Episode 3: Tryouts
***
"What do you mean this crap is meat? It looks like mud! Probably tastes like it as well" Chou shouted at the cafeteria lady.
"Listen you take it or leave it!"
"This doesn't even looked cooked!"
"Take it or leave it Youjin!"
"Fine I'll take it." he winced as the goo was slopped onto his plate. "Oh and Mrs. Li?"
"What?"
"I missed you too." Chou made kissing noises and laughed as the elderly woman smiled, he had always fought with her, ever since he bought his first lunch here.
"Hey Tari what are you looking at?" he asked as he joined his friend.
"Look at the way that slut is draping herself all over my Aoshi!" he looked at the direction he was pointing at and saw Tomoe not only apart from Aoshi but both seemed aloof to each other.
"What are you talking about you loon? Yukishiro and Shinomori aren't even close to each other, Seta is in between them for crying out loud!"
"Yes but look at her try to seduce him!"
"She's not even looking at him."
"Oh the agony…did you see the new teacher? Sano's teacher is so cute with his red hair and…" Chou just sighed. He had known Kamatari since they were in junior high, even before he started chasing guys.
"Chou? Chou?"
"What?"
"Nothing." He smiled he could be so cute sometimes. Kamatari used to play for the team when they were in junior high, he taught Sano everything about the game.
Kamatari had always looked like a girl and his boys' clothes always made others take a second look, but when he started wearing a skirt people really thought he was a girl.
"Hey Kamatari." Tomoe smiled as she, Aoshi and Soujiro joined them.
"Hey Tomoe did you see the movie on…" Another thing about Kamatari was that he was never really serious about Aoshi, it was just a cover up. In truth the four of them were the closest friends since they all came from the same junior high and have been classmates ever since. It was just a running gag for them.
"Chou? What's with you man?" Kamatari asked as he was jolted out of his contemplation.
"I think its something in the food." he smiled.
***
"Hey squirt!" Sano called his little brother.
"Shut up Sano." Yahiko pouted.
"Come join us, bring your little friend as well." He waved.
"Maybe we shouldn't…" Tsubame said looking at the upperclassmen.
"Aw come on Kitano." Yahiko said moving towards the junior's table.
"Hey guys you all know my baby brother Yahiko and this is his girlfriend Tsubame."
"She is not my girlfriend!" He squealed grabbing some of Sano's fries.
"Hahaha you both do have the same hair." Shiro laughed.
"Yeah but I am better looking." Sano smiled.
"Nah Kamatari looks better than both of you."
"He looks like a girl!" Yahiko burst out.
"Anyway this is Shiro, Kaoru and Enishi."
"Hello." The girl smiled shyly.
"So Tsubame, you and Yahiko-chan were classmates in junior high?" Kaoru winked at the younger boy.
"Don't call me chan!"
"You're in high school already?" Enishi asked raising his eyebrow.
"Yep and I'm gonna try out for the varsity."
"Good luck then."
"Thanks."
"Hey too bad Kamatari doesn't play for the team anymore, then we would have three Sagaras on the team."
"If he gets in, what is it with you and my brother? You have a crush on him don't you?"
"Do not!"
"Anyway we have to go, come on Kitano I need to copy your homework." He said dragging her away.
"Nice to meet all of you." she called over her shoulder. Sano watched them walk away trying to remember when she had stopped coming to their house. He shook his head, he wouldn't go down that road…he was notorious when it came to women but he wasn't THAT evil.
***
"Wait until you reached your high point you idiot!" Kamatari called as he passed Yahiko the ball. "You shoot when you're going up, you won't maximize your height that way."
"Look at your stance, you're gonna get pushed over. Its not stable enough!" he kept giving pointers to the younger boy. They were in the court waiting for the tryouts.
A couple of boys entered the indoor court and saw the two of them, they made cat calls at Kamatari's legs which were being shown in abundance due to his very short shorts. He looked back at them and winked.
