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i might be better off without you
there’s too many people all around you
Iori’s never liked the spotlight. He’s always preferred working behind the scenes, designing cakes for nii-san to craft with dexterity and witnessing the happiness ooze off of his face when they sell, and falling asleep way past his ideal bedtime on a school night because he stayed up thinking about how to make each of the IDOLiSH7 members shine. For Nanase-san, it’s (of course) his captivating singing voice. For nii-san, it’s his bubbly personality fit for an idol. For Nikaido-san, it’s his acting that draws you to the screen like a magnet. For Osaka-san, it’s his grace, the way he always remains composed and reliable even in extreme situations. For Rokuya-san, it’s his beauty that makes people halt and stare. For Yotsuba-san, it’s his energy that he pours into his dancing. As for himself, well, he supposes he’s the glue that keeps them from falling apart. Together, they make IDOLiSH7.
Iori has always preferred working in the shadows, never asking for anything in return.
“Iori!”
“Nanase-san, what is this?”
“A thank you present! You know,” Riku scratches his face, trying to find the right words. “for helping me with the new dance,”
“Ah… thank you…” Iori accepts the plastic bag from him.
“Don’t worry! It’s nothing fancy! You just look really tired recently, so I asked the lady at the convenience store for some recommendations. Truthfully, I’m not really sure what I bought,” Riku laughs. “but I hope you like them.” His smile is so genuine that it makes Iori forget who he is for a moment, what his name is, what his values are. Riku has that ability, to make you want to follow him to the ends of the earth regardless of the outcome.
“Nanase-san, don’t waste your money on me. Really, please start acting like an adult, and spend it wisely.”
“Ah, there you go again.”
“What?”
“It’s not a waste of money!!! You’d do the same for me, wouldn’t you?”
“I… suppose…”
“Let me do something for you then. We’re partners, aren’t we?”
“Yes.” Iori answers quietly, defeated.
“I just wanted to see you smile.” Riku mumbles.
“You’re acting like I never smile.”
“You don’t! You’re always so… grumpy… kind of like a hedgehog.”
“I’ll let my parents know.”
“No, no, no, no, no , I didn’t mean it like... it’s just… it’s such a shame when you’ve got such pretty teeth!”
“Pre… tty…?”
“Besides, aren’t hedgehogs cute? They’re totally cute, right?”
He’s flustered.
“Nanase-san-”
“Ah… I think I… heard Sougo-san calling for me. Bye!”
Cute.
Iori peeks into the plastic bag filled with energy drinks and snacks.
“He really just bought anything.” Iori chuckles.
Sometimes, it isn’t so bad to be acknowledged by the light.
all these vultures that surround you
they don’t know a thing about you
In an effort to promote IDOLiSH7’s new single their manager, Takanashi Tsumugi, scheduled an interview for them.
“Riku-kun, I heard you’re closest to Iori-kun in IDOLiSH7.” The interviewer, a woman probably in her 30s with her hair tied back in a bun, prods.
“That’s right. We’re in a unit together.”
“I heard it wasn’t always like that. You were really awkward in the beginning, right?”
“Ah… it’s true that we didn’t get along at first…”
She chuckles. “Indeed, Iori-kun gives off a cold impression.”
“No!” The rest of IDOLiSH7 jump in their seats at Riku’s voice. “I mean… at first glance, yes, he looks like that… but when you really get to know him, Iori’s a really kind person! He’s always helping me and looking out for me. I’m very thankful for him. Iori’s like my best friend. Ah, and he can be really cute sometimes too, so there are times when I feel like I need to take care of him instead.” That was almost a disaster, Riku thinks to himself, shooting an apologetic look to their manager.
“Like an older brother?” The interviewer asks him.
“Mhm!” Riku grins, relieved that his answer was accepted positively.
“Looks like you have a rival, Mitsu.”
“I won’t lose, Riku!” Mitsuki plays along with Yamato’s joke.
Everyone laughs except for Iori and Riku.
“Huh? Iorin, why’re you blushing?”
“I’m not! Let’s move on to the next question please.”
The interviewer proceeds to move on to the next question, something about who’s the worst cook in the IDOLiSH7 dorm, and Riku hears his name tossed into the answer over Sougo and Yamato arguing about how it has to be MEZZO” who are the worst chefs in the dorm and Mitsuki attempting to mediate by saying Sougo’s not bad at cooking, his palate is just… different… but Tamaki, on the other hand, he has to agree with, but Riku can’t focus because he’s too busy avoiding eye contact with Iori sitting beside him who’s fiddling with his hands folded in his lap.
you’re so gorgeous
cause you make me feel gorgeous
oh, so gorgeous
cause you make me feel gorgeous
“Iori!” Riku runs full speed at him from the stage.
“Nanase-san…!”
“We did it!” Riku cries happily into his back, clutching onto the plaid fabric.
Their first solo performance, they did it together, so it’s more like a duet than it is a solo. They can hear the fans cheering as the next performance begins, MEZZO” from the sound of “Miss You” playing through the speakers.
“Mhm… we did it… but Nanase-san, running like that isn’t good for your health.”
