Between the Lines

By Lola

Disclaimer: Tenisu no Oujisama is not owned by I, but someone far more clever. Credit to Konomi Takeshi.

Pairing: Shinji-Kamio Oneshot

Warnings: Nothing explicit but if the thought of pretty boys kissing and hugging makes you turn green as though you'd tasted Inui's juice then why are you here?!

Author's Notes: First TeniPuri fic. *sighs* Could not be helped. Snowstorms are always inspirational. Why this pairing? *shrugs* Not enough about them and what can I say, I think they're pretty and lovely so they needed their moment to shine too. Enjoy! ^__^

It was spring and yet it snowed. Light flakes spun down in dizzying patterns, twirling and shifting in the breeze to settle on tree branches just recently sporting green buds. White powder decorating pink petals of newly blossomed cherry trees, a rare sight. Such beauty was fleeting and impossible to grasp.

Yet there were those who tried.

Pale fingers reached up, delicately brushing a frosted blossom. Despite the light touch pink petals loosened and fluttered elusively between outstretched fingers. Dark eyes followed the trail of the fallen blossom before staring back up at the large cherry tree, noting that in the moonlight, the thin branches and flowers sparkled as though dipped in sugar.

If it kept snowing like this, all the blossoms would dissipate by morning.

Warm breath clouded the air, melting the snow that still fell lazily from the night sky. Curious as to the result, Ibu Shinji leaned forward, mouth inches away from a particularly tiny blossom that drooped with its snowy burden. He exhaled slowly. The snow softened, sparkling briefly as it melted into fine droplets of water clinging to frail rose tinted petals.

He heard snow crunching behind him indicating another's approach. The pace was quick, as were the words that greeted his ears, panted in a hurried breath.

"Shinji! There you are. I've been looking for you..." Kamio Akira spoke in a rush, only trailing when he finally stood beside his friend.

Shinji turned slowly, straightening. "Aa."

The redhead frowned; cheeks flushed from running in the cold, scarf tossed around his neck half-hazardly, leather jacket left open. Apparently he had been in a rush...

Kamio swallowed, catching his breath. "Shinji." He began once more, "Why did you call me out here? What's wrong?"

The longhaired boy's only response was a perfectly blank stare, his eyes fixated on some point around his friend's forehead. Kamio waited. He was well used to Shinji's delayed reactions. Sometimes it was frustrating trying to carry on a conversation with the dark haired prodigy as he would often murmur to himself and seem to forget the other's presence altogether but Kamio had patience, at least when it came to Shinji. Cold hands pushed back his slanted bangs as he stared up at his friend. It was strange for Shinji to ever ask anything of anybody. He usually just went about his business, in his own bubble, observing the world around him but never really engaging with it. So when Shinji had called Kamio's cell an hour ago and asked him to meet with him...Kamio had been surprised and slightly worried. And when Kamio's friends are in distress, he always came running.

He sniffed, breathing hot air into his cupped palms before rubbing them together for warmth; eyes still raised to Shinji.

After many minutes Shinji finally spoke softly, his voice strangely ethereal in the snowy night. "I wanted to show you something."

Kamio shifted from foot to foot in an attempt to keep warm. "Ok."

When Shinji made no further move to show him anything but instead seemed to focus on that spot on Kamio's forehead again, the redhead sighed. "Well...what is it?"

Shinji's eyes flicked away, turning to the sky. "It's snowing."

Kamio nodded slowly; "Yes...I know that." Another frown creased his brow as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Shinji, what's going on?"

Shinji closed his eyes against the falling snow, frosted lashes lowered and murmured softly. "Nothing. Just wanted you to see things the way I do. But I guess you don't. It was stupid to think you could, I'm probably bothering you. But if I was, then why would you bother coming all this way to see? Just because I asked? Ah, Kamio, you're a good friend to do that even if you don't see-"

Icy fingers pressing gently against his mouth silenced him. Kamio smiled apologetically, "Sorry Shinji but I can't keep up when you talk like that." He lowered his hand reluctantly, his fingers enjoying the warmth emanating from those thin lips.

"Aa."

Kamio tilted his head, eyes taking in the sight of the snow laden cherry tree. "Kireina..."

Shinji followed his friend's gaze and nodded silently.

They stood like that for some time; both gazing at frosted branches and the softly sparkling blossoms. Snow continued to fall. The random gusts of wind carrying it in all directions. Kamio's white wool scarf whipped about his neck, red bangs blurring his vision as the wind swept through his hair. The sound of the wind was accompanied by the sharp snapping of Shinji's long black trenchcoat as it flapped behind him. More snow tumbled from the dark sky, whirling in spots and spinning in others.

Kamio buried his nose in his scarf, eyes darting to his taller friend who stood like a statue carved from marble and onyx. His dark hair stirred gently by the wind was dotted in snowflakes, marking the inky strands with the occasional sparkle. One particular wisp half-wet with melted snow clung to the side of Shinji's jaw, licking at the corner of his mouth. If he noticed, he gave no indication. Then again, Shinji was usually rather placid. His features hard to read because they never gave anything away even to Kamio who had known him longer than anyone. His skin seemed somehow paler than usual standing there; the collar of his trenchcoat turned up to ward off the chill.

Eyes met in the blur of snow and falling cherry blossoms.

Kamio's eyes widened slightly, cheeks warming at being caught staring.

Shinji didn't blink, simply stared back.

"Why did you come?" Shinji asked quietly, his voice as always calm and leaning heavily towards the monotonous.

White fingers growing numb with cold once again pushed back slanted crimson bangs. "Because you asked me to."

A slight curve turned up the corners of Shinji's mouth briefly but just as rapidly as the cherry blossoms faded, blown apart by the cold wind, the fleeting glimpse of his smile vanished. Those long elegant fingers that earlier had tried to grasp the fragility of the cherry blossoms reached out, brushing stray snowflakes from their nest in Kamio's hair. "You're cold. You should wear gloves..." he half-murmured, the words muffled by the collar of his coat.

A tiny laugh escaped Kamio's parted lips. "You're not wearing gloves either."

Shinji frowned slightly as if only noticing the stiffness in his cold fingers for the first time. "Aa." He dropped his hand from the redhead's hair, staring at his fingers. Kamio looked interesting when observed through the slits between his spread fingers. Shinji lowered his hand, letting it fall limp at his side as he finally noticed the details of his friend's attire. His eyes had been outlined in kohl, making them appear larger yet darker. When Kamio blinked Shinji was surprised by the faint iridescent sparkle of lilac coating white eyelids. His hair was the same as usual, red mop swept to the side, long bangs obscuring one eye. He also seemed to be sporting some sort of gloss on his lips...or maybe they were just wet, it was difficult for Shinji to tell.

A sudden flash of silver as Kamio turned his head to the side revealed a long silver dangle trailing from one ear. Shinji had to resist the urge to touch the spinning metal bar dangling from his friend's lobe.

Yet as he took in these details between the gusts of falling snow, he realized where Kamio had been. "You were out." He stated.

Kamio seemed a little startled by Shinji's voice, as he had not spoken in many minutes. "Yeah..." he smiled slightly over his white scarf. "I was dancing with Ann-chan and some of her friends."

Shinji nodded slightly but a frown marred his handsome features. "Aa. With Ann-chan. On a date? Of course, it must have been a date. Otherwise you wouldn't have dressed up like that. And if it hadn't been a date you would have asked me to come along since I'm your best friend even though I don't like dancing but you would have asked because you always ask so it was a date. But you came here; you left your date because I asked you too. Ann-chan must be upset and it's my fault-"

"Shinji..." Kamio interrupted quietly but the longhaired prodigy kept right on ranting to himself.

"...it was selfish of me to ask you to come. But I just wanted you to see, because it's snowing and tomorrow the cherry blossoms will be gone-"

"Shinji." The redhead stated again, a bit more firmly.

"...but I guess you would prefer dancing with Ann-chan since you've always had a crush on her or maybe you wanted to see the cherry blossoms with her instead because-"

"SHINJI!"

