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FIC: Unmasked, Part 11 of 25
Title: Unmasked, Part 11 of 25
Rating: NC-17 overall
Fandom: Haru wo Daiteita (Embracing Love)
Pairing: Kikuchi/Onozuka, Miyasaka/Onozuka, Iwaki/Katou
Characters: Kikuchi, Onozuka, Miyasaka, Iwaki, Katou
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Word count: ~3,450
Sequel to: Unexpected Opportunities, Comeback (Part 1 and Part 2), Forgiveness, Firsts, First Date (Part 1 and Part 2), Going Steady (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6), Audition (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Cookout (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Press Conference (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Sanctuary, The Prince vs. the Groupie (Part 1, Part 2), Family Visit: Tokyo (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5), Gigolo (Part 1, Part 2), Yoshizumi's Night Out (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3), Family Visit: Okinawa (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5), and Interlude. The series also includes two side-stories that are outside of the main timeline: Valentine's Day Surprise and Strictly Business.
Summary: Miyasaka goes to Katou for advice.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10
***
"That was a great meal, Katou," Iwaki said, wiping his mouth with a napkin, and Katou beamed and leaned over to plant a kiss on Iwaki's lips.
"You're welcome," Katou replied. "It's important for Iwaki-san to start off the morning with a good breakfast so that he'll have the strength to work all day." Iwaki smiled with amusement, and Katou added sternly, "And I don't care how busy you are--make sure that you take the time to have something for lunch, even if it's just a sandwich or onigiri. When you get caught up in your work, you forget to take care of yourself, and I don't want to get a call saying that you've collapsed from overwork!"
"With two worrywarts like you and Shimizu-san looking after me, that will never happen," Iwaki chuckled, then added placatingly, "I promise that I won't skip any meals."
"You have to promise that even when I'm off on location, you'll remember to take care of yourself," Katou said, still not convinced.
"I promise," Iwaki replied, and kissed him reassuringly. Katou deepened the kiss and felt Iwaki respond, and he was just thinking that maybe they had time for a quickie before Iwaki had to leave for work when the doorbell rang.
Iwaki broke off the kiss and Katou cursed and said, "I swear, if it's a reporter, I'm going to kill him or her!"
"Who would look after my health and make sure that I eat if you're in prison for murder?" Iwaki retorted. "We'd better go see who's at the door--I'm sure they wouldn't bother us this early if it wasn't something important."
Iwaki had a point--at least about the being-thrown-in-prison-for-murder thing, if not about the intruder at the door being important. Their friends and family usually didn't drop by without warning, and if it was work-related, surely Shimizu or Kaneko would have called ahead first.
So Katou was surprised to find Miyasaka standing on their doorstep. "You're interrupting the breakfast of a loving married couple," he growled at his friend.
"We just finished breakfast," Iwaki cheerfully contradicted him. "Come on in, Miyasaka-kun."
"I'm sorry to bother you," Miyasaka apologized. "But I need to talk to Katou and it's really important."
He looked pale and anxious, and there were hints of dark circles beneath his eyes, as if he hadn't slept well, so Katou relented and let Miyasaka into the house. "Have a seat," he said gruffly, clearing the dishes off of the table. "I'll get you a cup of coffee. Are you hungry? There's still a bit of omelette left."
"No thanks, I already ate," Miyasaka said, fidgeting nervously. "Um...by any chance has Onozuka called or come by?"
"No, why should he?" Katou replied in a puzzled voice. "Did you two have a fight or something?"
Miyasaka hesitated, and Iwaki smiled and said, "Please excuse me, but I need to get ready for work. You two go ahead and have a nice chat."
He left the room, and Katou plunked a coffee mug down in front of Miyasaka, then pulled up a seat across the table from him. "All right, Miyasaka--spill it. What's going on?"
Katou listened, with disbelief at first, as Miyasaka haltingly told the story of how he'd walked in on Kikuchi and Onozuka making love and then realized his own attraction for the latter.
"I have to say, I'm kind of siding with Onozuka on this one," Katou said when Miyasaka finished his story. "Are you really sure that this isn't a case of envy? This sounds a lot like what happened when you saw me and Iwaki-san together."
"I know how it sounds, but it's different this time, really!" Miyasaka insisted. "It isn't just this one incident. I've been wanting Onozuka for a long time, but I just couldn't admit it to myself until now."
