fluorescence [arashi rps]
Title: Fluorescence
Author: waxrose
Rating: NC-17
Length ~7,000 words
Pairing(s) Sho/Nino, implied Aiba/Jun
Summary: AU: Nino works on his family's pearl farm, Sho is a university student visiting on a summer work experience.
Notes: Originally written for shoneenclub's June contest. If you can get past the fact that this plot seems totally warped, I hope that you enjoy this. Much love to font for being the most fantastic beta ever, and to omnipresentdmat for all of her encouragement! All mistakes or factual errors on pearl farming/the geography of Shiga Prefecture, etc. would be my fault, and should be rightfully rubbed in my face. I researched and wrote this in just over two days between shifts, so it was a bit of a thrown-together job.
fluorescence: normally invisible wavelengths of light that become visible when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Under ultraviolet radiation, a pearl will exhibit colours unseen in normal light.
"Sometimes it rose to an aching chord that caught the throat, saying this is safety, this is warmth, this is the Whole."
- The Pearl by John Steinbeck
- - -
I will be spending my practical component of this course observing the economics of small business practices at a family-owned freshwater pearl farm in Shiga prefecture. This paper will focus on the elements and constraints of a small business operation, with particular attention paid to the devastation of the red tide plague and its effects on business practices thereof.
The bus from Otsu drops Sho off near Ohmi-Hachiman around noon, near a gravel path that winded into a thrush of trees, wild-looking bushes encroaching on the path from both sides. Sho thanks the driver as he struggles to balance his heavy backpack while tottering off the bus steps. He takes a moment to look around; the weather is clear and the area quiet, aside from the sound of the bus driving away.
Sho almost doesn't notice the boy sitting on a nearby fence until he jumps down and walks over to him. He looks about seventeen, Sho thinks as the boy approaches, with short, dark hair and bangs that flop over his eyes. He's also a good few inches shorter than Sho, and skinnier and slighter.
"Sakurai-san?" Sho nods. "I'm Ninomiya. I'm supposed to bring you back down to the farm."
+
It had been Emi's idea to choose the pearl farm. Sho had been torn between a dairy farm in Hokkaido and a small, tourism-oriented airplane company for his top option for his work practical for the Small Business economics course when she had come over to study.
They weren't dating, exactly - they were study partners, having most of the same classes and they were friends, although they had kissed a few times. She was a nice girl, clever and fun and good-looking. His parents liked her. Sho blamed his delay on the heavy schedule of his economics degree program, and that was partly true. Neither of them could afford to slack off in their final year of studies.
"But pearls are so romantic," Emi had pointed out as Sho pored over a pile of brochures. "And the farm is right on Lake Biwa, wouldn't that be relaxing?"
"And what are you putting as your first option?" Sho had teased.
She had smiled mischievously at him, reaching for his pen and marking an 'x' next to the freshwater pearl farm option on his registration sheet. "Guess."
In the end, Emi had been sent to a small, family-run campsite in Nagano, and Sho had gotten the pearl farm. He had been a little disappointed, especially since he was one of the only students In the class travelling alone - most placements took two or three students - and two weeks at a pearl farm didn't exactly sound exciting.
Well, now he figures that this experience will be as good as any - he's here to study how a small business is run, after all, and since he doesn’t even know the first thing about how a pearl farm operates, he's bound to learn a lot.
Sho follows Ninomiya along the gravel path in relative silence - Ninomiya makes no attempts at conversation, though he doesn't seem unfriendly. Sho enjoys the quiet - it is still strange and new after the noisy clamour of Tokyo. After about ten minutes of walking, though, Sho's shoulders are starting to ache from the weight of his backpack, and the mid-afternoon air feels muggy and hot, the overhead sun blazing hot against the back of his neck.
Ninomiya tsks, and Sho realizes suddenly that he's fallen well behind him. He walks back towards Sho, unknotting a towel from around his neck and handing it to Sho. "You're going to get sunburnt if you aren't careful," Ninomiya warns, but his tone is teasing.
Sho accepts the towel, putting down his bag to tie it over his head, slicking his sweat-soaked bangs back from his forehead. As he knots it at the base of his neck, Ninomiya picks up his backpack.
"You don't have to -" Sho protests, but Ninomiya has already begun to walk forward again.
"We're nearly there now," Ninomiya says dismissively, "This isn't that heavy, anyways - have you got muscles of air or something?"
Sho chooses to ignore that attack on his dignity. "Do you work at the farm?"
"Sort of." Nino shrugs. "My grandparents own the pearl farm, so I help out with what I can. You'll be staying with us, by the way."
"Are you going to take over the farm one day, then?" Sho asks, now nearly jogging to keep up pace with Nino. "Do you go to university at all?"
"No - and I don't know." Nino looks somewhat thoughtful, almost sullen. They round a bend around a grove of trees and a wide expanse of water comes into view, stretching far into the horizon. "Lake Biwa - we're just down by the shore." He points at a small series of buildings down the slope of the hill they're currently standing on. "'Ji-chan is busy working with the new larvae right now, so I'll take you around and introduce you to everyone."
"Okay," Sho agrees, and then hesitates. "Ninomiya-san."
"Call me Nino." Nino slings Sho's backpack at him with a crooked smile. Sho catches the bag and finds himself smiling back.
"I'm Sho."
"Sho-chan, then," Nino says decisively, and Sho doesn't even bother to protest as Nino starts hiking down the sharp slope of the hill at a surprising speed.
+
Pearls are formed when an irritant is introduced to the mussels, which they then isolate by covering the irritant in layers of calcium carbonate.
"'Baa-chan used to tell me when I was little that if I bothered her anymore, she'd turn me into a pearl." Nino chuckles.
"Did you grow up here?" Sho asks. It sounds like a nice childhood.
Nino shakes his head. "I was born in Tokyo - we only moved here about five or six years ago, after my parents split up." He grins at Sho, spitting a watermelon seed at his face with deadly accuracy. "I wasn't always a country bumpkin, you know."
Nino, Sho comes to discover, is a bit of an enigma. He's got a sharp tongue and an even sharper mind; he's able to discuss current events, economics, music, and they spend long evenings sitting on the front porch, with a bowl of watermelon between them, eating and talking until that contented inertia in which even conversation goes in slow motion sets in. By Sho's third day at the small pearl farm on the shores of Lake Biwa, he feels like he's already known Nino for years. He wonders if Nino feels the same - his tendency to invade Sho's personal space seems to indicate a certain level of comfort.
'Ji-chan and 'Baa-chan are pretty terrific, as are Nino's mom and sister - Sho isn't sure where Nino's dad is, or what he does, but Nino doesn't say anything, and Sho doesn't want to ask - they make Sho feel just like family. Nino's mom cooks him his favourite foods - she used to be a chef, Nino tells him. He drinks shochu sometimes in the evening with 'Ji-chan, who gives him long, passionate talks about his days as an ambitious young man.
Sho had imagined that he'd be spending his days observing the economics of running a small business and his nights trying to write his paper on the experience; instead, he spends his days following Nino around the farm, learning the ins and outs of freshwater pearl farming until he gets dragged inside by 'Ji-chan to discuss business plans and budgeting and marketing strategies.
He's learning a lot, though his textbook still sits unopened in his backpack. 'Ji-chan tells him that like most things in the world, running a small business requires a good amount of common sense and a lot of hard work - and possibly a little bit of insanity.
"And love," 'Baa-chan adds, scrubbing the skins off potatoes in the sink. "Lots of love."
"Aah." 'Ji-chan grunts, agreeing in his own gruff manner.
Sho typically spends his evenings running wild with Nino - canoeing out to camp overnight on the small, nearby islands that dot the lake, catching fireflies for 'Baa-chan, swimming in the lake, lying in the tall, scratchy grass and watching the dragonflies buzzing softly overhead gorging themselves on mosquitoes, playing Nino's video games for hours on end. He should probably be working harder on his report, but he can't really bring himself to care. He writes it in bits and pieces from his notes, figuring that he'll be able to put it all together once he's back in Tokyo.
Sho was given the guest room to stay in, a neat, tidy small room above the stairs with just enough space for a futon and a writing desk by a tiny window. Sho keeps his luggage and works on his paper in here, but he spends his nights with Nino, by unspoken invitation.
The first time is on the fourth night of Sho's stay, when they stay up until nearly 4:00AM, embroiled in a fierce Mario Soccer tournament. Sho's never really been that into video games, but he does get competitive pretty easily, and Nino is good enough that it frustrates Sho enough to want to try again and again. Nino seems to enjoy winning enough that before they know it, the sun is almost rising and Sho realizes, with a slight feeling of panic, that today was the day that he was going to go into Hikone with 'Ji-chan to meet some of his usual buyers.
