[Multi-chapter] Stepbrother (17/19)
Title: Stepbrother (17/19)
Paring: Ohmiya
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Angst, School AU, Fluff, Romance
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the story
Summary: Suddenly, he was there. Nino had never expected him to be there, and apparently, Nino hated him so much that it got annoying.
Beta-ed by
taboo3104, thank you so much dear <3 <3 <3 XD XD XD
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Chapter 17
On Sunday, Nino woke up early. Actually, he didn’t sleep at all last night. He had kept turning and rolling on his bed until he saw the light from the window telling him it was morning already. He couldn’t get Ohno out of his mind no matter how hard he tried, and he was panicked due to the fact that he would meet Ohno soon. He had been longing for that, though; but now he just wanted to run away.
So he got up early and left for the baseball game with Aiba. He didn’t dare to stay any longer, because Ohno would be home at any time.
When he reached his college, the team was already there. They started to warm up and Nino too, though in his head there was nothing but Ohno, Ohno was coming home, and he was going to meet him. Again.
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Finally, he was here. Ohno stepped out from the train and took a deep breath.
His hometown.
It felt like coming home.
His heart somehow lightened while he was standing here, in the familiar place and the familiar air. He could feel warm sunny streamed on his cheeks. He could hear the chirps of the birds on trees; he could smell the familiar scent of his hometown.
He was so happy that he had come back.
It took only fifteen minutes to walk his home from here, so Ohno had told their parents not to come pick him up. He wanted more time to be prepared to meet Nino, to finally confront his greatest fear after all those time. He knew Nino had all the reason to hate him now. But he just hoped Nino had kept the only reason to still love him.
Their promise back then.
These fifteen minutes took away all of Ohno’s courage. He had thought many times of what he should’ve done, what he should have said, and he came up with nothing. So he just let his instinct guided him. Because when it came to Nino, it was unpredictable.
Still lost in his thoughts, Ohno saw their home from afar. It was just exactly like the day he had left. His heart beat unbelievably fast in his chest that almost broke his ribcage.
Now was the time.
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The first one who greeted Ohno at home wasn’t Nino. It was their mom.
She beamed brightly when she saw Ohno stepped through the thresh hold. Ohno’s heart warmed up a little seeing her, and then his dad. They both came and hugged him tightly and told him how much they were proud of him. Ohno grinned in reply as he hugged them back just as tight. Meanwhile his eyes roamed around to search for Nino’s sight.
But Nino wasn’t here. Ohno’s heart fell a little.
Of course he wouldn’t be here. Ohno sighed mentally. He surely didn’t want to see me.
As if reading Ohno’s mind, his father said.
“He has left for a baseball game.”
Ohno just nodded. He couldn’t tell if he was relieved or if he was disappointed. Maybe both. He took his luggage and came to his room after he finished talking with his parents about many things. He also told them that he was going to find a job here, and he wasn’t going back to Tokyo again. His dad just nodded and didn’t say anything more. And so did Ohno.
None of them mentioned the challenge before. None of them knew the result yet. Nino was still the one who was going to decide everything.
Because Ohno was still in love with Nino, so much that it hurt.
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Nino came home late that day.
He had tried to find many reasons to not go home, until it was almost ten and Aiba had to pull him out of the bar and took him home. Nino had protested, but Aiba had used all his strength so Nino had to follow him with an apparent pout on his face.
“What’s wrong with you?” Aiba complained when he pulled Nino along the way “You never stayed outside this late! What’s going on??”
“I...” Nino’s words couldn’t slip out of his mouth. He couldn’t find the right words now, since he started to get panicked with each step closer to their house.
“It is related with Ohno-san, right?” Aiba asked straightforwardly with a frown “You only act strangely when it comes to Ohno-san.”
“What...!” Nino wanted to protest, but Aiba was right. Aiba always understood Nino more than Nino understood himself. “But...”
“Is he coming home?” Aiba didn’t stop asking. And when he saw the terrified look on Nino’s face, he didn’t need the answer. “Today??”
Nino nodded slightly. Aiba’s eyes couldn’t be bigger as he rolled his eyes at Nino.
“And you were outside the whole day playing that stupid game????”
“It was you who asked me to join!!!” Nino felt the need to defense himself, so he did, and Aiba just replied him by a smack on his head.
“Are you an idiot???” Aiba yelped “I didn’t know that!!! Isn’t it more important to greet Ohno-san at home??”
“It hurts!!” Nino yelled as he pushed Aiba out of his reach “It’s my decision of what is important or not!!”
“And you are telling me playing baseball is more important than meeting Ohno-san again? Seriously, Nino!”
“I...!” Nino couldn’t help his heart squirmed uncontrollably in his chest “I can’t...”
“Yes! You can!” Aiba grinned “Go home! He’s waiting for you!”
“No...!” Nino gasped “I... You know, Masaki, I’m scared... I really am!”
“What are you scared about?” Aiba arched his eyebrows.
“He completely shut me down last three years, remember?” Nino shook his head and not for the first time of the day, he looked so defeated “He might forget me already. He might have another love already!”
“He has his reason, I’m sure.” Aiba said “He’s a good person.”
“What kind of reason, then? I can’t think of any,” Nino said bitterly “just because he’s a good person doesn’t mean he has to love me throughout all those years.”
“Nino,” Aiba winced “It’s sad to think that way.”
“I know, but...” Nino covered his face with his palms “I lost every inch of my confidence while I was thinking whether he still loved me or not. Seriously.”
“But...” Aiba started, however Nino cut him off.
“Of course I will still go home.” He said “But I’m not sure how I would react if I actually saw him.”
Aiba sighed as he took Nino’s hand and again, pulled him toward his home.
“Let’s think about that later,” Aiba concluded “You’d never know what to do if it didn’t happen. Just go and meet him.”
Nino sighed. But Aiba was right. What else could he do right now?
Having Aiba with him somehow calmed him down, and Nino took a deep breath as he followed Aiba quietly.
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Ohno had been waiting for the whole day. He didn’t know that a baseball game could be that long. He sighed. The only reason was clear: Nino didn’t want to meet him.
He had nothing else to do so he just sat on the kitchen table, waiting for Nino’s return. His parents were already in their room, and home felt quiet. He closed his eyes and remembered that night when they shared the hug in this kitchen and when he was still allowed to kiss Nino, to hug him and to feel the love for him.
Now, he didn’t know if it could ever happen again.
The door clicked when Ohno started to nod off. However, he immediately felt completely awake when he heard the sound of someone stepping inside the house. He kept staring at the kitchen door where he knew Nino would appear. With some more chattering - Nino was with someone - then the other left. It was only silence after that.
Ohno couldn’t move any of his muscles. He didn’t know whether he should’ve come to greet Nino instead. Or he should have waited for Nino to come to the kitchen. He heard no movements from the doorstep, so he decided maybe Nino was still standing there...
Finally, he stood up. He couldn’t wait any longer. It was enough. They had had enough. Three years of not seeing each other now just had to stop. Even though Nino would’ve pushed him away, even though Nino would’ve broken up with him, he just had to see Nino. Right now.
When he stepped out of the kitchen, he could almost see the person still standing at the threshold. Nino looked lost, like he didn’t know what to do and like this wasn’t his home. When he looked up and saw Ohno, he froze at his spot.
Both of them couldn’t move any closer to each other. They kept staring at each other, thousands of questions ran in their mind and none of them made any move. As if the love, the longing, the waiting, the anger, the disappointment, the frustration all rolled into one, they couldn’t decipher what was the feeling they felt right now. Nino looked like he was going to cry, but also, a deep frown appeared on his face, as if he was angry.
He is really angry, Ohno thought.
Ohno couldn’t do anything else, so he took a step closer to Nino. Carefully. Even if Nino would leave him, now he just had to have Nino in his arms. He missed Nino too much to even think clearly about the consequences.
So before Nino could protest, Ohno had run to Nino and hugged him tightly, almost suffocating. When once again their bodies were pressed against each other, once again he felt the warmth of Nino, once again he smelled Nino’s sweet scent, and Ohno finally felt alive again.
“I miss you.” Ohno whispered. He couldn’t stop his trembling hold. He couldn’t stop this sudden emotion. He tried to calm himself down but he failed, because hugging Nino like this was strange but also so familiar that it hurt.
But still he noticed, Nino didn’t hug him back. The other’s arms loosened by his sides, and Ohno’s heart twisted painfully at the recognition.
“I’m sorry, Kazu, I...” Ohno said, his tear was already on his eyes. He was trying to tell Nino, that he still loved him, if they could come back together, if...
But Nino didn’t let him say any further. He pushed Ohno away violently.
Ohno stared at the person he loved the most on this Earth and had always been longing to see again. Nino was also in tears, but he looked angrier than ever. As if he didn’t want to see Ohno here, as if he didn’t want to meet Ohno again.
As if he didn’t love Ohno anymore.
Ohno’s heart broke silently in his chest when he saw Nino’s eyes on him. The hatred was there again, and for the first time, Ohno clearly felt like it was the end of them. It was going to be the end of their miserable love.
“Kazu...” Ohno pleaded, but Nino didn’t listen. He turned away from Ohno and ran upstairs to his room, didn’t even look back. Ohno stood still at the threshold. He didn’t have the courage to stare at Nino’s retreating back. He just closed his eyes and let the painful realization seeped into his skin like poison.
He had lost the challenge after three years of trying. Now, Nino’s love for him had gone away. Was there any reason for him to even try?
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A/N: Ano... long update :D So finally they met ne... Did Anyone of you hope that they'd have a really intimate reunion?
Sorry that it turns out this way ne :)