[ToraxSaga] "Four", one-shot
"FOUR"
PAIRING&CHARACTERS: ToraxSaga, Maru (bis)
GENRE: A slice of life, seasoned with a little fluff and humor
RATING: G
DISCLAIMER: The author has no connections whatsoever to the mentioned artists. This is a work of fiction.
A/N: This is the first independent sequel to And Baby Makes Three. This particular sequel got a bit darker than I had originally planned because ever since I heard of Shunsuke passing away, I've wanted to write something, even if tiny and silly, and dedicate it to him and his memory. However, it's still too early for me to write a story actually revolving around his death, so I settled at giving Maru a cameo here because bis and Alice Nine members have their history together. Anyway, enjoy.
SUMMARY: Four years is a long time; kids grow, learn to walk and talk, become personalities of their own. But, even if time continues ticking on, sometimes it stops, too -for good.
"I think it's time for you to do something else now."
"No! Push more! I want higher."
"But dad's arms are hurting already," Saga complained, his brows knitting. Man, once again he remembered why it was always Nao or Hiroto to take Mai to the park.
"Higher!" came the demand. Saga sighed but nonetheless, pushed the swing again.
"We can change," Tora, who was studying the other park visitors close by, offered. The brunette shook his head. "We should be leaving soon, so it doesn't really matter. A few more pushes and then I'll tell her to stop."
Tora stretched his arms, enjoying the late afternoon's sun that was spreading its warmth throughout his always aching body. "Take your time. It's nice to be out for a change. I can't even remember the last time I would've seen the sun."
Saga cast a worried look at his lover. Tora had found a session band that had piqued his interest, a group mainly consisting of members with no name, and whenever he had even little spare time, he used it by playing with the session group, or then he stayed up late, re-arranging iconic Visual Kei songs to better suit the band's style. Saga felt bad for dragging Tora out -he could've been home, sleeping- and simultaneously, he was feeling guilty for being happy for being able to spend some alone time with him and Mai.
That day, the park was rather quiet. People shuffled lazily in and out, cherishing the weather. Pushing the swing wasn't a task that required much brain capacity; as Mai fell silent, and Tora got lost in his thoughts, Saga's mind went out too.
Suddenly, the bassist sharpened his gaze. "Isn't that Maru?" He asked, surprised.
"Who?" Tora fixed his sunglasses, trying to locate the mentioned man.
Saga lifted his hand and pointed towards the entrance of the park, softly giving Mai's swing more speed with his free hand. "There, by that bench. Sheesh, it's definitely Maru. He's lost weight."
Tora narrowed his eyes, staring at the slim, tall figure Saga was talking about. Yes, the man buried deep inside his jacket was Maru, Tora recognized; hardly, though, since the man had changed drastically from the last time they had met -which had actually been at Shunsuke's funeral, Tora realized. He shook his head, feeling embarrassed for not keeping in contact with the man. "Four years..."
Saga gave him an understanding glance, as if he had read his lover's mind. "You think he's coming from the cemetery?"
The taller man scratched his chin. "Probably. Tomorrow, it'll be exactly four years since..." His voice trailed off. It was still weird to say it out loud. He shrugged the anxiousness away. "We should say hi," he said instead, already waving his hand in the air as doing so. "Maru! Maru, here!"
Surprised by the sudden call, Maru lifted his eyes from the ground. After locating the one calling him, he answered the greeting and directed his steps to the small playground by the street.
"Tora, Saga. It's been a while." He tried to sound courteous -he even managed to force an expression resembling a smile onto his face but despite all that, the bassist and the guitarist could tell his mind was somewhere completely else.
"How are you?" Saga asked. He halted the swing and helped Mai off, telling her to go play at the sandbox while the adults exchanged a few words.
"Fine," Maru replied automatically, absent-mindedly fingering his scarf that was long enough to brush against his thighs. "And you?"
"Fine, too. It's been pretty hectic lately but it's alright. It's fun to have a lot to do," Saga summed up cheerfully.
Maru nodded. Then, he seemed to realize something, as he suddenly turned a bit, casting a curious look at the girl who had just skipped away. "Was that..?"
"Mai?" Tora completed the question. "Yeah, that's her."
"Wow." Maru's eyes lingered on the girl who had already found a few boys of her age with who she was now busily building a sand castle. "She's grown."
Saga shifted his eyes to Mai too, warmly beaming at the sight. "Yeah, she just grows and grows and grows. It feels I have to go skirt shopping every other week because she doesn't fit the old ones."
"Not that you actually mind," Tora commented wryly. "I'm not sure anymore which one of you has more clothes, she or you."
