Log: Two old guys take a bath (sanada, yanagi)

[ever_yanagi]

 Who: Yanagi Renji & Sanada Genichirou
What: When Sanada gets self-destructive after getting pissy at Yukimura's new beau, Yanagi goes to stop him. They talk in circles and take a bath.
When: Uh.... during that time when they were fighting about the french guy
Where: Wherever Sanada was running, and a public bath.
Rating: G

Sanada shoved his phone back into his pocket with a grumble and started running again. He didn’t get very far before he stopped, pulled out his phone and sent Yanagi a message about where his stuff was and that he was heading there now. He knew Yanagi wanted to stop him from running for so long that he aggravated his knees and now he knew his friend would also want to mediate this fight. It wasn’t the first fight he and Yukimura had had in their long friendship. But it was weird having one through a journal when they were on separate continents.

Sanada wasn’t sure he wanted to talk about some of the things they fought about. They had both made some low blows as only people who knew each other well could. Those types of shots had never mattered in the end for their other fights. But Sanada had the dreadful feeling that those and other things would need to be resolved somehow before he and Yukimura could get over this. It would also be easier if they were in the same city. And if Adrian skipped on back to Paris or wherever he dwelled when not in a bed with Yukimura.

Trying to remember to breathe, to control his anger and because he was running, Sanada tried to let his mind drift off to other tranquil things as he ran along the river. It seemed like no time at all until he was drawing close to the spot where he left his things behind. He could already make out Yanagi and he braced himself for what his friend might say. If he was a lesser man, he’d abandon the family rock and his things and just run back home. But he was a Sanada and he would face the consequences of his actions.

Yanagi mustered up a small smile as Sanada came jogging up to him. Sanada wasn’t limping, and his knees didn’t look reddened or inflamed beyond the flush of exercise, which was one good thing, at least.

“Renji,” Sanada said in greeting between deep gulps of air. He probably shouldn’t have pushed so hard that last stretch but he needed to put his focus onto something else besides Yukimura for awhile. He walked over to where his bag was and pulled out the family rock so he could get at his towel and then his water. “How angry are you?” Yanagi was the most even tempered of the three of the but that didn’t mean he didn’t get frustrated with them or give lectures that made him feel horrible.

“Here’s your towel and water,” said Yanagi, handing them to him from where he’d pre-emptively prepared them. He shook his head at his friend. It was patently transparent that Sanada had been stewing and worrying over his argument with Yukimura, not that Yanagi expected otherwise, or blamed him. “Catch your breath, then we’ll talk while you do cool-down stretches.”

“Thanks,” Sanada said. He toweled off quickly and then downed a good amount of water before tossing both onto the grass. He took off the knee brace on his right knee which had been bothering him a bit since his match with Yukimura on his birthday and let it drop beside the towel. He then started in on his cool down stretches, paying careful attention to properly work out his legs. He knew he’d get another lecture on top of all the others if he didn’t. “So…” He started and then trailed off. He did not know how to even begin talking about what had happened.

“You both behaved badly,” said Yanagi, moving behind him to help Sanada with his stretches, pushing down on his back carefully. “I am very disappointed in you both. It’s not as if I don’t understand both sides of the argument, but the mud-slinging at the end... And in a public forum too. Now that I have told you this, we can slowly discuss the issues.”

“I’m sure we both forgot it was public…” Sanada said with a slight grunt as his muscles stretched in that good but slightly uncomfortable way. “And I was trying to behave. But he kept pushing.” He normally found it easy to refrain from being rude to Yukimura but when they fought, Yukimura knew exactly the right buttons to get him to respond in anger. Even putting on his meditation music didn’t help calm him.

“You were both...difficult,” sighed Yanagi. “I’ve told you this before, Genichirou, but you come off as very patronising sometimes. And Seiichi hates to be lectured or talked down to.”

“I was patronising?” Sanada asked in surprise. “I told him I admired him and he motivated me to do better. How is that patronising? That’s praise.” And he did not give out such praise easily but in his eyes, Yukimura was often worthy of all that praise and more. Not that he particularly wanted to give him any praise at the moment.

