[fic] What a chance - Reita/Ruki - 3a
Takanori didn’t sleep well that night. He kept turning around and tossing in his bed. He woke up several times and found it hard to fall asleep again. He kept thinking about the previous afternoon. The sad feeling didn’t leave him alone for all the night, until he felt exhausted and decided to go to bed. But he didn’t find any rest. When his alarm clock ringed he was already awake, he sighed . He get up and began get ready for school. He decided that he’d simply talk with Akira and solve the whole mess. He didn’t have an explanation to what happened the previous day, and he desperately wanted to ask to the other if something was wrong. . He arrived at school and when he reached the place where they usually met, none was there. He began to feel a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. . He waited for 5 minutes, then he saw Akira rushing through the school gates. He sighed in relief and waved at the other, smiling. Akira waved back and reached him. A moment to catch his breathe and then he said:
“Matsumoto I’m fucking late and I have a test at the first period. I’ll see you here at the end of the lessons?”
“What about lunch?”
“Oh I can’t come, I’m sorry. Okuse sensei said we need to make up the time we’ll use for the test, so we’ll have lunch later than usual -___- ” Akira said evidently pissed at his teacher’s zeal.
“I see” Takanori said, disappointed.
Akira however didn’t noticed. He was busy hoping to be on time for his test as he watched towards the school’s entrance, at the big clock above it.
“Fuck!! I really need to go now Taka. See you later.” He run away.
Takanori stayed there watching his friend’s back disappearing in the school. He felt so lonely again.
. But he couldn’t help feeling very sad. He lowered his head and walked in the school as well and towards his classroom.
Takanori however wasn’t the only one who passed an awful night.
Akira had a very “lively” night. Every time he closed his eyes he saw again and again the look Takanori gave him when he left the afternoon before. He kept thinking about what to do all the night and he was going insane. A lot of options crossed his mind, but at the end he decided to tell the other everything. Everything about his plan for the future. He also wondered if he could dare to ask the other to follow him, but he decided that it was a bit premature. Anyway he told himself that he’d improvise, according to Takanori’s reaction. This seemed the best choice at the moment. Plus he thought about what the other’s reply’d be. What if he said no?? It was true that the first night they met Takanori was very excited about the idea, but what if he realized that everything was just a foolish dream? The disappointment caused by Takanori’s potential refuse would be devastating. It was impressive how he became attached to the other during just a month. Sure the guy was amazing and he liked him a lot, but this still was confusing as hell.
Takanori’s mood in the meantime didn’t get any better. He was in his classroom still quiet and pensive. He didn’t even draw during the lesson. When his lunch break arrived he went straight towards the stair that brought him to the school’s flat roof. He tried to cheer himself up thinking about the result Akira and him get the previous day. He took his notebook out and read the lyrics again. Those brought to his mind the excited and admired expression Akira gave to him after reading them. He loved the look Akira always reserved to him, and him only. It was gentle an warming. When those eyes looked at him like that he felt content and happy. Actually nothing was changed. After all he was worried because of a misunderstanding and he wanted nothing more than fix everything and received that look again. Suddenly he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. It was a massage… speaking of the devil:
“From: Suzuki X3
Hey tiger, I’m sorry about this morning,
but I really was late. Now Okuse sensei
is there bubbling about Kami only knows
what and he’s so freaking boooooooooooooring.
I’d rather be there with you and see your cute smile..
yeah, the one you’re doing right now
*Takanori had a very silly and happy grin on his face in effect, and blushed madly and the thought that the other was able to predict his expression*
And maybe talk about what happened
yesterday. I’m sorry for running away
like that.. I don’t even know why I did
it XD. Don’t be upset, ok?? ..
Oh fuck this, I want to see you.. on the roof?”
Takanori still grinning widely typed his reply quickly:
“To: Suzuki X3
Yeah, the roof..
I’m waiting for you.
