Once Again [RESERVED]

[ninomagic]

Title: Once Again [RESERVED]
Setting: Saturday, 4:30 PM, Bakery --> Boutique
Characters: Ninomiya Kazunari & Ohno Satoshi
Rating: PG-13

Comments

[sketchngo]

So Ohno did have a chance. Well, maybe. It was still possible that Nino had a huge unrequited crush on Sho and therefore Ohno didn't have a chance in hell. Maybe he wasn't even Nino's type

[ninomagic]

Nino didn't have a type. Nino liked who he liked, there didn't seem to be a common trait amongst those he'd dated. Maybe at first, a bad habit of dating women he knew would leave him in the end. But once he'd grown out of that, and realized he was also attracted to men, it hadn't seemed as if there was a pattern. One was sweet, but too innocent. After a few months of trying to tone down his personality he'd eventually gotten fed up and was able to actually be the one to end his relationship for once. A few dates and flirting sessions here and there, nothing serious. After that it was the ego-maniac. Since then... no one

[sketchngo]

Ohno simply shook his head, chewing his lip a little to try and hide the way his face fell at the mention of Machida.

"I nearly left the country for him, but he left me behind," Ohno replied simply, not quite ready to open wounds he'd just finished licking.

Shaking his head to clear the thoughts, Ohno offered Nino a bright smile to make up for his bout of angst, nodding. "Sure! I want to see that Dragon Quest poster!"

[ninomagic]

Nino frowned, scratching the back of his neck. It felt like a little hope had just been lost. How long had they dated? If Ohno was willing to leave the country for him, they must have been as serious as it gets. And how could Nino possibly compare to someone like that?

A childish, penny-pinching, magician as an actual profession, dog-faced... him. No one had tolerated him for long, even those he'd managed to dump first. His confidence was already shaken. Competing against someone's true love? He couldn't possibly expect to win, could he

[sketchngo]

Ohno smiled, though it was a little wistful as he followed Nino down the hallway, enjoying the feel of the younger man's hand in his own again. "Yea, you're right. He was stupid, and it's his loss now," Ohno tried hard not to let his voice crack as he said it, though he was certain a bit of the pain made its way through.

Squeezing Nino's hand tight, Ohno peeked over Nino's shoulder as they made it to his room, spotting the rabbit cage in the corner almost immediately.

"Ace!" he exclaimed, brightening at the sight of the small white rabbit Nino used in his shows.

[ninomagic]

Nino didn't like the sound of this at all. It was as if... Ohno didn't believe it. Didn't believe that he was 10,000 kinds of amazing. The type of person that made you get up in the morning, because you just had to see what they were doing, even if it was the same thing they did everyday - in Ohno's case, sketching or eating melon pan and the bakery. The kind of person that was warm and friendly enough to seem like they had absolutely no secrets to keep, but quiet and thoughtful enough to make you want to crawl inside their brain for awhile. Curl up and listen to what was going on there

[sketchngo]

Ohno decided to simply stop thinking about Machida. He was here now, enjoying his time with Nino, not thinking about a past love who'd broken his heart.

That, and there was a fluffy bunny demanding his attention. Squeezing Nino's hand back, Ohno dropped it in favor of crossing the room to pick Ace up out of his cage, nuzzling the rabbit's soft fur.

"Hi Ace! Did you miss me?" Ohno cooed softly as he sat on the edge of Nino's bed, petting the rabbit gently as it sat on his lap.

It was then that he noticed the guitar sitting in the corner, and his face lit up. "You didn't tell me you played, Nino-chan!"

[ninomagic]

Nino smiled as Ohno snuggled with his bunny. He'd not really thought of it as a way to bring men into the bedroom, but... hmmn. No, no, he had no reason to go around seducing people with fluffy things, even if it seemed like it would work. The image of Ohno holding Ace like that was just too cute. He'd think of him every time someone picked the rabbit up.

"I don't play. Not professionally," Nino replied, not wanting to give the impression he was amazing. Then Ohno would probably ask for a song and he'd have to see the reaction on his face and he just... cared too much about music to be told he wasn't all that great. Even if indirectly.

"So, I have the mask, we should get going," he said to the ceiling, avoiding Ohno's gaze in case there was any puppy dog eyes going on. He did feel bad about cutting time with Ace short. The rabbit loved the attention. Maybe they could stay a little longer.

[sketchngo]

Ohno had been about to ask for a song, but Nino's sudden change of subject made him think twice. Perhaps after, if Nino didn't run away again, he could convince him to play.

Scritching between Ace's ears, Ohno snuggled the rabbit once more before placing him gently back into the cage. "Be good, Ace, and I'll come visit you again," he said, giving the rabbit one last pat before turning back to Nino and offering his hand again.

Nino had taken his earlier, so it was safe, right?

[ninomagic]

Eventually he'd stop being a baby about it. What good was all this song writing if he didn't share it with anyone? It was a message that was stuck between his four bedroom walls, floating around him and being heard by no one but Ace. It was too depressing.

"Will you?" Nino asked with a smile, taking Ohno's hand without hesitation for once.

It was good that the boutique hadn't been far from his apartment. He and Sho had gotten lost, sure, but not after wandering too long. It would have been a pain to deal with trains and distance at the moment. This time he knew where he was going. It would probably take even less time.

"I'm sorry I haven't been to the park," Nino tried to keep conversation going as they left his apartment, "Maybe one day I'll surprise you and show up again. It's just been easier for me to get to the bakery."

[sketchngo]

"I will, but Ace has to be a good rabbit," Ohno said with a light chuckle as the left the apartment, his hand comfortably twined with Nino's and his mask tucked back up under his arm.

Ohno couldn't tell you how he'd stumbled across the costume shop on his walk, so it was a good thing Nino knew where he was going. He was, however, surprised to find the costume shop quite a short distance from Nino's apartment. Well, they'd met in the same neighborhood park, after all, so it made sense that they would live close to each other.

"It's okay, I miss drawing with you there though," Ohno admitted, swinging their hands as they walked.

[ninomagic]

Nino chuckled and shook his head.

"I don't know about that. I call him Maou sometimes when he doesn't behave. Bunny with an attitude," he responded, pouting at Ohno as if disappointed he wouldn't be getting a visit. He could find other ways to have Ohno spend time with him if need be.

Ah, he made things so complicated for himself. He wanted to spend as much time with Ohno as possible, just to be near him. But he wanted to keep a little distance, because when he was near him, he was a melty, sappy, embarrassing ball of goo. It wasn't even about being impressive! He just wanted to be able to see the man happy. Not ruin their friendship by caring too much.

"But you didn't get paid for that. I was robbing you, really."

[sketchngo]

"Maybe if his owner is good, then," Ohno said in an attempt to appease Nino, though he had to admit the pout was adorable.

It had been pretty lonely in the park since Nino had stopped coming. He'd also sold less art, though whether that was because mos of the crowds were attached to Nino, or because his quality of art had simply gone down, Ohno wasn't sure.

"Lies," Ohno said, grinning sidelong over at Nino, "you brought all of the business."

[ninomagic]

Nino could feel his insides warm up at Ohno's statement, beaming at him - completely obvious in his being pleased with that idea. He couldn't help it! He didn't mean to turn things into flirting sessions, but sometimes it just felt like they were. Delusional, maybe, but he could hold on to this just for a short while.

"I could make you even more money," he stated with confidence, "everyone who buys a caricature gets to learn a trick. With your talent and my charisma, you'd make enough in a day to last you through the week."

He believed that, really. And he'd do it too. He loved magic, whether he was performing for a celebrity in a fancy restaurant or a stranger for free in the park. Or Ohno. He had a feeling it was best when it was with him.

"And then I'll cook dinner at your house, and then you'll come visit Ace, and you'll be so sick of me by the end of it that you'll... I don't know. Sketch me with a leg missing or something," he rambled, chuckling as he finished.

[sketchngo]

"Really?!" Ohno asked, face lighting up. Being able to help out more around the house with more money would be a fantastic idea, especially if it meant he got to spend time with Nino in the park again.

"But won't that interfere with your normal shows? You've gotten so popular lately..." Ohno realized it was probably just a pipe-dream, their idea of playing in the park and making gobs of money. But it didn't mean he couldn't want it.

Sketch with a leg missing? "Never," Ohno assured, squeezing Nino's hand as they rounded a corner and the costume shop came into view again.

[ninomagic]

Nino knew that it would probably mean that he spent the majority of his day doing magic, but what was so bad about that? It was one day out of many. So what if he was a bit burned out by the end of it? He'd go to bed happy, that was the point.

"I might have to push a show back, or work late hours, or something. Or maybe just not have a day off like intended, but that really doesn't matter. I promise, one day I'll do it," he stated, and truly meant it.

Nino sighed as the boutique came into view again, a little uneasy about what would happen this time. If things went the same way, there was nothing to worry about. There was just that tiny apprehension in his gut, the kind that came when doing something a little risky. He thrived on that, why was this any different.

"Come on, Oh-chan, we've got a dance to get to!"