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“What do you MEAN the movie ends like that?!” Watari cries out, his loud voice ringing through the quiet room that had only been disrupted by the noises of the movie previously.
“I KNOW RIGHT?! It’s a horrible ending!” Azuma cries back, equally as loud.
“I was a hundred percent sure that his best friend was going to get a redemption arc! Like they were childhood bestfriends and he betrayed him once? Why should they not become friends again? ESPECIALLY after the best friend almost died saving the main character!”
“I thought that too when I watched it for the first time! I actually had to rewatch it just to make sure I didn't miss anything! But no, it ends like this. No explanation.” Azuma pauses to share a disbelieved look with Watari. “My mom was a bit mad that I stayed up so late, but after I started ranting about it I think she didn't mind after seeing how much it affected me.” Azuma recounts with a laugh.
“Oh my god, it's like when I watched that dragon movie for the first time. Oh what was it called again? Ummm...I can't remember but that's not the point. You know the one I’m talking about right? The one where the boy is cursed to be a dragon and so he runs away and then his best friend who he had thought died while away fighting in the army comes back and helps the boy break the curse.” Watari rambles, his animated hands flying into the air as he talks.
“I think I know that one. Is it the one with the witch with the green hair? And the best friend’s name was like Haru or something, right?” Azuma scratches his chin in though, eyes scrunched and lips pursed.
“Yeah! And there was the dog with the blue and yellow eyes!” Watari adds, voice getting louder and a smile breaking out on his face as he remembers the movie.
“Oh yes! And the witch’s frog turned out to be her betrothed royal love or something right?” Azuma’s eyes snap open.
“Yes that's the one! But that's not the point, remember how the best friend helped the cursed boy save himself from the curse, you expected them to go be happy and go live somewhere away from all the fighting and magic?” Watari pauses and Azuma nods. “And then when the best friend goes back to the war and is killed its like ‘what the fuck?’ you know? And then! When the cursed boy is so distraught by the news that he transforms back into a dragon permanently and flies off and then the movie ends it's like ‘what just happened?’ I was in shock for days after that movie! It seemed like it was going to end all happy!”
Azuma’s eyes get big. “Oh my god I remember that feeling so well! Like and then there's that random scene at the end of the witch and her lover going up the mountain to where the dragon’s lair is. It was so confusing. They created a new storyline that never got used. Like what was the point?”
Watari pauses, racking his brains for some knowledge he knows is there. “I think there was an idea of a second movie, but because one of the writers or directors or somebody got really sick they hit pause and were going to continue it when they were feeling better, but they ended up passing away. Or something like that. But there's been talk - well more accurately whispers - of an OVA or show to continue the story, so fingers crossed.” Azuma holds up a hand with crossed fingers to mimic Watari’s own.
“But anyways the ending of this movie mimics the end of the dragon movie in which it leaves the viewer unsatisfied. And with movies that end like this, sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. I’d say the dragon one worked better than this.”
Watari nods sagely as if Azuma has just told him a great secret of the universe. “Yeah, I get what you mean. There's a certain authenticity to a movie when it ends in a rather tragic way. It resembles life in a way where not everything works out in the end. Sometimes the hero doesn't make it, they don't get the girl, the big save-the-day plan doesn't work and the villain wins. It reminds you that these great characters who seem like they're some kind of mythical beasts are actually still human.”
“EXACTLY!” Azuma yells, jumping up. Watari jumps up too and opens his mouth to say something but he is interrupted by a banging on the wall.
“Please shut UP! Some of us are trying to sleep!” a muffled voice screams from the other side of the wall.
“Sorry Ryu!” Azuma screams back. “That's Ryugamori, he can be a bit grumpy if he doesn't sleep.” Azuma adds in a quieter voice.
Watari makes an ‘o’ with his mouth before looking around. His eyes catch on the empty bed. “Hey where's your roommate?”
“Tsukki is hanging out with your two first years I think.”
“‘Tsukki’?”
“You know, Tsukiyuki. White hair, always climbing onto things, and flipping off said things. He also goes by Mashiro.”
“Ooh, that kid. He's the one that calls Misato ‘Misa-pon’ right?”
“Yeah, they went to the same middle school and they've known each other for a while, so I guess nicknames are given.”
