fic; unbreakable (part 1)
Title: Unbreakable Part 1
Pairing: Ryo/Shige
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Whether together or apart, Shige knows what he and Ryo has is stronger than anything.
Author’s Note: 12176 words. AU. I..I don’t even know. I’ve been in a bit of a rut, noticing my fic is starting to sound the same and wanting to kind of break out of that. And, well, this is what came out of it. It kind of had a mind of its own and just basically wrote itself. So much thanks and love to hyearts and crystallekil for helping me out with this. ;__; ♥♥♥
I really hope you enjoy this!! ♥ :3
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 18th, 2013 at 4:00 AM
Shige, I love you and all, but will you stop telling me everything you learned in your classes? Do you think I know what the fuck litigation is? Or care, for that matter? It’s nice you’re expanding your knowledge and all that shit, but I don’t need to know everything, okay? Just, you know, FYI.
Also, you should stop studying so much. Do you even have friends?
--Ryo
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 18th, 2013 at 4:05 AM
Shit, forget that first part. Why did I type that? I don’t love you love you. You know what I mean. Fuck. Just ignore it. Okay? Good.
--Ryo
* * *
Kato Shigeaki stares at the man before him. He’s shorter with a sun-kissed tan, leading Shige to wonder how much time he’s spent out on the beach this summer, and is wearing a rather disarming smile with a guitar case slung over his back.
“Hi,” he says, and his smile turns softer as he holds up a flyer toward Shige. “Are you the guy looking for a roommate?”
* * *
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 18th, 2013 at 12:38 PM
Oh, so that’s how it is, Ryo? Why didn’t you tell me before?
And, fine, I’ll stop with the legal talk. As long as you stop telling me about every single girl that flirts with you now that you’re famous. I don’t want to know. Ever.
And why in the world are you awake at four in the morning? You should sleep, it’s good for you.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 18th, 2013 at 7:15 PM
What the fuck. I told you to ignore it!!
Aww, are you jealous, Shige?
I do sleep. Just not at the same time as you. :P Also, I got your package. Your handwriting sucks, by the way. I could barely read your note.
Thanks, though. For the CD. How did you know I’ve been looking for it for months?
--Ryo
* * *
“You’re a musician?” Shige questions, surprised by the fact that of all the people that live in the area, this guy is the first person to reply to his ad.
Nishikido Ryo, or Ryo as he told Shige to call him, nods and sets his guitar case down beside him. “Yup,” he says. “Well, sort of. I’m not famous. Yet.” He grins. “I’m working toward it though. You know, playing at a few places for some money, getting my name out there.”
“But-”
“Oh, don’t worry,” he says, cutting in and reading Shige’s thoughts. “I read your ad, I know you want someone who can help pay your rent.”
“That’d be nice, yes,” Shige replies.
“I work at a music store a few blocks from here. I give guitar lessons,” he says and pats his guitar case. “It pays pretty decently so you don’t have to worry about me not paying up my half. I’m not like that.”
Shige eyes him critically. He’s had too much trouble in the past with less than standard roommates and doesn’t trust easily enough. He’d love to keep the apartment to himself but he doesn’t have the time to devote to a full-time job with the amount of school work he has. The only way to keep this prime apartment is to find someone reliable to share it with. Ryo, who’s a little older than him, already seems like he has his head on straight. And he does have a job, which is more than Shige can say about his last roommate.
“Will you stop staring at me like that?” Ryo snaps suddenly. “If you’re not going to believe me then I can leave. I don’t have time to waste, you know.”
“Sorry,” Shige mutters. “I just want to make sure.”
“Look,” Ryo says, frowning as he gives Shige a stern gaze. “I’ve had my share of shitty roommates. I get it. I won’t get in your way if you don’t get in mine. We don’t have to be friends. I have my own already. I’m busy, and I’m sure you’re busy, with whatever it is you do.” He pauses, eyes Shige and says, “What do you do?”
“I-I’m a law student at Aoyama-”
“Isn’t that boring?” Ryo questions.
Affronted, Shige glares, crossing his arms over his chest. “No,” he says, trying to keep his voice steady. “And that’s not the point. I agree with what you said.”
“Great,” Ryo says and stands. “When can I move in, then?”
“Right now if you want,” Shige replies with a shrug as he gets to his feet as well. “I don’t have classes today. I can help if you need it.”
“Perfect,” Ryo says and grins, looking a little relieved. “Thanks.”
Shige smiles back and says, “Lead the way.”
* * *
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 19th, 2013 at 12:30 AM
Oh, I’m glad the package got there safely. And I knew because you’ve mentioned wanting it at least once in every email for the past two weeks. When I saw it, I knew I had to get it for you. :)
My handwriting is no more awful than yours. I couldn’t read that stupid birthday card you sent. Not that it matters, since you only wrote like one line. Some friend you are.
When are you heading back? The apartment is kind of empty. Not that I’m lonely or anything. Just saying.
Never mind.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 19th, 2013 at 12:40 AM
Aw, Shige, do you miss me?
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 19th, 2013 at 12:45 AM
No, I don’t. Why would I?
I’m glad you’re not here.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 19th, 2013 at 12:47 AM
This is a first, we’re up at the same time. Maybe I should call you?
And yes, you do miss me~ I knew it~ :D
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 19th, 2013 at 12:53 AM
Don’t, I’m going to bed.
Fuck you.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 19th, 2013 at 12:57 AM
Maybe I’ll call you anyway. It’s been awhile since I’ve heard your stupid voice.
And, to answer your question, I’m coming home soon.
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 19th, 2013 at 1:00 AM
How soon is soon?
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 19th, 2013 at 1:05 AM
I thought you said you were going to bed?
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 19th, 2013 at 1:08 AM
…God, I hate you.
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 19th, 2013 at 1:11 AM
Tomorrow.
* * *
Shige’s surprised by how well it goes living with Ryo. At points he thinks it’s almost too good to be true. But Ryo is, essentially, the perfect roommate. He’s a little insulting and temperamental, but he doesn’t get in Shige’s way, cleans up after himself and pays his half of the rent on time.
They don’t see each other that much; Shige is busy with school during the day, and Ryo works at night. Weekends are the only time they’re usually in the apartment together all day, and even then they stay in their separate rooms. Only occasionally do they work together to make dinner or lunch, but usually they keep to themselves. Shige’s grateful for it. He’s in his last year of undergraduate school for law and just wants to focus and finish without any distractions.
