Matsumoto's shop of hopes and dreams - enter on your own risk: Chapter 11
Title: Matsumoto’s shop of hopes and dreams - enter on your own risk 11/13
Pairing: Sakumoto, Aimiya, (hints of past(?)Ohmiya and Matsumiya and Juntoshi? (but... well... you'll get it, when you read it. It's not a love triangle (promise!!) or anything, it's rather plot-relevant)
Rating: up to R
Genre: AU, romance, fantasy (There are no vampires or alike. It's more like a fairytale meets our world meets romance meets Nino in a tight gothic-like outfit)
Plot: When you have no other place to visit and lost all your hope, you'll go to a mysterious, little shop. Dealing with hopes and dreams and with his protector Ninomiya at his side, Jun keeps his real identity a secret, constantly on the run. No one knows who he is, what he runs from and where he comes from. One unfortunate day though a young doctor demands his services, asking for a piece of sunshine. It's the beginning of something... like the ticking sound of a clock you can't turn back...
Note: This whole story was inspired by yukitsubute writing me a message: *grumble* it's raining. - with my answer: Buy us some sunshine then :D
Nothing in Ohno’s face gives them a hint about what he actually had to do in the castle, about what he did. His plan.
“Well, he came back,” Aiba whispers quietly towards Nino when Ohno appears at the gate and talks to a few guards.
Nino looks around for a short moment, before he takes Aiba’s hand and pulls him to a quiet, dark corner. Sho’s gaze follows them, but gladly he gives them the moment Nino needs. Before Aiba can ask or say anything Nino takes his face into his hands, smiling softly. “I’m sorry,” he says.
“What for?” Aiba smiles. “I came here on my own. We are all friends and friends help each other, right? It’s not your fault that Jun is in danger.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Nino shakes his head. “I’m talking about what I said to you when Jun disappeared and when we went to Sho-san’s apartment. I’m sure you think you aren’t important to me, am I right?”
Aiba grasps his forearms with his hands and brushes over them. “You don’t need to explain anything,” he says earnestly.
“I think I do,” Nino answers with insistence. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. You are wonderful and kind, and you deserve just the best, okay? What I want to say is…” He pauses and smiles. “Of course you are important to me.”
Aiba’s eyes are wide-opened, his eyes shimmering slightly like he is suppressing his tears. Then he just nods, leans forward and kisses Nino. Nino leans into the kiss, giving it his all to show Aiba just how beautiful he thinks he is and how high he thinks of him, how much he actually likes him. When they draw apart there is a sad expression on Aiba’s face. “It feels like a good-bye,” he whispers.
Nino removes his hands from Aiba’s cheeks and grabs his hands instead. “Because from now on I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he says quietly, his chest clenching. “I can’t promise you anything.”
“But why?”
“If something happens to Jun, I mean…” Nino’s voice trails off, his heart-beat rising in fear. “If he doesn’t make it through this alive, it means the person I was supposed to watch over passed away. It doesn’t matter if Jun went without telling me anything, it really doesn’t. But I am his protector. If this here goes wrong, how will I be able to continue with a normal life? And if we find Jun and he is alive, we still won’t know what’s going to happen next. There is still Ohno-san and the High Castle to consider. My fate is completely in the dark, Masaki-san. I can’t see the end of it, I can’t see where it’s leading me to.”
Aiba swallows. For a moment it looks like he is going to burst in tears, but to Nino’s utter surprise he seems to hold it together and nods. He lets go of Nino’s hands all of a sudden. “I’m sorry, Nino-kun,” he says with a shaky voice. “Maybe it’s best if we take a little break from our yet-to-be-given-a-name-to-relationship. We should probably work on our issues and then see where it’s going to lead us to.”
Nino looks at his friend in surprise, but he understands. If Aiba needs to be the one to put an end - even if it might only be temporary - to this here to be able to keep smiling and to keep his dignity, he should let him do it his way. “Okay,” Nino agrees sadly. “For now let’s go with your idea.”
~~~
Ohno looks like nothing happened, like he is going on a lovely morning walk through a romantic meadow, and not climbing through a dark forest with ugly spiders and thorn hedges. “I hate vermin,” Sho whines quietly.
“Every animal is precious,” Aiba recites half-heartedly. He looks a bit down, but Sho doesn’t dare to ask.
“Hm,” Sho muses while he follows Ohno’s and Nino’s fast paced steps further into the dark forest. It’s like the sun and light are banned from this place, and finally it strikes Sho why Nino hoped Jun wouldn’t be there. A place like this can’t be a nice and secure place to be. They are accompanied by two guards only, much to Sho’s surprise, but apparently it was Ohno’s demand to handle it that way, and although Nino questioned it first, he gave in soon.
