It hadn’t taken any time at all to figure out that the months between when the third-years retired and when the school year ended were a time when the clubs could reorder themselves. A time to establish the new pecking order before another crop of first-years arrived, and everyone pecked on them. The tradition was a bit disrupted, this year, but, with the tests past and winter thawing, Masaharu started keeping an eye out. It had occurred to him that some of the very most and very least perceptive among the newly senior second-years might try something with either Jackal or Yagyuu, hoping to establish themselves as superior before the tournaments started and the doubles team’s win record made them untouchable. The mannerly ones were the obvious targets.
Masaharu didn’t know whether he was pleased or disappointed that it only took one incident to warn all like-minded sorts off of Yagyuu.
He had been waiting for it, and was in good time to turn a sharp eye on his partner when Nishio accosted him.
“Just because you’re a quarter of a Regular, don’t think you can give yourself too many airs,” the older student told Yagyuu, with a not very concealed sneer. “There are balls all over D court; clear them off so we can get more practice games going.”
Now that Masaharu knew what he was looking at, it was easy to see the tension in Yagyuu’s straight shoulders, the moment of hesitation and calculation over how much he would uncover himself by resisting. While the calculation was lovely, the hesitation wasn’t at all what Masaharu wanted to see in Yagyuu. No, it just wouldn’t do.
“You want a game, hm?” he asked, strolling past Yagyuu’s shoulder. “That’s good. It means you’re free to play one with me. Aren’t you? Senpai.” He had called people bastards in a warmer tone of voice, and Nishio gaped a bit to hear just how contemptuously Masaharu was addressing him. Masaharu scooped up a couple extra balls and sauntered onto a free court. He only had to wait long enough for Nishio to realize just how many people had heard the exchange. Ah, pride. It was such a wonderful motivator. It backed people into such tiny, little corners.
He served fairly gently, but his first return sang past Nishio’s ear, missing by mere centimeters.
“Damn,” Masaharu commented, mildly, “I guess Yanagi was right when he said I needed to work more on pinpointing. My precision is definitely a little shaky. Glad you were around to help me with this. It’s good to see senpai who take their positions in the club so seriously.” He smiled, slow and cold, as Nishio’s eyes widened.
It was an excellent game, altogether, Masaharu thought. And good practice, too. Yanagi really was right; he clipped Nishio several times when he hadn’t intended to. Though, on reflection, toward the end that might have been because Nishio himself was shaking so hard. Still. He should be able to allow for that kind of thing.
Masaharu moseyed back to Yagyuu, and ran a critical eye over him. Good; the tension was gone. And, while Yagyuu shook his head at Masaharu, there was a tiny quirk to his mouth. Maybe next time Masaharu would be able to convince him to participate.
“You do realize,” Masaharu murmured, “that you can be polite while still smashing them into jelly.”
“I’ll take that under consideration, Niou-kun,” Yagyuu said, coolly.
Masaharu grinned, and saluted his partner with his racquet, before going in search of something inanimate he could use for practice. Moving targets could wait a little, perhaps.
“Niou.”
Slightly to his surprise, Masaharu found himself stopping as if his feet had stuck to the ground. He’d heard Yukimura use his there-is-no-possibility-I-will-not-be-obeyed voice on other people; this was the first time it had been used on him. That absolute surety really did have a remarkable effect, he reflected, turning. Something about the harmonics went straight to the spine.
Yukimura was looking at him measuringly. Masaharu raised his brows.
“Was that entirely necessary?” Yukimura asked. Since he sounded like he wanted a serious answer, Masaharu gave him one.
“Yes.”
A corner of Yukimura’s mouth curled up.
“Succinct,” he noted, before he sighed and laid a hand on Masaharu’s shoulder. “Defend your partner; it’s an admirable motive. And small lessons in caution will be good for everyone. But I will not have members of my club harmed.”
Masaharu thought about the way Yukimura had phrased himself. There were some interesting possibilities embedded.
“And if it takes more than a little lesson to get the point across?” he asked, testing. Yukimura’s eyes narrowed and darkened.
“Then tell me. Our team will win; any member of this club who cannot support that goal wholeheartedly does not belong here.”
Masaharu was lost, for a moment, in admiration of Yukimura’s subtlety. Their vice-captain would not, of course, condone injury to those under his command. Of course, once someone left the club, that prohibition would no longer apply. And then Masaharu could do whatever he felt was called for. And everyone would toe the line when word of that got around. He’d been right earlier in the year; Yukimura did understand him. In fact, he chose, knowingly, to use Masaharu’s games, like Sanada’s temper, to his own ends. Masaharu appreciated that kind of playing with fire.
“Whatever you say,” Masaharu agreed, easily. Yukimura’s expression turned dry as he let Masaharu go.
“Come on,” he directed, “I’ll serve to you for your target practice— make it difficult enough to be worthwhile.”
For several reasons, Masaharu was happy to note that not all the new first-years were inclined to roll over for the older students. Still, he had to wonder about the extent some of them took it to.
“What’s up?” Marui asked, as he and Jackal arrived to find just about the entire club gathered around a single court.
“One of the first-years challenged Yanagi, Sanada and Yukimura, right in a row,” Masaharu told them. “Have to admit, the kid has guts. Not too many brains, maybe, but plenty of guts.”
“He’s still standing?” Jackal asked, sounding intrigued. To date he was one of the few who could manage that feat; Masaharu swore he had extra lungs tucked away somewhere.
“Yes. He’s actually very good,” Yagyuu noted. Yukimura’s return flashed past his challenger’s foot. “Not good enough to win,” Yagyuu added, “but quite skilled.”
“Yanagi drove him absolutely frothing mad,” Masaharu put in, “but the kid actually got one game off Sanada. The iron face unbent enough to look a bit impressed.”
The first-year didn’t quite manage to finish the game standing, instead sprawling full length on the court in a futile effort to return Yukimura’s last serve. That did not seem to stymie him, though, and he raised burning eyes to the victors and spat that he would be the best.
“I think Niou was right about the guts to brains ratio,” Marui commented, punctuating his judgment with a bubble.
“He will be an impressive player, though,” Jackal pointed out.
Masaharu grunted in response, distracted by the flash of red in the first-year’s eyes. That was different. An anger reaction?
“He will be joining us,” Yagyuu predicted, quietly. When the other three turned to him in surprise he nodded toward the court. “Look at Yukimura-san.”
Sure enough, while Yanagi looked contemplative, and Sanada looked saturnine, just as usual, Yukimura had the gleam in his eyes and the faint curve to his mouth that meant he had found something interesting. He stepped over the net, took the newcomer’s wrist and pulled him to his feet.
“Try, then,” he answered the boy’s assertion. “I’ll look forward to it.”
The first-year seemed a bit taken aback by this approval. Or, Masaharu thought, perhaps by becoming the focus of Yukimura’s full attention.
“I believe Yagyuu is right,” Jackal said, thoughtfully. “I only hope Yukimura can keep such a wild player in hand.”
“That,” Masaharu predicted in turn, “will not be a problem.”
Later in the day’s practice, he tracked down Yanagi.
“So, O Master of All Data, who’s the kid?” he asked, slouching against the fence next to their data wizard. Yanagi looked amused.
“I take it Yagyuu noticed Seiichi’s interest?” At Masaharu’s sidelong look he added, “The chance is about eighty-five percent that he will correctly gauge what Seiichi is thinking at any given moment.”
“One of these days,” Masaharu sighed, “I’m going to get used to you doing that.”
“Our challenger is Kirihara Akaya,” Yanagi told him. “He has some impressive experience already. His greatest weakness at present is his temper, as I expect you noticed.” Now it was Yanagi’s turn to shoot Masaharu a sideways look; Masaharu grinned into the distance. “He will be a good addition to the team, if he can gain some control and refine his skills. I estimate the latter will take six months.”
Masaharu made a note of the fact that Yanagi did not hazard a guess how long the former might take.
This year’s round of tournaments had finally started. And Masaharu was bored again.
“Yagyuu-Niou pair, 6-0!”
“When are we going to get a decent challenge?” Masaharu grumbled as they fished out water and ignored their totally unnecessary towels.
“These are only the district preliminaries, Niou-kun,” Yagyuu pointed out. “I doubt there will be much, here. Are you in such a rush to court the possibility of defeat?”
“What?” Masaharu tipped back his head to grin at Yagyuu. “I want to see my partner shine. Where’s the crime in that?”
“Most codes of law would likely consider it to lie in your definition of ‘shine’,” Yagyuu noted, but his tone was light.
