Gift Fic for icecreamsuki Part 2/2

[stormymood.livejournal.com]

GIFT FIC for icecreamsuki  PART 2/2





Sho called him close to midnight the next day and that had been just a bit strange. They never really spoke days in a row – their mothers had once admonished them about the rising phone bill when they had called each other everyday and they had been too terrified of the prospect of having their phones ripped away should they continue to do so that they resolved to only call each other when they missed each other or something important or drastic or drastically important happened – and they never spoke that late.

“Guess, guess, guess what I did today!” Sho chirped.

“Oh! I love games!” Aiba chirped back. “Clue me, clue me!”

“Wait, wait, before we start,” Sho said, a great deal calmer, “have you ever wondered about what your Ninomiya looked like?”

“Huh?” Aiba tilted his head. “I don’t think so…” He knew Nino was a boy and that he was quite short (Nino had ranted endlessly about how much everyone around him had grown when he pretty much stayed the same), but beyond that, he never gave it any thought. “Wait, is that a clue?”

Sho snickered.

“No way! Sho-chan! Tell me you didn’t!”

“Oh, I went and did just that!”

“Tell me you didn’t go and fall in love with some other prettier girl!”

“Yes I did- wait, what?” Sho gasped, scandalised. “I would never! I told you, Miki and Shizuka are beautiful and special enough! Why would I- why would you even think that?!”

“You didn’t give me enough clues, Sho-chan!”

Sho breathed out his long suffering sigh again. “Okay, what if I told you I went into an arcade with Miki and Shizuka today. What do you think I did?”

“Gambling is bad, Sho-chan-“

“I went to see him, okay, Masaki, at the Dark Condiments. And before you ask who, I went to see your Ninomiya.”

Aiba’s eyes widened. “Oh.”

“He lives about half an hour from me, you know, in the poorer side of town. It was a bit scary, so I brought my girls along. Miki’s a black belt in karate and Shizuka does judo- or was that taekwondo? My girls are fantastic, Masaki, you should come meet them someday-“

“You shouldn’t have, Sho-chan,” Aiba interrupted, harsher than he had intended. Sho fell silent, his amicable chattering paused, and Aiba felt guilty. He knew Sho meant well, but even though he and Nino knew where each other lived and even though it was left unspoken, he understood that them meeting each other was something that wouldn’t happen easily. It was something they had to be ready for, something they would both want. Doing so before either of them knew about it reeked of a betrayal.

“I was just worried,” Sho said. “When you told me about how much you liked him, I thought that it would be best if I checked him out before you do, see if he wasn’t a murderer or a criminal or something worse.“

“A horrible alien.”

“Yes, a horrible alien.” Aiba’s chest swelled up with pride – Sho listened to him after all. “I knew you wouldn’t do it, spy on him I mean, so I took it upon myself to stalk your little crush. It’s the least I can do for my best friend.”

His Sho, his dear dependable, clever Sho. “You’re very brave, Sho-chan,” he whispered, touched.

Sho chuckled. “You know what,” he whispered back confidingly, “I think so too.” Aiba laughed. “Now enough about amazing me. Your Ninomiya is short.”

“And not ginger,” Aiba said, trying to contain his excitement.

“And not ginger, yeah.” Sho laughed. “He’s really pale, like he has never gone out under the sun, and he has dark, dark hair. He doesn’t look the least bit alien and I know you’d like that. Miki says he’s aces in Street Fighter and every other game. Well, except for the ones where you have to dance. Shizuka kills that game! He’s very charming too. A bit too sarcastic and scathing, and maybe a bit too creepily in love with the Godzilla statue outside the arcade, but charming nonetheless. The girls adore him.”

“Nino-kun sounds cute,” Aiba said, smiling softly.

“I suppose he’s your idea of cute. Masaki,” Sho began, voice deeper and more serious. “Have you maybe thought of asking him out?”

Aiba felt heat spread across his cheeks and he ducked his head. That was useless –Sho would know how he felt anyway. “I’ve entertained thoughts of it,” he admitted.

“So why don't you?”

“I didn’t think we were ready,” he said.

“And when are you going to be?” Sho shot back.

Aiba startled. He didn’t know. He had been sure that the time they would meet would come eventually and he was willing to wait for Nino to tell him he was okay before he popped the question. Because Aiba had been ready to meet Nino ages back, ready to pack his bags and visit him as soon as he asked. “I don’t know.”

“I could be wrong, but what if he’s been waiting for you?” Sho asked.

“What if he doesn’t want to see me, Sho-chan?” Aiba said. He was terrified of that, of having Nino reject him out cold.

