Words that sound like stars, part two
Title: Words that sound like stars
Part: Two of Two
Pairs: Matsumiya, (with various incarnations of Sakumiya, Aimiya, Sakuraiba)
Rating/Warning: PG-15 for themes of sex and bullying
Genre: SUPER CLICHÉ MELODRAMA ANGST(?)
Summary: On the campus of a small fine arts school a musician known for getting around falls in love with a photograph.
Nino wasn’t surprised when Sho casually walked up to him while he was headed to class. “Nino.”
Nino inclined his head but didn‘t turn. “Hm?”
“Are you free?”
“Not at the moment. Finals are soon and all. I‘m surprised you have time.”
“Bullshit.” Sho said flatly, and Nino noticed his irritated expression quickly faded to passive and professional as a group of students walked by in the other direction. “You’ve been avoiding me. Ever since-”
“Mister President,” The arrived at Nino’s next classroom, and in the doorway Nino offered a half apologetic, half sarcastic bow. “let me assure you that you are in fact imagining things-.”
“It’s Matsumoto, isn’t it.” Sho’s voice was low and falsely relieved of emotion.
Nino stared back at Sho evenly, watching the pointless jealously in the lines on his face. It was too late, Nino realized, he’d become too attached when he had no right to be.
“So what if it is?”
Before lunch, Jun walked into the men’s bathroom in the student union to wash his hands.
Slipping his ring off his finger and into his pocket, he pumped soap from the dispenser and lathered his hands, looking up to check his hair in the mirror.
As he examined his face, just to the left of his sink, something caught his eye.
On the surface of the mirror, in masculine chicken-scratch handwriting, was a phone number, followed by Best Whore on Campus.
Rolling his eyes, Jun rinsed his hands and dried them. As he returned his ring to his finger, his gaze couldn’t help but gravitate to the number, and it‘s advertisement.
Vexed throughout his classes for not taking action at lunch, Jun returned to the bathroom in the union at the end of the day. Others had seen the number and written their approval, or conquests. Someone else wrote to beware of herpes.
Ripping paper towels from the dispenser, Jun soaked them in water, and rubbed the mirror. A few of the comments washed off, but the number itself had been written in permanent ink.
Jun felt the person being subject to this bullying ought to at least know that their number was on public display, and where.
He pulled out his phone, and dialed the number, drumming his fingers impatiently on the sink.
It rang four times, before there was a click. He’d been hung up on.
Patient, Jun dialed the number again. Anyone who’d been receiving sexually harassing calls all day would understandably disconnect a call from an unknown number by now.
It rang once, and clicked.
Stubborn to help the stranger, Jun tried again. It rang, and just before the click, Jun shouted, “Please wait!”
There was the grainy silence of a poor connection, but at least they didn’t hang up.
“I’ve just called to tell you your phone number has been written in the a men’s bathroom on-”
“Matsumoto?”
Jun felt his stomach ball into a pit, and the taste sour in his mouth. “Ninomiya?”
“I’ve been getting calls for a good time all day, but I never expected one from you.” Laughed the twerp’s voice from across the line.
“Like I would.“ Jun snapped, aware of his own voice echoing loudly due to the bathroom‘s acoustics, “Clearly you enjoy the free advertising!”
There was silence again, and Jun hesitated, suddenly feeling guilty for going to far. Clearly Nino was avoiding unknown numbers the way he had hung up so many times before.
But when Nino spoke again, his voice was neutral, “Hey, where did you say you found this number?”
“The men’s bathroom on the second floor of the student union. It’s written on the mirror in permanent marker, with a title that reads ‘Best Whore on Campus.’”
“I wouldn’t say that I’m the best, but it’s nice of someone to say so.” Nino laughed. “Thanks for the tip.”
“No problem.” Jun swallowed a wave of annoyance. It irritated him that Nino was so calm, as if he‘d expected to be bullied like this. “If I knew who was responsible, I’d have a few words for them too.”
“It’s not a big deal. There’s no need to get so worked up.” Nino‘s voice was so emotionless Jun wished he could reach across the phone line and slap the carefully guarded mask off. “The calls will stop after a couple of days, and things will go back to normal.”
“You’re just letting them do this to you?” Jun barked. “Why don’t you stand up for yourself?”
“How is the way I deal with my business any of your business, Matsumoto?” Nino sniped back.
“If you don’t fight back, someone will take advantage of you!”
“If I fight back it’ll only get worse!”
“You’re a fucking coward, Ninomiya!” Jun shouted, his own voice ringing in his ears, and his chest tight with frustration.
“And you’re what, my noble knight in shinning armor? Is that what you’re getting from this? Is that why you called? You thrive on that sense of heroism, your reward is the gratification of people knowing that you’re a good, dependable person.” Nino laughed, cold and derisively. “You better be careful how high you put yourself above others, because the fall could kill you.”
The line went dead; Nino had hung up.
Jun kicked the nearest stall door as hard as he could. With a resounding crack, it hit the stall wall, before banging back on it’s frame.
Breathing fire, Jun stormed from the bathroom.
“Excuse me, is this the Student President‘s office? Is he in right now?”
Sho heard the low voice from behind the door, and the affirmative reply of the student manning the front desk in the lobby. He tidied his desk for a moment to make it more presentable, until the expected knock came on the door. “President Sakurai, a student would like to discuss some campus issues with you.”
“Please send him in.” Sho replied, settling back into his chair
The door opened, and a tall, painfully handsome student let himself inside.
Sho’s eyes flickered before he dawned a political smile. “Ah, Matsumoto Jun from Photography. I’ve seen your work on display, you have stunning talent.”
“Thank you, President. I’m surprised you know who I am.” Matsumoto shyly bowed his head, still standing awkwardly by the door.
“I make it my job to know.” Sho chuckled, extending a hand to the chair in front of his desk. “Please, have a seat.”
“Thank you.” Matsumoto gracefully sat down, although he didn’t recline back. Although Sho had seen Matsumoto around, he’d never been so close to the living person. When their eyes met Sho saw the nervous but determined strength which only served to make the aesthetically pleasing feature so much more beautiful. Passion, Sho realized it was, adjusting his glasses and looking away after his evaluation.
“You wanted to talk about campus affairs, right?”
“Ah, yes. Yesterday I witnessed a severe form of bullying on campus. I was wondering if something couldn‘t be done.”
A passionate Samaritan, Sho revised before answering, “I’m sorry but that’s out of my jurisdiction. Bullying and violence are to be reported to the university itself, the Office of Student Affairs, I believe. Or the police if you feel that the bulling was out of legal limits.”
“I know, it’s just,” Matsumoto calmly ran a hand through his hair, folding a lock behind his ears before he continued, “the person who was being bullied doesn’t want anything done about it.”
“In that case I believe there are councilors on campus who can talk to him about it. Although a good friend like you might serve him better.”
“He wouldn’t go to one of those and we’re not friends, really.” Matsumoto averted his gaze. Sho thought he saw the slightest bit of pink on his cheeks.
“I’m afraid I don’t know what to tell you then.” Sho sighed, leaning against the back of his chair. “There really isn’t much I can do in these situations.”
“Actually, I was hoping you’d be able to arrange some sort of bullying awareness week or something.” Matsumoto offered, unsuccessfully hiding the hope in his voice.
“That would take a lot of time and effort to arrange. I don‘t know if the student council would approve. Bullying in general isn‘t that big of a problem on campus.”
Matsumoto didn‘t deflate, instead he spoke bitterly. “It is a big problem. The fact that it exists at all is a problem. I mean what happened yesterday was just cruel.”
“Perhaps,” Sho leaned forward on his elbows, “you could tell me more about this particular incident?”
Nino looked up when he heard footsteps approaching. He wasn’t entirely surprised when it was Jun’s head that finally appeared over the flower bush.
“Don’t you ever play music inside the music hall?” Jun asked, hefting his camera bag on his shoulder.
“Sometimes, but I like the acoustics here.” To prove his point Nino played a chord and let the walls around him warp the notes. “Don’t you ever take pictures in other gardens?”
“I do, as a matter of fact.” Jun cocked his head not quite tersely. “Come with me, I want to show you something.”
Nino carefully tucked his violin back in it’s case, pretending to be occupied to buy himself time. When the zipper was closed, Nino finally looked up again. “Dates are a hassle.”
Jun sighed and rolled his eyes. “I’ve already told you I’m not interested. I’m just trying to make up for the other day.”
Nino nodded but kept his gaze down as he hefted the case over his shoulder. “I might have said more than I should have too.”
“So make it up to me by coming with me.” Jun smirked, and against his better judgment Nino met his gaze.
Instantly Nino felt a strange tickle in his chest which only grew stronger the longer he and Jun shared eye contact. Nino broke it quickly, looking down and scratching his nose. “Sorry but I can’t. I have class in ten minutes.”
“We can go after your class.” Jun suggested, smiling as if he’d just announced a checkmate.
“You probably want me to go somewhere weird with you. I don’t want to go.”
“It’s nowhere weird. You’ll like it, I promise.”
“How do you know if I’ll like it or not?” Nino scoffed.
“How do you know you won‘t?”
“Why the hell do we have to go all the way downtown at this hour. Do you know how horrible the trains are going to be on the way home?”
Jun rolled his eyes, and not for the first time. Nino complained when he had nothing else to say, Jun realized, and it was difficult to resist arguing over each little comment. “Is it so hard to believe me when I say it’s worth the trip?”
“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Nino quipped, burying his hands in his pockets as they walked. “Which is getting harder and harder to do. You have no idea how much you’ve built up this great, fantastic mystical place with all this secrecy.”
“I said you’d like it,” Jun countered, “I never said you’d love it above all else or that it would become your new favorite place in the world.”
“Then why is it worth all the secrets and the long distance and the packed trains?”
Jun glanced around, breaking out into a grin as he realized how close they were. “You’ll see.”
“God, you’re infuriating.”
“ ‘It’s an art form and I’m the master.’ “ Jun smirked, fully enjoying the antagonized expression Nino pulled.
“Copyright infringement.” Nino declared. “I should sue.”
“Sure, but before you do.” As they came to a stop at an intersection, Jun held Nino’s elbow to keep him in place. He pulled Nino over a few steps, away from the stoplight pole. “Here no….ah, here.”
“What are you-”
“Look up.”
“What…” Nino looked up, and Jun watched as Nino‘s annoyance melted into stunned amazement. “…..Why…..”
Jun looked up too. The four towering skyscrapers on the four corners of the intersection were as towering as ever, but the later time of day struck the buildings with a different light. They were purple and orange, reflecting the evening sky and clouds.
As beautiful as the scene was, Jun found his gaze returned to earth; to Nino. Joy and wonder eased Nino’s features and made them look even more attractive.
The impulse to touch Nino struck Jun suddenly, as loudly as the chime of the cross walk they should next to. His heart beat in his throat as if his adam’s apple had suddenly developed a will of it’s own, a will to pound out of Jun’s throat if Jun didn’t do something to close the space between himself and Nino. It didn’t matter where, just touch, touch, touch.
With a hard swallow, Jun coughed and looked away.
“This is amazing. You should take a picture.”
“A what?” Jun asked, his thoughts scattered, and he found it difficult to look at Nino again.
“A picture. It is what you do, right?”
“I don’t want to get my camera out right now.” Jun said, his eyes coasting over the people passing by. “If you’re done, lets go. You weren’t wrong about the trains.”
“We came all this way…. and you’re not taking a picture.” Nino repeated, dumbfounded.
“I’ve already taken a picture, remember?” Snapped Jun, his voice coming out harsher than he intended, but he couldn’t stop himself. “It’s the whole reason you ever walked into my life and-”
“So you want me to walk back out?” Nino’s face returned to neutral, and Jun felt guilty for taking away the very happiness he’d given Nino just seconds before. “Although I never asked you to bring me here. Hell, have the time you find me. If it’s so much of a bother though, I’ll-”
“No. That’s not what I meant. It’s just….” Jun let the words trail away, and he looked over Nino’s shoulder to find them.
Nino took a step closer, and Jun swallowed hard, instinctively looking down to meet Nino face to face.
“It’s working.” Nino whispered, his lips curling at the corners in the most adorable, aggravating fashion. “It’s working, isn’t it.”
Jun gave Nino a hard shove backwards and stalked back towards the train station.
“You stayed at his house?!” Aiba gasped, dropping his bag of gummy bears on the cafeteria table.
“His parents’ house. He found out about my living situation and seemed to disapprove.” Nino snatched the bag and began to munch.
“What living situation?” Aiba scrunched his nose, confused.
“Oh well, he seems to be under the impression that I’m homeless so I sleep around just for a warm bed and free meals.” Shrugging, Nino held out the bag and Aiba took a handful of bears.
“But Nino, that’s an outright lie. You’re not homeless and you’ve only ever slept with me and Sho, right?”
Nino shrugged again, watching Aiba arrange the green and red bears in pairs on the table. “He seems to believe the stupid rumors going around.”
“I’ve always wondered about where those came from. But first, tell me how you guys did it.”
Nino promptly slapped Aiba on the head. “Don’t you ever listen. This guy is pure, he didn’t even kiss me when I could see plain on his face that he’d have sucked my lips off in the middle of the road if it weren’t for his morals getting in the way. When we got back to his place, his mom made a great dinner and then we played Mario until we fell asleep. He hung in there until level 8, I was proud. The end.”
“Such a romantic date.” Aiba sighed, squishing a pair of red and green bears together before devouring them.
“It wasn’t a date. I don‘t do dates or boyfriends or any of that fluffy crap.” Nino flicked one of the red bears away from it’s partnered green, but Aiba’s quick reflexes saved it from going over the edge.
“Hey! Don’t treat the red ones that way just because they‘re happy in their relationships!”
Nino looked down at the sad remainder of the couplings on the table, and gave Aiba’s shoulder a pat. “Only you Aiba. Only you.”
At his desk, Sho sat with his head lying folded on his arms. His phone sat in front of him. A text typed and ready to send. But he couldn’t press the button. He knew it would be either refuted or ignored.
After all, Nino hadn’t talked to him in weeks.
Masaki said it was because Nino was busy with his assorted classes and hobbies.
Sho knew otherwise. He knew it was because of Matsumoto.
Sho couldn’t figure out what exactly attracted Nino to Matsumoto, because there was frankly a lot about Matsumoto to like. From his looks to his personality to his artistic talent, Matsumoto Jun was simply perfect.
Sho never hated anyone so much in his life.
“President Sakurai.”
“Oh, Matsumoto!” Constructing a smile, Sho stood up from his desk in greeting. “I was hoping you’d stop back by.”
“Ah, yes, I’m sorry to keep bothering you.” Matsumoto bowed apologetically, so perfectly polite it made Sho’s skin crawl. But he kept his smile strong, “I’ve put forward your idea on an anti-bullying week to the student council.”
“How did they take it?”
“They liked the idea, but to be honest with you, money is a bit of a problem…”
“Good afternoon.” Jun said, walking into the club room.
The room went silent, and everyone averted their eyes.
Jun looked over his shoulder before glancing around the room to discover what he’d missed.
Discreetly, Jun edged over to the student at the end of the nearest table who was ardently rubbing a camera lens with a cleaning cloth. “Did something happen?”
The student pretended not to hear, but the hand holding the cloth began to shake.
“Tch.” Jun clicked his tongue, moving to his usual seat in back.
As Jun began to unpack his camera and computer, murmured conversation resumed in the classroom. Jun pulled his headphones up off his neck and over his ears. He didn’t start the music however, and waited as the conversations in the room grew louder.
“-and that haughty expression. We should have realized it sooner.”
“I’d be acting like king of the photography department if I’d done that too.”
“How low can you get?”
“And how low is that?” Jun stood up, his chair screeching as it protested being shoved back. “You’re talking about me, aren’t you? What is going on?”
Out of twenty pairs of eyes, none would meet his. No one looked up or answered.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but if you’re trying to bully me,” Jun found his chair and pulled it back underneath him. “you’re going to have to try harder.”
“I didn’t know you played the guitar too.”
“I’m a man of countless talents. How can I help you today Mister Moto.”
“Here.”
Nino didn’t look up from his guitar. “No thanks.”
“Do you even know what you’re rejecting?”
A large, flat newspaper covered object was suddenly shoved between Nino’s face and his guitar. His eyes grew wide however, as he took it in his hands and could feel the edges concealed by the paper. It was a picture frame.
