Away From the Cameras (M, complete)

[Guest iffthelurker]

I don't know if anyone other than Aku is familiar with this series, so here's a bit of background. The series Haru wo Daiteita/Embracing Love by Nitta Youka is currently up to volume 12 in Japanese, and is being released in the US by BeBeautiful (book 6 is due to be released this month). The series itself is very much 18+, but this story only has hints of the physical part of the relationship between the two main characters.

Iwaki Kyousuke and Katou Youji are AV (adult video) stars who have become rivals in the field. They both receive an invitation to audition for the same part in a mainstream movie. There's one catch though. The movie depicts a gay romance, something that neither of them has any experience with. When the audition is complete, Iwaki is cast in the role. The movie is successful and launches a spin-off series, but the person playing the other half of the couple can't continue and Katou is cast in his place. During filming, Katou falls for Iwaki and is determined to get Iwaki to love him back. Iwaki seems to be returning his feelings when the series wraps up, and Katou takes the opportunity to move in to Iwaki's apartment. As the two get used to living together, and being lovers, they run in to some bumps in the road, but things eventually smooth out.

For those familiar with the series, this takes place somewhere around book 3, after Katou has started sharing Iwaki's room, and before they move in to the house.

Feedback is always welcome...if I've done something wrong, I want to know, and if I've done something right...well...that's nice to know too.

And without further ado...

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Away From the Cameras

When Iwaki Kyousuke closed his front door behind himself, he hadn't thought he could feel as exhausted as he was at that moment. He hadn't gotten anywhere near enough sleep the night before, and while it had been most enjoyable at the time, he frequently wished that his lover wasn't quite so energetic. As a result, he'd been having a hard time concentrating on his work, causing them to need entirely too many retakes. They'd finally made it through the bare minimum that the director had scheduled for the day and he was sent home under strict orders to rest. Shimizu-san had taken it in turns to berate him for not taking better care of himself and ply him with advice and concern on the drive back to his apartment building. He eventually tuned it out, drifting to the sounds of traffic around them.

To make things worse, the elevator in his building was out of order and it had been more effort than it should have been to make it up the stairs to his apartment. By the time he got in the front door, he could have happily gone directly to bed, but he had beaten Katou home so he needed to at least make an attempt to come up with dinner. The rice cooker was easy enough to deal with, so he started that, then looked for something that wouldn't take much work. He wasn't very adventurous in the kitchen anyway, so he knew Katou wouldn't mind the simple egg dish that he put together. He wasn't about to cook and let it get cold, but the ingredients would stay until his lover made it home.

With that taken care of, he got his book from the nightstand and sat on the couch to wait for Katou. He hadn't been expecting the cushions to be as comfortable as they were, or the room to be as warm, or the soft hum of the light to be as soothing, but the words on the page began to blur, and he decided to let his eyes close, just for a minute, just to rest them...

"Iwaki-san! I'm home!" Even through the inner door, Katou's voice could carry quite well.

Iwaki started awake. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, but he apparently had. The light coming through the windows was no longer the dimming light of sunset but the constant light of the street lamps and electric signs that lined the streets and covered most of the buildings in the area. "Ka-katou?" He yelped as his book hit the floor, narrowly missing his stocking feet.

"Iwaki-san?"

"I'm fine. I'm fine. Welcome home."

"You're home early! I wasn't expecting you to be here yet. Do you want to go out for food?"

The dark-haired man shook his head as he rose. "Not tonight, Katou. I already started dinner. I just need to put the eggs on the stove and it'll be ready."

"Okay." Katou wrapped his arms around Iwaki. "Are you feeling okay? You don't look so good."

Iwaki sighed and let his eyes close, leaning in to Katou. "Just a little tired."

"Let's eat and then we can go to bed."

"Nn." The older man pulled himself out of the blond's embrace and headed to the kitchen. "It's nothing complicated," he said over his shoulder.

"As long as it tastes good, I don't care. You know that, Iwaki-san."

The rest of the food cooked quickly, and they were seated at their small table in fairly short order. Katou devoured his food like a starved man while Iwaki ate much more slowly, eventually declaring himself done with quite a bit left on his plate.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Just not as hungry as I thought. You can finish it if you want." He pushed the plate towards the blond.

