Outlook on Love (3/?)
Jul. 6th, 2010 05:39 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
inourwritemindsTitle:Outlook on Love [3/?]
Genre: Romance/ Humour/AU
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Ohmiya and Sakuraiba with hints of past Sakumoto
Disclaimer: They own me not vice versa
Beta:
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tonieboo0013 Warning: Slash and language.
Summary: It all started with a blind date. How could Nino know it would escalate to this? How could he know that an ordinary artist would change his entire outlook on love?
Nino was not one to wake up with the sun. Nor, for that matter, was he one to wake up with men he’d met only the night before. Though, his standard routines were shot to hell as he woke up to a rising sun and a sleeping Ohno. His momentary disorientation at waking up in a foreign bedroom next to a near stranger quickly vanished as memories from the night before came rushing in like a tsunami.
He shook his head in an attempt to rid the feeling that was returning uncomfortably to his groin but gave up with a groan, lying back down and burying his head deep into the pillow. Nino felt sickeningly ecstatic and disgustingly cheap as the night before played continuously in his head. He had been the one that had instigated the whole occurrence which didn’t help lessen either of his feelings.
Lying there seemed the only option, as both waking Ohno or leaving felt rather inappropriate. As he began to fully wake up with the light streaming relentlessly through the open window, other thoughts began to pester him and he buried his face deeper in an attempt at avoiding having to face them. Jun’s knowing smile and merciless teasing awaited him back at his apartment and he was required to go back in the near future as his personal belongings resided there.
The other thoughts were about the more immediate future as the man beside him had begun to stir. What the hell was he supposed to say after a night like that? ‘So, last night was fun,’ hardly seemed appropriate just as, ‘Good morning,’ felt inadequate. He hadn’t done a one-night stand sober before, so waking up clearheaded was not what Nino would call refreshing.
Though, as the older man turned to face him with shining eyes, all he could muster was a, “Good morning.”
Ohno smiled and muttered the same sentiments groggily in reply. He didn’t even seem phased at the presence of Nino in his bedroom and sat up slowly, shielding his eyes from the sun. Without another word, he pushed himself up off the bed, which creaked a little after his weight had been lifted, pulled on his pants and walked out of the room. Nino sat, unmoving, contemplating his next move as he heard the thud of the bathroom door down the hall. Coming up with no instantaneous ideas, he decided waiting was still the best option.
A few moments later, Ohno appeared back in the room with the content smile still in place. He beckoned for Nino to follow as he headed back into the hallway with a simple, “I’ll make us breakfast.”
It was a statement that sounded so natural coming from the older man and it proved to calm his nerves and still his harassing thoughts as he stood to follow directions. Upon standing, however, realization of his current attire, or lack thereof, hit him and he turned a deep shade of scarlet as he dove for the sheet and his recklessly abandoned clothing at what seemed to be the same time.
Ohno was already in the hallway and missed Nino’s little display, which relieved the younger man to a certain extent, but turned around at the lack of footsteps to see Nino furiously pulling on his slacks, blush still apparent on his cheeks, and let out a small chuckle. He left the man to finish redressing and wandered into the kitchen and towards the pots.
By the time Nino deemed himself ready to enter, Ohno already had a few pots of water on the stove and was sitting at the table staring groggily at the newspaper in his hands but Nino wondered if he was really reading it. When Ohno didn’t so much as move at Nino’s appearance, the younger man felt the nerves resurfacing full force. Should he make conversation or sit down quietly until Ohno started it? And succeeding that thought, he began to feel as if he was sixteen again and this was the first time he’d slept with someone.
“You can, you know, sit down. If you want,” Ohno spoke up, his eyes never leaving the paper, which made Nino jump a little as he had been lost in his thoughts.
“Um, okay.” Nino sat stiffly, shifting his weight awkwardly and attempting to look everywhere but at the indifferent man in front of him.
It was Ohno who first pointed out the insistent buzzing coming from the pocket of his pants and he pulled out his cell phone while looking at the screen which was currently displaying a haggard picture of him and Matsujun and the latter man’s phone number. He looked at the phone hesitantly but as it continued to buzz, he flipped it open with a casual greeting.
“A phone call would have been nice,” was the welcome from the younger man and the normality that was the other man’s voice made him laugh into the receiver.
“I was on a date, Matsujun,” Nino shrugged, assuming it was a good enough reason for his lack of communication with his best friend.
“I’ve only known the man for a few months. For all I know, you could have been kidnapped or dead in a ditch. Consideration is a good quality in a friend, Nino,” Jun lectured sternly, but despite his voice, Nino knew that this was Jun’s way of showing his concern.
“I’m not being held hostage nor am I dead in a ditch,” Nino stated, shaking his head in amusement as he watched Ohno pouring rice into a pot of boiling water.
