Save me
Title: Save me
Pairing/Characters: Massu/Tegoshi
Rating/Warnings: PG
Prompt: 42. Massu finally gets invited to pose for ANAN's sexy issue but he's too shy... so he needs help!
A few weeks ago, when Masuda announced the news to Tegoshi, it took Tegoshi half a day to believe it. It seemed so unreal, but, thinking it back, he should have immediately realized that Masuda wasn't lying to him. This announcement, launched in between two mouthfuls of a steaming ramen, had been recited so mechanically that it could only have been repeated endlessly silently before daring to say it aloud. Moreover, those rose tinted cheeks and those timid gazes thrown in between the red locks of hair that were falling in front of his eyes should have convinced him right away that Masuda was indeed telling him the truth.
Masuda would finally pose for Anan, and more importantly, with a woman. Being busy with the preparations of their 4th tour as Tegomasu, Tegoshi had seen his partner go through a diversified range of emotions during the months before this event. He was sometimes proud to finally have been recognized as a man, worthy enough to pose naked in a magazine, and not only as someone extremely cute. Then, he doubted he could be good enough for it, and was afraid he wouldn’t sell enough copies of the magazine. Those moments were followed by a period of stress as he remembered that he had to be naked in front of a good part of the Anan's crew ,and moreover, that there would be a woman with him. Finally, when he realized that all of Japan, and even worse, his own mother, would see those pictures, he would stare into space for many minutes with a drawn and pale face. As the date of the shooting drew near, the panic moments became more and more frequent at the expense of the positive points that Tegoshi was somehow trying to remind him.
Thus, on the eve of that fateful day, Tegoshi had discovered Massu in an absolute state of panic in the Johnny's Entertainment office restroom. Considering the huge dark circles under his eyes, the poor thing had certainly not slept, and his hands were shaking so much that if the younger boy hadn’t been with him since morning, he would have suspected him of having emptied 5 litres of coffee.
''I ...I ….I can’t do it. Tegoshi, I can’t do that!!It's.....It's not me! I'm gonna call them. They will understand …tell me that they will understand?''
The distress was clear in his eyes when Masuda raised his head to look at him.
''You can’t cancel it. They will not be able to find a substitute that quickly. You have to do it.''
He had tried to speak as gently as possible, trying to soften the unavoidable facts. Seeing Masuda's complexion becoming paler, he approached and embraced him, hugging him tightly in his arms. His partner stiffened for a moment, then relaxed into his embrace, grabbing Tegoshi’s clothes with his fingers until his knuckles turned white.
''I'm sure everything is going to be alright. If you’re really not at ease with a position, tell them, they will understand.''
Tegoshi could feel that Masuda was calmer in his embrace, but his voice was still low and his grip on his shirt, that he would probably have to iron, was still strong.
''I will pick you up at 7 tomorrow morning.''
Tegoshi would have to cancel his morning interview of tomorrow, and probably his photoshoot that was scheduled for 1 PM. He would surely have to bear his manager screaming at him for eternity, but the only thought of letting his coworker alone with this task that was terrifying him was a hundred times more unbearable. Anyway, Masuda would certainly end up asking him for support. If Tegoshi was someone known to play at his best to get what he wanted, Masuda should be too. He rarely used his powers, but when he was sitting next to you, looking intently at the content of your dish, with an expression better than Puss in boots, you couldn’t help but sharing with him. Tegoshi had resisted once, and had regretted it for five days. Feeling too guilty, he had eventually paid by himself to take him to a gyoza restaurant to ease his conscience.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Tegoshi kept his promise and came to pick Masuda up at 7 AM precisely. As he expected, his friend was really nervous. Masuda's mother, who had opened the door, told him that her son had hardly eaten his breakfast, which showed the magnitude of the situation. In addition, it's been more than one hour since he had locked himself in his bedroom, reviewing his whole wardrobe not knowing what to wear at all. Afraid that it would never end, Tegoshi came to help him. He proposed him to wear his current favorite t-shirt and helped him finding matching shorts. He probably wouldn’t call this dress-shorts with oversized pocket, and this checkered t-shirt, who was at least an XXXXXL size, of a ''good match'', but it was completely fitting Masuda's fashion. His clothing wouldn’t do any difference for the Anan's shooting, but Tegoshi knew, considering Masuda's passion for fashion, that if he was feeling good in his clothes he would feel better and be more confident.
He waited at the vestibule while he was changing himself. Masuda's mom took the opportunity to give him four pork onigiri carefully wrapped in a yellow fabric printed with little stars and pigs. Worried that his son had recently lost some weight, Tegoshi had to promise that he would make sure that Masuda would eat well. He couldn't help but smile thinking that moms were all the same.
