[Fic] 101 Things and More
Hello! I think I haven't posted any fics for ages now. Especially those one-shot ones, huh? Well, I promised I would post this for sadaoru. I hope this cheers her up.
Title: 101 Things and More
Pairings: Ueda x ....
Ratings: PG-13 and higher perhaps. Readers' discretion for sexual innuendoes.
Warnings: Real life people, shounen ai.
Disclaimer: I don't own the boys; no one does. The story is generally my own. Some incident inserted really happened, some may happen in the future and others are purely fictional.
Summary: Ueda lists down some of the things that made him so in love.
Author's notes: This one-shot is my first attempt to write a fic in present tense; not my strongest point, mind you. It's also un-beta'd so it may be riddled with errors. I'll get someone to beta my whole collection and re-post them one day, but for now, please enjoy it as erroneous as it is (cause it was done out of pure fun).
Ueda had always thought that for things to be good, they had to be elaborate and fancy. Ueda always thought that for relationships to work, they needed to be showy, possessive and needy. He always thought that for one to enjoy love, it would need to be perfect. He never thought he’d be proven wrong time and time again and yet, feel absurdly happy each time. He never knew just how much simple actions spoke.
He knows now.
That was only one of the many reasons that made Ueda fall in love with him.
At first, it was frustrating, because Ueda can never be too sure what he was trying to say. The messages were pretty ambiguous; he can never be sure whether the other man was being serious or just joking around, until Ueda discovered how to decipher them with some hints from one of the guys, of course; the short and bald one.
It all began with a smile. It took Ueda forever to realize that he had different sets of smiles for different occasions; almost 3 and half years. Always whenever they crossed path, he would smile to Ueda; always a slow smile, followed by a simple nod. It didn’t help that Ueda was indeed one of those who are slow to warm up to people. Ueda's first impression of this person didn't turn out to be that good, because to him, he was loud and irresponsible and well, not-so-smart.
It took a while but he opened up and soon enough Ueda realized that maybe first impression isn’t always completely correct. It was only later that Ueda found out what a dependable, witty person he really is. Not long after that, when they were put together, Ueda soon discovered what a happy-go-lucky person he really is and just how wrong Ueda actually was.
Then KAT-TUN happened. At first they weren't as close as people thought, all of them. Then, the guy started talking to Koki and Jin and Kame...well, anyone but Ueda; probably because Ueda was a bit hard to get along with. It was like in back when they were in Juniors again. But then, he made the move and asked whether Ueda wanted to ‘hang out for lunch’. That sparked the eventual flame. That had been the crucial point in their relationship.
They spent countless hours in each other’s presence due to work and always during these hours, he’d wait for Ueda. Even when the others were busy with their individual projects, he always came and waited; he usually tended to be on the tardy side, though.
Their relationship progressed steadily from acquaintances to colleagues to friends and ultimately to the lover stage.
There was always a crazy little message on Ueda’s phone in the morning when he woke up, reminding him of all the important things. Then there were cups of coffee or tea in the mornings from that café on the way to work that they both love. They had the occasional late-night ramen and not long after that their impromptu movie nights became rather frequent, too.
Plus, there were also those extra hours that he spent helping Ueda with his dance steps just because Ueda felt that his dance wasn’t good enough despite what the rest said. Ueda appreciated the time and effort Maru put in to help and in exchange, Ueda helped him with what Maru called the ‘hip thingy’. Now, Ueda wishes he had taken more advantage of that time. But back then, he didn’t know he was going to fall madly in love with Maru. Now, Maru still helps Ueda with his dance…though now, it is done in the premises of his apartment.
Their work prevents them from hanging out with their other friends often and they never had the time to make many new friends out of the industry, which is a real shame. So they usually end up spending time with people from work even out of work. He never refused when Ueda asked him to accompany him on their play dates.
Sometimes he would drive over to pick Ueda up and sometimes he’d wait patiently at the station…or offer to buy lunch when he was late. He would buy chilled can drinks when he notices Ueda starting to tire out. He would sit around Ueda’s room while Ueda played the piano or guitar when the leader suddenly didn’t have the mood to shop or go out and play. Ueda loved to go out with Maru because he always made outings so much more interesting.
There were random little things that he did that just touched Ueda: (that is to say, only some of the things which are directly related to Ueda because if he were to actually list everything about Maru that he loved down, he’d ran out of disk space; and besides, that’s a story for another time.)
Like the way Maru always, always opens the door for Ueda; whether he or Ueda enters first unless, of course, Ueda gets to the door first, for example.
Then there’s the way he makes silly jokes just to make Ueda laugh and his bad habit of not bringing along his umbrella so that he could share Ueda’s. Oh, there’s also the sheepish look that dons his face when he admits the motives of his actions.
Ueda loves the cup of tea or coffee by the bedside table ready for him whenever Maru happens to wake up first.
Ueda loves the way Maru refers to his apartment as “ours” or "home" when he’s talking to Ueda although Ueda hasn’t really, truly, fully moved in just yet (he spends only 5 out of 7 days a week there, sometimes a bit more). Ueda was touched that Maru immediately made room for Ueda’s belongings even before they got serious just because Ueda sometimes stayed over for the night.
Maru had told Ueda once that he loves seeing their things side by side. So now Ueda starts to notice little things like that, too. He now loves looking at their shoes in the hallway next to each other; so different in style but complimenting each other in ways that neither he nor Maru could explain. He loves looking at the toothbrushes next to each other in the holder, their mugs sitting neatly on the kitchen counter, their indoor slippers waiting side by side when they come home from work.
He loves it that Maru would buy lip balm for him whenever he ran out and the way he’d keep Ueda company whenever Ueda went out shopping or eating because he knew Ueda hated being or doing things alone.
He loves the way Maru would get excited talking about things that he had read somewhere that he found really interesting, though most of the time Ueda finds the talker more interesting than the topic he’s talking about. He loves it when Maru shows him the stars and constellations through his telescope because it makes him feel closer to both the vast universe and Maru at the same time.
He loves the way Maru would fluster and try to unsuccessfully ignore him when he asks for a demonstration of his ‘eroero dance’ that he had to do for Tackey’s concert.
He loves the way Maru wears his clothes with such simple understated elegance... and takes them off with such an understated flair.
Ueda loves the way Maru could express his love so explicitly in so discreet a manner.
Ueda loves the fact that Maru is never too possessive or overly jealous when Ueda gets touchy-feely with the others; that Maru knows where Ueda draws the line when it comes to professionalism. Plus, Ueda knows that Maru gets friskier later whenever he does that.
Ueda loves the way Maru always keeps their shoulders or their legs or hands just barely touching. There’s also the way he’d trace short messages on Ueda’s palm under the table: little hearts, simple kanji, short concerned questions, invisible circles. Ueda even loves him for falling sick and suffering that nasty stomachache the first time Maru tried Ueda’s cooking; despite having to stay up through the whole night holding out his hair and rubbing his back.
He loves the way Maru tries so hard to be good at what he does; even though the incessant beats coming from the bathroom accompanied by the sound coming from the shower sometimes strains his sanity, but love can do amazing things to your tolerance levels.
Ueda even loves him for the short -barely obvious- glances that he throws Ueda’s way when they perform, just to make sure Ueda was doing fine. Although this irritated Ueda at first, he grew used to it and eventually he grew so accustomed to it that, if Maru skimped on it, he’d feel neglected.
He loves the fact that they can and do have what Jin and Kame call, “lover’s quarrel” and sometimes over the smallest of things; because later, one of them would give in and they’d have a heated make-up session with plenty of “I’m sorry”s and “I love you”s between the kisses but never any “it won’t happen again” because that would be a lie.
He loves the fact that passive Maru can put up a fight when provoked. Ueda would also willingly testify against that ‘passivity’ claim against Maru anytime. “I’m the contented living proof that Maru is anything-but-passive when it comes to certain things,” he would say with a knowing smile tugging at his lips.
Ueda loves the fact that Maru always held his hand whether they were just sitting around watching TV or when Ueda was writhing heatedly under him or after, when they were basking in the afterglow; he always held it then and every moment in between when they were alone. He loves the way those long, exquisite fingers would brush, tease and bruise his skin, how they would wrap around his wrists or ankles or well...a lot of other things imaginable.
He loves the way Maru would gaze at him with awe when they were in their private moments; the way those dark mocha eyes would simply alight with more than just amazement and adoration. Some would even go as far as to call it ‘reverence’.
Ueda loves the way he would claim each patch of skin exposed with a kiss and brand it with a soft whispery ’mine’. Maru would lavish extra attention on his collarbone, especially the spot where his mark is or parts that nobody usually paid any attention to like the insides of his elbows or his wrists or the small of his back or just above his navel.
He loves the way Maru makes the most guttural growl become the most erotic sound ever to tease his ears. He loves it that Maru is comfortable with Ueda being top every once in a while; sometimes, even offering when it became less in between. Ueda loves seeing the angry red nail marks across Maru’s back as the older man gets dressed for work the next morning as a pleasant reminder of a night well spent.
Ueda loves the hot showers or the long dip in the tub together. Ueda loves the trips to the onsen with Maru because the other always indulges him. Truth be told, Maru indulges Ueda all the time. So often, in fact, Ueda sometimes worries that Maru will spoil him for good one day; but he loves it anyway.
It breaks Ueda’s heart, but he loves Maru, nontheless, for his willingness to give up a normal family life so that he can be with Ueda. He would love it if Maru could pass down his genes; to continue his bloodline. As much as Ueda loves Maru, he would love to see a healthy, bouncy replica of the man he loves growing up in the world; or even a dainty female version of him even if it meant letting go. He grudgingly loves Maru for being adamant that he is happy with Ueda as they are and that his sisters can help pass down his genes and that if Ueda really wanted kids, they would just adopt.
But most of all, Ueda cannot deny that he loves Maru for merely existing; there, with him.
The Indefinite End.
P.S: Happy Birthday, Jin! I feel so bad I forgot about his birthday. So much pressing things to do. I did write a fic to commemmorate (I think that's how it's spelt) Jin's bday. It's not finish but I will still finish it, though!