Title: The Present

Author: Kyoko Godaikun

Email: kyoko_godaikun@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: I don't own Domoto Koichi or Domoto Tsuyoshi. They own each other.

Warning: This story contains Yaoi. Do not read if you are offended by Male/male love

Archiving: The only place that has permission to archive this story is Katrinka’s page. No one else may archive this without the express permission of the author!

Time: New Years 1996

Domoto Tsuyoshi sometimes hated being an idol. Every holiday was spent working. He never got to spend the holidays with his mother. At least he didn’t have a birthday on New Years the way his partner Koichi did. Tsuyoshi knew that Koichi hated having a birthday on New Years day. His birthday was simply another very busy working day. The night before his birthday, the Kinki Kids took part in a countdown concert. The day of his birthday the Kinki Kids had numerous television appearances. Tsuyoshi had been sure to wish his friend happy birthday.

Tsuyoshi was allowed to visit his family on the second. It had been a good visit. Three days of no work and no practices. But like all visits, it ended far too soon. Tsuyoshi's mother had returned him to the Senior Dorms soon after daylight. He used his key to get in. Inside the lobby was deserted. He checked his mail box. Usually management put a few of the many New Years cards that fans had sent for the holiday in the idols mail box. There was nothing inside of his mailbox. Tsuyoshi fought down the disappointment.

Tsuyoshi climbed the stairs to the second floor. The door to his room was unlocked. He went inside. In the half-light he could see his room mate Koichi asleep in his bed. He was curled around Mabo, the drummer of Tokio. Even though both of the teens were covered with a thin sheet, Tsuyoshi could tell they were both nude. Tsuyoshi felt a pang of jealousy. It had been the fifth guy in the past week to share Koichi's bed.

Tsuyoshi wasn't sure when his room mates habits began to bother him. It had been near the Bon festival when Tsuyoshi realized he liked Koichi more then just a friend. He had never told his partner his feelings. He knew if he did, nothing would change between them. They might have some fun together, and then Koichi would go back to his old ways. There had only been one time the two of them had been together. It hadn't really been sex, just rubbing against each other. Tsuyoshi still considered himself a virgin. The night he had been with Koichi, his friend had stayed out all night with a boy friend.

He took Koichi’s birthday present out of his bag and placed it on the desk they shared. Tsuyoshi had saved up several months for the present. Tsuyoshi then tossed his bag against the wall. It landed with a loud thump. He didn’t' care if the noise woke up his room mate. He was so jealous that he couldn't see straight. He resisted the urge to wake up Mabo and throw him out of the room. He wanted to tell Mabo to leave Koichi alone. Instead he unpacked his bag, putting the clean clothes in the dresser. He made sure he made as much noise as he could as he threw the bag in the closet and slammed the door.

*Calm, I must calm down.* He told himself. *I don't own Koichi. We're only friends.*

Tsuyoshi decided to go downstairs and get himself some coffee out of the machine. He knew he needed to calm down before he talked to his friend. He sat in the lobby, drinking the warm coffee. He tried not to think of Koichi being with someone else.

When he returned to the bed room after drinking his coffee, Mabo had left, and Koichi was now awake. He was making his bed. He smiled when he saw Tsuyoshi.

"Happy birthday."

"Thanks for remembering." Koichi smiled.

"We're partners." Tsuyoshi's smile grew wider. 'You haven't opened your present."

"I was waiting for you to get back."

Tsuyoshi picked up the present. "Okay, sit down and I'll give it to you."

Koichi did as he was told. Tsuyoshi handed it to him. Then he sat down on the bed beside him.

Koichi opened it up. 'Tsuyoshi, you shouldn't have."

Tsuyoshi's smile faded. "You don't like it."

"It's very expensive. How could you afford it?" Koichi asked suspiciously.

"I knew you wanted it, so I saved up for it." Tsuyoshi shrugged.

"I love it."

