Two steps forward, one step back
Daemon AU
Nino lied on the sofa and sighed softly as he hugged Haru close to his body. He had his head on top of the daemons had and stared at the TV where his favourite movie was running even if he didn’t process any of it. Haru was dozing off in his arms and Nino tried hard to feel as peaceful as the daemon in his arms. But it was not easy.
“You’re moping,” Aiba announced as he entered the room, after having called the other several times now to come to join him for dinner. He had promised Ohno and Mimi to look after the younger as he had been out of it for a while now, and Aiba had realised that Nino would space out a lot in their shared home lately.
“I’m not,” Nino said, blinking and staring at the other in wonder. He had not heard that Aiba was back home and that was very strange. Aiba was not the most silent person at home. Neither was Yua who he now found, lying on a soft spot on the carpet, half in the sun her eyes on the pair on the sofa.
“You are,” Aiba said with a chuckle and sat down beside him. “Care to tell me what is wrong with you?”
“Nothing,” Nino said and wrinkled his nose as she also shook his head at the question. “I’m just tired I guess. Maybe I am getting ill. Also, I am just not a winter person. It gets cold so fast and it is always dark.”
“Not that it matters, you are inside most of the time anyway,” Aiba teased and poked his cheek. “I made dinner, so come and eat.”
“I am not in the mood for one of your experiments.”
“I made hamburger steak,” Aiba said with a chuckle when he could see Haru’s ears peak up at the words. Aiba grinned as he knew that he would always be able to make Nino happy with hamburger steak and he was glad that it worked today.
“Hamburger steak,” the fox cheered and rubbed his nose against Nino’s cheek who giggled slightly.
“Your hamburger steak is pretty decent,” Nino allowed then and sat up, with Haru draping himself around Nino’s neck.
“I also made Gyoza as a side dish.”
“A very strange side dish,” Nino mumbled but followed him to the kitchen area. He sat on a chair, close to drawing his legs close to his body again, but Aiba was already putting the plate in front of him and Nino had to admit that it smelled delicious. A small smile played around his lips as he fed Haru the first piece and broke the Gyoza in half to nibble on it. It was good and after saying his thanks for the food he started to eat for real. After the first bite, he realised how famished he felt.
“Aiba-chan?”
“Mhm?”
“Do you have plans for Christmas?”
Aiba hummed as he ate the vegetables from his plate and then grinned. “My family decided to travel, not sure where to and how long, depends on how much free time we actually have, but it will be fun, for sure.”
“Sounds nice,” Nino agreed and broke another piece of hamburger to feed it to Haru.
“You’ll meet up with Oh-chan, right? You can spend the night here, I won’t be in your way,” Aiba said and wriggled his eyebrows comically.
“Stupid,” Nino said with red cheeks and hid his face behind his hands, while Haru almosts climbed under his sweatshirt in embarrassment as well. Finally even slid under his shirt completely and rested against his naked chin. Nino giggled slightly because he was ticklish but then his eyes turned a bit sad and he stared down at the rest of his meal.
“What’s up?” Aiba asked, of course detecting the change in Nino and he sighed.
“Will you shut up when I say nothing?”
“No,” Aiba said and Nino glared weakly, his lips forming a slight pout.
“Oh-chan is busy lately,” he mumbled with a sigh then. Aiba hummed in understanding but also slight amusement and shook his head as he looked down at him.
“Do you feel lonely?”
“Of course not, I have Haru!”
Aiba giggled and watched him for a second longer.
“But I only see him at work, I see him less than…”
“Nino…” Aiba sighed and the boy shook his head as he held his arms around Haru and stood with an apologising smile.
“The meal was good, I am tired I think I am going to bed.”
Aiba looked as if he wanted to say something else but then he nodded. “Of course, good night, Nino.”
Nino ducked his head and then vanished into his room. He sighed and then climbed under his blanket, deciding that sleep was good.
“Don’t be sad,” Haru cooed and Nino closed his eyes, a lonely tear in his eyes.
