[One-shot] Uncertain (Prince of Tennis)
Title: Uncertain
Rating: Gen
Characters/situation: Tezuka/Ryoma
Disclaimer: Konomi Takeshi's. Just borrowing them for a little while.
Insipration: Drabble request from dolens_torpeo. "Tezuka/Ryoma. Snow, kiss, love."
First posted on tenipuri on January 3, 2006.
It was a cold day in January, a fresh layer of snow covering everything. It had snowed during classes just now. Tezuka Kunimitsu walked out the gates of Seishun Gakuen University briskly. The university library was well-stocked, but there was this particular book he needed for his research that was unavailable on campus. The librarian at the reference desk had called and found it at the city library, where he was headed now.
As he passed through the school gates, he paused, seeing a familiar Fila cap. "Echizen."
"Buchou."The owner of the cap smirked up at him. Taller than he was five years ago, Echizen Ryoma was still some inches shy of his former captain's height. "It's been a while."
"Aa," Tezuka replied. He'd long since given up on trying to get Echizen to stop calling him "buchou". "You're a third-year now, aren't you?" It wasn't a question so much as a statement, since Tezuka could see the "III" badge pinned on the collar of Echizen's winter uniform. He wondered why Echizen had his school bag with him.
"Yeah." Echizen said, and shifted from one leg to the other. "I'm going to the city library to study. It's on your way back, isn't it?"
"I have to collect a book from that library," Tezuka replied. He began to walk, knowing the other would follow, and wasn't disappointed to hear Echizen's footsteps falling into stride beside him and feel the younger boy's presence on his left.
As they walked, Tezuka frowned a little, his thoughts drifting. If he could just get that book today, by the end of the week he would have finished reading it. The draft and preliminary topic wasn't due until the week after, but the final paper was due a month after the draft. Komori-sensei had explored some interesting areas in class today, and perhaps--
"Isn't it cold?" The question was muttered and low, but it startled Tezuka out of his reverie, interrupting his thoughts. They were walking through the park now, and that had been Echizen's voice, with a certain edge to it.
Tezuka looked at the boy on his left, but Echizen didn't seem to be expecting an answer. He was facing straight ahead, but his eyes weren't on the road, nor was he watching his ex-captain. Tezuka followed Echizen's line of sight to their right. A young couple was kissing in the park, the man's hands threaded through the woman's hair, her arms wrapped around his waist.
Tezuka didn't understand why that would make his companion grumpy, but he didn't ask. They left the couple behind them, but Echizen still seemed rather disturbed, judging from the fidgeting he was doing. Tezuka wondered if Echizen had been fidgeting before, and realized he didn't know.
"Buchou," Echizen finally said, as they made their way through the park. When Tezuka turned his head to look at his companion, Echizen again wasn't looking at him, instead scrutinizing the ground at his feet.
They stopped, the taller youth standing quietly while Echizen seemed to be struggling with some words. "I-- That-- " Echizen fell silent again, but made no move to continue walking. Tezuka stood there patiently, waiting.
After two minutes, Echizen looked up, and Tezuka could see the determination in his eyes.
"Are you in love with anyone, buchou?"
The tennis prodigy reached out and clasped Tezuka's left hand, and even through two layers of gloves Tezuka could feel that the other boy's hands were trembling. Not shivering, but trembling. Echizen's eyes, watching Tezuka's face intently, were clear and steady, but Tezuka saw a hint of fear, fear that he had never seen before in those eyes in the 5 years he'd known the youth. The hands holding his tightened for a moment, but Echizen stood there waiting for an answer.
Tezuka recalled tennis matches beneath the railroad tracks. Shared meals in Kawamura Sushi. Graduating junior high and and finding a boy waiting for him outside the senior high gates after every afternoon tennis practice. Three consecutive junior high Nationals awards photos, every one containing a boy with a white Fila cap. Seeing a white Fila cap in the bleachers at every game he played in his first two years of senior high. Leading a team to the third straight year of Nationals, and as he stepped up to the podium, lifted the trophy, and turned back to his team, watching golden eyes watch him closely. He opened his mouth, ready to say 'No'.
"I don't know." The words that came out were different, but Tezuka didn't correct himself.
The hands clasping his tightened, and Echizen watched his ex-captain's face for a while. Tezuka stood there, watching the other teen, and those features settled back into a familiar smirk as Tezuka's hand was released. "Mada mada dane."
Echizen turned towards the direction of the library, then paused, turning back to Tezuka. "Come on, before the library closes." As Tezuka walked alongside Echizen, he felt the touch of another, and looked down to see Echizen take his left hand and continue walking as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.
Tezuka fingered the gloved hand in his, but didn't drop it, and the other youth didn't let go. The two continued on their way to the library.This time, the corners of Tezuka's mouth were upturned, just a little.