Whether it was Kamio's raised voice or the fact that he had gripped both of the taller boy's arms tightly that silenced the forever mumbling Shinji, neither could say but his mouth was closed and his eyes were focused on his friend instead of in the space of his own world.

"I wasn't on a date with Ann-chan. You know I haven't had a crush on her since I was fourteen and besides, she's like our little sister Shinji." He chuckled softly into his scarf. "Besides I think she's secretly glad that I left."

Shinji cocked his head to the side thoughtfully. "So...that's why you came. Because Ann-chan would have wanted you to."

Frozen fingers released the longhaired boy's arms. "No." Kamio's voice was tired. Shinji could be really impossible at times. Once there was an idea in his head, it was difficult to shake him from it; he was just stubborn like that. "I came because you asked me to." He reiterated calmly, his eyes trailing over that wet strand of ebony that was still stuck to the side of his friend's pale face. Before Shinji could launch into another of his half-muttered soliloquies, Kamio extended his hand, fingers ghosting briefly over a cold cheek, touching that stubborn strand of inky darkness that clung to his friend's face. "Because I guess..." he continued, fingers trembling slightly from the cold. "I wanted to show you something too."

Shinji stared down at Kamio in silence. His expression unreadable as usual.

Kamio wasn't sure which of them closed the distance first; perhaps it was mutual assent and understanding that had them leaning into each other. All Kamio knew was that he was cupping his friend's face in his hands, palms pressed against pale cheeks as their lips met briefly.

A fleeting kiss.

Shinji's fingers, cold, gently toying with Kamio's earring, his other hand snaking around the redhead's waist, nails digging into the soft leather of his jacket. They pressed together for warmth, for comfort amidst the trails of snow that rained down them. Kamio's fingers twined in long strands of darkness, wet from the snow, bony white knuckles looking sharp as they twisted in black hair.

Kamio pulled away slowly, the warmth of his lips lingering on Shinji's mouth and stared up with smiling eyes, fingers curling into the thick fabric of his friend's coat. "How long have you been out here Shinji?"

The taller boy blinked and thought about it, head tilted slightly to one side. "Three hours..."

The redhead shook his head, dropping his hand into Shinji's, clasping it firmly. "Come on. Let's get some hot chocolate."

Shinji blinked again as his friend led him away from the frosted cherry tree, pink petals and snowflakes fading behind them as the wind died and the night was once again reigned by silence.

Later, they sat in Kamio's room, Shinji sitting cross-legged on the floor, his back against the bed and Kamio sitting at his desk, heels tapping in alternate beats to the music that hummed softly from the CD player, cups of hot chocolate in hand warming their cold fingers.

Shinji's dark eyes were fixated on the redhead's mouth as he sipped his hot chocolate, the motion causing the three large marshmallows in it to bop along the surface and receive a fine coating of chocolate. Kamio licked the corner of his mouth as he set his mug down, a bit of marshmallow having momentarily stuck to his upper lip.

"Shinji?"

"Aa?" Shinji looked up from his own marshmallows half-melted by the heat of his hot chocolate.

Kamio shifted in his seat; eyes searching the ceiling for a moment before he closed them, tilting his head back exposing the ivory column of his neck. "You...understood right? Some things have to be read between the lines? Because...some things are too hard to say." He draped an arm over his eyes.

Silence.

Kamio sat up, turning back to his friend, concern etched across his features.

Shinji met his gaze steadily as he set his mug down and moved to his side. "Aa." A pause then, "You'll take me with you next time?"

You'll stay with me?

A smile as now warm fingers laced together. "Yeah. I'll take you with me."

I won't leave you.

The two friends watched the snow fall against the window, sliding down lazily creating wet tracks in zigzagging patterns. Somewhere the vague crystalline sound of chimes spun and echoed in the wind.

Ibu Shinji gazed down at his friend, the crimson hued hair nestled against his chest, the pale skin and bright eyes framed by dark lashes, white arms like the limbs of a frosted tree circled around his waist.

There were those who tried to touch beauty...

Shinji's lips twitched in a faint smile as his long fingers traced feather light patterns across snow-white skin.

...and succeeded.

~Fin.