[AU LOG] Saeki, Wakato

[allthegreats]

Who: Saeki Koujirou, Wakato Hiroshi
When: after Saeki comes to camp
Where: A hidden forest path
Summary: Old friends get together for a walk. Unrequited love is…unrequited.
Warning/Raiting: pg
Player Comments: Angst and weirdness…meet Waka-chan and Sae-chan

Comments/Crits Allowed: Sure, why not.



Wakato sighed, straightening out his shirt again. He adjusted his sunglasses once. It was silly though, Saeki had been his friend once, a long time ago. It was silly to play movie star. Not when he knew that his old friend had been one of the few that preferred him as him and not him as one of his change overs. Though now days, his changes had gotten him quite a few awards and now there was talk about his own star on the walk too. But right now, even a star meant nothing. As he was about to go and see someone he’d not seen in ten years,. Someone who had only written him one fan letter, a million years ago when he was first starting out in the movie acting business and he was only doing bit parts and walk ons.

Fluffing his hair a little, he arrived at the door of the room Saeki was staying in and he lightly knocked. “Sae-chan? I told you I’d be right there!! You ready?” he wondered why the walk all of a sudden and he hoped that the little forest trail he found would be private enough.

Saeki turned with a smile on his face away from the mirror he'd been looking into. It was silly of course, as he hadn't always put effort into how he looked. It didn't make much difference. Everyone he'd met had laughed and told him he looked exactly the same. Yet he wanted to look his best, because it was Wakato, who'd probably got used to good-looking people in Hollywood. He grabbed his coat and scarf and hurried to the door.

The other looked simply fabulous. Just like the movie star he now was. Saeki couldn't wait to find out if the man had changed a little in the inside too. He hoped not. "I almost didn't recognize you Waki-chan!" He claimed, leaving the last word a little open, so he could finish: "...what would you say if I had said that?"

Wakato’s smile turned into a beaming grin when the door finally opened. It had been a long time since he’d seen that face. It was nice. It was strange, how much he could miss people he had been friends with. He had many famous friends in Hollywood, but nothing seemed to compare to the people he had met playing tennis in Japan. It was not to pick on Atobe…Kite…whatever again. It was nice to see the old stomping grounds. It was really nice to hear that warm voice. “Almost?” There was a small pout. “What do you mean almost? Just because I didn’t wear my hat like I did ten years ago. Honestly!” The pout was gone moments later to return to a bight grin. “That’s what I’d say if you had said that.” Still, he pushed his sunglasses up to rest on top of his bright hair and winked at Saeki.

“Now, I believe there’s a nice young man I’m supposed to take on a nice long walk…Could you perhaps point him out to be, as obviously you are hiding him somewhere.” Of course he was joking, because Saeki had always been so nice to him. He held out his hand, as things like personal space seemed not to matter after years and years in America.

Saeki laughed at Wakato's antics. Then he straightened his pose and mock glared at the other man. "Really, who are you calling 'a young man', Wakato Hiroshi. I have you know I haven't grown any younger and that I'm older than you if I remember right." Then he closed the door behind him and put his keys into his pocket, shrugging the coat on with a smile. "Yes, let's go~ I'm dying to hear how you've been."

He stepped back playfully at the glare, looking hurt, though obviously not. After all, he didn’t have to act with Saeki. At least he hoped he didn’t. He could be himself. He could be Hiroshi and not anything else. He put a hand to his face, as it he was about to initiate a change. But when he dropped it, he as still wearing the same smile, and even laughing a little. “Well, I’d call you a gentleman, but that might be insulting to gentlemen everywhere… And you’ve not. Pity. I would have loved to see the headlines. Hollywood shock. Hiroshi’s underage hookup? Has his method gone too far?” He was teasing of course, because he honestly never had figured out what Saeki had been to him in camp. “And you are older, but that just means I’m still a pretty young thing while you’ve gone prematurely white!” He stuck out his tongue in a childish manner. Really, the total dye job was fetching but he could still tease Saeki about it.

He let Saeki put his coat on and started towards the exit that would take them outside and into the woods. The nice, quiet, private woods. “How I’ve been? I guess we do have some catching up to do…And before I forget… I have something for you.” Wakato dug through his pockets and came out with a color photograph and a marker. “Should I do this now, or should I wait?” Of course he meant the autograph that he owed Saeki. He owed something else too, but first things first.

"Hey!" the white-haired man in question laughed himself breathless. "You can't say it doesn't look good!" He ran his hand through his all-white hair. It was getting longer again. Oh well, Ryou-chan had asked to play with it. The older Kisarazu always came up with new cool things. "And well, it's Keigo, who's gone prematuredly grey. He was always grey, remember?"

