(no subject)

[kat8cha]

Yanagi moved to their neighborhood in the last year of elementary school. Sanada and Yukimura had become close friends at this point and rarely allowed others to play with them. Sanada was at heart very shy, but covered it up by appearing very tough. Yukimura was very possessive, and counted Sanada as ‘his’ friend and so Sanada could not be friends with anyone else. Yanagi was never one to let such trivial things stand in his way.

 

 

“Can I sit here?” He asked, motioning to one of many empty seats at Sanada and Yukimura’s lunch table. The teachers had tried to make them share, but most of the other children never made it through lunch without a stomach ache if they sat near the two.

 

“If you want.” Yukimura said sweetly, but there was a distinctly nasty sparkle in his eyes. Sitting down Renji carefully kept his bento out of reach of either of them. Sanada merely glanced at Yanagi through his uneven fringe before returning to his bento. His mother had made those hot dog octopi he liked.

 

“You two play tennis correct?” Yukimura and Sanada’s skill with a tennis racket was one of the many whispers Yanagi had heard since entering Rikkai’s elementary school. “I’ve played before.”

 

“We’re very good.” Yukimura stole the last of Sanada’s octopus wieners but Sanada didn’t complain.

 

“I’d like to play you.” Yanagi set down the challenge even as he ate the ears off his rabbit onigiri.

 

--

 

Later all three lay sweaty and panting on the tennis courts, the muscles in their skinny arms thrumming with excitement.

 

“Yanagi Renji right?” Yukimura carefully levered himself up. Yanagi didn’t seem able to move yet, and neither did Sanada, so Yukimura felt victorious after all.

 

“Ah. Pleased to make your acquaintance.”