a/n: nyaaaaa -_-;; I know that I should've finished 'be mine' by now, but I'm a habitual procrastinator ^^;; I'll take care of it eventually, by white day at least ~.^.

This fic was inspired by a conversation with some annoying [but cute ~.^] people in my life. and if any of the people i know at my school read this i'm probably dead through teasing >

Otanjobi Omedetou

-amirynn-

Eiji scowled at the display; none of these ribbons were the right colour, and it had to be just right because Syu-san's birthday really only came once every four years and he wanted to make sure he got this right.

With a gasp he found it. A black ribbon with sapphire and grey embroidery on it.

==+==

He remembered when he first met Syu-san. Mitsu-kun (why he had the guts to call Buchou 'Mitsu-kun' and Fuji 'Syu-san' was a question that Oishi often posed him, and he'd smiled and said that it was because he could get away with it, and get away with it he did) had been telling him and Oishi about the quiet tensai who had been an impressive enough tennis player to force him to use his left hand, and then Syu-san had come out smiling and introduced himself as "Fuji Syusuke."

Even then there had been something, a tingling awareness that filled him when he met the bright blue eyes that burned straight through him; something about the tensai had said 'I see your mask, because mine is as intricate; I'm an enigma you won't be able to solve.'

And because he was Kikumaru Eiji, because he had more secrets about himself than any other person he knew other than maybe the man standing before him, because he was tired of straight-forward guys like Mitsu-kun, like Oishi.... he'd answered the challenge.

Despite all the teasing, the shocks, and the failed glomps; he doesn't regret it to this day.

==+==

With a grin, he looked closer at the sample ribbon on display. The grey and sapphire threads made a stark contrast to their black background as they twisted in a simple, yet elegant double helix. His eyes grew cloudy with memory, then he snapped out of it and bounded towards the cash register.

==+==

He remembers their second year, and how Syu-san would smile at him.

He remembers that infuriating look that, really, only Syu-san could pull off- the one that smirks through the smile while the smallest glimmer of sapphires peeks out at you. The one that looks at you, and sees all of you.

He remembers it because that year Syu-san would ask him why he was still in the club house and, "Ara? Waiting for Oishi, ne?" then give him that look, eyes seeming to rake his form before settling back into that smile. It would make him flush, cheeks a distinct red as he wondered if, for the nth time, if Syu-san knew. He still does it now, but he doesn't mind it so much.

It means that Syu-san is still drawn to him.

It was also last year that he discovered when Syu-san's birthday was.

He'd come in February 28th, confident in thinking that Syusuke's birthday would be the next day and that he had one more day to wrap the gift sitting on his desk. Imagine his surprise when Syu-san informed him, with no change in expression, that his birthday was really on February 29, and that he alternated celebrating his birthday on March 1st and February 28th as the years cycled.

Syusuke had also seen fit to tell him, Taka-san, Oishi, Tezuka, and Inui that he wouldn't accept presents a day late, because of something his Nee-san had told him. The others had smiled and taken the presents out- telling Syu-san that they'd come prepared, after all March first was a game day and they would probably forget to hand of their gift with all the adrenaline. In the end, only he hadn't given Syu-san a gift that year, and he'd apologized.

After his apology, Syu-san looked at him solemnly then opened his eyes.

"The only gift I'd ever want from you, you've already given to someone more deserving. It's alright Eiji, you can just make it up to me next year."

Then Syusuke eyes had melted into something that almost looked wounded, and Eiji had pulled his friend into a warm hug, ignoring the shivers that went down his spine as they touched in favour of comforting his friend.

It was several months later, when Syusuke had decimated Oishi in a particularly unforgiving match that what Syu-san had said clicked in his mind and he'd shaken his head about how much of a baka his friend was, and how much of a baka he was.

Syusuke had been as fooled as the rest of his team appeared to be, but he didn't love Oishi, even if everyone else, including Oishi himself, seemed to think that he did.

And like so many other things, when Eiji fell in love, it was real, and because this was the only chance he felt he had left, he couldn't, wouldn't, screw it up.

==+==

With a smile, he paid for his purchase and left the store.

-tsuzuku-

it doesn't make much sense but :shrugs: .....~.^ I have the last part of this typed out already, so I'll just wait until the twenty-ninth to post it :giggle: