Disclaimer: I don't own PoT, but I'm flattered that you thought I did!
Warnings: Slight shounen-ai, clichés and fluff.
Author's Note: What began as a sappy-love-song-induced-drabble morphed into… well, this. I was going to post this on Valentine's Day, but things came up; never-the-less, I hope you all enjoy it, despite the belatedness!
For Love's Sake
By: Confabulation
Ryoma wasn't the type to get into holidays; Hallowe'en, for instance, could be better spent practicing his serves, Christmas was only special because it fell near his birthday, and New Year's, though suitable for the occasional burst of fireworks, was generally just another day.
But Valentine's Day was different.
It wasn't so much that Ryoma particularly liked the holiday (and he would barely even call it one at that), as he absolutely dreaded it.
Valentine's Day, according to Inui, meant, 'a ninety-one percent increase of love confessionals on average compared to most days - the actual amount appearing to rise exponentially per annum.'
Ryoma didn't need statistics to know it was a traumatizing situation in the works.
He was adaptable, though – if his experience on the tennis courts was any evidence – and dealing with the rabid, shrieking fangirls (though not something he could ever get used to) was, on his good days, barely manageable.
No, Echizen Ryoma didn't dread Valentine's Day because of the hormone induced love confessions, or even the homemade gifts shoved in his face by stammering girls blushing shades of red he never even knew existed.
He dreaded it because of one sadistic tennis prodigy named Fuji Syuusuke.
Ryoma was a stubborn person by nature, and could be determined when need be, but even he had limits. So after months of gentle persuasion and quiet displays of affection, he had finally admitted to a requital of feelings and agreed to date Fuji.
Or so went Fuji's side of the story.
Truthfully, it had actually been months of cornering, harassment and general stalking that had worn down the young boy. The final straw was when Fuji decided it would be a good idea to follow Ryoma into the shower.
With a camera.
Needless to say, Fuji had gotten what he finally wanted (for the moment) that day: a date, in exchange for a stop to all the madness, and two secret snapshots of Ryoma in nothing but a towel.
But despite the traumatizing events at the beginning of their relationship, Ryoma (though he would never admit it) found himself enjoying dating the other boy. While Fuji was known for his sadistic streak a mile long - a fact that became more and more prominent as Ryoma continued dating the boy – he truly did care.
The problem was that Fuji had…interesting ways of expressing his affection, and this problem revealed itself on their very first Valentine's Day together.
That fateful February 14 had begun like any other in the years before. Ryoma had found himself buried under a mountain of flower-scented love letters and boxes of chocolate that spilled forth when he opened his locker. Luckily, Momo had been nearby to fish him out from underneath, a grin plastered across his face.
"I guess you don't need a reminder of what day it is today, eh?"
"Shut up, Momo-senpai."
As he made his way to his classroom, wondering if the sickeningly sweet smell of the letters had rubbed off on him, he heard it.
First the succession of quiet giggles, and then…
The unmistakable strum of a guitar.
Maybe it was the way his classmates were nudging each other, eyes trained on him, or the way his gut twisted in apprehension, but something told him he should turn around and bolt.
But the music grew louder, growing into a familiar tune; the strum of chords drifted to his ears and then suddenly, that voice.
"Why do birds, suddenly appear…"(1)
A few steps took him to the open window.
"…Every time, you are near?"
Ryoma took a deep breath-
"Just like me, they long to be…"
-and looked down.
"…close to you…"
Fuji stood smiling up at him - as if singing to his boyfriend in the middle of a gigantic pile of red roses that spelled out 'Syuusuke loves Ryoma', in front of the school no less, was perfectly normal.
Ryoma was surprised he hadn't just flung himself out the window.
After that, the Valentine's Day surprises (jokingly labeled Fuji Syuusuke's Valentine Tradition™ by the Seigaku regulars) grew progressively flashy, and progressively worse. Ryoma still couldn't look at a picture of cupid without feeling the urge to vomit. It was a constant reminder of the year Fuji had somehow 'coerced' Horio into donning the wings, bow and arrow of said cherub and reciting romantic poetry on his behalf.
Even Fuji had admitted his misjudgment that year. Ryoma had just sighed, and thanked his lucky stars that Horio hadn't been naked.
"No, Fuji."
"But Ryoma, I promise this will be the best Valentine's Day ever."
"No! I don't want any more disasters; I've had enough of them!"
"That's not completely fair, save for the Horio incident, I think all the other years went pretty well."
He looked at Fuji then, voice lowering and eyes pleading as much as their proud brazen depths could. "Please."
"Okay."
"What?" Ryoma's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"Okay." Fuji repeated, smiling gently, soft. "If you really hate it that much, I won't do anything this year for Valentine's Day."
The younger boy raised an eyebrow in suspicion, "No serenades? No roses?"
The corners of Fuji's lips curled up, "Not even a card."
Despite Fuji's promise weeks ago, somehow, Ryoma knew his boyfriend would find a way to do something today. The only question was what would it be? And how could he come out of it as unscathed as possible?
Ryoma trudged towards the front doors, cap pulled low over his eyes and grumpy levels on high. The prospect of going to school sent shivers of horror down his spine, but Echizen Ryoma was no coward - he wasn't going to let a day devoted to the commercialization of romance scare him into hiding.
He made his way over to his locker, mind preoccupied with horrific images of what his boyfriend might have in store, by now habitually stepping back as the gifts cascaded to the floor, pooling around his feet.
"Popular as always, I see." Ryoma didn't even have to turn around to know who would be standing there, ever-present smile on his lips.
"We both know you're much more popular, Fuji-senpai," he replied, mentally bracing himself for what he would see, before turning around.
"Ah, but that doesn't make me any less jealous," Fuji teased. "What if you decide to leave me for-" he paused, "Ryoma?"
Ryoma openly gaped at the impossible picture of Fuji standing in front of him, empty-handed and alone.
No roses.
No teddy bear costumes.
No oversized cardboard cut-outs of himself.
"Ryoma? Are you okay?" Fuji stepped closer, hand reaching up to brush away a stray strand of hair and then cupping gently against the side of his face.
"I, uh…yeah."
"Good. I have to get to class early, so I'll see you at lunch?" A quick peck on the cheek and Fuji was gone.
Ryoma was left wondering what the hell had gotten into his boyfriend.
Lunch was uneventful, and this was a reason to be worried. Was it possible that whatever Fuji had planned was so big it would take the whole day to set up?
But as Ryoma sat on the rooftop, poking at his bento and fending off an equally hungry and thieving Momo, he began to wonder if maybe his boyfriend really wasn't going to humiliate him today.
It wasn't entirely impossible, was it?
His eyes strayed to Fuji who was chuckling at something Eiji said. So what if Fuji didn't have a surprise for him - that's what he had asked for in the first place, wasn't it? He should be happy…
Only, no matter how embarrassed, how humiliated, how absolutely horrified he always felt afterwards, it was still kind of…fun seeing what Fuji would come up with each year. A part of him was even flattered for all the work his boyfriend went to just for him…
Ryoma blinked, and then blinked again as Momo managed to sneak an egg roll off his lunch.
Uh-oh.
No.
No way.
He couldn't believe he was actually starting to miss Fuji's antics.
"Are you sure you're okay, Ryoma? You seem distracted." Fuji, arm slipped around Ryoma's waist, peered down at his boyfriend, concern marring his face in the form of a frown. "Your fanclub didn't try to molest you again, did they?"
"No," he replied, as they made their way to the change rooms, "and thank god for that."
Fuji chuckled, tugging him closer. "Then what's wrong?"
A scowl on his face, Ryoma pulled out of Fuji's embrace to change into his tennis uniform, "Nothing."
"Saa…if you say so," Fuji grinned, moving to tug on his own shirt. The sounds of rustling fabric filled the air.
Finally, "Did you really have nothing planned for today?"
"Today?"
His scowl darkened, "Valentine's Day."
"Ah," Fuji walked over, once again pulling Ryoma into a loose hug. "Well, considering that you asked me not to, no."
"Oh."
Fuji's smile widened. "Did you want me to?"
"Yes! I mean, no! It's just weird that…" Ryoma blushed as his boyfriend began to chuckle, then sighed in resignation. "Maybe."
"You're so cute, Ryoma-kun," whispered Fuji. "I'll make sure to have something for you next year." He felt the words ghost over his face, and then suddenly, the soft press of lips against his own.
When they finally pulled away, faces flushed and breathing just a bit quicker, Fuji reached over to grab their racquets, pulling him out the door and towards the tennis courts, oddly insistent and with a smile more cheerful than Ryoma would have liked.
"You know, I'm so glad you changed your mind…"
Minutes later, after the pair had arrived at the tennis courts, a yell of fury could be heard everywhere within a five mile radius of the school.
Apparently, Fuji Syuusuke's Valentine Tradition™ lived on.
END
Date completed: 02/13/05
(1) "Close to You", by the Carpenters; the cheesiest and yet still seemingly romantic song I could think of.
Reviews and constructive criticism welcomed.