Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ Rikkaidai Doubles ❯ Chapter 3

"Rikkaidai Doubles"

A _Price of Tennis_ Fanfiction

By Andrea Readwolf [andrea_readwolf @hotmail.com]

Part 3/?

Rating: R

Pairings: Yagyuu, Niou, Jackal, & Marui

Genre: Angst, Smut

Warnings: NCS, angst, group sex

Spoilers: D1

Summary: Jackal attempts to control his protective anger; Niou attempts to put things back together; Yagyuu attempts to understand what he's done. Yukimura watches, waits, and warns.

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

Started: July 7, 2004

Status: in progress

Revised: September 7, 2004

Words counted: 2398

Notes: the boys are in high school, by the way.

Jackal was still of very much mixed emotions the next morning when he went off to school by himself. Bunta had been abnormally quiet and reserved the rest of the previous evening and had barely touched dinner.

That night, in his bedroom, as Jackal made up a futon for him, Bunta had whispered, "Do you hate me?"

The question had surprised Jackal. Hate Bunta? Heck, no! Hate definitely did not describe Jackal's feelings for his redhead partner. But he couldn't tell the other teen that. He'd looked away, slightly embarrassed as a remembered wave of lust from earlier reared itself.

"No."

Both boys were silent as Jackal finished laying out the blankets Bunta would use.

"Then... Will you kiss me?" Bunta asked, not looking directly at the dark-skinned teen, but at the pillow currently in Jackal's hands.

Jackals' hands clenched around the innocent cotton pillow. "Do you want me to?" he returned, his voice cracking with nervousness.

Bunta looked up at him, blue-grey eyes meeting his. "Maybe."

He fought the euphoric rush that filled him, and smiled back at his doubles partner. "Then maybe I will."

"Now?" Bunta returned, clutching the hem of the tee shirt Jackal had leant him.

"I--"

But just like his little brother had interrupted Bunta's and his conversation last night, someone else interrupted his memories of it.

"Morning," Niou called easily, pushing off the side of a stonewall to step in front of Jackal's path. "Looks like you've got a lot on your mind."

Jackal grimaced.

"Listen, I won't take up too much of your time," Niou announced. "Otherwise we'll both be late to class, but I want to know about Bunta."

"Why the hell should you suddenly care," Jackal growled. "You're one of the ones who hurt him!"

"Is that what Bunta told you?" Niou asked urgently, nervously. "He actually said that we hurt him?"

"Ne was crying, Niou, and shaking like a leaf--"

"But did he actually tell you that Hiroshi and I hurt him," Niou demanded.

"He was too upset to talk much last night."

"Too embarrassed, you mean," Niou muttered, relaxing quite a bit.

"What the hell do you mean?"

Niou shot the dark-skinned teen an assessing look before smirking. "Damn. I love being right," he said to no one. "Listen, yesterday was Bunta's... well, his first time," he seemed to try and put it gently. "And you kinda interrupted things.

"Now, I know you like Bunta and all," Niou continued, "So try and put yourself in his position, ne? He was already nervous about it, and then you come storming in like a bat outta hell, and whisk him away--"

"He was *crying*, Niou."

"Are you dense?" the blue-haired teen returned back angrily. "There are other reasons for crying than just being you're in pain or being hurt, you know."

But Jackal wasn't going to be so easily convinced all wasn't as it had seemed. "You drugged him!" he point out.

"I ain't taking credit for that," Niou announce adamantly. "That was all Hiroshi's doing. He thought it would help Bunta relax."

Niou shook his head as if to negate some thought. "Whatever. I just wanted to know how he was and to make sure you haven't gone and done something stupid like make him feel shitty or anything."

Jackal sputtered. "Me? Make him feel shitty! How-- *you're* the one's who--"

"With exactly that type of attitude," Niou cut the dark-shinned boy off.

"Huh?"

"Maybe you really haven't noticed it," Niou muttered, raking a hand through his hair. "I mean, how much Bunta likes you and all---all the signals he's been giving you. We all just thought that maybe you weren't interested in him or something, but... well, anyway, I'm sure it's already embarrassing enough for him right now, what with you seeing him, us, like that yesterday, and, you know, how he feels about you, but--oh, fuck, there's the bell! Catch you after lunch!" Niou shouted as he made a mad dash for the school gates a few meters away.

Jackal tried to tell himself that he should be moving, too, or else he would be late for homeroom, but all he could seem to think about was Bunta, last night. How his face had tilted towards Jackal, and his voice had whispered huskily, entreatingly... temptingly...

