Current mood:	tired
Current music:	Then You Look at Me--Celine Dion
Entry tags:	30_kisses, card captor sakura, touya/yukito

Fic: Fanclubs
Title: Fanclubs
Author: fairymage
Rating: PG
Community: 30_kisses
Theme: #7-superstar
Fandom: Card Captor Sakura
Pairing: Touya/Yukito


The sports season was something Yukito always looked forward to. Not because he was involved, but because he, like so many of his other peers, was indirectly involved. Because he liked to stand on the sidelines cheering for his classmates. Because he enjoyed the excitement of game days, of staying late watching the teams practice, of helping out as a manager in the clubhouse.

Because he, like so many girls, liked watching his best friend run up and down the field.

There was something amazing and beautiful about the way the game flowed, the way the players wove in and out of each other, and the way Touya fit in so perfectly. There was strategy and skill that went into it, so much of it that Yukito knew by heart, but there was something even more fundamental than that, something even more… spontaneous.

Touya showed off perfectly how the human body was supposed to work, the human body at the peak of physical ability. Eyes dark and keen, watching, waiting, comprehending faster than anyone on the sidelines. Arms outstretched for balance as he shifted his weight constantly. Sweat running in small rivulets along his forehead and down the strong, proud neck. Toned calf muscles stretching, compressing, tensing and straining. Body moving with such lithe, elegant grace that even the perfect being inside admired him.

Touya’s athletic prowess gained him much fame and many fans amongst his peers. It was typical, though, for him to leave the field after a game quietly, smiling at his teammates but not engaging in their banter, not indulging the fawning girls and cheering boys. He didn’t seem to have a need for their adoration.

Yukito admired that about Touya—always had. It wasn’t the aloofness that he admired as much as the fact that Touya didn’t seem to need anyone. He was content with only self-approval; he didn’t need the validation of his fellows. He was strong enough on his own. Strong enough to stand alone in the ocean of his peers, strong enough to take care of his family, strong enough to ignore the whispers in the corridors and the stares behind his back.

Touya was independent, more than he, who spent much of his time alone and cared for himself, would ever be.

Thus it was that after games, when everyone wanted to congratulate Touya, he simply nodded and walked away, not joining in the celebration, and went straight to the locker rooms. He threw his dirty uniform in the hamper or the bench in front of his locker, depending on whether or not he felt like doing the laundry himself, and took a shower. And by the time he was done, steam clouding the mirrors of the room, Yukito was waiting for him, sitting quietly on the bench to greet Touya, dripping and in his towel.

He didn’t know why he was the only one who ever thought to follow Touya into the locker room. If they were all so anxious to crowd Touya, why not just follow him here? Perhaps it was a vital part of his image that the team liked to uphold, didn’t dare tread on. Or maybe Touya had simply scared them all out of doing it.

Yukito thought the latter was probably more likely.

That made him wonder why Touya let him wait in the locker room without complaint.

Today they were walking home after the game, having escaped unscathed after a “spectacular win.” Touya had his gym bag slung over his shoulder, full of his football gear, as Yukito carried their school things.

“Why don’t they ever ask you to play?” Touya asked curiously.

Yukito shrugged. He didn’t particularly want to play. He was popular, in his own right, and yet somehow it didn’t feel quite the same. Sometimes he felt that he was so because of Touya, because they were best friends, and that people had noticed him only because they noticed Touya first. He didn’t resent Touya for it. But still, he preferred to be on the sidelines watching.

“I mean, you’re pretty good too,” Touya continued idly.

Yukito shifted the bags on his shoulders and kept walking.

“And we’d work well together on a team, you know. At least, I think so.” He suddenly had the look of serious concentration on his face, as if he found something confusing about his last statement.

“It’s nothing,” Yukito said. “It’s not what I want, so it doesn't matter.”

“You wouldn’t want to?” Touya asked, surprised.

Yukito shook his head. “No, not really. I wouldn’t want all the people carrying on, and crowding, and wanting to follow me everywhere…”

“Cocky, aren’t you?” Touya teased, and Yukito blushed. Touya ruffled his hair and apologized. “Nah, it’s okay, that happens to everyone. And yeah, I guess if it’s not your cup of tea, the aftermath of the game isn’t much fun.”

“Then why do you do it?”

“Because I like playing.” Touya shrugged. “There’s something very… amazing about the whole business of playing sports. It’s so easy to just… just… I mean, just the feeling of running without worrying about anything, of being able to concentrate and challenge your mind, and… I’m not making much sense, am I?” he noted ruefully, smiling slightly.

“No, no, I understand.” Yukito smiled. He did. Touya didn’t have to pretend on the field. He didn’t have to worry about anything, didn’t have to build walls to keep people away. “And you can keep everyone away afterward.”

Touya grinned sheepishly. “Yeah… I think I kinda scared them after the first time they tried to drag me out of the locker room.”

Yukito laughed. “So do you want me to stop coming by after games, too?”

Touya looked away and coughed slightly. “Nah, I don’t mind you coming by.” Then he leaned over quickly and brushed his lips against Yukito’s forehead.

Pulling away abruptly, he turned away, with a slight flush in his cheeks. “Just don’t be bringing your fan club along behind you.” Then he started walking, more quickly than before, leaving his best friend a few steps behind.

“What?” Yukito blinked in confusion. “Wait, To-ya…”