[one-shot] The effect he has on people
Title: The Effect he has on people
Fandom: Kis-My-Ft2
Pairings/Characters: Miyata + Tamamori, others mentioned
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Nothing bad I think?
Disclaimer: Not mine. Owned by Johnny's & Associates
A/N: Birthday Fic for mousapelli!! ♥ I promised you something long and connected. So here goes. ;v;
Tamamori had never really put too much thought into things. Not until people directed his attention towards something or the other. This time was no exception. It had probably started with a conversation with Takimoto Miori on the Ikemen desu ne set one long afternoon. The weather was acting up and everyone was on standby, waiting.
Unwilling to fall asleep - the make-up would get screwed up and it would irritate his eyes - Tamamori was checking his mails on his phone instead.
“You’re glowing, Tama-chan,” Takimoto Miori smiled at him from the chair next to his.
Blinking, he looked back at her, “Huh?”
“You’re glowing. You know, not in the ‘star’ kind of way or so but you look really happy and you’re smiling. It makes me a little envious,” she looked a little wistful as she said that. “It is said that people in love have a really special glow around them.”
He didn’t really understand what she was saying at all and just kept blinking at her. Tamamori thought once more in his life that girls were some of the most mysterious beings on earth.
And that put them next to another very, very mysterious being he knew. The being that had just mailed him again. The being that had mailed him every single day, really. He’d read every mail. Even though other mails were piling up in his inbox at this point, seeing that he barely even had enough time to sleep between filming and all the other things that came with Kis-My-Ft2’s debut.
Filming took up his mind for the rest of the day and he forgot about the weird exchange with his co-star for a while. Until he came home that night and fell onto his bed. He was close enough to passing out but his mind hadn’t quite settled down enough for him to really drift off into unconsciousness or sleep.
Love?
~*~
The filming came to an end and his schedule slowly but surely started to normalize again somewhat.
“Miyacchi, we’re going for ramen after this,” he announced in their changing room before a show recording. “That one place by the station we went to after the photo shoot before?”
“Sure, Tama-chan!”
Fujigaya snorted softly, sitting on Tamamori’s other side, “And here some people were worried you wouldn’t be able to pull the whole ‘Ren’ thing off, being the all high and mighty leader. You totally have a bossy side that you could base it on.”
“He only has it when it comes to Miyacchi,” Kitayama commented and flattened his bed-hair again.
“I listen to everything Tama-chan says because I love him,” Miyata declared proudly.
“And here’s the first love declaration of the day!” Nikaido called out.
Senga looked at the other, “Totally can’t lose to them! I love you, Nika-chan!”
“Kenpi, I love you more!”
“Yes, yes, love is in the air. Come on, get your asses in gear and get ready! The stage rehearsal will start in a bit and we don’t want to look all green and unprofessional!” Fujigaya shooed them off and saw to it that everyone was getting ready properly.
Their time spent together as a group was only brief though because soon after the tour and everything finished, Miyata and Kitayama were whisked away for stage show rehearsals.
Tamamori slowly but surely started to realize that being the one away was a lot easier than being the one with a lot of time on their hands again suddenly. Also, to have his two most frequent ‘hang out with’ people taken away was very hard. Of course he got along well with everyone in the group and hanging out with the other - especially Fujigaya lately - was fun, too, he missed having Kitayama and Miyata around. Things just weren’t the same without them.
And what was even worse was that these kinds of thoughts were keeping him awake at night lately. He’d be grumpy and everything around him would start to annoy him. It was fine when he was just at home and had a day off but at work it just turned into a huge mess.
It had been one of those days again. Tamamori had come in to work with too little sleep and a flock of make-up women had to fix the rings under his eyes for half an hour. Then he had to spend most of the day watching horror movies - which he hated - in front of cameras no less. The horror movies really didn’t help with his inability to sleep. Whenever he’d tried to close his eyes on the train home he’d seen the mask from that one movie or heard the sound of a chainsaw from the other movie or there’d just be loads of blood and gore.
He had tried to get rid of the images for hours by watching other stuff before bed but he was still lying on his bed and was very much not asleep.
Looking at his clock, Tamamori frowned in displeasure. Why was he still not asleep? Was this sucky day never going to end? It was irritating the hell out of him. He was really tired and cranky but he still couldn’t fall asleep. He just wanted the day to end, really but it wouldn’t.
He checked his phone. No new messages. Well, who in the world would mail him at this hour? Everyone ELSE was probably fast asleep.
Mail.
There had been no mail from Miyata today. Or the day before. No good night mail and no good morning one either. And none in between. Nothing. For two days. That was a first, really. The other had always made sure to mail him at least once a day. Even if it was just ‘good morning Tama-chan’ or ‘good night, Tama-chan’ with a heart-mark.
Was that why this day had been so sucky and why he couldn’t fall asleep right now?
“That’s ridiculous!” he grumbled and rolled over, putting his phone back onto the nightstand.
A few hours later - none of which had been spent asleep - he walked into a studio again and made a beeline for his group-mate.
“Taipi, we’re going to see them on their first night. Remember, the stage show opens soon. I already asked our management,” Tamamori declared, dark rings under his eyes.
Fujigaya raised an eyebrow, “I see.”
“Go with me or I’ll tell the Duet staff why it would be a really awesome idea to have you and Mitsu snuggle up and be lovey-dovey for the next ten years, no make that eternity.”
That had Fujigaya agreeing in a matter of seconds. Tamamori really seemed to be in a bad mood. And with that newfound ‘Ren’ aura around him, Fujigaya did not doubt the other’s words. He was able to make people (other than Miyata) do as he pleased these days.
“Well, you already talked to our management after all. So, let’s go.”
“I knew you’d understand,” Tamamori nodded, satisfied, and went to crash on a couple of chairs for a few moments before the staff told them to get ready.
The lack of sleep pattern lasted until the next day though. The first thing he did when he was more or less coherent was to write and send a mail.
To: Miyata Toshiya
From: Tamamori Yuta
I’m coming to watch the play tonight. You better not screw up!
- Tama
Somehow, it felt odd to watch Miyata and not be there next to him, Tamamori thought as they watched the opening show. He was happy for the other though. Miyata looked good in the spotlight.
“Did you like it, Tama-chan?” Miyata grinned happily at him.
“It was good. But your drumming sucks!” Tamamori muttered.
Miyata’s grin only got wider at that. “That means you’ll have to teach me how to do it properly at some point!”
“Why would I do that? And what would be the point? The play will be long over by then!” Tamamori smacked the other. “Get changed. You’re all sweaty. It’s gross.” He watched as Miyata laughed but then obediently went to the changing rooms.
Kitayama snorted softly. “If it hadn’t been for your email, I wouldn’t have known what to do with him. He seemed so nervous before the show. Heck, I was nervous myself so I really wouldn’t have known what to do. So thanks for coming to support us, Tama-chan.”
Tamamori hummed softly in reply. He just seemed to acknowledge this piece of information in passing but in reality it made him feel happy somehow.
“Tell him he should mail me back.”
“Tell him yourself?” Kitayama offered and then went to get changed himself.
That night he finally slept like a rock and didn’t get up until late on the next day. He uncovered Teto’s cage and sighed. “I totally did not sleep really well because I saw him yesterday. It was because I didn’t manage to sleep at all before that, right Teto?” he petted his flying squirrel and put in the other’s food.
His pet didn’t answer of course so Tamamori was left to brood over the issue himself. But that didn’t get him anywhere. So he decided to consult with someone else.
About three hours later, he sat in a karaoke room with drinks and snacks with two other people.
“We’ve been friends for so long but lately I’ve been thinking and it’s just sort of- I don’t know, does anything change when you move a step further? Or you know, how do you know if it’s more and not just friendship still? Do you think he really means it when he says it? Or does he only do it to tease me or because it’s become a habit?” Tamamori sighed, at the end of his wits. “You two have been friends since forever and a day, no? How did it happen for you?”
Watanabe looked at Miyadate, who looked back at him. After another moment both of them turned back to look at Tamamori.
“To be honest, we probably won’t be able to tell you anything either,” Miyadate started.