“This is-”
“‘Asphyxiation.’” Jun said, leaning on the unused music stand. “The picture you wanted.”
“I don’t often question that which is given to me for free,” Nino murmured, tracing the frame with the pads of his fingers. He finally held the photograph he had longed for, yet he didn‘t feel remotely happy. “But you’ve already told me you weren’t going to give it to me. And you took me to the place where this was taken. Why?”
“Think about it.” Jun smiled, less a prince and more a shy adolescent.
Nino had to look away. So the picture wasn’t free after all, but what Jun wanted out of it was more than what Nino wanted to pay. Instead of anger, Nino felt strange. He wanted to hurl the frame against the music all wall and watch it shatter just to see how angry it would make Jun. It would drive him away, and now was the time to do it if he was ever going to.
But Nino kept it sandwiched between his chest and his guitar. “I don’t want to.”
“You don’t want to think about it?”
“I don’t want to be romanced.”
“I wasn’t-”
“You’re damn good at it.” Nino cut him off, and again, he saw Jun’s handsome face caught between expressions of rage and delight. “The problem is, I don’t do the whole boyfriend thing.”
“Because you’re scared of attachment.” Jun hypothesized, scratching at a chip in the black paint on the music stand.
“Not exactly.” Nino smiled carefully setting the frame aside to return to strumming his guitar.
“Then what is it?”
Nino shrugged and bent over the instrument to watch his fingers as he worked a complex riff. “ ‘Asphyxiation‘ huh. Not a bad title.”
“I know it is.” Teasingly, Jun bent over the music stand and whispered loudly. “Just say ‘thank you.’”
“You’re welcome.” Nino couldn’t stop his eyes from flickering up, wanting to catch the antagonized look on Jun’s face.
But Jun only smirked and bobbed his head in a grateful bow.
Nino chuckled and shook his head.
“You need to buy a new couch.” Nino complained, curling up on the left arm of a very comfortable and plush sofa. “This one is too good for you.”
“Did I ever tell you the story from when I had to get it up those stairs?” Aiba laughed, reaching for his beer on the coffee table.
“Yeah, I remember. That was the day you called me to help you but I was busy and couldn’t.” Nino eyed the can, tempted to steal a sip but more tempted to yawn.
“More like you were lazy and didn’t want to do hard labor.” Aiba chuckled, crushing the empty can when he’d finished.
“Same difference.” Nino pulled a throw blanket off the back of the couch, tucked it around himself and closed his eyes.
“If you’re going to sleep, we could go to the bed-”
“Who wants to sleep on that flea infested mattress when this couch of clouds exists.”
“Come on Nino, that was one flea years ago, and you’ve slept on it since.”
Indignantly, Nino pulled the blankets around himself. “I can’t hear you because I’m sleeping.”
“Ok, ok I give up.” Aiba laughed, ruffling Nino’s hair as he stood up.
His eyelids heavy and closed, Nino could hear Aiba rustling in the kitchen.
“Aiba?”
“Yeah?” A cupboard was opened and closed.
“Have you ever thought about getting serious?”
“Not with you.” Aiba’s laugh was kind more than it was teasing. Nino heard the faucet turn on, and off. Dishes were shuffled in the sink.
“Good, the feeling is mutual then.” Nino fisted another yawn. “Just never mind.”
“I have.” Aiba returned from the kitchen, setting a cup a water on the table in front of Nino.
“That was fast, even for you.”
“Shut up. You know I meant I to say that I have thought about it. Stopping playing around. Maybe when I’m older. Maybe when I graduate.”
Nino pulled the blanket up over his nose, concealing a frown of concern. He hadn’t expected Aiba to answer him so seriously, and was nearly shocked to learn he had been thinking about putting up a closed sign when he‘d been open for business for so long. Even if it was hypothetically years in the future.
“When that happens,“ Nino said, his eyes on the cup of water Aiba had brought him in knowing the headache he was going to have in the morning, “You need to pick the right person. You need to have standards, you can‘t date any old pretty face, assuming a pretty face would even want you. Besides, I would be doing a disservice to humankind if I allowed anyone to date you without giving the other party fair warning that you’re into the weirdest sex.”
“Weird sex is what I have with you. If it’s someone I love then it’ll be beautiful.” Aiba’s eyes shone happily.
“Thanks, that makes me feel special.” Nino rubbed his eye tiredly with a knuckle and mumbled. “What is with all this love crap lately. You should know by now it doesn’t exist.”
“What’s with you lately. All this serious talk. Maybe we should continue tomorrow when you’re sober.” To make his point, Aiba made his way to the living room light switch.”
“I am sober, idiot. You’re the one who was drinking.”
Jun kept his music on as he ate in the cafeteria. Usually he took his lunch outside, but today he’d found his favorite spot taken. By members of the photography club.
He was pissed off enough to not be hungry, but Jun knew skipping lunch was bad for his health.
A commotion in the lunch line caught his eye and Jun looked up, as did most of the diners. People were cutting in front of someone, elbowing them out of the way. A head moved and Jun could see the face of the person being shoved back, being kept silently but perpetually at the end of the line.
Jun found himself on his feet before he remembered standing.
“What is wrong with you?!” Jun shouted, ripping Nino out of the line to shout in the face of the last person to elbow him out of the way. “Are we not adults?! What the hell has he ever done to you, any of you?! How can you treat a fellow student, a human being this way?!”
“We didn’t do anything.” Grunted the student, shrugging passively as his friends and fellow perpetrators nodded their heads.
“Fucking bastard.” Jun growled, snatching him by the front of the shirt.
“Hey, isn’t that Matsumoto?” Someone in line pondered aloud, before a second voice continued, “Isn’t he the one who bribed his way into the art gallery or whatever?”
Jun’s grip slackened as he watched the conversation travel across the cafeteria.
“Yeah, I know someone who said they saw the envelope.”
“Is that what has been going on?” Jun chuckled in disgust, glaring in turn at each of the speakers. “It’s amazing how willing people are to believe in slandering rumors.”
“Isn’t it?” Nino said, and Jun looked down, confused by the triumphant sound in his voice. Nino simply smiled at him before inclining his head, turning around and walking towards the nearest exit.
Growing cold from the inside out, Jun didn’t give the bullies another look. Quickly he retrieved his bags and ran after Nino, hardly hearing the cat calls and fresh gossip erupt around them.
He caught up with Nino at the end of the empty hall.
“I’m sorry!” Jun shouted, as he ran up to Nino’s side. “Ninomiya, I’m sorry.”
Nino shrugged, continuing to walk forward, continuing to look determinedly straight ahead as if he’d lose sight of where he was going if he looked anywhere else. “It’s no big deal. I really am used to people thinking I’m a slut. I didn’t know you were getting bullied though, I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s not bullying in my case, it just people being stupid.” Jun grunted.
“And now it’s just going to get worse.” Nino sighed heavily. “You just had to try and be a hero again.”
“Is it so wrong that I wanted to protect you?” Jun grabbed Nino’s elbow angrily. “I’m tired of pretending to understand you when you don’t even try to understand me!”
“I understand you.” Nino didn’t try to free his elbow, and his eyes were hard, his voice irate. “In fact I think I understand you more than you do most of the time.”
Jun fought the color trying to rise to his cheeks, and held on to his wrath. “The hell you do.”
“The hell I do.” Nino snapped, ripping his elbow free.
“The hell you don’t.” Jun didn’t have time to register the change, before suddenly Nino shoved him hard against the wall.
“The hell I do.” Nino repeated, and Jun was too stunned to resist when Nino grabbed both his wrists and held them against the wall.
“The hell you don’t.” Jun said, breathing so hard his chest heaved.
“The hell I do.” Nino said, seconds before crushing his lips up against Jun’s.
Nino kissed him hard, hard enough Jun couldn’t open his mouth if he wanted to, making it hard to breathe. There was only Nino’s lips on his, Nino’s hands on his wrists, Nino’s chest against his chest.
Nino broke away much more suddenly then he came, removing all contact at once, smirking as if satisfied that he’d proved a point.
Jun didn’t smile back. He grabbed Nino around the waist before he could pull too far away, gripped him by the hair at the base of the neck hard enough to earn a squeak of pain before he took Nino’s lips in revenge.
