krystalkatzficz | My Demon Boss and Other Annoyances part 58

Satoshi studied Nino’s face as Junichi handed over the envelope. It was clear to him that the younger man was barely clinging on to his motions, rather like a spring that had been wound too tightly, his eyes had glazed over, and his cheeks paled. His lips, swollen and pink from their kissing, were now being chewed frantically between his teeth as though he was struggling not to scream. It was an expression that he knew well as he had felt the same whenever presented with a photo or a video of his sister. Nino’s mother had been dead for barely a year, but Satoshi suspected that he hadn’t had much time for grieving.

“Kazunari” He called, and the man looked at him with an expression that reminded him of a broken child. The glazed expression in his eyes was almost watery now. Satoshi wanted to wrap him in his arms and tell him that everything would be okay, but he knew that that wasn’t possible. He was not that person, not yet, but he did want to help him in any small way that he could.

“Y-yes…?”

“Rupert is being fussy, you should play with him a little and tire him out” He coaxed glad that the most mobile of the pups was letting out little squeaks and whines obviously not happy that he had been placed in the basket. It might not have been a grand romantic gesture, but it had the effect he wanted. Nino sucked up a breath and then cleared his throat before hurrying around the desk and dropping to the floor. The Matsumoto’s looked baffled, Jun even more than Junichi, but Satoshi ignored them and reached out to let his fingers run under Nino’s hair on his neck. Nino relaxed under his touch, though Satoshi supposed that have more to do with the fact that he was playing with the puppy.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you” Junichi apologised softly realising that his gift might have been more than a little overwhelming for Nino. “Your mother insisted…”

“It’s fine, I just, I just wasn’t expecting it. I haven’t been able to look at photos at the moment” Nino admitted sounding guilty for doing so. Satoshi could understand him completely however. It was easier that way, easier to pretend that they weren’t really gone for good. It had taken him years to look at his sister but when he had wanted her portrait in the animal shelter there had been nothing else for it. “She wouldn’t want me to be upset, I know that but…”

“You can’t control your feelings, Kazunari, of course, you’re allowed to be upset” Satoshi murmured before either of the Matsumoto’s could say anything. His fingers lightly trailed over the younger man’s neck again before becoming serious as peering at the man in front of him. “I think that we should go over the details. We are coming close to the final paperwork…”

“Yes, I’m sure Jun will be eager to start sorting out his own company” Junichi chuckled looking at his son who was still looking at Nino’s head behind the desk. Satoshi knew that it would be confusing, but he smiled a little as Nino pressed his face into Rupert’s little chest.

“Nino, what the hell are you doing?”

“Playing with Rupert” Nino answered with a frown looking at his friend over the desk before slowly holding up the puppy. Satoshi was rather surprised by the reaction of the ‘cool’ younger Matsumoto. His normally harsh expression transformed into one of pure joy as he saw the little puppy and a strangled squeak spilled out of his mouth.

“You have a puppy? Where did you get a puppy? Aww he’s so cute…Rupert?”

“Satoshi named him” Nino answered with a shrug at the final question before slowly getting up off the floor, so his friend could get a better look. “We have four puppies, Misha, Rupert, Bingo, and Pippin. We found them near Satoshi’s house the day after the big snow storm. Satoshi took them in. He’s cute right? We’re keeping him and Misha”

“And Bingo and Pippin?”

“Sakurai-san will be given one and I was going to ask you…”

“Yes!” Jun answered before the question was even fully out of Nino’s mouth and Satoshi chuckled remembering what Nino had said about Jun liking animals. “They might be too young to hate me yet”

“They’re too young to leave yet, we’re having to bottle feed them at the moment” Nino explained dropping back down behind the desk with Jun leaving Satoshi and Junichi to stare almost awkwardly at each other. Junichi was amused, more so when Jun started to wax poetic about the puppies and Satoshi figured that both Nino and Jun would be lost for the rest of the meeting. Trying to regain some sense of calm and order by coaxing the older man into a conversation.

Eventually they were able to go through the same paperwork he had told Nino about and Junichi was extremely pleased though Satoshi could tell that he was a little sad that soon he would be handing over his life’s work.

“I do intend to keep the business the same as possible. We have offered the staff there the option to stay on and they have for the most part agreed” Satoshi hummed hoping that would somewhat reassure the man. He had always been bad at this part. He didn’t have the ability to reassure people the way that Sho did. Junichi gave a smile and a small nod humming out a small tune before looking at him with a piercing look.

“I understand that, and I am grateful for it but I suppose that I am having a little difficulty letting go”

“Extremely understandable, Matsumoto-san…”

“Junichi, please, if you are marrying Kazu, who I consider to be my second son…”

“…” Satoshi didn’t know how to respond to that. He and Nino hadn’t even started dating properly yet there hadn’t even been a mention of marriage.

“I see that I was jumping the gun a little, but I assumed…With the child…But I see that you haven’t quite gotten that far yet”

“Not yet”

“We’ve only been having fun” Nino muttered from behind his desk where he had succeeded in getting Rupert to sleep but hadn’t bothered putting him back in the basket yet choosing to sit with him tucked under his chin.

“I see, then I’m sorry, but I would still like you to call me, Junichi” Junichi told him, and Satoshi felt his lip curl into an almost smile before nodding. “I would also like to invite you both to dinner some time next week. Nothing fancy, just a family meal”

“Thank-you” Satoshi looked down at Nino who gave a nod chewing on his lower lip. Satoshi gave a little smile telling him that he was just as confused by all of this as Nino was. He hadn’t thought about what the Matsumoto’s would think about it all but he supposed that it was only natural that the older would worry about Nino when he treated him as a second son. “We would be happy to accept…”

“Excellent”

TBC

A/N: Hmmm….I really hope that this is okay ^_^

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

jkc80

I like the Matsumoto’s making sure nino knows he still has a family

reveetoile

The Matsumoto's are a great family for Nino to have. He really isn't alone ^^ very nice

bearmiya

Well, it's too early to think of marriage when nino hasn't sorted his feeling yet. But, hopefully will be better for ohmiya.

jun's reaction to the puppy is really cute!

Thank u for writing :)

hsiahsirafzi

just happy for the update
thank youuuu

yumi_usagi

Junichi is so nice! I’m glad 4 of them are getting along well. I’m sure the dinner will be pleasant and they can consider to be a family.
Poor Nino still sad about hos mother.
Thanks for sharing!

Edited Date: 2018-02-25 05:07 pm (UTC)