“Before that, about Adrian, and presuming to know who would or would not be good for him,” Yanagi elaborated. “That is not for you to decide. The praise, no matter how sincere, also came at the wrong time. Seiichi would have been too wound up to see it for what it was.”

“Like you actually think the French floozy fling is good for him?” Sanada didn’t see how anyone could think this Adrian guy and Yukimura were a good match. Or that Yukimura would even remember his name in like a month’s time. And he definitely didn’t get praise coming at a wrong time.

“That is precisely what he is, a fling, a temporary companionship,” said Yanagi, a little more sharply than he’d meant. “Who are you to determine who Seiichi can or cannot interact with? You don’t own him.”

Sanada turned sharply to look at Yanagi at that last part. Is that how his concern came across? “I don’t think I do. And temporary doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have standards,” Sanada said. He drank down the rest of his water before gathering his things and standing.

“Seiichi can take care of himself, and does not need you to tell him otherwise,” said Yanagi, packing Sanada-sama back into Sanada’s bag. “You were insinuating it a little by suggesting he does not know how to choose companions. In fact, Seiichi is very careful and even had me look into Adrian before proceeding.

“I care about him. Of course I’ll worry about him when he’s on the other side of the globe. And researching someone isn’t the same as meeting them in person and getting a feel for them.” Not that Sanada thought Yukimura was bad at reading people but Sanada preferred to trust his own instincts. He took his bag from Yanagi with a word of thanks for gathering it and shoved his other things inside of it. “Onsen?” He wasn’t sure he wanted to have Yanagi nagging at him the whole time when he was trying to relax but he also didn’t want his friend to worry too much about him or his knees.  

“So, you are saying that your judgement is better than his, and mine?” asked Yanagi, walking with him. “Yes, let’s go to the onsen.” He companionably clapped Sanada on the shoulder, wordlessly assuring him that he was not angry at him, just trying to explain how the situation had escalated.

Sanada stewed over that for a long moment before grunting out a no. “But he didn’t even ask my opinion.” If he had Yanagi researching the guy, it would have been nice if he had at least given Sanada a chance to go yes or no. Or at least frown at him about the guy not being good enough for him.

“Why does he need your permission, since it sounds like that’s what you meant, rather than opinion?” said Yanagi, walking alongside him. “He can make his own decisions. It’s like choosing what you want to eat. Figuratively.”

"If Yukimura thought something was bad for me at a restaurant I would certainly take his opinion into consideration. I certainly wouldn't post numerous photos of that food either," Sanada said walking a bit faster in his frustrations.

Yanagi had to lengthen his strides to keep up. “Look at it this way. What if Seiichi said you shouldn’t eat meat? It’s something you enjoy, it’s not bad for you unless taken to excess, and it’s a personal decision whether you eat it or not. He doesn’t have the right to tell you not to.”

“Why would he tell me that?” Sanada asked thinking that this metaphor had gotten away from Yanagi.

“He wouldn’t. But you are doing the equivalent, to him,” Yanagi said. “Think about it for a while. You come from good intentions, but you should have expressed concern only once, and then backed off when he assured you of it.”

“I didn’t tell him not to do anything. I was minding my own business until he forced the issue,” Sanada grumbled as he stopped outside of the onsen and waited for the doors to open before stepping in. “He’s the one picking fights for no reason.”

Somehow they had circled back to square one. Yanagi sighed before paying for them and going to pick a locker. “Seiichi was wrong as well but you know better than to lash back.” He paused while getting the door of a locker open. “Think about exactly why you were so angry about this Adrian. Is it really because he’s a stranger? Would you have the same reaction if Seiichi got with, say, some of our old tennis compatriots?”

“It depends on who it was” Sanada said opening up his own locker. There were some, okay, many weird and unsuitable tennis players in their past. “And I tried not to lash back. But he kept pushing.” It’s not like everyone didn’t know he had a temper. He worked very hard at controlling it these days but even with Yukimura he had a breaking point and the other knew exactly what he was doing when he kept prodding. Thinking of the conversation again, Sanada stripped off his running shirt with more force than required for the task.

