[Fic] Happy Birthday
Title: Happy Birthday
Author: Emi-san
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis (although don't we all wish we did? *sigh*)
A/N: Written for challenge #4 at fujicestfest. The fic definitely takes place in Japan, which means Shuusuke and Yuuta get to learn English in school but not that they’re automatically good at it or understand 100 % of what’s being said to them in the language. English is treated like a foreign language and not the one that’s spoken in this fic… which I’m sure you’ll realize on your own, but I still thought I’d point it out in case anyone was wondering.
“Shuusuke, it’s time soon-… Oh…”
He could hear his sister’s voice trail off, and then her steps as she slowly moved away through the corridor and down the stairs. Seconds later she was probably telling their mother some convenient lie that he was studying or something. Shuusuke was glad that she understood at times like this. Although he wasn’t sure how much, it was still a comfort.
So he continued to search the scattered crayons for something brown to fill the space between the lines which were supposed to depict Yuuta’s hair. He was going to run out of that color soon, but at least he had plenty of yellow left for the gold medal and the trophy. Shuusuke giggled softly at Yuuta’s goofy expression, as it was probably just what he would look like if he ever won something that big and shiny and showoff.
Yuuta was away from home a lot, but he had to come over on birthdays and the like, especially his own. And this year Shuusuke was particularly excited, both because he and Yuuta were on much better terms now than last year… and because of the thing he was making right now.
“Hmm…” Shuusuke stopped for a bit and frowned. Yuuta’s cheeks did look a little too rosy after all. He didn’t want his little brother to think that he considered him a baby… or that he was trying to give him hentai sex appeal by adding too many blush streaks.
Shuusuke couldn’t help but grin wryly when he thought about the pain Yuuta would subject him to if he suspected anything like that. But he was most likely safe. Yuuta wouldn’t think of that, he was much too innocent for it.
A few more strokes and he was done with the showy cover. In its finished state it was decorated with the words “Happy Birthday Yuuta!” in many patterns and colors on the top, and then a triumphant Yuuta standing right below it with his trophy and medals, confetti flying all around him, and finally himself, Yumiko, and mother and father cheering for him in the background. Shuusuke had drawn himself standing closest, of course… but that hadn’t initially been a conscious decision on his side, and surely noone would suspect something as subtle as that.
On the first inside page, he had glued a photo of Yuuta eating a strawberry cake (if you could call munching in enormous bites like a caveman who hadn’t gotten any food for three days in a row “eating”), and on the second page he had written a short handwritten poem. Shuusuke adored the picture. He kept several copies of it in his room and one at school… and he was also pleased enough with the poem since he had this year, unlike when they were younger, written it in a way which made it nearly unimaginable for someone to interpret it as anything else but an older brother’s happiness and pride over watching the younger growing into a strong, fine individual.
That didn’t mean Shuusuke didn’t miss the days when he and Yuuta didn’t have to pretend any aspects of their feelings for each other. Even though he had also been young when they happened, he still remembered and treasured so many of those memories. Shuusuke was eternally happy that Yuuta had been born, since otherwise he would never have had any memories to return to, like he did now.
---
The handmade cards had always been a special thing between just the two of them, and ever since they were able to write and draw, they had exchanged handmade cards with each other. Since Shuusuke of course was ahead of his otouto when they were very small, he was often present when Yuuta made his cards, teaching him how to draw people, where to buy colors, what to write and so on.
When Yuuta started school, Shuusuke tried to teach him English by making him write “I Love You” on his birthday cards, after the older boy had done the same on his. And when Yuuta had asked him what “love” meant, he would simply show it to him by saying sweet things and kissing him. Yuuta liked the kisses back then, so he wrote many many “I Love You”’s on his cards every year, until their mother told them that they were a little… too old for things like that. She smiled and told Yuuta to make Shuu-chan a “cool” card instead. After all, aniki had started to rise as a very good tennis player now, so surely Yuuta-chan could do better than that for his star brother, no?
The year after, Yuuta was making a sad face at a card which he didn’t know how to make cool, or what to fill it out with at all anymore. Shuusuke handed over his card to Yuuta-chan with a proud look nonetheless though, and just kissed him and told him it was allright.
But this time, Yuuta took it as that he was there was no point in him even trying. His aniki would always be too good for him, so he should just stay the way he was and hope that aniki would continue to pat him on the back and say “Good, Yuuta!”, even despite his inadequate attempts.
