Thankyou for your comments, I really enjoyed them, and they helped a lot.
The things that came up most were, in that order: 'Why are they beating
Hiro up?' 'Poor Hiro', and 'This is OOC'
Can't do anything about the second one, but I'll work on straightening out the others. Warning though, Yuki is still OOC in the beginning of the chapter.
And about the AU thing... well, lets say its 'PU' instead. 'Parallel Universe'. XD
I've posted this on several sites, so don't mind me if I seem to be replying to nonexistent comments/reviews, lol.
And Then... chapter 2: Problems and Solutions
It's our third night together. I don't know why, but I feel so helpless, at Yuki's mercy. I know he likes it, but I don't think I do. But I bear with it. Its always been like that, anyway. With the band, with everything. I want to stand up, push all of it away...
But somehow it all melts when he touches me. I realize he's the only one who doesn't touch me to hurt me, the only one who touches me in a way that makes me go insane.
I close my eyes, exhausted. Yuki purrs and runs his fingers along my stomach. I moan, which makes him purr even louder. Does he ever stop?
I've stopped blaming Shuichi for his obsession with this guy, at least. But does Yuki act this way with him, too? I've never heard Shu mention anything, except how cold and cruel the writer it.
A door clicks open, too loud to be the neighbors'. I sit up, and Yuki's hand is thrown aside. I stare at him, but he appears indifferent.
"YUKI!!!" A squeal, running in our direction.
"He's home..." The blond drawled.
Way to state the obvious.
The door bursts open. I breathe in, and clench my teeth. The pink-haired furball – wait, furball? Weird... The pink haired furball doesn't notice me yet, and launches himself at Yuki, inches away from me.
"YukiYukiYukiYuki!!!... Hiro?"
I've been caught sleeping with my best friend's lover. I find this somehow amusing, for a moment.
"What are you doing here, Hiro?!"
Yuki watches from beneath his fringe of golden hair.
"Sleeping with your lover." I choke. Yuki...
The novelist who had spoken grins. I see the astonished look on Shuichi's face. Is it because Yuki cheated on him... or because Yuki grinned?
"He was also telling me how he got these." Yuki ran a careless hand across my chest, motioning at the bruises.
"I... ano..."
"Next time you have to ask me why am I leaving you, this will be the excuse."
"Yuki!"
Shuichi trembles, obviously about to cry. I begin stand, unable to bear the sight, but my blond bedmate reaches up and hooks his arm around my waist, pulling me towards him.
"Yu...Yuki..."
The vocalist throws himself into Yuki's lap, sobbing. I shift uncomfortably, but he pulls me closer and kisses me, right in front of Shuichi... right in front of my friend... my best friend, no matter what...
I begin to pull away, but again he strokes me, his gentle touch somehow forming into a vice-like grip around my heart.
I wake up hours later, my head resting on Yuki's chest. Shuichi sits on the corner of the bed, hugging his knees and sobbing.
"Shuichi..."
I move Yuki's arm aside and crawl towards him.
"Hiro."
"I hate you." His voice is spiked with loathing, and it surprises me, the way it is so unlike him, so different, hateful.
"Gomen... Shu..."
"I hate you!!!" He twists around and punches me. I'm sure he was aiming for my head, but the tears blind him and he hits my left shoulder.
Yuki sits up suddenly, growling. I'm used to this – every morning he turns back into the normal Yuki, sullen and cold.
"I HATE YOU! BAKA!"
My best friend claws at me as I sit passively, my heart tearing once more.
"Baka."
His lover's voice makes him stop cold.
"Yuki..."
His hair shades his eyes, but the tears streaming down are obvious.
"Get off my bed and out of my house... baka."
Shuichi stands up and sullenly heads for the door.
"Shu..." I whisper.
"I... still... hate you." He closes the door softly behind him, and I crumble in Yuki's arms.
It trembles through me like my heartbeat. It roars out, like my voice. My third voice, really. My guitar is second. Its amazing how much compassion I can feel for my motorbike. And for my guitar, for that matter, and – damn it, I can't stop thinking about my guitar.
Will Shuichi let me stay as the band's guitarist? Today, I guess I'll find out.
I swing off the 'bike and for some reason, smile. I feel as if today's decision will straighten out some of the tangles in my life.
