Disclaimer: If I owned Gravitation, I wouldn't be writing these fanfictions would I? I'd have a successful manga, anime TV show and lots of cool merchandise. My name would be Maki and I would have the ability to draw. However, I have none of these things.



Say Anything

"Hello Aizawa," Shuichi spoke flatly. The moment he laid eyes on Taki Aizawa, Shuichi should have turned around and headed back to Hiro, never giving it a second thought. However, he couldn't get his mind off of Aizawa standing in front of him to concentrate on moving. He wasn't scared of Aizawa, not even a little. He never was, but he still didn't move.

Aizawa didn't seem to be doing much either, but at least he talked. "Better put this back on," he said, holding in his hand the bill of Shuichi's baseball cap. "Don't want people to jump you." Shuichi flinched. "Because of your hair," Aizawa quickly added in mortification, rolling his shoulders in discomfort, not knowing what the right thing was to say--if there was such a thing between the two.

Shuichi reached out for the cap, taking it from Aizawa, not snatching at it or shaking. He didn't take his glare off the ASK member as he placed it on his head. With full awareness of the smooth phone card in his hand, the meandering people in the airport, the announcer speaking of delays and Aizawa, Shuichi knew he wouldn't do anything stupid like leaving with Aizawa, the mistake he made after Eiri dumped him once, though by Aizawa's unease, he wasn't planning on doing it again. Shuichi might even say the other musician looked regretful. This was actually happening, and the motor-mouth he was had nothing to say to the man who tried to destroy Eiri and his career by despicable means except, "What are you doing here?"

After hearing his calm but flat question, Shuichi felt like an idiot, for it was obvious by the bag strap Aizawa adjusted on his brown jacket shoulder that he was delayed here in Osaka, too. This was the best thing Shuichi could think of to say, something this pathetic? "Ma-kun's getting married," he answered, adding a small smile to alleviate the mood, speaking of another member of ASK. "I was flying to Saga to attend, but then the storm happened."

"Yeah," Shuichi nodded.

"I heard about Bad Luck's tour," Aizawa said next. "You must be on your way home now."

"The tour was a big success!" Shuichi commented all to quickly on the defense and a bit loud. "We've got a new single in the works, and we're hoping, I mean I know we're going to get approved for our Far East Tour and finish our new album which will be bigger than the first."

"That's great news," Aizawa responded, seeing some of the fire in Shuichi's eyes. They both fell silent again, and after a few seconds that felt like moments, Aizawa cleared his throat. "Shindou-san---"

Shuichi waited, not knowing if he wanted to hear what was coming but he could sense it.

"S-sorry," Aizawa said simply, looking him in the eye.

"I was the one who ran into you," Shuichi said, though both sides knew the tumble earlier wasn't what they were talking about.

Then over the intercoms came the friendly voice of the announcer, proclaiming various flights that were now available, and both Aizawa and Shuichi looked up on the flight board, noticing the delayed signs were removed from their flight names.

"Guess it stopped raining," Shuichi pointed out, glaring back at Aizawa. Why is the obvious all he could say?

"Seems so. Well," Aizawa said, readjusting the duffle bad slinked over his arm again. "My gates back that way. I better go. Bye, Shindou-san."

Shuichi just nodded again, watching as Aizawa turned his back to him and briskly walked away from him. "Goodbye," he muttered, before looking down at the phone card clutched in his sweaty palm. He felt upset at himself for not saying much, though at least he bolstered about Bad Luck. When he looked back up, he could no longer see Taki Aizawa.

* * *

"My Luck!" spat Hiro as he brushed his brown bangs away from his eyes. "I finally get to the front of the line and they run out. Well I'm not standing in another line." Seeing some others ogling him, Hiro ceased his conversation with himself. "I've been hanging around Shuichi too long." Bringing attention to himself would not be a good idea in a crowded airport of people with no means of leaving with the airport hotel rooms filled to capacity. There was nothing left to do but find Shuichi, though it would probably be a chore in itself to pry him away from the phone. "I could always wait it out until he uses up the entire phone card."

Hiro couldn't help but be jealous of Yuki Eiri. The bitter novelist received most of Shuichi's attention when he wasn't working, and he missed spending time with his best friend. Sure, he had Ayaka, Eiri's former arranged fiancée and a Kyoto beauty, but Shuichi was unlike no other. He was special with his positive outlook, spectacular singing voice and nonstop energy. After he finished his phone call with Eiri, Hiro would have to sit through either Shuichi's undying devotion or mulling over some minor teasing on Eiri's half. At least it was time with Shuichi.

