Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is Konomi Takeshi's. Prompt and challenge are from a1y-puff. There's this beautiful fanart she made to celebrate the first anniversary of her TeFu ship, namely 'The Path We Walk On'. She made a challenge to write a fanfic based on it and I accepted. The link to the art can be found in her profile page.
For a1y-san and all TeFu worshippers, I hope you enjoy!
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Path in Season
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If we begin to walk, even slowly is okay
Don't turn around
I want you to continue onward
-Road by Tezuka Kunimitsu
---oOo---
It was a cheerful summer week. Such a pleasant time to hold a training camp at the beach.
"Uwaah, this is so refreshing!" Momoshiro said spiritedly as he splashed a handful of water onto his face. After a strict running session in midsummer afternoon, a break was very mush welcomed. The sun was almost setting so the heat wasn't too unbearable anymore.
"Che, mada mada dane, Momo-senpai," a certain capped freshman smirked at his senpai and was rewarded with a splash of salty water.
"Nya, are we having a water fight? Hoi hoi!" The team's acrobat joined in and soon the regulars were involved in a water fight, despite Oishi's trying to stop the mess.
"What kind of mess can be made in the sea, Oishi-senpai? Don't worry too much, just join in!" Momoshiro encouraged his hesitant senior.
"Come on, Oishi, everybody is playing!" Kikumaru said loudly while showering his double partner with water.
Oishi smiled at Kikumaru's childish antic. "Demo, if Tezuka sees…"
The team froze at the mention of their beloved strict captain, before realizing that the bespectacled boy wasn't among them. In fact, they hadn't seen him since the running session ended about fifteen minutes before.
"Fssh, where's buchou?"
"By the way…" Kawamura said as he looked around. "Fuji isn't here either…"
That left the regulars silent for a while, wondering just where their top two players were.
"There's 88.67 percent that they're at a same place now," Inui muttered.
"Che, mada mada dane, Tezuka-buchou, Fuji-senpai," Echizen's voice broke in, startling his teammates.
"What do you mean by that, Echizen?" Oishi had started to worry again.
The youngest of the team jerked his head towards a cliff quite distant from their spot. There they saw two figures sitting, facing the setting sun.
The team slowly made their way towards the duo. They cramped under the said cliff and managed to hear snippets of conversation above.
"…but, if you're going to Germany soon…" Fuji's voice trailed off.
"Shuusuke," Tezuka's voice sounded firm and confident, just like always. "If we begin to walk, even slowly is okay. Just don't turn around. Don't let it bother you; I want you to continue onward."
A sigh ensued. "I've been thinking that in this season when sun started to shine, on this road that goes into the future… I would be walking on it with you."
"Shuusuke…"
"But I guess I know what I should do when you're not around," there was practically a smile in Fuji's voice. "I should just close my eyes and think fondly of you, ne?"
A brief pause, rustling sound, and then the tensai's voice echoed again. "Always go forward, never regret. That's just like you, Kunimitsu. Only… what do you think they'll say?"
"They'll be fine," Tezuka replied with absolute confidence. "We're mature enough to decide our own path, and they're mature enough to understand and do their best."
The day after, when the regulars were trekking up a hill near the beach, Momoshiro and Echizen passed by Tezuka and Fuji who were walking side by side.
"Yosh, this track is hard but we can do it together! Right, Ryoma?"
"Yeah," Echizen responded cheekily. "There's still a lot to walk on, but it's not that difficult."
"Fssh, it won't take very long," Kaidoh encouraged.
"As long as we don't turn around," Kawamura piped in.
"Just continue onward," Oishi said kindly.
"As long as we're together!" Kikumaru shouted and took Oishi's hand.
"My data says that we can make it," Inui said confidently.
"And we're mature enough to do our best on this path!" The team said in unison.
Hazel eyes met cerulean ones in a moment of surprise, but then warm smiles bloomed in perfect understanding.
This road will continue on into the future with every obstacle it offers. But we've begun to walk on it and we'll never turn around. Someday when we take a rest and look over our shoulders, all stumbles will serve as bittersweet unforgettable memories.
By then, I'll just take your hand, close my eyes and think fondly of you.
---oOo---
In the season that started to shine
On the road that continues on into the future
I just close my eyes and think fondly of you
-Hitomi wo Tojite by Fuji Shuusuke
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A/N: Do you think this story matches the art? Please tell me what you think of it!
Once again, for a1y-san and her TeFu ship, happy anniversary! Please write a lot more TeFu in the future!