Fanfic: Lost Heart
Title: Lost Heart *Chapter 5*
Author: yume16
Beta: My beta is sick...there might be some mistakes. I am truely sorry.
Disclaimer: Only the plot is mine...
Pairing(s): Ryopi
Genre: AU (!)
Warnings: Language
Rating: -Chapter: PG
- Complete Fanfic: NC-17 (I guess)
Summary: Tomohisa is seriously not interested in love...
Author Notes: I am finally done...took me long enough. Well, I hope you will like it.
Chapter 5
When they reached the museum they first took a deep breath because they really did walk fast.
“It’s really a beautiful building.” Tomo mumbled to himself and lifted his camera to take a few pictures.
“It really is.” Ryo answered and let the old and traditional building sink in his consciousness. It radiated something strangely calming and was at the same time noble.
“Okay, where should we go?”
“The Japanese Gallery?”
“Okay, even though we will have to mention the other galleries as well.”
“Let’s better hurry than so that we can see as much as possible.”
A gentle tug at his wrist made him roll his eyes, but he followed the other. After they had gotten permission to take some photos inside, they looked at the exhibits.
“This is beautiful.” He was not the guy who liked vases, but this had a nice colour even though it was so old.
“Hm, you are right.”
They walked through the gallery and looked here and there at the things shown, but couldn’t look at anything longer than a few seconds.
“This is seriously tiring. “ Tomohisa said as he took a photo and they decided to sneak a peek at the other galleries.
“It’s certainly not going to be boring.” Ryo said with a smile.
”I’ve been wondering about this for a while now, but are you taking pills by chance? You seem high spirited most of the time. Taking drugs is kind of…”
Ryo looked incredulous at him and he figured he had been wrong.
“Sorry, it’s just…”
“It is not a crime to be in a good mood, you know? How about you try it as well? There is not even the need for pills.”
“I am in a good mood.” He furrowed his brows. Why did the other have to say stuff like that? It was none of his business and he should be happy. He was considerable civil towards him even though, he drove him up the wall more often than not.
“Yeah, you seem ready to puke rainbows.” Ryo said sarcastically.
“Give me a break. Not everyone is that happy-go-lucky. Some people do think about their life.”
“Are you implying I am not taking my life serious?”
“Everything seems to be a joke for you. Seriously, what am I supposed to think?”
“Listen.” He sucked in his breathe surprised when Ryo grabbed him by his collar. “I do take my life and this job very serious. Just because I know how to have fun and you don’t, don’t attack me to pull me down. Whatever your problem is with me, deal with it.”
Ryo let go of him and breathed in deeply as if he was trying to cool himself down.
After this they didn’t talk much and the atmosphere was rather chilling between them when they entered the little Japanese Garden that belonged to the museum.
He saw Ryo walk over the grass a little and decided to pay him no mind and just take his photos. He frowned when they didn’t turn out how he wanted them to be. Something was missing for them to be pretty. When Ryo walked right into his frame again he cursed and watched the other lean down and how he picked something up from the ground. He looked at the picture and zoomed in. It was only a green leave. A picture he was going to delete later on.
Even after they had left the little garden, no words were exchanged between them. He had to admit that he was feeling slightly guilty because of what he had said. Why was he so influenced by his feelings? In his head, he could say it openly, yes, he was jealous of Ryo. How many days had it been since Akito broke up with him? Somehow he didn’t want to count back and find out.
He took his photos automatically and hoped they turned out alright. Sighing heavily, he took a photo of the monkey staring at him. Monkey? He didn’t even realize that they had went through Ueno Park and reached the zoo, but apparently they had.
Ryo was standing several metres away reading an information board. It was kind of reassuring that the animals seemed to be in a bad mood, even though that was probably not because they had gotten dumped and had a fight, but rather because they were locked in. He walked some more steps till he stood in font of another compound.
“Ne, panda-san, are you sad because you are locked in?”
Ryo turned towards Tomohisa when he heard his voice. It surprised him that the other was talking with the animals. He had not struck him like he was someone who would do that.
He swallowed when he saw the lonesome look in his eyes. Had he been too harsh? Even though Tomohisa had insulted him quite some?
Tomohisa jerked slightly when the panda suddenly got up and lumbered a few steps towards him before it let itself fall on its butt. The panda blinked at him blearily.
“Are you lonely? Or do you have friends here?” He looked around the compound and discovered another one.
“That’s nice.” He whispered to himself and felt suddenly ridiculously lonely. Was he being jealous of a panda? How low could he get?
Suddenly, there was some tugging at his sleeve and when he turned he got pulled into a hug.
“What the heck?”
“Shhh…”
“Nishikido let me go. People are going to stare.”
“Just relax and enjoy not being alone, okay? They don’t know us anyway.” The other whispered into his ear and a surprised noise left his mouth.
What?
Why was the other so nice to him suddenly even though some minutes ago, he had insulted him?
Letting himself slump against the other, he buried his face in his shoulder and could hear a surprised “oh” from Ryo. The other had probably expected to get pushed away and he should do that, but if Ryo was offering like that, he would have to deal with the consequences.
“The panda is not lonely.” What the hell was he saying?
“Maybe he is.” Ryo answered and didn’t laugh at him for saying ridiculous things.
