"That's much better," Ohm said as he listened to the kids from behind the one way glass. Mick also nodded. This time he wasn't dealing with a band but a boy group called Pure. There were 6 members and they were all good looking, great dancers and singers. However they wanted to get into the art of song writing. Being dependent on others to make songs for them was troubling and their own work felt too generic. Suddenly his phone rang and he walked out. Ohm didn't look over but he suspected who it was.
Since Ohm had arrived, he had helped them work on the rap parts of their material. They had learned a lot from him and were able to flex that musical muscle sufficiently enough to please him. He hadn't told them that the rest of the band would be arriving later in the evening but Mick knew. They felt the boys would benefit from Noh and Dye's experience. It was also be good to get Noh back into the groove. Ohm was worried about his post tour condition.
"P'Noh says they are an hour away. I wonder if they can come back for the competition next week?" Mick walked back into the room and reclaimed the spot by his side.
"We'll just ask them when they get here. I did tell him I needed his help with them so he might want to see the fruits of his labour. Did he say to order food?"
"Ohm," Mick said, implying that Ohm was underestimating him and made his lover smile at him softly. Smiling changed Ohm's face quite a bit and took that thuggish edge he tended to sport, and make him feel adorkable (as a fan once described it). Mick knew there was a bit of a thug in Ohm. He was rough and tumble with his friends and especially with Noh but there was a duality to him that only Mick got to see. Not even Noh was this privileged...
Ohm had first confessed to Mick that Noh was the first boy he ever had feelings for and Mick had taken it hard. Noh was Noh. He was the most important person to Ohm. He had seen them as brothers. Inseparable Siamese twins.
Ohm having some kind of feeling for Noh was a wall he felt he could never surmount. He had also felt hurt and betrayed. He had actually stood and was about to curse Ohm and walk away when Ohm said,"It happened when I was 13 and that's when I figured out I could like boys too. I liked him for all of a day. Then he farted in my face as a joke and it ended right away. Not the point though. I felt strange and disconnected for the entire day. I felt like I was lost and like I didn't understand myself. I felt like I was a freak. Then Noh farted in my face and asked me what the fuck was wrong with me and to get it together. I went home that night and I stayed up the entire time. I thought about myself and Noh. I thought about what could possibly be and I thought about what this could mean for me.
"I came to several conclusions. Noh and I would never work. We knew each other too well. There was nothing there to learn about each other. No mystery to unravel. We were too connected. Our relationship was already perfect. I thought about what I wanted, what I liked. Girls were fun and I like them. I like the softness of them and the way they smell. I like to pursue and not be pursued. I have a type when it comes to girls so Nan could never do if for me. I also don't like pushy so Yuri would have been a no. Phun's ex would have been fine except I don't like hungry girls and she has hungry eyes.
"I didn't know what I liked in guys. Going by Noh's description, I guessed cute and playful and lively. Maybe a little rowdy. Smart mouth. I decided by that morning I was going to try to be open minded. I didn't think I would actually meet someone that made me eat my words but you did."
Mick had still been standing but now he sat. He turned fully to Ohm who smiled a bit at him.
"I thought you meant you still liked Noh. I was about to give up because I can't compete with that." He said softly, his mind in a state, his heart still wary.
"Yes you can. I'm with you because I like you. That has nothing to do with Noh. Don't choose my feelings for me." This made Mick pause. Ohm was the one who should know his own feelings best.
"Do you trust me Mick?" Ohm suddenly asked.
"Yes." Mick didn't hesitate.
"Good. The next day I told Noh everything and he just sort of stared at me. He seemed really shocked then decided he didn't care. I was his best friend. He did tell me that he had never had feelings for me but then he had never had feelings for anyone. I was very relieved. I didn't want to destroy our friendship. We decided to not say a word of it no matter what. Our friends would just bring it up every time we were close and it would cause problems. I've only ever told you and I recently told Noh it was ok to tell Phun because I didn't want him to be suspicious."
"Oh. P'Ohm. I am not like P'Noh at all." Mick pointed out.
"I know. That's the best part. Your actually the perfect blend of what I look for in a boy and a girl and you have a spicy temper that comes out of no where and keeps me on my toes but also makes me excited for some reason. I love making up with you after we argue." He grinned over at Mick whose eyes widened and he smacked Ohm on the shoulder.
