Mr Traveling Man - Ryo/Shige
Title: Mr Traveling Man
Pairing: Ryo/Shige
Rating: G
Summary: Shige hates the redundant life he leads whilst Ryo spends his life never looking back. Shige doesn't blame him.
Notes: This actually started off with the intention of being a drabble for a 'put your music player on shuffle' challenge, but it refused to stay short. Un-beta'd. AU.
It's a dusty road, usually nothing more than a dry, sombre peach coloured dirt track if there hasn't been any rain for a few days. Out of the way of the main routes that take you into and out of the city, and rarely used.
Honestly, Shige found it by chance. He took a wrong turn one day and after much panicking, that included smashing desperately at all the buttons on his car navigation system, discovered that if you just keep on driving it turned out to be a short cut.
On that day, he decided to make it his normal route to work.
Sometimes he likes to drive fast, taking advantage of the fact that no one uses the road, speeding along with his windows down and music turned up loud. And if the weather's bad, always making sure to aim for the large dips in the surface, full to the brim with water, and driving through them with force.
The snotty looks he'd get when he would eventually pull into work, car splashed with mud, would strangely enough brighten his day.
Other times he takes it slower, relishing the calmness and scenery around him. The only noise seeping through the open window being the sound of his own tires crunching along on the make shift road underneath them. No angry beeping from frustrated drivers caught in mile long traffic jams, no headache inducing drilling from road works and no distractions.
It's the one little thing that makes him feel different from the thousands of nameless faces making their way to work to just sit down behind a desk all day. Stuck in a building, typing endlessly and working over time more often than not only to traipse home with sore eyes and a coffee stain most likely down the front of your shirt.
He never wanted to be just one of many, and for thirty minutes every day, he isn't.
It's early in the morning when he drives past the man. A small figure sitting out on the grassy bank by the side of the road, with his legs stretched out in front of him and a case for something or other next to him. Shige pays him no mind, apart from a quick glance out of the window as he passes that is, and quickly forgets about him. A stranger he'll never see again.
It's on his way home that he takes notice.
He's driving steadily, not too fast and not too slow, when he sees something in the distance. Turning off his radio, he starts to slow down. It's the same man from the morning, now lying flat on his back with his arms underneath his head, nestled amongst the daisies.
Shige pulls up next to him and leans out his window to check if the man is alright. He stretches as far as he can with his seatbelt still on, immediately relaxing back into his seat once he sees the gentle rise and fall of the man's chest.
“Want something?” The stranger cracks an eye open before hauling himself up into a sitting position, rubbing at his eyes and yawning.
Shige jumps in his car seat, gripping his steering wheel tightly from shock. Looking back out, he comes face to face with messy dark hair and sleepy eyes. He flounders for a few moments, he wasn't intending to strike up any sort of conversation.
He wets his lips and clears his throat, “I just wanted to say that there's not much chance of getting a lift. Apart from myself, I'm pretty sure that only the local farmers use this road.”
“You could give me one if you wanted,” Shige fidgets as he tries to come up with a polite way to say no, he'd really rather not. He's not the sort of person that picks up hitch hikers. Way too paranoid.
“Afraid I'm going to kill you?” The man smiles widely, drawing his legs up to his chest and resting his arms on them.
“No, I-”
“Stop worrying, I don't want a ride anyway,” He waves his hand dismissively at Shige.
“But I passed you this morning,” Shige frowns as the man just keeps smiling, the corners of his eyes crinkling up.
“I'm just taking a break,” He scratches at his chin absentmindedly. That's a pretty long break Shige thinks.
He'd obviously caught the sun whilst taking said break as well, Shige notices. The tip of his nose and cheeks a reddish brown colour. It's to be expected after spending the whole day out, but if the golden glow the man has to his skin is anything to go by, he's used to being outside.
Shige eyes the empty bottle of water next to the man's feet.
“What's your name?” Shige hangs his arm out of the window and taps a rhythm on the outside of the car door. The is metal hot under his finger tips and he cringes as he scrapes his nail alone it creating a scratchy sound.
“Ryo.”
Shige nods to himself and Ryo watches with amusement as he unbuckles himself and rummages around in the back of his car for something, his backside stuck awkwardly between the two front seats.
