Pairing: Masao Inaba/Kei Nanjo (Starts off as Masao Inaba & Kei Nanjo)
Note: There are minor edits from the original AO3 posting. And in the original posting on AO3 I stated in the additional tags that this is two ficlets that make up one story. This is still the case even now, but now it's just...one big story. Also, when you see Elly speaking in random italics, that's mean she speaking English.If Nanjo has to be honest with himself, he wasn't sure why he began walking out of school with Masao. He couldn't stand the teenager's babbling about his family, his so call art, anything that came from his loud mouth. However, he gotten use to the white noise in the background, and when Nanjo couldn't find Masao when school ended one day (Uesugi told him he was walking with someone else), his absent bothered Nanjo.
(Not like Nanjo would ever admit it to Masao though.)
Nanjo ended up walking out with Elly as a result. Elly was a lovely, intelligent, and graceful girl. Granted, her love of the occult made him realize she was just as different like everyone else.
"I just wish he would have just told me before hand," Nanjo said to Elly, explaining why he was walking outside of school with her instead of his usual company. "I wonder if I said something wrong yesterday. Was he upset about how no one will have a crush on him?"
"I don't think so," answered Elly. "Mark told me about it, and he didn't seem bothered by it at all. Besides, you two say sharper things than that at each other."
"If I didn't say anything more offensive than usual, why did he walk out with someone else? He could have at least told Uesugi a reason why he couldn't walk out with me as usual." Nanjo gave a sigh of frustration, just as he reached his limo.
"Brown told you that?" asked Elly, covering her mouth with her free hand. "Oh dear."
Nanjo stops mid-way getting into his seat. "What's wrong?"
"Just find me tomorrow during lunch. We need to find Brown together. Let's hope we get to him before Mark does."
The next day, the two search for several minutes before they were force into hiding in the gym storage room when Uesugi and Masao enter the gym together (how they weren't caught was beyond them). Elly left the door slightly open so the two could overhear what they were saying.
"Oh no," moaned Elly. "This isn’t good."
"You did what exactly?" Masao yelled to Uesugi harshly. He was seconds away of wanting to strangle the other teenager.
"I did you a favor!" exclaimed Uesugi. "I mean, this was the best way to prove that Nanjo has a crush on you."
"He doesn't have a crush on me, you moron! Are you wearing those things too tight or something?" snapped Masao, trying to pull the headwear off Uesugi in retaliation.
"Don't touch them!" Uesugi pushed Masao away from him. "And yes, he does! I could tell from the pathetic looks in his eyes. It's the same look you had when you were crushing on Maki!"
"The look that you saw was of disappointment in a friend," answered Masao. "Now thanks to you, I have to go grovel on my knees for his forgiveness like a freaking peasant!"
"I'm telling you! He has a crush on you!" Usesugi said, as the two began to leave.
Nanjo and Elly were silent for a minute before Elly opened the door.
"What was that about?" asked Nanjo.
"Brown was there when Mark told me about your conversation with him. When Mark left, Brown did that stereotypical villain rubbing hands due to an evil plan motion, saying that he has a way to prove to Mark that someone does a crush on him," explained Elly, rubbing her temples. "I didn't think Brown assumed it was you, of all people."
Nanjo slumped down onto the ground. "I don't think Masao would walk with me again after this."
Elly sat down next to Nanjo, and give him a small comforting pat on the shoulder. "Cheer up. Mark would just brush it off and things will go back to normal. You'll see."
Elly was right about that. When school was over, Masao ran up to Nanjo to apologize about 'walking' home with someone else. Nanjo forgave him after Masao got onto his knees to beg, and the two went back to their regular routine.
It wasn't until a little after Nanjo started calling Masao ‘Mark’ did Nanjo realizes he does have feelings for him. Elly ended up laughing at him when he confined to her.
"Oh, if Brown could hear you now," laughed Elly, covering her mouth with her hands.
"Well he won't," stated Nanjo. "If Mark doesn't need to know about this childish crush, then neither does Brown."
(Nanjo did a good job of suppressing his feelings for the next several years. It helps that Mark lived in another continent.)