They arrived at Anan's office at approximately 8 AM, and Tegoshi had to gently push Masuda's back to make him walk in. A secretary welcomed them while looking at Tegoshi strangely. She was probably wondering what he was doing there. After making a call, she escorted both of them to studio number 5, the shooting place.
Tegoshi had a really strange feeling while looking at the set in which Masuda and that woman were about to have a photoshoot. He felt a twinge of sorrow that didn’t wear off the whole time they were looking for the director. Was nervousness a contagious feeling? Did Masuda transmit it to him? He looked at him out of the corner of his eye while biting his lower lip. The twinge flared up and he had to massage his chest for a while to make it go away while the kiss scene of ''Strange fruit'' was coming back to his head. Koyama's words echoed in his ears; ''You are jealous!'' He shook his head to stop thinking about that. He didn’t have time to deal with this now. First of all, he had to help Masuda survive his shooting.
They finally found the director near the lodges' door. He was in the middle of a call. It was his assistant who came to greet them instead. He offered them a cup of tea and a chair so that they were able to sit while waiting for the director to finish his call. They waited in silence taking this spare time to watch the set. Tegoshi wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he did think a lot about the atmosphere that would be the most suitable for Masuda. For example, he wouldn’t see him in a bar, or in a futuristic kind of decor. To avoid the pictures to look grotesque, the decor had to be in harmony with Masuda. A soft one, warm, inviting, with a childish touch, and a hint of sensuality. Yes, he really thought ''sensuality''. Tegoshi knew it very well, having been around Masuda for years now, that he was much more than what he was betraying at first. He was really cute, yes, but he could be awfully sexy at the same time and the way those two features were perfectly melting together was totally confusing for Tegoshi.
Their wait came to an end after 30 minutes. The director seemed exhausted when he approached them.
''Hi, Masuda-san, I'm really sorry, but I think we will have to cancel the photoshoot. The model was unable to attend and her agency was not able to find a substitute in such a short time.
He felt Masuda relax beside him and he smiled for the first time since the beginning of the day.
''Oh ! It's a shame !''
''We are very sorry that you came all the way here. My assistant will contact your agency to schedule a new time range for the photoshoot. Again, we are really sorry!''
''It's nothing at all!! Goodbye !''
Masuda hastened to take the bag he had put on a chair and turned around to leave, complaining that he was starving. He hadn’t even made two steps when Tegoshi grabbed him by the wrist before he’d be out of reach.
« Wait! »
The director and Masuda both looked back at him strangely wondering what was happening.
''If Masuda go away now, I'm not sure I will be able to bring him back here next time!''
Tegoshi felt Masuda's stare burning the back of his neck and he could almost hear him screaming ''TRAITOR'' in his head. He held his wrist more tightly, afraid he would sneak away. The director looked back at him like he was stupid.
''We don’t have a model. Plus, changing the theme of the shooting would be too long.''
''I can do it !''
He heard Masuda giggling behind him and the director, sceptic, sized him up.
''I'm not sure.. - ''
Masuda spoke with a trembling voice.
''But ....but yo....you are a man.''
A man, a woman... who cares? Once again, Tegoshi felt a rather unpleasant twinge in his chest and he suddenly dropped Masuda's wrist, Masuda who looked back at him, puzzled by his sudden reaction. Tegoshi turned to Masuda while gritting his teeth.
''When I cross-dress, I look more feminine than a true girl and I've got several friends who told me that they would date me if I was a woman. I can do it !''
''It's not what I wanted to say. It's gonna show up on the pictures. Your arms and legs are definitely not feminine.''
''Miracles happen with Photoshop you know?''
He crossed his arms, disappointed by Masuda who did not believe he was good enough to do it. Too engrossed into arguments between the pros and cons, the director had to clear his throat twice to bring them back to him. The two young men turned their head at him slightly confused.
''If Tegoshi-san is agreeing, I think it could be a good solution.''
''My pleasure!''
''Sayuri-san, could you please take care of Tegoshi-san? Maki-san, bring Masuda-san to his lodge for his makeup. Everyone, back to work!''
Tegoshi looked back at Masuda one more time before leaving with Sayuri, still angry at his previous comments, but his features softened when he saw that once again he seemed nervous. He smiled at him and put his hand on his shoulder to cheer him up.
“It’s all gonna be alright! Don’t worry''
This simple gesture seemed to be effective and Masuda relaxed a bit. Tegoshi then turned back to follow his makeup artist and missed the pretty pink color that slowly tainted Masuda's cheeks.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Because it could be troublesome if the fans would see them took photos together in the Anan, Tegoshi needed more preparation to be sure nobody would recognize him. He was then the last to go out of his lodge. He was wearing a light pink yukata with cherry blossom flowers as a pattern, and an apple green obi was highlighting the false breast he was wearing. He also was wearing white and pink striped fake nails with tiny yellow bear prints. This little detail was matching perfectly Masuda's cute side of his personality. Of course, his outfit wouldn't be complete without the blond wig with perfectly curled long hair that they had made him wear. Although his face wouldn't be visible on the pictures, Sayuri insisted to put some makeup on him. A pink gloss had been applied on his lips and long false eyelashes were beautifully framing his eyes.
