Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ The Games We Play ❯ Chapter Ten ( Chapter 10 )

A/N: Yes, I know it's been ten months since I updated. I offer no excuses, and I'm sad to report this chapter is little more than an emo marathon. Unfortunately this is what happens when my urge to write runs concurrent with a downward mood swing. Sorry guys.

Ryoma remembered little of the match's conclusion, but only one thing mattered. He'd lost. In retrospect a part of his mind acknowledged that he should not have been able to finish at all. That didn't take away the sting however.

And God, how he stung now. His entire body felt like someone had tried to tear him into separate pieces, and he was currently held only at each joint by the string of nerves which screamed curses in tandem. His brain registered voices from outside above the roar within, but he didn't focus on any of those. The faster the pain registered in his brain, the more likely he'd become so overwhelmed he'd just pass out and feel nothing for a while.

His consciousness fled for a few minutes here and there, but each time he woke again, his mind was a little clearer. Because of that, he did not escape the physician's examination. Nor did he miss the argument that ensued afterward, although he kept his eyes closed and tried desperately to drift back into oblivion.

"That's it. He's done with the exhibition." Freddy, you bastard. "He can't afford another game like that."

Kevin's voice followed. "Yeah, I think that'd be best. He'll need at least two weeks of down time just to begin training for the next Open as it stands now."

Ryoma heard Freddy snarl. "I don't want to hear shit from you, dumbass. It's your fault he's in this condition in the first place." A tired sigh. "I'm gonna call the admin and let him know Ryoma's off the roster. If we're lucky, we can get back to New York and start treatment by tomorrow afternoon."

When silence followed, Ryoma could only assume Freddy's statement had hit Kevin hard. Of course it wasn't Kevin's fault; he'd wanted to play all out. He wished he had more breath to offer to make that argument. And who the hell did Freddy think he was, deciding to remove him from the rest of the games without even consulting him?

"I believe you should speak with Echizen before any decision is made."

Ryoma's eyes opened then, and an even greater clarity blessed his previously fuzzy mind. An unexpected lungful of air entered his lungs making him wince. Still the voice meant more to him than any measure of physical comfort he'd been seeking since he'd left the court.

Tezuka-buchou...

"Not that it's any of your business," Freddy growled, "but I don't care what you think, rookie. Ryoma's my responsibility. I promised his dad I'd watch out for him since he damn sure won't do it for himself. That's what I'm gonna do."

"Echizen's father would agree that any decision should be made by Echizen himself."

Echizen managed to shift enough on the medical table he lay on to turn his head and look out the door into the hallway and the source of the escalating commotion. Freddy bowed up and got into Tezuka's face. To Tezuka's credit, he never even flinched. His stance remained straight and his expression commanding. Ryoma peeked at Kevin and felt more than a little annoyed to see the blond American stand there, just watching as though the events unfolding were in a movie.

Freddy shook a finger in Tezuka's face. "You need to get out of here, rookie, or I'm gonna put you out myself. You don't belong here, and I'm not gonna listen to any more of your shit."

"That would not be wise. I'm here to offer Echizen a chance to have a second opinion on his current condition." Before Freddy could continue and Echizen could moan in protest, Tezuka continued. "If my specialists concur that he should not continue the exhibition, then I will personally encourage him to return home immediately. Or if he'd prefer" - Tezuka's hand moved over his left shoulder - "I would recommend a facility in Europe for his rehabilitation which has worked miracles for many tennis players who may have otherwise had to prematurely end their careers."

"What the hell do you care what happens to Ryoma? It's better for you if he ain't in top shape," Freddy snarled.

To Ryoma's amazement, Tezuka's demeanor morphed within a millisecond. Suddenly even Freddy stepped back even though Tezuka's body never moved. It simply appeared to have gotten...bigger, even more imposing than it could seem when standing across the court from him...

Tezuka's voice, still clear, was just above a growl. "I assure you, I have never had, nor do I ever intend to have, a match with Echizen unless he is at his very best, both physically and mentally."

"Then why are you here?" Freddy asked impetuously. "Shouldn't you be practicing or something?"

Ryoma heard the deep breath Tezuka took, not realizing he too inhaled in time with his form tennis captain. A few more followed before Tezuka's answer came.

"I have spent my life perfecting my tennis, and yes, I should continue to train for the matches ahead." Tezuka's chin lifted a little higher, unapologetically, "And I do not want you to misunderstand. I look forward to playing Echizen again. I have done everything to ensure I will be a challenging opponent for him, but if that does not happen, so be it. It may be too little too late, but I only want to support Echizen right now. Whether he can play or not is irrelevant."

