The Way You Move (OhnoxSho):
Written as part of an exchange with boblemon and also happening to fufill a prompt for rainbowfilling since i totaly cheat like that. :)
Title: The way you move
Pairing: ShoxOhno
Request: A yama request: Ohno is getting old, and this bothers him, but Sho offers comfort in the only way that Sho can.
Prompt: Rainbow filling prompt: senpai admiration
It was odd for the lights in the studio to be on this late. Sho was just finishing up with an interview that he had done at the jumisho, a late one, but with his drama filming schedule the interviewers were more than willing to work around his schedule, as it was the only way that they were going to get to talk to him at all.
What was more startling, to Sho, was the fast that it was not only just lights on in one of the dance studios, but that there was music going, music that he recognized. He would recognize Arashi songs in an heartbeat, but he could recognize Satoshi-kun’s solo’s in an instant. He had always liked them, always liked the man as a whole, but there was something about the soulful music, and the beat, and the mans dancing that entranced Sho. Part of it was envy, he would never be able to dance like that, and he knew that he would never be able to dance like that. He was not flexible enough, he did not have the patience, and he was lacking a significant amount of dance training. Ohno had worked so very hard at his dancing, and still did, and during their concerts, and their choreography, he was always flawless, the way that he moved was mesmerizing. So what Sho wondered, then, was who was in the studio, dancing to Satoshi’s songs?
Pushing the door open slightly, Sho was startled to see Ohno, moving to ‘take me far away’. He was engrossed in his movements, in the music, moving and turning. Sho could not help but watch him, the way he slid across the floor, the movements of his hips and his feet and his knees. It was something that was mesmerizing. As the music changed, Ohno met Sho’s gaze in the mirror and he smiled, and Ohno nodded, easily slipping into the choreography for ‘Rain’, and Sho found himself singing along, mouthing the words softly as Ohno moved across the floor.
He was drawn out of his admiration, however, when he saw Ohno frowning as he was dancing, his movements not quite a sharp as usual, and instead of the intense expression that he usually had when he was dancing, it was as if something is off. As the song ended, the music fading, Ohno shuffled over to the music played, turning it off. The grace and fluidity of his actions traded in for the trademark shuffle of their Riida, and it was a contrast that Sho would always marvel at it.
“I am a little tired.” Was all Ohno offered, and Sho nodded, waiting for Ohno, noting the slight sheen of sweat that covered the other man, and the way that he was slightly our of breath. Unusual for Ohno, as he was almost always a dancing machine, dancing longer than anyone, better than all of them, and shaming most of them into feeling that there were no good at this, but it did not matter, it seemed. They were managing, and Aiba’s enthusiasm for the dance moves, and the sheer Gumby like nature of his arms and legs, and the sheer inhuman swivel of Jun’s hips made up for the lack of ability of any of them, and it could distract from the fact that none of them were anywhere close to the ability that Ohno had. He always got the best back dancers, and every time he choreographed something for them they both loved and hated him for it. It made them look good, but at the same time, they were not him.
“Are you alright, Satoshi-kun?” Sho asked, guiding the other to the car. On the way out, Sho assured both his and Ohno’s managers that he would get Ohno home safely, and that they would be to work on time. He would even make certain that Ohno remembered what time he was being picked up in the morning, so please, entrust Ohno to his care.
And so they did. But Ohno didn’t answer, just paused for a moment, as they waited for the elevator, his head resting against Sho’s shoulder. Ohno took a deep breath, allowing Sho’s presence to steady him, and ground him, and he smiled slightly, as he felt the other rest his head against his, knowing that the weight from Sho’s head was most certainly going to squish his spikes, but it was late enough in the day, and the dancing would have mussed them regardless, that it did not matter.
“You know, if something is bothering Satoshi-kun, he can tell me.” Sho spoke softly to him as they entered the elevator, and Ohno just hmmed, letting Sho lead him to the car, and then drop him off at home.
“Thank you, Sho-kun.” Was all Ohno said as he left the car, and Sho was left staring after Ohno, wondering what in the world was wrong with Ohno. He was off, and extra silent, even for their Riida. The fact that his dancing was off, that alone was indicative that something was not right, but what could he do about it when Ohno would not open up about it. Riida never did tell them when something was wrong, since usually nothing was wrong with him. Sure, he made up things that irked and annoyed him for the Shiyagare segments, and sometimes Sho wondered if Jun did some of those things just to give Ohno something to complain about at those times. Ohno watched, and observed, and could tell when something was wrong with them easily enough, but it was hard to read Riida, and if he would not open up to them, or to Sho, then Sho would have to do some detective work, and figure out what was wrong with their Riida.
He wasn’t stupid, and he was playing a detective, well butler but he may as well be a detective on the television. It could not possibly be that hard to figure out what was wrong with Arashi’s Riida.
Except that it was. Sho had a lot of solo shoots for the drama, as well as for all the drama promotion, and it was hard to get time alone with Ohno to talk to him about what was the matter. But Sho was on a mission, and he would make this happen. While he would not, and could not, and did not want to stalk Ohno, sometimes he wished he could be more like Kageyama, and follow Ohno around like his character did Hosho. Then, in a few hours, he would be able to know what was bothering Ohno. Or maybe, if he just could get Ohno to talk to him, that would work as well, but the world was conspiring against him, and he would just have to be patient, and wait.
