Gravitation Comes Around

By Christine Lennoire

Many words, a few tears, and a lot of yelling later, Shuichi slumped away from Yuki's doorstep, having admitted defeat. Dear friend and confidant Hiro was his first thought, but then he remembered that Nakano Hiroshi was on a vacation with Ayaka. He remembered this because Hiro specifically told him that he would be proposing to Ayaka on this very vacation. At the time, he had been so happy for his friend, but now he just wished that his friend was here to help him through these tough times. Without anything better to do, Shuichi followed his feet down the street, led by the lights of the street lamps above his head. Most shops were closed. But there was one that he knew would be open.

It had been like a second home to him since he moved in with Yuki. This particular shop was a music store a dozen blocks from the home he shared with Yuki. Shuichi bought everything here, and was good friends with the owner and his wife, who were sweet and kind people. Finally seeing the light in the distance, Shuichi found a glimmer of hope and happiness and started running. Pushing open the door, he was determined just to look. He needed the money, because he had no idea how long his fight with Yuki would last. But he couldn't help but want. The music selection was great, and the electronics were the latest and most spectacular around. That was when he noticed the kid.

He was sitting by the display of a beautiful guitar. It was just an acoustic, but it was the best acoustic, and gorgeous too. A beginner's kind of instrument it was, or at least until the kid was good enough to play electric and afford all the equipment he'd need. Still, the kid seemed sad, and made no move to get the guitar or talk to the owner about the price, even. Shuichi bent down next to the kid and smiled warmly at him. "It's a nice guitar, isn't it?" he asked. Frowning, the boy nodded. "It would be perfect for you." The singer prodded.

"No, I could never. You see… my brother plays the guitar, and my mother sings beautifully. Both are so wonderful. I would only ever be lost in their shadows, you know, because I would never be able to be as good. All the time, my brother and my father and my mother tell me the same thing. I've always wanted to be a musician… to write music… but they say I have zero talent. With a family like mine… such talented people… I will never be able to change that. Always in their shadows." He mumbled, wiping away a few stray tears from his eyes. Shuichi gaped and frowned.

"Don't say that! It's not true!" Shuichi wanted to say something smart and helpful, but nothing was coming to mind. And then, he had a different idea for another approach instead of being deep and insightful. Besides, if he tried that, he might just confuse the poor boy. In the midst, the bells attached to the door of the shop tinkled. "You know, you remind me of someone I know! You see, he was born into a family, where his cousin was one of, if not the greatest keyboardist in all of Japan. His cousin is revered by everyone, and he's the head of a huge label, and everyone thinks he's the greatest, although he's really bossy and just plain manipulative. Now that I know him, the only thing I can revere, are his keyboard skills, and even then…"

Shuichi smirked. "He's a band mate of mine, so I know him fairly well, although… he really doesn't like me all that much. Actually, he thinks I'm way to immature, and he's probably right. Yet, I still really admire him. Even though everyone is looking down on him, acting like he'll only ever live in the shadow of his cousin, he still fights to surpass him. And he's so strong, and talented! He writes the greatest music! I used to write our music, and it was getting me nowhere. But he writes this amazing stuff and his music moves me in a way I thought no one other than Hiro could! We make the perfect team! Anyway, off subject, you should never give up. You'll be great, I'm sure of it. As long as you keep trying to surpass them, you can."

The young kid smiled brightly and gave Shuichi a huge hug. "Thanks, mister! I will!" he shouted. "I'm going to get it, and I'm going to give it everything I've got. Who knows… maybe someday we can play a concert together." He giggled, running up to the front desk and talking animated to Mr. Yoji, the owner, who winked at Shuichi and gave him a thumbs up while the kid was rustling through his pocket. Shuichi waved happily back, feeling slightly better, but no closer to a solution. A small, slender finger tapped him lightly on the shoulder, shocking him back to life and making him jump. Coming face to face with the green-haired keyboard prodigy was more than he could handle.

"Y…ack!" Shuichi gaped. "Whoa – uh… how long were you…?" he asked, blushing sheepishly. Suguru sighed heavily. It wasn't in his nature to be compassionate to Shuichi. He already knew that he was probably there, having just had a fight with Yuki, and he knew that he was making a big mistake, but Shuichi looked like he had nowhere to go. After all he had heard, he couldn't just leave him there, no matter how childish he thought Shuichi's spats with his lover were, or how immature the singer was.

