Ever-changing Constant ; MaruDa
Ever-changing Constant ; MaruDa
PG | 2012 words
Ueda happens to be a constant in Maru's ever changing world.
warning: highschool!AU, sap
▶Written for kyjr. Just because.
▶This is also the first Maruda and highschool!AU I've ever written so I hope it's okay. If you spot any mistakes, do tell me! ♥
There are many days where Maru feels like giving up, to just wave the idiomatic white flag and call it quits with fate.
Days like when he failed to shoot the winning goal for his soccer team during a friendly match with a neighbouring school or when he got back the report he gave up a whole night's sleep to only to find that he was given just the bare minimum.
During days like these, Koki would laugh it off, telling him not to bother about such things. Kame would tell him to work harder and Maru would go to school the next day to find a bento on his table, a note with a small turtle placed on it. Junno would quietly push to Maru his handheld game and walk away, whistling a jingle only he knew.
Ueda, Ueda would quietly walk beside him, giving Maru the space Ueda knew he needed.
After school, when the final bell has rung, he would be the one to pull Maru to the school library and they would spend the whole afternoon there, Ueda letting Maru teach him through the whole chapter, even though he was sure Ueda already knew most of it.
There were also times when Maru would be pulled to the soccer field where Ueda would kick a soccer ball towards Maru, the look in his eyes telling him to practise while Ueda sat down on the grass patch and watched Maru practise his shooting.
Everybody helps Maru in their own little way but Ueda's different and Maru is only just starting to realize that.
*
Maybe it was because they had known each other for so long that it took so long for Maru to notice.
Ever since Maru could remember, Ueda had always been there, a definite constant in an ever changing world. It was hard to imagine a life without Ueda there to make weird jokes about his nose or to complain about the hairstyle that Maru had kept for the past few years or to just be there for him. It was with Ueda that Maru was sure of where he stood, was sure of who is he is and what he wanted to be.
It was Ueda that introduced Kame and Koki to him when they were still in elementary school. Although Maru did wonder how did Ueda managed to make friends with a small sized boy with caterpillar eyebrows and a boy with a voice just as loud as his heart is soft as they would come to know in the next few years.
Junno only joined them during high school, another aquaintance of Ueda's from the Tap Dancing Club(his mom made him join it). His bright smile immediately making him stand out amongst them and as strange as it sounds, it was because of this that he managed to fit right in.
As time went by, Maru realised that Ueda was somehow responsible for most of the rainbows that appeared in his life.
*
As time passed, each of them slowly outgrew the shell they have been growing in for the past few years and they each emerge stronger in their own little way.
Kame's transformation was perhaps the most miraculous one of all. From the awkward boy with thick fuzzy eyebrows to the captain of the school's baseball team and he even has his own fanclub in the school. It is said that a few of the female teachers are in it as well.
Koki eventually stopped trying to be the neighbourhood thug and grew his hair out much to the relief of his mother. The absence of his bald head seemed to make him more approachable and Maru has seen some girls walking up to Koki even much to Koki's apparent joy.
Junno grew even taller, if that was even humanely possible, and so did his smile. Maru had also earned a friend who understood his love for survival gaming.
Ueda's one, was perhaps the most breathtaking. As he grew out of his Gackt phase, so did the bleached blonde hair and blue eye contacts. Ueda dyed his hair back to it's natural black and left it to grow.
Maru had always thought Ueda to be cute, it was during then that Maru could feel this weird fuzzy feeling in his chest that he somehow could not name.
*
Maru wants to pay Ueda back for all that he has done because Ueda is important. Ueda who helped him in so many ways and yet so little.
He just doesn't know how.
*
Ueda laughed when Maru asked him if there was anything he wanted and patted Maru on the head even though Ueda was shorter than him.
Although now that Maru thought about it, a guy with as many pets as Ueda probably already has everything he wants.
So what more could he possibly need?
*
Their high school was a few train stops from where Maru lived and just a little further for Ueda so they both take the train home together whenever they can.
They would chat about everyday mundane stuff like Professor Yamaguchi who had a habit of tilting her head everytime she tried to get a point across or the mysterious black cat they alway spot lying around their campus.
They could talk about everything or even nothing at all and Maru would still alight from the train feeling more awake than he was in school just hours before.
There are also times when either one of them would be too exhausted to keep a decent conversation up. Either due to their after school activities or the after effects of missing a whole night's worth of sleep to cram for a test.
"Your eyebags are really trashy." Ueda would tell him in the morning as Maru quietly slid into his chair to catch a few more minutes of precious sleep before the homeroom teacher arrives.
That statement roughly translate into, 'Sleep, we'll wake you up when the teacher arrives.' and Maru's yawning a little less by the time he feels someone, probably Kame, tapping him on the shoulder.