During the times that Sho saw Ohno, it seemed, on the surface that everything was fine with Ohno, but after the interviews, and after conversations with kouhai in the hallways in passing, and even after a conversation with Chinen, which usually left Ohno happy, and the younger boy adored the ground that Ohno walked upon, and was always willing to heap tons and tons of praise upon Ohno, was not enough to bring a smile to Ohno’s face.
Subtle inquiries to Nino, and Aiba left Sho coming up with nothing, except the assurance from both of them that he worried too much, and he needed to be less of a mother hen, and just let things be. If something was wrong, Ohno would tell them, they were sure.
“And besides,” Nino had added, with a smile. “Oh-chan is acting just the same with me, and we are always together. I would notice if something were off.”
It took until a dinner with Jun, and the casual mention that it was Ohno’s birthday that month, for Sho to begin to piece together just what might be bothering the eldest member of Arashi, but it took far longer for him to actually realize it. Sometimes Sho was a little slow in realizing these things.
He was not as young as he used to be, none of them were, but he could still dance, and it still amazed them all, and he was still as amazing as he had always been, so why would it bother him? That could not be it. Except that it was, and it hit Sho, one day as he walked by M.A.D in the hallway, and they were talking about Ohno, of all people.
“I hope that I can still dance as well as Ohno when I get to be that old.” One of them commented, and the others nodded.
“Senpai will be what, thirty one this year? Or was that last year?” Another chimed, and Sho could hit himself for how stupid he had been. How could he not have noticed that Ohno was down and that his age was the reason? He was down around his birthday last year, so it would make sense that it was happening again this year. So why had he blown it off?
I am a little tired.
Ohno was NEVER tired by dancing, his stamina at dance was something that amazed them all, sometime more than the ways that he moved his body. Sho felt like an idiot, but at least now he was sure that he knew what the issue was, so how to solve it? How could Sho convince Ohno that just because he was another year older, that it was alright, because he was still awesome and amazing, and Sho still adored him just as much as he always had and his hips were still sexy-
Wait, since when had Sho thought that Ohno had sexy hips?
No really, since when had Sho thought that Ohno had sexy hips, and what did that even mean? And how was he going to deal with the entire issue. He would need to come up with an idea. It took a few days of brainstorming in his free time, and Jun’s help, for Sho to figure out what he would do, needed to do. Jun, for all his pricklyness, and perfectionism, and the waspish stage that he had gone though with the band, cared more about their welfare than anyone else, and since he had noticed that something was off with Ohno, he was more than willing to help Sho come up with an idea to make it better.
“After all,” Jun had reasoned, “In his own way he let you know something was wrong, and that is not something that he did with the rest of us. So I think he wants Sho-kun to figure it out, and to talk to him about it.”
Sho could tell that Jun was a little bit sad about this, since he, almost as much as Chinen it seemed, adored Ohno, and would do anything to make the other happy. On the days when Ohno just needed a presence that was not Nino, as comforting as the leech like tendencies of the other could be, he would come to Jun, letting the other gently comb his fingers though his hair while Ohno napped. And while Jun would scold Ohno for being too tanned, they all knew that they were just worried for his health, for if he was in the sun, getting tanned, was he eating enough, was he drinking enough water, was he sleeping? He needed all of these things, and when he got so caught up in something that he loved, he would forget these things.
Ohno was acting with Nino as he always did, and on the interview they did for Music Lovers, the Ohnmiya moment with forgetting when their managers would pick them up was indeed classic fan service, subtle and amusing, but enough to set the fans on edge. So what was it that Jun knew, that Ohno was feeling, that Jun thought that Sho should be able to pick up on? Jun took very good care of Ohno when Ohno needed something, and most the time, Ohno did seek Jun out. But Jun was right, this time, for some reason it had been Sho. So he needed to do something for Ohno, and he needed to do it right. Nothing else would do. Nothing else was worthy of their Riida.
The question was, how was he going to pull off what he needed to, and would it even work?
All Sho knew was that Ohno had told him something was bothering him, in as direct a way at Ohno ever would.
Ohno only told him and Jun.
Jun was waiting for Sho to do something about it, instead of taking care of the matter himself, which was odd in and of itself.
And most importantly, and most confusingly, Sho thought Ohno’s hip movements were sexy, or was it that the hips were sexy. It was easier to admit now, that Ohno had sexy hips. And was attractive as a whole, but they were all attractive, no one could deny that. They made their livings off of being attractive, just as much as they did singing, and dancing, and casting, and playing with animals or any other number of things.
When later that day, Jun was chatting Sho, Sho noticed that Jun could not hide a smile when he noticed the way that Sho was watching Ohno and Nino across the room, studying their Riida with a fond smile, though Jun could see the worry there.
“So you did figure it out, it seems.” Jun commented lightly and Sho shrugged.
“I realized why he is down, but I am not sure what I can do about it.” Sho paused. “What does he want me to do, or how should I show him that it doesn’t matter than he is a year older, he is still the same, amazing Ohno that he has always been.” Sho replied softly and Jun chuckled.
