Who wants fanfic? (Medium update)
Title: Medium (Part 8/??)
Author: kaitou_marron
Warnings/Rating: Worksafe / PG - PG-13ish?
Pairing: TutixNagayan
Summary: AU. Tuti is still acting, while Nagayan’s life decisions have turned him on the road of art rather than entertainment…
Notes: Previous chapters can be found [in my memories]
Betaed by analineblue. I have to thank kooriyoukai for uploading that album. It did wonders in helping me get inspired again! Comments are appreciated.
Chapter 8: Coincidences...
It was well past 11:00 when Nagayan finally left Accents. Although he didn’t know the exact amount he had made, he considered the night successful … even if there had been a moment of unpleasantness.
‘Why was Tuti at my opening?’ Nagayan wondered on his way home. ‘Did he just happen to wander there? Did he see me in the paper and come find me?’ A frown perched on beautiful lips, he considered each option without luck on deciding which one made more sense.
And then, he pondered the most interesting question of all. ‘Why am I even thinking about it, about him?’
The snobbish actor knew nothing about art. From the way he had look lost his first time in Accents, Nagayan would have put money on the fact that it was the first time that he had been in a gallery at all.
‘Then why did he notice something you didn’t, if you claim to be such a hot-shot artist?’ his brain asked him. Nagayan’s frown deepened.
‘He didn’t notice anything extra,’ he argued with himself. ‘He just made a careless remark.’
Perhaps Kimeru had been right; Tuti had merely been expressing his frustrations with the day he had had. The dirtied shirt really was Nagayan’s fault, but something bothered him about the whole exchange with Tuti. The oddest thing was that Nagayan had never had trouble digesting constructive criticism before. As an artist, one had to be prepared for the fact that their work was not always perfect. Mistakes, even by veterans, still could be made, and room for improvement always existed.
One rushed comment on colorblindness had ruined his calm. Nagayan was frustrated. Beyond that, he was truly perplexed at himself.
‘Don’t think about it,’ he finally decided. ‘If you don’t think about it, it can’t bother you.’
‘But you can’t help but think about those words and about him,’ his brain nagged at him.
‘Oh, shut up,’ he told his brain.
He was going crazy; this proved it. It had already been an exhausting enough night without him arguing with himself. Unable to stop it, a little laugh dropped from his lips. As he opened the door to the Miyazawa home, he was met with a warm smile from Yuuki. They had planned to talk about Kaori’s fight once he got home.
Three days of offering his ear and waiting patiently for the girl to follow her own timeline had paid off. In true Kaori fashion, she had shaken her head sullenly the first day he had tried to approach her about it. Although she was still silent the next morning at breakfast, she looked more thoughtful than put off when he tried to talk to her about it. He had merely patted her on the head and wished her a good day at school, but he knew her silence was going to fade soon. When had gone to pick her up the afternoon of the third day that had passed, she had looked at him pensively and said, “Taka-niichan, can I tell you something?”
He had feigned a look of shock and had asked her almost teasingly, “You want to talk to me now?”
She had then begun playing with the bottom of her braids twisting them in her fingers, a nervous habit he knew that she had. With his most gentle smile, he took her to the closest fast-food restaurant for a snack, giving her the chance to tell him what had happened.
Although she had stammered at first, the truth eventually came out. The bully had said something off-color about her not having a father. Somehow, he had insinuated that it was her fault. It was no wonder the poor girl had snapped. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t wrap his mind around how kids could be so cruel to each other.
Kicking his shoes off at the entrance, he quietly shut and locked the door, heading over to take a seat next to Yuuki. He knew that this subject matter was enough to keep Tuti and his comments out of his mind…
-------
It was Tuesday late-afternoon when Nagayan made it back over to Accents. With a giddy look on his face, he practically skipped out of the gallery trying to ignore the impulse he had to kiss his pay check. At this point in his life, there was nothing Nagayan loved more than pay check day. With a sad look taking over his face, he had to admit that it had been long, too long, since had gotten one.
‘Perhaps I should look for another part time job,’ logic told him. But, there was nothing else that he really wanted to do. The jobs that he could get were limited, tedious, and soul killing.
Shrugging off the negative thought, he forced the smile back onto his face. Today he should celebrate. Although Kimeru didn’t have time to spend hours with him chatting inside their favorite, nearby café, he could expense it and take some time to reflect.
The little bell rang to welcome him, its familiar tinkling sound putting Nagayan immediately at ease. He loved this place, loved it for its plush red cushions with gold trim, love the mosaic type pattern of the artwork. The deep colors definitely gave the café a more elegant type of feeling.
