Finally writing something for PoT. :P Wanted to try MomoRyo so this came up. Hehe. Please read and comment! Thank you :D
Author: Loving Monday
Title: The Turning of Seasons
Genre: PG13
Pairing: Momoshiro Takeshi X Echizen Ryoma
Disclaimer: I would pray for all the shounen-ai indications to increase, no? XD
It was the beginning of winter of his freshman year, on a rainy day that Echizen Ryoma got the first realization of feelings for his senpai, when Momo had ran through the heavy rain all the way from his house for the sake of buying a medicine for the then feverish Echizen. There was a little pang of warmth, affection, and also slight redness of cheeks. Echizen... he felt loved. Maybe it was in a platonic way, he wondered.
It was on a snowy day that Echizen Ryoma got the first taste of hard love, of bitterness seeping through his bones, when he saw Momo acting a little overaffectionate with a prety kouhai, a girl from his class. They were laughing over something and the girl had bent over to whisper something in Momo's ear, making all senses in Echizen's head froze. On that day, Echizen felt like a lightning bolt had struck through his heart, it was painful yet unbearable and he had laid on bed for the rest of the day, while his cousin Nanako was left to wonder what was happening to him.
On a clear, cloudless day, when Echizen Ryoma finally accepted the fact that he really had fallen head over heels for his senpai to the point of no return, when Momo came to his house to skip school and practice and had drag him out for a day of neighbourhood tennis, treating him at the hamburger joint with that silly trademark smile of his, and had made up Echizen's day in more ways than one.
He likes his senpai.
He really, really, likes his senpai.
Which was why, when he saw the girl from his class again with Momo, Echizen swore eternal enmity on her. On that day, his game was the worst Tezuka and the rest has ever seen. Seething his teeth at the girl who had suddenly popped up at the tennis field and brought towels for the tall smasher, Echizen grabbed Eiji's shirt sleeve [the poor guy was accidentally putting an arm around him and teasing him at that time] and pushed him towards Momo's direction.
The girl and Eiji ended up hugging up each other in a crumpled mess on the floor.
"Sakuno, are you okay?" Eiji asked as he pulled her up. Sakuno shook her head immediately and turned to Momo, whose face was hit by Eiji's arm when he was falling forward.
"Are you okay, Momo-senpai?"
Echizen felt a pang of guilt when Momo turned his direction, but he chose to ignore it and instead looked away, ignoring whatever he is feeling.
Spring came and Echizen ws busy studying for his exams like all others. Perched on his desk, Echizen was studying for his English when a large unfamiliar hand settled itself on Echizen's head and rubbed it fondly. Wondering whichever brave asshole would have the guts to touch him, Echizen peered up to see the forever happy face of Momoshiro Takeshi.
"Echizen!"
"Che." Echizen grumbled and pushed Momo's hand away. "Can't you see I am studying?"
"Can't a senpai care for his kouhai?"
"Care and disturb is two different things, senpai."
"Hah! I will treat you for burgers later okay? Look at your stressed out face!"
"Two nights of being dragged out for neighbourhood tennis is bound to make anyone stressed out, especially when I am also having lack of sleep and nearly wake up late for school. All thanks to you."
"...WAH!!!!! My kouhai is bullying me!" With that, the snaking hand returned to ruffle Echizen's hair. Closing his book, Echizen sighed. Maybe he will study another day, maybe just another day...
It was summer when Echizen went to Kyoto for a class trip. Horio, Arai and Sakuno [he wondered why] coaxed him to go to 'refresh his body and relax his senses' for the new semester.
So there he was, sitting on a plastic chair and hiding from the sun, sipping as many cold Pontas as he could as the idiots went off to swim in the sea and make sand castles. Pondering how he got into this careless mess, Echizen closed his eyes and slowly dozed off, thinking of Karupin and tennis and a certain senpai left behind all the way in Tokyo.
Tip tap, tip tap.
"What the hell?" Echizen wondered as his eyes blinked to sudden presence of ...liquid? on his face. A really, really, stupid senpai was hovering over him, his eyes large and sweat dripping, the one and only Momo was less than three inches from him. "YAH!" toppling back in shock [and to regain his distance] Momo fell awkwardly with him.
It was on a hot summer's day, on the least romantic situation possible, when Echizen Ryoma first got kissed.
And by his most favourite senpai nonetheless, but still.
Echizen remained quiet for the evening as Momo apologized repeatedly ["I didn't mean to come scare you Echizen! I am working at the beach when I saw you and came over to say hi but oh my god I didn't know you were sleeping and-"] and Echizen responded with a sound, tight smack on his face.
But it did not mean he did not enjoy his summer. Just... no more scaring the shit out of his life.
Autumn came, the beginning of a new school semester. Echizen is no longer a freshman, he is a sophomore now. Momo became tennis captain after Tezuka [and Kaidoh his deputy, but it always seems that Kaidoh was taking control instead of Momo] and the tennis club is intent on winning the nationals again, to protect their title. The club was well, but Echizen was not.
It seems, Momo had forgotten the kiss he had snatched from Echizen.
He did not care that the other person Momo was kissing is a girl. He did not care that it was Sakuno, his classmate who only have smiles and laughs for everybody. He did not think that he should be in any way polite. NOT AT ALL.
"Why are you kissing my Momo?" A punch to the face, and the girl toppled to the ground.
"Echizen! What are you doing?" Momo asked, a face of wory. Echizen glared at him. What kind of response is that? Why is he so concerned for the girl? Why is he picking the girl up and trying to see whether her eye is bleeding or not? Why is he not caring about him? About Echizen?
...Why is he thinking so much?
Echizen turned and ran.
It was a cold, harsh winter. A year has passed since Echizen realized his feelings for his senpai.
It was a harsh, harsh feeling. Echizen hated it. Hated the fact that Momo and him had not talked for a month. For the fact that he had escaped away from his senpai everytime the other tried to talk to him.
For missing Momo so badly, the pain was carved on his heart and face permanently.
Looking at the calendar, Echizen mused. It's his birthday today, does Momo even remember? His birthday in the midst of winter... does it mean he is a cold blooded person?
Echizen chose not to think.
He laid down on his bed, body and mind tired, not wanting to think of anything anymore. His heart is breaking, breaking, and its all because he had chosen to escape. A tear broke down from his eye and Echizen bitterly smiled at himself. What pathetic look he must be having now.
"Ryoma, your friend is here to see you!" Nanako called from the door. "Said its urgent!"
...Friend? Urgent? Echizen rubbed his tears off and went to open the door. Nanako stood before him, smiling warmly as ever and behind her, stood Momo.
"Echizen, happy birthday!" Momo beamed, walking in like he was in his own room and sat on the bed. "Figured you'll be here alone."
"...I'm not a socializing person like you,.. Momo-senpai."Echizen muttered as he familiarize himself with the name he had not called in a month, and closed the door. Sitting on a chair, he gave a patronizing look. "What are you doing here?"
"Celebrate your birthday for you!" Momo answered like it was so obvious.
"... senpai, its eleven at night."
"I know... But you're still in your birthday day, right? One more hour."
"Whatever." Echizen answered half heartedly. "You wished me right? Go home."
"Echizen... are you mad at Sakuno?"
A pause. "... What can I do if Momo-senpai likes her?"
"Echizen, you're jealous aren't you? Jealous kitty~" Momo hugged him from the back and held him still. "I don't like her. I like you. Sakuno was trying to confess but I had rejected her. Of course, your punch was more than enough to give an answer."
"... Senpai. Are you kidding?" Echizen mumbled. "Its already a season ago."
"We were busy with nationals, I know you want to win it more than anything else. We did it, we upheld Seigaku's name. And now that its over..." Momo turned Echizen's chair around. "I want to focus on something as important."
Echizen could only sputter like a fish out of water, his face reddening. "...I have no idea what you're talking about!"
"Echizen! I know you're happy, I can see it when we kissed on the beach the other time!"
"...You planned it on purpose?" Echizen pondered absent mindedly. Momo hugged him tighter and grinned. "I knew it."
"Though it made Sakuno jealous of you, I am really sorry. She didn't expect her handsome senpai to be in love with you."
"... Quit talking. We have half an hour left. What are you going to do?" Echizen mumbled. This is like a dream, a grand, grand dream happening in front of him, and he is going to savour every moment.
And as Momo quietly leaned down for a kiss, Echizen smiled inwardly. Momo is his, all his. And even if took him a year, it is still worth it.
Comments please. :D