9th side[video]

[masukukunai]

[The camera is pointed up at the ceiling, so you can't really see anything. In the background is the listless bwang bwang of a G chord being played over and over, followed by a dramatic sigh.]

I have been here way too long.

[The G chord switches to an E chord.]

I hate to say it, but there is such a thing as too much free time. When something awful's not happening, nothing's happening. And you know something's wrong when a guy like me starts missing school.

[Bwang bwang bwaaaaaang.]

How's a dude supposed to have fun around here?

Comments

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji leans over to touch where Yousuke's first finger is pressing down the fourth string.]

This is G-sharp or A-flat.

[He looks back at his notes.]

...I should say that there isn't an E-sharp or a B-sharp. Or an F-flat or a C-flat.

[masukukunai]

Oh, okay.

[He thinks he gets it...]

So... a D-sharp and an E-flat are the same thing?

[eatsyourscience]

That's right.

[masukukunai]

Cool. Got it.

[He continues to do scales out of habit.]

Do you have anything I could practice on?

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji nods and flips to another page. Scales! There's a labeled copy and an unlabeled copy. In the stack are also pages of chord exercises.]

[masukukunai]

Man, you're prepared. [He examines the sheet music, already trying to make sense of it in his head.] I wasn't expecting full-blown lessons.

[eatsyourscience]

You'll be able to play better if you can do this part.

[masukukunai]

Yeah, but you didn't have to pull out all the stops. It's just me.

[eatsyourscience]

["Just" Yousuke is some kind of oxymoron.]

It's an excuse to hang out.

[masukukunai]

[His eyes wander the room, obviously trying to look at anything but Souji.]

You don't need an excuse...

[eatsyourscience]

[That makes Souji smile.]

Okay.

[masukukunai]

Mmm...

[Embarrassed, he tries to busy himself with his guitar again. But his attention's not there at all. He doesn't do that well.]

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji idly starts folding a paper crane out of a spare piece of staff paper he had.

And then he sticks it in Yousuke's hair.]

[masukukunai]

[Souji does it gently enough that Yousuke doesn't notice. There is now a crane sticking out of his hair as he continues to fumble along his notes.]

[eatsyourscience]

[....

This is now a game of "How Many Cranes Does It Take For Yousuke To Notice His Hair Is A Bird's Nest".]

[masukukunai]

[Answer: Three. Yousuke feels him put that last one in his hair, and his hand goes up automatically to bat him away. The other cranes then fall off him in turn. He takes one, and his face screws up and he cycles through several reactions... He settles on exasperation.]

Why are you putting cranes in my hair.

[eatsyourscience]

It looked like they would stay. [They did.]

[masukukunai]

...Your mind is a strange place, Souji.

[eatsyourscience]

[Whatever, dude. Souji rescues the three cranes and finds somewhere safe for them to nest. Probably the window sill.]

[masukukunai]

Presents?

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji nods. They got along so well with Yousuke's hair, they might as well stay. And they'll probably like it where they can see the sky. Not that he's going to say so out loud.

He returns to the bed and sits beside Yousuke, leaning back with his hands braced on the mattress behind him.]

[masukukunai]

[Yousuke shakes his head and continues with his guitar. He's starting to become used to having him close to him again, like normal. If he doesn't think to hard about it, it's like nothing's changed.]

[eatsyourscience]

[After a little while, Souji lays back on the bed. He watches Yousuke's back for a little while, then on impulse reaches out to touch his back where his shirt's ridden up a little. Just because hey it is there and it's kind of calling to him to touch it.]

[masukukunai]

[Yousuke makes a sound like someone just slammed their head into a keyboard, jerks forward and spills onto the floor. The guitar lets out a rude BRANG as he partially falls on it and tries to save it from damage at the same time.]

Souji!

[His voice cracks like he's 15 all over again, hands flailing as they aren't sure which part of himself to cover, because he feels violated everywhere.]

We are not in butt-touching territory yet! Holy shit!

[eatsyourscience]

[Souji only sits up enough to look down at him curiously, because that was quite an overreaction.]

I didn't.