One-shot: Ueda was sick
Title: Ueda was sick (because my sis said it should stay that way)
Pairing: Ryoda (! established)
Rating: PG
Summary: Ryo and Ueda go away for few days. I just describe how they spend it, wanting to have some peace and rest, and well actually ending up having some, although they have to ignore Ueda´s cold and kick out some visitors in order to do so.
No beta
Originally posted on: 14/04/2009
Ueda was sick, although he was pretending not to be. They had two days off and he wanted to spend it peacefully in his vacation house, enjoying good weather, nature, serenity and Ryo. They drove up there, pulled out two chairs into the terrace and made some drinks. They sat outside, looking at the surroundings, watching and listening to the birds, sounds around them, watching old people passing by, saying hello politely, not because they knew each other, but because you say hello and wish a good day to everyone in such a small village.
He ignored his stuffed nose and managed to hide his sore throat from Ryo completely. Obviously, he couldn´t keep his not so ideal condition a secret for a long time. He got a headache and took some painkillers.
“It is not funny to be in denial about being sick when it is this obvious and everyone knows already,” Ryo noted seeing him do so.
Everyone? It was just two of them here … for now anyway.
Still, Ueda was determined to have a nice weekend and rest well physically and even more mentally as last few weeks drained him very much. This was a company in which he wanted to be. With his lover, who took care of him, making him tea and making sure he had all the comfort in the world. He was thankful for all the things Ryo did, but he was even more thankful he didn´t overdo it. Ryo partially ignored Ueda´s sickness as well, telling him to sit on the sun rather than telling him to go to bed or insisting on taking him to the doctor (something he would usually do). Ueda knew Ryo too wanted them to just lay back and enjoy “the ride”.
*
Next morning Ryo teasingly laughed at him for snoring for about two hours during the night. Ueda was mad at him for not waking him up, rolling him over or whatever.
“Why did you just let it be? You know, I do NOT snore normally, but I really do have stuffed nose. But no matter what, you should have woken me up. This is sooooo embarrassing.”
“Oh, Tat-chan, it´s ok. You are sick, how could I woke you up, because of such a small thing? It was ok, and I finally know, you could snore. It was so … manly in a way.”
Ueda just glared, but more amused than mad at Ryo for calling his snoring manly. When Ryo grinned at him a bit provokingly in reply, he just started chasing him around their kitchen, cup in one hand, dishcloth in the other. He was in the middle of taking care of the dishes after a nice breakfast and morning coffee.
Kitchen wasn´t the smallest one. They ran around the table (for 8) couple of times, Ryo then ran towards the couch by a fireplace and decided to jump at the small coffee table in front of it. When Ueda jumped on the couch to level them, suddenly it was him who was playfully chased, Ryo jumping after him, and driving Ueda to the end of the couch, into a corner of the room. The only escape route was to jump down from the couch, but before Ueda could do just that, Ryo stretched out his arm, placing his palm against the wall behind Tatsuya, and smiled again.
Tatsuya, his hands still full, could only smash the cloth at Ryo, but didn´t even managed to do so before he was kissed full on his lips still playfully and at the end too short to his liking.
Ueda just finished the dishes afterwards and went to sit outside with a book thinking Ryo definitely knew how to greet him good morning. He just loved that once it was warm and sunny enough; and it was warm and sunny enough mid April already; they could eat and stay outside all the time and when the sun became too hot or too tiring, they just retreated into the cold stone house for a while.
*
Ryo pulled him out for a walk. Usually it would have been the other way around. They went up to the forest, found a nice meadow to sit on and look down to the valley. It was just too peaceful to last, Ueda thought, and he was soon to learn how true that statement was. Maybe in the future, he will listen to the warnings of his mind.
Coming back to their lodge, they saw a car seemingly parked in front of their gate.
“It really looks like someone came to visit.”
“It doesn´t just look like that, someone came to visit,” Ryo replied in a rather dark voice.
“What do you mean, someone came to visit? Who would do that?”
“Who do you think, with that car?” Ryo was pointing towards a black sporty Nissan they were talking about.
And then it dawned on Ueda.
“Nakamaru?” He asked scared. “Do you think he is alone?” He might consider just making him leave if he was.
“I doubt it,” Ryo said bitterly, although he already had his “welcome” smile on.
“Massu?”
“Hello guys!” Ueda smiled, trying to mimic Ryo´s welcoming smile number 5.
