Title: Odd Man Out

Author: Kyoko_godaikun

Paring: Ryo/Ohkura/Shota

Summary: Ryo is going to have a lonely Christmas

***********

Christmas was coming soon. It wasn’t' a big holiday in Japan, not the way it was in Europe or America. But Nishikido Ryo always liked it.

Ryo was one of the busiest men in the Johnny's agency. He belonged to two groups. He had been worried that his original group would become more distant, but every time he returned from Tokyo, it was like nothing had changed. The group understood.

In the past few months, Ryo had begun to get lonely. The usual routine of picking up someone for a one night stand had become boring. After awhile, he had settled down. He only had two lovers.

His two lovers, Shota and Ohkura had become quiet special to Ryo. One who was sweet and gentle. The other very quiet. Ryo's walls began to crumble around his two group members. He just couldn’t pick which one to be with. He didn't tell his lovers of his dilemma. He knew that they would laugh at him.

Then one day, the unthinkable happened. Shota and Ohkura became involved with each other, and both in their own ways told Ryo that they could no longer date him.

It hurt a bit to see Ohkura and Shota together. Ryo had fallen in love with both men. He knew he was a bit strange, being in love with two men at a time. He had at one time wanted to tell them about his feelings, but he knew that there wasn't really any such thing as love. So what he felt had to be fake. That didn't stop his heart from hurting every time he saw them together.

****

It was a hectic week in yet another hectic month. It had been so busy that Ryo had to finish working with News at 7 am, and get on a plane to fly back to Osaka for a Kanjani 8 taping. Ryo was tired, he wanted some companionship. It wasn't a sex thing, more of just friendship. He wanted someone to be there when he got to the airport. But he knew that wouldn't happen. He was alone.

Ryo worked hard at the taping. No one who saw him could guess that he was about to fall over from exhaustion.

"Are you going to be here or in Tokyo for Christmas?" Ohkura had asked when the group was finally able to go home.

"I'll be here, since I have to spend New Years in Tokyo." Ryo told him.

"We're having a little get together at my place this year." The drummer told him. "We'd like it if you came."

"Who else is coming?"

"The rest of the group." He smiled hopefully. "It wouldn't be the same without you."

Shota walked over to Ryo. "Please Ryo; you have to come to the party."

Ryo couldn't turn down Shota. He found himself smiling. "All right, I'll be there."

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

It had been Shota who was the first to realize that he still was in love with Ryo. When he told his lover, he found out that he too missed his former lover. That was when they begun to discuss Shota's idea. To let Ryo join their relationship.

It was Christmas Eve. A night for lovers in Japan. The most romantic holiday in the country. If they were lucky, tonight would be the night that the couple would become a trio.

"Do you think he'll really come?" Ohkura asked. He had dressed up for their date, wearing an outfit that he knew Ryo loved.

"Ryo Chan said he would." Shota said hopefully. "He usually keeps his promises."

"If we do this, will it change anything between us?" Ohkura said almost shyly.

"It will make it better," the guitar player promised. "We both love him. Can you see us spending a Christmas without him?"

The doorbell rang. Shota ran and answered it. Nishikido Ryo stood at the door, he looked very, very nervous. He was carrying a bottle of wine.

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

Ryo's former lovers were up to something. Ryo had asked around and found that there was no group party. But still, Ryo had promised to come to the party. He had a feeling that he was being set up as he rang the doorbell.

"Ryo Chan, it's good to see you." Shota smiled at him.

"You invited me." Ryo stated the obvious.

"I did, you're right." He let Ryo in.

This is for the party," Ryo gave him the bottle of wine he had picked out.

There was Christmas music playing in the background. The apartment looked homey, and was decorated for the holidays. In the corner was a large Christmas tree.

"When is everyone else coming?" Ryo asked as if he believed them.

The two lovers exchanged glances.

"Their running late." Shota lied.

Ryo decided to get to the point. "Yassan, I talked to the rest of the group, they didnt' know about a party."

"Oh, really?"

"So why did the two of you invite me to your place?" Ryo asked. "The truth would be nice."

"We wanted to spend some time with you." Shota’s eyes were as large as puppies.

"Why me?"

"Come on, why don't we eat?" Ohkura tried to change the subject.

"All right, let's eat." Ryo agreed.

Ohkura and Ryo sat down at the table that was in a corner. It had been set f or three people. Shota rushed around them giving them their plates. Then he too sat down.

