Gravitation Fan Fiction ❯ This I Promise You ❯ Bad Luck's Final Curtain Call ( Chapter 26 )

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: As the lights hit the top of the staircase, the audience took an audible gasp and jumped to their feet. A thunderous crashing sound erupted from the whole building when they saw standing there right before their eyes, Shindou Shuichi.

Sources: “Send Me An Angel” by the Scorpions

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 26: Bad Luck's Final Curtain Call

 

 

“The Rage Beat” ended, fading out to roaring applause. The wind instruments picked up the dropped beat, changing effortlessly from one song to the other flawlessly. They created a sound that sounded almost like a smooth whistle. Suguru echoed that sound on his synthesizers. From the other side of the stage Kai joined, playing an acoustic guitar. He echoed the cords Suguru was playing almost staccato like, but made them flow just as smoothly and slickly.

 

The audience cheered the addition of the guitar player, but Kai knew whom the people really wanted to see.

 

As the intro continued to soothe and lull the audience, the spotlights on the stage slowly started to rise to the platform at the top of the stairwell in the center of the stage. The colored lights flickered softly in time with the smooth melody, morphing smoothly from one color to another.

 

As the lights hit the top of the staircase, the audience took an audible gasp and jumped to their feet. A thunderous crashing sound erupted from the whole building when they saw standing there right before their eyes, Shindou Shuichi.

 

Violet eyes snapped open. He lifted his head and stared out over the hundreds of people whose eyes were riveted on him. He saw tears and smiles. Girls were screaming, hugging one another and jumping in excitement. The whole place had a thrilled and exulted atmosphere.

 

“The wise man said just walk this way/To the dawn of the light,” Shuichi sang.

 

A quiet hush fell upon the auditorium. “Send me An Angel” was a ballad Bad Luck had remade for their last album. It was the song they had been rushing to complete right before all hell broke loose seven months ago and unfortunately they had not been able to complete it, but it was finished now.

 

“The wind will blow into your face/As the years pass you by/Hear this voice from deep inside.”

 

Shuichi slowly started down the steps, without the aid of a railing or his cane. The onlookers gasped in amazement as the man who had just months before lay paralyzed in a hospital bed walked down towards the stage as if nothing had ever happened.

 

“It's the call of your heart/Close your eyes and your will find/The passage out of the dark/Here I am!”

 

Hiro, standing by his microphone waiting for his cue and his guitar waiting patiently, and Kai echoed him softly. “Here I am.”

 

“Will you send me an angel/Here I am!”

 

“Here I am.”

 

“In the land of the morning star!” Shuichi held the last note as he stepped off the steps and onto the stage.

 

The soft sound of the song was joined by Kei on the drummers, Michael on the bass guitar, Hiro on electric guitar and the rest of the orchestra.

 

He started towards the front of the stage, pouring his whole heart into the song.

 

“The wise man said just find your place

In the eye of the storm

Seek the roses along the way

Just beware of the thorns.

Here I am!”

 

“Here I am.”

 

“Will you send me an angel/Here I am!”

 

“Here I am.”

 

“In the land of the morning star!”

 

Hiro stepped forward and wailed a short guitar solo. He made his guitar sing like no other could. The last strains echoed away, garnishing him enthusiastic applause as Shuichi started to sing again.

 

“The wise man said just raise your hand/And reach out for the spell/Find the door to the promised land.”

 

Shuichi walked across the stage, looking out over the sea of faces, their hands waving in the air. Most had tears running down their faces. He felt a lump in his throat and the tears he had been trying to hold back rolled freely down his face. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Eiri standing in the wings.

 

“Just believe in yourself/Hear the voice from deep inside/It's the call of your heart.”

 

This had always been one of his favorite songs and after everything he had been through, the song meant so much more. For two months, he had been wandering in the dark, unable to find his way out. He had been lost and confused, unsure of himself, unsure of anything. Eiri had been his angel, calling him back. Knowing him, the rest of his NG family and his fans were all standing behind him had given him the courage to stand up and beat this thing.

 

“Close your eyes and your will find/The way out of the dark.”

 

Shuichi walked out along the catwalk that extended out into the audience as he sang the final chorus. Fans crowded the runway, extending their hands out towards the singer. Smiling, Shuichi bent over and slapped the dozens of hands. Switching his microphone to his other hand, he did the same for the fans on the other side.

 

“Here I am (Here I am)

Will you send me an angel

Here I am (Here I am)

In the land of the morning star

Here I am (Here I am)

Will you send me an angel

Here I am (Here I am)

In the land of the morning star”

 

As he made his way back to the main stage, he repeated the final chorus again and this time Hiro stepped forward and let his guitar wail and sing, reprising his solo through the entire verse this time.

 

“…Here I am (Here I am).” The music ended and there was a slight pause where the audience began clapping and whistling encouragingly. “In the land of the morning star,” Shuichi sang a cappella, breaking the final line in half. His voice faded and the auditorium erupted in enthusiastic applause.

 

Shuichi opened eyes he had not realized were closed and smiled through his tears at the passionate standing ovation Bad Luck was given. He was going to miss this. Placing the microphone in the stand, he stepped back and waved to the crowd. Suguru, Kei, Kai, Michael and Hiro joined him. They raised clasped hands above their head and bowed. The applause exploded. “Thank you!” he shouted above the noise. “Thank you and good night!” Bad Luck bowed once more and headed of stage.

 

As soon as he was in the wings, Shuichi launched himself at his husband, grinning broadly. Eiri caught the sweaty singer and swung him around. Putting him back on his feet, he pecked him quickly on the lips. Shuichi suddenly felt exhausted and totally drained now that it was all over. He was wide-awake and pumped up on adrenaline, but at the same time, his legs were bothering him. They felt kind of like jell-o, all jiggly and wobbly, like if he took one more step his legs were going to splay in opposite directions like a colt taking its first steps. Not to mention, he was beginning to get a headache and he suddenly felt nauseous. All he wanted at this point was to go home and cuddle with Eiri, but unfortunately, the night was far from over.

 

“Shindou-san,” called one of the stagehands.

 

Pulling away from his husband, Shuichi turned and took his cane the man was holding out. “Thanks,” he smiled weakly.

 

“Shindou-san,” called one of the production assistants. “We have the press room all ready for you guys,” she said.

 

Shuichi sighed heavily and leaned against Eiri. He really was not in the mood

 

Eiri wrapped an arm around his husband's waist and squeezed him gently to his side. “Come on, Shu-chan. The sooner we get going, the sooner we can go home.” Eiri bent over and whispered huskily in his ear, “And celebrate.”

 

A warm blush spread across Shuichi's cheeks. He lifted his head and stared at his writer husband, his eyes sparkling in anticipation.

 

That sounded pretty damn good to him.

 

Wrapping an arm around Eiri's waist, he rested his head against the man's broad chest and let him drag him to the pressroom.

 

Shuichi stood outside the pressroom and took a deep breath. The butterflies returned as he thought about what he was going in there to do.

 

“Ready?” Eiri asked him, dropping his arm.

 

Not really, he thought, but it must be done. Exhaling, Shuichi nodded. “Yeah, let's go.”

 

Together, Shuichi and Eiri led the others into the room where the press was waiting. As soon as they entered, a bevy of cameras went off, following the group's progress to the stage. Tonight he would not be so much as ending one aspect of his life as putting it on hold while he started another.

 

“Shindou-san! Shindou-san,” came the shouts.

 

Here we go, the singer thought.

 

***