Itty-Bitty Keigo! (Oneshot)
Oh how Atobe Keigo rued the day he met her. With her long, dark red hair pulled into droopy half pigtails as the rest fell a bit past her shoulder blades and her almond shaped royal blue eyes that seemed to look right through him. And another thing that irked him to no end… "Oh, look! It's the itty-bitty boy again!" she was taller than the Atobe Keigo.
Like most 8-year-old girls, Avery Dawson thought all boys were gross and icky. However, that hardly stopped her from teasing the short one before her. The very same boy that always came to visit her otousan's café. He made it seem as if it was her fault that he kept coming there, only to be teased every minute of his stay. It was not her fault he kept coming back for more. If he kept coming and coming, she would just keep calling him tiny.
Their obvious height difference irked the Atobe heir like nothing before. Mainly with her slender physique towering over his slightly smaller one. It was disheartening, with him being a boy and all. Keigo tried calling her a freak of nature for being so damn tall! The top of his head barely reached her collarbone! Sure, Kabaji was a year younger than them both and towered, in the most intimidating ways, over both older children, it did not grate on his nerves as much as this girl did.
She almost already towered over her Japanese mother. "What's the itty-bitty boy thinking 'bout now?" Avery asked, poking the boy's face close to his so-called 'charm point'. "Is it something lame and weird that boys think? I bet it is! I bet itty-bitty Keigo is thinking of something super ultra lame, just like he is!" she chuckled, pulling her hand back before he could slap it away.
He simply glowered at her, clearly not amused by her appalling behavior. The glass of the shop rattled as Big Ben chimed loudly. "Avery, leave young Atobe alone." A tall, well toned, pale man with hair that looked as if someone managed to have a garnet stone streaked with bright ruby before compressing it into the silky strands that he supported. His already narrowed harlequin green eyes narrowed even more, showing his daughter he was not in the mood.
Avery frowned, her lips pressed in a tight straight line. The only thing she honestly inherited from her beloved father, besides her cooking skills, was her height and red hair – albeit, it was a completely different shade of red, it was still red hair. She was not as calm and imposing as Death himself, unlike her father, nor did she have his 'English grace' as she calls it. The only thing remotely English about her, was the accent she was deeply proud of, even if it scrambled her Japanese a bit. "Fine. I'll leave the itty-bitty boy alone for today, otousan…" she mumbled, looking put out that he ruined her fun.
Jack Dawson sighed before bringing the side of his right hand down on his daughter's head, karate chopping it hard enough to state a point, while being soft enough as to not really hurt her; only to really startle the girl. "You're in England, love, so speak English."
She simply stuck her pink tongue at him while rubbing her abused head. "Fine, fine… mean papa, you are!"
His daughter could be such a nerd, he swore! But it made her Avery, so he accepted it all the same as he refilled the young boy's glass with more tea. "Would you like anything else, young Atobe?" he inquired politely, watching his daughter sulk off in a far corner of the lounge area of the shop. Once she was comfortably seated did she pull out a black case, which she opened with great care.
Kabaji nodded subtly at his friend, which was responded with a simple lift of his bluish-silver brow. "Do you have any tiramisù cake?"
"Yes I do, young Atobe. I am safe to assume that you both would like a slice?" the child nodded, dismissing the man.
Avery looked up from her soft strumming, wondering what her dad wanted as he stood before her. His carefully waxed mane of reds was pushed back by a black headband, allowing the shorter strands to fall gracefully over his smooth forehead. Even after hours of work, his uniform was as crisp as it was when he first pulled it on this very morning. It consisted of a pale sky blue button down, with the sleeves rolled a bit above his elbows, white tie, black vest and slacks, and polished black shoes. "Yes~?"
Jack rolled his eyes at his sarcastic spawn. "Would you also like some tiramisù, AD?" at the mention of the Italian cake did her eyes sparkle as she nodded, her pigtails flopping a bit. He chuckled, messing up her hair, before turning around with a serving platter tucked under his arm.
As normally impatient as Atobe Keigo could be, he had no problems waiting for the man that owned and run the establishment that he frequented once school was over. As the young heir sipped at his tea of choice did the owner return with their dessert, placing a plate in front of Kabaji first, before setting another in front of Atobe. "What does that mean?" he asked, pointing at, what appeared to be, a tattoo that was on the inside of the older male's right wrist.
