Fiction - JE - White X'Mas
Title: White X’Mas
Pairing/Group: Ryo/Jin/Pi friendship, eventual Pin and Subaru/Ryo
Rating: PG
Warnings: angst
Notes: Thanks go to K for looking this over for me. I hope you like this. It took forever to come out.
Summary: Jin proposes a road trip with Ryo and Yamapi to a winter lodge, only to discover more than just snow.
It was one of those rare occasions when Ryo had to admit that Jin had a good idea. His friend wasn’t nearly as stupid as he seemed; in fact, he was one of the most intelligent people that Ryo knew. But even off the set, Jin tended to act the clown, at least around everyone else. But when he was with Ryo and Tomohisa (Ryo never thought of him as Yamapi; that was a childish nickname that just didn’t fit his long time friend anymore), he changed.
Then again, they all did, really. Ryo was still a snarky bastard, but the other two were used to it by now. In fact, if Ryo wasn’t feeling well and was generally nice to them, they would always question, see if he was all right. It was just how they were around each other.
Sitting in the back of the old beat up green Corolla that Jin had borrowed from his brother, Ryo stared out the window, his arms crossed over his chest. The pair in the front seat would recognize it as Ryo’s pouting gesture. Ryo didn’t so much as pout as he glared, so his body movements were what gave him away to his best friends.
Granted, he’d grudgingly agreed to come along. Part of him couldn’t wait to get away from Tokyo and Osaka; the other part longed for his hometown and family. Christmas was a special time of year, and he’d always spent it with his family. He wasn’t really surprised that Tomohisa had agreed to come along, however.
It wasn’t a secret that Tomohisa hated Christmas. Even during interviews, when asked about Christmas, Tomohisa would say he didn’t like the holiday. Most assumed it was because his family had been too poor for the typical Christmas traditions. But Ryo and Jin knew the truth.
Christmas was when his father had abandoned his family. Aoki-san had chosen Christmas Day, of all days, to pack his belongings and leave the family. Tomohisa still spoke to his father, but their relationship was rocky at best. Most days, Tomohisa ignored his father and was wary of anything he said or did. It was no secret in the Yamashita household that Aoki-san only “returned” to the family after Tomohisa became famous. Naomi always made sure to protect her son from his father. After all, even with the large income that Tomohisa made working for JE; the family wasn’t rich, not by a long shot.
All of this ran through Ryo’s head, and he finally shook his head to clear it. Such thoughts were too melancholy for the season. They were going off for some quiet time, just the three of them. He was looking forward to it, but regretting it at the same time. Part of him wished he was still in Osaka, with him. But another part said that it would be good for them to be apart for awhile, especially after their explosive fight.
Ryo wasn’t even sure what their fight was about anymore. Every time he was around Subaru, he felt…something. He wasn’t quite sure what it was. But every time they had some fan service thing to do (like that time they’d kissed on stage), he felt strange. It took all of his acting ability not to appear awkward around Subaru afterwards.
He probably would have worked himself into a depression if Jin hadn’t taken that moment to give a loud whoop. Parking the car, he smirked at the other two. They’d arrived.
Getting out of the car, Ryo looked around with an incredulous look on his face. The place looked like an old cabin from one of those Friday the 13th movies. Either that or some sappy Christmas romance movie.
The log cabin was quite large, easily big enough to hold the three of them, maybe more. Snow covered the ground, trees, everywhere; it was actually a very beautiful picture. Ryo rolled his eyes, as that very moment Tomohisa pulled out his camera and took a picture. So predictable.
“What? It’s pretty.” Tomohisa defended himself, ignoring the amused look Ryo gave him. Their friend might not like Christmas, but he certainly was a sap about the whole thing.
“Sure sure. Let’s get inside before we freeze to death.” Without waiting for the other two, Ryo stomped through the ankle deep snow towards the main door of the cabin. Resting his hand on the doorknob, he pushed the door open.
