Happy Spring illuminations!

[nickelodeon]

Title: A Little Less Conversation
Recipient's name: illuminations
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Yanagi/Yukimura
Author's Notes: I gave this pairing my best shot, illuminations. I hope you enjoy it.


The first time Yukimura kissed him, Yanagi had thought it was a mistake. They had been on a crowded train, pressed and pushed chest-to-chest but ignoring it easily as they chatted. As they exited the train at their stop, Yukimura's lips had brushed his. Yanagi had been so startled, he almost hadn't gotten off the train in time. Yukimura hadn't said anything about what had happened and so Yanagi decided that it had to be an accident caused by close quarters.

Then it had happened again and Yanagi Renji wasn't one to believe in coincidences.

The second time had been just before school. Yanagi had been walking to homeroom and Yukimura had grabbed his arm, pulled him in a circle, kissed him on the cheek, and then pushed him away. By the time Yanagi had gotten himself straightened out, Yukimura was long gone. Despite the crowded hall, no one had seen.

The third time had been also in the school halls, but they had been empty at the time. Yanagi had been delivering a message for his literature teacher when a hand had reached out from a bisecting hallway and pull him sideways. Suddenly, Yukimura had him pressed against the wall and was kissing him seriously. By the time Yanagi had gotten his wits together, Yukimura had pulled away and plucked the teacher's message out of his lax hand. "I'll deliver this so you can recover," he had said with a wink and then had walked away before Yanagi could say anything in return.

When he tried to ask Yukimura about the kisses in a general way, Yukimura simply answered the spoken question and ignored the unspoken one. Direct questions were answered with a small smile and a casual change of subject. Any attempts to delay Yukimura after the surprise kisses (which Yanagi was having, much to his annoyance, difficulty anticipating) were useless. To say that Yanagi was frustrated by the situation was an understatement.

Yanagi needed help, as much as he didn't want to admit it. He needed another opinion.

- - - - -

"I have a hypothetical for you," Yanagi said.

"What the hell, Yanagi, I'm eating," Marui complained, hunching over his food protectively. Marui was alone, eating his lunch on the roof of the school, a situation that Yanagi had carefully waited for.

Yanagi sat down and poked Marui in the side. "I need your opinion. So, a hypothetical."

"Why can't you ask me this during tennis practice?" Marui was still glaring.

Hesitating, Yanagi finally said, "It's a private matter."

Marui brightened a little at that and uncurled from around his lunch. "Yeah? So it's not tennis or school stuff?"

"Well." Yanagi thought about how to answer that. "It is a little of both."

"But not a normal tennis or school thing. Okay, hit me with your hypothetical." Marui stuffed some rice into his mouth and looked at Yanagi intently.

Yanagi calmly went into his description of the situation. "In this predicament, there are two variables. Variable B continues, for reasons unknown, to act abnormally around Variable A. When attempting to get more information, Variable B is not forthcoming. This is disrupting Variable A's schedule and he would like to resolve the situation."

"'Act abnormally'? You're going to have to be a little less vague, Yanagi."

Yanagi fidgeted and forced himself still; he didn't want to be direct but it was unavoidable. "Variable B keeps kissing Variable A without provocation or explanation."

Marui burst out laughing. "Who's messing with you, Yanagi?"

"No one. This is a-"

"A hypothetical, yeah. Is it one of the girls who watch the team's practices? Some of them are really forward. I wouldn't put it past Minagawa to attack us with kisses." Marui looked around suspiciously, as if saying her name would conjure the girl in question.

"It is not me and not one of the girls," Yanagi insisted. "This is not an actual situation."

"If someone's bothering you, you should tell Yukimura," Marui said blithely. "He'd get them straightened out in a hurry, no problem."

"It's not-" Yanagi took a deep breath and pressed on. "What would you suggest Variable A do to discover Variable B's true motivations?"

"You want to know why someone keeps kissing you? Geez, Yanagi, you're the smart one on the team." Marui shot him an amused look. "This girl likes you and wants you to do something about it. Now all you gotta do is decide if she's good enough to go out with."

That was not helpful for so many reasons. "Could Variable B be persisting in such behavior for any other reason?"

