Title: Courage
Author: Henzie (tennis-player)
Rating: T
Summary: It's Jiroh's birthday, and he's psyched about it. Even more so, his horoscope said it was his luckiest day of the year! He makes a decision that today, he would finally confess to Atobe, but will he really have the courage when the time finally comes?
Characters: Atobe and Jiroh, implied Oshigaku, Shishitori and HiyoTaki
Notes: A TRIBUTE FOR JIROH'S BIRTHDAY 2010 XD
Disclaimer: I don't own prince of tennis in any way
"Jiroh! Breakfast is ready!" Jiroh's mother called from down the stairs.
"Coming!" Jiroh called back, already awake (WTF!? Jiroh's awake!?)
When Jiroh came down to the kitchen, all bouncy and ecstatic, his parents greeted him with a happy birthday.
"Thanks!" Jiroh exclaimed, perking up.
"Even more so," Mrs. Akatugawa started. "Your horoscope says that it's the luckiest day of the year! Full five stars in love today."
"Really? Sugee!" Jiroh smiled excitedly, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"Oh? Is there someone you want to confess to?" Mr. Akatugawa.
"Maybe," Jiroh smirked, stepping over to his bag by the door. "I got to get to school now. Morning practice will start soon!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~At the Clubroom~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Jiroh arrived in the clubroom, Mukahi came up to him and smiled.
"Happy Birthday," he said.
"Thank you, Gaku-chan!" Jiroh exclaimed, and glomped the lithe boy.
"Oi, get off a me!" Mukahi ordered, falling to the ground under the weight of his childhood friend (ha-ha, whimp!).
"Jiroh, what are you doing?" Shishido asked, entering the clubroom to see one Mukahi Gakuto being pinned to the ground under the should-be-sleeping volley specialist.
"Ryou!" Jiroh called, getting up and attempting to attack the doubles player, but missing for Shishido stepped aside, causing Jiroh to fly into the unexpectant Taki.
"Jiroh?" asked the ex-regular.
"Ha-chan! Do you know what day it is?" Jiroh asked happily.
"Your birthday, right?" Taki smiled. "Congratulations!"
"Thank you!" Jiroh exclaimed excitedly.
"Oh? Is that what this is about?" Shishido asked. "You're so immature."
"Like you can talk," Mukahi said, standing up.
"What did you just say?" Shishido asked, glaring.
"I'm pretty sure I just called you immature, Ryou," Mukahi smirked.
Shishido glared harder. "Oh? Look who's talking. Always clinging to Oshitari, can you get any more obvious? Gekidasa daze."
"Hah? What about you? Always protecting your innocent little kohai, but if you had your way, he'd have no innocence left, would he?" Gakuto sneered.
Shishido launched himself at Mukahi in a flailing pile of kicks and punches (Pretty intense wrestling, truthfully).
"Just because you are insecure about your love lives doesn't mean you have to take it out on each other," Hiyoshi said, entering the clubroom and draping himself over Taki's shoulders.
"Ah, good morning, Wakashi," Taki smiled.
"Morning, sempai," he smiled back.
"Shut up! I am NOT insecure!" Mukahi exclaimed stubbornly.
"Me neither!" Shishido growled.
"Whatever you say," Hiyoshi said, walking over to his locker to get changed.
Just then, Oshitari walked into the clubroom only to see his doubles partner being pinned to the floor by Shishido.
Oshitari's eyes narrowed. "What are you two doing?"
The two immediately leaped away from each other.
"Stupid Yuushi! We were fighting, not… you know!" Mukahi hissed slightly.
"Y-yeah! Like I'd think that way about Gakuto," Shishido spat in disgust.
"What did you just say?!" Mukahi hissed, making a move towards Shishido, but was caught by the collar by Oshitari.
"Come on, Gakuto, let's get changed," he said, pulling Mukahi to the opposite side of the room.
"Yuushi?" Mukahi asked.
"Come on," Oshitari continued.
"Uh-oh, Ryou and Gaku-chan misbehaved," Jiroh teased slightly.
"Shouldn't you be asleep?" Shishido shot in annoyance.
"Not today! Today is my birthday, so I'm only going to sleep during classes!" exclaimed the slim third year.
"Heh, that's a good one," Shishido chuckled.
"What's so funny, Shishido-san?" Ootori asked, appearing out of nowhere.
"Choutaro? What took you so long?" Shishido asked.
"Ah, sorry, sempai, Sakkaki-sensei wanted to talk to me about an upcoming recital before practice," the taller boy explained.
"Hmm, whatever," Shishido replied. "Let's get changed."
"Chou-chan!" Jirou exclaimed, glomping the second year from behind.
"Ah, good morning, sempai. Happy birthday," Ootori smiled.
"Uwah! I didn't even have to remind him!" Jiroh exclaimed happily.
"Ore-sama has arrived!" Atobe called all-of-a-sudden, appearing at the door with Kabaji (XD Kabaji-kun!).
"You don't even enter a room normally, do you?" Oshitari asked, shaking his head.
"Kei-chan! Do you know what day it is?" Jiroh exclaimed happily.
"Yes, Ore-sama does. It's your birthday, isn't it?" Atobe replied.
"Heh, I never thought Atobe cared about someone, other than himself, enough to remember their birthday," Shishido said.
"Shishido-san!" Ootori scolded lightly.
"Hmph! Ore-sama has decidedly cancelled today's after school practice, so you are expected to work twice as hard in our morning practice," Atobe declared. "We shall start with 40 rounds of running."
"40 rounds!?" the clubroom exclaimed.
"Yes, now get moving!" Atobe called.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~After School~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ore-sama has arrived!" Atobe declared, entering classroom 3-C after class.
"KYAA! Atobe-sama!" the girls of the class screamed.
"Ore-sama is looking for Jiroh, where is he?" Atobe asked.
"Ah, he's over there," one girl said, pointing to a body curled up on the desk, but covered with a heap of clothing so you couldn't see it.
Atobe resisted the urge to face-palm. 'Of all things, that's probably the wimpiest pose I've seen yet'.
"Oi, Jiroh," Atobe said, walking over to the pile of fabrics. "Jiroh, wake up."
Jiroh stirred slightly, then lifted what could only be assumed as his head, because even as he moved the pile of clothing was so thick you still couldn't see and of him.
"Kei-chan?" a muffled voice asked from under the coats.
"Yes, it is Ore-sama, and he demands you to get up and out of that… err, laundry pile," Atobe said.
Jiroh leaped from his seat and the clothes fell to the floor. "Kei-chan!" he exclaimed. "You came all the way over here to see me?" he asked.
"We are two classrooms apart. Ore-sama wouldn't say 'all the way'," Atobe said.
"What is it, Kei-chan?" Jiroh asked.
"Ore-sama will take Jiroh to celebrate his birthday," Atobe said.
"Really!? You'd do that?" he asked.
"Yes, Ore-sama would," Atobe said.
"Yay!" Jiroh exclaimed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~At the Store~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Are you sure this is okay, Kei-chan? Getting me a gift from here," Jiroh said, signaling around him. They were at an amazing store, selling the most beautiful, not to mention expensive, clothing, toys, furniture, everything.
"Ore-sama is sure. Ore-sama could buy you the entire store if you so wished," Atobe said.
"No, no. This is more than enough! Thank you, Kei-chan!" Jiroh exclaimed.
"Its fine," Atobe replied, paying for the gift.
Atobe had paid for the present Jiroh picked out. It was a huge, leather coach for his room. He was totally psyched up, too, because he'd always wanted one.
"Thank you SO, SO much, Kei-chan!" Jiroh exclaimed.
"Don't worry about it. Now, where would you like to go next?" Atobe asked.
Jiroh paused. He was going to confess today, right? They should probably go somewhere nice, like…
"Ah, I know! Let's go to Kei-chan's house!" he declared (well, it is nice at the Atobe mansion, but… wow, lameness, Jiroh TT_TT).
"Ahn?" Atobe asked.
"I want to go in Kei-chan's room! I bet you have a HUGE bed, don't you?" Jiroh said.
"Well, yes, Ore-sama does, but-"
"Good! Then I want to go there!" Jiroh exclaimed.
"…fine…" Atobe said (whoa, Atobe gives in! I made them pretty OC, didn't I?).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Atobe's Room~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Jiroh and Atobe entered his room, Jiroh immediately threw himself onto the bed.
"Whoa! It's so comfy!" he exclaimed.
"Naturally, Ore-sama only has the best of the best," Atobe said airily, walking over to his bed and sitting next to Jiroh.
Jiroh shifted himself so that his head rested in Atobe's lap.
"Mmm… Kei-chan is also very comfy," Jiroh mumbled.
Atobe ran his fingers through Jiroh's hair a few times, before pausing and asking:
"Jiroh, have you been avoiding Ore-sama lately?" Atobe asked.
Jiroh went stiff in his lap. "W-what?"
"These past few days, you would always have an excuse not to come near Ore-sama, and he demands to know the reason," Atobe said.
"Err, well…" Jiroh started. 'I can't say it! I'm not ready!' he thought.
Atobe pulled his fingers through Jiroh's hair once more. "Ore-sama does not appreciate you avoiding Ore-sama, because Ore-sama has been trying to tell you something very important."
"Eh?" Jiroh asked.
"Ore-sama… I love you, Jiroh," Atobe said, pulling his fingers out of Jiroh's hair.
Jiroh sat up and stared at Atobe. "I…" he started, but cut himself off. 'Shit! I never thought I'd get this far! I… I'm afraid…' he thought.
"You don't have to say it, Jiroh. Ore-sama knows already," Atobe said. "Don't force yourself."
"I…! I am not forcing myself! I … I really love Atobe!" Jiroh exclaimed, sticking his tongue out.
"Ha! I told you Atobe would say it first!" the voice of a certain red-head called from the other side of the door.
"Yeah, whatever," Shishido's voice replied. "It doesn't make a difference who says it first, as long as they both say it, right?"
"It totally makes a difference!" Mukahi shot back.
"Shut it, you two! They'll hear us," Oshitari whispered.
"Too late," Atobe said. "Ore-sama demands you to get in here!"
The regulars (and Taki) entered the room, looking slightly embarrassed at being caught.
"So, you've been spying in Ore-sama, ahn?" Atobe asked.
"Usu," Kabaji replied.
"Don't tell him!" Mukahi shot, while the others tear dropped (^^").
"Well," Oshitari started. "Now that we've established that… you two should kiss."
Jiroh shot up like rocket, and Atobe stiffened noticeably.
"Eh?" they asked in sync.
"Yeah, you guys really should…" Mukahi teased.
Hiyoshi snorted, but didn't say anything.
"Hey, you think they should kiss, too, Kabaji, don't you?" Taki asked.
"Usu," he said.
"No!" Atobe said sternly.
"Aww, that's so mean! Saying you won't kiss him, when you just said you loved him," Mukahi said.
"T-that…" Atobe said, and turned to look at Jiroh.
"Don't worry, Kei-chan. It doesn't bother me," Jiroh replied, but was pushed from behind into Atobe's arms.
"What are you doing!?" Atobe asked Hiyoshi angrily.
"Nothing, sempai," he replied.
"Come on, Atobe. We'll live of you do," Oshitari said.
"Yeah!" Mukahi and Taki said together.
"F-fine…" Atobe said, looking at Jiroh. "Is it okay?"
"Yeah…" Jiroh said as Atobe leaned in gently.
They both closed their eyes, lips meeting in the middle as they tested things out. Applying more pressure to the kiss, Atobe ran his tongue along Jiroh's lower lip, convincing his to open his mouth, and they were fully engaged in a heated make-out session when.
"A-hem," Oshitari coughed. "I suppose it's time for us to go," he said, pulling Mukahi out by the collar.
"Aww, but I want to see more, Yuushi!" the red head complained.
"No," Oshitari said.
"Err, yeah, let's go, Choutaro," Shishido said, and the doubles one pair was followed out by the final three regulars, one smiling, one snickering and one being, well, Kabaji.
Atobe and Jiroh sat in an awkward silence for a while.
"Want to keep going?" Atobe asked.
"Yeah," Jiroh replied.