Ryoma felt like he'd been teleported into a vacuum. The oxygen had been stolen from around him, and all that remained were emotions thicker than granite and even harder to digest. He could only continue to stare. He felt slightly vindicated that Freddy also looked taken aback by Tezuka's statement. Kevin, he noted, looked mutinous but thankfully kept whatever was raging behind those blue eyes to himself.

It seemed like an eternity before Freddy huffed and muttered, "Take him to whoever you want, but I'm gonna be there to make sure it's on the up-and-up."

"Of course," Tezuka agreed. "And Echizen does not have to leave the hotel. The physician I suggested is already on his way here, and he should have with him all of the equipment necessary to properly care for Echizen. As a matter of fact," Tezuka said as he glanced at his watch, "he may already have arrived."

"That's damn convenient," Freddy quipped. Ryoma could tell Freddy was far from convinced.

Tezuka did not acknowledge the insinuation. He simply nodded in agreement. "Indeed, but then he too has a vested interest in Echizen's well being."

Ryoma scowled and tried to run through the list of people who Tezuka could have called on such short notice. Especially here in America. The only orthopedic and sports medicine specialist Tezuka and he both knew was...

"Oh shit, not him."

Everyone in the hallway jerked their heads in Ryoma's direction just as he realized he'd moaned the feeling out loud. Not that he cared at this point. There was no way he'd have come all the way from Kyoto...

Tezuka entered the room first, followed closely by Freddy while Kevin tired to squeeze in next to him, unsuccessfully Ryoma noticed with a pained smirk. Kevin did however manage to get to his bedside first.

"Ryoma...are you okay?" he asked, his eyes wide with more concern than Ryoma cared to see.

"I feel like hell, what do you think?"

He took a breath to try to sit up, but a strong hand caught his other shoulder so lightly he felt no pain from it. He only felt heat and presence, and the latter was enough to keep him on his back.

Tezuka frowned, ignoring Kevin completely. "Do not try to get up."

"You're not talking about who I think you are, right?" Ryoma asked quickly.

Tezuka's eyebrow quirked up, and light danced behind his glasses. "I'm sure I don't know to whom you are referring."

"Cut the crap, Buchou."

Tezuka shrugged, although Ryoma's eyes narrowed as Tezuka continued, except he switched from his eloquent English back to their native Japanese. "Would you rather be removed from the rest of the exhibition? Your trainer would be more than happy to make the call tonight."

Just hearing those words - in any language - from Tezuka sent prickles of anger and disgust through Ryoma's gut. Back out of the series before he had a chance to play the one match he'd waited for, planned on, even fantasized about, all these years? Not a chance in hell.

Ryoma huffed and followed Tezuka's example. He would have preferred to have a conversation in private, but his would do for the moment. "You better let him know that if he brings out a thermos, I'm leaving right then and there."

"Thankfully he uses more...refined methods these days," Tezuka replied delicately.

Kevin, who had resembled a volcano on the verge of eruption during the conversation he obviously couldn't understand between Tezuka and Ryoma, finally blew. "Okay, for those of us who can't read minds and don't speak fifty different languages, who the hell are you two talking about?"

Ryoma sighed in defeat, choosing to placate the volatile blond. "You've met him before. Sadaharu Inui, do you remember?"

Kevin's brow furrowed until it appeared to click. The American's jaw dropped. "You're kidding." Kevin turned his incredulous gaze onto Tezuka. "Why would he agree to come all the way to LA to check on Ryoma just because you asked him to?"

"I did not ask Inui to come; he chose to do so on his own," Tezuka stated, as though such an act was as inevitable as finding hamburgers listed on a fast food menu. "As I said before, he too has a vested interest in Echizen's well being."

Kevin spluttered, "But...why?"

"If you have the opportunity to do so, perhaps you should ask him yourself," Tezuka responded.



As predicted, Inui called within minutes and stated he had already checked into the hotel. Tezuka could not help but feel amused when the man apologized for the delay - apparently he'd had some issues getting his equipment through customs.

Tezuka met his old friend at the elevator in the lobby and shook his hand. "Thank you for coming."

Inui smiled and patted Tezuka's shoulder, his face reassuring even though Tezuka felt sure he'd not projected the worry which made him feel physically ill.

Inui led him into the elevator. "Relax, Tezuka. I will do everything I can for him, no matter how long it takes. I've already spoken to a colleague here, should we need anything I do not have on hand."

Obviously, Tezuka berated himself silently, he wasn't doing a very good job of hiding anything at the moment. When did he become so transparent?

Tezuka was so distracted by his brewing inner turmoil that it wasn't until the elevator bell chimed that he realized they were several floors below Echizen's suite. He turned an inquisitive eye to Inui and was answered with an apologetic shrug as he motioned Tezuka to follow him.

"I felt it better that you know before I brought Echizen down for examination," Inui stated vaguely.

"Know what?" The last thing Tezuka wanted at the moment was another unpleasant surprise.

Inui seemed to recognize that, but as he entered the keycard into the door lock, he made no attempt to hide that Tezuka was in for just that when he cracked the door and turned back to Tezuka.

"I am not the only one who came to see Echizen."

The floor seemed unstable under Tezuka's feet suddenly. If it had been anyone else, Inui would have come out and said so without the innuendo. Tezuka did his best to master his discomfort. His focus had to be on Echizen now, and surely the younger man would be glad to see another familiar face...a very familiar face indeed...

Tezuka stopped that train of thought immediately. He took a deep breath and pushed through the door past Inui. No need to prolong this meeting. Indeed, as he got his first look at his ex-lover in years, he knew this meeting had been inevitable despite his best efforts to avoid it.

Fuji's expression mirrored his own. Laserpointer blue eyes opened and focused in like a homing device. "Tezuka," Fuji greeted softly, his voice gentle as a lullaby.

Tezuka sighed. "Hello, Fuji."

"I'll leave you two alone," Inui interjected from the doorway. "I have a patient to collect. Excuse me."

As soon as the door closed, a small frown meandered onto the former tennis prodigy's face. "You look tired, Tezuka. Are you all right?"

"You need not worry about me," Tezuka replied matter-of-factly. "This is about Echizen, nothing else."

Assuming he'd effectively ended the pointless chitchat, Tezuka prepared to take his leave when Fuji suddenly stepped forward, wrapping his arms around his waist and burying his face in the crook Tezuka's neck. The shock and sudden rush of memories immobilized Tezuka for a moment.

"Please don't do that, Tezuka," Fuji pleaded softly. "No matter what may have happened between us in the past, you need a friend right now as much as Echizen. Maybe even more so. After all, it must be terrible for you."

Tezuka swallowed hard. "I don't know what you mean."

"It's difficult to see a person you love in pain, especially when you feel like you may have been the one who caused it."

Tezuka stiffened even more and did not raise his arms to return the embrace. Still he could not find the strength to push Fuji away either.

Fuji continued despite the lack of reciprocation. "I know you too well, Tezuka, and I know what has been going on beneath the illusion of stoicism. You have to be reasonable. None of this is your fault. Echizen would have pushed himself beyond his own limits all these years even if you had gone to him at your first opportunity. He may have even pushed himself more, had you become a pro before this point."

Tezuka pushed his voice past the clenched muscles in his throat. "Is that so?"

"It is," Fuji said firmly. He pulled away and took Tezuka's face into his hands, which Tezuka again could not seem to combat. "You must know by now that being so close to you would have driven Echizen mad. He's waited and tried to prepare for you to come, yes, but what he's held onto is memories and convoluted emotions inherited from childhood. He would have worked even harder, would have pushed himself beyond reason, had you presented him with something more tangible before now. He would have crossed through hell itself ten times over just to keep your eyes on no one but him, on and off the court." Fuji smiled sadly. "Believe me, Tezuka. I do speak from experience, you know."

"Are you speaking from your experience with him, or with me?" Tezuka managed.

Fuji's smile faded slightly. "Both, unfortunately. Somehow I managed to become dreadfully attracted to the two men whose hearts already belonged to one another, leaving me no chance to claim either one. It sounds overly dramatic, I admit, but" - Fuji shrugged - "that's how it turned out nonetheless."

Tezuka wasn't sure how to respond, so he simply said the only coherent thought he translate verbally. "I am sorry, Fuji."

"I admit that I was bitter, and it was easy to blame you." Fuji sighed and dropped his arms so he could fold them loosely over his chest. "And I said some things to Echizen that I shouldn't have. I'm sorry, Tezuka. I may have made things harder for you now."

"Do not concern yourself with me," Tezuka said, and he meant it. Indeed he felt as though Fuji had single-handedly removed some of the weight from his consciousness. He was grateful for the reprieve, and he silently reminded himself that he could not afford to waste it. "Inui should be back with Echizen and his entourage soon. Do you want to wait and see his condition for yourself? It may be...a bit startling," Tezuka admitted.

Fuji nodded, his face showing his resolve. "I do want to see him, if you don't mind."

Tezuka shook his head. "I don't mind."

"Thank you." Fuji smiled again. "I feel as though I owe him an apology as well. Do you think he'll understand, that he will forgive me for being so selfish?"

"I believe Echizen will feel the same way that I do," Tezuka replied, "that there is nothing for which you need to be forgiven."