[Fic] Offline
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Jin stared stubbornly at his laptop screen, tapping his fingers impatiently on the desk. The online status of the contact he was focused on didn’t change.
Kame had said he would be free tonight; Jin was sure he had timed it so he would catch Kazuya just before he went to bed. Why wasn’t he getting online like he said he would?
If he gives some lame excuse about being tired tomorrow I swear…
Jin’s thought process of threats was interrupted when Kazuya’s contact name lit up, indicating he was now online. Finally.
Jin promptly initiated a video call, fingers still tapping impatiently on the desk when the call wasn’t immediately answered.
Jin couldn’t stifle a broad smile when Kazuya answered, when the screen was filled with his boyfriend’s face and the familiar sight of Kame’s bedroom in the background. Kame’s face was shining with an equally brilliant smile.
“Hey.” Jin’s grin was more than evident in his voice alone.
“Hey.” Kame said softly, an equally serene and tranquil expression on his face. They hadn’t been able to talk properly for weeks now, and the moment of suddenly seeing the other again suddenly seemed too precious not to cherish properly.
“How are you?” If someone didn’t understand the language he was speaking, and the literal meaning of Jin’s words, the tone of his voice when he uttered those three little syllables might lead a person to believe he was saying ‘I love you.’
“I’m fine.” Kame responded, smile still on his face and a similar tone in his voice. “How are you?”
Jin’s grin only broadened in response. Kame was kneeling on the bed, as if he had only just that minute climbed up on it, and the webcam shifted as Kame changed his position, sitting with one leg crossed in front of him, and Jin got a glimpse of sweat pants rolled up to just below Kame’s knee, the lower half of one hairy leg, and black chipped toes before it was once again back on Kame’s face.
“I miss you.” Jin finally responded, a wistful look in his eyes.
“Miss you too.”
“How are things? The guys?”
“All fine. How’s filming?”
“Fine.” Jin chuckled, not really in the mood to talk about work at the moment. “I see you dressed up for me.” The smile is again evident in his voice.
Kame glanced down self consciously at his rolled up sweatpants and white tank top, nervously tucking a lock of hair behind his ear. “I’m just about to go to bed, what did you expect from me?”
Jin only laughed once more. “Oh, you thought I was being sarcastic?” he retaliated, wriggling his eyebrows suggestively.
It had the desired effect and Kame laughed, giggled almost, like a teenager talking to his first crush. This was the type of behavior they found themselves reverting back to quite often when they hadn’t spoken in a while. Involuntarily not spoken anyway.
Jin’s grin was lecherous. “In fact, as wonderfully dressed as you are, I think you might be a little over dressed, don’t you think?” the grin only widened when he observed Kame fidget shyly.
“You think so?” Kame said when he’d quickly gained back his old confidence, and Jin nearly shivered in excitement from that particular tone.
Jin was about to heartily agree when the unwelcome sound of Kame’s apartment buzzer streamed through his laptop speakers, and he frowned at the interruption, doubly annoyed that even from the other side of the planet that buzzer was out to piss him off. “Are you expecting someone at this time of the night?” he asked, unable to hide the annoyance from his voice.
Kame seemed equally puzzled. “No,” he answered, frowning. “Hang on a minute, I’ll be right back.”
Jin huffed as Kazuya disappeared from view, and once again began to tap his fingers on the desk.
He glanced around his hotel room absent-mindedly. It was a nice room, a bit boring, but nice, and it had a very nice large bath tub, one that Jin was sure Kazuya would’ve loved if he was here too. He continued tapping his fingers impatiently, sighing deeply when after nearly three minutes Kazuya still hadn’t returned. “Kameeeeee…….” He whined loudly over the speakers, not bothering to hide the irritation in his voice.
When Kame still didn’t return, Jin began to get nervous. What if it was a burglar? What if some crazy stalker fan had found out where Kame lived and was planning to murder him? What if he was in the kitchen right now with a knife through his stomach and crying out for Jin?
“Kame?!” Jin’s shouted once again, even louder now with a worried tone in his voice. The angle of the camera shifted slightly a moment later, but Jin’s relief was quickly deflated when a black wet nose filled the entirety of his laptop screen.
Ran-chan sniffed and barked at the screen excitedly, tail wagging vigorously behind her. “Ran-chan! Hi girl! Do you miss me? Where’s Kazuya ne?” the dog seemed to be puzzled as to the reason why Jin’s voice was coming out of an inanimate object, and she soon started to sniff and wander around the source of the noise.
