One more year
Nino chuckled when Ohno stumbled into him. It was late and they had been out all night. They had planned to have dinner tonight, a seldom treat of yakiniku as they both craved the grilled meat for once.
Their dinner had ended up in having a few too many drinks that ended with Ohno almost yelling at the top of his lungs how much he loved meat, beer, wine and Nino.
Nino had been able to stop him just in time and managed to pry the drinks out of the elder man’s hands and pay. Now they were out on the streets, Ohno was humming a melody and their fingers were loosely intertwined, not really holding onto each other but also not wanting to not touch.
Nino loved these silent moments, Ohno forgetting that they had to be careful, slightly high and drunk on wine and good company. Nino was glad that this good company always meant that he would be part of it. When Ohno stumbled into him again Nino’s fingers wandered higher until he could grab his wrist, pulling Ohno closer as he felt the cold skin against his fingers and put his coat around them both. It barely fit, but Nino had always been a fan of oversized clothes and they both were small enough to hide under his coat in the night as they made their way to the next corner, giggling because of everything.
The sun was rising when they stopped, both too intoxicated to remember for a second which way to go, and it was Ohno who held out his arm to stop Nino from moving. Nino looked up, his head tilting when Ohno didn’t meet his eyes.
“I don’t want this night to end…” he mumbled and Nino smiled understandingly. His fingers moved on his own accord to hold Ohno’s hand.
“Then we shouldn’t,” he agreed after a minute or two and tugged Ohno along. Ohno made a sound as he almost fell before his feet moved and he followed the younger man who was already unlocking two bikes, a smirk on his face as he pointed to one for Ohno who was still looking confused as he took the bike and followed Nino as the man kicked off.
Ohno was following Nino who looked so young - just like the boy he had fallen in love with all these years ago - as he was leading them through the dawn down to the harbour, jumping off the bike and discarding it as he twirled around as the sun raised behind him, a bright smile on his face.
-
Ohno knew that Nino had nightmares when it was totally dark. Memories that would haunt his dreams from growing up in a family that was not the best. Afraid of the things that would hide in the shadows, so he always kept the little lamp on his nightstand, on nights they went to bed together. Nino’s small smile was enough for him to not mind the light that sometimes made it hard to fall asleep.
When he had been small Ohno had always dreamt of how romantic it would be to share secrets in the dark, but now as an adult, he found it so much more enticing to see the emotions all over Nino’s face when they share silent nights.
Ohno had never been into popular music, to him, it all sounded the same, slightly overproduced, just never enough. Nino loved popular music, not all the time, and only specific songs. Until now Ohno had never figured out which made a song “Nino’s song” but he had gotten used to listening to all kinds of music he was not really a fan of, finding himself enjoying all songs when Nino added his voice to the songs on the radio.
But even if Ohno hated popular radio, he would always be the biggest and first fan of one very particular singer that he would never get enough of.
Some days, Ohno had learnt over the years, Nino needed silence. Silence where he could talk all day, hum, and make noise but without any distractions. It was when Nino was anxious when it was all too much and too little at the same time. And Ohno had learnt, that on these days he needed to be the silent anchor. Ohno never had problems with that. He had always been the silent one since they were toddlers, and he liked that at least one person appreciated him even then.
For Nino, Ohno thought, with a silent smile on his face as he observed the young man, who was bowed over his script, he would do everything. He would run all errands, all day and night long as long as that meant that Nino would greet him with that special smile whenever he came.
“I’m back.”
-
Nino knew that Ohno liked knowing that someone would greet him if he had to work until late. So on days when Nino was home before Ohno and it got dark he kept the lights in the living room on, as well as the bedroom if he was already sleeping. He didn’t like the thought of the electric bill and the lights on without any use. But Ohno was worth every dime it cost him and if some light meant that Ohno felt welcomed and less alone, Nino would never deny him that. It was the smallest thing that he could do.
Ohno had a fondness for strange paintings. When they had been young it had all been light colours, funny shapes, and realistic pictures that Nino had understood. They would point at small things that were particularly nice to look at. As they grew Ohno’s taste had changed in a way that Nino had never been able to follow. Ohno could spend hours in art exhibits, moving from one piece to the next in slow measured steps, sometimes stopping in front of one for ages, staring at it from all sides, close up and then from further away. Nino’s fondness for paintings had not grown the same way as Ohno’s. If he was honest he didn’t like most of the art stuff that Ohno loved so much.
