Title: Lucky Penny

Part: One

Author: Bonsai Sheep

Rating: Not even worth one yet, except maybe for some swearing.

Series: Prince of Tennis

School: Yamabuki

Major Players (so far): Taichi, Akutsu, Sengoku

You say you want to prove you're alive, to make a show of your existence. So you lash out, you hurt those you feel like.  You show your own strength by manipulating the weakness of others.  Breaking them.

There must be more to strength than pain.

I watch you lot.  When you know about it, and sometimes when you don't.  The times you're strutting around just begging for someone to give you an excuse to show them what you're made of.  And the times you think there is no one else around to see you sit in quiet contemplation. 

I like your quiet times.  I can be awed when you're in full flow, taking everything you do as a battle you absolutely must win.  But it's the quiet times I wait for, when there's just you and your thoughts and the smoke from your cigarettes curling around you in a delicate pattern.

What do you think about when your guard is down, when there's no need for the posturing and the defensive aggression?  Would I ever get away with asking?  I know you tolerate me.. I'm 'cute', and no matter what tough image you portray to the world you can't hide your soft spots completely.  I admit I sometimes take advantage of that, I pull the wide-eyed act with just a little more force, act emotionally wounded if you start to get aggravated, but sometimes that's the only way to get near you.  I like being near you.  You're my complete opposite.  The height and build and strength to contrast my eternal short, skinniness..my weakness. 

As much as you live for your own strength you oppose others with it.  If I became strong would you oppose me too?  Do I have to remain weak in order to stay near you?  You sneer upon weakness but protect me regardless, or perhaps because of it.  Do you like protecting someone? 

Do you want to be protected yourself?

Not physically, you have no need for protection from violence.  But somewhere, deep down, would you like someone to look after you?  For all you confidence sometimes I wonder if you're happy. 

Would you allow me to find out?

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"Yo!" Taichi flopped lightly to the grass, setting a small sized plastic box into the older boys lap.

Akutsu to his credit barely flinched in surprise as the sudden intrusion into his personal space, merely casting Taichi a disdainful look.

Taichi rolled his eyes playfully and reached over to snag the burning cigarette out from between Akutsu's lips, scrubbing it into the dirt.  "You're not allowed to smoke on school grounds," he reprimanded him primly before pointing at the box he had delivered.

"What is it?"

"Lunch!" he beamed

Akutsu looked slightly disbelieving, "'Lunch'" he repeated, only to be met with an affirmative, enthusiastic nod.   "Waste of time.." he snorted, tapping another cigarette from its box and lighting it.  He quickly became aware of the smaller boys hand reaching to remove it in the same manner as the previous one. He took hold of Taichis wrist just as his fingers had taken hold. 

Taichi pouted, "Mou, Akutsu-sempai you should eat and not smoke.." he wriggled his wrist slightly, which only caused Akutsu to tighten his hold.

"Let.Go" Akutsu's tone was warning as he gripped the butt between his teeth.  Not that the warning would do much, Taichi's grip was good enough that if he wrenched the boys arm away he'd break the cigarette as he did so.  He could tighten his fist and force him to let go but he didn't really want to deal with the tears that would surely come with it.

"No..you let go and eat your lunch"

"If you keep holding onto it you'll just get burnt"

"Only if you keep holding on to me.."

Stubborn brat, when did he start learning to glare him into submission anyway? "Che.." He loosed his hold and pushed Taichis hand away allowing him to take the cigarette with it, watching as at stubbed it out with an almost palpable level of self-satisfaction.

"It's not going to kill you just to eat a sandwich rather than smoking yourself stupid for an hour.."

Akutsu scowled, "Don't tell me wh-"

"'-at to do.'" he finished his sentence for him.  "Yes, yes, whatever you say just eat it.  And if you don't I'll make you eat an apple too." He smiled quite innocently, "And that was an order..and a threat, feel free to beat me up after you eat."

"Don't get cute with me."

Taichi merely smiled in response not taking his eyes off of Akutsu until he had opened the box with a grumbled curse. "See, that wasn't so hard.  And you didn't have to waste your cigarette either if you hadn't been so stubborn."

"I could take lessons from you on being stubborn."

"uh-uh, I'm not stubborn..just persistent."

Akutsu shot him a look intended to wither but Taichi's cheerful expression was unwavering. He gave up trying to glare himself some peace and just ate what the younger boy had brought him, ignoring the self-satisfied looks he was receiving.  It was becoming something of a routine.  No matter where he found on the grounds to hide, Taichi always managed to find him.  He gave him credit for his determination, but it was still annoying.  Anyone else wouldn't get away with it.  He glanced at Taichi; he was, surprisingly, not watching him.  Perhaps confident enough in his victory over the lunchtime confrontation.  Instead he was slouched back against the hut that Akutsu had chosen as the days retreat from idiots in general.  He rolled his eyes seeing that he was going over his tennis notebook.

"You know that's pointless shit, right?" He snapped the box closed tossing it at Taichi.

"Mmm, maybe." he leant and put the box away in his bag still concentrating on his notes. 

"No maybe about it, you can't learn jack from that crap"

Taichi chewed the end of his pen thoughtfully, "Not everybody has your instincts, sempai, some of us have to rely on other methods.  This is mine.  Besides, it works for other people.  You never saw the Hyoutei-Seigaku games, but the doubles match there that Seigaku's Inui played was nearly all data based."

Akutsu snorted, "And did they win?"

"Well.. no, but only because he was too honest."

"If you can't win what's the point?"

"But they could, have won.  It was just a new doubles team, if they perfect it then they'll be really good."

"Could have, would have, should have.  But they didn't did they? Which proves my point.  If you don't have the talent you should just quit."

