Happy Christmas everyone! I hope everyone's enjoying themselves this year. D Also, I would like to wish a Happy Belated Birthday to Ryoma-sama! (I can't believe I actually forgot his birthday… Shame on me! T.T) To follow my yearly tradition, here's a little Christmas fic just for you all. Merry reading!
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis, mini bars, or Coca-Cola. Peace.
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Under the Mistletoe
by tennis-tensai
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Fuji smiled at the photo.
It was one of him and Ryoma. The younger tennis prodigy was as sulky as the elder genius was happy. What irony.
Then again, irony was what made Fuji so interested in Ryoma; even more than Tezuka, in fact. He wondered if the boy would accept his invitation to visit his house for some Christmas dinner tomorrow night. Of course, Ryoma didn't know who was; or more accurately, who wasn't; coming for the dinner.
If Ryoma did come for the dinner as Fuji hoped… Well, things are going to get - oh, so interesting. One thing is predictable though; nothing was going to be the same after tomorrow night.
--
"Ryoma-kun! You have an invitation from Fuji-san to go over to his house for Christmas dinner… If you're going you should make a call to him!" Nanako, Ryoma's live-in cousin, called out to him from the kitchen, where she was cleaning dishes.
The said boy froze before blushing. "When did you start opening my letters dammit!" Ryoma hollered, striding into the kitchen. "Where is it?"
"Oh, it's on the counter over there." She pointed a soapy finger to the kitchen counter a few metres away. Ryoma took and unfolded the letter, scanning its contents. It read;
Dear Echizen,
We are hosting a Christmas dinner tomorrow at 7 o'clock tomorrow night. I was wondering if you can make it. If you are free, do give me a call. Thanks.
Love,
Syuusuke.
Ryoma raised an eyebrow. Love? Syuusuke?
"I'll be going anyway. It's better than staying here." Nanako shot him a glare. Nanjiroh, who creeped in on the pretext of helping Nanako with the dishes, chuckled and muttered, " I –knew- those two had a thing between them."
Suddenly uncomfortable, Ryoma murmured, "I'll go make the call," before escaping.
--
The next day
Ding! Dong!
"Ryoma's here. I'll go get the door." Fuji's voice sounded. Ryoma briefly wondered if he could back out and run off instead, before the door opened. Fuji's smile greeted him. Ryoma stared. He was dressed warmly, in a jumper with a snowman knitted on it, complete with a scarf. He looked, well, jolly. But that wasn't the only odd thing at that moment.
The ceiling of Fuji's home was covered in mistletoe. Ryoma gaped.
"Snow will get into your mouth, Ryoma. It's open." Fuji let out a laugh before stepping out and closing the door. "Dinner isn't ready yet though. Let's have a walk around first."
Ryoma nodded numbly, before he walked with Fuji, side by side.
Ryoma was freezing under three layers of clothes. He couldn't understand what on earth was so jolly about winter.
Stupid people try to make themselves happy because they're so miserable, obviously. Ugh.
"Echizen, you look cold. Here, take this." Fuji handed him his scarf. "Isn't the snow so beautiful? It's so white." The tensai looked up, feeling the snow fall on his face. Ryoma glanced at him, bored. "It's cold. That's all I care about." Fuji looked at him, frowning. "That's not the way, Echizen-kun. Some people want to touch, feel, play with snow; yet, they don't get a chance to do so. Be thankful."
Ryoma paused a moment before looking away. "Whatever." The frown didn't leave Fuji's face. Not long after though, his eyes lit up.
"Hold on, Echizen. I'll be back in a while." Fuji skipped off, leaving Ryoma nonplussed.
Oh well. No choice but to wait.
Wait he did. After a minute or two, he felt something wet hit the back of his head.
"Ow! What the heck-" Ryoma whirled around to find a grinning Fuji holding several snowballs. "Play with me or die." Fuji threw another snowball at him, this time hitting him square on his face. Fuji laughed cheerfully as Ryoma glared at him before gathering snow into balls.
The snowball fight lasted some time before Fuji conceded defeat. He sat down, laughing. "Isn't snow fun, ne, Echizen?" This time, Ryoma had to agree.
--
Ryoma sat at the dining table, flanked by Fuji and Yumiko, his sister. Yuuta was next to Yumiko. Fuji almost went onto his knees begging Yuuta to come back for Christmas dinner.
Fuji's one weird asshole.
Fuji clasped his hands together in prayer. Everyone followed suit. "Thank God for this meal, and may He bless all of us this Yuletide."
"Eating time!" Fuji said cheerfully before spearing a gingerbread man and dumping it onto Ryoma's plate. "Help yourself, Echizen-kun. We don't want you back home starving now, do we?"
"Can you call me Ryoma instead? Echizen sounds so odd." Fuji blinked before nodding. "As you wish."
Of course, Fuji's plan was working his way.
Dinner was over. Yumiko and Fuji were clearing up while Yuuta was sprawled on the couch watching TV. Ryoma had wanted to help out too, but Fuji didn't let him. Instead, he was –literally- sitting on Yuuta's legs. Ryoma's eyes weren't on the TV though. They were on a sprig of mistletoe a few steps away.
"Hey Yuuta. If you run into Fuji under the mistletoe, are you going to kiss him?"
"Uh… I'm careful not to go under that. And I won't." Yuuta's eyes shifted to Ryoma. "You like Aniki don't you?"
"… What?..." Ryoma was flabbergasted. "As a friend, yeah." Ryoma eyed Yuuta suspiciously. "Why do you ask?"
"I don't know. I just sense something between both of you, but I guess it's none of my business anyway." They lapsed back into silence.
--
Fuji's room was surprisingly neat. There were a row of cactuses on the windowsill and even a mini bar next to the bed. "Anything to drink?" Fuji opened it, displaying some Coke and a variety of juices. Ryoma shrugged and caught a Ponta thrown to him. He opened the tin and took a sip.
"Why am I here again?"
"Too many disturbances… I need to have a private word with you. Ryoma, have you thought of both of us getting together?"
"Meaning?"
"Do you love me?"
Ryoma choked on his Ponta. "What do you think I am? Gay?"
Fuji looked almost hurt. "Well, I am, and you made me so. I love you, Ryoma."
Stunned, Ryoma just stared at Fuji. "What? Is this a joke?" Then it all clicked. Yuuta's "sense", the way Fuji's smile changed when he looked at him…
Oh my fucking God…
But then again… Did he feel the same? Why did he accept Fuji's invitation?
That was because I had nothing else to do…
Oh really?
Fuji's eyes were hidden behind his bangs. "Never mind, I understand. You don't have to reciprocate my feelings for you. I just wanted you to know. That's all."
"No, Fuji. That wasn't what I meant. I just-" God, there are two sides fighting in him now. To tell or not to tell?
He decided to tell.
Ryoma took a deep breath. "Fuji… I hate to admit it, but… I think I do love you. But we're guys, and… You know…" Fuji lifted his head and cocked it to one side before smiling.
"So that's what you're worrying about? You know, Ryoma… Love is love. It transcends all borders. Race, gender, age, anything. You don't have to care about what others think about us, Ryoma. Fuck them."
The shorter boy winced at the profanity before looking into Fuji's eyes. "I…"
Fuji hugged the golden-eyed boy. ""I love you, and I mean it. Don't worry about anything else, okay?"
Can of Ponta forgotten, Ryoma nodded as Fuji slowly lead him to the bed. Looks like he won't be going home tonight.
-Owari-