Disclaimer: Do not own Prince of Tennis
He held the mug filled with warm green tea and settled further into his hidden spot. He hated days like these, the weather wasn't even warm and the mid February day showed signs of rain to fall once night would hit. Ryoma hoped the rain would wash away the last of the snow that lingered around, too stubborn to melt.
Another couple stepped up the steps to the temple before ringing the bell. He cringed as it rang behind him, even though the alcove hid him away from the rest of the world it didn't seem to stop sound.
Declaration of love and promises to always be together were exchanged from the unknown couple. Pathetic, Ryoma thought. It bought back the reason he was stuck here in the alcove with only a warm mug of tea in hand.
Valentine's Day was always a nuisance, with declarations of false love and promises. Ryoma always thought that if a couple cared for each other, it wouldn't need to be said, they both would know. However, most people didn't take that into account and after the fifth ring at the doorbell of his home with someone declaring their love for him, he had escaped towards the temple grounds to get away from it all, though it was in vain. Now instead of listening to simpering girls telling him how they felt for him, he had to listen to nauseating couples declare their love for one another.
As the last pair of couple finally left, Ryoma wondered if it would be all right to return home now, though he decided against it. He really didn't want to be assaulted with frilly packages of chocolate and screaming girls.
A swarm of noise filtered though his thoughts and he curled further into his alcove as he recognized the noise as chattering females. One pair of shoes stepped up the temple steps but Ryoma didn't hear the simpering footsteps of the females following. The bell rang and two hands met twice. A deep baritone voice reached Ryoma's ears.
"Please let me continue to play tennis."
The voice was recognizable. Sure it was deeper than it was when he was fifteen, but Tezuka's voice was unmistakable. The increase in the noise of the females that were following him made Tezuka give an irritated sigh and bought a smirk to Ryoma's lips. He stuck his head out of the alcove but the bell was in the way.
"Buchou," he called out, even though they were both far older and Tezuka was no longer his captain, but old habits die hard. Footsteps shuffled over before he saw the figure that was Tezuka.
"Echizen? What are you doing?"
"Hiding." He answered as if it was normal for an eighteen year old to hide. "You can hide with me until they leave." He said indicating the females down below the temple grounds that were waiting for Tezuka.
Ryoma noticed a crinkling at the edge of Tezuka's eyes, like he was suppressing a smile, before he gave another sigh, joined him in the alcove and settled onto the floor beside him. Ryoma handed over his half-filled mug of tea to Tezuka, which he drank from to starve off the cold. They stayed like that, basking in each others companionship.
"You never answered my question," Tezuka said after some time. Ryoma had to go over their brief conversation in his head to find out what he was talking about.
"I got tired and annoyed from answering the door."
"They know where you live?" Tezuka asked, unconsciously frowning.
"Yes."
"That's slightly disturbing." Ryoma had to agree. The female species as a whole were weird.
"Is this where you spend your Valentines Day?" Tezuka asked. Ryoma gave an affirmative answer. Ryoma ghosted his fingertips over Tezuka's shoulder, the one closest to him, his left one.
"You still worry."
"I come here every week," was Tezuka's response.
"Sometimes, I pray that you can continue to play tennis too."
Tezuka hands him the mug of tea back. There's a little bit of tea left.
"Why?"
Ryoma brings the mug to his lips; on the exact place the mug had touched Tezuka's lips.
Indirect.
"So that you will continue to play tennis with me"
Tezuka gives another sigh, this one more content than irritated and Ryoma leans towards Tezuka, very lightly resting against Tezuka's left arm. Tezuka's right hand comes up to claps over the mug in Ryoma's hands because even though there's no tea left, it's still warm and they stay like that.
Content.