It’s not like they never talk to each other, and one day Shige comes home to find Ryo sitting on the floor in the open room with his guitar, playing a slow, somber melody, so lost in the music he doesn’t even realize Shige’s standing beside the couch and watching. It’s the first time Shige’s seen him play. He’s heard him a few times, soft chords from across the hall, but he’s never seen him play before and right now he’s a little enraptured. Ryo’s eyes are closed and his mouth silently moves along to the lyrics in his head as nimble fingers strum beautiful chord after chord.
When Ryo finishes Shige lets out a breath he hadn’t even noticed he’d been holding, and then smiles brightly and claps.
Ryo starts, eyes darting open and he relaxes when he sees Shige standing there. “Oh, you’re home,” he says.
“That was great!” Shige exclaims. “You’re really good.”
“O-Of, of course I am!” Ryo says quickly but Shige’s learned to read him, and knows he’s covering up his embarrassment, averting his eyes and busying himself with putting his things away.
“Hey, you don’t have to stop on my account! I want to hear you play more.”
“What am I, your music player?” Ryo says, but he looks a little pleased.
“If I make dinner, will you play more?” Shige offers.
Ryo stares at him, narrowing his eyes until he finally relents with a long sigh. “Fine,” he says, “but I’ll play what I want.”
Shige grins. “I don’t mind. I just want to hear.”
Ryo shakes his head at him, but an amused smile curves at his lips. “You’re weird,” he says and Shige just laughs, heading to the kitchen to start on dinner and smiling brightly as Ryo plays another tune, the quiet melody ringing throughout the apartment and in his head even days later.
* * *
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 22nd, 2013 at 3:15 PM
You liar. You never came by. Where are you?
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 25th, 2013 at 8:32 PM
Sorry, Shige. Some stuff came up. I was supposed to come back, but work got in the way. They wanted me to stay for another show.
Sorry.
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 25th, 2013 at 9:10 PM
I get it, Ryo. Don’t worry about it.
How’d it go?
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 25th, 2013 at 11:28 PM
It was great. You should’ve been there, Shige. Amazing. The people and the energy and, everything.
Speaking of, why haven’t you been to any of my shows? Have you been getting the tickets I send you? What do you do with them?
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 26th, 2013 at 8:12 AM
I’m glad for you, Ryo. It sounds amazing.
I…I get them. I just haven’t had the time. I give them to my friends. Sorry.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 26th, 2013 at 2:10 PM
You’re awful. You’re coming to my next show. I don’t care if I have to go and drag you over myself. You’re coming. I’ll get you front row seats.
--Ryo
* * *
Shige nearly has a heart attack when he comes home after turning in his last paper and taking his final exam, wanting nothing to do now but sleep, but finds Ryo cheering at him on the other side of the door, cracking celebration poppers.
Ryo glares at him, taking in Shige’s surprised face, and says, “God, Shige, I’m here celebrating for you and you just stare at me like I’m insane?”
Shige blinks out of his stupor and hastily gets out of his shoes, nearly tripping out of the genkan as he joins Ryo inside the apartment. “What’re you doing?” he questions.
Ryo rolls his eyes. “Did you hear what I just said?” he replies. “Celebrating!”
“For what?”
“You finishing your exams! Graduation!” Ryo says, sounding more excited than Shige is with being finished.
“I haven’t graduated yet, Ryo,” Shige says but he’s smiling already, Ryo’s infectious grin getting the better of him. “But thanks. You didn’t have to do that.”
Ryo shrugs. “You deserve it,” he replies. “I’ve never seen anyone study as much as you do.”
Shige just looks embarrassed, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously and Ryo laughs.
“Come on, genius,” he says, “I’ve made dinner.”
“I am not-” Shige starts to say but is just cut off by Ryo laughing again and handing him a plate. Shige looks at him, then at the table that Ryo has set up with dishes of Shige’s favorites, and sighs, gives in. With a smile he looks back at Ryo and says genuinely, “Thanks, Ryo.”
Ryo flushes instantly, red across his cheeks, and looks anywhere but at Shige. It’s adorable, Shige thinks, his flustering, busying himself by grabbing Shige’s plate from him and piling it up with food. “Here, eat,” he barks, and Shige laughs, warmth spreading inside him as he sits down for what is possibly the best celebration dinner he’s ever had and will always remember.
* * *
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 26th, 2013 at 5:14 PM
Who said I would even go? I have better things to do.
Also can you tell your friend Akanishi to stop calling the apartment? He keeps asking if you’re back. It’s annoying.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 26th, 2013 at 9:17 PM
Fucking Akanishi, I’ve told him I’m not there. Sorry about that.
Busy doing what? Studying? You need a life. Fuck you’re boring when I’m not around. All you do is get fat from take out and study, don’t you?
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 26th, 2013 at 11:35 PM
I do not, you asshole.
Still not going, by the way.
Thanks about Akanishi.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 26th, 2013 at 1:23 AM
You are mean. :(
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 27th, 2013 at 8:33 AM
Coming from you that’s something.
If you let me know in advance instead of two days before, I might go. Maybe.
~Shige
* * *
Shige’s not entirely sure when they went from roommates to friends to best friends. Well, at least, he thought of Ryo as his best friend. It continues to surprise him, how much their relationship changed living together for the almost an entire year, this month being the eleventh they’ve shared together. Shige realized he told Ryo nearly everything; Ryo was the first person he wanted to tell - when he got a good grade on an exam he’d studied his ass off for, when he found an part time job working at a law firm that summer after graduation, when he decided which graduate law school to apply to, everything.
He likes coming home every evening, likes seeing Ryo there, likes having lunch or dinner together, likes watching stupid shows on TV and just, overall, likes being with Ryo. He can’t be sure if Ryo feels that same way, with all of his harsh criticism and bleak cynicism, but Ryo never minded, encouraged it, in fact, and would get upset if Shige ever withheld anything from him.
Not that Shige did that much in the first place.
In turn, Ryo told Shige everything about his life. But Ryo’s ways of information was usually backhanded. He’d stick a note in Shige’s books telling him about an upcoming gig he was playing at, or leave Shige a text informing him he’d be late for dinner and to eat without him. Ryo continues to be an enigma to Shige, but Shige doesn’t mind, enjoys trying to figure him out.
But he’s gotten good at reading between the lines. When he finds a post-it stuck to his alarm clock that reads, You should come by the coffeehouse down the clock at seven tonight. I might be playing. Maybe. But only if you want to. I don’t really care. --Ryo.