It was so much like a date, Ryo realized. A strange twilight zone date with two guys instead of just one.

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

As soon as they finished eating, Ryo decided he wanted to get to the end of this insanity. He had no idea why his two former lovers would act as if they were on a date with him.

"Why don't we have some wine?" Shota suggested.

"One glass of wine, then you two are going to give me some answers." Ryo said levelly.

They went to the couch. Ohkura sat on one side of him, Shota on the other. Shota poured him a glass of wine.

"Listen, if you're doing all of this so we can have a one night stand, you can forget it." Ryo told them.

"We don't want a once night stand, do we Tacchan?" Shota asked.

"We're not the type to have one night stands." Ohkura agreed.

"No, if we got you, we wouldn't let you go." Shota's smile went from innocent to wolf like in about three seconds.

Ryo had barely taken a sip when Ohkura asked; "What do you think of the outdated notion of only two being a relationship? What do you think of a group relationship?"

"What?" Suddenly Ryo felt very confused.

"Tacchan and I have this little problem." Shota began.

Ryo gulped down the wine. "What kind of problem?"

"We've both in love with someone else."

"So the two of you are breaking up?" Ryo guessed.

"No, we've decided to do something better." Ohkura smiled seductively, he put his hand on Ryo's leg and began to move upwards. "We've decided to let him join us."

"Join you?" Ryo gulped as Ohkura's hand went further up his leg.

"We love you Ryo," Shota smiled. "We can’t' stand to see you so lonely."

"Who says I'm lonely?" Ryo lied.

"We know you are." Shota moved closer to him, so that he was almost on Ryo's lap.

"So you want me to be with you, but you don't want a one night stand." Ryo wondered what they put in the wine. He set the glass on the table. "So what do you want?"

"The three of us, together." Ohkura told him. "We could live together."

"You're kidding,"

"Its' the truth." his friend moved his hand. "Shota and I talked a lot about this. Our lives been empty, but now we know why. We don't have you."

"You're not making some kind of warped practical joke?"

"No we're not." Ohkura's eyes were honest.

"We love you." Shota cuddled against Ryo.

"Why did you decide to tell me today?" Ryo tried as hard as he could to resist the urge to hold Shota.

"Because it's the most romantic day on earth." Shota's lips brushed his cheek.

Ryo's two former lovers began to caress his body. Running their hands up and down his arms, his legs, his chest, while all the while giving him very gentle kisses on the neck. It felt good, really, really good. He found himself bringing his hand to the back of Ohkura's head.

That's when Ryo realized that his two friends were telling him the truth. It wasn't some big joke. They did love him.

"I love both of you too." Ryo finally told them.

"So you'll join us?" Shota asked hopefully.

"I don't get a choice do I?" He admitted.

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

Ryo was the last to wake. As happened countless times in his life, he woke to an empty bed. The night before had been so much like a dream. The two men, whom he loved, loved him back. He had felt safe and warm. He hadn't wanted it to end.

Ryo noticed that there was a robe laid out for him. Why would anyone put out a robe for him? It didn't make sense. But his clothes were gone. So he had no choice. He picked it up and put it on.

He went into the living room. Both of his new lovers were sipping cocoa beside the fire place.

"How was your sleep?" Ohkura asked.

"Very refreshing." Ryo sat down beside Ohkura on the couch.

Shota jumped up and got Ryo a drink. "You like marshmallows in your cocoa?"

"Yeah, that would be nice."

Shota handed Ryo the cup, then settled down on the other side of his new lover.

Ryo took a sip, the drink tasted wonderful. "Was last night a dream?"

"Do you think it was a dream?" Ohkura countered.

"I don't want it to be a dream." he took another sip. "It was really nice having the two men I love love me back."

"A wonderful Christmas," the drummer agreed.

"Santa left you a stocking!" Shota jumped back up and went to the tree. He took the stocking off the tree. He handed it to Ryo.

There were only two things in the stocking. A gold chain like the one that Ohkura and Shota always wore. The final thing was a key on a keychain.

"A key?" Ryo asked.

"We don't want you to leave," Ohkura told him.

"You don't have to give us an answer now." Shota tried to reassure. "You can think about it."

"What's there to think about?" Ryo snapped, but there was no real anger in his voice. "I'm not leaving!"

Ryo’s lovers looked pleased, and for the first time Ryo had received exactly what he wanted for Christmas. He was very, very happy.