Gen/Tezuka/Fuji-ish. G.
Not until a hot January
by Maaya
----
Late October calls for that first, early snowfall. Ryuuzaki cancelling practice but the regulars are not very worried, this sort of snow will soon disappear, the courts will dry and it will be possible to play tennis for at least another half a month. (Sad perhaps, but too expected to put them down. Other than Ryoma, who will always think that the weather is a stupid, stupid factor for interfering with tennis.)
Fuji notices the first early flakes in morning mathematics class. It is a regular day; he gazes out of the window through the classroom haze of second degree equations. Like frost falling, the flakes became larger and he rests his chin in his hand, watching.
----
The third year regulars meet up during lunch, because by then it is snowing heavily. It isn't warm, but just mild enough: perfect snowball weather. Horrible tennis weather.
"I wish school was over," Eiji sighs, tapping his fingers against the desk. He is inside, snow is outside. It makes him impatient.
Tezuka confirms that there is no practice today, but there will be a meeting tomorrow morning. Gym.
Fuji notices a certain bunch of kohai outside the window, downstairs. Horio is making snowballs like mad; Ryoma is standing on the sidelines looking uninterested (and cold and funnily, that girl, Sakuno, is wearing his scarf.) All is well until Momoshiro sneaks up with his hands full of snow and then, Ryoma suddenly looks even colder.
Eiji follows his gaze and leans forward to take in the spectacle. "No fair. I want to get to pummel Momo, too."
"Eiji," Oishi warns. There are only five minutes left of the lunch break. Eiji sighs.
----
"I like snow," Fuji privately tells Tezuka in passing, when school is over for the day, no club practice is planned and they are getting their shoes. Tezuka says nothing, but Fuji can see him think. Analysing, just like Inui, but the Tezuka perspective holds less mathematics (probably) and a whole lot more Tezuka-view.
However, Fuji might be thinking about it too much. Tezuka's expression is the usual, it doesn't have to mean anything.
"Well, I'm off. See you tomorrow, Tezuka."
Tezuka nods. "Don't be late for morning practice."
----
Stepping out of the school gates, Fuji narrowly avoids a snow ball. (Or the snowball narrowly avoids Fuji.) He smiles sunnily to Momoshiro, who cowers, and idly thinks about snow, homework, snowballs and tennis.
He glances around and wishes he had not left his gloves to Eiji, because his sister seems to be late.
----
"Maaan, my gloves are wet." Momoshiro inspects his hands. After a day of running and snowballs and cold air, his cheeks are flushed and there is that satisfied grin on his face.
"You've played in the snow too much," Ryoma mutters and pulls up his scarf over his mouth. It is not overly cold, but he prefers to be really not-cold. At least the walking keeps them somewhat warmer; Momoshiro can not ride his bike in all this snow.
Momoshiro grins. "You're wet, too."
"It's your fault." There is a pause. "I want to play tennis."
----
Tezuka does get hit by a snowball once during this day. Twenty minutes after school has ended, something hits his back and it is that typical snowball feeling. Hard, but not horrible. He turns.
Fuji is behind him, smiling very neutrally.
"Wasn't you sister going to pick you up?" Tezuka makes no move to get revenge. Of course he doesn't. This is Tezuka.
Fuji has his hands pushed deep into his pockets. They need to recover heat after that snowball. "Mm. I think she forgot."
Tezuka gets that look again, like he is trying to understand something that is beyond his imagination. (Not that Tezuka's imagination is very impressive overall.)
Fuji shrugs. "I'll take the bus instead." (It is too cold to walk. Really.)
They accompany each other to the bus stop.
end