“Why would he? You’re fantastic!” Sho cheered. Aiba felt his smile return hesitantly. “Seriously though, you won’t know if you don’t ask. Isn’t it killing you right now that you don’t know at all?”

“Sho-chan-“

“Think of it as an experiment,” Sho plodded on. “You need a conclusion and in order to have that, you have to set things in motion.”

“But if things go badly-“

“At least you’ll know,” Sho said gently. “Besides, you still have me in the city! I could get Miki or Shizuka to beat him up, little thing that he is.”

Aiba chuckled. “You’re the bestest friend ever, Sho-chan,” he said honestly.

“Every bit as fantastic as you are,” Sho said proudly. Aiba fancied Sho’s blushing at the other end, ears burning bright red. For all his cowardice and arrogance, Sho was sincere and protective, and Aiba appreciated that. Sometimes, Sho’s unerring loyalty and support was all the push he needed.

-----

Dear Nino,

Thanks for the drawing of the dog. It’s really adorable and I love it! I still wish I had one. Becky from across the street has four of them and I find it just a bit unfair that I have none. She has one of those small ones though, and I do like bigger dogs. Small dogs can’t defend us against bad aliens.

Recently, I’ve taken a job. It’s not as fun as yours, being surrounded by video games, but it’s as awesome as it gets. I have to mow lawns everyday and I get paid by however my neighbours wanted to. The old lady down the street gives me cookies and lemonade while Becky’s parents pay me money. I don’t know which I prefer more.

Anyway, I’ve sent you a dog whistle. It’s interesting! It emits a noise above the frequency of what we usually hear. It sounds like nothing, but dogs can hear them apparently.


Waiting for my dog,

Aiba

P.S. I’ll be visiting my friend Sho-chan next week, do you maybe want to meet up sometime?

-----

Dear Aiba-chan,

Money is better than cookies. Money can buy cookies. And dogs. Maybe you should start earning for your first pet?


Your financial advisor,

Nino

P.S. Yes.

IX.

He was in the middle of chiding himself for worrying about what to wear when he would finally meet Aiba (he supposed anything would do. Aiba was a casual sort of person, but it wouldn’t hurt to impress him, would it?) when Jun pulled him away from his closet’s meagre tenants, eyes grave, and said:

“I like you, you know.”

Nino startled. This shouldn’t be odd, this shouldn’t be awkward at all. This was just Jun telling him yet again how grateful he was to have Nino as a friend, he told himself. That was it, wasn’t it? “I know you do,” Nino replied. “You have to, don’t you? It would be terrible if you hate your friend.”

Jun’s hand tightened around his shoulder. “You’re not stupid, Kazu, you know what I mean.”

He ducked his head. There were some things he couldn’t deny and there were some that he didn’t want to acknowledge. In this case, it was both of those all at once. “Matsujun-“

“I like you,” Jun said, his voice trembling under the effort to keep it steady. “I really like you. I’ve always had. I- I’m happiest when I’m with you.”

There it was, the awkwardness he had tried to avoid around Jun. And Jun was right: Nino knew all about it, how Jun’s eyes lingered on him a bit longer, how Jun’s words were continually heavy with hints of something more, how Jun refused to let his hand go. Nino was content with leaving everything unsaid, but it seemed Jun wasn’t.

“I love you, Kazu.”

Nino looked up balefully. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry.”

Jun blinked once, twice. “Oh,” he breathed out, all the tension Jun had exuded seemingly leaving his body all at once. He bowed his head and stepped back, his hands swinging to his sides. He laughed self-deprecatingly. “I… I should have expected this.”

Nino shook his head, reaching for the other boy. “Matsujun-“

Jun held a hand up, stopping Nino mid-step. “No, look.” He sighed. “It’s okay; I’m okay. I just- I just need to go.” He stumbled back, wrenching Nino’s door open clumsily. It happened barely in a second, but Nino wore he saw Jun’s eyes fall on the pile of green envelopes Nino hoarded in a shoebox before the tall body straightened, head held up high defiantly, and Jun turned to him, wide eyes flashing.

“Actually, I lied, I’m not fine,” he said, his voice trembling again.

“I know-“

“And that’s the worst, isn’t it?” Jun hissed, balling his fists. “You’ve always
known that I- that I have feelings for you. But you did nothing. You never acknowledged them, never tried to tell me how you felt about this.”

Nino’s mouth fell open in shock. “What was I supposed to say then?” he cried. “‘I know you love me and I love you too, but not in that way, oh, I hope we remain friends’? Because I do, you know that, I do love you! You’re my best friend and I-“ he paused. No, Jun’s upset enough; Nino should calm down, try to sort this out calmly. “I was scared things would change when I did something-“

Jun laughed, the sound harsh. Nino flinched. “You were scared? What about me? Have you ever spared a thought about how I felt?”