It was done in dark blue – nearly black – ink. The letters 'AD' stood proudly before a single treble clef; also known as the G-clef. "Otousan! Tiramisù now, I want! Please?"
"Avery, England!"
Atobe felt his brow twitching as he was horribly reminded of that girl!
Once again Avery was picking on the short boy. "Itty-bitty Keigo, how are you so small? Will you ever grow, or will you always be an itty-bitty boy?" she poked his face, feeling how bouncy his cheek is from the, still present, baby fat that lingered on his body. "Keigo is forever going to be small! I doubt you'll ever be as tall as me! Or nearly as well known and liked as me! Itty-bitty Keigo will forever be tiny~"
They, along with Kabaji of course, were the only ones present in 'The Royal Flush' at the current time. "Enough!" he finally had it with this girl's annoying chatter. "Ore-sama has had enough of you mocking me!"
His words had no effect on her at all. "'Ore-sama'?" her nose wrinkled as she giggled. "Such big words for someone so itty-bitty!" Avery leaned down, pushing up the tip of his nose.
Atobe's blood boiled as he snatched her wrist, bringing it down and away from his face as his cobalt eyes narrowed into a glare. "Ore-sama will be bigger, and better than you! And when that happens, you must admit that ore-sama is the best man to exist! You'll be in awe at my prowess that you will become ore-sama's wife!"
She blinked a few times, her royal blue orbs clearly showing her confusion as her mind registered what he declared. Avery's nose scrunched up as she snorted softly before giggling like crazy. "I doubt that'll happen! Mainly when I become the best musician out there! Once that happens, you best be ready to admit that you are super ultra lame, itty-bitty Keigo!" she had a Cheshire smile. "But, if you do get taller than me, and somehow wow me with your so-called 'prowess', then fine. I'll be your wife." Avery shifted the hold he had on her until their pinky fingers were entwined. "I give my word, now do you give yours?"
"I give my word as an Atobe!" his glare turned icy with his determination.
"Kabaji, you'll be witness, yes?"
"Usu." Was all he responded with, as the large younger boy nodded at them both.
A few years had come and gone, and soon did Atobe Keigo and his good friend Kabaji Munehiro. Though Avery will never forget their wager.
A young teenager smirked, sitting in the bleachers that overlooked the empty, yet massive, tennis courts. Leaning next to them was a simple black case covered in stickers from all over the world, as it protected the very soul of its owner. Their smirk grew as a group of boys made their way to the courts, some groggy from finishing school, while others were hyper aware of their training that they had to do, as they twitched; eager to play the sport.
"Oi!" the teenager called out, causing a group of eight boys to look up at them. Under the brim of their black cap did they spy a certain 'charm point'. "Do any of you know where I can find a boy that goes by 'Itty-bitty Keigo'?" the teenager was clearly a girl, if her voice was anything to go by.
Atobe's eyes narrowed as he sneered at the person, not quite recalling why the voice and obvious 'pet name' grated on his nerves so, even with the sense of familiarity. "Who are you to address ore-sama so casually?" he demanded.
She stood up in one simple, and fluid, movement as she grabbed her guitar case. A boy in a blue cap eyed her sleeveless hoody, easily recognizing it as a rare merchandise item. It was black that said 'Love and War' in blue camouflage letters while a mushroom cloud was under it, forming a heart instead that was red, before fading into the ashen gray that was common with the clouds. "Where'd you get that?" he gestured towards the article of clothing that caught his attention.
The girl simply raised a slender finger to her pale lips, smiling coyly at them all. "Gekidasa daze, itty-bitty Keigo! That's what you are!" she hopped down a few seats until she was standing nose to nose with the Atobe Group heir. "Though, it does seem that you've been drinking your milk like a good little boy…" she chuckled, her royal blue eyes flashing deviously as she skipped over to the friendly giant. "Kabaji, isn't itty-bitty Keigo super ultra lame?!"
"Usu." He mumbled softly with a tiny nod, which horrified the other tennis regulars of Hyotei.
"And they say itty-bitty Keigo was smart! Heh, as if! At least you remember me, Kabaji!"
"Oi! Don't speak about ore-sama so casually! Mainly with such a horrid pet name!" Atobe himself lashed out, his face turning pink. "Now, tell me who you are!"
The teen, known as Avery only to Kabaji, smirked. "You, of all people, should know who I am, itty-bitty boy! But I'm nice, so I'll give you a little hint~" she raised her left arm high in the air, snapping her fingers loudly, making the signal for her entrance.
"Addie! Addie! ADDIE!" the cheer was near deafening to listen to, as they spilled from every speaker system in the school.
"Do. Or do not. There is no try, itty-bitty Keigo!" she stated, hopping down. "Awe me with your prowess, you have not."
"Master Yoda…" the boy in the blue cap mumbled in awe, silently fanboying to himself.
"Master Yoda, AD is not." She remarked, grinning at the other fan.
"Gekidasa daze…" he mumbled while looking away, slightly embarrassed.
Avery just waved, skipping away from them all as she left them alone.
For all of practice was Atobe Keigo silent as he pondered who that girl was that happened to know him, and Kabaji on top of that.
It was the Kanto Regionals, and Avery sat in a semi-neutral area, and it was already Singles 1 of the first round. Currently Atobe Keigo was going against his greatest rival; Tezuka Kunimitsu. As much as she hated to admit it, mainly with what it would mean in the end for her, she was deeply in awe at both players. Mainly her favorite itty-bitty boy.
"It seems I lost, huh, Kabaji?" she inquired to the silent giant that stood behind her, back from the hospital with both of his hands bandaged.
"Usu."
"Though, come to think of it, it's not all that bed, ne?"
"Usu." Kabaji then went back to his team after nudging the girl with his elbow. She giggled softly while picking up her soda can.
The match ended with Atobe as the victor, but in his mind, they had both won as he raised Tezuka's good arm, slightly feeling guilty that he might play a hand in his rival's possible inability to never play the sport they both loved with a burning passion. They both had put their heart and soul into the match, and it seemed that even though one lost, that they were both satisfied with the way they played.
After another match that decided the winners, landing in Seigaku's favor, did Avery stand and dust off her cargo capris that were blue camouflage before heading towards the winning team with a smile. "Ne, that was an amazing game that you played, Tezuka, was it?" she stood before them all, blocking their exit as she kept her back towards Hyotei. No way was she going to make it easy for that itty-bitty boy.
"We meet again, young Atobe."
The heir turned around, spotting an all too familiar man. "Dawson-san…" he nodded in greeting, a bit surprised that he was even here.
Jack made a sour face as he waved his hand in a dismissive way, his harlequin green orbs showing his annoyance at the way he was addressed by the younger youth. "I'm English, young Atobe. I might be married to an itty-bitty Japanese woman, I'd rather be addressed as the Englishman that I am…" said woman stood to his side, barely reaching past her husband's elbow. "Meaning…" he stared down at his wife who just raised an eyebrow at him. "Jack is fine. I've known you since you were smaller than Avery, so there's no need to be so formal." Most of the team thought the red haired man was referring to a son. Oh, how wrong they are. "Speaking of that nerdy spawn of mine, where is she?"
Atobe's face paled greatly. "She's here?!"
"Avery's been here, in Japan, for awhile now, Atobe-san." Jun Dawson replied with a knowing twinkle in her royal blue eyes.
"Damn, you think having such dark red hair would make her stand out! But nope! There's redheads even in Japan!" at this, he turned his narrow harlequin green orbs to stare pointedly at Hyotei's acrobatics player. The smaller redhead flinched, shrinking back to hide behind Oshitari.
"Aren't you that musician known as 'Addie'?" Seigaku's tensai questioned.
"Addie? No, it's A.D., not Addie! It stands for Avery Dawson!"
"Well, Dawson—"
"Avery! I'm Avery while the old folks are Dawson." She pouted, turning slightly with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Ne, ne~ Oishi, doesn't she look like Toda Erika? That one actress?" the other redhead asked his doubles partner. "She looks like Toda-chan did in the Death Note series~"
"B-but we have different hair and eye colors…" whimpered Avery as she tugged on her half pigtails. "Also, I'm half English!" she then stated, sounding proud of herself for that fact.
