Gift fic for novemberbaby86
Title: Within four walls (2/2)
Pairing/Group: Matsumoto Jun/Ninomiya Kazunari / Arashi
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Attempted humor?
Notes: It's long, very long. And I would have included the other members but it would have turned out even longer... The set up might be a little weird as well, a 2LDK with two stories, but it was kind of necessary for the story. I went with the requested college life along with fashion and piano (however I'm not too firm...). But! The main story only takes place within the apartment. I admit it's a clichéd set up and story but I enjoyed writing it so so much. Thank you, for the request, novemberbaby86 and sorry if I did not meet your expectations.
Summary: Department of instrumental music meets Fashion Creation department. Two students who wouldn't move in the college's dorm even if their life depends on it (Really, who would want to move in the dorm? The noise, the filth, the lack of privacy...) share an apartment.
Jun closes his door deliberately and leans against it.
His roommate is Ninomiya Kazunari.
Jun is surprised, actually, that he remembers the name in first place. There is no reason why he should. They went to the same school, okay, but they were never in the same class and Jun even doubts they ever shared a conversation or simply greetings. He only remembers him from the baseball club. Ninomiya had been marvelous back then, to a degree that Jun had feelings of envy, admiration and aversion at the same time.
It is his appearance that triggers Jun and throws him off. It is like a 17-year-old is standing in front of him and it reminds him of school days so instantly that he is truly overrun.
He is also astonished that Ninomiya turns out to be great in socializing. He always thought he is the grumpy, monosyllabic type, but Ninomiya is easy to talk to about the most trivial things and they just talk and talk and talk, not realizing how much coffee they drink.
Jun finds himself watching the other smirk, laugh and talk.
Back, when he thought that his roommate was some kind of jerk with a broom ("I bought a broom only because of this you know?" Nino waves and laughs, more to himself. Jun chokes on his coffee.) he had no problems with sewing when he wants and how long he wants.
But it must be indeed a great disturbance, even more when you're a musician. Jun bites his lips and stares at his sewing machine from his door.
The grey cotton fabric with the thin, irregular white stripes lays half next to it along with different colors of yarn. He finally sits down in front of it and holds the yarns to the grey fabric.
He really likes the sate green on the gray but when he touches the sunflowerish yellow it's just-- That's it.
He runs to search for some yellow fabric for the lining and lets out a delighted scream when he indeed fishes something out of his remains.
He actually wanted to sew an Indian style bag, one of these handy and trendy ones but he decides for something similar to a tote bag. Everyone needs a tote bag right?
~
The next day Nino finds a neatly folded cloth on the kitchen table, with a post-it attached to it.
This should fit plenty of ramen cups (kimichi flavor) into it.
Sorry for all the noise --> this is the outcome.
Jun M.
Nino touches the smooth fabric and unfolds it carefully. He finds a grey tote bag with thin white stripes and a rich sunny lining. The seam is from the same color and at the upper right edge is a stitched logo. It reads 'Nintendomiya' framed by the typical circle. It is stitched neatly in cute cross stitches. Underneath is the small, familiar Jun M. signature in stitches as well, just differently, more playful.
Nino shouldn't find a bag cute, but he totally does.
~
By the end of the first year Nino has a whole collection of 'Nintendomiya' labeled pieces. If he wouldn't know it any better he would think that he's Jun's guinea pig. Bento bags, scarfs, vests, a shirt. (It fits perfectly! Nino wonders if he really wants to know where Jun has the measurements from...)
~
College, second year
Jun raises his eyebrows when he gets the letter with the moving offer.
Accommodation offer:
Single apartment
1LDK
Wood flooring, Kitchen and Bathroom, pets allowed
Price excluding utility costs
Offerer: Aiba
Hadn’t he canceled the search request?
Jun stares at the lines for a moment but doesn't hesitate to call the phone number provided. No, he doesn't want to move right now. He is very much content with the double apartment right now. No, Yes, thank you very much.
Jun shuts his mobile, turns on the radio and prepares some pasta.
He hums to 'No one but you' on the radio while cutting the tomatoes.
Who would have thought that he actually enjoys living with a roommate? But he does. Maybe because he’s living with Nino, which includes private piano concerts and random talks in the genkan when Nino goes and Jun comes. Surely it's because of the apartment. He loves the apartment. The old, worn-out two men sofa in the kitchen, the English staircase, the huge, huge window in his room.
By now he is sure it was one of the best coincidences that he moved in. He doesn’t want to think that it was just out of desperation that he actually lives with Nino now; that sounds too negative.
The guy on the radio announces a series of shooting stars for this evening, when he rinses the noodles.
He smiles.
~
“Your smile is bliss~”
Nino can hear Jun singing along to Billy Eckstein. He sounds a little like a duck, but a passionate one so that Nino has to smile.
~
Shooting stars.
Jun loves them--though he hardly ever catches them.
He sits on the floor, leaning against his sleeping sofa and stares up the sky. In his lap is a flowing jersey fabric and buttons which are supposed to get attached but Jun long forgot about them, as well as he forgot about his big mug of tea standing next to him, already lukewarm and almost empty. However he catches the fading out piano music.
There is a soft knock on his door but he doesn’t bother to tear his gaze away from the clear sky, knowing that it’s Nino who wants to join him. Whenever they announce shooting stars he would come up to Jun’s room after his practice.
Jun can clearly remember the first time Nino did, announcing shooting stars and the will to watch it from Jun’s window because a) he has the privilege since he got the apartment first and b) Jun has to deal with his primogenital right. Jun had been tempted to ask what it had to do with primogenital rights but Nino had handed him an absolutely delicious looking mug of hot chocolate that he just nodded and made room on his sleeping sofa.
Now it is Nino who makes himself room on the sofa, carefully moving the provisory stitched fabrics and sits down. He hands Jun a fresh mug of tea, steaming hot.
They always sit there in silence, only jerking out of their daze when they see a shooting star.
"There!" Nino shouts and Jun misses to wish for something, again.
And he even knows what he would wish for. He has plenty of wishes, actually, but there is one high on his list because he gets reminded every day he steps into the bathroom.
The realization for Nino to buy new toothbrushes.
~
Jun has watched it for a year now. Whenever he brushes his teeth in the morning and in the evening his eyes swift to Nino's belongings. His frayed toothbrush and the toothpaste, at times cut open with half dried remains.
It creeps him out, to a degree that he dreams about rotten teeth and toothpaste flooding his creations.
Actually he couldn't care less. He doesn’t have to brush his teeth with this toothbrush, right? But here he is, with the shopping bags on the kitchen table, putting everything in its right place--and a double pack of toothbrushes. It's a double pack, for a reason. He is tired to think about bacteria and oral flora of others, for once.
He shrugs; there are just two reactions possible, right?
He goes to the bathroom to exchange his old one and leaves the package with the second on the board over the sink next to Nino's glass with his old toothbrush.
The package remains there the next days and Jun changes from the We Will See attitude to an antsy and unsure one. Maybe Nino didn’t get the message. Or maybe he did but Jun violated a rule or something. Don’t intervene with the hygienic articles of your roommate... On the other hand it is just a toothbrush!
When he stumbles in the kitchen the next morning to heat up water for his usual coffee, he stops mid-way. There is a plain package on the kitchen table. At the first glance it looks like tea but then Jun picks it up and reads the handwritten label. Harrar coffee. Very recently ground.
He sprints into the bathroom.
The package is gone and the new toothbrush in Nino's glass. There is a post-it on the mirror.
Throw toothpaste in and we're even. ♥
His heart skips a beat.
~
Nino munches his maccha melon pan and takes out his tea bag from his cup.
He sighs at the strong taste of the oolong tea and leans back cross-legged on the sofa right in time to enjoy the sight of a sleepy Jun, scuffling into the kitchen, yawing wholeheartedly and scratching his back.