“Ah, you always know how to ruin the moment, Iori.”
nobody understands you
you ain’t nothing they can handle
Riku has known it for a while.
When Iori says “no”, he means “yes”.
When Iori says he doesn’t like sweets, truthfully, he’ll eat them (in the shape of a bear, Riku discovers).
“Iori-kun is so hardworking and trustworthy, but he’s so cold.”
Riku disagrees. He’s experienced Iori’s warmth like the time he stayed by his bedside after an attack.
“I wish he would smile more.”
Riku also disagrees (somewhat). Sure, Iori doesn’t smile a lot, but the times Riku has seen Iori do it, at cats, at people, gentle, kind smiles like those of a prince, it’s beautiful.
“Nanase-san, didn’t you want to watch TRIGGER?”
“I was.”
“You weren’t.”
“Huh?”
“You’ve been staring at me for the past five minutes.”
“Oh, I was doing that? Sorry, Iori.”
“Are you feeling okay, Nanase-san?”
“I’m going to rewind if you don’t mind.” Riku grabs the remote off of the coffee table.
He pauses the video, glancing at Iori who has taken out his phone.
“Iori?”
“What?”
I think I’m in love with you.
“Ah, it’s nothing important. Do you want something to drink?”
“Are you thirsty, Nanase-san?”
“I… um…”
“Nanase-san, you feel hot.”
It’s your touch that burns.
Iori rises from the couch. “We can’t have our main vocalist getting sick.”
I’m not sick though.
“Would you like lemon in your water?” He calls from inside of the kitchen.
“No, the usual is fine, Iori.”
Riku clutches one of the couch pillows tightly to his chest.
I love you Iori.
every man you put your hands on
you make him feel so goddamn handsome
He’s not jealous. Definitely not jealous. Most certainly not jealous. He shouldn’t be jealous of Kujou-san. He and Riku are brothers, twins. Of course they’d be close, even after being apart for so long. After all, they spent their childhood together before they were separated. Hell, they spent nine months in the womb together too. There’s nothing to be jealous of. They’re family just like he and Mitsuki are. They’re only catching up on lost time.
“Riku, does he always look at me like that?”
“Who?”
“Your boyfriend over there is giving me a dirty look.”
“My boyfriend…? Wait, Ten-nii, Iori’s not my-”
“Later, Riku.” Ten pecks his younger twin on the cheek.
“Ten… Ten-nii…?!”
Alright, okay, he’s jealous.
“Nanase-san, manager-san is calling us.”
“Huh? I didn’t hear anything.”
“Come with me, Nanase-san.” Iori grabs his wrist, leading him back to IDOLiSH7’s dressing room.
“Wait… Iori…!” Riku protests, nearly tripping over himself.
Iori doesn’t hear Riku over the sounds of his brain plotting 50 ways for Kujou Ten to die.
i feel, ooh, so pretty whenever you're around
i feel, ooh, so pretty
feel ten feet off the ground
you're so gorgeous
cause you make me feel gorgeous
oh, so gorgeous
cause you make me feel gorgeous
“Nanase-san, are you going to kiss me or not?”
“I’d like to see you do better!”
“Jeez, for the older person in this relationship, you’re terrible at this, Nanase-san, you know that?”
“You’ve never kissed anyone before either, Iori!!!”
Iori confessed first (surprisingly). Riku was angry at that, claiming he was going to be the one to confess to him first. (In his words, “I was going to knock your socks off with my super amazing, spectacular proposal, Iori!!!” which Iori found cute, very cute, though finding Riku absolutely adorable was nothing new.) Neither of them, however, wanted to break up over a silly reason like that. (Plus, how do you even break up a relationship that hasn’t even begun yet?) They’ve been dating secretly for a month, holding hands whenever they think no one’s looking and stealing glances at each other whenever they feel is possible (which is all the time), but they haven’t kissed yet despite that being a fundamental part of dating. There were always too many obstacles, a suspiciously timed Rabbit Chat message from Tsumugi, conflicting schedules, members barging into their “dates” in their rooms since they can’t afford to go out now that they’re celebrities, and now when they are finally alone thanks to Banri taking the adults out drinking and Nagi bribing Tamaki with King’s Pudding to watch anime with him, they’re too nervous to make any moves.
“I’m going to bed. Turn the lights off when you-”
Riku pulls Iori who had been turning away from him by the arm into a kiss.
“I did it.” Riku touches his lips, affirming they’re still warm.
Iori averts his eyes, covering his mouth with his hand. “Yes, it would appear so.”
“Do you… um… want to kiss me again?” Riku asks, suddenly unsure of their relationship.
“Yes.”
They kiss a few more times, each better, longer, and sweeter than the last, before Iori forces Riku to go to sleep (much to Riku’s displeasure).
“Nanase-san, we have a schedule tomorrow morning.”
“Don’t I get a good night kiss?”
“Nanase-san, you and I, we already-”
“Iori.”
Iori fears he’s gotten addicted to honey.
“Iori.” Riku murmurs against his mouth.
Suspicion confirmed.
“Did something happen between you two?” Mitsuki asks at an unusually bicker free breakfast.
“No, nothing at all, nii-san.” Iori laces his fingers together with Riku’s under the table.