The Little Zombie 3
Oneshot: The Little Zombie
Pairs: Ohmiya
Rating: Pg-13
Genre: Tragic Comedy
Summary: This is the story of a boy who fell in love with a zombie.
A text came while Nino was in the middle of annihilating his zombie in a game of checkers.
“ ‘I nd to tlk 2u w/out Ono’ ”
Passively, Nino set the phone aside and double jumped two black pieces.
After the game, Nino waited until Ohno was sleeping in his usual spot under the quilt in front of the tv, before slipping out of the apartment. He took a seat on the stairs before dialing Aiba’s number.
“Hello?”
“It’s me, I got your message.“ With his foot, Nino jiggled the second step down, it was loose and wobbled a little. “What did you want to talk about that you have to keep so secret?”
“It’s….ah this is so awkward.” The breathy voice was even huskier from embarrassment.
Nino curled up to his knees, “Did Sho figure it out after dinner? Ohno didn’t order anything, and he made that comment about his eyes.”
“No no, nothing like that. He said he liked both of you a lot actually.” Despite speaking of his boyfriend, Aiba’s voice remained hesitant and serious.
It unnerved Nino, just a little. “Well, what is it then?”
“Nino…the way you treat Ohno… are you…do you…you…you take care of him really well.”
“Who’s fault is that?”
“Mine, I know, and I‘m sorry I dumped his on you so suddenly. I shouldn’t have done that, he should have stayed with me from the beginning.”
“Yes he should have, that’s what I-”
“Nino, I think Ohno should start living with me soon.”
“What?” Nino breathed, “Why? So you can keep him strapped to your table? What would your boyfriend say anyway? Ohno being at your place you nearly ruined yo-”
“Nino,” When Aiba interrupted, it was in his most serious, most severe voice. “This is important, please stop talking and listen.”
“But-”
“You‘re too attached. I didn‘t even think it would turn out this way, that‘d you guys would become so…so…fond of each other.”
“You are the one who wanted a friendly zombie,” Said Nino, exasperated “And now that you have one you think he‘s too friendly-”
“That’s the problem Nino…I don’t want you guys to get ‘too friendly.’”
“Aiba,” Nino exhaled, rubbing his forehead with his hand. “Why are you so stupid? It‘s not like that at all.”
“You two were acting really suspicious, ok! Even Sho told me afterwards that you two were a cuter couple than we were!”
“Come on Aiba, think about it. Not only is Ohno a zombie, but he’s a zombie.”
“I know that,” Aiba sighed at last, “But I think you forgot.”
_________________
When Nino told Ohno of Aiba’s hypothesis, Ohno laughed until he claimed his side split open for real.
“Well, do you want to live with Aiba now?” Nino asked, after determining that Ohno did not, in fact, bust a zombie gut. “And get poked and prodded and experimented on daily?”
“You make it sound so attractive…” Ohno scratched his chin, contemplatively. “If I leave, can I take the penguin with me?”
Nino glanced at the penguin nightlight who had lived in the outlet in the small living room since Ohno’s first day in the apartment. “No can do, that guy stays here.”
“Oh well…I guess that means I stay too.”
_________________________
“This looks like a nice park.”
“Its not a bad place.” Nino looked around at the park on top of the hill. The cherry trees had long since lost their flowers and came into full leaf, although the row of evergreen hedges looked no different. The path that ran between two of the bushes was also the same, except perhaps that it was even more beaten. “You don’t like it?”
“I like it. It has a good feeling to it.” Ohno smiled, relaxing on a park bench.
Nino sat next to him, and they watched the comings and goings of mothers and children together for a while.
The same way they did every week, even if Ohno never remembered the next day.
__________________
It was Sho’s idea to have a group trip over his and Aiba’s summer vacation.
When Nino asked what he should get ready for the trip, Aiba said 500 yen for snacks would be enough. Similarly when Nino specifically, directly and explicitly asked where they were going, Aiba said 500 yen for snacks would be enough.
___________________
“Blindfolds, Aiba. Seriously?” Nino sighed, peeking out from under the cloth to see if Ohno was blindfolded as well. He was, and judging by his slouching posture, probably already asleep.
Nino couldn’t help but notice that the amount of time Ohno spent sleeping had increased considerably to where he was awake for only five or six hours a day.
“Yes, seriously. It won’t be a surprise if you read the road signs on the way and figure out where we’re going.”
“If it’s going to be that bug park like it was a few years ago…”
“It’s not the bug park, ok? Why are you always such a negative poop head.”
Letting the blindfold slip back over his eyes, Nino leaned against the window, “Aiba, could you please learn some insults befitting your age?”
