Fanfic: Lost Heart
Title: Lost Heart *Chapter 7*
Author: yume16
Beta: blursakana
Disclaimer: Only the plot is mine...
Pairing(s): Ryopi
Genre: AU (!)
Warnings: Language
Rating: -Chapter: PG-13
- Complete Fanfic: NC-17 (I guess)
Summary: Tomohisa is seriously not interested in love...
Author Notes: I was faster than last time but still slow. I sincerely apologize for being such a slowpoke.
Chapter 7
Tomohisa felt numb. How high were the chances that Akito would be here of all places. Moreover, the other didn't even like travailing. Whenever he had asked his ex-lover to travel with him, he had said he was not interested, the weather wasn't good enough, he was tired or why don't they just go to the park? It was ridiculous. He must have been mistaken.
"As cute and adorable as you look like this, don't you think you should wipe the ketchup away?" Ryo asked him and Tomohisa looked puzzled at him. Ketchup?
"What?"
"You have ketchup on your nose, you moron." Ryo grinned and then used the napkin his hotdog had been wrapped into to wipe his nose.
"You didn't notice? Something wrong?"
Tomohisa shook his head and walked in the direction of their car while continuing to eat. Ryo was immediately by his side again. Tomohisa felt the urge to turn around and check whether he could find Akito, but knew that was a really bad idea. If Akito was really here, it would be better if he never knew about it.
"Should I drive now?"
Tomohisa blinked at the car in surprise and mutely gave Ryo the key. It wouldn't be a good idea to drive when he was as absentminded as he was at the moment.
"If you are like that, I will worry." Ryo said as he buckled his seatbelt. Out of the corner of his eyes, he looked at Tomohisa. The good mood from earlier as he had taken photos was completely gone. What had happened? The other's mood had changed in a flash and he couldn't find an explanation for it.
"Are you feeling sick? Because if you do, we could drop by a pharmacy."
"No, no, I am fine." The other said and then turned to look out of the window. Ryo pouted sadly, he disliked Tomohisa being that sad and he didn't even know why. How was he supposed to help the other like that?
"Let's drive to Fuji-san then."
"Hm."
Now, Ryo would have been glad if they had a radio. The silence between them was deafening.
"We should definitely visit a hot spring while we are here. Don't you think so?" Ryo tried to make conversation.
"We certainly should."
Tomohisa turned towards him and smiled slightly. At least a small smile. Ryo smiled back brightly and then concentrated more on the road again.
Tomohisa had to shake his head at Ryo. The other was so simple to look through now that he knew him a little better. It was almost cute how the other. Wait, what? Cute? Did he just think cute? It must have been another cute he meant. Yeah, like as cute as a tree or a donkey. Wait, donkeys could be really cute and stubborn, but hey, still cute. No, they were not cute! Urgh...
"Tomo..."
"Donkeys are not cute." Tomohisa interrupted the other.
"Eh? What?"
"I mean err..." Way to seem sane.
"But they are cute. They always look so loyal."
"That's...they are not."
"But why?"
"Because you aren't cute." Tomohisa said and rolled his eyes only to realize belated what he had said just now. He should stop thinking weird things and letting other people in one his craziness.
"And what is the connection between donkeys and me?" Ryo asked him confused.
Both are cute but Tomohisa kept his mouth shut this time around and only shook his head. He should stop speaking his thoughts aloud. It was such a bad habit.
Moreover, he only had to think he saw Akito and he lost sanity like that? How did he draw a connection between Ryo and donkeys anyway?
Ryo parked their car on a parking area and they got out.
Somehow he couldn't shake of the thought that Tomohisa was shaking him off again. But why? Usually, he only did that when he talked about Akito badly. He didn't. So what did he do wrong this time?
"Tomo, can we make a deal?"
"That depends what the deal is about." Tomo answered and took a picture of their surroundings.
"If one of us is angry about something the other did, can we just talk about it?"
"I can't promise anything, but I will try." Tomohisa said and Ryo nodded. That was already more than enough. Expectantly, he waited, but Tomohisa didn't say anymore.
Okay, either the other was not ready to say it just yet or he wasn't really angry at him. Ryo ruffled his hair slightly frustrated. What would he give to be able to have a look into Tomohisa's mind.
It was still hot and Ryo wished that they were people that wrote critics for ice cream.
"It's so hot."
"I wish I could surf now."
"You surf, too?" Ryo asked ecstatic and Tomohisa nodded.
"If we have a morning to spare when we are in Okinawa, we can surf, if you want." Tomohisa proposed and Ryo was more than happy to agree. It felt like ages since he had last been on a board. The last time had been with...Squeezing his eyes shut, he forced his mind to stop thinking in that direction.
A hand tugged at his wrist. Ryo breathed through his nose and concentrated on the little contact, before opening his eyes.
"Yeah?"
"Let's go that way. It doesn't seem that rampant."
Ryo looked at Tomohisa's retreating back. Maybe they hadn't met for him to heal Tomohisa, but for Tomohisa to heal...
"Are you coming? Or are you seriously thinking about climbing up that path? Because if you do, then I will tell you, you can do that alone. I am not crazy."
"Neither am I." Ryo answered and hurried up.
Tomohisa chewed on his bottom lip as Ryo was beside him again. What had gotten into him earlier? Why had he touched the other like that? Sure, Ryo had stopped flirting with him and he had because of that relaxed some, but was he being too careless?
Ryo had found out he was gay and not reacted shocked or disgusted. That probably meant the flirting the other had done at their first meeting, had not been just for show. What if Ryo was really gay, too? Till now he had tried to desperately keep that option out of his mind. Why though? He was gay, too. It was okay. Just...Tomohisa looked at the other's profile. Black hair, smouldering eyes, a well proportioned nose and thin lips that curled into a smile more often than not.
That was where the problem laid. He was finally ready to admit it.
Before he had met Akito, he would have certainly considered Ryo. He was his type. Especially, the cheeky eyes would have been his weakness.
Was he scared to fall in love?
Despite the heat, he shuddered.
