Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis.
Green Christmas
"Huh…"
It was still morning on December 24, yet Ryoma had sighed at least three times. He looked again at the tennis court. Layers of snow covered it completely until he could only see white. Not a trace of the green field he used to play at. Of course, that was not his first winter without tennis. In fact, he never got to play tennis when winter came. But still…
An arm looped around his mantel clad shoulders. He turned to look at the owner and found Momoshiro's grinning face.
"What a rare thing, you are early!" the Seigaku's powerhouse pointed out jovially. He too darted his gaze to the white court. "Missing tennis already?"
"Yeah…" Ryoma replied. White mist formed in front of him as he did so.
"Well, cheer up! In a span of a year, you only do not play tennis in winter. It won't kill to have a moment to rest. And even if you don't get to play tennis, at least you have your team together," Momoshiro said as he grinned wider, patting his kouhai's head.
True, Ryoma and Momoshiro were there only because they had an appointment with other regulars. The winter holiday had started so there normally wasn't anyone at the school. Earlier the team had planned to spend Christmas Eve together at Fuji's uncle's villa and they decided to meet up at school.
As the appointed time nearing, the regulars arrived one by one. Oishi was dragged by a jubilant Kikumaru, Kawamura arrived with an additional bag containing food, Kaidoh and Inui jogged their way together, Tezuka arrived precisely on the appointed time with an ever-smiling Fuji. After all regulars had gathered, they set off to the villa.
When they finally arrived after two uneventful hours, Ryoma couldn't help but gawk at the rest house. It was very big, obviously too big for the nine of them. When they entered, the interior had been designed with Christmas touch. A beautiful Christmas tree stood proudly near the door. There were also mistletoes that, as Ryoma suspected, were set personally by Fuji.
When they entered, the regulars took out a wrapped present from each of their bags and put those under the Christmas tree. Ryoma frowned.
"Senpai-tachi," he called out. "You never told me we should bring present."
"Ah, earlier we drew lots to decide who would bring present for whom, since it would be too much if each of us has to prepare eight presents," Oishi explained. "We didn't include you because we think a birthday boy doesn't have to buy present."
Ryoma blinked. "Birthday boy?"
"My, ochibi!" Kikumaru jumped at the query. "Don't tell me you spend all this morning without knowing today is your birthday!"
"Ii data, Echizen doesn't know his own birthday," Inui muttered while scribbling some data down.
"Ne, you should learn to care about yourself more than you do tennis," Fuji chuckled as Ryoma creased his forehead.
"Since this is your birthday," Momoshiro grinned toothily at the freshman while handing a wrapped gift. "Here is your present."
"T-Thanks," Ryoma muttered as he received the gift. Its shape was weird, cylindrical and hard. The boy opened it and found a tube of tennis balls.
"Tennis balls?" Ryoma blinked again.
"Tennis balls," Tezuka affirmed. They were indeed normal tennis balls. Ryoma frowned. Those were not the things he expected as a present, moreover in such a snowy winter when he wouldn't be able to use them. Nonetheless, he thanked his senpais for remembering his natal day.
The regulars then settled themselves in bedrooms and went to heat the sushi Kawamura brought for lunch. After lunch, they decided to have an afternoon rest so that they could be awake to countdown time to Christmas.
---oOo---
It was almost midnight, but everyone was wide awake. They sat in a circle on the floor near the Christmas tree. The living room had been set up nicely. Candles were burning on the sides of the room and the fireplace had been lit to add the Christmas spirit. The team was chatting away and singing some carols as they waited.
"MERRY CHRISTMAS!"
The clock had struck twelve. They exchanged greetings and some were either phoned or texted their family at home. Then came time to exchange presents.
Being the closer to the tree, Oishi grabbed a red-wrapped box. "Whose is it?"
"Mine," Inui answered. "For Kaidoh."
The fukubuchou handed the present to Kaidoh. The team's viper opened the box and fisted out a brand new green bandana.
"Kaidoh's old bandana was lost two days ago when we were having our afternoon running session," Inui explained. "I saw this one in a store yesterday and since it is similar to your lost one, I decided to buy it. After all, you look best with that green one."
"Fssh, thanks, Inui-senpai," Kaidoh said, a faint redness crept up his cheeks at the compliment. Then he took a silver-wrapped box from the pile and gave it to Inui. The dataman opened it and found a thick green agenda.
"Senpai said he needs a thicker book to write down all the datas. I think this agenda is thick enough and it has a lock. Since all of Inui-senpai's notebooks are green, I decided to pick the green one."
"That's very thoughtful of you, Kaidoh," Inui said as he automatically scribbled some data down to his new agenda. "Thank you."
"Hoi, next is mine!" Kikumaru exclaimed joyfully as Oishi took a bright yellow-wrapped box. "Mine's for Oishi!"
Oishi smiled as he proceeded to open his gift. A jewelry box was revealed. He opened the box to find a necklace with emerald pendant.
"Eiji, isn't this too expensive?" Oishi's eyebrows met in worry.
"Nya, don't mind, don't mind! I just happened to pass by this shop and see this pendant. Oishi's eyes were the first that came to my mind, so I thought it would be perfect for Oishi!"
"The pendant's color exactly matches Oishi's eyes," Kawamura commented and everyone nodded.
"Thank you, Eiji," Oishi said with a warm smile. He then took his present. "I feel embarrassed about the gift I prepared for you. It's not at all expensive…" Before he could finish, Kikumaru had grabbed a polkadot-covered box from Oishi's hand.
"WOW, my favorite! Nya, Oishi knows me sooo well!" Kikumaru squealed delightfully as he discovered half a dozen jumbo tubes of melon toothpaste. He gave his double partner a bear hug.
"Well, you always complain that your siblings keep using your favorite melon toothpaste, so I just bought stocks for you," Oishi chuckled lightly.
"Next, next!" Momoshiro said as he picked a baby blue-covered box. "Whose is this?"
"Mine," answered Fuji with a beam. "For Tezuka."
"Here, buchou," Momoshiro handed the box. The bespectacled boy uncovered the gift to find a new green handband.
"You have been using your old handband since our second year. In our last practice, I saw you fussing over some broken strings so I decided to get you a new one. Since you like familiarity and constancy, I just pick the same color as your old one's," Fuji explained sheepishly.
"Thank you," Tezuka said sincerely. He then took his blue-and-white-covered present and handed it carefully to Fuji. "This is your present."
"Wait, why is Tezuka's present box has holes at the top side?" Inui pointed out.
Tezuka shrugged. "Just open it."
Fuji opened the wrap and found a healthy blossoming cactus. A snow-white flower stood proudly like a crown. He smiled and patted the spiny succulent lovingly. "What a beautiful kid over here. Thank you, Tezuka."
"You're welcome," Tezuka replied. "I consulted with shopkeeper and she said this one can grow well even in winter."
"The next one is…?" Oishi asked while grabbing a brown-covered box.
"Mine," Kawamura answered. "For Momo."
"I wonder if this is a book of 'all-you-can-eat' vouchers," Momoshiro said sheepishly as he uncovered his gift. A round lime-green thing greeted him. "… Alarm clock?"
"Yes," Kawamura laughed a little. "I heard you complain about picking up Echizen's habit to wake up late. I decided to get you a tennis ball-shaped alarm clock so that you will wake up to see a tennis ball, remember tennis practice and buchou's laps. And then hopefully you won't dare to sleep again."
The team laughed at the explanation and at Tezuka's expression.
"That will do," Momoshiro laughed. He grabbed the last present. "Here, Taka-san."
Kawamura uncovered the present and unearthed a green-framed racket.
"No! He will go 'Burning!'" Kikumaru squeaked as he hid behind Oishi.
"Fssh, he better doesn't. There are candles everywhere, he will really burn the house."
"No, I won't unless I'm at the court," Kawamura laughed lightly.
"Taka-san's racket was broken when he went 'Burning' last time, so I thought of buying him a new one. It's a Christmas edition. They only have gold, red and green frames. I think gold is too extravagant and red will evoke the 'Burning', so I chose green," Momoshiro explained.
"Is it just a coincidence? All of our presents are green!" Oishi suddenly said, making them startled.
"Right! Kaidoh's bandana, Inui's agenda…"
"Oishi-senpai's necklace, Kikumaru-senpai's melon toothpaste…"
"Tezuka's handband, my cactus…"
"Momo's alarm clock, Taka-san's racket…"
"So," Fuji said with a bright smile. "This is a green Christmas for us."
"There is one more green…"
Ryoma, who stayed back from the whole present-exchanging affair, just thought they were done when an exuberant Kikumaru pulled him to his feet.
"Now is Ochibi's present!"
Ryoma cocked his head. "Mine? I already got mine…" And they are green too.
"That's your birthday present," Inui stated. "Now is your Christmas present."
The regulars dragged Ryoma out of the villa. Bracing himself as the cold wind blew onto his face, Ryoma followed his senpais to the yard behind the villa. To his surprise, behind the house building was another big building.
Kikumaru pushed him inside that building. It was warm but very dark inside.
"What…"
Click.
The room was instantly lit up. There were so many lamps on the ceiling. Ryoma closed his eyes as the brightness hit his corneas. After adjusting to the light, Ryoma opened his eyes and gaped at the sight before him.
Never in his life had he seen a larger field of green in winter. It was an indoor tennis court, complete with a net and a referee seat. The light and the heater worked so well that it seemed like a spring day.
"This… what…" The team's youngest member was at a loss of words.
"The eight of us decided that this is the most perfect present for you, since you seem in sorrow when you can't play tennis," Momoshiro said, grinning widely.
"So…" Ryoma turned his wide-eyed gaze to Fuji. "Your uncle owns this…?"
"No," the tensai shook his head, smiling. "We think you wouldn't agree if we spent our money in renting a villa with an indoor tennis court for you, so we decided to make up a story about my uncle. I hope you don't mind."
Ryoma stared at the green snowless court in front of him. It must have cost the world.
"This is too much, senpai-tachi," Ryoma managed to say. "I-I don't know how to pay back…"
"This is a present," Tezuka cut in. "You don't need to pay back for a present."
"But…"
"No buts, Echizen," Fuji said, revealing his startling blue eyes. "Think of this as your birthday and Christmas present: good tennis matches with all."
Ryoma opened his mouth but couldn't emit a any word, so he bowed to his senpais and said, "Thank you very much for this… green birthday. And Christmas." The team smiled in delight, knowing their resident ochibi liked his present very much.
"You already had your afternoon rest, right?" Oishi asked the team. "Ready to play now?"
There was an affirmative chorus of spirited tennis players. The regulars went back to the villa to retrieve their tennis clothes and rackets. They had also prepared Ryoma's since he didn't bring anything tennis-related. The freshman didn't forget to grab the tennis balls he got as birthday present.
Ryoma had been playing tennis for all he remembered, but he had never had a match as enjoyable as this. Thinking again of it, neither had he played in the middle of midwinter night.
Ryoma smiled. Trust his senpais to make him play tennis on Christmas Eve.
FIN
A/N: Early happy birthday Ryoma! And early merry Christmas for those who celebrate!
R&R please!!!