Song Meme: Part Ten [Gravitation, Bad Luck]
2. Put iTunes or equivalent media player on random.
3. For each song that plays, write something related to the theme you picked inspired by the song. You have only the time frame of the song: no planning beforehand: you start when it starts, and no lingering afterward; once the song is over, you stop writing. (No fair skipping songs either; you have to take what comes by chance!)
4. Do 5 of these, then post.
“Can’t Take My Eyes Off of You” ~ Bobby Darin [3:43]
During the lulls in the work day Suguru finds his eyes drawn to the two of them.
Shuichi stands behind Hiro’s chair, pulling his hair back and securing it with a rubber band before pushing it aside. Hiro tunes his guitar, tossing occasional tolerant smiles over his shoulder as Shuichi doodles (Suguru can’t tell what it is he’s drawing, but it looks like it’s maybe supposed to be a turtle with an afro on a skateboard) on the back of his neck with a bright red pen.
Foolishness.
And yet, he continues to watch. They talk about something Suguru can’t hear, laughing at jokes Suguru will never understand. It’s very Silly. And he’s never cared for Silly things.
Except for them.
So when, a few days later, Shuichi attacks him from behind and draws a demented-looking rabbit in a top hat on the skin below his ear, he doesn’t protest. Too much.
“S.O.S.” ~ Mamma Mia! Original Broadway Cast [2:44]
“I knew this was a bad idea,” Suguru mutters as he looks down at the water. “I can’t believe I got in a canoe with the two of you. A canoe. Of all things.”
“Got something against canoes?” Shuichi asks, not really paying attention, more interested in struggling to grope for the lost paddle that is rapidly sinking.
Suguru shoots him a dirty look before appealing to Hiro, who usually has a bit more sense. “What should we do?”
“If we had a Morse code radio,” Hiro muses, looking up at the sky, “we could make a SOS signal.”
Suguru stares. “SOS?”
“Yes. ‘Save Our Souls’, ‘Survivors On Shore’, ‘Save Our Seamen’…”
Shuichi snickers. “Semen.”
Another dirty look. “I knew this was a bad idea.”
“Kiss the Girl” ~ The Little Mermaid, Original Broadway Cast [3:10]
They sit in the back of the theater, watching, waiting. Several rows ahead of them, Hiro and Ayaka are holding hands in the tub of popcorn.
“That’s so gross,” Suguru murmurs; he hates the way buttery popcorn feels.
“I know,” Shuichi agrees. “Straight couples are disgusting.”
Suguru chooses to ignore this comment. On the big screen, the leading male is catching the love interest swimming naked in his pool. His eyes grow wide as she climbs out, smiling seductively, and walks toward him. Suguru forces himself to look away from her bare shoulders as Shuichi grips his wrist in excitement.
“Perfect—a kiss scene! Think he’ll do it?”
“He’s not that cliché.”
“Pfft, he totally is. You wanna bet?”
“Yes.”
“Sweet.”
As a close-up of the two soon-to-be lovers’ first kiss filled the screen, Shuichi and Suguru leaned forward in their seats as Hiro and Ayaka looked shyly at each other.
“Yesyesyes…”
“Nonono…”
Their heads move toward each other as the on-screen kiss intensifies in passion, and then…Ayaka offers him a buttery handful of popcorn. Suguru smiles smugly as Shuichi releases his wrist and sighs, “Damn straight couples…”
“I’m Your Man” ~ Wham [4:06]
Somehow, Shuichi and Hiro were already at the studio when Suguru arrived for work in the morning. Hiro lifted his hand in a cheerful wave with an accompanying smile. Suguru nodded in response, the corners of his mouth curving upward slightly.
“Hey, Number Three,” Shuichi said without looking up from his notepad, and the almost-smile that had started to appear on Suguru’s face faltered, and then faded altogether.
He ignored Hiro’s faintly apologetic look—eh, what are ya gonna do?—as he set down his bag and plugged in the synthesizer. He pursed his lips together in agitation and, after several moments of silence, pressed his fingers down hard on the keys. Shuichi and Hiro looked up at the noise and Suguru narrowed his eyes at his pink coifed fearless leader.
“Listen, Shindou, I’m the guy that’s going to help you surpass Nittle Grasper. You know that as well as everyone else does. So don’t treat me like I’m some expendable extra—you two may have started Bad Luck, but I’m the one who’s finishing it.”
Shuichi opened his mouth to speak, but stopped, jumping slightly when the keys were pressed again.
“And another thing—I refuse to be looked down upon by a guy who writes songs about marmalade.”
Shuichi stared at him, his expression unreadable; Suguru swallowed.
“Well…” Hiro cleared his throat, smirking a little. “You’re gonna love his new one,” he said, pointing to the notepad on Shuichi’s lap. “It’s about ducks and hockey pucks. Really, a rhyming masterpiece.”
“Shut up! It’s gonna be a hit! I mean, as long as Mr. Surpass-Nittle-Grasper over here is playing it.” He looked at him, eyebrow arched. “Right?”
“That’s right,” he said, unsure if he was being serious or sarcastic, and not caring either way. It didn’t really matter; he knew he’d said the right thing when Shuichi grinned at him. He smiled back. The band was complete, and he was finally happy to be a part of it.
“You Can Be As Loud As the Hell You Want (When You’re Makin’ Love)” ~ Avenue Q [2:41]
“ohgodohgodohgodohgodoh—”
“God, make it stop!” Suguru pulled the covers over his head and groaned. “I am never staying in a room beneath them ever again!”
“It does make one wish for a thicker ceiling, doesn’t it?” Hiro lamented. “Or ear plugs.”
Suguru felt his cheeks flame as he heard a particularly loud—and damn, if it wasn’t fetching—moan from Shuichi. He adored the singer; he really did. And he was glad that Eiri had managed to hook up with them during their tour; he really was. But good lord.
“And you know he’s got a lot of stamina,” Hiro reminded him.
Suguru was pretty sure he whimpered.