"Are you okay? You have been weird since we have been to the lake." Ryo interrupted his inner panic.
"Yes, I just thought I saw a mosquito. That's all."
As he looked at Ryo, he could see the other wasn't convinced. It had been way easier to lie to Akito.
"If you say so." Ryo simply answered, but Tomohisa could feel the others gaze.
The difference between the nature that surrounded them was rather big, Ryo had to admit. They were not high enough for there to be no trees, so they tried to walk in their shadows.
Tomohisa stopped at times to take a photo.
Ryo still found it extremely interesting to watch the other work. It looked like then as if Tomohisa let go of everything that bothered him and just concentrated on the photo he was about to take. Sneakily, Ryo took his phone out and took a photo of such a moment. There were some small dots of sunlight shining through the leaves and decorating Tomohisa's body. The photo looked slightly surreal, but Ryo figured it suited them just fine. Having met Tomohisa was completely surreal to him, too.
They kept walking in silence for a while. Tomohisa wondered what he should worry more about. About the fact that he might have seen Akito or that Ryo was actually his type and in the worst case scenario also gay?
And why was he even thinking about all this? It didn't matter. Akito and he didn't have anything to do with each other anymore and he had sworn himself to never fall in love again so it shouldn't matter either whether Ryo was his type or not.
Their path got smaller and they had to walk behind each other. He walked in front of Ryo and was reminded of the day they had gone shopping together. He had been everything than sunshine and Ryo had commented about his butt none stop. In retrospect, he almost found it funny. They must have looked like idiots fighting without taking a breath. Tomohisa bit on his tongue hard as the thought wanted to steal its way into his head that he was showing his butt to Ryo at the moment, too. He shouldn't think about such things. It didn't matter what Ryo thought. They should just try to become friends, finish their assignment without problems and maybe meet afterwards for a cup of coffee and then move on.
"Argh!"
Tomohisa turned around surprised. That had been Ryo just now.
His partner was some steps behind him on the ground.
"Ry...Nishikido?" Tomohisa hurried back and crouched down in front of the other.
"It's nothing. I just slipped." Ryo carefully stood back up, but Tomohisa saw that he was trying to put as least weight on his foot as possible.
"Okay, let's go on." Ryo said, but Tomohisa frowned.
"I doubt we can do that."
"I just stumbled over a root in a stupid way. It's nothing, really."
Tomohisa bit the inside of his cheek. How serious was it? He nodded his head, but stayed beside Ryo. If he saw the other limp, they would return.
Ryo only had to make one step and Tomohisa held him back by his arm.
"You should get this checked."
"It was only a stupid little stumble."
"Yeah, maybe it was stupid. Most injuries are stupid accidents, but that doesn't change the fact it should be checked on. What if it is serious and you only make it worse through forcing yourself to go on?"
Ryo looked everything but happy.
"And if I may remind you, you told me I had to be healthy for our trip when I was down with a fever. That doesn't only count for me." Tomohisa reminded his partner.
"Okay, okay, you can be quite definite if you want."
Tomohisa frowned. Akito had often told him he didn't know what he wanted. Well, caring for someone else was sometimes easier than caring for oneself.
"If you think you can get away with everything, you are wrong." Tomohisa looked at Ryo defiantly and his partner ducked his head and nodded.
"Should we go back then?" Ryo asked.
"The question is if you can walk."
Ryo's eyes widened in shock.
"Of course I can. I have to!"
Tomohisa really hoped Ryo could, too.
Very slowly they turned around and walked down again. They were lucky that they weren't that far up and it wasn't that difficult to walk.
After walking only two minutes, Tomohisa made Ryo throw an arm over his shoulder to steady him.
"I am fine." Ryo almost sounded sulky.
"So am I." Tomohisa simply answered. It worked like that for a while. Tomohisa felt Ryo warm his side and even though it was still quite hot, he couldn't get himself to be annoyed by it. More than that, he was worried. What if Ryo had seriously hurt himself? He could hardly do their job alone. He had never been good at writing.
They had gone back half of the way as Ryo's steps became heavier and Tomohisa saw the other grit his teeth.
"There is no use to this. You are only going to hurt yourself more."
"It's fine." Ryo tried to reassure him.
"No, it is not!" Tomohisa said loudly and Ryo sighed.
"What else are we supposed to do?"
That was a really good question. Biting his bottom lip, Tomohisa stared at Ryo's hurt foot. The other wasn't even properly putting it on the ground.
"I will carry you." He said finally and took his backpack of his back.
"What? Are you crazy?"
"Maybe I am." Tomohisa let go of Ryo and kneeled down in front of him.
"Get on my back."
"No."
"Oh yes you will. And then I will drive you to the nearest doctor and you will get your foot checked up on. If you are seriously hurt, you are only going to make it worse. How are we supposed to travel further?"
"I am sorry." Ryo looked ashamed and Tomohisa could see he was blaming himself and feeling guilty because he had gotten hurt.
"Don't be and just get on my back."
Ryo moved reluctantly and wrapped his arms around his neck and reached around to take his bag so Tomohisa had his hands free. Carefully, Tomohisa stood back up and took a good grip on Ryo's thighs.
"Aren't I too heavy?" Ryo asked in a small voice.
"No, I am actually quite muscular. Let's be glad you aren't a 100 kilo man."
"Hardly." Ryo muttered and held on.
Tomohisa moved carefully. They didn't need two injured casualties on their team. He was glad he didn't have to climb up but could walk down.
Ryo stayed mostly silent. Sometimes brushing his bangs out of his eyes for him or asking whether he needed a break.
"I will take a break when I need it." Tomohisa answered simply and kept walking. It wasn't that far anymore anyway. He should be able to do it.
Eventually, he had to take a break after all and he let Ryo down. He needed to drink something. Ryo handed him his backpack and Tomohisa took big gulps of water.
"You should drink something, too." He told Ryo.
"You are actually someone who is good at taking care of others. I am impressed by you." Ryo said before drinking as well and Tomohisa felt a warm feeling bubble up inside him. No one had ever said something like that to him before. It felt really good.
