How to Make a Kato Shigeaki - PG-13 [Ryo/Shige]
Title: How to Make a Kato Shigeaki
Author: Kamika Farinas aka tinyangl
Pairing/Group: Nishikido Ryo/Kato Shigeaki
Rating: PG-13
Notes: Thanks to Binan no Nikki for their translation of Ryo's jweb. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have this list. Also, thanks to my friends for listening to me rant and rave over this. I must've gotten annoying so I apologize and thank you for still talking to me, no matter what. These ended up being more of vignettes than a connecting fic. Hopefully, it's still okay. The setting is the NewS break room for all of these.
Summary: Ryo once made a list of what he thinks of Shige - they weren't exactly chosen by random.
Edit: Thanks to cynicalism for her beta-ing job and to bitofpixiedust for listening to my ranting and raving. :D You're both awesome. Written for annnimeee for je_holiday.
i. Prodigy.
Ryo glances over at the table where Shige is buried in books, glasses resting precariously on the edge of his nose as he twirls his pencil in his hand, yawning. There's nobody else in the room with them and Ryo finds it's a little boring when the only other person in the room with him is so occupied (and had announced on public television that he found it awkward to be in a room with Ryo alone). Shige yawns again.
"If you're tired," Ryo snaps, "then just stop."
Shige sighs, shaking his head slightly and readjusting his glasses. "I'm always a little tired, but this is more important." Ryo purses his lips before getting up and standing behind Shige, his hands on Shige's shoulders as he tries to peek at the book.
"What is this anyway?" Ryo asks, staring at words "property", "tenants" "civil law" and the like.
Shige smiles brightly. "Well-" he starts.
"That was a rhetorical question," Ryo interrupts swiftly, before stepping back and returning to his seat on the couch. For a second, Ryo catches a pained look in Shige's eyes, but he tries to push it away. Not sure what he could do about it even if it was.
There's an awkward silence between them as Shige goes back to his books and Ryo returns to his magazine. "Good luck," Ryo grunts and Shige stares in surprise. "Don't look at me like that. You have a test, don't you?" Ryo turns his head away in embarrassment so he can't see Shige looking at him. "You've been studying for days. So... good luck." Ryo doesn't even know why he's saying this when Shige enjoys learning and there's pretty much no way he'd fail this test, even if Ryo didn't give him any good luck. His embarrassment bubbles up in his stomach.
Ryo can hear the awe in Shige's voice as he says, "Thanks, Nishikido-kun."
Ryo grunts before getting up and storming out of the room. He thinks he needs to go torture a junior to make the balance of the universe right again.
ii. Mathematics.
It's not uncommon to see Yamapi or Tegoshi ask Shige for help in their school work. So when Ryo enters the break room to find Yamapi and Shige sitting at the same table, papers littered around them, he's not surprised. "So the volume is found by calculating the integral of the area times pi?"
Ryo stares at the two. "What immoral deeds are you doing with a pie?" He throws his bag on top of the table, scattering a few papers to the floor.
Yamapi looks up at Ryo, his glasses on the bridge of his nose and Ryo has to wonder when the last time Yamapi has slept is, with those bags under his eyes. "It's not an actual pie," Shige corrects and Ryo glances over, wondering when the last time he's slept (or looked away from a book). "It's a mathematical term."
"You take math?" Ryo asks, a little surprised.
Shige shakes his head. "I had to take this class back in high school," Shige explains. "Calculus. So I remember a lot of it." Ryo blinks. What didn't this boy not know?
He turns to Yamapi, laughing. "So you had to ask your kouhai for help? Good going."
Yamapi frowns, pushing his glasses back up. "I'll take what I can get."
"Hey!" Shige protests and Yamapi grins at the younger boy, "Not that I'm saying I don't appreciate it. Besides..." Yamapi turns back to Ryo. "I think anyone'd ask Shige for school work help, no matter how much older they are."
"Well, he is a bookworm," Ryo agrees. Shige pouts and Yamapi laughs, throwing an arm around Shige's shoulders.
"And reliable," Yamapi adds. Ryo has to smile as he watches Shige's eyes sparkle, cheeks flushing slightly.
"Yamashita-kun, that's too much praise for me," Shige mumbles, averting his eyes.
Yamapi nudges Shige's side, winking at Ryo. "Yeah, you're right. I take it back then." Ryo laughs as a flustered Shige protests with his head raised high and his eyes shining bright. It's a side of Shige that Ryo wishes would come out more.
iii. Physics.
"I knew Yamapi was an idiot that spilled coffee onto his lap and blame it on gravity, but I thought you were smarter than that," Ryo snaps, taking a paper towel and cleaning off his shirt. He glares at the younger male who hovers around him, paper towels in his hand.
"I didnot blame it on gravity!" Shige protests, pressing another towel to Ryo's shirt.
"I think that saying that it was motion that propelled your drink onto my shirt was close enough," Ryo counters.
Shige flushes. "Well, it's true though!"
"It wasn't as though you were across the room. Just confess that you purposely threw it at me," Ryo says, arms crossed but his lips are curving into a smile.
"Nishikido-kun," Shige starts, his hands reaching out to hold Ryo's and Ryo looks at Shige, startled. "I don't know how it happened, but I think..." Ryo stares as Shige pauses, inhaling dramatically.
"Wait, where are you go-" Ryo starts, about to interject, but Shige continues.
"I think... a ghost must've picked up my cup and thrown it at you," Shige says, looking absolutely serious as Ryo drops his head. "I can't think of any other reason for it to have landed all over your shirt! This ghost must've been offended when you insulted me back there." Ryo crumples up the semi-soaked paper towel in his hand and pelts it at Shige's head, the younger male laughing hard.
"You are an idiot," Ryo snaps. "I take it back, you're not smarter than Pi. You're stupider."
"I think it's more stupid actually," Shige corrects and Ryo's eyes narrow.
