Title: Without My Wings
Rating: PG
Genre: Drama/Angst + Lyric ficlet
Pairing/Characters: Oshitari & Mukahi
Short Summary/Comments:

Notes:

Lyrics are from "Everytime" by Britney Spears and they are set off by "..."

About the 'Moon Salute'... I've seen it translated as Moon Sault and Moon Salute, so I have NO idea which it is. I've seen it more often referred to as Moon Salute, so that's what I used, though I am tempted to think it's Moon Sault because of the word somersault. But anyway...

Without My Wings

... I guess I need you baby...

The former acrobatic tennis player of Hyoutei would have sworn up and down and left and right to anyone and everyone that he wasn't a crybaby, but here he was on one of his university's tennis courts during practice, trying to fight back a mist of tears that was slowly but steadily threatening to obscure his vision.

He jumped a little too late into the air as a volley shot past his reach in a golden arc to land with a "thud" in the corner of his court.

Shit!

"30-0!"

I'm NOT going to cry, I swear it!

His eyes narrowed as he tried to corral his attention to the practice match at hand, trying to ignore the emptiness he felt knowing that Oshitari wasn't there playing tennis with him and behind him.

... I make believe
That you are here
It's the only way
I see clear ...

As the next serve shot across the net, he went after the ball and barely made a successful return. Expression grim, he didn't allow himself to feel any sense of accomplishment from that. That ball had been in Yuushi's court if he were playing doubles right now instead of singles and Yuushi would have gotten that ball so easily without even blinking an eye.

But... Yuushi wasn't there anymore and they weren't playing doubles. In fact, they weren't even in the same university and... he was at least partially to blame.

... What have I done
You seem to move on easy ...

In moments, the ball was arcing back into his court. It was a high flying lob, once again aimed for over his head, but this time, he was prepared.

He sprang into the air, his petite body arcing high into the sky as he readied to return the ball with his Moon Salute...

He loved the sky; it meant 'freedom' to him - a place where there weren't any chains to the worries or cares of the mortal world - and when he did his Moon Salute, he could see everything around him and it was one of the most thrilling experiences he associated with tennis.

But this time, his vantage point showed him something he wasn't yet accustomed to seeing.

He could see that Yuushi wasn't there behind him.

to catch me when I fall...

It terrifed him and for the first time in years, he panicked.

For the longest moment in his life, he was suspended in the air, and after another moment, he tumbled back down to earth in a flash of burgundy red and white.

... And everytime I try to fly
I fall without my wings ...

And for another long moment, he just lay there, deaf to the concerned shouts and cries of his teammates who huddled around him.

... I feel so small
I guess I need you baby ...

Face obscured by his hair an arm over his head, he finally allowed the mist to blind his eyes and and he sobbed in silence.

It's just not the same without you, Yuushi... I can't fly without my wings...

- fine