"It's nothing." He mumbled and put the bottle back into his backpack without looking into Ryo's eyes.
"Don't be shy. It's something worth to be proud of."
"So I guess, you are being proud of it, too?" Tomohisa said and shook his legs and arms a little.
"Eh?"
"You took care of me too when I was sick."
"Oh that, you needed help." Ryo waved him off and put his bottle away, too.
"And you don't need help now?"
Ryo blinked at him and then smiled.
"You have become more confident, Tomo. You are giving me contra." The other explained his questioning look.
"I gave you contra before. That's why we fought so much." Tomohisa huffed.
Ryo slowly shook his head.
"No, you were defensive. You were not really trying to argue reasonably with me."
"That's..."
"I am glad." Ryo interrupted him before he could disagree. "You are letting go."
Letting go? Was he letting go? Did he want to let go?
"Life is too short to waste it." Ryo said as if he had read his thoughts.
"Glad I am not wasting it then." Tomohisa mumbled and kneeled down again. Ryo sighed and climbed on his back.
"You are such a pigheaded person."
"Hey!" Tomohisa exclaimed and contemplated dropping Ryo.
"If you drop me, I will hold on to your throat and probably strangle you." Ryo read his thoughts again and Tomohisa grumbled.
"Why am I even worrying about you?"
"Because I am the gorgeous and almighty Nishikido Ryo. The world should be glad I am gracing it with my awesomeness."
"I seriously hope you are not getting any more self-confident than you already are."
"Yeah, I know, it could get problematic if I got even more gorgeous. People would faint all around me. Maybe even you. My dazzling presence would break right through all your defences."
Tomohisa scoffed.
"Are you drunk?"
"No, I am always conceited." Ryo said as if he was talking about the weather.
Tomohisa couldn't help but laugh at Ryo's idiotic behaviour.
"Oh, what a rare occurrence. I thought it would be extinct."
"Eh? Where?" Tomohisa tried to see the rare animal Ryo must have seen between the trees.
"It's really rare. We are very luck to witness it."
"Where? I can't see it."
"It's nothing you can see. You can only hear it."
Tomohisa tried to listen, but he didn't hear anything unusual.
"I don't hear anything."
"Naturally, I was talking about your laugh, you idiot." Ryo laughed and Tomohisa rolled his eyes.
"How could my laugh be extinct?"
"There are poor creatures that can't laugh anymore. I am glad I could save you with my general gorgeousness." Ryo said teasingly and Tomohisa acted like he would drop Ryo. The other squealed, but when he noticed he had been played a prank on, he swatted Tomohisa.
"Travelling is fun. That's all." Tomohisa said and there was a thoughtful silence from Ryo.
"Do you travel often?" The other finally asked.
"I used to do so with my family, but Akito never wanted to." Tomohisa wasn't sure himself why he had brought up Akito. They always fought if he did.
"Hm..." Ryo said. "Well, then we have to make up for all he made you miss out on."
There was a weird fluttering in his stomach and Tomohisa bit his bottom lip. Ryo was way too nice to him. He was making him feel something he had sworn off.
He needed to change the topic.
"What about you? I never asked. What does your love life look like?"
There was a long silence.
"Are you sleeping?" Tomohisa asked silently.
"No, there is just no one. I am single." Ryo's voice sounded weird and Tomohisa wasn't sure what to say now. Should he keep prodding or drop the topic?
"Well, I just realized you know everything about my love life, but I know nothing about yours."
"There is not much to know, really."
Tomohisa didn't say anymore. The playful Ryo from earlier was gone. In a way, Tomohisa felt it was unfair. Ryo knew everything and he nothing. The other could be a criminal and he wouldn't know. He had met his family, but otherwise Ryo was a total mystery to him.
They reached the car and Ryo carefully sat down in the passenger seat.
"Thanks Tomo, you really helped me."
"I could have hardly left you on Mount Fuji." Tomohisa joked and got into the car as well.
"Ask your intelligent phone where a doctor is." Tomohisa instructed and drove the car out of the car park.
"There is one not far away from our hotel." Ryo showed it to him on the display and Tomohisa nodded. He should be able to find this.
"Does it still hurt?"
"A little." Ryo frowned down at his foot. "That is really an unfitting time to get hurt."
"Unlucky happenings are never fitting." Tomohisa said pointedly and Ryo nodded.
"I guess you are right."
The doctor wasn't that tough to find. He sent them to a hospital to get the foot x-rayed.
They had to wait at the hospital. A nurse had brought Ryo some ice.
"Can you still move your foot?" Tomohisa asked Ryo worriedly.
"Yes, I doubt it is broken. I will be fine." The other tried to reassure him and patted his hand. Tomohisa couldn't help but think it was comical. Ryo was the one hurt but also the one reassuring him.
Their hands touched slightly on the armrest even after Ryo had pulled his slightly back. Tomohisa couldn't help but smile slightly as he looked at their hands. They were different in a way, but almost had the same seize. Ryo's had moles on it and he felt tempted to take out a pen and connect them.
"What are you thinking about? You seem amused." Ryo asked.
"I was contemplating to connect the moles on your hand with a pen." Tomohisa admitted and made Ryo laugh. The other searched in his pocket and held out a pen to him.
"Since we have to wait, we might as well have fun." Ryo winked and Tomohisa took the pen.
"You don't mind."
"It's not like the pen is waterproof."
Tomohisa took Ryo's hand, crossed his legs and put the other's hand on his knee to be able to draw properly.
"Not scared I would grope your knee?" Ryo joked and wiggled his fingers playfully."
"How dare you would do something as bawdily like that in public. My poor knee! It is very prude, you know?"
"It's only allowed to watch PG rated movies?" Ryo asked with a totally straight face.
Tomohisa had to pull the pen away to not destroy his masterpiece as he laughed.
"Of course. Do you have any idea how anaesthetically it is to have a blushing knee? I cannot confront it with you."
"Oh, I understand. Especially if one is wearing long pants."
