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Second introductory story introducing the band's keyboardist, Darius Aaron.

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A grey fox sat in front of an expensive looking synthesizer; pencil in hand as he stared intently at a piece of sheet music with pencil marks all over it. Every so often he would make a few tweaks to certain notations and markings, humming in speculation at certain changes.

So deep was he in concentration that he gave a slight jolt at the knock on his front door. Shaking off the surprise with a little chuckle he called out, "Come in!"

The sound of a door could be heard opening in another room along with another voice calling back, "Knock, knock!"

The fox grinned. "Hey Fred, come on into the studio."

A grey feline walked into the studio with his own grin on his face. "How've you been Darius?"

"Doing well Fred, yourself?"

"Can't complain; John said you had a possible song in the works for the band."

"Straight to the point huh," remarked Darius with a chuckle. "Well that's what makes you a great person to work with. You take music seriously!"

"It's easier to work with guys that can feel just as serious. You've got better song ideas than I do though."

"Well this one may not be the best of my ideas really; it seems to be lacking something."

"Well let's hear it maestro! Show me what you got so far."

Darius turned back to his keyboard and laid his hands along the black and white keys. A moment of silence passed before lightly striking the first few notes, leading into a slow ballad-like feel. There was a sort of swing feel to the music with syncopations that made it groove, but still made more solemn by minor chords. The melody was simple in rhythm, but still far from plain. The pitch selection had a wide range; and even without words or actual vocals you could still hear a message of distraught emotion. Not like a song of loss or heartbreak, but more a feeling of confusion and want; as if someone was unsure of what they wanted.

When he had finished what he had written so far he turned back to see Fred nodding with a smile on his face.

"I think you're being too modest Darius," he said almost critically. "This is some powerful stuff; how did you even come up with this!?"

"The idea sort of struck me recently... beginning with a certain look I saw in this girl's eyes after our last show; a very attractive girl that we both know in fact."

"Oh really," the grey feline asked intently, taking a seat in an empty chair. "Do tell!"

"She wasn't looking at me mind you. The gaze was directed towards you."

Fred was almost scared to ask; already having a feeling of who he might say it would be. "And who would this be exactly," he asked, trying to hide the concern in his voice.

"Vera," the fox answered sincerely, "she seems quite taken to you."

Fred sighed heavily as his feeling was revealed to be true, massaging his temples as he groaned. "Oh god not you too!"

"Did I say something wrong," asked Darius in a worried voice.

"No, no, it's just that John has been bugging me about the same kind of thing for the past few months... though a little more in the vulgar sense than what you were thinking I'm sure." He stood back up and started to pace around the room. "He thinks... well now I guess both you and him, think that she's attracted to me or something, but I just don't see it."

"It seems perfectly obvious to me. And I would hate to say it but it is not just John and I, Max and Jesse seem to have noticed too."

Fred stopped in his tracks, nearly dumbfounded. "You're kidding right," he said with a surprised voice. "Why is it that you guys seem to think this but not me? All I see is her being nice to me, and not in any special way compared to anyone else."

"Maybe the phrase 'Love is blind' has a different meaning with you," remarked the fox sarcastically.

"How so," asked the feline in a serious tone, seeming to take the comment more seriously than Darius intended. "Is it because of a certain ignorance in me that keeps me from seeing such affections? I may be one of the least experienced in our group as far as dating goes but it's not like I don't notice such emotions in people."

"I was just joking," the fox said defensively, "although you seem to be reacting differently than you normally would." Darius cocked his head to one side quizzically and thought for a moment; then perked his ears a little at a sudden thought. He smirked at the feline as he asked, "You are in denial aren't you?"

"Denial of what," Fred asked, unsure of what the fox was getting at.

"Of your feelings toward her; you actually like her back don't you?"

"As a friend yes, but that-"

"That excuse may work with Jesse but not me. I can tell Fred... it may be subtle but I can tell!"

Darius always was smarter than he would let on. He could read other people like a book, especially when it came to his band-mates. Fred knew better than to keep arguing with him at this point, though his mind still looked for a way out of it.

The feline slumped his shoulders in defeat, rubbing the back of his head and brushing his fingers through his pony-tail; a common mannerism of his when he was nervous or ashamed of something. After a moment of thinking, he felt it best to just go ahead and come clean with it; better to tell Darius than John or Max... especially Max.

"You're right," he admitted, almost shamefaced about the proclamation. "I do like her. She's absolutely gorgeous, kind, talented, smart, and fun to be around... but I don't feel like I'd be worth her time."

Darius sat up with a confused stare. "And why would you think that? She obviously sees you as someone worthy of her affections out of every other guy in this whole city, and she couldn't have made a better pick in my opinion."

"It's not like I don't trust her judgment or anything. I'm very flattered, really; but I doubt I could keep her satisfied for very long."

"How do you mean?"

Fred sighed bitterly. This was going deeper than he would have wanted, but he continued anyway. "I mean that I doubt I could give her the attention she needed. Musicians aren't exactly the best people to have serious relationships with you know? It's either them, or their music."

"I think that mainly applies to the usual rock band sense," Darius pointed out, "but we are not like most other rock bands. We actually have more knowledge of music theory, technique, and composition. Granted, we may not be quite up to par with such progressive rock legends as Fantasy Cinema, but even they were able to find their life partners and start their own families. And so far they have kept it up for over ten years."

Fred knew that. He was a big fan of Fantasy Cinema, so of course he would have known about the band's history and what was publicized about their personal life; he just didn't think that Darius knew that much too. There was just no winning against him.

"Yeah but that's them, I'm talking about myself here. I couldn't keep up such a commitment!"

"How would you know if you have never even tried?"

"Because I'm a damn coward that's why; happy now," snapped the feline, his irritation very evident. "I don't want anyone's heart broken on my account; and if it did happen I'd end up feeling like shit for it. What if I end up concentrating on my music more than her? She could take that the wrong way and think that I don't care about her, and then run off with tears pouring out of those dazzling eyes of hers!" He slumped back into his chair, a gloomy look appearing on his face at the thought. "I couldn't bear to put her through that."

Darius just shook his head. "Do you really think you are the only guy that has ever felt that way," he asked accusingly. "Sorry to be so critical, but you are being quite pathetic my feline friend! If that is the reason why you are scared of a commitment then just talk to her about it and come to an understanding between the two of you. A number of couples get into similar situations and don't resolve them because they don't bother to sit down and talk about it. You said so yourself, she's a smart girl, and could easily come to terms with you if you just told her how you felt and what you fear."

The accusation made Fred's gut wrench; but he knew Darius was right. He was acting pitiful, and more immature than he normally would. He knew that a simple conversation could help in regards to finding a resolution to the problem, but his pessimistic side kept getting the better of him; making him think of the negativity that could occur if she couldn't, or wouldn't, accept it. There was no arguing with the fox anymore.

Lowering his head solemnly, he gave a slight nod. "You have every right to call me pathetic," said the feline, raising his head slightly to look Darius in the eye. "And it was better that you did instead of John. I probably would have just kept arguing with him like a little kid... though he's hardly the kind of guy to talk to about matters of the heart," he added with a small smile.

"Well I'm glad you trust me enough to tell me about it. It just proves even more that we can work well together in more than just musical terms," Darius said softly, smiling back at the feline.

Fred nodded once again in agreement. He looked down at his feet for a moment, lost in his thoughts; then looked back up at the fox. "Well you know... I may need some friendly encouragement if I'm going to tell her how I feel the next time I see her. Knowing me, I'd probably try to make an excuse not to bring it up." Darius grinned and reached out a hand. "I'd be more than happy to help a friend and fellow band mate."

Fred clasped the fox's hand in both of his with a look of admiration on his face, "Thanks man!"

"Help you with what I wonder?"

Fred and Darius turned their heads in unison towards the studio door to find John standing there with a look of confused humor riddled on his face.

"Well I guess I know why you haven't gone for the Russian chick now... you're gay for our piano man!"

Darius could only laugh at John's silly conclusion, but Fred wasn't as light hearted.

"Damnit John, that's not what this is!" He then saw that he was still grasping Darius's hand and hastily let go with a flush in his cheeks as he continued irritably, "What are you doing here anyway, I thought you were headed to work?"

"I was, but I figured I still had enough time to swing over here to give a quick listen to Darius's song. I didn't think I was gonna walk in to you asking for 'favors' though, Jezus!"

"Oh hell no," Fred nearly yelled with a scowl, standing up and walking over to John threateningly. "Get your mind outta the gutter already that is not what he meant when he was saying he'd help me out!"

John just chuckled while raising his hands defensively, shaking his head and backing away from the door, "Whatever dude, I'll leave you two lovebirds to your queer-fest; I really should be getting to work about now."

He hadn't taken two steps toward the front door before a very perturbed Fred began to follow him out briskly. "Christ John, I told you that's not what's going on here!"

The front door slammed behind the two, leaving Darius still laughing at the scene that had just taken place. "Ooooh, dear," he exclaimed as he caught his breath, "there is never a dull moment with them around."

As he turned back to his synthesizer, he looked again at the notes on the sheet music; then slowly came to the realization of why it sounded so somber. The gaze that Vera had given to Fred certainly had adoration in them; but from what Darius could remember, there was a hint of uncertainty in her eyes as well. Perhaps it was because she was unsure if Fred had even noticed her affections, or perhaps she wondered if he even had feelings for her. "The poor girl," he thought to himself sadly, "she must be aching with worry about his feelings for her. If only she knew..."

He looked back at the door that the two feline's had exited from; then back at his music. "You better talk to her soon Fredrick, or else you may end up breaking her heart without even saying a word!"