A perfect Sunday morning... Bed hair. He just loves to see the otherwise composed and stylish Matsumoto Jun like that.
"Morning..." Jun mutters and Nino grins, returning it loudly and enjoys how Jun cringes.
Nino knows why he would get up first.
Jun brews his coffee and cuts some fruit for his daily yogurt. His sweatpants are low on his hips and get lower and lower the more ingredients he collects for his breakfast.
Nino definitely knows why he would get up first.
Finally, Jun accompanies him on the couch, knees to his chest, balancing the bowl with the fruit yogurt on them and the steaming coffee in front of him on the kitchen table.
It takes some time until Jun is willing to chitchat with him, but Nino is patient and breaks another piece of his sweet bread.
"Where is the usual corn-mayo-bread?" Jun suddenly asks, eying Nino shortly. His eyes are still a little swollen and he hasn't shaved yet; indeed Sunday morning looks are like heaven for Nino.
"It kind of got replaced by melon pan." Nino shrugs.
"Is that so," Jun ponders. "An era comes to an end."
Nino laughs.
"How about..." Jun starts and reaches out to sip his coffee, swearing because it's still hot. He hesitates.
"Hm?"
"How about we start another one?"
Nino stares at him.
Huh?
He wonders what Jun could possibly mean. (He also wonders if it’s still too early for Jun.)
"That's a lousy pick-up line, Jun-kun," Nino finally concludes because he just can’t resist.
Jun blushes at that. Cute, Nino thinks and shakes his head in wonderment. He chuckles.
"I meant regarding food!"
Nino laughs.
"I can’t quite follow..."
"It," Jun waves in the general direction of Nino's breakfast. "isn't very healthy."
Nino raises his eyebrows.
"I could cook."
"I know you can."
"I could cook more."
Cute, Nino thinks again, how Jun could beat around the bush.
“Hmm...”
He can see how Jun shrinks a little. He wonders since when he is able to read Jun as easy as he is doing right now. Nino grins mischievously.
"We share the bill, you cook and twice a week we eat something terribly unhealthy at best with a lot of E's." Nino concludes.
He can see how Jun smiles into his coffee.
~
Whenever Jun cooks Nino plays the piano for him by request, you have to jolly your food provider along, after all. Jun would always request a Beatles' song, swinging to the music in the kitchen while cutting vegetables. Nino can catch glimpses of it from his room.
~
There is this irritated huff on the stairs, in the hallway and goes into the kitchen. Nino pauses his game shortly and listens.
"Just what kind of yarn do they sell?” Jun mutters on his way back to his room.
Nino imagines him with a strong coffee, close to a Turkish one where the spoon can stand in the cup. His creativity must lack again. Jun always blames the yarn or the buttons or the needles if his creativity lacks.
Nino remains silent, knowing that every step would bring the other even closer to madness. (He once ate an apple in Jun’s presence while the other muttered something about the inability of the Madeira Company to produce decent yarn which turned out to be a huge mistake. Apparently the process of biting and chewing is another thing Jun is anal about. Sometimes Nino’s doing it anyway, just for fun.)
Instead he goes out to buy new toothbrushes. The ones with fancy tongue cleaners. The next day when he returns home a smell of hamburgers lies in the air.
~
Jun doesn't know how to describe it but they make progress (Nino bought toothbrushes!). The first year was all about noises and silence. Avoiding each other and trying to not disturb the other. There were some occasional talks in the kitchen but Jun can't remember that he has ever been in Nino's room.
So the invitation to a gaming night does come by surprise. Before he even thinks about it he agrees. Later he ponders, maybe Nino just asked him out of politeness for the cooking? And really, why did he agree? He never touches games for a good reason.
They end up on Nino’s bed, playing Mario Kart through the night; heated, knees almost touching and all. But Jun can’t focus on the almost touching fact because he wins and wins and wins. And he loves it. He is on a roll and almost sorry, because Nino has this incredulous expression which turns into scowls and more revenge, but he likes winning too much and gets addicted easily. And that's why he never plays in first place...
He is close to pat Nino when the other throws his game controller away and growls in frustration.
Nino's anguish is visible for days, Jun finds it highly amusing.
Eventually they mutually decide not to pursue the games anymore, they settle on movie nights. No one loses there.
~
Jun turns out to be the perfect movie buddy and it is rather difficult to find such a person. The one who wouldn't talk too much during a movie, neither would he remain silent and if there are remarks then at the right time.
The first time they watch 'Forest Gump' with Chinese take-outs and beer. Jun decided to brush up Nino’s movie knowledge right after Nino’s confession that he hasn’t watched 'Casablanca' or 'The Godfather so far, something unforgivable in Jun’s mind.
Every Friday they would sit on the sofa in the kitchen and only when they couldn't read the subtitles anymore they would drag themselves to their rooms.
They also have the irregular movie nights, though. The ones where Nino catches Jun in the kitchen, watching the screen instead of minding his cooking. Sometimes Jun blinks rather suspiciously and he tries to hide it every time Nino comes into the kitchen to join him.
Of course, every time Nino would make a snarky remark about it. Man tears and stuff but he always has tissues with him which Jun grabs rather furiously.
~
They watch 'Murder by death' right after 'Murder by call' (Nino got the movies this time and Jun has the strong suspicion he just grabbed the two closest from the shelves) and snicker into their Thai take outs when the naked butler vanished and instead just his smoking was left. They're comfortable on the kitchen sofa with blankets and cushions.
Somehow they get too comfortable because they don't get up. Maybe because Jun had a particular long day at college, maybe because Nino had the final, nerve-wracking audition for his college's main orchestra but maybe also because they didn't care for the first time or didn't spare a thought.
Whatever it is in the end, Jun finds himself in a rather uncomfortable position on the couch in the middle of the night. The screen of the TV is blue, illuminating the kitchen in a strange light. He is half dangling from the sofa, his left hand is hitting the cold tiles and something bony is sticking into his back along with a strange warm pressure between his shoulder blades. All in all it is rather hot.
It takes a murmur behind him, by Nino, that Jun's eyes widen.
He turns around (as far as he can) rather hectically and sees his roommate behind him, sleeping soundly, his face half hidden in one of the cushions, one arm awkwardly around his neck, the other one unmistakably ends pressing between Jun's shoulder blades.
Nino looks peaceful despite the equally uncomfortable and odd position. He looks content even, snoring like a cat.
Jun contemplates getting up and leaving for his room but he doesn't want to. Not in the least. So he blindly searches for the remote control and finds it on the floor near the couch. He switches off the TV screen and complicatedly removes his sweater (a cramp already on his way), trying to not wake his roommate up and keep his limbs in place.
He also tries to find a more comfortable position which is far more difficult than removing his sweater, mostly because Nino's knee and hand are still on his back. Jun settles for lying on his stomach, his arm dangling again from the sofa again. Somewhere along dozing off, he can feel how Nino shifts accordingly, but Jun doesn't even realize his own smile creeping up at that point.
~
Nino wakes up to too bright light and hair in his mouth. He wrinkles his nose and thinks, Eeewww? His neck hurts like hell and he is kind of strangling himself with his right arm. But that isn't the actual problem, the actual problem is his left arm and where it is--around Jun's shoulders that is. Innocently his fingertips press into Jun's left shoulder. But even that his left knee can top because it lays on Jun's back, more his ass really, but Nino refuses to think in that dimensions.
His mind keeps telling him instead that this is the only position which allows two grown men to lie on a small kitchen sofa. This is much more rational.
He blinks and stares at Jun in front of him.
He's all sweaty, and Jun is too, he can see the light sheen of sweat along his neck. It's rather gross, really, but Nino stares at that neck longer than he should anyway, listening to the even breathing of the other.
It's a peaceful morning and despite the pain from sleeping in funny positions, it feels right. Like coming home. A warm fuzzy feeling, Nino rarely has and enjoys.
This feeling lasts until Nino finally tears his gaze away from Jun's delicate neck to the clock of the microwave.
