Yuri splashed the water with his hands and giggled happily when he hit one of the boys with it. Nino could already feel the water dropping down his forehead and when he looked at Ohno and Sho, they didn’t have it any better. Ohno’s handprints on his cheeks blended. Sho had soap in his hair and his shirt was full with colour and water. “You know, it’s somehow sad that three guys can’t handle a single baby.” Nino laughed.
The others looked at him a little angry, but in the end they had to laugh on their own. Nino took the sponge and tried to clean Yuri’s coloured cheeks.

“God, Ohno, why the hell did you look after Yuri?” Nino asked.

“Aiba needed to go to the shopping mall to buy some fruits and other stuff for the children’s food, and he asked me to look after Yuri. Normally it’s only Aiba who looks after the real young children, because he can handle them. I thought it can’t be that hard to do that.” Ohno shrugged. He tilted his head and looked at Yuri. „It seems I was wrong.“

They needed another 20 minutes till Yuri was more or less clean. Nino turned to see Jun leaning against the doorframe staring at them with a mixture of amusement and anger. “What the hell is going on here? And how do you all look?”

“We had a little colour accident, but everything is okay now.” Nino smiled.

Jun scanned Nino. He knew what he must look like. Coloured, wet and totally spent. “Yuri’s parents are here.”

“Can you bring him to them, because I don’t think it’s good for us to leave this room right now,” Sho said, handing the baby to Jun.

Yuri blabbed something not understandable and grasped Jun’s necklace before he suckled on it happily. “You really are something.” Jun rolled his eyes. He didn’t seem to care about Yuri playing with his precious jewellery. Even when Yuri pulled on Jun’s hair he didn’t even react. Nino was really astonished. When he saw Jun smiling at Yuri, something in Nino pulled and twitched almost painfully.

Jun closed the door to Ohno’s and left with Yuri to hand him to his parents. “Man, I am spent.” Sho sat on the chair.

„I think I need a beer,“ Nino agreed.

“We are still at work, but how about going out after work?” Ohno suggested.

Nino had never been the one who loved going out, but today he appreciated it. “Yes, I would totally be in for that.“

„Me too,“ Sho said. „I don’t have much time before I have such a bundle of baby in my arms as well.”

Nino looked at his colleague. He couldn’t imagine Sho as a father, but in the end he didn’t fail totally today. He and Ohno had been the bigger problem. “That will be really, really exhausting,” Nino said.

Sho just nodded at him. „I know. And to be honest, I am really afraid of it.” He sighed. “Jun is pretty good with children, right?” Sho asked, staring at Nino directly. “Do you think he wants to have children on his own?”

Nino was sure that he blushed right in that moment. “I don’t know, I never asked him about it.” That wasn’t the whole truth. Nino had listened to a talk Jun had some time ago with one of the children in the kindergarten and he had asked Jun afterwards about it.

“MatsumoJu-kun,” one of the children called him like that. “Do you have children?” Nino stopped at the door. He didn’t want to listen, but somehow he couldn’t move anymore in this moment. Nino could see Jun turning to the girl, who sat at the table.

He placed a plate with a cut apple on it and sat next to her. “No, I don’t have children.”
The girl smiled at him. Nino got a little bit angry, because no matter what Jun did, the children liked him. “Do you want some?”

Nino could see Jun’s smile fading for a moment, before it returned to his lips. “I don’t know by now.”

The girl raised her hand. “You should get soooooo much.” She pulled her hands apart like she wanted to show him an amount.

“Maybe I will.” Jun tousled her hair.

Later in the evening when they had already been at home, Nino had asked Jun about that talk. First he had been annoyed that Nino had listened to it, but in the end he had just sighed. “I’ll never have children, but that’s okay, that’s the way I chose, and I am fine with it. I have you.”

Nino shook his head. He didn’t think much about Jun’s words before, but now he remembered that Jun had said that he had Nino at his side. What the hell …?

“I really can imagine that Jun would be a great father,” Ohno said. “But let’s talk about your paintings. “You both failed terribly. I henceforth ban you from my atelier.”