Sho laughed congenially in the driver’s seat, “Don’t worry, I approve of this place, Nino.”
“Then be warned that your reputation as a cool person rides on this trip.”
“He is a poop head.” Sho whispered to Aiba.
“See, now you just lost cool points.” Nino warned, folding his arms.
“My points…”
“Don’t worry, Sho-chan, I’ll give you my cool points.” Aiba offered.
“Cool points are non-transferable.” Nino switched to leaning on the sleeping Ohno because it was more comfortable than the window. If Aiba and Sho made something of it, then all the better. “Someone hand me my gameboy.”
Nino could hear Aiba rustling around in bag in the front seat before suddenly stopping. “But you can’t play with your blindfold on.”
A wide grin spread across Nino‘s face. “Wanna bet?”
As it turned out Nino was not very talented at playing blind. But he was very, very talented at using his frequent and continuous game over music to annoy Aiba and Sho, who retaliated by turning up the radio and singing along.
“Are we there yet?” Woken by the noise, Ohno’s voice startled everyone.
“Not yet.” Aiba called over Sho’s Beyonce cd. “But we’ll be there really soon I think.”
“Oh, ok.” Blindly, Ohno felt for Nino beside him.
“That would be my face.”
“I thought so. Did you know you have a very firm nose?”
“That might be because that’s my chin.”
“Ah. That would explain it‘s chin shape.”
“Oh oh! We’re here! Now we just have to find the parking lot. Leave the blindfolds on until I say you can take them off, ok?” Aiba ordered, excitedly, turning off the music. Nino felt the car make the transition from driving on pavement to gravel.
A little more than five minutes later, Sho brought the car to a stop.
“Ok, I’ll grab the luggage in the back if you get the cooler,” Sho was saying to Aiba, as he opened the door.
Suddenly, the calming sound of crashing waves washed into the car.
“Is this the beach?” Nino groaned.
“Mom.”
Nino froze, terrified from the strangled voice that came from his side. He didn’t even remember taking the blindfold off, but suddenly it was in his hands and he could see.
Ohno was struggling under his seatbelt, clutching his throat, kicking his legs.
“MomsorryI’msorrywhydidIgoIdon’twanttodiesomeonesavemelifejacketlifejacketwherecaptianbreathecan‘tdon‘tmommymommompleasedon‘tbemadsorry.”
Instinctively, Nino climbed on top of him to hold him still, trying to stop the thrashing.
“Oh-chan, it’s ok, your mom is ok, she’s not mad.” Nino repeated, over and over.
“Stormrockscan’tlifejacketwheremom”
“Nino-what‘s wrong with him?!”
“He’s reliving it!” Nino nearly shrieked, panicking. “Aiba, he’s reliving it!”
“Swimcan’tlegshurtbreathmomhelpdon’tmadsorryhelpbreathe”
“Reliving…oh my god.”
“Reliving what? What’s going on?!”
“Just-he’s afraid of water, ok?! Get us out of here!”
“I’m…I’m sorry, I didn’t know-”
“Apologize later and get us out of here now!!”
_______________________
Dinner at the hotel Sho had arranged was silent.
Ohno had passed out immediately after his fit and hadn’t woken up in the hours since.
“I’m really, really sorry.” Sho said, again. “If I had known, I never would have suggested the sea-”
“I didn’t know either Sho-chan, and I’m something of a father to him.” Aiba sighed.
Sho didn’t question the odd statement, only bowing his head lower
“Nino…you should eat.” Aiba murmured, though he too was eating much less than normal.
“I’m not hungry.” His rice bowl untouched, Nino pushed it towards Aiba.
“You know what we need? Drinks, to lighten the mood.” Aiba gave a very forced smile. “But I think I forgot the cooler in the car…”
“I’ll go get it.” Sho offered, quickly removing himself from the table.
Nino stood too, and walked towards the door to the veranda, sliding it open before tucking his hands in his hotel yukata sleeves. He stared at the beautiful sunset without taking in a bit of it’s glory.
Aiba joined him, his large hands helpless at his side.
“Did you know he had drowned when you brought his corpse home?”
“It said that was the cause of death on his his tag, but I didn’t know it was while at sea….I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been so thoughtless…”
“What good does apologizing to me do?” Nino sighed, shifting his weight against the door.
“I’ll apologize to him too, when he wakes up.”
“If he wakes up.” Nino breathed.
“He sleeps a lot these days…” Aiba trailed off, somber. “And he’s forgetting more.”
“You noticed that too?”
