repost;
Part two of too long fic 8D
You mean you married who? Sho sounds like he’s ready to burst a blood vessel.
I knew it! Nino crows gleefully down the phone, You don’t forgets things when you’re drunk. Poor Oh-chan is heartbroken and still suffering the after effects of your cruelty.
Nino can hear rustling next to Sho and the beep of Sho’s phone being put on loudspeaker.
Hi Aiba, he says, and covers the ear piece as Aiba’s reply comes back a hundred times louder.
Sorry, says Sho, when Aiba has been calmed down with promises of huggles later, someone gave him candy vouchers. I really-
Ohno said you were a great kisser, Nino ignores Sho’s attempt at evasion. How come you never told me about your exclusion at university?
Sho sighs, I wasn’t excluded, Nino, just misunderstood. He pauses. And the only reason why Aiba could tell everyone was because we already had something going on. Ohno-kun was a-
Mistake? Nino asks, Well then, Sho-san, I appreciate your mistake, because Ohno is the best kisser in the world. Then he hangs up, with a grin, leaving Sho to worry and stress about this all day, and turns to find Ohno coming down the stairs, blinking owlishly.
Good morning, he says, passing Ohno the butter knife.
Asdfghkkl, says Ohno, sounding slightly confused. Yesterday we- He stops and looks at Nino for help that doesn’t come. I mean we. Um. Hehe.
Nino stifles a snicker and suggests a few choice words that Sho would scold him for. Ohno nods, yeah those.
Do you want to do it again? Nino asks, when Ohno falls silent, squinting and clearly having internal conflict about what he wants to say.
Ohno grins, relieved. Yeah, that.
This is the point where Nino is very satisfied with his current situation. What happens as a result of his suggestion is a whole different thing altogether.
-
The only thing that changes as a result of their sexual activity is that Ohno stops bringing girls home and Nino changes the doors back. Ohno still lazes around all day, sometimes going fishing and sometimes working on one of his assignments. Nino still cooks dinner every evening, still spends most of his time playing games or in the room with his piano.
It’s comfortable and seemingly perfect, this little routine that they have, and Nino thinks that he could easily settle for this till he grows old and dies. Ohno, however, feels otherwise.
Unlike Nino, who has a heart covered in steel and coated with honey, Ohno is just a guy who is prone to things such like love and affection borne from close contact and frequent sex. And good food. Because of this, it’s about two months after their visit to Ohno’s mother that Ohno starts to develop romantic feelings for Nino.
When Nino serves him breakfast in the mornings, Ohno notices things like the way Nino helps him spread the butter on first, because he tends to mess up the corners. Ohno likes the way Nino wears the apron his mother bought for him with the pink flowers and manages to look adorable anyway. Ohno also likes stares at Nino’s nose, watching the way it twitches as he’s stirring Ohno’s coffee and the way Nino wipes his hands on the table cloth instead of washing them at the sink.
In short, after the list of things venture even into the region of Nino’s unpleasant habits (like forgetting to flush the toilet), Ohno realizes that he is slowly, but surely falling in love with Nino.
Nino, for the most part is unaware of Ohno’s revelation, at least for the first few weeks. Ohno spends those weeks enjoying sex even more and painting around seven portraits of Nino that fetch ridiculously high prices on the market. Ohno also spends those weeks subtly adjusting his behavior in preparation for a confession of his feelings to Nino.
Ohno, despite common belief, even by himself, isn’t stupid. He knows that Nino is particularly adverse to lasting, meaningful relationships and will probably respond to his confession with hot soup in Ohno’s lap. When he brings this up during lunch with Sho and Aiba, Sho repeats this, adding that Nino would just avoid him like the plague too and probably seduce his mom too, to eradicate any further passionate emotions from surfacing.
Aiba nods sagely, Remember Ryo-chan?, he asks Sho, who winces and shakes his head sadly. Puppy love gone out of hand, he says, and refuses to tell Ohno anything more.
Ohno frowns. There are more problems than he’d expected. He’s so deep in thought that he doesn’t notice from Nino slips into the seat beside him. What a coincidence, Nino says, so shiftily that none of them can tell if he’s really guilty of something or is just messing with them.