“Do I want to know what you two are talking about?” Marui asked, as they watched Sanada tearing through his opponent like a tall, dark bandsaw.
“See? Marui wants to see too,” Masaharu blithely reinterpreted, ignoring the sudden choke that had Marui scraping bubblegum off his nose. “And we do have one more team to play today…” He trailed off, suggestively.
“Hmm.” Yagyuu looked down at him, and Masaharu would have laid odds that his eyes were glinting behind those glasses. “I suppose they are our opponents, after all. Perhaps, a little.”
Marui eyed them both for a long moment before declaring, “I want to be very clear that whatever is about to happen is not my fault in any way.”
Masaharu smiled at him broadly enough to make him edge toward Jackal. “Of course not.”
Masaharu was aware that the bounce in his step as they moved to their next match was drawing attention. He didn’t care in the least. Though he did have a bad moment when Yukimura drew them aside just before they went out. He wasn’t going to stop them, was he?
“Niou, I think it would be a good idea if you let Yagyuu set the pace of this match,” Yukimura suggested. Masaharu gave him a patient look. It was abundantly obvious that their vice-captain was, tactfully, saying he didn’t want them to draw this match out the way Masaharu had been doing in an effort to entertain himself.
“You know, you could just say you don’t want me to play with my food,” he pointed out.
Yukimura laughed. “I’ll remember that,” he promised.
“Is there a particular reason we should take this one quickly, Yukimura-san?” Yagyuu asked.
“This is one of the stronger teams here,” Yukimura told them. “It would be a good thing, both for Rikkai as a whole, and for the doubles team in particular, if you were to make an impression, here.”
Masaharu and Yagyuu looked at each other. Masaharu chuckled. Yagyuu adjusted his glasses.
“Of course,” he murmured.
“Enjoy yourselves,” Yukimura told them, with the sharp smile he wore when he played.
Masaharu could barely hide his glee as he observed the subtle relaxation in his partner, shoulders looser, breath deeper, head higher. The bright, furious sense of Yagyuu’s presence pooled around him, charged the space between them, snapped across the net to lick at their victims. Masaharu shivered, delighting in it.
When Yagyuu let go, the smoothness of his front turned fluid and hot as molten glass, and, even if it burned to touch, Masaharu loved to immerse himself in it.
They took the set, 6-0, in a glorious sweep of speed. And Masaharu almost laughed out loud when Yagyuu congratulated their opponents, quite straight-faced, on a good game.
“What did I tell you?” he asked, as they strolled back to the benches. “Jelly.”
Yagyuu laughed, low in his throat, danger and fury satiated for the moment, leaving him languid until he regathered himself.
“As you say, Niou-kun.”
It was probably a good thing, Masaharu reflected, that Yagyuu had clued the doubles team in about Yukimura’s fascination with Kirihara. Otherwise they might have wondered what on earth their leader was doing spending so much time on a non-Regular now that the tournament season was in full swing. As it was, they quietly made space for him among them. Masaharu, in particular, liked to watch him practicing, especially with The Exalted Three. Admittedly, Kirihara didn’t have Yagyuu’s brilliant purity, when he let go. For Kirihara it was something more shadowed. But Masaharu enjoyed watching it all the same.
He toyed, for a while, with the idea that the kid genuinely was possessed. Whatever it was that happened, when his eyes went red, it both freed his reserves and seemed to detach his brain. Masaharu certainly couldn’t come up with any other explanation for the way Kirihara played such a deliberately dirty game when he was like that, even against Yukimura.
Yukimura, of course, took it all in stride, though he’d had to have a word with Sanada to keep him from pounding Kirihara into a pulp the first time he’d seen it happen. Masaharu sniffed at the memory. As if Yukimura couldn’t do it perfectly well himself, if he thought it needed doing. Though, he glanced at Yagyuu, standing at the fence beside him, he supposed there could be reasons for defending someone stronger.
This afternoon looked like a quicker match than usual. Yukimura was getting used to that sudden change in Kirihara’s level, probably. In fact… Masaharu eyed the return shots Yukimura was making.
“Yagyuu,” he said, on an inquiring note.
“Yes,” his partner agreed, “Yukimura-san is reflecting Kirihara-kun’s body shots, though he returns them just shy of actually striking. He’s provoking him.”