Hurry on >//<”
As soon as Akira red the reply he lifted his hand, asking to the sensei if he could go to the restroom. He walked out of his classroom and closed the door quickly, then he began to run through the hallways and up the stair, until, breathless, he reached the roof’s door. He opened it and looked around, searching for Takanori. He caught sight of him leaning against the wall His gaze lost in the sky. The gentle but cold breeze was ruffling his hair, pushing his blond locks, that usually covered his face, aside. Akira stopped a moment to watch him, amazed. Takanori looked so beautiful. When he turned his head, felling the presence of someone else there, their gaze locked again. Akira noticed that his face was tired but his smile was serene. Takanori walked towards him, without avert his eyes. He came closer and closer, each step echoed in Akira’s chest heavily, or maybe it was just his heart, until his hands reached out and grabbed a fistful of the other’s shirt. He grasped it in his fist tightly and leaned his head on Akira’s chest, inhaling his scent deeply. For the first time that day he felt finally happy. Akira’s eyes went wide for a moment, surprised by Takanori’s reaction, but then smiled lovingly and lowered his head, leaning his forehead against Takanori’s hair, caressing gently with his hands the other’s forearms. They stayed like that for a bit, enjoying the other’s presence and warmth. It felt so relaxing and pleasant to be that close. To breath Akira’s scent and feel his hand caressing so softly his arms was making his heart beat faster. It felt so good. All the worry ant the tiredness were swept away from those new, warming sensations. But Akira had to go back in his classroom if he didn’t want to be yelled at, so Takanori, still not moving away, murmured:
“You need to go”.
“Mmmmm” was the reply.
“Thanks for coming here Aki” he said holding tighter the shirt in his fists.
“You were upset, weren’t you?” asked Akira stroking his hair softly.
Takanori pouted for being caught and, hiding his face in the other’s chest, he gave his muffled reply: “…I couldn’t help it”.
“I see” Akira said, laughing quietly and lifting his head.
Takanori lifted his head too, looking at Akira. They smiled to each other and then he slowly let go the fabric still in his fists. Akira took a step back, smiled one last time and then turned to leave, without saying anything. Words weren’t needed. Now they both knew that they were ok. Takanori take a deep breathe and then sighed in relief and contentment. He had never felt like that. Happy, cared, warm. He really felt an idiot now for being so worried like that and a bit guilty too for doubting Akira. He quickly thought that the other wanted to turn from him .
When classes ended that day Akira run down the stairs and reached the school gates to wait for Takanori. He waited for a bit, growing impatient, but the other was nowhere in sight. Then he felt something jumping on his back shouting happily: “Hi Suzuki!!!!!!”. The thing was actually Takanori, who wound his arms and legs around the other’s shoulder and waist, like a koala. Akira put his hands under the other’s knees, keeping him in place.
“Mastumoto WTF?? You scared me”
“I’m sorry” he said giggling.
“Yeah, you surely are” he said, amused.
Even if he had to seem annoyed he didn’t mind having Takanori on his back at all. In fact he began to walk, without warning, with the other still on his back, towards Takanori’s place, as usual. Takanori tightened his grip around Akira, partly to not fall on his ass, partly to enjoy the closeness to Akira’s body. Yeah, he was shamelessly taking advantage of the situation U_U. Akira felt the other snuggling closer and smiled happily, feeling the other’s breathe on his neck and ear.
“Am I heavy?” asked quietly Takanori, pretending to have a bit of shame left. His voice was oh so close to the other’s ear..
Akira laughed and replied: “No, don’t worry, you are not” and kept walking.
Takanori chuckled and put his chin on his shoulder, tightening his grip a bit more.
“How was your test?”
“Passably.. What about your day?”
“Booooooooooooooooring >_< Shimizu sensei was a bitch and kept yelling at me to stop drawing, I told him that I’m smart enough to do two things at times, but he get just angrier and asked me some questions about the argument he was explaining”
“And?”
“I replied correctly, of course” he replied proudly, then began laughing “he was so angry, he get all red and his lips became so thin XD It was kind of creepy, but very funny U_U”
Akira laughed with Takanori, then, still grinning, with a petulant, old-like voice he said:
“You are an insensitive brat Matsumoto, you have no consideration for that poor man. You’d learn to respect your sensei”
There was a moment of silence, then they both burst into laughters and Takanori managed to say: “Look who’s talking”.
They were almost at Takanori’s place, when Akira remembered something. He didn’t want to do it in the other’s house. They were alone there, but what if his parents decided to come back home in a delicate moment (like the previous day)?? So he decided to do a deviation.
“Uhm.. Suzuki?”
“What?”
“Ehm.. you took the wrong direction”
“You serious?? -________- ” replied sarcastically Akira.
