Dog Days/His Smile (Whistle!, G, drabbles)
Okay, I'm posting two short-shorts I wrote as part of chain_of_fics, which is where you pic up the story using the last line of another story, any fandom. Neither are particularly spectacular, but it's Whistle! which has won my heart. ^_~
Title: Dog Days
Series: Whistle!
Word Count: 430
Note: Kazamatsuri's nickname IS Pochi. I still can't get this to flow right, but...
"But why do I have to dress up like a puppy?"
The pitiful look Kazamatsuri Shou offered his teammates looked very much like a wounded animal. Mizuno Tatsuya had a hard time not knuckling under to those big, confused eyes, but Sato Shigeki had no such reservations.
"Because it looks cute, Pochi," he said. "Girls really like it."
One of the last things on Kazamatsuri's mind was looking cute for girls. His head was full of soccer, and anything else kind of slid by the wayside. He wasn't stupid, just rather focused. "But-" he started to protest.
"You're the one who wanted a team mascot," Mizuno pointed out, a slight smile curving his lips the only indication he was amused at Kazamatsuri's plight.
It was hard not to smile, not when the 150 centimeter Kazamatsuri was wrapped up in a full-body dog suit. The collar around his neck had a comically large tag stuck to it reading "Pochi" which had elicited several protests before Shige had blithely vetoed them. Beside him sat a headpiece, one of those unbearable hot getups that had a person passing out if they dared wear it for more than 15 minutes.
The slight pout on Kazamatsuri's face, though, was the real treat. He looked like he desperately needed a hug. "Shige, I really don't think-"
He was interrupted again as Shige picked up the head and held it threateningly over his teammate's head. "It's a pep rally! It's not the end of the world! Have some fun!"
Kazamatsuri opened his mouth to protest, but shut it a second later. He never won an argument with Shige, so there really was no point.
"Good boy, Pochi!" Shigeki said, grinning wickedly as he shoved the head on Kazamatsuri. "Want a biscuit?"
Mizuno burst out laughing, not able to keep it in any longer. For a second, a very uncharacteristic desire to growl nearly overwhelmed Kazamatsuri - but it was forgotten as he saw the delight his friends were having. They were laughing with him, not at him... he hoped. Instead, he merely set his shoulders and prepared to march out the door and do his best - only to fall flat on his face.
The laughter abruptly ceased. "Are we sure he's junior selection member?" Shige asked in a bit of amazement.
Mizuno understood the sentiment perfectly. It always stunned him how graceful Kazamatsuri was on the field compared to the way he was off. After watching the other boy wrestle with the costume's head, whimpering a bit, Mizuno buried his face in his hands. "Sometimes I wonder."
Title: His Smile
Series: Whistle!
Rating: G
Without all that, he wouldn’t be the person he was today.
As he chased down the ball, he could feel the rush of adrenaline surging through his body. Sweat beaded on his brow, the sign of a good effort and a hard game. The defenders looked a bit spooked as he caught the ball right before it his the sideline, slide tackling it so it remained in play.
He heard the crowd cheer, but their cries faded to nothing. All that mattered was the game, the fact that the Japanese Team was aiming for the world cup, and he was a part of it. Mizuno Tatsuya dreamt of soccer - of trapping and passing, of breaking through a strong defense and scoring an all-important goal. When he was asleep, his mind was active with vivid pictures of new plays and drills, the feel of a ball beneath his feet as he managed to do something miraculous.
It was always like that. His first memories were of a soccer ball and his father's voice, telling him to only give one touch or to kick it properly. There had never been anything except affection in his father's voice - it was only later that censure would stain the words between them.
He shook his thoughts from his head, climbing to his feet quickly before proceeding down the line. He couldn't afford to wait.
He remembered dreaming of stadiums and the crowd, all chanting his name as his teammates lifted him on their shoulders for scoring the winning goal. When he was little, he smiled at his friends, and they laughed with him, amused by Kirihara-kun's skills. He was a prodigy, his coaches told him, but they expected that from Kirihara Souichirou's son?
His father had been so proud. Perhaps that was why he stuck back by taking his mother's name when they divorced. It had taken a lot for them to start talking civilly, a lot for them to finally forgive and accept the fact that they were both their own people. Sometimes he wondered if he would have learned to accept his father, had he not met him.
In front of him, Kazamatsuri Shou had the ball, and there was no denying to skill which he used to dribble around the fullbacks. Every time Mizuno watched him, he felt a surge of fondness as he imagined the slight smile dancing on Kazamatsuri's face.
Shou was going one-on-one with the goaltender, and Mizuno slowed down, knowing the inevitable outcome. A feint, then another dribble, before the ball the found the back of the net.
Kazamatsuri turned and offered him another smile. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
Title: Dog Days
Series: Whistle!
Word Count: 430
Note: Kazamatsuri's nickname IS Pochi. I still can't get this to flow right, but...
"But why do I have to dress up like a puppy?"
The pitiful look Kazamatsuri Shou offered his teammates looked very much like a wounded animal. Mizuno Tatsuya had a hard time not knuckling under to those big, confused eyes, but Sato Shigeki had no such reservations.
"Because it looks cute, Pochi," he said. "Girls really like it."
One of the last things on Kazamatsuri's mind was looking cute for girls. His head was full of soccer, and anything else kind of slid by the wayside. He wasn't stupid, just rather focused. "But-" he started to protest.
"You're the one who wanted a team mascot," Mizuno pointed out, a slight smile curving his lips the only indication he was amused at Kazamatsuri's plight.
It was hard not to smile, not when the 150 centimeter Kazamatsuri was wrapped up in a full-body dog suit. The collar around his neck had a comically large tag stuck to it reading "Pochi" which had elicited several protests before Shige had blithely vetoed them. Beside him sat a headpiece, one of those unbearable hot getups that had a person passing out if they dared wear it for more than 15 minutes.
The slight pout on Kazamatsuri's face, though, was the real treat. He looked like he desperately needed a hug. "Shige, I really don't think-"
He was interrupted again as Shige picked up the head and held it threateningly over his teammate's head. "It's a pep rally! It's not the end of the world! Have some fun!"
Kazamatsuri opened his mouth to protest, but shut it a second later. He never won an argument with Shige, so there really was no point.
"Good boy, Pochi!" Shigeki said, grinning wickedly as he shoved the head on Kazamatsuri. "Want a biscuit?"
Mizuno burst out laughing, not able to keep it in any longer. For a second, a very uncharacteristic desire to growl nearly overwhelmed Kazamatsuri - but it was forgotten as he saw the delight his friends were having. They were laughing with him, not at him... he hoped. Instead, he merely set his shoulders and prepared to march out the door and do his best - only to fall flat on his face.
The laughter abruptly ceased. "Are we sure he's junior selection member?" Shige asked in a bit of amazement.
Mizuno understood the sentiment perfectly. It always stunned him how graceful Kazamatsuri was on the field compared to the way he was off. After watching the other boy wrestle with the costume's head, whimpering a bit, Mizuno buried his face in his hands. "Sometimes I wonder."
Title: His Smile
Series: Whistle!
Rating: G
Without all that, he wouldn’t be the person he was today.
As he chased down the ball, he could feel the rush of adrenaline surging through his body. Sweat beaded on his brow, the sign of a good effort and a hard game. The defenders looked a bit spooked as he caught the ball right before it his the sideline, slide tackling it so it remained in play.
He heard the crowd cheer, but their cries faded to nothing. All that mattered was the game, the fact that the Japanese Team was aiming for the world cup, and he was a part of it. Mizuno Tatsuya dreamt of soccer - of trapping and passing, of breaking through a strong defense and scoring an all-important goal. When he was asleep, his mind was active with vivid pictures of new plays and drills, the feel of a ball beneath his feet as he managed to do something miraculous.
It was always like that. His first memories were of a soccer ball and his father's voice, telling him to only give one touch or to kick it properly. There had never been anything except affection in his father's voice - it was only later that censure would stain the words between them.
He shook his thoughts from his head, climbing to his feet quickly before proceeding down the line. He couldn't afford to wait.
He remembered dreaming of stadiums and the crowd, all chanting his name as his teammates lifted him on their shoulders for scoring the winning goal. When he was little, he smiled at his friends, and they laughed with him, amused by Kirihara-kun's skills. He was a prodigy, his coaches told him, but they expected that from Kirihara Souichirou's son?
His father had been so proud. Perhaps that was why he stuck back by taking his mother's name when they divorced. It had taken a lot for them to start talking civilly, a lot for them to finally forgive and accept the fact that they were both their own people. Sometimes he wondered if he would have learned to accept his father, had he not met him.
In front of him, Kazamatsuri Shou had the ball, and there was no denying to skill which he used to dribble around the fullbacks. Every time Mizuno watched him, he felt a surge of fondness as he imagined the slight smile dancing on Kazamatsuri's face.
Shou was going one-on-one with the goaltender, and Mizuno slowed down, knowing the inevitable outcome. A feint, then another dribble, before the ball the found the back of the net.
Kazamatsuri turned and offered him another smile. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.