Saeki's eyes started sparkling. Oh dear, the autograph! He hadn't been all serious when he'd said that, but he now realized he wanted it anyway. To remember Wakato once this get-together was over. Since Wakato would be in America and he in Japan, they might not get to meet as often. He hummed. "Yes, please. I'll put it in my pocket and treasure it till I die~"

The actor beamed at Saeki. He wanted to reach out and give it a tug just for the hell of it. But he didn’t. Instead, he nodded. He didn’t think it was bad at all. In fact, he though tit was kind of attractive. But that wasn’t thoughts he was supposed to have about an old friend that had meant so much to him way back when. Thoughts like that were dangerous and just plain weird to be thinking. “Oh, I can say it, but that would be a lie. And yeah…I know that. Though I don’t care about Prince Pain in the Ass and his Rough Stuff. I care about you and what you’ve been up to.” He put cap of the marker between his lips in order to uncap it. Then he started to write on the bottom edge of the picture. “Lets see… To my biggest fan… naaa. To my cutest fan… All my love eternal…Waki-chan…” He finished by putting a small heart at the very end of it and handed the picture over. It was a rather flattering photo, a candid shot where he was getting dressed and had not yet fallen into the role he was acting for the day.

“I got something else for you too, but that can wait until later.” He stated, after capping the marker again and returning it to his pocket. “But really. I’ve been okay. Had a few movie deals, but it seemed love comedies are in right now, and I’m not to hot to do roles like that for obvious reasons. After that last really messy break up I had was smeared all over the American gossip news, I’ve sort of sworn off love comedies. I’m hoping from a thriller or a drama. I’d love to play a villain. But that’s my life in a nut shell. Movies, movies and more movies, with a commercial thrown in every now and again for good measure. No wife or husband. No kids. Just me and my scripts and my vulture of an agent.”

Saeki frowned, but not all seriously. "Don't forget it's my baby bro you're talking about Waki-chan." Maybe he was slipping back into the mode he'd been on all through the school camp. Taking the photo, he had to give it another look. When he thought about it, he'd never really thought his friends sexy back in high school. He'd maybe used words like drool-worthy, but was more in the public opinion side than really something he'd ever really done. But the photo was hot. So maybe he was a little less assexual now than he'd been then. "Thank you, sweetie." He slipped the photo into the back pocket of his jeans.

"No lover either, then?" he concluded, since his friend said nothing of the kind. They went down the stairs.

Wakato put a embarrassed hand behind his head. He hadn’t forgotten that little drama. Not at all, but he still had his own opinions about Atobe or whatever he was calling himself now. And a part of him still remembered what it had been like. What it had been like to be hold like that. To have that soft kiss to the back of his neck, before the beating began. It was the other half of the reason why he didn’t do love movies often. He liked that feeling too much and he was sure he’d get too attached and whoever it was would go away the minute he lost his method and was just him again. Just like always. “Of course. And now I expect more fan mail from you…though I kept that letter cause it was real nice.” he had too. He’d kept all the really nice fan letters The bad ones, he just tossed. But that first letter he’d ever gotten was special for some reason.

“Nope.” He answered after a moment, going down the steps one at a time. “I’m single. So don’t believe whatever the gossip people say about me and my agent. I didn’t get this fame by putting out on the casting couch. Besides, I’m not into vultures….” The guy was too. A vulture. Right now, he was being hounded by his agent to look at scripts and make appearances and accept awards and crap when all Wakato wanted was to have some peace and quiet in Japan with old friends. “And I take it that my your hand, you aren’t necessarily in any other boat either. Though I’d love to hear about your life. It’s probably been a lot more exciting then mine.”

"No no, it hasn't. Really." Saeki felt himself closing up. Damnit! It was such a nice warm situation too. "After Keigo dropped Father's dear ol' Money Making Machine-" The Atobe Empire. "-I was sort of forced to take it into my hands. I was the real heir anyway and all." He smiled bitterly. "Fucking three days. Baby bro decided to gimme some advice with it. In other words, to give it into better hands. So I did, though I still own it. Can you believe it, Waki-chan? I'm a rich fucker nowadays~"

Pausing he shrugged off the dark feeling. Why dwell on that now? "I helped them along the way, was there for the wedding and I like their kids. Don't see them too often though. I'm running my own Dojo and it takes time. Plus!" He smirked winningly. "I'm a model of sorts for my friend's Dating Service. They needed a good-looking face for the poster add and they wanted mine. I help them around too. Other vice, if I'm not busy I spend my time in cold places."

Wakato’s smile faded. He’d never known his friend’s life had turned out so…crappy. Here he was, living it up in Hollywood and Saeki had been through businessman hell. He didn’t stop his reactions at all and simply slug a friendly arm about the other’s shoulders. “You’re a rich bastard and I’m a movie star…who would have ever thought two guys jumping on a bed together would end up like this huh? It’s like a bad movie plot really. I reject this script and demand a rewrite.” He concluded, the side of his hip bumping just slightly into side of Saeki’s hip as they walked.

“A dojo. Maybe I’ll come and study there, if I get an action roll next. You’ll have to be gentle with me though, as I’m a lover, not a fighter.” He smiled a little and then a little more until eh was laughing again. “I don’t know if being a poster boy for lonely bastards is a good thing, Sae-chan. But I’m sure you’re good at getting the hook up. Might look into it. Got any openings there for a cute red haired Hollywood Starlit?” Still, though he was laughing, it was sort of sad in a way that Saeki had never found anyone. It was almost sadder than his eternal string of breakups.

"Oh, well, it's not like we can bounce on Keigo's bed anymore. It'd break the springs." Saeki's smile was sad. It wasn't as much the responsibility, but the fact that Keigo got everything nice. He got the free life, the guy, the family... Not that it was really Keigo's fault. Saeki was lucky, alright. It was just hard to remember it here, far away from his own life.

"Where would they need me, if they listed you, Waki-chan?" He choose to not think about it. He regarded playfully the other man's posture and nodded. "Come by and I'll teach you. Or maybe you shouldn't. You'd have to be loyal to my little dojo~" Had the man been checking the news over the years, Wakato might've read about the little scandals regarding the man who'd inherited the Atobe Imperium. Saeki chose to stay quiet about those. They weren't anything new after all.

Wakato pouted a little at the sad smile. He moved closer and bumped Saeki again. “Doesn’t have to be his bed you know! There are always other places. I’m always up for a good bounce!” He didn’t mind how that might have sounded. He had said some rather risky things in his time, so this was nothing new. “Besides,” he grinned. “We might be a little too old for that sort of thing.” Because he really didn’t like seeing an old friend unhappy. It really wasn’t at all good for him to see that. He liked seeing happy ever afters, probably because he was still waiting for his. But then life decided to show him that it was just Hollywood magic and it would end up the way it always ended.

He laughed again and shrugged. “I suppose not. I guess I’ll just keep going through co-stars like tissues.” He smiled more and turned so that he was walking backwards. It was rather hard to do, but he wanted to talk to Saeki face to face. “You’ll really teach me? And all I have to do is be loyal, huh? Guess I can do that…but only if I can call you sensei.” He giggled a little. “Never thought I’d call you sensei but…” He paused and mumbled slightly, “could I go…to your dojo, even if I don’t have a role to prepare for? I’m thinking of staying in Japan for a little bit.”

Saeki lifted his eyebrows a little surprisedly. Then he covered his mouth with his hand and coughed to hide the sudden chuckle that might've been a little inappropriate, as the other man seemed a bit unsure. "I suppose I could ...think about it." His eyes narrowed a little as he smiled mischievously. "It depends on how good you are convincing me." What a bad pick up line. Maybe the worst. Heh. He might have to lay off inventing new ones, since he was so bad in it. And well, throwing a line like that to a friend, that might've been interested in him back in high school... probably wasn't the best idea, considering how long his relationships lasted and how faithful he was, or wasn't.

Wakato turned around again so that Saeki couldn’t see his frown. He supposed it was a little silly. Saeki hadn’t ever really liked him like that. They’d joked around a lot and flirted a lot, but Wakato wasn’t Kite or Ryoga or anyone like that. He could be, but what would be the point of that. Even now, it was still painful to think that the only way he was ever going to get anything looking like caring was when he was pretending to be someone else. His voice stayed happy and merry. No point in pining over things that never were to begin with. “I guess I’ll let you think about it. Just don’t think too hard.” He wondered what he needed to do to convince Saeki to allow him to study at the dojo. “I have a break from acting. I’ve really missed Japan. Never thought I would, as much as I did. But it’s really nice to be back home. I’m sure it’ll drive the vulture nuts, but I don’t care.” He sighed a little and kicked a rock, watching it skitter away like his thoughts. “It’s…really nice to see old friends again… Probably didn’t tell you that sooner, but it’s one of the reasons why I came back. I thought seeing you…You and everyone else was a lot better than sitting through some really boring award ceremony and having a million different interviewers asking me what designer I’m wearing…”

Saeki relaxed as he laughed. His hands went into the back pockets of his jeans and he lifted his face to the greyish blue sky. "Okay, I'm convinced," he announced watching a cloud drift slowly across the sky. He had never even considered refusing the request, he had just wanted to see how the other man would react to open flirting. "Do you have a place to stay already?"

