*insert evil cackle here*

Break time on the set of Maharaja Mode usually saw the cast breaking into their little groups for food or naps, and today was no exception, Daiki thought wearily as he collapsed on the director’s couch. He saw Wasshi doing some last minute help with the newer members, Tuti and Takashi making eyes at each other (which got a little old after awhile, the lovestruck idiots), and Eiji was nowhere to be seen. That last one irked him slightly. Eiji was supposed to find him because they needed to talk about the finer points of the show, but it seemed that the man had disappeared, most likely gone for a smoke.

Daiki huffed and dragged himself off the couch to look for his wayward fuku leader. Really, the man had no sense, making his Leader get up and look for him. “I’ll show him a case of Leadermode,” Daiki grumbled as he avoided the door frame and made for the open portion. Friday practices were the worst. They were burned out from the entire week and simple motions as walking through a doorway became a serious issue.

A quick peer in the foyer brought up no Eiji. Daiki narrowed his eyes and continued to murmur nonsense to himself as he walked towards the door that led to the break alleyway where smoking was acceptable. Really, making Leader move. Daiki resolved to sic Master on Eiji next time the unfortunate man came to his apartment. Or if that didn’t work, bring the cat in to live with him and see how Eiji liked being ignored as he paid all that attention to the kitty and not Eiji, which reminded him of Prince of Tennis and Takashi’s role as the Kikumaru character, which led him to thinking about the mooning couple back in the room, because as much as he loved the man, he was going to have to sit down and have a talk about behaviors appropriate to rehearsals, because Tuti was really easily distracted, especially with Takashi in the room, maybe placing them in different corners of the room might help, and that his damn fuku leader needed –

The loud slam of the door on brick was like a bucket of cold water on Daiki’s mind, telling him that he had pushed the door open just a tinge too strongly. Another thought floated through that he must be cutting a startling figure to anybody in the alley, slightly hunched over with overlarge clothing and his glasses half off his nose. A quick peer around, frozen in his current position still revealed no Eiji, and now it was getting personal. Daiki peered behind the door, just in case, because Eiji would hide from him in this moment of crisis.

Absolutely determining that Eiji was not in the alley, Daiki turned back inside and noticed that break would be getting over rather soon. “Shit,” he moaned, rubbing his eyes with balled fists in an attempt to stimulate wakefulness. This would now mean a drastic episode of Leadermode in most, if not all, aspects of their lives together. He had a plan and Eiji was breaking it and now he was getting…irked.

“Hey, you all right?”

That voice…

Daiki flashed to attention, about to deliver the most cold speech he could think of and let Eiji know that he was most certainly not all right and a certain someone was causing this unhappiness. As his mouth opened to speak his mind, his eyes finally came into focus on the man across from him, dressed warmly against the slight nip in the Tokyo air holding two large coffees.

He did the only thing that he could do, gape like a fish as Eiji cocked his head in confusion. “Daiki-chan, are you all right? You look a little off. Do you need to sit down?”

“Where have you been?” Daiki managed to stutter out, not drawing his eyes away from the cups in Eiji’s hands.

Eiji grinned slightly as he shifted his weight, noticing exactly where Daiki was looking. “I figured that some coffee was in order, especially considering you look pretty beat. Got your favorite too,” he explained, holding out the one in his right hand.

The anger that Daiki held was draining away, much to his despair. He tried to recover some of his ire, because the man should not be let off, even if Eiji was doing it for his good. “Why didn’t you let me know?” he asked, painfully aware that his attempt at a cold tone was ruined by the naked longing in his voice at the coffee being offered by Eiji.

“I wanted it to be a surprise. Take it,” Eiji motioned with the cup.

He glared at Eiji for a moment longer before snatching the warm liquid and bouncing back out of range of his fuku leader, sipping at it carefully.

Another smile bloomed onto the older man’s face. “Hey, don’t you need to say something?” he teased as he pulled off the light jacket. “Like ‘Thanks!’ or ‘I love you honey!’ or even better, ‘You are the best boyfriend ever for getting me my favorite coffee on this terrible day!’”

The jabs made Daiki smile into his cup and he fought hard to contain it as he sidled closer to Eiji. “Oh, I don’t know. You did run off on me, which is unforgivable, no matter how much coffee was retrieved.”

“So, how is it I can make it up to you?” Eiji asked playfully. Daiki had moved quite close and pretended to think about it as he sipped away, his eyes rolling up in mock thought.

Daiki knew that they were in a very open place, but at the moment he didn’t really care. He turned up his head expectantly and was not disappointed when a pair of lips locked with his own, but it lasted only for a few moments before Eiji pulled back. He pouted at the absence, but knew his fuku leader was right. Sadly.

Eiji leaned down and whispered something into Daiki’s ear, which made Leader shiver delightedly and giggle. A manly giggle, but still one nevertheless. He turned around and strode purposefully towards the stage area, most of his tiredness abandoned and a smirk on his face. When he pushed open the door, most of the cast turned his way by instinct, and noticed the coffee in his hand.

“Who went to Starbucks and didn’t inform us?” yelled Tuti from his corner of the room where he and Takashi sat. Daiki leveled a look at them, they were sitting just a bit too close and they both moved slightly away guiltily. But Tuti’s cry was echoed by others also irked by the solo run. It was simply not done to not announce a journey to Starbucks and not offer to grab some for others.

Behind him, Eiji walked in and the others noticed his jacket and hat and knew the culprit. A roar of “EIJI!” almost made the man stop in his tracks. Following the cry came several attempts to get his attention for informing him of his bad call on not informing others. He grinned unapologetically and took a dramatic swig of the coffee, earning him several enemies.

“That isn’t very nice you know,” Wasshi said, with a knowing smile. Eiji had told him, but he hadn’t wanted anything and had agreed that trying to carry a dozen coffees would have been quite difficult.

“Well it doesn’t matter,” Daiki shouted, trying to be heard over the babbling din of the actors, “I’ve decided to end rehearsal early, since we’ve had extra long ones all week. So go get your own coffees or head home and go to bed. Which is an order.”

The babbling din switched over immediately from Bashing Eiji to Worshipping Daiki and they hurriedly packed up, lest Leader was merely asleep and somehow magically sleeptalking. The hall emptied faster than either man could say frappachino.

“Does this mean we get to head home too?” Eiji asked hopefully as he watched Daiki pack up his own bag of stuff.

Daiki shot him a look over his shoulder, “Naturally. We’ve got things to do, you and I.” He straightened, shouldering the bag, and turned to face the older man. “Lots of fun things.”

A look of glee emerged over the face of Eiji as he followed Daiki out the door into the lobby and to the bike rack where Moriyama-san was chained. Noticing how pleased Eiji looked, Daiki laughed. “Stop thinking about all those double entendres. Not in a public place!”

Eiji rolled his eyes behind sunglasses, following Daiki out into the sidewalk and into the Tokyo afternoon crowd. He didn’t even know why Leader brought the bike; it was always too busy to ride it home and sometimes even in the morning. “So what sorts of fun things do we have planned?” he asked, trying to sound sly and suave.

“Well, we are first going to order a bunch of food, preferably curry, and eat it.” Daiki said without thinking. “Then, after curry, we’re going over the scripts and costuming. Oh, and don’t let me forget to call Tuti and remind him that not everyone is as limber as he is and to please tone down that one dance routine.”

Only the fact that they were in the middle of Tokyo could stop Daiki from roaring with laughter at the crushed look on Eiji’s face as his thoughts were crushed and ground on the pavement.