Mousapelli’s Fanfiction » 26 JE Birthday Kisses, Like a Hummingbird

26 JE Birthday Kisses, Like a Hummingbird

Title: Kiss Fourteen: Like a Hummingbird [Hasshi/Sanada]
Rating/Warnings: PG for senpai advice.
Summary: Hasshi’s got it all planned out, but things don’t always work that way.
AN: For 26 Birthday Kisses, Kiss Fourteen: Congratulations Kiss.

Kiss Fourteen: Like a Hummingbird

Hashimoto Ryosuke does what people ask of him. The choreographers, the vocal coaches, the stylists, the senpai, Johnny himself. Whatever they ask of him, he does. Hasshi is quiet, he’s quick, he looks cute when he smiles, but above all, Hasshi does what people ask of him.

It isn’t long before Hasshi starts seeing more airtime on Shounen Club, starts getting asked to backdance for more popular senpai. And it isn’t long after that that he starts getting solo lines. Some of the other juniors grumble about it a little, that Hasshi is such a pet with all the staff, but Hasshi doesn’t make any secret of the fact that all it takes is just to do what people ask of you.

Besides, it’s hard to stay irritated with Hasshi when he shrugs with that shy smile.

So it would be safe to say that after awhile, Hasshi gets used to things going his way.

When the lineup of MADE is announced, Hasshi barely even hears it, because Kamei has been suspended and things are definitely not going his way. Sanada grabs him in a relieved hug, but Hasshi only lets him hang on for a few seconds before shrugging him off with an apologetic smile.

He just needs some time to think, is all.

So he slips into a crowded practice backstage, tucking himself into a corner and watching the chibiko practice in untidy waves and knots. People are shouting and practice music is playing, but Hasshi is glad for the racket, lets it wash over him while he thinks.

The thing is, Hasshi does what people ask of him, but being so quiet means that he uses his eyes and ears more than most people expect. Hasshi hasn’t been blind to the subtle parallel that’s been set up running from Akanishi-Yamashita-Kamenashi to Hashimoto-Sanada-Kamei. He’s played right into it, practicing Jin-senpai’s songs and watching old lives to pick up some of the mannerisms. He practiced for two days before he got the bodyroll just right, but it was worth it when the ripple of screams rolled through the audience for the first time.

Hasshi figured out long ago how it was supposed to go, and he’s been planning a few things of his own, like how he and Kamei and Sanada would be a unit, how he and Kamei would be just like Akame, best friends with some fanservice thrown in, and somewhere in there, Hasshi would find a quiet moment to confess, and he’s kind of been planning on letting Kamei steal his first kiss about then.

Pulling up one of his knees to rest his cheek on, Hasshi heaves a sigh. He isn’t sure what exactly the plan is now.

“Hasshi-kun!”

Recognizing Nakamaru-senpai’s voice, Hasshi picks up his head to see the Shokura MC approaching, clearly planning on a chat, and Hasshi tries to give him his usual smile.

He has the feeling, given the way that Nakamaru sits down beside him and puts an arm around his shoulders, that it isn’t working the way it usually does.

“That’s not the sort of face I expect to see on somebody who’s just been assigned a new unit,” Nakamaru comments.

They just sit a long moment, Hasshi with his cheek on his knee and Nakamaru with his arm around Hasshi’s shoulders.

“Ne,” Nakamaru says finally. “That makes you feel good, doesn’t it?”

Hasshi looks up and Nakamaru tilts his chin to show the direction he’s looking. When he follows the line, he sees just another clot of juniors, but after he blinks, the faces clear up.

It’s Yabu-kun and Shoon-kun, Yabu in his red Hey!Say! jacket and Shoon in that terrible gold and striped costume. In between them is Reon-kun, face screwed up in concentration as he tries to copy the steps Yabu and Shoon are showing him. It’s a losing battle, since the longer it goes on, the harder Yabu and Shoon are laughing, until they are practically leaning on each other.

“Things don’t always work out like you think,” Nakamaru says, and Hasshi turns back to him, chewing on the edge of his lip. “But it’s not so bad, either. Working with different people is what makes it interesting. Understand, Hasshi-kun?”

Hasshi thinks about that a few moments longer, and then the smile that he gives Nakamaru looks a lot more like his usual one. “Un.”

“Good, good.” Nakamaru slaps Hasshi’s back. “Now, isn’t there somebody you ought to congratulate?”

Ten minutes later, Hasshi is lurking in the doorway of the practice room, watching Sanada talk with the choreographer. He’s nodding, but his eyes are glazed, and Hasshi doubts that he is taking a thing in. Finally, the choreographer leaves Sanada alone, and he turns to catch Hasshi staring.

He offers a smile, uncertain, and Hasshi gives him one back, shy and sweet and back to normal, so that Sanada’s shoulders visibly relax.

Hasshi’s been planning to give his first kiss to somebody else for quite some time, but maybe it’s okay to offer it to the person who’s in front of him instead.

“Hey,” Sanada says when he comes over.

“Hey,” Hasshi replies, “congratulations,” and then he leans in to brush his lips over the heat of Sanada’s cheek.