Masaharu whistled. If he’d ever doubted Yukimura had a cold streak, this would have disabused him of the idea. The last ball skipped between Kirihara’s feet, and he stumbled to his knees and stayed there, panting and shaking, probably with anger. Yukimura came around the net, but this time he did not pull Kirihara back up. He knelt down in front of him, grabbed his chin, and forced his head up to meet Yukimura’s eyes.
“You will never defeat me,” Yukimura told him, low and sharp, “unless you can control that strength instead of merely letting it loose. Do you hear me?”
“I…” Kirihara swallowed with some difficulty, green gaze wide and clear, “I hear you, Yukimura-fukubuchou.”
Yukimura nodded, and released him, dropping the towel he had picked up on his way past the benches over Kirihara’s head.
“Remember it.”
As he walked away, Masaharu and Yagyuu shared a look and moved toward the motionless Kirihara.
“You really managed to put your foot in it today, kiddo,” Masaharu observed, mussing Kirihara’s hair through the towel. Kirihara swatted at his hand and emerged with a petulant look. Masaharu shook his head. Half the time, being around Kirihara was like sitting next to a ticking bomb, and the other half it was like having a bratty but cute little brother. Possession really seemed as reasonable an explanation as any other. He hauled Kirihara over to a bench to clear the court.
“Will you listen to what Yukimura-san says?” Yagyuu asked, gently, passing over a water bottle. Kirihara blinked up at him, caught in the middle of drinking.
“Of course,” he said, a little blankly, as if wondering what other course of action there could be. Yagyuu smiled, satisfied, and Masaharu chuckled.
“He’s something else, isn’t he?” he remarked, only a touch ruefully.
The three of them shared slightly sheepish grins before the captain called all the Regulars to gather around.
TBC
First of all, I apologize for not commenting on the first three parts when I read them yesterday. ^^ (Or the giant backlog of comments on all your other fics, which I devoured a few days ago – I feel semi-guilty commenting on ALL of them because it would flood your inbox about old posts, lol.) I was fangirling rather hard at the time, and it didn’t help that I read part one right before work and had to wait 8 hours until I could read the rest. –; Otherwise:
*__* I am absolutely in love with this story. You’re creating this wonderful detailed portrayal of not just D1, but all of Rikkai. I could hug you for giving Yukimura the steel he must be made of to lead Rikkai, and suffice it to say I am extremely impressed with your handling of Yagyuu – all the right personality elements combined with a plausible history make for great characterization. I can’t wait to read more of this story – checking my flist to find that you’ve posted is always a lovely treat. ^^
*sparkles with delight* Thank you! It’s good to know you’ve liked it all!
This actually started out as a simple D1 fic, but somehow the entire team found their way in; especially Yukimura, who I love dearly. I can’t resist his sort at all. ^_^;
I second![[livejournal.com profile]](http://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
muscatlove! This is by far the most impressive Rikkai fic I’ve read thus far; your grasp of the characters is simply amazing – especially Yukimura and Yagyuu, as others have pointed out, and Akaya and Sanada are dead on as well.
I love how you’ve captured that thing that lots of other fics ignore; that behind Rikkai’s crack and teenage boy showmanship is something fierce and deadly.
*blushing* Thank you!
*nodnod* From the time I saw how casually the rest of the team took Kirihara’s descent into insanity, I thought they all must recognize something about that violence and danger from themselves. Thoroughly deadly.
Though the crack is also a lot of fun to play with. ^_-
you know… even when I feel like absolute *shit*, reading your fics never fails to make me go all fan-girly… {grins and laughs}
another absolutely fantastic chapter, and when I feel more like a human being instead of a blob of mush ready to pop or implode, I’ll re-read and comment properly. {nodsnods}
Saaa…but I really do love this story. Consider yourself number one on my list of favorite PoT writers… {nods}
Hope to see more soon. yes. but for now—now I’m going back to bed. ‘cuse me. >.<
Oh dear! Hope you feel better soon. *sends healthy thoughts*
yep! feeling better now! (and would be feeling even *more* better if I were to go hit up LJ and find another part of this fic posted, but I’ve promised to go back and re-read part 4 first, ne? ^.^)
Thanks! healthy thoughts received and appreciated!
“Yanagi drove him absolutely frothing mad,” Masaharu put in, “but the kid actually got one game off Sanada. The iron face unbent enough to look a tad impressed.”
