Look at Me 4/4 (30 Kisses #25)
Title: Look at Me 4/4 (30 Kisses #25)
Series: Prince of Tennis
Pairing: Eiji/Gakuto
"KIKUMARU!"
Eiji jumped as the stern voice broke through the haze that had surrounded him since his trip to Shinjuku with Mukahi last week. He turned and gave Tezuka a sheepish smile.
"Pay attention," Seigaku's captain barked. "20 laps around the court."
Ignoring the concerned look Oishi was giving him, he set off at a light jog. With any luck, practice would be over by the time he finished. Practice had been torture all week. He had been confused and distracted. As a result of which he was playing horrible, frustrating himself and his teammates.
And it was all Mukahi Gakuto's fault.
He had thought about the shorter boy a lot before. After the Shinjuku Incident (complete with a capital 'I'), Eiji found he couldn't stop thinking about him. The way his hair looked when it brushed his cheek, they way his eyes sparkled when he teased, the way he looked sucking off the popsicle.
Eiji shook his head, trying to stop the blush he could feel creeping up his cheeks. That was not something he should be thinking about in public.
But, what had been bothering him the most, was the feel of Mukahi's lips on his when he kissed him. He couldn't shake it. Anytime he let his mind drift, the feeling ghosted back.
It was driving him crazy. He had other friends. Other friends he was close to, spent a lot of time with, thought about a lot. (Of course none of those friends had ever kissed him, though Fuji had pulled the popsicle thing once when they had been out with Yuuta.) So why was it that Mukahi bothered him so, when no one else did? He tried to figure it out, but each time the conclusion slip through his fingers...like water.
No, it was more like a fence. One of those chain-link fences that always surrounded tennis courts. He could see the people playing inside, but he couldn't find the door so he could play too. Mukahi was definitely playing something, and if Eiji could figure out what, he could play too.
That was it! He just needed to ask Mukahi what was going on. Once Mukahi explained, it would all be okay. Because there had to be an explanation for...everything.
A second after the epiphany, Eiji crashed into something solid. Great, he thought as he fell to the ground, I can't even manage to run in a circle without messing up. Maybe I'll just stay here where I can't do any more damage.
"Kikumaru-sempai, you're heavy."
"Huh?" He opened his eyes to see a disgruntled Echizen lying underneath him. "Eh, sorry Echizen." He jumped to his feet, and offered the first year a hand up.
"Practice is over, so you can stop running now." All around them people were cleaning up and leaving; Eiji hadn't even noticed.
"Thanks Ochibi."
Echizen scowled at the name, and muttered something as he headed to the clubhouse. Eiji followed. No one said anything as they changed, but he could see Oishi watching him. As much as Eiji loved his friend, he was not in the mood to deal with Oishi's mothering, so as soon as he finished changing, he went and slung an arm around Echizen's shoulder. "How bout we grab some burgers? Make up for knocking you over earlier."
Echizen eyed him speculatively. "Sempai's treat?"
"Of course."
He shrugged. "Sure."
They got their burgers in silence. Echizen wasn't chatty at the best of times - which was why he usually invited Momo as well - and Eiji didn't feel much like talking. There was something comforting about the silence though, and he used the time to do some thinking.
He was walking Echizen home - it was out of his way, but it was his duty to look after his underclassman - when he blurted out, "why would you kiss a friend?"
Startled out of his own thoughts, Echizen gave Eiji one of his blank looks. "What?"
Had he just asked Echizen that? He must be more out of it then he thought. Laughing nervously, Eiji tried to wave the question away. "Nevermind, nevermind. I was thinking out loud."
Echizen continued to give him a blank look, but said nothing. They walked on in silence for a few minutes when Echizen said suddenly, "because you like them, I guess."
It took Eiji a moment to figure out what the other was talking about. "But why wouldn't you just tell the person? Wouldn't that be...clearer?"
Echizen shrugged. "Sometimes you can't."
"What if the friend's a boy?"
"Especially if it's a boy," Echizen answered with feeling. Then he seemed to realize what he had said, and he tugged his hat down.
Eiji was surprised. Did that mean Echizen liked someone? A boy? Aw, Ochibi was growing up! "So, that's okay then?"
