Fic: It's tonight your city sleeps

[rikke_leonhart]

*

It’s been a couple of eventful months, hasn’t it?
Ninomiya: That’s definitely one way of saying it!
Aiba: Leader is pretty determined to give us all grey hair before time.
Ohno: I’m very sorry!
All: (laughs)
Matsumoto: It’s been rough on us all, not just Leader, though arguably he’s been fighting the hardest. We’re doing our best to put out the best concerts we can this fall to thank everyone for their thoughts and concern. We’re very sorry.
Ninomiya: Did you hear that, Leader? You have to put out an amazing concert!
Sakurai: All on your own!
Ohno: (looks panicked)
All: (laughs)
Matsumoto: We’re all working on it, we promise! Right?
Ninomiya: I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about, Jun-kun. Do you, Aiba-chan?
Aiba: Absolutely not.
Sakurai: (laughs) That’s too severe! That’s too severe!
Matsumoto: And I severely dislike you all.
Ohno: Not me, right? I didn’t do anything!
Matsumoto: Right (laughs) Leader is the only one in this room that I like.
Ninomiya: That’s not fair, everyone likes Leader.
Ohno: I’m likeable.
Sakurai: So modest!
All: (laughs)

So besides concerts in the autumn, what can the fans look forward to this summer?
Matsumoto: Our new album is out next month.
Aiba: Right.
Matsumoto: It was really quick, the recordings. I feel like it didn’t take any time at all.
Ohno: I spent a lot of time in the studio.
Ninomiya: You couldn’t walk!
Ohno: I’m very sorry!
All: (laughs)
Ohno: Right, I couldn’t walk. But I’m better now!
Sakurai: The fans can look forward to Ohno-kun’s spectacular interpretive dance.
Aiba: What’s it about, Leader?
Ohno: It’s about Arashi’s best features.
Ninomiya: He’s being evasive!
Ohno: I’m not! I’m really not! (laughs)
Ninomiya: Then tell us.
Ohno: Matsujun’s eyebrows!
All: (explosive laughter)
Matsumoto: Leader!
Ohno: I’m sorry!
Matsumoto: That’s why you’ve been staring at me!
Ohno: I’m very sorry!

Can you tell us more about the dance?
Aiba: Yes, Leader, tell us more!
Ohno: Why are you all picking on me?!
Sakurai: (laughs) I saw parts of it the other day, it looked really interesting!
Ohno: The truth is…
Ninomiya: The truth is…?
Ohno: That I’ve been fishing.
All: (explosive laughter)
Aiba: Leader! Is fishing part of the dance?!
Ohno: That would be really cool, wouldn’t it?
Ninomiya: No! That would be really bad! Please stop doing that! Your skin has been so light lately, don’t ruin it!
Matsumoto: And when he couldn’t fish, he was recording the new album. What did you think of it?
Sakurai: I feel like we move forward and evolve with each album we’re fortunate enough to release. Like “This is Arashi!”
Ninomiya: Ah, I understand. “This is us, now”, right.
All: Right.
Aiba: I really like Matsujun’s solo, it’s so upbeat.
Matsumoto: Only the music! The lyrics are really not as happy as the music. It was very difficult to record.
Sakurai: I really like Satoshi-kun’s solo –
Ninomiya: I guess all the time in the studio paid off!
Ohno: Thank you!
Sakurai: – it’s very emotional. I really like the chorus.
Aiba: Will we get the interpretive dance for the solo?
Matsumoto: About my eyebrows?
Ohno: I’m not singing an emotional ballad about Matsujun’s eyebrows!
All: (Explosive laughter)

But Ohno-san, has it been difficult getting back to everything and up to full speed?
Ohno: It’s been painful at times, but it’s so worth it now, being here with everyone again, and I’m very sorry for making everyone worry.
Matsumoto: It’s honestly no trouble to us, it’s what we do, we help each other. Leader continually said he was sorry and that he didn’t want to trouble us, but it wasn’t a problem for us. That’s how it is.
All: True.
Ninomiya: Even if we forced him inside a recording booth and locked the door (laughs)
Sakurai: We got our revenge, right.
Ohno: I knew it! (laughs) But more importantly, I’ve been really happy about dancing again.
Matsumoto: I watched you the other day. It’s looking really good now, Leader.
Ohno: I suppose. There’s still time.
Matsumoto: But you haven’t drawn anything lately, have you?
Ohno: They had to reset my fingers, right. They hadn’t grown correctly so they had to break them again and reset them. (Bitter laugh) I think I’ve forgotten what my fingers look like beneath the tape.
Ninomiya: Poor Leader.
Sakurai: So patronising! (laughs)
Matsumoto: What is up with this mood? Stop being depressing!
Aiba: But you haven’t been fishing, right, with your fingers all broken?
Ohno: No. Yes, I have. A little bit.
Aiba: Leader, your health!
Matsumoto: Please take care of yourself!
Ohno: I’m very sorry!
All: (laughs)

