The Day After Valentine's Day
Feb. 17th, 2020 08:53 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
learashiTitle: The Day After Valentine's Day
Pairing: Sakumoto, Ohmiya (side)
Rating: PG
Genre: romance, hurt/comfort, misunderstandings
Summary: It is Valentine’s Day when Sho receives an SOS from Ohno. Sho is needed to take care of Jun, who is in danger of ruining Ohno’s romantic plans for the evening with Nino. Jun, who is on his way to drinking the bar dry, doesn't see what all the fuss is about. It doesn't help that Sho is the last person Jun wants to see on the most romantic day of the year.
“Damn.” Jun looks over to where Nino is hanging onto Ohno’s tie and whispering in his ear. “From the way Nino’s staggering, I’d say he’s pity prissed.” Jun is vaguely aware that he’s mixing up his words. “Pity pissed I mean.” He tried again. “Pretty prissed.”
“You don't say.” Sho rubs his chin and hides a slight smile.
“Is there any more drink in that jug over there?” Jun asks and then he sees that Nino and Ohno are coming over. Hopefully they will be bringing more cocktails.
As Jun waves frantically at Nino, his foot slips and he lurches forward, but before his head hits the bar, someone catches him and pushes him back onto his stool. Jun vaguely wonders why Sho’s hand is around his waist, but he has more pressing things to think about. “I need more mojitos,” Jun calls out as he re-orientates himself on the suddenly slippery bar stool.
“Hey Sho, glad you could come,” Ohno says, pulling him to one side. “I have plans for a romantic valentine's evening with Nino and I didn't really factor Jun into them when I was booking the love hotel.”
Sho nods as Nino joins Ohno and gives him a small peck on the cheek as he overhears that Ohno has planned a surprise for him.
“Nino’s rilly rilly prissed.” Jun interrupts loudly. He knows the words aren’t coming out quite right, but he doesn't know how to correct them. “I mean look at him. He’s pitty much trying to dev...dev...eat Ohno whole. Where’ve you put the mojitos?” Adding as if only noticing for the first time. “And why is Sho here?”
“I think it's time we made a move.” Sho addressed his words to Ohno, ignoring Jun’s babbling. Sho is only at the club because of a begging phone call from Ohno. Somehow Jun has managed to tag along on Ohno and Nino’s Valentine's Day date and has been drinking heavily in the short time they've been at the private venue.
Jun’s head might be spinning, but he still knows when he is being ignored. In Jun’s mind Sho has done it all too often over the last few years and Jun feels himself filling with self-righteous rage which can only be extinguished by another cocktail. If nobody is going to fetch him another drink he will get it himself. As he slides off his stool his foot slips as it hits the floor and the next thing he knows the room is tipping.
“Jun!” Sho’s shout is loud and urgent and he isn't ignoring Jun anymore.
And then there's a jolt as Jun’s head smashes backwards and hits the ground.
<3
“Coffee, Jun?”
When Jun stirs the next morning, the voice coming through the fog in his brain is Sho’s and Jun assumes he must still be dreaming. As Jun shifts his head on the pillow his head pounds, but he still manages to crack open one eye wide enough to see an unfamiliar checked quilt covering him. He has no idea where he is. He is face down with his feet pushing against the end of a sofa. If someone embedded an axe in his skull while he was sleeping his head couldn't have hurt any more than it did. Jun has a vague recollection of bumping his head and a terrible taste in his mouth. He dares to open his eyes a bit wider and a pair of legs encased in jeans come into focus.
“Milk no sugar, right?”
So it turns out that Jun is at Sho’s place and the groan that he lets out isn't just because of his pounding head. As he pushes himself up into a sitting position Jun notices that there's a bucket on the floor next to the sofa. He rubs his eyes hoping that it's a hallucination.
“What's with the bucket? I wasn't, I didn't?” Jun searches Sho’s face for clues, appalled at the very thought.
Sho shuffles over and hands Jun the coffee. “I'm afraid you did, but it's not a problem.”
