[Fic] You are welcome to stay (in this silence)
Title : [Fic] You are welcome to stay (In this silence) - Final
Pairing : Ohno/Nino (past Okada/Nino)
Rating : R
Summary : For years, he thought he could live with just loving him from afar. But his friend’s death didn’t only turn their lives around, it was bound to change his life forever.
Word count : around 1780 words
Note : Final part! There's more! Thank you to those who read and commented! Stay safe, everyone!
(You are welcome to stay - 3)
He smelled the food before he was even properly out of the bedroom, half-awake and equal-parts sore. His stomach growled in protest, his limbs cracking in fifteen different places as he rounded the corner to the kitchen, fervently hoping he’d find Ohno there.
A part of him was certain he would, because despite many things Ohno might be, being cruel surely wasn’t one of them.
Still, it wasn’t at all embarrassing to admit that he was, in fact, worried. And maybe a tiny bit scared to find Ohno gone. He did leave when Nino was asleep, after all, but Nino guessed he had his reasons.
He let his feet take him towards the direction of that lovely smell, his stomach growling still. He’d ignored the soreness he felt on his lower back in favor of walking faster, and reminded himself to be careful. He had no intention of scaring Ohno away, although he must admit that Ohno’s absence earlier when Nino was woken up both by his bladder and his hungry stomach might mean something along the lines of Nino spooking him for real.
He sighed in relief the moment he spotted Ohno there, his back to Nino, hand busy on something on the stove.
It was only a quarter after eleven, he realized, spying the time on Ohno’s gigantic clock hanging off the wall on Ohno’s living room on the way here. Still plenty of time to hash things out and maybe talk Ohno into going back to bed with him later.
But first - “Oh-chan, is that our dinner?” he said, loud enough to startle Ohno, pivoting to give Nino a look. Nino grinned, charmed yet again at how damn good looking Ohno was just standing there, his throat going dry at the way Ohno was staring him over now as if he couldn’t help it.
Ohno cleared his throat and glanced away. “Yeah,” he said, turning round to check on his neglected cooking. “I hope you’re okay with anything I come up with. It’s just egg chahan, though. I only have rice and egg available here. I thought of ordering in but I wasn’t sure what you wanted to eat, so,” Ohno paused here, and Nino waited for him to continue but he never did.
He sighed. “I’m okay with anything, really,” he said. Then, like an afterthought, he murmured, “I didn’t think you’d cook though.” He didn’t need to say he was impressed at the thoughtfulness, but, that wasn’t something new, was it?
Ohno was always perceptive of Nino’s needs, even back then. But he’d only fully able to appreciate it after Junichi’s death, whenever Ohno would find the time to drop by for a visit. Everytime, Ohno would bring something over, like Nino’s favorite brand of coffee (which could only be bought from that one store in Yokohama), or any food that Nino fancied, like those expensive-tasting melonpan, or his favorite store-bought hamburg steak bento.
“Well, I’m not letting you starve either. I know you asked for ramen, but I think rice would be better.” Ohno said.
Nino chuckled and walked the rest of the way inside, eyeing Ohno with his heart thumping hard in his chest. This was the part where he knew he should be careful, hell, he’d told himself he shouldn’t do anything to scare Ohno away, but his body (and his heart, to be honest) ached for attention, Ohno’s especially, and it was difficult to keep himself from wanting it.
He stopped when he was merely a couple of feet away from Ohno, his back still turned to him, and very carefully crossed the short distance and leaned his body against Ohno’s back. Ohno stiffened against him, like an automatic reflex, but Nino didn’t let it deter him. Bravely, he reached out and placed his hands on either side of Ohno’s hips, all the while waiting for Ohno to shake him away with baited breath. When Ohno didn’t, Nino boldly wrapped his arms around Ohno from behind, before hooking his chin over Ohno’s right shoulder.
“Smells good,” he said, peeking at the food from Ohno’s shoulder, grateful and equal-parts glad that Ohno hadn’t pushed him away. “I didn’t know you could cook?”
Ohno shrugged the shoulder Nino wasn’t occupying. “Well, that depends,” Ohno mused, as if the very question was amusing him to no end. Nino liked the idea of making Ohno smile more often from now on. “Since this is the only dish that I can really cook properly. I mean, apart from boiling eggs and water for the ramen, that is.”
Nino’s laughter bubbled out of him without him realizing it, arms tightening around Ohno and squeezing him. God, he loved the feel of his arms around Ohno’s body, the way they melded into each other so perfectly as if they were two pieces carved out from one.
He wondered if Ohno felt the same way, too.
“Oh-chan, can I ask you something?” he asked, bravely, after a brief moment of silence. Ohno’s hand stilled, before Nino watched him reach down to turn the stove off. Then, he turned after carefully extracting Nino’s arms from his body, offering Nino his full attention.
Ohno’s eyes were gentle and so, so kind. “What is it?”
“I - Did I scare you?” he asked, hesitant in a way he hadn’t meant to. But he was terrified too, of the consequences and losing this chance to be with Ohno, because he was selfish, impatient.
Ohno shook his head in answer, almost too fast and too quickly Nino wondered if he was just imagining it. But Ohno’s fingers soon lifted to touch his face, cupping his cheek and staring into his eyes with something akin to fierce tenderness brimming behind them.
Nino’s heart ached at the sight of it.
“God, no,” Ohno said, smoothing a thumb across Nino’s cheek ever so gently that it was difficult to miss the misery under that tone, layered with adoration and something else. “Why would you even think that?”
He shook his head, and for a moment, he was too emotional to speak. Ohno’s fingers drifted to his nape and pulled him closer.
“I’m supposed to be the one asking you that,” Ohno murmured, as if he wasn’t entirely sure how to phrase his words that Nino would understand. The words didn’t come, and Nino spent the next moment watching the cacophony of emotions passing through Ohno’s eyes with interest, hope blooming warmly in his chest.
“Why?” he asked after a long beat, nudging Ohno out of his daze. Ohno shook his head, still unable to come up with an answer. “You didn’t hurt me, Oh-chan, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Nino pointed out.
“It’s not that,” Ohno said, looking down. Nino frowned, both in confusion and in frustration.
“What then?”
Ohno pulled away then, sidestepping Nino as if he needed to be far away from Nino as possible to think, so he could come up with a proper answer. Nino let him.
“Is it because of Junichi?” he bravely asked, only because he wanted this to be over, sooner rather than later. He wanted Ohno’s affection focused on him and him alone, and if that’s the only thing hindering him from getting it, well, tough luck. Nino wasn’t going down without a fucking fight.
Ohno visibly winced. Bulls eye. “I - I can’t seem to stop worrying over it, you see,” Ohno whispered. Nino believed him, really. “The fact is, I saw you two together and I know how much you love him. I mean, are you sure this -“ Ohno gestured between them, to himself, as if the very thought that Nino wanted him was hilarious as much as it was ridiculous. Nino rolled his eyes to the heaven and waited until Ohno started speaking again.
“Is what you really want?”
“To be with you? Yes. I thought I’ve already made myself clear on that part earlier,” he said, taking one step towards Ohno and ignoring the panic on Ohno’s face when he was close enough to grab Ohno’s hand, folding it in between his own.
Ohno was clearly still having doubts. “But -“ he started to protest, but Nino beat him to it.
“Let me ask you one thing then, Oh-chan, before you start enumerating the reasons why I can’t be with you,” he said, squeezing Ohno’s hand. Ohno snapped his mouth shut. Nino treated that as an okay to continue speaking. “Don’t you like me?” he asked.
Ohno shook his head, looking slightly incredulous. “Why are you even asking me that?” he said, laughing mirthlessly. “God, the way I did you earlier, I don’t think there’s even anything in what I did to you earlier that said I didn’t like you. I adore you, Nino. I like every damn inch of you, you have no idea how much -“
“I hear a ‘but’ coming,” he cut in, wary of Ohno’s answer, because he knew they’d only be going in circles if he let him.
Ohno glanced away once again. “But I’m afraid I won’t ever get to be like…like Okada. I mean, I can never be like him, I can never give you the time and the attention you deserve, obviously because of my job and -“
“I’m not asking you to be, Oh-chan,” he murmured, stepping forward to press a lingering kiss to the corner of Ohno’s lips. “And I’m not here to compare you to him, you hear me? What Junichi and I had was special, one of a kind, but it was over. Done. Because he died, you remember? But I’m still here, I’m still alive, and I’ve moved on. I’ve moved on from that pain and I’m here in front you, right now, and I’m asking you to take this chance with me, to be with me, because I love you. Because after Junichi, there hadn’t been anyone who I’d rather be with than you, and I mean it. Every word. With all of my heart, Oh-chan.”
“A-Are you sure?” Ohno asked, as if he couldn’t help but ask. Nino smiled because he couldn’t help it either, chuckling at the way a huge grin threatened to split Ohno’s face in two.
“Yes,” he said. “Otherwise, I won’t be here saying these embarrassing things to your face if I’m not sure. Obviously.” He added, offering Ohno a wink.
Ohno’s eyes were pleasantly wet when they finally stared into Nino’s own, surprising Nino yet again when Ohno surged forward to sweep him on his feet and into Ohno’s arms, mouth searching his for a searing kiss.
Somehow, it was answer on all its own, and it was perfect.
Nino would never have it any other way.
Pairing : Ohno/Nino (past Okada/Nino)
Rating : R
Summary : For years, he thought he could live with just loving him from afar. But his friend’s death didn’t only turn their lives around, it was bound to change his life forever.
Word count : around 1780 words
Note : Final part! There's more! Thank you to those who read and commented! Stay safe, everyone!
(You are welcome to stay - 3)
He smelled the food before he was even properly out of the bedroom, half-awake and equal-parts sore. His stomach growled in protest, his limbs cracking in fifteen different places as he rounded the corner to the kitchen, fervently hoping he’d find Ohno there.
A part of him was certain he would, because despite many things Ohno might be, being cruel surely wasn’t one of them.
Still, it wasn’t at all embarrassing to admit that he was, in fact, worried. And maybe a tiny bit scared to find Ohno gone. He did leave when Nino was asleep, after all, but Nino guessed he had his reasons.
He let his feet take him towards the direction of that lovely smell, his stomach growling still. He’d ignored the soreness he felt on his lower back in favor of walking faster, and reminded himself to be careful. He had no intention of scaring Ohno away, although he must admit that Ohno’s absence earlier when Nino was woken up both by his bladder and his hungry stomach might mean something along the lines of Nino spooking him for real.
He sighed in relief the moment he spotted Ohno there, his back to Nino, hand busy on something on the stove.
It was only a quarter after eleven, he realized, spying the time on Ohno’s gigantic clock hanging off the wall on Ohno’s living room on the way here. Still plenty of time to hash things out and maybe talk Ohno into going back to bed with him later.
But first - “Oh-chan, is that our dinner?” he said, loud enough to startle Ohno, pivoting to give Nino a look. Nino grinned, charmed yet again at how damn good looking Ohno was just standing there, his throat going dry at the way Ohno was staring him over now as if he couldn’t help it.
Ohno cleared his throat and glanced away. “Yeah,” he said, turning round to check on his neglected cooking. “I hope you’re okay with anything I come up with. It’s just egg chahan, though. I only have rice and egg available here. I thought of ordering in but I wasn’t sure what you wanted to eat, so,” Ohno paused here, and Nino waited for him to continue but he never did.
He sighed. “I’m okay with anything, really,” he said. Then, like an afterthought, he murmured, “I didn’t think you’d cook though.” He didn’t need to say he was impressed at the thoughtfulness, but, that wasn’t something new, was it?
Ohno was always perceptive of Nino’s needs, even back then. But he’d only fully able to appreciate it after Junichi’s death, whenever Ohno would find the time to drop by for a visit. Everytime, Ohno would bring something over, like Nino’s favorite brand of coffee (which could only be bought from that one store in Yokohama), or any food that Nino fancied, like those expensive-tasting melonpan, or his favorite store-bought hamburg steak bento.
“Well, I’m not letting you starve either. I know you asked for ramen, but I think rice would be better.” Ohno said.
Nino chuckled and walked the rest of the way inside, eyeing Ohno with his heart thumping hard in his chest. This was the part where he knew he should be careful, hell, he’d told himself he shouldn’t do anything to scare Ohno away, but his body (and his heart, to be honest) ached for attention, Ohno’s especially, and it was difficult to keep himself from wanting it.
He stopped when he was merely a couple of feet away from Ohno, his back still turned to him, and very carefully crossed the short distance and leaned his body against Ohno’s back. Ohno stiffened against him, like an automatic reflex, but Nino didn’t let it deter him. Bravely, he reached out and placed his hands on either side of Ohno’s hips, all the while waiting for Ohno to shake him away with baited breath. When Ohno didn’t, Nino boldly wrapped his arms around Ohno from behind, before hooking his chin over Ohno’s right shoulder.
“Smells good,” he said, peeking at the food from Ohno’s shoulder, grateful and equal-parts glad that Ohno hadn’t pushed him away. “I didn’t know you could cook?”
Ohno shrugged the shoulder Nino wasn’t occupying. “Well, that depends,” Ohno mused, as if the very question was amusing him to no end. Nino liked the idea of making Ohno smile more often from now on. “Since this is the only dish that I can really cook properly. I mean, apart from boiling eggs and water for the ramen, that is.”
Nino’s laughter bubbled out of him without him realizing it, arms tightening around Ohno and squeezing him. God, he loved the feel of his arms around Ohno’s body, the way they melded into each other so perfectly as if they were two pieces carved out from one.
He wondered if Ohno felt the same way, too.
“Oh-chan, can I ask you something?” he asked, bravely, after a brief moment of silence. Ohno’s hand stilled, before Nino watched him reach down to turn the stove off. Then, he turned after carefully extracting Nino’s arms from his body, offering Nino his full attention.