And finally, anything else up for the rest of the year?
Matsumoto: In between concerts, we’ll be doing our regular shows and work hard.
Sakurai: Please watch it!
Aiba: And shall we have Leader close?
Nino: Leader, if you please!
Ohno: Let’s all stay healthy this year, too.
All: (laughs)
Matsumoto: There it is!
Aiba: It arrived!
Ninomiya: Why are you saying that when you’re the one worrying us?
Ohno: I‘m very sorry!
All: (explosive laughter)

*

When the interview ends, Ohno stands and smiles at the interviewer, and he tickles at Nino’s waist as they leave the room, prompting Nino to bat at his hands and grumble. Behind them, Aiba is talking to no one in particular, something about a flamingo and a rhinoceros, and Ohno wants to pay attention, to listen and absorb Aiba’s enthusiasm, but he’s mostly concentrating on Jun and Sho in front of them. Jun casually says something about rehearsals later and tomorrow and Sho mutters something in the affirmative, and Ohno hides his smile in Nino’s shoulder when Jun accepts a single touch on his shoulder from Sho.

“What are you so smug about?” Nino murmurs and pokes at Ohno’s side.

Ohno tries to squirm away. “Nothing,” he says and he knows he’s sporting a shit-eating grin. Nino clearly doesn’t believe him if the contemplative narrowing of his eyes is any indication, but Ohno can’t possibly bring himself to care. He tries to catch Nino’s hands to stop his poking, but Nino is cleverly evasive.

“Nino,” he whines, dragging out the syllables in that way he knows Nino loathes, and Nino wiggles his fingers in warning. “Aiba-chan, Nino is being mean. Again.”

“Nino, behave,” Jun warns from further ahead and then they all turn right and start down the stairs.

“Oh-chan, do you need me to carry your fragile, old body down the stairs?” Nino smiles sweetly.

Ohno doesn’t buy it for one second. He falls a step behind Nino and Nino evidently feels paranoid enough to send glances backwards over his shoulder every two steps, and Ohno grins. Aiba’s hand slips into his right one, ever mindful of the damn newly broken fingers, and squeezes carefully.

“Leader, do you want me to tackle Nino for you?”

“Yes please,” Ohno says just as Nino exclaims, “I heard that!”.

From further down the stairs, Jun and Sho chorus: “Not on the stairs!”

Ohno grins. Let’s all stay healthy this year, too, he thinks and instead of poking at Nino’s back like his left hand is itching for, he grabs his shoulder and just holds on. Nino sends a knowing look back at him and Ohno doesn’t mind at all. He feels closer to them all, each of them in different ways, and he owes them all so much.

He can’t wait to make it up to them all, he’ll spend the rest of his life doing his very best.

He wants to remember them all.

*
The end.

Back to masterpost

Comments

[ohmiyaplz.livejournal.com]

...
THIS.
WAS.
AAMMMMAAAAAAAAZING.
I have no words.
Well, I do.
But they're limited, you see. Your mind-blowing awesomeness conjured from this story has caused my brain to turn to mush.

GAHH. FIRSTLY.
I really- I loooove how true you were to the characters. You made it so brutally honest, not dressing them up or making them seem perfect, but just simply showing the story from an observer's point of view. Which brings me to my next point.

GAAAAAAHH. THE IMAGERY.
Your descriptions were flawless in this. I copied one particular line that I really loved from this (let's see if it's still there...)
"When he unfolds his fists, his palms are decorated with crescent shapes."
AHHA! IT'S THERE.
See, I love how you just implied, in a sense, all of the anger and frustration, while also conveying it in a purely observing way, too. As you can see by my horrid grammar, I'm losing the sense to be coherent.

