DISCLAIMER: I don't own Prince of Tennis
Tezuka is distracted.
One, because he knew Fuji's staring at him. Two, because he can hear the audible giggles and chatters of their classmates saying something about a 'surprise' and a 'date'. Tezuka suspected it has something to do with him judging from how his female classmates flinch once he looks at their direction.
'Fuji better not..' was the first thought that came to mind when he recalled the last time Fuji pulled a prank on giving him a bouquet of red roses during his last year's birthday. Fuji better not the repeat the same thing this year. It's not that he doesn't like roses.
But red roses? In front of the whole team? Really now...
Breathing deep, Tezuka stood up and walked to his teammate's direction.
"Fuji,"
"Tezuka.."
'Why do you have to smile that way?,' was the right question but Tezuka kept the thought to himself and adjusted his glasses. "Do you have a minute?"
Another smile.
"We need to talk," Tezuka muttered, refusing to look Fuji in the eye, feeling uncomfortable with that beautiful blue eyes directed at him. Wait, what? Beautiful? No Tezuka you're absolutely not-
"Then talk."
Tezuka pushed away his thoughts and cleared his throat. "Let's go somewhere private."
He saw Fuji arched a brow in amusement before another smile graced his lips. Really, Fuji should stop smiling that way.
"You seem distracted."
"I am," Tezuka admitted. Their club room is basically not the most ideal place for privacy, but he really doesn't have much choice. "Fuji.." - a pause - "...today.."
"...is your birthday," the tensai finished.
Tezuka hesitated, not knowing how to start without being offensive. "I hope you're not thinking of giving me...those stuff," referring to the roses. "It's just.."
"No roses." Fuji said, eyes wide open, looking straight at Tezuka, who obviously felt uncomfortable with their conversation. "I have something completely different in mind."
Tezuka hated to admit it. But the way Fuji said the word 'different' sounded like a warning shot for whatever disaster that is about to come. He hoped not. Surprisingly enough, there wasn't any 'unwanted' events that took place on the entire duration of their practice. No roses, and that's good.
The surprise happened later that afternoon, when he found himself locked inside their clubroom, together with a smiling tennis tensai, lazily slumped in one of the benches. Tezuka tried the door, literally yanking the knob in an attempt to break it and get themselves out.
"Relax Tezuka. The guards will soon have their rounds. We just need to wait."
Unable to control the building impatience in him, the normally calm captain faced his teammate with a glare. "And you really think I believe that you, being here, is just coincidence?"
Fuji shrugged.
Tezuka frowned.
"You seem so jumpy around me lately. I wonder why is that.." Fuji said innocently, throwing another disarming smile to his captain's direction. "I have a theory, but I'd rather you tell me yourself."
Tezuka doesn't like where the conversation is going and decided to keep his silence. Treating it as a go signal to continue Fuji stared at his captain's face in scrutiny. "Tell me Tezuka...is it perhaps because you're attracted? To me?"
The guards better hurry or Tezuka will really start screaming for help. "Nonsense."
Fuji nodded. "But you don't hate me either."
"Of course I don't!," Tezuka snapped, immediately regretting his reaction when Fuji actually smiled. "Fuji...what is this all about?"
"A quick psychology test. Now you see, Sanada asked me to go out and- "
"Sanada did what?" Okay, Tezuka is losing his cool. He knows it but who cares. "Since when?" he demanded.
"What's with the interest."
"I'm curious. No one said I'm interested."
"Sounds the same to me."
Tezuka gave out a sharp sigh. If the door doesn't open in three minutes he'll make the guard or whoever holds the key run 20 laps around the court. With weights, plus a glass of Inui juice.
"I declined the offer."
The not-so-in-the-mood Kunimitsu Tezuka darted a look at Fuji.
Fuji smiled. "I said I'm dating someone else."
"Are you?"
The tennis genius feigned a thoughtful look, though Tezuka knew it was fake. "It depends."
"Depends on what?" Tezuka wondered what Fuji did to make him so annoyed. He can practically feel his patience drifting away, slowly burying itself on his subconscious.
Fuji stood up. "Depends on whether or not the person sitting two columns, three rows to my right admits that he likes me, much as how I liked him."
Tezuka frowned and did the mental imagery. Seconds after, he blushed.
"Open the door Inui!" shouted Fuji. Tezuka heard the soft click from the other side of the room, but failed to register anything, not when Fuji started to walk closer, finally standing in front of him.
"Happy birthday captain." Fuji said, before giving Tezuka a quick kiss on the cheek. He then went out, leaving his dumbfounded captain staring in space.
Tezuka is so going to put salt in his morning coffee tomorrow. And Inui is running a thousand laps.
OWARI DA.