#78 can we really call these christmas drabbles? 2012 Arashi fills

This comes about five months late and with massive apologies, especially to the people who requested non-Arashi things! Because those prompts... have not been written ;___;

The prompts that have been filled are each 500~ word ficlets for Arashi-related things, because (1) I've been having a bit of a resurgence, (2) I procrasti-wrote a bunch of ficlets over a month-long revision period, and (3) I've finished one of my papers and thought it would be a good time to post these!

Again, apologies for the lateness! (If anyone is still hanging around here. Hello!)

For g_esquared: legal high fic where Komikado-sensei actually calls the dude KAT-TOOT, OR, role reversal in which Gakky and Sakai Masato's roles are reversed THE MOST POPULAR SHO IN SCHOOL

(I apologise in advance for the fact that this isn't really going to make all that much sense ;__; Also this will probably end up having very little to do with TMPGIS)

Matsumoto Jun, homecoming king, captain of the cheer squad and part-time model, had a killer smile. Sakurai Sho, on the hand, had the smile of a killer.

Nino saw this and understood immediately.

"I... don't quite follow," said Ohno.

"Of course you don't," Nino replied. "You never do."

Because beneath that perfect exterior was a game-losing, umbrella-wielding maniac who deserved love. Nino had seen him losing games (all the time during physical education) and wielding umbrellas (mostly for the rain, but Nino was also sure he'd seen Sho whack a small child with one).

"I don't need love," said Sho, when Nino approached him. "I just want to win."

"Win?" Nino repeated. "At what?"

Sho leaned in close, close enough that Nino could fully glimpse the extent of Sho's crazy in his eyes. "At everything."

"Ah," said Nino, smiling slowly. "That can be arranged."



For lianne29: (1) katana-wielding Arashi (maybe related to alien-hunting, time-travelling Samurai AU) or (2) Jun and Nino working together (as cops/spies/thieves/any occupation)

They solved the case at half past three on a Tuesday afternoon, after Jun and Nino brought in the last, crucial piece of evidence.

Yuko glanced at the insurance records. "I'll get him with these. Good work." She bestowed them with the briefest of nods before disappearing back into the interrogation room. Five minutes later, the suspect confessed to murder.

At a quarter to four, Nino took Jun upstairs to the roof and punched him in the face.

"Maybe I deserved that," said Jun, pressing a hand to his right eye with a wince. "And maybe you deserve this."

Before Nino could react, Jun hit him across the jaw. The impact was enough to send Nino sprawling to the ground.

"You piece of shit," spat Nino, pushing himself up.

Jun shrugged. "I've been working out."

"That was in no way a proportionate response," said Nino, touching the side of his face. "I think you broke something."

"It's not my fault you can't throw a decent punch," Jun replied, standing over Nino with his arms folded. "And you have no business talking about what's proportionate or not, given that you hit me first."

"Stop stealing my leads and I'll stop hitting you in the face."

"I solved your case."

"Yes, but if you hadn't been right, someone else might have died."

"Oh," Jun sneered, "so now you care about lives being at stake. Hm? No more, 'Justice is irrelevant, facts are everything'? What about all the other times you've stepped in on mine or someone else's work?"

"That was-"

"You're clever, Ninomiya, and lucky. But one day your luck will run out and your smarts won't be enough," said Jun. "And you will fuck up. You will chase down the wrong lead. And then where would that leave us?"

"Where would that leave me, you mean," Nino replied, rising to his feet. "Given that this is my hypothetical fuck-up you're talking about. You're elite. Nobody around here's about to kick you out."

And now, finally, they were at the crux of the matter. Because within the department it was Nino who was known as the ace, the junior detective that none of the section heads wanted because he kept showing them up. But Jun was the one on the career fast track, bumped up a few ranks straight out of university because he was good with tests and knew how to say the right things at interviews. Or at least that was what the others said in the break room, when they thought Jun was out.

The ace and the elite. Takeuchi had taken them both and put them together. Nobody was quite sure if this decision was madness, or wisdom.

