PoTFiccage5
Title: Don’t Stop the Music 5/?
Author: Lethanon
Archive: not at this moment
Pairings: Ryouma+Momo, Shinji+Kamio, eventual MomoxKamioxMomo
Warnings: Alternate eventness, school violence, romance, Shouen-ai, tennis :-P
Shinji stared at the court coldly, trying to force some semblance of warmth into his skin, his bones, his blood. It was useless. The day was too cold to begin with and the ice building within was locking it there, inside him, letting fear and doubt take route as he watched the shadows of friends skitter and scatter over the wet courts. The probably should not have been playing, after all the rain, but they had begged Tachibana, and he had let them. The rain had stopped, but the water was still there, slippery and cold. Like thoughts. Like feelings. Shinji sighed heavily.
“I’m in the rhythm!”
Kamio was playing well against Ishida, whose Hydoukyou was serving to slow him down a little, though not as much as it had even a week ago. They were all progressing so quickly Shinji often thought maybe it was too fast. They were getting to the higher levels before they understood what it meant. They would fall off the end one day, if they didn’t know its meaning soon. Shinji wanted to know the meaning of a lot of things.
“You alright?” Tachibana asked quietly, moving to stand under the eaves that were still dripping their little drops that glinted and shattered as they fell. He was watching the courts, senses always straining to see, to hear, to feel and know what Shinji already knew. That Ishida had just made a mistake, that Kamio would win the game because he now knew the Hydoukyou’s weakness.
“It’s cold,” Shinji observed and Tachibana merely grunted, arms still limp at his sides as if he couldn’t feel it. Shinji knew they both felt it. Both hated it. Didn’t they?
The sudden turn in his thoughts made Shinji turn physically to study Tachibana, to observe the way he watched the match and compare it to his own. To see the way Tachibana saw Kamio and compare it to his own. They saw the same thing, wanted the same things, but…Shinji realized there was a key difference in their observances. Tachibana saw nothing new in Kamio. He could not see that the music wasn’t enough anymore and that Kamio had it playing all the time, seeking for something within it only he could find. He couldn’t see that something else was finally starting to take route within the music; beneath it and around it, threatening to swallow Kamio whole.
And if he could…Shinji didn’t think Tachibana would stop it. He wouldn’t fight against it, wouldn’t try and steal Akira away from it…And that was where they differed. Because Shinji would do anything to hold on, to not let go, to keep it and make it his.
“Everyone’s improving so quickly…”
Shinji was not sure if he was meant to hear, or reply, to Tachibana’s soft words. He studied his Captain for a long time as the games continued, but he didn’t know what to look for. It was strange, to realize that someone who was so close in his heart was so far away in his mind. Rare, for Ibu Shinji.
“They do it for you,” Shinji whispered belatedly and it occurred to him that even if Tachibana had heard him he probably wouldn’t realize he was responding to his earlier remark, so detached were the two. But Tachibana understood. Shinji knew it the moment those lips curved into a secretive little grin, something that only the Captain could see amusing him and Shinji wanted suddenly to know what it was.
“Do you do it for me, Shinji?”
“Kippei?” Shinji was not sure what the older boy meant, and suddenly wished he had just kept his mouth shut and watched Kamio finish off Ishida, because now half the team was standing around waiting for Tachibana to tell them what to do next while Tachibana himself was just looking at Shinji, waiting for a response.
It was embarrassing. It was more than embarrassing. And Akira was watching. So Shinji played his Captain’s game and just stood there, focusing on nothing, waiting to see what would happen. He wondered just how long he could wait and knew that with his stubborn streak it could be a very long afternoon…Luckily, Tachibana is not one to waste time.
“That’s enough for today. The sun’s out, the afternoon looks fine and it wasn’t raining in town so everyone should be able to get home without incident, right?”
It was a question within a question, Shinji knew and he shared a look with Kamio. They had the furthest to walk, through the most run down parts of the city, and they both knew Tachibana was really asking if there had been any sign they might get into trouble. Kamio shrugged. Shinji didn’t say anything. It had been rather quiet at school and both knew something was going to happen soon, but neither really thought it would happen today. As Tachibana had said; the rain had cleared, the sun was shining and to all intents and purposes it was a beautiful day.