Shige just smiles and checks the time; he has half an hour and decides he’d rather not go alone, grabs his phone from his pocket and calls a friend to meet him there as he heads out.
It’s the first time he’s been to one of Ryo’s performances even though Ryo’s had tons the past year. Shige’s never had the time, or would find Ryo’s note too late. This time he makes it early enough to get seats right in front of the stage, his friend Koyama chatting beside him.
“This is really exciting, Shige,” Koyama says, staring wide-eyed around the place. “Why haven’t you gone to any of these before?”
“I told you, I never had the time,” Shige mutters.
“Why didn’t you tell me your roommate was famous?” Koyama demands.
“…He’s not,” Shige replies.
Koyama stares at him, then looks around the area, and back to Shige, “Doesn’t seem that way to me.”
Shige blinks and looks around as well. It’s packed now, and at a table behind him Shige hears a group of teenage girls whispering excitedly and he catches Ryo’s name in the mix before they all burst into giggles. Shige laughs and turns back around, glad to see that Ryo has a group of seemingly dedicated fans, although he’s surprised Ryo never told him. Then again, Ryo rarely boasts about his performances, surprisingly modest about all of it, and Shige figures that’s why Ryo never mentioned it.
His heart is pounding when the lights on the stage dim and Ryo finally steps out, wearing his usual ripped jeans, simple white shirt with a screen print on the front under his leather jacket. He plugs up his guitar and sits at the stool in the middle of the stage, ignoring all of the chattering and screams. When he finally looks up, it’s Shige’s eyes he meets first.
Shige’s breath catches in his throat and he feels his entire body burn up for the moment that feels like an eternity until Ryo finally looks away. He’s smirking a little as he grabs the microphone, says a few words before launching into his first song.
Shige can’t take his eyes off him. He recognizes the song instantly, one that is his personal favorite, and sings the song under his breath as Ryo plays. The crowd loves him, but Shige only has ears for Ryo’s voice, soft and deep, reassuring, as he sings about life and friendship and love.
It’s over before Shige even realizes it, inwardly complaining that it was too short while clapping along with the other patrons. Ryo just smiles, the winsome smile which makes the girls around Shige giggle, and Shige’s own heart flutter in his chest, before thanking them and heading off the stage and heading straight for Shige.
He ignores the girls that rush up to talk to him, gushing about his performance, asking for his name, where he’ll be playing next, and walks right over to where Shige is standing. Shige’s eyes widen when Ryo grins at him, gives him a surprising half-hug, sliding an arm around his waist, and says, “You came.”
Shige laughs, partly due to nervousness, not understanding the strange feeling in his stomach, and partly due to the looks of horror on the girls’ faces, and nods at Ryo, who keeps his arm around Shige’s waist. It’s actually kind of…nice. “I was free,” he replies and it makes Ryo chuckle.
“About time,” Ryo says and Shige can’t help but agree.
* * *
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 28th, 2013 at 10:46 AM
Okay, okay, I’ll make sure to let you know the second I hear about my next show. You have no excuses then if you can’t make it though! I’ll be waiting.
Also, how’s the studying going? Isn’t the exam soon? Don’t study too hard, take some rest once in awhile. It’s good for you.
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 28th, 2013 at 11:03 AM
Don’t worry, I won’t be making excuses. If you can tell me early enough, I’ll even clear my schedule for you.
It’s in two months. I’m not prepared. I should be studying more, why are you telling me to not study? I’m going to fail and then I’ll never become a lawyer and I’ll blame you and your constant distraction.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 1st, 2013 at 1:08 PM
You are not that busy that you need to clear your schedule for anything. And why should you have to for me? You should drop whatever you’re doing to see me. I’m that important. And you miss me, I know it.
If I was such a distraction, you would not be replying to my emails. But you do. Every single one. See, I knew you missed me.
--Ryo
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 3rd, 2013 at 5:45 PM
Shige, where have you been?
--Ryo
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 3rd, 2013 at 11:55 PM
Are you seriously ignoring me?
--Ryo
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 4th, 2013 at 12:19 PM
Very funny, Shige. Great. You’ve made your point. But I can still spam your inbox like this without a single regret.
--Ryo
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 5th, 2013 at 3:06 AM
No, really, where are you? Are you okay?
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
March 5th, 2013 at 7:56 AM
I’m fine, Ryo. Sorry for not replying to your profound emails. I took on some extra hours so I didn’t have the time.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 5th, 2013 at 6:17 PM
Extra hours? Aren’t you working too hard now? Take some rest, okay?
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
March 6th, 2013 at 7:00 AM
Aw, are you worried about me, Ryo? I didn’t know you cared. <3
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 6th, 2013 at 7:13 PM
Then you don’t know me at all.
…Forget I said that.
Fuck. Just be careful, all right?
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
March 6th, 2013 at 12:34 AM
Thanks.
~Shige
* * *
Shige jerks awake when he feels someone shaking him, wildly staring around until he finds Ryo standing beside him, looking amused. “Wha?” he mumbles and yawns.
“Awake?” Ryo questions. “You feel asleep at the table.”
Shige groans, feeling the crinks in his neck now as he stretches and realizes he’d fallen asleep through studying. “Thanks for waking me, Ryo,” he says and yawns again.
Ryo eyes him and says, “You okay? Maybe you should just go to bed.”
Shige shakes his head. “Can’t,” he says. “I have to finish this report by tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow’s Saturday, genius,” Ryo says. “You don’t even work on Saturdays.”
Shige stares at him, then puts his head in his hands. “You mean today isn’t Wednesday?”
Ryo laughs loudly and pats Shige on the shoulder. “You, my friend, need to relax,” he says, and gathers up Shige’s things from the table, ignoring Shige’s protests and goes to dump them off in Shige’s room. When he returns, he heads to the kitchen, grabs two beers from the fridge and pops the top off one and hands it to Shige. “Here,” he says, “you need it.”
Shige sighs and accepts, mostly because he knows Ryo’s right. No matter how much he likes this part time job he has, it definitely is a lot of work and he hasn’t been taking proper breaks like he should, trying to prove to his superiors he can do anything and everything so that, hopefully, after he graduates and passes the bar, he’ll have some place to come back to. When he explains this to Ryo, Ryo shakes his head, jabs Shige in the forehead and tells him to loosen up, no one thinks that far ahead.
“You are one of a kind,” Ryo says, smirking, and Shige just half-heartedly glares at him.
“Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” Shige asks him, realizing it’s only eight and that Shige’s usually the one home alone at this hour.