"Eeeew its Kamatari yuck yuck!" they made choking noises as Kamatari gave them the finger.
"Hey Oniisan?" He looked back at his younger brother, he smiled wasn't it only yesterday that he was bossing Sano around.
"Yeah?"
"Um could you be here during try outs?"
"Sano will be here." He said shooting another free throw.
"But I want you to be here, its different when you're here."
"Please Tari?" he pleaded using his irresistible little brother voice.
Kamatari looked at his younger brother, his eyes softened.
***
Try outs have been going on for about an hour now and he was standing outside the gym's doors looking like an idiot. He knew he should be inside, Yahiko wanted him to be there.
He loved playing, it's just that he didn't want to be around all that testosterone anymore, not to mention the new coach was a real pain. He took one look at Kamatari and the word homophobe was written all over his face. Kamatari decided he didn't want that facing him every time he showed up for practice.
He was actually the best player of the Sagara brothers, his father's pride and his heart attack when he saw him in a girl's uniform and looking damn good in it. After Mr. Sagara recovered his shock settled in to helpless acceptance as his wife fussed over the new 'daughter' she had always wanted.
"Tari?" he spun around to see Soujiro looking at him. "Are you ok?"
He managed a smile. "Yeah."
"You miss the court?" Soujiro asked looking at him, in their little group only Soujiro didn't play ball. At first they thought he might feel left out having preferred theater than basketball, they teased him endlessly about it.
"Nah. Not really." He said looking at the papers in his hands. "Drama club?"
"Yep, we might do Cupid and Psyche. Corny huh?" he laughed showing him the script.
"Let me guess, you're Cupid?" he smirked, his friend was the best actor in their school, ever since sophomore year he had been getting lead roles.
"Nope I have to audition first."
"You'll get it."
"Which reminds me, would you like to audition seeing as you haven't had a club for a year now."
"Nah, I'm not cut out for theater."
"I think you'd be great."
"What's it about anyway?"
"About a girl who had true love and lost it and did everything in her power to find it again."
"Did she?"
"You're gonna have to audition to find out." He smiled.
"Nice try Seta."
"What have you got to lose? Come on for me?" he pouted.
"We'll see." The taller boy brightened and continued walking. Kamatari turned back to the gym doors and the squeaking of the sneakers inside. "We'll see."
***
"Go Yahiko!" he called from the stands, his little brother looked up at him and he waved.
"Hey Kamatari! Come sit with us!" Shiro called. The whole team looked up at him.
"No, I'm ok here." He smiled.
"Yeah Oniisan so you can see how it feels like to sit on the player's bench." Sano called, they were waiting for the tryouts to finish.
"Yeah I know what it feels like. And I know what it feels like to win MVP. TWICE!" he called.
"Come on Kamatari!" again Shiro called.
"Man you really have a thing for him dontcha?" Sano hit him on the head.
"Tari, come sit with us." Aoshi called.
"No thanks." He said sticking his tongue out, he didn't want to be near the court, he might miss it suddenly.
***
"Training team, Ayanami, Sato and Sagara. You start training next week. To all the rest thank you for trying out and maybe next year you boys will get in." The coach called. A cheer was heard as the team welcomed the new Sagara.
"I did it Tari!" he ran up to his older brother.
"Yeah you did, I knew you would." He smiled weakly as they climbed down the bleachers.
"I can't wait to tell Tsubame!" he jumped up and down.
"Go wash up I'll wait for you outside." He said pushing him toward the showers.
He began to walk out of the courts praying that they did not take notice of him.
"Ok dress up and start running laps." Shishio ordered. Kamatari hastened his pace. "Kamatari, can I talk to you for a second?" he froze.
"Uh yeah coach?" he stopped turning around. The older man started walking towards him.
"I can really use a good guard." The coach hinted.
"Sorry sugar but all you're going to get out of me is a cheerleader!" he winked.
"Aw come on Sagara!"
"Coach Makoto you have two Sagaras already you don't need another one!" he said leaving
"If you don't join the team I will kick Yahiko out!"