They were dismissed and Shinji was more than happy to escape, rushing back to the change rooms to pack away his gear. He snatched some casual clothes out of his bag and pulled them on, not wanting to wear anything that resembled a uniform of any kind. He was the first done, so he just sat on the bench and waited for Kamio, who was actually talking to Ishida about Ann’s improving skills, rather than listening to music. Shinji frowned, realizing Kamio had only played his music for an hour on the way to school that morning, and had not touched it for the rest of the day. It was too far out of character…
Sighing heavily, Shinji headed for the door, hoping Kamio would take the hint. He was already at the school gates when he heard the telltale sounds of a bike on the soft gravel behind him.
“You couldn’t have told me you were ready to go,” Kamio grumbled, shifting his bag on his back as he slipped off the side of his bike and chose instead to walk beside Shinji.
Shinji was more than a little surprised to find he felt a little guilty about slowing Kamio down. He momentarily contemplated getting a bike, just to keep up, then decided against it. It was a good thing, that Kamio chose to walk with him and not leave him behind; it proved their friendship in some way and made Shinji feel better. Besides, Shinji was just too lazy to ride. Walking was bad enough.
They walked in silence for a time, avoiding the more crowded shopping streets by following the back roads across the city.
“You’re quiet today…”
Shinji, startled, merely shrugged and glanced at Kamio as he dug his cap out of his bag and shoved it on his head. It was a plain black hat, a little too big, that he felt comfortable hiding under, and by the frown on Kamio’s face he figured his friend knew it well.
“Fine, hide under that stupid thing. Doesn’t change anything. Where did you get it anyway?”
Shinji just walked on in silence, wondering how Kamio could not remember that he had given it to him for his birthday a few years before. Shinji had not worn it for the first year, because it had simply been so big he couldn’t see out from under it, but at the start of the new tennis season he had found it shoved in his closet and realized he was slowly growing into it. He hoped by the time it was the right size that he would have it molded to the right shape and it would become his favorite, physically and not just in his heart.
“Come on, what’s wrong with you? Usually by now you’ve blabbed my head off!”
“Where’s your music?” Shinji asked quietly and Kamio simply stood there gaping as Shinji continued walking. It was a full minute before Kamio was at his side again, studying Shinji as if he had just grown two heads.
“I don’t get it…you’re not talking because I’m not listening to music? But I only listen to music to make you stop talking…”
Shinji just raised a brow. Kamio snorted and waved him off with a flippant flick of his wrist.
“Sometimes you’re really strange Shi-chan,” he mumbled, a funny little grin on his lips that made Shinji frown.
“Don’t call me that. We’re not little kids anymore, Aki-chan!” Kamio’s eyes widened as he turned to look at Shinji, a look halfway between disbelief and amusement locked on his features.
“Did you really call me that? It makes me sound like a girl!”
“You sang like a girl…” Shinji noted, feeling a little lighter as he relaxed into the usual banter.
“You looked like one,” Kamio retorted and the smile on his face was genuine, the laughter in his eyes complete. It somehow made Shinji feel better, despite the fact he was being insulted. So he just smiled, faint but there, and let Kamio do that talking. It was not a wholly unpleasant change.
They came around a corner and Shinji couldn’t help but notice how quiet the area was. There was not a single car on the road, no one sharing the footpath ahead of them. It was like they were the only two people on earth, and he was suddenly very much aware of his friend, his breath, his movement, his warmth. He paused, just to feel the moment.
Ahead of them, the sun was just slipping below the skyline of the industrial buildings on the far side of the city, sending shards of yellow light in all direction. Shinji watched them smash against Kamio’s red hair and it looked like blood to him, bright and exciting…
Something was pounding and for a moment Shinji thought it was just his heart, but it was beating a counter rhythm. He was about to turn when something pushed hard into Kamio and he looked past his friend even as Kamio was turning, but he was not sure he believed what he was seeing.
There was Kamio’s bike, in a stranger’s hands, and that stranger was wearing a Seigaku school uniform and had spiky black hair and…Kamio gasped.
“My bicycle! You bicycle thief! Don’t even think you can escape.” Shinji grinned as he heard the words. Momoshiro was on that bike, and Shinji knew Kamio would never forgive him for touching his bike without permission, let alone stealing it! All the fears that had been building in him for days were suddenly slipping away, draining out from his toes and pooling on the pavement. He felt like laughing as Kamio tossed his bag at him and took up a running stance.
“I’ll get ya with rhythm!” And he was off…
But someone was mumbling incoherently behind him, so Shinji turned just far enough to get a glimpse around the shield of hat and hair, only to turn fully when he saw yet more Seigaku uniforms. They looked like freshman, and they had been with Momoshiro. Sure enough, there with them, just as Shinji had suspected, was Echizen. Shinji frowned, wanting to laugh and kick the boy’s arse at the same time. Memories of his match with the freshman were running through his already crowded brain and he suddenly wished he had just run after Kamio. Still, since he was alone he could get a bit of shopping done…
But Echizen looked like he couldn’t decide if he wanted to kill him or forget Shinji’s existence and it hurt somehow, that this brat would consider ignoring him, forget that they had ever played a match, that they had ever been rivals, either on or off the court. It stung, and Shinji could not let that go. Instead, he made a small sound of acknowledgement, forcing Echizen to do the same. It seemed it was going to be an interesting afternoon.
*
Momoshiro was more than surprised when he failed to deck the annoying thief, but he was at a disadvantage with those damned skates. Trailing behind, he turned sharply around the corner and noticed someone resting against a bike, so he charged forward, grabbed a hold of it and launched himself onto the seat as he steered after the thief.
“Sorry, I’ll return this.” There was a gasp of shock, of course, but Momoshiro didn’t pay any more attention to it than that, letting his focus remain on the thief. But there was a loud shout from behind, like a weird, twisted battle cry, and when he turned in curiosity he caught sight of a familiar head of red hair chasing after him…and actually keeping up.
“Fudomine’s Kamio!” He cried out, shaking his head as if the image might change and he could stop seeing such a weird daydream. But it wasn’t a dream, the guy was really chasing after him and he looked pissed…and Momoshiro realized whose bike he had stolen. He really wasn’t sure what to think about that, so he just kept riding, following the thief, but now with half his attention on his own pursuer.
“That uniform is Seigaku’s!” The voice was furious… “Are you Kaidoh?”
Momoshiro’s stomach twisted as he turned sharply to deny the observation. He could not believe he was being mistaken for…that snake! And by Kamio! It was…definitely not something he appreciated. It hurt his pride, and he wanted nothing more than to make Kamio recognize him, and to have that fury turn into…something else.
“Don’t mistake me for that moron!”
It went on, the bantering between them as they traded insults about the snake, but Momoshiro couldn’t help but notice that Kamio was actually gaining on him. He idly wondered just how fast Kamio could run, and for how long. He wanted to test it, to see how far Kamio would chase him…
Glancing ahead, he noticed Kaidoh, for some reason he really didn’t want to contemplate, was lying in the middle of the road, so he didn’t hesitate, offering only a token warning before riding straight over him. It felt oddly satisfying.
“That was the snake. Then who are you?”
Annoyed that he hadn’t figured it out, Momoshiro deliberately started speeding up.
“For crying out loud, figure it out!” It was annoying, that Kamio interested him so much while he had apparently not interested the other at all.
The thief was slowing down, and Kaidoh couldn’t be far behind them, so Momo rammed the bastard with the bike, offering even less warning than he had given the snake as he pushed past, knocking the thief over, very much aware of Kamio doing the same.
They were going so fast now that Momoshiro thought he was flying, and still Kamio was right behind. It fascinated Momo. He would have to tell Echizen about it, as soon as he finished playing.
“You…You’re Momoshiro.”
“Finally figured it out, huh?” Momoshiro whined, noticing the road ahead was rather steep and getting ready to fly even faster. Just to get back a small hint of pride, and to annoy Kamio, he used the other’s motto as he crested the top of the hill and started racing down, aware of Kamio finally falling back a little, though the chase, it seemed, was far from over.
Kamio was still right there, he could almost reach out and touch…so Momoshiro took the corner sharply, only to find himself face to face with a shop sign, so he turned sharply again…straight into a hedge. He came through the other side, glanced over his shoulder and saw Kamio jump the fence easily…the guy was a machine!
There was more banter…Kamio seemed only concerned for the bike’s welfare, and Momoshiro was determined to make him notice him not the bike. He didn’t even notice Eiji and Taka as he rode past, noticing too late the sudden lack of road ahead…
He sailed out over the steps, crashing into the bottom, his fallen broken only by the bike he had not actually intended to harm. He would be lucky if Kamio didn’t kill him for hurting his precious bicycle.
“So much for Seigaku’s number one reflexes,” Kamio noted from somewhere above.
“Now don’t say that,” Momoshiro moaned, trying to figure out just what hurt the most. His back was killing him, his shoulder was aching, but most of all….hell yes, it was the damn pedal stuck between his legs…That definitely hurt the most.
There were footsteps and Momoshiro looked up to see Kamio coming slowly down the stairs, hand shoved in his pockets, breathing perfectly normal as if he hadn’t just chased a bicycle across town at full speed.
“Are you alright?” He finally asked, and the fury was gone from his voice. Rather, he seemed, a little nervous. Momoshiro smiled and gave him a thumbs up as he slowly lifted himself off the bike, letting Kamio pull it free to look it over. The frame was bent, but Momoshiro thought it was fixable. Already Kamio seemed to be pulling the metal back into shape. Apparently he was stronger than he looked.
“You’re sure you’re okay?” Kamio asked, glancing out from under his long hair. Momoshiro got his first good look at dark blue eyes concerned for him and he smiled, just nodding in return. Surprisingly, Kamio sighed as he looked back down at the bike.
“What is with everyone today? First Shinji, now you…No one wants to talk.”
He sounded so frustrated, Momoshiro reached out and grabbed the bike, pushing it against the wall as he grabbed hold of Kamio’s shirt and dragged him back to the steps, amused by the shocked squawk that escaped the other boy as he was dragged over to sit down.
“I’m sorry about your bike.”
“It’s had worse,” Kamio shrugged, pulling his sleeve free of Momo’s grasp and leaning his elbows on his knees as he leant forward and stared at the ground.
Momoshiro wondered what had happened to it that was worse than being ridden down a whole flight of stairs, minus the actual touching the ground part, but decided he really didn’t want to know.
“Shinji’s not talking to you?”
Kamio’s head shot up and he glared, but Momoshiro just waited. Yes, it was a personal question, yes it was probably none of his business, but yet, he thought Kamio just might want to talk about it, and lucky for Momo he was the only one around.
“He’s been acting weird ever since…ah, it doesn’t matter. And then, after we lost against you…I saw him talking to Tachibana, but other than that…He’s hardly said anything to anyone. It’s weird. Usually he doesn’t shut up. I don’t get it.”
Momoshiro didn’t either, but then, he really didn’t know Ibu Shinji. He guessed the guy must talk a lot since Kamio was distressed the guy wasn’t saying much, but the short time Momo had seen him he hadn’t really talked that much…Momoshiro just couldn’t see Ibu blabbing at anyone about anything. Still, if it was normal…Kamio would know.
“Maybe he just has something on his mind.”
Kamio didn’t say anything to that, just seemed to sort of close in on himself, shoulders hunching, knees pressing together, face hidden by the dark shadow of his hair. Momoshiro suddenly wanted to know what event had sparked Ibu’s sudden quiet contemplation…Whatever it was, it was obviously troubling Kamio as well.
“It was raining at school today.”
It was an abrupt change of topic.
“It didn’t rain at all…It was cloudy this morning, but the storm had moved on by lunchtime.” Momoshiro really didn’t want to be talking about the weather, but he thought if he played along he might get some kind of reward.
“Fudomine’s on the other side of town…it rains a lot there. It’s really cold.”
Momoshiro’s eyes narrowed. Something about the way Kamio had said ‘cold’ made him feel it, the chill, racing through his bones and he shuddered, memories of the rumors about the school rushing to the fore. Violence at the school. Students attacking teachers. Students attacking students. Gang warfare among peer groups. He thought it all exaggeration. After all, there had been a reason Tachibana had attacked that teacher. There had to be a reason for the rest of it, right? Still…if it was true…It must be a cold place.
“Shinji doesn’t like the cold…” Kamio whispered and Momoshiro wished he knew them better; that he could offer some kind of solace, but he realized all too sharply how much of an outsider he was. He had met Kamio only once, really, and that had not been under the best circumstances. He knew him hardly at all, knew his team even less…but there was a desire in him that longed to know more that he had never really felt before. With Echizen he had wanted, but had been satisfied with letting Echizen explain himself at his own rate, and they had become good friends.
But Momoshiro was fast realizing he didn’t just want to be Kamio’s friend. If that was all he wanted, then it would just be want…but he was man enough to acknowledge the desire within himself; that he would not simply wait, but that he would seek out and make Kamio tell him…That he wanted to listen now. It was terrifying and yet comforting at the same time. It was…a completeness of his wants he had never felt before.
And for once in his life Momoshiro had an epiphany. It wasn’t just Shinji who didn’t like the cold. And the cold was something else…
The cold was being locked out, being shut out of something you were familiar with. The cold was having a friend not talk to you, not listen to you, not see you, acknowledge you. The cold was…being alone. By yourself. Standing right beside someone you’ve known all your life and not knowing who they are.
And it wouldn’t do, to just reassure Kamio that Shinji probably just had something on his mind, because that was not the point. The point was that he wasn’t sharing it with his best friend; that Kamio was having to sit here, with a stranger, to talk about it because his best friend wouldn’t.
Momoshiro felt suddenly inadequate, and had the strangest need to know where Echizen was and to have the little runt grunt at him. He wondered what it would be like, to have that go away and didn’t really like what he was wondering.
“Are you buy tomorrow after school?”
Kamio looked up, confused and shook his head. There was an air of suspicion about him that made Momoshiro grin as he pointed at the bike.
“Can I come over and help you fix it?”
Kamio eyes the bike critically and Momoshiro saw that point when he acknowledged he couldn’t fix it by himself.
“Sure…That would be…good.” Something seemed to finally occur to Kamio. “Why’d you snatch it anyway?”
Momoshiro laughed, realizing he hadn’t even explained himself.
“The guy on the skates stole a lady’s handbag. I was trying to get it back…”
“What? If it was because of a thief, you should have said so sooner,” Kamio noted, leaning back on his hands. Momo found himself leaning forward, wanting to keep that same distance between them…wanting to fell the warmth that filled him just having someone there…He noticed how close their feet were and smiled to himself.
“It’s obvious! Who would go round stealing bicycles?”
Whether or not it was obvious soon became a moot point as Kamio pointed out they had left the thief behind. Momo figured Kaidoh would have taken care of it and left it at that. Kamio, however, did not seem so convinced and Momo laughed at the disbelief plain on his face. Kaidoh really hadn’t made a good first impression and it pleased Momoshiro somehow.
Kamio was on his feet suddenly, grabbing his bike. Momo wanted to stall him a little, so he checked that Kamio was still okay for him to come over the next day, then asked about Fudomine’s condition, which was as he expected. They really were hell bent on beating Seigaku, not that Momo thought they would ever succeed…not with Tezuka, Fuji and Echizen on the team. But next year…that was going to be scary.
There was a shout nearby and Momoshiro thought he recognized the voice, but the look of surprise and terror mingled on Kamio’s face had him reacting quickly. He looked around and realized they were at the street tennis courts. He was abut to suggest they go check it out when he realized Kamio had already taken off and was a good fifty meters down the road.
Wondering just what was going on that had snapped Kamio out of his melancholy and back into rage, Momoshiro raced forward, wondering how much more interesting the day could possibly get.