He was immediately assaulted by the sweet smell of cinnamon and warmth. He could see the fireplace from his vantage point at the door, and the roaring fire within. It was a peaceful scene, one he hadn’t expected to see. The place gave off a very homey appearance. Turning to glance at Jin as the other two arrived, Ryo snorted. “Turning domestic, Akanishi?”
“In your dreams, Nishikido.” Jin pushed his way into the cabin, dropping his bags on the floor. He immediately made his way over to the fireplace, laying down on the fur rug and letting the heat soak into his cold body.
“Wuss.” Tomohisa said good-naturedly, setting his own bags on the floor before heading to the kitchen. Ryo could hear his friend rummage around, setting a kettle of water to boil.
Shaking his head, Ryo turned, closing the main door behind him. His back was turned, so he didn’t see who was descending from the top of the stairs. “Yo, Akanishi. It’s about time you…got…here…”
The voice trailed off and Ryo felt his back stiffen at the familiar voice. It couldn’t be, could it? The name fell from his lips in a whisper as he finally turned around to stare in shock at the other occupant of the cabin.
Shibutani Subaru stood at the end of the stairs, his hand gripping the handrail until his knuckles turned white. He turned an angry stare over to the blissful figure of Jin. “I thought you said he wouldn’t be here.”
“I did. You asked if he’d be here when you got here and I said no. He wasn’t was he?” Jin opened an eye, smirking the whole while. “Both of you need to stop being a pair of pricks and talk to each other.”
“…..” Ryo was not happy. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate what Jin was trying to do, but he didn’t like people doing things behind his back. Grabbing his bag, he stormed past Subaru and up the stairs. Flinging open the nearest bedroom door, he threw his bag inside and slammed the door behind him.
The silence was more than a bit uncomfortable. When Tomohisa returned with a cup of hot tea, he blinked in confusion. Ryo was gone; Jin looked like he was in pain and Subaru…where did he come from?
“Ano…did I miss something?”
~ ~ ~
Ryo knew that he couldn’t stay in his room forever. For one thing he was getting hungry, and for another…well, he knew Jin was right. The awkwardness between him and Subaru had to end soon. The question was why were they so awkward? What was it about Subaru that made him clam up and become so distant?
The answer was so easy that it had been staring him in the face and he hadn’t even noticed it. How could he be so blind? What about this whole situation had him so scared? He was Nishikido Ryo and he shouldn’t be afraid of anything. But when it came to matters of the heart, Nishikido Ryo wasn’t nearly as strong or fearless as people seemed to think that he was.
Descending the stairs, he stopped in mid stride, his eyebrow raised at the scene before him. Tomohisa stood near the couch, his fists clenched and a look of rage on his face. A sheepish looking Jin stood to the side, while a man that Ryo had never seen stood to the side, stony-faced and impassive. His eyes locked with Subaru’s, who sighed and shrugged his shoulders.
“What’s going on here?” Ryo took the last few steps off the stairs, making his way over towards his friends. He looked from one to the other for an explanation, no one forthcoming.
Finally, it was Subaru who spoke. Ryo couldn’t remember Subaru saying more than a sentence since they’d arrived. “It would seem Akanishi-kun has decided to not only play matchmaker, but to fix all of his friends’ problems.” At the quizzical look Ryo gave him, Subaru shrugged. “Ryo, meet Aoki-san, Yamashita-kun’s father.”
Oh shit. Well, that would explain the look of murder that Tomohisa was leveling at his best friend. Ryo shook his head. Did Jin have no sense whatsoever? There was a reason that Tomohisa never spoke of his father except in the briefest of instances. The hatred he felt for his father stemmed from many years. Did Jin really think to change that animosity in one night?
“He invited Aoki-san to stay with us for the week.”
Correction, Jin was that stupid. A week?
“If he’s staying then I’m leaving.” Tomohisa grabbed his coat and headed for the door, not even bothering to look back. The door opened and that was the last Ryo saw of their friend.
“Shouldn’t we go after him?” Jin asked, a worried frown on his face.
“Just leave him. He’ll come back in an hour or so and realize what an idiot he is.” Or so Ryo hoped. It was rare to see Tomohisa so angry about anything.
“Perhaps he’s right and I shouldn’t have come.” Aoki-san’s eyes followed the direction his son had gone. He couldn’t blame Tomohisa for how he felt. He didn’t deserve his son’s forgiveness.
“That’s stupid. You’re welcome here, right guys?” Jin looked to the other two, hoping for some confirmation.
Ryo shrugged but stopped when he looked at Subaru.
Subaru’s eyes seemed to grow clearer, less clouded. A firm nod before he spoke. “You wish to reconcile with your son, yes? Then there is nothing wrong with your presence here, Aoki-san. Yamashita-kun is known for his stubbornness. Give him time, he’ll come around.”
Ryo could only hope that Subaru was right.
~ ~ ~
Two hours later found Ryo staring out at the blizzard outside. It had started up not long after Tomohisa had stormed out of the cabin and into the night. It had steadily gotten worse, causing everyone to worry. With unspoken agreement, the four men looked to each other, and then pulled on their own coats. Ryo grabbed one of the heavy duty flash lights and the four set off into the night in search of Tomohisa.
Little did the small group know that he wasn’t far. It had begun to snow not long after he left the cabin. Glad for his heavy jacket, he kept going. That had been his mistake. The ground was soon covered in snow, hiding the patches of ice that littered the road. Jin had missed most of them driving up, so Tomohisa wasn’t aware of the danger.
The snow storm began and he wasn’t so stubborn as to stay out in an oncoming blizzard. Whether his father was there or not, he was going to have to go back. He’d never survive all the way back to the nearest town in this snow.
A gust of wind caught him off guard, and he flailed, trying to get his balance. His foot slipped and he felt himself slipping on the hard ice of the road. With a muffled cry, he lost his balance, sliding down the road and into the ravine that was next to the road. He held his arm up to his face, trying to protect himself from the tree limbs. Crashing into a large rock that was embedded in the ground.
With a cry, he felt blood trickle over his eyes from his wound on his head before he fell into unconsciousness.
“Are we there yet?”
“Shut up!”
The combined annoyed voices of Subaru and Ryo immediately sent Jin into silence. Aoki-san suddenly dashed off towards the edge of the road. “Tomohisa!”
The three younger men rushed over to the elder, seeing what he’d seen from the top of the road. Tomohisa lay in the snow, a gash on his forehead, unmoving.
It didn’t take the four long to carry their unconscious friend out of the ravine and back towards the house. By that time, the blizzard had begun in full force. The radio that Jin had brought along announced a snow advisory, that all roads out of the mountains were blocked until the blizzard subsided and snow crews could get out and clear the roads.
This didn’t bode well for them. Once inside and away from the snow storm, they gave themselves a moment to breath. Ryo was amazed that they'd made it back without anymore injuries. Even with the flashlight, they couldn't see a foot in front of them in any direction. Finally back, they set Tomohisa on the couch. Jin rushed off into the closet to find the first aid kit.
Pulling out his cell, Ryo attempted to call for help, only to be met with a beeping that meant one thing. Out of service. "Leave it ot Bakanishi to pick a place with no reception."
"Quit being an ass, Ryo. He couldn't have predicted this would happen. Stop being so damn critical," Subaru snapped angrily.
Yet another surprising development. "Well, excuse me for being concerned about my friend!"
"Will you two shut up? Or at the very least, take your argument somewhere else so I can take care of my son." Aoki-san retorted before returning his attention to the injured Tomohisa.
Chastised, the two Kanjani8 members looked at one another before heading into the kitchen. Jin and Tomohisa's father seemed to e taking care of their injured friend, and Ryo and Subaru would just be in the way. Once in the kitchen, they turned to one another, realizing that they were alone for the first time that day.
"So..."
