(no subject)
Title: Chapter Seven [of fourteen?]
Pairing: Matsuba and hinted one-sided Ohmiya
Rating: PG
Word Count: 5943
Notes: You guys remember this ... right? Sorry to the wait: life has been kicking my ass quite hard lately, and will probably continue to do so until mid-June. Last term of college and graduation, you see. Anyway. I thought Sho was going to make his appearance in this chapter, but it's actually in the next. Yes, I promise, Sho really is going to play a part in this. Once again, self-betaed.
Previous Chapters
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
“All right, Tottchi-boy,” Ueda said, coming up behind the chair he’d been keeping Toma bound to, more because he could than out of any real need. “You’ve been looking pale lately, so we’re going for a walk. To the palace, even - aren’t you excited?”
Toma glared balefully at the man from over the entirely unnecessary gag. It wasn’t like he’d been loud: He hadn’t spoken at all since he’d been assigned to this man. Ueda smirked at him, releasing the gag’s clasp. Toma just looked up at him sullenly.
“Awww, what’s wrong little boy? Cat got your tongue?”
Toma didn’t answer, staring blankly at Ueda. Ueda frowned, and less than a blink’s time later he slapped Toma’s right cheek; hard enough that Toma’s whole head snapped to the side. The Pet made no sound. Ueda straddled the Pet’s lap and brought Toma’s head to rest on his shoulder.
“I know, you miss your friends, don’t you?” Ueda cooed. “Well, Ami’s gone. I don’t know how he got away, but I suspect it involved a large rock tied to his legs and the lake. That idiot couldn’t have hid himself this long. So we’ll have a nice long walk, and we’ll see how often that one blond comes for whatever it is he does at the palace, and you just try not to die of cold. It’s getting nippy out there.”
Ueda stood and slipped into the warm coat he’d bought for himself. He’d bought a cheaper coat for Toma - the disparity between the two wasn’t so great that it would look strange for them to be seen together, and he couldn’t have the Pet dying on him. He grasped the tail of the knot that formed Toma’s bonds, and the whole thing came undone quickly. He threw the coat at Toma.
“Put it on. I haven’t got all day.”
A few hours later, Ueda snorted in mild disdain and decided that he really had to stop expecting sense from the Borderlands. What sort of idiots gave tours of the royal residence to the common people? To foreign visitors, even?
The tours might have been at regulated hours and with restricted access, but someone like Kitagawa would never have stood for such presumption. On the other hand, it was going to be a nice chance to get out of the cold, and he needed to see if he could find something of other interest for Kitagawa. Without waiting to see if Toma was ready for it, the assassin abruptly turned. He pulled Toma along behind him and joined the group just going into the entry hall of the palace.
They were all the way by the meeting hall when Ueda stilled. His eyes caught sight of something very familiar. Two heads of dark hair, one very tall and the other a little shorter, walking sedately down a hall where the tour group was not allowed to go. The taller of the men wore a very familiar uniform.
“I think we found our dignitary,” Ueda said under his breath, starting to turn away and shoving Toma in front of him.
But Toma stopped dead. Coming down from the other end of a hall - indeed, practically bounding around a corner in the hallway - was a very familiar face with a very familiar loud voice. Toma stopped breathing, shooting a wide-eyed glance at Ueda.
But Ueda wasn’t looking back at him. Toma could see the wheels turning behind the assassin’s eyes. It took a minute for Ueda to configure the new information, and then his lips curved up in to a smile just short of sinister. The boy took hold of Toma’s arm and led him roughly but casually back to the tour group.
“I think I just got myself a bonus,” Ueda sing-songed. “And what a nice one it will be.”
------
“You can wear one of my coats. It’s getting cold,” Ohno explained, as he helped Nino on the stairs. “Wait here, I’ll get it.”
“Thank you, Ohno-sama,” Nino said quietly.
This, at least, he could understand. He’d worn a muffler that belonged to the Young Master a few times, when he was younger and would go to fairs with the girl Pet and Julie. It had kept people away from him, like the other Pets who had been designated as property by their articles of clothing.
Maybe, he allowed himself to hope, it meant that Ohno really was going to keep him.
Ohno disappeared, leaving Nino standing by the landing of the stairs. He reappeared moments later wearing a coat and holding a second, which he held out for Nino. The Pet slipped his arms into it - so Ohno was one who liked to dress up their Pets. Julie had been like that. She’d liked to brush his hair, too. Nino wondered if Ohno would do that.
Once he had Nino closed into the long coat, Ohno nearly giggled. Nino’s hair had an endearing quality of constantly falling into his eyes - the effect being to make him look much younger than he probably was. The noble brushed the stray strands of hair out of the boy’s eyes and smiled, then took Nino’s hand and led him to the back doors. He led the boy through the solarium and down the steps into their gardens.
“Do you want to go on the path?”
“If you like, Ohno-sama,” Nino said quietly.
Ohno sighed softly. “All right. We’ll keep to the grounds here, incase you feel tired, okay?”
When Nino nodded, Ohno started leading the boy towards an area of iron wrought chairs, so they could walk, but be near to a seat if Nino felt tired. Nino allowed himself to be led, looking around at the garden instead. The grass was still surprisingly soft under his feet. The fresh air was crisp and the sun was soothing on his skin. He paused, wiggling his toes in the grass.
Ohno stopped immediately, turning almost anxiously to him. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, thank you, Ohno-sama.”
“Nino ... You really don’t have to call me that.”
“I’m sorry?”
“That ... that suffix. I’m just Ohno.”
“But - ”
“I’m not your master,” Ohno said quickly. Nino looked about to protest, so he dropped the boy’s hand and whirled on him, grabbing his shoulders. “No, listen to me, Nino. I’m not your master. Okay? You have no master here. Just yourself. You don’t answer to me, or to anyone but yourself. You don’t do here what you did there. We don’t want it.”
He hadn’t meant to say all that and it had come out all wrong. Ohno could see it in the way Nino’s eyes shuttered, and he opened his mouth to apologize, but Nino just smiled vaguely. “I see. I’m sorry to have made you uncomfortable.”
Ohno wanted to protest, because, yes it made him uncomfortable, but that wasn’t the point, but the boy cut him off. “May I go back inside now? I’m a little tired.”
“Are you all right?” Ohno asked immediately.
“Yes. Just tired.”
Ohno nodded and reached for Nino’s hand. He tried to dismiss the pang of hurt when Nino didn’t take his own right away, and by the time they reached the solarium had almost convinced himself that it didn’t matter.
------
The next day saw things as they had been since Nino had arrived. Ohno poked his head into the boy’s room - Nino still wouldn’t come down on his own if he woke before others did - and noticed that Nino was indeed awake. He knocked on the door frame even as he entered.
Either Nino didn’t hold grudges, or Ohno was projecting feelings for him, because Nino greeted Ohno as happily as he greeted anyone - with that shy, tentative little smile of his. “Good morning, Ohno-sam - san.”
Though he half-wondered if Nino was trying the lesser suffix to please him, Ohno preferred to think that Nino was getting more comfortable with his new status as a person. He couldn’t help but smile. “Morning, Nino. Mother wants to take you shopping.”
Nino blinked at the sudden pronouncement. “... Shopping, Ohno-san?”
“Yes,” Ohno nodded, perching on the edge of Nino’s bed. He took a fold of cloth between two fingers and flapped it. “Clothes shopping. All you’ve got are old clothes of mine. You’ll be in a carriage mostly, and you can return at any time once we’ve got your measurements.”
“You’re ... buying me clothes?”
“Well, mother is. She doesn’t think it’s fair that you have to wear hand-me-downs.”
Nino grabbed the hem of the sleeping shirt he wore, turning his eyes to it and trying not to fidget. Was it Ohno’s way of telling Nino that it was no hard thing for Ohno to let go of him? Was Ohno trying to break from him? Was he so upset by Nino that he had to? The thought was horrifying.