AND THERE'S. JUST SO MUCH MORE I WANT TO FLAIL UPON. GAAAAAAAAAAAH. ;D

I wanna flail about the end more too, but one time for some reason I started a fanfiction from the last chapter (yeah, IDK how either XD) and then I saw a comment and I was like AJSHAJLKSHALJKSH PLOT SPOILED. So I wanna prevent that from happening C:

But really. REAAAAALLY. This was fantastic. Heart-wrenching and oh-so-fluffy and true and bittersweet and emotional and angsty (GAAAAH. The angst. I live for it.) and just really the amazingness (not a word, ahha C:) of it all--

Thank you so much for sharing this. ^^

[rikke-leonhart.livejournal.com]

Whoa, this comment is just... I want to wrap myself up in it for the rest of the year, basically, so thank you ♥

I've been working and agonizing over this for a really really long time now, you have no idea how relieved it makes me to hear that you like my take on the boys in this. I've done my very best to make it as true as I could, the obvious fanfiction issue aise.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, I'm so happy you enjoyed this ♥

[yuui1010.livejournal.com]

This... I think something break inside me TToTT
Your writing is really great, I'm on the edge of crying in Nino part. I love that you posted it all in one.
And really I can't say anything anymore, I almost didn't want to comment because I was speechless, when I finish it.

But.. I fell I should say, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I know I'll re-read it again and again after this ^.^

[rikke-leonhart.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much ♥

Basically, I only post fics when they're completely finished, and with something like this, I wouldn't withhold anything :)

[lianne29.livejournal.com]

OMG. this is heartbreakingly beautiful.

This fic is full of raw emotions - worry, hopelessness, rage, defeat and then hope. And I went through these roller coaster of feelings with Arashi

It is hard writing about different points of view of a single event but I think you've brilliantly captured and written their reactions.

And the end reads just like those magazine interviews that they do with a lot of teasing and good-natured banter. But in this case, we readers know that behind the teasing words are Arashi who pulled through one of the stormiest moments of their lives and came out victorious

[rikke-leonhart.livejournal.com]

Oh goodness, yes, I've literally been tearing my hair out at times with cross-reading and cross-checking and writing down schedules to figure out who was where and when and how, and really, sometimes it felt like I was about to short-circuit!
I'm so happy that it came out to your satisfaction, and I'm very pleased that you enjoyed the ending, I really loved writing that in interview form!

Thank you so much :)

[smapxorenji.livejournal.com]

i'm glad that tonight's episode of Sho's drama is delayed (baseball match is still on-going) so that I can finish reading this at one shot.

i don't know what to say. i suck at writing long comments but this whole fic of yours just broke my heart. it's a fic but it just feels oh too realistic. i don't want this to happen irl like ever because if it does i'll probably be crying all night and go fuck why why why?

i need to print this fic out in office tomorrow and probably read it during the weekends (are you sure?) cos' i was doing a bit of speed reading earlier.

OH RIKKE.

[rikke-leonhart.livejournal.com]

slkhjsfd YOU ♥

This comment ♥

[denise-dinc.livejournal.com]

very beautifully written! thank you for writing this! *wipes tears*

[rikke-leonhart.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for reading :)

[muharami79.livejournal.com]

This is really beautiful...and heart-breaking at the same time..but I love this fic just the same...it's only fiction, I know..but the way you spin it, it makes me scared at times..like as if this is real..the possibility of Leader being hurt..and the other four on the verge of breaking as well..it's a scary thought, for me..probably the almost realistic characterizations of each member makes the angst feel so real..despite Sho and Jun being the somewhat shadow leader in their own way, I like the fact that you're picturising Aiba and Nino as the strength of Arashi while Leader is not around..somehow, the boundary between fiction and reality seems invincible that way..oh gawd..I'm starting to ramble nonsense again..haha..sorry..all in all..the best Arashi fic I've read in months..and this gem of a fic is going straight to memories
thank you for sharing this *sobs*

[rikke-leonhart.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for this comment and thank you so much for reading and commenting. I'm glad you liked it :)

[bulkyass.livejournal.com]

;___;

[rikke-leonhart.livejournal.com]

;_;?

Why are you not online, Koyama.

[nunuuu.livejournal.com]

I won't lie, I was all, THIS IS SO DEPRESSING LSDAJFLADJFADKLFJADF ;_________; while reading through everything. If another writer attempted something like this, I wouldn't be easily convinced that they would be able to carry it off with such elegance and restraint the way you did. Just, bravo.

