Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ Because of You ❯ Chapter 7 ( Chapter 7 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

 

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Chapter 7

 

“I'm sorry about the girls, Shindou-san,” Fujisaki sighed as they walked through the lobby.

 

“Nay! Don't worry about it, Fujisaki. They were just excited.”

 

“Well, yeah, I guess so, but still. I think they got kinda carried away.”

 

Shuichi shrugged it off. “It's fine.” He giggled, grinning brightly. “It was kinda fun actually!”

 

Fujisaki gapped at his friend. “Fun?” He sighed, shaking his head in amazement. “Only you would think getting mauled by a bunch of girls was `fun'.”

 

Shuichi laughed loudly. “It was like old times.” He patted the smaller man on the back, still grinning. “Don't worry about it, Fujisaki. Really, they were harmless. Any of us would have done the same thing in their shoes.”

 

With a raised eyebrow, Fujisaki glanced at the man out of the corner of his eye. “Yeah, right,” Fujisaki said. “You maybe. I, on the other hand, would have more self-control-”

 

A loud bark cut off the keyboardist, causing both men to jump. Shuichi and Fujisaki looked around and saw Hiro walking towards them, chuckling.

 

“And what, pray tell, is so funny?” Fujisaki demanded of his lover, crossing his arms.

 

Chuckling, Hiro laid a hand over the smaller man's shoulder, shaking his head. “Are you telling me that if you had the chance to meet Dorothy Donegan, Jelly Roll Morton-”

 

Blushing, Fujisaki shook off Hiro's hand and stalked away with a `humph'. “Of course not,” he said over his shoulder.

 

Shuichi just glanced from one man to the other, confused.

 

“Uh, huh,” Hiro chuckled, following him.

 

“I'm no stupid fanboy, Hiro,” Fujisaki continued, unconvincingly.

 

“Suuure, Fujisaki.”

 

“I know how to control myself.” Fujisaki flopped down into an armchair in the sitting area of the lobby of NG, his arms still crossed over his chest and a determined look on his face.

 

Hiro sat down in another chair, grinning madly at his lover.

 

Shuichi scratched his head in confusion as he walked over to the others and sat down on the couch. “Who's this Jelly Roll and Dorothy whatever?” he questioned.

 

“No one you'd know,” Fujisaki said dismissively.

 

Shuichi glanced from a chuckling Hiro to a furiously blushing Fujisaki, still confused.

 

“Anyway,” Fujisaki said, changing the subject. He threw one last look at his boyfriend before turning towards Shuichi. “Have you given it any thought? Appearing on the girls' album I mean,” he clarified at Shuichi's blank look.

 

“Oh! Um…” Shuichi sighed heavily and sat back on the almost too comfortable sofa. He stared out the all glass front lobby, staring out at the sun as it slipped behind the buildings, the day rapidly fading. “I really don't know,” he said truthfully in a soft voice. He bit his lip. “I mean…,” he sighed, his voice fading. He cupped his chin in his palm.

 

Hiro slid forward, sitting on the edge of his seat and clasped his hands between his knees. He stared intently at his friend. “You don't have to do it, Shuichi,” he reminded him.

 

“Hmm. I know,” Shuichi mumbled. Dropping his hand, he stared at his linked hands in his lap. “It's not that I don't want to do it,” he told them. “Because I do!” His face brightened and a flash of the old Shuichi zipped across his face. “I really would love to sing again!” His face fell. “It's just that…” He sighed. “I don't know.”

 

“It's alright if you're scared,” Hiro told his friend softly.

 

Fujisaki stared from his lover to Shuichi, wide eyed. “'Scared'?” That was the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard of in his entire life.

 

Hiro swatted Fujisaki.

 

“Ow!” the younger man cried, rubbing his sore arm. “Hiro! What-?”

 

Hiro gave him a look, shaking his head. “No one could blame you if you were, Shuichi. It's been how long? Seven years?”

 

Shuichi shook his head. “It's not that,” he denied. At least, not entirely, he thought, though he had to admit as much as singing and being up on stage excited him, it also frightened him, thinking about all those eyes on him. What if nobody cared about him anymore as a singer? What if they thought he was just old and all used up? He hated rejection just as much, or if not more so, then being ignored.

 

“Then what's wrong?”

 

Shuichi turned to stare outside. “I'm not the same as I was six, seven years ago. A lot has happened. I'm married, have children and…”

 

“The accident.”

 

“Yeah.” Shuichi nodded. “As much as I would love to get back into the studio…I don't think I could do that again. Besides, I wouldn't be able to…I mean, I can't just up and move Eiri and the boys to Tokyo. Keitaro and Kane are in kindergarten. And then there's Kira… I can't…I don't want to move to Tokyo and leave them all in Nara.” He shook his head. “There's a lot to consider.”

