Fic for belle
Title: Young together
Pairing: Hayato / Ryu
Rating: G
A/N: For my dearest, dearest bellemainec, to whom I owed fic from so long ago I’m ashamed to even mention it. You’re the sweetest, loveliest friend one can have, and I love you so! ♥
When Hayato’s surrounded by people, he’s endless energy, bustling movement and constantly loud voices; when he’s surrounded by people, Hayato is an irresistible force that sweeps everyone off their feet and drags them along to whatever tickles his fancy.
When Hayato is with Ryu, he’s all soft edges, sharp glances and thoughtful silences that reveal more depth than anyone would have expected from him; when he’s with Ryu, Hayato is a soothing voice and a bump of shoulders and occasionally a brush of fleeting long fingers against Ryu’s bony wrist in the middle of a crowded street.
Hayato likes to announce love declarations for his friends at any moment possible, loud and annoying. He wraps his arms around Tsucchi’s and Hyuga’s shoulders and pulls them close together and loudly proclaims they’ll be friends forever, and when Take laughs and Ryu sighs, Hayato just ruffles Take’s hair and pushes Ryu away because Ryu’s a total killjoy anyway.
When Hayato’s alone with Ryu, though, he’s never loud and his declarations sound more like wishes than anything else. Hayato’s hair is wild and messy with the couple of blonde highlights shining under the morning sun. When he turns his head his eyes are gentle, soft and wondering like they only are when he’s with Ryu, brighter than the vibrant green of the dew-moist grass of the riverbank, and they tie knots in Ryu’s gut. They’re getting their uniforms wet and they’ll be late for school, but Ryu can’t bring himself to care.
“I really want to be with you forever,” Hayato mumbles, and Ryu turns his head to squint at the clear blue of the sky.
“No one can promise forever,” Ryu says around the lump in his throat. If this were a movie or a TV drama there would be music, or a dramatic scene with a heartfelt revelation full of tears, and Hayato would probably be a girl. This is real life, though, so Hayato’s still a boy and the only background sounds are the slight hitch of Hayato’s rough breathing and the shuffling of his clothes as Hayato gets up and grabs his bag.
“Let’s go,” Hayato says, and he’s not even looking at Ryu anymore. “We have to be on time or Yankumi will come find us herself.”
Ryu doesn’t care and he knows Hayato doesn’t either, but he says nothing as he follows Hayato to school.
#
Yankumi, in some sense, is a bit like Hayato. Yankumi, like Hayato, is endless energy and constantly loud voices, an irresistible force that sweeps everyone off their feet and drags them along to whatever tickles her fancy; Yankumi too, like Hayato, has an unexpected depth to her, even though Yankumi shows it way more often than Hayato does.
With Yankumi around, the last few months of school pass by in a blurry of fights and trouble, sore muscles and bleeding bruises mixing with expulsion threats and passionate speeches about youth and dreams. No one is sure how they manage it, but they graduate together, somehow, and Ryu doesn’t think he has ever seen Hayato standing so proud and tall as when Hayato steps up on the stage to pick up their diploma.
They celebrate together, the five of them, and somehow Hyuuga gets them beers that they drink in a shady park. There are swings and a slide that Take climbs to recall how the first time he met Hayato they were six and Hayato had pushed Take down the slide because Take had been too scared to let go of the rails and Hayato wanted to slide down too. Hayato pushes him again just because, and Take squeaks and dumps his beer over Tsucchi, who yells and starts chasing both Take and Hayato all around the park until the noise catches the attention of a nearby policeman, who doesn’t take long to do the math between their school uniforms and illegal beers. He calls out and Hayato shouts a random letter and they all run away, because in the end they have always been a bit too disorganized to learn formations.
Ryu tumbles into his room well past midnight, wheezing and tipsy. He doesn’t even bother to change out of his uniform before he plops onto his bed, because it’s not like he’s going to use it much anymore. His diploma is resting on his desk, next to his English textbooks, a plane ticket to Canada and the international school papers. It’s not like Ryu really wants to go, but he understands it’s better for him; he doesn’t want to agree with his father, but he knows that much. It’ll only be for a year, in the end, but a single year with Yankumi changed their lives. Ryu wonders how a year in Canada will change them, Hayato and him, and he goes to bed thinking about it.
