Undecided Sequence
Tanabata '03 Drabble Challenge: squidlet, starlighter, nyahnyah
"Did you eat at all today, by the way?" asks Shindou. He pries the keys from your hand carefully and drops them on the dresser.
You shake your head. Shindou and his non-sequiturs. "Betsuni."
"No kidding. I didn't think you had that much."
You tune Shindou out, staring downward. Shelved that go problem to attend dinner, and now the goban is tilting. Back, forth—
"Whoa," Shindou says, catching your shoulder. You blink at the close-up of his face.
"Do you want to...?"
"It wouldn't be fair—" Shindou begins, and you end his sentence by leaning forward and kissing him.
Waya did it, actually. You've been challenging Touya at go so long it would never have occurred to you to challenge him at anything else, let alone sake shots. Far too undignified for the self-contained Touya Akira. You underestimated his competitive streak.
There was no way Waya actually intended for Touya to get so plastered you'd have to see him home.
Touya presses a little closer, making a happy humming sound. His hands slide down your back.
In his current state it wouldn't be fairer than playing actual go, so you won't. But you figure you owe Waya one anyway.
The screen whispers. You sit up automatically, and regret it the next moment. No game today, thanks.
"Didn't mean to wake you up," Shindou whispers, abashed. He sets a glass by your futon, a couple of pills. "It's early, go back to sleep..."
He trails away, looking at you. Just looking. The same gaze as across a goban sometimes, after a move. Joseki or...? You can't see the stones.
"Thank you," you reply finally. Shindou nods.
"I'll let myself out."
Screen slides shut. After a moment your hand steals up, hovers over your lips.
You have to start eating better.
— Montreal, July 2003
Notes:
1. Joseki: a "set" sequence of go moves in which each hand follows logically upon the last, ending with localised equilibrium of advantage.
