Serendipity

There was nothing, Eiji thought as he lay panting and squinting up at the sun, like playing tennis against Oishi. Nothing at all in the world could ever beat it. Now, if only he could find the strength to move because his legs felt like jelly…

"Hey, Oishi," he called, his mouth feeling dry.

"Eiji?" Oishi sounded breathless, too, though he had at least managed to remain on his feet and was slowly making his way across the court to haul Eiji upright so they could walk while they cooled down.

Eiji moved his arm over his eyes so he wouldn't have to look at the sun, watching Oishi from under it. "We'll always do this, won't we?"

"I like to think so," Oishi said, smiling and holding out a hand. "Come on, reach up."

Eiji did as he was bidden, catching Oishi's hand on the second try and gripping it with both of his as Oishi pulled him upright. He wobbled for a moment and was glad when Oishi slipped an arm around his waist, settling his own around Oishi's shoulders in return. For a moment they just stood like that, breathing deeply and leaning against each other. Then Oishi said, "Let's walk."

Eiji nodded, still gulping air but already beginning to feel better as they headed toward the bench. It had been a while since he'd played to the point of dizzy nausea, but then he and Oishi had just played three sets. It had been awesome.

"Why'd you ask anyway?" Oishi enquired as they walked, kindly ignoring the fact that Eiji's feet were dragging and the support was generally a lot more one-sided than it might appear to an outsider. Eiji even had his eyes closed.

"Oh, you know," said Eiji, proving he wasn't actually asleep, yet. He waved his hand to dismiss the question, but Oishi was still watching and caught him when he peeked one bright blue eye open in order to ascertain if Oishi was going to let it slide.

"No," Oishi said, eyes alight with amusement. "Tell me."

Eiji closed his eye again and Oishi wondered if he was going to try and evade it further when Eiji's head suddenly flopped against his shoulder and he admitted, "It's the mock interviews."

"They're only mock, Eiji," Oishi reminded him despite being a little concerned himself. He sat Eiji on the bench and passed him his water bottle. He had a feeling he was missing something, because Eiji would never let a mock interview get him nervous, but he knew Eiji would come out and say it when he was good and ready so he wasn't going to push it.

"Yeah," Eiji said, and then paused as he gulped the water greedily. Trickles ran down his chin and throat, and after only a moment's hesitation he lifted the bottle to upend it over his head before shaking like a dog and spraying Oishi with droplets. For a moment Oishi looked startled, then he started laughing and Eiji couldn't help but join in. He grabbed the towel when Oishi passed it to him, dabbing some of the excess damp away and hanging it around his neck as he tried to catch his breath.

Oishi managed to contain himself much faster, sipping from his own bottle and foregoing a shower as he wiped away the sweat their match had generated as well as the water Eiji had gotten on him. He was ready and waiting when Eiji looked over at him again, gaze expectant but not demanding.

"I'm not worried about doing the interview," Eiji said, wrinkling his nose. "But I think I might have to get a part-time job, so we wouldn't be able to do this."

Oishi laughed unexpectedly, reaching to wrap his arm around Eiji when the redhead glanced up looking offended. "Eiji," Oishi said. "We play all the time; we can do it after practice."

"It's not the same," Eiji objected. "And I don't even know what job I'd do."

"Why do you have to get a job?" Oishi asked.

"Just money," Eiji said. Then he added in a whisper, "I think mum's worried about funding me."

Eiji never had and never would begrudge having a large family – he loved it – but university places could not be handed down fee-free like a jumper, and none of his family had become tennis pros so there weren't any of those places to hand down even if one had been able to do that either.

"Oh," said Oishi, and made a thoughtful sound as he leaned his head against Eiji's.

Eiji couldn't help but smile, his mood lifting even before they'd found a solution simply because Oishi was there and the afterglow of their tennis game wouldn't allow him to feel down for longer than a few moments.

"You'll just have to come and visit me," Eiji told him confidently. "Whatever I end up doing."

"How about we both get jobs?" Oishi suggested. "I'll need funding, too, after all."

Eiji sat up abruptly, staring at him wide-eyed, "Seriously?"

Oishi smiled, a tiny bit nervous, and nodded. "We can both save up."

Eiji grinned, grabbing Oishi to pull him out of his seat before spinning around and raising his hands in victory signs. He bounced in place as he sang, "Because we're going to be number one!"

Oishi laughed, finding Eiji's eagerness infectious. He couldn't contain his smile as he watched Eiji's enthusiasm; it made him seem to glow in the afternoon sunlight.

Then Eiji spun round and poked Oishi in the chest, making him blink. Eiji's gaze was full of merriment as he dared, "I'll race you to be the first to get a job!"

Oishi opened his mouth to reply, but Eiji didn't give him chance as he danced away – energy returned – and grabbed up his racket calling, "But first I'll race you home!"

Eiji was halfway across the court before Oishi had time to take it in and immediately he was fumbling to pick everything up and chase after. "Cheat, Eiji!" he yelled, but he was laughing.

