Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis/Tenis no Ohjisama.
Saeki leaned back against the tree behind him, briefly wondering at the idyllic little world they had found themselves a few minutes in. Next to him he knew Jiroh had leaned back on the grass, staring up at the sun and the leaves. He felt almost childish, relaxing in the shade like this, as if he had nowhere to be, nothing to do, and no concerns whatsoever. He blamed Jiroh for that feeling.
Everything about Jiroh was childish after all. He had no concept of responsibility at all, not even any strong sense of competition of pride like every other student in Hyotei. He simply did what he wanted to do for no other reason than he wanted to do it. As for the thing he didn't want to do, there was no such thing-- Jiroh slept through those times.
Saeki thought that even Jiroh's handshake was a kiddy little gesture; a bouncy swing up and down, not so tight as it was rapid and excited. The first time the two of them had shaken hands, Jiroh had used both of his hands as once and had nearly shaken Saeki's arm right off his shoulder. Had it been any other time Jiroh probably wouldn't have been conscious to notice Saeki, but seeing as Fuji had introduced the two, Jiroh was gung-ho, all giggles and smiles about the matter.
Their hitting it off was eventual, Jiroh being silly enough to make Saeki smile and forget all his grown-up-ness, and Saeki being charming and sociable enough to keep Jiroh awake and amused. It must be said then, that their first kiss was eventual as well.
For Saeki, who had always thought of a no-pressure relationship as impossible, always playing a game of give-and-take, the curious Akutagawa Jiroh existed perhaps for the sole purpose of proving him wrong. Jiroh was complacent. He didn't want anything of Saeki, he just really liked him being around. Saeki was willing to feel the same, to leave Jiroh in his kindergartener's world of giddy irresponsibility.
Saeki smiled, just happy to be outside in beautiful weather, with no care in the world, with the one person he'd ever met that he was glad had never grown-up. He looked to Jiroh, still smiling contently, and blinked several times as he realized Jiroh had fallen back asleep. Sometimes, he decided, he was a victim of unrequited love. And at others Jiroh fell victim to Narcolepsy.