Jun nibbled along Nino’s lips, increasing the strength of his bites until Nino opened his mouth. Tongues slid together, teeth crashed, lips got caught in between.
“So much for your devil‘s tongue.” Jun panted.
“That’s because this is tame.” Nino teased, nodding back for another peck. “But I know where there’s a free class room right now, we could-”
Instantly Jun shoved Nino off. “Are you thick? How many times have I told you I’m not interested in a casual relationship?”
“How hypocritical can you be?” Nino scoffed. “Or can you not even sense how sexually frustrated you are when you kiss a person like that?”
“I’m not sexually frustrated, you prick, I’m in love with you!”
Jun stared at Nino’s stunned expression for a long moment, feeling his own cheeks burn.
“I like you a lot too,“ Nino said, scratching the back of his head, “But I don’t do relationships.”
“Just a moment ago you made it seem like the rumors about you being a whore were false!” Jun said through gritted teeth, refusing to let his heart feel crushed.
“I have certain sex friends, but I don’t sleep with just anyone.” Nino admitted calmly.
“But you want me to fuck you in an empty classroom.” Jun tried to keep his voice and temper steady. “So in your heart, I’m at that level?”
“I told you before that I don’t want to be romanced.”
“Bullshit, Ninomiya. You’re just a coward.”
Nino smiled, “I am.”
“Hey.”
“Nino.” Sho looked up, startled. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh, just thought we could talk.” Nino plopped into the seat in front of Sho’s desk. “Whoa, you look beat. Finals are eating you alive, huh?”
“What do you care.” Sho murmured, ripping off his glasses and tossing them on his pile of books.
“We were friends, at some point.” Nino shrugged, tracing the stitching on the side of his chair.
“Were we…” Sho chuckled, folding his hands across his stomach.
Nino let silence fall for a moment before pushing it away with a low voice. “I know it’s you. I’ve always known it was you.”
Sho closed his eyes, and Nino let him have his own silence. Whole minutes passed with no other sound than the soft whisper of fabric against the chairs, moved by the silent breath of two bodies.
“I knew you knew it was me, but somewhere, I think I thought it would still work. That you would realize how crazy you had made me.”
“Where’s the logic in that?” Nino laughed.
“There is none. I was serious when I said you drove me crazy.”
“I never meant to.”
“Neither did I.”
“Do you hate me for it?”
“Not really.”
Sho laughed, bitterly. “Can’t I get anything out of you? You won’t love me when I love you, you won’t even hate me when I’ve made your campus life hell for years.”
“Well,” Nino folded his hands across his stomach too, leaning back in the guest chair, “it kind of destroyed the friendship we had, if it was worth to you what it was to me.”
“Would an apology from me do any good at this point?” Sho smiled, wearily.
“Not when you don’t really mean it.” Nino shrugged.
Silence enveloped them again, and Nino waited even longer to break it. “What do I have to do to get you to stop the gossip going on about Matsumoto Jun?”
Even though the club didn’t meet on Tuesdays, Jun headed to the usual room. He had film to develop in the dark room and it was always safer for his negatives when he knew he wouldn’t be interrupted.
“You’re cruel, you know?”
Nino’s voice.
Jun’s body turned to stone, his hand on the door to the photography club room grew sweaty.
“I know. I’m sorry.”
A different voice, lower. President Sakurai.
Jun felt bile rise in his throat.
The sound of rustling clothes.
A short zipper.
Another zipper.
Without even being aware of recovering his locomotion, Jun found the door open, and himself inside the room.
He saw the President.
Nino sitting on the table, his arms around Sakurai’s shoulders.
Before Jun realized it, Sho was on the floor and his fist ached from the punch.
He wheeled on Nino, who was staring at him in shock.
“Matsumoto, what-”
Jun slapped Nino hard, open palmed, on the cheek.
“What’s the matter with you?!“ Jun shouted, shaking Nino’s shoulders. “Is it because I said no?”
Silently Nino looked down, zipped up his pants, and clutched his red cheek.
“He’s doing it for you.”
Jun turned and glared at the President of the student council, who had re-zipped his fly, and propped himself up against the leg of a table, holding a handkerchief to a steadily bleeding nose.
“What do you mean?” Jun demanded, not feeling the least bit guilty that Sakurai‘s nose might be broken. He half hoped it was.
“It doesn’t matter, does it?” Nino laughed, hollowly, sliding off the table and brushing Jun’s hands away. “In the end I was going to let him do it. Makes me just as bad as you thought I was, right?”
“Nino-” Jun tried to grab Nino’s elbow but it was ripped away and Nino stalked out the door.
To prevent himself from shouting, Jun drew a long breath, “How long has this been going on?“
“On and off for years.”
“Why didn’t you tell me…those times in your office…” Seethed Jun, glaring down at the President he had respected.
“Why didn’t I tell you I’m Ninomiya’s sex friend?” Sho laughed, a bubble of blood appearing in his nostril, “That would have been an awkward conversation. ‘You say Ninomiya’s being bullied? By the way, I did him just last week.’”
Jun paused for a second, but no longer. “Are you in love with him?”
“Love didn’t seem to make much of a difference.”
“SHO-CHAN YOUR FACE, WHAT HAPPENED?!!”
“I was royally vanquished.” Sho rolled his head back to find Aiba towering over him. “Thanks for getting here so quickly. Got any tissues?”
“Of course I came as fast as I could.” Aiba remained kneeling, inspecting Sho’s face at nearly too close a range. “Is it broken? Your nose was so cute, I don’t want it to be broken.”
Sho chuckled. “It’s not broken. A blood vessel popped, that’s all.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. Help me up though, will you? I‘m feeling kind of light-headed.”
Aiba stood, and held out his arm. Sho took it, trusting Aiba to hold his weight.
Even after Sho was steady on his feet, he held on to Aiba’s strong hand. “Thanks, Masaki.”
“I’ll always be there when you need me, Sho-chan.” Aiba’s eyes welled, and he tried to scrub some of the blood off Sho’s chin. “Always. Always.”
“I knew I’d find you here.”
“And I knew you’d find me here.”
“So you wanted to be found.”
“No, I just knew you’d come looking and I took pity on you.”
Nino didn’t move as Jun slid down the wall of the music hall to sit next to him.
Jun reached for a blade of grass and shredded it with his fingernails. “I’m sorry for hitting you.”
“You slap like a girl with the muscle of a man.” Nino tenderly poked his slightly inflamed cheek.
“I don’t know what to make of that.”
Nino shrugged, and stretched his legs out.
“Are you in love with him?” Jun asked, dumping the shredded grass back onto the ground.
“Nope. He’s the crazy possessive type. It’s a turn off.”
“Love does that to a person.” Jun said softly.
Nino turned and watched the wind ruffle Jun’s hair. “I’ve never been in love before, but if it makes me run around punching and slapping people-”
“You deserved it. He deserved it.” Anger and resent bled back into Jun’s voice.
“It was just sex.”
“Just sex.” Jun ripped up a clump of grass. “In my club room.” He tore up another. “The person I confessed to having feelings for.” Another. “And the Student President whom I used to respect.” He threw them all as hard as he could at the nearby hydrangea bushes.
“He picked the place.” Shrugged Nino, “He wanted to get back at you for stealing me.”
Jun snorted through his nose, and met Nino’s eyes . “For stealing what?”
“My affections.”
“You mean your love.”
“Call it what you will.” Nino watched the hope light in Jun’s eyes and tried to fight the urge to tease him further.
“So you’re in love with me.” Jun split into a pure grin.
Nino looked away again, because it was contagious. “Something like that I guess. We should probably date or something.”
“If you go out with me though, I won’t let you sleep around. No more sex friends.”
“Ok, but I must warn you. I have demanding needs, if you don’t measure up…I can’t be held accountable…”
There was danger in the smirk that tainted Jun’s smile. “We might have just started going out, but I can tell two things about you right now.”
“Oh?” Nino quirked an eyebrow, as his heart squeezed nervously, just a little.
“First, you’re the needy type who adores receiving affection on your own terms but when it comes to sex anything goes.”
“That might not be far off.” Nino smirked back, “What’s the second?”
Jun’s smirk became downright mischievous, and he leaned over, cupping Nino’s hurt cheek tenderly to whisper against the ear of the other, “You still haven’t figured out I’m not a virgin.”
