twenty five tales: Sweet Nothings [TeniMyu; AiKatou, KazuYa, SaiAi]
title: Sweet Nothings
author: yumeyana
fandom: musical tennis no oujisama
pairing: aiba x katou, katou x takuya, ...and possible saitoh x aiba (^^;;)
rating/genre: PG, angst
summary: They say that a way to man's heart is through his stomach. In Aiba's case, however, the way he can express his heart's anguish is through his cream puffs.
[crossposted at tenimyu_slash, kazukixtakuya, and at brightstolights.]
Author’s/Fic Notes: The third fic for the twenty-five themes and yes, it’s once again features the wonderfully inspiring people from TeniMyu. The timeline is set on pre-Rokkaku Myu while the new cast practiced. Also, I am assuming that since making a movie requires months to complete, I put in the Sukitomo timeline as well.
Disclaimers: Musical Tennis no Oujisama, Sukitomo, and all the people I mentioned in the story below do not belong to me (would’ve loved to but…). None of the events mentioned below happened in real life. Only the plot is mine.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
03. Sweet Nothings
The first time Aiba Hiroki brought two baskets full of cream puffs to the musical practices, the Seigaku cast had been elated. Sakurada and Seto were the first ones to hog one of the baskets, telling everyone that no one - absolutely and positively no one - was allowed to steal a cream puff from their basket. Takiguchi tried to take the basket away from them, too worried about the repercussions of too much intake of insulin.
But the new fukubuchou’s worries fell on deaf ears; Minami, who supposedly supporting him, just patted his back and walked towards the other basket. Takiguchi was about to protest - Ueshima-sensei did not want overly hyper boys when they weren’t practicing for the Dream Live - when Nakayama stuffed a cream puff in his mouth.
“Aiba-chan,” he breathed out after swallowing the delicious cream puff. “Did you bake these?”
“Nah. I bought them before coming here.”
No one - not even when Rokkaku and Hyotei found out about the cream puffs and jokingly accused Seigaku of being selfish brats - asked why Aiba did it. Nobody even bothered to ask why Aiba bought so much food and shared it with everyone else while he ate none of it.
No one seemed to see how wrong it all was.
&
When Saitoh Takumi saw another basket of cream puffs on the set of Sukitomo, he began to get a little curious. He looked around, searching for his co-star. Never mind that the make-up artist told him to stay put; he needed to find Aiba right this minute. But before he could tell the make-up artist to work on the others, one of the numerous assistants in the production told them that practice would be starting in five minutes.
Saitoh decided that he would talk to Aiba later after they’ve finished filming for the day.
Luck wasn’t on the older actor’s side, though, for the moment the director called it a day, Aiba disappeared. He tried contacting him on his mobile phone but the other did not pick up. This was weird since he heard Sakurada say that Aiba never shut his phone off. Something was wrong, he knew, and only one person could tell him what was really happening.
But before he could fish out his mobile phone from his bag and call Katoh, his phone already vibrated. Really now, Saitoh thought, couldn’t he at least do something first before someone did it for him?
He glanced at the display screen. “Yes, Kazuki?”
“Ah, Takumi. Is Hiroki still there?”
“No. He was gone right after today’s taping.”
There was another voice in the background; he knew that it was Takuya. Saitoh could hear the distinct annoyance and worry in both voices. Katoh was probably pacing the room right now - wherever he was.
“Kazuki,” he said, packing the last of his things into his bag. “We need to talk.”
&
“Hiroki!”
Aiba turned around and smiled. It was beginning to get to him - playing Fuji in the musical. His smiles have become some sort of habit and at times, he didn’t know what was real and what was not. Perhaps, it has also become his friend, this habit, for it can conceal all his emotions and show only what needs to be shown.
“Kazuki-san.”
Katoh jogged up to him and slung his arm around his shoulders. It was like old times, Aiba thought. Except for the fact that a lot has changed in him and between them.
“How’s the shooting going?”
“It’s great. Takumi-san has been guiding me.”
“Are you eating well? The practice and the shooting must be draining your energy.”
“Yes, I am. You should ask Seto and Kei-chan! They say I’m eating too well.”
Concern, laughter and then silence.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to be, Katoh thought. They were friends - very old and close friends - and this awkwardness and this pretense… they weren’t supposed to be there. Was it his fault, he asked himself. Perhaps. Was it already too late to fix it?
He didn’t want to think so.
“Kazuki-san, I need to prepare-”
“I called you last night, Hiroki. I called you at home and I called your mobile number.” He paused as he made Aiba face him. “Why was I getting the answering machine?”
The Fuji actor tried not to be affected by Katoh’s tone of voice. “Maybe you called at the wrong time? I was the only one at home and maybe I was in the shower or something. You know that I don’t want anyone disturbing me and my bath.”
