Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ Splinters of a Song ❯ = interlude = ( Chapter 4 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

= Splinters of a Song =

Warnings and disclaimers same as in the Prologue. Nothing has changed much from that one to this one. Ryuuichi POV again. Mention of Ryuuichi x Touma in this part, as well as some references to ep. three of the anime.
Author notes: I am working on the fifth part to the story but the muses decided in their evil ways to hint at how Nittle Grasper first got together. I am drawing on a lot of stuff that probably wouldn't happen in real life but who knows how far RL copies fiction. The ages are as accurate as I can figure them out and the time of this session is probably about early March sometime so Ryuu and Noriko will be younger than Touma. Hopefully it won't make too much nonsense to anyone reading this.

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= Interlude =

The brown haired teen looked too thin for the clothing he wore. Touma looked at the young man, unimpressed with his appearance. Already they had several possible singers for their group lined up, all of them flashier looking in clothing that would do a professional band proud. Touma barely even knew this kid from some of his classes; he was quiet and sat in the back row but smart if the grade curve was any indication.

He did have the light coloring that marked him as being a descendant of either mixed blood or of the mountain people in northern Japan. Chestnut brown hair with lighter copper streaks through the heavier darks strands, pale skin and a pair of brilliant blue eyes like the calm sea, yet all in all, Touma didn't think much of him. He did not look like someone who knew how to sing, let alone anyone who set the stage on fire. But he did make the addition open and even though he had several possibilities lined up, he had yet to hear anyone that could match him and Noriko's keyboards.

The brunette dropped a battered book bag onto the floor and nudged it into an out of the way corner, clearing his throat and glancing at Touma then at Noriko. Again Touma wondered about the wisdom of him and Noriko trying out for the Spring Festival this year. It was only their first year together trying out this band idea and they had plenty of time before they would really need to look for a singer for the senior festival, but both of them felt the time was right. This chemistry between the two of them needed something more in order to be anything but a pipe dream of success.

"Sakuma Ryuuichi," the teen said in a soft voice, flashing a slight smile at the two of them. He relaxed a little, standing a little straighter. "Second class sophomore, age 16. You w. . . wanted a singer?"

Touma noted the voice. Soft, with good pitch and timber, but not loud enough to over power a concert hall full of people yelling and screaming. But Ryuuichi was just talking right now. Who knows, maybe he had a lot more power when he sang.

"Seguchi Touma, second class, age 17," Touma replied, nodding in greeting.

"Inoue Noriko, junior classman age 14," the lavender haired girl piped up from behind her keyboard. She and Touma met at the Music Club when school started. The blond was playing on his keyboard when he found the hyper girl working a counterpoint harmony to his random notes. Later they talked and played a few more songs and next thing they knew they were calling themselves Nittle Grasper after a weird drink Noriko's mom invented.

Ryuuichi gave her a startled look, one eyebrow raised and his mouth opening slightly as if he was about to ask a question. Then glancing over at Touma, he snapped his mouth shut and fiddled with the edge of his shirt cuffs, shifting back and forth on his feet. He was constantly in motion, Touma noted, never still and always looking at everything with bright inquisitive eyes.

"Okay, Ryuuichi-san, all we want to do is hear you sing one of these songs we have here. . ." Touma began holding out a handful of music sheets stapled together.

Ryuuichi waved it away. "I don't need them."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. "I heard the others singing so I can pretty much guess how the words fall. If not then it's my bad, right?"

Touma and Noriko exchanged another glance then Touma shrugged. If the brunette wanted to do things the hard way, then it was his choice. Setting the music sheets aside, the blonde moved behind his precious keyboard and flipped on the drum track. One loop was played with just drums then Noriko picked up the drums' beat with her keyboard's guitar riffs and base. Then Touma filled in the spaces with layers of sounds, building it up to the crescendo where the vocals were to kick in. This was the hardest part of the test. Only three out of the countless people managed to start on the right beat at the right moment. And out of those three only one had enough air to carry the note then break into the full melody without losing air at the wrong break.

Ryuuichi caught the note, hit it on the right beat and his voice was soaring. There was no breaks, no unscheduled pauses. The first phrase of words flowed from his lips in a throaty, sexy tenor purr, and the carrying power of that voice barely needing the small microphone to amplify over the combined keyboards. Touma's fingers nearly stumbled over the next part and he heard Noriko's fingers miss a chord as Ryuuichi moved with the song, slender body swaying, brilliant eyes sliding half shut looking like pure sin. Touma could almost feel something build in the air, feel the small rehearsal room grow too hot yet it felt like he was miles away, completely above the pains of his body as he felt the last piece click in place.

Then reality came crashing down on them hard and they were back in that school rehearsal room with dust motes dancing on the slanted rays of sunlight through the high glazed windows. Ryuuichi's voice and the final chords of the keyboards still echoed in the tiny room. Touma's fingers shook as he pulled them away from his keyboard. Noriko blew some lavender strands from her eyes and stared at Touma before looking at Ryuuichi. The brunette was shifting from foot to foot, the mic still in one hand.

"Ryuuichi, I think you are perfect for the part," Touma finally said. Noriko cheered and rushed to glomp the brunette while Touma looked on.