“Matsujun-“

“I was absolutely terrified,” Jun continued softly. “I wanted you, and I knew you knew, but you showed absolutely no indication that you-“ he chuckled darkly under his breath. “And you’re showing me nothing, not even now.”

Nino’s eyes widened. “No, that’s not it at all!” He held a hand out, hoping for Jun’s hand to fit around it just like before, just like when he saved him from falling to his death.

Jun shook his head. “You’re cold, Kazu,” he said, his eyes hard and unreadable. “That guy, Aiba-san? He loves you just like I do. I can feel it, you know, pouring from every letter, from everything he has given you. And I know you’re clever enough to see that too.” He grinned ruefully. “Do me a favour, will you? When you two meet up, tell him how you feel, how you truly feel. Maybe then he won’t be as bitter about you as I am right now.”

Nino felt his heart break as Jun slammed the door on his way out.


He had been right after all. They were all going to leave him eventually.

X.

Of course he just had to be so beautiful.

Blonde (not ginger), bright-eyed, and tall (Nino noted with some envy), Aiba was everything he had imagined, even down to the obscene masturbating gorilla on his shirt. He was the sun, Nino thought with wonder, illuminating the park with his wide grin. People smiled back at him, basking in his warmth, and Nino fancied the park was suddenly filled with hues of red, yellow, and green. Where Jun gave him his shade of purple, Aiba made his world colourful.

Oh, he had wanted to meet him for so long…

Nino didn’t know why he was crouched like a coward under the shade of a dirty old bench, hands trembling and eyes squeezed shut. Maybe he had been too hasty, too rash and excited about Aiba’s invitation that he had jumped at the chance to meet someone whose letters had been his source of brightness.

What was it that bothered him so much then? That they were too different, opposite sides of the spectrum and all? Aiba stood there in the best sneakers money could buy, arms wrapped around a posh looking box, while Nino was wearing his muddy old shoes, his pockets empty of anything but a pouch of tokens he had planned to spend with Aiba at the arcade. But that had never been a problem; he had always thought their differences made their friendship all the more challenging and exciting and better.

He sighed heavily. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, he thought; their first meeting was supposed to be incredibly easy. A hug there, some sobbing from Aiba, maybe they could go play some games and get some ramen and talk about… things.

Nino refused to think about Jun and what he was supposed to talk about with Aiba.

No, he scolded himself, man up. There were some things to be done and some things to be said, and he knew he would hate himself if he left Aiba there all alone. He stood up, opened his eyes determinedly-

And oh, he’s so beautiful.

Nino felt his throat catch. “I can’t,” he whispered. He couldn’t- he wouldn’t break Aiba like he did Jun. He couldn’t bear the thought of wiping that smile, spreading his darkness, his greyness onto someone so bright.

He turned and ran.

XI.

“You can talk to me about anything, Masaki.”

I waited, Sho-chan, Aiba wanted to tell him, I waited for him until it was too cold and too dark, and I knew he wouldn’t come. He shook his head instead, fixing his futon calmly.

“We know where he lives, yeah? We could go there, you know, give him a stern talking to or a good beating! Well, you can give him a good beating. Well, Miki and Shizuka can give him a good beating- point is: we can go and teach him a lesson or two! Just like the old times, yeah? You and me, climbing up trees and breaking our legs to teach balloons and ladybugs-“

“I’m fine, Sho-chan!” Aiba whirled around, fixing the other boy a look that he hoped meant that he was alright. “I-I’m sure he has a good reason for not coming. Or maybe, I got the place wrong or the times wrong, and Nino’s stuck somewhere or sometime else waiting for me to show up. I’m the stupid one, you know.” He laughed, trying to ignore how bitter he sounded. That was a lie. He had read Nino’s letter over and over again, making sure he got the name of the park right, and he had poured over the map the boy sent too, marking every place he wanted to visit carefully. He knew the city well enough that it was virtually impossible for him to make any mistakes.

He hated the worried slant of Sho’s eyebrows, the sympathy and pity in the boy’s eyes. Sho had always been weird and uncomfortable around sad things. “You can cry too, Masaki,” Sho said quietly, turning the box of chocolates Aiba had tossed him earlier nervously. “Crying can make you feel better.”

Aiba shook his head again. “I told you, Sho-chan, I’m fine.” He smiled tightly. “I’ll just write him again or something, and everything will be right as rain.”

He knew Sho didn’t buy it. The other boy dropped the topic though, and they ended up watching adult videos all night. Half of them had two men doing it. Sho was so considerate sometimes.


