4. Tease.

T: Warnings still remain the same (though the slash increases just a little in this chapter!) and I still own nothing other than the plot and Arai.

Chitose: Glad you're still with me!! For the moment I'm managing to fit updates in around work, but I'm certain that won't remain the case so I won't promise that the pace will continue!

Anon: It's meant to be enigmatic and confusing…just go with the ride!

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He'd gotten a rather enigmatic call from Arai about an hour after he'd come back from the ice rink and, after assuring that his brother was content to let him go for an hour or so, he'd made his way to the older man's music store.

Arai is stood at the counter as he enters the shop, his back to the door as he participates in a seemingly intimate conversation with Ryuichi. The singer stops mid gesture as he notices his presence and, his mood changing just fractionally, he says,

"Tatsuha's here!"

Arai turns a little in his direction then and says,

"Thanks for coming at short notice, Tatsuha."

"I only came because you made the whole thing sound so cryptic, pops."

"My apologies, Ryu was rather insistent."

The singer has, as Arai has been talking, rounded the counter and, ceasing onto his hands the other informs him,

"I wanted to play with you and, as the acoustic in this place is better than that in my apartment, I invited you here!"

"In other words the game you want to play with me is…"

"Karaoke!" Arai remarks as he tosses a microphone in his general direction.

"Hang on, isn't this a little unfair? You made a mint with your voice, pops and Sakuma-san…"

"Ah, ah! We've discussed this, haven't we? My name is Ryuichi." The other places a lean finger to his lips then and says, "R-Y-U-I-C-H-I, okay?"

The presence of that finger, as well as the heady scent of the other in his nose, makes him nervous and he is able only to stutter out the first syllable of the other's name before Arai says,

"Moving away from such trivialities, I believe Tatsuha had a point."

Ryuichi breaks the contact at that and, once he has calmed himself a little, he says,

"My point was that I'm not really in the same league vocally when compared to you two."

"It's a game, not a competition, Tat's-chan!" The tone of the singers voice, as well as the others surprising choice to shorten his name, stills the argument that had been building on his tongue and, gripping a little harder to the mike, he enquires,

"What are we going to sing?"

"Something we all know very well." Arai remarks as a familiar backing track begins to blare out of the wall mounted speakers. "Nittle Grasper songs."

"You're doing this to mess with my head, aren't you?" He enquires as, to his left; Ryu begins to sing along to the inferior replica of Toma's unique synth style.

"Maybe just a little." Arai responds, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

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They spend a half hour singing along to the karaoke tracks, his confidence increasing with each new song until, by the time they reach the final track, he is dancing as he sings. The others applaud his effort and then Arai ducks out the back of the store in order to recover something. When he comes again into sight he has a Keytar hung over one shoulder and a nostalgic look in his eyes,

"Ryu asked me to bring this baby with me today in order that you could hear a little of my stuff and so that he could sing a little with me." The man remarks as he twiddles with the instruments tuning.

He plays three tunes after this, the first unaccompanied in order to give an impression of his sound and the other two joined by the unique harmony of Ryu's vocal. The sound is rather relaxing and he must have drifted for a moment later Ryu is gently tapping his shoulder.

"Perhaps we should get you home." He remarks, a gentle smile on his lips.

"Perhaps we should." He remarks as he sinks into the offered shoulder.

The noise of the high street stirs him enough that he becomes aware again of the other's scent in his nose and, feeling suddenly self conscious, he enquires,

"Should you be doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Walking in public without a disguise with someone like me draped over your shoulder."

"Tatsuha, listen very carefully, I'm myself before I'm a celebratory." The singer remarks as he sets his forehead against his own.

The other lingers like that for a great while, the proximity of the other's face speeding the pace of his heart, suddenly a childish smile crosses the singer's lips and, without warning, the other grabs a hold of his hand and pulls him down the street.

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T: Yet another update tomorrow avo (working mornings at the mo!!) Review?