Gift fic for prevaricatory
To: prevaricatory
From: the_suit_case
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Title: Are You There, Yoko? It's Me, God
Pairing/Group: Yoko/Koyama
Rating: G/PG
Warnings: None.
Notes: prevaricatory, I am so sorry that this is probably everything you didn't want. : ( I still hope you enjoy it at least a little bit. : )
Summary: Maybe he has become a bit of a loser for Koyama. But that's not love, and it's not his fault.
It's a few weeks after Nishikido and Uchi have pretty much been kidnapped and forced into NEWS that Yokoyama gets the first text.
Ryo passed out today. Make sure he takes care of himself when he gets back with Kanjani, ne? He hates seeming weak, so don't mention I told you.
Yokoyama blinks at the LCD screen, then blinks at Murakami, then blinks at his phone again. "Guys. I think god just texted me."
Shibutani rolls his eyes.
"No, seriously. Who else would know that Ryo passed out today?"
"Ryo passed out?"
"Apparently," and he turns his phone for Murakami and Shibutani to see.
"God wouldn't lower himself and live in Tokyo when he could be in Osaka," Shibutani tells Yokoyama when he recognises where the number is from. Yokoyama agrees, but you never know; god could have handles in every city and just got confused.
*
'God' turns out to be Koyama Keiichiro, but Yokoyama's already saved his number under 'Kami-sama' and he's too lazy to change it now.
Why are you texting me about Ryo-chan anyway? Yokoyama asks him.
We're the oldest! We have to watch out for our members! Especially the members we share!
Yokoyama snorts and doesn't text back.
*
Ryo-chan's snoring~~~ He's really cute, ne? Koyama texts him a few days later.
Ryo snores a lot when he's actually sleeping. Yokoyama texts back.
Why doesn't Kanjani let him sleep? He's always tired when we get him.
Why doesn't NEWS? He's even more tired when we get him back. And god, Yokoyama doesn't mean to be bitter, but sometimes he can't help it; Nishikido and Uchi weren't so spread thin and hollow-eyed before NEWS.
We always let Ryo-chan sleep; he yells at us if we're loud.
So yell back.
Koyama keysmashes in response. But he'll kill us! comes a few minutes after that with a thousand horrified emoticons.
Yokoyama laughs so hard at the thought of Nishikido being scary that Maruyama starts giving him dirty looks.
*
When Yokoyama wakes up, it's because there's so much spam from Koyama that his inbox is full and every message Yasuda tries to send bounces back so Yasuda just calls. Yokoyama is bleary and just agrees with whatever Yasuda wants before hanging up and seeing his inbox full icon flashing on the screen.
Yokoyama never has enough mail to fill up to his limit, so he flips his phone back open to check and see what his retarded band mates have sent, but it's just picture after picture of Uchi belly-laughing, his eyes bright and tears leaking down his face. Yokoyama hasn't seen Uchi laughing like that since NEWS formed, since all the sleepless nights and endless train rides began.
God, what did you do to Ryo-chan to make Uchi laugh like that?
Koyama just sends him a happy emoticon.
*
Suddenly, Koyama starts texting him everyday. Most of the time it's about Nishikido, but sometimes it's about the girl on the train that reminds him of Shibutani-kun, or a picture of a really cool shirt that Koyama thinks Yasuda-kun would like.
Yokoyama doesn't even always text back, but that doesn't seem to discourage Koyama in the least.
*
Don't forget Uchi's birthday! Koyama texts at the beginning of September.
Yokoyama is offended. Don't forget Yasu's, he texts back, even though Koyama has no reason to know Yasuda's.
I won't! Koyama promises, and the day after his birthday, Yasuda walks in the dressing room and shows off the huge bouquet NEWS sent him.
*
Ryo and Uchi are in a nasty mood. Koyama texts.
Yokoyama stills. Nishikido's bad moods are nothing he hasn't seen before. Uchi, however, is rarely in a bad mood. Usually happy, bright, loving, occasionally sulky, more recently exhausted. But rarely in a bad mood.