Jun’s stomach clenches in shame as he takes the mug. Not only did he get legless enough to fall over and then be sick, but he did it in front of the last person he wanted to show weakness to.
“Don’t forget in the old days I shared more than a few hotel rooms with a drunken Ohno while we were on tour.” Sho shrugs and takes a sip of his coffee. “Good thing I didn't put you in the guest room. Much easier to check that you were okay out here.”
Across the room, Jun notices a rug and a pillow draped over an armchair. “You stayed up all night?”
“No problem. With my schedule I'm pretty used to it.” Sho plays it down as he fiddles with his coffee. “Sleep is for the weak, or at least that's what you always say. You were pretty out of it though.”
Jun had already gathered that much and glares at Sho for reminding him. “I never used to be this much of a lightweight before. There must’ve been something wrong with the cocktails. I'm sure I didn't drink that much.”
“I think the bill I paid for three jumbo jugs of mojitos begs to differ. And before you blame Ohno and Nino, neither of them even like mojitos so it was all down to you.”
“Just tell me how much and I will pay you back.” Jun tries another glare but it increases the throbbing in the back of his head so it ends up as more of a grimace.
“Don't be ridiculous.” Sho puts down his mug and settles down beside Jun on the sofa, reaching over and gently massaging the back of his neck.
Jun closes his eyes as the cool touch of Sho’s fingers smoothes away his pain. He knows that he should tell Sho to stop, but it simply feels too good. Taking a tentative sip of his coffee, which is still far too hot to drink at speed, Jun waits to see if his stomach will reject it. It is surprisingly delicious, with a hint of something unusual, possibly cinnamon. “You may not be able to cook, but your coffee is great.”
“Gee, thanks for the backhanded compliment.”
Sho laughs and his eyes get those crinkles around them which always make Jun’s heart beat faster. Jun realizes that he is also enjoying the neck massage more than is good for him. If he didn't already have the worst headache in living memory he would slap some sense into himself. He has already wasted so many years secretly pining for Sho, who has never shown even the slightest hint of returning his affection. He jerks away from Sho’s touch, spilling hot coffee onto his thigh and over the expensive looking fabric of the sofa.
As Jun yelps in pain, Sho jumps up, dragging Jun to his feet. Rendered dizzy by the sudden movement, Jun sways dangerously until Sho wraps his arm around Jun’s waist, holding him against his chest until Jun finds his equilibrium. Jun has a vague recollection of Sho rescuing him in much the same way at the bar and his cheeks flush at the memory.
“You need to get that burn under cold water immediately. Can you walk to the bathroom, or do I need to carry you?” Sho’s cheeks are faintly pink as he says the last bit but Jun puts it down to the fact that Sho has been gulping down the scalding hot coffee as they talked.
“If you carry me I will make sure that it is the last thing you ever do.” Jun pulls away from Sho and hobbles to the bathroom with as much dignity as he can muster, which isn't much really, when it takes him three attempts to stagger through the doorway without hitting himself on the door frame.
The room spins as Jun bends over and struggles to pull off his jeans. If it wasn't impossible he could almost swear that Sho had a bathroom similar to one of those fancy revolving restaurants which are so popular with couples on Valentine's Day. Just the thought of the hateful day makes bile rise up in Jun’s throat and he swallows hard to prevent a repeat performance from the night before.
“Let me do it before you fall flat on your face. You’re already in a bad enough way as it is.” Before Jun can protest, Sho is popping open the button on Jun’s jeans and unzipping them before sliding them down to his feet. Jun’s shirt follows a moment later, as do Sho’s clothes. They are left standing in their underwear and Jun’s hungover brain sends out an immediate mayday at the visual of a gloriously almost naked Sho within touching distance.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Jun picks up his shirt and holds it protectively across his chest like a shocked elderly maiden aunt.
“Getting in the shower with you.” Sho tugs the shirt away and propels Jun into the shower cubicle. “You need to stand and put that burn under cold running water for twenty minutes and with the state you're in I doubt that you’d last for five without falling over and breaking my shower screen.”