“They’re more than enough, Ohno-san,” Nino said quietly.
The noble seemed completely oblivious to Nino’s growing anxiety, smiling calmly. “It’s nothing, really, Nino. Mother wants to do this. She also mentioned that Jun-kun might come - he likes shopping, see, and he’s got very good taste. He’ll bring Aiba if you’d like. Aiba’s getting restless in the palace, apparently.”
“He hasn’t upset anybody, has he?” Nino asked, forgetting to be worried about Ohno trying to get rid of him in light of the building scare that Aiba might be in trouble. “Nobody’s ... angry with him?”
“Of course not,” Ohno said, laughing, “Jun-kun might pretend to complain, but it’s hard to take him seriously when he can’t stop grinning at the mention of Aiba’s name.”
Nino relaxed immediately, smiling a little. “Aiba’s like that.”
The boy’s whole being radiated ‘fondness’ at the mere thought of Aiba, and Ohno found himself holding back a stab of jealousy. Of course Nino would be fond of his friend. The noble forced himself to smile. “Would you like Aiba to come, then?”
“Come where, Ohno-san?”
“Shopping, silly. What else have we been talking about?”
“Oh. Yes, thank you,” Nino said, blushing faintly. “I would like him to come, if he can.”
Ohno smiled and touched the tips of his fingers to one blushing cheek gently, murmuring, “How cute.” He realized what he was doing a second later when the blush grew deeper and snatched his hand away, looking off to the side. “Sorry. Of course Aiba can come. I’ll let Jun know. Mother wants to take you out as soon as you feel ready.”
“I can go today if your mother would like to.”
Ohno sighed, turning back to Nino. “You’re still missing that whole part where we want you to get better, Nino.” He smiled, a little sadly. “If you don’t feel like you can make it through a day of shopping then you don’t have to go.”
“I’m fine,” Nino said, only a little heatedly, “I - I would like to see the city, too, Ohno-san.”
Ohno smiled. “All right. I’ll tell her and send for Jun.”
“You’re - ”
“I’m glad they can keep you company,” the noble continued, as though he hadn’t heard Nino. “I’ve got a date at Saya-chan’s house. I’ve kept her waiting for too long.”
“... Who is ‘Saya’, Ohno-san?”
“My fiancee,” Ohno said, “I haven’t seen her since we got back. I’ll see you when you return.”
“Yes, of course,” Nino said faintly, “Have a wonderful day with her.”
“Thank you. I’m sure I will,” the noble said. He stood and stretched. “I’ll go get mother.”
He didn’t wait for Nino to say anything before he left, and Nino didn’t have anything to say.
------
Jun was all but forgotten for a brief few moments when the carriage pulled up in the driveway of Ohno’s mansion, because Aiba was focused solely on reaching Nino’s room. Aiba’s grin was practically blinding as he bounded into the room. His hug was nearly crushing in its enthusiasm when he grabbed the younger boy from behind.
“Nino! You look so much better!” he said giddily, “Are you ready to go shopping?”
“Let him breathe, you dolt,” said Jun’s voice, “or we’ll never get anywhere.”
Had the voice belonged to anyone but Jun, and had the affection not been so poorly hidden, Nino might have tensed in preparation to be punished. But the voice did belong to the young diplomat, and the affection Jun had for Aiba was practically dripping from his tone, and Nino couldn’t help but smile. He could feel Aiba’s body shift against his as the taller boy turned to face Jun. Nino craned his head to watch.
“Juuuuun,” Aiba pouted, “He can so breathe.” Aiba turned wide eyes to Nino. “Can’t you?”
Nino smiled softly at him. “I could breathe better if you let go,” he teased.
“See? He agrees,” Jun said, chuckling. “I told you I’m always right.”
Aiba pouted back and forth between the two, and Nino smiled, knowing he should really leave the warmth of Aiba’s arms, but not wanting to. He was getting used to it as the days went by, but it was still strange not having Aiba there when he went to sleep or woke up. Aiba let go of Nino reluctantly and went back to Jun.
The diplomat wrapped one arm around Aiba’s waist and held out a hand to Nino. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better, thank you Jun-sama,” Nino said quietly.
He walked towards the noble slowly, eyes flicking over Aiba’s face. Aiba just smiled at him. Nino relaxed. Jun was trying to be friendly, then. He really was treating Aiba like a human, it seemed, as the older boy had always insisted some people would. The thought was a nice one. Nino took Jun’s hand - the young man clasped it and smiled.
“I’m glad to hear that ... We were worried about you,” he said softly.
“I’m sorry to have caused you trouble,” Nino said quickly, looking away
Jun let go of Nino’s hand, cupping Nino’s cheek and turning the smaller boy’s head gently but firmly to him. He locked eyes with Nino, noting absently the faint but growing panic. He sighed internally. Those people really had scarred him.
“It was I who caused you trouble,” Jun said, allowing no room for argument. “I asked Aiba to come with me. I stole him, I didn’t even think not to, and you bore the punishment for that. It’s my fault you were hurt. I’m so sorry.”
Nino stared at Jun, eyes wide with confusion. He looked to Aiba for some sort of cue. What on earth was the noble talking about? It was only natural that the Pet took the punishment to save the master - didn’t Jun know that?
“Let’s go now, okay?” Aiba asked, smiling crookedly at Jun and then Nino, “If we don’t Nino might fall asleep on us again.”
“Aiba! I will not!” Nino sputtered, “I just woke up!”
Jun rolled his eyes, but he smiled. “All right. We’ll get Ohno’s mother and head out.”
------
Ohno dropped down from the carriage and looked up at the rather mansion that belonged to his fiancee’s family. He’d always thought it rather imposing, but after his trip to the
Eastlands it seemed much smaller and more open. He turned back to Taichi and the driver.
“Could you wait here? I want to ask Saya-chan if she’d like to go out, so I don’t think we’ll be in the house very long.”
Taichi saluted and the driver touched his fingers to his cap. Ohno smiled. He stepped up to the door of Saya’s mansion and knocked twice. A moment later, the door was opened by their butler, who’s eyes swept over Ohno’s face perfunctorily. Ohno could see the moment that the recognition clicked in the elderly man’s eyes, and the butler smiled.
“Ohno-sama, how good of you to come by.”
“Thank you. Is Saya in?”
“She is. Please, come in.”
The man stepped aside and Ohno walked into the foyer slowly, cleaning his shoes meticulously on the entry mat. The door was closed behind him and the butler went quickly to the door that opened into the drawing room.
“Please wait here a moment. I’ll let the Young Miss know you’ve come to call.”
“Thank you,” Ohno said.
The elderly man bowed and disappeared up the stairs. Ohno took a seat in the drawing room, sitting in the only chair he’d ever felt comfortable in. It was an older-looking easy chair situated in a corner by the door. It managed to compliment the rest of the much newer, much more ornate, and much less comfortable furniture that graced the room despite being older.
Ohno sometimes got the feeling the family only kept it because he used it.
There were shuffling footsteps overhead, and quick taps on the stairs, and Ohno knew that Saya was coming down. Sure enough, a few seconds later the girl burst into the drawing room, a wide smile on her beautiful face. Ohno smiled and stood.
“Ohno-kun!” Saya said happily, coming to Ohno and nearly flinging herself into his arms.
Ohno caught her and held her close for a moment. If she noticed that he let go of her long before he would have previous to his visit to the Eastlands, she said nothing. Ohno himself certainly hadn’t.
“It’s been ages!” Saya started excitedly. “I tried to see you when I heard you were first returned, but your butler kept turning me away. He said something about turmoil, but the house was quiet.”
Ohno smiled and brushed some of her hair out of her face. This was what he’d missed. Her soft curves in his arms, her sweet smelling hair tickling his nose. He’d been wrong to look at Nino. He would just have to make it up to her.