#
Hayato’s had the same jeans through all of their three years of high school, and they are old and worn, color faded and pockets unraveling at the edges. Taku will probably inherit them once Hayato grows out of them, because new clothing is a luxury in the Yabuki’s household. Ryu’s jeans are old and worn too, but he has had to rescue them twice from his mother, and he keeps them hidden now so she can’t throw them away again; Ryu likes them because every hole and faded patch reminds him of something.
There’re not many people on the bridge over the highway and Ryu doesn’t even know why Hayato has asked to meet him there, but then again he doesn’t understand Hayato most of the time. There’s traffic, though, and the humming of the cars is a soft background to their silence. Hayato’s leaning with his arms on the bridge’s rail and Ryu thinks he’s watching the cars underneath, but he can’t be sure because Hayato’s bangs fall over his face.
“What will happen to us now?”
Ryu leans against the rail too, and looks down at the highway. There’s an ambulance rushing toward it, but its siren is too far down to cover his words. “I won’t leave until June, Hayato. There’s two months until that. And it’ll only be for a year.”
Hayato shrugs and his leather jacket shifts over his shoulders. It was a birthday present from Ryu and Hayato had spent two weeks without talking to him after Ryu bought it, because for as much as Hayato always bugs Ryu to treat them to karaoke, he hates to receive expensive gifts he can’t return.
“You’re still leaving.” Hayato’s fingers are long and lean and Ryu’s still not used to seeing his knuckles free of bruises from a fight. He’s kind of glad Hayato’s eyes are still covered by his bangs because Ryu’s not very sure he could stand looking him in the eye. “I really wanted to be with you forever.”
At least Ryu was expecting this. He knows what to say, even though it doesn’t make it easier to actually say it. His throat feels tight and dry and he coughs before he can get a word out.
“You will.”
“I thought you said I couldn’t promise forever.”
Hayato’s placed his head over his crossed arms and turned towards Ryu, but now it’s Ryu who doesn’t want to look at him. “I’ve been thinking about it. I mean… I don’t know if we will be together forever, even if I want that, but whatever happens, this won’t change. That we have been friends now, and all the years together, that won’t change no matter what happens, or how much time we spend apart. And that’s kind of forever too, I guess.”
Hayato laughs, loudly and obnoxiously and this is something Ryu wasn’t definitely expecting. He kind of wishes life was a movie, because then Hayato would hug him or maybe just bump their shoulders together or something other than laughing at the most embarrassing thing Ryu has probably said in his whole life.
“That’s the longest speech I’ve ever heard you give, and it sounded a lot like Yankumi.”
Ryu shoves Hayato away and very pointedly focuses on counting the number of bikes passing by on the highway to try and hide his blush. It doesn’t work well though, when Hayato leans against his side and his warmth sweeps through his leather jacket and past Ryu’s shirt.
“But I guess it’s true,” Hayato grins wide and bright and Ryu feels like he’s soaring over the ongoing traffic. “We’ll never forget our youth, right? Even if it sounds cheesy.”
“It is cheesy.”
“Shut it, you were the one talking like Yankumi in the first place. The point is that we’ll be together forever, somehow.”
“Because we were young together.” Ryu finally dares to look at Hayato, but what he sees is a scandalized, angry face.
“Are you calling me old, asshole?” Hayato’s voice has no bitterness though, and Ryu laughs too.
“Idiot.”
“Imbecile.”
“Asshole.”
“You’re repeating yourself, dumbass.”
Hayato doesn’t usually touch Ryu in public, because even though Hayato is probably the most touchy-feely person Ryu’s ever met, with the possible exceptions of Take and Yankumi, the way he touches Ryu is always more intimate than excited hugs born of the heat of the moment. Now, though, Hayato’s pressed close against Ryu and his head is resting on Ryu’s shoulder and it’s fine, because there’s no one on the bridge and they’re too far up for anyone to see, so Ryu gives in to the knots in his gut and the blush on his cheeks.
When Hayato’s hand somehow sneaks into his and squeezes, Ryu thinks he wouldn’t mind giving up forever just for this moment alone.