“He said he loved us,” Nino mumbled with a pout and sigh. He still couldn’t believe it when Ohno had told him that. He felt his heart beat faster at the memory. They had been alone in a hotel room, both slightly drunk on post-concert happiness, and actual alcohol that Ohno had bought in celebration.
Nino had been tired, but happy and he didn’t even know how it happened. It was different from the normal drunken calls from their leader, even if also then his heart beat harder and faster each time Ohno would say sweet things to him.
“He does,” Haru said and Nino smiled. He wished he could trust Oho as much as his daemon did, but that also meant he trusted Ohno deep down.
“And we love him,”
Haru agreed and Nino hid his face against the soft fur of his daemon. Everything would be okay, he had just to trust, believe and stop worrying over all small things.
-
>Can I come over?<
>I don’t want to see you.<
>Aw, Kazu, please? I told you I am sorry but I had a lot to do the last few weeks.<
>You didn’t seem to mind not seeing me.< Nino was pouting and ignoring Haru who was nibbling on his elbow to make him change his words and let Ohno come, but he was hurt. Ohno had even ignored him on their last day at work.
It was not only that Ohno had no time and cancelled a few times, but Nino had been so tired and mentally exhausted that it was unfair that Ohno would not let him lean against him. Ohno had told him his arms were always open for him.
Nino sighed and closed his eyes, sniffling as his mind went back to the thoughts of being too much. Ohno would be annoyed by him he was sure he would hate him, and that was also why he didn’t want to be close to him that last day.
Nino rubbed his eyes, crying and throwing the phone away. He didn’t want that! He didn’t want to be hated.
“Oh, Kazu. I am so sorry,” Nino heard that familiar voice suddenly. The one he had wished to hear so much.
“Go away,” he cried, while Haru shook his head violently, almost trying to run to Ohno and keeping him from going out but Nino was holding his daemon in a tight, almost hurtful grip.
Ohno sighed and climbed up beside him. He hugged Nino, hiding under the blanket and swayed him in his arms.
He could feel Haru move under the blanket, whining and trying again to get away from Nino as he was hurting. But Nino’s grip went slack after a few more minutes of just holding him and Haru escaped with a huff.
Ohno was still gentle as he peeled away the blanket from Nino’s face who still tried to hide away from his eyes, but Ohno was still holding him and swaying him from side to side until the sobs subsided, he interlaced their fingers to stop Nino from scratching his arms and looked at him when Nino stared down embarrassed.
“I didn’t want to upset you this much,” Ohno whispered. “I am sorry.”
“But you did,” Nino said, feeling still hollow and Ohno nodded.
“I realise that,” he answered, and rubbed his cheeks, to dry the last tears away. “I won’t do that again.”
“Promise?”
Ohno nodded and looked at him mutely for a second longer. He wanted to say so much more but not today, he decided. Another day. “I wanted to surprise you for Christmas. Are you okay with that?”
“I am tired,” Nino admitted with a sigh.
“It’s good then that my plan was to cook dinner for us, cuddling on the sofa and watching a movie. And maybe, if you feel up for it a walk in the moonlight.”
Nino’s slips twitched slightly. He would like that if he was honest.
“And by cooking you mean?”
“I brought food from my mother,” Ohno said with a chuckle. “Did you leave your room since yesterday?”
Nino shook his head mutely and Ohno put a kiss against his forehead, making Nino blush because he was not used to it, but liked that so much.
“Then take a shower to feel better while I warm up the food.”
“Uhn,” Nino answered with a nod and a small shy smile. Ohno cupped his face in his hands and looked at him for just a moment longer.
“Haru join him, okay?”
“Yes! Food better is good,” Haru said happily and bit Nino’s sleeve to tug him off the bed and to the bath with him.
Ohno looked after him, wincing when Mimi bit his shoulder. “I told you that you are stupid.”
“Yes, Mimi, thank you for the reminder,” Ohno said and rubbed his neck.He rolled his eyes and left to prepare the food. He needed to talk with Nino about his reaction, he thought with a sigh. It was not the first time Nino reacted with so badly to stress and other things, and it worried him. But not today, today was their night as a couple.
