Chapter Text
Ritsu feel the sweat run down his back, his whole body is sticky and warm, and the afternoon sun beaming through the dense tree crowns is not making it any better. The glade is like a greenhouse.
He breaths in the damp forest air, smelling dirt and old leaves, and shifts his stance. The center of his body becoming more balanced, and he breathes out. As his eyes scans the tree trunks around him he keeps sending out steady pulse of his psychic aura.
It should be time soon.
It’s been ten minutes since he last seen Suzuki. The time between the attacks are getting shorter. First it was a half an hour, then twenty, then teen. All surprises.
A branch cracks deep inside the forest but Ritsu doesn’t pay any attention to it. Could be a decoy, again, and his aching back reminds him that he won’t be falling for it this time.
A movement touches the edge of his aura. Ritsu's whole body tense up. Here it comes.
Disruption in the pulse, to the right of him. He turns as he hears leaves flutter.
No, above him.
Ritsu turns his neck upward and sees the flash of orange before he throws himself out of the way, the ground smashed open behind him.
He skids on his feet, getting the balance back before he manipulate the loose earth to collapse in on Suzuki. But the boy's already gone, jumping back on a tree and bounce right of it, sending bark flying.
He's coming right towards Ritsu’s direction.
Ritsu attempts to put up a barrier but Suzuki already have a hold on Ritsu’s hoodie, Suzuki land behind him and hurl him away with the momentum.
Ritsu rolls around on the ground until he stops when the crashes with a crack into a trunk, his barrier coming up in the last second, making the impact manageable.
In a second Ritsu is back up, looking for anything orange but he can’t see anything. He sends out a large pulse that spreads through the woods.
To the left, moving with great speed.
Ritsu breaks of the already broken tree with his powers. He swings it like a baseball bat at the incoming energyspike. It doesn’t hit anything but a light flicker above him reveal Suzukis form for a few seconds. The slight stutter makes Ritsu grin.
Ritsu grunts as he swings around the tree again, this time downward and it hits. Suzuki gets knocked into the ground, dirt and dust blowing up everywhere.
But Suzuki’s already moving again, a zipline through the dust makes its way towards Ritsu. Ritsu brings down the tree horizontally to slow him down. Suzuki just slides under the obstacle and with a spinning kick Ritsu is swept under his feet. He lands face first on the grass.
A heavy weight sits down on Ritsu's back, taking the breath out of his lungs. His leg is grabbed and bent back, a clean leg-lock. It stretches far, and it feels like it’s about to pop out of his socket.
Ritsu slaps his hand on the ground.
“I give!” Ritsu gasps out.
The stretching stops, and his leg falls down on the ground.
“It’s called ‘tap’, but whatever.”
Pressure lifts of his back and Ritsu takes in a deep breath. He rolls over and sees a smiling Suzuki standing above him.
“You were open.” Suzuki says.
“Yeah, I noticed”
“But your stamina is getting better, still a bit slow on the reactions though.”
“Hmph,” Ritsu leans on his elbow and scratches his head with his free hand, “I should have moved, the tree was slowing me down.”
“Lucky it happened now and not in a real fight then,” Suzuki reaches out a hand.
Ritsu takes it, it’s steady and a bit calloused, but surprisingly gentle. He gets dragged up on his feet and he would wobble if he didn’t hold onto Suzuki, but soon he lets him go. His leg feels weird though so he shakes it around a bit.
“Where did you learn to do that?”
“Oh that?” Suzuki's smile gets smug, “I’ve just watched some pro wrestling matches, tried to replicate a cool move, how was it? Was it good?”
“It was effective alright.” Ritsu brushes off his clothes as Suzuki's face shines up a bit more.
“Nice, well I do have some more moves I can show you.”
“I think it’s good for tonight, I’m probably late for dinner.”
“Already?” Suzuki groans, “Fine.” He puts his arms above his head and stretches, “Time really fly by fast when you’re having fun.”
Suzuki’s white T-shirt hickes up and Ritsu eyes automatically goes to the movement, but he pulls away, concentrating instead on the few holes his hoodie got. His mother would scold him if she saw them. The red training hoodie held together for a long time, but it seems like it's time has come.
“I think you’re having the most fun, I’m just getting beat up.”
“But it’s less every time, I remember the first time,” Suzuki chuckles, “You’re quite heavy you know that?”
Ritsu's face gets warmer, “I said you didn’t have to carry me,” he begins to walk to the path leading back to the city.
“How else were you supposed to get home?” Suzuki takes his green and varsity jacket that's hanging on a branch and struts after him, still with a grin on his face.
“I would have figure it out.”
“Sometimes you need help from other people Ritsu.”
Now it’s Ritsus time groan as he keeps on walking. But after some thinking, he soon hums.
“Sound like you’re getting influenced by my brother, and how many times have you hung out with him again? Two, three? Perhaps I should I bring him back here if you like his teachings so much.”
Suzuki falter in his steps, a frown plastered on his face, “I-- I do not sound like him. Without the help of my guys I wouldn't have gotten anywhere,” he crosses his arms, “Your brother didn’t invent people depending on people you know.”
Ritsu snicker, “Yeah yeah, I know.” Still funny to tease him sometimes though.
The duo keeps walking until they come out of the forest, the sun setting behind the distant buildings. A breeze blows by, cooling down Ritsu's warm skin. He closes his eyes and breathes out. It feels like a blessing.
He looks over at Suzuki who just turned his head around. His ears slightly red, it looks like the sun is illuminating through them.
“It sure got late fast. Same time tomorrow?” Suzuki blurs out.
“Yes, the usual is good. I’ll see you then.”
Suzuki turns around, a smile back on his face again, “Yeah, good work today.” He pats Ritsu on his back before walking off.
“You too,” Ritsu says.
“Bye bye.” Suzuki waves his hand, still with his back turned, until the light distorts around him and he disappears into the sunset, literally. It looked like one of the dramas Ritsu has recently seen.
Cheezy, Ritsu thinks and can’t help the creeping smile.
So begin the walk back home again, the route becoming familiar at this point. He thinks about what sort of dinner is waiting for him and walks a bit faster, something his growling stomach agrees on.