"Yeah well, it's like a red light bulb." Tomohisa explained, but his face was only half as straight as Ryo's.
"You are tempting me here. I am tempted to grope your knew just to see whether it will light up."
"I will never get to finish my masterpiece if we keep this up."
"And that would be the true tragedy, not a shining red knee. I shouldn't disturb an artist while he works. I am asking sincerely for your forgiveness."
"I might accept it." Tomohisa said with a smile and continued to draw.
"You drew some extra moles on my hand."
"It's called creativity." Tomohisa defended himself.
Just as they were contemplating whether it was a monkey or a frog he had drawn on Ryo's hand, the other got called in.
Half an hour later, Tomohisa was still sitting on a chair with other patients and waited for Ryo to come out of the examination room.
Ryo came out a few minutes later and waved at him.
"I have a bruise in the foot, but that's it. No broken bones; no strained ankle."
"Thank God. That would have been really awful. Is there anything we can do?"
"He gave me a cream for the swelling, but nothing more. I'll just have to bear it."
Tomohisa nodded. Maybe they should try out a hot spring. It would help them with their guide and not strain Ryo's foot unnecessarily.
"I am dying for some dinner. You?" Ryo asked as they walked carefully back to their rented car. Ryo had wrapped an arm around his waist to stable himself a little. Tomohisa was more and more getting used to having Ryo close. It didn't occur weird to him anymore to have arms wrapped around each others' waists. Should that worry him?
"I am very hungry." Tomohisa admitted. His stomach had already grumbled embarrassingly loud while he had waited for Ryo. It was about time he ate something.
They stopped at the next restaurant they saw.
"It's a sushi bar."
"I'll invite you." Ryo said and smiled.
"Eh? Why?"
"You are asking why? Maybe because you carried me down Mount Fuji? And then had to spend hours at a hospital just to wait for me."
"You would have done the same." Tomohisa tried to wave the other off, but Ryo already opened the door to their car and got out.
"Are you coming?" Ryo called and Tomohisa had to smile slightly at his impatience.
"Coming, coming."
They went inside and sat down at the counter.
"I haven't eaten sushi in a while." Tomohisa had to force himself to not lick his lips in appreciation.
"Neither have I."
They looked at the delicious treats rolling past them.
"Eat whatever you want." Ryo made again clear he was going to pay and Tomohisa decided he would get a chance to return the favour and it was ridiculous to waste time with fighting.
Tomohisa only had to eat a bit and all his attention was directed to the food.
Ryo had to smile as he saw Tomohisa savour each piece of sushi. After they had first met, he had wondered whether they would ever get close. Never would he have thought the other would carry him. Especially, since it had not been that severe. If he had been alone he would have surely managed to get down the mountain as well.
It made him happy nevertheless. Tomohisa was someone a person could rely on, but also someone you could care for. The longer he watched the other, the more confused he got. Tomohisa had obviously been a faithful lover. Why did Akito break up with someone like that?
Ryo felt really happy to be able to be with Tomohisa just as work mate and that man had thrown away so much more.
Yeah, he was really happy. A sad smile hushed over his lips, but he wouldn't think back now that everything looked so much brighter.
"Hey, should we visit a hot spring tomorrow? It will be easier for you than walking around." Tomohisa pulled him out of his thoughts.
"Oh yes, that sounds really nice. Aren't you a thoughtful person?" A little teasing should be okay, shouldn't it?
"Don't tease me." Tomohisa rolled his chopsticks embarrassed between his fingers and Ryo felt a slight fluttering in his stomach as he saw the faint blush tinting the other's cheeks pink.
"I am not allowed to say the truth?"
Tomohisa bit his bottom lip.
"Of course you are."
"Good. I'll pay now. I have to admit I am slightly tired and since you had it much tougher, I bet you wouldn't mind to lie down either?"
"You are reading my mind." Tomohisa answered and grinned.
Ryo paid and couldn't be any more satisfied. Today had been a great day. Okay, his foot didn't have to get hurt, but he really enjoyed his journey with Tomohisa.
"What will we do about your Mount Fuji article?" Tomohisa asked as they sat back in the car.
"Well, I have a few expressions already. I will spike it up with necessities for climbing. It's not like we could have climbed that much further without my fall."
"True, we need more time."
"But we won't get it." Ryo sighed.
Tomohisa parked their car and they walked to the entrance of the hotel. Just as they wanted to reach for the door, it opened.
Ryo could feel Tomohisa get stiff next to him.
"Tomo?" He asked and looked at the man standing opposite of them. He was tall and had his hair dyed in a light brown.
"Wow, you were fast at finding a new lover." The man smirked and Ryo felt his blood run cold. Was this Akito?
Tomohisa pressed his lips together.
"Akito? Did you meet someone?" Another man stepped out of the door and looked at them with interested. He was slightly shorter than Ryo himself with big eyes and white skin.
"Just an old friend, no one special."
Ryo balled his fists. He could only imagine how Tomohisa had to feel now.
"Really? I am Sato Yuuki." The smaller man introduced himself happily.
"Yamashita Tomohisa."
Sato's smile slipped slightly.
"I wondered whether we would meet one day. Akito mentioned you when I asked about his previous lovers."
"Nice to meet you." Tomohisa said and Ryo wondered how he could put an end to this situation.
"I am Nishikido Ryo." He simply introduced himself. Akito looked him up and down with a lifted eyebrow. Ryo understood more and more why the people that cared for Tomohisa had not liked his previous lover. Only after two minutes Ryo, felt like punching him in the nose.
"Your taste in men has dropped considerably." Akito said after he was done surveying him.
"I don't think so." Tomohisa said almost tonelessly and Ryo could see how his eyes formed to angry slits.
"Well, that's certainly arguable, but let me tell you Nishikido, this guy is exhausting and clamped up. Good luck at getting him into bed."
Sato giggled.
Ryo couldn't believe what he heard and contemplated to really throw a punch, but his brain stopped working all together, as he suddenly felt arms around his neck and two pairs of plump lips against his.
