The shit goes down in Osaka, infamously coded by the group in years to come as "The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia (Osaka)."
But Tatsuki's getting ahead of herself.
Really: it started with a photoshoot.
—
They're barely managing to slap together a sophomore album when Urahara tells them he booked a photoshoot for the album's cover in Kyoto.
Everyone stares.
"What? It'll be fun." Uraha titters behind his fan, tapping it lightly against his chin. "You'll be over in Osaka an hour away anyway, and I've got a photographer friend that will give me a good price over there. We'll kill two birds with one stone!"
"Do we need to pose for the cover?" Ichigo scoffs, but Tatsuki can see a light blush dusting his cheeks. She knows the loser hates taking pictures for anything. "What was wrong with just having a simple illustration cover, like we did for Soul Vibes?"
"While the cover for Soul Vibes was… Nice, I think it's time everyone sees your faces in more than just the shows. A simple white circle on a black background just doesn't help the team's marketability. You're getting bigger, hopefully fans will start recognizing you when, say, you're grabbing a coffee. People connect more when they see you, become bigger fans, buy more albums: repeat. Besides, Kurosaki: you're telling me you don't potentially want to be a sex symbol—"
"That is the opposite of what I want."
Tatsuki raises her hand. "I, in fact, would like to be a sex symbol."
"Tatsuki, please. Look, I'm just saying that's… I don't know. I like that we're sort of underground, and I don't really think that's our vibe."
"Wasn't it you, Ichigo, that was advocating for a change in this album in the first place?" Rukia has piped up from the quiet of her corner, and Ichigo's head whips so fast he nearly has a neck injury. "I mean… Wasn't it you that said our last was 'static'?"
"Well yeah, but that was more a reflection of the music—"
"Of course. But if we're trying to go for a comprehensive new and dynamic album… Doesn't the cover — the first thing audiences will see when buying it at the store, or playing it in Spotify — go along with that?"
"... I guess, but I just think having our picture on there is so…"
"Don't tell me you're afraid of having your picture taken?"
"I'm not scared of having my picture taken."
"Then it's settled. Urahara: call up your friend, see what kind of ideas they have for looks, inspiration, etcetera."
Ichigo's got a hardened jaw for the rest of the afternoon, but Tatsuki saw just a glimmer of a spark in Rukia's eye having won and she thinks: Maybe this means it's getting back to normal.
—
It doesn't get back to normal.
A week later they're at a bus stop in front of some traditional Kyoto ryokans with a weirdo photographer named Shinji Hirako, sweating bullets in the summer humidity, and it's become very clear Urahara is Capitalizing On The Situation.
"I don't like this. I don't like this one bit."
"Too bad you're not the one decidin'." Shinji lazily brings his hands to his face, making a mock-camera shot at Ichigo with his fingers. "Hmm, yeah. Let's try that."
"Not to agree with Ichigo… But I do. Why are he and I so close together while Tatsuki and Chad are off to the side?"
"Doesn't look good, having the four of you bunched together like a preschool picture. And if you're all equidistant, it looks like you're an early 2000's boy band. Besides," Shinji points at the pair doing everything but looking at each other. "Aren't you two the frontman and frontwoman?"
"That's not… That doesn't mean our team isn't important—"
"Oh my god." Tatsuki snaps from the allocated short distance away. "Neither of you have asked what Chad and I want during this entire shoot, so don't even play that card. You know what we want, at this point? Air conditioning. It's our last shot and he's not budging. Get over it so we can go back to our hotel."
Ichigo grumbles as he settles himself onto the bus bench next to Rukia, where the pianist is nervously playing with the hem of her dress. It's a white sundress with dainty, tied bow straps at the shoulders - so Rukia it hurts, and the way the sunlight hits the cloth leaves Tatsuki knowing that earlier shots in the day probably turned out breathtaking. Ichigo's dressed just as simply, in dark jeans and a black t-shirt - but the two strangely compliment one another.
As much as they're putting up a fuss: Tatsuki can see why Shinji wants a shot of them side by side.
The problem is Shinji wants them to look at each other.
"Could ya please quit being big babies? What're we, middle schoolers?" Shinji mutters under his breath. The two are side-eyeing each other nervously through a couple of shots, and the photographer sighs.
"Okay, let's do this. Look straight ahead at the camera for a couple shots — but on the count of three, fully look at each other. Deal? Arright. One, two… Three."
Tatsuki doesn't see the shots until later, but even from behind Rukia: she doesn't need to.
It's amazing, how many expressions she watches her best friend morph through in a matter of mere milliseconds: nervous trepidation, embarrassed stubbornness, alarm (at which point she thinks Rukia's eyes met his), and then… Where has she seen that face he's making before…?
When he first saw her perform for them, that day at the coffee shop.
… Shit. The poor idiot is in deeper than she realized.
Everything is in slow motion as the camera clicks, even though Tatsuki's barely in the shot and she doesn't know how she suddenly has hypersensitive hearing but she swears she hears Rukia's shaky exhale. Ichigo's mouth parts, and he's about to say something and Tatsuki swears she's watching a movie and he starts to make a soft "Ru-" sound when—
Someone else from across the street yells her name first.
The spell is broken, and Ichigo shifts away with an unreadable expression as Rukia gets up, dusting her skirt off with one hand as she waves at a red-haired stranger with the other.
"Renji!" Rukia turns to everyone, smiling jovially but failing miserably at hiding her fluster. The man begins to cross the street toward them. "Ah, sorry everyone — Renji is a good friend of mine. I told him we'd finish early so we could catch a meal together… Went a little later than I realized. Shinji-san, are we finished here?"
"Very presumptuous of you, Rukia-chan… But yeah, I think so." Shinji flips through his camera, appearing as bored as ever. "Great job, team. A pleasure workin' with ya."
Rukia's gone by the time he even finishes, and Ichigo is up and going…
Tatsuki's not sure exactly where, but it's the exact opposite direction of wherever the pianist and her friend are headed.
—
None of the stars seemed to be aligned for that show in Osaka.
Not to say that it was really a change from the schedule, but for one: Tatsuki is hungover. So is Orihime, as a matter of fact — which is a slight abnormality, considering her girlfriend's superhuman ability to absorb alcohol like a sponge. Chad, for once, is running late. Urahara is flitting from one place to another as usual, but wearing an unusually somber expression.
If it were all of these factors alone, the drummer would chalk it up to a weird night. Blame it on some retrograde, laugh and shrug it off later with the gang, tell everyone to sleep it off so they can get back to work. Onwards and upwards.
The only difference is, when she walks into the backstage lounge, 1. Ichigo is deadly calm tuning his guitar on one of the sofas, and 2. Rukia is standing over him seething.
Granted, Tatsuki has seen Rukia exhibit a whole spectrum of negative emotions when it comes to Ichigo. By now, she has seen her irked, hurt, exasperated, annoyed, aggravated, heartbroken, miffed, disgruntled — just to name a few. She's even sure that she's seen her angry in the past few weeks but not… Not like this. If Ichigo looked up and met her gaze, Tatsuki's sure the rage boiling in her eyes could very well kill him.
The two are silent and still as a portrait, and it becomes abundantly clear that the reason they've halted their conversation is because the drummer walked in.
"I don't know what the fuck is happening," Tatsuki holds her hands up, "but if you're gonna fight or whatever it is you're doing, I'm giving you ten minutes to settle it. When I'm back this will not be carried into the show."
(Spoiler alert: it definitely carries into the show, but really. How was Tatsuki supposed to know that?)
Rukia nods curtly, her glare never leaving Ichigo.
Whatever.
Tatsuki walks off to find Urahara talking with Orihime about the venue's soundboard.
"Yo. What's the deal with the two nutheads this time?"
Urahara sighs. "Unfortunately I don't know anything, Tatsuki-chan."
"That's a first."
"Ha-ha. Neither have said anything to me. I'm getting the same silent treatment you probably are."
She rolls her eyes, turns to leave and attempts to shrug it off when Urahara suddenly pipes up: "Might have something to do with Rukia's male friend visiting backstage to drop off some flowers, but I can't be sure."
The way that her manager stresses the word "male" is not lost on her, and she curses.
Great. Just great.
—
The thing you gotta know about this night in Osaka: it's not a bad show by any means. It may even just be their best yet.
That's not why it's so infamous, though.