“As I said, you were both in the wrong,” said Yanagi, shaking his head. “Never mind for now. Let’s just relax for a bit. We’re at the onsen after all. Perhaps after some relaxation you might think differently.”

“Maybe,” Sanada muttered not believing it. He finished shoving his clothes in the locker and grabbed the small towel before heading into the onsen and toward the shower area. He scrubbed himself down with quick and rough motions, still trying to get his frustrations under control. “He’s supposed to be focusing on tennis and art…. Not naked Frenchmen.” It would be different if Adrian was just a model or art exercise but even Sanada wasn’t naive enough to think that was all Adrian was.

Exasperated, Yanagi poked Sanada in the ribs as he took up the spot beside him. “He’s allowed to have relationships, Genichirou,” he said. “Now stop, or there’ll be more steam coming out your ears than the bath.”

Sanada jumped slightly at the poke and then rubbed the spot as he huffed at Yanagi. He couldn’t deny that Yukimura was allowed relationships but he certainly wanted to. “It doesn’t mean he has to brag about them like he is.” There, that didn’t make him sound quite as controlling and unreasonable. He hoped.

“While I agree it is in bad taste to brag, I don’t see how you should be offended by it,” responded Yanagi, quickly washing out his hair. “Shall I do your back?” he offered.

“And  I don’t see how you’re not offended,” Sanada said and answered Yanagi’s question by turning and showing his back to his friend.

“Why would I be?” Yanagi picked up a washcloth and started scrubbing Sanada’s back. “Seiichi’s not spending time with my enemy, or stealing my partner.”

“He could be your enemy,” Sanada said not liking Yanagi’s answer. They didn’t even know the guy. And he still felt the whole scenario was just weird and wrong.

“He’s not my current declared enemy, so Seiichi’s in the clear,” corrected Yanagi. He wondered if Sanada had even considered for a moment why he was so against the whole thing. Stubborn and oblivious, what a combination.

Sanada stepped away from Yanagi and back under the water to rinse off and gave him a grumpy look. He really thought it wouldn’t be that hard for Yanagi to find enough reasons to declare the French guy an enemy. “Fine. But I still don’t like that we don’t know him and they’re both on the other side of the world,” Sanada said.

“He’s allowed to do things, including his handsome Frenchman, without our supervision,” reiterated Yanagi, feeling a bit exasperated. “Honestly, he seems like a nice man. It’s good for Seiichi to meet new people.”

“I don’t want to think about him doing his Frenchman,” Sanada grumbled. “Want me to do your back?” He didn’t want to think about the Frenchman at all if it could be helped. He was fine ignoring the posts and comments from Yukimura about it. He didn’t get why Yukimura couldn’t just let things be like they were.

“At some point you should ask yourself why you feel the way you do, and try not to lie to yourself,” said Yanagi, turning his back to Sanada so it could be scrubbed. “But we won’t think about it for now.”

“I’m always honest with myself,” Sanada said. He got a cloth soaped up and started working it over Yanagi’s back. “And if we’re not thinking about that, what are we thinking of? And you say my knees, I’m throwing you into one of the onsen tubs.” He already knew that running so far and so hard wasn’t the brightest idea, which is why he cut his planned run short and slowed his pace. He didn’t need to hear it again.

“You’ll throw out your back,” noted Yanagi matter-of-factly, as he now weighed significantly more than he did in junior high. “Let’s think about your latest shogi matches. Appalling. You should consider using more modern moves, Genichirou.”

“I’m only twenty. I’ll be fine.” Just because most people thought he was some old man didn’t mean he was built like one. He was more than capable of at least dragging Yanagi to one of the pools and pushing him in. “And my moves are classic and fine.” He even watched the shogi show with his grandfather on Sundays to consider new strategies together when they both had the time.

“Twenty doesn’t mean invincible,” said Yanagi, nodding his thanks to Sanada for helping him with his back. He rinsed off and wandered off to sit in the bath.

“Classic and uncreative,” he called from his comfortable corner. “Don’t you want an edge over Tezuka-san?”

“Invincible enough,” Sanada said as he followed Yanagi into the onsen. “And I always want an edge over Tezuka.” It was in his blood to be competitive with Tezuka and to want to beat him. Be it in tennis, shogi, or some silly little contest. And he’d much rather think about that than Yukimura’s French guy right now.

“Then you’d best start thinking of ways to surprise him,” advised Yanagi, relaxing into the hot water. You’ve been neck and neck for how many years? Perhaps you should aim to pull ahead.“ Tezuka was another can of worms that would have to be addressed eventually. Somehow, Yanagi wasn’t sure it was 100% pure platonic rivalry in that regard.

Sanada gave a long sigh as he sunk lower into the hot water and the heat relaxed his muscles. “If I get too good, it won’t be a challenge or fun,” Sanada said. Though beating Tezuka more consistently would be nice he really didn’t think it would be as entertaining if he always beat Tezuka. A rival was supposed to match you in skills and force you to be better and wiser. So there was a chance that if he improved, Tezuka would follow suit. “But I suppose surprising him could be good.” A few new tricks wouldn’t do any real harm.

“Does Tezuka-san seem like the type who would be content to go down without a fight?” asked Yanagi, identifying the reason behind Sanada’s lack of enthusiasm. “I am certain were you to improve, he would respond in kind. Perhaps we can study some of the newer moves sometime.”

“I was just thinking that,” Sanada said. Because Tezuka was many things but content to coast was not really one of them. “I suppose you already have a bunch of new moves you want to try out?”

Yanagi nodded, leaning back against the side of the bath. “I watched a few pro matches in my spare time and got inspired. Perhaps we can schedule a time to go over them or play a game of our own.” With any luck Sanada’s annoyance might have worn off by then.

“I think I can spare some time for you,” Sanada said giving Yanagi a small smile. And then he recalled why he had so much more free time than usual and his smile fell. Did he really spend so much time at Yukimura’s or chatting with him on line? Not that his time wouldn’t be freer with him enjoying his time with Kirihara but he did wish that Yukimura wasn’t enjoying his time quite so much away from the courts.

Yanagi could pinpoint the exact second Sanada’s thoughts turned back towards their mutual friend. It was within his predictions, but still made him sigh internally. That was the problem with being so close with someone since childhood -- it made you extremely hostile to would-be usurpers, it seemed. He himself could recall similar jealous feelings now and again, in his youth. “And if you lose, dinner’s on you,” he said to Sanada, hoping it would work as a distraction.

Sanada snapped his attention back to Yanagi at that jibe. “Then I thank you for treating me to dinner in advance,” He said. Sanada enjoyed a good and healthy competition as long as the rival was worthy and very few were as worthy as his attention as Yanagi was.

Success, for the time being. Yanagi allowed himself to smirk. “So confident, Genichirou? I’ll be sure to make you take me somewhere nice when I win. No letting you off easy.”

“I’m always confident,” Sanada said and splashed just a little bit of water toward Yanagi, mindful that it was a public place. “I’m thinking yakiniku.” He was well known for being able to pack away a fair bit of meat and was an expert griller.

“You know that gives me indigestion,” said Yanagi good-naturedly, splashing Sanada back. They were the only ones there at the moment, so he didn’t see the harm. “Then, if I win, we’re going to a vegetarian Zen restaurant.”

Sanada raised a hand from Yanagi’s splash but it was a poor defense and he had to wipe water off of his face. He of course had to retaliate and then gave a long sigh at Yanagi’s weak stomach. “If, and I assure you that it’s a big if, you win and we go there, I insist you dress appropriately.” If he was going to get dragged to some zen vegetarian place they could at least wear traditional clothes and make an evening of it. “But I promise when I win, I’ll bring you some medicine for your stomach.” The least he could do for being treated so well at the yakiniku restaurant.

“I’ll wear my best hakama,” agreed Yanagi, though it came out a bit burbled as he ducked down into the water to escape the worst of the splash. Distraction achieved for now, Yanagi decided to continue by segueing into a different topic. “Do you ever play Go with Tezuka? Or is it just shogi?” Yanagi himself was far better at the former, but could at least hold his own in shogi with Sanada.

“We’ve played a variety of things. We enjoy mixing it up now and then,” Sanada said. He stretched his arms out along the sides of the pool they were in and then stretched out his legs, letting them float up in the hot water with a sigh of contentment. He may have a lot on his mind right now, but lounging in hot water was always a nice stress reliever. “Perhaps I’ll see if he’s up for a game.”

“With Go, I can at least make sure you’re up to snuff,” -- meaning grind Sanada into the dust-- “unlike shogi, where you and I are more or less at similar levels, which limits my effectiveness as a trainer in your efforts to defeat Tezuka,” said Yanagi, amused by how seriously Sanada always took this rivalry. Still, he was happy that it gave him an excuse to “practice” with Sanada, since he rarely ever found a good opponent otherwise.

Sanada gave a soft chuckle. He knew what Yanagi was up to with wanting to switch from Shogi to go for a while but he enjoyed both so couldn’t be upset about it. “Fine. We can practice go, too,” He said and splashed a bit more of water toward Yanagi just because he could.

Yanagi gamely splashed back, aiming for Sanada’s face. “You’re probably terrible and out of practice after so long,” he said. “I’ll take pity on you and give you a five-stone handicap.” It was so easy to goad Sanada sometimes. He could easily see where Yukimura pushed it too far.

Sanada sputtered from the water hitting his face and the ridiculous slander coming from his friend. He looked around to make sure nobody was paying them any attention and moved in on Yanagi totally preparing to dunk him for that attack. “I am not that bad at go. Two stone handicap at most,” He said before grabbing hold of Yanagi’s arm and attempting to tug him under the water.

While he saw that coming, Yanagi wasn’t fast enough to avoid the attack. With a cut-off laugh, he resigned himself to being dunked in the water. In revenge, he dove for Sanada’s ankles, aiming to trip him up.

Sanada laughed as he dunked Yanagi but then spluttered as he went toppling into the water himself, landing half on his friend. After a bit of flailing, or a dignified retreat from his awkward half drowned position, he managed to get to the edge of the onsen where he spluttered a bit before laughing. It was good the place was all but empty at this time of day or they’d run the risk of getting kicked out.

Yanagi smiled as well, pleased that his friend was at least temporarily turning his mind away from complicated thoughts regarding Yukimura. He companionably bumped shoulders with Sanada before settling in beside him.

“Are you feeling faint from the heat?” he teased Sanada. “You’re looking a bit red in the face.”

Sanada brushed back dripping bangs from his face and had no doubt that he was red in the face from the combination of being dunked and lack of air from laughing and perhaps choking on water. “Maybe it’s time to change pools,” Sanada said as he bumped his shoulder back against Yanagi’s. He then stood up and glanced around before narrowing in on the pool that had plenty of bubbles from all of the jets in it that would feel amazing against his muscles and his knees in particular.

“Oh, I like those,” agreed Yanagi, rising to join him. The jacuzzi pool  was a little smaller than the regular bath, so he could sit opposite Sanada and still easily be within conversation range.  He felt the massaging action from the jets pound away some of the tension that had crept across his shoulders with the whole Adrian debacle. Alas, only a temporary reprieve.

Sanada sighed in bliss as all the jets and bubbles move across his body and helped further relax him. “Thank you for coming with me,” Sanada said. The most he would ever admit to appreciating when his friends stopped him from pushing himself too far. His knees would never be perfect but with a certain amount of consideration for their limitations there was no reason why he couldn’t continue competitive kendo, play tennis against friends from time to time and enjoy the occasional run. He just normally didn’t bother with consideration.

“You’re welcome,” said Yanagi with a smile, before sinking into quiet contemplation for a bit. If neither Yukimura nor Sanada were going to budge, he might have to resort to an ultimatum. “You’re not 15 anymore. Take care of yourself.”

“I’m also not 85,” Sanada said. He knew he had to be careful but he hardly had to resign himself to a wheelchair. “There’s still plenty of life left in my knees yet.”

Yanagi scooted forward and prodded the trigger point of Sanada’s knee injury, right where it hurt. “They’ll only get worse every year if you don’t take care of them.”

Sanada grunted at the prodding and hastily pushed Yanagi and his evil fingers away from his knee. “I know that. I’m still going to my physiotherapist.” Though with how much he’d been pushing it the last few weeks, it was probably time to increase his visits for a while. It never hurt to be cautious, especially as competition season for kendo would be coming up soon enough.  

“Good, or I’ll have to nag you more,” said Yanagi. “You and Seiichi are both very self-destructive, sometimes. I suppose I’ll just have to keep the both of you in check forever.”

“We’re not that bad,” Sanada said. He may have been a little over the top in tennis when Yukimura was unwell but he rather thought he was quite restrained overall. “Though I’m sure we both appreciate your care.” There was nobody Sanada would rather have watching his back than Yanagi.

“You are and you know it,” said Yanagi with the placid resignation of years of experience. He bumped Sanada’s shoulder again. “Shall we go somewhere to eat after this? Your treat.” He was still a little mad after all and not above pettiness.

“If I admitted to being stubborn and difficult you might expect me to do something about it. So I will continue to say I am not,” Sanada said. He then stood with an exaggerated groan of effort before stepping out of the pool. “And where am I treating you to? I may need to stop by an ATM.” He didn’t mind treating Yanagi, or any of his friends, to a meal but he didn’t carry that much money with him when exercising. And he was sure Yanagi’s tastes ran to something more sophisticated than McD’s.

“Instead I will simply look upon you judgmentally,” Yanagi told Sanada, following him out of the pool with only slightly less creakiness. “The udon place near the train station should be sufficient. I’m not here to rob you.”

“I’m used to your judgement,” Sanada said. He grabbed his towel once he was in the change room and started drying off. “And you’re a cheap date.” He had more than enough money to treat them both to udon, even if they did splurge and get a bunch of extra tempura sides to go with it.

Yanagi efficiently dried off and changed, taking significantly less time than his friend to do so. “Ah,Genichirou, it’s the quality of the date that counts, not the cost,” he teased. “Perhaps you need some actual dating experience.”

“Not all of us have time to waste on frivolous things, Renji,” Sanada countered as he finished changing. He then moved over to the mirrors to try and get his hair to not stick up all over. “And you should share that advice with Atobe.” He wasn’t sure Atobe had ever met a situation that he didn’t think couldn’t be improved upon with more money.

“Atobe-san perhaps considers an excess of money to be superior to good taste and good sense,” said Yanagi, ‘helpfully’ reaching over to fluff Sanada’s fringe. “Are you then saying my dates are all frivolous things?”

Sanada laughed at that even as he batted away Yanagi’s hands, he was only able to agree with the fact that Atobe lacked good taste and sense. “And maybe not all of your dates are frivolous,” Sanada said as he tried not to get into a fight with both of his best friends in one day.

Yanagi smiled knowingly. “They’re a great way to get to know someone better,” he said. “Especially if you have existing preconceptions of them.” He patted Sanada on the shoulder. “Let’s go, before the udon place fills up with commuters.”

Sanada snorted at that. He thought there were plenty of better ways to get to know someone than by dating them. And why would he want to go on a date with someone he didn’t like? That just seemed ridiculous. But since he was already on the outs with Yukimura, it was best to be neutral with Yanagi and his strange ideas. “Alright. Udon. Though I don’t get why you like this one.” Sure it was always busy with commuters coming and going and the noodles were above satisfactory but Sanada preferred somewhere he wasn’t getting bumped and jostled all of the time.

“They make an extra mild broth for me when I ask,” said Yanagi, champion of bland meals. “Or would you rather treat me to something expensive instead? I’m being considerate, Genichirou.” It looked like trying to change Sanada’s opinion on Yukimura’s new boyfriend, and dating in general, was going to take considerably more time. That was fine. Yanagi was in this for the long haul.

Comments

[gtl_yukimura]

Renji is the best.