Chapter Text
"Tenma. Tenma! TENMA! Uaaagh."
As the young red headed boy screamed, a choicely timed up smash sent Captain Falcon flying across the screen while said super star clicked his tongue in frustration. "Taichi, shut up. How am I supposed to react with you screaming in my ear like that?"
Somehow since the students of the Mankai Company dorm had returned from school, a makeshift Super Smash Brother's tournament had ensued in the common room. Banri had insisted they play against him so he could warm up for some fight he had planned with Itaru this evening. Yet, no one stood a chance to this video game prodigy. Even 3 v 1 against Banri, he managed to come out on top every time.
"Ahh, Banny's so cool!" Taichi always thought Banri was cool, but going up against him was intimidating. That guy was naturally amazing at everything he picked up and Taichi was… acceptable. He just had to work a little bit harder if he wanted to be like him and considering they were part of the same troupe, there was no way he was going to let himself fall behind.
"Okay! I'm going to give it my all!" Picking up Tenma's now discarded controller and letting his cursor settle on Link, Taichi assessed the situation. Banri had chosen Jigglypuff? With Citron playing Princess Peach and Kazunari playing Donkey Kong, there was no way they'd lose this round to a flutter lightweight puffball. Jittering with excitement as the loading screen popped up, Taichi steeled himself for the upcoming battle. This was a battle for honor. A battle of pride there was no way he was going to--
--suddenly a large force made impact with Taichi's head. A sneak attack? It just started! Wait. In real life. Get a grip Taichi.
"Come on shorty."
Looking up from his seat on the couch, Taichi saw an arguably shorter boy right behind him, looming over them, purse armed in hands (Presumably his weapon of choice for denting Taichi's head) and deadpan expression glued to his face. Yuki was looking directly at him. "Huh? Me?"
"You're my dog this season right? We're going to the fabric store."
In the background, Taichi could already hear Link grimacing from getting hit. Ah, the game must have started. Quickly, he glanced back and saw Citron and Kazunari were trying hold off Banri's onslaught but Jigglypuff's death roll was too powerful. "Taichi!~ You're leaving us high and die." "You mean high and dry?" "He's not wrong."
"Uh I…"
"You're not going back on your word are you?" Yuki was right. After he had ungraciously ruined the middle schooler's work on the last production Taichi had promised his services to him but also, he was expecting some sort of warning. Maybe a 'Hey, next Saturday we're going to sketch some patterns.' not suddenly upending whatever he was doing. "I guess that's to be expected of a dumb dog."
"R-Right… I-I mean no! I'm coming!" Dropping his controller back into Tenma's lap, Taichi scrambled over the couch to catch up with the costumer. Taichi was a man of his word and when he made a promise he would fulfill it, especially when it came to the theater.
Yuki was already making his way out the door while Taichi was still scrambling to pull his sweatshirt over his head and slip into his shoes. Calling back his 'sorry's to the older boys, he ran to catch up with Yuki before he left. Sure, this wasn't what he was expecting to happen when he agreed to this but there was no way he would back out now. He was part of Mankai company and he would prove himself worthy of staying. Yuki might be the hardest struggle to get on board but maybe making the clothes was just the element he was missing to being a good actor. Something about appreciating everything that goes into the performance.
Bounding out the door and looking down the street, he saw the speck of a boy in a pink dress walking down the street. Picking up speed a bit to catch up with him, Taichi fell into step with Yuki by the time he finally caught up. "Thanks for waiting for me!" Not that Yuki really stopped but he wasn't that far away so it wasn't that bad. Yet, Yuki seemed like he didn't even hear his words. In fact, the younger boy didn't particularly acknowledge him at all. It was like he didn't even notice his presence. Great, he's mad.
As they made their way down the streets back onto the bustling road, Taichi couldn't help but feel more and more awkward. What was he a stalker? He needed to revive some life into this. Turning to the younger boy, Taichi offered a smile. "So where are we headed? The place must be pretty good to meet your standards."
Silence. Oookay. Well, he could tell it wasn't somewhere local at least. Velvudo way was brimming with costuming and craft shops, just as one would expect from an area known as acting but their journey so far had taken them past all of them so far and seemed to be heading straight to the next town over. Regardless of where they were going, the walk to the train station was actually eerily quiet, enough that Taichi felt the need to start filling the silence again.