Ryo couldn't help but smile, as the two of them said the same thing at exactly the same time. A comfortable silence descended between the two, one that Ryo hadn’t experienced in a long time. It felt nice to be able to just be with his friend like this, though there was still that hint of awkwardness between them.
“I’m sorry.” It felt like a promising beginning, starting off with those two words. They were words that Subaru wouldn’t be expecting, not from Ryo at any rate.
“Are you okay?” Concern. If Ryo didn’t feel so unsure about how he felt, he would have smiled. Hearing Subaru’s concern made some of the awkwardness go away. “You’re not sick are you?”
Ryo laughed, shaking his head. “No, I’m not sick. I wanted to apologize for the way I’ve been acting towards you. Certain…feelings have come forward and I just didn’t know how to handle them so I took it out on you. For that, I’m sorry.”
“Feelings hmm?” Subaru gave Ryo a piercing look, one that Ryo couldn’t escape.
If there ever was a time that Ryo wanted to run, it was now. Subaru’s expression both intrigued and frightened him. Right now isn’t the time, but I think we have a lot to discuss Ryo. Namely, why you feel the need to hide how you feel when those feelings are reciprocated.”
“When…what?” Ryo watched Subaru walk out, without answering. Damnit! When did he find out and how? It didn’t really matter, however. The damage was done and he’d just have to live with it. Then again, he didn’t really think that he minded all that much.
~ ~ ~
The days went by quickly for the trapped group of friends. Jin went out daily with his snow shovel, attempting to clear a path for them so they could escape. Nothing anyone said, not even Tomohisa’s father, could sway the KAT-TUN singer into altering his course of action. It was determined that Tomohisa had a slight case of hypothermia, and Jin was determined to open a path on the road so they could get him to a hospital.
Ryo and Subaru spent most of their time on one of the couches in the living room, holding hands and talking quietly. After their initial talk, they became much more open with one another. There was still quite a bit that they needed to get over. But the first hurdle, that of admitting how they each felt for the other, had finally been overcome. The rest, as they say, was a piece of cake.
On the other hand, there was Tomohisa and his father. Ryo found it amusing that his friend kept trying to pull away from his father, only to have Aoki-san pull him right back where he started. It was an amusing sort of tug of war. Finally, by the fifth day, Ryo had had enough of it.
“Damnit Pi! Will you quit being an arrogant prick and let him help you already?” Ryo was known for his short temper, and he’d had to endure Tomohisa’s whining for nearly a week now. It wasn’t a surprise that he’d finally snapped.
“But Ryo-chan…”
“Don’t ‘but Ryo-chan’ me! I’ll be the first to admit that what your father did when you were a kid was lousy. But he’s here now and wants to make amends. Don’t you think it’s time to put the past behind you and give it a try?”
Ryo could see the stubborn look on Tomohisa’s face, but he also knew his words hit home. It might not happen this trip, but he could tell that Tomohisa would consider it. His friend was known for being stubborn, especially if he’d been betrayed.
It was at that moment that the door banged open, a triumphant looking Jin in the doorway. He was covered in snow; his boots were encrusted with it. A fine layer of the white stuff was dusted on his jacket and hair; he looked like a human snowman.
At the sight of him, it took everything for Tomohisa not to laugh. Laughing hurt. But Jin made such a ludicrous sight.
Ryo didn’t have the same problem as Tomohisa. He fell off the couch, rolling on the floor in a fit of laughter. He tried to control himself, but every time he looked at Jin, he’d just start laughing all over again.
Jin glared at his friend, sniffing indignantly. “Laugh while you can, Ryo. But I did it! I cleared a path for us to get out of here!”
“Uh…Jin-kun?” Subaru tried to hide his smirk, but it didn’t really work as he stood up from his place on the couch. “The radio said the roads were cleared two days ago. We’ve been waiting for you to get back so we could leave.”
“……”
The look on Jin’s face at this pronouncement was more than enough to send everyone in the room into new peals of laughter.
Pairing/Group: Ryo/Jin/Pi friendship, eventual Pin and Subaru/Ryo
Rating: PG
Warnings: angst
Notes: Thanks go to K for looking this over for me. I hope you like this. It took forever to come out.
Summary: Jin proposes a road trip with Ryo and Yamapi to a winter lodge, only to discover more than just snow.
It was one of those rare occasions when Ryo had to admit that Jin had a good idea. His friend wasn’t nearly as stupid as he seemed; in fact, he was one of the most intelligent people that Ryo knew. But even off the set, Jin tended to act the clown, at least around everyone else. But when he was with Ryo and Tomohisa (Ryo never thought of him as Yamapi; that was a childish nickname that just didn’t fit his long time friend anymore), he changed.
Then again, they all did, really. Ryo was still a snarky bastard, but the other two were used to it by now. In fact, if Ryo wasn’t feeling well and was generally nice to them, they would always question, see if he was all right. It was just how they were around each other.
Sitting in the back of the old beat up green Corolla that Jin had borrowed from his brother, Ryo stared out the window, his arms crossed over his chest. The pair in the front seat would recognize it as Ryo’s pouting gesture. Ryo didn’t so much as pout as he glared, so his body movements were what gave him away to his best friends.
Granted, he’d grudgingly agreed to come along. Part of him couldn’t wait to get away from Tokyo and Osaka; the other part longed for his hometown and family. Christmas was a special time of year, and he’d always spent it with his family. He wasn’t really surprised that Tomohisa had agreed to come along, however.
It wasn’t a secret that Tomohisa hated Christmas. Even during interviews, when asked about Christmas, Tomohisa would say he didn’t like the holiday. Most assumed it was because his family had been too poor for the typical Christmas traditions. But Ryo and Jin knew the truth.
Christmas was when his father had abandoned his family. Aoki-san had chosen Christmas Day, of all days, to pack his belongings and leave the family. Tomohisa still spoke to his father, but their relationship was rocky at best. Most days, Tomohisa ignored his father and was wary of anything he said or did. It was no secret in the Yamashita household that Aoki-san only “returned” to the family after Tomohisa became famous. Naomi always made sure to protect her son from his father. After all, even with the large income that Tomohisa made working for JE; the family wasn’t rich, not by a long shot.
All of this ran through Ryo’s head, and he finally shook his head to clear it. Such thoughts were too melancholy for the season. They were going off for some quiet time, just the three of them. He was looking forward to it, but regretting it at the same time. Part of him wished he was still in Osaka, with him. But another part said that it would be good for them to be apart for awhile, especially after their explosive fight.
Ryo wasn’t even sure what their fight was about anymore. Every time he was around Subaru, he felt…something. He wasn’t quite sure what it was. But every time they had some fan service thing to do (like that time they’d kissed on stage), he felt strange. It took all of his acting ability not to appear awkward around Subaru afterwards.
He probably would have worked himself into a depression if Jin hadn’t taken that moment to give a loud whoop. Parking the car, he smirked at the other two. They’d arrived.
Getting out of the car, Ryo looked around with an incredulous look on his face. The place looked like an old cabin from one of those Friday the 13th movies. Either that or some sappy Christmas romance movie.
The log cabin was quite large, easily big enough to hold the three of them, maybe more. Snow covered the ground, trees, everywhere; it was actually a very beautiful picture. Ryo rolled his eyes, as that very moment Tomohisa pulled out his camera and took a picture. So predictable.
“What? It’s pretty.” Tomohisa defended himself, ignoring the amused look Ryo gave him. Their friend might not like Christmas, but he certainly was a sap about the whole thing.
“Sure sure. Let’s get inside before we freeze to death.” Without waiting for the other two, Ryo stomped through the ankle deep snow towards the main door of the cabin. Resting his hand on the doorknob, he pushed the door open.