Kamatari turned around. "You wouldn't dare!"
"You said so yourself, two time MVP and a hell of a handler. I would be stupid to let you slip through my fingers."
"So you finally got over your fear of queers?" he asked arching his brow.
"Er yes, very much." He smiled unconvincingly.
"Since you asked so nice and since I know it's killing you just to ask me to join, yeah I'll give it a shot." he said.
"Great I'll see you at practice next Friday then."
"Yeah and you better be ready coz I'll be bringing all my gay pheromones with me!" he laughed as the coach paled.
***
He looked at himself in the mirror his old jersey not quite fitting him anymore.
"How is it?" Sano asked looking in on him.
"It's a tad too small." He pouted.
"Hahahhah" Sano broke into laughter, unable to contain it anymore. It fit him so tight the uniform was literally breaking at the seams.
"Shut up Sano!" he said in a foul mood.
"Why what's up?" Yahiko joined them, freezing for a moment when he saw his eldest brother before joining his other brother rolling on the floor with laughter.
"Give me one of yours Sano." He said going to his closet.
"Hey!" Sano said chasing after him.
"Hmmm I could put a nice bias over here and maybe trim these shorts a little, cut some fabric off here coz Sano's so fat…" he said eyeing Sano's red jersey.
"You could just wear your P.E. uniform, that's what we all wear when in practice you know." Sano said unwilling to hand over one of his jerseys to be mutilated at his brother's hands.
"Yuck that garish thing? I wouldn't be caught dead in that!"
"Geez its only practice oniisan." Yahiko said.
"Yes and I shall be stylish in it!" Kamatari said retreating back to his room.
"It would be quite a sight in the interhigh. Our best point guard will be squealing once the other team enters the court." Sano said shaking his head. But already both of them knew practice would be a lot more fun now that Kamatari was there.
***
notes: I decided not to put any serious stuff in this fic, rk was depressing enough as it is I think I'll have fun with this one…
***
"What do you mean this crap is meat? It looks like mud! Probably tastes like it as well" Chou shouted at the cafeteria lady.
"Listen you take it or leave it!"
"This doesn't even looked cooked!"
"Take it or leave it Youjin!"
"Fine I'll take it." he winced as the goo was slopped onto his plate. "Oh and Mrs. Li?"
"What?"
"I missed you too." Chou made kissing noises and laughed as the elderly woman smiled, he had always fought with her, ever since he bought his first lunch here.
"Hey Tari what are you looking at?" he asked as he joined his friend.
"Look at the way that slut is draping herself all over my Aoshi!" he looked at the direction he was pointing at and saw Tomoe not only apart from Aoshi but both seemed aloof to each other.
"What are you talking about you loon? Yukishiro and Shinomori aren't even close to each other, Seta is in between them for crying out loud!"
"Yes but look at her try to seduce him!"
"She's not even looking at him."
"Oh the agony…did you see the new teacher? Sano's teacher is so cute with his red hair and…" Chou just sighed. He had known Kamatari since they were in junior high, even before he started chasing guys.
"Chou? Chou?"
"What?"
"Nothing." He smiled he could be so cute sometimes. Kamatari used to play for the team when they were in junior high, he taught Sano everything about the game.
Kamatari had always looked like a girl and his boys' clothes always made others take a second look, but when he started wearing a skirt people really thought he was a girl.
"Hey Kamatari." Tomoe smiled as she, Aoshi and Soujiro joined them.
"Hey Tomoe did you see the movie on…" Another thing about Kamatari was that he was never really serious about Aoshi, it was just a cover up. In truth the four of them were the closest friends since they all came from the same junior high and have been classmates ever since. It was just a running gag for them.
"Chou? What's with you man?" Kamatari asked as he was jolted out of his contemplation.
"I think its something in the food." he smiled.
***
"Hey squirt!" Sano called his little brother.
"Shut up Sano." Yahiko pouted.
