Drabble (PoT) - Anytime
329 words -
Fuji is upset and Taka can tell right away, even though he never stops smiling, even though none of the other regulars seem to even notice. Taka waits until tennis practice is over and watches everyone leave, waving and bidding them goodbye by name. Fuji stays in the showers for almost half an hour, and Taka sits patiently on the bench. When the water finally turns off, he wonders if he should say something to let Fuji know he's still here, to make sure he doesn't get scared by another silent, lingering presence.
"Don't you have to help your father at the shop, Taka-san?" Fuji says from the shower room, and Taka wonders why he ever assumes Fuji doesn't always know everything.
"I can be a little late," Taka answers, sitting up straighter when Fuji moves into sight. He's wearing nothing but sweatpants and a towel draped across his shoulders. His bare feet slap wetly against the tile, and the sound makes Taka swallow.
"Hmm," Fuji hums in response. He begins to dry his hair with the towel and opens his locker with his free hand. "I hope you're not going to be late on my account."
Taka frowns and stands up. "Is there a better reason?" he asks, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
Something in Fuji's face changes. His hands go still and he turns his head, staring at Taka with open eyes and a tight frown. It makes Taka feel uncomfortable, but he doesn't look away.
"You wouldn't think so, would you," Fuji says after a moment. Then his eyes are closed and he's smiling again, and Taka can't figure out if it makes him want to tense up more or relax.
Fuji pulls a shirt out of his locker and slips it on, draping the towel over his locker door and toeing on his tennis shoes. "Walk me home, Taka-san?" he asks.
Taka takes his hands out of his pockets and smiles. "Anytime," he says.
end
Fuji is upset and Taka can tell right away, even though he never stops smiling, even though none of the other regulars seem to even notice. Taka waits until tennis practice is over and watches everyone leave, waving and bidding them goodbye by name. Fuji stays in the showers for almost half an hour, and Taka sits patiently on the bench. When the water finally turns off, he wonders if he should say something to let Fuji know he's still here, to make sure he doesn't get scared by another silent, lingering presence.
"Don't you have to help your father at the shop, Taka-san?" Fuji says from the shower room, and Taka wonders why he ever assumes Fuji doesn't always know everything.
"I can be a little late," Taka answers, sitting up straighter when Fuji moves into sight. He's wearing nothing but sweatpants and a towel draped across his shoulders. His bare feet slap wetly against the tile, and the sound makes Taka swallow.
"Hmm," Fuji hums in response. He begins to dry his hair with the towel and opens his locker with his free hand. "I hope you're not going to be late on my account."
Taka frowns and stands up. "Is there a better reason?" he asks, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
Something in Fuji's face changes. His hands go still and he turns his head, staring at Taka with open eyes and a tight frown. It makes Taka feel uncomfortable, but he doesn't look away.
"You wouldn't think so, would you," Fuji says after a moment. Then his eyes are closed and he's smiling again, and Taka can't figure out if it makes him want to tense up more or relax.
Fuji pulls a shirt out of his locker and slips it on, draping the towel over his locker door and toeing on his tennis shoes. "Walk me home, Taka-san?" he asks.
Taka takes his hands out of his pockets and smiles. "Anytime," he says.
end