Katou looked intently at his lover, then shrugged slightly and pulled Iwaki's plate closer to finish what was left. It didn't escape his notice that the brunet was sagging in his seat and that he seemed to be forcing his eyes to stay open when he thought Katou wasn't looking. The younger man shoveled the last few bites in his mouth, then mumbled his thanks to Iwaki for cooking as he rose with the dishes.

"I'm going to get ready for bed." Iwaki pushed himself up from the table as if it was a tremendous effort, then hid a yawn behind his fist.

"Go ahead. I'll join you as soon as I've cleaned up in here."

The older man dragged himself the short distance to his...their bedroom, switching on the water heater on the way, and stripped out of his clothes, hanging the shirt and slacks back up and throwing everything else in the laundry hamper. He began to sniffle a bit as he wrapped his robe around himself, which he found odd, since it was hardly cold in the apartment at this time of year. It hadn't gotten hot enough for them to turn the air conditioner on, but it was definitely not cold.

His short walk to the bathroom was accompanied by the sound of dishes clinking in the sink, but he knew that Katou wouldn't be much longer. He brushed his teeth while the bathtub filled, then quickly but thoroughly washed himself before climbing in to soak. A face full of steam as he relaxed against the side of the tub started him coughing.

"Iwaki-san?" The blond was kneeling beside the tub, rubbing Iwaki's back. "That doesn't sound very good."

"It's just the...just the steam..." Trust Katou to pick that moment to join him. He cleared his throat before continuing, ignoring the fact that it was feeling just a bit sore. "Don't fuss so much."

"Uh...okay. If you're sure." The younger man pulled away and washed himself off before rising to join Iwaki in the tub.

"Katou! There's not enough room for this!"

"It hasn't gotten any smaller since the other night and it was just fine then..." He pushed the brunet forward and slid in behind him.

Iwaki leaned back against Katou, not having much choice in the matter since his only other option was getting out of the bath completely, which he wasn't ready to do yet. "Idiot," he muttered, but the tone of his voice was more amused than annoyed.

"You're the one who makes me act stupid," Katou whispered in to his lover's ear, nibbling at his earlobe as he did so.

"Nnnn. Katou, not now." He tried to keep the exhaustion out of his voice, but wasn't sure he'd managed it.

The blond wasn't accustomed to backing down, but Iwaki seemed so tired that Katou decided it would be better to just relax with his lover for now. "Hai, hai, Iwaki-san." He rested his chin on Iwaki's shoulder and wrapped his arms around the older man's waist. "This is just fine for now."

Iwaki sniffled, then rubbed at his nose, annoyed that the heat in the bathroom was only aggravating whatever it was that was causing his nose to run. Other than that and the odd feeling in his throat, he hated to admit it, but it was very comfortable here, with the warm water all around him and Katou supporting him. He let his eyes fall closed, completely relaxed against his lover.

"Iwaki-san? Iwaki-san?"

"Hnn? Katou?"

"Open your eyes, Iwaki-san." There was laughter in Katou's voice. "You fell asleep. Come on, let's get out of the bath before you catch a chill."

"I'm awake, I'm awake." He pushed himself upright, then had to put one hand against the wall to keep his balance.

The blond was suddenly standing behind him, supporting him. "Whoa. Be careful," and he slipped a hand around Iwaki's waist.

"Thank you."

Katou paused at that. Usually he would have been pushed away, the older man objecting that he wasn't weak and didn't need his lover's help to stand up. He finally passed it off as lingering sleep befuddlement and let it go.

They dried off and walked back to the bedroom. Iwaki was still rather quiet other than the occasional sniffle or clearing of his throat, so Katou climbed in to bed behind him. Surely after his little nap in the bath like that he'd be rested up for at least a bit of play, right? The younger man wrapped himself around his lover and began dropping kisses on any bits of Iwaki's skin that he could reach.

"Nn. Not tonight, Katou."

The older man's protests were ignored. They'd already fought about that once, and Katou knew from Iwaki's own admission that the brunet didn't mean it when he pushed his lover away. Katou nibbled on Iwaki's neck as his hands wandered over the other man's flesh, hitting all of his sensitive spots.

