Prince of Tennis: Ibu Shinji, 077: What?
Title: Blockade
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Characters: Ibu Shinji, Tachibana Kippei
Prompt: 077: What?
Word Count: 689
Rating: G
Summary: What’s this? Fudomine might not go to Nationals?
Author's Notes: Takes place during the canon run of the series, shortly before Nationals.
Main table can be found here and here.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Whenever Shinji felt the need to lose himself, he turned to his studies.
It had been that way since he was a child, using his homework to disguise his loneliness. Even after Kamio, and then Ishida, even after tennis, Shinji’s last retreat had always been in his textbooks and notes. As a result, his grades had always been the highest in his class, sometimes the school. Another result of this was that Shinji knew the library like the back of his hand.
He knew the best places to see and remain unseen. He knew how to hide himself away, in places that even the librarians didn’t know about.
Shinji liked watching the people, when he wasn’t studying. From one of his hiding spots, he had a perfect view of the secluded nook that many couples used to sneak kisses. In another spot, he could hear through the vent the teachers in the faculty room, and he paid attention to their gossip. Most days, it had no effect on Shinji, but it was still interesting to hear.
However, the day he heard the word “tennis” mentioned, Shinji dropped the project he was working on and paid attention.
What he heard had Shinji biting his lip in consternation and abandoning his hiding spot before lunch was even half over.
He had to find Tachibana-san.
Finding Tachibana wasn’t really a chore. He was always on the courts at lunch, practicing against a wall. As Shinji watched him, he thought that it might be nice to join him one day, to ask him for a game. But today was not that day, Shinji reminded himself as he drew to a stop in front of the fence, waiting politely, if a little impatiently, for Tachibana to acknowledge him.
“Shinji?” Tachibana left off his practice as soon as he saw the dark-haired teenager. He knew it had to be important if it was Shinji disturbing him. “What’s wrong?”
Shinji was quiet for a minute, trying to decide how to deliver his news. “Tachibana-san…they don’t want us to go to Nationals.”
“What?” Tachibana blinked, sure that he had misunderstood Shinji. “Who doesn’t?”
“The teachers. Well, some of them. Some of them think we’ve earned it, some of them want us to go because they think it will help them, but others….” Shinji trailed off.
“Shinji, what about the others?” Tachibana pressed, becoming more concerned. If Shinji wasn’t rambling, as was his wont, then he knew that the younger boy had to consider this serious.
“It’s the ex-coach. And his friends. They’re saying that since we don’t have a proper school advisor, we should be disqualified and forbidden to play.” Shinji’s eyes were shadowed. “They’re going to talk to the principal about it. They say that rules are on their side, and that the “upstart punks” will be put in their place. I think he’s just jealous.” Shinji’s voice dropped into a muttering monotone. “That his team was such a failure, and because Tachibana-san is so much better, he has to make trouble….”
“Shinji!” Tachibana held up a hand, silencing him. “Thank you for letting me know. I’ll handle it.” He walked away without another word, leaving Shinji staring after him in slight confusion.
Shinji never knew what exactly happened after that. He didn’t bring it up with Tachibana or anyone else, figuring that, bitter teachers or no, Nationals were still coming up, and it was best to focus on them.
After Nationals, though, Shinji approached Tachibana again at lunch, this time not waiting to be acknowledged. “Tachibana-san?”
“Shinji.” Tachibana’s voice was amused as he approached the fence. “What did I tell you to call me now?”
Shinji made a face and tried again. “Kippei….”
“That’s better.” Tachibana smiled. “Now, what’s up?”
“What happened? I mean, clearly we were allowed to go to Nationals; no one stopped us, but we were supposed to be stopped, so I just wanted to know-”
Tachibana held up a hand, stopping Shinji again. “I took care of it, Shinji.”
The look on Tachibana’s face, almost feral, had Shinji smiling, nodding, and backing off slowly.
He never asked about it again.
--The End--
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Characters: Ibu Shinji, Tachibana Kippei
Prompt: 077: What?
Word Count: 689
Rating: G
Summary: What’s this? Fudomine might not go to Nationals?
Author's Notes: Takes place during the canon run of the series, shortly before Nationals.
Main table can be found here and here.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Whenever Shinji felt the need to lose himself, he turned to his studies.
It had been that way since he was a child, using his homework to disguise his loneliness. Even after Kamio, and then Ishida, even after tennis, Shinji’s last retreat had always been in his textbooks and notes. As a result, his grades had always been the highest in his class, sometimes the school. Another result of this was that Shinji knew the library like the back of his hand.
He knew the best places to see and remain unseen. He knew how to hide himself away, in places that even the librarians didn’t know about.
Shinji liked watching the people, when he wasn’t studying. From one of his hiding spots, he had a perfect view of the secluded nook that many couples used to sneak kisses. In another spot, he could hear through the vent the teachers in the faculty room, and he paid attention to their gossip. Most days, it had no effect on Shinji, but it was still interesting to hear.
However, the day he heard the word “tennis” mentioned, Shinji dropped the project he was working on and paid attention.
What he heard had Shinji biting his lip in consternation and abandoning his hiding spot before lunch was even half over.
He had to find Tachibana-san.
Finding Tachibana wasn’t really a chore. He was always on the courts at lunch, practicing against a wall. As Shinji watched him, he thought that it might be nice to join him one day, to ask him for a game. But today was not that day, Shinji reminded himself as he drew to a stop in front of the fence, waiting politely, if a little impatiently, for Tachibana to acknowledge him.
“Shinji?” Tachibana left off his practice as soon as he saw the dark-haired teenager. He knew it had to be important if it was Shinji disturbing him. “What’s wrong?”
Shinji was quiet for a minute, trying to decide how to deliver his news. “Tachibana-san…they don’t want us to go to Nationals.”
“What?” Tachibana blinked, sure that he had misunderstood Shinji. “Who doesn’t?”
“The teachers. Well, some of them. Some of them think we’ve earned it, some of them want us to go because they think it will help them, but others….” Shinji trailed off.
“Shinji, what about the others?” Tachibana pressed, becoming more concerned. If Shinji wasn’t rambling, as was his wont, then he knew that the younger boy had to consider this serious.
“It’s the ex-coach. And his friends. They’re saying that since we don’t have a proper school advisor, we should be disqualified and forbidden to play.” Shinji’s eyes were shadowed. “They’re going to talk to the principal about it. They say that rules are on their side, and that the “upstart punks” will be put in their place. I think he’s just jealous.” Shinji’s voice dropped into a muttering monotone. “That his team was such a failure, and because Tachibana-san is so much better, he has to make trouble….”
“Shinji!” Tachibana held up a hand, silencing him. “Thank you for letting me know. I’ll handle it.” He walked away without another word, leaving Shinji staring after him in slight confusion.
Shinji never knew what exactly happened after that. He didn’t bring it up with Tachibana or anyone else, figuring that, bitter teachers or no, Nationals were still coming up, and it was best to focus on them.
After Nationals, though, Shinji approached Tachibana again at lunch, this time not waiting to be acknowledged. “Tachibana-san?”
“Shinji.” Tachibana’s voice was amused as he approached the fence. “What did I tell you to call me now?”
Shinji made a face and tried again. “Kippei….”
“That’s better.” Tachibana smiled. “Now, what’s up?”
“What happened? I mean, clearly we were allowed to go to Nationals; no one stopped us, but we were supposed to be stopped, so I just wanted to know-”
Tachibana held up a hand, stopping Shinji again. “I took care of it, Shinji.”
The look on Tachibana’s face, almost feral, had Shinji smiling, nodding, and backing off slowly.
He never asked about it again.
--The End--