They were sitting on their chairs on the terrace as the house was locked, of course. Ueda was really sorry he didn´t lock the gate as well, although they would probably just have sat on the grass in front of it in that case.
Ryo and Ueda acted all happy when they saw them. They were always welcoming to their friends and everyone knew that they can stop by anytime, be it their respective apartments or even here. They would never even dream about rejecting anyone, they were really glad that their friends and bandmates felt good enough around them to make the trip.
But just today, just this time, Ueda wished they wouldn´t have came, that they would have stayed home. Or at least that they would have said they were coming ahead of time, so he can get ready. There was enough food and drinks and space, that was not the problem. But he would set his mood on it, and he wouldn´t feel so bumped because they interrupted their peaceful time. Besides, it looked like they might stay the night. There really was enough space for them here and it was just too crazy to drive up here to go back in an hour or two (more like 3 or 4 hours). Although driving up here only on a wimp without saying a word was just as crazy, they could have been out all day or not even here at all. What would these two do then?
“What if they stay overnight?” Ueda found himself silently whispering to Ryo as they prepared some drinks and lunch for all four of them while the other two were sitting in the sun, enjoying what Ueda thought was his and Ryo´s peace.
“Well, we just have to think of a way to chase them out. I think it´s great they love us this much, but I just won´t have it today.”
Ryo came out and three minutes later Ueda just laughed for himself while heating up some soup because what Ryo did was just so him.
“So, guys, which one of you is driving today? ´Cause I have some really nice sake here, but I need to know which one of you will drink.”
And then he just shouted in Ueda´s direction carelessly, giving them time to elaborate: “Tatsuya do you want some too? “ he was just too obvious in telling them they were going back tonight and Ueda thought he loved him even more because of it.
“Sure, I´ll have some.”
“Yuichi can drink all he wants, I don´t feel like it in this sun, so I will drive,” Massu said smiling. He didn´t seem like he cared or was displeased by what just happened.
“So what brought you here?” Ueda came with some food and Ryo went in to bring the rest.
“Oh, we just thought it would be nice out here today and we felt like getting out of Tokyo,” Massu replied.
“Yeah and I think we were pretty right about it. But Tat-chan, you are sick, are you taking some medicine? Shouldn´t you go to the doctors?”
“True, true, you do look a bit pale,” Massu added - worried now.
“I am perfectly fine.”
“But, you seem like you could use some bed rest…”
“Will you two just cut it out and let it be? He is a grown man,” Ryo said rather briskly and ended the conversation.
*
It wasn´t unpleasant, they were not bad or demanding guests. They didn´t need to entertain them or attend to them all the time, but both Ryo and Ueda just wanted them gone, and Ueda; at least; felt quite guilty about it.
“My friend´s band is playing tonight in this new club in Tokyo. I hope it will be a success,” Massu said conversely as they were discussing some music.
“Oh yeah, I completely forgot about that and you told me like thousand of times over breakfast today. Shouldn´t we head back already”? Nakamaru suddenly stood up.
“Ah, I think we still have plenty of time,” Massu stretched lazily in his chair and Ueda´s heart filling with hope for few second just now plumped back to the sorrow.
“Oh, it really is comfortable here...” Massu continued, “… but I guess it won´t hurt if we go now. It will be more relaxed, less stress and we were imposing for too long.”
He got up and joined Nakamaru in scattering his jacket and some books they brought.Ueda thought that Massu was really good at keeping his heart in shape by the way he worked, by this my pace, slow and a roundabout way of dealing with stuff. But they would leave today, so he was forgiven. Both Maru and Massu thanked them for their hospitality and left, waving from the car window.
*
And the two men left behind slumped into those chairs and just stared into nowhere in disbelief.
“What the hell!” was all Ryo could squeeze out.
“No idea, but they are two crazy lunatics and I am ignoring Maru for a week when we get back.”
Ryo just started to laugh at this statement of Ueda and it was this great, loud, relaxed laughter that soothed Ueda and fixed his day again.
The one side effect of those two being here was that they had made Ryo worry about Ueda´s health again. He was holding up pretty good, but he was going back to his normal overprotective state dangerously fast now, so Ueda decided it is time for his last plea.
“I am sorry Ryo, I know this cold of mine isn´t getting any better and you have this urge to get me fixed right away and I love you for that, but I am begging you just bear with me a little longer. Let´s ignore this until tomorrow. Let´s pretend it is just a minor sniffle until we get back to Tokyo tomorrow in the afternoon and then I will do whatever you want me to do; I will comply with all your wishes then.”
