Detention (Edit) part 2

[krystalkatz.livejournal.com]

Satoshi was silent as they climbed the stairs to his sister’s apartment, he did know what to say or how to act in front of the man that he had been crying all over, his body was still buzzing with the feeling of Nino’s warmth wrapped around him. It had felt amazing, safe and warm, everything that he wanted. The feel of it was overshadowed though by the shame he was feeling at the words that had been coming out of his mouth. Satoshi risked a glance at his teacher who was walking close beside him. His expression gave nothing away, he was just as calm and relaxed as he always was, standing close to him but not too close that it could considered inappropriate. There was a small smile on his face, it was the kind of smile that, up to a few days ago, he would have thought was an evil smile and he would have wondered what he was plotting. Now he thought that it was beautiful filled with all the warmth he had felt earlier.

They arrived at the apartment and he knocked the door as the teacher slumped against the wall his arms folded across his chest his eyes looking out over the streets below. Satoshi turned trying to see it from his teacher’s eyes, it wasn’t much a single bed apartment in one of the roughest areas of the city but his sister was proud of the home and the family that she had created here. Or at least that was what she said, Satoshi suspected though the reason she had stayed so close was because of him. The door opened and Satomi’s face came into view, her baby was tucked on her hip and her hair was a little frazzled around her face that was smeared with flour and something that was lime green in colour.

“Satoshi...What are...?” She said her eyebrows knitting together before they blew open when they moved over the wound on his face she stepped forward giving a growl her hand touching his cheek. She growled her eyes flashing with anger “What happened to your eye? What...”

“Ahem...” Nino coughed lightly clearing his throat as he moved forward flashing Satomi a blinding smile that knocked her back a little. Satoshi watched as his sister tried to recover herself her fingers moving over the marks,

“Who are you...?” She asked her voice low and almost breathless a mild blush forming in her cheeks. Satoshi gave a smile and moved away from him as he made the introductions,

“Nee-chan this is my teacher, Ninomiya-sensei...Ninomiya-sensei this is my sister, Yamamoto Satomi and my nephew Gii...”

“Hi, nice to meet you, Yamamoto-san, Gii-kun...I’m Nino...I’m sorry to disturb you...” Nino said flashing another of those smiles and Satomi’s face went through an array of emotions before she straightened herself up and coughed stepping away from the door,

“Won’t you come in?”

“Thank-you...” Nino smiled and Satoshi felt his hand on his back and the teacher was guiding him inside. They removed their shoes and then went inside going into the living room that was piled high with clothes that were in the process of being ironed and folded. “...Do you have a first aid kit? I think that we should treat the face...”

“Ah...yes...Satoshi...” Satomi said handing him Gii before hurrying out of the room Satoshi sat down in the chair bouncing his nephew up and down on his knee smiling a little as the boy let out a light cooing and gurgling his mouth stretched into a wet toothless grin.

“You and your sister look a lot alike...” Nino murmured with a hum and Satoshi gave a small nod his cheeks colouring a little as he looked at the teacher who was studying the wedding photos on the wall. Instead of a bridesmaid Satomi had asked Satoshi to represent her. He had worn a light blue suit with darker blue flowers in his button hole,

“Nee-chan is cuter than me, everyone says so...” He said softly and Nino shook his head swiftly letting out a laugh as he turned around to look at him his eyes warm and Satoshi felt the oxygen out of his lungs when the teacher murmured;

“Hmmm...I think I would have to disagree with everyone...”

“Sensei...”

“...Satoshi...” Nino chuckled kneeling down and taking Gii’s hand waving up and down “Hello little man...How are you...?”

“...Orhga...” Gii replied drooling copious amounts as he looked up at him and Nino gave a laugh ruffling his hair as he cooed,
“You’re a cute little chap ne? You’re going to be a little heartbreaker...”

“Ninomiya-sensei...” Satomi called from the hallway and Satoshi looked up to see her with the Tupperware box that she kept her first aid supplies in tucked under her arm and a small bowl of water and a cloth. It was an image that he had come to see a lot and the painful lump started in his stomach again.

“Please call me Nino...I’ll take that...I think your lovely son might...Need some attention...” The teacher said delicately and Satoshi started to smell the scent of a nappy that had been filled. Satomi gave a small cry and then after a few minutes Nino was gently wiping his cheek while Satomi was changing her son. “Satoshi-kun...this might sting a little...” The older man murmured wiping his cheek with some antibacterial wipes. Satoshi tried to stay still while his fingers clutched at the chair his knuckles going white,

“Sorry...Almost done...”

“Sorry...Sensei...” Satoshi mumbled hissing with pain and Nino’s tongue clicked with frustration and anger that was in his eyes,
“I think...There might be a splinter in your cheek still...” He said and Satoshi guessed that that was why there was still pain and it wasn’t healing as quickly as the other patches. “I’ll get it out okay...I promise...”

“God, what did that bitch do now?” Satomi asked with so much venom in his voice that both men jumped turning to look at her. Satoshi felt his heart jumping around in his chest and his eyes went from Nino and then back to his sister “Sorry, Satoshi...But you can’t keep trying to protect her...”

“Yamamoto-san...I... Although Satoshi-kun has not admitted what has happened...” Nino said softly taking a pair of tweezers out of the box and then setting to work carefully removing what was left of the glass. The action caused his cheek to open again “But I can guess...”

“Sensei...I’m sorry...What you must think...” Satomi whispered her anger simmering under the surface even as she hung her head.
“I think that it isn’t your fault...Either of you...” Nino said shortly cleaning and sticking a plaster over the wound before turning and giving her a smile his hand gripping at Ohno’s giving it the gentlest of squeezes. “None of this is your fault... You should never think that...I... Tell me to shut up if you want but...If it is possible...Satoshi-kun should come and live with you...”