"Come join us, bring your little friend as well." He waved.
"Maybe we shouldn't…" Tsubame said looking at the upperclassmen.
"Aw come on Kitano." Yahiko said moving towards the junior's table.
"Hey guys you all know my baby brother Yahiko and this is his girlfriend Tsubame."
"She is not my girlfriend!" He squealed grabbing some of Sano's fries.
"Hahaha you both do have the same hair." Shiro laughed.
"Yeah but I am better looking." Sano smiled.
"Nah Kamatari looks better than both of you."
"He looks like a girl!" Yahiko burst out.
"Anyway this is Shiro, Kaoru and Enishi."
"Hello." The girl smiled shyly.
"So Tsubame, you and Yahiko-chan were classmates in junior high?" Kaoru winked at the younger boy.
"Don't call me chan!"
"You're in high school already?" Enishi asked raising his eyebrow.
"Yep and I'm gonna try out for the varsity."
"Good luck then."
"Thanks."
"Hey too bad Kamatari doesn't play for the team anymore, then we would have three Sagaras on the team."
"If he gets in, what is it with you and my brother? You have a crush on him don't you?"
"Do not!"
"Anyway we have to go, come on Kitano I need to copy your homework." He said dragging her away.
"Nice to meet all of you." she called over her shoulder. Sano watched them walk away trying to remember when she had stopped coming to their house. He shook his head, he wouldn't go down that road…he was notorious when it came to women but he wasn't THAT evil.
***
"Wait until you reached your high point you idiot!" Kamatari called as he passed Yahiko the ball. "You shoot when you're going up, you won't maximize your height that way."
"Look at your stance, you're gonna get pushed over. Its not stable enough!" he kept giving pointers to the younger boy. They were in the court waiting for the tryouts.
A couple of boys entered the indoor court and saw the two of them, they made cat calls at Kamatari's legs which were being shown in abundance due to his very short shorts. He looked back at them and winked.
"Eeeew its Kamatari yuck yuck!" they made choking noises as Kamatari gave them the finger.
"Hey Oniisan?" He looked back at his younger brother, he smiled wasn't it only yesterday that he was bossing Sano around.
"Yeah?"
"Um could you be here during try outs?"
"Sano will be here." He said shooting another free throw.
"But I want you to be here, its different when you're here."
"Please Tari?" he pleaded using his irresistible little brother voice.
Kamatari looked at his younger brother, his eyes softened.
***
Try outs have been going on for about an hour now and he was standing outside the gym's doors looking like an idiot. He knew he should be inside, Yahiko wanted him to be there.
He loved playing, it's just that he didn't want to be around all that testosterone anymore, not to mention the new coach was a real pain. He took one look at Kamatari and the word homophobe was written all over his face. Kamatari decided he didn't want that facing him every time he showed up for practice.
He was actually the best player of the Sagara brothers, his father's pride and his heart attack when he saw him in a girl's uniform and looking damn good in it. After Mr. Sagara recovered his shock settled in to helpless acceptance as his wife fussed over the new 'daughter' she had always wanted.
"Tari?" he spun around to see Soujiro looking at him. "Are you ok?"
He managed a smile. "Yeah."
"You miss the court?" Soujiro asked looking at him, in their little group only Soujiro didn't play ball. At first they thought he might feel left out having preferred theater than basketball, they teased him endlessly about it.
"Nah. Not really." He said looking at the papers in his hands. "Drama club?"
"Yep, we might do Cupid and Psyche. Corny huh?" he laughed showing him the script.
"Let me guess, you're Cupid?" he smirked, his friend was the best actor in their school, ever since sophomore year he had been getting lead roles.
"Nope I have to audition first."
"You'll get it."
"Which reminds me, would you like to audition seeing as you haven't had a club for a year now."
"Nah, I'm not cut out for theater."
"I think you'd be great."
"What's it about anyway?"
"About a girl who had true love and lost it and did everything in her power to find it again."
"Did she?"