"Mada mada dane…"
Avery spun around quickly, only to look down at the boy who made fun of her. She cocked her head to the side before grinning mischievously. "Oh, why isn't it an itty-bitty boy! Itty-bitty boy, how are you so small? Will you ever grow to be as tall as me? Or are you doomed to be itty-bitty?" she bent down to winder her slender arms around the tiny boy, pressing the side of his face to her chest. "You are so itty-bitty!" she even pulled his cap off and placed it on top of her mess of red hair sideways, only to rub her cheek lovingly against the top of his head. "I bet you are a naughty itty-bitty boy who never drinks his milk like he should! Do you like being so small? Is it good to be a short boy, so you can get lovely hugs from taller – and older – girls? I bet that's why itty-bitty boys refuse to grow!"
"A-Ahh!" he didn't know how to respond with his face pressed flush against her chest.
She quickly released him, making the young boy stagger back. Ryoma was unable to hide his flushed cheeks, seeing as the girl still had his beloved cap. "If only the itty-bitty boy grew, he could have gotten his cap back, no problem~" Avery removed the hat from her head and mussed his hair, before pulling it in place on his head. "Until you grow, you'll be my new itty-bitty~"
Atobe was panicking now, all internally of course, over the fact that that girl had possibly witnessed his match against Seigaku's Tezuka. Was she in awe over his performance, or completely and utterly disgusted by how he blatantly attacked the other team captain's weakness that could rob him of his career? In addition, she's been here, in Japan, for a few weeks already! His cobalt orbs widened as he remembered the rude girl that knew Kabaji so well that he would even agree with her on something such as the Atobe heir. His mind quickly connected the dots, and if it was not for his teammates standing around him, he would have slapped his forehead at his own stupidity on not realizing it sooner.
Avery, that freakishly tall girl from his youth, the one that always picked on Atobe Keigo relentlessly, eating away at his Atobe family pride until there was nothing. That very same girl that he vowed to make his wife, and show her just how big and powerful he has become since they were both eight. Avery was basically the only girl to, literally, kick his ass and put him in his place, on top of the one that really helped making him who he is today. If it was not for her constant teasing a picking of his flaws at such a young age, he doubts that he'd ever work as hard as he has to be even better… to impress her with his stunning growth.
"You did amazing against super ultra lame, itty-bitty Keigo, Tezuka-kun." Avery smiled sweetly.
"You know the Monkey King?" asked the 'itty-bitty freshman', tipping his cap up.
Placing her index finger against her chin, Avery twisted her torso to stare at Hyotei's King. "Now that you mention it…" she trailed off, smirking as she turned back around. "Oh, I like you, itty-bitty boy~" she giggled. "It's saddening though, that he kept to his word! I liked being taller than itty-bitty Keigo!"
"You… were taller than Atobe?" inquired the tensai, opening his sapphire blue hues.
Looking down at the freshman, Avery nodded. "The difference in height was roughly the same the itty-bitty boy and I, give an inch or two…" she simply shrugged. "He's now taller than me, and wowed me with his match with Tezuka… Meaning I lost~" Avery smiled, not at all disappointed at her loss.
"Ii, data…"
Days had past since the tournament, and all of Hyotei was assembled into the overly large gymnasium. All the students were curious as to why they were here, but none complained about the chance of missing their least favorite classes. Sitting in the center of the crowd, surrounded by his tennis team, was Atobe Keigo; his arms crossed over his chest, and long legs crossed one over the other as he studied the stage. Atobe felt the fine hairs on the back of his neck stand on end as his mind whirled over the impromptu assembly. However, if the young heir had to hazard a guess, it had something to do with a certain red haired female.
"Everyone, everyone, please calm down!" the principle of the prestigious middle school called out, standing at the podium. The ocean of middle schoolers quickly silenced themselves to the point that Atobe heard a pin drop somewhere. "I was kindly asked if our newest student could introduce themselves to you all at once. So please treat them kindly!" he stepped back from the microphone, giving the new student a chance to come forward.