Jun would like to deny it, but Sho is right. Jun’s head seems to be floating somewhere up near the ceiling and he doesn't quite have full control of his limbs. He could probably fall asleep right where he is standing if it isn't for the stinging pain in his thigh. At least it is distracting him from his aching head. Suddenly his pathetic state becomes all too much for Jun in his fragile state and a bitter sob sneaks out from between his clenched teeth as he is hit with a spray of freezing cold water.
“Sorry.” Sho hastily adjusts the water to a more tolerable temperature, but Jun continues to cry loudly and messily as the water plasters his hair to his forehead. “Sorry again. I meant to only get the water on the burn, but taking into consideration the state you were in last night you need a shower anyway. Not that I'm implying that you smell of vomit or anything.” Sho knows that he is probably sounding like an idiot, but the sight of Jun sobbing is doing things to his heart which he doesn't quite understand. He shouldn't be feeling this way.
Jun wants to apologize, wants to tell Sho that he is fine, but they both know that he isn't. Turning away from Sho so that he doesn't have to see the pity in his eyes Jun brushes the hair off his face and takes a shuddering breath, almost toppling over as he does so.
“Why did you do it? You haven't been drunk like that in years.” Sho’s voice is filled with concern as he grabs Jun’s biceps to steady him.
“You mean I haven't been as drunk as that since the time you rejected me on Valentine's Day. I’ve hated it ever since.” Jun hears the self-pitying whine as he speaks and hates himself for his weakness. He didn't mean to say the words out loud, but somehow in his hungover state the truth is popping out of his mouth, rather than staying locked up in the back of his consciousness where it belongs.
“What?” Sho turns Jun around to face him, trying to make sense of what Jun is saying. “When did I reject you? I seem to remember it being the other way round.”
Now Jun is confused. He obviously damaged more brain cells than he imagined when he hit the floor headfirst, and possibly his hearing too. “Can you say that again? You seem to be trying to make me the villain here, when you're obviously the one who snubbed me. I slipped a card between the pages of your newspaper and you didn't acknowledge it at all.”
“Hang on a minute. Are we both talking about the same thing?” Sho can feel the beginning of a headache forming between his eyes. “Because I'm talking about the chocolates and invitation to dinner I left in your bag on Valentine's Day ten years ago. You didn't turn up at the restaurant, so I figured that you weren't interested. And as for the card, I do remember it, but it wasn't signed. Of course I hoped it was from you, but after you bailed on dinner I figured that Nino had left it there as a joke.”
As Sho’s words sink in Jun needs to sit down, immediately, before his legs give way altogether. He pulls away from Sho’s grip and sits down on the floor of the shower, legs splayed in front of him. The water beating down on his head is beyond annoying so he reaches up and switches off the flow.
Sho frowns and reaches for the handle. “It hasn't been twenty minutes yet.”
“I don't care.” Jun rubs his hands over his face and looks up at Sho. “You’re seriously trying to tell me that ten years ago you were going to confess to me? Are you being deliberately cruel? Even in your densest moments you must’ve known that I loved you practically from the first moment we met.”
“I promise that it's true. I slipped them into your bag just before we left the rehearsal room and sat in that restaurant waiting for you for two whole hours.”
Jun squints as he tries to make his dehydrated brain which appears to have shrivelled to the size of a walnut, think back to that time, concentrating so hard that even his eyeballs ache. And just when he is ready to tear his hair out with frustration it comes to him. “My bag! It was Valentine's Day and as usual I was alone, so I went to a bar and…”
“Got legless?” Sho interjected dryly.
Jun waves his hand as if that bit isn't important. “And I lost the bag. Remember I had to change my mobile number and everything?”
“So you never saw my gift or note?”
“I didn't. I figured that you just didn't care.”
Sho squats down and helps Jun to stand, noticing that Jun is shivering. He steps out of the shower stall and reaches for a bath sheet which he tenderly wraps around Jun’s shoulders, being extra careful to not brush it against the angry red patch on Jun’s thigh. “Does this look like the action of someone who doesn't care?”
