How are birthdays spent? Do they ever play sports together? Who has the best table manners?

For Shin

...

July 8th:

Sena balanced his pen between his upper lip and nose, frowning heavily at the glowing laptop screen. Even though he was surrounded by literal pilesof homework, and he needed to finish so he could enjoy the game coming up that weekend, he just couldn't focus. Not on algebra or Muromachi jidai or biology.

Instead, the little black flashdrive Yukimitsu had given him just a few days before at the beach was blinking where it stuck out of the side of his laptop. He had no idea how Yukimitsu had found so much stuff about prosopagnosia, though… being a medical student probably helped a lot. Sena scrolled further down with eyes gone gritty and dry after hours of staring, skimming over words he didn't know with too many characters and syllables. He actually had a dictionary laid out next to him just to make sense of some of the eye-crossing jargon (that sometimes didn't even have helpful furugana!). When his cell beeped an incoming text message, he didn't know if the relief or the disappointment was stronger.

Blinking rapidly to re-wet his eyes, he flicked open his phone, hissing 'sorry' to the glaring students around him. He'd totally forgotten he had hidden himself away in a corner of the library furthest from his dorm and his friends' usual classes. (Which meant he was all the way in the lawschool library.) His eyes narrowed as he read the text. Then he blinked. And read it again. He was hitting 'call' even as he grabbed up everything under one arm and lightsped out of the library.

"Moshi moshi, Sena-kun! Did you get-"

"What do you mean it's his birthday tomorrow?!" Sena shrilled, panting, as the library doors smacked closed just a centimeter behind his butt.

Sakuraba's awkward chuckling sounded over the line. "So you did get the text. I wasn't sure if he thought to tell you or not and I just thought of it myself."

"Wha- why- How am I gonna do anything for his birthday in less than twenty-four hours!? I have three assignments to finish andmorning and evening practices tomorrow!" Sena burst out, panicking and clueless.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, Sena-kun. Shin-kun doesn't normally do much for his birthdays. They're not really his style, you know?" Sakuraba tried to console. Sena whimpered.

"So you have no clue what to do for him either, do you? You've known him since middle school!"

"… I just found out it was his birthday, like, a week ago. His parents called me to ask if his present had arrived yet. I think he forgot to give them his cell phone number…" Sakuraba sighed loud enough even Sena heard it. "I told you birthdays aren't his thing. I'm the closest thing he has to a best friend and I didn't know this whole time."

Sena tried to run his hand through his hair and ended up smacking his face with his laptop. A couple older female students giggled at him as they passed. Blushing brightly, he made his way across the lawn outside the law library.

"You've never celebrated his birthday? He never had a birthday party?"

"Maybe before middle school? Definitely not since I've known him."

"I guess that makes sense. Having a birthday party for a kid who doesn't eat cake and turns every game into a competition might be kinda hard…" Sena muttered thoughtfully. Sakuraba barely muffled a snort. "But I can't just not do anything! I'm his boyfriend now. It's not like we're just amefuto rivals who only see each other during games. I… I have to do something," Sena bemoaned. "I'm not good at planning things. I can barely do good date plans after a whole month of brainstorming."

"I should've told you as soon as his parents told me, but I was so sure he would've mentioned it to you, Sena-kun. I'm sorry. I could help you think of something? But honestly… anything you did would make him happy. He's very easy to please when it comes to you." The lighthearted, but genuine, teasing from Sakuraba had Sena's ears burning. And his face. And probably all the way down to his toes.

"R-Really?" Sena squeaked quietly.

"Duh, Sena-kun. I think you could make him a happy birthday card out of glitter and construction paper and he'd like it. … He'd be a lot confused, but he'd like it."

Sena laughed bashfully and accidentally bashed his temple with his laptop when he tried to rub the back of his neck. Ow! "Okay, thanks for letting me know. I'll figure out something before tomorrow. You guys have practice, right?"

"Yeah, the Saikyoudai game is right around the corner. We're getting pretty tense over here. I think he needs the break, honestly."

"Thanks, Sakuraba-kun. I appreciate it."