So when Yuuta left home for St.Rudolph, Shuusuke didn’t know how to react. That year, he just bought him a birthday card, with an ordinary impersonal text and image. Yuuta on the other hand didn’t give him a card at all. Shuusuke still remembered how painful that realization had been… although he hadn’t quite known why back then, by now he had figured out his feelings. Making a handmade card for Yuuta again meant more to Shuusuke than just a childhood memory; it was a bit like asking the other boy for reaffirmation - that they were indeed not as far apart anymore.
The last page was a drawn image of Yuuta and him hugging each other. The background was sunny, and they were in their normal clothes, pressed close. Shuusuke had also written “Together Forever” with small letters and in English next to them, hoping that Yuuta wouldn’t understand what it said that way. He knew that the text wasn’t necessary, and that he was risking that Yuuta would get mad at him for using words he didn’t understand and thus point out how much better he was at everything… but Shuusuke didn’t even consider scratching it away once he had written it. He wanted his feelings to be preserved somehow, even though he knew he might not keep them forever himself. And secretly, he probably wanted to tell Yuuta too, even though he was far from selfish enough to admit them in the open.
Just then, Shuusuke heard the ding-dong of the doorbell. He quickly finished the remaining few lines, and took one last look at the card. It was probably best if he gave it to Yuuta in private after all, after the celebration with the family was over. He could already hear the laughing downstairs, Yuuta’s voice of course ringing clearer and more conspicuous than any of the others, probably more than any other person’s voice in the whole world did. Tucking away the card inside his shirt, Shuusuke hurried down, rushing to see the face he had anticipated for days now.
---
When he handed Yuuta his card, the younger boy did the one thing Shuusuke never expected him to do - he hugged him tightly, and his eyes were shining, smiling like they had returned to being children, and Shuusuke was his awesome aniki again. The aniki who hadn’t been hugged for such a long, long time, that it felt like an eternity had broken between them when it happened.
Shuusuke faltered, and tears almost reached his eyes, but he managed to fight it back since he didn’t want the taller boy to break the embrace. Maybe Yuuta would understand someday. Not accept it, but at least forgive him for being the person he was right now.
And even if hoping for all those things were futile, at least Shuusuke believed in one thing. He would get a handmade card from Yuuta in 11 days.
Author: Emi-san
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis (although don't we all wish we did? *sigh*)
A/N: Written for challenge #4 at fujicestfest. The fic definitely takes place in Japan, which means Shuusuke and Yuuta get to learn English in school but not that they’re automatically good at it or understand 100 % of what’s being said to them in the language. English is treated like a foreign language and not the one that’s spoken in this fic… which I’m sure you’ll realize on your own, but I still thought I’d point it out in case anyone was wondering.
“Shuusuke, it’s time soon-… Oh…”
He could hear his sister’s voice trail off, and then her steps as she slowly moved away through the corridor and down the stairs. Seconds later she was probably telling their mother some convenient lie that he was studying or something. Shuusuke was glad that she understood at times like this. Although he wasn’t sure how much, it was still a comfort.
So he continued to search the scattered crayons for something brown to fill the space between the lines which were supposed to depict Yuuta’s hair. He was going to run out of that color soon, but at least he had plenty of yellow left for the gold medal and the trophy. Shuusuke giggled softly at Yuuta’s goofy expression, as it was probably just what he would look like if he ever won something that big and shiny and showoff.
Yuuta was away from home a lot, but he had to come over on birthdays and the like, especially his own. And this year Shuusuke was particularly excited, both because he and Yuuta were on much better terms now than last year… and because of the thing he was making right now.
“Hmm…” Shuusuke stopped for a bit and frowned. Yuuta’s cheeks did look a little too rosy after all. He didn’t want his little brother to think that he considered him a baby… or that he was trying to give him hentai sex appeal by adding too many blush streaks.
Shuusuke couldn’t help but grin wryly when he thought about the pain Yuuta would subject him to if he suspected anything like that. But he was most likely safe. Yuuta wouldn’t think of that, he was much too innocent for it.
A few more strokes and he was done with the showy cover. In its finished state it was decorated with the words “Happy Birthday Yuuta!” in many patterns and colors on the top, and then a triumphant Yuuta standing right below it with his trophy and medals, confetti flying all around him, and finally himself, Yumiko, and mother and father cheering for him in the background. Shuusuke had drawn himself standing closest, of course… but that hadn’t initially been a conscious decision on his side, and surely noone would suspect something as subtle as that.
