peresekat | (no subject)

(no subject)

Well, that's a hell of a way to start a new job.

Looking after idols was supposed to be a step down on the difficulty scale. They're not supposed to have enemies or risky connections, especially not relatively new ones like this. The only real obstacle is supposed to be personality quirks and the one Akihiro had been assigned to seemed pretty easy to manage. At least he hadn't ended up shadowing the loud blond one or the sickly redhead. Both of them seem like a pain for very different reasons.

But somehow this guy already has a stalker, the sort of stalker that corners him when he's supposedly alone with a roll of duct tape in her bag, a pair of scissors slipped up her sleeve, and fuse that's already lit and burning down fast. The scuffle had only taken a few seconds to resolve but it had clearly left quite the impact on his charge. That's the only reason he can figure that the two of them are all the way out in Hinohara now, laying low in some rental house or another until Mitsuki feels up for heading back.

Well, Akihiro won't complain. It's basically a vacation for him, too, considering that watching after someone in tiny little village is much easier than doing the same thing in Shinjuku or Shibuya or anywhere else idols tend to preform. It's quiet and he has booze and the guy he's watching is easy enough to get along with. He's set to have a pretty good week, and that means it's hard for him to maintain any veneer of professionalism. So when they're settled in after dinner and the sun is most of the way below the horizon, it only feels natural to offer Mitsuki a cocktail with a casual, "Here."

... Wait, is this kid old enough to drink? Well... whatever.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

His reputation, huh? Akihiro can't help grin at that, though he tips his glass back as well before he responds. He's starting to feel pleasantly buzzed by now and his tone is relaxed and easy as a result.

"Ah, and I'll make sure no one hears anything that contradicts your cute persona." Is it weird to call him cute? Maybe a little, but Akihiro doesn't think it'll make too much a of a difference. Mitsuki is pretty short, especially compared to the rest of the members of his unit. He probably got typecast as the cute one from the very first day.

He also is actually cute, but it's probably better to not say that flat out. Akihiro isn't going to be the one to cross that line. That other line, though...

"No reason we can't exchange numbers now." He pats his jacket, but he's left his phone on the table. Oh well. "Or-- well, before that, then."

His reputation, his company's reputation, it's all the same thing, more or less. Either way, it's not a concern. Mitsuki knows on some level that he probably shouldn't be so free either but Akihiro's not the only one taking the night off.

That doesn't mean Mitsuki's not going to react to a comment like that, though. "Good, good, as long as you remember it's just a persona. Not that I can't be cute but it's not all I am, you know? I hope some day I can show the fans more of my other sides, but it's too soon now." And that's his cue to push off the counter, intent on making another drink because if he's going to shed the cute persona for the night, he's going to do it properly.

He stops when Akihiro says he doesn't have his phone, though, setting his glass down and getting his own out of his pocket. "Here! You can put your number in mine, then I'll message you. Problem solved." He should probably have it anyway but there hasn't really been a need of it before now, and now it feels more like a social request than a professional one.

"Ah... Got it." Akihiro is a little puzzled and a little amused in response to Mitsuki's little speech, but he thinks he gets it. Or at least 'gets it' in the sense of understanding that Mitsuki takes his job seriously without necessarily letting it define him. Or something like that, probably. Akihiro is pretty sure he gets it either way; it's not like being a bodyguard is all there is to him, nor it is like he fits the stereotype very well.

He takes the phone, adds his number (under Akihiro S., rather than his full name), and then offers his own empty glass over with a joking demand that it's Mitsuki turn to pour. He retreats to the living room just long enough to retrieve his phone, since he should probably have it with him anyway, but when he returns to the kitchen he only lingers in the doorway. They'll probably want to sit down again soon, so there's no sense in getting too comfortable before they return to the living room in earnest.

"Seems like it gets kinda tiring to be acting all the time." Hopefully this subject isn't too heavy, but he hadn't seemed to mind when Akihiro got a little heavy a few moments ago. "It sounds like the bigger you get, the more you have to worry about breaking character in public."