“He has a friend.”
“So? Maybe he is not relying on his friend?”
He cringed and wanted to pull back, but apparently now that Ryo had a grip on him, he was not going to let go anytime soon.
“Idiot, I am not a panda.” He said.
He could feel Ryo’s chest rumble with laughter and even though he hated to admit it, it was nice.
“I still don’t like you.” He mumbled in his shoulder.
“Of course you don’t.” Ryo said simply. That guy was really confusing him.
Ryo smelled interesting he thought after some minutes. Cologne mixed with the other’s scent that tickled his nose, but not unpleasantly.
“Nishikido…uhm”
”You really can’t relax for a second, can you?”
“It’s just it’s getting cold.”
They had been standing still and now that the sun was setting it was getting colder, even though it had been such a warm day earlier.
Ryo rubbed his back and arms before he stepped back and tugged at his wrist.
“Let’s go!”
He was not going to complain. He wanted to get home, under a blanket and sleep the day off.
When they got on a train going to another direction, he was slightly puzzled though.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
He pretty fast came to the conclusion that he didn’t like the surprise. Not believing that he wasn’t dreaming he looked at his surroundings. Pink, everywhere, he was getting dizzy from it.
“What the…?”
“I am looking for something cute. Help me.”
“Why are we in a Hello Kitty shop?”
“Life is interesting like that.” Ryo simply answered and looked at a pinkish backpack. “Now help me.”
“I don’t really understand.” He mumbled and looked at a stuff toy that looked…cute?
He never had really understood all that girl stuff and this might be partly the reason why he was attracted to men in general. So he was slightly clueless what to do now.
What did Ryo look for anyway?
“You look for something that’s for a girl?”
”Yeah…”
He already wanted to say that he was gay and had no idea about such stuff when he realized he had never told the other directly about his sexual preference and that many people frowned upon it. Maybe he should keep that little detail to himself before an uncomfortable atmosphere settled between them. Sure, Ryo had flirted and hit on him, but who told him it was not some joke to him? Maybe it was normal for him because he was a player?
A player, he couldn’t help but think that the image he had of the other wasn’t that fitting after all.
Ryo was difficult to describe.
It was obvious to him now that he cared for him for whatever reason. Why would he so suddenly? He had made it a point to be a brat and usually it was pretty tough to get close to people and that guy had been close to him in a blink of an eye.
“You like that?” There was a voice behind him and hands tugged the stuff cat out of his own hands.
He had not really paid attention to what he had looked at, but he nodded. It definitely looked cute. Ryo was standing right behind him and he couldn’t help but take a step forward. He was so confused.
“Hm, I think she will like this. She loves stuff toys the most anyway.”
”How old is ‘she’?” Where they shopping for the other’s girlfriend? The thought somehow unsettled him.
“Yumi? She is six.”
“Oh…” So hardly the other’s girlfriend.
“She is my niece and it’s her birthday today. She will probably be mad.”
“Does that mean…”
“…that we are going there? Yeah, that’s what I am planning.”
“Why do I have to come with you?” He was everything but keen on meeting the other’s family.
“Because well, we are together anyway and we have to leave tomorrow early together for our train. So, you are going to come with me.”
”I do have the right to decided myself where I go, you know?”
“Aww, don’t be like that. I just want to be with you~” Ryo tried to say innocently, but the teasing grin gave him away.
“You just want to have someone to tease.” He grumbled and only reluctantly followed as Ryo tugged him by his wrist to the cashier and then out of the shop.
“I’ll kick my brother’s butt to drive us home. He is surely there as well.”
So Yumi was not his brother’s daughter? Or was she? When Ryo wasn’t sure whether he was there as well.
He didn’t ask though, since he didn’t want to seem too interested in the other’s life, even though he seemed to be.
At least they were in one point lucky, he figured. They didn’t take long to get to their destination. Only two stops and the house wasn’t far from the station.
They stopped in front of a small house and Ryo range the bell.
He didn’t even have the time to get worried because he was surely not invited, as the door opened, a little girl exited and kicked against Ryo’s shin hard.
“Oww…Yumi!”
He already had the feeling that he was going to like Ryo’s niece.
“You are late!” She growled and defiantly lifted her chin.
“I am sorry, you see, I had work to do and…” Ryo stopped talking when he realized she wasn’t listening to him anymore. Actually, she was looking at him.
A little uncomfortable he threw a look at Ryo and hoped he would explain why he was here. He was the one who created this mess anyway.
“You brought me a prince?” The little girl suddenly asked and he blinked surprised. A prince? Did she mean him?
“Ah, well.” Ryo said and scratched his neck. “You can play a little with him if he wants to, but I have to take him with me again.”
“Bullshit!” He got grabbed by the little girl by the hand and wondered if that was a strange tick that ran in the blood. He almost didn’t have time to kick off his shoes and when he turned Ryo only shrugged his shoulders helplessly. Great. He was getting kidnapped by a little girl. He was so bad with girls. He always made them cry. If that didn’t end in a disaster, it would be a miracle.
Suddenly he was surrounded by pink and he bit the inside of his cheek. Where was Ryo when he was needed?
A little worried he looked after Tomohisa. The other looked rather horrified, he had saved his neck though. He had not thought that Yumi would think the other was a prince, but he was not going to complain.