“So, you finally got laid then,” Jun grinned wickedly, a taunting edge to his voice. “On the first date, how scandalous.”
“Oh shut it, Jun. If this is all you called about then I am hanging up now,” Nino groaned, not enjoying where the conversation was going.
“Have fun, Nino,” Jun’s laughter only served to provoke Nino further, “But not too much fun.”
With a prompt, “Fuck you,” from Nino, the line went dead.
Ohno stared curiously at the younger man as he continued to prepare breakfast and upon seeing the pout slowly forming, he grinned, “What did he want?”
Nino rolled his eyes, whining slightly as he replied, “To see if I was alive and definitely to ridicule me as an added bonus.”
Ohno was opening his mouth to reply as the sound of the front door opening filled the room. The sound of shuffling was heard as Aiba sprinted into the kitchen, beaming at the sight of the two men. “Hi, Oh-chan. Hi, Nino-chan!”
It was only then that the two men realized the greeter had been nowhere in sight prior to his appearance in the room. Both men seemed to become aware of that fact around the same time as they were sporting similar blushes and guilt-ridden looks.
“Hey, Aiba,” Ohno smiled, his eyes becoming wide with staged innocence and his voice becoming stern, “Where were you last night?”
Aiba laughed loudly, walking past Ohno to open a cupboard and grab a box of cereal, “Nice try, Oh-chan. I appreciate the attempt to make me believe I was even a thought in your mind in the last twelve hours. I was just out trying to seduce a certain waiter.”
Ohno smiled knowingly, “Oh, so nothing new then?”
“Did it work?” Nino, who had been watching the scene quietly, spoke with strained affability but it still came off rather terse.
Aiba seemed unaffected by Nino’s sudden question and laughed jovially, “No, not as of yet, but I’m breaking him down, I can tell.”
Ohno turned back to the stove and began taking various pots off before straining and tending to them. Aiba noticed this and smirked at the satisfied look on Ohno’s face. He realized that the other man probably had little to no idea about Ohno’s cooking abilities. There was a reason the two of them ate take-out nearly every night.
“I thought you liked this guy, Oh-chan, but killing him is the surest way of getting rid of him,” Aiba joked, pouring his cereal and taking a seat to Nino’s right with an amused smile.
Nino looked thoroughly confused, as did Ohno until he caught on to the teasing and turned to Aiba with a menacing glare that Nino was surprised he was even capable of. “I can cook, thank you. It was one time, Aiba, and I’ve improved since then.”
His roommate seemed to find that humorous and burst into hysterics. He continued to laugh as Ohno continued to glare and it went on like that until the fire alarm sounded in the small apartment, startling all three. It only then called the attention of the oldest man that he had left oil sitting in the wok he’d been working with since before Aiba had entered the apartment. Aiba, laughing even harder then before, grabbed a towel and began to wave it below the alarm in an attempt to shut it off before the neighbours heard and came over to check on them. Ohno, seemingly embarrassed, grabbed the wok, rushing it to the sink to put it under the tap at a scorching hot temperature and gestured for Nino to open the windows.
As the fire alarm finally quit its persistent ringing and the smoke began to filter out the open windows, the two youngest men were holding their sides in laughter as Ohno watched with a pouting face. A couple knocks on the door and a few neighbours checking up on them didn’t seem to help it die off as Ohno began to grow annoyed.
“God, he is trying to get rid of me, isn’t he?” Nino spoke in between his slowly receding bursts of laughter.
Ohno groaned, “I was just trying to be a good host.”
Nino smiled, this time a little more affectionate then amused and patted the man on the shoulder, “Thanks for the attempt but I’ll cook from now on.” Nino continued to smile until the repercussion of his misstated words hit both of them and he turned a deep scarlet, “I mean, I’ll finish cooking today, you can just sit over there.”
Both men were well aware that it was a lame cover-up at best but Ohno nodded his head anyway and went to do as he was told. Aiba witnessed this with a growing smirk but spoke up as Nino headed towards the stove. “I’m working an early shift today. I’ll pay for breakfast since I’m feeling a little bad about your near death experience.”
Ohno made an indignant noise but as Nino agreed enthusiastically for both of them, he sighed and went along with it. An hour and much taunting at the artist on behalf of the two youngest later and they walked into the restaurant where Aiba immediately seated them and ran off into the kitchen and out of sight.
“I’m glad you two are enjoying my mistakes,” Ohno huffed, crossing his arms childishly but his twinkling eyes gave away the fact that he wasn’t really that upset.
Nino shot him a smile and leaned forward a little, “I’m sorry, I really did appreciate the attempt but I appreciate free, professionally made food better.”
Ohno shook his head, “I wasn’t going to charge you!”
