Long Fic
Title: That's What Friends Are For
Rating: PG
Category: Romance, Humor
Pairing: Tezu/Ryo, Momo/Ann
Word Count: 8,367
Warnings: Unbeta-ed, very slightly suggestive comments, slight character OOC
“You’re such a good friend to put up with me, Echizen,” Momoshiro babbled as they climbed the steps to reach Ryoma’s apartment. He shifted the strap of his overnight bag on his shoulder and grinned at his friend. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t offered to let me stay at your place for a while.”
“Funny, but I don’t remember asking you as much as you inviting yourself,” Ryoma muttered under his breath as he fished out his key. Tezuka was not going to be too thrilled about the invasion of their privacy, friend or no.
“Eh, what did you say?” Momo asked, pausing in mid-ramble.
“Nothing. Just take off your shoes as soon as we get in and whatever you do, don’t put a cup on the anything without a coaster.” Here goes, Ryoma thought grimly as he turned the knob and stepped in. The scent of miso reached his nose and he knew Tezuka was cooking dinner. “Tadaima!” he called.
“Okaeri,” a muffled voice called back from the kitchen.
Momo opened his mouth to call as well when he caught sight of Ryoma’s glare. “Don’t you dare,” he informed his senpai testily.
Tezuka stepped out from the kitchen, thankfully not wearing the striped pink apron Ryoma’s mother had bought for them when they first moved in together. “Dinner will be ready shortly,” he said before catching sight of Momo. His brows furrowed briefly as he took in the sheepish younger man and his bag before they smoothed out again, apparently understanding the situation. “Hello, Momoshiro.”
Ryoma watch Momo with interest, observing him blush faintly and stutter as he came face-to-face with his former tennis captain. “H-hi, Buchou,” Momo said weakly.
Tezuka flicked a brief glance in Ryoma’s direction before turning back to the kitchen. “I’m sure you’re both sweaty from your game. There’s time to clean up if you’d like,” he said. “Echizen, can you please come taste the soup for me?”
“Sure.” After showing Momo where the towels and shower were, Ryoma headed into the kitchen where Tezuka peered over a bubbling pot. Picking up the ladle, Ryoma dipped it in the soup and tasted the liquid. “Needs more seasoning,” he announced.
Tezuka gave him a Look. “I didn’t really ask you to come here so you could taste the soup,” he said but sprinkled more powder in.
“I know, but your miso soup always needs more dashi.” Ryoma tasted it again and made a face, reaching for the jar to add more.
Stopping the younger man before he added the entire container, Tezuka said sternly, “Echizen. What is Momoshiro doing in our apartment?”
Ryoma exhaled noisily and mumbled, “He needed a place to stay. He and his girlfriend had a fight about something silly and now they’re not talking and Momo-senpai refuses to go back home cause he said he’s right and she’s wrong.” Ryoma slanted Tezuka a speculative look. “Can we fight so we can make up?”
“No. Echizen, we don’t have a spare bedroom where he can sleep.”
Ryoma grimaced. “I told him that but he said he was willing to sleep on the floor because he said ‘I’m not going back until she apologizes’. Buchou, do all couples act as weird as Momo-senpai and his girlfriend? Cause Ann-san is about as likely to apologize as Monkey King is and Momo-senpai should know that better than anybody.”
Tezuka stifled a sigh and grabbed Ryoma’s wrist before he added in more dashi to the bubbling hot pot. “I see. Perhaps one of our neighbors has a futon we can borrow.” He looked at Ryoma. “He won’t go home until she apologizes?”
“That’s what he said,” Ryoma confirmed.
Tezuka frowned in consideration and grabbed Ryoma’s other hand before he dumped the contents of the entire jar of stock into the soup.
*****
Much to Ryoma’s distaste, Tezuka went to their next-door neighbor to borrow the futon. He scowled as he heard the faint voice of the neighbor’s teenage daughter answer the door and coo over Tezuka. Within a few minutes, Tezuka returned with his prize though he hadn’t gone unscathed; his clothes stank of the sickeningly sweet perfume the girl seemed to bathe in, which meant she must have given him a ‘friendly’, full, frontal body hug. Ryoma scowled harder.
Tezuka noticed his look but said nothing as he set the futon up on the biggest area in the living room. “Bring out a pillow and pillow case, Echizen,” he instructed without looking up. “And after you’re done taking a shower, I’m going to take one, too, so don’t use up all the hot water.”
At that admission, Ryoma smirked and headed to the linen closet where Tezuka carefully - or obsessively, in Ryoma’s opinion - kept their neatly folded extra blankets and pillows. Although Tezuka was too polite to say so, Ryoma knew he disliked the attention lavished on him by their neighbor’s daughter as well. As long as Tezuka was reminded of his aversion once in a while, Ryoma was content.
Momo was still in the shower, singing some ridiculous pop song at the top of his lungs. Pausing in mid-step on his way to the closet, Ryoma pounded on the door. “Hey!” he called. “Stop using all the hot water!”
To his satisfaction, Ryoma heard the water shut off a scant minute later. He brought the requested items back to Tezuka who had somehow made the limp futon into an inviting bed. “Heeh, you’re good at everything you do, aren’t you, Buchou?” he remarked, dumping the requested items on top of the comforter.
“Everything except cook miso soup to your satisfaction,” Tezuka remarked with a straight face.
Ryoma grinned and sidled closer, looking up at him through his lashes. “I only do that so you’ll hold my hand,” he said with a smirk.
Tezuka cupped Ryoma’s cheek, the briefest hint of amusement lurking in his eyes. “I know,” he murmured before bending down to kiss him.
Ryoma lost himself in the pleasant and always thrilling sensation of Tezuka’s lips on his. Not even the cloyingly sweet perfume of the neighbor’s daughter could overpower Tezuka’s natural male scent. He tilted his head to deepen the kiss when a voice interrupted the lovely haze. “Oi, Echizen, I think you’re out of shampoo. I used up all of this lavender scented stuff -- oh, gross!”
Reluctantly breaking apart, Ryoma glared at Momo who was wearingly only a towel and shielding his eyes with his arm, the empty shampoo bottle dangling from the raised hand. “You should look before you come into the room, Momo-senpai,” he said snappishly.
“Sorry, sorry. I didn’t think you guys … well, you know, kissed,” Momo said with a grimace. “Anyway, go ahead back to making out. I just wanted to tell you about your shampoo.” Turning his head away, he wiggled the empty bottle around before escaping back to the bathroom.
Ryoma turned to Tezuka. “Wasn’t that bottle half-full this morning?”
“Aa.” Tezuka’s expression didn’t change but Ryoma was annoyed enough for both of them.
“And wasn’t that your expensive salon shampoo that makes your hair really soft?”
“Aa.”
“We’ll just put it on his tab,” Ryoma muttered.
Tezuka headed back into the kitchen. “I’ll keep dinner warm. Take a shower as soon as Momoshiro is out but make it short.”
“Can you make Momo-senpai run laps until dinner is ready?”
“Echizen,” Tezuka said warningly. Ryoma smirked and ducked to their bedroom.
Momo finally appeared, fully dressed and faintly blushing. Ryoma hopped into the shower washed himself quickly, grimacing at the slightly tepid water flowing from the faucet. He scrubbed himself clean in record time. Once he was out, Tezuka took an even faster shower and they finally sat down to dinner.
“Wow, Buchou, you made all this?” Momo said in amazement as he surveyed his food. “This is amazing! I didn’t know you could cook!” He winked at Ryoma. “Luck you, eh, Echizen? Ann-chan, now she refused to cook for me. Said that we should split everything right down the middle. I told her I was too busy working and bringing home the money so we can live all right while she’s still in school and she got mad. Said that I was trying to oppress her blossoming independence against the male gender or something like that.”
Ryoma rolled his eyes, having heard all of Ann’s faults before on the walk home. “Itadakimasu,” he announced, picking up his chopsticks.
Tezuka picked up his chopsticks as well but Momo was on a roll and refused to stop. “And then she had the nerve to accuse me of being lazy around the house! Me, lazy! Can you imagine the nerve? As if I should be full of energy after working all day to provide for her and let her go to school! It’s not like I’m slacking around, doing nothing.” Momo looked between his companions as if seeking confirmation.
Ryoma moved his hand to pick up some tempura but a glare from Tezuka froze him. With a sigh, he set his utensil down and glowered at his rice bowl. “Che,” he muttered unhappily.
“Perhaps, Momoshiro, you should speak to her about how you feel,” Tezuka began.
“Oh, I did, Buchou!” Momo nodded vigorously before he slammed a fist down on the table so hard Ryoma’s chopsticks jumped. “And she refused to listen! Why I thought she was understanding and kind, I have no idea! Instead, she turns out to be as stubborn as … as stubborn as …” Momo’s eyes darted around to look for an idea and settled on Ryoma. “Echizen!” he finished triumphantly.
Ryoma looked unimpressed. “Che,” he said again. “Don’t blame us for your love life troubles, Momo-senpai. Can we please eat now?” He sent Tezuka a pleading look.
“Guests first, Echizen,” Tezuka reminded him.
“Oh, yeah, food! Itadakimasu! Thanks, Buchou!” To Ryoma’s relief, Momo picked up his chopsticks and dug in which meant Ryoma could do the same.
But he had either forgotten about Momo’s monstrous appetite or chosen to ignore it. Within ten minutes, all of the side dishes, which normally would have lasted both Ryoma and Tezuka a few days, were completely empty. Momo scraped up the last bit of rice in his bowl, ate it, and slumped against his chair with a satisfied sigh.
“Ahhh! I don’t know when I last had such a great meal. Ann-chan is an okay cook, but you’re amazing, Buchou. Maybe I should suggest she take lessons from you.”
Ryoma snorted although he couldn’t tear his incredulous gaze away from the empty dishes spread out on the table. How did a man eat so much and still look as lean as he had in middle school? So much for thinking it was puberty that made Momo hungry all the time.
“I’m sure Ann-san is more than an adequate cook,” Tezuka said quietly, shooting Ryoma a look so he would stop snickering. “In any case, you can help Echizen with the dishes. I have some work I need to finish up.”
“Sure, Buchou!” Momo sprang to his feet and started collecting dishes in a dangerous, teetering pile. Ryoma glanced at Tezuka with interest, amused to see the priceless look on his face. Tezuka tensed as Momo clinked the dishes together in a loud cacophony, unable to tear his gaze away as Momo walked into the kitchen with them.
Ryoma, stacked up the remaining dishes and breezed past Tezuka while saying, “You look a little pale there, Buchou. Maybe you should sit down for a bit.” He didn’t stop to see what Tezuka did but it was worth Momo’s intrusion to see the rare expression of unease in the older man’s eyes.
*****
Pitying Tezuka, Ryoma took over soaping and rinsing the dishes while Momo dutifully wiped them dry and set them back in its place in the cupboard. Once done, they headed into the living room and played video games while Tezuka read over contracts for work. A few hours later, when Tezuka finally put his work away, Ryoma glanced up from his position on the floor.
“Going to bed, Buchou?”
“Aa. I have an early morning tomorrow.”
Ryoma set his controller down, ignoring the squeak of pain from his avatar on the screen as he abandoned it. “Then I’m going to bed, too,” he announced.
