Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ Shougatsu ❯ Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is not mine... I'm just borrowing the boys for a little while. I promise I'll return them better than new.

Warnings: yaoi (boy on boy action of the graphic variety), lemon, mild language, lots of Japanese terminology, some sappiness

A/N: I totally was going to have this written for New Year's, but life got in the way... but it is finished. Yay! The name's of Eiji's siblings are totally made up and a shout out to my rpg with HDA. w00t! Ideas and people have been shamelessly stolen from Furuba and CCS. Fuji's "auspicious"-ness must be credited to HDA. Thanks lovey!

Also, I've written Ooishi's name in two ways: the proper spelling for exposition (Ooishi) and the Eiji pronunciation for Eiji's speech (Oishii). Fun tidbit: Eiji speech makes Ooishi's name sound like the Japanese word for yummy. I agree!

Glossary:
-kun: a suffix for younger people or peers (semi-familiar)
-san: the most common suffix, used for most people you know
akemashita omedeto gozaimasu: happy new year
fukubuchou: assistant captain
geta: wooden sandals (traditional dress)
hakuma: wide pleated front pants sometimes worn over kimono (traditional dress)
hanetsuki: Japanese badminton traditionally played on new year's day
hatsuhinode: the first sunrise of the year
hatsumoude: the first temple/shrine visit of the year
hoi: an Eiji-ism
joya no kane: bells rung at midnight of the new year 108 times
kimono: formal traditional dress, usually silk
kohaku uta gassen: popular new year's eve TV program with lots of Jpop stars
nya/ hnya: meow, an Eiji-ism
obi/ kaku obi: the sash used to tie kimono/ the men's sash which is starched and 3.5 inches in width
miko: shrine maiden
oomisoka: new year's eve
osechi ryouri: meals of many dishes in lacquered boxes, prepared ahead of time so no cooking is needed over shougatsu, nowadays most people order theirs from department stores
Seigaku: a combination of Seishun Gakuen (Seishun Academy), their school
shougatsu: Japanese new year, the first three days of January
Tobyo Meiji Jinguu: the largest shrine in Tokyo, several million people visit it over the three day period of shougatsu
Tomoeda: a suburban area of Kantou near Tokyo
torii: the very large gate that leads into a shrine
toshikoshi soba: noodle dish eaten on new year's eve for longevity ("passing the year" soba)
Tsukimine: shamelessly stolen from CardCaptor Sakura, it's name translates to moon crest/peak
yahoi: an Eiji-ism, roughly Yeah! or Yahoo!


Shougatsu
by Solanum Dulcamara


They huddled together, thermal blanket wrapped tight around both to ward against the chill, on the roof recently swept free of snow, and waited with eyes trained on the horizon. Feeling his partner shiver slightly, Ooishi wrapped his arm a little tighter around Eiji's shoulders and pulled the redhead more firmly against him. He'd asked repeatedly if Eiji wanted to watch with his family from the living room, but was turned down at every offer. He rested his cheek against the top of Eiji's head with a sigh and a smile, remembering how his boyfriend insisted that the only proper way to view hatsuhinode was from the roof.

Truthfully, Ooishi still couldn't believe he'd spent oomisoka at the Kikumaru household. Considering how western they sometimes seemed, they were oddly traditional about holidays. His own family celebrated shougatsu, of course. Everyone did. But it was the usual hanging out watching Kohaku Uta Gassen, ordering osechi ryouri, and visiting Tobyo Meiji Jinguu on the second or third day, when it would be less crowded. Eiji, in reply, had said sometimes his family, especially his brother Tatsuha, turns on the television, but it usually ends up muted, he, his mother, and his eldest sister, Arisu, spend days making osechi ryouri because it's fun to make and tastes much better than the department store kind, and actually looked appalled at the thought of visiting Tobyo Meiji Jinguu for hatsumoude. Ooishi was quickly informed that the Kikumaru family visit a smaller temple in Tomoeda, which also houses the family graves. It was at this announcement that Ooishi realized Eiji probably went to temple in traditional dress. Unearthing his kimono had taken awhile, he'd had to let it air out, and his hakuma were too short. When he'd tried them on, Eiji'd laughed and said, "Nya! Ooishi can't wear high waters. But that's okay because hakuma are cumbersome anyway."

