Title: Memories and Firsts
Author: Demias
Pairings: FujiRyo
Type: One shot
Warnings: Mild shounen-ai
Disclaimer: I can only wish… Takeshi Konomi is the one that really owns Tenipuri…
Summary: Ryoma's musings on his earliest memories and his first times.
Memories and Firsts
Tennis was a part of Ryoma's earliest memories. He remembered the feel of a tennis racket in his arms from before he could lift one with a single arm. Along with tennis, Ryoma remembered his father gently tossing tennis balls to him so that Ryoma could learn to hit them. He didn't remember the first time he had been able to actually do so. He rarely remembered specific instances. Rather, tennis, as a whole, along with Echizen Nanjirou occupied Ryoma's earliest memories.
Very little besides tennis engaged Ryoma's attention for very long. Karupin was probably the only thing that had success in that department that was not related to tennis in any way.
Therefore, it did not come as a surprise when, in elementary school, Ryoma focused on tennis and did not spare time for picking on the girl he liked, as all the other boys did. While they were busy pulling hair, Ryoma was perfecting his twist serve. He didn't like any of the girls anyways. They were too annoying, and he was too occupied with tennis.
Ryoma had simply assumed he'd be too busy with tennis to spare time for relationships. It never occurred to him (not that he gave it much thought) that he'd find a relationship because of tennis. After all, tennis was tennis. Tennis was a sport that he happened to be very good at and that he could play daily with his father. Tennis was a very thrilling game that Ryoma enjoyed immensely. Tennis was a game that required endurance, speed, and skill. The only requirement for love was as a term in the scoring that indicated the lack of any score.
So when Ryoma began to spend time with Fuji Syusuke for private matches, he didn't give it much thought. Fuji was good at tennis. Ryoma wanted to be better. It was as simple as that. Fuji was just another person to beat before he reached his ultimate goal of defeating his father. Ryoma didn't doubt that this goal wouldn't be achieved for years, for Nanjirou was the best, and to beat him, Ryoma would have to become the best. Probably the best in the world. So it was only natural that Ryoma would set smaller goals along the way. Tezuka-buchou was one. Fuji was another.
Despite this, Ryoma couldn't recall exactly when these practice matches began to be followed by lunch together. He didn't know who suggested it first. All he knew was that it had become a habit.
Ryoma didn't know when they stopped keeping track of the score when they played either. All that mattered was that they continued to play. The thrill of the game became so much more important than winning or losing.
Strangely, when Ryoma found himself eating with Fuji without a game preceding it, he didn't question it. Nor did he push for a quick match. Instead, he simply enjoyed the company. Fuji's presence was so different from Momo's, or Eiji's, or even Tezuka-buchou's.
And after that, when Ryoma found himself walking with Fuji for no apparent reason, or eating lunch with him at school (or, Ryoma's favorite, napping on the roof with Fuji for company and as an alarm clock of sorts, to make sure Ryoma heard the bell), he didn't comment. He enjoyed it. Fuji must have enjoyed it also, since the tensai was the one seeking out Ryoma's company most of the time. So he just accepted it.
Ryoma's habit of not recalling the firsts ended there, however.
He did remember the first time Fuji's lips brushed his own. He remembered (though he would deny it if confronted about it) the way he had jerked away in surprise, a bright flush creeping over his face.
He remembered the way he knew Fuji had misunderstood his surprise for disgust in the way Fuji's face went carefully blank under that faint, ever-present smile.
Ryoma clearly remembered the way he had taken it upon himself to prove to Fuji he wasn't disgusted.
Even now, Ryoma couldn't help but blush as he remembered the way he had nearly ambushed Fuji after tennis practice and proceeded to pull the boy down for an amateurish kiss. He remembered with startling clarity the way the older boy had then shown him the proper way to kiss.
And that was Ryoma's first kiss that he received, and the first kiss he gave (kisses on Karupin's nose excluded).
Ryoma also remembered his first official date. A few days after the kissing incidents, Fuji had asked Ryoma out to watch a movie together. Fuji had even specified it as a date. And Ryoma had agreed. He didn't know how he had managed to act so unconcerned when he received the invitation. At least, Ryoma had thought he had managed to pull off the indifference. The bright, slightly sadistic smile that his new boyfriend gave him implied otherwise however. But Ryoma didn't mind too much. It wasn't the first time Fuji managed to fluster him, and it probably wouldn't be the last.
Fuji would probably take many of Ryoma's other firsts too. But Ryoma didn't mind that either. There was a first time for everything, and he'd rather give his firsts to Fuji, whom he cared about, than let them be taken by… Someone such as that annoyingly loud girl, Tamako or Tomoka or something like that. Plus, Ryoma did like Fuji--he liked him a lot, and he knew Fuji knew this, even though he didn't voice it. There would be a first time for that too.
It was simple, Ryoma would tell himself.
"Ne, Fuji-senpai…"
"Hmm? Ryoma?" The emphasis on his name was a hint for Ryoma.
"Ne, Syusuke," he would correct.
"Hmm? What is it?"
"I…" Here was where Ryoma would normally fail. He'd mutter a 'never mind' while heat flooded his cheeks. 'Mada mada dane, Echizen,' he'd scold himself.
Today was different though.
"Ne, Syusuke. I like you. I like you a lot."
It wasn't much in the way of confessions. Fuji Syusuke had had many girls confess their undying love for him. None of them, Ryoma was pleased to note, brought that bright, true smile to Fuji's face though. None but his.
"I know, Ryoma. I like you too."
That smile, those words, and the chaste, sweet kiss that followed Ryoma's confession made the embarrassment of going against his apathetic nature to speak those three words all worth it.
Completed: Jan. 17, 2007
This was just a short one shot I started to write while sitting in French class. I decided to finish it and post it just to contribute something to the tenipuri fandom.
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