Title: Pretty When You're Mine
Fandom: Slow Step
Pairing: Akiba/Kadomatsu
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Warning: This is based off of the first three volumes, so both Akiba and Kadomatsu haven't found out that *spoiler* and *spoiler* are actually *spoiler spoiler*.
Summary: In which Akiba has a revelation, Kadomatsu is NOT running away, and Minatsu is definitely NOT plotting. No, really.
.
.
.
Akiba Shuu doesn't believe in superstitions. If his shoelace gets cut, then it just means it's time to replace it with a new one. If he sees a black cat, he doesn't think it's a bad sign; instead, he feels lucky since it is rare to see a fully black furred cat nowadays. If he breaks a mirror, then it only means his agility needs more work.
Akiba Shuu doesn't believe in superstitions, but he believes in coincidences.
But when coincidences have put him and Minatsu in the same place as The Great Kadomatsu and his date when they are dating for more times than he could remember, even him had to wonder: is it really a coincidence?
Clearly, the guys upwards must have been trying to tell him something.
"I mean, really, it's kinda freaky if you asked me. No, wait, it is freaky. What, you don't think it's actually weird at all how we always end up sort-of double dating every time?" Shuu looks out the café glass window, but the street is not as packed as he expects it to be. Understandable really, considering it's not exactly rush hour. But still he feels cheated all the same.
"Nakazato says that she and Maria have the same taste." Kadomatsu says in a matter of fact voice, like it's actually perfectly obvious. And no, his voice doesn't leave enough infliction to insult Shuu's intelligence—stated or implied—in an otherwise a potentially insulting sentence.
Either he's very naïve or he's just incapable of insulting people.
Yeah, right.
On the other hand, he's admitting that his girl is the one who gets to pick the place. The Fearsome Kadomatsu Naoto, the National High school Boxing Champion, is whipped. Ha! It would be a great blackmail material—if only Shuu himself wasn't exactly the same, that is.
Shuu sighs.
"Besides, don't you also think that it's weird how both my date and your date always disappear into the bathroom for most of the duration of the date?" he absently plays with the straw on his orange squash glass. Then he tries to spy the entrance into the café bathroom, but Kadomatsu chooses that moment to look sideways at him, and he is distracted by the simple gesture.
It's not like this is the first time he sees Kadomatsu's eyes. He has seen them plenty in the newspapers or television, since the guy is practically national hero for high school boxers. And then there's also that time when he faces the guy on the ring. He thinks he should get some credits for not running away (that last time) and faces the guy head on. Because boy, is the guy scary.
The point being Shuu is used to seeing how Kadomatsu's eyes could glare so intensely and scare his opponent shitless.
But he's not used to seeing the way those intense eyes widen slightly in confusion, lighten up in joy, soften in affection, or even lower in embarrassment. He's not used to seeing how expressive those eyes can be.
He's not used to seeing how expressive Kadomatsu can actually be.
"…throom."
Shuu blinks. It appears that Kadomatsu was saying something to him. "What?" he asks, distracted.
Kadomatsu looks at him like he's trying to decide whether Shuu is being annoying on purpose. But then he just shrugs and says, "I find it weirder that you actually keep track of the frequency and the duration my date goes to the bathroom."
There's no mistaking the suspicious tone of Kadomatsu's voice. Shuu snorts. Well, at least he knows how to get jealous. As if he would actually be interested in a four-eyed, nerdy girl. "No need to get territorial, tough guy. I would never notice it if only my own date didn't do the same."
Without even changing his expression, Kadomatsu turns back to his drink and continues to act as if Shuu didn't exist, despite them being seated practically back to back. If only he didn't know this is how Kadomatsu always acts, Shuu would be annoyed. Scratch that, he is annoyed.
He sits sideways on his seat, so that he could talk into the back of Kadomatsu's head. "I never pegged you for the type who falls for bookworms or timid girls."
Kadomatsu doesn't answer.
"I mean, as a fellow boxer, I thought you would go for gutsy girls. Or sporty girls. Or both. But certainly not neither."
Still no answer.
Shuu pouts. It turns out the back of Kadomatsu's head is not much of a talker. Just as he is about to turn back, he hears Kadomatsu says, "And a great thing, too."
Shuu frowns. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Or else you might not be able to go on a date with her."