“Sensei!” Satoshi gasped his mouth dropping open as he tried to protest but Nino gave another squeeze of his hand turning to look at him again giving him a smile, a sad smile that was filled with his own horror, Satoshi fell into silence worrying at his lip.

“Please...We can visit your mother...She needs help, Satoshi-kun...Help that you can’t give her while...You’re defending her...” The teacher told him softly taking continuing to hold his hand and Satoshi was glad of the contact. A tremble had broken out over his body and goose pimples had formed and his throat had closed off stopping him breathing, “I’m sorry...I lied earlier when I said that we were coming here just to talk...But I was serious when I said that I wanted to help you, I do...I want to help you...I promise I will do everything I can to help you...But...This is how it has to start...”

“You...You ran away?” Satoshi asked and Nino’s already pale face paled and the colour in his lips ran away “...You didn’t...”

“Not until it was almost too late...” Nino answered with a shake of the head “Jun... Had to save me...I... I refuse to let that happen to you...Please...”

“Sensei...” Satoshi murmured, his cheeks flushing a little at the tone in his teacher’s voice. It was enough to cut through the clouded terrified brain turning his stomach into liquid fire and his heart fluttered against his ribs. He swallowed a lump and then he looked at Satomi who was nodding with a tight tearful smile, it was the same thing that she had been saying to him for years. Slowly he gave a nod “Okay...If that is okay, Nee-chan...”

“Of course it is...Of course...”

*~*~*~*~*~

Satoshi laughed a little at the joke his teacher had made, they were all sitting in the living room in almost the same positions as they had before they arrived but now the clothes had been put away and they were all siting with food on their laps. Satomi had insisted that Nino stay and Nino had agreed easily after making sure that his friend’s car was okay. Ohno’s laughter died away quicker than it had come quilt stabbing into his heart. The food that was in front of him was all his favourites cooked lovingly by his sister but he couldn’t eat any of it. It tasted like ash in his mouth and make him feel sick when he tried to swallow. In the end, he just sat there pushing it around his plate his eyes going to the clock his mind on his mother wondering what she was doing, how she was going to react while she was waiting for him and he didn’t come back.

“Satoshi-kun and I will wash up...” Nino said suddenly pulling him out of his thoughts and making him look up to realise that his sister, brother-in-law and teacher had all finished their food and were looking at him with matching concern, or at least his sister and brother-in-law were Nino’s face was unreadable, he gave a swallow about to say something when Satomi gave a light gasp shaking her head about to get to her feet saying;

“Sensei you don’t have to...”

“Please...You cooked...The least I can do is help wash up...” Nino smiled getting to his feet and gathering the plates. Satoshi slowly got to his feet beside him his arm brushing against that of his teachers.

“Sorry...” he said jolting as a wave of electricity buzzed through him making his heart jolt inside his chest. His cheeks went red and he nibbled on the inside of his cheek trying to work out what it was he was feeling. Nino just stared at him for a long time and then smiled turning away from him,

“Come on...” He murmured going into the kitchen saying over his shoulder “I’ll wash, you can dry...”

“Ok-ay...Sensei...” Satoshi said following him through to the tiny kitchenette that was almost too small for two people. The whole apartment was almost too small for the number of people that was already in it, with him in it to it was going to be impossibly tight

*~*~*~*~*~

“Oh-chan... I am sorry about this...” Nino said as he plunged his hands into the soapy water. Satoshi understood what he meant but he decided to play dumb smiling a little as he picked up a tea towel and began to dry the pots as they came out of the sink.

“That’s okay sensei...I don’t mind washing...” He murmured and Nino turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow his mouth in a tight line as he said;

“I mean tricking you...And asking your sister to let you stay...”

“...Sensei...I understand...You’re trying to help me...” Satoshi murmured, it was the truth after all he did understand that more so after what Nino had told him. The teacher hadn’t said much he had shown him the cigarette burns on his chest but he didn’t think that they would be the last of the scars, there was a chance that there as some of the same ones as the ones that covered his own body. But the guilt was still there, his head kept tell him that he should be going home that his mum would need him. Last night she had been drinking heavily so today would be one of the rare days that she would be hung over and weak, she would need him “I... My mum though I can’t stop thinking about what will happen...She needs me...”

“...She needs you...? Oh-chan... You’re her son not her punching bag...” Nino growled and Satoshi flinched hanging his head his hands moving over the plate that he had already dried six times. “Sorry...I didn’t...I shouldn’t have said it like that...”

“Sensei...I... I should go back and talk to her maybe...Maybe convince her that she needs to get help...I...” Satoshi said working himself up again tears where back in his eyes and the only reason they didn’t roll down his cheeks was because Nino was there his face right against their noises touching. “Sens-...”

His words died as the teacher’s mouth covered his in a way that just allowed their skin to touch and for him to feel the burn of another man’s lips on his and then he moved away whispering,

“Tomorrow...Stay here tonight and I will go with you tomorrow...After school...”

“Sensei...I...”

“I won’t go in... I’ll just stay in the car...” Nino told him as he moved away again continuing to wash the pots like nothing had happened. Satoshi wondered if he should just ignore it, pretend that it hadn’t happened but the truth was he didn’t think that he wanted to. His mind was already so confused and he wanted...He wanted to somebody to love him,

“No... Why...Why did you...Kiss...Me?” He asked his voice strangled and the teacher gave a long sigh his eyes closing so tightly that wrinkles formed,

“Sorry...I was being selfish...” He muttered “I shouldn’t have done it...I told myself not to but...Sorry, Oh-chan...”

“...But why?” Satoshi asked his hand going to his lips still feeling the heat of his teacher’s lips. He couldn’t bring himself to look at the other man for too long though as his insides twisted and turned.