This was worse than when Sho had moved away from him.

Aiba couldn’t cry this time. It had been easy for him to shed tears before, wash away all the anger and grief and betrayal he felt at having his best friend ripped away from him. This… this was infinitely harder.

He knew he was sad, of course. He was absolutely despondent. But he could feel nothing beyond that. Most days, he was lifeless, the things he had loved nothing more than props placed around him to populate his existence. Sometimes, like when he glimpsed the letters and drawings he had numbly took down from his walls and stuffed under his bed after he returned from the city, he would feel his chest tighten, a sudden vice gripping his heart, and he would stop and wait for the tears to come. They never did.

Late at night, he would allow himself to think about Nino and that day. He thought about everything he had done, everything he had written. Had he offended Nino in some way? Had he pushed him too hard? Had he pressured Nino into agreeing to the meeting?

Was all this his fault? That was the single ringing chorus he heard all night.


He bought a puppy with his mowing money (and some from his mother and father). It was yellow and noisy and the short, quiet man from the shop said it was going to grow big and strong. Aiba did like big dogs.

His mother took tons of pictures of it, delighted at having a baby inside the house again, and left him with a bunch of photographs after she had them developed. Send them to your friends, she had told him, they’ll love him, too!

Aiba didn’t have the heart to tell her that he really only needed one for Sho.


It was strange that it was the most mundane thing that finally broke him. He was trying to open a can of dog food when all the frustration he had been storing away, all the feelings of uselessness and anger, came rushing up his chest to his throat, and he sobbed. He was surprised at first, startled at the sudden onslaught of emotion after all the numbness, and he froze. And then the dog, dear little thing it was, nudged him worriedly.

He cried.


Just before his father left for the post office, Aiba snuck a green envelope amongst the pile of sealed letters.

XI.

Aiba didn’t write him for a long while. Nino didn’t know why that relieved him. If the other boy wrote him, he knew he would have answered him right away, apologies ready at the tip of his pen. No, he decided, it was better that Aiba didn’t. This way, he wouldn’t have continued leading Aiba on; he had, he thought, effectively nipped in the bud whatever feelings Aiba had for him.

So he had been surprised when weeks after, Kosugi had presented him a green envelope, the wide smile on the man’s saggy, hopeful face not escaping his notice.

Nino couldn’t bring himself to open the letter. It still lay on top of his shoebox, as pristine as the day it came.


There was a rice ball right outside his door.


“I’m sorry.”

It was soft, the breeze barely carrying it to him. Amidst the hustle and bustle of the city, over the noise, the clamour, and the mess, he heard it ringing clear. He turned, wide, apologetic dark eyes meeting his.

Nino looked away first, unsure and terrified at the prospect of losing his friend again should he say the wrong thing, show the other boy the wrong thing.

“I’m sorry,” Jun repeated, louder and stronger this time.

Nino ran and launched himself to him, hugging the boy tight. “I missed my best friend,” he whispered. “So much.”

Arms wrapped around him, pulling Nino closer. “Me too,” Jun said.


They were sitting at the balcony, looking out to the wide expanse of dark rectangles and even darker skies side by side when Jun asked him, “how’s Aiba-san?”

Nino fixed his eyes onto the horizon. “I don’t know,” he answered as evenly as he could.

“Ahh.”

“Yeah.”

There was a lull in the conversation and Nino knew that Jun was trying to decipher everything, fitting all the pieces together to get the full picture. He liked that about him – Jun was clever enough to clue everything in without asking all the awkward questions.

“I’m sorry.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” Nino said hastily.

“I didn’t- I said most of those things just to make you feel bad, you know,” Jun replied.

Nino knew. He had had his thoughts, thinking Jun had been too angry to realize just how painful his words were, but he figured there was some grain of truth there too, that underneath all of Jun’s venom, there was something he should listen to.

“I wanted to hurt you,” Jun continued. “I wanted you to feel as horrible as I did. I’m sorry.”

The shorter boy shook his head emphatically. “You were right though, Matsujun.” He thought he was doing a pretty good job keeping the sadness from his voice. Nino was a decent actor when he’s determined. “It’s better if I don’t lead him on any longer-”

He didn’t even see the arc of Jun’s arm – the other boy smacked him hard across the head, his loose watch (Jun never got it fixed even after he lost so much weight) swinging and dealing him a second hit. “What was that for?!” Nino yelped shrilly.

“You idiot miser,” Jun hissed. “You never, ever listen to me! You went to that arcade even when I told you not to, you went out to the balcony even after you almost fell- oho, and don’t tell me you didn’t because I do know you did and-”

“But you said-“

“You broke Aiba-san’s heart. All because you didn’t listen to me.” Jun sighed.