"Pppppp!" Mick was shocked because they would usually spend a lot of time making out. He didn't complain too much thought because it was freaking awesome. Ohm would touch him way more and even... A blush suddenly stained Mick's cheeks and he looked down.
"P'Ohm? Has P'Noh told P"Phun about this already?"
"Yes." Ohm looked over with a smile and thought Mick was cute the way he was fishing to know what happened.
"Oh." Mick squirmed. "When did he? What did P'Phun say?"
"Told him last night. They went out on a date. He was very cool. He said that Noh and I had an amazing relationship that allowed us to understand each other so well that we could manage to overcome something like that. He was also very happy that I decided to give up so he could be with Noh now. He took it very well and didn't tease me or anything. It was like 4 years ago. It doesn't matter anymore. Still I want you to know because you are the most important person to me. I don't want there to be any confusion between us."
"So then does that mean, I mean, are we going to do that soon?"
"Do what?" Ohm sat up and turned fully towards Mick who was as red as a tomato.
"Your in your senior year P. Soon you'll be leaving me_"
"Mick. Stop. Don't give me your body because you think that you'll lose me. Give me your heart because you know I'll always cherish it. I'm not going to leave you. I've found the perfect person for me and I don't care to do this all over again with anyone else. I will always come home to you. That's what I know. That's the only thing I'm sure about."
"P! What if you don't! What if_?"
"What if you trust me? Just trust that I wouldn't break this promise to you. Trust that I love you above all others and only need you to make me happy. Can you do that for me?"
Mick sucked in a breath and nodded. Lately he had been like this, feeling insecure and worried about the future. He couldn't say when it happened and Ohm had become as essential to him as breathing but it had happened and now that he was faced with separation it was bringing out so many insecurities. More then ever now he wished he was the same age with Ohm so he could always be by his side.
"Think of our separation like a test right. Me proving that I don't need anyone else but you and you can prove that you trust me to take care of your heart."
"Not worried that I will meet someone else?" Mick asked with a tilt of his head.
"Remember that time I got jealous of your cousin and you proved to me that I had nothing to worry about? I decided then to trust you and I don't regret it. Even if you admire others, you always stay by my side."
That had been the moment when Mick had finally understood everything. He still wanted to be with Ohm that way thought. A sigh escaped him and he leaned against Ohm in confusion. His needs were now all tangled up in feelings of love and he didn't know how to express himself.
"How about we make our own contract?" Mick looked up at Ohm.
"You mean like P'Phun wants P'Noh to do?" God no! What a horrifying idea!
"No silly. How about this. If, after I come home for the winter break and you still want to do this then we can discuss it again ok?" Ohm reached out his pinky finger.
"It's a deal," Mick smiled and made a pinky promise.
"Mick the food is here," Ohm's voice broke through Mick's thought and drew his attention.
"Huh?" He asked, trying to focus.
"I said the food is here."
"Already!?" Mick looked at the time and blinked in shock. Over half an hour had passed. "Holy cow. I didn't realize. Let me go take care of it."
"Noh is also here. They took care of it already and are coming up."
"Didn't he say an hour?" Mick felt so lost about everything at that moment.
"You were just staring into space for the longest time. My phone rang and you didn't even blink."
"Oh. It rang out loud? I didn't hear a thing. How could I have missed that?"
"It's ok. You must have had some thoughts on your mind. Be careful you don't give yourself a headache." Mick blinked then smacked Ohm on the shoulder before turning and marching out the door. He started walking down the hall when two things happened. The practice room door opened and Noh rounded the corner. One of the members walked out and turned. Since the door opened to Mick, he couldn't see anything but he sure heard it.
A shout of shock, then the door slammed and everyone else was left frozen in place.
"What was that?" Noh asked in confusion. It had all happened so fast.
"Was it a guy with blond hair?"
"No, sort of ash gray?" They moved to meet each other.
"Ha even worse. Your really admired here P'Noh. Den must have lost his soul. He's totally in love with you." Mick laughed, ignoring the green haze that had developed around Phun.
"Is some of this food for them?" Phun asked with narrowed eyes.
