A Single Footprint in the Snow (20)
NINETEEN
TWENTY: Ninomiya Kazunari, Age: 27 -- Aiba Masaki: 27
Aiba throws himself onto their couch behind Nino with a heavy sigh. Nino had been flipping through the takeout menu from a nearby restaurant while waiting for his game to load. At Aiba's sigh, he glances behind him at his boyfriend sprawled out over the cushions.
"Ma-chan, are you okay?" he asks.
"The school nurse," Aiba begins and stops.
"The new lady who replaced old Mrs. Sato," Nino remembers, trying to picture the young woman who had taken the spot of Nino's favorite teacher in high school. "What about her?" From stories in the past, he knows she is clumsy. He guesses that she must have gotten herself into another silly mishap.
"We were doing morning exercises today for physical education," Aiba starts unhappily. "She wanted to join in, but she didn't have a jersey. She did it with us in the clothes she wore."
Nino turns on his side to more effectively watch his boyfriend and rests his head on the edge of the couch near Aiba's arm. Aiba distractedly begins to run his fingers through Nino's hair, touching him out of habit.
"Unfortunately, Usagi-sensei's skirt ripped," Aiba says with improved heartiness. "As quickly as I could, I took off my shirt and wrapped it around her, but it was unseemly and awkward. I wonder what my students thinks about me now. We looked like fools."
"I see," Nino states thoughtfully.
Rather than fools, he believes the school nurse and physical education teacher gave the students fodder for elicit gossip. He can envision the young girls drooling over Aiba's pecs and abs. The virgin boys would've stiffened over the flash of their hot school nurse's panties. The more Nino thinks about it, the deeper his thoughts plummet. Usagi-sensei might have been drooling over Aiba too. It is not everyday that your knight in shining armor is tanned and topless. Likewise Aiba, who isn't completely immune to the charms of females like Nino, must not have disliked what he saw of her.
Nino quickly removes himself from his boyfriend. He feels the loss of Aiba's proximity, but it's safer to distance himself now than throw a punch he will regret. He goes to the kitchen to look for a drink to occupy his mind. Aiba feels his loss just as intensely and sits up on the couch to watch him move about. He reads Nino's dark expression.
"Kitten, what's wrong?" he asks.
Nino knows his concern is silly and he cannot voice it. Out in the open, it will make him sound even more foolish.
"It's nothing," he answers.
"Are you jealous?" Aiba teases.
Nino glares at him and Aiba know he's hit the mark. It is a shock. His mouth opens, but he says nothing for a while.
Then he blurts out, "I like you only, Kazu."
Nino distracts himself with a beer. "It's okay. I'm not a kid, Masaki. It's nothing."
As if he hadn't spoken, Aiba continues, "I won't go near Usagi-sensei again, I swear."
"We're all adults," Nino emphasizes. "I trust you."
"Do you really?" Aiba asks.
Nino glances at him and sees that Aiba is anxious. He knows that it is his fault that Aiba is hurt and desperate for his answer. They have been dating for a little more than four years and yet, since a break in their friendship in high school, Nino has not completely given himself over to Aiba; not like how they shared their lives as youths.
Truthfully, Nino cannot tell Aiba his secrets anymore. It's not that easy. He will scare Aiba away if he reveals the depths of his affections. Aiba will not understand, nor will he be able to comprehend the level of despair Nino suffered for his unrequited love that followed him from their childhood to adulthood. He doesn't want Aiba to ever find out.
"I trust you," is all he says in reply, his back turned again to his boyfriend. To his own ears, he doesn't sound convincing.
"Kazunari, can you look at me?" Aiba asks.
Nino thinks it is stupid and he doesn't want to, but he can hear the plea in Aiba's voice. Reluctantly he turns. He sees that Aiba has his arms wide open.
"Can you hug me?" Aiba asks.
"Idiot, Ma-chan. Are you a kid?" Nino demands.
"Please?" Aiba says.
Nino sets his beer down and returns to the sitting room. He settles on the couch in between Aiba's knees and wraps his arm around Aiba's neck. Aiba's arms curl around him and pulls him in tightly. Despite Nino's previous reluctance, his boyfriend's embrace soothes him. He sighs against Aiba's neck and almost forgets what he had been angry about.
"Please tell me again," Aiba says.
The words leave Nino's lips easier this time. "I trust you."
Aiba smiles against his ear. "Thank you."
