Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ A Game Worth Winning ❯ The First Time ( Chapter 2 )

"The First Time"

~A Game Worth Winning "Prince of Tennis" Fanfic Series

By Andrea Readwolf <andrea_readwolf @hotmail.com>

Chapter: 2

Rating: R for sexual situations and profanity

Pairings: Tezuka x Fuji, Oishi + Kikumaru, others to be established

Genre: AU, Drama, Hentai, Yaoi, Romance

Series Rating: Mature for sexual content

Warnings: Underage characters in homosexual and possible heterosexual romantic and sexual situations of self-discovery. Characters are written in character according to author's interpretation of situations and circumstances.

Summary: As things heat up between Tezuka and Fuji, the captain reflects on the circumstances surrounding his first meeting with the tensai.

Disclaimer: Tennis no Ohjisama, characters and settings are the property of Konomi Takeshi.

Date Started: April 23, 2004

Status: completed

Revised: May 18, 2004

"A Game Worth Winning--The First Time" By Andrea Readwolf

He pushed the other teen into the wall, following through to pin him there with his body. "Fuck me," he purred, his voice barely above a breath--that breath hot and seductive against the cinnamon haired teen's face and throat.

"No."

It was spoken quietly, but it was like a slap in the face, and it made the first young man infuriated. "Kiss me," he growled, more forcefully, pressing his body against the other's, harder, crushing him against the wall now as brilliant blue eyes slit open.

"No."

Fuji Syusuke growled, surging forward to seal his lips over Tezuka Kunimitsu's. He spent barely a moment forcing the other boy's lips open before plunging his tongue into the his mouth. Hands came up to claw at his back, but instead of trying to pry him off, the digging fingers only excited him further.

His hips crashed into Tezuka's, aiming instinctively for the hard proof of the other teen's desire for him.

Tezuka always made him work for their encounters, especially when they were still at school--he was such a stingy bastard. He wouldn't just admit that he wanted Fuji without a fight.

Those same hands that worked his back, exciting him, lowered to his ass, squeezing and molding the muscular globes. Tezuka tore his lips away, painting heavily. "Horny bitch," he spat quietly.

Fuji just grinned. "Fuck me," he repeated.

"No," Tezuka repeated. "Not here, not now. And *not* until practice is over," he reminded the other firmly, pushing Fuji away from him and straightening his practice outfit.