“Yeah. A couple weekends ago Ohno asked me if I had bought new rubber gloves, when he was with me in the store when I bought them the weekend before. He actually picked them out for me.”
Nino nodded.
They listened to the bell crickets and cicadas for a minute.
“Aiba,”
“Hm?”
“I think…. he’s dying.”
______________________
Before it was completely dark, Nino returned to the bedroom.
Ohno was silently crying in his sleep.
Nino breathed a sigh of guilty relief. If Ohno was crying, he had a little life in him yet.
It reminded Nino of the first day Ohno was under his care.
In the dark, Nino found his duffel bag, and found the penguin nightlight packed inside. He pressed it into the nearest outlet before slipping under his own futon.
He stared at the ceiling, knowing it to be impossible to fall asleep when Ohno was crying.
He shuffled into Ohno’s futon, and stroked the shuddering back, in an effort to calm him.
“I’m sorry.” Nino breathed, barely making any sound. “I’m sorry I didn’t stop Aiba from starting this crazy experiment. I’m sorry you’ve had to suffer so much.”
Blankets rustled, and Ohno turned around, to face Nino.
Nino wasn’t entirely surprised that he was awake, and he let Ohno scoot closer into a hug. Just barely in the nightlight’s glow, Nino could see Ohno’s eyes. The blue was gone, leaving only the natural amber brown.
“Please don’t say you’re sorry.” Ohno whispered, his voice a little soft and a little broken. “I had fun being your zombie.”
Nino closed his eyes against the use of the past tense.
“You weirdo,” Nino whispered, forbidding himself from choking, “You were never even a proper zombie.”
_____________________
Nino took Ohno through the gap in the hedges, behind the park.
He led Ohno to his old house, even if Ohno didn’t know that it was.
It was a beautiful early autumn day.
They laid out in the grass watching the clouds and flocks of birds until they fell asleep.
Ohno did not wake up.
______________________
“Whoa, Nino, did you know the second step on those stairs outside is broken?” Aiba announced, kicking off his shoes.
“It’s a rundown apartment complex, what do you expect.” Nino didn’t even look up from his game. Aiba had long since stolen a house key to come and go as he pleased.
“Nino….”
“What?”
“Your place is a dump.”
Nino spared his small room a glance. He didn’t really clean anymore, or pick up after himself, or wash dishes.
He lived alone anyway, so it didn’t matter.
“If it bothers you, feel free to clean it.” Nino said, returning to his game.
“Nino…”
“What?”
“If you…if you want to talk…”
Taking a deep, patient breath, Nino turned to face Aiba. “If I want to talk, I’ll talk. If I want to play games, I’ll play games. What do you think I want to do Aiba? What does it look like I’m doing?”
Aiba bowed his head, and said quietly, “It’s ok, if you want to yell at me, or hit me, or…”
“…I can handle this Aiba, ok?” Nino gave Aiba an encouraging smile. “Please stop worrying about me.”
“You know that’s impossible.” Aiba smiled, wiping the corner of his eye with a knuckle.
After Aiba left, Nino couldn’t get back into his gaming groove. He stood up, stretched, and foraged in his cabinets for food.
The cabinets were found to be empty, and with a disgruntled sigh, Nino grabbed his wallet, found a pair of shoes and opened the door.
Wincing at the blinding brightness, Nino turned for the stairs, and took a step down.
There was a crack.
The step broke.
Nino felt himself falling.
_________________________
When Nino opened his eyes, he knew he was dead.
And probably in some incarnation of hell by the sound of it. The sound being the crash of waves on shore.
Nino had always hated the beach.
Nino felt the sand sticking to his back as he sat up. With an annoyed sigh, he brushed himself off.
There was a man on a purple and white striped beach towel, putting suntan lotion on himself.
“Hi.” Nino said, approaching him.
“Hello.” The man smiled, and it was of unearthly beauty.
“Are you dead too?” Nino asked, bluntly, and the man laughed.
“Something like that, I guess.”
“Are there other dead people here, besides us?” Nino asked, feeling light with hope.
“Sure, if they want to be.”
“That‘s what I wanted to hear.” Nino beamed, already scanning the beach, “Thank you.”
“Nino, this is for you.” The man smiled, his eyes sparkling knowingly, holding out a rolled up towel. “You might need it.”
Taking the towel, Nino noticed it was covered in penguins wearing yellow Hawaiian print swimming trunks. “Um…thank you.”
With a wink that managed to make the handsome face look incredibly awkward, the man resumed his lotion application.
Towel in hand, Nino walked along the endless shore for a while, kicking sticks or small stones along the wet sand as he went.
