Prince of Tennis: Ibu Shinji, 006: Hours
Title: Hour Follows Hour
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Characters: Ibu Shinji, Oishi Shuichiro, Kamio Akira
Prompt: 006: Hours
Word Count: 612
Rating: PG
Summary: Graduating ain’t easy. Or, at least, the lead-up to it isn’t.
Author's Notes: This takes place when Shinji is 22 and graduating college. Posting this now in honor of all those who have/will be graduating this spring.
Main table can be found here and here.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“The waiting is killing me!”
Oishi smiled at his pacing boyfriend. “You can do it. It’s not so bad, really.”
Shinji glared at Oishi. “Easy for you to say. You went through this already. Sort of. You didn’t have to give a speech on top of it all!”
“Shinji.” Oishi reached out, grasping his boyfriend’s arms and pulling him close enough for a soft kiss. “You earned every bit of this moment. Your grades are at the top of your class, and let’s face it. No one’s as good at talking as you are.”
“Shuichiro!” Shinji swatted at Oishi, but he couldn’t help smiling, too. “You know how I feel about public speaking, though.”
“You’ll be amazing at it. And in a few hours, it’ll all be over, you’ll have given an amazing address, and you’ll have your degree. Isn’t that worth it?”
“Can’t I just skip it?” Shinji asked plaintively.
Oishi blinked. “After all the work you’ve put in?” he asked. “All the insane class schedules, the triple major, the semester abroad, all the studying and papers and everything? You really want to skip this part of it?”
Shinji sighed. “I guess not,” he admitted. “Just…can you do my speech for me?”
“No way.” Oishi laughed. “Shin, love, you’ve earned this moment in the spotlight. Take it and show everyone just how amazing I know you are.” He kissed Shinji again. “Besides,” he whispered, “think about our plans for after graduation.”
“Well, there is that….” Shinji sighed and sank down onto a chair. “Are you sure it’s too late to back out now?”
“Very sure.” Oishi looked at his watch. “Four and a half hours, and you’ll be a college graduate.”
“Can’t come soon enough,” Shinji muttered as he went back to his pacing.
*~*~*~*~*
“Shinji? What on Earth are you doing?”
Shinji didn’t even look up at Kamio, too busy crawling under a table. “I’m giving an address in an hour, and my note cards just had to fall behind this table!”
Kamio did his best to stifle a laugh at how ridiculous Shinji looked, crawling on the floor in his cap and gown. “Shinji, come on, get up. Let me get it.”
Shinji looked back at his friend. “Akira, Why aren’t you dressed yet?”
Kamio shrugged. “Because I knew I’d be crawling on the floor for you,” he quipped. True to his speed, Kamio was under the table and back with the note cards in an instant. “Shin…these are blank.”
“I know they are.” Shinji took the cards from Kamio and shuffled them nervously. “I know exactly what I’m saying. I just…need them. For a prop, you know?”
“Whatever, Shinji.” Kamio didn’t even bother questioning Shinji, much too used to the way his friend’s mind worked. “Help me into this dumb gown?”
*~*~*~*~*
“Shinji!” Oishi caught Shinji up in a tight hug. “You were amazing!”
Shinji blushed. “I’m just glad it’s over.” He looked down at his diploma. “I can’t believe it’s over…hey, ‘Chiro? Was my speech bad?”
“Of course it wasn’t. But…ummm…tell me. When you started speaking in that other language, what language was it, why did Atobe look so mad, and why was Hiyoshi trying to not laugh and failing?”
“Oh.” Shinji blushed. “That was Greek. I…gave Atobe an extra special message.”
“Which was?” Oishi waited, knowing this had to be good.
“Well…I, ummm, kind of…called him the son of a…whorish goat.” The last two words were mumbled.
Oishi blinked…then burst out laughing. “Oh, Shinji!” He hugged his boyfriend tight. “But it’s over and I’m so proud of you!”
Shinji kissed Oishi firmly. “This part is over,” he corrected. “The rest of our lives are just beginning.”
--The End--
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Characters: Ibu Shinji, Oishi Shuichiro, Kamio Akira
Prompt: 006: Hours
Word Count: 612
Rating: PG
Summary: Graduating ain’t easy. Or, at least, the lead-up to it isn’t.
Author's Notes: This takes place when Shinji is 22 and graduating college. Posting this now in honor of all those who have/will be graduating this spring.
Main table can be found here and here.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
“The waiting is killing me!”
Oishi smiled at his pacing boyfriend. “You can do it. It’s not so bad, really.”
Shinji glared at Oishi. “Easy for you to say. You went through this already. Sort of. You didn’t have to give a speech on top of it all!”
“Shinji.” Oishi reached out, grasping his boyfriend’s arms and pulling him close enough for a soft kiss. “You earned every bit of this moment. Your grades are at the top of your class, and let’s face it. No one’s as good at talking as you are.”
“Shuichiro!” Shinji swatted at Oishi, but he couldn’t help smiling, too. “You know how I feel about public speaking, though.”
“You’ll be amazing at it. And in a few hours, it’ll all be over, you’ll have given an amazing address, and you’ll have your degree. Isn’t that worth it?”
“Can’t I just skip it?” Shinji asked plaintively.
Oishi blinked. “After all the work you’ve put in?” he asked. “All the insane class schedules, the triple major, the semester abroad, all the studying and papers and everything? You really want to skip this part of it?”
Shinji sighed. “I guess not,” he admitted. “Just…can you do my speech for me?”
“No way.” Oishi laughed. “Shin, love, you’ve earned this moment in the spotlight. Take it and show everyone just how amazing I know you are.” He kissed Shinji again. “Besides,” he whispered, “think about our plans for after graduation.”
“Well, there is that….” Shinji sighed and sank down onto a chair. “Are you sure it’s too late to back out now?”
“Very sure.” Oishi looked at his watch. “Four and a half hours, and you’ll be a college graduate.”
“Can’t come soon enough,” Shinji muttered as he went back to his pacing.
*~*~*~*~*
“Shinji? What on Earth are you doing?”
Shinji didn’t even look up at Kamio, too busy crawling under a table. “I’m giving an address in an hour, and my note cards just had to fall behind this table!”
Kamio did his best to stifle a laugh at how ridiculous Shinji looked, crawling on the floor in his cap and gown. “Shinji, come on, get up. Let me get it.”
Shinji looked back at his friend. “Akira, Why aren’t you dressed yet?”
Kamio shrugged. “Because I knew I’d be crawling on the floor for you,” he quipped. True to his speed, Kamio was under the table and back with the note cards in an instant. “Shin…these are blank.”
“I know they are.” Shinji took the cards from Kamio and shuffled them nervously. “I know exactly what I’m saying. I just…need them. For a prop, you know?”
“Whatever, Shinji.” Kamio didn’t even bother questioning Shinji, much too used to the way his friend’s mind worked. “Help me into this dumb gown?”
*~*~*~*~*
“Shinji!” Oishi caught Shinji up in a tight hug. “You were amazing!”
Shinji blushed. “I’m just glad it’s over.” He looked down at his diploma. “I can’t believe it’s over…hey, ‘Chiro? Was my speech bad?”
“Of course it wasn’t. But…ummm…tell me. When you started speaking in that other language, what language was it, why did Atobe look so mad, and why was Hiyoshi trying to not laugh and failing?”
“Oh.” Shinji blushed. “That was Greek. I…gave Atobe an extra special message.”
“Which was?” Oishi waited, knowing this had to be good.
“Well…I, ummm, kind of…called him the son of a…whorish goat.” The last two words were mumbled.
Oishi blinked…then burst out laughing. “Oh, Shinji!” He hugged his boyfriend tight. “But it’s over and I’m so proud of you!”
Shinji kissed Oishi firmly. “This part is over,” he corrected. “The rest of our lives are just beginning.”
--The End--