Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ The Sound of Two Heads Crashing ❯ Ch. 1: Push, Shove, Trip, and Go ( Chapter 1 )

I wanted to thank all those that reviewed. Thank you! Hopefully you like this chapter too and it's not too rushed sounding.

 

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Chapter #1: Push, Shove, Trip, and Go

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Fuji watched Momo and Echizen interact closely for the next few days, wanting to gather as much information as he could before putting his plans into action. Finally, he decided that he had watched enough and it was time to act. But if his plans were going to work out he would need help.

“Eiji,” Fuji said, sidling up to his best friend one Friday morning. Everyone was on the courts for morning practice, but practice hadn't actually started just yet so they were using the time to socialize. “How would you like to help me with something?”

Eiji turned away from his conversation with Oishi and blinked. “With what?”

Fuji didn't answer. Instead, he turned to watch Momo and Ryoma. Momo currently had Ryoma in a headlock and the younger boy struggled to free himself, tugging at Momo's arms around his neck and wriggling determinedly as Momo laughed. “Have you ever noticed how close Momo and Echizen are?” he asked.

“Yeah?” Eiji said, looking confused by the question. “They're friends.”

“Are you so sure?” Fuji said, glancing back at Eiji.

“Well . . . yeah,” Eiji said, “Why? Is something wrong with them? They seem fine to me.” Eiji turned back to look at Momo and Ryoma. Ryoma had been finally freed of the headlock and was glaring angrily at Momo. Momo laughed and said something and Ryoma snapped something in reply that only made Momo laugh all the harder.

“Oh, no,” Fuji said, “I'm sure they're fine. It's just . . . Are you sure they aren't something . . .” he paused significantly, glancing back at Eiji again, “more?”

”More?” Eiji blinked again, but then he seemed to get it and he suddenly smiled. “You mean like they like each other?” Excited, Eiji turned back to Oishi, who had been standing there silently as the two had this conversation. “Oishi! Fuji thinks Momo and Ochibi like each other too! It's not just me!”

Oishi smiled, but looked wary of where this was going.

Eiji turned back to Fuji, still excited. “What'd you want me to help you with? Is it something to help Momo and Ochibi?”

Fuji smiled. “Yes. I thought it was about time those two figured out their feelings.”

Eiji nodded. “Definitely. Those two are taking forever.”

“Eiji . . .” Oishi broke in reproachfully, “They aren't taking that long.”

“Yes, they are,” Eiji said stubbornly. “Ochibi is sixteen now. He should've jumped Momo a year ago.”

“Maybe they just aren't ready to admit they're, you know,” Oishi tried to say this delicately, “gay.”

“I think it's more they just don't know what they want,” Fuji said, smiling again. “And, as their senpai, it's our duty to help them figure it out.”

Oishi still looked hesitant. “I just don't think we should interfere. We should let them figure things out by themselves.”

Eiji snorted. “If we did that, they'd probably never figure things out. Ochibi still doesn't know what girls are for and he's sixteen. Can you imagine how long it'll be before he figures out that boys can be just as good?”

Fuji nodded in agreement. “And Momo probably still thinks he's straight. It's not healthy for him to go on deluding himself like that.”

“I just don't know . . .” Oishi said hesitantly.

But Eiji knew how to work his boyfriend. “Don't you want them to be happy?”

“Of course! But—

Eiji didn't let him finish. “This'll make them happy. Just trust us okay?”

Oishi was silent a moment, deliberating over this, but then he nodded. “Okay, but I want to help.”

Fuji's smile widened. This was just what he had hoped for. “Perfect. Now, the idea is this . . .”

Oishi and Eiji leaned in closer as Fuji detailed his plan. When Fuji finished, Eiji smiled.

“This is gonna be fun!”

 

“I'm gonna beat you, Mamushi!”

Kaidoh hissed and sped up. Momo wouldn't be getting ahead of him if he could help it.

The Regulars had finished their stretches and were just starting on their twenty laps around the courts. Momo and Kaidoh were currently in the lead, neck and neck, with Tezuka and Ryoma following behind them and Oishi and Fuji following close behind those two. Following after them were Eiji and then Inui, who had once again upped the weight of the weights around his ankles and wrists.