Nino glared at him. “You told me that I should tell him how I feel!”

“Oh, and did you?”

“No!” Nino yelled, just as stunned as Jun was at how loud he sounded. “I was too scared, okay? I just thought- I just thought I couldn’t hurt him like I hurt you! I didn’t even show up, Matsujun. I saw him and I ran.” He suddenly felt deflated, tired of denying any grief and guilt he felt since he left Aiba. He sagged against the wall, burying his face in his hands and trying to push back the tears threatening to spill over. He couldn’t cry now, not when he had kept himself together for the past few days. He had tried to convince himself that it was perfectly fine that he was alone – he was meant to be alone anyway.

But that wasn’t true, never had been. He was devastated when his father left, he was hopeless without Jun, and Aiba-

Nino missed Aiba terribly.

Jun sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You really do have a penchant for making things more complicated than they really are, don’t you?”

“Do tell me more about how amazing I am,” Nino said, trying not to sound too bitter and pathetic.

“For someone so clever, you can be incredibly – and I don’t mean this in a good way – incredibly dim,” Jun continued. “And you don’t listen. Seriously, I should have you take notes next time around.”

“I do-“

“No, no you don’t. If you did, you would have done what I told you to.” Jun turned Nino slowly so the shorter one faced him, eyes looking into his sincerely. “Do you… do you even know how you feel about Aiba-san?”

Ahh. That one, he wasn’t so certain about. Sure Aiba introduced him to a whole different world, sure he made him more excited about everything – from stones to barks to every single person – and sure green envelopes had been all he needed to save him from all the greys, but-

But…

There were never any buts. Aiba had always made him feel so amazingly alive.

“He’s important to me,” he whispered, his admittance shocking him more than it did the other boy.

Jun beamed. “That’s the closest I can ever get from you, eh?” he teased, flopping back to his elbows. “Well, that’s as good a start as any. What are you going to do now?”

-----

Dear Aiba-chan,

You should call him King Shisa.


A coward,

Ninomiya Kazunari

P.S. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.


It started at the edges of Aiba’s lips, his mouth stretching, and that warm feeling he had long missed spreading from his chest to the ends of his fingers. A smile. Aiba didn’t know why it was so foreign to him.

It still felt wonderful though.

XII.

Dear Nino,

I like that name, but I don’t think Gamera does. He prefers to be named after a turtle.


I waited,

Aiba

P.S. You’re a jerk. A great mean one...

-----

Dear Aiba-chan,

Your dog has identity problems. Or it might be an alien turtle that has alien technology advanced enough to transform itself into an entirely different species.


A great mean jerk,

Nino

P.S. I know I am. I have no excuses beyond that I was afraid you wouldn’t like me. But I guess I was stupid enough to forget that abandoning someone is the worst thing anyone could ever do.

-----

Dear Nino,

I think you may be on to something. Gamera has suddenly taken to eating earthworms and caterpillars and freshly mown grass. Encarta says turtles eat all those things.


Honestly happy you wrote me back,

Aiba

P.S. You’ve never abandoned me. You came back, and that’s all that matters.

-----

Dear Aiba-chan,

You might want to get him checked out once he starts carrying his house around.


I’m grateful,

Nino

P.S. I’ll always come back.

XIII.

He hadn’t even blinked, hadn’t given it much thought (which was odd, given Jun had always told him he thought too much). As soon as Yoshida told him that he was thinking of tossing the old, rusty Godzilla statue, Nino had immediately leapt down the proverbial well and blurted, “I’ll take it!”

And there Godzilla now stood, at the only bare corner of his and his mother’s apartment, staring back at him unblinkingly. He sighed, running a hand across its rough feet. He used to adore it, shaking its little claws every day for good luck. Before Aiba’s balloon, and even before Jun’s rice balls, Godzilla had been the only thing he trusted. Godzilla had always saved the day, had always made everything right, and he had been Nino’s hero, in every sense of the word. He couldn’t bear to see the statue he had loved so much thrown out into the back of the garbage truck.

Jun had pointed out earlier, as they were lugging it to his apartment on the seventh floor, that Nino had long outgrown Godzilla and that the shorter boy really had no need for such collectibles. “You don’t even have space for him!” Jun had gasped between strained breaths – Godzilla was a lot heavier than they had thought it would be.

And Nino knew all that. He didn’t have anywhere he could place it without the statue crowding the already small apartment and he certainly didn’t feel the same attachment he had for it. Godzilla had been precious to him, but everything he had now – Jun’s friendship, his mother’s love, and Aiba – had become more than what the monster could ever give him.