“…”
“I did it on purpose, you silly. I need to tell you something important”
Hearing these words Takanori felt strange, but he didn’t want to think negatively again, so he just waited patiently until they reached the destination Akira chose. They entered a little, solitary park, not too far from his own house. Akira stopped in front of a bench and turned back, so Takanori could put his feet down and get off of him. Takanori sit down on the bench and Akira turned again to face him, stretching his back a bit. When he looked at the other and saw Takanori's worried expression, until he lowered his head to the ground, hiding his face. Akira smiled at the other’s reaction and lift his hand, stroking Takanori’s head in a smoothing gesture.
“Don’t be like that, you silly.. It’s not like I have to tell you something bad”.
Takanori lifted his big dark eyes and looked at Akira pouting, but didn’t replied. He was rather curious and nervous about the whole situation, also because of what happened the previous day between them, but Akira’s hand reassured him a tiny bit.
Akira sighed, but he could understand the other’s nervousness, he began to feel nervous himself, so he take a deep breathe and sat down near Takanori:
“Taka… I need to be clear with you. I already told you about my plan of living on my own as soon as I can, but I think I own you some details.”
Takanori had lifted his legs and leaned his side against the bench’s back. His arms were crossed and were hugging his bent knees. On top of them he put his chin, only his eyes were visible. He was watching the other and listening to him attentively. So that was the subject he wanted to talk about. It was an important one and he was glad that they had the opportunity to talk about it. He gave a nod and the other continued:
“During the last week I spent in Tokyo, before we moved here, I talked a lot with Takashima. We had planned to go away from home and live together since ages. When I told him that my mother wanted to move we decided that we wouldn’t drop our idea. He’s still looking for an apartment and when the school’ll finish I’ll come back to Tokyo. We’ll work on the band, he’s already looking for the missing members, as I told you and we’ll begin to practise and do some lives and began to write our own song. It’s my dream Taka, it’s always been: to be a penniless bassist. Well actually, when I was a child I used to want to be a soccer player, but..”
“I used to dream to be a fireman”
“Oh, cool!”
“Yeah”
“…”
“Did I really said that??”
“Yeah XD”
Takanori groaned: “Back to the topic.. are your really serious about everything?”
“Yes, and the work we’re doing together is encouraging me madly” Akira began to get excited.
Takanori tried to reply: “Akira..”
“Taka, come with me”. Yeah, chuck in every worries and doubts, who cares??
“I…” he tried again.
“Come on.. you can live with us at the beginning, then we’ll find a work and we’ll help you to find your own place.”
“Do..”
“Weren’t you the one who asked me to play together?”
“Ye..”
“And now we almost made a song together, we can do it”
“Ok, ..”
“And..”
“Will you please shut the fuck up for a second and let me answer???” Takanori finally shouted.
Akira’s eyes went wide for a moment, but then laughed, realizing that he didn’t do anything but interrupt the other, so he nodded and let the other talk.
“Thanks” he sighed and began: “I obviously don’t want to stay here for the rest of my life. Actually I was thinking to move for quite some time now. I want to make you understand that I won’t move because of you. This’s my choice and I’ll take on the risks that this choice’ll bring. I’m proud of what we’re doing together and I know that’s just the beginning of a dangerous and winding road. It’ll be difficult and we’ll have to work hard, but I’m really determined about this. I want to do it.”
Akira listened carefully.
he thought, but even if his speech could seem tough and arrogant Akira understood what the other meant and appreciated every single word. He felt proud to be Takanori’s friend, he was proving his strength again. Akira nodded and smiled at him, then asked:
“So.. what now?”
The other grinned widely and get up from the bench. He took the other’s wrist and began to walk towards his own house, then he turned his head and replied over his shoulder:
“We have a lot of work to do and a registration too.. did you forget?”
Akira laughed and they both began to run toward Takanori’s house.
They arrived breathless for the excitement more than the running. Once in Takanori’s room, Akira had the feeling to have forgotten something important. But he couldn’t think too much about it: Takanori was speaking again..
“What?”
“I asked you what are you waiting for?? Let’s practise” he shouted again, lifting his arms in the air, excitedly.
Then he understood: “Mastumoto?”
“Huh?”
“What the hell I’m supposed to play if I don’t have my bass? >_> “
“FUCK D: “ he lowered his arms.