Fuji turned to Oishi with a smile. “Shall we speed up? We don't want them winning.”

Oishi shot him a look, knowing what he was planning, but still nodded and sped up. Increasing his own speed, Fuji pulled even with Ryoma and gave the younger boy a bright smile.

Ryoma gave Fuji a weird look, but otherwise ignored him to focus on his running. Up ahead, Kaidoh was currently winning the race, Momo beginning to fall behind. Grumbling under his breath at this, Momo tried to put on more speed, but he was quickly running out of energy.

Ryoma putting on a burst of speed, soon Momo and Ryoma were almost tied, with Kaidoh only a few steps ahead. Seeing this, Fuji sped up again, pulling even with Momo and Ryoma. Oishi and Tezuka followed closely behind, with Eiji a few steps after them and Inui following.

Deciding he couldn't find a better chance, Fuji let himself swerve, bumping hard into Ryoma. Not expecting this, Ryoma was pushed off his course and almost ran into Momo. Momo quickly swerved out of the way, but lost his footing and stumbled, tripping over his own two feet. Instinctively reaching out to keep himself from falling, Momo grabbed the first thing in reach which just happened to be Ryoma. The two fell down to lie in a tangled heap on the ground. Ryoma was pulled under the weight of Momo, landing with Momo half on his lap, half on his chest.

“Momo-senpai!” Ryoma protested as the runners continued on, Oishi, Tezuka, Eiji, and Inui all swerving to avoid the pile they made.

“Sorry! Sorry!” Momo said, quickly trying to stand up. Pushing himself up with his hands, Momo tried to stand, but Ryoma tried to get up at the same time and their tangled legs caused Momo fall over again.

“Momo-senpai!” Ryoma protested a second time. “You're squishing me!”

“Sorry!” Momo apologized again. “Sorry! I'm getting up. Hold still.” Successfully getting to his feet, Momo held out a hand for Ryoma, who ignored it to stand up by himself.

“Come on!” Momo said, turning to start running again. “We can't let the Mamushi beat us!”

 

 

Later, Tezuka allowed them a ten minute break and the Regulars split up into their usual social groups.

“Hoi! Hoi!” Eiji said, suddenly appearing out of nowhere and draping himself over Ryoma. “Ochibi!” he cheered.

“Kikumaru-senpai,” Ryoma said dully under the weight of the older boy, keeping his irritation closely in check.

“Ne, Momo,” Eiji said to the laughing Momo, “Don't you just love Ochibi?”

“Yeah!” Momo said laughingly then leaned over to pinch Ryoma's cheeks. “He's just so cute.”

Ryoma glared at him for that remark but didn't say anything in reply.

“Isn't he?” Eiji said obliviously, “And he's so huggable!” Shifting so that Ryoma was in his arms, Eiji gave him a big hug. “Come on!” he said to Momo, letting go of Ryoma to push the younger boy out in front of him. “You should give it a try!”

Momo laughed but shook his head. “That's okay, Eiji-senpai. I'm good.”

“No! No!” Eiji said, “You need to hug him!”

“No really,” Momo said, smiling, “I think Echizen's had all the hugs he needed already.”

Eiji pouted, still holding Ryoma out in front of him. “You never have enough hugs.”

“Yeah, but I think Echizen'll probably bite me if I get too close. So I'm gonna stay over here out of range.”

“That's not true,” Eiji looked down at Ryoma. “Would you really bite him?”

“Yes,” Ryoma said flatly, without hesitation.

“That's not very nice. He just wants to give you a hug.”

Ryoma looked up at his senpai dully. “I don't want a hug.”

“Everybody wants hugs,” Eiji said confidently, “Some people just don't know it.” Eiji hugged Ryoma to him again. “See? Isn't this nice? Don't you want Momo to hug you?”

“No,” Ryoma said.

Momo snickered, trying to contain his laughter at Ryoma's expression at this, couldn't do it and burst out laughing.

“I'm fine, Kikumaru-senpai,” Ryoma continued, trying to stay patient with the older boy, knowing that, in Eiji's mind, he was just being nice.

“Now you're angry,” Eiji said. “You really need a hug.” He turned to Momo. “Here. Catch!” and he threw Ryoma at Momo.

“Eiji-senpai!” Momo protested, looking surprised.

Startled, Ryoma stumbled and nearly fell. Momo caught him before he could reach the ground and quickly set him on his own two feet before Ryoma could protest the change of hands.

“Kikumaru-senpai!” Angry, Ryoma turned back to face Eiji only to find him gone, off to talk to Fuji apparently. “What was that for?” Ryoma asked no one.

“I dunno,” Momo said, but then he shrugged. “I guess, he was just being weird.”

 

 

Oishi couldn't believe he was actually going to do this. It just felt so wrong.

And besides that, how was he going to do this?

Oishi stood in the clubhouse as everybody was getting changed into their school clothes for the day. Fuji and Eiji were changing next to him, Eiji giving him encouraging looks, but Momo and Ryoma were changing on the other side of the room. He had no reason to be over there. How was he going to push them into each other?

“Are you doing it?” Eiji whispered.

Closing his eyes, feeling guilty for his part in Fuji's scheme, Oishi nodded. Sitting down he finished tying his shoes then stood up and walked over to the other side of the room. It would look weird but what else could he do?

Momo had his shirt off and was rummaging around in his locker looking for something while Ryoma changed into his school pants. Walking quickly, Oishi timed it so that as he was walking by his hip hit Ryoma in the back hard, pushing him face first into Momo's stomach. Reflexively, Momo caught the younger boy, but Ryoma quickly pulled away and glared over his shoulder at Oishi.

“Sorry! Sorry!” Oishi apologized quickly, actually feeling sorry.

Ryoma's anger quickly left him as he realized who it was and he grumbled, “It's okay.”

Momo looked at Oishi briefly then looked around the room and just when Oishi knew Momo was going to say something that would require him to explain why he was over there in the first place, Momo shrugged and turned back to his locker, pulling out his shirt.

Oishi gave a sigh of relief and quickly got out of there.

That hadn't gotten the result that Oishi knew Fuji wanted but it had worked and Oishi's turn was over.

 

They didn't have the chance to do anything until lunch time.

“Oh hey, did I tell you what happened in Math? We had a substitute today and she let us work in groups so I was with these three girls.”

Ryoma raised a brow and smirked but didn't say anything as Momo and he continued to walk down the hallway.

Momo continued. “And then Ryoko-chan, one of the girls, told me what her boyfriend said and she seemed really upset. So I put an arm over her shoulder, you know? To try and make her feel better. But then Ami-chan, this other girl, got really mad and called Ryoko-chan a slut.”

The hallway being crowded with the many students of the school, Momo pushed by a group of rough-housing second-years and ducked out of the way of a flying arm. Ryoma swerved around a group of people gathering at their locker and finally the two reached Ryoma's locker. Setting his bag on the ground as Momo stopped to wait for him, Ryoma fiddled with the lock on his locker, twisting the dial in his combination.

“And then Kimiko-chan, the other girl, said of course Ryoko-chan was a slut. She already had a boyfriend and she was still throwing herself at me. And then Ryoko-chan--”

“It must do wonders for your ego,” Ryoma said, opening his locker and shoving his books inside.

Interrupted mid-flow, Momo stopped talking to give Ryoma a blank look. “What?”

Ryoma smirked up at him. “To have girls fighting over you like that?”

Momo blinked, then: “Hey!” Momo said, looking insulted, “Are you saying I'm conceited?”

Ryoma hmm'd to himself, the amused look on his face Momo's answer to that as Ryoma got out the books needed for the class he had after lunch. He didn't want to have to come back to his locker.

“I'm not conceited,” Momo said, shifting so that he happened to be standing between Ryoma and the mass of student flowing down the hall. “It's not my fault if girls like me. And besides you have just as many girls throwing themselv— Woah!”

Something pushing him, Momo fell forward, landing with one hand holding him up, Ryoma between him and the cold metal of the locker. They were so close Momo could feel Ryoma's breath on his neck and he froze.

“Echizen . . .” Momo said, staring down at his friend, frozen where he was.