Nino laughed out. “Oh, don’t worry I will stay away from it to flee from drawing and probably washing another baby.”

Sho agreed to that. “But can you at least tell Aiba that we did our best?”

Ohno rubbed his chin. “I will burn your papers and tell him that you did good.”

~~~

“Tonight?” Jun asked.

They stood in the kindergarten’s kitchen, washing the fruits for the children. “Yes, after our fail with Yuri we want to celebrate that we survived that,” Nino chuckled.

Jun turned to him. “The poor baby, really.”

Nuno shrugged. „I think he had more fun than we had. He laughed and babbled a lot, while we just got wetter and wetter and painted in more colours.”

“You really are something,” Jun laughed. His dark eyes got lighter again. “But I think I’ll skip tonight. I am really tired. I danced a lot with the bigger children today, and they really got me spent.”

Nino felt a little sad, but he wouldn’t complain. He’d see Jun at home again. “That’s okay.”

Nino turned around when he heard someone entering the room. “Do you talk about going out tonight?” It was Aiba standing at the door.

“Yes, do you want to join, Aiba?” Nino asked.

“Yes, count me and Ohno in. Oh, and Nino, maybe I have someone for you?” Aiba chirped.

What the hell was he talking about? Nino didn’t search for someone. He looked at Jun, who had his hands crossed, biting his lips suddenly almost nervously.

“Someone?” Nino wanted to know.
Aiba nodded. He closed the door behind him. „A friend of mine searches for a relationship. He is musician, and I think that would fit. How about I invite him tonight?”

Nino could feel hot and cold waves rushing through his body. For some reason he didn’t dare to look at Jun. “… Okay … I guess,” he stuttered.

“You guess?” Aiba laughed out.

„No, it’s okay, bring him along,” Nino said more firmly. He didn’t search for a relationship in particular, but who knew? Maybe he’d find his love with this guy. He turned to Jun, who seemed busy with washing the plates. His eyes looked dark again.

“That’s great,” Aiba clapped. “He’ll be really happy about it.” Aiba stood up and left the room. Nino felt like everything got cold in the room from one moment to the other.

Nino laughed out. “That’s how you get a date.” He waited for an answer from Jun, but the other just hummed something.

“Maybe I’ll still come along,” Jun finally answered.

“But I thought you are tired?” Nino asked. He knew it wasn’t good to ask too much when Jun was like that, with dark eyes, small lips and a light rosy tone on his cheeks. He wasn’t in a good mood then, but Nino couldn’t say why it was like that. He hadn’t done anything wrong.

“But you get drunk easily, and I don’t want to be afraid that you do something stupid in the end,” Jun replied.

Something stupid? Nino had never done anything stupid. He didn’t even drink much alcohol. But it wasn’t the time to discuss this with Jun, and in the end he felt happy that the other wanted to join. “I am glad when you are there, then you can tell me if the guy is something for me or not,” he chuckled.

Jun just hummed again and turned back to his work. Nino knew the talk was over with this. Jun wanted to be with his own thoughts now. Nino knew the other so long and so well that he could tell when it was best to leave him alone, just that this time Nino didn’t know what had happened or why Jun suddenly changed from happy to cold and dark.

~~~

Nino wouldn’t admit it to someone else, but he was kind of nervous when they reached the bar. Aiba had told him various stories about his friend, and at one point Nino had the feeling that Aiba was more nervous than he. Nino looked at Jun, who walked next to Sho, talking with him about random things. Nino had no idea if he was listening, but sometimes his shoulders trembled a little, like always when Jun was angry or annoyed.

“ … and he is totally into gaming,” Aiba said. Nino didn’t know how much he had missed while he was somewhere far away with his thoughts.

“That’s great,” Nino just said, smiling a bit at Aiba.

Nino walked behind the others into the bar and winced when he heard Aiba calling his friend’s name. “And this is Nino,” Aiba said smiling at Nino. On Aiba’s right side stood a rather tall guy. His eyes were gentle, and he looked friendly, but somehow he wasn’t what Nino was looking for.