Part: Two of Two
Pairs: Matsumiya, (with various incarnations of Sakumiya, Aimiya, Sakuraiba)
Rating/Warning: PG-15 for themes of sex and bullying
Genre: SUPER CLICHÉ MELODRAMA ANGST(?)
Summary: On the campus of a small fine arts school a musician known for getting around falls in love with a photograph.
Nino wasn’t surprised when Sho casually walked up to him while he was headed to class. “Nino.”
Nino inclined his head but didn‘t turn. “Hm?”
“Are you free?”
“Not at the moment. Finals are soon and all. I‘m surprised you have time.”
“Bullshit.” Sho said flatly, and Nino noticed his irritated expression quickly faded to passive and professional as a group of students walked by in the other direction. “You’ve been avoiding me. Ever since-”
“Mister President,” The arrived at Nino’s next classroom, and in the doorway Nino offered a half apologetic, half sarcastic bow. “let me assure you that you are in fact imagining things-.”
“It’s Matsumoto, isn’t it.” Sho’s voice was low and falsely relieved of emotion.
Nino stared back at Sho evenly, watching the pointless jealously in the lines on his face. It was too late, Nino realized, he’d become too attached when he had no right to be.
“So what if it is?”
Before lunch, Jun walked into the men’s bathroom in the student union to wash his hands.
Slipping his ring off his finger and into his pocket, he pumped soap from the dispenser and lathered his hands, looking up to check his hair in the mirror.
As he examined his face, just to the left of his sink, something caught his eye.
On the surface of the mirror, in masculine chicken-scratch handwriting, was a phone number, followed by Best Whore on Campus.
Rolling his eyes, Jun rinsed his hands and dried them. As he returned his ring to his finger, his gaze couldn’t help but gravitate to the number, and it‘s advertisement.
Vexed throughout his classes for not taking action at lunch, Jun returned to the bathroom in the union at the end of the day. Others had seen the number and written their approval, or conquests. Someone else wrote to beware of herpes.
Ripping paper towels from the dispenser, Jun soaked them in water, and rubbed the mirror. A few of the comments washed off, but the number itself had been written in permanent ink.
Jun felt the person being subject to this bullying ought to at least know that their number was on public display, and where.
He pulled out his phone, and dialed the number, drumming his fingers impatiently on the sink.
It rang four times, before there was a click. He’d been hung up on.
Patient, Jun dialed the number again. Anyone who’d been receiving sexually harassing calls all day would understandably disconnect a call from an unknown number by now.
It rang once, and clicked.
Stubborn to help the stranger, Jun tried again. It rang, and just before the click, Jun shouted, “Please wait!”
There was the grainy silence of a poor connection, but at least they didn’t hang up.
“I’ve just called to tell you your phone number has been written in the a men’s bathroom on-”
“Matsumoto?”
Jun felt his stomach ball into a pit, and the taste sour in his mouth. “Ninomiya?”
“I’ve been getting calls for a good time all day, but I never expected one from you.” Laughed the twerp’s voice from across the line.
“Like I would.“ Jun snapped, aware of his own voice echoing loudly due to the bathroom‘s acoustics, “Clearly you enjoy the free advertising!”
There was silence again, and Jun hesitated, suddenly feeling guilty for going to far. Clearly Nino was avoiding unknown numbers the way he had hung up so many times before.
But when Nino spoke again, his voice was neutral, “Hey, where did you say you found this number?”
“The men’s bathroom on the second floor of the student union. It’s written on the mirror in permanent marker, with a title that reads ‘Best Whore on Campus.’”
“I wouldn’t say that I’m the best, but it’s nice of someone to say so.” Nino laughed. “Thanks for the tip.”
“No problem.” Jun swallowed a wave of annoyance. It irritated him that Nino was so calm, as if he‘d expected to be bullied like this. “If I knew who was responsible, I’d have a few words for them too.”
“It’s not a big deal. There’s no need to get so worked up.” Nino‘s voice was so emotionless Jun wished he could reach across the phone line and slap the carefully guarded mask off. “The calls will stop after a couple of days, and things will go back to normal.”
“You’re just letting them do this to you?” Jun barked. “Why don’t you stand up for yourself?”
“How is the way I deal with my business any of your business, Matsumoto?” Nino sniped back.
“If you don’t fight back, someone will take advantage of you!”
“If I fight back it’ll only get worse!”
“You’re a fucking coward, Ninomiya!” Jun shouted, his own voice ringing in his ears, and his chest tight with frustration.
“And you’re what, my noble knight in shinning armor? Is that what you’re getting from this? Is that why you called? You thrive on that sense of heroism, your reward is the gratification of people knowing that you’re a good, dependable person.” Nino laughed, cold and derisively. “You better be careful how high you put yourself above others, because the fall could kill you.”
The line went dead; Nino had hung up.
Jun kicked the nearest stall door as hard as he could. With a resounding crack, it hit the stall wall, before banging back on it’s frame.
Breathing fire, Jun stormed from the bathroom.
“Excuse me, is this the Student President‘s office? Is he in right now?”
Sho heard the low voice from behind the door, and the affirmative reply of the student manning the front desk in the lobby. He tidied his desk for a moment to make it more presentable, until the expected knock came on the door. “President Sakurai, a student would like to discuss some campus issues with you.”
“Please send him in.” Sho replied, settling back into his chair
The door opened, and a tall, painfully handsome student let himself inside.
Sho’s eyes flickered before he dawned a political smile. “Ah, Matsumoto Jun from Photography. I’ve seen your work on display, you have stunning talent.”
“Thank you, President. I’m surprised you know who I am.” Matsumoto shyly bowed his head, still standing awkwardly by the door.
“I make it my job to know.” Sho chuckled, extending a hand to the chair in front of his desk. “Please, have a seat.”
“Thank you.” Matsumoto gracefully sat down, although he didn’t recline back. Although Sho had seen Matsumoto around, he’d never been so close to the living person. When their eyes met Sho saw the nervous but determined strength which only served to make the aesthetically pleasing feature so much more beautiful. Passion, Sho realized it was, adjusting his glasses and looking away after his evaluation.
“You wanted to talk about campus affairs, right?”
“Ah, yes. Yesterday I witnessed a severe form of bullying on campus. I was wondering if something couldn‘t be done.”
A passionate Samaritan, Sho revised before answering, “I’m sorry but that’s out of my jurisdiction. Bullying and violence are to be reported to the university itself, the Office of Student Affairs, I believe. Or the police if you feel that the bulling was out of legal limits.”
“I know, it’s just,” Matsumoto calmly ran a hand through his hair, folding a lock behind his ears before he continued, “the person who was being bullied doesn’t want anything done about it.”
“In that case I believe there are councilors on campus who can talk to him about it. Although a good friend like you might serve him better.”
“He wouldn’t go to one of those and we’re not friends, really.” Matsumoto averted his gaze. Sho thought he saw the slightest bit of pink on his cheeks.
“I’m afraid I don’t know what to tell you then.” Sho sighed, leaning against the back of his chair. “There really isn’t much I can do in these situations.”
“Actually, I was hoping you’d be able to arrange some sort of bullying awareness week or something.” Matsumoto offered, unsuccessfully hiding the hope in his voice.
“That would take a lot of time and effort to arrange. I don‘t know if the student council would approve. Bullying in general isn‘t that big of a problem on campus.”
Matsumoto didn‘t deflate, instead he spoke bitterly. “It is a big problem. The fact that it exists at all is a problem. I mean what happened yesterday was just cruel.”
“Perhaps,” Sho leaned forward on his elbows, “you could tell me more about this particular incident?”
Nino looked up when he heard footsteps approaching. He wasn’t entirely surprised when it was Jun’s head that finally appeared over the flower bush.
“Don’t you ever play music inside the music hall?” Jun asked, hefting his camera bag on his shoulder.
“Sometimes, but I like the acoustics here.” To prove his point Nino played a chord and let the walls around him warp the notes. “Don’t you ever take pictures in other gardens?”
“I do, as a matter of fact.” Jun cocked his head not quite tersely. “Come with me, I want to show you something.”
Nino carefully tucked his violin back in it’s case, pretending to be occupied to buy himself time. When the zipper was closed, Nino finally looked up again. “Dates are a hassle.”
Jun sighed and rolled his eyes. “I’ve already told you I’m not interested. I’m just trying to make up for the other day.”
Nino nodded but kept his gaze down as he hefted the case over his shoulder. “I might have said more than I should have too.”
“So make it up to me by coming with me.” Jun smirked, and against his better judgment Nino met his gaze.
Instantly Nino felt a strange tickle in his chest which only grew stronger the longer he and Jun shared eye contact. Nino broke it quickly, looking down and scratching his nose. “Sorry but I can’t. I have class in ten minutes.”
“We can go after your class.” Jun suggested, smiling as if he’d just announced a checkmate.
“You probably want me to go somewhere weird with you. I don’t want to go.”
“It’s nowhere weird. You’ll like it, I promise.”
“How do you know if I’ll like it or not?” Nino scoffed.
“How do you know you won‘t?”
“Why the hell do we have to go all the way downtown at this hour. Do you know how horrible the trains are going to be on the way home?”
Jun rolled his eyes, and not for the first time. Nino complained when he had nothing else to say, Jun realized, and it was difficult to resist arguing over each little comment. “Is it so hard to believe me when I say it’s worth the trip?”
“I’ll believe it when I see it.” Nino quipped, burying his hands in his pockets as they walked. “Which is getting harder and harder to do. You have no idea how much you’ve built up this great, fantastic mystical place with all this secrecy.”
“I said you’d like it,” Jun countered, “I never said you’d love it above all else or that it would become your new favorite place in the world.”
“Then why is it worth all the secrets and the long distance and the packed trains?”
Jun glanced around, breaking out into a grin as he realized how close they were. “You’ll see.”
“God, you’re infuriating.”
“ ‘It’s an art form and I’m the master.’ “ Jun smirked, fully enjoying the antagonized expression Nino pulled.
“Copyright infringement.” Nino declared. “I should sue.”
“Sure, but before you do.” As they came to a stop at an intersection, Jun held Nino’s elbow to keep him in place. He pulled Nino over a few steps, away from the stoplight pole. “Here no….ah, here.”
“What are you-”
“Look up.”
“What…” Nino looked up, and Jun watched as Nino‘s annoyance melted into stunned amazement. “…..Why…..”
Jun looked up too. The four towering skyscrapers on the four corners of the intersection were as towering as ever, but the later time of day struck the buildings with a different light. They were purple and orange, reflecting the evening sky and clouds.
As beautiful as the scene was, Jun found his gaze returned to earth; to Nino. Joy and wonder eased Nino’s features and made them look even more attractive.
The impulse to touch Nino struck Jun suddenly, as loudly as the chime of the cross walk they should next to. His heart beat in his throat as if his adam’s apple had suddenly developed a will of it’s own, a will to pound out of Jun’s throat if Jun didn’t do something to close the space between himself and Nino. It didn’t matter where, just touch, touch, touch.
With a hard swallow, Jun coughed and looked away.
“This is amazing. You should take a picture.”
“A what?” Jun asked, his thoughts scattered, and he found it difficult to look at Nino again.
“A picture. It is what you do, right?”
“I don’t want to get my camera out right now.” Jun said, his eyes coasting over the people passing by. “If you’re done, lets go. You weren’t wrong about the trains.”
“We came all this way…. and you’re not taking a picture.” Nino repeated, dumbfounded.
“I’ve already taken a picture, remember?” Snapped Jun, his voice coming out harsher than he intended, but he couldn’t stop himself. “It’s the whole reason you ever walked into my life and-”
“So you want me to walk back out?” Nino’s face returned to neutral, and Jun felt guilty for taking away the very happiness he’d given Nino just seconds before. “Although I never asked you to bring me here. Hell, have the time you find me. If it’s so much of a bother though, I’ll-”
“No. That’s not what I meant. It’s just….” Jun let the words trail away, and he looked over Nino’s shoulder to find them.
Nino took a step closer, and Jun swallowed hard, instinctively looking down to meet Nino face to face.
“It’s working.” Nino whispered, his lips curling at the corners in the most adorable, aggravating fashion. “It’s working, isn’t it.”
Jun gave Nino a hard shove backwards and stalked back towards the train station.
“You stayed at his house?!” Aiba gasped, dropping his bag of gummy bears on the cafeteria table.
“His parents’ house. He found out about my living situation and seemed to disapprove.” Nino snatched the bag and began to munch.
“What living situation?” Aiba scrunched his nose, confused.
“Oh well, he seems to be under the impression that I’m homeless so I sleep around just for a warm bed and free meals.” Shrugging, Nino held out the bag and Aiba took a handful of bears.
“But Nino, that’s an outright lie. You’re not homeless and you’ve only ever slept with me and Sho, right?”
Nino shrugged again, watching Aiba arrange the green and red bears in pairs on the table. “He seems to believe the stupid rumors going around.”
“I’ve always wondered about where those came from. But first, tell me how you guys did it.”
Nino promptly slapped Aiba on the head. “Don’t you ever listen. This guy is pure, he didn’t even kiss me when I could see plain on his face that he’d have sucked my lips off in the middle of the road if it weren’t for his morals getting in the way. When we got back to his place, his mom made a great dinner and then we played Mario until we fell asleep. He hung in there until level 8, I was proud. The end.”
“Such a romantic date.” Aiba sighed, squishing a pair of red and green bears together before devouring them.
“It wasn’t a date. I don‘t do dates or boyfriends or any of that fluffy crap.” Nino flicked one of the red bears away from it’s partnered green, but Aiba’s quick reflexes saved it from going over the edge.
“Hey! Don’t treat the red ones that way just because they‘re happy in their relationships!”
Nino looked down at the sad remainder of the couplings on the table, and gave Aiba’s shoulder a pat. “Only you Aiba. Only you.”
At his desk, Sho sat with his head lying folded on his arms. His phone sat in front of him. A text typed and ready to send. But he couldn’t press the button. He knew it would be either refuted or ignored.
After all, Nino hadn’t talked to him in weeks.
Masaki said it was because Nino was busy with his assorted classes and hobbies.
Sho knew otherwise. He knew it was because of Matsumoto.
Sho couldn’t figure out what exactly attracted Nino to Matsumoto, because there was frankly a lot about Matsumoto to like. From his looks to his personality to his artistic talent, Matsumoto Jun was simply perfect.
Sho never hated anyone so much in his life.
“President Sakurai.”
“Oh, Matsumoto!” Constructing a smile, Sho stood up from his desk in greeting. “I was hoping you’d stop back by.”
“Ah, yes, I’m sorry to keep bothering you.” Matsumoto bowed apologetically, so perfectly polite it made Sho’s skin crawl. But he kept his smile strong, “I’ve put forward your idea on an anti-bullying week to the student council.”
“How did they take it?”
“They liked the idea, but to be honest with you, money is a bit of a problem…”
“Good afternoon.” Jun said, walking into the club room.
The room went silent, and everyone averted their eyes.
Jun looked over his shoulder before glancing around the room to discover what he’d missed.
Discreetly, Jun edged over to the student at the end of the nearest table who was ardently rubbing a camera lens with a cleaning cloth. “Did something happen?”
The student pretended not to hear, but the hand holding the cloth began to shake.
“Tch.” Jun clicked his tongue, moving to his usual seat in back.
As Jun began to unpack his camera and computer, murmured conversation resumed in the classroom. Jun pulled his headphones up off his neck and over his ears. He didn’t start the music however, and waited as the conversations in the room grew louder.
“-and that haughty expression. We should have realized it sooner.”
“I’d be acting like king of the photography department if I’d done that too.”
“How low can you get?”
“And how low is that?” Jun stood up, his chair screeching as it protested being shoved back. “You’re talking about me, aren’t you? What is going on?”
Out of twenty pairs of eyes, none would meet his. No one looked up or answered.
“I don’t know what’s going on, but if you’re trying to bully me,” Jun found his chair and pulled it back underneath him. “you’re going to have to try harder.”
“I didn’t know you played the guitar too.”
“I’m a man of countless talents. How can I help you today Mister Moto.”
“Here.”
Nino didn’t look up from his guitar. “No thanks.”
“Do you even know what you’re rejecting?”
A large, flat newspaper covered object was suddenly shoved between Nino’s face and his guitar. His eyes grew wide however, as he took it in his hands and could feel the edges concealed by the paper. It was a picture frame.