Momo glanced up from pummeling Ryoma’s unmoving character in the game. “But Echizen, it’s only eleven!” he protested.
“Buchou has to go to bed early,” Ryoma informed him, as if that would explain everything.
But Momo didn’t get it. “So? We’ll be quiet and Buchou can sleep while we play some more.” He grinned sadistically. “I haven’t finished punishing you yet.”
“Che,” Ryoma muttered. “Good night, Momo-senpai.” He followed Tezuka into the bedroom, ignoring the older man call out.
“But Echizen, I’m not tired! What am I supposed to do by myself? Echizen? Echizen!”
In the quiet of their room, they changed into their pajamas. Ryoma then crawled onto the bed as Tezuka turned off the light and joined him under the blankets. Ryoma snuggled close to his side, draping an arm around Tezuka’s waist. “Maybe he’ll make up with Ann-san tomorrow,” he murmured, rubbing his face against Tezuka’s flannel shirt like a content cat.
“Perhaps he will.” The rumbling of Tezuka’s chest was familiar and comforting, drawing Ryoma into a soothing, drowsy world.
“But you don’t think so, right, Buchou?”
“It’s obvious he misses her, with the amount of times he’s brought her name up in the conversations,” Tezuka said. “But even if he misses her --”
“He won’t admit it,” Ryoma finished. He shifted slightly and felt Tezuka draw him closer against him. “Buchou, will we ever fight like that?”
“I don’t know, Echizen.”
“Let’s make a promise we won’t. We’ve never broken a promise to each other before, right?”
Ryoma could almost picture Tezuka smiling in the dark. “Aa, we haven’t.”
“Then let’s promise. All right?”
Ryoma felt a cool hand tilt his chin up as Tezuka kissed him gently. “It’s a promise.”
*****
Tezuka always rose early and Ryoma usually woke with him to at least kiss him goodbye. He lay in bed as he heard Tezuka take a shower and come back to change into a crisp business suit. Only when Tezuka pocketed his cell phone did Ryoma groan and slide out of bed. Together, they headed into the living room as usual, freezing in mid-step at the scene before him.
Momoshiro snoozed on the rug, back against the coffee table and curled up into a ball. The Wii controller lay abandoned in front of him as Mario froze on the screen with his perpetual mustache overtaking his face. An open bag of potato chips and a can of Ponta were kicked to the side, forgotten.
Ryoma surveyed his friend before snorting. “No wonder Ann-san kicked him out of the house. He is a slob.”
“Echizen,” Tezuka reprimanded. “I’ll start breakfast. Please wake Momoshiro up and clean up the living room.”
“But I didn’t do this,” Ryoma muttered, stomping over to nudge his guest. “Momo-senpai, wake up.”
Momo groaned, snorted, made a nasally sound, then went back to sleep contentedly.
Ryoma scowled and shook him harder. “Momo-senpai, wake up,” he said loudly.
“Five more minutes, Ann-chan,” Momo mumbled, snuggling against the coffee table leg.
“Argh.” Ryoma snatched up the soda can and chips before marching into the kitchen. The kitchen was enveloped in the scent of natto and fish, causing his stomach to rumble in anticipation as he threw the trash away. “He won’t wake up,” Ryoma announced.
Tezuka didn’t look up as he fried the mackerel. “Now you know how I feel at times,” he remarked blandly.
“Che,” Ryoma said sourly, opening the cupboard to remove a glass. He filled the cup with water and Tezuka glanced at him.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to fling this onto Momo-senpai,” Ryoma said, removing the cup from the faucet only when it was mostly full.
“Then you’ll have to clean the wet spots afterwards,” Tezuka pointed out.
“That’s all right. It’ll be worth it just to see his face.” With an evil smirk, Ryoma took the glass to the living room and spilled the entire contents of the cup onto Momo’s face.
Momo shot straight up as if someone had lit his feet under fire. “Who, what?” he shouted, glancing around wildly. “What am I doing here? This isn’t my house.”
Ryoma rolled his eyes. “Of course not. Don’t you remember? You and Ann-san had a fight and you came here.”
“Oooh, right.” Momo sighed and frowned at his wet clothes. “Did you throw water on me, Echizen?”
“Yes.”
“Why? I was having such a nice dream about Ann …”
Ryoma noticed the unhappy, faraway look in his senpai’s eyes and almost felt sorry for him. But really, it was Momo’s fault for being so stubborn. If only he would swallow his pride long enough to apologize.
Vaguely aware he was being a little hypocritical, Ryoma sighed deeply. “Look, Momo-senpai, if you miss her that much, why don’t you call her and just talk things out? Are you really going to keep up this stupid fight?”
Momo shook himself and gazed up at Ryoma, his hair glistening from the drops of water thrown at his head. “No way, Echizen,” he said firmly, the mask back in place once more. “If I give in now, she’ll have won and I can’t have her thinking that, now can I? She’s just gotta learn her place and that’s all there is to it.”
Ryoma opened his mouth to argue but was interrupted as Tezuka called, “Momoshiro, Echizen, breakfast is ready.” They shuffled to the table obediently and Ryoma dropped the subject for now. He wasn’t good at this relationship counseling business, anyway.
After eating, Tezuka picked up his briefcase and leaned over to kiss Ryoma. He stopped suddenly and slanted a quick glance in Momo’s direction who was staring at them with unabashed interest. Tezuka leaned back and murmured, “I’ll see you this evening.”
“Che,” Ryoma muttered, watching Tezuka close the door behind him. An arm suddenly snaked around his neck as Momo gave him a hard noogie.
“So, Echizen! I don’t have to work until later. What now?”
“Ow! That hurts, Momo-senpai!” Struggling out of his grasp, Ryoma glared at him. “I’m going to clean up the breakfast dishes, take a shower and go run some errands.”
“Errands! That’s good. I’ll take a quick shower while you’re cleaning up. Then we’ll go out and do your errands.” Grinning broadly, Momo headed towards the bathroom.
“Fine, but don’t use up all the hot water,” Ryoma said in irritation. He sighed as he noticed the pile of dishes, far more than usual. “Having house guests suck,” he muttered before clearing the table off.
By the time Ryoma finished doing the dishes and wiped the table clean, Momo still hadn’t finished his shower. More annoyed than ever, Ryoma pounded on the door. “Momo-senpai! You’re taking too long!”
“Relax, Echizen! I’m almost done. Beauty like mine doesn’t come without work, you know!” Momo’s disembodied voice drifted from behind the door.
“Che. You’ll need more time than that if you want to be passable,” Ryoma muttered, stomping back to his room to pull out some fresh clothes. When Momo finally stepped out of the bathroom ten minutes later, Ryoma slipped inside and turned on the shower. Freezing needles of water stung his skin, almost burning hot. Cursing, Ryoma stayed under for as long as he could before he ducked out.
Twenty minutes later, a disgruntled Ryoma and a cheerful Momo left the apartment. “Ne, Echizen, what errand do you need to do first?”
“We need to go to the drug store to pick up the shampoo you used up,” Ryoma said pointedly, “then the grocery store to replace all the food you ate.”
“Okay,” Momo said agreeably, obviously not getting the hint. “And then what?”
Ryoma smirked at him, figuring he’d work out his aggravation out on the courts. “Then I beat you in tennis.”
At that, a large grin spread across his face. “Not this time you won’t!”
After going to the drug store and buying the shampoo - Momo’s brows rose way up when he saw the price and commented he and Buchou must be living like kings if they could afford such luxuries - they headed to the grocery store. Ryoma bought a case of Ponta and several bags of fresh vegetables, Tezuka’s tea, soy bean paste, and some frozen seafood. Momo insisted on paying for it but Ryoma declined the offer; even if he was being stubborn about his girlfriend, Momo was still a good friend. Sometimes.
After putting the groceries away at home, they took off for the nearest tennis court and played past lunch time. Then they went out and ate a nearby noodle bar before heading off to the sports store to browse the newest tennis equipment.
It was almost three when they finally left the store and headed home, hands full again with supplies. As they strode back, Momo sighed in satisfaction. “I miss this, Echizen. You know, men hanging out together. Before, I couldn’t do anything because I had to spend all my time with Ann.”
Ryoma decided not to point out that Momo actually chose to attach himself to Ann’s side and half-listened as the older man rambled on.
“But now … now, I feel like I’ve been really freed from a leash, yah know? I didn’t know how confined I was until today. Today, I didn’t get nagged at - well, except you and the shower, you’re like a girl about that - and I could do whatever I wanted. I can get used to this life, I really can.”
“Uh huh,” Ryoma said skeptically. He remembered Momo-senpai saying something about getting used to being a couple when he first started going out with Ann. “So you’re going to break up with Ann-san, then?”
Momo looked startled at the question and stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. He blinked a few times at Echizen. “Why, what makes you think that?” he asked slowly.
Ryoma stopped and turned sideways to stare at his friend. “Because you were just saying how much you love your freedom,” he pointed out. “It sounds like you want to be single again. No Ann-san at all in the picture,” he added meaningfully.
Momo blinked a few more times before forcing a laugh as he started walking again. “Ah, Echizen, you’re so crazy. You’ll understand relationships when you’re older.”
Scowling at the patronizing tone, Ryoma muttered, “I’m only a year younger than you. And I’ve been in a relationship longer than you have.”
“Echizen, Echizen, it’s different. Your relationship with Buchou isn’t like other people.”
“Yeah, because we actually act sane,” Ryoma mumbled. They headed up the stairs and Ryoma unlocked the door to the apartment. “What time do you have to be at work by?”
“By four. Ack, look at the time, I’m going to be late!” Momo raced for the bathroom, throwing his bags to one side of the room as he zipped past. “Echizen, do your senpai a favor and make him a sandwich to eat on the way to work, eh? I like ham and turkey with provolone cheese on multi-grain wheat and a touch of mustard.”
Ryoma positively glowered as the bathroom door shut before he could protest. Setting his bags down next to the couch, he pulled out his phone and dialed Tezuka’s office as he stomped into the kitchen. It rang twice before someone picked it up.
“Tezuka.”
“Buchou, Momo-senpai is driving me nuts,” he said bluntly. “I want him out.”
“I agree he should make up with Tachibana-san but there is nothing we can do in particular.” Tezuka paused before adding, “However, I did call her and tell her where Momoshiro was staying.”
“Did you also tell her to come get his lazy butt here?” Ryoma shouldered the phone and opened the refrigerator and pulled out the necessary ingredients as he spoke. “Because he’s starting to treat me like his girlfriend.”
“Is he now?” Tezuka sounded amused which made Ryoma scowl harder.
“Yes. I can understand if Ann-san doesn’t want him back but I want him out and the only way to do that is for them to make up.”
“She explained the situation to me and thought it was a good idea for Momoshiro to spend a few days with us.”
“A few days?!”
“It won’t be forever, Echizen. He already misses her.”
Ryoma thought back to Momo’s ashen face when he had asked if Momoshiro was going to dump Ann-san. “I guess so,” he muttered, slathering on the mustard.
“Being a friend is difficult sometimes, isn’t it?”
“You seem to be taking this more easily than I expected,” Ryoma commented sourly as he slapped several slices of ham and turkey together on the bread.
