[FICLET] Hearing Between (Jackal/Marui; PG)
This one just wouldn't leave me alone, so I sat down to pound it out today. Enjoy, flist.
Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi, Konami, et al. I am just a fanwriter.
Warnings: certain implications of potential m/m affection/attraction
A/N: written for 30_kisses theme #17: kHz
Hearing Between
by Solanum Dulcamara
They sat against the fences at the edge of the courts, uniform shirts bunching against the chain-link. Nationals were over. Their tennis season had ended until high school when they'd be freshmen with no rights all over again. Still, late afternoons found Marui and Jackal seated together near the courts, always close enough to hear the ends of practice - sentiment or habit. The grass was usually wet against their pants-legs. Autumn was approaching; Jackal could feel the cool edge to the breeze. It was very different than Brazil. He liked to turn his face into the wind and feel the sharp edge of the cold air on his skin, leaving it prickly with sensation. Marui sat beside him, always close enough to feel the heat radiating from his compact body, sometimes so close that their sides brushed together. He wore ear-buds that were connected to an unseen MP3 player. Jackal could just make out the heavy beats of some kind of techno. He watched Marui's profile, the bob of his head to the beat, the way his dyed hair alternated between following his head and catching in the breeze. Jackal was loathe to break the silence, the vaguely nostalgic feel that always seemed to wrap around him court-side with Marui, but he wanted to talk to his partner about the lecture that they'd been given in their classes that afternoon; they weren't in class together, so he couldn't be sure about Marui's reaction.
He cleared his throat softly, a low and subtle noise that blended easily with the rustle of the wind in the grass. "Marui..." he glanced to the side again at Marui's profile which seemed unperturbed, "About high school entrance exams... An administrator came to your class and spoke about it, right?"
Marui turned to him then, amusement crinkling his eyes at the corners. He pointed towards his ears and mouthed, "Can't hear you."
Jackal frowned. If Marui couldn't hear him, how had he known when to respond? He was just being disagreeable. Shifting his legs to a more comfortable position, Jackal resolved to try again. "I know that as students of Rikkai and regulars of the tennis team, we're almost assured slots in the high school division, but don't you think we should make some preparations anyway?" The thought of high school without Marui stealing from his lunch or jumping on his back in the halls or standing with him on the court to face off in doubles left Jackal cold inside. He waited.
A single thin brow arched over eyes that were actually a warm brown under the bright lavender contacts - understated incredulity. Again Marui spoke soundlessly, "Ear-buds, Jackal. Can't hear."
Disagreeable. Difficult. Contrary. Marui turned away again and stretched his legs out alongside Jackal's. Different length legs. Different size feet. But their trainers were equally scuffed and dirty in the way that boys' shoes inevitably are. Jackal looked out across the small field that ended in the large stone wall surrounding the school. The grass was long - it would be cut soon - besides that there wasn't much to look at. He knew that Marui was avoiding the topic. Why that was, he couldn't rightly say. Maybe he was intimidated by the thought of graduating and moving on to a new school division. Maybe he'd suddenly decided to attend high school somewhere other than Rikkai Dai. Most likely, he simply didn't like thinking too hard about the future, which always ended up in front of him anyway; but by then it was the present and somehow, in Marui's mind, infinitely more manageable. Jackal didn't really understand that logic and didn't particularly care for being ignored.
And then, he remembered something in his bag, something guaranteed to get the attention of his obstinate doubles partner. Jackal's hand reached easily into his uncluttered backpack to retrieve the small plastic bag he'd stashed there for the walk home. New Zesty Shrimp Chips the bright red label said. He carefully took the package in both hands and pulled the top open - plastic package rustling and crinkling and opening with a very slight pop.
Instantly, Marui's head snapped in the direction of the bag. He would have recognized it by sound alone as some form of junk food. Jackal merely held the bag away from Marui, took a chip, and popped it into his mouth. Either of them could easily put away a snack-size bag, but it was their habit to share them. "Ne, Jackal..." Marui held out a hand expectantly.
"I thought you couldn't hear," his tone was even, unaccusing. He even smiled a little as he ate a couple more chips.
"Come on. You know I was just messing around. Let me have some." Marui reached a little further, across Jackal, in the direction of the bag.
Jackal extended his arm fully - their size differences really had advantages at times - and watched Marui flail for chips.
"No fair and not cool," Marui huffed, standing to get to the bag.
"You know I'm just messing around," Jackal stood, as well. He continued to eat the chips, holding the bag just out of his shorter partner's reach.
