Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ A Little Night Music ❯ A Little Night Music ( One-Shot )

A Little Night Music

A fanfic by Tsu_chanB

 

Shana sighed lightly and shifted in her seat on the wooden bench, already tired of waiting. She checked her watch again to see that only fifteen minutes had passed since she arrived at the nearly silent music hall.

It was Friday night and instead of going out partying Shana had decided on spending a relaxing night listening to a live classical performance, played by her university's philharmonic orchestra. The concert wasn't supposed to start for another hour, but Shana had wanted to make sure she arrived on time and ended up an hour early. That wasn't new, though. She was always afraid of getting places late, of not knowing where she was going or if she had arrived at the place she was supposed to be at. But, such was the life of the blind.

Shana shook her head in exasperation at herself, lightly running her fingers over the collapsed walking stick in the pouch attached to her purse. It had already been four years since she lost her sight and she had learned to adjust fairly quickly, but the disability always loomed in the back of her mind, always reared its head when she wanted to do something or go somewhere.

Her friends helped, of course. They led Shana places and gave her rides, told her what she wasn't seeing so she could create mental pictures. But she hated being a burden and often didn't ask for help, even when she needed it. That was why she lived on campus and went through great pains to memorize the terrain. Shana knew where all of her classes were and other important places, but the worry still nagged at her. She was always early in the fear of being late.

Shana twitched lightly at the sound of one of the heavy double doors creaking open, letting a blast of cold winter air into to warm entrance area. She shivered and pulled at her coat for a moment until she felt warm again. Now there were three people in the room.

Shana heard high heels click across the tile; a woman. The woman sat across from her, only a few feet away, and began rummaging through her bag. Shana sighed again and fiddled with the end of her walking stick. After a while she finally pulled a book from her purse and began to read.

Reading was one of her favorite things to do and Shana had quickly learned to read in Braille after she lost her eyesight. The only hobby that she had that remained completely unaffected by her lack of sight was listening to music. Shana listened to almost every type of music and spent a great deal of time the last four years developing and enhancing her knowledge of music. Live concerts of any sort were her favorite. That was why Shana would rather spend a Friday night alone with music than with a group of friends on the town. Parties had lost their excitement for her. There were too many sounds, too many people and not enough space. Shana always ended up feeling in the way and claustrophobic. Needless to say, her social prowess lost its flare. Shana much rather preferred one on one conversations or small groups and had resorted to solitude more often than not.

Half an hour passed and more people entered the foyer, soon filling it with sounds of loud conversation and laughter. Shana checked her watch again, feeling the position of the dials on the small circle. They would open the doors in another ten minutes. She had been to a number of these free concerts before. They were mostly for the benefit of the musicians in the School of Music, for them to perform in front of an audience, so the school allowed free admission. Also it gave the school good publicity and many teachers used it as a way to give students out of class assignments; they had no excuse when it was free.

That was another reason Shana was attending the concert. Her music history teacher was basing an assignment off of the students' concert attendance. She didn't mind it; she would have come to the concert anyway.

Shana put her book away and shifted in her seat again, dreading the inevitable. She was going to have to ask for help. Shana wasn't familiar with that particular music hall, there were many in the school and she was used to going to a different one. Shana knew there were stairs on the other side of the doors but she didn't know where they were exactly. She and stairs were often a dangerous combination. Not to mention there were a lot of people that would be looking for seats and crowding the aisles. Shana didn't want to run into anyone and she liked to sit in the very front, as close to the sounds of the orchestra as possible. She hated to admit it, but help would be necessary.

She regretted not bringing one of her friends, but most of them didn't enjoy classical music as much as Shana and she didn't want to make them sit through a boring concert for her sake. Also, most already had plans. It was Friday night, after all.

“Excuse me,” Shana's voice barely broke into the loud conglomeration of voices. “Does anyone know if they're passing out the slips for students?” She never asked for help directly. Usually whoever was kind enough to offer a small service would be willing to help with a larger one.

No one answered right away and the noise volume stayed the same. Shana waited another few moments, hoping she wouldn't have to ask again and draw more attention to herself.