Saga snorted. "She can't run around naked, now can she?" His statement was answered with a long stare as Tora tried not to talk back at him. Decent, everyday clothes and expensive, frilly clothes were two completely different things and that was something Saga still had to figure out.
"Dad! Tora!"
"What is it?" Saga hollered back.
Mai was sitting on her knees, pointing at one of the boys accusingly. "He said I can't borrow his bucket!"
Saga sighed. "But it's his, sweetheart. If he says so, I can't do anything about it."
However, a whiny "Daaaaad" and a bat of eyelashes later Saga excused himself and walked to the sandbox.
"Daddy's little princess, uh?" Maru mumbled, amusement sparking in his thick voice.
"You have no idea," Tora replied dryly, watching the bassist kneeling down. Mai was spoiled, temperamental and picky, even Saga admitted that. But, in bargain, she had also gotten her father's steadfast sense of justice, his sharp eyes and quick mind. For a four-year-old, she was dreadfully witty at times, silencing easily both her parents with a saucy comment or two.
Maru was looking at the scene as well. "You're cool with her calling you just 'Tora'?" He shook his head. "It sounds a bit cold, you know."
Tora laughed. "No, it's fine. Actually, Hiroto was worried about that too when Mai was learning to speak. 'Why're you calling him just Tora all the time?' he once asked Mai. She calls Saga dad, and she has mother, so Hiroto was thinking that maybe Mai wasn't accepting me as a part of their family. Mai asked how she should call me, then, and Hiroto just muttered something about dad, to which Mai wittily replied that she already has one dad."
Maru grinned. "What happened next?"
Tora smiled at the memory. "Then Hiroto suggested calling me Uncle. It seemed illogical to Mai too. 'I have three Uncles, Uncle Hiroto, Uncle Shou and Uncle Nao. Tora isn't my uncle, is he?' You should've seen it, Hiroto was at total loss for words. After that, he dropped the issue. I'm not Mai's dad or uncle -I'm her Tora, and it's good that way." He stole a glance at the man standing by him; Maru had never been flashily joyful -he was more of a sarcastic type, if anything- but today, even though still amused by the guitarist's story, he seemed tired. "You okay?" Tora changed the topic softly.
Maru rubbed his eyes, and after blinking a few times, he cleared his throat. "Yeah. I visited Shunsuke's grave and it's just... Still hard. To see that lifeless, cold stone, all that's left of him. Shun, he had so many wonderful attributes to him, an exanimate stone just doesn't..." His voice cracked. There was a deep gasp before Maru continued, this time sounding slightly calmer: "Sorry. I'm actually going to see Seika and Tsukasa soon. We've been doing that for a few years now around the time of the anniversary, a few beers at a bar and maybe some ramen afterwards. A little tradition of ours, guess. " He kept his eyes at Saga and Mai as he added: "You're welcome to join us, too, of course."
A wave of sympathy washed over the guitarist, and it felt surprisingly painful. Tora closed his eyes for a bit. "Give my regards to Tsukasa and Seika. Mai's with us today, so..."
Maru's expression softened. "It's okay. I tell the guys you said hi. Come see Seika's live sometime, will you? It'd be fun to have a small gathering, with all of you."
Tora nodded. "Sure. We'll call you about that."
Maru smiled again, the expression being a ghost of what it had used to be only some years ago, and waved a hand as a goodbye. As he was about to leave, Tora placed a hand gently on his shoulder, desperately wanting to say something, anything, of value. "Take care," he eventually murmured, giving the slender shoulder a pat before pulling his hand back. Maru kept his eyes away as he nodded once more, heavily, before turning around and walking away, soon disappearing from the guitarist's sight.
"Has Uncle Maru lost a friend?" Mai's clear voice interrupted after a long moment of silence, her round face tilted to the left in a surprised manner.
Saga, who had seen it was for the best to chase Mai away from the boys before trouble could brew, gave Tora a quick, worn-out glance before he wrapped his arms around his daughter and hoisted her up. "Yeah, he did," he answered the girl's question gently, making sure Mai could see his face when he spoke. "He... Went away. Maru-kun hadn't expected that, so he's a little sad."
Her face crunched up as she processed her father's words. "That's stupid," she finally announced briskly. "Stupid crap. Friends aren't supposed to leave you alone."
Tora quirked a brow. "Saga," he muttered from the corner of his mouth, "How many times have I told you to watch your tongue in her presence?"