“You are supposed to figure that one out. What use is an education if you cant manage the most basic of human relationships?” Jun’s voice was equally soft, and from the hesitation in his tone, Sho knew that there was something else coming that he would need to hear. “What you have not realized, or admitted yet, is that there is something else there.”
“Else?” Sho replied and Jun nodded.
“Why does it matter that he is down, why did he come to you, and why do you care so much?” Jun shifted, leaning closer to Sho as he spoke. “Until you know that, it will be hard to take the last course of action.”
“Does it matter that he is older, that any of us are older is still Ohno, and amazing, and his hip- dance rather, are amazing.” Sho commented, blushing at this revelation, and Jun smiled, leaning back with a smile, his arms crossed across his chest, and Sho could almost feel the satisfaction oozing off the other man as Aiba burst into the room, all sunshine and smiles, and the moment was gone, but Sho was certain that he heard Jun commenting that perhaps Sho did not have as much to realize after all.
And so Sho watched, and waited, and thought, and followed Ohno around when they had free time, trying to see if he could catch him, or become inspired at to what exactly he should do to make Ohno feel better. Sho was still not certain that Ohno was feeling down because of his birthday, and it was not like he could, or would, just walk up to the man and start a conversation with the words “So, I hear that you are getting old,” or “if you are old than I am old, and that isn’t possible,” and starting with “so I think your hips are sexy, so cheer up” wouldn’t really work either, so Sho was at a loss as to what to do. If Ohno would come out and TELL him what was wrong, that it would be easier to fuss and fret over him, and assure him that he was wrong, and these things were not true, but this was Ohno, and Ohno would never do something like that, so Sho was a little stuck. Which was rare, as he was usually the go get it, I see the problem and I will fix it sort of person, much as Jun was. It was just how they worked, where at Ohno, and Nino, and even to some extent Aiba, were more go with the flow, it will work out kinds of people. But he could come up with nothing, and it was frustrating, as Ohno’s birthday was rapidly approaching.
Which was what lead Sho to stalking - well following really - Ohno around the jumisho in the evenings even more than he already had (when their work was done (which did not leave Sho with much free time, but this was Satoshi-kun, and worth it) in the hope that he could catch Ohno dancing again. That was all that Jun would suggest to Sho.
“You are smart, Sho-kun. You can figure out what you need to do, I am sure of it.” Was all Jun would say, and later, when Ohno was napping, his head pillowed in Jun’s lap, Jun would just watch Ohno, then look to Sho, a challenge in his gaze. He did not need words to ask his question of Sho, which was, when are you going to step up and take care of this?
It was a fair question, and a challenge, and Sho would just stare back at Jun, who would hide a smile behind a yawn, and Sho knew that it had to be soon, what other choice did they have. Ohno was not getting any better, though he was not getting worse, and whatever was bothering him was subtle enough that only Jun, and Sho had noticed it, or perhaps it was that those were the only people that he was letting see it.
But Ohno’s birthday was rapidly approaching, and Sho had not yet come up with anything that would be of any help, or any plan at all. Mostly, he just kept starting at Ohno, and getting lost in thought. Sho knew that he had been caught starting at Ohno by Ohno, and Jun, and that Jun was sending Ohno messages that made the other smile, and chuckle when he pulled the phone out of his pocket to look at the message. And the looks, the arched eyebrow, and the twisting of his lips set Sho on edge. He knew he was supposed to do something about it, and it seemed that all Jun was doing was letting him know that he was failing to do anything about it.
Sho was infinitely aware of his failure with Satoshi-kun.
Which was why Sho was surprised, on Ohno’s pre birthday since none of their schedules quite worked out on the actual day drinking and dinner event, that Jun made certain that it was Sho who was in charge of Ohno for the night. Which was a bit odd, as they were at Sho’s place, and usually on nights like this they all crashed out, but Jun was herding a drunken Aiba, and a tipsy but leechlike Nino out of his apartment. Sho wondered if there was something going on there, since as the door closed, he could see Nino’s hand on Jun’s ass, grabbing and groping in the same way that he often did to Ohno, but instead of the expected ‘Oi cut that out’ or any reaction on Jun’s part at all, which is what one expected when groping Jun, there was nothing, no comment, no reaction, just the door closing, and Sho could not help but stare after it, stunned.
Had he missed something when he had been preoccupied with his musings about Ohno?
It took Ohno’s soft chuckle, from behind him on the couch, for Sho to realize that he was neglecting his guest, instead staring at the closed door in shock.
“Surprised, Sho-kun?” Ohno’s voice was sleepy, his words slightly slurred, but Sho would be surprised if they weren’t from the amount of tequila that Ohno had ingested over the course of the evening.
Sho hmmed, turning back to Ohno and settling down on the couch beside the older man.
“Sho-kun has been preoccupied with something, so he did not notice, but I think that Nino-chan is happy, which is good.”
Sho nodded, unsure of what to say as Ohno scooted closer to him on the couch, his legs folded under him so he sat facing Sho, watching him with half-closed eyes. “Why had Sho-kun been so distracted? It is odd to not see Sho-kun acting like himself.” Ohno asked, and Sho was certain that he was blushing.
