(no subject)
This was written for bookshop's birthday, Nanjiroh makes Ryoma get a summer job.
Tezuka should have been suspicious when Fuji decided he wanted to try
a "shortcut" on their way back from the courts. Tezuka should have
known when Fuji stopped in front of a McDonald's forty minutes later
and declared that they were completely and utterly lost. Tezuka
should have started running away when Fuji said that he was also
completely and utterly famished.
But Tezuka failed to recognize the warning signs and so he is here,
being dragged towards the counter by an overly cheerful Fuji who seems
to know all too well that the only employee currently taking orders is
Echizen Ryoma.
"Welcome to McD-" Ryoma begins in a bored tone but stops abruptly when
he notices Tezuka. His face is barely visible underneath the large
red cap, but Tezuka catches the look of complete horror before Ryoma's
mouth breaks into a murderous scowl.
Fuji's smile widens.
"Echizen!" he exclaims happily, as if this encounter were a complete
and utter coincidence. Tezuka has learned long ago that coincidences
don't exist where Fuji is concerned. "What a surprise! I didn't know
you worked here."
"You were here yesterday with Kikumaru senpai," Ryoma frowns, glancing
at Tezuka before turning his attention back to Fuji. "I told you
never to come back."
"Oh! I thought you were talking to Eiji when you said that," Fuji
replies cheerfully. "Well, regardless, I'll have a happy meal."
Ryoma punches a button on the cash register angrily.
"Do you want the toy for a boy or girl?" he mutters, an embarrassed
blush beginning to creep over his cheeks.
Fuji ignores the question as he cocks his head to inspect the logo on
Ryoma's shirt. "Echizen," he says thoughtfully. "I'm not getting the
feeling that you're 'lovin' it'."
Tezuka sees Ryoma's jaw clench.
"Girl toy, it is," Ryoma says venomously, and Tezuka wonders if the
younger boy realizes that Fuji will probably love the neon pink Hello
Kitty purse.
"And you?"
Tezuka starts slightly when he realizes Echizen is addressing him.
"I'll have a hamburger," he says, his eyes meeting Ryoma's.
Ryoma's eyes are large and dark underneath the red visor and, for a
split second, there is nothing but Echizen and Tezuka and the counter
stretching infinitely between them. The brightly lit signs and the
noisy customers and the linoleum floors suddenly fade into a muted
backdrop for a world where there is nothing but Ryoma staring up at
him, the hint of a collarbone peeking out of an oversized shirt, face
flushed and alive, pale pink lips opening slightly to form the words-
"Do you want fries with that?"
Tezuka blinks.
"Fries, buchou." Ryoma says again when his question fails to elicit a
verbal response. "Do you want fries with your burger."
"No, thank you," Tezuka replies and swallows nervously.
"That'll be $5.32," Ryoma mutters, pushing at his cap before turning
to prepare their order.
"I'll pay," Fuji says and smiles charitably as if he's just done
Tezuka a favor. Tezuka wonders how Fuji has any friends left.
Ryoma returns with two bags, which he thrusts unceremoniously in their
general direction. "Have a nice day," he glowers.
"Echizen," Tezuka says before Ryoma can beckon for the next customer.
"We should play a match on Saturday."
Ryoma stares at him and for a moment, Tezuka is unsure of himself.
"Okay," the younger boy finally replies, casually shrugging his
shoulders and Tezuka lets out the breath he didn't realize he was
holding.
"How fun!" comes an exclamation from Tezuka's side. "Echizen-kun can
even bring snacks!" Fuji continues, indicating at the fast food lined
up behind Ryoma.
"You don't have to bring snacks," Tezuka interrupts quickly before
Fuji can say anything else.
Ryoma smiles and tugs his cap over his eyes.
"See you on Saturday, buchou."
---
Tezuka doesn't relax until they're outside and even then, he still feels tense.
Fuji seems unaffected as always, smiling as he reaches into his bag
and pulls out a french fry.
"Disgusting," he says happily after taking a small bite, then promptly
dumps his food into a nearby trashcan.
Tezuka glances at the scattered contents of the happy meal before
turning back to Fuji.
"You planned this."
It's clearly not meant to be a question but Fuji answers anyways. "I did."
"Why did you take me to see Echizen?" Tezuka says before he can stop
himself. He doesn't know what prompts him to ask. He thinks he
already knows the answer.
"Ryoma?" Fuji laughs as he reaches for something in his tennis bag.
"Ryoma has nothing to do with this, buchou." He throws
something frilly and pink over his shoulder. "I did it for the Hello
Kitty purse."
Tezuka should have been suspicious when Fuji decided he wanted to try
a "shortcut" on their way back from the courts. Tezuka should have
known when Fuji stopped in front of a McDonald's forty minutes later
and declared that they were completely and utterly lost. Tezuka
should have started running away when Fuji said that he was also
completely and utterly famished.
But Tezuka failed to recognize the warning signs and so he is here,
being dragged towards the counter by an overly cheerful Fuji who seems
to know all too well that the only employee currently taking orders is
Echizen Ryoma.
"Welcome to McD-" Ryoma begins in a bored tone but stops abruptly when
he notices Tezuka. His face is barely visible underneath the large
red cap, but Tezuka catches the look of complete horror before Ryoma's
mouth breaks into a murderous scowl.
Fuji's smile widens.
"Echizen!" he exclaims happily, as if this encounter were a complete
and utter coincidence. Tezuka has learned long ago that coincidences
don't exist where Fuji is concerned. "What a surprise! I didn't know
you worked here."
"You were here yesterday with Kikumaru senpai," Ryoma frowns, glancing
at Tezuka before turning his attention back to Fuji. "I told you
never to come back."
"Oh! I thought you were talking to Eiji when you said that," Fuji
replies cheerfully. "Well, regardless, I'll have a happy meal."
Ryoma punches a button on the cash register angrily.
"Do you want the toy for a boy or girl?" he mutters, an embarrassed
blush beginning to creep over his cheeks.
Fuji ignores the question as he cocks his head to inspect the logo on
Ryoma's shirt. "Echizen," he says thoughtfully. "I'm not getting the
feeling that you're 'lovin' it'."
Tezuka sees Ryoma's jaw clench.
"Girl toy, it is," Ryoma says venomously, and Tezuka wonders if the
younger boy realizes that Fuji will probably love the neon pink Hello
Kitty purse.
"And you?"
Tezuka starts slightly when he realizes Echizen is addressing him.
"I'll have a hamburger," he says, his eyes meeting Ryoma's.
Ryoma's eyes are large and dark underneath the red visor and, for a
split second, there is nothing but Echizen and Tezuka and the counter
stretching infinitely between them. The brightly lit signs and the
noisy customers and the linoleum floors suddenly fade into a muted
backdrop for a world where there is nothing but Ryoma staring up at
him, the hint of a collarbone peeking out of an oversized shirt, face
flushed and alive, pale pink lips opening slightly to form the words-
"Do you want fries with that?"
Tezuka blinks.
"Fries, buchou." Ryoma says again when his question fails to elicit a
verbal response. "Do you want fries with your burger."
"No, thank you," Tezuka replies and swallows nervously.
"That'll be $5.32," Ryoma mutters, pushing at his cap before turning
to prepare their order.
"I'll pay," Fuji says and smiles charitably as if he's just done
Tezuka a favor. Tezuka wonders how Fuji has any friends left.
Ryoma returns with two bags, which he thrusts unceremoniously in their
general direction. "Have a nice day," he glowers.
"Echizen," Tezuka says before Ryoma can beckon for the next customer.
"We should play a match on Saturday."
Ryoma stares at him and for a moment, Tezuka is unsure of himself.
"Okay," the younger boy finally replies, casually shrugging his
shoulders and Tezuka lets out the breath he didn't realize he was
holding.
"How fun!" comes an exclamation from Tezuka's side. "Echizen-kun can
even bring snacks!" Fuji continues, indicating at the fast food lined
up behind Ryoma.
"You don't have to bring snacks," Tezuka interrupts quickly before
Fuji can say anything else.
Ryoma smiles and tugs his cap over his eyes.
"See you on Saturday, buchou."
---
Tezuka doesn't relax until they're outside and even then, he still feels tense.
Fuji seems unaffected as always, smiling as he reaches into his bag
and pulls out a french fry.
"Disgusting," he says happily after taking a small bite, then promptly
dumps his food into a nearby trashcan.
Tezuka glances at the scattered contents of the happy meal before
turning back to Fuji.
"You planned this."
It's clearly not meant to be a question but Fuji answers anyways. "I did."
"Why did you take me to see Echizen?" Tezuka says before he can stop
himself. He doesn't know what prompts him to ask. He thinks he
already knows the answer.
"Ryoma?" Fuji laughs as he reaches for something in his tennis bag.
"Ryoma has nothing to do with this, buchou." He throws
something frilly and pink over his shoulder. "I did it for the Hello
Kitty purse."