 

“Shindou-san-!” Fujisaki exclaimed.

 

“You have that studio at your house, right?” Hiro asked.

 

Shuichi turned towards his friend and nodded a confused expression on his face. “Yeah,” he drawled.

 

Hiro exchanged a look with Fujisaki. “Well, you could always work out of there. I mean, you would have to come into Tokyo occasionally, or you could work around Yuki-san and the boy's schedule, ya know? Bring them with you? Get a tutor?”

 

Shuichi stared at Hiro, deep in thought.

 

Fujisaki nodded. “I'm sure Tohma would be more than willing to agree to any demands you have, Shindou-san.”

 

Shuichi leaned back in the sofa. He was sure that Seguchi would as well, but still…it's not an easy decision. “I don't…I don't know.”

 

“That's fine, Shu. You don't have to decide right away.”

 

That was a relief because if he would have had to, he would have turned the offer down flat. As it was, he would have to sit down with Eiri and discuss the whole thing.

 

“Oh! By the way, Shu.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“What song did you write for the girls?”

 

“Oh! It was a song I wrote with Eiri.”

 

That surprised Hiro. “You co-wrote a song with Yuki-san?”

 

Shuichi grinned, his whole face beaming. He bounced happily. Sliding to the edge of the sofa, he grabbed the lip of the cushions and nodded. “Yep! Actually, Seguchi wanted each of us to write a song for them, but…When I was done with mine, I let Eiri read it and surprisingly, for some reason, our songs were similar, so we decided to combine them.”

 

Fujisaki nodded. “I was surprised when I heard it for the first time.”

 

“You heard it, Su?” Hiro asked him.

 

“Yeah, it's very depressing and gloomy.”

 

“Depressing?” Hiro turned towards Shuichi. “That doesn't sound like you, Shu.”

 

Shuichi shrugged. “That's just what came out,” he admitted, trying for nonchalance. Actually, he wrote the song about the same time he started working on his bibliography.

 

Just thinking about his memoir sitting at home waiting patiently for his return, caused him to shudder. Maybe it had been a bad idea to agree to write it. He really did not want anything more to do with that evil thing. It brought back too many memories, most good, but also some bad ones he would do anything to forget.

 

A fine trembling shook his body as he remembered what he was in the middle of writing about. He clasped his hands tightly in his lap, his knuckles turning white. His thoughts naturally linked the book he was he writing to the late night phone call from his mother informing him of the passing of his grandfather. His throat constricted over a sudden sob. Tears stung his eyes.

 

Was it fair to miss someone who you have had nothing to do with for twenty years?

 

Hiro and Fujisaki exchanged a knowing look.

 

“What's it called?” Hiro asked his friend, snapping the other man out of his thoughts.

 

Shuichi blinked, confused, as he tried to switch gears. “'Lastly'.”

 

“What's it about?”

 

“Well.” Shuichi scratched his head, grateful to Hiro for distracting him away from those black thoughts. “It's…um, well, it's about this couple who falls in love, but nobody believes the two of them should be together. They'll do whatever it takes to separate them.”

 

Hiro glanced at his lover and saw that he was thinking the same thing he was. The storyline sounded vaguely familiar.

 

“Then there's an accident. His partner rushes to the hospital, but it's too late. Upset and depressed over the death of his partner, he ends up killing himself.”

 

Hiro blinked, shocked. “Jeeze, Shuichi.”

 

Shuichi nodded. He stared at his hands clasped between his knees, his chest tight.

 

“I don't know if I should ask you this, but could you sing some of it?”

 

“Sure,” he whispered. His voice cracked. Clearing his throat, he sat up straight. Closing his eyes, he cleared his throat and hummed a few bars. When he got the melody in his head, he belted out the entire song. His melodious voice filled the lobby, sounding almost angelic, ethereal as it bounced off the surface, echoing back at them.

 

The song was everything Fujisaki said it was. It was a tale of star struck lovers who wanted to be together and defied everyone and everything in order to do so. The only things on their side were Fate, Destiny and Gravity. It was also very deceiving. There were moments where it seemed as if everything would finally be all right. There were promises of better times ahead, but then everything came crashing to a grinding halt.

 

The last note faded. Shuichi opened his eyes, tears flowing down his face. He wiped at them with the heel of his hand and sniffed. He lifted his head and was shocked to see them crying as well.

 

“Wow,” Hiro breathed, shocked. “That was great Shuichi. Kinda depressing, but great.”

 

“Yeah,” Fujisaki agreed. “It's different with the music. It doesn't sound as heartbreaking and you clearly hear the more uplifting moments. It might be the acoustic sound of the lobby that amplifies the emotion behind the song, but there's this lilt at the end that makes you think that it all works out.”

