| Symphony Author: Queen of Vegetasei Summary: Ban doesn't like playing the violin. But when he does, there is only one person that he could play about. [Ban+Ginji Shounen ai if you want it to be.] A/N: Okay... this is my Ban and Ginji urge out of the way as well as my music craze in one shot. ^^ Enjoy. [s][y][m][p][h][o][n][y] It was little known that he could play the violin, in fact, the chance that you could catch him anywhere near the instrument was close to nil, what with the current state of his funds and his own tendency to avoid playing. Funny how now he was in a huge ballroom with the walls lined with them. Ban pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, and put his twitching fingers inside his pockets. It had been months since he had played, and several years before that. That didn't do much to help quell the addiction inside him. One that wasn't constantly required, like nicotine, or anything remotely attached to a person. Playing the violin - as anyone who has learned the instrument can relate to - was an addiction that is an ache. A pang in his mind that called out for noise that pierces the silence, called out for music that went beyond anything words could attempt. Which was why he stopped playing. The violin was the most intense instrument. The music would bare his soul, shatter it with the sound of his own yearning, with connotations in his heart that even he weren�t aware of. It left him far too vulnerable. In his line of work, having someone know you like that, without the shield of words, was simply too dangerous. Despite his determination, nothing could stop the ache which sprung up every time he came near the instrument. "Oi, Snake-yarou Madoka won't be back for another hour. Why don't you run along and do something else instead of dirtying her music room?" The snide comment bounced off the amplified walls. Ban narrowed his eyes, "Che, go and play with your animals, Monkey, I'll wait." He kept his hands in his pockets, not even daring to bring them out to light a much needed cigarette. "What the hell are you doing here anyway? Begging for money?" Shido, the Beast Master, drawled from his place against the door frame, his eyes narrowed in annoyance. A vein started throbbing in his forehead. "Urusai saru-yarou. Ginji is getting a ride from your little princess. He said to meet him here. I'm just picking him up." They exchanged a look of loathing. Shido's eyes flickered to the shelves of instruments. He turned away. "Che, just don't break anything." A distasteful sneer thinned his lips. A warning glare glinted off the animal lover's eyes before he stepped away from the door frame. Ban bared his teeth as the guy left, barely holding back the urge to send a dream in the Monkey's direction. Something that involved Shido being viciously eaten by his animals. The thought slightly cheered him up. He glanced resignedly around the room, cursing Ginji's lack of direction, money and knowledge of normal public transport. The blonde baka was probably getting a free ice cream right now, paid courtesy of Madoka and her substantial purse. He could just see the slightly dumb look on his partner's face as he chewed on the cold treat along with his own arm. Ban wondered what he was doing as he had wandered over to the racks, and what the instrument in his hands was doing. Incredulously, he watched as his own hand moved reflexively to pick up the bow as well, setting it at ready on the violin's strings. A long perfect note reached his ears as he drew the bow across the perfectly tuned strings. Ban sighed, half in relief, half in resignation to his own addiction. He closed his eyes, resting the instrument under his chin. For several beats of silence he stopped moving, feeling the air, feeling the familiarity of the chin rest and the weight of the instrument, feeling the music which was pushing against the barriers of his mind, fighting to pour out. Ban opened his eyes and looked warily around, stretching his senses for anyone around in pure paranoia. Not that he would have stopped if there was. He was too far gone now. The first string of notes hit the walls, a slow winding tune that spoke of reorientation, and asked a question of possible continuation. Ban shifted so he was standing more comfortably. He wanted to play even though he wasn't as good as Madoka, and never would be. He wanted to speak without the nuisance of words, but knowing the danger in that, he did the next best thing. Thoughts of the current source of his annoyance flitted through his mind. Happiness. Loyalty. Lateness. Warmth. *Blonde*. The bow started weaving across the strings, light and fast, reflecting his feelings, his thoughts. A smiling face. Watery eyes. Droopy blonde hair, crazily mussed up. Ginji-baka. His breath came faster as he focused, picturing his partner in his minds eye, a myriad of memories passing through his mind and flowing through his arms to the instrument. Fast and light music, a rising and falling melody that was