Fic: Technicolor Blues 2/2
Title: Technicolor Blues
Pairing(s): Ohno/Sho
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Do. Not. Own. Unfortunately.
Word count: 10,426
Summary: AU: Ohno doesn’t believe in love, but Sho does.
Author's Notes: Finally I conquered laziness and posted this. For Vanessa and Gati ♥
* * *
The next time Sho visits Ohno, he takes notice of everything. If Ohno has moved some furniture, painted the walls, rearranged pillows, started wearing new clothes, got a new charm on his phone - anything that would make Nino’s words make sense.
Changed? Different?
Sho doesn’t want him to change.
Ohno’s eyes are as kind as ever when he hears Sho climb up the stairs to the attic, and as Sho enters, he realizes that it has been some time since he last was up here. And it shows, because Nino was right - Ohno has painted a lot these past few weeks.
“Sho-kun,” Ohno greets with a tired smile - tired because it’s Sunday morning and he’s probably been up since he got home from work.
“Satoshi-kun,” Sho returns and as always, Ohno’s given name tastes sweet in his mouth.
When Ohno smiles at him once more before turning back to his canvas, it suddenly dawns on Sho what it is that has sent his world spinning.
Ohno has stopped sleeping around.
“I miss Jun-kun,” Ohno says suddenly, sounding wistful. Sho takes a closer look at the canvas, his mind still reeling and he barely resists reaching out to steady himself.
Sho’s heart skips a bit, because he knows exactly how Ohno feels. Jun really has taken chunks of their sanities with him, and Sho just hopes that he’s taking good care of them while he’s abroad.
Ohno continues in a detached voice as he contemplates the colors. “It’ll be good to have him home.”
Sho is startled and distracted from answering when Ohno suddenly hurls the can of red paint onto the canvas. Sho watches the red drops fall to the floor, pooling on the plastic Ohno has put under.
Sho still feels dizzy. Why has Ohno changed?
Ohno lets his fingers run over the wet paint, smearing it out across the untainted cloth, and he turns briefly to grin at Sho. “Blue?”
Sho reluctantly steps closer. It feels weird; he has never felt such trepidation in stepping up to Ohno, just nearing him. It’s bewildering and also upsetting, when Sho has been used to love getting closer to Ohno. Sho hands over the blue can of paint and Ohno dips his entire hand into it, red going down into it and creating tiny slivers of contrast against the blue.
“I don’t know,” Ohno says with a sigh as he places his blue hand on the red canvas, some of it dripping down on the floor. “It never works out the way we want to, does it?”
Sho has no idea what he’s supposed to say, he doesn’t even know what Ohno is talking about. The mixing colors under Ohno’s fingers turn slightly purple, but Ohno doesn’t seem to have noticed. He’s staring at a red blotch of paint about to mesh with the blue that has just fallen.
“It’s not easy,” Sho says, mostly to have something to say, and he hopes that his answer isn’t too far from what Ohno had said.
Ohno nods slowly.
Sho takes another look at the now messy canvas then at Ohno. “You really should sleep.”
Ohno nods again.
* * *
Sho wakes up from his nap on the couch when Ohno returns to the apartment from the attic. The last Sho saw of him was in bed, because he’d practically ordered Ohno in there earlier.
Sho keeps his eyes mostly closed, but for a squint, and Ohno walks behind him, behind the couch, probably to go back to bed. Sho listens for the door, but he can only hear Ohno’s steady breath; it’s a bit quicker since he just skipped down the stairs, Sho thinks. Moments later, the door closes and Sho turns.
He waits for a long time before he deems it safe, and then he slowly and quietly walks up the stairs and back into the attic, carefully avoiding the creaking steps, and he’s so curious.
Sho still doesn’t think of himself as particularly romantic, but he clearly sees the small red and blue patterns that are smeared and not clean at all. It feels like it’s the first time in his life that he smiles, then.
He savors that feeling and wants to go back down, but he’s afraid that the feeling will disappear if he does.
Faith, he reminds himself. He walks back down, pausing briefly as he looks at the closed bedroom door for long drawn out moments, and then he falls asleep on the couch, dreaming.
* * *
When Jun gets home, it’s just Sho and Nino picking him up from the airport. Nino had said that they should be wary of mobbing fangirls, but Sho is fairly convinced that Jun isn’t that famous yet.
“But fangirls are scary,” Nino says with frightening conviction and Sho snorts, quipping back with, “like you’d know,” and Nino proceeds to launch a tale of his epic fame on the internet and all his battles. Sho doesn’t really get half of it since Nino slips into game and internet lingo two words into his speech, but Sho knows that Nino just likes to talk about his games.
“You are a bit of an idiot,” Nino suddenly changes the topic and Sho almost doesn’t notice, but Nino elbows him as they sit and wait for Jun arrive.
Sho sputters.
Nino shrugs. “You are.”
Sho sputters some more and then tries to be annoying enough for Nino to say something more, to elaborate, but Nino is almost as stubborn as Ohno is when he wants to be, so Nino is closemouthed. Sho considers escalating his level of annoying, but in that moment, Jun arrives.
Jun looks tanned and tired, but he’s smiling widely, and when he removes the huge sunglasses covering half his face, Sho can see that Jun is really happy to be home. Jun’s hugs are warm and bright and Sho smiles, because it’s really good to have him home - just like Ohno said.
Besides, Sho has really missed his sanity.
Jun’s eyes linger on Sho’s face before they search beside him, and if Jun looks disappointed, Sho ignores it; he doesn’t want to think about it, not now, not yet. For now, he wants to enjoy that Jun is back.
Nino pounces on him and demands that now Jun is movie star, he should treat his friends to dinner, and Jun drops his bags to bring Nino into a headlock.
Among all the arriving people and the heavy, busy bustle of the airport, Sho nods and feels that things might be looking up.
* * *
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Sho asks, watching as Ohno throws towels and shirts into a bag.
Ohno smiles a bit, but for some reason, Sho thinks it seems slightly forced. “Haven’t had the time, really.”
If Ohno’s smile had been genuine, Sho would have snorted at the comment, but Ohno seems distant, somehow, a stark contrast to his usually intense presence.
He settles for asking, “Are you going alone?”
Ohno shakes his head as he zips his bag and swings it over his shoulder. He tugs the cap further down on his head. “Toma and Maachin are there already, I think.”
He makes his way down the stairs, Sho following and when they part in front of the building, he watches Ohno’s back as the smaller male walks away.
Something is off.
“You okay?” He calls out and sees Ohno turn, his head tilted slightly. Ohno is already just a tad too far away for Sho to see his face clearly.
