SING WITH ME

A CLOVER fanfiction.

Author: Kamui Kinomoto

Pairing: Gingetsu X Lan

Disclaimers: CLOVER and all its characters belong to CLAMP-sama... how I wish I did! ;;; Shounen-ai ahead.

AN: This fic is dedicated to Kazemaru-san, IceAngelDarkMoon-san, Senya Starseeker-san, Sakura Falling-san, Danly-san, Fairy of irrelevance-san, Sumeragi Sui-san and to Someone(-san) who read and reviewed my 'For You' Clover ficcie. Thank you so much! To all, please review if you have time!

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"You've been very busy lately, Gingetsu. How about we go out and entertain ourselves? Don't deny it, I know you're already pretty tired with all those works. And besides, all work no play makes Ryuu Fei Kazuhiko a dull man." Kazuhiko smiled as he tried to cheer up the Colonel in front of him who was gravely busy with tons of paper works.

"Don't you have works to do yourself? If you think you're already a dull man, then play yourself. I have much things left to do." Gingetsu replied frigidly and his friend was used with that stance of his.

"Almost four years have passed since you had that boy with you and still you don't have a change of attitude. Poor Lan... his efforts are kind of futile." Kazuhiko sighed while shaking his head and tried to look rather so thwarted.

"What do you mean?" For once, the Lieutenant Colonel's attention was caught and it made Ryuu smile once again.

"I mean... Lan is always there beside you and we both know how warm and loving that lad is. It's such a shame that he hasn't even influenced you a bit. He's quite a man now but still his innocence is still the same as the first time I met him. What do you do when the two of you are alone there at your house? You play cards or frantically ignore each other's existence? I don't thinks so. One way or another, I know you want to please him. I know you want to make him happy but then you're so clueless of what would make him."

"What's the connection of that with me being busy?" Gingetsu had now refrained from checking the files and then stared straight at the other man's eyes. Or so did Kazuhiko notice as his commanding officer's eyes were always hidden behind visors.

"Give yourself a break. Tomorrow. I know you have nothing to do tomorrow. Let's go KTV singing, what do you think?"

"Lame idea."

"Oh yeah, I was expecting that you would say that and I forgot to say that I won't take 'no' for an answer."

Knowing Kazuhiko's stubbornness, the silver-haired man just shook his head slightly and continued working with the records. His silence only meant that he had already accepted that Kazuhiko defeated him with this conversation.

"Alright! Great! I knew I would win!" Kazuhiko chuckled, "You bring Lan along so that you wouldn't get intimidated with my beautiful singing voice. Remember that I used to be a lover of a very beautiful singer named Oruha. Oh, I'm babbling and I know that it makes you sick. So... tomorrow, 1 P.M., I'll see you with Lan tomorrow at that infamous 'Happiness KTV Bar'. Bye!"

Gingetsu knew that he would die if ever he'd not show-up tomorrow.

-------

"Really? That's a good idea, I would love to go with the two of you!" Lan smiled to himself as he was resting his head on Gingetsu's left shoulder. The two of them were sitting in the couch at the living room and the older man was repeatedly stroking Lan's hair gently with his left hand.

"Then that man has to thank you..." Gingetsu murmured, still looking emotionless.

-------

1 P.M.

"Hey! I know you'd come!!!" Kazuhiko cheerfully met with Lan and Gingetsu in front of the Happiness KTV Bar. He smiled pleasantly before the young lad and the latter returned the smile, even more pleasingly. Gingetsu flinched a bit with the 'exchange-of-smile-scene' and so he decided to break the rather 'intimate' setting between his boy and the 'man with no malice'.

"Ohayou, Kazuhiko..." Lan greeted with a little bow.

"Same to you. I'm so glad you have convinced Gingetsu to come! You gifted boy!"

Lan blinked a couple of times, a bit wondering, and then opened his mouth to speak, "What do you mean...? I didn't convince him to come... I just... Uhm... He just asked me if I want to go and---"

Unexpectedly, Gingetsu cut Lan, "Shouldn't we go inside and stop wasting our time?"

Kazuhiko nodded and pulled Lan and Gingetsu's arms toward the entrance direction of the bar.

-------

/I'll be your crying shoulder...
I'll be... love's suicide...
And I'll be, better when I'm older...
I'll be... the greatest fan of your life...
The greatest fan of your life......./

That song was for Oruha... as for indeed that Kazuhiko was the biggest fan of her life.

Lan clapped as Kazuhiko finished singing Edwin McCain's hit 'I'll Be'. Lan was a bit surprised; he never expected that a man like Kazuhiko could sing very well. He thought that the singer named Oruha, whom he knew was Kazuhiko's girlfriend, taught him how to. Or maybe had just inspired him a bit. Especially when he watched her perform.

After smiling as a sign of appreciation for Lan's clapping, Kazuhiko then handed the boy the microphone, which made the latter blink.

"Eh?" Lan's eyes were asking.

"You're here so you need to sing, too. I know Gingetsu here would be very happy to hear you sing." said Kazuhiko.

Gingetsu didn't even recoil with that. But deep inside, he knew that he did want to hear Lan sing.

Kazuhiko passed Lan the songbook and let the juvenile pick the song of his choice.

"The songs are arranged alphabetically so you don't have to stumble on it."

"But...! I don't know how to sing and I..." Lan was still hesitating but when he took a glimpse at Gingetsu and saw the latter so composed, he sighed lightly and started scanning for the song he thought he could sing a little well.

He looked right away for the letter W.

After some couple of minutes, he put the songbook down and looked at Kazuhiko.

"The number?" Kazuhiko asked, grinning pleasantly.

"Anou... 12114..."

On the machine, the brown haired-man then pressed down the numbers that Lan answered.

The instrumental intro of the song afterwards started playing while Lan was gripping the mic a bit too tight as if it was going to slide down his hand. His fingers were quivering a bit but he was still holding on.

" 'Wherever You Will Go'..." Gingetsu read inside his brain.

Lan inhaled first then started singing the words that were flashed on the screen in front of him.

/So lately, I've been wond'ring
Who will be there to take my place...
When I'm gone, you'll need love
To light the shadows on your face.../

He started it right and continued it right.

/If a great wave shall fall
It would fall upon us all...
And between the sand and stone
Could you make it on your own?/

He held the microphone now with both hands.

/If I could, then I would,
I'll go wherever you will go...
Way up high, or down low,
I'll go wherever you will go.../

How Lan wished that he'd be able to follow Gingetsu everywhere, no matter what.

/And maybe, I'll found out
The way to make it back someday...
To watch you, to guide you,
Through the darkest of your days...
If a great wave shall fall
It would fall upon us all...
Well I hope there's someone out there who-
Could bring me back to you...!/

Lan closed his eyes and went on with the singing even without reading the lyrics.

/If I could, then I would,
I'll go wherever you will go...
Way up high, or down low,
I'll go wherever you will go.../

Before he knew it, his voice was now louder than the usual.

/Run away with my heart,
Run away with my hope,
Run away with my love.../

He softened his voice now to fit it with the melody of the song,

/I know now, just quite how,
My life and love might still go on...
In your heart... and your mind
I'll stay with you- for all the time...!/

He made his voice louder again as the following were the last lines, hoping that Gingetsu understood what he meant. Yes. How we prayed that when he's already gone, Gingetsu would still cherish the memories of his existence.

/If I could, then I would,
I'll go wherever you will go...
Way up high, or down low,
I'll go wherever you will go...
If I could turn back time,
I'll go wherever you will go...
If I could make you mine,
I'll go wherever you will go...
I'll go wherever you will go, oh.../

Strumming of guitar strings and the song was now finished.

Gingetsu was silenced with his mouth hanging a bit open. "..."

Lan's eyes soon fled open and he looked down... A bit shy.

"I...I hope I did it okay..." He whispered.

Kazuhiko was amazed and just found himself giving Lan a friendly hug while making the younger sit down. "Dammit! How could you be so great! I never thought you could sing THAT great! Whoa! At first I thought you were going to sing the 'Alphabet Song' or 'Twinkle Little Star' but then--! When did you learn that song?"

Lan was only blushing a bit with the compliment, "Well I... I heard that song about two days ago and I..."

He raised his head to look at Gingetsu who was also looking at him. He continued with his eyes glittering a little, "...I thought I could sing that song to Gingetsu... I thought it would be great if I could go wherever he will go even when I'm already dead... I have only few months to live and I hope... even if I'm already deceased... I hope that I could still follow him... and maybe go back to him..."

Gingetsu gulped thickly... then stood up and got the songbook from Kazuhiko's hand.

"G-gingetsu...?" Kazuhiko felt odd.