*
Maru continues to think of ways to give back to Ueda. He considered beatboxing but he figured Ueda had probably already heard enough of it that he could repeat it back to him.
He decided to ask the rest for help.
Kame suggested a picnic by the beach complete with waves crashing in the background and the setting sun in the far horizon, with Maru packing the bento of course.
Koki held up the guitar he was strumming and volunteered to give free guitar lessons so that Maru could serenade Ueda during lunch break.
Junno suggested paragliding which earned a rightful smack in the head from Maru himself.
*
Maru mused over what his friends have said for the next few days and by the end of the week, he finally got an idea.
But first, he needed to pay a certain someone a visit.
*
"Ueda," Maru asked the moment he entered the room. "Do you happen to be free this afternoon?"
Ueda turned to give him a look, the light shining through the window fell onto Ueda's hair that had turned copper the year High School started and Maru wondered through the sound of his heart pounding if asking somebody out was always this nerve wrecking. It was a wonder that Ueda could not hear it. "Yeah, I'll be free."
"Th-That's great!" A big smile flashed across his face and behind Ueda, he sees Junno peering at him with small squinty eyes and a weird smile on his face that seemed to be insinuating something. "I'll meet you by the gate at three, okay?"
"Sure thing." Ueda said just as their homeroom teacher walked into class to start the day.
*
By the time it was three, Maru was a walking mess, at least on the inside, on the outside he was the epitome of zen. He was calm and nothing could faze him--
"Maru?" A voice that could only be Ueda called out.
Maru gave a little squeak as he turned to answer the guy, "Y-yes?"
"You asked me to meet you here so..."
"Oh. Right!" He should have asked Kame along, Kame was always better at stuff like this. "Follow me."
Maru reached out to grab Ueda'a hand as he brought them to the train station. Only this time, instead of taking their usual train, they took the other one.
"Where are we going?" Ueda asked, his brows knitted as he studied the map of the train they were taking. But by the side of his mouth, Maru could have sworn he saw a small tug upsides, a smile.
"You'll see."
*
They alighted approximately seven stops later and Maru once again takes Ueda by the hand and leads them to the beach where he knew a picnic would already be ready.
It was perfect, right down to that little vase with a stalk of red rose sticking out which he knew had to be Kame's doing. Thank goodness Kame had agreed to help Maru out on this.
A guitar laid by the side and as they walk nearer to the mat, he could see a note with a messily scribbled 'Gambare!' with three goofy smilie faces at the bottom.
"For me?" Ueda kneeled down and took the rose from the vase, giving it a little whiff before putting it back. He opened the bento box Kame had packed for the both of them and took a sausage octopus to eat, smiling the entire way.
Maru shuffled his feet a little, contemplating the advantages of hiding before he dies of embarrassment but kneeled down beside Ueda in the end and said, "Yeah, it kind of is."
Ueda pointed to the guitar, "And that?"
"Koki was giving me lessons." Maru mumbled before slowly moving to pick the guitar up and strum it experimentally.
Ueda moved to sit in front of Maru, his legs crossed and eyes telling him to go on, play the guitar.
Maru sighed, "I'm still really bad at this so don't laugh okay." Silence, which Maru took for consent and he started strumming again. His mind slowly going through the cords Koki had taught him just yesterday.
He was halfway through trying to place his finger to form the G chord when he looked up to see Ueda smiling the gentlest smile he has ever seen the guy give and for a moment, that one little moment, everything left his mind - chords and all - and Maru is left scrambling to remember just what was he doing.
He dipped his head down, not daring to look at Ueda anymore or risk further embarrassing himself. He frantically tried to remember the chords again.
"E, A, D, G--" Just then, Maru felt a slight pressure pressing down on his guitar. It was Ueda and somehow, in that few seconds that Maru was silently freaking out, he had closed the already not-so-wide distance between them and now, they were face to face and they were too close. Too close!
"Thank you," Ueda whispered as he slowly dipped his head towards Maru. "Thanks for everything."
"I should be the one saying that idiot." Maru answered as he leaned forward, closing the remaining distance between them.
It was awhile before they drew apart and Ueda leaned forward once again to put his head on Maru's shoulder. Raising an arm, he used it to wrap around Ueda and pull him closer.
*
"So how was my gift to you?" Maru asked after awhile.
Ueda chuckled, "It was great but you really didn't have to go to all that effort just to pay me back."
"But I tried to ask you for what you wanted and you--"
"Why would I ask for anything more when everything I want is right here with me?" Ueda asked, voice slightly muffled as he pressed himself against Maru's shirt.
Oh. Oh.
"Do you get it now?"