“I’m fine,” Ohno returns and this time his smile seems more honest, so Sho nods, satisfied. For now.
* * *
For the next few days, Sho doesn’t really get to do much else than work on reports that has landed on his table. He works late and when he gets off from work, he’s exhausted and he wouldn’t even drive himself in that state, so he goes by train and texts Ohno apologies for not being able to drive him.
Ohno replies with smiley faces and no hard feelings, and Ohno says he could use the walks anyway.
Sho is working so hard that during the night, he dreams of numbers and calculators that want to eat him - they chase him through narrow corridors and he tries to hide behind his desk, but the desk somehow shrinks and the calculators are looming over him, the numbers on the displays glaring angrily at him, and he shirks away - he’s running and running, his lungs burn, and he trips, but Jun steadies him and they’re running, the floor of the corridor giving way to cold, hard asphalt and he’s running to Ohno’s apartment, and he stops.
As he looks up, he’s suddenly in the attic, Ohno and Nino are holding each other tightly, kissing, and Sho’s breath is caught in his throat, the sound not loud enough for Sho to draw their attention. He clears his throat, “guys, come on,” but they pay him no heed and continue kissing. Aiba stands behind him, suddenly, and turns him around, looking at him with sad and wide eyes.
“You can’t win this time.”
And Sho jerks awake, bolting upright and heart racing. His hand flies to his phone on the bed stand before he can think properly and only when his thumb hovers over ‘call’ and Ohno’s number burns brightly on the screen does he stop.
It’s four am. Thursday. Meaning that Ohno has been at work, is probably tired - maybe he’s sleeping. Or painting. He wouldn’t answer his phone, anyway. Sho takes a deep breath and lies back down, lowering his hand so the phone lies on his chest. Ohno wouldn’t answer, so no point in calling him. Besides, it was just a weird dream. A very weird one.
But when Sho closes his eyes, he sees Ohno and Nino.
Ohno won’t answer anyway. He draws the phone up to his ear and hears the dialing tone, and he waits.
Ohno picks up even faster than Sho had hoped.
“Sho-kun,” he says, voice soft and alert. “It’s late.”
“It’s early,” Sho says, his breath evening out. He’s being ridiculous.
On the other end, Ohno chuckles and the sound calms Sho’s heart further.
“When did you get home?”
“Around one,” Ohno says and it sounds as if he’s moving. “Quiet night.”
“I see,” Sho says and winces. “What are you doing?”
“A robot,” Ohno chuckles. “I’m trying to get the head to stay up.”
Sho grins and then they’re quiet for some moments, the only sounds being the ones Ohno is making as he works. The sounds die out.
“Sho,” Ohno’s voice is soft, “are you alright?”
Sho’s breath hitches in his throat, like it did in his dream. He loves Ohno so much it hurts.
“Do you want me to come over?”
Sho shakes his head before remembering that Ohno can’t see him, but he’s convinced that Ohno somehow knows.
“Come over,” Ohno invites instead and Sho sighs.
“I have work in a few hours,” he says, but it sounds weak.
“Call in sick.”
Sho thinks about it. The reports lie finished on his desk and his deadline is tomorrow. He could do it.
“Come over,” Ohno says again and Sho sits up, looking through the dim room for a shirt.
“I’ll be right over.”
It’s close to five in the morning when Sho slowly and tiredly makes his way upstairs to Ohno’s apartment. The door is open and the air from inside is warm and envelopes him. He’s so tired. He’d made the call while he was driving; to work that he wouldn’t be coming in today.
He closes the door behind him, locks it, and he looks around for Ohno, and there Ohno is, coming down from the attic.
He looks as tired as Sho feels.
But even if Ohno might have directed him to the bedroom if given the chance, Sho just walks over to the couch, slinging his shirt off in the process, and he lies down, snuggling into the soft cushions. He slips into a restful sleep so fast that he doesn’t feel the blanket being placed on him, and he doesn’t register Ohno shrugging before lying down next to him.
But even in his unconscious state, he can’t keep from letting his arms wind around Ohno.
No weird dreams haunt his sleep this time.
And awakening is pleasant, Sho thinks. He’s warm and comfortable and he doesn’t even mind that his arm is asleep. Especially not when he opens his eyes and realizes why his arm is asleep. Ohno is pressed up against him, head resting on his arm, and while they’ve slept like this, all cuddled up, dozens of times before, it feels more intimate than it ever has.
Maybe it’s the way Ohno looks peaceful and relaxed in his hold, maybe it’s the way Ohno’s body curves flawlessly against his own, but whatever it is, it makes Sho’s already taken heart fall even more.
Instead of questioning it like he’d probably do if he was properly awake, he just tightens his hold, because he never knows if he’ll be alone when he wakes up.
Because he is alone when he wakes up again, but a distant humming tells him that Ohno isn’t far away.
He stretches and still feels tired, and a glance at the clock on the wall reveals it to be just around 11 am. He hasn’t slept long, meaning that Ohno has slept even less. But Ohno is formidable like that. If Ohno’s inspiration has been kindled, he can work for days without sleep, working like possessed, and only when the stroke of inspiration has been dimmed can he take a rest, and he usually crashes.
But Sho is wrong - Ohno hasn’t been up creating yet; he comes into the living room from the bathroom, freshly showered, and he stops when he sees that Sho is awake.
“Morning,” he rasps, his voice scratchy.
Sho nods and yawns, hiding his obvious staring. Ohno has been too lazy to dry properly off, so his t-shirt is clinging to his upper body.
Ohno doesn’t seem to notice, though, as he shuffles closer and drops down unceremoniously next to Sho again. Sho lifts the blanket and Ohno slides back under, slinks closer to Sho and tucks his head against Sho’s shoulder. It feels relaxing and comfortable, and Sho allows himself to bury his face in Ohno’s damp hair.
And then he twitches.
“Tickles,” he chuckles lowly as Ohno’s breath dances across his skin, but Ohno is already asleep, he realizes, because Ohno is limp and his breath even and steady. Sho doesn’t mind.
* * *
“And there are still no juicy bits?” Jun asks and sips his coffee. Sho almost chokes on his own.
He coughs. “No, what would those be?”
Jun makes a non-committal noise and shrugs, but Sho isn’t buying it.
“I just, I mean,” Jun starts, and that’s when Sho gets confused. Since when didn’t Jun know what to say?
“He has stopped sleeping around if that’s what you mean,” Sho says carefully.
“Oh,” Jun sounds less than surprised, “how do you figure that?”
“Besides the fact that he hasn’t left with any girls and that neither Nino nor Aiba have seen him around with any, either?”
Jun nods and then flashes a smile. “That’s good. I thought he was being a bit out of line.”