 

“Yeah, there is,” Shuichi agreed, his voice soft. “They're finally together.” He jumped when he heard the sudden sound sweet tinkling. He breathed deeply, trying to calm his racing heart. “Hello?” A grin spread across his face, chasing away the last of the shadows.

 

“Baka.”

 

“I take it, that's from Yuki-san?” Hiro guessed, whispering.

 

Shuichi nodded. “You done?” he asked.

 

“Yeah, we're outside.”

 

Shuichi strained his neck to glance around Hiro and saw his husband's jeep waiting out front. “Okay. I'll be out in a sec,” he said standing up from the couch.

 

“I was going to text you, but then Keitaro said you forgot your glasses at your parent's house.”

 

Shuichi felt his face grow warm as he flushed in embarrassment. “Well, it's not my fault!” he protested in his defense. “I'm not used to wearing them.”

 

“Whatever. Just get out here. The boys are starving.”

 

“I wanna go to McDonalds,” Shuichi heard Kane shout.

 

“I hate McDonalds,” Keitaro said.

 

Shuichi giggled. “Okay, I'll be out in a sec.”

 

“Fine.”

 

Snapping his phone shut, Shuichi hooked it back onto his belt.

 

“What aren't you used to wearing, Shu?” Hiro asked.

 

“Huh? Oh, my glasses.”

 

Hiro and Fujisaki blinked.

 

“I didn't know you wore glasses,” Fujisaki said.

 

“When did you start wearing them?” Hiro asked.

 

Shuichi shrugged. “Just recently. I need them to read, but I forget all about them and when I try to read something, the boys laugh at me because I have to hold it away from my face in order to see what it says.”

 

An angry honk shattered the still afternoon.

 

Shuichi glanced outside and saw Eiri gesture widely at him, a frustrated expression on his face. “Oh!” he cried, his eyes wide. “I gotta go! The boys're hungry. I'll see ya later.” He waved and ran out of the building.

 

Hiro and Fujisaki watched the singer jog towards the waiting black truck. Shuichi opened the door, swung inside and closed the door behind him. He leaned over and kissed his husband. Then the truck signaled and pulled into traffic with a loud squeal.

 

“I hope he decides to do it,” Fujisaki said, breaking the silence.

 

Hiro nodded. “Me, too, but I understand his reluctance.”

 

*

 

The second day of the Wake was much like the first, but this time there was more formality, flowers, and time spent greeting relatives and friends. Eiri met Shuichi's aunts and uncles, great aunts and uncles, cousins, second cousins, third cousins and their families. Coworkers and neighbors of his grandparents. There were relatives of relatives, relatives of relatives of relatives, friends and friends of friends. It seemed like the whole city had come for the second day of mourning. He was grateful when Shuichi and he were finally able to get away.

 

Eiri slowed to a stop before a red light, yawning.

 

Shuichi cuddled deeper into the passenger seat and reached over and placed a hand on his husband's thigh, giving it a little squeeze. “Tired?”

 

“Hm.”

 

“Me, too.” He proved it by yawning loudly. “It's been a long day.”

 

The light turned green and Eiri hurled forward.

 

Shuichi removed his hand. He did not want to distract Eiri while he was driving. He stared out the window at the scenery that zoomed past in a blur of color.

 

He still had no idea what he was going to do. Eiri and he talked about it last night after the boys were put to bed, but the only thing Eiri would say was, “I'll support you, whatever you do.” That did not help him much. It was a nice sentiment and he was glad that he had the support of his husband, but it did not help his decision.

 

“I could take it slowly. Ya know? One step at a time?”

 

Eiri glanced at Shuichi out of the corner of his eye. “What're you muttering about?”

 

“Huh?” Shuichi blinked, confused, and then realized he must have spoken that last out loud. “Oh, nothing. I was talking to myself. Thinking out loud.”

 

“Uh, huh!”

 

“Oh! Don't forget that Kei and Kai are coming over later.”

 

Eiri nodded. “Ya, I remember,” he sighed.

 

“Oh and before I forget. We have to get to the funeral parlor a little earlier tomorrow. The Kokubetsu Shiki (Announcing-the- Departure) is at nine.”

 

“Nine? Why so early? Don't they usually begin a little later than that?”

 

Shuichi shrugged. “I don't know.”

 

Eiri sighed heavily. Great. That meant that they had to get up extra early just so they could wake, dress and fed the boys and get them to Nakano's. Great. Just great. God, he hated funerals. “What about the Nobe no Okuri (Putting Out to Pasture)? Are they going to do it?”

 

“As far as I know. I don't see why they wouldn't display Grandpa's body one last time.”

 

“Did you ask what our contribution should be?”

 

“No. I'll ask Mom when we get home. Probably 10,000, but I really don't know. I mean he did disown me.”