Brought out of his memory by a small noise from Eiji, Ooishi refocused on the present as the first signs of light began to creep over the houses and trees. Eiji gasped with delight and snuggled closer, wrapping both arms around Ooishi's waist. In that moment, with red hair tickling his chin, Eiji leeching his warmth, and the sunrise reminding him of their doubles name, Ooishi knew there was no one with whom he'd rather greet the new year. It was with no small amount of surprise that Seigaku's fukubuchou found himself on his back with Eiji sprawled over him. "Akemashita omedetou gozaimasu, nya Ooishi," and with his well wishes, leaned in for a kiss. His lips were cold and slightly dry but as soft and sweet as always, and Ooishi felt all of the warmth he'd lost over the past two hours return in that instant. Before, in Ooishi's opinion, the kiss had properly begun, Eiji was off and across the rooftop. He tried to voice a protest which came out as a small grunt of dissatisfaction. The redhead laughed, "Come on Oishii~! We're going to temple."

"Now?" the brunet questioned hurrying after his partner, looking dubiously at the just risen sun, "Isn't it a bit early? I mean, is the temple even open yet?"

"Silly Oishii. Temples and shrines don't close. You just may not be able to buy charms and blessings at two in the morning." Eiji began to lower himself down from the roof and into his bedroom window.

"I bet you only know that because you tried," Ooishi accused in jest, but the incriminating silence from his boyfriend sent him into a fit of laughter. "You mean you actually tried?"

"Nya! It's not funny!" cam the indignant voice from the bedroom, "The priest called my parents and I got in a lot of trouble."

This only made Ooishi laugh harder, and after a moment, Eiji joined in laughing and he looked over the roof's edge to see the younger boy smiling up at him. "Come on, Oishii, nya~ I want to get there before other people."

With a smile of mingled fondness and exasperation, the green-eyed boy slid off the roof to join his doubles partner in dressing to leave. The two set about changing into their kimono, joking about a young Eiji bursting in on monks at prayer.

If the Kikumaru family thought it weird that the boys left for hatsumoude so early and alone, they didn't say anything. The pair walked in relative silence, the 'clack clack' of their geta echoing in the still snow-covered morning.

Eiji loved when it snowed for shougatsu. The world seemed so bright and clean; a fresh new beginning. Last night was perfect. He'd made the toshikoshi soba and everyone said it was the best ever, they'd played his favorite game, Big Liar, the Chocolates had been on TV, and Ooishi had been there to quietly wrap an arm around him as the joya no kage rang out over the city. And now, he and Ooishi were making their first temple visit together. It was a perfect new year. Eiji believed beginnings were important, that's why he'd been so happy when Ooishi said they could spend oomisoka and shougatsu together. He hummed lightly to the beat of their footfalls and leaned against his boyfriend's warmth.

The walk to the train station wasn't long, and the boys stood waiting with their sides pressed together for the contact as much as shared warmth. "You look nice," Ooishi's compliment washed over Eiji. He loved when his boyfriend said things like that. He looked down at his kimono: deep purple patterned with plum blossoms, and smoothed the silk fondly. Really, it should have been a woman's kimono. But everyone knew that kimono were mostly genderless, and besides, he liked plums. Observing at his partner, Eiji thought Ooishi looked better. He was very handsome in his dark green bamboo kimono. The color of the fabric brought out his eyes, those wonderful warm green eyes that Eiji just knew were going to be his undoing. "Hoi! Thank you. Syuuichiro looks good, too. Very handsome." The redhead watched, pleased, as a light blush crept over his partner's cheeks. No one took a compliment worse than Ooishi, except maybe Kaidoh.

Ooishi was saved from teasing by the arrival of their train. They sat side by side with their hands lightly touching on the seat between them. The train's only other occupant was a little old man sitting on the far opposite end of the car, unmindful of the way the boys' fingers brushed against one another's occasionally. Before long, they exited to the quiet streets of Tomoeda. They walked to the shrine, idle conversation flowing seamlessly, enjoying the solitude of early morning on a holiday. After a bit, Ooishi commented, "This is a really nice neighborhood."

His partner looked at him, startled for a moment, before giggles overtook him, "Hoi! Oishii wants to get married and settle down in a nice house in the suburbs, with a picket fence, to raise a family."

