fanfic #1
My first fan-fic yo! It's called 'Subaru gets an earful'. That's a stupid title because he DOESN'T get an earful - like nobody yells at him or anything. Might try to think up another title.
Disclaimer: I've never read any Eito fanfiction so this doesn't really follow any conventions and has no pairing. It's actually very very boring, sorry in advance.
Subaru lay on the grass like a fallen star and felt the burden of being unreasonably, terminally unique. He was born with an irregular head. Outside it looked the same as everyone else’s; an elongated, over-ripe orange. But inside it was the shape of a pentagon. It harbored strange and dark and fanciful thoughts that gnawed at his insides and made existence uncomfortable. He watched the rays of light collide with trails of leaves, the constellations of day. He could stay like this for hours, his heart no longer so full that it was bursting, the knots in his stomach starting to unwind. He could almost feel his body lift off the ground and float above his head. But something always drew him back. Subaru got up. The ground no longer supported him like it used to.
The walk back to the television station was in a straight line. One foot in front of the other. Subaru quietly made his way through the autumn afternoon, shoulders hunched and collar up. He looked perpetually cold. The members were starting to notice this soundless retreat into the self but let him be. Maru compared him to a jacaranda tree. Even though Subaru periodically found life barren and empty, at the end of the season beautiful flowers always grew.
Blocking the side entrance to the studio was a delivery van. A production line of bodies wheeled boxes through the narrow doorway, efficient and steady. Subaru knew that he had stayed away longer than planned. Preparations for the taping were already starting. He heard the dull, excited murmur of the audience gathered on the other side of the building. Moving to the front entrance was not an option. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to talk to fans. He didn’t want to talk to anybody. He sat down on the hilly slope next to the door and watched the last pieces of equipment being unloaded. Maybe he could slip through unnoticed when they finished.
‘Subaru-kun.’ The voice behind him had a sing-song quality, the first half of a melodic line waiting to be answered. Subaru turned around, but the nimble, small body was already in front of him. The girl was about twelve, with straight black hair that stopped abruptly at the nape of her neck, and sparkling, bold eyes that challenged you to meet them with equal insolence. In any other circumstance, Subaru would have obliged. But today his head was groggy.
‘Yes. Yes?’ he said.
‘Just as I thought,’ said the girl.
‘What?’
‘Never mind.’ She put her hands behind her back and stepped to his left in a slinking motion, like a cat. Or a detective-inspector. Now Subaru was starting to get annoyed. All he wanted today was to be left alone. Not to be interrogated by some brat with a dubious agenda. But why did he think she was interrogating him?
Subaru leaned forward. ‘Now look you - ’ BAM. The studio door slammed shut with a pronounced finality. The van and people had disappeared. Subaru ran to the door and tried to pry it open. But it was no use. There was no handle on the outside, only a flat lock. Judging from the silence, the audience had already entered the building. He searched his pockets for a phone, but knew that it was futile. He had left it in the dressing room because he didn’t want to talk to anybody. ‘Shit.’
‘You’re lucky I didn’t hear that,’ said the girl. Subaru turned around. She now stood triumphantly on the hilly slope, looking down on him.
‘What the hell,’ Subaru muttered under his breath. He paced back and forth, a million thoughts racing through his head. None of them were particularly useful. He thought about the soft blue hat Taeko wore on his first day of kindergarten as a show of solidarity. He thought about the way snow burnt your tongue with its coldness like a lump of hot coal. He thought about the last time he was truly happy.
‘What happened to your ears?’
He knew there was a simple solution to all this. But a solution to what?
‘What happened to your ears?’ the girl repeated. Subaru stopped pacing and turned around to face her. She was a pretty child, and knew how to accentuate her charm points with small gestures. A tilt of the head. A slightly raised eyebrow. But there was also something not quiet right about her. An assymmetry. She was an odd radio frequency, unsynchronised and detached from her surroundings. It was like she didn’t belong to anyone.
‘I don’t know,’ said Subaru. He felt a sudden cloud settle over him, inexplicable and heavy.
‘But you get asked that all the time.’
‘Not really.’
‘Oh.’ The girl pursed her lips together like a verbal full-stop. There was a strained silence between them.
‘But I’m glad you asked,’ said Subaru. A peace offering. Her face brightened and she started happily pacing again.
‘I ask because,’ said the girl, ‘it’s important.’ She stepped sideways unsteadily, as if on a balance-beam.
‘What’s your name?’
‘There’s no time for that,’ she said.
‘Oh.’
The girl jumped down from the hilly slope. She tilted her head and looked at Subaru squarely in the eye. He stared back. They stayed that way for only a few seconds, but something passed between them. A silent exchange, an agreement. Above all, there was a recognition, even though they were strangers.
‘Why are you talking to me?’ Her voice was serious now, even purposeful.
‘Because I’m not in there.’ He pointed to the studio.
‘And why aren’t you in there?’
‘Because I’m out here.’
