It is during one of a hockey game when Echizen Ryoma first realized something – Number 9 of the rivaling team is unusually attracted to him -- him, Echizen Ryoma. At first, he brushes it off, thinking it's only just the game. But weeks later, he would begin to realize that it wasn't only just a game.
Only Just a Game
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.
Ryoma remembers the icy feeling just as smooth as always after the Zamboni comes plowing through and sweeping up the excess ice. He remembers putting on his heavy equipment and half-listening to his captain for the usual pep talk.
He remembers sliding onto the ice – the feel of it! The freedom of just playing hockey, that is. He remembers staring into the blue eyes of the opponent – Number 9 of the other school.
And Ryoma remembers Number 9 staring back at him.
He remembers smirking at Number 9, and once the whistle is blown, he remembers nothing else, except the blur and rush of the game as he and his teammates play cat and mouse with the other school – them being the cat and the puck, the mouse.
He smirks and remembers all this now.
But it wasn't until his teammates called a time-out when he realized that Number 9 was up to something.
He remembers watching his captain's mouth move, but without a sound. No words… or perhaps he had tuned him out?
Ryoma remembers all this but never the game. Never the game…
He would always remember the pair of blue eyes as Number 9 penetrated through his helmet and to his own pair of golden eyes.
He realized that Number 9 had been continually chasing him as though he were the mouse and not the puck.
He remembers sitting in the penalty box, alone, glaring at the others side where Number 9 was smiling back at him. He remembers how Number 9's light brown hair was tussled slightly due its renewed freedom from the stuffy helmet and how Number 9 always seemed to be smiling.
Ryoma remembers – he would always remember Number 9's stare.
After the game, he remembers, he had changed and dashed off without warning. He remembers, though, they had won the game.
Ryoma remembers, later, cornered after the game by Number 9. He remembers feeling no fear, trembling though he wasn't sure of what. He remembers staring up at those mesmerizing pair of blue, blue, blue eyes.
Oh Ryoma remembers, he remembers everything after that. He remembers every detail.
Number 9's smile, the way they seemed to curve into an almost sadistic grin. Number 9's hair, how it seemed to reflect light even if it was dark, Number 9's clothes, where they were wrinkled and how and even what color they were. Even – Ryoma remembers – how slightly damp they were from Number 9's sweat.
He remembers Number 9's soft lips as he watched, fascinated, moving to form words, letters, and speaking to him. He remembers the introduction, the name. He remembers Number 9 leaning closer…
Closer…
Closer towards him… Ryoma remembers how he shook, how his hands seemed to lose all his touch and how numb he seemed. He remembers how Number 9 pressed his lips against his own and…
…and how both of them seemed to enjoy it.
He remembers thinking how wrong it is, how they shouldn't be, how they didn't even know each other.
But he can't help thinking wanting this: wanting to be with him – Number 9.
Ryoma remembers how happy he felt, how his organs seemed to float and feel much lighter than before and how he felt as though he could keep playing hockey games until he dropped.
And when Number 9 lifts his lips off his, Ryoma reached up for more, staring at those blue, blue eyes.
Those blue, blue eyes…
And Echizen Ryoma remembers falling in love with Number 9, Fuji Syuusuke.
Much thanks to my speadee and jhvh777 for beta-ing this quick one-shot. :D