The green-eyed boy flushed slightly at Eiji's snickering. "I was just saying it's nice. I mean, we're only in Junior High."

Blue eyes studied the embarrassed blush and downcast gaze as Eiji sobered and eventually returned, "Yes, Oishii. It's a very nice neighborhood." Green eyes met blue and jokes and teasing fell away to smiles of understanding.

"And... TA-DA," the redhead gestured with flourish, stopping under a torii.

Slightly startled by the suddenness, seigaku's fukubuchou looked around to see a smaller but very pleasant seeming shrine, from which a young woman exited.

"Kikumaru-kun," she called with a wave, approaching them, "Akemashita omedetou gozaimasu."

"Happy new year, Mizuki-san," Eiji returned with a small bow.

"You're here awfully early this year. And you've brought a friend."

"Hoi. This is my most cherished friend, Ooishi Syuuichiroh," he then turned to his companion, "This is Mizuki Kaho-san, the miko of Tsukimine Shrine."

"Pleased to meet you," Ooishi bowed.

Mizuki-san returned his sentiments with a smile then turned back to Eiji. "I have to step out for a moment. You'll be fine on your own, I'm sure."

"Hoi!"

"Then I'll see you boys when I get back."

The boys watched her go, then Eiji took Ooishi's hand and started leading him into the shrine. He walked, partner in tow, immediately to the shrine proper, released Ooishi's hand, clapped twice and began praying. Ooishi followed suit. For several minutes, total stillness reigned over the temple grounds, as each half of the golden pair gave concrete thought to their prayers, hopes, and wishes for the next year.

As he stood waiting, Ooishi, felt slender fingers entwine with his and looked to his partner with a smile, which Eiji returned. Without preamble, the redhead led him down a path around to the back of the shrine, where he paused to look at a garden laying under a blanket of snow. Ooishi watched him watch the frost glistening; the feathery hair gleaning brilliant red in the early light, the smooth cinnamony skin that he knew was as soft as it looked, the wide, cat-like blue eyes that clearly displayed everything the acrobatic player felt, the pert, scooped nose, the full lips with perpetually upturned outer corners, and Ooishi was filled with a deep sense of contentment to be standing there with his boyfriend. "Thanks Eiji, for sharing this with me."

Blue eyes turned to him, their expression soft. "We have to be together on shougatsu. It's a new beginning for us, too. It's our first, so it's important."

"The first of many?"

"More than you could count."

Ooishi kissed him. He had to... whenever there was that much sincerity and devotion in Eiji's gaze it made his heart ache with any distance between them, no matter how small. They met in a rustle of silk and wet pliant lips, eager yearning arms wrapping around each other. Ooishi's fingers tangled in carefully styled red hair as he attempted to pull his boyfriend even closer. Kissing Eiji was always like this: heady, addictive. There was no world around them, no hope resisting the pull of the sweetness of Eiji.

Their mouths slid together with the same tingle of their first kiss as tongues slipped between to seek pleasure against lips, enamel, palettes, and each other. Ooishi gasped as he felt teeth sink lightly down on his tongue, and moaned as the sharp sensation gave way to soothing suction.

Eiji loved this... loved the way Ooishi gripped his hair just a little too tight, pulled him against his body just a little too hard, kissed him like a drowning man gasping for air, and moaned with unrestrained abandon. He wanted Ooishi. Now. Like this. Desperate and needy. Headless of their footwear, he dragged his lover to the back wall of the shrine and pressed himself against it. Working kisses down Ooishi's neck, Eiji removed a hand from where it grasped his partner's kimono and searched in his own obi. They'd learned a few months ago that it was better to always have some on hand, and it was something he'd not soon forget.

Ooishi looked down in confusion that gave way to vague surprise when he felt a small bottle being pressed into his palm. Before he could give much thought to the implications of Eiji having brought lubricant, long arms twined around his neck and he was being kissed; long deep kisses, short, sweet kisses, fleeting, teasing kisses, and he decided he was more thankful for the little bottle than curious about its presence.

