Stolen Photos

'It's just teasing. Just for fun.'

Shirota Yuu told himself this as he stared blankly at the photos he'd been given, while he sat in the rehearsal dressing room. They were photos of himself, taken in promotion of the winter musical he was performing in; these were the final prints, the ones that would be sold to the public at the show. He was pleased with how they had come out.

But the pictures were the furthest thing from where his line of thought had gone. Or rather, they had been, until he found them snatched out of his hand.

"Oy!" Standing and turning, he realized it was his co-star, Katou Kazuki, who had stolen the photos from him. "Give them back."

"Eeh~ These are pretty sexy." Katou glanced up with a sly smile in his eyes.

"That's not something you're supposed to say to another guy."

Katou's grin deepened. "Ah, but in this case I just can't help myself."

"Ba~ka." Shirota attempted to grab the photos back, but missed as Katou turned and began walking away. "Those are mine!"

"I think I'll keep them." Katou glanced over his shoulder, then smirked and pulled a small envelope from his pocket, tossing it to the other man. "Consider that my payment."

Opening the envelope, he found Katou's promo pictures looking back at him. He was awed, all over again, at just how attractive the man was. In costume or out, he was very good looking. Sexy even.

He was attracted to his co-star. And it was kind of scary, because he'd never wanted another guy before, and had always been taught that it wasn't normal. So while he never judged other people, he'd never imagined something like this would happen to him.

They had fun together, but that may have made it all the worse. Now he was convinced, or at least tried to tell himself, that all the flirtatious little gestures they made toward one another were just a game to Katou. So while he was happy to be called "sexy" by the other man, it hurt him to think it could never be sincere.

He looked back up, but Katou was gone.

With his photos.

"Are those your photos?" Adachi Osamu, another player in the show, had come into the room, gesturing to the envelope. "Let me see."

Shirota quickly put the photos in his pocket, "Maybe later," and made a hasty retreat.



***************



It had been a few days since Katou had stolen his co-star's photos. He smiled to himself as he stretched, cooling down from the day's rehearsal, and remembered the flustered look on Shirota's face when he'd realized what had happened. His smiled deepened - he couldn't help it, the other actor was just too cute. He loved that about him. He loved everything about him.

He hadn't known what to expect when he first joined the already established cast, but he quickly became comfortable with Shirota, from having to work so closely with him, and more and more, that comfort and friendship turned to a deep affection. The man was tall and lanky and silly and, as far as Katou was concerned, just begging to be pawed at.

That they could play around made him very happy, and Katou was just waiting for the right time to take the fooling to the next step. To something real. He could feel them growing closer every day; he wouldn't have to wait much longer.

But when Katou stood, having every intent on heading home, he suddenly felt arms wrap around him from behind. "Hey," a familiar voice whispered into his ear.

"Shirota-kun?" Well speak of the devil.

Then the hold around him tightened, pinning his arms to his side, and a hand made its way into his pants. And a small envelope was pulled from his pocket. Then, just as quickly as he'd been caught, he was released.

He whipped around, facing the other man who stood proudly holding the re-claimed photos. "Hey, no fair."

"They're mine!"

Katou's hands went to his hips, trying to look stern. "I stole them fair and square."

"Mine!"

Katou lunged. Shirota held the photos high above his head. Katou decided his co-star's height wasn't so attractive after all. Shirota laughed at him.

"That's cheating."

Shirota laughed again, saying "Katsu no wa, ore da!" mocking Katou's own line from the play. Then he bolted from the room.

Blinking after him, Katou then started laughing himself. What was really ironic was that, despite he being the one who started it, Shirota was the one who now had both of their photo sets.

He would have to do something about that, now wouldn't he?

Let the game begin.



***************



Shirota Yuu smiled to himself as he took one last look at a set of eight photos, then tucked them back into the envelope they were kept in. Four of the photos were of himself, taken for promotion of the play he and his friends were working on; the other four were of his co-star. Those photos had been given to him as some form of payment when his own photos were kidnapped by said co-star, but he had managed to reclaim them. So in the end, he'd ended up with both photosets, which he had since mixed together and kept in the same envelope.

While he told himself it was just economical to keep them all in one place, somewhere he knew he just liked seeing his photos and Katou's intertwined with each other, alternating between the two of them within the protective envelope. One on top of the other.

So it had become a game between them, stealing the photos from each other, and he no longer really knew to whom they should belong.

He went to slip the photos back into his jacket pocket, when he felt a weight hit him from behind, sending him sprawling to the ground with an "Oof!" He knew instinctively that it was Katou who perched himself on his back and plucked the photo sets from his hand.

"It would seem the victor this time is me."

"Get off."

"And if I refuse?"

They paused as another cast member, Kamakari Kenta, stepped over Shirota's prone from in order to pass by, then took a seat in front of one of the dressing room mirrors.

"I'll have to make you," Shirota continued.