“Cancelled,” Ryo says. “Didn’t feel like going.”
Shige rolls his eyes. “You are one of a kind,” he says, nudging Ryo as he passes him into the kitchen to find something to snack on.
“I am, aren’t I?” Ryo agrees, grinning and Shige sighs, realizing he should’ve known better.
Shige grabs a bag of chips and relocates to the couch, turning on the TV to see what’s on. Five seconds later Ryo joins him, grabbing his chips and laying across the couch, propping his feet up on Shige’s lap. Shige swats at him but Ryo just swings his feet back up and offers Shige the chips in compensation. The corners of Shige’s lips quirk into an involuntary smile, but he doesn’t mind, not really, taking some chips into his hand and munching on them as he flips through the channels according to Ryo’s preferences (“This show is awful, skip it,” and “Oh, I’ve already seen this,” and “Ugh, I hate that actor, next!”). When they find a movie neither of them have seen before they settle down to watch. Or Shige tries to watch and Ryo makes crude commentary, but in the end, Ryo’s voice-overs are more entertaining than the actual show and Shige’s laughing and joining in.
It’s possibly the most fun he’s had in awhile and Ryo totally knows it, if the way he keeps smirking at Shige is any indication. And again Shige finds he doesn’t mind, letting Ryo take the responsibility, especially if it leads to him not getting anything done tomorrow as they bring out more beers and some of the hard liquor they rarely use unless they have company.
By the time midnight rolls around, Shige’s exhausted and Ryo’s already fallen asleep, now with his head on Shige’s lap. Shige almost doesn’t want to move and disturb him but there’s no way he can just sleep sitting up on the couch. He pushes Ryo off of him, uncaring when Ryo falls off the couch and shouts, “Hey!” much louder than Shige would’ve thought he’d be able to while being so buzzed, and shuts off the TV.
“Night,” Shige mutters and heads to his room. He doesn’t bother changing, too tired, just collapses on the mattress and snuggles up with a pillow. Five seconds later, the bed dips and Ryo’s mumbling, “Give me the pillow.”
Shige shoves him. “Go sleep in your bed.”
“Sheets are in the laundry,” Ryo says groggily. “Too lazy to put on clean ones.”
Shige groans and turns around to look at him through narrow eyes. Ryo blinks at him hopefully and Shige sighs, gives him the extra pillow. “Just this once,” he says and Ryo grins and snatches the pillow from him.
“Thanks, Shige,” is the last thing Shige hears before he falls asleep. And when he wakes up in the morning, it’s to Ryo’s arms wrapped around his waist, his soft breath against his neck, and a smile on his own face, thinking that this. This isn’t all that bad.
* * *
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 10th, 2013 at 4:33 PM
Are you free this coming weekend? It’s been way too long since we’ve talked. I’ll call.
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
March 10th, 2013 at 8:53 PM
I should be if you call Saturday night. It has been too long. But then again I think I talk to you enough via these emails. :P
Also, I saw a commercial for your new album. It was pretty cool. I might actually go and buy it this time.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 10th, 2013 at 11:49 PM
Maybe it’s enough for you, but I haven’t had the pleasure to mock you verbally for way too long. Don’t ignore me when I call.
It is cool isn’t it? And you are a horrible liar, even through email. I already know you’ve bought every single one of my singles and albums and that you keep them hidden in a box under your bed. You even have doubles of some of them! I didn’t know you liked me that much, Shige.
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
March 11th, 2013 at 7:18 AM
I-I what. How. When. How did you find that box?
And I only have doubles for the CDs you send me signed because I never know you’re going to and I’ve already bought one! It’s not like I need doubles!
I hate you. I’m totally ignoring your call on Saturday.
~Shige
* * *
Shige rushes into the bedroom and dives across his bed to grab his cell phone before the call ends. “Hello?” he gasps, wincing where his elbow knocked into the side table as he gets to his feet.
“Shige?” Ryo says and he, too, sounds breathless, and Shige can hear traffic in the background.
“What’s up?” Shige says, heading back to the kitchen and finishing making dinner.
“Are you home?” Ryo says in a rush and Shige wonders what’s going on.
“Yeah, I’m making dinner,” Shige replies. “Why?”
“Good, stay there. I’ll be back soon.”
“Ryo, what-”
“I have something to tell you, but I’ll wait until I get back.”
“Just tell me now!” Shige exclaims, anticipation bubbling inside him. He can tell it’s something good, because Ryo wouldn’t withhold information if it was bad in anyway, and Ryo sounds too excited himself for his news to be anything but pleasant. “You can’t just call and say you have something to tell me and then not tell me.”
“Sure I can,” Ryo says and Shige can feel his grin. “Be back soon, okay? Bye!”
Before Shige can protest, Ryo’s hung up and he’s left pouting at his phone for moment before he shakes his head, suppressing a smile. It’s so like Ryo, he thinks, as he returns to finish cooking. Just as he’s done setting up the table, the door opens and Ryo walks in, looking slightly flushed as though he had run all the way back here, and Shige just points at him with the spatula in his hand and demands, “Spill.”
Ryo grins at him and says, “Guess who just signed a record deal?”
Shige’s eyes widen. “What?!” he exclaims. “Really?”
When Ryo nods, Shige drops the spatula; it clangs against a plate and falls to the floor but Shige doesn’t care, already rushing around to get to Ryo and pulling him into a hug before he even realizes what he’s doing. Ryo just laughs, pulls Shige close, arms around his waist and listens as Shige rambles on with congratulations.
“What company?” Shige questions, talking a mile-a-minute, unbelievably excited for Ryo, so excited it almost feels like he’s the one who just got signed. “When do you start?” he asks, pulling back to look at Ryo who is eyeing him with amusement. “What songs are you releasing first? Why didn’t you tell me you were even meeting with them today?!” He smacks Ryo on the shoulder with a frown.
“Shige,” Ryo says then, and when Shige blinks at him expectantly, he smirks, adds, “Shut up,” and leans in to claim his mouth with his own.
Shige’s entire body feels like it’s been engulfed in flames, his mind dizzying as Ryo pries his lips apart and kisses him harder, deeper, pulls him closer. And it feels good, feels amazing, and Shige curs his fingers into the back of Ryo’s coat.
When Ryo pulls away he’s grinning broadly and ruffles Shige’s hair. “So,” he says, turning to the table. “What’s for dinner?”
Shige laughs and hands him a plate. Nothing changes, except Ryo decides to play footsie under the table.
* * *
continue!!
