One missed call.
Title: One missed call
Pairings: Shige/Pi
Rating: PG-13
Words: 900+
Summary: Warning: Angst. Inspired by Assemblage 23's 30k feet which everyone should listen because it's the most amazing, saddest song ever. Shamelessly used the lyrics.
Warning: Character death. Originally posted here.
Yamashita wearily pushed open the door to his apartment and dragged himself to the couch. The apartment was so quiet. The only sound was the interminable dripping of the sink - something Shige had promised to fix before he left but had forgotten. He snuggled into the couch pulling a soft blanket that still smelled like Shige up to his face.
In three hours Shige would be back from his trip to Cuba, his dream trip. Yamashita had alternated between wanting to beg him not to go and being excited by his excitement. It had been a long couple of weeks without him but his phone calls had been glowing with the joy of new experience. And he had to admit that listening to Shige whisper Spanish to him through his cellphone late at night was ... sexy. But it was always hardest for Yamashita when Shige left the country. At least while he was in Japan, no matter where in Japan, it felt like there was still a tie, a bond connecting them. After all, they were still on the same land mass. But when he flew half the world away, this time across the ocean, it felt like there was a disconnect. He hugged himself. After lying there for a moment, he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and sat up. One missed call. That’s weird he thought. I didn’t hear it ring. He dialed his voicemail and entered his password. “You have one new message.”
Then Shige’s voice reverberated tinnily through the phone and Yamashita wrinkled his nose in confusion at the quality.
“Hello? Tomo, are you there?” In the pause he heard strange noises, then a shout. He strained to hear.
“Please pick up the phone.” Shige’s voice broke over the please and Yamashita felt bile rising in his throat. “Please please please.” His voice ground down to a whine.
“God,” Shige said. “I-I’m on the plane.” There was a tinny, strained chuckle from the phone and Yamashita could just see Shige running his hand back through his hair. “I’m calling from 30,000 feet above you.” What? He’s calling … from the plane? Shige laughed again, a frightening, wild laugh.
“The captain’s just informed us that our plane is going down.” Shige's voice was distant and business-like. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m so scared.”
Suddenly, Yamashita could feel a hard, cold ball of fear in his throat.
“So, I’m calling for one ... last time to say I love you.” Yamashita could hear him choking out the words.
Yamashita stood and yelped incredulously, an overwhelming desire to call Shige and yell at him for this poor joke overcame him but he was paralyzed as words continued to come crackling out at him from his phone.
“I’m not certain how much time I may have left,” Yamashita’s heart skips a beat and Shige pauses, “so I’ll try to be quick. I’m sorry if this message only makes it all worse but I couldn’t bear the burden of never having said goodbye.” Shige’s voice tightened over the word goodbye.
“I’m sorry I won’t be there to watch everybody grow. Please tell them that I loved them more than they will ever know. Tell them I wished I could have sung with them just one more time. Tell Massu I’m sorry I won’t be able to take him out for his birthday this year.”
Yamashita was having trouble hearing Shige. Voices that were murmurs provided background static to Shige’s staccato words. Cries that were not Shige’s kept overwhelming his voice and Yamashita wanted to scream at them to shut up. He just wanted to hear - to hold on to him as long as possible.
As though reading Yamashita’s mind, Shige’s voice raised a notch. “Tell Ryo that I forgive him for everything except not taking care of himself. Tell Tegoshi to never change. Tell them they made my life worth living. Tell Koyama … tell Kei -“ Shige’s voice trailed off and he emitted a strangled sob. “Just tell him.”
Tears streamed down Yamashita’s face and a pounding started behind his right temple. His mouth was dry and he couldn’t seem to swallow. He swayed.
Shige’s next words were rushed. “Tell my family and friends how much I loved them all as well. Tell my parents that I could never have asked for anyone better.”
Shige paused so long that Yamashita wondered if that was it, if those were the last words of his lover and best friend and not even words for him. But then he heard the heavy breathing. And miraculously there was silence on Shige’s end and his next words came out in a whisper. “I’m sorry most of all, Tomo, that I won’t be there when you grow old. Or be there by your side to keep you warm when you’re cold. To pick up after you and remind you of the things you’ve forgotten. To hold you in bed. To touch you when you’re tired.” Then Shige was crying metallic sobs and Yamashita wanted more than anything to be holding him in his arms, rubbing away his fears and worries with his hands and lips. But the brutal message still came.
Cries in the background became louder. “Forgive me but … I think it’s time. I’ve one last thing to tell you before I have to go.” Shige’s voice was breathless. “I -“
Sobs racked Yamashita’s body as silence assaulted him. His phone dropped to the floor with a thump. A high keening wail erupted from him as his knees followed the phone to the floor - the only noise to be heard.
Pairings: Shige/Pi
Rating: PG-13
Words: 900+
Summary: Warning: Angst. Inspired by Assemblage 23's 30k feet which everyone should listen because it's the most amazing, saddest song ever. Shamelessly used the lyrics.
Warning: Character death. Originally posted here.
Yamashita wearily pushed open the door to his apartment and dragged himself to the couch. The apartment was so quiet. The only sound was the interminable dripping of the sink - something Shige had promised to fix before he left but had forgotten. He snuggled into the couch pulling a soft blanket that still smelled like Shige up to his face.
In three hours Shige would be back from his trip to Cuba, his dream trip. Yamashita had alternated between wanting to beg him not to go and being excited by his excitement. It had been a long couple of weeks without him but his phone calls had been glowing with the joy of new experience. And he had to admit that listening to Shige whisper Spanish to him through his cellphone late at night was ... sexy. But it was always hardest for Yamashita when Shige left the country. At least while he was in Japan, no matter where in Japan, it felt like there was still a tie, a bond connecting them. After all, they were still on the same land mass. But when he flew half the world away, this time across the ocean, it felt like there was a disconnect. He hugged himself. After lying there for a moment, he pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and sat up. One missed call. That’s weird he thought. I didn’t hear it ring. He dialed his voicemail and entered his password. “You have one new message.”
Then Shige’s voice reverberated tinnily through the phone and Yamashita wrinkled his nose in confusion at the quality.
“Hello? Tomo, are you there?” In the pause he heard strange noises, then a shout. He strained to hear.
“Please pick up the phone.” Shige’s voice broke over the please and Yamashita felt bile rising in his throat. “Please please please.” His voice ground down to a whine.
“God,” Shige said. “I-I’m on the plane.” There was a tinny, strained chuckle from the phone and Yamashita could just see Shige running his hand back through his hair. “I’m calling from 30,000 feet above you.” What? He’s calling … from the plane? Shige laughed again, a frightening, wild laugh.
“The captain’s just informed us that our plane is going down.” Shige's voice was distant and business-like. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m so scared.”
Suddenly, Yamashita could feel a hard, cold ball of fear in his throat.
“So, I’m calling for one ... last time to say I love you.” Yamashita could hear him choking out the words.
Yamashita stood and yelped incredulously, an overwhelming desire to call Shige and yell at him for this poor joke overcame him but he was paralyzed as words continued to come crackling out at him from his phone.
“I’m not certain how much time I may have left,” Yamashita’s heart skips a beat and Shige pauses, “so I’ll try to be quick. I’m sorry if this message only makes it all worse but I couldn’t bear the burden of never having said goodbye.” Shige’s voice tightened over the word goodbye.
“I’m sorry I won’t be there to watch everybody grow. Please tell them that I loved them more than they will ever know. Tell them I wished I could have sung with them just one more time. Tell Massu I’m sorry I won’t be able to take him out for his birthday this year.”
Yamashita was having trouble hearing Shige. Voices that were murmurs provided background static to Shige’s staccato words. Cries that were not Shige’s kept overwhelming his voice and Yamashita wanted to scream at them to shut up. He just wanted to hear - to hold on to him as long as possible.
As though reading Yamashita’s mind, Shige’s voice raised a notch. “Tell Ryo that I forgive him for everything except not taking care of himself. Tell Tegoshi to never change. Tell them they made my life worth living. Tell Koyama … tell Kei -“ Shige’s voice trailed off and he emitted a strangled sob. “Just tell him.”
Tears streamed down Yamashita’s face and a pounding started behind his right temple. His mouth was dry and he couldn’t seem to swallow. He swayed.
Shige’s next words were rushed. “Tell my family and friends how much I loved them all as well. Tell my parents that I could never have asked for anyone better.”
Shige paused so long that Yamashita wondered if that was it, if those were the last words of his lover and best friend and not even words for him. But then he heard the heavy breathing. And miraculously there was silence on Shige’s end and his next words came out in a whisper. “I’m sorry most of all, Tomo, that I won’t be there when you grow old. Or be there by your side to keep you warm when you’re cold. To pick up after you and remind you of the things you’ve forgotten. To hold you in bed. To touch you when you’re tired.” Then Shige was crying metallic sobs and Yamashita wanted more than anything to be holding him in his arms, rubbing away his fears and worries with his hands and lips. But the brutal message still came.
Cries in the background became louder. “Forgive me but … I think it’s time. I’ve one last thing to tell you before I have to go.” Shige’s voice was breathless. “I -“
Sobs racked Yamashita’s body as silence assaulted him. His phone dropped to the floor with a thump. A high keening wail erupted from him as his knees followed the phone to the floor - the only noise to be heard.