Errrr... Hi? This is my very first fanfiction ever published on ! Yay! :D I am not really satisfied with the ending because I don't like characters being out of character, but what can I do? I just can't avoid that with this kind of story... Tezuka is already out of character when he doesn't play or talk about tennis. -.- One of my friends described him as toast... Tezuka Toast! :DD Anyways! I'm starting to ramble so probably nobody is reading this anymore anyway but please leave a comment! I would really like to know what you think! *leaves cookies* Have fun! ;)

Behind the Cold Curtain

It's not that he didn't know how to feel. It's just that he didn't want to show it. And actually it had grown unusual to his face to do anything like smile or frown. It didn't bother him much that his parent's were worried and he successfully ignored how everybody was always staring at him trying to catch a glimpse of an emotion. Oh, he had feelings, alright! They had been hurt quite a few times already and of course he felt happy or at least satisfied after every victory. Also he had hopes and dreams like every other normal person. After all he WAS a normal person. And he DID have expressions. Anybody who knew him well enough or just looked closely would probably be able to read him like an open book.

Some people had started calling it "The Captains' Disease" because of Atobe (who at least wasn't called emotionless) and the temporary captain Sanada who had some "cold expression issues", too. But it wasn't because they were captains that they acted so coldly, it was because they were like that they had been able to become (vice-) captains in the first place. It was an addition that helped you being successful. Everybody automatically respected you. And being able to pull it of was a true sign of self-control.

Of course it had its downsides, too, but really, what didn't?

Tezuka was a little bit worried though. His only real friend was Oishi but he wasn't Oishi's only friend. And Tezuka just didn't seem to be able to befriend anybody, let alone fall in love. Well, HE might be able to fall in love, but who would ever fall in love with him? Everybody thought he didn't feel. They respected him, yes, but nothing more. Or at least so he thought.

The boy sighed. He was at this age now, where he started to worry about silly and not important things. It would only end up distracting him at next week's match and there was no way he could afford that. If they lost this important match they would have to start at zero again. He could possibly deal with that but everybody expected him to win.

He checked the boy's changing room to see if anybody was still in there, then he took his bag, locked the door, and left. One last check at the Tennis courts and he would be good to go. Oishi usually waited for him so that they could go home together but today he had to hurry so that he could go on a date. The captain was really curious about who he would be meeting, but he just hadn't been able to drop his cold façade for even a minute to find out. How disappointing.

He slowly made his way to the bus stop and was just in time to catch his bus. Usually he would take a seat at the back but when he planned on going there now he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.

"Atobe."

"Tezuka."

"What are you doing here?"

"I was planning on visiting a friend."

The other captain pulled his bag off of the seat next to him so that Tezuka could sit down. He couldn't help but be confused. Which friend would Atobe possibly want to visit around HERE and why the hell was he riding a bus and not his limousine?

"I didn't want to cause too much of a commotion."

The brown-haired boy couldn't really be surprised that Atobe was somebody that was able to read his expressions perfectly. After all somebody that had a similar façade should be able to see through it. Tezuka raised his eyebrows a little.

"You didn't? Are you feeling okay?"

He received a chuckle as an answer.

The rest of the bus ride they both pretty much minded their own business. Tezuka wasn't really the most talkative person in the world anyway.

"This is your stop, isn't it?"

"Yeah…"

"You're not going to get off, are you?"

He didn't say anything. The Hyotei captain knew the answer after all and didn't ask any further questions either. It was kind of nice not having to explain everything he did for once. Truth was that he didn't feel like going home yet and he didn't even know why.

After another while Keigo got to his feet.

"Let's get off here."

He led them to a big park and they spent some time sitting on a bench, talking about random things. Atobe put a finger to his face.

"I was quite nervous, you know. Today was my first time riding on a bus."

Kunimitsu looked at him in surprise and wasn't too sure what he should be more surprised about: Atobe talking about personal stuff or him never been riding on a bus before.

"But then I just made myself believe that I was still in a Limousine. Just for poor people. And that's really what it is, isn't it? A Limousine for poor people…"

"Somebody like you might see it that way, I guess."

The other one chuckled again.

Tezuka got lost in his thoughts. This was an unusual situation but it had a good feeling to it. And he was able to get his mind of of Tennis and his "silly thoughts" for a little while. A warm breeze was gently moving his hair and he had to move it out of his face. Something seemed to be seriously wrong with Atobe though. Well, not only with Atobe, with him, too. The both of them sitting together in a park and talking was rather…odd. And both their behaviors seemed out of character. But maybe that's what it was like spending time with somebody that was similar to you, maybe even understood you. You could be open. Tezuka felt how his façade slowly began to slip for the first time since long. He could just lean back and relax. He was brought back to reality from the growling of his companion's stomach.