Jun can't quite bring himself to meet Sho’s eyes as all of the tender little gestures Sho has made over the years play through his mind. There would've been more to look back on if Jun hadn't tried so hard to avoid being close to Sho. Jun had even seen people on Twitter jokingly referring to ‘Gap-san’, the invisible person who always stood between Sho and him in group photos.
Jun isn't quite ready to fling himself into Sho’s arms quite yet, even though he desperately wants to. “Fair enough. But you’ve had ten years since then to try again.”
Sho’s eyes spark with anger. Jun isn't the only one who has suffered. “So you can deny everything, like you have so many times on national television if I bring it up?”
Jun opens his mouth to deny it, but closes it again as he recognizes the truth of Sho’s words. He reaches out and links his pinkie with Sho’s, shivering at the unfamiliar feeling of contact. He would like to take hold of Sho’s hand but the notion is too overwhelming. “I had no idea how much I was hurting you, and I'm sorry. I automatically go into self-preservation mode when people get too personal during interviews and promise that I won't do it again.” Jun pauses, and a ghost of a smile plays across his lips. “But we aren't on television now.”
“Good thing too.” Sho laughs as he looks down at his wet underpants and realizes that he forgot to remove his socks before getting in the shower.
Jun looks Sho up and down, expecting that he will find the sight equally amusing, but his mouth goes dry as a wave of want floods every cell in his body. “So…” Jun coughs and clears his throat after the word comes out in a high pitched croak.
“So…” Sho replies with a devilish smirk.
Jun takes a deep breath and decides to risk humiliation. “Did I mention that I haven't been kissed on Valentine’s Day in ages?”
“No. No you didn't. But noted.” Sho responds blandly.
Jun’s cheeks burn as he turns away, stooping to gather up his discarded clothes.
“And since Valentine's Day was yesterday, I guess you’ll have to wait another year.” Sho adds, looking in the mirror as he waits for Jun’s reaction.
Jun narrows his eyes and meets Sho’s reflected gaze, trying to figure out if Sho is serious. “And I'm supposed to be the DoS one in the group.”
“I sincerely hope not.” Sho lifts an eyebrow as he struggles to keep a straight face.
Once again Jun is the first to look away as his heart races. Perhaps the crack on the head has given him concussion? Surely Sho isn't flirting with him? Apparently he is, because Sho turns towards Jun with an expression on his face which Jun has never seen before. Swallowing nervously, Jun’s stomach does a double somersault.
Sho steps closer, and then even closer, until he is near enough to be able to count all the different shades of brown in Jun’s startled eyes which are framed by a thicket of long lashes and appear large enough to fill half of Jun’s face. Despite the fact that Jun has dark circles underneath his eyes and his skin is a shade somewhere between green and grey, Sho can't drag his eyes away. “You know, just because it's not Valentine's Day anymore, it doesn't mean that I can't kiss you anyway.”
“No!” Jun recoils, slapping his hand over his mouth. He sees the hurt in Sho’s eyes and the way he takes a step back and hastens to explain. “Wait! I didn't mean that I don't want to kiss you. Since we are being totally honest with each other, I will admit that I have fantasized about kissing you in many, many, various ways over the years. It's just that I haven't brushed my teeth since yesterday and I…”
Any further protests from Jun are cut off as Sho closes the last tiny gap between them and presses his lips to Jun’s. The kiss is tender and lingering and Jun feels fireworks explode in his belly, wiping out the nervously fluttering butterflies which had previously taken up tenancy there in a glorious shower of sparks. There couldn't possibly be anything which could prove the sincerity of Sho’s feelings better than this.
Despite Jun’s fears, Sho discovers that Jun tastes like cinnamon and his own excellent coffee, and also that when the time is right he wants to repeat this kissing bit and do it properly and much more thoroughly. “I’ll put some burn gel on your thigh and then we both could do with some more sleep. In my bed, rather than the sofa though, if you don't mind.”
Right then, Jun decides that from now on the day after Valentine's Day is going to always be a special day for them, and tells Sho so as they head to the bedroom. He also decides from now on to carry a toothbrush with him everywhere just in case, but this bit of information he decides to keep to himself.
