Trouble only knocks when no one else is home

[oneblackcat]

It was shaping up to be a quiet evening. Goku was with Sanzo until tomorrow, and while there were several potential family members to look to between siblings and in-laws, Omi wasn't so eager to give up a chance to relax in peace. He had articles to read, some code to putz with, and a new caramel-pecan coffee flavor to try. Said coffee was already brewing, filling the air with a distinctly nutty aroma. The holographic display in the living room was set to split-screen between the code file and a live preview, curtains already closed and lights low.

While the coffee finished, he went about the apartment picking up little bits of clutter that always seemed to collect during the week. He didn't mind it in doses, but he didn't want it getting out of control, either.

Comments

[crimsonmoon]

The gig last night went on to midnight. The afterparty continued into the morning hours. By the time Akaya stumbled into bed, it was five in the morning. He slept until noon. After that, it was some media event that their manager insisted was absolutely necessary (it was like an afterparty except less booze and more schmoozing), and then it was back to Ren's for practice. Somewhere in between, he grabbed food and coffee and caught up on his texts and emails.

Tour dates were set for the summer, so they had to finish up all their new songs before then and add them into the set list to give their most loyal fans the big preview of what was to come. Most people would find this dizzying schedule exhausting, but Akaya thrived on it. He always was the ambitious sort, and not the type of person to sit back and take it easy just because one album was successful.

But even the most driven guy had the need to kick it from time to time, and sometimes he fulfilled it in the most unlikely places. Which was why he was here now, sending him a ping from the notifier scan by the front gate of the apartment complex. Maybe he was home, maybe he wasn't. So it went with Akaya's random visits, never timed on any predictable basis, possibly by design (or more likely by whim -- coupled with the busy schedule of a musician). Waiting for an answer was a bother, but having a key would be even worse. And so he waited.

[oneblackcat]

There went his quiet evening.

Omi looked at the pop-up notification on the screen that he had a visitor at the front gate. For just a moment, he pursed his lips, then with a small sigh approved the request, as he always did when the place was empty.

A friend of a friend who knew a guy in a band: in hindsight, it probably wasn't the best association to start with. Omi agreed to take a look at a computer synthesizer acting up and, after several hours of research, troubleshooting, and playing with different underlying settings, he fixed it. By all rights, that should have been the end of it. Then the visit turned into an invitation to hear the band, which turned into a club and a bit of drinking and that turned into a mess. And then the mess had turned into a habit, and now here he was.

Anyone that knew would probably find them about the oddest pair to be had, insofar as the word pair even applied. Akaya was wild, creative, and had a certain air about him that whatever he was up to, it spelled trouble. Maybe in a way, that was what had drawn him in, out of his own mundane life of safety and predictability. One of these days, Goku was going to be home unexpectedly early and he was going to have a heck of a lot of explaining to do. Hopefully, tonight would not be that night.

Omi took the liberty of getting an extra mug out now. If past experience was any indication, the caffeine was no threat to Akaya's bedtime anyway.

[crimsonmoon]

Home it is, then. Which probably also meant that Hungry Hungry Hippo wasn't in. Akaya had yet to meet this elusive roommate, who left traces of his voracious appetite in the trash (lots of empty cartons and boxes) and the sink (dishes numbering in the many that were probably not of Omi's doing). Maybe one of these visits, he will. Akaya never really knew if there would be a next visit, but something usually directed his feet in this direction eventually.

He wouldn't go so far as to call it a habit. Habit forming behavior was an occupational hazard and Akaya was way too disciplined to fall into that trap. He glided past the security sensors in the lobby and the elevator, and went in through that familiar door. The smell of coffee wafted in to the foyer as he bent down to peel off his boots.

How long had it been since his last visit? Akaya didn't remember, exactly. He might have forgotten to text, too. So he opened with a saunter, and a casual "'sup?" There was something about his movements that looked feline, maybe because he was so slender and he moved in the kind of way that was accustomed to being on a stage where hundreds of pairs of eyes were looking. Plus, he was wearing dark jeans, a fitted leather jacket and red sleeveless top that weren't exactly tight, but hugged his form just enough to show it off.

[oneblackcat]

When Omi heard the door open, he stepped over into view of the hall, feeling a typical mix of gladness to see Akaya and annoyance at his manner. How anyone could be quite so shamelessly carefree, appearing out of nowhere as though carried in by the wind (and only to greet him as though he should have been expected), he did not know. Was it so much to ask for even ten minutes of advance notice?