Attempt #3: "Who knew purses could be so powerful? You could have gave me a concussion." Taichi mused aloud. Now that he thought about it, a lot of anime made that a common trope, "I mean in shows women get their purses yanked from them all the time and then they scream and some cool guy chases down the bad guy and the day is saved but if she just slammed that purse into his head a few times he'd be unconscious in seconds!"
"So what you're saying is I should have hit you harder."
"No-no!" Taichi could already feel phantom pain in his head again but at least he got a response this time. "What I mean is purses are really heavy. How can someone just steal them from someone's hands? Or I guess yours is? What's even inside a purse to make it heavy?" It's not like Taichi had a lot of experience with purses. His younger sister never needed a purse. Of course, she was also in primary school and always had a backpack so that was like a purse? Though he doubted women went around carrying textbooks in their purses. Looking over at Yuki again, he saw the middle schooler roll his eyes. Okay, so that lane of conversation was yet another dead end.
It was weird. He felt like he knew so much about this boy and yet somehow he knew nothing at all. Yuki's personality was so loud. Not like Misumi, who's love of triangles radiated off of him, but in a way where you could tell Yuki's personality and what he liked and disliked from a few seconds in the room with him. Yet, it still felt very surface level. He'd never held a full conversation with him and they definitely weren't the type to hang out together. Ahhhh, why was this so difficult? In TV shows it seemed like the popular guys always knew what to say and they made the quiet girls come out of their shells with just a few moments together. Maybe he just needed practice.
"I've never carried a girl's purse." Okay maybe now he was grasping at straws. "If I had a girlfriend it would be nice if I could hold their purse and go out on dates." Looking over at Yuki's purse, it didn't make any sense why a guy would need to hold a girl's purse. Yuki seemed just fine with it slung over his shoulder and it was barely larger than his Nintendo Switch. Suddenly, a great idea brought a smile to his face. "Oh! I could hold your purse! It'll be like practice." There was no reason for him not to and girls seemed to like it.
Yuki on the other hand. "The purse is part of the outfit," Did not seem as thrilled, "if you carried my purse then you'd be taking away one of my elements."
"Eh? Really?" Whatever that meant. At least he was responding now. Although pretty cryptically. An element? Taking another look at Yuki, Taichi only became more confused. "But your dress is pink?"
That was of course, not the right answer as Yuki immediately responded with a click of his tongue. "Of course a dumb dog like you whose favorite blue sweater clashes with his red hair wouldn't understand style. It's about accent colors!"
"Huh?" But his sweatshirt was comfortable. "Is that so?" Looking down with a frown, he couldn't see a problem with his outfit but, maybe everyone else did? "Then maybe you should teach me about accent colors! After all, every popular guy dresses well. Masumi and Banny both have tons of fans."
"Your two examples of stylish guys are…?" Yuki just sighs.
-----
"The color on this one seems a bit dull but… here. Hold these." As Yuki shoved two rolls (? No no no he called them "bolts") of fabric in his hands. Taichi was shooed off to once again walk up and down the aisle with them rolled out. He was starting to feel like a runway model for curtains. Each arm dawning a different but very similar piece of fabric over and over to be scrutinized. Taichi wasn't sure what exactly he was doing. How was this 100% yellow cotton fabric different than this other 100% yellow cotton fabric. Why was this polyester blend just not as good of a quality as this poly-cotton? Who knew? Taichi certainly didn't but Yuki somehow managed to glean the answer from each successive trip he made so down the aisle he continued to walk over and over to the younger boy's commands.
"From afar, I think I can make do with this one. This fabric drapes exactly how I want it to but… the price is a little high and…" Once again, Yuki was muttering to himself by the time Taichi had returned. For a guy who didn't say much on their trip over, Yuki had a lot to say when it came to fabric.
"I didn't realize so many things went into considering fabric." As the words exited his mouth, Taichi felt daggers bore into his back from Yuki's stare. He didn't even realize he said it out loud.
