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FIC: Unmasked, Part 20 of 25
Title: Unmasked, Part 20 of 25
Rating: NC-17 overall
Fandom: Haru wo Daiteita (Embracing Love)
Pairing: Kikuchi/Onozuka, Iwaki/Katou, Yoshizumi/Kenzaki
Characters: Kikuchi, Onozuka, Iwaki, Katou, Yoshizumi, Kenzaki, Urushizaki
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Word count: ~9,110
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: Kikuchi tries to comfort Onozuka, and their managers discover the truth about their relationship. Yoshizumi also gets an unexpected offer of comfort.
Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15, Part 16, Part 17, Part 18, Part 19
***
Kikuchi dragged Onozuka out of the waiting room and down a corridor before he had a chance to object. Rationally, Onozuka knew that Fujimoto was right and that he should apologize, but right now he was filled with an irrational fury at just about everyone: Miyasaka, for immediately jumping to his precious Iwaki-san's defense, despite claiming that he loved Onozuka; Yoshizumi, for always being so self-righteous; Iwaki, not only for putting Katou in danger, but for playing the tragic victim so perfectly that everyone felt sorry for him; and all Iwaki's friends, for feeling sorry for the poor, pitiful, martyred Iwaki. Oh, and Kikuchi, for dragging him away before he could tell them all off.
"Let me go!" Onozuka snarled, trying to break free, but Kikuchi only increased his pace and tightened his grip on Onozuka's arm, forcing Onozuka to stumble along behind him or risk falling flat on his face. He was tempted to do it, just to bring Kikuchi to a halt, but he suspected that Kikuchi would merely keep going and drag Onozuka's body on the floor behind him.
When they came across a pair of startled nurses, Kikuchi paused to ask, "Is the chapel still here?"
"Uh...yes, sir," one of the nurses replied. "Keep going straight, then turn right, and it's at the end of the hall."
Kikuchi politely thanked her, then continued dragging Onozuka along. As they left the nurses behind, he heard one of them say, "Wasn't that the Golden Prince?"
When they reached the end of the hall, Kikuchi shoved Onozuka through an open doorway. Onozuka turned to yell at his lover but got distracted when he got a look at his surroundings. They were in a small room filled with rows of wooden pews, and there were stained glass windows and a large cross set in the wall opposite the doorway.
"There's a church in the hospital?" Onozuka asked, forgetting his anger for just a moment.
"The founder of this hospital was Christian, so he had a chapel built into it," Kikuchi replied. "It's a place where people can come to pray for the recovery of their loved ones."
"How did you know it was here?" Onozuka asked.
"Noguchi-kun was staying at this hospital after he was injured in the explosion on the 'Tokyo Countdown' set," Kikuchi said. "At first the doctors weren't sure if he was going to live, and then they weren't sure if he would ever make a full recovery. His wife was beside herself with worry, and exhausted from trying to keep up a brave face for their son. So when I came to visit, I'd look after Taketo-kun to give her a break. And of course he'd picked up on his mother's fear even though she did her best to conceal it. One of the nurses told me about this place, so I brought Taketo here and told him that if we prayed for his daddy, he'd get better."
"And what were you going to do if Noguchi-san didn't get better?" Onozuka asked incredulously.
Kikuchi shrugged impatiently. "He was a frightened little kid--he needed hope, not a dose of harsh reality. Besides, I didn't know what else to tell him, and it seemed to give him some comfort. I'm not a religious man, but every time we came here, I prayed like hell that I wouldn't be made into a liar."
"So what, did you bring me here to pray for Katou?" Onozuka demanded with a sneer, releasing his anger and frustration at Kikuchi. "Do you think I'm a little kid, to be comforted by a few prayers? Do you really think I believe that praying to some unseen god is going to save Katou's life?!"
"No, though you're acting like a child right now," Kikuchi snapped. "I didn't bring you here to pray, I brought you here to keep you from doing anything stupid like lashing out at the grieving husband of Japan's top celebrity couple. Regardless of how I feel about them, the public reveres Iwaki and Katou for having such a supposedly deep and pure love. What if a nurse or an orderly overheard what you just said to Iwaki and reported it to the tabloids? You would ruin the princely image that you worked so hard to build, and you would lose your fanbase just like that." He snapped his fingers, and the sound echoed with a sharp crack in the small room.
"Do you really think I'm worrying about my career when my best friend could be dying?!" Onozuka shouted.
Kikuchi's expression softened a little and he said in a gentler voice, "You may not care right now, but you will after Katou recovers. And he won't thank you for either picking on Iwaki or for throwing your career away for his sake."
Onozuka's anger abruptly drained away, to be replaced by an overwhelming sense of terror as he found himself forced to think about the unthinkable. "But what if..." Onozuka struggled to speak, fear tightening his throat and making it difficult to speak. "What if Katou doesn't recover?" he finally managed to ask in a hoarse whisper.
"Don't worry, he will," Kikuchi said in a tone of absolute certainty. "He would never dare die and leave Iwaki alone to be preyed upon by people like me or Asano or Miyasaka, or anyone else who might covet Iwaki's fame or his ass or both."
Onozuka burst into hysterical laughter, remembering that he'd made a similar reassurance to Iwaki the night that he had slept over at their house. It had been a blithe joke at the time, and he had never imagined that his words might come back to haunt him, or that Katou would be in more danger here in Japan than in the war-torn Middle East.
He couldn't seem to stop laughing, and Kikuchi began to look a little worried. "Yuu," Kikuchi said, reaching out very hesitantly to touch Onozuka's shoulder, as if he expected to have his hand slapped away. Maybe it was that gentle touch, or maybe it was the look of concern, or maybe Onozuka had just reached the breaking point, but the next laugh that came out of his mouth turned into a sob.
"Shhh, it will be all right," Kikuchi murmured, pulling Onozuka into his arms, and Onozuka let him. He didn't have the strength to resist anymore, and besides, it felt so good to feel Kikuchi's arms wrapped around him.
Kikuchi sat down on one of the wooden benches, still cradling Onozuka against his chest as Onozuka clung to him, crying harsh, choked sobs that felt like they were being torn from his throat by force. "Ah, I'm so jealous," Kikuchi sighed. "For Katou, you'll not only weep, but you'll risk your princely image and the career that I thought meant everything to you."
Onozuka pulled away from Kikuchi and demanded angrily, "Are you seriously being jealous of Katou at a time like this?! He's my best friend and he was shot--of course I'm worried about him!"
"I know, I'm being selfish and petty," Kikuchi agreed placatingly, reaching out with one hand to gently wipe away Onozuka's tears. "But still, I can't help feeling jealous that you care about him so much. I wonder, if I'd been the one who was shot, would you be weeping for me?"
"You wouldn't be stupid enough to jump in front of a bullet for me!" Onozuka snapped.
Kikuchi smiled at him with an odd look in his eyes that was somehow both tender and fierce at the same time. "Oh, but I would," he said softly. "Naturally, I'd prefer to push you out of the way or heroically knock the gun out of the shooter's hand without any harm to myself, but if there was no other choice...if there was no time to do anything else, then yes, I would jump in front of a bullet for you, Yuu."
Onozuka suddenly remembered the way that Kikuchi had pulled him to the floor when he'd been about to impulsively rush to Katou's side, and had even shielded Onozuka with his own body. He began to tremble at the realization that Kikuchi's professions of love might really be sincere, and then he was gripped by a more intense and visceral fear when he imagined Kikuchi being shot like Katou.
"Don't you dare even joke about that!" Onozuka shouted, his hands grabbing Kikuchi's jacket to give him a rough shake.
"I'm not joking," Kikuchi replied in that quiet but intense voice. "I would do anything to protect you." His hand reached out to caress Onozuka's face again and he whispered, "I love you, Yuu."
Onozuka shook his head in mute denial, but his body trembled violently and his hands clutched even more tightly at Kikuchi's suit jacket, crumpling the expensive cloth in his fists. He wanted to cling to Kikuchi and never let him go...and at the same time, he wanted to run so far and fast that Kikuchi would never be able to catch him.
"Tell me something, Yuu," Kikuchi's quiet voice said, gentle but implacable. "Do you love Katou? I don't mean love him as a friend--are you in love with him, even just a little? I know you would never try to come between him and Iwaki, but if you had met Katou first, before he met Iwaki, would you have pursued him as a lover?"
"I don't know," Onozuka whispered, dropping his gaze to stare at Kikuchi's chest so that he wouldn't have to look Kikuchi in the eye. It was something he had not allowed himself to think about, the same way that he had refused to think about his attraction to Miyasaka until Miyasaka had forced a confrontation. Of course he loved Katou dearly and although he didn't dwell on it, he did find Katou physically attractive--but did that add up to being in love with him? If Katou had been single when they'd first met, perhaps Onozuka might have pursued him, but on the other hand, Katou hadn't really been interested in men until he'd met Iwaki. So even if Onozuka had wanted Katou, Katou might not have wanted him. And did he really want Katou? Yes, he found Katou attractive, and yes, he was a little jealous of the attention that Katou showered on Iwaki, but he also suspected that Katou's bouncy exuberance would drive him up the wall if he actually had to live with the man.
Besides, Onozuka thought to himself wryly as he recalled the sleepless night he'd spent in Iwaki and Katou's house, he would probably die of exhaustion if he were Katou's lover! But that reminded him that there was a very real possibility that Katou might die, no joke, and suddenly the image of Katou being shot flashed through his mind, mixed with the memory of Kikuchi shouting--in fear as well as anger, he realized now--and grabbing him and pinning him down on the floor.
"I can't," Onozuka said, looking up to stare at Kikuchi pleadingly. "I can't think straight--please, I just can't deal with this right now!"
Kikuchi sighed, looking sad, but there was compassion in his eyes as well. "You're right," he said, gently touching Onozuka's face. "I'm not being fair. But after Katou has recovered, we really do need to talk...not just about him, but about us."
"Yes," Onozuka agreed wearily, finally giving in. He was simply too tired to keep running any longer, and besides, he had already more or less made his choice when he had turned down Miyasaka. "After Katou has recovered."
He knew that saying it wouldn't make it true, any more than praying would, but still, the confidence in Kikuchi's statement that Katou would recover was comforting. And when Kikuchi's arms closed around him again, he didn't resist that, either. Onozuka sighed with pleasure, his body automatically relaxing in Kikuchi's familiar embrace. Strangely, he felt safe and secure in Kikuchi's arms, even though Kikuchi was anything but safe.
"And by the way," Onozuka said gruffly in a slightly muffled voice, his face pressed against Kikuchi's chest. "I would weep if you were stupid enough to get shot, so please...don't."
"I won't," Kikuchi promised, his arms tightening around Onozuka as his lips planted a very gentle and tender kiss on the top of Onozuka's head.
***
After Kikuchi hauled Onozuka away, Fujimoto and Kojima exchanged a look, then nodded slightly at each other. Fujimoto bowed deeply towards Iwaki and said, "Please forgive Onozuka-kun, Iwaki-san. His behavior was deplorable, but I know he didn't mean it. I'm sure he was feeling frustrated and helpless, and he lashed out at the most convenient target, which unfortunately happened to be you."
"That doesn't excuse--" Shimizu started to say, but Iwaki shook his head.
"It's all right, Shimizu-san," he said, struggling to regain his composure. "Fujimoto-san is right; I'm not angry at Onozuka-kun. I know how much he cares about Katou, and I understand how he feels." Shimizu gave him a skeptical look as another tear ran down his face, and Iwaki assured her, "I'm not crying over what Onozuka-kun said. I'm just worried about Katou."
"You are very gracious, Iwaki-san," Fujimoto said, bowing again. "I'll be sure to have Onozuka-kun give you a proper apology when he calms down."
"That's not necessary," Iwaki said, then got up and began pacing around the waiting room fretfully. Obviously he meant what he said and his mind was on his lover rather than Onozuka's outburst.
The niceties observed, Fujimoto and Kojima immediately set off in search of their errant clients. When the corridor split off into two branches, they hesitated over whether to go left or right, then happened to spot two nurses conversing in the hallway.
"Excuse me," Kojima said. "Did you happen to see two men pass by here a little while ago?"
"Do you mean Kikuchi-san and Onozuka-san?" the first nurse asked. When Kojima nodded, the nurse continued, "Kikuchi-san was looking for the chapel. I know that Katou-san is being operated on right now, and I suppose they wanted to pray for him."
"That's very touching," the second nurse sighed.
"And the chapel is...?" Kojima prompted impatiently.
"Down that way," the first nurse replied, pointing towards the right-hand corridor. Kojima thanked her, and she and Fujimoto hurried down the hall.
"A chapel?" Fujimoto muttered incredulously. "I can't picture either of them praying!"
Kojima smiled wryly and said, "It does seem rather unlikely, but I'm sure that Kikuchi-san just wanted to get Onozuka-kun away from Iwaki-san until he calms down."
"This is completely unlike him," Fujimoto muttered worriedly.
"Everyone has their limits, Fujimoto," Kojima replied, not without sympathy although she had sometimes envied Fujimoto his perfectly behaved client when hers was so contrary. "His best friend was shot, after all."
"I know, but still..." Fujimoto said, then fell silent as they approached the chapel and heard the sound of arguing voices. The chapel had an open entrance with no door to close for privacy, and they cautiously peered in, although they needn't have taken such care since Onozuka and Kikuchi were too preoccupied to watch for eavesdroppers.
Kojima thought that poor Fujimoto would have a heart attack when Onozuka shouted, "Do you really think I'm worrying about my career when my best friend could be dying?!"
"Calm down," Kojima murmured.
"My client is about to throw away his career, and you think I should calm down?" Fujimoto muttered sarcastically, but he did manage to pull himself together--at least until Onozuka burst into tears and Kikuchi gathered the younger man tenderly into his arms. It wasn't with the air of someone trying to comfort a colleague, or even like a notorious gay actor taking advantage of the situation to score a point with a handsome man that he was interested in. No, the embrace had the appearance of intimacy and familiarity, and it was obvious--at least to Kojima's discerning eye--that the two men were lovers.
"Oh no," Fujimoto groaned softly. "And here we just got over the scandal about his family!"
Fujimoto grew increasingly distraught as they listened to the rest of their clients' conversation. It was obvious that Kikuchi and Onozuka were indeed lovers, but Katou seemed to have come between them in some way--possibly Kikuchi was simply jealous of Onozuka's close friendship with Katou. Whatever the reason, tonight's shooting seemed to have acted as a catalyst to bring them back together.
"This is a complete disaster!" Fujimoto groaned.
Kojima managed to remain more objective. She was irritated with Kikuchi, not so much because he'd taken a lover, but because he hadn't warned her about it so that she could run interference with the media. And also because out of all the actors he could have slept with, he had chosen one whose popularity was based on a shining image of idealism and innocence. But then, she suspected that Kikuchi took pleasure in deliberately stirring up trouble, and she wondered if his American manager had been happy to see him go back to Japan and become someone else's problem.
"More harm would be done to my client than yours if this got out to the press," Kojima said coolly. "Everyone thinks that the Prince is as pure as the driven snow; Kikuchi's the one who will be cast as the villain who corrupted the Golden Prince."
Fujimoto glared at her and snapped, "And if the Prince is no longer pure, then his popularity will drop, and both of our clients will be unemployed!"
"Not necessarily," Kojima said calmly. "There have already been rumors that they fell in love on the set of 'Love Reborn,' and the public seems more titillated than disgusted by them."
"There's a difference between enjoying a little speculative gossip and actually knowing that the Prince is sleeping with a man!" Fujimoto argued.
"It can't be a casual affair, of course," Kojima replied. "But if we can persuade the public that it is a pure and true love, that they are soul-mates like Iwaki and Katou, then the fans would eat it up and the Prince would not lose his reputation."
"Pure, huh?" Fujimoto said doubtfully, but he calmed down and gazed speculatively at the couple in the chapel. "That's going to be a pretty hard sell, given Kikuchi's reputation."
"No harder than convincing the public that two porn stars can have a 'pure' love, surely," Kojima pointed out. "Besides, Kikuchi's reputation might actually make the story even better--the rogue who was tamed by the Prince's true love." Fujimoto pretended to gag, and Kojima smiled. "Yes, it's trite, but most of Onozuka's fanbase is female, and women love bad boys."
"Including you, Kojima?" Fujimoto teased.
"Depends on your definition of 'bad,'" Kojima replied with a straight face, and Fujimoto chuckled.
"Well, the situation may be salvageable," he conceded. "But it's still hard to believe that Onozuka, of all people, could have done this to me! Onozuka has always been so well-behaved--unlike most of my other clients, he never caused me a moment's trouble, aside from that tabloid story about his family."
"You have to watch out for the perfect ones," Kojima advised. "Having to be perfect puts them under a lot of pressure, so when they finally snap, it turns into a huge explosion. At least with Kikuchi, I know to expect trouble, even if I don't always know what kind of trouble to expect."
Kikuchi happened to glance up and finally spotted them in the doorway. He looked startled and then a bit guilty when Kojima glared at him, trying to send the message, You and I are going to have a long talk about this later! Kikuchi smiled and dipped his head slightly in acknowledgment, then turned his attention back to Onozuka.
As for Onozuka, his face was still resting against Kikuchi's chest, and he seemed completely unaware of their presence. Kojima decided that it was probably better to keep it that way for now--in his current emotional state, he might well have another outburst if confronted.
So Kojima pressed a finger to her lips and motioned for Fujimoto to move a little further back from the chapel entrance. "Let's leave them be for now," she said quietly. "Hopefully Katou will make it through his surgery safely, and Onozuka will be a bit more rational once he knows his friend is out of danger. One of us should go back to the waiting room to keep track of Katou's condition."
"And one of us should stay here to keep people away from the chapel," Fujimoto said. "No one knows they're here except for those nurses, and they seemed to think that Kikuchi and Onozuka actually were coming here to pray. It may be that we'll able to keep their affair secret, after all."
He seemed a little more cheerful, but Kojima cautioned him, "Of course, but we can't count on that."
"I know," Fujimoto agreed. "We have to prepare for the possibility that they'll be outed--if not now, sometime in the future."
"It's almost inevitable," Kojima said. "No one can keep a secret like this forever. It may be that we should consider going proactive rather than waiting for the tabloids to out them. At least we'll be able to control how the information is given out and portray them in the best light possible."
"Maybe," Fujimoto reluctantly agreed. "But it's something we should think very carefully about and not rush into."
"Of course," Kojima said. "The four of us should get together and discuss it tonight or tomorrow, depending on when Katou gets out of surgery." She added in a steely voice, "And I intend to have a more private discussion with Kikuchi when I can manage to get him alone."
"I don't envy him," Fujimoto chuckled. "I'll stay here, then, and you can go back to the waiting room."
Kojima nodded, shivering slightly. The air conditioning in the hospital was turned up pretty high, and she began to wish she'd chosen a long-sleeved dress instead.
"Here," Fujimoto said gruffly, taking off his jacket and draping it over her shoulders.
Kojima looked at him surprise and said, "My, I didn't know you were such a gentleman, Fujimoto!"
"I can take it back if you feel it's contrary to my un-gentlemanly nature," Fujimoto grumbled, and Kojima laughed.
"It was meant as a compliment," she teased, slipping her arms into the sleeves of the jacket. They were too long, of course, but at least it was warm, and it didn't matter how she looked if there were no TV cameras around.
"It didn't sound like one," Fujimoto retorted, and Kojima laughed again and headed back to the waiting room.
***
Despite being worried about Katou, Onozuka felt drowsy and content as he rested in Kikuchi's arms. In fact, at some point he really did doze off, and woke to Kikuchi gently shaking his shoulder and saying, "Onozuka-kun?"
"Hmm?" Onozuka mumbled sleepily.
"Katou just got out of surgery," a crisp female voice said.
Onozuka instantly came fully awake and jerked free of Kikuchi's embrace to see Kojima and Fujimoto standing in the chapel doorway. Kojima was regarding them coolly, while Fujimoto was glaring at Onozuka in a way that promised a stern lecture in the near future.
"Is Katou all right?" Onozuka asked anxiously; he could worry about pacifying his manager later.
"I don't know," Kojima replied. "The doctor will be coming out to speak with Katou's family in just a minute."
Onozuka jumped up and hurried out of the room, but Fujimoto grabbed his arm as he passed by and whispered, "We're going to have a little chat about concealing information later, your Highness."
"Yes, Fujimoto-san," Onozuka said meekly. Fujimoto did not look placated, but he released Onozuka and they all headed back to the waiting room.
Katou's parents were there, looking pale and tense as they clutched each other's hands tightly. His sister was there as well, and Onozuka was struck by the similarity between the two. She looked like a female version of Katou, and not just physically--she had a bit of his air of stubborn demeanor. There was a very determined look on her face, as if she thought she could keep her brother alive by sheer force of will, and somehow that made Onozuka feel a little better.
Kojima introduced Kikuchi and Onozuka to Katou's family, and Youko managed to smile at them. "I've heard so much about you from Oniichan," she told Onozuka. "I'm happy to finally meet you, although I wish it were under happier circumstances."
"Oh dear, I'm almost afraid to ask what he's been saying about me," Onozuka joked.
"Lots of things," Youko replied, with a twinkle of mischief in her eyes despite the tense atmosphere. "But I've often told Oniichan that he could take lessons in courtesy from the Golden Prince!"
"The two of you look very alike, but clearly you have much more discerning tastes than your brother," Onozuka said, taking her hand and gallantly lifting it to his lips.
Youko giggled, but then a weary-looking doctor walked into the waiting room, and Onozuka dropped Youko's hand, all joking forgotten. Everyone who was still seated jumped to their feet, and they all stared anxiously at the doctor, who looked serious and a little worried--not exactly the kind of look you'd expect to see from someone about to report good news.
"We managed to repair the damage done by the bullet," the doctor said. "However, Katou-san lost a lot of blood, and his body suffered a severe shock."
"So what does that mean?" Katou's mother demanded. "Will he be all right or not?"
"Right now he's in critical but stable condition," the doctor replied. "We need to watch him carefully, but if he makes it through the next day or two, he should be all right." He smiled reassuringly at Katou's mother. "It was a difficult surgery, and to be honest, it was touch and go at times, but your son showed a very strong will to live. I'm hopeful that he'll make a full recovery."
"See, I told you that Katou-san is a fighter!" Kaneko told Iwaki.
"Oniichan is way too stubborn to die," Youko agreed, tears of relief welling up in her eyes. "Especially if it means leaving Iwaki-san alone!"
Iwaki didn't seem completely reassured yet, though, and he anxiously asked, "Can we see him now?"
The doctor looked uncomfortable and replied, "He's in intensive care, so only family will be allowed to visit with him right now."
Iwaki's grief-struck expression suddenly turned into something much more steely and implacable when he realized what the doctor was implying. "I'm Katou's husband," Iwaki said coldly. "I am his family."
"Well, yes, but unfortunately Japanese law does not recognize--"
Iwaki looked like he was about to charge past the doctor to rush to Katou's side, pushing his way through by force if necessary, but Youko intervened. "That's nonsense!" she snapped. "Iwaki-san is my brother's husband and they love each other as much as any heterosexual couple. In fact, Oniichan is here because he risked his life to save his beloved husband's!"
"We consider Iwaki-san to be part of our family," Katou's father said firmly, and his wife nodded in agreement.
"I understand," the doctor said, looking as though he would rather be doing any number of difficult surgeries than having to deal with this situation. "Personally, I have no objections, but hospital regulations are very strict..."
Kojima moved up beside him and murmured, "I understand that you're in a difficult position, Sensei, and that you could get in trouble for breaking hospital regulations. However, please keep in mind that the public considers Iwaki-san and Katou-san to be a married couple regardless of what the law says. Wouldn't it be much worse for the hospital if word got out that Iwaki-san was kept from his husband's side when Katou-san's life was hanging in the balance?"
"Since Katou-san's family has no objection, then I suppose we can look the other way this once," the doctor conceded.
"Thank you," Iwaki said graciously. He seemed to have drawn strength from his brief confrontation with the doctor, and he looked much more calm and confident as he turned to the rest of them and said, "It's late; you should all go home and get some rest. I promise that I'll call if Katou's condition changes."
"I should stay with you," Shimizu tried to argue.
"I appreciate your support," Iwaki said gently. "But there's no point, since they aren't allowing anyone but family to visit, and your own family needs you, Shimizu-san. Please go home for now."
Shimizu nodded reluctantly, and Fujimoto pointedly told Onozuka, "Don't you have something to say to Iwaki-san?"
Onozuka had calmed down enough to acknowledge that his accusation had been unfair, at least in this instance. He still thought that Iwaki often put himself into compromising or even dangerous situations, but no one could have anticipated that the ex-president would go this far. Besides, Kikuchi was right and Katou wouldn't thank Onozuka for what he'd done--instead, Katou would probably yell at him and give him a good smack upside the head once he found out what had happened. But Onozuka would gladly welcome that reprimand if it meant that Katou was strong enough to hit him.
He bowed deeply and said, "I'm very sorry, Iwaki-san. I didn't mean what I said earlier, and it was completely out of line. I lost my temper because I was worried about Katou, but of course that's no excuse for my behavior."
"It's all right, Onozuka-kun," Iwaki said sincerely, placing his hand on Onozuka's shoulder. "There's nothing to forgive. I know that you were upset because you care so deeply about Katou. He's lucky to have a friend like you."
Onozuka sometimes wished that Iwaki would be a little less gracious and understanding so that it would be easier to hate him. On the other hand, if Iwaki were the sort of person that Onozuka could hate wholeheartedly, then Katou probably wouldn't have fallen in love with him. He repressed a sigh, then bowed once more and said, "Thank you, Iwaki-san."
Iwaki and Katou's family went to see Katou, and the others began to disperse. "Are you coming home with me, Onozuka?" Miyasaka asked. "Or..." His gaze shifted over to Kikuchi.
"Fujimoto and I need to discuss some business with Kikuchi-san and Onozuka-san, so we'll give them both a ride," Kojima said smoothly. "Yoshizumi-san, I apologize, but will you be all right going home on your own? I'd be happy to call a taxi for you."
"Please don't worry about it," Yoshizumi told her. "I'm fine, and I'll call a cab for myself." He gave Onozuka a sympathetic smile, so he probably guessed that they'd be talking about more than just "business."
While Onozuka had been apologizing, Fujimoto had been speaking to the head of hospital security. "Security will let us go out the service entrance to avoid the press," he said. "Katou's doctors will be giving the media an update on his condition in a few minutes, so that will keep them occupied and hopefully we'll be able to slip out unnoticed. I'll bring the car around and meet you there."
***
They got into the car, Kojima taking the front seat beside Fujimoto, tacitly allowing the two lovers to sit in back together, although Fujimoto scowled. Onozuka looked completely exhausted, and while not quite taking pity on him, Kojima decided that it would be unproductive to have an extended conversation right now.
"Let's take them home," she told Fujimoto. "Everyone's tired and emotions are running high. We can all get together and confer tomorrow--or rather, later today--when we're rested and can think more rationally."
Fujimoto grudgingly agreed, and Kikuchi said, "Just take us both to my place." He glanced at Onozuka, who hesitated and then nodded. When Fujimoto scowled at him, Kikuchi shrugged and said, "Well, there's no point hiding it anymore, at least from you two, and the paparazzi will all be at the hospital focusing on Iwaki and Katou, so it should be safe enough."
"Fine, but do not think that I'm letting you two off the hook!" Fujimoto snapped. "Onozuka-kun, didn't I make it clear how important it was that you not conceal things from me after that tabloid scandal about your family? Why didn't you tell me that you were seeing Kikuchi-san?"
"Because you would have told me to stop seeing him, and I didn't want to do that," Onozuka replied, with such uncharacteristic blunt honesty that Kojima couldn't hold back a startled laugh.
Fujimoto glared at her and snapped, "This is not funny! Their careers could be ruined over this, and ours along with them! I already lost one major client before Onozuka-kun was assigned to me, and the agency won't look kindly on a second failure. And some of the men at your agency resent being outshined by a woman, so they'll be eager to see you fall and would probably be happy to give you a push to help you on your way if they can get away with it."
"I'm sorry, Fujimoto-san," Onozuka said wearily. "This is the truth: I'm gay and I've been sleeping with Kikuchi-san, but he's the first man that I've been with since I signed with the agency."
"And the women you've dated?" Fujimoto asked.
"Only for show," Onozuka replied. "I slept with a few of them, but my preference is for men. I knew that a gay scandal could ruin my career, so I've been 'living like a monk,' as Miyasaka puts it. But assuming that I'm fortunate enough to have a long-lived career, I don't think I'm capable of being celibate for the next ten or twenty years."
"Is it just about sex, then?" Fujimoto asked, turning to glance briefly at the pair in the back seat.
The possessive look in Kikuchi's eyes said that it was not, at least on his part. When Onozuka hesitated, he looked a little hurt, but then Onozuka laid his hand over Kikuchi's, as if to reassure him.
"It might have started off that way, but it's not anymore," Onozuka said quietly. "We...well, we're sort of in the process of trying to figure out what it is about."
"We'll discuss this in further detail later, but if you're going to be in a relationship with a man, then it has to be serious," Kojima warned him. "Kikuchi-san might be able to get away with it, given his already notorious reputation, but the public will not tolerate promiscuity--particularly homosexual promiscuity--from the Prince."
"I understand," Onozuka said.
"I'm not sure you do," Fujimoto said scowling. "I think that you've been very lucky up until now, but you can't count on luck or even careful planning to keep your secrets concealed. They have a way of getting out no matter how careful you are."
"Yes, Fujimoto-san," Onozuka said meekly.
"And there's the matter of the you blaming Iwaki-san for Katou-san's injury," Fujimoto continued. "Hopefully we can keep it quiet, but the hospital staff might gossip if they overheard you, and so might your friend Asano-kun. You believed that he was the one responsible for alerting the tabloids about your family, right?"
"Yes, but Yoshizumi-san has already given Asano-kun a very stern lecture about spreading rumors," Onozuka replied, smiling wryly. "He can be quite intimidating when he puts his mind to it, so I think that Asano-kun will behave himself, at least for now."
"All right," Fujimoto sighed as he pulled up in front of Kikuchi's apartment building. "We'll talk more later, but I want you to think very long and hard about whether your relationship--or whatever it is you have with Kikuchi-san--is worth the risk. If you decide that it is, then we'll work out a strategy, but as Kojima said, it's going to have to be all or nothing--as the Prince, you cannot do anything halfheartedly."
"I'm beginning to understand that," Onozuka replied, but it was Kikuchi he was staring at instead of Fujimoto, and there was a look of irony and resignation mingled with a hint of affection in his eyes.
They waited until Kikuchi and Onozuka were safely inside the building, then Fujimoto said, "I'll drop you off at your place, but you'll have to tell me how to get there."
Kojima gave him directions, then leaned back against the passenger seat and sighed, "I can't wait to go home and change into something more comfortable!"
"You didn't enjoy being Kikuchi-san's date and walking down the red carpet?" Fujimoto asked.
"I find that I much prefer working behind the scenes in comfortable anonymity," Kojima replied firmly.
"Too bad," Fujimoto said gruffly. "You...looked good tonight."
Kojima gave her colleague a startled look and laughed, "Well, thank you for the compliment, Fujimoto!" And the cynical, scheming, cold-hearted Fujimoto actually blushed like a schoolboy, in a manner more suited to the Prince.
"I meant it," he grumbled, keeping his eyes resolutely fixed on the road ahead.
"So did I," Kojima replied, gazing at her companion speculatively. She had known Fujimoto for a long time, and although they worked for different agencies, they got along well together. Sometimes they were allies, as they were now, and sometimes they were rivals, depending on the needs of their clients. She preferred him as an ally because he made a dangerous adversary, but either way she respected him, and she knew that he felt the same way about her. Unlike some of her coworkers, Fujimoto had never made the mistake of underestimating her because she was a woman.
Their relationship was strictly professional, but they were friends, in a sense--as much as their solitary and cynical natures would allow. They trusted each other, within limitations--she would never expect him to put her needs ahead of those of his clients, and vice versa--and there was mutual respect between them. Would that change if their relationship became a bit more personal, she wondered.
She glanced over at Fujimoto, who was still intently focused on the road, and decided that it wouldn't. He wasn't the sentimental sort, and he would continue to do what was best for his clients' and his own career; that was what she liked about him. And she, of course, would do the same.
When Fujimoto stopped the car in front of her building, Kojima asked, "Would you like to come up and talk strategy over a glass of wine? We do have our work cut out for us, after all."
Fujimoto looked startled, then gave her a closer look, noting and acknowledging the invitation in her eyes. He smiled back at her and replied, "Why yes, thank you, Kojima. I think that would be a very good idea."
***
Urushizaki, like most of his peers, had been covering the Academy Awards that night. He'd been disgruntled that Iwaki had won instead of Katou, but he still had a job to do, and got a nice shot of the pair leaving the Awards with Iwaki's trophy in hand--and just by chance, had managed to get a perfect shot of Katou tackling Iwaki and saving his life, even though he thought his own heart would stop when he realized that Katou had been shot.
While the other photographers were busy snapping photos of the wounded Katou and the devastated Iwaki, Urushizaki was already thinking ahead. He took a chance and rushed to the nearest hospital, gambling that Katou would be taken there--a pretty good guess, since time would be of the essence, and moreover, it was a university-run facility with an excellent reputation. His gamble paid off, and he managed to slip inside before the cordon to keep out the media went up.
Urushizaki also managed to sneak into a staff-only area and grab a set of dirty scrubs from a laundry bin. From there, he managed to bluff his way up to the floor where Katou was taken, walking briskly, as if he were on an important errand. He had learned from past experience that if you looked and acted like you belonged in a certain place, other people usually wouldn't challenge you.
He knew that his masquerade would only carry so far, though, and he didn't push it. He ducked into an empty room that hadn't yet been assigned to any patients, and was able to keep watch from there, cracking the door open very slightly to peer through it. Urushizaki's first concern was finding out whether Katou would be all right or not, but he had also promised to take his work seriously for Katou's sake, so he managed to sneak a few shots of Iwaki arriving and being comforted by his manager and friends.
From what the doctors had said, it sounded like Katou would be in surgery for at least of a couple of hours, maybe more, so Urushizaki settled down for a long wait. But then something interesting happened when Kikuchi and Onozuka arrived--Onozuka blamed Iwaki for Katou's injury, and Kikuchi dragged Onozuka off before the argument could escalate.
Urushizaki hesitated, then decided to follow them--there would be no news about Katou for awhile, so maybe he could manage to get another scoop in the meantime. He overheard Kikuchi asking for directions to the hospital chapel, and he managed to snap one shot of the pair heading there without being noticed.
Before Urushizaki had a chance to actually follow them into the chapel, he heard the pair's managers following after them, and only just barely managed to duck into a broom closet before he was caught. He was stuck there for a very long and uncomfortable wait, squeezed between mops and brooms and cleaning supplies, but he did manage to pick up a very juicy piece of gossip from the managers' hushed conversation: Kikuchi and Onozuka were indeed lovers, and Onozuka's manager was none too happy about it. Kikuchi's manager was more philosophical, but Onozuka probably had more to lose than Kikuchi.
Urushizaki was relieved when he was finally able to leave the cramped closet, and even more relieved to learn that Katou would probably be all right. The doctor was careful to temper his optimism with caution, and Urushizaki wouldn't be able to fully relax until Katou was given the all-clear, but like Katou's sister, he had confidence that Katou was simply too stubborn to die.
He hesitated briefly over whether to stay at the hospital or to follow Kikuchi and Onozuka, but Katou was mostly out of the woods, and the longer he stayed, the greater the risk of detection. So he rushed down to the service entrance and ducked behind a parked car for cover. A minute later, Fujimoto's car pulled up, and Kojima got in the front passenger seat beside him, while Onozuka and Kikuchi climbed into the back seat. Even better, Urushizaki was able to snap a shot of Kikuchi placing his hand on the small of Onozuka's back in a protective gesture as Onozuka got into the car. Of course it wasn't quite as good as a kiss or embrace, but it would still fetch a nice price and help support his story.
Fujimoto had a reputation for being very sharp and savvy, and Urushizaki thought he would probably notice if he was being followed. So instead of following the car, Urushizaki took another gamble and headed directly to Kikuchi's apartment building, breaking the speed limit and running a few red lights to get there ahead of Fujimoto. He couldn't be one-hundred percent certain that was where they were heading, but the agency offices were closed, and he figured that they probably wouldn't be heading to the apartment that Onozuka shared with Miyasaka, due to the lack of privacy. It was also possible that Fujimoto was just going to drop the actors off at their respective homes, but once again Urushizaki's gamble paid off, and Fujimoto dropped both men off at Kikuchi's building.
He had to take the shot from a distance to avoid being spotted, but Onozuka's blond hair made him easily identifiable, even from behind and at this distance. If it was later in the day, Urushizaki could have tried to bluff his way into the building by buzzing a random tenant and pretending to be a delivery man, but he was satisfied with what he had. A photo of Onozuka and Kikuchi entering the latter's building together in the wee hours of the morning was nearly as incriminating as a close-up of a passionate kiss would be.
***
Yoshizumi left the hospital, but instead of calling a cab, he decided to walk for a few blocks to get some air and clear his head. He had tried to stay calm for the sake of Iwaki and the others. One person--Onozuka--losing it had been bad enough, without the rest of them falling into tears or accusations as well. At least Kikuchi had taken charge of the situation and managed to stop Onozuka from hurting either Iwaki or himself further--much as he'd taken charge right after the shooting, Yoshizumi now realized. Kikuchi was indeed a man of hidden depths, and Yoshizumi was impressed that he'd immediately gone to his rival's aid, whether that was for Katou's sake or just Onozuka's.
But even hours after the fact, the image of Katou being shot was still seared into Yoshizumi's mind, and now he had a great deal more sympathy for how his own friends must have felt when he'd been injured in the fire. However, he couldn't truly bring himself to regret rushing into the burning building to save the film, any more than Katou would regret shielding Iwaki--even though a human life was obviously worth more than a roll of film.
He had turned his cell phone off, per hospital policy, and when he turned it back on to finally call for a cab, he saw that he had several messages waiting--all from Kenzaki. Yoshizumi hesitated; it would be easier to ignore Kenzaki's messages, but he knew that his friend must have heard about the shooting and was probably worried about him. Despite the awkwardness between them, he owed it to Kenzaki as a friend to return the calls and let Kenzaki know that he was okay.
Kenzaki picked up on the first ring, so he must have been waiting for Yoshizumi's call. "Are you all right, Yoshizumi-san?" he asked anxiously. "I heard about what happened, and I know that Katou-san and Iwaki-san are good friends of yours, so I wanted to see how you were doing. I left you a message--well, several of them, but..."
"Sorry, I had to turn my phone off in the hospital, so I didn't realize you had called," Yoshizumi replied. "I appreciate your concern, but I'm all right. Katou-kun's condition is 'critical but stable,' and the doctor seems to think that his chances are good. Only family are being allowed to see him right now, so Iwaki-kun said the rest of us should go home. I'll go back to see Katou-kun tomorrow if visitors are allowed, or at least to make sure that Iwaki-kun gets some food and rest."
"Are you at home already, or are you still at the hospital?" Kenzaki asked.
"I just left the hospital," Yoshizumi replied. "I was about to call a cab when I saw your messages."
"Where exactly are you?" Kenzaki asked. "I'll come pick you up."
"That's not necessary," Yoshizumi told him. "It's no trouble to call a cab, and besides, aren't you at work?"
"We'll be closing in less than two hours," Kenzaki said. "Besides, as soon as I heard about the shooting, I told Shou that I would be taking off early, and made apologies and rearranged appointments with my regular clients. I've been sitting here in the office waiting for you to call."
"Kenzaki-kun, you really don't need to--" Yoshizumi tried to protest.
"Come on, Yoshizumi-san," Kenzaki said impatiently. "Your good friend, someone that you care about, was nearly killed--of course I want to be there for you! If the situation were reversed and it was one of my friends--say, Shou or Shinkawa or my Iwaki-san--wouldn't you be there for me?"
"Well...yes," Yoshizumi had to reluctantly admit.
"I want to be there for you, Yoshizumi-san," Kenzaki said earnestly. Then, no doubt sensing the reason for Yoshizumi's reluctance, he pleaded, "As a friend. I won't lie and say that I'm giving up on you, but...tonight you need me as your friend, not a prospective lover. Can we say that we'll call sort of a temporary cease-fire? Please, Yoshizumi-san...I don't want you to have to be alone tonight. Let me be there for you. Let me pick you up and take you home or to my place, and stay the night with you. No strings attached--I won't use tonight to pressure you into a relationship." He hastily added, "Not that we have to sleep together if you prefer not to. I just wanted you to know that I'm offering that comfort if you need it, but if all you need is someone to talk to, or just a friend to be there with you, that's fine, too. Just please...let me be there for you, Yoshizumi-san."
Yoshizumi found it difficult to speak around the lump that had suddenly formed in his throat, but he arranged to meet Kenzaki in front of a convenience store across the street. Once he got there, he sat down on the curb and tried not to shed the tears he felt stinging his eyes. For the first time, it occurred to him that he might be wrong about the nature of love. He had always seen it as something inconvenient and oppressive, and it was true that a relationship required compromises, and sometimes resulted in arguments and hurt feelings. But Kenzaki had reminded him that love also meant caring and support and unselfish generosity--although perhaps he should have remembered that from watching Iwaki and Katou together, instead of just their most nauseating moments.
And now he felt ashamed because Kenzaki had given his love and friendship to Yoshizumi wholeheartedly and unstintingly, while Yoshizumi had been holding back, offering only so much of his affection and no more.
A few minutes later, he heard Kenzaki's car pulling up in front of him although his vision was blurred because he could no longer hold back the tears that were spilling down his face.
"Yoshizumi-san!" Kenzaki exclaimed, jumping out of the car to kneel beside him. "Are you all right? I thought that Katou-san was going to be okay, or at least that he was stable. Did his condition worsen?"
"No, as far as I know, it's the same," Yoshizumi replied, still weeping. "It's not that."
"Then what?" Kenzaki asked gently, cradling Yoshizumi's face in his hands.
"I'm sorry, Kenzaki-kun," Yoshizumi whispered. "I've been stubborn and pigheaded and selfish."
"You've had a very long night," Kenzaki said, looking slightly puzzled. "Let's go home and get some rest, and we can talk about it later."
Yoshizumi finally managed to get himself under control and wiped the tears from his face. "I can't accept your offer of 'no-strings attached' tonight," he said, quietly but firmly.
"Yoshizumi-san, I meant what I said," Kenzaki replied, looking hurt. "I don't expect anything from you--"
"No, that's not what I meant," Yoshizumi hastily interrupted, clasping Kenzaki's hands with his own. "I didn't mean that I don't believe you. I meant that it would be wrong of me to keep taking from you without giving anything in return."
"Yoshizumi-san?" Kenzaki asked, looking confused and more than a little worried.
Yoshizumi took a deep breath and said, "If I'm going home with you, then it has to be with the understanding that I'll work at being a couple with you." His next words came out in a rush: "I still don't know if this is a good idea--I'm very bad at relationships and I'm obviously an idiot when it comes to love and I'm terrified that I'll hurt you, but..." He had to pause to take a deep breath before continuing, "But I care about you and I don't want to lose you. And I trust you not to play games with me or try to smother me. So if you still want this, then I'm willing to give it a try."
A look of incredulous joy filled Kenzaki's face, bringing tears to Yoshizumi's eyes again, and Kenzaki flung his arms around Yoshizumi, kissing him soundly. "Thank you, Yoshizumi-san," he whispered fiercely. "That makes me very happy." Then he pulled back and said reluctantly, "But I can't accept that offer right now, not when you've just gone through something traumatic and might be feeling vulnerable." He kissed Yoshizumi again, very tenderly this time. "Take some time and think things over, and if you still feel the same way, then I'll welcome you with open arms."
"You are being too noble, my friend," Yoshizumi scolded. "How can you possibly be such a good host when you're so idealistic? When you have a vulnerable man pledging love to you, you ought to be taking advantage of the situation!"
Kenzaki burst into laughter and hugged Yoshizumi tightly, and suddenly both of them were laughing and crying at the same time in each other's arms. After some time, Yoshizumi remembered that they were sitting in front of the convenience store, and looked up to see the clerk staring at them through the plate glass window with fascination and a little fear, obviously wondering whether the two of them were having some sort of nervous breakdown in front of his store.
"I'm sure that we still have a lot of hurdles to overcome, but we don't have to figure everything out tonight," Yoshizumi chuckled. "Let's go home before we traumatize that poor clerk further!"
Part 21
***
Afterword: As you may have guessed by now, Iwaki and Katou's dinner party was a red herring, since obviously they aren't going to be up to having one for awhile. Sorry! I started feeling bad when I saw how much people were looking forward to it when I knew it wasn't going to happen. They will have the party eventually, but it'll be more of a "welcome back, Katou" celebration. (Okay, that's a spoiler, but you don't seriously think I'm going to kill off Katou, do you? ~_^)
Actually, when I was planning the original outline, Onozuka and Kikuchi did make up at Iwaki and Katou's house. (And ended up having sex in their bedroom--I do regret giving up that part of the scene!) But I started thinking that it would have been a lot more dramatic in canon if Katou really had been shot protecting Iwaki, and then that gave me the plot bunny about Kikuchi protecting and comforting Onozuka.
The chapel scene is probably an outgrowth of the earlier "Sanctuary" story. Since it's mostly a Western/Christian convention, I don't believe that most Japanese hospitals have chapels. I've never seen one in a TV show, and the only online reference I could find to one was for a Christian-run hospital in Japan, so I figured that it was plausible but rare enough that Onozuka wouldn't immediately recognize what it was.
I was also thinking about Iwaki and Katou's marriage, in combination with the ongoing battle to legalize gay marriage/civil unions in the US, and I started wondering if they would encounter problems in the future because even though they (and the public) consider themselves married, current Japanese law does not.
Btw, I picture Fujimoto as looking a bit like Tanahashi from Boku no Koe, only with his hair slicked back, and as with Kojima, looking a lot more stern. Also, a commenter on LJ thought that Lisa Yadomaru from Bleach would make a good Kojima, and I have to say that the glasses and that grumpy expression are just perfect! ^_^
And sorry--I still didn't finish O&K's reconciliation, but there will be lots of hot make-up sex next time, I promise! ^_^
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Talk about a cliffhanger XD!
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I loved the scene where their managers find out. Ah, the way Kikuchi and Onozuka were berated... Also, the strategy and the thoughts behind it made very much sense. And basically I like your Kikuchi so much that I certainly wish a happy, publically recognised relationship for him.
The chapel scene with the two lovers... I loved the final "I love you, Yuu". I loved how Urushizaki was oh, so cleverly, spying on them - and do I look forward to the exposure of their relationship? And I loved Onozuka finally giving in to the inevitable.
Yoshizumi... Yeah. He needed to come to that realisation. Knowing Kenzaki, it should work out, it really seems as if he genuinely understands Yoshizumi's dislike of being mentally cuddled in a relationship.
Such a great chapter.
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anyway, i'm happy circumstances, in the fact that both managers have been eavesdropping, force Onozuka to speed up his decision making. good move. it's a favorable moment, since he just had some emotional time with Kikuchi in the chapel. now, i dunno what kinda chaos will come out of Urushizaki's s*it stirring, as usual. this guy..
EDIT: you should pair Asano and Urushizaki! they have lots in common, especially their hobby to spy on people to embarass them and their high professional ambition. they'd sure have fun nights climbing, bike speeding, eavesdropping, nosing around into people's lives and endlessly talking about how they messed up whose business LOL
and i'm really glad Yoshizumi eventually opened his eyes and his heart to Kenzaki <3
now, i'm preparing to enjoy multiple smexx! pity half the couples are hetero XDD - but at least for our two gay couples, i wouldn't mind explicit scenes *hehehe*
and yes, Lisa Yamadoru makes a perfect Kojima!
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I didn't originally intend to have Yoshizumi and Kenzaki make up here, but suddenly I realized it was a good opportunity for Kenzaki to show Yoshi the more generous side of love.
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I haven't quite decided what to do with Asano yet, but he and Urushizaki would make a good couple, the two schemers! We'll see...
Heh heh, I wasn't planning to show the het couples in the bedroom, but there will definitely be some lovin' going on between Kikuchi and Onozuka!
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i agree, plz no het smexx! though what about Yoshizumi/Kenzaki? *kitty eyes*
Asano+Urushizaki = smexx scene on a roof while shooting pix of some adulterous celebs ("oh.. aaah.. wait Asano.. ngh.. don't bang me so hard, i'm missing the targets") / smexx scene in a back street garbage container while listening with a micro to a closet couple ("come on Urushizaki, suck harder, with the smell here i'm getting soft") / smexx scene with bandages after they both got beaten up for nosing around ("oww.. careful, it HURTS!.. aaah fuck, don't touch THERE!") / smexx scene where they both come without even touching just by telling each other the last scandal they provoked ("..and then, as he was blocked in the lift with his mistress due to my special care *pant*, i called the ambulance, the fire brigade, his wife and the press.. ngh ngh aaah")
gawd. what a heap of bull. it's time i go to bed i think XDDD
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(I especially like the one where they get beat up for nosing around!)
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but really, this was sleepy time-to-go-to-bed nonsense XDD
actually, i'd be happy to find the resolution to finish my started fics already (Fei Long ♥ x Orochimaru, and some other charas planned to pair him with *hehehe*)! besides i'm quite bad at writing bullshit/drabble and stuff, i mean more than a couple of funny lines ^^.. i'm not sure i can "feel" Asano or Urushizaki enough to produce more than complete crap XDDD.
i'm so keyed into pure consuming of yaoi manga-anime-movies-novels that i can't move my lazy a$$ over to produce some too XDDD. thus i totally admire you guyz who put the energy into real keyboardXbrain action! *bow*
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*wipes tears*
*feels cheated out of K/O smexing in I&K's bedroom scene*
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