Indefinite
Title: Taking for granted
Author:lyrasoren
Pair: Tezuka and Ryoma
Chapter: II
Rating: PG-13
Words: 900+
Summary: a chance meeting
He used to refrain himself from yelling outside the tennis court, and even then, on rare occasions when it was needed. He used to. On a daily basis, he enjoys the quietness of secluded places, where he can hear his thoughts and even read a book without being disturbed. Except that he can’t. Not when he has been staring at the same page for over an hour.
Somewhere near, the low gush of a stream can be heard through the opened window, its coolness sending chills and prickling the skin. On days like these, a sweet and musty fragrance will always impregnate itself on the pages of the books, giving off the same sense of time passing as a fossil. He handled each book with the utmost care, ever since he came to work part-time in this bookshop, two months ago.
It is one of those times, when he has worked with determination, thus earning a few free hours for his reading. He was immersed in a novel, his eyes focused, and his mind in a total sync with the events, galloping forward to find new clues in order to solve the mystery. The entrance bell chimes. Tezuka is evidently deprived of knowing the identity of the newcomer.(Or maybe a puzzling clue eats up all his attention.)
He doesn’t notice the muffled footsteps heading towards him. Someone should have warned him that since it was summer holiday, he would receive uninvited guests. This kind of wishful thinking is pointless, especially when he is startled by the shuffle of the chair beside him. He doesn’t look up. He perceives a grunt, and rustling of pages, until there is silence again. Shortly after, as an ankle is rubbed against his, soothing, unlikely and unfamiliar; he directs a glance towards his neighbor.
The stupor at seeing Echizen, seated centimeters apart from him, is enough to render him adrift. Officially high school freshmen, he doesn’t seem to have changed, and incidentally he has the same effect on Tezuka as he had two months ago. It took him a year to decide that he will not make a move on his kohai, now willingly since he has been delegated captain of the tennis club not long before.
The contours of the bookshop slowly blur, and the letters take fluid forms draining out of his mind. He tightens his grip, reveling at the thought of having a racket in his hand and not a book. Soon it is just the two of them and the thumping of Tezuka’s heart which is getting louder, reanimated to life by this presence only. He hears it in his ears, the sound doubled by its meaning, like an echo that still reverberates even when the source has died out.
Is he imagining it or has Ryoma moved closer? He is already wheezing, all his vitals discomposed, his hands begin sweating and his legs feel too warm where they made contact. He has surpassed the state of carelessness; he should have been out the first moment he realized Ryoma was in the same room with him. Now, after half an hour, he finally stands, ready to leave and pretend this never happened. He takes deep calming breaths.A little vexed, he heads for the exit. He is out.
The evening air is refreshing, as the sun drapes him in light and shade. His glasses glint, and he is a little dazed by the brightness, after spending most of his day in semi obscurity. The few seconds spent in gauging his surroundings are enough for another person to open the door of the bookshop, consequently bumping into him, making him lose his balance for a minute.
“Be more attentive!” He barks in his deep voice, forgetting for a brief instant that he is not on a tennis court ordering laps. For the first time that day he is rendered speechless. Before him is none other than Echizen. He doesn’t seem taken aback by the brashness of Tezuka’s voice, however, his head is cocked to the side and his eye brow is raised, the smirk hidden in the depths of those golden irises.
“Echizen.” Tezuka acknowledges grudgingly. Yudan sezu ni ikou, he tries to calm himself, repeating the phrase like a plead for nothing to happen.
“Buchou.” Echizen’s voice is full of amusement, the smiles he promises. It stops Tezuka’s breath every time.
“Echizen, what are you doing here?” The words tumble out of his mouth with difficulty.
“Oh, that. Just an essay; you know, summer homework and stuff. What about you?” He asks, taking a step closer.
“I work here.”
“Heh…it suits you. “ Silence follows; they just continue staring at each other, consuming all the lines, and all the tracings. Like touching to memorize every detail of a person, but with just sight.
Something in those cat-like eyes prompts Tezuka to utter, against his better judgment, the following words:
“If you ever need help with your essays…” Their meaning registers too late to be taken back.
“I know. “ Tezuka fears to ask how much Ryoma suspects. He nods, “Excuse me,” as he turns to leave. He is surprised at how easy it has been for him to just accept the truth. He is halted by a well known voice.
“Buchou?” Tezuka looks behind to see Echizen in that same spot, his brows knitted in deep musing.
“Aa?” He almost whispers, yet when he sees a shy smile becoming visible on the aforementioned boy, he knows exactly what the question is.
“Bring your books and racket. See you tomorrow, Echizen.”
“Che, of course.” And it is for this genuine smile that Tezuka has approved.