"Yanagi, listen to what you're saying." Marui rolled his eyes and turned back to his lunch. "Now, unless you're going to tell me who it is, I've got some very important eating things to do."

- - - - -

"Genichirou, may I ask your opinion?"

Sanada looked up from his homework. "Is it about Kirihara and how he's destroying the future of Rikkai's tennis?"

Yanagi sighed and leaned over the library table. "It's not about Kirihara and not precisely about tennis."

Sanada looked back down at his algebra equations, his interest mostly gone. "Not precisely? What do you mean?"

Looking cautiously around the mostly empty library, Yanagi sat down and told Sanada about his situation.

When Yanagi finished, Sanada looked at him with a blank look on his face before saying, "Let Variable B know that Variable A does not appreciate such behavior."

"And if Variable A does not mind such behavior?" Yanagi asked.

Sanada looked uncomfortable. "Then let Variable B know that it is appreciated and to stop doing it."

"Variable B won't even discuss the situation."

"Yanagi. Is this interfering with your tennis?"

"No," Yanagi admitted. "Not yet."

"Then it really doesn't matter," Sanada said firmly. "Just make sure it doesn't interfere."

"Genichirou, you do realize the current season is over, correct?" Sometimes, Yanagi wondered.

"It's never too soon to start preparing for next year."

As Yanagi left the library, he made a mental note to never ask Sanada about interpersonal relationships again, even if he was desperate.

- - - - -

"And don't even get me started on the other second years! They think they're so special and they're really just stupid."

"Akaya-"

"If I could, I'd just have me on the team and play all the games by myself. It'd be easier than trying to figure out who's strong and who isn't. I mean, your help is great, Yanagi-senpai, but I'm the one who has to actually talk to them and it just sucks."

Yanagi sighed and tried again. "I'm sure it's difficult. But I was actually-"

"You know what else? Yukimura-buchou and Sanada-fukubuchou also suck. They never let me know how hard it is to be captain. And on top of everything else, I've gotta decide on a vice-captain. That really, really sucks. Do you think I could go without a vice-captain?"

"Akaya, if you would just-"

"Yeah, I know, tradition. It still sucks. But it was good talking to you, Yanagi-senpai." Kirihara grinned and bobbed his head. "Talking about it all helps! I'll see ya around!" And with that, Kirihara ran off.

Well, he hadn't really thought Kirihara would have said anything useful anyways.

- - - - -

Yanagi's list of people to ask for advice was becoming distressingly short. In fact, so short that there was only one person left on it and Yanagi was reluctant to talk him. Was this an emergency?

Yanagi thought about the most recent kiss, stupidly taken in the Rikkai lunchroom. How no one else had seen anything, yet again, despite Yanagi's surprised gasp. How Yukimura seemed to perversely enjoy kissing him in public without anyone realizing it.

Perhaps it wasn't exactly an emergency but Yanagi needed to fix things before it got to that point. With that in mind, he picked up his cell phone and punched in a number.

- - - - -

"Hello," said a familiar deep voice.

"I have a hypothetical," Yanagi said warily.

There was a long pause and Yanagi listened to Sadaharu breathe. They hadn't talked since the Kantou Tournament, not even during Nationals. Sadaharu may decide to hang up. But Yanagi thought the promise of information would be too great a temptation to his old friend.

"One moment." There was shuffling on the other end and Yanagi knew that Sadaharu was fumbling for one of his notebooks. "Go ahead."

Yanagi explained the situation succinctly as he had before and waited patiently as Sadaharu mumbled. A pencil scratched in the background.

"Variable B avoids all conversation about its unusual actions?" Sadaharu asked.

"All Variable B does is smile at any direct inquiry and it is confusing Variable A."

"Interesting. How about, in order to make this discussion easier, we give names to the variables? Say, Ben Gee to Variable A and Louie Mura to Variable B?" Sadaharu asked blandly.

"How about we refer to Variables A and B as Variables A and B?" Yanagi said slowly back.

"Admittedly, I do not have enough data on this situation to provide a completely analysis, but you are not asking for one," Sadaharu continued. "Motivation? It appears that Louie Mura is doing his best to keep Ben off balance. As to the particular reason, a simple crush does not seem to be a complete answer. Tell me, how does Ben react to the encounters?"

"Variable A has thus far managed to not show a large reaction. Surprise, certainly, but it would be difficult for anyone to mask that when kissed suddenly."

"Perhaps Louie is being deliberately confusing because he is not certain of Ben's true reaction," Sadaharu pointed out.

"But that doesn't make sense. Why would Variable B start out on such an action without assurance of positive reception. Furthermore, he has to know that-" Yanagi snapped his mouth shut. "Fine. You have put forth a flawed hypothesis. What do you suggest?"

"The most obvious route to prove my excellent hypothesis correct would be to catch Louie Mura off-guard and present him with the same treatment," Sadaharu answered after a contemplative pause.

"Off-guard? Easier said than done."

"If you think that Ben cannot do it, I'm certain we could think of something else."

Yanagi heard a hint of challenge. "Ben...Variable A can do it. I didn't say it was impossible, merely difficult."

"As I would expect of Ben." There was silence as Sadaharu scribbled for a moment. "Let me know how Ben does," he said stiffly.

If Yanagi's eyes hadn't already been closed, he would have closed them. "Of course. I am always quick to correct your incorrect analyses, aren't I Sadaharu?" he responded, smiling slightly

"I'm not eleven anymore, Renji. I think my abilities have increased by a significant amount since then."

"If that's what you'd like to think," Yanagi said before hanging up.

- - - - -

Yanagi stood around the corner from a row of school lockers. Yukimura was busy at one of them, putting away his books for lunch. Other students walked by, talking and laughing. Yanagi looked at his watch; everything seemed right on schedule.

He had a simple plan. As Yukimura would start walking his way, Yanagi would neatly step out, take Yukimura's arm, pull him into the empty classroom directly across the way, and kiss him. Yukimura knew that Yanagi's homeroom was on the other side of the school and so would not be expecting him. Yanagi was always in favor of simple plans versus the more complicated ones that Sadaharu liked. The kiss would likely lead to resolution. No, it would lead to resolution. Yanagi needed that resolution.

The most difficult part would be the crush of students. One of the classrooms nearby was having a party and the hall was filled with students holding decorations and food. But Yanagi would be careful and quick; none of the students were moving fast and Yanagi would be able to dodge well.

Yukimura closed his locker and Yanagi took a calming breath. Opening his eyes slightly, Yanagi watched Yukimura's steady steps, counting them and measuring the distance. Further down the hall, there was a loud rattle of a classroom door shoved open hastily and Yanagi ignored it.

His eyes opening a little further, Yanagi stepped out into the crowded hall, focused on Yukimura. He walked around two students holding balloons, someone holding a punch ball. He paused as someone with a large poster walked by and used it briefly as cover. Yukimura was less than five steps away, smiling at someone, and Yanagi started to raise his arm to grab Yukimura's shoulder.

"Watch out!"

Startled by the loud shout, Yanagi's head whipped around. Barreling around a clump of students was a girl holding a whip-cream pie. As his eyes widened, he saw her stumble and trip forward. The pie flew, almost in slow motion, out of her arms and straight for him.

Before it hit, Yanagi closed his eyes and hoped that Yukimura wouldn't laugh too hard.

- - - - -

Yanagi's cell phone rang and he answered it, putting down his pencil. "Hello?"

"How did Ben do?"

Yanagi frowned. "Why do you think there has been an attempt?"

"I heard there was a disturbance today." Sadaharu sounded cheerful. "I have a contact or two at Rikkai Dai."

"How convenient for you." Yanagi was going to have to find out who was giving out information and impress upon them the dangers of making "friends" with tall, glasses-wearing, Seigaku tennis players.

Since Sadaharu knew anyways, Yanagi related the incident. When Yanagi got to the part where the girl had thrown a pie into his face, Sadaharu was chuckling. The girl, predictably, had been mortified and Yukimura, also predictably, had burst out laughing. The entire school had heard of what had happened by the end of lunch and the day had been difficult.

"I can't believe you still find it so amusing, particularly since you had already heard what happened," Yanagi said testily.

"What did Louie Mura say?" Sadaharu asked, getting his laughter under control.