“I’m sorry it’s been so long,” he said, “I caught a bit of a cold coming back from the Eastlands and I didn’t want anyone to catch it. Shun always thinks illness is turmoil.”
The lie was out of his mouth before Ohno even had time to think. Saya couldn’t know that he’d ignored her in favor of an injured human who was now his. She couldn’t know that he’d bought that injured human. Been given him. Whatever. She wouldn’t understand it.
“Just like you, Ohno-kun,” Saya said, smiling. “Shall we go out, then?”
‘Out’ meaning shopping. Or a very expensive lunch.
Ohno smiled, and hoped he looked as enthusiastic as he meant to. “That sounds wonderful.”
------
Nino was thoroughly exhausted by the time he returned to Ohno’s mansion with Ohno’s mother. He’d been dozing off on Aiba’s shoulder since they’d left the last store Jun had insisted on, and he wasn’t entirely aware of where they were. He would still have to wait for the clothes to come - Ohno hadn’t been lying when he’d said that it was a case of measurements to be taken.
Nino sighed, waking a little as the carriage went over a bump in the cobbled road. Aiba’s arm wrapped tightly around him and kept him upright.
“Poor dear. He looks so tired,” Ohno’s mother said softly.
“I don’t think I’m entirely surprised,” said Jun quietly, “Ohno said that he’s been pushing himself.”
“‘Pushing himself’?” the woman echoed, surprised.
“To get better,” the dignitary clarified. “Ohno seems to think that Nino thinks he’ll be turned out if he doesn’t get better immediately.”
Aiba’s hand came up to start carding through Nino’s hair. Nino shifted against the taller boy, the slightest touch to Aiba’s leg letting Aiba know that he was awake. Aiba just placed a small kiss on the top of Nino’s head. Stay still, don’t interrupt.
“That’s utter nonsense!” Ohno’s mother said. “He’ll stay as long as he wishes to.”
Aiba’s arm tightened around Nino’s chest and his fingers tapped the top of Nino’s skull. See? I told you. Nino relaxed into Aiba’s arms again. Maybe. He fluttered his eyes and made a sleepy noise to indicate that he was awake, incase Jun or Ohno’s mother needed something from him.
“Oh, Nino-kun. Awake?”
Nino sat up, though he didn’t let Aiba’s arm fall away from him. He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
“How are you feeling, dear? Do you hurt at all?” Ohno’s mother asked, “Are you tired?”
Nino blinked. He hadn’t, in fact, felt quite as rested as he did now in a very long time. He offered the woman a smile. “I’m ... I’m fine, thank you, ma’am.”
She smiled at him. “That’s wonderful to hear. When we get home we’ll have lunch, how’s that?”
“We can’t impose,” Jun started.
“Jun-kun, you know us by now. You’re never an imposition; we can’t have Ryuji spending all his time in my kitchen with nothing to show for it.” Ohno’s mother laughed. “We’ll all have lunch. Satoshi might even be back.”
Nino didn’t want to admit it, but the prospect had him suddenly looking forward to lunch.
------
Ohno wasn’t home when the carriage arrived, but he returned about half-way between the meal. It took Aiba’s hand on Nino’s knee to keep Nino from standing from his chair and falling to the floor in greeting.
“Satoshi, how was Saya-chan?” Ohno’s mother asked.
“She’s well. We went out to the lake in the gardens and had tea at the café by the palace. Ah, Jun-kun. I guess you finished shopping, ne?” Ohno asked, and smiled brightly when his eyes lit on Nino. “How was it?”
Nino looked to Jun and then Aiba in panic. Was Ohno really asking him? He cleared his throat softly and looked down at his plate. “I enjoyed it, thank you, Ohno-san. Your mother and Jun were very kind to me.”
“Did you get lots of things you liked?”
Nino nodded. They hadn’t let him get anything else.
“That’s good,” Ohno beamed and took the empty seat next to him. “Lunch smells wonderful.”
“Is that a subtle cue to call for some for you?” his mother asked, smiling.
The young man pouted. “You wouldn’t?”
His mother rolled her eyes, still smiling, and stood. She went to a box behind the chair where Ohno’s father normally sat, opening it and pulling on a chord within. Nino couldn’t hear anything, but he assumed some bell or other was rung in the kitchens. He was faintly surprised when Shun appeared in the doorway.
“Ma’am?”
“Could you ask Ryuji to put together one more plate for my son?”
Shun bowed his head and slipped off. Aiba nudged Nino, and pointed with his nose at the food that Nino hadn’t touched since Ohno’s entrance. Nino remembered then that there was, in fact, food still on the plate and picked up his fork to continue eating. Ohno always looked disappointed when Nino couldn’t finish everything, and he still usually couldn’t, but the noble looked less so if Nino managed to eat most of it.
“Did you bring anything home, or are they all being delivered?” Ohno asked.
“Delivered,” Jun said smoothly, as Nino nearly choked on a piece of meat in his haste to answer.
“Oh,” the noble pouted at his friend. “I was hoping to see. Like have a show of them.”
“It’ll only be a few days. You can wait until they’re delivered for a show.”
That was Jun’s ‘I’m exasperated with you but not really’ voice. Nino had become familiar with it over the course of their shopping, because the diplomat used it on Aiba all the time. It was easy to recognize because Nino had one of his own - Aiba’s energy and slightly idiotic questions and ideas seemed to require it. Nino wasn’t sure what about Ohno’s personality required that.
Except maybe his preoccupation when he was drawing. Or making things with clay. Or while eating. Or the way he might space out while somebody was talking, according to Aiba, which might be a problem for him at court sessions.
Okay, Nino admitted, so maybe Jun was right to have such a voice for him.
Shun appeared with the plate of lunch for Ohno. Ohno had barely finished thanking him before he was tucking into it, taking a noisy slurp of wine and nearly downing half the glass. He set the glass down with a sigh of appreciation and was back in his food. For the time being, they were clearly forgotten. Aiba chuckled and Jun rolled his eyes.
Nino couldn’t stop the fond smile that stole over his lips.
Aiba and Jun took their leave shortly after lunch, as did Ohno’s mother. Ohno’s parents were due at a friend’s house for dinner and evening entertainment, so Ohno’s mother excused herself to get ready and make sure Ohno’s father wasn’t caught up in another book.
Jun, from his own mouth, was up to his ass in papers - most of which were economic reports that had to be read, signed, and filed, or read and sent back for “revisions of stupidity”. The important information had to be collected into bullet-points to report to the King and his son so that proper actions could be taken, and Jun had to be there before the prince was so the prince didn’t get things out of their proper order. (Nino thought his head might explode just from the complication of Jun’s explanation, and tuned it out quickly.)
With the departure of everyone came a slightly awkward silence hanging over them, because Ohno was slightly tipsy after four glasses of wine, and Nino still didn’t know how he was supposed to deal with a sober Ohno, never mind a drunk one.
The older man confused Nino to no foreseeable end; he couldn’t for the life of him figure out what Ohno wanted from him. Half the time Nino thought the noble might want him, as a companion if not a bed-partner, because Ohno liked to check on him and touch him - whether brushing the hair from his face or simply touching him. But Ohno was just as quick to push Nino away when he tried to reciprocate in some way.
And now there was a fiancee, and if Ohno’s aversion to him was anything to go by, the fiancee was going to want Nino even less. So where would he go then? He was pretty sure that Ohno’s parents didn’t know what he’d done in the past, or at least not all of it. They likely expected him to know how to live on his own - and he couldn’t continue to impose.
Nino sighed and steeled himself to the idea that soon he would be looking for a new place, anyone to take him in. Maybe he could appeal to the king for help. Or Jun. Maybe Jun wouldn’t mind helping him find some other way to live.
“Neee,” Ohno drawled suddenly.