But that didn’t matter, Nino had found. When they ended up somewhere where Nino had no idea what was so interesting about his eyes would wander to Ohno and that was the one kind of art that Nino could always appreciate.
Nino hated watching himself on screen, and Ohno loved to watch all movies that Nino starred in. And he loved to brag that he was the only one to watch the movie with the star. So Nino would always make sure that they had tickets for the first showing. They never were the best seats, and Nino would try to not watch the movie at all. But it didn’t matter in the end.
“Because you are here.”
-
Nino knew he would destroy all of his favourite music if Ohno would ask for it.
If Nino asked, Ohno would walk all the from Tokyo to Osaka and back to get his favourite snacks.
Because Ohno belonged to Nino and Nino belonged to Ohno.
The morning air was cold, Ohno thought as he went closer to the other man, his arms finding their way around Nino’s hips, holding the younger man close. His cheeks were against Nino’s red one as they looked across the sea.
The mornings were cold lately, never too cold when they were together though, he thought when their breaths mingled in silent laughter.
“It’s time,” Nino said, a small regret in his voice and Ohno chuckled as he could tell that Nino was slowly on his way to getting hoarse. They would sleep all day and then they would go out again, Ohno thought as he let Nino go. He watched Nino as he put on his coat properly again, a mask in place as the city around them slowly woke up and the harbour grew silent.
Slowly they made their way back to their home, Ohno’s eyes straying to Nino again and again, even when their hands separated finally as they moved into the busy streets.
-
Yes, Ohno would do everything for Nino without question and Nino would do everything for Ohno.
Because nothing matters as long as they were here again the next year.
Nino smiled at Ohno that night. They were out again, their hands intertwined, maybe a bit too close, but it didn’t matter. The streets were full tonight but nobody watched them, as they walked down the streets, sharing Nino’s coat once again.
Step for step, chime for chime.
Breathless laughter, silent counts.
108.
“To another year together.”
Their dinner had ended up in having a few too many drinks that ended with Ohno almost yelling at the top of his lungs how much he loved meat, beer, wine and Nino.
Nino had been able to stop him just in time and managed to pry the drinks out of the elder man’s hands and pay. Now they were out on the streets, Ohno was humming a melody and their fingers were loosely intertwined, not really holding onto each other but also not wanting to not touch.
Nino loved these silent moments, Ohno forgetting that they had to be careful, slightly high and drunk on wine and good company. Nino was glad that this good company always meant that he would be part of it. When Ohno stumbled into him again Nino’s fingers wandered higher until he could grab his wrist, pulling Ohno closer as he felt the cold skin against his fingers and put his coat around them both. It barely fit, but Nino had always been a fan of oversized clothes and they both were small enough to hide under his coat in the night as they made their way to the next corner, giggling because of everything.
The sun was rising when they stopped, both too intoxicated to remember for a second which way to go, and it was Ohno who held out his arm to stop Nino from moving. Nino looked up, his head tilting when Ohno didn’t meet his eyes.
“I don’t want this night to end…” he mumbled and Nino smiled understandingly. His fingers moved on his own accord to hold Ohno’s hand.
“Then we shouldn’t,” he agreed after a minute or two and tugged Ohno along. Ohno made a sound as he almost fell before his feet moved and he followed the younger man who was already unlocking two bikes, a smirk on his face as he pointed to one for Ohno who was still looking confused as he took the bike and followed Nino as the man kicked off.
Ohno was following Nino who looked so young - just like the boy he had fallen in love with all these years ago - as he was leading them through the dawn down to the harbour, jumping off the bike and discarding it as he twirled around as the sun raised behind him, a bright smile on his face.
-
Ohno knew that Nino had nightmares when it was totally dark. Memories that would haunt his dreams from growing up in a family that was not the best. Afraid of the things that would hide in the shadows, so he always kept the little lamp on his nightstand, on nights they went to bed together. Nino’s small smile was enough for him to not mind the light that sometimes made it hard to fall asleep.
