Title: Sweet Memories

Pairing: Akira/Hikaru

Warnings: Fluff, sap

Rating: PG-13

 

~*~

 

Akira Touya again wondered for the umpteenth time why he was doing this. He tugged restlessly on the black scarf around his neck and checked to make sure the buttons of his oversized black coat were all done. He shoved his gloved hands into its pockets and rocked back and forth on his heels, waiting patiently for his longtime friend and former… rival? Akira couldn’t say for sure these days. Although they still played with each other every now and then – their matches were far from their earlier competitive attempts to best the other. They now played on a mutual level that showcased their appreciation for the other’s ability.

 

But something else had grown between them over the course of the years – something that went far beyond being mere friends. It was something more meaningful, deep and profound and somehow neither of them had been bold enough to acknowledge yet.

 

Today, however, Akira had woken up to a firm decision in his mind. They were now eighteen years of age – old enough to stop playing around like young children. It was time that they had a heart-to-heart talk, man-to-man and so on and so forth. He had told Hikaru to meet him by the train station but he had refused to tell the frustrated blond why they were meeting. Akira was sure that Hikaru was already assuming that they were going to play yet another game of Go, but the young man had other plans in mind. And he intended for it to be a surprise.

 

He lifted his gaze to the heavens as the first cold drops of snow began to fall to the ground. Holding out a hand, he watched the white flakes melt into tiny dots of water upon the black cloth. A sudden and rather ridiculous urge to dart out a tongue to taste the snow overwhelmed him and he found himself blushing self-consciously, glad he hadn’t actually done that.

 

However, it seemed as if someone else was already doing it with no shame whatsoever.

 

“Tastes like water,” Hikaru Shindo said as he stood beside his friend with his pink tongue obvious to everyone’s sight. Akira swallowed tightly and forced himself not to think of just how much he wanted to taste…

 

“Idiot,” he finally growled softly. “Of course it tastes like water. But then again, water has no taste, so how would you know…”

 

“Nice to see you too, Touya,” Shindo greeted with a smirk as he hooked an arm around his surprised companion’s. “So where are we heading to? The salon? It’s kinda far from here, isn’t it?”

 

Akira’s blush darkened at the intimate contact as he eyed his friend carefully. Hikaru was dressed in a simple pair of jeans and dark brown jacket. There was a striped blue and white scarf around his neck and a matching wool hat over his hair. Akira thought he looked a bit too colorful, but couldn’t help smiling all the same. There was just something rather endearing about his loud-mouthed partner and he wouldn’t have had it any other way.

 

“Actually, we are going someplace else,” Akira replied with a smile as he began to lead the way towards the…

 

“Uuum…movie theatre?” Hikaru asked incredulously as they stopped before the ticket booth.

 

“Don’t you like movies?” Akira asked almost defensively.

 

“Eh, no…I mean yes! I do like movies,” Hikaru said quickly as he noticed the flush on his friend’s face. “I just didn’t think you’d like to go to one…”

 

“I do know what movies are and I do watch them every now and then, Shindo,” came the cautious reply that had the blond looking extremely sheepish and apologetic. “I just thought you’d like to watch it with me today, that’s all.”

 

The movie turned out to be a very good one. It was the latest action flick imported from the States. At the end of the show, both boys found themselves talking rather animatedly about the action sequences, the over exaggerated special effects and the rather crappy romantic storyline within.

 

“Now, if I were that girl, I would definitely not have left my boyfriend to go like that without fighting for him!” Hikaru ranted with a light snort. “I doubt she even loved him that much.”

 

Akira opened up his mouth to say something, but was denied the chance as Hikaru gave a small cry of excitement. “The new Arcade is open, Touya! Please, please, pleeeeeeeeease let’s go! Come on! I’ll even pay for you and everything!”

 

“Shindo…” He really hadn’t had plans to go to this place, but seeing the eager and pleading expression on the other’s face had him sighing softly in defeat. “Fine…”

 

“YES!”

 

Two hours, several yen short and two tired teens later, they staggered out of the addictive place and back into the cold streets of Tokyo. Akira counted the money left in his wallet and winced in dismay. He had planned to do several other things with Shindo but all of his money had been wasted trying to best the blond at several games. Despite his trepidations at first, Akira had ended up having a great time. He had actually won a few activities and had gloated his victory and winnings in his friend’s face – but all of that had been lost as they realized that they’d have to cash it in for one of their rather pathetic prizes.

 

He watched Hikaru squeeze something that looked like a rabbit plushie. Squeeze. Release. Squeeze. Release. And before he could stop himself, the giggles rose from the pit of his stomach and out into the open. Hikaru looked surprised at the sound and blushed a little.

 

“Yeah, yeah, I know it’s a funny toy but you didn’t fare any better, did you?”

 

Akira managed to hold up his simple keychain of a yellow duck and this had both boys laughing at how ridiculous their prizes were. They ignored the concerned looks that came their way from passersby as their footsteps quickened.

 

“Hot chocolate!” Hikaru yelled as they almost ran past the vendor selling the refreshments. He opened up his wallet and was about to pay when Akira stopped him with a firm shake of his head.

 

“My treat.”

 

Well, that sapped him of his last cash but Akira refused to mention it to his partner. They walked for a while, licking or sipping on the hot treat in enjoyment. They stopped as they reached the large outdoor skating rink that had been erected for the publics use. Several couples both old and young were already on it as soothing music from unseen speakers filled the evening air.

 

Shindo and Akira sat on benches a few feet away from the rink and watched in amusement as some novices fell on their asses several times in a row. Shindo took a particularly large gulp of his drink and as Akira stole a glance at him, he noticed the remnants of whipped cream on Shindo’s upper lip.

 

He blushed furiously at where his thoughts were leading him, but he couldn’t stop now even if he wanted to. Besides, they had foolishly forgotten to pick up paper napkins to wipe their mouths and hands.

 

I’ll…I’ll just make it quick and no one will notice…

 

And taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and leaned closer to Hikaru to gently lick off the sweet treat. He pulled back quickly and buried his face within his own drink, cheeks flaring with color at what he had just done. He held his breath and stared at the thick brown liquid in his cup, hoping and praying that Shindo wouldn’t walk out on him in anger or worse.

 

But after almost two minutes of torturous silence, Akira finally lifted his gaze to steal a rather shy glance at his friend. He was stunned to see Hikaru features were just as flushed as he felt and that the blond ‘busy’ with his own drink as well.

 

Akira coughed softly and began to blubber some sort of apology. “I…I’m sorry. I just…you…we didn’t…forgot to pick up napkins and…”

 

“I…I liked it,” Hikaru confessed quietly still unable to look at Akira. “I was just surprised that you had…I mean…”

 

“Sorry…”

 

“Nothing to apologize for…”

 

“Then…will you let me do it again…a bit longer this time?”

 

Hikaru’s face was extremely red but he managed a soft nod as he lifted his head with a shy smile on his handsome features. “If you want to…”

 

He shifted closer to Akira on the bench and allowed his smile to widen as he felt the other boy’s tongue tease the corner of his mouth gently. All he had to do was turn his head a little further and he was sure he was going to get the kiss he had always wanted. He would have to talk Akira into that though, as he closed his eyes and rested his head upon his companion’s shoulder with a soft sigh of pleasure.

 

Akira smiled in gratitude and delight at the reaction his actions had garnered. And as he wrapped his arms tightly around his friend’s body, he knew without a doubt that he had taken the first step in finally admitting the love he had always felt for Shindo Hikaru.

 

~The End~