Truth be told, Ichigo and Rukia are barely able to pull themselves together before the start. Rukia is silently steaming putting on makeup until the last second, drawing on a rare red lip and cat eyeliner with a deadly precision. Ichigo's stomping about, huffing and puffing at everyone when he can't find something he needs and it is, in fact, right behind him. The two are clearly steering clear of each other for the sake of the group, but their rage keeps drawing them both closer and closer together.
If it wasn't for the fact that smoking makes her performance shoddy, Tatsuki would've finished a huge bowl right now.
Still, she tries to focus. Pecks Orihime on the lips before rolling her wrists and shoulders, as ready as ever to rock out. Winks at Chad. Tries to ignore her other two idiot bandmates.
And then they're on.
The first few songs are good. Not really the best part of their performance, but they're not supposed to be. They're all in the groove with each other, so in sync per usual that she grins over at Chad like see? We're fine, everything's fine—
Until the last song: Sun and Moon.
They usually close on it, considering it's their most popular — and it's certainly the one Ichigo and Rukia perform best on. It really gets the electric energy out there, and during these weird times it's the one chance she sees Ichigo and Rukia really enjoying themselves: like all is well, like there's nothing at all wron—
And then Ichigo comes in too soon on his guitar. On Rukia's verse.
For the non-technical ear: no one even notices it. She's not exactly sure whether it was intentional. From the wild-eyed look Ichigo shoots Rukia: evidently not. But then from the corner of her eye she sees Rukia look back, evident betrayal written all over her face.
How could you? It asks.
And Ichigo — proud, stupid, heartbroken Ichigo — shifts his look of embarrassment to a stubborn clench of his jaw quicker than anything she's ever seen. What're you going to do about it? It gloats back.
Rukia, to her credit, gets through the snafu flawlessly. She sings louder, more abrasive in a way that compliments the song like a true musician. Tatsuki hopes no one can see the pianist's tears trying their best to keep at bay, but even if they can — it matches the vibe of the song, and the crowd's going apeshit.
The band thought they wanted to lay their hearts bare on the stage, but really at what cost?
The song is over before they know it, the venue is crazy with applause, and they all exit the stage as swiftly as they can.
—
Tatsuki takes some deep breaths before nodding at Chad in a here I go manner and moving toward the dressing room where she knows bloodshed is happening. When she enters, she doesn't even flinch at the shouts upon opening the door.
" —can't believe you did that to me, that was so unprofessional Ichigo—"
"It wouldn't have happened had we practiced more!"
"What are you talking about? I was there for every rehearsal!"
"Yeah but it all revolved on your schedule, right? Couldn't be bothered to schedule anything without Rukia's okay." Ichigo's changing his shirt like it stung him, but Rukia doesn't blink.
"Look who's talking! You're the one who considers himself king of the group."
"Being a leader is different from thinking you're still totally separate from us. Messaging Urahara songs without talking to us, leaving photoshoots when you feel like it, bringing your boyfriend backstage whenever you want—"
"He is not my boyfriend—"
"Well whatever he is—"
"And need I remind you that you messaged songs to Urahara too? That you were the one that asked Inoue-san out in front of all of us?!"
Tatsuki tries to cut in. "All right guys, you had your screaming match, break it up—"
"Oh, like that really even mattered to you? Just fucking stop, Rukia. You've made it clear you don't give a shit about me!"
The room goes silent, save for Rukia's sharp inhale. No one moves. Tatsuki 1000% wishes she wasn't there.
Ichigo's face, reddened with fury, drains only a little at the realization of his slip up.
He clears his throat. "The band. It's clear you don't care about the band."
The pianist's hands ball up in fists. "You think I don't care about…?"
"Could've fooled me otherwise."
Tatsuki steps forward when Rukia drops her head, hair in her face. "Ichigo, that's enough—"
"Helloooo team~"
Urahara's voice comes on over the crackling two way intercom, making everyone nearly jump out of their skin. Ichigo mutters a "Jesus Christ" as he rubs his face, and Rukia silently moves to the corner of the room, presumably to wipe off her makeup. Tatsuki presses the monitor button that allows them to communicate with their manager from backstage.
"Urahara, now's not really a good time," she tries to keep her voice level while looking at the two who seem to be pretending the other doesn't exist. "Maybe tonight you can spare us the closing pep talk—"
"They're asking for an encore."
Tatsuki's full attention shifts back to the intercom, and she feels rather than sees the other two do the same.
"... Um. Okay?"
