Okay... this is my first fanfic ever, so, if its horrible don't beat me with a stick.
Uhm...
Disclaimer: I don't own Groove Adventure Rave / Rave Master nor any of its contents or characters
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The wind was calm and chilly on Garage Island that winter morning, frost left on every window from the previous night. Temperatures had gone way down during the evening, and had continued descending through the hours. The small dainty house not far from a cliff overlooking the ocean sat pleasantly near the comfort of a forest, one of the home's temporary inhabitants lurking outside.
"Musica!" Haru shouted, running towards his old friend. A wide grin lit his face. "Yeah Haru?" Musica asked with a bored tone, shifting his eyes over to look at the silver-haired teenager. Haru slowed to a trot as he drew near, then paused completely in front of Musica, lost of breath. He attempted to catch it before speaking, hands on his knees, his grin refrained from faltering. "Did you hear? Elie's getting eggnog!" Haru exclaimed as he straightened his posture. Musica rolled his eyes. "Greeaat…" he said, lacking enthusiasm as he spoke. "..Just be easy on the nog this year, Haru. Remember last year's incident?"
Haru dropped his happy mood swing, the look of happiness fading from his eyes momentarily; quizzical. He then recalled the slightly humorous memory. It was about this time last year Cattleya had bought a carton of eggnog and Griff had accidentally added a bit too much rum to the drink. Haru, oblivious, nearly chugged the whole darn thing and had found himself sick with intoxication and stomach cramps the entire night, and next morning.
"Don't worry," Haru assured Musica with a slightly less happy grin – but a grin none the less. "I'll make sure Griff doesn't touch the rum."
Cattleya stared quietly out a frosty window with a small frown. Her soft, amber brown eyes glossed slightly from the coldness. With a sigh she pulled her head down and pushed away, turning only to see Griff staring back up at her with his normal smile. "Good morning miss Cattleya! Has Miss Elie returned?" he inquired hopefully. Cattleya smiled, then shook her head. "She's still out. But she'll be back later," she said in her naturally soothing tone. Griff frowned and turned away, slightly crestfallen. "Fine, yes, sure, okay then. Perhaps sir Plue has some eggnog stashed somewhere here!" he said, sliding off with his thin arms flailing. He rounded a corner and disappeared. Cattleya's smile flickered and died, her eyes giving a final glance to the window. "…Haru…" she muttered, seeing her brother talking to Musica near the outskirts of the forest. "My brother… is such a lucky person to have someone like Elie," she concluded to herself, eyes rolling downcast in a negative fashion. "Someone who cares about you… Does favors for you… Always there for you to lean on when you need help…" Her voice trailed off. "If only I—"
"Oh, Mr. Shuda!" Cattleya froze and silenced herself at hearing Griff's voice in the other room. "Pardon me! You see I was in a rush, looking for Master Plue. …Say, have you se—"
Cattleya's heart thumped wildly against her ribcage. She forced herself to listen closer to the conversation secluded by the wall of the other room.
"In a rush? Why?" Cattleya heard Shuda nonchalantly. "Well it all started out when I was asking miss Cattleya for the Eggnog… she said miss Elie hadn't gotten back with it yet, so I was going off to find sir Plue so that ---" "Where is Cattleya?" Shuda cut in, leaving Griff frustrated. Cattleya's heart raged quicker, pupils shrinking just a bit. "..In the.. other room," Griff said non too merrily. And without the smallest hint of thanks Shuda walked past the annoyed azure blob and into the other room to see a frightened looking Cattleya with her hands clasped and head down.