“I-I-It is just that-“ Sho stammered, and then drew in a deep breath. “It is just that I noticed that Satoshi-kun was a little down, or at least it seemed like you were down, and I was worried when you mentioned that you were tired after dancing and-“ Sho paused, glancing to Ohno, who was watching him, unmoving on the couch, his hands folded in his lap, and it struck Sho as only a little odd that Ohno was sitting seiza style on the couch, waiting for Sho to speak. But it was not odd enough for Sho to say anything, since it was Ohno, and Sho was certain that if he did not do this now, while Ohno was half drunk, and probably not going to recall in the morning, that he was probably not going to do it at all, since he had effectively been stalking Ohno for the past few weeks and nothing had yet come of it was far as the cheer Ohno up since he seems down plan.
“And I thought it was odd, and wondered if you were worried about your birthday, since it is soon, but I thought that it cannot be that, since Satoshi-kun isn’t old, since that would make me old, and I am too young to be old, and there are too many other things to do for us to be old, and I hoped that it was not that, but I could not be sure. And so I started following you around,” Sho paused as Ohno chuckled.
“I had noticed Sho-kun. He doesn’t make a very good stalker.”
“Ah-sorry?” Sho offered and Ohno chuffled, shaking his head.
“It is alright, I don’t mind if its Sho-kun.”
Sho was stunned, and sat, blinking at Ohno for a moment.
“Ahh-“ Sho stammered, and when Ohno said nothing more Sho continued. “But I was watching Ohno, and he seemed sad and I couldn’t figure out why, and then I realized that all of us are getting older, but if it is Arashi, and if it is with Satoshi-kun then it is alright. Satsoshi-kun still danced well, you always have, and I cannot help but wish that I could move like that. But I am too stiff, and not flexible enough, and even if I were, I would not be able to move like Satoshi-kun, and even if I could it would not be as sexy and-“ Sho stopped as he realized what he had just admitted, and he froze, looking anywhere but at Ohno. He did not just admit that he would Ohno sexy, to Ohno. That would be very bad. Maximum bad really.
The soft chuckling and the shifting on the couch beside him could also not be a good thing.
Ohno was laughing at him. Laughing
“Sho-kun thinks too much.” Was all the warning that he got before a hand brushed his cheek, turning his head so that lips could press against lips, and Sho was quite certain that it was not an amazing kiss, as he was sure that his mouth fell open, his lips parting in surprise, and he was staring at Ohno with wide eyes, and it was rude to stare when being kissed, but it was Ohno, and Ohno was kissing him, and - and it was nice.
Sho found that he, after the initial surprise, and staring, melted into the kiss, leaning into Ohno’s hand, and kissed the other back, noting with pleasure the happy sound that Ohno made as Sho began to participate in the kiss, his hand tentatively moving to his cheek to cup the hand that Ohno had there.
“Sho-kun definitely thinks too much.” Ohno repeated as he broke the kiss, grinning at Sho. “I was beginning to think you had not noticed, but Jun said to be patient, but-“ Ohno paused, tilting his head and looking Sho in the eyes, and Sho was stunned at the seriousness there. “But I like Sho-kun, and I did not want to wait for him to figure it out anymore, since I think that Sho-kun knows that he likes me too.”
“I-I do?” Sho stammered and Ohno shifted back, looking at Sho in confusion.
“You stare at me like Nino and Jun’s stared at each other, and you think I am sexy, was it wrong for me to kiss you? Jun-kun and I were certain that you did, and Jun is never wrong about these things.” Ohno asked, frowning, and Sho could see the frown turning into a pout, something that he never liked to see on Ohno.
“No no, it is fine. I just-“ Sho paused, “I guess I just hadn’t realized what the significance of be finding you sexy meant, but it is fine. And you and Jun were-“ Sho stopped as Ohno cut him off with a kiss, a quick one, but it was enough to silence Sho.
“Sho-kun is a little slow sometimes, but that is alright, since I like him anyways.” Ohno grinned, a wide and happy grin, his eyes crinkling closed with his pleasure, and Sho was struck, again at just how adorable and attractive Ohno Satoshi really was. Perhaps it was something that he always knew, but it was Riida, and so that had meant that it was just not something that one considered. Except that he was, and he had, and he wanted to, and he wanted to keep marveling at the amazingness that was Ohno.
And so Sho leaned in, initiating the kiss this time, and he could feel Ohno smiling against his lips as he pulled him closer.
He had not done things in a direct manner, and he was fairly sure that he had not managed to cheer Ohno up at all, at least not about the entire getting older thing, but perhaps distracting Ohno from those thoughts with lots of kisses, and perhaps a relationship, though that was something that would need to be talked about when there was less kissing going on, and when Ohno was not really as drunk (though Sho was beginning to wonder if Ohno was really that drunk at all, and if he was he hoped that he was not so drunk as to forget this (which was the opposite of what he had hoped earlier, but Sho was allowed to change his mind on these sorts of things)). But that would wait until later. Right now, there was kissing, and it was good.
“I am glad that Sho-kun likes me as well.” Ohno spoke against Sho’s lips, and Sho could do nothing but nod in agreement. And for once, he was glad for Ohno’s intuition, and Jun’s micromanagement of the group, since he was sure that without Jun’s matchmaking nudges this would not have come to be.