"Here's the thing, Ninomiya. If you mess up in some way – if you break into a suspect's house without a warrant, or threaten thugs on street corners, or use yourself as bait –"

"That worked, and I was fine –"

"If you do that, and things don't go the way you planned," said Jun, "we're both accountable. Not just you. Both of us. So you might as well tell me what you're planning."

"So you can rat me out in better detail?"

"So I can back you up, you moron," Jun snapped. "Do you not understand the concept of partners?"



For uminohikari: what comes after Jun hears Aiba for the first time (Conservatory AU)

Before Jun knew it, he was charging down the corridor towards the room where the music was coming from. (Because Shun certainly wasn't about to stop Jun, given that Shun didn't know shame and certainly didn't mind if Jun experienced it.)

"Panda or penis?" asked Jun, stopping in front of two doors, both of which had been quite skilfully vandalised.

"I always thought they were both dicks," said Shun. He pointed at the one on the right. "Penis."

"That's the panda."

"Really?"

"Whatever." Jun raised his hand and began to knock on the door. "Excuse me!"

The music stopped. Then came the sound of several things being knocked over in quick succession. Finally, the door was flung open.

"Sorry, was that too loud?" asked the young man who answered it. His alto sax was still hanging from its strap around his neck. "Shun-kun!"

"Aiba-chan," said Shun, spreading his arms wide and launching into his usual spiel of nonsense. "My favourite leaping seal biscuit!"

"Shut up," Jun told Shun. He turned to Aiba. "Play something."

"Sorry?"

"This is Matsumoto Jun," Shun told Aiba. "He plays the clarinet and has scary eyebrows."

"Hi –"

"Play something," said Jun, with no please or thank you because he had to hear it up close, had to know that his ears hadn't been deceiving him.

"Uh, okay," said Aiba, bringing the mouthpiece of his saxophone to his lips.

In the past six months at the conservatory, Jun had become acquainted with some of Japan's brightest young musical talents, and had found that they mostly fell into two groups. The first – a large majority – were competent but nowhere close to Jun's level. The second was that small handful of individuals whose skill and sheer talent made Jun squirm inwardly in envy every time he heard them.

Aiba was different. He went beyond this distinction. Jun realised this as he listened to Aiba play. The sound was glorious. Aiba had an expressive tone that was both bright and smooth and yet, in spots, had richness and depth that other players could only dream of being able to achieve. He let the melody pull ahead of him, tumbling into runs and flourishes that were executed joyously and perfectly. There were obvious problems with his technique but it didn't matter because Jun was in that moment entirely caught up in the exhilarating rush of Aiba's music.

Jun didn't even care that Aiba was playing the theme of Super Mario Brothers.

And then Aiba stopped, and looked up at Jun. "Uh..."

"That was –" Excellent, Jun thought. "Sloppy," he said instead.

"Oh."

"That was sloppy," Jun repeated, "and you need to work more on your breathing and your counting. And if anyone ever asks you to play something for them on the spot, never, I repeat – never – play this again."

"Oh," said Aiba, looking both confused and chastised.

"Don't worry," said Shun, "Jun-kun's harsh like that."

"And one more thing," said Jun.

"Yes?" asked Aiba with faint trepidation.

"You have more talent than anyone else I've heard at this conservatory."


For htenywg: either the oni adventure, or Ohno, Aiba, Nino and MatsuJun at Tokyo Disneyland from Sho's Very Excellent Adventure

"MatsuJun!" Aiba bellowed, waving frantically at Matsumoto from the queue of 'It's a Small World'.

"Very clever," said Matsumoto, starting towards them. He was wearing clothes that he clearly thought were fashionable in human terms, but in actual fact made him look as if he'd just robbed a Brooks Brothers store of its worst items.

"I take it the old man isn't pleased," said Nino, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his oversized bear hoodie.