He was dressed well, at least. Rather, in a way that was both fitting and flattering for a young musician. Omi for his part was in a mesh top, his trademark shorts that he seemed to wear no matter how cold it got outside, and socked feet. Though he'd always been on the small side, thanks to a smattering of outdoor leisure activities he had enough muscle to pull off the top (not that lack of them would have necessarily stopped him).

"I don't suppose you've heard of calling," he said with a small frown by way of greeting. "You're lucky it's just me here tonight." So was he, to be truthful, but Omi didn't plan on voicing that part.

[crimsonmoon]

Calling? That would imply that Akaya knew what he would be doing in advance. Every other part of his life was planned out meticulously. He was actually quite responsible in that respect, not just because it paid the bills, but because he had the ambition to make things happen. The competition out there was intense for bands like theirs. You had to work twice as hard as everyone else to stand out.

And so with his personal life -- things tended to take a more mellow route. And besides which, he was well aware of his own appeal, and there was no need to waste all that time and effort into a sure thing.

Omi didn't look pleased, but Akaya was not concerned.

"What can I say, I've got good timing," he said with a smirk. He gave Omi a very deliberate once over approvingly and then strode past him to the kitchen to help himself to a cup of coffee.

[oneblackcat]

It was probably a good thing Omi was not privy to Akaya's internal thoughts that thirty seconds and a couple of taps to his holophone was such an exorbitant request of his time and energy. Instead, Omi was left with a statement he couldn't argue with, because it was true to a point of being eerie. Akaya's timing was impeccable. Not only had he made a surprise appearance when Goku was away but just as the coffee finished.

Omi followed him to the kitchen and leaned against the island counter.

"You do have that... How long do you have?" It was hard to know with Akaya's schedule. Maybe in that respect, Omi's own job was what made it workable. Working from home on your own hours definitely had its perks.

[crimsonmoon]

He poured a mug of sweet-smelling coffee and took a sip of it, black. Akaya didn't usually drink flavored coffee, but he wasn't picky about it either. He leaned his hip to the kitchen counter and tilted his head at Omi.

Truth be told, he wasn't the usual type that Akaya went for. Round faced, wide-eyed, somewhat nerdy. Shorts. Quite a change from the usual crowd from Akaya's circle, filled with artists and roadies and music execs. He'd never met a guy who worked from home before. There was always such a whirlwind of activity in Akaya's life that the quiet independence that seemed to define Omi's world felt strangely foreign. Akaya probably shouldn't get too comfortable.

Nevertheless, he was here, wasn't he?

"Why? You wanna get on with it?" Akaya said, grinning. Honestly, he wouldn't mind just talking for a moment. But he had no objections to the other thing, either.

[oneblackcat]

Omi wrinkled his eyebrows, but caught himself grinning back as he picked up his mug and replied.

"That's not it. I was asking because it would be nice to know whether you have time for more than getting on with it. I never really know with you."

Five years ago, a tease like that probably would have embarrassed him. Just a bit, it still did, and he took a drink of his coffee in hopes the dust of pink on his cheeks would be excused as a product of the drink's heat.

"Though I guess the fact you went for the coffee before my pants should answer my own question, shouldn't it?"

[crimsonmoon]

"Heh." That was true enough. There might have been a time when the first words out of Akaya's mouth when he came in through the door was take off your clothes. HIs dark green gaze rested for a second on the hint of a blush rising in Omi's cheek. How he still managed to color like that after all they've done together was a mystery. Akaya found it amusing.

"I dunno, shorts are pretty quick to get into compared to pants. Guess I figured I could spare a minute to drink your coffee," he said, laughing warmly.

[oneblackcat]

Omi snorted and slid around the island, bumping up against Akaya's side. "It has been a while. They must be keeping you pretty busy." Or something was. Omi wouldn't be surprised if Akaya had this sort of relationship with others and tonight just happened to be the one that Akaya wanted to see him. He didn't especially care to find out if that was the case either.

[crimsonmoon]

"Yeah, tour is coming up and all," Akaya said without elaborating too much. His schedule would ramp up even more in the weeks leading up to the tour, and then of course, he'd be on the road for a few months. That was how it went every other year. Even if Akaya were the committing type, where would he ever find the time? He sometimes showed up on Omi's doorstep pushy and demanding because you had to squeeze in some semblance of a connection when you could.

He turned toward him when Omi came around the island. Around Akaya's neck hung a silver Celtic knot pendant with a round obsidian set in the middle, a piece he usually wore, even on stage. His fingers had several rings on them, his wrists covered in black leather buckle bracelets. He pushed his coffee mug to the counter and let his hand settle on Omi's hip, pulling him closer.

"You miss me?"

