Title: Getting on and getting off: Or How Touya Akira Got his Groove Back (1/2)
Title: Getting on and getting off: Or How Touya Akira Got his Groove Back (1/2)
Disclaimers: I own nothing.
Rating: R for profanity and general vulgarity
Characters: Touya, Shindou, Ochi, Waya
Author’s notes: Much thanks to the amazing doumeki for a fast and thorough beta! Any mistakes remaining are mine.
The first punch across the jaw has Ochi reeling, and the second lands him on the floor with a bloody nose. Hikaru leaps on him using his momentum to knock Ochi back from where he's been struggling up. Waya grabs Hikaru and wrestles him off sometime after the third punch.
"What the hell!" Ochi shouts. Isumi makes motions to help him up, only to be glared off. Blood drips down his chin, staining his stupid argyle vest. Ugly purple-green bruises are already forming on his cheek and around his eye.
Hikaru tries to lunge at him again; anger threatens to black out the edges of his vision. He's never felt fury like this before- his hands are shaking and his throat feels tight. He clenches his hands into fists and feels skin pull over scraped and bruised knuckles.
"I- you," he starts, but he can't think of anything to push past the ball of hatred sitting in his chest, making it hard to breathe. "Fuck you!" he finally spits out, pushing off Waya's restraining arm and stomping out of the building.
……
Touya Akira is the rising star of Japanese Go; he holds one title and is well on his way to challenging for his second. He is fiscally solvent and gainfully employed, and best of all, he has his rival and the hundreds and thousands of games they have yet to play.
So why does it feel like he is still waiting for something?
……
"I won't be able to make it to our game on Tuesday," Touya mentions as they clear off the goban. They'd actually made it through the whole post-game discussion without Hikaru storming out. Hikaru congratulates himself.
"What? Why not?" Hikaru asks, setting his goke on top of the board.
"I have a study group. Can we reschedule?"
"Er, yeah sure. With who?" he asks suspiciously. Touya never misses their games, ever.
"Just a younger pro."
Hikaru is about to reply with a snippy remark about how one person hardly constitutes a study group when he notices the time.
"Oh shit! I have to go. I promised Akari I would meet her at the grocery store."
Touya gives him a strange look at that, but nods. "I'll call and arrange a new time. You shouldn't keep Fujisaki-san waiting. I'm sure that she wouldn't appreciate it."
"Right, yeah sure," Shindou replies, cramming on his shoes and rushing out the door.
It isn't until he's halfway down the street that he wonders what Touya meant. He always keeps Akari waiting. It's one of the cornerstones of their relationship.
……
On Saturday, Akira's mother calls him from Tai Pei at four in the morning, and he politely refrains from hanging up on her. This doesn't mean he's not very tempted.
She has a habit of calling him at ungodly hours of the morning, claiming she can never remember the time differences. Akira suspects that she is secretly hoping a woman will pick up.
"I feel like I'm becoming quite the worldly woman," she laughs; she seems happy. She tells him that she plans on dragging his father out of the go salon to go see the Lonshan Temple; after all, she didn't come all this way to sit in her hotel room all day.
She makes the usual noises about setting up an omai for him the next time they're in Japan, and he makes the usual evasions, saying that he is too young (an answer which is quickly becoming less convincing) or too busy (which is only becoming more true). He has no intention of marrying some docile young lady and producing grandchildren for his mother. He has known his own leanings too long to delude himself about that.
By the time she hangs up, promising to call at a decent hour next time, Akira is wide-awake.
He wonders, listening to the air conditioner's faint whir, if he should get a pet.
……
In front of a tank of kissing guppies, Akira smells a familiar combination of clove cigarettes and aftershave. "Good morning, Ogata-san," he greets, politely. He watches two fish chase each other around a piece of coral: neither seems to realize that they are going in a circle. Akira supposes they aren't very intelligent fish.
"Akira," Ogata acknowledges, "Were you looking for me?"
"Ah, no," he says, turning to face the other man. "I just had some extra time on my hands."
Ogata blows a cloud of smoke into Akira face, but Akira politely refrains from coughing.
"I recommend the guppies," he tosses over his shoulder as he walks away. "They're a good foundation for a home aquarium."
Akira watches him stop at the register to pay for a container of fish food. 'You're turning into Ogata...' says a voice in his head that sounds strangely like Shindou.
Akira has always been precocious, and he thinks that he's having a mid-life crisis in a pet shop.
He leaves the store with a turtle.
……
Akira spends the rest of the morning haunted by visions of dying alone and being eaten by his hundreds of maritime friends. Weekly Go would publish an article about the ignominious end of one of Japan's rising stars.
……
Touya Akira is having a nervous breakdown-albeit a restrained and quiet one-in the elevator of the Go Institute. He only has until the eighth floor.
His day-to-day interactions include depressingly few people who are happy to see him and none who want to ever see him naked. And why he thought a turtle would solve his problems is beyond him.