Shuichi pushes past me into the studio. I cringe, and my smile disappears.
Opening the door, I cringe again at the expression on K's face as he stares at Shuichi.
"What do you mean, you quit?!"
Our blond manager points his gun at the vocalist's head. Casually I notice its not his usual magnum – it's a small beretta instead. I wonder what happen to the big gun, when –
"I'm not gonna work in a band with him. He..."
Shu's trembling finger is pointed straight at me. I stare along its length... a 'pep talk' with Yuki had rendered me appearing nearly as emotionless as him.
Fujisaki stares, confused. "With Hiroshi?"
"Yes. I quit."
I hear a gentle click coming from K's gun.
"What is it that Hiro-kun did, which makes you so mad?"
"He..."
"I slept with his lover." Inwardly, I wince. Outwardly, I grin.
My friend – or maybe, not my friend, screams and storms out of the door, leaving me and the bewildered stares in the room.
"You... what?"
K doesn't even manage to point the gun at me.
"I slept with Yuki."
"I... I have to see the president." Our producer races out of the room, looking about to cry.
"Hiro..." I glance at K, dreading my death.
"Hiro.. I'd kill you..."
"But?"
"But Shuichi leaving..."
"Isn't that bad?"
K nods, looking, for the first time, guilty. Shuichi has been part of the band's problems for a while. Sure, he is awesome when he sings. But only when he is happy, and unfortunately the relationship with Yuki leaves him depressed most of the time, whining and crying.
K, I know, has been trying his best to patch things up, and it's driving him crazy that he can't succeed for long.
"If he doesn't come back..." Suguru looked worried.
"A vocalist is not like a guitarist... If we replace the vocalist, the whole band will change. Maybe I should quit instead..."
My heart is not in what I say. K and the others, I'm sure, know this.
I stand outside my door, growling. I lost my key somewhere. With Yuki, probably... but I don't want to face him just yet. I lean against the wall and close my eyes, hands dug deep into my pockets.
I begin to drift of, and, surprise surprise, I dream of Yuki. A gentle Yuki, with angels' wings... and a naked Yuki, I might add.
This fantasy comes closer, and runs his hand down the line of my jaw.
I open my eyes, but his face doesn't go away. I blink. He's still there. What? Oh...
"What did he do?"
"He... He quit."
"Baka. He's too emotional."
I don't care what Shuichi said, about hating me.
"I'd do the same if I were him."
"Then you are too emotional too."
"Anyone would do the same... Eiri-san..."
"Hm." He hands me my key.
"Don't you love him?" I tried.
"I don't think so."
"You don't think so?! Then why did you break up?!"
He glares at me. I know he has an answer... and I'm dying to know what it is, but he stalks off.
I watch him, then turn away, confused.
I pluck the strings on my guitar absentmindedly, when the phone rings.
"Nakano-san here... oh..."
Seguchi-san is on the line.
"Nakano-san... I want you to call Shindou-san."
"I... I don't think he wants to talk to me."
I don't think I can bear hearing him cry over the phone, because of me.
"Nakano-san... I am worried for Bad Luck. Surely you've realized the complications of Shindou-san quitting?"
"Hai..." the line dies.
I begin to dial Shuichi's cellphone number. I have it memorized, of course.
I don't expect him to pick it up, and I'm right. I reach the answering machine.
I hang up and call again instead.
And again.
"Hiro?"
He startles me. I really didn't think he'd ever answer.
"Uh... Shuichi..."
Silence.
"Shu... I'm sorry."
And now my friend began to act like himself, crying, whining, bawling, and...well, being Shuichi. Usually I'd interrupt and give advice, or ask a question. But now I listen, wincing, because it's my fault... I think.
"I... I guess Yuki isn't for me... I mean... the way he acted with... you... He never... well, he never seemed to be happy with me."
I decide to tell him something that's been bugging me for a while now.
"Well... I'm not sure I'm happy with him either, Shu..."
"Nani..."
"Shu... I'll talk to Yuki... But will you come back to the band?"
"Hiro... you... you talk to him first."
The dial tone returned.
"And then?" I whispered.
----------------------------
Well, what do you think? I didn't go into detail about why they're beating him up... maybe more will be revealed... O.o
Should Shuichi come back to the band? I'm not sure. I have ideas in both directions...
And where did Shuichi live before he moved in with Yuki?