Fuji let him go, watching him with predator like eyes, but still let him go easily enough, he was sure he would get what he wanted from the other man eventually---Tezuka riding him, fast and hard.

~~~****~~~

Oishi watched as Fuji practically dragged their captain into the clubroom. Everyone on the courts knew that look in the young man's eyes; not even the deceptively pleasant-seeming smile could mask it. Fuji was pissed about something, and it looked like Tezuka was going to hear about it.

"Hoi, hoi! Oishi! Watch this move! Pretty cool, huh? Hoi, hoi! Okay, what about this? Oomphf! Aw, damn. Hey! Oishi! Oishi? Are you watching? Nya, Oishi? Oishi!"

Suddenly a redheaded firecracker--his doubles partner, Eiji--frowning five centimeters from his face blocked his view of the clubroom.

"Ah, gomen, gomen, Eiji-kun. You wanted to show me something, right? What was it? A new acrobatic move?"

"Ah, forget it," the redhead pasted a sheepish smile back on his face. "It wasn't that great yet. I'll show you later." And if his voice held a hint of seductive promise in it, who other than Oishi would really notice? "Hey, wanna grab something to eat after practice? I'm a little hungry now that I think about it--"

"Ah, gomen, Eiji-kun, but Tezuka and I are supposed to--"

"Forget it, Oishi," a deep voice cut in to the excuse. "We can meet Monday to discuss the first years. Why don't you go out and relax some? That goes for everyone," Tezuka raised his voice for the remaining tennis club members on the courts to hear. "You've all practiced hard and well. The next match isn't for another three weeks. Let's wrap it up for tonight. Get your rest this weekend. You'll need it for Monday's practice. Dismissed."

"Hai! Arigato, senpai! Goodnight!" was the answering chorus from the remaining non-Regulars as they rushed to collect their belongings and depart. The Regulars, however, were busy frowning as they converged from their respective practice courts into a semi-straight line near the fence.

They watched their captain wearily---it was unheard of for their normally sadistical captain to call an end to practices until well after the normal departure time. Which was fine with most of the Regulars; they were the best in the county, after all, and they wanted to remain that way. But...it was only five minutes past the hour.

"Hey, Buchou, what gives? You feeling okay?" Momoshiro finally voiced what they were all thinking.

Tezuka's glasses flashed in the fading light of the day. "Inui? How's that new drink coming along? Is it ready yet?" he asked, not looking at his classmate, but at the rest of the team, noting with hidden satisfaction the sudden green-behind-the-gills look the majority of them suddenly sported.

"Now that you mention it, I do feel pretty tired." An exaggerated yawn. "Yep."

"Yeah, some relaxing down time sounds pretty good to me."

"Hn...hissssss."

"Oh, hey, guys, let's hit up Taka's folk's place for some sushi!"

"Yeah, that sounds great!"

"Anou, guys, I mean, um... well, let me call first, at least, and, ah..."

"Okay."

"Oh-kay! Sushi, sushi, sushi, sushi! Yummy sushi! Su--C'mon, Oishi-kun! What are you waiting for?" Eiji looked back at his partner expectantly.

All the other Regulars had made a rather hasty retreat once threatened with one of Inui's special drinks. All except the potions master himself and the vice-captain.

"Go on ahead and change, Eiji," Oishi called to the redhead. "I'll join you in a minute. Just wait for me, okay?"

"Always," Eiji whispered too softly for the others to hear. And then, more loudly, "Okay! Yeah! Sushi! Sushi! Sushi! Sushi!"

The remaining three Regulars were quiet until Eiji's enthusiastic voice had faded safely away behind the closed door of the clubroom.

"What's going on, Tezuka?" Oishi was first to speak. "Are you sick? Is it your--"

"It's nothing," the elder teen spoke firmly, indicating the subject was closed.

"Where's Fuji-kun?" he tried again, realizing the other man hadn't returned to the tennis courts with the captain.

"I don't know," Tezuka answered tersely.

Oishi's fist tightened dangerously at his sides.

"Oishi," Inui interrupted. "You're partner's waiting for you, and if you don't get in there soon, there's a ninety-eight percent chance that he'll--"

A loud crash originated from the clubroom, and Inui sighed. "Too late."

The short haired teen sighed, too, shooting one last look towards his captain before turning towards the tennis club's locker room, and into whatever new disaster Eiji had managed to create.

Inui watched Oishi leave as Tezuka finished packing up his gear.

"How long are you going to allow this to continue, Tezuka?"

Tezuka shot his long time friend a sharp look. "I don't know what you're talking about." And then, after another moment, he added, "I'm tired, it's been a long week; my players are tired. It's unwise to over stress them. Besides, the third years have a test on Monday."

He stood, lifting his workout bag to his shoulder. "We'll be implementing your new training regime Monday afternoon. Please be prepared."

"I'm always prepared," Inui snapped back. "But what good will a perfected training regime be if the team is too distracted by hormones and petty concerns?"

Tezuka glared. "You would do well to remember that yourself," he said significantly, before turning and walking away.

"Kunimitsu!" Inui called after his rival and friend. "Just... just be careful, okay?"

"Careful won't always win you the game," Tezuka returned. "And this is a game I fully intend on winning," he added under his breath.

~~~****~~~

The cinnamon-haired blond had been waiting for him inside the coach's classroom that overlooked the tennis courts, just as he knew he would be. For a moment, Tezuka had actually considered leaving the school grounds without coming to collect Fuji, but that would have accomplished nothing.

Now, locked behind the confines of his bedroom door in an otherwise empty house, Fuji Syusuke was already busy shedding his clothes while Tezuka took his time putting away his books and school things.

A warm body pressed into his back, arms wrapping around his middle as lips whispered against his neck. "Want you...." the blue-eyed devil moaned, rubbing the evidence of his want against Tezuka's backside.