Ryo just looked at him and then his eyes glowed a bit evilly.
“Hmm, I do not know if I can hold on till tomorrow. You know, I do have loads of wishes I want fulfilled before that”. Ueda´s eyes just widened.
“But when it comes to your cold, I guess you have a deal, although you are really going to do anything I want afterwards.”
And Ueda was more than happy to bargain few more calm moments here for what Ryo would think of in the next few days.
*
When the sun came down and it became a bit chilly outside they just went in. The house had a fireplace and it was still wanted and needed because the stone walls were hardly warm enough. Even during the summer heat the inside stayed nice and cool and long sleeves were needed in the evening. And so the fire was lit and they sat down on a cozy couch in front of it, Ueda some book in his hand and Ryo taking out his guitar.
Ryo went through some of his songs and songs he usually played with Kanjani8. He then switched to Americans songs, ballads or even faster ones, practicing or just enjoying, playing only what he knew by heart. Ueda found himself dropping his book pretty soon. He just gazed into the fireplace, the music sinking in, slowly drawing him into his inner world, sounds turning into colors, shapes, pictures. He knew he was falling asleep, but he was holding on, trying not to just yet, wanting to enjoy this state a little longer, wanting to feel, see Ryo´s music a little longer. Although, wasn´t something missing? He felt like he needed to wait for one song to appear and then he could go to sleep.
Just when he was about to really drift away, Ryo stopped playing and nudged him with a bit too much power to Ueda´s liking.
“Hey, you brought your guitar, didn´t you? “
“What, I … agh give me a second to wake up, why did you stop?”
“I was just thinking. It is always me playing or you playing.”
“Yeah, anything wrong with that?”
“No, just …”
“Just?”
“Why do we never play together?”
That definitely took Ueda by surprise. Playing a guitar with Ryo?
“As if you want us to perform together?”
“No! I mean, yes that would be great, but I think we would be a bit greedy. Maybe we could play for fun, like I played now.”
“Well, other than us probably not knowing any matching songs, I don´t really see a problem.” Ueda said a bit annoyed he was brought back to real life because of this.
“Then, let´s try!”
“Try? Ok, just add it to the list of things you´ll make me do, when we come back.” And he wanted to lie down onto Ryo´s now guitar free knee.
“No, I mean let´s try right now, go get your guitar.” Ryo was pushing him up to his feet and towards the room where he left his guitar.
“You can not be serious.” Ueda was fully awake by now and not pleased at all. When he walked towards the door he looked over at Ryo and when he saw his face, he decided to give it a try. He had no idea what was going on in his head right now. However his eyes were wide in anticipation, he was excited and all fired up and Ueda wouldn´t let him down for the world of it.
He came back and sat to the left from Ryo, the couch was L shaped so he was now partly facing Ryo who was looking into the fire a bit absent mindedly now.
“So how do we go about this? I doubt we know something same?”
“Well aren´t there songs everyone learns at some point, the easy or the famous ones?” Ryo asked.
“Like what, for example?”
“This one”, and he started to play a song Ueda definitely didn´t recognize. “Come on, it´s called Hurt (Johnny Cash).”
“I have no idea.”
“You wouldn´t know this one by any chance.” Ryo started to strum Konayuki.
“Ah, that is the song from your dorama, but sorry no idea how to play it.”
“I am not playing Bakanishi´s Care!” Ryo said stubbornly.
Ueda laughed:” Try some more!”, he encouraged Ryo.
“Ok, so what about this?”
“Oh, Knocking on Heaven´s Door. I do know this one.”
“Really, then what are you waiting for?”
“Ok, ok wait, go from the beginning again.”
Ryo stopped and Ueda tapped his guitar into the rhythm three times. They started together and it was pretty nice. First time playing together, Ueda was afraid if they sync but they did and it felt so right, he was really surprised. Maybe, this wasn´t such a bad idea after all.
But they had quite a hard time finding songs they both knew. Ueda got up, added some wood into the fire, and made hot chocolate. They were discussing songs all this time and found the weirdest songs in common. They learned the more crazy and improbable it sounded, the chance was bigger they would both know how to play it.
“U2´s With or Without You?”
“Yeah, sure, I learned that one.”
“And what about I Still Haven´t Found What I´m Looking For?”
