Disclaimer: I own very little.

A/N: Written as a birthday present to sexeh-chan at LiveJournal. Happy birthday, love.

Announcements

"I think," Fuji said that day, "that I've fallen in love."

It told a lot about the Seigaku tennis club that such an announcement in the middle of the hassle and fuss of changing for the practice didn't cause anyone to pause in whatever they were doing at the moment. Only Inui looked up, a look of immediate interest on his face, and one might have noticed Taka-san pausing for a fraction of a second upon hearing it, but these were the only changes.

"Really, now?" Inui adjusted his glasses. "And is this a recent development or has it held true for long?"

"I'm not sure," Fuji said cheerfully, running a hand through his hair, smoothening it. "It might be just recent, or maybe I've been in love for a longer time and only now noticed it."

"Hmm, most interesting." Inui paused, white fabric covering his head momentarily as he pulled on a shirt, until he resurfaced again. "And when did you note this development?"

"Only yesterday," Fuji replied cheerfully, tightening the waist of his shorts, slender legs tense. "Around 7 PM, if it's of any interest to you."

"Mou, Fujiko, you can't just know it like that," Eiji complained, draping himself over his friend's shoulders. "Something has to happen, nyaa! Some word or action or – or something!"

"Something did happen," Fuji countered. "Something that made me realize just how wonderful this particular person is."

"Well, I'm happy to hear that," Taka-san said, even as in the inside, he was wailing. This wasn't fair, things weren't supposed to go like this, it just wasn't fair… but then, life was rarely fair, and Taka-san was boring and ugly, not one of the accomplished beauties Fuji could take his pick of. Thinking back to the night before, he had parted ways with Fuji around six. This meant that in the next hour or so, Fuji had met whoever it was that he had suddenly fallen in love with. Whoever it was, they sure were lucky, though…

Fuji smiled as Eiji tried to ask him more questions, that lovely, almost deceptive smile that always made Taka-san's heart skip a beat, and if Taka-san had ever seen him more beautiful he certainly had no idea when that could have been. As it was, though, he amused himself by watching Fuji from some ways away, not joining the questions the others started to ask now that they, too, had changed clothes.

Fuji, though, chose to especially pay attention to Taka-san – such cruel kindness, well-meant, but hurting! But then, Fuji could hardly know just how his words affected him, and was only trying to be friendly and include him in the discussion.

"Hey, Taka-san?" Fuji thus asked, looking at Taka-san. "What do you think I should do about this? Should I tell this person?"

"Ano, I'm not sure," Taka-sa said, rubbing the back of his head somewhat embarrassedly, glad that his slight flush covered up his envy. "Maybe… ask them out or something? I'm really not sure, but I wouldn't think anyone would say no to you."

"You are far too kind, Taka-san." Fuji smiled a bit.

"Not at all, Fujiko," insisted Taka-san. "I'm merely telling the truth." For Fujiko indeed was the most good-looking one among all the tennis players he knew. Never mention that he could get practically whomever he wanted, Taka-san was sure, with his smiles and sweet face.

"….Oh, and Taka-san?" As the other boy had turned his gaze towards Fuji again, Fuji gave him his most brilliant smile. "Are you doing anything in particular tonight?"

To say that Taka-san was astonished would have been a vast understatement. But then again, it would have also been an understatement to say that the regulars were quiet at this revelation. Among catcalls, exclamations of surprise, and other such hassle, though, Taka-san only heard one voice – Fuji, as he walked closer, still smiling.

"I know we parted around six," he said. "After that I headed home. But once I got home, I found something on my desk – a little note, if you'd know what it's about."

Taka-san flushed, this time honestly in embarrassment. "I know," he muttered. While being over the last time he'd written a short note reminding Fuji to take care of himself – the tensai was stretched quite thin lately, between school work and tennis, and he really hadn't wanted Fuji to burn himself out.

"I read it," Fuji stepped a bit closer, "and realized just how caring a guy you are." Another step. A third one. And Fuji was right in front of him, looking up into his eyes. "Caring and kind and always so nice, too."

"You flatter me." Surely Taka-san wasn't that wonderful a guy…

"Not at all." Fuji's fingers brushed his wrists, arms, slowly tracing up, until Fuji's hands entwined themselves behind Taka-san's neck. "So? Are you busy tonight?"

"For you, Fujiko," Taka-san replied most sincerely, "never." And he looked down at Fuji, Fuji and his infinite smile, and suddenly Fuji opened his eyes but instead of threatening they were shining, shining so happily that Taka-san found it hard to breathe as he looked down at them.

And then Tezuka ordered everyone outside to start their laps, and the spell of the moment was broken, and everybody teased them both all through practice and would undoubtedly continue the next day, and the next one and the one after that, but Fuji smiled at him and asked what he would like to do on their date, a date he was going on an actual date with Fuji, and suddenly he felt like burning without even seeing his racquet anywhere.