“The usual?” the young woman at the counter asked him when he approached.
He entertained her with an easy-going laugh. “Am I that predictable?”
Smiling pleasantly, she nodded her head. “What’s surprising is that your friend isn’t with you.”
“Kime-kun has better things to be doing,” he said before he could think about keeping his words back.
The cashier put in the order, and Nagayan waited to retrieve his drink. Once it was ready, he took it next to the little fireplace they lit in winter times. He was someone who could appreciate down time. It seemed as if his life were either one extreme or the other: super busy or practically uneventful. However, he enjoyed being able to lounge around immersed in nothing but his own thoughts. In fact, while staring into the flickering flames, an idea of a new piece he could do entered his mind. Like most of his recent inspirations, it was along the lines of being nearly monochromatic.
‘Asshole,’ Nagayan cursed at Tuti as he lifted the ceramic cup to his lips to take a sip of the sweetened liquid.
‘Oranges, fire, flames, flickering and reaching,’ he thought, eyes narrowing slightly. It could work; he would make it work. Ideas that came like this were among the best. He sat back, leaning his full weight against the back of the chair. Times like these were nice indeed …
-------
‘Kimeru-kun was right,’ Tuti admitted grudgingly. There were wonderful little cafes all around the gallery area. He had even come back this weekend to catch a bite at the one had gone to that Friday night.
‘The Cadence,’ he recalled nodding. It was surprisingly good, and he loved the atmosphere. Ironically, it was where he was headed at the moment. Somehow the décor, red plush and velvet trimmed in gold, seemed both extravagant and welcoming at the same time, and the food had been a lot better than he had expected. It was more than just a sandwich place. He opened the door stepped in. The little bell sang his entrance, and he looked at his watch pleased that he was decidedly not late.
He turned, and to his surprise, he saw a familiar figure sitting near the fireplace, face bathed in the warm colored hue of flickering flames. Tilting his head, he took more details of the image in. Nagayan was sitting very still, beautiful lips perched at the edge of the ceramic glass. He looked lost in thought, well kempt nails tapping gently against the cup he held in his hands.
‘What is he doing here?’ Tuti wondered perplexed. ‘He wouldn’t have … unless this is what it’s supposed to be.’ With a shrug, he walked over, footsteps quiet, and sat down at the seat across from Nagayan.
“Hi there,” Tuti said softly. “Am I bothering you?”
Nagayan lifted his head and found himself faced with a pair of brown eyes focused intently on him. Shocked from his solitude, Nagayan blinked a couple of times, disoriented. “What are you doing here?” he asked almost sourly.
Tuti was taken aback. He had thought that perhaps Nagayan was expecting him. Maybe he had misinterpreted Kimeru’s insistence on meeting him here at this time. ‘But that means …’ he tried to piece together events, but gave up once he still saw Nagayan’s attention was still on him. “I… it’s just that I saw you sitting here, and I wanted to apologize for the other day. I wasn’t meaning to disturb or offend you.”
Nagayan surveyed Tuti with a perplexed gaze unsure of what to say. Instead, he just shrugged.
This was ridiculous. Tuti knew that he had to stop their cold interactions, so he did what he did best. He played the jokester. “What are you doing?” he asked in a stage whisper. “Are you playing the brooding artist?”
Narrowing his eyes, Nagayan countered with a short, “I am not.” Before he could stop himself, his lower lip stuck out ever so slightly beginning to quiver. Eyes drooped to give a naturally upset look.
Tuti coughed into his hand. “Really? Not brooding? Yeah right! Seriously, can I join? I think I can do it, too!” With an exaggerated sigh, he slumped in his seat looking overly disgruntled. After a moment’s pause and a quizzical look from Nagayan, he asked, “How am I doing?” The fake frown off of his face, he let his smile take over as he raised an eyebrow.
Nagayan tried to hold a glare, but couldn’t manage to keep it up for long. A rueful smile spread across his face as he shook his head.
“Not good enough?” Tuti asked voice filled with mock indignation.
A chuckle escaped from Nagayan, and Tuti welcomed the sound. It was natural, rich, and engaging. He felt a tingling warmth spread through his body. Shuddering at the unfamiliar feeling, he scooted his chair away; perhaps he was getting too close to that fireplace. “I knew you had to have at least some sense of humor in you,” he commented nodding.
“Hey, you,” Nagayan protested. “You were the one who started things.”
“Me!?” Tuti gasped. “YOU ran into me first; I do believe.”
“That was an accident!” Nagayan said rolling his eyes.
“You ruined my shirt!” Tuti exclaimed.
