[FIC] Equilibrium
Title: Equilibrium
Fandom/Pairing: Arashi/ShoNino
Rating: read if it's okay for your brain to have a mental image of Nino reading a newspaper.
Notes: for wildlotus2006.
“I can’t really expect you to understand.” Nino said offhandedly, placing a cap on his head. In front of him, Jun gave him a look that clearly warned Nino to not try him. The older man continued to fix his things-his notes, his pen, his book-with a hint of frustration and annoyance.
“It’s not like you’ve ever-”
“I have,” Jun cut him. Nino looked up sharply and met the DoS’ eyes. “I just don’t understand why you went to me, of all people and why you’re intent on being someone you’re not.”
“I don’t see it as changing myself. It’s more of improving myself.” Of course Nino would be defensive about this. Jun smirked when he realized that the prankster was dead serious about this, which is why he practically swallowed his pride and came to Jun for help. “And I… Well, I…”
A part of Jun wanted to hear Nino say he needs him but he wasn’t that harsh. One can actually see that Nino was having a hard time telling Jun that he needs the latter’s help. Jun lets Nino off.
Just because it’s Christmas time.
“Do you really think Sho-kun wants this?” Jun cut him. This caught the older one off guard and Nino gave him a shocked look. “You’re going through all the trouble but are you sure you need to?”
“Of course,” Nino said. “You know Sho-chan. He likes these kinds of things. It’s a part of him.”
There were a lot of things going through Jun’s head, all telling him that this was a bad idea and he shouldn’t take any part of it. But in Nino’s eyes, you can see that he was really determined to do this. Besides, after this Nino’s bound to be grateful to him (granted that the whole thing goes well) and you can bet that Jun will take advantage of that. This was Nino we’re talking about.
“What did you have in mind?” Jun leaned towards the other a bit, a sly smile on his lips. There was a sparkle in the DoS Banchou’s eyes, which was mirrored in Nino’s.
“Well, Jun-chan,” Nino began. “I was thinking of doing it Keio style.”
--
“I didn’t know you were into things like these,”
Sho looked at Nino, still quite in disbelief. The younger of the two has suddenly showed interest in reading the newspaper and it wasn’t that Sho wasn’t expecting this. It’s just that he still can’t get over the fact that he did expect it and it’s here now.
“Now you do,” Nino says offhandedly, flipping the newspaper over. Ohno came in the room next, his eyes bugging out at the sight of Nino with a newspaper. Sho smiled at Ohno’s reaction, relieved that he wasn’t the only one who was shocked by this. “Hmmm. So oil prices are going up again, aren’t they?”
“Nino,” Ohno began, approaching the prankster with caution. “You do know that’s not your DS, right?”
Nino brushed off the comment with a shrug. At practically the same moment, Aiba bounced in the room, all hyper and happy. He stopped though, at the sight of Nino not playing with his DS. Aiba shot a questioning look at Sho and Ohno, who could offer nothing but unsure shrugs.
Since the three thought that this was a big deal, they were quite surprised when Jun entered the room, muttered good morning and saw Nino without even raising an eyebrow. The three chose to ask him what was not troubling about this scene.
“It’s not like Nino can’t read,” Jun said.
“But the Nino we know doesn’t read the newspaper in front of us. Especially during our break, a perfect time to catch up on his games.” Aiba elaborated.
“Maybe the Nino we know changed then,” Jun said, still unaffected by all of this. When he said this, his eyes were on Sho’s. Aiba and Ohno went on about how this can’t be possible and the look Jun gave Sho rendered the latter speechless for a moment.
--
“What the hell was that?” Nino hissed as he dragged Jun into an empty corridor. “Don’t you think that was a bit heavy?”
“Look, I’m trying to help you, if you’ve forgotten. I know Sho. I know how he thinks things through.” Jun replied, brushing off Nino’s hands
from his shirt. “Trust me on this one. When are things getting serious?”
“In a day or two,” Nino mumbled. The two only had a few minutes for this rendezvous, since they were due in taping in about two minutes. “My new image should be established by then.”
“That should be easy, if things go as planned.” Jun assured him. “I’ll be going ahead.”
Nino waits a few moments after Jun has gone before leaving the corridor empty once again.
--
“Something’s up with you,”
There was, but Nino won’t admit that to Sho. He was determined to win Sho over using the ways he knew how. Outside, there was snow and inside, there was Sho, Nino and a bottle of sake. It’s been quite a while since they last had a proper drinking session and it brought back lots of memories for the two.
“Why do you say so?” Nino asked innocently.
“Because it’s obvious,”
“I haven’t heard anybody else tell me about it.”
“Because they don’t look hard enough,”
“And you do?”
Nino had said it as a slip of tongue, his words spilling out of his mouth before his brain could stop it. This caught Sho off guard, since he wasn’t expecting that comment to come through and he has no idea how to reply to it.But what is done, is done.
“I-I…” The older of the two began. Sho doesn’t usually trip on his words. He’s a rapper. Nino sees this as a compliment on his part. “Of course I do.”
And if Nino felt like he had no hope in this crappy plan of his, then Sho’s words supplied abundant amounts of it. Nino was smiling all through the night. And since Nino was happy, Sho decided that that was reason enough for him to be happy as well.
--
Along forty-three seconds in the conversation, Sho hears something that can be classified as inaccurate information. That’s a feat, considering this was Nino. Economics wasn’t his thing and Sho wanted to know why Nino was trying so hard to make it seem like it.
First, Nino’s sudden interest in reading the newspaper, his sudden interest in the country’s economic status (It’s not like he didn’t care. It’s just that he didn’t care this much before), his sudden interest for books and lately, he’s been wearing glasses more than usual. To add to this, his DS hasn’t been touched for four straight days now.
“All right. What’s up?” Sho narrowed his eyes at the younger man, cutting the latter’s speech about how he biofuel isn’t really the answer to everything.
“Eh? Well, if you’ve been listening, biofuel is-”
“No, really. What’s going on with you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Sho-chan,” Nino gave him an innocent look that he had down pat. Sho’s eyes narrowed further. He knew that Nino knew what he was talking about. It’s just that Nino was far too stubborn to give in.
“Yes, you do.”
The younger man heaved a sigh.
“I like you.”
“Eh?” It was really obvious that it wasn’t the kind of answer Sho was expecting. Sho actually anticipated an answer of the Ni no Arashi kind.
The kind that involves Nino laughing afterwards. He was so wrong. “I-That’s why you’ve been acting like this?”
“Well. You’ve always wanted someone smart, someone informed and someone hot-”
“So that’s why you wore glasses?” Sho said, his voice laced with shock and disbelief.
“-so I tried to be all of those so you can say ‘I like you too’ when I finally confess,” Nino ignored Sho’s last comment
and flashed a smile. “I’m giving you time to think, of course. Just don’t take too long, okay?”
Of course he liked Nino. He liked Nino when he was being a prat, which was most of the time. He liked Nino when he was serious because it was then that he would realize how complex Nino is as a person. He liked Nino when he was being unreasonable because sometimes that’s just the way he is. He liked Nino.
But he wasn’t ready to admit it to himself yet, much less to anyone else. In the end, Sho steels his courage and decides to come out. It’ll make everything much easier that way and it comforts him that Nino’s already confessed.
Even so, he still makes him wait three days. Just because.
--fin
Fandom/Pairing: Arashi/ShoNino
Rating: read if it's okay for your brain to have a mental image of Nino reading a newspaper.
Notes: for wildlotus2006.
“I can’t really expect you to understand.” Nino said offhandedly, placing a cap on his head. In front of him, Jun gave him a look that clearly warned Nino to not try him. The older man continued to fix his things-his notes, his pen, his book-with a hint of frustration and annoyance.
“It’s not like you’ve ever-”
“I have,” Jun cut him. Nino looked up sharply and met the DoS’ eyes. “I just don’t understand why you went to me, of all people and why you’re intent on being someone you’re not.”
“I don’t see it as changing myself. It’s more of improving myself.” Of course Nino would be defensive about this. Jun smirked when he realized that the prankster was dead serious about this, which is why he practically swallowed his pride and came to Jun for help. “And I… Well, I…”
A part of Jun wanted to hear Nino say he needs him but he wasn’t that harsh. One can actually see that Nino was having a hard time telling Jun that he needs the latter’s help. Jun lets Nino off.
Just because it’s Christmas time.
“Do you really think Sho-kun wants this?” Jun cut him. This caught the older one off guard and Nino gave him a shocked look. “You’re going through all the trouble but are you sure you need to?”
“Of course,” Nino said. “You know Sho-chan. He likes these kinds of things. It’s a part of him.”
There were a lot of things going through Jun’s head, all telling him that this was a bad idea and he shouldn’t take any part of it. But in Nino’s eyes, you can see that he was really determined to do this. Besides, after this Nino’s bound to be grateful to him (granted that the whole thing goes well) and you can bet that Jun will take advantage of that. This was Nino we’re talking about.
“What did you have in mind?” Jun leaned towards the other a bit, a sly smile on his lips. There was a sparkle in the DoS Banchou’s eyes, which was mirrored in Nino’s.
“Well, Jun-chan,” Nino began. “I was thinking of doing it Keio style.”
--
“I didn’t know you were into things like these,”
Sho looked at Nino, still quite in disbelief. The younger of the two has suddenly showed interest in reading the newspaper and it wasn’t that Sho wasn’t expecting this. It’s just that he still can’t get over the fact that he did expect it and it’s here now.
“Now you do,” Nino says offhandedly, flipping the newspaper over. Ohno came in the room next, his eyes bugging out at the sight of Nino with a newspaper. Sho smiled at Ohno’s reaction, relieved that he wasn’t the only one who was shocked by this. “Hmmm. So oil prices are going up again, aren’t they?”
“Nino,” Ohno began, approaching the prankster with caution. “You do know that’s not your DS, right?”
Nino brushed off the comment with a shrug. At practically the same moment, Aiba bounced in the room, all hyper and happy. He stopped though, at the sight of Nino not playing with his DS. Aiba shot a questioning look at Sho and Ohno, who could offer nothing but unsure shrugs.
Since the three thought that this was a big deal, they were quite surprised when Jun entered the room, muttered good morning and saw Nino without even raising an eyebrow. The three chose to ask him what was not troubling about this scene.
“It’s not like Nino can’t read,” Jun said.
“But the Nino we know doesn’t read the newspaper in front of us. Especially during our break, a perfect time to catch up on his games.” Aiba elaborated.
“Maybe the Nino we know changed then,” Jun said, still unaffected by all of this. When he said this, his eyes were on Sho’s. Aiba and Ohno went on about how this can’t be possible and the look Jun gave Sho rendered the latter speechless for a moment.
--
“What the hell was that?” Nino hissed as he dragged Jun into an empty corridor. “Don’t you think that was a bit heavy?”
“Look, I’m trying to help you, if you’ve forgotten. I know Sho. I know how he thinks things through.” Jun replied, brushing off Nino’s hands
from his shirt. “Trust me on this one. When are things getting serious?”
“In a day or two,” Nino mumbled. The two only had a few minutes for this rendezvous, since they were due in taping in about two minutes. “My new image should be established by then.”
“That should be easy, if things go as planned.” Jun assured him. “I’ll be going ahead.”
Nino waits a few moments after Jun has gone before leaving the corridor empty once again.
--
“Something’s up with you,”
There was, but Nino won’t admit that to Sho. He was determined to win Sho over using the ways he knew how. Outside, there was snow and inside, there was Sho, Nino and a bottle of sake. It’s been quite a while since they last had a proper drinking session and it brought back lots of memories for the two.
“Why do you say so?” Nino asked innocently.
“Because it’s obvious,”
“I haven’t heard anybody else tell me about it.”
“Because they don’t look hard enough,”
“And you do?”
Nino had said it as a slip of tongue, his words spilling out of his mouth before his brain could stop it. This caught Sho off guard, since he wasn’t expecting that comment to come through and he has no idea how to reply to it.But what is done, is done.
“I-I…” The older of the two began. Sho doesn’t usually trip on his words. He’s a rapper. Nino sees this as a compliment on his part. “Of course I do.”
And if Nino felt like he had no hope in this crappy plan of his, then Sho’s words supplied abundant amounts of it. Nino was smiling all through the night. And since Nino was happy, Sho decided that that was reason enough for him to be happy as well.
--
Along forty-three seconds in the conversation, Sho hears something that can be classified as inaccurate information. That’s a feat, considering this was Nino. Economics wasn’t his thing and Sho wanted to know why Nino was trying so hard to make it seem like it.
First, Nino’s sudden interest in reading the newspaper, his sudden interest in the country’s economic status (It’s not like he didn’t care. It’s just that he didn’t care this much before), his sudden interest for books and lately, he’s been wearing glasses more than usual. To add to this, his DS hasn’t been touched for four straight days now.
“All right. What’s up?” Sho narrowed his eyes at the younger man, cutting the latter’s speech about how he biofuel isn’t really the answer to everything.
“Eh? Well, if you’ve been listening, biofuel is-”
“No, really. What’s going on with you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Sho-chan,” Nino gave him an innocent look that he had down pat. Sho’s eyes narrowed further. He knew that Nino knew what he was talking about. It’s just that Nino was far too stubborn to give in.
“Yes, you do.”
The younger man heaved a sigh.
“I like you.”
“Eh?” It was really obvious that it wasn’t the kind of answer Sho was expecting. Sho actually anticipated an answer of the Ni no Arashi kind.
The kind that involves Nino laughing afterwards. He was so wrong. “I-That’s why you’ve been acting like this?”
“Well. You’ve always wanted someone smart, someone informed and someone hot-”
“So that’s why you wore glasses?” Sho said, his voice laced with shock and disbelief.
“-so I tried to be all of those so you can say ‘I like you too’ when I finally confess,” Nino ignored Sho’s last comment
and flashed a smile. “I’m giving you time to think, of course. Just don’t take too long, okay?”
Of course he liked Nino. He liked Nino when he was being a prat, which was most of the time. He liked Nino when he was serious because it was then that he would realize how complex Nino is as a person. He liked Nino when he was being unreasonable because sometimes that’s just the way he is. He liked Nino.
But he wasn’t ready to admit it to himself yet, much less to anyone else. In the end, Sho steels his courage and decides to come out. It’ll make everything much easier that way and it comforts him that Nino’s already confessed.
Even so, he still makes him wait three days. Just because.
--fin