Nanjo opens his closet door, grabbing the thin blankets from the top shelf. He wasn't sure why Mark was staying in his apartment for the night. Actually, Nanjo partly knew the answer to that. Mark just came back from New York, and the man thought it would be a great idea to crash at his place without any warning before hand.
("All the hotels I check were book," explained Mark, giving Nanjo a cheeky smile as he sat down on the sofa. "So I figure it would be great to see my old friend from high school.")
This is why Nanjo is gathering blankets from his bedroom's closet for the dumb ape. His place didn't have an extra room -as it should be, since it was meant for one person only- so Mark would have to sleep on the sofa. Now, it was obvious Nanjo could have found him a hotel with a free room. If he has to be honest to himself, truthfully this time, Nanjo misses Mark's company. He misses the white noise in the background. He misses his friend.
The surprised visit Mark did a year ago ended terribly. As a result, their relationship regressed back to their high school days before the Sebec incident. If Nanjo ever did want to admit his feelings for the other man (which he swore he won't), he lost that chance.
It could have been avoid if you told him before it happened, nagged a voice in Nanjo's head. Nanjo quickly shuts it off as he made his way back to Mark, who was sleeping as he was sitting. His ridiculous yellow beanie was on the floor, and his suitcase was on its side. The man picks it up and put it near the end of the sofa. As for the hat, he left it on the floor.
Nanjo stares at the sleeping figure. He misses Mark. He also likes Mark. The real question that was bothering Nanjo was why Mark wanted to stay with him, let alone wanting to see him again. That surprised visited ended with Mark leaving in anger...and embarrassment.
"So I pretty much wasted my time and money just to visit a guy that doesn't want to see me. If that’s the case, I'll leave then!" shouted Mark, trying his best to hail a taxi. "Fuck you, and don't ever contact me again!"
"That's a funny idea. You wanting to fuck me," retorted back Nanjo. "Like that will happen!"
"Yeah, I figure that much going by today's disaster!" yelled Mark, his fists close tight. "To think that I'm was dumb enough to believe we even had a chance of being a couple!"
Nanjo froze, unsure what to say next. A taxi then stopped right near Mark. How convenient.
Any sane person will say they would never want to see the other person again. Nanjo, however, was dealing with Mark. Mark, for whatever reason, wanted to see him again after that humiliating fight...confession...whatever that was.
Nanjo was about to cover the man with the blankets when he stirred awake. Mark stretches out his arms, and gave out a big yawn. The two of them stared at each other, with no one saying a word.
"You honestly should have stayed asleep." Nanjo threw the blankets over Mark's face, and sat down next to him with his arms cross together. "Now I have to hear you babbling all night long."
Mark didn't say anything, only wrapping the blankets around himself.
"Well, come on. Babble away!"
"I'm sorry about what I said to you last year," blurted out Mark, looking straight at Nanjo as he did so. "That was honestly the dumbest thing I could ever say. I know I said a lot of stupid things in my life, but you know it's saying something if I admit to fucking it up."
Nanjo wanted to say something (like, you know, an apology), but words couldn’t come out.
"I mean, you're honestly use to what comes out of my big mouth," continued Mark, waving both of his hands in the air. "But let me tell you I was shock that you just let me made a complete idiot of myself. I guess I deserved it though. I was out of line."
"Mark." Nanjo was clenching his hands together.
"But you were out of line too! I know you like to see me make a fool out of myself, but that was just a new low, even for you!" Mark was still rambling on, not realizing that Nanjo was grabbing him by the shoulders, "I mean, I flat out said I wanted us to be a couple, like, full out romance and stuff, and there you were, standing in the middle of the street like a god damn statu-"
There are many different ways of getting someone to shut up. Slapping them is one way, but it’s not recommended. Another way is to press your lips against their. And that's what Nanjo did.
"I can’t believe I'm in love with an idiotic monkey like you," confessed Nanjo to Mark after pulling away.
Mark shrugged his shoulders before the two went back in for another kiss.
(The next time Nanjo met up with Elly and Brown, he was smiling as if he slept with a hanger in his mouth for the night. Elly and Brown couldn't believe what they saw.
"Don’t," ordered Elly to Brown. "You’re going to cause-"
"I was right all along!" Brown jumped up and down with joy. "You all own me one!"
Elly shook her head, and gave a small smile. Well, Brown was right after all. They did own him one.)