My favorite ship is 'friend'
Title: My favorite ship is 'friend'
Characters/Pairing: 4-nin NewS
Rating: G
Words: 1,010
Warnings: AU childhood friends
Summary: King Arthur's court was never this cute.
Notes: In a show of solidarity I thought I'd write this for the contest over at fullswing_fic. Just a short fluffy thing.
--
"I want to be King Arthur," Koyama says shyly, shuffling his foot against the ground.
"You don't even know the story," Shige scoffs, but pretends to relent and says too quickly, "Fine. You can be King Arthur and I'll be Lancelot." He then eyes the remaining two. "Tegoshi will be Guinevere."
Tegoshi just shrugs. He thinks Shige would be a funny-looking princess and while Massu certainly seems like one sometimes with his fear of bugs and dirt and so on, real royalty has to have grit. And he looks good in a dress. Everyone knows that.
"And Massu?" Koyama asks.
"Massu is one of the knights of the realm," he replies, and they all watch as Massu grimaces and hop-shuffles away from a lizard that had just appeared in his line of sight. They share a look then shrug. Even knights aren't perfect they guess.
There's a hurried break during which time they all run home for a bit of hunting/gathering, and they return to the playground fifteen minutes later. Koyama's carrying an umbrella and wearing a tiara, eyes clearly daring anyone to question the kingliness of such a piece and just as clearly daring Tegoshi to try and claim it for himself and see what happens. Shige's got his mom's silver umbrella hanging through his belt and his hair is combed rakishly over one eye. Tegoshi's wearing the Disney princess outfit (Sleeping Beauty) his mom bought for him two years ago on his eighth birthday, but it still fits. And Massu's dressed in a silver jumper that hurts to look at, empty cardboard wrapping paper roll dangling absently from one hand.
"Where did you even get that?" Shige asks, horrified, and Koyama nods enthusiastically.
Massu looks down at himself and then holds up the roll with a confused look. "The closet? Mom probably thought we could use it for something. I dunno."
Tegoshi bursts into laughter and Massu's brows knit together in confusion, eyes beginning to narrow as he thinks. Quickly, Shige jumps in and grabs sleeves, dragging everyone to the merry-go-round which he declares will serve as their impromptu round table. There's a mild scuffle when Massu refuses to sit on the ground but it is quickly solved by Tegoshi magnanimously offering his cape with a flourish.
All settled, they stare at one another. "Well?" Koyama says impatiently. "Now what?"
"We're knights!" Shige says, throwing his hands in the air. "Well, except for Tegoshi, but that's okay. We talk about saving the kingdom, of course."
"From what?" Massu asks with interest.
"Er… King Arthur's nephew is vying for the throne and has raised an army to lay siege to Camelot?" There's more staring. "Yes," he says more firmly.
"In that case," Koyama says after a moment, "I propose we go out and kick enemy butt." He stands and gestures grandly with his own umbrella-Excaliber. Shige and Massu jump up with a yell, brandishing their 'swords' and rush around the playground enthusiastically batting at the jungle gym, the tiny bouncy horses, and sometimes each other before Tegoshi picks up a stick and joins in. Like he thought, real royalty has grit. The skirt is kind of limiting though. Massu's cardboard roll suffers greatly in the battle, oddly bent and torn at one end, and he finally abandons it, snatching up Tegoshi's cloak off the ground and chasing everyone, snapping ineffectually at them with it.
Eventually they wind down, collapsing in a pile in the middle of the merry-go-round to catch their breath noisily. Every now and then someone puts his foot down and gives them a tiny push. Finally, the only sound is the faint squeak of metal on metal as they turn and the rustling of the trees, and they all sit up enough to face each other.
"I proclaim that a success!" Koyama says majestically, chest puffed up. "We defeated the enemy!"
They cheer for a moment before Shige clears his throat and they look at him expectantly. "But unfortunately the enemies of Camelot are many and there is word of another kingdom preparing to test Arthur's grip on Camelot."
Koyama looks thoughtful. "I should send Massu out to see what's going on." A pause and then his gaze shifts to Shige. "Right?"
"Lancelot is your most trusted knight," Shige hints.
"Oh. Then you should go! Definitely!"
Massu's pleased with that change in plans because he doesn't want to move yet, not even bothering to nudge Tegoshi's arm off his leg.
Shige hops up and heads toward his house. Actually, he has to go to the bathroom and he figures he'll bring everyone a fruit drink on the way back. Thirst has him licking his lips and swallowing hard and he bets he isn't the only one. So off he goes, leaving the three of them to their own devices, heads close together as they talk about something. Tactics, Shige imagines.
What's actually happening is much more mundane, of course. They're discussing Massu's new card game and a DS party and plans for Koyama's birthday party next month. Tegoshi is going on and on about his new soccer game. Massu listens patiently, but Koyama gets up to go play on the monkey bars (he's almost tall enough now to jump up and grab them.) He's nearly made it back and forth four times when he is interrupted by crunching footprints and Shige's annoyed snort. He looks around to see what the problem is and sees Tegoshi and Massu with their eyes closed, collapsed together on the merry-go-round, Tegoshi's right hand tucked into Massu's left.
"That's not how the story ends," Shige whispers peevishly, jiggling his bag of drinks, but Koyama just smiles.
"It's okay, Shige," Koyama says, quietly taking Shige's hand into his own. "King Arthur and Lancelot were better off together anyway."
Sometimes Shige forgets that Koyama's not as dumb as he seems. He squeezes Koyama's hand lightly and then drops it, drawing his umbrella and bopping Koyama on the head with it before running up and dive-bombing the sleeping pair.
