Music and Passion

A yawn escaped my lips as I curled further into the leather couch, only half listening to Nikki, Toshiya, and Die talk. We are currently still playing a game of twenty questions. But we passed twenty about two hours ago and I`m not really sure what number we are on now.

"Getting tired?" Kaoru asked softly a he carefully sat down on the arm of the couch.

"Slowly getting there," I answered just as softly.

He nodded, "Let us know when you want to try and sleep. We`ll get the bedroom ready for you."

I nodded and softly replied, "Thank you. But I don`t think that will be for a while. Insomnia, remember?"

"What are you two whispering about?" Die asked suddenly, making me look up to see him grinning at us from the other end of the couch.

"She`s starting to get a bit sleepy," Kaoru answered with a shrug.

"Would you like to go to bed?" Shinya asked while walking over to us from the kitchen with a cup of what smelt like hot chocolate.

"Insomnia. I`ll be fine for a while," I replied. "Thank you though."

Nikki pursed his lips and titled his head to the side and let out a huff. "How tired are you really?"

"Not very," I answered truthfully. "I can last a few more hours."

He nodded slowly, "I can sleep at any time. Let me know when you want to sleep, understand?"

I frowned a little but nodded to let him know that I did indeed understand. I don`t like it when he does that. He tries to put my comfort before his own. And while I appreciate it and find it very sweet, I don`t exactly like it. He`s laid awake for hours just so I could sleep. It`s really not fair to him.

"Stop over thinking," Nikki quickly whispered in my ear before going back to his conversation with Die and Toshiya.

Of course Nikki knew what I was thinking about. But I suppose when you`ve known each other since middle school you kind of get good at knowing each other rather well. Sometimes I just wish he couldn`t read me so well.

"Sam?" Shinya questioned, breaking me from my thoughts. "Would you like some hot chocolate? It might help you sleep."

"Yes please," I replied with a slight grin. I didn`t completely understand his logic but hot chocolate is one of my favorite drinks and Iv`e always had a hard time turning it down.

Kaoru chuckled from beside me, having moved to sit on the floor while leaning against the couch. "I`m beginning to think that drink is his solution to everything."

"It`s better than alcohol," I murmured, causing him to grin up at me. "Kaoru, does Kyo always like to stay hidden away by himself?"

"Only the first night on tour," He answered. "Any other time he does it because he`s annoyed or just wants to be alone."

I nodded and accepted to cup of hot chocolate Shinya gave to me and watched him sit down next to Kaoru, but he sat in a way that had him facing me instead of everyone else on the couch.

"Where did you grow up, Sam?" Shinya asked after I took a sip of my drink.

"A town two towns over from where we played tonight. It`s called Mockingbird," I answered.

"That`s an interesting name for a town in Arizona," He observed.

"It`s pretty small too," I laughed.

"And you grew up with your band?" Kaoru questioned.

I nodded, "Pretty much. I met Nikki in middle school. Some of the girls were bullying me, being so much younger from skipping two grades I was kind of an easy target. About a week later I met Keith and then I met Randy who was a year ahead of us and through him I met Jeff, the two having grown up together. And we started the band in high school."

"And Jeff is the oldest?" Shinya asked.

"Yep. He`s twenty nine," I replied. "He kind of acts like our parent at times but it`s normally when we need it."

"He`s like your leader then," Kaoru observed with a nod.

"I suppose in a way he is," I murmured.

"Kaoru is our leader," Toshiya interjected. "He always takes care of us. Sometimes like a parent would."

"It can be very tiring," Kaoru mumbled. "And a huge pain in my ass."

A laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it and I quickly clamped a hand over my mouth. Of course that had caught everyone`s attention. That and the very triumphant grin on Kaoru`s face.

"Should I be worried?" Nikki asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don`t think so," Shinya answered slowly.

Nikki nodded and kissed the side of my head. "Maybe this tour will be good for you after all."

Now it was Die`s turn to raise his eyebrow. "Should we be worried instead?"

"Nah," Nikki dismissed. "Sam is normally very shy. Iv`e never seen her open up to anyone this fast."

I sent a glare his way and removed my hand from my mouth to smack his arm with it. "And Sam doesn`t like being talked about like she isn`t here."

"You are definitely getting comfortable," Nikki laughed.

"That`s good though," Shinya pressed. "Perhaps you will be this comfortable with Buck-Tick as well."