[arashi] it don't mean a thing (if it ain't got that swing) [2/?]
[title] it don't mean a thing (if it ain't got that swing) [2/?]
[author] Andii lady_gemma
[genre] AU, drama, romance
[pairing] Hints of Ohno/Nino
[rating] PG-13
[disclaimer] Don't own, don't know, not making profit.
[author's note] I know, I know. This has taken me how long? I've written and rewritten this chapter I don't even know how many times at this point. -___- Thanks to the prodding of my cohort honooko, this is finally finished (this chapter at least). Work has been kicking my ass, to the point that I barely have 2 personal hours on the computer a day, which does not bode well for writing time. Chapter three should be forthcoming soon though, seeing as I'm pretty sure honooko's writing it *HINT HINT PLEASE ILU THANKS? OTL*
Nino's trips to the bar became more frequent as the weeks progressed, to the point that the young man had built up quite a following. Once or twice a week randomly quickly turned into three nights a week all to himself on Ohno's cramped stage. Ohno didn't complain though. The alcohol was flowing easily and the music was good. Some of Nino's songs were covers of the current American jazz hits, while others were original compositions. Those were the ones Ohno enjoyed the most.
What Nino didn't tell Ohno was that he'd slowly stopped going to most of his classes. At first, it was just his morning biology after a long night of playing. Soon, even the attendance of his piano lessons was less than stellar. Nino had always been an exceptional student. He was sure it was some last ditch attempt to gain the attention of his father.
That was probably a lost cause anyway now.
Nino hefted the heavy wooden case of his guitar higher on his back as he made his way down the now familiar path that lead from his mother's small apartment to Ohno's bar. He entered with a soft wave towards the bar where he knew Ohno would be leaning, cigarette between his lips and a soft puff of smoke curling towards the ceiling. That was the way of things.
Usually.
Tonight, Nino caught sight of Ohno's sister. What was her name again? Mina? That was it. Nino's brow furrowed when Mina simply gave him a curt nod and waved him over to the bar. "Satoshi's got some sort of cold, but he still wanted you to perform tonight," Mina explained, turning over a glass for him and pouring his usual tequila and lime.
Nino's frown pulled tighter on his face and he glanced a look up towards the stairs that lead to Ohno's apartment. "Alright, I'll set up then? Are you sure the music won't interrupt his rest?" Nino asked, his voice easily showing the worry present.
Mina smiled softly as she caught the concern in Nino's voice. She was beginning to see why Ohno couldn't stop talking about the young impish musician with the odd voice. "If it was anyone else, I'd say we'd just put on the jukebox for the night. But he specifically said 'Make sure Nino plays tonight, no matter what'." Mina continued to wipe the glasses she'd just washed, a small smile on her face.
Nino smiled in thanks as he took a sip of his drink, shifting his guitar on his back as his smile turned into a soft grin. "Who can say no to a sick man, eh?"
The music that night was soft; almost blues-like in its quality as Nino's fingers danced lightly over the keys. Once or twice he'd played with his guitar only, soft ballads he'd heard learned by wearing out the records he'd purchased with his pocket money from a few American soldiers who'd stayed in his town. All of the songs he played were soothing, albeit some exceedingly sad. His English was heavily accented, but it wasn't like any of the bar's patrons could understand it anyway. Though, none of it was for them.
Every note he sang; every ping of the piano; every stroke of the guitar was for the man upstairs, curled into his bedclothes.
Nino helped Mina shoo out the last patrons for the night as she closed. He wiped down the tables and helped turn the chairs, but every so often his gaze would flit back towards the stairs behind the bar. With a soft laugh, Mina set down the last glass she'd been drying. "Go. I'm sure he'd appreciate the visit."
Nino didn't even pause before he was up the short flight of stairs to the apartment Ohno shared with his sister. Pausing at the top, Nino took a moment to glance around. It was small, but would comfortably house a family of four; a small kitchen and living area, screened off from what appeared to be a separate room, which Nino guessed most likely held the little shrines to Ohno's parents. His mother had one similar for his grandparents in a corner of their living area.
Turning to peer down the hallway, Nino caught sight of a row of doors. Taking a chance, he rapped lightly on the first one he came to, calling out softly. "Ohno?"