“No, never heard of it. “
“But it is the same band!” Ryo just exclaimed.
“I doubt you will know this one, but No Doubt Don´t Speak.”
“Sure, somehow the song got stuck in my head so I learned how to play it.”
This time it was Ueda´s turn to be surprised.
“A Beatles song? “
“Not the submarine one, please!”
“Agh, never mind, what about Wish You Were Here, you know the one by Pink Floyd.”
“Yeah, I think I can do that.”
“Sounds of Silence?”
“Oh, I know, I know, Simon and something unpronounceable.”
Ueda came back with the hot chocolate.
“So we have a pretty interesting playlist here.”
“Should we play?”
Ueda just took his guitar and let Ryo start.
*
He caught on and they went through them one by one and it was just perfect. They got better with every song, being more in harmony and Ueda wasn´t looking at Ryo anymore, he didn´t have to try hard to stay in rhythm with him anymore, it just felt normal. Like they had been playing together like this for ever. He was getting lost in his world again, and the Sound of Silence just killed it. They were all pretty easy songs, they would sign along and sometime they just wouldn´t. They didn´t know all the lyrics or they just didn´t feel like they were needed at the moment.
When they stopped, Ryo realized Ueda is spacing out again, He couldn´t help himself but to kiss him, seeing that starry gaze was just too much. He just pecked him, but surprisingly Ueda responded right away, he whispered his name and deepened the kiss, making it painfully slow but passionate. At the end it was Ryo who was spacing out.
But the moment Ryo forgot about the guitar, it was as if Ueda remembered it.
“Why were they all English?”
“As I said, I am not playing Care with you, I will not let anyone from our friends interfere today, not even by means of the song. And frankly I think we do have anything else we both know.” Ryo was a bit upset Ueda stopped kissing him.
And suddenly Ueda realized which song was missing painfully from those played by Ryo before.
“Heavenly Psycho”, he blurted out.
“What, Heavenly Psycho, Kanjani´s song?”
“You didn´t play it before. Don´t you like that song?”
“I do, I just, I guess I like it too much and I wasn´t in a mood.”
Ueda didn´t say anything just took his guitar and started to play. Ryo just stared in shock. Ueda wanted him to join so he looked him into the eyes and started to sing.
Demo kou shite tsunaida te But our hands are joined together like this
Hitori ja nai ne We're not alone
Ryo caught on and managed to even sing, although he himself didn´t know how. He was way to enchanted, way too surprised, way too pleased, way too overwhelmed.
Fuan datte wakariatte warattetai ne I want to laugh and understand each other's worries
When they finished the song, Ueda smiled dreamingly and put the guitar down.
“I think it is enough for today.”
“How? How did you know this one? I mean it is just Kanjani8.”
“It is one of your favorites, isn´t it? You sing it so happily during concerts, with the others or alone, with the audience. I guess I wanted to join on the fun.”
Ryo didn´t need to hear much more, he reached for Ueda, hugged him tightly, stroking his back slowly, running his hand through his hair.
“Tatsuya, you are too much. You should stop sweeping me off my feet or I will burst, my heart will burst. “
Ueda just inhaled the scent of Ryo´s clothes, his skin, his being. He was content he could still feel it, even though his cold prevented him from smelling anything whole day long. What should he say now?
“I am sorry.”
“Yeah, you should be. I think you will have to stay like this until I calm down and even then I do not think you are going somewhere. You just stay here, with me.”
“Ryo… No problem, always.”
“Yeah, always.” Ryo pulled him away just enough to find his forehand and his lips to be kissed.
*
They never made it to the bedroom that night; they curled up on the couch, tightly holding each other, Ryo throwing some blankets over them.
Next day they slept in, not wanting to wake up, too afraid they would be disturbed again, not wanting to move, too afraid the magic of yesterday´s song would disappear.
When they finally got up, they had brunch on the terrace, last calm cup of coffee for long weeks to come. They soaked in last rays of sun, of this calm light that could only be felt here. They packed their things and went back to Tokyo.
Ryo went to Ueda´s apartment with him. He tucked him to bed, made him hot soup and tea, gave him all medicine he could think of and told him to stay in bed and never move until the next day.
“Ryo? Could you stay with me? I think I want my always today.”
Ryo didn´t say much, he found some comfy clothes, pulled an armchair next to Ueda´s bed and just stayed there with him. Ueda fell asleep thinking he should learn some more songs he could play with Ryo. And why was a joint performance a greedy thought once again?