Title: The way you move
Pairing: ShoxOhno
Request: A yama request: Ohno is getting old, and this bothers him, but Sho offers comfort in the only way that Sho can.
Prompt: Rainbow filling prompt: senpai admiration
It was odd for the lights in the studio to be on this late. Sho was just finishing up with an interview that he had done at the jumisho, a late one, but with his drama filming schedule the interviewers were more than willing to work around his schedule, as it was the only way that they were going to get to talk to him at all.
What was more startling, to Sho, was the fast that it was not only just lights on in one of the dance studios, but that there was music going, music that he recognized. He would recognize Arashi songs in an heartbeat, but he could recognize Satoshi-kun’s solo’s in an instant. He had always liked them, always liked the man as a whole, but there was something about the soulful music, and the beat, and the mans dancing that entranced Sho. Part of it was envy, he would never be able to dance like that, and he knew that he would never be able to dance like that. He was not flexible enough, he did not have the patience, and he was lacking a significant amount of dance training. Ohno had worked so very hard at his dancing, and still did, and during their concerts, and their choreography, he was always flawless, the way that he moved was mesmerizing. So what Sho wondered, then, was who was in the studio, dancing to Satoshi’s songs?
Pushing the door open slightly, Sho was startled to see Ohno, moving to ‘take me far away’. He was engrossed in his movements, in the music, moving and turning. Sho could not help but watch him, the way he slid across the floor, the movements of his hips and his feet and his knees. It was something that was mesmerizing. As the music changed, Ohno met Sho’s gaze in the mirror and he smiled, and Ohno nodded, easily slipping into the choreography for ‘Rain’, and Sho found himself singing along, mouthing the words softly as Ohno moved across the floor.
He was drawn out of his admiration, however, when he saw Ohno frowning as he was dancing, his movements not quite a sharp as usual, and instead of the intense expression that he usually had when he was dancing, it was as if something is off. As the song ended, the music fading, Ohno shuffled over to the music played, turning it off. The grace and fluidity of his actions traded in for the trademark shuffle of their Riida, and it was a contrast that Sho would always marvel at it.
“I am a little tired.” Was all Ohno offered, and Sho nodded, waiting for Ohno, noting the slight sheen of sweat that covered the other man, and the way that he was slightly our of breath. Unusual for Ohno, as he was almost always a dancing machine, dancing longer than anyone, better than all of them, and shaming most of them into feeling that there were no good at this, but it did not matter, it seemed. They were managing, and Aiba’s enthusiasm for the dance moves, and the sheer Gumby like nature of his arms and legs, and the sheer inhuman swivel of Jun’s hips made up for the lack of ability of any of them, and it could distract from the fact that none of them were anywhere close to the ability that Ohno had. He always got the best back dancers, and every time he choreographed something for them they both loved and hated him for it. It made them look good, but at the same time, they were not him.
“Are you alright, Satoshi-kun?” Sho asked, guiding the other to the car. On the way out, Sho assured both his and Ohno’s managers that he would get Ohno home safely, and that they would be to work on time. He would even make certain that Ohno remembered what time he was being picked up in the morning, so please, entrust Ohno to his care.
And so they did. But Ohno didn’t answer, just paused for a moment, as they waited for the elevator, his head resting against Sho’s shoulder. Ohno took a deep breath, allowing Sho’s presence to steady him, and ground him, and he smiled slightly, as he felt the other rest his head against his, knowing that the weight from Sho’s head was most certainly going to squish his spikes, but it was late enough in the day, and the dancing would have mussed them regardless, that it did not matter.
“You know, if something is bothering Satoshi-kun, he can tell me.” Sho spoke softly to him as they entered the elevator, and Ohno just hmmed, letting Sho lead him to the car, and then drop him off at home.
“Thank you, Sho-kun.” Was all Ohno said as he left the car, and Sho was left staring after Ohno, wondering what in the world was wrong with Ohno. He was off, and extra silent, even for their Riida. The fact that his dancing was off, that alone was indicative that something was not right, but what could he do about it when Ohno would not open up about it. Riida never did tell them when something was wrong, since usually nothing was wrong with him. Sure, he made up things that irked and annoyed him for the Shiyagare segments, and sometimes Sho wondered if Jun did some of those things just to give Ohno something to complain about at those times. Ohno watched, and observed, and could tell when something was wrong with them easily enough, but it was hard to read Riida, and if he would not open up to them, or to Sho, then Sho would have to do some detective work, and figure out what was wrong with their Riida.
He wasn’t stupid, and he was playing a detective, well butler but he may as well be a detective on the television. It could not possibly be that hard to figure out what was wrong with Arashi’s Riida.
Except that it was. Sho had a lot of solo shoots for the drama, as well as for all the drama promotion, and it was hard to get time alone with Ohno to talk to him about what was the matter. But Sho was on a mission, and he would make this happen. While he would not, and could not, and did not want to stalk Ohno, sometimes he wished he could be more like Kageyama, and follow Ohno around like his character did Hosho. Then, in a few hours, he would be able to know what was bothering Ohno. Or maybe, if he just could get Ohno to talk to him, that would work as well, but the world was conspiring against him, and he would just have to be patient, and wait.
