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Rain walked around the stage for what would probably be her last time as Domon’s sound tech. The small bar he was playing in was currently empty, the employees getting ready for what was guaranteed to be a packed house with the winner of the band battle playing there. They ignored her for the most part -and why not?- she was just the tech, the tag along. Domon was the big star of it all.
Speaking of the man of the hour, he should have been there almost a half hour ago to help her get all this set up and check the sound.
But he was off, with the rest of the pesudo-band that had come together, or with Allenby, the cute little punk-pop rocker who had quickly taken over Rain’s spot as Domon’s best friend. That had hurt the most- watching him just ditch her on the regular to practice with a competitor of all things.
Which is stupid to be upset about. She scolded herself. He’s completely different from the boy you knew as a kid, of course he would have no interest in you anymore. Not that it stopped the hurting, the loneliness. She had missed him so much while he was gone, only for him to come back so indifferent to her. There had been a brief time before the Swedish rocker had shown up that it had felt like things were going back to normal, BETTER than normal, like there was something else, but..
She took a sharp breath in, shaking her head. That had been weeks ago. Domon had clearly found someone more fun to be with, and after this with the actual professional techs he would be given, she wouldn’t be a part of his life anymore. She wasn’t needed, nor wanted.
She gave him a few more minutes before giving up on him showing up for the sound test, and went to the back. It wasn’t anywhere close to Burning, but her old, worm in acoustic would work in a pinch.
Pulling the case from under her sound table, Rain let her hands trace over the yellowing stickers on it, some having placed there by her Grandmother when she was a teenager, others by her mother. Rain brushed the accompanying thoughts out her head and took the guitar to the stage.
Fragments of memories came to her as she set up, threatening to pull her under…
Rain sat by her mother as she tuned the worn interment on her lap, long finger dancing easily along the stings as the women worked the knobs to get the right sound…
Domon rolled his eyes as Rain listen to her mother start another old American country song, she soft voice picking up that slight twang she had never gotten rid of, even in her years of living in Japan.
The small girl rushed to hide her mother’s treasured possession as she heard her father rage in the next room over, throwing years of handwritten songs that her mother had worked so hard on in the trash, trying to get rid of every memory of her.
Rain bit her tongue to pull herself back to the present, sitting down on the stool she had pulled up before she went to work ensuring everything was in tune. She sat there, just playing various notes as her mind went back to Domon and how it felt like he had broken her heart.
After a while a familiar tune came to her, and she went with it. The song felt perfect, a way for her to express everything, even if it was to an empty room. The music filled her, and every note and word came like she had just learned it yesterday.
She let herself get lost in it, pushing her pain and heartbreak into the power of her song, not noticing a figure coming into the room.
———————————
Domon knew he was extremely late, and Rain would probably have his head for this, but he had some much to think about… mostly about them. He knew he had been ditching her so much lately, but she just made him feel so confused. He wanted nothing more than to keep her close, but at the same time made him terrified he could lose her in one way or another.
He could hear the music when he entered the bar- recognizing the song from many, many years ago, on what was probably the worse night of his friends life.
He wasn’t really sure about what had happened- he knew Rain’s mother had been in an accident on the way to watching one of Rain’s first little concerts and things didn’t look good, but the whys and hows were lost on him. All he knew was he was supposed to stay with Rain for a little bit while she said goodbye.
Rain was sitting on a chair next to the bed when his mother ushered him into the room, pushing him to sit with her. The two were talking quietly, and all he could hear was her begging her mother to not leave.
The dying woman took her daughter’s had, squeezing it softly as she shook her head, beginning to sing softly to her daughter as Rain cried quietly, Domon only being able to hold his friend as hard as he could as the two said their final goodbyes.
Rain stopped playing her guitar with him after that.
He soon found himself in the stage area, Rain sitting on a stool, eyes closed as she was lost in the song. He wondered why she would be singing this- a song of saying goodbye to a loved one, why she would put so much emotion into it.
And then it clicked.
