Title: Ten steps to fall out of love
By:
ibangyonggookPairing: Akame
Word count: 3, 243
Rating: PG
Genre/Warnings: comedy, romance
Notes: Hayley, I really, really hope you'll like this. I tried to include as much of Ueda as possible, and, um, I really hope you like it! :) Also, thanks to everyone who's been putting up with my whining, this would've turned out 100 times worse without you guys :3
Summary: Jin and Kazuya break up, but both refuse to leave the apartment to the other. Since they're still living together, their friends come up with 'ten steps to fall out of love'.
It's been a week since the fight that put their relationship in question and both Jin and Kazuya could already see the end of it. But them being… well them, they were both too stubborn to walk out the door first and leave their apartment to the other. As of that moment, Kame and Jin lived in the same house, ate at the same table and even slept in the same bed without even making an eye contact. So what if their friends said that their situation was weird and unhealthy; the two thought of it as a fight for survival where the last man standing gets to keep the apartment. It was sort of an unwritten deal between the two and neither was willing to move just yet. But if they wanted to get out of this alive, they also needed a rebound that would help them erase the feelings they had towards one another and a help of a friend who would teach them how to fall out of love.
one - make a list of reasons why it wasn't meant to be
Kame sat on the couch at Ueda's place sighing constantly and grumpily complaining about all the stupid things Jin did today. His friend took pity in him and said that he would help him get through the break up that both ex-lovers refused to call that. They preferred the expression: decided to part 'cause of mutual aggravation. Utterly pissed Kame started complaining louder and louder until he was finally screaming in poor Ueda's face so that the other could actually smell the alcohol the younger had drank before coming here.
"Okay, Kazuya, you've got to clear your head friend." Ueda said and Kame looked at him, big bags under his eyes really noticeable. He knew his friend was extremely worn out and he tried his best to make him move on with his life without the natural disaster called Akanishi Jin. "This is what we're gonna do. We are going to make a list of reasons why it wasn't meant to be, okay? Starting with listing Jin's faults, ne?"
"Okay." Kazu nodded knowing too well that his friend just won't let him be if he doesn't do what the other one pleases. Hearing Kame's approval, or better to say agreement, Ueda clapped his hands and placed a notebook and a pen in front of the brunette.
"You've had this planned, haven't you?" Kazuya asked his friend but the lad just smiled devilishly.
Jin's faults
1. He's one hell of a baka.
2. He's vain.
3. He loves to play stupid mind games that make you go crazy.
4. He's so immature and insecure when not around me.
5. He loves me but still likes Pi's cooking more and spends too much time at his place.
6. He makes me laugh in front of all wrong people in all the wrong situations.
7. He makes me cry and cry and cry more. He brings out my weakness.
8. His friends are all jerks and when he acts like them it hurts me how inconsiderate he can be.
9. He forgets our anniversary and puts his treasured play station in front of me sometimes.
10. He makes me fall in love with him over and over again. (note to self: stupid Kame, cross that one out later before Tat-chan sees this list)
Things I wanted from significant Mr. Bakanishi but never got
1. Smart talk every once in a while.
2. His friends to stop ruining our vacations, outings, dates, etc.
3. One night of rest per week.
4. Him to be honest about how many drinks he had had at Yamapi's birthday party.
5. Attention! Attention! Attention!!
Was it love, infatuation or lust what we had?
It was love, damnit! But he wouldn't know love even if it hit him in the face (like my shoe that one time).
He is not in love with only me
He loves his dog more, his game console more, his sneakers and hair products more; heck, he even loves Pi's cooking more!! Arrggh!
Ueda read Kame's list and couldn't help but to burst out of laughter as the younger one just looked at him sceptically and clearly annoyed.
"You two are obviously still very in love with each other but you both need to vent before seeing the other again." Tatsuya concluded smartly and Kame groaned. He knew all this all too well and he was once again at the very beginning.
