voicemail.

[gachas]

(text) ♪ (voice) ♪ (video) ♪ (action)
#1456 holly heights

I can't get to the phone right now so I'm sorry to
have missed your call! If you could please
leave your name and message and I will
get back to you as quickly as I can!—

b e e p

Comments

[climber]

[Makishima watches him eat for a moment before he stares down at his own yakisoba, then over to his bike.]

It's like that. I don't think it ever really changes. You get used to things the longer you're here, but you still get that feeling that you should be back home. [That's the way Makishima always feels, especially the more that he's reminded of the Interhigh and how far behind he happens to be. Tadokoro knows more than he does, and now Onoda does too. It makes him impatient, makes him feel like he's been left behind, and it's frustrating.

But there's no point in being angry. He's given up on that childish sort of thought a long time ago. He'll have his chance, he just sometimes wishes that it was sooner instead of later]

[gachas]

[he heaves a tiny sigh.] Well that's kind of relieving... [he pauses.] But does that mean that you get homesick? [onoda hasn't really been away from home for too long to actually miss being at home. though of course he has had some moments when he was away at camp. but that was for a couple of days, a week at most.]

[climber]

[While a part of Makishima does miss home, it's a lot more than that that he happens to miss. More importantly, it's the prospect of a race. Being with his whole team, preparing for the first day of the Interhigh. They were finally there in Hakone, with the hot sun shining over them and the faint hints of the ocean breeze in the air. He could see that mountain far up ahead and the roads empty, ready for racers of all kinds, ready for them.]

Something like that. A little.

[He'd missed Tadokoro, he'd missed Naruko, and he'd missed Onoda. Even with some of them here, it still wasn't the sort of place he wanted them to be. Back home... that's where they belonged.]

[gachas]

[he looks down as he continues to munch on his yakisoba bread.] What's the stuff you miss the most that you can't get here, but you could easily back home?

[onoda is a little sad that he won't be able to bike every day to and from a place like akiba.]

[climber]

[It's an excessively sentimental question, but for once, Makishima doesn't have much of a problem answering it.]

Hills. Everything around here is flat. Even just riding to school would be more exciting than what's around here.

There's at least one hill now though, because of Toudou. [Probably the only thing he'll ever genuinely thank him for.] But other than that this isn't much of a place for us climbers. It's kind of frustrating.

[gachas]

[onoda is not very sure how to feel about there not being any hills or mountains that they can climb in this place. he's mostly leaning towards feeling sad over it, though. but at least they have one hill, so it probably could have been way worse.] Oh.... Well, I guess we can just work on flats then? Whenever we leave we'll be able to race both positions really well!!!

[climber]

[Onoda sounds so positive about the suggestion, but Makishima doubts it'll do them much good. He's tried for three years to improve his sprinting skills and his speed on flats, and while he knows he's much better than he used to be before, he doesn't think there's much of a point in trying to work harder at it. He doubts any of the progress would remain with him when they both return home.

Back to the Interhigh. Except, that's not what Onoda has waiting for him.]

You've gone through a lot, haven't you? Back home.

[gachas]

[he tries :c he's always been the type to try to make any shitty or horrible situation look a little better. he looks up and nods at makishima's question.] Yes, I have. But I don't think I could have honestly made it through without your help.

[climber]

[His face feels warm with embarrassment, but instead of pushing the feeling away stubbornly as he normally would, Makishima lets it envelop him all the way down to his heart, and he can't help but smile. Not just because of Onoda's sweet nature, but because he feels like those words aren't entirely right.

No, Onoda is wrong. He came to them because of Imaizumi and Naruko. Even though he'd helped him discover his skills as a climber, Onoda had that potential with him all along. He always had that strength. He was always destined for incredible things. Everything that's happened is because of him, everything that could happen that he's always hoped for is because of him.

He's the one that should be thankful. If he'd never found him, if they'd never met...

Makishima leans in close without warning, and wraps an arm around Onoda's shoulder in a tight embrace.]

You're amazing, Sakamichi.

[gachas]

[yes, good. besides, didn't you hear that it's bad for your health to push those kinds of feelings away anyway?? accept them with an open heart and mind okok?

ALSO WOW NO WHY WOULD YOU EVEN THINK THAT???? MY DOKIS. w;A;w an au where onoda didn't join the biking club and continued living a sad, lonely life.... the sohoku team would probably still be the same. for the most part. though they probably wouldn't want to push to their fullest potential if he never joined. WHY AM I DOING THIS TO MYSELF DSLAKGF DAISY.

anyway- he blinks, not really expecting to be hugged so fondly by his senpai (as fondly as makishima can muster at least). and after a few moments he reaches up and wraps his arms around maki's returning the hug. and then of course flails a little at the compliment.] A- Ah thank you Makishima-san! But you're even more amazing than I am! I'm really glad to have you as a senpai.