“...Because...Even though you keep doing things that aren’t cute, I think that you’re very cute...I have done for a while...” Nino said and Satoshi gave a loud and almost painful gulp his eyes blowing wide as he tried to work out what he was meant to say. He would never have even dreamed that Nino could find him cute let alone want to kiss him. He had never thought about his teacher like that, then again he had never thought of anyone like that his mind had almost always been on his mum and the situation there “Sorry, I was being completely inappropriate, I shouldn’t have done it...I won’t do it again...”

“So... You didn’t mean...It?” Satoshi managed hoping that his first kiss had been taken by somebody that though it was just a joke. Nino shook his head turning to look at him guilt in his eyes, his face pale and pinched,

“No... I meant it...But this...This is the last thing you need right now...I know that better than anyone...” he sighed his voice low so nobody else would be able to hear them through the thin walls “So... If...If you want we can just forget about it...I just want to be your friend and help you through this...Okay?”

“...Sensei...Thank-you...For all you’re doing...Thank-you...” the student said not knowing any other words for the feelings that were inside him right now. Nino gave another smile finishing off the dishes and then drying his hands with a hand towel.

“I’ll do everything I can...” He said with another of his friendly smiles that Satoshi was starting to enjoy “Now you’d better finish drying those and then I’d better get Jun’s baby back to him...”

*~*~*~*~**~

Later that night Satoshi was stretched out on his sisters living room floor looking up at the ceiling his mind whirling around and around with all the things that had happened today. The teacher telling him that he had been in the same situation as him, then the almost break down in the car and then coming here and agreeing to leave his mother, and then finally being told that his teacher, a man that he had thought hated him until a few days ago, liked him and thought that he was cute.

 It seemed to be an impossible thing but it wasn’t something that shocked or disgusted him in fact it made him happy. He rolled onto his side wincing when the pressure hurt his cheek, he brought his hand up and stroked his lips again remembering the brush of the lips against his. It was a stupid situation that he was in. The last thing that he wanted right now was the complication of a love affair with his teacher but it was a nicer thing to think about than the thought of how his mum was going to react when he saw her...His stomach rolled over a little and he quickly pushed over the image of his mother’s angry face to think about Nino’s smiling one. He gave a smile his eyes closing as once more he felt the brush of his teachers lips against his. A lot better thing to think about even if it was impossible.

~*~*~*~*~**

“Fuck! Fuckitey fuck!" Nino swore walking into the apartment and slamming the door closed so hard that the black and white artsy photos on the wall rattled. He kicked off his shoes and pulled on the bright yellow slippers that had pictures of orange suns on the front. He stomped through the hall and then threw open the door of the living room "Fuck it all!" he swore again as he looked at Jun who was sitting on a leather chair, his shirt was open and his tie just hanging around his neck. There was a glass of wine in one hand and a folder open on his lap. His hair was a mess, resting in beautiful spirals around his face. His glasses were perched on his nose and he was looking up at him with a raised eyebrow and a small smile,

"Welcome home...is everything okay?"

"No! I kissed him!" Nino spat kicking the foot stool before folding his arms across his chest as he chewed on his lip. He hadn’t meant to kiss Ohno, he knew that that was the last thing that the boy needed. He had purposely given him Jun’s mobile number because he was trying to distance himself as much as he could and it would have been harder to explain why Satoshi had his private number. Nobody would think it was strange for Jun though. He was already getting the reputation of being one of the top Psychologists in the city he had recently opened his own walk in centre. Every bit of his success was through hard work and long hours. With everything that had been happening to his student he was almost normal for Satoshi to have his friend’s number. He hadn’t talked about counselling with Satoshi yet knowing that it was still too soon.

"...Your student?" Jun asked his second eyebrow lifting in his surprise and Nino nodded sinking down into the chair his hands moving through his hair. He couldn’t believe he had put his own selfish wants over what Satoshi needed. The boy was going through his own personal version of hell the last thing he needed was him wading through and messing him up. “The one that…You like…”

"Yes! Fuck, I don’t know what went through my head…I gave him your number…I swear I wasn’t going to mess with him…” Nino said in a rush his heart fluttering against his ribs as he started to panic his brain swimming with all that had happened. It had been a few years since he had had a panic attack when he felt it wrapping around his body and heart it started to make him panic more,

“Nino…Breathe…In and out…Okay…” Jun said setting his glass and his folder to one side before kneeling in front of him and taking his hands. His thumb lightly trailed up and down over the backs of his hands. Nino rolled his eyes but did as he was told until he started to relax and he gave a loud yawn the tight feeling around his heart completely vanishing “Right, now tell me that again… How did you kiss him?”

“With my lips…” Nino answered managing to recover a little as he gave a smile, Jun rolled his eyes and flicked his forehead as he murmured,

“Nino…”

“Fine…” Nino sighed rubbing his forehead as he tried to list the events right in his mind, he had already told Jun about Ohno’s eye so there was no need to talk about that again. He let out another long sigh his eyes closing before opening again as he took what was left of Jun’s wine and knocked it back. The buzz and burn of the expensive drink made his eyes water for a minute and a strange tingling sensation moved over him as he continued “It was after dinner…After we saw you, I was taking him to that art gallery that you told me about…When we started talking…I told him about me…And my dad…”

“All of it?” Jun cut in with his surprise in his voice and Nino shook his head staring into space. He could understand his friends shock, he never spoke about what happened to him, he didn’t ever want to relive it, the only person that knew the whole truth was Jun but he knew how close he had come to telling Satoshi everything. He wanted to protect the boy so much that if telling him the truth would help he would gladly do so, he guessed that was a sign of how much he cared for the boy.

“No…Not all…But some…” He said chewing on the inside of his cheek, “I would have told him everything though…If he hadn’t broken down and started crying…And telling me that it wasn’t his mums fault…”

“You were going to tell him?” Jun repeated as a question his mouth opening and closing in surprise and Nino gave a tired smile and a nod his fingers through his hair “All of it?”

