Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ This I Promise You ❯ More Surprises and More Changes ( Chapter 25 )

This I Promise You

Prequel to: Because of You

Written by: Chocho

Disclaimer: I do not own Gravitation

Story summary: Everybody assured him Rinjin Yasashii was just another obsessed fan with a crush and that there was nothing to worry about. Little did they know how wrong they all were.

Chapter summary: “They are a band that suffered a tremendous and devastating blow earlier this year. Everybody thought that was the end for them, but I'm here to say that everybody was wrong. Ladies and Gentlemen, it my pleasure to welcome back to the stage…Bad Luck!” He stepped back and swept his hand towards the stage.

Warnings: M-preg, explicit sex, language

Key: [Blah] or Blah blah blah: flashback/dream

BLAH or Blah: stressed words

*: change in POV or time

 

***

 

Chapter 25: More Surprises and More Changes

 

 

The door to the waiting room opened and the same nurse from Shuichi and Eiri's last visit escorted them into one of the examination rooms. While Eiri sat down in one of the chairs, the nurse told Shuichi to take a seat down on the examination table.

 

“Dr. Amano will be here in a few minutes.”

 

“Thank you,” Shuichi said brightly. He planted his hands behind him and leaned back, swinging his legs. He stared around him at the various posters pinned to the walls that dealt with different aspects of pregnancy and childbirth. He could not stop a smirk that crossed his face.

 

“Did you speak to Hiro?” Eiri asked him suddenly.

 

Shuichi stopped swinging his legs and turned a smiling face towards his husband. “Yep. I told them we were going to have a baby.” His grin broadened. “They didn't believe me at first, of course. Well, Michael and Suguru didn't, but Kai, Kei and Hiro did and then soon Michael did and they all said congratulations and decided that after the performance they were going to throw us a baby shower! But I don't know if Fujisaki'll come because he still thinks I'm lying.” An angry frown crossed his face. “But what does he know? Fujisaki-”

 

Eiri sighed, groaning and closed his eyes briefly.

 

“Huh?” Shuichi blinked at the man, concerned. “Eiri? What's wrong? Are you-“

 

The rest of what he was going to say was cut off as the door opened and Dr. Amano walked in, his file in her hands. “Hello, Shindou-san, Uesgui-san.” To bowed to both of them.

 

“Doctor,” Eiri greeted politely.

 

Shuichi was filled with so much energy; he was practically bursting at the seams. “Dr. Amano! Am I really, really pregnant?”

 

Dr. Amano chuckled. “Yes, Shindou-san. You are.”

 

“Baka,” Eiri snapped. “Stop it! Sit the fuck still! You wanna…” He waved his hand as he tried to find the right words. “…dislodge the thing?”

 

Gasping, Shuichi immediately sat still, the color draining from his face. His hands flew to his stomach, his eyes wide.

 

“Don't worry, Uesugi-san,” Dr. Amano chuckled. “He's still in the early stages. While he should take it easy throughout the whole pregnancy, he should not been confined to the bed or the couch.”

 

Shuichi sighed in relief and stuck his tongue out at his husband. Eiri sighed and shook his head. Despite what the doctor said, that was exactly what he wanted to do.

 

“Now Shindou-san if you would, could you take your shirt off and lie back?”

 

Eiri stood up and went to stand besides his pregnant husband. He glared at the woman suspiciously. “What're you going to do?”

 

“We're going to check and see what's happening inside of Shindou-san.”

 

Shuichi blinked as he finished unbuttoning his shirt. Slipping it off, he handed it to Eiri, who went to lay it on the back of the chair. “What d'you mean? How are you going to do that?” he asked as he lay back on the table.

 

“An ultrasound.”

 

“You mean we'll get to see our baby?”

 

“Yes, Shindou-san.”

 

Shuichi squealed and grabbed his husband's hand as he returned to his side. “Did you hear, Eiri? We'll get to see our baby!”

 

“I heard,” Eiri said, smiling gently down at the man.

 

“Okay, Shindou-san,” Dr. Amano said as she walked around the examination table, a paper blanket in her hand. “If you can lower your pants just a little bit, I'll lay this on your lap and we can get started, all right?”

 

“How far?”

 

“To just below your hips.”

 

After doing as he was instructed, Dr. Amano laid the paper blanket over his lap and started spreading the gel over his abdomen. The singer giggled and squirmed.

 

“Baka,” Eiri snapped.

 

“What? It's cold,” Shuichi whined.

 

“Your baby'll show up on this screen here,” Dr. Amano said, pointing to what looked like a computer monitor. She took what Shuichi thought looked like a microphone with the round part at the top hacked off and placed in on the singer's stomach.

 

Shuichi glanced up at his lover. Catching his eye, he smiled. Eiri squeezed their still linked hands.

 

“Ah! There he is,” came the doctor's exclamation after several minutes. She stepped aside and pointed to the black and white screen. “Right there. Do you see him?”

 

Eiri squinted where the obstetrician was pointing. He saw nothing other than a lot of nothing. It was like looking into a black and white abyss. He saw no baby.

 

Shuichi squealed and squeezed the life out of Eiri's hand, tugging his arm. The writer winced. “Oo! Oo! Eiri! I see him! I see our baby!” He smiled through the tears that gathered in his eyes. “Do you see?”

 

“He's curled up into a little ball. His head is here at the top,” Dr. Amano pointed out.

 

He still could not see his son. It was like when you go to see a psychologist and he asked you to tell him what you see in an inkblot. What did he see? A whole lot of money just thrown down the drain. “I still see no baby.”

 

Dr. Amano nodded, her eyes never leaving the screen. “That's all right. A lot of people find it difficult to make out anything in the early stages, especially if the baby is hiding.”

 

Shuichi giggled. “He isn't hiding.”

 

Eiri snorted and threw Shuichi a side-glance. “He is your son,” he smirked.

 

“Yep,” Shuichi chuckled, beaming with pride.

 

“This is little bum, his legs and his arms. Would you like to know the sex of the baby,” she asked, smiling over her shoulder at them.

 

Eiri and Shuichi glanced at each other. Shuichi did not care what the gender of his child was. Just the fact that he could give Eiri a family was more than enough, but it would be nice to know in advance. It would make things a lot easier when they got the nursery ready and started buying baby clothes and things, though the surprise would be cool as well.

 

“Eiri?”

 

Eiri really did not care either way, though he privately admitted that he did want a son. “Sure,” he finally said with a shrug.

 

Dr. Amano nodded and turned back to the monitor. Her forehead creased in deep concentration. She shifted the instrument around, the gel making a nauseous squishing sound. After a couple minutes, a smile crossed her face. “Congratulations. It looks like it's a boy.”

 

“A boy?”

 

“Yes, Shindou-san.”

 

Shuichi laughed over a sob as tears spilled down his cheeks. He turned his head and grinned at Eiri happily. “We're going to have a son, Eiri,” he cried.

 

Eiri reached out and brushed away his husband's tears, smiling.

 

“Oh,” Dr. Amano cried suddenly. “Well, well. What do we have here?”

 

“Huh?” Shuichi turned his attention back to the doctor, his heart pounding in fearful anticipation. “What's wrong? What happened? Is it-“

 

Dr. Amano shook her head, grinning. “Don't worry, Shindou-san. Nothing's wrong. In fact, it seems as if you have a stow away.”

 

Eiri's eyes widened. He had known that either their baby had been conceived while Shuichi was still in his coma, or there was some other reason why the singer was getting so large so quickly.

 

Shuichi blinked in confusion. “A stow away? I don't understand. How can there be a stow away? Don't-“

 

“Idiot! It means there're two in there.”

 

“T-two?” He stared wide eyed at Eiri. He had known about the possibility, but…

 

“Are you sure?” Eiri asked his face carefully blank.

 

“Yep.” Dr. Amano smiled. “Congratulations, Shindou-san, Uesgui-san. It looks like you're having twins.”

 

Shuichi covered his mouth as he began sobbing. Tears flooded down his face, blurring his vision. He turned his head, staring at his boys on the screen and smiled. “Our boys,” he choked out.

 

Eiri, his throat feeling uncomfortably tight, bent down and enveloped Shuichi within his arms, holding him tightly. He buried his suspiciously wet face in the singer's soft black tresses. “I Love you,” he whispered.

 

“I know,” Shuichi sobbed back.

 

*

 

The next morning as Shuichi was being driven to work, he thought back to what Eiri had told him the day before on their way home from the hospital.

 

“Shu-chan, I want you to do a different song for your performance.”

 

“Okay,” he said, his hands lying protectively over his stomach.

 

Eiri blinked in surprise and turned to look at his husband curiously. That was too easy, he thought. “You're not going to argue?”

 

Shuichi shook his head. “I've been thinking about doing a different song anyway,” he admitted truthfully.

 

Golden hazel eyes fell to the small hands that rubbed lazy circles over a stomach just beginning to swell. Eiri rested a hand over Shuichi's. Shuichi had a glow about him that made him even more beautiful then before. Violet eyes lifted and locked with his. Eiri could not stop himself from smiling.

 

He really did not have a problem with doing a different song. Truthfully, once he learned there really was a bun in the oven, he had known that the chances of getting to perform a song like “Spicy Marmalade” were less than zero. Even if Dr. Amano said it was all right, as long as he took it easy, there was no way in hell Eiri was going let him go prancing around stage.

 

While he had no problem switching songs, the others might, especially Suguru. It had been hard enough to convince him to do the VMA's in the first place, but now that the show was just a little over a week away…?

 

Oh, boy! Today was going to be fun.

 

*

 

As was his usual style, Shuichi burst through the studio door all smiles with energy to spare. “Hey, guys,” he cried happily.

 

“Hey, Shu,” they all greeted.

 

“How was your doctor's appointment?” Kai asked his cousin.

 

Shuichi shut the door behind him and bounced across the room, his eyes sparkling. Giggling, he reached into his bag, pulled out a white card and handed it to Hiro. “Open it! Open it!”

 

“What is it?” Michael asked, curiously.

 

As the guitarist opened the card, Shuichi plopped down onto the couch next to him, bouncing and folded his hands in his lap to keep them from snatching the card and doing it for him. The others gathered around them.

 

Hiro gasped and his eyes widened as he studied the sonogram picture. He lifted shocked eyes to his best friend. “Shuichi! Is this…?”

 

A smile split Shuichi's face, nodding energetically. He bounced up from the couch and took the ultrasound picture from Hiro. “My first baby pictures!” He giggled. “I had to pry this out of Eiri's hands and threaten him with no sex in order to bring this in today.” He pointed to the two heads clearly labeled and showed the others. “Do you see? Twins!” He laughed gleefully, pointing at the black and white photo. “Twins!”

 

Suguru marched over and snatched the picture out of his old friend's hands. He studied it and could see nothing other than a bunch of black and white swirls. It was like looking at a cinnamon roll, but he could not see a baby, let alone two babies. The x-ray picture was clearly labeled, indicating where the heads and bodies were, but he still could not make anything out. “I don't see a damn thing,” he snapped. This whole thing was getting ridiculous. This joke was getting way out of hand.

 

Still smiling largely, Shuichi nodded. “Yeah, neither could Eiri.”

 

“Here, let me see it,” Kei said. Shuichi gave him the picture and the others crowded around to see the first images of the Shindou-Uesugi babies. “Wow, Shu. I can't believe it.”

 

“Congratulations, Shu. I'm happy for you,” Hiro said, hugging his friend.

 

“Thanks, Hiro,” Shuichi smiled, hugging him back. He pulled away and his smile faded. “But you won't be after I tell you this.”

 

“Uh, oh,” Michael said as he handed the picture back to Shuichi. “Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling?”

 

Shuichi smiled sadly, as he placed the black and white photo back in his bag.

 

Suguru's head snapped around. “Don't tell me you're backing out!”

 

“Backing out?” Shuichi's head snapped up. Why would Suguru even think something like that? “No,” he protested. “No, we're doing it!”

 

“Then, what's up?” Hiro asked.

 

“Well, uh…” How was he supposed to tell them that all the hard work they all have been doing was all for naught? “You see…”

 

“We're not going to do `Spicy Marmalade', are we?” the red haired guitarist guessed.

 

“What,” the others cried in shock and disbelief.

 

Suguru stared wide eyed at their singer. “You've got to be kidding!”

 

Shuichi smiled sheepishly at them, scratching his head. “I wish I was.”

 

Crying out, Bad Luck's young manager pulled at his hair and paced away from the source of his stress. “Shindou-san! How can you-! Do you have any idea-! Ugh!”

 

“I know and I'm sorry, but with this new turn of events, both Eiri and I…” Shuichi felt like such a heel for doing this to them, but there was nothing to be done about it. “We don't want to take the chance-“

 

Hiro laid a hand on his conflicted friends shoulder. “It's all right, Shu. We understand.”

 

“What!” Suguru turned to stare incredibly at the taller man. “Hir-Nakano-san!”

 

“At least tell me we're still doing `The Rage Beat'.”

