JE, Mada Mada Dane

Title: Mada Mada Dane [Yamashita Reon]
Rating/Warnings: G
Summary: Reon has something he can’t quite tell Shoon.
AN: for bloodybrilliant, who loves the Yamashita just as much as I do. KYOUDAI FTW. All because of this picture from the HSJ tour pamphlet:

Mada Mada Dane

Their mother puts the picture from the tour pamphlet up on the refrigerator, obscuring several old report cards and a drawing of a cat that looks like Reon made it in first grade but in actuality is from last weekend.

Shoon thinks it’s embarrassing and pleads for her to take it down. Reon likes it where it is, and every time he passes through the kitchen he feels proud that he’s on the same page as his brother, that his name is printed the same way. He thinks they look cool, like idols, like Nakamaru-senpai and Koyama-senpai, best friends!

Of course Reon begs his mother to take it down too; he doesn’t want Shoon to think he’s a dork.

*****

Shoon picks Reon up from school as a surprise, and they drive to the Jimusho together, Reon fiddling with the navigational system and making it give them directions to Paris.

“Why Paris?” Shoon asks, amused, glancing at Reon during a traffic light.

“Like Tohoshinki!” Reon says. “We could shoot a photobook and eat croissants!”

“We can get croissants right here, little brother.” Shoon shakes his head and turns back to the road.

“Let’s go to Los Angeles, then,” Reon continues, undeterred. “Like Jin-senpai! We’ll go on hiatus!”

“I think,” Shoon says quietly, and something about his voice makes Reon feel bad for his teasing, “that you have to be debuted before you can go on hiatus.”

Reon leaves the navigator alone and flips on the radio, and the rest of the trip is quiet.

*****

“You’re quiet today, Yamashita-kun.”

Reon looks up to find Koyama-senpai smiling gently at him. He slides over on the amp and Koyama sits down beside him, but doesn’t say anything right away. Reon continues fiddling with the shoelace he’s been tying and retying for several minutes.

“Koyama-senpai?” he finally asks, and Koyama makes an encouraging noise. “If I tell you something, will you promise not to tell my brother?”

“It’s nothing dangerous, right?” Koyama asks, eyeing Reon seriously, but the smile returns when Reon shakes his head. “Then, of course. It’ll be just between us.”

“When Yabu-kun and Hikaru-kun debuted…” Reon drops his eyes and fiddles with his shoelace some more. “I was glad that big brother didn’t. But you can’t tell Shoon!”

“I won’t,” Koyama assures, wrapping an arm around Reon’s shoulders. “Why do you feel that way?”

“Because now we’re at the same level,” Reon continues, looking up to give Koyama a wretched expression. “It’s terrible, right? But big brother’s so cool, and now that he doesn’t have a band anymore…”

“He’s not so far ahead? It’s not so terrible, to want to catch up to someone you admire.” Koyama gives Reon’s shoulder a squeeze, and Reon relaxes a little. “When Tackey and Tsubasa debuted, I was relieved it was just them, even though there were lots of people who deserved to. I thought ‘what if Shigeaki-kun or Kusano-kun leaves me behind?'”

Reon nods, but he still looks troubled. “But what if big brother doesn’t get another unit?”

“Maa, you shouldn’t worry about that!” Koyama says, voice cheerful. Reon knows Koyama is trying to work him out of his mood, and he smiles wanly, appreciating the effort. “Shoon should worry about Shoon, and Reon should worry about Reon, ne? And shouldn’t Reon be worrying about catching up to his very cool, idol older brother?”

“Koyama-kuuuuuun!” Reon whines, struggling and laughing as Koyama ruffles his hair roughly, holding him down with the arm around his shoulders.

“Am I interrupting?” Shoon asks, making Reon freeze and blush. When he shakes off Koyama and looks up, Shoon is giving both of them a puzzled smile and holding a little package made of napkins in one hand.

“Nope,” Reon gives Koyama a pointed look and Koyama laughs as he ruffles Reon’s hair one last time and then slides off the amp. Reon turns back to Shoon. “What’s that?”

“It’s not Paris,” Shoon slides onto the amp and holds out the package to reveal two slightly-crushed croissants, “but I did find these on an unguarded courtesy table, and!” Shoon pulls his cell phone out of his pocket and flips it open before handing it to Koyama. “Do the honors, senpai?”

“Sure thing,” Koyama says, and Reon catches on when Koyama holds up the phone to position the camera in it.

“Photoshoot!” he laughs, and Shoon beams right back at him.

“One plus one!” Koyama calls, and Reon and Shoon both flash Vs and grin around mouthfuls of croissant as the flash goes off.

*****

“It’s embarrassing!” Shoon protests when Reon sticks the printed-out photo up on the refrigerator next to their tour pamphlet photo. In the new picture, Shoon’s eyes are red from the cheap flash and Reon has flakes of pastry on his cheek. “We look like dorks!”

“We look like idols,” Reon says firmly, crossing his arms and examining his handiwork with pride. The pride even outlasts their mother grabbing both of them in a smothering hug and wailing about how her babies are growing into such beautiful young men.

Shoon goes to drown his indignity in tea, and Reon tags along, vowing that sooner or later, he’ll catch up to his big brother after all.