the world looks brighter behind a smile
/
It's during the match between Seigaku and Shitenhouji that Atobe falls in love.
Hyoutei watches from the sidelines during Shiraishi and Fuji's match, and Atobe drinks in the way Shiraishi moves across the court, all slender limbs and graceful steps. He feels the urge to be down there, for it to be him playing against Shiraishi.
Oshitari laughs when they walk back to Hyoutei's personal van (provided by Atobe himself, naturally). "You really like Shiraishi, don't you?"
Atobe frowns, a bit peeved by how obvious it apparently was. "How did you know?"
"Your eyes were watching his every movement. You didn't even look at Fuji once." Oshitari smiles and hands Atobe a folded up sticky note. "His number."
/
Atobe calls Shiraishi a week later, asks if maybe he wants to practice together?
/
They shake hands when they meet at the local tennis courts, and Atobe thinks that up close like this, Shiraishi is beautiful. His skin is pale, his fingers long, and his smile — his smile is easy and sweet and it's the prettiest thing Atobe has ever seen.
/
The sun is setting by the time they finish, chests rising and falling quickly. Atobe watches in mild fascination as a drop of sweat slides down Shiraishi's neck, disappearing under the collar of his shirt.
He finds himself moving forward, footsteps rushing faster and faster, and then he's grabbing Shiraishi's shoulder to spin him towards Atobe and —
Their lips meet under the orange sky.
/
"Atobe-san," Shishido hisses, looking scandalized, "why are you holding the hand of an enemy?"
Atobe is standing in the Hyoutei lockers rooms in front of his team, Shiraishi's wrist in his grasp. "This," he declares, pulling Shiraishi (who is looking faintly embarrassed) closer to him, "is Ore-sama's boyfriend. So you should treat him like he is a king."
"Atobe, you don't have to —" Shiraishi starts, laughing, but Atobe just smiles smugly and gives him a kiss.
Gakuto screeches from indecency and for them to "GET A ROOM OH MY EYES", and Oshitari simply chuckles, pushing his glasses up his nose before ushering everyone out.
Shiraishi laughs again, and Atobe thinks that he can certainly get used to this.