Wait, what? "What?" he shouts indignantly, before going over to Kadomatsu's seat and grabbing him by his collars. "Are you saying Minatsu will choose you over me? How dare you?"
"What, you think she won't?"
They glare at each other; it's then that Shuu's survival instinct reminds him that he's up against Japan's high school boxing champion without the presence of a referee to stop things from getting out of hands. This time, he might really end up in a hospital. But then again, when love is involved…
"Minatsu isn't that kind of girl! She doesn't care about fame or looks or intelligence or coolness or—"
Kadomatsu blinks. Shuu's eyes inadvertently follow the small movement.
"—or, or pretty e-eyes or pretty faces or whathaveyou!"
"I don't care," Kadomatsu says flatly. "It's not her I'm interested in." Then he touches Shuu's wrist—a silent warning to release him before his fighting instinct kicks in.
They glare at each other for a few more seconds before Shuu finally releases his chokehold and takes a step back. The other boy just casually fixes his collars and immediately goes on to ignore Shuu, as if the last minute never happened.
Shuu sighs. Here we go again. Never would he understand why girls are crazy over such an unfriendly guy.
He glances at the other boy.
…and stares.
"What?" Kadomatsu says.
Shuu immediately shuts his parted lips. Apparently without even realizing it, the glance become a stare—and a too long one, at that, if even Kadomatsu notices it.
He gulps.
"You have nice eyes." Shuu tells him.
Kadomatsu blinks.
"Just saying." He holds his hands up in universal surrender gesture, smiling disarmingly.
So yeah, Shuu doesn't believe in superstitions, but he does believe in coincidences—and by extension, Fate. And clearly, by making him date in the same place as Kadomatsu, Fate is trying to tell him something. Now, if only he could figure out what it is…
"This is such a rare sight, to see you first thing in the morning while you usually try your hardest to avoid practice." The coach comments from the doorway of the boxing club room.
"Sensei, what should I do to defeat Kadomatsu Naoto in an official match?"
Yamazakura-sensei looks at him absently. "I don't think you could beat him even in an unofficial match."
"That's why I say in an 'official' match. If I can't even land a punch on him, at least I can defeat him by collecting points."
"Good thinking, Akiba-kun." His coach chuckles. "Start by improving your defense, then."
"My defense?" Shuu gives his coach a curious look.
"Kadomatsu-kun is not an offensive boxer by nature. He usually builds his defense before his offense, unless he gets provoked—which was apparently the exact thing you did back then."
"Ah." Shuu shifts his eyes to his punching bag, a small smile playing on his lips. "And yet you tell me to improve my defense."
"It won't do you any good if you passed out under a minute because you couldn't block him properly—regardless of whether you land a hit or not."
"Really." Shuu says.
"Ah, to be young and carefree~" Yamazakura-sensei says wistfully, before leaving him alone in the boxing club room.
"What's up with you?" Minatsu asks.
Shuu blinks.
"You've been staring at me for the last fifteen minutes. And you haven't even touched your lunch." Minatsu says by way of explanation.
"Oh my~" Shuu coos flirtatiously, "Are you worried about me? I'm so flattered~ Could it be you've finally fallen for me?" he ends his exclamation with a dramatic pose.
Minatsu huffs. "Don't be ridiculous. I was going to say that if you can't finish your lunch, then I would be happy to help you with it."
With a speed his boxing coach would be proud of, he grabs his lunch box and starts to eat it in a safe distance from Minatsu. "But of course, a boy needs his nutrients to grow up properly! Itadakimasu!"
Minatsu only smiles and begins to put away her lunch box. "Seriously though, what's up? I know there's nothing on my face, and yet you still staring at it unblinkingly."
Shuu begins to open his mouth, but Minatsu beats him to it.
"And if you blabber away again, I might be forced to stop lending you my homework."
Shuu gulps. "It's just… you have nice eyes, Minatsu. The prettiest I've ever seen. In a girl." He blinks. "No, wait. I mean, in both sexes! Both!"
Putting her chin on top of her intertwined fingers, Minatsu peers up teasingly at Shuu. "Aww~ Shuu-chan has a crush~" she singsongs. "Well, I'm happy for you. It's time you move on." She nods to herself.