The set was separated into two distinct parts; a bedroom and a dining room. The bedroom was the first part of the photoshoot. When he arrived on site, they had already started. He stopped near the director, waiting for the signal to enter the set too. The staff really did a great job, it was amazing! The raw furniture made of real mahogany was contrasting with the sweetness of the remaining elements of the room. Subtle reminder of the duality of the model enhanced. Frames with pigs’ drawings had been fixed on the cream finely striped wallpaper. Some teddy bears and multicolored cushions had been placed on the ivory white bed's cover. Everything seemed so peaceful, comfortable, and strangely familiar. When his eyes landed on the piece de resistance of this décor, he gasped instantly.
Masuda, who was pretending to be asleep, was wearing a royal blue Yukata strewed of large black line. A shower of golden stars had been embroidered finely on the collar and were cascading down to the middle of his torso. A golden obi had been tied loosely around his waist. He was wearing only one of his yukata's sleeves, which was revealing must of his slightly tanned torso courtesy of all those hours spent into the swimming pool during summer.
Tegoshi would have stayed there contemplating him for eternity if it would have been possible, but the director told him to also step up on the bed so they would be able to continue with the 'couple' pictures. Having spent his time with closed eyes, it was only at this moment that Masuda noticed him. He glared at him from head to toe while Tegoshi was walking towards the bed. He had mysterious sparkle in his eyes. Tegoshi recognized it for having seen it before when Masuda was looking at him, but he still couldn't decipher it. His partner opened his mouth several time as if to speak, but no sound came out. When he finally sat down next to him in the bed, that their eyes met and that their hands brushed together inadvertently, Tegoshi wasn’t the only one to be taken aback by an uncontrollable shiver.
The director slightly told them what he wanted, but otherwise, it was like every other photoshoot, they were mainly free. In Masuda's lack of reaction, who was much busier to succeed the looks in between the photograph and Tegoshi, he decided to take the lead. He laid his head on his shoulder, his nose right under his ear, and put his left hand on the naked skin of his partner's torso. Masuda automatically tensed when he felt his fingers on his skin and Tegoshi could feel his heartbeat accelerating. He then approached his mouth a little closer of his ear and spoke softly.
''Relax, it's just me. Hold my waist with your left arm and fix a lock of my hair with the other one.''
He obeyed mechanically and Tegoshi heard the photographer resume his work, capturing a few more photos. Tegoshi had the feeling that it still wasn't enough. From the way Masuda was touching him, he could feel that he was still tense. Although he heard the photographer take a multitude of pictures, he suspected that the result wouldn't be natural. Tegoshi's fighting spirit awakened. For Masuda's sake, but also because he was on the pictures too, to all costs he had to do everything for them to be the best models ever captured by Anan. These pictures would be perfect, it wouldn't be otherwise. He then whispered in his ear, his lips flicking his lobe.
'' Let me do it.''
He didn’t give him the time to react and grabbed his wrist, dragging him over his own body. Tegoshi was now laying on his back with a Masuda, wide eyed, on top of him.
He put his hand on Masuda's nape and slid it down his left shoulder to also release it from the yukata til his forearm. He pulled his hand back up again, lingering it on his biceps, to sink his fingers in his hair. He applied some pressure behind his head to bring Masuda closer to him. He heard him swallow loudly while his eyes sank into his. For the first time since the beginning of this photo shoot, Masuda risked a movement by himself, placing the hand that wasn't supporting him on Tegoshi's cheek, stroking him from the tip of his fingers. As the seconds passed, Tegoshi had the impression that Masuda drew closer to him. Were his eyes playing tricks on him? He was feeling that his partner's breath was becoming more and more palpable on his lips. Masuda's eyes closed. He was so...so close...
''It's good !!!!! It was really good !!!! We can move to the next scene !!!''