"Yes," Maru tightened his grip on Ueda as he answered. "Yes, I do."
PG | 2012 words
Ueda happens to be a constant in Maru's ever changing world.
warning: highschool!AU, sap
▶Written for kyjr. Just because.
▶This is also the first Maruda and highschool!AU I've ever written so I hope it's okay. If you spot any mistakes, do tell me! ♥
There are many days where Maru feels like giving up, to just wave the idiomatic white flag and call it quits with fate.
Days like when he failed to shoot the winning goal for his soccer team during a friendly match with a neighbouring school or when he got back the report he gave up a whole night's sleep to only to find that he was given just the bare minimum.
During days like these, Koki would laugh it off, telling him not to bother about such things. Kame would tell him to work harder and Maru would go to school the next day to find a bento on his table, a note with a small turtle placed on it. Junno would quietly push to Maru his handheld game and walk away, whistling a jingle only he knew.
Ueda, Ueda would quietly walk beside him, giving Maru the space Ueda knew he needed.
After school, when the final bell has rung, he would be the one to pull Maru to the school library and they would spend the whole afternoon there, Ueda letting Maru teach him through the whole chapter, even though he was sure Ueda already knew most of it.
There were also times when Maru would be pulled to the soccer field where Ueda would kick a soccer ball towards Maru, the look in his eyes telling him to practise while Ueda sat down on the grass patch and watched Maru practise his shooting.
Everybody helps Maru in their own little way but Ueda's different and Maru is only just starting to realize that.
*
Maybe it was because they had known each other for so long that it took so long for Maru to notice.
Ever since Maru could remember, Ueda had always been there, a definite constant in an ever changing world. It was hard to imagine a life without Ueda there to make weird jokes about his nose or to complain about the hairstyle that Maru had kept for the past few years or to just be there for him. It was with Ueda that Maru was sure of where he stood, was sure of who is he is and what he wanted to be.
It was Ueda that introduced Kame and Koki to him when they were still in elementary school. Although Maru did wonder how did Ueda managed to make friends with a small sized boy with caterpillar eyebrows and a boy with a voice just as loud as his heart is soft as they would come to know in the next few years.
Junno only joined them during high school, another aquaintance of Ueda's from the Tap Dancing Club(his mom made him join it). His bright smile immediately making him stand out amongst them and as strange as it sounds, it was because of this that he managed to fit right in.
As time went by, Maru realised that Ueda was somehow responsible for most of the rainbows that appeared in his life.
*
As time passed, each of them slowly outgrew the shell they have been growing in for the past few years and they each emerge stronger in their own little way.
Kame's transformation was perhaps the most miraculous one of all. From the awkward boy with thick fuzzy eyebrows to the captain of the school's baseball team and he even has his own fanclub in the school. It is said that a few of the female teachers are in it as well.
Koki eventually stopped trying to be the neighbourhood thug and grew his hair out much to the relief of his mother. The absence of his bald head seemed to make him more approachable and Maru has seen some girls walking up to Koki even much to Koki's apparent joy.
Junno grew even taller, if that was even humanely possible, and so did his smile. Maru had also earned a friend who understood his love for survival gaming.
Ueda's one, was perhaps the most breathtaking. As he grew out of his Gackt phase, so did the bleached blonde hair and blue eye contacts. Ueda dyed his hair back to it's natural black and left it to grow.
Maru had always thought Ueda to be cute, it was during then that Maru could feel this weird fuzzy feeling in his chest that he somehow could not name.
*
Maru wants to pay Ueda back for all that he has done because Ueda is important. Ueda who helped him in so many ways and yet so little.
He just doesn't know how.
*
Ueda laughed when Maru asked him if there was anything he wanted and patted Maru on the head even though Ueda was shorter than him.
Although now that Maru thought about it, a guy with as many pets as Ueda probably already has everything he wants.
So what more could he possibly need?
*
Their high school was a few train stops from where Maru lived and just a little further for Ueda so they both take the train home together whenever they can.
They would chat about everyday mundane stuff like Professor Yamaguchi who had a habit of tilting her head everytime she tried to get a point across or the mysterious black cat they alway spot lying around their campus.
They could talk about everything or even nothing at all and Maru would still alight from the train feeling more awake than he was in school just hours before.
There are also times when either one of them would be too exhausted to keep a decent conversation up. Either due to their after school activities or the after effects of missing a whole night's worth of sleep to cram for a test.
"Your eyebags are really trashy." Ueda would tell him in the morning as Maru quietly slid into his chair to catch a few more minutes of precious sleep before the homeroom teacher arrives.
That statement roughly translate into, 'Sleep, we'll wake you up when the teacher arrives.' and Maru's yawning a little less by the time he feels someone, probably Kame, tapping him on the shoulder.