* *
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY: Ninomiya Kazunari, Age: 27 -- Aiba Masaki: 27
Aiba throws himself onto their couch behind Nino with a heavy sigh. Nino had been flipping through the takeout menu from a nearby restaurant while waiting for his game to load. At Aiba's sigh, he glances behind him at his boyfriend sprawled out over the cushions.
"Ma-chan, are you okay?" he asks.
"The school nurse," Aiba begins and stops.
"The new lady who replaced old Mrs. Sato," Nino remembers, trying to picture the young woman who had taken the spot of Nino's favorite teacher in high school. "What about her?" From stories in the past, he knows she is clumsy. He guesses that she must have gotten herself into another silly mishap.
"We were doing morning exercises today for physical education," Aiba starts unhappily. "She wanted to join in, but she didn't have a jersey. She did it with us in the clothes she wore."
Nino turns on his side to more effectively watch his boyfriend and rests his head on the edge of the couch near Aiba's arm. Aiba distractedly begins to run his fingers through Nino's hair, touching him out of habit.
"Unfortunately, Usagi-sensei's skirt ripped," Aiba says with improved heartiness. "As quickly as I could, I took off my shirt and wrapped it around her, but it was unseemly and awkward. I wonder what my students thinks about me now. We looked like fools."
"I see," Nino states thoughtfully.
Rather than fools, he believes the school nurse and physical education teacher gave the students fodder for elicit gossip. He can envision the young girls drooling over Aiba's pecs and abs. The virgin boys would've stiffened over the flash of their hot school nurse's panties. The more Nino thinks about it, the deeper his thoughts plummet. Usagi-sensei might have been drooling over Aiba too. It is not everyday that your knight in shining armor is tanned and topless. Likewise Aiba, who isn't completely immune to the charms of females like Nino, must not have disliked what he saw of her.
Nino quickly removes himself from his boyfriend. He feels the loss of Aiba's proximity, but it's safer to distance himself now than throw a punch he will regret. He goes to the kitchen to look for a drink to occupy his mind. Aiba feels his loss just as intensely and sits up on the couch to watch him move about. He reads Nino's dark expression.
"Kitten, what's wrong?" he asks.
Nino knows his concern is silly and he cannot voice it. Out in the open, it will make him sound even more foolish.
"It's nothing," he answers.
"Are you jealous?" Aiba teases.
Nino glares at him and Aiba know he's hit the mark. It is a shock. His mouth opens, but he says nothing for a while.
Then he blurts out, "I like you only, Kazu."
Nino distracts himself with a beer. "It's okay. I'm not a kid, Masaki. It's nothing."
As if he hadn't spoken, Aiba continues, "I won't go near Usagi-sensei again, I swear."
"We're all adults," Nino emphasizes. "I trust you."
"Do you really?" Aiba asks.
Nino glances at him and sees that Aiba is anxious. He knows that it is his fault that Aiba is hurt and desperate for his answer. They have been dating for a little more than four years and yet, since a break in their friendship in high school, Nino has not completely given himself over to Aiba; not like how they shared their lives as youths.
Truthfully, Nino cannot tell Aiba his secrets anymore. It's not that easy. He will scare Aiba away if he reveals the depths of his affections. Aiba will not understand, nor will he be able to comprehend the level of despair Nino suffered for his unrequited love that followed him from their childhood to adulthood. He doesn't want Aiba to ever find out.
"I trust you," is all he says in reply, his back turned again to his boyfriend. To his own ears, he doesn't sound convincing.
"Kazunari, can you look at me?" Aiba asks.
Nino thinks it is stupid and he doesn't want to, but he can hear the plea in Aiba's voice. Reluctantly he turns. He sees that Aiba has his arms wide open.
"Can you hug me?" Aiba asks.
"Idiot, Ma-chan. Are you a kid?" Nino demands.
"Please?" Aiba says.
Nino sets his beer down and returns to the sitting room. He settles on the couch in between Aiba's knees and wraps his arm around Aiba's neck. Aiba's arms curl around him and pulls him in tightly. Despite Nino's previous reluctance, his boyfriend's embrace soothes him. He sighs against Aiba's neck and almost forgets what he had been angry about.
"Please tell me again," Aiba says.
The words leave Nino's lips easier this time. "I trust you."
Aiba smiles against his ear. "Thank you."
* *
TWENTY-ONE