“Yes…I thought that if…If he knew it would make him feel more comfortable in telling me…”

“I haven’t even met him yet and I like him…” Jun grinned flashing his perfectly straight teeth and Nino rolled his eyes pushing at his friend’s bare chest saying,

“I’m being serious…”

“So am I…” Jun said picking up his hands again and kissing them both lightly filling Nino with warm feeling of love that he always seemed to be craving. Jun had told him that it was because he was so starved of love and attention with his father that now he needed and wanted to be petted and liked, it had been really hard to turn himself into the most hated teacher in school “Kaz’…You’re my best friend and I love you…If you like this kid so much that it makes it so that you can talk about and accept what happened to you…I’ll happily write your wedding vows…”

“Even though he’s my student? And is just as messed up as I am?” Nino mumbled shaking his head before resting it in his hands his eyes closing. Jun gave a laugh and petted his head like a dog, his fingers tangling in the silky nest that needed to be cut.

“You never liked to do things the easy way, Kaz’… I’d have been surprised if you had ended up falling for somebody that wasn’t complicated…” He mumbled and Nino found himself almost glad that he had kissed Ohno, but it was too soon he knew that nothing could happen between them until Satoshi was out of school,

“You don’t think that I’m pushing him too soon? Come on, J, you’re the shrink…You can’t think that it would be healthy for him, in his situation, to have an affair with a teacher…I would just be taking advantage…”

“Hmm…Okay…It is an awkward timing and a difficult situation” Jun agreed and Nino let out a bitter laugh seriously wondering how Jun had made it through his schooling if this was really his opinion on the matter, but he guessed that right now Jun was in his best friend mode rather than Psychologist   but…First things first, what was his reaction?”

“I think he was stunned more than anything else…” Nino sighed flopping back against the chair and resting his head on a cushion “We were at his sister’s apartment we were washing the pots and he was talking about the fact that he had to go home to be with his mum…He was getting almost hysterical and…The only thing I could think of to do was to kiss him…He just stood there looking surprised…He didn’t react at all…Until after he looked confused and...Worried that I was just playing with him…I told him the truth though…That I liked him…”

“You told him that?” Jun mumbled once again surprise was in his face as he looked at him and Nino let out a dead pan laugh and nodded his insides squirming around as he clenched his fists and tried to deal with his frustration.

“Yeah…Right before I told him that I just want to be his friend now...Until he’s ready…I’ve made such a mess of this, haven’t I?” he said feeling miserable as he looked up at the ceiling trying to find a patchy part in the paint but to his frustration it was completely streamlined and smooth just like the rest of the paint work in his friend’s apartment.

 “No…Though I do agree that you should have waited a little…But the fact is…Right now I bet that kiss is the one thing that kept him from falling apart…” Jun answered gently getting to his feet again and Nino’s mouth dropped open, he hadn’t thought about it like that and he hoped that his kissed had helped rather than just added to the confusion “But I wouldn’t make any promises…I suggest you just carry on how you want and then just see what happens naturally…”

“That’s what I said I was going to do...” Nino shrugged, there was no choice of doing anything else he wasn’t going to just leave Satoshi hanging he was going to help him through this, even if Satoshi just decided that he only wanted them to be friends. He gave another sigh and a smile “Thanks, J…”

“You’re welcome…I’ll send you my bill…”

“Add it to my tab…” Nino laughed kissing his friend’s forehead his arms wrapping around his neck as Jun picked him up bridal style and swung him around a few times until they were both laughing like children and slightly dizzy,

“Will do…When you finally pay that off I’m going to be able to retire…” Jun joked as he sat him down on the floor again Nino let out a bark of laughter patting his shoulder admiring his optimism while thinking about what he was going to do tomorrow. An idea formed in his head and he gave a grin looking at his friend,

“Phone in for me tomorrow...I have an idea…”

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Satoshi yawned carefully rubbing eyes. He had not slept as well, after the nice dream about his teacher his dreams had descending into almost nightmares about his mum. In the end, he had stayed awake drawing. He had almost filled a sketchbook before he had realised that all of them had been of his teacher. His mind was still messed up now and he had looked so ill that Satomi wanted him to stay at home but he insisted that he wanted to go to school. He wanted to be near the only person that made him feel comfortable.

“Sato’…I’m not sure…” Satomi started again as she walked over to him rocking the baby backwards and forwards as he let out soft whimpers. Satoshi gave her a smile shaking his head as he picked up his bag and threw it over his shoulder, “You’re not ready…”

“I’ll be fine…Nino…Ninomiya-sensei will make sure I’m okay…He said that he’ll take me to…To m-mums to fetch my stuff…” he said his voice trembling just a little as he talked about his mother and Satomi let out a sigh pacing backwards and forwards.

“Ninomiya-sensei…He seems like a good guy…” she mused and Satoshi found himself nodding along, something he wouldn’t have even dreamed about doing a few days ago. Nino was a good guy, the best kind of guy. “Yeah, he’s really young looking…Cute…”

 “He is…I have to go…” Satoshi said hurrying out of the room before he had realised that he had just admitted to his sister that he thought his teacher was cute. He hurried out of the apartment hurrying down the steps until he came to a screeching stop when he saw his teacher standing in front of his beat-up car a cigarette in his mouth his arms folded over his chest. He was wearing a simple pair of stonewashed blue jean and a dark blue almost black turtleneck jumper. His hair was rumpled and there were faint shadows around his eyes like he hadn’t slept either. Recovering a little he hitched up his bag and ran over to him “Sensei what are you doing here?”