"What is?" Echizen sounded grumpy; probably for revealing that he cared about something other then tennis and his cat.
"Two boys liking each other?"
Echizen shrugged again. "Sure. Why not?"
"Why not..." Without warning, Eiji launched himself at Echizen. "Thanks Ochibi!" he shouted, hugging him tight.
"Sempai! Get off!"
Eiji laughed, but let go. "Be careful the rest of the way home." Echizen glared; his house was a block away. "And good luck with your 'friend.'" The glare turned to a blush as Eiji ran off.
The moment he was out of earshot, Eiji pulled out his cell and called Mukahi. "Can you meet me at the park?" he asked, not even bothering with a greeting.
"What? Now?" Mukahi sounded surprised. Understandable since they hadn't talked since That afternoon.
"Yes now." He knew he sounded impatient, but Eiji had finally found the door to the fence, and he wanted to go in and play.
Mukahi agreed, and they hung up. The park was closer to Hyotei the Seishun, and the other boy was already there when he arrived. They met in their usual spot, a secluded clearing out of the way where they frequently studied.
Mukahi spoke first. "Look, about the other day. I-"
Eiji shook his head to interrupt him. "Forget it."
"But-"
This time he interrupted with his mouth. And this time it was Mukahi who squeaked in surprise. The surprise did not last long though. Mukahi seemed to have a better idea of what he was doing, but Eiji figured he made up for any inexperience with enthusiasm.
They broke apart finally, staring nervously at one another. Mukahi recovered first, a familiar smirk spreading across his face. "So, you figured it out?"
Hind sight being 20/20, looking back Eiji could see that Mukahi had been hinting (with a brick) that he liked him for awhile. "Heh, oops."
Mukahi rolled his eyes. "Dork."
Eiji just stuck out his tongue. Then the nervous staring started again. Like before, Mukahi was the first to break it. "So now what?"
Eiji shrugged. "You said you wanted to go clubbing."
"That's it?"
He shrugged again. "Sure. Why not?"
The response caused Mukahi to smile; not his usual smirk, but a real smile. "How bout Saturday then?"
The End
Series: Prince of Tennis
Pairing: Eiji/Gakuto
"KIKUMARU!"
Eiji jumped as the stern voice broke through the haze that had surrounded him since his trip to Shinjuku with Mukahi last week. He turned and gave Tezuka a sheepish smile.
"Pay attention," Seigaku's captain barked. "20 laps around the court."
Ignoring the concerned look Oishi was giving him, he set off at a light jog. With any luck, practice would be over by the time he finished. Practice had been torture all week. He had been confused and distracted. As a result of which he was playing horrible, frustrating himself and his teammates.
And it was all Mukahi Gakuto's fault.
He had thought about the shorter boy a lot before. After the Shinjuku Incident (complete with a capital 'I'), Eiji found he couldn't stop thinking about him. The way his hair looked when it brushed his cheek, they way his eyes sparkled when he teased, the way he looked sucking off the popsicle.
Eiji shook his head, trying to stop the blush he could feel creeping up his cheeks. That was not something he should be thinking about in public.
But, what had been bothering him the most, was the feel of Mukahi's lips on his when he kissed him. He couldn't shake it. Anytime he let his mind drift, the feeling ghosted back.
It was driving him crazy. He had other friends. Other friends he was close to, spent a lot of time with, thought about a lot. (Of course none of those friends had ever kissed him, though Fuji had pulled the popsicle thing once when they had been out with Yuuta.) So why was it that Mukahi bothered him so, when no one else did? He tried to figure it out, but each time the conclusion slip through his fingers...like water.
No, it was more like a fence. One of those chain-link fences that always surrounded tennis courts. He could see the people playing inside, but he couldn't find the door so he could play too. Mukahi was definitely playing something, and if Eiji could figure out what, he could play too.
That was it! He just needed to ask Mukahi what was going on. Once Mukahi explained, it would all be okay. Because there had to be an explanation for...everything.
A second after the epiphany, Eiji crashed into something solid. Great, he thought as he fell to the ground, I can't even manage to run in a circle without messing up. Maybe I'll just stay here where I can't do any more damage.