“Who is that?” His sister greeted him.
“My new partner. We are working together.”
“I doubt you’ll be able to free him later on.”
“I know.”
“It’s nice that you managed to come though. She wouldn’t have forgiven you if you didn’t come.”
“I know, that’s why I am here.”
“You look better Ryo.”
He was close to rolling his eyes. Why did everyone still have to comment about it, when all he wanted was to forget?
“I am fine, really.”
“If you say so.”
”I am working again.”
His sister hummed in reply and then went to check on Yumi. Well, it was a stranger with her daughter after all.
He lifted an eyebrow when the worried look on her face turned into one of amusement.
“Ryo come here, your friend is really cute.”
Curious, he got closer and couldn’t help but snicker. Tomohisa was sitting on the floor and Yumi was busy tying ribbons into his brown hair. His partner sat completely still and seemed to have capitulated to the little girl.
He was starting to feel guilty as he saw how much the other was trying to make himself as small as possible.
He sighed and entered the room.
“Yumi, what are you doing? A prince is not wearing ribbons in his hair, now is he?” He kneeled next to them and opened his bag to pull out the present.
“But he is so pretty.”
“I know, but don’t you think he looks better without them?” With that he gave Yumi the present and her attention was differed away from Tomohisa. The relief was clearly shown on the other’s face and he reached out to pull some of the ribbons out of the other’s hair.
“What are you doing, Ryo?” Yumi glared at him as she hugged her still wrapped present.
“Well…”
“He is my prince now!”
Fingers curled into his sleeve and he was so short taken by the action by Tomohisa that it took him some minutes to answer to his niece.
“He is already my prince, you can’t have him.”
Tomohisa looked positively scandalized, but didn’t say anything.
“He is?”
“Yeah.”
Yumi seemed to ponder his declaration.
“If that’s the case, prove it.” There was a devious glint in her eyes as if she knew she could get what she wanted that way, not that she was completely wrong with that.
“Yumi…”
“Ryo-chan~” She said in a sing-song voice.
He was close to groaning because he knew that if he didn’t make clear Tomohisa had to come with him, she would cling to his partner like crazy. He should have thought about this more since he knew how obsessed Yumi was with pretty men. She even had once sent in his application to Johnny’s Entertainment. When her mother had apologized, he had waved her off. He was too old anyway.
“Kick me later for this.” He said, as he leaned forward, into Tomohisa’s ear so that Yumi couldn’t hear. In return he got a suspicious look, but he ignored it and wrapped his arms around Tomohisa. The other froze and to not let it look that unconvincing, he poked his partner to make him relax. What he didn’t expect was for Tomohisa to giggle and squirm. The other was ticklish!
He and Yumi shared a look and it was quite clear what was going to happen now.
Tomohisa squawked in shock and tried to get away when they pounced on him, but he had no chance. In no time the three of them were tickling whoever they could reach because Tomohisa didn’t seem to want to go down without a fight.
They giggled and laughed and when they had no energy left anymore, they laid limply on the floor, gasping for air.
“That was not fair.” Tomohisa gasped and he turned his head to look at the other. His cheeks were tinted pink from their struggle and to his surprise he looked more alive. Normally, the other’s eyes were carefully devoid of emotions if he wasn’t near one of his break downs.
“Well, it can’t be helped if you are that ticklish, right Yumi?”
“Yupp!”
“…”
“Dinner is ready.” Ryo’s sister stuck her head through the door and Tomohisa stopped to glare at her brother.
“He is Ryo’s prince!” Yumi suddenly said as she jumped at her feet. The little girl latched her arms around his neck and he froze surprised. Why did she suddenly accept it?
“He is?” Ryo’s sister asked amused.
“Yeah! Maybe he can show me his castle?”
“Castle…” His thoughts wandered to his little flat and he smiled warily.
“If he is the prince then, Ryo has to be the princess.” The little girl said innocently and he couldn’t help but smirk as he imagined the other in a pink dress with a crown on his head. Ryo was someone with rough edges and waggishness in his eyes. Not the typical princess, but as long as he was the man he wouldn’t complain. Quite the opposite.
“If Nishikido-san is the princess, shouldn’t he have ribbons in his hair then?” He tried to say innocently.
“Dinner!” Ryo jumped up, freed him of Yumi and pulled him on his feet.
“Traitor, I was trying to save you from her and what do you do?” Ryo grumbled unhappily.
“What do I do? I save myself.” He said cheekily and got jabbed in the side. Strangely, he was in high spirits. Ryo’s grumpy face amused him greatly.
The dinner was noisy. He soon found out that there was most probably a reason why Ryo was so assertive. The whole family was battling for attention of the others and who was silent had no chance. Well except for him. He was silent but was somehow attracting all the attention through just being there.
“So Tomohisa, you are Ryo’s new partner?” The other’s sister asked interested. They all had gone over to calling him Tomohisa in no time. Another thing that had to run in the blood.
“Yeah, he writes the texts for the tourism guide and I take the photos.”
“How nice!”
“Uhm…”
“Do you take photos of Ryo as well?” Yumi asked innocently and his eyes widened. There was no need for anyone to know about these pictures.
