RP Log: Momo & Ryoma
Date: Backdated to Valentine's Day, Feb. 14
Rating: PG-13ish
Summary: Momo comes over with the intention of helping Ryoma with a paper that's due the next morning. The subject of relationships comes up, and after a lot of beating around the bush, long-standing feelings are confessed~
Warning: It's kind of, um. Long. ^^;;
Ryoma was sitting on the couch, feet on the table and computer perched on his lap, trying to work on his paper when someone knocked on the door. He glanced at the clock - figuring it was too soon for the food he’d ordered to be here yet, it must be Momo. He set the laptop on the couch - where Haru immediately walked across it happily - and dragged himself to his feet, going to the door and pulling it open.
It was indeed Momo on the other side; Ryoma opened the door wider, stepping aside to let the other in. “Hey.”
Momo, looking much more comfortable than he ever did, not hurried, not messy, looking as he did back in junior high and high school. He was glowing, just a little bit, and grinning happily at Ryoma. "Hey," he greeted with a raise of his hand and a playful wave. "Long time no see." Which obviously was a lie.
Ryoma rolled his eyes. “Long as in what, two weeks or something?” All the same, they still hadn’t talked to each other in a very long time before that reunion, so he supposed he’d let it slide. Besides, Momo sure looked happy. Ryoma wondered if this was one of those moods that had a reason, or if Momo was just being Momo. He couldn’t really tell for sure after all this time.
“You sure look happy,” he finally decided to say, closing the door behind his once-sempai and waiting for him to take off his shoes before padding back into the living room and plopping onto the couch again. “I ordered some Chinese - figured you wouldn’t mind.” He did not want to go outside today.
"Whoa, Chinese food!" Momoshiro exclaimed, rubbing his hands together eagerly as he slipped out of his shoes and stepped up into the apartment. "I look happy because I get to see you, what's wrong with that? Hanging out with my best friend? Helping him with his homework, it's fantastic! I've never felt so happy!"
“Ryoma just shook his head. “You’re weird. You’re more excited about my homework than I am.” He indicated the spot next to himself on the couch, picking Haru up off the keyboard and pulling the laptop over, erasing all the errant keystrokes the kitten had entered. “That’s Haru,” he said, meaning the cat who was now sniffing Momo’s toes and purring loudly. “Karupin’s prolly asleep somewhere.”
Momoshiro leaned over to gently scratch behind the kitten's ear, smiling. "He's really cute," he confessed, stopping himself before adding a frivolous statement onto the end of that which was surprisingly similar to, "just like his master." He knew better than that. Much better.
Ryoma grinned. “Yeah, but he bugs the hell outta Karupin sometimes.” Haru was much bouncier than the very-aged Karupin, who would much rather sleep in the sun all day than have her tail attacked by tiny kitten teeth. But sometimes he’d catch the two of them curled up together, so he knew they got along just fine. “Just watch out, he likes to get under your feet.” He paused, then remembering, “Oh. You want anything to drink?” He was already sitting, but he did have some manners.
Just as Ryoma said so, the cat was winding his way around Momoshiro's ankles, forcing him to lift up a leg and trying not to step on him. He nodded and stumbled back onto the couch. "Sure, give me anything you got. Er-- my natural reaction is to ask for beer, but that might not be smart, seeing as you need to be writing a paper."
He nodded, and gave another firm, satisfied nod. Sure this wasn't the ideal way to spend Valentine’s, but it was with Ryoma. That was just as good.
Ryoma shrugged, pushing off the couch again now that Haru was occupied, at least. “Well, I have some if you want it. I’m not gonna drink it ‘cause I’m working on the paper - you c’n hold at least one beer, can’t you?” He tossed a half-smirk in Momo’s direction and went into the kitchen, fishing out a beer for Momo and a Ponta for himself, tossing one can to Momo before sitting on the couch again, hoping it’d be at least a few minutes before the food arrived. He cracked his can open, taking a drink and eyeing Momo silently for a moment.
“So you really don’t have anything better to do than help me with a paper on Valentine’s Day?” It wasn’t like he was turning down the company - no, not at all - but he had to admit, he wouldn’t have pegged Momo for the type to be without a date tonight in particular.
Momoshiro cracked the can open and took a swig. He gave a satisfied sigh and looked down at the cat still circling around his legs. "Hanako's busy, so it's not like I have any plans anyway besides, you're alone, I'm alone, it's fine. Didn't we used to do stuff like this when we were younger? Back in junior high and high school? We never cared about Valentine’s or White Day. Big deal."
Ah, so the date was busy. Figured, but at least things made a little more sense now. “Well, it’s not like I mind. We did used to - an’ I still don’t care about Valentine’s Day, ‘cept it means I gotta stay inside.”
He was about to say more, but just as Ryoma spoke someone knocked at the door again - sighing, Ryoma got up and answered it, paying the delivery boy for the food and returning to the living room with only a slight detour into the kitchen for chopsticks and napkins. He set the food down on the low table, handing Momo a pair of chopsticks. “You want a plate, they’re in the kitchen.” He didn’t really care, and he didn’t think Momo would either, but he offered all the same.
Taking a bite, he sighed again and leaned back into the couch. “Definitely better than braving the pack.”
"Nah, thanks for offering though." No formalities needed, they were old friends after all. "Yeah it's true. Well, I mean, to be honest, Valentine’s ain't any fun when you're popular and now here you are, Mr. I am so awesome at tennis, I bet you have tons of fangirls begging for you to be their valentines.
"Hell you were just as bad back in junior high." Momoshiro reached over and pulled a carton of lo mein off the table, shoveling some in his mouth.
Ryoma groaned. “I think it’s tons of tons. An’ they’re not even all girls anymore.” He reached over for the carton of chicken and held it out of Haru’s reach. “They get more forward every year. No means no. Geez. Well, you know the reason I’m working here. Kept getting assaulted in the library and couldn’t get anything done there.” It had been decidedly annoying, and now the paper was due tomorrow and he probably hadn’t done as much research as he was supposed to. Well, he’d just have to make due.
He tossed a glance at Momo. “Well, what about you? S’not like you didn’t have a following - got a line of students waiting to give you chocolate?” Though Momo was the sort to like that sort of thing.
Momoshiro laughed at the comment about the students. True, the girls from the other classes gave him loads of chocolates, and sure they were cute, but his own homeroom didn't bother. Instead, some of the girls had given him exploding cards filled with terrible things like itching powder - good thing he knew better than to actually OPEN the cards without being cautious. "Yeah, well, they're students. Cute as they are, I'm not allowed to take advantage of them in that way. But I can accept gifts, so I have a lot of chocolate for the next several weeks!" He shoveled more lo mein into his mouth before dipping his chopsticks into the food and holding out some for Ryoma. It wouldn't be good of him to hog it all.
“Guess that works then. At least it was only your students.” Ryoma blinked, leaning forward to eat the lo mein before Momo dropped it on the couch or something. Chewing, he offered the chicken over in case Momo wanted some. “They don’t keep trying and trying and trying.” He made a face. “It’s not like I like it - I don’t know how to make ‘em stop.” He knew he was popular - but he didn’t want to be, not like that, and he didn’t want to date any of the classmates or fans who’d been following him around. He was sick of it - just once, he wished they’d stop and think about what he wanted. But apparently that was too much to ask.
Momoshiro plucked a few pieces of chicken and shoved them into his mouth, chewing before speaking again. "That's why you need to find yourself a relationship so they'll leave you alone," he suggested with a nod. "I mean, once they find out you're involved with someone, they won't keep begging for the attention, right?"
“I hope they’d stop,” Ryoma said. Sure, Momo’s idea made sense in theory - he guessed - but it didn’t work in practice. He couldn’t just go “find himself a relationship” just like that - it wasn’t that easy. And he couldn’t stand any of the people who followed him around with puppy dog eyes. He frowned, leaning forward, elbows on knees. “S’a nice idea, but I don’t want a relationship or I’d have one already.” He sighed, still thinking. “An’ even if I could get one… I dunno, just for show or something, it’d have to be someone I could stand in the first place.” People like that seemed to be in short supply.
"Er-- well, I mean a fake one, if you had to, just to leave you alone. I mean, it's just an idea... just find an old friend, I mean, I'm sure you could put up with anyone from Seigaku." Momoshiro poked around in his food. But who was he to say anything? The idea of a fake relationship bothered him a little to be honest. He liked the idea of love. Or, if not love, at least mutual sexual attraction on both parties.
Shrugging, Ryoma picked out another piece of chicken and ate it, thinking. Someone from Seigaku? Even that didn’t really work… Tezuka was out of the question; He hadn’t talked to either of the Golden Pair in as long as he hadn’t talked to Momo, Kawamura was out, Kaidoh was out, Inui was out… And that left only Momoshiro, in the end…
Stopping short, Ryoma actually caught his mind trying to wander in that direction. No. Scarier yet, he knew he’d thought about that before, but it wouldn’t work - it just wouldn’t. Momo had his little girlfriend, anyway. And he wouldn’t be willing to giver her up, even if that might as well just be for show as well - or at least just the stupid loose socks.
Momoshiro wondered briefly if what he saw on Ryoma's cheeks were a blush, or just a shadow. He decided it was just a shadow. He cleared his throat slightly and shoved some noodles into his mouth. The sudden thought of being Ryoma's pretend boyfriend was a little overwhelming and he cursed himself for even thinking about it.
"Or... uhm... you could just tell them you're gay, that might get the girls to stop."
“Most of ‘em are girls, but not all,” was the defeated response. “An’ the boys’re scarier than the girls sometimes.” Because they could stalk him in the locker rooms at the tennis clubs. No, thanks. “They’d just have more reason to keep trying. And staring at my ass.” Ryoma glanced up as Karupin wandered in with a meow; he tore off a small piece of chicken and offered it to her. “Think I’d have to go all-out and actually get someone or it wouldn’t matter in the end.”
"I could--" Momo started, before trailing off and shaking his head. He had been staring at Ryoma a little too intently. Damn was he cute, and he didn't even look any different from back when they were in high school, though the more he stared at Ryoma, the more he wondered why the face looked so familiar. His brow furrowed and he reached into his pocket, extracting his wallet (which looked as though it was bulging with money, but really there was no cash in there at all).
“Hm?” Glancing up, cheeks feeling oddly warm all of a sudden, Ryoma wondered what Momo had been going to say - but now he was digging in his wallet… maybe going for someone’s number or something. Oh, just great - he wasn’t entirely sure he’d want to date anyone Momo knew. They were probably all sixteen… Ugh, but then, Ryoma was always getting mistaken for a high school student. Constantly. He hated it - he’d grown so much and still it seemed to buy him nothing. “What’s in there?”
"Nothing, just... I was suddenly reminded of... something." He opened up the wallet which sort of exploded in a sort of mess of photographs. That must have been why it looked so full. Pictures of Ryoma, pictures of Kaidoh, pictures of Seigaku, his old school in Sapporo... tons of little pictures. "I mean, uhm... if you just walk around with a picture in your wallet, it might just be good enough. Er-- proof that you actually have a relationship you know?"
“Huh?” Ryoma blinked, staring at Momo’s wallet - which was filled to near-bursting with just that - pictures. “Proof?” Ryoma had always thought that things like that didn’t need proof - they just were, and both people knew it so what did it matter if anyone else knew? But apparently that wasn’t how everyone thought - because Momo was rifling through his pictures now, and Ryoma couldn’t quite see them but he really hoped they weren’t all of relationship’s he’d had. Though why he’d even care - or feel jealous…
"Pictures, you know... uh... I have a whole bunch of you and Kaidoh, and you and me, and all sorts of pictures of..." Momoshiro was starting to dump the pictures onto the table, but he looked intent on finding something else in particular. Finally, he found it pulling it out from its little sleeve and admiring it lovingly.
Ryoma craned his neck, finally shuffling over closer to Momo so they were sitting side-by-side so he could try and figure out what was going on. Momo had apparently found what he’d been looking for - he’d pulled out one picture in particular and was admiring it. “What’s - hey. Me? How many of those do you have?” He pointed to the picture in Momo’s hand, then glanced down at the table - because it sure as hell looked like him, from what he could tell.
Momoshiro looked down at the picture in his hand and blushed slightly. "Actually... that's Kenta....." It was a simple, oversized purikura picture, him and someone who looked surprisingly similar to Ryoma. It was the smaller boy's arms wrapped around Momoshiro's neck as they looked happily into the camera. There were hearts and sparkles and little doodles drawn around them.
“Who?” Ryoma took the picture, studying it. All right, up close he realized it wasn’t him - and he’d never taken pictures with Momo like that anyway - but it did look a whole lot like him from not very far away. He turned to hand it back to Momo - and noticed the other was blushing. “One of your boyfriends or something?”
"Well... ex... boyfriend, I guess," Momoshiro said, dusting at the picture slightly. "He was my first serious boyfriend. Dated him back when I was a senior in college. The little brat was so obnoxious, and annoying... but... really cute. I couldn't help but love him. But that was years ago. Anyway, he looks a lot like you, don't you think?"
Ryoma nodded. “… Yeah. He does.” That alone wasn’t the weirdest part, though. Thinking about what Momo had just said, Ryoma realized that Momo was practically describing him. Brat, obnoxious, and annoying were words he heard a lot.
He wasn’t sure what he thought of that - half of him was admittedly a little creeped out, but half of him seemed more excited than it should be. Shoving that half down, Ryoma settled back onto the couch again. “So how long’d you date him?”
"Oh... a little under two years, but he transferred to a school in America and we had to break up. A long distance relationship I can do... but across the globe? Neither of us could do it." Momo looked a little sad as he talked about how the relationship ended, but he had moved on, obviously. There were pictures of other girls and boys in his wallet too.
“Hm,” Ryoma hummed - he imagined it would be hard to keep up that sort of thing across the globe. He’d moved that far once, and he knew how hard it was to keep up with friends from that distance. “Well it doesn’t seem like you had that much trouble getting over him,” he said, realizing after he said it that it was probably not the nicest thing to say, but it was out. He grabbed a carton off the table, scooping some more food into his mouth. “I just don’t get it.”
Momoshiro didn't bother to look up at Ryoma's comment. Getting over Kenta had hurt... a lot, but it didn't hurt any less than moving away to Sapporo knowing he would probably never get the chance to see his old friends ever again. "Well... anyway, that's beside the point. I was thinking, I could just give you this picture, I mean, you and Kenta look a lot alike, so maybe then people'll just assume it's you."
“Eh?” Ryoma blinked. “Why would…” Wait. Just a second. “You want me to use this so people’ll think I already have a boyfriend?” If that was what Momo was implying… well. There were a few complications with that. But maybe Ryoma wasn’t understanding correctly.
"Er-- yeah. Well, if not a boyfriend, at the very least someone you're seeing. Look, I'm just trying to be a good friend... but hey, I mean, it was a thought, nothing too serious... besides, I could just give you a picture of Kaidoh to stick in your wallet and you'd be fine." Momoshiro pointed to a rather candid shot of Kaidoh sleeping in what looked to be... Momoshiro's old room from high school.
“Kaidoh? No thanks,” Ryoma said, glancing at the picture Momo was indicating - and wondering how the hell he’d gotten that one.
But back to the matter at hand. Because apparently Momo really was offering to pretend to be his boyfriend. He’d think about what that meant in a second. But first, “What about Hanako?” Ryoma asked - because maybe Momo wasn’t fully processing this situation. “F’you agreed to pretend to be… involved with me, or whatever, it’d prolly be all over the sports news within the week.” He wasn’t sure Momo had thought of that - or that he would be thrilled with that kind of publicity.
"Er-- it's just a photograph. S'not like I'm saying we gotta hang around together and have people actually see us... and... besides, Hanako and I aren't even all that serious, that's what makes her such a good girlfriend. No commitment required. You know, she's just as crazy and as bisexual as me, despite how girly she may look--" Momoshiro was babbling now and immediately closed his mouth.
“Yeah well…” Ryoma was trying to figure out how to put what he was thinking into words. Or even if he should. It was just that… suddenly the idea of Momo thinking of him like he thought of… well, Hanako, or however many other girl- or boyfriends he’d had… Ryoma didn’t like it. But he didn’t want to admit that, either.
“F’I just wanted a photograph, I could do one myself,” he finally said, leaning back and crossing arms over his chest, feeling decidedly moody for no good reason whatsoever.
"Oh... well... it... was just an idea, just trying to be helpful... and all that. Nevermind." Momoshiro reached over and started to gather the photographs back into his wallet, disregarding a picture he treasured quite a bit, a magazine clipping of Ryoma playing tennis from some magazine which had fallen to the floor. Unfortunately, he was so occupied by the fact that he was just trying to shove the pictures back into his wallet.
Ryoma almost felt bad at the way Momo sounded, but didn’t get the chance to say anything before he noticed one of Momo’s pictures sitting on the floor. He bent down to get it, glancing at it a moment - and frowned, taking another look at it. “Okay, this one’s definitely me,” he said, nonetheless offering it back to Momo. Now he was really… well, not confused, per se, but there was definitely something up. But it wasn’t something he wanted to think about, in case he was very, very wrong about it.
"Er-- yeah..." Momoshiro leaned over and grabbed the picture back from Ryoma. "Well... I had no recent photos of you," he muttered, shoving it back among the other photos in his wallet, which, once again, looked as though it were full of money.
“… Look, Momo-sempai - ” Argh, no, this wasn’t going to come out right. Ryoma sighed and stared at the table a moment. He didn’t think he should say what he wanted to say - it would just make a whole lot of trouble out of something that didn’t have to be so complicated. He was glad that he and Momo could hang out again like this after having been apart for so long. He wasn’t sure saying anything to complicate matters was a good idea.
“Nevermind,” he said, watching Momo fold up his wallet and then glanced over at his laptop. He could always just work on his paper again and forget they’d ever had this stupid “pretend boyfriend” conversation…
Momoshiro was stuffing his wallet back into his back pocket when he looked up and grinned at Ryoma. "Hey, you got any sweets? I'm feeling a rumbly in my dessert tummy." Obviously, he was doing his best to ignore the previous conversation as well.
“… Yeah. Mom left some chocolate.” Ryoma got up and went to the kitchen to find the box his mother had given him for the holiday, taking a moment to stand there and stare at the lid, thinking hard. He was about ready to smack himself in the head - since when was Echizen Ryoma afraid to speak his mind? Apparently when it could mess something up that didn’t need ruining, he told himself, picking up the box and padding back out to the living room.
“You know, f’you wanna be someone’s boyfriend, you should just ask, right? They might not say no,” he said quietly, handing the box to Momo, not sure if he was talking to himself or to the other. He slumped onto the couch beside his computer again.
Momoshiro blinked as he took the box of chocolate, hearing the soft murmur. He hesitated for a moment, before opening it up and popping one in his mouth. He chewed, watching as Ryoma slumped back down on the couch beside his computer. He chewed a little longer. If Ryoma had been talking to him, what had he meant by it? That kind of advice would have been useful back when they were in junior high. Back when he had a crush on the little underclassman...
He took a chocolate and moved a little closer to Ryoma's side and held it out for him. "Here, have one. They're good."
“Thanks,” Ryoma said, taking the chocolate and chewing on it slowly. He glanced at Momo, then back at his feet, feeling stupid. Really, really stupid. He should just say what was on his mind but somehow it was hard. It shouldn’t be, though - this was Momo after all. Momo who didn’t think the same way and who probably would just laugh it off if it was stupid, right?
"Hey Ryoma..." Momoshiro cocked his head to the side slightly. "You know," he said in a quiet voice, "When I was in junior high, er-- more like, when we were in junior high, I used to really think you were awesome." What kind of statement was that?
Ryoma blinked, glancing over at Momo. Was that… was he trying to say…? Well, if it was… Great - he was finally hearing what he’d wanted to hear - but the tense was all wrong. Used to. He sighed; he knew what was coming. “But not anymore; that’s it, right?”
"Er-- well... no, not anymore... but it's like... I mean..." Momoshiro was blushing slightly. "I... as I got older..." This was more difficult to say than usual. He frowned a little. "Ah, hey... this is good chocolate!"
“Right.” Well, that was that, then. Why should he bother pursuing this course of action if Momo didn’t feel the same way anymore? He should’ve said something when he was thirteen - twenty-three was obviously far too late to hope there was still a chance of anything real. “It’s fine.” He watched Momo eating the chocolate, figuring that at least he hadn’t said anything really stupid. Like the truth.
"Kind of a pity," Momoshiro muttered around the chocolate, completely to himself, "the older I got... the more I liked you... too bad it's too late..." Most of the words were muffled with the full mouth.
All Ryoma heard was “pity” and “more” - and he wasn’t sure what to make of that. “What’s a pity?” he asked, though he wasn’t sure Momo would even tell him. This was getting more stupid by the second. He hated feeling like this - and hated beating around the bush with Momo, of all people - who was the only person Ryoma had ever felt he could be completely honest with.
"Ugh." Momoshiro put the box of chocolates down on the table and leaned over close, pointing a finger at Ryoma, so close that his finger was nearly touching the other's nose. "What's a pity, is that I have a girlfriend, that's what."
Crossing his eyes to look at the other’s finger, Ryoma frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean? You wouldn’t have one if you didn’t want one.” He felt like he was saying that more to convince himself of that fact than anything - he was about two thoughts away from deciding to screw it all and just show Momo what he couldn’t say. But he was about one thought away from saying this whole thing was stupid and going back to his paper. This was stupid. So stupid.
Another grumble of discontentment and Momoshiro pulled back, slumping down into the cushions of the couch. "If I didn't want one, I wouldn't have one...." he echoed slightly... He sighed and stared up at the ceiling. "Hey, Echizen."
Ryoma watched Momo slump back, feeling a lot like he’d lost a game he’d never gotten the chance to play. “Yeah?” He ran a hand through his hair, wishing he’d never brought any of this up in the first place.
"You wanna... uhm... go out sometime?"
“… Huh?” Ryoma blinked. Wait a second. “On a date?” He watched Momo carefully - hadn’t they been over this with the pretend… stupid thing.
"Yeah, exactly what it sounds. A date. You know... you, me... dinner... er-- no tennis match? Just... because." Momoshiro was still looking up at the ceiling.
“… Yeah. I think I could do that.” Suddenly Ryoma felt stupid, but in a different way. Like… that hadn’t been so hard. And he should’ve been the one to say it. “As long as it’s not pretend.” Because he’d rather not go out at all if it was just for show. That really wasn’t how he wanted things to be.
"Nope. No pretend. A real date. With flowers. And candy, and kis-- er-- uhm... with flowers and candy." Momoshiro nodded and pushed a hand through his hair.
Well, in that case… “Fine by me,” Ryoma agreed, finally sitting up, feeling a little more like his normal self again. “But you know, we already have the candy, and the food. Don’t have any flowers, but…” He crawled over to where Momo was and decided that if he thought about this too much, he wouldn’t do it, so he might as well -
He pressed his lips awkwardly to Momoshiro’s. He’d never kissed anyone before, but it couldn’t be that hard, even if this was a weird angle.
Momoshiro's first reaction was to laugh into the kiss, mostly because it felt so awkward, but his second reaction to wrap a hand behind Ryoma's head, sit up slightly, and readjust the situation so as to kiss him better, just gently, softly, nothing too forward. He was blushing as well, no doubt. This was something he never imagined would happen… getting the chance and opportunity to kiss him...
Okay, that was a little easier; Ryoma leaned closer, finally bracing himself with hands on Momo’s chest, figuring it was pointless now to preserve personal space if they were already kissing. At least Momo hadn’t shoved him away.
He would have liked to stay like that indefinitely… but eventually he realized he had to breathe and pulled back, panting a little and staring at the couch back just to the left of Momo’s ear. His cheeks felt warm again. “Don’t tell your girlfriend I did that,” he said after a minute, not willing to apologize, but realizing maybe it had been a little foolish. Even if he wanted to do it again.
Momoshiro licked his lips, blushing, cheeks red. "Heh… yeah... I think... I'll just keep this between you and me." He took a moment, hesitating before leaning over again and kissing the corner of Ryoma's mouth, smiling. Maybe he looked too happy.
Ryoma felt… relieved. Incredibly, utterly relieved. Momo didn’t look angry, or like he thought this was a bad idea, or any of the million ways Ryoma had feared he would act. Then again, those fears were mostly left over from high school, and were more likely than not completely irrational.
So he might as well forget about them. He settled next to Momo on the couch, careful to keep the other from pulling the arm around him away. He felt kind of silly, now - how many times had he fantasized in high school about sitting with Momo like this? And exactly how many years ago had that been? It was practically ridiculous, he thought, chuckling a little and trying to hide it behind one hand.
Momoshiro turned to look at him. "You're laughing," he commented, but as he said it, he realized this really had been foolish of them, dancing around the subject like they had been all that time. But now it was out there, in the open, it felt kind of nice. Well, at least, even if there wasn't any of that, 'I like you' confession, at least they had gotten to the point where they could go on dates.
Maybe... in the future... Momoshiro could take him aside and say, 'I've always liked you.'
“It’s funny,” was all Ryoma said - he’d tell Momo more if he asked, but for now that would suffice. It didn’t sound like the other thought he was laughing at him - which was good, because he really wasn’t. He was laughing at himself, if anything.
Leaning forward, he grabbed the box of chocolates again. They had been good - but he hadn’t been thinking about that before. He stuck another one in his mouth, savoring it and holding the box up. “Want another chocolate?” He settled back next to Momo again - he was perfectly content to sit here for as long as the other wanted to.
"Yeah, of course!" Momoshiro exclaimed, reaching for the chocolates, stuffing a piece into his mouth with a wide grin.
Ryoma just shook his head, figuring Momo was happy enough, and so was he… but then he thought of something else: that whole big problem that had triggered half of this. “Er… I hate to bring it up, Momo-sempai… but what are you gonna tell your girlfriend? I mean - didn’t you just start going out with her?” He almost felt bad - he hadn’t meant to have any of this happen. Apparently he just had the world’s worst timing.
"Oh. No, that's fine. I'll just tell her the guy I've uhm... well, she knew that I've always wanted to... go out with.. " Momoshiro furrowed his brow together. There was no easy way to say this without confessing.
“Hm?” Ryoma shifted, glancing up at Momo. What did he mean, “always wanted to go out with”? Ryoma wasn’t stupid - but he wasn’t sure Momo actually meant what it sounded like he was trying to say. “How’s it fine?” Maybe Momo would explain. “You have a disclaimer on your relationships?”
"Exactly! There's a disclaimer on our relationship!" Momoshiro exclaimed, pointing.
Ryoma narrowed his eyes a little. “S’this on all of yours? ‘Cause if it is, then you’d better tell me what it is.” He wasn’t about to agree to something if he didn’t know all the terms. He shifted sideways so he could look at Momo properly, waiting for an answer.
"N-n-no... Not... not like that. I mean... it's a little different. Cuz... it's just... like..." Momoshiro was stuttering now. There was no possible way to explain this situation. He was failing and failing miserably.
“What?” Ryoma wasn’t sure whether Momo’s being nervous was a good or bad thing. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Momo-sempai. You’re making less sense than you usually do.”
Momoshiro sighed. Way to ruin what had intended to be a romantic moment. "The circumstances were, that... I... had liked someone for a long time.... and Hanako and I had come to the conclusion that if I got the chance... er--" Nope. No luck.
“… Oh.” Ryoma settled back down against Momo, thinking for a moment as the silence stretched on. He was pretty sure that Momo was saying what he’d thought he was saying, after all - and it made him feel… he couldn’t really describe it, so he stared at the box of chocolates in his hand a moment before finally asking, “Ne. Momo-sempai… how long have you… wanted to, you know. Ask me out?”
Momoshiro puffed out his cheeks slightly and sighed, sinking slightly in the couch. "How..." he said quietly, "a... long time, actually."
“Heh.” Ryoma couldn’t help but smile - it really was funny, now, in an incredibly stupid sort of way. He settled closer to Momo, taking a few deep breaths. “Me too, you know.” There wasn’t any point in pretending this was a new thing. “Since I was about thirteen.”
"R-really?" Momo turned slightly pink. Now that was an idea he hadn't quite entertained. In fact, the thought of it embarrassed him so much that he was speechless.
“Yeah,” Ryoma said, squirming a little and feeling his own cheeks grow warm, feeling quite like he was thirteen all over again. He glanced at Momo’s elbow when he spoke again. “Well. I guess there was the couple years in the middle where I just pretended I didn’t, and then you left and I figured it was stupid an’ I wasn’t gonna see you again anyway…”
Now this was awkward and Momoshiro certainly felt like a little kid. He brought his hands together, twisting them nervously. "Wow... I never would have thought... you know, one Valentine’s Day... I was going to uhm... ask you out. Back when we were in high school, I think... but... I was... too shy. Well, shy's not the right word. I was more afraid that you would hit me."
Ryoma couldn’t help but laugh a little at that, softly. “I think I almost asked you out two or three times, but I thought you were gonna tell me I had to put on a skirt and get an operation.” He had been so sure Momo had liked girls - and only girls - for a long time that by the time he’d found out he… was open to other options, he was already past hoping he had a shot. “Guess I can’t blame you for never saying anything,” he finally said after a few minutes. “S’not like I ever did, either.”
"Oh... yeah I guess I really was a skirt chaser when I was younger..." Especially Ann, but there was no need to say that last part out loud. Momoshiro leaned a little closer to Ryoma. There it was, the one person he had wanted to ask out for so long, and they were going out confessing their feelings for each other and damn did he want to molest him.
It was made worse by the fact that Ryoma hadn't aged considerably at all, looking as young as ever (especially considering the fact that Inui and Taka-san both looked like they had an extra 10 years on them). "But... you know... we're sort of saying something now..."
Ryoma nodded, feeling Momo shift and letting him without complaint. “Yeah, you were. But I guess it’s okay - s’not like anything’s gonna change by regretting it. Saying it now’s better than never, huh?” It did feel decidedly better, now that he had told Momo he’d liked him since junior high. A little weird, but definitely better, and he was pretty sure Momo felt the same way.
“You sure you’re not gonna be too broken up over Hanako?” he asked with a grin, letting some of the snark slip back into his voice, grinning up at Momo with a look that said the answer had better be the one Ryoma was expecting.
"Oh heck no, you look a whole 5 years younger than she does," Momoshiro replied with a smirk, "All you need now is to put on a skirt and get some loose socks and I won't be able to resist!" And he only said all this because he knew this wasn't the answer that Ryoma was expecting.