Stupid Bakanishi!
two - remove as many traces of their presence in your life as you can
Several days after the 'split up', Yamashita decided to chill at Jin's place. It was very calm at first but only because Jin was so immersed in packing things up that he barely heard what Pi was saying. Pi looked around shaking his head at his friend. He knew his friend was stubborn and appeared dumb most of the time but still Jin also knew how to be reasonable and when to stop.
"So you finally decided to back down and move, huh?"
"Nope." Jin said putting yet another pink shirt in the said box.
"Don't tell me," Pi's eyes widened. "That's Kame's stuff?"
"Yup." His friend answered shortly, walking over to the window and slowly opening it.
Scratch that, Pi thought, his friend was dumber than a log - all the time!
"Jin, no!" Pi yelled, stretching his hand out to prevent his best friend from throwing the box through the window.
Too late.
"You stupid, stupid moron!" Kame entered the apartment mere seconds later with a box full of broken vases, make up and clothes. He ran into their shared bedroom, exiting what seemed after only a second with Jin's clothes, Rolex and after shave in his hands.
"What do you think you're doing?" was the only thing Jin managed to ask before running off to collect his things from the street.
three - control your thoughts, don't let him bring you down, don't think about him
"I looked up break-up's on the internet." Kazuya said that day while sitting in a café with his best friend. He sighed desperately, placing both of his hands on his cup of coffee.
Ueda just raised his eyebrow at what the younger one had said, waiting for him to continue.
"It says there that I have to stop thinking about him. It's as easy as that." He smiled slightly, staring blankly at the warm liquid inside his cup.
"I just won't let him bring me down anymore."
Ueda nodded understandingly before launching a question in Kame's direction.
"So anything new? I mean, I haven't seen you in a week since you were away."
"Ahh yeah, my family said hi. Oh, and you won't believe what that bastard did when I was away!" Kame started losing it, not even noticing. And Ueda smirked; he knew his friend all too well.
"Yeah? What was it?"
"Arrgghh." Kazuya groaned. "He's the worst!"
"Kazuya-kun, you just said that you won't tal-" Tatsuya tried to remind Kame, but was cut off by an angry voice of his friend.
"He packed my stuff and threw it out the window!! Can you believe it?!" that was a rhetorical question and Kame didn't even want his friend to answer it. Heck he just needed to vent!
"But Kazuya, Ji-"
"And he even invited that pig to help him! His friends are as crazy as him! But he must be the master mind even though he's no doubt the dumbest out of them!" his voice began to get louder.
"Hey, stop it!" Ueda yelled suddenly not wanting to hear about Jin anymore and he knew the other occupants of the café thought the same. Kame stopped the very instant looking at his friend confused.
"I don't think your tactic is working." His friend informed and Kamenashi Kazuya knowing he was right, let his head hit the surface of the table.
four - practice through stopping, a technique that helps you to become more mindful and in control of what you think (or don't want to think about, as the case may be)
It was summer and Jin took up a part time job as the traffic regulator. Of course, this wasn't something that you could find in the centre of Tokyo but now that he was at a vacation in the village, he was more than happy to find something more interesting and profitable to do than watching Pi and Ryo play water-balloon fight in the backyard of the cottage they rented.
Right now he was standing in the middle of a crossroad with a sign in his hand and a whistle placed in between his plump lips. The sun was annoying the hell out of him because the heat was getting almost impossible to bear. And the worst thing was that Kazuya who supposedly broke up with him was on his mind 24/7.
Because of that, Jin was slowly going crazy so Ryo suggested a technique for him to try out. Basically it works like this - when he notices that a thought of Kame has popped into his head, he's obligated to say 'stop' aloud to divert his attention.
And as Jin was standing in the summer heat alone and bored as the rush hour had not started yet, he thought of Kame. The thoughts of them two kept him occupied until he heard a car honk and he yelled stop loudly throwing both of his hands in the air.