Ryo chuckles to himself and closes his eyes, taking advantage of the light breeze that rustles through the trees.
After a few more moments Shige drops heavily onto the grass next to Ryo, crossing his legs and quickly getting to work at unwrapping his previously forgotten lunch. It was pushed into his hands by the chatty receptionist at work, along with a worried plea; “Please don't forget to eat again Kato-kun.”
He was feeling guilty about it the entire drive home.
Shige takes one half of the sandwich for himself, and offers the other to Ryo. White crumbs break away, falling and bouncing onto Ryo's knee as Shige holds it out to him.
“You must be hungry. It's the least I can do,” Shige realises this is probably just as bad as picking someone up as he's now out of the car and defenceless, but he can't bring himself to care. There's something intriguing and refreshing about Ryo. The man creates a spark that lights up something inside Shige. He quickly realises it's the same spark and light that makes him take this particular route each day.
Ryo laughs and takes the food, “Thanks.”
They sit next to each other in companionable silence. Much like two friends out on a picnic on a lovely summers day, just taking in the relaxed atmosphere and enjoying having someone next to them. Shige bats at a bee that buzzes too close to his ear as Ryo slips his shirt of his shoulders to reveal a white tank top underneath. Their only background noise being the sounds of cattle from a few fields away, drifting easily on the breeze over to them, and the scurrying of rabbits darting off into bushes
Ryo idly pulls blades of grass up and piles them on Shige's shiny black shoes. Concentrating intently on covering up any black space with green, and accidently squashing an ant between his fingers. They briefly make eye contact and share a small smile before looking away again, Ryo resuming his task whilst Shige tilts his head back and breaths in deeply.
There's a brown guitar case laying on Ryo's left, covered in stickers. Some bright and vibrant, like a yellow infinity sign, or is it an eight, nestled at the end of a streak of colours connected to a smiling sun. Whilst others are faded or almost completely worn away, their state clearly betraying their age.
Many little notes hastily scrawled in biro are dotted all over, signed with names Shige only wishes he could put faces to. Phone numbers, dates and crude drawings fill any scrap of space not already covered.
Shige wants to ask him what he has seen on his travels. What he's experienced and who he's met. He can imagine Ryo looking out over vast valleys as the sun dips down over the horizon. Or reclining lazily on a stool in a small bar as he plays his guitar for the customers.
Shige wants to know what it feels like to be truly free of life's numerous mundane routines and constraints. He wants a glimpse into a life where you can do your own thing, follow your own path and be your own person.
He wants to ask if he would possibly mind having a travelling companion.
It's a romantic notion.
And that's why Shige doesn't venture any further than the silence. Because whilst he wants nothing more than to escape, he knows he can't. He isn't like Ryo.
That's why he takes this road to work every day instead of just driving on and on, off into the distance.
The sun is finally beginning to set, staining the sky in such wonderful oranges. The sight opens up a black hole deep in Shige's chest, muddling up his thoughts and feelings to the point where he almost reaches out to Ryo.
Take me with you, just on the tip of his tongue.
Stay, his heart screams.
Almost.
Ryo pushes himself up onto his feet, and Shige smiles gently at the slight grass stains on the back of his long shorts and the scuff marks along the side of his beat up converse. There's a pack of cards stuffed into his back pocket. Maybe he picked up some tricks from someone at some point whilst on the road.
Shige throws Ryo's long discarded shirt up to him which he catches with ease and ties around his waist.
“Well, It's been a pleasure,” Ryo trails off as he realises he never asked for Shige's name.
“Shigeaki Kato," He pauses and wrinkles his nose. "Shige," He amends with a smile and holds out his hands.
“Shige,” Ryo smiles and pulls Shige to his feet. His hand is rough and dry, but it's not at all an unpleasant feeling. He wouldn't of minded if he had held on for just a little longer.
Ryo secures his guitar over one shoulder and runs a hand through his hair, “Maybe next time we meet, I'll play a song for you.”
“Maybe.”
Shige watches him leave. Hefting his case on more securely as it slips down when he kicks at stray pebbles, whistling and singing about the summertime until he disappears out of Shige's sight.
Ryo never looked back once, not that Shige thought he would. When you have freedom already, there's no use in looking back.