“We’re having a ditch day...” Nino grinned stubbing his cigarette out and opening the car door. The words stunned him and then Satoshi blinked rapidly in surprise gawping like a fish for a moment before he managed to find his voice though when he tried to use it, it was a strangled half sentence;

“Wha…But sensei…” He gurgled a little and Nino chuckled stroking the cuts around his eyes, Satoshi was tempted to sigh with happiness at the sensation but it was gone before he could enjoy it.

“Don’t worry I’ll make sure you do something educational…But fun…After you help me pick out a new car…” The told him continuing to grin a little like the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland. Ohno’s eyebrows knitted together for a minute and then he gave a smile his body relaxing. His heart was pulsing happily at the thought of being able to spend the whole day with his teacher.

“…You…Aren't you meant to be a teacher?” He asked getting into the car as Nino headed around to the other side and let out a laugh,

“I am a teacher but even we like to take sick days…” he said as he climbed into the driver’s seat “My doctor phone in for me…He’ll sign in for you later… Apparently, we have the same 24hr bug, must have been because we were in detention together…”

“Thank-you, sensei…” The student said his cheeks blushing a little as he rolled his shoulders “I know that you don’t have to do all of this for me…”

“You’re right I don’t have to do this, in fact I could get into some hot water if it’s found out that I have done this, but I want to do it Oh-chan…” Nino told him seriously his hands gripping the stirring wheel a little tighter as he looked at him, the smile never once leaving his face. His eyes were so sincere about this that the teenager felt all the air being forced out of his body in a rush and just continued to smile back too choked, and lost, to figure out what he was meant to say “I want to spend time with you and judging by those serious bags under your eyes you’re not ready to go into school today…And I really want a new car…”

“…Y-Your friend gave you the money?” Satoshi asked chuckling, glad that his teacher had made the joke to help dispel the warm and pleasant tension that had started to gather. Nino laughed starting the car and sending them forward with a splutter from the engine that almost sounded like a human cough,

“That didn’t sound too good…” Nino said with a worried frown his eyebrows knitting together a little as he pulled out on to the main road “Yup…He was glad that I was finally sending this thing to the scrap heap…”

“It looks like it has seen better day’s sensei…” Satoshi agreed looking around the inside of the car. It was an old model, very old, he didn't know much about cars but he could tell that and he was very surprised that it could be on the road. There were stains and marks all over the black plastic that was pretending to be leather and the back windows still hand cranks or what was left of them.

“It’s always looked like this…" Nino mumbled distantly as they pulled up at a traffic light his hand running up and down the stirring wheel. Satoshi was positive that there was some hidden emotion in his teacher’s voice but he couldn't, for the life of him, think what it was.

"I guess it's time for you to get rid of it then..."

"Do you know that I've more than likely spent a fortune on this thing?" Nino asked with a laugh and Satoshi shook his head from side to side "I think that I've spent what it would cost me for a new one to keep this legal to drive on the road...But you’re right the time has come….”

“Wow sensei you must really love your car…” Satoshi said feeling a stab of guilt in his heart but it quickly softened when Nino reach over a hand and nudged his arm.

"Thanks for the concern but, Nah... It’s just a car…I’m just too lazy to replace it…” he quipped and Satoshi tensed his eyebrows knitting together. There was more to it than that and although he wanted to just let it rest he didn’t think that he could. Nino was risking so much to help him and he knew that he was still going through a lot and he wanted to be able to help him in return even if it was useless.

"Sensei…I think that you’re lying to me…” He whispered giving a gulp when Nino’s smile fell away and the skin around his eyes tightened. He was positive that he had said too much. He gulped his Adam’s apple bobbing frantically “…I’m so….”

“Don’t be sorry…You’re right…” Nino said risking a glance at him to smile his hand sliding over his cheek briefly before pulling into a large car park that was attached to a dealership. Satoshi looked around at all the cars that were lined and saw that all or most were the same or similar cars to the one that Nino’s Jun drove. The teacher parked up with a squeak and then turned around to face him tapping his key against the wheel “There is more to this car than I’m telling you...But, since I’m trying to pry into your personal life…And I want to be honest with you I want to tell you, if you want to listen?”

“Sensei…You don’t have to tell me…” Satoshi murmured trying to back track as he looked at the key ring his stomach churning around and around like a washing machine at the picture that was being shown. It was of the teacher with his friend they looked younger, or at least he thought so with the teacher it was hard to tell, they had their arms wrapped around each other and their cheeks were rubbing together. They looked so happy and intimate that it seemed impossible that they weren’t involved

“Yes I do…Because how else would you ever learn to trust me? I haven’t given you any other reason…This is the car that saved my life….”

*~*~*~*~*~

Nino bought his arm up so his elbow was against the steering wheel and his hand was buried in his hair. He hadn’t planned on telling this story but since Satoshi had asked he couldn’t keep it from him. He was already having some serious issues in letting this car go. He hated it and knew that if he kept driving around in it that one day it was going to end up killing him but there were a lot of emotions tangled up in it. Jun had almost cried when he had asked him to loan the money. He had wanted to be here but Nino wanted it to be just him and Ohno. His friend could be there when it was finally gone but for some reason he wanted Satoshi to help pick out his new car. He ran his fingers up and down over the steering wheel squeezing his eyes shut as he took a few jagged breaths that tore through his nose and rattled his ribcage. The memory in his head was so vivid he could almost feel the pain that he had been in when he had first been inside this car.

He opened his eyes slowly and was immediately surprised by the fact that he could open them at all. For a moment, everything felt calm like he was floating a little bit. There was something directly above him, a dark grey water mark, he thought that it looked like a dog with outstretched wings. He smiled trying to reach out to it and then he coughed. Something wet and thick filled his throat and threw him into a panic. He thrashed around for a minute but arms held him. They were safe arms, warm and there was a soothing voice in his ear.

“It’s okay, Nino…” the voice said as he tilted his aching broken body a little so that he could spit out the liquid, that he had just realised was blood, out of his lungs.