“I’m right here, girl! Can’t you see me?” Jin waved his arms in an attempt to attract the dog’s attention, but Ran-chan didn’t seem to get the message.
The little dog was now plodding around on the keyboard, making a few noises that Jin was pretty sure Kame wouldn’t want his laptop to make. “Ran-chan no! Bad girl! Get down! No no!” Jin tried to scold, but this only seemed to make Ran-chan all the more curious as to the source of the noise, as she sniffed and padded on the keyboard some more.
“Ran-chan-!”
<<>>
“No!!!!” Jin shouted, before remembering he was in a hotel and in a foreign country and there were people in rooms next to his and he probably shouldn’t exceed a certain decibel level.
Jin made a tremendous effort to calm down, calling Kame’s cell phone from Skype only to groan in frustration when he realised it was turned off.
He stared at the contact name, willing it to change to an online status. It stubbornly refused. Stupid username. It had been Taguchi’s idea, go figure, and Kame just hadn’t had the will that day to disagree with him.
Jin had a brief spurt of hope when Kame’s contact name came back online once more only to go offline not five seconds later, and Jin figured Ran-chan must still be exploring on the laptop. He was beginning to get seriously worried when Kame’s name lit up again, this time remaining online long enough for Jin to call it.
It took several rings, but Kame finally answered, and Jin noticed he was now in his kitchen. “Kame thank God what took you so long?! Who was at the door?! Are you okay?!”
“Calm down, Jin. Of course I’m okay. Why wouldn’t I be?” Kame adjusted the camera angle once more. “Sorry about earlier. Ran-chan must have been excited to hear from you again.”
“Who was at the door?!” Jin persisted, eager to know even if it hadn’t been a stalker out to stab Kame.
“Uh yeah, about that-“
“Shuuji-kun!!”
For a moment there was silence. In Japan. In Hungary.
“Are you kidding me?!”
Kame laughed awkwardly, briefly glancing back towards the bedroom.
“Why is he here?! And why did you move to a different room?!”
“Jin, don’t-“
“Shuuji!”
“Don’t make a big deal out of this okay? I guess he just got dumped by his girlfriend and he needs a friend right now is all.”
“Well where the hell is Ryo?! Why did he have to come here?!”
“SHUUJI!”
Kame let out an exasperated sigh, facing the bedroom once more. “I’m coming Pi will you just hold on a minute!” he turned back to Jin. “I think Ryo’s out of town. I can’t just send him away Jin. He’s pretty wasted.”
“All the more reason why he needs to leave.”
Kame groaned and rubbed his eyes, obviously frustrated. “Jin…”
Jin didn’t know why he had such issues over Kame being alone with Yamapi. He didn’t mind them being friends, and he loved hanging out with both of them together. Jin supposed there was still a part of him that hadn’t gotten over the whole Nobuta thing and that stupid song and footage of Kame feeding Pi, and somewhere deep inside he became very nervous whenever his best friend and his boyfriend were alone together.
When another loud holler for ‘Shuuji’ rang out from the bedroom, Kame stood up. “Just hold on for a minute Jin, I need to check on him. I’ll be right back,” he said as he began to make his way to the bedroom and disappearing from Jin’s view.
“Don’t you dare Kamenashi! Come back here right now!” Jin’s commands proved effortless however when Kame did no such thing, and Jin was left to groan in annoyance from the other side of the world. “Kame!”
There was barking coming from somewhere in the room that Jin couldn’t see until suddenly two furry figures jumped into view of the webcam, sniffing curiously around the object that had been the source of so much noise that evening.
“Ran-chan! Jelly! Go get Kazuya and make him come back here! Go on.” Jin whistled to try and get the dogs’ attention, which did seem to excite them, but Jin soon regretted it when again the line suddenly cut out.
<<>>
“Oh for crying out loud! Kame!”
A sudden knock on his door behind him startled Jin badly enough that he nearly fell off his chair. “Sir? Are you all right?” asked a voice in heavily accented English.
Jin did fall from his chair in his haste to get to the door, slightly out of breath when he opened it. “Ah yes I am fine, why?”
“We have gotten a few calls saying that you have been shouting, Sir. We just wanted to make certain that everything is in order…?”