He knew someone who would still love it though.

“Don’t worry, old boy,” he told the statue, “I’ll get you a better home.”


Drafts and drafts of the same letter later, he found that he couldn’t quite get the words right.

It should be easy, he thought as he yanked another one of Jun’s yellow stationeries from the box. All he needed was a simple, clean invite. Nothing more, nothing less. He didn’t know why he was fretting over sounding like a dismissive statue dealer.

“See, the problem with all this is that you have ulterior motives,” Jun said from his bed, flipping through an old Ranma ½ volume. “Just be forward about it.”

Nino whirled on his seat, eyebrow arched. “Oh, do tell me, master of everything literary, how I should pen my letter.”

Jun rested the graphic novel against his chest, clasping his hands together. “Dear Aiba, heart of my heart, I have yearned to see your face, your gorgeous eyes staring at my soul. Please come and see me immediately! I wish to taste your lips against mine. Your precious love, Ninomiya Kazunari.”

Nino flushed. “T-that’s not- what, I just- the statue! I-I was just giving it to Godzilla- to Aiba, I mean,” he spluttered, spinning around and trying to neaten the mess of pencil shavings and crumpled paper around him. “Lips, what, I don’t even-“

“Just ask him out. You’re clever, Kazu, I’m sure you know the exact five words to have him running into your arms.”

He knew he could get Aiba to travel to the city with just one word, but he wouldn’t admit to that. Besides, it wasn’t like he was asking Aiba out on a date. At all. “You’re useless.”

He heard the other boy laugh. “And you’re hopeless without me.”

That was true. “Shut it.”

“Kazu, listen,” Jun started, voice a touch stern, “if you’ve never listened to anything I’ve said before-“

“But I have!”

“Listen to what I have to say now,” Jun continued without missing a beat. “You and I know what you really want, Godzilla statues and apartment space aside, quit denying yourself – and Aiba – that chance. Go for what you want.”

He was right, Jun was always right. Somehow, that irritated Nino. He turned the radio up, avoiding continuing the conversation. When Matsumoto Jun knew he was perfectly on the mark, he wouldn't stop yammering until it hit home.

-----

Dear Aiba-chan,

I have your birthday present all ready for you, but it’s too big for me to send it. Please pick it up as soon as you can!


Gift keeper,

Nino

P.S. When you do pick it up, do you maybe want to go out for dinner, or lunch if it’s too early? Or, you know, we could go to the arcade. There’s this weird kid who goes there every once in a while with two girls and I think you’d get along famously with them. Or we could do whatever you want, play with the snow, go karaoke. Or whatever.

-----

Dear Nino,

I’ll be there!


Giftee,

Aiba

P.S. Everything is perfect with you.

XIV.

Sho had been reluctant to let him go. “What if he doesn’t show up again?” he had asked.

Aiba had laughed at him. “Then we go and give him a stern talking to like you said we would,” he had quipped. He had been so confident that Nino would show up, that he wouldn’t leave him there like before.

He was a street corner away from the park when evil uncertainty crept up again. Memories from before slowed his feet down. No, he trusted Nino, he didn’t doubt that he would be there waiting for Aiba, just as he had written. Aiba shook that uncertainty away, stepping determinedly towards the park

It was different this time, he thought; Nino was the one who asked.

For a moment, he almost missed him amidst all the whiteness of the snow and the different shades of people walking and milling about. It was really the bright yellow beanie Nino had said he would surely be wearing and a flash of pretty brown eyes that drew him into focus. Aiba smiled widely, trying not to just run up to the other boy and sweep him off his feet. No, Nino wouldn’t like corny things like that.

“Hi,” Aiba said as he neared him.

“Hey,” Nino replied.

“I missed you last time,” Aiba joked, mortified that he had to go and ruin their meeting by mentioning the botched one from before. He could be so stupid sometimes.

“Well, you know, I was busy running off with my tail between my legs,” Nino shot back, and Aiba almost sagged in relief. At least Nino was playing along.

He laughed, playing with the plastic bag he brought with him. It grew silent between them, the awkwardness not lost on Aiba. He was a bit terrified of opening his mouth, afraid that a misplaced word here or there could send Nino running. And it seemed the other boy felt the same way.

“I-“

“I brought you something!” Aiba said loudly, cursing himself for interrupting Nino so rudely. He flushed, holding the bag out to Nino. “I-I hope you’ll like them!”

The younger boy took the bag from him gingerly. He peered inside and he froze, eyes wide and mouth slack. Aiba panicked. He had thought it was a brilliant gift, but maybe Nino didn’t like it as much as he did?

