Okay, so all the info's up here. Listen up.

The Web Challenge is a challenge that was thought up by me and totally co-founded by AtobeLover that promotes the writing of weird pairings. We do mostly Ryoma- centric one-shots or fics but it's not limited. The rules are pretty simple:

Since I'm the first one to start I write my weird pairing then at the end of it I throw the next pairing down below. AtobeLover gets to go after me but after that she gets to pick the next pairing and it's free game.

It doesn't matter how many people do that pairing as long as they keep the ball rolling by choosing the next pairing at the bottom. If anyone has any questions then I am ever here.

Have fun.

-Sy

Note: This is an AU of my AU fic Remember The Taste. If you haven't read it then maybe you should. Or, I don't know, don't. It's a free country.

Warnings: Language. Yaoi/ Slash. Implied sex. OOCness but I don't really care.

8

Ryoma got lost some days.

He could suffer through English class (Though he could've taught it better then the sensei did), put up with Horio's constant talking and ignore the way Sakuno was always trying to do something around him. He did it daily and sometimes – though he'd never admit to anyone but himself- he enjoyed being surrounded people who counted on him.

But there were those days when his alarm would ring and he'd have to fight the urge to try to stop it. The alarm. The people. The noise. It flitted in the back of his head like static. Then he'd remember; this wasn't right. His world wasn't a drawing anyone would sketch and compliment for being perfect. It was an array of dark colors with patterns of hardwood floors and angry cuts.

Are you okay? Someone would ask. It baffled him, the absolute stupidity and obliviousness of everyone. They expected real answers to a question so vague it could hardly be considered a question. It was a trap. The only real answer was I'm fine which pratically translated to: No, but I can't put this insanity into words.

Fuji and Tezuka had a startling ability to catch on. They left him alone, didn't talk to him unless he started a conversation. That made the noise worse. He leaned against the fence, eyes closed. He should have been running, but it was a relatively nice day and he didn't feel like wasting the feel of it. He could hear heavy breathing and the whacking noises of balls hitting racquets. Horio was still talking.

"Are you okay?" Oishi.

No matter how he acted, that voice was always worried and those hands were always fussing over him. Oishi cared, even though he really didn't have to. So he opened his eyes to lie.

"Fine."

The day went on as normally as a day that wasn't normal could. Momo took him to get hamburgers and talked about random, unimportant things that didn't need to be said but filled out the empty spaces. Two girls pointed at them and giggled but Ryoma ignored them. Momo didn't seem to notice.

When Ryoma got home he sat at the kitchen table alone. His parents were on vacation for a week and his cousin was out shopping. There was a knock and reluctantly he got up and opened the door. He raised an eyebrow at the familiar sight of red hair.

Eiji brushed past him and was silent all the way to the trudge to Ryoma's room. The black sheets were twisted, the room cluttered. All he wanted to do was sleep so tomorrow everything could go back to normal. He turned to see his senpai's gaze on the floor.

"Was there something you wanted?"

"You're so hard to know."

Ryoma slumped unto his bed. He was too tired for this, this burst of randomness. Maybe any other day. But not today. "What are you talking about?"

Eiji just repeated, voice cracking like a glass vase, "You're so hard to know."

He decided to repeat his question. "What are-"

"You're arrogant and you have such an overwhelming amount of confidence it's kind of annoying. You think your better then this, then me. But your not. You're just as lost as I am." Eiji's voice was soft but his tone spread across the room. Ryoma made a noise in the back of his throat because the whole day hurt and he did not want to be living it anymore. And why now? It'd been months. Three months, two weeks and three days to be exact. They hadn't made eye contact or spoken. Ryoma had avoided him because he didn't know what to say, couldn't begin to find a place to start.

"You slept with Fuji. Fuji, Eiji. I'm not mad. Not one bit. But you know me. You know how much that hurts."

The redhead crouched on the floor suddenly and it was at times like these when he remembered how much older the boy was then him. But they were at that awkward hovering of being too young and too old, all at once. "I'm sorry. Just don't give up on me."

He licked his lips and touched the boy's arm. He was thinner then he should've been and the loose knot of guilt in his stomach tightened. He was still so hurt but sometimes loving someone had to be made enough. Ryoma twisted his lips into a smile. "As long as you don't give up on me."