Jin pulled out his best smile of innocence, the one that usually got him out of spots like this with Kazuya. “Ah yes, I am sorry for the noise. Everything is fine, really.”
A noise sounded from Jin’s computer in the background, indicating that someone on Skype had signed on, and Jin’s head snapped towards it.
“Well if you are sure that everything is fine, might I interest you in room servi-“ the concierge’s words were cut off by the sudden slamming of the door in his face.
Jin raced back to his laptop and immediately called Kame, once again quite annoyed at how many rings it took for Kame to finally answer. “It’s about time you answered where on earth have you- WHY THE HELL DON’T YOU HAVE A SHIRT ON?!”
Kame palmed his face, clearly exasperated. The tank top he had been wearing mere minutes ago was indeed absent, and Jin wanted an explanation now. “Jin will you just-“
“WHY DON’T YOU HAVE A SHIRT ON?!” Jin repeated, arms waving around frantically in the air.
“My tank top is currently getting intimately acquainted with the former contents of Yamapi’s stomach.” Kame deadpanned, turning around and getting a glass out of the cupboard.
Jin grimaced at the image, but seemed to find it an acceptable reason for Kame to be shirtless.
“If you would’ve been a little more patient and stopped calling so persistently I might have had time to find another shirt.”
Jin decided to ignore that statement. “Where are you going?!” he nearly shouted again as Kame turned once more for the bedroom.
“I’m getting him some water Jin will you just chill out!” Kame said, once again turning for the bedroom.
“Oh no you don’t Kamenashi! You can just turn right around and bring this laptop back in that bedroom where I can see you! Or are you trying to hide something from me?”
Kame let out another frustrated groan and turned in his tracks to gather the laptop in his arms.
Jin only barely had time to enjoy the rather appreciative view of Kame’s chest before he was set down rather abruptly on the desk in Kame’s bedroom, in full view of the bed, and Yamapi, who wasn’t-
“WHY IS HE ONLY IN HIS BOXERS?!” Jin shouted, fury running through his veins as he saw a barely dressed best friend in his nearly just as undressed boyfriend’s bed.
“He can’t sleep in jeans now can he? The shirt just kind of went with it. It was filthy anyway.” Kame was speaking in that tone he always used to imply to Jin he was overreacting and he needed to calm down. “Have some pity on him, Jin. I mean, just look at him.”
Yamapi did look rather pathetic, Jin admitted to himself. He was currently sprawled out on his stomach on the bed, moaning something about his stomach hurting and head hurting and Shuuji, and Jin probably would have felt bad for him if he would just stop calling Kame that already.
“Drink this, Pi.” Kame said, sitting on the edge of the bed and helping Yamapi up so he could drink the water. “You’ll feel better.”
Yamapi moaned. “Don’t wanna move…”
“Just cooperate. You came to my apartment so just do as I say.”
Jin was well-familiar with that tone. He chuckled in amusement at Pi’s pitiful protests as he tried to slap Kame’s hand away. Ran-chan and Jelly jumped on the bed and began sniffing at Pi as if he were a dead carcass.
Jin huffed royally when Yamapi draped himself over Kame after finishing his water.”Oi! Yamashita! Hands off, now!” to his disgust Pi only snuggled closer.
“Shuuji-kun, what have you done to this house? I can hear Bakanishi’s voice coming out of the walls…” Pi mumbled drunkenly.
Kame only chuckled fondly, “He’s on the computer, Pi.” He nudged Yamapi to look over towards the desk. “Ne ne, he’s over there, look look!” Kame prodded gently as if he were talking to a child.
Yamapi blearily looked over his shoulder, blinking stupidly at the laptop screen, with Jin’s sulking face and arms crossed in front of him, staring at him unblinkingly. “Bah-hah good one Kame.” Yamapi laughed out, plopping once more on top of Kame. “I should’ve known you would have gotten such a cute picture of Bakanishi as your screen saver.”
Jin’s mouth gaped open in outrage, and he became even more upset when Kame’s head fell back in gleeful laughter. “Oi Kame! That’s not funny!”
“Oh yes it is!” Kame laughed heartily, and Ran-chan and Jelly began to wag their tails in excitement, attention on Kame and his sudden good mood.
Jin continued to sulk even after Kame’s laughter quieted somewhat, and the only sound in the both the rooms in Japan and Hungary was the sound of Yamapi’s snores.