Nino lied on the sofa and sighed softly as he hugged Haru close to his body. He had his head on top of the daemons had and stared at the TV where his favourite movie was running even if he didn’t process any of it. Haru was dozing off in his arms and Nino tried hard to feel as peaceful as the daemon in his arms. But it was not easy.
“You’re moping,” Aiba announced as he entered the room, after having called the other several times now to come to join him for dinner. He had promised Ohno and Mimi to look after the younger as he had been out of it for a while now, and Aiba had realised that Nino would space out a lot in their shared home lately.
“I’m not,” Nino said, blinking and staring at the other in wonder. He had not heard that Aiba was back home and that was very strange. Aiba was not the most silent person at home. Neither was Yua who he now found, lying on a soft spot on the carpet, half in the sun her eyes on the pair on the sofa.
“You are,” Aiba said with a chuckle and sat down beside him. “Care to tell me what is wrong with you?”
“Nothing,” Nino said and wrinkled his nose as she also shook his head at the question. “I’m just tired I guess. Maybe I am getting ill. Also, I am just not a winter person. It gets cold so fast and it is always dark.”
“Not that it matters, you are inside most of the time anyway,” Aiba teased and poked his cheek. “I made dinner, so come and eat.”
“I am not in the mood for one of your experiments.”
“I made hamburger steak,” Aiba said with a chuckle when he could see Haru’s ears peak up at the words. Aiba grinned as he knew that he would always be able to make Nino happy with hamburger steak and he was glad that it worked today.
“Hamburger steak,” the fox cheered and rubbed his nose against Nino’s cheek who giggled slightly.
“Your hamburger steak is pretty decent,” Nino allowed then and sat up, with Haru draping himself around Nino’s neck.
“I also made Gyoza as a side dish.”
“A very strange side dish,” Nino mumbled but followed him to the kitchen area. He sat on a chair, close to drawing his legs close to his body again, but Aiba was already putting the plate in front of him and Nino had to admit that it smelled delicious. A small smile played around his lips as he fed Haru the first piece and broke the Gyoza in half to nibble on it. It was good and after saying his thanks for the food he started to eat for real. After the first bite, he realised how famished he felt.
“Aiba-chan?”
“Mhm?”
“Do you have plans for Christmas?”
Aiba hummed as he ate the vegetables from his plate and then grinned. “My family decided to travel, not sure where to and how long, depends on how much free time we actually have, but it will be fun, for sure.”
“Sounds nice,” Nino agreed and broke another piece of hamburger to feed it to Haru.
“You’ll meet up with Oh-chan, right? You can spend the night here, I won’t be in your way,” Aiba said and wriggled his eyebrows comically.
“Stupid,” Nino said with red cheeks and hid his face behind his hands, while Haru almosts climbed under his sweatshirt in embarrassment as well. Finally even slid under his shirt completely and rested against his naked chin. Nino giggled slightly because he was ticklish but then his eyes turned a bit sad and he stared down at the rest of his meal.
“What’s up?” Aiba asked, of course detecting the change in Nino and he sighed.
“Will you shut up when I say nothing?”
“No,” Aiba said and Nino glared weakly, his lips forming a slight pout.
“Oh-chan is busy lately,” he mumbled with a sigh then. Aiba hummed in understanding but also slight amusement and shook his head as he looked down at him.
“Do you feel lonely?”
“Of course not, I have Haru!”
Aiba giggled and watched him for a second longer.
“But I only see him at work, I see him less than…”
“Nino…” Aiba sighed and the boy shook his head as he held his arms around Haru and stood with an apologising smile.
“The meal was good, I am tired I think I am going to bed.”
Aiba looked as if he wanted to say something else but then he nodded. “Of course, good night, Nino.”
Nino ducked his head and then vanished into his room. He sighed and then climbed under his blanket, deciding that sleep was good.
“Don’t be sad,” Haru cooed and Nino closed his eyes, a lonely tear in his eyes.