With a sigh of put-upon patience, Tezuka removed the hands at his waist and continued his routine: satchel emptied of school books, books placed neatly on the desk next to the keyboard, computer turned on, satchel placed next to the desk---

Impatient hands reached for him again, this time working at the buckle of his belt. "Want you now," the blond growled, sharp teeth nipping at the tender skin beneath his ear.

"Stop," he commanded, once again removing the hands and stepping away to finish unbuckling his belt himself. "Or leave."

There was the infuriated breathing of the other teen, but the hands remained to their owner until Tezuka was finished undressing and turned to face the other youth. At some point during his fuming fit of pouting angst at being denied, Fuji had crawled onto the large bed and turned away from Tezuka.

Fuji was always like this it seemed--demanding, hard, rash, fast and furious in his passions. To anyone who hadn't seen the blond play tennis semi-seriously, these descriptions applied to the always-smiling Fuji Syusuke might seem completely alien. But Tezuka knew better. He had known the blond for over two years now, and Tezuka knew only he'd been 'privilege' to this Fuji... the real Fuji.

This moody, temperamental adolescent with all his wants and desires.... who didn't hide behind deceivingly pleasant smiles. Who couldn't hide from him, not anymore, because Tezuka knew him too well. Of course, that 'knowing' applied both ways, now... and yet, they still played out this same old game. The brown-haired teen wondered when, if ever, this melodrama would stop.

He knew what the other boy wanted from him, had wanted from him for over a year now, but he had his reasons for holding out, and he knew Fuji understood those reasons, even if the teen tried every chance he got to make him forget those reasons. And sometimes it was really tempting... sometimes he felt the craving need in his belly so bad that he thought he wouldn't be able to restrain himself from taking the other teen, but then, he would remember, the goal... their agreement...

With a heavy sigh at this recent show of melodrama from the cinnamon-haired blond, Tezuka crawled onto the bed and spooned his body around Fuji's, his arms wrapped around the blond's waist, squeezing him. His partner moaned, arching his back and scooping his ass invitingly towards Tezuka's sex, but Tezuka just shook his head, lips pressed close to Fuji's ear.

"No," he whispered. "We do this my way...or not at all, Syusuke."

It was all about routine, he thought as he listened to Fuji moan at the use of his name. He knew it turned the younger teen on to hear his given name spoken so close, so deep. He'd told Tezuka as much one night, and he'd never forgotten.

Soon, Syusuke stopped trying to wiggle himself into Tezuka's lap; he lay there, panting in the older teen's arms, waiting, before giving in and whispering, "Hai...Kunimitsu..."

Smiling softly, Kunimitsu pressed his lips to Syusuke's throat, sucking the tender, sweet flesh into his mouth as his arms loosened their hold on the blond. One hand teased a path upwards over muscularly toned skin until fingers reached their destination: a pert, dusky nipple that was begging to be touched and played with.

Sometimes, Kunimitsu thought he could have been a musician... he played Syusuke's body that well, knowing the exact places to brush against, to flicker across, to squeeze and pinch to wrench a variety of sounds from the boy. Moans, gasps, pants, cries... all wrung from his lips by the deceptively simple touches of fingers and lips. The suction at his throat grew stronger, and he knew there would be a mark by tomorrow but didn't care. It wouldn't be the first visible mark he'd had left on this body, nor would it be the last. Besides, any visible mark paled in comparison to the emotional mark the other teen had burned into his soul over a year ago...

A second hand moved into play, wrapping around Syusuke's length with a gentleness belied by the sheer strength his hands possessed. He slid his fingers slid over Syusuke, testing his weight, his length, his texture, teasing him mercilessly. The roughed pad of a thumb rubbed the slick, weeping tip, swollen past bearing, and Syusuke didn't bother to try and muffle his cries. Nails scraped along the underside of his sensitive sex, reaching below and squeezing the sac found there and its precious holdings, making the blond scream, before those fingers moved back up around his shaft, starting up an unsteady rhythm designed to drive him truly mad.

Kunimitsu liked to hear Syusuke scream and shout, beg and plead; it was incredibly intoxicating. But not as intoxicating as the look on his face when the younger teen released his pleasure...and that was what Kunimitsu wanted to see most right now: Syusuke, wrapped in pleasure, those blue eyes of his glazed with it, his body trembling from the shock...