"What do you guys have ready?"
"Shit. Shit shit shit uh—"
"We don't have anything for them, you know that." Ichigo's next to Tatsuki in a heartbeat, and she can't lie: she's a bit relieved that he's not choosing this moment to play big dumb hero. "We just got done with the second album, but it's not like we've practiced them enough."
"That's definitely something you all should've made a priority, but I don't have time to scold you about it now. You don't have anything? What about a cover or —"
"I have something, then." Rukia announces quietly from her corner. Her face is wiped completely of its makeup, clean and pretty. "It's not… It's a cover I've been practicing by myself."
Ichigo huffs, ready to snowball back into his earlier argument. "Cool. You didn't think to tell us or—"
"Ichigo, shut the fuck up. Rukia, you think you could play it tonight?"
"Yes. It's rather.." The pianist sighs. "I don't know Urahara, it's not really a mood lifter, if you know what I mean. Kind of just a solo piece I've been working on for fun."
There's a pause of static from the other end, and Tatsuki's sure he's going to say no until —
"Anything's fine at this point. Actually, a ballad or something might be kind of magical. It just started raining."
—
Tatsuki's more surprised than anything that Ichigo agrees on Rukia performing for encore, but then again: she really isn't.
Whatever is going on, however much Ichigo claims that Rukia's been acting shady or this or that or whatever happened after that party — she knows that he knows Rukia won't do anything to screw over the team, that anything she commits herself to she does so wholly and beautifully.
Especially on her instrument.
They all watch from the side as Rukia delicately pads across the stage, waving shyly at the crowd going wild with her entrance. Venue management barely allowed her back amidst the rain, claiming liability if she tripped and fell. They only let her on if she agreed to go barefoot — something about there being less slippage than if she wore shoes — but it kind of… works. She glides toward her piano centered on the stage in her little dress and the moon is out amidst the rain clouds and Tatsuki thinks if there's any occasion that Ichigo's mouth should go dry at the sight of Rukia Kuchiki, it's this one.
"Hello, everyone." She laughs nervously into the covered microphone, and the crowd screams back in response.
"Thank you for staying out here in the rain, it means so much to us. The band gave me the kindness of playing one more song by myself, and I'm afraid I'm a little rusty… Please forgive me. I'm going to play a cover, if that's alright with you?"
A few whoops from the audience, but they've mostly settled. Tatsuki prays it's them relaxing into the vibe and not growing bored.
"This song was — well, it was supposed to be a surprise for someone… On my team. He mentioned this album to me once. Just barely, maybe once in passing — but he said it was one of his favorites. One of the ones that meant most to him. And I… I really pride myself on knowing all the good female singer/songwriters, right? All the inspirations. I really thought I knew all about them, from Joan Baez to Taylor Swift. But I hadn't listened to this album, and it turns out… It's really, really good. As in: one of — if not the most — famous woman-written albums of all time. Imagine that."
She laughs softly before she plays a few notes, and it seems this solidifies her song choice. A few audience members scream in recognition. Tatsuki herself feels it sounds… Familiar, but can't quite identify it yet.
"And that's… That's the perfect metaphor for how spending time with this person is. I was so sure I knew absolutely everything, and then here he goes and — and shows me something that's been under my nose the whole time. Makes me see it in this warm, glowing light. It was so obvious! But instead of making fun of me or belittling me for it, like I thought he would — because look, this guy is not above that, he can really be so infuriating — anyway, he just… Told me I should listen to it. And I did. And I couldn't stop. And I loved it, too."
Her fingers start laying heavier on the keys. "Anyway, this song makes me think most of him. Here's A Case of You by Joni Mitchell."
The audience starts to scream all over again, and Tatsuki turns ask Ichigo what this is all about (because who else could that story be about) —
But she stops because from the look on the guitarist's face, she can tell a bomb could go off next to him and he still wouldn't take his eyes off the stage.
Ichigo Kurosaki can't be reached right now, dial 0 to leave a message.
Rukia's voice is soft and lovely as she sings about northern stars and Canada (?), and a lover tasting so bitter and so sweet and wanting to drink a case of them. She sings of painters and at one point her voice breaks at a line "'Love is touching souls'/Surely you touched mine" and the rain is making her hair and her dress stick to her skin and Tatsuki just — fine she'll admit it, she tears up okay?
