#gingaoji

It felt like it had been ages, since the last time the pair had sat together to watch the snowfall. In reality, it had only been months, yet Sasuke found himself feeling nostalgic all the same. He didn’t mind, though; the forest was peaceful, a rare gift in this place, that they had been lucky enough to harness when they moved in among the trees.

More importantly, was the warmth of the man seated next to him. Always a welcome feeling, it was little surprise that the shinobi had an arm draped around his shoulders.

“...you know... I think there’s only one real way to greet a fresh snowfall pretty as this.”

Part of him was loathe to break the silence, but the smile on his lips said that he was more pleased with his idea than all that. Withdrawing from the lazy embrace, he stood and offered a hand to Souji.

“C’mon, just for a minute.”

He could see a flash of hesitance, just barely, before he could feel a hand in his. Helping his partner to his feet, Sasuke still gave no explanation while leading him further into the moonlit clearing that was their back yard.

Eventually, he turned and his free arm found its way to Souji’s waist. In that moment, he could see what was happening begin to dawn on the other man’s face. Good. He hadn’t lost his touch, after all.

“You don’t mind one little dance, do you?”

“Depends, are you still as light on both of your left feet as before?”

“We both know better than that, Souji.”

The playful jabs died as quickly as they started, however, in favor of an imagined melody to slowly move their feet to. As Sasuke had expected, the memory of their first outing still left him feeling warmer than most.

In all honesty, he had only meant for it to last a few minutes, but it was too easy to lose track of the time. Minutes? Hours? It didn’t really matter, save for the tinge of cold that dared to make them pull closer together.

At one point, he caught himself simply watching Souji; how content he looked, and how the moon always seemed to give him a certain glow... Well. Maybe that part was just in Sasuke’s head.

“You know,” he found himself leaning in closer, until his lips were near his partner’s ear, “you’ve always looked your best by moonlight.”

He nearly pulled away, but first, his voice dropped to an even soft whisper, as though suddenly he were almost afraid of breaking the serenity he had found in the moment.

“And you don’t know where he is now!”

Crow had been screaming back and forth with this girl for what seemed like hours. Ever since the revelation had surfaced, she had been nothing but a bother. Sure, he had wondered about Aion’s past before, but learning bits of it through his little sister hadn’t changed anything, really.

The Aion he knew was the same, right?

“That’s not where he belongs!”

Not that this brat would be convinced of that, apparently.

“Why don’t you try asking him where he belongs!”

Even as he screeched back at the lioness, he felt a lump forming in his throat. What if she did, and the answer wasn’t what he thought it’d be? What if he had a change of heart, and decided to go back to the family he’d long forsaken? If that happened, then...

What about ShinganCrimsonZ? What about him?

“Fine! But don’t cry to me when you never see him again!”

“Like hell! You’ll be the one crying, just watch!”

He could feel his voice wavering as he tried to force himself into believing he couldn’t be wrong. His friend couldn’t possibly want to leave them, even in the face of family, wealth...

But who was he kidding? Anyone could see the smarter choice. Yet..

Crow’s voice was quiet, spattered with soft laughter.

Performing was always made easier when Crow kept that in the back of his mind. On any given side of him was a friend, but on his left was the one he wrote piece after piece with, late into the nights. Maybe it wasn’t so surprising, then, that was the one who often stuck in his thoughts.

Either way, the hedgehog had long ago admitted to himself what he couldn’t quite say out loud. At least, not while sober, but that was besides the point. While he was performing, it was easy to tell himself he was saying it all by putting his all into every word, every strum. It was easy to believe everything was out there, everything was easy.

Offstage, however, was another story.

Crow had been up in his room all day, sitting in the open windowsill while he plucked at Tomahawk’s strings. It was always different, trying to write a song on his own. It wasn’t even as though he planned on offering it to the guys to play, either. No, this was for himself, for...

“Aion.”

His fingers paused when he saw the lion below, arriving home from one of his rare ventures out of the house.

He didn’t let himself think before his fingertips were strumming over the strings again--more loudly and clearly than before, when he had been trying not to be heard.

It was odd for him, choosing not to write lyrics as he went. The melody, simple as it was, had been his focus. Whether anyone hearing it could pick up the feelings therein, though, he could only wonder.

The want to protect, to remain close, to grow...