He smiled and pressed his lips to the mark already bruising, evening out his stroking to a stronger, faster drive, bringing the younger teen to his completion with a heady sense of accomplishment and pride. He continued to work the semi-soft staff as the blond rode out his orgasm.

Both teens were sweating and short breathed, but it was Kunimitsu who spoke first, several minutes later, still smiling. "You're welcome."

The blond laughed, short breathed. "But you didn't--" he replied, rubbing his ass against the solid proof of Kunimitsu's arousal.

"No, I didn't," he agreed, wiping his hand off on a nearby towel before using the corner to wipe up any spill his hand had missed. "It will keep. Now rest."

Syusuke smiled a tad wistfully and exhaled, leaning back into the warm body pressed against him and relaxing. "Hai," he sighed, breath evening out almost immediately.

Kunimitsu continued to lay awake long after his lover had fallen asleep. He marveled at the other teen, and the circumstances that had brought him to this place and point in time--lying naked in bed with another boy.

~~~Flashback~~~

It was three weeks into the beginning of the school year when the strange boy who always smiled started school--Kunimitsu had already been named a member of the Tennis Regulars over a week ago, although the school buzz had yet to wear down. And now the freshmen class of Seigaku Junior High School had something new to twitter on about.

Kunimitsu was glad to have some of the attention finally refocused off him, but it didn't last long. Every time he won a new match against one of the senpai, the talk would start up again, and Buchou was constantly pairing him up with and against other Regulars. It was invigorating to be playing against the school's best, but it got to being a bit boring, too. Seigaku's Regulars were all really good players, it was true, but they were no near what one could call great and definitely not the best players around. And you needed to be the best to win the Nationals.

But this new kid...with his constant smile that seemed to be clueless and yet mocking at the same time... He hadn't even been a part of the tennis club for a day when a couple of second year students started ragging on him. The same second years who'd given Kunimitsu a hard time, the first year noted with disdain.

Like the bunch of stupid asses they were, they got angry at some freshman smiling at them and challenged the kid to a match--it had been the kid's second day on the courts, and no one really knew him because the kid didn't really talk to anyone unless talked to first.

But the silly blond kid with his silly smile just nodded and smiled and walked onto a free court. When one of the second years went to hand him a racket to use, the freshman had the audacity to ask the old teens, "Will you be very angry if I win?" and then, just as quickly, added, "Don't worry. I won't play seriously."

If he had been trying to anger the teens he couldn't have done a better job, Kunimitsu had thought with a tiny smirk, already unconsciously liking this kid.

The second year gang leader served first, and the freshman just continued to smile as he effortlessly returned the serve. It went on like this for several minutes, more and more people gathering to watch. And then the older student served a purposely mean ball that, had it reached its target would have caused some serious damage to the freshman.

But the kid just blocked it and returned it as if it were a fly before throwing a hand over his head and smiling pleasantly again. "Ooops! I wasn't supposed to hit that, was I? I'm sorry."

"Why you little...." the second year growled advancing to the net. "You're mocking us!"

Eyes slit open for the first time, and Kunimitsu realized they were an earth shattering color of blue--like the summer sky, and the deep blue color of the sea mixed with the impossible shade of night.... They were very dangerous eyes, he had thought.

"Are you all a bunch of idiots?!"

Hushed murmurs of "Buchou" brought Kunimitsu out of his musings.

"Dammit, were you just born with a sucky judge of character?" the sloppy looking senior captain of the Seigaku Regulars asked the red-faced second year student, cuffing him over the head. "Well, now that everyone's here anyway, might as well introduce the new kid. Listen up, everyone!" the captain called needlessly; everyone was already waiting with baited breath to hear what he would say.

"This here freshman is Fuji Syusuke. He's considered to be a tensai bound for the world championship, and, for the next three years anyway, he's Seigaku." The captain took his clipboard and bopped it over the second year's head. "So don't do anything to screw it up, or I'll have Tezuka work you over," he threatened. "Not to mention I'll be laughing my ass off with everyone else when Fuji here kicks your asses."

