Sleeping Beauty 9
By Nix
Disclaimer: I don't own Gravitation. After watching the OAV I am in a bit of doubt as to if I shall every write something with as much meaning and beauty as Gravitation, even if my stories are like. will detract from it in someway, but Alas.. I'm a wicked child and I like to write about them. So, this story is written completely for my own enjoyment and not for any kind of monetary gain.
Note: This chapter contains a bit that may become a bit shocking and probably isn't canon.
Eiri ran his fingers along the edge of Shuichi's cheek, fingers touching velvet cheek and velvet coverlet. He brushed his thumb over the singer's lips as he whispered, "Don't be angry with me, Shuichi. The words from Shining[1] are running through my thoughts and I'm afraid you think that's the only song I've written for you. I want to write you this novel for you, for me, to give a voice to these feelings I don't understand so well. How is it I can talk to you when I'm dreaming or your dreaming, but not when you can hear me?"
He shifted so that he laid next to Shiuchi, pulling the singer close, his head resting on Eiri's chest. "I always say how substandard your lyrics are, but it's just that you're so vibrant and intense in person and when that's not in your music, I can't stand it. Why didn't you listen to me in the airport? Why couldn't you just one more time cling to me like some wet rag doll? You'd do so much better if you were the one awake. Your emotions would be ranging around and you'd cry. I feel like I'm going to break in half when I cry. It's so much easier for you."
One arm around Shuichi, Eiri covered his face with is other hand, hiding his tears from himself as if they wouldn't hurt that way. "When you went home to your parents, I searched for you, but how do I search for you when I'm holding you here in my arms, Shuichi? K said you might hear me, that my voice would help you. Talking this much is going to give me a breakdown, ai no baka."
With a tear wet hand, he sought out Shuichi's hand, holding the limp hand urgently. "Be angry with me then! Baka, some little dart can't make you silent, can it? I pretend like I'm ignoring you all the time. Now's your chance. Let me know you can hear me and I'll pay a hundred percent attention to you for our whole trip!"
A very small murmur slipped from Shuichi, even as his fingers tightened ever so slightly. Eiri stilled his moving, even his breathing. "Do it again, Shuichi."
The murmur was only a breath, deeper and longer this time, but the fingers tightened for nearly half a breath.
"You can hear me," Eiri hissed shifting so he could see Shuichi's face. Completely relaxed, not the slightest expression. Even in sleep emotion and thought played over Shuichi's face. This was more like a coma or worse. For a moment, Eiri held him tight, face to his shoulder. Of course the vinyl of his jacket stuck to his tear wet cheek when he pulled away. One tiny squeeze of Eiri's fingers though brought him back from the whirling black sorrow. "I love you, Shuichi. Stay with me. Stay awake. K has gone to get an antidote. Shall I tell you a story?"
Those fingers held for a moment longer, the paralyzing poison giving him only just this small control.
"I'll stay with you. I'll tell you a story. I'll cross into the land of death to get you if you leave me, Shuichi. Not even death can separate us, isn't that what you told me?"
Weaker, he squeezed again, but one slight whisper ghosted between them. "Story."
Eiri was almost sure he'd imagined it. As if to seal it somehow, he touched his lips to Shuichi's pale ones, a very slight kiss, but Shuichi's lips moved against his in the tiniest and most precious kiss Eiri's heart had ever cherished.
As he searched for the threads to the story he wished to tell Shuichi, his lips tingled with that kiss and his thoughts frantically searched for some way to start. This was no romance novel, no composite of character and prose, plot and tension, all balanced out like a cake recipe. This story felt raw before the first word was even found. It was the journey from dark alone into the pink fire of trust and growth. "It's hard, Shuichi. I don't want to just tell you some story. I want to tell you my story, our story. I want to tell a story that shows how important you are to me, how you brought me out of the long sleep. I was going to re-write Sleeping Beauty."
He didn't know how he could still be crying. Shuichi had possessed him.