“This is-”
“‘Asphyxiation.’” Jun said, leaning on the unused music stand. “The picture you wanted.”
“I don’t often question that which is given to me for free,” Nino murmured, tracing the frame with the pads of his fingers. He finally held the photograph he had longed for, yet he didn‘t feel remotely happy. “But you’ve already told me you weren’t going to give it to me. And you took me to the place where this was taken. Why?”
“Think about it.” Jun smiled, less a prince and more a shy adolescent.
Nino had to look away. So the picture wasn’t free after all, but what Jun wanted out of it was more than what Nino wanted to pay. Instead of anger, Nino felt strange. He wanted to hurl the frame against the music all wall and watch it shatter just to see how angry it would make Jun. It would drive him away, and now was the time to do it if he was ever going to.
But Nino kept it sandwiched between his chest and his guitar. “I don’t want to.”
“You don’t want to think about it?”
“I don’t want to be romanced.”
“I wasn’t-”
“You’re damn good at it.” Nino cut him off, and again, he saw Jun’s handsome face caught between expressions of rage and delight. “The problem is, I don’t do the whole boyfriend thing.”
“Because you’re scared of attachment.” Jun hypothesized, scratching at a chip in the black paint on the music stand.
“Not exactly.” Nino smiled carefully setting the frame aside to return to strumming his guitar.
“Then what is it?”
Nino shrugged and bent over the instrument to watch his fingers as he worked a complex riff. “ ‘Asphyxiation‘ huh. Not a bad title.”
“I know it is.” Teasingly, Jun bent over the music stand and whispered loudly. “Just say ‘thank you.’”
“You’re welcome.” Nino couldn’t stop his eyes from flickering up, wanting to catch the antagonized look on Jun’s face.
But Jun only smirked and bobbed his head in a grateful bow.
Nino chuckled and shook his head.
“You need to buy a new couch.” Nino complained, curling up on the left arm of a very comfortable and plush sofa. “This one is too good for you.”
“Did I ever tell you the story from when I had to get it up those stairs?” Aiba laughed, reaching for his beer on the coffee table.
“Yeah, I remember. That was the day you called me to help you but I was busy and couldn’t.” Nino eyed the can, tempted to steal a sip but more tempted to yawn.
“More like you were lazy and didn’t want to do hard labor.” Aiba chuckled, crushing the empty can when he’d finished.
“Same difference.” Nino pulled a throw blanket off the back of the couch, tucked it around himself and closed his eyes.
“If you’re going to sleep, we could go to the bed-”
“Who wants to sleep on that flea infested mattress when this couch of clouds exists.”
“Come on Nino, that was one flea years ago, and you’ve slept on it since.”
Indignantly, Nino pulled the blankets around himself. “I can’t hear you because I’m sleeping.”
“Ok, ok I give up.” Aiba laughed, ruffling Nino’s hair as he stood up.
His eyelids heavy and closed, Nino could hear Aiba rustling in the kitchen.
“Aiba?”
“Yeah?” A cupboard was opened and closed.
“Have you ever thought about getting serious?”
“Not with you.” Aiba’s laugh was kind more than it was teasing. Nino heard the faucet turn on, and off. Dishes were shuffled in the sink.
“Good, the feeling is mutual then.” Nino fisted another yawn. “Just never mind.”
“I have.” Aiba returned from the kitchen, setting a cup a water on the table in front of Nino.
“That was fast, even for you.”
“Shut up. You know I meant I to say that I have thought about it. Stopping playing around. Maybe when I’m older. Maybe when I graduate.”
Nino pulled the blanket up over his nose, concealing a frown of concern. He hadn’t expected Aiba to answer him so seriously, and was nearly shocked to learn he had been thinking about putting up a closed sign when he‘d been open for business for so long. Even if it was hypothetically years in the future.
“When that happens,“ Nino said, his eyes on the cup of water Aiba had brought him in knowing the headache he was going to have in the morning, “You need to pick the right person. You need to have standards, you can‘t date any old pretty face, assuming a pretty face would even want you. Besides, I would be doing a disservice to humankind if I allowed anyone to date you without giving the other party fair warning that you’re into the weirdest sex.”
“Weird sex is what I have with you. If it’s someone I love then it’ll be beautiful.” Aiba’s eyes shone happily.
“Thanks, that makes me feel special.” Nino rubbed his eye tiredly with a knuckle and mumbled. “What is with all this love crap lately. You should know by now it doesn’t exist.”
“What’s with you lately. All this serious talk. Maybe we should continue tomorrow when you’re sober.” To make his point, Aiba made his way to the living room light switch.”
“I am sober, idiot. You’re the one who was drinking.”
Jun kept his music on as he ate in the cafeteria. Usually he took his lunch outside, but today he’d found his favorite spot taken. By members of the photography club.
He was pissed off enough to not be hungry, but Jun knew skipping lunch was bad for his health.
A commotion in the lunch line caught his eye and Jun looked up, as did most of the diners. People were cutting in front of someone, elbowing them out of the way. A head moved and Jun could see the face of the person being shoved back, being kept silently but perpetually at the end of the line.
Jun found himself on his feet before he remembered standing.
“What is wrong with you?!” Jun shouted, ripping Nino out of the line to shout in the face of the last person to elbow him out of the way. “Are we not adults?! What the hell has he ever done to you, any of you?! How can you treat a fellow student, a human being this way?!”
“We didn’t do anything.” Grunted the student, shrugging passively as his friends and fellow perpetrators nodded their heads.
“Fucking bastard.” Jun growled, snatching him by the front of the shirt.
“Hey, isn’t that Matsumoto?” Someone in line pondered aloud, before a second voice continued, “Isn’t he the one who bribed his way into the art gallery or whatever?”
Jun’s grip slackened as he watched the conversation travel across the cafeteria.
“Yeah, I know someone who said they saw the envelope.”
“Is that what has been going on?” Jun chuckled in disgust, glaring in turn at each of the speakers. “It’s amazing how willing people are to believe in slandering rumors.”
“Isn’t it?” Nino said, and Jun looked down, confused by the triumphant sound in his voice. Nino simply smiled at him before inclining his head, turning around and walking towards the nearest exit.
Growing cold from the inside out, Jun didn’t give the bullies another look. Quickly he retrieved his bags and ran after Nino, hardly hearing the cat calls and fresh gossip erupt around them.
He caught up with Nino at the end of the empty hall.
“I’m sorry!” Jun shouted, as he ran up to Nino’s side. “Ninomiya, I’m sorry.”
Nino shrugged, continuing to walk forward, continuing to look determinedly straight ahead as if he’d lose sight of where he was going if he looked anywhere else. “It’s no big deal. I really am used to people thinking I’m a slut. I didn’t know you were getting bullied though, I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s not bullying in my case, it just people being stupid.” Jun grunted.
“And now it’s just going to get worse.” Nino sighed heavily. “You just had to try and be a hero again.”
“Is it so wrong that I wanted to protect you?” Jun grabbed Nino’s elbow angrily. “I’m tired of pretending to understand you when you don’t even try to understand me!”
“I understand you.” Nino didn’t try to free his elbow, and his eyes were hard, his voice irate. “In fact I think I understand you more than you do most of the time.”
Jun fought the color trying to rise to his cheeks, and held on to his wrath. “The hell you do.”
“The hell I do.” Nino snapped, ripping his elbow free.
“The hell you don’t.” Jun didn’t have time to register the change, before suddenly Nino shoved him hard against the wall.
“The hell I do.” Nino repeated, and Jun was too stunned to resist when Nino grabbed both his wrists and held them against the wall.
“The hell you don’t.” Jun said, breathing so hard his chest heaved.
“The hell I do.” Nino said, seconds before crushing his lips up against Jun’s.
Nino kissed him hard, hard enough Jun couldn’t open his mouth if he wanted to, making it hard to breathe. There was only Nino’s lips on his, Nino’s hands on his wrists, Nino’s chest against his chest.
Nino broke away much more suddenly then he came, removing all contact at once, smirking as if satisfied that he’d proved a point.
Jun didn’t smile back. He grabbed Nino around the waist before he could pull too far away, gripped him by the hair at the base of the neck hard enough to earn a squeak of pain before he took Nino’s lips in revenge.
