A/N: Hey guys! So I finally got to write a story. :D I was inspired by a friend to write a story because we were fangirling over BACON. Yes. BACON. I mean, who doesn't love bacon? :D Anyway, here it is! Slight shounen-ai. Turn back now if this offends you.
Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis. But I do own a pack of bacon. :P
The Final Piece of Bacon
By ThroughTheMonsoon
The sound of birds chirping is soothing. The large, log cabin on the hill looks so imaginary, but this one's for real. Everything is peaceful: the grass swaying rhythmically to the wind's soft passing, the water bubbling down the brook just a few meters from the cabin, and the sun half-dozing behind a puff of clouds.
It would be such a nice, perfect scene if there was a newly-extinguished fire at the fireplace, and a soft chatter at the dining table, but the extended dining area was filled with chaos.
A bespectacled boy was sitting at the head of the table, eating quietly with the usual "Don't you mess with me if you don't want to run kazillion laps" air about him, and yet the chestnut-haired, frail tensai sitting almost beside him was disregarding his taunting aura.
"Ne, Tezuka, want some eggs?"
"No."
"Hotdogs?"
"No."
"Fish?"
"No."
"Bacon?"
And without even waiting for a reply, Fuji pushed the smallest remains of the crisp, juicy bacon on Tezuka's plate. Tezuka picked up his fork to put it all back, but Fuji stopped him and said, "Tezuka, what is given to you must not be returned. Be grateful instead."
Tezuka resisted the urge to roll his eyes and just ate the pieces of bacon on his plate, dipping them occasionally in ketchup.
Oishi and Eiji were talking amongst themselves, Eiji with his usual feline-like smile whenever it's Oishi. Oishi was taking in everything Eiji was saying, for to him, the redhead was childishly interesting.
Opposite Eiji and Oishi were Kawamura and Echizen, both somewhat quiet except for Kawamura asking to please pass the water jug or Echizen joining in at some points to Momoshiro's rantings.
At the other end of the table was Inui, choosing the area due to the room's visibility being at a high level and being left upon to ponder his thoughts and scribble data occasionally over a glass of orange juice.
In the middle of Fuji and Eiji was Momoshiro, blabbering endlessly about everything no one cares about. He stuffs food in his mouth, chews them up, gulps a glass of whatever is in his glass and talks, then he repeats the cycle.
Across the table, between the empty seat and Kawamura, is Kaidoh. He's just sitting there, minding his own business and trying not to look at Momoshiro gobbling his food like there's no tomorrow. He doesn't know where to begin telling about the things that disgust him of the Peach Butt.
Fuji set down the plate of used-to-be-bacon-filled plate. There was only one piece left: A long, juicy, chewy, crispy strip of bacon. Momoshiro checked his plate for more, but what's left aside from the drops of ketchup was nothing more than space.
Kaidoh, on the other hand, picked up his chopsticks to pick up the last strip of bacon.
Momoshiro stuck his fork into the strip. "What do you think you're doing, Mamushi?"
Kaidoh looked up to snake-glare at the stupid boy in front of him. "I'm trying to get this strip of bacon, idiot."
"Well, you can't do that. This is mine," said Momoshiro with an air that suggests that Kaidoh must submit to his will lest he wanted a duel.
"Oh yeah, Peach Butt? Did you write your name on it so you have the right to call it your own?" Kaidoh glared more ferociously at Momoshiro, earning both of them a smirk from Echizen and an eager audience in the form of Eiji.
Momo growled, pulling the piece of bacon to him. "Whatever you say, it's mine, because I got it first."
"No you didn't. I picked it up first, you dumbass. It's mine, and first come, first serve," hissed Kaidoh.
"It's mine, so back off, Mamushi." Momoshiro stood up now, a dangerous sign of an ensuing battle.
"You back off. I got it first, Peach Butt." Kaidoh stood up, too, signaling the acceptance of a challenge.
Tezuka's glasses glinted, another bad sign.
"If you two want a fight, stay out of the cabin. Do not go back unless you settle your problem. And while you're at it, 35 laps."
Momoshiro bared his teeth at Kaidoh, with that "This is all your fault" look obvious on his face. Fuji's smile grew wider a millimeter, and sided with Tezuka. "If you two don't get this straightened out, there's a large consequence in store."
