Work Text:
It was past ten when Tegoshi parked his car into the parking lot of his apartment. It had been a very long day, week or even month. All week long he had many interviews, radio shows, TV shows filming and shooting photos. Having the soccer world cup hosting and NEWS single release both at the same time was grueling, but, even if he hadn’t had time for himself since forever, he couldn’t help being more than happy about all of this.
He pushed the button of the fifth floor of the elevator and couldn’t help smiling like a kid while the metallic doors were closing in front of him. In less than two days he would be in Brazil surrounded by all those famous soccer players. It was such an achievement for him, another of his dreams coming true.
He was a little surprised when he pushed the door of his apartment and saw all the lights on. Did he forget to turn them off this morning? Tegoshi had a lot on his mind recently so that wouldn’t be surprising, but it couldn’t explain the presence of those flashy shoes carefully arranged on his entrance mat. He leaned slightly to get a closer look. Bright yellow running shoes with stars patterned studs. They looked quite familiar to him. He then got up and took a deep breath, the smell of freshly baked bread filling his nose.
‘’Okaeri’’ said a deep honey voice coming from the kitchen. That voice was more than familiar.
Tegoshi dropped his bag on the floor, let his shoes higgledy-piggledy on the entrance mat and ran to the kitchen. He standed still when he saw the owner of that voice, wearing the pink strawberry apron he had bought last year for one of his Yuuko outfit, quietly setting up the table. The latter was clearly avoiding looking back at him while pretending filling an already filled cup of tea.
‘’Massu, what are you doing here?’’
‘’I’m making dinner.’’
‘’Well it’s pretty obvious. What I mean was: What are you doing in my apartment cooking dinner late at night wearing the "unmanlyest" apron I ever seen on earth ?’’
‘’I thought you would be hungry.’’ said Masuda, his cheeks beginning to take an adorable tint of pink.
‘’I am’’
A deep dimple deformed Masuda’s right cheek when his lips twitched into a really proud smile. Tegoshi approached the table to have a better look of the dinner and almost tripped over his poor Pink to Grey copy, that had fallen out of his bookcase this morning, because he couldn’t take his eyes off this smile.
‘’How did you get in?’’
‘’Your mom gave me the keys.’’
‘’She gave you my keys? How did you meet her?’’
‘’I called her.’’
‘’How come you have her phone number?
‘’Eat, it’s getting cold.’’
Tegoshi gave up on knowing the back of the story and sat down in front of a real feast. As expected, there were gyozas and many appealing side dishes. He didn’t even know that Masuda knew how to cook.
‘’Did you cook that all by yourself?’’
‘’I asked my mom her recipes.’’
‘’Seriously? You got into a lot of trouble. Why did you do that? Do you have something to ask me?’’
‘’I’m not you.’’
Seeing Masuda’s face when he sat down, Tegoshi didn’t ask further information about this. He clearly didn’t want to reveal anything to him. Anyway, as soon as Masuda would leave, he would call his mom to see if he could get any answers. Tegoshi took his chopsticks, picked some stewed daikon and put it in his mouth.
‘’Hey! Aren’t you saying ‘’Itadakimasu’’?’’
‘’Mmmm, this is delicious. You are definitely ready for marriage.’’ said Tegoshi in a teasing tone.
Masuda’s crimson cheeks puffed lightly, annoyed. He was about to say something but when his gaze met the younger boy’s one, he froze. His expression suddenly changed, passing from a slightly pissed one to one that Tegoshi couldn’t pinpoint at all. Was it sadness in his eyes?
‘’Eat’’ said Masuda while he was removing his apron and folding it neatly. Something was off.
Even though, since the first time they met, Tegoshi knew that Masuda was a food lover, and ‘lover’ seemed to be a weak word to describe how much this guy loved food, he would never have suspected that he knew anything about cooking. Masuda, 27 going on 28, was still living at his parent house and, every time NEWS would gather to eat together, he would never fail to call back home to know what his mom had cooked. To Tegoshi, that seemed miles away from the description of someone who would have cooking skills. Tegoshi himself, who lived alone since years now, was still scared to come in a 1 meter perimeter of his oven. You never knew when those things could snap and transform your innocent and cute pasta into a deadly inflammable weapon. Now, sitting comfortably on his black leather couch after one of the best dinner he ever had since months, he felts a little ashamed to have ever doubted Masuda’s cooking skills. Tegoshi, who is known to be a sweets hater, even asked for a second serving of this amazing pumpkin pie. That said it all.
They were now drinking a cup of green tea in front of a soccer player interview he had recorded last week. He had already watched it but Masuda insisted to watch it. He doesn't even like soccer that much and even though he had chosen to watch the interview, he didn’t seem to give it much attention. He kept on fidgeting, playing with his cellphone case and giving him weird side looks.
‘’Are you OK Massu?’’
‘’I’m fine.’’
‘’Are you sure?’’
‘’Yeah. Do you want another cup of tea?’’
Tegoshi almost dropped his cup of tea from this sudden change of topic. He shook his head negatively and was about to ask him some more questions when Masuda took the remote control to change the channel to an old cowboy movie.
‘’I love this movie. Let’s watch it’’
‘’Since when you like cowboy movies?’’
‘’Since forever.’’ said Masuda avoiding his gaze.
After watching 20 minutes of what, Tegoshi was sure, was the most boring movie ever, he couldn’t take it any longer. Anyway, it was now past midnight and he still had to pack his things for the trip, take a shower and get some sleep.
‘’I’m sorry Massu, but I will have to pack. I have to leave early for the airport tomorrow morning.’’
Masuda got up so suddenly that his own cellphone felt on the bright pink carpeted floor, but he didn’t seem to notice it and turned to Tegoshi with a panic expression on his face. Tegoshi looked at him with wide opened eyes and a dropping mouth.
‘’You STILL haven’t packed?’’
‘’No, I’ve been busy and didn’t had any free time to do it.’’
‘’You are leaving TOMORROW!’’
‘’I know that and that is why I’m going to do them now!"
He took Masuda’s poor forgotten cellphone on the floor, checked if it was still working and then gave it back to his owner with an apologetic look.
‘’It was really nice of you to make me dinner. It was really tasty and I will pay it back to you when I ret…’’
All of a sudden, Masuda took Tegoshi’s wrist and dragged him to his bedroom. He was holding him so tight that Tegoshi was almost scared to have a mark on his arm later.
‘’I’m going to help you with your luggage. You will never finish on time otherwise. I can’t believe you are leaving tomorrow and still have nothing done. Where is your suitcase? You are taking the leopard printed one right? You really have too much leopard printed stuff.’’
Tegoshi was still at his bedroom door, watching Masuda going from his closet to his drawer, picking t-shirts, shirts and even laughing at his leopard printed boxers.
‘’I can do it by myself. You can go back home. I will see you after I come back from Brazil.’’
But whatever Tegoshi was saying nothing seemed to get to Masuda who was still rummaging in his drawers.
‘’You will need that light white shirt and this black vest. It’s hot in Brazil and it will look pretty nice on TV. You should take the grey toe socks I gave you. They are really confortable. Do you want to take the charcoal facial mask or the green tea leaves one? ’’
‘’Green tea leaves…’’
At this point, trying to stop Masuda would be impossible and Tegoshi was so tired that he just gave up and sat on his bed while Masuda was doing all the work by himself. Anyway, he couldn’t complain because, knowing Masuda, his suitcase would be perfectly packed, socks, pants and t-shirts would be sorted by style and colors. It would be a pleasure to open his suitcase later, though it would probably not stay tided up like that for too long. No one is capable to organize a suitcase as neatly as Masuda Takahisa.
His suitcase was done in no time and Masuda sat in silence on Tegoshi’s bed, staring absently at his watch. He stayed there, not saying a word for almost 2 minutes. He was again having this really strange expression on his face. Why did he seems so sad? Was it his imagination or his lower lips was really trembling lightly? He was about to ask him what was happening when Masuda got up and left the bedroom.
‘’Go to take a shower, I’m going to wash the dishes.’’
There was obviously something off with Masuda that night. The dinner, the strange cowboy movie, being too talkative to avoid any questions Tegoshi could ask, everything seemed weird to him. He was definitely beginning to worry about his friend.
When he got out of the bathroom few minutes later, the kitchen was sparkling, his living room had never been that clean and Masuda was at the entry, packing the stuff he brought to Tegoshi’s house earlier. He was saying it to annoy Masuda earlier, but he was really a man to marry to. It couldn’t be denied. The younger boy sat on the table next to him making the other startle and began to give him the different spices and kitchen tools that he still had to pack.
‘’Are you leaving?’’
‘’Yeah. It’s getting late and you probably want to sleep before …well tomorrow.’’
Masuda’s voice was hesitant and slightly shaking and when he faced the younger guy, his usually shiny eyes now glimmery and filled with pain, something broke in Tegoshi’s heart. The older guy accidentaly touched the back of his hand while taking the cinnamon bottle and starred at him. Masuda opened the mouth to say something but closed it right away.
‘’See you in two weeks….’’
Tegoshi took his hand and held it tight, Masuda’s eyes opened wide in surprise.
‘’Just stay here for tonight.’’ said Tegoshi without actually realizing it.
It was just impossible to even think about letting him go in the state he was right now. He didn’t know why Masuda was feeling like that, who hurt him and he wouldn’t ask questions about it but he couldn’t live with himself if he let him alone that night. Masuda’s sad eyes would haunt him for weeks. Tegoshi would call Koyama next morning to take care of Masuda, but for now, he would be there for him. Making Masuda’s precious smile vanish was as if someone would steal the sunlight. Who would think of doing such a horrible thing? Tegoshi always thought it should be punishable by law.
‘’You don’t have a spare bed and your couch is too small. I …will just return home.’’
‘’Don’t be silly, my bed is big enough for 4 people!"
Masuda opened his mouth like a golden fish. Tegoshi let go of his hand and poked his right cheek playfully.
‘’Don’t make this prude face. It’s not as if we had never slept in the same bed before.’’
It was now 1:30 am and Tegoshi was laying on his back on the left side of his king size bed, closed eyes with his blue and white checkered blanket under his chin. In three hours he would have to get up. He would have fallen asleep the minute he laid his head on his pillow if it wasn’t of the person on his right that kept on turning on himself making the mattress shake with every movements he was making.
Tegoshi was about to finally fall asleep when he felt Masuda coming right next to him. He was so near that he could feel his warm breath on the skin of his neck. It startled him, but he didn’t open his eyes or move an inch.
‘’Tegoshi, don’t leave me.’’
Even with the close proximity the voice was so low that he almost didn’t hear anything at all. He felt hesitant fingers brushing against the back of his hand, but as soon as he felt it the touch was already gone. Tegoshi took some time to process the last bit of information, his heart beating hardly in his chest. Finally all the events of the evening were taking place in his mind. Masuda’s strange behavior…it was his fault. He was the one who indirectly made Masuda’s precious smile fade away.
When he felt a bead of salty water falling onto the skin of his shoulder and heard Masuda trying hardly to swallow his pain away, it was impossible for Tegoshi to hold on. He firmly took his left shoulder and brought his body to him, holding him tightly in his arms.
Even though Tegoshi had just slept 2 hours that night, he woke up just in time to prevent his alarm from ringing. He smiled when he saw that Masuda was still sleeping soundly in the same position he was when he felt asleep some hours ago. His dark brown haired head resting on his chest and his muscled arm around his body. He always thought that Masuda would be the perfect candidate to be a Teddy bear cuddling partner kind of man, but right now he pretty felt like being one himself. He moved him on the side delicately to face him, holding his hand a little longer than necessary, caressing his fingers while watching his peaceful sleeping face. They hadn't talked at all. Tegoshi had just held Masuda until he calmed down and finally fell asleep. When he was to return from Brazil, they would have a lot to talk about, but for now, he couldn’t wake him up. Not when he looked so cute and adorable.
He closed his apartment’s door quietly. He was very cautious while getting ready to be sure not to wake up the ‘’sleeping beauty’’ in his bed. He would have preferred to stay here at least a couple of hours more and get to speak to Masuda before leaving, but his airplane wouldn’t wait for him. Tegoshi, who was thrilled to leave yesterday night, was more reluctant to do it this morning. He sighed and began to walk to the elevator when he heard the sound of an opening door. He turned around to see Masuda trying hastily to put on his shoes and jacket both at the same time while walking. Tegoshi had to hold his wrist to be sure that Masuda wouldn’t trip on his shoelaces.
‘’What are you doing?’’
‘’I’m …I’m driving you to the airport.’’ said Masuda out of breath.
‘’No you aren’t. Go back to bed. You have to go to Ippuku shooting soon.’’
‘’But…’’
Masuda was visibly hurt, his sad eyes starring back at him. Tegoshi smiled warmly and let his hand slide from his wrist to his hand to hold it tightly.
‘’You look terrible. You will lose fans if you go out like that. You don’t want to cause the premature end of Tegomasu and NEWS by scaring all our fans right? ‘’
‘’Oh thanks.’’
Masuda rolled his eyes in exasperation, but couldn’t help smiling when Tegoshi began to laugh.
‘’I’m being considerate. You should be happy.’’
‘’Considerate …yeah …’’
‘’Wait let me help you…’’
Tegoshi approached Masuda, put down his luggage and passed his hand in Masuda’s hair, detangling with his fingers the rebel wicks. He did it a couple of time slowly, taking pleasure into smoothing the other’s soft hair. Tegoshi expected Masuda to stop him right away because he knows that he always hated people patting his hair, but he didn’t. He just stared at him seriously. Tegoshi pushed it a little further, putting both of his hands on Masuda’s cheeks and caressing them softly with his thumbs to try to make the dried trails of the salty tears he shed last night disappear. He then did something he wanted to do since the other night, or maybe since forever. He approached the older guy and kissed his left cheek softly and stepped back a little to watch delightfully the tint of red spreading on Masuda’s face. He didn’t know that he could have that effect on him. Tegoshi looked at Masuda taking a shaky breath and stared at his tongue running fast on the smooth skin of his full lips. So hypnotizing.
‘’Tegoshi…I … I …I …’’
‘’I know …’’
‘’I …’’
He wasn’t a bit surprised when Masuda took his shoulder roughly to bring him against his beating chest, that his hands find their way to his cheeks, framing them so naturally and that his lips touched his, sliding gracefully on them. Masuda's lips were warm, soft, plum and felt amazingly perfect on his. As expected, Masuda was a great kisser, a really great one. He was soft, gentle and passionate at the same time. A touch of heaven. Sadly, a call from Tegoshi’s manager, brought them back to earth.
‘’Our manager is waiting for me in the parking lot. ‘’
‘’Don’t leave.’’
Tegoshi smiled and Masuda smiled back at him. He was better now. He could see it right away in his crescent shaped smiling eyes. Tegoshi kissed his lips one more time before heading to the elevator and turned to wave at him.
‘’See you in two weeks, Massu!’’
‘’Bring me something good from Brazil.’’
‘’Yes. I promise!’’
The doors of the elevator closed after him.
