One shot - An unexpected visit (Part 2)
“Ohno! What are you doing here?”
Jun exclaims after opening his front door.
“Jun... have you seen Nino?”
The youngest of Arashi frowns at how small his leader’s voice sounds.
“No... Why?”
“He’s not answering his phone... He took the car...”
“Okay, come in.” he says stepping aside and pulling him in.
“What happened Ohno?”
“I think he got annoyed I was comforting Alioth who was feeling homesick...”
“You did what?! How exactly were you comforting him...?”
“I was... hugging him...” the older man answers biting his lip.
Jun sighs deeply. “Okay, Oh-chan...” he starts patiently. “You know... Nino’s been really making an effort the past few years. He knows how you hate when he’s jealous... But don’t you think this is pushing his limits a bit...?”
Ohno stays silent for a while, thinking this over.
Finally Jun can’t wait anymore. “Ohno, you were hugging someone that looks just like him. The person identical to the one that you love!”
“Oh... I didn’t really think about it like that... To me, they are completely different... There’s no way I could love Alioth...”
“Think about how Nino must have seen it...”
Ohno’s eyes widen and he puts a hand through his hair anxiously.
“What do I do? I don’t know where he’s gone...” He takes a short breath. “He was so pale... Jun...”
The younger man quickly puts a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Okay, calm down and go sit on the sofa. I’ll call the guys to see if they know something...”
A few minutes later Jun puts down his phone.
“They’re on their way.”
Ohno’s face goes from anxiety to confusion.
“Why?”
“Because they’ve guessed how worried you are and they want to help out.”
“But I don’t want to take up their time...”
Jun interrupts him. “Ohno, we’re been concerned about you lately... About you and Nino. We’ve noticed something was up. And now Nino’s disappeared... There’s no way Sho and Aiba were just going to go on with their day like nothing is wrong.”
Ohno smiles faintly. “Th-- thanks. But... you know he might have just gone driving somewhere and not want us to go looking for him... If he’s angry at me, it’s normal he’s not going to pick up his phone...”
“He didn’t pick up when Aiba tried to call him.” Jun says quietly.
The silence that greets these words is heavy. They both know there aren’t many situations where Nino would not pick up his oldest friend’s call.
By the time the two others arrive, the youngest member of Arashi is pacing around his living room furiously, and Ohno is just staring at his phone, looking paler than ever.
Meanwhile, Aiba is probably as quiet as he’s ever been.
“Okay, we need to do something. We can’t just wait around for him to call.” Sho says forcefully looking at the other three.
“But Sho-chan... Do you think he’s angry at me too?” the tallest of the group asks in a trembling voice.
“I don’t see why...”
“It doesn’t feel right... Even when he’s angry at me, he still answers the phone to tell me so. It’s always been like this with us. He knows it. He knows I’ll worry if he doesn’t pick up. If he wanted to be left alone, he would still... reply...” Aiba’s voice dies out. He looks between his friends, trying desperately to find an answer.
“Do you think something happened...?”
But no one replies. So Aiba pulls his phone out, speed-dials once more, and waits
The others watch his expression change from anxiety, to utter shock.
“I see... --- Alright, yes. --- Thank you.” And he hangs up.
“Was that Nino?!” Sho exclaims.
“No.”
“Then...”
“It was some fisherman who found Nino’s phone on the ground.” Aiba says, looking at the others with wide eyes.
At these words Ohno seems to wake from his reflexions and finally speaks up. “Fisherman...?”
“Yeah... He’s at that place where you go fishing... That place...”
“Where you met Alioth!” Jun finishes loudly.
For a moment they just stay silent, processing that information.
Sho is the first to speak. “I doubt that is a coincidence...”
“Oh-chan” Aiba asks softly. “Where is Alioth?”
“Back home...” Ohno answers, just as quietly.
“Okay, we’re going to get some answers.” Jun says firmly, before hurrying everyone out the door and to his car.
*****
“Hey Ohno, what are we having for dinner?” Alioth calls from the couch, hearing the front door opening.
“You’re not having dinner, you little shit...”
The alien jumps to his feet at Jun’s angry voice.
“Jun, don’t swear at him... We need him...” Sho protests.
“No, Jun’s right. Give me a minute while I punch the hell out of him!” Aiba exclaims, striding towards Alioth.
“What’s happening? Why are you all here?” he exclaims bewildered.
“Nino’s disappeared! That’s what!” Jun answers furiously.
Sho steps up slowly and takes the alien by his shoulders.
“Look, Alioth. Nino’s left his phone for no apparent reason in the same place where Ohno first met you... So you better help us out here.”
His voice is low, but every word drips with contained anger, and his eyes say as much. Even Jun takes a step back.
But Alioth is not intimidated. On the contrary, a large smile is now etched on his face. To the surprise of the entire room, he bursts out laughing.
“He went over there?! And now he’s disappeared?” he says between giggles. “Well, that’s ironic...”
When he’s finally calmed, the other four are just staring at him in disbelief and confusion.
“Oh right, you don’t get it...” he smirks.
“Sorry, Ohno, I haven’t really been completely honest with you guys... I never asked anyone to come repair the spaceship. But actually, there’s someone who’s been looking for me... You know how Ohno mistook me for Nino at first...? Well...”
“So...” Ohno says slowly, walking up to him, pushing Sho aside. “You’re saying someone like... you... came and took Nino, thinking it was you?”
Alioth chuckles. “You really are slow on the intake... but yeah...”
The change in Ohno’s expression is immediate; from confusion to utter fury.
“Well what do you intend on doing about it?” He asks, and now he’s shouting.
The alien’s smile falters.
“Who the hell’s taken him?!” he continues yelling, his eyes are pitch black with rage. “What will they do to him?”
“I-- It’s...” Alioth stutters, now looking terrified and taking a step back.
“Because if they harm him...” he takes a trembling breath. “I will ensure you regret the day you were born!”
The three Arashi members are looking at Ohno in shock. They’ve never seen him this angry.
There’s a pause, and the room seems to resonate with the older man’s words.
“He wouldn’t-- hurt him...” Alioth finally says, looking pale.
“Who?” Ohno asks quietly.
“My... husband...”
*****
After a very cramped and uncomfortable trip in Jun’s car, they’ve arrived at the parking near the coast.
“Was this really necessary?” Jun asks grumpily as they set off towards the forest.
“I told you, the only way to connect with him is using the spaceship. The engine might be dead, but the communication system is fine.”
“Are you certain he’s the one who has Nino?” Ohno asks quickly.
“Yeah... I figured he would end up tracing the signal of the spaceship to try to find me. He always ends up worrying when I go off for too long.”
“Who could possibly worry about you...” Sho mutters.
“Oh, I’m not so bad, really... I was just having a laugh with this situation. I mean, how often do you meet your clone?!”
“Bring us back Nino and I’ll be the first one to laugh, okay?” Jun says sarcastically.
Alioth rolls his eyes as they reach the spot where he’s hidden the spaceship. He pulls out his remote and makes the vehicle visible again.
Jun, Aiba and Sho can’t help but open their mouths in awe.
Alioth smirks. “Pretty cool, huh?!”
The three men quickly change expression to glare at him.
“Hurry up.” Ohno says.
“Yeah, yeah...” Alioth mutters, getting into the spaceship.
*****
About an hour later, the four men and the alien are waiting by the water, pacing, sitting, looking to the sky... when suddenly a strong wind sweeps their hair up and they all blink at the sudden change.
By the time they look up again, a huge spacecraft has become visible about a hundred meters away.
Before anyone can say anything, Ohno has started sprinting towards it. “NINO!!! Nino can you hear me???” he shouts.
The others quickly follow behind him.
A wide door opens on one side, and two silhouettes can be seen coming out.
“Nino!” Ohno shouts once he’s finally reached him, pulling him into his arms and squeezing all the air out of him. “Are you alright? I’m sorry! I was an idiot!”
The younger man chuckles, patting his back. “I’m okay, though you might break one of my ribs sometime soon...”
At this Ohno immediately softens his grip, and instead, kisses Nino passionately, not caring about where they are, nor who can see them. All he knows is that he’s holding Nino, Nino’s holding him, and he never wants it to stop.
After a moment, there’s an awkward cough and someone pats his shoulder.
“Oh-chan... Nino...” Sho says nervously.
The couple pulls apart and grins self-consciously.
“Okay, well this was adorable... and a little confusing... but I’ve got someone to shout at now.” A familiar voice says.
Ohno turns and his jaw drops. It’s like looking into a mirror.
“Hi, you must be Ohno...” the stranger says with a smile.
The young man nods, bemused.
“I’m Sol. Nice to meet you,” he continues warmly. “even if it is quite a strange feeling...”
“It is, right?!” Alioth says brightly.
Sol frowns. “Don’t you think you went too far this time?!”
“Well...”
“You made me so worried, you bothered these poor humans, and I ended up taking one of them by mistake! I didn’t even believe Nino’s protests! I thought it was another one of your pranks! See what you’ve made me used to? I bet you found it all very amusing!”
“Well... yes?”
“Alioth...” Sol’s voice is threatening.
The other sighs. “Okay fine.” Then he turns towards the five friends. “I am very sorry for the trouble and worry I caused you.” He pauses. “Is that enough?”
Sol rolls his eyes. “I guess I can’t get much more out of you...”
Then he smiles at the five humans. “We must be off. It was a pleasure to meet you.” he says, pulling Alioth towards the spaceship.
“Hey, wait a moment!” Nino suddenly exclaims. He walks up to Sol until their noses are nearly touching and stares intently at him. He ignores the astonished gasps behind him, and Sol’s frown.
There is a moment’s silence.
“Nino, what the hell are you doing” Alioth spits.
He is about to pull him away, when finally the young pianist smirks, and takes a step back.
“Yep... thought so. My boyfriend’s definitely more handsome than your husband!”
The other bursts out laughing. “You wish! Sol’s definitely got more muscle!”
“Ohno’s got the best voice!”
“Sol’s respected by everyone who meets him!”
“Ohno’s got millions of fans!”
“Enough!” both Sol and Ohno shout out.
“What did we do to deserve these two?” Sol asks Ohno exasperatedly.
“I have no idea.” the young man replies chuckling.
“Can I just ask something?” Jun steps up hesitantly. “This is all very bizarre, but... have you met someone out there looking like us?” he asks, pointing at him and Sho and Aiba.
Alioth smirks. “Well... There is a fairly famous model from the next-door planet that resembles you... But he’s got a lot more charm and charisma than you!” he says, laughing as Jun glares at him.
*****
The car ride back to Tokyo is a quiet one.
Everyone seems to be digesting the incredible experience they’ve just shared.
Jun and Sho sit at the front, and the other three are crammed into the back; Nino’s head resting on Ohno’s shoulder.
After a while, the young pianist whispers, “Hey Oh-chan, when Sol took me, for a while, I thought I might never see you again...” he pauses. “I love you, Oh-chan.”
“I love you too.” Ohno whispers back, squeezing Nino’s hand.
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Hello! Hoped you enjoyed this! As I said above, it was written for Nino Exchange.
Thanks to airairo for the prompt, I had so much fun writing this! And I couldn't resist making a cover! X3
As always comments are loved!