The acrobatic player found himself pressed firmly between the hardness of the wall and Ooishi. Hands tugged roughly at his obi as teeth grazed his neck, and he let his head lean back against the wood with a sigh of pleasure. When the knot of the kaku obi came free, the strip of fabric unraveled and fell in a coil at their ankles, forgotten. Eiji's kimono and under-robe were pulled open, introducing his skin to the prickle of the cold January morning. Ooishi stood back slightly, eyes raking over his body exposed through the opening of his kimono. He shivered, whether from the temperature or the weight of the stare, he wasn't sure. Tennis-calloused fingers trailed down his side, just inside the fabric, sparking his nerve-endings. "Hnnyaa~ Oishii~" he sighed plaintively, curling and uncurling his hands on Ooishi's chest, much like a cat kneading, "I want you."

Ooishi briefly wondered if Eiji had any idea what kind of effect he had on him, before he gave up on thinking. His lips found Eiji's again, but there was no teasing anymore, just lips, teeth, and tongue, moist heat, panting breaths, and tangible need. Eiji's nimble fingers moved to his boyfriend's obi, as Ooishi's mouth dropped to his exposed shoulder. One of Ooishi's hands still held the bottle, while the other slipped inside the kimono and around to slide over the smooth curve of Eiji's ass. His anticipation nearly overwhelmed him as his fingers dipped into the cleft to lightly brush against his entrance, and he bit down on Eiji's shoulder, shuddering as the redhead cried out. Eiji's voice was a powerful audio stimulus, by which Ooishi had more than once been brought to the brink.

Finally rid of the obi, Eiji's hands delved inside the kimono to find Ooishi's skin. With impatience, they stroked over the ridges of abdominal muscles, up to tweak dusky nipples, around to rake down his back, touching everywhere they could reach.

With a groan, Ooishi sank down before his lover, knees unmindful of the freezing pavement, and took Eiji into his mouth. He loved doing this, loved the feel of Eiji thick and throbbing against his tongue, loved the way Eiji's fingers gripped his head, loved that Eiji tried futilely not to buck his hips, loved the way Eiji's voice broke over every moan.

Lost in the moist, tight, wonderful heat of Ooishi's mouth, Eiji gasped as a finger, cold and slick, pressed inside him. There was no teasing, for which Eiji was grateful, only the delicious insistence of the finger pressing in, stretching him. He wriggled against it, kimono bunching behind him on the wall, pressing down, wanting more, now.

If Eiji wanted more, who was Ooishi to deny him? He'd never been good at saying no to Eiji, anyway.

For a moment, Eiji whined in protest as Ooishi removed his finger, but switched to a long, husky moan as one was replaced by two. They quickly found his prostate and he involuntarily bucked against Ooishi's mouth with a keening wail. "Oishii! Please! Now! I'm ready! Please! Syuuichiroh!"

With one last long lick, Ooishi stood and was pulled into a fierce demanding kiss, as the lubricant was snatched from his hand. Something between a gasp and a groan slipped from him, when Eiji's hand, slick with cool lubricant, wrapped around his neglected erection, running from base to head with a perfect grip. After a few brisk strokes, the hand left to join its companion around Ooishi's neck, and Eiji lifted one leg to wrap around Ooishi's waist. The green-eyed boy needed no further encouragement, lifting his lover, so the leg Eiji was still standing on could join the first wrapped around him. Propping Eiji against the wall, Ooishi positioned himself and began the slow slide home. Eiji, however, had other ideas, and using gravity to his advantage, sank onto Ooishi in a single, swift motion. They both stilled, Eiji's head falling against the wall with a dull thunk, and Ooishi burying his face in Eiji's shoulder. Eiji felt full, so very full, and there was pain, a gentle burn that match the fire racing along his nerve endings. Ooishi always needed a minute to recover from entry or it overwhelmed him. He gently flexed his hips against Eiji's ass. Both moaned. "No teasing, Syuuichiroh," Eiji's voice was breathy and husky with lust. He tightened his legs slightly and canted his hips.

Ooishi moaned and gave up trying to regain his self-control. With a suddenness surprising to both of them, he pulled out and slammed back in, spurred on by Eiji's cries.

"Nya~ah! Syuu~ichiroh!"

Eiji felt the rough of the wood grain through silk, the chill of the air on his exposed skin, the soft brush of Ooishi's kimono against his thighs, but all of these were muted afterthoughts to the simmer building deep within him with each of Ooishi's thrusts. He absently realized that he must have still been wearing one of his geta as it landed with a distant clunk on the sidewalk.