Thanks for the warning. Yokoyama texts back and when Nishikido and Uchi storm into their rehearsal room, it's every bit as bad as they've prepared themselves for.
*
Good morning! Wear a sweater! It's cold today, and you're not used to Tokyo weather.
Koyama knows Yokoyama is headed to Tokyo, apparently, but doesn't say anything about meeting up, even though they've talked every day for months and months.
Yokoyama kind of wonders why it bothers him.
*
"Who texts you at five AM?" Yasuda asks sleepily, his head cradled against Yokoyama's shoulder.
Yokoyama shrugs. "God." He still hasn't gotten around to changing 'Kami-sama' to 'Koyama.'
"God?"
"His text message boyfriend," Shibutani says from the next row of seats. "Yoko's probably never even met him."
Yokoyama sticks his tongue out, even if Shibutani can't see it, as he flips his phone open.
*
Kanjani8 is to guest on an episode of the Shounen Club. KAT-TUN guest-hosts, but Koyama's backstage for some reason, buttoning Taiyou into his costume and finding Kitayama's skates and trying to flatten Jimmy Mackey's hair so he doesn't look so much like a cockatiel.
He smiles at Yokoyama, and then at Nishikido and Uchi, and then at the rest of Kanjani8, before he disappears during the opening medley.
Why did you leave? Tackey took us all to dinner! he texts Koyama later.
Sorry! Had dinner plans with Shige. Tackey-senpai really invited you all?
He invited Subaru and the rest of us just came along anyway, even KAT-TUN.
There's that horrified emoticon that Koyama tends to favor. You shouldn't take advantage of your senpai like that!
Yokoyama sends a smiley face in response.
*
Congratulations on debuting! Koyama texts, sending three messages full of tiny red hearts and cake.
Yokoyama isn't sure why, but he finds himself saving each one.
*
I saw your PV on one of the screens in Shibuya today! Koyama texts.
Yokoyama sends a smiley face back.
You can see right up Murakami-kun's nose!
Yokoyama laughs and laughs and laughs until Murakami threatens to strangle him. He texts Koyama back and asks for pictures.
Murakami is not impressed when pictures arrive in Yokoyama's phone an hour later and Yokoyama steals Murakami's phone so he can send the picture to everyone in Murakami's phonebook.
*
The first time Yokoyama takes the first step and calls Koyama, it's because of the scandal.
"Their phones are off. Tell them we're coming to Tokyo."
Koyama's reply is slow in coming. "Ryo's locked himself in NEWS's bathroom. Kusano and Shige have taken Uchi back to his apartment. Neither of them are really paying attention to much any of us have to say." He sounds exhausted and partly dead; Yokoyama hopes that NEWS is comforting each other like Kanjani8 is because no one needs to be alone at a time like this, even if NEWS isn't that kind of group.
"The train leaves in an hour."
He hangs up and texts Koyama a few minutes later. Nevermind, we're not allowed to go anywhere. Just Ohkura is going.
Yokoyama's too upset about not going to Tokyo and whacking Uchi in the head to really think about anything else. He holds his phone in his hands all night and tries to come up with encouraging messages, but in the end, all he can manage is a frowny face.
*
Koyama doesn't say anything after Uchi's suspension.
He still texts about Nishikido, still sends random pictures of the flowers growing in the cracks of the sidewalks near his mother's house, but he doesn't mention Uchi. It's a sore spot for both of them, Yokoyama knows, and he's relieved that Koyama doesn't try to say anything about it.
But sometimes, it really feels that Koyama's holding back, even in the midst of all his happy, sunny, smiley texts.
*
Ryo-chan has been too stressed to eat. Take him to dinner?
Stop trying to spend my money. Yokoyama texts back, but he takes Nishikido for soba when he sees how worn thin Nishikido's become.
