A rather strange, multi-character one-shot.
On with the story.
------------------------------
Wait
" Did you wait for long? "
" Not really. " the boy questioned smiled softly.
" You don't have to wait for me, Fuji. " The other boy spoke as he fell in step with his friend.
" Iya. " Fuji just shook his head.
/ I want to wait for you, Tezuka. /
" I don't mind at all. " he murmured, smiling through closed eyes.
/ For you, I'll always wait. /
------------------------------
Window
" Fujiko, you should keep your eyes open nya. "
" I should? " The blue eyed boy smiled good naturedly.
" Demo! " His redheaded companion pouted at this casual response, " I mean how can you see anything like that anyway? " he protested, voice whiny.
" Saa.." the tensai just smiled again.
/ Eyes are windows to the soul. /
" Mou Fujiko… I wish you would listen to me. " Eiji mumbled crossly, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
/ Your eyes are always closed. I feel like you are hiding something from me. /
------------------------------
Crumble
" Atobe? "
"…..? " Atobe Keigo looked up from his text book, across from him,
where the blunette was seated, in the Hyoutei library.
/ What do I mean to you/
" How is your training coming along? " the blunette drawled casually, as if out of boredom.
/ Do you notice me/
Rare momentary surprise flitted across the captain's face.
" You have been self-training separately." Oshitari Yuushi pointed out, poker face in place.
/ Do you even know I'm alive/
" And just why do you know about that? " Atobe frowned his disapproval, apparently not fancying being spied on.
" I happen to have an eye for these things. " Hyoutei's tensai shrugged in indifference.
/ You are making me crumble. /
------------------------------
Flower
" Your match with Kirihara.."
/ The first time I saw you. /
" Aa. So you heard about it? " Fuji spoke softly as they walked the familiar path to school.
" Hn. "
/ I thought you were like a flower. /
" It was a tough game, Tezuka. I barely won…" Fuji smile was somewhat strained, as if recollecting the said match.
/ But flowers wither quickly. And Fuji Syuusuke, I've come to learn. /
"You did well. " a stiff nod, an unexpected compliment.
/ You are no flower. Even so, you are beautiful. /
------------------------------
Salt water
" Jirou.." Atobe almost blinked. Almost.
/ For some reason. /
" What? Are you mad at me? " The blond challenged, eyes defiant.
/ I always expected you to taste sweet. /
" No, Jirou. " Atobe shook his head. " But you know ore-sama.."
" I know, I know.." Jirou waved his hand, dismissing it, " You are going out with him, right? "
"……" Atobe did not feel the need to confirm the same.
" Demo, Atobe, its mistletoe.." the blond pouted, emphasizing on the significance of the small green sprig.
" You were holding it above us, Jirou.." and Atobe would have rolled his eyes, if it were not for the expression on the other's face.
/ But today as you kissed me… /
" Mistletoe is still mistletoe. " The blond yawned, pocketing the small sprig. " Ne Atobe, he had better keep you happy. "
"….." And even the king of Hyoutei did not know what could be said to that.
/ Your lips tasted like salt water. /
------------------------------
Despair
" Eiji.. I got us some ice-cream.." Fuji gently tapped his friend on the shoulder.
" Nya? " The redhead looked up, snapping from his reverie.
" Look, I was able to get the new Chocolates cd too.. the one that got sold out last week…. you wanted it, didn't you? " he gently ruffled the soft mop of red.
/ Smile. /
" Nya Fujiko, arigatou. " A forced smile.
/ Not that one. A real smile. /
" Eiji…."
" Its okay, its okay. I'm fine. "
/ Can there be no remedy for despair/
------------------------------
Silence
" How long, Tezuka? "
Silence.
" Exactly how long.. did you plan to deceive..me? " The other's voice sounded a little tired.
More silence.
" Was it..fun? " He smiled wryly. " It must be. "
Again, silence.