"Shit!" He yells and rolls over Jun who groans disorientated in response.
~
They should talk about it but they don’t. For a short moment Jun thinks, Maybe it’s normal to share a tiny sofa with a guy overnight. Maybe there isn’t something to talk about? But it’s not.
They are back to avoiding each other.
~
He knocks at Jun's door and a distracted voice is telling him to come in. Nino does and gets to see Jun bending over his sewing machine. Its small lamp provides the only light in the room but Nino can see the huge glasses on Jun's nose and that he has tied his hair back. With his one foot, he is stepping on the pedal here and then, producing the much hated sound. The other leg is resting in a rather uncomfortable angle on Jun's thigh--at least it looks like that for Nino.
Nino smiles unconsciously.
"Shooting stars!" He announces and shoves the fabrics and Japanese Vogues from Jun's sleeping sofa demonstratively.
Jun looks up to that. "Seriously?" He asks surprised.
"Yep~" Nino confirms and gets comfortable on the couch.
It is a lie.
But he can't just... He simply doesn't trust his courage to last any longer. (Normally he wouldn’t dare to disturb Jun in his work, knowing the outcome.)
He contemplated about the matter back and forth, reviewing the night to no end. They slept on the sofa. It wasn't a big a deal if they did it without intention and just as an accident, in fact. But the more Nino thought about it: Jun just wore his shirt when Nino woke up which means he must have been awake during the night. Which means that he deliberately slept with Nino on the sofa even though it was damn uncomfortable and warm and gross and all. Which means.... What? That he doesn't mind sharing sofas with roommates? Or guys? Or Nino?
Nino admits that he was avoiding Jun as well as Jun kept the hell out of Nino's way. Maybe he interpreted too much in the whole thing but their life together already feels so domestic that Nino can't help but wonder, can’t help but wonder what he wants.
He is afraid how the thoughts about Jun are affecting his attitude towards his music. He is losing his focus. Playing the Beatles rather than practicing Liszt or Schumann. Sakurai-sensei is close to madness because of his none existent progress in terms of the chamber music. He is having movie nights and long breakfasts instead of composing his own random pieces which he normally would.
But the want, a desire, is undeniable. It’s there when he watches Jun sipping hot coffee in the morning, cursing adorably because he’s a cat tongue. It is there when Jun cooks while swaying his hips to Nino’s music. It is there when he smells the delicious hamburgers Jun makes once in a while.
He even thinks of Jun when he sees double packs of toothbrushes or an advertisement for high-tech brooms (which can keep the dust even better).
He has settled for trying. If Jun deliberately slept with him then it is his turn, right?
~
There is an arm on the back of the sofa. There never was an arm on the back of the sofa.
Jun finds himself sitting rather awkwardly on his own sofa. He can't decide if he should lean back or if he should just remain in his forward position; elbows on his knees and his head tipped back, looking up to the sky. It isn't really good for his neck though.
He stares at the stars and tries to reflect on the situation. What does this arm mean? He can guess what could come out of it when he leans back. The Arm Around The Shoulder Type of hug.
Jun doesn't know what to make out of it.
It seems they never discuss important matters, in any way. After some time each of them would come to a decision and act instead of speak. Maybe that’s what the arm is about. But Jun couldn’t be too sure. It’s Nino after all.
He surely didn't mind sharing a sofa with Nino, which should be kind of alarming but it isn't at all (that is alarming too). Nevertheless he is insecure because Nino didn't say anything about it and that leaves Jun not wanting to be confronted about it; because silence means ignorance and ignorance can't be a positive sign, right?
In the end the longer they took the more Jun buried himself in his work. Scribbling designs, experimenting with dying fabrics and visiting tons of fabric markets.
There wasn't a sign of Nino until the knock today and that arm and:
"Jun."
One single word.
Jun startles. No typical Jun-kun, just Jun.
His heart flutters. He glances back at Nino who doesn't search for shooting stars but stares at Jun, rather intently. A look which makes Jun lean back without even thinking twice. For a short time nothing happens, the arm remains on the back of the sofa and Jun’s thoughts start to kick in again, mostly about how awkward this is.
But then Nino shifts and his arm moves around Jun's shoulders. Jun moves accordingly, pressing into Nino's warm side whose contradicting cold fingertips squeeze encouragingly Jun's shoulder.
There are no shooting stars that night.
~
It’s the first time he sees Jun’s shoes thrown heedlessly into the genkan. Nino raises an eyebrow at that. He steps over them only to stumble over one of Jun's coats in the hallway.
What’s going on?
“Jun?” He asks while switching on the lights.
There is no reply. He shrugs, hangs up the coat and goes to his room to get changed. It nearly gives him a heart attack when he steps into the kitchen later because Jun is sitting there in the dimly lit room, starring at the edge of the table, eyebrows set in a deep frown while pressing his mobile to his ear.
A little melodramatic, Nino thinks but doesn’t say anything.
He snatches a pretzel from the cupboard and Jun doesn't move an inch, just makes a few confirming noises. Nino wonders what it’s all about.
He puts the dish with the nibbled pretzel on the pile of his music notes when he returns to his room and sits on the piano, beginning to play 'Imagine'.
He counts to ten and knows that Jun is standing in his door frame.
Nino beckons him over with a nod.
Jun moves to sit on his bed and circles his knees with his arms.
Nino can feel that he is watching him, there is this tingling sensation in the back of his neck. He continues his practice and switches to Liszt again; trying to overcome the technical difficulties he has for days now by throwing in some bridges where he is insecure, knowing that Sakurai will be delighted.
When he lets the last key slide off, he turns around to find Jun asleep on his bed, curled up in a ball. Nino frowns and crouches down in front of him. Jun apparently frowns, too. Not satisfied that the other is frowning even in his sleep, Nino touches the wrinkles and tries to smooth them out. He traces Jun's temple, his jaw and wants to remove his hand when Jun sighs something which sounds suspiciously like "Kazu".
Nino freezes mid-way and bites his lips. He sighs himself, ruffling Jun's fluffy hair because he can't help it.
When he is finally able to release Jun's hair, he switches into his sweat pants and sleeping shirt and goes to turn off the lights. Tripping over a game console cord while searching for a blanket in the darkness, he settles on his bed behind Jun and throws the blanket around them; shifting closer to the other, contemplating for a short moment but slinging an arm around Jun's waist--in the end they would wake up in odd positions anyway. Jun's shirt rides up on a total coincidence and Nino feels warm skin. A pleased noise escapes his lips. When Jun even moves into the touch it's like Christmas.
~
Jun wakes up with Nino behind him a second time, but this time around much more comfortable. There is a soft bed underneath him, radiating heat behind him and an arm almost possessively around his waist.
There is also something hard pressing into his back which brings Jun back to his senses. It's not Nino's knee this time, he can tell. Besides the slightly confusing situation he can't help but grin shamelessly, a little too pleased, and presses back. Nino's breath hitches in his neck and he shifts, dragging Jun groggily further towards him. He moves his head up and breath suddenly ghosts at Jun's temple. He shivers.
"You okay?" Nino asks, voice raspy from the sleep.
"Yeah."
He isn't, honestly. He didn't get the theme he thought he would for the year-end fashion show. And he had already worked ahead, with the design, the color combinations, the fabrics. He had studied tons of Haute couture shows and their themes, coming up with his own theme. He went to tons of different fabric shops all around the town, reserving clothes and dyes and yarn, and... he got into the Prête-à-porter section! He could start all over now. He intended to create something huge, something extravagant. He had the sketches lying up there in his room and he won't get the chance to do it. He wondered what Ohno-senpai had thought while choosing the teams. Sometimes Jun wonders if his senpai thinks at all. He always seems a little absent, in his own world but whatever he does there it produces awesome ideas. Jun has to respect him and his decisions, of course, but seriously, Prête-à-porter?