Masuda's eyes opened quickly and his face colored in a deep shade of red while he seemed to come back to reality. He stood up immediately, getting very close to fall off the bed in his haste. Tegoshi sat with slightly rosy cheeks. He couldn’t help but looking askance at the director while walking near him to go to the next sets. Suddenly, this guy was so irritating.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Once again, they began with Masuda's solo pictures. Therefore, Tegoshi sat on the fake table of the decor, dangling his feet in the air, waiting to be needed. This time, Masuda had much less difficulties to perform what the director asked him. His opened yukata revealing his torso and his messy hair didn't seem to bother him at all. They took pictures of him while he was trying to find eggs in the refrigerator while scratching his head or while he was cutting some fruits to make the perfect breakfast. The same light that in the bedroom was bathing the room, creating a mesmerizing balance between lights and shadows on Masuda's body. The woman who would be entitled to have this show in front of her every morning in her kitchen would be really lucky and Tegoshi surprised himself when he began to feel jealous.
A tomato that Masuda was somehow trying to cut since a while finally decided to slide on the plate and rolled down until it was in front Tegoshi's feet. His partner then looked up at him and began to laugh from his clumsiness, an infectious laugh that won most of the staff. Usually, Tegoshi couldn't had helped but laugh along with them. He was so weak against Masuda's smile, but this time he had a diametrically opposed reaction. He froze, staring at him silently while the other boy was walking toward him. He followed him with his eyes when he bent to pick up the rebel tomato that had fallen. His heart was pounding when Masuda looked up at him, a smile stretching his perfect lips. That was the straw that broke the camel's back; he then grabbed him by the arm before he could stand up again. Surprised by the action, Masuda lost his smile, puzzled eyes looking back at him. Tegoshi then brushed his cheek with his free hand and felt him shiver slightly under his touch. He stood there, motionless, staring intently into his eyes, and then put a lock of hair out of his forehead. They both jumped when the director called them out.
''It was perfect!!! You are very natural!!!''
Masuda looked at him with a serious face while the director was explaining the guidelines for the latest duet pictures. Still in the kitchen, they had to sit facing each others, the younger boy sitting on the older boy's laps. The top of Masuda's yukata was completely removed, while they bared Tegoshi's back, letting the curls of his wig slide softly on his shoulder. Tegoshi expected Masuda to be really nervous when he took place on his laps, but it wasn’t the case. He didn’t seem to take care of his surrounding anymore, continuing to fix Tegoshi without speaking. Never, for the rest of the photo shoot, he looked away from him.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Although it was over for him, Tegoshi stood behind the photographer watching the rest of the photoshoot. Occasionally, when Masuda seemed more nervous, he could see him, searching him with his eyes and when their eyes were meeting, he relaxed immediately. Tegoshi couldn't have denied that he was really happy to have this kind of 'powers' on Masuda.
Around noon, the photoshoot was finally over. The director came to greet them warmly, insisting at least four times on the fact that they really had done a great job and that the result would be breathtaking. According to him, they were so natural that they could have been mistaken for a real couple. Tegoshi laughed at this remark while telling him it was what was happening when you were singing with someone since that long. He turned around to Masuda, expecting him to approve his words, but he awkwardly stuttered a little 'yes', cheeks becoming rosy. Was he embarrassed? It however wasn't the first time that someone was comparing them to a couple. Masuda should have been used to it over the time. His partner's expression turned serious when their eyes met and Tegoshi had to look away to hide his suddenly flushed face.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
The afternoon had been long. As expected, his manager didn’t spare him. He yelled at him all the way to his interview and made him work until 9 PM to catch up. Moreover, the shooting photo of this morning didn’t left his mind. He kept remembering all the small details. For example, the way his heart had raced when he had felt Masuda's breath on the skin of his neck. All of this was beginning to give him a headache and there was only one thing he was dreaming of, laying down on his bed and sleep it off. Strangely, when he arrived at his apartment and saw a Masuda, hands in his pockets, with his nose and cheeks completely flushed by the cold, this idea vanished completely.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Tegoshi tenderly kissed Masuda's lips before laying his head back down on his pillow. He was exhausted, but wonderfully fine at the same time. The youngest boy turned on his side to look at him, not wanting to let him leave his sight yet. Masuda's bare torso was heaving at the rhythm of his breathing who was returning slowly to the normal. He already closed his eyes, letting himself gently falling into a well deserved slumber. Tegoshi didn't want to disturb him, but he couldn't help but to ask the question that was running through his mind since the first time Masuda put his lips on his.
''If I didn’t back up this girl, would you have done the same with this model?''
His heart sank when he saw him tense up, but that no answer came. Tegoshi returned on his back, slightly getting away from his side. He didn’t want to think about what this silence meant. He already felt his eyes moisten and he didn’t want to ridicule himself. Ten long minutes passed without anything happening, then he felt timid fingers touching his, brushing his palm and finally intertwining with his. Tegoshi looked at their intertwined hands and turned his head to see that he was also observing him. Masuda approached him hesitantly, biting his own lower lip, then he gave him a long chaste kiss on his lips. He still couldn't put words on this feeling, but at least he knew that Masuda was feeling the same thing than him and that one day, together, they would find how to name it.