He meant it as a tease, which Omi should surely deny. Akaya wouldn't know what to do if he actually said yes, and meant it.

[oneblackcat]

Tour, yeah. Omi thought it was about time for that. He didn't know how Akaya could stand the upside down life he had, with barely any down time and so much travel and chaos everywhere he went. Omi would go crazy in that life. Having the man himself a few hours every few months was enough excitement. Mostly. He wouldn't say no to a few hours every few weeks instead.

His gaze lingered on the trademark pendant around Akaya's neck as he got pulled in closer. Funny. Omi never caught him without that thing. Sometimes, he wondered if that was deliberate, because it was important for Akaya to have one constancy that he could cling to to stay anchored in such a fast-paced whirlwind of existence.

At the question, Omi tipped his head and took another drink of his coffee.

"I'd be in a lot of trouble if I did that," he answered blithely. It was his own way of teasing back, as it was neither a denial nor a confession. And it was the truth either way.

[crimsonmoon]

He would, wouldn't he? Which is why Akaya never asked that question of himself, either. Sentimental things best remained in the romcoms that Shuji (his bassist) had an inexplicable taste for. His fingers curled around that hip in that firm, sure way he had about him.

"And you definitely don't want any trouble," Akaya said with equal blitheness. As if neither of them understood that Akaya was trouble on legs. But hey, their arrangement worked out plenty well so far. To both their satisfaction. He leaned closer, close enough that Omi could probably smell Akaya's shampoo and the coffee on his breath. He glanced down at the mug still in Omi's hand between them.

"You gonna finish that?"

Akaya/Omi Prequel Thread

[oneblackcat]

It was a double-edged sword to be a coder: there was never a shortage of freelance work, and there was never a shortage of people who could turn 'freelance' into 'free' through the favor network. But it wasn't easy to turn down a request from family, so when his sister-in-law told him about her friend's sister's band's computer synthesizer, he agreed to do some troubleshooting on it.

He had all of his code manuals for reference in his cloud (he really wasn't sure which language synthesizers used), so there was little need for a bag. Everything else he might need fit into one of the pockets of his cargo shorts, an admittedly strange complement to the slim-fitting nature of his shirt. Sneakers and a backwards-angled ball cap completed the look-- one that Omi suspected would label him incurably dorky to anyone in a band. That was okay: he was there to work, not to impress, and he liked to work in comfort.

He rang the bell to the address he'd been given and stuck his hands in his pockets for lack of anything better to do with them.

[crimsonmoon]

Hokuto had a thing that morning. One of her favorite fashion houses had teamed up with a hip retailer and was releasing a brand new line of clothing and accessories that she just had to get her hands on. She swore that one of these days, their band would be so big and fabulous that designers all over the world would beg her to wear their things. But in the meantime, she had to stand in line with the rest of the horde. Which meant she was sending Akaya in her place to let in that guy who was friends with Nami's brother (or something like that) to fix their synth. It didn't really matter how Nami knew the guy, just that he was supposed to know what he was doing.

Akaya peeled himself out of bed and made his way to the studio without complaint. He was going to head over there soon anyway, to go through a few new songs he was writing. It all sounded better when he could hear it in the studio, rather than through his headphones at his apartment.

He walked up from the street, dressed in dark jeans, a fitted black t-shirt with a skate logo emblazoned on the front, and a pair of shades on his face. Over his shoulder he slung his guitar case and a messenger bag with his tablet and sheet music. It seemed someone was there already. Even from behind, he seemed rather young. Maybe it was the shorts and backwards baseball cap.

"Are you waiting for me?" he said, standing a few paces behind with his hip cocked at a sharp angle.

[oneblackcat]

As it turned out, it wasn't someone on the other side of the door that answered him.

Hearing someone behind him, Omi turned and looked over his shoulder to find a young man that looked about his age. Dressed in black, sunglasses, guitar case... yep. Definitely one of the band, and just as much in the too-cool-for-his-own-shadow camp that Omi had imagined. Just look at the way he stood. How big was this band, anyway? Were they famous? Omi hadn't heard of them before but that didn't say much; he wasn't up on the hard rock scene.

"I guess I am. I'm here to look at someone's synthesizer. Is that here?"

[crimsonmoon]

"Yup."

The guy had turned around, and he was indeed young-looking. His face had a youthful curve to it, like he hadn't quite shed his baby fat yet. Kind of adorable, in a sort of geeky way. Akaya removed his sunglasses, sliding them into his bag's side pocket. His eyes were a deep green, keen and playful. They flashed briefly under the ocular scan from above, and the doors slid open with a swoosh.