"He found it very funny, just like you. Then as he helped me clean up, he...removed some of the cream from my face."

"Since he was helping you clean up, that shouldn't need mentioning."

"Well." Yanagi remembered Yukimura licking the side of his face when no one had been looking. He decided to not tell Sadaharu that. "He asked what I had been doing. I answered that I wanted to talk to him and he said I should have tried during tennis practice."

Yanagi listened as Sadaharu wrote that down. "Perhaps that was not just a careless comment. Perhaps it was a hint."

"Considering that Seiichi does not make careless comments, I'd already surmised that. But it is difficult to find one-on-one time during practice, even if we are no longer officially on the team."

"Not even if you were playing against him?"

Yanagi tried to think of how to explain. "Games with Seiichi, even casual ones, are very involved. It is difficult to think outside of the sound of the ball, the swing of the racket. It is hard to think of anything at all."

"Ah. I believe I understand." And Yanagi thought of the Nationals games between Tezuka and Yukimura, how the aura in the stadium had exploded, how he had gripped the railing in front of him hard. It hadn't been just Yukimura's doing; Tezuka had been on fire during that match too.

"You may have to try to ambush him again," Inui continued. "Despite the result of your previous attempt."

"He'll be looking for it," Yanagi said absently.

"You think that he'd avoid you if he thinks you are going to accost him? This hypothetical of yours is rapidly becoming confusing."

"Your supposed data on Seiichi is clearly not up to par," Yanagi shot back. "I'll find a way to surprise him in a way that doesn't involve ambushes."

"Are you certain? A disguise could help."

Yanagi hung up on Sadaharu on sheer principle.

- - - - -

It was true that the tennis season was over for the third years since Nationals had concluded. There was no need for them to show up at practice as the school year progressed into fall. However, the former regulars had a tendency to show up more often than not, if only to see how Kirihara was handling the team (in the case of Marui and Niou, it was usually to heckle Kirihara). They watched, played practice games against each other, and sometimes played against members of the tennis team if Kirihara asked nicely enough.

Yanagi showed up the most, at the request of Kirihara. He wanted his senpai's opinion on the team suddenly bereft of its "monsters" and Yanagi saw no reason to say no. Yukimura, on the other hand, rarely showed up to the practices. Whether or not it was because he didn't want to step on the toes of the new captain, his presence was rare.

Today was one of those rare times. Yanagi sat quietly on the side of the courts, watching Kirihara run the entire team through doubles drills. The only other former regular that had shown up, beside himself and Yukimura, was Marui. Yukimura and Marui were on one of the far courts, lazily rallying as Marui worked on a new volley trick. Yanagi occasionally watched them, to watch Yukimura continually hit the ball in a specific way and offer Marui advice on his new shot.

"This is stupid."

Yanagi turned his attention back to the nearest court at that loud declaration. One of the second years, who almost certainly would be a regular for the next season, was frowning at Kirihara.

Kirihara tossed his head. "Don't think I asked for your opinion, Aoyama. I think I told you to run that cross-court drill with Tsuda."

"Why? It's a waste of time for me. I'm a singles player, not doubles. I'll never play doubles during next season," Aoyama challenged, crossing his arms, racket held firmly in his hand.

"Since you're not even a regular yet, I think you're getting ahead of yourself," Kirihara snapped back, his eyes flashing.

Yanagi frowned. Kirihara was handling this wrong and worse, practice had ground to a halt due to the argument.

"Oh, c'mon buchou," Aoyama said, smirking a little. "I'm the second best player on this team. I'll be a regular. Maybe you're afraid I've become better than you. Maybe you want to shove me out of the way into doubles."

"The day you're better than me, Aoyama, is the day...the day...just never! Just do the drills," Kirihara growled.

"I'm not doing doubles drills," Aoyama said, his smirk disappearing. "Yukimura-buchou never played doubles."

"You're seriously not comparing your skills to Yukimura-buchou's, are you?" Kirihara said, his face wrinkling in disgust.

"No," Aoyama said quickly, his eyes widening a bit. "Just pointing out that singles players should concentrate on that and not bother with anything else."

"Do you think I can't play doubles?" a voice called out.

