Standing Still 5: something stupid
Aiba fidgeted in his seat while anxiously waiting for Sho's return. After crying his heart out to Jun, Aiba somehow thought that he was pushing Sho away by being too clingy and affectionate. Aiba decided that he would tone it down and leave Sho some space. Although it would hurt him not to be as close, and as affectionate as he was before, he thought that it was all for the best, if the alternative meant pushing Sho away for good.
As the minutes ticked by, Aiba quietly sat in his corner, uneasy, and oblivious to the worried stares of Ohno, Nino, and Jun, who tried to hide his own apprehensions behind a novel, as they all waited for Sho to appear...
***************
Meanwhile, Sho tried to contain the escalating nervousness that he felt as the elevator ascended. His hands were cold and clammy, and his heart hammered violently in a mixture of nervousness and anticipation, while he paced about, waiting for the familiar 'ding' that told him he had reached his floor.
"This is it ..." Sho thought to himself, taking one shaky step in front of another, oblivious to the morning greetings from the staff and crew, as he made his way to the lounge where the rest of his bandmates waited for him.
"It couldn't be so bad, right? " Sho tried for a little pep talk to boost his confidence, as the door to the lounge loomed closer with each step...
"... At least I hope he likes this stuffed panda I bought him..." Sho exhaled, shakily, as one hand purposefully grabbed the cold doorknob, while the other clutched at the big paper bag that contained the souvenirs, and knick knacks he bought during his short trip.
"...here goes nothing..." thought Sho, as he finally opened the door, anticipating the warm welcome from his bandmates, and the usual, enthusiastic bear hug from Aiba that he sorely missed.
... He was slightly confused however, that despite the warm and noisy welcome, the bear hug never came.
"Hi Sho! Welcome Back! " came the cheerful greeting from all four members as he received a light pat on the back from Nino and Jun, and a short, but tight hug from Ohno.
"How was your trip?" Aiba asked; standing in front Sho with a small, awkward smile on his face, as he tried his hardest not to jump Sho.
"It was good, I was very busy, but I did find the time to go sight seeing." Sho replied a little uneasily; feeling his heart sink a little at Aiba's sudden lack of enthusiasm.
"...and look, I bought you these!" Sho forced a nervous smile as he tried for a more enthusiastic approach. Sho held up the big paper bag that contained the results of his small shopping trip, hoping, somehow to rouse Aiba's interest and bring him back to his old, energetic (ten-year old) self.
"Oh wow! Thanks!" Aiba's eyes twinkled as he tried reaching for the paper bag, instead of trying to choke Sho in a big, tight hug.
"All that, for Aiba?!" Nino chimed in, grabbing the paper bag before Aiba's hands could reach it "Give me that!" Nino wore a sly grin as he plopped down on the couch and rummaged through the contents of the paper bag.
"Hey!" Aiba pouted and followed the rest of the group to where Nino sat while he sorted out the presents from the big, white paper bag. Ohno's was a key ring that dangled a wooden, hand-carved fish, while Jun received a box of lavender scented incense sticks, (as he was into aromatherapy these days.) Nino received a small journal made of recycled paper, with a handcrafted cover made of scrapped leather, (it was for the times when he felt like composing a song or two, Sho explained.)
"Where's mine?" Aiba asked, slightly alarmed at the thought of being forgotten.
"Well..." Sho smiled nervously, unaware of the blush that colored his cheeks "That one's for you..." he managed to stutter as Nino drew a box, noticeably bigger than the rest of their presents, and wrapped in green paper that had small teddy bears printed all over.
"Here, catch! You big baby!" Nino smirked as he threw the package to a very stunned Aiba, who caught it with both hands.
"Now we can leave and let the lovers kiss and make up!" Nino announced, snickering, as he promptly rushed to the door, followed by Ohno and Jun, sporting similar grins, "Thanks for the presents, by the way" Jun winked at Sho, locking the door behind him as he left.