Puzzled, Shudas frown moved slightly lopsided. "Something wrong?" he asked in his normal, rough, yet slightly warm voice. Cattleya untwisted her throat and managed to speak. "I thought you left last night… I thought you were going to accompany Elie incase something happened.." she said. "Elie insisted she'd be fine and that I stay here," Shuda replied simply, the entire matter of no seeming importance to him. Cattleya's insides squirmed as she tried to attempt some sort of response. "…Oh, right then," she said, feeling stupid. She turned away. "…Continue on… Whatever you had been planning to do," she sighed, nodding a bit. "I didn't have anything planned," Shuda answered in a blunt tone. "…Oh.. well that's great-I think I have to go-help find Plue for Griff you know," Cattleya muttered quickly. She swept pass Shuda with her face burning up and managing to avoid his slightly disappointed gaze.
"Hey Musica, it looks like its going to storm here real hard… I hope Elie doesn't get caught up in the dreadful weather." Haru seemed beyond worried. Concern had hit a whole new level. "Don't worry, she'll probably be back real s--…speak of the devil. Elie!" Musica waved as his brown-haired friend approached the house from the distance, a wide smile on her face. Haru quickly noticed the shopping bags slung from her arms. "Musica! Haru! Hey!" she shouted, grinning widely and beaming. She ran up to them, though not out of breath like Haru had been. "Haru… I got the eggnog, so you can stop eyeing the bag like a snake now," she giggled. Haru blinked and straightened up, sliding a hand behind his head. "Great..! Thanks Elie."
Musica looked elsewhere for the moment, spotting Cattleya walking rather upset from the house. "Hey… Hey Cattleya something wrong?" he asked warmly as if her happiness were all his responsibility. He didn't notice Haru giving him a rather suspicious glare. Musica walked up to her and put one of his hands on her shoulder, evoking a small gasp from Cattleya at the touch. She looked up at him and frowned, then smiled unsurely. "I'm fine," she said, going a bit red under the eyes. She slipped her hand onto his and slowly moved it off. Musica seemed taken aback. "Really, I'm perfectly fine."
"Are you sure? Is it Griff? Plue? Shuddy?"
"Don't call him that, Musica… You know he doesn't like it."
"Who?"
"…" Cattleya shook her head. "Nevermind," she said softly before giving Musica the shoulder completely and walking around to the other side of the house. "…Are…wait…gah, fine." Musica shook his head and walked back to Haru, giving up on Cattleya for now.
"Oh, isn't this so cozy and nice?" Elie said in a chipper tone, snuggled up on the couch with Haru next to her. Musica sat next to Haru with his arm around a disapproving Cattleya. Shuda stood in the back of the room, his open eye focused on the TV they all watched. A reporter had a grim face. "Snow, snow, snow," he said, shaking his head and pointing to a weather screen. "Expect atleast four feet, with temperatures down to –10!" he exclaimed. Elie shuddered and cuddled closer to Haru, resting her head on his shoulder. "Its already so cold…" she sniffed, "Maybe we should all just go to bed." Haru grinned and looked down Elie, stroking her head softly, her hair soft against his hand. "Sounds good to me."
Musica watched as the two exited the room, their footsteps heard up until the slam of a door. He gave a rather expectant smirk and turned his head back towards Cattleya, his nose nearly touching her face. She cringed just a bit. "Now that those two have gone to bed… How about we—" Cattleya heard no more of that idea. She turned her head towards him to listen, but Shuda had cut in. "Its getting late. I advise we all get to bed. Why don't you take the couch tonight, Hamlio?" Shuda suggested darkly. Musica glared over his shoulder at the red-haired man, removing his arm from Cattleya. "…Fine… And where will you sleep?" he snapped. Shuda jabbed his thumb towards a sad looking old sleeping bag on the floor. Musica nodded, "…great, …. G'night then Cattleya!" he said with a new sense of cheer. Cattleya slowly stood up, her hands clenching. She turned to the two males and bowed her head. "Good night," she bid, turning away and moving to her own room.
Musica stretched his arms then flopped full out on the couch, hands behind his head. His eyes closed. " 'Night, Shuddy."
A quiet curse escaped Shuda's mouth as he lay down on the sleeping bag, turning over and closing his eye.
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End Chapter One!
Chapter two will be coming soon! (If you're wondering, I intend four chapters to this story.)