Title: Private Lessons
Theme: #17. kHz (kilohertz)
Disclaimer: Tennis no Oujisama belongs to Konomi Takeshi

Kawamura gritted his teeth in frustration, trying to stop a sigh from escaping his lips. Trying to calm himself down, he closed his eyes and rolled his head back, asking the Heavens why physics didn't come to him as easily as tennis did. Not that he was a genius like his former buchou or his former double partner, but at least he wouldn't find himself on the verge of failing his physic class. He looked back down at his manual, once again trying to figure out the way to resolve one particularly hard oscillation problem. He was not an idiot, but high school physic classes seemed at the moment way beyond his abilities.

When Momoshiro heard Kawamura sigh for the third time, he decided it was time to step in. Putting down his own homework, he shifted over and leaned on the brown haired boy's back:

"Let me help you, Taka-san," he said, passing one hand over Kawamura's shoulder to gain more stability as he started to read the opened book on Kawamura's lap.

Takashi rapidly felt his cheeks grow warm with a blush. When he had invited Momoshiro over so to help each other with their homework, he never expected to end up in such a close position: his friend's head rested on his shoulder while his chin was cradled in the crook of Kawamura's neck. He could feel Momoshiro's warmth through both their uniforms and his breath on his skin was driving him crazy. He closed his eyes, concentrating on calming his erratic heartbeat when he noticed that he could feel Momoshiro's too. He swallowed hard:

"Mo…Momo-chan…would…could you…please?" he whispered softly.

Momoshiro blinked, realizing he had totally invaded Kawamura's personal space so he moved away, not without hearing the boy's sigh as the distance between their bodies increased. He felt his heart drop at the sound of it and tried to convince himself that it was simply because Kawamura was not used to such close contact. With a slight pout, he grabbed the taller boy's answer sheet and quickly reviewed it.

"…Oh…you're almost there! Two more lines in your demonstration and you've got the right answer!" Momoshiro grinned as he gave him back his sheet. Kawamura's eyebrow raised up in surprised: "Really…? It…it must be luck!" he shrugged, letting the self-doubts resurface.

"Ah…" nodded the black haired boy. "And to make sure it's not luck, we'll make a deal. If you're able to do the next one without my help, you'll get a surprise!"

"A surprise?"

"Hai! Our teacher calls it 'positive reinforcement'! It's supposed to motivate you!" Momoshiro added, nodding like he knew exactly what he was talking about, before sitting on the floor with his books. Although he looked convincing, Kawamura knew he was acting and he could not repress a chuckle that ended up as a small smile:

"I…I'll try my best!"

The next half hour was spent in silence, except for the sound of pen scratching paper, sighs, teeth biting wood and rustling papers. From time to time, Momoshiro would look up at Kawamura, finding the sight of the soft-spoken boy lost in concentration somehow endearing. Brown brows knitted together in a thoughtful frown, one slender finger tapping lightly on thin lips, broad shoulders slouched forward as if their were supporting the weight of the world. Those were images Momoshiro had seen hundreds of times now but he was never getting tired of them. Kawamura's inability to hide his true emotions was one of the many things that had drawn the black-haired boy closer to his sempai. Momoshiro knew anything Kawamura would do or say would always be done or said in the most honest way. Nothing ever underlying, nothing ever kept hidden. And to Momoshiro's eyes, it was as comforting as it was frightening. But his musings were interrupted as the taller boy lifted up his head, looking directly into Momoshiro's violet eyes, a glint of his more confident self shining in his hazelnut ones.

"I think I got it…" he smiled, lending his answer sheet once again to his friend.

Momoshiro reviewed Kawamura's newest work, and was grinning by the end of it: "You did it, Taka-san! I think you mastered it!"

Momoshiro's heart jumped as his grin was met with one of biggest smile Kawamura could muster without his racket:

"Can…can I have my surprise now?"

Momoshiro's eyes shot wide-open as he jumped to his feet. The surprise! He had stopped thinking about that a while ago!

"Hai! Just…just close your eyes for a second!"

As Kawamura complied to his request, Momoshiro looked around, half panicking, for a surprise. He had not thought in advance about what he could give his sempai, and as he turned his backpack upside down, his mind raced as to what would make Kawamura happy. He looked at him, sitting calmly on his bed, his back to the wall, eyes closed, waiting patiently. Momoshiro stopped moving for a moment and smiled, feeling as bold as ever as he climbed on the bed, carefully resting his legs besides Kawamura's without touching them, using his arms to brace himself against the wall. He leaned over the taller boy and lightly brushed his own lips over his friend's. Kawamura gasped in surprise, opening his eyes and jerking his head backwards into the wall.

"Ow…"

Momoshiro couldn't express how rejected he felt when Kawamura moved away from him, and leaned back, his gaze locked down.

"S…sorry…I…don't know what I was thinking…" he lied as he turned around to get off of the bed. But Kawamura's strong fingers closed around his wrist and pulled his arm forward as another hand pressed him to his initial position. Warm lips crushed his lightly and before he knew it, Momoshiro was kissing back, one hand closing over Kawamura's neck.

When the boys finally broke the kiss for need of air, Momoshiro smiled, pressing his forehead on Kawamura's:

"…I hope you're good in biology…I definitely need some help in that class…" he smiled.

Kawamura smiled back, and only answered him with another kiss.