Notes: I realize that Mamoru and Seiya's relationship may be moving a bit slowly, but rest assured, it will come to fruition. I mean, Mamoru did love Usagi a lot. There's also the fact that falling for Seiya gives Mamoru an orientation crisis (sort of). So with all of that to consider, I give you Life's Little Surprises chapter six.

One other thing: blatant reference to Garasu no Kamen in here. I used it because I figured that the plays in the manga might be plays that would be performed. You don't have to have any idea what GnK is, so don't worry. Just wanted to mention for us die-hard fans that it was in here.

Warnings: Shounen ai/yaoi

Disclaimer: Don't own it.

Life's Little Surprises
By Rosethorn

Chapter 6: The Masks - Comedy and Tragedy

"Oi! Mamoru!! Hurry up, will you? I want to make it to the show before I grow ancient and whither, you know!" Seiya yelled back to Mamoru, who was walking at a very slow and sedate pace. The professor shook his head in amusement. The singer had invited him to go and see a stage performance that was in town. Supposedly there was a new actress that was taking the stage by storm. Kitajima Maya, if memory served. He had never known just how much into the theatre the other man was until he found himself inundated with invitations to go see this play or that musical. It was rather fun, actually. It was also—coincidentally—something he and Usagi had never gotten a chance to do, so the fun was untainted in any way by sorrowful memories.

"Mou, Mamoru!!" the singer yelled again, running back to where his friend stood, having stopped walking entirely, lost in his thoughts. He grabbed the professor's arm and pulled strongly, dragging the larger man with him in his eagerness to get to the theatre. Mamoru laughed while he pretended that he did not enjoy the feel of Seiya's hand pulling him along.

"Ne, Seiya…the theatre will not sprout legs and walk out of the town, you know," he stated dryly. The singer turned and pierced him with a rather determined gaze. Mamoru swallowed from the intensity. Seiya had been looking at him like that for a long time now. He was starting to wonder what was going through the singer's mind at times like those, as it did strange things to him.

As they finally reached the theatre, Mamoru continued puzzling to himself just what it was about the singer that made him feel more…alive. He decided that it must have been the love of life that Seiya showed day in and day out. He always seemed to be living life as though it was his last day alive, and he wanted to make the most of it. Though if what he had read about the singer was true, then Seiya had every right to want to live each day to the fullest. The headlines flashed again in his mind:

Singer Hospitalized for Stabbing from Fan of Rival Group was one. Will the Singer of the "Three Lights" Sing Again? was another. There were more along the same lines, but those two grabbed his eyes the most. Apparently a rival group, Turbulence, had one rather obsessed fan—one that wanted the Three Lights gone. Said fan targeted Seiya, thinking that if the singer was gone, then the group would disband, which wasn't that far-fetched. But Seiya had survived, though it was dicey for a few days; the stiletto had nicked his heart and seriously damaged his left lung. Doctors were all telling him that stage performing would be too strenuous for him to undertake; Seiya ignored them. He made an almost complete recovery, and resumed the group's tours, much to everyone's amazement—including Mamoru's, after reading the articles. By rights, the impatient man in front of him shouldn't be able to do many of the physical activities—including the many sprints away from Yaten. Chuckling, he returned to his attention to the man in question, who was staring at him with a confused expression.

"Inside joke," Mamoru said, cheeks flushing lightly. Seiya raised an eyebrow, but said nothing in response.

They reached the play mostly intact. Mamoru had a slight pain in his shoulder from Seiya tugging on his arm constantly, but that was a minor enough annoyance that he could ignore it. Getting inside the theatre, they found their seats, Seiya jokingly whispering complaints about the fact that he wouldn't be able to see or hear anything from where they sat. At one point Mamoru began to move his hand to cover the singer's mouth—an act he had done many times in the past when…In any rate, he stopped himself before he could complete the act, turning his attention back to the orchestra pit and musicians, who were tuning their instruments. The play itself was well done, though Mamoru was tense throughout—something that Seiya picked up on. The singer frowned slightly, looking over at his friend. Putting a hand on Mamoru's shoulder, he leaned in and asked if the other man was feeling well. Mamoru jerked in his seat, away from Seiya. Snapping in a whisper that he was fine, he stayed in the same position—as far away from the singer as possible—for the rest of the play. He began to relax and enjoy himself, taking the occasional glance at the man in the seat next to him. Seiya also appeared to have gotten absorbed into the play and looked relaxed as well. It wasn't until after the play that Mamoru noticed that Seiya's footsteps were more subdued. Frowning, he tugged on the singer's ponytail.

