Authoress here.

Meh. Last chapter. ARE WE EXCITED IT'S ENDING?

Final disclaimer, even though I have one on my page. I do not own Gravitation, Hana-Kimi, nor any musical/movical/filmical/characterical/bookikal reference in any of my chappies. If any characteror situation bears any resemblance to a real life person or situation thisis happenstance and purely coincidental, and this authoress does not wish to be sued.

I think that about covers anything I wanted to say here. Perhaps besides I heart you all for reading my ficlets.

Enjoy!

Breaking the Tie
Chapter Sixteen: Flashing the World

Four months later

Toshi Shindou

"I'm hoooooooooooooome!"

The red-headed teenager bounded through the door, pulling off the mittens that protected his hands from the chill January weather. His cheeks were bright red from the cold, and his hair was mussed from the wind.

"You're hoooooooooooooome!" Shuichi bounded around the corner, sliding on the wood floor with his woolen socks. He had enough momentum going to be unable to stop, and he slid head-on into Toshi, who was followed closely by Seiya and a dark-haired boy of about fifteen.

With bright, intelligent eyes and a lean, defined posture, Kenichi Misuschi was what Seiya called a 'girl-attracting fuck machine.' Toshi simply called him an amazing pianist. Kenichi was a luckydiscovery from a trip to a smoky music bar in downtown Kyoto by Hiro and Shuichi. After Toshi and Seiya had heard him play they offered him a job as their new synth player,and he had picked up on the instrument with speed and precision. He was a perfect replacement for Keyara- his husky singing voice overruled Toshi's for any future ballads, but was a perfect accompanist on the louder, faster, harsher songs Toshi sang. He was cheery, positive, and had a knack for finding the worst jokes invented. And as Protégé worked out their first album, he had become fast friends with both Seiya and Toshi, making him indispensable to the group.

Shuichi's undignified entrance was greeted by howling laughter from the three teens. Toshihelped him up. "Hey, Dad. Did the results come in yet?"

Shuichi regained his composure, grinning innocently at the trio. "What results?"

"DAD!" Toshi growled at the same time Seiya started swearing loudly. Kenichi gave a protesting groan, slapping his palm over his eyes. Shuichi started to chuckle.

"Maybe you'd better turn on the televise-" Shuichi had not even finished speaking when they thundered by him to the living room adjacent to the hall.

Kenichi, who was as much of a regular in the Shindou household as Seiya was of late, beat the older two to the flat screen. He poked the 'on' button, and a large picture filled the screen.

Seiya and Toshi skidded to a halt next to him, falling to their knees and grinning ear to ear. The picture was the cover of their first album, with the three of them with their backs to the camera. They stood on a building overlooking Tokyo, and each one was pulling their shirts up to their chins. The words 'Flashing the World' were plastered in a plain white font on the bottom of the picture, and a smaller black 'Protégé' graced the top.

The reporter was saying something. They hastened to listen.

"-Debuting with their album, Flashing the World, the rookie band of the year Protégé has made quite a stamp on the music world. Falling on the charts as number seven-"

Seiya, Kenichi and Toshi all started screaming with glee at the reporter's announcement. Number seven, although not the highest on the music charts, was an impressive start. Of course, Toshi being the Shuichi Shindou's son helped a little, but it was a big achievement. Luckily, Suguru had convinced Keyara to let Protégé use the two songs she had preformed with the band, for those two were the bigger attractions for the fledgling group.

Toshi had to smile at the thought. Suguru had apologized profusely, until Toshi had given him a hug, telling him not to sweat it. "It's okay, Uncle. Don't worry about it." After that, things returned to some semblance of normal, except Suguru announced that Keyara had decided to go to a private boarding school in the States. Toshi couldn't say he was sad to see her go.

The reporter was still talking about Protégé, so he returned his attention to the screen.

"- And their single, 'Seeking Something Simple,' is being premiered on the new sit-com "Hanzatsu-Setsu"(Complication as a Theory) as season four's opening theme. Next, the queens of soul-"

Kenichi turned off the television to join in Toshi and Seiya's joyous whooping. Their exuberant cheering was heard from two floors up, where Yuki sat thumbing through the newly bound and distributed Sensual Solutions, his compilation of five short sex mystery stories. Aoyou, as his editor, had been impressed. And even though she was involved with him, maybe because of it, she was usually a hard sell. Praise like she had given him was not only infrequent, but definitely made for a red-letter occasion.

He allowed himself a thin smile, for both Toshi's achievements and his own. The smile only widened when a gentle knock sounded on the door lintel.

"Hey, Yuki."

"Shuichi. Come in."

"Aoyou told me it's good. Do I get to read it?"

"No." Yuki smiled all the wider at his koi's disappointed face. "You and Aoyou get to live it."

"Role-playing!" Shuichi gave a happy half-leap with his excited outburst. "I love role-playing!"

"What do I hear now?" The sly voice of Aoyou sounded from down the hall. She came to the door, putting her arms around Shuichi as he calmed down. "Role-playing? Yuki, the kids-"

"Are due for a sleepover at someone else's residence, right?" Yuki gave his pair of lovers a feral grin. "And I am way over-due for a good, solid, through fuc-"

"FATHER! MOM! HAVE YOU HEARD THE NEWS?-!" Toshi's voice broke into Yuki's next words as the teen bounded up the stairs. "NUMBER SEVEN! NUMBER SEEEEEEEVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNN!-!-!"

"Toshi, you infernal mood-ruiner!" Shuichi ran from the room to tickle his son. "Get, scat, be gone, shoo, go over to someone's house and don't come back until morning!"

Aoyou joined in tackling Toshi, who successfully wriggled from their grip to give them a mischievous grin. "Can I spend the night at Seiya's?"

"WHATEVER!" Shuichi bellowed good-naturedly, but Aoyou fixed Toshi with a reproachful glare.

"At your girlfriend's house? I think not."

"Come on, sweetheart, Seiya and Toshi both sleep at Kenichi's all the time together." Yuki called lazily from his chair inside of his office. "Well, not together, together, but you know…"

"Kenichi actually offered tonight." Toshi said brightly. He quickly adopted the puppy-dog face."Can I? Purdy pweeese?"

"Fine." Aoyou, and Shuichi chorused together, smirking at his efforts at cuteness. Yuki had come to the door to view his lovers and his son sprawled on the floor together.

"Homework done?"

"It's the weekend!" Toshi protested. "And we got number seven on the international charts, Father! Give me a break!"

"Fine." Yuki relented. "And, congratulations on the seventh position, son."

"See you, thank you, don't wake the neighbors!" Toshi sang assprang to his feet and hurried down the stairs, a grin splitting his face. Kenichi and Seiya, having eavesdropped on the entire conversation, were waiting at the foot of the stairs of the second floor.

"C'mon, Tosh, get your stuff together and we'll stop at Seiya's before we go to my house." Kenichi urged.

"Jam session?" Toshi inquired.

"When don't we? Of course, bring the violin, just hurry up!"

After gathering his things, Toshi hurried outside with his best friend and his girlfriend. After leaving the City of the Stars, Toshi, Seiya and Kenichi flew down the highway, singing at the top of their lungs.

Life was pretty darn good.

The End


Authoress here. It's over! Three Way Tie, Breaking the Tie, Aoyou's use on ff. net is all OVER!

I'd like to thank the PerpetuallyAnnoyedEiriYuki for making this all possible by giving me back Three Way when I thought it had eaten by ff. net forever. Without Perpetually, Breaking the Tie (or Three Way) would never have been possible. Also, a big thank you and a huge plate of delectable goodies for all of my wonderful reviewers. You make my world happy and bright!

My next fic will possibly be a Hana-Kimi romance. Ah, back to the romance where I belong. Or an Inuyasha depressive/romance/angst thing. I don't know. Something. You just can't keep me away from this addictive site!

The likkle blue button! It's RIGHT THERE! Last chance to tell me you loved/hated/abhorred it!

Authoress OUT.