Pairing/Characters: Massu/Tegoshi
Rating/Warnings: PG
Prompt: 42. Massu finally gets invited to pose for ANAN's sexy issue but he's too shy... so he needs help!
A few weeks ago, when Masuda announced the news to Tegoshi, it took Tegoshi half a day to believe it. It seemed so unreal, but, thinking it back, he should have immediately realized that Masuda wasn't lying to him. This announcement, launched in between two mouthfuls of a steaming ramen, had been recited so mechanically that it could only have been repeated endlessly silently before daring to say it aloud. Moreover, those rose tinted cheeks and those timid gazes thrown in between the red locks of hair that were falling in front of his eyes should have convinced him right away that Masuda was indeed telling him the truth.
Masuda would finally pose for Anan, and more importantly, with a woman. Being busy with the preparations of their 4th tour as Tegomasu, Tegoshi had seen his partner go through a diversified range of emotions during the months before this event. He was sometimes proud to finally have been recognized as a man, worthy enough to pose naked in a magazine, and not only as someone extremely cute. Then, he doubted he could be good enough for it, and was afraid he wouldn’t sell enough copies of the magazine. Those moments were followed by a period of stress as he remembered that he had to be naked in front of a good part of the Anan's crew ,and moreover, that there would be a woman with him. Finally, when he realized that all of Japan, and even worse, his own mother, would see those pictures, he would stare into space for many minutes with a drawn and pale face. As the date of the shooting drew near, the panic moments became more and more frequent at the expense of the positive points that Tegoshi was somehow trying to remind him.
Thus, on the eve of that fateful day, Tegoshi had discovered Massu in an absolute state of panic in the Johnny's Entertainment office restroom. Considering the huge dark circles under his eyes, the poor thing had certainly not slept, and his hands were shaking so much that if the younger boy hadn’t been with him since morning, he would have suspected him of having emptied 5 litres of coffee.
''I ...I ….I can’t do it. Tegoshi, I can’t do that!!It's.....It's not me! I'm gonna call them. They will understand …tell me that they will understand?''
The distress was clear in his eyes when Masuda raised his head to look at him.
''You can’t cancel it. They will not be able to find a substitute that quickly. You have to do it.''
He had tried to speak as gently as possible, trying to soften the unavoidable facts. Seeing Masuda's complexion becoming paler, he approached and embraced him, hugging him tightly in his arms. His partner stiffened for a moment, then relaxed into his embrace, grabbing Tegoshi’s clothes with his fingers until his knuckles turned white.
''I'm sure everything is going to be alright. If you’re really not at ease with a position, tell them, they will understand.''
Tegoshi could feel that Masuda was calmer in his embrace, but his voice was still low and his grip on his shirt, that he would probably have to iron, was still strong.
''I will pick you up at 7 tomorrow morning.''
Tegoshi would have to cancel his morning interview of tomorrow, and probably his photoshoot that was scheduled for 1 PM. He would surely have to bear his manager screaming at him for eternity, but the only thought of letting his coworker alone with this task that was terrifying him was a hundred times more unbearable. Anyway, Masuda would certainly end up asking him for support. If Tegoshi was someone known to play at his best to get what he wanted, Masuda should be too. He rarely used his powers, but when he was sitting next to you, looking intently at the content of your dish, with an expression better than Puss in boots, you couldn’t help but sharing with him. Tegoshi had resisted once, and had regretted it for five days. Feeling too guilty, he had eventually paid by himself to take him to a gyoza restaurant to ease his conscience.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Tegoshi kept his promise and came to pick Masuda up at 7 AM precisely. As he expected, his friend was really nervous. Masuda's mother, who had opened the door, told him that her son had hardly eaten his breakfast, which showed the magnitude of the situation. In addition, it's been more than one hour since he had locked himself in his bedroom, reviewing his whole wardrobe not knowing what to wear at all. Afraid that it would never end, Tegoshi came to help him. He proposed him to wear his current favorite t-shirt and helped him finding matching shorts. He probably wouldn’t call this dress-shorts with oversized pocket, and this checkered t-shirt, who was at least an XXXXXL size, of a ''good match'', but it was completely fitting Masuda's fashion. His clothing wouldn’t do any difference for the Anan's shooting, but Tegoshi knew, considering Masuda's passion for fashion, that if he was feeling good in his clothes he would feel better and be more confident.
He waited at the vestibule while he was changing himself. Masuda's mom took the opportunity to give him four pork onigiri carefully wrapped in a yellow fabric printed with little stars and pigs. Worried that his son had recently lost some weight, Tegoshi had to promise that he would make sure that Masuda would eat well. He couldn't help but smile thinking that moms were all the same.