However, right now he is okay, lying with a conscious and warm Nino in a soft bed. Totally okay.
He can feel how Nino props himself up on his elbow, watching Jun who turns his head and looks up, staring at the mole on the chin and the thin lips.
"Yeah," he says again and moves his own chin up to steal a chaste kiss from Nino.
"Yeah?" Nino smiles, a little lazy, a little tired but pleased.
"Yeah." Jun smiles too when Nino leans down and kisses him, ignoring morning breath and unsettled matters.
~
Nino isn't sure how to define the thing between them. He is pretty sure about what he wants but so far it is all about random kisses and touches and teasing wet topless appearances and loose, loose towels around waists on Jun's side.
He stands in his door frame like that. Countless times, smiling, asking random questions Nino can't remember because of hip bones and smiles caught in the teeth.
Nino plays Liszt and Chopin because he has to and because he needs a distraction (he knows the Beatles inside out and can play them almost blindly which allows him to follow Jun's hips swaying through the hallway while sweeping it).
"These are not the Beatles," Jun says, leaning with a towel around his neck and a rather surprised expression in the door frame, once again.
Nino stops and looks up--rather relieved that Jun is actually wearing a T-shirt--quirking his lips.
"No," he stretches, noticing Jun approaching him. "It's Liszt."
"Heeeh~"
"For the end of term exam. Only God knows why I set value on Chamber music."
Jun stands behind him now, clam digits settling on his shoulders, starting to kneed them thoroughly.
Nino melts into the touch.
"Liszt his rather hard to play," Nino continues. "Too many changes. This...." He plays the three notes which are bugging him the most, hitting the keys rather mirthlessly, while leaning back into Jun. He sighs. "For the first time, I really need to practice."
"I see..." Jun says and Nino totally misses the tone when Jun's hands reach further down.
~
Jun knows he must be a great nuisance by now. He can hear it in the curses and the unmistakable off-keys. It is not like Nino would say anything to him, and his broom was long put into the kitchen closet. But Jun knows he is a disturbance and he doesn't want to be one at this point. He almost desperately waits for Nino to leave the apartment but he hogs his room like a shut-in and leaves Jun wondering just when the right timing is for him to finish his pieces.
Obviously, they can’t work like that. Both having exams coming, both needing to finish their projects. Jun vaguely wonders how they managed it in the first year. But then again he never heard Nino playing Liszt.
He stares at the masses of tulle which are piling up in his room; the countless sketches and cuts. He isn't even close to finishing his pieces and he is sure Nino is as stuck as him.
He sighs deeply, stretches and goes for a tea downstairs. He just doesn't know what to do.
He sets up the water and wanders over to Nino's room, watching him for a short moment, bend over worksheets, scribbling down notes, here and there hitting some key combination to make sure.
"Nino...."
"WHAT?"
Jun jumps.
"Er..."
Nino immediately looks apologetic.
"Ah, sorry Jun, I just..." He tears his hair and lets out a deep sigh. "What is it?"
Jun actually wants to ask for a solution but he changes his mind when he sees the dark circles under Nino's eyes.
"Do you want some tea?" Jun asks instead, smiling encouragingly. Nino returns it, stretching his limbs.
"Sure, why not."
Nino follows him into the kitchen and watches at first how Jun gets the mugs and chooses some tea. But then he is suddenly plastered against Jun's back, head between his shoulder blades.
Jun halts for a second, unsure.
"Nino?" he asks.
"Sorry," comes the muffled reply. "Just for a second."
"You're tired." Jun states, moving deliberately to get the kettle and brew simple green tea. Nino is clinging to him like a koala.
"Nah~"
Jun pours two cups and turns around. Nino doesn't bother and moves into the new position. His eyes are closed and his ear is pressed against Jun's chest. He must hear Jun's racing heartbeat, for sure. It is rare that Nino shows open affection. Usually it is just Jun who needs to tease some reaction out of him, so Jun doesn't know how to handle this.
He lets his chin rest on Nino's head and settles his hands on either side of his hips, stroking lightly with his thumbs. He is almost sure that Nino is going to fall asleep on him.
It is then that he knows what to do.
~
Jun hasn't been home for days! Nino recognizes it the fourth day after he managed to get a lot of practice done and Liszt is getting closer to a finish line. There is this blissful silence which allows him to concentrate.
Only when the fruit is rotten in the kitchen he becomes aware of the fact that Jun is missing. So he listens and observes the next days and comes to the conclusion that Jun simply isn't there.
It must be a week already and Nino's concentration shifts from practice to Where The Hell Is Jun?
Now he is prosecuted by footsteps outside and silence in the apartment.
Nino doesn't want to be a clinging type at all, says to himself that it doesn't matter, Jun is old enough and all that, but he is worried.
He comes home from his exam (he passed, barely) and hears the shower running. His heart is beating faster at the sound. Jun must be home, he thinks and tries really hard to not hurry the hell to get out of his shoes and run to see him.
He catches him in the kitchen, freshly showered, opening a bottle of wine.
Nino smiles, stopping in the door, saying, "Welcome home." It’s cheesy, but he means it.
Jun turns around, hair still dripping, smiling.
"I'm home," he replies warmly. "How was your exam?"
For a second it feels domestic again, like everything falls into pieces but then the sound of the shower still running kicks in. There is someone else. And Jun is standing in front of him, freshly showered, holding a bottle of wine in his hand.
Nino's smile disappears abruptly.
"Am I interrupting something?" He asks icily.
Jun opens his mouth to reply something, for a second surprised and bemused. Then he seems to get what Nino means and looks at him like he's insane or something.
"What?" he asks sharply.
"You heard me."
Jun narrows his eyes.
"I don't know what you're implying, Nino."
"Like hell you don't, you just showered and there is someone else in the shower right now. So do tell me,” Nino says almost sweetly. “Am I interrupting something?"
Jun's grip on the bottle hardens, his knuckles turning white.
"Fuck you, Ninomiya," Jun says and shoves past Nino.
"Shun," he yells, "I'm upstairs."
Shun?, Nino thinks. Just how close are they?
Five minutes later Shun appears at Nino's door.
"Oguri Shun," he salutes with his damn handsome smile, nearly as handsome as Jun's.
Nino just nods.
"You don't want to join us?"
Nino spares him a glance.
"I thought you would. I mean Jun especially brought a dry wine knowing you like it best and all," Nino looks at him as if he's crazy. Shun just smiles pleasantly. "Yes, I was able to learn a lot about you."
Nino finally turns around.
"You know that he stayed at my place so that you both could concentrate better? He knows he's disturbing you and he sewed like mad the last week. Apparently he doesn't mind to disturb me."
Shun is the talk active kind.
"Just thought I would let you know in case of misunderstandings." He winks.
Nino doesn't like it, doesn't like the implication because it means that Oguri knows something, everything--in times when even Nino doesn't know a thing.
~
They don't talk about it.
~
College, third year
Jun sighs and stares blankly at the letter of the agency.
Accommodation offer:
Single apartment
1LDK
Kitchen and bathroom, washing machines in cellar available
including utility costs
Offerer: Sakurai
He puts his luggage down, letter still in his hand when he leans against the counter. His mail is piling up neatly on the kitchen table and this has to be the first letter he reads when he comes back from Osaka? Coincidence? A sign?
After summer break there is one year of college left and Jun doubts that they can reconcile their studies at this point. He doesn’t even want to think about their 'interactions'.
Maybe he should just move out, maybe he really should. But he wants to hear it from Nino. Just once he wants Nino to talk about it.
Sighing again, he runs a hand through his hair.
He simply doesn’t know. Doesn’t know what to think, doesn’t know where they stand, doesn’t know...
He wants a sign from Nino, a word, and not the usual passive attitude.
So he leaves the letter open on the kitchen table before leaving for his lessons.
In the evening he finds the letter rumpled in the trash.
Stupid, he thinks, that non-verbal Idiot.