Nino looked over, swallowing when he came much closer to Ohno’s face than he’d intended to. “Oh - Ohno-san?”
The noble smiled crookedly at the boy, doing a fair impression of a frightened doe. The corners of his eyes wrinkled and he reached out to touch Nino’s cheek. “You’re so cute.”
Nino blinked. “Sorry?”
“You’re cute!” Ohno said happily, “Hasn’t anybody ever told you?”
Nino caught his bottom lip between his teeth and shook his head; reflecting after he’d done so that Aiba had told him that repeatedly over the years. Ohno cooed and leaned over, pressing a slightly sloppy kiss to Nino’s lips. Nino froze, but the kiss was so chaste and brief he didn’t even have time to be worried about it. Ohno sat back, still smiling at him, and stretched, groaning loudly.
“That was a good meal. I think I’m going to paint.”
Nino pressed his fingers to his lips and watched Ohno disappear out the door.
------
Nino’s clothes arrived a week later, in boxes and ribbons and colorful papers that Nino knew meant ‘presents’. (His brow furrowed when he saw them, because presents only ever went to the master of the house, but Ohno’s mother was grinning at him and he couldn’t find it in him to protest.)
During that week Nino hadn’t been invited to go back into the city, because Nino started sniffling the day after he’d gone shopping. Ohno had almost frantically insisted on calling Yamashita; a request denied with fondly rolling eyes from Ohno’s mother.
“He’s just caught sniffles, dear,” she’d said, holding out a spoonful of some liquid concoction that smelled strange, “You used to get them all the time. Here, dear, drink this.”
Nino had eyed the liquid dubiously.
“I was six!”
“And he’s not used to our weather, right, dear? I know it gets chilly there, but we get snow.”
“Snow?” Nino had asked, blinking, “What’s that?”
“See?” She’d turned back to Nino and pressed the spoon to his lips. “Drink it, please. It’s not the most pleasant taste, I know, but it’ll help.”
Nino had sighed and accepted the liquid, swallowing it quickly and making a face.
Ohno’s mother had laughed and kissed his forehead. “There, all done. Tell me if you’re still sniffling later and I’ll make you some tea. You should stay home and warm until they’re gone, but if you like the back garden is always open.”
Nino had just smiled thankfully at her. He had missed the slightly wistful look Ohno gave him.
Nino was still sniffling a little when the doorbell rang, sitting in the drawing room on a sun-lit couch and plucking chords absently on the guitar which had somehow become his. He looked up, put the instrument down, and padded curiously to the drawing room door. Leader was at the front door, armed with his feather duster, before either Shun or Tabe-chan could make it; Shun coming to a stop on the stairs and Tabe-chan sticking her head out of the dining room curiously.
“Delivery for Ohno-sama,” said the man on the steps, a paper held out in front of him and a stack of boxes waiting by his side.
Leader took the paper and waved his feather duster at Shun, motioning for the younger man to help him with the boxes. He went to the mansion-communication system in the front hall and disappeared inside it for a moment. Ohno’s parents appeared in the foyer moments later. Ohno’s mother was smiling.
“Excellent, they’ve come,” she said. She spotted Nino’s head in the drawing room doorway and motioned for him to come forward. “We’ll get these to your room and you can try them on. My son is probably lost in his art. Tabe-chan, would you fetch him?”
The girl curtsied and shuffled up the stairs. Leader pulled out a long coat from a long, thin box, and a pair of boots from a matching, though slightly smaller one. He put the garments in the front closet before Nino really had a chance to look at them. Nino was ushered to his room by Ohno’s mother before he could mention it.
“I want to see them, too,” she confided in a loud whisper, grinning.
Tabe-chan and Ohno appeared in moments later, as Shun helped Nino into a shirt that fastened via a system of toggles and Ohno’s mother fussed out the wrinkles. Tabe-chan took one look at Nino’s bare shoulder and colored a bright red, leaving quickly.
The noble laughed at the look on Nino’s face. “The things done for fashion.”
“It’s a comfortable shirt,” Nino said quickly.
Ohno perched on Nino’s bed, smiling. “I’m sure it is. Doesn’t mean the design isn’t silly.”
Nino offered the noble a crooked smile, and let Shun undress him. He took a much less designed shirt from the servant and slipped into it, making sure it fit. The servant grabbed an armful of empty boxes and slipped out the door with them.
“Would you like to go out?” Ohno asked suddenly.
“Eh? Out?”
“Yes, out. Outside. We can go together; it’s nice out, and it’s not too cold today. Now that you’ve got warm clothes, I think you’re okay for a short trip close by, if you’d like. You must be bored with this place by now.”
Nino stared at him, blinking. “Are you taking me for a walk?”
Ohno sighed internally. Someday, he vowed silently, he would get Nino to think of himself as a human. But right now he was going to take Nino out, and he didn’t want the other to draw back into his shell. “If you want to think of it like that,” he said agreeably, “It’s still chilly, so layer a little, just incase. I’ll get your coat. Take your time. We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready.”
“Okay,” Nino said slowly.
Ohno waited a few seconds before heading to the front closet and pulling out his coat. There was a smaller one there for Nino, which he remembered his mother talking about. He was looking forward to seeing how the boy received it and looked in it. The front door opened, and Ohno paused. Leader answered it before Shun even had a chance to come down from the second floor; he sounded slightly baffled by the visitor, which meant only one thing: Saya had come.
Ohno stepped out of the closet to relieve the poor man. “Saya-chan.”
“Ohno-kun!” she chirped, “I’m so glad you’re in. It feels like ages since I’ve been here.”
Ohno smiled, but couldn’t think of anything to say. His smile faded quickly. He’d always had problems with polite, meaningless chat, but now there was Nino. He flicked a glance to the stairs, where he knew the boy would be coming down soon, and felt a flash of anxiety. What would Saya think?
“Ohno-kun? Is something wrong?”
“Hm? Oh, no, nothing,” Ohno said, smiling again, “How have you been?”
“I’ve been well, but I haven’t seen you in weeks,” Saya said, pouting.
“I was just at your house a week ago, Saya-chan.”
“But it’s been so long since you went abroad! One visit isn’t enough.”
There were quiet footsteps overhead, coming towards the stairs. Ohno felt the anxiety clench his lungs, stealing away his breath. Nino would be there soon. Saya was just about to say something else when the boy made his appearance at the top of the stairs.
“Ohno-sa - ” Nino paused, eyes wide when he saw Saya. “-n,” he finished lamely.
“Haaaa,” Saya whined, “Ohno, who is he? Have you been avoiding me for him?”
“This is my cousin,” Ohno said smoothly, ignoring her second question, “Ninomiya. We call him Nino.”
Saya looked Nino up and down quickly, and Ohno could see the moment she dismissed him. He felt a flash of anger at the quick judgement, but said nothing. What could he say? Nino wouldn’t stand up for himself, but he also would panic if Ohno tried to fight his battle for him. Saya turned back to Ohno, and her voice was just loud enough for Nino to hear her.
“Will he be here long?”
“His family is gone and he is recovering from injuries,” the noble said, his voice firm and just a little angry, “He’ll be here as long as he needs to be.”
Saya put a hand over her mouth. “Yes, of course. I didn’t realize.”
“ ... Please don’t worry about me,” Nino said quietly, “I’ll be out of your way,”
And he was gone from the room with a quick smile and eyes averted to the floors. He was hurt. Ohno watched the boy leave with a pang of regret. But Saya’s robe rustled and he looked back to her, holding his arm out automatically.
“Shall we go?”
Saya threaded her arm through his, smiling. “Where to?”
“Perhaps we could walk a bit?” Ohno asked. Unbidden, Nino’s face sprang to mind, the cautious pleasure of his expression when Ohno’d suggested the walk in clear detail. He forced the image away. “It’s a lovely day.”
“Of course.”
