Inui investigates

Summary: Fuji and Kikumaru are up to something. Inui is curious and investigates. Inui - don't you know that curiousity is what killed the cat?

Rating: PG13 - to be safe. If you can't stand implied boyxboy don't read this.

Inui was leaning against a tree waiting for the rest of the tennis club members to arrive for practice when he noticed Fuji and Kikumaru walking closely and talking together softly, almost whispering, towards the club house. Intrigued he quickly slipped behind the tree, hoping he would be able to overhear their conversation as they passed him.

"Are you sure that it is alright?" Kikumaru asked.

"But of course it is. I would never have suggested it if I didn't mean it." Fuji replied.

"But when can we do it?"

Fuji stopped walking suddenly. Inui wondered if he had been seen. Kikumaru jumped back to where Fuji was standing and looked at him eagerly.

"How about tomorrow?" Fuji asked after a slight pause. "I could be ready at three and spend the next two hours or so. How does that sound?"

Kikumaru thought for a minute. "That suits me fine. But where can we do it?"

Fuji thought again and replied: "I'll think of a place later today. But if we meet outside the burger joint then you can grab a quick bite to eat before."

Kikumaru nodded. "OK! It's agreed!" He hesitated a second and then spoke softly. "And you won't tell anyone about this."

Fuji nodded. "Of course." He smiled. "This is our little secret."

Having apparently been reassured enough Kikumaru started bounding towards the club facilities again. "C'mon – we'll have to hurry or we'll be late! Think of the laps to run if we're late."

Fuji smiled again and followed him.

Inui remained behind the tree for a few minutes contemplating what he had just overheard. What sort of secret could Fuji and Kikumaru possibly share? Kikumaru had seemed to need assurance that this wasn't going to become general knowledge – in fact rather the opposite.

He flipped his notebook open to a new page and scribbled some hasty notes and noted that he too didn't have anything scheduled for the following day at three. He snapped the book shut with a smile. He would be waiting for them tomorrow. Making sure no one was there to see him he emerged from behind the tree and walked casually towards the tennis courts.

The next day found Inui standing on the opposite side of the street of the burger bar at quarter to three. Overhearing Fuji ask Kikumaru to "Please wear some nice clothes tomorrow" had eliminated any doubts as to whether or not he would observe them. At ten to three he saw Kikumaru approach and enter the burger bar and come out again seven minutes and 32 seconds later holding a drink cup in one hand and a hamburger which he had begun eating in the other. He had heeded Fuji's request – he was wearing a white shirt, blue trousers and blazer, dark laced shoes – and a red tie.

Inui tried to recall when he had last seen Kikumaru looking so dapper in his spare time.

At one minute and 35 seconds past three Fuji arrived carrying a sports bag over his shoulder. Inui observed them talk a while; they were most likely exchanging greetings. Fuji then pointed in the direction he had come from and they started to walk that way. Inui followed them on the other side of the street.

Following them turned out to be easier than he had feared; Fuji would stop every now and then to do some window-shopping. Inui was rather relieved by that for at one crossing the pair had managed to get across just before the light changed to red and he had had to wait some agonizing 36 seconds for the light to change again.

Later he had to backtrack and pretend to do some window shopping of his own as they crossed over to his side of the street. Fortunately they were deeply engrossed in their conversation and never noticed him. This also saved him from being discovered when they suddenly stopped and he very nearly walked into them. He was thankful that they had entered a park then so he could dodge behind a tree close enough to overhear them again.

"Are we going to do it here?" Kikumaru asked with more than a hint of worry in his face.

"No, no – we are doing it in there." Fuji pointed towards a dull building across the street.

Inui's heart jumped and he had to blink twice when he read the sign. Mikado Love Hotel.

Kikumaru apparently seemed startled too. He squeaked: "Fuji-senpai! That's….that's a …love hotel."

"Hm-mm" affirmed Fuji.

"But….but….but…. I have never been to a love hotel before!" Kikumaru almost whispered.

The thought "I should certainly hope not!" crossed Inui's slightly dazed mind before getting a hold of himself and focusing once more on his two team-mates.

"There is always a first time for everything!" proclaimed Fuji smiling and reached out and stroked Kikumaru's cheek reassuringly.

"But what will they think when we enter?" Kikumaru sounded very embarrassed.

