Ship: Sugawara Koushi/Tanaka Ryuunosuke Fandom: Haikyuu Major Tags: none Other Tags: a single swear Word Count: 773
more like 'outside the ballroom' but i tried
***
Growing up in court, Suga had seen dozens of people make fools of themselves over Princess Shimizu. He’d done it himself. As much sympathy as he had for the smitten, however, he couldn’t deny that they were hilarious more often than not.
At the moment, Suga was watching a young man wind his way through groups of nobles, heading straight for the princess, a look of lovestruck adoration on his handsome face. He was oddly dressed, less like a noble than a theater’s version of one, all flashy clothes with no regard for current court fashion, and he stood out like a sore thumb with his long stride and angled shoulders. The guards noticed him, too, and Suga saw the subtle shift in their stance as they readied themselves for a potential assassin. They were used to suiters, too, but when it came to the princess, they were ever-ready.
Finally, the young man stood in front of Princess Shimizu. Now that he was closer, Suga could see that he was all sharp lines, with an air of wildness about him, like a lion among housecats.
Then, Princess Shimizu met the man’s eyes, and Suga’s initial impression vanished as the man turned beet red and stood nearly on his toes as he tried to appear even taller.
“Marry me, please!” he yelled. There was a titter of laughter across the hall. The guards suppressed smiles, their stances relaxing. Suga covered his smile with his hand.
The princess didn’t blink, looking her suitor up and down in that all-encompassing way she had.
“No,” she replied calmly, and turned back to her conversation. She wasn’t cruel about it, merely direct. The young man turned even redder and fled.
Suga followed him. He was intrigued, and these parties were always so dull anyway.
He found the young man in the garden, walking in a tight circle and muttering to himself.
“I can't believe I said that! What happened to me? Argh, that was so-”
“If it makes you feel any better, they'll probably have forgotten about it by tomorrow night,” Suga said. The man stopped his pacing and stared at him.
“Why would that make me feel better?” he demanded. “Are you saying I'm that forgettable?” His face twisted into a sneer and he leaned forward aggressively. A thrill went down Suga's spine.
“Ah, I only meant that someone proposes to Princess Shimizu nearly every night,” he replied, wearing his blandest and most benign smile. The man groaned.
“Of course they do.”
“I'm Suga,” he said. “And who are you? I would definitely remember seeing you before.”
“Oh.” The man looked sheepish. “I'm Tanaka. Tanaka Ryuunosuke. I kinda...snuck in here tonight.” Suga grinned, delighted.
“Really?” That explained the get-up. “Tell me more.”
They ended up sitting on a garden bench, talking as, inside, the rest of the ball went on. Tanaka explained how he'd come to the party on a dare from his best friend, and Suga recounted several of the pranks he'd been involved in at court. They both shared a love of sports, and Tanaka was delighted to discover they played complimentary positions.
“What's that?” Suga asked, as Tanaka tugged absently on a chain around his neck.
“Oh!” Tanaka drew the chain over his neck and held it out. “I thought if I was coming to a fancy place like this, and meeting the princess, I should have something nice, you know?”
In his hand, at the end of the chain, was a perfect miniature slipper made of red glass.
“It's lovely,” Suga said. And it was, although it was nothing like the jewelry worn by nobles.
“You know, even though it was really embarrassing being turned down by the princess like that in front of everyone, I'm glad I came,” Tanaka said. Suga glanced from the slipper to his face, and in the light of the moon Tanaka seemed to be blushing.
“I'm glad I met you, as well,” Suga replied. He leaned in slowly, saw Tanaka's eyes flutter shut, let his mouth part--
The bells tolled midnight.
“Shit!” Tanaka leaped up, dropping the necklace. “My sister's going to kill me! I have to go.” He flashed an apologetic smile and tore off into the shadows.
Suga blinked, and shook his head. The light glinted off the glass slipper in the grass, and he leaned down to pick it up.
Tomorrow, he would find Tanaka and return the necklace. It was the polite thing to do.
And who knows? Maybe they could pick up where they left off.
