(no subject)
Title: Improvement
Author: Cael
Rating: PG
Genre: general
Pairing/Characters: Dan, Akutsu, Sengoku
Short Summary/Comments: Akutsu and Sengoku see Dan practicing.
"I think the kid's getting better."
Akutsu took a deep drag of his cigarette, blowing the smoke out in a lazy stream. He didn't bother to reply to the cheery comment, wasn't worth his time. Besides, that would only encourage Sengoku. He attempted to avoid doing that on a regular basis.
The redhead was not to be deterred though and continued forward gamely. "And that twist serve, hyuu, it's almost as good as Echizen's. Lucky!"
This was starting to get a little overly dramatic. Akutsu narrowed his eyes slightly. "Hn."
Sengoku beamed at him and before he could react the enthusiastic boy had grabbed his arm and was pulling him toward the courts.
"Oi, Dan!"
The small figure standing alone on the clay turned at the sound of his name and when he saw who was calling him his face lit up in a brilliant smile. Akutsu momentarily forgot about wanting to beat Sengoku into a fine paste.
"Your form is improving," Sengoku said as soon as they got close enough. He removed his grip from Akutsu's arm, but left his hand hovering just off his side as a warning that the other boy shouldn't think about leaving too early.
Dan blushed a bright, happy red and ducked his head sheepishly. "Thank you."
Sengoku rocked back and forth on his heels, attempting to look nonchalant and, in Akutsu's opinion, failing miserably.
"You must have been practicing diligently. I mean, it's already two hours since club got out and you're still here on the courts. Your dedication is to be admired," Sengoku gushed sweetly. Akutsu slid his gaze over, eying the redhead suspiciously. He was up to something.
Dan opened his mouth to murmur a disclaimer, paused a second as the words sank in, and then his head shot up, dark eyes wide and just a touch panicky.
"Eh! It's that late already?" A quick glance up at the darkening sky highlighted in deep reds and purples as the sun sank over the horizon confirmed the lateness of the hour.
Akutsu watched as Dan began running about the courts, collecting a water bottle here, a towel there, and stuffing it all in the bag that bounced frantically on his back. As Dan jogged past him for the fifth time, heading towards his spare racket, he somehow managed to trip.
Now Akutsu knew that the younger boy was relatively clumsy and had a tendency to trip himself up on a regular basis, but he'd seen something flicker across Sengoku's face a heartbeat before Dan pitched forward. Something smug and stinking of self-satisfaction. He didn't trust it.
He ended up with an armful of flustered freshman regardless and set Dan back upright on his feet with a soft growl.
"If you hurry you're going to get hurt."
Dan stared up at him in wonderment and Akutsu had to fight the urge to shuffle his feet under that wide-eyed gaze. Damn Sengoku.
"Yes!" Dan agreed happily, smiling again.
When Dan had finally collected himself the three left the courts together, Dan and Sengoku chatting animatedly in the front, Akutsu skulking along in the rear. He hefted the bag Sengoku had forced him to carry for the younger boy and wished that he still had the cigarette he'd accidentally dropped when he'd been pulled toward the courts. He made a mental note to seek retribution as Dan's laughter echoed around them. Later.
Author: Cael
Rating: PG
Genre: general
Pairing/Characters: Dan, Akutsu, Sengoku
Short Summary/Comments: Akutsu and Sengoku see Dan practicing.
"I think the kid's getting better."
Akutsu took a deep drag of his cigarette, blowing the smoke out in a lazy stream. He didn't bother to reply to the cheery comment, wasn't worth his time. Besides, that would only encourage Sengoku. He attempted to avoid doing that on a regular basis.
The redhead was not to be deterred though and continued forward gamely. "And that twist serve, hyuu, it's almost as good as Echizen's. Lucky!"
This was starting to get a little overly dramatic. Akutsu narrowed his eyes slightly. "Hn."
Sengoku beamed at him and before he could react the enthusiastic boy had grabbed his arm and was pulling him toward the courts.
"Oi, Dan!"
The small figure standing alone on the clay turned at the sound of his name and when he saw who was calling him his face lit up in a brilliant smile. Akutsu momentarily forgot about wanting to beat Sengoku into a fine paste.
"Your form is improving," Sengoku said as soon as they got close enough. He removed his grip from Akutsu's arm, but left his hand hovering just off his side as a warning that the other boy shouldn't think about leaving too early.
Dan blushed a bright, happy red and ducked his head sheepishly. "Thank you."
Sengoku rocked back and forth on his heels, attempting to look nonchalant and, in Akutsu's opinion, failing miserably.
"You must have been practicing diligently. I mean, it's already two hours since club got out and you're still here on the courts. Your dedication is to be admired," Sengoku gushed sweetly. Akutsu slid his gaze over, eying the redhead suspiciously. He was up to something.
Dan opened his mouth to murmur a disclaimer, paused a second as the words sank in, and then his head shot up, dark eyes wide and just a touch panicky.
"Eh! It's that late already?" A quick glance up at the darkening sky highlighted in deep reds and purples as the sun sank over the horizon confirmed the lateness of the hour.
Akutsu watched as Dan began running about the courts, collecting a water bottle here, a towel there, and stuffing it all in the bag that bounced frantically on his back. As Dan jogged past him for the fifth time, heading towards his spare racket, he somehow managed to trip.
Now Akutsu knew that the younger boy was relatively clumsy and had a tendency to trip himself up on a regular basis, but he'd seen something flicker across Sengoku's face a heartbeat before Dan pitched forward. Something smug and stinking of self-satisfaction. He didn't trust it.
He ended up with an armful of flustered freshman regardless and set Dan back upright on his feet with a soft growl.
"If you hurry you're going to get hurt."
Dan stared up at him in wonderment and Akutsu had to fight the urge to shuffle his feet under that wide-eyed gaze. Damn Sengoku.
"Yes!" Dan agreed happily, smiling again.
When Dan had finally collected himself the three left the courts together, Dan and Sengoku chatting animatedly in the front, Akutsu skulking along in the rear. He hefted the bag Sengoku had forced him to carry for the younger boy and wished that he still had the cigarette he'd accidentally dropped when he'd been pulled toward the courts. He made a mental note to seek retribution as Dan's laughter echoed around them. Later.