Title: Never Mind The Lack Of Plot, I’d Totally Watch That Drama
Fandom: JE (Kanjani8, Arashi and I guess NEWS)
Pairing: None
Rating: G
Word count: Exactly 1400 words
Summary: Ryo, Uchi, Yoko and Nino get a drama together.
Written for
ceathair’s birthday. Extremely random. Also, I haven’t even reread any of it so let me apologize in advance for any typo and grammar fuck.
When Uchi enters the meeting room, Ryo is already there, Nino’s arm around his shoulders and Nino’s face buried in the crook of his neck. Ryo looks embarrassed, but pleased, and Uchi raises an eyebrow before turning to Yoko.
“Don’t expect any of that from me,” he says, kicking the chair next to his in an invitation to sit.
Uchi grins.
“Now, now, is that how you treat your kouhai?” Nino exclaims a little too loudly. “So boring.”
“In your case, it’s not just with your kouhai, though,” Ryo remarks, and Yoko bursts out laughing and almost kicks Uchi in the gut in the process of climbing over the table to high five Ryo.
Nino scoffs, but the corner of his lips is curved into a lop-sided smile as his gaze falls onto Uchi. “Fine then, be that way. I’ll treat the cuter one then.”
*
The plot of the drama is fairly simple: two rival family businesses, two sets of brothers. Ryo and Nino are paired up a second time, and Uchi can see why the casting team would want to make that happen again. They do make a cute pair.
“So you guys are the short pair?” Yoko snickers, and Uchi points at Ryo and laugh - “Short!” - while Ryo and Nino put on matching unamused expressions.
“Hoi!” Nino yells.
“Yeah, when you get to know this guy” - he points to Uchi with his thumb - “you’re definitely going to pick me,” Ryo says sullenly.
*
As it turns out, Daiki and Ren - Ryo and Uchi’s characters - used to be childhood friends - that is until their families got into a huge fight over tofu and officially became enemies. In a scene where a nostalgic Daiki wonders what happened to their friendship, Ren only looks affected for a brief moment before he turns around to sneer at Daiki.
“You do realise I was only ever friend with you because I thought your brother was cool, right?”
From behind the cameras, Yoko almost ruins the take by bursting into a barely contained fit of giggles.
“Uchi has a crush on you,” he says to Nino as soon as they stop filming, and he’s got that gleeful tone that can only mean he’s already plotting for ways to use this as teasing material. “Man, I love this drama!”
*
Ryo is waiting for Uchi in the parking lot at the end of the first day of the shooting. It’s been a long day, but they managed to wrap most of their scenes for the first episode. Tomorrow, Uchi even gets the morning off before he has to come back to the studio to film his last two scenes.
“Good work today,” Uchi says, mostly because it feels good to hear himself say it.
Ryo nods and smile. “Good work,” he replies, and Uchi can tell Ryo is just as happy as he is.
*
In the second episode, Ren and his brother have a fight about the future of the business. The argument is pretty serious - bankruptcy imminent if they don’t find a way to increase their revenues - and Yuuji (Yoko) is clearly uncomfortable. So, of course, he figures the best way to deal with the problem is to grab a handful of soft tofu and throw it into Ren’s face.
Things go downhill from there. Uchi knows he can’t fuck up too many times - the scene is a messy one and cleaning up between takes costs time and money - but try as he may he can’t quite keep the corners of his lips from twitching up as the tofu hits him square in the face. He keeps his eyes closed for a moment, breathes in slowly, before reaching up to dislodge a chunk that has somehow gotten stuck to his eyelashes. When he opens his eyes to look at Yoko, it’s already too late, and the both of them burst out laughing like two crazy madmen.
With Yoko’s hand tight on his shoulder, Uchi leans in and presses his tofu-wet cheek to Yoko’s as they both try to control their laughter, and Uchi’s almost surprised when Yoko lets him. Then again...