The brunette's lips pursed up. "I'm sorry. But," he added quickly, giving Mai a confidential look as fixing her position in his arms, "I think I'm with Mai on this one. What happened with Shunsuke is stupid crap." Then he nodded solemnly at his daughter, who replied with a similar theatrical expression. Tora rolled his eyes, deciding to let it be for the time being. Later on, there would be another talk with Saga about the parental vocabulary he was supposed to use (and 'crap' definitely wasn't a part of it -although, Tora had to hand it to his lover, Saga could've used far more colorful expressions), another talk with Mai on 'How you shouldn't repeat everything your dad says in public places' and probably, as both of the talks would turn out rather infertile, there'd be a third discussion that would involve him, Shou, a lot of cursing and vodka shots.
"I don't know about you guys," Saga began after another pause, "But I could really use a huge, fattening ice cream sundae now."
Mai's face brightened up instantly at the word 'ice cream'. "Can we go to an ice cream restaurant? I want to be a lady today!"
By 'restaurant' Mai actually meant an ice cream bar. She found it fancy to sit at a table, pretending to be an important adult whilst giving her order to the waiter. Saga had to admit it, buying cones from a kiosk or a convenience store didn't have the same magic. "Sure," he promised willingly.
"Can we ask Uncles to come too?" Mai suggested when they left the playground. "Uncle Nao likes ice cream too."
Saga bit on his lower lip, feverishly swallowing back a laughter. "Yeah, you're right, we should call them." He gave his iPhone for the girl who enthusiastically started calling his Uncles through.
Tora weaved his fingers with Saga's. "You know what else we should do?" he whispered.
"Go and visit Shunsuke tomorrow," Saga replied calmly, while keeping an eye on his daughter and his expensive cell phone.
The guitarist squished the brunette's hand lightly. "Yeah. Let's ask if Nao could pick the flowers. He's good at stuff like that."
"What are you talking about?" Mai wrapped her arms around Saga's neck, curiously gaping at the guitarist.
Tora released Saga's hand to ruffle the girl's hair. "Nothing, beautiful, nothing. Have you already decided what flavor you want today?"
"Chocolate and mint!"
"Chocolate and mint it is, then."
a/n: Rest in peace, beautiful♥ Jrockers tend to shuffle off this mortal coil pretty damn too often, so maybe it's surprising it took this long for me to encounter death, fandom-wise. I hadn't known Shunsuke was sick, so everything came as a complete surprise. It's been a month now, and it still feels somehow surreal :(
PAIRING&CHARACTERS: ToraxSaga, Maru (bis)
GENRE: A slice of life, seasoned with a little fluff and humor
RATING: G
DISCLAIMER: The author has no connections whatsoever to the mentioned artists. This is a work of fiction.
A/N: This is the first independent sequel to And Baby Makes Three. This particular sequel got a bit darker than I had originally planned because ever since I heard of Shunsuke passing away, I've wanted to write something, even if tiny and silly, and dedicate it to him and his memory. However, it's still too early for me to write a story actually revolving around his death, so I settled at giving Maru a cameo here because bis and Alice Nine members have their history together. Anyway, enjoy.
SUMMARY: Four years is a long time; kids grow, learn to walk and talk, become personalities of their own. But, even if time continues ticking on, sometimes it stops, too -for good.
"I think it's time for you to do something else now."
"No! Push more! I want higher."
"But dad's arms are hurting already," Saga complained, his brows knitting. Man, once again he remembered why it was always Nao or Hiroto to take Mai to the park.
"Higher!" came the demand. Saga sighed but nonetheless, pushed the swing again.
"We can change," Tora, who was studying the other park visitors close by, offered. The brunette shook his head. "We should be leaving soon, so it doesn't really matter. A few more pushes and then I'll tell her to stop."
Tora stretched his arms, enjoying the late afternoon's sun that was spreading its warmth throughout his always aching body. "Take your time. It's nice to be out for a change. I can't even remember the last time I would've seen the sun."
Saga cast a worried look at his lover. Tora had found a session band that had piqued his interest, a group mainly consisting of members with no name, and whenever he had even little spare time, he used it by playing with the session group, or then he stayed up late, re-arranging iconic Visual Kei songs to better suit the band's style. Saga felt bad for dragging Tora out -he could've been home, sleeping- and simultaneously, he was feeling guilty for being happy for being able to spend some alone time with him and Mai.
That day, the park was rather quiet. People shuffled lazily in and out, cherishing the weather. Pushing the swing wasn't a task that required much brain capacity; as Mai fell silent, and Tora got lost in his thoughts, Saga's mind went out too.
Suddenly, the bassist sharpened his gaze. "Isn't that Maru?" He asked, surprised.
"Who?" Tora fixed his sunglasses, trying to locate the mentioned man.