During the times that Sho saw Ohno, it seemed, on the surface that everything was fine with Ohno, but after the interviews, and after conversations with kouhai in the hallways in passing, and even after a conversation with Chinen, which usually left Ohno happy, and the younger boy adored the ground that Ohno walked upon, and was always willing to heap tons and tons of praise upon Ohno, was not enough to bring a smile to Ohno’s face.
Subtle inquiries to Nino, and Aiba left Sho coming up with nothing, except the assurance from both of them that he worried too much, and he needed to be less of a mother hen, and just let things be. If something was wrong, Ohno would tell them, they were sure.
“And besides,” Nino had added, with a smile. “Oh-chan is acting just the same with me, and we are always together. I would notice if something were off.”
It took until a dinner with Jun, and the casual mention that it was Ohno’s birthday that month, for Sho to begin to piece together just what might be bothering the eldest member of Arashi, but it took far longer for him to actually realize it. Sometimes Sho was a little slow in realizing these things.
He was not as young as he used to be, none of them were, but he could still dance, and it still amazed them all, and he was still as amazing as he had always been, so why would it bother him? That could not be it. Except that it was, and it hit Sho, one day as he walked by M.A.D in the hallway, and they were talking about Ohno, of all people.
“I hope that I can still dance as well as Ohno when I get to be that old.” One of them commented, and the others nodded.
“Senpai will be what, thirty one this year? Or was that last year?” Another chimed, and Sho could hit himself for how stupid he had been. How could he not have noticed that Ohno was down and that his age was the reason? He was down around his birthday last year, so it would make sense that it was happening again this year. So why had he blown it off?
I am a little tired.
Ohno was NEVER tired by dancing, his stamina at dance was something that amazed them all, sometime more than the ways that he moved his body. Sho felt like an idiot, but at least now he was sure that he knew what the issue was, so how to solve it? How could Sho convince Ohno that just because he was another year older, that it was alright, because he was still awesome and amazing, and Sho still adored him just as much as he always had and his hips were still sexy-
Wait, since when had Sho thought that Ohno had sexy hips?
No really, since when had Sho thought that Ohno had sexy hips, and what did that even mean? And how was he going to deal with the entire issue. He would need to come up with an idea. It took a few days of brainstorming in his free time, and Jun’s help, for Sho to figure out what he would do, needed to do. Jun, for all his pricklyness, and perfectionism, and the waspish stage that he had gone though with the band, cared more about their welfare than anyone else, and since he had noticed that something was off with Ohno, he was more than willing to help Sho come up with an idea to make it better.
“After all,” Jun had reasoned, “In his own way he let you know something was wrong, and that is not something that he did with the rest of us. So I think he wants Sho-kun to figure it out, and to talk to him about it.”
Sho could tell that Jun was a little bit sad about this, since he, almost as much as Chinen it seemed, adored Ohno, and would do anything to make the other happy. On the days when Ohno just needed a presence that was not Nino, as comforting as the leech like tendencies of the other could be, he would come to Jun, letting the other gently comb his fingers though his hair while Ohno napped. And while Jun would scold Ohno for being too tanned, they all knew that they were just worried for his health, for if he was in the sun, getting tanned, was he eating enough, was he drinking enough water, was he sleeping? He needed all of these things, and when he got so caught up in something that he loved, he would forget these things.
Ohno was acting with Nino as he always did, and on the interview they did for Music Lovers, the Ohnmiya moment with forgetting when their managers would pick them up was indeed classic fan service, subtle and amusing, but enough to set the fans on edge. So what was it that Jun knew, that Ohno was feeling, that Jun thought that Sho should be able to pick up on? Jun took very good care of Ohno when Ohno needed something, and most the time, Ohno did seek Jun out. But Jun was right, this time, for some reason it had been Sho. So he needed to do something for Ohno, and he needed to do it right. Nothing else would do. Nothing else was worthy of their Riida.
The question was, how was he going to pull off what he needed to, and would it even work?
All Sho knew was that Ohno had told him something was bothering him, in as direct a way at Ohno ever would.
Ohno only told him and Jun.
Jun was waiting for Sho to do something about it, instead of taking care of the matter himself, which was odd in and of itself.
And most importantly, and most confusingly, Sho thought Ohno’s hip movements were sexy, or was it that the hips were sexy. It was easier to admit now, that Ohno had sexy hips. And was attractive as a whole, but they were all attractive, no one could deny that. They made their livings off of being attractive, just as much as they did singing, and dancing, and casting, and playing with animals or any other number of things.
When later that day, Jun was chatting Sho, Sho noticed that Jun could not hide a smile when he noticed the way that Sho was watching Ohno and Nino across the room, studying their Riida with a fond smile, though Jun could see the worry there.
“So you did figure it out, it seems.” Jun commented lightly and Sho shrugged.
“I realized why he is down, but I am not sure what I can do about it.” Sho paused. “What does he want me to do, or how should I show him that it doesn’t matter than he is a year older, he is still the same, amazing Ohno that he has always been.” Sho replied softly and Jun chuckled.