“It was an ugly shirt,” Nagayan argued, eyes glancing at what Tuti was wearing, another loud shirt and comfortable looking slacks.
“Hey, hey, hey!” Tuti said voice full of mock outrage. “If you’re going to judge my choice of clothing, at least do it discreetly.”
Suddenly Nagayan was laughing again, the sound rising from his throat, ringing across the room. It was at that point Tuti knew that they weren’t arguing anymore, at least not for real. Perhaps for once they could leave things like this and part on good terms. At least that way, Tuti wouldn’t have the feeling of some sort of emotional obligation looming over him. Emotional obligation was the term that Tuti had come to use to explain his fixation with Nagayan over the past few days. He had felt bad about the whole situation after Kimeru had so bluntly pointed the facts out.
“So,” Nagayan finally began again. “What are you doing in the gallery district? I didn’t think of you as the type would come here often.”
“I’ve just recently got into some of the restaurants around here and stuff,” Tuti said with a casual nod.
“And why-” But before Nagayan could finish his next question, a familiar voice interrupted him.
“Tuti,” the voice said. “Sorry, I was running late from the studio. You understand, right?”
Nagayan felt a cold wave wash over him as he saw Kimeru within a few feet from their table. “Ki-me?” he asked in a broken whisper.
“Ahh, Takashi, you’re here, too. I didn’t think I’d run into you here.”
Kimeru sounded flippant, but Nagayan knew better. He knew that Kimeru was one of the most observant people he had ever met, especially when other people were concerned. “But, I asked you to come with me today!” Nagayan exclaimed slightly put off at being de-prioritized. Feeling bile rise up in his throat he looked between his best friend and the stranger who was fast becoming a reoccurring part of his life. He didn’t like feeling replaced, especially when it concerned his best friend. And Tuti, his eyes lingered on the other man with the charismatic smile looking as if he didn’t realize anything was amiss.
“I already had plans though,” Kimeru replied nodding down at the seated Tuti. “By the way, Tuti, do you want to stay here or go elsewhere?”
“Umm, I don’t care. Here is fine. Nagayama-kun, would you care to stay and join us?”
Facing both Tuti’s honest eyes and Kimeru’s smirk, Nagayan could only manage to say, “I wouldn’t want to disturb the two of you.” With that, he got up, the chair nearly tipping over with the force behind Nagayan’s movement. Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked out of café.
TBC
Author: kaitou_marron
Warnings/Rating: Worksafe / PG - PG-13ish?
Pairing: TutixNagayan
Summary: AU. Tuti is still acting, while Nagayan’s life decisions have turned him on the road of art rather than entertainment…
Notes: Previous chapters can be found [in my memories]
Betaed by analineblue. I have to thank kooriyoukai for uploading that album. It did wonders in helping me get inspired again! Comments are appreciated.
Chapter 8: Coincidences...
It was well past 11:00 when Nagayan finally left Accents. Although he didn’t know the exact amount he had made, he considered the night successful … even if there had been a moment of unpleasantness.
‘Why was Tuti at my opening?’ Nagayan wondered on his way home. ‘Did he just happen to wander there? Did he see me in the paper and come find me?’ A frown perched on beautiful lips, he considered each option without luck on deciding which one made more sense.
And then, he pondered the most interesting question of all. ‘Why am I even thinking about it, about him?’
The snobbish actor knew nothing about art. From the way he had look lost his first time in Accents, Nagayan would have put money on the fact that it was the first time that he had been in a gallery at all.
‘Then why did he notice something you didn’t, if you claim to be such a hot-shot artist?’ his brain asked him. Nagayan’s frown deepened.
‘He didn’t notice anything extra,’ he argued with himself. ‘He just made a careless remark.’
Perhaps Kimeru had been right; Tuti had merely been expressing his frustrations with the day he had had. The dirtied shirt really was Nagayan’s fault, but something bothered him about the whole exchange with Tuti. The oddest thing was that Nagayan had never had trouble digesting constructive criticism before. As an artist, one had to be prepared for the fact that their work was not always perfect. Mistakes, even by veterans, still could be made, and room for improvement always existed.
One rushed comment on colorblindness had ruined his calm. Nagayan was frustrated. Beyond that, he was truly perplexed at himself.
‘Don’t think about it,’ he finally decided. ‘If you don’t think about it, it can’t bother you.’
‘But you can’t help but think about those words and about him,’ his brain nagged at him.
‘Oh, shut up,’ he told his brain.
He was going crazy; this proved it. It had already been an exhausting enough night without him arguing with himself. Unable to stop it, a little laugh dropped from his lips. As he opened the door to the Miyazawa home, he was met with a warm smile from Yuuki. They had planned to talk about Kaori’s fight once he got home.