3

"I want to cuddle." Ryoma sighed at Eiji's pleading, from his corner of the bed. Cuddling was uncomfortable though Eiji was warm and he was not. But he hated the vulnerability in it. Rolling over, he let Eiji pull him to his chest and grip. He burrowed into the heat, shivering when Eiji kissed him on the neck. He really did hate cuddling.

But maybe he could make an exception.

1

"Echizen?" He looked up; taking in Eiji's droopy shoulders and recognizing the signs from a mile away.

"Had another fight with Oishi?"

The boy's eyes shone and suddenly his head was on Ryoma's lap, startling him enough that his head knocked against the lockers and he hissed in pain. Eiji apologized but he ignored it because his senpai was crying.

"What was it about this time?"

The redhead whispered something into his leg. The sensation of those lips against his thigh was embarrassingly pleasant. "Repeat that."

Kikumaru sighed then lifted his head. His eyes were red but he made him look even more adorable, if that was possible. "It was about you."

And because Ryoma was oh so cool he said, "Oh."

"Yeah," Kikumaru lay back down. "Oh."

2

They were so different and sometimes Ryoma didn't understand Eiji's vigor and seemingly boundless cheer. He didn't understand why the redhead liked to hug him tight or yell things that should have been whispered. He didn't understand the selflessness that was almost childlike in its simplicity.

Because Ryoma was alone and lonely and having someone who chased those feelings away was both wonderful and terrifying.

7

"I think something's wrong with Fuji."

Ryoma raised an eyebrow from the seat beside the window of the classroom. Technically, they weren't supposed to be there but technically he didn't care. Eiji was squirming on the chair across from him. Sitting was not his favorite activity. "You mean beside from the very obvious things wrong with Fuji?"

Eiji didn't laugh. "I think it might be Yuuta again. His brother's terrible."

"Then we'll check up on him." He stood up and held out his hand, smiling when a thinner one curled around it.

4

"If you could be anyone, anyone in the world, who would you be?" Eiji leaned down, taking a break from ripping blades of grass up and pretending that they were snow. They were in a field behind the park. It was peaceful place that had slowly become their hide away.

"I don't know." Ryoma frowned from below him. "Who would you be?"

"God."

Ryoma snorted but then he noticed Eiji's face, recognizing the serious light and sobered. "Why?"

"It has to be difficult to be a parent, but think about being a parent to everyone, everything."

"That sounds terrible."

"No, Ryoma." Eiji rolled next to him and kissed him. The redhead's lips were dry and the kiss was sloppy but he relaxed into being with someone else. "It sounds beautiful."

5

Ryoma hissed in annoyance but tried again. He crossed one foot then stepped back. The music was easy to pick up but he still felt like he was doing it wrong. He stepped forward, gripping his boyfriend's waist for support but then he tripped bringing down Eiji with him. Stupid rug. Stupid living room. Stupid dancing. A hand stretched out to help him up and turned to find a pair of brown-blue eyes laughing at him. He scowled.

"What's so funny?"

Eiji tilted his head innocently. But his lips were twitching. Stupid boyfriend. "You know, for someone who's so great at tennis you suck at dancing."

He stomped his left foot and he didn't care that probably made him look like a five year old, he wasn't going to stand for such blatant teasing. "I'm not a girl. Sorry I can't do whatever the hell your doing."

"Are you calling me a girl?" He asked, narrowing his eyes. Ryoma backtracked.

"No. I mean, ugh. Can we just not?"

"Fine. But everyone, including Fuji, will hear about this tomorrow."

Wow. Um. No. He groaned and got into position again. Stupid Fuji.

6

They called it screwing, fucking, sex. But they were all too dirty a word for it.

He could feel every beat of Eiji's heart and his name was important, revered. They moved as waves, crashing against the sand but pushing and pulling towards each other. Eiji's skin was salty as the sea. Sweat poured off them and they shared it everything in that moment, the three letter words that had never been spoken before. There was more then just the obvious pleasure of being connected to someone. There was that little second of understanding. Of knowing why it really mattered, honestly. It was more then screwing, fucking, sex, it wasn't even making love, because that had already been created. It was the act of clicking. Of realization. Of actively wanting. He pressed a small kiss to Eiji's ear and they flowed together and even when they stilled they never truly stopped.

Horio/ Ryoma

See ya there.