Shuu pouts. "How cruel… you don't need to reject me so readily like that, Minatsu. I know in your heart the green fire of jealousy is burning bright! You don't need to pretend otherwise!"
"Pretty eyes, eh?" Minatsu continues on, completely ignoring his words, a teasing smile still playing about her lips. "I think I know just the one."
"I told you, there's no one in my heart other than you! You're the spring to my winter, you're the light in the darkness of my life, you're—"
"Kadomatsu Naoto-kun."
Shuu blinks. "Pardon?"
"The one with pretty eyes." Minatsu says cheerfully, her eyes sparkling brightly. "The one you think has prettier eyes than mine. The one you have a crush on. It's Kadomatsu Naoto-kun, isn't it?"
Spluttering, he looks at Minatsu in disbelief. "What are you—how—why would I even—it's not!"
"I think it's cute, really." She's practically glowing. What the hell. "And he's cute." She adds.
"No it's not; it's frustrating is what it is! I can't even believe we're talking about this at all!" he pauses. "Wait, did you just say the fearsome Kadomatsu Naoto, who could beat an opponent twice his size in a blink, is cute?"
"There's a reason girls are crazy about him, you realize. And it's certainly not for that brute force excuse for a sport you call boxing."
"What. What! So you would choose him over me?" he demands.
"He's pretty, he's strong, he has decent grades, and while he's not exactly a social butterfly, at least he cares and knows how to show it. What else could a girl possible want?"
"It doesn't matter! As long as—"
"Also, he's taller than you—"
"Only by one centimeter! One!"
"—and yet despite you both having the same weight, he still beat you bloody." He glares at her. She only smiles and looks at him expectantly. "Do you want me to continue?"
"Fine, I get your point already." He pouts, looking at his now-empty lunchbox sullenly.
"Just go for it, Shuu. I know you two would suit each other." A girlish giggle so uncharacteristic of her usual tomboyish self escapes her lips.
"Oh shut up, you." He glares at her, but she only laughs and sashays out of the classroom.
Hmmph. Some friend she is.
But.
The thing is—the thing is, he would never admit it even under torture, but. But—she is not completely wrong.
He sighs.
If there's one person who is happy with this whole situation, it would be the coach Yamazakura-sensei. Ever since then, Shuu has been diligently attending practice and actually doing the crazy practice menu without complaining. Much. Which promptly urge the other club member to do better—if that slacker could actually do it, why couldn't I?
So yeah, Yamazakura-sensei might not know the cause, but he's quite happy with the result.
The next time they happen to be coincidentally double dating again on a Saturday night, Shuu knows Minatsu is definitely scheming something. This is because she spends more time than usual in the bathroom. And so does Kadomatsu's date, for that matter. Shuu knows; he counts.
"Now now, are you still saying this is not weird at all? You and I certainly never made a deal to date in the same place. Yet we keep end up doing it anyway. Every single time." It's hard not complain, really. Thus the whiny quality of his voice.
"Minatsu says Maria—" Kadomatsu begins, but Shuu cuts him.
"—they both have the same taste, yadda yadda. I heard that song already. Seriously though, that excuse lost its validity during the tenth time this happened." He raises from his spot only to seat himself across Kadomatsu casually, like it's actually his seat all along, despite it supposedly belongs to Kadomatsu's date.
Kadomatsu looks at him and says in disapproval, "That's Maria's seat."
"Now it's my seat!" He claims cheerfully, grinning gleefully like he always does.
The other boy doesn't take the bait and rise to anger like Shuu has expected; instead, he only leans back in his seat and stares at Shuu impassively, as if he's acknowledging Shuu's point silently, but at the same time he also warns Shuu that it's only temporary.
Shuu stares at him unabashedly. Damn, but the guy really does have nice eyes. They are big like a girl's, except instead of soft, they're hard around the edges. They also have this intense look, like they're daring anyone to mess with them.
"What are you looking at?" Kadomatsu says, clearly displeased.
Shuu gives him a smile. "Can I call you Naoto?"
"No." Surprise, surprise.
"Oh well. You know, with the way our respective dates keep disappearing and leaving us two together like this, it might as well have been our date—that is, you and I, without our respective dates. Don't you think so?"
…wait a minute. Now that he thinks about Minatsu's suspicious behavior in school…this might really be it. That traitorous girl! How dare she!