"One of these days you're going to have to call me Haruto. Good luck on the birthday front! Pretty sure the only thing he's getting from the team is a tear-inducingly-bad happy birthday sing-along before practice. It's not like we can give him cake."

Sena burst out laughing, unable not to imagine it. The grim-faced, awkward-looking behemoths that made of the Oujou Knights, with Shin scowling and arms crossed in the middle of them. Though, Otawara would probably get really into it.

"At least the bar is set low. See you at the game!"

"Bye, Sena-kun!"

The line beeped and Sena stared down at his screen long enough to watch it fade to black and lock. There really was a pile of assignments adding up, and with the game so close, Sena really doubted Shin would enjoy anything too elaborate anyway. What was something simple, but fun, and… Sena cringed thinking about the state of his wallet. Something cheap, too. Also something a little active and sporty, because Shin definitely preferred time spent on his feet rather than sitting. Or eating. Something they could maybe eat at, but didn't need to-

A gasp escaped him and the laptop slipped from his fingers. He scrambled to catch it before it hit the ground. Papers flew every which way and his phone toppled to grass, but the laptop and the little thumbdrive were safe. Sighing, he set it down carefully and darted around the quad for his work, stuffing it more securely in his bag, before turning his laptop back on to rescue the poor USB from its imminent doom if left in place. He was too busy cleaning up his mess while simultaneously laying out details in his mind for his suddenly brilliant idea to notice the whispers and pointing in his direction. Most of them were along the lines of 'Eyeshield 21', 'so fast', 'is it really?' anyway.

For once, his idea was foolproof. He couldn't wait to start making calls.

July 9th:

Heart palpitating in excitement, and from leftover adrenaline thanks to amefuto practice, Sena rocked back and forth on his heels while waiting outside the nondescript building. As per his norm, he had been a good twenty minutes early, his hair damp and dripping down the back of his neck, gym bag still hanging over one shoulder. He planned out a meetup time to account for Shin's extra, personal practice and the distance from the subway (though he had chosen one closer to Oujou on purpose), but he hadn't accounted for his usual nerves. Which, really, he should start doing that… He checked his cell again, re-reading the text Sakuraba had sent from Shin's phone to tell him they were finishing up and Shin was on his way, and rocked on his feet a little faster.

The repeated drumming of sneakers on pavement had him jerking his head to the side, lips widening in thrilled apprehension. Finally, it wasn't yet another false alarm. Shin jogged up to his side, gaze soft if puzzled.

"It's the middle of the week. Didn't you say you had homework?" Shin questioned with eyebrows high.

"Y-yeah, a lot actually. But Riku-kun and Mamori-neechan said they'd help me bust whatever's left out before the game on Sunday. No worries! Especially not today!" Sena ordered earnestly. Realization dawned on Shin's face.

"Sakuraba told you today is my birthday," Shin stated. His dark eyes flickered to the building behind Sena, frowning at the clacking, echoing sounds coming from within.

"That can wait a moment," Sena gesticulated wildly, dragging Shins' attention back to him. "First, your present."

"You didn't have to-"

"Don't worry. It doesn't cost anything," Sena interjected with a grin and a spreading blush. Before he could overthink it, Sena all but lunged forward, arms wrapping tight around Shin's waist and his cheek pillowing against Shin's breastbone.

Shin fell back a step, and his arms automatically came up. They froze in midair, then he huffed that amused little sound and wrapped them tightly around Sena's shoulders.

"I spent all my money on the- you'll see. But I thought, if you would like a glittery kiddie card, you'll probably be okay with a hug, too," Sena mumbled, eyes squeezed shut.

"I definitely like the hug more than something covered in glitter," Shin agreed firmly, hands stroking up and down Sena's back. His resting stoic poker face was ruined by the fond warmth in his brown eyes as he gazed down at the crown of Sena's wild hair. "Why would you give me something glittery?" he asked a moment later, scowl crashing down in confusion. Sena burst out laughing, cuddling closer and tighter before excruciatingly pulling away.

"Don't worry about it. C'mon on for your birthday date. It was too last minute to get anyone to come, so I promised everyone I'd let them take over my birthday party in October. Monta-kun usually starts planning before anyone else can, anyway, so I figured it was a safe promise," Sena confessed, looking almost smug at his sneakiness.