Not for the first time, she thinks about how far Rukia's talent will go in this world, and the answer is: pretty damn far.
All too soon, Rukia finishes a last, beautiful hum with the final chords of her keys… And the crowd goes wild.
Tatsuki's about to yell in Ichigo's face to go congratulate her, but when she turns to the spot he was, she finds him nowhere to be found.
—
The phone is ringing in her hotel room several hours later.
She grabs at it haphazardly from her place in bed, jabbing the "answer" button with a deliberate rage.
"You know Urahara, the one damn night Orihime and I are trying to go to bed at a decent time —"
"Rukia-chan just informed me she's leaving the band."
The drummer sits up with a jolt, causing Orihime to stir sleepily. Squeezing her shoulder, Tatsuki gets up and pads out to the hallway, leaving the room door cracked behind her.
"Sorry — what?"
"I'm not kidding Tatsuki-chan. She just gave me a letter of resignation."
"That's — not how quitting a band really works, right?"
"No. But it sounds like her doesn't it?"
"Infuriatingly so." She rubs the remaining sleep out of her eyes. "Did she… I mean. Did she say why, or what happened?"
"I think it's pretty clear what happened."
There's silence on the line, and Tatsuki waits.
"... So what happened?"
"I'm not sure, that's what I'd like you to find out."
She'll kill him. "Oh my god, then don't say it like you —"
"The point is, my dear, I'm telling you this first because I feel like you have a certain… Influence to repair things between her and another specific bandmate. You're my second in command, remember?"
"Don't call me that."
"My most trusted client, then."
"...Whatever. Fine, I'll go talk to him now."
"Thank you."
She's about to hang up when she hears his voice again. "Oh, and Tatsuki-chan?"
"What now, asshole?"
"... You were right." He chuckles quietly through the line. "There. Does that make you happy to hear?"
"Not as happy as the pay raise you're gonna give me for this." She ends the call quickly, storming halfway down the hall.
—
Ichigo opens the door, beer in hand and barely able to hold back a yelp as his childhood best friend barrels her way into his hotel room.
"Jesus Tatsuki, what the—"
"You busy right now?" She flops into an armchair, arms crossed and studying at him pointedly.
"I mean… Yeah kinda—"
"Shut up. No you're not. Listen, here's what you're gonna do. You're gonna put the beer down. You're gonna tell me exactly what happened between you and Rukia. Whatever dumb shit you did to her, you're gonna walk out of here, to her room door and when she answers: you're going to apologize. Got that?"
Halfway through her lecture, Ichigo had caught on to what she was leading up to and shook his head, shifting his attention back to whatever cable television show was on.
"Tatsuki, I already told you I don't want to talk about it—"
"She's leaving the band. You know that?"
He visibly stiffens, but doesn't turn his attention away.
"I mean.. She can do that. If she wants to."
"You're right, she can. If she wants to. But we both know after that performance tonight, she doesn't. Am I wrong?"
"...I—"
"Am I?"
"I don't know!" He snarls, swinging his attention back to her. "I don't fucking know okay?! This is the thing with her. I thought — I was so sure we were on the same page, and then — and then suddenly I see him, and yeah I'm really hurt about it, and we're arguing again, and she hates me, but I can't? Get her? Out of my head? And I kind of hate her for that, and I hate him and I don't even know him, and then she does that thing tonight with my mom's song and I'm — I don't — like Tatsuki, what the fuck?"
The man in front of her breathes heavily, and Tatsuki just gapes back in shock.
"... Jesus Christ, Tiger. You got it bad, huh?"
He shakes his head. "The point is, whatever her reason… I don't know. Maybe I'm the reason, and I just have to live with that."
"All right. Well. That's the most un-Ichigo thing I've ever heard." She slaps her thighs, frustrated. "I mean. My guy. You? Just accepting something you don't like? C'mon. You haven't even told me what happened… So. Like. Can you do that? So that I can rightly decide it's your fault myself?"
Ichigo huffs, looking away and staring blankly at the generic art framed above his bed.
"... It's a joke, Kurosaki."
"Yeah, Arisawa, I got that." He sighs, folding his arms and sinking slowly to the edge of the bed to sit.
Tatsuki settles in, knowing she's got him to crack.
"... Fine. Basically it started that night we closed that tour..."