This was the result of a prompt phrase. The phrase is stated at the end of the fic.

No Rest for the Wicked (Prince of Tennis)

By Haruka (email: haruka at ymail dot com)

Mizuki Hajime was tired. Not the pleasantly-tired that came after a hard tennis practice, or the brain-tired that followed studying volumes of data he collected on rival teams. He was the kind of tired that resulted from not getting enough sleep. He enjoyed being the center of attention, but over the past several days, it seemed that everyone wanted a piece of him, and the parts left over for himself were growing thin.

As manager of the St. Rudolph tennis team, as well as one of their star players, he needed to be 100% at all times. It was difficult to inspire the team members if he was yawning on the bench, or worse, on the court itself. It might also cause an opposing team to ridicule him, and that was something Mizuki could not abide.

However, what he could tolerate even less was the idea that Fuji Yuuta might think he was losing interest in being his personal trainer. No, scratch that. It would be much worse if Fuji SYUUSUKE got that impression. He wanted Yuuta's big brother to remember always that he, Mizuki, was closer to Yuuta and was a bigger influence on him than the tensai from Seigaku. It pleased him greatly to have Yuuta look to him for guidance and approval, when Syuusuke yearned so much to be that important figure in his little brother's life.

Perhaps it wouldn't be that way if Syuusuke hadn't gone all Yakuza on him after their last tennis match. Now he enjoyed any opportunity to remind the other boy that Yuuta wanted nothing to do with him.

If that meant a little lost shut-eye invested in extra training, so be it. Unfortunately, it seemed that sleep-debt was catching up with him, and he no longer had the energy to outrun it.

"Mizuki-san, watch out!"

The wavy-haired boy stopped abruptly, blinking at the wall that was less than two inches from his nose. He'd been about to walk right into it.

"Are you all right?" Yuuta asked, studying his face with concern. "There are circles under your eyes."

There were?! Mizuki was horrified and wondered how many others had noticed. He ducked his head enough to hide the offending smudges – he didn't like to appear anything less than perfect in public. "I suppose I'm just a little bit tired, Yuuta-kun. Nothing to worry about."

"You should take care of yourself," Yuuta said firmly. "Aniki used to say –" He stopped himself, but whether it was because he remembered he didn't care what his brother said or because he knew Mizuki certainly wouldn't, the other boy didn't know.

Mizuki gave him a weary smile and patted his arm. "I'll be fine. But maybe I'll just go to my room for a catnap –" He turned around and once more almost met the wall with his face.

"Come with me." Yuuta took his arm and began pulling his senpai along with uncharacteristic force. He managed to keep Mizuki on his feet all the way to his dorm room, where he sat him on the bed.

"You know, you spend so much time taking care of all of us on the team that you've been neglecting yourself," Yuuta scolded mildly, bending down to pull off Mizuki's shoes. "You're going to sleep as long as you need to – we'll manage without you for a while."

"Manage, yes, but how well?" Mizuki murmured, unable to hold back a yawn, although he tried to hide it. When Yuuta pushed him back gently onto his pillows by the shoulders, the older boy didn't fight him. Yuuta was pulling up the covers over him when his cell phone rang.

"Excuse me, Mizuki-san." Yuuta pulled out the phone and looked at the read-out. "It's Aniki," he sighed.

Mizuki held out his hand. "Give it to me."

It didn't occur to Yuuta to disobey, and Mizuki spoke into the phone. "Hello, Fuji Syuusuke," he said, struggling now to keep his eyes open just a little longer. "Are you surprised … to hear me … *yawn* … answering your brother's cell phone? Well, since we're here … here alone … in … my … bed—zzzz."

Yuuta carefully slipped the phone out of Mizuki's unresisting hand and lifted it to his ear. "I'm sorry, Aniki," he whispered, not wanting to awaken Mizuki now that he was getting much-needed rest. "I can't talk right now."

Heedless of what his brother might misconstrue from Mizuki's drowsy statements, Yuuta closed the phone and put it away. He brushed the wayward lock of hair that Mizuki often twirled in his fingers off the other boy's forehead and smiled. His senpai, manager, and teammate might be a conniving user most of the time, but he respected him and owed him a lot. He was glad for this chance to trade places, and take care of him for a change.

(Prompt phrase – Sleeping Beauty)

(2005)

Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi.

This fic is not to be re-posted.