*pets elf* I imagine when they discovered li’l Kirikins it happened exactly like that. I’m having so much FUN with this fic! *turns into girlgoo* Then again I always do.
In this particular part, I really love your interpretation of Yagyuu’s game. He’s absolutely perfect in this fic, as are the rest of the characters and you’ve managed to stay on track in the plot. I’ve read many-a-fic that tend to go astray once new characters are introduced. But here Kirihara enters strong, stays, but leaves the story to the “main characters”. I’m so glad you mention all of them too, at least once. ^^
And Yukimura = ^o^/ power to the people!
Power to the people! *V sign*
The Elf did make a fair bid at taking over the story, but I told him to wait for his own later on, and he seems to have settled down. Suggesting that I may let him make time with Sanada helped.
Oh, and Andrea wanted you to know about a horrible thought I had: Yukimura as Wendy (a la Peter Pan). I believe the exact phrase was “Wendy-esque, if Wendy kicked ass and took names”. *shakes head* I just know Sei-nii-chan’s gonna kill me for this.
Well, well! Elf listens! Good job!
Oh hey, Andrea told me about that. Then you better check my LJ soon ’cause I already drew it and will be posting that picture soon. So soon! Rikkai Lost Boys! XDDDDDDDD
And Sei-nii-chan won’t kill you but will smile and thank you for his lovely pale blue night gown! ^_^v
I just happened to come across your fic lj last night and did a bit of reading. I like you’re style it’s very well-rounded and easy to read through.
As for this story, I’m really interested in how it’ll turn out. For some odd reason it makes me think of viewing something through a cheesecloth… ok, that sounds a bit bad. ^^ I really do like it though. I send you much praise.
Thank you!
Actually, I’m kind of interested to know how it will turn out, too. ^_^; I started out thinking I knew where it would end, but now I’m not so sure!
Two of the lines that stood out most for me were “You know, you could just say you don’t want me to play with my food,” he pointed out. and Though, he glanced at Yagyuu, standing at the fence beside him, he supposed there could be reasons for defending someone stronger. both because they are such wonderful examples of the Niou you’re building here, along with the way you’re building that sense of team–I love that they didn’t start out as one, but slowly, over the course of the story, you can feel them coming together. The way Yukimura is so charismatic, with such a deft touch, yet posessing strength and iron that probably none of the other players can quite match. It feels right that they all both like and adore him as their leader.
Yagyuu and Niou’s relationship is feeling so very natural at this point, which I love, because they’re not… *waves hands* boring or attached at the hip or clingy so much as that perfect balance between synchronization and still being very much their individual selves. And I LOVE the seeds you’re sowing for the switch, the way Yagyuu sometimes wants to let go, the way Niou fan feel it burning in him.
Kirihara’s addition was also wonderfully done, not instant love, but there’s a certain something there that makes me believe that Yukimura (and Niou) would take an interest in him, further developing the TEAM sense we have in the current time.
This really is one of the absolutely best done Rikkai fics I’ve had the pleasure to read. *purrs happily while waiting for more* >:D
*grins* I think it will be two more parts before Niou has his moment of inspiration for the switch; by then it should be fate.
More coming soon! *dances off in a cloud of happy feedback*
Okay, lj hate me. It has ate my comment twice now *cries of frustration*. Anyways, I waited till I finished my exams to sink my teeth into this piece and oh my goodness it is delicious. I love you and your MadSkillz.
Yagyuu is dangerous (explosive, so much anger), and Niou is so manipulative (so much control, and oh so dangerous with that control). The dynamics between the two is amazing. So dangerous, so tense, so sharp. Niou is playing a juggling act, and one little mistake and Yagyuu dear is going to let his anger focus all on Niou. But that is what so damn fascinating about the two. Also, the way that Yagyuu is beginning to trust Niou is delicious because the underlying sense of danger is still present. Wonderful.
Love how the rest of the team react to the two, Marui is a smart, smart me to realize that being anywhere near the two when Yagyuu let loose, and Niou goes bouncy is detrimental to ones’ health. Love.
And now I come to Yukimura. You got his character down to a pat. Silk over steel. The determination, the talent, the sheer insight, and the knowledge of knowing when to use all three. I respect, love and fear the man. Oh, and the comment from Niou about protecting the strong. I SQUEEEEEEEEE! OMFG! I LOVE! WAHHHHHHHHHHH! The beginning stages of realization of LOVE!!!! Happiness!
