Training Wheels
[AN: Inspired by a post from the incorrectknb tumblr. Ironically, I don't know how to ride a bike and yet here I am, writing this fic. The last bicycle riding lesson I had was at two in the morning and I was surrounded by tipsy friends.]
Full version: ao3
Midorima and Takao stared at their hands; both in equal disbelief. 'B-Best two out of three!' Midorima stammered.
'Nope! You never let me play that rule so fat chance I'll let you.' Takao rebuked petulantly.
'I-I supposed that is fair.' Midorima stammered. Takao's logic was irrefutable. There was no need to be pointlessly, blatantly selfish. Midorima owed Takao that much.
The impossible had happened but given the circumstances, it shouldn't have been that surprising but it was. Scorpio had ranked first this morning in Oha Asa's prediction and Takao had naturally fluked what he had required to be extra lucky. Cancer had come dead last and it had been a little more than a hastle for Midorima to acquire anything the size he needed to ensure that he could go the day without being killed.
The impossible thing that had happened was that Takao had defeated Midorima in jan-ken-pon. Takao was grinning gleefully and Midorima was standing around oafish and embarrassed.
Takao plodded along and dumped himself excitedly in the back of the rickshaw. He waited impatiently for Midorima to approach the bicycle. Takao waited a moment. And he waited another until two minutes passed. Midorima still hadn't even attempted to adjust the height or mount. 'Shin-chan... What the hell do you think you're doing?' Takao deadpanned.
Midorima shyly turned around and clenched his fists. His gaze pierced the ground, his shoulders were hunched. Takao huffed and clambered out of the throne had been jealously eyeing for eons. 'What's the matter?' he asked patiently.
'I-I...' Midorima continued to stuttered and Takao huffed.
'just spit it out. I get it, my bike's a weird model and you can't work out how to adjust the seat height. It's fine. Here, I'll do it for you, precious Ace-sama.' Takao said.
He bent over and adjusted the height. Midorima made no movement. 'Too high?' Takao asked.
'No, it's not that.' Midorima said.
'Then spit it out already, Shin-chan. As much as I wish I was psychic, I'm not. I can't read your mind.' Takao groaned.
'I don't know how to ride a bike!' Midorima finally admitted.
The atmosphere changed. Takao swallowed his breath but guffawed regardless. Midorima went bright red whilst Takao wet himself laughing raucously. 'Your judging me!' Midorima snapped and Takao composed himself after a minute or two of solid laughter.
'I'm not. I swear I'm not. It's just, that, riding a bike is a pretty basic skill.' Takao said.
'Mm? Is it though?' Midorima retorted sharply, like a lawyer trying to overcome a solid case.
'I think that most kids know how to ride a bike.' Takao replied as he prepared for a petty argument.
'Yes, well, most kids also get head lice. Sorry if the opportunity never presented itself.' Midorima retorted smugly with a scowl.
Takao stared at him, vacantly, before throwing himself into another wild bout of laughter. Midorima fumed and waited for Takao to bring himself back from the brink of asphyxiation. 'Shin-chan... That's not a good argument. If only, it raises even more questions about your childhood. Questions I'm too scared to have answered.' Takao replied.
'Oh shut up.' Midorima snapped.
'Well Shin-chan. I think we both know what our plans for the weekend will be now.' Takao sighed.
Midorima seethed. He feared what Takao believed to be their plans for this weekend. 'If you say what I think you're going to say...' Midorima grumbled through gritted teeth.
'I'm going to teach you how to ride a bike!' Takao proclaimed. 'C'mon, I'll ride us home tonight and then, on Sunday I'll teach you how to ride bike. Then on Monday you can ride us home with your new found mad skills. Then jan-ken-pon as usual. Sound acceptable?'
'No.' Midorima replied.
'Too bad!' Takao beamed.
Takao changed the seats and let Midorima sit in the rickshaw. Takao drove them home and Midorima feared Sunday. Unfortunately for Midorima, he was unable to slow the tick of time so Sunday arrived promptly. If anything, it seemed to arrive swifter than need be.
Takao and the dreadful instrument of transport waited outside. Midorima tried to hide indoors but Takao was insistent and his family was overly friendly with him. Midorima's mother forcibly had to remove Midorima from his room and plant him outdoors. Takao grinned.
'Hiding?' he asked cheekily.
'No.' Midorima lied.