Tomohisa kissed him?
Author: yume16
Beta: blursakana
Disclaimer: Only the plot is mine...
Pairing(s): Ryopi
Genre: AU (!)
Warnings: Language
Rating: -Chapter: PG-13
- Complete Fanfic: NC-17 (I guess)
Summary: Tomohisa is seriously not interested in love...
Author Notes: I was faster than last time but still slow. I sincerely apologize for being such a slowpoke.
Chapter 7
Tomohisa felt numb. How high were the chances that Akito would be here of all places. Moreover, the other didn't even like travailing. Whenever he had asked his ex-lover to travel with him, he had said he was not interested, the weather wasn't good enough, he was tired or why don't they just go to the park? It was ridiculous. He must have been mistaken.
"As cute and adorable as you look like this, don't you think you should wipe the ketchup away?" Ryo asked him and Tomohisa looked puzzled at him. Ketchup?
"What?"
"You have ketchup on your nose, you moron." Ryo grinned and then used the napkin his hotdog had been wrapped into to wipe his nose.
"You didn't notice? Something wrong?"
Tomohisa shook his head and walked in the direction of their car while continuing to eat. Ryo was immediately by his side again. Tomohisa felt the urge to turn around and check whether he could find Akito, but knew that was a really bad idea. If Akito was really here, it would be better if he never knew about it.
"Should I drive now?"
Tomohisa blinked at the car in surprise and mutely gave Ryo the key. It wouldn't be a good idea to drive when he was as absentminded as he was at the moment.
"If you are like that, I will worry." Ryo said as he buckled his seatbelt. Out of the corner of his eyes, he looked at Tomohisa. The good mood from earlier as he had taken photos was completely gone. What had happened? The other's mood had changed in a flash and he couldn't find an explanation for it.
"Are you feeling sick? Because if you do, we could drop by a pharmacy."
"No, no, I am fine." The other said and then turned to look out of the window. Ryo pouted sadly, he disliked Tomohisa being that sad and he didn't even know why. How was he supposed to help the other like that?
"Let's drive to Fuji-san then."
"Hm."
Now, Ryo would have been glad if they had a radio. The silence between them was deafening.
"We should definitely visit a hot spring while we are here. Don't you think so?" Ryo tried to make conversation.
"We certainly should."
Tomohisa turned towards him and smiled slightly. At least a small smile. Ryo smiled back brightly and then concentrated more on the road again.
Tomohisa had to shake his head at Ryo. The other was so simple to look through now that he knew him a little better. It was almost cute how the other. Wait, what? Cute? Did he just think cute? It must have been another cute he meant. Yeah, like as cute as a tree or a donkey. Wait, donkeys could be really cute and stubborn, but hey, still cute. No, they were not cute! Urgh...
"Tomo..."
"Donkeys are not cute." Tomohisa interrupted the other.
"Eh? What?"
"I mean err..." Way to seem sane.
"But they are cute. They always look so loyal."
"That's...they are not."
"But why?"
"Because you aren't cute." Tomohisa said and rolled his eyes only to realize belated what he had said just now. He should stop thinking weird things and letting other people in one his craziness.
"And what is the connection between donkeys and me?" Ryo asked him confused.
Both are cute but Tomohisa kept his mouth shut this time around and only shook his head. He should stop speaking his thoughts aloud. It was such a bad habit.
Moreover, he only had to think he saw Akito and he lost sanity like that? How did he draw a connection between Ryo and donkeys anyway?
Ryo parked their car on a parking area and they got out.
Somehow he couldn't shake of the thought that Tomohisa was shaking him off again. But why? Usually, he only did that when he talked about Akito badly. He didn't. So what did he do wrong this time?
"Tomo, can we make a deal?"
"That depends what the deal is about." Tomo answered and took a picture of their surroundings.
"If one of us is angry about something the other did, can we just talk about it?"
"I can't promise anything, but I will try." Tomohisa said and Ryo nodded. That was already more than enough. Expectantly, he waited, but Tomohisa didn't say anymore.
Okay, either the other was not ready to say it just yet or he wasn't really angry at him. Ryo ruffled his hair slightly frustrated. What would he give to be able to have a look into Tomohisa's mind.
It was still hot and Ryo wished that they were people that wrote critics for ice cream.
"It's so hot."
"I wish I could surf now."
"You surf, too?" Ryo asked ecstatic and Tomohisa nodded.
"If we have a morning to spare when we are in Okinawa, we can surf, if you want." Tomohisa proposed and Ryo was more than happy to agree. It felt like ages since he had last been on a board. The last time had been with...Squeezing his eyes shut, he forced his mind to stop thinking in that direction.
A hand tugged at his wrist. Ryo breathed through his nose and concentrated on the little contact, before opening his eyes.
"Yeah?"
"Let's go that way. It doesn't seem that rampant."
Ryo looked at Tomohisa's retreating back. Maybe they hadn't met for him to heal Tomohisa, but for Tomohisa to heal...
"Are you coming? Or are you seriously thinking about climbing up that path? Because if you do, then I will tell you, you can do that alone. I am not crazy."
"Neither am I." Ryo answered and hurried up.
Tomohisa chewed on his bottom lip as Ryo was beside him again. What had gotten into him earlier? Why had he touched the other like that? Sure, Ryo had stopped flirting with him and he had because of that relaxed some, but was he being too careless?
Ryo had found out he was gay and not reacted shocked or disgusted. That probably meant the flirting the other had done at their first meeting, had not been just for show. What if Ryo was really gay, too? Till now he had tried to desperately keep that option out of his mind. Why though? He was gay, too. It was okay. Just...Tomohisa looked at the other's profile. Black hair, smouldering eyes, a well proportioned nose and thin lips that curled into a smile more often than not.
That was where the problem laid. He was finally ready to admit it.
Before he had met Akito, he would have certainly considered Ryo. He was his type. Especially, the cheeky eyes would have been his weakness.
Was he scared to fall in love?
Despite the heat, he shuddered.
"Are you okay? You have been weird since we have been to the lake." Ryo interrupted his inner panic.
"Yes, I just thought I saw a mosquito. That's all."
As he looked at Ryo, he could see the other wasn't convinced. It had been way easier to lie to Akito.
"If you say so." Ryo simply answered, but Tomohisa could feel the others gaze.
The difference between the nature that surrounded them was rather big, Ryo had to admit. They were not high enough for there to be no trees, so they tried to walk in their shadows.
Tomohisa stopped at times to take a photo.
Ryo still found it extremely interesting to watch the other work. It looked like then as if Tomohisa let go of everything that bothered him and just concentrated on the photo he was about to take. Sneakily, Ryo took his phone out and took a photo of such a moment. There were some small dots of sunlight shining through the leaves and decorating Tomohisa's body. The photo looked slightly surreal, but Ryo figured it suited them just fine. Having met Tomohisa was completely surreal to him, too.
They kept walking in silence for a while. Tomohisa wondered what he should worry more about. About the fact that he might have seen Akito or that Ryo was actually his type and in the worst case scenario also gay?
And why was he even thinking about all this? It didn't matter. Akito and he didn't have anything to do with each other anymore and he had sworn himself to never fall in love again so it shouldn't matter either whether Ryo was his type or not.
Their path got smaller and they had to walk behind each other. He walked in front of Ryo and was reminded of the day they had gone shopping together. He had been everything than sunshine and Ryo had commented about his butt none stop. In retrospect, he almost found it funny. They must have looked like idiots fighting without taking a breath. Tomohisa bit on his tongue hard as the thought wanted to steal its way into his head that he was showing his butt to Ryo at the moment, too. He shouldn't think about such things. It didn't matter what Ryo thought. They should just try to become friends, finish their assignment without problems and maybe meet afterwards for a cup of coffee and then move on.
"Argh!"
Tomohisa turned around surprised. That had been Ryo just now.
His partner was some steps behind him on the ground.
"Ry...Nishikido?" Tomohisa hurried back and crouched down in front of the other.
"It's nothing. I just slipped." Ryo carefully stood back up, but Tomohisa saw that he was trying to put as least weight on his foot as possible.
"Okay, let's go on." Ryo said, but Tomohisa frowned.
"I doubt we can do that."
"I just stumbled over a root in a stupid way. It's nothing, really."
Tomohisa bit the inside of his cheek. How serious was it? He nodded his head, but stayed beside Ryo. If he saw the other limp, they would return.
Ryo only had to make one step and Tomohisa held him back by his arm.
"You should get this checked."
"It was only a stupid little stumble."
"Yeah, maybe it was stupid. Most injuries are stupid accidents, but that doesn't change the fact it should be checked on. What if it is serious and you only make it worse through forcing yourself to go on?"
Ryo looked everything but happy.
"And if I may remind you, you told me I had to be healthy for our trip when I was down with a fever. That doesn't only count for me." Tomohisa reminded his partner.
"Okay, okay, you can be quite definite if you want."
Tomohisa frowned. Akito had often told him he didn't know what he wanted. Well, caring for someone else was sometimes easier than caring for oneself.
"If you think you can get away with everything, you are wrong." Tomohisa looked at Ryo defiantly and his partner ducked his head and nodded.
"Should we go back then?" Ryo asked.
"The question is if you can walk."
Ryo's eyes widened in shock.
"Of course I can. I have to!"
Tomohisa really hoped Ryo could, too.
Very slowly they turned around and walked down again. They were lucky that they weren't that far up and it wasn't that difficult to walk.
After walking only two minutes, Tomohisa made Ryo throw an arm over his shoulder to steady him.
"I am fine." Ryo almost sounded sulky.
"So am I." Tomohisa simply answered. It worked like that for a while. Tomohisa felt Ryo warm his side and even though it was still quite hot, he couldn't get himself to be annoyed by it. More than that, he was worried. What if Ryo had seriously hurt himself? He could hardly do their job alone. He had never been good at writing.
They had gone back half of the way as Ryo's steps became heavier and Tomohisa saw the other grit his teeth.
"There is no use to this. You are only going to hurt yourself more."
"It's fine." Ryo tried to reassure him.
"No, it is not!" Tomohisa said loudly and Ryo sighed.
"What else are we supposed to do?"
That was a really good question. Biting his bottom lip, Tomohisa stared at Ryo's hurt foot. The other wasn't even properly putting it on the ground.
"I will carry you." He said finally and took his backpack of his back.
"What? Are you crazy?"
"Maybe I am." Tomohisa let go of Ryo and kneeled down in front of him.
"Get on my back."
"No."
"Oh yes you will. And then I will drive you to the nearest doctor and you will get your foot checked up on. If you are seriously hurt, you are only going to make it worse. How are we supposed to travel further?"
"I am sorry." Ryo looked ashamed and Tomohisa could see he was blaming himself and feeling guilty because he had gotten hurt.
"Don't be and just get on my back."
Ryo moved reluctantly and wrapped his arms around his neck and reached around to take his bag so Tomohisa had his hands free. Carefully, Tomohisa stood back up and took a good grip on Ryo's thighs.
"Aren't I too heavy?" Ryo asked in a small voice.
"No, I am actually quite muscular. Let's be glad you aren't a 100 kilo man."
"Hardly." Ryo muttered and held on.
Tomohisa moved carefully. They didn't need two injured casualties on their team. He was glad he didn't have to climb up but could walk down.
Ryo stayed mostly silent. Sometimes brushing his bangs out of his eyes for him or asking whether he needed a break.
"I will take a break when I need it." Tomohisa answered simply and kept walking. It wasn't that far anymore anyway. He should be able to do it.
Eventually, he had to take a break after all and he let Ryo down. He needed to drink something. Ryo handed him his backpack and Tomohisa took big gulps of water.
"You should drink something, too." He told Ryo.
"You are actually someone who is good at taking care of others. I am impressed by you." Ryo said before drinking as well and Tomohisa felt a warm feeling bubble up inside him. No one had ever said something like that to him before. It felt really good.