Kame chuckled again, petting Ran-chan briefly before sneaking out from under Yamapi, much to Jin’s inner relief. He made his way back over to the computer, smiling once again at Jin’s stubborn pout, “Don’t pout, Jin.” Kame chuckled.
“Will you throw him out already?” Jin huffed, glaring in an attempt to make himself clearer.
“No.” Kame said cheerfully. “He’ll sleep there tonight.”
“In our bed?! Have you lost your mind?!”
Kame didn’t reply, only continued to smile fondly at him.
“You can’t be serious.”
“Of course I am.” Kame said again, just as chipper.
“Do you seriously expect me to just sit here and openly accept my boyfriend sleeping in the same bed as my best friend?! What’s wrong with you?! I’ll fly back there right now if I have to!”
Kame chuckled again, readjusting his position in the desk chair. “I’m going to sleep on the sofa, Jin. Although you are more than welcome to fly back anyway and join me there.”
Jin pouted once more, but inwardly he was relieved to hear that.
“But, you probably won’t, because of your big movie and all that. That’s too bad ne.” Kame stood up, picking up Yamapi’s discarded jeans from off the floor and digging through the pocket. “So,” he said conversationally, glancing back into the webcam. “This is what you’re going to do. I’m going to put this,” he indicated Yamapi’s cell phone, “Right here,” he gestured to the bedside table next to Yamapi’s snoring form, “And you are going to send him a text message saying that you are there for him when he needs to talk about what happened to him today, so he can call you when he wakes up and talk to you.” Kame plopped back into his seat. “Understand?”
Jin was still sulking, looking away, but nodded anyway.
“Good. So send it now so I can make sure you do it.”
Jin rolled his eyes, but obeyed, pulling his cell phone out from his pocket and typing up a quick semi-caring message to Yamapi, giving Kame a meaningful ‘are you satisfied?’ look when he was finished.
Kame smiled when he heard Yamapi’s phone beep. “Good boy.” Kame’s cheerful tone was back as he picked up Ran-chan and began spoiling her with attention.
“I still don’t see why he had to come here of all places.” Jin grumbled. “Pi has lots of friends, why didn’t he just go bother one of them. You two aren’t all that close.” Jin hoped he was hiding the accusation in his statement effectively enough.
Kame sighed, setting the dog back down before facing Jin again. “We’re not.” He says, matter-of-factly. “Pi and I have never been as close as he and Ryo or he and you.”
Jin just stared blankly at the screen, wondering what Kame’s point was and wishing he’d just get to it already.
Kame sighed again. “Why do you think he came to me Jin, really?” he continued at Jin’s still blank stare. “He misses you, baka, and figures the best way to get to you is through me.”
“That’s not true! He could just text me! He doesn’t need to drag you into all of this!”
“You’re busy, Jin. You barely have time for me, I’m sure Yamapi doesn’t get very much of your time either. When was the last time you two really talked?”
Jin tried to remember. It had been quite a while, a couple months at least. He shrugged anyway.
Kame leaned back in his chair. “I think his method was pretty effective. He’s got a bed to sleep on and a text message from you when he wakes up.” Kame looked up at him, a mischievous glint in his eyes “Plus the joy of annoying you as well.”
Jin tried to look affronted, but ended up grinning despite himself. That would be just like Yamapi, finding a way to get his attention and annoy him in the process. “Don’t you feel used?” he asked.
“Not really.” Kame said, and that familiar fond smile was back on his face. “It always amuses me to see you jealous.”
Jin ‘pfft’ed, but smiled at him anyway, and an acute sense of longing twisted through his heart. “I wish I was there.” he said softly.
Kame stood up, lifting the laptop and carrying it out with him into the living room, setting it down on his lap once he was sitting. “I wish you were too.”
“If I were there right now,” Jin murmured, voice low, “I’d kiss you.”
Kame’s eyebrows lifted. “Oh really?”
Jin nodded. “Quite a bit. All over.”
Kame ‘hmmed’ softly.
“Among other things.”
“Is that so? What other things might I ask?”
Jin leaned forward on his elbow, more than ready to tell Kame just everything he would do to him if he were there, when Ran-chan took the opportunity to jump in Kame’s lap.
More complaints were taken in the hotel lobby when Jin’s scream of frustration sounded throughout the entire building.
<<<終わり>>>
A/N: Hope you enjoyed. Comments= warm fuzzy feelings, especially specific ones. Constructive criticism is also welcomed.