"Hiya, minna-san!" Avery grabbed the mic as she waved with her free hand. As quickly did she appear did the crowd broke out in excited chatter at seeing the music idol. "Most of you know me as 'A.D.' or 'Addie' – which you may address me as – but my name is Dawson Avery! It's nice to meet you!" she skipped out in front of the podium, showing her wearing the Hyotei Girls' Uniform. But instead of the blazer, she took to wearing the black and white sweater vest. The students volume quickly raised in their excitement.
"Oi!" Raising her free hand in the air, the young idol snapped her fingers. In an instant did they fall silent. "Sugoi…"
Covering his mouth with his right hand, Atobe openly smirked at the outcome and her reaction to – what he dubbed – his signature command for silence.
Avery had gotten used to the school and was currently wandering around the grounds, about two and a half weeks since she came here, looking around for someone. Once she spotted the person, she quickly jogged over, taking note that they were alone for once. "Hey, Kabaji~"
The friendly, and often misunderstood, giant turned around and waited for the redhead to reach him. He nodded his head in greeting as he silently waited for her to speak. A smile found its way to her cherry colored lips as she pulled out a slip of blue notebook paper. "I have a tiny job for you…"
"Usu."
"Oi, itty-bitty boy!" Atobe turned and looked over his shoulder, clearly annoyed that Avery still called him that ridiculous pet name.
"How may ore-sama help you, Avery?"
Said female gestured for him to come closer to her, as she sat outside the tennis courts on the bleachers. He sighed as he ventured over to her. Grinning, Avery stood up on one of the bleacher seats, allowing her to – once again – tower over the now-taller boy. "Ne, I just wanted to do something real quick, itty-bitty Keigo~" she spoke coyly, quickly wrapping her long arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug with his face against her chest.
Atobe's cobalt eyes grew wide from shock, stumbling back a few feet once she let him go. "W-what was that for!?"
"Maa, maa…" she jumped down so they were at the same level. Avery raised a hand up, using it to visually mark where the top of her head came up to compared to him. He was now a whole head taller than her, which made Avery pout as she turned to the side, arms crossed under her chest like a spoiled child. "Not fair! You're not so itty-bitty now!"
His eye twitched at her words. "Is this all you wanted from ore-sama?" slowly dragging his hand down his face, Atobe Keigo spun around and went back to the courts, ready to play some tennis.
"I was there, you know." She called out, actually looking serious for once. The Atobe heir froze with a foot inside the fenced in clay courts, listening to whatever she had to say. This attracted the regulars, minus Akutagawa Jiro, as they eavesdropped on their conversation. "I watched you play that Tezuka guy during the tournament." The silverish-blue haired youth flinched, remembering the way he won that match. "You win…" not 'won' as in past tense. His brow furrowed in confusion. "I was in awe over some super lame itty-bitty boy's prowess… That, in itself, is super lame, ya know?" Atobe could actually hear her smirking.
As her words registered in his head did he spin around. "Avery—" but she was no longer standing by the bleachers. The ever annoying girl had vanished. "Kabaji!"
Said 2nd year wandered over to his friend, only to hand him the blue sheet of paper. "Usu."
Frowning, the tennis captain unfolded the colored stationary.
'I like blue (and blue roses, but I really like blue if you've never noticed) sapphires preferably, I wear a size 3, and white gold (yellow is overdone, really, and silver tarnishes easily, as you should know). In addition, I expect the whole cliché 'getting down on one knee' thing so I can hug you~
I kept to my word, (not so) itty-bitty Keigo… Will you?
-Avery'
Atobe shook his head with a smirk, before snapping his fingers. "Practice is cancelled!" he called out to his club members, before turning to his childhood friend. "Come, Kabaji. We have an engagement ring to buy."
"Usu." A tiny smile graced the large teen's normally stoic features, following after the older of the two.
Gakuto turned to look at his doubles partner. "Atobe's buying an engagement ring? For who?" he blinked a few times, honestly curious at the sudden declaration.
Oshitari Yuushi adjusted his wired frames, causing the sunlight to glint off the lenses. "If I had to wager a guess, I'd say for Miss Dawson. After all, she gets away with making fun of Atobe, and Kabaji seems to really know her." The tensai stated coolly.