After a while, he spotted someone taking a nap on a large blue beach towel.
A very familiar someone.
“Oh-chan!!” Nino cried, breaking into a run without really intending to.
“Nino!” Ohno exclaimed, getting up off the towel in just enough time to be tackled back down onto it. “What are you doing here?”
“I got a game over.”
“Oh no.” Ohno blinked, hugging Nino back, “That must have sucked.”
Nino rolled over, to lay beside Ohno, using the penguin towel for a pillow.
“It wasn’t so bad. You know that broken step outside my apartment?”
“I warned you about that one!”
“Yeah, well. It broke. I fell, and probably broke my neck or something and got it over with.”
“Don’t say anymore, I can feel it already.” Wincing Ohno cupped his own neck.
Nino laughed, and snuggled closer to Ohno‘s side. Ohno wrapped his arms around his shoulders.
Nino closed his eyes. Ohno felt warm. Soothing and wonderful and warm. The way he was meant to be.
“I wish I had met you while you were still alive.”
“It would have been nice.” Ohno agreed, folding his spare hand behind his head to cushion it against the sand. “Though it would probably have been about the same.”
“Probably.” Nino nodded, “Except I’m thinking we would have been lovers or something.”
“Or something along those lines, yeah.” Ohno approved with a smile.
“And our first kiss would have gone something like this.” Propping himself up on his elbow, Nino cupped Ohno‘s chin to tilt it to just the right angle before kissing Ohno.
For an infinity, Nino did nothing more than caress Ohno’s lips with his own, and Ohno kissed back, just as gently.
Gently, at least, until Ohno licked Nino’s mouth open, and danced inside.
Nino decided he wouldn’t mind spending the rest of his life with Ohno like this, before he remembered he was dead. Eternity didn’t sound so bad either, even if they were stuck on a beach.
_____________________
Suddenly Nino felt twin painful jolts on his nipples. Like a million volts hit him on each side.
Ohno’s hands happened to be on Nino’s neck, and drifting towards his ass respectively.
Nino’s eyes flew open, and he broke the kiss. “That wasn’t you, was it?”
“Who else would it be?” Ohno blinked, a little confused, before he looked down. “Uh oh.”
“What are you…” Nino looked down too, and found a spirally design was beginning to appear on his stomach. It was undoubtedly the necromantic circle Nino had drawn on Ohno so very long ago.
“It’s kind of impressive he managed to do it again,” Ohno observed before kissing him again, “Well, I’ll be waiting here when you get back, so have fun.”
“How do I know I’ll get back here to you by the time Aiba’s done with me?!”
“I think you will. If not,” Ohno kissed Nino’s forehead. “I’ll find you.”
___________________
When Nino opened his eyes, he knew he was a zombie.
“Whoa, they’re yellow instead of blue, that’s amazing!” Aiba breathed, tapping Nino’s cheeks. “Nino, hey Nino? Can you hear me yet?”
Swatting Aiba’s hands away, Nino sat up, and Aiba’s eyes filled with tears which came out in great, noisy sobs. “Nino! You didn’t even give me a chance to say good bye!”
“After all we went through with Ohno,” Nino said, in disbelief, “You brought me back just to say goodbye?!”
“AHHHHHHHH!”
Nino looked over, finding Sho stumbling backwards in Nino’s old lab coat.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!” Sho screamed, “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!”
“No, Sho, wait-”
“Masaki, what have we done, this is wrong this-”
“Save the speech, Sho.” Nino hopped off the table. “He’s heard it before and clearly it did him much good.”
Sho stared at him. “You were dead right?”
“Yeah.”
“And now you’re a zombie.”
“Now don’t go discriminating against zombies.” Nino warned, shaking a finger.
“I think…” Sho said, looking an unflattering mixture of queasy and faint. “I need to lie down. Excuse me.”
Sho fainted, and Aiba caught him in enough time to ease him to the floor. “I shouldn’t have given him such a big assignment for his first day as Igor.”
After Aiba saw Sho safely on the couch, Nino walked over to the still sniffling scientist, and slapped him hard on the head.
“Ouch! What was that for?!”
“I was in the middle of making out with Oh-chan, and you brought me back, you idiot.”
“Oh…” Aiba blinked away the last of his tears before grinning widely. “I told you so.”
"You told me what?” Nino frowned.
“I told you that you were in love with Ohno even though he was a zombie! And you said you couldn't because he was a zombie!”
“I did not.” Nino rolled his bright yellow eyes, “Besides, just because people don’t usually fall in love with zombies doesn’t mean they can’t.”
“Exactly, Nino.” Aiba beamed, proud. “Exactly.”