‘Of course.’ She tilted her head and weighed up the evidence.
‘Well it’s a long story,’ said Subaru. ‘It started this afternoon. Well, no. It started before that. It started with 500 yen. That Taeko gave me.’
‘Taeko?’
‘Taeko.’
‘And she’s the reason you’re standing out here?’
‘I don’t know.’ Subaru paused and looked inside of himself. ‘But I’m happy out here.’
‘Then why were you trying to get back inside?’
‘Because there’s happiness in there too.’ He was struck by this sudden realisation.
‘So there’s happiness everywhere.’
Subaru sank down on the grass and fell on his back. ‘Then why am I unhappy?’ he asked. There were no clouds in the sky.
The girl’s face entered the frame, blocking his vision. She peered down with searching eyes. Sad eyes. A solemn discovery. ‘It’s your ears.’
‘Leave my ears alone.’
‘But that’s where it all started, Subaru-kun,’ she explained patiently. ‘I mean look at them. They’re funny. They’re funny-looking. And stubborn.’ She paused. A roar of laughter could be heard from inside the studio. ‘How long have you had them?’
‘My whole life.’
‘Amazing!’ she said. The girl now looked at him with admiration.
Subaru blushed. ‘I guess.’
‘You’re really amazing, Subaru-kun.’
Subaru sat up and brushed the grass off his hair.* She was right. His ears were incorrigibly stubborn. And no matter what he wore, what sartorial or musical mould he was forced into, they stuck out unapologetically. For better or for worse, he would always be terminally unique. But at that moment, the thought gave him strength. Subaru pushed himself forward and stood upright. 'Let's go,' he said. He took the girl's hand and led her towards the building.
‘Where are we going?’ she asked, dragging her heels.
Subaru stopped. ‘Into the studio. We’ll go in through the front. And return you to your sister or aunty. I’m sure they’re still watching the show.’
‘But I don’t belong to anyone.’ She stood in front of him. Her gaze was calm and unwavering. Subaru nodded, another silent agreement passing between them. They were the same person.
‘Okay,’ said Subaru. He turned around and continued along the side of the building on his own.
‘Subaru-kun,’ the girl’s sing-song voice sounded behind him.
Subaru turned and smiled. ‘Hey,’ he said. ‘It’s Subaru. Just Subaru.’
‘Bye Subaru.’
‘Bye bye.’
When Subaru reached the front driveway, he turned around one last time. The girl was gone. He tucked his hair behind his ears and disappeared into the building.
-----------------------
* His locks were long and luscious. He was considering cutting them (because he was stupid).
Disclaimer: I've never read any Eito fanfiction so this doesn't really follow any conventions and has no pairing. It's actually very very boring, sorry in advance.
Subaru lay on the grass like a fallen star and felt the burden of being unreasonably, terminally unique. He was born with an irregular head. Outside it looked the same as everyone else’s; an elongated, over-ripe orange. But inside it was the shape of a pentagon. It harbored strange and dark and fanciful thoughts that gnawed at his insides and made existence uncomfortable. He watched the rays of light collide with trails of leaves, the constellations of day. He could stay like this for hours, his heart no longer so full that it was bursting, the knots in his stomach starting to unwind. He could almost feel his body lift off the ground and float above his head. But something always drew him back. Subaru got up. The ground no longer supported him like it used to.
The walk back to the television station was in a straight line. One foot in front of the other. Subaru quietly made his way through the autumn afternoon, shoulders hunched and collar up. He looked perpetually cold. The members were starting to notice this soundless retreat into the self but let him be. Maru compared him to a jacaranda tree. Even though Subaru periodically found life barren and empty, at the end of the season beautiful flowers always grew.
Blocking the side entrance to the studio was a delivery van. A production line of bodies wheeled boxes through the narrow doorway, efficient and steady. Subaru knew that he had stayed away longer than planned. Preparations for the taping were already starting. He heard the dull, excited murmur of the audience gathered on the other side of the building. Moving to the front entrance was not an option. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to talk to fans. He didn’t want to talk to anybody. He sat down on the hilly slope next to the door and watched the last pieces of equipment being unloaded. Maybe he could slip through unnoticed when they finished.
‘Subaru-kun.’ The voice behind him had a sing-song quality, the first half of a melodic line waiting to be answered. Subaru turned around, but the nimble, small body was already in front of him. The girl was about twelve, with straight black hair that stopped abruptly at the nape of her neck, and sparkling, bold eyes that challenged you to meet them with equal insolence. In any other circumstance, Subaru would have obliged. But today his head was groggy.
‘Yes. Yes?’ he said.
‘Just as I thought,’ said the girl.
‘What?’
‘Never mind.’ She put her hands behind her back and stepped to his left in a slinking motion, like a cat. Or a detective-inspector. Now Subaru was starting to get annoyed. All he wanted today was to be left alone. Not to be interrogated by some brat with a dubious agenda. But why did he think she was interrogating him?
Subaru leaned forward. ‘Now look you - ’ BAM. The studio door slammed shut with a pronounced finality. The van and people had disappeared. Subaru ran to the door and tried to pry it open. But it was no use. There was no handle on the outside, only a flat lock. Judging from the silence, the audience had already entered the building. He searched his pockets for a phone, but knew that it was futile. He had left it in the dressing room because he didn’t want to talk to anybody. ‘Shit.’
‘You’re lucky I didn’t hear that,’ said the girl. Subaru turned around. She now stood triumphantly on the hilly slope, looking down on him.
‘What the hell,’ Subaru muttered under his breath. He paced back and forth, a million thoughts racing through his head. None of them were particularly useful. He thought about the soft blue hat Taeko wore on his first day of kindergarten as a show of solidarity. He thought about the way snow burnt your tongue with its coldness like a lump of hot coal. He thought about the last time he was truly happy.
‘What happened to your ears?’
He knew there was a simple solution to all this. But a solution to what?
‘What happened to your ears?’ the girl repeated. Subaru stopped pacing and turned around to face her. She was a pretty child, and knew how to accentuate her charm points with small gestures. A tilt of the head. A slightly raised eyebrow. But there was also something not quiet right about her. An assymmetry. She was an odd radio frequency, unsynchronised and detached from her surroundings. It was like she didn’t belong to anyone.
‘I don’t know,’ said Subaru. He felt a sudden cloud settle over him, inexplicable and heavy.
‘But you get asked that all the time.’
‘Not really.’
‘Oh.’ The girl pursed her lips together like a verbal full-stop. There was a strained silence between them.
‘But I’m glad you asked,’ said Subaru. A peace offering. Her face brightened and she started happily pacing again.
‘I ask because,’ said the girl, ‘it’s important.’ She stepped sideways unsteadily, as if on a balance-beam.
‘What’s your name?’
‘There’s no time for that,’ she said.
‘Oh.’
The girl jumped down from the hilly slope. She tilted her head and looked at Subaru squarely in the eye. He stared back. They stayed that way for only a few seconds, but something passed between them. A silent exchange, an agreement. Above all, there was a recognition, even though they were strangers.
‘Why are you talking to me?’ Her voice was serious now, even purposeful.
‘Because I’m not in there.’ He pointed to the studio.
‘And why aren’t you in there?’
‘Because I’m out here.’
‘Of course.’ She tilted her head and weighed up the evidence.
‘Well it’s a long story,’ said Subaru. ‘It started this afternoon. Well, no. It started before that. It started with 500 yen. That Taeko gave me.’
‘Taeko?’
‘Taeko.’
‘And she’s the reason you’re standing out here?’
‘I don’t know.’ Subaru paused and looked inside of himself. ‘But I’m happy out here.’
‘Then why were you trying to get back inside?’
‘Because there’s happiness in there too.’ He was struck by this sudden realisation.
‘So there’s happiness everywhere.’
Subaru sank down on the grass and fell on his back. ‘Then why am I unhappy?’ he asked. There were no clouds in the sky.
The girl’s face entered the frame, blocking his vision. She peered down with searching eyes. Sad eyes. A solemn discovery. ‘It’s your ears.’
‘Leave my ears alone.’
‘But that’s where it all started, Subaru-kun,’ she explained patiently. ‘I mean look at them. They’re funny. They’re funny-looking. And stubborn.’ She paused. A roar of laughter could be heard from inside the studio. ‘How long have you had them?’
‘My whole life.’
‘Amazing!’ she said. The girl now looked at him with admiration.
Subaru blushed. ‘I guess.’
‘You’re really amazing, Subaru-kun.’
Subaru sat up and brushed the grass off his hair.* She was right. His ears were incorrigibly stubborn. And no matter what he wore, what sartorial or musical mould he was forced into, they stuck out unapologetically. For better or for worse, he would always be terminally unique. But at that moment, the thought gave him strength. Subaru pushed himself forward and stood upright. 'Let's go,' he said. He took the girl's hand and led her towards the building.
‘Where are we going?’ she asked, dragging her heels.
Subaru stopped. ‘Into the studio. We’ll go in through the front. And return you to your sister or aunty. I’m sure they’re still watching the show.’
‘But I don’t belong to anyone.’ She stood in front of him. Her gaze was calm and unwavering. Subaru nodded, another silent agreement passing between them. They were the same person.
‘Okay,’ said Subaru. He turned around and continued along the side of the building on his own.
‘Subaru-kun,’ the girl’s sing-song voice sounded behind him.
Subaru turned and smiled. ‘Hey,’ he said. ‘It’s Subaru. Just Subaru.’
‘Bye Subaru.’
‘Bye bye.’
When Subaru reached the front driveway, he turned around one last time. The girl was gone. He tucked his hair behind his ears and disappeared into the building.
-----------------------
* His locks were long and luscious. He was considering cutting them (because he was stupid).