“I’m glad you like it.” Tsuyoshi kissed Koichi very gently. His friend sighed and kissed him back. Tsuyoshi pulled away from him. "I shouldn't have done that."

"There's nothing wrong with a birthday kiss." Koichi reached out, touching Tsuyoshi's face. Then he kissed him. The kiss was gentle, loving. Tsuyoshi put his hand on the back of Koichi's head. The kiss increased in intensity as Koichi opened his mouth and Tsuyoshi's tongue darted in. A thrill went through the younger teen as his tongue battled his friends.

Tsuyoshi pulled away from Koichi. "I'm sorry, I crossed the line."

"It's okay Tsu-chan." Koichi tried to re-assure him. "I wanted it too."

"This is wrong." Tsuyoshi told his friend. "I can't be your boyfriend."

"Why can't you?" Koichi asked confused. "I want to be your boyfriend."

"That doesn't matter." He could feel his face redden. "I can't be with you knowing that I'll find you with someone else!"

"Who says I'll be with anyone else?" Koichi said. "I won't cheat on you."

“It will happen! You know it will! Every day you sleep with another guy!" Tsuyoshi couldn't keep the pain out of his voice. "I come home from visiting Nara and find Mabo in your bed."

"If it bothered you, why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I know the only change that would happen would be you slept in their bed instead of yours." Tsuyoshi tried to control the anger he suddenly felt. "I shouldn't have fallen in love with someone who shares his love."

"You love me?" Koichi gasped.

“Please give me my present back.” Tsuyoshi decided. “I shouldn’t have given it to you.”

“I was going to ask you to take it back. It’s too expensive for me.” Koichi handed him the package.

“Thank you for understanding.” Tsuyoshi got up and put it in his dresser drawer.

"If I stopped sleeping around, would it change your opinion of me?" Koichi said quickly.

"Giving your love is a part of you." He could feel a tear trickle down his cheek. Annoyed, he wiped it away. "I wonder why I had to fall in love with someone like you. Why couldn't I love someone who would only love me and not the entire dorm?"

"If I knew it bothered you, I would have stopped a long time ago." Koichi said softly. "I wouldn't intentionally hurt you."

"I'm called the sluts roommate. I'm tired of everyone thinking I'm like you!" Tsuyoshi turned around. "Why can't you be like everyone else? Why can't you have just one boyfriend?"

"There is a pain in my heart caused by the abuse I suffered. Sleeping with someone makes the pain go away." Koichi told him. "But the pain always returns, so I have to do it again."

"You don't have to sleep around. It's just an excuse." Tsuyoshi insisted.

"If I stopped dating others, would you reconsider your feelings for me?" Koichi asked.

"If I went with you I would be just another name of on your list of boyfriends." Tsuyoshi told him. "What does it matter how I feel for you?"

"It matters because I feel the same way." Koichi admitted. "I love you."

Tsuyoshi couldn't believe his ears. "You show that love by sleeping with half the dorm?"

"I could change." Koichi offered. "I could stop dating others."

"I can't take your word on it." Tsuyoshi told him. "I know you too well. You'll have to prove it to me."

"Give me time to prove it."

"How much time do you want?" Tsuyoshi asked skeptically.

"What about six weeks?" Koichi suggested. "If I can't prove it, I'll never mention my feelings again."

"You mean until the middle of February?" Tsuyoshi asked unbelieving. "Can you really go that long without sleeping with anyone?"

"I won't betray your trust." Koichi vowed.

"If you can go until Valentines Day, I'll believe you." Tsuyoshi decided.

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

The weeks passed quickly. No longer did Tsuyoshi wake up and find someone else in Koichi's bed. His friend didn't stay out all night. In fact, Koichi spent most of his time with Tsuyoshi. They spent evenings doing homework, or playing video games. His friend hadn't brought up the deadline that Tsuyoshi had given him. They had talked about school, concerts just about anything except for their relationship.