Someone sat beside her, the rustle of clothing alerting Shana's ears of the presence. Fingers lightly brushed against her arm. The person wanted to make sure she knew of his proximity before he spoke.

“Hello.” The voice beside Shana was distinctly male, despite its softness. “My name is Shuichi. What was it you said you needed?”

“Hi Shuichi,” she said. Shana always used names right away to remember them easier since there was no way for her to remember someone by face. She gave him her name in return. “I was actually looking for the slips they pass out for students. Do you know if they have any?”

“I don't know for sure. I don't attend classes here, so I'm not certain what they would look like. Or were you looking for a program of this evening's performance?” he responded. He was very well spoken and Shana immediately assumed she was speaking with an older gentleman.

“Oh, no; they pass out little pink slips for students to fill out so the teacher knows that they came.”

“I will go and look. Wait here a moment,” Shuichi said before Shana felt him leave her side.

He wasn't gone long before she heard the clink of a lock being opened in the door to the concert hall beside her. The doors were opened and the stoppers put down as the crowd meandered through to the concert hall.

Shuichi returned soon after, having successfully retrieved the pink slip. He helped Shana fill it out and return it to the guy he got it from as they waited for the throng to pass. Shuichi remained seated beside her and seemed in no hurry to move.

“Would you like to sit together?” Shuichi asked before Shana could request his aid. Her shoulders dropped slightly in relief as she agreed. Shuichi took her hand in his and helped her up. He remained one step ahead of Shana as he guided her into the concert hall.

There were still enough people crowding the entrance to make their passage difficult. Shuichi had to stop her from running into someone more than once. He stopped and Shana followed his lead. She could feel other people close by and guessed that they were waiting in line.

“There are three steps directly ahead,” Shuichi warned as he beckoned her to begin moving again. “The rail is to your right.”

Shana reached out, flailing for a moment until her fingers brushed against cold metal. The stability of the rail and Shuichi's firm, gentle grip made the obstacle of getting down the few steps much easier. At Shana's request, Shuichi led her all the way down the aisle to the seats beneath the stage. He helped her into her seat and sat beside her.

Shana fidgeted nervously. She knew it would be rude to sit silently until the concert began. Shuichi was helping her of his own good will, after all. Polite conversation would be the least she could do to compensate him. It was just difficult for her since she couldn't be sure what type of person she was dealing with. Shana didn't know what to talk about, what kind of questions to ask.

But once again Shuichi broached the subject before she could worry too much about it.

“So you go to school here?” he asked. “What is your intended major?”

She felt relieved again, even though his question hit on a sore spot with her. All of Shana's plans for college had changed the day she lost her eyesight. “I'm not sure yet, Shuichi. Right now I'm working toward getting my Associates degree. So I'm not going to worry about my major until I have to.”

“Fair enough.” She could hear the smile in his voice.

Shana took a turn at asking a question. “And what may I ask brought you to this concert? Just getting away from home for a night? I know Friday night outings become tamer as you get older.”

“Something like that,” he said, still smiling. “I'm curious to know, how old do you think I am?”

She tensed at his question, silently wondering if she had offended him. Shana took a guess at his age anyways and hoped that she wasn't digging herself into an even bigger hole.

“Judging from your voice and the way you speak, I'd say mid-thirties, early forties.”

Shuichi laughed at that. Shana's face began to gather heat in her embarrassment.

“I'm sorry,” she quickly apologized. “I didn't mean to offend. There's just no easy way for me to guess that sort of thing.”

“No, that's quite alright. I was not offended, merely amused,” he said as his laughter subsided.

“How old are you then? If you don't mind me asking.”

“Not at all. I am twenty-three. I actually came to see my little brother perform. He plays viola in the orchestra,” Shuichi explained.

“Oh.” Shana couldn't think of anything else to say for a few moments and Shuichi didn't seem too concerned about keeping the conversation going. She hardly minded. The lull gave her a chance to regain her bearings after her initial embarrassment.

Some of the musicians had entered the hall, taking their seats onstage. They diligently began practicing sections of the pieces they were going to perform. The hall quickly filled with the discordant sounds of music.

“Are you a student too, Shuichi?” Shana finally asked. She disliked talking to strangers, but she really enjoyed hearing him speak. His voice was very calm and he had a laid back attitude that eased her constant worrying.

“No. I work for my father. He owns a small business and wants me to take over when he retires,” he said.

“Is that what you wanted to do?”

“I had no other plans.” He skirted the question. Shana frowned in return.

“Why not?”

A silence settled between the two as more musicians added to the cacophony of sound onstage. Shana guessed that her question caught him off guard.

“I suppose I'm not a very ambitious person,” he finally answered.

“Hm. You don't sound like the type to just float along, either,” she said. Shana wasn't even sure why it mattered that much. His life decisions weren't her business to begin with.

“What gives you that idea?” Shuichi asked.

She shrugged. “I'm not sure. With the way you speak, I can tell you're well read. That takes a certain amount of discipline and ambition, as it were. Also, you helped me even though you knew it would require work and sacrificing your time to do it. Lazier and less motivated people usually try to stay as far away from me as possible.” Shana smiled grimly at that; just another cold fact about her disability.

Shuichi was silent again. Shana didn't have much time to be nervous about it though, because the musicians stopped playing. The concert was about to begin.

Clapping began in the audience and Shana followed their lead, knowing that the conductor had entered. Silence followed for nearly a minute. Shana heard the small noises of the orchestra and audience. People shifted in their chairs and adjusted instruments. Someone sneezed far behind her.

She heard the sharp intake of breath from the conductor and the music began. Shana recognized the piece after the first few measures. Mozart's Serenade in G. It was one of her personal favorites.

She smiled and relaxed into the all encompassing sounds of music for the next twenty-five minutes, completely enjoying the art. Everything else disappeared from her mind.

After a round of applause from the audience the orchestra played another Serenade by Mozart, this one in D Major. That piece lasted twenty minutes and ended with the beginning of intermission.

The noise of peoples' chatter filled the hall with a completely different kind of sound. Many moved from their seats to use the restroom or talk to others. Shana remained seated, waiting for the next section to begin.

“Do you need anything?” Shuichi asked from beside her.

She twitched at his voice, having forgotten he was there. His question also caught her off guard. Usually she had to ask her companion for help before it was given. But Shuichi asked before she could.

“Oh, um, no. Thank you,” Shana said after a moment.

After waiting for a minute she realized he wasn't going anywhere either. Shana decided to begin another discussion.

“What do you think of the music so far, Shuichi?”

“It's very good. They've done a wonderful job,” he said.

She hummed her agreement. “The first violins fell off in the first piece. But that's okay. They are still learning, after all. That's why they're in college. Everyone else played extremely well.”

“I'm curious,” Shuichi admitted after a short lapse in conversation. “Did you walk here? Do you have friends that help you get around?”

“Yeah. I live on campus so it's not that far of a walk. My friends are all out doing their own thing. I mean, who wants to sit in a boring classical concert and tend to a blind girl when you could be out partying and having fun?” Shana shrugged again. She didn't blame her friends for going elsewhere. Serving someone else at your own loss wouldn't have been her first choice either.

“I would,” Shuichi answered immediately. “But perhaps that is because I enjoy classical music and the blind girl I am tending to happens to be very beautiful.”

A blush spread across her cheeks at his blatant compliment. She was surprised into muteness. No man her age had ever called Shana anything close to beautiful. But she was learning more and more that Shuichi wasn't like other college-age guys.

“. . . Thank you,” she said, unable to think of anything else.

“I see you don't receive compliments like that very often,” he said. “A pity since it's the truth.”

Shana fidgeted nervously with the end of her walking stick, not sure what kind of response to give to that. After a minute she tried responding with the truth of her situation.

“I guess I scare a lot of people off, guys especially. I'm very high maintenance and most guys are hardly ready for the responsibility of a normal relationship, let alone one with twice the work. Besides, people have a hard time knowing how to act around me. Most of the time I'm treated like a porcelain doll that'll break easily,” she explained.

“Does that bother you?” Shuichi questioned.