Katou sighed and shook his head, not so much in denial of Miyasaka's statement, but because of the potential mess that would likely result from Miyasaka's newly discovered feelings. "Miyasaka, I realize that I would be a hypocrite if I told you not to pursue true love in spite of any obstacles--after all, I pursued Iwaki-san relentlessly even when he was reluctant to accept my feelings. But something like this can ruin a friendship, and you had better be damn sure that it really is true love and not just hormones before you do anything that you might regret."
"I'm so confused!" Miyasaka groaned. "But I know that I care about Onozuka and that I want him more than I've ever wanted anyone before!"
Katou shook his head in exasperation. "Miyasaka, your problem is that you don't think! Or rather, that you think with your little head instead of the big one!" He smacked Miyasaka hard on the top of his head.
"Ow!"
"I think it's a good idea for you and Onozuka to spend a few days apart," Katou continued. "That'll give you some time to get your head straight and figure out how you really feel." He shook his head again, in bewilderment this time. "Honestly, I can't imagine ever falling in love with Onozuka."
"Yeah, but that's because you can't imagine loving anyone but Iwaki-san."
"True," Katou conceded, "but I can still understand what other people find attractive. Sure, Onozuka's a good-looking guy, and I can see why his fans buy into that Golden Prince image. But you and I know that the real Onozuka is a cynical, scheming, and sadistic bastard. Don't get me wrong--he's a good friend, and I'd want him on my side if I were in trouble, but dating him would be like dating a shark or something. He's not exactly someone I'd like to cuddle up with on a cold night."
"Cuddling isn't exactly what I want to do with him," Miyasaka muttered, blushing, and it was Katou's turn to groan.
"Please don't go into detail because I really don't want that mental image in my head. Picturing you guys together is like imagining two of my brothers doing it together--if I had any brothers, that is!"
"It's weird for me, too, you know!" Miyasaka said defensively. "And yeah, I know Onozuka has fun at my expense sometimes, but he's always been there for me when I needed him. I know that I never talk about it and that I take him for granted sometimes, but I...well...love him. And if we happen to find each other attractive as well, then wouldn't we make a good couple?"
"You're talking about two separate things, Miyasaka," Katou sighed, beginning to understand why Onozuka had fled the apartment. "I know that you love Onozuka as a friend, but just because you're physically attracted to him doesn't necessarily mean that you're in love with him. I think that you may be confusing lust with love--which is natural, since you do love Onozuka. I'm just not convinced that you love him in that way." Miyasaka frowned mulishly, and Katou knew that he wasn't going to change his friend's mind, at least not right now. Miyasaka could be downright pigheaded once he had his mind set on something.
Katou tried changing tactics. "It's not just about what you want, Miyasaka. What about Onozuka's feelings? It's not like I'm thrilled about him dating Kikuchi, but the two of them seem pretty close."
"He never wanted a serious relationship with Kikuchi," Miyasaka insisted. "Surely that means he doesn't really love Kikuchi, right?"
Katou wasn't sure that he was up to figuring out how Onozuka's warped mind worked, but he gave it a shot. "You said he got kind of freaked out about what Kikuchi said. If he didn't care about Kikuchi, it wouldn't have bothered him so much."
"I'd treat him much better than Kikuchi does," Miyasaka argued stubbornly.
Katou finally gave up. Hopefully Miyasaka would be able to think more rationally after he'd had a few days to cool down and think things over, and if not--well, Onozuka was more than capable of defending his own virtue. "If you're that set on it, then I can't stop you, but I still think it's a good idea to put a little space between you for now," Katou said. "If it really is true love, then a few days' separation shouldn't make a difference in the long run, right?"
"I guess," Miyasaka replied, sounding rather doubtful, but he pushed back his chair and rose from the table. "Thanks for the coffee, Katou. Will you call me if Onozuka comes by? I figured if he's going to crash somewhere, it would probably be here."
Katou frowned. "I haven't heard from him, but what if he does come here and asks me not to tell you? You're both my friends and I really don't want to get caught up in the middle like that."
"I promise I won't come here after him if he doesn't want to see me, but I just need to know that he's okay," Miyasaka pleaded.
The desperation in his voice startled Katou, and he gave his friend a puzzled look as he said, "I know you guys are both upset, but I don't think you need to worry that much. Onozuka's a big boy; he can take care of himself. He's not going to fall to pieces just because you guys had a fight, or even because he's freaked out about you suddenly falling in love with him."
"You don't understand!" Miyasaka shouted. "You didn't see the way he looked after Kikuchi left last night--scared and confused and lost, like a little kid! And this morning when we argued--I've seen him lose his temper with me lots of times before, but this was different. You know him--he's Mr. Control Freak, and I've never seen him lose it like that before! Actually, he looked more scared than angry, and that scares me more than anything."