Ohno’s eyes were gentle and so, so kind. “What is it?”
“I - Did I scare you?” he asked, hesitant in a way he hadn’t meant to. But he was terrified too, of the consequences and losing this chance to be with Ohno, because he was selfish, impatient.
Ohno shook his head in answer, almost too fast and too quickly Nino wondered if he was just imagining it. But Ohno’s fingers soon lifted to touch his face, cupping his cheek and staring into his eyes with something akin to fierce tenderness brimming behind them.
Nino’s heart ached at the sight of it.
“God, no,” Ohno said, smoothing a thumb across Nino’s cheek ever so gently that it was difficult to miss the misery under that tone, layered with adoration and something else. “Why would you even think that?”
He shook his head, and for a moment, he was too emotional to speak. Ohno’s fingers drifted to his nape and pulled him closer.
“I’m supposed to be the one asking you that,” Ohno murmured, as if he wasn’t entirely sure how to phrase his words that Nino would understand. The words didn’t come, and Nino spent the next moment watching the cacophony of emotions passing through Ohno’s eyes with interest, hope blooming warmly in his chest.
“Why?” he asked after a long beat, nudging Ohno out of his daze. Ohno shook his head, still unable to come up with an answer. “You didn’t hurt me, Oh-chan, if that’s what you’re worried about.” Nino pointed out.
“It’s not that,” Ohno said, looking down. Nino frowned, both in confusion and in frustration.
“What then?”
Ohno pulled away then, sidestepping Nino as if he needed to be far away from Nino as possible to think, so he could come up with a proper answer. Nino let him.
“Is it because of Junichi?” he bravely asked, only because he wanted this to be over, sooner rather than later. He wanted Ohno’s affection focused on him and him alone, and if that’s the only thing hindering him from getting it, well, tough luck. Nino wasn’t going down without a fucking fight.
Ohno visibly winced. Bulls eye. “I - I can’t seem to stop worrying over it, you see,” Ohno whispered. Nino believed him, really. “The fact is, I saw you two together and I know how much you love him. I mean, are you sure this -“ Ohno gestured between them, to himself, as if the very thought that Nino wanted him was hilarious as much as it was ridiculous. Nino rolled his eyes to the heaven and waited until Ohno started speaking again.
“Is what you really want?”
“To be with you? Yes. I thought I’ve already made myself clear on that part earlier,” he said, taking one step towards Ohno and ignoring the panic on Ohno’s face when he was close enough to grab Ohno’s hand, folding it in between his own.
Ohno was clearly still having doubts. “But -“ he started to protest, but Nino beat him to it.
“Let me ask you one thing then, Oh-chan, before you start enumerating the reasons why I can’t be with you,” he said, squeezing Ohno’s hand. Ohno snapped his mouth shut. Nino treated that as an okay to continue speaking. “Don’t you like me?” he asked.
Ohno shook his head, looking slightly incredulous. “Why are you even asking me that?” he said, laughing mirthlessly. “God, the way I did you earlier, I don’t think there’s even anything in what I did to you earlier that said I didn’t like you. I adore you, Nino. I like every damn inch of you, you have no idea how much -“
“I hear a ‘but’ coming,” he cut in, wary of Ohno’s answer, because he knew they’d only be going in circles if he let him.
Ohno glanced away once again. “But I’m afraid I won’t ever get to be like…like Okada. I mean, I can never be like him, I can never give you the time and the attention you deserve, obviously because of my job and -“
“I’m not asking you to be, Oh-chan,” he murmured, stepping forward to press a lingering kiss to the corner of Ohno’s lips. “And I’m not here to compare you to him, you hear me? What Junichi and I had was special, one of a kind, but it was over. Done. Because he died, you remember? But I’m still here, I’m still alive, and I’ve moved on. I’ve moved on from that pain and I’m here in front you, right now, and I’m asking you to take this chance with me, to be with me, because I love you. Because after Junichi, there hadn’t been anyone who I’d rather be with than you, and I mean it. Every word. With all of my heart, Oh-chan.”
“A-Are you sure?” Ohno asked, as if he couldn’t help but ask. Nino smiled because he couldn’t help it either, chuckling at the way a huge grin threatened to split Ohno’s face in two.
“Yes,” he said. “Otherwise, I won’t be here saying these embarrassing things to your face if I’m not sure. Obviously.” He added, offering Ohno a wink.
Ohno’s eyes were pleasantly wet when they finally stared into Nino’s own, surprising Nino yet again when Ohno surged forward to sweep him on his feet and into Ohno’s arms, mouth searching his for a searing kiss.
Somehow, it was answer on all its own, and it was perfect.
Nino would never have it any other way.