Pairs: Ohmiya
Rating: Pg-13
Genre: Tragic Comedy
Summary: This is the story of a boy who fell in love with a zombie.
A text came while Nino was in the middle of annihilating his zombie in a game of checkers.
“ ‘I nd to tlk 2u w/out Ono’ ”
Passively, Nino set the phone aside and double jumped two black pieces.
After the game, Nino waited until Ohno was sleeping in his usual spot under the quilt in front of the tv, before slipping out of the apartment. He took a seat on the stairs before dialing Aiba’s number.
“Hello?”
“It’s me, I got your message.“ With his foot, Nino jiggled the second step down, it was loose and wobbled a little. “What did you want to talk about that you have to keep so secret?”
“It’s….ah this is so awkward.” The breathy voice was even huskier from embarrassment.
Nino curled up to his knees, “Did Sho figure it out after dinner? Ohno didn’t order anything, and he made that comment about his eyes.”
“No no, nothing like that. He said he liked both of you a lot actually.” Despite speaking of his boyfriend, Aiba’s voice remained hesitant and serious.
It unnerved Nino, just a little. “Well, what is it then?”
“Nino…the way you treat Ohno… are you…do you…you…you take care of him really well.”
“Who’s fault is that?”
“Mine, I know, and I‘m sorry I dumped his on you so suddenly. I shouldn’t have done that, he should have stayed with me from the beginning.”
“Yes he should have, that’s what I-”
“Nino, I think Ohno should start living with me soon.”
“What?” Nino breathed, “Why? So you can keep him strapped to your table? What would your boyfriend say anyway? Ohno being at your place you nearly ruined yo-”
“Nino,” When Aiba interrupted, it was in his most serious, most severe voice. “This is important, please stop talking and listen.”
“But-”
“You‘re too attached. I didn‘t even think it would turn out this way, that‘d you guys would become so…so…fond of each other.”
“You are the one who wanted a friendly zombie,” Said Nino, exasperated “And now that you have one you think he‘s too friendly-”
“That’s the problem Nino…I don’t want you guys to get ‘too friendly.’”
“Aiba,” Nino exhaled, rubbing his forehead with his hand. “Why are you so stupid? It‘s not like that at all.”
“You two were acting really suspicious, ok! Even Sho told me afterwards that you two were a cuter couple than we were!”
“Come on Aiba, think about it. Not only is Ohno a zombie, but he’s a zombie.”
“I know that,” Aiba sighed at last, “But I think you forgot.”
_________________
When Nino told Ohno of Aiba’s hypothesis, Ohno laughed until he claimed his side split open for real.
“Well, do you want to live with Aiba now?” Nino asked, after determining that Ohno did not, in fact, bust a zombie gut. “And get poked and prodded and experimented on daily?”
“You make it sound so attractive…” Ohno scratched his chin, contemplatively. “If I leave, can I take the penguin with me?”
Nino glanced at the penguin nightlight who had lived in the outlet in the small living room since Ohno’s first day in the apartment. “No can do, that guy stays here.”
“Oh well…I guess that means I stay too.”
_________________________
“This looks like a nice park.”
“Its not a bad place.” Nino looked around at the park on top of the hill. The cherry trees had long since lost their flowers and came into full leaf, although the row of evergreen hedges looked no different. The path that ran between two of the bushes was also the same, except perhaps that it was even more beaten. “You don’t like it?”
“I like it. It has a good feeling to it.” Ohno smiled, relaxing on a park bench.
Nino sat next to him, and they watched the comings and goings of mothers and children together for a while.
The same way they did every week, even if Ohno never remembered the next day.
__________________
It was Sho’s idea to have a group trip over his and Aiba’s summer vacation.
When Nino asked what he should get ready for the trip, Aiba said 500 yen for snacks would be enough. Similarly when Nino specifically, directly and explicitly asked where they were going, Aiba said 500 yen for snacks would be enough.
___________________
“Blindfolds, Aiba. Seriously?” Nino sighed, peeking out from under the cloth to see if Ohno was blindfolded as well. He was, and judging by his slouching posture, probably already asleep.
Nino couldn’t help but notice that the amount of time Ohno spent sleeping had increased considerably to where he was awake for only five or six hours a day.
“Yes, seriously. It won’t be a surprise if you read the road signs on the way and figure out where we’re going.”
“If it’s going to be that bug park like it was a few years ago…”
“It’s not the bug park, ok? Why are you always such a negative poop head.”
Letting the blindfold slip back over his eyes, Nino leaned against the window, “Aiba, could you please learn some insults befitting your age?”