“Are you alright?” Nino falls behind to talk to them. “You look really worried.”
“Well, I am worried,” Sho points out.
“Thank you.” Nino smiles. “Thank you for being worried for Jun. It means a lot to me and to Ohno-san.”
“Just who is he?” Sho whispers. “And what’s his relationship to Jun? Are they ex-lovers? Or is Ohno-san in love with Jun?”
Nino throws him a long glance, then he sighs. “Let’s find Jun first,” he says. “Then I’ll explain everything to you. For now just be ready in case we are drawn into battle though Ohno-san believes it won’t happen. I don’t get where he gets his confidence from.”
When Nino hurries back to the front line something inside Sho’s stomach twists a bit. He isn’t sure what it is, it’s just a feeling, but it remembers him of the night Jun disappeared from him. It feels like a good-bye. He just doesn’t know if it’s a good-bye from Nino or Jun… or both, he doesn’t know what it means.
For a moment it feels like the forest gets pitch-black, so dark that he can’t see anything, a few steps further however they have suddenly reached the end of it, stepping outside into a stony and dim stone desert, only a single path leads through it and up a mountain. On top of it there is a huge, not particularly inviting castle with walls so thick that Sho is sure not even a bomb could get through it. He slowly understands why it’s called the Dark Fortress. There is some light shining through a few of the tiny windows. In general everything about that building is built in a way to keep any outsider away. There is no way to enter that castle except for knocking on the door and hoping to not get killed by the person opening it.
When Ohno makes the first step on the path there are suddenly a few dark shadows approaching them. Sho doesn’t see them first, their armours are as dark as their surroundings. It happens so fast that Sho can’t even begin to be afraid. The men storm towards them, but Nino and the guards act fast. Nino looks tiny and fragile, Sho thinks, but he is surprisingly flexible and strong. Well, he has to, after all he is the personal bodyguard of a prince. He assumes there was no other option for him than to become the best. He jumps around in the air, kicking one of the guys into his stomach and throwing him on the ground, while he hits the second one with his elbow. The third one gets tackled down by the guards.
“Thanks for welcoming us in such a hospitable way,” Ohno says casually. He nods towards the guards, gesturing them to help the men up. “I would like to ask for an audience with your king,” he says sweetly, while Nino grabs the leader of the little group of men and drags him along up the path. “Thanks for showing us the way.”
They haven’t even reached the door when the giant gate gets basically smashed open and half of an army marches outside, in front of them there is a tall, muscular guy, with black hair, and dangerously glinting eyes. “Men of the country of the light, what the hell is this ruckus about!?” he yells.
“Dark Prince,” Ohno lowers his head for a tiny second but doesn’t bow. “I thought we could have a talk.”
“Why?” the other man growls.
“Because you are keeping something here that actually belongs to me,” Ohno answers politely.
“And what do I care about that?” the prince huffs, Ohno’s calm approach seemingly unsettling him. “Just give me one damn reason to not throw you all in a cell and let you rot there.”
Sho’s stomach twists again. He feels sick all of a sudden. Is Jun really at this place with these guys? Oh my god. But Ohno seems perfectly calm much to his surprise. “I believe, Dark Prince, we could talk one to one and work on an agreement.” He pauses. “Only the both of us. From king to king.”
For a tiny second Nino’s jaw basically drops. He stares at Ohno in sincere shock, speechless for a moment. Sho can see how he wants to ask something but then he looks back at the guards behind them. They are obviously trying not to show any reaction. “Yes,” Nino says, his voice only quivering a little. “Our king demands to know why you are keeping one of his people captured, and at the same time will offer you something in exchange for his life.” He pauses, eyes dark all of a sudden.
“In case he is still alive,” Ohno says, he looks surprisingly firm and intimidating all of a sudden. “If he isn’t and you dared to kill him, be certain that we will call out to our army. The death of a prince of the High Castle means direct confrontation.”
What the hell? Is he for real? Sho stares at Ohno in surprise. How can he be so confident? Did he really become king now or was it all a trick?
The Dark Prince keeps staring at Ohno, eyebrows furrowed deeply. Then he turns to his guards. “Get down to the cells and stop the interrogation,” he huffs. “I’ll see what the King of the Lands of Light can offer the darkness!”
The guards of the prince move to the side, and Ohno steps past them, gesturing his own guards and Nino to stay behind. Once the both men disappeared, Sho turns towards Nino. “What the hell just happened?” he demands to know. “What is all this talk about Ohno-san becoming the king? Is he for real?”