Nino laughs at him. "Just stay here, I'll kick you out of bed when you need to get up." Sho is too tired to argue, and far too tired to drag back down the hallway to his room, and risk waking up half the household on the way - the house is pretty old, and the floorboards became a verifiable symphony of squeaks and groans at the slightest steps.
Nino doesn't seem to mind Sho crawling into his futon, and he's darn cuddly - Sho nearly had a heart attack when 'Baa-chan came to wake them up for breakfast and found Nino nestled snugly against Sho's chest, but she had just laughed and told them to hurry and get downstairs.
After that, it happens again and again - not every night, but often enough that it's not discussed or justified, and Sho tries not to overthink it. It's comforting to have Nino's small frame curled against his, nestled into the curve of his body. It's nice.
They have a strange sort of friendship, and Sho doesn't really stop to think about it. Somehow, the world outside Lake Biwa seems distant, unreal. Here, the days stretch on forever and the evenings are warm and Nino is always there, an unshakeable presence. Nino plays the guitar for him sometimes in the evening, sweet and melancholy old tunes that make 'Baa-chan cry.
He tells Sho, as they squish up together in Nino's old sleeping bag on one of their camping trips, with the moon bright above, that he wants to be an actor, a director. In return, Sho tells him about his friends, about Aiba's warm silliness and Jun's quiet kindness. He misses them both a lot, and he feels warm all over when Nino laughs at his stories, tells him that he'd like to meet them someday.
+
Aiba calls around the end of Sho's first week at the pearl farm and he sounds as sunny and cheerful as ever. Hearing his voice makes Sho miss Tokyo suddenly, but it's not like they would be able to see each other anyways. Aiba was apprenticing at a restaurant in the city, but he was home now for the summer, working at his parent's restaurant in Chiba.
"Are you going to come and visit?" Aiba wants to know. "Jun's here, too, and it's horrible - he's a better cook than I am! I think my parents want him to take over the restaurant."
"I still have classes after this practical ends," Sho reminds him. He didn't know that Jun had gone back to Chiba with Aiba. He had wondered about those two - well, as long as they were happy. "Maybe in August."
"I'll make sure to tell Yusuke," Aiba says, "He's pining for you." There's a pause on the line, and Sho can hear a muffled conversation in the background. "Oh! Jun-chan wants to talk to you."
Jun's voice is strong and warm. "Did that idiot even ask how you are?" Aiba's reply is indignant, but almost inaudible.
Sho smiles. "He didn't. But I'm fine. It's really nice out here." He wants to tell them about Nino, somehow, but he doesn't know how to, really. I met this guy just sounds awkward, and really, it's difficult to describe Nino just in words. He's one of those people who just somehow drew you in at first sight, seemingly plain on the surface, but deep as the ocean inside. "How are you? I thought you were staying in Tokyo for the summer."
"Yeah." Jun doesn't seem to want to offer much of an explanation. "Masaki's right, though, you should come down later this summer. You've been working too hard this year. Have you even met his Aiba's parents yet? His dad is great."
"He taught Jun how to two-way slap!" Aiba whines in the background. Sho can tell from the volume of his voice that he's probably jammed his face right up against Jun's to speak into the phone.
"Yo, Sho-chan." Nino shoves open the door of Sho's room, closing it behind him before bouncing on the bed next to Sho-chan. "Who are you talking to?"
Sho yelps, covering the mouthpiece of the phone briefly. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" he demands. "I could have been naked or something, you brat."
"I take my chances," Nino says, wriggling and shoving Sho's feet off the bed, taking up as much space as he can.
"Who's that?" Jun asks on the line.
"Just Nino," Sho says, without realizing that he should give more explanation than that.
"Oh?" Jun says, and he sounds a little too understanding for Sho's comfort. He says something to Aiba that Sho doesn't quite catch. "Masaki wants to talk to you again, okay? And call us when you get back into town."
"All right," Sho says, but he's not sure if Jun heard him, because suddenly Aiba's back on the line.
"Who's Nino?" Aiba asks, excited. Sho is aware of Nino still scrunched up next to him on the bed, back against the wall. "Can I talk to him?"
"No!" Sho says, and Nino and Aiba both laugh. "Why?"
"I want to, Sho-chan," Aiba whines, and really, it isn't half as effective without his puppy-eyed pout, but Sho can tell that Nino is about to grab the phone out of his hand anyways, so he hands it over.
"Hey," Nino says into the receiver, and then listens for a bit. Sho leans closer to Nino, trying to hear what Aiba is saying, but it's all garbled. "Yeah. No. I'm his summer romance, actually." He grins smugly at Sho.
Sho wants to cry. He is never, ever going to live this one down. He picks up a pillow and pretends to try and suffocate himself while Nino laughs at Aiba's reply.
Nino and Aiba chat for a good five minutes more, and Sho keeps his face buried in the pillow, embarrassed and absurdly, irrationally pleased.
"He said 'Congratulations'," Nino tells Sho, after he hangs up. "You have weird friends."
"You should talk," Sho mutters, and throws his pillow at Nino's head.
+
The red tide plague is essentially a devastating freshwater red algae bloom has in recent years caused a virtual extinction of the Biwa Hyriopsis schlegeli pearl mussel. Large mortality rates of these native Japanese mussels have resulted in many cases, in the bankruptcy and closure of many small freshwater farming cooperatives. While other factors such as pollution and overfishing have also greatly impacted this industry, this 'reddening disease' remains the most contentious element for the small business pearl farmer; a virtually incurable virus with the potential to wipe out a farm's entire stock of mussels.
"About four years ago, I think." 'Ji-chan rolls up his pants, carefully climbing out of the small rowboat they took out to the trap rafts, balancing on the thin wooden frame. "Damndest thing ever - I think we lost over half of them. Their flesh is normally kind of a creamy-white, see - turns pink. No one even knows what to call it, but it's happening everywhere. Nearly lost the farm."
"How did you fix it?" Sho asks, careful to keep his balance as he follows 'Ji-chan onto the trap frame. The water feels cool and refreshing as it sloshes over his bare toes. "Is there a cure now?"
"Not really." 'Ji-chan makes a thoughtful noise. "These one's need to be moved down a bit lower, the water is a bit too cold near the surface now - we've started breeding a hybrid with some mussels from China. Had to, Biwa mussels are nearly extinct now. We're doing all right." He hands his thermometer to Sho. "That's the thing about business, you know - everything changes, and if you don't adapt, you won't survive."
"What are we going to do today?" Sho asks. Now into the second week of his visit, he's pretty good at helping 'Ji-chan check the water temperature and feeding conditions in the mussel suspension rafts and moving the traps up and down as conditions change.
"We're going to take in some of the traps for cleaning." 'Ji-chan stops beside another set of traps to read the water temperature. "Get rid of any grime or blockages - that sort of thing. Might need to treat a few mussels if they're infected - we had a few the other week."
"Sounds good." Sho ties the knot of the towel covering his head a little tighter. Nino's towel - Sho has kind of taken it over. Nino went into town with 'Baa-chan and his mother this morning for groceries and some other errands. Sho almost misses having him around while he helps 'Ji-chan tend to the mussels. 'Ji-chan is nice, but Sho isn't entirely sure that he remembers his name sometimes. He hasn't once called him by it since they were introduced.
On the bright side, he hasn't been dunked in the water today. Sho gave up on wearing a shirt when he and Nino first went out to check the water temperature together on Sho's second day at the farm and the entire chore devolved into a giant water-fight.
Sho likes it here; it isn’t home, but it's a totally different world. The cold lake water tickles his toes as he and Nino help 'Ji-chan feed the mussels in the nursery area, and the sun has already darkened Sho's skin to a dusky golden brown (he has no idea how Nino manages to stay so pale, but his mother pointedly notes how much more time Nino has spent unglued from his game consoles since Sho arrived) and there's no stress, no rush.
"Ah, they're back," 'Ji-chan says, and Sho shakes himself out of his thoughts to see a red truck pulling up to the house on the shore. Sho watches as the driver's door opens and Nino hops out. He waves without thinking, and after a moment, Nino sees him and waves back, grinning.
"We'll clean until lunch time, and then you should take the afternoon off," 'Ji-chan says. "I'm sure Kazu can find some way to occupy you."
"It's fine," Sho protests, embarrassed. "I'm here to work, after all."
"You're here to learn," Ji-chan corrects him. "You might as well enjoy yourself - I'm glad that he's taken to you. He's a strange one, that grandson of mine. It's good for him to have some more young people around."
Sho nods. "He likes it here, though." He thinks he really gets it; the beauty of the lake, the slow bob of the dozens of floating traps in the blue water. "I like it here. I'm glad that I could come - I've learned a lot."