END
Pairing: Ryoda (! established)
Rating: PG
Summary: Ryo and Ueda go away for few days. I just describe how they spend it, wanting to have some peace and rest, and well actually ending up having some, although they have to ignore Ueda´s cold and kick out some visitors in order to do so.
No beta
Originally posted on: 14/04/2009
Ueda was sick, although he was pretending not to be. They had two days off and he wanted to spend it peacefully in his vacation house, enjoying good weather, nature, serenity and Ryo. They drove up there, pulled out two chairs into the terrace and made some drinks. They sat outside, looking at the surroundings, watching and listening to the birds, sounds around them, watching old people passing by, saying hello politely, not because they knew each other, but because you say hello and wish a good day to everyone in such a small village.
He ignored his stuffed nose and managed to hide his sore throat from Ryo completely. Obviously, he couldn´t keep his not so ideal condition a secret for a long time. He got a headache and took some painkillers.
“It is not funny to be in denial about being sick when it is this obvious and everyone knows already,” Ryo noted seeing him do so.
Everyone? It was just two of them here … for now anyway.
Still, Ueda was determined to have a nice weekend and rest well physically and even more mentally as last few weeks drained him very much. This was a company in which he wanted to be. With his lover, who took care of him, making him tea and making sure he had all the comfort in the world. He was thankful for all the things Ryo did, but he was even more thankful he didn´t overdo it. Ryo partially ignored Ueda´s sickness as well, telling him to sit on the sun rather than telling him to go to bed or insisting on taking him to the doctor (something he would usually do). Ueda knew Ryo too wanted them to just lay back and enjoy “the ride”.
*
Next morning Ryo teasingly laughed at him for snoring for about two hours during the night. Ueda was mad at him for not waking him up, rolling him over or whatever.
“Why did you just let it be? You know, I do NOT snore normally, but I really do have stuffed nose. But no matter what, you should have woken me up. This is sooooo embarrassing.”
“Oh, Tat-chan, it´s ok. You are sick, how could I woke you up, because of such a small thing? It was ok, and I finally know, you could snore. It was so … manly in a way.”
Ueda just glared, but more amused than mad at Ryo for calling his snoring manly. When Ryo grinned at him a bit provokingly in reply, he just started chasing him around their kitchen, cup in one hand, dishcloth in the other. He was in the middle of taking care of the dishes after a nice breakfast and morning coffee.
Kitchen wasn´t the smallest one. They ran around the table (for 8) couple of times, Ryo then ran towards the couch by a fireplace and decided to jump at the small coffee table in front of it. When Ueda jumped on the couch to level them, suddenly it was him who was playfully chased, Ryo jumping after him, and driving Ueda to the end of the couch, into a corner of the room. The only escape route was to jump down from the couch, but before Ueda could do just that, Ryo stretched out his arm, placing his palm against the wall behind Tatsuya, and smiled again.
Tatsuya, his hands still full, could only smash the cloth at Ryo, but didn´t even managed to do so before he was kissed full on his lips still playfully and at the end too short to his liking.
Ueda just finished the dishes afterwards and went to sit outside with a book thinking Ryo definitely knew how to greet him good morning. He just loved that once it was warm and sunny enough; and it was warm and sunny enough mid April already; they could eat and stay outside all the time and when the sun became too hot or too tiring, they just retreated into the cold stone house for a while.
*
Ryo pulled him out for a walk. Usually it would have been the other way around. They went up to the forest, found a nice meadow to sit on and look down to the valley. It was just too peaceful to last, Ueda thought, and he was soon to learn how true that statement was. Maybe in the future, he will listen to the warnings of his mind.
Coming back to their lodge, they saw a car seemingly parked in front of their gate.
“It really looks like someone came to visit.”
“It doesn´t just look like that, someone came to visit,” Ryo replied in a rather dark voice.
“What do you mean, someone came to visit? Who would do that?”
“Who do you think, with that car?” Ryo was pointing towards a black sporty Nissan they were talking about.
And then it dawned on Ueda.
“Nakamaru?” He asked scared. “Do you think he is alone?” He might consider just making him leave if he was.
“I doubt it,” Ryo said bitterly, although he already had his “welcome” smile on.
“Massu?”
“Hello guys!” Ueda smiled, trying to mimic Ryo´s welcoming smile number 5.