Shige knows that he wouldn't either.
Pairing: Ryo/Shige
Rating: G
Summary: Shige hates the redundant life he leads whilst Ryo spends his life never looking back. Shige doesn't blame him.
Notes: This actually started off with the intention of being a drabble for a 'put your music player on shuffle' challenge, but it refused to stay short. Un-beta'd. AU.
It's a dusty road, usually nothing more than a dry, sombre peach coloured dirt track if there hasn't been any rain for a few days. Out of the way of the main routes that take you into and out of the city, and rarely used.
Honestly, Shige found it by chance. He took a wrong turn one day and after much panicking, that included smashing desperately at all the buttons on his car navigation system, discovered that if you just keep on driving it turned out to be a short cut.
On that day, he decided to make it his normal route to work.
Sometimes he likes to drive fast, taking advantage of the fact that no one uses the road, speeding along with his windows down and music turned up loud. And if the weather's bad, always making sure to aim for the large dips in the surface, full to the brim with water, and driving through them with force.
The snotty looks he'd get when he would eventually pull into work, car splashed with mud, would strangely enough brighten his day.
Other times he takes it slower, relishing the calmness and scenery around him. The only noise seeping through the open window being the sound of his own tires crunching along on the make shift road underneath them. No angry beeping from frustrated drivers caught in mile long traffic jams, no headache inducing drilling from road works and no distractions.
It's the one little thing that makes him feel different from the thousands of nameless faces making their way to work to just sit down behind a desk all day. Stuck in a building, typing endlessly and working over time more often than not only to traipse home with sore eyes and a coffee stain most likely down the front of your shirt.
He never wanted to be just one of many, and for thirty minutes every day, he isn't.
It's early in the morning when he drives past the man. A small figure sitting out on the grassy bank by the side of the road, with his legs stretched out in front of him and a case for something or other next to him. Shige pays him no mind, apart from a quick glance out of the window as he passes that is, and quickly forgets about him. A stranger he'll never see again.
It's on his way home that he takes notice.
He's driving steadily, not too fast and not too slow, when he sees something in the distance. Turning off his radio, he starts to slow down. It's the same man from the morning, now lying flat on his back with his arms underneath his head, nestled amongst the daisies.
Shige pulls up next to him and leans out his window to check if the man is alright. He stretches as far as he can with his seatbelt still on, immediately relaxing back into his seat once he sees the gentle rise and fall of the man's chest.
“Want something?” The stranger cracks an eye open before hauling himself up into a sitting position, rubbing at his eyes and yawning.
Shige jumps in his car seat, gripping his steering wheel tightly from shock. Looking back out, he comes face to face with messy dark hair and sleepy eyes. He flounders for a few moments, he wasn't intending to strike up any sort of conversation.
He wets his lips and clears his throat, “I just wanted to say that there's not much chance of getting a lift. Apart from myself, I'm pretty sure that only the local farmers use this road.”
“You could give me one if you wanted,” Shige fidgets as he tries to come up with a polite way to say no, he'd really rather not. He's not the sort of person that picks up hitch hikers. Way too paranoid.
“Afraid I'm going to kill you?” The man smiles widely, drawing his legs up to his chest and resting his arms on them.
“No, I-”
“Stop worrying, I don't want a ride anyway,” He waves his hand dismissively at Shige.
“But I passed you this morning,” Shige frowns as the man just keeps smiling, the corners of his eyes crinkling up.
“I'm just taking a break,” He scratches at his chin absentmindedly. That's a pretty long break Shige thinks.
He'd obviously caught the sun whilst taking said break as well, Shige notices. The tip of his nose and cheeks a reddish brown colour. It's to be expected after spending the whole day out, but if the golden glow the man has to his skin is anything to go by, he's used to being outside.
Shige eyes the empty bottle of water next to the man's feet.
“What's your name?” Shige hangs his arm out of the window and taps a rhythm on the outside of the car door. The is metal hot under his finger tips and he cringes as he scrapes his nail alone it creating a scratchy sound.
“Ryo.”
Shige nods to himself and Ryo watches with amusement as he unbuckles himself and rummages around in the back of his car for something, his backside stuck awkwardly between the two front seats.