A cough answered his question, followed by a hoarse: "Come in."
Nino opened the door with a soft excuse for his entrance, bowing at the door before closing it with a soft thump. "How're you feeling?" Nino asked, moving closer to kneel at the edge of Ohno's ruffled futon.
"Sick?" Ohno replied with a hoarse laugh. The older man was bundled under his own futon cover, as well as the spare, but was still shivering. Though, the smile on his face was hard to hide, even with the fever and cough.
Nino's hand pressed to Ohno's forehead, his frown deepening with the heat he found there. "Oh-chan," he said softly, pulling his hand away, "your fever is really high, you should rest." Nino moved away from the futon to dampen a cloth to press against the nape of Ohno's neck in a vain attempt to lower the man's temperature.
The quiet wasn't uncomfortable as they sat side-by-side. It was something that had become quite frequent over the past few weeks. After a while, Ohno spoke, voice still hoarse with the cough. "My mother used to do that..."
"Well, that's what mothers do," Nino replied, a soft grin on his face as he wiped Ohno's brow with the cloth before placing it yet again to his nape.
"But you don't look like my mother..." Ohno's brows furrowed, as if he was trying to connect something in his fever-fogged mind. It wasn't working.
"I should hope I don't, Oh-chan," Nino could tell Ohno's fever was starting to break, but it would be a long night of odd dreams and night sweats for the older man.
What he didn't expect, as he glanced around Ohno's room for the first time, taking in the random sculptures and paintings, was the soft press of Ohno's lips to his own.
Nino blinked, unsure of how to react as Ohno's lips pressed more insistently against his own. Ohno was sick, and most likely in a feverish haze to the point that he wouldn't even remember this tomorrow morning. So he responded, a slight part of his lips against Ohno's before there was no response from the older man. Blinking again, Nino pulled back to find Ohno in a deep sleep, his fever finally abating enough to allow him true sleep. Sighing softly, he shifted Ohno enough so the man was comfortably on his futon, tucked in up to his neck in the blankets.
His heart was beating a staccatto in his chest as he left the warmth of Ohno's room, walking out into the rain much more confused than he'd been when he'd stepped foot into the bar earlier that night.
[author] Andii lady_gemma
[genre] AU, drama, romance
[pairing] Hints of Ohno/Nino
[rating] PG-13
[disclaimer] Don't own, don't know, not making profit.
[author's note] I know, I know. This has taken me how long? I've written and rewritten this chapter I don't even know how many times at this point. -___- Thanks to the prodding of my cohort honooko, this is finally finished (this chapter at least). Work has been kicking my ass, to the point that I barely have 2 personal hours on the computer a day, which does not bode well for writing time. Chapter three should be forthcoming soon though, seeing as I'm pretty sure honooko's writing it *HINT HINT PLEASE ILU THANKS? OTL*
Nino's trips to the bar became more frequent as the weeks progressed, to the point that the young man had built up quite a following. Once or twice a week randomly quickly turned into three nights a week all to himself on Ohno's cramped stage. Ohno didn't complain though. The alcohol was flowing easily and the music was good. Some of Nino's songs were covers of the current American jazz hits, while others were original compositions. Those were the ones Ohno enjoyed the most.
What Nino didn't tell Ohno was that he'd slowly stopped going to most of his classes. At first, it was just his morning biology after a long night of playing. Soon, even the attendance of his piano lessons was less than stellar. Nino had always been an exceptional student. He was sure it was some last ditch attempt to gain the attention of his father.
That was probably a lost cause anyway now.
Nino hefted the heavy wooden case of his guitar higher on his back as he made his way down the now familiar path that lead from his mother's small apartment to Ohno's bar. He entered with a soft wave towards the bar where he knew Ohno would be leaning, cigarette between his lips and a soft puff of smoke curling towards the ceiling. That was the way of things.
Usually.
Tonight, Nino caught sight of Ohno's sister. What was her name again? Mina? That was it. Nino's brow furrowed when Mina simply gave him a curt nod and waved him over to the bar. "Satoshi's got some sort of cold, but he still wanted you to perform tonight," Mina explained, turning over a glass for him and pouring his usual tequila and lime.
