Tatsuki never thought she'd live to see the day that she has to drag herself to jam with her friends.
Sure, she's been pretty hung over on some of her work days; but she was always, always able to pull herself out of bed, pop a couple of Tylenol and be on her way to make a racket. It made no sense how she could still be giddy to beat some loud drums when she had a throbbing headache - but.
She loved it. She loved her band.
She still does… But she hates Ichigo right now.
Ichigo, who's being a real insensitive dick. Ichigo, who went on a date with Orihime, aka her-best-friend-aka-longtime-love-of-her-life-maybe-who-knows-she-never-got-a-chance-to-find-out-cuz-of-her-dickwad-friend.
Ichigo, who is doing this as some stupid fucking vendetta against Rukia, or to forget her, or whatever the fact is being a dumbass and everyone is having to pay for it.
Needless to say: she's worked herself up to a pretty furious state by the time she rages to practice.
She stomps over to Chad's garage, viciously lifting the the heavy door while simultaneously (unreasonably) half expecting to be faced with the sight of Ichigo and Orihime making out -
When her eyes adjust to see into the garage, there's none of that (thank God). They're not even next to each other. Instead, she's met with a very different sight.
Ichigo's stewing in the corner, hands stuffed in his pocket and visibly grinding his teeth. Chad is sitting quietly next to him but definitely trying to blend himself into the shadows more than usual. Orihime is looking down at her hands across the room, silent and stiff.
And Rukia is plugging her phone into their speaker jack rather manically.
"Ah, good afternoon Tatsuki!" Rukia greets the drummer with a too-large, sparkling smile that she recognizes as Rukia's favorite mask to put on when she's pissed. The vocalist has noticeable bags under her eyes from… Lack of sleep? Crying? Who knows. Her heart cracks for her.
The pity doesn't last long when Rukia continues, sickly-sweet. "Since Ichigo was so kind to tell us we should start working on new stuff - "
"Woah woah woah, I didn't tell you - "
"My mistake!" Rukia sends Ichigo a somehow-withering smile that could kill. "You're so right, we all agreed. In any case, I decided to start sooner rather than later. I recorded a quick version by myself last night at - oh, I don't know, two A.M. - and sent it to Urahara by five."
Ichigo's foot starts tapping as he leans forward, arms crossed. "You sent something to Urahara without showing us first?"
"He said he liked it, but to get it passed through you guys. Of course I agreed, so… Here we are." Rukia's not looking at him any further, instead sending a hard glance to Tatsuki.
The drummer knows it's not really directed at her - more like a woman's communication-without-words kind of thing - but she finds herself gulping anyway.
Here we are indeed.
Oh you got stars in your eyes, baby
If you think this will work
I won't follow your galaxies
Won't fall for that fucking smirk.
When will you realize the stars were never yours?
Never at any time, never at any time.
The song has turned to pure obliteration by the end. Rukia's voice intentionally fades out at the finish, but not without absolute raw emotion, pure fury that leaves goosebumps on Tatsuki's skin.
Rukia stands in the middle of the garage, hands on her hips, looking proud and dangerous and fiery as she stares straight back at Ichigo's stone-faced glare.
Good for her, Tatsuki thinks before remembering: wait. She shouldn't be rooting for this.
This is the beginning of a war.
As if on cue, Ichigo clears his throat, raising his chin to match Rukia's arrogance.
"Great work, Kuchiki. Way better than anything you've done so far, I'd say."
Rukia's nostrils flare. "Is that a comment on my previous work?"
"Not at all. Just… Inspires me to step up my game. In fact…" Ichigo stands up, dusting off his pants. "Is it cool with you all if I cut out early? Think I have some writing to do too, alone."
"Absolutely not, Ichigo." Tatsuki is shaken out of watching the trainwreck that's her life. "Chad, Orihime and I did not come here for you to cut out without even practicing - "
"No, I think it's fine, Tatsuki." Rukia's eyes glint with a challenge. "We can practice… Without Ichigo."
An excruciating silence follows. Tatsuki can practically hear Ichigo's teeth crack beneath his grinding.
"... I can wait to write." He roughly grabs his guitar, quickly getting to work on tuning it. "Teamwork is important. We're nakama, after all."
Something about the pointed word visibly causes the keyboardist to flush, but she starts to unplug her phone from the speaker jack anyway.
The next hour of practice may just be the most painful hour in Tatsuki's life.
She thought she might have an idea of what happened between Ichigo and Rukia from Rukia's song Celestial Lies - okay, so Ichigo broke a promise? - but seeing what kind of songs follow after that practice from both of them leaves it all… A little muddled.
The next day, Ichigo sends the group chat audio of a break up song.
Eyes softly gazed
Heart breaking stare
Who knew you'd crush me
Lying is your best jewelry you wear.
Everyone hits a thumbs up reaction except Rukia, who hours later only replies: Did Urahara approve of this one?
Yes. Ichigo sends back at a neck-breaking speed…
Followed by a :).
A few days later, Rukia sends another audio.
It only took you ten days to realize
I wasn't good enough, but no one's ever good enough
No one's ever nice enough,
No one's ever fucked you enough
Called your bluff enough
Said your name like a God enough.
Now Ichigo's response is a weird song about a siren with lavender eyes feasting on a golden-haired sailor's skull, and Tatsuki didn't know what to think happened but frankly? She doesn't care.
She calls Urahara immediately.
"You know what this is gonna do to us, right?!" She shouts into the phone. "This isn't doing anything but hurting the band, letting them go at it like this!"
Urahara - to his credit - listens patiently from the other end as she explodes. He has the decency to voice his sympathies, that it must be really tough working in a group with… So many opinions.
"These aren't opinions. These. Are. Fatalities." She grits out.