<i> "Will you kiss me....now?" </i>

~~~~****~~~~

Jackal was distracted through most of his classes, and so, welcomed with great relief the arrival of the lunch hour and free period. He couldn't help but think about what Niou had told him this morning and wonder if maybe he had jumped too hastily to conclusions yesterday.

He was surprised--although he probably shouldn't have been--when Yukimura and Yanagi searched him out during free period.

"Jackal?" the tennis captain called out, looking around the classroom before spotting him. "Where's Bunta?" Yukimura asked, frowning as approached Jackal's desk.

"He wasn't feeling well," he said, sure at least, that that was the truth. The cause of his partner's unrest, however, was still debatable. "I told him to stay home and rest."

Yanagi, who had followed Yukimura in, frowned. "If he's ill, should he be left alone?"

"He's not alone," Jackal replied before feeling a moment's embarrassment. "He, um, stayed over at my place last night. My mom's watching him."

Yukimura's eyes widened before he could recompose himself. "Ah. I see," he said, failing to hide a smile behind one raised hand. "Well, then, please tell him to take care of himself and not to worry about the lab experiment in science. Yagyuu, Yanagi, and I will take care of it."

"But," Yanagi interjected, "He will, of course, be responsible for another portion of the project when he returns."

"Of course," Yukimura agreed amicably.

"I'm sure he'll be back tomorrow, but I'll tell him," Jackal promised.

"Good," Yukimura nodded and turned to leave. Yanagi was already at the door, waiting for him. "Oh, and Jackal?" he turned back. "We're going to be working on singles practice today at club, so if you'd like, I'm sure the team can spare you for one practice session, ne?"

Jackal colored. "I--"

"Please extend our best," the captain added before joining Yanagi at the door and disappearing.

<i> "We all just thought that maybe you weren't interested in him or something..." </i> Niou had said this morning. <i> "Maybe you really haven't noticed it...all the signals he's been giving you..." </i>

What signals? Jackal wanted to shout. Was it really possible that his doubles partner had been crushing on him and he was the only one who hadn't been away of it? And if so--why the hell hadn't he known?

~~~****~~~

Yukimura was a very observant young man.

He was more aware of went on in his school and especially on his team than most people gave him credit. There were some who claimed Yukimura's skill of observation rivaled that of Yanagi's.

Niou had his own opinion on the matter--

"I'm telling you. Yukimura-buchou is like God. It's omniscient--all knowing. He can just *look* at you and *know*. It's scary... way cool, but scary!"

Yagyuu was more inclined to agree with his doubles partner's assessment of their captain that afternoon.

He hadn't had an exactly pleasant evening the night before. He'd stayed up to reanalyze his memories and rationales for recent actions. The matter with Bunta weighed heavily on his mind. He especially didn't like Niou's accusation that he had raped Bunta.

<<You drugged him and forced him to have sex with you. That's rape.>>

'It's no different then what you did to me,' he'd retorted.

<<You were drunk, not drugged!>>

Yes... he remembered it, albeit, somewhat fuzzily.

Niou's sister was getting married and Yagyuu had been forced into keeping his partner company during the reception. The sister had asked him to consider it a wedding present to her and her groom. The family knew, after all that Masaharu left to his own devices was a special invitation for trouble.

Yagyuu would have asked Jackal to go instead, but the other doubles player was already engaged for that weekend. Marui was useless when it came to restraining Niou's interesting habits--the redhead was known to be an instigator, in fact. So Yagyuu had gone.

He hadn't caught Niou spiking the punch---perhaps he'd accomplished it before Yagyuu had arrived, but the results couldn't be changed. They had drunk several cups together, and Yagyuu remembered thinking that maybe the day wasn't a complete waste of time. They had left the main party rooms behind in favor of exploring the house. Yagyuu hadn't been paying attention to where they were going; he'd just been following Niou's lead, and then, they ended up in a bedroom.

The silvery-blue haired teen flopped onto the bed with a grown. "Bored~!"

Yagyuu sat down with more composure, but still managed to bounce.

"Eh, Yagyuu, you ever have sex before?" Niou asked suddenly, and it was a testament to the alcohol in his system that Yagyuu actually replied to the improper question.

"No."

Niou looked up. "Really? Not even with a girl?"

"No."

The other boy climbed up to sit on his knees and stare at him with curious intensity. "Well, how far have you gotten?"