"It's nothing." He mumbled and put the bottle back into his backpack without looking into Ryo's eyes.
"Don't be shy. It's something worth to be proud of."
"So I guess, you are being proud of it, too?" Tomohisa said and shook his legs and arms a little.
"Eh?"
"You took care of me too when I was sick."
"Oh that, you needed help." Ryo waved him off and put his bottle away, too.
"And you don't need help now?"
Ryo blinked at him and then smiled.
"You have become more confident, Tomo. You are giving me contra." The other explained his questioning look.
"I gave you contra before. That's why we fought so much." Tomohisa huffed.
Ryo slowly shook his head.
"No, you were defensive. You were not really trying to argue reasonably with me."
"That's..."
"I am glad." Ryo interrupted him before he could disagree. "You are letting go."
Letting go? Was he letting go? Did he want to let go?
"Life is too short to waste it." Ryo said as if he had read his thoughts.
"Glad I am not wasting it then." Tomohisa mumbled and kneeled down again. Ryo sighed and climbed on his back.
"You are such a pigheaded person."
"Hey!" Tomohisa exclaimed and contemplated dropping Ryo.
"If you drop me, I will hold on to your throat and probably strangle you." Ryo read his thoughts again and Tomohisa grumbled.
"Why am I even worrying about you?"
"Because I am the gorgeous and almighty Nishikido Ryo. The world should be glad I am gracing it with my awesomeness."
"I seriously hope you are not getting any more self-confident than you already are."
"Yeah, I know, it could get problematic if I got even more gorgeous. People would faint all around me. Maybe even you. My dazzling presence would break right through all your defences."
Tomohisa scoffed.
"Are you drunk?"
"No, I am always conceited." Ryo said as if he was talking about the weather.
Tomohisa couldn't help but laugh at Ryo's idiotic behaviour.
"Oh, what a rare occurrence. I thought it would be extinct."
"Eh? Where?" Tomohisa tried to see the rare animal Ryo must have seen between the trees.
"It's really rare. We are very luck to witness it."
"Where? I can't see it."
"It's nothing you can see. You can only hear it."
Tomohisa tried to listen, but he didn't hear anything unusual.
"I don't hear anything."
"Naturally, I was talking about your laugh, you idiot." Ryo laughed and Tomohisa rolled his eyes.
"How could my laugh be extinct?"
"There are poor creatures that can't laugh anymore. I am glad I could save you with my general gorgeousness." Ryo said teasingly and Tomohisa acted like he would drop Ryo. The other squealed, but when he noticed he had been played a prank on, he swatted Tomohisa.
"Travelling is fun. That's all." Tomohisa said and there was a thoughtful silence from Ryo.
"Do you travel often?" The other finally asked.
"I used to do so with my family, but Akito never wanted to." Tomohisa wasn't sure himself why he had brought up Akito. They always fought if he did.
"Hm..." Ryo said. "Well, then we have to make up for all he made you miss out on."
There was a weird fluttering in his stomach and Tomohisa bit his bottom lip. Ryo was way too nice to him. He was making him feel something he had sworn off.
He needed to change the topic.
"What about you? I never asked. What does your love life look like?"
There was a long silence.
"Are you sleeping?" Tomohisa asked silently.
"No, there is just no one. I am single." Ryo's voice sounded weird and Tomohisa wasn't sure what to say now. Should he keep prodding or drop the topic?
"Well, I just realized you know everything about my love life, but I know nothing about yours."
"There is not much to know, really."
Tomohisa didn't say anymore. The playful Ryo from earlier was gone. In a way, Tomohisa felt it was unfair. Ryo knew everything and he nothing. The other could be a criminal and he wouldn't know. He had met his family, but otherwise Ryo was a total mystery to him.
They reached the car and Ryo carefully sat down in the passenger seat.
"Thanks Tomo, you really helped me."
"I could have hardly left you on Mount Fuji." Tomohisa joked and got into the car as well.
"Ask your intelligent phone where a doctor is." Tomohisa instructed and drove the car out of the car park.
"There is one not far away from our hotel." Ryo showed it to him on the display and Tomohisa nodded. He should be able to find this.
"Does it still hurt?"
"A little." Ryo frowned down at his foot. "That is really an unfitting time to get hurt."
"Unlucky happenings are never fitting." Tomohisa said pointedly and Ryo nodded.
"I guess you are right."
The doctor wasn't that tough to find. He sent them to a hospital to get the foot x-rayed.
They had to wait at the hospital. A nurse had brought Ryo some ice.
"Can you still move your foot?" Tomohisa asked Ryo worriedly.
"Yes, I doubt it is broken. I will be fine." The other tried to reassure him and patted his hand. Tomohisa couldn't help but think it was comical. Ryo was the one hurt but also the one reassuring him.
Their hands touched slightly on the armrest even after Ryo had pulled his slightly back. Tomohisa couldn't help but smile slightly as he looked at their hands. They were different in a way, but almost had the same seize. Ryo's had moles on it and he felt tempted to take out a pen and connect them.
"What are you thinking about? You seem amused." Ryo asked.
"I was contemplating to connect the moles on your hand with a pen." Tomohisa admitted and made Ryo laugh. The other searched in his pocket and held out a pen to him.
"Since we have to wait, we might as well have fun." Ryo winked and Tomohisa took the pen.
"You don't mind."
"It's not like the pen is waterproof."
Tomohisa took Ryo's hand, crossed his legs and put the other's hand on his knee to be able to draw properly.
"Not scared I would grope your knee?" Ryo joked and wiggled his fingers playfully."
"How dare you would do something as bawdily like that in public. My poor knee! It is very prude, you know?"
"It's only allowed to watch PG rated movies?" Ryo asked with a totally straight face.
Tomohisa had to pull the pen away to not destroy his masterpiece as he laughed.
"Of course. Do you have any idea how anaesthetically it is to have a blushing knee? I cannot confront it with you."
"Oh, I understand. Especially if one is wearing long pants."
