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Over the course of their relationship from start to end, Taichi very quickly realizes one thing: Hayato’s gentle.
It isn’t so much that he tries to be soft on him during the team’s volleyball training or give him special tips on how to perform more stable receiving; it’s the fact that no matter how incensed or how upset he is on a particular day, he always treats Taichi gently without fail.
(Even if Taichi was the one who made him upset).
Hayato may have a set of facial features that make him appear more menacing than he sets out to be, but for any physical contact he has with Taichi, Hayato caresses and traces his fingers along his pale skin as if Taichi’s the most precious thing in the whole world. He holds his hands and tugs him along with the strength of a butterfly even if Taichi knows he’s positively fuming and his other arm is about to break off a tree trunk at the snap of a finger, but the hand that’s connected to Taichi will always be soft to the touch on his end.
When they’re embracing for the victory of a qualifier match, Hayato once again holds him close with all the strength he has, but he’s gentle at the same time. No broken ribs or muscle aches; just all the love Hayato has to give Taichi eked out in one giant bear hug with the excitement bursting out of him like a series of fireworks.
(He lifts Taichi off the ground, stars exploding in his eyes.)
When dark storms and rainclouds mar Taichi’s days, Hayato is the only one who can make rays of sunshine break through the blurriness of his thoughts. He stays by Taichi’s side, all thoughts of leaving him thrown out the window, and intertwines his fingers with his to show that Taichi has him by his side. Tears will fall down Taichi’s face but Hayato will reach up to wipe them away, which sometimes makes Taichi weep with such emotion at the show of everlasting love that Hayato always shows him through muted actions. It is the only time when Hayato’s energetic voice is muted and he whispers the sweetest of nothings in Taichi’s ears for only him to hear, and Taichi can feel his heart bursting at the seams.
When they find themselves at an impasse and harbour bitterness over disagreements, Hayato will still hold Taichi’s hand as they refuse to talk to each other and rub his thumb over the familiar bumps and ridges he’s chanced upon before. They will go to bed quiet, but Hayato will still kiss him goodnight and hold him in his arms until the sun warms the room they’re in, rousing them from their sleep. All conflicts will then be forgotten as Hayato kisses Taichi good morning once again, the gentleness and innocence reflected in his caring brown eyes.
For all of Hayato’s gentleness, Taichi is then strict when necessary. He’s the one that stays back after practice with Hayato to practice block-follow drills with him when he’s lacking in that department and purposefully makes him practice in difficult scenarios where it proves tricky to dig up the ball. Taichi is like a steady stream; when volleyballs bounce off of Hayato’s arms in an awkward way or when he’s near his limit, he seeks out Hayato and passes him a towel or a water bottle to get his spirits up again. Taichi lets him know that no matter what, he’s there for Hayato, even though he had countless minor and major failures.
He’s also the one that visits Hayato in his classroom and gives him tuition, while they break open their bentos or sandwiches during lunchtime. Despite Hayato’s complaints and misgivings, Taichi always makes sure that Hayato’s on track for his schoolwork and studying, even if Hayato might distract him with kisses or hugs sometimes. He’s like a motherly presence when Hayato’s walking through the thorny journey that is academics and he never fails to be a much-needed pillar of support when the stress or bad grades come.
Other than being Hayato’s cornerstone, Taichi also never hesitates to point out the mistakes that he has made. Being human himself has made Hayato vulnerable to many flaws and errors due to his passionate nature, and sometimes the words that are uttered are hurtful and bring about misunderstandings. However, being of straightforward nature himself, Taichi always sits Hayato down for heart-to-heart talks and gently (but truthfully) spells out the things that he has done wrong. Ultimately, it helps Hayato to become a better person and do his best to work on his shortcomings, which encourages Taichi to do the same.
Although different, their individual rhythms form a magnificent cacophony of self-betterment and love when played together. To the both of them, there is no other relationship like theirs, where they can scream and shout at one another in the most genuine and raw fashion, and yet love each other unconditionally in the purest of ways.
To them, their love is gentle and rough at the same time, but they couldn’t possibly have asked for better.