Sho looks down at his coffee, but he can’t hide the smile from Jun.
“That’s good,” Jun says again, voice warm and honest, and it hits Sho once more just how much he appreciates Jun’s presence in his life. “That’s good for you.”
“But sometimes,” Sho says slowly, “I wonder, what if this is as far as I’m going to get?”
“Don’t say that,” Jun frowns. “Satoshi-kun might be really dense in some aspects, but he can’t be blind forever.”
“But what if,” Sho continues, feeling brave somehow, “what if he sees and doesn’t like it?”
Jun fights the urge to roll his eyes, Sho can see that, but Jun loses that battle and does roll his eyes. “I really doubt it’d affect him much. I think you’d be the most affected, I mean, being mortified and embarrassed into next week.”
Sho leans back in his chair and thinks.
“Careful,” Jun warns with a smile and Sho grins briefly.
Would it really be so awful? Sho doesn’t think so. He’s lived with this for so long, so would anything change drastically for him if he told Ohno? Probably not. He’ll surely be embarrassed for days on end, but other than that, they’ll be fine. It has been bearable up until now.
Jun is looking at him, slowly, as if he’s contemplating every inch of him.
It’s weird how comfortable Sho is with talking about this with Jun. Sho has no doubt that Nino would do his best to help him out, but only after having his share of laughs, and Ohno and Nino talk so much that it’d be weird, weird, especially after his dream. Sho knows that nothing is happening between them, but still.
And Aiba… Aiba would be enthusiastic and well-meaning, but Sho winces at the thought.
Jun is discreet and honest, and that’s what Sho needs right now to keep him sane.
“You know,” Jun breaks into his thoughts, “he might react better than you expect.”
Sho shrugs. “And maybe not.”
“I think you should hope instead,” Jun continues, “I mean, instead of just expect. Hope.”
“I don’t think it’ll do much of a difference. In fact, I don’t really see what the difference is.”
“Sho-kun, did you ask him why he stopped sleeping around?”
Sho shakes his head. “Why would I do that? Should I?”
Jun looks surprised. “You’re not curious?”
Maybe just a tiny bit. Sho chuckles and Jun joins in and they finish their coffees.
“Perhaps you should ask him,” Jun says when they’re about to leave, and he sounds as if he’s hinting. To what, Sho doesn’t know, but he does find Jun’s behavior suspicious.
A memory of Jun saying something to Ohno, making Ohno pause, flashes in Sho’s mind. He frowns, brows drawing together. “Did you say something to him?”
Jun looks smug. “Maybe.”
Sho’s heart hammers away in his chest. What could Jun possibly have said to Ohno that would make the older man stop living his life the way he obviously liked to? Unless… oh no. His horror must be showing on his face, because Jun looks even smugger, and Sho wants to deck him, but knows he can’t because then Jun would be in trouble with his manager.
“You didn’t,” he breathes through his dismay, “seriously, tell me you didn’t-”
“I might accidentally have dropped a word,” Jun says airily and Sho can’t help but snort. Jun very rarely says something by accident, and Sho really doubts that he’s starting now.
“So maybe you should talk to him?” Jun says brightly and ducks when Sho can’t help but take a swing at him.
* * *
On Saturday night, Sho thinks that maybe he has found the courage to find out exactly what Jun had told Ohno.
Sho enters the bar, and even the sight of a pretty girl leaning over the counter doesn’t make his nerves falter. Too much. When he steps up to the counter and sits down, Ohno turns to him and smiles brilliantly.
“Sho-kun,” he greets, but however happy he seems to be that Sho is here, Sho can see that Ohno is busy, that he has many customers. Still, Sho just settles down and watches.
He’s reminded of how coy Ohno is when he’s hiding behind the counter, how much he can get away with pretending. He watches Ohno laugh and banter with the guests, mix drinks and make sure that no one gets too much to pass out. It’s comforting to realize that this Ohno is just a small part of the Ohno Sho likes best, and if this is just a façade, then Sho will be content to know the real Ohno behind it.
When Ohno finally is finished for the night, Sho isn’t even nowhere near drunk. He’s been nursing the same beer all night, afraid that alcohol would addle his already frayed nerves, even if he wishes the alcohol could take the edge off whatever it is he’s going to say.
For all Sho knows what he wants to, he doesn’t know how to go about it. Words, actions - he doesn’t know, he doesn’t know what Ohno will respond the best to, but he just doesn’t want to screw this up more than it has the potential to. So the car ride home is silent, but when he glances at Ohno, Ohno looks relaxed - just as he always does, completely at ease in Sho’s company and he trusts him not to drive him into something.
The car slows to a stop in front of the apartment building and Ohno gets out, and Sho wants to kick himself.
‘Can I come up?’ just sounds so sad and wrong on all levels, and he can’t really invite himself up, that’s just pathetic. He feels the opportunity slip through his fingers as he belatedly hears Ohno say ‘thank you and good night, drive safe,’ and he closes his eyes in frustration.
He doesn’t believe in perfect love confessions, he realizes ten minutes later and still parked in front of the apartment building. He just doesn’t, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t believe in love. Before he knows it, he’s out of the car, up the stairs and knocking on Ohno’s door, and Ohno’s face is hilarious when he opens the door.
“Sho-ku-”
“Satoshi-kun,” Sho interrupts and reaches out to let his fingers skate up Ohno’s arm holding the door open.
For a brief moment, Ohno goes rigid but then relaxes as he reaches up to place a hand on Sho’s. He backs up and pulls Sho with him, the door closing behind them. He tilts his head, waiting.
Sho takes a deep breath. “I-”
“I know,” Ohno says softly and Sho can’t decide whether he’s more miffed that Ohno interrupted him or that Ohno knows. Shit. He’ll have to flay Jun, work be damned.
“But-”
And Ohno’s lips quirk into a somewhat uncertain smile as he interrupts again. “I don’t know.”
It dawns on him that Ohno is trying to save him from saying incredibly embarrassing things, but Sho knows that he has to say this, or they won’t ever get away from this moment in time where Sho is stalling, and Ohno is stalling, and neither seem willing to move either back or forth.
Suspension.
“Shut up,” he says, not unkindly, and he knows that Ohno understands. “You frustrate the hell out of me.”
There. If Ohno had been expecting some kind of flowery confession, this just wouldn’t be it, because Sho himself doesn’t even know what he’s going to say, but he’s determined that he won’t say all the things that Ohno expects and can counter easily.
“You have no idea,” Sho says and it sounds harsh, but his grip on Ohno is gentle and Ohno doesn’t tense at all under his touch, “how much you frustrate me.”
Ohno blinks, but he’s not confused. He’s listening.
“Do you think you can hide forever?”
Ohno’s eyes say that he can damn well try, but Sho tightens his grip slightly and Ohno searches his face.
“Sometimes,” Ohno says and Sho has an inkling that it’s not the answer to the question, “don’t you wonder if it all could be different?”
Sho frowns but says with all the honesty he can muster, which is quite a lot, “Every day.”
He manages not to flinch as he crosses the line to ‘flowery’.
Ohno’s eyes twitches as they do, and he sighs, sounding weary.
“It would be different,” Sho continues sincerely, “because it’s us.”
This time, Ohno looks at him, serious and intense as he asks, “The best thing in my life is us. How can you make that better?”
“Not just me,” Sho counters even as something flutters pleasantly in his stomach, “you and me. Both of us. We can make it better.”
Ohno looks hesitant, but Sho has no doubt that Ohno is thinking, because Ohno has already changed so much.
Sho pulls Ohno to him and even if Ohno’s body is stiff at first, he doesn’t resist, and after a moment, Ohno’s arms slide around his waist. This, at least, is comfortable, familiar and most of all, it’s safe and well-practiced. It’s almost funny, Sho thinks, that Ohno is so confident and comfortable with himself, but despite that, he’s nervous now.
Sho is oddly relieved.
“I don’t get you,” Ohno mumbles into his jacket. “I mean. Me.”
“You,” Sho says and knows that Nino would laugh his ass off at how sappy he sounds, “that’s it. You.”
Ohno exhales harshly against his shoulder, his fingers bunching in the material of his jacket. “I thought Jun-kun was joking.”
Sho chuckles. “Only you would think that. When did he tell you?”
Ohno presses his face further into Sho. “The first time was-”
“The first time?!” Sho guffaws and he can hear Ohno smile.
“A year ago,” Ohno says slowly, “maybe more, I can’t really remember.”
Sho is still miffed that Jun has told him so long ago, but his curiosity wins. “What did he tell you?”
Ohno chuckles. “Basically, he told me to stop being stupid.”
A snicker escapes Sho’s mouth and he holds Ohno even tighter. “Yeah, that’s what he told me, too.”
“But Sho-chan, I don’t really, you know,” Ohno says eloquently, but Sho knows what he’s talking about.
“I’ll show you, yeah?”
Ohno squeezes him and nods.
* * *
Sho wakes up to the sound of a door closing and it takes him a few seconds to orientate himself. He’s in Ohno’s bed; Ohno is practically lying almost completely on top of him, fast asleep, and above all, Sho feels warm.
Someone is rustling around outside.
“Oh-chan, I’m staying here until the day after tomorrow, okay?”
Nino.
Sho yawns and after rearranging his legs under Ohno’s, he settles for some more sleep.
“Oh-chan, are you up?”
Sho cracks an eye open and sees that no, Ohno is nowhere near up. Maybe Nino will go away if they lie still and don’t make a sound.
The door opens and the small creak allows Nino to see two pairs of legs. The door opens even more.
“Sho-chan?” Nino asks, and for a moment, Sho thinks that Nino might be angry. “Please get some clothes on.”
Sho frowns, then says, “We have clothes on.”
“I know,” and Nino is laughing. “I’ve just always wanted to say that.”
Nino steps further into the room and sits down on the bed, and then he pokes Ohno, hard and continuously, until he wakes.
“Go away,” Ohno says blearily and then buries his face in Sho’s chest.
Nino pokes him some more, and then pinches Sho. Sho tries to squirm away, which is a bit difficult when Ohno is deadweight on him. And when he tries to kick Nino, Nino just laughs. Ohno swings blindly at him and Nino somehow isn’t so lucky as to move quickly enough.
“Jerk,” he winces and shoves Ohno. “So, are you guys going out? Dating? About damn time.”
“We’re sleeping,” Ohno says flatly. “Go away.”
“Touchy,” Nino says airily and sniffs. “I can tell when I’m not wanted.”
“Like right now,” Ohno offers and Nino flips him off.
“Asshole. I’m crashing on your couch, for your information, so no obscene noises. Actually, no noises at all, thank you.”
The door slips shut behind Nino and the room is for two once more. Sho relaxes against the bed again and he blinks when Ohno raises his head. Sho sees Ohno’s gorgeous features, and he looks sleep-tousled and warm, and he’s not quite smiling with his mouth, but when Sho reaches up with one hand to touch his face, the lips quirk upwards, the eyes scrunch slightly.
Ohno’s lips are supple beneath his fingers and they part obediently when Sho presses in at the corner. He removes his finger and lifts his head, connecting their lips softly.
He doesn’t think he’ll ever tire of kissing Ohno.
Their lips slide slowly and languidly against each other, their sighs and breaths mingling, and Ohno lets Sho’s tongue in with no resistance, lets Sho plunder the depths of his mouth. Ohno tastes sweet, even through the inevitable morning breath, and Sho can’t wait to explore some more. His fingers sink into Ohno’s hair and he holds Ohno’s head in place as he presses even closer.
Coy, confident Ohno is pliant above him, because Sho has rocked the ground beneath him and thrown him into something that isn’t a one-night stand. Sho is sure that Ohno will realize soon that Sho will stay, that he’s not running. He has a feeling that one too many people has run from Ohno in the past, and Sho is not going to be one of them.
Ohno is holding himself up over Sho, but Sho rather likes Ohno’s weight on him, so he coaxes Ohno to let go. Instead, those dexterous fingers hold on to Sho’s jaw and neck and Sho winds his arms around Ohno’s waist, pulling him impossibly nearer.
Breaking the soft kiss, Ohno’s eyes flutters as he sits up, straddling Sho’s waist. He throws his shirt off and takes one of Sho’s hands, placing it above his heart, and Sho feels warm all over when he feels Ohno’s sped-up heartbeat beneath his fingers.
“So this is love,” Ohno says with wonder, and Sho isn’t sure if Ohno is talking to himself or to Sho, but Sho hears it and he smiles, feeling his eyes sting, because Ohno had said it like a statement, not a question. For one who until very recently claimed that he didn’t believe in love, Ohno speaks with stunning clarity and conviction.
All Sho feels is Ohno’s steady, strong heart, and all he sees is Ohno’s wondrous smile. This won’t be easy. There’s so much they need to work out, and Sho can’t say for sure that they’ll make it. But somehow that’s okay, because Sho will teach Ohno to believe.
Sho has enough to share.
* * *
/THE END
AN: Beta'd by the lovely wannatee_1984 ♥ Sorry this took so long to post - it was finished weeks ago, but you know, lazy D8
I have a few projects lined up for the next few months, meanwhile I hope you'll have fun with Oraya :D
Pairing(s): Ohno/Sho
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Do. Not. Own. Unfortunately.