Lost. He was lost in the perfection of warmth and friction that was Eiji. With every thrust he tried to sink a little deeper, to come a little closer to heaven. Eiji's wordless, throaty pleas, his fingers digging into Ooishi's shoulders, his strong thighs squeezing Ooishi's waist, his hips tilting to meet every thrust were all perfection to exceed Ooishi's most vivid fantasies.

Their pace grew frenzied as they rocked together against the little shrine. Despite the cold, sweat beaded on their skin, dripping over straining muscles. Their moans echoed in the clear morning air, as they scrabbled towards orgasm.

He was close, so close. Tightening his legs, Eiji reached between them to grasp his cock, bobbing against his stomach, stroking erratically to whatever tempo he could manage. So very close. Ooishi's name became a mantra as the simmer in his belly reached boiling. Scalding pleasure rolled over him in wave after wave. His cries were disjointed and incoherent as he came.

Ooishi looked down and groaned as Eiji began pleasuring himself. "God Eiji! You know what that does to me." He lost his rhythm as the pleasure built. His head dropped onto Eiji's shoulder as his mouth fell open in a soundless cry. With heart-stopping, breath-stealing force, his orgasm slammed into him as he pressed into Eiji one last time.

They stood, locked together, leaning heavily against the wall, shuddering in the aftermath. Eiji recovered first, peppering everywhere he could reach on Ooishi with little kisses interspersed with "I love you"s. Slowly, gently, Ooishi withdrew from his lover and lowered him to stand. Eiji pouted slightly, he hated the empty feeling after Ooishi pulled out. Kissing the irresistible pout, Ooishi pulled Eiji's kimono closed, knowing he'd get cold quickly. "More later, love," he offered by way of consolation.

The redhead perked at this announcement, "Promise?"

"Sure. After the hanetsuki tournament at school."

"In the club house?"

"Well, I will be locking up..."

"Yahoi!"

Ooishi laughed and bent to retrieve their obi. The two reassembled themselves, and Eiji retrieved his renegade shoe. "That's the proper way to begin the New Year," he stated with a satisfied smile, which grew to a grin upon seeing his partners blush. Hand in hand, the two made their way back around the shrine where they rather suddenly came face to face with Mizuki-san.

"How were your morning prayers, boys?" she asked with a smile.

Ooishi did his best to match Eiji's hair as he stammered, "Th-they went very w-well. Thank you. You have a very lovely shrine. Eiji was just showing me around."

"Oh?" she smiled, "Did you like what you saw?"

Eiji watched as Ooishi's mouth opened and closed a few times with no sound forthcoming. He decided to rescue his boyfriend. "Hoi. Oishii said everything is very nice. But you'll have to excuse him. He's not used to all nighters, so he's a little tired."

Mizuki-san continued to smile at them, "Perhaps you two should be heading home for some rest, then. But first, would you like your fortunes?"

Nodding, they followed her to the charm stand, where they drew numbers and were handed the corresponding fortunes. Ooishi took his and read:

This year smiles open you
who work in a pair.
There will be obstacles ahead,
but you'll find them easy to overcome
with a hand to hold
and partner to offer support.

He read it again. And a third time. What a bizarre and oddly specific fortune. He looked at Eiji who also seemed surprised. The redhead met his questioning gaze and held out his fortune for Ooishi to read. "They're the same!"

"Nya! Can't be. You had 19 and I had 36."

"I know, but they're the same, look."

Eiji did, then turned back to the stand, "Mizuki-san how..." but he trailed off when he saw the stand empty. Both boys stared at the stand that just moments ago had been occupied. Neither had seen the miko leave. They shared a look that clearly expressed how strange each thought it was. Eiji looked at the fortunes quietly for a moment. "You know, this is what Fuji would call auspicious."

"It's what Tezuka would call suspicious," Ooishi countered, still eyeing the stand.

Eiji laughed and folded the fortunes, stuffing them in his obi. "Let's go to your house and take a nap before hanetsuki."

"And a shower," Ooishi added taking Eiji's hand in his and turning back towards the torii.

"And a shower," Eiji agreed still laughing.

They headed out to the street and back towards the train station. After a little quiet consideration, Eiji looked to his partner, "Ooishi, is every new year going to be like this?"

"I certainly hope so."