Pairing: Ryo/Shige
Rating: PG-13
Summary: Whether together or apart, Shige knows what he and Ryo has is stronger than anything.
Author’s Note: 12176 words. AU. I..I don’t even know. I’ve been in a bit of a rut, noticing my fic is starting to sound the same and wanting to kind of break out of that. And, well, this is what came out of it. It kind of had a mind of its own and just basically wrote itself. So much thanks and love to hyearts and crystallekil for helping me out with this. ;__; ♥♥♥
I really hope you enjoy this!! ♥ :3
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 18th, 2013 at 4:00 AM
Shige, I love you and all, but will you stop telling me everything you learned in your classes? Do you think I know what the fuck litigation is? Or care, for that matter? It’s nice you’re expanding your knowledge and all that shit, but I don’t need to know everything, okay? Just, you know, FYI.
Also, you should stop studying so much. Do you even have friends?
--Ryo
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 18th, 2013 at 4:05 AM
Shit, forget that first part. Why did I type that? I don’t love you love you. You know what I mean. Fuck. Just ignore it. Okay? Good.
--Ryo
* * *
Kato Shigeaki stares at the man before him. He’s shorter with a sun-kissed tan, leading Shige to wonder how much time he’s spent out on the beach this summer, and is wearing a rather disarming smile with a guitar case slung over his back.
“Hi,” he says, and his smile turns softer as he holds up a flyer toward Shige. “Are you the guy looking for a roommate?”
* * *
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 18th, 2013 at 12:38 PM
Oh, so that’s how it is, Ryo? Why didn’t you tell me before?
And, fine, I’ll stop with the legal talk. As long as you stop telling me about every single girl that flirts with you now that you’re famous. I don’t want to know. Ever.
And why in the world are you awake at four in the morning? You should sleep, it’s good for you.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 18th, 2013 at 7:15 PM
What the fuck. I told you to ignore it!!
Aww, are you jealous, Shige?
I do sleep. Just not at the same time as you. :P Also, I got your package. Your handwriting sucks, by the way. I could barely read your note.
Thanks, though. For the CD. How did you know I’ve been looking for it for months?
--Ryo
* * *
“You’re a musician?” Shige questions, surprised by the fact that of all the people that live in the area, this guy is the first person to reply to his ad.
Nishikido Ryo, or Ryo as he told Shige to call him, nods and sets his guitar case down beside him. “Yup,” he says. “Well, sort of. I’m not famous. Yet.” He grins. “I’m working toward it though. You know, playing at a few places for some money, getting my name out there.”
“But-”
“Oh, don’t worry,” he says, cutting in and reading Shige’s thoughts. “I read your ad, I know you want someone who can help pay your rent.”
“That’d be nice, yes,” Shige replies.
“I work at a music store a few blocks from here. I give guitar lessons,” he says and pats his guitar case. “It pays pretty decently so you don’t have to worry about me not paying up my half. I’m not like that.”
Shige eyes him critically. He’s had too much trouble in the past with less than standard roommates and doesn’t trust easily enough. He’d love to keep the apartment to himself but he doesn’t have the time to devote to a full-time job with the amount of school work he has. The only way to keep this prime apartment is to find someone reliable to share it with. Ryo, who’s a little older than him, already seems like he has his head on straight. And he does have a job, which is more than Shige can say about his last roommate.
“Will you stop staring at me like that?” Ryo snaps suddenly. “If you’re not going to believe me then I can leave. I don’t have time to waste, you know.”
“Sorry,” Shige mutters. “I just want to make sure.”
“Look,” Ryo says, frowning as he gives Shige a stern gaze. “I’ve had my share of shitty roommates. I get it. I won’t get in your way if you don’t get in mine. We don’t have to be friends. I have my own already. I’m busy, and I’m sure you’re busy, with whatever it is you do.” He pauses, eyes Shige and says, “What do you do?”
“I-I’m a law student at Aoyama-”
“Isn’t that boring?” Ryo questions.
Affronted, Shige glares, crossing his arms over his chest. “No,” he says, trying to keep his voice steady. “And that’s not the point. I agree with what you said.”
“Great,” Ryo says and stands. “When can I move in, then?”
“Right now if you want,” Shige replies with a shrug as he gets to his feet as well. “I don’t have classes today. I can help if you need it.”
“Perfect,” Ryo says and grins, looking a little relieved. “Thanks.”
Shige smiles back and says, “Lead the way.”
* * *
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 19th, 2013 at 12:30 AM
Oh, I’m glad the package got there safely. And I knew because you’ve mentioned wanting it at least once in every email for the past two weeks. When I saw it, I knew I had to get it for you. :)
My handwriting is no more awful than yours. I couldn’t read that stupid birthday card you sent. Not that it matters, since you only wrote like one line. Some friend you are.
When are you heading back? The apartment is kind of empty. Not that I’m lonely or anything. Just saying.
Never mind.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 19th, 2013 at 12:40 AM
Aw, Shige, do you miss me?
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 19th, 2013 at 12:45 AM
No, I don’t. Why would I?
I’m glad you’re not here.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 19th, 2013 at 12:47 AM
This is a first, we’re up at the same time. Maybe I should call you?
And yes, you do miss me~ I knew it~ :D
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 19th, 2013 at 12:53 AM
Don’t, I’m going to bed.
Fuck you.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 19th, 2013 at 12:57 AM
Maybe I’ll call you anyway. It’s been awhile since I’ve heard your stupid voice.
And, to answer your question, I’m coming home soon.
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 19th, 2013 at 1:00 AM
How soon is soon?
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 19th, 2013 at 1:05 AM
I thought you said you were going to bed?
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 19th, 2013 at 1:08 AM
…God, I hate you.
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 19th, 2013 at 1:11 AM
Tomorrow.
* * *
Shige’s surprised by how well it goes living with Ryo. At points he thinks it’s almost too good to be true. But Ryo is, essentially, the perfect roommate. He’s a little insulting and temperamental, but he doesn’t get in Shige’s way, cleans up after himself and pays his half of the rent on time.
They don’t see each other that much; Shige is busy with school during the day, and Ryo works at night. Weekends are the only time they’re usually in the apartment together all day, and even then they stay in their separate rooms. Only occasionally do they work together to make dinner or lunch, but usually they keep to themselves. Shige’s grateful for it. He’s in his last year of undergraduate school for law and just wants to focus and finish without any distractions.