Nodding, Watanabe added, “The thing is, you don’t know for sure. It’s hard to distinguish just friendship and more at this point. You can just take the gamble. You confess. There are only two options for what happens after. Either, he will reject it and you can just go all ‘I was joking’ or, he will accept it and everything will be fine.”
“How can you be so sure?” Tamamori asked.
A warm smile tugs up the corners of Watanabe’s lips, “If you’re this close, friends or more, there’s no way everything will just fall apart. Besides, he’s been confessing to you all the time. So it’ll be more than believable if you do it back as a joke, even if it wasn’t. You just have to make it convincing. Although really, I’m almost 100% sure you won’t have to make it believable.”
Miyadate agreed, “True. I don’t think so either. Go for it. We’ll be cheering you on!” He gave the other a thumbs-up. Then he asked, “By the way, why ask us out of all people?”
“Because I trust you not to blab about it. I don’t want half the jimusho to know by tomorrow,” Tamamori looked at the two. “So, please…”
The two (former) snowmen stayed true to their word and Tamamori did not hear anything about their discussion around when he arrived at work the next time. Although he felt that maybe his group mates were giving him odd looks but then again that wasn’t something new, really. He forgot about it quickly and got lost in his own thoughts again.
He was still trying to work out his own feelings. There were only a few more days left to do so.
~*~
When the Ikemen desu ne stage show finally came to an end and Tamamori seized the first chance he got to go out with Miyata again. It’s nothing fancy, just going out for food at one of their favorite ramen places. But it’s good enough.
When they sit next to each other at the counter, it almost felt like it’s been way too long since he’s been out with Miyata like this. Or maybe it just had been way too long really.
Miyata tells him about some thing or other and soon their bowls are empty. It’s then that Tamamori speaks up, more firmly than before.
“Want to stay over tonight?” it really isn’t a question anymore. It’s a request. Tamamori wants the other to come with him. He wants to tell the other. He had to do it tonight because if he didn’t he knew he might lose his courage to do so again. Or things would pass or things would change or- yes, he had to talk to Miyata. “It’s okay schedule wise, right?”
Smiling, Miyata replied, “If you want me to, Tama-chan?”
“Come on then. Not missing the train because of you,” Tamamori muttered and walked off towards the station ahead of them, knowing Miyata will follow.
He has time to brood over things once more during the train ride and he feels his resolve crumble a little bit but then Tamamori turns to look at Miyata again and when the other gives him a smile, he decides that he needs to do this.
They were half-way to Tamamori’s house, at a small park. Tamamori had deviated from the route leading straight to his home under the pretense of wanting a drink from the vending machine here. But he’s not getting a drink and Miyata’s blinking a little in confusion. It’s entirely awkward and Tamamori’s ears are burning even before he had even said it but he said it anyway. And it’s way worse than those confession things on Shonen Club or anything, too. The words just bubble out of him.
“It’s ridiculous how I cannot sleep when you don’t mail me. I feel like something is missing when you don’t say you like or love me. You do whatever I say and want, you make me presents, take me out…I can be myself around you and I feel comfortable when I’m around you. I’ve been thinking about this a long time and I think I-” he didn’t even get to say the crucial words. Miyata was kissing him already.
Tamamori stiffened at first but then he let his eyes fall shut and kissed back. It’s not the best kiss ever but Tamamori doesn’t complain. It feels better than other kisses he has shared with people. And it’s Miyata kissing him. That makes all the difference.
After a while, he pushes the other back, “Why did you stop me there?”
“It’s embarrassing for you to say it, no?” Miyata smiled. “I know what you want to say even without you having to say it. So there’s no need to be embarrassed, Tama-chan!”
“Idiot!” Tamamori shoved the other. “Gross. How come you come up with such sweet words when it comes to me and you totally screw up when cameras are around, huh?”
“Do you want me to piggyback you?”
“Hell no, there are still people around!”
“Does that mean you’ll let me piggyback you when there are no people around?”
Tamamori looked down and muttered, “Only when you’re sure that absolutely nobody’s looking.”
Miyata beamed at him and Tamamori shoved him. Needless to say that there was no piggybacking that night. They did take a bath together though. The two of them fit into the tub rather snugly - compared to when Kitayama was also there because then it became somewhat of a squeeze.
Once they had taken their bath, Tamamori went to get the spare futon for the other. While Miyata rolled it out, Tamamori went to get Teto from his cage and let his flying squirrel climb all over him in search for the treats Tamamori had hidden in his pockets. While Teto nibbled on the treats happily, while sitting on Tamamori’s shoulder, he sat down on the futon and looked at Miyata. The other looked back at him and the two just sat like that for a while.
“Cute,” Miyata smiled after another moment of silence.
Before Tamamori could react, Miyata had reached over to pet Teto gently. The squirrel looked up and climbed over Miyata’s arm. When Miyata withdrew his arm one of Teto’s paws flailed about and smacked Miyata’s nose.
Tamamori snickered at the sight not bothering to hide his amusement.
“Yuuta!” Miyata looked at the other.
Still chuckling, Tamamori took Teto back and went to put his pet back inside the cage. “Well, what do you think of my boyfriend, Teto?” he asked as he closed the cage. Teto hopped a bit. “I guess he approves of you,” he looked at Miyata.
Grinning, Miyata replied, “Go me?”
When Tamamori walked over to the bed, Miyata asked, “Can I kiss you good night?”
Pretending to think for a moment, Tamamori knelt back down on the futon then. “You may.”
“Good night then, Yuuta,” Miyata kissed him. It was a gentle and rather chaste kiss. Miyata wasn’t trying to dominate it or anything. He wasn’t exactly passive either, though. Whenever Tamamori would try to initiate something more or just think about it, Miyata would follow up or even run a step ahead of him, as if he were able to read Tamamori’s thoughts.
When they broke the kiss, he looked at the other incredulously, “How do you do that?”
“Do what?” Miyata blinked back in confusion.
“Never mind,” Tamamori brushed it off and got up again to walk over to his bed. “Good night.”
~*~
A few nights later found Tamamori out for dinner with Kitayama. Apparently Miyata had already spilled the beans to the other. Tamamori wasn’t made. Kitayama was someone he could confide in after all.
“So, what made you finally realize it, Tama-chan?” Kitayama asked casually - almost too casually and entirely too knowing for Tamamori’s taste though - and put another piece of meat onto the grill. “Did all his work pay off at last?”
“I don’t know,” Tamamori plucked the meat off the grill with his chopsticks. “It just happened. And it’s not like I didn’t like him before. You know, as a friend.”
Indulgent but with an eyebrow twitching, Kitayama put more meat onto the grill. “Well, I guess it came at the right time.”
“What do you mean?” Tamamori stole more meat from the grill.
“Well, unrequited feelings may not last forever. They may die slowly until they’re replaced by new feelings?” Kitayama grabbed some meat before Tamamori could steal it again. “What I’m saying is that he might have stopped focusing his attention on you so much. It’s hard to think of now but it might have happened if things had continued. We’re all changing. And having known each other for so long doesn’t mean that things can’t still change.”
“Are that your wise words or just your secret hope, Mitsu?” Tamamori asked and grinned, “You know, the hope that people will stop putting you into rabu-rabu squishy photo shoots with Gaya.”
Kitayama slammed another piece of meat onto the grill. “THAT has absolutely nothing to do with it.”
Tamamori grinned.
“Anyways, what are you going to do now that your relationship’s changed?” Kitayama changed the topic.
“Mh? What do you mean?” hadn’t Miyadate and Watanabe said nothing would really change?
“Well, yes you go out for food and to play but you know that’s the normal stuff. I mean apart from that. If he’s special to you, you should do something together that’s not like what you’ve done before, if you know what I mean. Go on a date. Not just ‘hang out’?” Kitayama pointed out.
Tamamori blinked, “Is there a difference?”
“Of course there is. It feels different. Also, it requires you to think differently,” he looked at Tamamori, expression serious but gentle, “You should give him something back, Tama-chan. Even if you do it just once in a while. I can already see he’s going to give you more than you give him already but, you know, it would make him happy.”
Kitayama’s words didn’t let him go for the rest of the night. Tamamori knew what the other said was true. He wanted to make Miyata happy, too. He could only think of one place to really start but maybe, before he made any decisions, he should consult with someone again. Someone who knew, someone who could relate.
~*~
“Hey, Iwamoto. You’re with Sakuma, right? How do you handle that? I mean, you know, the otaku thing and all,” Tamamori asked, stepping into the changing room the former MSM members shared.
Watanabe and Miyadate, who were also in the room, laughed.
“We assume it went well for you then, Tamamori-kun?” Miyadate smiled. “Congratulations!”
“Speaking of relating to things… You should ask him about his confession, too. You should’ve seen how those two got together. It was sickeningly cute and yet somehow hilarious,” Watanabe grinned and ignored the slightly sour look Iwamoto gave him.
Continuing, Watanabe recalled the story, “Our energizer bunny Sakuma was having a low after a concert in the showers. He was sitting on the bench outside with his towel over his head so that nobody could see how the smile had vanished from his face. Then, Iwamoto here saunters over , pulls the towel down a bit more and then clamps his hand over it and Sakuma’s eyes and leans down to kiss him.”
“I thought Hikaru’s back would give a nasty popping sound sometime soon since he was leaning down awkwardly. Like kinda down and then to the side,” he tried to demonstrate and exaggerated of course.
“Sakuma turned so red I thought steam would start rising up from his towel any minute,” Watanabe chuckled at the memory. “And then the hushed confessions under the towel. I wish Abecchi hadn’t dragged us out. I wanted to hear what they said to each other!”
Tamamori blinked. “Uh huh? What about you two?”
The two looked at each other. Watanabe replied again, “We didn’t need any words.”
Miyadate shrugged, “Shota just crawled into my lap and kissed me.”
“I see,” Tamamori nodded.
“How did yours go?” Watanabe asked. “I mean, you were the one to say it, right? Since Miyata-kun confesses to you all the time.”
“Well, it kinda went like yours?” Tamamori didn’t want to put in too many details.
“Nice going!”
After providing some more pointers, Miyadate and Watanabe went away at some point and Iwamoto and Tamamori were left alone. Iwamoto gave the other a smile. “Well, where do I start?” Iwamoto asked himself more than Tamamori. “You know, a relationship is a lot about giving and taking. It seems like one of the two always takes the lead but it isn’t like that. Don’t you feel like that, too?”
It was exactly what Kitayama had told him before. It was true. He always took the lead when it came to Miyata right now. And the other happily followed him but the more he thought about it the more he wanted to give Miyata some space as well.
“I guess?”
“Do something he likes? Something he really likes. Or just suggest it. His reaction alone is going to be worth it,” Iwamoto told him. “We go out to eat quite often but one time I told him we should go and eat in Akiba somewhere. And I suggested that he recommend a place because he knows his way around the area. We went and he showed me some places he liked and everything. It was nice. I felt like I knew him even better after that. It strengthened what was already been between us.”
Akiba. Yes. Tamamori knew that that would definitely be on his list as well. Well, after he got his onsen trip with the other.
“I don’t know if that helped?” Iwamoto asked. “Otherwise I mean, Daisuke’s friends with Miyata-kun. So I can ask him to give you some pointers instead?”
“I guess that works? Although, maybe not this time. I’ll get back to you,” Tamamori thanked Iwamoto.
Tamamori also went to consult with someone he wouldn’t have expected to have on a list of ‘people to consult about serious problems’ but something had told him that maybe a different perspective would help. So here he was.
“Hasshi Kamen is here and will listen to all of your worries! What’s up, Tama-chan?” Hashimoto asked around a spoonful of ice-cream. There was a huge parfait on the table in front of him (“I burn so many calories dancing and doing acrobatics you wouldn’t believe it! Although I guess I burn more calories taking care of our member-ai…” - “Don’t give me any details.”).
“When you go out with any of the others in your group, like, on a date or something, would you plan things? Or would you just let them take you along?” Tamamori asked phrasing his question a rather roundabout way but he wasn’t going to relay sensitive information to Hasshi. Once ABC-Z knew, the whole company would know about it.
Although to be honest, at this point it didn’t matter much anymore. He’d already made plans for the next day. So he wouldn’t be around to take the hit. And the day after, he’d just hide behind Miyata.
“Mh,” Hassshi hummed softly. “I guess they plan most of the things we do. Although I make the request sometimes? Like, I’d ask them to take me somewhere. But I don’t think of anything more than that. The only one who makes me decide on things a lot is Gocchi. Sometimes Tottsu.”
Okay, that didn’t help him. Oh well, what had he expected of this?
“You should let Miyacchi lead you around for once and make all the decisions. It’s nice to get all spoiled and you discover a new side to people that way sometimes because you can just sit back and observe,” Hasshi smiled at the other. “He’s actually a pretty good guide. And I’m sure there are sides to him that even Tama-chan doesn’t know yet.”
Tamamori blinked. How on earth?
Hasshi grinned, “I’m an idiot but I’m not completely stupid, you know?”
Life sure was surprising sometimes.
Tamamori was still a little unsure whether he’d not accidentally fallen through some portal and ended up in some parallel universe when he went to meet up with Miyata at the other’s house later that day. Miyata sure looked like he believed that, too when Tamamori told him straight out, “Let’s go to Akiba together at some point. You and me.”
“You want me to show you around Akiba? Really?” Miyata looked at Tamamori incredulously. “Yuta, are you sure? I mean, absolutely sure? Is this for real?”
Tamamori nodded, “Yes. I’m not lying. Show me YOUR world, Miyacchi. I mean it.” He knew reality wouldn’t be as exaggerated as in the dramas or so but it was still a considerably big step for him. The way Miyata’s eyes lit up and the warmth of the other’s hug and kiss already made it worth the effort though. “Show me everything. What you like, where you usually go, what you buy,” he blurted out.
“I can’t promise I will like it or anything and whether this will be the first and also last time I go with you and I won’t promise not to call you gross or weird or to pretend not to know you if you do something really embarrassing but,” he smiled at Miyata, “I want to know that part of you, too. Nngh!”
He didn’t get to say anything else because Miyata had pushed him down onto the bed and was kissing him silly.
When Tamamori pushed the other away again, he looked up into Miyata’s face and was about to tell the other off as usual but the sparkle in the other’s eyes made him stop short. Miyata looked so incredibly happy and loving and just… he couldn’t put it into words. The only thing he could tell was that it made him feel happy as well. Making Miyata happy felt good.
“This is like a dream. I’m not dreaming, am I?” Miyata was grinning from ear to ear.
“Idiot,” Tamamori whacked Miyata with a random capybara plushy that was lying around on the other’s bed. “You’re not dreaming.”
“But really, I mean, you’re not doing this just because you want to make me happy, right? I mean, it’s fine if you’re not interested. I know you don’t mind me being an otaku and everything. I won’t force you to get to know more about this,” Miyata reached down and caressed Tamamori’s cheek gently. “I do appreciate the thought though. That you are thinking about this.”
“No, I mean it. Like I said, maybe it’ll be a once off thing. But I want to come along. So show me,” Tamamori insisted. “But first! We’re going somewhere else together. We were saying we’d go to an onsen together. And then you already went ahead with Mitsu, so you owe me a trip, too!”
Miyata grinned, “Alright, Yuta!”
“Tama-chan or Yuta. Pick one!” Tamamori commented. “I listen to both but don’t change all the time!”
“Yuta then,” Miyata leaned down, “It makes me feel closer to you. Even if it’s not special.”
Tamamori whacked the other with the capybara plushy again. “Whatever.”
“Will you call me Toshiya then?”
“You wish!” Tamamori whacked Miyata again and again until he grew tired of it and stopped. He closed his eyes and willed himself to go to sleep. A part of his mind registered how Miyata laid down next to him and pulled the blanket over both of them. He didn’t mind the other being so close. Miyata was warm. Tamamori didn’t mind some additional warmth right now.
When he heard how Miyata’s breath evened out behind him, Tamamori whispered into the darkness, “Toshiya.” And maybe it was his imagination but he thought he could feel the other smile against the back of his neck just then.
Despite their full schedules, the two of them found the time to slip away for two days and went to visit a hot spring resort (with real HOT springs… Tamamori shivered at the memory of the fake one he’d been forced to get into for their TV show a while ago). He relaxed in the hot water and let Miyata fawn over him and go get some refreshments here and there, scrub his back and fan him when they got out.
Right now, he was just lying in Miyata’s lap, resting. Tamamori thought about how he liked Miyata’s seemingly unconditional gentleness towards him. Miyata never expected anything in return and just gave his all. To everyone, yes but mostly to Tamamori. It made Tamamori feel special.
Of course Miyata being like that, made giving things back really hard. The confession had been one, the promise to go to Akihabara with the other another thing but after this? Tamamori wondered what he should do next. It was a bit bothersome but it wouldn’t sit well with Tamamori either if he just continued to take and not give anything back. The least he could do was to say thank you to the other.
“That you’re thinking about giving me something back is more than I could ask for already,” Miyata spoke up suddenly and startled Tamamori into opening his eyes again and sitting up.
When Tamamori turned around, Miyata grinned at him and pointed out, “You were thinking rather audibly, Yuta.”
Tamamori flushed in embarrassment. Crap.
Reaching out, Miyata pulled him over into a hug. His back bumped against the other’s chest and his head came to rest back against Miyata’s shoulder.
“I have you. That’s more than I could ever have asked for,” Miyata looked down and smiled. “You know, despite listening to your own advice and keeping things up and being persistent, a part of me was ready to give up and to let go. I was happy with just being friends. I didn’t want to ask for more anymore.”
“Miyacchi,” Tamamori looked up. Kitayama’s words came back to him and without realizing, he placed a hand over the Miyata’s, squeezing gently, or maybe possessively. He wouldn’t let Miyata go.
“And I was afraid that the more I tried to get closer to you, the further you’d push me away. I didn’t want to become annoying,” Miyata admitted. “You call me gross and an idiot and annoying all the time but I know you don’t mean it. I was afraid for the day to come when you did.”
He didn’t break the eye-contact with the other. “So I toned things down. It was hard sometimes. Kitamitsu would tell me off all the time when he caught me staring at my phone, saying that if I wanted to mail you so bad I should just do it. But I told myself that you must be sleeping at this time because you were catching up with so much lost sleep after the drama filming ended and our tour finished as well and that I didn’t want to wake you up and make you angry and annoyed.”
Miyata laughed softly, “And then you told me that you missed getting mails from me. It made me feel even worse. But it also made me feel happy.”
“Idiot,” Tamamori scolded the other and bopped Miyata on the head. “You think of me all the time, think of others all the time but you never think of yourself! If you want to mail me then mail me!”
“Okay. I’ll do that. I’ll be selfish when it comes to you then!” Miyata nodded solemnly.
Snorting softly, Tamamori muttered, “Idiot” again.
“Then I’ll just live out all my feelings around you properly from now on. Whenever I feel like it,” Miyata smiled at Tamamori and leaned over for another kiss. “Okay?”
“You’re asking if it’s okay, that’s not very selfish,” Tamamori commented and let the other kiss him. “But okay, do whatever you want. If that’s what you want.” A warm smile was tugging on his lips. He didn’t mind the thought of Miyata showing his affecting towards him more. The other did it plenty of times already. Besides, Nikaido had been commenting about beating them couple-wise with Senga. Tamamori hated to lose. So this sounded like a great idea. They would not lose against the NiSen Combo.
“You’re pretty when you smile,” Miyata smiled against Tamamori’s lips.
“Shut up and just kiss me.”
Other couples would have probably used an onsen trip like theirs to be more intimate with each other but Miyata and Tamamori were content with just this for the time being. Tamamori was more than happy with Miyata’s gentle caresses and kisses. There’d be time for more at another time.
Tamamori watched how Nikaido and Senga pulled weird faces at the off-shot camera from the corner of his eye. On the other side, on the actual set, he felt Fujigaya’s eyes on his back as the other fumed quietly. A few minutes prior Tamamori had rejected the other’s request to pair up for the photo-shoot as Miyata had pulled him away. Fujigaya had seemed a bit taken aback by Miyata’s sudden display of possessiveness he had missed the staff’s instruction that Yokoo better go and join Nikaido and Senga instead before the pair of youngsters could make a huge mess with Senga’s birthday cake.
Which meant that in the end Fujigaya was stuck with Kitayama as his partner for the shoot. And well, all of Kis-My-Ft2 and the staff knew how much joy that brought to Fujigaya every single time.
“Get closer together, okay? Hug him? Yes! Arms around!” the photographer shouted out instructions.
Grinning a bit, Tamamori didn’t pay attention to what Miyata was doing until he felt something cold and sticky on his nose. “What-” and then there was a cake and then the flash of a camera.
“Happy belated Birthday, Tama-chan!” a few people called out.
Looking at Miyata, the other was grinning almost from ear to ear, holding the cake. “Miyacchi,” he wrinkled his nose. “What?”
“Nothing!” Miyata was still grinning. When nobody watched them anymore - people were too busy watching Fujigaya being tortured - Miyata wiped the cream off again and licked his fingers clean.
Tamamori stared and could only barely stop himself from flailing a bit. “Miyacchi what are you doing?”
“I told you, I’d show my affection more,” Miyata replied. “Whenever I felt like it.”
“But…!”
“No worries. Nobody was watching,” Miyata reassured. “I could’ve piggybacked you, too!”
Kicking the other, Tamamori hissed, “Idiot! And that’s just gross! Let go of my cake! You’re mistreating it! Cake-san, tell him to put you down!”
Miyata laughed merrily.
After the shoot, Tamamori went out to eat with Kitayama again - Miyata had been whisked away for a meeting of some sorts. Probably work related. It would most likely be in the papers the next day before the rest of them would know it, or even Miyata would know it.
“I guess things turned out well?” Kitayama asked.
Tamamori hummed in affirmation.
Kitayama paused for a few moments and just looked Tamamori over. Then he asked, “Are you happy?”
Looking up, Tamamori blinked at the older male for a few moments, before he smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I am.”
“Well,” Kitayama smiled, “Then all’s good.”
“Were you worried, Kitamitsu?” Tamamori asked and tilted his head a bit.
“You’re my friends and group-mates. Of course I care for you idiots,” Kitayama replied. “You’re such troublesome kouhai, really.”
“But you love us,” Tamamori grinned.
Kitayama muttered something unintelligible and shoveled more food onto Tamamori’s plate instead.
~*~
Before they knew it, the concerts were starting. Tamamori walked back and forth backstage. He could hear the fans calling out for them already. Of course he was becoming nervous. And a little jumpy but so was everyone else. In their own way at least.
When his eyes fell onto Miyata though, who looked a shade paler than he had before Tamamori felt his own nervousness fade a bit. Smiling, he went up to the other and offered Miyata his hand.
“It’s going to be okay.”
Miyata looked up at him and mustered a smile. “If you say so?”
“I say so.” Tamamori nodded.
“Aw, Kenko! Look!”
“What is it Takako?”
“I think Tama-chan’s going to give Miyacchi a kiss for good luck before the concert. Isn’t that sweet?”
“Oh myyy! That is so sweet indeed!”
Yokoo and Kitayama smacked the two over their heads with random costume parts. “Shut up you two! You’re totally ruining the moment!”
“Ack! Everybody has totally been watching!” Tamamori flushed.
Miyata looked at the other and laughed. “And you always tell me to make sure nobody is watching!”
“Shut up!” Tamamori punched the other lightly. “Why do you always win in the end?”
Miyata blinked, “I do?”
“Nevermind,” Tamamori grumbled. He was saved from further questions when Fujigaya told everyone to gather in a circle, the show was about to start.
When they put their arms around each other, Tamamori noticed how his nervousness had faded almost completely and he somehow felt at peace now. The effects Miyata had on him. He’d have to explore them further as their relationship progressed, he thought. It wasn’t a bad thing. Not at all.
“Let’s do this!” Kitayama shouted.
The others chorused, “YEAH!”
The End
Fandom: Kis-My-Ft2
Pairings/Characters: Miyata + Tamamori, others mentioned
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Nothing bad I think?
Disclaimer: Not mine. Owned by Johnny's & Associates
A/N: Birthday Fic for mousapelli!! ♥ I promised you something long and connected. So here goes. ;v;
Tamamori had never really put too much thought into things. Not until people directed his attention towards something or the other. This time was no exception. It had probably started with a conversation with Takimoto Miori on the Ikemen desu ne set one long afternoon. The weather was acting up and everyone was on standby, waiting.
Unwilling to fall asleep - the make-up would get screwed up and it would irritate his eyes - Tamamori was checking his mails on his phone instead.
“You’re glowing, Tama-chan,” Takimoto Miori smiled at him from the chair next to his.
Blinking, he looked back at her, “Huh?”
“You’re glowing. You know, not in the ‘star’ kind of way or so but you look really happy and you’re smiling. It makes me a little envious,” she looked a little wistful as she said that. “It is said that people in love have a really special glow around them.”
He didn’t really understand what she was saying at all and just kept blinking at her. Tamamori thought once more in his life that girls were some of the most mysterious beings on earth.
And that put them next to another very, very mysterious being he knew. The being that had just mailed him again. The being that had mailed him every single day, really. He’d read every mail. Even though other mails were piling up in his inbox at this point, seeing that he barely even had enough time to sleep between filming and all the other things that came with Kis-My-Ft2’s debut.
Filming took up his mind for the rest of the day and he forgot about the weird exchange with his co-star for a while. Until he came home that night and fell onto his bed. He was close enough to passing out but his mind hadn’t quite settled down enough for him to really drift off into unconsciousness or sleep.
Love?
~*~
The filming came to an end and his schedule slowly but surely started to normalize again somewhat.
“Miyacchi, we’re going for ramen after this,” he announced in their changing room before a show recording. “That one place by the station we went to after the photo shoot before?”
“Sure, Tama-chan!”
Fujigaya snorted softly, sitting on Tamamori’s other side, “And here some people were worried you wouldn’t be able to pull the whole ‘Ren’ thing off, being the all high and mighty leader. You totally have a bossy side that you could base it on.”
“He only has it when it comes to Miyacchi,” Kitayama commented and flattened his bed-hair again.
“I listen to everything Tama-chan says because I love him,” Miyata declared proudly.
“And here’s the first love declaration of the day!” Nikaido called out.
Senga looked at the other, “Totally can’t lose to them! I love you, Nika-chan!”
“Kenpi, I love you more!”
“Yes, yes, love is in the air. Come on, get your asses in gear and get ready! The stage rehearsal will start in a bit and we don’t want to look all green and unprofessional!” Fujigaya shooed them off and saw to it that everyone was getting ready properly.
Their time spent together as a group was only brief though because soon after the tour and everything finished, Miyata and Kitayama were whisked away for stage show rehearsals.
Tamamori slowly but surely started to realize that being the one away was a lot easier than being the one with a lot of time on their hands again suddenly. Also, to have his two most frequent ‘hang out with’ people taken away was very hard. Of course he got along well with everyone in the group and hanging out with the other - especially Fujigaya lately - was fun, too, he missed having Kitayama and Miyata around. Things just weren’t the same without them.
And what was even worse was that these kinds of thoughts were keeping him awake at night lately. He’d be grumpy and everything around him would start to annoy him. It was fine when he was just at home and had a day off but at work it just turned into a huge mess.
It had been one of those days again. Tamamori had come in to work with too little sleep and a flock of make-up women had to fix the rings under his eyes for half an hour. Then he had to spend most of the day watching horror movies - which he hated - in front of cameras no less. The horror movies really didn’t help with his inability to sleep. Whenever he’d tried to close his eyes on the train home he’d seen the mask from that one movie or heard the sound of a chainsaw from the other movie or there’d just be loads of blood and gore.
He had tried to get rid of the images for hours by watching other stuff before bed but he was still lying on his bed and was very much not asleep.
Looking at his clock, Tamamori frowned in displeasure. Why was he still not asleep? Was this sucky day never going to end? It was irritating the hell out of him. He was really tired and cranky but he still couldn’t fall asleep. He just wanted the day to end, really but it wouldn’t.
He checked his phone. No new messages. Well, who in the world would mail him at this hour? Everyone ELSE was probably fast asleep.
Mail.
There had been no mail from Miyata today. Or the day before. No good night mail and no good morning one either. And none in between. Nothing. For two days. That was a first, really. The other had always made sure to mail him at least once a day. Even if it was just ‘good morning Tama-chan’ or ‘good night, Tama-chan’ with a heart-mark.
Was that why this day had been so sucky and why he couldn’t fall asleep right now?
“That’s ridiculous!” he grumbled and rolled over, putting his phone back onto the nightstand.
A few hours later - none of which had been spent asleep - he walked into a studio again and made a beeline for his group-mate.
“Taipi, we’re going to see them on their first night. Remember, the stage show opens soon. I already asked our management,” Tamamori declared, dark rings under his eyes.
Fujigaya raised an eyebrow, “I see.”
“Go with me or I’ll tell the Duet staff why it would be a really awesome idea to have you and Mitsu snuggle up and be lovey-dovey for the next ten years, no make that eternity.”
That had Fujigaya agreeing in a matter of seconds. Tamamori really seemed to be in a bad mood. And with that newfound ‘Ren’ aura around him, Fujigaya did not doubt the other’s words. He was able to make people (other than Miyata) do as he pleased these days.
“Well, you already talked to our management after all. So, let’s go.”
“I knew you’d understand,” Tamamori nodded, satisfied, and went to crash on a couple of chairs for a few moments before the staff told them to get ready.
The lack of sleep pattern lasted until the next day though. The first thing he did when he was more or less coherent was to write and send a mail.
To: Miyata Toshiya
From: Tamamori Yuta
I’m coming to watch the play tonight. You better not screw up!
- Tama
Somehow, it felt odd to watch Miyata and not be there next to him, Tamamori thought as they watched the opening show. He was happy for the other though. Miyata looked good in the spotlight.
“Did you like it, Tama-chan?” Miyata grinned happily at him.
“It was good. But your drumming sucks!” Tamamori muttered.
Miyata’s grin only got wider at that. “That means you’ll have to teach me how to do it properly at some point!”
“Why would I do that? And what would be the point? The play will be long over by then!” Tamamori smacked the other. “Get changed. You’re all sweaty. It’s gross.” He watched as Miyata laughed but then obediently went to the changing rooms.
Kitayama snorted softly. “If it hadn’t been for your email, I wouldn’t have known what to do with him. He seemed so nervous before the show. Heck, I was nervous myself so I really wouldn’t have known what to do. So thanks for coming to support us, Tama-chan.”
Tamamori hummed softly in reply. He just seemed to acknowledge this piece of information in passing but in reality it made him feel happy somehow.
“Tell him he should mail me back.”
“Tell him yourself?” Kitayama offered and then went to get changed himself.
That night he finally slept like a rock and didn’t get up until late on the next day. He uncovered Teto’s cage and sighed. “I totally did not sleep really well because I saw him yesterday. It was because I didn’t manage to sleep at all before that, right Teto?” he petted his flying squirrel and put in the other’s food.
His pet didn’t answer of course so Tamamori was left to brood over the issue himself. But that didn’t get him anywhere. So he decided to consult with someone else.
About three hours later, he sat in a karaoke room with drinks and snacks with two other people.
“We’ve been friends for so long but lately I’ve been thinking and it’s just sort of- I don’t know, does anything change when you move a step further? Or you know, how do you know if it’s more and not just friendship still? Do you think he really means it when he says it? Or does he only do it to tease me or because it’s become a habit?” Tamamori sighed, at the end of his wits. “You two have been friends since forever and a day, no? How did it happen for you?”
Watanabe looked at Miyadate, who looked back at him. After another moment both of them turned back to look at Tamamori.
“To be honest, we probably won’t be able to tell you anything either,” Miyadate started.
Nodding, Watanabe added, “The thing is, you don’t know for sure. It’s hard to distinguish just friendship and more at this point. You can just take the gamble. You confess. There are only two options for what happens after. Either, he will reject it and you can just go all ‘I was joking’ or, he will accept it and everything will be fine.”
“How can you be so sure?” Tamamori asked.
A warm smile tugs up the corners of Watanabe’s lips, “If you’re this close, friends or more, there’s no way everything will just fall apart. Besides, he’s been confessing to you all the time. So it’ll be more than believable if you do it back as a joke, even if it wasn’t. You just have to make it convincing. Although really, I’m almost 100% sure you won’t have to make it believable.”
Miyadate agreed, “True. I don’t think so either. Go for it. We’ll be cheering you on!” He gave the other a thumbs-up. Then he asked, “By the way, why ask us out of all people?”
“Because I trust you not to blab about it. I don’t want half the jimusho to know by tomorrow,” Tamamori looked at the two. “So, please…”
The two (former) snowmen stayed true to their word and Tamamori did not hear anything about their discussion around when he arrived at work the next time. Although he felt that maybe his group mates were giving him odd looks but then again that wasn’t something new, really. He forgot about it quickly and got lost in his own thoughts again.
He was still trying to work out his own feelings. There were only a few more days left to do so.
~*~
When the Ikemen desu ne stage show finally came to an end and Tamamori seized the first chance he got to go out with Miyata again. It’s nothing fancy, just going out for food at one of their favorite ramen places. But it’s good enough.
When they sit next to each other at the counter, it almost felt like it’s been way too long since he’s been out with Miyata like this. Or maybe it just had been way too long really.
Miyata tells him about some thing or other and soon their bowls are empty. It’s then that Tamamori speaks up, more firmly than before.
“Want to stay over tonight?” it really isn’t a question anymore. It’s a request. Tamamori wants the other to come with him. He wants to tell the other. He had to do it tonight because if he didn’t he knew he might lose his courage to do so again. Or things would pass or things would change or- yes, he had to talk to Miyata. “It’s okay schedule wise, right?”
Smiling, Miyata replied, “If you want me to, Tama-chan?”
“Come on then. Not missing the train because of you,” Tamamori muttered and walked off towards the station ahead of them, knowing Miyata will follow.
He has time to brood over things once more during the train ride and he feels his resolve crumble a little bit but then Tamamori turns to look at Miyata again and when the other gives him a smile, he decides that he needs to do this.
They were half-way to Tamamori’s house, at a small park. Tamamori had deviated from the route leading straight to his home under the pretense of wanting a drink from the vending machine here. But he’s not getting a drink and Miyata’s blinking a little in confusion. It’s entirely awkward and Tamamori’s ears are burning even before he had even said it but he said it anyway. And it’s way worse than those confession things on Shonen Club or anything, too. The words just bubble out of him.
“It’s ridiculous how I cannot sleep when you don’t mail me. I feel like something is missing when you don’t say you like or love me. You do whatever I say and want, you make me presents, take me out…I can be myself around you and I feel comfortable when I’m around you. I’ve been thinking about this a long time and I think I-” he didn’t even get to say the crucial words. Miyata was kissing him already.
Tamamori stiffened at first but then he let his eyes fall shut and kissed back. It’s not the best kiss ever but Tamamori doesn’t complain. It feels better than other kisses he has shared with people. And it’s Miyata kissing him. That makes all the difference.
After a while, he pushes the other back, “Why did you stop me there?”
“It’s embarrassing for you to say it, no?” Miyata smiled. “I know what you want to say even without you having to say it. So there’s no need to be embarrassed, Tama-chan!”
“Idiot!” Tamamori shoved the other. “Gross. How come you come up with such sweet words when it comes to me and you totally screw up when cameras are around, huh?”
“Do you want me to piggyback you?”
“Hell no, there are still people around!”
“Does that mean you’ll let me piggyback you when there are no people around?”
Tamamori looked down and muttered, “Only when you’re sure that absolutely nobody’s looking.”
Miyata beamed at him and Tamamori shoved him. Needless to say that there was no piggybacking that night. They did take a bath together though. The two of them fit into the tub rather snugly - compared to when Kitayama was also there because then it became somewhat of a squeeze.
Once they had taken their bath, Tamamori went to get the spare futon for the other. While Miyata rolled it out, Tamamori went to get Teto from his cage and let his flying squirrel climb all over him in search for the treats Tamamori had hidden in his pockets. While Teto nibbled on the treats happily, while sitting on Tamamori’s shoulder, he sat down on the futon and looked at Miyata. The other looked back at him and the two just sat like that for a while.
“Cute,” Miyata smiled after another moment of silence.
Before Tamamori could react, Miyata had reached over to pet Teto gently. The squirrel looked up and climbed over Miyata’s arm. When Miyata withdrew his arm one of Teto’s paws flailed about and smacked Miyata’s nose.
Tamamori snickered at the sight not bothering to hide his amusement.
“Yuuta!” Miyata looked at the other.
Still chuckling, Tamamori took Teto back and went to put his pet back inside the cage. “Well, what do you think of my boyfriend, Teto?” he asked as he closed the cage. Teto hopped a bit. “I guess he approves of you,” he looked at Miyata.
Grinning, Miyata replied, “Go me?”
When Tamamori walked over to the bed, Miyata asked, “Can I kiss you good night?”
Pretending to think for a moment, Tamamori knelt back down on the futon then. “You may.”
“Good night then, Yuuta,” Miyata kissed him. It was a gentle and rather chaste kiss. Miyata wasn’t trying to dominate it or anything. He wasn’t exactly passive either, though. Whenever Tamamori would try to initiate something more or just think about it, Miyata would follow up or even run a step ahead of him, as if he were able to read Tamamori’s thoughts.
When they broke the kiss, he looked at the other incredulously, “How do you do that?”
“Do what?” Miyata blinked back in confusion.
“Never mind,” Tamamori brushed it off and got up again to walk over to his bed. “Good night.”
~*~
A few nights later found Tamamori out for dinner with Kitayama. Apparently Miyata had already spilled the beans to the other. Tamamori wasn’t made. Kitayama was someone he could confide in after all.
“So, what made you finally realize it, Tama-chan?” Kitayama asked casually - almost too casually and entirely too knowing for Tamamori’s taste though - and put another piece of meat onto the grill. “Did all his work pay off at last?”
“I don’t know,” Tamamori plucked the meat off the grill with his chopsticks. “It just happened. And it’s not like I didn’t like him before. You know, as a friend.”
Indulgent but with an eyebrow twitching, Kitayama put more meat onto the grill. “Well, I guess it came at the right time.”
“What do you mean?” Tamamori stole more meat from the grill.
“Well, unrequited feelings may not last forever. They may die slowly until they’re replaced by new feelings?” Kitayama grabbed some meat before Tamamori could steal it again. “What I’m saying is that he might have stopped focusing his attention on you so much. It’s hard to think of now but it might have happened if things had continued. We’re all changing. And having known each other for so long doesn’t mean that things can’t still change.”
“Are that your wise words or just your secret hope, Mitsu?” Tamamori asked and grinned, “You know, the hope that people will stop putting you into rabu-rabu squishy photo shoots with Gaya.”
Kitayama slammed another piece of meat onto the grill. “THAT has absolutely nothing to do with it.”
Tamamori grinned.
“Anyways, what are you going to do now that your relationship’s changed?” Kitayama changed the topic.
“Mh? What do you mean?” hadn’t Miyadate and Watanabe said nothing would really change?
“Well, yes you go out for food and to play but you know that’s the normal stuff. I mean apart from that. If he’s special to you, you should do something together that’s not like what you’ve done before, if you know what I mean. Go on a date. Not just ‘hang out’?” Kitayama pointed out.
Tamamori blinked, “Is there a difference?”
“Of course there is. It feels different. Also, it requires you to think differently,” he looked at Tamamori, expression serious but gentle, “You should give him something back, Tama-chan. Even if you do it just once in a while. I can already see he’s going to give you more than you give him already but, you know, it would make him happy.”
Kitayama’s words didn’t let him go for the rest of the night. Tamamori knew what the other said was true. He wanted to make Miyata happy, too. He could only think of one place to really start but maybe, before he made any decisions, he should consult with someone again. Someone who knew, someone who could relate.
~*~
“Hey, Iwamoto. You’re with Sakuma, right? How do you handle that? I mean, you know, the otaku thing and all,” Tamamori asked, stepping into the changing room the former MSM members shared.
Watanabe and Miyadate, who were also in the room, laughed.
“We assume it went well for you then, Tamamori-kun?” Miyadate smiled. “Congratulations!”
“Speaking of relating to things… You should ask him about his confession, too. You should’ve seen how those two got together. It was sickeningly cute and yet somehow hilarious,” Watanabe grinned and ignored the slightly sour look Iwamoto gave him.
Continuing, Watanabe recalled the story, “Our energizer bunny Sakuma was having a low after a concert in the showers. He was sitting on the bench outside with his towel over his head so that nobody could see how the smile had vanished from his face. Then, Iwamoto here saunters over , pulls the towel down a bit more and then clamps his hand over it and Sakuma’s eyes and leans down to kiss him.”
“I thought Hikaru’s back would give a nasty popping sound sometime soon since he was leaning down awkwardly. Like kinda down and then to the side,” he tried to demonstrate and exaggerated of course.
“Sakuma turned so red I thought steam would start rising up from his towel any minute,” Watanabe chuckled at the memory. “And then the hushed confessions under the towel. I wish Abecchi hadn’t dragged us out. I wanted to hear what they said to each other!”
Tamamori blinked. “Uh huh? What about you two?”
The two looked at each other. Watanabe replied again, “We didn’t need any words.”
Miyadate shrugged, “Shota just crawled into my lap and kissed me.”
“I see,” Tamamori nodded.
“How did yours go?” Watanabe asked. “I mean, you were the one to say it, right? Since Miyata-kun confesses to you all the time.”
“Well, it kinda went like yours?” Tamamori didn’t want to put in too many details.
“Nice going!”
After providing some more pointers, Miyadate and Watanabe went away at some point and Iwamoto and Tamamori were left alone. Iwamoto gave the other a smile. “Well, where do I start?” Iwamoto asked himself more than Tamamori. “You know, a relationship is a lot about giving and taking. It seems like one of the two always takes the lead but it isn’t like that. Don’t you feel like that, too?”
It was exactly what Kitayama had told him before. It was true. He always took the lead when it came to Miyata right now. And the other happily followed him but the more he thought about it the more he wanted to give Miyata some space as well.
“I guess?”
“Do something he likes? Something he really likes. Or just suggest it. His reaction alone is going to be worth it,” Iwamoto told him. “We go out to eat quite often but one time I told him we should go and eat in Akiba somewhere. And I suggested that he recommend a place because he knows his way around the area. We went and he showed me some places he liked and everything. It was nice. I felt like I knew him even better after that. It strengthened what was already been between us.”
Akiba. Yes. Tamamori knew that that would definitely be on his list as well. Well, after he got his onsen trip with the other.
“I don’t know if that helped?” Iwamoto asked. “Otherwise I mean, Daisuke’s friends with Miyata-kun. So I can ask him to give you some pointers instead?”
“I guess that works? Although, maybe not this time. I’ll get back to you,” Tamamori thanked Iwamoto.
Tamamori also went to consult with someone he wouldn’t have expected to have on a list of ‘people to consult about serious problems’ but something had told him that maybe a different perspective would help. So here he was.
“Hasshi Kamen is here and will listen to all of your worries! What’s up, Tama-chan?” Hashimoto asked around a spoonful of ice-cream. There was a huge parfait on the table in front of him (“I burn so many calories dancing and doing acrobatics you wouldn’t believe it! Although I guess I burn more calories taking care of our member-ai…” - “Don’t give me any details.”).
“When you go out with any of the others in your group, like, on a date or something, would you plan things? Or would you just let them take you along?” Tamamori asked phrasing his question a rather roundabout way but he wasn’t going to relay sensitive information to Hasshi. Once ABC-Z knew, the whole company would know about it.
Although to be honest, at this point it didn’t matter much anymore. He’d already made plans for the next day. So he wouldn’t be around to take the hit. And the day after, he’d just hide behind Miyata.
“Mh,” Hassshi hummed softly. “I guess they plan most of the things we do. Although I make the request sometimes? Like, I’d ask them to take me somewhere. But I don’t think of anything more than that. The only one who makes me decide on things a lot is Gocchi. Sometimes Tottsu.”
Okay, that didn’t help him. Oh well, what had he expected of this?
“You should let Miyacchi lead you around for once and make all the decisions. It’s nice to get all spoiled and you discover a new side to people that way sometimes because you can just sit back and observe,” Hasshi smiled at the other. “He’s actually a pretty good guide. And I’m sure there are sides to him that even Tama-chan doesn’t know yet.”
Tamamori blinked. How on earth?
Hasshi grinned, “I’m an idiot but I’m not completely stupid, you know?”
Life sure was surprising sometimes.
Tamamori was still a little unsure whether he’d not accidentally fallen through some portal and ended up in some parallel universe when he went to meet up with Miyata at the other’s house later that day. Miyata sure looked like he believed that, too when Tamamori told him straight out, “Let’s go to Akiba together at some point. You and me.”
“You want me to show you around Akiba? Really?” Miyata looked at Tamamori incredulously. “Yuta, are you sure? I mean, absolutely sure? Is this for real?”
Tamamori nodded, “Yes. I’m not lying. Show me YOUR world, Miyacchi. I mean it.” He knew reality wouldn’t be as exaggerated as in the dramas or so but it was still a considerably big step for him. The way Miyata’s eyes lit up and the warmth of the other’s hug and kiss already made it worth the effort though. “Show me everything. What you like, where you usually go, what you buy,” he blurted out.
“I can’t promise I will like it or anything and whether this will be the first and also last time I go with you and I won’t promise not to call you gross or weird or to pretend not to know you if you do something really embarrassing but,” he smiled at Miyata, “I want to know that part of you, too. Nngh!”
He didn’t get to say anything else because Miyata had pushed him down onto the bed and was kissing him silly.
When Tamamori pushed the other away again, he looked up into Miyata’s face and was about to tell the other off as usual but the sparkle in the other’s eyes made him stop short. Miyata looked so incredibly happy and loving and just… he couldn’t put it into words. The only thing he could tell was that it made him feel happy as well. Making Miyata happy felt good.
“This is like a dream. I’m not dreaming, am I?” Miyata was grinning from ear to ear.
“Idiot,” Tamamori whacked Miyata with a random capybara plushy that was lying around on the other’s bed. “You’re not dreaming.”
“But really, I mean, you’re not doing this just because you want to make me happy, right? I mean, it’s fine if you’re not interested. I know you don’t mind me being an otaku and everything. I won’t force you to get to know more about this,” Miyata reached down and caressed Tamamori’s cheek gently. “I do appreciate the thought though. That you are thinking about this.”
“No, I mean it. Like I said, maybe it’ll be a once off thing. But I want to come along. So show me,” Tamamori insisted. “But first! We’re going somewhere else together. We were saying we’d go to an onsen together. And then you already went ahead with Mitsu, so you owe me a trip, too!”
Miyata grinned, “Alright, Yuta!”
“Tama-chan or Yuta. Pick one!” Tamamori commented. “I listen to both but don’t change all the time!”
“Yuta then,” Miyata leaned down, “It makes me feel closer to you. Even if it’s not special.”
Tamamori whacked the other with the capybara plushy again. “Whatever.”
“Will you call me Toshiya then?”
“You wish!” Tamamori whacked Miyata again and again until he grew tired of it and stopped. He closed his eyes and willed himself to go to sleep. A part of his mind registered how Miyata laid down next to him and pulled the blanket over both of them. He didn’t mind the other being so close. Miyata was warm. Tamamori didn’t mind some additional warmth right now.
When he heard how Miyata’s breath evened out behind him, Tamamori whispered into the darkness, “Toshiya.” And maybe it was his imagination but he thought he could feel the other smile against the back of his neck just then.
Despite their full schedules, the two of them found the time to slip away for two days and went to visit a hot spring resort (with real HOT springs… Tamamori shivered at the memory of the fake one he’d been forced to get into for their TV show a while ago). He relaxed in the hot water and let Miyata fawn over him and go get some refreshments here and there, scrub his back and fan him when they got out.
Right now, he was just lying in Miyata’s lap, resting. Tamamori thought about how he liked Miyata’s seemingly unconditional gentleness towards him. Miyata never expected anything in return and just gave his all. To everyone, yes but mostly to Tamamori. It made Tamamori feel special.
Of course Miyata being like that, made giving things back really hard. The confession had been one, the promise to go to Akihabara with the other another thing but after this? Tamamori wondered what he should do next. It was a bit bothersome but it wouldn’t sit well with Tamamori either if he just continued to take and not give anything back. The least he could do was to say thank you to the other.
“That you’re thinking about giving me something back is more than I could ask for already,” Miyata spoke up suddenly and startled Tamamori into opening his eyes again and sitting up.
When Tamamori turned around, Miyata grinned at him and pointed out, “You were thinking rather audibly, Yuta.”
Tamamori flushed in embarrassment. Crap.
Reaching out, Miyata pulled him over into a hug. His back bumped against the other’s chest and his head came to rest back against Miyata’s shoulder.
“I have you. That’s more than I could ever have asked for,” Miyata looked down and smiled. “You know, despite listening to your own advice and keeping things up and being persistent, a part of me was ready to give up and to let go. I was happy with just being friends. I didn’t want to ask for more anymore.”
“Miyacchi,” Tamamori looked up. Kitayama’s words came back to him and without realizing, he placed a hand over the Miyata’s, squeezing gently, or maybe possessively. He wouldn’t let Miyata go.
“And I was afraid that the more I tried to get closer to you, the further you’d push me away. I didn’t want to become annoying,” Miyata admitted. “You call me gross and an idiot and annoying all the time but I know you don’t mean it. I was afraid for the day to come when you did.”
He didn’t break the eye-contact with the other. “So I toned things down. It was hard sometimes. Kitamitsu would tell me off all the time when he caught me staring at my phone, saying that if I wanted to mail you so bad I should just do it. But I told myself that you must be sleeping at this time because you were catching up with so much lost sleep after the drama filming ended and our tour finished as well and that I didn’t want to wake you up and make you angry and annoyed.”
Miyata laughed softly, “And then you told me that you missed getting mails from me. It made me feel even worse. But it also made me feel happy.”
“Idiot,” Tamamori scolded the other and bopped Miyata on the head. “You think of me all the time, think of others all the time but you never think of yourself! If you want to mail me then mail me!”
“Okay. I’ll do that. I’ll be selfish when it comes to you then!” Miyata nodded solemnly.
Snorting softly, Tamamori muttered, “Idiot” again.
“Then I’ll just live out all my feelings around you properly from now on. Whenever I feel like it,” Miyata smiled at Tamamori and leaned over for another kiss. “Okay?”
“You’re asking if it’s okay, that’s not very selfish,” Tamamori commented and let the other kiss him. “But okay, do whatever you want. If that’s what you want.” A warm smile was tugging on his lips. He didn’t mind the thought of Miyata showing his affecting towards him more. The other did it plenty of times already. Besides, Nikaido had been commenting about beating them couple-wise with Senga. Tamamori hated to lose. So this sounded like a great idea. They would not lose against the NiSen Combo.
“You’re pretty when you smile,” Miyata smiled against Tamamori’s lips.
“Shut up and just kiss me.”
Other couples would have probably used an onsen trip like theirs to be more intimate with each other but Miyata and Tamamori were content with just this for the time being. Tamamori was more than happy with Miyata’s gentle caresses and kisses. There’d be time for more at another time.
Tamamori watched how Nikaido and Senga pulled weird faces at the off-shot camera from the corner of his eye. On the other side, on the actual set, he felt Fujigaya’s eyes on his back as the other fumed quietly. A few minutes prior Tamamori had rejected the other’s request to pair up for the photo-shoot as Miyata had pulled him away. Fujigaya had seemed a bit taken aback by Miyata’s sudden display of possessiveness he had missed the staff’s instruction that Yokoo better go and join Nikaido and Senga instead before the pair of youngsters could make a huge mess with Senga’s birthday cake.
Which meant that in the end Fujigaya was stuck with Kitayama as his partner for the shoot. And well, all of Kis-My-Ft2 and the staff knew how much joy that brought to Fujigaya every single time.
“Get closer together, okay? Hug him? Yes! Arms around!” the photographer shouted out instructions.
Grinning a bit, Tamamori didn’t pay attention to what Miyata was doing until he felt something cold and sticky on his nose. “What-” and then there was a cake and then the flash of a camera.
“Happy belated Birthday, Tama-chan!” a few people called out.
Looking at Miyata, the other was grinning almost from ear to ear, holding the cake. “Miyacchi,” he wrinkled his nose. “What?”
“Nothing!” Miyata was still grinning. When nobody watched them anymore - people were too busy watching Fujigaya being tortured - Miyata wiped the cream off again and licked his fingers clean.
Tamamori stared and could only barely stop himself from flailing a bit. “Miyacchi what are you doing?”
“I told you, I’d show my affection more,” Miyata replied. “Whenever I felt like it.”
“But…!”
“No worries. Nobody was watching,” Miyata reassured. “I could’ve piggybacked you, too!”
Kicking the other, Tamamori hissed, “Idiot! And that’s just gross! Let go of my cake! You’re mistreating it! Cake-san, tell him to put you down!”
Miyata laughed merrily.
After the shoot, Tamamori went out to eat with Kitayama again - Miyata had been whisked away for a meeting of some sorts. Probably work related. It would most likely be in the papers the next day before the rest of them would know it, or even Miyata would know it.
“I guess things turned out well?” Kitayama asked.
Tamamori hummed in affirmation.
Kitayama paused for a few moments and just looked Tamamori over. Then he asked, “Are you happy?”
Looking up, Tamamori blinked at the older male for a few moments, before he smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I am.”
“Well,” Kitayama smiled, “Then all’s good.”
“Were you worried, Kitamitsu?” Tamamori asked and tilted his head a bit.
“You’re my friends and group-mates. Of course I care for you idiots,” Kitayama replied. “You’re such troublesome kouhai, really.”
“But you love us,” Tamamori grinned.
Kitayama muttered something unintelligible and shoveled more food onto Tamamori’s plate instead.
~*~
Before they knew it, the concerts were starting. Tamamori walked back and forth backstage. He could hear the fans calling out for them already. Of course he was becoming nervous. And a little jumpy but so was everyone else. In their own way at least.
When his eyes fell onto Miyata though, who looked a shade paler than he had before Tamamori felt his own nervousness fade a bit. Smiling, he went up to the other and offered Miyata his hand.
“It’s going to be okay.”
Miyata looked up at him and mustered a smile. “If you say so?”
“I say so.” Tamamori nodded.
“Aw, Kenko! Look!”
“What is it Takako?”
“I think Tama-chan’s going to give Miyacchi a kiss for good luck before the concert. Isn’t that sweet?”
“Oh myyy! That is so sweet indeed!”
Yokoo and Kitayama smacked the two over their heads with random costume parts. “Shut up you two! You’re totally ruining the moment!”
“Ack! Everybody has totally been watching!” Tamamori flushed.
Miyata looked at the other and laughed. “And you always tell me to make sure nobody is watching!”
“Shut up!” Tamamori punched the other lightly. “Why do you always win in the end?”
Miyata blinked, “I do?”
“Nevermind,” Tamamori grumbled. He was saved from further questions when Fujigaya told everyone to gather in a circle, the show was about to start.
When they put their arms around each other, Tamamori noticed how his nervousness had faded almost completely and he somehow felt at peace now. The effects Miyata had on him. He’d have to explore them further as their relationship progressed, he thought. It wasn’t a bad thing. Not at all.
“Let’s do this!” Kitayama shouted.
The others chorused, “YEAH!”
The End