Kirihara’s introduction was doen amazingly well, and the dynamics between him and the Power3 is so well done. Love. Cute, bratty younger brother indeed ^__^ And Possession is the way to go!!!
CAN’T wait for MORE!! LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!
*feed you truck after truck of truffles*
Yes, ‘m. More is up. *scarfs up truffles*
Akaya is cute; he got such a raw deal in the anime matches. Though, yes, 138 redresses a good deal of that. *ruffles Akaya’s hair while he sulks*
And congratulations on finishing exams! *snugs*
~~~~It had occurred to him that some of the very most and very least perceptive among the newly senior second-years might try something with either Jackal or Yagyuu, hoping to establish themselves as superior before the tournaments started and their, undoubted, win record made the doubles team untouchable. The mannerly ones were the obvious targets.~~~
And isn’t that just *stupid* of those ‘newly’ senior kids? {grins} some people…. {shakes head}
~~~He had called people bastards in a warmer tone of voice~~~
{giggles} I don’t know why, but the image of Niou calling someone a ‘bastard’ friendly like as opposed to ‘senpai’… {grins} I find that strangely appealing!
~~~~he clipped Nishio several times when he hadn’t intended to. Though, on reflection, toward the end that might have been because Nishio himself was shaking so hard. Still. He should be able to allow for that kind of thing.~~~
hn. {laughs} I almost–*almost* feel bad for the twerp… well, not really.
~~~”You do realize,” Masaharu murmured, “that you can be polite while still smashing them into jelly.”~~~
And it’s so much fun, too! {perkily!}
~~~He’d heard Yukimura use his there-is-no-possibility-I-will-not-be-ob
Oh… [shivers] it definitely does something all right… [resists urge to bow down and drool before Yukimura’s image]
And let me tell you–the whole conversation there… {shivers} hot! Hot! Hot! {grins} I love this boy…. I really, really do. And I love how you’re protraying him, too.
The whole ‘defend your partner’ line–he *knew*, man, he *knows* something’s going on there, or getting ready to, at least… and then.. yeah…
~~~This was, obviously, another who enjoyed playing with fire, if he chose, knowingly, to use Sanada’s temper and Masaharu’s tricks to his own ends.~~~
simply superb! [sighs wistfully] a wonderful manipulator…
~~~”Come on,” he directed, “I’ll serve to you for your target practice for a while.”~~~
{blinks} but…somehow… I *don’t* think Sanada would be very pleased about that… {winces}
Oh, and look! Kirihara makes his appearance!
~~~”One of the first-years challenged Yanagi, Sanada and Yukimura, right in a row,” Masaharu told them. “Have to admit, the kid has guts. Not to many brains, maybe, but plenty of guts.”
“He’s still standing?” Jackal asked, sounding intrigued. To date he was one of the few who could manage that feat; Masaharu swore he had extra lungs tucked away somewhere.~~~
{laughs} I absolutely love the team dynamics and relationships this shows! (psss… not ‘too’ many brains, me thinks…)
~~~”He will be joining us, soon,” Yagyuu predicted, quietly. When the other three turned to him in surprise he nodded toward the court. “Look at Yukimura-san.”
… Yukimura had the gleam in his eyes and the faint curve to his mouth that meant he had found something interesting. He stepped over the net, took the newcomer’s wrist and pulled him to his feet.
“Try, then,” he answered the boy’s assertion. “I’ll look forward to it.”
The first-year seemed a bit taken aback by this approval. Or, Masaharu thought, perhaps by becoming the focus of Yukimura’s full attention.~~~
{squeals in fangirlish delight} oh, this is great! Absolutely *great*!
~~~”So, O Master of All Data, who’s the kid?”~~
Ha! Great nick-name! {giggles} And Yanagi’s 85% quotation! Ha!
And Marui and Niou’s interaction at the match! {grinning} Your use of dialogue is amazingly sharp and wonderfully tangy, as always.
~~~”You know, you could just say you don’t want me to play with my food,” he pointed out.
Yukimura laughed.
“I’ll remember that,” he promised.~~~
(andrea’s laughing too!) And your descriptions of Yagyuu playing should be rated “R” for STEAMY HOT!
