Disclaimer: The author of this fanfiction does not, in any way, profit from the story. All creative rights to the characters belong to their original creator(s).
Everyday Tragedy
by Pout
Somehow, the chance just slips by them, unnoticed.
When they are fourteen, Oishi’s heart is Eiji’s to claim and the enthusiastic redhead, in his youthful, carefree ignorance fails to act upon the offering. Oishi withdraws the proffer graciously and in due course, time sews up his wounds.
Eventually they grow up and become adults; it is a simple, everyday tragedy.
Oishi hears, of course, about Eiji’s marriage to his longtime girlfriend of five and a half years and while he is happy for his old doubles partner and first love, his more immediate thoughts are on an entirely different matter. It is with a heavy heart and an incredible desperation for advice that he knocks on the door of his old friend.
Eiji is happy to see him. They go out for a drink and Oishi spills his guts in a spectacular mess there in the middle of the restaurant.
Eiji takes a sip of his beer and casts his eyes down to the cork pattern of the table, his gaze playing over the water stain in the corner. He knows that he needs to be the one giving advice this time and it hurts somewhat for reasons he hasn’t rehashed in over ten years.
“I never knew you were gay,” he says.
Oishi shrugs his shoulders. He knows Eiji isn’t judging him; he’s stalling and Oishi presses him with his steady, green gaze. He expects some kind of half-assed encouragement or nervous, dubious hedging. He hasn’t readied himself for the wisdom of an adult Kikumaru.
“There was a time,” Eiji says, “when we could have worked, don’t you think?”
Oishi simply stares back at his old friend whose eyes have somehow suddenly taken a different light, seeming to twist the time and space between them. And in that pregnant pause and with those simple words, Eiji teaches Oishi about regret and the tragedy of inaction.
The next morning, Oishi and Tezuka meet for coffee and finally discuss the events that led up to an anomalous night and subsequently awkward morning they had shared over a year ago. Oishi knows he’s being presumptuous, and that Tezuka and Fuji have been tottering on the edge of a relationship for the past few months, but Eiji’s earnest eyes had given him a difficult courage he felt obligated to wield.
Oishi and Tezuka enter a relationship soon thereafter that ties them happily to the present. But happy endings often require sacrifices.
Eiji and Fuji don’t talk anymore, but Eiji thinks it’s okay, because as long as Oishi is happy, so is he.
If you would like to provide feedback on this story, please feel free to e-mail me at: poutonly@gmail.com.