“Momo-senpai,” Ryoma said, glaring up at him, “Get off of me.” Hands coming up to push against Momo's chest.

“Ah!” Momo said, jumping into motion and a few feet back. Blushing, he scratched the back of his neck nervously and looked around. “Who pushed me?”

Ryoma shrugged, not caring, and shoved the last of his books in his bag, throwing his back pack over his shoulder. Then he looked up at Momo, seeming to ask him silently, “Are we going or not?”

“Yeah, let's go,” Momo said and started down the hall.

Unseen by Momo and Echizen, a pair of eyes across the hallway narrowed and watched Fuji disappear down the hall. Inui frowned and glanced down at his notebook. How to note this?

Next to him, Kaidoh shifted restlessly. “Are we going or not, Inui-senpai?”

“Fuji is up to something,” Inui answered, writing this in his notebook.

Kaidoh didn't care. “Fuji-senpai is always up to something.”

“Yes . . . I suppose we should see what he is doing.”

Kaidoh jerked and looked up at his senpai. “That's not what I said!”

Inui hmm'd to himself, adjusting his glasses and ignoring Kaidoh as he put his notebook away and walked off.

Grumbling under his breath, Kaidoh followed.

 

 

“Ah,” Inui said, looking enlightened, “So that's what you're doing.” Inui had followed Fuji down the hall and found the other boy seated with Oishi and Eiji at a table, Tezuka apparently conveniently in the library looking for a book.

Seated next to him on the bench, Kaidoh grumbled something unintelligible under his breath, not caring about anything that had to do with his rival.

“I must admit,” Inui continued, ignoring his restless boyfriend, “I had noticed that pair and have been keeping track of their progress.”

Having somewhat expected this, Fuji smiled. “Then do you have anything to add?”

“Yes,” Inui said, nodding calmly, and did some quick calculations in his head. Finally he said, “If you continue with this method you have a 43 percent probability of success.”

“That's good!” Eiji cheered, but then looked hesitant and turned to Fuji. “That is good, right?”

“The more opportunities you have to implement this plan the higher the probability becomes,” Inui added. “So if you are able to push those two together four more times the probability of success increases two whole points.”

“What's the point?” Kaidoh finally couldn't help but ask. “So you push those two on top of each other. What good does that do? How does that make them realize they like each other?”

“We figure that if they end up on top of each other enough times, even they can figure out for themselves that they like each other,” Eiji said cheerfully.

“Yes,” Inui agreed, nodding, “The closer the proximity the higher the awareness of the other person.”

Kaidoh looked skeptical. “And that works?”

Inui just looked at him, saying, “It worked well enough with you.”

“Oh.” Going quiet at this, Kaidoh blushed and looked down at the table.

“And so I take it you two are willing to help?” Fuji asked, getting them back on point.

Inui nodded and answered for the both of them. “Of course.”

Kaidoh looked up, looking like he wanted to protest. “But—

Inui placed a hand on his shoulder, telling him to stay quiet, as he continued, “We would be more than willing.”

“I never said— Inui just looked at him again and Kaidoh stopped. “Fine,” he muttered.

Fuji smiled at how well trained Inui had Kaidoh.

“Then let's go find them before lunch is over!” Eiji said. “We don't have much time!”

“Yes,” Fuji said, getting to his feet. “We should go.”

Wanting to make sure, Momo and Ryoma stayed mostly unscarred, Oishi quickly stood up and said, “I'll come with you.”

“But it would look strange if Kaidoh or I were to come with you,” Inui said calmly. “We will stay here.”

Kaidoh hissed in relief.

 

 

They found Momo and Ryoma lying down under a tree towards the back of campus, their bags at their side.

“Momo! Ochibi!” Eiji called, waving a hand in the air wildly. “We came to visit!”

Propping himself up on his elbows, Ryoma looked at them steadily, raising a brow at his more hyper senpai.

“What?” Momo groaned, rolling over and rubbing at his eyes. “Who?”

“Kikumaru-senpai, Fuji-senpai, and Oishi-senpai,” Ryoma told him as Momo groggily sat up, awakened from his nap.

“What?” Momo asked again, a little more awake this time. Then he turned to face his senpai. “Oh,” he said, seeing them, “Hi.”

“Oh. Hi,” Eiji imitated his dull hello perfectly but then pouted. “What kind of hello is that?”

“A tired one,” Momo said, rubbing his eyes again as he leaned over on the grass. “What are you doing here?”

“Mean,” Eiji said, still pouting. “Can't we visit anymore?” he asked, settling himself down cross-legged on the grass.

“You normally don't all visit without a reason,” Ryoma pointed out.

“Well, maybe we wanted to try out something new,” Eiji said. Oishi said nothing, not wanting to give their real reason away by accident now that Ryoma and Momo were actively questioning their presence, and sat down next to his boyfriend on the grass. Fuji sat on Eiji's other side and smiled.

“We just wanted to see how you were,” Fuji said, almost cheerfully. Ryoma eyed him with distrust. It generally wasn't good when Fuji was cheerful.

“We're fine,” Momo said, looking at them all questioningly.

Eiji looked at Ryoma hard for a moment, frowning as though he was trying to puzzle something out. Then he seemed to get his answer and smiled. “Hey, Ochibi,” he said, “Did you grow?”

Ryoma gave him a weird look. “No.”

“Yeah,” Momo said, looking at Ryoma and then turning to Eiji. “He's still the same shorty as yesterday.”

Ryoma gave Momo a glare at that. “I'm not short.”

Ejji ignored them. “No, really. I didn't notice it this morning, but I think you actually grew!” Eiji cheerfully clambered to his feet. “Stand up!” he urged. “I wanna see how tall you are!”

Fuji smiled at Ryoma encouragingly. “Go on. He might be right.”

Oishi smiled nervously when Ryoma turned to look at him next. “You might as well.”

Finally, Ryoma turned to Momo. “Yeah,” Momo said, smiling in amusement, “Prove to them your midget-ness.”

At that, Ryoma glared at him, but climbed to his feet nevertheless. “Midget-ness isn't a word,” he grumbled then glared at Momo one final time as he reasserted, “And I'm not short. Everyone else is just huge.” Then he moved to stand next to Eiji, looking up at his senpai impatiently.

“Turn around,” Eiji said. Ryoma sighed in annoyance but did as he was told. “Now turn this way,” Eiji ordered and Ryoma turned that way. He was now standing looking straight at the tree and Momo.

“Alright!” Eiji said and bounced behind Ryoma, where he stood as though he really was going to get someone to measure them, but then abruptly turned and shoved Ryoma forward.

Ryoma didn't have the time to protest as he landed over Momo's lap, only his hands shooting out to catch him keeping him from landing face first in the grass by Momo's side. .

“Ah!” Momo cried, surprised as he suddenly had a lapful of teenage boy.

“What was that for?” Ryoma asked, pushing himself up and glaring up at Eiji from his spot on the ground. He totally ignored the fact that he was still essentially in Momo's lap.

“Well I think it's about time we left,” Fuji said, sounding cheerful again as he got to his feet. Carefully not looking at Momo and Ryoma in his guilt, Oishi stood up as well.

“Bye!” Eiji said and then ran away before they could respond. Fuji and Oishi followed behind at a much slower pace.

Ryoma frowned. “What was that for?” he asked again.

“Um,” Momo tapped his shoulder, “Echizen?”

“Yeah,” Ryoma turned so that he was almost nose to nose with Momo.

This didn't make Momo any less embarrassed. “You're, um, still on my lap.”

Shocked, Ryoma looked down to see that yes, he actually was. Blushing, he quickly moved away.

 

 

Momo and Echizen decided to write lunch off as just their senpai being weird again and went to classes with the incident put far behind them.

Ryoma stared at Momo. “You're teacher said what?”

“I know!” Momo said, “I couldn't believe it either. I mean what kind of teacher says that?”

Ryoma snorted and turned his attention back to shoving through the people in the hallway. “Yours apparently.” The two of them were walking down the hall, Momo walking closer to the lockers and having a much easier time of making his way through the crowd.

“I thought that was, like, illegal or something.” Momo said, sidestepping a freshman girl.

Ryoma spared Momo an unimpressed look. “You make it sound like he propositioned you.”

“Well, he might as well have!” Momo cried, “I think I would have preferred it.”

“Eww,” Ryoma looked disgusted, “I've seen your teacher. That's—Hey!”

Eiji ran by, shoulder knocking into Ryoma and pushing him into Momo.

“Sorry!” they heard him call back as he continued running.

Pulling himself away from Momo to stand on his own two feet, Ryoma grumbled angry things under his breath.

Momo just laughed. “Wow. That's like the fourth time today you've run into me. You're really not having any luck today, are you?”

“I really think they're doing it on purpose,” Ryoma muttered angrily.

“Nah. That's just you being paranoid. That thing at lunch, sure. But all the other times? No way.”

“I swear they planned this,” Ryoma said seriously, glaring up at Momo.

“Okay then,” Momo said, deciding to go about this in a different way, “they planned this. Why?”

Ryoma didn't have an answer to that and looked down at the floor. “I don't know.”

Momo smiled. “Then they didn't plan it.”

 

 

Of course, things only got weirder at practice and Momo had to admit that maybe Ryoma wasn't far off in his paranoia.

Kaidoh growled, getting in Momo's face. “Bastard.”

“At least I don't think hissing is normal,” Momo replied heatedly.

Kaidoh snarled wordlessly, infuriated, and looked like he was about to attack. But then he seemed to catch a glimpse of something over Momo's shoulder. `What?' his face seemed to ask. What he got in reply apparently wasn't what he wanted. And then, if Momo wasn't mistaken, he mouthed the word, “Now?” his expression one of can't this wait?

Curious, Momo looked over his shoulder. “What are you—two hands roughly shoved him and he stumbled back but thankfully kept his balance.

“Hey!” he shouted, turning back to glare at Kaidoh, ignoring Kaidoh's strange behavior for the moment.

Kaidoh hissed and shoved him again, this time right into Ryoma and the two fell, tangled together, Momo landing almost right in Ryoma's lap.

“Momo-senpai!” Ryoma squawked indignantly.

Momo immediately got up and tried to placate his angry friend. “Sorry! Sorry! It was the Mamushi!”

Ryoma hmph'd and got to his feet, brushing himself off and trying to regain some of his lost dignity. Briefly he glared at Momo and then he left.

Momo turned to eye Kaidoh threateningly, “I'll deal with you later, Mamushi.” Then he went after his friend, wanting to make sure he really wasn't mad.

 

 

“You know, you might be right about it being on purpose.”

Ryome looked up at him. “What?”

“This pushing thing,” Momo said as they walked to their favorite burger shop, “I think it might really be on purpose.”

Ryoma snorted and looked away. “I thought you said I was being paranoid.”

“Well yeah, then,” Momo said, “But the Mamushi looked over my shoulder at someone before he pushed me.”

Ryoma looked at him skeptically.

“I swear!” Momo said, defending his statement. “They had a whole face conversation.”

“But why would Kaidoh-senpai want to push you into me?” Ryoma asked and Momo was stumped.

He looked down at the ground with a frown, his theory running into a wall. “I don't know.”

Ryoma looked at him patronizingly, mockingly echoing his words from that afternoon. “Then they didn't plan it.”

Momo glared at him. “Are you mocking me?”

Ryoma didn't even try to look innocent. “Of co—

“Hey!” Momo protested as Ryoma suddenly fell into him, instinctively catching the younger boy before he fell to the ground.

Pulling himself away quickly, Ryoma looked up and down the street for who had pushed him. Then his eyes got wide as he spotted a familiar form quickly walking away. “Momo-senpai,” he said, tugging on Momo's sleeve and pointing in the direction Inui had gone. “It was Inui-senpai.”

Momo stared as Inui's form disappeared into the crowd. “Okay now I know they're doing this on purpose,” Momo said loudly.

 

 

“This isn't working,” Eiji complained later when the group of conspirators gathered at Fuji's house.

“That's okay,” Fuji said, before smiling almost evilly. Kaidoh shivered, feeling almost sorry for his rival for a quick moment. Then he remembered how much he hated the moron and the feeling passed.

“I have a new plan,” Fuji said.

 

TBC?