He smiles.
~
Pairing/Group: Matsumoto Jun/Ninomiya Kazunari / Arashi
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Attempted humor?
Notes: It's long, very long. And I would have included the other members but it would have turned out even longer... The set up might be a little weird as well, a 2LDK with two stories, but it was kind of necessary for the story. I went with the requested college life along with fashion and piano (however I'm not too firm...). But! The main story only takes place within the apartment. I admit it's a clichéd set up and story but I enjoyed writing it so so much. Thank you, for the request, novemberbaby86 and sorry if I did not meet your expectations.
Summary: Department of instrumental music meets Fashion Creation department. Two students who wouldn't move in the college's dorm even if their life depends on it (Really, who would want to move in the dorm? The noise, the filth, the lack of privacy...) share an apartment.
Jun closes his door deliberately and leans against it.
His roommate is Ninomiya Kazunari.
Jun is surprised, actually, that he remembers the name in first place. There is no reason why he should. They went to the same school, okay, but they were never in the same class and Jun even doubts they ever shared a conversation or simply greetings. He only remembers him from the baseball club. Ninomiya had been marvelous back then, to a degree that Jun had feelings of envy, admiration and aversion at the same time.
It is his appearance that triggers Jun and throws him off. It is like a 17-year-old is standing in front of him and it reminds him of school days so instantly that he is truly overrun.
He is also astonished that Ninomiya turns out to be great in socializing. He always thought he is the grumpy, monosyllabic type, but Ninomiya is easy to talk to about the most trivial things and they just talk and talk and talk, not realizing how much coffee they drink.
Jun finds himself watching the other smirk, laugh and talk.
Back, when he thought that his roommate was some kind of jerk with a broom ("I bought a broom only because of this you know?" Nino waves and laughs, more to himself. Jun chokes on his coffee.) he had no problems with sewing when he wants and how long he wants.
But it must be indeed a great disturbance, even more when you're a musician. Jun bites his lips and stares at his sewing machine from his door.
The grey cotton fabric with the thin, irregular white stripes lays half next to it along with different colors of yarn. He finally sits down in front of it and holds the yarns to the grey fabric.
He really likes the sate green on the gray but when he touches the sunflowerish yellow it's just-- That's it.
He runs to search for some yellow fabric for the lining and lets out a delighted scream when he indeed fishes something out of his remains.
He actually wanted to sew an Indian style bag, one of these handy and trendy ones but he decides for something similar to a tote bag. Everyone needs a tote bag right?
~
The next day Nino finds a neatly folded cloth on the kitchen table, with a post-it attached to it.
This should fit plenty of ramen cups (kimichi flavor) into it.
Sorry for all the noise --> this is the outcome.
Jun M.
Nino touches the smooth fabric and unfolds it carefully. He finds a grey tote bag with thin white stripes and a rich sunny lining. The seam is from the same color and at the upper right edge is a stitched logo. It reads 'Nintendomiya' framed by the typical circle. It is stitched neatly in cute cross stitches. Underneath is the small, familiar Jun M. signature in stitches as well, just differently, more playful.
Nino shouldn't find a bag cute, but he totally does.
~
By the end of the first year Nino has a whole collection of 'Nintendomiya' labeled pieces. If he wouldn't know it any better he would think that he's Jun's guinea pig. Bento bags, scarfs, vests, a shirt. (It fits perfectly! Nino wonders if he really wants to know where Jun has the measurements from...)
~
College, second year
Jun raises his eyebrows when he gets the letter with the moving offer.
Accommodation offer:
Single apartment
1LDK
Wood flooring, Kitchen and Bathroom, pets allowed
Price excluding utility costs
Offerer: Aiba
Hadn’t he canceled the search request?
Jun stares at the lines for a moment but doesn't hesitate to call the phone number provided. No, he doesn't want to move right now. He is very much content with the double apartment right now. No, Yes, thank you very much.
Jun shuts his mobile, turns on the radio and prepares some pasta.
He hums to 'No one but you' on the radio while cutting the tomatoes.
Who would have thought that he actually enjoys living with a roommate? But he does. Maybe because he’s living with Nino, which includes private piano concerts and random talks in the genkan when Nino goes and Jun comes. Surely it's because of the apartment. He loves the apartment. The old, worn-out two men sofa in the kitchen, the English staircase, the huge, huge window in his room.
By now he is sure it was one of the best coincidences that he moved in. He doesn’t want to think that it was just out of desperation that he actually lives with Nino now; that sounds too negative.
The guy on the radio announces a series of shooting stars for this evening, when he rinses the noodles.
He smiles.
~
“Your smile is bliss~”
Nino can hear Jun singing along to Billy Eckstein. He sounds a little like a duck, but a passionate one so that Nino has to smile.
~
Shooting stars.
Jun loves them--though he hardly ever catches them.
He sits on the floor, leaning against his sleeping sofa and stares up the sky. In his lap is a flowing jersey fabric and buttons which are supposed to get attached but Jun long forgot about them, as well as he forgot about his big mug of tea standing next to him, already lukewarm and almost empty. However he catches the fading out piano music.
There is a soft knock on his door but he doesn’t bother to tear his gaze away from the clear sky, knowing that it’s Nino who wants to join him. Whenever they announce shooting stars he would come up to Jun’s room after his practice.
Jun can clearly remember the first time Nino did, announcing shooting stars and the will to watch it from Jun’s window because a) he has the privilege since he got the apartment first and b) Jun has to deal with his primogenital right. Jun had been tempted to ask what it had to do with primogenital rights but Nino had handed him an absolutely delicious looking mug of hot chocolate that he just nodded and made room on his sleeping sofa.
Now it is Nino who makes himself room on the sofa, carefully moving the provisory stitched fabrics and sits down. He hands Jun a fresh mug of tea, steaming hot.
They always sit there in silence, only jerking out of their daze when they see a shooting star.
"There!" Nino shouts and Jun misses to wish for something, again.
And he even knows what he would wish for. He has plenty of wishes, actually, but there is one high on his list because he gets reminded every day he steps into the bathroom.
The realization for Nino to buy new toothbrushes.
~
Jun has watched it for a year now. Whenever he brushes his teeth in the morning and in the evening his eyes swift to Nino's belongings. His frayed toothbrush and the toothpaste, at times cut open with half dried remains.
It creeps him out, to a degree that he dreams about rotten teeth and toothpaste flooding his creations.
Actually he couldn't care less. He doesn’t have to brush his teeth with this toothbrush, right? But here he is, with the shopping bags on the kitchen table, putting everything in its right place--and a double pack of toothbrushes. It's a double pack, for a reason. He is tired to think about bacteria and oral flora of others, for once.
He shrugs; there are just two reactions possible, right?
He goes to the bathroom to exchange his old one and leaves the package with the second on the board over the sink next to Nino's glass with his old toothbrush.
The package remains there the next days and Jun changes from the We Will See attitude to an antsy and unsure one. Maybe Nino didn’t get the message. Or maybe he did but Jun violated a rule or something. Don’t intervene with the hygienic articles of your roommate... On the other hand it is just a toothbrush!
When he stumbles in the kitchen the next morning to heat up water for his usual coffee, he stops mid-way. There is a plain package on the kitchen table. At the first glance it looks like tea but then Jun picks it up and reads the handwritten label. Harrar coffee. Very recently ground.
He sprints into the bathroom.
The package is gone and the new toothbrush in Nino's glass. There is a post-it on the mirror.
Throw toothpaste in and we're even. ♥
His heart skips a beat.
~
Nino munches his maccha melon pan and takes out his tea bag from his cup.
He sighs at the strong taste of the oolong tea and leans back cross-legged on the sofa right in time to enjoy the sight of a sleepy Jun, scuffling into the kitchen, yawing wholeheartedly and scratching his back.
A perfect Sunday morning... Bed hair. He just loves to see the otherwise composed and stylish Matsumoto Jun like that.