The blond began to wonder if Iwaki really had meant it when he merely allowed the touches, not responding in any other way. Rather than the gasps and moans that such touches usually elicited, all he heard from his lover were sniffles, a sigh or two, and even a cough. "You really are worn out, aren't you?"

"Aa. Just need to sleep," he mumbled, then rolled over, his back to the room, arms curled around one of his pillows. "Perhaps it would be better if you were to sleep in the other room tonight..."

Katou froze. That was not anything he expected to hear from Iwaki, and after all that it had taken for them to start sharing the same room, he was more than a little hurt that Iwaki would kick him out so suddenly. "If...you think so..." He couldn't keep the unhappiness from his voice.

Iwaki coughed again, muffling it in to the pillow. "Rest well, Katou."

The blond trudged from the room, glancing back at his lover from the doorway with a look much like a whipped puppy. The older man never even moved from his position, so Katou finally shut the door behind himself and curled up under the covers on his bed in the living room. The sheets were cold and he hugged his pillow close to his body, feeling completely rejected.

He couldn't sleep. Even if he hadn't been so upset, the bed was now unfamiliar, and he was no longer used to sleeping alone. But he couldn't calm down enough to rest, and kept tossing and turning in hopes of finding a position that didn't feel completely wrong. He finally gave in and lay flat on his back, watching the lights and shadows play across the ceiling.

Katou wasn't sure if mere minutes or long hours had passed when he first heard the noise.

"heh-ESHoo!"

He dismissed it. After all, it was only once.

It must have been half an hour before it came again. "HESHoo!" This time it was followed by a few harsh coughs.

The next time he heard any noise from Iwaki's room, it started with a couple of attempts to clear his throat, but the older man began to cough again, muffling the noise in to something -- a pillow? his blanket? -- when it didn't stop after one or two. When the fit had calmed, Katou could hear him groan quietly, and then a few seconds later, "huh...heh-EHSHoo!"

"Iwaki-san..." Katou murmured as he looked at the door to the bedroom, gaze filled with equal parts concern and hurt. The brunet had insisted that he was fine all evening, but by the time he had sent Katou to sleep in here, he must have suspected that he had come down with something. Why hadn't he just told Katou what was going on?

Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, Iwaki was feeling miserable. His throat had gotten worse since the bath, feeling as if he had a pincushion lodged behind his Adam's apple, and his nose was running constantly. "ESHoo! snf" And then there was that.

He hadn't wanted Katou to leave, but he didn't want to risk getting his lover sick as well. Not to mention the fact that Katou had a very busy schedule right now and needed his sleep, and the way Iwaki was now coughing and sneezing would have denied them both any rest if the younger man had stayed.

Iwaki rubbed at his nose with a well-used tissue, then turned over to see if he could get any more comfortable in a different position. He knew that what he needed to do was take something. Most of the things that he had in the medicine cabinet didn't do much for the symptoms, but they would knock him out so that he could get the rest that he needed. Unfortunately, the medicine cabinet was in the bathroom, and he had to go through the other room to get there. He didn't want to wake his lover if he was sleeping, and couldn't deal with the looks he would get on the chance that the blond was still awake, so he stayed where he was.

Iwaki needn't have worried about waking Katou. The younger man was still tossing and turning in his own bed, torn between staying where he was like he'd been told and going to see if he could do anything for Iwaki.

"heh-ESHoo!"

That was the last straw. Katou untangled the sheets that had twisted themselves so tightly around him and climbed out of the bed, padding over to the bedroom. He knocked once, then barged in, his face a mask of determined concern. "Iwaki-san!"

The brunet looked up, tissue clutched to his nose. "Katou? I woke you up, didn't I? I'm sorry. I...huh...heh-EHSHoo! snf"

"No, you didn't wake me." He sat on the edge of the bed and rested a hand on Iwaki's knee. "Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling well? I was scared that I'd upset you or something."

"Nhh. I wasn't feeling quite this bad before. And I-" He broke in to a fit of coughing, muffling it in to the tissue. "I don't want you to catch it."

Katou chuckled. "And you keep calling me the stupid one? Were you planning on locking yourself in here until you were better?"

Iwaki's cheeks flushed.

"Iwaki-san! You were, weren't you?" The blond was looking at him as if he'd sprouted a second head.