"Yeah well, it's like a red light bulb." Tomohisa explained, but his face was only half as straight as Ryo's.
"You are tempting me here. I am tempted to grope your knew just to see whether it will light up."
"I will never get to finish my masterpiece if we keep this up."
"And that would be the true tragedy, not a shining red knee. I shouldn't disturb an artist while he works. I am asking sincerely for your forgiveness."
"I might accept it." Tomohisa said with a smile and continued to draw.
"You drew some extra moles on my hand."
"It's called creativity." Tomohisa defended himself.
Just as they were contemplating whether it was a monkey or a frog he had drawn on Ryo's hand, the other got called in.
Half an hour later, Tomohisa was still sitting on a chair with other patients and waited for Ryo to come out of the examination room.
Ryo came out a few minutes later and waved at him.
"I have a bruise in the foot, but that's it. No broken bones; no strained ankle."
"Thank God. That would have been really awful. Is there anything we can do?"
"He gave me a cream for the swelling, but nothing more. I'll just have to bear it."
Tomohisa nodded. Maybe they should try out a hot spring. It would help them with their guide and not strain Ryo's foot unnecessarily.
"I am dying for some dinner. You?" Ryo asked as they walked carefully back to their rented car. Ryo had wrapped an arm around his waist to stable himself a little. Tomohisa was more and more getting used to having Ryo close. It didn't occur weird to him anymore to have arms wrapped around each others' waists. Should that worry him?
"I am very hungry." Tomohisa admitted. His stomach had already grumbled embarrassingly loud while he had waited for Ryo. It was about time he ate something.
They stopped at the next restaurant they saw.
"It's a sushi bar."
"I'll invite you." Ryo said and smiled.
"Eh? Why?"
"You are asking why? Maybe because you carried me down Mount Fuji? And then had to spend hours at a hospital just to wait for me."
"You would have done the same." Tomohisa tried to wave the other off, but Ryo already opened the door to their car and got out.
"Are you coming?" Ryo called and Tomohisa had to smile slightly at his impatience.
"Coming, coming."
They went inside and sat down at the counter.
"I haven't eaten sushi in a while." Tomohisa had to force himself to not lick his lips in appreciation.
"Neither have I."
They looked at the delicious treats rolling past them.
"Eat whatever you want." Ryo made again clear he was going to pay and Tomohisa decided he would get a chance to return the favour and it was ridiculous to waste time with fighting.
Tomohisa only had to eat a bit and all his attention was directed to the food.
Ryo had to smile as he saw Tomohisa savour each piece of sushi. After they had first met, he had wondered whether they would ever get close. Never would he have thought the other would carry him. Especially, since it had not been that severe. If he had been alone he would have surely managed to get down the mountain as well.
It made him happy nevertheless. Tomohisa was someone a person could rely on, but also someone you could care for. The longer he watched the other, the more confused he got. Tomohisa had obviously been a faithful lover. Why did Akito break up with someone like that?
Ryo felt really happy to be able to be with Tomohisa just as work mate and that man had thrown away so much more.
Yeah, he was really happy. A sad smile hushed over his lips, but he wouldn't think back now that everything looked so much brighter.
"Hey, should we visit a hot spring tomorrow? It will be easier for you than walking around." Tomohisa pulled him out of his thoughts.
"Oh yes, that sounds really nice. Aren't you a thoughtful person?" A little teasing should be okay, shouldn't it?
"Don't tease me." Tomohisa rolled his chopsticks embarrassed between his fingers and Ryo felt a slight fluttering in his stomach as he saw the faint blush tinting the other's cheeks pink.
"I am not allowed to say the truth?"
Tomohisa bit his bottom lip.
"Of course you are."
"Good. I'll pay now. I have to admit I am slightly tired and since you had it much tougher, I bet you wouldn't mind to lie down either?"
"You are reading my mind." Tomohisa answered and grinned.
Ryo paid and couldn't be any more satisfied. Today had been a great day. Okay, his foot didn't have to get hurt, but he really enjoyed his journey with Tomohisa.
"What will we do about your Mount Fuji article?" Tomohisa asked as they sat back in the car.
"Well, I have a few expressions already. I will spike it up with necessities for climbing. It's not like we could have climbed that much further without my fall."
"True, we need more time."
"But we won't get it." Ryo sighed.
Tomohisa parked their car and they walked to the entrance of the hotel. Just as they wanted to reach for the door, it opened.
Ryo could feel Tomohisa get stiff next to him.
"Tomo?" He asked and looked at the man standing opposite of them. He was tall and had his hair dyed in a light brown.
"Wow, you were fast at finding a new lover." The man smirked and Ryo felt his blood run cold. Was this Akito?
Tomohisa pressed his lips together.
"Akito? Did you meet someone?" Another man stepped out of the door and looked at them with interested. He was slightly shorter than Ryo himself with big eyes and white skin.
"Just an old friend, no one special."
Ryo balled his fists. He could only imagine how Tomohisa had to feel now.
"Really? I am Sato Yuuki." The smaller man introduced himself happily.
"Yamashita Tomohisa."
Sato's smile slipped slightly.
"I wondered whether we would meet one day. Akito mentioned you when I asked about his previous lovers."
"Nice to meet you." Tomohisa said and Ryo wondered how he could put an end to this situation.
"I am Nishikido Ryo." He simply introduced himself. Akito looked him up and down with a lifted eyebrow. Ryo understood more and more why the people that cared for Tomohisa had not liked his previous lover. Only after two minutes Ryo, felt like punching him in the nose.
"Your taste in men has dropped considerably." Akito said after he was done surveying him.
"I don't think so." Tomohisa said almost tonelessly and Ryo could see how his eyes formed to angry slits.
"Well, that's certainly arguable, but let me tell you Nishikido, this guy is exhausting and clamped up. Good luck at getting him into bed."
Sato giggled.
Ryo couldn't believe what he heard and contemplated to really throw a punch, but his brain stopped working all together, as he suddenly felt arms around his neck and two pairs of plump lips against his.
Tomohisa kissed him?