"This kid's no genius!" one of the second years complained sharply.

"Yeah," another chimed in. "He was just barely returning half those serves!"

"Yeah, and he wasn't even playing half seriously, either," the captain cut in with a put-upon attitude, like he serious regretted having to deal with idiots. "Or didn't you notice he was playing with both eyes closed?"

The courts were dead silent as that fact finally registered.

The captain sweat dropped and sighed. "I swear, kid, we're not all dumb. Promise."

Fuji Syusuke just giggled. "I didn't think so," he replied in his pre-pubescent voice as excited whispered started around the courts.

"Well, c'mon kid, let's get you set up with equipment and stuff. You're a freshman, yet, so there's really not of lot of competing for you to worry about yet, I'm sorry to say. We've already got one freshman making waves on the Regulars, and anymore more would probably cause more resentment among the seniors than, quite frankly, I'm willing to put up with, but boy! I wish *I* was a freshman again, 'cause, let me tell you, maybe not next year, but the year after for sure, Seigaku's going to be the best ass-kicking tennis team out there. I can feel it. Ah well, just my luck, I guess...."

Buchou talked way too much, that was Kunimitsu's impression of his captain, but he was a good man.

Tezuka still remembered that first day clearly. Oishi had been so excited about the new kid that the next day at lunch he had tracked Fuji Syusuke down and hauled him over to sit with them. It was a little uncomfortable at first--their group was only freshly formed and still struggling to find their balance, but Fuji fit in seamlessly, and in fact, seemed to be the missing piece their group needed to work smoothly.

Tezuka and Oishi had been friends for years--since elementary school. They weren't so much opposites as people tended to think, it was just that Oishi was more of an open person who cared for the individuals, while Tezuka was a person who looked at the over all picture and focused on that. They worked well together, though, and understood one another. It was fun to hang out with Oishi because the younger kid shared his interests, even though Tezuka often suspected the dark-haired boy only started playing tennis because Tezuka played.

Then there was Inui Sadaharu--he was a strange one, for sure. He seemed so obsessed with beating Tezuka at everything from tennis to class marks. Tezuka didn't mind it much, really. Rivalry helped keep one focused he figured, and it wasn't like Inui was threatening to harm him or anything... just win him at a game.

And then there was their hyperactive shrimp-sized, redheaded firecracker who was in Oishi's 1-2 class. Kikumaru Eiji completely puzzled Tezuka. He was loud and bouncy, always smiling and laughing and twisting his body into weird shapes. And he looked way more like a girl than a guy. Plus, Tezuka was positive that the kid wasn't even Japanese--he didn't think any parent would allow their first year son to dye his hair red and wear blue contacts, which meant those characteristics were natural.

To be honest, Tezuka had been puzzled by the immediate friendship that had sprung up between Oishi and this strange kid. And maybe, at first, he was just a little jealous of all the attention his best friend was suddenly showering on this redheaded kid. Now that they were in junior high school and different classes, though.... Add that to the fact that Tezuka was a Regulars' tennis club member while Oishi was still a freshman level member... Oishi wouldn't even been allowed to play at school for at least another month or so, Tezuka knew, even though the dark-haired boy was actually a really good tennis player.

But, Kikumaru was friendly--overly friendly, actually--and although it was easy to get annoyed at him, it was much harder to stay annoyed or even to actually get honestly angry with the redhead. He was just...too... likable.

And now, here was Fuji Syusuke, standing behind Oishi with a big innocent-seeming smile on his face, making him look younger than twelve and much more naive--

"Mind if I join you?" he asked, his voice soft and pleasant sounding, smiling with innocence.

And then Tezuka caught it--just the briefest glimpse of those sharp blue eyes he'd seen the day before, staring at him for just a second before lids slid shut again, leaving only a smiling face. Tezuka blinked, startled, and swallowed nervously, once again reminded that appearances could be deceiving.... And in Fuji Syusuke's case, Tezuka had the feeling that appearance were *very* deceiving....

