A/N: Hi hi! This is the third story in my Gazing series which is a series of one-shots detailing snapshots from various Pairing's lives. These couples are from a wide variety of fandoms. The first in the series is Stargazing featuring YohxAnna from Shaman King, the second story is a shonen-ai piece named Moongazing following Hikaru and Akira. This is the third, called Leafgazing, which draws of the interesting dynamics of Niou and Yagyuu from Rikkaidai. Look in the future for Sakuragazing, the fourth installment, in which we shadow Seishirou and Subaru.
Happy White's Day! (March 14) This is my White's Day gift to the PoT fandom -happy-
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Leafgazing
By: Stardustangel
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Down the depths,
Now darkness comes.
Enveloping warmth in welcoming arms.
Heaviness weighs
Down in depths.
The fitful weary finally rests.
By: Stardustangel
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A dry leaf is blown off its perch and flutters away riding the wind; another fall is coming to an end.
Niou Masuharu stood underneath the leaf shedding tree with a blank expression and for once, it seemed that all the vibrant energy that he has possessed for his whole life had drained away as the weight of the years finally seemed to take its toll. Another leaf fell and landed on Niou's outstretched hand. He fingered it; the leaf was rough and its edges worn by weathering. In a moment's insight he thought that he and the leaf were quite alike.
Staring at the leaf and tracing its edges, he thought about his life and the people who played an important part of it. His junior highs school days of glory with Rikkai dai Fuzoku's tennis team. Closing his eyes, he spared a thought at the team of his third year, the year when they lost to Seigaku.
Their captain Yukimura Seiichi was both kind and strong, twas really a pity that he was sick when the team played in the finals; he would have loved dearly to watch Yukimura-buchou teach that cocky Seigaku first year regular a lesson. He would have laughed through the whole game, probably.
Sanada Geichirou, their vigilant, rock impersonator, fukubuchou, was probably still out there with a stick still stuck up his ass, too stubborn to die even at this age.
Yanagi Renji was a professor in a renowned university somewhere in America the last time he'd heard anything about the Master.
Their other doubles team, doubles two, he had long gathered dust in his memory, Marui had died a quite few years back a getaway car had ran him over as he crossed the street, no amount of genius could have saved him from that fate.
Jackal went back to Brazil to coach tennis after completing high school, but came back for Marui's funeral. Niou himself had also attended the funeral too with Yagyuu, not because he particularly grieved about Marui, but because they all had an unbreakable tie, tennis, and to not go, was to dishonor it. It was safe to say that everyone was present.
He'd lost contact with everyone on the team, except Yagyuu Hiroshi, eons ago, not that he missed their presence most of the time anyway. It was usually Yagyuu who bought him news about the other members' lives, and he wouldn't even be thinking about it normally, but today wasn't normal.
A little girl of four wearing a neat black dress with white bleached hair flowing down her back, tugged at Niou's sleeve. He turned to pat her head gently as a small smile graced his lips.
"Grandpa! Come!" the little girl bounced with a smile in an effort to get her favorite grandparent to smile with abandonment once again. "Come grandpa, Yagyuu-sensei is waiting for you! He can't leave until Grandpa says bye-bye."
Waiting….
"Okay Himiko-chan, give grandpa a few seconds and run along first." He gave the child's head a last pat and let her run off to his daughter's side.
Maybe it is time to let go.
Niou opens his palm when a strong wind blew by and the leaf he was holding blew away with the rest of the fall debris.
As he watched the leaf spiral and float towards the heaven, he prays for the first time in his life. He prayed that Yagyuu would wait for him patiently on the other side.
There they can play doubles together once again.
Author's Notes: Like it? Hate it? Too damn depressing for White's Day?