They were sitting on their chairs on the terrace as the house was locked, of course. Ueda was really sorry he didn´t lock the gate as well, although they would probably just have sat on the grass in front of it in that case.
Ryo and Ueda acted all happy when they saw them. They were always welcoming to their friends and everyone knew that they can stop by anytime, be it their respective apartments or even here. They would never even dream about rejecting anyone, they were really glad that their friends and bandmates felt good enough around them to make the trip.
But just today, just this time, Ueda wished they wouldn´t have came, that they would have stayed home. Or at least that they would have said they were coming ahead of time, so he can get ready. There was enough food and drinks and space, that was not the problem. But he would set his mood on it, and he wouldn´t feel so bumped because they interrupted their peaceful time. Besides, it looked like they might stay the night. There really was enough space for them here and it was just too crazy to drive up here to go back in an hour or two (more like 3 or 4 hours). Although driving up here only on a wimp without saying a word was just as crazy, they could have been out all day or not even here at all. What would these two do then?
“What if they stay overnight?” Ueda found himself silently whispering to Ryo as they prepared some drinks and lunch for all four of them while the other two were sitting in the sun, enjoying what Ueda thought was his and Ryo´s peace.
“Well, we just have to think of a way to chase them out. I think it´s great they love us this much, but I just won´t have it today.”
Ryo came out and three minutes later Ueda just laughed for himself while heating up some soup because what Ryo did was just so him.
“So, guys, which one of you is driving today? ´Cause I have some really nice sake here, but I need to know which one of you will drink.”
And then he just shouted in Ueda´s direction carelessly, giving them time to elaborate: “Tatsuya do you want some too? “ he was just too obvious in telling them they were going back tonight and Ueda thought he loved him even more because of it.
“Sure, I´ll have some.”
“Yuichi can drink all he wants, I don´t feel like it in this sun, so I will drive,” Massu said smiling. He didn´t seem like he cared or was displeased by what just happened.
“So what brought you here?” Ueda came with some food and Ryo went in to bring the rest.
“Oh, we just thought it would be nice out here today and we felt like getting out of Tokyo,” Massu replied.
“Yeah and I think we were pretty right about it. But Tat-chan, you are sick, are you taking some medicine? Shouldn´t you go to the doctors?”
“True, true, you do look a bit pale,” Massu added - worried now.
“I am perfectly fine.”
“But, you seem like you could use some bed rest…”
“Will you two just cut it out and let it be? He is a grown man,” Ryo said rather briskly and ended the conversation.
*
It wasn´t unpleasant, they were not bad or demanding guests. They didn´t need to entertain them or attend to them all the time, but both Ryo and Ueda just wanted them gone, and Ueda; at least; felt quite guilty about it.
“My friend´s band is playing tonight in this new club in Tokyo. I hope it will be a success,” Massu said conversely as they were discussing some music.
“Oh yeah, I completely forgot about that and you told me like thousand of times over breakfast today. Shouldn´t we head back already”? Nakamaru suddenly stood up.
“Ah, I think we still have plenty of time,” Massu stretched lazily in his chair and Ueda´s heart filling with hope for few second just now plumped back to the sorrow.
“Oh, it really is comfortable here...” Massu continued, “… but I guess it won´t hurt if we go now. It will be more relaxed, less stress and we were imposing for too long.”
He got up and joined Nakamaru in scattering his jacket and some books they brought.Ueda thought that Massu was really good at keeping his heart in shape by the way he worked, by this my pace, slow and a roundabout way of dealing with stuff. But they would leave today, so he was forgiven. Both Maru and Massu thanked them for their hospitality and left, waving from the car window.
*
And the two men left behind slumped into those chairs and just stared into nowhere in disbelief.
“What the hell!” was all Ryo could squeeze out.
“No idea, but they are two crazy lunatics and I am ignoring Maru for a week when we get back.”
Ryo just started to laugh at this statement of Ueda and it was this great, loud, relaxed laughter that soothed Ueda and fixed his day again.
The one side effect of those two being here was that they had made Ryo worry about Ueda´s health again. He was holding up pretty good, but he was going back to his normal overprotective state dangerously fast now, so Ueda decided it is time for his last plea.
“I am sorry Ryo, I know this cold of mine isn´t getting any better and you have this urge to get me fixed right away and I love you for that, but I am begging you just bear with me a little longer. Let´s ignore this until tomorrow. Let´s pretend it is just a minor sniffle until we get back to Tokyo tomorrow in the afternoon and then I will do whatever you want me to do; I will comply with all your wishes then.”