"I...had been considering it..."

After a reproachful look, the younger man bowed his head and bit his lip to keep from letting out the laughter that was shaking his body.

"I don't see what's so funny, Katou."

"Now I know you're in love with me. You've gotten stupid just like you always say I am."

"Ka-Katou!" Iwaki spluttered, sending him in to another fit of coughing.

"Shh. I'll stop teasing. You sound awful! Do you have anything in the house that you can take?"

"In the medicine cabinet. In the bathroom."

"I'll be right back." The blond kissed Iwaki's forehead, then rushed off to get things to make his lover more comfortable.

The older man took the opportunity to make things a bit neater, between the used tissues that hadn't quite made it to the waste bin and the tangled mess that his tossing and turning had made of his sheets. That would have been okay if he'd been wallowing in misery by himself, but Katou did not need to be spending time in the room while it was in this state. He had just slid back between the sheets, moving over to the side closer to the wall, bringing the box of tissues with him, when Katou returned carrying a tray with all manner of things on it. He set the tray on the shelf at the headboard and joined Iwaki in bed, handing him a glass of water and a medicine cup with something thick and noxious in it.

"I know it probably tastes as bad as it looks, but it should help, ne?"

"If nothing else, it will put me to sleeeh..." He quickly tried to give the items back to Katou but wasn't fast enough. He ended up burying his face in his elbow and hoping he didn't spill anything. "heh-ESHoo! Nnnnh. snf Put me to sleep."

The younger man wrapped his arms around Iwaki, letting the brunet lie against him instead of the flat pillows. "That would be a good thing, ne?"

Iwaki drank the medicine in one gulp, made a face of utter disgust, then took a few sips of the water to wash the taste out of his mouth. The strong flavor had him trying to hold back another coughing fit, but he finally managed to suppress it. "Ugh, that's horrible." He twisted his body enough to put the glass and the cup back on the tray, then went limp against Katou. "Are snf are you sure you want to be in here with me?"

Katou kissed Iwaki's temple. "Why wouldn't I?"

"snf You probably won't snff..." He plucked a tissue from the box and raised it to his face. "Won't get any hehEHSHoo! snf any sleep."

"I wouldn't get much out there either. I'd rather be with you and not getting any sleep. Don't worry about me." He ran fingers idly through Iwaki's hair.

Iwaki turned over and rested his head on Katou's chest, hearing the younger man's heartbeat between his own congested breaths. Despite the fits of harsh coughing and the sneezes that were beginning to make his head hurt, the medicine and the soothing, even breaths from Katou lulled him to sleep. He vaguely remembered waking once more to be given another dose of the disgusting liquid, but the next thing that he was actively aware of was Katou murmuring something to someone who wasn't him and a fierce tickle in his sinuses. He disentangled himself from Katou's embrace and the blankets enough to turn his head away. "huh...hehEHSHoo! HESHoo!" Still facing the wall, he groped blindly for the tissues, starting a bit as Katou pressed several in to his hand.

"So, as I'm sure you can hear, Shimizu-san, he's really not in any condition to leave the bed, much less make it to today's filming."

The older man was still trying to take care of his sniffles but turned sharply around to face Katou at those words.

"Katou! I will be perfectly fine going to work today!" His vehemence might have been convincing had his voice not come out as a rough croak.

The blond merely glared. "Iwaki-san, there is no way you will be able to film if you can't even speak. If you take it easy today, you might be well enough tomorrow to go to work, but you are not stepping one foot outside this apartment today."

Iwaki attempted to return the glare, but again his body betrayed him. "huhESHoo! snff Nnnnnh." He visibly deflated, and buried his head against Katou's side.

"Yes, Shimizu-san. I promise, I'll take good care of him. I'll give you a call tonight to let you know how he's doing."

As the younger man ended the call, the same pathetic approximation of a voice rumbled against his ribs, "Katou, you have work today too. You can't stay here to take care of me."

"Don't worry about me. It's all taken care of. We've been running ahead of schedule, so if I miss a few hours here or there, it doesn't matter."

"Just...I don't want you risking your job..."