Wakato returned to Saeki’s side and once more found himself laughing. “And here, I thought I was going to have to give you that kiss I promised you. You’re still getting it, just so you know. Just going to find the right time to do it. “ He wasn’t teasing either. He really was going to give Saeki a kiss, even if it was just a friendly one on the cheek. Just not right at the moment. Not when they were still catching up and relearning their rather strange dynamic. “A place to stay? Right now, I’m just sorta crashing at a hotel near to the camp. It’s not like we can all sleep in our old dorm rooms. It would be kind of awkward, if that was the case. Cause I really really don’t want to watch any love fest that I’m not an active participant of.” He was trying to be careful about it too, because he was sure that Saeki was a little bitter about it. The other might not say, but the actor knew. “If I stay longer, I’ll have to find a place to live. Might stay with some of the old guard from my old school…though might be difficult. The twins are sort of in their own little world and I never did get over my…” he stopped. No. Sae-chan didn’t need to know about his once crush on Shinjou Reiji. It was something that he had kept secret for all these many years and something he would never ever tell anyone, not even when he wrote his memoirs. “So, I guess the shorter answer to that is that no, I don’t have a place to stay. Why? You got crash space for an old friend?”

Saeki let Wakato talk. He'd give him the answer at some point. Not everyone went straight to business like his dear brother-in-law. Somehow the fact that Wakato was trying to be careful about not stepping on that land mine made him think that maybe Sensei hadn't been the only sharp one. Who'd seen more than he had back then. He tilted his head back, closing his eyes, when the question he had waited for came. He was learning to read this pattern as well. "Dunno, maybe. I don't know if Hazue-kun will stay with me after this. If you don't mind having someone else in the house besides us, then I can flash the green light."

“Hazue-kun? Kaidoh’s little brother?” he’d never thought that Saeki would go for a younger guy but whatever. And really ,he supposed it was silly to eve think that. Because it wasn’t right to feel jealous. He’d had his chance years ago. He’d had his chance and lost his chance ten year into the past. He knew that. He knew that his feelings were always rather conflicted when it came to this friend. But how it felt as if the final nail had been driven into that coffin. There was no point in flirting now, except as friendly banter, as they had always done, years ago. It had never meant anything It didn’t meant anything then, and it certainly didn’t mean anything now. That was obvious. He put his sunglasses down over his eyes again, though the trees were growing thicker. Think enough to shade them, that he didn’t need it. But it was better than acting and better than letting an old friend see lingering disappointment that had never quite died. “It’s no big things really. You’ve got your life and I’ve got mine and I don’t have any right to come crashing in and taking up your…one of your beds.” He corrected himself quickly. “It’s cool. I can just stay at a hotel for a while. Talk to directors and stuff here in Japan. It’s about time I did something from Japan for Japan. Some little no name film from a no name writer and with a no name director… It sounds fun. I’d even work a gig like that for free…”

"What's wrong?" Saeki asked, not looking at his friend, his gaze still up in the clouds. He knew it was perhaps a cruel question, but had he not asked he wouldn't have been a real friend

Wakato really wished he had his hat right now. The one he wore for some of his old changes. Then he could pull it down over his face and hide behind it. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid! He was just so stupid to think that Saeki wouldn’t notice how weird he was being when all they were doing was catching up. He found himself laughing because it was better than beating himself. “It’s nothing really. Nothing at all. You know me…I like imposing as much as the next guy, but I don’t want to but into your life or anything since you’d already got a guest and you have to, you know…check with your guest and all before inviting another. I guess it’s just been such a long time since I last saw you that I’m just a little, I don’t know, nervous. I don’t know how I’m supposed to act with you… I mean, we aren’t kids anymore…” he paused and poked Saeki softly in the arm. “That, and I’ve been doing far too much talking. And I think it’s your turn to put your foot in your mouth for a little bit.”

Wakato was still hiding but maybe Saeki could cut him some slack. Mentioning Hazue-kun had probably been the most tactless thing he could've done. Damn. And even if the other man was obvious as hell, he'd managed to bring him to a point were he would put that foot into his mouth if he refused to say anything. He side-glared at his friend and sighed, making a little thin cloud of his own in the cool air. "What do you want to know?" It wasn't as if he had anything to hide.

It was hard to make himself say it. He didn’t know why. It was like with Reiji all over again. Standing aside and watching him and his utterly too pretty sensei knowing he was just Wakato, the little boy who played pretend. Knowing that he always ended up liking just the wrong sort of people. And maybe he would take that romantic comedy after all. Maybe he would get lost in the role again… Because now, he was Wakato Hiroshi, and he was a man, but he still played pretend. And right now, he was pretending really really well. So well, he could even fool himself into believing it was the truth. “Everything…Nothing…I don’t know really. I mean you already told me about your adventures in business and stuff. And about the dojo. I guess I thought that because you were, I don’t know, playing poster boy to a dating business, that you might be in the same boat as I am…I was pretty silly, assuming things like that… So I guess…you and Hazue-kun, Sae-chan? I never would have guessed. How long have you two…you know?” It was easier now, to feel happy for Saeki, because feeling jealous just wasn’t very attractive and it was good. Very good that at least one of them had happiness.