He is lonely, stuck in place. Akira leans his forehead against the cool wood paneling, letting his hair fall down to cover his face. He's three weeks away from his twentieth birthday, and he's never had anything even vaguely resembling a romantic relationship. At least Ogata-san is getting laid.
The elevator slows to stop on the fifth floor, and Akira straightens as Ochi Kousuke steps on. They exchange polite nods, and Akira clenches his shaking hands into fists and hides them in his pockets. But Ochi still frowns when he sees Akira's paling face.
Ochi's affronted hostility toward him has faded, and their few conversations aren't so stilted or awkward. But Ochi sometimes still watches him in a way that's half-resentful and half something else.
Akira tries to compose himself, but from how Ochi looks like he's waiting for Akira to keel over, he guesses that he isn't doing very well. "I'm fine," he tries.
Ochi looks skeptical and turns face forward again. "I didn't say anything," he replies blandly.
Two floors later, he adds, "A sick opponent can't provide a satisfying game. All he does is lower his ranking and risk infecting others."
Akira stifles a small smile. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind, Ochi-kun," he says, amused and secretly pleased by the backhanded show of concern.
He gives Ochi a sidelong, speculative look as the other pro steps out onto the seventh floor. The things worth having are worth pursuing, especially when there is nothing to lose. And there is no reason to resign prematurely, at least not in this game. Touya Akira will not be a Christmas cake(1).
"Thank you," he murmurs, catching Ochi's eyes and holding them. Then he watches the doors close on Ochi's bewildered expression.
Akira gets off on the ninth floor and takes the stairs down.
……
Ochi grew up better than anyone had expected, even Ochi himself. He is no Isumi or Shindou, who both boast the highest number of female students with little to no actual interest in go, but he is hardly a sour-faced brat any more
His face is sharper, and he carries his childhood weight well. His eleven-inch growth spurt, along with the broad shoulders and strong jaw line, make him an imposing figure. Even the bowl-cut looks better now.
Akira notes that his go has matured as well, gaining, if not elegance, then a certain poise and dignity that is graceful in and of itself. His fingers on the stones are precise, sure, in a way that Akira can appreciate. And his ambition and arrogance remain, as always, fierce to the point of desperation.
Akira thinks of the drive behind Ochi's go and the way his eyes sometimes fixate on Akira's wrists while they play.
Ochi is still arrogant, obnoxious, and generally unpleasant.
However, Akira is noticing that Ochi Kousuke is someone to watch. Also, he is probably much better company than a turtle that bites when Akira tries to feed it.
Part Two
Disclaimers: I own nothing.
Rating: R for profanity and general vulgarity
Characters: Touya, Shindou, Ochi, Waya
Author’s notes: Much thanks to the amazing doumeki for a fast and thorough beta! Any mistakes remaining are mine.
The first punch across the jaw has Ochi reeling, and the second lands him on the floor with a bloody nose. Hikaru leaps on him using his momentum to knock Ochi back from where he's been struggling up. Waya grabs Hikaru and wrestles him off sometime after the third punch.
"What the hell!" Ochi shouts. Isumi makes motions to help him up, only to be glared off. Blood drips down his chin, staining his stupid argyle vest. Ugly purple-green bruises are already forming on his cheek and around his eye.
Hikaru tries to lunge at him again; anger threatens to black out the edges of his vision. He's never felt fury like this before- his hands are shaking and his throat feels tight. He clenches his hands into fists and feels skin pull over scraped and bruised knuckles.
"I- you," he starts, but he can't think of anything to push past the ball of hatred sitting in his chest, making it hard to breathe. "Fuck you!" he finally spits out, pushing off Waya's restraining arm and stomping out of the building.
……
Touya Akira is the rising star of Japanese Go; he holds one title and is well on his way to challenging for his second. He is fiscally solvent and gainfully employed, and best of all, he has his rival and the hundreds and thousands of games they have yet to play.
So why does it feel like he is still waiting for something?
……
"I won't be able to make it to our game on Tuesday," Touya mentions as they clear off the goban. They'd actually made it through the whole post-game discussion without Hikaru storming out. Hikaru congratulates himself.
"What? Why not?" Hikaru asks, setting his goke on top of the board.
"I have a study group. Can we reschedule?"
"Er, yeah sure. With who?" he asks suspiciously. Touya never misses their games, ever.
"Just a younger pro."
Hikaru is about to reply with a snippy remark about how one person hardly constitutes a study group when he notices the time.
"Oh shit! I have to go. I promised Akari I would meet her at the grocery store."
Touya gives him a strange look at that, but nods. "I'll call and arrange a new time. You shouldn't keep Fujisaki-san waiting. I'm sure that she wouldn't appreciate it."
"Right, yeah sure," Shindou replies, cramming on his shoes and rushing out the door.
It isn't until he's halfway down the street that he wonders what Touya meant. He always keeps Akari waiting. It's one of the cornerstones of their relationship.
