HnG: Goban (original) (raw)

Title: Goban
Series: Hikaru no Go
Disclaimer: Characters are the property of Hotta and Obata
Type: General
Pairing/Notes: Hint of AkiraHikaru. I've actually used 'goban' instead of 'Go-board'; just wanted to use that for this fic in particular. Part 2 of the In Vino Veritas series. Also Part 1:, Drunken Promise, Part 3: Teaching Go, and Part 4: Present from Afar.
Summary: Hikaru likes his goban.

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As Touya expected, the bar was mostly deserted. The proprietor, who recognized him, jerked his head in the direction of the two men seated at the far end. Touya inclined his head, and walked towards the pair, who were so intent on their drinking that they didn’t even notice him.

At least, Shindou hadn’t. Kuwabara had, however, looked up from his newest drink, and though he barely raised an eyebrow, Touya knew that the older pro had seen him. Instead of acknowledging him, though, Kuwabara turned to Shindou again, and said, “So, after knowing him for so long, you still haven’t picked up any manners from him?”

“I have perfectly good manners, old man,” Shindou retorted.

“Then why is it Touya-kun is known to be polite, and you are just a rude and careless brat?”

“Oh no,” Shindou said. “Touya only looks polite. If you threaten him, or if he thinks of you as an opponent, he gets this huffy look that says, ‘You, defeat me?’ and he glares.” He looked into the distance for a moment. “Touya’s eyes are really pretty when he glares, though.” There was a wistful note in his voice.

Standing slightly to the side out of Shindou’s line of sight, Touya managed not to choke.

Kuwabara’s gaze focused on him briefly, then turned back to Shindou. “Pretty, huh?” he muttered. “Are you sure you haven’t been drinking too much?”

“I can still drink you under the table, old man,” Shindou declared. To prove his point, he snatched up the brimming sake cup and knocked it back, then dropped the cup, before resting his elbows on the sake-splattered table and propping his head on his hands. “Too bad Touya is never in the mood before one of the title games,” he revealed to the older pro.

Predictably, Kuwabara laughed. “Not in the mood, huh, punk? Hadn’t thought you were the sort to wait for him to make a move.”

Touya cringed at the thought that Shindou was about to tell the old and venerable Kuwabara Honinbou about their sex life, and wondered whether it would be less embarrassing to interrupt Shindou now, or later.

“He looks so good when he’s focused,” Shindou continued, his voice a little dreamy now, “and his eyes are so shiny, and his lips go in a straight line, like this,” he attempted to demonstrate by pinching his own lips between thumb and finger, pursing them at Kuwabara.

Touya privately thought that Shindou looked like a duck. With yellow feathers.

Then Shindou was drifting to other topics. “Touya-sensei is exactly the same way, come to think of it,” he said.

“He makes raspberries at you?” Kuwabara asked. “Hadn’t thought that Touyo Kouyo had that in him.”

Touya managed to muffle his cough.

“No!” Shindou waved his sake cup wildly in negation. “I mean, he gets this look on his face too, when he plays Go, like it’s life or death.”

“All Go is life or death, Shindou.”

“Yeah…” Shindou sat up a little, and helped himself liberally to more sake. “How long have you had your goban, Sensei?” he asked, real curiosity showing through the sake-soaked tone.

Touya’s ears pricked up.

Kuwabara sipped his sake, and narrowed his eyes at Shindou. “I’ve had the same goban for longer than you’ve been alive, punk. I bought it with the money I won in my first big tournament. Young people these days… they change their gobans as frequently as they change phones. As soon as they can get a better one, or a more expensive one… I bet you didn’t even buy your own, punk.”

Shindou shook his head. “Grandpa bought me my goban. He said it was to encourage me to be better at Go.”

“Che!” Kuwabara poured more sake for him. “I hope you don’t assume that an expensive goban makes you play better Go. You don’t look that dumb.”

Shindou knocked back his sake, and stuck out his tongue. “It’s not an expensive goban,” he said.

“Oh, really?”

“It’s of cassia wood…” Shindou snorted, “so there.” He poured more sake. “It’s considered a cheap goban, I know that, but…” he rested his chin on the tabletop. “There’re many memories associated with my goban.”

“Good memories?”

Shindou sighed. “Some good, some bad. Mostly good.” He drained his cup, and Kuwabara poured him more. “I don’t know. I grew up with that goban. Once I thought I lost a friend… but I found him when I played on it,” he chewed on his lip. “It’s very precious to me.”

“So what’s the problem, kid?” Kuwabara asked. He indicated the refilled cup. “Go on, drink up!”

Shindou frowned at the sake cup. “I guess there isn’t,” he said slowly as realization dawned. “Yeah. I’ll just keep the goban, Touya won’t mind, anyway. Right!” he grinned.

“Good. Now will you go home? I think Touya-kun’s feet must be getting tired by now.”

Touya jumped. Shindou raised his head, the word ‘Touya’ freezing on his lips as he spotted his rival.

“Touya? What are you doing here?” Shindou asked, his words a little slurred.

Kuwabara cackled. “He came to find you, of course. What kind of brainless person would go to a bar without wearing his jacket or bringing his wallet? I hope you weren’t planning to sponge off me, punk. Not with the games you’re winning.”

“I forgot when I left home, okay?” Shindou asked with drunken belligerence. His eyes focused on Touya. “Touya, you came to find me!” he exclaimed, his lower lip trembling just a little. He looked about five.

“Like Kuwabara-sensei said, you didn’t bring your jacket,” Touya said, starting to throw the jacket at him, but changed his mind at the last minute and put it around Shindou’s shoulders instead.

“Touya, you came to find me!” Shindou repeated, sitting closer to the edge so Touya could drape the heavy jacket around him. He seemed in danger of falling out of his seat. “And did I mention before, you have very pretty eyes?”

Touya shook his head. “Shindou, you’re drunk. Come on, let’s go back.”

“ ‘kay…” he stood up, then sat down again.

“Shindou?” Touya wondered if he had really drunk too much. “What is it?”

Shindou looked up at him, his expression plaintive as a child’s. “Touya… is the goban still there?” he asked.

“Of course…” He remembered what Shindou had been telling Kuwabara, and realized his earlier suspicions were correct. “If you mean the one Yoneda-san delivered this afternoon, I’ve put it in the storeroom until we decide what to do with it. Really, Shindou, do you expect me to pick up after you?”

Shindou came as close to a pout as Touya had ever seen him. “I don’t want to change gobans, even if mine is just ‘a cheap goban used by housewives.’ " He quoted the words in a resigned, glum tone, and sounded like he was on the verge of bursting into tears.

“You don’t have to,” Touya said. “I agree that it is a perfectly good goban, all right?” He had known something wasn’t quite right when Yoneda delivered the expensive kaya-wood goban, and had set out to persuade Shindou that a top player like him also required a top-class goban. After the goban merchant left, Shindou had been restless for a few hours, until he finally gone out, saying he wanted to be left alone.

Shindou’s eyes widened at Touya’s reply. “Really?” he asked.

Touya gave a long-suffering sigh. “Yes,” he said, and braced himself.

Sure enough, Shindou barreled into him. “Touya!” he exclaimed. “I knew you’d understand about Sai!”

“What?” Touya started to question further, but realized that he had better dealt with a drunken Shindou, who was a great deal heavier than he looked, instead. “Shindou, stop that, you dropped your jacket…”

Kuwabara started cackling.

The sound made Shindou look up from where he was nuzzling Touya’s jacket. “Huh, what?” He looked around the bar for a few seconds, shrugged, and went back to burying his face in Touya’s neck.

“Put on your jacket,” Touya said, wondering why he was bothering, as Shindou wasn’t listening. Despite Shindou’s arms around him, the smell of sake making his nose wrinkle, he managed to get his wallet out, called the proprietor over, and settled the bill for Shindou and Kuwabara.

The older pro smirked in a way that made Touya blush. “So now you also re-arrange his furniture?” he asked.

“Goodnight, Kuwabara-sensei,” Touya said blandly. He grabbed Shindou’s jacket and half-walked, half-dragged Shindou out of the bar.

***

By now, Touya was prepared and had a taxi waiting for them. He bundled Shindou into the back, and got in after him. The driver glanced at them from his rearview mirror—probably hoping that Shindou wasn’t going to throw up—and started driving.

After a few minutes, Shindou said, “Touya.” He didn’t sound as drunk, and was instead sitting up straight, staring out of the window.

“Yes?”

“I played with Sai on that goban. I know it isn’t the best, and pros like you should play on a top goban, like Yoneda said…”

“Shindou,” Touya decided to set him straight. “For most of my life, I either played on my father’s goban, or I used the portable ones at the salon. I don’t need a ‘top’ goban to play Go. I just need a good opponent. All right?”

The smile on Shindou’s face was all the answer he needed.

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Edited for typos and two very, very minor changes.