Gingetsu skimmed through the song list and after that pressed some numbers on the machine.

Both Lan and Kazuhiko didn't have a clue of what had gotten into Gingetsu.

Together, they read silently the title of the song chosen by Gingetsu, " 'Standing At The Edge of The Earth'...?"

They blinked. And after a while, Gingetsu started singing.

/I knew that this moment would come in time
That I'd have to let go and watch you fly...
I know you're coming back so why am I dying inside...?
Are you searching for words that you can't find?
Trying to hide your emotions but eyes don't lie...
Guess there's no easy way to say goodbye.../

Lan's eyes widened as he got the message of the song. The song was right. He really couldn't tell Gingetsu what he feels and always tries to conceal his true feelings. What were the words to say? 'Aishiteru' or 'Sayonara'?

/I'll be standing at the edge of the earth,
Hoping that someday you'll come back again
I'll be standing at the edge of the earth
Hoping for someday... Someday.../

Gingetsu grasped the mic just like how Lan was grasping it a while ago. This was his way of reaching Lan's heart.

/Don't misunderstand what I'm trying to say...
I don't want to let you leave this way
I want you to know that I stand right by your side...
And I know, that this may be- the very last time
that we se each other cry
But whatever happens know that I'll.../

Gingetsu glanced at Lan before he continued singing with full power.

/...I'll be standing at the edge of the earth,
Hoping that one day you'll come back again...
I'll be standing at the edge of the earth
Hoping that someday you'll come back to me...
I'll be praying for whatever it's worth,
Believing that one day you'll come back again...
I'll be standing at the edge of the earth,
Hoping for someday...

And I know, that this may be- the very last time
that we se each other cry...!
But whatever happens know that I'll.../

Gingetsu repeated the chorus with more force than he did a while ago.

/...I'll be standing at the edge of the earth,
Hoping that one day you'll come back again
I'll be standing at the edge of the earth
Hoping that someday you'll come back to me...
I'll be praying for whatever it's worth,
Believing that one day you'll come back again...
I'll be standing at the edge of the earth,
Hoping for someday....../

And as he knew that the song was almost at its end, he decided to pour out all his passions in the following words in order to give Lan the impact and make him realize what he meant. What he had never said to him personally. He hoped that Lan would be able to understand him by this song he was currently singing.

/...Waiting for someday,
Believing in someday,
Praying for someday...
I'll be longing for someday,
Clinging to someday,
Cherishing someday...
I'll be thinking of someday,
Dreaming of someday,
Wishing for someday...
I'll be living for someday,
Counting on someday ,
Knowing that one day...../

He transferred his gaze to Lan, and Lan gasped as he saw tears dropping down from his caretaker's eyes.

In almost a soft voice, Gingetsu finished the song...

/I will see you....../

With that, Lan quickly stood up from his sit and hurried to embrace the two-leaf Clover within his thin arms.

He sobbed and tears trickled down his pale cheeks in unison with Gingetsu's. The tears were tears of joy, because he just realized how important was he to the man.

Yes, he listened very carefully to the lyrics of the song and without a doubt knew that the song was meant for him. To whom else could it be?

"That...That song was for you... You believe that you'll die? Then I'll believe that you'll come back. I'll pray and I'll wait for you... to return into my arms. I'll wait all the time... everywhere... even at the edge of this earth. As long as I don't see you, I'll never give up waiting for you." Gingetsu stammered but believed that he had said just the right words... to which Lan's embrace to him tightened even some more.

The three-leaf Clover was smiling while shedding tears at the same time. "Thank you..."

"You want to follow me? Wherever I'll go?"

"Yes..."

Gingetsu then affectionately brushed his lips towards Lan's forehead and whispered, "Then do as you like..."

With his head pressed against Gingetsu's broad chest, Lan nodded slowly, "Mm..."

Kazuhiko was silently watching them. He also felt the same contentment that those two were currently feeling.

"These two make such a cute couple... And they have their theme songs now..." he thought, smiling.

--OWARI.--

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Disclaimer: The song "I'll Be" is Edwin McCain's. The song "Wherever You Will Go" is by The Calling... (how I wish Alex Band is mine). The song "Standing At The Edge Of The Earth" is by the Blessid Union of Souls.

AN: I hope you liked it! For any personal comments or suggestions, please e-mail me! Thank you!

-=Kamui Kinomoto=-