Watari hums at the thought, remembering the short white haired boy who had shown up with Futaba on the first day of training camp back at their school. He also remembers the same boy excitedly greeting Futaba and Misato when they showed up at Shiro High just a few days ago for another training camp.
Watari stretches before sitting back down again. He can tell his muscles are going to be sore tomorrow from all the work he had done in the training camp today.
“So, what movie are we going to watch next?” he asks, propping his head up on his hand.
“Not sure, but I think we should wear these.” Azuma says, holding out an ear bud. “Don't wanna go making Ryu anymore cranky.”
With a laugh Watari grabs the ear bud and puts it in his ear. And so for the rest of the night -and early into the morning - Azuma and Watari stay hunched over the glowing screen of Azuma’s computer watching movies, their heads leaned close, connected by the pair of earbuds.
~ ~ ~
“I think that's the longest I've ever stayed up.” Watari grumbles as he slides into a chair.
A muffled “me too,” comes from Azuma who has his face smashed flat into the table.
“Well I got a rather good night's sleep after you heathens quieted down.” Ryugamori says as he glides into the room. Reaching a hand to fix some flowers in a vase, Ryugamori smiles to himself, before saying good morning to the others. The rest of the teams - most of which are awake - call back their morning greetings.
“Anyone got some coffee?” Watari tries, weakly glaring at the happily chatting people in the room.
“Now is that how you ask?” Tsukidate chides as he walks over to Watari and Azuma.
“May we pleeaaassee have some coffee, kind sir?” Azuma whines.
“Close enough,” and with that Tsukidate places two steaming cups of glorious, black, and bitter caffeine in front of the sleep deprived teens.
Letting out a dramatic gasp, Azuma blurts his thanks before snatching up the cup and drinking half of it. Watari then laughs at Azuma’s pained expression as the coffee burns his throat.
“So what are you two up to today?” Shichigahama asks as he sits down with a plate of eggs.
Watari lets out a groan.
“Noted, have fun.”
And as Watari and Azuma drink their coffees the rest of the team shuffle in and out of the kitchen. Mashiro and Futaba are seen excitedly jumping around as Misato trails behind them. Shichigahama and Takase come through and have a dishwashing competition. Coming to fill up a pitcher of water, Tsukidate and Ryugamori chat about plants. Even Ominato and Onagawa come into the kitchen debating which of their idols have the better snack brand. The only person absent was Mutsu, who was visiting home due to his brother’s birthday party.
“So, anything you want to do on your second to last day here in Miyagi?” Azuma asks, watching the coffee dregs swirl around in his mug as he slowly rotates it.
“Not really…” Watari doesn’t meet Azuma’s eyes.
“You sure about that?” Azuma asks, squinting at the green haired boy. “You leave tomorrow, remember?”
“Yep.” Watari says tersely, hands tightening on his mug.
“Okay theeennn,”
“...”
“I know you wanna do something, just say it.”
“Well...there is this one documentary that is showing that I kinda wanted to go see.”
“Oh cool, what's it about?”
“Reptiles and stuff,” Watari absentmindedly drags a finger across the table, drawing incomprehensible shapes.
“Like snakes and lizards?”
Watari nods, a small smile forming on his face. “Yeah, I’ve liked them since I was little and always wanted one but my mom said ‘no’. Apparently her sister’s snake ate her hamster or something so she has a vendetta against reptiles.”
Azuma begins to smile. “Oh, Watari, have I got the greatest idea?”
“I don’t know, do you?”
“Would you be ok with not going to see the documentary but instead seeing something better?”
“What do you mean by ‘better’?”
“It's a surprise, but I’m sure you’ll love it!” Azuma’s face breaks into such a large grin Watari wonders if it hurts.
“...okay,”
“Yes!” Azuma jumps up into the air with more energy than someone who hasn't slept in over twenty four hours should have.
“Yay?” Watari lifts a hand half heartedly.
“Yes yay! You’re gonna love this!” Azuma grabs his hand and drags Watari from the room. Stumbling into the hall, Azuma barrels on, hand still clasped with Watari’s own. Dragging Watari into his room, Azuma snags Watari’s bag from where it lays on the floor, and both their phones from where they sit charging.
“Come on! Come on! You’re gonna love this!”
“Okay, I-” Watari’s sentence is cut off with a yelp as Azuma jumps down the stairs, dragging Watari with him.
