The Day He Comes Back Home
Summary: Valentine's Day was the day of our confession as well as his proposal to me. Nothing could ever match that. Now's it's his birthday as well as the day he returned from Germany. How am I supposed to make this birthday the best one he's ever had? Sequel to 'Picture Perfect Confession'. Happy Birthday Tezuka!
Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis. Just the idea for the story is mine. I completely forgot it was Tezuka's birthday today. How fail for someone who rights Prince of Tennis fanfiction lol. This is yet another oneshot for the Pillar Pair (I think that's the only pairing I can write for now) as well as the sequel to my series of oneshots for the pairing. Happy Birthday Tezuka!
"Hey Echizen!" Momo yelled as he ran up to the freshman.
"Hello Momo-senpai," he greeted turning his head over his shoulder. "Is something the matter?"
"You know how Tezuka-buchou is coming back later in the week from his rehabilitation in Germany?" Momo panted out.
"Yes. It happens to be on his birthday as well," Ryoma commented turning fully to his teammate. That's right, Tezuka was in Germany for rehabilitation to help heal his left arm. He had been in Germany for the past few months. He had left a week after the school portraits.
"Yeah! Are you doing anything?" Momo asked after catching his breath.
"I'm thinking about what to do for buchou," Ryoma commented.
"Oh don't be so formal Ochibi!" Eiji yelled glomping his fellow teammate. "We all know that the two of you are dating after what happened during school portraits a few months ago!"
"Right…" Ryoma muttered as he was still being hugged to death by his cat-like senpai.
"Eiji! Let go of Echizen before he suffocates!" Oishi yelled as he noticed Echizen starting to turn blue.
"Sorry Ochibi!" Eiji yelled letting go of his hug-toy.
"So what are you planning to do Echizen?" Kawamura asked walking up to the group with Fuji by his side.
"I said I wasn't sure what to do yet for his birthday or even his return from Germany," Ryoma said closing his eyes in frustration. "There was Valentine's Day where we found out we liked each other-"
"What a minute! You were dating ever since Valentine's Day!" Momo yelled shocked that his best friend would keep the secret from him for nearly eight months (A/N: February 'til October considering that's when my first oneshot for the pairing was published…).
Ryoma nodded before continuing, "I showed him that I could sing on White Day in March. Played a prank on April Fools-"
"I remember that!" Momo yelled in excitement. "I was the one to help you with that one!"
Ryoma nodded again at his best friend before continuing again. "Then we went to a festival on the Fourth of July which is usually an American Holiday where we met Hanako. Then there was a few months ago when Hanako did our school portraits."
"Right~," Momo dragged out putting a hand to his chin.
"Now I see what the problem is," Fuji said tilting his head to the side with a thinking expression on his face. "You've already done a lot that you can't really match very well…"
"Not really," Ryoma said with a shrug as he pulled out his cell phone when it rang. Picking it up, he answered, "Hello? Ryoma here."
"…"
"Eh? Right now?"
"…"
"No I don't have anything planned right now."
"…"
"You want me to do what now?"
"What do you think Echizen is talking about now?" Eiji whispered to his doubles partner as he watched Ryoma talk on the phone with the mystery person.
"And who," Momo added on considering it sounded like someone Ryoma knew.
"Who could Ryoma be talking to?" Oishi asked confused. "Maybe Tezuka? Hanako?"
"Who knows because I certainly don't," Momo commented crossing his arms over his chest.
"Stupid idiot," Kaidoh commented with a hiss which started yet another fight between the two tennis regulars.
"Momo! Kaidoh! Stop that already!" Oishi yelled trying to stop the fight to no avail.
"I don't think I am able to do that," Ryoma said into his phone as he was oblivious to the chaos around him.
"…"
"Are you sure that would even work?"
"…"
"Well, I'm not completely sure."
"…"
"Alright then. I'll come over today and talk it over with you then," Ryoma said with determination getting the attention of the rest of the regulars around them.
"…"
"Good bye then and see you later today," Ryoma said hanging up the phone and putting it back in his pocket.
"Who was that Ryoma?" Oishi asked stepping away from the two angry regulars in front of him.
"It was nobody important," Ryoma answered before shouldering his tennis bag. "I have to go talk with someone about an assignment. See you all tomorrow." He turned around and left the team before they even had a chance to ask him anything further.
"That was weird…what do you think he has planned?" Eiji asked throwing his arms over his partner's shoulders as he stared at Ryoma's back as the boy left the area.
"Not sure but there's 43% that he'll be talking to a student at this school, 22% that he's just going home, 12% that he's trying to figure out something for Tezuka, and the last 23% that he's going to the street tennis courts," Inui commented writing in his notebook once more.
"When will he ever stop?" many of the regulars whispered under their breath as they watched Inui continue writing.
Ryoma walked up to a two-story building with a large yard and a large gate in front of it. The house itself was a light beige color along with a koi pond and a large garden in the front yard. He couldn't even imagine what was in the backyard if the front yard was this big. Ringing the doorbell next to the gate, Ryoma waited until he heard a voice appear from a little speaker box.
"Who is it?" the voice asked.
"It's Ryoma," he answered without missing a beat.
"Echizen-kun!" the voice exclaimed happily. "I'll open the gates for you and the front door, so please come in!" As soon as the voice finished speaking, the speaker box had a bit of static noting that the speaker was away from the other line before the gates started to open on their own.
Stepping inside the lot, Ryoma walked to the front door before noticing someone open it and yell, "Hello Echizen-kun! Ready for the plan?"
"Yes I am. Thanks for helping me with this," Ryoma whispered the last part under his breath even though the other heard it.
The other may have heard it but chose to say nothing about it and only smiled at the freshman. "Alright then Echizen-kun. Let's get started! We should start with the basics of this. Do you happen to know anything special?" the person questioned leading Ryoma up to the main bedroom and leading him inside.
"I know a bit," Ryoma answered as he threw his bag to the wall on his host's request.
"That's good! Why don't we start there then?"
"Alright then. This is what I know…" Ryoma then went off to list everything he knew that his host wanted to know. During the explanation, the host was writing everything down in a notepad from the host's pocket.
"With this information, everything will be great!" the person yelled out in excitement causing Ryoma to give a small smile toward his host.
"Thanks for helping me kid," Ryoma whispered getting a wider smile from his host.
"Hey! Where did you disappear you yesterday Echizen?" Momo yelled grabbing Ryoma in a headlock. "You know that buchou is coming back in two days! You haven't even prepared anything for him have you?"
"Let me go already Momo-senpai," Ryoma said struggling out of the power player's grip.
"Not until you tell me where you went yesterday!"
"It's none of your business where I went," Ryoma replied before sneaking out of Momo's grip and stepping away from the power player. "I'm already working on something for Tezuka-buchou."
"Is that so?" Fuji asked popping up from behind the freshman scaring both Ryoma and Momo.
"Don't do that Fuji-senpai," Momo whined clutching his chest where his heart was as he caught his breath again.
Fuji ignored the comment and asked, "What are you thinking of doing Echizen?"
"It's none of your business Fuji-senpai," Ryoma snapped back already angry that people were butting into his business about what he was doing. Couldn't his secret stay a secret until the day it was revealed for crying out loud?
"Who's the one helping you?" Fuji asked another question despite Ryoma's reaction earlier.
Ryoma just said nothing in reply to the question.
Fuji continued to ask questions, which annoyed the freshman regular to no end, until he realized that Ryoma would keep his mouth shut no matter what he did. Sighing, he just said, "We are going to have a celebration for when Tezuka gets back at Kawamura's sushi place alright, so make sure you are there."
Ryoma only gave a small nod before his phone rang once more. Taking a look at the ID, he noticed it was the same person from last time. Picking it up, he answered, "Hey kid."
"Don't call me a kid!" the person on the other line yelled loud enough for the others to hear. The others still couldn't make out whose voice it was because it was muffled by Ryoma's ear.
"You are a kid," Ryoma answered back with a smirk on his face.
"…"
"Yeah, I know kid. So why did you call me?" he questioned with an irritated tone. He couldn't help but be irritated since his senpai would not stop bugging him about his plans for Tezuka.
"…"
"Really? Now? What's wrong now?"
"…"
"That's what you called me for? Really kid?"
"…"
"Yeah I know what you are trying to do, now stop panicking already."
"…"
"I know you can't help it but really, it's getting annoying."
"…"
"I know, I know about that. What do you want me to do about it?" Ryoma said glancing over at his teammates and seeing their curious expressions. Turning in another direction, he replied, "You want me to seriously get that for you?"
"…"
"Alright, but only because it's for what you are helping me with."
"…"
"Alright then kid. Bye and see you later again today," he said before hanging up the phone and putting it back into his pocket.
"Who was that Echizen?" Fuji asked one more time hoping for an answer.
All he got in reply was Ryoma turning his head over his shoulder, saying a quick 'che' before he walked out of campus grounds with his bag over his shoulder.
"Well that wasn't the reaction I was hoping for," Fuji commented with a small sigh. "Oh well, we'll see him at the party at your place right Taka-san?"