"Hey!" Seiya yelled. "What the hell was that for?" Mamoru raised an eyebrow.

"You looked upset. I was merely trying to…distract you," he drawled, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. Seiya swallowed.

'He honestly has no idea what he does to me…' he thought to himself. 'How is it that I know he'll never feel that way about me, yet he can still affect me so much?! Is this how the Fates have decided to punish me for some major transgression in a past life?' Mamoru had noticed how silent his friend had become yet again.

"Oi," he said, reaching out to tweak the singer's ponytail once more, when Seiya turned towards him abruptly.

"I just realized something I need to do, Mamoru," he said apologetically. Mamoru frowned.

"But—"

"I know it's unexpected, but I really need to go," Seiya interrupted, smiling weakly. "Rain check for lunch? I'll buy!" Mamoru sighed and nodded.

"Yes, that's fine." Seiya nodded curtly and turned to leave.

"And, Seiya?" Mamoru called, effectively stopping the singer's flight. "When whatever it is that's wrong isn't any longer, call me." Seiya turned again just in time to see a rather sad expression cross the blue-eyed man's face.

"Mamoru…" he murmured and began to walk towards his friend, but Mamoru held up his hand.

"When you're feeling better," he repeated. He then grinned. "Besides, you owe me dinner, ne?" Seiya gave a lop-sided smile in response.

"Guess I do…Just try not to make me go bankrupt, will you?" Mamoru laughed softly. "Later, Mamoru!" the singer called, turning and walking down the street.

Taiki looked up from his book at the sound of the door opening. Yaten, head on the brunette's lap, yawned and stretched. They both watched silently as a black and red blur ran past them and slammed a door somewhere down the hallway. Taiki looked down at the blonde in his lap, an eyebrow raised. Yaten's lips thinned into a line.

"Mamoru," he said flatly, sitting up. Taiki nodded in agreement, face growing cold.

"I think I need to have a…talk with this 'Mamoru'," he stated frostily. If Seiya was in any position to hear the brunette's voice, he and Yaten would gleefully begin taking bets on how many words it would take to reduce the recipient to a quivering, terrified heap. This time however, Yaten knew that it would only worsen whatever problems Seiya and Mamoru were having so he put a restraining hand on Taiki's arm. Taiki turned slightly, frowning.

"It won't help," the blonde murmured softly. "If anything, it will just make things worse. Right now, Chiba-san is Seiya's friend. If we were to interfere, he may not be even that—and that would absolutely devastate Seiya, ne?" Taiki's frown deepened, but he sighed, agreeing.

"I heard that," Seiya's voice called from the hallway. He soon appeared in the living room, hair down while he was brushing it. Yaten found himself wishing that he hadn't restrained the brunette from doing anything to Mamoru, as Seiya only brushed his hair four times: when he got up, when he went to bed, when he would get out of the shower—and when he was really upset. He got up and took the brush from the singer's hands, motioning for Seiya to sit down on a chair. He resumed the rhythm of brushing, allowing Seiya to begin to relax.

"Care to tell me what happened?" Taiki asked, readjusting his position on the couch. Seiya looked in his friend's direction and sighed.

"You're always telling me I'm obvious, right?" Taiki nodded, dreading where the conversation was heading already. "Well…Mamoru doesn't seem to notice. Or if he has, he doesn't want to act on it, which is worse! I just…I don't know what to do any more, Taiki!" he exclaimed finally, burying his head in his hands. "I'm the happiest when I'm around him, and I think about him all the time. I…I've never felt like this around anyone before and…"

"And?" Yaten prompted, beginning to put Seiya's hair into a braid.

