Rumored Relationship ~ Chapter 3
Story Summary: A certain rumor leaves Tezuka wondering as to exactly what Fuji means to him. shonen-ai: Perfect Pair.
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of its characters.
Chapter 3
As Tezuka and Fuji entered the courts, tension filled the area. The spectators seemed to be hyper-aware of every movement either of the two singles players made. For the first half of practice, things proceeded normally. First years picked up balls, second and third years practiced against each other, and the Regulars followed Inui’s special training menu. It was half-way through practice when Fuji approached his captain who was standing at the far end of the courts, away from the spectators.
“Ne, Tezuka.” He began. “I think the students are getting restless waiting for something to happen. Now would probably be a good time to make a move, especially since we’ve got their attention right now.”
Looking over at the crowd, Tezuka saw that all eyes seemed to be locked on him and the tensai. Most seemed frustrated that the two of them were too far away to hear their conversation. “So all we have to do is show them something that will satisfy their curiosity about this rumor?”
Fuji nodded and looked down at the ground by his feet. “Yeah. That should be enough.”
Tezuka sighed but took a step closer to Fuji, left hand raised.
“Nya, Oishi!” Eiji tugged on his partner’s sleeve. “What do you think those two are talking about?”
Oishi turned to look where Eiji had been staring and spotted Tezuka and Fuji at the far end of the courts. “It’s none of our business, Eiji. Come on. Let’s keep on practicing.”
“Why? No one else is.”
“Eh?” Looking around the court, Oishi saw that no one was even bothering to pretend to practice. Most club members had been shooting glances towards either Tezuka or Fuji all practice, but they now were openly staring. “Oi! Practice isn’t over yet!”
“But, Oishi~! It looks like something’s going to happen!”
“Come on, Oishi-senpai.” Momoshiro stood next to the doubles players. “Aren’t you even just a little bit curious about their relationship? This could be a good chance to find out what’s going on with buchou and Fuji-senpai.”
“Momoshiro is correct.” Inui called over. “This is a rare chance to get personal data on the two of them.”
“Does Fujiko look sad to any of you?” Eiji asked worriedly. “He’s not even smiling right now. Fujiko always smiles! Did something happen?”
“I think that Tezuka might be upset about the rumor.” Oishi fretted. “He was distracted in class, and when I asked if he and Fuji had an argument, he said ‘not exactly.’ But everything’s probably okay. After all, what’s the worst that could happen?”
“Ah.”
The Regulars looked down at their first year player. “What’s wrong, Echizen?”
The boy pointed across the courts. “Is buchou going to hit Fuji-sempai?”
“Eh?!”
Fuji jumped slightly when he felt a hand on his cheek. “Tezuka…”
Tezuka lightly caressed the tensai’s cheek, rubbing his thumb gently over the soft skin. “One date.”
“What?”
“We can go on one date. Then we can decide whether or not to prove this rumor false.”
Fuji blinked in surprise. “Really?”
The taller boy nodded. “I won’t say I love you, because I don’t know if I do, but I can give you a chance to have a relationship like you want. It’s the least I can do.”
Blue eyes sparkled happily as Fuji gave Tezuka the most beautiful smile that the captain had ever seen. “Thank you. That’s all that I wanted.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Since we don’t have school or practice tomorrow, pick me up at my house at noon. We can spend the day together.”
“Alright. Is there anything specific that you want to do?”
“Not really. As long as you spend the day with me, I’ll be happy.” Fuji glanced off to the side and giggled.
“What?”
The tensai leaned into the hand that still rested on his cheek. “I think you just did the opposite of what you originally intended to do. This is just going to start more rumors instead of ending the original one.”
Tezuka looked around and glared when he saw that all eyes were concentrated on the two of them. “Everybody, fifty laps around the courts now!”
Fuji giggled again as the members scrambled off the courts. He took Tezuka’s hand from his cheek and squeezed it lightly before letting go. “Guess I better start running too.”
“You don’t have to run.”
“Maa, Tezuka, I’m the reason everyone got distracted. If I hadn’t come over here, then everyone would have still been practicing. You don’t want people to think that you’re playing favorites, do you? Besides, I still owe Eiji a talk, so we might take a little longer than usual.”
Tezuka watched as Fuji ran off to join the others but noticed that the other boy’s pace was slightly slower than their pace. As soon as Fuji began his laps, Eiji’s pace slowed to match the tensai’s, and both allowed the other members to pass until they were in the back of the group.
“Well~?!”
Fuji tilted his head at the acrobatic player’s question. “Well, what, Eiji?”
“Fuji! You know what I mean! What’s going on with you and Tezuka? It looked like he was going to hit you, and you still haven’t told me anything!” Eiji pouted cutely. “You’re so mean.”
Fuji laughed. “What do you want me to tell you then?”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were together with Tezuka?! I mean, we’re best friends. Didn’t you trust me to keep it secret?” The redhead sniffed lightly and looked at the ground, eyes watering. “I know I’m loud, but I wouldn’t tell anyone anything you wanted to keep secret.” Eiji’s voice was a mere whisper that Fuji had to strain to hear.
Fuji immediately came to a halt, grabbing the other’s wrist to stop his friend as well. He quickly pulled the acrobat into a tight hug. “Eiji, you’re my best friend. I would trust you with my life. Please don’t cry. In fact, I’ll tell you a secret about me and Tezuka, okay?”
Eiji sniffed and rubbed his eyes dry before clinging tightly to the shorter boy. “Really?”
“Mm. Hold on for a second though. Tezuka!” Fuji called sweetly to the only boy still on the courts. “Eiji’s not feeling well. Is it okay if I take him away from practice?”
‘What happened to not playing favorites?’ Tezuka thought but nodded in acceptance.
Fuji led Eiji into the locker room and sat the boy down next to him on a bench.
“Fuji~!” The redhead whispered even though no one else could hear either of them. “You lied! I’m not sick, nya.”
“I didn’t lie. I said that you weren’t feeling well.”
“But I’m not sick!”
“Did I say you were? You’re feeling upset, so you’re not feeling well. I never once said that you were sick.” The tensai smiled brightly. “See? I didn’t lie.”
Eiji gave a soft giggle.
“Saa, that’s much better. A happy Eiji is a lot more fun than a sad Eiji.”
Eiji gave Fuji a smile and clung to the other boy’s arm. “So what were you going to tell me?”
“Well, to start off, the reason I never told you about my relationship with Tezuka is because we haven’t been together as long as everybody thinks we have. We actually got together pretty recently.”
“Really? But I thought that you two had been together since first year, and the rumor started because one of you said or did something to let another person know. So I was upset because you told someone else and not me and-”
“Eiji.” Fuji cut the boy off before he could upset himself again. “We got together recently and not in first year, and you are the first person I’ve told about us. I can’t even think of anyone I would ever tell before you.”
“Oh. Okay then. Wait. Exactly how recently is recently?”
“Today recently.”
“Nya?!” The doubles player looked at Fuji incredulously. “You mean you two got together this morning and there’s already a rumor?”
“Actually, we got together after the rumor started. Sort of.”
“Seriously?! Wait, what do you mean by sort of?”
“Saa…” Fuji ran his hand through his hair. “Well, Tezuka was upset about the rumor. That’s what we talked about during lunch. He thought that I started it, but now knows that I didn’t. He wanted to end the rumor though, so I told him to break up with me during practice if he really wanted it to end.”
“What?!” Eiji screeched. “But-”
Fuji held a finger up to Eiji’s lips to quiet the other boy. “Calm down and let me finish.”
The redhead nodded, and Fuji removed his hand.
“During practice, Tezuka hadn’t made a move yet, so I went over to him so that I could just get it over with. That’s when we sort of got together. Tezuka said that we could try having a relationship. We’re going on a date tomorrow.”
Eiji stared at the tensai with wide eyes. “So you two aren’t even officially boyfriends yet.”
Fuji shook his head. “Sadly, no. I told Tezuka earlier that I’ve loved him since first year. I think that’s what convinced him to give the dating thing a try.”
Eiji shook his head in disbelief. “I don’t believe his. I would have sworn that you two had been together since first year. I mean, all of the Regulars thought that you two were the oldest couple out of us. We thought that you two got together before Oishi and I did.”
“Well, you two have been together for a while.”
“Yup! Since the beginning of second year. Then there’s Inui and Kaido since they started playing doubles together. Heck, even Momo and Echizen have gotten together.”
“And Taka-san got together with Akutsu about two months ago.”
“Right. And Taka-san got together with Ak-What?! I didn’t know that! Akutsu?! As in Yamabuki’s Akutsu? The guy who hurt Ochibi by serving rocks at him? That Akutsu?”
“Mmhm. They seem to be getting along pretty well too.”
“Well…That’s good. And that means that Taka-san isn’t the only one alone. Does anyone else know?”
“Inui might because he’s Inui.”
“Right. Right. Inui knows everything. Except for you and Tezuka. He thinks that you two got together in first year too. All of the Regulars think that.”
“Really? That’s interesting. Tezuka didn’t even know that I liked him until today.”
“So this rumor was a good thing?”
“I think so. I just need to pay a visit to Hyotei soon.”
“Hyotei?”
“Mm. I need to have a talk with Atobe about how certain rumors get started.”
At that moment, the locker room door opened and the other Regulars filed in.
“Eiji!” Oishi quickly looked over his boyfriend who was still clinging to Fuji. “Are you okay? Do you feel sick? Do you want to go to the nurse?”
“Nya. I’m okay now, Oishi. Fuji helped me feel better.” Eiji wrapped his arms around Fuji’s shoulders in a tight hug and giggled.
The vice-captain sighed in relief. “Thank goodness. I was worried that something was wrong.”
“Nope! Everything is A-okay!”
Fuji gently unwrapped Eiji’s arms from around him and stood. “We’d better start changing before it gets too late.”
“Fujiko?”
“What is it, Eiji?”
“Do you want to go shopping today?” Eiji’s eyes glittered as they flicked over to Tezuka, whose back was turned, and back to Fuji. “I feel like going to the mall.”
Fuji smiled and nodded. “Sure. It sounds like fun.”
“Yay! Let’s go! I’ll call you later, Oishi!” The redhead grabbed the smaller boy’s wrist, dragging him out of the locker room before anyone else could join them.
“Huh?” Momoshiro blinked at the door. “They’re gone already? I was going to get Eiji-senpai to buy burgers again today. Do you have any idea why they ran off like that, Oishi-senpai?”
Oishi shook his head. “I don’t, but we should probably leave them alone. Who knows what the two of them are planning.”
Tezuka gave an inaudible sigh as he felt a headache coming on. ‘Why do I have a bad feeling about this?’
Tbc...