Ryo just looked at him and then his eyes glowed a bit evilly.
“Hmm, I do not know if I can hold on till tomorrow. You know, I do have loads of wishes I want fulfilled before that”. Ueda´s eyes just widened.
“But when it comes to your cold, I guess you have a deal, although you are really going to do anything I want afterwards.”
And Ueda was more than happy to bargain few more calm moments here for what Ryo would think of in the next few days.
*
When the sun came down and it became a bit chilly outside they just went in. The house had a fireplace and it was still wanted and needed because the stone walls were hardly warm enough. Even during the summer heat the inside stayed nice and cool and long sleeves were needed in the evening. And so the fire was lit and they sat down on a cozy couch in front of it, Ueda some book in his hand and Ryo taking out his guitar.
Ryo went through some of his songs and songs he usually played with Kanjani8. He then switched to Americans songs, ballads or even faster ones, practicing or just enjoying, playing only what he knew by heart. Ueda found himself dropping his book pretty soon. He just gazed into the fireplace, the music sinking in, slowly drawing him into his inner world, sounds turning into colors, shapes, pictures. He knew he was falling asleep, but he was holding on, trying not to just yet, wanting to enjoy this state a little longer, wanting to feel, see Ryo´s music a little longer. Although, wasn´t something missing? He felt like he needed to wait for one song to appear and then he could go to sleep.
Just when he was about to really drift away, Ryo stopped playing and nudged him with a bit too much power to Ueda´s liking.
“Hey, you brought your guitar, didn´t you? “
“What, I … agh give me a second to wake up, why did you stop?”
“I was just thinking. It is always me playing or you playing.”
“Yeah, anything wrong with that?”
“No, just …”
“Just?”
“Why do we never play together?”
That definitely took Ueda by surprise. Playing a guitar with Ryo?
“As if you want us to perform together?”
“No! I mean, yes that would be great, but I think we would be a bit greedy. Maybe we could play for fun, like I played now.”
“Well, other than us probably not knowing any matching songs, I don´t really see a problem.” Ueda said a bit annoyed he was brought back to real life because of this.
“Then, let´s try!”
“Try? Ok, just add it to the list of things you´ll make me do, when we come back.” And he wanted to lie down onto Ryo´s now guitar free knee.
“No, I mean let´s try right now, go get your guitar.” Ryo was pushing him up to his feet and towards the room where he left his guitar.
“You can not be serious.” Ueda was fully awake by now and not pleased at all. When he walked towards the door he looked over at Ryo and when he saw his face, he decided to give it a try. He had no idea what was going on in his head right now. However his eyes were wide in anticipation, he was excited and all fired up and Ueda wouldn´t let him down for the world of it.
He came back and sat to the left from Ryo, the couch was L shaped so he was now partly facing Ryo who was looking into the fire a bit absent mindedly now.
“So how do we go about this? I doubt we know something same?”
“Well aren´t there songs everyone learns at some point, the easy or the famous ones?” Ryo asked.
“Like what, for example?”
“This one”, and he started to play a song Ueda definitely didn´t recognize. “Come on, it´s called Hurt (Johnny Cash).”
“I have no idea.”
“You wouldn´t know this one by any chance.” Ryo started to strum Konayuki.
“Ah, that is the song from your dorama, but sorry no idea how to play it.”
“I am not playing Bakanishi´s Care!” Ryo said stubbornly.
Ueda laughed:” Try some more!”, he encouraged Ryo.
“Ok, so what about this?”
“Oh, Knocking on Heaven´s Door. I do know this one.”
“Really, then what are you waiting for?”
“Ok, ok wait, go from the beginning again.”
Ryo stopped and Ueda tapped his guitar into the rhythm three times. They started together and it was pretty nice. First time playing together, Ueda was afraid if they sync but they did and it felt so right, he was really surprised. Maybe, this wasn´t such a bad idea after all.
But they had quite a hard time finding songs they both knew. Ueda got up, added some wood into the fire, and made hot chocolate. They were discussing songs all this time and found the weirdest songs in common. They learned the more crazy and improbable it sounded, the chance was bigger they would both know how to play it.
“U2´s With or Without You?”
“Yeah, sure, I learned that one.”
“And what about I Still Haven´t Found What I´m Looking For?”
“No, never heard of it. “
“But it is the same band!” Ryo just exclaimed.
