Hi welcome to my first fic. I wrote this for .com 's birthday! Go follow them if you have a blog.
baaaaaaaaaap. " What a comeback by Gassan Kurimatsu! Explosive final play by Ibuki! They are your regional champions of the Winter Cup!"
" Amazing Ibuki! Gosh Ibuki you're such an amazing player.. How did you get that 3-Point like that?! "
' Oh you know. I'm just a natural genius at basketball."
That's so cool Ibuki! Will you ever teach me..
" Well... Since you asked nicely.."
You should really wake up Ibuki.
" Why yes.. you can feel my bicep if you- Wait.. what? "
Wake up Ibuki.. Wake..
" Up! " barked a voice. Ibuki's eyes shot open and saw a blurry Shindou standing over him.
"H-Huh..? Shindou..? Where am I? What happened.." Ibuki slurred, still in a daze.
Shindou sighed. "You're at my house you idiot. You wanted to come over to tell me something, but you had the nerve to fell asleep on my couch."
Ibuki blinked, taking in the information and piecing together what is happening. Oh yeah.. he thought sheepishly. Before Ibuki had a chance, Shindou raised his hand and got up.
"Save it, you need a minute or so to get your bearings. I will go make some tea, while you get a hold of yourself, " huffed Shindou, leaving to the kitchen.
Ibuki make a face at Shindou's back. Shindou always treated Ibuki differently to everyone else. It was true, Shindou disliked most the Earth Eleven team, not that Ibuki blamed him. They were all pretty terrible, considering the circumstances. It's still no excuse for his behaviour, after all, Tsurugi and Tenma seemed to get on just dandy.
With a sigh, Ibuki looked at the assortments of awards and medals hung on the wall. 1st place Regional Music - Piano; Takuto Shindou. Grade 9th Certificate - Piano; Takuto Shindou. Jr. Colours - Soccer; Takuto Shindou. Chess Regional Finalist ; Takuto Shindou.
" Jeez, " he thought, rather impressed. He knew Shindou was talented but this was something else, he only scraped the barrel for what things Shindou accomplished, half the room was decked with some form of acheivement. Perhaps the pressure of being such a bright spark got to the former captain sometimes.
" How do you like it? " Shindou called out.
Ibuki grinned and called back, " I didn't know you played chess Shindou! "
" No you moron, how do you like your tea.. ", Shindou groaned back.
Ibuki felt himself cringe, how dumb of him. " Ah, R-Right, er.. Milky..? ", Ibuki called back awkwardly. He didn't even know if milky was something for tea. In fact, this might even be the first time he's ever drunk tea in his life. He preferred coffee, but he was the guest after all, he should appreciate the hospitality. Where was I.. oh yeah! he thought, remembering why he came here in the first place.
earlier
" I just don't - Yah! - Get it man. - Ugh!- Why are - YO MAN - so stuck up about this anyway. Phew! That was a good workout. ", huffed Tetsukado, wiping himself down with a sweatrag.
" Look, It just pisses me off that treats me like some sewer rat, doesn't he realise how hard I work? ", Ibuki complained. He didn't talk to much people, but he could really confide in Testsukado, they were bro's like that.
" Forget about him man, who cares an'ways? Mind passing me that water. ", Testukado replied. Ibuki tossed him the bottle. " Thanks."
Ibuki huffed. " I don't know. I guess I'll try talking to him about it. Thanks man. ", he said as he left.
" Anytime brother!", Testsukado called back.
Ibuki continued staring until Shindou's footsteps snapped him back.
" Here. ", Shindou said, gently handing Ibuki a cup of "milky" tea with biscuits. " I don't know what milky even is, I guess it's a basketball thing?", he laughed.
Ibuki glanced at him. Gee what happened in the kitchen? Shindou? Friendly? Me? Doesn't add up. "You feeling okay?", Shindou remarked, perhaps a bit insensitively, because Shindou looked hurt. " Ah sorry, I'm just.. Look." He put down his tea. " Something's been bugging me lately, well for a while now. Why do you hate me? Why do you treat me differently to everyone else, I just don't get it like..?", Ibuki sighed waiting for Shindou to respond, picking up his tea and hastily sculling it, burning his mouth.
Shindou searched for what to say, but he could it it was a long time coming. He looked conflicted. Ibuki wondered what he had to reply, with the way Shindou was glancing around. Surely couldn't be that difficult? If Shindou outright hated him why not just tell him, he often coldly remarked about Ibuki's goalkeeping skills, so what's the problem now.
"Ibuki.. I.. ", Shindou seemed to be holding back something. Now Ibuki was wondering what was to come even more. " The reason I've been so cruel is that!- "
Riiing.
Shindou's phone rang. Yep. Of course. It's just like a bad fanfiction. Ibuki thought scornfully.
Shindou checked his phone. "Sorry.. I have to take this.", Shindou whispered and quickly answered. " Hello, Shindou Takuto Speaking. Oh. Yes. Yes. Y-yes.. hello to you too. Not well. I don't know! Look I'- Yes! No... I will have have to call you back I'm sorry, I'm a bit busy at - No! Goodbye!", he yelled, tossing his phone onto the couch and sitting down with a huff.
Ibuki twiddled his thumbs in the awkward silence.
Shindou gestured awkwardly and looked away. "It was um.. Tenma...", he muttured, fiddling with his hair.
Huh that was weird, he sounded angry and a bit.. confrontational. Weren't they tight? None of my business anyway..
" So you were saying.. ? ", urged Ibuki. Shindou gave him a confused sideways glance, before coming to realisation.
" Ah y-y-yes of cou-course..", he stuttured. " Ahem.. Well.. Ibuki.. let's just say.."
ooh Ibuki I freakin haaaaate you blah blah, whatever get it over with , I just want closure, you wavy haired bastard. thought Ibuki angrily, as Shindou danced around his explanation.
" Ibuki I.. I don't know when but.. maybe after the Fire Dragon match, I started to.. ", Shindou looked away and held his arms. " There's this.. guy that .. reminds me.. of you.. let's say. "
Ibuki tilted his head. " Well yeah but I don't see what that has to do with me. How is it my fault anyway? ", he retorted.
Shindou gritted his teeth. Oh my god.. cop the hint Ibuki!
" Well.. you know how it is.. It affects my plays and victory is ever so important and.. It's the first time I've.. let's say.. experienced.. this sort of thing.. ", Shindou mumbled, so quietly Ibuki almost didn't catch it.
" Shindou, just freakin' say it if you hate me, It's dr-"
Shindou turned abruptly to Ibuki and clenched his fists. " Oh for god's sake! I have feelings for you!" he cried, and stormed out of the room slamming the door.
The silence that Shindou left behind was almost deafening, as Ibuki tried to comprehend what happened.
So that means.. and that means.. so that.. and then. Oh. Ohh. Ohhhh... .. shit.
Shindou closed his door and threw himself onto a pillow to mask his sobbing. He was hurt, very hurt, that Ibuki couldn't seem to comprehend. Had the idiot never experienced love before? I guess that thickheaded-ness was another factor that Shindou found so.. irresistable. He will admit, perhaps playing "hard to get" most likely wouldn't have been a smart move, but what other choice did he have? With someone like Ibuki, he could easily get anyone he wanted. He had charm, talent, skill and looked pretty good to boot.
Shindou sighed and rolled over, regaining some of his composure. Perhaps it was a bit of a tall order.. but Shindou wasn't the type to easily.. confess. He frowned and gazed at the ceiling, imagining what a nice life they would live together, before quickly coughing and looking at the wall shyly. Get a grip Shindou.. what am I.. some teenage girl?, he thought scathingly to himself. A moment later, he heard a rough knock on his door.
"Hey uh, Shindou? It's me, was hoping we could talk.. or er.. something. ", called the sheepish sounding voice. It was enough to make Shindou's heart beat. Contradicting his previous line of thought, he got up a tad too fast and rushed for the door, almost tripping over opening it. He must have seemed a bit flustered, judging from Ibuki's curious look.
"So uh..", started Ibuki awkwardly. Shindou didn't know what to say either, it all happened a bit too fast.
"Yes..", replied Shindou, just as awkwardly, perhaps even more, followed by an umcomfortably long silence.
"Hey man listen I-",
"Ibuki, you listen. I understand if you don't want to be my friend anymore so don't worry and I can handle this like an adult.", Shindou interrupted, screaming internally. "Just.. don't.. hate me, because-,"
His trail of speech was broke by Ibuki suddenly pulling him into a tight hug. Shindou's heart wanted to shoot out his body. This makes no sense..
"Sorry Shindou, but I can't do that, cos uh.. well..", Ibuki mumbled, a little too similiar to how Shindou was mumbling earlier.
Shindou's eyes widened at what he expected was to come.
"I kinda.. sorta.. like you too.. or something..," Ibuki muttured, staring intensely at the crowd and blushing a tad furiously. "Er. Sorry, I'm not so good at this sorta thing either, I guess that makes both us right? Ahahaha...", he laughed innocently. Shindou smiled at his awkwardness, and returned the hug just as tight.
"Shut up.", Shindou whispered, but beaming behind Ibuki's back. Ibuki smiled too, feeling silly about the entire thing.
"This was so dumb though, like, c'mon you-", Ibuki spouted before Shindou shushed him.
"Don't ruin the moment..", Shindou hushed. Ibuki gave a silent nod, and continued holding his new boyfriend. It felt like eternity, but they both wouldn't particularly mind if it went on forever. Finnaly, the boys relucatantly broke their hug and faced each other properly. "You know, I've this dumb crush on you for a while now. I was a bit taken back when Tsurugi brought it up so casually..", Shindou mumbled, blushing.
Ibuki cocked his head. "What?", he replied.
Shindou sighed and playfully smacked Ibuki's head. "I'm saying that, Tsurugi noticed that I treated you differently. I'm not sure why Tsurugi of all people had the observation skills of.. I don't know I'm not very good at analogies."
"Of a mammoth. Cos it's my soul, and I'm ace at observating, you gotta be if you're a champ goalkeeper like me, get what I'm saying?", Ibuki laughed with a wink. Shindou groaned, then pulled him for a hug again.
"You're really stupid. So stupid..", Shindou whispered. Ibuki simply grinned.
"Yeah, maybe.", Ibuki whispered back, "But guess what."
"What?"
Ibuki gazed into Shindou's eyes, and Shindou returned the gaze curiously.
"Chicken butt.", Ibuki whispered, as intimately as possible, bursting into tears at his lame joke, doubling down onto Shindou's bed. Shindou groaned and buried his face into his hands, now realising he was smiling too.
"Yeahh! See it's funny! You're smiling!", Ibuki cheered, pulling Shindou on top of him. It took a moment to realise how fucking gay a situation they were in. "So uh." Ibuki was looking shyly in another direction.
Shindou found his shyness adorable, his mouth curving into a sneaky grin. "You've never kissed anyone.. havn't you..?", he muttured smugly.
This made Ibuki's eye widen and flap his arms in defense. " No no! I totally have! At parties and stuff I've kissed plenty of girls and boys wait did I just say boys well acta- ah..". Shindou put a finger to Ibuki's lips. The white haired boy looked up curiously at Shindou. They both looked deep into each others eyes, the moment couldn't get more gayer.
Then the phone rang.
and rang. and rang.
"I'll be quick.", sighed Shindou as Ibuki got comfortable. "Hello. It's Shindou. Yes. Yes. Maybe. Yes! Tenma I'm a bit busy. Yes with him. Bye.", Shindou hung up, and faced a very intruiged looking Ibuki. "The call earlier was about you, by the way. Tenma and Tsurugi were helping me with.. this.", he explained. Ibuki nodded in understanding, then abruptly pulled Shindou closed.
"Well.. now that we're alone wanna.. you know..", Ibuki whispered as romantically as he could, only to be replied by a tired Shindou shaking his head.
"I'm actaully incredibly .. worn from this, but wanna cuddle instead?", he offered.
Ibuki grinned and put his arms around Shindou, pulling up a blanket and kissing his cheek. "Yeah sure.", he said. "So we just gonna sleep in these clothes..?"
"Yes.", Shindou huffed, closing his eyes. Ibuki has no concept of romance, jeez... he thought, wearily, but still delighted at his new relationship.
"Oh cool. Rad.", Ibuki answered, closing his eyes too. I'm pretty good at this boyfriend thing.. he thought with confidence.
And they drifted off together in each others arms and dreams.