Word count: 10,426
Summary: AU: Ohno doesn’t believe in love, but Sho does.
Author's Notes: Finally I conquered laziness and posted this. For Vanessa and Gati ♥
* * *
The next time Sho visits Ohno, he takes notice of everything. If Ohno has moved some furniture, painted the walls, rearranged pillows, started wearing new clothes, got a new charm on his phone - anything that would make Nino’s words make sense.
Changed? Different?
Sho doesn’t want him to change.
Ohno’s eyes are as kind as ever when he hears Sho climb up the stairs to the attic, and as Sho enters, he realizes that it has been some time since he last was up here. And it shows, because Nino was right - Ohno has painted a lot these past few weeks.
“Sho-kun,” Ohno greets with a tired smile - tired because it’s Sunday morning and he’s probably been up since he got home from work.
“Satoshi-kun,” Sho returns and as always, Ohno’s given name tastes sweet in his mouth.
When Ohno smiles at him once more before turning back to his canvas, it suddenly dawns on Sho what it is that has sent his world spinning.
Ohno has stopped sleeping around.
“I miss Jun-kun,” Ohno says suddenly, sounding wistful. Sho takes a closer look at the canvas, his mind still reeling and he barely resists reaching out to steady himself.
Sho’s heart skips a bit, because he knows exactly how Ohno feels. Jun really has taken chunks of their sanities with him, and Sho just hopes that he’s taking good care of them while he’s abroad.
Ohno continues in a detached voice as he contemplates the colors. “It’ll be good to have him home.”
Sho is startled and distracted from answering when Ohno suddenly hurls the can of red paint onto the canvas. Sho watches the red drops fall to the floor, pooling on the plastic Ohno has put under.
Sho still feels dizzy. Why has Ohno changed?
Ohno lets his fingers run over the wet paint, smearing it out across the untainted cloth, and he turns briefly to grin at Sho. “Blue?”
Sho reluctantly steps closer. It feels weird; he has never felt such trepidation in stepping up to Ohno, just nearing him. It’s bewildering and also upsetting, when Sho has been used to love getting closer to Ohno. Sho hands over the blue can of paint and Ohno dips his entire hand into it, red going down into it and creating tiny slivers of contrast against the blue.
“I don’t know,” Ohno says with a sigh as he places his blue hand on the red canvas, some of it dripping down on the floor. “It never works out the way we want to, does it?”
Sho has no idea what he’s supposed to say, he doesn’t even know what Ohno is talking about. The mixing colors under Ohno’s fingers turn slightly purple, but Ohno doesn’t seem to have noticed. He’s staring at a red blotch of paint about to mesh with the blue that has just fallen.
“It’s not easy,” Sho says, mostly to have something to say, and he hopes that his answer isn’t too far from what Ohno had said.
Ohno nods slowly.
Sho takes another look at the now messy canvas then at Ohno. “You really should sleep.”
Ohno nods again.
* * *
Sho wakes up from his nap on the couch when Ohno returns to the apartment from the attic. The last Sho saw of him was in bed, because he’d practically ordered Ohno in there earlier.
Sho keeps his eyes mostly closed, but for a squint, and Ohno walks behind him, behind the couch, probably to go back to bed. Sho listens for the door, but he can only hear Ohno’s steady breath; it’s a bit quicker since he just skipped down the stairs, Sho thinks. Moments later, the door closes and Sho turns.
He waits for a long time before he deems it safe, and then he slowly and quietly walks up the stairs and back into the attic, carefully avoiding the creaking steps, and he’s so curious.
Sho still doesn’t think of himself as particularly romantic, but he clearly sees the small red and blue patterns that are smeared and not clean at all. It feels like it’s the first time in his life that he smiles, then.
He savors that feeling and wants to go back down, but he’s afraid that the feeling will disappear if he does.
Faith, he reminds himself. He walks back down, pausing briefly as he looks at the closed bedroom door for long drawn out moments, and then he falls asleep on the couch, dreaming.
* * *
When Jun gets home, it’s just Sho and Nino picking him up from the airport. Nino had said that they should be wary of mobbing fangirls, but Sho is fairly convinced that Jun isn’t that famous yet.
“But fangirls are scary,” Nino says with frightening conviction and Sho snorts, quipping back with, “like you’d know,” and Nino proceeds to launch a tale of his epic fame on the internet and all his battles. Sho doesn’t really get half of it since Nino slips into game and internet lingo two words into his speech, but Sho knows that Nino just likes to talk about his games.
“You are a bit of an idiot,” Nino suddenly changes the topic and Sho almost doesn’t notice, but Nino elbows him as they sit and wait for Jun arrive.
Sho sputters.
Nino shrugs. “You are.”
Sho sputters some more and then tries to be annoying enough for Nino to say something more, to elaborate, but Nino is almost as stubborn as Ohno is when he wants to be, so Nino is closemouthed. Sho considers escalating his level of annoying, but in that moment, Jun arrives.
Jun looks tanned and tired, but he’s smiling widely, and when he removes the huge sunglasses covering half his face, Sho can see that Jun is really happy to be home. Jun’s hugs are warm and bright and Sho smiles, because it’s really good to have him home - just like Ohno said.
Besides, Sho has really missed his sanity.
Jun’s eyes linger on Sho’s face before they search beside him, and if Jun looks disappointed, Sho ignores it; he doesn’t want to think about it, not now, not yet. For now, he wants to enjoy that Jun is back.
Nino pounces on him and demands that now Jun is movie star, he should treat his friends to dinner, and Jun drops his bags to bring Nino into a headlock.
Among all the arriving people and the heavy, busy bustle of the airport, Sho nods and feels that things might be looking up.
* * *
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” Sho asks, watching as Ohno throws towels and shirts into a bag.
Ohno smiles a bit, but for some reason, Sho thinks it seems slightly forced. “Haven’t had the time, really.”
If Ohno’s smile had been genuine, Sho would have snorted at the comment, but Ohno seems distant, somehow, a stark contrast to his usually intense presence.
He settles for asking, “Are you going alone?”
Ohno shakes his head as he zips his bag and swings it over his shoulder. He tugs the cap further down on his head. “Toma and Maachin are there already, I think.”
He makes his way down the stairs, Sho following and when they part in front of the building, he watches Ohno’s back as the smaller male walks away.
Something is off.
“You okay?” He calls out and sees Ohno turn, his head tilted slightly. Ohno is already just a tad too far away for Sho to see his face clearly.
“I’m fine,” Ohno returns and this time his smile seems more honest, so Sho nods, satisfied. For now.
* * *
For the next few days, Sho doesn’t really get to do much else than work on reports that has landed on his table. He works late and when he gets off from work, he’s exhausted and he wouldn’t even drive himself in that state, so he goes by train and texts Ohno apologies for not being able to drive him.
Ohno replies with smiley faces and no hard feelings, and Ohno says he could use the walks anyway.
Sho is working so hard that during the night, he dreams of numbers and calculators that want to eat him - they chase him through narrow corridors and he tries to hide behind his desk, but the desk somehow shrinks and the calculators are looming over him, the numbers on the displays glaring angrily at him, and he shirks away - he’s running and running, his lungs burn, and he trips, but Jun steadies him and they’re running, the floor of the corridor giving way to cold, hard asphalt and he’s running to Ohno’s apartment, and he stops.
As he looks up, he’s suddenly in the attic, Ohno and Nino are holding each other tightly, kissing, and Sho’s breath is caught in his throat, the sound not loud enough for Sho to draw their attention. He clears his throat, “guys, come on,” but they pay him no heed and continue kissing. Aiba stands behind him, suddenly, and turns him around, looking at him with sad and wide eyes.
“You can’t win this time.”
And Sho jerks awake, bolting upright and heart racing. His hand flies to his phone on the bed stand before he can think properly and only when his thumb hovers over ‘call’ and Ohno’s number burns brightly on the screen does he stop.
It’s four am. Thursday. Meaning that Ohno has been at work, is probably tired - maybe he’s sleeping. Or painting. He wouldn’t answer his phone, anyway. Sho takes a deep breath and lies back down, lowering his hand so the phone lies on his chest. Ohno wouldn’t answer, so no point in calling him. Besides, it was just a weird dream. A very weird one.
But when Sho closes his eyes, he sees Ohno and Nino.
Ohno won’t answer anyway. He draws the phone up to his ear and hears the dialing tone, and he waits.
Ohno picks up even faster than Sho had hoped.
“Sho-kun,” he says, voice soft and alert. “It’s late.”
“It’s early,” Sho says, his breath evening out. He’s being ridiculous.
On the other end, Ohno chuckles and the sound calms Sho’s heart further.
“When did you get home?”
“Around one,” Ohno says and it sounds as if he’s moving. “Quiet night.”
“I see,” Sho says and winces. “What are you doing?”
“A robot,” Ohno chuckles. “I’m trying to get the head to stay up.”
Sho grins and then they’re quiet for some moments, the only sounds being the ones Ohno is making as he works. The sounds die out.
“Sho,” Ohno’s voice is soft, “are you alright?”
Sho’s breath hitches in his throat, like it did in his dream. He loves Ohno so much it hurts.
“Do you want me to come over?”
Sho shakes his head before remembering that Ohno can’t see him, but he’s convinced that Ohno somehow knows.
“Come over,” Ohno invites instead and Sho sighs.
“I have work in a few hours,” he says, but it sounds weak.
“Call in sick.”
Sho thinks about it. The reports lie finished on his desk and his deadline is tomorrow. He could do it.
“Come over,” Ohno says again and Sho sits up, looking through the dim room for a shirt.
“I’ll be right over.”
It’s close to five in the morning when Sho slowly and tiredly makes his way upstairs to Ohno’s apartment. The door is open and the air from inside is warm and envelopes him. He’s so tired. He’d made the call while he was driving; to work that he wouldn’t be coming in today.
He closes the door behind him, locks it, and he looks around for Ohno, and there Ohno is, coming down from the attic.
He looks as tired as Sho feels.
But even if Ohno might have directed him to the bedroom if given the chance, Sho just walks over to the couch, slinging his shirt off in the process, and he lies down, snuggling into the soft cushions. He slips into a restful sleep so fast that he doesn’t feel the blanket being placed on him, and he doesn’t register Ohno shrugging before lying down next to him.
But even in his unconscious state, he can’t keep from letting his arms wind around Ohno.
No weird dreams haunt his sleep this time.
And awakening is pleasant, Sho thinks. He’s warm and comfortable and he doesn’t even mind that his arm is asleep. Especially not when he opens his eyes and realizes why his arm is asleep. Ohno is pressed up against him, head resting on his arm, and while they’ve slept like this, all cuddled up, dozens of times before, it feels more intimate than it ever has.
Maybe it’s the way Ohno looks peaceful and relaxed in his hold, maybe it’s the way Ohno’s body curves flawlessly against his own, but whatever it is, it makes Sho’s already taken heart fall even more.
Instead of questioning it like he’d probably do if he was properly awake, he just tightens his hold, because he never knows if he’ll be alone when he wakes up.
Because he is alone when he wakes up again, but a distant humming tells him that Ohno isn’t far away.
He stretches and still feels tired, and a glance at the clock on the wall reveals it to be just around 11 am. He hasn’t slept long, meaning that Ohno has slept even less. But Ohno is formidable like that. If Ohno’s inspiration has been kindled, he can work for days without sleep, working like possessed, and only when the stroke of inspiration has been dimmed can he take a rest, and he usually crashes.
But Sho is wrong - Ohno hasn’t been up creating yet; he comes into the living room from the bathroom, freshly showered, and he stops when he sees that Sho is awake.
“Morning,” he rasps, his voice scratchy.
Sho nods and yawns, hiding his obvious staring. Ohno has been too lazy to dry properly off, so his t-shirt is clinging to his upper body.
Ohno doesn’t seem to notice, though, as he shuffles closer and drops down unceremoniously next to Sho again. Sho lifts the blanket and Ohno slides back under, slinks closer to Sho and tucks his head against Sho’s shoulder. It feels relaxing and comfortable, and Sho allows himself to bury his face in Ohno’s damp hair.
And then he twitches.
“Tickles,” he chuckles lowly as Ohno’s breath dances across his skin, but Ohno is already asleep, he realizes, because Ohno is limp and his breath even and steady. Sho doesn’t mind.
* * *
“And there are still no juicy bits?” Jun asks and sips his coffee. Sho almost chokes on his own.
He coughs. “No, what would those be?”
Jun makes a non-committal noise and shrugs, but Sho isn’t buying it.
“I just, I mean,” Jun starts, and that’s when Sho gets confused. Since when didn’t Jun know what to say?
“He has stopped sleeping around if that’s what you mean,” Sho says carefully.
“Oh,” Jun sounds less than surprised, “how do you figure that?”
“Besides the fact that he hasn’t left with any girls and that neither Nino nor Aiba have seen him around with any, either?”
Jun nods and then flashes a smile. “That’s good. I thought he was being a bit out of line.”
Sho looks down at his coffee, but he can’t hide the smile from Jun.
“That’s good,” Jun says again, voice warm and honest, and it hits Sho once more just how much he appreciates Jun’s presence in his life. “That’s good for you.”
“But sometimes,” Sho says slowly, “I wonder, what if this is as far as I’m going to get?”
“Don’t say that,” Jun frowns. “Satoshi-kun might be really dense in some aspects, but he can’t be blind forever.”
“But what if,” Sho continues, feeling brave somehow, “what if he sees and doesn’t like it?”
Jun fights the urge to roll his eyes, Sho can see that, but Jun loses that battle and does roll his eyes. “I really doubt it’d affect him much. I think you’d be the most affected, I mean, being mortified and embarrassed into next week.”
Sho leans back in his chair and thinks.
“Careful,” Jun warns with a smile and Sho grins briefly.
Would it really be so awful? Sho doesn’t think so. He’s lived with this for so long, so would anything change drastically for him if he told Ohno? Probably not. He’ll surely be embarrassed for days on end, but other than that, they’ll be fine. It has been bearable up until now.
Jun is looking at him, slowly, as if he’s contemplating every inch of him.
It’s weird how comfortable Sho is with talking about this with Jun. Sho has no doubt that Nino would do his best to help him out, but only after having his share of laughs, and Ohno and Nino talk so much that it’d be weird, weird, especially after his dream. Sho knows that nothing is happening between them, but still.
And Aiba… Aiba would be enthusiastic and well-meaning, but Sho winces at the thought.
Jun is discreet and honest, and that’s what Sho needs right now to keep him sane.
“You know,” Jun breaks into his thoughts, “he might react better than you expect.”
Sho shrugs. “And maybe not.”
“I think you should hope instead,” Jun continues, “I mean, instead of just expect. Hope.”
“I don’t think it’ll do much of a difference. In fact, I don’t really see what the difference is.”
“Sho-kun, did you ask him why he stopped sleeping around?”
Sho shakes his head. “Why would I do that? Should I?”
Jun looks surprised. “You’re not curious?”
Maybe just a tiny bit. Sho chuckles and Jun joins in and they finish their coffees.
“Perhaps you should ask him,” Jun says when they’re about to leave, and he sounds as if he’s hinting. To what, Sho doesn’t know, but he does find Jun’s behavior suspicious.
A memory of Jun saying something to Ohno, making Ohno pause, flashes in Sho’s mind. He frowns, brows drawing together. “Did you say something to him?”
Jun looks smug. “Maybe.”
Sho’s heart hammers away in his chest. What could Jun possibly have said to Ohno that would make the older man stop living his life the way he obviously liked to? Unless… oh no. His horror must be showing on his face, because Jun looks even smugger, and Sho wants to deck him, but knows he can’t because then Jun would be in trouble with his manager.
“You didn’t,” he breathes through his dismay, “seriously, tell me you didn’t-”
“I might accidentally have dropped a word,” Jun says airily and Sho can’t help but snort. Jun very rarely says something by accident, and Sho really doubts that he’s starting now.
“So maybe you should talk to him?” Jun says brightly and ducks when Sho can’t help but take a swing at him.
* * *
On Saturday night, Sho thinks that maybe he has found the courage to find out exactly what Jun had told Ohno.
Sho enters the bar, and even the sight of a pretty girl leaning over the counter doesn’t make his nerves falter. Too much. When he steps up to the counter and sits down, Ohno turns to him and smiles brilliantly.
“Sho-kun,” he greets, but however happy he seems to be that Sho is here, Sho can see that Ohno is busy, that he has many customers. Still, Sho just settles down and watches.
He’s reminded of how coy Ohno is when he’s hiding behind the counter, how much he can get away with pretending. He watches Ohno laugh and banter with the guests, mix drinks and make sure that no one gets too much to pass out. It’s comforting to realize that this Ohno is just a small part of the Ohno Sho likes best, and if this is just a façade, then Sho will be content to know the real Ohno behind it.
When Ohno finally is finished for the night, Sho isn’t even nowhere near drunk. He’s been nursing the same beer all night, afraid that alcohol would addle his already frayed nerves, even if he wishes the alcohol could take the edge off whatever it is he’s going to say.
For all Sho knows what he wants to, he doesn’t know how to go about it. Words, actions - he doesn’t know, he doesn’t know what Ohno will respond the best to, but he just doesn’t want to screw this up more than it has the potential to. So the car ride home is silent, but when he glances at Ohno, Ohno looks relaxed - just as he always does, completely at ease in Sho’s company and he trusts him not to drive him into something.
The car slows to a stop in front of the apartment building and Ohno gets out, and Sho wants to kick himself.
‘Can I come up?’ just sounds so sad and wrong on all levels, and he can’t really invite himself up, that’s just pathetic. He feels the opportunity slip through his fingers as he belatedly hears Ohno say ‘thank you and good night, drive safe,’ and he closes his eyes in frustration.
He doesn’t believe in perfect love confessions, he realizes ten minutes later and still parked in front of the apartment building. He just doesn’t, but that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t believe in love. Before he knows it, he’s out of the car, up the stairs and knocking on Ohno’s door, and Ohno’s face is hilarious when he opens the door.
“Sho-ku-”
“Satoshi-kun,” Sho interrupts and reaches out to let his fingers skate up Ohno’s arm holding the door open.
For a brief moment, Ohno goes rigid but then relaxes as he reaches up to place a hand on Sho’s. He backs up and pulls Sho with him, the door closing behind them. He tilts his head, waiting.
Sho takes a deep breath. “I-”
“I know,” Ohno says softly and Sho can’t decide whether he’s more miffed that Ohno interrupted him or that Ohno knows. Shit. He’ll have to flay Jun, work be damned.
“But-”
And Ohno’s lips quirk into a somewhat uncertain smile as he interrupts again. “I don’t know.”
It dawns on him that Ohno is trying to save him from saying incredibly embarrassing things, but Sho knows that he has to say this, or they won’t ever get away from this moment in time where Sho is stalling, and Ohno is stalling, and neither seem willing to move either back or forth.
Suspension.
“Shut up,” he says, not unkindly, and he knows that Ohno understands. “You frustrate the hell out of me.”
There. If Ohno had been expecting some kind of flowery confession, this just wouldn’t be it, because Sho himself doesn’t even know what he’s going to say, but he’s determined that he won’t say all the things that Ohno expects and can counter easily.
“You have no idea,” Sho says and it sounds harsh, but his grip on Ohno is gentle and Ohno doesn’t tense at all under his touch, “how much you frustrate me.”
Ohno blinks, but he’s not confused. He’s listening.
“Do you think you can hide forever?”