"Morning..." Jun mutters and Nino grins, returning it loudly and enjoys how Jun cringes.
Nino knows why he would get up first.
Jun brews his coffee and cuts some fruit for his daily yogurt. His sweatpants are low on his hips and get lower and lower the more ingredients he collects for his breakfast.
Nino definitely knows why he would get up first.
Finally, Jun accompanies him on the couch, knees to his chest, balancing the bowl with the fruit yogurt on them and the steaming coffee in front of him on the kitchen table.
It takes some time until Jun is willing to chitchat with him, but Nino is patient and breaks another piece of his sweet bread.
"Where is the usual corn-mayo-bread?" Jun suddenly asks, eying Nino shortly. His eyes are still a little swollen and he hasn't shaved yet; indeed Sunday morning looks are like heaven for Nino.
"It kind of got replaced by melon pan." Nino shrugs.
"Is that so," Jun ponders. "An era comes to an end."
Nino laughs.
"How about..." Jun starts and reaches out to sip his coffee, swearing because it's still hot. He hesitates.
"Hm?"
"How about we start another one?"
Nino stares at him.
Huh?
He wonders what Jun could possibly mean. (He also wonders if it’s still too early for Jun.)
"That's a lousy pick-up line, Jun-kun," Nino finally concludes because he just can’t resist.
Jun blushes at that. Cute, Nino thinks and shakes his head in wonderment. He chuckles.
"I meant regarding food!"
Nino laughs.
"I can’t quite follow..."
"It," Jun waves in the general direction of Nino's breakfast. "isn't very healthy."
Nino raises his eyebrows.
"I could cook."
"I know you can."
"I could cook more."
Cute, Nino thinks again, how Jun could beat around the bush.
“Hmm...”
He can see how Jun shrinks a little. He wonders since when he is able to read Jun as easy as he is doing right now. Nino grins mischievously.
"We share the bill, you cook and twice a week we eat something terribly unhealthy at best with a lot of E's." Nino concludes.
He can see how Jun smiles into his coffee.
~
Whenever Jun cooks Nino plays the piano for him by request, you have to jolly your food provider along, after all. Jun would always request a Beatles' song, swinging to the music in the kitchen while cutting vegetables. Nino can catch glimpses of it from his room.
~
There is this irritated huff on the stairs, in the hallway and goes into the kitchen. Nino pauses his game shortly and listens.
"Just what kind of yarn do they sell?” Jun mutters on his way back to his room.
Nino imagines him with a strong coffee, close to a Turkish one where the spoon can stand in the cup. His creativity must lack again. Jun always blames the yarn or the buttons or the needles if his creativity lacks.
Nino remains silent, knowing that every step would bring the other even closer to madness. (He once ate an apple in Jun’s presence while the other muttered something about the inability of the Madeira Company to produce decent yarn which turned out to be a huge mistake. Apparently the process of biting and chewing is another thing Jun is anal about. Sometimes Nino’s doing it anyway, just for fun.)
Instead he goes out to buy new toothbrushes. The ones with fancy tongue cleaners. The next day when he returns home a smell of hamburgers lies in the air.
~
Jun doesn't know how to describe it but they make progress (Nino bought toothbrushes!). The first year was all about noises and silence. Avoiding each other and trying to not disturb the other. There were some occasional talks in the kitchen but Jun can't remember that he has ever been in Nino's room.
So the invitation to a gaming night does come by surprise. Before he even thinks about it he agrees. Later he ponders, maybe Nino just asked him out of politeness for the cooking? And really, why did he agree? He never touches games for a good reason.
They end up on Nino’s bed, playing Mario Kart through the night; heated, knees almost touching and all. But Jun can’t focus on the almost touching fact because he wins and wins and wins. And he loves it. He is on a roll and almost sorry, because Nino has this incredulous expression which turns into scowls and more revenge, but he likes winning too much and gets addicted easily. And that's why he never plays in first place...
He is close to pat Nino when the other throws his game controller away and growls in frustration.
Nino's anguish is visible for days, Jun finds it highly amusing.
Eventually they mutually decide not to pursue the games anymore, they settle on movie nights. No one loses there.
~
Jun turns out to be the perfect movie buddy and it is rather difficult to find such a person. The one who wouldn't talk too much during a movie, neither would he remain silent and if there are remarks then at the right time.
The first time they watch 'Forest Gump' with Chinese take-outs and beer. Jun decided to brush up Nino’s movie knowledge right after Nino’s confession that he hasn’t watched 'Casablanca' or 'The Godfather so far, something unforgivable in Jun’s mind.
Every Friday they would sit on the sofa in the kitchen and only when they couldn't read the subtitles anymore they would drag themselves to their rooms.
They also have the irregular movie nights, though. The ones where Nino catches Jun in the kitchen, watching the screen instead of minding his cooking. Sometimes Jun blinks rather suspiciously and he tries to hide it every time Nino comes into the kitchen to join him.
Of course, every time Nino would make a snarky remark about it. Man tears and stuff but he always has tissues with him which Jun grabs rather furiously.
~
They watch 'Murder by death' right after 'Murder by call' (Nino got the movies this time and Jun has the strong suspicion he just grabbed the two closest from the shelves) and snicker into their Thai take outs when the naked butler vanished and instead just his smoking was left. They're comfortable on the kitchen sofa with blankets and cushions.
Somehow they get too comfortable because they don't get up. Maybe because Jun had a particular long day at college, maybe because Nino had the final, nerve-wracking audition for his college's main orchestra but maybe also because they didn't care for the first time or didn't spare a thought.
Whatever it is in the end, Jun finds himself in a rather uncomfortable position on the couch in the middle of the night. The screen of the TV is blue, illuminating the kitchen in a strange light. He is half dangling from the sofa, his left hand is hitting the cold tiles and something bony is sticking into his back along with a strange warm pressure between his shoulder blades. All in all it is rather hot.
It takes a murmur behind him, by Nino, that Jun's eyes widen.
He turns around (as far as he can) rather hectically and sees his roommate behind him, sleeping soundly, his face half hidden in one of the cushions, one arm awkwardly around his neck, the other one unmistakably ends pressing between Jun's shoulder blades.
Nino looks peaceful despite the equally uncomfortable and odd position. He looks content even, snoring like a cat.
Jun contemplates getting up and leaving for his room but he doesn't want to. Not in the least. So he blindly searches for the remote control and finds it on the floor near the couch. He switches off the TV screen and complicatedly removes his sweater (a cramp already on his way), trying to not wake his roommate up and keep his limbs in place.
He also tries to find a more comfortable position which is far more difficult than removing his sweater, mostly because Nino's knee and hand are still on his back. Jun settles for lying on his stomach, his arm dangling again from the sofa again. Somewhere along dozing off, he can feel how Nino shifts accordingly, but Jun doesn't even realize his own smile creeping up at that point.
~
Nino wakes up to too bright light and hair in his mouth. He wrinkles his nose and thinks, Eeewww? His neck hurts like hell and he is kind of strangling himself with his right arm. But that isn't the actual problem, the actual problem is his left arm and where it is--around Jun's shoulders that is. Innocently his fingertips press into Jun's left shoulder. But even that his left knee can top because it lays on Jun's back, more his ass really, but Nino refuses to think in that dimensions.
His mind keeps telling him instead that this is the only position which allows two grown men to lie on a small kitchen sofa. This is much more rational.
He blinks and stares at Jun in front of him.
He's all sweaty, and Jun is too, he can see the light sheen of sweat along his neck. It's rather gross, really, but Nino stares at that neck longer than he should anyway, listening to the even breathing of the other.
It's a peaceful morning and despite the pain from sleeping in funny positions, it feels right. Like coming home. A warm fuzzy feeling, Nino rarely has and enjoys.
This feeling lasts until Nino finally tears his gaze away from Jun's delicate neck to the clock of the microwave.