Akihiro's affirmative response is enough for Mitsuki. He's trying to stay aware of himself and his tendency to talk more when he's been drinking, but if he's going to let himself be comfortable he can't be bothered to be too careful.

He glances at the entry before tucking his phone away and taking Akihiro's glass. It seems safe to assume he'll want the same again so Mitsuki retrieves another can of Coke and makes another pair of drinks. The whiskey's right there, why not keep drinking that? Once they're done he offers Akihiro back his glass. It's no stronger than the one he made them earlier; Mitsuki's a quick study. As an afterthought he grabs the bottle before leaving the kitchen. If they're willing to forego the mixer, this will save them both a trip later on.

"It's worth it for the fans. If they're happy, I'm happy. The reverse is true, too, it's hard when people don't like you, but I just want to reach as many people as I can." He's not going to think about the ones who dislike him, not tonight. Instead he nods as he follows Akihiro back toward the living room. "It's hard to find a balance between who you really are and who they want you to be, even if that person is still a part of the real you. The cute one shouldn't be drinking whiskey with a good-looking older guy in a remote cabin, but the real me is doing exactly that, so the cover story is probably that I'm at some onsen or resting at home."

And that is certainly too much talking because it's only when he's done that Mitsuki realizes everything he's just said. It's all true, of course, Akihiro is older than him and he is good-looking, but if he'd been thinking a little more he might have at least tried to find a more sophisticated way to express that. Instead he moves right on without waiting for a reaction, leaning in close to Akihiro's shoulder when he sits down.

"Smile!" There's a phone right there suddenly, waiting for a smile so Mitsuki can get a picture of the two of them together. "For a contact photo."

Akihiro notices Mitsuki grab the whole bottle and arches a brow, though he doesn't look the least bit disapproving. If anything he seems pleased, and he-- wait a minute, good looking? More importantly, older guy? Akihiro doesn't protest right away, in part because Mitsuki moves too fast. Instead he takes the time to smile for the photo (he comes out with an expression that's both pleased and bemused) before he reaches up, rests a hand on Mitsuki's head, and ruffles his fingers through his hair, the gesture a little rougher than is strictly necessary but still friendly despite that.

"You get away with it cause you called me good looking, but older guy?" His tone is despairing, but clearly not actually serious. "I'm only 29, you know. You're still supposed to call me more experienced." With a faint grin, he adds: "Unless you want me to call you the 'cute idol kid' all the time, instead."

Edited 2017-05-15 00:38 (UTC)

Mitsuki takes a minute to appreciate the photo before lowering his phone, but he doesn't quite get the chance to set it on the table before Akihiro's got a hand in his hair. Apparently his comment didn't go unnoticed. He's caught off guard but only for a minute, then he ducks away from Akihiro's hand. Only far enough to be able to turn to face him, though.

"Oi! I can accept cute but I'm no kid! I may be younger than you but I'm still a man." He's no more serious than Akihiro but with one hand on his hip, he's doing his best to look tough even while grinning (and turning just a little pink, not entirely from the liquor). "Experience is just a matter of opportunity, but you can have the opportunity to experience me kicking your ass if you say that again."

Shit. In an instant, Akihiro knows he pushed too far. Not because Mitsuki is upset, because he isn't, or because Akihiro is lying, because he isn't. But 'fired for the evening' or not, he's probably being way too chummy if he's making Mitsuki blush. But even knowing that, it's hard to care. He's not going to suddenly switch off because, again, that would probably give the poor guy a complex - and he's also pretty sure that Mitsuki's crossing that line of 'too chummy' way more readily than Akihiro himself is. More importantly than that, if Mitsuki is cute when he's smiling he's way cuter when he's blushing.

So maybe he should back down, but he won't. Worrying too much about this sort of thing has never been his style, and he's not going to suddenly start now. So instead he sprawls back against the couch, giving Mitsuki another cocky grin.

"Ahh, really? They teach ass-kicking in idol school now?" He's pretty sure there's no much thing as 'idol school' - though truthfully, he wouldn't be surprised if Mitsuki could regardless. He's short, but that doesn't mean anything. Akihiro's boss isn't any taller and he'd put money on her over himself any day of the week.

