Hm...I can't decide if I like it or hate it, so I've fought with myself over putting it up forever. Basically, it's Fuji's match against Shiraishi (OVA 15) with insight to what I thought Fuji and Tezuka were feeling during the match. It's kinda TezuxFuji, but it's complicated. They're more than best friends, but less that lovers, kind of similar to what I imagine the Golden Pair's synchro to be like if only one were on the court. Ugh...so complicated to explain. So yeah, just go ahead and read it. Major spoiler alert for OVA 15 (since it's kind of the whole thing.)
Disclaimer: I definitely do not own them, which is probably much to the relief of many people.
"…Fuji-sempai…lost?" the first years asked in disbelief, looking over to the boy sitting underneath a towel a few yards away.
"…I've never seen a more regretful Fuji." Momoshiro said gently, as the other regulars gazed at the boy as well.
The boy in question simply stared ahead, breathing hard after having fully exerted his energy. "It's not such a difficult notion," the tensai thought to himself, "although I've yet to believe it myself. However, the core rule is the person to get one more ball in will win. And I could not. This feeling…it's worse than after playing Tezuka…yet different somehow. You feel it too, don't you Kunimitsu?"
The stoic captain glanced at the honey-haired boy, his best friend, the boy closer to him than anyone else. "Fuji…" he said gently. They both understood the unspoken sentiments behind the name.
"Gomen nesai buchou. I've lost. And only you understand the true significance of that." Fuji thought, as he lost himself in the match that had taken place just moments ago.
Fuji stepped onto the court, and smiled to himself as the wind played with his hair, "There's a nice breeze." Tezuka stood behind the court, in the bleachers, the unspoken words "Don't let your guard down" hanging in the air. "Hai, Tezuka. I will begin the momentum needed for us to take this match."
"This is my first singles match of Nationals," the tensai thought as he served the first ball of the game, "I've only got myself to rely on…wh…what?" The ball dropped over the net. "Love-Fifteen!" called the umpire.
"It's perfect," Fuji heard the buchou say behind him, "His play has no shortcomings or superfluous movements."Again, Tezuka's unspoken words struck the smaller boy, "Fuji. You have to focus. Do not let your guard down. This must be a serious match."
"Hn…perfect play, ne? No matter, the match has only just begun." However, the frown on Fuji's face proved how well he understood his captain's words. Fuji served again. "That ball will…disappear." "If I follow it up with a drop shot…"
"Love-Thirty!" "I see. Not only has he carved away all unnecessary movement, but he is strong as well, with an unrivaled ability to read my every shot. This match will be interesting."
"Three games to love!"
"He's broken my Higuma Ootoshi. But I will not lose. I promised Tezuka I would start the momentum. And I intend to keep that promise." Fuji's eyes flashed, their depth showing how much of a mental game this was for those who knew to look.
But Tezuka didn't need to see the tensai's eyes to be able to understand, "You're beginning to play, Fuji. But you do not have time to waste."
Had the smaller boy not been so incredibly focused, he would have smirked. "Of course Tezuka, there's no time to waste. I will fight this battle, and I fully intend to win."
"Four games to love!" Fuji saw Shiraishi speaking, yet the words were consumed in his mind and ignored as superfluous as he battled internally with himself. "I must keep my composure. But he has found countermeasures to my disappearing serve, as well as the triple counters. It doesn't matter. As long as I stay composed, I can still find a way."
"Game, Shiraishi! Five games to love!" Tezuka ignored the comments of the others, face unreadable as he watched the match, "Fuji. What are you doing? The tensai of Seigaku is giving up?"
"Fifteen-love!"
"He has found countermeasures. You can overcome this."
"Thirty-love!"
"Don't listen to him Fuji, you are at my level. We would not be rivals otherwise. You're letting your guard down."
"Forty-love!"
"…Syuusuke."
Fuji lay on the court, gazing into the sun, his piercing blue eyes tensed as if the calm, icy interior just behind them had cracked, "A play faithful to its basis till the very end. The perfect tennis in order to win. Then…what is my tennis?"
"What is my tennis?"
"Kunimitsu…can I do this?"
"It seems like it's not enough for victory."
"Have you put your faith in the wrong one?"
"Even though I'm called a genius, will that apply to the nationals too?"
"Am I good enough, Tezuka? Seigaku's tensai; can I give that title meaning in this match?"
"Where is my real self?"
"Who am I?"
"Am I at the edge?"
"Is the the end? Kunimitsu…"
The broken boy lay on the court, mentally beaten and oblivious to everything around him, until…
"Be serious." A shadow was cast over the tentative boy.
"Wh…what?" Fuji raised his hand to shield his eyes from the sun, squinting to see who stood above him.
"Fuji-sempai, play seriously." The figure of Echizen Ryoma stood over Fuji.
"He's right." The stoic boy in the bleachers thought, frowning at the sight in front of him, "Do not doubt yourself. You know as well as I do that you are capable of fixing this. Concentrate, Fuji, pull yourself together. You are Seigaku's tensai. Fuji Syuusuke, prove to these others why we have awarded you that title, or rather, why you have taken it. Fight, Fuji, until the last ball drops."
"Of course." Fuji's striking blue eyes flashed again, rebuilding the calm and focused determination, making it stronger, "I will not lose like this, Tezuka. I have not yet begun to show myself. I am Fuji Syuusuke, tensai of Seigaku. A title I intend to prove myself worthy of."
"Forty-Fifteen!"
"Saa, Fuji, you sure did take your time." Tezuka thought as the shouts of the tensai echoed across the court, "Houou Gaeshi. Kirin Otoshi. Hakuryu. Your triple counters have evolved Fuji. This is the real Fuji Syuusuke. Keep fighting. Do not let your guard down."
"Hai, buchou."
Tezuka could feel his teammate's growing focus, how he was cutting out every thought that did not directly aid his body or mind. The time for encouraging sentiment was over. Rather, Tezuka sharply watched the match, feeling as if he too were on the court. It was as if all his power, his stoic calm, his focus and determination were going directly to the boy on the court. He could almost feel it all being used, anticipating the coming of the next stroke.
"Final Counter." Fuji said on the court, as Tezuka echoed softly in the stands, "Your ball won't go over the net." The ball bounced to the ground with a soft thud.
"Hecatoncheires no Monban." The pair stated, Tezuka so softly that no one would notice.
"Fuji." The buchou said with his ever stoic face. "I leave the rest to you."
"Game, Fuji! Three games to five!"
"Game, Fuji! Five games all!"
"Game, Fuji! Six games to five!"
Slowly but surely, Shiraishi fought back, the ball creeping further up the net with every shot.
"It's coming. It can't hold him back forever, but will it be enough?" the tensai wondered.
"Fifteen-Forty!"
"No. I wouldn't have it any other way. A challenge to the end. Had he not kept his composure, I would've had him. We fight to the end."
"Game, Shiraishi! Six games all!"
"This is it. I can defeat him. I will defeat him. I have taken the responsibility to see this match begins in our favor. I…will…not…lose!" And with one last stroke, both players new the end of the match was in sight.
"Out! Game and match, Shitenhouji's Shiraishi. Seven games to six!"
Fuji opened his eyes, coming back to the present moment.
"Fuji." Tezuka said lightly, placing a hand on the seated boy's shoulder. They both understood, Tezuka felt Fuji's pain, shared every slight emotion. The regret of losing, the despair of fighting such a harsh battle, even the slightest tinge of determination lingering from the match. Fuji felt the energy, Tezuka's essence, still flowing through him, bitter with the poison of loss. Tezuka leaned down to the smaller boy's ear and whispered, "Fuji. You fought well. You are truly Seigaku's tensai."
As Fuji looked up at his captain, Tezuka saw the faint glint of hope, and knew that Fuji Syuusuke had accepted that truth.
Um...yeah. As I said before, sometimes I like it, others I hate it. Apologies for anything you didn't like, grateful for that which you do. This match is my favorite one, which may be why I'm so harsh on myself, as I feel I didn't do it justice at all. Reviews as always are wonderful things!