A/N: There is a poll on my profile that I would like some people to answer just in case I manage to find some time to work on my fanfiction while school is going on. And also, there is a question I would like people to answer when they review.
Title: Definitely Interesting
Summary: Well. This is awkward don't you think? I mean really, Ryoga's still here you know, and he's ready to blow a gasket just because of these three. You two aren't helping things at all you know! Oh come on, can someone control my overprotective older brother here before he goes crazy on us all?! Oh well, at least it's definitely an interesting way to start the new year…
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis. The anime and its canon characters belong to their rightful owners.
"How much longer are we going to have to deal with him?" Fuji sighed, slumping down in one of the kitchen chairs as Tezuka and Sanada followed his example.
"Sorry about him," Ryoma apologized, looking sheepish even as he was getting some ice water for the three. "He's a little…"
"Insane?"
"Scary?"
"Overprotective?"
"All three I guess," Ryoma chuckled, glancing over at his boyfriends as they practically melted into jelly. "What did he have you do this time around? It's been six days now and tomorrow's New Year's for Kami's sake," he complained, passing three glasses over to them.
"Threatened us into oblivion again and set to chasing us all around town," Tezuka explained, gratefully taking the glass and downing the water immediately.
"That's good," Fuji sighed in relief, feeling the cool water going down his throat. "A little creepy, but it feels nice after the run."
"Where is he by the way?"
"Thankfully? We ran straight into Hanako," Sanada sighed, shaking his head slightly. "That girl is a lifesaver. It is no wonder that you three go to her when you had a relationship problem."
"We're still going to her for help if you haven't noticed," Fuji muttered, burying his face in his arms.
"You three look tired. Go ahead and go up to my room and rest there," Ryoma suggested, already pulling up the three from their chairs. He had to stop talking though as the three males' knees locked and practically buckled from their run.
"He really did put you through a lot," he mumbled, helping his three boyfriends up to his room. "You'll be fine here as long as I stay downstairs. He'd most likely search your guest room first, but he never goes into my room."
"Why not?" Fuji questioned, yawning with a hand over his mouth as he leaned back against both Tezuka and Sanada as the three lay on top of the bed.
"Because the last time he tried, I slammed the door on his face and sent him toppling backward," Ryoma said, a smirk appearing on his lips.
"Now that's funny," Fuji chuckled along with Tezuka and Sanada who both nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, it was," Ryoma laughed, helping the three change into more comfortable clothes and gathering the sweat-smelling ones to put into the washer later. "I'll wake you up when it's safe to come downstairs," he chuckled, already watching his three older boyfriends dozing off from the chase earlier.
"Time to talk to my brother about this," he sighed, shaking his head as he exited the room, locked the door with a key, and went downstairs to throw the clothes into the machine. "You'd think after six days of explanations, he would be fine with it."
"Apparently not little brother," someone growled from behind him, making him jump half a foot.
"Ryoga!" Ryoma whined, growling as he turned to face his older brother. "How many times do I have to tell you, take it easy on them!"
"They're your boyfriends! Of course I'm not going to go easy on them," Ryoga smirked back, narrowing his eyes slyly. "If they think they're good enough to be with you, they better prove it or so help me, I'm gonna-"
"I don't need to hear what you're gonna do," Ryoma interrupted, poking his older brother in the chest. "Leave them alone for the rest of the day! We're going to a New Year's Festival that Hanako's uncle is throwing this year in the park, and you are not going to wreck it by running them into the ground. Literally!"
Ryoga frowned at his younger brother before scoffing as he crossed his arms over his chest. "What's good about them anyway? One of 'em is a pretty boy, and the other two are like freaking rocks. Ever heard of expressions people?"
"That's because you aren't trying to get to know them," Ryoma snarled, startling his brother in backing up a few steps. "You're just trying to scare them off, and if you keep doing that, you are not going to like what I'm going to do to you," Ryoma threatened, exiting the room with a huff.
Ryoga could only blink in surprise at what just happened. When the hell was Ryoma defensive about anything other than tennis and Karupin for Kami's sake?
Speaking of Karupin, the Himalayan cat slinked through the door and weaved around his feet, meowing to be picked up.
Ryoga smiled at the cat, picking her up from the ground and scratching behind her ears to earn a purr.