"Follow me," he said. Akaya walked past him through the door, sparing a lingering glance over his shoulder.

[oneblackcat]

There was something inherently mischievous about the man's eyes. Between that and his wild hair, he seemed like one of those rebel types that mothers never wanted their daughters to fall for... but who probably did anyway. He was an attractive guy, and there was something alluring about his aura.

Omi followed him inside and toed his shoes off, feeling a bit weird despite the invitation to come in. Maybe the way the musician looked at him. If Omi didn't know better, he'd think he was checking him out. He shook it off and smiled.

"My name's Honjou Omi. It's nice to meet you."

[crimsonmoon]

The studio space they rented out was not big, but it was open to them 24-7, which was their greatest need, after the requisite sound quality requirements. Everyone kept odd hours between shows and tours and media events. The studio had to accommodate all of their busy schedules.

"Kirihara Akaya," he said. Though he didn't bother with the 'nice to meet yous' too, he did answer that smile with one of his own when their gazes met briefly as they walked.

Akaya led them down a narrow soundproofed corridor and through another door that opened up into a practice space where the band equipment was set-up, along with speakers, microphones, and of course, the synth. There was a small kitchenette set up in a corner, which was mostly used as a coffee station for their late night practice sessions.

He tugged his messenger bag off his shoulder and set it down on a chair.

"You want any coffee?"

[oneblackcat]

Omi had never been in a music studio before. He took in the accommodations with interest as they traveled back to the production room. He wasn't a music-maker himself, but there were still a few items in the room that looked awfully fun.

He made his way over to the synthesizer and pulled up the codeboard on the holoscreen, taking a rapid skim through the first few pages for some basic information, like the code language and the program's base framework.

"Sure-- thanks. In the meantime, can you tell me more about the problem? What is it doing wrong, and what should it be doing instead?"

[crimsonmoon]

Honestly, it should be Nami here, dealing with the busted synth. It was her equipment, after all. But Akaya was the band's leader and had to step up when people bailed on him. He knew more or less what was wrong with the thing, from her complaints. He mostly played guitar but tinkered in multiple other instruments, too. He liked to know how they sounded and how to compose for them when he was writing songs.

"The sample audio gets some echo feedback when the settings are on stereo," he said as he stepped up behind Omi and demonstrated with a swipe of his fingers across the keyboard.

"See?" He grinned.

[oneblackcat]

Omi watched and listened as Akaya demonstrated the problem, cringing a little as he heard the feedback, a loud whining ring through the speakers.

"Ahh... yeah, that would be a problem. Okay, I'll see what I can do. How much time do I have? This might take a while."

[crimsonmoon]

"However long it takes to get it right," Akaya said. They would have modify their set list to songs that didn't require those elements that were busted, but it wasn't a total shut-down. Still...

"But preferably before the gig tonight." He winked and stepped away, striding toward the coffee machine with purpose.

[oneblackcat]

Omi facefaulted and double-took at Akaya, aghast.

"You need this tonight?!" That was kind of a big deal! He grimaced, looked back at the holoscreen, and sat down in front of it with a sigh... but his brows were already knit with determination.

"I'll do my best."

The hours ticked by. One, two, three... He ran a program scan first just to look for any anomalies in punctuation and syntax. When that produced nothing abnormal he started scanning through the code as though he were reading a book. In essence, it wasn't very different: he had to know what was there before he could guess at what was missing. Then he made a back-up of the existing code to a separate location and started tweaking things, testing after each one. Sometimes it got better but didn't disappear. Other times it got worse. Other times it disappeared only to be replaced by another problem.

Finally, after four and a half hours, he played a test note with no apparent bugs in the sound. He saved the new code file and stepped back with a tired grin at Akaya.

"I think I got it. Give it a go and tell me if anything else needs adjusting."

[crimsonmoon]

He did say it would take a while. Fortunately for Akaya, he could sit for hours practicing and composing, even with other things going on in the same room. He might not look like it from the outside, but he could be incredibly focused when he put his mind to it. There was a particular refrain he was working on for one of his new songs that needed tweaking. In the hours that went by, he managed to complete it, along with the guitar solo that he stuck in near the end of the piece.

Akaya looked up from his guitar and tablet where he was composing.

"All right, then," he said, looking mildly impressed. He set aside his stuff and strode back to Omi and tested out the synth. His fingers glided across the keyboard, playing out the tune he'd just completed.

"You're good."

Akaya grinned. His fingers played out a few more variations and chords, testing out all the possibilities. "Some of the chords sound tinny, but I think adjusting the equilizer should fix that."