“Aww, Tomohisa is blushing.” Ryo’s older brother said and he looked down at his plate. He hated himself for being so damn transparent.
“That guy has the tendency to walk right into my frame.” He grumbled and hoped to get away with it.
The other’s laughed heartedly and patted Ryo on the back, who grinned sheepishly.
“You are such a camera-whore, Ryo.” His brother said and winked.
“What is a whore?” Yumi asked curiously and her mother looked ready to kill the person who said that sentence just now. Ryo’s brother ducked his head.
“It’s not a word a young lady should know and use.” Tomohisa said to Yumi and the girl looked first surprised and then determined.
“I’ll never use it! I am a lady.”
“Good move.” Ryo commented silently to his left and he nodded.
The dinner went by in a pleasant way. Ryo’s family was extremely curious of him but he couldn’t mind too much since they treated him so nicely. He actually wouldn’t mind to see the quirky family again
After they were done eating, Yumi was sent to brush her teeth.
“It was really nice to wait for us with dinner.” Ryo said as he helped his sister put the dishes together.
“I knew you would come no matter what and you even brought a guest.”
“Geez, I am getting the feeling you are way more happy to meet him than me.”
His sister giggled and Tomohisa looked slightly embarrassed at the table cloth. There was suddenly some tugging at his pants.
“Carry me to my room, prince Tomohisa!” Yumi said and reached out her arms for him to pick her up.
“She’ll let you off. She falls asleep quickly.” Ryo reassured him. A little warily, he picked her up.
“Well then princess, it’s time for bed.” She squealed delighted and he figured that maybe it wasn’t that difficult to deal with girls after all. At least when they were so cute and young. He had still respect of older woman.
“You surprised me, Ryo.” Ryo lifted an eyebrow. What did his sister mean and why did she wait till Tomohisa was gone?
“What do you mean?”
“He is a man.”
“So?” He asked confused and she looked pointedly at him till it made click.
“Oh! No, it’s not like that.”
“Don’t try to fool me. You have the same look in your eyes you had with her.”
“That’s…”
“It’s okay. I mean, well, it was a shock. I didn’t expect at all that you would suddenly swing that way, but hey, if you are happy that way, I’ll support you. We were all hoping and waiting for this.”
“We are really not, you know.”
“No?”
“He doesn’t really like me.”
“Is that so?”
“Don’t say it like you don’t believe me. He is probably tired. We usually fight constantly whenever we are together.”
“Love comes in many different ways. Only because you experienced it once, doesn’t mean you know it all. He is a different person, so it is different with him.”
“We really fight a lot.”
“Don’t run away Ryo. He trusts you. When the two of you entered the dinning room he tried to make himself small behind your back. He trusted you to not leave him alone with people he didn’t know.”
“I am scared…”
“Of course you are.” She walked around the table and hugged her younger brother.
“I could loose him as well.” He mumbled it into her shoulder and she soothingly rubbed his back.
“Life is unpredictable, but that’s not a reason to stay alone and unhappy.”
“He almost got hit by a car. I pulled him away in time.” It was not more than a whisper, but she heard him and tightened her embrace.
They stood like that and he breathed in deeply to calm down again. Just now he had been agitated.
He pulled away from her and smiled slightly.
“Thanks.”
“Idiot, don’t thank me.”
“I’ll go look for him.”
“Do that and I will look for our dear brother and kick his ass so he drives the two of you home.”
“Okay.”
He went into Yumi’s room and kneeled next to Tomohisa who was sitting next to the girl’s bed.
“She already fell asleep.” The other mumbled silently and he looked at his partner. Tomohisa looked tired but calm.
“She is a fast sleeper. My sister is getting my brother so he drives us home.”
“Which home is it this time?” Tomohisa asked and tugged Yumi’s blanket a little up around the girl.
“You are actually good with children, stop looking that horrified each time she approaches you. Your flat of course. You won’t be able to sleep in mine anyway. You already knew I would come with you?”
“We didn’t spend that much time with each other so far, but in the few weeks we got to know each other, I learned that you will hardly leave me alone.”
“Aww!” He draped his arms around the other’s shoulders and Tomohisa tried weakly to shrug him off. “You are accepting me.”
“It’s not like I really have a choice.” Tomohisa mumbled and picked at his sleeve.
“So warm.” He mumbled and curled around the other more. Now that Tomohisa was too tired to fight him off, he was going to get himself some love.
“Cheater, I am tired.”
“Some cuddling won’t kill you.”
“Don’t you dare have cooties.”
“If I did, you would already have them.”
“Eww.”
“Hey, you two.” They got shook by the shoulder and his sister looked at him meaningfully. He ignored her glance and pulled Tomohisa on his feet. Together they got into the car and his brother first brought him to his flat so that he could get some stuff. Thankfully, he had packed most of the stuff he would need for this job already as soon as he had heard from it and simply threw the rest in the bag. The less he took with himself the lighter and easier it would be for him. Tomohisa had stayed in the car and was leaning with his head against the window. He sat right next to him, even though he could have sat down next to his brother in the front and carefully moved the other’s head on his shoulder. He was way more comfortable than a cold window. That was for certain.
When they arrived, he nudged the other awake and they said goodbye to his older brother.
His brother waved at them and together they stumbled into Tomohisa’s flat.
