All the fuss
By hye-kyo
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Disclaimer: No, the Prince of Tennis doesn't belong to me, as well as all its characters.
Author's Notes: Okay, so this is my first POT fic. It's a one-shot. It's all fluff, actually very different from what I usually write. It's just a feel-good fic and nothing more. But anyway, please do read through it and tell me what you think about it. Thanks in advance.
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"You can do it Ochibi," Eiji patted him on the back. It was easy for him to say because he wasn't on his shoes.
Inui opened his ii data, "Judging on her past behaviors, there is an eighty five percent chance that you'll succeed."
He looked away. How did they knew about this? It was all Horio's fault for being a blabbermouth that he is. He glared at Momo who was about to say something.
"Oi Echizen! Don't be so tense," Momo grinned, "Ne Eiji-senpai?"
"Hai! Hai!" Eiji laughed.
Oishi walked back and forth, his arms folded across his chest, "Just make sure you don't say the wrong things. You know you have a habit of doing so."
"Senpai-tachi," he frowned. He knew they were just concern, but it seemed to him that they were ganging up on him.
"Oi Mamushi," Momo turned to Kaidoh who was leaning against a post, "Why don't you give Echizen some tips?"
Kaidoh looked away and reddened, "Stupid."
Oishi stopped in front of him, "Remember Echizen, just be nice to her."
Fuji and Taka suddenly came, "She's coming." And then turning to Echizen Fuji said, "Good luck."
He blushed intensely. He had asked her to meet him today and he couldn't possibly cancel that anymore. Even though his senpai-tachi know about it now, he'd still proceed with what he initially planned.
"Taka," Eiji called and tossed a racquet to him. Taka quickly caught it in one swift move.
"I am burning! Go for it Echizen! Keep the flames of young love burning!" Taka was whirling the racquet around.
Echizen blushed all the more. He looked away, "It's not like what you think it is."
"Then what is it?" Oishi asked.
"It's," he swallowed hard, "It's nothing…"
Momo laughed, "I didn't know you could be romantic Echizen."
"Ochibi's now a man," Eiji joined Momo's laughter.
"We better hide, er I mean leave now," Inui adjusted his glasses.
"You are right," Fuji pulled Taka the madman and beckoned the others to follow.
"Good luck!" Eiji called as he followed Fuji.
Momo patted him on the back. Oishi gave one last advise, Kaidoh glared at him and Inui smiled at him, a smile which made Echizen feel weird. So maybe his senpai-tachi was up to something. He better watch out.
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Five minutes later, Sakuno came running. She was holding a carefully wrapped bento.
"Don't tell me you got lost." Ryoma had his hands inside his pocket.
"I didn't," Sakuno said she tried to catch her breath, "I did some errand for Kurumi-sensei."
He looked at the bento box, "Whose that?"
"This?" Sakuno looked at the box too, hesitated for a while and then said, "This is for Tomo-chan."
Ryoma frowned.
Sakuno looked at him, puzzled. "Why did you want to talk to me?"
Ryoma slowly looked at her, "I just…I just want to ask you something…"
"Something?" Sakuno took a step closer to him.
He took a deep breath. She shouldn't have done that. Now it is harder for him to speak.
"Ne, Ryoma-kun?"
"Anou…Ryuuzaki…" he swallowed, "I just…"
"Nani?"
"Are you…are you avoiding me?"
"Avoiding you?" she frowned.
"Y-Yes."
Sakuno reddened and forced a smile. "I am not. Why did you ask?"
"Because…" now what? What would he say?
"Ryoma-kun?" Sakuno asked worriedly. Ryoma's face was flushed. Could it be that he is sick?
"Because…because you had been…" no, he couldn't think of any explanation. He suddenly shrugged and shook his head, "Forget it."
Sakuno was surprised with his reactions. "I…I see. Is that all?"
Ryoma swallowed. So was that all? Of course. There's something more. After feeling avoided by her because of some stupid reason—she hadn't been making him bento for the past two weeks—he had decided to finally come to terms with his feelings. How he would do that is still something he doesn't know.
"I guess that's all ne Ryoma-kun?"
He cleared his throat. The bento issue wasn't still resolved. Maybe some other time. For now he needed to do this, "Ne Ryuuzaki…"
Sakuno's eyes widened in anticipation.
He looked away, feeling heat coming from his spine to his face. Was it because the weather's too hot? Maybe, maybe it was just because of the weather. "Are you—"
Sakuno held her breath, her fingers clutching the bento tightly. She was so nervous that she ended up saying that the bento was for Tomo-chan, when actually she prepared it particularly for him.
"—free this Saturday?" there he said it. Could he breath now?
She blushed. What does he mean? "R-Ryoma-kun…"
Ryoma slowly turned his head toward her and shifted his eyes as he saw her flushed face. That made him feel good. "So?"
"Ah…" this was confusing her. Was he intending to ask her out on a date? Or was this just like when he accompanied her to the racquet stringer? No, this was different. She mentally shook her head. He was the one asking her now. This was different.
He noticed the hesitation in her face. Could it be? He was getting nervous. Would she say no she has something to do on Saturday? Or would she say no she doesn't want to go out with him this Saturday? The first one would sound much better, less harsh. But both would be heartbreaking. He crossed his fingers and swallowed hard before saying, "Ne Ryuuzaki?"
"H-hai…" she said, "I…I am free this Saturday…" and when she finally said it, she was able to breath.
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"Had he asked it?" Eiji bobbed his head up to see the scoop. "Ne, had he asked it already?"
"Don't be so loud senpai," Momo said, keeping his hands on Eiji's shoulders so as to keep him from moving.
"He had already asked her out," Oishi told Eiji.
Inui slipped his hand in his pocket, and foraged for his mobile. "I'll inform Tezuka."
"Does he really have to know?" Oishi asked. The last time Inui informed Tezuka of such a thing Tezuka hung up on him.
"It's better to inform him," Inui said and dialed Tezuka's number.
"What'd she say?" Eiji tried to see much more.
"I didn't quite catch it," Momo murmured as he strained his neck. "Did you hear it Mamushi?"
Kaidoh glared at him and said, "She said she's free this Saturday."
Eiji's eyes widened. "That's good!"
"Sshh," Oishi calmed him, "Keep it down Eiji."
"Echizen has grown hasn't he?" Fuji smiled. Taka could only nod in agreement.
"Ah, young love is such a nice cute thing ne Kaoru-chan?" Eiji glanced at Kaidoh.
Kaidoh shrugged and 'fwsshed'.
Inui flipped his phone closed.
"What did Tezuka say?"
Inui adjusted his glasses and seriously said, "He wanted us to tell Echizen to not let his guard down."
"What can you expect of Tezuka?" Fuji smiled. Taka once again nodded.
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Ryoma's eyes widened. Now he could breath. Well, not really. He just asked her if she was free. He hadn't asked her yet if she would want to go out with him.
Sakuno fidgeted with the cover of the bento, glancing every now and then at Ryoma.
"Then…" he said, mustering up his courage, "Saturday, 2pm, at the train station."
Sakuno furrowed her brows. So he really is asking her on a date. "Ryoma-kun?"
Ryoma felt his cheeks reddening, "I said it already."
"Anou…" she stammered. She has to make sure first that he was asking her out on a date, not on some weird trip.
"N-nani?" he glanced up at her face. She was red, maybe as red as him, no probably redder than he was.
"Is…is it…a…date…?" she murmured, the words not wanting be rolled of her tongue.
That caught him by surprise. Wasn't it obvious. "You're slow," he suddenly said, not really thinking about saying it out loud.
Sakuno was taken aback. She glanced up at Ryoma. "Well…I'm…I'm sorry…"
"Ah," Ryoma suddenly panicked, he walked over to her, his feet tumbling against his own, "No…I didn't mean it like…"
Sakuno looked down on her feet. She shouldn't have asked. That was very stupid of her. She took a step back. Now because she was slow maybe Ryoma would cancel the date.