“They’re plums,” Aiba blathered on. “I remember you telling me before that they tasted like- well, I wanted to get you them, you know, since you love them so much. They’re sort of small and I think they’re kind of old, but I-“

The edges of Nino’s lips twitched and they spread, curving up almost mechanically perfectly. It looked odd, as if Nino had never even lifted his lips before, but Aiba thought, as cheesy as it sounded, that it was the prettiest smile he had ever seen.

“B-but I think they’d make you happy,” Aiba finished lamely, his heart pounding so loud he thought Nino could hear it. “I’m sorry, I mean, it doesn’t seem like you like them-“

Nino shook his head, closing the distance between them with a hug. “I’m happy,” he breathed out, his voice sounding lighter than Aiba had ever imagined from the letters. “I’m really happy.”

Aiba felt warmth spread across his chest and he wrapped his arms around Nino just as tightly. He thought he was too.

Comments

[berniechan.livejournal.com]

I dunno if it's rude of me to steal first comment spot from the person fic was intended for... so apologies in advance.

I have to say that was really sweet and adorable. I don't particularly like Nino x Aiba but this fic was really well written and very enjoyable. I adore your characterization of everyone (Sho is extremely lulz), especially Jun and also Nino.

And how Aiba drew a smiley face on his balloon but Nino saw it as a scowl was very... damn I don't even know what word to use to describe how I felt about it.

Really good job, and all I can think of as appropriate for the end of this comment is:

:D!

[icecreamsuki.livejournal.com]

not rude at all! the fic is very nice.. :)
I understand the feeling of not being able to resist commenting.. I feel that sometimes too.. :)

[berniechan.livejournal.com]

Glad you're fine with it! :D
I really couldn't resist commenting cause it was such a great fic.

(I admit I teared at some parts)

[icecreamsuki.livejournal.com]

me too! :) :")

[kokkaii.livejournal.com]

Smiley is vastly appreciated! XD I love it when people who don't normally read the pairings I write happen to read one of my fics and liked it!

Characterizing Sho here was fun! Generally I find him difficult to write (too many personality traits), but this one came out so easily. I'm glad people found this Sho entertaining!

Thanks so much for reading and commenting.

[icecreamsuki.livejournal.com]

WOW!! I didn't expect to be the first to receive my gift fic!! I'm so happy! Wait, I'll read it now! :)

[icecreamsuki.livejournal.com]

finished reading it! wow.. just wow.. it's one of the warmest fic I have ever received. And I can relate to Nino's character so much because I feel the same sometimes.

“Happiness is something you can’t really describe, It’s this warm feeling you get, as if you’re safe and nothing can go wrong and everything is perfect. It’s like… it’s like you can’t worry about anything because somehow, you know the future’s going to be fine.”
I love your description of happiness. :)

I love the idea of letters! Personally, I like letters. I think I can convey my feelings better through them, considering that I'm not a vocal person myself. For me, letters can be more honest than real personal conversations. You can say things that you're too embarrassed to say in real life. You can write and rewrite. I really like letters. :)

Encarta! I had one when I was younger, back in high school.. I like the Mind Maze! :)

“And it’s still grey now. How dim must you be to think that what you said was something so big and important that it changed everything?”
It's so Nino to find the right words to dispel the awkwardness and tension in the air. You have captured his character very well!
Have you seen the VS Arashi featuring the Junior high kids playing Rolling Coin Tower? The team that Jun was supporting lost and the girl was crying. Jun was trying to comfort her but the atmosphere was quiet and borderline awkward and Nino said, "It's okay. It's the supporter who was at fault!" I don't know.. For me, it's so Nino-like to do something like that.

For a while, I thought you were going to pair Jun with Sho..hehe.. maybe I read too many Sakumoto fics >_<

"Your Ninomiya is short.”
laughed hard at that..

the other boy smacked him hard across the head, his loose watch (Jun never got it fixed even after he lost so much weight) swinging and dealing him a second hit.
that Ousama no Brunch episode! hahaha! :)

you've given me fluff; you've given me angst. what more can I ask for? :)
As I imagine the time and effort you put into writing this lengthy fic, I feel so blessed to have you as my writer! thank you so much! I can't wait to know who you are.. :)

P.S. Are you British? or European at least..?
wow, I am feeling like I got myself a new friend. :)

Can we exchange letters too? :) I would love that! :)

[kokkaii.livejournal.com]

I like letters too. Way back when, I had a penpal from Australia. We got up to two letters each and stopped. My fault - I happened to forget to write back and it went downhill from there. I have to admit though that a big part of my forgetfulness was the amount of time it took for a few words to travel; it took about a month, give or take, just for a page and a package of stickers (mind, this was back when snail mail was the way to go).

There was that restriction. Before she moved, my friend and I chatted up a storm. When she left, those conversations have to be written and squished into an envelope. All that excitement and emotions I wanted her to feel too was dampened by the distance and the amount of words I had to write.

I guess what I'm saying is, yes, letters are honest, but only when the person writing it is as interested and truthful as they wanted to be. Letters can be a facade too; they can be editted.

I had and Encarta when I was younger too! I never finished MindMaze. Too many questions!

Oh, I like that Nino story! I've always thought that Nino might be the type to say things in a roundabout way.

I can't say I didn't think of pairing Sho and Jun together. Although I thought it would be too much of a coincidence. Their relationship had no basis too - if I had written them together, it almost seemed like a pity relationship for Jun's character.

I'm awfully glad you liked my fic! Thanks for this long, wonderful comment.

(I'm not British or European, sorry. As for letters, you can PM me anytime you want ^_^)

[juniority.livejournal.com]

I'll just say right off the back that Sho and Matsujun totally stole the limelight for me. I loved how well-rounded and compelling they were despite the fact that they weren't meant to be the main characters. It was wonderful how they both supported their friends in their own way, one from a distance, one right at his side. And Sho, with his constant falling in love and finally settling down with two girls (that player!) was hilarious, while Matsujun totally deserved a pat on the back and a big hug for facing his feelings and being unafraid to be himself.

Of course, Aiba and Nino were characterized beautifully as well. The whole fic was really, really great. If you ever decide to write a sequel in the future, I'd love to read it.

[kokkaii.livejournal.com]

I think I placed a ton of effort in writing Jun here mainly because I adore him lately. I'm glad it worked out in the end (although he overshadowed Nino and Aiba).

I don't think there will be a sequel for this one.

Thanks for reading and commenting!

[syri-chii.livejournal.com]

Woah, I say you did a good job writing this. I find this adorably sweet with right amount of angst(which made my heart really swell)
As much as I love Aiba and Nino being best friends and all, I still have a big love of Sho and Aiba as close buddies. And Jun, well I've thought he'll do his best to make the person/people he loves happy.
And the exchange of letters, the vivid descriptions, the grey skies,I mean, what isn't to love and adore in this fic? None

Since I can't exactly choose which part to love more, I've decided to quote the almost whole paragraph.

He was the sun, Nino thought with wonder, illuminating the park with his wide grin. People smiled back at him, basking in his warmth, and Nino fancied the park was suddenly filled with hues of red, yellow, and green. Where Jun gave him his shade of purple, Aiba made his world colourful.

though I can be a little biased, it's the last part.

[kokkaii.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I have to admit that I'm not that big on Sakuraiba as a pairing,, but I love watching and reading them interact with each other. And yes, Jun, he's a very considerate person here.

I've been working on using more descriptive words and I'm happy people like it ^_^ I love words.

Thanks for reading and commenting <3

[sharksoul24.livejournal.com]

This fic was very sweet and adorable ! :)

[kokkaii.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much!

[deelovesryo.livejournal.com]

This was really beautiful, kind of bittersweet but with a hopeful and warm ending! Nino's character is so moving, Aiba so dear, Sho made me laugh and Jun...the best friend ever <3
Thanks for sharing!

[kokkaii.livejournal.com]

Thanks for reading and commenting! It makes me happy that I got what I wanted the readers to feel across.

[jellybean6972.livejournal.com]

My heart. This is just awesome. I love every bit of it. :D

[kokkaii.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad you loved it.

[maytevb.livejournal.com]

This was so beautifully written, everything about it.

I adored the way you wrote Aiba and Nino, they way you could see how different they were: Aiba and his innocence, cheerfulness, randomness, Nino being so cynic and gloomy about life (with reason), and yet the way they connected felt so natural and right.

I felt bad for both of them, for Aiba when he got stood up by Nino, and especially for Nino when he did so.

He couldn’t- he wouldn’t break Aiba like he did Jun. He couldn’t bear the thought of wiping that smile, spreading his darkness, his greyness onto someone so bright.

This killed me. But the ending was just perfect, and Nino said it perfectly, Aiba made his world colorful.


Thank you for writing and sharing this wonderful fic ♥

[kokkaii.livejournal.com]

I think I laid the whole opposites thing on a bit thick, but yes, they definitely connected really easily. That sort of instant connection is rare as it is, but with people who seemed so different, it's sort of unusual and special.

I'm ridiculously happy you liked the ending! I was debating between two endings and I chose this one. It was the right one after all ^_^

Thanks for reading and commenting~

[inachan89.livejournal.com]

This was really...fantastic.I really,really love it!!!!
Thank you^^