……
On Saturday, Akira's mother calls him from Tai Pei at four in the morning, and he politely refrains from hanging up on her. This doesn't mean he's not very tempted.
She has a habit of calling him at ungodly hours of the morning, claiming she can never remember the time differences. Akira suspects that she is secretly hoping a woman will pick up.
"I feel like I'm becoming quite the worldly woman," she laughs; she seems happy. She tells him that she plans on dragging his father out of the go salon to go see the Lonshan Temple; after all, she didn't come all this way to sit in her hotel room all day.
She makes the usual noises about setting up an omai for him the next time they're in Japan, and he makes the usual evasions, saying that he is too young (an answer which is quickly becoming less convincing) or too busy (which is only becoming more true). He has no intention of marrying some docile young lady and producing grandchildren for his mother. He has known his own leanings too long to delude himself about that.
By the time she hangs up, promising to call at a decent hour next time, Akira is wide-awake.
He wonders, listening to the air conditioner's faint whir, if he should get a pet.
……
In front of a tank of kissing guppies, Akira smells a familiar combination of clove cigarettes and aftershave. "Good morning, Ogata-san," he greets, politely. He watches two fish chase each other around a piece of coral: neither seems to realize that they are going in a circle. Akira supposes they aren't very intelligent fish.
"Akira," Ogata acknowledges, "Were you looking for me?"
"Ah, no," he says, turning to face the other man. "I just had some extra time on my hands."
Ogata blows a cloud of smoke into Akira face, but Akira politely refrains from coughing.
"I recommend the guppies," he tosses over his shoulder as he walks away. "They're a good foundation for a home aquarium."
Akira watches him stop at the register to pay for a container of fish food. 'You're turning into Ogata...' says a voice in his head that sounds strangely like Shindou.
Akira has always been precocious, and he thinks that he's having a mid-life crisis in a pet shop.
He leaves the store with a turtle.
……
Akira spends the rest of the morning haunted by visions of dying alone and being eaten by his hundreds of maritime friends. Weekly Go would publish an article about the ignominious end of one of Japan's rising stars.
……
Touya Akira is having a nervous breakdown-albeit a restrained and quiet one-in the elevator of the Go Institute. He only has until the eighth floor.
His day-to-day interactions include depressingly few people who are happy to see him and none who want to ever see him naked. And why he thought a turtle would solve his problems is beyond him.
He is lonely, stuck in place. Akira leans his forehead against the cool wood paneling, letting his hair fall down to cover his face. He's three weeks away from his twentieth birthday, and he's never had anything even vaguely resembling a romantic relationship. At least Ogata-san is getting laid.
The elevator slows to stop on the fifth floor, and Akira straightens as Ochi Kousuke steps on. They exchange polite nods, and Akira clenches his shaking hands into fists and hides them in his pockets. But Ochi still frowns when he sees Akira's paling face.
Ochi's affronted hostility toward him has faded, and their few conversations aren't so stilted or awkward. But Ochi sometimes still watches him in a way that's half-resentful and half something else.
Akira tries to compose himself, but from how Ochi looks like he's waiting for Akira to keel over, he guesses that he isn't doing very well. "I'm fine," he tries.
Ochi looks skeptical and turns face forward again. "I didn't say anything," he replies blandly.
Two floors later, he adds, "A sick opponent can't provide a satisfying game. All he does is lower his ranking and risk infecting others."
Akira stifles a small smile. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind, Ochi-kun," he says, amused and secretly pleased by the backhanded show of concern.
He gives Ochi a sidelong, speculative look as the other pro steps out onto the seventh floor. The things worth having are worth pursuing, especially when there is nothing to lose. And there is no reason to resign prematurely, at least not in this game. Touya Akira will not be a Christmas cake(1).
"Thank you," he murmurs, catching Ochi's eyes and holding them. Then he watches the doors close on Ochi's bewildered expression.
Akira gets off on the ninth floor and takes the stairs down.
……
Ochi grew up better than anyone had expected, even Ochi himself. He is no Isumi or Shindou, who both boast the highest number of female students with little to no actual interest in go, but he is hardly a sour-faced brat any more
His face is sharper, and he carries his childhood weight well. His eleven-inch growth spurt, along with the broad shoulders and strong jaw line, make him an imposing figure. Even the bowl-cut looks better now.
Akira notes that his go has matured as well, gaining, if not elegance, then a certain poise and dignity that is graceful in and of itself. His fingers on the stones are precise, sure, in a way that Akira can appreciate. And his ambition and arrogance remain, as always, fierce to the point of desperation.
Akira thinks of the drive behind Ochi's go and the way his eyes sometimes fixate on Akira's wrists while they play.
Ochi is still arrogant, obnoxious, and generally unpleasant.
However, Akira is noticing that Ochi Kousuke is someone to watch. Also, he is probably much better company than a turtle that bites when Akira tries to feed it.
Part Two