“You are supposed to figure that one out. What use is an education if you cant manage the most basic of human relationships?” Jun’s voice was equally soft, and from the hesitation in his tone, Sho knew that there was something else coming that he would need to hear. “What you have not realized, or admitted yet, is that there is something else there.”
“Else?” Sho replied and Jun nodded.
“Why does it matter that he is down, why did he come to you, and why do you care so much?” Jun shifted, leaning closer to Sho as he spoke. “Until you know that, it will be hard to take the last course of action.”
“Does it matter that he is older, that any of us are older is still Ohno, and amazing, and his hip- dance rather, are amazing.” Sho commented, blushing at this revelation, and Jun smiled, leaning back with a smile, his arms crossed across his chest, and Sho could almost feel the satisfaction oozing off the other man as Aiba burst into the room, all sunshine and smiles, and the moment was gone, but Sho was certain that he heard Jun commenting that perhaps Sho did not have as much to realize after all.
And so Sho watched, and waited, and thought, and followed Ohno around when they had free time, trying to see if he could catch him, or become inspired at to what exactly he should do to make Ohno feel better. Sho was still not certain that Ohno was feeling down because of his birthday, and it was not like he could, or would, just walk up to the man and start a conversation with the words “So, I hear that you are getting old,” or “if you are old than I am old, and that isn’t possible,” and starting with “so I think your hips are sexy, so cheer up” wouldn’t really work either, so Sho was at a loss as to what to do. If Ohno would come out and TELL him what was wrong, that it would be easier to fuss and fret over him, and assure him that he was wrong, and these things were not true, but this was Ohno, and Ohno would never do something like that, so Sho was a little stuck. Which was rare, as he was usually the go get it, I see the problem and I will fix it sort of person, much as Jun was. It was just how they worked, where at Ohno, and Nino, and even to some extent Aiba, were more go with the flow, it will work out kinds of people. But he could come up with nothing, and it was frustrating, as Ohno’s birthday was rapidly approaching.
Which was what lead Sho to stalking - well following really - Ohno around the jumisho in the evenings even more than he already had (when their work was done (which did not leave Sho with much free time, but this was Satoshi-kun, and worth it) in the hope that he could catch Ohno dancing again. That was all that Jun would suggest to Sho.
“You are smart, Sho-kun. You can figure out what you need to do, I am sure of it.” Was all Jun would say, and later, when Ohno was napping, his head pillowed in Jun’s lap, Jun would just watch Ohno, then look to Sho, a challenge in his gaze. He did not need words to ask his question of Sho, which was, when are you going to step up and take care of this?
It was a fair question, and a challenge, and Sho would just stare back at Jun, who would hide a smile behind a yawn, and Sho knew that it had to be soon, what other choice did they have. Ohno was not getting any better, though he was not getting worse, and whatever was bothering him was subtle enough that only Jun, and Sho had noticed it, or perhaps it was that those were the only people that he was letting see it.
But Ohno’s birthday was rapidly approaching, and Sho had not yet come up with anything that would be of any help, or any plan at all. Mostly, he just kept starting at Ohno, and getting lost in thought. Sho knew that he had been caught starting at Ohno by Ohno, and Jun, and that Jun was sending Ohno messages that made the other smile, and chuckle when he pulled the phone out of his pocket to look at the message. And the looks, the arched eyebrow, and the twisting of his lips set Sho on edge. He knew he was supposed to do something about it, and it seemed that all Jun was doing was letting him know that he was failing to do anything about it.
Sho was infinitely aware of his failure with Satoshi-kun.
Which was why Sho was surprised, on Ohno’s pre birthday since none of their schedules quite worked out on the actual day drinking and dinner event, that Jun made certain that it was Sho who was in charge of Ohno for the night. Which was a bit odd, as they were at Sho’s place, and usually on nights like this they all crashed out, but Jun was herding a drunken Aiba, and a tipsy but leechlike Nino out of his apartment. Sho wondered if there was something going on there, since as the door closed, he could see Nino’s hand on Jun’s ass, grabbing and groping in the same way that he often did to Ohno, but instead of the expected ‘Oi cut that out’ or any reaction on Jun’s part at all, which is what one expected when groping Jun, there was nothing, no comment, no reaction, just the door closing, and Sho could not help but stare after it, stunned.
Had he missed something when he had been preoccupied with his musings about Ohno?
It took Ohno’s soft chuckle, from behind him on the couch, for Sho to realize that he was neglecting his guest, instead staring at the closed door in shock.
“Surprised, Sho-kun?” Ohno’s voice was sleepy, his words slightly slurred, but Sho would be surprised if they weren’t from the amount of tequila that Ohno had ingested over the course of the evening.
Sho hmmed, turning back to Ohno and settling down on the couch beside the older man.
“Sho-kun has been preoccupied with something, so he did not notice, but I think that Nino-chan is happy, which is good.”
Sho nodded, unsure of what to say as Ohno scooted closer to him on the couch, his legs folded under him so he sat facing Sho, watching him with half-closed eyes. “Why had Sho-kun been so distracted? It is odd to not see Sho-kun acting like himself.” Ohno asked, and Sho was certain that he was blushing.
“I-I-It is just that-“ Sho stammered, and then drew in a deep breath. “It is just that I noticed that Satoshi-kun was a little down, or at least it seemed like you were down, and I was worried when you mentioned that you were tired after dancing and-“ Sho paused, glancing to Ohno, who was watching him, unmoving on the couch, his hands folded in his lap, and it struck Sho as only a little odd that Ohno was sitting seiza style on the couch, waiting for Sho to speak. But it was not odd enough for Sho to say anything, since it was Ohno, and Sho was certain that if he did not do this now, while Ohno was half drunk, and probably not going to recall in the morning, that he was probably not going to do it at all, since he had effectively been stalking Ohno for the past few weeks and nothing had yet come of it was far as the cheer Ohno up since he seems down plan.
“And I thought it was odd, and wondered if you were worried about your birthday, since it is soon, but I thought that it cannot be that, since Satoshi-kun isn’t old, since that would make me old, and I am too young to be old, and there are too many other things to do for us to be old, and I hoped that it was not that, but I could not be sure. And so I started following you around,” Sho paused as Ohno chuckled.
“I had noticed Sho-kun. He doesn’t make a very good stalker.”
“Ah-sorry?” Sho offered and Ohno chuffled, shaking his head.
“It is alright, I don’t mind if its Sho-kun.”
Sho was stunned, and sat, blinking at Ohno for a moment.
“Ahh-“ Sho stammered, and when Ohno said nothing more Sho continued. “But I was watching Ohno, and he seemed sad and I couldn’t figure out why, and then I realized that all of us are getting older, but if it is Arashi, and if it is with Satoshi-kun then it is alright. Satsoshi-kun still danced well, you always have, and I cannot help but wish that I could move like that. But I am too stiff, and not flexible enough, and even if I were, I would not be able to move like Satoshi-kun, and even if I could it would not be as sexy and-“ Sho stopped as he realized what he had just admitted, and he froze, looking anywhere but at Ohno. He did not just admit that he would Ohno sexy, to Ohno. That would be very bad. Maximum bad really.
The soft chuckling and the shifting on the couch beside him could also not be a good thing.
Ohno was laughing at him. Laughing
“Sho-kun thinks too much.” Was all the warning that he got before a hand brushed his cheek, turning his head so that lips could press against lips, and Sho was quite certain that it was not an amazing kiss, as he was sure that his mouth fell open, his lips parting in surprise, and he was staring at Ohno with wide eyes, and it was rude to stare when being kissed, but it was Ohno, and Ohno was kissing him, and - and it was nice.
Sho found that he, after the initial surprise, and staring, melted into the kiss, leaning into Ohno’s hand, and kissed the other back, noting with pleasure the happy sound that Ohno made as Sho began to participate in the kiss, his hand tentatively moving to his cheek to cup the hand that Ohno had there.
“Sho-kun definitely thinks too much.” Ohno repeated as he broke the kiss, grinning at Sho. “I was beginning to think you had not noticed, but Jun said to be patient, but-“ Ohno paused, tilting his head and looking Sho in the eyes, and Sho was stunned at the seriousness there. “But I like Sho-kun, and I did not want to wait for him to figure it out anymore, since I think that Sho-kun knows that he likes me too.”
“I-I do?” Sho stammered and Ohno shifted back, looking at Sho in confusion.
“You stare at me like Nino and Jun’s stared at each other, and you think I am sexy, was it wrong for me to kiss you? Jun-kun and I were certain that you did, and Jun is never wrong about these things.” Ohno asked, frowning, and Sho could see the frown turning into a pout, something that he never liked to see on Ohno.
“No no, it is fine. I just-“ Sho paused, “I guess I just hadn’t realized what the significance of be finding you sexy meant, but it is fine. And you and Jun were-“ Sho stopped as Ohno cut him off with a kiss, a quick one, but it was enough to silence Sho.
“Sho-kun is a little slow sometimes, but that is alright, since I like him anyways.” Ohno grinned, a wide and happy grin, his eyes crinkling closed with his pleasure, and Sho was struck, again at just how adorable and attractive Ohno Satoshi really was. Perhaps it was something that he always knew, but it was Riida, and so that had meant that it was just not something that one considered. Except that he was, and he had, and he wanted to, and he wanted to keep marveling at the amazingness that was Ohno.
And so Sho leaned in, initiating the kiss this time, and he could feel Ohno smiling against his lips as he pulled him closer.
He had not done things in a direct manner, and he was fairly sure that he had not managed to cheer Ohno up at all, at least not about the entire getting older thing, but perhaps distracting Ohno from those thoughts with lots of kisses, and perhaps a relationship, though that was something that would need to be talked about when there was less kissing going on, and when Ohno was not really as drunk (though Sho was beginning to wonder if Ohno was really that drunk at all, and if he was he hoped that he was not so drunk as to forget this (which was the opposite of what he had hoped earlier, but Sho was allowed to change his mind on these sorts of things)). But that would wait until later. Right now, there was kissing, and it was good.
“I am glad that Sho-kun likes me as well.” Ohno spoke against Sho’s lips, and Sho could do nothing but nod in agreement. And for once, he was glad for Ohno’s intuition, and Jun’s micromanagement of the group, since he was sure that without Jun’s matchmaking nudges this would not have come to be.