"Excuse me?" Yagyuu asked, confused. "I thought I told you I haven't had sex."

"You mean you haven't even KISSED somebody before?"

"Like you have?"

"Well, yeah."

Yagyuu had been surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"Girls or--"

"Both, actually. Wanna try?"

"Try what?" He'd been about to ask but Niou had leaned/fallen into him and his lips were suddenly pressed again Yagyuu's.

As kisses went, their first kiss hadn't been all that impressing, Yagyuu reflect. Niou had agreed, telling him to relax. "You're like kissing a damn rock, Yagyuu..."

He'd been about to reply to that statement when Niou fell on him again, Niou's tongue stabbing at his mouth. Surprised, Yagyuu fell back under Niou's second advance, his head missing the pillows by centimeters. Niou had moved with him, had sprawled out over him, actually, with an arm and leg to either side of Yagyuu's torso, their mouths still latched together. The new position pressed something else into alignment as well, and Yagyuu gasped as Niou continued to rub their bodies against each other.

"Do you have any idea how fucking hot you are?" Niou growled, licking at the corner of Yagyuu's mouth. "I've wanted to kiss you... taste you... all over."

Fingers were fast working at the buttons holding Yagyuu's shirt closed, and then the material was parted and Niou shifted. His hot breath scalded Yagyuu's naked chest seconds before cool, wet lips pressed against his skin. Niou went lower and lower until he could nuzzle Yagyuu's pants covered crotch.

"You show me yours, I'll show you mine," he teased, pressing his face into the hard outline of Yagyuu's cock.

It was all Yagyuu could do to remain still as hot breath seeped through his pants' mater to caress his hardness. "What makes you think I want to see yours," he taunted in return.

"You're right," Niou agreed and before Yagyuu could ask what he was right about, Niou had freed his penis and was brushing his lips against it. Yagyuu didn't remember too many details after that, but he had known it had felt good. Really good. Niou had sucked him off and then they'd had sex right there in some stranger's bed while Niou's sister cut her wedding cake downstairs.

It hadn't been great--they'd had many chances over the last couple of years to experience greatness--but it had been good.

That was what he had tried to do for Bunta. Not great--Yagyuu didn't think it was possible to have a great first experience. But it could be good. He had made sure to use plenty of lubricant and a muscle relaxer so Bunta wouldn't be too tense and inadvertently cause himself pain or discomfort. It was not his intention to cause trouble. He had merely thought to break through the roadblock that was preventing him from reaching his goal.

Team unity--a unity among the doubles players similar to what the singles players shared. When he'd mentioned the idea to Niou, his partner had been intrigued. But that had been over a month ago.

Was Niou right?

Had he allowed impatience to create the opposite effect of what he'd been aiming for?

"Yagyuu?" Yukimura's voice called him back from his private musings for what must have easily been the tenth time that day. "Why don't you come take a look at the first years with me?" the young leader requested.

Yagyuu started, surprised, but did what was asked of him without question. Yukimura might have presented the command as a request, but there was no doubt that he wasn't being given an option. Niou, he knew, was watching--even if the other teen refused to talk to him yet. Marui and Jackal were mysteriously absent.

"Doubles players are interesting creatures," Yukimura mused, watching the previous year's junior high school D2 practice against the Sanada-Yanagi pair. "I must confess, although I have played doubles several times before, I am not a doubles player. Still, I have watched them for many years, seen how they interact. If you remove one person, you know longer have a double."

Yagyuu remained silent. Yukimura stopped them at the next court where the D1 were playing against four juniors.

"The Rikkaidai Doubles are a special group," the captain continued, hooking his fingers in the chain link fence and turning half-towards the court, half-towards Yagyuu. "They are not just two pairs, but a team of four people. If even one is removed from the equation, the other three cease to be."

Yukimura looked at him, and Yagyuu had the uncanny feeling that the captain was looking at his soul, judging him. "It's either all of you... or none."

Yagyuu remained silent.

"Understand me, and understand me well," he said quietly for the others to hear. "I will not tolerate anything that will disrupt the team, Yagyuu."

"I believe this will only serve to solidify our doubles team," he finally said.

"If you can survive the fire?" Yukimura sighed. "For your sakes, I hope you are right."

The captain turned towards the struggling players on the court, dismissing his own D1 player.

~~~****~~~

TBC

[post note: "Yukimura is God" is a line from Ravenwood's most wonderful Rikkaidai series, "Challenge". If you have not read it, get your tushes over there *now*!!! ]