What Took You So Long?
Written by: Ulat Bulu
Pairings: YuuGaku
Rating: K+
Genre: Romace/Drama
Disclaimer: PoT does not belong to me.
Author's note: This is my first attempt (and my second fic here in FF) on writing a YuuGaku-centric, so I know it might not be the best one you've read, but thank you for reading this, and I hope to get reviews and feedback! This is unbetaed, so pardon me for any grammatical/tense mistakes. English is not my first language, so yeah, you got it.
It all started three weeks ago. Three weeks ago was the start of the crumbling partnership between Hyoutei Gakuen's doubles one pair.
Gakuto stood in the middle of the court, looking up to the sky. The sun was up, its rays warm against his pale skin. He was one of the first regulars who came early for Saturday practice. Apart from Gakuto, there were also Shishido, Ohtori and Hiyoshi. The three of them were talking among each other, sometimes glancing his way before continuing whatever they were talking about.
Gakuto sighed, and began his little warm ups consisting of high jumps and somersaults. Hiyoshi wouldn't call that a warm up, but that was just his senpai's unique way of getting himself ready for the training. The second year watched as his senpai jumped higher and higher with each take, before finally doing a flip in the air and landed perfectly on his feet. Hiyoshi saw the redhead looking down to the ground momentarily, as if thinking something, before starting the jump all over again.
"Oi Gakuto, you can just stretch if you need a warm up. Don't start jumping." Shishido yelled from far. "You'll get tired."
Gakuto ignored him and continued doing his high jumps, pushing himself even higher as if he wanted to reach out to the sky. He did another flip, and again landed perfectly on his feet.
"Mukahi-senpai." Ohtori called out and gave Gakuto his towel.
"Thanks." the shorter player said and draped the towel around his neck.
Footsteps echoed, and an arrogant voice soon followed.
"Ore-sama is pleased nobody comes later than he is, na Kabaji?"
"Usu."
"You guys are early, aren't you?" A deep, husky voice added.
Gakuto didn't need to see to know who it was. Oshitari Yuushi, his former doubles partner, now in singles two. The switch in the seeding was done three days ago after a string of tense events between the two players. Gakuto wished he could just apologize over what happened. He knew it was his fault. He shouldn't have done what he did, but things already took place and the damage had been done. There was no way Yuushi would ever forgive him.
It all began when Yuushi started dating this girl from Gakuto's class. Her name was Taniuchi Shiori. She was pretty, smart and outgoing. Everyone likes her. She was in a way, like Yuushi himself. Yuushi was popular, not just because of his tennis skills and direct association with Atobe, but also excellence in his studies and many other things. All the regulars acknowledged Yuushi's popularity was rivaling Atobe. Wherever the Kansai boy goes, he had an equal amount of screaming girls and received just as many love letters as the Buchou of the club. Atobe, of course, never acknowledged this fact. He always thought himself higher and better than anybody—not just Yuushi—so the thought of someone better than himself was simply unacceptable.
It was Tuesday, Gakuto remembered, when Shiori had called him and asked him to give something to Yuushi. It was a love letter. Gakuto was used to this, so he accepted it. He remembered he had somewhat pitied the girl because he knew Yuushi would simply reject her like he always did with other girls. But this time, it was different. The day after the redhead gave the letter to the bespectacled boy, he learnt that they were going out. His first reaction was disbelief, but he congratulated the tensai nonetheless. Yuushi looked happy with his new found relationship, and Gakuto simply didn't want to spoil it for him. Deep down he wanted to ask him why he accepted Shiori, but couldn't find the courage to. Yuushi would throw a stupid remark anyway. Being overly sappy like he was, he would probably accused Gakuto of being jealous. Hmph, there's no way I'm jealous over Shiori. Or so, he thought.
Ever since the relationship started, Yuushi started to spend more and more time with his girlfriend. The acrobat player knew it was normal for couples to do that, but he couldn't help himself from getting upset. Before Shiori, it was always him Yuushi walked home with. Before Shiori, it was him Yuushi ate lunch with. Before Shiori, Yuushi's world revolved around him. Now everything changed, and Gakuto found his position shifted as the days went by. Since then, Gakuto found himself irritable most of the time. He would lash out at anyone, throw unnecessary temper and play violently on court.