The two was left no other option, due to their Fuji-senpai stepping in. They even have a motto that was never spoken of but was branded in their minds: When it's Fuji, things get loony.
Momoshiro stomped out of the cabin, followed by Kaidoh. Both were totally infuriated.
"That piece of bacon is mine!"
"No, it's mine!"
From the clear glass window, the two second years saw the scary glint of Tezuka's glasses yet again, telling them that everyone's watching.
Kaidoh started to run the laps around the cabin's hill. It's been a week since they've trained there, and the hill was just a tad wider until it resembled the courts, making Tezuka mark the hill as their official running ground.
Momoshiro followed, jogging past Kaidoh. No conversation ensued. Not even a word was uttered.
But as if there was some silent language between them, Kaidoh picked up his pace and Momoshiro's competitive fire lit up. The two ran around the hill, seeing who will outrun who, slashing in their minds the lap they were running. Momoshiro grinned his grin, and Kaidoh hissed his hiss.
And so the challenge begins.
*O*O*O*O*
They both collapsed on the lush, green grass. The scent of the morning lingered still, though the time has swept by as if in a magnificent waltz.
Panting was heard alongside the giggles of the brook, and it seemed peculiar that it somehow fit in the picture.
Momoshiro was lying a few inches from Kaidoh, and Kaidoh was lying a few inches from Momoshiro. They had their eyes shut and their hair dry of the sweat that formed moments ago because of their draining activity.
"For the record, I won that piece of bacon." Momo grinned,opening his eyes and stealing a glance at the figure lying beside him on the blankets of green.
"No you didn't. You were too slow."
Momoshiro stood up, leaving his last go on the topic.
"I was running my 36th lap when you were on the 35th, Mamushi."
"Liar." And Momoshiro let it go.
They walked to the brook to go freshen up. They took off their shoes, and Kaidoh rolled up his jogging pants.
As predictable as it is, they ended up splashing each other with the clear, cool, refreshing water.
When they finally called it quits, Momoshiro looked at Kaidoh, noting his calm, more carefree and less frowning expression.
"You know what, you can have the last strip of bacon."
Kaidoh glanced at Momoshiro and blinked at his reflection in the brook. Several times. Was he dreaming? Was he hallucinating? Did he want that bacon so bad he's thinking of this supernatural, extraterrestrial occurrence as something he's siriusly—I mean, seriously witnessing?
Momoshiro smiled a true smile, one that noted his real amusement and the feeling he was getting at the moment, though with disruptions of slight nausea due to a fluttering feeling in his stomach. Was Kaidoh really stupid enough to never not know that Momoshiro was seeing his relfectionin the brook as well?
"You can have it, Mamushi. But you're gonna have to treat me a burger for this."
Kaidoh partly-glared at Momoshiro. "Gee, thanks," he said in a sarcastic but discreetly-amused tone.
Momoshiro laughed a real laugh. "Well, savor the moment! I'm being nice for you for the first time!"
Kaidoh looked at the grass beneath him. His thoughts were between "Yeah, I will. Thanks," and "Are you serious?" He didn't know what made him smile. He just did.
For a moment, the sun seemed to shine for the two alone. Never has the world seemed brighter.
*O*O*O*O*
-OMAKE-
Eiji how long the two were taking.
"Nya, Fujiko, where are those two?"
Fuji's smile got more sinister. "Settling their argument."
Eiji huffed. "What's taking them so long, nya~?"
Oishi smiled at the adorable cuteness beside him. Though he kept quiet, he felt a bit giddy.
The acrobat, being bored to death, poured ketchup on the bacon and stuck his own fork into it. He ate it.
"Eiji, no! That's the thing they were fighting for!" Oishi sounded totally distressed.
"The fork?" Eiji blinked cluelessly.
"No, Eiji! The bacon!"
"Oh…"
Oishi sighed. "What are we going to give the winner now?"
Fuji opened his eyes. "Both of them won."
Oishi groaned. "That's worse than I thought! Now we don't have a prize for both of them! Did they even win for something at all?"
Fuji's eyes gleamed with ultimate knowledge.
"Oh, they won something alright."
-END-