*
Uchi has most of his scenes with either Yoko or Ryo. When he finally has a scene alone with Nino, he is a little nervous. There is no way in hell he’s going to show it, though, because he’s pretty sure Nino is the kind who can smell fear.
When Uchi messes up the scene for the fourth time, however, his anxiety starts to build into frustration.
“Uchi-san, do you need a break?” The director asks, and Uchi’s mouth is already open to refuse when Nino jumps in.
“I do!”
Uchi gets water. He tries to calm down and focus. Then Nino approaches him: “Want to see a magic trick?”
Uchi lets out a short laugh. “Sure.”
Before they head back on set, Nino gives Uchi’s arm a light squeeze.
“Just relax. You’ve got nothing to prove.”
Uchi doesn’t get to ask what he means, but somehow he has a feeling Nino’s words are meant to be that way, open to Uchi’s own interpretation anyway.
*
The theme of their photoshoot for TV Guide is rivalry, so of course Uchi ends up paired with Ryo. Yoko and Nino are asked to do an arm wrestling match, so Uchi wonders what they, Ryo and him, will be asked to do.
“I’ll bet on Yoko. He’s, like, twice Nino’s size,” Uchi snickers as Yoko and Nino get settled.
“Then I’ll bet on Nino,” Ryo grins, and Uchi is only confused for a moment before Yoko’s hand hit the table and shouts of “You little! That’s cheating!” erupt in the studio.
Nino smirks. “I have no idea what you mean.”
“Your hand on my crotch is what I mean,” Yoko replied loudly.
“My hands were on the table, though,” Nino points out.
Even with all the fooling around, Nino and Yoko’s shoot doesn’t take a very long time. They are professionals and have been doing this for a long time after all. They do a few more silly poses after the arm wrestling, and though Yoko’s ‘angry glare’ ends up looking a bit more like a smouldering look and Nino doesn’t miss the opportunity to tease him about it, the photographer seems to be pretty happy with what he gets.
“All yours!” Nino grins at them on his way to the dressing room, Yoko hot on his heels.
“No, seriously, how did you do it? Did you use your foot? You were wearing shoes but I swear I felt fingers there.”
Nino laughs. “Yoko has a very vivid imagination, doesn’t he?” He asks teasingly, but he looks entirely too smug.
*
They go out drinking at the end of a work day. On their way there, Ryo’s cellphone rings, and Matsujun ends up inviting himself along.
“Jun’s definitely footing the bill.” Nino and Ryo nod at each other, grinning.
“Cheap asses,” Uchi accuses, but Nino only kisses his cheeks before turning to high five Ryo. Uchi rolls his eyes ad laughs.
When Jun shows him, he’s not alone. “Arashi represents!” Aiba beams at them, and Nino hits him - “Shut up.” - before snuggling into his side on the bench.
“Let’s drink!” Aiba announces, raising his glass.
“Let’s drink!” Yoko echoes with a giggle.
Uchi joins in and raises his glass cheerfully., clinking it with Ryo’s.
“You know,” Nino comments some time later, “Ryo is a lot more relaxed this time around.”
Uchi throws a look at Ryo who’s laughing at one of Yoko’s joke. “What do you mean?”
But Nino only nods his head and smirks.
*
At the press conference, Yoko puts his arm around Uchi’s shoulder and gives the crowd of journalists a toothy grin, waving a victory at them, proud and happy.
“This brings back memories, right?” He says, literally beaming at Uchi, and Uchi cannot quite control the smile on his face, the tears in his eye. Yoko messes Uchi’s hair affectionately, and Uchi sniffles loudly.
“What’s up with you?” Ryo asks, nudging his side.
Uchi sniffles again and laughs. “I’m happy,” he says, and Ryo shakes his head.
“You, idiot,” Ryo chokes out a little laugh, but the way he bumps their hips together, the way he is suddenly clinging to the back of Uchi’s shirt as the lean together for another picture betrays his true feelings.