Akihiro's not wrong. The agency had given them all a briefing on what to expect of their bodyguards when they started working with them and it included a part about professionalism, but Mitsuki's gotten used to living in the dorm with the other members. Professionalism there means not killing each other but after that, and especially where friendly contact is concerned, the limits are pretty much theoretical. He knows it ought to be different here and it was, for a while. Mitsuki's not too buzzed to know that whatever boundary existed a few hours ago is crumbling fast but he just doesn't care.

"Haha, nope! This is all from the mean streets of Ginza! Hiya!" He steps back and throws a straight punch forward into the air, cradling his glass in his other hand. He's got a strong base when he does it, and chances are it'd actually hurt pretty bad if it connected with anyone, but there's a roughness to it that belies his complete lack of training. Sure, the punch would hurt the target, but with the way Mitsuki locks his elbow means there's a pretty good chance he'd be hurting too.

That's what he gets for trying to show off. Mitsuki's not sure what kind of training, if any, Akihiro's had, but he wants to prove he's more than just a cute face.

"I thought Ginza was a fancy shopping district." That sounds about accurate to him, but he also doesn't know very much about Tokyo, either. Akihiro doesn't try to interrupt otherwise, however. He's expecting some sort of amusing display, some showcasing of skill that's half-baked at best, but he actually watches Mitsuki closely as he throws his punch and...

Huh.

"Not bad, actually." Without giving his own actions any thought, Akihiro sets down his glass and gets to his feet. "You'd hurt yourself, too, but the other guy wouldn't be any happier." He circles around behind Mitsuki as he speaks and, if allowed, slides one hand on his shoulder and the other down his extended arm. His movements are maybe overly casual, like this isn't the first time he's corrected someone's form. "You're gonna hyperextend your elbow if you lock it like that, and you lose power and speed to boot." Sure, he just told Mitsuki he wouldn't have to worry about getting into fights and risking his reputation, but he may as well make sure he can do something to protect himself.

Mitsuki just laughs, a quicksilver change from the face he made when he punched. "It is, I was joking! That's where my family's cafe is." Which says a lot about the reputation of font chocolat, but he couldn't be thinking less about that when he sees Akihiro stand up.

The careful praise, which is how he takes Akihiro's reaction, isn't unexpected, but the movement is. The fact that Akihiro moves behind him tells him he's not looking to spar and Mitsuki almost releases the pose, but then there's a hand on his shoulder and another on his arm, sliding down to his elbow. Mitsuki relaxes his arm just the little bit it takes to unlock the joint as Akihiro speaks. His touch and tone carry the easy confidence of someone who's said this before, and the thought that's been skirting the edges of Mitsuki's thoughts for a while now is suddenly front and center: Akihiro's not just good-looking, he's really attractive.

Of course, what he's doing right now is probably just a professional courtesy, or at best the kind of advice he'd offer a friend since he's 'off the clock.' Doesn't change the way Mitsuki suddenly feels warmer than he did a moment ago, though, or the awareness he has that Akihiro's arms are basically around him. He turns into that a little, just enough that when he lifts his head he can see Akihiro from the corner of his eye.

"Better like that? I'll tell Yamato to thank you the next time I punch his lights out." That's not exactly self-defense but it really is the most likely use of this information, for better or for worse.

Edited 2017-05-17 00:03 (UTC)

"Yamato..." Give him a second to- "Tall one. Glasses. Right?" The kinda plain looking one, though he's not sure it's the best idea to share that particular opinion. It seems like something an idol would get upset about, even on behalf of a fellow idol.

... Though if there's a 'next time' that Mitsuki's gonna be punching Yamato, maybe not? Akihiro gives him a warily amused look, then lets out a soft laugh right next to Mitsuki's ear.

"I'm surprised. He doesn't look like the sort to inspire a lot of punching." He considers asking something kinda snarky, like Can you even reach that high? but at the last second he decides to go for more practical advice. "You might have better luck if you kick him, first. Get him more on your level."