*
Maru continues to think of ways to give back to Ueda. He considered beatboxing but he figured Ueda had probably already heard enough of it that he could repeat it back to him.
He decided to ask the rest for help.
Kame suggested a picnic by the beach complete with waves crashing in the background and the setting sun in the far horizon, with Maru packing the bento of course.
Koki held up the guitar he was strumming and volunteered to give free guitar lessons so that Maru could serenade Ueda during lunch break.
Junno suggested paragliding which earned a rightful smack in the head from Maru himself.
*
Maru mused over what his friends have said for the next few days and by the end of the week, he finally got an idea.
But first, he needed to pay a certain someone a visit.
*
"Ueda," Maru asked the moment he entered the room. "Do you happen to be free this afternoon?"
Ueda turned to give him a look, the light shining through the window fell onto Ueda's hair that had turned copper the year High School started and Maru wondered through the sound of his heart pounding if asking somebody out was always this nerve wrecking. It was a wonder that Ueda could not hear it. "Yeah, I'll be free."
"Th-That's great!" A big smile flashed across his face and behind Ueda, he sees Junno peering at him with small squinty eyes and a weird smile on his face that seemed to be insinuating something. "I'll meet you by the gate at three, okay?"
"Sure thing." Ueda said just as their homeroom teacher walked into class to start the day.
*
By the time it was three, Maru was a walking mess, at least on the inside, on the outside he was the epitome of zen. He was calm and nothing could faze him--
"Maru?" A voice that could only be Ueda called out.
Maru gave a little squeak as he turned to answer the guy, "Y-yes?"
"You asked me to meet you here so..."
"Oh. Right!" He should have asked Kame along, Kame was always better at stuff like this. "Follow me."
Maru reached out to grab Ueda'a hand as he brought them to the train station. Only this time, instead of taking their usual train, they took the other one.
"Where are we going?" Ueda asked, his brows knitted as he studied the map of the train they were taking. But by the side of his mouth, Maru could have sworn he saw a small tug upsides, a smile.
"You'll see."
*
They alighted approximately seven stops later and Maru once again takes Ueda by the hand and leads them to the beach where he knew a picnic would already be ready.
It was perfect, right down to that little vase with a stalk of red rose sticking out which he knew had to be Kame's doing. Thank goodness Kame had agreed to help Maru out on this.
A guitar laid by the side and as they walk nearer to the mat, he could see a note with a messily scribbled 'Gambare!' with three goofy smilie faces at the bottom.
"For me?" Ueda kneeled down and took the rose from the vase, giving it a little whiff before putting it back. He opened the bento box Kame had packed for the both of them and took a sausage octopus to eat, smiling the entire way.
Maru shuffled his feet a little, contemplating the advantages of hiding before he dies of embarrassment but kneeled down beside Ueda in the end and said, "Yeah, it kind of is."
Ueda pointed to the guitar, "And that?"
"Koki was giving me lessons." Maru mumbled before slowly moving to pick the guitar up and strum it experimentally.
Ueda moved to sit in front of Maru, his legs crossed and eyes telling him to go on, play the guitar.
Maru sighed, "I'm still really bad at this so don't laugh okay." Silence, which Maru took for consent and he started strumming again. His mind slowly going through the cords Koki had taught him just yesterday.
He was halfway through trying to place his finger to form the G chord when he looked up to see Ueda smiling the gentlest smile he has ever seen the guy give and for a moment, that one little moment, everything left his mind - chords and all - and Maru is left scrambling to remember just what was he doing.
He dipped his head down, not daring to look at Ueda anymore or risk further embarrassing himself. He frantically tried to remember the chords again.
"E, A, D, G--" Just then, Maru felt a slight pressure pressing down on his guitar. It was Ueda and somehow, in that few seconds that Maru was silently freaking out, he had closed the already not-so-wide distance between them and now, they were face to face and they were too close. Too close!
"Thank you," Ueda whispered as he slowly dipped his head towards Maru. "Thanks for everything."
"I should be the one saying that idiot." Maru answered as he leaned forward, closing the remaining distance between them.
It was awhile before they drew apart and Ueda leaned forward once again to put his head on Maru's shoulder. Raising an arm, he used it to wrap around Ueda and pull him closer.
*
"So how was my gift to you?" Maru asked after awhile.
Ueda chuckled, "It was great but you really didn't have to go to all that effort just to pay me back."
"But I tried to ask you for what you wanted and you--"
"Why would I ask for anything more when everything I want is right here with me?" Ueda asked, voice slightly muffled as he pressed himself against Maru's shirt.
Oh. Oh.
"Do you get it now?"
"Yes," Maru tightened his grip on Ueda as he answered. "Yes, I do."