"We're not together," Saeki said immediately. It made him sad to think that he'd been right, and that Wakato did have feelings for him. Probably ever since high school, even if Saeki had been pretty blind to those things back then. It wasn't an excuse, but how could one be considerate to things one couldn't see? Saeki had of course been wrong, to think they could go back and be just what they had been. "Or at least we haven't talked about it. Hazue-kun and I, that is. It was just a one night thing. Or something more. I guess it's down to what he wants it to be." Saeki liked the younger man but something like that... He'd been with many people and you could never say for sure what they wanted from him in the end.

Wakato swallowed softly and found himself muttering a rather lame, “I see.” No points in getting his hopes up. Not like it changed anything. And really, it wasn’t any fair to Saeki. Here he was. He was supposed to be Saeki’s friend. They were supposed to call each other cutesy little pet names and jump on beds and get into trouble and just be teenagers again for a little bit, without responsibilities or Hollywood or whatever, breathing down their necks. “I guess you’re right. But if I was Hazue-kun, I know I wouldn’t want to let a catch like you go! Cause I don’t think there’s anyone quite like Sae-chan.” He managed somehow to state that with a smile. And he then managed to haphazardly thrown an arm about the others shoulders. A friendly gesture from a time lost to them a long time ago. “But you just do dojo stuff now, huh? No chance of sometime having a match, for old times sake? I’ve gotten a lot more tennis stars up here now.” He tapped his forehead playfully. “I’m surprised between that and all my roles that I have room in there for me anymore! But you know how that goes for me! But I remember what you told me back then, and I guess it stuck or something.” He laughed a little. “Best advice I ever got here. That and ‘don’t pretend to be Atobe Keigo…unless you’re a masochist…And I’m not one of those…” At least not a physical one. Emotionally, he’d suffered a bit of a blow with this little talk and yet to was grinning through the old pain and hoping that if he pretended long enough and hard enough, things could definitely go back to the way they had been for the two of them.

"Well," Saeki murmured instinctively wrapping his arm around Wakato's waist. It was warm to be close to another human being. "There is no Atobe Keigo now, so go ahead. Though, I would much rather have you as a brother than pretending to be my brother." Perhaps in the end neither of their worries were adequate. Saeki did love Wakato, after all. He loved all his friends. He never really questioned his feelings. Love was love, after all.

That…that was nice. That was very nice and it brought a bright smile to Wakato’s lips. He didn’t mind that closeness at all. Not one bit. And it wasn’t at all weird to be walking in the middle of the woods, with their arms draped around each other like that. It was just something normal that Sae-chan and Waki-chan did. It was as normal and comfortable as breathing. “Nah…I’m rather attached to my red hair these days. After that one movie…A blond! I can’t believe it. And with my method too. The dye job was awful! After that, I insisted that no matter what, I could keep my natural coloring.” It was his way of saying that he really didn’t want to play Keigo anymore. It had been a childish whim at the time. “Though I will admit that I wouldn’t mind being related to you, though it might make things weird. Especially since I still owe you a kiss, and until I learned about your maybe relations, I was planning on giving you one that would rate as very incestuous. Though, if you don’t mind keeping it in the family…” Probably not the best thing to joke about giving Saeki’s situation, but Wakato didn’t feel like dancing around it anymore. They were friends and he could tease Saeki all he wanted. That, and because he…he loved Saeki, maybe always had, and because of that, Wakato felt that he had ever right to give his friend hell. Because hell was better than treating it like some sort of shameful subject.

"Mm," Saeki hummed, closing his eyes again. He couldn't help but feel he was being teased and it gave him the right to tease back. He was the worst in that game. He would push, until he was pushed back and then, whatever happened, happened. He never dwelled on what ifs. No, that wasn't exactly the truth, in his dear brother's case, at least. He leaned his head on Wakato's shoulder, timing his steps and moves, so it didn't feel as awkward as it could've done. "Sounds good."

There was a white head on his shoulder, leaning on him as they walked. It almost made it feel like they were a true couple going on a romantic walk instead of two friends shooting the breeze and stumbling around the huge pregnant purple elephant that was Wakato’s unrequited feelings and Saeki’s bother-in-law attachments. “I know it does. It sounds great.” Thing is, was that Hiroshi didn’t know if he wanted to do that to Saeki. He didn’t know if he wanted to plant the sort of kiss that might ruin things between Hazue and Saeki. He didn’t want to be the “other man”. His arm tightened and he sighed. “Sae-chan…can I ask you a question… why…Why did you want to take this walk with me? And why alone like this? To catch up, I get that, but we could have done that anywhere… Why have me take you out to the most remote forest trail? I…I need to know.”

"Because..." Saeki was unsure of his reasons, but he thought maybe not showing that was the right thing to do. "Because I wanted to. And I didn't know where you'd take me. I'm not a mind reader." He stopped and turned so he was in front of Wakato, and wrapped his other arm around the man as well hugging him with his head still on Wakato's shoulder. He was giving an honest answer for once and he hoped his friend was listening. "Because I had missed you and I teased you, making it sound like a date. And..." He paused, biting his lip. "I wanted away from the camp, even for a while."