Getting an idea, Watari begins to smirk. As they run through the hall, hands still clasped, Watari takes a sharp turn at the corner, dragging Azuma with him. Azuma lets out a laugh as he sees what Watari is doing, before running faster, still pulling Watari along. The two boys run through the dorm building, yelling as they run, gaining speed yet never letting go of their hands. They push and pull each other with the clasped hands, trying to get the other to fall or let go.
They are finally forced to let go of their hands as they get to the door to find Futaba taking off his shoes. He’s standing in the middle of the doorway, and so Watari and Azuma can't get through with their hands still held together. Dropping their hands they make eye contact before sprinting full speed at the door, still yelling. Futaba nearly falls over as the two teens rush past him on either side, yelling at the top of their lungs.
~ ~ ~
As the train rattles along, the two boys sway where they stand. Watari turns to Azuma as they bump shoulders once again.
“So where are we going?”
Azuma smiles at him, but Watari thinks it’s more of a smirk than a smile. “I said it’s a surprise.”
Letting out a ‘hmmph’ Watari turns his head away from Azuma. But the smile on his face won’t go away. Azuma lets out a laugh and goes back to looking out the window. A warm atmosphere blankets the boys.
The content silence hangs in the air for a few minutes. Then Azuma’s brows pinch, his face creases, and he opens his mouth
“So you don’t care that I’m a first year and you're a second year right?”
The question cuts through the comfortable atmosphere. Watari’s head snaps to Azuma, who’s looking anywhere but the boy in front of him.
“What?”
“It doesn’t bother you? Like the rest of our teammates are friends with people in their year but we’re just friends because of our shared love for movies. And I don’t call you Watari-senpi, should I? Am I being rude by not calling you that?” Azuma blurts out, eyes wide and frantic.
“Where is this coming from? You didn’t seem all hesitant like you are now, earlier. Or like ever.”
“I don’t know. I was just thinking and my thoughts spiraled I guess.” Azuma rings his hands.
“Well, Onagawa and Ominato are from different years and they’re friends. They bonded over a shared interest - their idols - just like us. Just because they’re in different years doesn’t mean they can’t be friends.”
Azuma scuffs his shoe against the floor of the train. Watari bumps his shoulder against Azuma’s.
“You’re not just saying this because you don’t wanna be my friend, are you? If this is your way to let me down softly then sorry to break it to you it’s not very good, okay?” Watari says with a laugh.
Azuma reaches a hand up to cover his mouth as he lets out a laugh, and Watari finds himself wishing to hear that laugh without a hand muffling it.
~ ~ ~
Watari stands gaping at the bright, soft sand coating the shoreline. And past that, the endless, rolling sea.
“This is where you live?” He gasps, turning to Azuma, who in turn just laughs and nods.
“Come on, we’re not here to ogle at the beach!”
And so Watari follows, grumbling about how he wasn’t ogling. Soon enough the pair finds themselves stopped in front of a small sea front home. Azuma bounds up the steps, twists the handle, and disappears inside with an entrance greeting and call to follow. With one last longing look at the beach on the other side of the road, Watari follows.
He sees Azuma’s shoes on the floor in front of him and so he takes his off. Setting down his shoes, Watari leans up to see Azuma lifting a small giggling girl. She has hair similar to his, but a few shades darker. Freckles decorate her face, and with a start Watari realizes he never saw that Azuma had freckles. Seeing the freckles on the back of his neck, Watari wonders if they continue down over his shoulders and even further. Feeling his face flush, Watari shakes his head as if it will dispel the thought from his head. But Azuma calling out to him does the trick, the loud voice cutting through his thoughts like a knife through warm butter.
“Come on Watari! The thing I wanna show you is up stairs.” Azuma says, a wide smile breaking out on his face.
“But Onii-chan I want you to play dolls with meee!” the little girl whines.
Azuma’s smile falters. Squatting down, so he’s eye level with the young girl, he begins to speak.
“Strawberry, I’m sorry but Big Brother has a friend over so I can’t play right now. I have something very important to show my friend and you don’t want to make him sad right?” The little girl shakes her head vigorously. “And if I was playing with you I wouldn’t be able to show him, and he would be sad then. I cant play with you now but I can later after my friend is gone and I get back home, is that okay?” Sniffling, the little girl nods, before smiling at her brother and Watari, then running off.