Kikumaru was already bouncing eagerly in his seat, rattling off questions for the new boy before Fuji had even finished settling in a seat himself. By simply listening, Tezuka had learned a lot about the new, strange boy in their mists.

Fuji was actually thirteen, like Tezuka, not twelve like the serious boy had originally thought. He came from a rather large family--both parents and two siblings, an older sister and a younger brother. No, he didn't watch much TV, but he did like most music. Yes, he'd be happy to listen to the new CD Kikumaru had bought that weekend. No, he wasn't new to Tokyo, although his family was originally from the neighboring prefecture. He liked many interesting things like reading, writing, music, some sports--oh, and he was a member of the tennis club.

"Hoi! Everyone's a member of the tennis club!" Kikumaru complained. "That's it! I'm joining the tennis club, too!"

"But you don't know how to play tennis," Oishi pointed out, smiling at the eleven year old.

The redhead just grinned cheekily and shrugged. "You hit a little green ball with a tennis racket. What's so hard about that?" Kikumaru demanded, much to Fuji's amusement if not the other three boys'. "Besides," he added as an afterthought, "I've played a couple of times before."

"I thought you were a member of the gym club," Oishi tried again.

Kikumaru just waved a flippant hand. "Gym club is boring and full of all these girls," he announced with a disgusted look on his face. "I'd much rather be having fun with you guys, so what do I have to do to join the Tennis Club?"

"Run twenty laps around the courts."

There was a stunned silence that stretched across the table as everyone looked at Tezuka as if to see if he thought he was funny or not, and then, ignoring the his comment, Fuji turned to smile at Kikumaru and offered, "I believe, if you find Ryuzaki-sensei, she will be able to help you. She's the Tennis Club coach."

"Ah! Sank you, Fuji!" the redhead cried, bounding to his feet. "Okay, I'm going now! Fuji? Oishi? Come with me? Puh-lease?"

"I'll come," Oishi offered, shoveling a last paddle food of rice into his mouth. "It's okay, Fuji-kun. You can finish your lunch."

"Thank you," the blond replied as the pair disappeared out of the dining room. Silence followed their departure; Inui, Fuji, nor Tezuka saying anything until, finally, the bell tolling the end of lunch sounded.

"Well, it's been interesting," Fuji offered, standing.

"Fuji-kun," Tezuka found himself saying. "Tomorrow's Saturday." The blond nodded. "There's no tennis practice scheduled, so I was planning on heading over to the city park. There are some courts there."

That was a lie, but the blond didn't need to know that Tezuka's family had a tennis court in their back yard. Blue eyes slit open again, piercing Tezuka with their intensity and he couldn't help feeling that the other boy was seeing right though him.

"Sounds...like fun," Fuji offered, and Tezuka found himself hard pressed not to smile back, which confused him. This other boy was sharp...and dangerous. With more than words, he'd bet, too.

A rival then? Hmm...no, not a rival, he thought, looking at Inui. But definitely a challenge. And Tezuka loved a good challenge.

"I was thinking, maybe if you're free, you could meet up with us?" he offered, nodding to Inui--and if the dark-haired boy was surprised by this invitation of inclusion, Inui hid it well.

Blue eyes slid shut again, replaced by that deceivingly innocent smile as the blond nodded enthusiastically. "Un! That would be great. Thank you!" Fuji added before depositing his trash in the separate bins and leaving the lunchroom.

Inui's lenses flashed as the boy readjusted his glasses. "Interesting," he murmured.

Tezuka sighed and shot the boy a look, but Inui just grinned back at him.

"You want to test his strength and skill," the dark-haired boy explained needlessly.

Tezuka nodded. "Among other things."

Inui's questioning silence provoked him to add, "Buchou was right yesterday. This year's Regulars are strong, but they're not great, and we've both seen the lot of idiots in the second year." Inui nodded and Tezuka grinned--something that was scary in its own intensity and focus. "I want to be great, Sadaharu. I want Seigaku to be great. Straight to the Nationals."

And he left it at that, getting up to deposit his own trash in the appropriate rubbish bins, the offer hanging around the other boy like a teasing aroma--'you can chose to be a part of it, too, or you can continue to watch from the sidelines.'

~~~~End Flashback~~~~

The teen in his arms shifted in his sleep, twisting until he was facing Kunimitsu, head pillowed on his shoulder and a leg tucked between his.

Kunimitsu looked at him. Really looked at Fuji Syusuke. Cinnamon-colored hair that was brighter and shinier thanks to the amount of time spent in the sun practicing, framing a perfect face, kissed by the moonlight falling through the window. He looked like some godling or spirit that had stepped into his life one day with the sole purpose of stealing his heart.

Lying like this, naked in the arms of his lover, those first few days of Fuji's arrival at Seigaku seemed so far away--especially now that the blond had lost any traces of lingering babyish features. Fuji looked a lot older that his fifteen years. But then, didn't they all?

So different from that Saturday at the public courts where they tested each other---underestimated each other--Tezuka remembered it all with a sense of nostalgia he was unaccustomed to.

~~~~~Flashback~~~~

Kikumaru trailed after Oishi and Fuji like a puppy, frolicking this way and that way, but always returning to either of the two boys' sides after only a couple of minutes away. Despite claiming to have played tennis only a couple of times before, Eiji was actually pretty good player. Quick reflexes and a sharp eye made him look almost a natural, and with a little bit more training and refinement...

Inui was also pretty good, but like Oishi, Tezuka knew that Inui had been playing tennis for a couple of years. It was Fuji who was the real unknown, the one Tezuka wanted to figure out. He was to be disappointed, however. Other than finding out for sure what he already suspected on Thursday--that Fuji was very good with a racket--he was unable to truly gauge the blond's skill.

Tezuka won all his matches with the blond, but he knew--he *knew*--it was because the other boy had allowed him to. Fuji had held back from playing him seriously, and that infuriated Tezuka. His hand clenched around his racket grip with bruising force, his body shaking with insulted fury, he's lashed out at the other boy the only way he knew how, with angry words.

He, Tezuka, had actually shouted--lost his temper like he hadn't in...In, well, forever it seemed.

"Will you stop making fun of me!" he shouted. "Play me seriously or don't play at all!"

Blue eyes opened to regale him with a seriousness the smile denied.

"No," Fuji replied calmly. "Tennis is meant to be fun. That's why I play, Tezuka, to have fun. The minute tennis stops being fun is the minute I put my racket away and move on. And I'm not ready to give up on tennis yet, are you?"

The eyes slid shut, hidden behind that infuriating smile again.

"Not before we make it to Nationals, ne?"

~~~~~End Flashback~~~~~

Fuji had known him so well even then, when they'd just met. Tennis was meant to be fun, eh?

Tezuka smiled, his arms unintentionally squeezing the sleeping boy tighter as he buried his face against the blond's neck. Fuji was always there to smile at him--to tempt, and tease, and remind him:

Life was meant to be fun--even if it was only a few stolen minutes, pressed up to a locker, with seemingly mean, angry, dirty words falling between them or the silly old routine of temptation, seduction, and denial...

Kunimitsu dipped his chin just enough to brush his lips over Syusuke's forehead, his hands soothing down the blond's back as he nestled into the gentle rhythm of slumber.

~Owari "The First Time"~

End Notes: Well, after being a steady bastard for nearly half a day, Tezuka finally decided he would talk to me--I feel so privileged. Of course, the price of this privilege is that this story has taken a completely unprecedented turn; or, at least, it's gone in a direction I hadn't expected it to head in. So, as with most of my stories, I now have no bloody clue where this one's going {grinning} oh well!

Oh, and Eiji and Fuji decided they wanted to get frisky, so expect some more lime/lemon in the next part.

{frowns} and was anyone confused by Oishi's attitude towards Eiji at the beginning? Hmm... It threw me, too, until I realized a.) it's been a couple weeks at least since "Something to Talk about", and b.) this is Oishi we're talking about... >.< sometimes he's not meant to be understood when it comes to his caring about individuals.... But *still*!!! Oishi, stop being so mean to your boyfriend! {takes a foam bat and bops Oishi over the head}

Now, what's the rest of the gang up to...? Hmmm????

Revision Note: I wish I'd never asked that question... {glares at Ryoma, who's tried to take over the story again}

Also, at the original time of this story's drafting, I didn't have any details surrounding Kikumaru's and Fuji's history, nor the information on how the Golden Pair met and were born. Hence, this story will deviate from the original, but then, it already has, hasn't it? ^.^

Editing Note 2: Oh, dear, *gods* has this story deviated in an even more weird-assed direction that I thought... >.< I apologize in advance...