That day Jin caused a latched car crash and got fired form his job.
Stopping technique - failed.
five - distance yourself
Next time they try to avoid each other they end up in jail together (well actually they get locked up in a cell for one night but both consider it to be just as bad as prison).
Yes, they concluded, it obviously had to have something to do with both of them finding themselves in Ueda's club that night when the club was rented and reserved for the big party of major music company's president going by the name of Jamie, Johnny or something of that sort. Still, considering they were both Tatsuya's personal friends, the door to the club was always open for them.
Kazuya was helping out that day as a waiter while Jin showed up there to drink with his best friend Yamapi in one of the back rooms. But neither was at peace. And as Kame neared Johnny-san's table, anger was building up inside now half-drunken Jin.
The old pervert was definitely checking Kazuya out and his Kazu at that. Jin, unable to hold back anymore, got up and burst into the front part of the club. Ueda could already be seen pulling at his own hair in desperation as Bakanishi walked up to where Kame, and more importantly his guest, his very very rich guest were.
The drunken mess that was Jin growled at the president before turning to Kame and yanking the lad towards himself. He started yelling in the younger man's face and from a far corner, Yamapi started approaching them seeing that this was slowly turning into a disaster.
Jin's yelling pushed Kazu over the edge so that the younger started screaming at him in return, disturbing every guest in the ceremonial hall. All the heads turned into their direction just to see Kame turning his back to Jin and the other clinging to the younger, suddenly forcing him to turn around yet again by catching him by the elbow.
Irritated, Kame pushed Jin off. The guy stumbled back accidentally hitting Pi (who at the time found himself standing behind his best friend) and making him trip over his feet and fall right into startled Johnny-san's birthday dinner.
It was all foggy to Jin after that, the last thing he could remember was grandpa J gritting his teeth and two bodyguards taking him and Kazu away.
And now they were here, in prison together, sharing a cell and sitting at the small bench in the faraway corner; away from all the big masculine, tough looking guys.
Kame didn't talk to Jin nor did Jin talk to Kame. It was a sort of mutual aggravation between them. And just as Jin was about to apologize, one of the toughies appeared in front of them.
"Hiya, ladies~" The man grinned showing his yellow teeth.
Both boys gulped but neither dared to speak, settling on ignoring the man instead. And they could see that they just made a wrong move as the guy started touching Kame's shoulder in a forceful manner.
Jin knew that they must've looked like women to this horny idiot 'cause after all they both were very beautiful in Jin's opinion and that guy probably hasn't had a girlfriend in such a long time that he even forgot that women actually had breasts.
The guy's tattooed hand kept pulling at the fabric of Kame's shirt and the smaller of the two grabbed Jin's hand in complete horror as a pathetic whimper left his mouth.
"Sh-sh- she's pregnant! Don't touch her!" the words escaped Akanishi's lips, making the guy turn to him, letting go of Kame.
"Oh, is that right?" the guy asked, now hovering over Jin.
"Y-yes." The brunette answered in a small voice as Kazuya quickly nodded.
"Alrighty then." The tattoo molester said in his Mie dialect so that they hardly recognized what he had said. He yanked Jin off the bench and forced him up against the wall.
Kazu covered his eyes with both his hands and Jin was desperately trying to push the man away. And just as man's smelly breath hit Jin's silky white neck the two were saved by Pi and an extremely pissed Ueda whose guests left the club without even paying for the service and all because of these two and their childish behaviour.
six - do all the things you've ever wanted to do, that you wouldn't have done if you were still with the person
Seeing as Ryo's advice wasn't of any help, Yamapi tried to get Jin to go bungee jumping with him, claiming that a rush of adrenaline in his body would increase and that this way he would do something he wouldn't be able to if he was still with Kazu.
"It'll give you a feeling of finally breaking free." The smug bastard said as the two were showed to the spot on the bridge which they were supposed to jump from.
Jin nodded obediently, not wanting to admit he was afraid already. He swallowed a lump in his throat as Pi pushed him to the front.
It was needless to say that Jin didn't even listen to the guy giving him instructions as he tied the rope around him. Closing his eyes, he climbed over the fence to the outer side of the bridge. Bakanishi took a deep breath and re-opened his eyes only to whimper and cling to the fence like there was no tomorrow.
"Let go!" Pi screamed, trying to pry Jin's hands off the bars and push him into doing it so it would finally be his turn.
"NO!!" Jin screamed pathetically. "Kazu, help! Kazuuu!!"
With his eyes closed, he refused to let go and even hit the man in charge who was trying to help him get back on the safe side while Yamapi was busy calling Kazuya who arrived fifteen minutes later with an extremely annoyed look on his face.
"Jin, let's go." Kazuya got closer, his back still turned to Jin, waiting for the other to get up. There was no other response than a low cry coming from Jin and Yamapi exploding with laughter a meter away.
"Come on Bakanishi, let's go." Kame offered Jin his hand which the other grabbed in an instance and helped himself back up.
seven - mingle
Meeting new people sounded good to Kame as he signed up on an online dating page.
Dating is also a way of getting over someone, right? Well, Kamenashi Kazuya thought so. And yes, him being him, he met a charming young man the minute he registered.
The guy going by a nickname hotterthanchilli caught his attention almost instantly. He was funny and caring, plus, he showered Kame with compliments every two minutes.
lovablelittlecutie: I just recently broke up with my long term boyfriend -.-
hotterthanchilli: You too cutie? What do you think of going out with me then? We can try to forget about our ex's together :]
lovablelittlecutie: Sounds wonderful!
So they set the time and place. Kame bought a new pair of shoes and skinny jeans for this occasion wanting to leave good impression on the man.
He got there only to find Jin in his old clothes that he thought were highly fashionable holding a sign that read hotterthanchilli in his hands. As he approached Jin, Kame cussed under his breath.
Still, on the inside, he was kind of glad it turned out this way.
eight - excise the silly, cut the negativity
When they only moved in with each other, Jin and Kame found it would be funny to make a family album. It was cute - they cut out pictures from the magazines and their own pictures and put them together. They had baby pictures in there, their dream house, a dog and a pool.
Now when Kame looked at it, it seemed too silly and childish to him and it brought back memories of Jin which were all too much for him now. It was like they were hanging by a moment the whole time they were together.
Shaking his head, Kame picked up the album from the table and got up from his seat.
Still not knowing if it was a smart thing to do, he stood in front of their trash can and was ready to throw away their shared memories when Jin came in flying and snatched it from Kazuya's hands, screaming at the boy about what he was thinking throwing their 'baby' into the trash.
That time, Kazuya was happy that Jin was a baka.
nine - fall in love with you and the world will abound with possibilities you never imagined
It was the first time they actually did it in months.
Kame treated himself to a massage in a salon where Jin was recently employed. Seeing his ex-lover there he couldn't help but sigh, telling himself that he came here to relax. He pushed the thought of Jin being his masseur at the back of his mind and chose to enjoy the wonderful feeling Jin's hands were giving him.
Just like the old times, he thought.
Somehow, the massage turned into a heavy make out session and that make out session turned into sex. That was the second time Jin got fired because of Kazuya but he chose to look at it as a good thing considering it helped them renew their 'on break' relationship.
ten - understand that the feelings will never fade completely
"I love you Kazu." Jin said that night as they both lay in their bed together, only this time in each other's arms.
"I know." Kame said and Jin just kept staring blankly at him.
"What?" he asked childishly, poking Jin's chest.
Jin stayed silent, eyeing his 'new' boyfriend with a pout on his face.
"Oh okay. I love you too, baka." Kazuya confessed whole heartedly and Jin smiled, kissing him for all he is worth.