Huffing, Yuki put a hand on his hip and began to gesture at the walls of fabric they'd already spent hours perusing. "Of course there is. Each fabric is unique. Even if they look the same, they're different in the way they feel or how the light bounces off of them or even the way they drape. Then in the hands of the right person, they can make the same fabric into 1000 different items, a dress that flows, elegant decals, even a menacing cape. You just need someone who's not completely useless."
Clearly he stepped on a land mine. Yet, it made sense. "Ah, so just like how each actor gives a different interpretation of the same role!"
"At least someone as stupid as you can understand that much." Sighing, Yuki turned back to the fabrics he set aside, he had about five different pieces of fabric piled up and set to the side. "I think I have what we need for today, let's start heading back before it gets too late."
Forcing a weak chuckle, Taichi grabbed half the stack from behind the shorter boy and started making his way to the front of the store to pay, "I think it's amazing that you can do all those things. When we act, the costumes themselves make a portion of the act too."
"Obviously." Yuki said curtly, "My clothes can make even a mediocre actor halfway decent. Although some people don't appreciate them." Taichi grimaced. Oh, those shots hit their target for sure. So maybe he was still a bit frosty from Taichi tearing up the last troupe's costumes but he was trying to make up for it, okay. Give him a chance at least.
"I said I'm sorry." Taichi mumbled quietly. Though it was mostly to himself since at this point he was starting to feel like convincing Yuki he was a bag guy was like trying to force the boy to drink poison. Quickly, he shook away the thought, after all, this was his chance to get back in Yuki's good graces. "I can't wait to help." Yet, the sentiment fell on deaf ears. Yuki hadn't even noticed. He had already stepped up to the shopkeeper explaining what quantities of each fabric he wanted. "Wait you're paying for it yourself? Doesn't Sakyo have a costume budget?"
Crossing his arms, Yuki turned back to Taichi with a scowl on his face. "You're going to help me with my online store first. Obviously, I won't let you touch Mankai costumes until I've approved of your technique." The winter season had just started and it was already a sign it was going to be a long one.
-----
After his first week of working with Yuki, Taichi returned to his room utterly exhausted. He didn't understand how Yuki could do this day after day with no breaks. With the amount of effort they put in, Taichi didn't understand how Yuki was able to do this on top of his rehearsal schedule. Even religions thought that on the seventh day god himself rested. A freaking omnipotent deity. How was Taichi supposed to survive without one? Just one day of finger bleeding work was enough for Taichi to become convinced there was no god in this world.
A soft glow emanated from his roommates desk where the older boy silently worked. It was still a school night so it seemed Omi was still up finishing a project of some sort. Well, it was good that he didn't have to worry about waking him. "I'm baaaack." Collapsing onto his sofa, Taichi couldn't even bring himself to climb up the ladder up to his bed.
"How was it?" Leaning his head back off the couch to stare at his roommate, Taichi watched as Omi let his attention drift from his schoolwork over to him. Omi was always too kind to them. Even when he had other things to do he always placed other's wellbeing before his. Even now he was stopping to make sure Taichi was okay. Taichi could really see why Yuki called him a mom.
"I think... I'm going to die." To that, a warm chuckle came from the taller boy that warmed Taichi's heart. As the Omi came over to ruffle Taichi's hair a bit, he couldn't help but think of the stark contrast between the two. Yuki had bombarded him with tasks, berated him for his incompetent and ignored his hard work for most of the day. It was as if the company's tallest and shortest not only differentiated themselves on the appearance spectrum but the personality spectrum as well. After a day of being treated like the villain, Omi's presence was a breath of fresh air.
"Would you like some tea? I made some to go with my study. We can drink some and you can tell me about your day." Without waiting for a response from a Taichi a warm mug was already being handed to him with a smile, somehow Omi just knew he needed it. As he sat up to take the mug, he could feel a smile begin to mirror on his own face.
