Title:Rain (Spring)
Pairings:AibaxNino
Genre:Angst
Rating:PG
Disclaimer:I own nothing but the plot
Word Count:1528
Warning:Mentions of blood, and death. Possible OOC.
Summary:It wouldn't stop raining, and all Nino wanted was for it to go away.

Spring 2013

It was yet another day of springtime, and he wished it could go away soon. With the rain pouring so hard outside, it kept him from the warm sun that radiated in the sky amidst the dark gray clouds. But it’s not just about being outside. He wanted to escape, to get away from everyone else who seemed so much more happier than him. They didn’t have parents, he didn’t have parents, and they were trapped in this building they call home.

To Ninomiya Kazunari, home seemed far away. A faraway place, hiding its mere existence from him

Like every child in his block, he had to go to school. “It is a requirement,” the head lady would say in her giddy voice, “That all children must go to school.” Nino disagreed with her, but he had no choice but to drag himself to school every morning for five days a week. If he were not to go, who knows? He had never actually heard of such a case, of a child refusing to go to school. Since, after all, being a normal and regular child was everyone’s dream.

Even under the heavy shower, he still had to go. He had no other choice but to because it’s the only chance he can go out since the showers began...



Nino wandered the halls during recess, having nothing better to do than just walk. He didn’t have friends, he had no one to talk to, so what was better than walking around? Nothing. Just pure silence, and the pitter-patter of the rain was enough noise he can handle. He’s seen too much of everyone to know who the other’s were gossiping about at school, that he’d rather stay away from them. It’s not gossips, or crude rumors he was afraid from. It was them. Everyone who smiled so brightly like that sun in the sky that still shone in between the gray clouds.

It would be much better if things weren’t so difficult then.

He stared at his father wide-eyed as his mouth hung open. The sudden rush of things, the sudden incident was too much for Nino to take in, let alone see his kind father in such a state. He had always seen his father as the man who loved everyone, and was very much loved by everyone too. But Nino staggered back in fear, his breathing rapid at every movement, as he eyed the silver blade in his father’s hand. It had blood on the sharp edge that slowly trailed to the tip. With every step his father took, a droplet of blood fell to the floor. Nino shot a look towards his mother who had fallen to the floor. He wished, at that moment, she was breathing.

‘Please’ Nino begged, scooting further from his father. ‘Dad, don’t do this.’

‘Hush, son,’ His father smiled a smile Nino wished he hadn’t seen. ‘This will all be over soon.’

Nino trashed about, throwing his arms in panic as he feared for what was to come next. But as soon as he opened his eyes, he saw brown eyes staring at him with worry. For a brief second, Nino paused, trying to recollect what happened before those memories came back. But as he saw those eyes, Nino opened his mouth, letting out a loud cry of horror.

“Nurse! He’s--”

“I’m on it. Will you hold him down for me, Masaki-kun?”

“Yes,” The teenager, whose eyes hadn’t left his face, nodded. “It’s ok, Nino-kun. We won’t hurt you...”

All of a sudden, the world grew dark, but Nino could still hear the pitter-patter of the rain...

Nino blankly stared at the wet grass through the barred window, asking himself why he was on a wheelchair. He was completely capable of walking himself, but it seems that no one would allow him to walk unless he was assisted by someone of authority. Being on the wheelchair made him feel like he was incapable, or labeled as a crazy person since he’s been in the orphanage clinical for some days now. But somewhat, he was glad that he wasn’t around the other noisy children.

“Nino-kun...”

He refused to acknowledge the person who had called his name. Nino remembered seeing him on the day he was admitted to the clinic, and he saw him again when he woke up from the heavy drug that a nurse injected on him for losing control.

“Your breakfast is getting cold.”

Nino continued to look outside. Strange, he thought, it’s still raining.

“Nino-kun, you need to eat. You hadn’t eaten in days, and it’s bad for you. You’re still so young...”

There were the sounds of metal hitting against metal, and the shuffling of feet on the floor. Once the noise had gone down, his wheelchair was spun around. Instead of facing the window, he was no facing the teenaged boy, who, on the first day Nino formally met him had a smile on his face despite the serious situation. Maybe the boy should be the one on the wheelchair instead of him.

“Come, Nino-kun. Masaki-nii-chan will--”

Nino slapped the spoon away from the latter’s hand and turned the wheelchair around. That smile, he couldn’t stand it.

“Ah,” Masaki laughed awkwardly. “I’ll get that. I’ll be right back, Nino-kun.”

Nino wished the rain can go away soon.

By orders of the school and the orphanage, Nino wasn’t allowed back until he got better. According to the head doctor, he wasn’t fine at all, although Nino felt like he was. It’s not like he had damage to his brain, or it’s not like he’s some kind of threat to anyone. Really, though, he believed that they’re just trying to keep him away just in case he broke out like that again. They weren’t saying that straight to his face, but it just feels like they’re saying it behind him.

To make things worse, that teenager wouldn’t stop badgering him.

“Nino-kun, do you want to play games?! I heard from the head caretaker that you like games! They even said that your mo--” The latter paused, and Nino knew why. It’s because if he hears that word, any word that had to do with the person of the past, he might just break. Well, that’s what everyone seems to think because no one, not even his roommates back at the orphanage mentioned those words (he doesn’t even talk to them anyways, but once when they were talking about families). It’s not like he was a bomb, ready to go off after mentioning just one of those words.

“Do you want to go outside? I heard-- Oh... it’s still raining, isn’t it?”

Nino refused to respond.

“When do you think it will stop, Nino-kun? Oh, I bet Sakurai-sensei’s flowers are getting enough food, haha. He always talks about his flowers even though he’s not a botanist.”

That’s all the teenager does: talk.

“Don’t you think the rain is flooding them though? It’s been raining for two weeks now since the first day of spring. What do you think of the rain, Nino-kun? I think it’s cold, you know, but it’s strange how the sun just keeps shining, haha. Don’t you find it strange?”

Nino looked further up the corner, the farthest he could see from the barred window, and saw that the sun was still shining.

“But I kind of like it. The sun makes me feel like it isn’t raining... Do you get what I mean? I bet you don’t. Everyone at school thinks I’m weird, but they don’t get me at all, you know? I guess they just don’t see things the way I do. Nino-kun... are you cold?”

Masaki must have noticed he began to shiver. Just staring at the rain made him feel like it was winter season again. Back when... No, he’s not going to let it get the better of him. Then he heard the sound of the bed creak, letting him know that the latter stood up to assist him.

“I can do it,” Nino snapped, realizing a second later that this was his first time to speak since he was admitted to the clinic. He slapped the teen’s hand away, stood from the wheelchair when he wasn’t supposed to, and headed towards the bed. He didn’t make it that far, though, but a couple of inches from the wheelchair. It felt like his legs just decided to give up on him.

Eventually, he was helped to his bed by Masaki. He didn’t hear him say anything more after.

Neither was he going to see him again. That was actually his last, since the next day, he woke up in his bed back at the orphanage. Strange as it is, when Nino looked outside the window, the rain had stopped and the sun was shining brightly than before. A very faint rainbow stood besides besides the yellow sun as if they were destined to be together.