Jun nibbled along Nino’s lips, increasing the strength of his bites until Nino opened his mouth. Tongues slid together, teeth crashed, lips got caught in between.
“So much for your devil‘s tongue.” Jun panted.
“That’s because this is tame.” Nino teased, nodding back for another peck. “But I know where there’s a free class room right now, we could-”
Instantly Jun shoved Nino off. “Are you thick? How many times have I told you I’m not interested in a casual relationship?”
“How hypocritical can you be?” Nino scoffed. “Or can you not even sense how sexually frustrated you are when you kiss a person like that?”
“I’m not sexually frustrated, you prick, I’m in love with you!”
Jun stared at Nino’s stunned expression for a long moment, feeling his own cheeks burn.
“I like you a lot too,“ Nino said, scratching the back of his head, “But I don’t do relationships.”
“Just a moment ago you made it seem like the rumors about you being a whore were false!” Jun said through gritted teeth, refusing to let his heart feel crushed.
“I have certain sex friends, but I don’t sleep with just anyone.” Nino admitted calmly.
“But you want me to fuck you in an empty classroom.” Jun tried to keep his voice and temper steady. “So in your heart, I’m at that level?”
“I told you before that I don’t want to be romanced.”
“Bullshit, Ninomiya. You’re just a coward.”
Nino smiled, “I am.”
“Hey.”
“Nino.” Sho looked up, startled. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh, just thought we could talk.” Nino plopped into the seat in front of Sho’s desk. “Whoa, you look beat. Finals are eating you alive, huh?”
“What do you care.” Sho murmured, ripping off his glasses and tossing them on his pile of books.
“We were friends, at some point.” Nino shrugged, tracing the stitching on the side of his chair.
“Were we…” Sho chuckled, folding his hands across his stomach.
Nino let silence fall for a moment before pushing it away with a low voice. “I know it’s you. I’ve always known it was you.”
Sho closed his eyes, and Nino let him have his own silence. Whole minutes passed with no other sound than the soft whisper of fabric against the chairs, moved by the silent breath of two bodies.
“I knew you knew it was me, but somewhere, I think I thought it would still work. That you would realize how crazy you had made me.”
“Where’s the logic in that?” Nino laughed.
“There is none. I was serious when I said you drove me crazy.”
“I never meant to.”
“Neither did I.”
“Do you hate me for it?”
“Not really.”
Sho laughed, bitterly. “Can’t I get anything out of you? You won’t love me when I love you, you won’t even hate me when I’ve made your campus life hell for years.”
“Well,” Nino folded his hands across his stomach too, leaning back in the guest chair, “it kind of destroyed the friendship we had, if it was worth to you what it was to me.”
“Would an apology from me do any good at this point?” Sho smiled, wearily.
“Not when you don’t really mean it.” Nino shrugged.
Silence enveloped them again, and Nino waited even longer to break it. “What do I have to do to get you to stop the gossip going on about Matsumoto Jun?”
Even though the club didn’t meet on Tuesdays, Jun headed to the usual room. He had film to develop in the dark room and it was always safer for his negatives when he knew he wouldn’t be interrupted.
“You’re cruel, you know?”
Nino’s voice.
Jun’s body turned to stone, his hand on the door to the photography club room grew sweaty.
“I know. I’m sorry.”
A different voice, lower. President Sakurai.
Jun felt bile rise in his throat.
The sound of rustling clothes.
A short zipper.
Another zipper.
Without even being aware of recovering his locomotion, Jun found the door open, and himself inside the room.
He saw the President.
Nino sitting on the table, his arms around Sakurai’s shoulders.
Before Jun realized it, Sho was on the floor and his fist ached from the punch.
He wheeled on Nino, who was staring at him in shock.
“Matsumoto, what-”
Jun slapped Nino hard, open palmed, on the cheek.
“What’s the matter with you?!“ Jun shouted, shaking Nino’s shoulders. “Is it because I said no?”
Silently Nino looked down, zipped up his pants, and clutched his red cheek.
“He’s doing it for you.”
Jun turned and glared at the President of the student council, who had re-zipped his fly, and propped himself up against the leg of a table, holding a handkerchief to a steadily bleeding nose.
“What do you mean?” Jun demanded, not feeling the least bit guilty that Sakurai‘s nose might be broken. He half hoped it was.
“It doesn’t matter, does it?” Nino laughed, hollowly, sliding off the table and brushing Jun’s hands away. “In the end I was going to let him do it. Makes me just as bad as you thought I was, right?”
“Nino-” Jun tried to grab Nino’s elbow but it was ripped away and Nino stalked out the door.
To prevent himself from shouting, Jun drew a long breath, “How long has this been going on?“
“On and off for years.”
“Why didn’t you tell me…those times in your office…” Seethed Jun, glaring down at the President he had respected.
“Why didn’t I tell you I’m Ninomiya’s sex friend?” Sho laughed, a bubble of blood appearing in his nostril, “That would have been an awkward conversation. ‘You say Ninomiya’s being bullied? By the way, I did him just last week.’”
Jun paused for a second, but no longer. “Are you in love with him?”
“Love didn’t seem to make much of a difference.”
“SHO-CHAN YOUR FACE, WHAT HAPPENED?!!”
“I was royally vanquished.” Sho rolled his head back to find Aiba towering over him. “Thanks for getting here so quickly. Got any tissues?”
“Of course I came as fast as I could.” Aiba remained kneeling, inspecting Sho’s face at nearly too close a range. “Is it broken? Your nose was so cute, I don’t want it to be broken.”
Sho chuckled. “It’s not broken. A blood vessel popped, that’s all.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. Help me up though, will you? I‘m feeling kind of light-headed.”
Aiba stood, and held out his arm. Sho took it, trusting Aiba to hold his weight.
Even after Sho was steady on his feet, he held on to Aiba’s strong hand. “Thanks, Masaki.”
“I’ll always be there when you need me, Sho-chan.” Aiba’s eyes welled, and he tried to scrub some of the blood off Sho’s chin. “Always. Always.”
“I knew I’d find you here.”
“And I knew you’d find me here.”
“So you wanted to be found.”
“No, I just knew you’d come looking and I took pity on you.”
Nino didn’t move as Jun slid down the wall of the music hall to sit next to him.
Jun reached for a blade of grass and shredded it with his fingernails. “I’m sorry for hitting you.”
“You slap like a girl with the muscle of a man.” Nino tenderly poked his slightly inflamed cheek.
“I don’t know what to make of that.”
Nino shrugged, and stretched his legs out.
“Are you in love with him?” Jun asked, dumping the shredded grass back onto the ground.
“Nope. He’s the crazy possessive type. It’s a turn off.”
“Love does that to a person.” Jun said softly.
Nino turned and watched the wind ruffle Jun’s hair. “I’ve never been in love before, but if it makes me run around punching and slapping people-”
“You deserved it. He deserved it.” Anger and resent bled back into Jun’s voice.
“It was just sex.”
“Just sex.” Jun ripped up a clump of grass. “In my club room.” He tore up another. “The person I confessed to having feelings for.” Another. “And the Student President whom I used to respect.” He threw them all as hard as he could at the nearby hydrangea bushes.
“He picked the place.” Shrugged Nino, “He wanted to get back at you for stealing me.”
Jun snorted through his nose, and met Nino’s eyes . “For stealing what?”
“My affections.”
“You mean your love.”
“Call it what you will.” Nino watched the hope light in Jun’s eyes and tried to fight the urge to tease him further.
“So you’re in love with me.” Jun split into a pure grin.
Nino looked away again, because it was contagious. “Something like that I guess. We should probably date or something.”
“If you go out with me though, I won’t let you sleep around. No more sex friends.”
“Ok, but I must warn you. I have demanding needs, if you don’t measure up…I can’t be held accountable…”
There was danger in the smirk that tainted Jun’s smile. “We might have just started going out, but I can tell two things about you right now.”
“Oh?” Nino quirked an eyebrow, as his heart squeezed nervously, just a little.
“First, you’re the needy type who adores receiving affection on your own terms but when it comes to sex anything goes.”
“That might not be far off.” Nino smirked back, “What’s the second?”
Jun’s smirk became downright mischievous, and he leaned over, cupping Nino’s hurt cheek tenderly to whisper against the ear of the other, “You still haven’t figured out I’m not a virgin.”