I admit that I totally hate the premise (BECAUSE HOW DARE YOU STUPID DRUNK DRIVER), but oh gosh, this piece is just another proof of how amazing you are as a writer. I love how you deliver all the emotions through clear and simple writing...I almost can't explain it. It's like you weave a dense cloud over everything, and you just suck in readers to this world of yours. Maybe it's your choice of verbs (don't laugh, I always have trouble picking just the right verbs when I write, it's a gift, I tell you) or maybe it's the pacing. It's perfect.

You got me so bad at Aiba's silent tears and his recoiling, Nino's crying and missing the silence Ohno chooses for himself, Jun's being frayed around the edges and being all helpless and bilious, Sho's attempts at rationality and whispering to Ohno that he's the best of them...and your Ohno. Your Ohno is always perfect and just so him. Just, everything, really; you write them all so realistically but I can always feel the genuine fondness you have for each of them, and that's the best part about it. This whole fic's an exercise in writing them, and what a success! (I can't imagine writing almost the same scenarios five times through the prism of five different people, I think I'd run out of words and everything would end up sounding redundant, but you pulled it off with such grace!)

Oh, and I enjoyed the magazine format! It's so nice to be able to "read between the lines" thanks to the previous chapters. That was a great touch. Bet that was fun to write!

Also, I just have to say this reminds me so much of your other fic, the one where Ohno left. I remember printing that out, and it gutted me up so bad, lol. But you have a way of making things right, just in the right way, at the end. Like this.

So yeah, another awesome fic delivered, Rikke! You're amazeballs. ♥ ♥ ♥

PS: I DON'T KNOW WHY, BUT THE THING THAT REALLY STUCK WAS SHO PIROUETTING INTO THE MIRROR. *shrugs*

[rikke-leonhart.livejournal.com]

Idkskdhsk YOU ♥

No, seriously, you. I'm so glad that the premise didn't scare you away - there's a reason I affectionately called this fic "Cliché fic" for the first half of the time I spent on it. After that, I felt comfortable with the title my brain was screaming at me, so I officially named it properly. It's the first time I've ever attempted something like this, and I was extremely vary, especially because me and medical terms and facts don't go well together. Luckily, Gati is my right hand woman, and she's awesome at pummeling me with facts until I get the gist of it, at least.

I'm so so happy and tremendously relieved that you like it. I don't think I've ever been as anxious about posting a fic as I've been with this one, which is really weird, because normally I actually don't give a flying fuck, mainly because I mostly just write for myself, but this was different for some reason I'm not really sure I understand.

After the last fundraising fic that I'm typing out at the moment, I'll probably take a break from writing Arashi. I told some of my flisters that I feel like this is somehow my final test piece. I literally did all I could to make it the best I could, and I feel very satisfied with it as it is now, but I also feel very drained and I think I need a break while I try to find fresh inspiration.

Thank you so much ♥M

[tonieboo0013.livejournal.com]

Alright, how should I respond to this. There's so much to talk about, I guess I'll tackle it in installments o/

FIRST AND FOREMOST. You keep mentioning how Ohno is missing time. How he's missing four days of his life. Nothing truly eventful happened, minus the accident itself, but just the fact that he lost time was a horrid enough thought.

Thank you.

I lost 2~3 months around four years ago, due to a hopeless case of depression and too high doses of the wrong medications. My dad tells me about fights I had with my mom; big, furious fights, where I threw things at her, and I remember nothing. I don't know what I did, besides knowing I watched movies everyday. I didn't blackout, but once I "woke up" from the depths of that episode, I couldn't remember what happened. And it's absolutely terrifying. So I'm really, truly grateful to you for including that rather large detail.

Next, your writing. For Sho's and Jun's especially, it felt like your writing was tangled. I don't want to say woven, because that gives the illusion that the thoughts are organized and interconnected and link in with each other at the right times. No, they're tangled. Their thoughts are a mess and they try to avert their mind's eye from the negative possibilities, and they're going in circles in their heads between what they should be doing/saying and what keeps coming out from their mouths. I like it tangled.

Aiba's hit me. Because he'd been through it, been through the ringer. And it's true; Aiba knew he would be okay, so to speak. He was awake, he was aware. He didn't wake up with no clue where he was, what had happened to him, and where his time had gone. He woke up. And when he only cried once Ohno woke up, that was heartbreaking. To think that he just needed Ohno to wake up before anything else, that he needed their leader back before they could worry about this or that.

