by imanut
I'm sorry that it took so long…I had developed writer's block…which really sucks. Also I apologize for this chapter in advance! Within this chapter's pages are 2 original characters. I can make this an alternative chapter if no one really likes this chapter, meaning I can drop it and write something else. Whatever I get in my reviews will be my decision. Anyway, here are my thanks:
ichigo-chan- Here is the long chapter. Sorry if it's not all that long…(I'm using a 6x9 inch steno pad…it looks long to me ) I'm sorry for such a long wait. Thanks for reviewing!
White Topaz- That's so sweet…thank you! I'm sorry that you had to wait. It won't take this long next time, that is a promise!
clueless97- I never thought of my short chapters that way…that's neat! I'll keep that in mind as I write! And sorry for Yuki's aggressiveness. Thank you!
Kaibafangirl77- I must agree, shorter chapters are easier to keep up with. I'm sorry for the wait. My next update will be up faster!
Kiki-sama- Oh, thank you! You are right, exactly right! Length doesn't matter! (but just to "please" those who keep nagging at me for my chapters I went ahead and wrote a long one) By the way, I didn't receive the website you sent me TT.TT. Would you be so kind as to send it to me by e-mail? I'm sorry to have to ask that of ya….
bowwowlover- Yup…Tohma's got a crush (in singsong voice) I didn't mean to scare you with Yuki. I'll tone it down as best as I can!
Felicity Dream- It's understandable, so I'm not mad! Plenty often get busy and don't have time/forget to do things (anonymous finger points at me from outta no where) I'm just happy that you have reviewed me now! Thank you!
dragonfly-affinity- I'm so happy to hear that you love my story and that you love TohmaxShuichi! Thank you sooo much!
kelly- I'm sorry that my chapters are too short. You'll be glad to know that I wrote as long a chapter as I possibly could. I hope it's to your liking! Thanks for your review!
Makkura Arashi- Alrighty, here's the long chapter. I'm sorry for the wait. Also, sorry if the chapter's not as long as you hoped it to be. (I'm terrible at making long ones )
On with the chapter!
Chapter 12
Shuichi fell asleep, holding onto Tohma's jacket. The green-eyed blonde didn't want to disturb the boy from his sleep, but this darn chair wasn't any comfortable.
'Seems like I've got a bit of a problem.'
All of a sudden, the pink-haired vocalist burst into musical snoring, taking a few years off of the keyboardist's life.
'I sure hope he's a heavy sleeper.' He picked up the vocalist, went over to the second bed and lay the boy upon it, tucking him in.
He went to his own bed, dressed for sleep, and climbed on in.
"Sweet dreams, Shu-kun."
-Shuichi's Dream-
"Shuichi…"
A voice called out to him. It seemed far away.
"Who's there?"
"Shuichi, over here!" A shadow appeared. Moonlight came out of no where, shining upon the shadow's head. The head glistened a familiar blonde…
-End Dream-
Shuichi woke up with a start. 'Where am I?' He rolled over and found himself looking across the room, Tohma asleep in his own bed.
The pink-haired vocalist suddenly blushed. Tohma had been so nice to him lately. 'He doesn't have to do all of this, and yet he does. Why? Why is he doing all of this for me?' Shuichi carefully got out of bed and walked out onto the balcony.
It was a beautiful night, despite the cold. The clouds had cleared up, showing a full moon and millions and billions of stars.
'I was almost sure it was going to snow. Guess not.' He sat on the concrete floor of the balcony and stared upwards toward the sky.
'I want to do something nice for him. Something really, really nice for Tohma. But what?' Suddenly, a plan slowly began to form in his mind. Christmas was coming up soon. This would be great.
(AN: I had this all planned out right before Christmas. Please just go along with it…TT.TT)
-The Next Day-
Bad Luck's day off had come and gone. The sky had clouded up again, making the day seem dreary. Tohma and Shuichi had decided to meet at lunch later.
"Hi guys!" cried the newly hyper ball of pink-ness. (I almost typed ya'll)
"Hey, Shu," smiled the ever-pleasant Hiro. K and Sakano replied equally "cheerful" (sadistically cheerful in K's case) a hello of their own and a mumbled "hello" came from Suguru.
"So," said K, "are we gonna make it through today's recording session without interruption?" he reloaded his brand new "baby" threateningly. Shuichi, knowing this question was directed at him, nodded immediately, as though his life depended on it (which, once again considering the man holding the gun, it probably did). "Okay, then. Let's get started! Mwuahahahahahaha…!"
-Noon-
Tohma was signing the last paper when his office doors burst open and a pink blur had landed on his lap, taking him by surprise.
"Ready for lunch, Tohma?"