"Shh. Stop that. I'm not risking my job by staying home with you. If anything, I'm probably keeping it because if I was at the studio I'd be worrying about you all day and missing my cues and forgetting my lines..."

Iwaki started to laugh at that, but it triggered a coughing fit that left him red faced and gasping. Katou rubbed his back until he was able to breathe again, then pulled the older man close.

"You don't forget your lines, Katou. I don't think you ever have since we started working together. And I've rarely seen you miss a cue."

The blond blushed furiously, then mumbled, refusing to look Iwaki in the face, "That's because I don't want you to see me screw up. I always try my hardest when I'm working with you."

"Baka..." the older man retorted, poking Katou in the ribs, but there was the faintest hint of a smile on his face.

"You've known that since we met." The younger man ran fingers through Iwaki's hair. "It's still early. Do you need anything? Do you think you can sleep some more?"

"Sleep. Definitely sleep." Iwaki slid down to burrow in the blankets until only the top of his head was visible.

Katou chuckled at the image his lover presented. "You're so cute, Iwaki-san." He resisted the urge to pounce on his older lover like he frequently did, instead draping an arm loosely over the blanket-covered lump, then whispering to it, "Sleep well, Iwaki-san. And feel better."

[VoOs]

AWWWWW! That was such a sweet story! I love "Haru wo Daiteita", and I love how you write the boys! Mmmmm. Thank you for sharing!

[Guest iffthelurker]

Thank you so much! I absolutely adore the series and think that Katou and Iwaki are quite possibly the most perfect couple in Yaoiland. I'm glad that you enjoyed it and thought that I managed to do them justice.

[KawaiiKitty]

*whimper* What do you mean, "complete"?

I have never had the pleasure of reading something you wrote, and I have to say between this story and that lovely drawing you posted a while back, clearly you are multi talented.

I'm behind the times of everything so I don't know this series but the way you wrote about the characters I felt like I knew them. You have a truly yummy writing style, I really liked how it seemed like turning the "everyday" lives into something captivating. Plus you used the word "sniffles" which just kills me forever, as does all the talk of tissues. And the very last line...could anything be sweeter?

Oh, I am purring! I really hope these boys inspire you to write about them again because I have so much love for this story. I read it four times when I really ought to be doing something else, and will probably read it again once I have finished with my comment.

[Geist]

Omg, Katou is such a PUPPY! *SQUEEE!* I just love him with Iwaki...they're so adorable!! Gaaaah, it was so awesome to read this again....I just LOVE THE CHEESE of it all!!!

*floats away with Heart of Fangirlish Doom around head!*

*LE SIIIIGH*

~Aku

[Guest iffthelurker]

Thank you both so very much!

KawaiiKitty, unfortunately I've been prodding at them off and on for months to see if they'd let me go farther with this one and they've been utterly silent. I'm hopeful that they'll let me do something with them again later, but apparently Iwaki wanted to suffer in private. I'm so glad that you were able to follow it and get in to the boys without being familiar with the manga! And...I have no ability to stammer anything more than a very heartfelt "thank you" for your extremely kind words.

Aku...heh heh...he IS such a puppy! So open with his reactions and his affections and certain that whoever he's lavishing his attention on will return it if he just nudges long enough. And I've always loved how genuinely CUTE their interactions are in the manga and the drama CDs. I'm still SO very glad that you enjoyed it, and that you liked it for another round now!!!!

[Guest RollRock]

Wow. Beautiful! I want to squeeeeze them!

[chui]

*SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE*

i must now glomp you with cuddles and such!! DUDE!!! this is awesome!!! i totally love them!!! can i just squeeze them both and curl up in the bed with them?!?!

OMG!!!! i must now fangirl upon you!!

*commences fangirling*

[Guest iffthelurker]

Wow! RollRock and Chui, thank you both SO MUCH! I'm so glad you both enjoyed it! They really are snugglable, aren't they?

[March Hare]

Ehehehe... LE KAWAAAIIIIII

Very sweet little fluff-thing, Iff! I didn't know the manga either, but it sounds rather yummy... maybe I'll check it out

Thanks for sharing!

[Guest iffthelurker]

Thank you very much, Maru-chan! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

I do HIGHLY recommend the manga, and the OAVs, and the drama CDs, and...umm... sorry, got a little carried away there...