He was immediately assaulted by the sweet smell of cinnamon and warmth. He could see the fireplace from his vantage point at the door, and the roaring fire within. It was a peaceful scene, one he hadn’t expected to see. The place gave off a very homey appearance. Turning to glance at Jin as the other two arrived, Ryo snorted. “Turning domestic, Akanishi?”
“In your dreams, Nishikido.” Jin pushed his way into the cabin, dropping his bags on the floor. He immediately made his way over to the fireplace, laying down on the fur rug and letting the heat soak into his cold body.
“Wuss.” Tomohisa said good-naturedly, setting his own bags on the floor before heading to the kitchen. Ryo could hear his friend rummage around, setting a kettle of water to boil.
Shaking his head, Ryo turned, closing the main door behind him. His back was turned, so he didn’t see who was descending from the top of the stairs. “Yo, Akanishi. It’s about time you…got…here…”
The voice trailed off and Ryo felt his back stiffen at the familiar voice. It couldn’t be, could it? The name fell from his lips in a whisper as he finally turned around to stare in shock at the other occupant of the cabin.
Shibutani Subaru stood at the end of the stairs, his hand gripping the handrail until his knuckles turned white. He turned an angry stare over to the blissful figure of Jin. “I thought you said he wouldn’t be here.”
“I did. You asked if he’d be here when you got here and I said no. He wasn’t was he?” Jin opened an eye, smirking the whole while. “Both of you need to stop being a pair of pricks and talk to each other.”
“…..” Ryo was not happy. It wasn’t that he didn’t appreciate what Jin was trying to do, but he didn’t like people doing things behind his back. Grabbing his bag, he stormed past Subaru and up the stairs. Flinging open the nearest bedroom door, he threw his bag inside and slammed the door behind him.
The silence was more than a bit uncomfortable. When Tomohisa returned with a cup of hot tea, he blinked in confusion. Ryo was gone; Jin looked like he was in pain and Subaru…where did he come from?
“Ano…did I miss something?”
~ ~ ~
Ryo knew that he couldn’t stay in his room forever. For one thing he was getting hungry, and for another…well, he knew Jin was right. The awkwardness between him and Subaru had to end soon. The question was why were they so awkward? What was it about Subaru that made him clam up and become so distant?
The answer was so easy that it had been staring him in the face and he hadn’t even noticed it. How could he be so blind? What about this whole situation had him so scared? He was Nishikido Ryo and he shouldn’t be afraid of anything. But when it came to matters of the heart, Nishikido Ryo wasn’t nearly as strong or fearless as people seemed to think that he was.
Descending the stairs, he stopped in mid stride, his eyebrow raised at the scene before him. Tomohisa stood near the couch, his fists clenched and a look of rage on his face. A sheepish looking Jin stood to the side, while a man that Ryo had never seen stood to the side, stony-faced and impassive. His eyes locked with Subaru’s, who sighed and shrugged his shoulders.
“What’s going on here?” Ryo took the last few steps off the stairs, making his way over towards his friends. He looked from one to the other for an explanation, no one forthcoming.
Finally, it was Subaru who spoke. Ryo couldn’t remember Subaru saying more than a sentence since they’d arrived. “It would seem Akanishi-kun has decided to not only play matchmaker, but to fix all of his friends’ problems.” At the quizzical look Ryo gave him, Subaru shrugged. “Ryo, meet Aoki-san, Yamashita-kun’s father.”
Oh shit. Well, that would explain the look of murder that Tomohisa was leveling at his best friend. Ryo shook his head. Did Jin have no sense whatsoever? There was a reason that Tomohisa never spoke of his father except in the briefest of instances. The hatred he felt for his father stemmed from many years. Did Jin really think to change that animosity in one night?
“He invited Aoki-san to stay with us for the week.”
Correction, Jin was that stupid. A week?
“If he’s staying then I’m leaving.” Tomohisa grabbed his coat and headed for the door, not even bothering to look back. The door opened and that was the last Ryo saw of their friend.
