This is just a fluffy little Pre-BR fic written at the request of A.G. I hope you enjoy it ^__^ (p.s. I have a fever and I'm feeling terrible so I apologise if this is bad)
Pairings: Shinji MimuraxShuya Nanahara.
Rating: PG-13
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~You're one to all of a sudden want to take pictures. I never liked that, I mean, if we become a picture I'll just get old won't I ?~ (Shiina Ringo - Gibsu)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We wake together. Your parents have never cared where you spend the night and mine...well mine are long gone. We're still too young to have taken that final step, but both of us understand the depth of the other's feelings. They're something supassed by words, not even the warmth in your eyes can convey how much I know you care.
I roll over, my body is still trapped in that lethargic instant between slumber and true waking. The corners of my lips curl into a smile as I notice how your spiked hair is ruffled, tiny dark brown strands tickling your forehead. Impulsively I reach out and brush them away. You've never looked better..
And when you smile at me; through the haze of your own sleepiness my heart swells with pride and affection. Even now, when your fingertips rest lightly upon my cheek and you lean over to kiss away that morning malaise I still can't believe you're mine.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Don't you think ? I wanna be with you Come to me, closer. Let's forget about yesterday. and then hold me closely darling.~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
With a choked gasp the young man in the lower bunk sat bolt upright, slumping against his damp thighs. His chest ached, each ragged breath sending another sharp lance of pain across bare skin. A name caught upon the tip of his tongue, but he bit it back; knowing his sudden awakening would undoubtedly have disturbed his room mate.
Sure enough, above him the mattress gave a high-pitched squeak of distress and Nobu peered over the edge.
"Shuya?...daijobu desu ka?"
The orphan waved his friend's concerns away and huddled further back into the shadows of his bed, drawing the covers up over the tell-tale gleam of perspiration on his skin. "H-hai...just a bad dream..go back to sleep ne?" He didn't mean to sound quite so sharp, but Nobu accepted his excuses at face value. It wasn't the first time either of them had woken so violently and it wouldn't be the last.
Shuya sank back against the wall beside his bed and closed his eyes, running both hands through his thick,black hair. In the cold light of the early morning he felt like a stupid hormonal kid; He could see it all around him, in class, at lunch...
Sugimura and his unrequieted dreams...the secret he kept so well hidden from Kotohiki, which in turn hurt Chigusa like nothing else.
Nobu's own timid romantic gestures towards Noriko Nakagawa; a delicate beauty, who appeared pure of heart and mind.
And here he was, while they all harboured acceptable crushes, understandable feelings...
He buried his face in his hands and wished he'd never laid eyes on the object of his affections.
But it was too late by far to take back...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~You're one to say things like "Absolutely"
I never liked that, I mean, if we lose our passion
then won't it just be a lie.~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
He stood apart from them all, the screaming line of cheerleaders in their uniforms waving brightly coloured pom-poms, the teachers leaning wearily against the wall to chant their support with heavy hearts and the rest of his ecstatic class.
His nerves were so frayed that the game itself seemed to flash past in blurred snippets; the ball barely even scuffing his palms with its rough surface before disappearing again. And when he fell the pain didn't even register.
"Nanahara?" Hmm..that sounded so familiar, the voice that pervaded his dreaming hours.
Slowly he forced his eyes open; a strong pair of arms was supporting his weight entirely as he was guided and sat down on the scarred surface of a bench. "You didn't take a knock to the head too did ya?" His rescuer asked jovially, but there was nothing disguising the concern in his question.
"I..no..itai.." The teen mumbled, his senses creeping back to him. The boy knelt down infront of him; his dark gaze sparkling with barely supressed worry as he slipped Shuya's sneaker off; his hands were slightly callused, but gentle. And it was his touch that finally brought Shuya round.
"Aah, Mimura-kun! Gomen...w-what happened?" The words came in a garbled rush, as if a dam had burst inside of his classmate. Shuya stared down at him for a moment and then averted his eyes. There was no denying the faint pink flush that settled over his cheeks.
"I don't know," Mimura paused, his brow furrowing, "One minute you seemed fine and then Lijima threw you a pass and *thud* you just..." He shook his head and carefully rolled Shuya's sock off to inspect the damage. His friend's foot was marred by a purplish bruise and the skin was tight, already swelling.
"But what about the game?? You're-- you're our star player!" The brunette worried his lower lip; Basketball meant everything to Mimura...much like his own passion for music.
When Mimura's eyes flickered up to meet his own they were resolute, his tone firm; "This is more important."
Shuya bowed his head and sat in quiet contemplation until his ankle was bandaged. His mind turned that simple phrase over and over. If only it meant as much to the lithe, popular sportsman who now sat next to him as it did to him.
"I'm so sorry..Shinji." He whispered, his face crumpling. Thankfully the locker room in which they sat was deserted, only faint cheers and screams echoing from the hall beyond. Shuya flinched as Shinji draped one arm over his shoulders and drew him into a half-hug, shifting on he bench so they were face-to-face.
"For what? They're not gonna miss us Shu...listen..."
The two students sat silently as another frantic wave of chanting rung out. The game would go on regardless.
Shuya shook his head, "..I.." A single silvery tear slid down his cheek, tracing the line of his jaw before it dissolved entirely and unlike the hundreds he'd cried this one was not hurriedly scrubbed away.
"Oh Shu...it's not *that* bad.." Mimura smiled sympathetically.
He was missing the point entirely.
And breaking Shuya's heart completely.
"...ai.." The fatal word choked Shuya and he lapsed back into silence, more tears staining his paled face.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~April is here again,
remember the same day (last year).~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Baka...come here." He felt himself being drawn into Mimura's arms; a careful, purely platonic embrace that only served to deepen the misery he'd carried for so long. These hidden, poisionous feelings that wouldn't go away no matter how long or hard he wished them to.
"Baka.." Shinji repeated and pulled back just enough to study his friend's wounded expression.
"You think I don't see...this has nothing to do with the game does it?"
Blinking back more tears Shuya, opened his mouth slightly and murmured, "No." He felt like slapping himself the second the word left his lips, but it was too late.
And to his surprise Mimura graced him with one of his rare, honest smiles. His rich, hazel eyes searched for a hint of doubt in his friend longer than both of them would care to admit and then finally he leant over, pressing his lips to the corner of Shuya's.
"I'm not as blind as you might think..." He whispered, resting his forehead against Shuya's own.
But, for now the only thing Shuya could think to say was,
"Dakishimete."
Maybe...these feelings weren't so wrong afterall.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~Owari~