"I understand, Tatsuki-san, but…" She can nearly hear their manager shrug. "This is… How good music is made. I hate what it's doing to your nerves, but you have to understand that this is how I get you guys out there."
"At the expense of our friendship? What kind of manager are you -"
"A good one." His voice drops low, suddenly serious in a way she's never heard before. "What would you have me do, Tatsuki-san? Tell everyone to stop writing mean songs? Have them hug it out? You know that does nothing for any of us."
"That's not what I'm... "
"Tatsuki." His voice lifts, a bit gentler. "This is what you all wanted, what you're working hard for. Whether or not they get through this… Nobody can say. But that's not gonna change whether or not they stop writing these stellar pieces. You know how good they are. So… I hate to tell you, but you're gonna have to suck it up. Enjoy it while it lasts. It might make your career."
She hangs up immediately, knowing he won't be offended.
He knows that she knows he's right.
Almost like a God-sent gift for Tatsuki's suffering, Orihime breaks it off with Ichigo after only a few weeks.
The relationship ends - quite spectacularly - in disaster after a couple of dates… Just as Tatsuki thought it would, but hey. She's not going to gloat about it, only promises whatever deity is responsible a huge offering the next time she happens upon a shrine.
She hears all about it from Orihime, of course - she's way too pissed at Ichigo to speak to him about anything besides business - who tells her they got a couple of drinks, dinner a few times.
"It's a very nice time! But he's not… It's…" She sighs forlornly and it makes Tatsuki hurt for her.
"He hasn't made any moves, huh."
The stage manager shakes her head, suddenly grabbing her water to keep the tears misting her eyes at bay.
Tatsuki wants to kill him.
"He said I looked nice. He opens the doors for me, pulls out my chair, pays for my bill. He and I have… Fun, I think. At least I do - and he's very kind, such a gentleman -"
"It's okay, Orihime. You can say it: he fucking sucks."
Orihime laughs a watery laugh. "No, nothing like that. I just… This Rukia thing. It's so… Intense, right? In practice? I should've known. I feel so stupid."
"... Orihime." The drummer puts her hand on her friend's shoulder. "Nobody could've known. Had I known? You'd find me on a cruise ship, drumming for some dumb cover band."
"You make jokes like that, Tatsuki, but you're the band's lifeline." Orihime shakes her head, blinking back tears. "I just… Rukia is so… Goodness, she's lovely. And talented. And so, so kind - "
"Orihime - "
"And I'm not one to be jealous, I know I've only known Ichigo for about a month now so I'm really not too upset about that. But I'd - I'd love to be someone's first choice like that. I'd love to be the person that someone wants to write songs about, that inspires someone so much. Because that anger that's coming through their songs… That's them caring, you know? That's them caring so much that good or bad, they want the whole world to know, and yeah I don't love the bad so much but I do love love and want to be cared about like that one day but I'm not as smart or talented as Rukia-chan so - "
Tatsuki interrupts her by firmly pressing her lips to Orihime's, her hands snaking into her gorgeous auburn hair and suddenly: everything is perfect, angels are singing and if she died at this very moment she would be too blissed out to fight it.
She briefly breaks it off, nudging Orihime's forehead with her own. "Rukia is also my friend, but don't get it twisted. They're both absolute shits."
Orihime laughs, smiling softly at the drummer before she goes back in and Tatsuki thinks band drama?
Who gives a fuck.
Her new girlfriend calls her the next day to say she's told Ichigo, and Tatsuki sighs. She was about to enjoy her morning by smoking a joint, but. Priorities, she guesses.
She arrives at Ichigo's apartment door within the hour, banging until he opens it.
"Y'know, how you get beyond the buzzer at the building entrance is beyond me - "
Tatsuki wastes no time. "Orihime told you, yeah?"
Ichigo rolls his eyes, but a rare, small smile betrays him. "Yeah, she told me. Congratulations."
"Thanks. You mad?"
"What? No. Of course I'm not mad."
"Cool. 'Cuz what the ever-loving fuck, Ichigo."
"... Not sure what you mean." Ichigo's eyes turn to flint as understanding dawns on him, and he's about to close the door when she stomps on his foot.
"Tatsuki, what the hell-"
"Don't ever try to do that to me again. What is this all about?"
"God, we didn't have a - Orihime and I are friends! It's all been worked out! What do you care, you got your girl - " He shuts his mouth at the giveaway as Tatsuki narrows her eyes.
"Is that what this is about? You didn't get your girl so you tried to get mine?"
"No, Tatsuki. I had no idea you liked her, I would've never had - and what do you mean 'my girl'?!"
She ignores the question and chooses instead to ask in reply: "Have you talked to Rukia?"
A beat.
"... We're not discussing this, Tatsuki."
"Like, really talked to her? 'Cuz I know you, and a whole lot of this bullshit could've been avoided had you just - "
"I'm not discussing this with you Tatsuki." He looks down at his phone, lighting up the screen to look at the time. "Look, there's a few more hours until practice and I wanted to get in some writing - "
"Of course you do."
"... Just do me a favor. Please? Don't - don't ask me to talk about that stuff. You're my friend and you scare the shit out of me - but I'm drawing the line there. Unless it has something to do with the band - "
She's getting pissed all over again. "Ichigo, you know it effects the band - "
"We're professional." He snaps, and the quick show of temper stuns Tatsuki. He's never had the nerve to talk to her like that, ever.
She'd be impressed if it wasn't for the circumstances.
"... Congrats again on you and Orihime. I'll see you two at practice tonight."
He slams the door.
"... And you can kick my ass for doing that, later!" His muffled shout sounds from the other side of the door.
Tatsuki leaves in a hell of a less good mood than when she came.