Arms were about him and it was all too easy to hold Saeki back. He’d played the romantic lead once or twice and knew just how and were to hold back. But he wasn’t acting and so when he moved, it was a bit hesitant and awkward. Reminiscent of the teenager he had been . All talk and no action. And he found he couldn’t help himself. Lightly, he pressed his lips just against Saeki’s forehead. “I’ll accept that answer.” He stated. “I’ll accept that, because honestly, I missed you too, Kojirou. And even if this isn’t a date, I’m glad I could do this with you…cause it’s nice being with a friend who get me like you always seemed to. And you’re right. It is good to be away from camp.” He was obviously serious too, cause Wakato had done something he’d never done. He’d called Saeki by first name. “And I guess I was a bit bold taking you out to the woods. If this was one of my movies…we’d get attacked by a bear or abducted by aliens, or confess out undying hidden feelings of eternal love towards one another…but it’s not one of my movies and I’ve already rejected that script earlier. So it’s just you and me and the trees and no one to bother us. And no one to pick on you but me!”

Saeki shivered when the lips pressed against his skin. It was so ...sad. And in a way he was glad Wakato had refused him. If there was something he didn't want, it was to drag his friend down with him. And he did need someone to be reasonable for him, since he found time and time again that he couldn't do it by himself. And still he felt a lump in his throat. It made his breath hitch. He was as near crying as he could be, which didn't even make his eyes red or a single wet trail on his cheek. He'd come to realize at some point he couldn't cry, even if he wanted to. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I've been like this for so long I don't know how to stop, and I only bring you pain, even if I want to ease it away."

Wakato remained where he was for a moment. He lightly rest his forehead upon the place where he had kissed. He could hear the hitching of breath and he just tightened his arms. He knew that if Saeki was going to cry, he would cry. If not , then he wouldn’t. He wouldn’t force his old friend to do anything. His voice remained light. Right now, right now, he was Hiroshi and he could be here for Saeki, even if only as a friendly voice. “Hey…Hey. None of that, you moron. So what if you’ve been a basket case. Guess what, we’re all a bit crazy. I think it was a prerequisite for tennis. Being half insane. So, it’s cool. You told me once, a long time again, that it was great that I could be other people, but that you liked the me that was me the best. And guess what. I like the you that is you. So flirt or smile or laugh or smack me on the head with your wooden sword or whatever it is you do. Because we’re friends, Sae-chan. And friends do that sort of stuff for friends.” He did wish he could do more for Saeki. Be there for Saeki. But he couldn’t because it would just be too weird and he felt that he might chase the other off and lose one of the men he had once considered his very best friend.

A smile moved Saeki's lips, just slightly. "Thank you for reminding me what a wonderful person you are, Waki-chan." He thought about it for a second and then pulled away with a determined expression. "You're my friend, so I need to tell you something." He was being very serious.

Wakato let Saeki pull away and he let a small smile come to his lips. He put his hands in his pockets. He could see the determination and he wasn’t about to stop Saeki from telling him whatever the hell he wanted to tell him. Because they were friends and friends could tell each other anything. His non-chalet stance slowly changed. If Saeki was determined to tell him something, then he was going to show Saeki he could be serious too. “You know that you can tell me anything, Saeki. You’re secrets are totally safe with me. I won’t breathe a word to anyone. I swear it.”

Saeki wiggled a finger in front of Wakato's nose. "It's not exactly a secret," he told him. "None of my friends call me Saeki anymore and since it really sounded great when you said it, would you call me Koujiro from now on, Waki-chan? You can even make me a new nick name if you want to. I got tired of not really knowing who I am at some point and I decided to just be me, instead of Saeki or Atobe."

Wakato frowned at the waving finger. He pouted a little, almost like a little boy being scolded by a teacher. His head dropped a little and he put a hand behind the back of his head in apology. “I’m sorry. I guess it’s what I was used to..” But it was nice. It had been nice to say that name, to be so familiar. Even if it hurt a little, it was what his friend wanted. He would have to lose that special little thing that was just theirs. He didn’t want to lose that because it felt like he might lose Saeki too by doing that. He hands clenched tight in his pockets and he nodded. “You want me to call you that? Okay. That, I can do…But only if you call me…” He paused and there might have been a very slight blush. “You have to call me Hiroshi, okay. It’s only fair. If I call you Kouji-chan…then you have to call me Hiro-chan…or whatever.”

"Hmm.." Saeki pursed his lips. He had a feeling he had said something wrong there just now, but it wasn't as if he could take it back. A creepy smile crept on his handsome face. "I think I'll call you... Hiro-baby!"

