Work Text:
“Indie-Rock Singer Yamaguchi Tadashi was spotted with his manager Tsukishima Kei having a private dinner, one might call it a date, at one of the most exquisite roof-top restaurants! From these pictures–”
Terushima Yuuji’s phone is snatched by his best friend and manager, Bobata Kazuma.
The faux-blond gasps, quickly sitting up. Bobata simply grins and dangles the phone above him.
The pair are in Terushima’s apartment, resting after a meeting with Terushima’s producer, Hana. The blonde is supposed to be resting his eyes on the couch, but instead, he’s obsessively scrolling through TikTok and Twitter, trying to soak up as much information about Yamaguchi’s dating scandal as possible.
“I was watching that!” He cries, arms coming up to try to snatch it back.
Bobata rolls his eyes. Tucking Terushima’s phone into his back pocket, he rounds the couch. Flopping next to the singer, he hands him a can of beer. Opening his own, Bobata downs a good chunk of his beer before setting the can on the coffee table.
“‘Kay. I have enough in my system to hear you out, so spill.”
Terushima snorts at Bobata’s pinched face.
He crosses his legs underneath him, quickly opening his can. Instead of chugging the whole thing like Bobata expected, the blonde stares at the liquid. For a moment, all is silent, but against Bobata’s wishes, Terushima opens his damn mouth.
“Do you think Tadashi is actually dating Tsukki?”
Bobata suppresses the full-body sigh that threatens to come out. Of course.
A couple of years ago, Terushima and Yamaguchi hooked up at some A-list singer’s party. According to Terushima, the sex was mindblowing, leading him to invite the other singer into a friends-with-benefits situationship or something. Honestly? Bobata could care less. He turned a blind eye to whatever the singers were doing as long as the media didn’t catch wind of it.
They ended up breaking it off due to how little time they had to see each other, and now here they are– Yamaguchi eating out with his supposed boyfriend and Terushima a thread away from stalking his socials.
But… it is in his best interest to fuel the embers of jealousy, especially because a jealous Terushima is a very productive Terushima.
“I mean,” Bobata hums thoughtfully, very conscious of not making his intentions obvious, “Didn’t you think Yamaguchi-kun was interested back when you two were hooking up? Wasn’t he all like ‘Tsukki’ this, ‘Tsukki’ that?”
Terushima’s eye twitches as he recalls how attached Yamaguchi was to Tsukishima.
“Tsukishima is the closest person to Yamaguchi-kun,” Bobata continues. He watches as Terushima clenches his fist around his beer can, “It is a very good possibility they’re dating. Or, at least, hooking up. We know Yamaguchi-kun has had flings before.”
Hook, line, and sinker.
Bobata bites down a smirk as Terushima abruptly chugs his beer. He deposits the now empty can on the coffee table, a strained smile on his face.
“He should just break up with him, he’s gonna bore Tadashi,” are his final words as he exits the room.
Bobata grins into his beer can as Terushima’s home studio slams shut, the sound echoing across the walls.
Oh yeah, he’s about to get a new single.
✦•······················•✦•······················•✦
“Yuuji-kun,” the blonde’s producer hesitates, clearly picking her words, “What is… this?”
Misaku Hana gestures to the barely legible lyrics presented in front of her. She looks up from her desk to find Terushima spinning in his chair.
“It’s how I’m getting my boyfriend back!” Terushima beams at his manager’s very concerned face.
“Wasn’t your boyfriend,” Bobata sing-songs, but does nothing to stop Terushima from spinning.
“And we are talking about…?”
“Yamaguchi-kun.”
“Tadashi!”
Hana rubs her temple at the simultaneous answer. She should’ve known. Of course, the singer would write something so impulsive as this after hearing the dating speculations. She really should’ve known.
“Don’t you think this could be very damaging to your image?”
“What image?” Terushima snorts, spinning to a stop right in front of Hana. “Everyone already knows I’m a party guy. Heck, our whole label is known as the party label!”
Hana… can’t even refute that.
“But you’re going to release a song where you explicitly state that,” the producer quickly glances down at the lyric sheet, squinting as she tries to make out the words, “‘I know it ain’t right but I don’t care.’”
Bobata snorts, smacking a very proud Terushima’s arm, “You would write that.”
“It’s true!” Terushima exclaims, “I don’t care. Tadashi is gonna get bored, and I’m bored just thinking of their non-existent bed chem.”
Terushima ignores Bobata’s comment about quoting Suna’s lyric. He turns to his producer, “Hana-san, you know this song is gonna chart super fucking well! Especially when everyone starts talking about the timing of the release aligning with Tadashi’s dating scandal!”
Bobata and Hana pray this doesn’t blow up in their faces as they give the green light for Terushima to begin recording.
As Terushima embraces Bobata, pressing an obnoxious kiss against his manager’s cheek as thanks, they don’t notice the person recording them.
✦•······················•✦•······················•✦
“Tadashi.”
Yamaguchi hums, not looking up from his phone. The singer’s eyebrows are knit together as he scans the article.
Popstar Terushima Yuuji Kissing Manager Bobata Kazuma! New Romance on the Horizon?!
There’s no way Terushima is dating his manager. Yamaguchi scrolls.
Terushima was caught pressing a loving kiss against his manager’s cheek, no doubt celebrating the green light to publicly date.
“Tadashi.”
If they are dating, Terushima is gonna get bored. Yamaguchi made sure to keep their bedroom life lively, and Terushima always added on. There’s no way Bobata is gonna be able to keep up.
“Tadashi.”
Unless… Unless Terushima was using Yamaguchi as practice for Bobata…
“Tadashi!"
Yamaguchi startles as Tsukishima claps in front of his best friend’s face.
Tsukishima frowns as Yamaguchi quickly closes the tab on his phone. He narrows his eyes, watching the singer fidget in his chair.
“What was that?”
“Nothing Tsukki!” Yamaguchi quickly evades Tsukishima’s knowing gaze, “Anyways, what were you calling me about?”
Yamaguchi is aware his manager knows he’s trying to change the topic, but Tsukishima being his every gracious best friend allows him to.
“Terushima-san released a song. And its release immediately following your,” the blonde’s nose wrinkles in distaste, “‘dating scandal’ makes it seem like a response to the rumors.”
No hesitation, “Show me.”
Together, Yamaguchi and Tsukishima huddle around the singer’s home laptop, watching the lyric video.
As soon as they press play, Yamaguchi’s gut coils at Terushima’s voice.
Tsukishima snorts, “There’s no way he called the song ‘break up with your boyfriend, i’m bored.’”
Yamaguchi shrugs, eyes not straying from the lyrics, “I might break up with you.”
“We’re not dating??”
Yamaguchi feels his cheeks heat up as Terushima’s voice fills the room.
But I only hate on her 'cause I want you
Say I'm trippin' if you feel like
But you without me ain't right (Ain't right)
You could call me crazy 'cause I want you
Oh my god.
“Yamaguchi I swear to everything holy–”
“I need to write a song. Bye Tsukki~!”
Helplessly, Tsukishima watches as his best friend almost trips on his own feet, already brainstorming lyrics on his way to his home studio.
Tsukishima pinches his nose bridge.
May everything holy give him patience.
✦•······················•✦•······················•✦
It’s to no one’s surprise that even two days later, Terushima progressed from jealous to sulking.
“Terushima, you can’t die in your room.”
“Leave me to rot.”
Bobata rolls his eyes as he watches his best friend curl up in his bed, Hana hovering over him.
His phone pings.
Tsukishima-kun
> I’m so sorry I tried to stop him.
> [link]
> He’s on his way to Terushima-san’s apartment.
Curiosity peaked, Bobata clicks on the link before proceeding to choke on his own saliva.
Tadashi 🌱 @yamaguchi · 1s
New Song!
Snap Out Of It - Tadashi Yamaguchi [link]
Oh fuck.
“Terushima!”
“Leave me alone to die.”
“Yuuji! Yamaguchi-kun released a song!”
Immediately, Terushima pops his head out of his cocoon, almost taking out Hana in the process.
“Huh??”
“Look!”
