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It's cold and it's snowing.
Nino hates the snow for being so cold his hands freeze when he tries to catch it. He also resents it for having no scent, nor giving out any kind of sound when it falls.
Snow is not like rain, Nino thinks and dislikes it even more when Ohno says it's snowing beautifully outside. Nino doesn't know about that, has never seen it and probably never will either. For him snow is just a scentless, soundless falling frozen water.
That's why now they're here in Nino's room and not out on the porch, looking at the winter scenery. Because Nino dislikes cold, Nino hates winter.
Ohno tells him he'd like to play in the snow with him once it piles up, but Nino refuses politely. He likes to keep warm and dry, thank you very much. Ohno laughs and goes back to inspecting Nino's room.
Nino didn't really want to let Ohno inside his room, but it was this or bearing the embarrassment of having Ohno and his grandmother talk about Nino's childhood and how cute he was and he really had enough of that. So they excused themselves to his room quite early.
Ohno must be fascinated by his room it seems, as they have entered it 20 minutes ago and he still hasn't sat down.
Nino doesn't get what might have captured his attention as his room only has a bed, a desk, and a closet. On the desk Nino keeps some of his favorite audio books and some other books. Ohno's CDs and DVDs are kept by his grandmother in the living room.
"Are you done yet? " Nino asks when he can't keep his impatience in check anymore.
"Yeah... '' Ohno says and sits down near Nino on the bed and pushes Nino on his back kissing his forehead.
Nino smiles teasingly and asks:
"What did you expect to find in here, huh? I'm not a teenager you know. "
"I know. I just wanted to see more of Nino. There's lots of Nino to be discovered yet. " Ohno says and leans down to kiss Nino's nose.
Nino grumbles and makes to push Ohno off of him, but Ohno takes his hands and keeps them above his head.
"Hey! " Nino says frowning, visibly displeased. "Let me go! "
Ohno laughs softly and and shakes his head.
"No way. You're mine now '' he says and leans down again to kiss Nino on the lips tenderly, a barely there touch. Nino shivers when he feels Ohno's breath on his lips and is vexed that Ohno can feel it too.
"You're completely ridiculous. " he says and turns his head on the side.
Ohno laughs amused and lets go of Nino's hands only to wrap them around his waist and pull him closer.
"It's because I love you! I love you so much, Kazu. " Ohno says pushing his head in Nino's neck and breathing in his sweet scent.
Of course, Nino blushes shily and profusely and doesn't say a word afraid his voice might be unsteady. He hates and loves the way Ohno makes him feel so vulnerable, but still trusts him with all his heart, because he has no one else. There is no one else who can make him feel alive and human.
Ohno laughs when he raises his head and looks down at Nino. Nino is so cute he thinks, so innocent and naive. Even though Ohno has told him he loves him hundreds of times he still blushes.
Nino turns his head to Ohno and there's an unreadable expression on his face. Ohno gets worried, maybe Nino got upset with him after all, but exactly when Ohno takes his arms from around Nino's waist, Nino pushes him down on the bed and hovers over him.
Ohno corrects himself when he looks up at Nino's cunning smile from down under. Nino is not innocent, nor naive. He's a cunning, fiendish brat.
"I got you now. " Nino says, his turn to laugh now.
"Yeah'', Ohno says smiling love strucken at him. "You got me, and I'm completely happy that you did. "
Nino ignores him and procedes to map his face with his fingertips. Ohno stills and lets Nino touch him wherever he likes.
Nino starts with his eyes and then nose and goes down to his lips stroking lightly and making Ohno shiver and let out a shaky sigh. Nino smirks.
His fingers go down still to his jaw and spreads his hands on both of his round cheeks and then under and to his neck. He brushes two fingers on Ohno's adam's apple and then leans dows to kiss the hollow of his neck, kissing down to his collarbones. Nino wants to mark him there, but he doesn't know how, so he only bites him slightly.
"Nino... '' comes Ohno's shaky warning and Nino knows that Ohno can probably barely restrain himself now, so he ends his torture by slumping down on top of Ohno with his head resting on Ohno's heart listening to it's peaceful rhythm.
Ohno brushes his fingers to his black, longish hair and tugs lightly on his ear making Nino practically pur in content.
"I love you.... '' Ohno says though he supposes he will get no reply back.
But Nino looks for his hand with his and when he finds it, he grips it tightly conveying what he doesn't want to put into words. He hopes Ohno understands and knows that he does when Ohno squeezes back.
*
After the New Year, Ohno has a few days of vacation and spends them all at Nino's house trying to convince Nino to meet his friends.
He hasn't been successful until now, but he knows that if he keeps nagging him long enough Nino will give in sooner or later. It's just a matter of time, Ohno thinks as he listens to Nino playing his song on the guitar.
When finally Nino puts his guitar down Ohno attacks again.
"Nino, you know? About what we talked before....'' Ohno starts.
"No. " Nino interrupts him and goes out heading to his own room with Ohno following closely.
His grandmother is in the living room talking on the phone with a friend. Her muffled voice gets to his ears until Ohno shuts the door behind them.
