Disclaimer: Ooooooooooooooohh, the horror!! I don't own Fushigi Yuugi!! ::weeps:: But, Yuu, feel free to leave me the rights in your will ^__~
Author's Notes: Ahhh, chapter 2... so wonderful! I want to thank Mouse-chan big time, for beta reading the first chapter and this one for me... you are KICKASS! I also want to thank eeeeeeeeeeeeveryone else who reviewed. I appreciate it more than you know ::fanged grin:: I also apologize for the shortness of this chapter compared to the last.
Chapter 2: Secrets...
He couldn't move. He was frozen, standing behind the bar, while people screamed for him to get their drinks. He tried to move, willed his legs, even... but he was paralyzed – paralyzed by two electric sapphires in the center of a spotlight.
Chuin felt something pass between him and Ayuru, but he did not know what. It seemed almost like a connection of sorts, a familiarity that had been there since they bumped into each other on the street. Finally, and with much resistance, he tore his eyes from Ayuru's, snapped back to reality, and began serving drinks.
He was doing well, running up and down along the bar, handing out drinks with a talent born of practice, when Ayuru hit the first chord of their opening song.
"Welcome all to the most kickass blues club in New Orleans!" The drummer yelled. "We are Beaded Dragon!"
A wave of cheers and applause erupted from the crowd. Chuin was taken aback at the response from the crowd, most even stopped ordering drinks and were standing, completely into the blues music coming from the stage.
Three songs later, Ayuru stepped up to the mike, his breath coming a bit heavier than usual. "This next song is brand new," he said. "In fact, I just wrote it yesterday."
The crowd cheered. Chuin stood leaning on the bar, watching Ayuru on stage.
"It's called 'Lost in an Illusion,' and was inspired by... well..." Ayuru paused, a secretive smile crept to his lips. "That's my little secret. Here it is, I hope you like it."
Ayuru began to play. A slow, lilting melody filled the club. It seemed to swirl through the air, around the people by the stage, and settle over Chuin. As the blonde began to sing, he looked directly into Chuin's eyes, seemed to sing to him, and him alone.
Chuin barely heard the first verse, but when Ayuru started to sing the chorus, the words sliced into him, nearly brought tears to his eyes.
"In the flames of my dream's fire,
I see you, my true desire
And when fantasy becomes reality
I'm lost...
Lost in an illusion with you."
Why did those words seem to mean something to him? Illusion? There was something... something... but what? Chuin furrowed his eyebrows to think about it, but the song instantly commanded his attention.
"I go through the motions,
Though my head is screaming.
It's so hard, but I'll have you yet
To mend the empty hole in my heart,
And end my loneliness."
He stood at the bar, enthralled by the song, the singer, the music, everything. Ayuru still looked at him, beads of perspiration all over his face glinting in the stage lights... Chuin stared harder. Could that be tears? he wondered. But why would he be crying? It's a powerful song, and I guess that if it was inspired by something special to him, he could cry. But it didn't make any sense. Ayuru didn't seem like the type that cried.
When the song was over, Chuin couldn't breathe. Was he just imagining it all? The Of course he was. Ayuru hated him, didn't he? He wouldn't sing a song to him, let alone one about him. He suddenly felt very stupid.
"Hey, cheri... how'd ya do tonight?"
Claudine had come around the corner, clapped him on the back.
"Uh," he shook his head, coming out of his thoughts. "I did very well tonight. Got about forty bucks in tips."
The young woman smiled, then handed him a bundle of cash.
Chuin stared at it. "What's this?" he asked stupidly.
"The bartenders get ten percent of what the waitresses make," Claudine explained, shoving the money into his hand. "You're working full-time, non?"
Full time? As in working at here most of the time... and being able to watch Beaded Dragon perform? Chuin was ecstatic, but he simply said, "Yeah! If you want me to."
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Ayuru finished loading the band's equipment into the back of the Jean's van.
"We'll get it 'Ru, go on home, you look exhausted," the dark-haired man said.
He nodded his thanks, walked back inside through the stage door and out to the main room of the club. He saw Chuin just finish cleaning the bar, wave his goodbye to Claudine, and move toward the door.
Oh, shit.
Just before he walked outside, Chuin turned, looked back into the club. He saw Ayuru, blushed bright red, but waited anyway. When Ayuru caught up with him, he looked at the ground.
"That show was amazing," he said.
Ayuru forced a smile. "Thank you."
The two walked out together and started up Decatur.
"Is it always packed like that?" Chuin asked.
The other man sighed. "Yeah, it is. Occasionally, it gets so packed that fights break out as to who is closer to the stage."
"You guys must be popular."
Ayuru shrugged. "I guess. I mean, we're the only regular band that plays there. The nights we don't, Vic books a few unknown musicians to play."
"Vic is the owner I take it?" Chuin wrapped his arms around himself. Despite the warmness of the city, the breeze that came from the river was cool. He felt goosebumps pop out on his arms.
"Yeah..." Ayuru looked Chuin, saw him shivering. "You cold?"
"Freezing," he admitted. "This shirt isn't exactly modest."
The taller man handed him the jacket he was carrying. "Here, put it on. I'm not wearing it."
Chuin took the jacket. "Thanks."
The walked in silence for a bit. Chuin huddled down into the oversized jacket, felt his arms growing warm. Ayuru thrust his hands deep into his pockets, strolling rigidly beside him.
"So, uh..." Ayuru began. "What brought you down here from Pennsylvania?"
Chuin let out a bitter chuckle. "What didn't?"
"Pardon?"
"Everything was messed up in PA," Chuin told him. "My parents died in a car crash last year, I couldn't hold down a job, I wasn't sleeping, wasn't eating, wasn't leaving the house." He took a deep breath, let it out shakily. Ayuru could see how much it pained him to talk about it, and he opened his mouth to tell him he didn't have to say anything, but Chuin continued, his eyes distant, remembering. "Shit got fucked up, you could say. So, I dealt with things my way, the only way I knew how... I started doing drugs, drinking all the time... and then one morning, I woke up in the hospital. I had too much to drink and got alcohol poisoning, plus I had OD'd on prescription sleeping pills. That's when I figured out that I had to leave. So, I grabbed what little possessions I owned, bid that hellhole goodbye, and hopped a train down here."
Ayuru was so engrossed in Chuin's story that he nearly walked past his building, as did Chuin. They stopped in the middle of the street, Chuin grew quiet.
What do I say to that? Ayuru thought. But Chuin saved him.
"Sorry... I didn't mean to drop all that on you in a clump. I just haven't spoken to anyone about it, so it was kinda a good release."
Ayuru looked at Chuin in amazement. He was the first to know? Don't do it, Ayuru, don't fall for him. He'll end up getting hurt... possibly in more ways than one. He cleared his throat. Jesus, at least say something...
"I, ah... well, I can understand a little where you're coming from... maybe not entirely."
Chuin looked up at Ayuru, saw the larger man gazing down at him. "You aren't about to run away and never speak to me again?"
"Why would I do that?" he asked simply. "Because you had a rough time in your life? Everyone does, it doesn't make them all of who they are."
There was a long, comfortable silence between them. Finally, Chuin shrugged off the jacket Ayuru had loaned him, held it out to him. "Thanks for the jacket. I better get my ass to bed, though."
Ayuru took it from him, yawned. "Yeah, me too."
"Good night," Chuin said, and turned to walk toward his building.
Ayuru, however, stood in the street, watching him go. He looked down at the jacket, looked back up at Chuin. Had Chuin looked over his shoulder, he would have seen the change come over Ayuru's face. His eyes grew cold and unfeeling, his posture straightened, and an evil smirk formed on his lips. At that moment, Ayuru was gone, shoved into a dark corner of his mind as another took over.
He was, in his own mind, a god.
He was the Seiryuu Shichiseishi Nakago.
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Chuin laid in bed, his eyes wide open, his body not willing to fall asleep. The only light in the room came through the open window from a streetlamp. A chilled wind flittered through the window, across Chuin's bed. He breathed the air deep, allowing it to cleanse away the grime of the bar. He finally relaxed in bed, let the tension drain from his body, sank into the mattress.
What's up with you, Ayuru? What deep secret do you have hiding behind those incredible eyes?
He thought back to tonight, and their odd conversation in the middle of the street. What had made him blurt out all the shit he went through up north? It had seemed to come from no where. Ayuru asked, Chuin told.
And he said he understand a little. What does that mean? Gah! I'm so confused.
Chuin took one more deep breath of the fresh air still wafting through his window, and fell into a peaceful sleep.