“I also know that you don’t ever shut your mobile phone off.”
Aiba sighed. “Kazuki-san, I said I wanted my peace and quiet, remember? After a long day of shooting for the movie and practicing for the musical, can’t I at least have that?” He shrugged off Katoh’s hold on him.
“Thank you for worrying but I need to prepare for the dance number, Kazuki-san. Please excuse me.”
He knew, Katoh thought as he watched his friend walk away. He knew that Aiba hated it when people hovered about him too much. The boy wanted his independence and it was always something he respected. But this wasn’t about independence.
“Then, what are the cream puffs for? I know you didn’t buy them.”
Aiba stopped in his tracks.
“You baked them, didn’t you, Hiroki?”
He also knew that the only reason Aiba baked cream puffs (or anything for that matter) was because he was sad, depressed and frustrated. Baking gave him a kind of release dancing couldn’t. That was why Katoh knew that this just wasn’t about independence.
“I felt like it.”
He took a step towards his friend. “It’s about me and Takuya, isn’t it? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about our relationship before telling anyone else. We weren’t being good friends but we just didn’t know how to tell you, especially since you were busy with the musical and Sukitomo.”
Aiba just stood there without saying anything. Katoh knew it was a risk to close their distance but this was the only he way to make his friend understand that he knew and understood Aiba’s feelings right now.
He wrapped his arms around Aiba. “I’m sorry.”
There was a sharp intake of breath at the contact but no words. Katoh waited.
“Stop thinking that the world revolves around you, Katoh-san.” Aiba’s voice was cold. His voice didn’t even sound like it belonged to him. “It doesn’t.”
For the second time in the last five minutes, he released himself from Katoh’s hold and walked away from the person he never thought he could walk out on.
Baka, Kazuki-san. You don’t get it.
&
The way Aiba saw it, he was supposed to be happy. He should be congratulating them, throwing them parties and giving them presents. He shouldn’t be sulking about being last to know because who cares? The point was, he should be ecstatic.
But he damn wasn’t.
Fine. He wasn’t entirely not ecstatic. Half of him was happy for the two of them - they were his BEST FRIENDS for goodness’ sakes! - but the other half of him wasn’t even near the point of happiness. That half was angry at himself because he was the reason why and how they became friends. Half of him wanted to turn back time so that he could tell Katoh that instead of meeting up with him in Yokohama park, they could meet somewhere else. Katoh didn’t need to see him dance with BRIGHTS. He could dance for him anytime.
Just not with BRIGHTS. Just not with Takuya.
He was being selfish and stupid but he didn’t care. Katoh was his. Katoh was supposed to be his.
Aiba kept folding the batter even though he knew that he wasn’t supposed to be doing so. He didn’t want to stop because stopping would mean that he would have to acknowledge the tears streaming down his cheeks.
He didn’t want the tears; he didn’t need to cry.
But-
He was friends first with Katoh, wasn’t he? And it was Aiba who made him laugh the hardest, Aiba who taught him how to combine street dancing and jazz, Aiba who could make him eat more than he usually did. It was Aiba - always Aiba. Katoh even told him that it was Aiba who made him smile.
And yet-
He gripped the wooden spoon tighter, his hand reddening from the pressure he put on it. He raised his other hand to wipe his tears - he couldn’t let the cream puffs get spoiled by his tears, couldn’t he? - but before he could, someone else wiped his tears away.
Aiba turned around.
“Takumi-san?” He tried distancing himself from his co-star but Saitoh’s hand continued to wipe away his tears. “What are you doing here? How did you-?”
“Your mother let me in before she left the house.”
Oh, right, he thought. He went back home because he needed to use the oven. But still…
Aiba looked at him, more questions in his eyes but Saitoh just shushed him. His hand ran through his co-actor’s hair, hoping that it would somehow calm him down.
Saitoh smiled - softly, the way someone who really understood another did - and pulled him closer. He enveloped his arms around the younger lad - not too tight so that he could escape if he wanted to, yet not too loose so that he could still feel that there was someone who he could rely on.
He didn’t know why Saitoh was there or how Saitoh knew he was there but somehow, he didn’t mind this little invasion of privacy. As much as he loved having his personal space, his sempai’s presence right now was comforting.
It was something he needed.
His tears fell down again. It would cost him a lot, he knew, because Saitoh’s shirts were really expensive but he didn’t care much about it right now. With projects constantly popping out here and there, he knew he could save enough to buy his sempai a new shirt. Or he could just bake a basket of cream puffs for Saitoh.
But that could come later.
For now, he’d cry. He would cry until someone could answer the question that had been bugging him since the start of the week.
“Takumi-san, why did he choose Takuya? I was there, always there. Why not me?”
.owari
23Jan07
02:47p
author: yumeyana
fandom: musical tennis no oujisama
pairing: aiba x katou, katou x takuya, ...and possible saitoh x aiba (^^;;)
rating/genre: PG, angst
summary: They say that a way to man's heart is through his stomach. In Aiba's case, however, the way he can express his heart's anguish is through his cream puffs.
[crossposted at tenimyu_slash, kazukixtakuya, and at brightstolights.]
Author’s/Fic Notes: The third fic for the twenty-five themes and yes, it’s once again features the wonderfully inspiring people from TeniMyu. The timeline is set on pre-Rokkaku Myu while the new cast practiced. Also, I am assuming that since making a movie requires months to complete, I put in the Sukitomo timeline as well.
Disclaimers: Musical Tennis no Oujisama, Sukitomo, and all the people I mentioned in the story below do not belong to me (would’ve loved to but…). None of the events mentioned below happened in real life. Only the plot is mine.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
03. Sweet Nothings
The first time Aiba Hiroki brought two baskets full of cream puffs to the musical practices, the Seigaku cast had been elated. Sakurada and Seto were the first ones to hog one of the baskets, telling everyone that no one - absolutely and positively no one - was allowed to steal a cream puff from their basket. Takiguchi tried to take the basket away from them, too worried about the repercussions of too much intake of insulin.
But the new fukubuchou’s worries fell on deaf ears; Minami, who supposedly supporting him, just patted his back and walked towards the other basket. Takiguchi was about to protest - Ueshima-sensei did not want overly hyper boys when they weren’t practicing for the Dream Live - when Nakayama stuffed a cream puff in his mouth.
“Aiba-chan,” he breathed out after swallowing the delicious cream puff. “Did you bake these?”
“Nah. I bought them before coming here.”
No one - not even when Rokkaku and Hyotei found out about the cream puffs and jokingly accused Seigaku of being selfish brats - asked why Aiba did it. Nobody even bothered to ask why Aiba bought so much food and shared it with everyone else while he ate none of it.
No one seemed to see how wrong it all was.
&
When Saitoh Takumi saw another basket of cream puffs on the set of Sukitomo, he began to get a little curious. He looked around, searching for his co-star. Never mind that the make-up artist told him to stay put; he needed to find Aiba right this minute. But before he could tell the make-up artist to work on the others, one of the numerous assistants in the production told them that practice would be starting in five minutes.
Saitoh decided that he would talk to Aiba later after they’ve finished filming for the day.
Luck wasn’t on the older actor’s side, though, for the moment the director called it a day, Aiba disappeared. He tried contacting him on his mobile phone but the other did not pick up. This was weird since he heard Sakurada say that Aiba never shut his phone off. Something was wrong, he knew, and only one person could tell him what was really happening.
But before he could fish out his mobile phone from his bag and call Katoh, his phone already vibrated. Really now, Saitoh thought, couldn’t he at least do something first before someone did it for him?
He glanced at the display screen. “Yes, Kazuki?”
“Ah, Takumi. Is Hiroki still there?”
“No. He was gone right after today’s taping.”
There was another voice in the background; he knew that it was Takuya. Saitoh could hear the distinct annoyance and worry in both voices. Katoh was probably pacing the room right now - wherever he was.
“Kazuki,” he said, packing the last of his things into his bag. “We need to talk.”
&
“Hiroki!”
Aiba turned around and smiled. It was beginning to get to him - playing Fuji in the musical. His smiles have become some sort of habit and at times, he didn’t know what was real and what was not. Perhaps, it has also become his friend, this habit, for it can conceal all his emotions and show only what needs to be shown.
“Kazuki-san.”
Katoh jogged up to him and slung his arm around his shoulders. It was like old times, Aiba thought. Except for the fact that a lot has changed in him and between them.
“How’s the shooting going?”
“It’s great. Takumi-san has been guiding me.”
“Are you eating well? The practice and the shooting must be draining your energy.”
“Yes, I am. You should ask Seto and Kei-chan! They say I’m eating too well.”
Concern, laughter and then silence.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to be, Katoh thought. They were friends - very old and close friends - and this awkwardness and this pretense… they weren’t supposed to be there. Was it his fault, he asked himself. Perhaps. Was it already too late to fix it?
He didn’t want to think so.
“Kazuki-san, I need to prepare-”
“I called you last night, Hiroki. I called you at home and I called your mobile number.” He paused as he made Aiba face him. “Why was I getting the answering machine?”
The Fuji actor tried not to be affected by Katoh’s tone of voice. “Maybe you called at the wrong time? I was the only one at home and maybe I was in the shower or something. You know that I don’t want anyone disturbing me and my bath.”
“I also know that you don’t ever shut your mobile phone off.”
Aiba sighed. “Kazuki-san, I said I wanted my peace and quiet, remember? After a long day of shooting for the movie and practicing for the musical, can’t I at least have that?” He shrugged off Katoh’s hold on him.
“Thank you for worrying but I need to prepare for the dance number, Kazuki-san. Please excuse me.”
He knew, Katoh thought as he watched his friend walk away. He knew that Aiba hated it when people hovered about him too much. The boy wanted his independence and it was always something he respected. But this wasn’t about independence.
“Then, what are the cream puffs for? I know you didn’t buy them.”
Aiba stopped in his tracks.
“You baked them, didn’t you, Hiroki?”
He also knew that the only reason Aiba baked cream puffs (or anything for that matter) was because he was sad, depressed and frustrated. Baking gave him a kind of release dancing couldn’t. That was why Katoh knew that this just wasn’t about independence.
“I felt like it.”
He took a step towards his friend. “It’s about me and Takuya, isn’t it? I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about our relationship before telling anyone else. We weren’t being good friends but we just didn’t know how to tell you, especially since you were busy with the musical and Sukitomo.”
Aiba just stood there without saying anything. Katoh knew it was a risk to close their distance but this was the only he way to make his friend understand that he knew and understood Aiba’s feelings right now.
He wrapped his arms around Aiba. “I’m sorry.”
There was a sharp intake of breath at the contact but no words. Katoh waited.
“Stop thinking that the world revolves around you, Katoh-san.” Aiba’s voice was cold. His voice didn’t even sound like it belonged to him. “It doesn’t.”
For the second time in the last five minutes, he released himself from Katoh’s hold and walked away from the person he never thought he could walk out on.
Baka, Kazuki-san. You don’t get it.
&
The way Aiba saw it, he was supposed to be happy. He should be congratulating them, throwing them parties and giving them presents. He shouldn’t be sulking about being last to know because who cares? The point was, he should be ecstatic.
But he damn wasn’t.
Fine. He wasn’t entirely not ecstatic. Half of him was happy for the two of them - they were his BEST FRIENDS for goodness’ sakes! - but the other half of him wasn’t even near the point of happiness. That half was angry at himself because he was the reason why and how they became friends. Half of him wanted to turn back time so that he could tell Katoh that instead of meeting up with him in Yokohama park, they could meet somewhere else. Katoh didn’t need to see him dance with BRIGHTS. He could dance for him anytime.
Just not with BRIGHTS. Just not with Takuya.
He was being selfish and stupid but he didn’t care. Katoh was his. Katoh was supposed to be his.
Aiba kept folding the batter even though he knew that he wasn’t supposed to be doing so. He didn’t want to stop because stopping would mean that he would have to acknowledge the tears streaming down his cheeks.
He didn’t want the tears; he didn’t need to cry.
But-
He was friends first with Katoh, wasn’t he? And it was Aiba who made him laugh the hardest, Aiba who taught him how to combine street dancing and jazz, Aiba who could make him eat more than he usually did. It was Aiba - always Aiba. Katoh even told him that it was Aiba who made him smile.
And yet-
He gripped the wooden spoon tighter, his hand reddening from the pressure he put on it. He raised his other hand to wipe his tears - he couldn’t let the cream puffs get spoiled by his tears, couldn’t he? - but before he could, someone else wiped his tears away.
Aiba turned around.
“Takumi-san?” He tried distancing himself from his co-star but Saitoh’s hand continued to wipe away his tears. “What are you doing here? How did you-?”
“Your mother let me in before she left the house.”
Oh, right, he thought. He went back home because he needed to use the oven. But still…
Aiba looked at him, more questions in his eyes but Saitoh just shushed him. His hand ran through his co-actor’s hair, hoping that it would somehow calm him down.
Saitoh smiled - softly, the way someone who really understood another did - and pulled him closer. He enveloped his arms around the younger lad - not too tight so that he could escape if he wanted to, yet not too loose so that he could still feel that there was someone who he could rely on.
He didn’t know why Saitoh was there or how Saitoh knew he was there but somehow, he didn’t mind this little invasion of privacy. As much as he loved having his personal space, his sempai’s presence right now was comforting.
It was something he needed.
His tears fell down again. It would cost him a lot, he knew, because Saitoh’s shirts were really expensive but he didn’t care much about it right now. With projects constantly popping out here and there, he knew he could save enough to buy his sempai a new shirt. Or he could just bake a basket of cream puffs for Saitoh.
But that could come later.
For now, he’d cry. He would cry until someone could answer the question that had been bugging him since the start of the week.
“Takumi-san, why did he choose Takuya? I was there, always there. Why not me?”
.owari
23Jan07
02:47p