By Daryn Maxwell // 01 March 2003
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Sakuma Ryuuichi and Uesugi Tatsuha belong to Gravitation, which belongs to Maki Murakami.
A/N: I didn't intend to turn this into a ficlet, really. I was listening to Semisonic's "Closing Time" (the lyrics at the beginning) and the rest just sort of... followed. It was the scenario that came to mind when I heard the song.
/ So gather up your jackets /
/ And move it to the exits /
/ I hope you have found a friend /
/ Closing time /
/ Every new beginning comes from /
/ Some other beginning's end, yeah! /
/ I know who I want to take me home (x3) /
/ Take me ho-o-ome... /
Tatsuha is sipping a drink by himself in the corner of a bar. He hears a voice ask "Is this seat taken?" before a shadowy figure slips into the other end of the semicircle booth. Blurry-eyed from both exhaustion and the liquor, he gives the stranger a faint smile and takes another drink, wondering why the stranger seems so painfully familiar. He wishes to himself that he could get a better view of his face- the man, shorter than he, is wearing a hat with the brim pulled low over his eyes. Dark brown bangs peek out from beneath the navy hat, framing his face.
The next hour or so is spent in light, quiet conversation between the two. "You remind me of a man I know," the stranger says in a soft murmur.
"Your voice reminds me of someone I care very much about, but who doesn't know I exist," Tatsuha replies.
"That person is very lucky. They don't realize what they're missing out on."
Tatsuha chuckles.
Finally, the bar owner announces that it's time for the bar to empty out for the night. Tatsuha gets up and stretches, leaning against the table as his balance fails him. The man slides out of his own seat and, with an adorably sweet smile, bows low and thanks Tatsuha for his wonderful company. As he straightens up, he tips up the brim of his hat to reveal beautiful, sparkling, indigo eyes.
Tatsuha blinks, his drunkenness seeming to evaporate from his body as he stares into the very eyes of Perfection- eyes that he's only ever been able to watch from a two-dimensional poster or magazine, or from afar as he was drowned in a mass of cheering fans. "S... Sakuma... s-"
Ryuuichi leans up on his toes and drops a light kiss on Tatsuha's lips. "Ryuuichi, if you don't mind."
"Closing time!"
"... Ryuuichi, then." Still in mild shock, Tatsuha stares into the angelic face that winks at him with an impish grin before turning to depart. Hoisting his jacket over his shoulders, Sakuma Ryuuichi pulls back down the brim of his hat and whistles softly to himself as he departs.
Tatsuha scratches his head, blinking and wondering if he might be in a dream. Bringing his hand back down to the table, his fingertips graze a piece of paper. He looks down at it before picking it up to read it... and reread it... and again.
But the third time, he only reads the first two words before breaking out into a grin and chasing after the "stranger's" departing form. The paper flutters to the ground in his wake.
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A/N: *blinks* Even though this hasn't even been up for 48 hours, I'm surprised to already have gotten reviews. Thank you all sooo much! ^_^
Ne, some of you (i.e. blinkie, koko and Arisuki) asked what the last line meant. Well, it's the closing line to Nittle Grasper's hit song "Sleepless Beauty", performed by (K.ITO + D.K). Of course every translator words things different, but at AnimeLyrics.com, it is translated as "Hold me gently, catch me forever, do more until my heart breaks down".