Pairing: Sakumoto, Ohmiya (side)
Rating: PG
Genre: romance, hurt/comfort, misunderstandings
Summary: It is Valentine’s Day when Sho receives an SOS from Ohno. Sho is needed to take care of Jun, who is in danger of ruining Ohno’s romantic plans for the evening with Nino. Jun, who is on his way to drinking the bar dry, doesn't see what all the fuss is about. It doesn't help that Sho is the last person Jun wants to see on the most romantic day of the year.
“Damn.” Jun looks over to where Nino is hanging onto Ohno’s tie and whispering in his ear. “From the way Nino’s staggering, I’d say he’s pity prissed.” Jun is vaguely aware that he’s mixing up his words. “Pity pissed I mean.” He tried again. “Pretty prissed.”
“You don't say.” Sho rubs his chin and hides a slight smile.
“Is there any more drink in that jug over there?” Jun asks and then he sees that Nino and Ohno are coming over. Hopefully they will be bringing more cocktails.
As Jun waves frantically at Nino, his foot slips and he lurches forward, but before his head hits the bar, someone catches him and pushes him back onto his stool. Jun vaguely wonders why Sho’s hand is around his waist, but he has more pressing things to think about. “I need more mojitos,” Jun calls out as he re-orientates himself on the suddenly slippery bar stool.
“Hey Sho, glad you could come,” Ohno says, pulling him to one side. “I have plans for a romantic valentine's evening with Nino and I didn't really factor Jun into them when I was booking the love hotel.”
Sho nods as Nino joins Ohno and gives him a small peck on the cheek as he overhears that Ohno has planned a surprise for him.
“Nino’s rilly rilly prissed.” Jun interrupts loudly. He knows the words aren’t coming out quite right, but he doesn't know how to correct them. “I mean look at him. He’s pitty much trying to dev...dev...eat Ohno whole. Where’ve you put the mojitos?” Adding as if only noticing for the first time. “And why is Sho here?”
“I think it's time we made a move.” Sho addressed his words to Ohno, ignoring Jun’s babbling. Sho is only at the club because of a begging phone call from Ohno. Somehow Jun has managed to tag along on Ohno and Nino’s Valentine's Day date and has been drinking heavily in the short time they've been at the private venue.
Jun’s head might be spinning, but he still knows when he is being ignored. In Jun’s mind Sho has done it all too often over the last few years and Jun feels himself filling with self-righteous rage which can only be extinguished by another cocktail. If nobody is going to fetch him another drink he will get it himself. As he slides off his stool his foot slips as it hits the floor and the next thing he knows the room is tipping.
“Jun!” Sho’s shout is loud and urgent and he isn't ignoring Jun anymore.
And then there's a jolt as Jun’s head smashes backwards and hits the ground.
<3
“Coffee, Jun?”
When Jun stirs the next morning, the voice coming through the fog in his brain is Sho’s and Jun assumes he must still be dreaming. As Jun shifts his head on the pillow his head pounds, but he still manages to crack open one eye wide enough to see an unfamiliar checked quilt covering him. He has no idea where he is. He is face down with his feet pushing against the end of a sofa. If someone embedded an axe in his skull while he was sleeping his head couldn't have hurt any more than it did. Jun has a vague recollection of bumping his head and a terrible taste in his mouth. He dares to open his eyes a bit wider and a pair of legs encased in jeans come into focus.
“Milk no sugar, right?”
So it turns out that Jun is at Sho’s place and the groan that he lets out isn't just because of his pounding head. As he pushes himself up into a sitting position Jun notices that there's a bucket on the floor next to the sofa. He rubs his eyes hoping that it's a hallucination.
“What's with the bucket? I wasn't, I didn't?” Jun searches Sho’s face for clues, appalled at the very thought.
Sho shuffles over and hands Jun the coffee. “I'm afraid you did, but it's not a problem.”
Jun’s stomach clenches in shame as he takes the mug. Not only did he get legless enough to fall over and then be sick, but he did it in front of the last person he wanted to show weakness to.