The creepy smile sent a shiver down his spine. He didn’t know why that smile did such a thing to him. It wasn’t a bad shiver though, because Wakato didn’t think he could be scared of Saeki. It just wasn’t possible. It was hard, when he wasn’t scared of the one or two people that had beaten the crap out of him. So, it wasn’t fear that he felt when he saw that smile but he wasn’t quite sure what it was it made him feel. Instead, he was goggling again. It was a soft sound, full of small happiness. “Then, I guess that’ll be just fine, Kouji-chan.” He slung his arm back over Saeki’s shoulder and knocked his head against Saeki’s. “I don’t mind it at all!”

The knock hurt a bit, since Saeki knocked his head against Wakato's at the same time, but it was just fine. As the happiness level rose, he started feeling better. A lot better. "Good~ Wanna race somewhere?" He pointed at the relatively straight path ahead of them. He'd never been here before, so it was all good and exiting.

Wakato pulled away and rubbed his head. “A race?” He asked, in almost a playful tone. He couldn’t help it. This was better. This was much better. This was like they had been back then, when they had bounced together on Atobe’s bed. Then they had ended up flopped next to each other, laughing and talking. It made him happy to know that with all the weirdness, with his feelings being what they were, that they could still be like this. They could still be this close after so many years apart. “Sure, I’ll race you. But what’ll be the prize. There has to be a prize for a race.” He paused and then shook his head. “You know what, I’ll claim my prize after I win!”

"Say that after you win!" Saeki took off down the path. His shoes probably weren't the best in this sort of thing, but what the heck. It wasn't as if Wakato was wearing sneakers either.

“HEY!” He yelled, tearing after Saeki with a stumble. “You didn’t say go yet. You….YOU!!!” He scrambled after Saeki. But unlike the other man, who’s job called for more physicality, Wakato wasn’t up to standard anymore. And he never bothered to study the runners of the world. He loved study the tennis players. He scrambled and tripped a few times to try and keep up at all. “Saeki…Kouji-chan!! Slow down! No fair. You got a head start!” He knew there was probably no way he was going to win this race but he was going to try anyways, because like most the tennis boys who had come through the camp, Wakato hated to lose. Besides, he wanted a nice prize, he just couldn’t figure what it was he wanted at the moment. Maybe he would let Saeki win and see what the other wished as a prize.

Saeki looked behind him with a grin. "Losers lose! UWAH!" He tripped over, the ground rising to meet him a with a deafening impact, stealing his breath away. It took a while to get back up, but he did. He never stayed down, never! He could confirm that, alright. "Hey, no fair!" he shouted as he noticed Wakato had passed him. "I fell! You have to wait for me you know!"

The other man tripped and fell over and Wakato slowed to a halt. He turned, a look of utter concern on his face. He really was a bit worried over the fall. More than just a bit worried. His heart went out to the fallen man. But he wasn’t about to run over and fawn upon Saeki. The other man wouldn’t like that. He wouldn’t like it at all if someone babied him. Because Saeki was strong. Saeki was so very strong and could get up all on his own. Still, he did want to go and reach out towards Saeki and offer him help. Instead, he waited, already panting slightly. He was definitely out of shape for this type of game. “I’m waiting. I’m waiting. And this time, I want a proper start.”

Oh, the other man had stopped to wait. Saeki dusted off his clothes and lifted a hand in surrender. "Okay okay. A fair start." He took a deep breath and smirked suddenly, shouting: "Readysetgo!" And started running again, a little more carefully this time.

Wakato smiled brightly. That was better. He leaned over to do what appeared to be a racing start when it occurred to him that he had no idea what the ending place for this little race could be. They could continue to run and run and run and never stop. Not that he would mind. But then how would they tell who won if they never set a finish line? But it was too late now to think about that small little detail, he was having too much fun. The sound had him scrambling off again. He raced towards and seemed to pass Saeki by. “You’re slow.” He called out as he passed. “So slow!” But his own run soon slowed as they reached a small clearing and he froze to stare in wonder at where this hidden path had led. It was a waterfall. And as they’d not set a goal, he turned and grinned. “So, since I won, I guess I get my prize right?”

So, maybe Saeki just a little let Wakato win. That's what he told himself at least. He hadn't even been sure what he'd wanted as a prize. He stopped next to his friend and was about to ask in what universe had Wakato won him, since they hadn't set a finish line when he saw the waterfall. It was simply too beautiful to really be in the clearing. In Japan. Near the camp. He nodded mutely at Wakato, wondering what dimension the other man had led him into.

