[Yasuro]
PROGRESSION
by doumeki
I. Introduction
He eyed the shorter boy, who stood smiling happily and trembling with excitement. "I'm Saeki Kouji," he greeted him half-heartedly. He didn't see the need to introduce himself to a boy whom he'd be competing with in a little under an hour, but manners dictated he be polite. "It's nice to meet you."
The other boy grinned widely and bowed. "I'm Ashiwara Hiroyuki," he replied excitedly. "It's very nice to meet you Saeki-kun! I hope we can be good friends."
He turned away to look at the game room, taking in the neat rows of gobans, gokes and clocks. Anticipation clenched his chest, and he turned to Ashiwara. "Do you want to play a quick game?"
"Sure, Saeki-kun!" Ashiwara exclaimed happily, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the back of the room. "We're supposed to play here today, so it shouldn't be a problem if we use this one." Ashiwara sat down and picked up a goke. "Nigiri?"
He lost the first game by a scant half moku. The finished game sat placidly on the board, as if waiting to be wiped into nothingness. Ashiwara chattered happily about how great the game was, and how it was too bad that the difference was so little.
"Don't worry, Saeki-kun," he'd chirped. "I'm sure you'll win the next game."
Saeki nearly snapped that he didn't need platitudes and assurances, that he would win his very first official game as an insei and it would be by more than a half moku, but hushed conversation floated into the room, announcing the arrival of the insei.
A moment later, everyone had settled across from their opponents and the games began.
Saeki lost his first official game by three moku against Ashiwara Hiroyuki.
II. Rivalry
The month's schedule had been posted and he quickly sought out his name. His fist clenched in his pocket and he smiled. He had finally broken into the ranks of the first class.
"Congratulations, Saeki-kun!" a voice whispered beside him.
Saeki jumped and turned, seeing Ashiwara smiling next to him. "Oh. Ashiwara-kun," he stammered, heart pounding in his chest. "Thank you."
The other boy grinned. "Who is your first game against?" he asked, eyes drawn toward the schedule. "You play Toshiba-san. He's really good."
"Yeah?" he replied.
Ashiwara looked at him with serious eyes. "Yes. He's undefeated."
A giggle erupted from behind him. "Now, now, Ashiwara-chan," a girl's voice said. "That's not true. You beat Toshiba-kun last week."
Ashiwara's cheeks glowed pink and Saeki watched as Ashiwara averted his eyes.
"I got lucky," Ashiwara murmured humbly.
"If you can beat him," Saeki asserted, "I can beat him." With that, he turned and walked away. He could feel Ashiwara's stare bore into his back, and he fought the urge to flinch under the curious gaze.
III. Attraction
There was something about Ashiwara that drew his attention. He couldn't quite place his finger on it, but he knew that Go had nothing to do with it. After all, they were fairly even now, each winning as many games against the other as they lost. The thrill of playing was still there, but the intense desire to win, to beat Ashiwara completely, was a dull twinge, only stirred when Saeki was losing. Badly.
He watched as Ashiwara's hand placed the next stone and noticed that his opponent's fingers were slim with nails bitten painfully short. The black stone contrasted harshly with the pale landscape of Ashiwara's long fingers, and Saeki found himself thinking of pianos and the soft strains of concertos. He wondered if Ashiwara played.
The soft 'pa-chink' of the stone meeting wood broke him from the reverie, and his attention was drawn once again to the black and white world of the game.
IV. Jealousy
There were many things that could be said about Ogata Seiji, and very few of them good.
Saeki watched as the older pro spoke with Ashiwara. Something cold coiled in his stomach as Ogata smirked, and Ashiwara chattered on happily. The way that Ogata's eyes swept over Ashiwara's lips had Saeki clenching his jaw and stalking across the room.
"Really?" Ashiwara was saying, eyes wide and excited. "You really want me to go to Touya-sensei's study group?"
Bodies cluttered the path, and he found himself mumbling apologies as he shoved past the last few people standing in his path. Ogata had casually placed a hand on Ashiwara's shoulder and was raking his eyes over the younger boy's body when Saeki emerged.
Quickly, he strode the last few feet and grabbed his rival by the wrist. "I thought you wanted to go to lunch, Ashiwara," he said gruffly, ignoring Ogata completely.
"Saeki-kun!" Ashiwara exclaimed. "I thought you didn't want to go with me."
"Yeah, well, I changed my mind. Now, let's go or we won't be able to eat," he replied quickly, tugging on Ashiwara's arm.
"Sure! Just let me give Ogata-san my number," Ashiwara responded happily. "He invited me to Touya-sensei's study group and offered to give me a ride."
Ashiwara smiled happily at him, and Saeki couldn't help but think that his rival had never given him his number.
He disregarded the thought when Ashiwara pulled his wrist away, only to grab Saeki's hand and pull him towards the door.
V. Beginnings
He pressed his lips desperately against the other man's, pulling away quickly when the lips beneath his remained motionless.
Ashiwara stood there, eyes wide open and face slack with surprise. Saeki stood inert in front of him, frozen in shock at the sheer recklessness of his actions.
"I'm sorry," Saeki choked out quickly, turning to leave before he could embarrass himself further.
Fingers around his wrist held him still and he turned to find Ashiwara smiling.
"Don't be, Saeki-kun," Ashiwara whispered before pulling Saeki closer and shyly brushing his lips against his cheek. "Now, let's go get lunch. Your treat."
Saeki smiled hesitantly back and took Ashiwara's hand, threading their fingers together and leading them outside into the sun.
by doumeki
I. Introduction
He eyed the shorter boy, who stood smiling happily and trembling with excitement. "I'm Saeki Kouji," he greeted him half-heartedly. He didn't see the need to introduce himself to a boy whom he'd be competing with in a little under an hour, but manners dictated he be polite. "It's nice to meet you."
The other boy grinned widely and bowed. "I'm Ashiwara Hiroyuki," he replied excitedly. "It's very nice to meet you Saeki-kun! I hope we can be good friends."
He turned away to look at the game room, taking in the neat rows of gobans, gokes and clocks. Anticipation clenched his chest, and he turned to Ashiwara. "Do you want to play a quick game?"
"Sure, Saeki-kun!" Ashiwara exclaimed happily, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward the back of the room. "We're supposed to play here today, so it shouldn't be a problem if we use this one." Ashiwara sat down and picked up a goke. "Nigiri?"
He lost the first game by a scant half moku. The finished game sat placidly on the board, as if waiting to be wiped into nothingness. Ashiwara chattered happily about how great the game was, and how it was too bad that the difference was so little.
"Don't worry, Saeki-kun," he'd chirped. "I'm sure you'll win the next game."
Saeki nearly snapped that he didn't need platitudes and assurances, that he would win his very first official game as an insei and it would be by more than a half moku, but hushed conversation floated into the room, announcing the arrival of the insei.
A moment later, everyone had settled across from their opponents and the games began.
Saeki lost his first official game by three moku against Ashiwara Hiroyuki.
II. Rivalry
The month's schedule had been posted and he quickly sought out his name. His fist clenched in his pocket and he smiled. He had finally broken into the ranks of the first class.
"Congratulations, Saeki-kun!" a voice whispered beside him.
Saeki jumped and turned, seeing Ashiwara smiling next to him. "Oh. Ashiwara-kun," he stammered, heart pounding in his chest. "Thank you."
The other boy grinned. "Who is your first game against?" he asked, eyes drawn toward the schedule. "You play Toshiba-san. He's really good."
"Yeah?" he replied.
Ashiwara looked at him with serious eyes. "Yes. He's undefeated."
A giggle erupted from behind him. "Now, now, Ashiwara-chan," a girl's voice said. "That's not true. You beat Toshiba-kun last week."
Ashiwara's cheeks glowed pink and Saeki watched as Ashiwara averted his eyes.
"I got lucky," Ashiwara murmured humbly.
"If you can beat him," Saeki asserted, "I can beat him." With that, he turned and walked away. He could feel Ashiwara's stare bore into his back, and he fought the urge to flinch under the curious gaze.
III. Attraction
There was something about Ashiwara that drew his attention. He couldn't quite place his finger on it, but he knew that Go had nothing to do with it. After all, they were fairly even now, each winning as many games against the other as they lost. The thrill of playing was still there, but the intense desire to win, to beat Ashiwara completely, was a dull twinge, only stirred when Saeki was losing. Badly.
He watched as Ashiwara's hand placed the next stone and noticed that his opponent's fingers were slim with nails bitten painfully short. The black stone contrasted harshly with the pale landscape of Ashiwara's long fingers, and Saeki found himself thinking of pianos and the soft strains of concertos. He wondered if Ashiwara played.
The soft 'pa-chink' of the stone meeting wood broke him from the reverie, and his attention was drawn once again to the black and white world of the game.
IV. Jealousy
There were many things that could be said about Ogata Seiji, and very few of them good.
Saeki watched as the older pro spoke with Ashiwara. Something cold coiled in his stomach as Ogata smirked, and Ashiwara chattered on happily. The way that Ogata's eyes swept over Ashiwara's lips had Saeki clenching his jaw and stalking across the room.
"Really?" Ashiwara was saying, eyes wide and excited. "You really want me to go to Touya-sensei's study group?"
Bodies cluttered the path, and he found himself mumbling apologies as he shoved past the last few people standing in his path. Ogata had casually placed a hand on Ashiwara's shoulder and was raking his eyes over the younger boy's body when Saeki emerged.
Quickly, he strode the last few feet and grabbed his rival by the wrist. "I thought you wanted to go to lunch, Ashiwara," he said gruffly, ignoring Ogata completely.
"Saeki-kun!" Ashiwara exclaimed. "I thought you didn't want to go with me."
"Yeah, well, I changed my mind. Now, let's go or we won't be able to eat," he replied quickly, tugging on Ashiwara's arm.
"Sure! Just let me give Ogata-san my number," Ashiwara responded happily. "He invited me to Touya-sensei's study group and offered to give me a ride."
Ashiwara smiled happily at him, and Saeki couldn't help but think that his rival had never given him his number.
He disregarded the thought when Ashiwara pulled his wrist away, only to grab Saeki's hand and pull him towards the door.
V. Beginnings
He pressed his lips desperately against the other man's, pulling away quickly when the lips beneath his remained motionless.
Ashiwara stood there, eyes wide open and face slack with surprise. Saeki stood inert in front of him, frozen in shock at the sheer recklessness of his actions.
"I'm sorry," Saeki choked out quickly, turning to leave before he could embarrass himself further.
Fingers around his wrist held him still and he turned to find Ashiwara smiling.
"Don't be, Saeki-kun," Ashiwara whispered before pulling Saeki closer and shyly brushing his lips against his cheek. "Now, let's go get lunch. Your treat."
Saeki smiled hesitantly back and took Ashiwara's hand, threading their fingers together and leading them outside into the sun.