Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ Reflections of Myself - Rikkaidai AU - Niouyagyuu ❯ Final ( Chapter 8 )

Reflection of Myself Chapter 8

A Prince of Tennis Rikkaidai AU Fic

By Andrea Readwolf [andrea_readwolf @hotmail.com]

 

Miss something? Take a look at the <a href=" http://www.livejournal.com/tools/memories.bml?user=readwolflair&keyword =%22Reflections+of+Myself%22&filter=all">Previous Chapters</a>

 

Started: August 2005

Finished: September 2005

 

Words Counted: 742

 

 

 

 

Nationals was always a thrill to witness, but it was even more titillating to actually participate.

 

Three years ago, participating in Nationals was nothing more than a longed-for dream, but today... Today marked the second time the Nationally-ranked Niou-Yagyuu pair returned to the National courts; the second time they walked off victorious.

 

Another victory, another trophy for Rikkai.

 

"Yagyuu, Niou?" their brightly shining captain approached them as the teams started to disperse after the closing ceremony. "A couple of us are going to play a few quick games on some of the fresher courts before the buses leave. Did you want to join us?"

 

It was an unofficial tradition for National players to seek other National players out while they still had the opportunity to do so. Already Hiroshi could see Sanada eyeing one of the Okinawa players with interest and Marui was hitting up one of the Hokkaido doubles teams--probably chomping at the bit because he and Jackal hadn't been allowed to play today.

 

Masaharu was ready to agree, he knew, which is way he quickly declined. "Thank you, but there is something else me most do first."

 

Masaharu looked at him, clearly surprised, and even Yukimura had an inquiring look in his gaze. "Very well," their captain allowed. "But don't forget our bus will leave in another hour."

 

Hiroshi nodded and smiled, knowing he was in the least danger of missing their bus departure time. To Masaharu he explained, "There's someone I want you to meet."

 

The elder gentleman Hiroshi walked up to was slumped slightly with age, his body painfully thin, the skin hanging loosely from his bones, his wide, round face beaming brightly at the two boys that approached him as he continued to suck happily on his cigar.

 

"You preformed well out there, Hiroshi-kun," the man's raspy voice proclaimed once they were close enough.

 

"Thank you, grandfather," Hiroshi replied solemnly, choosing to ignore the way Masaharu stiffened beside him. "I'm honored that you could come today. I would like to introduce you to my partner, Niou Masaharu."

 

Yagyuu Akihiro eyed Masaharu critically, and the younger boy fought the desire to squirm like a guilty schoolboy in trouble--only, he'd never really squirmed exactly, even when he was guilty.

 

"Shigure's bastard, eh?" his grandfather announced finally, surprising both of them. Akihiro laughed, and Masaharu could only imagine what his and Hiroshi's faces looked like. "Surprised I know? Hn. Don't be. Your sister came to me, three years ago now I guess, and warned me from harming a single cell of either of her favorite brothers. Hn. Her exact words: 'a single cell'. In my day it was a hair or a finger. Hn. Threatened never to speak to me if I did, too. Manipulative little brat. In my day females knew their place."

 

He waved his hand as if to chase the smoke rising from his cigar away. "Aaugh, but I knew about Masaharu here even before that. Yes, quite the little troublemaker, eh? But I like that. One who knows how to do the deed and not get caught for it." Akihiro nodded.

 

"Your sister had someone look into you when it first became apparent you were taken up with Hiroshi," he told them, and there was a hint of approval in his hoarse voice. "Wasn't hard to trace you right back to that little girly of Shigure's. Family then."

 

The old man nodded. "Family's good. Seeing you now, I'm rather glad we didn't get rid of your mother back then. Who would've guess that idiot of a boy would've produced such amusing offspring. Really quite amazing. And now I see one of your friends is here to take you away. Run along boys and have your fun."

 

He climbed to his feet, wavering precariously even with the judicious use of his walking stick. "You've played a well and interesting game, for all that it was tennis. Tennis. Hn. In my day it was baseball. But times change. Yes, times change."

 

Yukimura smiled amusedly as all three boys watched the older man hobbled away. "Is everything all right?" he asked finally when they were alone. "You both look rather pole axed."

 

Hiroshi and Masaharu looked at one another, smiled and grinned and adjusted their glasses and hair before turning to Yukimura.

 

"Everything's fine, thank you."

 

"Yeah, just great."

 

There were games and tricks galore to be played and these were wonderfully interesting times, afterall.

 

[the end]