Nino's frown pulled tighter on his face and he glanced a look up towards the stairs that lead to Ohno's apartment. "Alright, I'll set up then? Are you sure the music won't interrupt his rest?" Nino asked, his voice easily showing the worry present.
Mina smiled softly as she caught the concern in Nino's voice. She was beginning to see why Ohno couldn't stop talking about the young impish musician with the odd voice. "If it was anyone else, I'd say we'd just put on the jukebox for the night. But he specifically said 'Make sure Nino plays tonight, no matter what'." Mina continued to wipe the glasses she'd just washed, a small smile on her face.
Nino smiled in thanks as he took a sip of his drink, shifting his guitar on his back as his smile turned into a soft grin. "Who can say no to a sick man, eh?"
The music that night was soft; almost blues-like in its quality as Nino's fingers danced lightly over the keys. Once or twice he'd played with his guitar only, soft ballads he'd heard learned by wearing out the records he'd purchased with his pocket money from a few American soldiers who'd stayed in his town. All of the songs he played were soothing, albeit some exceedingly sad. His English was heavily accented, but it wasn't like any of the bar's patrons could understand it anyway. Though, none of it was for them.
Every note he sang; every ping of the piano; every stroke of the guitar was for the man upstairs, curled into his bedclothes.
Nino helped Mina shoo out the last patrons for the night as she closed. He wiped down the tables and helped turn the chairs, but every so often his gaze would flit back towards the stairs behind the bar. With a soft laugh, Mina set down the last glass she'd been drying. "Go. I'm sure he'd appreciate the visit."
Nino didn't even pause before he was up the short flight of stairs to the apartment Ohno shared with his sister. Pausing at the top, Nino took a moment to glance around. It was small, but would comfortably house a family of four; a small kitchen and living area, screened off from what appeared to be a separate room, which Nino guessed most likely held the little shrines to Ohno's parents. His mother had one similar for his grandparents in a corner of their living area.
Turning to peer down the hallway, Nino caught sight of a row of doors. Taking a chance, he rapped lightly on the first one he came to, calling out softly. "Ohno?"
A cough answered his question, followed by a hoarse: "Come in."
Nino opened the door with a soft excuse for his entrance, bowing at the door before closing it with a soft thump. "How're you feeling?" Nino asked, moving closer to kneel at the edge of Ohno's ruffled futon.
"Sick?" Ohno replied with a hoarse laugh. The older man was bundled under his own futon cover, as well as the spare, but was still shivering. Though, the smile on his face was hard to hide, even with the fever and cough.
Nino's hand pressed to Ohno's forehead, his frown deepening with the heat he found there. "Oh-chan," he said softly, pulling his hand away, "your fever is really high, you should rest." Nino moved away from the futon to dampen a cloth to press against the nape of Ohno's neck in a vain attempt to lower the man's temperature.
The quiet wasn't uncomfortable as they sat side-by-side. It was something that had become quite frequent over the past few weeks. After a while, Ohno spoke, voice still hoarse with the cough. "My mother used to do that..."
"Well, that's what mothers do," Nino replied, a soft grin on his face as he wiped Ohno's brow with the cloth before placing it yet again to his nape.
"But you don't look like my mother..." Ohno's brows furrowed, as if he was trying to connect something in his fever-fogged mind. It wasn't working.
"I should hope I don't, Oh-chan," Nino could tell Ohno's fever was starting to break, but it would be a long night of odd dreams and night sweats for the older man.
What he didn't expect, as he glanced around Ohno's room for the first time, taking in the random sculptures and paintings, was the soft press of Ohno's lips to his own.
Nino blinked, unsure of how to react as Ohno's lips pressed more insistently against his own. Ohno was sick, and most likely in a feverish haze to the point that he wouldn't even remember this tomorrow morning. So he responded, a slight part of his lips against Ohno's before there was no response from the older man. Blinking again, Nino pulled back to find Ohno in a deep sleep, his fever finally abating enough to allow him true sleep. Sighing softly, he shifted Ohno enough so the man was comfortably on his futon, tucked in up to his neck in the blankets.
His heart was beating a staccatto in his chest as he left the warmth of Ohno's room, walking out into the rain much more confused than he'd been when he'd stepped foot into the bar earlier that night.