Nino’s eyes are still wide-opened in astonishment. “I have no idea,” he whispers. “I have no idea what Ohno-san is planning.”
~~~
They keep waiting outside, Aiba has even sat down on one of the rocks, and with every passing second their impatience and worry grows. Ohno is away for too long already and they haven’t seen one single sign of Jun. What if it’s a trap, a freaking trap? And what the hell is Ohno plotting now? What did he mean by saying he became king? It’s true that Nino played along at that moment, but he just did it for the sake of making the Dark Prince believe them. Just… what is Ohno’s plan?
Nino jumps up and walks up and down nervously. He gives them ten more minutes, if Ohno isn’t outside by then, he is going to storm the Fortress, no matter what. When the door opens slightly, Nino spins around, ready to kill anyone who is coming too close to them. He stops in his movements though.
It’s the Princess, the Dark Prince’s wife. “Please come inside,” she says, surprisingly friendly. She has a pale face, no surprise as she is probably never in the sun and married to such a douchebag.
“But…” Nino frowns, not sure how to continue.
“I have food prepared for you. My husband and your king are still discussing.” She points at the door and for a moment Nino thinks it’s another trap. Then he lets out a sigh. Well, at least they can finally go inside. It’s better to be inside than outside in case something happens to Ohno or Jun.
“Okay,” he says nervously, tapping inside.
~~~
The ground beneath Jun’s fingers feels cold, so cold. It’s been a few hours ago when someone stormed inside and told them to stop whipping him - an order directly from the Prince. They just left, letting him lie there on the ground, and it feels cold. When he closes his eyes he see sunshine though, he sees Nino, and Ohno, and Sho, and even Aiba. He sees his little shop in Wakkanai and the hospital Sho works at, he sees Ohno’s huge garden, and his sister Mao when she married Shun. She was smiling so brightly. Jun tries hard to focus to not let his mind drift too far. He is afraid he won’t find his way back otherwise. But it’s alluring. The meadow in the sunshine in front of him with his friends waving at him is so alluring. He just wants to approach it.
A/N: I think Nino deserves a reward for being able to keep up with Jun and also kind of with Ohno. So, Ohno thought of a trick it seems! Will it work?
And Nino and Aiba? Will it come to an end? Sho also seems very uncertain at the moment... doesn't he?
Pairing: Sakumoto, Aimiya, (hints of past(?)Ohmiya and Matsumiya and Juntoshi? (but... well... you'll get it, when you read it. It's not a love triangle (promise!!) or anything, it's rather plot-relevant)
Rating: up to R
Genre: AU, romance, fantasy (There are no vampires or alike. It's more like a fairytale meets our world meets romance meets Nino in a tight gothic-like outfit)
Plot: When you have no other place to visit and lost all your hope, you'll go to a mysterious, little shop. Dealing with hopes and dreams and with his protector Ninomiya at his side, Jun keeps his real identity a secret, constantly on the run. No one knows who he is, what he runs from and where he comes from. One unfortunate day though a young doctor demands his services, asking for a piece of sunshine. It's the beginning of something... like the ticking sound of a clock you can't turn back...
Note: This whole story was inspired by yukitsubute writing me a message: *grumble* it's raining. - with my answer: Buy us some sunshine then :D
Nothing in Ohno’s face gives them a hint about what he actually had to do in the castle, about what he did. His plan.
“Well, he came back,” Aiba whispers quietly towards Nino when Ohno appears at the gate and talks to a few guards.
Nino looks around for a short moment, before he takes Aiba’s hand and pulls him to a quiet, dark corner. Sho’s gaze follows them, but gladly he gives them the moment Nino needs. Before Aiba can ask or say anything Nino takes his face into his hands, smiling softly. “I’m sorry,” he says.
“What for?” Aiba smiles. “I came here on my own. We are all friends and friends help each other, right? It’s not your fault that Jun is in danger.”
“That’s not what I meant.” Nino shakes his head. “I’m talking about what I said to you when Jun disappeared and when we went to Sho-san’s apartment. I’m sure you think you aren’t important to me, am I right?”
Aiba grasps his forearms with his hands and brushes over them. “You don’t need to explain anything,” he says earnestly.
“I think I do,” Nino answers with insistence. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. You are wonderful and kind, and you deserve just the best, okay? What I want to say is…” He pauses and smiles. “Of course you are important to me.”