Ohno’s eyes say that he can damn well try, but Sho tightens his grip slightly and Ohno searches his face.
“Sometimes,” Ohno says and Sho has an inkling that it’s not the answer to the question, “don’t you wonder if it all could be different?”
Sho frowns but says with all the honesty he can muster, which is quite a lot, “Every day.”
He manages not to flinch as he crosses the line to ‘flowery’.
Ohno’s eyes twitches as they do, and he sighs, sounding weary.
“It would be different,” Sho continues sincerely, “because it’s us.”
This time, Ohno looks at him, serious and intense as he asks, “The best thing in my life is us. How can you make that better?”
“Not just me,” Sho counters even as something flutters pleasantly in his stomach, “you and me. Both of us. We can make it better.”
Ohno looks hesitant, but Sho has no doubt that Ohno is thinking, because Ohno has already changed so much.
Sho pulls Ohno to him and even if Ohno’s body is stiff at first, he doesn’t resist, and after a moment, Ohno’s arms slide around his waist. This, at least, is comfortable, familiar and most of all, it’s safe and well-practiced. It’s almost funny, Sho thinks, that Ohno is so confident and comfortable with himself, but despite that, he’s nervous now.
Sho is oddly relieved.
“I don’t get you,” Ohno mumbles into his jacket. “I mean. Me.”
“You,” Sho says and knows that Nino would laugh his ass off at how sappy he sounds, “that’s it. You.”
Ohno exhales harshly against his shoulder, his fingers bunching in the material of his jacket. “I thought Jun-kun was joking.”
Sho chuckles. “Only you would think that. When did he tell you?”
Ohno presses his face further into Sho. “The first time was-”
“The first time?!” Sho guffaws and he can hear Ohno smile.
“A year ago,” Ohno says slowly, “maybe more, I can’t really remember.”
Sho is still miffed that Jun has told him so long ago, but his curiosity wins. “What did he tell you?”
Ohno chuckles. “Basically, he told me to stop being stupid.”
A snicker escapes Sho’s mouth and he holds Ohno even tighter. “Yeah, that’s what he told me, too.”
“But Sho-chan, I don’t really, you know,” Ohno says eloquently, but Sho knows what he’s talking about.
“I’ll show you, yeah?”
Ohno squeezes him and nods.
* * *
Sho wakes up to the sound of a door closing and it takes him a few seconds to orientate himself. He’s in Ohno’s bed; Ohno is practically lying almost completely on top of him, fast asleep, and above all, Sho feels warm.
Someone is rustling around outside.
“Oh-chan, I’m staying here until the day after tomorrow, okay?”
Nino.
Sho yawns and after rearranging his legs under Ohno’s, he settles for some more sleep.
“Oh-chan, are you up?”
Sho cracks an eye open and sees that no, Ohno is nowhere near up. Maybe Nino will go away if they lie still and don’t make a sound.
The door opens and the small creak allows Nino to see two pairs of legs. The door opens even more.
“Sho-chan?” Nino asks, and for a moment, Sho thinks that Nino might be angry. “Please get some clothes on.”
Sho frowns, then says, “We have clothes on.”
“I know,” and Nino is laughing. “I’ve just always wanted to say that.”
Nino steps further into the room and sits down on the bed, and then he pokes Ohno, hard and continuously, until he wakes.
“Go away,” Ohno says blearily and then buries his face in Sho’s chest.
Nino pokes him some more, and then pinches Sho. Sho tries to squirm away, which is a bit difficult when Ohno is deadweight on him. And when he tries to kick Nino, Nino just laughs. Ohno swings blindly at him and Nino somehow isn’t so lucky as to move quickly enough.
“Jerk,” he winces and shoves Ohno. “So, are you guys going out? Dating? About damn time.”
“We’re sleeping,” Ohno says flatly. “Go away.”
“Touchy,” Nino says airily and sniffs. “I can tell when I’m not wanted.”
“Like right now,” Ohno offers and Nino flips him off.
“Asshole. I’m crashing on your couch, for your information, so no obscene noises. Actually, no noises at all, thank you.”
The door slips shut behind Nino and the room is for two once more. Sho relaxes against the bed again and he blinks when Ohno raises his head. Sho sees Ohno’s gorgeous features, and he looks sleep-tousled and warm, and he’s not quite smiling with his mouth, but when Sho reaches up with one hand to touch his face, the lips quirk upwards, the eyes scrunch slightly.
Ohno’s lips are supple beneath his fingers and they part obediently when Sho presses in at the corner. He removes his finger and lifts his head, connecting their lips softly.
He doesn’t think he’ll ever tire of kissing Ohno.
Their lips slide slowly and languidly against each other, their sighs and breaths mingling, and Ohno lets Sho’s tongue in with no resistance, lets Sho plunder the depths of his mouth. Ohno tastes sweet, even through the inevitable morning breath, and Sho can’t wait to explore some more. His fingers sink into Ohno’s hair and he holds Ohno’s head in place as he presses even closer.
Coy, confident Ohno is pliant above him, because Sho has rocked the ground beneath him and thrown him into something that isn’t a one-night stand. Sho is sure that Ohno will realize soon that Sho will stay, that he’s not running. He has a feeling that one too many people has run from Ohno in the past, and Sho is not going to be one of them.
Ohno is holding himself up over Sho, but Sho rather likes Ohno’s weight on him, so he coaxes Ohno to let go. Instead, those dexterous fingers hold on to Sho’s jaw and neck and Sho winds his arms around Ohno’s waist, pulling him impossibly nearer.
Breaking the soft kiss, Ohno’s eyes flutters as he sits up, straddling Sho’s waist. He throws his shirt off and takes one of Sho’s hands, placing it above his heart, and Sho feels warm all over when he feels Ohno’s sped-up heartbeat beneath his fingers.
“So this is love,” Ohno says with wonder, and Sho isn’t sure if Ohno is talking to himself or to Sho, but Sho hears it and he smiles, feeling his eyes sting, because Ohno had said it like a statement, not a question. For one who until very recently claimed that he didn’t believe in love, Ohno speaks with stunning clarity and conviction.
All Sho feels is Ohno’s steady, strong heart, and all he sees is Ohno’s wondrous smile. This won’t be easy. There’s so much they need to work out, and Sho can’t say for sure that they’ll make it. But somehow that’s okay, because Sho will teach Ohno to believe.
Sho has enough to share.
* * *
/THE END
AN: Beta'd by the lovely wannatee_1984 ♥ Sorry this took so long to post - it was finished weeks ago, but you know, lazy D8
I have a few projects lined up for the next few months, meanwhile I hope you'll have fun with Oraya :D