Sho laughed congenially in the driver’s seat, “Don’t worry, I approve of this place, Nino.”
“Then be warned that your reputation as a cool person rides on this trip.”
“He is a poop head.” Sho whispered to Aiba.
“See, now you just lost cool points.” Nino warned, folding his arms.
“My points…”
“Don’t worry, Sho-chan, I’ll give you my cool points.” Aiba offered.
“Cool points are non-transferable.” Nino switched to leaning on the sleeping Ohno because it was more comfortable than the window. If Aiba and Sho made something of it, then all the better. “Someone hand me my gameboy.”
Nino could hear Aiba rustling around in bag in the front seat before suddenly stopping. “But you can’t play with your blindfold on.”
A wide grin spread across Nino‘s face. “Wanna bet?”
As it turned out Nino was not very talented at playing blind. But he was very, very talented at using his frequent and continuous game over music to annoy Aiba and Sho, who retaliated by turning up the radio and singing along.
“Are we there yet?” Woken by the noise, Ohno’s voice startled everyone.
“Not yet.” Aiba called over Sho’s Beyonce cd. “But we’ll be there really soon I think.”
“Oh, ok.” Blindly, Ohno felt for Nino beside him.
“That would be my face.”
“I thought so. Did you know you have a very firm nose?”
“That might be because that’s my chin.”
“Ah. That would explain it‘s chin shape.”
“Oh oh! We’re here! Now we just have to find the parking lot. Leave the blindfolds on until I say you can take them off, ok?” Aiba ordered, excitedly, turning off the music. Nino felt the car make the transition from driving on pavement to gravel.
A little more than five minutes later, Sho brought the car to a stop.
“Ok, I’ll grab the luggage in the back if you get the cooler,” Sho was saying to Aiba, as he opened the door.
Suddenly, the calming sound of crashing waves washed into the car.
“Is this the beach?” Nino groaned.
“Mom.”
Nino froze, terrified from the strangled voice that came from his side. He didn’t even remember taking the blindfold off, but suddenly it was in his hands and he could see.
Ohno was struggling under his seatbelt, clutching his throat, kicking his legs.
“MomsorryI’msorrywhydidIgoIdon’twanttodiesomeonesavemelifejacketlifejacketwherecaptianbreathecan‘tdon‘tmommymommompleasedon‘tbemadsorry.”
Instinctively, Nino climbed on top of him to hold him still, trying to stop the thrashing.
“Oh-chan, it’s ok, your mom is ok, she’s not mad.” Nino repeated, over and over.
“Stormrockscan’tlifejacketwheremom”
“Nino-what‘s wrong with him?!”
“He’s reliving it!” Nino nearly shrieked, panicking. “Aiba, he’s reliving it!”
“Swimcan’tlegshurtbreathmomhelpdon’tmadsorryhelpbreathe”
“Reliving…oh my god.”
“Reliving what? What’s going on?!”
“Just-he’s afraid of water, ok?! Get us out of here!”
“I’m…I’m sorry, I didn’t know-”
“Apologize later and get us out of here now!!”
_______________________
Dinner at the hotel Sho had arranged was silent.
Ohno had passed out immediately after his fit and hadn’t woken up in the hours since.
“I’m really, really sorry.” Sho said, again. “If I had known, I never would have suggested the sea-”
“I didn’t know either Sho-chan, and I’m something of a father to him.” Aiba sighed.
Sho didn’t question the odd statement, only bowing his head lower
“Nino…you should eat.” Aiba murmured, though he too was eating much less than normal.
“I’m not hungry.” His rice bowl untouched, Nino pushed it towards Aiba.
“You know what we need? Drinks, to lighten the mood.” Aiba gave a very forced smile. “But I think I forgot the cooler in the car…”
“I’ll go get it.” Sho offered, quickly removing himself from the table.
Nino stood too, and walked towards the door to the veranda, sliding it open before tucking his hands in his hotel yukata sleeves. He stared at the beautiful sunset without taking in a bit of it’s glory.
Aiba joined him, his large hands helpless at his side.
“Did you know he had drowned when you brought his corpse home?”
“It said that was the cause of death on his his tag, but I didn’t know it was while at sea….I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have been so thoughtless…”
“What good does apologizing to me do?” Nino sighed, shifting his weight against the door.
“I’ll apologize to him too, when he wakes up.”
“If he wakes up.” Nino breathed.
“He sleeps a lot these days…” Aiba trailed off, somber. “And he’s forgetting more.”
“You noticed that too?”
“Yeah. A couple weekends ago Ohno asked me if I had bought new rubber gloves, when he was with me in the store when I bought them the weekend before. He actually picked them out for me.”
Nino nodded.
They listened to the bell crickets and cicadas for a minute.
“Aiba,”
“Hm?”
“I think…. he’s dying.”
______________________
Before it was completely dark, Nino returned to the bedroom.
Ohno was silently crying in his sleep.
Nino breathed a sigh of guilty relief. If Ohno was crying, he had a little life in him yet.
It reminded Nino of the first day Ohno was under his care.
In the dark, Nino found his duffel bag, and found the penguin nightlight packed inside. He pressed it into the nearest outlet before slipping under his own futon.
He stared at the ceiling, knowing it to be impossible to fall asleep when Ohno was crying.
He shuffled into Ohno’s futon, and stroked the shuddering back, in an effort to calm him.
“I’m sorry.” Nino breathed, barely making any sound. “I’m sorry I didn’t stop Aiba from starting this crazy experiment. I’m sorry you’ve had to suffer so much.”
Blankets rustled, and Ohno turned around, to face Nino.
Nino wasn’t entirely surprised that he was awake, and he let Ohno scoot closer into a hug. Just barely in the nightlight’s glow, Nino could see Ohno’s eyes. The blue was gone, leaving only the natural amber brown.
“Please don’t say you’re sorry.” Ohno whispered, his voice a little soft and a little broken. “I had fun being your zombie.”
Nino closed his eyes against the use of the past tense.
“You weirdo,” Nino whispered, forbidding himself from choking, “You were never even a proper zombie.”
_____________________
Nino took Ohno through the gap in the hedges, behind the park.
He led Ohno to his old house, even if Ohno didn’t know that it was.
It was a beautiful early autumn day.
They laid out in the grass watching the clouds and flocks of birds until they fell asleep.
Ohno did not wake up.
______________________
“Whoa, Nino, did you know the second step on those stairs outside is broken?” Aiba announced, kicking off his shoes.
“It’s a rundown apartment complex, what do you expect.” Nino didn’t even look up from his game. Aiba had long since stolen a house key to come and go as he pleased.
“Nino….”
“What?”
“Your place is a dump.”
Nino spared his small room a glance. He didn’t really clean anymore, or pick up after himself, or wash dishes.
He lived alone anyway, so it didn’t matter.
“If it bothers you, feel free to clean it.” Nino said, returning to his game.
“Nino…”
“What?”
“If you…if you want to talk…”
Taking a deep, patient breath, Nino turned to face Aiba. “If I want to talk, I’ll talk. If I want to play games, I’ll play games. What do you think I want to do Aiba? What does it look like I’m doing?”
Aiba bowed his head, and said quietly, “It’s ok, if you want to yell at me, or hit me, or…”
“…I can handle this Aiba, ok?” Nino gave Aiba an encouraging smile. “Please stop worrying about me.”
“You know that’s impossible.” Aiba smiled, wiping the corner of his eye with a knuckle.
After Aiba left, Nino couldn’t get back into his gaming groove. He stood up, stretched, and foraged in his cabinets for food.
The cabinets were found to be empty, and with a disgruntled sigh, Nino grabbed his wallet, found a pair of shoes and opened the door.
Wincing at the blinding brightness, Nino turned for the stairs, and took a step down.
There was a crack.
The step broke.
Nino felt himself falling.
_________________________
When Nino opened his eyes, he knew he was dead.
And probably in some incarnation of hell by the sound of it. The sound being the crash of waves on shore.
Nino had always hated the beach.
Nino felt the sand sticking to his back as he sat up. With an annoyed sigh, he brushed himself off.
There was a man on a purple and white striped beach towel, putting suntan lotion on himself.
“Hi.” Nino said, approaching him.
“Hello.” The man smiled, and it was of unearthly beauty.
“Are you dead too?” Nino asked, bluntly, and the man laughed.
“Something like that, I guess.”
“Are there other dead people here, besides us?” Nino asked, feeling light with hope.
“Sure, if they want to be.”
“That‘s what I wanted to hear.” Nino beamed, already scanning the beach, “Thank you.”
“Nino, this is for you.” The man smiled, his eyes sparkling knowingly, holding out a rolled up towel. “You might need it.”
Taking the towel, Nino noticed it was covered in penguins wearing yellow Hawaiian print swimming trunks. “Um…thank you.”
With a wink that managed to make the handsome face look incredibly awkward, the man resumed his lotion application.
Towel in hand, Nino walked along the endless shore for a while, kicking sticks or small stones along the wet sand as he went.
After a while, he spotted someone taking a nap on a large blue beach towel.