~~~Yukimura, of course, took it all in stride, though he’d had to have a word with Sanada to keep him from pounding Kirihara into a pulp the first time he’d seen it happen.~~~
Auh! Ain’t he cute when he’s being all protective? ^.^
~~~Yukimura came around the net, but this time he did not pull Kirihara back up. He knelt down in front of him, grabbed his chin, and forced his head up to meet Yukimura’s eyes.
“You will never defeat me,” Yukimura told him, low and sharp, “unless you can control that strength instead of merely letting it loose. Do you hear me?”~~~
{shivers} oooh… Yukimura being all out and nasty… damn, that’s hot. ^.^;;; I swear, he and Fuji *have* *got* to be related somewhere, somehow…
~~~”He’s something else, isn’t he? Has every one of us in the palm of his hand,” he remarked, only a touch ruefully.
The three of them shared slightly sheepish grins before the captain called all the Regulars to gather around.~~~
{laughs} yes, he *does* doesn’t he? But what a wonderful place to be in…. Okay, onto part five now! Yeah!
~~~
Whoops! Have to fix that “to” when I go to revise. Thanks.
Yukimura is just unbelievably hot when he gets all serious. That whole flashback on the bridge in the anime made me a complete Sei-chan fangirl. *thoughtful* He gives you more warning than Fuji does. Fuji just keeps right on smiling while he eats your heart. Sei-chan’s language, at least, gives some indication that he is not going to be perpetually sweet. Fuji alarms me; Sei-chan just makes me all hot and bothered.
could you imagine the two of them together? {laughs} now *that’s* something I would pay money to see….
Oh good lord. Fuji/Yukimura. *runs for cover*
{brusts out laughing}
Oh, come now! You *know* it’s an appealing thought/image!
Just the conversations *alone*!
“What?” Masaharu tipped back his head to grin at Yagyuu. “I want to see my partner shine. Where’s the crime in that?”
“Most codes of law would likely consider it to lie in your definition of ‘shine’,” Yagyuu noted, but his tone was light.
[grin] Poor, poor Masaharu. He just doesn’t get to have *any* fun, does he?
And Marui is a very perceptive young man: Marui eyed them both for a long moment before declaring, “I want to be very clear that whatever is about to happen is not my fault in any way.”
Also:
He toyed, for a while, with the idea that the kid genuinely was possessed.
That has to be the best explanation of Kirihara I’ve seen yet. Unless maybe he’s a berserker… But he doesn’t foam enough at the mouth to qualify for that, I suppose.
Half the time, being around Kirihara was like sitting next to a ticking bomb, and the other half it was like having a bratty but cute little brother. Possession really seemed as reasonable an explanation as any other.
Hear, hear.
Oh, yeah. Akaya-chan is not what we would call well balanced. Hm. Maybe he sweats enough to make up for the not foaming at the mouth?
but the kid actually got one game off Sanada. The iron face unbent enough to look a tad impressed
I am enjoying this enough as it is, but if you pop Sanada/Kirihara into it I will surrender completely.
also. Yukimura. <3333333333
*delighted grin* SanaKiri is one of the stories following on, because by the time I got to the end of this I almost couldn’t help writing them.
Masaharu could barely hide his glee as he observed the subtle relaxation in his partner, shoulders looser, breath deeper, head higher. The bright, furious sense of Yagyuu’s presence pooled around him, charged the space between them, snapped across the net to lick at their victims. Masaharu shivered, delighting in it.
Oh, oh, oh, I DO love how you write Rikkai. All of them. ♥
I think I like this better than other fics of yours that I’ve read; I’m not quite sure just why, but… I don’t know, something about what you’re doing with characterization and how you’re writing seems a lot more “real.” Dialogue is occasionally stilted, but I can forgive that (…Trying to capture the different levels of politeness in English is really hard, isn’t it? x__X)
yes. love this. going to read the rest now.
*sparkles* Thank you!
*thoughtful* I think it’s Niou, actually. The way his character shaped up, for me, was so complex–gritty and bouncy and intellectual and almost innocent all at the same time. And since he’s pov, it affected the style. I like the voice that emerged between he and I.
(…Trying to capture the different levels of politeness in English is really hard, isn’t it? x__X)
*groans* Is it ever! And I do *cough* admit to a certain tendency to get high-flown if I don’t watch it. *sprinkles Purple-B-Gone on her prose* Something to keep an eye on when I do final revisions!