"Umm about that. Apparently someone called to move the party location elsewhere," Kawamura said sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.
"Moved the party location elsewhere? How was he able to do that?" Momo yelled in surprise.
"The person called my dad's shop and asked that we move the party location to his house. I'm not sure whose house it is, but it definitely isn't one of ours," Kawamura answered again with a confused expression on his face.
"I wonder whose house it could be then," Fuji whispered under his breath taking his chin in his hand to think. "Looks like we have a problem on our hands. We don't know the address of the house the party was moved to."
"The person said that they would tell my dad the location to tell us tomorrow night after they have everything set up."
"Wait a minute. They?" Eiji asked jumping up and down in confusion. "How can it be they when it was only one caller?"
"Good question Eiji," Oishi commented nodding his head in agreement. "Who are they anyway Taka-san?"
"I don't know really. My dad just told me that we shouldn't worry too much about it as the people planning it are very capable of handling it."
"Hmm…"
"Thanks for coming again Echizen-kun!" a person a few yards in front of Ryoma yelled out happily waving toward him.
"So why did you call me here again?" he questioned walking up to the kid.
"Because we still need to buy everything silly. Now come on!" The kid started dragging Ryoma around the mall they were in and yelled out, "From what you told me, we should definitely stop here!"
Ryoma looked up at the shop they stopped in front of and noticed what it sold. "Sometimes your instincts scare me…"
"As well they should Echizen-kun! As well they should!" the kid replied happily before dragging Ryoma into the store to buy some things.
"I found out the address of the house where the party is being held now," Kawamura said at tennis practice the next day. "Tezuka should be here tomorrow, so let's visit the house later today, so we know where to go," he said handing out slips of paper with the address on it.
"That's a strange address," Oishi commented reading off the paper. "XXXX Sundew Avenue?"
"Well that sure rhymes," Ryoma commented under his breath. "I know where it is. I happen to walk by there when Nanako-san wants me to go shopping for groceries."
"Good then. Looks like we can just get Echizen to take us over," Oishi sighed in relief. Now he wouldn't need to try and look for the house and accidently get lost on the way.
"Would you be willing to do that Echizen-kun?" Fuji asked opening his eyes slightly.
"Whatever," Ryoma said with a shrug. "I might be able to show you all the way when Tezuka-buchou gets here."
"Stop with the formalities already Echizen! Just call him whatever you want to call him! He's your boyfriend!" Momo yelled getting Ryoma in another headlock because of the formal way Ryoma called Tezuka. He was getting sick of it because the two were dating, and therefore should be acting as such.
"Let me go already! I need to do some shopping again!" Ryoma yelled.
"Fine! Fine! Fine! But make sure you show us that house tomorrow when buchou gets back. We don't need to get lost on the way there," Momo said letting go of Ryoma.
"Only idiots like you would get lost Momoshiri," Kaidoh commented getting a rise out of Momo once again.
As the two fought, Ryoma used the distraction to make his way out of school grounds.
"Ryoma sure has been sneaking off a lot lately hasn't he Inui?" Fuji whispered over to the vice captain.
"We'll just have to see what he is doing tomorrow Fuji," Inui commented before watching Oishi walking over and trying to stop the fight between the two.
"Alright Echizen-kun! Last thing we need to do is double check that we have everything!"
"You made me go last minute shopping with the list of what we needed," Ryoma commented putting down the last bag of groceries he bought. "I think we have everything now."
"Can't hurt to double check Echizen-kun," the other replied. Taking out a list, the kid started reading, "Drinks?"
"Check," Ryoma pulled them out of the bags.
"Snacks?"
"Check."
"Movies and shows?"
"Got those today so check."
"Alright then…next is…"
"The books I wanted to get."
"Right, right, right. You got those so then there is the utensils."
"Got those…"
The two kept checking item after item after item until they were finally done with the list the kid pulled out.
"Alright, we have everything set!"
"Thanks for everything kid," Ryoma commented putting everything away into the cabinets.
"It's no problem Echizen-kun," the other replied also helping him put everything away. "Of course I want to help you out."
"It's been a while since I've seen you actually kid. How have you been with work and stuff?" Ryoma questioned walking into the living room with the movies and other things that didn't belong in the kitchen.
"Work has been fine ever since you helped me land it. Been a bit slow because of how long I take, but the people who do want my work love it because of how detailed they are," the other answered. "I'll be right back okay Echizen-kun."
"Alright," Ryoma replied before reaching into one of the bags and pulling out something to put in the room. "Where should this go?" Ryoma asked himself as he looked around the living room.