Koyama's right behind him.
Characters/Pairing: 4-nin NewS
Rating: G
Words: 1,010
Warnings: AU childhood friends
Summary: King Arthur's court was never this cute.
Notes: In a show of solidarity I thought I'd write this for the contest over at fullswing_fic. Just a short fluffy thing.
--
"I want to be King Arthur," Koyama says shyly, shuffling his foot against the ground.
"You don't even know the story," Shige scoffs, but pretends to relent and says too quickly, "Fine. You can be King Arthur and I'll be Lancelot." He then eyes the remaining two. "Tegoshi will be Guinevere."
Tegoshi just shrugs. He thinks Shige would be a funny-looking princess and while Massu certainly seems like one sometimes with his fear of bugs and dirt and so on, real royalty has to have grit. And he looks good in a dress. Everyone knows that.
"And Massu?" Koyama asks.
"Massu is one of the knights of the realm," he replies, and they all watch as Massu grimaces and hop-shuffles away from a lizard that had just appeared in his line of sight. They share a look then shrug. Even knights aren't perfect they guess.
There's a hurried break during which time they all run home for a bit of hunting/gathering, and they return to the playground fifteen minutes later. Koyama's carrying an umbrella and wearing a tiara, eyes clearly daring anyone to question the kingliness of such a piece and just as clearly daring Tegoshi to try and claim it for himself and see what happens. Shige's got his mom's silver umbrella hanging through his belt and his hair is combed rakishly over one eye. Tegoshi's wearing the Disney princess outfit (Sleeping Beauty) his mom bought for him two years ago on his eighth birthday, but it still fits. And Massu's dressed in a silver jumper that hurts to look at, empty cardboard wrapping paper roll dangling absently from one hand.
"Where did you even get that?" Shige asks, horrified, and Koyama nods enthusiastically.
Massu looks down at himself and then holds up the roll with a confused look. "The closet? Mom probably thought we could use it for something. I dunno."
Tegoshi bursts into laughter and Massu's brows knit together in confusion, eyes beginning to narrow as he thinks. Quickly, Shige jumps in and grabs sleeves, dragging everyone to the merry-go-round which he declares will serve as their impromptu round table. There's a mild scuffle when Massu refuses to sit on the ground but it is quickly solved by Tegoshi magnanimously offering his cape with a flourish.
All settled, they stare at one another. "Well?" Koyama says impatiently. "Now what?"
"We're knights!" Shige says, throwing his hands in the air. "Well, except for Tegoshi, but that's okay. We talk about saving the kingdom, of course."
"From what?" Massu asks with interest.
"Er… King Arthur's nephew is vying for the throne and has raised an army to lay siege to Camelot?" There's more staring. "Yes," he says more firmly.
"In that case," Koyama says after a moment, "I propose we go out and kick enemy butt." He stands and gestures grandly with his own umbrella-Excaliber. Shige and Massu jump up with a yell, brandishing their 'swords' and rush around the playground enthusiastically batting at the jungle gym, the tiny bouncy horses, and sometimes each other before Tegoshi picks up a stick and joins in. Like he thought, real royalty has grit. The skirt is kind of limiting though. Massu's cardboard roll suffers greatly in the battle, oddly bent and torn at one end, and he finally abandons it, snatching up Tegoshi's cloak off the ground and chasing everyone, snapping ineffectually at them with it.
Eventually they wind down, collapsing in a pile in the middle of the merry-go-round to catch their breath noisily. Every now and then someone puts his foot down and gives them a tiny push. Finally, the only sound is the faint squeak of metal on metal as they turn and the rustling of the trees, and they all sit up enough to face each other.
"I proclaim that a success!" Koyama says majestically, chest puffed up. "We defeated the enemy!"
They cheer for a moment before Shige clears his throat and they look at him expectantly. "But unfortunately the enemies of Camelot are many and there is word of another kingdom preparing to test Arthur's grip on Camelot."
Koyama looks thoughtful. "I should send Massu out to see what's going on." A pause and then his gaze shifts to Shige. "Right?"
"Lancelot is your most trusted knight," Shige hints.
"Oh. Then you should go! Definitely!"
Massu's pleased with that change in plans because he doesn't want to move yet, not even bothering to nudge Tegoshi's arm off his leg.
Shige hops up and heads toward his house. Actually, he has to go to the bathroom and he figures he'll bring everyone a fruit drink on the way back. Thirst has him licking his lips and swallowing hard and he bets he isn't the only one. So off he goes, leaving the three of them to their own devices, heads close together as they talk about something. Tactics, Shige imagines.
What's actually happening is much more mundane, of course. They're discussing Massu's new card game and a DS party and plans for Koyama's birthday party next month. Tegoshi is going on and on about his new soccer game. Massu listens patiently, but Koyama gets up to go play on the monkey bars (he's almost tall enough now to jump up and grab them.) He's nearly made it back and forth four times when he is interrupted by crunching footprints and Shige's annoyed snort. He looks around to see what the problem is and sees Tegoshi and Massu with their eyes closed, collapsed together on the merry-go-round, Tegoshi's right hand tucked into Massu's left.
"That's not how the story ends," Shige whispers peevishly, jiggling his bag of drinks, but Koyama just smiles.
"It's okay, Shige," Koyama says, quietly taking Shige's hand into his own. "King Arthur and Lancelot were better off together anyway."
Sometimes Shige forgets that Koyama's not as dumb as he seems. He squeezes Koyama's hand lightly and then drops it, drawing his umbrella and bopping Koyama on the head with it before running up and dive-bombing the sleeping pair.
Koyama's right behind him.