Taichi was quiet for a while, flicking through the pages of his notebook.  "So I should quit then?  Since I don't have any natural talent?"

"I didn't say that."

"Yes you did."

"No..I didn't."

"Did."

"Did not.." He made a frustrated noise and lit a cigarette inhaling deeply before letting out a long stream of smoke.  "I'm not getting into a petty little quarrel with you."

"You still said it."

Akutsu reached over, snatching the book out of Taichi's hands looking over the first few pages.  "Numbers and doodles, this shit is worthless." He used one arm to restrain the smaller boy as he made a move to get his book back.

"Akutsu-sempai.." Taichi struggled against the arm locked around his shoulders, reaching across his lap to try and snag the notebook back.  "Don't be a pain."

He held the book easily out of Taichi's reach. "You don't need this, it's just a crutch.  If you want to get better just practice."

"It's not a crutch!" Taichi made a futile swing for his book, "It's a tactic"

"It's a big pile of balls is what it is," he dropped the notebook to the grass, still out of reach, and reached into his pocket for his lighter, ignoring a sound of panic from Taichi.

"Sempai, please.."

"The only way you're going to quit relying on it is to not have it altogether" he shoved Taichi away from him to get his other arm free.  Picking the notebook up again he flicked his lighter open, holding the small flame to one corner giving it time to catch properly, altering the angle of the book to allow the flame to spread more quickly.  Suitably satisfied with its progress he dropped it to the ground an arms length away and watched as the book curled and went black. 

It was only after a few moments watching the dying flame that he registered the small choked sob to his left.  He turned his head slowly to see Taichi gathering up his belongings.  "You needed to lose that.. it was the best way."

"It's fine.." Taichi sniffled as he stuffed the empty lunch box into his bag.

Akutsu ignored the small pang of guilt that kicked about in his stomach, "Taichi.. "

Taichi stood upright and hooked his bag over one shoulder.  His eyes were pink and watery but he wasn't crying.  "You're right.  I should know by now not to rely on anything.." he turned and started walking, "or anyone."

Akutsu watched him turn the corner out of sight.  "Shit." He looked at the remains of the book.  "Fuck." He stood up and shoved his hands in his pockets, a frown imprinted on his brow.  So the squirt couldn't handle losing a damn notebook.  Not his problem.

Right?

He cursed again and headed off in the direction of the school gates.  He could do without this crap this afternoon.

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"Penny for your thoughts?"

Akutsu blinked as a small copper coin was waved in front of his nose.  He followed the line of the fingers past the hand, up the arm and finally ending up focusing on a pair of green eyes.  The coin was dropped and he caught it reflexively, studying it for a moment as the owner of said eyes settled down on the bench beside him.

"A British penny," Sengoku informed him cheerfully, "I found it on the floor when I was on vacation in Spain last year.  Lucky to find a penny in a foreign country, ne?"

Akutsu looked at the flat circle of metal, turning it over in his fingers.  "You couldn't find something more interesting to do on vacation than watch the floor?"

Sengoku raised an eyebrow a fraction, his smile broadening.  No swearing?  No threat of violence?  There was truly something on Akutsu's mind if he'd managed to start up some semblance of conversation without any hint of abuse.  "Actually, I managed to get my foot stood on at the time.  The penny caught my eye while I was nursing my toe"

Akutsu snorted, "Real lucky.."

Sengoku chuckled, relaxing back into the bench.  He shook his head when Akutsu moved to hand him the coin back.  "Keep hold of it."

"And what would I need with a damned penny?"

Sengoku shrugged lightly, "Well, there's something bothering you.  I figured you could use a little help. Especially," he continued over the top of Akutsu who was working up some kind of expletive, "if it has anything to do with Taichi's sudden case of the grumps."

"Ch'.." he scratched the tip of his nose idly, "what would that brat have to do with anything?"

"Well," he hooked one leg over the other "Let's look at this another way.  Up until 4 days ago everything was fine.  Taichi was still babbling a mile a minute and rarely pausing for breath.  And you, were your usual lovable self.  Then, either you both got a perfectly synchronized kick in the teeth from somewhere.. or something happened between you.  Because for the same amount of time now while he has been quiet and almost grumpy, which as I'm pretty sure you know by now is completely unheard of, you, have been distracted."

"Define distracted." Akutsu's tone was bored

"No-one's been beaten up on campus since whatever happened?  I've managed to sit here for five minutes without a single threat of bodily harm?"

Akutsu turned to look at the redhead, "I can change that quite easily."

Sengoku's smile was unwavering, "I'm sure.  Or you tell me what happened."

A cigarette was tapped from its packet, "You could just ask him"

"You'd think so huh?"

"What does that mean?"

"It means he's not saying a thing.  He either denies everything verbally or..does that look thing.." He gave a shudder for effect

Akutsu huffed.  He knew the look quite well.  Not that he'd actually admit falling for it, but he was man enough to admit it was a formidable attack.  Damned brat. "And what do you expect me to do about it?"

"Apologise?" Sengoku offered simply

"Why the fuck would it be my fault and not his?" he spat defensively.

Sengoku gave him a pointed look that clearly said that he was pretty sure it wasn't the other way round. "Do it anyway?"

"Bastard, don't tell me what to do.."

Sengoku stood in one fluid movement, turning to pat Akutsu on the shoulder, "Now, now Akutsu-kun, I would never do something so silly.  I'm merely making a suggestion.. whether you act on it or not is entirely your decision." Standing up straight again he gave the other boy a little wave before turning on his heel and heading back to the school building.

Akutsu glared at his back until he disappeared, and then at the little coin he still held in his hand.  With a grumbled curse he slid it into the pocket of his uniform.  Maybe he would have to do something after all.  If only to stop the kid making a damned nuisance of himself.