Disclaimer: I don't own TeniPuri.
The Pretenders
Niou sat alone in the locker room, having already showered and changed and prepared to leave. The light from outside had started to turn orange, and the shadows of the clubhouse were growing longer, but the desire to walk himself home had deserted him completely. He wanted nothing more than to just sit where he was, lazy and depressed. Eventually he would drag himself out the door and stare at the sidewalk until he reached his front door, but the thought of having to make himself dinner didn't help, as he realized he really didn't have the energy to cook. Just another reason to sit and simmer.
His mind hadn't wandered far at all, having been focused on nothing but his partner for the last twenty minutes. Niou considered that yesterday had been strangely amazing. Yukimura-buuchou had had even Sanada smiling, and practice itself had seemed more fun than Niou could remember. It was just everyone. He nad yagyuu hadn't worked so much as they had just played to play, laughing with each other while hitting vollies they didn't even need to think about. They had won their practice matched while doing nothing but fooling around in the way that only they could, copying each other's moves for fun, trying out serves they surely stole from someone else.
The locker rooms afterwards had had the same cool buzz in the air, everyone relaxed and laughing, enjoying the general high. Yagyuu hadn't been an exception. The Gentleman had taken Niou by surprise from behind, slipping an arm around his waist and pulling him back, almost chuckling when Niou gasped.
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing. Just pretending to be you again."
If anyone else had even noticed, they hadn't said anything. It had confused Niou, (fuck buddies didn't just get up-and-physical in public) but until someone looked his way he wasn't going to complain. Yagyuu had let go and taken his leave before they were spotted, but it had been quite a unique goodbye, in Niou's opinion.
Today's practice had just been practice, people had just been people, and Sanada had again looked tempted to hit the first years. As for Yagyuu, Yagyuu had just been Yagyuu, playing the Laser Beam and the Gentleman, not up for switching shoes. And the locker room had been a locker room, full of boys teasing boys and towels being whipped at naked asses. And as for a goodbye, Niou was still in the locker room waiting for one.