Chapter I - Chapter III
Author:lyrasoren
Pair: Tezuka and Ryoma
Chapter: II
Rating: PG-13
Words: 900+
Summary: a chance meeting
He used to refrain himself from yelling outside the tennis court, and even then, on rare occasions when it was needed. He used to. On a daily basis, he enjoys the quietness of secluded places, where he can hear his thoughts and even read a book without being disturbed. Except that he can’t. Not when he has been staring at the same page for over an hour.
Somewhere near, the low gush of a stream can be heard through the opened window, its coolness sending chills and prickling the skin. On days like these, a sweet and musty fragrance will always impregnate itself on the pages of the books, giving off the same sense of time passing as a fossil. He handled each book with the utmost care, ever since he came to work part-time in this bookshop, two months ago.
It is one of those times, when he has worked with determination, thus earning a few free hours for his reading. He was immersed in a novel, his eyes focused, and his mind in a total sync with the events, galloping forward to find new clues in order to solve the mystery. The entrance bell chimes. Tezuka is evidently deprived of knowing the identity of the newcomer.(Or maybe a puzzling clue eats up all his attention.)
He doesn’t notice the muffled footsteps heading towards him. Someone should have warned him that since it was summer holiday, he would receive uninvited guests. This kind of wishful thinking is pointless, especially when he is startled by the shuffle of the chair beside him. He doesn’t look up. He perceives a grunt, and rustling of pages, until there is silence again. Shortly after, as an ankle is rubbed against his, soothing, unlikely and unfamiliar; he directs a glance towards his neighbor.
The stupor at seeing Echizen, seated centimeters apart from him, is enough to render him adrift. Officially high school freshmen, he doesn’t seem to have changed, and incidentally he has the same effect on Tezuka as he had two months ago. It took him a year to decide that he will not make a move on his kohai, now willingly since he has been delegated captain of the tennis club not long before.
The contours of the bookshop slowly blur, and the letters take fluid forms draining out of his mind. He tightens his grip, reveling at the thought of having a racket in his hand and not a book. Soon it is just the two of them and the thumping of Tezuka’s heart which is getting louder, reanimated to life by this presence only. He hears it in his ears, the sound doubled by its meaning, like an echo that still reverberates even when the source has died out.
Is he imagining it or has Ryoma moved closer? He is already wheezing, all his vitals discomposed, his hands begin sweating and his legs feel too warm where they made contact. He has surpassed the state of carelessness; he should have been out the first moment he realized Ryoma was in the same room with him. Now, after half an hour, he finally stands, ready to leave and pretend this never happened. He takes deep calming breaths.A little vexed, he heads for the exit. He is out.
The evening air is refreshing, as the sun drapes him in light and shade. His glasses glint, and he is a little dazed by the brightness, after spending most of his day in semi obscurity. The few seconds spent in gauging his surroundings are enough for another person to open the door of the bookshop, consequently bumping into him, making him lose his balance for a minute.
“Be more attentive!” He barks in his deep voice, forgetting for a brief instant that he is not on a tennis court ordering laps. For the first time that day he is rendered speechless. Before him is none other than Echizen. He doesn’t seem taken aback by the brashness of Tezuka’s voice, however, his head is cocked to the side and his eye brow is raised, the smirk hidden in the depths of those golden irises.
“Echizen.” Tezuka acknowledges grudgingly. Yudan sezu ni ikou, he tries to calm himself, repeating the phrase like a plead for nothing to happen.
“Buchou.” Echizen’s voice is full of amusement, the smiles he promises. It stops Tezuka’s breath every time.
“Echizen, what are you doing here?” The words tumble out of his mouth with difficulty.
“Oh, that. Just an essay; you know, summer homework and stuff. What about you?” He asks, taking a step closer.
“I work here.”
“Heh…it suits you. “ Silence follows; they just continue staring at each other, consuming all the lines, and all the tracings. Like touching to memorize every detail of a person, but with just sight.
Something in those cat-like eyes prompts Tezuka to utter, against his better judgment, the following words:
“If you ever need help with your essays…” Their meaning registers too late to be taken back.
“I know. “ Tezuka fears to ask how much Ryoma suspects. He nods, “Excuse me,” as he turns to leave. He is surprised at how easy it has been for him to just accept the truth. He is halted by a well known voice.
“Buchou?” Tezuka looks behind to see Echizen in that same spot, his brows knitted in deep musing.
“Aa?” He almost whispers, yet when he sees a shy smile becoming visible on the aforementioned boy, he knows exactly what the question is.
“Bring your books and racket. See you tomorrow, Echizen.”
“Che, of course.” And it is for this genuine smile that Tezuka has approved.
Chapter I - Chapter III