The older man immediately blushed as he realized the double meaning in his words and sank back in his chair, attempting not to look at the other man. Nino’s sly smile made his blush more pronounced and his words didn’t help either. “I’d hope not because tricking a customer isn’t a good sales technique. It tends to piss people off, you know. Also an aspiring, not to mention broke, musician is not the best choice.”
“You don’t say,” Ohno smirked, “I’ll remember that next time.”
Nino grinned, leaning back in his seat before sensing movement to his left. An eavesdropping Sho was the sight he was met with and his suddenly sour face seemed to make the waiter uncomfortable. “Uh, hey guys. Nino.”
The sarcasm was there and ready to come out but as Nino suddenly became aware of the man sitting in front of him, he found himself torn between his loyalty to Jun and not looking like an asshole in front of Ohno. He opted for a quick greeting which left the waiter stunned and Ohno smiling.
“Oh-chan nearly killed us this morning with his cooking again so I thought I’d treat Nino-chan for breakfast,” Aiba smiled, casually walking up from behind them and slinging an arm around Sho’s shoulders which proved an effective way to have the waiter’s face turn a bright shade of red.
Nino had seen that same embarrassed expression on the waiter’s face many times when Jun was the cause. Now seeing it caused by someone else, no matter if it was someone as sweet as Aiba, he couldn’t stop his blood from boiling. Though, at risk of blowing up as he had done the day before, he quickly excused himself and found himself leaning against the sink in the bathroom.
Nino knew that Jun had tried to move on with his life and Nino thought he deserved it but seeing Sho move on was almost a second betrayal in his eyes. He knew it wasn’t fair that Jun was allowed to move on while he thought Sho should be stuck alone but every time his memory displayed the utterly broken picture of Jun, complete with a never-ending flow of tears and dejected eyes, and he couldn’t bring himself to forgive Sho.
“Thanks,” Aiba’s voice echoed throughout the bathroom and Nino realized he had failed to notice the entrance of the greeter. “For not blowing up at him again.”
Nino shrugged, running a calloused hand through his hair and sighing. He couldn’t exactly say, ‘Your welcome,’ as it had taken all his willpower not to and it wasn’t as if he had been trying to be nice.
“No, really,” Aiba smiled, insisting on giving him more credit then he deserved, “He was really upset about last night. He feels bad about what happened with Jun.”
The musician groaned, finally turning to face Aiba, “He told you about what he did to Jun? And you’re still going to give him a chance?”
Aiba’s smile only widened and he nodded enthusiastically, “Of course I’m going to give him a chance. I know you’re best friends with Jun so you won’t be able to view the situation from another perspective, but I believe the only reason Sho needed for breaking up with him was that he wasn’t the right person for him. I can’t possibly hold that against him.”
“They’d been going out for years and right before Jun proposed was the time he had to figure out that ‘Sho wasn’t right for him’,” Nino laughed vindictively.
Aiba shrugged, “That’s what divorce is for, isn’t it? People go decades before realizing they aren’t right for each other and I think it’s good he did what he felt would make him the most happy. Look I’m not trying to change your mind about him, I just wanted you to know that Sho feels bad about it and that he misses you.”
Nino turned away, afraid his eyes might portray the emotion he couldn’t stop himself from feeling, and spoke up quietly, “He’s already told you about all this? He must like you because he doesn’t open up easily and he has to really trust a person, so I’m happy for you two, I suppose.”
“ I wouldn’t say that,” Aiba blushed, “He was upset about you and had a little too much to drink so I wouldn’t say there was any trust or affection towards me when he told me.”
Nino felt compelled to comfort him and gave him a small smile, “He agreed to go out for a drink with you in the first place, didn’t he? And you stayed over at his place, regardless of the reasons.”
“You think?” Aiba’s excited voice made the younger man give a real smile. “I really want this to work, for both of us. He doesn’t seem to want to allow himself to move on and that’s all I want to do.”
Nino looked up at the greeter curiously, “Did you break up with someone too?”
Aiba blushed, realizing what he’d just said and shook his head, “It was nothing, just a stupid crush but I’m glad to be rid of it. I recently came to the realization that it’s never going to happen now.”
Nino smiled, “Well then, I hope this works out, too but if anyone asks, I still hate you.”
Aiba grinned, throwing his head back and laughing in a way that made Nino incapable of not joining in, “Agreed.”
The door creaked open and Ohno poked his head in and upon seeing the scene in front of him, broke out in a smile. “Glad to see you’re feeling better.”
The musician, still giggling, nodded his head and made to follow after the artist. Aiba, smile still plastered on his face, couldn’t agree with Nino more. If this didn’t work and Nino and Ohno continued to see each other, it would only get harder to be around him.
tonieboo0013 ! She is amazing and she deserves a round of applause *claps* and the utmost gratitude! ^^
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Date: 2010-07-10 05:30 am (UTC)Thanks for reading and leaving a lovely comment♥!