“Sorry about her, she’s very energetic.” Azuma says with a laugh, standing back up.
“Sounds like someone else I know.” Watari smirks at Azuma who throws his head back and laughs at Watari’s quip.
“So, Strawberry?”
“Oh that’s my little sister’s nickname. Because her hair is more red than mine, and she has more freckles.”
“Ooh, I see.”
“Come on, it’s just up here.” Azuma says with a wave of his hand, and he starts toward the stairs. But before they can get further than two steps up the stairs a head pops out from the door that Azuma’s little sister ran through.
“Oh Shunsuke, I didn’t know you were coming home. And with a friend nonetheless. You should have said something, dear.” A woman, Watari assumes is Azuma’s mom, says.
“Oh, sorry Mom, it was a bit of a last minute decision.” Azuma says as Watari blurts “Thank you for having me!”
Azuma and Watari startle and stare at each other. Both of them speaking at the same time surprising each other. Azuma’s mom laughs.
“That’s okay dear, just give me a heads up in the future. And of course, I hope my son treats you well. Now would you two like anything to eat?”
Azuma glances at Watari who shakes his head. “Not right now but maybe later.”
“Okay, you two boys have fun with whatever you’re going to do.”
“Thanks mom!” And with a dash to kiss her check, Azuma is back on the stairs, racing up them. Watari stumbles after him, excited energy radiating off him.
“Ta-da!” Azuma says, skidding to a stop in front of a door. Watari stares at it. There’s nothing remarkable about it. It’s just a wooden door. Light blue paint peeling, and a metal handle dulled with use.
“Um yay?” Watari says, confused with what he’s supposed to be looking at.
“I’m just kidding silly. What I wanna show you is on the other side.” And then Azuma reaches a hand out and opens the door.
The door swings into a small messy room. There’s sun bleached orange walls plastered with posters and pictures. A small desk leans against the far right wall, and a bed is against the window wall, a perfect view to the beach. A TV hangs on the left wall, and a dresser is against the same wall the door is on. Watari sees a surfboard next to the desk, and smiles at the outline of an action movie hero painted on the board. Stepping over to the board he runs a hand against the surface, then turns to Azuma with a question.
“Is this-“ he starts.
“Hand painted? Yep, did it myself.” Azuma cuts him off, eagerly rolling on the balls of his feet.
“Wow,” Watari murmurs, running his hand over the careful, meaningful brush strokes. His fingers dip and rise over the scrapes and nicks showing the use of the board.
“I painted it at my parents' surf shop a couple years ago.”
“They have a surf shop?”
“Yep! It’s a tea house in the summer too. But that’s not what I brought you here to see. Look to your left.”
And so turning his head, Watari’s heart stops. There sitting on the desk was something he missed before. It is a small glass aquarium, with a heat lamp on top. The bottom is strewn with sand, and has a water dish, some flat rocks, and a small hide out for the animal. And sitting on top of that hide out is a spiky, orange, amazing bearded dragon.
“Holy. Shit. Azuma.” Watari’s words drag out. His eyes blown wide with shock.
“Holy. Shit. Azuma!” He says again, voice rising in volume as his face flushes with excitement.
“That’s a bearded dragon!” Watari cries with delight.
“I know!” Azuma cries back with a laugh.
“It’s in your house!”
“I know! She’s mine!”
And Watari turns to Azuma with a star struck look. “You have a bearded dragon?” It’s almost a whisper but Azuma still hears it.
“Yeah, her name is Taiyo!”
“Taiyo,” Watari repeats. “Meaning ‘sun’ right?” He sounds five seconds away from bursting into tears.
“Yes,” Azuma says, smiling at Watari. “I can take her out if you want?”
“YES! Yes! Oh my god!” Shaking his hands out, Watari tears his eyes away from Taiyo. “Let me calm down first. I don’t want to hurt her.”
And so Watari takes deep breaths, shakes out his hands, pops his knuckle and other joints, before closing his eyes and taking one last breath.
“Okay, I’m ready.”
Watari watches with wide eyes as Azuma walks over the aquarium and opens it. Reaching his hands in, Azuma lifts Taiyo out. And as she is placed into his outstretched hands, Watari actually starts crying.