"He really changed huh Karupin?" he whispered to the feline, walking out of the room and heading to the backyard.
Ryoga could see his brother in the kitchen at the stove, most likely making something for his tired boyfriends. But after what just happened in the laundry room? He wasn't going to take any chances with his younger brother for maybe an hour or two.
"He used to be way more approachable you know?" Ryoga asked the cat, sitting down on the patio and falling onto his back, Karupin sitting on his stomach. "Well, not that much, but still approachable. Now it's one wrong move, and he's out to get me."
Opening his eyes, Ryoga could tell that a couple of hours had passed considering how the sun was setting. It was noon when he had chased the three around after all.
"Time to go see if he'll talk to me now," Ryoga said, petting Karupin's head and getting a meow of 'good luck' from the cat in return. He smiled, muttering, "Thanks Karupin."
Walking into the kitchen, he could see Ryoma, Tezuka, Fuji, and Sanada all at the table, already eating dinner.
Just when he was about to walk away, he spotted something at the corner of his eye. Right next to Ryoma was an empty seat with a plate of food out that was covered in plastic wrap, although he could see that it was still hot considering the steam fogging on the wrap.
"Is that?" Ryoga questioned, narrowing his eyes before shrugging as he moved into the kitchen.
He was glad to know that the three older males tensed up just slightly in his presence, although there was something nagging at the back of his head that stated it wasn't something to be proud about… Wonder what that was about…
"That for me?" Ryoga questioned, gesturing at the plate of covered food.
Ryoma looked up from his plate before nodding his head as he continued to talk with his boyfriends about what they were going to do at the festival the next day.
"Can I come?" Ryoga grinned, sitting down as he ruffled his brother's head.
Just as Ryoma was about to say something, Tezuka shook his head lightly.
"We'd be glad if you came along," Fuji answered for everyone, smiling at Ryoga.
The older brother couldn't help but think something was a little wrong with it, but meh. Oh well.
"Alright, that means I'm coming along then," Ryoga grinned, slinging a protective arm over Ryoma's shoulder as he narrowed his eyes at the three. "If I catch you three doing anything to him-"
He was interrupted as someone jabbed him in the side.
"Ack! What was that for chibisuke?"
"For being an idiot like usual," Ryoma deadpanned, already continuing to eat his food as if he didn't just hurt someone.
The next day was a little… interesting to say the least.
Ryoga wouldn't leave Ryoma alone for more than a minute, and every time any of his boyfriends got close, Ryoga would glare at them over Ryoma's head.
Needless to say, Ryoma wasn't happy, and every chance he got, he would jab his hand into Ryoga's side. Unfortunately, it did not work as he wanted as Ryoga never jumped away from him far enough for Ryoma to jet over to the safety of his boyfriends' arms.
Yes, at the moment, he considered his boyfriends safer than his boyfriend at the moment. Who wouldn't with Ryoga growling every ten seconds at someone and glaring every twenty… Seriously, someone get this guy a chill pill…
"Ryoma! Kunimitsu! Syuusuke! Genichirou! Ryoga!" a voice called out, running over with a clipboard in hand. "I was wondering when you were going to show up. The festival opened up at noon, and it's already four you five… okay, that was a little confusing with the numbers right there," she shrugged.
"Here's the map," she chimed, nearly shoving a piece of paper into their hands.
"You're opening your booth again?" Ryoma noticed with wide eyes as he turned his head up to look at the girl.
Hanako shrugged with a smile on her face as she handed the clipboard to someone else who was passing by her. "My uncle told me that I've been helping so much at the festivals, so he wants me to open my portrait booth again. Want one?" she said, a sly grin on her face as she leaned forward and poked his cheek.
"Stop that, and yeah I do," he chuckled, already moving forward and allowing the girl to loop an arm through his. "Come on already you four!" he called over his shoulder to his three boyfriends and to his brother.
"Is he still… you know?" Hanako whispered to him, making her eyes flicker from side to side.
"Unfortunately," Ryoma groaned, shoulders slumping as he hung his head. "He won't leave the three alone, and he's practically scaring them away from the house. I can barely spend time with them without having to yell at him in advance."
"Well we might have a problem then," Hanako whispered to him.
"What could be worse than this?"