“I doubt you will know this one, but No Doubt Don´t Speak.”
“Sure, somehow the song got stuck in my head so I learned how to play it.”
This time it was Ueda´s turn to be surprised.
“A Beatles song? “
“Not the submarine one, please!”
“Agh, never mind, what about Wish You Were Here, you know the one by Pink Floyd.”
“Yeah, I think I can do that.”
“Sounds of Silence?”
“Oh, I know, I know, Simon and something unpronounceable.”
Ueda came back with the hot chocolate.
“So we have a pretty interesting playlist here.”
“Should we play?”
Ueda just took his guitar and let Ryo start.
*
He caught on and they went through them one by one and it was just perfect. They got better with every song, being more in harmony and Ueda wasn´t looking at Ryo anymore, he didn´t have to try hard to stay in rhythm with him anymore, it just felt normal. Like they had been playing together like this for ever. He was getting lost in his world again, and the Sound of Silence just killed it. They were all pretty easy songs, they would sign along and sometime they just wouldn´t. They didn´t know all the lyrics or they just didn´t feel like they were needed at the moment.
When they stopped, Ryo realized Ueda is spacing out again, He couldn´t help himself but to kiss him, seeing that starry gaze was just too much. He just pecked him, but surprisingly Ueda responded right away, he whispered his name and deepened the kiss, making it painfully slow but passionate. At the end it was Ryo who was spacing out.
But the moment Ryo forgot about the guitar, it was as if Ueda remembered it.
“Why were they all English?”
“As I said, I am not playing Care with you, I will not let anyone from our friends interfere today, not even by means of the song. And frankly I think we do have anything else we both know.” Ryo was a bit upset Ueda stopped kissing him.
And suddenly Ueda realized which song was missing painfully from those played by Ryo before.
“Heavenly Psycho”, he blurted out.
“What, Heavenly Psycho, Kanjani´s song?”
“You didn´t play it before. Don´t you like that song?”
“I do, I just, I guess I like it too much and I wasn´t in a mood.”
Ueda didn´t say anything just took his guitar and started to play. Ryo just stared in shock. Ueda wanted him to join so he looked him into the eyes and started to sing.
Demo kou shite tsunaida te But our hands are joined together like this
Hitori ja nai ne We're not alone
Ryo caught on and managed to even sing, although he himself didn´t know how. He was way to enchanted, way too surprised, way too pleased, way too overwhelmed.
Fuan datte wakariatte warattetai ne I want to laugh and understand each other's worries
When they finished the song, Ueda smiled dreamingly and put the guitar down.
“I think it is enough for today.”
“How? How did you know this one? I mean it is just Kanjani8.”
“It is one of your favorites, isn´t it? You sing it so happily during concerts, with the others or alone, with the audience. I guess I wanted to join on the fun.”
Ryo didn´t need to hear much more, he reached for Ueda, hugged him tightly, stroking his back slowly, running his hand through his hair.
“Tatsuya, you are too much. You should stop sweeping me off my feet or I will burst, my heart will burst. “
Ueda just inhaled the scent of Ryo´s clothes, his skin, his being. He was content he could still feel it, even though his cold prevented him from smelling anything whole day long. What should he say now?
“I am sorry.”
“Yeah, you should be. I think you will have to stay like this until I calm down and even then I do not think you are going somewhere. You just stay here, with me.”
“Ryo… No problem, always.”
“Yeah, always.” Ryo pulled him away just enough to find his forehand and his lips to be kissed.
*
They never made it to the bedroom that night; they curled up on the couch, tightly holding each other, Ryo throwing some blankets over them.
Next day they slept in, not wanting to wake up, too afraid they would be disturbed again, not wanting to move, too afraid the magic of yesterday´s song would disappear.
When they finally got up, they had brunch on the terrace, last calm cup of coffee for long weeks to come. They soaked in last rays of sun, of this calm light that could only be felt here. They packed their things and went back to Tokyo.
Ryo went to Ueda´s apartment with him. He tucked him to bed, made him hot soup and tea, gave him all medicine he could think of and told him to stay in bed and never move until the next day.
“Ryo? Could you stay with me? I think I want my always today.”
Ryo didn´t say much, he found some comfy clothes, pulled an armchair next to Ueda´s bed and just stayed there with him. Ueda fell asleep thinking he should learn some more songs he could play with Ryo. And why was a joint performance a greedy thought once again?
END