The Universe
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Touma paused, shoving the basketball under his arm while he used the hem of his shirt to wipe beads of sweat from his brow. The action exposed a large expanse of pale skin with beads of sweat sparking on his flesh. Seiji's mouth momentarily went dry.
"You're doing that on purpose." He accused. Touma smirked and threw the ball at him, hitting him in the stomach.
"Stop making excuses and play the game." He said.
"It's not an excuse! You ARE doing it on purpose, aren't you?" The blonde demanded. Touma's smirk just widened.
"Maybe. I'm winning, aren't I?" He responded.
"You're incorrigible."
"I thought that was why you loved me." Touma teased back, batting his eyelashes.
"I may love you, but I'm going to kick your ass this time." Seiji responded.
"We'll see."
Neither was aware of a pair of tiger-blue eyes that watched them play. Ryo stood at the window of his room on the second floor, leaning against the windowsill, his chin resting in his palm. His mouth too went a bit dry and he unconsciously licked his lips at the vision of Touma in a gray tank that clung to his skin with sweat. Gods, did he know, did he have the slightest clue how damn sexy he was without even half trying?
"Who's winning?" A voice behind him asked coolly, and Ryo turned slightly to face the red-haired girl.
"Touma, I assume. He's better at basketball." Ryo replied as Nasutei crossed the room to lean over him and look out the window.
"Looks like a draw to me." She commented, and when Ryo followed her gaze her saw the archer and the swordsman locked together, Touma's hands at the small of Seiji's back and Seiji's fingers twisted into blue strands, their mouths locked hungrily together. The basketball was rolling down court, forgotten. Ryo felt a now-familiar twist in his stomach, like a knife being driven deep into him. He turned his gaze from the window quickly, squeezing his eyes closed for a second. "Does it really bother you that much?"
He blinked at Nasutei. "Wha-what?" he asked.
"I mean, I know you were surprised that they were together but... it doesn't bother you THAT much, does it? They're still your friends." The redheaded girl ploughed on.
Thank god for misinterpretations. After the scene he'd made when he'd found out, everyone had assumed he was freaked by Touma and Seiji's relationship. They assumed that he thought it was strange and unnatural.
'Jealousy' had never even been hinted at.
Lucky lucky him. He could continue to stubbornly suffer in silence.
"No, it doesn't bother me. Just not used to it yet is all." He shrugged in response, his lies entirely too believable.
Nasutei positioned herself on the windowsill, a little too close for comfort. "You sure?" She asked, concerned.
"Yes, I'm sure." Ryo replied, trying to keep the harsh annoyance out of his voice.
Nasutei nodded slightly and stood. "Well, then do stop staring." She said, with a only half-joking smile. "And don't be a recluse, ne? I was beginning to forget what you looked like." She sauntered over to the door, swinging her hips in unconscious half-circles as she walked. "Dinner will be in half an hour, shall I set a place for you?"
He opened his mouth to ask if Seiji and Touma would be joining them tonight, but bit it back. Still, Nasutei seemed to know his intent just the same.
"Touma's going out to dinner with a friend tonight. Seiji will be joining him." She replied. She cocked her head, waiting to see if this were a good or bad thing.
Ryo swallowed. "Go ahead and set me a place, I'll be down." He said dryly.
When he looked back to the driveway, the two boys were gone, and all that remained where they had stood was an orange basketball. Rya had to swallow back the combination of hurt and jealously that rushed over him as he considered where they might have gotten off to.
"Someone get the door!!" Nasutei yelled from the kitchen, and Ryo was forced to oblige since Shuu was wrapped up in the playstation game he was working on. The door opened to reveal a small, violet-haired girl with more piercings than any person should reasonably possess. She smiled broadly at the look of unmitigated surprise he cast on her.
"Hiya. Is Touma here?" She asked with a heavy, unrecognizable accent.
"Uh... yeah." Ryo replied, gesturing her in.
"Tenkyu." She responded with a grin. "Oh, I'm Rairakku Kaiya, and you are?" She held out a hand which he took uncertainly.
"Sanada Ryo." He replied.
"Good ta meetcha! So, you're one of Touma-chan's housemates, ne? I've heard lots about ya. More than I care ta know, really." She said with a smile. "Particularly about Touma-chan's koibito, ya know? But they do look cute together, so I guess I gotta be happy for my tomodachi."
"You REALLY need to stop rambling." Touma said from the stairs. "God, I'm three seconds late and I find you talking Ryo's ear off."
Kaiya grinned broadly and winked at the blue-haired boy. "Hey, I thought that was why ya loved me Touma-chan!"
"Who ever said I LOVED you, Kaiya, hmm?" he replied with an equally broad smile.
"Ah, ya don't have ta say it. I know ya do." She dismissed. She glanced briefly at the watch hidden among her bracelets. "Where's your koi? We're gonna be late. I even made reservations and if he makes us late..."
"I'm not going to make us late." Seiji said, coming down the stairs, buttoning the cuffs of the pure white oxford he wore. "Why are you cutting things so close, anyway?"
"Hey! Don't try ta put this on me! You're the one who always spends half an hour on his hair!" She shot back.
It was Touma who managed to get the violet-haired girl out of the door, and Seiji followed her. The blue-haired boy looked over his shoulder one more time before closing the door, to see Ryo behind him. He smiled slightly, just a small, sincere smile that made Ryo wish that he could pull the other boy into his arms as he was sure Seiji would.
"Don't wait up." Touma said with a slight laugh, and the door closed between them.
He didn't hear the warrior of Rekka breathe his name, so softly that even to the speaker it sounded only like a touch of wind.
*~*~*