“Yeah -___- “
“What now??” Takanori asked.
They thought for a moment. Akira could bring Takanori’s bike, ride it to his own home, pick his bass up and come back. It was pretty simple. But Akira had a better idea. He grinned and said:
“Well, I don’t have my bass, but you have your voice U_U ..let me hear how you’ll sing it”
“What are you talking about?? o_O’’” Takanori asked, confused.
“Didn’t we agree on recording our parts and mail them to Takashima?”
“Yeah, but I don’t remember agreeing on something concerning “me” and “singing”” the other replied.
“Well, you wrote the lyrics -________- ..it was pretty obvious”
“But I don’t want to >//< I’m ashamed” he said lowering and shaking his head.
“How the hell do you think you’ll be able to be in a band if you are all shy like that” Akira said even if he thought that the other’s behaviour was utterly adorable. But he had to think about the band first.
“I thought I’d be the drummer” Takanori murmured.
“Nonsense” Akira waved his hand like he’d chase away the ridiculous sentence like an annoying insect. “Now sing” he added.
“But..”
“You don’t want me to sing it and fuck everything up, don’t you??”
“Are you that bad?? :D I like your voice”
“I’m not that bad, not like Takashima at least.. when he sings he’s able to produce the worst sound I’ve ever heard” he said with a shudder “And now stop trying to corrupt me.. sing”. He sat on the bad and waited for Takanori to begin. The other was still hesitant, actually he was trying to convince himself . He cleared his throat and began to sing his lyrics. Akira was impatient to hear the other’s voice. Takanori had a deep and beautiful voice when he talked, but he couldn’t imagine how it’d sound when he singed. So he listened to him attentively, and was rather surprised: it was still a bit sharp and rough, but beautiful. Akira looked at him and noticed that the other had his eyes closed and he was trying to interpret the song. Takanori had just the bass melody in mind and it was quite difficult to give the right tone to his voice, but he began to understand what it’d sound like, and he get lost more and more into his lyrics, until they ended. He was quite satisfy. He looked at Akira, expecting some kind of comment and noticed the other was smiling at him.
“I think I’ve found our vocalist”
Takanori smiled, still a bit embarrassed, but flattered:
“I’m sorry, I think I’ll do better when we’ll have the music” he said, scratching the back of his head.
“Your voice is beautiful” said Akira truthfully.
“Thanks” Takanori replied quietly.
“Do you think we can record in here?” he asked, looking around.
“Yeah, the room is soundproof, the quality will be terrible anyway”
“Well, we can’t do otherwise, ne??”
“We’ll do it tomorrow??”
“Yeah, the soon, the better.. we’ll try a bit and then we’ll record everything”
“Great”. They smiled to each other, their eyes sparkling again.
The following afternoon they began with the practise and the recording.. They both were very excited, but when they began they immediately concentrated and did their best. Takanori had thought about the vocalist thing and he decided that he liked it. That way he could write lyrics and be able to express himself with his voice and his body and he liked the thought. He was good at writing and he always had a lot of ideas so he thought that the vocalist role fit him very well after all. They did a couple of registration and then chose the best one to send. Akira had sent a message to Takashima 2 nights before, explaining that Takanori and him created a daft and that they’d send him everything so he’d listen it. His friends was really surprised about the news. Pleasantly surprised of course, and he replied that he surely would begin to work on it as soon as he received the registration. He also told Akira he was dying to know Takanori (such a gossip boy), and..
“Oh, I forgot!! Takashima told me that he è succeeded to make that guy join as II guitarist. His name is Shiroyama and he said that he might know someone that is interested to join as drummer”
“That’s great” Takanori said happily. Then he added annoyed: “How the hell can you forget something like this??”.
“I’m sorry, I was excited about the recording.. anyway he’s not sure about the drum boy” He said shrugging.
“Do you think Takashima and this Shiroyama guy’ll like our daft??”
“I think so” Akira replied thoughtfully “But even if they don’t like it who cares?? We started to do something at least, and this is just the beginning we can only get better, ne??”
“So you can say something that make sense once in a while.. that’s good to know”
“It’s a gift that, obviously, not anyone was blessed with”
“Smartass =_= ”
Grin.
Notes ♪ :
This chap is damn long. I had to split in two part. Notes at the end of the other chap.