Rating: Gen
Characters/situation: Tezuka/Ryoma
Disclaimer: Konomi Takeshi's. Just borrowing them for a little while.
Insipration: Drabble request from dolens_torpeo. "Tezuka/Ryoma. Snow, kiss, love."
First posted on tenipuri on January 3, 2006.
It was a cold day in January, a fresh layer of snow covering everything. It had snowed during classes just now. Tezuka Kunimitsu walked out the gates of Seishun Gakuen University briskly. The university library was well-stocked, but there was this particular book he needed for his research that was unavailable on campus. The librarian at the reference desk had called and found it at the city library, where he was headed now.
As he passed through the school gates, he paused, seeing a familiar Fila cap. "Echizen."
"Buchou."The owner of the cap smirked up at him. Taller than he was five years ago, Echizen Ryoma was still some inches shy of his former captain's height. "It's been a while."
"Aa," Tezuka replied. He'd long since given up on trying to get Echizen to stop calling him "buchou". "You're a third-year now, aren't you?" It wasn't a question so much as a statement, since Tezuka could see the "III" badge pinned on the collar of Echizen's winter uniform. He wondered why Echizen had his school bag with him.
"Yeah." Echizen said, and shifted from one leg to the other. "I'm going to the city library to study. It's on your way back, isn't it?"
"I have to collect a book from that library," Tezuka replied. He began to walk, knowing the other would follow, and wasn't disappointed to hear Echizen's footsteps falling into stride beside him and feel the younger boy's presence on his left.
As they walked, Tezuka frowned a little, his thoughts drifting. If he could just get that book today, by the end of the week he would have finished reading it. The draft and preliminary topic wasn't due until the week after, but the final paper was due a month after the draft. Komori-sensei had explored some interesting areas in class today, and perhaps--
"Isn't it cold?" The question was muttered and low, but it startled Tezuka out of his reverie, interrupting his thoughts. They were walking through the park now, and that had been Echizen's voice, with a certain edge to it.
Tezuka looked at the boy on his left, but Echizen didn't seem to be expecting an answer. He was facing straight ahead, but his eyes weren't on the road, nor was he watching his ex-captain. Tezuka followed Echizen's line of sight to their right. A young couple was kissing in the park, the man's hands threaded through the woman's hair, her arms wrapped around his waist.
Tezuka didn't understand why that would make his companion grumpy, but he didn't ask. They left the couple behind them, but Echizen still seemed rather disturbed, judging from the fidgeting he was doing. Tezuka wondered if Echizen had been fidgeting before, and realized he didn't know.
"Buchou," Echizen finally said, as they made their way through the park. When Tezuka turned his head to look at his companion, Echizen again wasn't looking at him, instead scrutinizing the ground at his feet.
They stopped, the taller youth standing quietly while Echizen seemed to be struggling with some words. "I-- That-- " Echizen fell silent again, but made no move to continue walking. Tezuka stood there patiently, waiting.
After two minutes, Echizen looked up, and Tezuka could see the determination in his eyes.
"Are you in love with anyone, buchou?"
The tennis prodigy reached out and clasped Tezuka's left hand, and even through two layers of gloves Tezuka could feel that the other boy's hands were trembling. Not shivering, but trembling. Echizen's eyes, watching Tezuka's face intently, were clear and steady, but Tezuka saw a hint of fear, fear that he had never seen before in those eyes in the 5 years he'd known the youth. The hands holding his tightened for a moment, but Echizen stood there waiting for an answer.
Tezuka recalled tennis matches beneath the railroad tracks. Shared meals in Kawamura Sushi. Graduating junior high and and finding a boy waiting for him outside the senior high gates after every afternoon tennis practice. Three consecutive junior high Nationals awards photos, every one containing a boy with a white Fila cap. Seeing a white Fila cap in the bleachers at every game he played in his first two years of senior high. Leading a team to the third straight year of Nationals, and as he stepped up to the podium, lifted the trophy, and turned back to his team, watching golden eyes watch him closely. He opened his mouth, ready to say 'No'.
"I don't know." The words that came out were different, but Tezuka didn't correct himself.
The hands clasping his tightened, and Echizen watched his ex-captain's face for a while. Tezuka stood there, watching the other teen, and those features settled back into a familiar smirk as Tezuka's hand was released. "Mada mada dane."
Echizen turned towards the direction of the library, then paused, turning back to Tezuka. "Come on, before the library closes." As Tezuka walked alongside Echizen, he felt the touch of another, and looked down to see Echizen take his left hand and continue walking as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.
Tezuka fingered the gloved hand in his, but didn't drop it, and the other youth didn't let go. The two continued on their way to the library.This time, the corners of Tezuka's mouth were upturned, just a little.