FILL: Team Grandstand, G
Fandom: Haikyuu
Major Tags: none
Other Tags: a single swear
Word Count: 773
more like 'outside the ballroom' but i tried
***
Growing up in court, Suga had seen dozens of people make fools of themselves over Princess Shimizu. He’d done it himself. As much sympathy as he had for the smitten, however, he couldn’t deny that they were hilarious more often than not.
At the moment, Suga was watching a young man wind his way through groups of nobles, heading straight for the princess, a look of lovestruck adoration on his handsome face. He was oddly dressed, less like a noble than a theater’s version of one, all flashy clothes with no regard for current court fashion, and he stood out like a sore thumb with his long stride and angled shoulders. The guards noticed him, too, and Suga saw the subtle shift in their stance as they readied themselves for a potential assassin. They were used to suiters, too, but when it came to the princess, they were ever-ready.
Finally, the young man stood in front of Princess Shimizu. Now that he was closer, Suga could see that he was all sharp lines, with an air of wildness about him, like a lion among housecats.
Then, Princess Shimizu met the man’s eyes, and Suga’s initial impression vanished as the man turned beet red and stood nearly on his toes as he tried to appear even taller.
“Marry me, please!” he yelled. There was a titter of laughter across the hall. The guards suppressed smiles, their stances relaxing. Suga covered his smile with his hand.
The princess didn’t blink, looking her suitor up and down in that all-encompassing way she had.
“No,” she replied calmly, and turned back to her conversation. She wasn’t cruel about it, merely direct. The young man turned even redder and fled.
Suga followed him. He was intrigued, and these parties were always so dull anyway.
He found the young man in the garden, walking in a tight circle and muttering to himself.
“I can't believe I said that! What happened to me? Argh, that was so-”
“If it makes you feel any better, they'll probably have forgotten about it by tomorrow night,” Suga said. The man stopped his pacing and stared at him.
“Why would that make me feel better?” he demanded. “Are you saying I'm that forgettable?” His face twisted into a sneer and he leaned forward aggressively. A thrill went down Suga's spine.
“Ah, I only meant that someone proposes to Princess Shimizu nearly every night,” he replied, wearing his blandest and most benign smile. The man groaned.
“Of course they do.”
“I'm Suga,” he said. “And who are you? I would definitely remember seeing you before.”
“Oh.” The man looked sheepish. “I'm Tanaka. Tanaka Ryuunosuke. I kinda...snuck in here tonight.” Suga grinned, delighted.
“Really?” That explained the get-up. “Tell me more.”
They ended up sitting on a garden bench, talking as, inside, the rest of the ball went on. Tanaka explained how he'd come to the party on a dare from his best friend, and Suga recounted several of the pranks he'd been involved in at court. They both shared a love of sports, and Tanaka was delighted to discover they played complimentary positions.
“What's that?” Suga asked, as Tanaka tugged absently on a chain around his neck.
“Oh!” Tanaka drew the chain over his neck and held it out. “I thought if I was coming to a fancy place like this, and meeting the princess, I should have something nice, you know?”
In his hand, at the end of the chain, was a perfect miniature slipper made of red glass.
“It's lovely,” Suga said. And it was, although it was nothing like the jewelry worn by nobles.
“You know, even though it was really embarrassing being turned down by the princess like that in front of everyone, I'm glad I came,” Tanaka said. Suga glanced from the slipper to his face, and in the light of the moon Tanaka seemed to be blushing.
“I'm glad I met you, as well,” Suga replied. He leaned in slowly, saw Tanaka's eyes flutter shut, let his mouth part--
The bells tolled midnight.
“Shit!” Tanaka leaped up, dropping the necklace. “My sister's going to kill me! I have to go.” He flashed an apologetic smile and tore off into the shadows.
Suga blinked, and shook his head. The light glinted off the glass slipper in the grass, and he leaned down to pick it up.
Tomorrow, he would find Tanaka and return the necklace. It was the polite thing to do.
And who knows? Maybe they could pick up where they left off.