"You're gonna have to audition to find out." He smiled.
"Nice try Seta."
"What have you got to lose? Come on for me?" he pouted.
"We'll see." The taller boy brightened and continued walking. Kamatari turned back to the gym doors and the squeaking of the sneakers inside. "We'll see."
***
"Go Yahiko!" he called from the stands, his little brother looked up at him and he waved.
"Hey Kamatari! Come sit with us!" Shiro called. The whole team looked up at him.
"No, I'm ok here." He smiled.
"Yeah Oniisan so you can see how it feels like to sit on the player's bench." Sano called, they were waiting for the tryouts to finish.
"Yeah I know what it feels like. And I know what it feels like to win MVP. TWICE!" he called.
"Come on Kamatari!" again Shiro called.
"Man you really have a thing for him dontcha?" Sano hit him on the head.
"Tari, come sit with us." Aoshi called.
"No thanks." He said sticking his tongue out, he didn't want to be near the court, he might miss it suddenly.
***
"Training team, Ayanami, Sato and Sagara. You start training next week. To all the rest thank you for trying out and maybe next year you boys will get in." The coach called. A cheer was heard as the team welcomed the new Sagara.
"I did it Tari!" he ran up to his older brother.
"Yeah you did, I knew you would." He smiled weakly as they climbed down the bleachers.
"I can't wait to tell Tsubame!" he jumped up and down.
"Go wash up I'll wait for you outside." He said pushing him toward the showers.
He began to walk out of the courts praying that they did not take notice of him.
"Ok dress up and start running laps." Shishio ordered. Kamatari hastened his pace. "Kamatari, can I talk to you for a second?" he froze.
"Uh yeah coach?" he stopped turning around. The older man started walking towards him.
"I can really use a good guard." The coach hinted.
"Sorry sugar but all you're going to get out of me is a cheerleader!" he winked.
"Aw come on Sagara!"
"Coach Makoto you have two Sagaras already you don't need another one!" he said leaving
"If you don't join the team I will kick Yahiko out!"
Kamatari turned around. "You wouldn't dare!"
"You said so yourself, two time MVP and a hell of a handler. I would be stupid to let you slip through my fingers."
"So you finally got over your fear of queers?" he asked arching his brow.
"Er yes, very much." He smiled unconvincingly.
"Since you asked so nice and since I know it's killing you just to ask me to join, yeah I'll give it a shot." he said.
"Great I'll see you at practice next Friday then."
"Yeah and you better be ready coz I'll be bringing all my gay pheromones with me!" he laughed as the coach paled.
***
He looked at himself in the mirror his old jersey not quite fitting him anymore.
"How is it?" Sano asked looking in on him.
"It's a tad too small." He pouted.
"Hahahhah" Sano broke into laughter, unable to contain it anymore. It fit him so tight the uniform was literally breaking at the seams.
"Shut up Sano!" he said in a foul mood.
"Why what's up?" Yahiko joined them, freezing for a moment when he saw his eldest brother before joining his other brother rolling on the floor with laughter.
"Give me one of yours Sano." He said going to his closet.
"Hey!" Sano said chasing after him.
"Hmmm I could put a nice bias over here and maybe trim these shorts a little, cut some fabric off here coz Sano's so fat…" he said eyeing Sano's red jersey.
"You could just wear your P.E. uniform, that's what we all wear when in practice you know." Sano said unwilling to hand over one of his jerseys to be mutilated at his brother's hands.
"Yuck that garish thing? I wouldn't be caught dead in that!"
"Geez its only practice oniisan." Yahiko said.
"Yes and I shall be stylish in it!" Kamatari said retreating back to his room.
"It would be quite a sight in the interhigh. Our best point guard will be squealing once the other team enters the court." Sano said shaking his head. But already both of them knew practice would be a lot more fun now that Kamatari was there.
***
notes: I decided not to put any serious stuff in this fic, rk was depressing enough as it is I think I'll have fun with this one…