/ Atobe. /
" Well, it doesn't matter. You can go to him, or you can go to her. " A haughty toss of near indigo hair.
No answer.
/ Silence is golden, or so they say. /
" What you do from here on is none of ore-sama's business. ", another pause. " We are over. " he announced, signaling the end of conversation.
A quick nod later, he was gone.
/ And today I stood silent, because I did not have much of a choice. /
------------------------------
Bitter, tea.
" Shitsureishimashita(1)…" She stood in the doorway to his study. " But I brought you some tea.."
/ Where are you/
" You shouldn't have." He looked up from his work.
/ Why is she here, this strange woman/
" You overwork yourself so much.." She murmured, " This is the least I can do for you. "
/ This is not her place. It is your smile I wish to see, your laughter I long to hear… /
" Hn.. " he adjusted his glasses, " Thank you. " he accepted it with a stiff nod.
Even after getting intimate, she kept feeling like a stranger, Tezuka couldn't get used to this married life.
/ Your lips I yearn to touch. /
And even the tea she made tasted bitter.
------------------------------
Comfort
" Of all the people. " Atobe brushed wheat colored bags out of clear blue eyes, which were open for once, instead of closed. " I never quite imagined…"
" Fate has a twisted way, ne, Atobe-san? "
" You can drop the honorifics already…" Atobe almost rolled his eyes at Fuji's choice of words " Fuji… you really loved him, didn't you? "
/ I did. /
" So did you. " Fuji's voice was soft as he spoke.
/ There is no denying the truth, for both of us. That's why we are here. /
" I wonder…" And even though Atobe sounded indifferent, Fuji knew better.
/ Because we both need this comfort. /
------------------------------
Missing
She is beautiful. Delicate like a daisy.
/ Nothing but the best for me. /
Raven hair frame her almond shaped face, her flawless complexion puts porcelain to shame, her smile could easily rival the glow of a thousand fireflies… she is every man's desire. She is perfect.
Atobe Keigo would never settle for anything less, that is how it had always been.
/ But. /
And it was ironic how even the best paled in comparison to what he had with him.
/ I miss you. /
------------------------------
Termites
" Yuushi, how much more junk have you kept in here anyway? "
" Its not junk, Gakuto. " Yuushi drawled, amused at the impatience of his ex-doubles partner.
" Whatever. Don't make me help you then. " the acrobat muttered crossly.
" You said you were free, remember? " Yuushi shook his head, he should have known better.
" But I'm tired now! " Gakuto held up another odd item which must have been in a recognizable condition at some point in time, but now neither he, nor Yuushi could identify its purpose, " And just what the hell is this supposed to be? "
" Just put it in that pile there.." Yuushi murmured distractedly, sorting through more stuff, " We are almost …" he stopped speaking when his hand touched a smooth, wooden object.
/ It's the gift you gave me, first year, middle school, right, Atobe/
" What's that piece of ancient history? " Gakuto started to snatch it from his hold, " Eww! "
" It's nothing important…"
/ Termites got into it. /
" Throw it out already! "
/ It's about time I cleaned out my closet. /
------------------------------
Change
" Fancy seeing you here…" Fuji Syuusuke smiled softly at the unexpected, or should he say expected visitor, at his first photography exhibition.
"….." No answer.
/ You came here because of me, right/
" So… what do you think? " He followed Tezuka's gaze to the frames on the wall, " Do you like it? "
" Hn. " The other nodded stiffly. " Fuji.."
Fuji looked at his old friend, who at a point in his life had meant so much more.
/ Say it. I need to hear it. /
" You did well.." the bespectacled one finally spoke after a moment's hesitation.
" Arigatou.." Fuji murmured, smile becoming that much more brighter.
/ You haven't changed. /
" Saa…" he just took the stiffer one's arm, " Now introduce me to your wife. "
-----------------------------
A/N:
1. Shitsureishimashita - Excuse me i don't know if i used the appropriate version for it!
If you liked it, then do press the little review button...Thank you for reading!