“Sensei…Nino…” A voice called to him, for a moment he thought that it was in his memory but it was different. It wasn’t Jun’s voice but a softer one. “Ninomiya-sensei..."

“…Huh?” Nino muttered his eyes flying open as a hand landed on his shoulder and shook him. Nino’s head whipped around so quickly he almost gave himself whiplash and found that Satoshi was staring at him, his face white with concern and his hand up like he was waving, and Nino blinking rapidly to force the memory away “Sorry…I was miles away…Right, where was I?”

Nino coughed a little and then pulled a cigarette from the pack in his pocket and then sighed happily as the bitter smoke filled his lungs. One day he would quit but now he didn’t care about himself, he did feel guilty when Satoshi gave a cough and he quickly put it out again opening the window as he apologised.

“It’s okay…” Satoshi murmured with a weak smile and Nino gave a smile of his own stroking the cuts around his eye hating the woman that had made them as much as he hated his father. He watched as the teenagers smooth and slightly chubby cheeks grew a warm rosy red colour.

“Sorry…I wasn’t thinking…I wouldn’t want to risk you like that…” He whispered and the cheek grew hot against his hand. With a chuckle, he let it slip away and then gave a sigh deciding that it was now or never to tell him the story, “My dad was an alcoholic…And he was nasty as fuck with it…Not that when he wasn’t drunk he was a nice guy. I think the drink just gave him an excise to go all out…But I do think it must have come down from his dad, they had a very specific idea of what a man should be like and well right from when I was young…I wasn’t the ideal son. I tried to be…I tried to fit in with what he wanted, when I was really young I played baseball, we went to games together and stuff but then as I got older…” The teacher trailed off for a moment having to swallow a few lumps down. Those almost happy times of him and his dad at the game had always been the reasons that he had never tried to run away. Why he had always stayed and made excuses, even now it cut like a knife to think about those happy days. No matter what though he knew that those days weren’t a lie “…When I got into high school…I started liking music and drama…I stopped playing on the team to go to a music teacher…I didn’t think it would matter, my dad was too far gone to care at that point…But I was wrong…Somebody at the bar told him that I’d quit…That I was now doing recitals…When I got home that night he was the worst I’d ever seen him I should have ran the moment I walked into the apartment but I didn’t. He beat me until I wasn’t conscious anymore…”

“Sensei…” Satoshi whispered tearfully and Nino reached out and took his students hand holding it gently his thumb moving gently over the boy’s skin as he gave him a smile and continued his story.

“The next bit I don’t remember but Jun told me…He’d tried ringing me but couldn’t get through…He had a bad feeling, he says, and so he came to visit. When he arrived all, he saw was me on the floor with my dad looming over me. It didn’t take him long to see what was happening…He pushed my dad, he pushed him so hard that he hit his head on the counter…It didn’t stop him but it stunned him for long enough to allow Jun time to drag me out…He was tiny back then I don’t know where he got the strength from…He pulled me out of the apartment and then flagged down a car…When I woke up I was in this car…” Nino sighed looking around and nodding into the back “There’s a stain on the ceiling above the window I remember looking up at it thinking that it looked like a dog with wings…After that I never had to go back…Jun’s parents took me in…The became my family, in fact I call them mum and dad…” He ended with a smile pulling down the sun visor and showing the picture that was stuck there. It was him, Jun and his parents. It had been taken on the New Year of the same year he’d almost died, the year that he had gotten away. Never would he be able to repay all they had done for him and were still doing for him over the years but he was going to do his best. Satoshi smiled a little his eyes still shining with the tears that he had started to shed the moment Nino had started telling his story and Nino dug around in his glove box for a little packet of tissues. “Here…”

“Thank…Thank-you…” He swallowed clutching the tissue to his eyes his shoulders shaking a little. Nino smiled leaning over and hugging him tightly pressing his lips to the top of his head as he rocked him back and forth. They stayed that way for a while, time ticking away, until slowly Satoshi asked “So how…How did you end up with this car?”

“…The man that Jun flagged down” Nino answered slowly trying not to enjoy the feel of Satoshi being in his arms. It was a hard thing though, it felt amazing, his heart fluttering against his ribs. He swallowed again and cleared his throat his hand moving up and down his back “…I stayed in touch with him he told me that he was getting rid of the car I brought it for 5000…”

“…That was all?” Satoshi whispered with a wet sounding chuckle that Nino returned placing another kiss on his head.

“Yeah…The guy didn’t even want to charge me that but…I dunno…I just had to have this car and that was the money that I had in my pocket at the time…” Nino sighed “I guess you think that’s weird…”

“...No…I think I understand…” The boy told him pulling out of his arms and Nino smiled once again stroking his cheek.

“Yeah…But now it’s time to let go…Now come on...I want a new shiny car…”

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Satoshi hung back, smiling to himself as the teacher haggled with the dealer for the car that they had picked out. He couldn’t believe how much Nino had asked for his opinion, in fact the car he had settled on was the one that he had liked the most, it had driven like a whisper during their test run and had clung to the road. There was something so nice about having his opinion mattering and he suspected that Nino knew that, hearing the older man’s whole story had left him with an ache in his heart but also an uncomfortable knot that had sat heavily in the centre of his chest. He didn’t want to admit it but a small part of him could easily see where it would be him in front of his mother bleeding and bloody and, until now, he didn’t think that anyone would have been there to save him.

“Oh-chan…Ready to go?” Nino asked coming up to him and sliding his arm around him his hand resting in the centre of his back feeling like a comfortable warm weight making his smile widen even further as he asked;

“Are you done?”                                               

“Yeah” Nino nodded grinning brightly as they walked out into the warm air before saying with happiness filling his voice “I got them to take of 434,000.00 yen”

“How’d you manage that?” Satoshi said whistling loudly very impressed. He had never once argued or bargained with anyone before always choosing to pay what was offered, in fact he had never met anyone that would have argued for that much. Nino gave a laugh his hand moving up and down his back as his other hand moved over the shiny bonnet of the car he had just brought.

