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FIC: Moving Day
Title: Moving Day
Rating: NC-17
Fandom: Haru wo Daiteita (Embracing Love)
Pairing: Kikuchi/Onozuka
Characters: Kikuchi, Onozuka, Miyasaka
Disclaimer: No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Word count: ~7,560
Sequel to: A Peek Inside Onozuka's (and Kikuchi's) Bag! (See my Fanfic Masterlist for the complete series listing.)
Summary: Kikuchi is happy when Onozuka finally moves in with him, but his mood quickly changes when he finds a certain video among Onozuka's possessions.
***
"That's the last one," Miyasaka said, wiping the sweat from his brow as he deposited a large cardboard box on the living room floor.
"Thanks, Miya-chan," Onozuka said, handing him a glass of iced tea. "I really appreciate you helping me move."
"No problem," Miyasaka replied. "Katou wanted to help, too, but Iwaki-san just about had a fit when he suggested it."
"I can imagine," Onozuka laughed. "It's okay, I don't want Katou to hurt himself lifting heavy boxes, and more than that, I don't want to incur Iwaki-san's wrath! He's pretty easygoing most of the time, but he can be downright scary when he's being protective of Katou!"
"Then they're two of a kind," Kikuchi said with a wry smile. "Yoshizumi-kun would probably call it nauseating."
"Says the guy who threatened a reporter for leaning over to smell my cologne," Onozuka retorted with a grin.
"I didn't threaten her," Kikuchi replied with an air of wounded dignity. "I merely mentioned that she seemed to be getting a little close to you--she was practically crawling onto your lap, after all."
"You're exaggerating, Katsuya," Onozuka scolded him, but he looked pleased by Kikuchi's jealousy. "And Kawashima-san seemed to think you meant it as a threat--she turned pale and jumped away from me like I'd just caught on fire!"
"Good," Kikuchi said with satisfaction, and Onozuka laughed.
Miyasaka looked uncomfortable with their flirtatious banter; things were still a little tense between him and Kikuchi, although they'd called an unspoken truce for Onozuka's sake. Kikuchi was tempted to make a blatant display of physical affection just to prove to Miyasaka that Onozuka was really his, but managed to restrain himself. In the end, Onozuka had chosen him over Miyasaka, so it would be petty to rub the boy's nose in it further. When it came to his prince, Kikuchi was willing to admit that he could be quite petty indeed, but deliberately antagonizing Miyasaka might annoy Onozuka, and he didn't want to fight with his lover on their first official day of living together. And besides, Miyasaka had done them a favor by helping Onozuka move his things even though he was clearly unhappy about giving up his best friend to his rival.
So Kikuchi forced himself to smile graciously and say, "I made lunch while the two of you were driving over. It's just onigiri, but you're more than welcome to join us, Miyasaka-kun."
Miyasaka tilted his head back, draining his iced tea in one gulp, then set the empty glass down on the coffee table. "Thanks, but I should get going," he replied. "I have a script that I need to study, and I'm sure that the two of you want to be alone, anyway."
"Thanks again, Miya-chan," Onozuka said, giving his friend an impulsive hug. Miyasaka looked startled, but awkwardly returned the hug while Kikuchi took a deep breath and silently counted to ten. He tried to remind himself of all the reasons why it would be a bad idea to pick a fight with Miyasaka today, but it was difficult to think clearly when he had to see his lover in another man's arms.
Fortunately, the two of them kept the hug brief and separated before Kikuchi lost control of his temper. "Don't be a stranger," Miyasaka said gruffly to Onozuka. "It gets a little lonely for me, being the only single guy when you and Katou are playing house and getting all lovey-dovey with your significant others. Let's still go out drinking once in awhile, okay?"
"Don't worry, I won't abandon you," Onozuka reassured his friend with a grin. "In fact, give me a day or two to get unpacked and settled in, and then we can go over to Rusty Nail and visit Kenzaki-san!"
"Are you really serious about going to a host club, Onozuka?" Miyasaka asked nervously. "I thought maybe you were only joking."
"I'm completely serious!" Onozuka insisted. "I'll ask Yoshizumi-san to set up an appointment with Kenzaki-san." When Miyasaka still looked reluctant, Onozuka cajoled, "Aw, come on, Miya-chan--we'll be discreet and get a private room, but even if the press finds out, we can say that it's research for Yoshizumi-san's TV show."
"That's not really what I'm worried about," Miyasaka replied. "It's more the idea of going to a club to be waited on by a bunch of guys..."
"It's not like you have to sleep with them," Onozuka pointed out. "They're just going to pour drinks for you and flirt a bit."
"Well..." Miyasaka hedged.
"Just come along with me this once," Onozuka coaxed. "I promise that if you don't like it, I won't ask you to go there again."
"Okay then," Miyasaka reluctantly gave in. "Just this once."
"I'll give you a call later," Onozuka said cheerfully, and Miyasaka said goodbye and left.
"Want to eat before we start unpacking?" Kikuchi asked.
"Sure," Onozuka replied, gazing at all the boxes in the living room. "It might be a good idea to build up some strength before getting down to work."
So Kikuchi went to the kitchen and brought out more iced tea and a tray of onigiri lined up neatly in three rows. "They look like little soldiers," Onozuka laughed. "And you sure made a lot of them!"
"I thought that Miyasaka was going to stay for lunch," Kikuchi replied. Being polite to Miyasaka had taken a considerable effort, but he felt rewarded for his good behavior when Onozuka smiled at him tenderly.
"I think it's sweet that you're being nice to Miya-chan for my sake," Onozuka crooned, leaning over to give Kikuchi a kiss.
"Well, he is your best friend, after all," Kikuchi said virtuously, hoping for another kiss or maybe even more than that, but Onozuka's attention had shifted back to the food.
"So what's in these?" Onozuka asked.
Kikuchi repressed a sigh and told himself that he should be happy that Onozuka liked his cooking. "Pickled plums," he replied, pointing at the first row of onigiri. "Grilled salmon," he continued, pointing to the second row. "And shrimp tempura," he said, indicating the final row, although that was obvious from pieces of golden batter-covered shrimp sticking up out of the rice.
"How extravagant," Onozuka said with a smile, then picked up one of the shrimp onigiri. "Let's eat!" he declared, and bit into it with gusto.
"Were there a lot of paparazzi outside?" Kikuchi asked as they ate.
"Yeah, they'd gotten wind of the move, but since our relationship isn't a secret anymore, it was no big deal," Onozuka replied casually. "I just smiled and said..." He paused to assume the sweet, princely demeanor of his public alter-ego, then continued, "'I'm really happy to be moving in with the man I love.'"
Kikuchi's heart skipped a beat at the word "love," but that brief excitement faded into disappointment when he realized that Onozuka was only acting the role of the devoted lover. Onozuka seemed to have no problem making public declarations of love during their official interviews--nauseating enough to make Yoshizumi blanch, but he had yet to say the words directly to Kikuchi in private.
"Mmm, this is delicious," Onozuka said, not seeming to notice Kikuchi's discomfort as he reached for another of the rice balls. Kikuchi relaxed slightly and smiled at Onozuka's sincere pleasure in the food, reminding himself that he had promised to be patient and allow Onozuka to take things at his own pace.
They ate heartily, but there were still several onigiri left after they were done. "Are you sure that you don't want another?" Kikuchi asked.
"I'm stuffed," Onozuka replied, smiling contentedly as he patted his stomach. "Why don't you save the rest for dinner?"
"Okay," Kikuchi agreed. "I still have some salmon left, and I can cook that to go along with the leftovers."
Onozuka grinned and laughed delightedly, "I'm getting so spoiled, having home-cooked meals every day!"
"I'm happy to spoil you, your Highness," Kikuchi chuckled, leaning over to give him a kiss, which Onozuka willingly returned. However, when he tried to prolong the kiss and slip his hands beneath Onozuka's shirt, Onozuka reluctantly pushed him away.
"Sorry, but I've still got a lot of unpacking to do," Onozuka said regretfully, looking at all the boxes piled in the living room. "It's hard to believe I accumulated so much stuff while I was living with Miya-chan. It didn't seem like much at first, but I swear that it expanded somehow while I was packing! And I didn't even take everything with me--I let Miyasaka keep my stereo and dvd player since you already have your own here."
"Should we seriously consider moving into a bigger apartment?" Kikuchi asked. "It would be a little more expensive, but since we'd be splitting the rent, it would still be less than if we were each renting our own place separately."
"I'm not sure if I want to move a second time," Onozuka replied, gazing at the boxes ruefully.
"We would just be moving up or down a few floors if we move to a bigger unit in this building," Kikuchi pointed out. "Besides, isn't it better if we move while your things are still packed than to unpack them and have to pack them up again later if we decide that this place isn't big enough for us?"
"You have a point," Onozuka conceded. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to at least take a look at a two-bedroom unit. I think three bedrooms would be a bit excessive, but a second bedroom could double as a study and storage room."
"I'll talk to the resident manager and make an appointment," Kikuchi promised.
"In the meantime, I guess most of this stuff can stay in the boxes, if you don't mind them cluttering up the living room," Onozuka said.
"No problem," Kikuchi replied. "We can shove them in the corner where they won't be in the way so much."
"Then I'll just need to unpack the necessities, like my clothes and computer," Onozuka said.
"I've cleared some room in the closet and dresser for you," Kikuchi told him. "As for your computer..."
"Don't worry, it's a laptop, so it won't take up much space and I can keep it stored away when I'm not using it," Onozuka said.
"So what's in all these boxes, anyway?" Kikuchi asked curiously.
"I labeled them," Onozuka replied, pointing to one box, which had "books & scripts" scrawled on the side with a black marker. Another just said "misc--fragile." When Kikuchi glanced at it curiously, Onozuka opened it, lifting out a video game console. "I noticed that you didn't have one, so I brought it with me," he said with a grin.
"I'm not really into video games, but you can hook it up to the TV if you want," Kikuchi said, smiling in amusement. The idea of the Prince playing video games was unexpected but kind of cute.
"It's good stress relief--for me, anyway," Onozuka said, still grinning. "Miya-chan and I play against each other when we have free time, but I think he finds it frustrating because I almost always beat him. It's not so much that I'm a great player, but I'm better at strategy than he is."
"Just about anyone is better at strategy than your hot-headed young friend," Kikuchi said dryly. "Though I do acknowledge that you are a very clever and devious prince."
Onozuka just laughed, and Kikuchi continued looking through the box. There were some games to go along with the console, framed pictures, and other various items, but a small electronic gadget caught Kikuchi's eye.
"Is this a webcam?" he asked.
Onozuka grinned slyly and replied, "Yes, it can transmit images to a cell phone or computer. I bought it when I set up the reconciliation meeting between Miyasaka and Iwaki--I wanted to be able to monitor the situation just in case Miya-chan got out of control."
"You're a very clever prince, indeed," Kikuchi chuckled, then regarded the camera speculatively as it occurred to him that it could be put to other uses.
"I think I'll hold onto this for safekeeping," Onozuka said firmly, plucking it out of Kikuchi's grasp. "Just in case you got some kind of pervy ideas, like watching me undress or recording us having sex."
"I wasn't thinking anything of the sort!" Kikuchi protested, feigning indignation.
"I do the innocent act much better," Onozuka retorted, but he smiled and gave Kikuchi a placating kiss. "I'm going to go unpack my clothes."
"Insolent brat," Kikuchi grumbled good-naturedly as he began moving the rest of the boxes against the wall where they'd be out of the way. "I'll have you know that I'm--"
"An award-winning actor, yes I know," Onozuka said cheerfully as he headed to the bedroom to unpack.
"You sure have a lot of videos," Kikuchi called out as he picked up a rather large and heavy box labeled "videos & dvds."
"Well, of course," Onozuka called back, poking his head through the bedroom door. "I got into acting because I love movies. And I've also saved copies of every TV appearance I've ever made. From the very beginning, Fujimoto told me that I should review my performances to see how I could improve on them."
"Really?" Kikuchi asked, setting the box back down on the floor. The thought of watching a young, just barely adult Onozuka was very appealing. "Can we watch some of your old dramas?"
"They're mostly just bit parts up until a few years ago," Onozuka laughed. "I had a lot of small roles in school dramas because I still looked young enough to pass for a high school student--or even middle school, when I was just starting out."
"I'd love to see you in a school uniform, your Highness," Kikuchi said with a playful leer.
"You're such a pervert!" Onozuka laughed. "All these fetishes you're developing are starting to worry me a little."
"Now that we're living together, I just want to get to know you better," Kikuchi replied, giving him a hurt look. Onozuka let out a little snort of laughter and muttered something disparaging about Kikuchi's acting skills. "Is it so wrong for me to want to view your work and get a better understanding of your career?" Kikuchi protested, ignoring his lover's muttered sarcasm.
"Go ahead, then, if it makes you happy," Onozuka said, then gave him a mischievous wink. "But if you're going to watch my old dramas, then I want to watch your American ninja movie!"
"You don't really have a copy of that, do you?!" Kikuchi exclaimed in dismay, and Onozuka grinned at him gleefully.
"Of course I do--I told you that I was a big fan of yours! It should be in that box, as a matter of fact."
"If I could, I'd gather every copy that was ever made and make a bonfire with them," Kikuchi groaned.
"But Katsuya, I just want to understand your career better," Onozuka said sweetly. "Your entire career, both here and abroad." When Kikuchi stared balefully at the box, still contemplating the idea of wiping out what he considered an embarrassing blot on his career, Onozuka warned him in a sterner voice, "And if you try to destroy my copy of the movie, I'll just go ahead and buy another one and I'll mention it in every interview I give, telling your Japanese fans that they ought to go out and buy it, too."
"I surrender," Kikuchi said, dropping down on the couch as he threw his hands up in defeat. Onozuka laughed, looking quite pleased with his triumph, then retreated back into the bedroom to continue unpacking.
"I definitely underestimated him," Kikuchi grumbled to himself, but smiled a little in spite of his chagrin. He'd first become attracted to Onozuka because of the challenge that he presented, and Onozuka continued to challenge him every day that they were together. It could be a little frustrating at times, but mostly he relished their verbal and mental sparring--having a battle of wits with an unarmed person was no fun, after all.
And Kikuchi comforted himself with the idea of watching a young Onozuka playing a high school student. Not that he would ever really sleep with an underage boy, not even one as adorable as Onozuka, but the idea of an adult Onozuka playing at being a high school student--now that was titillating!
So he opened the box and began sorting through it. Stacked on the top were movies and dramas by other people that Onozuka had presumably bought for his own viewing pleasure--some of Kikuchi's movies were among them, including the much-despised ninja movie. Kikuchi resisted the urge to throw it in the trash and sighed as he set it aside along with the others.
Beneath those were the videos of Onozuka's shows and TV appearances--all labeled, numbered, and dated precisely. Kikuchi set aside the most recent ones that he had already watched, the mystery drama and the "Brothers" drama with Iwaki, and began looking for the older shows. As he reached the bottom of the box, a video caught his eye, one in a plastic case with a professionally printed cover that stood out among the home-recorded tapes with their cardboard sleeves and handwritten labels.
Curious, Kikuchi lifted the video out to get a better look at it. The title was "Special Delivery," and it pictured a curvaceous woman in a skimpy, loosely-tied robe opening the door for a handsome man in a delivery uniform--a very familiar-looking man with a shoulder-length mane of golden-brown hair.
"YUU!" Kikuchi roared.
Onozuka ran out into the living room, looking anxious and then puzzled. "What's wrong?" he asked as he glanced around, trying to find the source of whatever had upset Kikuchi.
"What is this?" Kikuchi demanded, holding up the video.
"Oh," Onozuka said, smiling sheepishly as he sat down on the couch beside Kikuchi. "It's a porn video."
"The question was rhetorical," Kikuchi growled. "And it's not just any porn video--it's one of Katou's porn videos!"
"Fine, it's a porn video of Katou," Onozuka admitted with an air of slightly exaggerated patience, like a parent or teacher trying to soothe an unreasonable child, which only angered Kikuchi further. "So what? It's not like you don't have a few porn videos stashed away in your collection."
"Well, but they're gay porn and I don't personally know any of the actors," Kikuchi said defensively, then stopped and did a double-take at Onozuka. "Wait a minute--how do you know about the porn videos?" They were hidden in the back of a shelf behind his regular dvds and videos, and he hadn't touched them in months--having a live Prince in his bed was much more satisfying than watching two actors do each other on a TV screen.
Onozuka smirked at him and replied without the slightest trace of shame or apology, "I went snooping through your collection one night while you were in the shower. Although you really don't have to hide your porn from me, you know."
Normally Kikuchi would have been amused by his young lover's antics, but he was still filled with a sense of jealous rage at the thought of Onozuka watching and lusting over Katou's naked body. "And were you trying to hide this from me?" he snarled, holding up Katou's video again.
"Of course not," Onozuka said, giving Kikuchi another puzzled look. "If I'd been hiding it from you, I wouldn't have let you look through the box," he pointed out logically. "I bought it as a lark ages ago, when Miyasaka and I first met Katou--I'd forgotten that I even had it."
"You just packed that box within the last few days, didn't you?" Kikuchi retorted. "How could you have forgotten about it so quickly?"
Onozuka frowned at him slightly, beginning to look worried. "I know I said that you're cute when you're jealous, but this is getting a little excessive. I just threw it in with all the other videos when I was packing--it's nothing special; I just held onto it as a gag souvenir, that's all."
"Oh, so now you remember packing it?" Kikuchi asked sarcastically.
Onozuka's frown grew deeper, and his voice sharpened with annoyance as he said, "Why are you making such a big deal about this? It's just a video. What, do you think I'm secretly watching it every night and drooling over Katou?"
"Well, what am I supposed to think?!" Kikuchi demanded. "You told me that you aren't attracted to women, so if you aren't watching it for the actress, then you must be watching it for Katou! You can't deny that you have a bit of an obsession with him--I know how jealous you are of Iwaki!" He leaned forward, waving the video at Onozuka accusingly as he shouted, "So tell me, do you get off on watching this and fantasizing that Katou is doing you instead of the girl?!"
Onozuka's face turned pale and he didn't just flinch, he actually scrambled back on the couch in a very undignified and unprincely manner, and that finally snapped Kikuchi back to his senses. "I'm sorry, Yuu," Kikuchi whispered, letting the video fall to the floor as he buried his head in his hands. "God, I'm so sorry! I don't know what got into me."
Onozuka hesitated for a moment, then cautiously approached Kikuchi and reached out to lay a hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong, Katsuya?" he asked softly. "You really scared me."
"I'm sorry," Kikuchi repeated, still too ashamed to look his lover in the eye.
"It's not just about the video, is it?" Onozuka persisted. "I know that you're a little jealous of Katou, but I've never seen you react like that before. So what's really bothering you?"
Kikuchi remained silent, struggling to put his feelings into words because he wasn't quite sure of the answer himself. He knew that Onozuka cared about him, but somehow he still found himself constantly weighing Onozuka's feelings for him against Onozuka's feelings for Katou and Miyasaka in his mind, with the sneaking suspicion that he was coming up a little short in comparison.
"I really did buy the video mostly as a joke," Onozuka said, gently pulling Kikuchi's hands away from his face to clasp them between his own, and Kikuchi reluctantly glanced up at his lover. "Miyasaka and I first met Katou after he'd become a mainstream actor, after the 'Embracing Love' TV series had become a hit," Onozuka continued. "Of course we knew about his past as a porn star and we were a little curious, so I bought one of his videos on the internet. We watched it once and had a laugh over it, but honestly, it was kind of weird watching a friend having sex--a bit too much like voyeurism, you know? So I put it away and I swear that I haven't watched it since then."
He sounded completely sincere, but Kikuchi couldn't stop himself from asking, "And the sight of Katou having sex didn't turn you on, at least a little?"
A faint hint of guilt and embarrassment in Onozuka's face, quickly covered up with a look of exasperation, told Kikuchi that the answer was probably "yes." However, Onozuka just sighed and asked, "Why don't you trust me? Even if I had been turned on by the video, that was way before I met you. I haven't been with anyone else since we started dating, not even when it was supposedly just a casual relationship. I've told you over and over that Katou and I are just friends, and even if I were inclined to cheat--which I most definitely am not--it wouldn't be with Katou. He'd never touch anyone but his precious Iwaki-san."
"It's not that I think you would cheat on me with Katou or anyone else," Kikuchi said.
"Then what is it?" Onozuka asked, concern mingling with frustration in his voice.
"It's just..." Kikuchi paused, still trying to sort out mixed thoughts and emotions. "Do you remember what I asked you in the hospital chapel, if you were in love with Katou, even just a little bit? You never answered me."
"I love Katou, but as a friend," Onozuka said, a bit impatiently, but he gave Kikuchi's hands a reassuring squeeze. "I won't deny that I find him physically attractive, but what straight woman or gay man wouldn't? That doesn't mean that I want to sleep with him. I don't fantasize about him, and I certainly don't jerk off to his porn videos in secret!" He smiled playfully, attempting to lighten the mood. "Come on, I know you enjoyed acting out the love scenes with the other guys at the audition, and I noticed the way you would discreetly give appreciative looks to the groupies that hung around outside the studio. But as long as it's all 'look but don't touch' and you're not too blatant about it, I don't give you a hard time." Kikuchi raised an eyebrow and Onozuka grinned and added, "Not too hard a time, anyway!"
Kikuchi knew that he should just smile and drop the subject. He knew that Onozuka wasn't cheating on him, and he knew that Onozuka wasn't going to give up his friendship with Katou just to soothe Kikuchi's hurt pride--and moreover, Kikuchi knew that it would be wrong to ask his lover to do such a thing even if Onozuka had been willing. But somehow he just couldn't let it go, even though it made him feel pathetically insecure and jealous, as he had never been with any of his previous lovers.
"But if you had met Katou before he'd met Iwaki and before you'd met me, could you have fallen in love with him?" Kikuchi persisted, not knowing why he was being so stubborn about it when he suspected that he wouldn't like Onozuka's answer.
Onozuka heaved an exasperated sigh and replied, "If I say 'yes,' you'll be angry and if I say 'no,' you probably won't believe me. How can I say for sure what I would have done in a hypothetical situation? If Katou had been single, I probably would have thought that he was a hot guy, and maybe I would have pursued him--and maybe he would have rejected me, because he isn't really attracted to men and Iwaki is an exception. Or maybe we would have dated and broken up because it wasn't meant to be. I'm sure that Katou would say that he and Iwaki were destined to be together. Or maybe I would have decided that sleeping with a guy, even one as hot as Katou, wouldn't be worth the risk of being outed. I haven't so much as touched a guy since I officially signed with the agency. I only made an exception for you because...well..." He smiled sheepishly at Kikuchi. "You were my favorite actor when I was a kid, and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to sleep with Kikuchi Katsuya."
Kikuchi felt a little better until Onozuka unwittingly ruined the mood by adding, "And Iwaki and Katou's public romance made me think that it might be possible to survive being outed, after all." Kikuchi scowled at the mention of his rival and Onozuka sighed again. "What about you?" Onozuka demanded, going on the offensive. "What if the public had been more accepting of gay relationships ten years ago? Would you still be with that Kenji guy? Or if you hadn't gotten the call to co-star in Katou's movie, would you still be living in America with Daniel-san?"
The jealousy in Onozuka's voice reassured Kikuchi, and the fog of jealousy clouding his own mind began to dissipate. Onozuka was still holding loosely onto his hands, and Kikuchi shifted his fingers so that he could lace them through Onozuka's.
The annoyed expression on Onozuka's face softened slightly, and Kikuchi replied honestly, "I don't know, but I don't think that either relationship would have lasted. I'm not proud of it, but I didn't love either of them enough to stay and work things out when the going got rough--instead, I ran. But with you it's different. The thought of losing you terrifies me, and there is no way that I would ever let you go."
"Not even if things got rough?" Onozuka asked suspiciously. "Say, if us being together would ruin your career?"
"I can't honestly say that I'd give up acting for you," Kikuchi admitted. "But I wouldn't put you second behind my career like I did with Kenji, and I wouldn't run away even if the public turned against me. I'd stay and keep fighting to build up my career again, and even if it meant going back to auditioning for bit parts like a newbie, I'd be able to swallow my pride and do it, as long as you were by my side. And if you ever decided to leave the country, I'd follow you even if it meant going back to doing supporting roles and stupid ninja movies."
Onozuka laughed, but he still didn't look completely convinced. Kikuchi smiled wryly, thinking to himself that they were a perfectly matched pair of jealous, insecure fools, so maybe they really were meant for each other.
"I am crazy about you, almost literally," Kikuchi told Onozuka. "I am so desperately in love with you that I can't think straight. When I see how close you are to Katou and Miyasaka, I worry that I'll never share that kind of closeness with you."
"Katsuya..." Onozuka sighed helplessly. "I don't know what I'm supposed to say to that."
"Did you mean what you said to the reporters outside?" Kikuchi blurted out, knowing he was being pathetic and yet unable to stop himself. When Onozuka gave him a confused look, Kikuchi reminded him, "That you were happy to be moving in with the man that you love."
Onozuka blushed and replied gruffly, "I'm here, aren't I?"
"Because Kojima practically forced you to do it," Kikuchi said doubtfully.
"Didn't I tell you after Iwaki and Katou's dinner party that I was okay with moving in together?" Onozuka asked impatiently. "That I was happy, even. I thought you understood."
"Sorry, I know I'm being childish," Kikuchi apologized wearily. He had felt reassured that night, but every now and then he worried that Onozuka might just be making the best of a bad situation instead of being truly happy about it.
"Hey," Onozuka said softly, gently pulling one hand free so that he could reach up and touch Kikuchi's face. "I know that I threw a big temper tantrum the night that Kojima told us to move in together."
"I don't blame you," Kikuchi interrupted hastily. "I know that it was a big shock and--"
Onozuka pressed a finger to his lips to silence him and said, "Let me finish. Yeah, it was a big shock and I reacted badly, but you know me, Katsuya. If I really didn't want to do something, do you honestly think that I wouldn't find a way to weasel out of it?" Onozuka gave him a sly, cocky grin, and Kikuchi found himself smiling in return, brushing a kiss against the finger that Onozuka was still holding to his mouth. "So believe me when I say that yes, I really am happy to be here."
He gently traced Kikuchi's lips with his finger, and Kikuchi murmured, "When you put it that way, I believe you, your Highness. Forgive me for acting like a hotheaded, jealous idiot."
"Like Katou, you mean?" Onozuka joked, then abruptly closed his mouth, his grin changing into an anxious frown.
That made Kikuchi feel bad even though he would otherwise have been irritated by the comparison to his rival--he wanted Onozuka to open up to him, not to become even more guarded and to feel like he had to watch what he said to Kikuchi.
"Argh, love really has driven me insane if I'm acting like that idiot puppy!" Kikuchi exclaimed with an exaggerated groan of dismay, and Onozuka smiled with obvious relief.
"It's kind of cute, as long as you don't overdo it," Onozuka said, planting a light kiss on Kikuchi's mouth.
"I'm sorry," Kikuchi apologized again. "I guess I was feeling a little insecure. We never fully resolved things between us before we got caught up in that media whirlwind. Things seemed okay on the surface, but I was worried that you might be having second thoughts about the move--and about us in general."
"It's not easy for me either, you know," Onozuka said gruffly, flushing slightly as he cast his eyes down. "I've had casual sex before, but this is the first real relationship I've ever been in, so it's not like I have a lot of experience with this kind of thing--unlike you, whose ex-boyfriends turn up unexpectedly during our supposedly romantic weekends off together."
"It was just that one time," Kikuchi protested, but he felt cheered by the reminder that he was Onozuka's first real lover.
Still staring down at his lap, Onozuka whispered, "I did want to live with you, but somehow it was easier if I could tell myself that Kojima was forcing me to do it."
"And I took away your excuse," Kikuchi said with a rueful smile as he reached out to cradle Onozuka's face with his free hand. "I'm sorry, Yuu." Onozuka looked up and Kikuchi kissed him very tenderly in apology.
"Me too," Onozuka said. "Not that you weren't out of line about the video," he added sternly, and Kikuchi gave him a sheepish look. "But I'm sorry if I made you feel like I didn't want to be here."
"It's okay," Kikuchi replied. "I promised to take things slowly, so I shouldn't have tried to push you like that."
"I really do want to be with you," Onozuka whispered, giving him a long, lingering kiss on the mouth, then pressing soft kisses against his neck.
"Mmm," Kikuchi sighed, shivering in pleasure at the light, teasing touch of Onozuka's lips against his skin. Then Onozuka pulled his hand free from Kikuchi's grasp so that he push up Kikuchi's t-shirt and plant more kisses on his chest. "Ah...Yuu?" Kikuchi gasped in surprise as Onozuka's mouth closed over one of his nipples.
Onozuka reached up to press his finger to Kikuchi's mouth again. "Shhh," he murmured, although Kikuchi hadn't really been protesting. "Let me take care of you this time."
Kikuchi suddenly realized that Onozuka was trying to comfort him, and he was both touched and a little embarrassed. He felt foolish now about his earlier outburst, and he liked to think of himself as being confident and in control--more the type to offer comfort to a friend or lover than to be in need of it himself. But the truth was that Onozuka had the power to unnerve him in a way that no one else ever had, and in any case, he wasn't about to turn down an unsolicited gesture of affection from the lover who had been running away from him not so long ago.
So he nodded in silent consent, and Onozuka continued covering Kikuchi's chest and stomach with kisses and a few gentle love-bites in a slow, leisurely manner--maybe a little too leisurely for Kikuchi's liking. He threaded his fingers through Onozuka's hair and let out an impatient little moan. Onozuka tilted his head back and grinned up at Kikuchi mischievously, then pressed a teasing kiss against Kikuchi's thigh.
"Yuu," Kikuchi growled in a husky voice, and almost told his lover not to be such a tease. But considering how many times he'd done the same to Onozuka, his prince would no doubt say that turnabout was fair play.
Onozuka didn't torture Kikuchi for long, though--after flashing one more grin at Kikuchi, he opened up Kikuchi's trousers and reached inside to pull out his cock, showering it with the same soft kisses he'd planted on Kikuchi's neck and chest. Actually, it was an even more exquisite form of torment, Kikuchi decided on second thought, groaning loudly with both pleasure and frustration. Those light, teasing caresses weren't enough; he wanted more--
And then he cried out as Onozuka's mouth closed around him without warning, moving up and down the length of his shaft, licking and sucking slowly at first, then with more urgency, as if he sensed Kikuchi's growing need.
Although Kikuchi secretly prided himself on his stamina, he came quickly, feeling sated but a little sheepish. He smiled wryly, feeling more sympathy for the all times that Onozuka had been chagrined that Kikuchi had made him come so quickly.
Onozuka leaned back, licking his lips as he gazed up at Kikuchi's face, still looking slightly anxious. Whatever he saw there must have reassured him, because he relaxed and smiled, looking pleased with himself. He climbed up onto the couch, wrapped his arms around Kikuchi, and purred, "Feel better now?"
"Much better," Kikuchi replied, returning the embrace so that he could pull Onozuka closer and kiss him. He could taste himself on Onozuka's lips, and while it wasn't exactly pleasant in and of itself, he still savored it because that reminder of their lovemaking excited him, and moreover, it felt like another way of staking his claim on Onozuka. Or maybe he was just a pervert, as Onozuka often accused him of being--although Kikuchi noticed that it didn't deter Onozuka from having frequent sex with him.
"Shall I return the favor?" Kikuchi murmured, letting his hands roam across Onozuka's body. Onozuka leaned into the caresses, eyes half-closing as he made a low, wordless sound of pleasure. He looked like a cat purring contentedly as it was being petted, and that mental image caused Kikuchi to grin.
But then Onozuka sighed and pulled away from Kikuchi, saying, "Maybe a little later? I really should finish unpacking." He winked and added, "By then, maybe you'll be ready for round two!"
"I keep telling you, I'm an old man," Kikuchi protested as he tucked himself away and zipped up his trousers.
"Whatever you say, old man," Onozuka replied with a derisive snort.
He got up from the couch and started to head back to the bedroom, but Kikuchi said, "Wait, Yuu," then bent down to pick up the video from the floor. "Here," he said, handing the video to Onozuka with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry that I was such an ass about it."
Onozuka hesitated, then said, "Why don't you hang onto it for safekeeping? That way you can be reassured that I'm not watching it." His offer seemed genuine and well-meant, but Kikuchi flushed with shame and Onozuka smiled gently. "I really have no desire to watch it, but I don't want to just throw it away, either."
"I know, because of sentimental reasons, right?" Kikuchi asked with a resigned smile. Privately, he still wanted to throw out the video--and what difference would it make if Onozuka wasn't going to watch it, anyway? But he kept that petty thought to himself because he knew that it would make him an even bigger jerk than he'd already been.
"No, financial ones," Onozuka replied with matter-of-factly. "That video is out of print, and it's currently going for almost ten times the original price in online auctions. I'm sure the price will go up even higher as Katou becomes even more famous and well-respected as an actor. Personally, I'm holding out at least until he wins his own Academy Award--I think that's when the price will peak. After all, a rare porn video of a Best Actor winner is bound to become a scandalous and sought-after item." He grinned at Kikuchi and added, "So make sure you don't lose that video--it could turn out to be our retirement fund!"
Kikuchi threw back his head and burst into laughter even though he wasn't completely convinced that Onozuka was ever going to sell the video, no matter how many millions of yen it might be worth in the future. Still, Onozuka's cynical practicality cheered and reassured him immensely, in part because it was a side of himself that the Prince showed only to a very few trusted companions, and Kikuchi was happy to have earned that trust. Besides, it was pretty funny to hear Onozuka bluntly state that he was holding out for the highest bidder, in his typically sharp and unsentimental manner. Kikuchi still didn't quite understand how Onozuka managed to be so loyal and so ruthlessly cynical at the same time, but it was a contradiction that had fascinated him from the time that they'd first met, and it was part of what he loved about Onozuka.
And that reassured Kikuchi a little, too. He had the impression that Katou tolerated Onozuka's cynicism and deviousness for the sake of their friendship, rather than being drawn to those traits the way Kikuchi was. So didn't that mean he was a much more compatible lover for Onozuka than Katou would ever be, even if Iwaki had not been in the picture? He and Onozuka were meant to be together, even if Onozuka wasn't ready to openly admit it yet.
Or maybe he was, in a roundabout way. That crack about their retirement fund was probably just a joke, and Kikuchi probably shouldn't read too much into it, but still...it implied that Onozuka assumed they would still be together when they were old enough to retire, and that made Kikuchi happy.
"Well, I'd better take good care of it, then," Kikuchi said, grinning back at Onozuka. "After all, I'm going to need that retirement money sooner than you will!"
"Yeah, because you're such an old man," Onozuka replied, rolling his eyes. "Remind me again how old you are the next time you want to do it three times in one night."
Kikuchi grinned proudly, but modestly protested, "That was a special case because I missed you so much and we hadn't been together in so long. Normally two is my limit."
Onozuka laughed and shook his head as he returned to the bedroom, saying, "Fine. I'm going to finish unpacking, and later we can test whether or not you've reached your limit."
Kikuchi placed the video back in the box and picked up one of the other tapes, a high school drama that Onozuka had acted in a few years ago. "I'll help you unpack," he offered, hurrying after Onozuka. "And then maybe we could watch this tape? I bet you'd look really cute in a high school uniform. No, on second thought, a middle school uniform would be better--that black military-style jacket with a long row of gold buttons, just begging to be unfastened one by one..."
"You're such a pervert!" Onozuka exclaimed in mock disgust, but he was still laughing. "You have a thing for teenage boys?"
"No, I have a thing for you," Kikuchi corrected him. "Although I wouldn't mind seeing you dressed up in a school uniform."
"First it's a kimono, and now it's a uniform?" Onozuka asked, raising his eyebrows. "Honestly, I don't see what's the point of dressing up in a costume when you're only going to take it right back off again."
"It adds to the excitement," Kikuchi tried to explain.
"You aren't exactly lacking in that department," Onozuka said dryly.
"We're actors," Kikuchi pointed out. "Why shouldn't we have fun indulging in a bit of roleplaying? We could play teacher and student." He leered at Onozuka and added, "I could give you detention," making it sound more like an enticement than a punishment.
"Pervert!" Onozuka laughed, flinging a rolled-up sweatshirt at Kikuchi, who threw up his hand and managed to catch it just before it hit his face.
"Yeah, so what's your point?" Kikuchi retorted, and Onozuka laughed again.
"Fair enough," he conceded. "I seem to have developed a thing for perverted old men."
"Are there any other perverted old men that I should know about?" Kikuchi asked suspiciously.
"No, just you," Onozuka said with a smile, giving him a placating kiss.
"Ah, what a relief!" Kikuchi said with an exaggerated sigh.
"All right, we can watch the video and you can think perverted thoughts about me," Onozuka laughed. "And afterwards, perhaps I'll let you do perverted things to me." But when Kikuchi reached out to grab him, Onozuka pushed him away and added firmly, "After I'm done unpacking."
"Well then, I'd better help you!" Kikuchi exclaimed, and they got to work. However, things didn't go as quickly as they could have--Kikuchi kept trying to steal a playful kiss or grope while Onozuka fended him off, which delayed the process somewhat. He would have stopped if Onozuka was really annoyed, of course, but the Prince seemed amused and willing to play along. Besides, Kikuchi figured that he needed time to recharge before he could get it up again, so why not have a little fun in the meantime?
Eventually the unpacking was done and Onozuka finally allowed Kikuchi to win their little game--which probably meant that the Prince was the real winner. But with his arms filled with a laughing, squirming Onozuka (his body rubbing against Kikuchi's in all the right places), Kikuchi figured that it was a win-win situation no matter how you looked at it.
They tumbled down into the bed together, still laughing, and both the porn video and the high school drama were completely forgotten, at least for the moment.
-End-
Next story in the series: Remembrance of Times Past (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)
***
Afterword: This was originally meant to be a short, humorous fic with Kikuchi getting comically outraged at finding the porn video. But stubborn troublemaker that he is, Kikuchi insisted on taking the story in another direction and getting all angsty, bringing up issues I was planning on saving for a later fic. Still, it was fun to write, and was partially inspired by a bit of idle curiosity on my part, wondering if Iwaki and Katou's porn videos were still in print. Even if everyone knows about their past, I think that their agencies would try to have the porn stuff taken off the market so that they'll be taken more seriously as mainstream actors. And if they did go out of print, then they'd probably be fetching high prices on places like eBay...which means that the stash Iwaki was planning to throw away (until Katou stopped him) could be worth a fortune! ^_^
Btw, shrimp tempura onigiri or musubi (rice balls) are apparently a specialty of Nagoya, but are popular throughout Japan now. It's called "tenmusu" for short": "tenpura" + "musubi" (the "n" in "tenpura" is actually pronounced like an "m" so I usually spell it as "tempura"). Shrimp tempura is shrimp dipped in batter and deep-fried, so tenmusu combines two of my favorite foods and is absolutely delicious! I don't know why, but I always seem to end up writing about food in my Haru fics, which in turn makes me hungry! I think it's because in the J-dramas I watch, the characters are always eating, so somehow "food" and "Japan" gets subconsciously intertwined in my mind.
Japanese middle school uniforms for boys (gakuran), commonly seen in anime, manga, and J-dramas, are based on Prussian military uniforms--a long-sleeved black or dark blue jacket with a high collar and a row of buttons down the front, plus matching trousers. Some high schools continue with the gakuran, but it seems to be more common for boys' high school uniforms to consist of a shirt, tie, and blazer (plus trousers, of course--though I'm sure that Kikuchi would be amused by the idea of a pantsless Onozuka).
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Thanks for reading! ^_^
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""And if you try to destroy my copy of the movie, I'll just go ahead and buy another one and I'll mention it in every interview I give, telling your Japanese fans that they ought to go out and buy it, too.""
Seriously, that characterised Onozuka in one line. *giggles*
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And Onozuka--it is seriously a bad idea to cross him! ^_^
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thinking of Katou with a woman is soo weird XDD. luckily this was spared us in canon ^^.
i think that Kikuchi is exactly the kinda perv oyaji liking roleplay in bed ^^ - and i'd looove to read some scenes (makes me kinda perv too i guess, LOL).
thx for this long chappy! ^^
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Y'know boys, if you're looking for someone to take that video off your hands...
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Hey, want to bid against ME ? *LOL* XPPP
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Perhaps we could ask the male star to make an appearance. And bring a friend.
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"Perhaps we could ask the male star to make an appearance. And bring a friend."
This line is cracking me up *roles* Of course he will bring shy Iwaki along !! *LOL*
Imagination is running wild... *nosebleed* oops !!
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I'm glad you found the boys adorable, and as for the video...Onozuka might be willing to part with it for the right price. ~_^