"Lo-lovers?!" Sho stuttered, frozen in his place. His face was beet red, and his heartbeat wild and erratic as he panicked, and sought damage control before Aiba could assume the worst.
Aiba, however, had already finished tearing off the wrapper, and was pulling Sho's present out of its box...
Out of the little box, came a cute little panda that held a little red satin heart between its paws; and on the heart, the words "I love you" was stitched in a white, swirly script.
"Sho...?" Aiba asked uncertainly, tears welling in his eyes, as he slowly looked up from the little panda to meet Sho's gaze.
"Yes...?" Sho managed to squeak, still in shock at the way Nino blew his cover without warning.
"Does this mean..."
" I- I love you, Aiba!" Sho declared nervously, in a soft voice, as he looked at Aiba's angelic face.
"Really?" Aiba's heart leapt, as he took a few steps closer to Sho "But... why were you avoiding me?"
"I was scared," Sho babbled on "I was scared that you'd know, and... and that you wouldn't want me."
"Sho!" Aiba exclaimed as Sho suddenly found himself inside Aiba's tight embrace.
" I would never, not want you, and I was afraid that you didn't like me anymore since you started avoiding me." Aiba was openly sobbing now, as wet tears dripped on to Sho's shirt.
"I love you too, Sho." Aiba whispered, still crying with joy, as he gently placed his lips on Sho's.
Sho's arms found themselves tightly wrapped around Aiba's body, as his heart danced happily, knowing that his love was returned.
*******************
" I bet you fifty yen, they're making out" Nino declared, pressing his ears against the door.
"I'm not betting against that" said Jun.
"Me neither" said Ohno.
"...ne, treat me to lunch!" Nino demanded.
"And why the hell should we?" asked Jun, with a raised brow.
"Because, I ended the drama and got them together!" Nino happily declared.
"Go ask them to treat you then" said Jun.
"That was kind of fun though" said Ohno
"Okay, maybe I should go and interrupt their make out session now." Said Nino, as he got up.
"Okay, fine, I'll treat you to lunch today" said Jun, pulling Nino away from the door.
"And me?" asked Ohno.
" You too, riida" said Jun, as the three of them walked away to eat out.
---end--- =^_^=
As the minutes ticked by, Aiba quietly sat in his corner, uneasy, and oblivious to the worried stares of Ohno, Nino, and Jun, who tried to hide his own apprehensions behind a novel, as they all waited for Sho to appear...
***************
Meanwhile, Sho tried to contain the escalating nervousness that he felt as the elevator ascended. His hands were cold and clammy, and his heart hammered violently in a mixture of nervousness and anticipation, while he paced about, waiting for the familiar 'ding' that told him he had reached his floor.
"This is it ..." Sho thought to himself, taking one shaky step in front of another, oblivious to the morning greetings from the staff and crew, as he made his way to the lounge where the rest of his bandmates waited for him.
"It couldn't be so bad, right? " Sho tried for a little pep talk to boost his confidence, as the door to the lounge loomed closer with each step...
"... At least I hope he likes this stuffed panda I bought him..." Sho exhaled, shakily, as one hand purposefully grabbed the cold doorknob, while the other clutched at the big paper bag that contained the souvenirs, and knick knacks he bought during his short trip.
"...here goes nothing..." thought Sho, as he finally opened the door, anticipating the warm welcome from his bandmates, and the usual, enthusiastic bear hug from Aiba that he sorely missed.
... He was slightly confused however, that despite the warm and noisy welcome, the bear hug never came.
"Hi Sho! Welcome Back! " came the cheerful greeting from all four members as he received a light pat on the back from Nino and Jun, and a short, but tight hug from Ohno.
"How was your trip?" Aiba asked; standing in front Sho with a small, awkward smile on his face, as he tried his hardest not to jump Sho.
"It was good, I was very busy, but I did find the time to go sight seeing." Sho replied a little uneasily; feeling his heart sink a little at Aiba's sudden lack of enthusiasm.
"...and look, I bought you these!" Sho forced a nervous smile as he tried for a more enthusiastic approach. Sho held up the big paper bag that contained the results of his small shopping trip, hoping, somehow to rouse Aiba's interest and bring him back to his old, energetic (ten-year old) self.
"Oh wow! Thanks!" Aiba's eyes twinkled as he tried reaching for the paper bag, instead of trying to choke Sho in a big, tight hug.
"All that, for Aiba?!" Nino chimed in, grabbing the paper bag before Aiba's hands could reach it "Give me that!" Nino wore a sly grin as he plopped down on the couch and rummaged through the contents of the paper bag.
"Hey!" Aiba pouted and followed the rest of the group to where Nino sat while he sorted out the presents from the big, white paper bag. Ohno's was a key ring that dangled a wooden, hand-carved fish, while Jun received a box of lavender scented incense sticks, (as he was into aromatherapy these days.) Nino received a small journal made of recycled paper, with a handcrafted cover made of scrapped leather, (it was for the times when he felt like composing a song or two, Sho explained.)
"Where's mine?" Aiba asked, slightly alarmed at the thought of being forgotten.
"Well..." Sho smiled nervously, unaware of the blush that colored his cheeks "That one's for you..." he managed to stutter as Nino drew a box, noticeably bigger than the rest of their presents, and wrapped in green paper that had small teddy bears printed all over.
"Here, catch! You big baby!" Nino smirked as he threw the package to a very stunned Aiba, who caught it with both hands.
"Now we can leave and let the lovers kiss and make up!" Nino announced, snickering, as he promptly rushed to the door, followed by Ohno and Jun, sporting similar grins, "Thanks for the presents, by the way" Jun winked at Sho, locking the door behind him as he left.
"Lo-lovers?!" Sho stuttered, frozen in his place. His face was beet red, and his heartbeat wild and erratic as he panicked, and sought damage control before Aiba could assume the worst.
Aiba, however, had already finished tearing off the wrapper, and was pulling Sho's present out of its box...
Out of the little box, came a cute little panda that held a little red satin heart between its paws; and on the heart, the words "I love you" was stitched in a white, swirly script.
"Sho...?" Aiba asked uncertainly, tears welling in his eyes, as he slowly looked up from the little panda to meet Sho's gaze.
"Yes...?" Sho managed to squeak, still in shock at the way Nino blew his cover without warning.
"Does this mean..."
" I- I love you, Aiba!" Sho declared nervously, in a soft voice, as he looked at Aiba's angelic face.
"Really?" Aiba's heart leapt, as he took a few steps closer to Sho "But... why were you avoiding me?"
"I was scared," Sho babbled on "I was scared that you'd know, and... and that you wouldn't want me."
"Sho!" Aiba exclaimed as Sho suddenly found himself inside Aiba's tight embrace.
" I would never, not want you, and I was afraid that you didn't like me anymore since you started avoiding me." Aiba was openly sobbing now, as wet tears dripped on to Sho's shirt.
"I love you too, Sho." Aiba whispered, still crying with joy, as he gently placed his lips on Sho's.
Sho's arms found themselves tightly wrapped around Aiba's body, as his heart danced happily, knowing that his love was returned.
*******************
" I bet you fifty yen, they're making out" Nino declared, pressing his ears against the door.
"I'm not betting against that" said Jun.
"Me neither" said Ohno.
"...ne, treat me to lunch!" Nino demanded.
"And why the hell should we?" asked Jun, with a raised brow.
"Because, I ended the drama and got them together!" Nino happily declared.
"Go ask them to treat you then" said Jun.
"That was kind of fun though" said Ohno
"Okay, maybe I should go and interrupt their make out session now." Said Nino, as he got up.
"Okay, fine, I'll treat you to lunch today" said Jun, pulling Nino away from the door.
"And me?" asked Ohno.
" You too, riida" said Jun, as the three of them walked away to eat out.
---end--- =^_^=