Title: Fallen Angels
Author: hippiefox 
Pairing: Ohmiya, Juntoshi (slightly onesided), hints of Sakuraiba
Rating: definitely R.
Genre: AU, drama, action, violence, romance
Summary: Even fallen angels have angels.
Disclaimer and chapter list. Please read. 

Chapter 2
Photos


 

Days off, if you could call watching your back every second and keeping your ears sharp a day off, were rarely given to Nino, so when he did have one, he liked to spend them wisely.

Maybe spending the entire day in front of his gaming console, food and other necessities to live were burdens at this time. Maybe spending time playing his hardly used guitar in the back of his room or messing around with cards.

But today was a little different. Today, Nino wanted to be around people he could trust just a little bit and people who could make him smile and chuckle.

After all, to them, Nino was just a simple, traveling salary man who couldn’t settle down.

It had been a few months since the lost mission at the club and since then, Nino was sent on few other missions in Hong Kong to collect bounties of corrupted politicians.

And as far as his skill of sniping goes, Nino never missed his targets.

Today, Nino sat in a small and cozy family café in a sweet and quiet little family town. In this town, Nino was Nino... even if he did have trouble remembering how to be himself.

He sat in their usual booth by the breakfast bar, listening to the local theater star talk about his recent trip to Australia and the heartbreak he experienced at the hand of a cast member.

Nino smiled and laughed, though he knew Matsumoto Jun could be a little over the top and mellow dramatic when it came to romance. But at least he put on a good show.

The co-owner of the café and part time librarian, Sakurai Sho, sat next to Nino, laughing and conversing happily with Jun over fresh mugs of coffee.

It was nearing lunch time now and the café reverted back into it’s usual empty state. Aiba Masaki, owner of the café and popularly rumoured lover of Sho, threw his dish towel over his shoulder after wiping down the four or five tables and joined the three at the booth.

Nino was finding it harder and harder to relax during these times. He was growing paranoid and resorted to wearing many different hats and glasses to avoid being recognized. His eyes wondered out the window next to him, scanning the streets and other shops around for any possible threats... even if the quiet town was empty.

"It’s been awhile since we’ve all been here. Where’d you get off to, Nino?" Sho’s question took a moment to sink into Nino’s mind and he quickly turned around with a smile.

"Ah, you know, business as always. Spent a couple months in Kyoto then had to fly into Beijing to wrap up the sales deals." he explained with a theatrical tone that suggested he indeed had a hard life as a salary man. He wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing that he felt little sympathy from lying to his... friends.

The three other men nodded in understanding and there was a lull in their talking as they all took sips of their coffee. Aiba straightened out his apron around his waist before leaning back against the booth and crossing his arms.

"We’ve actually been getting slower everyday, less people are coming, you know." Aiba started, earning a murmur of agreement from Sho. From there, the talk grew solemn. From recent economic troubles to holding onto the café by any means necessary, Nino could only sit and listen.

This would be useful for an upcoming assignment where he had to take the position of a desperate company owner who would do anything to keep his company afloat.

Nino listened carefully, noting the expressions of Sho and Aiba as they avoided the issue of losing their café and logging away the tone of their voices. He couldn’t deny it, being around these guys was really a way of studying natural human behaviour that he could later use.

The little bell at the door chimed happily, making Aiba instantly spring up, replacing his previously distraught expression with a sunny smile.

"Welcome! How are you?" he greeted the customer in his usual cheery manner.

Nino didn’t bother to look up, he was too busy subtly looking over Sho’s newspaper for anything related to the underground and of course, finishing his coffee.

"Ah, excuse me... but I was wondering if I could ask you questions?" the customer’s soft and timid voice shot through Nino’s thoughts, shattering any type of shield against him.

When he looked up from the paper, Nino could feel something tightening around his throat, even though no emotion was seen on his face.

It was the very same man from the dance club... the one that had made Nino lose his mission. He stood awkwardly, talking to Aiba at the door, a giant camera around his neck, a heavy looking bag on his slouched shoulders and glasses drooping down his nose. Nino could instantly tell that this guy was either a reporter or some type of photography student and looking and acting nothing like the man Nino had met at the club.

But then again, he was a student and Nino knew that even the most studious kids had to let loose sometimes.

Aiba smiled sunshine and sparkles at the guy, leading him farther into the café and introducing him to Sho, who had gotten up to greet the stranger.

Nino soon noticed that Jun was introducing himself also, leaving him alone at the booth. It was just a matter of time before he was noticed as well...

And no more than a minute later, Nino was standing in front of the guy, waiting for him to recall their night together and making Nino have to quickly think up a lie to cover himself.

"And this is Ninomiya Kazunari!" Aiba said happily, pushing the slightly intimidated guy up to him. Nino bowed his head slightly and hoped his disguise would throw the guy off. But instead of being met with a scowl that clearly said "I remember you!", Nino was met with a lazy but charming smile.

