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First Axis.
"Hino!"
The second-year cringed, hearing his name. He had been hoping that he would be left alone for just a bit longer, but apparently the rest of the team had finished their stretches and would be demanding the practice space already. He turned around, ready to tell whichever one of the losers was trying to steal his precious time this afternoon but saw--
Mizusawa.
The third-year's twisting his face, looking apologetic. "I know it's a bit earlier than usual, but we were wondering if we could use the mat in a bit? There are some kinks in the routine and--"
"Okay."
There is a pause. Mizusawa's face twists even further, into something that's either indignant or unbelieving. "What?"
"You can."
"That's it?"
Hino takes a deep breath. Mizusawa should know. If it was Takenaka that asked, he would've refused. If it was Azuma that asked, he would have refused and then thrown out some insults. Hino knows that the other boy is smart, he should be able to put together the reason why...
But of course, he could never just say it. Instead, his tongue takes on a life of its own, twisting and writhing until a bitter string of words spills out.
"If you have the time to question me like that, then..."
Then he notices that Mizusawa isn't listening, instead looking over in the other direction.
"Mizusawa-senpai?"
A little past them are walking two people -- no, only one that matters at the moment. It's the new yankee.
And the look on Mizusawa's face... both infuriates Hino and makes his heart flutter. It's not the dread that crosses all the third-years' faces when they talk to their choleric junior. No, it's subtle, but he catches the way Mizusawa's eyes light up, the vulnerability that creeps into him.
Could he be any more obvious?
"Senpai?"
"O-oh. Thanks, Hino."
Mizusawa flashes the briefest of smiles, before he turns away. To follow him. Already, the sweet visage is replaying in Hino's mind... The sparkle in the third year's eyes, followed that moment of weakness that makes his heart skip a beat. Hino tries to imagine Mizusawa looking at him like that, but all he can think about is his... it's a crush, isn't it? His crush, being stolen away by another.
Hino twists and squeezes his rings before he turns away and steps off the mat.
Second Axis.
It was on a television show once. The exact number of paces one had to be behind their target to minimize the chance of them noticing they were being tailed.
Unfortunately, they're in the gym, and it's not very crowded and everyone knows each other. But Satoshi is animatedly explaining stretches to him, and he's seemingly engrossed by the first-year's display.
Engrossed enough, Mizusawa hopes, he's not too conspicuous as he strolls across the gym floor. But there's enough distance between him and Kiyama that Mizusawa can follow and not be noticed.
Every now and then Mizusawa thinks that maybe he can. Maybe he can fish out some words to say... of course, no big confession, no admissions about long-standing feelings. Just inquiries about his day, pointers about his form, little encouragements.
Like, don’t worry, everyone's a bit nervous when they start something like this oh god is he looking--
At the very moment Mizusawa notices Kiyama’s glance in his direction, someone hits him -- punches him -- from behind.
"What’s with the scary face, Mizusawa?" goes the chipper voice of Wataru Azuma. Mizusawa feels like he's been hit with a boulder, and doubles over. The redhead only laughs before jogging ahead a few paces, probably not noticing how much that had hurt. But something else takes Mizusawa's attention from the pain.
He peaks between his bangs to see Kiyama, sitting on the far side of the gym, Satoshi going in some other direction. Kiyama's eyes follow Wataru for a few seconds before they drop to his feet, then dart about the room. Mizusawa strokes his side and considers some things. The way the standoffish yankee allows Wataru to address him strikes him as strange, but he has heard that they've known each other for a while.
Besides, Wataru's such a different beast, and Kiyama is so hard to read, but he still wonders...
"Hey Kiyama, you bum!"
He runs a hand over his face as he watches the redheaded yankee whisk Kiyama away, whispering things into his ear. Mizusawa considers resuming his pursuit. There's something... no, he needs to know what’s going on, but...
...but tracing over the hard line of his lips, how tense the muscles in his face are, and how his cheeks are beginning to burn, he spins around to where Yuuta and Kaneko are sitting. Instead, he’ll opt to excuse himself before his face gets any scarier.
Third Axis.
Kiyama idly poked at the mottled gym floor as he waited for something to happen. According to Tsuchiya, someone would show him how stretches were supposed to work -- or something. He could feel one way or the other about gymnastics, really. The only reason he’d joined the team was because he--
Him.
He saw. He saw me looking at--
There's something about Mizusawa that Kiyama can’t quite pin down, but he suspects that it's the other boy has him pinned. Seeing him standing by his -- well, that guy -- is enough to get his mind and heartrate racing. He looks up again and the interaction is over.
Kiyama blinks twice, and suddenly, he is standing right in front of him.
"We gotta talk. It’s important," goes the redhead. His face is grim, all-business.
This is Wataru Azuma.