Mitsuki nods when Akihiro remembers who Yamato is, then gets briefly distracted by his laugh. It's very close, and Akihiro's still holding on to him. Luckily Akihiro's comment about Yamato is enough to get him to focus back up.

"That's him. He's a great guy most of the time but he likes to call me a kid, too. Sometimes even a girl. He thinks it's funny to make me mad because he's really hard to rile." The fact that it's often mutual antagonism doesn't seem all that important, but Mitsuki also doesn't want to come off as whiny. Besides, there might be something to be learned here.

"I've tried kicks but he's faster than me. He's got really long legs so he moves and I end up falling on my ass. With a punch, even if he dodges I still have some control." He makes small motions as he speaks, leaning forward with his torso and moving his arm back and forward a little, a kind of mini-punch, before settling back into his center of gravity again. He tries not to move far enough to dislodge Akihiro's hands but even if he does, he doesn't step any further away.

Calling him a girl... honestly, Akihiro can see it. He's definitely not about to point that part out, however, not when he's close enough to actually get hurt if Mitsuki has a bad reaction. He loosens his grip enough to let Mitsuki test a couple of his mini-punches, but goes right back to being handsy a moment later. He shifts his grip on Mitsuki's arm and makes a few minor correction to his form.

Still, the... admission, he supposes, that the two of them apparently pick on each other a lot is an amusing one, and certainly enough to get a soft laugh out of Akihiro.

"So, he's... what, some kind of sadist?" He sounds a little amused. Is that something idol fans would be in to...? Probably. Idol fans seems pretty strange, given that one of the first ones he met tried to stab the object of her affection. "... Or maybe a masochist, if he knows he's gonna get hit for teasing too much." Idly, he shifts his foot to slide it alongside Mitsuki's and give it a gentle nudge. It's not really enough to upset someone's balance in a proper training setting, but when they're both tipsy and this is impromptu at best, he really should be more careful.

It wouldn't surprise him to hear that anyone can see him as a girl; in fact, it happens more often than he'd like to admit. Yamato's just the worst for it. There's a moment's hesitation on Mitsuki's side when he wonders if Akihiro's laugh is echoing that same sentiment, but when he speaks and makes it clear it's more about Yamato's behavior, he laughs himself and relaxes again, allowing Akihiro to make whatever adjustments he thinks are necessary. Mitsuki will do his best to remember them, he really will, but he's lightly buzzed and thoroughly distracted.

"Mmm, neither really, he only does it to me. He sees himself as an older brother so I think to him it's that kind of thing. He gets even angrier than I do if anybody else says something but with him it's all words." It's not the kind of older brother to younger brother relationship Mitsuki's used to, but Yamato's an only child so of course he'd have no idea how to be a proper sibling.

"Akihiro, d'you ha--" His question is cut short when he feels Akihiro's leg and foot alongside his. It makes him jump a little and move his own leg in response but Mitsuki overcompensates, ending up crossing his legs and upsetting his balance. If Akihiro doesn't let go, he's either going to end up Mitsuki's savior or they're both going down; he's not sure which is the more embarrassing outcome.

Aha, mystery solved. Akihiro can't say he's familiar with that sort of relationship himself, but he's known plenty of other people that behave similarly so he sort of gets it. If nothing else, he's got plenty of people that he teases without really meaning to.

And, apparently, people he knocks over without meaning to. Akihiro gives a start when Mitsuki jumps, tangles his legs, and loses his balance, and it's only by a small miracle that he manages to keep his. And even then that's only because he decides to play it safe and drag Mitsuki backwards, dumping himself onto the couch and Mitsuki halfway between his lap and the floor - though he he manages to slip his arms under Mitsuki's on the way down and keep him from actually falling. All and all, the two of them slightly tangled but, hopefully, not actually injured. There's a brief moment of tense silence before Akihiro lets out a soft, slightly strained laugh.

"Guess we're both a little tipsy, huh?" Oh well. It's their night off, right? "Do I what, now?"