The smile was evident in Tezuka’s voice as he spoke. “He is a former teammate and still your best friend. Of course I would do what I can to help him.”
“Yeah, well, he’s soon going to be a dead best friend if he doesn’t get his act together soon,” Ryoma mumbled.
“I’ll see you later tonight, Echizen.”
“Yeah.” Ryoma plopped the bread on top of the meat and slid it into a sandwich bag. Tossing his phone onto the counter, he wandered out just as Momoshiro ran out of the bathroom, now dressed in athletic clothes. “Thanks, Echizen, I owe you!” he called, grabbing the bag from his hand as he raced out the door. “I’ll be home late tonight so don’t wait up for me!”
“Che. As if we would,” Ryoma muttered.
*****
Later that night as they snuggled in bed, Ryoma suddenly remembered something. “We have to let Momo-senpai inside,” he said sleepily.
“I stopped by his work earlier and gave him a key,” Tezuka said. His chest rumbled comfortably under Ryoma’s ear. “Since it seems as though he might be staying with us for a while.”
“Don’t remind me. What did Ann-san say?”
“She thought Momoshiro needed to spend some time with his friends for a while. He had been rather moody and depressed lately, and it may be he needed a change of pace. Their relationship has gotten intense and I think he is feeling uncertain about this sudden change. Has he talked to you about it?”
“No. He acted as though he loved hanging out today but when I asked him if he was going to break up with Ann-san, he got flustered and didn’t answer the question.” Ryoma scowled. “Called me a kid.”
“Aren’t you?” Tezuka asked, amused.
“Don’t you start,” Ryoma said sourly.
Tezuka chuckled and Ryoma snuggled even closer to him. “Momo-senpai is okay to hang around with,” he murmured, “but I can’t wait until he’s gone so we can have the place to ourselves again.”
“Aa.”
“Do you think you’ll ever need space from me?”
“Like now, you mean?” Tezuka asked dryly, indicating Ryoma’s body which was practically draped over his.
“Che,” Ryoma muttered and turned his back towards Tezuka, miffed at the response.
But Tezuka rolled with him and wrapped an arm around his waist, his chest against Ryoma’s back. “You didn’t let me finish.” He brought his mouth closer to Ryoma’s ear, his hot, minty breath curling enticingly over the sensitive lobe. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Good answer,” Ryoma huffed but relented when Tezuka’s hand traveled under his shirt to caress his stomach. He shivered as the warm fingerpads trailed up his chest. At the same time, hot lips skimmed the whorl of his ear and Ryoma willingly turned over to kiss Tezuka hungrily on the lips. Their mouths melded together, tongues melding in a familiar dance as their hands slid and touched each other eagerly.
They stopped abruptly as they heard the front door open and the unmistakable whistle of their house guest as he slammed the door shut. Moments later, the rattle of dishes reached their ears and a faint, “Itadakimasu!”
Groaning, Ryoma turned and buried his face in the pillow. The mood was gone; there was no way they were going to go any farther tonight, not with Momo gorging on a midnight snack right outside their bedroom door. “He has to have the worst timing possible,” he groused.
Tezuka chuckled quietly. “Good night, Echizen.”
*****
Four days later, Ryoma decided that if he took one more cold shower (for more than one reason) or if he had to go shopping yet again for food or buy more shampoo, a certain senpai was going to be banished from the bathroom forever, if not the apartment. Really, he didn’t mind Momo as a friend but Ryoma had not signed up for a second roommate when all he needed was one.
“No privacy,” he muttered to Tezuka as they cooked breakfast together. Momo slept on in the living room, unaware of the conversation in the kitchen, though he did sneeze once. “No warm water, no snuggling, no leftovers! How much longer do we have to put up with him?”
“Until he’s ready to admit he was wrong,” Tezuka said calmly.
Ryoma glared at him. It was easy for Tezuka to say that, considering he escaped to work every day. “That’ll be forever! I can’t wait that long!”
“I’m certain he’ll come around eventually. In the meantime, Echizen, I need you to run to the grocery story again today, if you want yakitori for dinner tonight.”
“Our food bill is going through the roof,” Ryoma said grumpily. “Where does he put it all?”
Tezuka didn’t say anything which probably meant he was wondering the same thing. Satisfied by that unspoken concession, they carried the dishes over to the table and Ryoma went to wake their guest.
Only Momo didn’t want to awaken and after long moments of prodding, poking, and raising his voice, Ryoma finally gave up, exasperated. Stomping back to the kitchen, Ryoma muttered, “He won’t get up.”
Tezuka said mildly, “No more water thrown in the face. Let him sleep, he came in late last night. He can have leftovers when he wakes up.”
After being deprived of having an intimate breakfast for two for days, Ryoma didn’t complain. He slid into his usual seat across from Tezuka and pretended Momoshiro wasn’t snoring in their living room.
Their conversation was mostly idle but Ryoma relished the usual morning routine he suddenly realized he missed. Once he finished eating, Tezuka picked up his briefcase and kissed Ryoma goodbye - another thing he missed. “I’ll see you later this evening. What are you two going to do today?”
The younger man shrugged. “I don’t know. Momo-senpai is off tonight so we may just go watch a movie or something.”
“All right, then. And Echizen, try to be a little more patient. What Momoshiro needs now, more than ever, is a friend to listen to him, even if he knows what he needs to do.”
“Che,” Ryoma muttered. Why his senpai thought he would find sympathy from him was beyond understanding.
As if reading his mind, Tezuka’s lips quirked up in a semblance of a smile and he left.
By the time Ryoma finished up the dishes, took a warm shower for the first time in days, and dressed, Momoshiro was up. But instead of being in the kitchen and raiding the refrigerator as Ryoma expected, he was sitting on the edge of the futon, feet flat on the floor, hands clasped, and staring down at them. He didn’t even look up when Ryoma walked out of the bedroom and offered him a wary hello, surprised by the sudden change in behavior.
“Morning, Echizen,” he said dully.
“There’s leftovers for you in the kitchen,” Ryoma said, eying his friend cautiously.
“Yeah. Thanks,” he murmured.
Exhaling noisily, Ryoma wondered why his senpai had to take the opportunity to break down on him now when Tezuka had left not thirty minutes ago. Surely Tezuka was better at this sort of thing than he was.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, Ryoma muttered, “Want to talk about what’s bothering you?”
Finally, Momoshiro looked up and plastered what was obviously a fake grin on his face. “What? Noooo, why?”
“Because you haven’t used up all the hot water and shampoo and because you haven’t eaten breakfast yet,” Ryoma said pointedly. “So, what are you thinking about?”
Ryoma’s blunt words seemed to have an effect because Momo’s façade broke down instantly and he went back to staring at his hands. “It’s about Ann,” he mumbled.
Ryoma snorted. As if he hadn’t seen that one coming. Still, he made an effort to ask, “What about her?” even though all he wanted to do was run away and pretend they really weren’t talking about relationships and feelings. Vaguely, he wondered if Oishi-senpai was in the area. The former mother of Seigaku was definitely better suited to this job.
“I messed up with her,” Momo admitted starkly. “She just asked me to cook dinner for once and I blew it out of proportion. I … she …” Momoshiro took a deep breath as if to steady his nerves before looking up at Ryoma. “She’s talking about the ‘m’ word, Echizen!”
Ryoma blinked at his friend. “The what word?”
“The ‘m’ word!” At Ryoma’s continued blank stare, Momo burst out, “Marriage! She’s talking about marriage, Echizen!”
“Oh.” Ryoma thought about that for a moment before nodding. “Okay, and?”
Momoshiro stared at him as if Ryoma declared his eternal love for Inui juice. “What do you mean ‘and’? It’s marriage, Echizen, marriage!” Obviously too agitated to sit still any longer, he lurched to his feet and began pacing in short, tight circles around the futon. The frown marring his usual cheerful expression seemed out of place and accentuated the worry that flashed in his dark eyes. “Marriage,” he muttered to himself. “She wants to get married.”
Ryoma sighed inwardly, wishing he was out on the tennis court instead of here watching his senpai prowl around like a volatile predator. “What about it? You love her, don’t you?”
“That’s not the issue, Echizen! I mean, how would you feel if Tezuka-buchou proposed to you?” Momo snapped.
Considering that idea for a long moment, Ryoma finally shrugged. “I’d be okay with it. Except we couldn’t get married in Japan.”
Momo shot his friend another plaintive you-are-out-of-your-mind stare before doubling his pacing speed and muttering to himself about guys who just didn’t understand.
Starting to get impatient, Ryoma pointed out, “It’s not as if anything’s going to really change, is it? You’ll still be living together and stuff. It’ll just be written down on paper.”
“Wrong,” Momo said flatly. “Haven’t you heard that song? First comes love, then comes marriage. And then comes a baby in a carriage!”
Ryoma still didn’t see the problem. “What’s wrong with that? You like kids, Momo-senpai. Half your neighborhood kids think you’re the best.”
“But it’ll be my kid. I could screw up someone’s life completely! I can’t handle that kind of responsibility. Oh, no, I think I need to throw up.” Legs collapsing beneath him, Momoshiro sprawled onto the floor in an inelegant heap, looking decidedly green.
“Don’t throw up!” Ryoma warned. “I’m the one who’s going to have to clean it!” He disappeared into the kitchen and returned moments later with a large mixing bowl. “Here, throw up in this if you have to,” he instructed, holding it out to the older man.
Wordlessly, Momo took it and sat on the ground, staring into nothing. “Echizen, what do I do?” he whispered.
Ryoma almost squirmed at the helpless, lost look that flitted across his senpai’s face. He tried to figure out exactly what to say that would be helpful, if not understanding, about the situation. “Why don’t you talk to her?” he finally asked. Oishi first, and then Tezuka, seemed really big on talking things out. Personally, Ryoma didn’t see the point most of the time but it made Oishi stop worrying so much and it pleased Tezuka so he did it.
Momo seemed to agree with his sentiment because he shook his head. “I can’t talk to her about this. She’ll dump me for sure.”
Ryoma snorted. “Oh, and I’m sure she’s loving the silent treatment you’re giving her right now.” Momo flinched but didn’t say anything. “Look, Momo-senpai, if you’re not ready to give Ann-san up, you had better figure out what you want fast. And doesn’t it really come down to one thing? You need to know if you want her enough to face marriage and kids and all that mushy couple-y stuff you guys do.”
Momoshiro looked up before he slowly nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he said finally. “Look, Echizen, I know you really enjoy hanging out with me and all but I think I need some time to clear my head. I think I’m just going to go for a walk, all right?”
Ryoma nodded, so busy trying to hide his relief that he didn’t snipe back. He was just grateful he didn’t have to talk about this any longer. “Fine. But before you do that, maybe you should change into some regular clothes first?”
Momoshiro looked down and chuckled ruefully. “I guess so.” He brightened up as he added, “Hey, did you say there was leftovers in the kitchen?”
Rolling his eyes at the predictable turn of conversation, Ryoma nodded. “Yeah, Buchou left it out on the kitchen counter.” He snorted inwardly as Momo rushed into the kitchen, calling out how he was suddenly famished. “Quick recovery,” he muttered.
After finishing off the leftovers from breakfast and scarfing down two apples, a liter of milk, and some green tea mochi ice cream, Momoshiro took a shower, complained about the cold water, and left for his thinking walk. Alone, Ryoma cleaned up the dishes and went out to the grocery store.
As he pushed the cart, Ryoma dialed Tezuka’s number with one hand and shouldered the cell phone as the call connected. Precisely after the second ring, the familiar voice intoned, “Tezuka.”
“I think Momo-senpai may go back home tonight, Buchou.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. He’s taking a walk to think things through. He’s finally faced the fact that he got scared and was looking for a way out of the situation.”
Tezuka sounded bemused as he commented, “That’s rather a profound remark coming from you, Echizen.”
“Che.” Ryoma stopped the cart by the dairy section and tossed in a carton of milk. “We’ll have the apartment to ourselves again soon. I guess all Momo-senpai really needed was someone to tell him the obvious.”
“I see. You were a very good friend to him, Echizen. I’m sure Momoshiro appreciates that.”
“As long as he doesn’t move in permanently.” Ryoma paused by the ice cream section and threw in some more mochi to replace the ones Momo had eaten. “I think we should celebrate, though, Buchou.”
“Really. What did you have in mind?”
The subtle thread of amusement wasn’t lost on Ryoma and he smirked into the phone, earning an odd look from a passing fellow shopper. “Maybe finishing what we started a few days ago, for one.”
“Hmm. Anything else?”
“Oh, yes. A lot more,” Ryoma reassured him.
“I look forward to it,” Tezuka said before breaking the connection.
*****
Finally sated and comfortable, Ryoma was drifting off to sleep when Tezuka suddenly moved, sliding out of bed. “Mmng?” he protested drowsily.
“Go back to sleep.” In his befuddled brain, Tezuka’s voice sounded deeper and so soothing that he wanted to obey. He vaguely heard the bedroom door open, revealing a bloom of light from the living room. “Momoshiro,” Tezuka said gravely just before he shut the door, allowing the soothing darkness to surround Ryoma again.
He woke up again to feel Tezuka sliding back into bed and shifting the covers over himself. Hazily, he wondered what time it was before dismissing the question as unimportant. Snuggling closer to the familiar warmth, Ryoma mumbled, “Sleep now?”
Tezuka pressed his lips against Ryoma’s head. “Aa, sleep now.”
In the morning, it took Ryoma twice as long to drag himself out of bed. Moaning his displeasure, he forced himself to his feet and stumbled to the bathroom, ignoring Tezuka’s bemused look as the older man finished buttoning his dress shirt.
Ryoma blindly went through his morning cleaning routine, waking up at the very end but still grumpy. Tezuka slipped his cell phone in his pocket and left the bedroom with Ryoma shuffling behind him.
The smell of bacon and eggs assaulted his nose and Ryoma paused next to Tezuka to peer into the kitchen. Momoshiro, for once, was up early and seizing command of a hissing fry pan. Using a ladle, he flipped the pancake over with a flick of his wrist to cook the other side.
Ryoma blinked twice, leaned against Tezuka, and asked, “Is Momo-senpai wearing the pink apron?”
“Aa.” Tezuka’s voice betrayed no emotion whatsoever, which meant he was probably amused. Ryoma knew he himself was; seeing his friend in a striped pink apron wasn’t something he saw every day.
Hearing their voices, Momoshiro glanced back. “Ohayo!” he called out cheerfully. “Sit down, Buchou, Echizen! I’ve got breakfast under control and we’ll be eating in a few minutes!”
“Echizen, set the table, please,” Tezuka said quietly, heading over to the cupboard to pull out dishes.
“I’ve even got your tea ready, Buchou, so don’t worry,” Momo boomed. Apparently deeming the pancake done, he transferred it to a plate next to the frying pan and poured the last of the batter into the hot saucer.
Within a few minutes, Momoshiro finished cooking his pancakes and brought the huge stack over to the table where Ryoma and Tezuka laid out the rest of the food. Plopping down into his seat, Momo slumped back. “Whew! That took a lot of work! I’ve got a lot more respect for you now, Buchou. Cooking all this took forever.” He shot Ryoma an apologetic look. “Sorry, Echizen, but my cooking skills are reduced to western breakfasts.”
Ryoma shrugged, surveying the table. The eggs didn’t look so bad, if a little watery. And some of the bacon seemed to have sat longer in the fry pan than others, looking crispier than usual, but that was all right. Even the pancakes looked good and hot. A bowl of fresh fruit and their usual drinks completed the meal.
“Thank you for cooking, Momoshiro,” Tezuka said. “But you didn’t have to. You are a guest here.”
Momo brushed off his words with a wave of his hand. “It’s just a small thank you for the talk you gave me yesterday.”
Talk? Ryoma didn’t know they had talked. And how come Momo was thanking Tezuka but not him?
“I’m sure things will work out for the best, Momoshiro,” Tezuka said quietly. “And if you need to talk some more, I will make myself available.”
Momo nodded. “Thanks, Buchou.” He then turned to Ryoma. “And thanks, Echizen, for being such a good friend the past week. Even if you did beat me in tennis without mercy every time we played.”
Ryoma smirked. “Mada mada dane, Momo-senpai.”
“Hmph. Well, I guess I’m doing this just to say thanks to you both for putting up with me and all. But Ann and I are going to meet tonight and talk things through. Sooo … thanks. Itadakimasu!”
“Itadakimasu!” Ryoma and Tezuka echoed and stared down at the food arrayed over the table.
The food wasn’t half bad, Ryoma reflected as he cautiously tasted the eggs and took a bite of a particularly crispy strip of bacon. At least, not for a western breakfast. No wonder Ann-san wanted him to cook once in a while. He finished breakfast and, with Tezuka’s help, brought all the empty dishes to the sink to be washed. Tezuka carefully rolled up his sleeves and began to clean them while Ryoma dried.
“When did you talk to Momo-senpai?” he asked, wiping a plate dry. Once done, he stood on his toes and placed the dish back with the other ones.
Tezuka glanced at him. “Last night, while you were asleep. He came back late and we spoke for a while.”
“Oh.” Ryoma vaguely recalled waking up as Tezuka got out of bed. “So … he told you about Ann-san and marriage and stuff?”
“Aa.”
“Better you than me, then.”
Tezuka’s lips quirked briefly. “He also happened to mention that you wouldn’t be opposed to a marriage proposal.”
Ryoma’s head shot towards Tezuka so fast he nearly missed the glint of amusement twinkling behind Tezuka’s glasses. “What? I never …” He scowled once he saw the teasing look. “That was mean,” he said accusingly.
“But very worth the look on your face.”
“Che,” Ryoma muttered, scrubbing harder at a cup to avoid any further embarrassment.
Momo poked his head in to the kitchen. “Buchou, Echizen, I’ve got the early shift today so I’m heading off to work. Wish me luck for tonight?”
“Good luck and good riddance,” Ryoma muttered. Tezuka shot him a disapproving look before he nodded to Momo.
“Please let us know how it turns out. And Momoshiro, remember to be honest with yourself and with Tachibana-san.”
Momo nodded. “Yeah, Buchou, I’ll remember. Thanks.” With a wave, he ducked back out.
“Does this mean things are going to go back to normal?” Ryoma wondered out loud. Tezuka only looked at him but when Ryoma saw understanding lurking in the brown depths of Tezuka’s eyes, he felt reassured. Even if Tezuka would never say so, they both agreed being alone together was best.
*****
Momoshiro didn’t return to their apartment that night or the night after that. Tezuka finally returned the futon back to their neighbor, barely escaping a perfumed hug of death yet again. Ryoma took to challenging more opponents in every tennis court he passed, knowing his month-long hiatus from the pro circuit would end shortly. Not only did he enjoy the variety of players, but it also tested his malleability in matching up against others in different situations.
On the fourth blissful day alone, just as they sat down to eat, someone knocked on their door. Tezuka raised his eyebrows at Ryoma before standing to open it. Ryoma listened intently and heard Tezuka say, “Come in, Momoshiro, Tachibana-san.”
Stifling a groan at the peace and quiet he had just gotten used to again, Ryoma stood as Tezuka called his name. He shuffled to the living room where Momoshiro stood with Ann at his side, beaming. She clutched Momo’s arm like a life preserver but Momo didn’t seem to mind.
“I just wanted you two to be first to know that Ann has agreed to marry me,” Momo said, looking particularly pleased with himself.
Ann extended her left hand out where a diamond sparkled under the fluorescent light. “Isn’t it gorgeous? Takeshi picked it out by himself!”
Ryoma watched with disgust as his senpai reddened in pleasure. Tezuka shot him a stern look that clearly told him to behave before he said out loud, “Congratulations to you both, then. We should certainly celebrate this occasion.”
“How about we head over to Kawamura Sushi now?” Momo suggested. “I know it’s short notice but we can’t waste this moment! And we’d like to share it with the two people who’ve been so great to me.” He squeezed Ann’s waist gently. “To us both.”
Ryoma turned his head away before he saw the nauseatingly goofy expression the affianced couple shared with one another. “Buchou, do we have to?” he muttered pleadingly. All he wanted to do was eat the soba Tezuka had made and spend another quiet evening with him.
Tezuka slanted him another Look and Ryoma sighed in resignation. “We would be happy to. Let me just make sure the stove is turned off before we go. Echizen, would you please help me?”
Sighing, Ryoma dragged his feet back into the kitchen and helped Tezuka put the food away. “They’re acting like this is the first time they’ve ever gone out together,” he mumbled.
“You should let them be happy. They’ve come a long way for this.”
“I know,” Ryoma said. He really was happy for his senpai but he could do without the sappiness.
“In any case, it’s better than Momoshiro continuing to stay with us, isn’t it?” Tezuka pointed out.
Ryoma snorted. That was a definite yes.
“And I think we should do a bit of celebrating on our own later,” Tezuka added smoothly. “For helping the relationship get back on track. A private celebration between the two of us.”
Ryoma perked up. Private? He met Tezuka’s gaze and the heat in them made his stomach curl in anticipation. He decided maybe this celebration business wasn’t so bad after all.
Omake
As soon as Ryoma disembarked from the plane, he dialed the house number and waited impatiently for Tezuka to pick up the phone. When he finally did, Ryoma said, “Buchou? I just landed in Shanghai.”
“Echizen?”
Ryoma frowned. That definitely wasn’t Tezuka’s voice. Instead, it was someone else who seemed strangely familiar. The pit of his stomach churned uneasily. “Momo-senpai?” he asked cautiously.
“Yeah. So you’re in Shanghai? You’re back on tour, right? That’s so cool! How is it so far?”
Did he dial the right number? He was certain he had. And from the time difference, Ryoma knew Tezuka should be home from work by now. “Uh, Momo-senpai, what are you doing at my house?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. Um, Ann and I had another fight. But she’s wrong and I refuse to go back until she apologizes, too! Right, Echizen? Echizen? Echize-!”
Ryoma pressed the disconnect button, slipped the phone back in his pocket, and started walking rapidly to the exit, pretending the conversation never happened in the first place. There was no way he could go through another round of this. Tezuka would just have to deal with it on his own this time. He only hoped Tezuka would be rid of him before Ryoma came back home again.
Yeah, um, still don't like the ending to this but I guess it'll do for now. I'd appreciate any comments on what is still lacking in this fic! :)
Rating: PG
Category: Romance, Humor
Pairing: Tezu/Ryo, Momo/Ann
Word Count: 8,367
Warnings: Unbeta-ed, very slightly suggestive comments, slight character OOC
“You’re such a good friend to put up with me, Echizen,” Momoshiro babbled as they climbed the steps to reach Ryoma’s apartment. He shifted the strap of his overnight bag on his shoulder and grinned at his friend. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t offered to let me stay at your place for a while.”
“Funny, but I don’t remember asking you as much as you inviting yourself,” Ryoma muttered under his breath as he fished out his key. Tezuka was not going to be too thrilled about the invasion of their privacy, friend or no.
“Eh, what did you say?” Momo asked, pausing in mid-ramble.
“Nothing. Just take off your shoes as soon as we get in and whatever you do, don’t put a cup on the anything without a coaster.” Here goes, Ryoma thought grimly as he turned the knob and stepped in. The scent of miso reached his nose and he knew Tezuka was cooking dinner. “Tadaima!” he called.
“Okaeri,” a muffled voice called back from the kitchen.
Momo opened his mouth to call as well when he caught sight of Ryoma’s glare. “Don’t you dare,” he informed his senpai testily.
Tezuka stepped out from the kitchen, thankfully not wearing the striped pink apron Ryoma’s mother had bought for them when they first moved in together. “Dinner will be ready shortly,” he said before catching sight of Momo. His brows furrowed briefly as he took in the sheepish younger man and his bag before they smoothed out again, apparently understanding the situation. “Hello, Momoshiro.”
Ryoma watch Momo with interest, observing him blush faintly and stutter as he came face-to-face with his former tennis captain. “H-hi, Buchou,” Momo said weakly.
Tezuka flicked a brief glance in Ryoma’s direction before turning back to the kitchen. “I’m sure you’re both sweaty from your game. There’s time to clean up if you’d like,” he said. “Echizen, can you please come taste the soup for me?”
“Sure.” After showing Momo where the towels and shower were, Ryoma headed into the kitchen where Tezuka peered over a bubbling pot. Picking up the ladle, Ryoma dipped it in the soup and tasted the liquid. “Needs more seasoning,” he announced.
Tezuka gave him a Look. “I didn’t really ask you to come here so you could taste the soup,” he said but sprinkled more powder in.
“I know, but your miso soup always needs more dashi.” Ryoma tasted it again and made a face, reaching for the jar to add more.
Stopping the younger man before he added the entire container, Tezuka said sternly, “Echizen. What is Momoshiro doing in our apartment?”
Ryoma exhaled noisily and mumbled, “He needed a place to stay. He and his girlfriend had a fight about something silly and now they’re not talking and Momo-senpai refuses to go back home cause he said he’s right and she’s wrong.” Ryoma slanted Tezuka a speculative look. “Can we fight so we can make up?”
“No. Echizen, we don’t have a spare bedroom where he can sleep.”
Ryoma grimaced. “I told him that but he said he was willing to sleep on the floor because he said ‘I’m not going back until she apologizes’. Buchou, do all couples act as weird as Momo-senpai and his girlfriend? Cause Ann-san is about as likely to apologize as Monkey King is and Momo-senpai should know that better than anybody.”
Tezuka stifled a sigh and grabbed Ryoma’s wrist before he added in more dashi to the bubbling hot pot. “I see. Perhaps one of our neighbors has a futon we can borrow.” He looked at Ryoma. “He won’t go home until she apologizes?”
“That’s what he said,” Ryoma confirmed.
Tezuka frowned in consideration and grabbed Ryoma’s other hand before he dumped the contents of the entire jar of stock into the soup.
*****
Much to Ryoma’s distaste, Tezuka went to their next-door neighbor to borrow the futon. He scowled as he heard the faint voice of the neighbor’s teenage daughter answer the door and coo over Tezuka. Within a few minutes, Tezuka returned with his prize though he hadn’t gone unscathed; his clothes stank of the sickeningly sweet perfume the girl seemed to bathe in, which meant she must have given him a ‘friendly’, full, frontal body hug. Ryoma scowled harder.
Tezuka noticed his look but said nothing as he set the futon up on the biggest area in the living room. “Bring out a pillow and pillow case, Echizen,” he instructed without looking up. “And after you’re done taking a shower, I’m going to take one, too, so don’t use up all the hot water.”
At that admission, Ryoma smirked and headed to the linen closet where Tezuka carefully - or obsessively, in Ryoma’s opinion - kept their neatly folded extra blankets and pillows. Although Tezuka was too polite to say so, Ryoma knew he disliked the attention lavished on him by their neighbor’s daughter as well. As long as Tezuka was reminded of his aversion once in a while, Ryoma was content.
Momo was still in the shower, singing some ridiculous pop song at the top of his lungs. Pausing in mid-step on his way to the closet, Ryoma pounded on the door. “Hey!” he called. “Stop using all the hot water!”
To his satisfaction, Ryoma heard the water shut off a scant minute later. He brought the requested items back to Tezuka who had somehow made the limp futon into an inviting bed. “Heeh, you’re good at everything you do, aren’t you, Buchou?” he remarked, dumping the requested items on top of the comforter.
“Everything except cook miso soup to your satisfaction,” Tezuka remarked with a straight face.
Ryoma grinned and sidled closer, looking up at him through his lashes. “I only do that so you’ll hold my hand,” he said with a smirk.
Tezuka cupped Ryoma’s cheek, the briefest hint of amusement lurking in his eyes. “I know,” he murmured before bending down to kiss him.
Ryoma lost himself in the pleasant and always thrilling sensation of Tezuka’s lips on his. Not even the cloyingly sweet perfume of the neighbor’s daughter could overpower Tezuka’s natural male scent. He tilted his head to deepen the kiss when a voice interrupted the lovely haze. “Oi, Echizen, I think you’re out of shampoo. I used up all of this lavender scented stuff -- oh, gross!”
Reluctantly breaking apart, Ryoma glared at Momo who was wearingly only a towel and shielding his eyes with his arm, the empty shampoo bottle dangling from the raised hand. “You should look before you come into the room, Momo-senpai,” he said snappishly.
“Sorry, sorry. I didn’t think you guys … well, you know, kissed,” Momo said with a grimace. “Anyway, go ahead back to making out. I just wanted to tell you about your shampoo.” Turning his head away, he wiggled the empty bottle around before escaping back to the bathroom.
Ryoma turned to Tezuka. “Wasn’t that bottle half-full this morning?”
“Aa.” Tezuka’s expression didn’t change but Ryoma was annoyed enough for both of them.
“And wasn’t that your expensive salon shampoo that makes your hair really soft?”
“Aa.”
“We’ll just put it on his tab,” Ryoma muttered.
Tezuka headed back into the kitchen. “I’ll keep dinner warm. Take a shower as soon as Momoshiro is out but make it short.”
“Can you make Momo-senpai run laps until dinner is ready?”
“Echizen,” Tezuka said warningly. Ryoma smirked and ducked to their bedroom.
Momo finally appeared, fully dressed and faintly blushing. Ryoma hopped into the shower washed himself quickly, grimacing at the slightly tepid water flowing from the faucet. He scrubbed himself clean in record time. Once he was out, Tezuka took an even faster shower and they finally sat down to dinner.
“Wow, Buchou, you made all this?” Momo said in amazement as he surveyed his food. “This is amazing! I didn’t know you could cook!” He winked at Ryoma. “Luck you, eh, Echizen? Ann-chan, now she refused to cook for me. Said that we should split everything right down the middle. I told her I was too busy working and bringing home the money so we can live all right while she’s still in school and she got mad. Said that I was trying to oppress her blossoming independence against the male gender or something like that.”
Ryoma rolled his eyes, having heard all of Ann’s faults before on the walk home. “Itadakimasu,” he announced, picking up his chopsticks.
Tezuka picked up his chopsticks as well but Momo was on a roll and refused to stop. “And then she had the nerve to accuse me of being lazy around the house! Me, lazy! Can you imagine the nerve? As if I should be full of energy after working all day to provide for her and let her go to school! It’s not like I’m slacking around, doing nothing.” Momo looked between his companions as if seeking confirmation.
Ryoma moved his hand to pick up some tempura but a glare from Tezuka froze him. With a sigh, he set his utensil down and glowered at his rice bowl. “Che,” he muttered unhappily.
“Perhaps, Momoshiro, you should speak to her about how you feel,” Tezuka began.
“Oh, I did, Buchou!” Momo nodded vigorously before he slammed a fist down on the table so hard Ryoma’s chopsticks jumped. “And she refused to listen! Why I thought she was understanding and kind, I have no idea! Instead, she turns out to be as stubborn as … as stubborn as …” Momo’s eyes darted around to look for an idea and settled on Ryoma. “Echizen!” he finished triumphantly.
Ryoma looked unimpressed. “Che,” he said again. “Don’t blame us for your love life troubles, Momo-senpai. Can we please eat now?” He sent Tezuka a pleading look.
“Guests first, Echizen,” Tezuka reminded him.
“Oh, yeah, food! Itadakimasu! Thanks, Buchou!” To Ryoma’s relief, Momo picked up his chopsticks and dug in which meant Ryoma could do the same.
But he had either forgotten about Momo’s monstrous appetite or chosen to ignore it. Within ten minutes, all of the side dishes, which normally would have lasted both Ryoma and Tezuka a few days, were completely empty. Momo scraped up the last bit of rice in his bowl, ate it, and slumped against his chair with a satisfied sigh.
“Ahhh! I don’t know when I last had such a great meal. Ann-chan is an okay cook, but you’re amazing, Buchou. Maybe I should suggest she take lessons from you.”
Ryoma snorted although he couldn’t tear his incredulous gaze away from the empty dishes spread out on the table. How did a man eat so much and still look as lean as he had in middle school? So much for thinking it was puberty that made Momo hungry all the time.
“I’m sure Ann-san is more than an adequate cook,” Tezuka said quietly, shooting Ryoma a look so he would stop snickering. “In any case, you can help Echizen with the dishes. I have some work I need to finish up.”
“Sure, Buchou!” Momo sprang to his feet and started collecting dishes in a dangerous, teetering pile. Ryoma glanced at Tezuka with interest, amused to see the priceless look on his face. Tezuka tensed as Momo clinked the dishes together in a loud cacophony, unable to tear his gaze away as Momo walked into the kitchen with them.
Ryoma, stacked up the remaining dishes and breezed past Tezuka while saying, “You look a little pale there, Buchou. Maybe you should sit down for a bit.” He didn’t stop to see what Tezuka did but it was worth Momo’s intrusion to see the rare expression of unease in the older man’s eyes.
*****
Pitying Tezuka, Ryoma took over soaping and rinsing the dishes while Momo dutifully wiped them dry and set them back in its place in the cupboard. Once done, they headed into the living room and played video games while Tezuka read over contracts for work. A few hours later, when Tezuka finally put his work away, Ryoma glanced up from his position on the floor.
“Going to bed, Buchou?”
“Aa. I have an early morning tomorrow.”
Ryoma set his controller down, ignoring the squeak of pain from his avatar on the screen as he abandoned it. “Then I’m going to bed, too,” he announced.
Momo glanced up from pummeling Ryoma’s unmoving character in the game. “But Echizen, it’s only eleven!” he protested.
“Buchou has to go to bed early,” Ryoma informed him, as if that would explain everything.
But Momo didn’t get it. “So? We’ll be quiet and Buchou can sleep while we play some more.” He grinned sadistically. “I haven’t finished punishing you yet.”
“Che,” Ryoma muttered. “Good night, Momo-senpai.” He followed Tezuka into the bedroom, ignoring the older man call out.
“But Echizen, I’m not tired! What am I supposed to do by myself? Echizen? Echizen!”
In the quiet of their room, they changed into their pajamas. Ryoma then crawled onto the bed as Tezuka turned off the light and joined him under the blankets. Ryoma snuggled close to his side, draping an arm around Tezuka’s waist. “Maybe he’ll make up with Ann-san tomorrow,” he murmured, rubbing his face against Tezuka’s flannel shirt like a content cat.
“Perhaps he will.” The rumbling of Tezuka’s chest was familiar and comforting, drawing Ryoma into a soothing, drowsy world.
“But you don’t think so, right, Buchou?”
“It’s obvious he misses her, with the amount of times he’s brought her name up in the conversations,” Tezuka said. “But even if he misses her --”
“He won’t admit it,” Ryoma finished. He shifted slightly and felt Tezuka draw him closer against him. “Buchou, will we ever fight like that?”
“I don’t know, Echizen.”
“Let’s make a promise we won’t. We’ve never broken a promise to each other before, right?”
Ryoma could almost picture Tezuka smiling in the dark. “Aa, we haven’t.”
“Then let’s promise. All right?”
Ryoma felt a cool hand tilt his chin up as Tezuka kissed him gently. “It’s a promise.”
*****
Tezuka always rose early and Ryoma usually woke with him to at least kiss him goodbye. He lay in bed as he heard Tezuka take a shower and come back to change into a crisp business suit. Only when Tezuka pocketed his cell phone did Ryoma groan and slide out of bed. Together, they headed into the living room as usual, freezing in mid-step at the scene before him.
Momoshiro snoozed on the rug, back against the coffee table and curled up into a ball. The Wii controller lay abandoned in front of him as Mario froze on the screen with his perpetual mustache overtaking his face. An open bag of potato chips and a can of Ponta were kicked to the side, forgotten.
Ryoma surveyed his friend before snorting. “No wonder Ann-san kicked him out of the house. He is a slob.”
“Echizen,” Tezuka reprimanded. “I’ll start breakfast. Please wake Momoshiro up and clean up the living room.”
“But I didn’t do this,” Ryoma muttered, stomping over to nudge his guest. “Momo-senpai, wake up.”
Momo groaned, snorted, made a nasally sound, then went back to sleep contentedly.
Ryoma scowled and shook him harder. “Momo-senpai, wake up,” he said loudly.
“Five more minutes, Ann-chan,” Momo mumbled, snuggling against the coffee table leg.
“Argh.” Ryoma snatched up the soda can and chips before marching into the kitchen. The kitchen was enveloped in the scent of natto and fish, causing his stomach to rumble in anticipation as he threw the trash away. “He won’t wake up,” Ryoma announced.
Tezuka didn’t look up as he fried the mackerel. “Now you know how I feel at times,” he remarked blandly.
“Che,” Ryoma said sourly, opening the cupboard to remove a glass. He filled the cup with water and Tezuka glanced at him.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m going to fling this onto Momo-senpai,” Ryoma said, removing the cup from the faucet only when it was mostly full.
“Then you’ll have to clean the wet spots afterwards,” Tezuka pointed out.
“That’s all right. It’ll be worth it just to see his face.” With an evil smirk, Ryoma took the glass to the living room and spilled the entire contents of the cup onto Momo’s face.
Momo shot straight up as if someone had lit his feet under fire. “Who, what?” he shouted, glancing around wildly. “What am I doing here? This isn’t my house.”
Ryoma rolled his eyes. “Of course not. Don’t you remember? You and Ann-san had a fight and you came here.”
“Oooh, right.” Momo sighed and frowned at his wet clothes. “Did you throw water on me, Echizen?”
“Yes.”
“Why? I was having such a nice dream about Ann …”
Ryoma noticed the unhappy, faraway look in his senpai’s eyes and almost felt sorry for him. But really, it was Momo’s fault for being so stubborn. If only he would swallow his pride long enough to apologize.
Vaguely aware he was being a little hypocritical, Ryoma sighed deeply. “Look, Momo-senpai, if you miss her that much, why don’t you call her and just talk things out? Are you really going to keep up this stupid fight?”
Momo shook himself and gazed up at Ryoma, his hair glistening from the drops of water thrown at his head. “No way, Echizen,” he said firmly, the mask back in place once more. “If I give in now, she’ll have won and I can’t have her thinking that, now can I? She’s just gotta learn her place and that’s all there is to it.”
Ryoma opened his mouth to argue but was interrupted as Tezuka called, “Momoshiro, Echizen, breakfast is ready.” They shuffled to the table obediently and Ryoma dropped the subject for now. He wasn’t good at this relationship counseling business, anyway.
After eating, Tezuka picked up his briefcase and leaned over to kiss Ryoma. He stopped suddenly and slanted a quick glance in Momo’s direction who was staring at them with unabashed interest. Tezuka leaned back and murmured, “I’ll see you this evening.”
“Che,” Ryoma muttered, watching Tezuka close the door behind him. An arm suddenly snaked around his neck as Momo gave him a hard noogie.
“So, Echizen! I don’t have to work until later. What now?”
“Ow! That hurts, Momo-senpai!” Struggling out of his grasp, Ryoma glared at him. “I’m going to clean up the breakfast dishes, take a shower and go run some errands.”
“Errands! That’s good. I’ll take a quick shower while you’re cleaning up. Then we’ll go out and do your errands.” Grinning broadly, Momo headed towards the bathroom.
“Fine, but don’t use up all the hot water,” Ryoma said in irritation. He sighed as he noticed the pile of dishes, far more than usual. “Having house guests suck,” he muttered before clearing the table off.
By the time Ryoma finished doing the dishes and wiped the table clean, Momo still hadn’t finished his shower. More annoyed than ever, Ryoma pounded on the door. “Momo-senpai! You’re taking too long!”
“Relax, Echizen! I’m almost done. Beauty like mine doesn’t come without work, you know!” Momo’s disembodied voice drifted from behind the door.
“Che. You’ll need more time than that if you want to be passable,” Ryoma muttered, stomping back to his room to pull out some fresh clothes. When Momo finally stepped out of the bathroom ten minutes later, Ryoma slipped inside and turned on the shower. Freezing needles of water stung his skin, almost burning hot. Cursing, Ryoma stayed under for as long as he could before he ducked out.
Twenty minutes later, a disgruntled Ryoma and a cheerful Momo left the apartment. “Ne, Echizen, what errand do you need to do first?”
“We need to go to the drug store to pick up the shampoo you used up,” Ryoma said pointedly, “then the grocery store to replace all the food you ate.”
“Okay,” Momo said agreeably, obviously not getting the hint. “And then what?”
Ryoma smirked at him, figuring he’d work out his aggravation out on the courts. “Then I beat you in tennis.”
At that, a large grin spread across his face. “Not this time you won’t!”
After going to the drug store and buying the shampoo - Momo’s brows rose way up when he saw the price and commented he and Buchou must be living like kings if they could afford such luxuries - they headed to the grocery store. Ryoma bought a case of Ponta and several bags of fresh vegetables, Tezuka’s tea, soy bean paste, and some frozen seafood. Momo insisted on paying for it but Ryoma declined the offer; even if he was being stubborn about his girlfriend, Momo was still a good friend. Sometimes.
After putting the groceries away at home, they took off for the nearest tennis court and played past lunch time. Then they went out and ate a nearby noodle bar before heading off to the sports store to browse the newest tennis equipment.
It was almost three when they finally left the store and headed home, hands full again with supplies. As they strode back, Momo sighed in satisfaction. “I miss this, Echizen. You know, men hanging out together. Before, I couldn’t do anything because I had to spend all my time with Ann.”
Ryoma decided not to point out that Momo actually chose to attach himself to Ann’s side and half-listened as the older man rambled on.
“But now … now, I feel like I’ve been really freed from a leash, yah know? I didn’t know how confined I was until today. Today, I didn’t get nagged at - well, except you and the shower, you’re like a girl about that - and I could do whatever I wanted. I can get used to this life, I really can.”
“Uh huh,” Ryoma said skeptically. He remembered Momo-senpai saying something about getting used to being a couple when he first started going out with Ann. “So you’re going to break up with Ann-san, then?”
Momo looked startled at the question and stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. He blinked a few times at Echizen. “Why, what makes you think that?” he asked slowly.
Ryoma stopped and turned sideways to stare at his friend. “Because you were just saying how much you love your freedom,” he pointed out. “It sounds like you want to be single again. No Ann-san at all in the picture,” he added meaningfully.
Momo blinked a few more times before forcing a laugh as he started walking again. “Ah, Echizen, you’re so crazy. You’ll understand relationships when you’re older.”
Scowling at the patronizing tone, Ryoma muttered, “I’m only a year younger than you. And I’ve been in a relationship longer than you have.”
“Echizen, Echizen, it’s different. Your relationship with Buchou isn’t like other people.”
“Yeah, because we actually act sane,” Ryoma mumbled. They headed up the stairs and Ryoma unlocked the door to the apartment. “What time do you have to be at work by?”
“By four. Ack, look at the time, I’m going to be late!” Momo raced for the bathroom, throwing his bags to one side of the room as he zipped past. “Echizen, do your senpai a favor and make him a sandwich to eat on the way to work, eh? I like ham and turkey with provolone cheese on multi-grain wheat and a touch of mustard.”
Ryoma positively glowered as the bathroom door shut before he could protest. Setting his bags down next to the couch, he pulled out his phone and dialed Tezuka’s office as he stomped into the kitchen. It rang twice before someone picked it up.
“Tezuka.”
“Buchou, Momo-senpai is driving me nuts,” he said bluntly. “I want him out.”
“I agree he should make up with Tachibana-san but there is nothing we can do in particular.” Tezuka paused before adding, “However, I did call her and tell her where Momoshiro was staying.”
“Did you also tell her to come get his lazy butt here?” Ryoma shouldered the phone and opened the refrigerator and pulled out the necessary ingredients as he spoke. “Because he’s starting to treat me like his girlfriend.”
“Is he now?” Tezuka sounded amused which made Ryoma scowl harder.
“Yes. I can understand if Ann-san doesn’t want him back but I want him out and the only way to do that is for them to make up.”
“She explained the situation to me and thought it was a good idea for Momoshiro to spend a few days with us.”
“A few days?!”
“It won’t be forever, Echizen. He already misses her.”
Ryoma thought back to Momo’s ashen face when he had asked if Momoshiro was going to dump Ann-san. “I guess so,” he muttered, slathering on the mustard.
“Being a friend is difficult sometimes, isn’t it?”
“You seem to be taking this more easily than I expected,” Ryoma commented sourly as he slapped several slices of ham and turkey together on the bread.
The smile was evident in Tezuka’s voice as he spoke. “He is a former teammate and still your best friend. Of course I would do what I can to help him.”
“Yeah, well, he’s soon going to be a dead best friend if he doesn’t get his act together soon,” Ryoma mumbled.
“I’ll see you later tonight, Echizen.”
“Yeah.” Ryoma plopped the bread on top of the meat and slid it into a sandwich bag. Tossing his phone onto the counter, he wandered out just as Momoshiro ran out of the bathroom, now dressed in athletic clothes. “Thanks, Echizen, I owe you!” he called, grabbing the bag from his hand as he raced out the door. “I’ll be home late tonight so don’t wait up for me!”
“Che. As if we would,” Ryoma muttered.
*****
Later that night as they snuggled in bed, Ryoma suddenly remembered something. “We have to let Momo-senpai inside,” he said sleepily.
“I stopped by his work earlier and gave him a key,” Tezuka said. His chest rumbled comfortably under Ryoma’s ear. “Since it seems as though he might be staying with us for a while.”
“Don’t remind me. What did Ann-san say?”
“She thought Momoshiro needed to spend some time with his friends for a while. He had been rather moody and depressed lately, and it may be he needed a change of pace. Their relationship has gotten intense and I think he is feeling uncertain about this sudden change. Has he talked to you about it?”
“No. He acted as though he loved hanging out today but when I asked him if he was going to break up with Ann-san, he got flustered and didn’t answer the question.” Ryoma scowled. “Called me a kid.”
“Aren’t you?” Tezuka asked, amused.
“Don’t you start,” Ryoma said sourly.
Tezuka chuckled and Ryoma snuggled even closer to him. “Momo-senpai is okay to hang around with,” he murmured, “but I can’t wait until he’s gone so we can have the place to ourselves again.”
“Aa.”
“Do you think you’ll ever need space from me?”
“Like now, you mean?” Tezuka asked dryly, indicating Ryoma’s body which was practically draped over his.
“Che,” Ryoma muttered and turned his back towards Tezuka, miffed at the response.
But Tezuka rolled with him and wrapped an arm around his waist, his chest against Ryoma’s back. “You didn’t let me finish.” He brought his mouth closer to Ryoma’s ear, his hot, minty breath curling enticingly over the sensitive lobe. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Good answer,” Ryoma huffed but relented when Tezuka’s hand traveled under his shirt to caress his stomach. He shivered as the warm fingerpads trailed up his chest. At the same time, hot lips skimmed the whorl of his ear and Ryoma willingly turned over to kiss Tezuka hungrily on the lips. Their mouths melded together, tongues melding in a familiar dance as their hands slid and touched each other eagerly.
They stopped abruptly as they heard the front door open and the unmistakable whistle of their house guest as he slammed the door shut. Moments later, the rattle of dishes reached their ears and a faint, “Itadakimasu!”
Groaning, Ryoma turned and buried his face in the pillow. The mood was gone; there was no way they were going to go any farther tonight, not with Momo gorging on a midnight snack right outside their bedroom door. “He has to have the worst timing possible,” he groused.
Tezuka chuckled quietly. “Good night, Echizen.”
*****
Four days later, Ryoma decided that if he took one more cold shower (for more than one reason) or if he had to go shopping yet again for food or buy more shampoo, a certain senpai was going to be banished from the bathroom forever, if not the apartment. Really, he didn’t mind Momo as a friend but Ryoma had not signed up for a second roommate when all he needed was one.
“No privacy,” he muttered to Tezuka as they cooked breakfast together. Momo slept on in the living room, unaware of the conversation in the kitchen, though he did sneeze once. “No warm water, no snuggling, no leftovers! How much longer do we have to put up with him?”
“Until he’s ready to admit he was wrong,” Tezuka said calmly.
Ryoma glared at him. It was easy for Tezuka to say that, considering he escaped to work every day. “That’ll be forever! I can’t wait that long!”
“I’m certain he’ll come around eventually. In the meantime, Echizen, I need you to run to the grocery story again today, if you want yakitori for dinner tonight.”
“Our food bill is going through the roof,” Ryoma said grumpily. “Where does he put it all?”
Tezuka didn’t say anything which probably meant he was wondering the same thing. Satisfied by that unspoken concession, they carried the dishes over to the table and Ryoma went to wake their guest.
Only Momo didn’t want to awaken and after long moments of prodding, poking, and raising his voice, Ryoma finally gave up, exasperated. Stomping back to the kitchen, Ryoma muttered, “He won’t get up.”
Tezuka said mildly, “No more water thrown in the face. Let him sleep, he came in late last night. He can have leftovers when he wakes up.”
After being deprived of having an intimate breakfast for two for days, Ryoma didn’t complain. He slid into his usual seat across from Tezuka and pretended Momoshiro wasn’t snoring in their living room.
Their conversation was mostly idle but Ryoma relished the usual morning routine he suddenly realized he missed. Once he finished eating, Tezuka picked up his briefcase and kissed Ryoma goodbye - another thing he missed. “I’ll see you later this evening. What are you two going to do today?”
The younger man shrugged. “I don’t know. Momo-senpai is off tonight so we may just go watch a movie or something.”
“All right, then. And Echizen, try to be a little more patient. What Momoshiro needs now, more than ever, is a friend to listen to him, even if he knows what he needs to do.”
“Che,” Ryoma muttered. Why his senpai thought he would find sympathy from him was beyond understanding.
As if reading his mind, Tezuka’s lips quirked up in a semblance of a smile and he left.
By the time Ryoma finished up the dishes, took a warm shower for the first time in days, and dressed, Momoshiro was up. But instead of being in the kitchen and raiding the refrigerator as Ryoma expected, he was sitting on the edge of the futon, feet flat on the floor, hands clasped, and staring down at them. He didn’t even look up when Ryoma walked out of the bedroom and offered him a wary hello, surprised by the sudden change in behavior.
“Morning, Echizen,” he said dully.
“There’s leftovers for you in the kitchen,” Ryoma said, eying his friend cautiously.
“Yeah. Thanks,” he murmured.
Exhaling noisily, Ryoma wondered why his senpai had to take the opportunity to break down on him now when Tezuka had left not thirty minutes ago. Surely Tezuka was better at this sort of thing than he was.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, Ryoma muttered, “Want to talk about what’s bothering you?”
Finally, Momoshiro looked up and plastered what was obviously a fake grin on his face. “What? Noooo, why?”
“Because you haven’t used up all the hot water and shampoo and because you haven’t eaten breakfast yet,” Ryoma said pointedly. “So, what are you thinking about?”
Ryoma’s blunt words seemed to have an effect because Momo’s façade broke down instantly and he went back to staring at his hands. “It’s about Ann,” he mumbled.
Ryoma snorted. As if he hadn’t seen that one coming. Still, he made an effort to ask, “What about her?” even though all he wanted to do was run away and pretend they really weren’t talking about relationships and feelings. Vaguely, he wondered if Oishi-senpai was in the area. The former mother of Seigaku was definitely better suited to this job.
“I messed up with her,” Momo admitted starkly. “She just asked me to cook dinner for once and I blew it out of proportion. I … she …” Momoshiro took a deep breath as if to steady his nerves before looking up at Ryoma. “She’s talking about the ‘m’ word, Echizen!”
Ryoma blinked at his friend. “The what word?”
“The ‘m’ word!” At Ryoma’s continued blank stare, Momo burst out, “Marriage! She’s talking about marriage, Echizen!”
“Oh.” Ryoma thought about that for a moment before nodding. “Okay, and?”
Momoshiro stared at him as if Ryoma declared his eternal love for Inui juice. “What do you mean ‘and’? It’s marriage, Echizen, marriage!” Obviously too agitated to sit still any longer, he lurched to his feet and began pacing in short, tight circles around the futon. The frown marring his usual cheerful expression seemed out of place and accentuated the worry that flashed in his dark eyes. “Marriage,” he muttered to himself. “She wants to get married.”
Ryoma sighed inwardly, wishing he was out on the tennis court instead of here watching his senpai prowl around like a volatile predator. “What about it? You love her, don’t you?”
“That’s not the issue, Echizen! I mean, how would you feel if Tezuka-buchou proposed to you?” Momo snapped.
Considering that idea for a long moment, Ryoma finally shrugged. “I’d be okay with it. Except we couldn’t get married in Japan.”
Momo shot his friend another plaintive you-are-out-of-your-mind stare before doubling his pacing speed and muttering to himself about guys who just didn’t understand.
Starting to get impatient, Ryoma pointed out, “It’s not as if anything’s going to really change, is it? You’ll still be living together and stuff. It’ll just be written down on paper.”
“Wrong,” Momo said flatly. “Haven’t you heard that song? First comes love, then comes marriage. And then comes a baby in a carriage!”
Ryoma still didn’t see the problem. “What’s wrong with that? You like kids, Momo-senpai. Half your neighborhood kids think you’re the best.”
“But it’ll be my kid. I could screw up someone’s life completely! I can’t handle that kind of responsibility. Oh, no, I think I need to throw up.” Legs collapsing beneath him, Momoshiro sprawled onto the floor in an inelegant heap, looking decidedly green.
“Don’t throw up!” Ryoma warned. “I’m the one who’s going to have to clean it!” He disappeared into the kitchen and returned moments later with a large mixing bowl. “Here, throw up in this if you have to,” he instructed, holding it out to the older man.
Wordlessly, Momo took it and sat on the ground, staring into nothing. “Echizen, what do I do?” he whispered.
Ryoma almost squirmed at the helpless, lost look that flitted across his senpai’s face. He tried to figure out exactly what to say that would be helpful, if not understanding, about the situation. “Why don’t you talk to her?” he finally asked. Oishi first, and then Tezuka, seemed really big on talking things out. Personally, Ryoma didn’t see the point most of the time but it made Oishi stop worrying so much and it pleased Tezuka so he did it.
Momo seemed to agree with his sentiment because he shook his head. “I can’t talk to her about this. She’ll dump me for sure.”
Ryoma snorted. “Oh, and I’m sure she’s loving the silent treatment you’re giving her right now.” Momo flinched but didn’t say anything. “Look, Momo-senpai, if you’re not ready to give Ann-san up, you had better figure out what you want fast. And doesn’t it really come down to one thing? You need to know if you want her enough to face marriage and kids and all that mushy couple-y stuff you guys do.”
Momoshiro looked up before he slowly nodded. “Yeah, I guess you’re right,” he said finally. “Look, Echizen, I know you really enjoy hanging out with me and all but I think I need some time to clear my head. I think I’m just going to go for a walk, all right?”
Ryoma nodded, so busy trying to hide his relief that he didn’t snipe back. He was just grateful he didn’t have to talk about this any longer. “Fine. But before you do that, maybe you should change into some regular clothes first?”
Momoshiro looked down and chuckled ruefully. “I guess so.” He brightened up as he added, “Hey, did you say there was leftovers in the kitchen?”
Rolling his eyes at the predictable turn of conversation, Ryoma nodded. “Yeah, Buchou left it out on the kitchen counter.” He snorted inwardly as Momo rushed into the kitchen, calling out how he was suddenly famished. “Quick recovery,” he muttered.
After finishing off the leftovers from breakfast and scarfing down two apples, a liter of milk, and some green tea mochi ice cream, Momoshiro took a shower, complained about the cold water, and left for his thinking walk. Alone, Ryoma cleaned up the dishes and went out to the grocery store.
As he pushed the cart, Ryoma dialed Tezuka’s number with one hand and shouldered the cell phone as the call connected. Precisely after the second ring, the familiar voice intoned, “Tezuka.”
“I think Momo-senpai may go back home tonight, Buchou.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. He’s taking a walk to think things through. He’s finally faced the fact that he got scared and was looking for a way out of the situation.”
Tezuka sounded bemused as he commented, “That’s rather a profound remark coming from you, Echizen.”
“Che.” Ryoma stopped the cart by the dairy section and tossed in a carton of milk. “We’ll have the apartment to ourselves again soon. I guess all Momo-senpai really needed was someone to tell him the obvious.”
“I see. You were a very good friend to him, Echizen. I’m sure Momoshiro appreciates that.”
“As long as he doesn’t move in permanently.” Ryoma paused by the ice cream section and threw in some more mochi to replace the ones Momo had eaten. “I think we should celebrate, though, Buchou.”
“Really. What did you have in mind?”
The subtle thread of amusement wasn’t lost on Ryoma and he smirked into the phone, earning an odd look from a passing fellow shopper. “Maybe finishing what we started a few days ago, for one.”
“Hmm. Anything else?”
“Oh, yes. A lot more,” Ryoma reassured him.
“I look forward to it,” Tezuka said before breaking the connection.
*****
Finally sated and comfortable, Ryoma was drifting off to sleep when Tezuka suddenly moved, sliding out of bed. “Mmng?” he protested drowsily.
“Go back to sleep.” In his befuddled brain, Tezuka’s voice sounded deeper and so soothing that he wanted to obey. He vaguely heard the bedroom door open, revealing a bloom of light from the living room. “Momoshiro,” Tezuka said gravely just before he shut the door, allowing the soothing darkness to surround Ryoma again.
He woke up again to feel Tezuka sliding back into bed and shifting the covers over himself. Hazily, he wondered what time it was before dismissing the question as unimportant. Snuggling closer to the familiar warmth, Ryoma mumbled, “Sleep now?”
Tezuka pressed his lips against Ryoma’s head. “Aa, sleep now.”
In the morning, it took Ryoma twice as long to drag himself out of bed. Moaning his displeasure, he forced himself to his feet and stumbled to the bathroom, ignoring Tezuka’s bemused look as the older man finished buttoning his dress shirt.
Ryoma blindly went through his morning cleaning routine, waking up at the very end but still grumpy. Tezuka slipped his cell phone in his pocket and left the bedroom with Ryoma shuffling behind him.
The smell of bacon and eggs assaulted his nose and Ryoma paused next to Tezuka to peer into the kitchen. Momoshiro, for once, was up early and seizing command of a hissing fry pan. Using a ladle, he flipped the pancake over with a flick of his wrist to cook the other side.
Ryoma blinked twice, leaned against Tezuka, and asked, “Is Momo-senpai wearing the pink apron?”
“Aa.” Tezuka’s voice betrayed no emotion whatsoever, which meant he was probably amused. Ryoma knew he himself was; seeing his friend in a striped pink apron wasn’t something he saw every day.
Hearing their voices, Momoshiro glanced back. “Ohayo!” he called out cheerfully. “Sit down, Buchou, Echizen! I’ve got breakfast under control and we’ll be eating in a few minutes!”
“Echizen, set the table, please,” Tezuka said quietly, heading over to the cupboard to pull out dishes.
“I’ve even got your tea ready, Buchou, so don’t worry,” Momo boomed. Apparently deeming the pancake done, he transferred it to a plate next to the frying pan and poured the last of the batter into the hot saucer.
Within a few minutes, Momoshiro finished cooking his pancakes and brought the huge stack over to the table where Ryoma and Tezuka laid out the rest of the food. Plopping down into his seat, Momo slumped back. “Whew! That took a lot of work! I’ve got a lot more respect for you now, Buchou. Cooking all this took forever.” He shot Ryoma an apologetic look. “Sorry, Echizen, but my cooking skills are reduced to western breakfasts.”
Ryoma shrugged, surveying the table. The eggs didn’t look so bad, if a little watery. And some of the bacon seemed to have sat longer in the fry pan than others, looking crispier than usual, but that was all right. Even the pancakes looked good and hot. A bowl of fresh fruit and their usual drinks completed the meal.
“Thank you for cooking, Momoshiro,” Tezuka said. “But you didn’t have to. You are a guest here.”
Momo brushed off his words with a wave of his hand. “It’s just a small thank you for the talk you gave me yesterday.”
Talk? Ryoma didn’t know they had talked. And how come Momo was thanking Tezuka but not him?
“I’m sure things will work out for the best, Momoshiro,” Tezuka said quietly. “And if you need to talk some more, I will make myself available.”
Momo nodded. “Thanks, Buchou.” He then turned to Ryoma. “And thanks, Echizen, for being such a good friend the past week. Even if you did beat me in tennis without mercy every time we played.”
Ryoma smirked. “Mada mada dane, Momo-senpai.”
“Hmph. Well, I guess I’m doing this just to say thanks to you both for putting up with me and all. But Ann and I are going to meet tonight and talk things through. Sooo … thanks. Itadakimasu!”
“Itadakimasu!” Ryoma and Tezuka echoed and stared down at the food arrayed over the table.
The food wasn’t half bad, Ryoma reflected as he cautiously tasted the eggs and took a bite of a particularly crispy strip of bacon. At least, not for a western breakfast. No wonder Ann-san wanted him to cook once in a while. He finished breakfast and, with Tezuka’s help, brought all the empty dishes to the sink to be washed. Tezuka carefully rolled up his sleeves and began to clean them while Ryoma dried.
“When did you talk to Momo-senpai?” he asked, wiping a plate dry. Once done, he stood on his toes and placed the dish back with the other ones.
Tezuka glanced at him. “Last night, while you were asleep. He came back late and we spoke for a while.”
“Oh.” Ryoma vaguely recalled waking up as Tezuka got out of bed. “So … he told you about Ann-san and marriage and stuff?”
“Aa.”
“Better you than me, then.”
Tezuka’s lips quirked briefly. “He also happened to mention that you wouldn’t be opposed to a marriage proposal.”
Ryoma’s head shot towards Tezuka so fast he nearly missed the glint of amusement twinkling behind Tezuka’s glasses. “What? I never …” He scowled once he saw the teasing look. “That was mean,” he said accusingly.
“But very worth the look on your face.”
“Che,” Ryoma muttered, scrubbing harder at a cup to avoid any further embarrassment.
Momo poked his head in to the kitchen. “Buchou, Echizen, I’ve got the early shift today so I’m heading off to work. Wish me luck for tonight?”
“Good luck and good riddance,” Ryoma muttered. Tezuka shot him a disapproving look before he nodded to Momo.
“Please let us know how it turns out. And Momoshiro, remember to be honest with yourself and with Tachibana-san.”
Momo nodded. “Yeah, Buchou, I’ll remember. Thanks.” With a wave, he ducked back out.
“Does this mean things are going to go back to normal?” Ryoma wondered out loud. Tezuka only looked at him but when Ryoma saw understanding lurking in the brown depths of Tezuka’s eyes, he felt reassured. Even if Tezuka would never say so, they both agreed being alone together was best.
*****
Momoshiro didn’t return to their apartment that night or the night after that. Tezuka finally returned the futon back to their neighbor, barely escaping a perfumed hug of death yet again. Ryoma took to challenging more opponents in every tennis court he passed, knowing his month-long hiatus from the pro circuit would end shortly. Not only did he enjoy the variety of players, but it also tested his malleability in matching up against others in different situations.
On the fourth blissful day alone, just as they sat down to eat, someone knocked on their door. Tezuka raised his eyebrows at Ryoma before standing to open it. Ryoma listened intently and heard Tezuka say, “Come in, Momoshiro, Tachibana-san.”
Stifling a groan at the peace and quiet he had just gotten used to again, Ryoma stood as Tezuka called his name. He shuffled to the living room where Momoshiro stood with Ann at his side, beaming. She clutched Momo’s arm like a life preserver but Momo didn’t seem to mind.
“I just wanted you two to be first to know that Ann has agreed to marry me,” Momo said, looking particularly pleased with himself.
Ann extended her left hand out where a diamond sparkled under the fluorescent light. “Isn’t it gorgeous? Takeshi picked it out by himself!”
Ryoma watched with disgust as his senpai reddened in pleasure. Tezuka shot him a stern look that clearly told him to behave before he said out loud, “Congratulations to you both, then. We should certainly celebrate this occasion.”
“How about we head over to Kawamura Sushi now?” Momo suggested. “I know it’s short notice but we can’t waste this moment! And we’d like to share it with the two people who’ve been so great to me.” He squeezed Ann’s waist gently. “To us both.”
Ryoma turned his head away before he saw the nauseatingly goofy expression the affianced couple shared with one another. “Buchou, do we have to?” he muttered pleadingly. All he wanted to do was eat the soba Tezuka had made and spend another quiet evening with him.
Tezuka slanted him another Look and Ryoma sighed in resignation. “We would be happy to. Let me just make sure the stove is turned off before we go. Echizen, would you please help me?”
Sighing, Ryoma dragged his feet back into the kitchen and helped Tezuka put the food away. “They’re acting like this is the first time they’ve ever gone out together,” he mumbled.
“You should let them be happy. They’ve come a long way for this.”
“I know,” Ryoma said. He really was happy for his senpai but he could do without the sappiness.
“In any case, it’s better than Momoshiro continuing to stay with us, isn’t it?” Tezuka pointed out.
Ryoma snorted. That was a definite yes.
“And I think we should do a bit of celebrating on our own later,” Tezuka added smoothly. “For helping the relationship get back on track. A private celebration between the two of us.”
Ryoma perked up. Private? He met Tezuka’s gaze and the heat in them made his stomach curl in anticipation. He decided maybe this celebration business wasn’t so bad after all.
Omake
As soon as Ryoma disembarked from the plane, he dialed the house number and waited impatiently for Tezuka to pick up the phone. When he finally did, Ryoma said, “Buchou? I just landed in Shanghai.”
“Echizen?”
Ryoma frowned. That definitely wasn’t Tezuka’s voice. Instead, it was someone else who seemed strangely familiar. The pit of his stomach churned uneasily. “Momo-senpai?” he asked cautiously.
“Yeah. So you’re in Shanghai? You’re back on tour, right? That’s so cool! How is it so far?”
Did he dial the right number? He was certain he had. And from the time difference, Ryoma knew Tezuka should be home from work by now. “Uh, Momo-senpai, what are you doing at my house?”
“Huh? Oh, yeah. Um, Ann and I had another fight. But she’s wrong and I refuse to go back until she apologizes, too! Right, Echizen? Echizen? Echize-!”
Ryoma pressed the disconnect button, slipped the phone back in his pocket, and started walking rapidly to the exit, pretending the conversation never happened in the first place. There was no way he could go through another round of this. Tezuka would just have to deal with it on his own this time. He only hoped Tezuka would be rid of him before Ryoma came back home again.
Yeah, um, still don't like the ending to this but I guess it'll do for now. I'd appreciate any comments on what is still lacking in this fic! :)