"And I don't know if I can just remain friends with him…" the raven-haired man finished softly, a lone tear slipping down his cheek. Yaten bit his lip, looking at Taiki over his friend's head. Taiki immediately got down off the couch and drew his friend to him.

"What's happened now?" Yaten asked softly, finishing the braid. Seiya's shoulders hunched further and he gave what sounded like a small sob.

"He…he doesn't notice me!" the singer cried. "All he does is think of me as just a friend, and then he acts like we're more than friends. And when he realizes that, then he goes and visits his fiancée's grave!" His breathing began to get more ragged as sobs took over. "How the hell am I supposed to compete with a dead woman?!" With that, he broke down completely, collapsing in Taiki's arms. Yaten came around the chair and sat on the arm, hugging the singer close to him as well. Seiya's entire body shook from the sobs. It was then that the doorbell rang.

Yaten glared at the offending sound, wishing that whoever was behind the door would die a very slow and very painful death. Sighing, he gave Seiya one last squeeze before getting up to answer it. Peering through the peep-hole, he cursed under his breath. Mamoru. Great. He turned towards the living room, biting his lip. Seiya's sobbing was much quieter, and from the sound of it, almost finished. But Mamoru was the one responsible for his sobbing, so he shouldn't be let in…but then again, would Seiya get royally pissed if Yaten just left him on the doorstep? The doorbell rang again, causing the blonde to jump.

"Who is it?" Seiya asked, his voice rough from crying. Yaten grimaced.

"The whole reason for your rather bedraggled appearance," the blonde replied, sighing. "I don't particularly want him here with you in this state," he said sourly, glaring at the door. Seiya looked down for a moment before shrugging. Sighing again, Yaten opened the door, glaring at the person on the steps. "What do you want?" he snapped. Mamoru looked decidedly taken aback at the sight of the smaller man's rather fierce expression. He absently wondered if he had the right address. But Minako had assured him that this was the residence of one Seiya Kou, so he must be here.

"Er…hi," he said hesitantly. "Is Seiya there?" The blonde's green eyes narrowed further. He opened his mouth to say some scathing comment when, a hand appeared on his shoulder and Seiya's head appeared in front of Yaten.

"Hey, Mamoru," he said, bringing himself around the keyboardist. Yaten grumbled under his breath and moved back inside, but not before giving Mamoru one final glare. The older man visibly swallowed at the violence he read in the gaze. He gave Seiya a tentative smile and a small wave. Seiya gave a small wave back.

"Am I interrupting something?" Mamoru ventured carefully, an eyebrow rising of its own will. Yaten, hearing the question, opened his mouth to deliver a rather acidic retort when Taiki quickly clamped his hand over the blonde's mouth. Green eyes glared up at the brunette in frustration.

"Seiya wouldn't appreciate our interference, remember," Taiki drawled, bending over to whisper the words in Yaten's ear. The blonde turned a slight shade of pink at the closeness of his friend. He quickly pulled away, running a shaky hand through his somewhat mussed hair.

"I hate it when you do that," he groused, embarrassed by the attention. Taiki grinned smugly.

"I know," he replied brightly, grabbing the blonde's arm and hauling him bodily back into the living room. He knew that the blonde would give him hell for it later—and he'd suck it up and deal with it—but he also knew that Seiya needed time alone with Mamoru. Besides, if the man hurt his friend one more time, he'd be easier to catch. Plus he'd get the added bonus of Yaten going full-throttle.

Seiya watched his friends' departure with a mixture of exasperation and amusement. You guys are so not subtle, he thought to himself, mentally shaking his head. Sighing, he turned his attention back towards the man in front of him.

"Not at all, Mamoru," he stated tiredly, a wan smile appearing. "Yaten's just PMS-ing again."

"Am not!" came the loud shout from the living room. Seiya's smile became brighter.

"Sure you are!" he yelled back. "You're pissy and you're male. It's a syndrome. PMS. Though I sometimes wonder about the other one in regards to you…" he trailed off, feeling slightly guilty over making Taiki's task with the blonde more difficult. Only slightly however; there was the matter of the jello mouse in his bed two nights ago to consider after all. He had thought that a real mouse had crawled into his bed and died—while he was sleeping.