“Oh, if you think I’m going to wear a skirt for you now, you’d better go running back to your little Hanako-chan,” Ryoma said, turning to face Momo with a smug grin. “I don’t need loose socks to attract people - the twenty-person horde that likes to follow me around is proof of that. I don’t have to go out with you, you know.” Ryoma leaned one elbow on Momo’s right shoulder, propping his chin up on his hand.
"Well, sure, if you LIKE having that many people be attracted to you," Momoshiro returned with the same smirk. "But fine, if you don't want to go out with me, that's fine. I'll just go back to my apartment, and call Mi-- er-- uhm... Hanako-chan to wear loose socks for me." He had caught himself before mentioning Mizuki. God that was close.
Momo wasn’t going anywhere - and both of them knew it - but Ryoma was not going to lose at this game. He went one step further, draping himself across Momo’s lap. “I never said I liked it,” he tossed back, “just that I shouldn’t have to wear loose socks for you to like me. Don’t and won’t aren’t the same word, you know.” And no, that was not a promise either, but he’d let Momo visualize that one for a while anyway.
Now Momo was getting this image of Ryoma in a skirt and loose socks that was both arousing, frightening and wonderful at the exact same time. He frowned down at Ryoma and resisted the urge to pinch his nose in revenge. Instead he stuck out his tongue in a childish way and replied, "Seeing as how you didn't wear skirts in junior high, I think I like you pretty well as it is. Well, except for the fact that you look a little older."
“Well, what did you expect? I hate to break it to you, but I’m twenty-three. M’not gonna look thirteen still, so just get over it. F’you really wanted me when I was thirteen, you shoulda said something.” That probably wasn’t fair - seeing as Ryoma had just said he didn’t blame the other for never saying anything when he hadn’t said anything himself - but then again, it was a little true. “I still reserve the right to smack you f’you stare at jailbait,” he said, examining the break in the couch cushions intently. He wasn’t joking - he didn’t exactly like the idea of someone who was going to be his boyfriend - boyfriend, holy shit - staring at junior high kids.
Momoshiro puffed out his cheeks slightly, indignant at the idea that his hobby was going to take a back seat to Ryoma-- not that it didn't make sense. It wasn't the most polite thing to do, after all. He mulled over the option quietly for a moment before taking advantage of the Ryoma draped across his lap, hand moving to toy with the soft locks of black hair. "Fine, I won't look," he said, "well... unless I wanted you to smack me."
“F’you want to get smacked, all you have to do is ask,” Ryoma snickered, but it kind of died beneath the hand playing through his hair. It felt really nice. He’d always been very adamant about people not touching him; he didn’t like being touched, and tended to make that clear - he had to, with all the people that constantly tried to. But it was a lot different, he decided, when it was someone you didn’t mind touching you. He curled up onto his side a little, humming happily. “Mm.”
Clearly, Ryoma was enjoying himself and Momoshiro was definitely amused, so he decided to continue playing with his hair, with the soft locks, something he longed to do for quite some time. Even though Ryoma was 23 and not 13, his hair still felt as soft as ever... just like a little kid.
Ryoma felt his eyes slip shut, all but purring happily at Momo’s hand playing through his hair. It was very comforting, he thought muzzily, rolling over onto his back and grinning, eyes still closed. “Keep that up.”
"Ora, ora... you really like that hmm?" Momoshiro replied, as though he were talking to a kitten.
“Mm-hmm,” Ryoma hummed, enjoying it a moment more. Though soon after, he began to feel a little silly. Momo was just playing with his hair, for crying out loud. Sure it felt nice - but it was nothing to get worked up over, right? He managed to open his eyes, peering up at Momo. “What do you like?” He didn’t really know what people were supposed to like and what they weren’t - he could guess, but he was pretty sure Momo wouldn’t go so crazy at being petted like a cat, for starters.
Momoshiro blinked for a moment before pondering over the question for some time. There were dirty ways to answer it, and clean ways to answer it, and teasing cute ways to answer it. He decided, after a little pondering that the teasing way was the best way to respond. "I like loose socks, for one."
Ryoma made a face, scrunching up his nose. “I know that already, baka. I meant something I’m willing to do.” He reached up and poked Momo’s nose lightly, glancing away for a moment. “I’m not as experienced as you so I don’t know what people’re supposed to like,” he said with a shrug. “S’your loss if you don’t tell me. Or,” he said, a bit of the smirk returning, “I’ll just hafta figure it out.”
"Hmm... I kind of like the idea of the latter," Momoshiro replied with a laugh. "We can make a sort of game out of it. It's much more even than my playing tennis against you."
“F’you say so,” Ryoma replied, studying Momo a moment. He finally sat up, settling on his knees next to the other, still thinking. Finally deciding on a way to start, he brought one hand carefully up to the back of Momo’s neck and brushed a few fingertips down his spine until he hit shirt collar. “How’s the back of your neck?”
Momoshiro did his best to act as though he didn't find that at all pleasant. "Hmm... fine, actually," he replied, cracking the bones in his neck by tilting his head from one side to the next. Though, it was a rather sensitive place for him.
“Hm.” Ryoma thought a moment more, still studying the other. He finally figured Momo might be different than he was, and shifted to brush fingers down the other’s side now, lightly, through his shirt. “You ticklish at all, then?”
More effort. Momoshiro stifled his laugh with a cough. "Not at all!" he replied, with a firm nod, his skin prickling slightly.
Ah, well, he was definitely lying about that, Ryoma thought with a grin - he knew that reaction well. It was what he always tried to do, and generally failed at. “You are too,” he said firmly, poking Momo in the side and then leaning over to run hands down both sides at once, barely touching the shirt.
Momoshiro was losing, and it didn't help that just the thought of Ryoma touching him was enough to make his skin prickle. He started to squirm. "So what if I am?" he challenged, trying to get away from Ryoma's touch.
“It’s funny,” Ryoma snickered, finally pulling his hands back. He wasn’t heartless - he knew what it was like to be ticklish, after all. “But I guess that wasn’t the point,” he said, sitting back on his heels and frowning. He really didn’t know what felt nice. “You gotta give me something to go off of.” He hated to admit it, but he really didn’t know what Momo liked. He’d spent far too much time actively not considering the idea, intentionally.
Laughing, Momoshiro reached over to Ryoma and gently tickled the back of his neck. "I'll give you a hint, but not right now. Don't you have a paper to write?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. After all, wasn't that why he had come all this way?
“Mmyeah… I do.” Ryoma sighed, glaring at the laptop on the couch, then at the clock. “I don’t wanna stay up all night and work on it though - an’ it’s only halfway done.” He leaned against the couch back, considering the computer still whirring quietly a few feet away. “I c’n turn it in late. Got an A in the class already.” Even if Momo were to leave right now, Ryoma still didn’t think he’d be able to get much of the paper done.
"Oh? In that case..." Momoshiro hadn't intended on getting the option to actually share with Ryoma what he liked, but he decided it would be best to not say anything. He smiled and reached over, ruffling Ryoma's hair lovingly. "You're such a terrible student."
“Oh, like you never punted a paper?” Ryoma stretched, arms over his head and feet over the table. “You’re such a bad teacher - you don’t even seem to mind ,” he said with a grin; though in reality, he thought Momo must be a pretty good teacher, to deal with the kids he had in his class. “You’d rather I sat here and typed up a paper an’ ignored you?”
"W-well, it would be better for you!" Momoshiro exclaimed. He was a teacher, after all, it wouldn't be right if he didn't encourage good behavior from students... but then again, here was Ryoma looking as sexy as ever... and he had the freedom to actually... touch him. He leaned over and kissed him lovingly on the cheek.
“My grade c’n handle it,” Ryoma replied confidently, smiling contentedly. “Consider it a Valentine’s Day sacrifice. You c’n owe me later.” Though really, he was probably getting the better end of the deal. He settled back down against Momo, deciding that his first idea about never moving from this spot was a good one. He felt a little like a cat, pressed against Momo’s side and soaking up the warmth, but whatever. It was nice.
Momoshiro wrapped his arms around Ryoma's smaller body, hugging him in a way he never imagined he could hug him. He was smiling, blushing, shy, but happy. "Okay okay, I'll owe you. Just ask me when you want to claim it."
“Later,” Ryoma decided. “Someday when I feel like moving.” He draped one arm across Momo’s stomach, feeling more than a little content. But only until he realized that if they were going to date - for real - there were going to be some… issues. “I hope you don’t mind the press,” he murmured against Momo’s side, closing his eyes as though that would make him forget that particular issue.
"The press?" Momoshiro echoed, not realizing that dating Ryoma came with a price - a rather expensive one, at that. He had nearly forgotten that his old friend was, in fact, a rather famous tennis player, and that dating him would attract the attention of the sports media... especially since Ryoma was such a wonderful, available bachelor! "Heh...I guess... it should be okay."
“Just a warning. They might not find out for a while, but someone will eventually.” They always did - and Ryoma still wasn’t quite sure how. But he did know that he wasn’t going to sacrifice going out with Momo in public, even if this wasn’t a farce. That would be admitting defeat. “F’they bother you too much, just tell ‘em to fuck off,” he said, yawning. “Same goes for my father.” He didn’t think his old man would bother Momo over this - but then, he never knew what his old man would do.
"Hahaha, your father, he's nothing. I bet he's even older and even less impressive now than he was back when we were in junior high," Momoshiro said with a laugh, reaching up to play with Ryoma's hair again. Didn't Mizuki have this kink too? Oh well. "As for the media, well, I don't care."
“Someone should tell him that,” Ryoma said, fingers tightening around Momo’s side as the other’s hand slipped back through his hair. This was really nice, and very comfortable, and he was getting tired. “Hope you didn’ wanna move anytime soon,” he mumbled, yawning again and settling himself between Momo and the couch.
"Naw... I'll stay here as long as you need me to," Momoshiro said, still caressing Ryoma's hair and sighing happily. Somehow the idea of his old friend falling asleep on him just like old times made him happier than it should have... then again, most of the things about this night had made him feel happier than he should have.
“Good,” Ryoma said, grinning softly and thinking that Momo’s amazing pillow abilities hadn’t diminished over the years, at least. Which was a very good thing, as one Echizen Ryoma was very comfortable and for once, very, very pleased to be sharing his couch with someone else. And damn the stupid paper to hell - this was a much better way to spend an evening, he thought, drifting slowly off to sleep.
Rating: PG-13ish
Summary: Momo comes over with the intention of helping Ryoma with a paper that's due the next morning. The subject of relationships comes up, and after a lot of beating around the bush, long-standing feelings are confessed~
Warning: It's kind of, um. Long. ^^;;
Ryoma was sitting on the couch, feet on the table and computer perched on his lap, trying to work on his paper when someone knocked on the door. He glanced at the clock - figuring it was too soon for the food he’d ordered to be here yet, it must be Momo. He set the laptop on the couch - where Haru immediately walked across it happily - and dragged himself to his feet, going to the door and pulling it open.
It was indeed Momo on the other side; Ryoma opened the door wider, stepping aside to let the other in. “Hey.”
Momo, looking much more comfortable than he ever did, not hurried, not messy, looking as he did back in junior high and high school. He was glowing, just a little bit, and grinning happily at Ryoma. "Hey," he greeted with a raise of his hand and a playful wave. "Long time no see." Which obviously was a lie.
Ryoma rolled his eyes. “Long as in what, two weeks or something?” All the same, they still hadn’t talked to each other in a very long time before that reunion, so he supposed he’d let it slide. Besides, Momo sure looked happy. Ryoma wondered if this was one of those moods that had a reason, or if Momo was just being Momo. He couldn’t really tell for sure after all this time.
“You sure look happy,” he finally decided to say, closing the door behind his once-sempai and waiting for him to take off his shoes before padding back into the living room and plopping onto the couch again. “I ordered some Chinese - figured you wouldn’t mind.” He did not want to go outside today.
"Whoa, Chinese food!" Momoshiro exclaimed, rubbing his hands together eagerly as he slipped out of his shoes and stepped up into the apartment. "I look happy because I get to see you, what's wrong with that? Hanging out with my best friend? Helping him with his homework, it's fantastic! I've never felt so happy!"
“Ryoma just shook his head. “You’re weird. You’re more excited about my homework than I am.” He indicated the spot next to himself on the couch, picking Haru up off the keyboard and pulling the laptop over, erasing all the errant keystrokes the kitten had entered. “That’s Haru,” he said, meaning the cat who was now sniffing Momo’s toes and purring loudly. “Karupin’s prolly asleep somewhere.”
Momoshiro leaned over to gently scratch behind the kitten's ear, smiling. "He's really cute," he confessed, stopping himself before adding a frivolous statement onto the end of that which was surprisingly similar to, "just like his master." He knew better than that. Much better.
Ryoma grinned. “Yeah, but he bugs the hell outta Karupin sometimes.” Haru was much bouncier than the very-aged Karupin, who would much rather sleep in the sun all day than have her tail attacked by tiny kitten teeth. But sometimes he’d catch the two of them curled up together, so he knew they got along just fine. “Just watch out, he likes to get under your feet.” He paused, then remembering, “Oh. You want anything to drink?” He was already sitting, but he did have some manners.
Just as Ryoma said so, the cat was winding his way around Momoshiro's ankles, forcing him to lift up a leg and trying not to step on him. He nodded and stumbled back onto the couch. "Sure, give me anything you got. Er-- my natural reaction is to ask for beer, but that might not be smart, seeing as you need to be writing a paper."
He nodded, and gave another firm, satisfied nod. Sure this wasn't the ideal way to spend Valentine’s, but it was with Ryoma. That was just as good.
Ryoma shrugged, pushing off the couch again now that Haru was occupied, at least. “Well, I have some if you want it. I’m not gonna drink it ‘cause I’m working on the paper - you c’n hold at least one beer, can’t you?” He tossed a half-smirk in Momo’s direction and went into the kitchen, fishing out a beer for Momo and a Ponta for himself, tossing one can to Momo before sitting on the couch again, hoping it’d be at least a few minutes before the food arrived. He cracked his can open, taking a drink and eyeing Momo silently for a moment.
“So you really don’t have anything better to do than help me with a paper on Valentine’s Day?” It wasn’t like he was turning down the company - no, not at all - but he had to admit, he wouldn’t have pegged Momo for the type to be without a date tonight in particular.
Momoshiro cracked the can open and took a swig. He gave a satisfied sigh and looked down at the cat still circling around his legs. "Hanako's busy, so it's not like I have any plans anyway besides, you're alone, I'm alone, it's fine. Didn't we used to do stuff like this when we were younger? Back in junior high and high school? We never cared about Valentine’s or White Day. Big deal."
Ah, so the date was busy. Figured, but at least things made a little more sense now. “Well, it’s not like I mind. We did used to - an’ I still don’t care about Valentine’s Day, ‘cept it means I gotta stay inside.”
He was about to say more, but just as Ryoma spoke someone knocked at the door again - sighing, Ryoma got up and answered it, paying the delivery boy for the food and returning to the living room with only a slight detour into the kitchen for chopsticks and napkins. He set the food down on the low table, handing Momo a pair of chopsticks. “You want a plate, they’re in the kitchen.” He didn’t really care, and he didn’t think Momo would either, but he offered all the same.
Taking a bite, he sighed again and leaned back into the couch. “Definitely better than braving the pack.”
"Nah, thanks for offering though." No formalities needed, they were old friends after all. "Yeah it's true. Well, I mean, to be honest, Valentine’s ain't any fun when you're popular and now here you are, Mr. I am so awesome at tennis, I bet you have tons of fangirls begging for you to be their valentines.
"Hell you were just as bad back in junior high." Momoshiro reached over and pulled a carton of lo mein off the table, shoveling some in his mouth.
Ryoma groaned. “I think it’s tons of tons. An’ they’re not even all girls anymore.” He reached over for the carton of chicken and held it out of Haru’s reach. “They get more forward every year. No means no. Geez. Well, you know the reason I’m working here. Kept getting assaulted in the library and couldn’t get anything done there.” It had been decidedly annoying, and now the paper was due tomorrow and he probably hadn’t done as much research as he was supposed to. Well, he’d just have to make due.
He tossed a glance at Momo. “Well, what about you? S’not like you didn’t have a following - got a line of students waiting to give you chocolate?” Though Momo was the sort to like that sort of thing.
Momoshiro laughed at the comment about the students. True, the girls from the other classes gave him loads of chocolates, and sure they were cute, but his own homeroom didn't bother. Instead, some of the girls had given him exploding cards filled with terrible things like itching powder - good thing he knew better than to actually OPEN the cards without being cautious. "Yeah, well, they're students. Cute as they are, I'm not allowed to take advantage of them in that way. But I can accept gifts, so I have a lot of chocolate for the next several weeks!" He shoveled more lo mein into his mouth before dipping his chopsticks into the food and holding out some for Ryoma. It wouldn't be good of him to hog it all.
“Guess that works then. At least it was only your students.” Ryoma blinked, leaning forward to eat the lo mein before Momo dropped it on the couch or something. Chewing, he offered the chicken over in case Momo wanted some. “They don’t keep trying and trying and trying.” He made a face. “It’s not like I like it - I don’t know how to make ‘em stop.” He knew he was popular - but he didn’t want to be, not like that, and he didn’t want to date any of the classmates or fans who’d been following him around. He was sick of it - just once, he wished they’d stop and think about what he wanted. But apparently that was too much to ask.
Momoshiro plucked a few pieces of chicken and shoved them into his mouth, chewing before speaking again. "That's why you need to find yourself a relationship so they'll leave you alone," he suggested with a nod. "I mean, once they find out you're involved with someone, they won't keep begging for the attention, right?"
“I hope they’d stop,” Ryoma said. Sure, Momo’s idea made sense in theory - he guessed - but it didn’t work in practice. He couldn’t just go “find himself a relationship” just like that - it wasn’t that easy. And he couldn’t stand any of the people who followed him around with puppy dog eyes. He frowned, leaning forward, elbows on knees. “S’a nice idea, but I don’t want a relationship or I’d have one already.” He sighed, still thinking. “An’ even if I could get one… I dunno, just for show or something, it’d have to be someone I could stand in the first place.” People like that seemed to be in short supply.
"Er-- well, I mean a fake one, if you had to, just to leave you alone. I mean, it's just an idea... just find an old friend, I mean, I'm sure you could put up with anyone from Seigaku." Momoshiro poked around in his food. But who was he to say anything? The idea of a fake relationship bothered him a little to be honest. He liked the idea of love. Or, if not love, at least mutual sexual attraction on both parties.
Shrugging, Ryoma picked out another piece of chicken and ate it, thinking. Someone from Seigaku? Even that didn’t really work… Tezuka was out of the question; He hadn’t talked to either of the Golden Pair in as long as he hadn’t talked to Momo, Kawamura was out, Kaidoh was out, Inui was out… And that left only Momoshiro, in the end…
Stopping short, Ryoma actually caught his mind trying to wander in that direction. No. Scarier yet, he knew he’d thought about that before, but it wouldn’t work - it just wouldn’t. Momo had his little girlfriend, anyway. And he wouldn’t be willing to giver her up, even if that might as well just be for show as well - or at least just the stupid loose socks.
Momoshiro wondered briefly if what he saw on Ryoma's cheeks were a blush, or just a shadow. He decided it was just a shadow. He cleared his throat slightly and shoved some noodles into his mouth. The sudden thought of being Ryoma's pretend boyfriend was a little overwhelming and he cursed himself for even thinking about it.
"Or... uhm... you could just tell them you're gay, that might get the girls to stop."
“Most of ‘em are girls, but not all,” was the defeated response. “An’ the boys’re scarier than the girls sometimes.” Because they could stalk him in the locker rooms at the tennis clubs. No, thanks. “They’d just have more reason to keep trying. And staring at my ass.” Ryoma glanced up as Karupin wandered in with a meow; he tore off a small piece of chicken and offered it to her. “Think I’d have to go all-out and actually get someone or it wouldn’t matter in the end.”
"I could--" Momo started, before trailing off and shaking his head. He had been staring at Ryoma a little too intently. Damn was he cute, and he didn't even look any different from back when they were in high school, though the more he stared at Ryoma, the more he wondered why the face looked so familiar. His brow furrowed and he reached into his pocket, extracting his wallet (which looked as though it was bulging with money, but really there was no cash in there at all).