“Don’t forget in the old days I shared more than a few hotel rooms with a drunken Ohno while we were on tour.” Sho shrugs and takes a sip of his coffee. “Good thing I didn't put you in the guest room. Much easier to check that you were okay out here.”
Across the room, Jun notices a rug and a pillow draped over an armchair. “You stayed up all night?”
“No problem. With my schedule I'm pretty used to it.” Sho plays it down as he fiddles with his coffee. “Sleep is for the weak, or at least that's what you always say. You were pretty out of it though.”
Jun had already gathered that much and glares at Sho for reminding him. “I never used to be this much of a lightweight before. There must’ve been something wrong with the cocktails. I'm sure I didn't drink that much.”
“I think the bill I paid for three jumbo jugs of mojitos begs to differ. And before you blame Ohno and Nino, neither of them even like mojitos so it was all down to you.”
“Just tell me how much and I will pay you back.” Jun tries another glare but it increases the throbbing in the back of his head so it ends up as more of a grimace.
“Don't be ridiculous.” Sho puts down his mug and settles down beside Jun on the sofa, reaching over and gently massaging the back of his neck.
Jun closes his eyes as the cool touch of Sho’s fingers smoothes away his pain. He knows that he should tell Sho to stop, but it simply feels too good. Taking a tentative sip of his coffee, which is still far too hot to drink at speed, Jun waits to see if his stomach will reject it. It is surprisingly delicious, with a hint of something unusual, possibly cinnamon. “You may not be able to cook, but your coffee is great.”
“Gee, thanks for the backhanded compliment.”
Sho laughs and his eyes get those crinkles around them which always make Jun’s heart beat faster. Jun realizes that he is also enjoying the neck massage more than is good for him. If he didn't already have the worst headache in living memory he would slap some sense into himself. He has already wasted so many years secretly pining for Sho, who has never shown even the slightest hint of returning his affection. He jerks away from Sho’s touch, spilling hot coffee onto his thigh and over the expensive looking fabric of the sofa.
As Jun yelps in pain, Sho jumps up, dragging Jun to his feet. Rendered dizzy by the sudden movement, Jun sways dangerously until Sho wraps his arm around Jun’s waist, holding him against his chest until Jun finds his equilibrium. Jun has a vague recollection of Sho rescuing him in much the same way at the bar and his cheeks flush at the memory.
“You need to get that burn under cold water immediately. Can you walk to the bathroom, or do I need to carry you?” Sho’s cheeks are faintly pink as he says the last bit but Jun puts it down to the fact that Sho has been gulping down the scalding hot coffee as they talked.
“If you carry me I will make sure that it is the last thing you ever do.” Jun pulls away from Sho and hobbles to the bathroom with as much dignity as he can muster, which isn't much really, when it takes him three attempts to stagger through the doorway without hitting himself on the door frame.
The room spins as Jun bends over and struggles to pull off his jeans. If it wasn't impossible he could almost swear that Sho had a bathroom similar to one of those fancy revolving restaurants which are so popular with couples on Valentine's Day. Just the thought of the hateful day makes bile rise up in Jun’s throat and he swallows hard to prevent a repeat performance from the night before.
“Let me do it before you fall flat on your face. You’re already in a bad enough way as it is.” Before Jun can protest, Sho is popping open the button on Jun’s jeans and unzipping them before sliding them down to his feet. Jun’s shirt follows a moment later, as do Sho’s clothes. They are left standing in their underwear and Jun’s hungover brain sends out an immediate mayday at the visual of a gloriously almost naked Sho within touching distance.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Jun picks up his shirt and holds it protectively across his chest like a shocked elderly maiden aunt.
“Getting in the shower with you.” Sho tugs the shirt away and propels Jun into the shower cubicle. “You need to stand and put that burn under cold running water for twenty minutes and with the state you're in I doubt that you’d last for five without falling over and breaking my shower screen.”
