Hikaru no Go, 3 x 100

[sarasusa]

In which I drabble my way recklessly into another fandom...

Series: Hikaru no Go
Disclaimer: Ah, if only.
Author’s Note: My first Hikago ficcage. These drabbles cling pretty closely to the anime storyline. Literary concrit (as well as Go-accuracy-concrit) is earnestly desired.
Titles: Pre-Flight; Six and a half; Siege
Rating/ Category: K, introspective genfic with a hint of shounen-ai.
Characters/Pairings: Shinichiro Isumi and Yoshitaka Waya.
Summary: Isumi's back, Waya's off track. Three drabbles (each 100 words).
Warnings/Spoilers: For later episodes of anime (they're set just after Isumi comes back from his stay in China).



Pre-Flight

This stairwell leads to street level and Waya. Ignoring the stares of commuters, Isumi lingers at the bottom, runs his gaze up the steps.

There's himself, a good foot shorter, sprinting past toward his first game as an Insei.

There's Sakurano-san, younger, giggling from the head of the stairs while Mashiba glowers behind her.

And there's a grinning, scruffy-haired kid in fatigues, barreling into him halfway up and tugging the latest Honinbou match kifu out of his hands.

Yearning spreads through him like homesickness. But a cicada doesn't climb back into its old shell. Isumi's only choice is to fly.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Six and a half

After months, after miles, just six-plus steps remain. Isumi stifles the greeting, examines his waiting friend.

Waya's nose, chin, mouth have sharpened toward adulthood. Wary eyes read the distance. Realization hits Isumi--Waya has learned boundaries.

But Isumi's also learned (Yang Hai nudging, Le Ping tugging him): Boundaries are good, but not if they are leashes.

Waya's spotted him, turns a cautious smile.

Six long strides bring Isumi to the border: old and new.

He reaches across, tangles hands in wild soft hair. Then beams glee at Waya's dumbfounded look. Someday I'll tell him why.

"'Le Ping,' how you've grown!"


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Siege

Waya thinks of asking as he stares at the goban between him and Isumi-san. Why Isumi-san's Go is harder to read; why he has grown his hair so long; why the stones ring differently when the older player snaps them down.

But he's afraid of the questions he'd get back… Why haven't you made progress since I left, Waya? Did you think it was smooth sailing after the pro finals? Why have you started to stammer when we talk? Afraid of the weak spots that aren't visible on the board.

Waya's game has turned defensive. If Isumi-san notices, he doesn't say.



Crossposted to igo_yaoi.

Comments

[issen4.livejournal.com]

Whoa. This is grand. An Isumi and Waya fic that isn't cutsy. I like the way you tie in the importance of Go and how they're supposed to progress.

Someday I'll tell him why.


For some reason, that made me really happy.

[lilacfield.livejournal.com]

But a cicada doesn't climb back into its old shell. Isumi's only choice is to fly.

My favorite lines. Very Isumi-ish.

[kay-cricketed.livejournal.com]

Isumi/Waya. *babbles incoherently like the fangirl she is* Oh, but you've written them so well.

You have such a lovely, almost dreamy writing style. It's really addictive. I was sad when the drabbles ended, but you closed them off with such meaningful moments that I couldn't imagine them going any farther without losing their charm and power.

The end one, actually, is probably my favorite. Just... amazing.

[ontogenesis.livejournal.com]

Wow, these are really insightful and suited for these characters. Very good elucidation about how they developed.

I particularly liked these lines:

But a cicada doesn't climb back into its old shell. Isumi's only choice is to fly.

Realization hits Isumi--Waya has learned boundaries.

Afraid of the weak spots that aren't visible on the board.