Title: Backing You
Author: Luce Red
Series: Hikaru no Go
Disclaimer: Characters are the creation of Hotta and Obata
Type/Pairing: General, pre-Hikaru/Akira
Summary: Hikaru is behaving oddly.
---------------
Touya had been standing behind him for five minutes before Shindou noticed him.
Shindou was wearing a suit, since this was an important Go event, but he seemed to be rather agitated, constantly shifting from foot to foot, and trying to reach behind his back. Curiously, his tie was also loosened, and his shirt collar was rumpled, as though someone had been tugging on it.
"Shindou, what's the matter with you?" Touya asked.
Shindou jumped. "Touya!" he said, turning around. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"
Touya ignored Shindou's exclamation. "Stop that," he said, for Shindou was now twitching his shoulders.
"I-I can't!" Shindou said, but he did, choosing to lean against the nearest pillar instead. No, he was rubbing his back against the surface, like a cat.
Touya found himself putting his hand on Shindou's back, on the same spot.
Shindou froze. "Er, what are you doing?"
"Is it an itch?" Touya asked, starting to rub gently. "It's frustrating when you can't reach it, I know."
"It's not that..." Shindou said, turning red. "I mean, thanks."
" 'Not that'? Then what is it?" He was blushing too, knowing why and embarrassed about it.
"That Waya," Shindou muttered. "It's his fault."
Shindou's friend, the one who always scowled whenever he saw Touya. He and Shindou had been insei together. Shindou was on good terms with him. Touya often saw them together--meeting for study sessions, or meals, almost as though... Touya snatched his hand back.
Almost as though they were dating. Suddenly, the mystery of Shindou's rumpled appearance was solved. Touya had heard that some dating couples found it exciting to publicise their relationships in the form of displays of affection, such as a simple kiss, to more intimate activities.
"It's not that," Shindou said.
"...what?"
"I know what you're thinking," Shindou declared. "For the last time, I am not dating Waya!" Clearly, this was a conclusion he had had to refute many times before. "Waya put a Go stone down my shirt as a joke, and now it's stuck between my back and my shirt." He turned, and presented his back. "Can you do that rubbing thing again? The itch's driving me crazy."
"Why can't you take off your c-clothes--in the t-toilet, I mean-" Touya added, aware that he was stammering.
"I did. It's stuck somehow. I couldn't reach it. I hope Waya didn't put glue on it or something gross like that." Shindou made a sound of frustration.
Touya made a rapid decision. "Come on," he tugged at Shindou's sleeve, leading him towards the washrooms. Once there, he pushed Shindou inside a cubicle, entered it as well, and locked the door.
Shindou raised his eyebrows. "Has anyone told you that you are very bossy?" he said, before he took off his jacket--Touya took it--and undid the buttons on his shirt as well.
Touya took the shirt too, as it was shed, and hung it over the door as he had done with the jacket, and turned back to Shindou.
Shindou's skin, under his shirt, was pale, and looked very soft. Touya stared, his mouth turning dry.
"What are you doing?!" Shindou exclaimed when Touya placed his right hand on his back, on nearly the same spot he had rubbed minutes ago.
"Rubbing," Touya said. "Just as you asked." Soundlessly, he plucked the Go stone from the middle of Shindou's back and put it in his pocket; it had stuck to the skin, probably due to sweat. He rubbed the reddened mark it left behind.
"But-"
Unable to resist, Touya smoothed his hand down the expanse of that skin, feeling almost drunk at its warmth.
"Hey, your hand is cold... never mind." Shindou glanced back at him. "You know, I should have clarified things a long time ago."
"Hm?" Touya stroked the skin again. He wondered if how long he could do this. He was supposed to be playing an exhibition game, he belatedly recalled, but found that he could not summon any willpower to stop.
"About Waya and I not dating. At all."
"I see." A knot loosened in his chest.
"And Waya, I'm pretty sure, likes Shigeki. Morishita's daughter," Shindou was talking faster now, as though he were nervous. "Though he's worried about what Morishita will say. Morishita's very protective of Shigeki, you know."
"Oh," Touya said. "How about you?"
Shindou laughed nervously. "Me? Actually, I--wait, Touya, that's really ticklish-"
Loud knocking at the door stopped him from continuing. "Is that you, Shindou?" came Waya's voice. "You're supposed to be out there, teaching the kids. Come on out! I recognize your jacket."
Shindou looked at Touya, before he said, "Go away, Waya. I'll be there in a second."
Waya snickered. "Is it the Go stone?" he asked. "Sorry. I'll help you-"
Before Touya could stop him, or figure out how he had circumvented the locks, Waya had opened the door to the cubicle. "Come on-" he paused, catching sight of both of them. "Oh. I didn't mean-" he said, just as Shindou shouted "Waya!" in protest.
The door closed. "I'll delay the organizers for you..." Waya said faintly. Then stronger, "And what the hell? You never told me you like him!"
"Is that true?" Touya asked once he was sure they were alone.
"About liking you? Yes." Shindou glanced at him. "Proof being that I let you rub my back." he finished in a rush.
"I like you too," Touya said, thinking that 'like' was too mild a word. Impulsively, he laid his other hand on Shindou's back as well, rubbing gently. He wondered if his fascination with this part of Shindou was to blame for his tendency to stand behind Shindou. Or just maybe, years of chasing after Shindou had caused him to be addicted to the sight of his back.
Shindou had squirmed at first, but he soon relaxed, and leant against Touya. "So, er-" he turned his head towards Touya, and grinned. "Was it a white stone or a black stone?"
-------------the end-------------