"I think that ghost is back," Ryo hisses, crumpling up another paper towel. Shige dashes out of the room, still laughing as Ryo starts throwing the balled paper towels at his head, rambling about how the ghost was now on his side after seeing how stupid Shige was and who'd turn against Ryo anyway?
iv. Glasses.
It's become more and more common for Shige to walk into the break room, his nose in a book and his glasses slipping to the edge of his nose. "Don't you ever not read? It's no wonder your eyes are going bad," Ryo says.
Shige looks up just in time to smack his hip against table. "Ouch!" he yelps, his hand on his hip, dropping his book in surprise.
Ryo snorts, rolling his eyes. "And this is why they say you shouldn't read while you walk."
Shige sighs, settling into the seat across from Ryo. "I would've been fine if you hadn't distracted me," he snaps. He bends over to grab his book, plopping it onto the table then flipping through it to get back to the page he'd been at.
Ryo raises an eyebrow, but doesn't say a word. He glances around, a little tickled that once again, they're alone in a room together. "Is it awkward in a room with me?" Shige asks, a tinge of amusement in his voice as he peeks above his book.
"Isn't that something I should be asking?" Ryo pointedly looks at Shige. Even though Shige ducks his head behind the book, Ryo still catches the flush spreading throughout his cheeks.
"I'm not the only one who said such a thing," Shige says, embarrassed.
Ryo grins, "It's not as though Tegoshi's here." He laces his fingers together, leaning against his hands with his chin. "Besides, I'm too cool for him. That's not even awkward; he was just trying to lift the fangirls' spirits up."
Shige scoffs, "And how different is that from mine?"
"Very different," Ryo laughs. "Want a list with every point?"
"Have the time? I'd be more than happy to see it," Shige says, as pleasantly as he can. He takes off his glasses, leaving it on the table, and Ryo can see his eyes are shining brighter than it had before.
Ryo snorts, "Even if I did have time, I wouldn't waste it doing that."
"If you were so busy, you wouldn't be sitting here, arguing over whether I was being a fanboy of yours or not," Shige points out. He avoids Ryo's glare and laughs when Ryo makes a noise of anger. Ryo throws another crumpled ball of paper at Shige - it bounces off his forehead and Shige rubs at that spot in irritation. "Why do you keep throwing things at me?"
"Because you say stupid things like that," Ryo grunts, throwing another paper ball at his forehead.
"And where do you even get so much paper?!" Shige snaps, taking one of the paper balls and pelting it back at Ryo.
Ryo points at Shige's book. "It's funny because I get it from you." Shige gapes at his book before flipping through it as Ryo sneaks out of the room, laughing to himself as Shige snaps, "You liar! Don't scare me like that!" Ryo laughs harder as he dashes towards the elevator, knocking into Koyama who's on his way in.
"What's up with you?" Koyama asks, watching as the doors close on Ryo.
"A monster's chasing me," Ryo tells him, and laughs when he hears an approaching Shige snap, "I HEARD THAT!" The doors close and Ryo can't help but smile at how they're getting closer - it's not a lie to say that he's pleased.
v. Thick body hair.
"Ugh," Ryo groans when he looks at pictures of the latest photo shoot. He looks up at Shige who's looking at him confused.
"Ugh?" Shige questions. Ryo reaches out, his hand patting the top of Shige's head, and frowns.
"Your hair's growing back out." Ryo pulls back just in time to catch a blush spread through Shige's cheeks. Ryo blinks before blushing too. "Don't be embarrassed!" Ryo snaps, "It makes me embarrassed!"
Shige coughs awkwardly before nodding, changing the topic. "Yeah, should I cut it again?" Shige asks, his hand in his hair as he tries to simultaneously play with it and comb through it. "I wasn't sure if I should keep this hairstyle or not."
"Isn't there some kind of saying in English?" Ryo asks. He narrows his eyes as he tries to think of it. "If it's not broken, don't fix it?"
Shige nods before pausing and shaking his head. "Yeah, that's how it goes. But how exactly does that even apply?"
"Your new hairstyle looks great on you. Why would you wanna change it at all?" Ryo leans over to stop Shige from yanking out hair and rolls his eyes, "You've looked better than you have in years." Shige blinks before blushing again and Ryo can't help but blush in turn. "Stop that! It's embarrassing!"
Shige bites at his bottom lip, and even though he looks like he's about to shy away, he looks at Ryo in the eye. "It's because you're being unusually kind."
Ryo blushes, but he narrows his eyes a second later. "Unusually? I'm always nice."
Shige laughs, "I'm sure there are people who think otherwise."
"Well," Ryo starts, "Obviously they don't matter enough for me to be kind."
"Does that mean I do?" Shige asks, and his eyes have a bit more depth to them than Ryo's used to seeing.
Ryo averts his gaze, grunting. "Maybe."
Shige's laughter is real and happy, and Ryo can't help but join in. "Don't worry," Shige says, winking. "I won't tell anyone that you have a secret crush on me."
Ryo rolls his eyes. And Shige wonders why Ryo picks on him. You boost his ego once, and he's suddenly much too pleased with himself. "Even if you did, I doubt they'd believe you," Ryo retorts. "They all know I have better taste than that."
"You just want to be argumentative," Shige laughs.
Ryo smirks. "Maybe," he says. "Maybe."
vi. Shiny eyes.
It's strange to Ryo that Shige can still keep a sense of innocence about him even after how long he's been part of JE. It's a different kind of innocence though - not the kind that Tegoshi has, where he's still a little naive about how JE works. Shige's naivety is a lot more subtle. "Shige, you have a larger role in this next single," Ryo congratulates in a way that's entirely Ryo's, smiling at the younger male.
"Aa~ I do, don't I?" Shige beams at Ryo, his hand behind his head as he looks at Ryo in embarrassment. "Think they're starting to realize my potential?"
Ryo snorts, "Took them long enough, huh?"
Shige laughs, eyes shining. "I shouldn't be too cocky though. Who knows if this'll last."
Ryo only sees a little bit of the insecurity that Shige had when he first met him, and he's glad that so much has been wiped out since then. Ryo reaches out to tousle Shige's hair, what little he can, anyway. "You shouldn't say that. Be more positive, idiot. Don't be such a downer."
Shige shakes his head, the smile never leaving his face. "I'm excited, of course! But you know, I don't wanna get my hopes up and then have them come crashing down. This is safer."
Ryo stares for a long moment, at a loss for words.
"Nishikido-kun?" Shige asks, his eyebrows scrunched. "Is something wrong?"
Ryo shakes his head. "You can be such an idiot," Ryo says. "Be positive. Be happy. Even if your hopes get crushed, being happy for that moment is all that matters."
Shige laughs and says almost mockingly, "And who'll help me when I'm so crushed by all my dreams coming down?"
"I'm always here," Ryo snaps without thought. Shige's jaw drops and Ryo mentally berates himself. "As a friendly shoulder, you know. Nothing else."
The edges of Shige's lips curve upwards as he smiles brightly at Ryo, his eyes brighter than before. "That means a lot... Especially coming from you, Nishikido-kun."
"Whatever," Ryo grunts as he gets up from the couch, heading towards the door.
"Nishikido-kun?" Shige calls, stopping Ryo in his tracks. "I'll be taking you up on that offer, okay?"
Ryo nods once before walking again. Even if he had offered, Ryo hoped he'd never have to fulfill it.
vii. White teeth.
"Did you ever have to get your teeth done?" Ryo asks curiously, leaning against a propped elbow as Shige eats his lunch in front of him. Shige freezes just as he's about to eat some rice, looking incredulously at the older male.
"What?" Shige asks, putting his chopsticks back down. "What brought this about?"
Ryo shrugs, "A lot of Johnny's had to have their teeth done." Like Yamapi, he thinks. "So, it's not a weird question."
"It is a weird question," Shige insists, looking around the room.
"What?" Ryo asks as he looks around the room, following in Shige's motions. "Did you see a cockroach?!" he hisses, pulling his feet up off the ground.
"No!" Shige exclaims before shaking his head. "I was just hoping that one of the members would come in and change the subject on us."
Ryo frowns, "What? Is it awkward with me again?"
"It never stopped being awkward," Shige retorts. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be asking me odd questions like if I'd gotten my teeth done."
"Ah," Ryo says, sighing, before laying his head down on the table. "So you did, huh? Must've been hideous."
"Hey!" Shige protests. "I've never gotten my teeth done before! They're as they have been for years - perfect and pristine."
Ryo ignores this as he continues on, "Wonder if they were all crooked. Maybe a tooth was sticking too far forward. Or! Did you have one hidden behind your teeth? I've heard that's happened before." Ryo can't see Shige's glare, but he can feel it on him, and he can't help but want to crack a smile.
"There's a cockroach beside you," Shige says dryly and Ryo recoils from the table, pushing backwards and falling down, the chair slamming onto the ground. He can hear Shige's guffaws and Ryo curses to himself for falling for that.
"There wasn't a cockroach, was there?" Ryo snaps, as he picks himself up from the floor, grumbling.
"Not at all," Shige says in between bursts of laughter.
"It's not nice to prank your senpai," Ryo growls.
Shige tilts his head to the side, a smirk on his lips. "This coming from you? That's original." Shige cracks up again off the look on Ryo's face as he settles back into his chair.
"I'll get you back next time," Ryo grumbles. Shige can't hear him over his laughter.
viii. Left-handed.
Ryo hands Shige scissors and a sheet of paper. "Cut this for me?" He turns away from Shige, busying himself in paperwork as they prepare all the things they'll need. He can feel the incredulous look on Shige's face. He keeps stoic for another five minutes before bursting into laughter, turning to his side to grab the items back from the younger male. "You don't have to look so stunned, idiot. I didn't ask you to cure cancer."
"Might've been easier," Shige snaps before turning away to separate the papers. Shige and Ryo reach for the same sheet. When Ryo's fingers brush against the back of Shige's hand, the younger male pulls back, surprised and a little nervous.
Ryo raises an eyebrow. "My touch doesn't burn, stupid." Shige mumbles something under his breath. "What?"
Shige shakes his head, "Nothing. Nothing." There's a silence between them again - not at all awkward - as they stand side-by-side, fixing up the sheets and stapling them together. "What do you think'll happen to us 10 years from now?" Shige asks suddenly.
Ryo turns to look at Shige. "Random much?"
"What? You can be random, but I can't?" Shige asks, an eyebrow raised.
"I think I'll still be in the Entertainment business," Ryo answers minutes later; he looks over at Shige. "And you? A lawyer?"
"Maybe," Shige sighs. "Who knows with the way things are going."
Ryo raises an eyebrow, "Are you not confident in your own studies?"
Shige shrugs. "It's not that," he starts. "I just don't know where it's going."
"I took law because it sounds cool," Ryo echoes and he raises an eyebrow at Shige. "This wasn't true, right?"
"Of course not!" Shige cracks a smile, "I just thought it sounded funnier."
"As long as you don't start to believe those words, then you're fine. You chose law because you like it. As long as you keep with that, I think you'll be fine," Ryo tells Shige, patting him on the head.
Shige grins under Ryo's hand before laughing as he points out, "Whenever I'm with you, I feel like I'm your pet."
"As long as I don't have to clean up after you," Ryo counters.
Shige rolls his eyes, before pushing a few sheets off the table. "I don't know if I can promise that," Shige smirks as he points at the sheets. "I'm giving you practice though, just in case." Ryo laughs, before picking up the sheets, shaking his head.
ix. Calculates really fast in his head.
Ryo yawns as he enters the break room and pauses when he sees Shige pretending to write something in the air, his eyebrows furrowed together in deep concentration and glasses back on his face. He bites his lip before turning back to his book, and Ryo watches as Shige again pretends to write something in the air, then write things down on his paper. Ryo slumps onto the seat next to Shige, leaning over to catch a glance at his notebook. "What exactly are you doing?" Ryo asks, staring a mixture of numbers, letters and strange symbols that he doesn't think he's ever seen.
"Math homework," Shige mutters before calculating something in the air again.
"I thought you weren't taking math anymore?" Ryo asks, sneaking a glance at the mess that was that paper.
"Not mine," Shige mumbles as he rushes to scribble more numbers. "It's Pi's. I told him I'd help out since he has all those interviews lined up."
"You're doing his homework for him?" Ryo stares at Shige, stunned. "You never used to do that before, telling everyone to do their work by themselves."
Shige's pen freezes mid-air as he slowly turns to look at Ryo. "What?"
"Well, isn't that how it used to be? You were kinda cold back then, always insisting that we do things for ourselves or we'd lose the chance to learn." A smirk grows on Ryo's face. "I remember thinking you were such a know-it-all brat. With those glasses of yours and beady eyes," Ryo smirks as he watches Shige flush darkly.
"It's not like I'm doing it for him," Shige grumbles, his embarrassment hard to hide. "I'm just giving him the answers and he'll have to do the work himself so he can learn the process."
Ryo claps a hand on Shige's back. "You've grown, you know." Shige turns, startled by Ryo's words, and Ryo fights his own embarrassment as he continues. "You've become someone that we're all proud to know, and glad we work with."
Shige's jaw drops, as does the pencil. "Nishi-"
"Wait, let me finish," Ryo insists, his heart pounding and his hand still firmly on Shige's back. "You're an important part of our group, so never underestimate yourself."
Shige pauses, sucking in his breath. "You're being strangely sentimental, Nishikido-kun."
"I compliment you and that's all you have to say? You know what... I take it back," Ryo snorts, removing his hand from Shige's back and Shige has to laugh.
"You're still as childish as ever though."
"Never a child," Ryo insists grumpily, although the grin on his face says otherwise.
Shige's eyes shine. "You sure fool me."
Ryo smacks him over the head before retorting, "Just go back to doing Yamapi's homework. What you're good at."
"Thank you though," Shige murmurs, averting his eyes.
"Don't get all sentimental on me," Ryo says. "I didn't say that so you could get all mushy on me."
"I know," Shige says, looking up to grin at Ryo and Ryo can't keep the grin off his face, no matter how silly it probably makes him look. Shige does know, Ryo's certain of that.
x. Stubborn.
Ryo rolls his eyes as Shige insists that he hadn't stolen Ryo's lunch, even coming up with a very lengthy alibi that makes Ryo think that Shige needs more of a life. "Idiot, shut up already," Ryo snaps five minutes in. "I know you didn't take it." He shakes his head.
Shige stares at Ryo before slumping into the seat next to Ryo on the couch, eyes narrowed, and a frown on his lips.
"Oh, don't sulk," Ryo growls. "I just wanted to tease you, but apparently you take things too seriously sometimes."
Shige turns his head away from Ryo pointedly, making a noise of aggravation as Ryo tugs strands of Shige's hair towards him.
"Look who's being the child now," Ryo retorts, giving up in his fight to get Shige's attention. He readjusts himself on the couch, crossing his arms tightly against his chest.
"I never know when you're being serious on me," Shige mumbles minutes later, his face still turned away from Ryo's. "Sometimes you're nice, other times you're just teasing me and I don't know if I should be optimistic and pessimistic."
Ryo stares, "What are you talking about?"
"You're also painstakingly dense sometimes," Shige snaps, turning around to face Ryo. "I mean, I'm not the most stealthy person, but I thought I was being obvious enough."
"...Obviously, you're not obvious enough if I don't even know what you're talking about," Ryo counters. "Just spit it out already so I can stop dealing with such a childish Shige."
"I like you!" Shige exclaims, exasperated. "I don't even know why. You're mean to me, although not without reason. And when you're nice, you're really nice." He groans. "I'm an idiot who's obviously M because I take all this shit from you and I don't understand why and..." Shige's words trail off as Ryo sits there, blinking blankly back at him. "Okay, now would be the time to say something."
"I should've known my charm extended past females."
Shige rolls his eyes, "Probably not the best thing to say."
"Doesn't stop it from being true," Ryo retorts. He pauses and Shige fidgets in his seat.
"Look-" Shige starts, his lips pursed and his eyebrows furrowed.
"Thank you," Ryo says awkwardly, looking away as his cheeks start to flush. "I don't... I didn't think you'd ever confess. It's... Surprising."
Shige sighs, relaxing in his seat. "As long as you're not about to punch me for surprising you with this, I'm good."
"I don't..." Ryo fumbles for his words. "Not like that. Not yet, I don't think. So..."
"It's okay," Shige insists, turning to look at Ryo, his eyes shining again - a sight that Ryo never gets sick of. "I didn't expect anything. I just wanted... I needed you to know."
Ryo blinks, before smiling. "I'd say you should wait for me, but then I'd feel like one of those lame guys in mangas that are flattered by the girl's confession." Shige raises an eyebrow before Ryo sputters to explain, "Matsumoto-kun told me about some shoujo mangas." Shige stifles a laugh and Ryo narrows his eyes. "Are you sure you like me?"
Shige laughs, "Yeah, I'm positive."
"Then wait for me," Ryo says seriously. Shige freezes and stares at Ryo with wide eyes before Ryo bursts out laughing. "What do you think? Do I sound like those guys?"
Shige pauses before punching Ryo on the shoulder. "That wasn't funny!" Shige growls before getting up and heading towards the door.
"Wait for me," Ryo repeats and when Shige turns around to face him, maybe to tell him off, Ryo adds, "I mean it this time."
Shige stares before nodding mutely.
"I don't know how I'll feel two weeks from now, maybe just one week. But I'll answer you properly. I promise," Ryo insists, standing up to look at Shige face to face.
"Okay," Shige mumbles, his voice half-caught in his throat. He smiles at Ryo, and Ryo feels his heart skip a beat as he watches Shige turn and walk out the door. Maybe Shige wouldn't have to wait awfully long, Ryo thinks.
Shige ends up only having to wait three days.
Author: Kamika Farinas aka tinyangl
Pairing/Group: Nishikido Ryo/Kato Shigeaki
Rating: PG-13
Notes: Thanks to Binan no Nikki for their translation of Ryo's jweb. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have this list. Also, thanks to my friends for listening to me rant and rave over this. I must've gotten annoying so I apologize and thank you for still talking to me, no matter what. These ended up being more of vignettes than a connecting fic. Hopefully, it's still okay. The setting is the NewS break room for all of these.
Summary: Ryo once made a list of what he thinks of Shige - they weren't exactly chosen by random.
Edit: Thanks to cynicalism for her beta-ing job and to bitofpixiedust for listening to my ranting and raving. :D You're both awesome. Written for annnimeee for je_holiday.
i. Prodigy.
Ryo glances over at the table where Shige is buried in books, glasses resting precariously on the edge of his nose as he twirls his pencil in his hand, yawning. There's nobody else in the room with them and Ryo finds it's a little boring when the only other person in the room with him is so occupied (and had announced on public television that he found it awkward to be in a room with Ryo alone). Shige yawns again.
"If you're tired," Ryo snaps, "then just stop."
Shige sighs, shaking his head slightly and readjusting his glasses. "I'm always a little tired, but this is more important." Ryo purses his lips before getting up and standing behind Shige, his hands on Shige's shoulders as he tries to peek at the book.
"What is this anyway?" Ryo asks, staring at words "property", "tenants" "civil law" and the like.
Shige smiles brightly. "Well-" he starts.
"That was a rhetorical question," Ryo interrupts swiftly, before stepping back and returning to his seat on the couch. For a second, Ryo catches a pained look in Shige's eyes, but he tries to push it away. Not sure what he could do about it even if it was.
There's an awkward silence between them as Shige goes back to his books and Ryo returns to his magazine. "Good luck," Ryo grunts and Shige stares in surprise. "Don't look at me like that. You have a test, don't you?" Ryo turns his head away in embarrassment so he can't see Shige looking at him. "You've been studying for days. So... good luck." Ryo doesn't even know why he's saying this when Shige enjoys learning and there's pretty much no way he'd fail this test, even if Ryo didn't give him any good luck. His embarrassment bubbles up in his stomach.
Ryo can hear the awe in Shige's voice as he says, "Thanks, Nishikido-kun."
Ryo grunts before getting up and storming out of the room. He thinks he needs to go torture a junior to make the balance of the universe right again.
ii. Mathematics.
It's not uncommon to see Yamapi or Tegoshi ask Shige for help in their school work. So when Ryo enters the break room to find Yamapi and Shige sitting at the same table, papers littered around them, he's not surprised. "So the volume is found by calculating the integral of the area times pi?"
Ryo stares at the two. "What immoral deeds are you doing with a pie?" He throws his bag on top of the table, scattering a few papers to the floor.
Yamapi looks up at Ryo, his glasses on the bridge of his nose and Ryo has to wonder when the last time Yamapi has slept is, with those bags under his eyes. "It's not an actual pie," Shige corrects and Ryo glances over, wondering when the last time he's slept (or looked away from a book). "It's a mathematical term."
"You take math?" Ryo asks, a little surprised.
Shige shakes his head. "I had to take this class back in high school," Shige explains. "Calculus. So I remember a lot of it." Ryo blinks. What didn't this boy not know?
He turns to Yamapi, laughing. "So you had to ask your kouhai for help? Good going."
Yamapi frowns, pushing his glasses back up. "I'll take what I can get."
"Hey!" Shige protests and Yamapi grins at the younger boy, "Not that I'm saying I don't appreciate it. Besides..." Yamapi turns back to Ryo. "I think anyone'd ask Shige for school work help, no matter how much older they are."
"Well, he is a bookworm," Ryo agrees. Shige pouts and Yamapi laughs, throwing an arm around Shige's shoulders.
"And reliable," Yamapi adds. Ryo has to smile as he watches Shige's eyes sparkle, cheeks flushing slightly.
"Yamashita-kun, that's too much praise for me," Shige mumbles, averting his eyes.
Yamapi nudges Shige's side, winking at Ryo. "Yeah, you're right. I take it back then." Ryo laughs as a flustered Shige protests with his head raised high and his eyes shining bright. It's a side of Shige that Ryo wishes would come out more.
iii. Physics.
"I knew Yamapi was an idiot that spilled coffee onto his lap and blame it on gravity, but I thought you were smarter than that," Ryo snaps, taking a paper towel and cleaning off his shirt. He glares at the younger male who hovers around him, paper towels in his hand.
"I didnot blame it on gravity!" Shige protests, pressing another towel to Ryo's shirt.
"I think that saying that it was motion that propelled your drink onto my shirt was close enough," Ryo counters.
Shige flushes. "Well, it's true though!"
"It wasn't as though you were across the room. Just confess that you purposely threw it at me," Ryo says, arms crossed but his lips are curving into a smile.
"Nishikido-kun," Shige starts, his hands reaching out to hold Ryo's and Ryo looks at Shige, startled. "I don't know how it happened, but I think..." Ryo stares as Shige pauses, inhaling dramatically.
"Wait, where are you go-" Ryo starts, about to interject, but Shige continues.
"I think... a ghost must've picked up my cup and thrown it at you," Shige says, looking absolutely serious as Ryo drops his head. "I can't think of any other reason for it to have landed all over your shirt! This ghost must've been offended when you insulted me back there." Ryo crumples up the semi-soaked paper towel in his hand and pelts it at Shige's head, the younger male laughing hard.
"You are an idiot," Ryo snaps. "I take it back, you're not smarter than Pi. You're stupider."
"I think it's more stupid actually," Shige corrects and Ryo's eyes narrow.
"I think that ghost is back," Ryo hisses, crumpling up another paper towel. Shige dashes out of the room, still laughing as Ryo starts throwing the balled paper towels at his head, rambling about how the ghost was now on his side after seeing how stupid Shige was and who'd turn against Ryo anyway?
iv. Glasses.
It's become more and more common for Shige to walk into the break room, his nose in a book and his glasses slipping to the edge of his nose. "Don't you ever not read? It's no wonder your eyes are going bad," Ryo says.
Shige looks up just in time to smack his hip against table. "Ouch!" he yelps, his hand on his hip, dropping his book in surprise.
Ryo snorts, rolling his eyes. "And this is why they say you shouldn't read while you walk."
Shige sighs, settling into the seat across from Ryo. "I would've been fine if you hadn't distracted me," he snaps. He bends over to grab his book, plopping it onto the table then flipping through it to get back to the page he'd been at.
Ryo raises an eyebrow, but doesn't say a word. He glances around, a little tickled that once again, they're alone in a room together. "Is it awkward in a room with me?" Shige asks, a tinge of amusement in his voice as he peeks above his book.
"Isn't that something I should be asking?" Ryo pointedly looks at Shige. Even though Shige ducks his head behind the book, Ryo still catches the flush spreading throughout his cheeks.
"I'm not the only one who said such a thing," Shige says, embarrassed.
Ryo grins, "It's not as though Tegoshi's here." He laces his fingers together, leaning against his hands with his chin. "Besides, I'm too cool for him. That's not even awkward; he was just trying to lift the fangirls' spirits up."
Shige scoffs, "And how different is that from mine?"
"Very different," Ryo laughs. "Want a list with every point?"
"Have the time? I'd be more than happy to see it," Shige says, as pleasantly as he can. He takes off his glasses, leaving it on the table, and Ryo can see his eyes are shining brighter than it had before.
Ryo snorts, "Even if I did have time, I wouldn't waste it doing that."
"If you were so busy, you wouldn't be sitting here, arguing over whether I was being a fanboy of yours or not," Shige points out. He avoids Ryo's glare and laughs when Ryo makes a noise of anger. Ryo throws another crumpled ball of paper at Shige - it bounces off his forehead and Shige rubs at that spot in irritation. "Why do you keep throwing things at me?"
"Because you say stupid things like that," Ryo grunts, throwing another paper ball at his forehead.
"And where do you even get so much paper?!" Shige snaps, taking one of the paper balls and pelting it back at Ryo.
Ryo points at Shige's book. "It's funny because I get it from you." Shige gapes at his book before flipping through it as Ryo sneaks out of the room, laughing to himself as Shige snaps, "You liar! Don't scare me like that!" Ryo laughs harder as he dashes towards the elevator, knocking into Koyama who's on his way in.
"What's up with you?" Koyama asks, watching as the doors close on Ryo.
"A monster's chasing me," Ryo tells him, and laughs when he hears an approaching Shige snap, "I HEARD THAT!" The doors close and Ryo can't help but smile at how they're getting closer - it's not a lie to say that he's pleased.
v. Thick body hair.
"Ugh," Ryo groans when he looks at pictures of the latest photo shoot. He looks up at Shige who's looking at him confused.
"Ugh?" Shige questions. Ryo reaches out, his hand patting the top of Shige's head, and frowns.
"Your hair's growing back out." Ryo pulls back just in time to catch a blush spread through Shige's cheeks. Ryo blinks before blushing too. "Don't be embarrassed!" Ryo snaps, "It makes me embarrassed!"
Shige coughs awkwardly before nodding, changing the topic. "Yeah, should I cut it again?" Shige asks, his hand in his hair as he tries to simultaneously play with it and comb through it. "I wasn't sure if I should keep this hairstyle or not."
"Isn't there some kind of saying in English?" Ryo asks. He narrows his eyes as he tries to think of it. "If it's not broken, don't fix it?"
Shige nods before pausing and shaking his head. "Yeah, that's how it goes. But how exactly does that even apply?"
"Your new hairstyle looks great on you. Why would you wanna change it at all?" Ryo leans over to stop Shige from yanking out hair and rolls his eyes, "You've looked better than you have in years." Shige blinks before blushing again and Ryo can't help but blush in turn. "Stop that! It's embarrassing!"
Shige bites at his bottom lip, and even though he looks like he's about to shy away, he looks at Ryo in the eye. "It's because you're being unusually kind."
Ryo blushes, but he narrows his eyes a second later. "Unusually? I'm always nice."
Shige laughs, "I'm sure there are people who think otherwise."
"Well," Ryo starts, "Obviously they don't matter enough for me to be kind."
"Does that mean I do?" Shige asks, and his eyes have a bit more depth to them than Ryo's used to seeing.
Ryo averts his gaze, grunting. "Maybe."
Shige's laughter is real and happy, and Ryo can't help but join in. "Don't worry," Shige says, winking. "I won't tell anyone that you have a secret crush on me."
Ryo rolls his eyes. And Shige wonders why Ryo picks on him. You boost his ego once, and he's suddenly much too pleased with himself. "Even if you did, I doubt they'd believe you," Ryo retorts. "They all know I have better taste than that."
"You just want to be argumentative," Shige laughs.
Ryo smirks. "Maybe," he says. "Maybe."
vi. Shiny eyes.
It's strange to Ryo that Shige can still keep a sense of innocence about him even after how long he's been part of JE. It's a different kind of innocence though - not the kind that Tegoshi has, where he's still a little naive about how JE works. Shige's naivety is a lot more subtle. "Shige, you have a larger role in this next single," Ryo congratulates in a way that's entirely Ryo's, smiling at the younger male.
"Aa~ I do, don't I?" Shige beams at Ryo, his hand behind his head as he looks at Ryo in embarrassment. "Think they're starting to realize my potential?"
Ryo snorts, "Took them long enough, huh?"
Shige laughs, eyes shining. "I shouldn't be too cocky though. Who knows if this'll last."
Ryo only sees a little bit of the insecurity that Shige had when he first met him, and he's glad that so much has been wiped out since then. Ryo reaches out to tousle Shige's hair, what little he can, anyway. "You shouldn't say that. Be more positive, idiot. Don't be such a downer."
Shige shakes his head, the smile never leaving his face. "I'm excited, of course! But you know, I don't wanna get my hopes up and then have them come crashing down. This is safer."
Ryo stares for a long moment, at a loss for words.
"Nishikido-kun?" Shige asks, his eyebrows scrunched. "Is something wrong?"
Ryo shakes his head. "You can be such an idiot," Ryo says. "Be positive. Be happy. Even if your hopes get crushed, being happy for that moment is all that matters."
Shige laughs and says almost mockingly, "And who'll help me when I'm so crushed by all my dreams coming down?"
"I'm always here," Ryo snaps without thought. Shige's jaw drops and Ryo mentally berates himself. "As a friendly shoulder, you know. Nothing else."
The edges of Shige's lips curve upwards as he smiles brightly at Ryo, his eyes brighter than before. "That means a lot... Especially coming from you, Nishikido-kun."
"Whatever," Ryo grunts as he gets up from the couch, heading towards the door.
"Nishikido-kun?" Shige calls, stopping Ryo in his tracks. "I'll be taking you up on that offer, okay?"
Ryo nods once before walking again. Even if he had offered, Ryo hoped he'd never have to fulfill it.
vii. White teeth.
"Did you ever have to get your teeth done?" Ryo asks curiously, leaning against a propped elbow as Shige eats his lunch in front of him. Shige freezes just as he's about to eat some rice, looking incredulously at the older male.
"What?" Shige asks, putting his chopsticks back down. "What brought this about?"
Ryo shrugs, "A lot of Johnny's had to have their teeth done." Like Yamapi, he thinks. "So, it's not a weird question."
"It is a weird question," Shige insists, looking around the room.
"What?" Ryo asks as he looks around the room, following in Shige's motions. "Did you see a cockroach?!" he hisses, pulling his feet up off the ground.
"No!" Shige exclaims before shaking his head. "I was just hoping that one of the members would come in and change the subject on us."
Ryo frowns, "What? Is it awkward with me again?"
"It never stopped being awkward," Shige retorts. "Otherwise, you wouldn't be asking me odd questions like if I'd gotten my teeth done."
"Ah," Ryo says, sighing, before laying his head down on the table. "So you did, huh? Must've been hideous."
"Hey!" Shige protests. "I've never gotten my teeth done before! They're as they have been for years - perfect and pristine."
Ryo ignores this as he continues on, "Wonder if they were all crooked. Maybe a tooth was sticking too far forward. Or! Did you have one hidden behind your teeth? I've heard that's happened before." Ryo can't see Shige's glare, but he can feel it on him, and he can't help but want to crack a smile.
"There's a cockroach beside you," Shige says dryly and Ryo recoils from the table, pushing backwards and falling down, the chair slamming onto the ground. He can hear Shige's guffaws and Ryo curses to himself for falling for that.
"There wasn't a cockroach, was there?" Ryo snaps, as he picks himself up from the floor, grumbling.
"Not at all," Shige says in between bursts of laughter.
"It's not nice to prank your senpai," Ryo growls.
Shige tilts his head to the side, a smirk on his lips. "This coming from you? That's original." Shige cracks up again off the look on Ryo's face as he settles back into his chair.
"I'll get you back next time," Ryo grumbles. Shige can't hear him over his laughter.
viii. Left-handed.
Ryo hands Shige scissors and a sheet of paper. "Cut this for me?" He turns away from Shige, busying himself in paperwork as they prepare all the things they'll need. He can feel the incredulous look on Shige's face. He keeps stoic for another five minutes before bursting into laughter, turning to his side to grab the items back from the younger male. "You don't have to look so stunned, idiot. I didn't ask you to cure cancer."
"Might've been easier," Shige snaps before turning away to separate the papers. Shige and Ryo reach for the same sheet. When Ryo's fingers brush against the back of Shige's hand, the younger male pulls back, surprised and a little nervous.
Ryo raises an eyebrow. "My touch doesn't burn, stupid." Shige mumbles something under his breath. "What?"
Shige shakes his head, "Nothing. Nothing." There's a silence between them again - not at all awkward - as they stand side-by-side, fixing up the sheets and stapling them together. "What do you think'll happen to us 10 years from now?" Shige asks suddenly.
Ryo turns to look at Shige. "Random much?"
"What? You can be random, but I can't?" Shige asks, an eyebrow raised.
"I think I'll still be in the Entertainment business," Ryo answers minutes later; he looks over at Shige. "And you? A lawyer?"
"Maybe," Shige sighs. "Who knows with the way things are going."
Ryo raises an eyebrow, "Are you not confident in your own studies?"
Shige shrugs. "It's not that," he starts. "I just don't know where it's going."
"I took law because it sounds cool," Ryo echoes and he raises an eyebrow at Shige. "This wasn't true, right?"
"Of course not!" Shige cracks a smile, "I just thought it sounded funnier."
"As long as you don't start to believe those words, then you're fine. You chose law because you like it. As long as you keep with that, I think you'll be fine," Ryo tells Shige, patting him on the head.
Shige grins under Ryo's hand before laughing as he points out, "Whenever I'm with you, I feel like I'm your pet."
"As long as I don't have to clean up after you," Ryo counters.
Shige rolls his eyes, before pushing a few sheets off the table. "I don't know if I can promise that," Shige smirks as he points at the sheets. "I'm giving you practice though, just in case." Ryo laughs, before picking up the sheets, shaking his head.
ix. Calculates really fast in his head.
Ryo yawns as he enters the break room and pauses when he sees Shige pretending to write something in the air, his eyebrows furrowed together in deep concentration and glasses back on his face. He bites his lip before turning back to his book, and Ryo watches as Shige again pretends to write something in the air, then write things down on his paper. Ryo slumps onto the seat next to Shige, leaning over to catch a glance at his notebook. "What exactly are you doing?" Ryo asks, staring a mixture of numbers, letters and strange symbols that he doesn't think he's ever seen.
"Math homework," Shige mutters before calculating something in the air again.
"I thought you weren't taking math anymore?" Ryo asks, sneaking a glance at the mess that was that paper.
"Not mine," Shige mumbles as he rushes to scribble more numbers. "It's Pi's. I told him I'd help out since he has all those interviews lined up."
"You're doing his homework for him?" Ryo stares at Shige, stunned. "You never used to do that before, telling everyone to do their work by themselves."
Shige's pen freezes mid-air as he slowly turns to look at Ryo. "What?"
"Well, isn't that how it used to be? You were kinda cold back then, always insisting that we do things for ourselves or we'd lose the chance to learn." A smirk grows on Ryo's face. "I remember thinking you were such a know-it-all brat. With those glasses of yours and beady eyes," Ryo smirks as he watches Shige flush darkly.
"It's not like I'm doing it for him," Shige grumbles, his embarrassment hard to hide. "I'm just giving him the answers and he'll have to do the work himself so he can learn the process."
Ryo claps a hand on Shige's back. "You've grown, you know." Shige turns, startled by Ryo's words, and Ryo fights his own embarrassment as he continues. "You've become someone that we're all proud to know, and glad we work with."
Shige's jaw drops, as does the pencil. "Nishi-"
"Wait, let me finish," Ryo insists, his heart pounding and his hand still firmly on Shige's back. "You're an important part of our group, so never underestimate yourself."
Shige pauses, sucking in his breath. "You're being strangely sentimental, Nishikido-kun."
"I compliment you and that's all you have to say? You know what... I take it back," Ryo snorts, removing his hand from Shige's back and Shige has to laugh.
"You're still as childish as ever though."
"Never a child," Ryo insists grumpily, although the grin on his face says otherwise.
Shige's eyes shine. "You sure fool me."
Ryo smacks him over the head before retorting, "Just go back to doing Yamapi's homework. What you're good at."
"Thank you though," Shige murmurs, averting his eyes.
"Don't get all sentimental on me," Ryo says. "I didn't say that so you could get all mushy on me."
"I know," Shige says, looking up to grin at Ryo and Ryo can't keep the grin off his face, no matter how silly it probably makes him look. Shige does know, Ryo's certain of that.
x. Stubborn.
Ryo rolls his eyes as Shige insists that he hadn't stolen Ryo's lunch, even coming up with a very lengthy alibi that makes Ryo think that Shige needs more of a life. "Idiot, shut up already," Ryo snaps five minutes in. "I know you didn't take it." He shakes his head.
Shige stares at Ryo before slumping into the seat next to Ryo on the couch, eyes narrowed, and a frown on his lips.
"Oh, don't sulk," Ryo growls. "I just wanted to tease you, but apparently you take things too seriously sometimes."
Shige turns his head away from Ryo pointedly, making a noise of aggravation as Ryo tugs strands of Shige's hair towards him.
"Look who's being the child now," Ryo retorts, giving up in his fight to get Shige's attention. He readjusts himself on the couch, crossing his arms tightly against his chest.
"I never know when you're being serious on me," Shige mumbles minutes later, his face still turned away from Ryo's. "Sometimes you're nice, other times you're just teasing me and I don't know if I should be optimistic and pessimistic."
Ryo stares, "What are you talking about?"
"You're also painstakingly dense sometimes," Shige snaps, turning around to face Ryo. "I mean, I'm not the most stealthy person, but I thought I was being obvious enough."
"...Obviously, you're not obvious enough if I don't even know what you're talking about," Ryo counters. "Just spit it out already so I can stop dealing with such a childish Shige."
"I like you!" Shige exclaims, exasperated. "I don't even know why. You're mean to me, although not without reason. And when you're nice, you're really nice." He groans. "I'm an idiot who's obviously M because I take all this shit from you and I don't understand why and..." Shige's words trail off as Ryo sits there, blinking blankly back at him. "Okay, now would be the time to say something."
"I should've known my charm extended past females."
Shige rolls his eyes, "Probably not the best thing to say."
"Doesn't stop it from being true," Ryo retorts. He pauses and Shige fidgets in his seat.
"Look-" Shige starts, his lips pursed and his eyebrows furrowed.
"Thank you," Ryo says awkwardly, looking away as his cheeks start to flush. "I don't... I didn't think you'd ever confess. It's... Surprising."
Shige sighs, relaxing in his seat. "As long as you're not about to punch me for surprising you with this, I'm good."
"I don't..." Ryo fumbles for his words. "Not like that. Not yet, I don't think. So..."
"It's okay," Shige insists, turning to look at Ryo, his eyes shining again - a sight that Ryo never gets sick of. "I didn't expect anything. I just wanted... I needed you to know."
Ryo blinks, before smiling. "I'd say you should wait for me, but then I'd feel like one of those lame guys in mangas that are flattered by the girl's confession." Shige raises an eyebrow before Ryo sputters to explain, "Matsumoto-kun told me about some shoujo mangas." Shige stifles a laugh and Ryo narrows his eyes. "Are you sure you like me?"
Shige laughs, "Yeah, I'm positive."
"Then wait for me," Ryo says seriously. Shige freezes and stares at Ryo with wide eyes before Ryo bursts out laughing. "What do you think? Do I sound like those guys?"
Shige pauses before punching Ryo on the shoulder. "That wasn't funny!" Shige growls before getting up and heading towards the door.
"Wait for me," Ryo repeats and when Shige turns around to face him, maybe to tell him off, Ryo adds, "I mean it this time."
Shige stares before nodding mutely.
"I don't know how I'll feel two weeks from now, maybe just one week. But I'll answer you properly. I promise," Ryo insists, standing up to look at Shige face to face.
"Okay," Shige mumbles, his voice half-caught in his throat. He smiles at Ryo, and Ryo feels his heart skip a beat as he watches Shige turn and walk out the door. Maybe Shige wouldn't have to wait awfully long, Ryo thinks.
Shige ends up only having to wait three days.