Lots of people have someone like that in their life. Not everybody has someone who reacts like Mitsuki does, though, so it makes sense that it'd take a little longer to decipher.

It seems Akihiro decided to go with savior and Mitsuki's grateful. He braces his feet on the floor again as soon as he's able, testing his stability while he still has the support of Akihiro's hands. He's not injured, far from it, but he is embarrassed and extremely self-conscious now. It recedes a little when Akihiro laughs even though Mitsuki can't see his face but he's still aware of the fact that he's nearly sitting on Akihiro and that it's his fault they fell. He's not in a huge rush to move, though.

At least, not until he realizes that he's... wet? Mitsuki looks down to see that he's now wearing most of his drink. That's enough to get him to start to stand up, being much more careful with the glass this time. "Ahhh... sorry! Did I get any on you?"

He's tugging the wet fabric away from his skin when Akihiro follows up to the question Mitsuki was about to ask before they fell and he decided to bathe in cola and whiskey. "Do you have any siblings?

Akihiro's making a point to not think about how nice it is to have Mitsuki in his lap. It was just an accident, he didn't mean anything by it, and nothing is going to happen. He glances at himself and shakes his head and offers a quick, "I'm fine," when Mitsuki apologizes. The only thing that got wet is the hem of his jacket sleeve, but that's not a big deal. He can just slide it of and--

Is Mitsuki about to strip down? Akihiro catches himself openly staring before Mitsuki asks his question again, at which point he gives a startled jerk and looks away again.

"Ah-- no, nothing like that." He turns his attention to his jacket again, shrugging it off and draping it across the coffee table. "When I was little, though, there was this older lady that lived a few doors down. She watched damn near every kid in the neighborhood. I guess that was sort of similar?" That's more information that Akihiro usually likes to share about himself, but he's trying to keep himself preoccupied so he doesn't treat his client like eye candy again.

Mitsuki sees Akihiro look away from him, which implies he was looking at him in the first place, but that's normal, right? To look at someone when they've made a fool of themselves and poured soda all over their clothes? Nothing noteworthy about that, but maybe Mitsuki can do something about that.

So yeah, with a small sigh Mitsuki does give up on the shirt and start hauling it off, along with his undershirt because that's wet too. They're both guys, there's nothing here Akihiro hasn't seen before, and if he does think there's anything worth looking at, Mitsuki's going to show it off before his buzz dies and he loses his nerve. He's not normally shy by any stretch but even for him (sober him, anyway), this is a little much. Once the shirt's off, he balls it up and wipes at his stomach with the drier part. Much more practical than showy but for all he knows Akihiro's straight as a pin and he's just made things weird. Better not to push too hard, no matter how much he'd like to.

"That does sound similar, actually! More like our dorm. I guess it's not that common for idols to all live together like we do, but it was cheaper when we were first starting out and now it's just familiar." He leans down to the coffee table, retrieves what's left of his drink and knocks it back. "Hold that thought for a minute? I'm gonna grab something else to put on. Do you want me to take your jacket, too?"

Ah, hell, and now he's showing off? Akihiro likes to think he's pretty good about being subtle about checking someone out, but right now he's pleasantly buzzed and not wearing his sunglasses and even as he lets his gaze wander back to Mitsuki he's certain he's being far, far, far too obvious. He's intending to just glance and look away again - checking out his client when there's nearly a decade-wide age gap between them is definitely crossing a line that even being fired for a night won't make okay - but he ends up letting his gaze linger long enough that it takes him just the slightest bit longer than it should to realize Mituski's asked him something.

"What-?" Fuck, what was he- right. "Oh, no. It's fine, it's just the sleeve." Though at this point Akihiro is wondering if he might have to call it early and take a cold shower, which is just embarrassing. He's almost 30, he should not be having this sort of problem still.

OK, this time Mitsuki's sure. He was doing his best to watch Akihiro without making it obvious and yeah, his bodyguard--or the guy who will be his bodyguard again in the morning--was definitely checking him out, and it didn't stop when Mitsuki got closer. It makes his pulse pick up just a tick, anxious but also excited. Nobody looks at him like that, not normally, but he likes it. He stands straight again, leaving Akihiro's jacket and putting one hand on his hip.

If this all goes sideways, he's going to bed and blaming the booze in the morning.

"You know... it's OK to look." He laughs a little, as much to cover his own nerves as anything. Mitsuki's the cute one, he's not used to this, but he's seen it done enough times to try. "I'm used to it being girls and not hot, more experienced guys," he teases, throwing in a wink, "but I really don't mind. Especially if it gets you to stop thinking of me like a kid."

'It's okay to look' Mitsuki says, and Akihiro wonders if he realizes that he'd be happy to not stop at simply 'looking'. He gives Mitsuki a faint smile and an arched brow and decides, not for the first time tonight, to throw caution to the wind. He likes to think that he's pretty good at reading people (he kind of has to be, with his job) and it's not like Mitsuki's being subtle.

It helps that being more confident that he's reading the situation right is helping him relax again, of course.

"Not kid knows how to stay in shape like that." Even if Mitsuki is a far cry from buff, he clearly knows how to take care of himself. "I've heard idols don't get much of a chance for it to ever get past 'looking', though. Sounds rough."

It's very tempting to do something to keep that kind of compliment coming, maybe flex or pose a little, but Mitsuki's pretty sure he doesn't need to. Akihiro's smiling and he's clearly noticed what Mitsuki was trying to get him to: he's worth looking at.

The inquiry about going past looking makes him wish he had another drink in his hand. It's not a hard question but the answer is embarrassing, especially considering his maturity has only just been confirmed. "It's part of the image. Our agency doesn't have a clause against it but a lot of them do. Even without that, though," Mitsuki continues with a shrug, setting his damp shirts on the end of the coffee table as he makes his way back to sit on the couch, "I don't remember the last time I had two days off together, let alone a week."

Mitsuki's size works in his favor as he's able to sit on the couch sideways, facing Akihiro instead of just next to him. "Doesn't make for a lot of opportunities normally." They left normal behind a while ago; Mitsuki's just trying to feel out now how much farther it's going to go.

Akihiro idly tracks Mitsuru's movements as he takes a seat on the couch, shifting his own posture a bit to face him properly. Sitting sideways isn't really an option for him but... eh, close enough.

"You've got two days off now." That's not nearly as subtle as it probably should be - but again, who cares? "Not like there's any paparazzi out here to chase you down, or any managers to get on your case about it." Of course, it isn't like there's many options, either. But pointing that out feels like it might actually, finally, be too unsubtle for real.

Mitsuki doesn't really feel like he needs a lot of options right now. All he needs is one good one and he's pretty sure that's exactly what--or who--is sitting on the couch with him. Akihiro could've turned the conversation in any direction if he'd wanted to but he turned it, and his posture too, toward Mitsuki. It almost couldn't be clearer.

"You're right. It's really just the two of us." Seduction is not Mitsuki's forte but he's seen it performed enough that his hand doesn't shake when he puts it on Akihiro's chest and leans toward him. "I don't think we should let this opportunity go to waste. What do you think, Akihiro?" By the time he finishes speaking, their faces are very close together. Just enough space to save face, at least for Akihiro. Mitsuki's all in no matter what happens.

Yes.

Akihiro manages to keep an excess of Jubilation out of his expression - seriously, that would just be kind of goofy and probably kill the mood - but he's clearly pleased to have Mitsuki so casually invading his personal space. He lifts his hand to slide it over the one Mitsuki places on his chest. His fingers and palms are a little rougher than Mitsuki's, slightly calloused from his less refined line of work.

Giving a verbal response might be the better idea in the situation, but Akihiro doesn't think so. He simply stays silent and leans in, pressing his lips to Mitsuki's and letting his eyes slip closed. He's ready to pull back the instant he sense any uncertainty from Mitsuki - but he also isn't expecting any, so he lets his kiss linger, chaste for the moment but unlikely to stay like that.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

lmk if I messed up how they landed, I can edit

nope, looks like you got it!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject