One shot - Nobody's perfect
Title: Nobody’s perfect (based on the Jessie J song by the same name)
Pairing: Ohmiya
Rating: PG
Length: ~3000
Genre: slight angst, fluffy ending
Disclaimer: Fiction! :)
Summary: Nino messed up. He said too much... on live TV. Can Ohno forgive him ?
Nino sits in the changing room, feeling his palms sweat, looking at his reflection in the bright mirror.
The makeup team just finished doing their magic on the five members and the filming of their variety show will start any minute.
It’s a filming day just like hundreds of other filming days he’s had since the creation of Arashi.
But today is different from those hundred others. This is this first day back on TV since he left Japan to film Letters from Iwo Jima in America.
He’s been back on his homeland for a week, during which he recuperated from the jet lag and started revising his lines for a new drama. But even though he is definitely rested from his world-length trip, he doesn’t actually feel ready for the variety show.
The last time he was here, it was weeks and weeks ago. And after an experience like filming for a Hollywood movie, it feels more like years…
So now he’s panicking.
It’s like he’s forgotten what he’s supposed to do. What he should say. How did he act before? Was he himself? Did he exaggerate his bratty persona? What if he makes an inappropriate joke and it’s awkward for the other members. What if he says something he’s not meant to? What if the public thinks he’s acting odd?
“5 minutes Arashi members!” A staff member calls from the corridor, breaking Nino’s train of thought.
He quickly glances to his group-mates.
They all look completely relaxed. Of course… for them it’s just another day of show filming… Jun is reading a magazine and Sho is typing away at his laptop. Aiba is playing with a rubber ball, bouncing it against the wall. Ohno is napping in a corner of the room and Nino smiles at the peaceful expression on his boyfriend’s face.
He turns back to the mirror in front of him and takes a deep breath. He will get through this and in a few hours he will be back in their cosy apartment and they can have a nice dinner together. Yeah. He just has to try to relax.
*
“So Nino! You’re back!” the interviewer says enthusiastically.
Nino smiles nervously. “Yeah! I am!” he tries to add excitement in his voice but doesn’t know it got through.
There’s a appreciative giggle coming from the audience. Nino thinks to himself that he’s totally not used to that lively audience anymore. It’s not like there was an audience reacting off of his discussions with Clint Eastwood on the film-set…
“How was your experience filming abroad?”
“Very interesting, it was incredible to work with such a talented director!” Nino explains. This is not so hard! He didn’t need to worry! He can just keep talking like this about filming in America and what he learnt.
But then he makes the mistake to look at the audience and they seem so bored! Quickly! He needs to say something funny! Something witty!
“Were you happy to see your band members again?”
Nino glances to the four young men sitting besides him, his eyes lingering on Ohno who’s smiling happily at him.
“Yeah… of course.” He says, still trying to think of a funny remark.
“Was there one of them you missed more than the others?” The interviewer asks laughing, and the audience majorly consisting of young women are clearly interested now.
“Emm…” Nino hesitates, looking around wildly, feeling his mouth go dry.
He hates that feeling.
“Well… I don’t know about that but… Ohno was happy to see me that’s for sure!” he answers quickly, his mind still racing.
There is a clear intake of from the audience breath at what seems like a hint of promising fanservice to come. The interviewer grins encouragingly.
“Really? Why do you say that?”
“Well, for one he was the only one who came to get me from the airport!”
“Really?”
“Yeah! He got there way too early and had to wait while I got my suitcase.” Nino’s on a roll, he can’t stop. He doesn’t know exactly what he’s saying, but the interviewer and the audience seem to love it… so he keeps going.
“When he saw me at the arrivals, he was so happy he ran to me! In front of everyone! Just ran! And he even had tears in his eyes! Ohno! Our member who doesn’t show emotions! He was there in a public place on the verge of crying!”
There’s a loud laugh at his joke, but Nino is finally realizing something is off.
The interviewer is laughing, the audience is laughing, even the recording staff are chuckling discretely, but the chairs beside him are awfully quiet. He glances sideways and it’s like a pile of concrete has fallen through his throat and into his stomach.
Ohno, Sho and Aiba are staring at their feet or straight ahead with icy composures. But not Jun. He’s looking straight at him and when their eyes meet, he raises his eyebrow a tiny amount. Too small for the interviewer or audience to notice, but enough for Nino to get the message: it means what the hell are you doing?!
* * *
The filming is done and the members are walking back to the changing room in complete silence.
But to Nino, the silence speaks louder than words. And now his head is swimming with the words he said during the filming.
How could he be so stupid?!!
That moment at the airport had warmed his heart to the core and instantly cured the home-sickness he had felt throughout his stay in the US. That comforting hug from his Oh-chan was exactly what he had craved during the weeks away.
But now that personal memory feels soiled. He’s used it for the entertainment of the fans… As fan-service… He must have hurt Ohno’s feelings so much, he is so private about their relation. And he’s always said it’s important to him not to reveal too much to the fans, especially about their private life…
‘…he even had tears in his eyes!...’ his own voice echoes back at him.
Nino clenches his hands into fists; digging his nails into his palms and wishing desperately he could go back in time… say anything else…
* * * * *
That night when the couple goes to bed after a silent dinner made of instant noodles, because neither of them felt like cooking, Nino thinks to himself he has rarely felt so filled with regret.
Each hurt glance from Ohno is like a dagger to his chest. They don’t talk much and go to bed early.
As they lie there in silence, the moonlight creating shadows around the bedroom, Nino is at a loss of what to do.
At this point it feels like anything he says will just make it worse.
But the silence is so painful, maybe he should just try saying something.
At least he must apologize… right?
Nino clears his throat and is about to say something when he hears Ohno’s snores. He closes his mouth again.
He’s not sure if Ohno is pretending or if he actually fell asleep, but in any case the message is clear: he doesn’t want to talk about it.
Nino doesn’t sleep much that night and when he does fall asleep, he has a horrible nightmare in which he is standing in front of a camera and laughing loudly and pointing at Ohno. ‘I’m funny! Right? Right?’ he keeps saying.
He wakes up in a sweat and realizes that Ohno is not lying beside him anymore. He tiptoes to the living room and, as he expected, finds the older man sleeping on the sofa. He sighs and, his stomach churning with guilt, goes back to bed.
As he twists and turns, trying to fall back asleep, a terrifying thought hits him.
Will Ohno learn to trust him again?
* * * * *
Nino is sitting in the break room with Sho and Jun, waiting for his turn to film parts of a new PV. He’s brought his DS in an attempt to distract him from his thoughts, but he can’t seem to get past the first level…
Ohno and Aiba walk in laughing together, but when Ohno and Nino exchange a glance, the smile quickly fades from the leader’s face. He seems to hesitate and then turns back to the door.
“Wait!” Nino exclaims, standing up. “Stay. I was on my way out.” He says quickly, and walks out before Ohno can move.
He didn’t really think his plan through… he has no idea where to go now. He can’t go too far as he knows it’s soon his turn to film. He settles on heading to the bathroom for now. As he washes his hands, Jun walks in with a deep frown.
“Can I talk to you?” He asks.
“Of course.” Nino answers quietly, looking away from the piercing gaze.
“Ok, then follow me. I’m not gonna lecture you in the bathroom…”
Nino follows without commenting.
They find a small meeting room with a window looking onto a large courtyard with a few cherry trees blossoming.
The bright blue sky stretching above the multitude of pale pink petals seems to mock Nino’s low mood.
Jun looks outside for a moment before he turns to Nino.
“You messed up, Nino.” He says with in a serious but even tone.
“Thanks Sherlock.”
“I’m serious.”
“Me too.”
Jun sighs at the stubbornness of his friend.
“Well, what are you going to do about it?”
Nino sighs back at him and sits at the meeting table, passing his hands through his hair nervously. He’s never liked being lectured.
“I’m still figuring that out. I’ve tried to bring it up last night, but Oh-chan didn’t seem to want to hear it.
“Of course he doesn’t. Does Satoshi ever want to confront anyone?”
Nino doesn’t answer that.
“Look. What I’m saying is you’re gonna have to break the ice and confront the heck out of this. If you don’t…”
Nino closes his eyes, knowing what Jun is going to say and knowing how much it’s going to hurt hearing the words anyway.
“… you guys aren’t going to last another week.”
Yeah. The pain is real. What he wasn’t expecting are the tears rolling down his cheeks and falling onto the polished wooden table.
Jun walks over and places a hand onto his shoulder.
“Hey. It’s not too late yet. Just figure out what’s important to you and fix it.”
Nino nods. He can’t speak right now.
Jun closes the door quietly behind him, giving him the space to dry his tears in private.
* * * * *
“Aiba-chan… Can I hang out at yours tonight?” Nino asks quietly as they are all getting ready to leave the studio.
Aiba tilts his head in surprise, but noticing the pleading eyes he nods without hesitation. The old friendship he has with Nino has got him through many tough times. Even if he thinks his friend acted like a jerk, he wants to be there for his friend now.
*
“Have I mentioned that I love that you have a balcony?” Nino says sighing, sitting on Aiba’s 23rd floor balcony. The cool summer breeze seems to refresh all his senses.
Aiba chuckles, walking onto the balcony from his cosy apartment and carrying two cans of beer.
“A few times yeah…”
He hands the drink to Nino and takes a seat besides him.
“Thanks.” Nino says, taking a swig of cold beer. He feels like he is finally really relaxing for the first time today.
There’s a comfortable silence for a while which Aiba ends up breaking carefully.
“I hope… Jun wasn’t too hard on you…”
Nino winces a little at the memory but shakes his head. “No. I needed to hear it.”
Aiba nods. “Have you decided what you’re going to do?”
“Well I need to stop avoiding Ohno and be honest. And… pray he’ll give me a second chance even though I messed up so bad. What do you think?”
“I thought you weren’t religious?” Aiba teases him. Nino rolls his eyes. “But I do know that Ohno loves you. Now you need to prepare what you’re going to tell him… you know, so that you don’t blank in the moment… Or say something stupid.”
Nino thinks about that for a moment. What does he want to tell Ohno?
“I want to tell him I’m so sorry I messed up. That I want him to give me a second chance.”
He bites his lip at the worrying thought that’s been hovering above him for a while.
“What if he says he can’t forgive me? Or that I hurt him too bad and he can’t trust me anymore?”
“You’re not perfect Nino, and I think everyone deserves a second chance.” Aiba murmurs reassuringly, patting his friend on the back.
Nino nods slowly, but the fear is hard to shake.
“No. No one’s perfect, but is that an excuse? Shouldn’t I try to be the best person I can for him?”
“Is that what you want?” Aiba asks quietly.
“Yes. Oh-chan… he deserves the best. And he’s always been there for me. I want to be… someone I can be proud of; both for me and for him.”
Nino’s friend smiles a little at how cheesy this conversation has gotten and yet at how genuine and honest Nino is sounding.
“I think you have your speech ready.”
Nino nods and finishes his drink in one swig. “Now I just have to hope it’ll convince him.”
There’s silence for a little while as the two men take in the stillness and peace of the night.
“Thanks, Aiba-chan…”
“You’re welcome Kazu-chan…”
“Another beer?”
“Heck yes.”
* * * * *
Nino crashed at Aiba’s place and woke up early to follow the plan he came up with.
It is still early morning when he lets himself into Ohno’s and his apartment; a few sunrays are shyly coming through the curtains. He puts down his backpack and quietly starts preparing breakfast. He knows Ohno will wake up soon, and he wants everything to be ready when he does.
He glances back to his bag a few times as he makes the preparations, feeling nervous.
He is just finishing to set the table with a traditional Japanese breakfast he knows Ohno loves so much, when he hears his boyfriends’ alarm ringing.
He feels nervous butterflies in his stomach as he hears sounds coming from the bedroom.
Please work he prays in his head.
“Nino!” Ohno exclaims as he steps into the living room.
The young man’s expression seems to waver between frustration and relief.
“You! Why… You didn’t… I didn’t know…” he stammers.
“Oh-chan?” Nino frowns at the emotional tone.
“Just...” the older man looks unable to express his feelings in words.
Nino tilts his head in confusion.
He was expecting anger or indifference.
He thought Ohno would still be giving him the silent treatment… But before Nino can say something, Ohno has walked up to him and pulled him into a tight embrace. Nino is not sure why but it’s like all the air has escaped his lungs. Maybe it’s the shock, the emotions, maybe it’s because Ohno seems to be using all the force in his arm muscles. Maybe it’s both.
Finally he lets out in a trembling voice. “You always messaged me if you were crashing somewhere. Every time. But last night you didn’t say a word.” Ohno murmurs quickly close to Nino’s ear, his voice shaking. “I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t know if I should try to contact you. If you were in trouble somewhere. If you were angry at me for still being angry at you. I started wondering if I was pushing it. If it was me being melodramatic.” He has to take a breath.
Nino stands frozen, he can’t believe his ears. Ohno has been that worried about him?! To the point where he was questioning himself, feeling he didn’t deserve to be angry at Nino?!
“Listen, I just need to hear from you why you acted that way. And to promise me you won’t do it again. And I’ll forgive you. You know I will. Because I can’t imagine my life without you. I just, need you in my home. No.” He shakes his head. “You are my home. The one place I feel I can always relax and forget about the world.”
He stops, out of breath.
Nino blinks a few times, and collects his thoughts. He squeezes Ohno for a moment and then gently pulls away.
“Can I speak now?” he asks smiling, while pulling a still-shaky Ohno to the sofa. “I am really sorry I didn’t message you last night. I crashed at Aiba-chan’s and I didn’t think you’d want to hear from me. And, about the night we recorded” he pauses briefly, still feeling fresh shame at the thought of that night, “I was nervous to be back on TV after my time away and I completely messed up. There is no good enough excuse. I just messed up and I never should have said those things during recording. And don’t you start to think you shouldn’t have reacted like you did. Of course you were angry! I was an ass of a boyfriend! Miles away from the boyfriend I want to be for you!”
Ohno smiles at that.
Nino takes a breath. “And I feel the same by the way.” He says, standing up and going to his backpack.
He comes back with a little dark blue velvet box. He gives it nervously to the older man and sits back next to him.
Ohno tilts his head curiously but Nino nods at the box, so he opens it.
Inside the little box is a silver ring on a chain.
Ohno gapes at it as he pulls it out and stares at it. “Nino… What is this?”
“A promise. That I love you and that you will always be more important to me than this job.” Nino takes Ohno and gets a warm feeling all over as Ohno squeezes it back. “I’m not perfect. Far from it. But that doesn’t excuse what I did. I won’t do that again. I hope that you can trust me like you did before.”
Ohno nods and grins as he puts the chain around his neck, the ring bouncing on his chest as he leans forward and pulls Nino into a tight hug.
“I’m not perfect but I’ll keep trying to be the perfect one for you.” Nino murmurs, feeling so thankful for this moment.
“You already are.” Ohno whispers back, squeezing him tighter.
***************************
Heya!! It's been a while but I hope you liked this!! Did you know the song? I really love it!^^
Let me know what you thought!!
<3
Pairing: Ohmiya
Rating: PG
Length: ~3000
Genre: slight angst, fluffy ending
Disclaimer: Fiction! :)
Summary: Nino messed up. He said too much... on live TV. Can Ohno forgive him ?
Nino sits in the changing room, feeling his palms sweat, looking at his reflection in the bright mirror.
The makeup team just finished doing their magic on the five members and the filming of their variety show will start any minute.
It’s a filming day just like hundreds of other filming days he’s had since the creation of Arashi.
But today is different from those hundred others. This is this first day back on TV since he left Japan to film Letters from Iwo Jima in America.
He’s been back on his homeland for a week, during which he recuperated from the jet lag and started revising his lines for a new drama. But even though he is definitely rested from his world-length trip, he doesn’t actually feel ready for the variety show.
The last time he was here, it was weeks and weeks ago. And after an experience like filming for a Hollywood movie, it feels more like years…
So now he’s panicking.
It’s like he’s forgotten what he’s supposed to do. What he should say. How did he act before? Was he himself? Did he exaggerate his bratty persona? What if he makes an inappropriate joke and it’s awkward for the other members. What if he says something he’s not meant to? What if the public thinks he’s acting odd?
“5 minutes Arashi members!” A staff member calls from the corridor, breaking Nino’s train of thought.
He quickly glances to his group-mates.
They all look completely relaxed. Of course… for them it’s just another day of show filming… Jun is reading a magazine and Sho is typing away at his laptop. Aiba is playing with a rubber ball, bouncing it against the wall. Ohno is napping in a corner of the room and Nino smiles at the peaceful expression on his boyfriend’s face.
He turns back to the mirror in front of him and takes a deep breath. He will get through this and in a few hours he will be back in their cosy apartment and they can have a nice dinner together. Yeah. He just has to try to relax.
*
“So Nino! You’re back!” the interviewer says enthusiastically.
Nino smiles nervously. “Yeah! I am!” he tries to add excitement in his voice but doesn’t know it got through.
There’s a appreciative giggle coming from the audience. Nino thinks to himself that he’s totally not used to that lively audience anymore. It’s not like there was an audience reacting off of his discussions with Clint Eastwood on the film-set…
“How was your experience filming abroad?”
“Very interesting, it was incredible to work with such a talented director!” Nino explains. This is not so hard! He didn’t need to worry! He can just keep talking like this about filming in America and what he learnt.
But then he makes the mistake to look at the audience and they seem so bored! Quickly! He needs to say something funny! Something witty!
“Were you happy to see your band members again?”
Nino glances to the four young men sitting besides him, his eyes lingering on Ohno who’s smiling happily at him.
“Yeah… of course.” He says, still trying to think of a funny remark.
“Was there one of them you missed more than the others?” The interviewer asks laughing, and the audience majorly consisting of young women are clearly interested now.
“Emm…” Nino hesitates, looking around wildly, feeling his mouth go dry.
He hates that feeling.
“Well… I don’t know about that but… Ohno was happy to see me that’s for sure!” he answers quickly, his mind still racing.
There is a clear intake of from the audience breath at what seems like a hint of promising fanservice to come. The interviewer grins encouragingly.
“Really? Why do you say that?”
“Well, for one he was the only one who came to get me from the airport!”
“Really?”
“Yeah! He got there way too early and had to wait while I got my suitcase.” Nino’s on a roll, he can’t stop. He doesn’t know exactly what he’s saying, but the interviewer and the audience seem to love it… so he keeps going.
“When he saw me at the arrivals, he was so happy he ran to me! In front of everyone! Just ran! And he even had tears in his eyes! Ohno! Our member who doesn’t show emotions! He was there in a public place on the verge of crying!”
There’s a loud laugh at his joke, but Nino is finally realizing something is off.
The interviewer is laughing, the audience is laughing, even the recording staff are chuckling discretely, but the chairs beside him are awfully quiet. He glances sideways and it’s like a pile of concrete has fallen through his throat and into his stomach.
Ohno, Sho and Aiba are staring at their feet or straight ahead with icy composures. But not Jun. He’s looking straight at him and when their eyes meet, he raises his eyebrow a tiny amount. Too small for the interviewer or audience to notice, but enough for Nino to get the message: it means what the hell are you doing?!
* * *
The filming is done and the members are walking back to the changing room in complete silence.
But to Nino, the silence speaks louder than words. And now his head is swimming with the words he said during the filming.
How could he be so stupid?!!
That moment at the airport had warmed his heart to the core and instantly cured the home-sickness he had felt throughout his stay in the US. That comforting hug from his Oh-chan was exactly what he had craved during the weeks away.
But now that personal memory feels soiled. He’s used it for the entertainment of the fans… As fan-service… He must have hurt Ohno’s feelings so much, he is so private about their relation. And he’s always said it’s important to him not to reveal too much to the fans, especially about their private life…
‘…he even had tears in his eyes!...’ his own voice echoes back at him.
Nino clenches his hands into fists; digging his nails into his palms and wishing desperately he could go back in time… say anything else…
* * * * *
That night when the couple goes to bed after a silent dinner made of instant noodles, because neither of them felt like cooking, Nino thinks to himself he has rarely felt so filled with regret.
Each hurt glance from Ohno is like a dagger to his chest. They don’t talk much and go to bed early.
As they lie there in silence, the moonlight creating shadows around the bedroom, Nino is at a loss of what to do.
At this point it feels like anything he says will just make it worse.
But the silence is so painful, maybe he should just try saying something.
At least he must apologize… right?
Nino clears his throat and is about to say something when he hears Ohno’s snores. He closes his mouth again.
He’s not sure if Ohno is pretending or if he actually fell asleep, but in any case the message is clear: he doesn’t want to talk about it.
Nino doesn’t sleep much that night and when he does fall asleep, he has a horrible nightmare in which he is standing in front of a camera and laughing loudly and pointing at Ohno. ‘I’m funny! Right? Right?’ he keeps saying.
He wakes up in a sweat and realizes that Ohno is not lying beside him anymore. He tiptoes to the living room and, as he expected, finds the older man sleeping on the sofa. He sighs and, his stomach churning with guilt, goes back to bed.
As he twists and turns, trying to fall back asleep, a terrifying thought hits him.
Will Ohno learn to trust him again?
* * * * *
Nino is sitting in the break room with Sho and Jun, waiting for his turn to film parts of a new PV. He’s brought his DS in an attempt to distract him from his thoughts, but he can’t seem to get past the first level…
Ohno and Aiba walk in laughing together, but when Ohno and Nino exchange a glance, the smile quickly fades from the leader’s face. He seems to hesitate and then turns back to the door.