Of course, your Ohno. Your Ohno always surprises me. He's never the same, and yet, it's always the same Ohno. How can I explain this... It's like all your Ohno's live in parallel universes. They all have his spirit, his soul. But they go through different experiences, and they grow up with a different mindset/way of the world, and it reflects how they act and react to things. But, at the very core, they're still the same person, and it shines through in the tiniest of moments, like when Ohno pulls Sho in for a hug because he needs it.

Nino broke my heart, because he was so tiny and small and helpless. I don't know what else to say about his character, because I felt like I want to bring in a light blanket to drape over his shoulders when he was sleeping on the chair next to Ohno's bed. I wanted to pull his sweater up off his bare shoulder which, in my head, had fallen to one side, exposing his small structure and brittle bones. I wanted to pet his hair while he was sleeping and see him lean into the touch, to know someone would be there for him, even if he wasn't fully aware.

RANT RANT RANT this has run long. Well, then again, when do I ever keep it short? When do you keep it short? I'm glad you got this fic finished because I know it was tugging at the metaphorical coat tails of your mind, and now it's out in the open for everyone to judge and critic. But I loved this. I really, really did. It felt a little different from your usual writing, and, while I can't put my finger on it, it was spellbinding.

[tonieboo0013.livejournal.com]

lmao. essay.

[rinalin.livejournal.com]

This just stole my breath away. The darkness and sadness and pure helplessness of all involved. You truly treated this with the exact amount of EVERYTHING... the time you spent on it was well worth it.

[rikke-leonhart.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, I'm so happy you feel like I did the prompt justice ♥ Thank you for reading!

[doriana186.livejournal.com]

SO MANY TEARS. I don't even know what to say except that this was simply wonderful ♥

[rikke-leonhart.livejournal.com]

Thank you, thank you, thank you ♥

[nekochan-lia.livejournal.com]

omg this just amazing
it felt so REAL
I truly believe that arashi needs ohno presence more than anything else
all the characters are perfect
this fic is one of that best
thanks so much for writing it

[rikke-leonhart.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! And I agree, Ohno's presence is what tempers them all, mellows them into what makes them work flawlessly, and that's what I was trying to convey. Thank you :)

[isilwentelrunya.livejournal.com]

I loved this. You have no idea how much this meant to me this particular week - reading of bonds that are so strong and so fragile at the same time. I LOVED it and it really helped me with some things. I wish I could be more articulate about it. All I can say is: thank you and please keep writing. ^_^

[rikke-leonhart.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for those words, it makes me so happy that it could soothe something for you :)

[astrangerenters.livejournal.com]

What a powerful piece, and I really adore gen fics that focus on what really makes Arashi Arashi - the bonds between all five of them. I also really liked the fragility for each of them and how each member reacts differently. You can say they're all "angry" and "upset" but there's such a depth of characterization and feeling here that each installment was unique even if it was telling the same story.

And that's what I loved about the way you structured this: you're telling the exact same story five times and each time is different. Each time reveals one more piece of the puzzle, one more explanation for why one member is particularly hurt in one scene or behaving in a certain manner. I would find it intimidating to try and write the same thing five times, but you really succeeded in making it interesting.

My favorite line, the line that I think summarizes it all best was from Aiba's part: no matter how Ohno had hit his head, it hadn’t been hard enough to throw Arashi out.

This really speaks to what I love about these five guys - it hurts to see them in such precarious balance here, but at the end of the day, their love and devotion to each other is incredibly powerful. I think you used Jun's section in particular to note the dangers of such devotion and fierce loyalty, and it still felt right.

I thought this was an incredibly powerful story, loved it.

[rikke-leonhart.livejournal.com]

Wow, basically, I kind of want to roll around in this comment forever, so thank you so much!

I'm so very pleased that you enjoyed it, I've done my best with this and I'm so relieved and so happy that it has been received so well. Thank you so much, it means a lot to me that this gen fic has been hitting home for most, I'm usually dabbling around in Ohno/Nino fics, so it makes me incredibly happy to see comments like this.

Thank you, thank you, thank you <3<3<3

[racanai.livejournal.com]

This is an amazing fic! I like how you show relentlessly how they would react in such a situation, how they keep themselves from breaking down, breaking apart.
I really like the interview in the end, the answers are so like them!

Let's just hopw this never happens in reality! =)

[rikke-leonhart.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!! And yes, let's hope and pray that such a situation will never come to pass in real life!

[geek-in-tokyo.livejournal.com]

Because I love your writing so very much, I'm going to say my honest opinion.
I love it, really, but 5 different perspectives of the same timeline were too much (for me!). I guess it's just because I have no patience whatsoever so when I know where the start line and finish line are, I get like 'can we move on now?' thing.