 

Eiri nodded. “True, but you never know.” He glanced at Shuichi out of the corner of his eye. “He did try contacting you the other week, didn't he?”

 

Shuichi bit his lip.

 

“And you are one of the oldest grandchildren, right?”

 

“Yeah,” he said over a yawn.

 

“So, that means, it should be 30,000.”

 

Shuichi shrugged as he stared distantly out the window. “Yeah, but that was before he disowned me, but I'll just have to ask Mom.”

 

Eiri pulled into the parking lot of Nakano and Fujisaki's apartment. He pulled into the closest spot he could find to the main entrance and shut off the engine. They sat in the rapidly heating car, listening to the car click. Silence lay heavy around them.

 

Eiri reached out and clasped Shuichi's hands, lacing their fingers together. His husbands hand was cold, clammy and trembling. He ran his thumb along Shuichi's knuckles. Giving his hand a squeeze, he lifted the smaller hand and kissed it. It was just a light brush of lips.

 

Shuichi turned his head to glance at Eiri, smiling.

 

Eiri leaned forward and brushed their lips together. Pulling away, he whispered, “We can always let Nakano and Fujisaki watch the boys for a little while longer,” he suggested huskily.

 

Shuichi took a shuddered breath. His eyes gleamed with interest.

 

Smirking, Eiri kissed a trail along Shuichi's jaw and down his neck.

 

“We- Ah! We can't,” Shuichi moaned as his husband nibbled on the side of his neck. “Kei and- Ah!” He covered Eiri's hand that was cupping him. “Mm, Eiri,” he gasped when his husband squeezed him.

 

Eiri captured his lips and devoured him. He kissed him like he would jump down his throat. He slipped a hand up Shuichi's shirt and massaged his nipple to life, pinching and tweaking the awakening bud.

 

“Ngh! Ah!” Shuichi could not think, not with Eiri touching him and kissing him. Damn Eiri. And he thought he knew how to get his way. Grabbing Eiri's shoulders, Shuichi pushed him away forcibly and reached for his cell phone, panting heavily.

 

“Shu?” Eiri questioned him, his chest heaving. His pants were uncomfortably tight.

 

Raising a finger, Shuichi dialed his friends number from memory and listened to it ring.

 

“Hello?” shouted a voice over what sounded like chaos.

 

Shuichi held the phone away from his ear, wincing at the cacophony of noise that blasted over the line. He could hear the television all too clearly. It sounded like they were watching a baseball game. Fujisaki was screaming above the loud wails that could only be Kira at Kane, it sounded like, who was laughing his signature high pitched squeals. Then he heard Keitaro snap something that he had been warned several times never to say before a door was slammed somewhere in the background.

 

He exchanged a look with Eiri, who was chuckling, a mischievous gleam in his eye. Shuichi swatted him, which only caused Eiri to laugh harder at poor Nakano and Fujisaki's troubles.

 

“Hey, Hiro!” Shuichi shouted back. “I would ask how it's going but I can hear!”

 

Hiro groaned.

 

Shuichi heard the sound of movement and the noise dimmed.

 

“Shu, how the hell do you do it?”

 

Shuichi shrugged. “They're not that bad at home.” He heard Hiro and Eiri snort at the same time. Shuichi threw his husband another glare.

 

“Lucky you.”

 

“Keitaro's usually stuck in the office with Eiri reading and writing. Kane's usually outside or at a friend's house and Kira…well, he just doesn't like anyone but Eiri and me.”

 

“Great,” Hiro snorted. “So, you done?”

 

Shuichi winched. It sounded like he was pleading. Besides him, Eiri chuckled. Shuichi glared at him yet again. Eiri looked at him innocently.

 

“Actually, not yet. Maybe an hour or two?”

 

Hiro sighed heavily.

 

“Just order pizza or take them out for ice cream and they should be fine.”

 

“Alright, Shu. Just-”

 

There was a muffled but unmistakable sound of something shattering.

 

Hiro cursed, and then sighed. “I gotta go, Shu. Just…hurry!”

 

Before Shuichi could say anything, he was listening to silence. Holding the phone away, he stared at it blankly. Giggling, he shook his head and snapped his phone shut, replacing it on the middle console. “I feel kinda bad for him.”

 

Eiri snorted. “That makes one of us. Now,” he smirked, sliding a hand on his husband's thigh.

 

Shuichi turned to look at Eiri as his fingers tickled his cock through the thin black cotton pants. He sucked in his breath and shuddered.

 

“Where were we?” he asked, leaning forward until their breathed mingled.

 

***

 

A/N: Dorothy Donegan is an underground jazz performer who is considered one of the best piano players among those who've heard her. Jelly Roll Morton “was an influential pianist and the first important composer and arranger in jazz.” (Popular Music and the Underground).