Nino slumps tired on the bed. He hoped Ohno wouldn't bring this up again after the last argument, but it seems Ohno is quite persistent.
"But why not? " Ohno asks sitting down near Nino on the bed. ''I thought you weren't afraid of going out with me since the time we went to the beach. "
"You're an idiot. Just because I went out with you once, that doesn't mean my trauma has just left me suddenly. I hate outside. I hate strangers, I don't want to have to talk to anyone, beside you. Is that so hard to understand? " Nino says all riled up.
Ohno breaths deeply and starts again.
"I know that. I'm not that idiot. It's just that I thought you trusted me. And they're not strangers, they're my friends and I want you to meet them, because I want to be with you forever. " Ohno says pretty disappointed that Nino gives him so little credit for.
Nino feels guilty, he doesn't want to refuse Ohno, he loves him, wants to make him happy, but feels so reluctant to accept this one request.
"Anything could go wrong.... I'm not a normal person, I can't do a lot of things outside. You seem to forget this just because you see me here... ''
"You said so the last time too, and it went just fine, didn't it? I know you're scared, but I'll take care of you, I promised you so. And my friends are nice and will like you and everything will be just fine. You'll see! " Ohno says elated taking Nino hands into his.
"Ok, ok.... we'll do whatever you want as long as you stop acting like a kid. Nino says sighing loudly for effect
"You act like a kid too. " Ohno laughs.
~*~
Ohno goes next week to the studio to record a new single and meets Sho and Jun and thinks he should tell them now before Nino changes his mind.
"Umm, I want to ask you something... '' he says when he's out of the recording booth.
"Yeah? Well shoot then. " Jun says, his eyes on some papers.
"Well, I wanted you to meet someone... ''
"Your girlfriend? " Sho asks a little apprehensive as well. A girlfriend is never a good thing for a rising pop idol.
"Kind of.... '' Ohno says with a worried face. "It's actually a boyfriend, his name is Ninomiya Kazunari. " and with that he succeeds in making the room go silent, Sho and Jun looking at him with surprised faces.
"Is that so.... '' Jun says after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence. "And why would you want him to meet us? "
"Because you're my friends and Kazu.... he doesn't have friends at all...he's blind. "
"Oh, come on! " Sho says exasperated. "Stop throwing a bomb one after another! "
"I'm sorry, but I want Kazu to become as normal as any other man his age... please, I can only ask you something like this. "
"Sure. " Jun says after a moment of thinking. "I guess we should tell Aiba-chan as well. After all he's the friendliest of us.''
"Yes, thank you! " Ohno says smiling widely.
He knew he can count on them.
He can't go to Nino's house for the next few days, but calls Nino every night. That's how he tells him they agreed to go to a small caffe near his house to meet him on Saturday.
"Is that so? I'm glad. " Nino says flatly.
"You don't want to? " Ohno asks feeling suddenly disappointed.
"I'm doing it for you. " Nino says and wants Ohno to know that he means it.
"I know... but you'll see that everything is going to be ok....I'll be with you. "
Nino tries to make himself believe he doesn't care what others might think of him, but when Saturday comes he suddenly feels nervous and asks his grandmother to help him pick some nice clothes.
They choose together a pair of jeans and a fluffy, warm sweater and she also helps him with his rebel hair.
"All good! " she says when Ohno enters.
"Are you ready? " he says waiting for Nino in the hallway.
"Yes. " Nino's grandmother says as she helps Nino put on his coat. ''You two have fun, ok? " she says waving goodbye. She hopes nothing bad will happen.
When they enter the cafe, Nino jerks slightly at the sound of the bell on the door. He remembers from his childhood that some shops have bells to allert them when customers get in.
Ohno guides him to a table from where voices can be heard - Oh-chan's friends, he thinks and his stomach tightens with nerves. He hoped they hadn't arrived already.
Ohno pushes his chair and Nino sits down and it's all so nonchalantly he believes no one could realize his disability.
While Nino and Ohno were sitting down Nino could not hear Ohno's friends' voices, and started concentrating on the other noises in the shop.
From somewhere behind he could hear the voices of a couple, the girl eating something sweet probably and moaning in pleasure from time to time, her boyfriend, or who knows maybe her father or brother admonishing her for it.
From somewhere closer he could hear the rustle of a magazine or newspaper. That"s when Ohno's voice pulled him out of his contemplations.
"Hey, guys! Have you waited long? "
"Not really. " a nasal voice says. "Is he your Kazu? "
Nino frowns at this. What had Ohno told them about himself? Nino wonders a little annoyed. He didn't want his friends to laugh at himself.
"Yeah, he's my Kazu! And stop smiling that annoying smug smile! " Ohno says and there was a roar of laughter.
"Don't worry about Matsujun, he's just jealous. " a breathy voice says. "I'm Aiba Masaki, Ohno's stylist. We heard a lot about you, Ninomiya-kun. "
"Only good things, I hope. And please, Nino is fine. "
"And I'm Sakurai Sho, this idiot's manager. " a rich voice says.
"Nice to meet you! " Nino says chuckling at Ohno's protests.
After the introductions are over they call for a waitress who takes their order in silence and brings the 5 coffees and two muffins each, faster then Nino thought possible.