Author: yume16
Beta: My beta is sick...there might be some mistakes. I am truely sorry.
Disclaimer: Only the plot is mine...
Pairing(s): Ryopi
Genre: AU (!)
Warnings: Language
Rating: -Chapter: PG
- Complete Fanfic: NC-17 (I guess)
Summary: Tomohisa is seriously not interested in love...
Author Notes: I am finally done...took me long enough. Well, I hope you will like it.
Chapter 5
When they reached the museum they first took a deep breath because they really did walk fast.
“It’s really a beautiful building.” Tomo mumbled to himself and lifted his camera to take a few pictures.
“It really is.” Ryo answered and let the old and traditional building sink in his consciousness. It radiated something strangely calming and was at the same time noble.
“Okay, where should we go?”
“The Japanese Gallery?”
“Okay, even though we will have to mention the other galleries as well.”
“Let’s better hurry than so that we can see as much as possible.”
A gentle tug at his wrist made him roll his eyes, but he followed the other. After they had gotten permission to take some photos inside, they looked at the exhibits.
“This is beautiful.” He was not the guy who liked vases, but this had a nice colour even though it was so old.
“Hm, you are right.”
They walked through the gallery and looked here and there at the things shown, but couldn’t look at anything longer than a few seconds.
“This is seriously tiring. “ Tomohisa said as he took a photo and they decided to sneak a peek at the other galleries.
“It’s certainly not going to be boring.” Ryo said with a smile.
”I’ve been wondering about this for a while now, but are you taking pills by chance? You seem high spirited most of the time. Taking drugs is kind of…”
Ryo looked incredulous at him and he figured he had been wrong.
“Sorry, it’s just…”
“It is not a crime to be in a good mood, you know? How about you try it as well? There is not even the need for pills.”
“I am in a good mood.” He furrowed his brows. Why did the other have to say stuff like that? It was none of his business and he should be happy. He was considerable civil towards him even though, he drove him up the wall more often than not.
“Yeah, you seem ready to puke rainbows.” Ryo said sarcastically.
“Give me a break. Not everyone is that happy-go-lucky. Some people do think about their life.”
“Are you implying I am not taking my life serious?”
“Everything seems to be a joke for you. Seriously, what am I supposed to think?”
“Listen.” He sucked in his breathe surprised when Ryo grabbed him by his collar. “I do take my life and this job very serious. Just because I know how to have fun and you don’t, don’t attack me to pull me down. Whatever your problem is with me, deal with it.”
Ryo let go of him and breathed in deeply as if he was trying to cool himself down.
After this they didn’t talk much and the atmosphere was rather chilling between them when they entered the little Japanese Garden that belonged to the museum.
He saw Ryo walk over the grass a little and decided to pay him no mind and just take his photos. He frowned when they didn’t turn out how he wanted them to be. Something was missing for them to be pretty. When Ryo walked right into his frame again he cursed and watched the other lean down and how he picked something up from the ground. He looked at the picture and zoomed in. It was only a green leave. A picture he was going to delete later on.
Even after they had left the little garden, no words were exchanged between them. He had to admit that he was feeling slightly guilty because of what he had said. Why was he so influenced by his feelings? In his head, he could say it openly, yes, he was jealous of Ryo. How many days had it been since Akito broke up with him? Somehow he didn’t want to count back and find out.
He took his photos automatically and hoped they turned out alright. Sighing heavily, he took a photo of the monkey staring at him. Monkey? He didn’t even realize that they had went through Ueno Park and reached the zoo, but apparently they had.
Ryo was standing several metres away reading an information board. It was kind of reassuring that the animals seemed to be in a bad mood, even though that was probably not because they had gotten dumped and had a fight, but rather because they were locked in. He walked some more steps till he stood in font of another compound.
“Ne, panda-san, are you sad because you are locked in?”
Ryo turned towards Tomohisa when he heard his voice. It surprised him that the other was talking with the animals. He had not struck him like he was someone who would do that.
He swallowed when he saw the lonesome look in his eyes. Had he been too harsh? Even though Tomohisa had insulted him quite some?
Tomohisa jerked slightly when the panda suddenly got up and lumbered a few steps towards him before it let itself fall on its butt. The panda blinked at him blearily.
“Are you lonely? Or do you have friends here?” He looked around the compound and discovered another one.
“That’s nice.” He whispered to himself and felt suddenly ridiculously lonely. Was he being jealous of a panda? How low could he get?
Suddenly, there was some tugging at his sleeve and when he turned he got pulled into a hug.
“What the heck?”
“Shhh…”
“Nishikido let me go. People are going to stare.”
“Just relax and enjoy not being alone, okay? They don’t know us anyway.” The other whispered into his ear and a surprised noise left his mouth.
What?
Why was the other so nice to him suddenly even though some minutes ago, he had insulted him?
Letting himself slump against the other, he buried his face in his shoulder and could hear a surprised “oh” from Ryo. The other had probably expected to get pushed away and he should do that, but if Ryo was offering like that, he would have to deal with the consequences.
“The panda is not lonely.” What the hell was he saying?
“Maybe he is.” Ryo answered and didn’t laugh at him for saying ridiculous things.
“He has a friend.”
“So? Maybe he is not relying on his friend?”