"The 'old man' you are talking about is none other than the great deity Ryujin, Emperor of under the sea," Matsumoto replied. "You'd do well to show a bit more respect."

Ohno shrugged. "Nothing much you can do about it here, though," he said. "A neutral zone's a neutral zone, isn't it?"

"Quite right," said Nino. "You can't lay a finger on us."

"You can't stay here forever," said Matsumoto.

"Probably not," Ohno agreed. "But look around. It's Disneyland. You might as well join us for a bit before you report back."

"MatsuJun, are you hungry?" Aiba thrust a bag of prawn crackers towards Matsumoto, who flinched away.

"Are you stupid?" Matsumoto snapped.

"Are prawns and dragons related?" asked Aiba, cocking his head to one side.

"They're not," Nino assured Aiba, grabbing a handful of prawn crackers for himself.

"So," said Ohno. "Sorry about your wasted trip."

"Nah," Matsumoto said, waving a hand. "It's nothing. What happened to the mortal?"

"Sakurai Sho?" asked Nino. "He's back to his old life, which is now infinitely better because Riisa gave him a hand."

"Somehow I don't like the sound of that," said Matsumoto dryly.

"Ah," said Aiba, "speaking of Sho-kun – we should probably let him know how we're doing."

"And somehow," said Matsumoto, "I doubt he's interested."


Between Nino and Aiba's combined trickery, the queue to meet Mickey Mouse ceased to be an issue at all. The photo itself turned out excellently, but not after several attempts because cameras had a funny way of capturing certain truths.

The first photo was entirely overexposed because Matsumoto's dragon pearl was glowing too strongly.

"Can't you put it away?" snapped Nino, while Mickey and the staff member helping to take the photo looked on dazedly.

"I did," said Matsumoto irritably, glancing down the front of his shirt where the pearl lay in the form of a discreet Saturn pendant on a chain.

In the second, Aiba and Nino had somehow been reflected in their animal forms, all eight of Nino's tails obstructing Ohno's genial peace sign.

"He has seen you in those forms," said Ohno, peering at the photograph. "But then again, Sakurai-san might have a shock, and we wouldn't want that."

And on the third try:

"Now, this won't do," said Matsumoto, pointing at Ohno in the photograph. His t-shirt and ratty trousers had turned into robes and a tall hat. He was also holding a fishing rod in one hand and a large red sea bream under his other arm.

"Heh," said Ohno. "It's like cosplay."

Nino whacked him on the shoulder. "It's not cosplay if it's how you normally dress, stupid."

"Did you actually tell Sakurai-san that you were one of the seven gods of fortune?" asked Matsumoto.

Ohno scratched his head. "I don't remember."

"Okay," said Nino, waving Mickey over again. "One more, please."

Aiba beamed. "I bet Sho-chan is going to wish he was here!"



For junbaitarashian: Harbor – Becky POV, her time with the other Ohnos

"Becky?" says Ohno, and for one mad moment Becky's heart leaps at the recognition in his eyes.

"Did you travel too?"

Oh.

This Ohno looks the same as all the others, but there's something about the way he carries himself that seems a fraction more – polished, perhaps. He still shuffles and slouches and has the same expression of vague surprise, but it's in the details: the neat eyebrows and the decent haircut that could almost be fashionable; that particular smile he's giving her right now as he's uncomfortable and trying to hide it, sheepish but nonetheless charming.

"No, I –" Becky begins. "I'm... from here. If you know what I mean."

"Ah," says Ohno. He blinks at her. "Hello."

"Hello," Becky starts to say, but this is one introduction too many and she's forced to turn away before Ohno can see her face crumple.

"Are you all right?" Ohno asks. To his credit, he stays silent when Becky doesn't reply.

It takes her a few moments before she can compose herself, before she can turn around and smile and say, "I was just about to make dinner. Would you like to join me?"


This Ohno is in a boyband. When Becky hears this she almost chokes on a mouthful of soup.

"Is it that surprising?" asks Ohno, looking mildly hurt.