"I guess we should go eat something. Coincidentally I know a good restaurant close by…"

"Maybe something I can afford as well?" Kunimitsu objected slightly annoyed.

"There's no way I'm setting one foot… or even one toe… into a fast food restaurant. I will pay for you."

"I can't accept that."

The two boys stared at each other. What had made them decide that they would go somewhere to eat together in the first place?

"Would you accept it if it were a date?"

"D-date?" the Seigaku captain repeated startled and felt himself blush a little. Good grief, had he ever blushed before? What was wrong with him? Right now he should be running for his life. A boy had asked him out on a date. A boy! And all he did was stutter and blush. He wasn't gay, was he? WAS HE?

"You didn't misunderstand me." He had a serious expression on his face so he obviously wasn't joking either.

And so that's how Tezuka's first date ever turned out to be a boy.

At the restaurant an awkward silence fell over them. Kunimitsu felt completely out of place at this high class restaurant. Plus he was getting more and more nervous because of this rather odd date. Atobe seemed to notice.

"Hey, this is a first for me, too, don't worry."

It didn't help all that much but at least it helped a little. This time Tezuka tried to start a conversation. Maybe that would at least make it less awkward.

"Do you ever feel like you're about to come to a mental break down because of all this pressure?"

"Not really, but I do see, where you're coming from. It's kind of hard to keep the image up all the time and to not disappoint anybody. It can be stressful at times. Not that I'm planning on losing a match in the near future."

A waitress that reminded Tezuka a lot of one of the women from Atobe's personal staff appeared out of nowhere and handed him another glass of Lemonade.

"Th-thank you" he said just a little bit creeped out. Then he turned back to his date. "By the way, what happened to that friend of yours that you wanted to visit?"

He did a flashy wave with his hand. "There's no need to do that anymore."

"It was me, wasn't it?"

Keigo chuckled again, like so many times already that afternoon.

"Well, yeah, I convinced Oishi to tell me what time you are usually getting on the bus. I guess I wanted to have a little fun…"

Kunimitsu started to wonder what kind of "convincing method" he had used so that he would give that kind of information to a rival. He didn't think that money would work.

"I accidently overheard him talking about going on a date so I offered him that he could get a limousine and could go to the best restaurant in town, any expenses paid. I had to promise him though that I didn't have any bad intentions. He took that deal quite gratefully."

"That's a lot of money for just that little information."

The Hyotei captain just grinned and Tezuka got the feeling that he had had a lot more of all this planned out than he would admit. But then the curiosity from earlier won over him.

"Do you know who Shuichiro is having a date with?"

The other boy put a few fingers to his face again and he couldn't help but notice that it was kind of attractive.

"Ahhh, I can't remember. The name was… it ended with something like –jo? No… -ja? No it was –ji! It ended with a –ji!"

He didn't even dare to speak out the name that came to his mind immediately. It was true that Eiji and Oishi were called the "Golden Pair" but it would be too weird for him to date a boy, too. And anyway, a lot of names ended with –ji. It could have been anyone. He would seriously have to ask the next day though.

Atobe snapped his fingers and another waiter appeared.

"Put it on my father's bill as usual." He turned to Tezuka. "Let's go for another walk!"

It had gotten late and it started to get chilly outside. Keigo shivered more and more the longer they walked even though he tried not to show it. Tezuka hadn't noticed before but for some reason he didn't have his jacket with him. And he usually ALWAYS had it with him. Wordlessly he took off his own jacket and handed it to his companion. He looked a little bit surprised but seemed to be grateful about it either way.

"Won't you get cold then?"

"Since when do you worry about others?" he asked back.

They both fell silent for a little bit but then Atobe replied.

"I do worry about the ones I care about."

He stopped and the Seigaku captain turned to look at him. The way he was being stared at made him feel nervous and he could feel his heart beat a little bit faster. He was really behaving out of character today but so was Keigo. Maybe the date hadn't been such a good idea after all. He had so many things to focus on right now that he couldn't afford any distraction. But he quickly thought differently when the other one suddenly came closer and carefully pressed his lips on his. At first he was shocked. Then he felt heat rushing to his face. Then he passionately (a least for him) returned the kiss.

If his parents ever found out they were going to kill him. After all he was crushing their hopes for grand children right now. And if they didn't then Atobe's parents were probably going to hire the best contract killer money could buy…

But right now all this didn't matter. Right now his world turned around Atobe Keigo and his very soft lips.