"Don't worry. I doubt they will think anything in particular, they are used to all sorts of people in there I should think.

But if you'd prefer it I can go and order a room alone and then let you in when I have the key." Fuji offered.

"But isn't it expensive? I didn't expect you meant a place like this." It almost seemed like Kikumaru was searching for an excuse to get out of it.

"Actually it's not that bad. I have used more expensive places." Fuji answered.

Inui's eyes opened wide behind his glasses. Fuji was used to using love hotels? This was a completely new side to him. One he had not seen coming based on the data he had on him.

"Will you come with me or wait outside?" Fuji asked and took a step towards the hotel. "However you will probably call more attention to yourself if you wait outside."

Kikumaru hesitated, and then stepped towards Fuji drawing a deep breath. "I'll come with you," he breathed.

Inui watched them approach and enter the building. Fuji calmly and confidently, Kikumaru hesitantly following him. The door closed behind them.

Seeing a bench some metres away he walked over and sat down. He realised he was trembling slightly. He must be in a state of shock. Of course, there was hardly anything strange about that. It could hardly be considered a normal occurrence to witness two team-mates enter a love hotel together. After all that meant that they were going to…….

He felt himself flush and a surge of warmth hit him as the full implication of what he had just witnessed meant. He started visualizing all kinds of images of Fuji and Kikumaru in various states of undress and in various positions, vainly trying to erase them as soon as they popped up, only to have them replaced by others even wilder. He felt his pulse start to hammer and his mouth dry up and his breathing grow uneasy. He tried to ignore a strange feeling somewhere in his stomach that seemed to be heading further down.

"I have to do something, I have to do something" he kept repeating to himself like a mantra – to no avail. He just sat on the bench, knowing that his legs would not bear him if he got up then. He considered phoning someone, but who should he call – and more importantly – exactly what should he tell them. That would also mean admitting to spying on his own team-mates – and what might that do to his reputation and relationship with them.

He tried to argue with himself that there could be a very logical and plausible explanation as to what they were doing in a love hotel that didn't involve … sex ... but for once his brain refused to give any possible logical alternatives to that theory.

He was still sitting on the bench when he realised that the couple leaving the hotel now was Fuji and Kikumaru. He realised with a shock that he wouldn't have time to get up from the bench and hide himself in time, but as luck would have it, they didn't cross the street but walked away on the far side.

He noted that Kikumaru was somewhat flushed but seemed in good spirits, clinging onto Fuji's arm, and Fuji, well Fuji looked just like he always did.

Inui didn't bother following them this time. He glanced at his watch and noted that they had spent one hour, 57 minutes and 42 seconds in the hotel. He finally gathered some semblance of his usual self and started writing furiously in his notebook. The activity of writing seemed to restore him to his usual self and he slowly calmed down while noting all of the events.

His night, however, was not as calm as usual. Visions of the two entangled in each other on a bed surged through his mind most of the night, leaving him sweaty and sticky in the morning.

He kept his eye on the two the following weeks, but nothing untoward happened between them – apart from the "Thank you sooooo much for yesterday" Kikumaru whispered to Fuji the next day when he thought they were out of hearing. Inui was still debating whether he should inform anyone – Ryuuzaki-sensei, Tezuka or Oishi about it – but the more time passed and nothing else seemed to happen, the more he felt that it was for the better he hadn't told anyone. The most disturbing continuing occurrence was the tendency for indecent images of them to fill his dreams.

Inui's team-mates however worried about him during those weeks – he seemed strangely distracted and distant and jittery – which alarmed them somewhat, but as time passed he seemed to relax and return to his usual cool, gathered self. They let out a collective sigh of relief and even took it as a welcome – though foul-tasting – omen when he produced the "Super-nutritious deluxe improved Inui-juice" some three weeks later – the first concoction they'd had to face in 25 days.

Ten days after the visit to the love hotel Fuji handed a small parcel to Kikumaru. "Here are the pictures. I am quite pleased with the way they turned out. I am sure you can find some that your grandparents will really be happy to receive as a gift."

After having tasted the "Super-nutritious deluxe improved Inui-juice version 2.1", Fuji starting considering whom he could suggest having some portraits taken to use as a gift for their grandparents. And how to make sure Inui would overhear just the right amount of talk to make him follow.

Fuji smiled. Life was good.