"Back Echizen-kun!" the other said as the kid walked into the room with a large box. "Here is all the stuff I could find in my home even relating to the things you mentioned before."
Walking over, Ryoma looked into the box before giving off a small smile. "Thanks kid. I was wondering whether we had anything similar to those things."
"No problem. I have another box full of stuff! Let's get it out and start preparing!" the other yelled before dragging Ryoma to get another box of stuff from a nearby closet.
"This is by far one of the best things you have done for me by far," Ryoma commented.
"That's because we have had several days to do it Echizen-kun! Now let's get busy!" the other said with a smile.
"Tezuka!" the team yelled out as they saw their tennis captain in the airport with his bags.
"Hello everyone," Tezuka said as he walked over to them with bags in tow.
One by one, each of the regulars at the airport grabbed one of Tezuka's bags to help their captain.
"Where's Ryoma?" Tezuka asked looking around and not seeing the emerald-haired boy anywhere.
"I'm not sure Tezuka. He was supposed to be here earlier to escort us to the location of the party for your arrival and birthday," Oishi commented leading the way out of the airport.
As soon as they stepped one foot outside of the airport grounds, they stopped as they noticed what was in front of them.
"Hey, isn't that Echizen's cat?" Momo asked pointing at the Himalayan feline in front of them.
"I think it is," Eiji commented with a smile before kneeling down next to the cat. "Now do you happen to know where Ochibi is nya~?"
The cat swished its tail before standing and walking away from the group confusing them. Stopping a few feet away, the cat turned its head over its shoulder and inclined its head in the direction it was walking.
"I think it wants us to follow it," Oishi commented before starting to walk after the cat.
"Does anyone know where this cat is taking us at all?" Momo said as he continued to walk after the cat. "We have been walking for over an hour already."
"Shut up Momoshiri," Kaidoh hissed.
Before they could even start another fight, Tezuka just said, "Momo! Kaidoh!"
The yell immediately startled the two and made them stop thinking about fighting with each other.
"Guys," Fuji said getting everyone's attention. "Isn't that XXXX Sundew Avenue?" he asked pointing to a large two-story house.
"That's it," Kawamura said taking out the paper and walking past the already opened gate. Walking up to the front door, he noticed a note and read, "Please come into the living room. There's already a surprise waiting for you all!"
The regulars glanced at each other before shrugging and walking into the house.
As soon as they walked into the dark room, the lights immediately turned on with several bangs as two voices yelled, "Welcome back and happy birthday Tezuka-kun/Mitsu!"
The regulars were shocked frozen in their spots as they looked around them.
The entire living room was decorated with green and blue decorations including ribbons, several sticker pictures on the walls, along with actual pictures with landscape backgrounds. All over the room were several picture frames of the Seigaku regulars along with some very familiar portraits.
What surprised them were the two people in the middle of the room with noise poppers (A/N: I don't remember what they are called, but if you pull on the string at the bottom, the top will pop off and release a bunch of streamers into the air) in their hands and smiles on their faces as they stared at the group.
"Echizen? Hanako-chan?" they all asked shocked out of their skins.
"You were right Hanako. Their reactions were going to be hilarious," Ryoma said high-fiving Hanako before turning to Tezuka. "Happy birthday Mitsu! And welcome back!" Ryoma said with a large smile on his face.
The regulars couldn't help but be shocked at the smile except for Tezuka who returned it with a small smile on his face.
"Alright, alright! You two can be mushy later! It's time to celebrate Tezuka-kun's return and birthday!" Hanako yelled pushing Ryoma into Tezuka with a giggle. "I'll go get the drinks!" she yelled before running off to the kitchen and grabbing several sodas, juice boxes, and a Japanese tea set.
"What's the set for?" Oishi asked pointing at it.
"It's for Tezuka-kun of course. Ryoma told me that he liked eel tea, so we went and bought it for him," Hanako replied pouring the tea into a cup for Tezuka.
"So that was what you were doing the past few days!" Momo exclaimed with a large grin on his face. "We thought you had something planned, but we didn't expect you to throw a surprise party for buchou!"
"Now stop badgering Ryoma about the party! He didn't even know what he was precisely going to do until I called him that day," Hanako said with a large smile as she handed out all the drinks. "Now let's get this party started everyone!" she yelled throwing a fist into the air.
"Yeah!" Momo said along with Eiji before they started dragging everyone into watching the movie that was playing on the TV in the room.
An hour later found the group of ten surrounding Tezuka as he opened the presents he had gotten.
