[One-shot] Strawberry Tour (Prince of Tennis)
Title: Strawberry Tour
Characters: Marui, Jackal (guests: An, Sakuno, Tomoko)
Wordcount/Rating: 500+ words / gen
Summary: Marui goes to Tokyo (Jackal chaperones) looking for strawberry cake. This is the story.
Author's Notes: My betas tried to save me from myself (ILU P, T, and S). All suck in this fic is mine, not theirs. PLEASE concrit if you have it? (Yes, bashcrit works too!)
It was a three-day weekend, and Marui had dragged Jackal all over Tokyo looking for strawberry cake. My mother doesn't believe I'm only going for cake, but she will if you come, Marui said. I'll pay for half of your stuff if you want. Jackal agreed, because it was rare that Marui offered to pay for anything that wasn't intended for himself.
In Almond (Roppongi), they ordered all four types of strawberry cakes. (Five, Marui said. Jackal disagreed, because the fifth was merely a strawberry perched on a dollop of whipped cream on top of a cheesecake. It's strawberry, Marui declared, and that was the end of it.)
Hamamatsucho and Tamachi were disappointing. Ten convenience stores and six cafes in half an hour, and not one that has strawberry or shortcake, Marui said angrily. Jackal wisely kept silent and didn't remind Marui that it had been nine on a Sunday night and most of the likely places were closing when they'd popped in.
***
It should have been just for tennis--just for the stamina burst that cake freshly absorbed into one's system afforded--but it had gone far beyond merely something Marui did to get ahead. Konyakku, Marui said happily, picking it off Jackal's cake. Jackal sighed and let him, having learned through long association that it was easier than getting between Marui and cake.
Sometimes it got too much, even for Jackal. No girl will like a guy who eats more candy than she does, Jackal said in exasperation when Marui took half of the Ginza Cozy Corner Strawberry Delight he had been eating.
They will when they find out I can make them more, Marui said, chewing.
***
In Ikebukuro, they met people they knew.
Sakuno tried to maintain a straight face politely, but Tomoko laughed, both of them eyeing Marui's two cakes and the sundae as they sat there in Milky Way. Jackal turned red over his one slice of strawberry shortcake, though no one could tell in the bluish lighting of the second-floor cafe and because Jackal was dark-skinned anyway.
An picked up Jackal's fork and cut a large piece from Jackal's cake. He looked at her, eyes wide. Why are you taking my cake? he asked, trying not to be plaintive.
An just giggled and ate it, gave Jackal a sweet smile, laid the fork down daintily, and walked away with the other two girls towards a table on the other side, where they had a small sundae each and occasionally giggled girlishly.
Marui shrugged and continued to finish his sundae as Jackal looked dazedly at the remains of his cake. Later, Marui finished Jackal's cake, too. Waste not, want not, Marui said, wagging his finger at Jackal.
***
They left the cafe, Marui presenting his frequent-customer-card to the cashier. Jackal didn't dare look at the table where the girls sat.
She liked your cake, Marui said, and winked. Jackal sighed.
Characters: Marui, Jackal (guests: An, Sakuno, Tomoko)
Wordcount/Rating: 500+ words / gen
Summary: Marui goes to Tokyo (Jackal chaperones) looking for strawberry cake. This is the story.
Author's Notes: My betas tried to save me from myself (ILU P, T, and S). All suck in this fic is mine, not theirs. PLEASE concrit if you have it? (Yes, bashcrit works too!)
It was a three-day weekend, and Marui had dragged Jackal all over Tokyo looking for strawberry cake. My mother doesn't believe I'm only going for cake, but she will if you come, Marui said. I'll pay for half of your stuff if you want. Jackal agreed, because it was rare that Marui offered to pay for anything that wasn't intended for himself.
In Almond (Roppongi), they ordered all four types of strawberry cakes. (Five, Marui said. Jackal disagreed, because the fifth was merely a strawberry perched on a dollop of whipped cream on top of a cheesecake. It's strawberry, Marui declared, and that was the end of it.)
Hamamatsucho and Tamachi were disappointing. Ten convenience stores and six cafes in half an hour, and not one that has strawberry or shortcake, Marui said angrily. Jackal wisely kept silent and didn't remind Marui that it had been nine on a Sunday night and most of the likely places were closing when they'd popped in.
***
It should have been just for tennis--just for the stamina burst that cake freshly absorbed into one's system afforded--but it had gone far beyond merely something Marui did to get ahead. Konyakku, Marui said happily, picking it off Jackal's cake. Jackal sighed and let him, having learned through long association that it was easier than getting between Marui and cake.
Sometimes it got too much, even for Jackal. No girl will like a guy who eats more candy than she does, Jackal said in exasperation when Marui took half of the Ginza Cozy Corner Strawberry Delight he had been eating.
They will when they find out I can make them more, Marui said, chewing.
***
In Ikebukuro, they met people they knew.
Sakuno tried to maintain a straight face politely, but Tomoko laughed, both of them eyeing Marui's two cakes and the sundae as they sat there in Milky Way. Jackal turned red over his one slice of strawberry shortcake, though no one could tell in the bluish lighting of the second-floor cafe and because Jackal was dark-skinned anyway.
An picked up Jackal's fork and cut a large piece from Jackal's cake. He looked at her, eyes wide. Why are you taking my cake? he asked, trying not to be plaintive.
An just giggled and ate it, gave Jackal a sweet smile, laid the fork down daintily, and walked away with the other two girls towards a table on the other side, where they had a small sundae each and occasionally giggled girlishly.
Marui shrugged and continued to finish his sundae as Jackal looked dazedly at the remains of his cake. Later, Marui finished Jackal's cake, too. Waste not, want not, Marui said, wagging his finger at Jackal.
***
They left the cafe, Marui presenting his frequent-customer-card to the cashier. Jackal didn't dare look at the table where the girls sat.
She liked your cake, Marui said, and winked. Jackal sighed.