“Shouldn’t we go after him?” Jin asked, a worried frown on his face.
“Just leave him. He’ll come back in an hour or so and realize what an idiot he is.” Or so Ryo hoped. It was rare to see Tomohisa so angry about anything.
“Perhaps he’s right and I shouldn’t have come.” Aoki-san’s eyes followed the direction his son had gone. He couldn’t blame Tomohisa for how he felt. He didn’t deserve his son’s forgiveness.
“That’s stupid. You’re welcome here, right guys?” Jin looked to the other two, hoping for some confirmation.
Ryo shrugged but stopped when he looked at Subaru.
Subaru’s eyes seemed to grow clearer, less clouded. A firm nod before he spoke. “You wish to reconcile with your son, yes? Then there is nothing wrong with your presence here, Aoki-san. Yamashita-kun is known for his stubbornness. Give him time, he’ll come around.”
Ryo could only hope that Subaru was right.
~ ~ ~
Two hours later found Ryo staring out at the blizzard outside. It had started up not long after Tomohisa had stormed out of the cabin and into the night. It had steadily gotten worse, causing everyone to worry. With unspoken agreement, the four men looked to each other, and then pulled on their own coats. Ryo grabbed one of the heavy duty flash lights and the four set off into the night in search of Tomohisa.
Little did the small group know that he wasn’t far. It had begun to snow not long after he left the cabin. Glad for his heavy jacket, he kept going. That had been his mistake. The ground was soon covered in snow, hiding the patches of ice that littered the road. Jin had missed most of them driving up, so Tomohisa wasn’t aware of the danger.
The snow storm began and he wasn’t so stubborn as to stay out in an oncoming blizzard. Whether his father was there or not, he was going to have to go back. He’d never survive all the way back to the nearest town in this snow.
A gust of wind caught him off guard, and he flailed, trying to get his balance. His foot slipped and he felt himself slipping on the hard ice of the road. With a muffled cry, he lost his balance, sliding down the road and into the ravine that was next to the road. He held his arm up to his face, trying to protect himself from the tree limbs. Crashing into a large rock that was embedded in the ground.
With a cry, he felt blood trickle over his eyes from his wound on his head before he fell into unconsciousness.
“Are we there yet?”
“Shut up!”
The combined annoyed voices of Subaru and Ryo immediately sent Jin into silence. Aoki-san suddenly dashed off towards the edge of the road. “Tomohisa!”
The three younger men rushed over to the elder, seeing what he’d seen from the top of the road. Tomohisa lay in the snow, a gash on his forehead, unmoving.
It didn’t take the four long to carry their unconscious friend out of the ravine and back towards the house. By that time, the blizzard had begun in full force. The radio that Jin had brought along announced a snow advisory, that all roads out of the mountains were blocked until the blizzard subsided and snow crews could get out and clear the roads.
This didn’t bode well for them. Once inside and away from the snow storm, they gave themselves a moment to breath. Ryo was amazed that they'd made it back without anymore injuries. Even with the flashlight, they couldn't see a foot in front of them in any direction. Finally back, they set Tomohisa on the couch. Jin rushed off into the closet to find the first aid kit.
Pulling out his cell, Ryo attempted to call for help, only to be met with a beeping that meant one thing. Out of service. "Leave it ot Bakanishi to pick a place with no reception."
"Quit being an ass, Ryo. He couldn't have predicted this would happen. Stop being so damn critical," Subaru snapped angrily.
Yet another surprising development. "Well, excuse me for being concerned about my friend!"
"Will you two shut up? Or at the very least, take your argument somewhere else so I can take care of my son." Aoki-san retorted before returning his attention to the injured Tomohisa.
Chastised, the two Kanjani8 members looked at one another before heading into the kitchen. Jin and Tomohisa's father seemed to e taking care of their injured friend, and Ryo and Subaru would just be in the way. Once in the kitchen, they turned to one another, realizing that they were alone for the first time that day.
"So..."