"We were planning to have a party for your return and give you the presents for your birthday. Looks like Hanako and Ryoma took care of the party," Oishi explained before handing his present to Tezuka.
Tezuka took the present and opened it to find an inch-wide book. Taking a look at the cover, he nodded in appreciation to Oishi. It turned out to be the book that he was searching for earlier. It was a book about mountain climbing which happened to be one of Tezuka's favorite hobbies.
"Open mine next!" Eiji yelled thrusting his present into Tezuka's hands.
As soon as Tezuka opened it, it was a large card with every tennis club members' signatures on the card wishing him a welcome back and happy birthday.
"I also got this for you from the other schools," Inui said handing over a large card as well.
Opening that card, Tezuka noticed that it had every signature of the people the team had met so far and some he hadn't met before because of his trip to Germany.
Kawamura took out a box before handing it to Tezuka saying, "I got dad to help me make your favorite sushi buchou."
Tezuka took it with a nod of thanks before turning to see Fuji holding out a large book.
"It's a photo album of everyone in the club. Every single photo the yearbook club has taken is in there along with ones done by reporters."
Momo handed Tezuka a pamphlet. "I remember Ryoma talking about how you like to go camping, so I got you a few brochures for good camping sites that are going to be open next month."
Tezuka nodded before turning to Kaidoh who handed him a book about the different types of fishes while hissing softly. (A/N: One of Tezuka's hobbies if fishing which is the reason for the fish book) Tezuka just took the book with another nod knowing that Kaidoh would not talk much considering it wasn't in his nature to do so.
"Mitsu," Ryoma called out getting everyone's attention. As soon as Tezuka turned toward him, Ryoma held out his hand and showed what he was holding to everyone in the room.
Tezuka's eyes widened slightly as he looked over the two items in his lover's hand.
"Let me see Echizen-kun!" Hanako said looking over Ryoma's shoulder before giving a gasp. "Those are beautiful!"
Ryoma handed one of the two items to Tezuka and put the other on his own wrist, on his left one to be precise.
"Did you make those Ryoma?" Hanako asked as she stared at the two items. As soon as she received a small nod, she squealed before saying, "That is adorable!" (A/N: If you want to know what the items are, just PM me and I might give you a spoiler. I was planning to reveal what the items were on the Halloween oneshot I'm planning to write soon. If you want a spoiler, PM me, but if you don't want a spoiler, I'll let you know on the Halloween oneshot!)
Looking at the clock, she noticed what time it was before saying, "It's getting late everyone. I wouldn't mind you staying over for the night as long as you call your parents to make sure it's okay alright! Oh and don't worry about the clothes, I have plenty of extra considering I have a lot of brothers and male friends that like to come over and take a look at my work!"
The group of nine nodded before starting to use their cell phones in order to call home. Luckily Ryoma only needed a confirmation that he was staying considering that the two predicted that the group might be staying over because of the time.
"Hope you liked the party everyone!" Hanako said happily after everyone finished calling home. "The guest rooms are on the second floor so please feel free to choose one. Have a nice night everyone~," she drawled out before walking upstairs to go to sleep in her own room.
Inui and Kaidoh went to one of the rooms on the right side of the hallway along with Fuji and Kawamura who went into another. Momo went into a separate room and Oishi and Eiji walked into the one next to it.
Ryoma took Tezuka by the wrist and led him over to a separate room at the end of the hallway. "I've been staying here so often to complete the preparations, Hanako decided to let me keep this room," he explained pointing to the nametag on the door.
Opening the door to the room, Ryoma led Tezuka over to the bed before sitting him down and going over to the drawers to look for something.
"Here it is," Ryoma said pulling out something from the drawer. "I never got a chance to give you this before you went to Germany for your rehabilitation," he said handing the item over to Tezuka. "Consider this part two of your present."
Tezuka opened the package and found a few books. The thing that surprised him was that the books were the newest series of books by his favorite author that he was looking to buy the next day. It looks like he wouldn't need to do that anymore…
Giving Ryoma a smile, Tezuka grabbed Ryoma in a hug and gently kissed him.
Ryoma returned it immediately and put his all into it in order to express all the feelings he had bottled up while Tezuka was in Germany.
As soon as they pulled away, Ryoma whispered, "I'll love you forever Mitsu. Happy birthday and welcome back."
As Ryoma snuggled into Tezuka's chest, the older couldn't help but lay his head on top of Ryoma's as he said, "I'm glad to be back…"
"I love you Ryoma…" Tezuka whispered into Ryoma's ear before they both fell asleep in each other's arms.