“Hm?” Glancing up, cheeks feeling oddly warm all of a sudden, Ryoma wondered what Momo had been going to say - but now he was digging in his wallet… maybe going for someone’s number or something. Oh, just great - he wasn’t entirely sure he’d want to date anyone Momo knew. They were probably all sixteen… Ugh, but then, Ryoma was always getting mistaken for a high school student. Constantly. He hated it - he’d grown so much and still it seemed to buy him nothing. “What’s in there?”
"Nothing, just... I was suddenly reminded of... something." He opened up the wallet which sort of exploded in a sort of mess of photographs. That must have been why it looked so full. Pictures of Ryoma, pictures of Kaidoh, pictures of Seigaku, his old school in Sapporo... tons of little pictures. "I mean, uhm... if you just walk around with a picture in your wallet, it might just be good enough. Er-- proof that you actually have a relationship you know?"
“Huh?” Ryoma blinked, staring at Momo’s wallet - which was filled to near-bursting with just that - pictures. “Proof?” Ryoma had always thought that things like that didn’t need proof - they just were, and both people knew it so what did it matter if anyone else knew? But apparently that wasn’t how everyone thought - because Momo was rifling through his pictures now, and Ryoma couldn’t quite see them but he really hoped they weren’t all of relationship’s he’d had. Though why he’d even care - or feel jealous…
"Pictures, you know... uh... I have a whole bunch of you and Kaidoh, and you and me, and all sorts of pictures of..." Momoshiro was starting to dump the pictures onto the table, but he looked intent on finding something else in particular. Finally, he found it pulling it out from its little sleeve and admiring it lovingly.
Ryoma craned his neck, finally shuffling over closer to Momo so they were sitting side-by-side so he could try and figure out what was going on. Momo had apparently found what he’d been looking for - he’d pulled out one picture in particular and was admiring it. “What’s - hey. Me? How many of those do you have?” He pointed to the picture in Momo’s hand, then glanced down at the table - because it sure as hell looked like him, from what he could tell.
Momoshiro looked down at the picture in his hand and blushed slightly. "Actually... that's Kenta....." It was a simple, oversized purikura picture, him and someone who looked surprisingly similar to Ryoma. It was the smaller boy's arms wrapped around Momoshiro's neck as they looked happily into the camera. There were hearts and sparkles and little doodles drawn around them.
“Who?” Ryoma took the picture, studying it. All right, up close he realized it wasn’t him - and he’d never taken pictures with Momo like that anyway - but it did look a whole lot like him from not very far away. He turned to hand it back to Momo - and noticed the other was blushing. “One of your boyfriends or something?”
"Well... ex... boyfriend, I guess," Momoshiro said, dusting at the picture slightly. "He was my first serious boyfriend. Dated him back when I was a senior in college. The little brat was so obnoxious, and annoying... but... really cute. I couldn't help but love him. But that was years ago. Anyway, he looks a lot like you, don't you think?"
Ryoma nodded. “… Yeah. He does.” That alone wasn’t the weirdest part, though. Thinking about what Momo had just said, Ryoma realized that Momo was practically describing him. Brat, obnoxious, and annoying were words he heard a lot.
He wasn’t sure what he thought of that - half of him was admittedly a little creeped out, but half of him seemed more excited than it should be. Shoving that half down, Ryoma settled back onto the couch again. “So how long’d you date him?”
"Oh... a little under two years, but he transferred to a school in America and we had to break up. A long distance relationship I can do... but across the globe? Neither of us could do it." Momo looked a little sad as he talked about how the relationship ended, but he had moved on, obviously. There were pictures of other girls and boys in his wallet too.
“Hm,” Ryoma hummed - he imagined it would be hard to keep up that sort of thing across the globe. He’d moved that far once, and he knew how hard it was to keep up with friends from that distance. “Well it doesn’t seem like you had that much trouble getting over him,” he said, realizing after he said it that it was probably not the nicest thing to say, but it was out. He grabbed a carton off the table, scooping some more food into his mouth. “I just don’t get it.”
Momoshiro didn't bother to look up at Ryoma's comment. Getting over Kenta had hurt... a lot, but it didn't hurt any less than moving away to Sapporo knowing he would probably never get the chance to see his old friends ever again. "Well... anyway, that's beside the point. I was thinking, I could just give you this picture, I mean, you and Kenta look a lot alike, so maybe then people'll just assume it's you."
“Eh?” Ryoma blinked. “Why would…” Wait. Just a second. “You want me to use this so people’ll think I already have a boyfriend?” If that was what Momo was implying… well. There were a few complications with that. But maybe Ryoma wasn’t understanding correctly.
"Er-- yeah. Well, if not a boyfriend, at the very least someone you're seeing. Look, I'm just trying to be a good friend... but hey, I mean, it was a thought, nothing too serious... besides, I could just give you a picture of Kaidoh to stick in your wallet and you'd be fine." Momoshiro pointed to a rather candid shot of Kaidoh sleeping in what looked to be... Momoshiro's old room from high school.
“Kaidoh? No thanks,” Ryoma said, glancing at the picture Momo was indicating - and wondering how the hell he’d gotten that one.
But back to the matter at hand. Because apparently Momo really was offering to pretend to be his boyfriend. He’d think about what that meant in a second. But first, “What about Hanako?” Ryoma asked - because maybe Momo wasn’t fully processing this situation. “F’you agreed to pretend to be… involved with me, or whatever, it’d prolly be all over the sports news within the week.” He wasn’t sure Momo had thought of that - or that he would be thrilled with that kind of publicity.
"Er-- it's just a photograph. S'not like I'm saying we gotta hang around together and have people actually see us... and... besides, Hanako and I aren't even all that serious, that's what makes her such a good girlfriend. No commitment required. You know, she's just as crazy and as bisexual as me, despite how girly she may look--" Momoshiro was babbling now and immediately closed his mouth.
“Yeah well…” Ryoma was trying to figure out how to put what he was thinking into words. Or even if he should. It was just that… suddenly the idea of Momo thinking of him like he thought of… well, Hanako, or however many other girl- or boyfriends he’d had… Ryoma didn’t like it. But he didn’t want to admit that, either.
“F’I just wanted a photograph, I could do one myself,” he finally said, leaning back and crossing arms over his chest, feeling decidedly moody for no good reason whatsoever.
"Oh... well... it... was just an idea, just trying to be helpful... and all that. Nevermind." Momoshiro reached over and started to gather the photographs back into his wallet, disregarding a picture he treasured quite a bit, a magazine clipping of Ryoma playing tennis from some magazine which had fallen to the floor. Unfortunately, he was so occupied by the fact that he was just trying to shove the pictures back into his wallet.
Ryoma almost felt bad at the way Momo sounded, but didn’t get the chance to say anything before he noticed one of Momo’s pictures sitting on the floor. He bent down to get it, glancing at it a moment - and frowned, taking another look at it. “Okay, this one’s definitely me,” he said, nonetheless offering it back to Momo. Now he was really… well, not confused, per se, but there was definitely something up. But it wasn’t something he wanted to think about, in case he was very, very wrong about it.
"Er-- yeah..." Momoshiro leaned over and grabbed the picture back from Ryoma. "Well... I had no recent photos of you," he muttered, shoving it back among the other photos in his wallet, which, once again, looked as though it were full of money.
“… Look, Momo-sempai - ” Argh, no, this wasn’t going to come out right. Ryoma sighed and stared at the table a moment. He didn’t think he should say what he wanted to say - it would just make a whole lot of trouble out of something that didn’t have to be so complicated. He was glad that he and Momo could hang out again like this after having been apart for so long. He wasn’t sure saying anything to complicate matters was a good idea.
“Nevermind,” he said, watching Momo fold up his wallet and then glanced over at his laptop. He could always just work on his paper again and forget they’d ever had this stupid “pretend boyfriend” conversation…
Momoshiro was stuffing his wallet back into his back pocket when he looked up and grinned at Ryoma. "Hey, you got any sweets? I'm feeling a rumbly in my dessert tummy." Obviously, he was doing his best to ignore the previous conversation as well.
“… Yeah. Mom left some chocolate.” Ryoma got up and went to the kitchen to find the box his mother had given him for the holiday, taking a moment to stand there and stare at the lid, thinking hard. He was about ready to smack himself in the head - since when was Echizen Ryoma afraid to speak his mind? Apparently when it could mess something up that didn’t need ruining, he told himself, picking up the box and padding back out to the living room.
“You know, f’you wanna be someone’s boyfriend, you should just ask, right? They might not say no,” he said quietly, handing the box to Momo, not sure if he was talking to himself or to the other. He slumped onto the couch beside his computer again.
Momoshiro blinked as he took the box of chocolate, hearing the soft murmur. He hesitated for a moment, before opening it up and popping one in his mouth. He chewed, watching as Ryoma slumped back down on the couch beside his computer. He chewed a little longer. If Ryoma had been talking to him, what had he meant by it? That kind of advice would have been useful back when they were in junior high. Back when he had a crush on the little underclassman...
He took a chocolate and moved a little closer to Ryoma's side and held it out for him. "Here, have one. They're good."
“Thanks,” Ryoma said, taking the chocolate and chewing on it slowly. He glanced at Momo, then back at his feet, feeling stupid. Really, really stupid. He should just say what was on his mind but somehow it was hard. It shouldn’t be, though - this was Momo after all. Momo who didn’t think the same way and who probably would just laugh it off if it was stupid, right?
"Hey Ryoma..." Momoshiro cocked his head to the side slightly. "You know," he said in a quiet voice, "When I was in junior high, er-- more like, when we were in junior high, I used to really think you were awesome." What kind of statement was that?
Ryoma blinked, glancing over at Momo. Was that… was he trying to say…? Well, if it was… Great - he was finally hearing what he’d wanted to hear - but the tense was all wrong. Used to. He sighed; he knew what was coming. “But not anymore; that’s it, right?”
"Er-- well... no, not anymore... but it's like... I mean..." Momoshiro was blushing slightly. "I... as I got older..." This was more difficult to say than usual. He frowned a little. "Ah, hey... this is good chocolate!"
“Right.” Well, that was that, then. Why should he bother pursuing this course of action if Momo didn’t feel the same way anymore? He should’ve said something when he was thirteen - twenty-three was obviously far too late to hope there was still a chance of anything real. “It’s fine.” He watched Momo eating the chocolate, figuring that at least he hadn’t said anything really stupid. Like the truth.
"Kind of a pity," Momoshiro muttered around the chocolate, completely to himself, "the older I got... the more I liked you... too bad it's too late..." Most of the words were muffled with the full mouth.
All Ryoma heard was “pity” and “more” - and he wasn’t sure what to make of that. “What’s a pity?” he asked, though he wasn’t sure Momo would even tell him. This was getting more stupid by the second. He hated feeling like this - and hated beating around the bush with Momo, of all people - who was the only person Ryoma had ever felt he could be completely honest with.
"Ugh." Momoshiro put the box of chocolates down on the table and leaned over close, pointing a finger at Ryoma, so close that his finger was nearly touching the other's nose. "What's a pity, is that I have a girlfriend, that's what."
Crossing his eyes to look at the other’s finger, Ryoma frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean? You wouldn’t have one if you didn’t want one.” He felt like he was saying that more to convince himself of that fact than anything - he was about two thoughts away from deciding to screw it all and just show Momo what he couldn’t say. But he was about one thought away from saying this whole thing was stupid and going back to his paper. This was stupid. So stupid.
Another grumble of discontentment and Momoshiro pulled back, slumping down into the cushions of the couch. "If I didn't want one, I wouldn't have one...." he echoed slightly... He sighed and stared up at the ceiling. "Hey, Echizen."
Ryoma watched Momo slump back, feeling a lot like he’d lost a game he’d never gotten the chance to play. “Yeah?” He ran a hand through his hair, wishing he’d never brought any of this up in the first place.
"You wanna... uhm... go out sometime?"
“… Huh?” Ryoma blinked. Wait a second. “On a date?” He watched Momo carefully - hadn’t they been over this with the pretend… stupid thing.
"Yeah, exactly what it sounds. A date. You know... you, me... dinner... er-- no tennis match? Just... because." Momoshiro was still looking up at the ceiling.
“… Yeah. I think I could do that.” Suddenly Ryoma felt stupid, but in a different way. Like… that hadn’t been so hard. And he should’ve been the one to say it. “As long as it’s not pretend.” Because he’d rather not go out at all if it was just for show. That really wasn’t how he wanted things to be.
"Nope. No pretend. A real date. With flowers. And candy, and kis-- er-- uhm... with flowers and candy." Momoshiro nodded and pushed a hand through his hair.
Well, in that case… “Fine by me,” Ryoma agreed, finally sitting up, feeling a little more like his normal self again. “But you know, we already have the candy, and the food. Don’t have any flowers, but…” He crawled over to where Momo was and decided that if he thought about this too much, he wouldn’t do it, so he might as well -
He pressed his lips awkwardly to Momoshiro’s. He’d never kissed anyone before, but it couldn’t be that hard, even if this was a weird angle.
Momoshiro's first reaction was to laugh into the kiss, mostly because it felt so awkward, but his second reaction to wrap a hand behind Ryoma's head, sit up slightly, and readjust the situation so as to kiss him better, just gently, softly, nothing too forward. He was blushing as well, no doubt. This was something he never imagined would happen… getting the chance and opportunity to kiss him...
Okay, that was a little easier; Ryoma leaned closer, finally bracing himself with hands on Momo’s chest, figuring it was pointless now to preserve personal space if they were already kissing. At least Momo hadn’t shoved him away.
He would have liked to stay like that indefinitely… but eventually he realized he had to breathe and pulled back, panting a little and staring at the couch back just to the left of Momo’s ear. His cheeks felt warm again. “Don’t tell your girlfriend I did that,” he said after a minute, not willing to apologize, but realizing maybe it had been a little foolish. Even if he wanted to do it again.
Momoshiro licked his lips, blushing, cheeks red. "Heh… yeah... I think... I'll just keep this between you and me." He took a moment, hesitating before leaning over again and kissing the corner of Ryoma's mouth, smiling. Maybe he looked too happy.
Ryoma felt… relieved. Incredibly, utterly relieved. Momo didn’t look angry, or like he thought this was a bad idea, or any of the million ways Ryoma had feared he would act. Then again, those fears were mostly left over from high school, and were more likely than not completely irrational.
So he might as well forget about them. He settled next to Momo on the couch, careful to keep the other from pulling the arm around him away. He felt kind of silly, now - how many times had he fantasized in high school about sitting with Momo like this? And exactly how many years ago had that been? It was practically ridiculous, he thought, chuckling a little and trying to hide it behind one hand.
Momoshiro turned to look at him. "You're laughing," he commented, but as he said it, he realized this really had been foolish of them, dancing around the subject like they had been all that time. But now it was out there, in the open, it felt kind of nice. Well, at least, even if there wasn't any of that, 'I like you' confession, at least they had gotten to the point where they could go on dates.
Maybe... in the future... Momoshiro could take him aside and say, 'I've always liked you.'
“It’s funny,” was all Ryoma said - he’d tell Momo more if he asked, but for now that would suffice. It didn’t sound like the other thought he was laughing at him - which was good, because he really wasn’t. He was laughing at himself, if anything.
Leaning forward, he grabbed the box of chocolates again. They had been good - but he hadn’t been thinking about that before. He stuck another one in his mouth, savoring it and holding the box up. “Want another chocolate?” He settled back next to Momo again - he was perfectly content to sit here for as long as the other wanted to.
"Yeah, of course!" Momoshiro exclaimed, reaching for the chocolates, stuffing a piece into his mouth with a wide grin.
Ryoma just shook his head, figuring Momo was happy enough, and so was he… but then he thought of something else: that whole big problem that had triggered half of this. “Er… I hate to bring it up, Momo-sempai… but what are you gonna tell your girlfriend? I mean - didn’t you just start going out with her?” He almost felt bad - he hadn’t meant to have any of this happen. Apparently he just had the world’s worst timing.
"Oh. No, that's fine. I'll just tell her the guy I've uhm... well, she knew that I've always wanted to... go out with.. " Momoshiro furrowed his brow together. There was no easy way to say this without confessing.
“Hm?” Ryoma shifted, glancing up at Momo. What did he mean, “always wanted to go out with”? Ryoma wasn’t stupid - but he wasn’t sure Momo actually meant what it sounded like he was trying to say. “How’s it fine?” Maybe Momo would explain. “You have a disclaimer on your relationships?”
"Exactly! There's a disclaimer on our relationship!" Momoshiro exclaimed, pointing.
Ryoma narrowed his eyes a little. “S’this on all of yours? ‘Cause if it is, then you’d better tell me what it is.” He wasn’t about to agree to something if he didn’t know all the terms. He shifted sideways so he could look at Momo properly, waiting for an answer.
"N-n-no... Not... not like that. I mean... it's a little different. Cuz... it's just... like..." Momoshiro was stuttering now. There was no possible way to explain this situation. He was failing and failing miserably.
“What?” Ryoma wasn’t sure whether Momo’s being nervous was a good or bad thing. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Momo-sempai. You’re making less sense than you usually do.”
Momoshiro sighed. Way to ruin what had intended to be a romantic moment. "The circumstances were, that... I... had liked someone for a long time.... and Hanako and I had come to the conclusion that if I got the chance... er--" Nope. No luck.
“… Oh.” Ryoma settled back down against Momo, thinking for a moment as the silence stretched on. He was pretty sure that Momo was saying what he’d thought he was saying, after all - and it made him feel… he couldn’t really describe it, so he stared at the box of chocolates in his hand a moment before finally asking, “Ne. Momo-sempai… how long have you… wanted to, you know. Ask me out?”
Momoshiro puffed out his cheeks slightly and sighed, sinking slightly in the couch. "How..." he said quietly, "a... long time, actually."
“Heh.” Ryoma couldn’t help but smile - it really was funny, now, in an incredibly stupid sort of way. He settled closer to Momo, taking a few deep breaths. “Me too, you know.” There wasn’t any point in pretending this was a new thing. “Since I was about thirteen.”
"R-really?" Momo turned slightly pink. Now that was an idea he hadn't quite entertained. In fact, the thought of it embarrassed him so much that he was speechless.
“Yeah,” Ryoma said, squirming a little and feeling his own cheeks grow warm, feeling quite like he was thirteen all over again. He glanced at Momo’s elbow when he spoke again. “Well. I guess there was the couple years in the middle where I just pretended I didn’t, and then you left and I figured it was stupid an’ I wasn’t gonna see you again anyway…”
Now this was awkward and Momoshiro certainly felt like a little kid. He brought his hands together, twisting them nervously. "Wow... I never would have thought... you know, one Valentine’s Day... I was going to uhm... ask you out. Back when we were in high school, I think... but... I was... too shy. Well, shy's not the right word. I was more afraid that you would hit me."
Ryoma couldn’t help but laugh a little at that, softly. “I think I almost asked you out two or three times, but I thought you were gonna tell me I had to put on a skirt and get an operation.” He had been so sure Momo had liked girls - and only girls - for a long time that by the time he’d found out he… was open to other options, he was already past hoping he had a shot. “Guess I can’t blame you for never saying anything,” he finally said after a few minutes. “S’not like I ever did, either.”
"Oh... yeah I guess I really was a skirt chaser when I was younger..." Especially Ann, but there was no need to say that last part out loud. Momoshiro leaned a little closer to Ryoma. There it was, the one person he had wanted to ask out for so long, and they were going out confessing their feelings for each other and damn did he want to molest him.
It was made worse by the fact that Ryoma hadn't aged considerably at all, looking as young as ever (especially considering the fact that Inui and Taka-san both looked like they had an extra 10 years on them). "But... you know... we're sort of saying something now..."
Ryoma nodded, feeling Momo shift and letting him without complaint. “Yeah, you were. But I guess it’s okay - s’not like anything’s gonna change by regretting it. Saying it now’s better than never, huh?” It did feel decidedly better, now that he had told Momo he’d liked him since junior high. A little weird, but definitely better, and he was pretty sure Momo felt the same way.
“You sure you’re not gonna be too broken up over Hanako?” he asked with a grin, letting some of the snark slip back into his voice, grinning up at Momo with a look that said the answer had better be the one Ryoma was expecting.
"Oh heck no, you look a whole 5 years younger than she does," Momoshiro replied with a smirk, "All you need now is to put on a skirt and get some loose socks and I won't be able to resist!" And he only said all this because he knew this wasn't the answer that Ryoma was expecting.
