AN: In celebration of Valentine's Day, I'll introduce other couples (lesser known or otherwise) of Eyeshield in this one because it's fun to spread the love of other couples. The couples being featured are marked next to the drabble title; dashes connecting names indicate the feelings being one-sided. Some are chosen while others were randomly listed somewhere on a Japanese website. Still has Jyuumonji x Sena goodness mentioned in all of them. Disclaimer (gotta put it up at least once): Eyeshield 21 and its characters aren't mine (though it would be awesome if Devil Bat was). Posted.
16. Warmth – 1 sentence
When he felt someone tug on the ends of his night shirt, Jyuumonji, angered by being jerked away from his marvelous fantasy, was ready to punch his intruder, but stopped when he heard Sena whimper about a bad dream, and, without waiting to hear the rest of the boy's plea, wordlessly wrapped his blanket around both of them; least to keep the cold from getting in and, much to his private joy, for the brunet's warm smile.
17. Discovered – 1 sentence; Hiruma/Mamori
Jyuumonji, briefly stupefied by his discovery of the manager with the team's captain kissing in the closet while on his search for a flashlight, soon ran for his life as bullets and missiles fired from the women zinged past his head; later, when Sena innocently asked if he still wanted to go at the beach that night for their walk, the ruffian blushed and offered to go to the park instead.
18. Preoccupied – 1 sentence; Shin-- Sena
Shin returned uncharacteristically earlier than usual to the weight room that day with the image of his rival hugging another man burned within his mind; he was so focused on it that he neglected to spot Sakuraba's weight-lifting bar, accidentally ramming into one the sides and tipping the bench over, toppling the weights onto the coach's foot, leading him to be sentenced to thirty days of punishment of cleaning the jerseys and the gym with a toothbrush every day after practice.
19. Trapped – 1 sentence; Musashi-- Jyuumonji; Hiruma/Musashi?
The older teen kept his interests for the blond in check, though he couldn't resist stealing a glance to him ever so often when he allowed it, ever so respectful to look away from the blond and Sena when they walked hand-in-hand away after practice, all the while privately cursing his weakness for Jyuumonji's blushing face; one day, while leisurely observing the linemen practicing, Hiruma stealthily mentioned to him some pictures he may or may not have in his possession of him, and Musashi didn't need to see them to know he was caught red-handed, raising a wicked cackle and a sinister, "Ya ha", to rise behind him.
20. Dissimilarity – 1 sentence; Musashi/Suzuna
Suzuna sighed when she watched Sena and Jyuumonji bashfully walk away together under the firework lit sky, dreamily wondering aloud if they were too different for one another for it to last, when her date silenced her by offering her candy from the festival; Musashi smiled when Suzuna pecked his cheek and dragged him to enjoy the games, somehow liking how different they were and loved every minute of it.
21. Rain – Togano/Kuroki; Kuroki-- Jyuumonji; Togano-- Jyuumonji
Togano rolled on his side when he heard a familiar thump bang at his apartment door. He crushed away the ashes from his nearly wasted drag and plodded his way to answer, Shonen Jump in hand; his reflective shades left behind on his bed. He knowingly opened the door and, while expecting to hear two grunts and two pairs of shoes fling off in their respective cubs, was a little surprised to watch a lone Kuroki, drenched with rain, smile in greeting and politely step inside.
"A little" only because he reckoned the blond had finally gained the courage to confess to Sena today.
"Hey, Toga," Kuroki murmured and shook his head to rid himself of the rain. Togano reached to the laundry rack behind him and threw his friend a yellow towel, noticing that it merely rested serenely in Kuroki's hands. "You-know-who is finally doing it today."
"Yeah, figured as much," Togano whispered, disregarding the alleged hurt in the other teen's voice for the moment.
Kuroki grinned wider, kicking his shoes off and trudged a wet trail of footsteps to the nearby window; Togano silently followed. The tanned teen draped the worn towel over his shoulders, not bothering to dry himself quite yet.
"Least 'Monji's happy now," the longer haired boy mused, shuddering slightly from the cold. "Y'know… since he'll finally get it off his chest."
"And that runt'll know what he's been missing all this time," Togano rejoined, feeling slightly empty when the words slipped from his lips.
They waited in silence, hoping Jyuumonji would somehow come bursting into the apartment and demand they get into a fight somewhere or something like that. Kuroki sneezed, and shook his head violently while pondering his thoughts aloud.
"Think it'll go well?" he sniffled, telling himself that it was because of the rain and nothing else.
"Who knows?" the spiky haired teen countered softly, his usual cynicism light against the pitter-patter of the rain.
They both knew the answer, though they refused to say it.
At first, they were skeptical when they spotted the blond eyeing the smaller boy with a flushed face, thinking it to be a fluke. Soon they realized it was real when Sena began to call for Jyuumonji more and ran faithfully to the blond's side. Togano knew all too well how Kuroki felt about Jyuumonji. He knew that the tanned teen had a royal crush on their leader, one he desperately tried to give up on when Sena came into the picture. Arguing that it was chivalry or something like that was what the other teen declared. The spiky haired teen admitted having a passing crush on their leader after being dogged by Kuroki about it. Regrettably, they knew they were only friends in the blond's eyes and tried their best to relent their frustrations.
Swearing on a pile of Togano's magazines and a pile of Kuroki's video games, they both pledged to do the right thing. They avidly avoided their feelings, choosing to tease the blond endlessly about his crush and to jeer at his cowardice. Maybe they just liked to see Jyuumonji actually blush over something as petty as the brat. They egged him on and told them all they knew on dealing with dates, which admittedly was sparse but given anyways. Sena's happiness made it easier for them to forget. Anything for his sake, they agreed. Anything to make him happy so we can forget about how we feel, they agreed.
Togano mysteriously felt a pit of ache swell in his chest, not knowing whether it was from the fear of losing the blond as a friend or something else entirely, but felt it just the same. It didn't take the spiky hair teen much time to think his friend had thoughts matching his own. He frowned as the shaggy haired teen, still shivering and soaked, tried to change the subject, babbling about finding some guys to fight, his voice nearly shattered.
Togano couldn't stand it anymore.
Slowly, almost against his will, he wound his arm around Kuroki's neck and gently pulled him close. He was surprised for the second time that evening when Kuroki suddenly tackled him to the floor, and wrapped his arms tightly around his waist. He felt the shivering teen's tears dampen his shoulder, clenching his jaw in response to Kuroki's violent sobbing. He dragged a nearby blanket to cover them and kept his gaze to the ceiling.
"Toga… why couldn't I tell him sooner?" Kuroki choked, making the calmer teen wince.
"Who knows?" Togano soothingly repeated, mutely drawing another cigarette from his pocket. He lit it and loosely placed it between his lips, and, for their sakes, inwardly vowed to do anything to keep the brunet from ever crying again.