“Hello, I am Shunsuke, I am one of Aiba’s friends,” the guy said. He really was nice, and he definitely had something what made Nino interested, but when he saw Jun glancing at him, his slight bubbly feeling immediately turned into something else. Nino shook his head. What the hell was going on with him?

“Nice to meet you.” Nino bowed. He sat towards Shunsuke and Aiba, who smiled like mad. Jun sat next to Nino, and Nino didn’t dare to face him. He cursed inwardly for acting like this. “So, what are you doing?” Nino had always been bad with starting a conversation, but he tried his best.

“I work as a teacher in a primary school,” Shunsuke said. “I studied together with Aiba.”

“I can’t imagine being a teacher.” Nino was honest, which earned him a dark glance from Aiba.

“You are a teacher, Nino. Not a school teacher, but the kindergarten years are the most important for the education of young children.” Aiba waved his hand. He was really proud of being a teacher, and no one was ever allowed to tell him that kindergarten didn’t mean being a teacher.

“Of course,” Shunsuke laughed.

Nino could feel Jun’s leg bumping against his under the table. It was a tic they had since they knew each other. Nino didn’t know why they had started this, but it always made him feel like Jun was at his side, no matter what happened. It made him feeling calm and relaxed. Damn, slowly Nino realized what was going on here and why he acted like this, but this couldn’t be.

Nino blinked when the waitress brought the drinks. He hadn’t listened when the others had ordered their drinks. It was rare to see Jun with a big glass of beer, and it was much rarer to see him drinking three of them in almost no time.

Nino sipped on his juice. He looked at Jun, whose eyes already got small and tired. He was already absent-minded. Nino didn’t really listen to the others, and he also ignored Aiba’s tries to make him talk more with Shunsuke. Nino was totally concentrated on Jun, who didn’t seem to know what he was talking anymore. Nino got worried. He just shrugged when he saw Ohno’s and Sho’s worried eyes looking at him.

“Jun, it’s the best to go home now.” Nino pulled on Jun’s arm.

“No, no, just stay here, I am fine. It’s okay.” Jun swung forth and back a little. Nino could imagine that everything was spinning around him.

Nino stood up and pulled Jun up. “No. We are going now.” He turned to the others. “I am sorry, but it’s the best to bring him home now.”

The others nodded. “Sure, have a safe way home,” Aiba said.