“Wait!” Nino exclaims, standing up. “Stay. I was on my way out.” He says quickly, and walks out before Ohno can move.
He didn’t really think his plan through… he has no idea where to go now. He can’t go too far as he knows it’s soon his turn to film. He settles on heading to the bathroom for now. As he washes his hands, Jun walks in with a deep frown.
“Can I talk to you?” He asks.
“Of course.” Nino answers quietly, looking away from the piercing gaze.
“Ok, then follow me. I’m not gonna lecture you in the bathroom…”
Nino follows without commenting.
They find a small meeting room with a window looking onto a large courtyard with a few cherry trees blossoming.
The bright blue sky stretching above the multitude of pale pink petals seems to mock Nino’s low mood.
Jun looks outside for a moment before he turns to Nino.
“You messed up, Nino.” He says with in a serious but even tone.
“Thanks Sherlock.”
“I’m serious.”
“Me too.”
Jun sighs at the stubbornness of his friend.
“Well, what are you going to do about it?”
Nino sighs back at him and sits at the meeting table, passing his hands through his hair nervously. He’s never liked being lectured.
“I’m still figuring that out. I’ve tried to bring it up last night, but Oh-chan didn’t seem to want to hear it.
“Of course he doesn’t. Does Satoshi ever want to confront anyone?”
Nino doesn’t answer that.
“Look. What I’m saying is you’re gonna have to break the ice and confront the heck out of this. If you don’t…”
Nino closes his eyes, knowing what Jun is going to say and knowing how much it’s going to hurt hearing the words anyway.
“… you guys aren’t going to last another week.”
Yeah. The pain is real. What he wasn’t expecting are the tears rolling down his cheeks and falling onto the polished wooden table.
Jun walks over and places a hand onto his shoulder.
“Hey. It’s not too late yet. Just figure out what’s important to you and fix it.”
Nino nods. He can’t speak right now.
Jun closes the door quietly behind him, giving him the space to dry his tears in private.
* * * * *
“Aiba-chan… Can I hang out at yours tonight?” Nino asks quietly as they are all getting ready to leave the studio.
Aiba tilts his head in surprise, but noticing the pleading eyes he nods without hesitation. The old friendship he has with Nino has got him through many tough times. Even if he thinks his friend acted like a jerk, he wants to be there for his friend now.
*
“Have I mentioned that I love that you have a balcony?” Nino says sighing, sitting on Aiba’s 23rd floor balcony. The cool summer breeze seems to refresh all his senses.
Aiba chuckles, walking onto the balcony from his cosy apartment and carrying two cans of beer.
“A few times yeah…”
He hands the drink to Nino and takes a seat besides him.
“Thanks.” Nino says, taking a swig of cold beer. He feels like he is finally really relaxing for the first time today.
There’s a comfortable silence for a while which Aiba ends up breaking carefully.
“I hope… Jun wasn’t too hard on you…”
Nino winces a little at the memory but shakes his head. “No. I needed to hear it.”
Aiba nods. “Have you decided what you’re going to do?”
“Well I need to stop avoiding Ohno and be honest. And… pray he’ll give me a second chance even though I messed up so bad. What do you think?”
“I thought you weren’t religious?” Aiba teases him. Nino rolls his eyes. “But I do know that Ohno loves you. Now you need to prepare what you’re going to tell him… you know, so that you don’t blank in the moment… Or say something stupid.”
Nino thinks about that for a moment. What does he want to tell Ohno?
“I want to tell him I’m so sorry I messed up. That I want him to give me a second chance.”
He bites his lip at the worrying thought that’s been hovering above him for a while.
“What if he says he can’t forgive me? Or that I hurt him too bad and he can’t trust me anymore?”
“You’re not perfect Nino, and I think everyone deserves a second chance.” Aiba murmurs reassuringly, patting his friend on the back.
Nino nods slowly, but the fear is hard to shake.
“No. No one’s perfect, but is that an excuse? Shouldn’t I try to be the best person I can for him?”
“Is that what you want?” Aiba asks quietly.
“Yes. Oh-chan… he deserves the best. And he’s always been there for me. I want to be… someone I can be proud of; both for me and for him.”
Nino’s friend smiles a little at how cheesy this conversation has gotten and yet at how genuine and honest Nino is sounding.
“I think you have your speech ready.”
Nino nods and finishes his drink in one swig. “Now I just have to hope it’ll convince him.”
There’s silence for a little while as the two men take in the stillness and peace of the night.
“Thanks, Aiba-chan…”
“You’re welcome Kazu-chan…”
“Another beer?”
“Heck yes.”
* * * * *
Nino crashed at Aiba’s place and woke up early to follow the plan he came up with.
It is still early morning when he lets himself into Ohno’s and his apartment; a few sunrays are shyly coming through the curtains. He puts down his backpack and quietly starts preparing breakfast. He knows Ohno will wake up soon, and he wants everything to be ready when he does.
He glances back to his bag a few times as he makes the preparations, feeling nervous.
He is just finishing to set the table with a traditional Japanese breakfast he knows Ohno loves so much, when he hears his boyfriends’ alarm ringing.
He feels nervous butterflies in his stomach as he hears sounds coming from the bedroom.
Please work he prays in his head.
“Nino!” Ohno exclaims as he steps into the living room.
The young man’s expression seems to waver between frustration and relief.
“You! Why… You didn’t… I didn’t know…” he stammers.
“Oh-chan?” Nino frowns at the emotional tone.
“Just...” the older man looks unable to express his feelings in words.
Nino tilts his head in confusion.
He was expecting anger or indifference.
He thought Ohno would still be giving him the silent treatment… But before Nino can say something, Ohno has walked up to him and pulled him into a tight embrace. Nino is not sure why but it’s like all the air has escaped his lungs. Maybe it’s the shock, the emotions, maybe it’s because Ohno seems to be using all the force in his arm muscles. Maybe it’s both.
Finally he lets out in a trembling voice. “You always messaged me if you were crashing somewhere. Every time. But last night you didn’t say a word.” Ohno murmurs quickly close to Nino’s ear, his voice shaking. “I didn’t know what to think. I didn’t know if I should try to contact you. If you were in trouble somewhere. If you were angry at me for still being angry at you. I started wondering if I was pushing it. If it was me being melodramatic.” He has to take a breath.
Nino stands frozen, he can’t believe his ears. Ohno has been that worried about him?! To the point where he was questioning himself, feeling he didn’t deserve to be angry at Nino?!
“Listen, I just need to hear from you why you acted that way. And to promise me you won’t do it again. And I’ll forgive you. You know I will. Because I can’t imagine my life without you. I just, need you in my home. No.” He shakes his head. “You are my home. The one place I feel I can always relax and forget about the world.”
He stops, out of breath.
Nino blinks a few times, and collects his thoughts. He squeezes Ohno for a moment and then gently pulls away.
“Can I speak now?” he asks smiling, while pulling a still-shaky Ohno to the sofa. “I am really sorry I didn’t message you last night. I crashed at Aiba-chan’s and I didn’t think you’d want to hear from me. And, about the night we recorded” he pauses briefly, still feeling fresh shame at the thought of that night, “I was nervous to be back on TV after my time away and I completely messed up. There is no good enough excuse. I just messed up and I never should have said those things during recording. And don’t you start to think you shouldn’t have reacted like you did. Of course you were angry! I was an ass of a boyfriend! Miles away from the boyfriend I want to be for you!”
Ohno smiles at that.
Nino takes a breath. “And I feel the same by the way.” He says, standing up and going to his backpack.
He comes back with a little dark blue velvet box. He gives it nervously to the older man and sits back next to him.
Ohno tilts his head curiously but Nino nods at the box, so he opens it.
Inside the little box is a silver ring on a chain.
Ohno gapes at it as he pulls it out and stares at it. “Nino… What is this?”
“A promise. That I love you and that you will always be more important to me than this job.” Nino takes Ohno and gets a warm feeling all over as Ohno squeezes it back. “I’m not perfect. Far from it. But that doesn’t excuse what I did. I won’t do that again. I hope that you can trust me like you did before.”
Ohno nods and grins as he puts the chain around his neck, the ring bouncing on his chest as he leans forward and pulls Nino into a tight hug.
“I’m not perfect but I’ll keep trying to be the perfect one for you.” Nino murmurs, feeling so thankful for this moment.
“You already are.” Ohno whispers back, squeezing him tighter.
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Heya!! It's been a while but I hope you liked this!! Did you know the song? I really love it!^^
Let me know what you thought!!
<3