“Oh, if you think I’m going to wear a skirt for you now, you’d better go running back to your little Hanako-chan,” Ryoma said, turning to face Momo with a smug grin. “I don’t need loose socks to attract people - the twenty-person horde that likes to follow me around is proof of that. I don’t have to go out with you, you know.” Ryoma leaned one elbow on Momo’s right shoulder, propping his chin up on his hand.
"Well, sure, if you LIKE having that many people be attracted to you," Momoshiro returned with the same smirk. "But fine, if you don't want to go out with me, that's fine. I'll just go back to my apartment, and call Mi-- er-- uhm... Hanako-chan to wear loose socks for me." He had caught himself before mentioning Mizuki. God that was close.
Momo wasn’t going anywhere - and both of them knew it - but Ryoma was not going to lose at this game. He went one step further, draping himself across Momo’s lap. “I never said I liked it,” he tossed back, “just that I shouldn’t have to wear loose socks for you to like me. Don’t and won’t aren’t the same word, you know.” And no, that was not a promise either, but he’d let Momo visualize that one for a while anyway.
Now Momo was getting this image of Ryoma in a skirt and loose socks that was both arousing, frightening and wonderful at the exact same time. He frowned down at Ryoma and resisted the urge to pinch his nose in revenge. Instead he stuck out his tongue in a childish way and replied, "Seeing as how you didn't wear skirts in junior high, I think I like you pretty well as it is. Well, except for the fact that you look a little older."
“Well, what did you expect? I hate to break it to you, but I’m twenty-three. M’not gonna look thirteen still, so just get over it. F’you really wanted me when I was thirteen, you shoulda said something.” That probably wasn’t fair - seeing as Ryoma had just said he didn’t blame the other for never saying anything when he hadn’t said anything himself - but then again, it was a little true. “I still reserve the right to smack you f’you stare at jailbait,” he said, examining the break in the couch cushions intently. He wasn’t joking - he didn’t exactly like the idea of someone who was going to be his boyfriend - boyfriend, holy shit - staring at junior high kids.
Momoshiro puffed out his cheeks slightly, indignant at the idea that his hobby was going to take a back seat to Ryoma-- not that it didn't make sense. It wasn't the most polite thing to do, after all. He mulled over the option quietly for a moment before taking advantage of the Ryoma draped across his lap, hand moving to toy with the soft locks of black hair. "Fine, I won't look," he said, "well... unless I wanted you to smack me."
“F’you want to get smacked, all you have to do is ask,” Ryoma snickered, but it kind of died beneath the hand playing through his hair. It felt really nice. He’d always been very adamant about people not touching him; he didn’t like being touched, and tended to make that clear - he had to, with all the people that constantly tried to. But it was a lot different, he decided, when it was someone you didn’t mind touching you. He curled up onto his side a little, humming happily. “Mm.”
Clearly, Ryoma was enjoying himself and Momoshiro was definitely amused, so he decided to continue playing with his hair, with the soft locks, something he longed to do for quite some time. Even though Ryoma was 23 and not 13, his hair still felt as soft as ever... just like a little kid.
Ryoma felt his eyes slip shut, all but purring happily at Momo’s hand playing through his hair. It was very comforting, he thought muzzily, rolling over onto his back and grinning, eyes still closed. “Keep that up.”
"Ora, ora... you really like that hmm?" Momoshiro replied, as though he were talking to a kitten.
“Mm-hmm,” Ryoma hummed, enjoying it a moment more. Though soon after, he began to feel a little silly. Momo was just playing with his hair, for crying out loud. Sure it felt nice - but it was nothing to get worked up over, right? He managed to open his eyes, peering up at Momo. “What do you like?” He didn’t really know what people were supposed to like and what they weren’t - he could guess, but he was pretty sure Momo wouldn’t go so crazy at being petted like a cat, for starters.
Momoshiro blinked for a moment before pondering over the question for some time. There were dirty ways to answer it, and clean ways to answer it, and teasing cute ways to answer it. He decided, after a little pondering that the teasing way was the best way to respond. "I like loose socks, for one."
Ryoma made a face, scrunching up his nose. “I know that already, baka. I meant something I’m willing to do.” He reached up and poked Momo’s nose lightly, glancing away for a moment. “I’m not as experienced as you so I don’t know what people’re supposed to like,” he said with a shrug. “S’your loss if you don’t tell me. Or,” he said, a bit of the smirk returning, “I’ll just hafta figure it out.”
"Hmm... I kind of like the idea of the latter," Momoshiro replied with a laugh. "We can make a sort of game out of it. It's much more even than my playing tennis against you."
“F’you say so,” Ryoma replied, studying Momo a moment. He finally sat up, settling on his knees next to the other, still thinking. Finally deciding on a way to start, he brought one hand carefully up to the back of Momo’s neck and brushed a few fingertips down his spine until he hit shirt collar. “How’s the back of your neck?”
Momoshiro did his best to act as though he didn't find that at all pleasant. "Hmm... fine, actually," he replied, cracking the bones in his neck by tilting his head from one side to the next. Though, it was a rather sensitive place for him.
“Hm.” Ryoma thought a moment more, still studying the other. He finally figured Momo might be different than he was, and shifted to brush fingers down the other’s side now, lightly, through his shirt. “You ticklish at all, then?”
More effort. Momoshiro stifled his laugh with a cough. "Not at all!" he replied, with a firm nod, his skin prickling slightly.
Ah, well, he was definitely lying about that, Ryoma thought with a grin - he knew that reaction well. It was what he always tried to do, and generally failed at. “You are too,” he said firmly, poking Momo in the side and then leaning over to run hands down both sides at once, barely touching the shirt.
Momoshiro was losing, and it didn't help that just the thought of Ryoma touching him was enough to make his skin prickle. He started to squirm. "So what if I am?" he challenged, trying to get away from Ryoma's touch.
“It’s funny,” Ryoma snickered, finally pulling his hands back. He wasn’t heartless - he knew what it was like to be ticklish, after all. “But I guess that wasn’t the point,” he said, sitting back on his heels and frowning. He really didn’t know what felt nice. “You gotta give me something to go off of.” He hated to admit it, but he really didn’t know what Momo liked. He’d spent far too much time actively not considering the idea, intentionally.
Laughing, Momoshiro reached over to Ryoma and gently tickled the back of his neck. "I'll give you a hint, but not right now. Don't you have a paper to write?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. After all, wasn't that why he had come all this way?
“Mmyeah… I do.” Ryoma sighed, glaring at the laptop on the couch, then at the clock. “I don’t wanna stay up all night and work on it though - an’ it’s only halfway done.” He leaned against the couch back, considering the computer still whirring quietly a few feet away. “I c’n turn it in late. Got an A in the class already.” Even if Momo were to leave right now, Ryoma still didn’t think he’d be able to get much of the paper done.
"Oh? In that case..." Momoshiro hadn't intended on getting the option to actually share with Ryoma what he liked, but he decided it would be best to not say anything. He smiled and reached over, ruffling Ryoma's hair lovingly. "You're such a terrible student."
“Oh, like you never punted a paper?” Ryoma stretched, arms over his head and feet over the table. “You’re such a bad teacher - you don’t even seem to mind ,” he said with a grin; though in reality, he thought Momo must be a pretty good teacher, to deal with the kids he had in his class. “You’d rather I sat here and typed up a paper an’ ignored you?”
"W-well, it would be better for you!" Momoshiro exclaimed. He was a teacher, after all, it wouldn't be right if he didn't encourage good behavior from students... but then again, here was Ryoma looking as sexy as ever... and he had the freedom to actually... touch him. He leaned over and kissed him lovingly on the cheek.
“My grade c’n handle it,” Ryoma replied confidently, smiling contentedly. “Consider it a Valentine’s Day sacrifice. You c’n owe me later.” Though really, he was probably getting the better end of the deal. He settled back down against Momo, deciding that his first idea about never moving from this spot was a good one. He felt a little like a cat, pressed against Momo’s side and soaking up the warmth, but whatever. It was nice.
Momoshiro wrapped his arms around Ryoma's smaller body, hugging him in a way he never imagined he could hug him. He was smiling, blushing, shy, but happy. "Okay okay, I'll owe you. Just ask me when you want to claim it."
“Later,” Ryoma decided. “Someday when I feel like moving.” He draped one arm across Momo’s stomach, feeling more than a little content. But only until he realized that if they were going to date - for real - there were going to be some… issues. “I hope you don’t mind the press,” he murmured against Momo’s side, closing his eyes as though that would make him forget that particular issue.
"The press?" Momoshiro echoed, not realizing that dating Ryoma came with a price - a rather expensive one, at that. He had nearly forgotten that his old friend was, in fact, a rather famous tennis player, and that dating him would attract the attention of the sports media... especially since Ryoma was such a wonderful, available bachelor! "Heh...I guess... it should be okay."
“Just a warning. They might not find out for a while, but someone will eventually.” They always did - and Ryoma still wasn’t quite sure how. But he did know that he wasn’t going to sacrifice going out with Momo in public, even if this wasn’t a farce. That would be admitting defeat. “F’they bother you too much, just tell ‘em to fuck off,” he said, yawning. “Same goes for my father.” He didn’t think his old man would bother Momo over this - but then, he never knew what his old man would do.
"Hahaha, your father, he's nothing. I bet he's even older and even less impressive now than he was back when we were in junior high," Momoshiro said with a laugh, reaching up to play with Ryoma's hair again. Didn't Mizuki have this kink too? Oh well. "As for the media, well, I don't care."
“Someone should tell him that,” Ryoma said, fingers tightening around Momo’s side as the other’s hand slipped back through his hair. This was really nice, and very comfortable, and he was getting tired. “Hope you didn’ wanna move anytime soon,” he mumbled, yawning again and settling himself between Momo and the couch.
"Naw... I'll stay here as long as you need me to," Momoshiro said, still caressing Ryoma's hair and sighing happily. Somehow the idea of his old friend falling asleep on him just like old times made him happier than it should have... then again, most of the things about this night had made him feel happier than he should have.
“Good,” Ryoma said, grinning softly and thinking that Momo’s amazing pillow abilities hadn’t diminished over the years, at least. Which was a very good thing, as one Echizen Ryoma was very comfortable and for once, very, very pleased to be sharing his couch with someone else. And damn the stupid paper to hell - this was a much better way to spend an evening, he thought, drifting slowly off to sleep.