Katou found it hard to picture Onozuka being scared of anything, and certainly not the friend that he always pushed around and manipulated--even if Miyasaka had gone temporarily insane. But Miyasaka looked so worried that Katou said, "Okay, if I hear from him, I'll let you know--as long as you promise that you won't come rushing over here if Onozuka doesn't want to see you."
"I promise," Miyasaka replied without hesitation. "I just want to know that he's all right. Thanks, Katou."
Once Miyasaka was gone, Iwaki came back out to join Katou. "Things are getting pretty complicated between those two," he observed.
"Eavesdropping, Iwaki-san?" Katou teased his husband, and Iwaki blushed adorably in response.
"I didn't want to intrude, but I'm concerned about Miyasaka-kun and Onozuka-kun, too," he defended himself. "I figured it must be something serious if Onozuka-kun went so far as to move out of their apartment, even if it's just temporary."
"Miyasaka in love with Onozuka?" Katou asked, shaking his head. "It boggles the mind!"
"Not so much," Iwaki said thoughtfully. "They have a close friendship and obviously care deeply about each other. Onozuka-kun went to great lengths to protect Miyasaka-kun when he...ah...became infatuated with me. When the two of you were arguing about the picture on Miyasaka-kun's cell phone that time in Hokkaido, Onozuka-kun scolded me for leading Miyasaka-kun on by giving him false hope when I let him take that picture of me. And of course Onozuka-kun was the one who reconciled you and Miyasaka-kun."
Katou scowled. He didn't like the fact that Iwaki had let Miyasaka take that photo, but on the other hand, he didn't like to hear anyone criticizing Iwaki, either. Iwaki smiled, as if reading his thoughts.
"Don't get mad at Onozuka-kun; he was just concerned about Miyasaka-kun. It was that night in Hokkaido when I began to realize that he was a good person deep down, even if he is a bit twisted, and that he cares a lot about both you and Miyasaka-kun."
"He's a good guy," Katou conceded. "So you really think that he could return Miyasaka's feelings?"
"I'm not sure," Iwaki replied. "I think that he loves Miyasaka-kun as a friend and that he's very protective of Miyasaka-kun. Maybe if he hadn't already been involved with Kikuchi-san, but then again...it sounds like maybe Onozuka-kun isn't ready for a serious relationship right now."
"I'm really worried about Miyasaka," Katou fretted. "It would be fine with me if the two of them got together, but somehow, I just can't see this ending well for him."
"Actually, I'm more worried about Onozuka-kun," Iwaki said, frowning slightly.
"Really?" Katou asked in surprise. "I'm sure he's upset about Miyasaka's sudden change of heart, but I've always thought of Onozuka as the kind of guy who can handle just about anything."
"Just about anything except matters of the heart, perhaps," Iwaki said, shaking his head. "Miyasaka-kun is up-front and honest with himself about his emotions. Maybe a little too honest, since he acts on those emotions without thinking things through--which is what got him into trouble with you and me. If Onozuka-kun rejects him, he might be broken-hearted for awhile, but he'll get over it. But Onozuka-kun..." He paused, and looked as if he were searching for the right words. "He is, as Miyasaka-kun so aptly--if not very tactfully--put it, a control freak. And love means giving up control and putting your heart in someone else's hands. Whether that person is Miyasaka-kun or Kikuchi-san, I think that might be a problem for Onozuka-kun."
"Hmm, I hadn't thought of it like that, but when you put it that way, it makes sense," Katou admitted. "So...do you think I should give him a call?" He still didn't want to get in the middle of an argument between his friends, but on the other hand, he wanted to be there if Onozuka needed his help.
"Let me do it," Iwaki offered to Katou's surprise, since Iwaki and Onozuka weren't especially close, despite their mutual connection through Katou. Iwaki smiled at Katou and said, "I think maybe I can relate to his current situation a little better than you can."
"Being torn between two different men?" Katou asked suspiciously, and Iwaki chuckled.
"Being afraid to let myself love the man who said he loved me," he clarified.
"Oh," Katou said with a sheepish grin.
"And if Onozuka-kun hasn't already found a place to stay, I think we should offer to let him stay with us," Iwaki continued.
"Do we have to?" Katou groaned. Onozuka was one of his best friends, but friendship went only so far when it came to sharing his precious time with Iwaki. He was due to leave for a location shoot in a few days, and he wanted to spend as much time alone with Iwaki as possible before he left.
"He's your friend, Katou," Iwaki reminded him, gently but sternly. "And he was there for us when we needed him."