*
Okay, so Koyama calls and Koyama texts and Koyama e-mails, so Koyama's always there. Until he's not.
It's the second morning without a wake up sleepy! : ) text before Yokoyama even really takes notice. But by the third morning, he's kind of frantic.
Is everyone okay? he texts Nishikido.
Nishikido takes the entire day to text back. Stop being a loser. Is who okay?
Yokoyama can't bring himself to reply with Koyama's name so he doesn't reply at all and texts Uchi instead, even though Uchi's been back in Osaka for months and won't know anything.
"Yoko must really like Koyama, ne?" Uchi sings when he calls instead of texting back. He sounds tired.
Yoko kind of groans.
"NEWS is going on suspension. That's probably why Koyama's been ignoring you. I think he's pretty upset about it."
"You think?"
Uchi just makes a pathetic sound.
*
In a way, Yokoyama's kind of unsure how he feels about NEWS's suspension.
On one hand, Kanjani8 gets Nishikido back; they don't have Uchi, and Yokoyama isn't sure which is better, just Nishikido all the time or both of them part time.
Nishikido is more prickly now, eager to snap and criticize, like how he is with NEWS, on edge.
Just as much as Yokoyama's relieved, he's disappointed, because now Koyama has no reason to text him every day, and god, when did Koyama get under his skin so much?
*
Yoko-chan's hair looks really nice! I just saw you on TV. Did Ryo make you? Koyama finally texts him a week later. There's none of the standard emoticons, but Yokoyama is just so glad to see a text from Kami-sama sitting in his inbox he doesn't even notice how plain the message is.
Did Ryo make me what?
Cut your hair!
That's hilarious.
What is?
Yokoyama doesn't answer, but he beams the rest of the day.
*
Koyama doesn't seem to have anything at all to do anymore, so he spends his time sending Yokoyama pictures. Of his cat. Of his feet. Of a random billboard in Shibuya that Yokoyama can't find the significance of. Of what his mom made him for dinner.
At first, Yokoyama texts him back when he's bored or feeling amiable enough, pictures of Nishikido napping backstage, of the alarm clock in his hotel room, of whatever is right outside his train window.
It gets to the point where he doesn't really have a lot of time between filming and touring so he hardly ever has the energy to text back, but it's always like a little boost up when Koyama sends him pictures of coffee cups and tells him to stop looking so tired.
*
Countdown is crazy and ridiculous and amazing.
Everyone has huge smiles, especially Nishikido who keeps running back to NEWS's dressing room, as if he's trying to prove it finally exists again.
Yokoyama catches sight of Koyama for the first time during TegoMasu's song. He's crying and clinging to whomever lets him near. After NEWS's performance, Koyama makes his way over to Kanjani8's area backstage and at the end of the night, Yokoyama finds himself with Koyama still wrapped around his arm and Kato-kun trying to pry him off so they can leave.
Yokoyama isn't sure what to think about Kato-kun when heat flares up in his chest.
*
And then, it's suddenly the exact opposite of the year before, because Koyama is flying to America and touring and hosting and singing and barely sleeping. He still texts when he can, but Yokoyama finds himself turning his cellphone over in his hands during odd hours of the day, waiting for the special ringtone he's set for Koyama.
*
Yokoyama feels things should be more awkward on the set of the Yukan Club. Or maybe less awkward. Or maybe more something else that he isn't sure of.
Koyama comes on set with wide smiles. He flattens Akanishi's hair and trades puns with Taguchi and flirts with all the girls until he's blushing. The girls think he's cute, fresh. Different from Yokoyama, Akanishi, and Taguchi. All drama stars feel that way about guests, Yokoyama's noticed.
Koyama smiles at him, his eyes slanting shut, and calls him Yokoyama-kun even if he always texts Yoko-chan.
*
"Oh god, you're in love with Keii-chan," Akanishi laughs on Koyama's last day.
Yokoyama panics at the L word and threatens to dye Akanishi's hair pink if he says anything to Koyama.
"At least we'll finally be in manga compliance," Taguchi comments.
Akanishi doesn't say anything; he's too busy laughing.
Yokoyama considers drowning himself.
*
Okay, it's not that Yokoyama really thinks he's in love with Koyama.
It's just that sometimes when Koyama forgets to text him goodnight, he forgets to sleep. And when Koyama calls and tells him about dinner with Kato, he loses his appetite. And when he overhears Nishikido telling Uchi that Koyama's been eyeing some Junior inappropriately, he stops breathing.
So yeah, maybe he has become a bit of a loser for Koyama. But that's not love, and it's not his fault. It's Koyama's, because Koyama's made him this way, spent the last four years shaping him into this pathetic mess. Actually, the more Yokoyama thinks about it, the more it seems like something Koyama's deliberately done.
He kind of wonders why Nishikido never warned him about what a manipulative bastard Koyama really is.
*
I know what you've been trying to do, and it hasn't been working. Yokoyama texts that night when he's drunkenly trying to find his way back to Nishikido's apartment.
What have I been trying to do, Yoko-chan! Koyama texts back pretty much immediately.
You know what, and I'd like it if you'd stop.
When Koyama tries calling, Yokoyama hits ignore.
*
Yokoyama has never, ever been face-to-face with Koyama alone before, and he's not expecting Koyama when he yanks Nishikido's door open at seven-thirty the next morning. So he kind of squawks. Loudly. Then he has to clutch at his head.
"What did I do, Yokoyama-kun?!" Koyama asks in a rush.
Yokoyama groans. "God, I don't know. I was drunk and can't remember," he lies, slumping against the door frame.
"You're not mad at me?"
Yokoyama kind of groans again and closes his eyes.
Koyama still looks worried as he slips past Yokoyama into Nishikido's apartment.
*
Koyama knows his way around Nishikido's kitchen far too well for all that Nishikido claims to hate him. He opens the bottom drawer for the tea and knows the kettle is on top of the refrigerator and Yokoyama's been living at Nishikido's for two months and had no idea that the sugar is stored in the vegetable crisper. Yokoyama's tea is perfect in ways only his mother gets and he looks at Koyama with carefully averted eyes.
"Where's Ryo-chan?" Koyama asks, and Yokoyama shrugs.
"Don't you have filming today?" Koyama asks, and Yokoyama has no idea.
"Are you okay?" Koyama asks, and Yokoyama chokes on his tea when Koyama leans into his face to check his temperature.
"Of course I'm okay," Yokoyama is lying when his cellphone starts beeping his alarm. He wipes at his mouth as he fumbles around Nishikido's living room before finding his phone under a crumpled shirt. When he flips his phone open to turn his alarm off, he notices he has nineteen unread messages. All from Koyama.
Yokoyama lifts a brow at Koyama. At least he tries to; he's still hungover and he just manages a grimace. "Nineteen messages? In five hours?"
Koyama has the grace to blush. "I wanted to make sure you weren't mad at me me. You wouldn't answer your phone."
"Why does it matter?" Yokoyama asks. Because really, besides their text messaging and Yokoyama's attachment, they really have nothing to do with each other. They aren't really friends - it shouldn't matter if Yokoyama hates him.
"I like Yokoyama-kun," Koyama says, burying his face against his arms on the table. Yokoyama can see the blush on the back of his neck. "I don't want you to hate me."
"What?"
"I've been hoping you'd figure it out for months."
Yokoyama blinks. "Why me?" Because really, there are thousands of people who would match Koyama better.
"You're the only one that never tells me to stop bothering you. I hope you don't mind I've gotten more attached than I should."
Yokoyama doesn't feel quite so hungover anymore when Koyama looks up with hopeful eyes.
*
"Christ, Yoko. Why is god texting you nothing but hearts? It's kind of sickening."
Yokoyama smiles to himself as he snatches his phone out of Nishikido's hand.
From: the_suit_case
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Title: Are You There, Yoko? It's Me, God
Pairing/Group: Yoko/Koyama
Rating: G/PG
Warnings: None.
Notes: prevaricatory, I am so sorry that this is probably everything you didn't want. : ( I still hope you enjoy it at least a little bit. : )
Summary: Maybe he has become a bit of a loser for Koyama. But that's not love, and it's not his fault.
It's a few weeks after Nishikido and Uchi have pretty much been kidnapped and forced into NEWS that Yokoyama gets the first text.
Ryo passed out today. Make sure he takes care of himself when he gets back with Kanjani, ne? He hates seeming weak, so don't mention I told you.
Yokoyama blinks at the LCD screen, then blinks at Murakami, then blinks at his phone again. "Guys. I think god just texted me."
Shibutani rolls his eyes.
"No, seriously. Who else would know that Ryo passed out today?"
"Ryo passed out?"
"Apparently," and he turns his phone for Murakami and Shibutani to see.
"God wouldn't lower himself and live in Tokyo when he could be in Osaka," Shibutani tells Yokoyama when he recognises where the number is from. Yokoyama agrees, but you never know; god could have handles in every city and just got confused.
*
'God' turns out to be Koyama Keiichiro, but Yokoyama's already saved his number under 'Kami-sama' and he's too lazy to change it now.
Why are you texting me about Ryo-chan anyway? Yokoyama asks him.
We're the oldest! We have to watch out for our members! Especially the members we share!
Yokoyama snorts and doesn't text back.
*
Ryo-chan's snoring~~~ He's really cute, ne? Koyama texts him a few days later.
Ryo snores a lot when he's actually sleeping. Yokoyama texts back.
Why doesn't Kanjani let him sleep? He's always tired when we get him.
Why doesn't NEWS? He's even more tired when we get him back. And god, Yokoyama doesn't mean to be bitter, but sometimes he can't help it; Nishikido and Uchi weren't so spread thin and hollow-eyed before NEWS.
We always let Ryo-chan sleep; he yells at us if we're loud.
So yell back.
Koyama keysmashes in response. But he'll kill us! comes a few minutes after that with a thousand horrified emoticons.
Yokoyama laughs so hard at the thought of Nishikido being scary that Maruyama starts giving him dirty looks.
*
When Yokoyama wakes up, it's because there's so much spam from Koyama that his inbox is full and every message Yasuda tries to send bounces back so Yasuda just calls. Yokoyama is bleary and just agrees with whatever Yasuda wants before hanging up and seeing his inbox full icon flashing on the screen.
Yokoyama never has enough mail to fill up to his limit, so he flips his phone back open to check and see what his retarded band mates have sent, but it's just picture after picture of Uchi belly-laughing, his eyes bright and tears leaking down his face. Yokoyama hasn't seen Uchi laughing like that since NEWS formed, since all the sleepless nights and endless train rides began.
God, what did you do to Ryo-chan to make Uchi laugh like that?
Koyama just sends him a happy emoticon.
*
Suddenly, Koyama starts texting him everyday. Most of the time it's about Nishikido, but sometimes it's about the girl on the train that reminds him of Shibutani-kun, or a picture of a really cool shirt that Koyama thinks Yasuda-kun would like.
Yokoyama doesn't even always text back, but that doesn't seem to discourage Koyama in the least.
*
Don't forget Uchi's birthday! Koyama texts at the beginning of September.
Yokoyama is offended. Don't forget Yasu's, he texts back, even though Koyama has no reason to know Yasuda's.
I won't! Koyama promises, and the day after his birthday, Yasuda walks in the dressing room and shows off the huge bouquet NEWS sent him.
*
Ryo and Uchi are in a nasty mood. Koyama texts.
Yokoyama stills. Nishikido's bad moods are nothing he hasn't seen before. Uchi, however, is rarely in a bad mood. Usually happy, bright, loving, occasionally sulky, more recently exhausted. But rarely in a bad mood.
Thanks for the warning. Yokoyama texts back and when Nishikido and Uchi storm into their rehearsal room, it's every bit as bad as they've prepared themselves for.
*
Good morning! Wear a sweater! It's cold today, and you're not used to Tokyo weather.
Koyama knows Yokoyama is headed to Tokyo, apparently, but doesn't say anything about meeting up, even though they've talked every day for months and months.
Yokoyama kind of wonders why it bothers him.
*
"Who texts you at five AM?" Yasuda asks sleepily, his head cradled against Yokoyama's shoulder.
Yokoyama shrugs. "God." He still hasn't gotten around to changing 'Kami-sama' to 'Koyama.'
"God?"
"His text message boyfriend," Shibutani says from the next row of seats. "Yoko's probably never even met him."
Yokoyama sticks his tongue out, even if Shibutani can't see it, as he flips his phone open.
*
Kanjani8 is to guest on an episode of the Shounen Club. KAT-TUN guest-hosts, but Koyama's backstage for some reason, buttoning Taiyou into his costume and finding Kitayama's skates and trying to flatten Jimmy Mackey's hair so he doesn't look so much like a cockatiel.
He smiles at Yokoyama, and then at Nishikido and Uchi, and then at the rest of Kanjani8, before he disappears during the opening medley.
Why did you leave? Tackey took us all to dinner! he texts Koyama later.
Sorry! Had dinner plans with Shige. Tackey-senpai really invited you all?
He invited Subaru and the rest of us just came along anyway, even KAT-TUN.
There's that horrified emoticon that Koyama tends to favor. You shouldn't take advantage of your senpai like that!
Yokoyama sends a smiley face in response.
*
Congratulations on debuting! Koyama texts, sending three messages full of tiny red hearts and cake.
Yokoyama isn't sure why, but he finds himself saving each one.
*
I saw your PV on one of the screens in Shibuya today! Koyama texts.
Yokoyama sends a smiley face back.
You can see right up Murakami-kun's nose!
Yokoyama laughs and laughs and laughs until Murakami threatens to strangle him. He texts Koyama back and asks for pictures.
Murakami is not impressed when pictures arrive in Yokoyama's phone an hour later and Yokoyama steals Murakami's phone so he can send the picture to everyone in Murakami's phonebook.
*
The first time Yokoyama takes the first step and calls Koyama, it's because of the scandal.
"Their phones are off. Tell them we're coming to Tokyo."
Koyama's reply is slow in coming. "Ryo's locked himself in NEWS's bathroom. Kusano and Shige have taken Uchi back to his apartment. Neither of them are really paying attention to much any of us have to say." He sounds exhausted and partly dead; Yokoyama hopes that NEWS is comforting each other like Kanjani8 is because no one needs to be alone at a time like this, even if NEWS isn't that kind of group.
"The train leaves in an hour."
He hangs up and texts Koyama a few minutes later. Nevermind, we're not allowed to go anywhere. Just Ohkura is going.
Yokoyama's too upset about not going to Tokyo and whacking Uchi in the head to really think about anything else. He holds his phone in his hands all night and tries to come up with encouraging messages, but in the end, all he can manage is a frowny face.
*
Koyama doesn't say anything after Uchi's suspension.
He still texts about Nishikido, still sends random pictures of the flowers growing in the cracks of the sidewalks near his mother's house, but he doesn't mention Uchi. It's a sore spot for both of them, Yokoyama knows, and he's relieved that Koyama doesn't try to say anything about it.
But sometimes, it really feels that Koyama's holding back, even in the midst of all his happy, sunny, smiley texts.
*
Ryo-chan has been too stressed to eat. Take him to dinner?
Stop trying to spend my money. Yokoyama texts back, but he takes Nishikido for soba when he sees how worn thin Nishikido's become.
*
Okay, so Koyama calls and Koyama texts and Koyama e-mails, so Koyama's always there. Until he's not.
It's the second morning without a wake up sleepy! : ) text before Yokoyama even really takes notice. But by the third morning, he's kind of frantic.
Is everyone okay? he texts Nishikido.
Nishikido takes the entire day to text back. Stop being a loser. Is who okay?
Yokoyama can't bring himself to reply with Koyama's name so he doesn't reply at all and texts Uchi instead, even though Uchi's been back in Osaka for months and won't know anything.
"Yoko must really like Koyama, ne?" Uchi sings when he calls instead of texting back. He sounds tired.
Yoko kind of groans.
"NEWS is going on suspension. That's probably why Koyama's been ignoring you. I think he's pretty upset about it."
"You think?"
Uchi just makes a pathetic sound.
*
In a way, Yokoyama's kind of unsure how he feels about NEWS's suspension.
On one hand, Kanjani8 gets Nishikido back; they don't have Uchi, and Yokoyama isn't sure which is better, just Nishikido all the time or both of them part time.
Nishikido is more prickly now, eager to snap and criticize, like how he is with NEWS, on edge.
Just as much as Yokoyama's relieved, he's disappointed, because now Koyama has no reason to text him every day, and god, when did Koyama get under his skin so much?
*
Yoko-chan's hair looks really nice! I just saw you on TV. Did Ryo make you? Koyama finally texts him a week later. There's none of the standard emoticons, but Yokoyama is just so glad to see a text from Kami-sama sitting in his inbox he doesn't even notice how plain the message is.
Did Ryo make me what?
Cut your hair!
That's hilarious.
What is?
Yokoyama doesn't answer, but he beams the rest of the day.
*
Koyama doesn't seem to have anything at all to do anymore, so he spends his time sending Yokoyama pictures. Of his cat. Of his feet. Of a random billboard in Shibuya that Yokoyama can't find the significance of. Of what his mom made him for dinner.
At first, Yokoyama texts him back when he's bored or feeling amiable enough, pictures of Nishikido napping backstage, of the alarm clock in his hotel room, of whatever is right outside his train window.
It gets to the point where he doesn't really have a lot of time between filming and touring so he hardly ever has the energy to text back, but it's always like a little boost up when Koyama sends him pictures of coffee cups and tells him to stop looking so tired.
*
Countdown is crazy and ridiculous and amazing.
Everyone has huge smiles, especially Nishikido who keeps running back to NEWS's dressing room, as if he's trying to prove it finally exists again.
Yokoyama catches sight of Koyama for the first time during TegoMasu's song. He's crying and clinging to whomever lets him near. After NEWS's performance, Koyama makes his way over to Kanjani8's area backstage and at the end of the night, Yokoyama finds himself with Koyama still wrapped around his arm and Kato-kun trying to pry him off so they can leave.
Yokoyama isn't sure what to think about Kato-kun when heat flares up in his chest.
*
And then, it's suddenly the exact opposite of the year before, because Koyama is flying to America and touring and hosting and singing and barely sleeping. He still texts when he can, but Yokoyama finds himself turning his cellphone over in his hands during odd hours of the day, waiting for the special ringtone he's set for Koyama.
*
Yokoyama feels things should be more awkward on the set of the Yukan Club. Or maybe less awkward. Or maybe more something else that he isn't sure of.
Koyama comes on set with wide smiles. He flattens Akanishi's hair and trades puns with Taguchi and flirts with all the girls until he's blushing. The girls think he's cute, fresh. Different from Yokoyama, Akanishi, and Taguchi. All drama stars feel that way about guests, Yokoyama's noticed.
Koyama smiles at him, his eyes slanting shut, and calls him Yokoyama-kun even if he always texts Yoko-chan.
*
"Oh god, you're in love with Keii-chan," Akanishi laughs on Koyama's last day.
Yokoyama panics at the L word and threatens to dye Akanishi's hair pink if he says anything to Koyama.
"At least we'll finally be in manga compliance," Taguchi comments.
Akanishi doesn't say anything; he's too busy laughing.
Yokoyama considers drowning himself.
*
Okay, it's not that Yokoyama really thinks he's in love with Koyama.
It's just that sometimes when Koyama forgets to text him goodnight, he forgets to sleep. And when Koyama calls and tells him about dinner with Kato, he loses his appetite. And when he overhears Nishikido telling Uchi that Koyama's been eyeing some Junior inappropriately, he stops breathing.
So yeah, maybe he has become a bit of a loser for Koyama. But that's not love, and it's not his fault. It's Koyama's, because Koyama's made him this way, spent the last four years shaping him into this pathetic mess. Actually, the more Yokoyama thinks about it, the more it seems like something Koyama's deliberately done.
He kind of wonders why Nishikido never warned him about what a manipulative bastard Koyama really is.
*
I know what you've been trying to do, and it hasn't been working. Yokoyama texts that night when he's drunkenly trying to find his way back to Nishikido's apartment.
What have I been trying to do, Yoko-chan! Koyama texts back pretty much immediately.
You know what, and I'd like it if you'd stop.
When Koyama tries calling, Yokoyama hits ignore.
*
Yokoyama has never, ever been face-to-face with Koyama alone before, and he's not expecting Koyama when he yanks Nishikido's door open at seven-thirty the next morning. So he kind of squawks. Loudly. Then he has to clutch at his head.
"What did I do, Yokoyama-kun?!" Koyama asks in a rush.
Yokoyama groans. "God, I don't know. I was drunk and can't remember," he lies, slumping against the door frame.
"You're not mad at me?"
Yokoyama kind of groans again and closes his eyes.
Koyama still looks worried as he slips past Yokoyama into Nishikido's apartment.
*
Koyama knows his way around Nishikido's kitchen far too well for all that Nishikido claims to hate him. He opens the bottom drawer for the tea and knows the kettle is on top of the refrigerator and Yokoyama's been living at Nishikido's for two months and had no idea that the sugar is stored in the vegetable crisper. Yokoyama's tea is perfect in ways only his mother gets and he looks at Koyama with carefully averted eyes.
"Where's Ryo-chan?" Koyama asks, and Yokoyama shrugs.
"Don't you have filming today?" Koyama asks, and Yokoyama has no idea.
"Are you okay?" Koyama asks, and Yokoyama chokes on his tea when Koyama leans into his face to check his temperature.
"Of course I'm okay," Yokoyama is lying when his cellphone starts beeping his alarm. He wipes at his mouth as he fumbles around Nishikido's living room before finding his phone under a crumpled shirt. When he flips his phone open to turn his alarm off, he notices he has nineteen unread messages. All from Koyama.
Yokoyama lifts a brow at Koyama. At least he tries to; he's still hungover and he just manages a grimace. "Nineteen messages? In five hours?"
Koyama has the grace to blush. "I wanted to make sure you weren't mad at me me. You wouldn't answer your phone."
"Why does it matter?" Yokoyama asks. Because really, besides their text messaging and Yokoyama's attachment, they really have nothing to do with each other. They aren't really friends - it shouldn't matter if Yokoyama hates him.
"I like Yokoyama-kun," Koyama says, burying his face against his arms on the table. Yokoyama can see the blush on the back of his neck. "I don't want you to hate me."
"What?"
"I've been hoping you'd figure it out for months."
Yokoyama blinks. "Why me?" Because really, there are thousands of people who would match Koyama better.
"You're the only one that never tells me to stop bothering you. I hope you don't mind I've gotten more attached than I should."
Yokoyama doesn't feel quite so hungover anymore when Koyama looks up with hopeful eyes.
*
"Christ, Yoko. Why is god texting you nothing but hearts? It's kind of sickening."
Yokoyama smiles to himself as he snatches his phone out of Nishikido's hand.