Nino tried to look apologizingly at Aiba because he fled from the arranged date, or whatever this had been here. Aiba just nodded at him, like he understood what Nino wanted to say.

~~~

They stepped out of the bar and what Nino feared most happened: too much alcohol combined with fresh air had never been a good mixture. He had his arm around Jun and tried to support him, but Jun leaned on him completely pushing and pulling on him, so that they staggered down the street. “Jun, please, if you keep going like this, we end up on the ground, and I don’t want to fall down,” Nino pressed out, but Jun just giggled about it.

“Man, the last time you drank so much was years ago when your boyfriend had left you. What the hell did you think?” Nino grumbled.

Jun turned to him. He pulled to get free from Nino’s grip, but he just stumbled and let Nino help him to get back to an almost normal way of walking. “I am not in the … the … mood … talk about it,” Jun stuttered.

Nino knew him so well, Jun would totally forget about what he said today and he would be in a bad mood for at least three days, because he’d suffer from this hangover. “Jun, left, left. There is our apartment,” Nino pushed him to the small street where they lived.

“One foot after the other, Jun,” Nino said when they walked the stairs up. It was almost funny and ridiculous, but now Nino wasn’t in the mood to laugh about it. He was pissed because Jun had gotten that drunk, and he was annoyed because Nino’s feelings mixed up in a raging thunderstorm.

“I am not a child, Nino,” Jun grunted. He tried again to get free and leaned against the wall to get some hold. He stopped for a moment and closed his eyes.

“I know, Jun, but now you behave like one. What the hell happened in these few hours?” Nino felt a little anger rising. He didn’t know his friend like this. It was totally not Jun-like.

Jun opened his mouth but closed it immediately again. He stepped closer and before Nino could do something he could feel Jun’s lips touching his. Nino wanted to step back, but the feelings in him overwhelmed him. He leaned into it, and let Jun deepen the kiss.

When they broke the kiss, Nino felt Jun’s head on his shoulder and his breath tickled Nino’s neck. “I like you, really much,” Jun said.

“Jun,” Nino started. He saw Jun’s eyes resting on him. „I like you too, but let’s get you to bed now.”

Jun just nodded at him and they walked to their apartment. Everything in Nino was still spinning, even though he hadn’t drunken that much. Jun on the other side leaned against the wall next to their door, because otherwise he might have fallen. “Come." Nino pulled on Jun’s arm to get him into the room. He helped him out of his shoes and into other clothes. "Man, Jun, I’ve never seen you like this,” Nino grumbled.

Jun giggled. “Me neither.” He raised his hand. „I haven’t eaten anything.“

Nino rolled his eyes. Today it was definitely Jun who was the child in this apartment and not he. “Come now, bedtime for you.”

“Can I sleep in your bed?” Jun asked.

Nino sighed. That was not a good idea, but when he saw Jun looking at him he automatically nodded. Jun stumbled forward to Nino’s room and grunted almost contently when he let himself fall down on the bed. He pushed the blankets around him and closed his eyes.

Nino walked up to the kitchen to get himself a glass of water. He rubbed his face. “Damn,” he cursed. He had thought the he had been over these feelings already, but now everything came up again.

Years ago Nino had had a crush on Jun, but he had never dared to tell him about it. Right the moment he had finally been able to say something, Jun had gotten a boyfriend. Nino had felt his heart breaking. He had never blaimed Jun for what had happened, because in the end he had been too afraid to admit his feelings, but nevertheless it had hurt him incredibly.

And now Nino had the feeling that everything was coming up again – and just because Jun had gotten drunk. He cursed. Nino walked back to his room. Jun was lying there, a smile curling around his lips. He was already deep asleep and didn’t even move when Nino slipped next to him.

~~~

“Headache, …“ Jun whined. He took his second medicine that day. He winced when he heard the children laughing loudly outside. “Too much noise,” he grumbled.

“You really shouldn’t have drunk that much yesterday night.” Nino leaned against the doorframe. At least he got a little revenge for Jun’s behaviour with his terrible condition he was in now. When Nino had stood up in the morning he had been terribly afraid of what Jun would say, but like he feared (or maybe hoped for) Jun couldn’t remember a single bit about what had happened.

“Not funny,” Jun grunted. “I can’t remember when I’ve felt like this the last time.”

“Why do you rub your head, Jun-kun?” A small girl stood with her empty plate at the door. She handed it to Nino, who placed it in the sink with a smile around his lips. It wouldn’t be easy for Jun to explain this to a child.

“You know Akira-chan, I have a headache.” Jun knelt in front of the girl.

The girl looked at him with big eyes. She opened the small bag she had around her shoulders. She pulled out a pink plaster with a unicorn on it and placed it on Jun’s forehead. “That always helps when I am hurt.”

Jun grinned at her. „Thank you Akira-chan, I already feel better.“

The girl turned and smiled brightly. „Uncle Nino, please take care of Jun-kun.”

Nino blinked. He nodded at her and patted her head when she passed him to join the other kids outside. “So, what can I do for you,“ Nino laughed. He pulled on Jun’s plaster to remove it from his head.

“I think no one can help me now,” Jun chuckled. „I bear the blame on my own.” Jun’s face got darker out of sudden and Nino’s heart started pounding faster. He knew this face, it was nothing good Jun would have to say now. “Nino,” he started.

He sat down at the table, and pointed at the second seat next to him. Nino sat down. Nino’s hands got wet. „What happened Jun?“

Jun rubbed his hands on his jeans. He was nervous. „You know, I lied to you.“

Nino pulled one eyebrow up. Jun had lied? When and about what?