"Oi Shu-chan!" he called, looking through the crowd for him, calling him a pet name to avoid exposure. Even without his fuchsia hair to guide him, Shuichi was never one to vanish into the crowd. Hiro was surprised his friend's big mouth hadn't rang through the halls. "Oi!" he shouted again when he finally discovered him, but Hiro stopped, seeing Shuichi wasn't on the phone. He was talking with someone, and his expression was grave. It wasn't until the other man turned to leave that Hiro recognized the lazy yet handsome face.

"Son of a bitch!" he cursed, sprinting towards Shuichi, shoving anyone out of his way, receiving shouts and curses in return. "Shuichi!" he blurted out his name when he reached him, who quickly spun around to face him. Throwing a hand on his shoulder, Hiro glanced up to see Aizawa already gone "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Shuichi answered sanguinely, staring up at Hiro wide-eyed. "Are YOU okay?"

"That was."

"Taki Aizawa from ASK," Shuichi finished for him. "Who would've thought we'd be delayed in the same airport with the lazy faced guy? I didn't even get a chance to call Yuki because of him."

Hiro was a bit taken back by Shuichi's genki mood. He was always like this, but he didn't seem that way when he was talking to Aizawa. Why was he talking to him in the first place? "Did the jerk say anything? If he did, I'll---" Hiro began, seeming ready to push past his friend to catch up with Aizawa for even breathing the same air, but Shuichi moved with him, blocking and taming him back.

"Nothing happened Hiro! Actually, it's my fault. I ran right into him. Hey, I heard it stopped raining and our flight's back on. We better get back before K-san causes a mass hysteria looking for us or Sakano-san throws another fit," Shuichi laughed.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Hiro asked again.

"Yes," Shuichi smiled, prepared to walk but Hiro was preventing him.

"Shuichi---" he said serious, staring down at him.

Shuichi put his hand over the one Hiro rested on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze before removing it. "Hiro I am fine," he repeated, enunciating each word slowly.

Accepting that, he followed Shuichi back to their gate, staying close, feeling a need to protect him despite what the vocalist said. When things went wrong with Shuichi, Hiro naturally felt this way until things felt right.

Right now, things didn't feel right.

* * *

When they had made it back to the terminal, Shuichi had happily cheered about going home, practically dragging Suguru and Sakano to the plane, wrapped arm-in-arm with the stunned men. Suguru shouted for him to stop, saying that the airplane wasn't going to be going anywhere. K was following behind, embarrassed by the display Shuichi was causing, upset that his trusty 9 MM wasn't there to keep the boy in line. His blue eyes darted over to Hiro as they soon began to board.

"Hey," K nudged, trying to wipe the serious contemplating look off the guitarist's face. "What was in those drinks you had? You turned our vocal wonder's frown upside down and now you return looking as if your dog just got ran over."

"I don't have a dog," Hiro replied.

"Dog---Shuichi---no difference," K smiled, giving an American-like slap across Hiro's back, but it did nothing to wipe the look off his face. "What happened? What is bothering you?"

Hiro let out a deep sigh he was holding, furrowing his brows. "I don't know. THAT'S what's bothering me."

* * *

It was the middle of night as Bad Luck flew over the towns, cities and villages of Japan many miles below them. Storm clouds were still in the sky, but the pilot assured any turbulence they experienced would be minor. Everyone had fallen asleep in his or her seats. Producer Sakano needed a little help with some sedatives K put in his drink in order to calm the erratic man, who was now drooling on the pillow he had against the window. It was safe now for the young men to remove their simple disguises, but Shuichi had left his on. He and Hiro were the only ones left awake, an overheard light shining down on them.

Yawns escaped Hiro repeatedly, but the brunette was determined to stay awake as long as Shuichi was. "Are you going to ever put that notepad away?" he asked Shuichi in a whisper, seeing line-after-line crossed out in so many scratches that he couldn't make out what they original said. "I'm sure K-san would be thrilled that your trying to think of a song, but we get a break now. You don't have to do this"

"I'm not sleepy, and the flight attendants will scold me again if I blaze my Nittle Grasper CD again. You can't listen to Sakuma-san with headphones on," Shuichi shrugged, tapping the pen in his hand against his temple. "I'm sorry Hiro. Am I keeping you awake?"

Though he was, Hiro dismissed his words with the wave of his hand. "I could help you with your song."