Saga lifted his hand and pointed towards the entrance of the park, softly giving Mai's swing more speed with his free hand. "There, by that bench. Sheesh, it's definitely Maru. He's lost weight."
Tora narrowed his eyes, staring at the slim, tall figure Saga was talking about. Yes, the man buried deep inside his jacket was Maru, Tora recognized; hardly, though, since the man had changed drastically from the last time they had met -which had actually been at Shunsuke's funeral, Tora realized. He shook his head, feeling embarrassed for not keeping in contact with the man. "Four years..."
Saga gave him an understanding glance, as if he had read his lover's mind. "You think he's coming from the cemetery?"
The taller man scratched his chin. "Probably. Tomorrow, it'll be exactly four years since..." His voice trailed off. It was still weird to say it out loud. He shrugged the anxiousness away. "We should say hi," he said instead, already waving his hand in the air as doing so. "Maru! Maru, here!"
Surprised by the sudden call, Maru lifted his eyes from the ground. After locating the one calling him, he answered the greeting and directed his steps to the small playground by the street.
"Tora, Saga. It's been a while." He tried to sound courteous -he even managed to force an expression resembling a smile onto his face but despite all that, the bassist and the guitarist could tell his mind was somewhere completely else.
"How are you?" Saga asked. He halted the swing and helped Mai off, telling her to go play at the sandbox while the adults exchanged a few words.
"Fine," Maru replied automatically, absent-mindedly fingering his scarf that was long enough to brush against his thighs. "And you?"
"Fine, too. It's been pretty hectic lately but it's alright. It's fun to have a lot to do," Saga summed up cheerfully.
Maru nodded. Then, he seemed to realize something, as he suddenly turned a bit, casting a curious look at the girl who had just skipped away. "Was that..?"
"Mai?" Tora completed the question. "Yeah, that's her."
"Wow." Maru's eyes lingered on the girl who had already found a few boys of her age with who she was now busily building a sand castle. "She's grown."
Saga shifted his eyes to Mai too, warmly beaming at the sight. "Yeah, she just grows and grows and grows. It feels I have to go skirt shopping every other week because she doesn't fit the old ones."
"Not that you actually mind," Tora commented wryly. "I'm not sure anymore which one of you has more clothes, she or you."
Saga snorted. "She can't run around naked, now can she?" His statement was answered with a long stare as Tora tried not to talk back at him. Decent, everyday clothes and expensive, frilly clothes were two completely different things and that was something Saga still had to figure out.
"Dad! Tora!"
"What is it?" Saga hollered back.
Mai was sitting on her knees, pointing at one of the boys accusingly. "He said I can't borrow his bucket!"
Saga sighed. "But it's his, sweetheart. If he says so, I can't do anything about it."
However, a whiny "Daaaaad" and a bat of eyelashes later Saga excused himself and walked to the sandbox.
"Daddy's little princess, uh?" Maru mumbled, amusement sparking in his thick voice.
"You have no idea," Tora replied dryly, watching the bassist kneeling down. Mai was spoiled, temperamental and picky, even Saga admitted that. But, in bargain, she had also gotten her father's steadfast sense of justice, his sharp eyes and quick mind. For a four-year-old, she was dreadfully witty at times, silencing easily both her parents with a saucy comment or two.
Maru was looking at the scene as well. "You're cool with her calling you just 'Tora'?" He shook his head. "It sounds a bit cold, you know."
Tora laughed. "No, it's fine. Actually, Hiroto was worried about that too when Mai was learning to speak. 'Why're you calling him just Tora all the time?' he once asked Mai. She calls Saga dad, and she has mother, so Hiroto was thinking that maybe Mai wasn't accepting me as a part of their family. Mai asked how she should call me, then, and Hiroto just muttered something about dad, to which Mai wittily replied that she already has one dad."
Maru grinned. "What happened next?"
Tora smiled at the memory. "Then Hiroto suggested calling me Uncle. It seemed illogical to Mai too. 'I have three Uncles, Uncle Hiroto, Uncle Shou and Uncle Nao. Tora isn't my uncle, is he?' You should've seen it, Hiroto was at total loss for words. After that, he dropped the issue. I'm not Mai's dad or uncle -I'm her Tora, and it's good that way." He stole a glance at the man standing by him; Maru had never been flashily joyful -he was more of a sarcastic type, if anything- but today, even though still amused by the guitarist's story, he seemed tired. "You okay?" Tora changed the topic softly.