Katou laughed. "Go ahead and try."

It didn't take much for Shirota to push up, lifting himself and Katou until they other man fell off and crashed to the floor himself. Then, since they were both down there anyway, he pounced. They rolled around a bit, each trying to get the upper hand, Shirota trying to wrench the envelope containing the photos out of Katou's grip. He was eventually able to pin the other actor, holding his wrists down against the floor while straddling his smaller body. But they were both too tired to continue, and they stayed like that for a moment, panting to catch their breath.

And then something sparked and their eyes met. Shirota realized their faces were too close, and he began to pull back. But as he retreated, Katou moved up, retaining the proximity. He grabbed hold of Shirota's shirt and pulled him closer, until their lips touched in a breath of a kiss. It was so feint he wasn't even sure if it really happened, but there wasn't time to think about it before he jumped back, eyes wide.

Photos forgotten, Shirota got to his feet and ran from the room. Ran from the building. Ran from Katou and his confusing feelings and that situation that he didn't know whether it was real or just making fun of him.

He ran, but he still couldn't escape it.



***************



"Damn, man...that was cruel."

Kamakari had said that to him at that time. Really, Katou had forgotten the man was there when he finally gave in to his feelings and kissed Shirota. But he was, and had seen everything, and his words gave Katou new perspective on what had happened.

"Cruel?"

"Playing with him like that."

"Who says I'm playing?"

"You're not?"

"Of course not!"

He had been totally unfazed. Didn't even blink at the fact that his co-star, that Katou Kazuki, subject of many a girl's fantasies, was seriously interested in another man.

"Oh.. Well you'd better tell him then."



Shirota wouldn't look at Katou the next day at rehearsal. They read their lines to each other, practiced their blocking on stage, went through the dance steps, but the tall man wouldn't look at him. Ueshima said Shirota was acting stiff, Aiba asked if he was sick, KENN forced ice cream on him.

Again the day after that, they didn't talk. Though Shirota was more his usual self, he didn't acknowledge Katou. Instead he messed around with Yanagi or Araki or any of the other actors, and if anyone thought it strange that he stayed away from the one he was supposed to work most closely with, they didn't say anything.

By the third day, Katou was sick of being ignored. And he missed the fun he normally had with the other man. He needed to clear things up, now.

So after rehearsal was over, he waited outside the hall's door, until Shirota exited with Yanagi in tow. With a simple "You go on ahead, kid. I'm borrowing him," he dragged him back into the building.

Of course, Shirota protested the dragging. He complained and squirmed and even called out for help from anyone they passed, but he was not released, and nobody came to his aid, until they arrived at an empty stairwell. Then Katou pushed him against the wall, and held him there. It was almost funny, considering Shirota was a head taller than his captor, but neither of them were laughing.

"You're avoiding me," Katou started.

"I'm not."

"You are, and I know why, and I know what you think."

"How could you know what I'm thinking?"

Katou paused, then answered with "Insight." They were both silent a moment, until he continued, saying "I want you to know that I'm not just playing around, and I kissed you because I really wanted to, not just to mess with you."

"Don't lie."

"I'm not lying."

"You are!" Shirota pushed him away, freeing himself momentarily.

But Katou was right back on him, standing on tip-toe to reach his lips, kissing him. A deep kiss, conveying his feelings without question. And when he felt he'd gotten his message across, he pulled back slowly. "I'm not lying."

Shirota looked down. "Guys aren't supposed to kiss other guys."

"You don't think so?"

He shook his head. "In this case, I just can't help myself." Leaning down, he initiated their third kiss himself.

"Ba~ka," Katou smiled when they'd parted, echoing the conversation they'd had weeks ago. Then he poked Shirota in the chest, saying "No more avoiding me."

And Shirota laughed. "Since I know it's allowed, I don't think I'll be able to keep my hands off of you."

"I'm ok with that."

They kissed again, and Shirota ran his hands along Kazuki's body, into his jacket, and around his waist. And that's how they were when the stairwell door flew open. Turning, they saw Date and Kamakari staring at them, one with eyes wide, the other rather not surprised.

"Whoops! Sorry!" Date put his hands up to cover his eyes, and retreated back through the door. Kamakari just gave a wink, and followed his partner.

Shirota and Katou looked at each other, and while at first the taller man looked worried, the look lightened when Katou began to laugh, and soon they were laughing together.

"I suppose they'd have found out eventually anyway."

"Somehow, I don't think they'll be too surprised," Katou smirked.

Shirota smiled, and pulled away form the other actor, heading toward the door. "I'm very happy," he said. "And I want you to know..."

"Yes?"

He held up the envelope that just a second prior had been in Katou's jacket pocket. "I win!" And then he disappeared out the door.

Running a hand through his hair, Katou smiled as he watched the door fall shut. He had a feeling things were going to be even more fun from then on.

He couldn't wait.