Ryo couldn't help but smile, as the two of them said the same thing at exactly the same time. A comfortable silence descended between the two, one that Ryo hadn’t experienced in a long time. It felt nice to be able to just be with his friend like this, though there was still that hint of awkwardness between them.
“I’m sorry.” It felt like a promising beginning, starting off with those two words. They were words that Subaru wouldn’t be expecting, not from Ryo at any rate.
“Are you okay?” Concern. If Ryo didn’t feel so unsure about how he felt, he would have smiled. Hearing Subaru’s concern made some of the awkwardness go away. “You’re not sick are you?”
Ryo laughed, shaking his head. “No, I’m not sick. I wanted to apologize for the way I’ve been acting towards you. Certain…feelings have come forward and I just didn’t know how to handle them so I took it out on you. For that, I’m sorry.”
“Feelings hmm?” Subaru gave Ryo a piercing look, one that Ryo couldn’t escape.
If there ever was a time that Ryo wanted to run, it was now. Subaru’s expression both intrigued and frightened him. Right now isn’t the time, but I think we have a lot to discuss Ryo. Namely, why you feel the need to hide how you feel when those feelings are reciprocated.”
“When…what?” Ryo watched Subaru walk out, without answering. Damnit! When did he find out and how? It didn’t really matter, however. The damage was done and he’d just have to live with it. Then again, he didn’t really think that he minded all that much.
~ ~ ~
The days went by quickly for the trapped group of friends. Jin went out daily with his snow shovel, attempting to clear a path for them so they could escape. Nothing anyone said, not even Tomohisa’s father, could sway the KAT-TUN singer into altering his course of action. It was determined that Tomohisa had a slight case of hypothermia, and Jin was determined to open a path on the road so they could get him to a hospital.
Ryo and Subaru spent most of their time on one of the couches in the living room, holding hands and talking quietly. After their initial talk, they became much more open with one another. There was still quite a bit that they needed to get over. But the first hurdle, that of admitting how they each felt for the other, had finally been overcome. The rest, as they say, was a piece of cake.
On the other hand, there was Tomohisa and his father. Ryo found it amusing that his friend kept trying to pull away from his father, only to have Aoki-san pull him right back where he started. It was an amusing sort of tug of war. Finally, by the fifth day, Ryo had had enough of it.
“Damnit Pi! Will you quit being an arrogant prick and let him help you already?” Ryo was known for his short temper, and he’d had to endure Tomohisa’s whining for nearly a week now. It wasn’t a surprise that he’d finally snapped.
“But Ryo-chan…”
“Don’t ‘but Ryo-chan’ me! I’ll be the first to admit that what your father did when you were a kid was lousy. But he’s here now and wants to make amends. Don’t you think it’s time to put the past behind you and give it a try?”
Ryo could see the stubborn look on Tomohisa’s face, but he also knew his words hit home. It might not happen this trip, but he could tell that Tomohisa would consider it. His friend was known for being stubborn, especially if he’d been betrayed.
It was at that moment that the door banged open, a triumphant looking Jin in the doorway. He was covered in snow; his boots were encrusted with it. A fine layer of the white stuff was dusted on his jacket and hair; he looked like a human snowman.
At the sight of him, it took everything for Tomohisa not to laugh. Laughing hurt. But Jin made such a ludicrous sight.
Ryo didn’t have the same problem as Tomohisa. He fell off the couch, rolling on the floor in a fit of laughter. He tried to control himself, but every time he looked at Jin, he’d just start laughing all over again.
Jin glared at his friend, sniffing indignantly. “Laugh while you can, Ryo. But I did it! I cleared a path for us to get out of here!”
“Uh…Jin-kun?” Subaru tried to hide his smirk, but it didn’t really work as he stood up from his place on the couch. “The radio said the roads were cleared two days ago. We’ve been waiting for you to get back so we could leave.”
“……”
The look on Jin’s face at this pronouncement was more than enough to send everyone in the room into new peals of laughter.