Prince of Tennis
Icchan, Atobe, Saeki. Taki/Icchan
This is a short one-shot that I haven't worked on at all. I just needed to get it out of my head, because it was bugging me and wouldn't go away.
Taki was not a religious person, he had told Icchan, and Icchan had asked but I thought your family was? So you're not? Why?
I don't lelieve in God, and don't share my parents faith.
So why, when Taki had wished to not be earthed at a church-yard or being prayed over, why was his parents still holding such a huge ceremony for the teen?
Icchan cleaned his fists in his black dresspants and kept his gaze at them. He only heard the priest talking as a sound in the background as he wondered, over and over. Why? Why did Taki have to die? Stupid, stupid car! Why couldn't it just stop? And why did Taki's family not do as Taki had asked them not to be buried? Why couldn't they listen to his wish? ...why Taki, of all...?
Icchan felt an arm wrap around him and heard Sae's voice whisper in his ear. "Icchan, do you want to say anything?"
Icchan shook his head, but then stood up. He pulled out of Sae's grip and passed him, passed the people he didn't know, the old Hyotei-team and Taki's family. He stepped up to the coffin and put a hand on it. "Hagi-chan..." Then he swallowed hard and turned to look Taki's parents in the eye. "Why won't you listen to him? Why? Why? Why won't you––" His voice broke and he shook his head roughly in an attempt to stop the tears that were flowing freely down his face. "Why do you.. make it so big...? Hagi-chan don't want this...he..." Icchan felt his body convulse and he let himself slip down to the stone-floor. His body shook, and when arms wrapped around him, he leaned into the touch and buried his face in the other teens chest.
Atobe silently led Icchan out of the church, and confused and shocked gazes followed them as they left. "He don't– he don't–– want to... I promised..." Icchan sobbed and Atobe rubbed his back in an attempt to comfort the boy, at least a little.
You know I tild you that I'm not religious? I don't want to be buried at all... I want to be in the wind by your beloved sea... Because if I'm there... then I can... be with Icchan..al..ways...
Icchan had asked Taki's parents to spread Taki's ashes in the wind by the sea. But they didn't want to. Their dear boy deserved more than that.
The tombstone was beautiful, Icchan couldn't deny that. But it felt wrong. Taki wan't supposed to be there.
Tombstones was for people who wanted to have something to cling to, hopes of being able to reunite with their loved ones by being buried in the same grave. It was all artifictial, only a wishful dream, nothing else. Nothing more.
Icchan wanted to make Taki happy. Because Taki had always made him feel like the happiest person on the planet. And Taki wouldn't be happy if it ended like this.
He couldn't help it.
He hadn't been able to sleep, and had wandered to the grave where he knew Taki were buried and he sat on his knees, digging in the wet earth with cold-stiff fingers. It was wrong of him to do it, he knew that, but he needed to. Because Taki.. He loved Taki. More than anything.
He struggled when hands pulled him back and he protested wildly. Then he was turned around and came face to face with Sae. A bit behind him stood Atobe, together with Kabaji.
Icchan looked at them with tired eyes and Sae brushed away dirt and tears that soaked Icchans face. Sae hugged him, then spoke quietly. "He's not there, Icchan..."
"But... I saw when they put the box–"
"Icchan, listen to me." Sae placed his hands firmly on his shoulders. "Keigo... Keigo bribed the people at the undertakers before the funeral.. Taki's cremated and.. in an urn in the car.. We thought you'd be here, so..."
Icchan looked at him in confusion, then he realized what he had just been told. "...eh..?"
"C'mon and leave with us. Sleep, then fulfill Taki's wish. Please Icchan."
Icchan nodded and silently followed Sae to the car, which Atobe and Kabaji had returned to.
Kabaji held an urn in his hands and Icchan took it when he was given it. He hugged it close to him and leaned his cheek against in. Hagi-chan..
He heard Sae exchange low words with Atobe, but ignored it as he clutched the urn tightly to his chest.
He opened his hand and watched the fistful of cries spread by the salty breeze. He took the last of the ashes from the urn and kissed his knuckles. Soon, he thought. Be with me always. I love you, Hagi-chan.
And he opened his hand.
The wind danced and laughed around him, and through the tears that welled up in his eyes, he finally managed a weak smile.