“You should never be afraid to ask for something…He wanted to make the sale and I didn’t want to lose all the money so in the end it worked out fine…” He told him with a shrug and Satoshi nodded slowly happy but embarrassed that the teacher hadn’t moved away from him. “Come on, that took us longer than I wanted but we can still enjoy our skip day…I have somewhere I want to take you...”

“…I didn’t mind, I enjoyed helping…Your car means so much to you…” The student murmured honestly, he could only imagine how much it would be costing him emotionally to give it up but Nino just gave a chuckle and rubbed the back of his neck as he led him over to his beat-up car,

“It does but…This one will mean as much, since you’re the one that helped pick it…” He told him in a voice that caused him to blush to the roots of his hair. His heart did a weird jolt and then sank to the bottom of his stomach before jumping up to his throat tears came to his eyes again stinging them painfully since they were already sore from the earlier bout of crying and he was glad when he was pulled into a hug Nino’s lips pressing against his neck as he swayed him gently from side to side “…It’s okay, don’t try and hold them in, if you feel like crying, cry okay?”

“You won’t think me less of a man?” Satoshi mumbled through his sobs and Nino chuckled kissing his neck again. He blushed again, he could feel his cheeks burning, but he couldn’t help it. His mother had always told him that it was unmanly to cry and even his sister had said the same when she had tried to comfort him. Nino shook his head and kissed his neck lightly his arms squeezing him as his hands slipped under his shirt fingers tickling at his skin as he told him;

“Nope, I’ve never really been able to do it…I find it incredibly manly when men cry…Sexy too…”

“Sensei…” Satoshi whined laughing as his skin prickling at the tickles that ran through his body he wiggled around but Nino held him with surprising strength continuing to tease at his skin.

“What? I can’t help it…” Nino snorted pulling away so he could look at him in the face his thumbs stroking his cheeks and stemming the flow of his tears as very lightly he pressed a kiss to his lips. It was a light kiss, just warm skin against skin but he felt the light probe of a tongue capturing the liquid that had come from his eyes. Soon Nino pulled away smirking as his tongue moved over his own lips as he whispered “Very sexy…”

“…Sen…Sensei!” Satoshi cried reaching out with a shaky hand and pushing him backwards his face feeling like it was on fire his lips still buzzing from the kiss. Nino gave a laugh unlocking the car and opening the door for him.

“Come on Oh-chan…”

Satoshi settled into the uncomfortable seat and then focused on the road as he tried to read his own feelings. In his dreams, he was with Nino and he liked it but he couldn’t face it not yet he could only hope that Nino would wait for him to sort of his mind and his heart. He cast a look over at Nino who was completely focused on driving. He liked his teacher, even when he thought he was horrible he had thought that he was attractive and now with him being so nice to him he knew that it wouldn’t take much for him to fall in love with him completely with all his heart but he was terrified of what he was feeling.

“Sensei…” He said softly hoping that Nino wouldn’t order him to be silent while he was driving, he hadn’t before but it was something that always bothered his mother. He could picture the way her hands would tighten on the wheel and her face would close in on itself before she would rant a rave at him the car swerving and swaying around the road as she told him over and over not to distract her. Nino’s face didn’t tighten he just gave a smile and gave him a glance;

“Huh?”

“Um…Where are we going?” He asked not recognising the road they were on or the part of town that they were in. Nino gave another smile and stopped at a set of traffic lights before he turned to look at him;

“I guess I can tell you, there’s a gallery in the next town…I thought that you might enjoy it since everyone tells me that you’re an amazing artist…”

“I’m not…I’m not that good…” Satoshi stammered his cheeks flushing brightly as he squirmed around in the uncomfortable seat. A spring dug painfully into his back and he shifted again dislodging it as Nino shook his head.

“Even the art teacher Jiro-sensei tells me that you’re amazing and since he barely compliments anyone he must think that you’re amazing…” The teacher said almost sternly as he started up the car again and pulling off from the lights as soon as they changed to green. “…Besides you can’t say that anyway as I’ve seen your artwork and I know for a fact that you’re incredible…”

“Sensei…” Satoshi said falling silent as embarrassment ran riot through his body. A small smile came to his lips though and a happy bubble forming up inside of him. They talked about unimportant things for the rest of the drive, Nino about a game that he was playing on and Satoshi about his sister and the games that they would play when they were younger. Both were laughing when they pulled up outside an old-fashioned building. It looked almost like a temple instead of an art gallery and obscenely expensive and Satoshi worried at his lip as he got out of the car wondering if he looked okay. “Um…Sensei…Do…Do I look okay?”

“Yes…” Nino answered swiftly coming to stand beside him taking his hand and linking their fingers “You look amazing…Never think that you’re anything less than perfect…Come on…One day your artwork will be housed here you won’t be able to act all shy and nervous about it…”

*~*~*~*~*~*

Satoshi stared in slack jawed amazement at all the paintings and instillations that were around the room. They were so varied in what they were showing that he couldn't follow what he was meant to be looking at, the was a clay model of a hand it was as big as he was and had been painstakingly painted so that all the texture and veins showed through so it looked alive. It felt as if he reached out and touched it, it would feel warm. In another section, there was a perfectly painted picture of a human eyeball, it was so detailed that if he tilted his head around it appeared to glisten as if it was coated with fluid. Other more abstract pieces lay scattered and connecting them all, flowing around the room, were ribbons that were attached to each piece their deep red and blues contrasting with the stark white of the room. Satoshi studied each piece flowing the ribbons twisting and turning as they did but it still wasn't obvious what the artist was trying to attach until he was up a small slope at the end and looked out over it all.