happy and sad at random moments, long notes interspersed with short trilling notes, piercing the air with a strange awkward tune. It wasn't flowing smoothly because Ginji didn't. It wasn�t perfect because Ginji wasn't, something he knew from extensive first hand experience. The tune was ever shifting, twirling round into a small chorus, familiarizing itself before moving on into something new, something that was as awkward as its beginning but always new and exciting. A melody that couldn't help return to the chorus because it needed to find itself, until a new chorus was born. Ban shifted again, moving his body to the tune, so he could get the most out of the instrument as his arms drew out the notes. His breath was like a rising crescendo, complimenting the music rather than move against it, accompanying the orchestra of his heart beat. Another image struck his mind. Power. Pain. Happiness. Still warm. Still blonde. Dangerous. Raitei. The bow hit the strings forcibly. Hard and fast. Shrill, short notes giving way to low, long notes in a random rhythm. Unpredictable, and thrilling. Endlessly tiring. The melody was perfect now, a hidden symphony of notes that cried sharply, beautiful yet painful. High cries and low notes melting together into a convoluted song of notes that had no pretence in ending, something that always wanted to give and give and didn't want to end. A chorus that strained for perfection with its highly strung tones, high and powerful, low and intense. Ban couldn't breathe anymore. His hand was moving fast over the strings, unwilling to slow down. A last, piercing note rang through the air and echoed throughout the room, an disconcerting, sudden end to the music. The violin dropped with a clatter to the ground, and he stood with the bow held limply in his hand as the sound of his own breathing seemed too loud in the silence. The sound of enthusiastic pattering applause came from the doorway. Ban's head shot up, face flushed from exertion and embarrassment. "Ban-chan!" Ginji's face looked awed, his hands clapping fast together so much they blurred. "Sugooooi!" Ban shook his head, then looked impassively at Madoka who stood beside his partner. Ginji�s being there he had no problem with, but with wasn�t so with the girl. The fellow musician who knew what music really was, and could listen to the meanings� Ban tensed, watching Madoka's blank eyes. The girl had a smile on her face. "Ban-san. Sugoi." "Wooooooaaaah! I didn't know Ban-chan was so good! Well, I knew you were good from that other time but not that good..." Ginji ran up and *grinned*. "Ne, Ban-chan, can you play more?" Ban didn't take his eyes off Madoka. "How long have you been here?" "Since the middle of the first movement Ban-san." Madoka bowed slightly. "You were brilliant. Did you make it up just then?" Her smile was wonderous. Ban nodded before he remembered Madoka could not see him and sent a terse "yes," her way. The girl nodded, moving toward them, and picked up the fallen instrument. "Thank you Ban-san." "It wasn't for you." Ban answered, pointedly *not* looking at Ginji. "Hai. It's for Ginji-san," she replied quietly. "Really? Ban-chan?" A adoring look lit up those brown eyes. Ban looked at Ginji, then back at Madoka. He nodded and didn't bother to further elaborate on his answer. The intensity of the stars shining in Ginji's eyes could have been felt a mile away. Madoka smiled, and set the violin back on the shelf. "I could see him. I could see Ginji-san. It was wonderful. I have never heard someone describe a person so clearly. And Ginji-san..." She looked uncertainly at Ginji then smiled at Ban once again, and again, bowing. "Thank you." Ban grunted. Trust the blind music prodigy to finally see something that he played. He firmly ignored any implications this might be putting on his feelings towards his partner. Instead, he inclined his head toward the door. "Let's go, Ginji." "Hai!" Ginji shouted a goodbye and thank you toward Madoka before following after his partner outside. "Ne, Ban-chan can you play for me again?" The watery adoring look returned to those eyes. Ban stopped and turned around. He ran his hand through tousled blonde hair, tousling it further. A rare smile crossed his lips. "Maybe." He shouldn't be so ridiculously happy that Ginji was smiling back at him. But he was. Owari. A/N: This what happens when I get a new trial reader. Jazzo no offense, but a good beta/editor shouldn't change the whole tone and style of writing by using adjectives I DIDN'T intend, or change words so they fit with grammar. They were never meant to be perfectly grammarised. Perfect grammar and bad adjectives are BORING. A short piece of writing like this needs to get enough double meanings to get the tone through. And you've made it boring! Argh. I can't even put this up on FF.net anymore. You made something I was proud of into the worst case of betaing I have ever seen. *shakes head*. Sorry Jazzo. This isn't going to work out between us. |