Summary: When Ryoma returned to Japan Fuji couldn't help but notice how much their youngest changed. Getting involved with the tennis prodigy made Fuji realize how much he himself has changed. Once again he felt thrilled, alive… happy. But all good things had to end, and sometimes one doesn't get the happy ending one desire…
Rating: T for adult contents, but nothing really that explicit yet. It might go up in the future if I decide to write lemons
Pairings: This is a thrill pair, meaning Ryoma x Fuji
Disclaimer: I DOn't own Prince of Tennis or any of its character. If I did it would officially become a yaoi anime and well… use your perverted imaginations!
Warning: This is a yaoi story. It has boy x boy love here so for those who can't appreciate such thing you are warned. This chapter is fairly safe. No real adult contents to be worried about.
AN: Finally! A thrill pair story of my own. I would like to thank the wonderful thrill pair writers out there who inspired my thrill pair fanaticism. If it weren't for them I wouldn't have survived all the months I had to stay at home to prepare for my board exams. Their stories are like my sunshine after a terrible storm… no kidding there!
And now on with the first chapter. RxR!
PROMISED TOMORROW
Prologue: A Glimpse of Sunrise
Fuji watched with suppressed delight at the unfolding before his eyes. It was a sight worth his talent in photography and he had hoped he hadn't left his trusty camera back home. But he didn't anticipate this event, having everyone aside from the man of the hour drag him in surprise to this impromptu celebration.
He had guessed it was well-meant gesture from his friends. Even Tezuka had cast a somewhat worried look before he pushed the brunet to the visual range of their guest of honor. He had just smiled at their antics, touched by their obvious attempt at making him happy. And this event did brought the genuine smile he had reserved for that one person and one person alone.
"Fuji-sempai."
"Ah… Echizen."
Fuji moved in to greet the younger man, and he couldn't help that the hug he gave him was much tighter than it looked, or that it was a tad longer than others. Fuji savored the feel of the tennis prodigy in his arms, of sniffing the same old nostalgic scent, on how the lithe body fitted perfectly in his slightly bigger form…
Someone cleared their throat and Fuji was forced to let go of the warmth he had coveted for so many year.
"How have you been Fuji-sempai?"
"I've been well Echizen," Fuji answered. "How about you? How's life have been outside your tennis?"
The two settled themselves at the still familiar tables of Kawamura Sushi, now handled by Taka himself. They sat side by side, neither really talking much, both basking at the comfortable silence. The others were making too much noise as it was, Momo and Kaidoh reenacting their tradition by fighting at the other table. Oishi was worrying excessively as usual while Kikumaru cheered on.
It all felt surreal. It was like being back in junior high, when they were all still kids. It was like they were back from being their young, cheery… innocent selves. But they all knew that that they have grown up, and this was only a brief reminiscence of the past.
As far as Fuji was concerned, that is.
"Ne Fuji-sempai. Why are you so quiet?" Ryoma broke their silent sanctuary.
"Saa… I don't know Echizen," Fuji replied, giving one of his smiles.
"Quite unusual of you sempai," Ryoma added. "It doesn't seem like you at all."
Fuji cocked his head to look directly at his seatmate. "Maybe I changed."
Ryoma frowned at the reply he got before he shrugged. "Too bad."
Fuji's smile slipped a notch, but none noticed the very negligible movement. He wanted to ask Ryoma what he meant by his words, and he was really tempted to do so when their haven was finally intruded when Oishi and Tezuka joined them.
"So, I hope everything's okay with the move Echizen," Oishi said. "It's been years since you've actually lived here in Japan."
"Exactly seven years, three months and twenty seven days from now," Inui suddenly announced from the next table.
"Inui! Don't scare us like that, nya!" Kikumaru exclaimed.
"You're still too exact Inui-sempai," Momo said.
"Fshuuu…" Kaidoh hissed.
"How about your tennis career?" Taka asked as he placed the sushi at the table.
"Wait… Are you moving back here in Tokyo?" Fuji suddenly asked.
Ryoma threw him a smirk. "You have really been out of touch sempai. The move was okay Oishi-sempai. I got my own loft by the way, a unit quite good actually. I can't believe monkey king helped me find one in his many units, and he made me pay for it really exorbitantly. Maybe I could sue him for extortion."
"Atobe helped you look for one?" Kikumaru exclaimed. "How come you didn't ask us to help you?"
"He said he owned some units he wanted to sell when we met in Los Angeles last month," Ryoma answered. "I told him some time ago that I wanted to have a residential property in Tokyo, and when we met again he brought it up. It actually came fully furnished too."
"Hey, let's crash your place!" Momo said excitedly.
"Baka! You'll wreck the unit for sure," Kaidoh muttered.
"What did you say mamushi?" Momo asked angrily.
"What, getting senile at your age peach butt?" Kaidoh countered.
"Stop it, you two," Tezuka said, and the two calmed down once again.
Ryoma took a sip of his sake before adding, "As for my tennis career Kawamura-sempai… it's on hold for a moment. I need to recuperate and well… heal."
Fuji's eyes suddenly shot open. He looked at Ryoma and Ryoma returned the intense gaze with a sheepish look of his own.
"You really have been out of touch."
Fuji closed his eyes once more and smiled sweetly. "Well, pardon me for having been busy, Echizen. We all can't have the leisure of time at our side."
The rest looked at Fuji suddenly, and the tensai realized he was getting out of character. He couldn't believe this meeting was breaking down his defenses. He was becoming agitated and he was sounding… bitter.
"That's one way to put it, ne sempai," Ryoma goaded. "But from what I remembered you used to have the time at you side, at your mercy sometimes. What changed?"
Fuji took a calming breath before replying. "I guess sometimes when one grows up one realizes that the world is far from the fairy tale we always thought it was."
Ryoma threw back his head and laughed. "Oh, the world is a fairy tale. It just doesn't have the happy endings most people wanted to have. But you always made sure that you get your fair share of amusement despite the hardship. What changed you?"
The group was looking at the two of them like some kind of tennis match, following their statements back and forth. Fuji looked at the challenge burning from the golden orbs of his verbal-joust opponent and he smiled again and put a wasabi sushi at his mouth. The conversation was over.
Ryoma raised a brow at the move but nonetheless followed suit. The rest settled in soon and the group was back to talking about other topics, munching the very delicious sushi at their disposal. Soon the night was getting later, and the party was winding to a close.
"Just remember to call us if you need anything Echizen," Oishi said as they all took their leave.
"Will do sempai," Ryoma replied and they all went to their separate ways.
Each returned home peacefully. But that night two were haunted by their past and feared their future.
TBC
Yeah! The prologue is finally up. I've always wanted my very own Thrill Pair story and now its here. But I've got to warn you. This is my very first attempt at the pairing and my very first attempt at some healthy dose of angst. It will get angsty in the future.
Updates of this story would be scarcer than my first Prince of Tennis story. Double Standards is my baby and I'm focusing more of my attention and time in that one. Expect updates of about once a month, depending on the progress.
Thank you for reading and please review!
nicki-gurl