 

“Of course! We can't disappoint a bunch of kids, can we?”

 

Knowing any protest he made was fruitless, Suguru sighed heavily and slumped down in the chair. “Okay. So, we can't do `Spicy Marmalade'. Then what do you suggest we do?”

 

“Well, I do have a few ideas,” Shuichi said, his eyes sparkling with mischief.

 

Suguru laid his head against the back of the chair and wished this were all just a bad dream.

 

*

 

The next week and a half went by in the blur of activity. Bad Luck perfected their acoustic, instrumental version of their very first song while on the other side of the city the all children's orchestra they had hired to accompany them the night of the award show worked on their bit for the performance. Together, they all came up with a suitable transition piece that would tie in “The Rage Beat” with the band's final song of the evening.

 

The song Shuichi had finally chosen had been quite a shock to them all, but at the same time, it suited the occasion very much.

 

When the change in songs became known to everyone else involved with the show, the band suddenly made a lot of enemies. They had already started the choreography, lighting, and pyrotechnics and decorating the stage. Now everything had to be changed, and at the last minute. They were not happy, but a large bonus from Seguchi-san and they were immediately singing a different tune as well.

 

Shuichi had no idea how their involvement in one of the biggest shows went undetected, but it did. Like Tohma said, only a few very select people knew Bad Luck was going to be there at the MCVMA's and they were sworn to secrecy. They even had to sign a contract promising they would not tell a soul until after the performance was over.

 

The day before the big day, the auditorium where the show was to be held was shut and locked down. Security was so tight you would think the Prime Minister or the royal family was inside instead of a rock band. Even they would have a difficult time gaining entrance, though. Only those people immediately involved with the show were allowed anywhere near the building as Bad Luck went through their whole performance for the first time. Everyone was in awe of the children who seemed much more together than the members of Bad Luck. There were a few glitches with light, sound and synchronizing, but they were quickly worked out.

 

The day of the actual performance dawned bright and clear. There was another dry run of the show, a few pre-award show awards were handed out and once again, the place was shut and locked down as the special guests went through their performance one last time.

 

Shuichi had never felt so nervous in his entire life. A herald of butterflies fluttered restlessly in the pit of his stomach. It had been over a year since he has been on a stage and he was scared shitless. He was so nervous about that night's performance, he felt nauseous, but at the same time, he felt…“excited” was too tame a word for how he was feeling. He was looking forward to finally being able to go up on stage and do what he loved to do.

 

This was his life. He loved being up on that stage and looking out at a sea of exultant fans screaming and having the best time of their lives. He loved it when they could sing the song with no help from him. He loved every single minute of it, but as much as he enjoyed what he did, there came a time when everyone needs a break, some time away and this was his. Besides, who said this was the end? Bad Luck might make a comeback some day.

 

*

 

With his earpiece in, Shuichi paced backstage, full of nervous energy as he waited for his cue to go on.

 

Because he had put on some weight due to his pregnancy, if his regular street clothes did not fit there was no way in hell his stage attire would fit. So, instead of the regular leather, vinyl or lace, he had coerced the costume department to let him go on stage in casual wear that consisted of a white button down shirt opened halfway to show off a plain black shirt, tucked into a pair of crisp new jeans. He had on his gold necklace; tiny gold hoops in his ears and of course his wedding ring. It was a nice change.

 

So far, nobody had any idea who the special guest performers were going to be. Many people suspected Nittle Grasper. Boy, were they in for a huge surprise! Even now, ten minutes before they were scheduled to go on, backstage was a scene of utter and complete chaos. The children's orchestra was in place on stage, ready for the signal to begin. Bad Luck was kept well hidden and away from everyone not involved with the performance.

 

Closing his eyes, Shuichi hummed, getting a feel for the music, and started his vocal exercises.

 

Right about now, they were giving away the last award of the night, which was the viewer's choice. Bad Luck had been the favorites this year to win, but unfortunately, they would not be able to accept their award in person if they won. Instead, they decided in the event they should win, someone would go up to receive it for them.

 

Shuichi squealed and clapped widely as Bad Luck's name was announced. “We won! We won,” he whispered. He became teary eyed as the whole place jumped to its feet. A deafening explosion of cheer rippled through the auditorium. An echoing cheer erupted backstage. The crewmembers grinned proudly and congratulated the band, clapping the singer on the back. Shuichi covered his mouth as he sobbed.