Three days of offering his ear and waiting patiently for the girl to follow her own timeline had paid off. In true Kaori fashion, she had shaken her head sullenly the first day he had tried to approach her about it. Although she was still silent the next morning at breakfast, she looked more thoughtful than put off when he tried to talk to her about it. He had merely patted her on the head and wished her a good day at school, but he knew her silence was going to fade soon. When had gone to pick her up the afternoon of the third day that had passed, she had looked at him pensively and said, “Taka-niichan, can I tell you something?”
He had feigned a look of shock and had asked her almost teasingly, “You want to talk to me now?”
She had then begun playing with the bottom of her braids twisting them in her fingers, a nervous habit he knew that she had. With his most gentle smile, he took her to the closest fast-food restaurant for a snack, giving her the chance to tell him what had happened.
Although she had stammered at first, the truth eventually came out. The bully had said something off-color about her not having a father. Somehow, he had insinuated that it was her fault. It was no wonder the poor girl had snapped. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t wrap his mind around how kids could be so cruel to each other.
Kicking his shoes off at the entrance, he quietly shut and locked the door, heading over to take a seat next to Yuuki. He knew that this subject matter was enough to keep Tuti and his comments out of his mind…
-------
It was Tuesday late-afternoon when Nagayan made it back over to Accents. With a giddy look on his face, he practically skipped out of the gallery trying to ignore the impulse he had to kiss his pay check. At this point in his life, there was nothing Nagayan loved more than pay check day. With a sad look taking over his face, he had to admit that it had been long, too long, since had gotten one.
‘Perhaps I should look for another part time job,’ logic told him. But, there was nothing else that he really wanted to do. The jobs that he could get were limited, tedious, and soul killing.
Shrugging off the negative thought, he forced the smile back onto his face. Today he should celebrate. Although Kimeru didn’t have time to spend hours with him chatting inside their favorite, nearby café, he could expense it and take some time to reflect.
The little bell rang to welcome him, its familiar tinkling sound putting Nagayan immediately at ease. He loved this place, loved it for its plush red cushions with gold trim, love the mosaic type pattern of the artwork. The deep colors definitely gave the café a more elegant type of feeling.
“The usual?” the young woman at the counter asked him when he approached.
He entertained her with an easy-going laugh. “Am I that predictable?”
Smiling pleasantly, she nodded her head. “What’s surprising is that your friend isn’t with you.”
“Kime-kun has better things to be doing,” he said before he could think about keeping his words back.
The cashier put in the order, and Nagayan waited to retrieve his drink. Once it was ready, he took it next to the little fireplace they lit in winter times. He was someone who could appreciate down time. It seemed as if his life were either one extreme or the other: super busy or practically uneventful. However, he enjoyed being able to lounge around immersed in nothing but his own thoughts. In fact, while staring into the flickering flames, an idea of a new piece he could do entered his mind. Like most of his recent inspirations, it was along the lines of being nearly monochromatic.
‘Asshole,’ Nagayan cursed at Tuti as he lifted the ceramic cup to his lips to take a sip of the sweetened liquid.
‘Oranges, fire, flames, flickering and reaching,’ he thought, eyes narrowing slightly. It could work; he would make it work. Ideas that came like this were among the best. He sat back, leaning his full weight against the back of the chair. Times like these were nice indeed …
-------
‘Kimeru-kun was right,’ Tuti admitted grudgingly. There were wonderful little cafes all around the gallery area. He had even come back this weekend to catch a bite at the one had gone to that Friday night.
‘The Cadence,’ he recalled nodding. It was surprisingly good, and he loved the atmosphere. Ironically, it was where he was headed at the moment. Somehow the décor, red plush and velvet trimmed in gold, seemed both extravagant and welcoming at the same time, and the food had been a lot better than he had expected. It was more than just a sandwich place. He opened the door stepped in. The little bell sang his entrance, and he looked at his watch pleased that he was decidedly not late.
He turned, and to his surprise, he saw a familiar figure sitting near the fireplace, face bathed in the warm colored hue of flickering flames. Tilting his head, he took more details of the image in. Nagayan was sitting very still, beautiful lips perched at the edge of the ceramic glass. He looked lost in thought, well kempt nails tapping gently against the cup he held in his hands.
‘What is he doing here?’ Tuti wondered perplexed. ‘He wouldn’t have … unless this is what it’s supposed to be.’ With a shrug, he walked over, footsteps quiet, and sat down at the seat across from Nagayan.
“Hi there,” Tuti said softly. “Am I bothering you?”