Aiba’s eyes are wide-opened, his eyes shimmering slightly like he is suppressing his tears. Then he just nods, leans forward and kisses Nino. Nino leans into the kiss, giving it his all to show Aiba just how beautiful he thinks he is and how high he thinks of him, how much he actually likes him. When they draw apart there is a sad expression on Aiba’s face. “It feels like a good-bye,” he whispers.
Nino removes his hands from Aiba’s cheeks and grabs his hands instead. “Because from now on I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he says quietly, his chest clenching. “I can’t promise you anything.”
“But why?”
“If something happens to Jun, I mean…” Nino’s voice trails off, his heart-beat rising in fear. “If he doesn’t make it through this alive, it means the person I was supposed to watch over passed away. It doesn’t matter if Jun went without telling me anything, it really doesn’t. But I am his protector. If this here goes wrong, how will I be able to continue with a normal life? And if we find Jun and he is alive, we still won’t know what’s going to happen next. There is still Ohno-san and the High Castle to consider. My fate is completely in the dark, Masaki-san. I can’t see the end of it, I can’t see where it’s leading me to.”
Aiba swallows. For a moment it looks like he is going to burst in tears, but to Nino’s utter surprise he seems to hold it together and nods. He lets go of Nino’s hands all of a sudden. “I’m sorry, Nino-kun,” he says with a shaky voice. “Maybe it’s best if we take a little break from our yet-to-be-given-a-name-to-relationship. We should probably work on our issues and then see where it’s going to lead us to.”
Nino looks at his friend in surprise, but he understands. If Aiba needs to be the one to put an end - even if it might only be temporary - to this here to be able to keep smiling and to keep his dignity, he should let him do it his way. “Okay,” Nino agrees sadly. “For now let’s go with your idea.”
~~~
Ohno looks like nothing happened, like he is going on a lovely morning walk through a romantic meadow, and not climbing through a dark forest with ugly spiders and thorn hedges. “I hate vermin,” Sho whines quietly.
“Every animal is precious,” Aiba recites half-heartedly. He looks a bit down, but Sho doesn’t dare to ask.
“Hm,” Sho muses while he follows Ohno’s and Nino’s fast paced steps further into the dark forest. It’s like the sun and light are banned from this place, and finally it strikes Sho why Nino hoped Jun wouldn’t be there. A place like this can’t be a nice and secure place to be. They are accompanied by two guards only, much to Sho’s surprise, but apparently it was Ohno’s demand to handle it that way, and although Nino questioned it first, he gave in soon.
“Are you alright?” Nino falls behind to talk to them. “You look really worried.”
“Well, I am worried,” Sho points out.
“Thank you.” Nino smiles. “Thank you for being worried for Jun. It means a lot to me and to Ohno-san.”
“Just who is he?” Sho whispers. “And what’s his relationship to Jun? Are they ex-lovers? Or is Ohno-san in love with Jun?”
Nino throws him a long glance, then he sighs. “Let’s find Jun first,” he says. “Then I’ll explain everything to you. For now just be ready in case we are drawn into battle though Ohno-san believes it won’t happen. I don’t get where he gets his confidence from.”
When Nino hurries back to the front line something inside Sho’s stomach twists a bit. He isn’t sure what it is, it’s just a feeling, but it remembers him of the night Jun disappeared from him. It feels like a good-bye. He just doesn’t know if it’s a good-bye from Nino or Jun… or both, he doesn’t know what it means.
For a moment it feels like the forest gets pitch-black, so dark that he can’t see anything, a few steps further however they have suddenly reached the end of it, stepping outside into a stony and dim stone desert, only a single path leads through it and up a mountain. On top of it there is a huge, not particularly inviting castle with walls so thick that Sho is sure not even a bomb could get through it. He slowly understands why it’s called the Dark Fortress. There is some light shining through a few of the tiny windows. In general everything about that building is built in a way to keep any outsider away. There is no way to enter that castle except for knocking on the door and hoping to not get killed by the person opening it.
When Ohno makes the first step on the path there are suddenly a few dark shadows approaching them. Sho doesn’t see them first, their armours are as dark as their surroundings. It happens so fast that Sho can’t even begin to be afraid. The men storm towards them, but Nino and the guards act fast. Nino looks tiny and fragile, Sho thinks, but he is surprisingly flexible and strong. Well, he has to, after all he is the personal bodyguard of a prince. He assumes there was no other option for him than to become the best. He jumps around in the air, kicking one of the guys into his stomach and throwing him on the ground, while he hits the second one with his elbow. The third one gets tackled down by the guards.
“Thanks for welcoming us in such a hospitable way,” Ohno says casually. He nods towards the guards, gesturing them to help the men up. “I would like to ask for an audience with your king,” he says sweetly, while Nino grabs the leader of the little group of men and drags him along up the path. “Thanks for showing us the way.”