"Just let me grab my had and I will be. Where would you like to eat?"
"I dunno," replied said pink blur after a moment's silence.
"I've got an idea. There's this nice café run by a ½ Italian family that serves all kinds of different food. The owner is a very pleasant man. I'm sure you'll like it."
As they pulled up to the café, the vocalist saw that the café was an old wooden building that was out of the way by a set of old, uprooted train tracks. Definitely not what he expected. He could smell bar-b-q out back and a male voice singing in a language unknown to him. He looked at the window with the café's name painted on it that read "The Tsukemono Café."
"Come on, you'll like it," repeated Tohma as he began walking up the steps. Shuichi ran to catch up to him. The atmosphere was very welcoming, if you ignore the bullet holes in the window underneath the name. The smell of food wove in, out, and around the entire building, making the pink-haired boy's mouth water terribly.
"Hello, hello!" In came an Italian man, not scrawny, but not so muscular he'd rip his shirt to shreds just by flexing, with black hair long enough to be pulled into a ponytail and smiling eyes that proved his friendly disposition.
"Hello, Antonio-san," replied Tohma. "And hello, Yuzuki-chan."
A sixteen year-old girl sitting at the counter turned around and smiled, "Yo."
"What are you doing out of class?" asked Tohma.
"They pissed me off, so I left," was her calm reply. She noticed a bit of pink next to the keyboardist and then looked down. "Who's with ya?"
"I have with me here Shuichi Shindou. Shu, this is Yuzuki Patrillo, youngest daughter of Antonio-san here."
"Pleased to meet you, Patrillo-san," smiled the vocalist.
"Same here," grinned the girl a.k.a. Yuzuki. She hopped off the stool, leaped over the counter and pulled a paper and pen. "What do ya'll want to eat?"
"I'd like my usual, of course," replied Tohma. He turned to Shuichi to see if he had reached a decision. The vocalist's face was scrunched up in such a way that proved he was in the midst of decision. "May I make a suggestion, Shu-kun?"
Looking as though a huge weight was lifted from his shoulders, he smiled and nodded. "Thanks!" Tohma smiled.
"You should get this. It actually tastes pretty good, despite the girl who makes them," he teased.
"Hey, Tohma! That's so mean!" Yuzuki playfully beat upon the blonde's shoulder with her left fist from across the counter. "Anyway, your lunch shouldn't take too long. You two take a seat and I'll be back with your drinks."
Tohma and Shuichi took a table next to a window. They were silent until Yuzuki came back with drinks, promising twenty minutes until the food would be ready. After she disappeared into the kitchen, Shuichi broke the silence.
"They seem really nice. Are they close friends of yours?" he asked.
"Yes, we are quite close. Yuzuki's like a niece to me," replied the green-eyed blonde.
"How'd you meet them?"
"I met Patrillo-san here. We had somehow struck up conversation, not really talking about anything, but not really talking about nothing. Then we somehow fell onto the subject of families. I told a little about my family, and then…he talked of his own.
"He began telling me how he was blessed with eleven children and a beautiful, loving wife…until eight years ago. First, he had lost his oldest son on the tracks, a year later, his wife to an illness, and three years ago, Yuzuki's twin sister jumped off a school building.
"As he finished his story, I could feel my heart clench with sadness that he must all the time. I had experienced the change of a loved one, but never had I watched three loved one's perish."
Tohma took a sip of his drink, then a smile appeared on his face, a sad smile. And added, "Yuzuki came in three minutes later, saw the solemn look on our faces and said, 'What's going on?' I turned toward her, moved her to face me, and gave her a hug." He then laughed, "The expression on her face was O.O 'You're T-Tohma Seguchi…f-from Nittle Grasper!' It was a good thing it was only the three of us in that room, other wise I would have been attacked.
"I offered to help them any way I could. At first, they declined, but when they saw how determined I was, they gave in."
There was a period of silence again, until Shuichi decided to break the silence yet again.
"That's so sad. To lose three of the many people you love most. IT must really hurt."
"It does," enter Yuzuki, "It hurts a lot. More than anyone will ever know. But we've managed this fare and we'll continue to manage." The black-haired girl placed the food in front of them. She then sat down beside Shuichi and "glared" at the keyboardist across form her.
"Why in the Hell are you depressing poor Shindou-san with my family's sad history, huh?"
"Sorry," he replied sheepishly.
To be continued…
Well, I hoped ya'll liked Yuzuki. If not, sorry. Good news for ya'll who don't like her, she and her family won't appear much. Hardly any at all! It wasn't much longer, I know, but I did my best! This may be my last attempt at a long chapter. Anyway, ya'll all have a †HAPPY EASTER!†
Love,
:imanut: