Deus Ex Machina - Chapter 9/?
Title: Deus Ex Machina - The Instruments of Fate
Chapter: 9/?
Pairings: Ohmiya, OhnoxOC, NinoxOC, AibaxOC + other background pairings
Rating: PG-13, but rating will go up
Disclaimer: I do not own Arashi
Previous Chapters:
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8
Chapter Nine - Dancing
My eyes are on you they're on you
And you see that I can't stop shaking
No, I won't step back but I'll look down to hide from your eyes
'cause what I feel is so sweet and I'm scared that even my own breath
Oh I could burst it if it were a bubble
And I'd better dream if I have to struggle
So I put my arms around you, and I hope that I will do no wrong
“I still don’t think this is a good idea,” Aiba said as he navigated the car through the busy streets. Sachi wanted to snap something about not needing him to think, just drive but a glance at his pinched and worried face sucked the words right out of her mouth. Instead she reached over and ruffled his hair affectionately, looking for his smile that was usually such a fixed feature on his face.
“I’m sorry-” she didn’t mean to say it but the words blurted out of her mouth all at once. She was starting to feel guilty now, about talking him into this, about leaving Aubrey, but Sachi knew that her friend would understand that this was something she had to do. It wasn’t like Sachi had no intention of returning. Since the trouble at the Ginza club her manager had called her about a hundred times and left her about eighty hysterical messages. Sachi hadn’t forgotten about the concert tonight despite everything that had happened. A sold out show at tokyo dome... It was something that most people only dream of and for Sachi it was going to be a reality tonight. The crowning event of her entire idol career which was about to be cut short by a man named Johnny. What a stupid name for a villain; it didn’t inspire fear in her, only annoyance. After tonight she would find him and stop him and they could all get on with their lives; she could return to her true purpose, the stage.
“You don’t have to be sorry,” Aiba grinned at her, “It’s my fault for being such a push over. I guess when it comes to you I can be talked into anything.” Sachi swallowed thickly, but before she could think of what to say in return Aiba was swinging around back to the stage entrance and her very pissed off manager standing on the ramp with his arms crossed. Same old Hitachi, looking as if his tie was about to strangle him, his suit ironed into crisp seams and his glasses reflecting the light hiding his eyes which was fortunate since they probably looked murderous. As she leaped from the passenger side to run up to him, he didn’t say a word just pointed with one stiff finger towards the dressing room.
“Gomen Hitachi-san, honto gomen.” She cried bowing to him.
“I don’t need your apologies,” he barked, “I just need you changed and ready to go in five minutes.” She nodded and scrambled in the direction he was pointing, motioning to Aiba to follow her quickly. “And who the hell is this?” her manager cried incredulously as the tall man joined her at the entrance, ducking his head to avoid the enraged glare being thrown his way. “You disappear for two days and show up in the same clothes I left you in with some man?” At this rate Hitachi was going to blow a gasket. Sachi pulled Aiba with her briskly through the bustling backstage cutting off the rest of her manager’s furious speech, snaring a VIP pass from one of the AD’s and throwing it around his neck so no one would find him and kick him out.
“I think that small angry man is going to stab me...” Aiba said with a worried glance behind him.
“It’ll be fine,” Sachi assured him, “If you can deal with Nino you can deal with him.” The costume director was beckoning her with spastic frazzled flaps of her arm, her hair flying every which way looking stressed out to the max. “I’ve got to go, but you can watch from the front row okay? You can have Aubrey’s seat.”
“Promise you won’t run away?” He was on the verge of pouting. Ignoring the little voice inside her that was screaming that this was a mistake, she cupped his face in both her hands and pressed her forehead to his.
“Of course I wont, I’ll meet you at the car as soon as I’m done, I promise.” He smiled in relief and it was like the sun rising.
“Okay,” She made to pull away but his arms looped her waist and prevented her from getting very far. Lightning quick he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, lingering there even after the brief kiss had ended.
“What was that for?” she asked, little sparks jolting through her from where her lips continued to brush his as she spoke. He giggled a little and nuzzled her nose affectionately before turning away.
“For luck, “ he said without looking back and as Sachi watched his retreating back she felt like the floor was dropping out from beneath her feet. She pressed her fingers to her still tingling lips and smiled in spite of herself. He was so honest and innocent, and so not like anyone she’d ever met before. Yabai, she thought, just what am I getting myself into.
Upside-down, Nino’s angry face was even more terrifying. Sprawled on her back with MatsuJun’s elbow jabbing into her neck and his knee buried somewhere in her ribs, Nino loomed over them with his fists balled at his sides.
“Just what the hell are you two doing?” he demanded again his voice rising in pitch the angrier he got.
“Relax,” Jun said, disentangling himself and standing up. He made a big production out of dusting off his clothing though he was hardly dirty. “Don’t get your panties in a twist, I wasn’t making a play for your girl or anything.”
“You-” Nino’s jaw clenched, but Jun just winked at Aubrey before gathering up the bags and making his way deeper into the house.
“Thanks for helping me up jackass!” She yelled at his retreating back from the floor. Thirty seconds of being nice and Jun went right back to how he always was. She started to pull herself up and was startled as Nino reached out to help her.
“Diajoubu desu ka?” He asked lifting her up by her upper arms and setting her back on her feet. Aubrey was surprised at how strong he was. She settled her dress back in its proper place feeling nervous now since Matsujun did not let her change back into jeans. Nino’s reaction was almost exaggeratedly shocked as his eyes traveled up her legs to the dress, to all the exposed skin at her throat to her face where he stopped and stayed. He was gaping openly, a look that would have been funny if it was directed at someone else.
“I know, I let Jun get a little out of control-”
“A little out of control? He destroyed you!” Obviously that look was not a good one. He looked shocked, and marginally disgusted with her.
“Destroyed?” It was her turn to be pissed. Nino may not like her but she’d had enough of people calling her ugly for one day. “Don’t you think that is a little harsh?”
“Not at all,” He raised his chin in a haughty self important way and did his best to sneer at her, “You used to look completely fine and now you look like a tramp.”
“And you look like an asshole,” She snapped at him, “I don’t know what your problem is but piss off, I’ve had enough of you psychotic mood swings.” She made to walk away but he grabbed her arm roughly spinning her back around to face him.
“I can’t help it, you make me crazy,” He shouted at her, his eyes did indeed look a little wild, twitching over each feature of her face and down to the so hated dress and back again.
“Let go-” but he wouldn’t loosen his grip despite her trying to tug away from him.
“I-”
“What’s going on in here?” They both froze at the soft question at their backs. Ohno stood in the hallway, looking sleepy as ever though not haggard as he was in the library; to Aubrey’s relief he looked better.
“Oh-chan...” Nino’s face softened at once.
“Nino, I think you’re hurting her.” His owlish eyes dropped to where Nino clutched her upper arm, the skin turning red under his fingers. He let go of her at once, dropping her guiltily and stepping back; almost as if he was realizing for the first time where he was and what he was doing.
“I’m... so sorry,” he mumbled, backing away from them looking haunted.
“Nino, It’s okay, really, it’s not a big deal...” Aubrey insisted trying to reach for him.
“Kazu...” Ohno seemed to have the same idea but he batted both of their hands away and bolted down the hall towards the back of the house. Damn it! Why was she so confused? Did he really hate her so much that he couldn’t stand the very sight of her?
“Ano...” Ohno was looking at her shyly, his gaze quite different from Nino’s as it swept over her. He looked a mixture between apologetic and earnest, puffing out his cheeks adorably as he tried to keep his eyes appropriately on her face and was failing miserably. “Listen, I’m really sorry about what I did to you in the library.” he said, “In fact I must be making you uncomfortable right now, being alone with you, I’m really sorry,” but he didn’t make a move to leave; he seemed frozen in place and wary, holding his hands up and where she could see them. Trying to show her he wasn’t a threat.
“Not at all,” She insisted, “I - they explained everything to me, so it’s okay.” She could feel herself flushing when she realized that they were alone together for the first time since the incident. She couldn’t deny that Jun had been right, her body responded when Ohno was around in a way that felt completely foreign to her; she felt out of control right now and that made her panicked. She didn’t know what she might do.
“No, it’s not.” He shook his head furiously, “Just because I’m a monster doesn’t just give me a free excuse to hurt an maim everyone in my path.”
“You aren’t a monster!” before she could stop herself she was wrapping her arms around him tightly and leaning her head against his chest trying to will him to feel the truth of what she was saying. “I won’t let you believe that.” He went rigid against her, body completely tense holding his hands away from her.
“Please,” his voice was almost a sob, “I don’t think I can control myself.”
“You won’t hurt me” She said closing her eyes, “I completely trust you and I’m going to prove it to you.” Aubrey swept her hair off her neck, the expanse of the pale skin lay before him and he shuddered and closed his eyes.
“That wasn’t how I meant.” he whispered and it was Aubrey’s turn to shiver. He returned her embrace, body relaxing against her molding perfectly to fit her as he wrapped his arms around her. “Ever since I met you... I don’t really know what I’m doing anymore.” he admitted shakily.
“I know what you mean,” She said into his shirt, he smelled like all of the things that came with the ocean; like salt, hot sand and sun lotion. “I’ve been doing things that don’t make sense. I can’t seem to stop.” Indeed she was quite out of control, if someone was to walk out into the hall they would see them holding each other desperately in the genkan.
“How can you bare to touch me?” His voice was full of pain and of longing, though every exhale of breath relaxed him further till they were clinging to each other. This loathing, this self disgust; she wanted to erase it from him but didn’t know how. How could you even begin to ease a lifetime of pain?
“It was more like how could I bare not to,” she whispered and he broke completely burying his face in her hair, pressing his lips lightly against her temple.
“Thank you,” he mouthed against her skin, “Thank you...”
“I hate to break up the love-fest,” MatsuJun was leaning lazily against the hallway wall watching them with an amused smirk and Ohno and Aubrey sprang apart like guilty teenagers, “but Sachi and Aiba are still missing and we are sort of out of ideas.”
“Ah- right.” Ohno said turning quickly away from her, his eyes shutting down again, building his wall back up and going somewhere completely out of reach inside himself. Just when she had found him she was losing him again. But Jun was right, this totally wasn’t the time. She felt guilty when she thought about Sachi now, who knew where she was if she was hurt. And she was missing her own concert tonight even...
“AH!” She cried, clamping both hands over her mouth, “Why didn’t I realize it before.” Jun stood up alarmed and the other two came running at her cry.
“What happened?” Sho demanded, Nino right on his heels. MatsuJun seemed to grasp the situation first and was already throwing his shoes back on.
“I know where they are.”
Chapter: 9/?
Pairings: Ohmiya, OhnoxOC, NinoxOC, AibaxOC + other background pairings
Rating: PG-13, but rating will go up
Disclaimer: I do not own Arashi
Previous Chapters:
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8
Chapter Nine - Dancing
My eyes are on you they're on you
And you see that I can't stop shaking
No, I won't step back but I'll look down to hide from your eyes
'cause what I feel is so sweet and I'm scared that even my own breath
Oh I could burst it if it were a bubble
And I'd better dream if I have to struggle
So I put my arms around you, and I hope that I will do no wrong
“I still don’t think this is a good idea,” Aiba said as he navigated the car through the busy streets. Sachi wanted to snap something about not needing him to think, just drive but a glance at his pinched and worried face sucked the words right out of her mouth. Instead she reached over and ruffled his hair affectionately, looking for his smile that was usually such a fixed feature on his face.
“I’m sorry-” she didn’t mean to say it but the words blurted out of her mouth all at once. She was starting to feel guilty now, about talking him into this, about leaving Aubrey, but Sachi knew that her friend would understand that this was something she had to do. It wasn’t like Sachi had no intention of returning. Since the trouble at the Ginza club her manager had called her about a hundred times and left her about eighty hysterical messages. Sachi hadn’t forgotten about the concert tonight despite everything that had happened. A sold out show at tokyo dome... It was something that most people only dream of and for Sachi it was going to be a reality tonight. The crowning event of her entire idol career which was about to be cut short by a man named Johnny. What a stupid name for a villain; it didn’t inspire fear in her, only annoyance. After tonight she would find him and stop him and they could all get on with their lives; she could return to her true purpose, the stage.
“You don’t have to be sorry,” Aiba grinned at her, “It’s my fault for being such a push over. I guess when it comes to you I can be talked into anything.” Sachi swallowed thickly, but before she could think of what to say in return Aiba was swinging around back to the stage entrance and her very pissed off manager standing on the ramp with his arms crossed. Same old Hitachi, looking as if his tie was about to strangle him, his suit ironed into crisp seams and his glasses reflecting the light hiding his eyes which was fortunate since they probably looked murderous. As she leaped from the passenger side to run up to him, he didn’t say a word just pointed with one stiff finger towards the dressing room.
“Gomen Hitachi-san, honto gomen.” She cried bowing to him.
“I don’t need your apologies,” he barked, “I just need you changed and ready to go in five minutes.” She nodded and scrambled in the direction he was pointing, motioning to Aiba to follow her quickly. “And who the hell is this?” her manager cried incredulously as the tall man joined her at the entrance, ducking his head to avoid the enraged glare being thrown his way. “You disappear for two days and show up in the same clothes I left you in with some man?” At this rate Hitachi was going to blow a gasket. Sachi pulled Aiba with her briskly through the bustling backstage cutting off the rest of her manager’s furious speech, snaring a VIP pass from one of the AD’s and throwing it around his neck so no one would find him and kick him out.
“I think that small angry man is going to stab me...” Aiba said with a worried glance behind him.
“It’ll be fine,” Sachi assured him, “If you can deal with Nino you can deal with him.” The costume director was beckoning her with spastic frazzled flaps of her arm, her hair flying every which way looking stressed out to the max. “I’ve got to go, but you can watch from the front row okay? You can have Aubrey’s seat.”
“Promise you won’t run away?” He was on the verge of pouting. Ignoring the little voice inside her that was screaming that this was a mistake, she cupped his face in both her hands and pressed her forehead to his.
“Of course I wont, I’ll meet you at the car as soon as I’m done, I promise.” He smiled in relief and it was like the sun rising.
“Okay,” She made to pull away but his arms looped her waist and prevented her from getting very far. Lightning quick he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, lingering there even after the brief kiss had ended.
“What was that for?” she asked, little sparks jolting through her from where her lips continued to brush his as she spoke. He giggled a little and nuzzled her nose affectionately before turning away.
“For luck, “ he said without looking back and as Sachi watched his retreating back she felt like the floor was dropping out from beneath her feet. She pressed her fingers to her still tingling lips and smiled in spite of herself. He was so honest and innocent, and so not like anyone she’d ever met before. Yabai, she thought, just what am I getting myself into.
Upside-down, Nino’s angry face was even more terrifying. Sprawled on her back with MatsuJun’s elbow jabbing into her neck and his knee buried somewhere in her ribs, Nino loomed over them with his fists balled at his sides.
“Just what the hell are you two doing?” he demanded again his voice rising in pitch the angrier he got.
“Relax,” Jun said, disentangling himself and standing up. He made a big production out of dusting off his clothing though he was hardly dirty. “Don’t get your panties in a twist, I wasn’t making a play for your girl or anything.”
“You-” Nino’s jaw clenched, but Jun just winked at Aubrey before gathering up the bags and making his way deeper into the house.
“Thanks for helping me up jackass!” She yelled at his retreating back from the floor. Thirty seconds of being nice and Jun went right back to how he always was. She started to pull herself up and was startled as Nino reached out to help her.
“Diajoubu desu ka?” He asked lifting her up by her upper arms and setting her back on her feet. Aubrey was surprised at how strong he was. She settled her dress back in its proper place feeling nervous now since Matsujun did not let her change back into jeans. Nino’s reaction was almost exaggeratedly shocked as his eyes traveled up her legs to the dress, to all the exposed skin at her throat to her face where he stopped and stayed. He was gaping openly, a look that would have been funny if it was directed at someone else.
“I know, I let Jun get a little out of control-”
“A little out of control? He destroyed you!” Obviously that look was not a good one. He looked shocked, and marginally disgusted with her.
“Destroyed?” It was her turn to be pissed. Nino may not like her but she’d had enough of people calling her ugly for one day. “Don’t you think that is a little harsh?”
“Not at all,” He raised his chin in a haughty self important way and did his best to sneer at her, “You used to look completely fine and now you look like a tramp.”
“And you look like an asshole,” She snapped at him, “I don’t know what your problem is but piss off, I’ve had enough of you psychotic mood swings.” She made to walk away but he grabbed her arm roughly spinning her back around to face him.
“I can’t help it, you make me crazy,” He shouted at her, his eyes did indeed look a little wild, twitching over each feature of her face and down to the so hated dress and back again.
“Let go-” but he wouldn’t loosen his grip despite her trying to tug away from him.