The others kept talking and making small chit-chat about things that happend at work or other things like that.
Nino kept hearing their voices passing by his ears, sometimes completely not understanding their meanings, sometimes making him smile while munching on a muffin and looking down, not quite sure where to keep his head towards.
He feels the afternoon sun on his face, so he supposed they chose a table at the window, but knowing that even if he turned his head towards the window won't be able to see anything, he keeps his eyes slightly down. That's when he feels Ohno's hand taking his hand in his lap and intertwining their fingers together.
In the end, he and Ohno barely say a few words by the time their coffees and muffins are over.
"Are you tired, Kazu? " Ohno whispers in his ear making him shiver.
"A little... '' Nino replied back in Ohno's ear as well.
"Guys, I think it's quite late and I should get Kazu home. I'll just go to the toilet and then we'll head home. Take care of my Kazu for me ok? " Ohno says cheekily and the others laugh while Nino blushed profusely.
Now that Ohno isn't around, Nino is afraid that they are going to ask about him being blind, but contrary to his expectations, Aiba says:
"You make such a cute couple, I'm glad for you two. " leaving Nino at a loss for words.
"I'm going to tell Oh-chan to give you my number, if you want to talk sometimes or go out, if that's ok. " Aiba continues.
"Ahh, yes, sure... '' Nino says uncertainly.
"I'm going to tell you to give you my number too. He said you're good at music, so if maybe you want to compose something and sell it, you could send it to me. " Matsumoto says.
"Really? I never thought about selling my compositions before....''
"Well, only if you want to. "
"I'll think about it, thank you. " Nino said smiling.
"What are you going to think about? I hope Matsujun is not trying to sway your feelings for me." Ohno says as he comes back to their table.
"Idiot... '' Nino mumbles, while the others are exiting the coffee shop.
Aiba keeps the door open for them and Ohno is guiding Nino gently with a hand on his back when someone comes running in,pushing Nino to the ground. He can't really understand what happens, just that he was pushed down.
"Kazu? Are you ok? " he can hear Ohno's voice, but even though he wants to get up and tell him everything is alright, he can't. He is paralyzed by the words he hears from behind him.
"What's with that guy? Is he blind? He could have easily dodged that kid. " It was the whiny voice of the girl eating her sweets before. He could feel all of their eyes on him, Ohno's friends are probably looking at him with pity in their eyes now.
Ohno gently picks him up and whispers in his ear.
"It's ok, we're going to go home and never see these people again. They're just strangers, they're not important. I'm here with you! "
Nino feels like crying, but he can't here, he'll wait for the solitude of his room.
Ohno pulls on his hand to go outside when a woman comes to apologize for her son. Nino stayed behind Ohno's back, listening to him telling the woman it was fine.
Outside, Aiba, Sho and Jun were waiting for them and Nino is afraid.
"Here! " Sho says pushing a paper bag into Nino's hands. "It's a souvenir. They make the best cheese cake ever, you have to try it. "
Nino feels perplexed and maybe it shows on his face too, because Aiba started to laugh.
"That's how Sho-kun is. He loves to give people souvenirs. Beside he chose the cafe too. "
"Thank you... ''
"Your welcome! Ohno, I'll come to pick you at 7 tomorrow morning. "
"Ok, bye.'' Ohno replies and took Nino's hand to head home.
"You don't mind walking home, do you. It's really close by. Beside it's really nice and warm today isn't it. "
Nino only nodds in silence, listening to the faraway noises of traffic. He knows that his neighborhood is really a good residential area away from the bustling city and is grateful now that there are no people around. It could be because it had gotten dark already too.
"What are you thinking about? " Ohno asks squeezing his hand to catch his attention.
"How did you know? " Nino asks after a few moments.
"Hmm? "
"What it felt like? The shame of being a poor blind man taking over my mind, my whole body.... and the fear.... that I was alone, that I didn't know where I should place my next step to.....''
"Shh... '' Ohno stops his words and their steps and hold him tightly in his arms.
"You don't have to tell me, Kazu. I understand you better than you think. But you have me now. I'll always be with you. I'll protect you. "
Ohno feels wetness on his neck as he speaks and carresses Nino's hair until Nino calmes down. Then they resume their walk home, hand in hand.
"Better now? " Ohno asks with so much fondness in his voice it makes Nino laugh.
"Yeah, thank you! Your friends are nice. " Nino says changing the subject to something less depressing.
"They are, but you still like me better, right? " Ohno says seriously making Nino laugh again.
"Don't laugh! Matsujun can seduce anyone, you know? He's really good at that! " Ohno mumbles unhappy.
"Well, he can't sway me. My heart's set on a certain adorable idiot. " Nino says chuckling.
"Really? " Ohno asks circling his arms around Nino's waist.
"Unhm... '' Nino nodded still unable to stop laughing until Ohno leans in and kisses him on the lips.
"Not here idiot! Someone could see! "
"No one ca see us. We're right in front of your house. " Ohno says laughing and pushing the doorbell.
"Welcome home! " Nino hears his grandmother saying while opening the door and and follows Ohno who is tugging him into the warmth of his home.