They haven’t even reached the door when the giant gate gets basically smashed open and half of an army marches outside, in front of them there is a tall, muscular guy, with black hair, and dangerously glinting eyes. “Men of the country of the light, what the hell is this ruckus about!?” he yells.
“Dark Prince,” Ohno lowers his head for a tiny second but doesn’t bow. “I thought we could have a talk.”
“Why?” the other man growls.
“Because you are keeping something here that actually belongs to me,” Ohno answers politely.
“And what do I care about that?” the prince huffs, Ohno’s calm approach seemingly unsettling him. “Just give me one damn reason to not throw you all in a cell and let you rot there.”
Sho’s stomach twists again. He feels sick all of a sudden. Is Jun really at this place with these guys? Oh my god. But Ohno seems perfectly calm much to his surprise. “I believe, Dark Prince, we could talk one to one and work on an agreement.” He pauses. “Only the both of us. From king to king.”
For a tiny second Nino’s jaw basically drops. He stares at Ohno in sincere shock, speechless for a moment. Sho can see how he wants to ask something but then he looks back at the guards behind them. They are obviously trying not to show any reaction. “Yes,” Nino says, his voice only quivering a little. “Our king demands to know why you are keeping one of his people captured, and at the same time will offer you something in exchange for his life.” He pauses, eyes dark all of a sudden.
“In case he is still alive,” Ohno says, he looks surprisingly firm and intimidating all of a sudden. “If he isn’t and you dared to kill him, be certain that we will call out to our army. The death of a prince of the High Castle means direct confrontation.”
What the hell? Is he for real? Sho stares at Ohno in surprise. How can he be so confident? Did he really become king now or was it all a trick?
The Dark Prince keeps staring at Ohno, eyebrows furrowed deeply. Then he turns to his guards. “Get down to the cells and stop the interrogation,” he huffs. “I’ll see what the King of the Lands of Light can offer the darkness!”
The guards of the prince move to the side, and Ohno steps past them, gesturing his own guards and Nino to stay behind. Once the both men disappeared, Sho turns towards Nino. “What the hell just happened?” he demands to know. “What is all this talk about Ohno-san becoming the king? Is he for real?”
Nino’s eyes are still wide-opened in astonishment. “I have no idea,” he whispers. “I have no idea what Ohno-san is planning.”
~~~
They keep waiting outside, Aiba has even sat down on one of the rocks, and with every passing second their impatience and worry grows. Ohno is away for too long already and they haven’t seen one single sign of Jun. What if it’s a trap, a freaking trap? And what the hell is Ohno plotting now? What did he mean by saying he became king? It’s true that Nino played along at that moment, but he just did it for the sake of making the Dark Prince believe them. Just… what is Ohno’s plan?
Nino jumps up and walks up and down nervously. He gives them ten more minutes, if Ohno isn’t outside by then, he is going to storm the Fortress, no matter what. When the door opens slightly, Nino spins around, ready to kill anyone who is coming too close to them. He stops in his movements though.
It’s the Princess, the Dark Prince’s wife. “Please come inside,” she says, surprisingly friendly. She has a pale face, no surprise as she is probably never in the sun and married to such a douchebag.
“But…” Nino frowns, not sure how to continue.
“I have food prepared for you. My husband and your king are still discussing.” She points at the door and for a moment Nino thinks it’s another trap. Then he lets out a sigh. Well, at least they can finally go inside. It’s better to be inside than outside in case something happens to Ohno or Jun.
“Okay,” he says nervously, tapping inside.
~~~
The ground beneath Jun’s fingers feels cold, so cold. It’s been a few hours ago when someone stormed inside and told them to stop whipping him - an order directly from the Prince. They just left, letting him lie there on the ground, and it feels cold. When he closes his eyes he see sunshine though, he sees Nino, and Ohno, and Sho, and even Aiba. He sees his little shop in Wakkanai and the hospital Sho works at, he sees Ohno’s huge garden, and his sister Mao when she married Shun. She was smiling so brightly. Jun tries hard to focus to not let his mind drift too far. He is afraid he won’t find his way back otherwise. But it’s alluring. The meadow in the sunshine in front of him with his friends waving at him is so alluring. He just wants to approach it.
A/N: I think Nino deserves a reward for being able to keep up with Jun and also kind of with Ohno. So, Ohno thought of a trick it seems! Will it work?
And Nino and Aiba? Will it come to an end? Sho also seems very uncertain at the moment... doesn't he?