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"What did he say?" Momo almost shouted.
"I told him not to say the wrong things," Oishi said exasperated, thumping his fingers on his temple.
"That Ochibi!" Eiji clenched his fist. "Of course Sakuno-chan has to make sure it's a date, with the way he asked and all."
"I guess we just can't see Echizen being a romantic after all," Fuji grinned.
"That stupid," Kaidoh muttered.
"The probability of her turning him down is getting higher," Inui noted. He continued scribbling notes on his Ii Data.
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Sakuno took another step back. "G-gomen Ryoma kun…" she murmured. She clobbered herself mentally for being so stupid. She took another step back.
Panicking, Ryoma caught a hold of her arm and took quick steps towards her. She tripped on her foot just as she was taking another step back. It sent them both off balance.
Sakuno felt herself falling to the ground and she quickly shut her eyes close, imagining the impact would be hard and painful. This was the result of her stupidity. In between the tumble she mentally asked herself where the bento was. The answer came quick, she had lost it in the tumble. It most probably lay on the ground already. She should've just told Ryoma it was for him. Such a waste.
Ryoma quickly slipped his hands around her back, shifted weight into his other foot and tried with all his might to pull them both back to their feet, but to no avail. He pulled her closer as he opened his eyes to see the ground below. The impact would definitely come.
"R-Ryoma-kun?" she muttered as she felt herself being pulled closer. She felt his arms around her and that made her panic. What would she do, she clutched at his clothes and prayed hard.
Ryoma had pulled her close in the hope of preventing the fall. But his efforts were futile. He succumbed to gravity just as skin met skin, and lips met lips.
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"Abunai!" Eiji almost jumped out of their hiding place. It was Momo who suddenly held him back. Eiji turned to him and when he saw Momo grinning and the others grinning as well—except for Oishi—he slowly turned to the scene. He saw Sakuno on her back on the ground with Echizen on top of her.
"Well," Momo said, "I didn't know Echizen to be so aggressive."
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Sakuno's eyes flew open. The feeling was sending shivers through her spine. She swallowed hard and felt herself melting then and there. She had never imagined it to be this…this good.
Ryoma felt her mouth quiver under his. He knew it was all an accident, but the taste and feel of her mouth against his made him want to stay just like that. He tightened his hold, feeling warm all over.
Maybe because it was Ryoma who was kissing her that's making her feel like this. Maybe because he was the boy whom she really wanted to kiss all along. Maybe because he was the boy who she really liked all this time. Maybe because he was the boy she was in love with ever since. Now she doesn't know if she'd be able to stand up after this, with her knees weakening and all.
Not bad for his first time. He smiled to himself. If only he could keep kissing Sakuno forever.
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"Oi," Oishi expressed concern, "Somebody stop them. They're too young!" He stood up, Eiji quickly stood up too, placing a hand on Oishi's arm.
"Let them," Eiji grinned. "They're young…and in love."
"It can't be helped," Momo said, standing up too.
"I think we should leave them," Fuji suggested. Taka nodded and followed Fuji who discretely scampered away.
"Oh well," Oishi managed to say before Eiji finally pulled him.
Inui and Kaidoh followed suit. Inui had enough data for now.
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Sakuno flickered her eyes open as she felt Ryoma pulling back. She blushed as her eyes met his.
Ryoma gazed at her eyes and then at her pink mouth. He propped himself up with his hands and murmured, "So? Saturday then…2pm at the train station?"
Sakuno grinned, slowly loosened her grip on Ryoma's front shirt as she murmured, "Hai."
He broke into a huge smile. He brushed a stray hair from her face and said, blushing, "I guess…I guess I'll see you Saturday then?"
Sakuno nodded, her face getting hot.
"Okay," he said and slowly closed the distance once again as he pressed his lips against her.
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A/n: So how was it? It was very simple, all fluff as I've said. But I hope you all liked it. Merry Christmas everyone!
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