Nagayan lifted his head and found himself faced with a pair of brown eyes focused intently on him. Shocked from his solitude, Nagayan blinked a couple of times, disoriented. “What are you doing here?” he asked almost sourly.
Tuti was taken aback. He had thought that perhaps Nagayan was expecting him. Maybe he had misinterpreted Kimeru’s insistence on meeting him here at this time. ‘But that means …’ he tried to piece together events, but gave up once he still saw Nagayan’s attention was still on him. “I… it’s just that I saw you sitting here, and I wanted to apologize for the other day. I wasn’t meaning to disturb or offend you.”
Nagayan surveyed Tuti with a perplexed gaze unsure of what to say. Instead, he just shrugged.
This was ridiculous. Tuti knew that he had to stop their cold interactions, so he did what he did best. He played the jokester. “What are you doing?” he asked in a stage whisper. “Are you playing the brooding artist?”
Narrowing his eyes, Nagayan countered with a short, “I am not.” Before he could stop himself, his lower lip stuck out ever so slightly beginning to quiver. Eyes drooped to give a naturally upset look.
Tuti coughed into his hand. “Really? Not brooding? Yeah right! Seriously, can I join? I think I can do it, too!” With an exaggerated sigh, he slumped in his seat looking overly disgruntled. After a moment’s pause and a quizzical look from Nagayan, he asked, “How am I doing?” The fake frown off of his face, he let his smile take over as he raised an eyebrow.
Nagayan tried to hold a glare, but couldn’t manage to keep it up for long. A rueful smile spread across his face as he shook his head.
“Not good enough?” Tuti asked voice filled with mock indignation.
A chuckle escaped from Nagayan, and Tuti welcomed the sound. It was natural, rich, and engaging. He felt a tingling warmth spread through his body. Shuddering at the unfamiliar feeling, he scooted his chair away; perhaps he was getting too close to that fireplace. “I knew you had to have at least some sense of humor in you,” he commented nodding.
“Hey, you,” Nagayan protested. “You were the one who started things.”
“Me!?” Tuti gasped. “YOU ran into me first; I do believe.”
“That was an accident!” Nagayan said rolling his eyes.
“You ruined my shirt!” Tuti exclaimed.
“It was an ugly shirt,” Nagayan argued, eyes glancing at what Tuti was wearing, another loud shirt and comfortable looking slacks.
“Hey, hey, hey!” Tuti said voice full of mock outrage. “If you’re going to judge my choice of clothing, at least do it discreetly.”
Suddenly Nagayan was laughing again, the sound rising from his throat, ringing across the room. It was at that point Tuti knew that they weren’t arguing anymore, at least not for real. Perhaps for once they could leave things like this and part on good terms. At least that way, Tuti wouldn’t have the feeling of some sort of emotional obligation looming over him. Emotional obligation was the term that Tuti had come to use to explain his fixation with Nagayan over the past few days. He had felt bad about the whole situation after Kimeru had so bluntly pointed the facts out.
“So,” Nagayan finally began again. “What are you doing in the gallery district? I didn’t think of you as the type would come here often.”
“I’ve just recently got into some of the restaurants around here and stuff,” Tuti said with a casual nod.
“And why-” But before Nagayan could finish his next question, a familiar voice interrupted him.
“Tuti,” the voice said. “Sorry, I was running late from the studio. You understand, right?”
Nagayan felt a cold wave wash over him as he saw Kimeru within a few feet from their table. “Ki-me?” he asked in a broken whisper.
“Ahh, Takashi, you’re here, too. I didn’t think I’d run into you here.”
Kimeru sounded flippant, but Nagayan knew better. He knew that Kimeru was one of the most observant people he had ever met, especially when other people were concerned. “But, I asked you to come with me today!” Nagayan exclaimed slightly put off at being de-prioritized. Feeling bile rise up in his throat he looked between his best friend and the stranger who was fast becoming a reoccurring part of his life. He didn’t like feeling replaced, especially when it concerned his best friend. And Tuti, his eyes lingered on the other man with the charismatic smile looking as if he didn’t realize anything was amiss.
“I already had plans though,” Kimeru replied nodding down at the seated Tuti. “By the way, Tuti, do you want to stay here or go elsewhere?”
“Umm, I don’t care. Here is fine. Nagayama-kun, would you care to stay and join us?”
Facing both Tuti’s honest eyes and Kimeru’s smirk, Nagayan could only manage to say, “I wouldn’t want to disturb the two of you.” With that, he got up, the chair nearly tipping over with the force behind Nagayan’s movement. Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked out of café.
TBC