So yeah I'm a heavy shipper of NijiHai. Their beat-him-till-he-listen-to-me-and-then-beat-him-some-more relationship is just too cute to be left alone. And middle schooler Haizaki is such a babe. Someone please cut off those horrible corn-rows.

I wrote this at Christmas, thus the theme. Just think it's x-mas eve or something. Anyway enjoy.

Disclaimer: Not mine

Shogo didn't expect anything, hadn't expected anything since that day where he had screamed until his throat was hoarse. (He swore that the itchy feeling in his eyes was just dust getting into them).

He spent the day goofing around, picking fights and being useless in general. If his eyes strayed to the many couples walking around him, being all lovey-dovey then no one was the wiser.

As night fell, Shogo decided that fuck it, there are too many lovey-dovey fuckers it hurt his eyes and returned to his house. It was thankfully empty. His older brother was out with his girlfriend and his mother had a gathering of housewives on the nearby onsen. (He couldn't understand why the women would hold a gathering when they're needed in their houses).

He boiled water, poured it over instant ramen and while waiting for it to be done, turned on the TV. Nothing good was on, just the many reports about Christmas happening. Bored out of his mind, he turned to the collection of DVDs lining up on the rack beside the TV. His eyes fell on a few of them (basketball recordings he was forced to watch when he was stil-) but he immediately moved his attention somewhere else. He didn't need to be reminded of what he had lost.

A bowl of ramen and a movie later, Shogo entered his room. Being bored made him sleepy so he wanted to just sleep and not wake up until today had ended.

RIIIIING

Grey eyes snapped open and landed on the ringing contraption on top of his desk. With a groan, Shogo rose from his bed and reached for the phone. Who the fuck would call so late in the night anyway? It better not be one of his teammates or they'd be dead next time he see—

[Niji]

Shogo froze as he read the name that appeared on the screen. He gritted his teeth and put the phone back down.

RIIIING RIIING *silence*

He sighed in relief and plopped down on the chair, his head in his hands. Why must that bastard call him now when he hadn't so much as message him for the past year?

RIIIIING RIIIING RIIIIING

He let the phone ring for a few while until he couldn't stand the ringing anymore.

"WHAT!" he snapped to the receiver.

"Tsk, is that a way to say hello to your senpai, damned punk."

He scowled, "You ain't my senpai anymore, bastard."

"I'm still your elder, you little shit."

Shogo almost replied to the insult (so much like the banter they used to have) but held himself back. "Why're you calling me?"

"…is it a bad time or something?"

"Not really. But you haven't called in a while, I'm honestly surprised."

There was a long silence from the other end and Shogo felt vindictively happy.

"…sorry."

He rolled his eyes. Why the heck was this guy apologizing?

"Seriously, why are you calling, Nijimura-san?"

Shogo heard a long, heavy sigh. It sounded so tired that he couldn't help but feel a tiny bit guilty for holding a grudge toward him.

"Sorry for calling you this late, but I just can't find any other time."

"Next time you call someone, do it when they aren't sleeping, you inconsiderate idiot."

A snicker reached his ear and Shogo breathed a silent sigh of relief.

"What, did I wake you from your beauty sleep?"

"Bastard, be thankful I even answered!" he snapped with no bite in it. He almost laughed at himself. It was so easy to fall back to their habit of exchanging insults even though so much time had passed since they last talked.

"I heard from my friend in Japan, you still played basketball?"

Ah, the topic he hated.

"Yea, got crushed by Ryouta in the Winter Cup, though. Improved by leaps and bounds, that guy."

"I heard," there was an ominous pause and Shogo shuddered. "And I also heard you almost destroyed him with your dirty trick."

"A-ah well, you know how I get—"

"That's not a reason to crush anyone, damned brat," Nijimura growled. He was silent for a beat before he sighed. "...But I'm happy you still played."

Shogo didn't know how to respond to that.

"Uh. Well how 'bout you?'

"Hm?"

"You still play?"

"Sometimes, when I'm not busy with work."

"Hm."

Both of them grew silent, not because they don't have anything else to say. After so many months, there were tons of things Shogo wanted to say, wanted to know, wanted the other to know. But he just didn't feel like saying them via phone call. It wouldn't feel right.

"Brat."

"What?"

"Merry Christmas."

"….Yeah, you too."

"Go to sleep, punk. You'll end up stupid if you lose sleep."

"Who the hell do you think disturbed my sleep in the first place?!"

"Yeah, yeah, anyway I've gotta go back to work. My break's over. Take care."

"Whatever."

"You better shape up that attitude, punk or I'll beat it into you next time I see you."

"Argh! Just go already!"

"Oh you asked for it."

"Ha! You're miles away, you can't touch me!"

"I can and I will! Just you wait!"

"Hah, whatever you say, bastard."

"Ah shit, my boss is hollering. Catch ya later."

PEEP

Shogo stared at the phone in his hands for a long while after the call ended, silently pondering upon the conversation that happened between him and his ex-Captain. When the implication sank in, he thumped his head against his desk hard.

"Shit… Shit shit shit shit. Did he seriously just say what I think he's saying…?"

If there was a skip in his heart beats, then no one was ever the wiser.