Shin's eyebrows jumped up into his hairline in surprise. "I didn't think you were capable of being sly, Sena," the linebacker said with a twitch of his mouth. He followed Sena's lead into the building as the shorter freshman ducked his head sheepishly.

"Well… uh, welcome to your birthday date?" he hastily changed the subject, one arm sweeping over the interior.

There were about ten polished to a high glossy sheen wooden lanes, with chairs and podium on one end and clusters of white pins on the other. There were about four lanes in use, every patron wearing ugly, bi-colored shoes, pitchers of beer and little cardboard trays of greasy, terribly delicious food stacked haphazardly over tiny tables. The chart-topping pop songs of Japan and USA were playing overhead of every decade from 1980 to current. The small bar on one end of the large room had a simple menu of about ten items and a soda fountain, and in the opposing corner, the jangling cacophony and neon lights denoted the small arcade.

"A bowling alley?" Shin said a little stupefied.

"Yeah! Isn't it great! We can play a sport together, like amefuto, and you can get your competitive streak going. You know I'm always up to try and beat you at something," Sena joked, waving both arms energetically. "And, and! I checked! The arcade has air hockey and pool! I suck at pool, but I would play if you wanted, or air hockey. Do you know what air hockey is? It's owned by some American expat, so it's set up just like the ones I went to in South Bend! Uh, that's the city near Notre Dame- eugh!" Sena babbling abruptly ended when Shin gently clapped a hand over his mouth.

"It's great. I like bowling, but I haven't bowled in a long time." His eyes swept over it nostalgically. His hand fell back to his side.

"Since middle school?" Sena questioned with knowing eyes.

"Training was important. I couldn't let my focus be divided," Shin replied, almost… defensively. Sena grabbed his hand and squeezed.

"It's okay. You're an amazing football player, literally one of the best in the world for our age bracket, you know? You love it. It's okay to make those sort of choices to do something you love well. Look at all those Olympic teenagers, right?!"

Shin gazed down at Sena's earnest, sincere expression and hesitantly squeezed his hand back. Again, Sena somehow managed to know exactly what Shin needed to hear… before he even knew he needed to hear it. Sympathetic and understanding without judgement. Who wouldn't want to smile back at that face? Sena blinked at the smile curving up the side of Shin's mouth, then burst into a bright, wide grin of his own.

"You ready to eat my rented shoes' rubber soles?"

"No. Why would I do that?"

"What, no, Seijuuro, it's a-" Sena broke off, eyes narrowing, as Shin's mouth twitched up a little higher. "HEY! You exactly what I meant!"

"I'm hyper-focused, not an idiot. I've heard ballfield trash talk and yours is lacking."

"Hey!"

He laughed, body shaking and head tipped back, as he walked towards the shoe counter at Shin's side.

Shin was scarily good at bowling. Apparently his dad and he had played in their private bowling lanes in their own bowling alley in their housefor years when he was a kid. The first strike he threw was so fast, it smashed the pins so hard they went flying and knocked down two more strikes in other lanes. Sena had ended up choking on air somewhere between laughing and sobbing as the owner came out to scold Shin in loud, panicked, profanity-filled English.

Air hockey was just as much fun. By the end of their third game, almost every patron, and most of the employees, had gathered around them to watch their hands blur over the table top, point after point pinging. Their next four games they didn't even have to pay for, since their audience had handed their own yenn over for encores.

Beer was obviously out of the question, since Shin would never drink it. He still only drank plain black coffee 1 outta 10 times they ended up in coffee shop. But Sena did convince him to try a couple bites of too greasy pizza and a hotdog covered in relish and mustard. Then, before Shin could get too uncomfortable, whipped out the bento box Sena's mother had made just for Shin that she'd dropped off at his practice that afternoon. The relief rolling off of Shin was palpable when he glanced inside.

"One last thing," Sena chirped around a mouthful of fries. Shin did not look impressed at seeing the mash of half-eaten fries in Sena's mouth, making him blush and quickly swallow—too soon. He coughed into the crook of his elbow as Shin ate his bento almost daintily.