Forcing Terushima over, he sits next to him on the bed. With Hana on the singer’s other side, they listen to Yamaguchi’s new song with bated breath.
I heard that you fell in love or near enough
I gotta tell you the truth, yeah
I wanna grab both your shoulders and shake, baby
Snap out of it
I get the feelin' I left it too late, but baby
Snap out of it
“Oh my fucking–” Terushima sits up, eyes wide, clutching Bobata’s phone as if it's his lifeline. “He wants me.”
“What the fuck–”
“How–”
A knock at Terushima’s front door cuts them off. Yelping, Terushima throws Bobata’s phone and draws the covers over his head.
“What– Terushima!” Grumbling, Hana tries to unsuccessfully peel the blankets away. The blonde just chooses to grip the blankets on tighter.
Smirking, Bobata quietly slips away. Gently, he walks out of the bedroom and gingerly opens the front door.
A very flustered Yamaguchi blinks.
“...Hi.”
Bobata smirks, “Hi Yamaguchi-kun. Can I help you?”
Yamaguchi plasters on a smile, “I need to speak to Yuu– Terushima please.”
“But of course!”
Yamaguchi balks. Bobata’s smirk just grows wider. The singer definitely didn’t expect him to allow him in so easily.
He leads the singer into the room, opening the door wide open.
“After you!”
Flustered, Yamaguchi bows his head, entering Terushima’s bedroom.
Hana stiffens, her hands accidentally slapping the blonde’s head.
“Ow, what the heck…”
His words die in his throat as he makes eye contact with his ex-situationship.
“Um, we’ll give you guys the space you two obviously need!” Hana mumbles, quickly getting off Terushima’s bed.
“Actually, we’ll just go entirely! Bye, Teru!”
“Wait–!”
Terushima’s plea dies in his throat as his friends shuffle past the other singer, the doors slamming shut behind them.
“Um…” Yamaguchi shifts his weight between his feet, “Hi Yuuji.”
“Hey Tadashi…”
The two just stare at each other, not quite knowing what to say.
“Are you dating Tsukki?”
“Are you dating Bobata-san?”
They inhale sharply, eyes widening at the same questions.
They gape at each other with no idea what to do with themselves until Yamaguchi lets a giggle slip out. Soon, they’re both laughing uncontrollably, the tension dissipating.
“I’m,” Yamaguchi inhales, laughing airily, “I’m not dating Tsukki.”
“I’m not dating Bobata,” Terushima grins dumbly, patting the edge of his bed.
Taking the hint, Yamaguchi settles beside Terushima. Just like those years ago, Terushima lifts his arm, allowing Yamaguchi to rest against his chest.
“Hey,” Yamaguchi whispers, eyes shining as he meets Terushima’s soft gaze.
“Hi,” the blonde squeezes the singer, “I’ve missed you.”
“Apparently you’ve missed me enough that you wrote a song.”
Terushima groans. He tries to shove the younger away, but Yamaguchi just clings tighter.
“I can’t believe you were so jealous that you basically told me to break up with Tsukki,” Yamaguchi giggles, pressing a finger against Terushima’s cheek.
“And you told me to snap out of whatever was supposedly going on with Bobata,” the blonde pokes back, enjoying the way Yamaguchi laughs.
“Yeah, I…” For the first time since he entered, Yamaguchi hesitates. “I might have slightly fallen in love with you when we were sleeping together.
Terushima’s finger stops tracing Yamaguchi’s freckles, “Wait, really?”
Yamaguchi shrugs and nods, but Terushima can tell he’s anxious.
“Oh thank god,” Terushima exhales. Yamaguchi looks up at him curiously. Terushima smiles, “I might’ve fallen in love with you too.”
“Then…” Yamaguchi’s slender hand comes up to gently clasp Terushima’s wrist, “Wanna make it official this time?”
“For good?”
“For good.”
“Well…” Ever so gently, Terushima cups Yamaguchi’s cheek, thumb gently caressing his cheekbone, “I’m game as long as your next songs are only about me being in love with you and not someone else.”
“That’s fair.”
And when Yamaguchi presses his lips against Terushima’s?
He’s so glad he told Yamaguchi to break up with his boyfriend.