Peace, Love, and Peanut butter with puppies.
Bad Religion kicks ass!
Can't do anything about the second one, but I'll work on straightening out the others. Warning though, Yuki is still OOC in the beginning of the chapter.
And about the AU thing... well, lets say its 'PU' instead. 'Parallel Universe'. XD
I've posted this on several sites, so don't mind me if I seem to be replying to nonexistent comments/reviews, lol.
And Then... chapter 2: Problems and Solutions
It's our third night together. I don't know why, but I feel so helpless, at Yuki's mercy. I know he likes it, but I don't think I do. But I bear with it. Its always been like that, anyway. With the band, with everything. I want to stand up, push all of it away...
But somehow it all melts when he touches me. I realize he's the only one who doesn't touch me to hurt me, the only one who touches me in a way that makes me go insane.
I close my eyes, exhausted. Yuki purrs and runs his fingers along my stomach. I moan, which makes him purr even louder. Does he ever stop?
I've stopped blaming Shuichi for his obsession with this guy, at least. But does Yuki act this way with him, too? I've never heard Shu mention anything, except how cold and cruel the writer it.
A door clicks open, too loud to be the neighbors'. I sit up, and Yuki's hand is thrown aside. I stare at him, but he appears indifferent.
"YUKI!!!" A squeal, running in our direction.
"He's home..." The blond drawled.
Way to state the obvious.
The door bursts open. I breathe in, and clench my teeth. The pink-haired furball – wait, furball? Weird... The pink haired furball doesn't notice me yet, and launches himself at Yuki, inches away from me.
"YukiYukiYukiYuki!!!... Hiro?"
I've been caught sleeping with my best friend's lover. I find this somehow amusing, for a moment.
"What are you doing here, Hiro?!"
Yuki watches from beneath his fringe of golden hair.
"Sleeping with your lover." I choke. Yuki...
The novelist who had spoken grins. I see the astonished look on Shuichi's face. Is it because Yuki cheated on him... or because Yuki grinned?
"He was also telling me how he got these." Yuki ran a careless hand across my chest, motioning at the bruises.
"I... ano..."
"Next time you have to ask me why am I leaving you, this will be the excuse."
"Yuki!"
Shuichi trembles, obviously about to cry. I begin stand, unable to bear the sight, but my blond bedmate reaches up and hooks his arm around my waist, pulling me towards him.
"Yu...Yuki..."
The vocalist throws himself into Yuki's lap, sobbing. I shift uncomfortably, but he pulls me closer and kisses me, right in front of Shuichi... right in front of my friend... my best friend, no matter what...
I begin to pull away, but again he strokes me, his gentle touch somehow forming into a vice-like grip around my heart.
I wake up hours later, my head resting on Yuki's chest. Shuichi sits on the corner of the bed, hugging his knees and sobbing.
"Shuichi..."
I move Yuki's arm aside and crawl towards him.
"Hiro."
"I hate you." His voice is spiked with loathing, and it surprises me, the way it is so unlike him, so different, hateful.
"Gomen... Shu..."
"I hate you!!!" He twists around and punches me. I'm sure he was aiming for my head, but the tears blind him and he hits my left shoulder.
Yuki sits up suddenly, growling. I'm used to this – every morning he turns back into the normal Yuki, sullen and cold.
"I HATE YOU! BAKA!"
My best friend claws at me as I sit passively, my heart tearing once more.
"Baka."
His lover's voice makes him stop cold.
"Yuki..."
His hair shades his eyes, but the tears streaming down are obvious.
"Get off my bed and out of my house... baka."
Shuichi stands up and sullenly heads for the door.
"Shu..." I whisper.
"I... still... hate you." He closes the door softly behind him, and I crumble in Yuki's arms.
It trembles through me like my heartbeat. It roars out, like my voice. My third voice, really. My guitar is second. Its amazing how much compassion I can feel for my motorbike. And for my guitar, for that matter, and – damn it, I can't stop thinking about my guitar.
Will Shuichi let me stay as the band's guitarist? Today, I guess I'll find out.
I swing off the 'bike and for some reason, smile. I feel as if today's decision will straighten out some of the tangles in my life.
Shuichi pushes past me into the studio. I cringe, and my smile disappears.
Opening the door, I cringe again at the expression on K's face as he stares at Shuichi.