He cringed and wanted to pull back, but apparently now that Ryo had a grip on him, he was not going to let go anytime soon.
“Idiot, I am not a panda.” He said.
He could feel Ryo’s chest rumble with laughter and even though he hated to admit it, it was nice.
“I still don’t like you.” He mumbled in his shoulder.
“Of course you don’t.” Ryo said simply. That guy was really confusing him.
Ryo smelled interesting he thought after some minutes. Cologne mixed with the other’s scent that tickled his nose, but not unpleasantly.
“Nishikido…uhm”
”You really can’t relax for a second, can you?”
“It’s just it’s getting cold.”
They had been standing still and now that the sun was setting it was getting colder, even though it had been such a warm day earlier.
Ryo rubbed his back and arms before he stepped back and tugged at his wrist.
“Let’s go!”
He was not going to complain. He wanted to get home, under a blanket and sleep the day off.
When they got on a train going to another direction, he was slightly puzzled though.
“Where are we going?”
“It’s a surprise.”
He pretty fast came to the conclusion that he didn’t like the surprise. Not believing that he wasn’t dreaming he looked at his surroundings. Pink, everywhere, he was getting dizzy from it.
“What the…?”
“I am looking for something cute. Help me.”
“Why are we in a Hello Kitty shop?”
“Life is interesting like that.” Ryo simply answered and looked at a pinkish backpack. “Now help me.”
“I don’t really understand.” He mumbled and looked at a stuff toy that looked…cute?
He never had really understood all that girl stuff and this might be partly the reason why he was attracted to men in general. So he was slightly clueless what to do now.
What did Ryo look for anyway?
“You look for something that’s for a girl?”
”Yeah…”
He already wanted to say that he was gay and had no idea about such stuff when he realized he had never told the other directly about his sexual preference and that many people frowned upon it. Maybe he should keep that little detail to himself before an uncomfortable atmosphere settled between them. Sure, Ryo had flirted and hit on him, but who told him it was not some joke to him? Maybe it was normal for him because he was a player?
A player, he couldn’t help but think that the image he had of the other wasn’t that fitting after all.
Ryo was difficult to describe.
It was obvious to him now that he cared for him for whatever reason. Why would he so suddenly? He had made it a point to be a brat and usually it was pretty tough to get close to people and that guy had been close to him in a blink of an eye.
“You like that?” There was a voice behind him and hands tugged the stuff cat out of his own hands.
He had not really paid attention to what he had looked at, but he nodded. It definitely looked cute. Ryo was standing right behind him and he couldn’t help but take a step forward. He was so confused.
“Hm, I think she will like this. She loves stuff toys the most anyway.”
”How old is ‘she’?” Where they shopping for the other’s girlfriend? The thought somehow unsettled him.
“Yumi? She is six.”
“Oh…” So hardly the other’s girlfriend.
“She is my niece and it’s her birthday today. She will probably be mad.”
“Does that mean…”
“…that we are going there? Yeah, that’s what I am planning.”
“Why do I have to come with you?” He was everything but keen on meeting the other’s family.
“Because well, we are together anyway and we have to leave tomorrow early together for our train. So, you are going to come with me.”
”I do have the right to decided myself where I go, you know?”
“Aww, don’t be like that. I just want to be with you~” Ryo tried to say innocently, but the teasing grin gave him away.
“You just want to have someone to tease.” He grumbled and only reluctantly followed as Ryo tugged him by his wrist to the cashier and then out of the shop.
“I’ll kick my brother’s butt to drive us home. He is surely there as well.”
So Yumi was not his brother’s daughter? Or was she? When Ryo wasn’t sure whether he was there as well.
He didn’t ask though, since he didn’t want to seem too interested in the other’s life, even though he seemed to be.
At least they were in one point lucky, he figured. They didn’t take long to get to their destination. Only two stops and the house wasn’t far from the station.
They stopped in front of a small house and Ryo range the bell.
He didn’t even have the time to get worried because he was surely not invited, as the door opened, a little girl exited and kicked against Ryo’s shin hard.
“Oww…Yumi!”
He already had the feeling that he was going to like Ryo’s niece.
“You are late!” She growled and defiantly lifted her chin.
“I am sorry, you see, I had work to do and…” Ryo stopped talking when he realized she wasn’t listening to him anymore. Actually, she was looking at him.
A little uncomfortable he threw a look at Ryo and hoped he would explain why he was here. He was the one who created this mess anyway.
“You brought me a prince?” The little girl suddenly asked and he blinked surprised. A prince? Did she mean him?
“Ah, well.” Ryo said and scratched his neck. “You can play a little with him if he wants to, but I have to take him with me again.”
“Bullshit!” He got grabbed by the little girl by the hand and wondered if that was a strange tick that ran in the blood. He almost didn’t have time to kick off his shoes and when he turned Ryo only shrugged his shoulders helplessly. Great. He was getting kidnapped by a little girl. He was so bad with girls. He always made them cry. If that didn’t end in a disaster, it would be a miracle.
Suddenly he was surrounded by pink and he bit the inside of his cheek. Where was Ryo when he was needed?
A little worried he looked after Tomohisa. The other looked rather horrified, he had saved his neck though. He had not thought that Yumi would think the other was a prince, but he was not going to complain.