However, I love how you wrapped it up in a magazine interview which sounds like it's been translated to English from Japanese. And part that wasn't the interview really shows a 'normal' Arashi and like, gives us a sigh of relief as a closure.

[ohmiyaplz.livejournal.com]

OMGOMGOMG.

LOLOL I REALIZED I COMMENTED FIRST BEFORE AND I GOT SOME SICK TWISTED PLEASURE ONLY COMMENTING FIRST CAN GET YOU

which is all types of sad, really. T____T

GAH EVERYTHING I SAID BEFORE IN THIS FIC. IT'S SOSOSOSOSOOOO AMAZING ♥

Ahha, and I realized, your skills in knowing the characters are spot-on.

LIKE REALLY.
Sakurai: (laughs) That’s too severe! That’s too severe!

OMGOMOGM THAT IS CANDLE SHO.

Ahha, loooved this C:

[rikke-leonhart.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that you're still enjoying this even now, that makes me very happy, thank you ♥

And I've seen that candle joke around and I know it's about Nazodi, but that drama bored me to tears so I never finished it xD

[morninglights.livejournal.com]

Hi, I don't think you know me but you are awesome and I want to tell you how much I love you. Creeped out yet? I hope not, because I'm only starting now :)

First, I had this fic in my must-read-folder since you posted it, but didn't find the time to read it then and slightly forgot about it. Now I'm regretting it a bit, because I missed such a great fic for months and I can't even count how often I could have re-read it since then. Anyway, I read it now, and I- god, I don't even know how to express all the feelings.

I loved the concept, because I never read something like that before and you should think it would be getting boring after reading the same storyline and to some extent even the same scenes and dialogues over and over again, but it doesn't. I don't think there are many authors out there in our fandom which are able to make a concept like this as interesting and catching as you did.

It was perfect that your fic started with Ohno, because as a reader, you get to know what happened together with him, step by step. And then, while reading the other parts, you'll understand more and more. For me, the first conflict between Jun and Sho was the most interesting here. When Sho asked what they're going to do and Jun snaps and you don't really know what happened inside of Sho here. And then, when you read Sho's part and you get to know what he really thought and that it just was the wrong choice of words - god, I loved it.

And I absolutely and wholeheartedly adore your Jun. How he just leaves his set, how he is concerned and utterly agitated and how he would kill the man if he could, all this rage, only because he cares so much. And how he cries, how he cries when he heard Aiba's voice message. All those feelings!

Your Nino felt so much like Nino and for me there were those small hints between those lines, which got my heart beating faster (Hi, Ohmiya shipper here, so maybe I was biased). But all in all, you could feel the love from everyone for their Leader and you could see any pairing in here and it's just like a long and adorable and oh so angsty OT5 fic which was another thing I really really loved.

I was thinking about the last part the whole time and honestly, I first thought it would be the POV of the drunk driver. But the interview is so much better (and stupid me, of course, it's not the drunk driver, lol, embarrassing, why did I even tell you that?), and it feels just like a real interview, so IC and realistic and, again, so Arashi. How do you do that, really? How can you write them so spot-on that you could just take the interviews and print them in one of the next magazines and no one would notice that it's not Arashi?

And then there was this line, which left such a huge impression on me, that swallowing became hard for a moment. (Yes, sometimes stories really get me physical, but only when they're this good)

Aiba wonders if this thing they have going is just as much of a handicap as it’s an asset for them all, because if one is down, they all fall.

And this line too, so perfect:

It’s forever imprinted on the back of his eyelids, forever visible when he closes his eyes. He’ll never take them for granted again.

It's just, as cruel and upsetting the accident was, it's all the more deeply moving how it affected the bond between them. I want to laugh and cry at the same time when I think about it, because it's just so- I don't know, my english is not skilled enough to find the right words (ans it's frustrating, because I want to tell you what I feel ;__;)

I know I forgot half of the things I wanted to tell you while reading and there will definitely be a time when I'll re-read this story and maybe you'll hear from me again then. If you want to, that is.

(God, please excuse this messy and way too long comment, but I'm still so deeply moved and I just have to let out all those feelings.)

So, well, thank you for this mindblowing fic, I had a great time and did I tell you I love you? ♥

And do you still have the fanmix? Because I'd love to hear it, but the link is dead ;_;