"Thanks." The warm mug soothed the aches in his fingers and the aroma made the tension in his shoulders subside. Staring into the amber liquid, Taichi didn't know where to begin. He didn't want to complain. It was his own fault for being stuck in this situation, he had volunteered himself to Yuki's service but at the same time, "I don't understand why Yuki hates me so much. I feel like I'm trying so hard but all he's really trying to do is chase me out." Before he knew it, the words were tumbling out of his mouth, "Just the other day I was sewing this blazer for him and every step along the way I would show him and ask him 'how's this?' 'is it good enough' and he didn't say anything so I kept going. Then, when I was finished, he told me he didn't like how to sleeves were done even though those were one of the first things I showed him so I had to redo the whole thing. Then today for example, I was hand sewing on sequins because that's apparently how you do it. Then halfway through, I pricked my finger and I bled all over it so I told Yuki I'd throw it in the washing machine so I wouldn't damage the clothes, and then all the sequins fell off. Why didn't he tell me that would happen? He just likes watching me suffer."
Taking the seat next to him, Omi contemplated Taichi's words. "I don't think he hates you." It didn't seem like it was something he said out of pity but Taichi couldn't agree so Omi continued. "I think he's just a little wary. It wasn't just the costumes that upset him. In a way, you kind of betrayed his family as well. It may not seem like it at times but Yuki is just like the rest of us and he's very attached to Mankai Company."
Sighing, Taichi knew what Omi was trying to say but it really didn't make him feel any better about it, "How am I even supposed to even make it up to him? To get him to trust me? I know what I did isn't really honorable, but I'm not even being given a chance at a redemption arc. I just get yelled at and beaten up at every turn like the villain of the week." The peak of Taichi's frustrations were climbing to the surface, just waiting to bubble over and here he was taking it out on Omi. Glaring down at his cooling tea, he stared at the ripples from his shaking hands. If only he wasn't so weak. Juza wouldn't be hurt by Yuki's words. Banri would know what the right thing to say was.
Then, just as he thought he would explode, Taichi felt a large hand rest on his back. He appreciated the large circles it began to rub into him, feeling a bit soothed from the contact. "I know Yuki calls you a dog a lot but I don't think that's a bad thing, in fact I think it fits you perfectly. Everyone loves dogs because of their energy and their determination. They're cute and straightforward and loyal to a fault and ultimately they're man's best friend. You shouldn't let it get you down." Even hearing the words from Omi, it felt fake somehow, like he was trying to spin a blatant lie into something redeemable but Taichi knew that wasn't his intention.
"Yuki on the other hand, he reminds me of a cat." Blinking, Taichi looked back up at Omi, trying to see if this was some forced metaphor he was attempting to squeeze out. Of course if he was a dog Yuki was supposed to be a cat, which meant they were never meant to be friends to begin with. "He doesn’t show his love openly but he's very protective of what's his. When you do get those nuggets of affection though, it really makes you appreciate it. Once a cat loves you, its loyalty is forever. Cats and dogs don't get along naturally but the stories of the ones that do always warm my heart."
Like… The Adventures of Milo and Otis? The unexpected image of Yuki in cat ears brought a chuckle to Taichi's throat. There was no way Omi had thought this analogy through to it's conclusion. In that story the dog was always the one getting the cat out of trouble. He couldn't imagine Yuki wanting him to come save him or Yuki even appreciating him when he did. Maybe there was a different story he was thinking of but the sudden image of cat Yuki in a box floating down the river broke the seal and Taichi's laughter burst through, "I don't think that's right Omi. Cats and dogs get along in real life except in very special circumstances."
Ruffling Taichi's hair again, Omi returned the smile. "Who's to say this isn't a special circumstance? Mankai company's managed to do a lot of amazing things like bring in a Yakuza cast member or get their first play advertised on television. At the very least, I'm glad you're smiling again."
"Yeah, I guess I feel bit better." Who was he to feel so down about this? Omi was right. One of his best qualities was his inability to give up so he couldn't let something like this get him down. It just meant he had to try even harder.
"Well, then I think it's time for us to head to bed." As Omi stood up, he took the half touched mug from Taichi's hands, "Good night Taichi."
"G'night!"
As Taichi climbed up to his bed, he was sure he would fall asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. A day of exhausting work and the emotional burden lifted off his shoulders, what else was there to keep him up. Yet as he drifted off to sleep, one thing echoed in his mind. 'Once a cat loves you, its loyalty is forever'? Yeah, right. He'd have to get the cat to stop scratching him in the first place.