Only Sho turns a little red; Aiba is a seasoned liar, trained by Nino himself, and Ohno doesn’t hear the question because he’s too distracted by Nino’s hand on his shoulder, resting lightly but pushing down just a little.
Hello Nino, Sho says stiffly, we were just discussing the camping things that Ohno and Aiba purchased.
Nino snorts as he steals a sip from Ohno’s lemon tea, you suck at lying Sho-chan, don’t feel guilty about bad mouthing me, I’m used to it.
Sho opens his mouth protest, but Aiba steps on his toes and grins at Nino, we were talking about Ryo-chan, he says. It’s a lie made stronger by a little bit of truth and it works. Nino rolls his eyes at Sho, The brat was asking for it, it’s not my fault that he couldn’t explain away breaking into my house to the police.
Sho clucks and sniffs disapprovingly at Nino, can’t you just accept affection and try to make things work?
Nino pokes out a tongue at Sho before answering, No, because I’m an emotionless asshole who doesn’t believe in love. Having said that, Nino stands up, dragging Ohno up by the arm. Let’s go, I have to get cabbage for nabe tonight.
As they leave, Sho just sighs as Aiba makes a string of subtle supportive noises at Ohno’s back. Ohno pouts, he has some serious thinking to do.
-
As it turns out, Ohno doesn’t have to think for very much when Aiba calls him with a solution. It’s outside your house now, is all he says with a giggle, before hanging up when Sho enters the room. Just then, the doorbell rings. Ohno doesn’t go for the door because he never does, and it would make Nino suspicious if he did. He hears Nino shuffling out of the kitchen, grumbling a little, and the sound of the door being opened.
Then he hears a masculine voice in the living room and Nino yelling for him to come down; he has a visitor.
Ohno goes down. On the couch, dressed immaculately as ever, he sees Matsumoto Jun - the little boy who used to follow him everywhere, back in junior high. Jun certainly hasn’t changed; his teeth aren’t wonky anymore, and his body seems to have grown out of awkwardness. Jun smiles, Ohno-kun, he says. His voice has changed too, it’s husky, a far cry from the way he used to squeak when he was excited about things. Ohno also faintly remembers Aiba being an instigator of sorts, encouraging Jun’s childish mishaps.
You’re Aiba’s secret plan? He asks, just as Nino’s head pokes around the wall to enquire if Jun will be staying for dinner.
Sure, Jun says, smiling at Nino. They wait for the sounds of cooking resume before Jun grins mischievously at Ohno. Masaki said that you needed help melting Ninomiya’s heart of steel.
I do, Ohno says, frowning a little, but how are you gonna help?
Jun’s grin turns absolutely dangerous, You’ll see.
-
And, as Ohno reflects that night, it was indeed very clear how Jun intended to help.
During dinner, Jun had sat dangerously close; finger’s brushing over Ohno’s accidentally-on-purpose. He had pinched Ohno till Ohno opened his mouth obediently and stuffed hot soup into Ohno’s mouth, dabbing daintily at their mouths with the same napkin after. When dinner was over, Jun practically sat on Ohno’s lap while they chatted in the living room.
And if Nino had noticed, he certainly didn’t show it. When Jun left, he had stretched and fished his DS out from his pocket and informed Ohno that he needed to take care while washing the dishes because pasta always leaves stains.
He may be stewing inside? Aiba offers, the next week at lunch. Ohno shakes his head sadly. He hasn’t even shown a hint of any other emotion than those he usually has.
Aiba’s advice is put to a stop when Nino shows up, with Jun in tow. Ohno blinks.
We met over the cheese section at the supermarket, Nino explains, moving to sit beside Ohno like he always does.
If Nino sits a little too close, or steals Ohno’s food one too many times, Ohno doesn’t notice. He also doesn’t notice the way Nino chides him for pushing his onions about the plate and the way Nino fishes out a pack of tissue seconds before he spills sauce over his fingers, mostly because he does that all the time.
Aiba and Jun notice though, and they spend the whole time nudging each other. Nino eats calmly and silently, eyeing them, almost daring them to say something. Let’s go, he says, when they’ve all finished the food on their plates. Oh-chan and I have to go get condoms, we ran out last week.
Still pouting, Ohno waves at Aiba and Jun as they go to the convenience store. And if Nino’s smile when he sees Jun leaving without putting up a fight is a little triumphant and a lot smug, Ohno doesn’t notice at all.
-
-And he asked me in the kitchen whether I would object to him and Ohno seeing each other in future, Nino snorts.
Sho watches him carefully. I didn’t know better, I would say you were jealous.
Then it’s a good thing you know better, Nino snaps. But it’s too late; Sho sees the flash in Nino’s eyes that tells him that he’s hit the mark spot on.
If you says so, Sho pats Nino on the head and throws away Nino’s cigarette, clearing his throat when Nino tries to light another one and ignoring Nino’s glare.
I am an emotionless asshole with a fear of commitment, says Nino stubbornly. Only this time, it lacks a whole lot more conviction.
-
One morning, Nino is frying an egg when the mailman arrives with a huge bouquet of flowers. That asshole, Nino growls, snatching the card out of the roses and pulling it out of the envelope. The card reads, Happy birthday Nino, love Ohno.
That morning, Nino burns three eggs and has to toast the bread five times before he notices the switch isn’t turned on. Ohno watches from outside the kitchen, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and making a mental note to thank Sho, very, very well.
-
I refuse to succumb to a happily ever after, says Nino.
You don’t have to succumb or anything, you could just grab onto it yourself before it goes away, Sho says over the phone. And this time, he gets the satisfaction of hanging up and leaving Nino stressing about things on the other end.
-
It all ends rather simply after all. One day, seven months, three weeks and five days after they got married via video call, a woman turns up at Ohno’s door. As usual, Nino answers the door and informs her that Ohno is not at home and he could take a message.
I’m pregnant with Ohno’s baby, the woman says.
Nino thinks back to seven months, three weeks and five days ago and wants to scream. Excuse me?, He manages and then holds up a hand when the woman opens her mouth to repeat herself.
I’m sorry, I think you’ve got the wrong person, he says.
You think? The woman says, I was just trying my luck because I can’t remember who I’d slept with.
It couldn’t have been Ohno, Nino lies, he’s been out of town the past six months.
And then Nino shoves some money into her hands, just in case , and shuts the door in her face.
-
When Ohno comes back from his three-day long fishing trip, he’s received by Nino sitting in the living room, arms crossed and left foot tapping the ground.
Do you have something to tell me Ohno? Nino asks, as Ohno shuffles to sit opposite him, fishing rod and all.
No?, Ohno offers, wondering if he had done something bad.
Dammit, Nino says, voice rising, do you like me Ohno?
Ohno nods, eyeing Nino warily and preparing to explain things.
Good, because I like you too, Nino yells and don’t you dare ever bring this up again or I’ll kill you, he finishes and stalks to their room, face redder than a cherry.
Ohno sits by himself in silence, staring into space for about three minutes, listening to Nino crashing about on his piano. Then, he starts to smile. After that, he gets up , rushes into the room and scoops Nino for the biggest, sloppiest kiss ever. And when Nino tries to bat him away, whining about the fishy smell and the salt on the carpet, Ohno just tells him that he loves him, and kisses him some more.
-
In the years to come, whenever the subject of they got together is raised, Nino fervently denies any such drama happening. When he does that, Ohno tells everyone about it anyway, grinning till Nino turns red and refuses to talk to him.
It’s rather amazing, after all, this whole marriage thing. And sickeningly clichéd. But Nino figures he can live with it, if he gets Ohno in exchange.
Fin
There, it’s done. The ending is rushed, but only because there will not be any other time for me to finish this other than in three weeks. Therefore, it’s kinda under-developed. But there is a happy ending, and we all love happy endings, so I’m telling myself that it’s okay. Do point out any spelling mistakes or typos you catch, because I’m careless like that.
I would direct you guys to my fic masterlist, but I won’t, because it’s completely un-updated. Clicking on the fic tag would be easier, lol
Also, calerine . If you see this, I’m going off the computer, and I changed my phone. And I lost your number, so text me~
And turtle_ai , I saved you a spot, just because