Sunshine Yellow

by muffle-kun

The first time they met, Ivan didn't think the young man will be someone important. After all, Alfred F. Jones had too much to say that first day of school; he seemed the type of person who was all talk. Ivan didn't really mind and brushed him off as one of the regular guys, one who did not warrant special attention.

He was proven wrong, however, when each and every one of his achievements were challenged by that same young man. He was surprised the first time he got second place on a science project, vowed to do better next time, and got furious when he was cheated of his gold medal for the second time.

From then on, it was a race for first place between him and Alfred. It became their secret obsession; even they did not realize it for what it was. Their rivalry was profound and known throughout the school, but nobody knew how deep it ran. Ivan and Alfred had never exchanged words, their antagonism only declared by murderous glares and arrogant grins.

The first time they talked, Ivan recognized his fascination with Alfred. It had been a wintry afternoon, and walking home from school, he heard someone call his attention.

"Hey! You dropped this."

He turned around to see his blond rival standing there, holding out a yellow flower to him. A sunflower. Fancy that.

Ivan looked on suspiciously at first, but reached out a hand to take the offered blossom.

"Why—"

"Heroes help everyone! Even flowers! I'm not about to let a flower die in the snow, you know!"

He was about to reply that the flower would die anyway, seeing it has no roots, but then he realized that Alfred was babbling on.

He smiled.

"Thank you. But I did not drop this."

Alfred shut up at that.

They stared at each other for moments; not staring each other down as they were wont to do usually, but just really looking.

"Uhm. I gotta go! I need to go help somebody else—"Alfred sputtered after a few minutes, pink in the face and tips of the ears before cutting himself short and running away in the opposite direction.

Ivan blinked and his heart warmed when he finally understood the other man's actions. He smiled and held the flower subconsciously to his chest. Then it hit him.

School had been boring without Alfred. Being number one was useless if he didn't get challenged by him, if they didn't race to the top like mad dogs. No one could keep up with him before, but now that there was someone, it had become exhilarating. And it was also useless if it wasn't Alfred.

Alfred, whose eyes of glittering blue and hair of spun gold just like his just-proclaimed favorite sunflower he held in his hands.

Now, after years, looking back, Ivan realized that the strange attraction had been there all along, ever since the first day. The flower was the reason for his attraction to the man. Or the other way around.

A/N: Did this for a drabble challenge with my friends~