Chapter Text
“Hold this for a sec.”
Nino groans in exasperation but accepts the bicycle handles from Aiba anyway.
Aiba tries to take Nino’s backpack after that and Natsu’s leash gets tangled with his hand that’s holding his phone. They both stumble a bit, Aiba yelping as his phone almost dangerously falls down to the ground, Nino tsking but carefully making sure they don’t toppled together like a silly heap. Natsu barks at them good-naturedly; she most probably is just laughing at their antics and patiently waiting for them to get done with it.
“Don’t do that— Here, let me just take that. Aiba-chan, you’re going to pull her further,” Nino says with an eye roll, trying to free himself from the tangled straps.
“There,” Aiba finally announces with a bright smile.
That smile is definitely too bright for a morning like this. Nino has agreed to meet up Aiba here by the riverbank because it will save time; he can take a few hours off work before his afternoon meeting and Aiba can later take Natsu to his clinic for her monthly checkup.
He totally doesn’t expect Aiba coming in full workout gear riding his bicycle.
Natsu is ecstatic, though. For meeting Aiba after a while or for the bicycle and the fresh morning air, Nino doesn’t want to know.
.
bumped shoulders failed wink
race you to the other side
he dashed down the road
.
They make an odd trio.
Natsu breaks into a jog, and Nino cycles slowly next to her. Aiba has left them a minute ago, calling them both slow, in a mad dash toward the end of the road.
“You know what, Natsu,” Nino says. He pulls over and stops. Natsu does the same. “Let’s not lose him. Better yet, let’s teach him a lesson. It’s just too early in the morning to get rope into this madness.”
Natsu only tilts her head and waits.
“I know what we should do. Come here.” Nino bends to pick her up. Since Aiba has taken his backpack—I’m holding onto this so you won’t cycle away somewhere and steal my bike; huh, like Nino needs a bike, seriously.
Natsu hops into Nino’s hold, and with a little adjustment Nino set Natsu in the bike basket. “Are you comfortable?”
Natsu leans into Nino’s hand and lets out a small woof.
“Okay. Now, hold on tight. Let’s show him what we’re made of,” Nino says with a wide grin. He pedals the bike hard along the road, trying to make as little as noise as possible to surprise Aiba.
.
I’d win you’d lose silly
breath of wind against his face
cycling leisurely
.
“What? That’s cheating! Natsu-chan, I can’t believe you let him talk you into this!”
Natsu lets out a happy bark, and Nino can’t hold back his laughter as he keeps pedaling, now that he’s ahead of Aiba. “Last one on the end of the road is a loser!”
Aiba only laughs, but he quickens his pace to catch up with Nino and Natsu.
.
already breathless
yeah but that’d make you laugh and
it’s fun Nino-chan
.
They end up sitting under a tree at the end of the riverbank road. Aiba’s bicycle is parked just by the road. Nino is probably going to have grass stains on his trousers, but he will need to change into a suit anyway for his meeting so it shouldn't matter much. Aiba is a completely lost cause; with his sweat T-shirt, he almost practically rolls around on the ground with Natsu on his lap.
“Say, do you bring something nice for me today?”
“What do you mean something nice? I brought Natsu. She’s the nicest.”
Natsu wiggles on Aiba’s lap, which prompts Aiba to sit up just to bop his nose with hers. “Natsu-chan doesn’t count. In a way, Natsu-chan is always nice, unlike some people.”
Nino sighs and rolls his eyes again; he has lost count how many of them he did this morning because of Aiba. But he did bring something nice.
“You did bring something nice!”
“This is not something nice. It’s just food.”
“You even brought me the cute chopsticks.” Aiba only brightens, before he frowns. “Wait. I’m not stealing your lunch, right? Nino, you don’t have to—”
“You’ve been stealing my lunch since highschool and now you’re concerned? I’ll be having company lunch. You can have my leftover bento,” Nino says with a shrug. “On one condition. Natsu will need a bath. This morning run was your idea after all.”
“I will happily bathe Natsu,” Aiba says with a smile as he nods to Natsu. “And to give her some delicious snacks.”
Natsu only snuggles closer to Aiba, and silence falls around them. Morning is almost over and Nino needs to go to work soon.
Nino then asks. “By the way, will it be okay for me to come after hours to pick her? I don’t know how long my afternoon meeting would be.”
“Or better yet, just let me know if you finished. I can pick you up. We’ll get dinner together.”
That sounds suspicious. Aiba’s recommendation usually falls into the category from the best food ever or Nino’s worst nightmare. “Why would I?”
“Come on. It’d be nice. There’s a nice new ramen shop near your place. It’s been a while since we did.”
And you’ll be less lonely, Nino knows Aiba wanted to say that but he doesn’t comment, because he is missing Ohno terribly. Dinner with Aiba will be a nice distraction. Plus, it’s ramen, so it should be relatively safe. Still, he tries his best to sound not interested. “Fine.”
“We’re going to have fun, right, Natsu-chan?”
She barks happily and Aiba is smiling down on her.
That’s enough sappy for one morning, Nino decides. He grabs his backpack from Aiba’s side, giving one last pat on Natsu’s head, and gets up to leave. “I’ll see you tonight then.”
“Have a good day, Nino-chan!”
He only grunts his response and walks away, trusting his precious Natsu to his best friend, and goes to work with a lighter heart. He can’t wait for tonight.
.