'Good. C'mon, hop on, we'll go to the local park and I'm going to teach you how to ride a bike.' Takao said.
Midorima hobbled around and sat down on the rickshaw. He had his bright orange helmet on him; his lucky item for the day. He saw that Takao already had his: training wheels. Midorima was unsure if Oha Asa was trying to be helpful or teasing.
Takao wheeled them into the deepest innards of the park. Midorima insisted that they did this out of sight, Luckily for them, even though it was a Sunday, the park was relatively empty. A few housewives had taken their children out for a run around on the playground which was nowhere near where Midorima was going to learn how to ride a bicycle.
Takao disconnected the rickshaw from his bicycle and attached the training wheels. Midorima watched awkwardly with his helmet on. 'C'mon, it's easy.' Takao said and he took Midorima's hand. 'Here, let's get the seat height right.' Takao tugged Midorima towards him and from there; he gauged how high the seat needed to be. 'There we go.' Takao said and he proudly patted the seat.
Midorima sighed and he awkwardly got onto the bicycle. His hands were clamped tight over the handles. There was extra padding on his fingers today as he expected that he was going to fall down many, many times and therefore graze his hands and knees frequently. He couldn't risk ruining his hands for the sake of making Takao happy. That was the only reason Midorima had allowed any of this. This was going to make Takao happy. He seemed incredibly excited to teach Midorima how to ride a bike, he was grinning and perpetually bouncy.
'Okay, so you just got to keep balance. You've got your training wheels on so that'll be super-duper easy. Just build up confidence first.' Takao said.
'I'm sure.' Midorima snarled.
'Being quick is key.' Takao added.
Midorima tested going forward and he slowly trundled along. He wasn't wobbly which was to be expected with his training wheels but his confidence was lacking. He looked as though he was doing something much more terrifying than simple bike riding because he looked like death. His teeth were clenched, brows furrowed, and he was shaking.
Takao didn't laugh though. He was strangely proud of Midorima having a go and at least trying. Takao had been expecting a few more hissy-fits that what he had received. 'Good goin' Shin-chan, go a little faster now.'
'I'm going to die!' Midorima snapped back and he strayed from his path.
Takao caught up to him and pulled Midorima back on path. He grabbed the back of the seat and Midorima embarrassedly thought that Takao's hand was a little too close for comfort. 'I will literally push you to make you go faster.' Takao threatened.
'Honestly? I would rather if you did.' Midorima snapped back.
'If you insist.' Takao said.
He pushed Midorima along. Takao had surprisingly good strength and soon, the pair could feel a little bit of a breeze on their face. Takao smiled, giggly, but Midorima was still terrified.
'Keep your arms relaxed... safer that way. You're going fine; you're such a quick learner.' Takao whispered in Midorima's ears. It was encouraging as it was distracting. Midorima kept making deep breaths and tried his best to follow Takao's advice but the damage that could proceed should Midorima fall kept playing in his head. Takao's steady hands kept him anchored though.
Takao unlatched himself from the back of the bike. 'C'mon Shin-chan. You're a big boy. Surely you can handle riding my bike which has training wheels without me. I know you can go faster than this.' Takao said. Maybe it was the heat in which they working but suddenly, Midorima's mind was lacing every, normal thing Takao was saying with innuendos.
'I'll try.' Midorima replied and Takao smiled. Midorima would do anything for that smile and apparently, he would even risk damaging his hands for it.
Takao stepped back and Midorima picked up pace. He accessed a confident stride and soon, Midorima had become confidently looping around a short, flat expanse. Takao couldn't be giddier. Midorima came back around towards Takao. He was still as worried as he was before but he had become better at hiding it.
'How you feeling?' Takao asked.
'Uncomfortable.' Midorima replied.
'Drink break?' Takao suggested.
'If you insist.' Midorima said.
'You get whatever you want; I'll stay here with our gear then.' Takao said and there was a sly glint in his cobalt eyes.
'Give me your money then.' Midorima said. It was probably for the best to indulge Takao as Midorima knew immediately what the look in Takao's eyes meant.
They exchanged money and when Midorima had come from the closest vending machines, he had found that the bike was now two-wheeled rather than four-wheeled. All his anxieties rushed back to him but he glanced at Takao who seemed loudly confident that Midorima could conqueror the average bicycle.
Midorima attempted to drag out their refreshment break for as long as possible but Takao cut him off once they had exceeded fifteen minutes. Midorima glared at the bike. He glared at its abominable wheels. Takao nudged him, spooking him a little from his concentration. 'Staring at it won't make it go away, y'know.' Takao reminded him. 'If you ride this bike for ten metres, we'll call it quits and some other day, we'll pick up where we left off.'
'Do you promise?' Midorima asked.
'Yup.' Takao affirmed.
'Will you hold me steady then? I am afraid of falling.' Midorima admitted stoically. He was so robot-like it was almost pitiful. Midorima thought it was pitiful. Takao was just glad that his friend could admit his fears. It was kind of admirable.
Midorima set himself up on the bike and he tested the pedals. He inched forward a little bit and his skin trembled. His eyes were glued to the ground. Takao firmly grasped the seat and Midorima's shoulders. 'I'm right here. God, you're so tense. You really need to loosen up; for safety's sake.' Takao said. 'Since you've been so brave, I'll treat you to a massage later.'
'That's not necessary.' Midorima said.
'Okay then... Well, when you're ready.' Takao said.
Midorima put his foot down and steadily went forward. Takao kept him steady and Midorima continued to pedal forward. He was slow at first but he knew Takao would be able to keep pace so he went a little faster. Bit by bit, midorima eased himself into a quicker pace until he was going so fast, he couldn't understand how Takao was keeping up.
'You're doing great!' Takao yelled and then it dawned on Midorima. Takao wasn't keeping pace. He hazarded a glance over his shoulder and saw Takao waving at him from further down the path. Midorima's body froze and he went off the path.
And into a tree. Midorima ran into a tree. The bike bounced backwards and he was thrown off it completely. He looked like he had gone into shock. He was out on his back like a "dying" opossum. Even so, Takao was panicking. He sprinted towards Midorima and practically dived on him. 'Are you okay?' Takao asked and he propped Midorima up. He forcibly coiled Midorima around his upper body. 'You okay?' Takao asked again.
Midorima's lips moved but no words came out. Takao saw a bump on his head. 'You don't have a concussion do you?' he asked.
'I'm dizzy and there's a ringing in my ears. Two known symptoms of a concussion however, I think I might be fine as I'm not experiencing nausea, amnesia, or loss of consciousness.' Midorima replied. His lips looked strangely out of synch with what he was saying. He looked a little bit cross-eyed behind his glasses which were thankfully unscathed.
'Well, your the future doctor here. If you say all is well in the noggin then all must be well.' Takao said.
The two stumbled to their legs and Midorima was fine. He was just going to have a nice, round bump on his forehead for a few days but it was nothing serious. His helmet really was his lucky item. He dusted himself off and Takao watched. 'Well, sorry about distracting you.'
'It was inevitable.' Midorima replied.
'Want me to run you home?' Takao asked.
Midorima huffed. This was the part where choices became hard. He would much rather have status quo remain intact and have Takao run him home. 'I believe I am up for the challenge of riding us both home.'
'Really?' Takao said, in complete and utter disbelief. He sounded breathless.
'I assure you I am fine.' Midorima insisted.
'I believe you. I just thought that you would have sworn off all bicycle riding after this particular misadventure.' Takao said.
'I heard once that when you fall off a bicycle, the best thing to do it get back on it because that's how you learn.' Midorima said.
Takao smiled in response. His heart swelled and he became ridden with satisfaction. 'I'm glad we tried this today.' Takao said.
'I hate to admit it but I have had fun today as well. But do not expect me to ride our bicycle frequently. My luck is very rarely off; apparently even hell freezes over.' Midorima said.
'Our bicycle? Are you sure you don't have a concussion – you're making jokes. What's my name?' Takao asked.
Midorima was unsure of if Takao was carrying on or if he was being serious. Midorima didn't want to test that so he replied honestly. 'Your name is Takao Kazunari.' Midorima replied.
'Oh good, I was worried for a second there.' Takao said, relieved.
'Come on, let's go home.' Midorima said.
He propped the bicycle back up and walked it back to where they had left the rickshaw. Takao trailed after. 'You call it our bicycle. Um, excuse you asshole, my parents got me that bike when I was fourteen.' Takao said. He piled into the back of the rickshaw. Midorima kicked off bitterly. It felt good to ride in the back of the rickshaw; Takao quickly discovered as he felt like a relaxed king. Although, he did feel as though his life was slightly at risk as Midorima was very sharp on the corners and slow to compete with others on the road.