Disclaimer: Don't own it!

Author's Notes: HIYA! I just have to say, I was dreading the day this chapter had to come. The day the got the band name Nittle Grasper. I was having no luck, until yesterday while I was talking on line to a friend. I stop mid-sentence and ran off to start writing! I hope you enjoy how it came about!

Noriko's Story

If all the world's a stage, play like you mean it everyday.

Dress like it's your biggest performance, smile like you won't be able to tomorrow, laugh until your sides hurt and play until you drop.

I've always tried to keep that in mind.

It gets hard sometimes, but I try. Have to keep up appearances, keeping moving. It's not a matter of being noticed or recognized, it's a matter of finding your own happiness. And you can only do it by living life to the fullest, until you run out of steam.

But some days, I feel like if all the world's a stage, I'd rather do lighting.

Be apart of the background.

Stand Out If You Can

We made a demo together, the best time of my life. Ryuichi wanted to call up Kurosawa right then, but we had finished late, and Tohma convinced our over zealous singer to wait until the next day. I suggested we celebrate.

Not our bar though, some place in the city Tohma had suggested. It wasn't as homey as our place, but fun and new. It was modern, sleek somehow loud and quiet all at once. It was nice for something new to try, but not somewhere I'd like to frequent often.

We got a small table in the slightly crowded place, laughing and having a wonderful time. And why wouldn't we be having a good time? We had finished a demo, we were going to call a company that wanted us in the morning and if we made it, we could stay together.

A perfect time to celebrate, a perfect thing to celebrate.

Except for that damn hindrance we kept coming back to. A name. After all this time we'd never given ourselves a name. It's not like it would be hard. Ryuichi could probably come up with something zany enough to pass for cool, but we hadn't really tried.

Finishing off a beer, I sighed as I set the empty bottle down on the table. "We need a name guys."

Tohma groaned softly, spinning the rum in his glass gently. "We haven't thought of one in all this time."

Ryuichi was lounging comfortably, one arm draped over the back of his chair. "I still vote Nipple Twister."

Tohma and I both made faces at the long ago proposed name. How could he possibly think that was a good name? It had shock value, that was for sure, but more people might avoid buying for the name, rather than buy it because the name caught their eye. Nipple Twister… of the ideas Ryuichi could've come up with… Nipple Twister.

"There has to be something better…," I said, shaking my head. "If nothing else… we still have time. Let's worry about it tomorrow."

No one agreed with me out loud, but we did spend the rest of the night not talking about. We went from bar to bar, Tohma looking actually drunk. We hit a few karaoke bars, Ryuichi did amazingly, and we actually got Tohma to give it a shot. We were giggling and falling all over each other as we happily trounced through the dim city streets, people turning their heads as we passed by.

"We… we should get home," Tohma said, trying to keep a straight face as Ryuichi nuzzled his neck as we walked.

"One more, one more!" I chanted happily. "You're a lightweight Tohma-kun!"

Laughing, I took his hat, placing it on my head as we walked. Head tilted up, hat at a jaunty angle, I realized why Tohma liked his hats. It may not be for the same reason I felt, but it was a good enough reason. His type of hat, when worn just right, kinda made you feel… powerful. Like no matter how stupid you looked, it really wouldn't be that stupid.

"Nori-chan," he said, watching me, smiling as he slurred slightly. "If we don't get any rest, we'll be stuck with Nittle Grasper as our name."

I stopped, whirling around to look at him, mouth agape. The quick motion had almost upset me, and as I stumbled to catch myself over drunk feet, I giggled insanely.

"What?" Tohma asked, stopping in his tracks, Ryuichi watching me as well.

"You're sooooo drunk!" I informed him, leaning over with my hands on my hips. "You said 'Nittle Grasper' instead of 'Nipple Twister'!"

"Nittle Grasper…," Ryuichi mused aloud. "Not as good as Nipple Twister… but I like it."

We looked at our singer, wide-eyed. Had we actually just accidentally stumbled onto our name?

It seemed far too easy to be true. But I was starting to like it. It was a bit abstract, so it got points there… it would always have meaning to us, so big points there! And it was simple enough to pass.

Tohma started to shake his head, almost as if to turn it down, but I cut him off.

"No, wait. Think about it: We needed a name… this is perfect!"

Alright… so my drunken explanation wasn't exactly able to get across the obviousness I saw in it. But I guess it worked. I cajoled them into one more bar as another celebration of our new name.

Music floated about the smoky bar, which Tohma tried and tried again to tell us it wouldn't be good for Ryuichi's voice. But what was just one night going to do? It was time to celebrate! We almost had everything!

We took bar seat, sitting right next to each other, lost in our own amusement as we drank and talked. Eventually, closing time came and the people were still littered throughout the place, finishing up. Cigarette in one hand, beer in the other, I unsteadily climbed atop my seat, wobbling, but not falling.

"Everyone!" I shouted, face flushed, a sloppy grin on my face. People turn to look at me, snorting quiet bouts of laughter at my antics.

"Nori-chan get down," Tohma coaxed, waving a hand at me.

"Sshhh," I told him, jerking almost violently to one side, catching myself.

"Everyone, listen!" I slurred. "You all havta know… havta remember this name from now on!"

Ryuichi giggled, clapping. Randomly shouting, "Yeah, Seaweed!"