"Kikumaru-sempai, you're heavy."
"Huh?" He opened his eyes to see a disgruntled Echizen lying underneath him. "Eh, sorry Echizen." He jumped to his feet, and offered the first year a hand up.
"Practice is over, so you can stop running now." All around them people were cleaning up and leaving; Eiji hadn't even noticed.
"Thanks Ochibi."
Echizen scowled at the name, and muttered something as he headed to the clubhouse. Eiji followed. No one said anything as they changed, but he could see Oishi watching him. As much as Eiji loved his friend, he was not in the mood to deal with Oishi's mothering, so as soon as he finished changing, he went and slung an arm around Echizen's shoulder. "How bout we grab some burgers? Make up for knocking you over earlier."
Echizen eyed him speculatively. "Sempai's treat?"
"Of course."
He shrugged. "Sure."
They got their burgers in silence. Echizen wasn't chatty at the best of times - which was why he usually invited Momo as well - and Eiji didn't feel much like talking. There was something comforting about the silence though, and he used the time to do some thinking.
He was walking Echizen home - it was out of his way, but it was his duty to look after his underclassman - when he blurted out, "why would you kiss a friend?"
Startled out of his own thoughts, Echizen gave Eiji one of his blank looks. "What?"
Had he just asked Echizen that? He must be more out of it then he thought. Laughing nervously, Eiji tried to wave the question away. "Nevermind, nevermind. I was thinking out loud."
Echizen continued to give him a blank look, but said nothing. They walked on in silence for a few minutes when Echizen said suddenly, "because you like them, I guess."
It took Eiji a moment to figure out what the other was talking about. "But why wouldn't you just tell the person? Wouldn't that be...clearer?"
Echizen shrugged. "Sometimes you can't."
"What if the friend's a boy?"
"Especially if it's a boy," Echizen answered with feeling. Then he seemed to realize what he had said, and he tugged his hat down.
Eiji was surprised. Did that mean Echizen liked someone? A boy? Aw, Ochibi was growing up! "So, that's okay then?"
"What is?" Echizen sounded grumpy; probably for revealing that he cared about something other then tennis and his cat.
"Two boys liking each other?"
Echizen shrugged again. "Sure. Why not?"
"Why not..." Without warning, Eiji launched himself at Echizen. "Thanks Ochibi!" he shouted, hugging him tight.
"Sempai! Get off!"
Eiji laughed, but let go. "Be careful the rest of the way home." Echizen glared; his house was a block away. "And good luck with your 'friend.'" The glare turned to a blush as Eiji ran off.
The moment he was out of earshot, Eiji pulled out his cell and called Mukahi. "Can you meet me at the park?" he asked, not even bothering with a greeting.
"What? Now?" Mukahi sounded surprised. Understandable since they hadn't talked since That afternoon.
"Yes now." He knew he sounded impatient, but Eiji had finally found the door to the fence, and he wanted to go in and play.
Mukahi agreed, and they hung up. The park was closer to Hyotei the Seishun, and the other boy was already there when he arrived. They met in their usual spot, a secluded clearing out of the way where they frequently studied.
Mukahi spoke first. "Look, about the other day. I-"
Eiji shook his head to interrupt him. "Forget it."
"But-"
This time he interrupted with his mouth. And this time it was Mukahi who squeaked in surprise. The surprise did not last long though. Mukahi seemed to have a better idea of what he was doing, but Eiji figured he made up for any inexperience with enthusiasm.
They broke apart finally, staring nervously at one another. Mukahi recovered first, a familiar smirk spreading across his face. "So, you figured it out?"
Hind sight being 20/20, looking back Eiji could see that Mukahi had been hinting (with a brick) that he liked him for awhile. "Heh, oops."
Mukahi rolled his eyes. "Dork."
Eiji just stuck out his tongue. Then the nervous staring started again. Like before, Mukahi was the first to break it. "So now what?"
Eiji shrugged. "You said you wanted to go clubbing."
"That's it?"
He shrugged again. "Sure. Why not?"
The response caused Mukahi to smile; not his usual smirk, but a real smile. "How bout Saturday then?"
The End