They arrived at Anan's office at approximately 8 AM, and Tegoshi had to gently push Masuda's back to make him walk in. A secretary welcomed them while looking at Tegoshi strangely. She was probably wondering what he was doing there. After making a call, she escorted both of them to studio number 5, the shooting place.
Tegoshi had a really strange feeling while looking at the set in which Masuda and that woman were about to have a photoshoot. He felt a twinge of sorrow that didn’t wear off the whole time they were looking for the director. Was nervousness a contagious feeling? Did Masuda transmit it to him? He looked at him out of the corner of his eye while biting his lower lip. The twinge flared up and he had to massage his chest for a while to make it go away while the kiss scene of ''Strange fruit'' was coming back to his head. Koyama's words echoed in his ears; ''You are jealous!'' He shook his head to stop thinking about that. He didn’t have time to deal with this now. First of all, he had to help Masuda survive his shooting.
They finally found the director near the lodges' door. He was in the middle of a call. It was his assistant who came to greet them instead. He offered them a cup of tea and a chair so that they were able to sit while waiting for the director to finish his call. They waited in silence taking this spare time to watch the set. Tegoshi wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he did think a lot about the atmosphere that would be the most suitable for Masuda. For example, he wouldn’t see him in a bar, or in a futuristic kind of decor. To avoid the pictures to look grotesque, the decor had to be in harmony with Masuda. A soft one, warm, inviting, with a childish touch, and a hint of sensuality. Yes, he really thought ''sensuality''. Tegoshi knew it very well, having been around Masuda for years now, that he was much more than what he was betraying at first. He was really cute, yes, but he could be awfully sexy at the same time and the way those two features were perfectly melting together was totally confusing for Tegoshi.
Their wait came to an end after 30 minutes. The director seemed exhausted when he approached them.
''Hi, Masuda-san, I'm really sorry, but I think we will have to cancel the photoshoot. The model was unable to attend and her agency was not able to find a substitute in such a short time.
He felt Masuda relax beside him and he smiled for the first time since the beginning of the day.
''Oh ! It's a shame !''
''We are very sorry that you came all the way here. My assistant will contact your agency to schedule a new time range for the photoshoot. Again, we are really sorry!''
''It's nothing at all!! Goodbye !''
Masuda hastened to take the bag he had put on a chair and turned around to leave, complaining that he was starving. He hadn’t even made two steps when Tegoshi grabbed him by the wrist before he’d be out of reach.
« Wait! »
The director and Masuda both looked back at him strangely wondering what was happening.
''If Masuda go away now, I'm not sure I will be able to bring him back here next time!''
Tegoshi felt Masuda's stare burning the back of his neck and he could almost hear him screaming ''TRAITOR'' in his head. He held his wrist more tightly, afraid he would sneak away. The director looked back at him like he was stupid.
''We don’t have a model. Plus, changing the theme of the shooting would be too long.''
''I can do it !''
He heard Masuda giggling behind him and the director, sceptic, sized him up.
''I'm not sure.. - ''
Masuda spoke with a trembling voice.
''But ....but yo....you are a man.''
A man, a woman... who cares? Once again, Tegoshi felt a rather unpleasant twinge in his chest and he suddenly dropped Masuda's wrist, Masuda who looked back at him, puzzled by his sudden reaction. Tegoshi turned to Masuda while gritting his teeth.
''When I cross-dress, I look more feminine than a true girl and I've got several friends who told me that they would date me if I was a woman. I can do it !''
''It's not what I wanted to say. It's gonna show up on the pictures. Your arms and legs are definitely not feminine.''
''Miracles happen with Photoshop you know?''
He crossed his arms, disappointed by Masuda who did not believe he was good enough to do it. Too engrossed into arguments between the pros and cons, the director had to clear his throat twice to bring them back to him. The two young men turned their head at him slightly confused.
''If Tegoshi-san is agreeing, I think it could be a good solution.''
''My pleasure!''
''Sayuri-san, could you please take care of Tegoshi-san? Maki-san, bring Masuda-san to his lodge for his makeup. Everyone, back to work!''
Tegoshi looked back at Masuda one more time before leaving with Sayuri, still angry at his previous comments, but his features softened when he saw that once again he seemed nervous. He smiled at him and put his hand on his shoulder to cheer him up.
“It’s all gonna be alright! Don’t worry''
This simple gesture seemed to be effective and Masuda relaxed a bit. Tegoshi then turned back to follow his makeup artist and missed the pretty pink color that slowly tainted Masuda's cheeks.
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Because it could be troublesome if the fans would see them took photos together in the Anan, Tegoshi needed more preparation to be sure nobody would recognize him. He was then the last to go out of his lodge. He was wearing a light pink yukata with cherry blossom flowers as a pattern, and an apple green obi was highlighting the false breast he was wearing. He also was wearing white and pink striped fake nails with tiny yellow bear prints. This little detail was matching perfectly Masuda's cute side of his personality. Of course, his outfit wouldn't be complete without the blond wig with perfectly curled long hair that they had made him wear. Although his face wouldn't be visible on the pictures, Sayuri insisted to put some makeup on him. A pink gloss had been applied on his lips and long false eyelashes were beautifully framing his eyes.
The set was separated into two distinct parts; a bedroom and a dining room. The bedroom was the first part of the photoshoot. When he arrived on site, they had already started. He stopped near the director, waiting for the signal to enter the set too. The staff really did a great job, it was amazing! The raw furniture made of real mahogany was contrasting with the sweetness of the remaining elements of the room. Subtle reminder of the duality of the model enhanced. Frames with pigs’ drawings had been fixed on the cream finely striped wallpaper. Some teddy bears and multicolored cushions had been placed on the ivory white bed's cover. Everything seemed so peaceful, comfortable, and strangely familiar. When his eyes landed on the piece de resistance of this décor, he gasped instantly.
Masuda, who was pretending to be asleep, was wearing a royal blue Yukata strewed of large black line. A shower of golden stars had been embroidered finely on the collar and were cascading down to the middle of his torso. A golden obi had been tied loosely around his waist. He was wearing only one of his yukata's sleeves, which was revealing must of his slightly tanned torso courtesy of all those hours spent into the swimming pool during summer.
Tegoshi would have stayed there contemplating him for eternity if it would have been possible, but the director told him to also step up on the bed so they would be able to continue with the 'couple' pictures. Having spent his time with closed eyes, it was only at this moment that Masuda noticed him. He glared at him from head to toe while Tegoshi was walking towards the bed. He had mysterious sparkle in his eyes. Tegoshi recognized it for having seen it before when Masuda was looking at him, but he still couldn't decipher it. His partner opened his mouth several time as if to speak, but no sound came out. When he finally sat down next to him in the bed, that their eyes met and that their hands brushed together inadvertently, Tegoshi wasn’t the only one to be taken aback by an uncontrollable shiver.
The director slightly told them what he wanted, but otherwise, it was like every other photoshoot, they were mainly free. In Masuda's lack of reaction, who was much busier to succeed the looks in between the photograph and Tegoshi, he decided to take the lead. He laid his head on his shoulder, his nose right under his ear, and put his left hand on the naked skin of his partner's torso. Masuda automatically tensed when he felt his fingers on his skin and Tegoshi could feel his heartbeat accelerating. He then approached his mouth a little closer of his ear and spoke softly.
''Relax, it's just me. Hold my waist with your left arm and fix a lock of my hair with the other one.''
He obeyed mechanically and Tegoshi heard the photographer resume his work, capturing a few more photos. Tegoshi had the feeling that it still wasn't enough. From the way Masuda was touching him, he could feel that he was still tense. Although he heard the photographer take a multitude of pictures, he suspected that the result wouldn't be natural. Tegoshi's fighting spirit awakened. For Masuda's sake, but also because he was on the pictures too, to all costs he had to do everything for them to be the best models ever captured by Anan. These pictures would be perfect, it wouldn't be otherwise. He then whispered in his ear, his lips flicking his lobe.
'' Let me do it.''
He didn’t give him the time to react and grabbed his wrist, dragging him over his own body. Tegoshi was now laying on his back with a Masuda, wide eyed, on top of him.
He put his hand on Masuda's nape and slid it down his left shoulder to also release it from the yukata til his forearm. He pulled his hand back up again, lingering it on his biceps, to sink his fingers in his hair. He applied some pressure behind his head to bring Masuda closer to him. He heard him swallow loudly while his eyes sank into his. For the first time since the beginning of this photo shoot, Masuda risked a movement by himself, placing the hand that wasn't supporting him on Tegoshi's cheek, stroking him from the tip of his fingers. As the seconds passed, Tegoshi had the impression that Masuda drew closer to him. Were his eyes playing tricks on him? He was feeling that his partner's breath was becoming more and more palpable on his lips. Masuda's eyes closed. He was so...so close...
''It's good !!!!! It was really good !!!! We can move to the next scene !!!''
Masuda's eyes opened quickly and his face colored in a deep shade of red while he seemed to come back to reality. He stood up immediately, getting very close to fall off the bed in his haste. Tegoshi sat with slightly rosy cheeks. He couldn’t help but looking askance at the director while walking near him to go to the next sets. Suddenly, this guy was so irritating.