The door creaked and Eiri looked up, holding Shuichi close, protectively, only to find Sakuma Ryuichi standing in the door, rabbit hanging from one hand. The mix of adult and child in him almost seemed balanced, as if his whole being needed to be present. "Is he?"
"He's alive," Eiri said, "Who is here? How did you get here?"
"Kumagoro told me," Ryuichi said, taking a step into the room. "I want to hear the story too. I want to be here to bargain with Death if he comes."
Eiri took a slow breath, golden eyes glaring at the other singer. "Shuichi can hear you."
"He can!" Ryuichi raced across the room and launched himself onto the bed. Eiri covered Shuichi with his own body and was surprised to find no impact, only Ryuichi's strong fingers rubbing his shoulder. "Let me help, Yuki Eiri. I love Shuichi too. Let me help you help him."
Eiri straightened, shrugging Ryuichi's hand from his shoulder, glaring at him, nauseous now as well as grieving. There were no words for the jealousy that snapped at him now. He needed Shuichi and he wasn't going to share!
Ryuichi just smiled though, in that completely beyond the rules of civilization way. "Yuki-san, I just want to help so Shuichi can sing with me some more."
Closing his eyes, Eiri sat up, still holding Shuichi close to him. This only made it harder, harder to tell his story to Shuichi, he thought, but then, looking at Ryuichi's kind and unguarded blue eyes, he found very little reason to be angry at the man. How could he not love Shuichi as well, even if all he wanted was to sing with him? It was so much the better. And he found, it was easier to tell his story then too, as he was more accustomed to having an audience. The tale spun out of him, improvised as Shuichi's song at the Tokyo Bay Music Fes had been, nothing in it except courage and honesty. It started as a child's story might, drawing from truest truth that Yuki could find within himself. "Once there was a man lost in a forest, far from any place.."
Next Chapter..
Across town, K lifted the single remaining antidote dosage out of the safe.. Across the street, covered by night, the sniper tried to get a good shot through the smoky glass of the American Intelligence's covert office building.. A poison without an antidote was not very marketable, after all.
----------------------- [1] For the lyrics to the song
Disclaimer: I don't own Gravitation. After watching the OAV I am in a bit of doubt as to if I shall every write something with as much meaning and beauty as Gravitation, even if my stories are like. will detract from it in someway, but Alas.. I'm a wicked child and I like to write about them. So, this story is written completely for my own enjoyment and not for any kind of monetary gain.
Note: This chapter contains a bit that may become a bit shocking and probably isn't canon.
Eiri ran his fingers along the edge of Shuichi's cheek, fingers touching velvet cheek and velvet coverlet. He brushed his thumb over the singer's lips as he whispered, "Don't be angry with me, Shuichi. The words from Shining[1] are running through my thoughts and I'm afraid you think that's the only song I've written for you. I want to write you this novel for you, for me, to give a voice to these feelings I don't understand so well. How is it I can talk to you when I'm dreaming or your dreaming, but not when you can hear me?"
He shifted so that he laid next to Shiuchi, pulling the singer close, his head resting on Eiri's chest. "I always say how substandard your lyrics are, but it's just that you're so vibrant and intense in person and when that's not in your music, I can't stand it. Why didn't you listen to me in the airport? Why couldn't you just one more time cling to me like some wet rag doll? You'd do so much better if you were the one awake. Your emotions would be ranging around and you'd cry. I feel like I'm going to break in half when I cry. It's so much easier for you."
One arm around Shuichi, Eiri covered his face with is other hand, hiding his tears from himself as if they wouldn't hurt that way. "When you went home to your parents, I searched for you, but how do I search for you when I'm holding you here in my arms, Shuichi? K said you might hear me, that my voice would help you. Talking this much is going to give me a breakdown, ai no baka."
With a tear wet hand, he sought out Shuichi's hand, holding the limp hand urgently. "Be angry with me then! Baka, some little dart can't make you silent, can it? I pretend like I'm ignoring you all the time. Now's your chance. Let me know you can hear me and I'll pay a hundred percent attention to you for our whole trip!"