"It's a good business to be in," 'Ji-chan says. "High risk, but the rewards are there. You need to be patient, have an eye for detail. We need to get to work, they'll have lunch ready before we know it. 'Baa-chan likes to eat early."
They wade deeper into the water, and Sho lets himself enjoy the burn of the morning sun on the back of his neck, the cool water lapping at his legs, the birds chirping in the forests surrounding the lake.
"It was a Japanese who invented the technique of culturing pearls, you know," 'Ji-chan says proudly as they work and Sho nods weakly. He's heard the Mikimoto Kokichi story at least a dozen times already. "You won't find better pearls anywhere else."
+
About three days before he's scheduled to leave, Sho learns from 'Baa-chan that the next day is Nino's birthday.
"He didn't say a word," Sho says, frustrated. He's helping 'Baa-chan chop up carrots and potatoes for the curry they're cooking for dinner while Nino and 'Ji-chan are off around the south side of the property, testing a new spot near the shore for water quality.
"He doesn't really like the attention," 'Baa-chan says, rapping Sho's knuckle smartly with her stirring spoon. "You're cutting those chunks too small."
"What can I do for him?" Sho asks. He's leaving in two days, and he can't exactly go into the city and buy Nino a present. He has no idea what Nino would even want, but he wants to do something.
"Why don't you ask him?" 'Baa-chan suggests practically. She stirs in the carrots that Sho has chopped into the big pot. "You won't know unless you do."
Once the curry is simmering on the stove, Sho heads outside to look for Nino. He finds him down by the lake shore, talking to a short man that Sho doesn't recognize. As Sho approaches, Nino looks over and waves, smiling. Sho waves awkwardly back.
"Sho-chan, this is Captain," Nino introduces, gesturing towards the round-faced, sleepy-looking man. He looks about Sho's age, or maybe a few years younger. He's really very sunburnt, Sho realizes, his face and arms a dark nut-brown.
Sho returns the other man's bow, feeling awkward. He hasn't met any of Nino's friends before, and by the friendly way Nino and this guy were chatting before Sho arrived, they look pretty close. It hadn't occurred to him that Nino wasn't just all alone out here before he had arrived; the thought actually makes him feel oddly jealous. "Captain?"
"Ohno Satoshi," says Captain, at the same time as Nino says, "Oh-chan."
"He owns a fishing boat just further down the east side of the lake." Nino says. "Sometimes he actually comes onto land, too."
The man - Ohno, Sho supposes - smiles sheepishly. He has a soft, likeable face. "I like fishing," he says quietly.
"Have you two known each other long?" Sho asks.
"A few years," Nino says. Ohno hums in agreement; Sho gets the impression that he doesn't talk much. "He comes around to help with the harvesting in the fall time."
"I'm going to get some black bass this time," Ohno says, and it takes Sho a moment to realize that he seems to be on his own, entirely separate track of conversation. "Catfish, I think. Nakai-senpai said that he saw a big one near Omi Maiko."
"Just don't drown," Nino says dryly, who doesn't seem thrown by this change of topic at all.
"Nino never wants to come fishing," Ohno says to Sho. "Gets seasick easily."
"He's so delicate," Sho agrees, and the corners of Ohno's eyes crinkle in amusement as Nino's eyes narrow.
"I changed my mind," Nino says, "I hope you get pulled overboard and eaten by a giant squid."
"At least I finally got to meet your Sho-chan." Ohno sticks his hands in the pockets of his windbreaker. He kind of slouches a bit, Sho notices, which makes him look even shorter than he already is, like a little old man. "Nino likes you," he tells Sho. "He doesn't like a lot of people, really."
"Stop talking about me like I'm your dog," Nino snaps, and pinches Ohno on the butt. Ohno laughs, unfazed.
"I probably won't see you again, so it was nice meeting you, Sho-kun," Ohno turns to Nino. "Will you have a new trick ready for me when I come back, Yuji?" his voice is suddenly high and squeaky, with a weird accent.
Nino laughs. "Lots and lots of them. Will Taka bring me home some fish?" He uses the same high, foreign accent as Ohno. It seems like a sort-of in-joke between them, complete with cute nicknames.
"I'll bring back one as big as Nino," Ohno promises, in his normal voice. He waves to Sho and starts off down the lake shore.
"He seems nice," Sho says, as they watch him leave, and he's surprised when Nino laughs at him. "What?"
"Nothing," Nino says. "Aren't you helping with dinner? I'm hungry."
"It's almost ready," Sho says. Then he remembers why he came to find Nino. "I wanted to ask you what you wanted for your birthday."
"Oh." Nino makes Sho stand still, pushing down on his shoulders so he can jump onto Sho's back, legs wrapped around Sho's waist and arms clinging around his neck. "You don't have to get me anything, I know you're leaving soon."
"Isn't there anything you want?" Sho asks, getting his arms under Nino's knees and hoisting him up so he can carry him more comfortably.
Nino rests his cheek against the side of Sho's head. "Let's go camping again," he says. "One last time, before you leave?"
"Is that what you want to do?" Sho asks. Nino doesn't answer and something occurs to Sho. "What did Ohno mean by showing him a trick?"
"Hmm?" Nino says vaguely. "Oh, I do magic. Card tricks. It's kind of a hobby."
Sho remembers Nino sorting through a pack of cards, shuffling and re-shuffling while 'Ji-chan had showed him how they grafted the mussel's mantle tissue. It makes him feel a bit lonely again to realize how little he really knows about Nino, and how little time he has to get to know him more at all. "Will you show me one?"
Nino's arms tighten around his neck as they approach the front porch of the house. "I'll show you them all," he promises.
+
The canoe ride is short; even on the lake and even paddling slowly, Nino gets a bit sick after long distances. They go to the same island as before, which is only about twenty minutes from shore, and small enough that when standing on one end of the island, the other end is easily visible. The sun is just beginning to set when they arrive, and Sho digs his feet into the cold, wet sand of the beach while they try to re-heat the leftover curry that 'Baa-chan packed for them over their campfire fire.
They drink the beer that Nino sneaked into his bag and Sho toasts himself some marshmallows; Nino doesn't like sweet things that much, but he lets Sho make one for him anyways and he eats it slowly, licking the white stickiness off his fingers afterwards. Sho blushes and looks away when he realizes that he's staring.
"I almost wish I could stay here forever," Sho tells Nino, when they're finally tucked into Nino's squashy yellow sleeping bag on a grassy hill overlooking the lake, watching for shooting stars. They're huddled close together, and Sho can feel Nino's warmth all along his side.
Nino stiffens and stays silent, unusually so. Sho shifts onto his side, propping up his head on one hand. "Nino?"
"You don't really mean it," Nino says. His voice is cold and somehow sad. "This is just a vacation to you - you'll forget all about it once you're back in Tokyo, with your nice little paper, getting your credit. That's all it is."
Sho feels stung. Nino is more to him than that - the two weeks they had spent together was more than that, so much more. It hurts that Nino thinks of him like that.
At the same time - he is going to leave. There's no getting around that.
"What do you want me to say?" Sho asks, almost whispering.
Nino turns onto his side towards Sho, his eyes bright in the evening darkness. "I don't care what you say. I just want you to mean it."
"I do," Sho says, and he shifts closer to Nino, because he can feel him pulling away. "I don't want to leave you. I like -" He stops, not knowing what to say. Nino's eyes are fixed on him. "Being here, with you."
"Don't." Nino doesn't push away Sho's hands as they circle his waist, pulling him closer, but his eyes are dangerous. "Sho, just..."
Sho stays still, just holding Nino. Nino's slight, bony frame feels perfect against him, the skinny, poky bones of his ankles sharp against Sho's calves, the rapid rise and fall of his chest pressed against Sho's.
He realizes, with a start, that he wants to kiss Nino. That he wants to do more than kiss him.
"Sho-chan," Nino says, voice low and Sho sees that his barriers are down. He fists his hands in Sho's t-shirt, burying his face in Sho's neck. "I want -" His mouth moves soundlessly against Sho's skin and Sho shivers. His hands dip under the hem of Nino's shirt, tracing the warm skin of his lower back.
They stay like that for long minutes, a quiet impasse of limbs tucked around each other, breathing each other in. One of them, Sho figures, feeling reckless and nervous, is going to have to be brave. He pulls back just far enough to cup Nino's chin gently in one hand and tilt it up so he can see Nino's face.
They stare at each other for a moment, and Sho is about to lose his nerve when Nino sighs and leans up to kiss Sho.
His lips are dry and soft, and Sho kisses him back, softly, then harder, hotter. He rolls half-over Nino, bracing his arms on either side of Nino's head, half-straddling him. Nino's eyes are dark and wild and Sho can feel his heart thumping wildly in his chest.
He'd never imagined he'd be doing this with another guy, let alone one he had just met a week before - but this is Nino, and Nino's tiny hands reaching up to tangle in Sho's hair, Nino's mouth moving against his, Nino's body shifting beneath him - and Sho wants this, he wants him more than anything he can ever remember wanting in his life.
He can feel Nino hard against his hip and he shifts a little, grinds down and catches his lower lip in his teeth, gasping as Nino moans. It's unbelievably hot, Nino's skin sticky against his as they move against each other. Nino wraps his arms around Sho's neck, arching his hips up against Sho's.
"Wait," Sho says, breath caught in his throat. "Nino, wait." He strokes Nino's bangs out of his eyes. "Do you -?" He needs to be sure that this isn't a whim, or the beer, or that he isn't crazy. He knows, somehow, but part of him just can't believe that this is Nino under him, rocking up against his thigh.
Nino makes an impatient noise. "My sister has a sleeping bag, you know," he informs Sho. "'Baa-chan and my mom don't, because they don't like camping, but 'Ji-chan has at least three old ones."
Sho doesn't say anything, but he gets it. He kisses the side of Nino's neck, under his ear, and Nino sighs softly, tangling his fingers in Sho's hair. It strikes Sho that they could have been doing this before, and that they may never get this chance again, and it seems so unfair.
Nino tugs at the hem of Sho's shirt. "Get this off," he whines playfully.
There isn't much space in the sleeping bag, but they manage to strip quickly, tossing clothes outside (Sho is pretty sure he might have thrown Nino's pants a little too far, but he supposes that they'll find them on the beach in the morning if he did) and soon enough, they're naked. Nino's skin is warm against his own, and he climbs on top of Sho, his smile quick and sharp. Sho can barely catch his breath; after spending two weeks with Nino practically glued to him, it's amazing how much he's getting off on Nino just pressed against him, shifting to get comfortable on top of him.
He reaches up and cups Nino's face in both hands, pulling him down to kiss him again. He loves the soft sounds Nino makes into his mouth, the slow, heated way their lips move together, the hot, wet stroke of Nino's tongue teasing into his mouth.
Nino pulls away after a moment, letting himself slide down Sho's body, scattering kisses over Sho's chest and stomach. He bites lightly at the curve of Sho's hip bone and Sho threads his fingers through Nino's hair. Nino isn't teasing, but he's taking his time, tracing the piercing in Sho's navel before tugging at it lightly with his teeth, ducking his head to nibble at the sensitive inside of Sho's thigh. Sho can't see Nino's face with Nino buried near the bottom of the sleeping bag; propped back on his elbows, he can only see the top of Nino's head, the movement of his hands, but he can feel every puff of breath, the brush of Nino's lips and fingers against him.
Sho is starting to feel like he might go insane if Nino goes any slower when Nino presses a kiss to his cock, tracing his lips up the large vein on the underside, one hand stroking the curve of Sho's hip, the other tight around the base of Sho's cock. Sho moans loudly enough that he is thankful that they are on a deserted island as Nino sucks him slowly, his balls feeling hot and heavy as he thrusts into Nino's mouth.
Nino lets him slide from his mouth, his head emerging from the sleeping bag, hair fluffy and messed up. "Do you want -?" Nino asks hesitantly. He's still got a hand wrapped around Sho's cock, working him slowly.
Sho bites his lip. He does, but they have no condoms and no lube. He shakes his head, brushing his lips against Nino's, guiding Nino down against him so their erections line up together. "Like this," he says, as they begin to thrust against each other. The friction is amazing, and Sho hooks his leg around Nino's waist, sliding his hands down towards Nino's ass. "Just like this."
Nino pants in his ear. "Screw that," he says. "Unlike you, I know how to pack for camping trips."
He reaches a hand down between them, wrapping his hand around their cocks together and stroking. Sho squeezes his eyes shut; he's close, so close. There's a buzzing sound in his head - or actually, just in his left ear. He slaps a hand to the side of his head. "Mosquitoes," he says grimly.
"Tent," Nino says. "Now."
The whole situation feels just ridiculous, hopping out of the sleeping bag naked and dragging it back to the small tent they had set up just a bit further into the clearing, rushing to avoid the clouds of mosquitoes that seemed have descended with dusk. Nino laughs as Sho almost trips over his backpack on his way into the tent, but once Sho is inside and has zipped up the tent, Nino is pressed against him again, straddling his lap and kissing him hard. Sho holds him close, closing his eyes as their mouths work hungrily against each other. He could kiss Nino like this forever.
Nino pulls back and Sho barely has time to regain his senses before he realizes that Nino is tearing open a condom package. Sho realizes that he must have been staring, because Nino catches his eyes, hands stilling. "Is this okay?" he asks, voice low.
Sho licks his lips, realizing that he's shaking a little. "Yes," he says, "Please."
Nino's eyes are dark as he dabs a bit of lube inside the tip of the condom, rolling it onto Sho's length. Sho hisses, biting his lip. "You're sure?" he asks Nino, as Nino pushes down on his shoulders, making Sho lie down. "I don't want to hurt you."
"You talk too much," Nino grumbles, and Sho becomes too preoccupied with watching Nino prepare himself, slick fingers sliding in and out. Nino's cock is hard and flushed, the head already wet with precome.
Nino straddles his hips again, sucking in a breath as Sho runs a hand up his side, fingers feathering out over the small of his back. "Sho," he groans, his keening cry is almost muffled by Sho's moan as he slides himself down on Sho's length. Sho moves his hands onto Nino's hips to stead y him. Nino is hot and tight around him, and Sho can barely stay still.
"You can move, you know," Nino says, breathlessly, as he braces himself on his hands and knees, pushing down harder. "That would kind of be the point." Nino's close, too, Sho can hear the tremble behind his sarcasm, and he rolls his hips forward, settling into Nino's rhythm.
"Fuck," Nino groans, hands pressed against Sho's abdomen, knuckles white. Sho runs his fingers down Nino's spine, feeling the arch of his body as he pushes back against each thrust, stroking himself. It's an endless white hot moment of heat, of friction, and then Sho comes undone, fingers tight against Nino's hip as he comes.
Nino eases himself off Sho as his dick softens, kneeling between Sho's leg as Sho catches his breath. Nino's still fisting himself, one hand curled around his cock. Sho pushes himself unsteadily to his knees. "Come here," he says, his voice unsteady, sitting down.
Nino moves into Sho's lap. "Like this?"
"Yeah." Sho pulls Nino up on his knees, keeping his grip tight on Nino's hips. Nino sucks in a breath, eyes dark and half-lidded as he watches Sho carefully slide his lips over his cock.
Sho isn't entirely sure what he's doing, but he flattens his hand against the base of Nino's cock and takes the head in his mouth, dragging his tongue over the soft, slick skin. It seems to do the trick; Nino makes a low sound in the back of this throat, and the tug of his hands in Sho's hair is all the warning that Sho gets before Nino comes, a musky, earthy taste spilling into Sho's mouth.
For awhile afterwards, everything is quiet. They clean up and lie close together, not quite touching, on top of the sleeping bag. Nino's eyes are half-hazy with sleep and Sho's mind feels pleasantly foggy, his limbs heavy.
"I can come back in August," Sho says after awhile, "After term ends." He's been thinking about it for awhile, honestly. He isn't sure what he could do here, 'Ji-chan and 'Baa-chan are wonderful, but even they probably aren't nice enough to put up with a freeloader for an entire month. Maybe he could help Nino's sister with the accounting.
"Well, you could," Nino says indifferently. "But I won't be here."
"..what?" Sho asks, wishing he could see Nino's face more clearly in the darkness of the tent.
Nino's grin is wide and evil, teeth glinting in the dark. "Aiba-chan invited me to his place in Chiba for August," he says smugly.
"You -" Sho is at a loss for words. "You made plans with my friends? My friends who you've never met?"
"Don't be so selfish, Sho-chan," Nino says lightly, curling closer against Sho. "So, what do you say? Are you going to come?"
"No," Sho says, with as much dignity as he can muster. "I'm going to go fishing with Ohno-kun. But thanks for the invitation."
Nino laughs against Sho's chest, and Sho can't help but smile. He's going to miss this: the lake, the way he felt all wrung out and sleepy after a hard day's work, measuring time by the dip of the sun against the horizon - and most of all, Nino. It seems so strange that it's only been two weeks, that here they are. Sho wonders if they would have gotten this close, have come so far so soon if they had met somewhere else, in a different situation. He can't say for sure.
Even so, he wouldn't want it any other way.
FIN
Author: waxrose
Rating: NC-17
Length ~7,000 words
Pairing(s) Sho/Nino, implied Aiba/Jun
Summary: AU: Nino works on his family's pearl farm, Sho is a university student visiting on a summer work experience.
Notes: Originally written for shoneenclub's June contest. If you can get past the fact that this plot seems totally warped, I hope that you enjoy this. Much love to font for being the most fantastic beta ever, and to omnipresentdmat for all of her encouragement! All mistakes or factual errors on pearl farming/the geography of Shiga Prefecture, etc. would be my fault, and should be rightfully rubbed in my face. I researched and wrote this in just over two days between shifts, so it was a bit of a thrown-together job.
fluorescence: normally invisible wavelengths of light that become visible when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Under ultraviolet radiation, a pearl will exhibit colours unseen in normal light.
"Sometimes it rose to an aching chord that caught the throat, saying this is safety, this is warmth, this is the Whole."
- The Pearl by John Steinbeck
- - -
I will be spending my practical component of this course observing the economics of small business practices at a family-owned freshwater pearl farm in Shiga prefecture. This paper will focus on the elements and constraints of a small business operation, with particular attention paid to the devastation of the red tide plague and its effects on business practices thereof.
The bus from Otsu drops Sho off near Ohmi-Hachiman around noon, near a gravel path that winded into a thrush of trees, wild-looking bushes encroaching on the path from both sides. Sho thanks the driver as he struggles to balance his heavy backpack while tottering off the bus steps. He takes a moment to look around; the weather is clear and the area quiet, aside from the sound of the bus driving away.
Sho almost doesn't notice the boy sitting on a nearby fence until he jumps down and walks over to him. He looks about seventeen, Sho thinks as the boy approaches, with short, dark hair and bangs that flop over his eyes. He's also a good few inches shorter than Sho, and skinnier and slighter.
"Sakurai-san?" Sho nods. "I'm Ninomiya. I'm supposed to bring you back down to the farm."
+
It had been Emi's idea to choose the pearl farm. Sho had been torn between a dairy farm in Hokkaido and a small, tourism-oriented airplane company for his top option for his work practical for the Small Business economics course when she had come over to study.
They weren't dating, exactly - they were study partners, having most of the same classes and they were friends, although they had kissed a few times. She was a nice girl, clever and fun and good-looking. His parents liked her. Sho blamed his delay on the heavy schedule of his economics degree program, and that was partly true. Neither of them could afford to slack off in their final year of studies.
"But pearls are so romantic," Emi had pointed out as Sho pored over a pile of brochures. "And the farm is right on Lake Biwa, wouldn't that be relaxing?"
"And what are you putting as your first option?" Sho had teased.
She had smiled mischievously at him, reaching for his pen and marking an 'x' next to the freshwater pearl farm option on his registration sheet. "Guess."
In the end, Emi had been sent to a small, family-run campsite in Nagano, and Sho had gotten the pearl farm. He had been a little disappointed, especially since he was one of the only students In the class travelling alone - most placements took two or three students - and two weeks at a pearl farm didn't exactly sound exciting.
Well, now he figures that this experience will be as good as any - he's here to study how a small business is run, after all, and since he doesn’t even know the first thing about how a pearl farm operates, he's bound to learn a lot.
Sho follows Ninomiya along the gravel path in relative silence - Ninomiya makes no attempts at conversation, though he doesn't seem unfriendly. Sho enjoys the quiet - it is still strange and new after the noisy clamour of Tokyo. After about ten minutes of walking, though, Sho's shoulders are starting to ache from the weight of his backpack, and the mid-afternoon air feels muggy and hot, the overhead sun blazing hot against the back of his neck.
Ninomiya tsks, and Sho realizes suddenly that he's fallen well behind him. He walks back towards Sho, unknotting a towel from around his neck and handing it to Sho. "You're going to get sunburnt if you aren't careful," Ninomiya warns, but his tone is teasing.
Sho accepts the towel, putting down his bag to tie it over his head, slicking his sweat-soaked bangs back from his forehead. As he knots it at the base of his neck, Ninomiya picks up his backpack.
"You don't have to -" Sho protests, but Ninomiya has already begun to walk forward again.
"We're nearly there now," Ninomiya says dismissively, "This isn't that heavy, anyways - have you got muscles of air or something?"
Sho chooses to ignore that attack on his dignity. "Do you work at the farm?"
"Sort of." Nino shrugs. "My grandparents own the pearl farm, so I help out with what I can. You'll be staying with us, by the way."
"Are you going to take over the farm one day, then?" Sho asks, now nearly jogging to keep up pace with Nino. "Do you go to university at all?"
"No - and I don't know." Nino looks somewhat thoughtful, almost sullen. They round a bend around a grove of trees and a wide expanse of water comes into view, stretching far into the horizon. "Lake Biwa - we're just down by the shore." He points at a small series of buildings down the slope of the hill they're currently standing on. "'Ji-chan is busy working with the new larvae right now, so I'll take you around and introduce you to everyone."
"Okay," Sho agrees, and then hesitates. "Ninomiya-san."
"Call me Nino." Nino slings Sho's backpack at him with a crooked smile. Sho catches the bag and finds himself smiling back.
"I'm Sho."
"Sho-chan, then," Nino says decisively, and Sho doesn't even bother to protest as Nino starts hiking down the sharp slope of the hill at a surprising speed.
+
Pearls are formed when an irritant is introduced to the mussels, which they then isolate by covering the irritant in layers of calcium carbonate.
"'Baa-chan used to tell me when I was little that if I bothered her anymore, she'd turn me into a pearl." Nino chuckles.
"Did you grow up here?" Sho asks. It sounds like a nice childhood.
Nino shakes his head. "I was born in Tokyo - we only moved here about five or six years ago, after my parents split up." He grins at Sho, spitting a watermelon seed at his face with deadly accuracy. "I wasn't always a country bumpkin, you know."
Nino, Sho comes to discover, is a bit of an enigma. He's got a sharp tongue and an even sharper mind; he's able to discuss current events, economics, music, and they spend long evenings sitting on the front porch, with a bowl of watermelon between them, eating and talking until that contented inertia in which even conversation goes in slow motion sets in. By Sho's third day at the small pearl farm on the shores of Lake Biwa, he feels like he's already known Nino for years. He wonders if Nino feels the same - his tendency to invade Sho's personal space seems to indicate a certain level of comfort.
'Ji-chan and 'Baa-chan are pretty terrific, as are Nino's mom and sister - Sho isn't sure where Nino's dad is, or what he does, but Nino doesn't say anything, and Sho doesn't want to ask - they make Sho feel just like family. Nino's mom cooks him his favourite foods - she used to be a chef, Nino tells him. He drinks shochu sometimes in the evening with 'Ji-chan, who gives him long, passionate talks about his days as an ambitious young man.
Sho had imagined that he'd be spending his days observing the economics of running a small business and his nights trying to write his paper on the experience; instead, he spends his days following Nino around the farm, learning the ins and outs of freshwater pearl farming until he gets dragged inside by 'Ji-chan to discuss business plans and budgeting and marketing strategies.
He's learning a lot, though his textbook still sits unopened in his backpack. 'Ji-chan tells him that like most things in the world, running a small business requires a good amount of common sense and a lot of hard work - and possibly a little bit of insanity.
"And love," 'Baa-chan adds, scrubbing the skins off potatoes in the sink. "Lots of love."
"Aah." 'Ji-chan grunts, agreeing in his own gruff manner.
Sho typically spends his evenings running wild with Nino - canoeing out to camp overnight on the small, nearby islands that dot the lake, catching fireflies for 'Baa-chan, swimming in the lake, lying in the tall, scratchy grass and watching the dragonflies buzzing softly overhead gorging themselves on mosquitoes, playing Nino's video games for hours on end. He should probably be working harder on his report, but he can't really bring himself to care. He writes it in bits and pieces from his notes, figuring that he'll be able to put it all together once he's back in Tokyo.
Sho was given the guest room to stay in, a neat, tidy small room above the stairs with just enough space for a futon and a writing desk by a tiny window. Sho keeps his luggage and works on his paper in here, but he spends his nights with Nino, by unspoken invitation.
The first time is on the fourth night of Sho's stay, when they stay up until nearly 4:00AM, embroiled in a fierce Mario Soccer tournament. Sho's never really been that into video games, but he does get competitive pretty easily, and Nino is good enough that it frustrates Sho enough to want to try again and again. Nino seems to enjoy winning enough that before they know it, the sun is almost rising and Sho realizes, with a slight feeling of panic, that today was the day that he was going to go into Hikone with 'Ji-chan to meet some of his usual buyers.
Nino laughs at him. "Just stay here, I'll kick you out of bed when you need to get up." Sho is too tired to argue, and far too tired to drag back down the hallway to his room, and risk waking up half the household on the way - the house is pretty old, and the floorboards became a verifiable symphony of squeaks and groans at the slightest steps.
Nino doesn't seem to mind Sho crawling into his futon, and he's darn cuddly - Sho nearly had a heart attack when 'Baa-chan came to wake them up for breakfast and found Nino nestled snugly against Sho's chest, but she had just laughed and told them to hurry and get downstairs.
After that, it happens again and again - not every night, but often enough that it's not discussed or justified, and Sho tries not to overthink it. It's comforting to have Nino's small frame curled against his, nestled into the curve of his body. It's nice.
They have a strange sort of friendship, and Sho doesn't really stop to think about it. Somehow, the world outside Lake Biwa seems distant, unreal. Here, the days stretch on forever and the evenings are warm and Nino is always there, an unshakeable presence. Nino plays the guitar for him sometimes in the evening, sweet and melancholy old tunes that make 'Baa-chan cry.
He tells Sho, as they squish up together in Nino's old sleeping bag on one of their camping trips, with the moon bright above, that he wants to be an actor, a director. In return, Sho tells him about his friends, about Aiba's warm silliness and Jun's quiet kindness. He misses them both a lot, and he feels warm all over when Nino laughs at his stories, tells him that he'd like to meet them someday.
+
Aiba calls around the end of Sho's first week at the pearl farm and he sounds as sunny and cheerful as ever. Hearing his voice makes Sho miss Tokyo suddenly, but it's not like they would be able to see each other anyways. Aiba was apprenticing at a restaurant in the city, but he was home now for the summer, working at his parent's restaurant in Chiba.
"Are you going to come and visit?" Aiba wants to know. "Jun's here, too, and it's horrible - he's a better cook than I am! I think my parents want him to take over the restaurant."
"I still have classes after this practical ends," Sho reminds him. He didn't know that Jun had gone back to Chiba with Aiba. He had wondered about those two - well, as long as they were happy. "Maybe in August."
"I'll make sure to tell Yusuke," Aiba says, "He's pining for you." There's a pause on the line, and Sho can hear a muffled conversation in the background. "Oh! Jun-chan wants to talk to you."
Jun's voice is strong and warm. "Did that idiot even ask how you are?" Aiba's reply is indignant, but almost inaudible.
Sho smiles. "He didn't. But I'm fine. It's really nice out here." He wants to tell them about Nino, somehow, but he doesn't know how to, really. I met this guy just sounds awkward, and really, it's difficult to describe Nino just in words. He's one of those people who just somehow drew you in at first sight, seemingly plain on the surface, but deep as the ocean inside. "How are you? I thought you were staying in Tokyo for the summer."
"Yeah." Jun doesn't seem to want to offer much of an explanation. "Masaki's right, though, you should come down later this summer. You've been working too hard this year. Have you even met his Aiba's parents yet? His dad is great."
"He taught Jun how to two-way slap!" Aiba whines in the background. Sho can tell from the volume of his voice that he's probably jammed his face right up against Jun's to speak into the phone.
"Yo, Sho-chan." Nino shoves open the door of Sho's room, closing it behind him before bouncing on the bed next to Sho-chan. "Who are you talking to?"
Sho yelps, covering the mouthpiece of the phone briefly. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?" he demands. "I could have been naked or something, you brat."
"I take my chances," Nino says, wriggling and shoving Sho's feet off the bed, taking up as much space as he can.
"Who's that?" Jun asks on the line.
"Just Nino," Sho says, without realizing that he should give more explanation than that.
"Oh?" Jun says, and he sounds a little too understanding for Sho's comfort. He says something to Aiba that Sho doesn't quite catch. "Masaki wants to talk to you again, okay? And call us when you get back into town."
"All right," Sho says, but he's not sure if Jun heard him, because suddenly Aiba's back on the line.
"Who's Nino?" Aiba asks, excited. Sho is aware of Nino still scrunched up next to him on the bed, back against the wall. "Can I talk to him?"
"No!" Sho says, and Nino and Aiba both laugh. "Why?"
"I want to, Sho-chan," Aiba whines, and really, it isn't half as effective without his puppy-eyed pout, but Sho can tell that Nino is about to grab the phone out of his hand anyways, so he hands it over.
"Hey," Nino says into the receiver, and then listens for a bit. Sho leans closer to Nino, trying to hear what Aiba is saying, but it's all garbled. "Yeah. No. I'm his summer romance, actually." He grins smugly at Sho.
Sho wants to cry. He is never, ever going to live this one down. He picks up a pillow and pretends to try and suffocate himself while Nino laughs at Aiba's reply.
Nino and Aiba chat for a good five minutes more, and Sho keeps his face buried in the pillow, embarrassed and absurdly, irrationally pleased.
"He said 'Congratulations'," Nino tells Sho, after he hangs up. "You have weird friends."
"You should talk," Sho mutters, and throws his pillow at Nino's head.
+
The red tide plague is essentially a devastating freshwater red algae bloom has in recent years caused a virtual extinction of the Biwa Hyriopsis schlegeli pearl mussel. Large mortality rates of these native Japanese mussels have resulted in many cases, in the bankruptcy and closure of many small freshwater farming cooperatives. While other factors such as pollution and overfishing have also greatly impacted this industry, this 'reddening disease' remains the most contentious element for the small business pearl farmer; a virtually incurable virus with the potential to wipe out a farm's entire stock of mussels.
"About four years ago, I think." 'Ji-chan rolls up his pants, carefully climbing out of the small rowboat they took out to the trap rafts, balancing on the thin wooden frame. "Damndest thing ever - I think we lost over half of them. Their flesh is normally kind of a creamy-white, see - turns pink. No one even knows what to call it, but it's happening everywhere. Nearly lost the farm."
"How did you fix it?" Sho asks, careful to keep his balance as he follows 'Ji-chan onto the trap frame. The water feels cool and refreshing as it sloshes over his bare toes. "Is there a cure now?"
"Not really." 'Ji-chan makes a thoughtful noise. "These one's need to be moved down a bit lower, the water is a bit too cold near the surface now - we've started breeding a hybrid with some mussels from China. Had to, Biwa mussels are nearly extinct now. We're doing all right." He hands his thermometer to Sho. "That's the thing about business, you know - everything changes, and if you don't adapt, you won't survive."
"What are we going to do today?" Sho asks. Now into the second week of his visit, he's pretty good at helping 'Ji-chan check the water temperature and feeding conditions in the mussel suspension rafts and moving the traps up and down as conditions change.
"We're going to take in some of the traps for cleaning." 'Ji-chan stops beside another set of traps to read the water temperature. "Get rid of any grime or blockages - that sort of thing. Might need to treat a few mussels if they're infected - we had a few the other week."
"Sounds good." Sho ties the knot of the towel covering his head a little tighter. Nino's towel - Sho has kind of taken it over. Nino went into town with 'Baa-chan and his mother this morning for groceries and some other errands. Sho almost misses having him around while he helps 'Ji-chan tend to the mussels. 'Ji-chan is nice, but Sho isn't entirely sure that he remembers his name sometimes. He hasn't once called him by it since they were introduced.
On the bright side, he hasn't been dunked in the water today. Sho gave up on wearing a shirt when he and Nino first went out to check the water temperature together on Sho's second day at the farm and the entire chore devolved into a giant water-fight.
Sho likes it here; it isn’t home, but it's a totally different world. The cold lake water tickles his toes as he and Nino help 'Ji-chan feed the mussels in the nursery area, and the sun has already darkened Sho's skin to a dusky golden brown (he has no idea how Nino manages to stay so pale, but his mother pointedly notes how much more time Nino has spent unglued from his game consoles since Sho arrived) and there's no stress, no rush.
"Ah, they're back," 'Ji-chan says, and Sho shakes himself out of his thoughts to see a red truck pulling up to the house on the shore. Sho watches as the driver's door opens and Nino hops out. He waves without thinking, and after a moment, Nino sees him and waves back, grinning.
"We'll clean until lunch time, and then you should take the afternoon off," 'Ji-chan says. "I'm sure Kazu can find some way to occupy you."
"It's fine," Sho protests, embarrassed. "I'm here to work, after all."
"You're here to learn," Ji-chan corrects him. "You might as well enjoy yourself - I'm glad that he's taken to you. He's a strange one, that grandson of mine. It's good for him to have some more young people around."
Sho nods. "He likes it here, though." He thinks he really gets it; the beauty of the lake, the slow bob of the dozens of floating traps in the blue water. "I like it here. I'm glad that I could come - I've learned a lot."
"It's a good business to be in," 'Ji-chan says. "High risk, but the rewards are there. You need to be patient, have an eye for detail. We need to get to work, they'll have lunch ready before we know it. 'Baa-chan likes to eat early."
They wade deeper into the water, and Sho lets himself enjoy the burn of the morning sun on the back of his neck, the cool water lapping at his legs, the birds chirping in the forests surrounding the lake.
"It was a Japanese who invented the technique of culturing pearls, you know," 'Ji-chan says proudly as they work and Sho nods weakly. He's heard the Mikimoto Kokichi story at least a dozen times already. "You won't find better pearls anywhere else."
+
About three days before he's scheduled to leave, Sho learns from 'Baa-chan that the next day is Nino's birthday.
"He didn't say a word," Sho says, frustrated. He's helping 'Baa-chan chop up carrots and potatoes for the curry they're cooking for dinner while Nino and 'Ji-chan are off around the south side of the property, testing a new spot near the shore for water quality.
"He doesn't really like the attention," 'Baa-chan says, rapping Sho's knuckle smartly with her stirring spoon. "You're cutting those chunks too small."
"What can I do for him?" Sho asks. He's leaving in two days, and he can't exactly go into the city and buy Nino a present. He has no idea what Nino would even want, but he wants to do something.
"Why don't you ask him?" 'Baa-chan suggests practically. She stirs in the carrots that Sho has chopped into the big pot. "You won't know unless you do."
Once the curry is simmering on the stove, Sho heads outside to look for Nino. He finds him down by the lake shore, talking to a short man that Sho doesn't recognize. As Sho approaches, Nino looks over and waves, smiling. Sho waves awkwardly back.
"Sho-chan, this is Captain," Nino introduces, gesturing towards the round-faced, sleepy-looking man. He looks about Sho's age, or maybe a few years younger. He's really very sunburnt, Sho realizes, his face and arms a dark nut-brown.
Sho returns the other man's bow, feeling awkward. He hasn't met any of Nino's friends before, and by the friendly way Nino and this guy were chatting before Sho arrived, they look pretty close. It hadn't occurred to him that Nino wasn't just all alone out here before he had arrived; the thought actually makes him feel oddly jealous. "Captain?"
"Ohno Satoshi," says Captain, at the same time as Nino says, "Oh-chan."
"He owns a fishing boat just further down the east side of the lake." Nino says. "Sometimes he actually comes onto land, too."
The man - Ohno, Sho supposes - smiles sheepishly. He has a soft, likeable face. "I like fishing," he says quietly.
"Have you two known each other long?" Sho asks.
"A few years," Nino says. Ohno hums in agreement; Sho gets the impression that he doesn't talk much. "He comes around to help with the harvesting in the fall time."
"I'm going to get some black bass this time," Ohno says, and it takes Sho a moment to realize that he seems to be on his own, entirely separate track of conversation. "Catfish, I think. Nakai-senpai said that he saw a big one near Omi Maiko."
"Just don't drown," Nino says dryly, who doesn't seem thrown by this change of topic at all.
"Nino never wants to come fishing," Ohno says to Sho. "Gets seasick easily."
"He's so delicate," Sho agrees, and the corners of Ohno's eyes crinkle in amusement as Nino's eyes narrow.
"I changed my mind," Nino says, "I hope you get pulled overboard and eaten by a giant squid."
"At least I finally got to meet your Sho-chan." Ohno sticks his hands in the pockets of his windbreaker. He kind of slouches a bit, Sho notices, which makes him look even shorter than he already is, like a little old man. "Nino likes you," he tells Sho. "He doesn't like a lot of people, really."
"Stop talking about me like I'm your dog," Nino snaps, and pinches Ohno on the butt. Ohno laughs, unfazed.
"I probably won't see you again, so it was nice meeting you, Sho-kun," Ohno turns to Nino. "Will you have a new trick ready for me when I come back, Yuji?" his voice is suddenly high and squeaky, with a weird accent.
Nino laughs. "Lots and lots of them. Will Taka bring me home some fish?" He uses the same high, foreign accent as Ohno. It seems like a sort-of in-joke between them, complete with cute nicknames.
"I'll bring back one as big as Nino," Ohno promises, in his normal voice. He waves to Sho and starts off down the lake shore.
"He seems nice," Sho says, as they watch him leave, and he's surprised when Nino laughs at him. "What?"
"Nothing," Nino says. "Aren't you helping with dinner? I'm hungry."
"It's almost ready," Sho says. Then he remembers why he came to find Nino. "I wanted to ask you what you wanted for your birthday."
"Oh." Nino makes Sho stand still, pushing down on his shoulders so he can jump onto Sho's back, legs wrapped around Sho's waist and arms clinging around his neck. "You don't have to get me anything, I know you're leaving soon."
"Isn't there anything you want?" Sho asks, getting his arms under Nino's knees and hoisting him up so he can carry him more comfortably.
Nino rests his cheek against the side of Sho's head. "Let's go camping again," he says. "One last time, before you leave?"
"Is that what you want to do?" Sho asks. Nino doesn't answer and something occurs to Sho. "What did Ohno mean by showing him a trick?"
"Hmm?" Nino says vaguely. "Oh, I do magic. Card tricks. It's kind of a hobby."
Sho remembers Nino sorting through a pack of cards, shuffling and re-shuffling while 'Ji-chan had showed him how they grafted the mussel's mantle tissue. It makes him feel a bit lonely again to realize how little he really knows about Nino, and how little time he has to get to know him more at all. "Will you show me one?"
Nino's arms tighten around his neck as they approach the front porch of the house. "I'll show you them all," he promises.
+
The canoe ride is short; even on the lake and even paddling slowly, Nino gets a bit sick after long distances. They go to the same island as before, which is only about twenty minutes from shore, and small enough that when standing on one end of the island, the other end is easily visible. The sun is just beginning to set when they arrive, and Sho digs his feet into the cold, wet sand of the beach while they try to re-heat the leftover curry that 'Baa-chan packed for them over their campfire fire.
They drink the beer that Nino sneaked into his bag and Sho toasts himself some marshmallows; Nino doesn't like sweet things that much, but he lets Sho make one for him anyways and he eats it slowly, licking the white stickiness off his fingers afterwards. Sho blushes and looks away when he realizes that he's staring.
"I almost wish I could stay here forever," Sho tells Nino, when they're finally tucked into Nino's squashy yellow sleeping bag on a grassy hill overlooking the lake, watching for shooting stars. They're huddled close together, and Sho can feel Nino's warmth all along his side.
Nino stiffens and stays silent, unusually so. Sho shifts onto his side, propping up his head on one hand. "Nino?"
"You don't really mean it," Nino says. His voice is cold and somehow sad. "This is just a vacation to you - you'll forget all about it once you're back in Tokyo, with your nice little paper, getting your credit. That's all it is."
Sho feels stung. Nino is more to him than that - the two weeks they had spent together was more than that, so much more. It hurts that Nino thinks of him like that.
At the same time - he is going to leave. There's no getting around that.
"What do you want me to say?" Sho asks, almost whispering.
Nino turns onto his side towards Sho, his eyes bright in the evening darkness. "I don't care what you say. I just want you to mean it."
"I do," Sho says, and he shifts closer to Nino, because he can feel him pulling away. "I don't want to leave you. I like -" He stops, not knowing what to say. Nino's eyes are fixed on him. "Being here, with you."
"Don't." Nino doesn't push away Sho's hands as they circle his waist, pulling him closer, but his eyes are dangerous. "Sho, just..."
Sho stays still, just holding Nino. Nino's slight, bony frame feels perfect against him, the skinny, poky bones of his ankles sharp against Sho's calves, the rapid rise and fall of his chest pressed against Sho's.
He realizes, with a start, that he wants to kiss Nino. That he wants to do more than kiss him.
"Sho-chan," Nino says, voice low and Sho sees that his barriers are down. He fists his hands in Sho's t-shirt, burying his face in Sho's neck. "I want -" His mouth moves soundlessly against Sho's skin and Sho shivers. His hands dip under the hem of Nino's shirt, tracing the warm skin of his lower back.
They stay like that for long minutes, a quiet impasse of limbs tucked around each other, breathing each other in. One of them, Sho figures, feeling reckless and nervous, is going to have to be brave. He pulls back just far enough to cup Nino's chin gently in one hand and tilt it up so he can see Nino's face.
They stare at each other for a moment, and Sho is about to lose his nerve when Nino sighs and leans up to kiss Sho.
His lips are dry and soft, and Sho kisses him back, softly, then harder, hotter. He rolls half-over Nino, bracing his arms on either side of Nino's head, half-straddling him. Nino's eyes are dark and wild and Sho can feel his heart thumping wildly in his chest.
He'd never imagined he'd be doing this with another guy, let alone one he had just met a week before - but this is Nino, and Nino's tiny hands reaching up to tangle in Sho's hair, Nino's mouth moving against his, Nino's body shifting beneath him - and Sho wants this, he wants him more than anything he can ever remember wanting in his life.
He can feel Nino hard against his hip and he shifts a little, grinds down and catches his lower lip in his teeth, gasping as Nino moans. It's unbelievably hot, Nino's skin sticky against his as they move against each other. Nino wraps his arms around Sho's neck, arching his hips up against Sho's.
"Wait," Sho says, breath caught in his throat. "Nino, wait." He strokes Nino's bangs out of his eyes. "Do you -?" He needs to be sure that this isn't a whim, or the beer, or that he isn't crazy. He knows, somehow, but part of him just can't believe that this is Nino under him, rocking up against his thigh.
Nino makes an impatient noise. "My sister has a sleeping bag, you know," he informs Sho. "'Baa-chan and my mom don't, because they don't like camping, but 'Ji-chan has at least three old ones."
Sho doesn't say anything, but he gets it. He kisses the side of Nino's neck, under his ear, and Nino sighs softly, tangling his fingers in Sho's hair. It strikes Sho that they could have been doing this before, and that they may never get this chance again, and it seems so unfair.
Nino tugs at the hem of Sho's shirt. "Get this off," he whines playfully.
There isn't much space in the sleeping bag, but they manage to strip quickly, tossing clothes outside (Sho is pretty sure he might have thrown Nino's pants a little too far, but he supposes that they'll find them on the beach in the morning if he did) and soon enough, they're naked. Nino's skin is warm against his own, and he climbs on top of Sho, his smile quick and sharp. Sho can barely catch his breath; after spending two weeks with Nino practically glued to him, it's amazing how much he's getting off on Nino just pressed against him, shifting to get comfortable on top of him.
He reaches up and cups Nino's face in both hands, pulling him down to kiss him again. He loves the soft sounds Nino makes into his mouth, the slow, heated way their lips move together, the hot, wet stroke of Nino's tongue teasing into his mouth.
Nino pulls away after a moment, letting himself slide down Sho's body, scattering kisses over Sho's chest and stomach. He bites lightly at the curve of Sho's hip bone and Sho threads his fingers through Nino's hair. Nino isn't teasing, but he's taking his time, tracing the piercing in Sho's navel before tugging at it lightly with his teeth, ducking his head to nibble at the sensitive inside of Sho's thigh. Sho can't see Nino's face with Nino buried near the bottom of the sleeping bag; propped back on his elbows, he can only see the top of Nino's head, the movement of his hands, but he can feel every puff of breath, the brush of Nino's lips and fingers against him.
Sho is starting to feel like he might go insane if Nino goes any slower when Nino presses a kiss to his cock, tracing his lips up the large vein on the underside, one hand stroking the curve of Sho's hip, the other tight around the base of Sho's cock. Sho moans loudly enough that he is thankful that they are on a deserted island as Nino sucks him slowly, his balls feeling hot and heavy as he thrusts into Nino's mouth.
Nino lets him slide from his mouth, his head emerging from the sleeping bag, hair fluffy and messed up. "Do you want -?" Nino asks hesitantly. He's still got a hand wrapped around Sho's cock, working him slowly.
Sho bites his lip. He does, but they have no condoms and no lube. He shakes his head, brushing his lips against Nino's, guiding Nino down against him so their erections line up together. "Like this," he says, as they begin to thrust against each other. The friction is amazing, and Sho hooks his leg around Nino's waist, sliding his hands down towards Nino's ass. "Just like this."
Nino pants in his ear. "Screw that," he says. "Unlike you, I know how to pack for camping trips."
He reaches a hand down between them, wrapping his hand around their cocks together and stroking. Sho squeezes his eyes shut; he's close, so close. There's a buzzing sound in his head - or actually, just in his left ear. He slaps a hand to the side of his head. "Mosquitoes," he says grimly.
"Tent," Nino says. "Now."
The whole situation feels just ridiculous, hopping out of the sleeping bag naked and dragging it back to the small tent they had set up just a bit further into the clearing, rushing to avoid the clouds of mosquitoes that seemed have descended with dusk. Nino laughs as Sho almost trips over his backpack on his way into the tent, but once Sho is inside and has zipped up the tent, Nino is pressed against him again, straddling his lap and kissing him hard. Sho holds him close, closing his eyes as their mouths work hungrily against each other. He could kiss Nino like this forever.
Nino pulls back and Sho barely has time to regain his senses before he realizes that Nino is tearing open a condom package. Sho realizes that he must have been staring, because Nino catches his eyes, hands stilling. "Is this okay?" he asks, voice low.
Sho licks his lips, realizing that he's shaking a little. "Yes," he says, "Please."
Nino's eyes are dark as he dabs a bit of lube inside the tip of the condom, rolling it onto Sho's length. Sho hisses, biting his lip. "You're sure?" he asks Nino, as Nino pushes down on his shoulders, making Sho lie down. "I don't want to hurt you."
"You talk too much," Nino grumbles, and Sho becomes too preoccupied with watching Nino prepare himself, slick fingers sliding in and out. Nino's cock is hard and flushed, the head already wet with precome.
Nino straddles his hips again, sucking in a breath as Sho runs a hand up his side, fingers feathering out over the small of his back. "Sho," he groans, his keening cry is almost muffled by Sho's moan as he slides himself down on Sho's length. Sho moves his hands onto Nino's hips to stead y him. Nino is hot and tight around him, and Sho can barely stay still.
"You can move, you know," Nino says, breathlessly, as he braces himself on his hands and knees, pushing down harder. "That would kind of be the point." Nino's close, too, Sho can hear the tremble behind his sarcasm, and he rolls his hips forward, settling into Nino's rhythm.
"Fuck," Nino groans, hands pressed against Sho's abdomen, knuckles white. Sho runs his fingers down Nino's spine, feeling the arch of his body as he pushes back against each thrust, stroking himself. It's an endless white hot moment of heat, of friction, and then Sho comes undone, fingers tight against Nino's hip as he comes.
Nino eases himself off Sho as his dick softens, kneeling between Sho's leg as Sho catches his breath. Nino's still fisting himself, one hand curled around his cock. Sho pushes himself unsteadily to his knees. "Come here," he says, his voice unsteady, sitting down.
Nino moves into Sho's lap. "Like this?"
"Yeah." Sho pulls Nino up on his knees, keeping his grip tight on Nino's hips. Nino sucks in a breath, eyes dark and half-lidded as he watches Sho carefully slide his lips over his cock.
Sho isn't entirely sure what he's doing, but he flattens his hand against the base of Nino's cock and takes the head in his mouth, dragging his tongue over the soft, slick skin. It seems to do the trick; Nino makes a low sound in the back of this throat, and the tug of his hands in Sho's hair is all the warning that Sho gets before Nino comes, a musky, earthy taste spilling into Sho's mouth.
For awhile afterwards, everything is quiet. They clean up and lie close together, not quite touching, on top of the sleeping bag. Nino's eyes are half-hazy with sleep and Sho's mind feels pleasantly foggy, his limbs heavy.
"I can come back in August," Sho says after awhile, "After term ends." He's been thinking about it for awhile, honestly. He isn't sure what he could do here, 'Ji-chan and 'Baa-chan are wonderful, but even they probably aren't nice enough to put up with a freeloader for an entire month. Maybe he could help Nino's sister with the accounting.
"Well, you could," Nino says indifferently. "But I won't be here."
"..what?" Sho asks, wishing he could see Nino's face more clearly in the darkness of the tent.
Nino's grin is wide and evil, teeth glinting in the dark. "Aiba-chan invited me to his place in Chiba for August," he says smugly.
"You -" Sho is at a loss for words. "You made plans with my friends? My friends who you've never met?"
"Don't be so selfish, Sho-chan," Nino says lightly, curling closer against Sho. "So, what do you say? Are you going to come?"
"No," Sho says, with as much dignity as he can muster. "I'm going to go fishing with Ohno-kun. But thanks for the invitation."
Nino laughs against Sho's chest, and Sho can't help but smile. He's going to miss this: the lake, the way he felt all wrung out and sleepy after a hard day's work, measuring time by the dip of the sun against the horizon - and most of all, Nino. It seems so strange that it's only been two weeks, that here they are. Sho wonders if they would have gotten this close, have come so far so soon if they had met somewhere else, in a different situation. He can't say for sure.
Even so, he wouldn't want it any other way.
FIN