Pairing: Hayato / Ryu
Rating: G
A/N: For my dearest, dearest bellemainec, to whom I owed fic from so long ago I’m ashamed to even mention it. You’re the sweetest, loveliest friend one can have, and I love you so! ♥
When Hayato’s surrounded by people, he’s endless energy, bustling movement and constantly loud voices; when he’s surrounded by people, Hayato is an irresistible force that sweeps everyone off their feet and drags them along to whatever tickles his fancy.
When Hayato is with Ryu, he’s all soft edges, sharp glances and thoughtful silences that reveal more depth than anyone would have expected from him; when he’s with Ryu, Hayato is a soothing voice and a bump of shoulders and occasionally a brush of fleeting long fingers against Ryu’s bony wrist in the middle of a crowded street.
Hayato likes to announce love declarations for his friends at any moment possible, loud and annoying. He wraps his arms around Tsucchi’s and Hyuga’s shoulders and pulls them close together and loudly proclaims they’ll be friends forever, and when Take laughs and Ryu sighs, Hayato just ruffles Take’s hair and pushes Ryu away because Ryu’s a total killjoy anyway.
When Hayato’s alone with Ryu, though, he’s never loud and his declarations sound more like wishes than anything else. Hayato’s hair is wild and messy with the couple of blonde highlights shining under the morning sun. When he turns his head his eyes are gentle, soft and wondering like they only are when he’s with Ryu, brighter than the vibrant green of the dew-moist grass of the riverbank, and they tie knots in Ryu’s gut. They’re getting their uniforms wet and they’ll be late for school, but Ryu can’t bring himself to care.
“I really want to be with you forever,” Hayato mumbles, and Ryu turns his head to squint at the clear blue of the sky.
“No one can promise forever,” Ryu says around the lump in his throat. If this were a movie or a TV drama there would be music, or a dramatic scene with a heartfelt revelation full of tears, and Hayato would probably be a girl. This is real life, though, so Hayato’s still a boy and the only background sounds are the slight hitch of Hayato’s rough breathing and the shuffling of his clothes as Hayato gets up and grabs his bag.
“Let’s go,” Hayato says, and he’s not even looking at Ryu anymore. “We have to be on time or Yankumi will come find us herself.”
Ryu doesn’t care and he knows Hayato doesn’t either, but he says nothing as he follows Hayato to school.
#
Yankumi, in some sense, is a bit like Hayato. Yankumi, like Hayato, is endless energy and constantly loud voices, an irresistible force that sweeps everyone off their feet and drags them along to whatever tickles her fancy; Yankumi too, like Hayato, has an unexpected depth to her, even though Yankumi shows it way more often than Hayato does.
With Yankumi around, the last few months of school pass by in a blurry of fights and trouble, sore muscles and bleeding bruises mixing with expulsion threats and passionate speeches about youth and dreams. No one is sure how they manage it, but they graduate together, somehow, and Ryu doesn’t think he has ever seen Hayato standing so proud and tall as when Hayato steps up on the stage to pick up their diploma.
They celebrate together, the five of them, and somehow Hyuuga gets them beers that they drink in a shady park. There are swings and a slide that Take climbs to recall how the first time he met Hayato they were six and Hayato had pushed Take down the slide because Take had been too scared to let go of the rails and Hayato wanted to slide down too. Hayato pushes him again just because, and Take squeaks and dumps his beer over Tsucchi, who yells and starts chasing both Take and Hayato all around the park until the noise catches the attention of a nearby policeman, who doesn’t take long to do the math between their school uniforms and illegal beers. He calls out and Hayato shouts a random letter and they all run away, because in the end they have always been a bit too disorganized to learn formations.
Ryu tumbles into his room well past midnight, wheezing and tipsy. He doesn’t even bother to change out of his uniform before he plops onto his bed, because it’s not like he’s going to use it much anymore. His diploma is resting on his desk, next to his English textbooks, a plane ticket to Canada and the international school papers. It’s not like Ryu really wants to go, but he understands it’s better for him; he doesn’t want to agree with his father, but he knows that much. It’ll only be for a year, in the end, but a single year with Yankumi changed their lives. Ryu wonders how a year in Canada will change them, Hayato and him, and he goes to bed thinking about it.