"You were saying?" Shin prompted once Sena caught his breath.

"I g-got one m-more thing. I wanted to get you cake, but I knew it would be too much for you. Especially this close to a game. I was surprised you ate that much pizza, actually," Sena admitted with a short chuckle. Shin frowned darkly.

"I'm already regretting it. I'll need to add at least another thirty minutes of cardio tomorrow," he muttered, picking at the pickled vegetables in the bento. Sena bent down for his bag, diplomatically hiding his smile at Shin's overachieving sulky fit.

"But, I thought, if I could find this, maybe it wouldn't be so bad," he got to his feet with those enigmatic words. "Wait right here, I have to go get it from the counter. I just needed my receipt."

Shin watched him go, chewing pensively. Sena came back, grinning uncertainly, hands behind his back, just as Shin neatly closed the small empty bento box.

"It's sugar-free, I promise. And organic! I think it was more expensive than renting the bowling lane- not that I want you to feel guilty! I was totally exaggerating!" Sena interrupted himself to hurriedly exclaim his reassurances.

"Just show me what it is," Shin told him bluntly. Sena chuckled shakily, then held out both hands. In each was a yellow popsicle beaded with condensation and obviously just freshly unwrapped. Shin blinked, startled into silence.

"I wasn't sure if it was banana or mango or lemon. That last ice cream you ate, when you were twelve. Anyway, so I grabbed a lemon and a mango one. The banana ones had a lot of milk in them and I know how you feel about too much dairy and sugar," Sena rushed to explanation. "These are organic and vegan and sugar-free but still taste really good, I mean, the box says so, and the guy at the store said so, too. Um… you wanna? Before they melt?"

Shin blinked sluggishly and then looked up in Sena's hopeful face.

"Only if you eat it with me," Shin murmured, voice and expression awestruck.

"Yeah, of course. You're the birthday boy, so you choose which one," Sena offered cheerfully. He squeaked when a large hand instead curled into the front of his shirt and tugged him down. His eyes widened, before they slipped shut. He smiled into the sweet, surprise kiss, ignoring the cold ticklish trickle of sticky popsicle juice running over his knuckles.

"You remembered that?" Shin asked when he pulled back.

"Well, yeah. I remembered all of it, Seijuuro. What you say is important to me," Sena mumbled, shuffled and dropping his eyes to the ground bashfully. "Happy twenty-first birthday. I still can't believe you didn't tell me, though!" Sena remembered, slightly accusatory and affronted.

"I'll remind you next year," Shin promised, taking the lemon ice lolly equably.

"Pffff, what makes you think I'll forget! I won't forget!"

"You might not forget my favorite colors, or the last ice cream I ate," his gaze was fond and still rather amazed, "but you're terrible with dates. You almost flunked your history midterm because you mixed up the Muromachi and Meiji period dates. The Muromachi and Meiji periods, Sena."

"… point," Sena muttered, flopping onto the seat next to Shin and luckily at his popsicle even while pouting. They leaned into each other, Sena's head perched on Shins' shoulder. "It was a good last minute birthday, though, right?"

Shin ducked just far enough to press a sticky, cold kiss to Sena's temple. "The best I've ever had."

Sena bit into his ice cream to hide his grin, only to crumple into a ball moaning at the brain freeze and the pain in his teeth at the cold. Shin merely huffed and handed him a napkin—from somewhere. Was he magically tidy?

...

A/N: *ugly snorts at my terrible 'sly' pun* 'Sly' used to be the term for being gay, in like, the twenties. Heheheh.

ANYWAY! GOOD NEWS, MY READERS AND FRIENDS! You guys get to vote on the update after next! I have several ideas I ready and willing to do. 1: just the next headcanon on the list, 2. a Marvel AU, OR 3. a Soulmate AU! OR 4. USA high school AU (specifically to write a oneshot on sharing letterman jackets cuz one of my face fanarts of them is this) (PS for you peeps anxious for some sweet BL scenes, the next headcanon is NOT smutty, but the AUs may, or at least have the option to, end up that way)