"I say nothing," Mamoru stated softly, eyes wide, staring in the general direction of the living room as a loud, and rather creative bout of cursing erupted from said room—most of it revolving around Seiya, or rather, Seiya's sexual habits and questionable parentage. Along with a few other comments that made the older man wonder if those particular positions were anatomically possible. Seiya merely rolled his eyes and mouthed to Mamoru "drama queen". Mamoru chuckled quietly. Seiya's eyes dimmed for a moment before he grabbed Mamoru's sleeve and headed for the door.

"I'm going out for a bit," he called behind him, knowing that Taiki would prevent Yaten from following and exacting his revenge. "I'll hopefully be back for dinner—and Yaten? It's your turn tonight! I recommend you do not try to use the cooking oil again. If you forget why I'm requesting this, think back to last week when you nearly caught your hair on fire." With that, he quickly pulled Mamoru out of the apartment and closed the door, just in time to cut of the bellow of "Seiya!!" that had erupted from within. Giggling softly, the singer turned towards Mamoru, an eyebrow raised. The other man merely gestured out in front of him, indicating for Seiya to walk wherever. Rolling his eyes, the singer walked briskly towards the nearest store; he figured if he didn't pick something up for Yaten to cook, they'd all end up with food poisoning—though his food might be poisoned anyways, judging by the amount of yelling he could still hear from the apartment. Mamoru found himself jogging to catch up.

"Ne, Seiya," he said after a long moment of silence. "Why didn't you call?" The raven-haired man in front of him stopped abruptly enough that he nearly crashed into him.

"You said to call when whatever it was that was bothering me was solved," Seiya replied somewhat coolly. "It hasn't been solved yet." Mamoru's brow furrowed slightly in confusion.

"Is there something I can do then?" he asked finally. Seiya whirled around and glared at him.

"Stop treating me like a leper when I do this," he replied hotly, reaching out and placing his hand on Mamoru's arm. Or tried to. Mamoru had shrunk away from the touch, causing Seiya's hand to reach only air. Sighing, he let his hand drop back to his side, turning away from Mamoru once again. Noticing the slump of his friend's shoulders, Mamoru felt his heart tug, and he walked the few steps between them to place a hand on the singer's shoulder.

"Seiya…" he murmured before the other man's hand grabbed his and pulled him firmly around until he was in front of the singer. Without relinquishing his hold, Seiya pulled Mamoru closer, his other hand coming up to the back of the taller man's neck. Leaning up, he firmly pressed his lips to Mamoru's. He felt the older man begin to respond before shoving away roughly. Eyes wild, Mamoru turned and ran away from the singer. As he felt his heart breaking all over again, Seiya noticed that was beginning to rain.

Huh. It would figure that it would rain after a Dramatic Moment like this, wouldn't it. So much for not dripping on the carpet when I go back in. He was also grateful that the rain hid the tears, hot and painful, that were sliding down his face.

Okay…that's all for this chapter. I know that it's a really horrid spot to leave off, but I liked ending it here.

Thank you's:

Kou Haruka: Thanks for hanging in there (if you're still there…)!! I hope that this chapter was worth the wait!

MidKnight: Thanks! As for all the triangles, as I recall, Minako had a thing for Yaten, so I might bring that fangirl-ness into play. Not sure yet. Makoto is already married to Motoki, so that's taken care of…:thinks:

tenshisailor: Thanks for staying with me!! I've updated! Hope that this chapter will help somewhat…

CaptKirk: Thanks! So far so good on the flames front :crosses fingers: It would always irritate me when you would have a fanfic that had nothing but Seiya and Mamoru fighting—normally over Usagi. They're similar enough that they might be able to connect if they gave each other a chance. At least in the anime they could…They didn't meet in the manga. At least, I don't think they did. :sigh: I think I'm going to have to dig it out now…

PsychoUsagi: Thanks!! Yeah, it was a challenge that a friend of mine saddled me with. One that seems to have gotten a life of its own… As for Haruka, that talk they had will come to a better light later on…