"No way! Why does buchou get all the pretty girls?!" the acrobatics player complained, stomping his foot childishly.
"Gekidasa daze, Gakuto…"
"Shit it, baka Shishido!"
Avery walked into class early the very next day, only to be greeted with girls surrounding her desk. Confused, she elbowed her way to her seat, seeing a crystal vase filled with blue roses. Avery smiled softly, plucking the card from among the soft pedals to see whom they were from. "Who are they from~?" the girls asked, wanting to know who spend so much money to give the young idol rare roses.
"Just my fiancé…"
"Eh?!"
"Do you have a favorite type of dog, Kabaji?" the idol asked, leaning against a tree.
"Usu."
"Oh! I like corgis. Mainly the Pembroke Welsh corgi! They're so itty-bitty, smart, and cute!" she sighed, looking up at the sky.
A bright red, large, box with a cobalt blue ribbon wrapped around it, sat prettily on Avery's desk the next day. Curious on what it could be, she pulled the bow, causing the ribbon to unravel. The lid bounced up once, surprising her seeing as she did not touch it. Her hands shook slightly as she removed the top, only to come face-to-face with a happy looking corgi.
"Oh my gosh!" she squealed happily as she gently removed the puppy from the box, cradling it to her chest. There was a letter tucked under a blue collar. Avery removed it and read it over; grinning even more at the words that were written. "Oh, he plans to spoil me before asking, isn't he, Ein?" she asked her new furry friend.
Ein yipped once, before snuggling in a little ball on his new master's lap.
Scrunching a piece of blue stationary up, Avery threw it at the back of his head half way through 2nd period. The half-Japanese teen was lucky to be placed in class 3-A, and right behind him, too. The Atobe heir turned around, looking at Avery accusingly, while said girl was busy petting Ein's head as she took notes for their Greek language class.
"Oi, where do you think you are going, you lame itty-bitty boy?" Avery questioned, Ein obediently trailing after her towards the tennis courts.
"Ahn~? What can ore-sama help you with?" he raised an elegant eyebrow at the, now-shorter, girl.
Avery stood on the tips of her toes, which gave her the extra height she needed, and pressed her lips to his right cheek. "Are you planning on spoiling me, Keigo?" she giggled, falling back down to stand normally.
Now it was his turn to lean over until they were eye-to-eye. "Only the best for my soon-to-be fiancée."
"No 'ore-sama'?" she teased as Ein shook his stumpy tail; causing his whole backside to wiggle in the process.
"My wife has to be just as great as I am, and to think of her as anything less than my equal would be my downfall."
"Good answer…" she mumbled playfully, their lips lightly brushing against each others before she pulled back.
"Now, where do you think you're going?" he asked, lightly grasping her wrist.
"Home?" Avery did not sound too sure of her answer.
"With that teasing kiss?" Atobe's cobalt eyes gleamed mischievously as he tugged her back towards him, wrapping an arm around her shapely hips. "You can do better than that…"
"Oh? And you would know how, exactly?" her arms wound themselves around his neck as she rocked forward, bringing their faces closer.
"My insight, that's how." All 215 members of the boys' tennis team watched the two, completely speechless at their little display of affection.
"Everyone's watching, Keigo…"
"Ahn~? I never took you as the shy type…" she blushed lightly at his teasing.
"Just shut up, you tennis dork." She shot back, pressing her lips against his own.
"H-Hey! Get back here, you mutt! That's my grip tape!" Gakuto ruined the moment as he chased Einstein around, while the little corgi happily ran away with the acrobatics' grip tape in his muzzle. Avery's face glowed brightly as she pulled away, her royal eyes hazy from their kiss.
"No calling my dog a mutt! Gekidasa daze if a corgi can outrun you! I think your team needs more extreme training, Keigo!"
"Just get him before he wears Gakuto out, Avery."
"Excuse me, but I'd like a different server if you are not going to do your job." The young idol stated, looking a bit annoyed at the older blond haired woman. For the past five minutes, the woman blatantly ignored Avery and focused her attention onto Atobe, as if the other woman was not even there.
"Why you—!"
"I didn't order a song and a dance." She cut the worker off quickly. "Clearly he is here with a date, and he's too young for you. If you are not going to be professional, then leave." The blond's eyes grew as her face turned a nasty purple color.
"Who are you to speak to me that way?!" she harped.
"AD, also known as Addie… you know, that music idol?" Avery sighed, closing her menu. She agreed on a lunch date with Keigo, a few days after their tennis court kiss, but now she just wanted to leave. "Sorry, Keigo, my mood just dropped and this place doesn't have tiramisù, so I'm going to go somewhere else." She simply stood, moving her seat back all the while.
"No need to be sorry. We can go anywhere you'd like for our lunch date instead." He gracefully stood to his full height, wrapped an arm around Avery's slender shoulders, and left with her in his arms.
"Papa! Tiramisù now, I want! Please?"
The, sort of, engaged teens entered the Royal Flush Café with Avery demanding her sweets; completely oblivious to the group of teen boys in unfamiliar school uniforms staring at her oddly. Atobe, on the other hand, recognized them instantly. "Daughter! You are doing that on purpose, aren't you?" Jack questioned sarcastically, referring to the way he was addressed by his weird daughter.
"Obviously, papa~" she sung, skipping up to him with a grin. "Now, can I have a large piece of tiramisù and some tea, please?"
"Why a—" he blinked. "Young Atobe, you on a tea date with her?"
The king of Hyotei nodded. "Also, there are a few things I'd like to discuss with you… Jack…" the owner of the café gestured to a quiet area as Avery became distracted by a bright blob of red hair.
Childish Avery grinned at the sight, throwing herself onto the boy, which startled him to drop his fork of cake that was about to disappear into his mouth. "Brother~" she exclaimed cheerily, ignoring everyone else.
Jack could not control himself as he heard his daughter, knowing exactly what she was talking about, as he slapped his forehead. "No, Avery! I am not the father of every redhead you see!"
"I claimed him as my brother, so therefore you are the father!" to prove how bratty she can be, mainly when it comes to her dear ol' daddy, she stuck her tongue out at him while pulling down her left eyelid.
"Puri~"
"Oi! Who are you? And why are you hugging Marui-senpai?!" the chibi devil of Rikkaidai asked, standing up and pointing at Avery's face.
"Didn't I just say he's my brother? See," she gestured to their hair, "we're both redheads!"
Atobe could not stop the smirk that tugged at his lips over how that annoying girl thinks. "Ignoring Avery being Avery, for the most part, I have come to ask for your permission to marry your daughter."
Jack cocked a garnet eyebrow at the young male. "You honestly want my nutter of a daughter as your wife? The very same nutter that did nothing but tease and pick on you through out your childhood?"
"Yes."
The owner of the café sighed in defeat. "Damn, I lost the bet…" he swore, cursing his rotten luck.
"Ahn~?" now it was Atobe's turn to raise an eyebrow at the elder gentleman.
Jun Dawson suddenly appeared next to her husband's left elbow. "I told you they'd end up together, Jack, but nope. You didn't want to listen to your wife…"
"Oh just shut it, you itty-bitty woman."
"No, really, who are you?" Marui Bunta now asked, wanting to eat his cake in peace and away from crazy fangirls.
"Seeing as I'm from the UK… Avery Dawson, also known as AD. Music idol and daughter of the owner, slash his heir, of the Royal Flush Café chain." She shrugged, letting him go so she could sit in one of the chairs backwards. A plate of tiramisù cake was placed before her shortly after.
"Try and play nice, sweetie." Jun told her daughter.
"Only if you give me a 50/50 cut of whatever you won off of papa~" Avery ate a forkful of the Italian sweet.
"Done."
"Nice doing business with you, mummy~"
He pressed a single button and waited for the feedback to stop before speaking. "Will Dawson Avery meet ore-sama in the front courtyard?"
"Eh? What'd you do to Atobe-sama?!" one of his many female 'supporters' asked, turning to her classmate.
"Tch. Calling out another man's woman… how disgusting…" a girl with closely cropped copper hair scoffed, arms crossed under her chest. Texas, as she was only ever called, was a beauty in her own right, covered under layers of being the only – and youngest – girl amongst four boys. She is the current captain of Hyotei's Billiards team. Shishido Ryou had a large crush on her, though she probably doesn't know about it.