Maru rubbed his eyes, and after blinking a few times, he cleared his throat. "Yeah. I visited Shunsuke's grave and it's just... Still hard. To see that lifeless, cold stone, all that's left of him. Shun, he had so many wonderful attributes to him, an exanimate stone just doesn't..." His voice cracked. There was a deep gasp before Maru continued, this time sounding slightly calmer: "Sorry. I'm actually going to see Seika and Tsukasa soon. We've been doing that for a few years now around the time of the anniversary, a few beers at a bar and maybe some ramen afterwards. A little tradition of ours, guess. " He kept his eyes at Saga and Mai as he added: "You're welcome to join us, too, of course."
A wave of sympathy washed over the guitarist, and it felt surprisingly painful. Tora closed his eyes for a bit. "Give my regards to Tsukasa and Seika. Mai's with us today, so..."
Maru's expression softened. "It's okay. I tell the guys you said hi. Come see Seika's live sometime, will you? It'd be fun to have a small gathering, with all of you."
Tora nodded. "Sure. We'll call you about that."
Maru smiled again, the expression being a ghost of what it had used to be only some years ago, and waved a hand as a goodbye. As he was about to leave, Tora placed a hand gently on his shoulder, desperately wanting to say something, anything, of value. "Take care," he eventually murmured, giving the slender shoulder a pat before pulling his hand back. Maru kept his eyes away as he nodded once more, heavily, before turning around and walking away, soon disappearing from the guitarist's sight.
"Has Uncle Maru lost a friend?" Mai's clear voice interrupted after a long moment of silence, her round face tilted to the left in a surprised manner.
Saga, who had seen it was for the best to chase Mai away from the boys before trouble could brew, gave Tora a quick, worn-out glance before he wrapped his arms around his daughter and hoisted her up. "Yeah, he did," he answered the girl's question gently, making sure Mai could see his face when he spoke. "He... Went away. Maru-kun hadn't expected that, so he's a little sad."
Her face crunched up as she processed her father's words. "That's stupid," she finally announced briskly. "Stupid crap. Friends aren't supposed to leave you alone."
Tora quirked a brow. "Saga," he muttered from the corner of his mouth, "How many times have I told you to watch your tongue in her presence?"
The brunette's lips pursed up. "I'm sorry. But," he added quickly, giving Mai a confidential look as fixing her position in his arms, "I think I'm with Mai on this one. What happened with Shunsuke is stupid crap." Then he nodded solemnly at his daughter, who replied with a similar theatrical expression. Tora rolled his eyes, deciding to let it be for the time being. Later on, there would be another talk with Saga about the parental vocabulary he was supposed to use (and 'crap' definitely wasn't a part of it -although, Tora had to hand it to his lover, Saga could've used far more colorful expressions), another talk with Mai on 'How you shouldn't repeat everything your dad says in public places' and probably, as both of the talks would turn out rather infertile, there'd be a third discussion that would involve him, Shou, a lot of cursing and vodka shots.
"I don't know about you guys," Saga began after another pause, "But I could really use a huge, fattening ice cream sundae now."
Mai's face brightened up instantly at the word 'ice cream'. "Can we go to an ice cream restaurant? I want to be a lady today!"
By 'restaurant' Mai actually meant an ice cream bar. She found it fancy to sit at a table, pretending to be an important adult whilst giving her order to the waiter. Saga had to admit it, buying cones from a kiosk or a convenience store didn't have the same magic. "Sure," he promised willingly.
"Can we ask Uncles to come too?" Mai suggested when they left the playground. "Uncle Nao likes ice cream too."
Saga bit on his lower lip, feverishly swallowing back a laughter. "Yeah, you're right, we should call them." He gave his iPhone for the girl who enthusiastically started calling his Uncles through.
Tora weaved his fingers with Saga's. "You know what else we should do?" he whispered.
"Go and visit Shunsuke tomorrow," Saga replied calmly, while keeping an eye on his daughter and his expensive cell phone.
The guitarist squished the brunette's hand lightly. "Yeah. Let's ask if Nao could pick the flowers. He's good at stuff like that."
"What are you talking about?" Mai wrapped her arms around Saga's neck, curiously gaping at the guitarist.
Tora released Saga's hand to ruffle the girl's hair. "Nothing, beautiful, nothing. Have you already decided what flavor you want today?"
"Chocolate and mint!"
"Chocolate and mint it is, then."
a/n: Rest in peace, beautiful♥ Jrockers tend to shuffle off this mortal coil pretty damn too often, so maybe it's surprising it took this long for me to encounter death, fandom-wise. I hadn't known Shunsuke was sick, so everything came as a complete surprise. It's been a month now, and it still feels somehow surreal :(