Title: The Most Valuable Weapon
Author: B.J.B. Freya-sama
Pairing: Aoi Kentarou/Echizen Ryoma
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Theme: #24 -- good night
Disclaimer: PoT is not mine.
---
When Aoi Kentarou leaned in to speak to him, Ryoma's blood swam in his ears.
He would always lean in just close enough to make shorter boy's gut squirm. Their noses would be centimeters apart; Aoi's scent would be omnipresent; and that perpetual smile that was chiseled on to his face never ceased to baffle Ryoma. What was there to be so damn happy about, anyway?
Did it really not occur to Aoi how short a distance their lips often were when he spoke? Everything he said brushed clear across the shorter boy's mouth, and the moisture from his breath hugged those chubby lips for a long time. Was Rokkaku's captain just clueless, or was he really trying to be seductive? Ryoma doubted it was the latter, given his chipper personality was shared with everybody, though he sure didn't lean in this far to speak to anybody else.
And that smile. Damn. Their match went on for hours and hours, and sometimes Ryoma found himself more focused on his opponent's face rather than his tennis. Aoi wins a game, he smiles. Aoi loses a game, he smiles. In spite of that, he stands there and criticizes Ryoma's lack of enthusiasm. While smiling. If he could smack Aoi in the face with a ball he would. If he tried, the captain would just return it before it reached his face. That's the type of person he was. Intimidating, returning all of his opponent's best shots, and smiling. He was trying to drag Ryoma to the peak of his potential; drag the core of his soul out onto the court. Then, he could brag about playing Echizen Ryoma at his best.
Why did so many people want that? He was saving his soul for the day he beat his dad, or Tezuka. What made Rokkaku's captain believe he was on the same level as them?
Whatever the reason was, Ryoma couldn't bring himself to stop thinking about it, and he had difficulty getting to sleep that night. Their match had to be postponed because they had played until sunset. Ryoma didn't want to stop, though. He wanted to figure out how simply having fun could be so damn powerful. Aoi sure didn't look like anything special, but he definitely was something. Using fun as a weapon, huh?
---
Once the ungodly hours of the morning reared its ugly, Ryoma gave up all hope of getting any sleep. Aoi invaded his mind the entire night, whether it be every shape and curve of his permanent smile, or his tennis. The many aspects of Aoi stayed with him throughout the night. He came to realized that the simplest of weapons could be the most formidable. From four inches away, Aoi's loud voice had his undivided attention. From four feet away, Aoi's ecstatic face dominated the game. As long as Ryoma wasn't scoring many points, he was losing. Losing to someone so plain, yet so unique.
He'd have to use the captain's own weapon against him. Something as simple as having fun would bring Aoi down. He had to try that.
While it was pitch black, he headed back out onto the courts. With the severe lack of sleep, he'd really have to get his blood flowing to make up for it. He hadn't expected to meet with Aoi upon arrival. Same smile, same loud voice, but a pair of red, sleepless eyes to match his opponent's. He must've been pondering a way to finish this just as hard as Ryoma was.
They started to rally off right away, and Ryoma suddenly forget the sting in his eyes, or how heavy his head felt, as if his brain had been replaced with brick. Ryoma's gaze caught Aoi's, and small chills ran through his body, though that could just be the weather. Aoi hadn't said a word since they started their rally; his game said everything it needed to. It was asking the Ryoma within to come out and play. Ryoma took this invite as an good to chance to study his opponent. His form was excellent, even in an exhausted state, and his eyes glittered with that same determination, excitement, and focus they displayed yesterday. This was the face of someone who genuinely loved tennis.
So, the love of tennis was a valuable weapon after all. Ryoma would remember that.
He hit a high lob, inviting Aoi into a real game. His eyes were filled with the same level of excitement now. He supposed a third person could light the fuse under him and get him to play for real, just this once.
---
Once they'd become too tired to lift their rackets, the two boys dumped their stuff under a large tree and sat, each with a Ponta perched in their hands.
"Isn't tennis exciting, Echizen-kun?"
"Aa," Ryoma grunted, taking a long sip of his Ponta. He noticed Aoi's face wasn't leaning into his. Maybe he was just tired; after all, his voice was at a human decibel for a change, and he was looking pensive. At first glance, Ryoma assumed Aoi was full of more mouth than brain, so seeing him like this was interesting. Different.
He took a last sip of Ponta before giving in to his sleepless sate. His limp body fell against Aoi's shoulder, slightly startling he other boy out of his thoughts. In such a short amount of time, he managed to drag the core of Echizen Ryoma himself onto the court. Of all the matches he'd seen Ryoma in, he'd never seen Seigaku's freshman as excited as he was once the sun began to rise during their rally. It was a fire he only showed the best of players, which was the best compliment Aoi had ever received.
He gently laid Ryoma's soundly sleeping form across the ground and smiled. He'd need time to recharge, so Aoi could bring Echizen Ryoma back out in front of everyone once their real match continued.
Aoi planted a soft kiss across the other boy's full, sleeping lips, but was too tired to feel Ryoma return it. He had plenty of recharging to do himself.
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