Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis... :(
Warnings: angst, spoiler for chapter 348!
A/N: Chapter 348 makes me feel so sad and depressed that I immediately had to write this fic... Sanada and Kirihara, especially Sanada, are one of my favourite characters and I love writing about them. They, like the whole Rikkai team, can be so angsty :( Anyway, enjoy and tell me what you think! ;) (Besides, thank you to all reviewers and readers of my first fic, you made my day(s)!)
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Never again
Kirihara never wanted to see him like this again.
Sanada Genichirou was a strict, frightening, nearly invincible player - he had lost several times against him, being in a clearly inferior position, always wondering if he'll be able to beat him, someday. His fukubuchou was self-confident and strong, mentally and physically - nothing could break his pride or his strength. He really was an emperor.
"We must never lose" he ever said, without accepting any protest. Nobody would complain, after all; they knew it all too well. That was the principle of Rikkai, the principle of their absent captain Yukimura whom they promised to win until the Nationals.
They weren't allowed to lose... But they did.
Renji couldn't persist against his former doubles partner Inui Sadaharu and Kirihara didn't win, either. However, this wasn't the most shocking fact about it.
He never expected Sanada to lose.
And now he was standing in front of his team, one day after the loss against Seigaku. Everybody knew that their vice was the last one who would tolerate his own defeat. Nevertheless, no one - except for his omniscient friend Renji - would have anticipated that Sanada wanted them to punish him.
The expression of their fukubuchou was motionless, his eyes dark and impenetrable.
"Niou."
The trickster nodded dumbly and stepped forward.
The seven regulars were alone at the courts, the other members of the tennis club wouldn't show up until the usual morning practice started. Although most of them had been incredibly tired, especially after the long night they had stayed in the hospital, they didn't even dare blink as Sanada spoke to Niou.
"Hit me."
For seconds, Niou met him with disbelief, just as Kirihara. You can't be serious, he thought, you can't -
Sanada didn't budge an inch when the doubles player slapped him firmly; a bright red mark could be seen at his cheek. His eyes grew darker, if possible.
"Next, Yagyuu!"
Kirihara closed his eyes and tried to think of something else, unable to blank out the noises around him. Everything was silent, expect for the brief moments when Sanada was being beaten, by every regular, hard and painfully.
Even if the emperor wanted this kind of punishment, it hurt Kirihara.
"Akaya."
Finally, it was his turn, right after Renji who had done it as hard as his friend ordered. Without showing any reaction, he was rooted to the spot. He wouldn't hit him, no way. He couldn't.
"Akaya."
"...No."
"Just do it." His voice sounded sharp and impatient, but he didn't yell at him at least. For an instant, the younger boy believed that he sounded almost... desperate. It hurt, seeing his fukubuchou like this...
"No."
"Akaya, don't be stubborn" Renji said softly, resting his hand on his shoulder. Nonetheless, he didn't look at his senpai, only gazing at his vice-captain. His voice was hardly hearable.
"Why? Why do you want me to hit you?"
Normally, it would have been Kirihara who was reprehended due to his unacceptable behaviour. He himself had lost, too; he was the one who had told him that he would finish the game with Fuji Shuusuke easily, he was the one who had been arrogant, it was his fault...
Everything was better than Sanada blaming himself and taking full responsibility for the loss.
"That's none of your business. Just do it."
Kirihara still didn't move, despite the angry glare directed at him. No one said a word when Sanada came closer and grabbed him by his wrist roughly; no one interfered as the vice raised Kirihara's hand, right in front of his own face.
Kirihara didn't want to look at him - much less touch - when Sanada was like this; with angry black eyes and tense muscles, furious and bitter and desperate, and yet he always seemed to be imperturbable, even now. His look scared him and made him feel helpless, in a strange way.
After a few seconds passing by, Kirihara hit him.
It was the hardest blow of all; his cheek was magenta and swollen now, but Sanada looked satisfied.
For a moment, Kirihara did nothing. Then he beheld his hand, numb and embarressed, hating himself for what he'd done... and at the same time feeling as if he had just touched something distant, something unachievable. It had always been like this.
Sanada receded and faced his silent team seriously.
"We must never lose" he said intransigently.
The regulars nodded before they started practicing, keeping the true meaning of his words in mind. 'We must never lose again.'
And Kirihara understood that Sanada would become stronger, even stronger than before, and that he wouldn't lose a second time.
He could comprehend it, all his reasons for being and acting this strict. Sanada Genichirou was a soldier, a leader, after all, dignified and determined... it wasn't only because of the law of Rikkai, or the promise he made with Yukimura.
He knew all of that.
And maybe, someday, Sanada would understand why Kirihara never wanted to see him like this again.
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A/N: I'm German, so I don't know if I made any grammar/spelling mistakes; please tell me if you have found any, it's very important to me. And, of course, please tell me how you liked this fic! Reviews are greatly appreciated :) Thanks for reading ♥