Valentines Day finally arrived. Tsuyoshi had been given a huge amount of chocolate from girls at school. He hadn't turned down any because he didn't want to hurt his fellow student's feelings. So he stacked the various presents on his desk. As he did, he tried to think of a way to get rid of it all.

"How much chocolate did you get?" Tsuyoshi asked Koichi.

Koichi took a small package out of his book bag. He placed it on the desk beside his friends pile. "That's it."

For a moment Tsuyoshi felt sorry for Koichi. "I can't' believe you received only one gift."

"There's a girl in our class who doesn't understand what "I am gay." means."

"You told the girls at school you're gay?" Tsuyoshi gasped.

Koichi shrugged. "Most of them knew anyway."

"You have more guts then I do."

"I have something for you." Koichi finally told him. He put down his book bag, then he took something out of his drawer, then he handed it to him. "Think of this as only in friendship. I don't deserve anything else."

"You broke the agreement." Tsuyoshi guessed.

"I stayed true to you." Koichi picked up one of his textbooks and sat down on his bed. "I have a lot of homework. I better get to it."

Tsuyoshi opened the present, his fingers glided over the materials inside. "You gave me art supplies. How did you know I wanted some?"

"I noticed a few weeks ago you looking at them in a catalog. You told me they where too expensive." Koichi tried to explain. "You're so good at cartooning, I thought you needed them."

“I’ll always treasure them.” Tsuyoshi went to his dresser and took out a package. He then pressed it into Koichi's hand. "Happy Valentines Day."

Koichi opened the present. It was the camera he had turned down for his birthday. "Tsuyoshi."

"There's no tie to this gift. I simply want you to have it because you're my friend and you'll enjoy using it."

Koichi put the camera up to his eyes. He looked at Tsuyoshi through the view finder. "When I get some film, can I take some photos of you?"

"Of course you can." Tsuyoshi smiled at him.

"Thank you Tsu-chan, it's the best present I've ever had."" Koichi stood up, hugging Tsuyoshi. Koichi kissed him gently. Then he pulled away from his friend, there was regret in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I know you'll never feel that way towards me. I've done too much to hurt you."

"You changed Ko-chan." Tsuyoshi reached up, touching his friend's cheek. He was surprised to feel his friend tremble under his fingers. "You've proved yourself to me."

"I'll never betray you." Koichi vowed.

"I know." Tsuyoshi kissed his friend.

They stood for several minutes kissing. Then Koichi pulled away from him. "We have to be careful. The rules say we can't be involved."

"What do the rules matter?" Tsuyoshi asked. "You broke them with the others."

"The other men I dated were different. I can live my life without them." Koichi paused. "I can't live my life without you."

"Why are you suddenly worried about rules?" Tsuyoshi asked. "You hate the Manager's rules as much as I do."

"Mori is being fired from Smap. He got caught breaking the rules with Nakai." Koichi told him.

"I thought he was quitting because he wanted to race motorcycles."

"That's just the cover story." He went to his dresser, he took out a tabloid. He handed it to Tsuyoshi. On the front cover was a picture of Mori and Nakai. It read that the story was on an inside page. He opened it up. A photographer had stalked Mori and Nakai. There where photos of the two Smap members kissing, and walking hand in hand. Some of them together at a night club, they where dancing close and kissing. Another photo showed Mori leaving Nakai's apartment early in the morning.

"I don't believe this. I thought Nakai would be more careful." Tsuyoshi groaned.

"Mori is sacrificing himself for Nakai. If he hadn't, both would have been fired." Koichi told him. "I'm afraid the same thing will happen to us." He took the paper and put it back in its hiding place.

"We'll be careful." Tsuyoshi promised. "I can't loose you."

"I don't want to loose you either." Koichi kissed him again. "I've changed Tsu-chan. I'm not like I used to be. I'll never cheat on you."

"Forgive me for doubting you?"

"There's nothing to forgive." Koichi told him. "I'll prove to you that you're the only one."

Tsuyoshi put his arms around his friend. For the time being the promise would be enough. He had Koichi, and that was all that mattered.