It’s not like they never talk to each other, and one day Shige comes home to find Ryo sitting on the floor in the open room with his guitar, playing a slow, somber melody, so lost in the music he doesn’t even realize Shige’s standing beside the couch and watching. It’s the first time Shige’s seen him play. He’s heard him a few times, soft chords from across the hall, but he’s never seen him play before and right now he’s a little enraptured. Ryo’s eyes are closed and his mouth silently moves along to the lyrics in his head as nimble fingers strum beautiful chord after chord.
When Ryo finishes Shige lets out a breath he hadn’t even noticed he’d been holding, and then smiles brightly and claps.
Ryo starts, eyes darting open and he relaxes when he sees Shige standing there. “Oh, you’re home,” he says.
“That was great!” Shige exclaims. “You’re really good.”
“O-Of, of course I am!” Ryo says quickly but Shige’s learned to read him, and knows he’s covering up his embarrassment, averting his eyes and busying himself with putting his things away.
“Hey, you don’t have to stop on my account! I want to hear you play more.”
“What am I, your music player?” Ryo says, but he looks a little pleased.
“If I make dinner, will you play more?” Shige offers.
Ryo stares at him, narrowing his eyes until he finally relents with a long sigh. “Fine,” he says, “but I’ll play what I want.”
Shige grins. “I don’t mind. I just want to hear.”
Ryo shakes his head at him, but an amused smile curves at his lips. “You’re weird,” he says and Shige just laughs, heading to the kitchen to start on dinner and smiling brightly as Ryo plays another tune, the quiet melody ringing throughout the apartment and in his head even days later.
* * *
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 22nd, 2013 at 3:15 PM
You liar. You never came by. Where are you?
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 25th, 2013 at 8:32 PM
Sorry, Shige. Some stuff came up. I was supposed to come back, but work got in the way. They wanted me to stay for another show.
Sorry.
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 25th, 2013 at 9:10 PM
I get it, Ryo. Don’t worry about it.
How’d it go?
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 25th, 2013 at 11:28 PM
It was great. You should’ve been there, Shige. Amazing. The people and the energy and, everything.
Speaking of, why haven’t you been to any of my shows? Have you been getting the tickets I send you? What do you do with them?
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 26th, 2013 at 8:12 AM
I’m glad for you, Ryo. It sounds amazing.
I…I get them. I just haven’t had the time. I give them to my friends. Sorry.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 26th, 2013 at 2:10 PM
You’re awful. You’re coming to my next show. I don’t care if I have to go and drag you over myself. You’re coming. I’ll get you front row seats.
--Ryo
* * *
Shige nearly has a heart attack when he comes home after turning in his last paper and taking his final exam, wanting nothing to do now but sleep, but finds Ryo cheering at him on the other side of the door, cracking celebration poppers.
Ryo glares at him, taking in Shige’s surprised face, and says, “God, Shige, I’m here celebrating for you and you just stare at me like I’m insane?”
Shige blinks out of his stupor and hastily gets out of his shoes, nearly tripping out of the genkan as he joins Ryo inside the apartment. “What’re you doing?” he questions.
Ryo rolls his eyes. “Did you hear what I just said?” he replies. “Celebrating!”
“For what?”
“You finishing your exams! Graduation!” Ryo says, sounding more excited than Shige is with being finished.
“I haven’t graduated yet, Ryo,” Shige says but he’s smiling already, Ryo’s infectious grin getting the better of him. “But thanks. You didn’t have to do that.”
Ryo shrugs. “You deserve it,” he replies. “I’ve never seen anyone study as much as you do.”
Shige just looks embarrassed, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously and Ryo laughs.
“Come on, genius,” he says, “I’ve made dinner.”
“I am not-” Shige starts to say but is just cut off by Ryo laughing again and handing him a plate. Shige looks at him, then at the table that Ryo has set up with dishes of Shige’s favorites, and sighs, gives in. With a smile he looks back at Ryo and says genuinely, “Thanks, Ryo.”
Ryo flushes instantly, red across his cheeks, and looks anywhere but at Shige. It’s adorable, Shige thinks, his flustering, busying himself by grabbing Shige’s plate from him and piling it up with food. “Here, eat,” he barks, and Shige laughs, warmth spreading inside him as he sits down for what is possibly the best celebration dinner he’s ever had and will always remember.
* * *
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 26th, 2013 at 5:14 PM
Who said I would even go? I have better things to do.
Also can you tell your friend Akanishi to stop calling the apartment? He keeps asking if you’re back. It’s annoying.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 26th, 2013 at 9:17 PM
Fucking Akanishi, I’ve told him I’m not there. Sorry about that.
Busy doing what? Studying? You need a life. Fuck you’re boring when I’m not around. All you do is get fat from take out and study, don’t you?
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 26th, 2013 at 11:35 PM
I do not, you asshole.
Still not going, by the way.
Thanks about Akanishi.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 26th, 2013 at 1:23 AM
You are mean. :(
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 27th, 2013 at 8:33 AM
Coming from you that’s something.
If you let me know in advance instead of two days before, I might go. Maybe.
~Shige
* * *
Shige’s not entirely sure when they went from roommates to friends to best friends. Well, at least, he thought of Ryo as his best friend. It continues to surprise him, how much their relationship changed living together for the almost an entire year, this month being the eleventh they’ve shared together. Shige realized he told Ryo nearly everything; Ryo was the first person he wanted to tell - when he got a good grade on an exam he’d studied his ass off for, when he found an part time job working at a law firm that summer after graduation, when he decided which graduate law school to apply to, everything.
He likes coming home every evening, likes seeing Ryo there, likes having lunch or dinner together, likes watching stupid shows on TV and just, overall, likes being with Ryo. He can’t be sure if Ryo feels that same way, with all of his harsh criticism and bleak cynicism, but Ryo never minded, encouraged it, in fact, and would get upset if Shige ever withheld anything from him.
Not that Shige did that much in the first place.
In turn, Ryo told Shige everything about his life. But Ryo’s ways of information was usually backhanded. He’d stick a note in Shige’s books telling him about an upcoming gig he was playing at, or leave Shige a text informing him he’d be late for dinner and to eat without him. Ryo continues to be an enigma to Shige, but Shige doesn’t mind, enjoys trying to figure him out.
But he’s gotten good at reading between the lines. When he finds a post-it stuck to his alarm clock that reads, You should come by the coffeehouse down the clock at seven tonight. I might be playing. Maybe. But only if you want to. I don’t really care. --Ryo.
Shige just smiles and checks the time; he has half an hour and decides he’d rather not go alone, grabs his phone from his pocket and calls a friend to meet him there as he heads out.