"Nittle Grasper!" I called out, laughing. "Not to be confused with Nipple Twister…"

An eruption of laughter here and there, the bartender went over to Tohma, asking him quietly to remove ourselves.

"Come down, Noriko," he told me, getting up from his seat, standing in front of me.

"I'm comin', I'm comin'!" I told him, making a face. "Just remember: Nittle Grasper!"

"That's enough. Now come down," Tohma said firmly.

I stuck my tongue out at him, but let him help me down, leaning on him for support as I laughed at my own stupidity. We left that last bar, knowing, not our band name was on their lips, but the purple haired girl who had just made an ass out of herself with something about nipples.

Ah, what can you do?

We had all stayed over my place, and I woke up groggily, rolling off the couch, to find my friends tangled together, naked and twisted up in my sheets.

"Damnit! I took the couch on the promise you wouldn't fuck in my bed!" I shouted, standing at the doorway. "Now I gotta burn the sheets."

Joke, joke. That's all I ever did. I knew what they were going to do, and why wouldn't they? Pent up passion spent in a drunken night?

Ryuichi lifted his head off of Tohma chest as the blonde looked blearily up at me from the pillows.

"Seaweed," he groaned. "Not so loooouuud…"

"It's entirely his fault," Tohma piped up, smiling, looking as though he hadn't gotten trashed last night.

Ryuichi swatted Tohma's arms tiredly, before laying his head to rest again, eyes fluttering closed.

"I'm making breakfast," I announced, leaving them to their peace.

I didn't know about them, but I could always eat after drinking heavily. Normally, I wouldn't eat breakfast, but it was still a special occasion, and I always cooked (or at least tried) when I had company. Glancing at the clock, I saw it was nearly noon, but decided on eggs anyway.

I wasn't famished, but I knew I would be dying for something to eat later if I didn't eat now.

Humming lightly as I worked around the kitchen, I soon heard water running and the two of them splashing around. I'm guessing Tohma had dumped Ryuichi in the shower to get him up. Laughing, I set down plates and doled out the food just in time to have a grumbling Ryuichi and practically bouncing Tohma come out to the table. Tohma had redressed, but Ryuichi had just slipped into his pants.

Coffee was poured and we all sat down eating in silence for a few moments. My house had returned to its normal state of chaos, everything from… from before was gone. All the baby things, I had packed carefully away in a spare room. I didn't have the heart to donate them. Ryuichi pushed away his picked at plate with a groan and contorted look on his face.

I snorted, sliding the plate over to mine. Lightweights.

Tohma finished, still looking as happy as ever.

When I finished, I got up and smiled at them. "You guys get to clean up here, while I take a shower."

And before they could argue, I was already shutting the door to my bedroom, collecting clothes for me to wear once I had finished. Locking the bathroom door, I turned on the shower, thankful they had left me with enough hot water to clean and relax.

Closing my eyes as I surrounded myself with the hot water, I choose to ignore the sounds of clattering coming from the kitchen. I smiled, recalling last night's events.

"Nittle Grasper," I murmured, tilting my head back under the hot spray.

The more I thought on it, the more I liked it. It seemed like it would stick out in your mind. 'Grasp' you, so to speak.

A loud rap on the door took me out of my thoughts.

"Nori!" Ryuichi excited voice floated through. "Nori hurry!"

"If you gotta pee, you can wait!"

"Nooo," he practically whined. "Tohma's on the phone! Tohma's on the phone!"

I quickly got out, turning off the shower, wrapping a towel around my dripping frame as I left the steamy bathroom in a hurry. I saw the back of Tohma's head nodding as he sat on the couch. I leaned up against the back of the sofa, one hand clutching the top of the towel as I smiled down at him. He glanced up briefly, eyes widening for a moment before speaking into the phone again.

"Yes, tomorrow will do fine," he responded.

A few minutes more of talking and he hung up.

"So?" I asked, grinning.

He averted his eyes from me before answering. "Tomorrow at ten we'll be going down to the Shinji Productions building, presenting our demo and hopefully, get a call back."

"Awsome!"

"You should… probably get dressed now, Noriko."

Oh, I'd forgotten completely I was still in a towel that barely covered what needed to be covered.

"Whoops! Be back in a sec," I laughed as I went back in the bathroom, coming out a little late, dressed in hip hugging jeans and a t-shirt, hair dried and done up in pigtails.

"So, tomorrow at ten then?" I asked, watching the two of them, smiling.

"Yes, I'll have my driver come by for you at nine," Tohma said, turning on the couch to face me.

I made a face. "Nine! I'm surprised I was up at this time today!"

"Well, I have to pick up Ryuichi even earlier than that because he sleeps like a log," Tohma explained. "So you're getting the better deal."

I lifted an eyebrow. Yeah, right.

"Alright… just don't yell at me when someone gets hit while trying to wake me."

They laughed and collected their clothes, saying good-bye with a promise to see me in the morning. After they left, I went about cleaning up, doing my usual schedule. Top priority:

Wash the sheets.

Did you like it! I like how I'm writing more for Ryuichi as well as Tohma. I personally, am I Tohma fanatic! I can't get enough of him! Powerful, soft-spoken... drool worthy indeed. The Nori in me keeps raging for Ryuichi though... go figure. Personally, I couldn't stand him in the series. I'm not a fan of people who don't act their age.

Even though I act 7 a lot of times... eh-heh...

Review guys!

SL