Ryo chuckles to himself and closes his eyes, taking advantage of the light breeze that rustles through the trees.
After a few more moments Shige drops heavily onto the grass next to Ryo, crossing his legs and quickly getting to work at unwrapping his previously forgotten lunch. It was pushed into his hands by the chatty receptionist at work, along with a worried plea; “Please don't forget to eat again Kato-kun.”
He was feeling guilty about it the entire drive home.
Shige takes one half of the sandwich for himself, and offers the other to Ryo. White crumbs break away, falling and bouncing onto Ryo's knee as Shige holds it out to him.
“You must be hungry. It's the least I can do,” Shige realises this is probably just as bad as picking someone up as he's now out of the car and defenceless, but he can't bring himself to care. There's something intriguing and refreshing about Ryo. The man creates a spark that lights up something inside Shige. He quickly realises it's the same spark and light that makes him take this particular route each day.
Ryo laughs and takes the food, “Thanks.”
They sit next to each other in companionable silence. Much like two friends out on a picnic on a lovely summers day, just taking in the relaxed atmosphere and enjoying having someone next to them. Shige bats at a bee that buzzes too close to his ear as Ryo slips his shirt of his shoulders to reveal a white tank top underneath. Their only background noise being the sounds of cattle from a few fields away, drifting easily on the breeze over to them, and the scurrying of rabbits darting off into bushes
Ryo idly pulls blades of grass up and piles them on Shige's shiny black shoes. Concentrating intently on covering up any black space with green, and accidently squashing an ant between his fingers. They briefly make eye contact and share a small smile before looking away again, Ryo resuming his task whilst Shige tilts his head back and breaths in deeply.
There's a brown guitar case laying on Ryo's left, covered in stickers. Some bright and vibrant, like a yellow infinity sign, or is it an eight, nestled at the end of a streak of colours connected to a smiling sun. Whilst others are faded or almost completely worn away, their state clearly betraying their age.
Many little notes hastily scrawled in biro are dotted all over, signed with names Shige only wishes he could put faces to. Phone numbers, dates and crude drawings fill any scrap of space not already covered.
Shige wants to ask him what he has seen on his travels. What he's experienced and who he's met. He can imagine Ryo looking out over vast valleys as the sun dips down over the horizon. Or reclining lazily on a stool in a small bar as he plays his guitar for the customers.
Shige wants to know what it feels like to be truly free of life's numerous mundane routines and constraints. He wants a glimpse into a life where you can do your own thing, follow your own path and be your own person.
He wants to ask if he would possibly mind having a travelling companion.
It's a romantic notion.
And that's why Shige doesn't venture any further than the silence. Because whilst he wants nothing more than to escape, he knows he can't. He isn't like Ryo.
That's why he takes this road to work every day instead of just driving on and on, off into the distance.
The sun is finally beginning to set, staining the sky in such wonderful oranges. The sight opens up a black hole deep in Shige's chest, muddling up his thoughts and feelings to the point where he almost reaches out to Ryo.
Take me with you, just on the tip of his tongue.
Stay, his heart screams.
Almost.
Ryo pushes himself up onto his feet, and Shige smiles gently at the slight grass stains on the back of his long shorts and the scuff marks along the side of his beat up converse. There's a pack of cards stuffed into his back pocket. Maybe he picked up some tricks from someone at some point whilst on the road.
Shige throws Ryo's long discarded shirt up to him which he catches with ease and ties around his waist.
“Well, It's been a pleasure,” Ryo trails off as he realises he never asked for Shige's name.
“Shigeaki Kato," He pauses and wrinkles his nose. "Shige," He amends with a smile and holds out his hands.
“Shige,” Ryo smiles and pulls Shige to his feet. His hand is rough and dry, but it's not at all an unpleasant feeling. He wouldn't of minded if he had held on for just a little longer.
Ryo secures his guitar over one shoulder and runs a hand through his hair, “Maybe next time we meet, I'll play a song for you.”
“Maybe.”
Shige watches him leave. Hefting his case on more securely as it slips down when he kicks at stray pebbles, whistling and singing about the summertime until he disappears out of Shige's sight.
Ryo never looked back once, not that Shige thought he would. When you have freedom already, there's no use in looking back.
Shige knows that he wouldn't either.