After one violent outburst with a first year, Gakuto was told to run 100 unforgiving laps. When he finished, he saw Shiori coming out from the club room. He simply gave her a curt nod before entering the room. He wasn't surprised to find Yuushi still there. He did just saw Shiori outside, didn't he?
"Gakuto, what's wrong with you these days?" Yuushi asked out of concern, while placing his racket into his bag.
"Nothing." You don't have the time to care anymore.
"Come on, Gakuto. Tell me." he prodded.
"I said nothing." The redhead snapped. "Just go, Yuushi. She's waiting for you outside."
The tensai remained silent and watched Gakuto changed into his uniform before stuffing his sweat-drenched t-shirt into his bag. He was used to the redhead's temper. There were plenty of times where Yuushi was the cause, and yet this time the tensai was sure he hadn't done anything to make him angry.
"You wanna go home together?" he offered.
Gakuto snorted. "I don't want to disturb you guys. I'm sure she wouldn't appreciate it."
Just like that, the shorter player walked out of the room, leaving his doubles partner to watch his retreating back.
Gakuto had no idea why he was so angry at Yuushi. He didn't know either why he got upset every time he saw the blue-haired boy with Shiori. Was it because they spent too much time together that's why Gakuto could not accept that he was with someone else? Or was it because he thought Yuushi only cared for him, and when the tensai started dating Gakuto felt unwanted? He wished he knew the answer.
The next few days weren't any better. In fact, the redhead was so out-of-ordinary to the point it was affecting his performance in the doubles game. He missed shots, couldn't aim properly, and almost fell off his back when doing one of his trademark flips.
"Gakuto, come here." Atobe called out after Shishido-Ohtori pair won 6-2. The acrobatics player walked towards the Buchou who had his arms crossed.
"What's wrong, Gakuto? Your performance was disgraceful." Atobe said disapprovingly. "Did something happen between you and Yuushi?"
"Nothing." The redhead muttered, avoiding his Buchou's scrutinizing gaze.
"Ore-sama sees through lies, Mukahi. Say what's wrong, or Ore-sama will have to take you off the regulars if you keep on playing such disgraceful game. The Nationals are coming, we cannot afford such performance from anyone."
"Leave me alone, Atobe." Gakuto growled, hands tightly gripping his racket.
"Ooh? Ore-sama does not appreciate to be told like that. Do you want to be paired off with someone else? Yuushi certainly could do well in singles two." Atobe retorted.
Gakuto felt a sudden burst of fury running through his veins. How dare he say that! How dare he try to take Yuushi away from me! Yuushi is mine! Realizing what he just thought, Gakuto's eyes went wide in horror. Why did he say Yuushi was his? Why did he just sound so possessive, so desperate, so… lovesick? The redhead wasn't listening to Atobe's rants anymore. Instead, he turned away and started running blindly.
He was in love with his best friend, his doubles partner, his tutor. Yuushi. Gakuto felt revolted with himself for so many reasons. One, he didn't expect himself to like the same gender. Two, he never felt these kind of feelings when he was with Yuushi before, so why now? Three, Yuushi was straight as a line, so there was no way he would accept Gakuto's feelings. And four, it's just wrong. Is this the reason why he was so upset seeing Yuushi with his girlfriend? Because he loves him? Gakuto wanted to laugh at his new revelation. He also wanted to cry and scream for all he's worth. Why? Why Yuushi?
With his hidden feelings surfacing, Gakuto found it harder and harder to be around the bluehaired boy. During practice matches, he would always wonder if Yuushi was watching his back, observing his every move. It made Gakuto self conscious, and he didn't like it one bit. Standing close to the tensai also made him blush madly. Their close proximity somehow generates heat in Gakuto's body. It was unnerving. And then, there was Shiori, of course. The tensai's girlfriend was always waiting for him after practice. She'd give him his towel and water bottle, and Yuushi would thank her with a smile on his face. The rare smile which only Gakuto used to see.
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"Oi Gakuto," Shishido called out, making the acrobat player broke out of his thoughts. "I'm gonna serve!"
Oh yeah, the practice match. Gakuto quickly positioned himself in front of the net. The one standing behind him was no longer Oshitari Yuushi, but Hiyoshi Wakashi. He was his new partner. Gakuto knew he could trust Hiyoshi to watch his back, but there were times he wished Yuushi was the one to do it. After all, they had been partners longer. They understood each others flaws and knew exactly what to do to cover them up.
Shishido served, and Gakuto was able to return the ball quite easily. Damn, he's going easy on us. The acrobatics specialist envied the doubles pair standing opposite him. They were formed merely by chance, and yet they had a strong, unbeatable combination. Everybody knows Ohtori's affections towards the older boy. What kind of affection Gakuto wasn't so sure, but he knew Ohtori's affection wasn't the kind he felt towards Yuushi (at least he thinks so). Knowing that he liked the same sex made Gakuto felt ashamed and disgusted of himself. And the fact that he had boldly kissed Yuushi in the club room three days ago made everything worse. Yes, since then Yuushi stopped talking to him altogether. Heck, the tensai even avoided him now. Gakuto still remembered the reaction Yuushi showed when he kissed him. Shocked. Appalled. Bewildered. He could list another twenty or so reactions if he wanted to, but the longer the list gets, the more painful it was for him.
That day, everything was hard for Gakuto. He was still distracted, still played crappy tennis, still confused with everything. Atobe was seriously displeased, and decided to do what he said he would do. Yuushi was pulled out from the doubles one and told to play singles two instead. The tensai was outraged. He had a big argument with Atobe, saying he and Gakuto would pull through and will be playing better tennis if given the time. That was the last straw for Gakuto. He knew he couldn't play alongside with Yuushi anymore, not when he was a mess. He was tired of being on the edge everyday and just needed to let end things once and for all. So he simply agreed. Gakuto didn't care much who his new partner would be. Anyone besides Yuushi would be fine for him. And if Atobe wanted to kick him off the regulars, he didn't care either. After all, his tennis wouldn't be appreciated when he couldn't even get a shot right.
When practice ended, Yuushi had cornered Gakuto in the club room. Everyone else already went home, leaving only the two of them.
"Why? Why did you agree to let me play singles?" the tensai asked lowly.
"You saw how I played. You'll do better alone." Gakuto remarked, trying to remain calm even though his heart was beating much too fast for his own liking.
"I thought we promised to do this together. You promised to win the Nationals with me, as a doubles team." Yuushi hissed.
He was still angry at the acrobatics player for easily agreeing to the new seeding. He placed so much faith in his partner, and yet he was betrayed. They built up this partnership since they were in year one. He couldn't believe Gakuto could throw away two and a half years worth of hard work just like that. Yes, while Yuushi admitted the redhead played a little unlike the usual, didn't they always pull through in the end?
"Sorry, but I can't keep that promise."
"Why not?" Yuushi growled and gripped Gakuto tightly by the shoulders. "What is wrong with you, Gakuto? Did I do something wrong? Is that why you wanted to end this partnership?"
Gakuto chose to remain silent. He couldn't let Yuushi know that the problem wasn't with him, it was with himself.
"Tell me what's wrong." The tensai asked again, getting quite impatient.
"Nothing's wrong. I just don't feel like playing with you anymore."
"I want a reason, Gakuto. A reason I can accept!" he demanded harshly. This was the first time Yuushi practically yelled at him.
"You want a reason?" the acrobat snapped, getting angry because the blue-haired tensai was being stubborn.
"Yes, I want a God damn reason why you're acting like th—"
The tensai stopped talking when Gakuto pulled his head down and kissed him hard. It took him some time to register what happened, but the shorter player already withdrew.
"Don't you understand? This is why I can't play with you anymore."