"No you jealous idiot. It's for us. They have their own stuff." Ohm rolled his, not taking it seriously. Noh looked really good right now. His eyes were bright and his presence was in full effect.
"I'm not jealous. And anyway Noh loves me so it doesn't matter how much this kid likes him, he's not going to get anywhere." Noh snorted at Phun but his lips were twitching in amusement. There was something about jealous Phun that was really funny, especially when he was faking it like he was now. A truly jealous Phun was actually a very scary thing.
The door slowly opened again and now everyone turned to look. The kid who stood there had round eyes and was cute. He took in everything then looked back and said, "It's the entire band. The whole of Elevation. All five of them."
Suddenly more faces popped up including the screamer and they all just stared.
"Come out. We're all going to have dinner. Go clean up and then meet us in the eating room." They all nodded like puppies and walked out. They headed to their rooms but kept looking back then suddenly one blinked. He noticed the guy in the hoodie with the mask and cap. he froze, causing the others to look at him.
"What?"
"Secret came too," He whispered and they all looked. The guy in the mask was now watching them too and he waved before pointing at Mick and making a shooing motion. They all blinked then turned and rushed off.
"Come on this way. We can wait for them in the eating room. Secret you can eat first if you want."
They settled in to the eating room. Mick locked the door behind them. He sent off a message to Sand, the group leader so he could line when they were outside. While he did, the band started catching up. Phun offered his phone so Ohm could see pictures of Jackie and Abee.
"So how are they doing so far?" Dye asked Ohm as they showed down.
"I taught them what I know about writing rap verses. They have a good grasp of it. They made one today that meets my satisfaction. They really want to create their own music but I'm not really as good as you two and I realize that I don't really have the patience I used to."
"Really?" Noh was surprised. Ohm was a great teacher.
"One on one, yeah. But when they are all together, they are like little puppies and I just want to smack em still."
"It's normal. A lot of things have changed for me as I've gotten older. Things I couldn't tolerate before are more acceptable now and some things I can no longer stand. I'm way more tolerant of being apart from Noh and that's ok. I also really can't stand mutton any more. It's weird and I don't know what changed."
"Really Phun." Noh looked over at him in exasperation.
"Well it's true. You don't understand the level of love I used to have for mutton, especially curry. Even thinking about it now makes my stomach queasy. It's really disheartening."
"You know come to think of it, I was never a potato guy but that changed lately. I just want fries all the time. And sometimes I even grate cheese and melt on it. I hate cheese. But I love cheese on fries." Flex suddenly confessed.
"That's what you wanted the cheese for this week?" Noh turned to Flex with a surprised look. His hate for cheese was notorious. Noh had assumed he came on Ex's behalf.
"I know. I could tell you thought it was for Ex, so you gave me a whole packet." Flex looked a little guilty. Noh waved him off.
"Any other confessions I need to know about?"
Before anyone could answer, Mick's phone rang. He opened the door for the puppies and they tumbled in before straightening up and forming a proper line.
"Hello. We would like to properly introduce ourselves."
"Sure go ahead. We'll do the same." Noh smiled. They nodded and before Sand cleared his throat and counted a 1, 2, "With hearts like angels," Their hands lifted over their hearts. "We are, Pure." Now their hands swept down then out in a curve, their other hands crossed their chest, and they bowed for 2 beats.
"Oh that was smooth. Now I wish we had some hand motion." Noh rose to his feet then cleared his throat as well but for different reasons. It had been a couple of weeks now since he had said it and he was feeling awkward. The others also stood with him.
"Rising higher every day, we are..."
"Elevation," All five of them finished. Something rose in Noh's chest and suddenly it didn't feel awkward any more. Suddenly it felt ok to say it and there wasn't a weird pressure like he had started feeling towards the end of the tour.
"Thank you Ps. Actually we really want to ask you something before we lose our courage."
"Sure go ahead." Dye encouraged.
"Can you please teach us how to write music?"
Their words made something tighten in Noh's chest and he swallowed hard. However, when he looked at their faces, the way they squirmed, the hope in their eyes, and the way their braced themselves, that feeling loosened up again and something in him actually relaxed. He took another swallow and finally nodded his head.
"Sure," He said softly with a smile and watched them grin back. "We'll see what we can do."