[Fic] Spacial Memory
Title: Spacial Memory
Pairing: TezuRyo
Rating: PG
Word Count: 2005
Summary: All Tezuka wants to do is finish his English project....
A/N:From Challenge #38 (I took space to mean inhabitable spaces like a room) This is my first time posting! ^_^ I haven't stretched my literary muscles in a few years so I hope this isn't too rough around the edges. It hasn't been beta-ed so any mistakes (which I hope are few and far in between) are mine. Please be gentle!
italics - memories/thoughts
Spacial Memory
Golden beams of light pierced the library window, blazing a path straight across the reading table. Tezuka shifted his chair over a few inches but still managed to find the sun directly in his face. A soft sigh escaped as he deftly shut the English dictionary and slide out of his seat, clasping his books under his arm. With all the other study desks being occupied at this hour Tezuka knew he would have to find a new room to finish his research.
As he neared the double door entrance he paused, his hand stretched out, palm resting firmly on the smooth mahogany surface. Was it just last week that Echizen came tumbling through these doors into his arms?
“Fuji, the last time we worked on a joint art project the whole canvas was covered in cacti.”
The skin around Fuji's eyes crinkled as he smiled. “Well, the instructor wanted a landscape. I think he found our project a refreshing change from the standard ocean scene.”
Remembering the slightly befuddled expression the art instructor leveled at them when they presented their canvas to the class, Tezuka lifted an eyebrow. “Hmm...” He glanced down at the camera clasped in Fuji's hands. “I don't think that will pass this time around. Our assignment is to photograph the important people in our life.” Tezuka spun on his heel, hefting“Photography for Beginners” from the edge of the librarian's circular desk. “That means no cacti.”
“Of coarse.” A playful light entered Fuji's eyes, the smile turning into a mischievous smirk. “So...who do you plan on photographing Tezuka?”
An image of sharp, impertinent golden eyes peering up at him from beneath the bill of a well worn cap flashed through his mind. A sudden heat rushed through his limbs, pooling uncomfortably in the pit of his stomach. “My Grandfather will be more than willing to allow himself to be photographed for me.” He coughed lightly to cover his embarrassment. Seeing the knowing gleam in Fuji's eyes he started for the front door. “Who do you have in mind Fuji?” He asked without turning to see if his teammate was following him.
“Ah, my si-” Fuji's words were suddenly drowned out by the loud bang of the doors bursting open and the squeals of teenage girls. A figure came tumbling in, a stack of books tipping precariously in his grasp.
Tezuka's eyes widened when the person didn't slow down, careening into the senior. On instinct, he stretched his arms out to catch the toppling tower of books. The books slid between his fingers just before the figure crashed into him full force, knocking them both back toward the circulation desk.
A soft grunt reached his ears as his arms circled around him to keep the two of them from collapsing back. Staring down at the body firmly pressed up against his body, Tezuka's breath caught in his chest. “Echizen?”
The younger man stirred, leaning back enough to see who stopped his headlong rush. “Buchou?”
The silence drew out between them, Tezuka's arms still circled around the freshman. A slight blush began to burn his cheeks when a bright flash filtered through the air. Quickly releasing his hold on him, Tezuka moved back a pace as casually as he could manage. “Are you alright Echizen?”
The conversation that followed remains a blur in Tezuka's memory. The picture Fuji managed to snap at the most embarrassing moment has disappeared from the camera's memory; however, Tezuka suspects that Fuji has saved the image behind his back.
Tezuka shook his head, freeing himself from his reverie. Using more force than strictly necessary, he pushed the door wide open, striding out of the library as though spending one more second in the room would burn the feel of Echizen into his skin.
Long, purposeful steps soon carried Tezuka past full classrooms and small groups of students lining the halls into a mostly deserted dinning hall. The only people still lingering over their meals were silent, attempting to shovel the rest of their food down as quickly as humanly possible before the bell signaled the arrival of the afternoon class sessions. Tezuka rounded the first row of tables, seating himself at the end of the table farthest away from the door. With his work spread before him Tezuka drew a deep breath in, slowly exhaling. A moment passed before he picked up his pencil and stared down his assignments with the same intensity as he would stare down any opponent facing him on the courts.
All too soon the second afternoon bell sounded through the hall followed by a sudden burst of noise from the students as they scrambled out of their seats to rush off to their next class. Tezuka glanced up from his English paper to the clock fixed above the service line, readjusting his glasses. “2pm...” Despite the fact that he didn't have class this afternoon, Tezuka started to gather up his materials knowing that the students being released would soon flood the dinning hall.
Sliding his dictionary toward his small pack, his hand brushed against a deep gash in the plastic table edge. “This couldn't be...” He leaned over to his right noticing for the first time the mysteriously purple stained chair fixed to the floor next to him.
“Buchou.”
A fission of delight lanced through his chest at the sound of Echizen's voice. “What is it Echizen?”
Echizen lifted his tray up a little higher and nodded at the seat next to Tezuka. “Can I sit with you Buchou?” He asked, a mildly disgusted look flitting across his face. “Horio won't stop showering me with his half chewed food.”
“Ah.” Tezuka motioned for him to be seated.
Seated side by side, neither spoke a word. Occasionally, Tezuka would quickly glance over to take in the close up view without the almost ever present cap. “He looks better without the hat” he mused, noting the way Echizen's hair fell across his face, an inky black curtain that served to highlight his brilliant eyes.
Near the end of the meal Tezuka peaked over to find Echizen staring back at him. He held the younger boy's gaze. There was a fire and intensity burning in Echizen's eyes, the heat of it sparking a similar ember in Tezuka. The moment was broken before he could properly identify the meaning behind their silent exchange as Echizen lowered his head down to stare at the table.
Raising his head slightly, not quiet looking at Tezuka, Echizen spoke, his speech quavering ever so slightly. “I've missed you.” He toyed with the grape Ponta can, shifting it from side to side on the table. “You know, these past two years have been boring without you around.”
Tezuka's heart skipped a beat. The two years since graduating to Seigaku High had been quiet and uneventful without Echizen. He would keep expecting to look up and see Echizen strutting confidently out onto the courts, an ever present smirk playing at the edges of his lips.
Echizen looked up, capturing his gaze again. A more playful light danced in his eyes than the earlier fire. “Buchou, would you like to---”
“Tezuka, just who I wanted to see.” Inui approached the two seated figures from behind casting an ominous shadow over them. Tezuka looked up, quickly leaning away from the glass mug near his face. A deep purple liquid gently lapped at the sides of the mug when Inui moved it closer to Tezuka. “Fuji suggested that I add a more mysterious ingredient to this a few days ago.” He nudged his glasses further up the bridge of his nose. “This is Super Special Inui Juice Hyper Remix Number Ten. Would you care to test it for me?”
A chill passed through Tezuka as he eyed the bubbling remixed formula. “Ah...I will pass.”
Inui swung the mug toward Echizen. “Echiz---”
“ECHIZEN!!” Horio's panicked screech pierced the air from the end of the table. The freshman was flailing madly sprinting toward them. “SAVE ME!”
“YOU LITLLE BRAT, THIS WAS A NEW BANDANA!” An enraged Kaido followed in hot pursuit of the freshman, hissing menacingly.
“AHHHHHH!” Horio ran blindly toward Echizen, with his whole focus on his classmate that he didn't register Inui standing in the middle of the isle.
The collision seemed almost choreographed for all that the event felt like a scene from a movie. Horio slammed into Inui sending the mug of Super Special Inui Juice Hyper Remix flying from his hands. The bubbling liquid arched through the air before landing on Echizen's head. Rivulets of the purple concoction streamed down his face, painting his clothes a brilliant violet before pooling on the stool he sat on. Echizen viciously wiped at his mouth with his arm which only served rub the juice in. He swayed in his seat, his face paling, a ting of green spreading upwards before his eyes rolled up into his head.
Tezuka reached out to catch Echizen before he fell backwards. Inui whipped out his notebook, scribbling furiously while muttering “good data” under his breath.
Closing his text book, Tezuka swept stared blankly at the clock. “This isn't getting me anywhere,” he whispered to himself. Sweeping his belongs up into his small pack he stalked out the dinning hall. Anyone he passed would later comment on a distinct chill that followed in his wake.
Stalking down the halls did nothing to stop the flood gates of memories. With each room he passed another image surfaced of Echizen.
Echizen half dressed waiting for the yearly physical in the infirmary.
Echizen pulling himself out of the deep end of the pool, the water sliding down his well defined arms. His swim shorts...oh, how they clung to his body in a most tantalizing and teasing manner.
Echizen lying underneath an oak tree in the courtyard, a smirk tugging at his lips, eyes bright when he noticed Tezuka standing in a shadowy archway. A now familiar“Buchou” left his mouth with a deep almost sensual drawl.
With each memory more distracting than the last, Tezuka didn't realize he had made it to the tennis courts until he stopped just before the fence. He was at least fifteen minutes early to practice judging from the fact that only one net had been placed by the two tiny freshmen still struggling with the rest.
Tezuka leaned his head against the high metal wiring of the fence, the coolness of it helping to sooth his fevered skin. Of all the rooms and occupied spaces of Seigaku, the court inevitably brought up the most potent memories.
Arms burning with fatigue, yet the adrenaline and the pure joy of the match pushing him to perform at an even higher level , knowing that across that net those sparkling golden eyes would never forgive him for giving anything less than his entire being. And knowing that the same focus and intensity was being returned 100% gave Tezuka a thrill he only ever experienced with Echizen.
Meeting at the net, callused hands reaching up to mold perfectly with one another. Even in defeat Echizen burned with a fire that threatened to consume Tezuka.
A faint whisper of breathing and the distinct warmth of another body behind him cause him to turn sharply on his left foot. All he could see was the brim of a white cap a few inches from his nose. Heat flushed through Tezuka at the not so unwelcome invasion of personal space.
“Buchou.” That same husky voice washed over him, feeding the fire growing steadily stronger within him. Golden eyes peered up from beneath the white brim. They had the same heat behind them as they did that day in the dinning hall. “Have a match with me?”
Those few words and the subtle meaning behind them was not lost on Tezuka. “When?”
The trademarked smirk blossomed onto his face. “Come to my house tonight.”
As Echizen walked into the clubhouse, Tezuka felt an answering smile reach his lips. “Anytime, anywhere Echizen.”