Becky coughs, and laughs, and takes a sip of water. "It's not totally surprising, but..."

"But?"

"When you said 'national idol' with a straight face I just couldn't help it."

"You're pretty famous yourself, you know," Ohno tells her.

This is not the first time another Ohno remembers her as an entertainer. "Of course I would be," Becky replies. "With this face and my mesmerising personality."

"Of course," says Ohno with a little smirk. Becky swats him across the head.


They go out on the boat together to fish. This Ohno is as competent as the others; as utterly content with throwing out a line and waiting patiently for a catch.

Becky watches him watch the ocean, and thinks about another time, not so long ago, when another Ohno had looked at her and said, earnestly and honestly, I think I might be in love with you.

"You should take me out on a date," Becky tells this Ohno. "When you get back. Are you even allowed to date?"

Ohno considers this for a moment. "Why not?"

"But you'll have to keep it a secret."

"Probably," says Ohno. "What do you think you'd like to do?"

"Aren't you supposed to come up with that yourself?"

"But you're you," Ohno replies. "And why am I asking you on a date again?"

"How would I know?" asks Becky, throwing up her hands and laughing. "Aren't you supposed to figure that out?"


For ct_ty: Office AU whether Nino and Jun are together or not OR Cyberpunk AU closure for Jun and Nino

Lying by the Frame, eyes shut as he slips into the Space, Ninomiya takes on a stillness that Jun finds entirely disconcerting.

Jun's Nino – cybernetic Nino – would never have lain like this. Jun remembers him tossing and turning even in hibernation, programmed to seem alive because that was so integral to his purpose.

Ninomiya, on the other hand, can lie entirely motionless for hours on end. The only things that indicate that he is still alive are the barest rise and fall of his chest as he breathes, and the jerky movements of his eyes under their lids.

"There is an allure to it," says Ninomiya. Like all of their conversations, it comes entirely out of the blue.

"An allure to what?" asks Jun. At the far end of the deck, Sho's hands pause over the cybernetic arm he is reworking for Ninomiya's measurements. This is part of their payment. In exchange, Ninomiya is helping them take down Saori Corporation.

"There's a reason why they call it the Scurry," Ninomiya tells Jun. "Because you've got no choice but to run."

"That sounds exhausting." Ninomiya is exhausting. It's hard to even look at him without thinking of Jun's Nino; of Nino's hand in Jun's and the contentment on his face all those nights ago, out on the veranda in a very different time.

There is a flatness in Ninomiya's gaze that Jun is both repelled and fascinated by. When Ninomiya laughs there is a bitter quality to it that Jun only notices because he's spent so much time trying to recall the exact cadence of Nino's voice.

They have exactly the same smile.

"I don’t mind that you hate me," says Ninomiya, the evening he and Ohno find the perfect way to disable Saori's innermost fences. The next morning, they will go in and see how much havoc they can wreak.

"I don't," Jun replies, startled.

"Like I said. I don't mind."

This is what Jun hates: Jun hates Saori Corporation. He hates the middle men at temples who mark up the prices to ludicrous amounts. He hates the fact that it's been three months and they still haven't found Ninomiya a decent cybernetic leg.

Jun doesn't hate Ninomiya. How could he?

"I don't hate you," Jun says. He feels wooden, like he can't quite get his voice or face to project the feeling he's trying to convey.

Ninomiya shrugs, and turns away.

Before he can stop himself, Jun reaches out and catches Ninomiya's arm.

He should have caught the back of Ninomiya's chair instead.

Ninomiya's skin is warm under Jun's fingers. He jerks when Jun touches him, but he doesn't pull his arm away.

"I need you to understand that," says Jun.

Ninomiya glances up and Jun and it is not flatness Jun see's in his expression, but something so close to yearning that Jun's heart jolts at the realisation.


"Show me," says Jun, later.

"Show you what?" asks Ninomiya. He hasn’t stopped flexing the fingers of his new hand since Ohno pronounced it as being in perfect working order.

"The Scurry."