“I-”
“What’s going on in here?” They both froze at the soft question at their backs. Ohno stood in the hallway, looking sleepy as ever though not haggard as he was in the library; to Aubrey’s relief he looked better.
“Oh-chan...” Nino’s face softened at once.
“Nino, I think you’re hurting her.” His owlish eyes dropped to where Nino clutched her upper arm, the skin turning red under his fingers. He let go of her at once, dropping her guiltily and stepping back; almost as if he was realizing for the first time where he was and what he was doing.
“I’m... so sorry,” he mumbled, backing away from them looking haunted.
“Nino, It’s okay, really, it’s not a big deal...” Aubrey insisted trying to reach for him.
“Kazu...” Ohno seemed to have the same idea but he batted both of their hands away and bolted down the hall towards the back of the house. Damn it! Why was she so confused? Did he really hate her so much that he couldn’t stand the very sight of her?
“Ano...” Ohno was looking at her shyly, his gaze quite different from Nino’s as it swept over her. He looked a mixture between apologetic and earnest, puffing out his cheeks adorably as he tried to keep his eyes appropriately on her face and was failing miserably. “Listen, I’m really sorry about what I did to you in the library.” he said, “In fact I must be making you uncomfortable right now, being alone with you, I’m really sorry,” but he didn’t make a move to leave; he seemed frozen in place and wary, holding his hands up and where she could see them. Trying to show her he wasn’t a threat.
“Not at all,” She insisted, “I - they explained everything to me, so it’s okay.” She could feel herself flushing when she realized that they were alone together for the first time since the incident. She couldn’t deny that Jun had been right, her body responded when Ohno was around in a way that felt completely foreign to her; she felt out of control right now and that made her panicked. She didn’t know what she might do.
“No, it’s not.” He shook his head furiously, “Just because I’m a monster doesn’t just give me a free excuse to hurt an maim everyone in my path.”
“You aren’t a monster!” before she could stop herself she was wrapping her arms around him tightly and leaning her head against his chest trying to will him to feel the truth of what she was saying. “I won’t let you believe that.” He went rigid against her, body completely tense holding his hands away from her.
“Please,” his voice was almost a sob, “I don’t think I can control myself.”
“You won’t hurt me” She said closing her eyes, “I completely trust you and I’m going to prove it to you.” Aubrey swept her hair off her neck, the expanse of the pale skin lay before him and he shuddered and closed his eyes.
“That wasn’t how I meant.” he whispered and it was Aubrey’s turn to shiver. He returned her embrace, body relaxing against her molding perfectly to fit her as he wrapped his arms around her. “Ever since I met you... I don’t really know what I’m doing anymore.” he admitted shakily.
“I know what you mean,” She said into his shirt, he smelled like all of the things that came with the ocean; like salt, hot sand and sun lotion. “I’ve been doing things that don’t make sense. I can’t seem to stop.” Indeed she was quite out of control, if someone was to walk out into the hall they would see them holding each other desperately in the genkan.
“How can you bare to touch me?” His voice was full of pain and of longing, though every exhale of breath relaxed him further till they were clinging to each other. This loathing, this self disgust; she wanted to erase it from him but didn’t know how. How could you even begin to ease a lifetime of pain?
“It was more like how could I bare not to,” she whispered and he broke completely burying his face in her hair, pressing his lips lightly against her temple.
“Thank you,” he mouthed against her skin, “Thank you...”
“I hate to break up the love-fest,” MatsuJun was leaning lazily against the hallway wall watching them with an amused smirk and Ohno and Aubrey sprang apart like guilty teenagers, “but Sachi and Aiba are still missing and we are sort of out of ideas.”
“Ah- right.” Ohno said turning quickly away from her, his eyes shutting down again, building his wall back up and going somewhere completely out of reach inside himself. Just when she had found him she was losing him again. But Jun was right, this totally wasn’t the time. She felt guilty when she thought about Sachi now, who knew where she was if she was hurt. And she was missing her own concert tonight even...
“AH!” She cried, clamping both hands over her mouth, “Why didn’t I realize it before.” Jun stood up alarmed and the other two came running at her cry.
“What happened?” Sho demanded, Nino right on his heels. MatsuJun seemed to grasp the situation first and was already throwing his shoes back on.
“I know where they are.”