Yanagi turned his head to see both Marui and Yukimura approaching the court. Marui was snapping his gum and Yukimura was smiling. The look in his eyes, however, was not friendly.

"Of course not, Yukimura-buchou!" Aoyama said, the color draining from his face. "But you were too important to play doubles during a match. I'm just...I'm just pointing that out!"

"No one is too important," Yukimura replied calmly, walking right up to the net and looking Aoyama in the eye. "The line-up depends on the opponent. And sometimes someone gets injured and the order needs to be changed. You may find yourself playing doubles because that's where you're most useful." Yukimura paused and his smile widened to show teeth. "I wonder how you would do in doubles. I think you should play a game against me, partnered with Tsuda, so that you have an idea."

Aoyama's eyes narrowed while Tsuda visibly looked sick behind him. "Against you and Marui-senpai?"

And suddenly Yanagi found himself on his feet. "No," he called out calmly. "Seiichi?"

Yukimura tipped his head to the side as he stared at Yanagi. "Have we ever played doubles before? Kirihara, do you mind if we used this court?"

Kirihara was scowling a bit from being upstaged, or perhaps not being able to play them himself, but he shook his head curtly. "Everyone who's not Aoyama and Tsuda! Go on the next courts and do your drills!"

The rest of the team went into a quick flurry of activity and Yanagi picked up his racket. He was still dressed in his school uniform but he didn't think that would be a hindrance. As he stepped onto the court, Aoyama grabbed Tsuda's arm and began to whisper urgently into his ear.

"How nice of you to volunteer, Renji. I would've thought you would have preferred watching from the sidelines." Yukimura was still smiling, his eyes inquisitive.

"It depends on the situation. In this instance, I prefer to play," Yanagi responded smoothly. "Perhaps we should decide on our strategy?"

Yukimura grabbed Yanagi's hand and pulled him close. "I leave all strategy in your hands," he said into Yanagi's ear. Yukimura's thumb brushed Yanagi's palm and then he let go, spinning and walking to the receiving line. "We'll give you the first serve," he called out to their opponents.

His heart beating a little quicker, Yanagi went to the net and watched Aoyama and Tsuda argue in low voices. Aoyama finally snatched a ball out of Tsuda's hand and stalked to the service line. Yanagi smiled briefly. The other pair had no hope in winning a point, much less a game, and they knew it. But it wouldn't stop them from trying and that was good.

Aoyama served and Yanagi immediately backed up, trusting Yukimura to simply know what he intended. Yukimura flawlessly returned the serve and Tsuda hit it nervously back. Yukimura promptly hit a lob-like shot.

Aoyama, noticing Yanagi far to the edge, hit the ball cross-court. Seeing Aoyama had fallen for it, Yanagi made a show of just barely reaching the ball but hit it so that Aoyama couldn't resist smashing.

Aoyama shouted in triumph too soon. As he smashed to the right side, Yukimura came out of nowhere and slammed the ball past a startled Tsuda.

"Love-fifteen," Marui called out merrily.

The game progressed and Yanagi couldn't suppress a small grin from spreading over his face. He had never played doubles with Yukimura before now but had seen Yukimura play with others. Yukimura was very competent, naturally, able to provide solid back-up to his partner. If his partner was a good doubles player, the game was typically a rout. And while Yanagi never had any need to boast, he was a very good doubles player.

Playing doubles with Sanada, the few times he had, had been Sanada playing singles and Yanagi providing the occasional set-up for a point. But Yukimura wasn't playing that way; he was following Yanagi's lead and it was a heady feeling to direct Yukimura's talent. Yanagi returned the favor by constructing plays that were to Yukimura's advantage. Playing with Yukimura, Yanagi realized at one point, was the closest that he had come to playing with someone like Sadaharu.

The game ended 6-0. Aoyama and Tsuda were bent over at the waist, trying to catch their breath. Per Yukimura's preferred style, it had been a fast, brutal game. He himself was breathing hard too, but it wasn't entirely due to the tennis.

Yukimura walked forward to the net and stood next to Yanagi. His shirt was streaked with sweat and his eyes were glittering. "The next time you think you are too good for doubles, think of this moment," he said clearly. "You need to be much stronger than this."