Shrugging, he practically dragged Shuichi out the door. "Come on… I take it Eiri kicked you out again." It wasn't even a question. "And Nakano-san has left you to fend for yourself. My house isn't far from here. It isn't much, but if you complain, I'll kick you out faster than Eiri-san did." He said bluntly. Shuichi sported this look between confusion and clueless, which quickly vanished. A beautiful grin overtook his features and he stopped being dragged along and started skipping alongside him. Suguru wanted to take it back, but… something about Shuichi now was different from the Shuichi he was used to seeing. Maybe this was his second chance at making things right between them.

He remembered the first time they met. Suguru looked up to him so much. But the more he got to know the singer, the less he admired him and the more he hated everything Shuichi did and said. It wasn't that Suguru hated him though. He knew that Shuichi was strong and smart and creative and much more, but he would never be able to use it as long as he let stupidity and childishness rule his life. The first step for him should have been to get rid of Yuki Eiri. Maybe that was just his opinion, but Suguru was well aware of the fact that his family and everyone related to them was bad for the people they come into contact. He even accepted the fact that one day, he would be the same. But right now…

"Fujisaki-kun… would you have let me stay with you, even if I hadn't said all those things?" Shuichi asked innocently, batting his eyes at the green haired keyboardist. Suguru frowned, wondering what would have forced the happy-going pink haired singer to come up with such a question.

"Probably…" Suguru frowned. "Contrary to the face I show you everyday when you are being emotional, immature, and childish, I don't hate you, Shindou-san, and I'm not heartless enough to leave you there, no matter how much I think it may be for the better." He mumbled. "But don't you dare start bawling to me about how Eiri-san left you, like you do with Nakano-san. I am not him, you know." He said, frowning slightly. Shuichi became slightly more mellow, but he didn't frown at all, which surprised Suguru. 'Maybe he does have a bit of restraint…'

Silence fell for too long. It made Suguru feel uncomfortable, because now, he was thinking too much. And when he thought too much, he had this bad habit of enunciating his thoughts and wonders aloud. This time was no different. "Do you really believe all the things you spouted back there to that little kid?" he asked absent-mindedly, hardly aware that he said it until it was too late to take it back. All he could do was observe Shuichi and wait patiently for the answer HE asked for.

"Heheh." Shuichi laughed. "Of course I do. I'm not magical, so I obviously didn't know you were there. Why would I lie if I didn't know for certain that it would benefit me? Besides, you're not the type that would be swayed by sweet talk, anyway. I believe it, you know. We fight all the time because we're really different. But that doesn't mean that I dislike you, either! Ever since the first time I heard your music, and heard you play – I was so jealous of you. You were so much better than me, and only seventeen! Now that I know you better, It's not really jealously anymore, but I still really admire you." He said, twiddling his thumbs and staring at the ground, blushing. But he was quick to recover and spotted the apartment building. "Race you!" he shouted, tagging him on the shoulder and running ahead.

It took Suguru a moment to comprehend what happened, before he took off after Shuichi, running as fast as he could. 'Shindou-san… you're such a pain.' He sighed. 'But I guess you're not ALL bad.' He smirked, taking the stairs after Shuichi. Suddenly he heard a yelp and a lot of thumps and thuds. In a split second, Shuichi tripped on a step and began rolling back down the steps, grunting and groaning and yelping in pain. Before Suguru can react, Shuichi collides into his feet and knocks him over too. "SHINDOU-SAN!!!" he shouted angrily. Finally, the stairs ended. Instead, they both were stopped by the door and the wall at the bottom.

"Shindou-san… get off." Suguru growled. But Shuichi was too busy laughing.

"Damn gravity." Yet, Shuichi didn't stop laughing, even as he said it. He slowly stood up and reached out to help Suguru up. "Sorry 'bout that. I'm a total clutz, but you knew that anyway." He grinned. "Let's go…"

'I'm taking it back… he IS all bad…' Suguru growled, limping up the stairs again.

Owari

Christine Lennoire