Sk8 one shots! :D

2- pet names?

(Tadashi x Adam)

"Oh puppy look! - - -"
That's the nickname he gave me a long time ago. When was it again? Right, when we were newly teens.
He joked how I would look like a kicked puppy when I was upset, or when I pouted at first I didn't understand it but he got used to saying that name.
Puppy? Hmmmm puppy. It's over time gotten endearing rather than embarrassing as it was at first.
I mean it's cute as it has meaning to both of us but it is kinda weird if u look at the situation like a stranger.
But, I wonder if I could ever call him a name back? No that's not formal.
I mean calling your assistant a 'dog' doesn't seem too natural so, maybe I could?-

"shi.... Tadashi! ..? Did u hear a thing I said?"
Oh right he was speaking, whoops!
"Oh sorry mr ainosuke, I zoned out, may I ask u to repeat?"
He gave a soft smile and shook his head his hand on his cheek. He started to summarise what he had just said and I made sure to listen intently so he didn't have to repeat again.
It was about some new idea at S a tournament of some sort.
"Don't u just love that idea it could really be fun~!"
Ever since his race with Langa he's being saying that, fun. Huh it's sweet to see him come to his senses just a little bit.
Not that I'm hoping he'd change back to his old self, but happy that he's still capable of realising his mistakes and being able to change that and the bad outcomes.
"Yes I do what about a leaderboard?"
I always seem to ask the questions that he forgets, I see it annoys him a little by the way he scrunches his nose a bit every time I ask.
He really is just a little child with too much money to spend on his wildest imaginations.
He proceeded to pull together an idea for a leaderboard chart jotting a few things down and requesting certain features to its design.

"Don't u just love that idea it could be really fun~!"
"Don't u just love that idea-"
"- Love -"

His nickname for me is puppy, when he's happy or calm with me and dog when he gets angry.
It represents my loyalty to him and friendship. So the most fitting nickname for him should be..
Love?
That's a nickname right?
A pet name of the sort?
I don't know, nor would I have the guts to ever slip calling him anything over than mr ainosuke  or sir into our conversations.

"Oh puppy!~ how many times r u going to zone out on me it's getting sort of frustrating."
Right! I keep getting lost in thought, not good.
"Sorry love i didn't mean toS-SIR. M-Mr Ainosuke....."
SHIT.
His eyes widened, his face taken aback, he leaned his left ear inward to me looking at me slantedly, shocked at what his dog said.
He blinked a few times and I could feel myself redden, my body froze in embarrassment.
Why why whyyyyyy did I just call him that!? Was it because I was thinking of it?! Oh my God I feel so stupid right now!!
I can no longer read his face he's sat up straight and is looking down mouth slightly agape, I watch his eyes scan across the table a few times before looking back up at me.
I press my lips together hoping to take back what I had just said cuz how on earth could i have been so stupid?!

"What did u just call me?"
He stood up hands pressed to the table head cocked to the left again.
I can't decide if I want to lie and say 'I don't recall ever saying love' like an idiot or just admit that I did and apologise profusely.
But as it's my boss, maybe I shouldn't lie I mean I did freak out in the sentence cuz I realised my mistake.
"I uh.. sorry sir... it won't happen again-"
"That's not what I asked."
He walked from behind his desk to the front standing between me and the desk leaning with crossed legs and arms.
I feel my nails dig into my clipboard with embarrassment how is he going to make me re say what I said? To laugh?
No, as prideful as mr ainosuke is I don't believe he'd do something like that for a giggle.
"...."
"...."
".. I-it was, Love, sir. I apologise"
I continued to stare down at the floor I didn't want to meet eye to eye with him not after having to admit to to, THIS.
I hear him breathe a laugh maybe i should look up? No. I can't I want the ground to eat me rn. But he sounded idk, sincere?
In a breath? Tadashi pull urself together. Why am I talking to myself like this just look up!
So I did I glance upwards at him I feel how high my shoulders were hiked up and try to relax them.
The sight before me was confusing, again.
He was smiling his hands now holding the front of the desk leaning heavily back wards his legs sort of stuck out.
He looked like he had melted from the position he was in a second ago.

"Tadashi, don't apologise."
Finally he spoke. This silence is actually getting unbearable but I again don't have the guts to say anything.
But don't apologise? Why?
I felt myself look confused and he laugh again picking himself up and stopping leaning on the desk.
"Say it again."
.HUH.
I feel my face flush now, a problem I have recently found myself dealing with now that me and mr ainosuke have been getting closer again.
I glance to the side and attempt to cover my face with the clipboard I was stabbing earlier.
I feel warmth on my hand which causes me to look back, mr ainosuke was now closer to me than the desk and pulled the clipboard down from covering me.
.WHY.
"Nu uh, come on puppy I want to hear u say it again~"
I feel myself grimace realising I can't escape not saying this again, so with a further ado, dear God save me.

"Love.."
And I die of embarrassment!

"And again pleaseee"
"Why? .... Love."

"Would it be selfish to ask once more!~"
"Maybe... love?"

I physically bite my tongue as I give up trying to figure out if he's mocking me or is being genuine.
I feel his hand tug the clipboard and I let go, just for him to drop it.
Why did he drop it? Why's he lifting his hands? This feels like a fever dream-

Oh..

His arm slips round my waist and another goes round me and threads into the ends on the hair on my neck.
His head drops to my shoulder, a light but strong weight on me.
It's not like I hadn't hugged mr ainosuke before, but not as we were adults, in suits, at work, is the door locked?
I don't know how to react, would he let me hug him back? Maybe? Possibly?
Too many damn questions in my brain, let me just follow whatever he did.

I raised my arms and cross them on his neck and higher back. I feel his steady breathing and decide to close my eyes.
It's warm, but not a bad warm. It's soft and sweet nothing bitter to it.
It feels calm and for once in my life I feel at peace with ainosuke and any of our left over problems.
I feel instead of worrying if we ever talk about them, I start to think it can wait, and when the time comes it won't pain us as much.
I feel us start to sway, our feet switching balance together.
It felt like a slow dance, but with no music or a lot of movement, just a hug.

"Gaaah puppyyy, u sounded so endearing when u said that~"
"I know u didn't mean to say it an all but, don't stop saying it."
"Of course, love"

His whole personality is love, the madatator of love, Mr.Ainosukes business slogan.
So his nickname could be love, it's for when we aren't in the public. For when we are both comfortable enough to be just tadashi and ainosuke rather than snake or Adam or assistant and boss.
It represents everything he stands for and what he means to me, my first love and my current.
But he doesn't need to know that yet.
I'm just glad he likes his nickname as much as I've gotten used to mine.

"Teehee puppy who knew u could be so charming!~"

((WHY AM I BRAIN ROTTING TADAAI RN OMG THEY COULD BE SO CUTE THE OVA AND SS2 BETTER DROP NYAOW.))