Satoshi whistled loudly as he saw it, the impression of a giant being dissected, and the red and blue ribbons being its veins. In the face of the giant he could see the pain and confusion telling him that it was alive as it was being cut apart. Satoshi was transfixed by the tortured look on the face. The pain that he felt inside was echoed in that face and it moved him more than he could possibly say while at the same time creeping him out.

“Well that’s morbid…” Nino muttered beside him letting out a whistle as he looked around at the giant. Satoshi turned to look at the teacher and could instantly tell that his enthusiasm wasn’t shared. Nino caught his look and then smiled as he gave a helpless little shrug “What...? I get that you artists are all beautifully tortured souls but…c’mon, couldn’t you all just paint happy things…?”

“It doesn’t always work like that…When you feel depressed…It just comes out…” Satoshi stopped with a blush his fingers moving through his hair as he shifted around his stomach churning a little “I mean…Um…I’m not…Um…Like a real artist...”

“Satoshi…You’re a real artist…” Nino smiled his arm slipping around his shoulders his cheek pressing to the top of his head “You might not have had a show yet but you’re an artist…I just hope that when you do yours will reflect the beauty of life…”

“…Sensei how…Did you let it go?” Satoshi asked gesturing a little and hoping that Nino knew what he meant. He guessed that he did from the way that he gave a smile playing around with his ear lobe before saying;

“I haven’t not really and I don’t think that you do, you just take life one day at a time. It still hurts, the pain is never too far away but you deal with it the best way that you can…And then, if you’re lucky, you have really good friends that support you no matter what…”

“I…Don’t think that I have friends like that…” Satoshi admitted his two friends face filtering in front of his eyes for a moment. They were good friends that had been with him through a lot of hard times but neither of them knew it. Both had tried to get him to talk about what was troubling him but never once had he could tell them too fearful that they would leave him and now that they were obviously growing closer the last thing that they needed was a third wheel hanging around with them, more so one that would just be bringing them down, it was a lonely thought but he one that he would accept if it meant they were happy.

“What about those two that are always with you…Sakurai Sho and Aiba Masaki?” Nino mused and Satoshi blinked wondering if the sharp-eyed teacher could read his mind. It wouldn’t be the first time that he had thought that, in fact Nino had a reputation for it in the school, even though he knew that it was impossible. Satoshi looked away from the deep stare and turned to look back over the giant as he mumbled;

“…I think that they have…Started dating…They don’t need me hanging around…”

“Don’t you think that the choice is up to them?” Nino asked gently his hand going down to grip the metal bar that ran around the slope and nudging at his arm “I’m not telling you what you should do but I’ve seen you with them…And I can’t tell you that I think they are the kinds of friends that will stick around…No matter what…But if you don’t think that you can talk to them…You can talk to me…Or…My friend Jun...The number I gave you…”

“Wouldn’t he think that it’s strange?” Satoshi asked in surprise and Nino let out a laugh shaking his head rapidly as he reached up and played around with his hair and ear again. It was such a sweet feeling touch and Satoshi found himself rubbing against the hand and letting out a soft sigh that sounded like a cat’s purr. He blushed but he was happy when Nino gave a wide smile continuing his action as he told him;

“No…I should explain that he’s a fully trained Psychologist, he’s trained to deal with this…”

“Because…Of you?” Satoshi asked thoughtfully, it would make sense after everything that had happened between them and the boy thought that it was almost sweet that he cared so much.

“…Yes, or at least a part of it, some of it was because of what happened to him” Nino nodded with another light laugh “I’ve never spoken to him like that but I know that he’ll be good and he’ll help you…Only if you feel like you want that…”

“…I do…I do want to talk to somebody sensei…” Satoshi told him turning around to rest his back against the banister away from the morbid image. His head and his heart was messed up, at the moment it all felt like a surreal dream that he was sure going to wake up soon and he was going to be terrified when that happened but he couldn’t begin to believe “But…I’m scared…Everything is happing all at once…Yesterday…I was with my mum…And now…I’m here with you and you’re being so nice and…I…I don’t want to lose you…I’m scared that I…If I keep telling you things that…That you’ll start to realise that I deserved it…”

“You didn’t deserve it” Nino snapped almost harshly before relaxing again and stepping up close to him and kissing him gently on the forehead “And you’re not going to lose me…I’m too stubborn to let you go I’ve pretty much already told you that…”

“…Sensei…”

“Kazu…Please…I keep telling you…Come on I told you this giant thing was morbid…Making you think all these pointlessly depressing things when I was trying to make you happy…”

“You have sensei…Today has made me happy…Happier than I’ve been in a long time….” Satoshi told him honestly his cheeks glowing just a little. Nino laughed again patting his cheek as he whistled;

“Wow, you’re a cheap date Oh-chan, my perfect match…Now I bet you’re hungry…There’s a burger bar around here somewhere or at least I'm sure I saw one on our way in..."

Satoshi opened his mouth about to protest to tell him that his mum wouldn't approve of him eating junk food but she wasn't here and he couldn't think of anything better than sharing a burger with his teacher as he thought about what he was going to do about Masaki and Sakurai.

"Sensei?" He murmured as they walked back through the strange art display, that was a little creepy now that he knew what it was, and Nino hummed his head tilting to one side to show that he was listening, "Um will you be there when I tell Masaki and Sakurai?"
"If you want me there, I'll be there but you don't have to rush..."

"No... I haven't decided when I just...I just want to know that you would be there..." Satoshi admitted in a hushed whisper taking the teachers hand in his as Nino reached out to him. Nino linked their fingers and then held up their joined hands promising him;

"Whenever you tell them I'll be there...I promise..."

Part Three: http://krystalkatzfics.livejournal.com/1164466.html