A very small murmur slipped from Shuichi, even as his fingers tightened ever so slightly. Eiri stilled his moving, even his breathing. "Do it again, Shuichi."
The murmur was only a breath, deeper and longer this time, but the fingers tightened for nearly half a breath.
"You can hear me," Eiri hissed shifting so he could see Shuichi's face. Completely relaxed, not the slightest expression. Even in sleep emotion and thought played over Shuichi's face. This was more like a coma or worse. For a moment, Eiri held him tight, face to his shoulder. Of course the vinyl of his jacket stuck to his tear wet cheek when he pulled away. One tiny squeeze of Eiri's fingers though brought him back from the whirling black sorrow. "I love you, Shuichi. Stay with me. Stay awake. K has gone to get an antidote. Shall I tell you a story?"
Those fingers held for a moment longer, the paralyzing poison giving him only just this small control.
"I'll stay with you. I'll tell you a story. I'll cross into the land of death to get you if you leave me, Shuichi. Not even death can separate us, isn't that what you told me?"
Weaker, he squeezed again, but one slight whisper ghosted between them. "Story."
Eiri was almost sure he'd imagined it. As if to seal it somehow, he touched his lips to Shuichi's pale ones, a very slight kiss, but Shuichi's lips moved against his in the tiniest and most precious kiss Eiri's heart had ever cherished.
As he searched for the threads to the story he wished to tell Shuichi, his lips tingled with that kiss and his thoughts frantically searched for some way to start. This was no romance novel, no composite of character and prose, plot and tension, all balanced out like a cake recipe. This story felt raw before the first word was even found. It was the journey from dark alone into the pink fire of trust and growth. "It's hard, Shuichi. I don't want to just tell you some story. I want to tell you my story, our story. I want to tell a story that shows how important you are to me, how you brought me out of the long sleep. I was going to re-write Sleeping Beauty."
He didn't know how he could still be crying. Shuichi had possessed him.
The door creaked and Eiri looked up, holding Shuichi close, protectively, only to find Sakuma Ryuichi standing in the door, rabbit hanging from one hand. The mix of adult and child in him almost seemed balanced, as if his whole being needed to be present. "Is he?"
"He's alive," Eiri said, "Who is here? How did you get here?"
"Kumagoro told me," Ryuichi said, taking a step into the room. "I want to hear the story too. I want to be here to bargain with Death if he comes."
Eiri took a slow breath, golden eyes glaring at the other singer. "Shuichi can hear you."
"He can!" Ryuichi raced across the room and launched himself onto the bed. Eiri covered Shuichi with his own body and was surprised to find no impact, only Ryuichi's strong fingers rubbing his shoulder. "Let me help, Yuki Eiri. I love Shuichi too. Let me help you help him."
Eiri straightened, shrugging Ryuichi's hand from his shoulder, glaring at him, nauseous now as well as grieving. There were no words for the jealousy that snapped at him now. He needed Shuichi and he wasn't going to share!
Ryuichi just smiled though, in that completely beyond the rules of civilization way. "Yuki-san, I just want to help so Shuichi can sing with me some more."
Closing his eyes, Eiri sat up, still holding Shuichi close to him. This only made it harder, harder to tell his story to Shuichi, he thought, but then, looking at Ryuichi's kind and unguarded blue eyes, he found very little reason to be angry at the man. How could he not love Shuichi as well, even if all he wanted was to sing with him? It was so much the better. And he found, it was easier to tell his story then too, as he was more accustomed to having an audience. The tale spun out of him, improvised as Shuichi's song at the Tokyo Bay Music Fes had been, nothing in it except courage and honesty. It started as a child's story might, drawing from truest truth that Yuki could find within himself. "Once there was a man lost in a forest, far from any place.."
Next Chapter..
Across town, K lifted the single remaining antidote dosage out of the safe.. Across the street, covered by night, the sniper tried to get a good shot through the smoky glass of the American Intelligence's covert office building.. A poison without an antidote was not very marketable, after all.
----------------------- [1] For the lyrics to the song