On the first inside page, he had glued a photo of Yuuta eating a strawberry cake (if you could call munching in enormous bites like a caveman who hadn’t gotten any food for three days in a row “eating”), and on the second page he had written a short handwritten poem. Shuusuke adored the picture. He kept several copies of it in his room and one at school… and he was also pleased enough with the poem since he had this year, unlike when they were younger, written it in a way which made it nearly unimaginable for someone to interpret it as anything else but an older brother’s happiness and pride over watching the younger growing into a strong, fine individual.
That didn’t mean Shuusuke didn’t miss the days when he and Yuuta didn’t have to pretend any aspects of their feelings for each other. Even though he had also been young when they happened, he still remembered and treasured so many of those memories. Shuusuke was eternally happy that Yuuta had been born, since otherwise he would never have had any memories to return to, like he did now.
---
The handmade cards had always been a special thing between just the two of them, and ever since they were able to write and draw, they had exchanged handmade cards with each other. Since Shuusuke of course was ahead of his otouto when they were very small, he was often present when Yuuta made his cards, teaching him how to draw people, where to buy colors, what to write and so on.
When Yuuta started school, Shuusuke tried to teach him English by making him write “I Love You” on his birthday cards, after the older boy had done the same on his. And when Yuuta had asked him what “love” meant, he would simply show it to him by saying sweet things and kissing him. Yuuta liked the kisses back then, so he wrote many many “I Love You”’s on his cards every year, until their mother told them that they were a little… too old for things like that. She smiled and told Yuuta to make Shuu-chan a “cool” card instead. After all, aniki had started to rise as a very good tennis player now, so surely Yuuta-chan could do better than that for his star brother, no?
The year after, Yuuta was making a sad face at a card which he didn’t know how to make cool, or what to fill it out with at all anymore. Shuusuke handed over his card to Yuuta-chan with a proud look nonetheless though, and just kissed him and told him it was allright.
But this time, Yuuta took it as that he was there was no point in him even trying. His aniki would always be too good for him, so he should just stay the way he was and hope that aniki would continue to pat him on the back and say “Good, Yuuta!”, even despite his inadequate attempts.
So when Yuuta left home for St.Rudolph, Shuusuke didn’t know how to react. That year, he just bought him a birthday card, with an ordinary impersonal text and image. Yuuta on the other hand didn’t give him a card at all. Shuusuke still remembered how painful that realization had been… although he hadn’t quite known why back then, by now he had figured out his feelings. Making a handmade card for Yuuta again meant more to Shuusuke than just a childhood memory; it was a bit like asking the other boy for reaffirmation - that they were indeed not as far apart anymore.
The last page was a drawn image of Yuuta and him hugging each other. The background was sunny, and they were in their normal clothes, pressed close. Shuusuke had also written “Together Forever” with small letters and in English next to them, hoping that Yuuta wouldn’t understand what it said that way. He knew that the text wasn’t necessary, and that he was risking that Yuuta would get mad at him for using words he didn’t understand and thus point out how much better he was at everything… but Shuusuke didn’t even consider scratching it away once he had written it. He wanted his feelings to be preserved somehow, even though he knew he might not keep them forever himself. And secretly, he probably wanted to tell Yuuta too, even though he was far from selfish enough to admit them in the open.
Just then, Shuusuke heard the ding-dong of the doorbell. He quickly finished the remaining few lines, and took one last look at the card. It was probably best if he gave it to Yuuta in private after all, after the celebration with the family was over. He could already hear the laughing downstairs, Yuuta’s voice of course ringing clearer and more conspicuous than any of the others, probably more than any other person’s voice in the whole world did. Tucking away the card inside his shirt, Shuusuke hurried down, rushing to see the face he had anticipated for days now.
---
When he handed Yuuta his card, the younger boy did the one thing Shuusuke never expected him to do - he hugged him tightly, and his eyes were shining, smiling like they had returned to being children, and Shuusuke was his awesome aniki again. The aniki who hadn’t been hugged for such a long, long time, that it felt like an eternity had broken between them when it happened.
Shuusuke faltered, and tears almost reached his eyes, but he managed to fight it back since he didn’t want the taller boy to break the embrace. Maybe Yuuta would understand someday. Not accept it, but at least forgive him for being the person he was right now.
And even if hoping for all those things were futile, at least Shuusuke believed in one thing. He would get a handmade card from Yuuta in 11 days.