Marui, to his credit, never gave up. He continued to reach, jump, and cajole until Jackal finally handed him the bag. His eyes widened happily as he took it and looked inside to find the silvery inner-lining coated with a bit of grease, salt, and a few wayward crumbs. He sucked in a disappointed breath, cheeks puffing out indignantly. The self-pity lasted only a moment before he reached out with the same speed he used to get to the net after serving and grabbed Jackal's hand, the one he'd eaten the chips with. Marui pulled the hand up and bent to lick each finger; tiny little laps, smooth over Jackal's roughened fingers. His lips lingered over each fingertip, suction like small kisses sending a wave of tingles up Jackal's arm. Jackal watched with a detached fascination the pink of his doubles partner's tongue and lips traveling over the skin of his hand. His head felt light and the breeze no longer felt cool on his cheeks. Just as he was beginning to wonder if he'd remember to breathe properly, Marui dropped his hand, sighed, and flopped back onto the grass. Jackal sat shakily, wondering if Marui'd seen how unsteady his legs were, wondering exactly why his legs were so unsteady.
Marui's round face turned to him, brows pinched, lips pursed. "That wasn't nice at all, Jackal. How could you eat all of them in front of me like that. I got as much as I could off of your fingers, but still. That wasn't very much. I haven't tried those yet. You know that I wanted to try them. We always share." His rapid complaints died off as if he just ran out of steam.
Breath rushed from Jackal's chest where it had been sitting too warmly, making his chest tight. Marui'd licked his fingers... like a child... and not at all like a child. It had been distracting, and Jackal suddenly had a very poignant understanding of Marui's wish to not think about something until he absolutely had to. "I'll buy you a bag at the convenience store on the way home," his voice sounded steady to his own ears, but that may have been optimism working against him.
His partner didn't say anything about it, though. Marui did, however, smile happily at the prospect of Jackal buying him food. All of the accusation spread from his face with the smile, and he relaxed back against the chain-link fence. The wind continued to rush through the grass and Marui's hair, the only sound for several long moments. "Jackal, I'm not really worried about the exams. I'm a genius, afterall. But if you're worried or whatever, we could study together."
Jackal felt the tension seep from him as Marui spoke. He'd been listening. He'd understood. "I'd like that." Whether or not Marui insisted they were studying together for Jackal's benefit, things were always better when done together with his partner.
Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi, Konami, et al. I am just a fanwriter.
Warnings: certain implications of potential m/m affection/attraction
A/N: written for 30_kisses theme #17: kHz
Hearing Between
by Solanum Dulcamara
They sat against the fences at the edge of the courts, uniform shirts bunching against the chain-link. Nationals were over. Their tennis season had ended until high school when they'd be freshmen with no rights all over again. Still, late afternoons found Marui and Jackal seated together near the courts, always close enough to hear the ends of practice - sentiment or habit. The grass was usually wet against their pants-legs. Autumn was approaching; Jackal could feel the cool edge to the breeze. It was very different than Brazil. He liked to turn his face into the wind and feel the sharp edge of the cold air on his skin, leaving it prickly with sensation. Marui sat beside him, always close enough to feel the heat radiating from his compact body, sometimes so close that their sides brushed together. He wore ear-buds that were connected to an unseen MP3 player. Jackal could just make out the heavy beats of some kind of techno. He watched Marui's profile, the bob of his head to the beat, the way his dyed hair alternated between following his head and catching in the breeze. Jackal was loathe to break the silence, the vaguely nostalgic feel that always seemed to wrap around him court-side with Marui, but he wanted to talk to his partner about the lecture that they'd been given in their classes that afternoon; they weren't in class together, so he couldn't be sure about Marui's reaction.
He cleared his throat softly, a low and subtle noise that blended easily with the rustle of the wind in the grass. "Marui..." he glanced to the side again at Marui's profile which seemed unperturbed, "About high school entrance exams... An administrator came to your class and spoke about it, right?"
Marui turned to him then, amusement crinkling his eyes at the corners. He pointed towards his ears and mouthed, "Can't hear you."
Jackal frowned. If Marui couldn't hear him, how had he known when to respond? He was just being disagreeable. Shifting his legs to a more comfortable position, Jackal resolved to try again. "I know that as students of Rikkai and regulars of the tennis team, we're almost assured slots in the high school division, but don't you think we should make some preparations anyway?" The thought of high school without Marui stealing from his lunch or jumping on his back in the halls or standing with him on the court to face off in doubles left Jackal cold inside. He waited.
A single thin brow arched over eyes that were actually a warm brown under the bright lavender contacts - understated incredulity. Again Marui spoke soundlessly, "Ear-buds, Jackal. Can't hear."
Disagreeable. Difficult. Contrary. Marui turned away again and stretched his legs out alongside Jackal's. Different length legs. Different size feet. But their trainers were equally scuffed and dirty in the way that boys' shoes inevitably are. Jackal looked out across the small field that ended in the large stone wall surrounding the school. The grass was long - it would be cut soon - besides that there wasn't much to look at. He knew that Marui was avoiding the topic. Why that was, he couldn't rightly say. Maybe he was intimidated by the thought of graduating and moving on to a new school division. Maybe he'd suddenly decided to attend high school somewhere other than Rikkai Dai. Most likely, he simply didn't like thinking too hard about the future, which always ended up in front of him anyway; but by then it was the present and somehow, in Marui's mind, infinitely more manageable. Jackal didn't really understand that logic and didn't particularly care for being ignored.
And then, he remembered something in his bag, something guaranteed to get the attention of his obstinate doubles partner. Jackal's hand reached easily into his uncluttered backpack to retrieve the small plastic bag he'd stashed there for the walk home. New Zesty Shrimp Chips the bright red label said. He carefully took the package in both hands and pulled the top open - plastic package rustling and crinkling and opening with a very slight pop.
Instantly, Marui's head snapped in the direction of the bag. He would have recognized it by sound alone as some form of junk food. Jackal merely held the bag away from Marui, took a chip, and popped it into his mouth. Either of them could easily put away a snack-size bag, but it was their habit to share them. "Ne, Jackal..." Marui held out a hand expectantly.
"I thought you couldn't hear," his tone was even, unaccusing. He even smiled a little as he ate a couple more chips.
"Come on. You know I was just messing around. Let me have some." Marui reached a little further, across Jackal, in the direction of the bag.
Jackal extended his arm fully - their size differences really had advantages at times - and watched Marui flail for chips.
"No fair and not cool," Marui huffed, standing to get to the bag.
"You know I'm just messing around," Jackal stood, as well. He continued to eat the chips, holding the bag just out of his shorter partner's reach.
Marui, to his credit, never gave up. He continued to reach, jump, and cajole until Jackal finally handed him the bag. His eyes widened happily as he took it and looked inside to find the silvery inner-lining coated with a bit of grease, salt, and a few wayward crumbs. He sucked in a disappointed breath, cheeks puffing out indignantly. The self-pity lasted only a moment before he reached out with the same speed he used to get to the net after serving and grabbed Jackal's hand, the one he'd eaten the chips with. Marui pulled the hand up and bent to lick each finger; tiny little laps, smooth over Jackal's roughened fingers. His lips lingered over each fingertip, suction like small kisses sending a wave of tingles up Jackal's arm. Jackal watched with a detached fascination the pink of his doubles partner's tongue and lips traveling over the skin of his hand. His head felt light and the breeze no longer felt cool on his cheeks. Just as he was beginning to wonder if he'd remember to breathe properly, Marui dropped his hand, sighed, and flopped back onto the grass. Jackal sat shakily, wondering if Marui'd seen how unsteady his legs were, wondering exactly why his legs were so unsteady.
Marui's round face turned to him, brows pinched, lips pursed. "That wasn't nice at all, Jackal. How could you eat all of them in front of me like that. I got as much as I could off of your fingers, but still. That wasn't very much. I haven't tried those yet. You know that I wanted to try them. We always share." His rapid complaints died off as if he just ran out of steam.
Breath rushed from Jackal's chest where it had been sitting too warmly, making his chest tight. Marui'd licked his fingers... like a child... and not at all like a child. It had been distracting, and Jackal suddenly had a very poignant understanding of Marui's wish to not think about something until he absolutely had to. "I'll buy you a bag at the convenience store on the way home," his voice sounded steady to his own ears, but that may have been optimism working against him.
His partner didn't say anything about it, though. Marui did, however, smile happily at the prospect of Jackal buying him food. All of the accusation spread from his face with the smile, and he relaxed back against the chain-link fence. The wind continued to rush through the grass and Marui's hair, the only sound for several long moments. "Jackal, I'm not really worried about the exams. I'm a genius, afterall. But if you're worried or whatever, we could study together."
Jackal felt the tension seep from him as Marui spoke. He'd been listening. He'd understood. "I'd like that." Whether or not Marui insisted they were studying together for Jackal's benefit, things were always better when done together with his partner.