"Ne, just watch from the windows, Texas." Avery stood and headed to the front courtyard, seeing Atobe Keigo silently waiting for her. "Keigo, you got the whole school's attention, calling me out like this…" she gave him a knowing grin.
"It wouldn't be me unless I grabbed everyone's attention." Atobe stated, clipping a tiny microphone to the collar of her shirt. Nodding his head, Atobe signaled Kabaji to turn on the speaker system.
Time seemed to move slowly, even though the young teen knew what was happening, it still made her heart race as the tennis team captain got down on one knee. "Keigo…"
Students and faculty a like hung out of the windows of the large building; waiting with baited breath as they watched on. "Will you, Avery Dawson, be my wife?" he opened the black, crushed velvet, ring box, exposing the blooming blue rose made out of sapphires with leaves of emeralds, resting on top of a slender white gold band.
"Oh Gods…" Avery could hardly speak, tears trailing down her hot cheeks. "Yes! Yes, of course, you super ultra lame, itty-bitty boy!" removing the engagement ring from its white cushion, Atobe slipped it onto her left ring finger. Once it was in place, Avery threw her arms around his neck, drawing him into a tight hug before grasping the sides of his face so she could kiss him full on the mouth; in front of who knows how many people.
"I bet you anything that this is karma, mum." Stated twelve-year-old Atobe Daiki as he fixed his tie.
"And why do you say that, hm?" asked Avery, just as she finished the story of how she and Atobe Keigo met, got engaged, married, and had children.
"Daiki is probably referring to Ambrosia, Avery." Keigo stated, lounging on his black and gold Victorian chaise lounge sofa. "If you have yet to notice, our eldest child looks like she is ten, instead of fourteen." He flipped through a few documents for work.
"Well I am sorry she is a late bloomer like her father~" her husband gave her an unamused look.
Daiki rolled his hazel eyes at his parents banter, pulling out a few hairclips to pin his long, choppy, Siam red, fringes back from his field of vision. He was tall, like his grandfather on his mum's side, and well built like the men on either side of his family. Moreover, like his father, he was the current 'King of Hyotei', and also the tennis team's captain. Ambrosia, on the other hand, was short like grandmother Jun, and looked about ten, like their father stated. She had their father's hair color, which she kept down in its usual hime cut, unless she is fencing, and grandfather Jack's harlequin green eyes.
"Otousan, okaasan, you are both annoying, you know?" Daiki stated plainly.
Avery grinned, poking his right cheek, close to his own tear mole that he also inherited from his father. "It's how we show our love for each other, Daiki~"
"How old are you, okaasan?"
"You never ask a lady her age, brat!" Ambrosia scolded as she, somehow, managed to elegantly stomp her little feet as she entered the room. "You're going to die alone, you know?"
"We're still in junior high, Ambrosia. Anyways, I have no time for girlfriends. Exams are coming up, along with Tokyo's prefectural. On top of that, I have to help plan budgets for clubs and school festivals, which is the responsibility of the Student Council President."
Avery simply picked up Ein and curled up with him in her seat. "Gekidasa daze, Daiki. You're sounding like your papa."
"Avery… do me a favor and shut up…" Keigo scowled at his wife.
"I love you, too, itty-bitty Keigo!"
Phew! Finally done! God... that took too damn long... But I'm proud of it~
I'm secretly laughing at myself, because I completely forgot that it is a 'secret' on how Atobe became overly confident... I was about half way done when I went to his Prince of Tennis wiki page and re-read that... so now it's sort of the base of the story. Atobe became who he is today to impress a girl that constantly picked on him in his youth~ And then he marries her... Ah~ Ecstasy~
On a different note, corgis are known as the 'Queen's Breed', and Atobe's dog Beat is known as the King of Dogs (breed wise, though corgis are smarter). In addition, Ein is a big Cowboy Bebop reference, because it is the same corgi from that anime.
Ambrosia, sadly, takes after her mum and granddaddy Jack in terms of personality, while Daiki took after his dad and grandmum Jun. And the reason he has hazel eyes is because two people with blue eyes cannot have a child with blue eyes (yo, gotta like that biology stuff, yeah?). Favorite and review, please!