“She’s beautiful,” he says sniffling as he cradles Taiyo to his chest.
“Thanks,” Azuma says, looking slightly confused as Watari cries.
“C-can I lay down with her?”
“Sure,” Azuma says, watching Watari lay down on his floor and place Taiyo gingerly on his chest.
And so that’s how, about an hour later, the two boys end up curled on the floor, watching Taiyo chase a small bug that’s hiding in the rug.
“I still can’t believe you have a bearded dragon.” Watari says with awe. The star struck look still in his eyes as he tears his gaze from Taiyo to Azuma.
“Yeah I’ve had her for a few years. She was so small when I first got her.”
“It must be fate that we met. The reptile obsessed kid making friends with the kid with a lizard. Don’t worry, I think you’re cool too.“ Watari reaches his arm out and punches Azuma lightly in the arm. “I’m friends with you because I like you, not just because you have an amazing pet, or like the same genre movies like me.”
Azuma’s face flushes and he looks away. “But having Taiyo doesn’t hurt right?” He jokes.
“No, it doesn’t.” Watari says with a laugh.
“So how come you never had a lizard for yourself? Or another animal for that matter.”
“Well remember how I said my mom’s sister had a snake, and how it ate my mom’s hamster?” Azuma nods. “Yeah well my mom kinda has a whole thing against reptiles now. But she’s not strict, don’t get that wrong. She’s an awesome mom. She lets me dye my hair, and pierce my ears. I’ve even got a katana collection.” He says with a smile.
“She sounds like an amazing mom.”
“Yeah she is. Got one hell of a grudge though. And she’s as stubborn - maybe even more - than me, so that says something. And now you know why I don’t have a reptile of my own. I can get one when I move out of the house though.”
“Don’t you live in the school dorms?”
“Yes, but they don’t allow pets.”
“Ooh,”
And as this conversation trails off the boys fall into a comfortable silence. The only noise being Taiyo as she continues her great chase for the bug.
Watari lets his gaze flick between Azuma and Taiyo as the sun sets, golden light washing over the bedroom and its occupants.
The sun cradles Azuma’s face as it shines in from the window. It highlights his curves and angles in a way Watari never thought was possible. His freckles seem to multiply in the golden light, and Watari is even more conscious of them than before. The light makes Azuma’s hair glow and seem as if it was spun from strands of pure gold. And when Azuma closes his eyes and tips his head back to bask in the last bits of warmth, Watari has to pinch himself to remember this is real life.
As Azuma opens his eyes again, Watari quickly looks to Taiyo to avoid Azuma catching him gazing upon his friend in the ethereal light.
The bearded dragon is standing on top of a shoe box, eyes darting at the small movements in the gaps between the fallen DVD cases. The sunlight is shining off her scales and making her golden eyes glow. And when she snaps her head down and returns with the bug caught in her mouth, Watari lifts his hands to make shadow wings behind her. And in the fading sunlight, as Taiyo basks in the pride of her catch, she becomes a real dragon.
As he smiles upon the little dragon, a smile on his lips, Watari is unaware of Azuma gazing at him, not unlike the way he looked at Azuma before, a flush and a smile adorning face alongside his freckles.
“I think it’s time her adventures are over. I’m going to put her back now.” Azuma says as he stands up.
“Okay,” Watari says, scooping up Taiyo. “Goodbye, you mythical and ethereal little maiden. May we see each other again, Lady Taiyo.”
Azuma laughs and opens the aquarium for Watari to place her inside.
“Now I think it’s time we go hunting for some food. I’m going to go see if my mom made something. Why don’t you pick out a movie?”
“Sure thing!” Watari yells, saluting Azuma, who salutes back before opening the door and heading downstairs.
Watari stretches for a solid thirty seconds before settling back on the floor, this time to find a movie.
And he’s picked one out by the time Azuma returns with a covered platter of food. A sticky note on top reads ‘For you and your friend -Mom’. And a small heart doodled after her name.
“Got one,” Watari says, lifting the DVD case.
“Nice, I love that movie!”
And so the two teens lay down on the floor again. This time they are supported by pillows and blankets galore. They eat their food and watch their movies through the night. Finally falling asleep in the early hours of the morning.
And if the boys had fallen asleep with their hands outreached to the other, their pinkies touching then it was for the eyes of Taiyo the Dragon only.