"Ohno Satoshi." he introduced himself naturally. Nino blinked a few times before smiling back... that’s right... he forgot how wasted this Ohno guy was when he met him at the club.

It would definitely not be a farfetched guess if Nino said that the night was a complete loss to Ohno and the only memory was a sickening hangover.

Inside, Nino sighed. He was safe and he was never going to make the same mistake again.

"Ohno-san has to do a report for school! Where should we start?" Aiba asked a little more excitedly than needed.

"Would you mind if I took some pictures?" Ohno asked, holding up his heavy camera. Nino took this chance to reach into his pocket and navigate the buttons on his cellphone to make his ringer start ringing. He had long since perfected this tactic and found it very useful for a very natural escape. He excused himself while he took the call from his "office" and walked outside.

The last thing he needed was his face posted on some school assignment.

While Nino "talked" on the phone, he leaned against the door, glancing once or twice over his shoulder at the four men inside the café. Sho and Aiba were more than willing to pose for various shots inside their café and Jun was obviously enjoying the attention of the camera as well.

Ohno was smiling cheerfully and laughing as he snapped photos, several of them just for fun. Now that Nino was able to properly see the guy’s face, he just couldn’t deny the beauty and just plain adorable... ness.

Nino scowled. He knew that wasn’t a word, how the hell did it get into his mind?

"Ugh... annoying..." Nino grumbled, turning away from the door but unable to get the memories of that night out of his mind. What he did was stupid and could cost him everything. Ohno wasn’t a source he needed information from... so why and how did they end up in bed together?

If it wasn’t for his obvious intoxication that night, Ohno would have soon found himself looking down the barrel of a gun. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time Nino would have to do that dirty and shameful deed. Civilians had no place in Nino’s world.

Nino wrote it off as a drunken, one night stand and let it slide. Ohno was no danger to his identity, anyway.

Once the impromptu photoshoot was finished, Nino returned inside to find Aiba and Sho looking over interview questions and papers to sign to confirm their approval of Ohno using their cafe’s information. Ohno, however, was showing Jun the pictures on the digital screen.

Nino almost gagged at Jun’s painfully obvious flirting, but snickered at Ohno’s oblivious reaction to it.

"Ninomiya-san, I didn’t get any photos of you." Ohno said, looking up from the camera. Nino smiled and shook his head.

"It’s okay, I don’t photograph well anyway." he laughed. Ohno pouted slightly, instantly reminding Nino of when he pleaded for Nino to take him with him.

"But you are cute." Ohno said innocently and a bit encouragingly. Nino felt himself blush and quickly looked to the ground, hearing Aiba’s giggle and feeling the jealous glare of Jun. Nino stalked to the booth, scolding himself for being so vulnerable to his stupidly cute words.

Thankfully, Sho, who most likely sensed the awkward tension, called Ohno over to discuss some of the questions on the paper.

While the three were talking, Jun slid into the booth next to Nino and nudged his arm. Nino scowled, trying to ignore him just a little bit longer as he pretended to read the paper.

"I’m going to do it. I’m seriously going to." Jun said. Nino rolled his eyes and looked over at Jun, who was looking over at the other table, clearly at Ohno. Nino suppressed the spark of jealously and set down the newspaper.

"Going to do what?" he asked, pretending to be bored with Jun’s idea.

"Ask him out, duh." Jun said, turning to Nino again. Nino tsked loudly and shook his head.

"What gave you that idea?" Nino spat. Jun straightened up, preparing to give Nino one of his speeches again.

"Usually I go only for women, right? Well, I decided that it’s getting me nowhere. And plus, Ohno-san is cute, yeah?"

Nino stared at Jun’s determined expression for a long moment and then groaned in annoyance.

"You’re an idiot."

"Whatever, I’m going to ask him to dinner." Jun replied in a huff, snatching the newspaper from Nino’s hands. Nino looked over to the table, watching Ohno ask questions and smiling happily as he jotted down the answers.

Fine... Ohno was cute... but what did Nino care?

Nino’s phone started to ring for real this time and he grudgingly looked who it was, though he knew full well who it was. His real boss. Nino sighed and stood up, saying good-bye to the four other guys.

When they protested and asked him to stay longer, Nino would just smile and say, "Duty calls."

Today was no different. Except for the smile of his new acquaintance. But Nino continued on, not stopping to look back at his smile.

Nino didn’t care, Jun was going to take care of him.

And besides, civilians didn’t belong in Nino’s world.

. 






AN: Don't ask me why Sho works in a cafe when he barely has any cooking skills... Aiba just keeps him around to do things with him when the cafe is empty... and to fill up the pepper shakers and wash dishes, of course. >83
Now everyone is introduced, there is a little beginning of Juntoshi going on there~ and Ohno doesn't seem to remember Nino at all... 

Chapter 3 will be a start of how Nino's underground life is... 

Until then... thank you 8D