“He said he loved us,” Nino mumbled with a pout and sigh. He still couldn’t believe it when Ohno had told him that. He felt his heart beat faster at the memory. They had been alone in a hotel room, both slightly drunk on post-concert happiness, and actual alcohol that Ohno had bought in celebration.
Nino had been tired, but happy and he didn’t even know how it happened. It was different from the normal drunken calls from their leader, even if also then his heart beat harder and faster each time Ohno would say sweet things to him.
“He does,” Haru said and Nino smiled. He wished he could trust Oho as much as his daemon did, but that also meant he trusted Ohno deep down.
“And we love him,”
Haru agreed and Nino hid his face against the soft fur of his daemon. Everything would be okay, he had just to trust, believe and stop worrying over all small things.
-
>Can I come over?<
>I don’t want to see you.<
>Aw, Kazu, please? I told you I am sorry but I had a lot to do the last few weeks.<
>You didn’t seem to mind not seeing me.< Nino was pouting and ignoring Haru who was nibbling on his elbow to make him change his words and let Ohno come, but he was hurt. Ohno had even ignored him on their last day at work.
It was not only that Ohno had no time and cancelled a few times, but Nino had been so tired and mentally exhausted that it was unfair that Ohno would not let him lean against him. Ohno had told him his arms were always open for him.
Nino sighed and closed his eyes, sniffling as his mind went back to the thoughts of being too much. Ohno would be annoyed by him he was sure he would hate him, and that was also why he didn’t want to be close to him that last day.
Nino rubbed his eyes, crying and throwing the phone away. He didn’t want that! He didn’t want to be hated.
“Oh, Kazu. I am so sorry,” Nino heard that familiar voice suddenly. The one he had wished to hear so much.
“Go away,” he cried, while Haru shook his head violently, almost trying to run to Ohno and keeping him from going out but Nino was holding his daemon in a tight, almost hurtful grip.
Ohno sighed and climbed up beside him. He hugged Nino, hiding under the blanket and swayed him in his arms.
He could feel Haru move under the blanket, whining and trying again to get away from Nino as he was hurting. But Nino’s grip went slack after a few more minutes of just holding him and Haru escaped with a huff.
Ohno was still gentle as he peeled away the blanket from Nino’s face who still tried to hide away from his eyes, but Ohno was still holding him and swaying him from side to side until the sobs subsided, he interlaced their fingers to stop Nino from scratching his arms and looked at him when Nino stared down embarrassed.
“I didn’t want to upset you this much,” Ohno whispered. “I am sorry.”
“But you did,” Nino said, feeling still hollow and Ohno nodded.
“I realise that,” he answered, and rubbed his cheeks, to dry the last tears away. “I won’t do that again.”
“Promise?”
Ohno nodded and looked at him mutely for a second longer. He wanted to say so much more but not today, he decided. Another day. “I wanted to surprise you for Christmas. Are you okay with that?”
“I am tired,” Nino admitted with a sigh.
“It’s good then that my plan was to cook dinner for us, cuddling on the sofa and watching a movie. And maybe, if you feel up for it a walk in the moonlight.”
Nino’s slips twitched slightly. He would like that if he was honest.
“And by cooking you mean?”
“I brought food from my mother,” Ohno said with a chuckle. “Did you leave your room since yesterday?”
Nino shook his head mutely and Ohno put a kiss against his forehead, making Nino blush because he was not used to it, but liked that so much.
“Then take a shower to feel better while I warm up the food.”
“Uhn,” Nino answered with a nod and a small shy smile. Ohno cupped his face in his hands and looked at him for just a moment longer.
“Haru join him, okay?”
“Yes! Food better is good,” Haru said happily and bit Nino’s sleeve to tug him off the bed and to the bath with him.
Ohno looked after him, wincing when Mimi bit his shoulder. “I told you that you are stupid.”
“Yes, Mimi, thank you for the reminder,” Ohno said and rubbed his neck.He rolled his eyes and left to prepare the food. He needed to talk with Nino about his reaction, he thought with a sigh. It was not the first time Nino reacted with so badly to stress and other things, and it worried him. But not today, today was their night as a couple.