"No." Kadomatsu answers flatly.
Of course, the only party who doesn't know about this is Kadomatsu, since Shuu is sure Minatsu must have told Kadomatsu's date about her insane deduction regarding Shuu's little problem.
Sometimes he really hates his childhood friend slash girlfriend.
Shuu looks down at his hands on the table top, flexing them experimentally. They start to get rough from the training he does lately, and he knows he has improved in power, even if the same couldn't be said for his speed. He knows he's not ready for a rematch with Kadomatsu—both mentally and physically. But he needs to confirm something, and there's no other way except to face Kadomatsu head on.
"Are you sure I can't call you Naoto?"
"Yes."
"Can I get a boxing rematch with you?"
Kadomatsu finally—finally—looks at him. "Yes." Is it just him, or does Kadomatsu sound a bit hesitant when he says that?
"Should I call your coach then?"
"Yes." He goes back staring sideways at the window.
"I just want to make sure, are you really only in second year of high school?"
"Yes."
"You really like Maria, don't you? Because otherwise I couldn't imagine someone like you entering such a fancy café like this."
"Yes." There. There's definitely a hesitation before he answers, and it's not only Shuu's imagination.
"…and you're the strongest guy in your club?"
"Yes." A firm answer. Someone who believes in his own ability, huh. Shuu smiles.
"I heard you have one sibling—a little sister?"
"Yes."
"And she lives with your parents in America?"
"Yes."
"You live alone in your apartment?"
"Yes."
"You're great in sports, aren't you?"
"Yes."
"Are you also great academically?"
"Yes."
"It must be great being popular, huh?"
"Yes."
"Can you say anything other than 'yes'?"
"Yes."
"You hate animals, don't you?"
"Yes."
"I heard you like stuffed animals better?"
"Yes."
"Can I kiss you?"
"Yes."
Shuu smiles.
Kadomatsu blinks. "…what?"
And then before Kadomatsu has the time to react or process the event properly, Shuu pulls him by his nape and crushes their lips together.
It feels like the longest three seconds of his life.
Kadomatsu's pretty, pretty eyes are wide open, displaying the shock and the surprise and the confusion and some other emotions Shuu doesn't dare to identify, and he really, really needs to stop admiring Kadomatsu's eyes but damn they're really pretty and how could he even think about such thing when he is actually kissing Kadomatsu Naoto on the lips and oh dear God he can't believe this is really happening.
Then the spell breaks, and Shuu finds himself on the floor, sporting a split lip and a soon-to-be-bruised jaw courtesy of none other than the guy he was kissing a second ago.
"Look, Kad—"
A punch lands square on his right cheek, once again sending him sprawled onto the floor. That hurt. Damn, but the guy is definitely not pulling back his punches. Without even giving him time to recover, Kadomatsu seizes his collar furiously, apparently intent on making him a bloody pulp. Shuu closes his eyes and prepares for the worst.
But it never comes.
Cautiously, expecting to see a furious and angry face, Shuu opens his eyes and looks up at Kadomatsu.
And freezes.
Ka—Don't…
He tries to get his lips moving, to say something—anything—but his vocal cord seems to not be in working order.
Don't… please don't…look like that—please don't look at me like that.
"Kadomatsu—"
Kadomatsu unceremoniously drops him to the floor. Wincing from the abuse his back poor back receives, Shuu could only watch as the other boy takes that split second of distraction to stride out of the café, leaving a very speechless and thoroughly bewildered Akiba Shuu behind him.
Shuu doesn't go after him; he knows he wouldn't be able to catch up—especially in the state Kadomatsu is in.
He sighs and buries his face in his hands. He really fucks it all up, doesn't he?
His phone beeps once, signaling a coming mail. Opening his mail, Minatsu's name jumps from the screen.
Shuu-chan, me and Maria have something to do, so you go have fun with Kadomatsu-kun, OK?
Feeling a bubble of laughter welling up inside him, he immediately lets it loose, not even caring of the other patrons of the café.
"You're too late, Minatsu."
He closes his phone.
The next morning found Akiba Shuu on the training ground of the boxing club, practicing like a madman on his last day on earth—to the astonishment of the club coach and the other members of the boxing club.