He knew that it was a rare sight in Japan. He’d never been to this part of the forest. It was strange. In the time he had been at camp, he supposed he’d never really explored all that much. He had spent a lot on time not in classes and not on the tennis court watching his movies and doing his ultra super secret practices. He now wish he had found a place like this sooner. And he supposed he guessed he had to pick a prize now. He supposed it wasn’t very fair to ask this. It wasn’t fair to Saeki and it wasn’t fair to himself.. But he had liked the feeling from before and he was going to get it while he could. “Hey…Kouji-chan…I want another hug from my prize. You don’t have to though. I mean, it’s not really a fair win and all.” That, and it might have gotten as little complicated between them if he went and got attached again. It was better, just being friends. Though Wakato couldn’t quite tell who it would be better for. “So instead, how abouts you get me the name of that dating service. So maybe I can try and get me one that’s not one of my co-stars. Seem fair to you?”

Saeki humphed lightly and wrapped his arms around the other man. He didn't know if the other preferred a short and manly hug, or a teddybearhug, but he gave him the latter anyway. It was more like he needed a hug and not Wakato, so he gave one to get one, as always. In the light of the waterfall everything turned more beautiful and Saeki found himself thinking that maybe things weren't so bad after all. "Need a date? I can get you one, without sleazy dating services."

Wakato hugged back. His arms were light and for a moment he just clung. That was nice. It didn’t mind if he was treated like a teddy bear. It made him feel warm anyway. He held himself back from snuggling because he was just too conscious to do that. Instead, he pulled away just enough to look Saeki in the eyes. He smiled softly and then sighed. “Yeah…I might. But if you’re part of that service, even if only as their face, it can’t be that sleazy, right? So maybe I’ll check it out sometime. Cause just right now, I’ve decided. I’ve decided I’m staying in Japan for a while.” Not because of Saeki though. Not because of him. Not really, cause Saeki would go to his home and be with Hazue and Wakato would find a nice apartment to rent for a bit and just try to enjoy being home.

Saeki chuckled. He wanted to know how the fact that he had his face plastered in the add made the service any less sleazy, but he didn't ask. He thought it was sweet Wakato thought so. It wasn't as if the dating service was sleazy at all - it was a completely respectable company lead by his good friend. So maybe he'd only been teasing just now. "If you want to. I'll give you the number. They do require a videotape, but that shouldn't be a problem to you, right?"

Wakato nodded and finally let go, because to hold on any longer would just be wrong. He pulled away and turned towards the little waterfall. His hands went into his pockets and he smiled a little bit, though perhaps a bit sadly. “Yeah…Doing movies is no big deal. Just give me the right script and I’ll have so many calls I’ll have to get myself an answering service to handle them all.” He wasn’t joking either. “But could it maybe be a voice over. I don’t want someone dating me just because, you know, I’m a famous movie star and all.”

"They usually only take videotapes." Then again, Hotaru was a good friend and seemed to trust his evaluation. Saeki gave Wakato the thumps up. "I'll recommend you. I'm sure it'll be just fine."

Wakato moved back over towards Saeki and for a moment, rested his chin against the other’s shoulder. “Thanks. Really. I appreciate it. But you don’t have to go out of your way for me. I’ll follow the rules. I’m just saying that it might be a huge headache.” He rested there a whole longer and then pushed himself away, so that he wouldn’t get tempted. “And thanks for, you know, for letting me be the one to take you away from the camp for a while.”

"It's okay." Saeki was maybe a little hurt that the other was acting like touching him too long would burn or something, but he let it slide. He smiled so his eyes closed upwards. "It's no problem."

Wakato mumbled something softly. It might have been an apology. He sighed and looked to Saeki. “Hey…I’m sorry I’ve been acting weird. I guess I’m just out of sorts. I’m sorry I’ve been acting strangely. I hope you can forgive me for being so weird.” He moved away from Saeki and looked towards the waterfall. “But I’m glad I got to see this with you. It’s very pretty.”

The white-haired man moved next to his friend and gazed at the waterfall. It was very very beautiful, soothing. Saeki hoped it was helping Wakato as much as him. He nodded, not wanting to say anything wrong again.

Wakato scooted closer to his friend and mumbled softly. “Hey… Kouji-chan… I really am serious. Thanks. I didn’t even know this was here. I’ll have to go here sometime again. It won’t be the same though, I don’t think.” because it was nicer somehow with his friend here. But he knew that they should come back to camp soon. “But it’s getting cold, isn’t it?”

"Aa, I know," said Saeki unwilling to yet tear his eyes away from the water. It flowed, so it didn't get frozen, flowing free even in winter. It was a beautiful thought, in a way, even if the winter in Hokkaido wasn't all that cold. He'd been in colder places. Yet, when Wakato's last words reached him, he pulled away from the sight surprisingly willingly. "Let's go back, Hiroshi."

He couldn’t help but move closer. Hollywood was warmer. He moved right next to Saeki and at the sound of his feel name, he tried not to swallow or make an ass of himself. But he still reached out and grabbed around Saeki’s arm. He hugged it tightly to his chest. “You’re warm” he muttered softly, his excuse for being so close. “Yes. Lets go back, Koujiro. Lets go back together.”