A very familiar someone.
“Oh-chan!!” Nino cried, breaking into a run without really intending to.
“Nino!” Ohno exclaimed, getting up off the towel in just enough time to be tackled back down onto it. “What are you doing here?”
“I got a game over.”
“Oh no.” Ohno blinked, hugging Nino back, “That must have sucked.”
Nino rolled over, to lay beside Ohno, using the penguin towel for a pillow.
“It wasn’t so bad. You know that broken step outside my apartment?”
“I warned you about that one!”
“Yeah, well. It broke. I fell, and probably broke my neck or something and got it over with.”
“Don’t say anymore, I can feel it already.” Wincing Ohno cupped his own neck.
Nino laughed, and snuggled closer to Ohno‘s side. Ohno wrapped his arms around his shoulders.
Nino closed his eyes. Ohno felt warm. Soothing and wonderful and warm. The way he was meant to be.
“I wish I had met you while you were still alive.”
“It would have been nice.” Ohno agreed, folding his spare hand behind his head to cushion it against the sand. “Though it would probably have been about the same.”
“Probably.” Nino nodded, “Except I’m thinking we would have been lovers or something.”
“Or something along those lines, yeah.” Ohno approved with a smile.
“And our first kiss would have gone something like this.” Propping himself up on his elbow, Nino cupped Ohno‘s chin to tilt it to just the right angle before kissing Ohno.
For an infinity, Nino did nothing more than caress Ohno’s lips with his own, and Ohno kissed back, just as gently.
Gently, at least, until Ohno licked Nino’s mouth open, and danced inside.
Nino decided he wouldn’t mind spending the rest of his life with Ohno like this, before he remembered he was dead. Eternity didn’t sound so bad either, even if they were stuck on a beach.
_____________________
Suddenly Nino felt twin painful jolts on his nipples. Like a million volts hit him on each side.
Ohno’s hands happened to be on Nino’s neck, and drifting towards his ass respectively.
Nino’s eyes flew open, and he broke the kiss. “That wasn’t you, was it?”
“Who else would it be?” Ohno blinked, a little confused, before he looked down. “Uh oh.”
“What are you…” Nino looked down too, and found a spirally design was beginning to appear on his stomach. It was undoubtedly the necromantic circle Nino had drawn on Ohno so very long ago.
“It’s kind of impressive he managed to do it again,” Ohno observed before kissing him again, “Well, I’ll be waiting here when you get back, so have fun.”
“How do I know I’ll get back here to you by the time Aiba’s done with me?!”
“I think you will. If not,” Ohno kissed Nino’s forehead. “I’ll find you.”
___________________
When Nino opened his eyes, he knew he was a zombie.
“Whoa, they’re yellow instead of blue, that’s amazing!” Aiba breathed, tapping Nino’s cheeks. “Nino, hey Nino? Can you hear me yet?”
Swatting Aiba’s hands away, Nino sat up, and Aiba’s eyes filled with tears which came out in great, noisy sobs. “Nino! You didn’t even give me a chance to say good bye!”
“After all we went through with Ohno,” Nino said, in disbelief, “You brought me back just to say goodbye?!”
“AHHHHHHHH!”
Nino looked over, finding Sho stumbling backwards in Nino’s old lab coat.
“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!” Sho screamed, “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!”
“No, Sho, wait-”
“Masaki, what have we done, this is wrong this-”
“Save the speech, Sho.” Nino hopped off the table. “He’s heard it before and clearly it did him much good.”
Sho stared at him. “You were dead right?”
“Yeah.”
“And now you’re a zombie.”
“Now don’t go discriminating against zombies.” Nino warned, shaking a finger.
“I think…” Sho said, looking an unflattering mixture of queasy and faint. “I need to lie down. Excuse me.”
Sho fainted, and Aiba caught him in enough time to ease him to the floor. “I shouldn’t have given him such a big assignment for his first day as Igor.”
After Aiba saw Sho safely on the couch, Nino walked over to the still sniffling scientist, and slapped him hard on the head.
“Ouch! What was that for?!”
“I was in the middle of making out with Oh-chan, and you brought me back, you idiot.”
“Oh…” Aiba blinked away the last of his tears before grinning widely. “I told you so.”
"You told me what?” Nino frowned.
“I told you that you were in love with Ohno even though he was a zombie! And you said you couldn't because he was a zombie!”
“I did not.” Nino rolled his bright yellow eyes, “Besides, just because people don’t usually fall in love with zombies doesn’t mean they can’t.”
“Exactly, Nino.” Aiba beamed, proud. “Exactly.”