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"Mukahi-senpai, watch out!"
Gakuto heard Hiyoshi shouting from behind him. He then realized the ball was coming at him right on the face. Unable to dodge it, the ball hit the redhead in between the eyes. A curse escaped his lips as he fell on his back. Damn it, Ohtori's scud serve. He felt dizzy.
"Senpai, are you okay?" Hiyoshi asked and squatted next to his senior.
"I'm sorry, senpai! I'm really sorry." Ohtori ran over and apologized profusely. "Are you hurt?"
"Hey shortie, you're not dead, are you?" Shishido sneered beside the tall second year.
"Shishido-san!"
"What is the fuss all about?" Atobe asked all but grandly, Kabaji by his side holding a big umbrella, shielding the diva from the sun.
"Can't you see what's going on? I just got hit by a ball." Gakuto said lamely. "And if you hate the sun so much you shouldn't have taken tennis, Atobe." he added.
"Ore-sama is merely preserving his fabulous skin while he does not play."
"Yeah, yeah." Shishido piped sarcastically and walked away. "Come on, let's start."
Gakuto pushed himself up from the ground and picked up his racket. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Yuushi looking at him from the bench. The tensai's eyes were staring at him with such intensity Gakuto thought he might disappear if he looked any longer. Looking at Yuushi was enough to make him flush red.
The match soon ended with Shishido-Ohtori pair winning 6-4. Gakuto wiped off the sweat trickling down his forehead and walked off the court with Hiyoshi. He felt he and his new partner had somehow worked better together this time than when they first started. Hiyoshi was an excellent player—ambitious and strong-willed—although he could be a little annoying at times. Nevertheless, Gakuto liked the boy.
Hiyoshi too, liked his redhaired senpai. Before becoming partners, he used to dislike him because he was loud, bossy and yes, bitchy. He'd scream and yell at anyone who doesn't agree with him (meaning Shishido). He sometimes wondered how on earth Oshitari-senpai could put up with him. The second year silently observed their relationship. They were very good friends to begin with. They understood each other perfectly. Sometimes Oshitari-senpai even predicted what the shorter boy was going to say, or if he wanted to say anything for that matter. The tensai took all of the bitchiness his partner had, and in turn, the other would take in all the sappiness the bluehair possessed. One time Hiyoshi overheard the acrobatics player agreeing to watch a romantic movie with the tensai, despite his fondness of gruesome action and horror movies. When Hiyoshi asked why, the answer was simple.
"Cause no one else will."
It was a perfect friendship, something Hiyoshi wished he could have. But then, that perfect friendship started to crack when the Hyoutei tensai had a girlfriend. He saw the different emotions that played across his redhaired senpai when the bespectacled boy broke the news. His congratulatory then was not sincere, much less his expression. From there, his senior started to change. He turned moodier than usual, snappy and sometimes violent. At first Hiyoshi thought it was only rivalry. Maybe Mukahi-senpai was angry his partner had a girlfriend and he hadn't. He was jealous and felt left out, that's all. But all those assumptions were striked when Hiyoshi found him sitting alone on the club bench with a towel covering his head. The second year swore he heard him sniffing, like he was crying. When he called out, the other boy literally jerked and quickly rubbed his face with the towel. Suddenly, everything pieced together in Hiyoshi's mind. Mukahi-senpai likes Oshitari-senpai. Not a friend-towards-friend kind of liking, but more than that.
It saddened Hiyoshi to know that his senpai suffered much more than he showed. He guessed something else might have happened recently too, because now the Hyoutei tensai completely stopped talking to the redhead and didn't even come a meter near the boy. Hiyoshi wished it was only the new seeding problem, but he knew better that it was not. Looking at Oshitari doing his warm ups, Hiyoshi couldn't help but to stare. Sure, he might be a genius. But to overlook something so obvious was very un-genius.
Throughout the practice, the former doubles pair kept their distance. None wanted to make the first move to break the tension between them, until the fiery-tempered Shishido finally yelled out in frustration.
"Hey, you two bastards! Isn't it time to end this crap already? How long are you two losers going to ignore each other?! You're making all of us uncomfortable!!"
"Shishido-san!" Ohtori reprimanded and grabbed Shishido's arm.
"Shishido is right. You are making everyone uncomfortable, both of you. Ore-sama does not wish to involve himself in your affairs, but if you force him to, you will have it. So you better sort things out by the end of today's practice."
"It's none of your business, Atobe. Back off." Gakuto snapped.
"Ooh? Since when aren't Ore-sama's teammates' problems not his?" Atobe retorted.
"Busybody."
"50 laps now, Mukahi."
"But—"
"Ore-sama does not accept any buts, especially after getting insulted. 50 laps, now. You too, Yuushi."
"Me…?"
"Does Ore-sama know anybody else with the name Yuushi if not you, Oshitari?"
Both Yuushi and Gakuto didn't know what they did to deserved this. First off, those people butt into their business like as if it's an everyday affair. Second, Atobe had no right to act like as if he was entitled to solve their problem—or anyone else's. That guy was so unbearable to the point Gakuto had a full blown scowl on his face.
At first the two boys were running side by side, and then Gakuto realized it was Yuushi he was running with. He quickly sped up, and kept a two meters distance from the tensai. He managed to keep it for about eight laps when he noticed Yuushi was catching up to him. Again, he sped up his running.
"Gakuto, can you stop running away from me?" Yuushi said, making the acrobatics player stopped dead on his track.
"Who's running away from whom?" Gakuto asked back skeptically.
"You run away from me. I run away from you." The tensai said, closing in to the redhair. "Atobe's right. We need to stop this."
Gakuto remained quiet, cherishing the return of light into his life. Just hearing Yuushi talk to him again was enough to make everything seemed bright again. The two of them ran side by side in silence for a few laps, until Gakuto decided to tell Yuushi what he had been thinking the past three days.
"Hey, about what happened in the club room… I'm really sorry." Gakuto began. "Just take it it didn't happen. I've given it a lot of thought the last few days. I really don't want to ruin our friendship. I mean, what I feel for you might only be an impulse, you know. Maybe I'm just jealous you have such a pretty and talented girlfriend and I don—"
"Shiori and I broke up yesterday."
This made Gakuto stopped running for the second time. Yuushi stopped too, and there was a staring competition between the two of them.
"What? Why?" Gakuto croaked.
"I figured I like your company better." Yuushi answered, sounding almost matter-of-factly.
Gakuto was dumbstruck. He really didn't know whether to start laughing or bitch-slapping Yuushi on the face.
"I guess I was a bit shocked that I had this kind of affection towards you. I don't expect to like a guy—you—so I sort of dated her to forget about these weird feelings. Shiori's a nice girl. She deserves someone who doesn't rant about his doubles partner every time they went on dates. I do sincerely feel sorry for using her… and for hurting you too."
Gakuto decided he'd like to bitchslap the tensai. What on earth is he saying? Why can't Gakuto understand anything??
"I'm sorry." Yuushi whispered and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.
Gakuto froze at the sudden intrusion. His mind was spinning. So he wasn't the only one feeling confused? Does this mean Yuushi likes him too? He just kissed me. Not on the cheek, not on the forehead, but on the lips. You don't kiss someone you don't like on the lips. Gakuto felt a grin slowly formed on his lips. He jumped on the tensai, almost making the other boy lose his balance.
"What took you so long, idiot?" he said and hugged his partner-turning-boyfriend tightly.
Every doubt, every confusion, every pain didn't matter to Gakuto anymore. Yuushi likes him, and that's all that mattered to him.
As for the rest of the Hyoutei regulars, they just watched the pair making out from far. Ohtori was scolding Shishido for mocking the lovey dovey couple, Atobe was ranting about how those two should have gotten together a long time ago and that his intervention was proven to be splendidly useful. Kabaji was standing stoically next to the captain, grunting occasionally, and Hiyoshi… Well, he just smiled.
What do you think? Did you like it? Please review! Thanks!