Shana shook her head. “Not anymore. I would get mad at people for treating me differently when I first went blind. But now I see that it's because they want to help but don't know how. I still get annoyed, but I know their carefulness is out of ignorance.”

If Shuichi had a response he didn't share it. The hall quieted again as the conductor and a larger orchestra returned to the stage. They played Mendelssohn's Fifth Symphony. Shana was once again lost to the music.

The music ended, the conductor left, and the orchestra and audience began to disperse. Shuichi slid his hand into Shana's, helping her to her feet.

“Would you mind if I stopped to see my brother?” Shuichi asked.

Shana couldn't understand why he would ask her in the first place. Then it dawned on her that he meant to stay with her.

“Shuichi, you don't have to stay. I'll be fine on my own,” she told him, hoping he would agree and leave to find his brother. She had already taken enough of his time.

“Nonsense,” was his response. “I want to help you.”

Shana wasn't sure how to dispute that. It wasn't like she was forcing him to stay. She had given him an easy way out. Shana decided not to argue since she needed the help anyways. It was just that she hated asking, hated getting in someone else's way.

Shuichi's hand moved, guiding hers to link into his elbow. He began to walk and she followed him onto the stage and to the side, where she assumed the backstage area was.

“Hey Bro, you made it!” A familiar voice called. Shuichi moved in that direction and stopped. Shana could hear the person packing up his instrument.

“Suuichi?” she questioned as the name that went with the voice came to her mind.

“Hey Shana!” he returned the greeting excitedly.

“You know each other?” Shuichi beside her asked.

“Yeah,” his brother responded. “We're in Music History together. You helping Shana out, Shuichi?”

The brothers continued to talk for several minutes. She tried to keep up with the conversation, if for no other reason than to not get confused. It would have been easier if they didn't throw each other's names in the mix. That kept throwing her off, but after a little bit Shana could easily differentiate between their voices.

Just by listening to them, it was hard for her to imagine them as brothers. The older Shuichi was much more reserved and seemed to like taking his time when responding to a question or comment. And Shana already knew the younger one. He was outgoing and easy to befriend, from what she heard in class.

The two men said their goodbyes and parted way, the younger leaving to hang out with some friends and the older stubbornly refusing to leave Shana's side.

“Really, Shuichi,” she insisted. “It's getting late. You should head home.”

“Oh? And what about you?” he asked as he led her offstage and back up the aisle to the foyer.

“I can take care of myself. I have for a while now,” Shana defended obstinately.

He chuckled. “I must refuse your offer. The thought of leaving you by yourself on a Friday night is unhealthy for my conscience. And that's one of the things I like to keep in good shape.”

She sighed and shook her head, giving up on convincing him. He opened the door of the foyer out into the cold winter air. Shana followed him for a few steps before he stopped.

“I propose a compromise,” Shuichi said. “I promise to return home if you will agree to join me for a cup of coffee.”

She turned more toward his voice. “That doesn't sound like much of a compromise. It seems more like a way for you to keep helping me.”

Shana laughed at the ridiculousness of the argument. “But I'll go for it. You would probably trick me into getting your way anyways.”

Shuichi started walking again, the smile returning to his voice. “You are rather quick to judge, don't you think? I have given you no reason to believe that I would deceive anyone.”

“Yes, but it's not that hard to do with me. And you're smart enough to figure it out,” she said.

“You are more perceptive than you think. I believe it would be more difficult to fool you than many others your age,” Shuichi said more seriously.

“Oh? Does that include you, being someone of my age?” She joked. “You know what I think? I think you've been tricking me this whole time and you're actually a forty year old looking to get some from a young college girl. What do you say to that, Shuichi?”

“Completely preposterous,” he laughed. “If that were true I would be a professor.”

She grinned in response. Shana already knew he wasn't. There was something in his voice and actions that made her believe him. He acted as if he cared for more than just himself, and that she had somehow been added to that circle. And Shana could hear the confidence in him. It wasn't the cocky self-conceit of one who has been handed success wherever he went, but of the man who has failed and afterward succeeded through perseverance and the humility to learn from those mistakes. She couldn't help but respect him for it.

“I don't know, you still sound pretty old to me. Are you sure you're only twenty-three?” she asked, only halfway joking.