"No," he grinned. "The words will come to me. They're floating around in my head, but I can't piece them together."

"Is that really the reason you can't think straight?" questioned Hiro.

Shuichi shot a glare his way, his grin increasing. "What?"

Hiro leaned over on his armrest, staring at him intently. "Tell me what happened today."

"About what?"

"You KNOW what," he whispered harshly.

Shuichi briefly flinched, lowering the pen from his head, and closed his large notepad, averting his eyes with his grin still on his face. "I went to go call Yuki, and in my crazy dash, I slammed right into Aizawa. I didn't know at first and I apologized. Should've taken it back the moment I recognized him. He got up on his own."

"That it?" Hiro inquired, not satisfied. "You looked pretty serious when I saw you."

Shuichi looked intently at his notepad, thumbing the corner like a flipbook. "Ma-kun's getting married apparently, and he apologized to me." It was Hiro's turn to flinch at the shock that Aizawa actually proved he was wrong. Even more surprising is that Shuichi puts the event second to Ma-kun's marriage announcement.

"Did you say anything?" Hiro asked with curiosity.

Shuichi nodded, starting to turn glum, flashing his violet eyes at Hiro. He said things, but they were idiotic. What would Hiro think of him? This was his friend. He probably wouldn't care if he admitted to speaking of the weather with Aizawa. It seemed so weak though.

"What did you say?"

The teenager leaned back in his chair, stretching his arms forward to the tray in front of him. "I told him all about Bad Luck, and all the things I thought of him," he smirked and nodded with each example, seeming proud and his voice rose with every word. "I told him I was a huge success, I told him about my relationship with Yuki, and that I hope he rots in Hell and he can take his apology with him."

"Shh!" The two looked to see Suguru had awaken in the chair in front of them, though he didn't seem to have known what they were talking about. His head poked out over the top of his seat, looking half asleep "Shindou- san," the younger teenager began to scold in a high whisper of irritation. "Be courteous and keep your voice down."

"Sorry Fujisaki-kun," he said with a sheepish grin, as the boy disappeared behind the chair. "I guess I should follow your advice, Hiro, and stop for now. I'm getting sleepy anyways with nothing to do on this plane."

The feeling inside Hiro had died a bit as he saw the satisfaction of Shuichi's face and heard his words about the incident with Aizawa, but he could feel it hadn't vanished completely. Shuichi pushed the folding tray into its upright position and gathered into a ball in his chair. "Must have felt good telling him all that," Hiro whispered, continuing to search for anything to kill the nagging feeling of protection inside him.

"Yeah, it did," Shuichi said, barely audible.

"I suppose when you tell Yuki you'll be even more proud of yourself," Hiro added. "I know you're excited to see him.

"You bet," Shuichi said, keeping his answers short, reaching up to flick the switch of the overhead light off. "Oyasumi, Hiro."

Finally giving into his fatigue, Hiro slumped back into his chair, giving Shuichi a light pat on his covered head. "Oyasumi. Keep your dreams about Yuki to a minimum."

"No chance," he heard him whisper as Shuichi turned away. He wasn't tired, and that lie was only small compared to the other things he said to his best friend. The dark blues and purples outside the window above the black night clouds were the only thing outside the window to look at, and Shuichi was starting to feel alone despite the plane filled with people. He shouldn't have lied to Hiro, and his eyes were beginning to well up in tears at the thought of having just done so.

"Hiro!" Shuichi whispered pleadingly, turning in his seat to face him. "I-- !"

Hiro had already fallen asleep, and Shuichi bit at his lower lip to keep himself quiet. He turned back to the window, pulling his knees to his chest. Shuichi couldn't wake him up now. Besides, this whole thing with Aizawa was over, and he could go back to never thinking about him again, concentrating more on being a huge success with Bad Luck and Eiri.

Yuki---

There was always Eiri left to turn to anyway.

TO BE CONTINUED



Review please! If you don't like my serious stuff, maybe you'll like my humorous stuff. Please don't judge me harshly on one and then don't give my others a chance. And lastly, it's so hard to come up with original ideas now for a Gravi fic now that so many people have written them. I know this issue isn't a new thing but I try to be different at least. I look forward to writing more stories based on what you have to say.

Oh, and have you noticed my pathetic and shameless display of naming the titles of the Chapters after X-Japan songs? Disclaimer: I don't own X- Japan's songs. There, now I can't be punished for using them. LOL. I've been on a X-Japan kick as of late, especially now that I got my X-Japan Last Live concert in the mail yesterday!