She was saying goodbye to him. She was confessing her love for him.
Was she leaving? Why was she leaving? They had worked so hard to win, why would she leave now, when they had it all?
Then something Karato had said off handedly the day before came to him.
We’ll get you set up with your sound guys here next week. Got to have the best of the best, right?
Rain wasn’t going to be working with him anymore. They were going to get rid of her.
They couldn’t get rid of her. She couldn’t leave. She had to stay.
Panic rose in his throat as he moved to the stage. He had to convince her to stay, that he needed her, that he wanted only her.
He took a stool next to her, opening Burning’s case and pulling it out. It wasn’t made for these songs, but he would make it work. Had to make it work.
He let her finish, let the final notes fade away into the distance before taking up the first song her thought of. To convey how grateful he was to he being there, how much he appreciated her, how much he had to thank whatever higher power graced him with her in his life.
Domon watched her, gauging her reaction as he sang, seeing what he pleaded was hope in her eyes, want, desire to be with him. To stay with him.
It was quiet after he finished for a moment, until finally Domon asked tentatively-
“You’ll stay with me, right? I don’t want anyone else but you with me.” Rain met his eyes for a moment before dropping them.
“You deserve better- can get better- than me.” She replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “They already have your new sound guys chosen, they’ll be ready to start working with you next week.”
The guitarist took the hand that dangled at her side, and taking a risk to kiss it.
“I don’t want anyone else. I want you.” He took a deep breathe, laying it all on the line. “You’re my best friend, one of the few who had nothing but solid faith in me this entire time, and I can’t see me working with -being with- anyone but you. If you’ll take me.”
Rain pulled her hand away, tears in her eyes. He watched her mouth move, trying to find the words to say.
Then it came, quietly, and it hurt to hear them.
“You’re so much better than I’ll ever be. There’s so many better for you out there. Why not them?”
Domon studied her a moment before deciding what to do next. Knowing exactly what song fit this- yet another one of her mothers. He set Burning back on his lap, starting the song, praying she would pick up on the duet, let him show her how much they fit together.
His hands trembled as his part of it came to an end, begging, praying, hoping, she would decide to join him.
Rain voiced filled the air, picking up right as he left off, putting as much effort into the song as she had for her previous one. They sang together, both voicing their feelings of inadequacy for each other, their love for each other.
As the song went on, their voices began to meld together, in a way they hadn’t since they were kids, singing in the back of the car, driving Kyoji nuts during roadtrips. Domon’s heart twisted in some odd way as he felt everything she was trying to show him, hoping he could make her feel the same way.
As the song faded, the room erupted with clapping, startling Rain. Domon looked up to see a few early birds and employees watching them, clearly pleased with what they did.
Rain, however, looked almost green. She sat there, frozen where she had stopped, looking like she was going to be sick or pass out. Domon acted quickly, taking off his cloak and wrapping her in it, pulling the hood over her face so she wouldn’t see anyone, or have anyone see her as he lead her the safety of back stage where she could calm down.
He helped her get her guitar into it’s case, slinging burning behind him as he pulled her close, hands running though her hair.
“You’re safe.” He whispered softly. “You’re here with only me, no one’s judging you, no one’s blaming you.” He pressed a kiss to head, trying to get himself together enough to say the words he needed to.
“I love you. I want you, so much. As my sound tech, as my friend.” He tipped her head to meet her eyes. “As something more.” Rain studied him, looking for any hesitancy in his eyes.
“I can be pushy.” She began, holding a hand up to silence any of his protests of her putting herself down. “I’m stubborn and anxious and stress easily. You’ve seen that this past year. Are you sure you want to deal with that?” He just dropped his head to hers.
“As long as you can deal with my short temper and cluelessness and short-sighted way of doing things.” Rain gave a small, huffy laugh.
“I think I can deal with that.” She tipped her head up, her lips barely brushing Domon’s.
“I love you.” They said together, closing the space between them while the crowd outside clamored for an encore.