“Who is that?” His sister greeted him.
“My new partner. We are working together.”
“I doubt you’ll be able to free him later on.”
“I know.”
“It’s nice that you managed to come though. She wouldn’t have forgiven you if you didn’t come.”
“I know, that’s why I am here.”
“You look better Ryo.”
He was close to rolling his eyes. Why did everyone still have to comment about it, when all he wanted was to forget?
“I am fine, really.”
“If you say so.”
”I am working again.”
His sister hummed in reply and then went to check on Yumi. Well, it was a stranger with her daughter after all.
He lifted an eyebrow when the worried look on her face turned into one of amusement.
“Ryo come here, your friend is really cute.”
Curious, he got closer and couldn’t help but snicker. Tomohisa was sitting on the floor and Yumi was busy tying ribbons into his brown hair. His partner sat completely still and seemed to have capitulated to the little girl.
He was starting to feel guilty as he saw how much the other was trying to make himself as small as possible.
He sighed and entered the room.
“Yumi, what are you doing? A prince is not wearing ribbons in his hair, now is he?” He kneeled next to them and opened his bag to pull out the present.
“But he is so pretty.”
“I know, but don’t you think he looks better without them?” With that he gave Yumi the present and her attention was differed away from Tomohisa. The relief was clearly shown on the other’s face and he reached out to pull some of the ribbons out of the other’s hair.
“What are you doing, Ryo?” Yumi glared at him as she hugged her still wrapped present.
“Well…”
“He is my prince now!”
Fingers curled into his sleeve and he was so short taken by the action by Tomohisa that it took him some minutes to answer to his niece.
“He is already my prince, you can’t have him.”
Tomohisa looked positively scandalized, but didn’t say anything.
“He is?”
“Yeah.”
Yumi seemed to ponder his declaration.
“If that’s the case, prove it.” There was a devious glint in her eyes as if she knew she could get what she wanted that way, not that she was completely wrong with that.
“Yumi…”
“Ryo-chan~” She said in a sing-song voice.
He was close to groaning because he knew that if he didn’t make clear Tomohisa had to come with him, she would cling to his partner like crazy. He should have thought about this more since he knew how obsessed Yumi was with pretty men. She even had once sent in his application to Johnny’s Entertainment. When her mother had apologized, he had waved her off. He was too old anyway.
“Kick me later for this.” He said, as he leaned forward, into Tomohisa’s ear so that Yumi couldn’t hear. In return he got a suspicious look, but he ignored it and wrapped his arms around Tomohisa. The other froze and to not let it look that unconvincing, he poked his partner to make him relax. What he didn’t expect was for Tomohisa to giggle and squirm. The other was ticklish!
He and Yumi shared a look and it was quite clear what was going to happen now.
Tomohisa squawked in shock and tried to get away when they pounced on him, but he had no chance. In no time the three of them were tickling whoever they could reach because Tomohisa didn’t seem to want to go down without a fight.
They giggled and laughed and when they had no energy left anymore, they laid limply on the floor, gasping for air.
“That was not fair.” Tomohisa gasped and he turned his head to look at the other. His cheeks were tinted pink from their struggle and to his surprise he looked more alive. Normally, the other’s eyes were carefully devoid of emotions if he wasn’t near one of his break downs.
“Well, it can’t be helped if you are that ticklish, right Yumi?”
“Yupp!”
“…”
“Dinner is ready.” Ryo’s sister stuck her head through the door and Tomohisa stopped to glare at her brother.
“He is Ryo’s prince!” Yumi suddenly said as she jumped at her feet. The little girl latched her arms around his neck and he froze surprised. Why did she suddenly accept it?
“He is?” Ryo’s sister asked amused.
“Yeah! Maybe he can show me his castle?”
“Castle…” His thoughts wandered to his little flat and he smiled warily.
“If he is the prince then, Ryo has to be the princess.” The little girl said innocently and he couldn’t help but smirk as he imagined the other in a pink dress with a crown on his head. Ryo was someone with rough edges and waggishness in his eyes. Not the typical princess, but as long as he was the man he wouldn’t complain. Quite the opposite.
“If Nishikido-san is the princess, shouldn’t he have ribbons in his hair then?” He tried to say innocently.
“Dinner!” Ryo jumped up, freed him of Yumi and pulled him on his feet.
“Traitor, I was trying to save you from her and what do you do?” Ryo grumbled unhappily.
“What do I do? I save myself.” He said cheekily and got jabbed in the side. Strangely, he was in high spirits. Ryo’s grumpy face amused him greatly.
The dinner was noisy. He soon found out that there was most probably a reason why Ryo was so assertive. The whole family was battling for attention of the others and who was silent had no chance. Well except for him. He was silent but was somehow attracting all the attention through just being there.
“So Tomohisa, you are Ryo’s new partner?” The other’s sister asked interested. They all had gone over to calling him Tomohisa in no time. Another thing that had to run in the blood.
“Yeah, he writes the texts for the tourism guide and I take the photos.”
“How nice!”
“Uhm…”
“Do you take photos of Ryo as well?” Yumi asked innocently and his eyes widened. There was no need for anyone to know about these pictures.