#
Hayato’s had the same jeans through all of their three years of high school, and they are old and worn, color faded and pockets unraveling at the edges. Taku will probably inherit them once Hayato grows out of them, because new clothing is a luxury in the Yabuki’s household. Ryu’s jeans are old and worn too, but he has had to rescue them twice from his mother, and he keeps them hidden now so she can’t throw them away again; Ryu likes them because every hole and faded patch reminds him of something.
There’re not many people on the bridge over the highway and Ryu doesn’t even know why Hayato has asked to meet him there, but then again he doesn’t understand Hayato most of the time. There’s traffic, though, and the humming of the cars is a soft background to their silence. Hayato’s leaning with his arms on the bridge’s rail and Ryu thinks he’s watching the cars underneath, but he can’t be sure because Hayato’s bangs fall over his face.
“What will happen to us now?”
Ryu leans against the rail too, and looks down at the highway. There’s an ambulance rushing toward it, but its siren is too far down to cover his words. “I won’t leave until June, Hayato. There’s two months until that. And it’ll only be for a year.”
Hayato shrugs and his leather jacket shifts over his shoulders. It was a birthday present from Ryu and Hayato had spent two weeks without talking to him after Ryu bought it, because for as much as Hayato always bugs Ryu to treat them to karaoke, he hates to receive expensive gifts he can’t return.
“You’re still leaving.” Hayato’s fingers are long and lean and Ryu’s still not used to seeing his knuckles free of bruises from a fight. He’s kind of glad Hayato’s eyes are still covered by his bangs because Ryu’s not very sure he could stand looking him in the eye. “I really wanted to be with you forever.”
At least Ryu was expecting this. He knows what to say, even though it doesn’t make it easier to actually say it. His throat feels tight and dry and he coughs before he can get a word out.
“You will.”
“I thought you said I couldn’t promise forever.”
Hayato’s placed his head over his crossed arms and turned towards Ryu, but now it’s Ryu who doesn’t want to look at him. “I’ve been thinking about it. I mean… I don’t know if we will be together forever, even if I want that, but whatever happens, this won’t change. That we have been friends now, and all the years together, that won’t change no matter what happens, or how much time we spend apart. And that’s kind of forever too, I guess.”
Hayato laughs, loudly and obnoxiously and this is something Ryu wasn’t definitely expecting. He kind of wishes life was a movie, because then Hayato would hug him or maybe just bump their shoulders together or something other than laughing at the most embarrassing thing Ryu has probably said in his whole life.
“That’s the longest speech I’ve ever heard you give, and it sounded a lot like Yankumi.”
Ryu shoves Hayato away and very pointedly focuses on counting the number of bikes passing by on the highway to try and hide his blush. It doesn’t work well though, when Hayato leans against his side and his warmth sweeps through his leather jacket and past Ryu’s shirt.
“But I guess it’s true,” Hayato grins wide and bright and Ryu feels like he’s soaring over the ongoing traffic. “We’ll never forget our youth, right? Even if it sounds cheesy.”
“It is cheesy.”
“Shut it, you were the one talking like Yankumi in the first place. The point is that we’ll be together forever, somehow.”
“Because we were young together.” Ryu finally dares to look at Hayato, but what he sees is a scandalized, angry face.
“Are you calling me old, asshole?” Hayato’s voice has no bitterness though, and Ryu laughs too.
“Idiot.”
“Imbecile.”
“Asshole.”
“You’re repeating yourself, dumbass.”
Hayato doesn’t usually touch Ryu in public, because even though Hayato is probably the most touchy-feely person Ryu’s ever met, with the possible exceptions of Take and Yankumi, the way he touches Ryu is always more intimate than excited hugs born of the heat of the moment. Now, though, Hayato’s pressed close against Ryu and his head is resting on Ryu’s shoulder and it’s fine, because there’s no one on the bridge and they’re too far up for anyone to see, so Ryu gives in to the knots in his gut and the blush on his cheeks.
When Hayato’s hand somehow sneaks into his and squeezes, Ryu thinks he wouldn’t mind giving up forever just for this moment alone.