Before he has a chance to respond, Wataru has an arm wrapped around his shoulder and is dragging him across the gym floor. Kiyama is still reaching for words when Wataru squeezes him closer, and leans in, his breath on his ear...
Wait.
"Kiyama, I like you."
No, stop. Just stop.
Wataru does not stop. “No, really! You’re a good guy, pretty smart, you notice things.”
"So, you have to tell me what you think about Mari-chan."
"Satonaka," he manages to get out, in harsh whisper.
The redhead nods emphatically.
"Satonaka." It’s a little louder this time. Wataru doesn’t seem to notice notice that Kiyama has brought both of them to a halt.
"Y’know, tall girl in homeroom, transferred here this term..."
"Satonaka."
It's only now that Wataru finally notices that the girl is standing in front of them. And as always, Wataru is painfully predictable. He goes rigid, verbal dribble streaming out of his lips. Kiyama uses this opportunity to slip out of Wataru’s arm and maybe get some fresh air, but not before flashing a forlorn look in Mari’s direction.
Fourth Axis.
Wataru barely notices what the girl says, he's so overwhelmed by her honey-sweet voice that somehow cuts him straight to his heart. "Is it warm in here?" she asks, her face all drawn and hard and it's not right, just smile for me please. "Everyone on this side of the gym looks like they're about to pass out, like poor Kiyama-kun just now."
Wataru looks to his arm, and notices indeed that his friend has disappeared. When did that happen?
Mari-chan, so sweet! You always notice these things!
But he hates seeing that look on Mari's face, so he stands straight up and smirks, hoping that it will catch on to her. "No, it’s okay! We're men, we can take it!" He proudly juts a thumb at his chest. "I'm as cool as a cucumber!" To accentuate his point, he runs a hand over his forehead. It comes away terribly wet and flicks perspiration in a dozen different directions, including that of Mari Satonaka’s face.
He's blissfully unaware of the sweat-slinging or the way the girl slightly recoils, as she immediately smiles afterward, and grabs the hand that is still dry. It sends electricity down his arm, becoming another stab to his heart. Oh, it hurts!
As if she hears his thoughts, she squeezes his hand just enough that he almost melts then and there. "Take care of yourself, okay? I'd like both of our teams to place in the next meet!"
The boy manages to stand just long enough to watch the Mari turn towards the far side their gym's partition.
The sight of that pent-up second-year stealing the attention of his beloved yet again gets him hot under the collar, and for the first time that afternoon, he really does notice how warm it is in the gym. He manages a step and a half before he falls as gracefully as one can possibly fall on their ass.
There is no pain as he watches the girl of his dreams, the girl he was made for skip over to the underclassman. He doesn’t hear the giggles of his two best friends from somewhere above him.
"Wataru. Wataru?"
"Aniki~!"
"Even when she’s cheating on me, she's mighty pretty."
Fifth Axis.
"Hino-kun, are you--"
"It is a little warm in here, I suppose," he says, always with that distance, always so aloof.
Mari bits her lip, her mind racing... what can I do? but all she can do is nod her head and agree; "I thought so."
She hates it. Cheering people up is something she's usually good at, though at moments like this... she feels strangely like he wants -- needs? -- something that she doesn't know how to give him, and feels like one of the dozens of fans that probably annoy him. But she knows, knows that there's no one else that cares the way that she does, thinks about him, watches him like she does every day.
Mari thinks to the smile she just saw on Wataru's face, and imagines bringing such a smile to the one she wanted to most.
What can she do?
It's now that Mizusawa pops up and pushes a bottle of water into Hino's free hand without a word. It seems to surprise him just as much as it surprises her, but she tries to take it in stride. Mari manages a small grin.
"That's great, isn't it? Mizusawa-kun's so observant." She looks over to see him jog over to where Kiyama has taken a seat before she turns back to the second-year. Maybe if it's not her, it can be one of them. One of his teammates that can catch him when he falls. Even if it's not her, if someone is there for him, that would be enough.
Mari studies Hino's face: a little flushed but calm, but there's a tiny pop sound from below. Mari looks down to see the hand holding the rings with knuckles white and tense, the rings snapped apart at the plastic seams.
She looks to Hino, who is looking down at the water bottle.
"Thank you, Satonaka-senpai," he says, flatly, not looking up.
Something inside of her sinks as she wonders once more, what can I do? But what she does is leaves with a final "do your best!" before skipping back to the girls’ half of the gym. Her pace slows down as she approaches the rest of the team. Shouko-sensei's face softens and she asks questions while Aoi offers to take her to the water fountain.
Mari looks up just in time to see Hino leave the gym, and the rest of the team loitering around and passing along their water bottles. She wonders if it's just that warm in the gym, or if the boys team simply looks that miserable.
Mari turns to Aoi and she obliges.