Jun would like to deny it, but Sho is right. Jun’s head seems to be floating somewhere up near the ceiling and he doesn't quite have full control of his limbs. He could probably fall asleep right where he is standing if it isn't for the stinging pain in his thigh. At least it is distracting him from his aching head. Suddenly his pathetic state becomes all too much for Jun in his fragile state and a bitter sob sneaks out from between his clenched teeth as he is hit with a spray of freezing cold water.
“Sorry.” Sho hastily adjusts the water to a more tolerable temperature, but Jun continues to cry loudly and messily as the water plasters his hair to his forehead. “Sorry again. I meant to only get the water on the burn, but taking into consideration the state you were in last night you need a shower anyway. Not that I'm implying that you smell of vomit or anything.” Sho knows that he is probably sounding like an idiot, but the sight of Jun sobbing is doing things to his heart which he doesn't quite understand. He shouldn't be feeling this way.
Jun wants to apologize, wants to tell Sho that he is fine, but they both know that he isn't. Turning away from Sho so that he doesn't have to see the pity in his eyes Jun brushes the hair off his face and takes a shuddering breath, almost toppling over as he does so.
“Why did you do it? You haven't been drunk like that in years.” Sho’s voice is filled with concern as he grabs Jun’s biceps to steady him.
“You mean I haven't been as drunk as that since the time you rejected me on Valentine's Day. I’ve hated it ever since.” Jun hears the self-pitying whine as he speaks and hates himself for his weakness. He didn't mean to say the words out loud, but somehow in his hungover state the truth is popping out of his mouth, rather than staying locked up in the back of his consciousness where it belongs.
“What?” Sho turns Jun around to face him, trying to make sense of what Jun is saying. “When did I reject you? I seem to remember it being the other way round.”
Now Jun is confused. He obviously damaged more brain cells than he imagined when he hit the floor headfirst, and possibly his hearing too. “Can you say that again? You seem to be trying to make me the villain here, when you're obviously the one who snubbed me. I slipped a card between the pages of your newspaper and you didn't acknowledge it at all.”
“Hang on a minute. Are we both talking about the same thing?” Sho can feel the beginning of a headache forming between his eyes. “Because I'm talking about the chocolates and invitation to dinner I left in your bag on Valentine's Day ten years ago. You didn't turn up at the restaurant, so I figured that you weren't interested. And as for the card, I do remember it, but it wasn't signed. Of course I hoped it was from you, but after you bailed on dinner I figured that Nino had left it there as a joke.”
As Sho’s words sink in Jun needs to sit down, immediately, before his legs give way altogether. He pulls away from Sho’s grip and sits down on the floor of the shower, legs splayed in front of him. The water beating down on his head is beyond annoying so he reaches up and switches off the flow.
Sho frowns and reaches for the handle. “It hasn't been twenty minutes yet.”
“I don't care.” Jun rubs his hands over his face and looks up at Sho. “You’re seriously trying to tell me that ten years ago you were going to confess to me? Are you being deliberately cruel? Even in your densest moments you must’ve known that I loved you practically from the first moment we met.”
“I promise that it's true. I slipped them into your bag just before we left the rehearsal room and sat in that restaurant waiting for you for two whole hours.”
Jun squints as he tries to make his dehydrated brain which appears to have shrivelled to the size of a walnut, think back to that time, concentrating so hard that even his eyeballs ache. And just when he is ready to tear his hair out with frustration it comes to him. “My bag! It was Valentine's Day and as usual I was alone, so I went to a bar and…”
“Got legless?” Sho interjected dryly.
Jun waves his hand as if that bit isn't important. “And I lost the bag. Remember I had to change my mobile number and everything?”
“So you never saw my gift or note?”
“I didn't. I figured that you just didn't care.”
Sho squats down and helps Jun to stand, noticing that Jun is shivering. He steps out of the shower stall and reaches for a bath sheet which he tenderly wraps around Jun’s shoulders, being extra careful to not brush it against the angry red patch on Jun’s thigh. “Does this look like the action of someone who doesn't care?”
