Title: February Prompt Drabbles
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Character(s) or Pairing: Inui, Yanagi, Yukimura, Tezuka, Niou, Yagyuu, Fuji, Sanada, Atobe, Saeki, Oshitari
Rating: From G to R
Warnings: Individual warnings for each drabble at the beginning of the stories. Overall - crack pairings, possible oocness, genderswitch, silly ideas, no set plots.
Word Count: Varies
Summary: Varies
A/N: 28 drabbles for the month of February, all given to me by a good friend, Em.
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February 1; parallel, Inui/Yanagi; 495 words.
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Inui keeps track of Rikkaidai his freshman year at Seigaku; they are fearsome, winning Regionals and then Nationals because of the drive and devotion of a short, girly looking freshman. He tells himself that it is only for data purposes, because Seigaku will no doubt come against Rikkai at some point, that he watches the team.
He lies to himself because he does not wish to admit his eyes are drawn to one particular figure.
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In their second year, Inui stands above the bleachers to watch the first matches Rikkai plays of the season, because he doesn't want to be in the midst of the crowds and noticeable. But he sees Inui's gaze flicker to him once, twice, thrice; and it shocks him when Inui is not even listed as a player that day, but an alternate, and singles three is slotted to a freshman.
Rikkai only needs those three games - Sanada and Yukimura are singles two and one, respectively, but even Inui can see they have no intention of playing that day, because Rikkai is merciless.
But it's only the beginning, Inui tells himself, and they are up against teams who will never measure up to Nationals standards.
Yet he can't help but wonder if Inui has been replaced by a freshman as the third greatest player of Rikkai.
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When Inui meets Echizen Ryoma his third and final year at Seigaku, he feels something, the thing the entire team feels: stirrings of competition and the desire, even greater than before, to win.
It makes his loss to the freshman sting, and makes him remember his thoughts on Yanagi, the year before: did he lose to a freshman, Inui asks himself, and resolves to find out.
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He doesn't find out until well after their match, well after Seigaku has won Regionals and left Rikkai stunned in the face of defeat. When they meet at Senbatsu, there are no hard feelings, but there is an aura of determination about the three Rikkai players.
Seigaku will have to be even better than before to defeat Rikkai next time. That's what Inui sees in the lines of Sanada's face, the grin on Kirihara's, and the unspoken words that linger in Yanagi's eyes.
He's always been able to see Yanagi's eyes, even if no one else can.
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"Echizen is a feared player," Yanagi murmurs, as they watch the boy play. Inui knows what he is talking about; this is not about Echizen, but them.
Yanagi has always been able to read the expressions on his face, even those Inui keeps hidden.
"He is good. Improving daily."
"The game is given to those with the drive and dedication."
"Much like your Kirihara."
"He too is improving."
"Lives and situations are too often parallel."
"Not always." Yanagi pauses. "Six games to three."
Yanagi leaves after that, but wastes no time in writing down that piece of information, followed by a note.
6-3 Y; study Hyperbolic Geometry