“Aww, Tomohisa is blushing.” Ryo’s older brother said and he looked down at his plate. He hated himself for being so damn transparent.
“That guy has the tendency to walk right into my frame.” He grumbled and hoped to get away with it.
The other’s laughed heartedly and patted Ryo on the back, who grinned sheepishly.
“You are such a camera-whore, Ryo.” His brother said and winked.
“What is a whore?” Yumi asked curiously and her mother looked ready to kill the person who said that sentence just now. Ryo’s brother ducked his head.
“It’s not a word a young lady should know and use.” Tomohisa said to Yumi and the girl looked first surprised and then determined.
“I’ll never use it! I am a lady.”
“Good move.” Ryo commented silently to his left and he nodded.
The dinner went by in a pleasant way. Ryo’s family was extremely curious of him but he couldn’t mind too much since they treated him so nicely. He actually wouldn’t mind to see the quirky family again
After they were done eating, Yumi was sent to brush her teeth.
“It was really nice to wait for us with dinner.” Ryo said as he helped his sister put the dishes together.
“I knew you would come no matter what and you even brought a guest.”
“Geez, I am getting the feeling you are way more happy to meet him than me.”
His sister giggled and Tomohisa looked slightly embarrassed at the table cloth. There was suddenly some tugging at his pants.
“Carry me to my room, prince Tomohisa!” Yumi said and reached out her arms for him to pick her up.
“She’ll let you off. She falls asleep quickly.” Ryo reassured him. A little warily, he picked her up.
“Well then princess, it’s time for bed.” She squealed delighted and he figured that maybe it wasn’t that difficult to deal with girls after all. At least when they were so cute and young. He had still respect of older woman.
“You surprised me, Ryo.” Ryo lifted an eyebrow. What did his sister mean and why did she wait till Tomohisa was gone?
“What do you mean?”
“He is a man.”
“So?” He asked confused and she looked pointedly at him till it made click.
“Oh! No, it’s not like that.”
“Don’t try to fool me. You have the same look in your eyes you had with her.”
“That’s…”
“It’s okay. I mean, well, it was a shock. I didn’t expect at all that you would suddenly swing that way, but hey, if you are happy that way, I’ll support you. We were all hoping and waiting for this.”
“We are really not, you know.”
“No?”
“He doesn’t really like me.”
“Is that so?”
“Don’t say it like you don’t believe me. He is probably tired. We usually fight constantly whenever we are together.”
“Love comes in many different ways. Only because you experienced it once, doesn’t mean you know it all. He is a different person, so it is different with him.”
“We really fight a lot.”
“Don’t run away Ryo. He trusts you. When the two of you entered the dinning room he tried to make himself small behind your back. He trusted you to not leave him alone with people he didn’t know.”
“I am scared…”
“Of course you are.” She walked around the table and hugged her younger brother.
“I could loose him as well.” He mumbled it into her shoulder and she soothingly rubbed his back.
“Life is unpredictable, but that’s not a reason to stay alone and unhappy.”
“He almost got hit by a car. I pulled him away in time.” It was not more than a whisper, but she heard him and tightened her embrace.
They stood like that and he breathed in deeply to calm down again. Just now he had been agitated.
He pulled away from her and smiled slightly.
“Thanks.”
“Idiot, don’t thank me.”
“I’ll go look for him.”
“Do that and I will look for our dear brother and kick his ass so he drives the two of you home.”
“Okay.”
He went into Yumi’s room and kneeled next to Tomohisa who was sitting next to the girl’s bed.
“She already fell asleep.” The other mumbled silently and he looked at his partner. Tomohisa looked tired but calm.
“She is a fast sleeper. My sister is getting my brother so he drives us home.”
“Which home is it this time?” Tomohisa asked and tugged Yumi’s blanket a little up around the girl.
“You are actually good with children, stop looking that horrified each time she approaches you. Your flat of course. You won’t be able to sleep in mine anyway. You already knew I would come with you?”
“We didn’t spend that much time with each other so far, but in the few weeks we got to know each other, I learned that you will hardly leave me alone.”
“Aww!” He draped his arms around the other’s shoulders and Tomohisa tried weakly to shrug him off. “You are accepting me.”
“It’s not like I really have a choice.” Tomohisa mumbled and picked at his sleeve.
“So warm.” He mumbled and curled around the other more. Now that Tomohisa was too tired to fight him off, he was going to get himself some love.
“Cheater, I am tired.”
“Some cuddling won’t kill you.”
“Don’t you dare have cooties.”
“If I did, you would already have them.”
“Eww.”
“Hey, you two.” They got shook by the shoulder and his sister looked at him meaningfully. He ignored her glance and pulled Tomohisa on his feet. Together they got into the car and his brother first brought him to his flat so that he could get some stuff. Thankfully, he had packed most of the stuff he would need for this job already as soon as he had heard from it and simply threw the rest in the bag. The less he took with himself the lighter and easier it would be for him. Tomohisa had stayed in the car and was leaning with his head against the window. He sat right next to him, even though he could have sat down next to his brother in the front and carefully moved the other’s head on his shoulder. He was way more comfortable than a cold window. That was for certain.
When they arrived, he nudged the other awake and they said goodbye to his older brother.
His brother waved at them and together they stumbled into Tomohisa’s flat.