A Tachibana/Hiiragi pre-slash ficlet, originally posted on my livejournal in honour of Ishshi's birthday. But since there's a section now, I might as well start transferring some of my "I'll" pieces over here.
Redbrick Meditation
Tachibana is sitting on a wall outside the school gym.
It's a warm day (too warm for this time of year) and he's not really doing anything, just sitting and soaking up the sun, heels kicking against the brick in a mindless rhythm. He's sort of waiting, and sort of not, and thinking without thinking - letting his mind wander where it likes.
He thinks about basketball, of course, because he always does. He considers the practice he's just come from, and how the team is shaping up. Today was pretty okay, he decides, and he played as well as usual. That sweet three-pointer he made out of nowhere pops into his head, and he smirks with satisfaction.
Yamazaki seemed on good form today too; there were only a couple of times when Tachibana noticed him step awkwardly, saw a faint ripple of angry pain dart across his expression.
He wonders if they'll win the inter-high-school championship this year. He knows that Yamazaki would give anything to go out in such a blaze of glory. They probably will win, he figures. They have him, after all, and they have Hiiragi - how could they go wrong?
The championships drift out the backdoor of his consciousness, but Hiiragi stays, as he often tends to do. The idea of him takes a leisurely stroll around Tachibana's head, poking up old memories and fresh concerns here and there. He hasn't mentioned his father or brother lately - not even to defy them - and Tachibana can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad. He wonders if Hiiragi's spoken to them at all; the guy can be a stubborn idiot when he wants to.
He recalls the time he spoke to Hiiragi's brother, after tailing him for miles. Probably not one of his better ideas, in hindsight.
Still, he meant what he said in the hotel that time. He hadn't even realised it until he said it, but he meant it; that Hiiragi was headed for the top, and that he was going to be next to him every step of the way, until they both reached the heights. The bit about the two of them confronting each other...well, he meant that too, definitely, though the longer they're on a team together the more difficult it becomes for him to imagine them not being. It would be weird, playing against each other.
He hopes Hiiragi is okay.
A movement at the gym doors attracts his attention, but it's Harumoto, last out of the changing rooms as usual (Tachibana has been sitting here for a good ten minutes now). He waves as he walks across the schoolyard towards the gate; someone should really tell him just how stupid that moustache looks. Tachibana waves back lazily, and yawns.
Where the hell is Hiiragi, anyway? Yeah, he got ball polishing duty again (is Tachibana the only one who finds the phrase "ball polishing" funny?) but it shouldn't be taking him this long. He could go investigate, but he's too comfortable here - and besides, he'd only end up getting roped into helping.
Is Hiiragi okay, he wonders. He can't remember when that became his business, but it must have, somehow, because otherwise he wouldn't be thinking about it. It probably happened around the same time the guy stopped being just a rival and became a friend. Or something...
His stomach growls, and he tries to recall what he ate for lunch. That was hours ago; he wonders what's for dinner tonight, and whether he should make the effort to walk to the vending machine in the corridor outside the locker rooms. Nah...too far away, and it's much easier to just sit here in the sun, listening to the sound of his heels thudding off the brick and the muted buzz of traffic out on the road. He can see why cats lie around on sunny walls and rooftops all day long.
Great life, cats have. No tests, no homework (he hopes Sumire will let him copy her algebra), nothing to worry about but where their next bowl of milk is coming from. Simple. None of the complications that people have - that he's been having too much of since he came to Kouzu.
No basketball either, of course...
Tachibana reckons he'll stick with being human for now. He's always managed to bypass complications by just doing what he wants to; maybe he's been having trouble lately determining exactly what that is, but that's no reason to take up a career as a cat. (He grins at that thought.) It's just taking him a little longer to decide things at the moment, that's all.
It really is nice out here. Tachibana lets his eyes half-close, and thinks that he could stay on this wall all day. It's not as if he has anywhere to go, anyway; that's why he's hanging around here. There's no particular reason for it; he just likes sitting here, like a cat in the sun.
So when Hiiragi appears and asks if he's been waiting, he shrugs and says not really, and Hiiragi nods. He doesn't question, even though Tachibana jumps down and walks silently alongside him as far as the gate. It wasn't like he was really waiting; they both know that.
At the gate they part ways, with a "see ya" from Hiiragi, and a nodded "yeah" in reply, and that's all.
Tachibana's glad Hiiragi didn't ask about why he was sitting on the wall, or why he got down when he did. He wouldn't have known what to say; the only answer he could have given was: "because I wanted to". That's the only answer he ever gives, and the only one he ever needs. It hasn't been working out so smoothly lately though, and he reckons it's about time he made his mind up on what he really wants. Can't stay sitting on the wall forever.
Tachibana glances back over his shoulder, just in time to see that bright head disappearing around the corner.
He thinks maybe he has it almost figured out.