"Oh, all right," Katou gave in, a bit sulkily.
"You're a good friend," Iwaki said soothingly, planting a kiss on his mouth. "I have to go now; I'll give Onozuka-kun a call from work later."
"Have a good day," Katou replied automatically, then muttered under his breath, "I sure hope you appreciate this, Onozuka!"
***
Onozuka's phone rang, and he saw that it was an e-mail from Kikuchi. "I'm sorry about last night, Yuu," the message read. "I meant what I said, but I handled the situation badly, and I apologize for that. We really need to talk; please call me back later."
"That's kind of a half-assed apology," Onozuka grumbled to the phone. "You're sorry, but you're not really sorry?"
He deleted the message without sending a reply. Onozuka knew that he was going to have to talk to Kikuchi eventually, but there was no point in doing that until he knew what he wanted to say. Besides, he was still angry at Kikuchi, so let the bastard squirm for now.
After this morning's performance, Onozuka was glad that he wasn't required to be on the set right away, but on the downside, he now had plenty of free time to brood over last night's events.
His thoughts and emotions were in turmoil, and he had no one to turn to for advice. His best friend was Miyasaka, but Miyasaka was the cause of his problems, and even if he hadn't been, he was still the last person that Onozuka would've sought advice from. He hung out with Miyasaka because he was fun to be around and his straightforward simplemindedness was comforting, but Miyasaka wasn't exactly known for either his intelligence or his wisdom.
Katou was a little brighter than Miyasaka, but he couldn't stand Kikuchi and would hardly be able to offer an unbiased opinion. He'd either tell Onozuka that he should choose Miyasaka (which would conveniently remove Miyasaka as a rival for Iwaki's affections), or say that Onozuka was an idiot to want either of the two men. Hmm...maybe Katou was smarter than he looked, after all.
There was his old childhood friend Toshi, of course, but Toshi would probably feel a little uncomfortable giving advice about a gay love triangle. Toshi being Toshi, he'd still do his best to help, but would probably say something naive like, "You should follow your heart, Yuu-chan." Which would be entirely unhelpful, since the problem was that Onozuka didn't know what his stupid heart wanted.
Actually, what he wanted was for things to go back to the way they were before, with Kikuchi asking for nothing more than casual sex and companionship (though only with Onozuka), and Miyasaka being nothing more than his best friend and drinking buddy and surrogate golden retriever.
The person that Onozuka confided in most (though that wasn't necessarily saying much) was Kikuchi, but Kikuchi was also part of the problem, damn him. He was the one who had said he wasn't interested a serious relationship in the first place--it wasn't fair of him to go changing the rules in the middle of the game! And Onozuka was supremely pissed off and chagrined that he, the master manipulator, hadn't noticed that Kikuchi had been manipulating him all along.
He sighed heavily. There was only one person in his close circle who was intelligent, discreet, and level-headed enough to maybe offer some decent advice, but it would be a cold day in hell before Onozuka would ever ask Iwaki Kyousuke for help.
Just then his phone rang, and when he checked to see who was calling, he was startled to discover that it was Iwaki--was the man a bloody mind reader? With some trepidation, he answered the phone and cautiously asked, "Yes?"
"Onozuka-kun?" Iwaki said pleasantly. "It's me, Iwaki. Miyasaka-kun dropped by this morning to see Katou, and I heard about what happened last night."
"On top of everything else, that son of a bitch can't even keep his mouth shut," Onozuka muttered under his breath.
"I think he was worried about you, Onozuka-kun," Iwaki said gently. "Though I certainly understand why you're upset with him. I apologize if I'm prying into something that isn't my business, but you helped me out when Katou and I were having problems with Miyasaka, and I owe you one. I just wanted to let you know that if you need a sympathetic ear, or if there's anything that I can do for you, I'm available."
Onozuka wanted to retort, "I didn't do it for your sake; I was helping Katou and Miyasaka," or maybe, "I don't need your help." But he was not an idiot like Katou and Miyasaka who reacted without thinking. So he took a deep breath and silently cursed both Iwaki and himself, then grudgingly replied, "I have to be at the studio all day, but maybe I could meet you after work," as if he were the one doing Iwaki a favor rather than the other way around.
"That would be fine," Iwaki replied pleasantly. "Why don't you come over to the house after work? We could talk over dinner. Oh, and I understand that you need a place to stay for a few days--you're certainly welcome to use our spare bedroom."
Onozuka sighed and silently admitted defeat. "Thank you, Iwaki-san," he said resignedly. "I'll take you up on your generous offer."
Part 12
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somehow a kinda cliffie ^^
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