„I told you earlier that I can’t remember about yesterday, but that’s a lie.” Jun looked down at the table. His cheeks were slightly flushed. Nino didn’t know his friend like this.

“What are you talking about?“ Nino wanted to know, even though he exactly knew what Jun wanted to tell him.

“Nino, I kissed you,” Jun blurred out. “I didn’t forget this.”

Nino nibbled his lower lip nervously. What should he say about it? It would be the perfect time to admit his feelings, but did he really want to risk it? What if Jun wanted to apologize and tell him that everything was just a bad mistake and that this would never happen again? What if Jun didn’t like him? What if Jun would leave him when he’d admit his feelings? What if…

“Nino?” Jun asked, his hand resting on Nino’s shoulder.

„I know, Jun. I was part of it,“ Nino said. He could feel his cheeks burning. His whole body felt like on fire.

“I am so sorry about it,” Jun said. “I really didn’t want to ruin your evening.”

Nino sighed. “You didn’t ruin it, Jun.”

„But the date Aiba had arranged for you? You seemed to get along quite well with him, and in the end you needed to carry me home and then I even kissed you. I am so sorry about it,” Jun apologized.

“Stop it.” Nino raised his hand. „Jun, please stop talking.“

Nino felt the heat rushing into his head and he could feel the salty water collecting behind his eyes. No, he had never been the teary type, and he wouldn’t start with it now. Nino didn’t dare to look at Jun, who stared at him intensely.

“Nino?” Jun’s voice sounded so soft and caring, and Nino felt his heart beating against his chest.

“Jun, I … I … like you.” Now he had said it out loud. And Nino had the feeling that he needed to run away.

“Nino, since when?” Jun wanted to know. Nino felt Jun’s hand on his knee, brushing over his thigh.

Nino sighed. Now he had said it out loud and it was too late to step back. “For three years now.”

Jun gulped. “Nino …” He felt Jun’s hand around his. “Why have you never said a word?”

Nino smiled a little. “You were so happy in love back then, and now I was good in pushing everything aside – till yesterday.”

Jun breathed out. “Okay, let’s talk about everything after this working day, okay? When we are back at home?”

Nino nodded. That would become a long day for him. He wanted to talk about everything now, but the children needed them now. Jun walked outside and Nino watched Jun playing with the children outside. He laughed and ran around with them, playing hide and seek.

Nino cut the carrots and paprika into small pieces. He was in charge of the lunch today, but he didn’t really watch what he was doing. He winced when he heard a voice behind him. “You seem absent-minded.” Nino turned to look at Aiba.

“Yes, a little bit, sorry.”

Aiba shook his head. “No problem, I heard you talking. And before you can say something: I am sorry for stalking.”

Nino wanted to be angry, but at least he could talk with someone about it now. “What do you think?”

“Me?” Aiba sounded astonished. He stepped next to Nino. “I think you’d fit together.” He smiled. “Not like me and Ohno of course, but at least you’d be the second best couple here.” Aiba winked.

Nino chuckled. Now he felt at least a little bit better. “I hope you are right and we get the chance to prove that we are the second best couple.”

Aiba started helping him with cooking. “I am sure about it.”

~~~

Nino headed home from the building lot. He didn’t even take a shower there, because he knew that Jun was already at home. His shift in the dancing school ended one hour before Nino’s shift.

He opened the door to his apartment nervously. The light was on, and Nino could hear an almost silent music in the living room. He walked up there, but Jun wasn’t in the room. “Jun?” Nino yelled out.

He heard a voice from the bathroom. “I am there in a minute.”

Nino sighed. He walked to his room and searched for some new clothes before he walked back to the living room. Jun stood there with his jump suit. “Go and get yourself a shower. You look terrible. I ordered some Italian food. It shall be delivered till you’re done.”

Nino wanted to clear things up immediately, but he knew that Jun would refuse that, so he walked to the bathroom to get himself a hot shower. The water ran down his back and it made him feel almost tired. Nino could feel his tensed body relax. He almost forgot about the talk with Jun, but the first thought about it made him end his shower immediately.

Nino slipped into his pants and shirt and walked back to the living room. The knot in his belly grew bigger. He looked at Jun, who opened the bags from the delivery service and placed it on the plates.

“Here,” he handed Nino the spaghetti and sat towards him with some nice smelling Cannelloni.

“Jun, can we please, finally talk about it?” Nino said. He was already exhausted because of waiting for the evening.

“Nino, I am sorry,” Jun said.

Okay, now Nino would get dumped and then he could finally start anew. He knew that this would happen one day, and maybe it wasn’t the worst thing that it finally came to happen. “No, I understand it, Jun,” Nino said. “It’s okay.”

He looked up to see Jun smiling at him. “Please let me finish my sentence,” Jun said. “I wanted to say that I am sorry that you felt like this for so long without me realizing it.” He shifted his chair closer to Nino. “But why haven’t you said anything?”

Nino never wanted to talk about it, but Jun had something in his attitude that let him talk openly about everything. He told him about the time back then when he had fallen for him, when Jun had brought home this other guy, and about Nino’s decision that he would bury his feelings deep inside.

“You are stupid,” Jun smacked Nino’s head playfully.

“Hey, not fair,” Nino whined. He wanted to say something else, but he didn’t get the chance to. Jun’s lips where already searching for his, kissing him like he did the day before. But this time it was in full awareness of their feelings.

Jun pulled Nino up and pushed him to the door. “Your place or mine?” He chuckled.

“Mine is closer,” Nino laughed out and pushed Jun to his room.

They didn’t need long to get rid of their clothes and stumbled back to the bed. Nino had wished so long for this moment, he tried to memorize every kiss of Jun’s lips on his body. He knew it wouldn’t be the last kisses they’d share, but especially these first ones should be in Nino’s mind forever.

Nino moaned when he felt Jun’s lips around his dick, sucking him slowly while he pushed a lubed finger into him. His whole inside was on fire. Nino felt Jun’s digit moving in him slowly. Jun took his time to explore Nino’s body.

He kissed up his body, while his hand stroked Nino’s cock teasingly. Nino could soon feel a second finger entering him, followed by a third not long after.

He rocked back against Jun. It was the best feeling he had ever had. Like he had waited for this his whole life. “Jun,” he breathed out.

Jun came up to him, kissing him deeply before he removed his fingers from Nino. Nino looked up at Jun, who rolled the condom over his cock and stepped back between Nino’s legs.

He pushed into Nino slowly, almost too slow for Nino’s taste. “Please move,” Nino moaned.

Jun kissed his neck, biting into Nino’s skin softly. He started moving against Nino’s body. It made Nino feel overwhelmed. It was better than he had ever imagined it.

Jun thrusted into him more fiercely and Nino could feel the knot in his belly grow bigger. He was sure that Jun was close himself, because he had his eyes closed, and Jun was biting his lips. He seemed totally lost in his thoughts.

“I am close,” Nino pressed out. He could feel Jun’s hand around his dick, stroking him till Nino felt the heat rushing through him and he came with a loud moan. He clenched hard around Jun’s cock and it didn’t take Jun long to find his own release. He rocked against Nino for some more times till he pulled out and lay next to Nino.

“Wow,” Jun chuckled.

Nino smiled. He had never been the romantic type, but there were these pink bubbles flying around in him now. “Jun, I think I want to stay in that kindergarten.”

Jun turned to him, looking at him curiously. “Why do you say this now?”

Nino grinned. “I always say I don’t like it, but honestly I can imagine doing this longer. Even if we have paid for our artwork.”

Jun robbed closer to pull on Nino’s waist till he was completely wrapped into Jun’s embrace. “That sounds good. I love it there too. And Nino?”

“Mhm?” Nino was already dozing off.

“Never hide something from me again, okay?” Jun said, placing a kiss on Nino’s nose.

“Okay, and you never get drunk again,” Nino replied with one of his sheepish smiles.