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sakon76Not as much today, but I got distracted by various things.
Akira arrived even earlier than usual the next day, half-hoping Shindou had changed his mind and decided *not* to test his limits on his first day as a vampire.
The clock ticked onward for what seemed hours, mocking Akira's hopes of Shindou having sense for once in his life.
Five minutes before game time, he finally gave up and went to his seat, trying to calm himself and ready for the game. If sunlight had ended up being too dangerous after all, Shindou would have decided to stay home for one more day. Akira breathed and meditated, finding his center, ready to attack and respond.
One minute before game time, Shindou finally showed up, going to his own seat and squeaking in under the buzzer. Akira looked briefly at the back of his head and relaxed. Just Shindou and his accustomed tardiness. Then it was time for the game to start, and everything in the world vanished except Akira's opponent and the game between them.
*
The lunch buzzer snapped Hikaru out of his game and he breathed in relief, stretching slightly. He'd been having difficulty staying in his game zone all morning. Unfortunately, now that he was out of it, there was nothing to distract him from the pain.
The fourth dan he'd been playing against--very traditional moves, but good at avoiding baited traps--nodded politely to him and went off to lunch. Hikaru glanced over the board, counting up where he had territory, what he could do in the next few moves.
"Shindou!"
Hikaru yelped in surprise as Waya's hand slapped down on his shoulder.
"Welcome back," his friend said, grinning.
"Thanks," Hikaru said, with a grin of his own. "The flu sucks."
"Don't have to tell me."
Isumi examined Hikaru's face. "If I didn't know you better, Shindou, I'd say you spent your time at the beach and forgot sunblock," he teased.
Hikaru winced. "That bad, huh?" He hadn't gotten a chance to look in a mirror, but the way his skin had started burning on the way to the game this morning had clued him in that he definitely didn't belong in sunlight. It probably hadn't even been ten minutes' exposure between his house and the subway, the subway and the Institute. "My bed's right next to the window," he improvised. "I think I spent most of the last few days asleep."
Waya nodded. "Want to go out to lunch today? Ramen," he wheedled.
Hikaru shook his head. "My stomach's still not back to normal. I'll take a rain check, guys."
"Sure. See you after lunch, then." Waya sauntered off with a half-wave and Isumi, with a polite nod, followed after.
Hikaru let out a sigh and wondered how long he could continue to dodge meals with his friends--he had the very definite feeling that regular food was out of the window from now on. Maybe he could pretend to be like Touya, develop an interest in not eating during lunch break? Or just go along for the company, nurse a soda and hope no one noticed he didn't actually drink from it?
"You cut it close this morning," Touya observed from behind him.
"I overslept," Hikaru said sheepishly. Touya nodded and just looked at him. "Does it really look that bad?"
"You look like a lobster," Touya said frankly. "Sunlight?"
Hikaru nodded and looked down at the Go board. "I'm thinking maybe if I use sunblock it'll help. And sunglasses," he added with a wince, remembering how too-bright the sunlight had seemed.
Touya sat down next to him. "Did you look in the mirror this morning?"
Hikaru nodded, mouth compressed into a tight line. "Nothing," he replied.
Touya was quiet. There was nothing much you could answer to that, Hikaru guessed. "How's your game going?" he asked, wanting to get away from the subject.
"Well enough. Yoshiwara-san is a bit sloppy in her defense."
"Tell me about it."
And Akira did.
*
When their group came back from lunch, Shindou was still in the same spot he'd been when they left, talking animatedly with Touya Akira. Even if his appetite was still gone, at least his enthusiasm level was high, Isumi Shinichirou noted. The room had seemed quieter the few days Shindou had been out. Well, it *had* been quieter, but it had also been lacking the subtle energy and excitement he generated.
His sunburn was already starting to fade, which was good.
Shindou greeted their return with a wave and an unspoken invitation to join his and Touya's conversation. The three of them--Shinichirou, Waya, and Ochi--drifted closer. It turned out that Touya and Shindou were discussing the styles of their opponents, neither of whom Isumi had played yet. He listened, taking note of everyone's opinions on their playing styles against the time when it might be useful. Soon enough the conversation expanded to include all of their opponents. It could have been a scene out of any day of their professional lives.
It was.
Akira arrived even earlier than usual the next day, half-hoping Shindou had changed his mind and decided *not* to test his limits on his first day as a vampire.
The clock ticked onward for what seemed hours, mocking Akira's hopes of Shindou having sense for once in his life.
Five minutes before game time, he finally gave up and went to his seat, trying to calm himself and ready for the game. If sunlight had ended up being too dangerous after all, Shindou would have decided to stay home for one more day. Akira breathed and meditated, finding his center, ready to attack and respond.
One minute before game time, Shindou finally showed up, going to his own seat and squeaking in under the buzzer. Akira looked briefly at the back of his head and relaxed. Just Shindou and his accustomed tardiness. Then it was time for the game to start, and everything in the world vanished except Akira's opponent and the game between them.
The lunch buzzer snapped Hikaru out of his game and he breathed in relief, stretching slightly. He'd been having difficulty staying in his game zone all morning. Unfortunately, now that he was out of it, there was nothing to distract him from the pain.
The fourth dan he'd been playing against--very traditional moves, but good at avoiding baited traps--nodded politely to him and went off to lunch. Hikaru glanced over the board, counting up where he had territory, what he could do in the next few moves.
"Shindou!"
Hikaru yelped in surprise as Waya's hand slapped down on his shoulder.
"Welcome back," his friend said, grinning.
"Thanks," Hikaru said, with a grin of his own. "The flu sucks."
"Don't have to tell me."
Isumi examined Hikaru's face. "If I didn't know you better, Shindou, I'd say you spent your time at the beach and forgot sunblock," he teased.
Hikaru winced. "That bad, huh?" He hadn't gotten a chance to look in a mirror, but the way his skin had started burning on the way to the game this morning had clued him in that he definitely didn't belong in sunlight. It probably hadn't even been ten minutes' exposure between his house and the subway, the subway and the Institute. "My bed's right next to the window," he improvised. "I think I spent most of the last few days asleep."
Waya nodded. "Want to go out to lunch today? Ramen," he wheedled.
Hikaru shook his head. "My stomach's still not back to normal. I'll take a rain check, guys."
"Sure. See you after lunch, then." Waya sauntered off with a half-wave and Isumi, with a polite nod, followed after.
Hikaru let out a sigh and wondered how long he could continue to dodge meals with his friends--he had the very definite feeling that regular food was out of the window from now on. Maybe he could pretend to be like Touya, develop an interest in not eating during lunch break? Or just go along for the company, nurse a soda and hope no one noticed he didn't actually drink from it?
"You cut it close this morning," Touya observed from behind him.
"I overslept," Hikaru said sheepishly. Touya nodded and just looked at him. "Does it really look that bad?"
"You look like a lobster," Touya said frankly. "Sunlight?"
Hikaru nodded and looked down at the Go board. "I'm thinking maybe if I use sunblock it'll help. And sunglasses," he added with a wince, remembering how too-bright the sunlight had seemed.
Touya sat down next to him. "Did you look in the mirror this morning?"
Hikaru nodded, mouth compressed into a tight line. "Nothing," he replied.
Touya was quiet. There was nothing much you could answer to that, Hikaru guessed. "How's your game going?" he asked, wanting to get away from the subject.
"Well enough. Yoshiwara-san is a bit sloppy in her defense."
"Tell me about it."
And Akira did.
When their group came back from lunch, Shindou was still in the same spot he'd been when they left, talking animatedly with Touya Akira. Even if his appetite was still gone, at least his enthusiasm level was high, Isumi Shinichirou noted. The room had seemed quieter the few days Shindou had been out. Well, it *had* been quieter, but it had also been lacking the subtle energy and excitement he generated.
His sunburn was already starting to fade, which was good.
Shindou greeted their return with a wave and an unspoken invitation to join his and Touya's conversation. The three of them--Shinichirou, Waya, and Ochi--drifted closer. It turned out that Touya and Shindou were discussing the styles of their opponents, neither of whom Isumi had played yet. He listened, taking note of everyone's opinions on their playing styles against the time when it might be useful. Soon enough the conversation expanded to include all of their opponents. It could have been a scene out of any day of their professional lives.
It was.
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no subject
Date: 2005-07-25 02:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-07-26 12:42 am (UTC)Hikaru does indeed not have a reflection in mirrors. With a twist, which I haven't gotten to yet.