"What do you mean, you quit?!"
Our blond manager points his gun at the vocalist's head. Casually I notice its not his usual magnum – it's a small beretta instead. I wonder what happen to the big gun, when –
"I'm not gonna work in a band with him. He..."
Shu's trembling finger is pointed straight at me. I stare along its length... a 'pep talk' with Yuki had rendered me appearing nearly as emotionless as him.
Fujisaki stares, confused. "With Hiroshi?"
"Yes. I quit."
I hear a gentle click coming from K's gun.
"What is it that Hiro-kun did, which makes you so mad?"
"He..."
"I slept with his lover." Inwardly, I wince. Outwardly, I grin.
My friend – or maybe, not my friend, screams and storms out of the door, leaving me and the bewildered stares in the room.
"You... what?"
K doesn't even manage to point the gun at me.
"I slept with Yuki."
"I... I have to see the president." Our producer races out of the room, looking about to cry.
"Hiro..." I glance at K, dreading my death.
"Hiro.. I'd kill you..."
"But?"
"But Shuichi leaving..."
"Isn't that bad?"
K nods, looking, for the first time, guilty. Shuichi has been part of the band's problems for a while. Sure, he is awesome when he sings. But only when he is happy, and unfortunately the relationship with Yuki leaves him depressed most of the time, whining and crying.
K, I know, has been trying his best to patch things up, and it's driving him crazy that he can't succeed for long.
"If he doesn't come back..." Suguru looked worried.
"A vocalist is not like a guitarist... If we replace the vocalist, the whole band will change. Maybe I should quit instead..."
My heart is not in what I say. K and the others, I'm sure, know this.
I stand outside my door, growling. I lost my key somewhere. With Yuki, probably... but I don't want to face him just yet. I lean against the wall and close my eyes, hands dug deep into my pockets.
I begin to drift of, and, surprise surprise, I dream of Yuki. A gentle Yuki, with angels' wings... and a naked Yuki, I might add.
This fantasy comes closer, and runs his hand down the line of my jaw.
I open my eyes, but his face doesn't go away. I blink. He's still there. What? Oh...
"What did he do?"
"He... He quit."
"Baka. He's too emotional."
I don't care what Shuichi said, about hating me.
"I'd do the same if I were him."
"Then you are too emotional too."
"Anyone would do the same... Eiri-san..."
"Hm." He hands me my key.
"Don't you love him?" I tried.
"I don't think so."
"You don't think so?! Then why did you break up?!"
He glares at me. I know he has an answer... and I'm dying to know what it is, but he stalks off.
I watch him, then turn away, confused.
I pluck the strings on my guitar absentmindedly, when the phone rings.
"Nakano-san here... oh..."
Seguchi-san is on the line.
"Nakano-san... I want you to call Shindou-san."
"I... I don't think he wants to talk to me."
I don't think I can bear hearing him cry over the phone, because of me.
"Nakano-san... I am worried for Bad Luck. Surely you've realized the complications of Shindou-san quitting?"
"Hai..." the line dies.
I begin to dial Shuichi's cellphone number. I have it memorized, of course.
I don't expect him to pick it up, and I'm right. I reach the answering machine.
I hang up and call again instead.
And again.
"Hiro?"
He startles me. I really didn't think he'd ever answer.
"Uh... Shuichi..."
Silence.
"Shu... I'm sorry."
And now my friend began to act like himself, crying, whining, bawling, and...well, being Shuichi. Usually I'd interrupt and give advice, or ask a question. But now I listen, wincing, because it's my fault... I think.
"I... I guess Yuki isn't for me... I mean... the way he acted with... you... He never... well, he never seemed to be happy with me."
I decide to tell him something that's been bugging me for a while now.
"Well... I'm not sure I'm happy with him either, Shu..."
"Nani..."
"Shu... I'll talk to Yuki... But will you come back to the band?"
"Hiro... you... you talk to him first."
The dial tone returned.
"And then?" I whispered.
----------------------------
Well, what do you think? I didn't go into detail about why they're beating him up... maybe more will be revealed... O.o
Should Shuichi come back to the band? I'm not sure. I have ideas in both directions...
And where did Shuichi live before he moved in with Yuki?
Peace, Love, and Peanut butter with puppies.
Bad Religion kicks ass!