"Yukimura-san and Atobe-san, a.k.a. 'Child of God' and 'Ice Emperor' are here," she hissed into his ear, secretly jabbing a thumb over to where her portrait booth was.
"How do you even know those nicknames?"
"How do I not? I throw you enough parties to know the nicknames of the people that show up, and for some odd reason, you boys love to gossip. At least about tennis," she mused, shrugging her shoulders.
"What are we going to do?" Ryoma questioned, biting his lower lip as he tried to think.
Yukimura and Atobe were asking mainly about Sanada and Fuji, respectively, but they had first asked about him and his relationship with the three… What did that mean for the entire relationship exactly?
Would Sanada leave for Yukimura and Fuji for Atobe if they did meet up and talk? Would he and Tezuka be left with each other like they were in the beginning? Don't get Ryoma wrong, he loved Tezuka immensely as they were engaged, but at the moment, he couldn't even imagine life without Sanada or Fuji in his life anymore.
Even though he had only dated Fuji for two years, Sanada for one, and Tezuka for at least three, they all managed to crawl into his heart and settle there.
"Ah! Those are the two!" Ryoga yelled, narrowing his eyes as he growled as the two by the portrait.
"Oh no," Hanako and Ryoma both groaned in worry.
"Please tell me you can distract my idiot brother? At least a little bit?"
"I can do what I can," Hanako squeaked, letting go of Ryoma and looping her arm through Ryoga's instead.
"What in the-"
"Come on Ryoga-san! It's a festival. Let's get a portrait with everyone okay? I mean, you want to make your brother happy don't you?" Hanako rambled, mentally screaming at herself for what she was doing. She didn't even know what she was doing for Kami's sake!
"A portrait huh?"
"Come on. You don't want to upset Ryoma any more right? So let's go!" she insisted, already pulling him by the wrist again.
"Oh come on! You dragged me around enough on Christmas Eve! I don't need you pulling me around on New Year's!"
"Then hurry your butt up!" Hanako pouted, sending a slight smile toward Ryoma who nodded in return.
"That's an interesting sight to see," Yukimura commented as the group of six walked up to Hanako's booth, being dragged in one person's case.
"Oh shut up," Ryoga hissed, glaring at Yukimura and earned two jabs in the side for his comment. "Ow! That hurt, you two chibis!"
"We're not chibis!" Hanako and Ryoma both exclaimed, actually throwing themselves close to Ryoga's face and making him stagger back in surprise.
"This is an interesting way to start the new year," Atobe smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. "Hey, Tensai. Ore-sama needs to talk to you," he said, narrowing his eyes at Fuji.
"Genichirou? Do you think we can talk?" Yukimura questioned his childhood friend.
"Uh…" Fuji and Sanada had no idea what to respond as they glanced at Tezuka and Ryoma who were just as confused as they were… What were they going to do?
"I said it was time for a portrait everyone!" Hanako shouted, startling them all considering everyone had been silent for a good minute or so.
"What?" Yukimura and Atobe questioned, raising an eyebrow at the girl.
"Who are you, and who do you think you are to order Ore-sama around?"
"I don't care who you are, you big Ice Monkey," she said, combining his tennis title along with Ryoma's own nickname for the male.
"Ice Monkey?" Atobe shouted, gawking at the sheer nerve of the girl.
"Enough chatter! Move!" Hanako insisted, already shoving the seven males in front of where her canvas was set up.
"Hanako? What are you doing?" Ryoma questioned as the girl was gently pushing him over to the area.
"I have no clue, but you know how still and quiet you need to be if you're in one of my portraits," she explained quietly, giggling sheepishly.
"At least it's better than everyone fighting. Thanks for the quick save," he whispered, nodding when she had pushed him over to his boyfriends.
"Okay," Hanako drawled, putting a hand up to her lips as she looked the group of seven over. "Does everyone want a group portrait to take home?"
Everyone looked to each other, but before anyone could deny it, Ryoma, Tezuka, Fuji, and Sanada all nodded their heads.
"Ugh…" Ryoga groaned, knowing how none of them would be able to move anytime soon.
"Just get this over with brat," Atobe ordered, crossing his arms over his chest.
Eyebrow twitching, Hanako gave Atobe a sweet smile. "Excuse me, but did you just tell me to rush?"
"What of it common-"
Atobe was interrupted as Hanako walked over, grabbed his arms, and shoved him into a position for him to pose.
"What in the-"
"That's a good one," Hanako drawled, already walking away after she had thrown Atobe's arm over Yukimura's shoulder, pushing the two close together. She was slightly surprised when she didn't get a squeak or a yelp out of Yukimura when she had pushed the violet-haired boy's head down onto Atobe's shoulder and kept it there.
"What about us four?" Fuji insisted, knowing that Hanako would be helping them all slightly with this. At least he and his boyfriends finally got some time together, and this meant no arguing words or glares would happen without Hanako getting bossy again.
Hanako hummed in response before walking over and maneuvering the four around, dragging over a few chairs and stuff for the four to use for the portrait. After she was done with them, she moved over to Ryoga to get him into a good pose for the entire portrait.
"You have to be kidding me," Ryoga muttered, slumping in his pose before straightening up as someone slapped him in the back of the head. "Ow! Watch it lady!"
"Then hold still," Hanako shot back, pouting as she finally took her seat and started to draw.
For the four boyfriends, she had dragged over two chairs that were placed close to each other at an angle so that Sanada and Tezuka would be sitting and angled toward each other. Ryoma was sitting across Tezuka's lap with Fuji sitting across Sanada's lap. The chairs were placed close enough to where Tezuka's knee touched Sanada's while Ryoma's shoulders were touching Fuji's.
The three older males of the relationship each had a hand on Ryoma's lap, and the emerald-haired boy gripped all three with both of his hands. Fuji's other hand was thrown around Sanada's shoulders and gripping Tezuka's free hand. Sanada's free hand was covering both of their hands.
Ryoga was stationed to the side closest to Ryoma, leaning on the chair with an arm thrown over the backs of both chairs. Hanako made sure to poke his cheeks until he realized that he had to give a genuine grin toward the four's direction.
Yukimura and Atobe were shoved closer to the chairs, closer to Sanada and Fuji. Their position was still the same though, except one of Yukimura's hand was on the back of the chair with Atobe's free hand on top of his.
With the way Hanako had them all standing or sitting around, everyone was connected in some way, either by hand contact or by touching the chairs.
"Good! Now keep it like that for a bit longer," Hanako said, already finishing six of the eight portraits she wanted to make for the entire group, one for each male and one for herself for a keepsake.
"Hurry uh-"
Atobe stopped as he watched the girl start to glare at him.
"Bossy brat," he mumbled under his breath, blinking his eyes in confusion when he heard four chuckles.
Glancing over, he saw how the four boyfriends were all chuckling at his response, but he also saw something else. When he looked at Yukimura, he could see the same recognition in the Child of God's eyes.
Mentally sighing, he thought about his plans. He would have to rethink them if he wanted to be happy and didn't want to break any hearts after all… Atobe could tell that Yukimura would have to do the same…
"All done!" Hanako shouted once she had finished all eight portraits.
"Finally," Ryoga, Atobe, and Yukimura breathed, not used to posing that long.
The only reason Sanada, Fuji, Tezuka, and Ryoma were used to it was because Hanako often asked them to pose in order to make them their birthday presents.
"Not the way I was intending to celebrate the New Year's Day," Fuji started, chuckling as he got up and stretched his limbs a bit.
"But an interesting way nonetheless," Tezuka and Sanada both finished for Fuji.
"Thank you Hanako," Ryoma said, taking the pictures for his group of five. "You did a good job with them as always," he complimented, earning a smile as he went to kiss his boyfriends.
"Oh no, you don't," Ryoga snarled, already stepping forward to drag Ryoma away if it weren't for Hanako grabbing onto the back of his collar and pulling him back. "Lay off, will you?"
"Nope!" Hanako chirped, making everyone laugh at Ryoga's expense.
"We better run," Ryoma said to Atobe and Yukimura before grabbing onto his boyfriends' wrists and dragging them back into the festival. "See you later!"
"Uh… bye…" the two males blinked, staring between the two events with confusion.
"Valentine's?"
"Definitely," Yukimura agreed, knowing that the two would have to try again later. Hopefully when all of this nonsense was over.
"Quit trying to run! You seriously have a little brother complex don't you?"
Yeah, good luck with that Yukimura… Good luck with that…