It’s the first time he’s been to one of Ryo’s performances even though Ryo’s had tons the past year. Shige’s never had the time, or would find Ryo’s note too late. This time he makes it early enough to get seats right in front of the stage, his friend Koyama chatting beside him.
“This is really exciting, Shige,” Koyama says, staring wide-eyed around the place. “Why haven’t you gone to any of these before?”
“I told you, I never had the time,” Shige mutters.
“Why didn’t you tell me your roommate was famous?” Koyama demands.
“…He’s not,” Shige replies.
Koyama stares at him, then looks around the area, and back to Shige, “Doesn’t seem that way to me.”
Shige blinks and looks around as well. It’s packed now, and at a table behind him Shige hears a group of teenage girls whispering excitedly and he catches Ryo’s name in the mix before they all burst into giggles. Shige laughs and turns back around, glad to see that Ryo has a group of seemingly dedicated fans, although he’s surprised Ryo never told him. Then again, Ryo rarely boasts about his performances, surprisingly modest about all of it, and Shige figures that’s why Ryo never mentioned it.
His heart is pounding when the lights on the stage dim and Ryo finally steps out, wearing his usual ripped jeans, simple white shirt with a screen print on the front under his leather jacket. He plugs up his guitar and sits at the stool in the middle of the stage, ignoring all of the chattering and screams. When he finally looks up, it’s Shige’s eyes he meets first.
Shige’s breath catches in his throat and he feels his entire body burn up for the moment that feels like an eternity until Ryo finally looks away. He’s smirking a little as he grabs the microphone, says a few words before launching into his first song.
Shige can’t take his eyes off him. He recognizes the song instantly, one that is his personal favorite, and sings the song under his breath as Ryo plays. The crowd loves him, but Shige only has ears for Ryo’s voice, soft and deep, reassuring, as he sings about life and friendship and love.
It’s over before Shige even realizes it, inwardly complaining that it was too short while clapping along with the other patrons. Ryo just smiles, the winsome smile which makes the girls around Shige giggle, and Shige’s own heart flutter in his chest, before thanking them and heading off the stage and heading straight for Shige.
He ignores the girls that rush up to talk to him, gushing about his performance, asking for his name, where he’ll be playing next, and walks right over to where Shige is standing. Shige’s eyes widen when Ryo grins at him, gives him a surprising half-hug, sliding an arm around his waist, and says, “You came.”
Shige laughs, partly due to nervousness, not understanding the strange feeling in his stomach, and partly due to the looks of horror on the girls’ faces, and nods at Ryo, who keeps his arm around Shige’s waist. It’s actually kind of…nice. “I was free,” he replies and it makes Ryo chuckle.
“About time,” Ryo says and Shige can’t help but agree.
* * *
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
February 28th, 2013 at 10:46 AM
Okay, okay, I’ll make sure to let you know the second I hear about my next show. You have no excuses then if you can’t make it though! I’ll be waiting.
Also, how’s the studying going? Isn’t the exam soon? Don’t study too hard, take some rest once in awhile. It’s good for you.
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
February 28th, 2013 at 11:03 AM
Don’t worry, I won’t be making excuses. If you can tell me early enough, I’ll even clear my schedule for you.
It’s in two months. I’m not prepared. I should be studying more, why are you telling me to not study? I’m going to fail and then I’ll never become a lawyer and I’ll blame you and your constant distraction.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 1st, 2013 at 1:08 PM
You are not that busy that you need to clear your schedule for anything. And why should you have to for me? You should drop whatever you’re doing to see me. I’m that important. And you miss me, I know it.
If I was such a distraction, you would not be replying to my emails. But you do. Every single one. See, I knew you missed me.
--Ryo
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 3rd, 2013 at 5:45 PM
Shige, where have you been?
--Ryo
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 3rd, 2013 at 11:55 PM
Are you seriously ignoring me?
--Ryo
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 4th, 2013 at 12:19 PM
Very funny, Shige. Great. You’ve made your point. But I can still spam your inbox like this without a single regret.
--Ryo
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 5th, 2013 at 3:06 AM
No, really, where are you? Are you okay?
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
March 5th, 2013 at 7:56 AM
I’m fine, Ryo. Sorry for not replying to your profound emails. I took on some extra hours so I didn’t have the time.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 5th, 2013 at 6:17 PM
Extra hours? Aren’t you working too hard now? Take some rest, okay?
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
March 6th, 2013 at 7:00 AM
Aw, are you worried about me, Ryo? I didn’t know you cared. <3
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 6th, 2013 at 7:13 PM
Then you don’t know me at all.
…Forget I said that.
Fuck. Just be careful, all right?
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
March 6th, 2013 at 12:34 AM
Thanks.
~Shige
* * *
Shige jerks awake when he feels someone shaking him, wildly staring around until he finds Ryo standing beside him, looking amused. “Wha?” he mumbles and yawns.
“Awake?” Ryo questions. “You feel asleep at the table.”
Shige groans, feeling the crinks in his neck now as he stretches and realizes he’d fallen asleep through studying. “Thanks for waking me, Ryo,” he says and yawns again.
Ryo eyes him and says, “You okay? Maybe you should just go to bed.”
Shige shakes his head. “Can’t,” he says. “I have to finish this report by tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow’s Saturday, genius,” Ryo says. “You don’t even work on Saturdays.”
Shige stares at him, then puts his head in his hands. “You mean today isn’t Wednesday?”
Ryo laughs loudly and pats Shige on the shoulder. “You, my friend, need to relax,” he says, and gathers up Shige’s things from the table, ignoring Shige’s protests and goes to dump them off in Shige’s room. When he returns, he heads to the kitchen, grabs two beers from the fridge and pops the top off one and hands it to Shige. “Here,” he says, “you need it.”
Shige sighs and accepts, mostly because he knows Ryo’s right. No matter how much he likes this part time job he has, it definitely is a lot of work and he hasn’t been taking proper breaks like he should, trying to prove to his superiors he can do anything and everything so that, hopefully, after he graduates and passes the bar, he’ll have some place to come back to. When he explains this to Ryo, Ryo shakes his head, jabs Shige in the forehead and tells him to loosen up, no one thinks that far ahead.
“You are one of a kind,” Ryo says, smirking, and Shige just half-heartedly glares at him.
“Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” Shige asks him, realizing it’s only eight and that Shige’s usually the one home alone at this hour.
“Cancelled,” Ryo says. “Didn’t feel like going.”
Shige rolls his eyes. “You are one of a kind,” he says, nudging Ryo as he passes him into the kitchen to find something to snack on.
“I am, aren’t I?” Ryo agrees, grinning and Shige sighs, realizing he should’ve known better.
Shige grabs a bag of chips and relocates to the couch, turning on the TV to see what’s on. Five seconds later Ryo joins him, grabbing his chips and laying across the couch, propping his feet up on Shige’s lap. Shige swats at him but Ryo just swings his feet back up and offers Shige the chips in compensation. The corners of Shige’s lips quirk into an involuntary smile, but he doesn’t mind, not really, taking some chips into his hand and munching on them as he flips through the channels according to Ryo’s preferences (“This show is awful, skip it,” and “Oh, I’ve already seen this,” and “Ugh, I hate that actor, next!”). When they find a movie neither of them have seen before they settle down to watch. Or Shige tries to watch and Ryo makes crude commentary, but in the end, Ryo’s voice-overs are more entertaining than the actual show and Shige’s laughing and joining in.
It’s possibly the most fun he’s had in awhile and Ryo totally knows it, if the way he keeps smirking at Shige is any indication. And again Shige finds he doesn’t mind, letting Ryo take the responsibility, especially if it leads to him not getting anything done tomorrow as they bring out more beers and some of the hard liquor they rarely use unless they have company.
By the time midnight rolls around, Shige’s exhausted and Ryo’s already fallen asleep, now with his head on Shige’s lap. Shige almost doesn’t want to move and disturb him but there’s no way he can just sleep sitting up on the couch. He pushes Ryo off of him, uncaring when Ryo falls off the couch and shouts, “Hey!” much louder than Shige would’ve thought he’d be able to while being so buzzed, and shuts off the TV.
“Night,” Shige mutters and heads to his room. He doesn’t bother changing, too tired, just collapses on the mattress and snuggles up with a pillow. Five seconds later, the bed dips and Ryo’s mumbling, “Give me the pillow.”
Shige shoves him. “Go sleep in your bed.”
“Sheets are in the laundry,” Ryo says groggily. “Too lazy to put on clean ones.”
Shige groans and turns around to look at him through narrow eyes. Ryo blinks at him hopefully and Shige sighs, gives him the extra pillow. “Just this once,” he says and Ryo grins and snatches the pillow from him.
“Thanks, Shige,” is the last thing Shige hears before he falls asleep. And when he wakes up in the morning, it’s to Ryo’s arms wrapped around his waist, his soft breath against his neck, and a smile on his own face, thinking that this. This isn’t all that bad.
* * *
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 10th, 2013 at 4:33 PM
Are you free this coming weekend? It’s been way too long since we’ve talked. I’ll call.
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
March 10th, 2013 at 8:53 PM
I should be if you call Saturday night. It has been too long. But then again I think I talk to you enough via these emails. :P
Also, I saw a commercial for your new album. It was pretty cool. I might actually go and buy it this time.
~Shige
To: Kato Shigeaki
From: Nishikido Ryo
March 10th, 2013 at 11:49 PM
Maybe it’s enough for you, but I haven’t had the pleasure to mock you verbally for way too long. Don’t ignore me when I call.
It is cool isn’t it? And you are a horrible liar, even through email. I already know you’ve bought every single one of my singles and albums and that you keep them hidden in a box under your bed. You even have doubles of some of them! I didn’t know you liked me that much, Shige.
--Ryo
To: Ryo
From: Shige
March 11th, 2013 at 7:18 AM
I-I what. How. When. How did you find that box?
And I only have doubles for the CDs you send me signed because I never know you’re going to and I’ve already bought one! It’s not like I need doubles!
I hate you. I’m totally ignoring your call on Saturday.
~Shige
* * *
Shige rushes into the bedroom and dives across his bed to grab his cell phone before the call ends. “Hello?” he gasps, wincing where his elbow knocked into the side table as he gets to his feet.
“Shige?” Ryo says and he, too, sounds breathless, and Shige can hear traffic in the background.
“What’s up?” Shige says, heading back to the kitchen and finishing making dinner.
“Are you home?” Ryo says in a rush and Shige wonders what’s going on.
“Yeah, I’m making dinner,” Shige replies. “Why?”
“Good, stay there. I’ll be back soon.”
“Ryo, what-”
“I have something to tell you, but I’ll wait until I get back.”
“Just tell me now!” Shige exclaims, anticipation bubbling inside him. He can tell it’s something good, because Ryo wouldn’t withhold information if it was bad in anyway, and Ryo sounds too excited himself for his news to be anything but pleasant. “You can’t just call and say you have something to tell me and then not tell me.”
“Sure I can,” Ryo says and Shige can feel his grin. “Be back soon, okay? Bye!”
Before Shige can protest, Ryo’s hung up and he’s left pouting at his phone for moment before he shakes his head, suppressing a smile. It’s so like Ryo, he thinks, as he returns to finish cooking. Just as he’s done setting up the table, the door opens and Ryo walks in, looking slightly flushed as though he had run all the way back here, and Shige just points at him with the spatula in his hand and demands, “Spill.”
Ryo grins at him and says, “Guess who just signed a record deal?”
Shige’s eyes widen. “What?!” he exclaims. “Really?”
When Ryo nods, Shige drops the spatula; it clangs against a plate and falls to the floor but Shige doesn’t care, already rushing around to get to Ryo and pulling him into a hug before he even realizes what he’s doing. Ryo just laughs, pulls Shige close, arms around his waist and listens as Shige rambles on with congratulations.
“What company?” Shige questions, talking a mile-a-minute, unbelievably excited for Ryo, so excited it almost feels like he’s the one who just got signed. “When do you start?” he asks, pulling back to look at Ryo who is eyeing him with amusement. “What songs are you releasing first? Why didn’t you tell me you were even meeting with them today?!” He smacks Ryo on the shoulder with a frown.
“Shige,” Ryo says then, and when Shige blinks at him expectantly, he smirks, adds, “Shut up,” and leans in to claim his mouth with his own.
Shige’s entire body feels like it’s been engulfed in flames, his mind dizzying as Ryo pries his lips apart and kisses him harder, deeper, pulls him closer. And it feels good, feels amazing, and Shige curs his fingers into the back of Ryo’s coat.
When Ryo pulls away he’s grinning broadly and ruffles Shige’s hair. “So,” he says, turning to the table. “What’s for dinner?”
Shige laughs and hands him a plate. Nothing changes, except Ryo decides to play footsie under the table.
* * *
continue!!