Pairing: Matsuba and hinted one-sided Ohmiya
Rating: PG
Word Count: 5943
Notes: You guys remember this ... right? Sorry to the wait: life has been kicking my ass quite hard lately, and will probably continue to do so until mid-June. Last term of college and graduation, you see. Anyway. I thought Sho was going to make his appearance in this chapter, but it's actually in the next. Yes, I promise, Sho really is going to play a part in this. Once again, self-betaed.
Previous Chapters
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
“All right, Tottchi-boy,” Ueda said, coming up behind the chair he’d been keeping Toma bound to, more because he could than out of any real need. “You’ve been looking pale lately, so we’re going for a walk. To the palace, even - aren’t you excited?”
Toma glared balefully at the man from over the entirely unnecessary gag. It wasn’t like he’d been loud: He hadn’t spoken at all since he’d been assigned to this man. Ueda smirked at him, releasing the gag’s clasp. Toma just looked up at him sullenly.
“Awww, what’s wrong little boy? Cat got your tongue?”
Toma didn’t answer, staring blankly at Ueda. Ueda frowned, and less than a blink’s time later he slapped Toma’s right cheek; hard enough that Toma’s whole head snapped to the side. The Pet made no sound. Ueda straddled the Pet’s lap and brought Toma’s head to rest on his shoulder.
“I know, you miss your friends, don’t you?” Ueda cooed. “Well, Ami’s gone. I don’t know how he got away, but I suspect it involved a large rock tied to his legs and the lake. That idiot couldn’t have hid himself this long. So we’ll have a nice long walk, and we’ll see how often that one blond comes for whatever it is he does at the palace, and you just try not to die of cold. It’s getting nippy out there.”
Ueda stood and slipped into the warm coat he’d bought for himself. He’d bought a cheaper coat for Toma - the disparity between the two wasn’t so great that it would look strange for them to be seen together, and he couldn’t have the Pet dying on him. He grasped the tail of the knot that formed Toma’s bonds, and the whole thing came undone quickly. He threw the coat at Toma.
“Put it on. I haven’t got all day.”
A few hours later, Ueda snorted in mild disdain and decided that he really had to stop expecting sense from the Borderlands. What sort of idiots gave tours of the royal residence to the common people? To foreign visitors, even?
The tours might have been at regulated hours and with restricted access, but someone like Kitagawa would never have stood for such presumption. On the other hand, it was going to be a nice chance to get out of the cold, and he needed to see if he could find something of other interest for Kitagawa. Without waiting to see if Toma was ready for it, the assassin abruptly turned. He pulled Toma along behind him and joined the group just going into the entry hall of the palace.
They were all the way by the meeting hall when Ueda stilled. His eyes caught sight of something very familiar. Two heads of dark hair, one very tall and the other a little shorter, walking sedately down a hall where the tour group was not allowed to go. The taller of the men wore a very familiar uniform.
“I think we found our dignitary,” Ueda said under his breath, starting to turn away and shoving Toma in front of him.
But Toma stopped dead. Coming down from the other end of a hall - indeed, practically bounding around a corner in the hallway - was a very familiar face with a very familiar loud voice. Toma stopped breathing, shooting a wide-eyed glance at Ueda.
But Ueda wasn’t looking back at him. Toma could see the wheels turning behind the assassin’s eyes. It took a minute for Ueda to configure the new information, and then his lips curved up in to a smile just short of sinister. The boy took hold of Toma’s arm and led him roughly but casually back to the tour group.
“I think I just got myself a bonus,” Ueda sing-songed. “And what a nice one it will be.”
------
“You can wear one of my coats. It’s getting cold,” Ohno explained, as he helped Nino on the stairs. “Wait here, I’ll get it.”
“Thank you, Ohno-sama,” Nino said quietly.
This, at least, he could understand. He’d worn a muffler that belonged to the Young Master a few times, when he was younger and would go to fairs with the girl Pet and Julie. It had kept people away from him, like the other Pets who had been designated as property by their articles of clothing.
Maybe, he allowed himself to hope, it meant that Ohno really was going to keep him.
Ohno disappeared, leaving Nino standing by the landing of the stairs. He reappeared moments later wearing a coat and holding a second, which he held out for Nino. The Pet slipped his arms into it - so Ohno was one who liked to dress up their Pets. Julie had been like that. She’d liked to brush his hair, too. Nino wondered if Ohno would do that.
Once he had Nino closed into the long coat, Ohno nearly giggled. Nino’s hair had an endearing quality of constantly falling into his eyes - the effect being to make him look much younger than he probably was. The noble brushed the stray strands of hair out of the boy’s eyes and smiled, then took Nino’s hand and led him to the back doors. He led the boy through the solarium and down the steps into their gardens.
“Do you want to go on the path?”
“If you like, Ohno-sama,” Nino said quietly.
Ohno sighed softly. “All right. We’ll keep to the grounds here, incase you feel tired, okay?”
When Nino nodded, Ohno started leading the boy towards an area of iron wrought chairs, so they could walk, but be near to a seat if Nino felt tired. Nino allowed himself to be led, looking around at the garden instead. The grass was still surprisingly soft under his feet. The fresh air was crisp and the sun was soothing on his skin. He paused, wiggling his toes in the grass.
Ohno stopped immediately, turning almost anxiously to him. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, thank you, Ohno-sama.”
“Nino ... You really don’t have to call me that.”
“I’m sorry?”
“That ... that suffix. I’m just Ohno.”
“But - ”
“I’m not your master,” Ohno said quickly. Nino looked about to protest, so he dropped the boy’s hand and whirled on him, grabbing his shoulders. “No, listen to me, Nino. I’m not your master. Okay? You have no master here. Just yourself. You don’t answer to me, or to anyone but yourself. You don’t do here what you did there. We don’t want it.”
He hadn’t meant to say all that and it had come out all wrong. Ohno could see it in the way Nino’s eyes shuttered, and he opened his mouth to apologize, but Nino just smiled vaguely. “I see. I’m sorry to have made you uncomfortable.”
Ohno wanted to protest, because, yes it made him uncomfortable, but that wasn’t the point, but the boy cut him off. “May I go back inside now? I’m a little tired.”
“Are you all right?” Ohno asked immediately.
“Yes. Just tired.”
Ohno nodded and reached for Nino’s hand. He tried to dismiss the pang of hurt when Nino didn’t take his own right away, and by the time they reached the solarium had almost convinced himself that it didn’t matter.
------
The next day saw things as they had been since Nino had arrived. Ohno poked his head into the boy’s room - Nino still wouldn’t come down on his own if he woke before others did - and noticed that Nino was indeed awake. He knocked on the door frame even as he entered.
Either Nino didn’t hold grudges, or Ohno was projecting feelings for him, because Nino greeted Ohno as happily as he greeted anyone - with that shy, tentative little smile of his. “Good morning, Ohno-sam - san.”
Though he half-wondered if Nino was trying the lesser suffix to please him, Ohno preferred to think that Nino was getting more comfortable with his new status as a person. He couldn’t help but smile. “Morning, Nino. Mother wants to take you shopping.”
Nino blinked at the sudden pronouncement. “... Shopping, Ohno-san?”
“Yes,” Ohno nodded, perching on the edge of Nino’s bed. He took a fold of cloth between two fingers and flapped it. “Clothes shopping. All you’ve got are old clothes of mine. You’ll be in a carriage mostly, and you can return at any time once we’ve got your measurements.”
“You’re ... buying me clothes?”
“Well, mother is. She doesn’t think it’s fair that you have to wear hand-me-downs.”
Nino grabbed the hem of the sleeping shirt he wore, turning his eyes to it and trying not to fidget. Was it Ohno’s way of telling Nino that it was no hard thing for Ohno to let go of him? Was Ohno trying to break from him? Was he so upset by Nino that he had to? The thought was horrifying.
“They’re more than enough, Ohno-san,” Nino said quietly.
The noble seemed completely oblivious to Nino’s growing anxiety, smiling calmly. “It’s nothing, really, Nino. Mother wants to do this. She also mentioned that Jun-kun might come - he likes shopping, see, and he’s got very good taste. He’ll bring Aiba if you’d like. Aiba’s getting restless in the palace, apparently.”
“He hasn’t upset anybody, has he?” Nino asked, forgetting to be worried about Ohno trying to get rid of him in light of the building scare that Aiba might be in trouble. “Nobody’s ... angry with him?”
“Of course not,” Ohno said, laughing, “Jun-kun might pretend to complain, but it’s hard to take him seriously when he can’t stop grinning at the mention of Aiba’s name.”
Nino relaxed immediately, smiling a little. “Aiba’s like that.”
The boy’s whole being radiated ‘fondness’ at the mere thought of Aiba, and Ohno found himself holding back a stab of jealousy. Of course Nino would be fond of his friend. The noble forced himself to smile. “Would you like Aiba to come, then?”
“Come where, Ohno-san?”
“Shopping, silly. What else have we been talking about?”
“Oh. Yes, thank you,” Nino said, blushing faintly. “I would like him to come, if he can.”
Ohno smiled and touched the tips of his fingers to one blushing cheek gently, murmuring, “How cute.” He realized what he was doing a second later when the blush grew deeper and snatched his hand away, looking off to the side. “Sorry. Of course Aiba can come. I’ll let Jun know. Mother wants to take you out as soon as you feel ready.”
“I can go today if your mother would like to.”
Ohno sighed, turning back to Nino. “You’re still missing that whole part where we want you to get better, Nino.” He smiled, a little sadly. “If you don’t feel like you can make it through a day of shopping then you don’t have to go.”
“I’m fine,” Nino said, only a little heatedly, “I - I would like to see the city, too, Ohno-san.”
Ohno smiled. “All right. I’ll tell her and send for Jun.”
“You’re - ”
“I’m glad they can keep you company,” the noble continued, as though he hadn’t heard Nino. “I’ve got a date at Saya-chan’s house. I’ve kept her waiting for too long.”
“... Who is ‘Saya’, Ohno-san?”
“My fiancee,” Ohno said, “I haven’t seen her since we got back. I’ll see you when you return.”
“Yes, of course,” Nino said faintly, “Have a wonderful day with her.”
“Thank you. I’m sure I will,” the noble said. He stood and stretched. “I’ll go get mother.”
He didn’t wait for Nino to say anything before he left, and Nino didn’t have anything to say.
------
Jun was all but forgotten for a brief few moments when the carriage pulled up in the driveway of Ohno’s mansion, because Aiba was focused solely on reaching Nino’s room. Aiba’s grin was practically blinding as he bounded into the room. His hug was nearly crushing in its enthusiasm when he grabbed the younger boy from behind.
“Nino! You look so much better!” he said giddily, “Are you ready to go shopping?”
“Let him breathe, you dolt,” said Jun’s voice, “or we’ll never get anywhere.”
Had the voice belonged to anyone but Jun, and had the affection not been so poorly hidden, Nino might have tensed in preparation to be punished. But the voice did belong to the young diplomat, and the affection Jun had for Aiba was practically dripping from his tone, and Nino couldn’t help but smile. He could feel Aiba’s body shift against his as the taller boy turned to face Jun. Nino craned his head to watch.
“Juuuuun,” Aiba pouted, “He can so breathe.” Aiba turned wide eyes to Nino. “Can’t you?”
Nino smiled softly at him. “I could breathe better if you let go,” he teased.
“See? He agrees,” Jun said, chuckling. “I told you I’m always right.”
Aiba pouted back and forth between the two, and Nino smiled, knowing he should really leave the warmth of Aiba’s arms, but not wanting to. He was getting used to it as the days went by, but it was still strange not having Aiba there when he went to sleep or woke up. Aiba let go of Nino reluctantly and went back to Jun.
The diplomat wrapped one arm around Aiba’s waist and held out a hand to Nino. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better, thank you Jun-sama,” Nino said quietly.
He walked towards the noble slowly, eyes flicking over Aiba’s face. Aiba just smiled at him. Nino relaxed. Jun was trying to be friendly, then. He really was treating Aiba like a human, it seemed, as the older boy had always insisted some people would. The thought was a nice one. Nino took Jun’s hand - the young man clasped it and smiled.
“I’m glad to hear that ... We were worried about you,” he said softly.
“I’m sorry to have caused you trouble,” Nino said quickly, looking away
Jun let go of Nino’s hand, cupping Nino’s cheek and turning the smaller boy’s head gently but firmly to him. He locked eyes with Nino, noting absently the faint but growing panic. He sighed internally. Those people really had scarred him.
“It was I who caused you trouble,” Jun said, allowing no room for argument. “I asked Aiba to come with me. I stole him, I didn’t even think not to, and you bore the punishment for that. It’s my fault you were hurt. I’m so sorry.”
Nino stared at Jun, eyes wide with confusion. He looked to Aiba for some sort of cue. What on earth was the noble talking about? It was only natural that the Pet took the punishment to save the master - didn’t Jun know that?
“Let’s go now, okay?” Aiba asked, smiling crookedly at Jun and then Nino, “If we don’t Nino might fall asleep on us again.”
“Aiba! I will not!” Nino sputtered, “I just woke up!”
Jun rolled his eyes, but he smiled. “All right. We’ll get Ohno’s mother and head out.”
------
Ohno dropped down from the carriage and looked up at the rather mansion that belonged to his fiancee’s family. He’d always thought it rather imposing, but after his trip to the
Eastlands it seemed much smaller and more open. He turned back to Taichi and the driver.
“Could you wait here? I want to ask Saya-chan if she’d like to go out, so I don’t think we’ll be in the house very long.”
Taichi saluted and the driver touched his fingers to his cap. Ohno smiled. He stepped up to the door of Saya’s mansion and knocked twice. A moment later, the door was opened by their butler, who’s eyes swept over Ohno’s face perfunctorily. Ohno could see the moment that the recognition clicked in the elderly man’s eyes, and the butler smiled.
“Ohno-sama, how good of you to come by.”
“Thank you. Is Saya in?”
“She is. Please, come in.”
The man stepped aside and Ohno walked into the foyer slowly, cleaning his shoes meticulously on the entry mat. The door was closed behind him and the butler went quickly to the door that opened into the drawing room.
“Please wait here a moment. I’ll let the Young Miss know you’ve come to call.”
“Thank you,” Ohno said.
The elderly man bowed and disappeared up the stairs. Ohno took a seat in the drawing room, sitting in the only chair he’d ever felt comfortable in. It was an older-looking easy chair situated in a corner by the door. It managed to compliment the rest of the much newer, much more ornate, and much less comfortable furniture that graced the room despite being older.
Ohno sometimes got the feeling the family only kept it because he used it.
There were shuffling footsteps overhead, and quick taps on the stairs, and Ohno knew that Saya was coming down. Sure enough, a few seconds later the girl burst into the drawing room, a wide smile on her beautiful face. Ohno smiled and stood.
“Ohno-kun!” Saya said happily, coming to Ohno and nearly flinging herself into his arms.
Ohno caught her and held her close for a moment. If she noticed that he let go of her long before he would have previous to his visit to the Eastlands, she said nothing. Ohno himself certainly hadn’t.
“It’s been ages!” Saya started excitedly. “I tried to see you when I heard you were first returned, but your butler kept turning me away. He said something about turmoil, but the house was quiet.”
Ohno smiled and brushed some of her hair out of her face. This was what he’d missed. Her soft curves in his arms, her sweet smelling hair tickling his nose. He’d been wrong to look at Nino. He would just have to make it up to her.
“I’m sorry it’s been so long,” he said, “I caught a bit of a cold coming back from the Eastlands and I didn’t want anyone to catch it. Shun always thinks illness is turmoil.”
The lie was out of his mouth before Ohno even had time to think. Saya couldn’t know that he’d ignored her in favor of an injured human who was now his. She couldn’t know that he’d bought that injured human. Been given him. Whatever. She wouldn’t understand it.
“Just like you, Ohno-kun,” Saya said, smiling. “Shall we go out, then?”
‘Out’ meaning shopping. Or a very expensive lunch.
Ohno smiled, and hoped he looked as enthusiastic as he meant to. “That sounds wonderful.”
------
Nino was thoroughly exhausted by the time he returned to Ohno’s mansion with Ohno’s mother. He’d been dozing off on Aiba’s shoulder since they’d left the last store Jun had insisted on, and he wasn’t entirely aware of where they were. He would still have to wait for the clothes to come - Ohno hadn’t been lying when he’d said that it was a case of measurements to be taken.
Nino sighed, waking a little as the carriage went over a bump in the cobbled road. Aiba’s arm wrapped tightly around him and kept him upright.
“Poor dear. He looks so tired,” Ohno’s mother said softly.
“I don’t think I’m entirely surprised,” said Jun quietly, “Ohno said that he’s been pushing himself.”
“‘Pushing himself’?” the woman echoed, surprised.
“To get better,” the dignitary clarified. “Ohno seems to think that Nino thinks he’ll be turned out if he doesn’t get better immediately.”
Aiba’s hand came up to start carding through Nino’s hair. Nino shifted against the taller boy, the slightest touch to Aiba’s leg letting Aiba know that he was awake. Aiba just placed a small kiss on the top of Nino’s head. Stay still, don’t interrupt.
“That’s utter nonsense!” Ohno’s mother said. “He’ll stay as long as he wishes to.”
Aiba’s arm tightened around Nino’s chest and his fingers tapped the top of Nino’s skull. See? I told you. Nino relaxed into Aiba’s arms again. Maybe. He fluttered his eyes and made a sleepy noise to indicate that he was awake, incase Jun or Ohno’s mother needed something from him.
“Oh, Nino-kun. Awake?”
Nino sat up, though he didn’t let Aiba’s arm fall away from him. He nodded. “Yes, ma’am.”
“How are you feeling, dear? Do you hurt at all?” Ohno’s mother asked, “Are you tired?”
Nino blinked. He hadn’t, in fact, felt quite as rested as he did now in a very long time. He offered the woman a smile. “I’m ... I’m fine, thank you, ma’am.”
She smiled at him. “That’s wonderful to hear. When we get home we’ll have lunch, how’s that?”
“We can’t impose,” Jun started.
“Jun-kun, you know us by now. You’re never an imposition; we can’t have Ryuji spending all his time in my kitchen with nothing to show for it.” Ohno’s mother laughed. “We’ll all have lunch. Satoshi might even be back.”
Nino didn’t want to admit it, but the prospect had him suddenly looking forward to lunch.
------
Ohno wasn’t home when the carriage arrived, but he returned about half-way between the meal. It took Aiba’s hand on Nino’s knee to keep Nino from standing from his chair and falling to the floor in greeting.
“Satoshi, how was Saya-chan?” Ohno’s mother asked.
“She’s well. We went out to the lake in the gardens and had tea at the café by the palace. Ah, Jun-kun. I guess you finished shopping, ne?” Ohno asked, and smiled brightly when his eyes lit on Nino. “How was it?”
Nino looked to Jun and then Aiba in panic. Was Ohno really asking him? He cleared his throat softly and looked down at his plate. “I enjoyed it, thank you, Ohno-san. Your mother and Jun were very kind to me.”
“Did you get lots of things you liked?”
Nino nodded. They hadn’t let him get anything else.
“That’s good,” Ohno beamed and took the empty seat next to him. “Lunch smells wonderful.”
“Is that a subtle cue to call for some for you?” his mother asked, smiling.
The young man pouted. “You wouldn’t?”
His mother rolled her eyes, still smiling, and stood. She went to a box behind the chair where Ohno’s father normally sat, opening it and pulling on a chord within. Nino couldn’t hear anything, but he assumed some bell or other was rung in the kitchens. He was faintly surprised when Shun appeared in the doorway.
“Ma’am?”
“Could you ask Ryuji to put together one more plate for my son?”
Shun bowed his head and slipped off. Aiba nudged Nino, and pointed with his nose at the food that Nino hadn’t touched since Ohno’s entrance. Nino remembered then that there was, in fact, food still on the plate and picked up his fork to continue eating. Ohno always looked disappointed when Nino couldn’t finish everything, and he still usually couldn’t, but the noble looked less so if Nino managed to eat most of it.
“Did you bring anything home, or are they all being delivered?” Ohno asked.
“Delivered,” Jun said smoothly, as Nino nearly choked on a piece of meat in his haste to answer.
“Oh,” the noble pouted at his friend. “I was hoping to see. Like have a show of them.”
“It’ll only be a few days. You can wait until they’re delivered for a show.”
That was Jun’s ‘I’m exasperated with you but not really’ voice. Nino had become familiar with it over the course of their shopping, because the diplomat used it on Aiba all the time. It was easy to recognize because Nino had one of his own - Aiba’s energy and slightly idiotic questions and ideas seemed to require it. Nino wasn’t sure what about Ohno’s personality required that.
Except maybe his preoccupation when he was drawing. Or making things with clay. Or while eating. Or the way he might space out while somebody was talking, according to Aiba, which might be a problem for him at court sessions.
Okay, Nino admitted, so maybe Jun was right to have such a voice for him.
Shun appeared with the plate of lunch for Ohno. Ohno had barely finished thanking him before he was tucking into it, taking a noisy slurp of wine and nearly downing half the glass. He set the glass down with a sigh of appreciation and was back in his food. For the time being, they were clearly forgotten. Aiba chuckled and Jun rolled his eyes.
Nino couldn’t stop the fond smile that stole over his lips.
Aiba and Jun took their leave shortly after lunch, as did Ohno’s mother. Ohno’s parents were due at a friend’s house for dinner and evening entertainment, so Ohno’s mother excused herself to get ready and make sure Ohno’s father wasn’t caught up in another book.
Jun, from his own mouth, was up to his ass in papers - most of which were economic reports that had to be read, signed, and filed, or read and sent back for “revisions of stupidity”. The important information had to be collected into bullet-points to report to the King and his son so that proper actions could be taken, and Jun had to be there before the prince was so the prince didn’t get things out of their proper order. (Nino thought his head might explode just from the complication of Jun’s explanation, and tuned it out quickly.)
With the departure of everyone came a slightly awkward silence hanging over them, because Ohno was slightly tipsy after four glasses of wine, and Nino still didn’t know how he was supposed to deal with a sober Ohno, never mind a drunk one.
The older man confused Nino to no foreseeable end; he couldn’t for the life of him figure out what Ohno wanted from him. Half the time Nino thought the noble might want him, as a companion if not a bed-partner, because Ohno liked to check on him and touch him - whether brushing the hair from his face or simply touching him. But Ohno was just as quick to push Nino away when he tried to reciprocate in some way.
And now there was a fiancee, and if Ohno’s aversion to him was anything to go by, the fiancee was going to want Nino even less. So where would he go then? He was pretty sure that Ohno’s parents didn’t know what he’d done in the past, or at least not all of it. They likely expected him to know how to live on his own - and he couldn’t continue to impose.
Nino sighed and steeled himself to the idea that soon he would be looking for a new place, anyone to take him in. Maybe he could appeal to the king for help. Or Jun. Maybe Jun wouldn’t mind helping him find some other way to live.
“Neee,” Ohno drawled suddenly.
Nino looked over, swallowing when he came much closer to Ohno’s face than he’d intended to. “Oh - Ohno-san?”
The noble smiled crookedly at the boy, doing a fair impression of a frightened doe. The corners of his eyes wrinkled and he reached out to touch Nino’s cheek. “You’re so cute.”
Nino blinked. “Sorry?”
“You’re cute!” Ohno said happily, “Hasn’t anybody ever told you?”
Nino caught his bottom lip between his teeth and shook his head; reflecting after he’d done so that Aiba had told him that repeatedly over the years. Ohno cooed and leaned over, pressing a slightly sloppy kiss to Nino’s lips. Nino froze, but the kiss was so chaste and brief he didn’t even have time to be worried about it. Ohno sat back, still smiling at him, and stretched, groaning loudly.
“That was a good meal. I think I’m going to paint.”
Nino pressed his fingers to his lips and watched Ohno disappear out the door.
------
Nino’s clothes arrived a week later, in boxes and ribbons and colorful papers that Nino knew meant ‘presents’. (His brow furrowed when he saw them, because presents only ever went to the master of the house, but Ohno’s mother was grinning at him and he couldn’t find it in him to protest.)
During that week Nino hadn’t been invited to go back into the city, because Nino started sniffling the day after he’d gone shopping. Ohno had almost frantically insisted on calling Yamashita; a request denied with fondly rolling eyes from Ohno’s mother.
“He’s just caught sniffles, dear,” she’d said, holding out a spoonful of some liquid concoction that smelled strange, “You used to get them all the time. Here, dear, drink this.”
Nino had eyed the liquid dubiously.
“I was six!”
“And he’s not used to our weather, right, dear? I know it gets chilly there, but we get snow.”
“Snow?” Nino had asked, blinking, “What’s that?”
“See?” She’d turned back to Nino and pressed the spoon to his lips. “Drink it, please. It’s not the most pleasant taste, I know, but it’ll help.”
Nino had sighed and accepted the liquid, swallowing it quickly and making a face.
Ohno’s mother had laughed and kissed his forehead. “There, all done. Tell me if you’re still sniffling later and I’ll make you some tea. You should stay home and warm until they’re gone, but if you like the back garden is always open.”
Nino had just smiled thankfully at her. He had missed the slightly wistful look Ohno gave him.
Nino was still sniffling a little when the doorbell rang, sitting in the drawing room on a sun-lit couch and plucking chords absently on the guitar which had somehow become his. He looked up, put the instrument down, and padded curiously to the drawing room door. Leader was at the front door, armed with his feather duster, before either Shun or Tabe-chan could make it; Shun coming to a stop on the stairs and Tabe-chan sticking her head out of the dining room curiously.
“Delivery for Ohno-sama,” said the man on the steps, a paper held out in front of him and a stack of boxes waiting by his side.
Leader took the paper and waved his feather duster at Shun, motioning for the younger man to help him with the boxes. He went to the mansion-communication system in the front hall and disappeared inside it for a moment. Ohno’s parents appeared in the foyer moments later. Ohno’s mother was smiling.
“Excellent, they’ve come,” she said. She spotted Nino’s head in the drawing room doorway and motioned for him to come forward. “We’ll get these to your room and you can try them on. My son is probably lost in his art. Tabe-chan, would you fetch him?”
The girl curtsied and shuffled up the stairs. Leader pulled out a long coat from a long, thin box, and a pair of boots from a matching, though slightly smaller one. He put the garments in the front closet before Nino really had a chance to look at them. Nino was ushered to his room by Ohno’s mother before he could mention it.
“I want to see them, too,” she confided in a loud whisper, grinning.
Tabe-chan and Ohno appeared in moments later, as Shun helped Nino into a shirt that fastened via a system of toggles and Ohno’s mother fussed out the wrinkles. Tabe-chan took one look at Nino’s bare shoulder and colored a bright red, leaving quickly.
The noble laughed at the look on Nino’s face. “The things done for fashion.”
“It’s a comfortable shirt,” Nino said quickly.
Ohno perched on Nino’s bed, smiling. “I’m sure it is. Doesn’t mean the design isn’t silly.”
Nino offered the noble a crooked smile, and let Shun undress him. He took a much less designed shirt from the servant and slipped into it, making sure it fit. The servant grabbed an armful of empty boxes and slipped out the door with them.
“Would you like to go out?” Ohno asked suddenly.
“Eh? Out?”
“Yes, out. Outside. We can go together; it’s nice out, and it’s not too cold today. Now that you’ve got warm clothes, I think you’re okay for a short trip close by, if you’d like. You must be bored with this place by now.”
Nino stared at him, blinking. “Are you taking me for a walk?”
Ohno sighed internally. Someday, he vowed silently, he would get Nino to think of himself as a human. But right now he was going to take Nino out, and he didn’t want the other to draw back into his shell. “If you want to think of it like that,” he said agreeably, “It’s still chilly, so layer a little, just incase. I’ll get your coat. Take your time. We’ll leave as soon as you’re ready.”
“Okay,” Nino said slowly.
Ohno waited a few seconds before heading to the front closet and pulling out his coat. There was a smaller one there for Nino, which he remembered his mother talking about. He was looking forward to seeing how the boy received it and looked in it. The front door opened, and Ohno paused. Leader answered it before Shun even had a chance to come down from the second floor; he sounded slightly baffled by the visitor, which meant only one thing: Saya had come.
Ohno stepped out of the closet to relieve the poor man. “Saya-chan.”
“Ohno-kun!” she chirped, “I’m so glad you’re in. It feels like ages since I’ve been here.”
Ohno smiled, but couldn’t think of anything to say. His smile faded quickly. He’d always had problems with polite, meaningless chat, but now there was Nino. He flicked a glance to the stairs, where he knew the boy would be coming down soon, and felt a flash of anxiety. What would Saya think?
“Ohno-kun? Is something wrong?”
“Hm? Oh, no, nothing,” Ohno said, smiling again, “How have you been?”
“I’ve been well, but I haven’t seen you in weeks,” Saya said, pouting.
“I was just at your house a week ago, Saya-chan.”
“But it’s been so long since you went abroad! One visit isn’t enough.”
There were quiet footsteps overhead, coming towards the stairs. Ohno felt the anxiety clench his lungs, stealing away his breath. Nino would be there soon. Saya was just about to say something else when the boy made his appearance at the top of the stairs.
“Ohno-sa - ” Nino paused, eyes wide when he saw Saya. “-n,” he finished lamely.
“Haaaa,” Saya whined, “Ohno, who is he? Have you been avoiding me for him?”
“This is my cousin,” Ohno said smoothly, ignoring her second question, “Ninomiya. We call him Nino.”
Saya looked Nino up and down quickly, and Ohno could see the moment she dismissed him. He felt a flash of anger at the quick judgement, but said nothing. What could he say? Nino wouldn’t stand up for himself, but he also would panic if Ohno tried to fight his battle for him. Saya turned back to Ohno, and her voice was just loud enough for Nino to hear her.
“Will he be here long?”
“His family is gone and he is recovering from injuries,” the noble said, his voice firm and just a little angry, “He’ll be here as long as he needs to be.”
Saya put a hand over her mouth. “Yes, of course. I didn’t realize.”
“ ... Please don’t worry about me,” Nino said quietly, “I’ll be out of your way,”
And he was gone from the room with a quick smile and eyes averted to the floors. He was hurt. Ohno watched the boy leave with a pang of regret. But Saya’s robe rustled and he looked back to her, holding his arm out automatically.
“Shall we go?”
Saya threaded her arm through his, smiling. “Where to?”
“Perhaps we could walk a bit?” Ohno asked. Unbidden, Nino’s face sprang to mind, the cautious pleasure of his expression when Ohno’d suggested the walk in clear detail. He forced the image away. “It’s a lovely day.”
“Of course.”