 

Through tear-blurred vision, Shuichi watched the television that had been set up backstage as the cameras confused in on Eiri sitting in the audience. The MC announced over the thunderous applause that accepting for Bad Luck was Yuki Eiri. Shuichi watched as his husband walked up to the stage and bowed politely to the presenters- some big shot actors that were all the hype back in the early and mid-nineties. He accepted the heavy, silver award and turned to stand at the podium.

 

Shuichi had never loved his husband more than he did right now. He knew how much Eiri hated doing this kind of thing and for him to get up on that stage in front of millions of people made him love him even more.

 

“Thank you,” Eiri said into the microphone as the place quieted. “I apologize that Bad Luck cannot be here to accept this award tonight, but Shuichi and I both wanted to thank you all for your prayers and get well cards. This has been a very difficult time for us and knowing his fans cared and supported him gave him the strength and the courage to be able to pull through and get better.”

 

Cheers and clapping followed this statement.

 

“So,” the writer continued, “once again thank you to all of the Bad Luck fans out there and everyone who made this possible. I know they would say that if it were not for you, they would not even be here today. Thank you.” He lifted the award and bowed as the place erupted into thunderous applause, but instead of being escorted off stage, Eiri stepped back and let the applause die down once again.

 

“One minute,” came the shout backstage as Eiri stepped back up to the microphone, slipping on his glasses so he could read the teleprompter. The lights backstage dim and if Shuichi thought there was chaos before, it escalated, ten fold.

 

Shuichi handed over his cane to one of the crewmembers and someone handed him his microphone. It would not be turned on until he was actually on stage. He was escorted to the bottom of the stairs that he would have to climb in order to get to the platform where he would begin the song.

 

They had decided that the orchestra and Suguru would start with the extended version of the last element mix version of “The Rage Beat” and act as if that was all they were doing, a tribute to Shindou Shuichi and Bad Luck's long and lustrous career, but then the second song would begin and Shuichi would make his grand entrance.

 

“Each year, the MCVMA's have a special surprise guest,” Eiri was saying. “Last year it was Nittle Grasper, live via satellite from New York.”

 

Applause and catcalls followed this statement. Eiri only knew about that because each year he was forced into either watching or coming with Shuichi to the show. If it were anyone else, he would have killed them for dragging him to an annoying, obnoxious event.

 

“The year before it was See-Saw.”

 

There was more applause.

 

“But this year…it's even more special. Our special guest this year is a band that disappeared from the music scene over a year ago.”

 

Whispers erupted in the audience. Shuichi could hear the smirk in Eiri's voice.

 

“They are a band that suffered a tremendous and devastating blow earlier this year. Everybody thought that was the end for them, but I'm here to say that everybody was wrong. Ladies and Gentlemen, it my pleasure to welcome back to the stage…Bad Luck!” He stepped back and swept his hand towards the stage.

 

Almost immediately, the auditorium erupted in sound. Everyone jumped to their feet, eager to see the band that they had all written off. Whistles, hoots and hollers were the only thing you could hear above the thunderous applause.

 

Shuichi choked back a sob. He turned his head and watched as Eiri was escorted at a runner's pace through the throng of people towards him. He stood up and raced towards him, tears digging trails down his made up face. “Eiri,” he sobbed as he hugged his husband. “Thank you!”

 

As the soft beautiful strains of the violins began, silence descended upon the place. The gentle sounds of Suguru's synthesizer accompanied the melodious sounds. Soft lights flickered on illuminating the children's orchestra and the keyboardist. The opening strains of “The Rage Beat” filtered out across the auditorium, lulling the audience gently with the slowed down version of Bad Luck's hit single.

 

“Baka,” Eiri whispered, hugging his husband tightly. He pulled back and tsked. “Now you've gone and ruined your makeup.”

 

Shuichi laughed and dried his face as the makeup people rushed forward to fix the damage as he was escorted back to the platform. Above him, he could hear the rest of the orchestra join in, transforming the song he had written into something almost magical.

 

“Shu-chan,” Eiri called. “Good luck! I love you!”

 

Shuichi blew his lover a kiss and smiled. “I know,” he replied as he started up the ladder.

 

***

 

A/N: One more chapter and then the epilogue. So, technically, two more. My sister pointed out to me that this while thing at the award show with Shuichi doing a performance so soon after a devastating accident was like what happened to Gloria Estefan (did I spell that right?). Did any of you make the connection as well? Because that's what I based it on.