"Shit!" He yells and rolls over Jun who groans disorientated in response.
~
They should talk about it but they don’t. For a short moment Jun thinks, Maybe it’s normal to share a tiny sofa with a guy overnight. Maybe there isn’t something to talk about? But it’s not.
They are back to avoiding each other.
~
He knocks at Jun's door and a distracted voice is telling him to come in. Nino does and gets to see Jun bending over his sewing machine. Its small lamp provides the only light in the room but Nino can see the huge glasses on Jun's nose and that he has tied his hair back. With his one foot, he is stepping on the pedal here and then, producing the much hated sound. The other leg is resting in a rather uncomfortable angle on Jun's thigh--at least it looks like that for Nino.
Nino smiles unconsciously.
"Shooting stars!" He announces and shoves the fabrics and Japanese Vogues from Jun's sleeping sofa demonstratively.
Jun looks up to that. "Seriously?" He asks surprised.
"Yep~" Nino confirms and gets comfortable on the couch.
It is a lie.
But he can't just... He simply doesn't trust his courage to last any longer. (Normally he wouldn’t dare to disturb Jun in his work, knowing the outcome.)
He contemplated about the matter back and forth, reviewing the night to no end. They slept on the sofa. It wasn't a big a deal if they did it without intention and just as an accident, in fact. But the more Nino thought about it: Jun just wore his shirt when Nino woke up which means he must have been awake during the night. Which means that he deliberately slept with Nino on the sofa even though it was damn uncomfortable and warm and gross and all. Which means.... What? That he doesn't mind sharing sofas with roommates? Or guys? Or Nino?
Nino admits that he was avoiding Jun as well as Jun kept the hell out of Nino's way. Maybe he interpreted too much in the whole thing but their life together already feels so domestic that Nino can't help but wonder, can’t help but wonder what he wants.
He is afraid how the thoughts about Jun are affecting his attitude towards his music. He is losing his focus. Playing the Beatles rather than practicing Liszt or Schumann. Sakurai-sensei is close to madness because of his none existent progress in terms of the chamber music. He is having movie nights and long breakfasts instead of composing his own random pieces which he normally would.
But the want, a desire, is undeniable. It’s there when he watches Jun sipping hot coffee in the morning, cursing adorably because he’s a cat tongue. It is there when Jun cooks while swaying his hips to Nino’s music. It is there when he smells the delicious hamburgers Jun makes once in a while.
He even thinks of Jun when he sees double packs of toothbrushes or an advertisement for high-tech brooms (which can keep the dust even better).
He has settled for trying. If Jun deliberately slept with him then it is his turn, right?
~
There is an arm on the back of the sofa. There never was an arm on the back of the sofa.
Jun finds himself sitting rather awkwardly on his own sofa. He can't decide if he should lean back or if he should just remain in his forward position; elbows on his knees and his head tipped back, looking up to the sky. It isn't really good for his neck though.
He stares at the stars and tries to reflect on the situation. What does this arm mean? He can guess what could come out of it when he leans back. The Arm Around The Shoulder Type of hug.
Jun doesn't know what to make out of it.
It seems they never discuss important matters, in any way. After some time each of them would come to a decision and act instead of speak. Maybe that’s what the arm is about. But Jun couldn’t be too sure. It’s Nino after all.
He surely didn't mind sharing a sofa with Nino, which should be kind of alarming but it isn't at all (that is alarming too). Nevertheless he is insecure because Nino didn't say anything about it and that leaves Jun not wanting to be confronted about it; because silence means ignorance and ignorance can't be a positive sign, right?
In the end the longer they took the more Jun buried himself in his work. Scribbling designs, experimenting with dying fabrics and visiting tons of fabric markets.
There wasn't a sign of Nino until the knock today and that arm and:
"Jun."
One single word.
Jun startles. No typical Jun-kun, just Jun.
His heart flutters. He glances back at Nino who doesn't search for shooting stars but stares at Jun, rather intently. A look which makes Jun lean back without even thinking twice. For a short time nothing happens, the arm remains on the back of the sofa and Jun’s thoughts start to kick in again, mostly about how awkward this is.
But then Nino shifts and his arm moves around Jun's shoulders. Jun moves accordingly, pressing into Nino's warm side whose contradicting cold fingertips squeeze encouragingly Jun's shoulder.
There are no shooting stars that night.
~
It’s the first time he sees Jun’s shoes thrown heedlessly into the genkan. Nino raises an eyebrow at that. He steps over them only to stumble over one of Jun's coats in the hallway.
What’s going on?
“Jun?” He asks while switching on the lights.
There is no reply. He shrugs, hangs up the coat and goes to his room to get changed. It nearly gives him a heart attack when he steps into the kitchen later because Jun is sitting there in the dimly lit room, starring at the edge of the table, eyebrows set in a deep frown while pressing his mobile to his ear.
A little melodramatic, Nino thinks but doesn’t say anything.
He snatches a pretzel from the cupboard and Jun doesn't move an inch, just makes a few confirming noises. Nino wonders what it’s all about.
He puts the dish with the nibbled pretzel on the pile of his music notes when he returns to his room and sits on the piano, beginning to play 'Imagine'.
He counts to ten and knows that Jun is standing in his door frame.
Nino beckons him over with a nod.
Jun moves to sit on his bed and circles his knees with his arms.
Nino can feel that he is watching him, there is this tingling sensation in the back of his neck. He continues his practice and switches to Liszt again; trying to overcome the technical difficulties he has for days now by throwing in some bridges where he is insecure, knowing that Sakurai will be delighted.
When he lets the last key slide off, he turns around to find Jun asleep on his bed, curled up in a ball. Nino frowns and crouches down in front of him. Jun apparently frowns, too. Not satisfied that the other is frowning even in his sleep, Nino touches the wrinkles and tries to smooth them out. He traces Jun's temple, his jaw and wants to remove his hand when Jun sighs something which sounds suspiciously like "Kazu".
Nino freezes mid-way and bites his lips. He sighs himself, ruffling Jun's fluffy hair because he can't help it.
When he is finally able to release Jun's hair, he switches into his sweat pants and sleeping shirt and goes to turn off the lights. Tripping over a game console cord while searching for a blanket in the darkness, he settles on his bed behind Jun and throws the blanket around them; shifting closer to the other, contemplating for a short moment but slinging an arm around Jun's waist--in the end they would wake up in odd positions anyway. Jun's shirt rides up on a total coincidence and Nino feels warm skin. A pleased noise escapes his lips. When Jun even moves into the touch it's like Christmas.
~
Jun wakes up with Nino behind him a second time, but this time around much more comfortable. There is a soft bed underneath him, radiating heat behind him and an arm almost possessively around his waist.
There is also something hard pressing into his back which brings Jun back to his senses. It's not Nino's knee this time, he can tell. Besides the slightly confusing situation he can't help but grin shamelessly, a little too pleased, and presses back. Nino's breath hitches in his neck and he shifts, dragging Jun groggily further towards him. He moves his head up and breath suddenly ghosts at Jun's temple. He shivers.
"You okay?" Nino asks, voice raspy from the sleep.
"Yeah."
He isn't, honestly. He didn't get the theme he thought he would for the year-end fashion show. And he had already worked ahead, with the design, the color combinations, the fabrics. He had studied tons of Haute couture shows and their themes, coming up with his own theme. He went to tons of different fabric shops all around the town, reserving clothes and dyes and yarn, and... he got into the Prête-à-porter section! He could start all over now. He intended to create something huge, something extravagant. He had the sketches lying up there in his room and he won't get the chance to do it. He wondered what Ohno-senpai had thought while choosing the teams. Sometimes Jun wonders if his senpai thinks at all. He always seems a little absent, in his own world but whatever he does there it produces awesome ideas. Jun has to respect him and his decisions, of course, but seriously, Prête-à-porter?
However, right now he is okay, lying with a conscious and warm Nino in a soft bed. Totally okay.
He can feel how Nino props himself up on his elbow, watching Jun who turns his head and looks up, staring at the mole on the chin and the thin lips.
"Yeah," he says again and moves his own chin up to steal a chaste kiss from Nino.
"Yeah?" Nino smiles, a little lazy, a little tired but pleased.
"Yeah." Jun smiles too when Nino leans down and kisses him, ignoring morning breath and unsettled matters.
~
Nino isn't sure how to define the thing between them. He is pretty sure about what he wants but so far it is all about random kisses and touches and teasing wet topless appearances and loose, loose towels around waists on Jun's side.
He stands in his door frame like that. Countless times, smiling, asking random questions Nino can't remember because of hip bones and smiles caught in the teeth.
Nino plays Liszt and Chopin because he has to and because he needs a distraction (he knows the Beatles inside out and can play them almost blindly which allows him to follow Jun's hips swaying through the hallway while sweeping it).
"These are not the Beatles," Jun says, leaning with a towel around his neck and a rather surprised expression in the door frame, once again.
Nino stops and looks up--rather relieved that Jun is actually wearing a T-shirt--quirking his lips.
"No," he stretches, noticing Jun approaching him. "It's Liszt."
"Heeeh~"
"For the end of term exam. Only God knows why I set value on Chamber music."
Jun stands behind him now, clam digits settling on his shoulders, starting to kneed them thoroughly.
Nino melts into the touch.
"Liszt his rather hard to play," Nino continues. "Too many changes. This...." He plays the three notes which are bugging him the most, hitting the keys rather mirthlessly, while leaning back into Jun. He sighs. "For the first time, I really need to practice."
"I see..." Jun says and Nino totally misses the tone when Jun's hands reach further down.
~
Jun knows he must be a great nuisance by now. He can hear it in the curses and the unmistakable off-keys. It is not like Nino would say anything to him, and his broom was long put into the kitchen closet. But Jun knows he is a disturbance and he doesn't want to be one at this point. He almost desperately waits for Nino to leave the apartment but he hogs his room like a shut-in and leaves Jun wondering just when the right timing is for him to finish his pieces.
Obviously, they can’t work like that. Both having exams coming, both needing to finish their projects. Jun vaguely wonders how they managed it in the first year. But then again he never heard Nino playing Liszt.
He stares at the masses of tulle which are piling up in his room; the countless sketches and cuts. He isn't even close to finishing his pieces and he is sure Nino is as stuck as him.
He sighs deeply, stretches and goes for a tea downstairs. He just doesn't know what to do.
He sets up the water and wanders over to Nino's room, watching him for a short moment, bend over worksheets, scribbling down notes, here and there hitting some key combination to make sure.
"Nino...."
"WHAT?"
Jun jumps.
"Er..."
Nino immediately looks apologetic.
"Ah, sorry Jun, I just..." He tears his hair and lets out a deep sigh. "What is it?"
Jun actually wants to ask for a solution but he changes his mind when he sees the dark circles under Nino's eyes.
"Do you want some tea?" Jun asks instead, smiling encouragingly. Nino returns it, stretching his limbs.
"Sure, why not."
Nino follows him into the kitchen and watches at first how Jun gets the mugs and chooses some tea. But then he is suddenly plastered against Jun's back, head between his shoulder blades.
Jun halts for a second, unsure.
"Nino?" he asks.
"Sorry," comes the muffled reply. "Just for a second."
"You're tired." Jun states, moving deliberately to get the kettle and brew simple green tea. Nino is clinging to him like a koala.
"Nah~"
Jun pours two cups and turns around. Nino doesn't bother and moves into the new position. His eyes are closed and his ear is pressed against Jun's chest. He must hear Jun's racing heartbeat, for sure. It is rare that Nino shows open affection. Usually it is just Jun who needs to tease some reaction out of him, so Jun doesn't know how to handle this.
He lets his chin rest on Nino's head and settles his hands on either side of his hips, stroking lightly with his thumbs. He is almost sure that Nino is going to fall asleep on him.
It is then that he knows what to do.
~
Jun hasn't been home for days! Nino recognizes it the fourth day after he managed to get a lot of practice done and Liszt is getting closer to a finish line. There is this blissful silence which allows him to concentrate.
Only when the fruit is rotten in the kitchen he becomes aware of the fact that Jun is missing. So he listens and observes the next days and comes to the conclusion that Jun simply isn't there.
It must be a week already and Nino's concentration shifts from practice to Where The Hell Is Jun?
Now he is prosecuted by footsteps outside and silence in the apartment.
Nino doesn't want to be a clinging type at all, says to himself that it doesn't matter, Jun is old enough and all that, but he is worried.
He comes home from his exam (he passed, barely) and hears the shower running. His heart is beating faster at the sound. Jun must be home, he thinks and tries really hard to not hurry the hell to get out of his shoes and run to see him.
He catches him in the kitchen, freshly showered, opening a bottle of wine.
Nino smiles, stopping in the door, saying, "Welcome home." It’s cheesy, but he means it.
Jun turns around, hair still dripping, smiling.
"I'm home," he replies warmly. "How was your exam?"
For a second it feels domestic again, like everything falls into pieces but then the sound of the shower still running kicks in. There is someone else. And Jun is standing in front of him, freshly showered, holding a bottle of wine in his hand.
Nino's smile disappears abruptly.
"Am I interrupting something?" He asks icily.
Jun opens his mouth to reply something, for a second surprised and bemused. Then he seems to get what Nino means and looks at him like he's insane or something.
"What?" he asks sharply.
"You heard me."
Jun narrows his eyes.
"I don't know what you're implying, Nino."
"Like hell you don't, you just showered and there is someone else in the shower right now. So do tell me,” Nino says almost sweetly. “Am I interrupting something?"
Jun's grip on the bottle hardens, his knuckles turning white.
"Fuck you, Ninomiya," Jun says and shoves past Nino.
"Shun," he yells, "I'm upstairs."
Shun?, Nino thinks. Just how close are they?
Five minutes later Shun appears at Nino's door.
"Oguri Shun," he salutes with his damn handsome smile, nearly as handsome as Jun's.
Nino just nods.
"You don't want to join us?"
Nino spares him a glance.
"I thought you would. I mean Jun especially brought a dry wine knowing you like it best and all," Nino looks at him as if he's crazy. Shun just smiles pleasantly. "Yes, I was able to learn a lot about you."
Nino finally turns around.
"You know that he stayed at my place so that you both could concentrate better? He knows he's disturbing you and he sewed like mad the last week. Apparently he doesn't mind to disturb me."
Shun is the talk active kind.
"Just thought I would let you know in case of misunderstandings." He winks.
Nino doesn't like it, doesn't like the implication because it means that Oguri knows something, everything--in times when even Nino doesn't know a thing.
~
They don't talk about it.
~
College, third year
Jun sighs and stares blankly at the letter of the agency.
Accommodation offer:
Single apartment
1LDK
Kitchen and bathroom, washing machines in cellar available
including utility costs
Offerer: Sakurai
He puts his luggage down, letter still in his hand when he leans against the counter. His mail is piling up neatly on the kitchen table and this has to be the first letter he reads when he comes back from Osaka? Coincidence? A sign?
After summer break there is one year of college left and Jun doubts that they can reconcile their studies at this point. He doesn’t even want to think about their 'interactions'.
Maybe he should just move out, maybe he really should. But he wants to hear it from Nino. Just once he wants Nino to talk about it.
Sighing again, he runs a hand through his hair.
He simply doesn’t know. Doesn’t know what to think, doesn’t know where they stand, doesn’t know...
He wants a sign from Nino, a word, and not the usual passive attitude.
So he leaves the letter open on the kitchen table before leaving for his lessons.
In the evening he finds the letter rumpled in the trash.
Stupid, he thinks, that non-verbal Idiot.
He smiles.
~