Title: You Won't Know You Missed It Until It's Too Late
Author: Lynn Bartlett
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Type: Humor
Pairing: None
Rating: G
Challenge: Losing
Disclaimer: Konomi-sensei, manga-ka.
Notes: Jackal torture, what else? What happens when you lose a player on your team? The one you were SUPPOSED to be babysitting? Short, 600 words.
When Jackal woke up that morning, he knew it was going to be a bad day. His alarm clock had been shut off, and he'd overslept - and it was not his fault. He knew that the second he saw the note pinned to the plug of said clock, which had been tied up neatly with the cord.
It was going to be like that.
Stumbling out of bed, with no clue if it was 8 a.m. or noon, he switched his computer on and saw with annoyance that it was after 9 a.m., and he'd be late for practice, which started at 10 a.m.
Only one thing to do. He sighed with reluctance as he fetched his cell off of the nightstand and dialed a number from memory.
Yanagi picked up on the second ring.
"I lost him again," Jackal said in frustration.
"He's not at his house?"
"I'm still at home. He snuck in last night and unplugged my alarm clock, leaving a note to let Sanada know he'd be late for practice."
Silence.
"It's not my fault!" Jackal said, feeling beads of sweat form on his bare brow. "Why the heck did I get stuck watching him, anyway?" he demanded.
Again, that silence, and Jackal knew Yanagi wasn't answering because he never replied when the person he was speaking to knew the answer.
"Yanagi...." Jackal said a bit desperately, "how am I going to explain this to Sanada? It's the third time this week!"
A sigh, and the sound of something rustling in the background. "Just come to practice, and we'll tell him together."
"I really wish this was your job."
"You have more experience," Yanagi said before disconnecting.
Yanagi met him at the gate, with an unhappy looking Sanada by his side. Jackal tried to think of something to sweeten the deal, but unfortunately, his charge had put him in this situation.
"You lost him," Sanada said without prelude. A slight frown furrowed his expression, and Jackal wondered if he was going to get smacked.
"I'm sorry," Jackal said, bowing. "It's hard keeping an eye on him! He's insane!"
"Did I hear someone singing my praises?" a voice said, inserting itself neatly into the conversation. Kirihara leaned against the doorway, looking smug. "What's up?"
"Niou's missing again," Sanada said. "Did he tell you anything?"
Kirihara shrugged. "Not that I recall. If you give him long enough, I'm sure he'll turn up."
"In trouble someplace," Sanada said hostilely.
"Well, yeah. But what can you expect while Yagyuu's on vacation and can't keep him in line?" Kirihara yawned exageratedly.
Jackal looked at the second year with a trace of wistfulness. He never thought he'd miss babysitting the wild child of the team, but when Yagyuu had left to visit his grandparents, he'd conned Sanada into setting a watcher on Niou. Yanagi had said that it made the most sense for the experienced sitter Jackal to pick up the duty while Yanagi took care of Kirihara... which met with approval from everyone. In another week, he'd be back to babysitting Kirihara instead of trying to keep the Trickster out of trouble. He never believed that anyone could be more trouble than Kirihara, but Niou was a year older and a hell of a lot smarter. So far Jackal had been the victim of four pranks, and numerous reprimands from Sanada for not keeping the Trickster in line.
The last week had been hell - and judging from the smug expression Niou wore when he finally sauntered into practice an hour let, it was only going to get worse.
Jackal wondered if the team had an insurance policy that covered mental care.
Author: Lynn Bartlett
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Type: Humor
Pairing: None
Rating: G
Challenge: Losing
Disclaimer: Konomi-sensei, manga-ka.
Notes: Jackal torture, what else? What happens when you lose a player on your team? The one you were SUPPOSED to be babysitting? Short, 600 words.
When Jackal woke up that morning, he knew it was going to be a bad day. His alarm clock had been shut off, and he'd overslept - and it was not his fault. He knew that the second he saw the note pinned to the plug of said clock, which had been tied up neatly with the cord.
It was going to be like that.
Stumbling out of bed, with no clue if it was 8 a.m. or noon, he switched his computer on and saw with annoyance that it was after 9 a.m., and he'd be late for practice, which started at 10 a.m.
Only one thing to do. He sighed with reluctance as he fetched his cell off of the nightstand and dialed a number from memory.
Yanagi picked up on the second ring.
"I lost him again," Jackal said in frustration.
"He's not at his house?"
"I'm still at home. He snuck in last night and unplugged my alarm clock, leaving a note to let Sanada know he'd be late for practice."
Silence.
"It's not my fault!" Jackal said, feeling beads of sweat form on his bare brow. "Why the heck did I get stuck watching him, anyway?" he demanded.
Again, that silence, and Jackal knew Yanagi wasn't answering because he never replied when the person he was speaking to knew the answer.
"Yanagi...." Jackal said a bit desperately, "how am I going to explain this to Sanada? It's the third time this week!"
A sigh, and the sound of something rustling in the background. "Just come to practice, and we'll tell him together."
"I really wish this was your job."
"You have more experience," Yanagi said before disconnecting.
Yanagi met him at the gate, with an unhappy looking Sanada by his side. Jackal tried to think of something to sweeten the deal, but unfortunately, his charge had put him in this situation.
"You lost him," Sanada said without prelude. A slight frown furrowed his expression, and Jackal wondered if he was going to get smacked.
"I'm sorry," Jackal said, bowing. "It's hard keeping an eye on him! He's insane!"
"Did I hear someone singing my praises?" a voice said, inserting itself neatly into the conversation. Kirihara leaned against the doorway, looking smug. "What's up?"
"Niou's missing again," Sanada said. "Did he tell you anything?"
Kirihara shrugged. "Not that I recall. If you give him long enough, I'm sure he'll turn up."
"In trouble someplace," Sanada said hostilely.
"Well, yeah. But what can you expect while Yagyuu's on vacation and can't keep him in line?" Kirihara yawned exageratedly.
Jackal looked at the second year with a trace of wistfulness. He never thought he'd miss babysitting the wild child of the team, but when Yagyuu had left to visit his grandparents, he'd conned Sanada into setting a watcher on Niou. Yanagi had said that it made the most sense for the experienced sitter Jackal to pick up the duty while Yanagi took care of Kirihara... which met with approval from everyone. In another week, he'd be back to babysitting Kirihara instead of trying to keep the Trickster out of trouble. He never believed that anyone could be more trouble than Kirihara, but Niou was a year older and a hell of a lot smarter. So far Jackal had been the victim of four pranks, and numerous reprimands from Sanada for not keeping the Trickster in line.
The last week had been hell - and judging from the smug expression Niou wore when he finally sauntered into practice an hour let, it was only going to get worse.
Jackal wondered if the team had an insurance policy that covered mental care.