When he had been small Ohno had always dreamt of how romantic it would be to share secrets in the dark, but now as an adult, he found it so much more enticing to see the emotions all over Nino’s face when they share silent nights.
Ohno had never been into popular music, to him, it all sounded the same, slightly overproduced, just never enough. Nino loved popular music, not all the time, and only specific songs. Until now Ohno had never figured out which made a song “Nino’s song” but he had gotten used to listening to all kinds of music he was not really a fan of, finding himself enjoying all songs when Nino added his voice to the songs on the radio.
But even if Ohno hated popular radio, he would always be the biggest and first fan of one very particular singer that he would never get enough of.
Some days, Ohno had learnt over the years, Nino needed silence. Silence where he could talk all day, hum, and make noise but without any distractions. It was when Nino was anxious when it was all too much and too little at the same time. And Ohno had learnt, that on these days he needed to be the silent anchor. Ohno never had problems with that. He had always been the silent one since they were toddlers, and he liked that at least one person appreciated him even then.
For Nino, Ohno thought, with a silent smile on his face as he observed the young man, who was bowed over his script, he would do everything. He would run all errands, all day and night long as long as that meant that Nino would greet him with that special smile whenever he came.
“I’m back.”
-
Nino knew that Ohno liked knowing that someone would greet him if he had to work until late. So on days when Nino was home before Ohno and it got dark he kept the lights in the living room on, as well as the bedroom if he was already sleeping. He didn’t like the thought of the electric bill and the lights on without any use. But Ohno was worth every dime it cost him and if some light meant that Ohno felt welcomed and less alone, Nino would never deny him that. It was the smallest thing that he could do.
Ohno had a fondness for strange paintings. When they had been young it had all been light colours, funny shapes, and realistic pictures that Nino had understood. They would point at small things that were particularly nice to look at. As they grew Ohno’s taste had changed in a way that Nino had never been able to follow. Ohno could spend hours in art exhibits, moving from one piece to the next in slow measured steps, sometimes stopping in front of one for ages, staring at it from all sides, close up and then from further away. Nino’s fondness for paintings had not grown the same way as Ohno’s. If he was honest he didn’t like most of the art stuff that Ohno loved so much.
But that didn’t matter, Nino had found. When they ended up somewhere where Nino had no idea what was so interesting about his eyes would wander to Ohno and that was the one kind of art that Nino could always appreciate.
Nino hated watching himself on screen, and Ohno loved to watch all movies that Nino starred in. And he loved to brag that he was the only one to watch the movie with the star. So Nino would always make sure that they had tickets for the first showing. They never were the best seats, and Nino would try to not watch the movie at all. But it didn’t matter in the end.
“Because you are here.”
-
Nino knew he would destroy all of his favourite music if Ohno would ask for it.
If Nino asked, Ohno would walk all the from Tokyo to Osaka and back to get his favourite snacks.
Because Ohno belonged to Nino and Nino belonged to Ohno.
The morning air was cold, Ohno thought as he went closer to the other man, his arms finding their way around Nino’s hips, holding the younger man close. His cheeks were against Nino’s red one as they looked across the sea.
The mornings were cold lately, never too cold when they were together though, he thought when their breaths mingled in silent laughter.
“It’s time,” Nino said, a small regret in his voice and Ohno chuckled as he could tell that Nino was slowly on his way to getting hoarse. They would sleep all day and then they would go out again, Ohno thought as he let Nino go. He watched Nino as he put on his coat properly again, a mask in place as the city around them slowly woke up and the harbour grew silent.
Slowly they made their way back to their home, Ohno’s eyes straying to Nino again and again, even when their hands separated finally as they moved into the busy streets.
-
Yes, Ohno would do everything for Nino without question and Nino would do everything for Ohno.
Because nothing matters as long as they were here again the next year.
Nino smiled at Ohno that night. They were out again, their hands intertwined, maybe a bit too close, but it didn’t matter. The streets were full tonight but nobody watched them, as they walked down the streets, sharing Nino’s coat once again.
Step for step, chime for chime.
Breathless laughter, silent counts.
108.
“To another year together.”