Chapter 1 - That Smile He Liked So Much

"goddamit!" Christoph growled in a berlin accent, dropping his drumsticks in a temper. Its just this one song...this one song he cannot get the beat right. He leaned back, the chair tipping a bit letting him rest his back against the ice cold wall. He had the guitars in his head...till singing the lyrics....even flakes keyboard. He wanted to make the song sound good for this new album...he didnt want to let the fans down. With a sigh he brushed some of his hair out of the way, trying to recollect his thoughts through his anger. Benzin...he had no problem playing...Rosenrot..same old same old just keep the beat and it'll come out right. but damn he just couldnt get the feeling right for this one. He even knew the lyrics because Till couldnt stop playing around with his voice on them in the recording studio. "cmon doom pull yourself together and play the stupid song..." he said to himself looking at the carpet floor for his sticks. Lifting the cymbal and moving the snares in the studio carefully yet in a haste. "ah komm on dammit..." he sighed. One of the straps to his black wifebeater fell over his shoulder. He tried to adjust it but he bumped the top of his head on some part of the drumset. He growled and had enough, getting up quickly. Knocking most of it down with a clatter. His short dark brown hair now a bit frazzled as he wiped the warm sweat off of his forehead. Someone had to have heard that racket. frack...he thought. i want to be alone. someones gonna come in. ask if he was okay...and then go away....interupting him...nuisance. He rested on his heels and rested against the wall with a large exhale. Wasnt long til he heard footsteps. They were slow and relaxed. Getting louder and louder. Any second now.

*knock knock* those two tiny taps....dammit...

"schneider?" a warm yet strong voice answered. no reply from him, he knew who it was. The door opened a crack and a shadow formed inside the room. pfft he knew that spiky heah anywhere.

"what richard?" he smirked, just thinking on what he would say to him. Then in he came. Wearing a white tanktop and boxers. Schneider almost wanted to laugh at his friends outfit.

"you still up?" he perked one eyebrow up scratching the side of his head. "i thought i heard something..." he said with his eyes almost closed.He only nodded in response and crossed his arms.

"yyyeah i uh..." he looked at the wreck that was a drumset. Richard looked over and his eyes opened a slit more.

"your okay? its pretty late.." he said still with a sleep deprived voice. Schneider looked at the clock..damn...it was 2 am...just seeing the clock made his eyelids heavy. Words should not even be spoken at this hour. Doom was silent for a minute or two. "hey you awake in there?!" he heard richard laughing. it was something about his laugh that made him more alert. Memories of concerts started to play in his head. if he started to slow or tire he suddenly would see richard either moving around in front of the ladies or slightly smirking. That lil bastard of a smirk like you cant get me. Then his muscles found new energy and he played up to speed again. Even though he was really the only one that noticed his drumming. This new energy he couldnt think up words for in his head. "HEY!" richard clapped in front of his face with a sort of serious look on his strong face. Finally he looked up with a puzzled look on his face. His short spiked hair looking frizzed. pfft like his was any better. He sighed and slumped his head. He could hear Richards feet shuffle on the ground. Schneider kept staring at the floor. not knowing what to do exactly. All was nice and quiet until he heard Richard walking again. He could hear the drums clink as he tried to pick them up.

"ah nein you dont..." he quickly got on his knees and helped him out. Placing the cymbal back on gently leaving Richard by himself. "or uh..if you want.." he smiled nervously. He felt bad for waking him up this late, all because he couldnt play one fracking song. Richard with curiousity noticed his lost drumsticks and picked them up. He looked them over and gave them a strange look. Christoph knew that look well, he always had it when he was tuning his guitar or helping paul. "oh there they are.." he stretched one arm out but Richard blocked it with one flat hand. With a smirk he turned one stick over, revealing that one of them was broken and splintered. theres that damn smirk again, he thought. "...danke.." he smiled back with a slight laugh. He got back up and looked for the spare pair of sticks. Richard still stood there in his pajammas, watching him. Why? he did not know, but oh well. Looking around and pacing about the room..he couldnt find them. He growled in annoyance and rested his hands on his hands again.