“That's what my mother has always told me,” Shuichi smiled. “Have you never heard the term `old soul'?”

“Hm. I'll buy that. So you're only old on the inside? What happens when you get old, then? That kinda ruins all the fun. With all that extra wisdom you get from being an `old soul' you miss out on all the twenty-something dramatics and don't get to learn from the mistakes of being young and inexperienced.”

He chuckled again and stopped before pulling open the door to a burst of warm air. The bells on the café door jingled and they entered.

“That just gives me more room for mistakes when I turn fifty,” Shuichi said.

Shana laughed lightly, not wanting to disturb any of the other customers. The two stopped at the counter and Shuichi placed his order, a cappuccino. Shana let the girl behind the counter know what drink she wanted as well before Shuichi led her to a table and helped her into a seat.

He left and returned shortly after with their drinks. He sat across from Shana and there was silence for a few moments.

“I have another question of curiosity,” he admitted.

“Shoot,” she said, taking a sip of her drink.

“When you were speaking earlier it sounded as if your blindness was unexpected. May I ask how that came about?”

“Sure. That doesn't mean I'll answer,” Shana shrugged. There was a short silence and she grinned.

She began again. “No, seriously you're right about it being unexpected. Four years ago I was in a really bad car accident with a friend of mine. The car was t-boned on my friend's side and flipped over a few times. A piece of glass from her window hit me across the face, right at eye level.” Shana pulled her hand across her face horizontally in a cutting motion. “My arm also broke in two places and I had a concussion. I had to have several surgeries for my eyes and they fixed up my nose pretty well. My friend Kylie didn't make it. The same glass that hit my eyes went through her head.”

Another silence settled between Shana and Shuichi. This one was a lot more brooding than those before. It lacked the warmth of his calm attitude. She shifted nervously, waiting for him to speak.

“There is little that I can say. I am sorry you had to go through that,” he said.

“There's not much anyone can do about it,” she shrugged. “I'm just thankful that I'm still alive. Well, I wasn't so much then, but I've gotten used to the change. It was hard at first and I hated it all. Then I realized that you can't sulk forever, it's just a waste of time, and that I was going to live like this for a long time whether I liked it or not. So I got over my whining.”

“That is an amazing attitude to have,” Shuichi responded. “Some would have continued in futility, knowing it to be easier.”

Shana shrugged a second time. It was quiet again, save the hushed conversation of other people in the shop and the whirr of the espresso machine. Shuichi waited a few moments before beginning another round of questions. He had many and Shana was more than willing to answer. It was much easier than she thought it would be to talk to him. The words flowed easily and she knew he was listening. Maybe that was why Shana could speak so freely: she knew that he wanted to listen to what she had to say, that her ideas and stories were important in some way. Shana didn't get that often, and it was a breath of fresh air.

The tables turned sometime later, and she began to ask the questions. Shana learned more about his family, about how he and Suuichi were only step-brothers and about how his mom almost died of a rare illness. He told her about his hobbies, what he liked and disliked, his favorite books and why he liked them. Shana began to get a glimpse of who he was, but several times it felt as if she was only getting to know about him instead of getting to know him in a personal sense. Shana had a feeling that there was a lot more to Shuichi than he let on.

Shana checked her watch in curiosity as she awakened to the sense that time had passed without her knowledge. A gasp of surprise escaped her lips.

“Oh wow, is it really 12:30?” she asked her companion. “I need to go to bed.”

“Hm. The café will be closing in half an hour. At this time of night it would be unwise for you to walk home alone on campus. I will take you,” Shuichi said. He helped Shana to her feet and led her out of the shop.

She laughed at his more forward attitude. “Ah, so that was your plan. Very sly of you Shuichi. It is too late for me to go home alone, I'll admit. It's hard to argue with reason. Are you happy now that I have no other choice than to let you walk me home?”

“Of course. It is in human nature to be happy when one gets his way,” he said.

Shana gave him the building's name and her room number before letting him lead her where he would. She trusted him to keep her on the right track. It was much easier now that she knew more about him. Even before it wasn't hard to trust him; that certain calm attitude of his infected her as well.

All of a sudden Shana stopped walking as an idea came to mind. Shuichi stopped also.

“Is something the matter?” he asked.

“I just realized . . . .” she began. “Could this be considered a date?”

He laughed and continued walking, pulling her with him. “Only if you want. Be aware that if this is a date I will ask you to spend more time with me on a later day. If you wish to avoid that requisite you are free to call this a friendly chat over coffee.”

Shana felt a gust of warm air as Shuichi opened the door for her. She knew where she was and how to get around in the building but let Shuichi take her arm to lead her anyway, enjoying the warmth of his body and the feeling of how close he was.

“Actually,” Shana said. “I would like to call this something of a date if . . . well.”

Shuichi pulled his arm out of hers and turned to face her as the couple stopped in front of Shana's door.

“If not for what?” he asked.

“If I didn't still have some vague hunch that you're an old man, even though I know you're Suuichi's brother. It's completely ridiculous, I know . . . .” she trailed off lamely. Shana didn't really think that about him. Her `fear' was a cover for what she really wanted. And if she was going to continue spending time with him this would be an important part in determining whether she wanted to or not.

“How can I assuage your fears?” Shuichi smiled, unconcerned and amused.

Shana held up her hands. “Face mapping!”

Shuichi chuckled after a moment. He gently grasped her wrists and brought her hands to his face. Somehow he was taller than she originally thought. Shana almost had to stand on tip-toe to reach.

It was embarrassing for Shana, putting her hands all over someone else's face. But she had learned enough about Shuichi and his character to know that he wouldn't mind. Not to mention she was too curious to pass up the opportunity.

The first thing she noticed was his smooth skin. If Shana had any real doubts about his age, they were eased with that sensation. She ran one hand over his cheek and firm jaw while the other traveled higher to give her a picture of his forehead and eyes. Her thumb brushed over one closed eyelid.

“What color are your eyes?” she nearly whispered, fully aware of his closeness. Shana wanted a full picture and colors would help. So far he had proven to be as handsome as he sounded.

“Green.”

Her hands traveled away from his face and she frowned deeply as her fingers met with his hair. It was much longer than she thought. Shana leaned closer, following the disheveled locks down to his shoulder blades.

“You have long hair,” she stated, not sure if she liked that idea or not. It did seem to suit him in an odd way. “What color?”

“Red.”

Shana blanched, the closeness of his voice hinting at how near Shuichi's face was to hers. A blush of heat seared her cheeks and she began to pull back.

Shuichi immediately closed the gap and she soon felt his warm lips against her own. Shana pressed into his hold, reveling in the onslaught of sensations. His lips and hands held her firmly in his grasp and she felt the shape of his body as he brushed against her. The beat of his heart quickened beneath Shana's sensitive fingertips and she felt hers do the same.

He pulled away but maintained a close proximity. After a short lapse of silence he spoke. “Would you be amenable to the idea of joining me for dinner tomorrow evening?”

“Of course. It would be foolish of me to say no,” Shana smiled. Feeling that her night with Shuichi was close to an end, she pulled out of his grip and unlocked her door, cracking it open slightly.

“Then sleep well. I will return tomorrow night,” he said.

Shana nodded in return before giving in to the yawn that arose. She heard Shuichi chuckle.

“It's past my bedtime,” Shana defended.

He hummed an agreement before kissing her again, this time quicker and with more force that nearly left her breathless.

“Good night,” he said.

“Good night,” she breathed long after her cue as she heard his footsteps retreating down the hall.

Shana turned back to her room and closed the door after she entered, leaning wearily against it. She had never imagined that her need for help would bring such an amazing man. Shana smiled lightly. Maybe asking for help wasn't so bad after all.

 

ooo

Hope you enjoyed! And don't forget to leave a review, they might inspire a sequel. *Hint hint, wink wink*

Btw, Mozart's Serenade in G major is called “Eine kleine nachtmusik” or “A Little Night Music” just so ya know.

And now for a shameless plug: If you liked this story please check out my other fanfic Radical Dreamers. It is a Yusuke sister O/C insert that follows the adventures of the spirit detectives. Thanks.