"Yes, Yukimura-buchou," Aoyama gasped out. Tsuda just nodded frantically from behind him.

Yukimura shot a look at Kirihara, who had managed to watch the entire game while still supervising practice. "Thank you for your courtesy."

Kirihara shrugged, a grin on his face. "No problem, buchou."

Grabbing Yanagi's hand, Yukimura walked off the courts. Yanagi managed to nod to Kirihara as he was pulled along. Marui stood at the edge of the court, grinning. He flashed Yanagi a thumbs up.

Yukimura let go of Yanagi's hand when they got to Yanagi's tennis and school bags. He leaned in and murmured, "One hour," into Yanagi's ear and then sauntered off.

- - - - -

Yanagi waited in the work-out auditorium, his bags slung over a shoulder. There was no one there; the Rikkai team only spent certain days of the week training against the ball machines. While there were other places that Yukimura could have meant for them to meet at, this one was by far the most likely.

The door opened behind him and Yanagi turned. Yukimura stood backlit by the outdoors sun; Yanagi hadn't turned on the lights yet. Yukimura walked in, letting the door close with a clang behind him, the room returning to near darkness.

"Nice game," Yukimura said softly.

"Of course it was," Yanagi replied, "did you think it would be anything else?" After a moment, he continued, "I'm surprised that you let me play with you."

"Who am I to say no when you offered." Yukimura reached out and grabbed Yanagi's hand, lacing their fingers together. "I've been wanting you to offer for awhile."

"You have?" Yanagi's eyes opened in surprise.

Yukimura burst out laughing, shaking his head. "Oh, Renji. I haven't exactly been subtle. What did you think those kisses meant?"

"You avoided the subject when I tried to ask you. Repeatedly." Yanagi tightened his grip on Yukimura's hand.

"Maybe I didn't want to talk," Yukimura answered.

"But you said you wanted me to offer. That implies talking," Yanagi pointed out.

"You weren't offering anything. You were asking for reasons."

Yanagi stared at Yukimura, his eyes still open. "Don't tell me you were being difficult because I didn't throw myself at you?"

"You have an excellent poker face when you want, Renji," Yukimura reminded him, pulling Yanagi closer.

"One that you can read with little difficulty, Seiichi." Yanagi let himself be pulled with no arguments.

"That is true." Yukimura cocked his head and studied Yanagi in the soft darkness of the room. He smiled suddenly. "I guess I just enjoyed flirting with you. Plus, the bit with the pie was fun."

Yanagi sighed and kissed Yukimura lightly on the mouth. "I'm glad you find me so amusing."

"Always, Renji, always." Yukimura kissed him back and pulled away. "Let me walk home with you."

"Am I a girl now? Do you want to hold my books, too?"

"No. I would much rather hold your hand." Yukimura flashed him a grin and Yanagi found himself pulled in Yukimura's wake as he had, literally and figuritively, for countless times before.

- - - - -

"How did practice go?"

Yanagi shifted irritably on his futon as he clutched his cell phone. "If you have informants, why do you keep asking me about what happened? And why do you keep calling me when I said I would call you?"

"The best data comes from the source. I woudn't send Kikumaru to survey a new team." Sadaharu sounded amused. "And I get tired of waiting for you to call me. How is Ben doing?"

"The situation with Ben has been resolved." Yanagi looked at his captured hand. Yukimura was sitting close beside him and still hadn't let him go.

"Ah. And was my analysis regarding Louie's motivation correct?"

"I don't think that it would be right for me to let you know Louie's reasons."

"I believe that means that I was right."

Yukimura reached over and grabbed Yanagi's cell phone neatly out of his hand. "Louie appreciates your help but he's getting impatient," he said and then threw the phone on the bed after hanging up.

"That was rude," Yanagi said as Yukimura wrapped his arms around Yanagi's waist. "Also, I'm not certain if I like displays of jealousy."

"I didn't tell him I was jealous, I said I was impatient. There is a difference." Yukimura leaned in and whispered in his ear. "You've only kissed me once today while I've kissed you at least eleven times in the past couple of weeks. I'm impatient for you to catch up."

Yanagi smiled and started working on the difference.