"ahem..." he turned to richard who was holding the spare in his hands. "they were right next to your chair..." he said quietly, his eyes starting to wake up. Christoph felt stupid, all this stress was getting to him. "you sure your ok?" Schneider scratched the back of his head, feeling his new haircut with the back of his neck more exposed.

"just....stress..." he finally admitted to his friend.
"why?" he chuckled in response, resting his hands on his hips in a cocky pose. Dammit that pose always made him laugh. so he cracked a smile on the end of his mouth.
"just...this new album...." he didnt feel like talking about it...
"hmm thats not it...." richard shook his head. Christoph was silent, how in the hell could he help him? he could only sigh. "come onnnn what is it?"
"fine..." he rolled his eyes. " im having problems with this new song.
"which?" he started to look for his guitar.
" the one that we still didnt name...the one with the chanting and the strange beat..that one..." he held his new sticks trying to relax. why was he so nervous?

Richard strapped his guitar to him and flipped it to his back. He pulled out another chair and looked at schneider.

"sit." he pointed at it. with a shrug christoph walked over and sat. meanwhile richard grabbed schneiders drum chair and sat in front of him. "give me your hand..."

"why?" he questioned with a confused look, still holding out one arm to his friend.

"just.." richard grabbed his wrist. "lemme see..." he smiled. schneider trusted that smile so he let him. A large muscled palm held his boney drummers hands. Richard started to gently prod some parts of his hands with two fingers. Causing his fingers to twitch a couple times as he hit certain spots.

"wha? what are you?" Schneider questioned, slouching over and resting his forearm on one knee.

"pfft now your talking, your hand..." he held schneiders fingers in one hand. his whole hand in the other. gently he grabbed his index finger and started to bend his friends fingers. Schneider tensed up in response. "hold still or this is gonna hurt like hell..." he smiled. He loosened up almost instantly.

Richard gently started to crack Christophs fingers. not by the knuckles but by the separate bending points of his fingers. Popping everytime, Christoph quickly breathed in because some of the cracking made him flinch. Thinking his fingers would snap in two. By the time he was done with his pinky he was anxious to let him have the other hand. But he didnt want to show it that much. Richards face was just the usual strong boney way it always looked. His eyes were relaxed and a bit glazed over. But then again it was 2 am...He was surprised he was this gentle..he was always so serious and harsh when he played his guitar. the evidence was in his own hands. the bumps and grooves on his fingers from holding the pick. The world just went quiet around them, just the gentle cracking and occasional deep breaths by schneider. Once he was done he massaged Christophs palms with his thumbs.

"your hair..." Richard said after a long few minutes.
"uh?" christoph snapped into reality. Richard let out a chuckle.
"i miss your old hair.." he smiled. "that new look keeps making me laugh..." for christoph that wasnt an insult so he wasnt really phased by it.
"really now?" Christoph laughed with a sly smile. Richard let go of his hand, christoph almost let it fall and smack against the floor but he caught himself.
"all done...better?"

Schneider flexed his fingers a few times...he wasnt as stiff as he was before. He rolled his shoulders and smiled.
"ja...thanks..." he grinned at his friend.
"allright...you ready?" he cocked an eyebrow..
"...for what?"
"practice. im gonna help you until you can play even if i keel over from lack of sleep.." he joked and turned his guitar around, resting it on his chest.
"really?" he walked along richard.
"ja...why not?" Richard smiled, plugging in his guitar. It came alive in a current hum.
"..allright..." he returned the grin and sat down. While they were practicing they shared glances at eachother. mostly nods of approval and things that were used instead of words. Practicing with richard was fun to Christoph. it was like his own personal concert. When he didnt do well he got a pointer from him...but if he did well he'd get to see that smirk he liked so much. And that was all that mattered to him...

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