is working for us considering we are not her idols."
There's a chastise in Ai's words, and that rattles a little laugh from the fog. Ranmaru bristles.
Ai realizes a moment too late that Camus is also bristling.
"Women," Camus begins, flipping some of his blond hair back. "Are graceful, amazing creatures and you should appreciate them as such!"
"Oh god." Reiji groans, seeing the argument begin to swell.
"All women do is get in the way."
That was it; the dam breaks and Camus and Ranmaru begin yelling at each other about the general status of women. Ai purses his lips to stop himself from laughing at their nonsense, glancing at Reiji.
"I am glad most of the rooms here are soundproofed." he says and Reiji reaches to tug on a strand of his own brown hair.
"I don't understand them at all!"
Ai smiles a small bit before clearing his throat loudly to get Camus and Ranmaru's attention. Ai steps up to physically separate them, hands out to his sides, and looks directly at Ranmaru when he speaks.
"Regardless of whatever your misogynistic view of women is, Kurosaki, Miss Yoshino is writing our music for now and you will just have to put your feelings to the side. Professionalism is important."
"She's very talented Ran-Ran!" Reiji interrupts, throwing his arm around Ranmaru's shoulder cheerily. "Just give her a chance, yeah? I'm sure she'll dazzle us with what she brings us next."
With all eyes on him, Ranmaru felt cornered. A three out of four was going to force his hand regardless of what he wanted, and with Ai's calming stare draining the fight out of him with his logic, Ranmaru sighs.
"Fine."
"Thank you." Ai says, voice drowned out Reiji's cheer.
Camus makes an annoyed noise, which draws Ai's attention to him instead. The staring match brings a little inkling of glee into Ranmaru because he can see Camus wither a little.
"I do hope you are not going to continue the fight. We do have more things today. You can have this conversation at a later date." Ai murmurs, gently tilting his head to the side.
"I plan to." is Camus's stiff response.
Ai thanks Camus, quieter than before and it's tinged with a soft, pleased tone.
Two days later, Itsuki Yoshino appears at Ai's door at three in the afternoon. She looks tired, blonde hair in a messy ponytail and shadows under her hazel eyes, but she smiles brightly at Ai when he opens his door.
"I was hoping you'd be here," she said, holding out a manilla folder. "I wanted you to be the first to see these!"
Ai blinks, and steps to the side to let her in.
"Come in, then."
Itsuki beams and steps into Ai's room, slipping off her flats and padding over towards the kitchen counter immediately. Ai shuts the door as Itsuki starts spreading her papers out, and he feels genuine curiosity well up inside.
"So!" Itsuki begins, turning towards Ai and clapping her hands together. "After meeting you guys, I started working nonstop and I came up with two songs. I'm positive you're gonna like them!"
"I am excited to see them," Ai replies with a small quirk to his lips.
"The first one is Quartet Night and the other is Poison Kiss. I've gone through so many drafts, I didn't even let my idols interrupt me 'cause I wanted to get it just right."
Itsuki is holding a clear folder out to Ai, sheet music and lyrics hidden behind a white sheet with "QUARTET NIGHT" scribbled hastily onto it. Ai feels something akin to gratitude well up inside him as he takes the folder from her, flicking it open and reading everything over. A smile, small but sweet, forms over Ai's mouth and Itsuki mirrors his expression.
"You like it?" she asks excitedly.
"I do." Ai says, glancing up at her. "And I am sure they will too."
"Yes!" she yells excitedly, pumping her fist into the air. "Okay, okay, Poison Kiss next, c'mon."
She takes the folder from Ai's outstretched hand, passing him the second one already opened. Ai gives it the same scrutiny as the first, just as intense even though he felt that he was hardly going to be disappointed.
"I like it." Ai says, looking Itsuki head on. "Thank you for your hard work, Miss Yoshino; I can't wait to sing these."
Itsuki laughs, loud and boisterous, and jumps around.
"I can't wait to hear you guys sing it!" she cries out as Ai places the folder down. She takes both his hands in hers, clasping them tightly. "I know you're going to do great, Mikaze. You probably don't need me to tell you that, but I was so excited when Shining asked me to write for his new group; I work with two idols, and it was a new experience to write for four.
"It was kind of scary at first because I didn't know what I'd do, but you were so kind that I knew I had to make a song worthy of being sung by whatever group you were in. You work so hard! To debut so young must have been so hard, but I admire you so much more for it."
It had been hard, incredibly so. He'd never really known that anyone admired him for it, though. Instead of saying anything, Ai feels himself fluster and blush. Itsuki doesn't seem to mind as she continues speaking.
"I have full faith in Quartet Night's future success, Mikaze. I think you four are going to be wonderful." Itsuki says, eyes glowing and pleased.
"Thank you so much for your hard work, Miss Yoshino." Ai finally says, moved and warm in a way that wasn't burning his wires to bits. "Your idols are lucky to have you as their composer."
Itsuki blushes too, and smiles, and Ai's doesn't have a crush on her but he wouldn't mind talking to her some more. Seeing someone so dedicated made Ai feel sympathetic, considering he was constantly dedicating all his time to his work.
Idol work was his life.
Itsuki seems just as enthralled by it.
It was. . . nice.
"You can keep these copies of the songs, I have the originals back in my dorm and I'll bring copies to Shining tomorrow." Itsuki says, letting go of Ai's hands. "I just really wanted to see if you like them."
"You are extremely talented, Yoshino. I had no doubt you could write a song for us."
Itsuki smiles brightly. Ai smiles back, less bright but no less pleased, as they walk back towards the door.
"I have a meeting soon, but I finished them this afternoon and got excited. I can't wait to hear you all sing them!" Itsuki says, slipping on her flats as Ai opens the door.
"Thank you," Ai says even though he's said it countless times before. Itsuki doesn't seem to mind, happy to soak in Ai's praise. "I am excited to sing them."
"You'll do them justice." she says firmly.
"I hope to do you justice."
"Of course you will, Mikaze."
Itsuki and Ai share a final smile before she leaves, Ai shutting the door gently in her wake. Ai presses his fingers against his mouth, feeling the smile stick to his face.
Nice feelings for once?
"Very." Ai breathes out.
You should sing it then.
"I will."
A/N: if any of u r mean abt itsuki ill riot bc i kno how ffn used to b abt female ocs. idk how it is now i havent been here in years.