When noon passes and there's no sign of the boy loosing up, the coach decides to stop him. By force. That is, he makes two strongest guys on the club to knock the kid down.
"What's up with you?" Yamazakura-sensei asks once Shuu regains consciousness, his voice betrays his worries. "You came here beaten up, and then proceeded to get even more beaten up? Did you get hit on the head or something, young man?"
Shuu looks up at the blinding sun above him, from his horizontal position on the ground.
"I was stupid."
Yamazakura-sensei snorts. "That goes without saying."
"I did something I shouldn't have, and the only thing I can think to apologize is by defeating him on the next practice match."
The coach gives him a glance. "I was surprised when Kadomatsu-kun's coach called me, asking for a rematch. You do realize it's still impossible for you to defeat him in a week's time no matter how hard you train, right?"
"Minatsu always says I'm always my best when I know I'm about to lose."
A raised eyebrow. "What a roundabout way to give a friend support."
"I think she's right, though. I always think too hard when I have a chance to win, and end up losing in the end. But if I know I have no chance, I could concentrate to give my all with no worries over winning or losing." He rests an arm over his eyes, shielding them from the sun. The grass is soft but firm under him, giving him a much-needed grounding for his slightly trembling body.
"You're telling me you're gonna let him defeat you?"
"I'm saying he's still gonna end up defeating me no matter how hard I try; there's a difference. Besides, I can't disrespect him by forfeiting the match. He's not gonna forgive me if I did, and that would be rather counterproductive to the purpose of this whole thing."
Silence, as Yamazakura-sensei tries to digest the information, while Shuu starts the warming up routine again.
"Will you let me fight Todori-kun, sensei?" Shuu smiles at him.
"Are you sure? Todori-kun is in a heavier class than you, you realize."
"I know. But I also know that despite being in a lighter weight class, Kadomatsu will still beat him bloody."
He sighs. "I won't even ask what exactly Kadomatsu-kun did to make you so desperate like this."
Shuu only smiles at him.
"Go ahead then, if you want to get beaten that badly."
"Thanks, sensei." Turning around, Shuu fails to notice the small smile his coach sends his way.
"So. How are you holding up?"
Shuu doesn't bother to turn around. "Oh great. I'm wonderful."
He feels more than sees her smile. "You move too fast, Shuu. Kadomatsu-kun wouldn't know how to catch up." Shuu turns around to protest, but then Minatsu adds, "And I'm not talking about boxing."
Shuu only looks at her, uncomprehending.
"Maria told me she was Kadomatsu-kun's first girlfriend, and that Kadomatsu-kun is such an honorable guy even when they already date for three months running."
What. What. "You're telling me I stole his first kiss?"
"Psst!" Minatsu clamps her hand on Shuu's mouth. "You didn't hear it from me, okay?"
Shuu frowns. "But, but. But he—he's—he's so popular!" More than me goes unsaid.
"His first, foremost, and only love is boxing. He only cares about finding a significant other now because his dear sister urged him to."
"Oh God." Once again, he buries his face on his hands. He should've known; considering what a geeky-looking Kadomatsu's date is, he should've known. Yet he disregarded that little fact in the much more enviable matter: that girls are crazy over him. How could he be so careless?
"Shuu-chan."
He lifts his head, and immediately feels soft lips pressed upon his own tenderly.
Now that he remembers it, Kadomatsu's lips also have been soft. A little chapped around the edges, but soft nonetheless. And his eyes…
Shuu blinks.
Minatsu pulls away with a knowing smile.
"Did you—did you just kiss me?"
"And yet you don't seem too happy about it." Minatsu pouts. "Shuu-chan, I'm so jealous~"
"I insist on a repeat." Shuu demands like a petulant child he really is.
"Then you better ask Kadomatsu-kun, hmm?" And she actually has the gal to laugh! The nerve!
"Minatsu! Come back here you bitch!" He tries to chase her down the corridor, but she's not the star of the school softball club for nothing. Before long, he finds himself panting on the staircase, Minatsu no longer in sight.
He really, really needs to work on his speed.
For the following week he trains so hard and so intensely without absence even his mother is surprised.
"Are you sure you're not ill, Shuu?" she asks worriedly. "You seem like you haven't been yourself lately."