Jun can't quite bring himself to meet Sho’s eyes as all of the tender little gestures Sho has made over the years play through his mind. There would've been more to look back on if Jun hadn't tried so hard to avoid being close to Sho. Jun had even seen people on Twitter jokingly referring to ‘Gap-san’, the invisible person who always stood between Sho and him in group photos.
Jun isn't quite ready to fling himself into Sho’s arms quite yet, even though he desperately wants to. “Fair enough. But you’ve had ten years since then to try again.”
Sho’s eyes spark with anger. Jun isn't the only one who has suffered. “So you can deny everything, like you have so many times on national television if I bring it up?”
Jun opens his mouth to deny it, but closes it again as he recognizes the truth of Sho’s words. He reaches out and links his pinkie with Sho’s, shivering at the unfamiliar feeling of contact. He would like to take hold of Sho’s hand but the notion is too overwhelming. “I had no idea how much I was hurting you, and I'm sorry. I automatically go into self-preservation mode when people get too personal during interviews and promise that I won't do it again.” Jun pauses, and a ghost of a smile plays across his lips. “But we aren't on television now.”
“Good thing too.” Sho laughs as he looks down at his wet underpants and realizes that he forgot to remove his socks before getting in the shower.
Jun looks Sho up and down, expecting that he will find the sight equally amusing, but his mouth goes dry as a wave of want floods every cell in his body. “So…” Jun coughs and clears his throat after the word comes out in a high pitched croak.
“So…” Sho replies with a devilish smirk.
Jun takes a deep breath and decides to risk humiliation. “Did I mention that I haven't been kissed on Valentine’s Day in ages?”
“No. No you didn't. But noted.” Sho responds blandly.
Jun’s cheeks burn as he turns away, stooping to gather up his discarded clothes.
“And since Valentine's Day was yesterday, I guess you’ll have to wait another year.” Sho adds, looking in the mirror as he waits for Jun’s reaction.
Jun narrows his eyes and meets Sho’s reflected gaze, trying to figure out if Sho is serious. “And I'm supposed to be the DoS one in the group.”
“I sincerely hope not.” Sho lifts an eyebrow as he struggles to keep a straight face.
Once again Jun is the first to look away as his heart races. Perhaps the crack on the head has given him concussion? Surely Sho isn't flirting with him? Apparently he is, because Sho turns towards Jun with an expression on his face which Jun has never seen before. Swallowing nervously, Jun’s stomach does a double somersault.
Sho steps closer, and then even closer, until he is near enough to be able to count all the different shades of brown in Jun’s startled eyes which are framed by a thicket of long lashes and appear large enough to fill half of Jun’s face. Despite the fact that Jun has dark circles underneath his eyes and his skin is a shade somewhere between green and grey, Sho can't drag his eyes away. “You know, just because it's not Valentine's Day anymore, it doesn't mean that I can't kiss you anyway.”
“No!” Jun recoils, slapping his hand over his mouth. He sees the hurt in Sho’s eyes and the way he takes a step back and hastens to explain. “Wait! I didn't mean that I don't want to kiss you. Since we are being totally honest with each other, I will admit that I have fantasized about kissing you in many, many, various ways over the years. It's just that I haven't brushed my teeth since yesterday and I…”
Any further protests from Jun are cut off as Sho closes the last tiny gap between them and presses his lips to Jun’s. The kiss is tender and lingering and Jun feels fireworks explode in his belly, wiping out the nervously fluttering butterflies which had previously taken up tenancy there in a glorious shower of sparks. There couldn't possibly be anything which could prove the sincerity of Sho’s feelings better than this.
Despite Jun’s fears, Sho discovers that Jun tastes like cinnamon and his own excellent coffee, and also that when the time is right he wants to repeat this kissing bit and do it properly and much more thoroughly. “I’ll put some burn gel on your thigh and then we both could do with some more sleep. In my bed, rather than the sofa though, if you don't mind.”
Right then, Jun decides that from now on the day after Valentine's Day is going to always be a special day for them, and tells Sho so as they head to the bedroom. He also decides from now on to carry a toothbrush with him everywhere just in case, but this bit of information he decides to keep to himself.