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Once again, they began with Masuda's solo pictures. Therefore, Tegoshi sat on the fake table of the decor, dangling his feet in the air, waiting to be needed. This time, Masuda had much less difficulties to perform what the director asked him. His opened yukata revealing his torso and his messy hair didn't seem to bother him at all. They took pictures of him while he was trying to find eggs in the refrigerator while scratching his head or while he was cutting some fruits to make the perfect breakfast. The same light that in the bedroom was bathing the room, creating a mesmerizing balance between lights and shadows on Masuda's body. The woman who would be entitled to have this show in front of her every morning in her kitchen would be really lucky and Tegoshi surprised himself when he began to feel jealous.
A tomato that Masuda was somehow trying to cut since a while finally decided to slide on the plate and rolled down until it was in front Tegoshi's feet. His partner then looked up at him and began to laugh from his clumsiness, an infectious laugh that won most of the staff. Usually, Tegoshi couldn't had helped but laugh along with them. He was so weak against Masuda's smile, but this time he had a diametrically opposed reaction. He froze, staring at him silently while the other boy was walking toward him. He followed him with his eyes when he bent to pick up the rebel tomato that had fallen. His heart was pounding when Masuda looked up at him, a smile stretching his perfect lips. That was the straw that broke the camel's back; he then grabbed him by the arm before he could stand up again. Surprised by the action, Masuda lost his smile, puzzled eyes looking back at him. Tegoshi then brushed his cheek with his free hand and felt him shiver slightly under his touch. He stood there, motionless, staring intently into his eyes, and then put a lock of hair out of his forehead. They both jumped when the director called them out.
''It was perfect!!! You are very natural!!!''
Masuda looked at him with a serious face while the director was explaining the guidelines for the latest duet pictures. Still in the kitchen, they had to sit facing each others, the younger boy sitting on the older boy's laps. The top of Masuda's yukata was completely removed, while they bared Tegoshi's back, letting the curls of his wig slide softly on his shoulder. Tegoshi expected Masuda to be really nervous when he took place on his laps, but it wasn’t the case. He didn’t seem to take care of his surrounding anymore, continuing to fix Tegoshi without speaking. Never, for the rest of the photo shoot, he looked away from him.
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Although it was over for him, Tegoshi stood behind the photographer watching the rest of the photoshoot. Occasionally, when Masuda seemed more nervous, he could see him, searching him with his eyes and when their eyes were meeting, he relaxed immediately. Tegoshi couldn't have denied that he was really happy to have this kind of 'powers' on Masuda.
Around noon, the photoshoot was finally over. The director came to greet them warmly, insisting at least four times on the fact that they really had done a great job and that the result would be breathtaking. According to him, they were so natural that they could have been mistaken for a real couple. Tegoshi laughed at this remark while telling him it was what was happening when you were singing with someone since that long. He turned around to Masuda, expecting him to approve his words, but he awkwardly stuttered a little 'yes', cheeks becoming rosy. Was he embarrassed? It however wasn't the first time that someone was comparing them to a couple. Masuda should have been used to it over the time. His partner's expression turned serious when their eyes met and Tegoshi had to look away to hide his suddenly flushed face.
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The afternoon had been long. As expected, his manager didn’t spare him. He yelled at him all the way to his interview and made him work until 9 PM to catch up. Moreover, the shooting photo of this morning didn’t left his mind. He kept remembering all the small details. For example, the way his heart had raced when he had felt Masuda's breath on the skin of his neck. All of this was beginning to give him a headache and there was only one thing he was dreaming of, laying down on his bed and sleep it off. Strangely, when he arrived at his apartment and saw a Masuda, hands in his pockets, with his nose and cheeks completely flushed by the cold, this idea vanished completely.
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Tegoshi tenderly kissed Masuda's lips before laying his head back down on his pillow. He was exhausted, but wonderfully fine at the same time. The youngest boy turned on his side to look at him, not wanting to let him leave his sight yet. Masuda's bare torso was heaving at the rhythm of his breathing who was returning slowly to the normal. He already closed his eyes, letting himself gently falling into a well deserved slumber. Tegoshi didn't want to disturb him, but he couldn't help but to ask the question that was running through his mind since the first time Masuda put his lips on his.
''If I didn’t back up this girl, would you have done the same with this model?''
His heart sank when he saw him tense up, but that no answer came. Tegoshi returned on his back, slightly getting away from his side. He didn’t want to think about what this silence meant. He already felt his eyes moisten and he didn’t want to ridicule himself. Ten long minutes passed without anything happening, then he felt timid fingers touching his, brushing his palm and finally intertwining with his. Tegoshi looked at their intertwined hands and turned his head to see that he was also observing him. Masuda approached him hesitantly, biting his own lower lip, then he gave him a long chaste kiss on his lips. He still couldn't put words on this feeling, but at least he knew that Masuda was feeling the same thing than him and that one day, together, they would find how to name it.