He waves a hand dismissively at her for a moment before going back to his breakfast. "Don't worry mom. I'll go back to be your usual spoiled, lazy, unreliable only son by Monday."
His mother lets out a rueful sigh. "I don't mean anything bad, Shuu. It's just…don't you think you're overworking yourself?"
"Just…until…Monday…mom." He replies in between mouthful of rice.
"Oh well. If you say so…"
"Sure. Mom, I'm going!"
"Be careful!"
When he finally meets Kadomatsu again the following Sunday, he's so full of energy he just couldn't seem to stay still. He has trained as hard as his body could take it, and so, no matter what happens, he won't have any regret. In order to do that, there's still one thing he needs to clarify, so he walks up to Kadomatsu just before their turn comes.
"Can we talk for a second?"
Kadomatsu turns to face him, and Shuu realizes just why it is that Kadomatsu's own friends stay as far away as possible from him. All the dark, menacing aura and foreboding that surrounding him would have scared lesser people.
"We can talk on the ring." He says through gritted teeth.
"Ah. But I mean to exchange words with you, not punches."
Kadomatsu glares at him. "Afterwards."
Shuu gives him a look. "Sure, because talking to an unconscious person is so much fun." Then a though suddenly hit him. "You're not trying to run away from me, are you?"
Kadomatsu's glare intensifies. Who do you think you're talking to? The glare seems to say.
"Then what are you hesitating for? You know whatever I do here, you can always do worse to me on the ring."
Kadomatsu glares some more. "They're looking."
Shuu snorts. "As if you cared."
And they are. Shuu notices from the corner of his eyes how Kadomatsu's teammates looking at them nervously, as if they're afraid they both might start fighting outside the ring. It is then that Shuu realizes rather than worry over them both, Kadomatsu's teammates seem worry more about him. Him, and not Kadomatsu. Huh.
Right.
They never know just how vulnerable Kadomatsu is outside his precious ring. They never realize just how insecure Kadomatsu is when it comes to things that have nothing to do with boxing.
Shuu knows; he's seen it first-hand when he kissed the other boy that time.
"Then start talking." Kadomatsu spats.
"First, I'm not sorry." Shuu says. "For kissing you, that is. I'm not. Just so we clear on that."
The murderous aura around Kadomatsu seems to intensify even more at that. The other guys on the room immediately take a step back. Shuu stands his ground.
Shuu takes a deep breath. "Second, wanna bet?"
"What?"
Making sure he catches Kadomatsu's eyes, Shuu says quietly but firmly, "If I failed to land three hits, full point, on you, I would never bother you again—even when we meet accidentally. But if I succeeded, then I get to call you by your first name. And you're going on a date with me for a month."
A month is enough—enough to make sure of his feelings towards Kadomatsu, enough for Kadomatsu to decide what he's gonna do about him. A month is all he needs.
And considering how hard it is to even land one hit on Kadomatsu, Shuu doesn't think it's a light bet at all.
The murderous aura doesn't lessen, despite the frown that appears on Kadomatsu's (admittedly) pretty face. "What kind of bet is that?"
"A serious one." Shuu says with a grin. "Look, I even bring the statement paper with me." He produces a piece of paper from his pocket and waves it in front of Kadomatsu.
Kadomatsu looks at him incredulously.
"Sign on it?" Shuu says, producing a pen from his other pocket.
He does. And without much protest at that. Although Shuu suspects the latter is because he doesn't want to raise a fuse and make his teammates even more curious than they already are.
"Akiba-kun, Kadomatsu-kun, get on the ring, please."
"Right away, sir!"
As he turns back to put away the statement paper in a safe place, he can't stop a mad grin from forming on his face. It's just as he wishes it to be, and he has to make sure he doesn't screw this all up by failing or something.
He takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and prepares for the worst.
Because he believes that the best thing always comes out from the worst, just like he believes in the power of coincidences.
He climbs into the ring, and slowly, very slowly, opens his eyes.
"Begin!"
Two months later, found Shuu on the way to the café he used to frequent with Minatsu, horribly late for a date appointment. He checks his appearance once on the glass door of the café before going in, making sure everything is in order.
"Naoto-kun!"
Kadomatsu Naoto looks up at him, a displeased frown on his forehead. "You're late."
Shuu smiles. "I am."
.
.
.
Fin.