A mock interview for a mock interview seemed too ridiculous to pass up for Eiji, so he had invited Oishi round the night before they were set to have the proper ones at school for the express purpose of practicing: a dress rehearsal in their suits. Eiji was terribly fond of how he looked in his black suit; being the youngest, it wasn't often that he could consider he looked grown up, but in his suit he did. Thus it was no real surprise that he was still preening in front of the mirror in his room when Oishi knocked tentatively on the door.

"Eiji?" Oishi asked, evidently not sure Eiji wouldn't still be changing.

"Come in, Oishi!" Eiji called back, smoothing his hands over his sweater; it felt very soft and sometimes he just couldn't resist stroking it. As the door clicked open he dropped his hands and turned on the spot, spreading his arms and grinning. "So how do I look?"

Oishi was paused in the doorway wearing a pristine navy suit, his green gaze fixed on Eiji and a faint blush on his cheeks as he swallowed and said, "You look great, Eiji."

Eiji couldn't help blushing a little himself, but beamed. "So do you," he said and beckoned Oishi closer, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Come in, come in!"

Oishi chuckled and closed the door behind him. "You've perked up."

"Mm-hm," Eiji agreed as he darted over to drag the chairs he'd convinced his mum to let him use to the middle of the room. "Sit, sit."

Oishi did as he was told, observing, "You think you're going to win."

Eiji dropped into the chair opposite Oishi, folding his arms across his chest and sticking his nose in the air. "I know I am."

"Have you thought of a job to 'apply' for?" Oishi asked, suspecting that Eiji had probably not and trying to keep the anticipatory amusement from his face.

Eiji blinked and looked startled, just as Oishi had expected. Oishi had to bite his lip to keep from laughing as he regarded Eiji patiently.

"I did," Eiji said, shooting a furtive look at Oishi that said the opposite just as clearly. "Tell me yours first."

Oishi had half a mind to object, but he didn't because he knew Eiji, "A lifeguard at the pool."

Eiji nodded and frowned, looking around the room. He hadn't really thought about what job he might want and now he was looking for inspiration. Unfortunately, there didn't seem to be much at hand.

"What about you, Eiji?" Oishi asked when Eiji stayed silently chewing his lip. He knew Eiji would realise he knew that Eiji had no ideas if he said nothing at all.

"I thought of one, too," Eiji said hastily, eyes wildly searching the room. "It was," he began and stalled, then pushed on. "It was a bear sitter."

"A bear sitter?" Oishi echoed, staring disbelievingly.

"Baby," Eiji corrected. "I said baby."

Oishi knew for a fact that Eiji had not, but he decided to let this, too, slide. "You're going to apply to be a babysitter?"

"Why not?" Eiji asked, folding his arms defensively. "I've had plenty of experience."

Oishi wisely bit his tongue rather than point out that being baby-sat did not equate to experience being a babysitter. "Alright then. Who should go first?"

"I will," Eiji said without hesitation. He might not have quite prepared what he'd be applying for, but he knew what he was going to say in the interview now he'd though of something; he'd show Oishi.

"Ok," Oishi agreed, settling back in his seat. "How do you think other people would describe you?"

"Fun," Eiji said, and then seemed to realise that wasn't really a good start to what he'd been trying to say. "Other people would describe me as outgoing and good humoured. I'm good at helping other people achieve their best."

"Could you give an example of that?" Oishi asked, clasping his hands in his lap and attempting to look his most serious and professional. Eiji thought he managed quite well in his suit.

"Well," said Eiji, his expression blank for a moment before he grinned widely once he got an idea. "There was one time when my doubles partner in tennis hurt his arm so I had to partner one of the lowerclassmen. Momo didn't have much experience at doubles – he was pretty bad sometimes, even – so I had to take charge of play. We ended up beating Oshitari and Mukahi even though they'd been all smug over having more experience than us at doubles." He was quiet for a moment, then added cheerfully, "Plus Mukahi was a little bitch and totally deserved it."

Oishi hid his smile behind his hand. "You might want to leave the bit about Mukahi-kun out."

"Well he was!" Eiji protested. "Still is!"

Oishi raised an eyebrow, "You've seen him recently?"

"I don't need to," Eiji said, gaze daring Oishi to argue with him.

Oishi wisely decided not to, "Let's move onto the next question."

"Because you know I'm right," Eiji declared, tapping his foot against the floor impatiently.

Oishi merely smiled. "What experience do you have as a babysitter?"

Eiji looked mutinous for a moment, knowing that Oishi was humouring him and had failed to agree outright, but then he let it go and settled back in his seat. "There's a lot of kids at our tennis club – really little some of them – and I take a couple out for burgers regularly; they really enjoy it and so do I."

Oishi blinked at him.

"The smallest one can get pretty wound up about appearances sometimes, so I make sure he knows it's ok to relax and stuff," Eiji continued.

"You're using Momo and Echizen as examples of babysitting?" Oishi managed to ask, sounding mildly incredulous.

"Yes!" Eiji confirmed with a grin. "Does it sound good?"

"If I didn't know who you were talking about," Oishi stressed that part, "probably."

"Well the interviewer probably won't!" Eiji pointed out.

Grudgingly, Oishi had to admit Eiji was right. It all seemed to get sillier from there until they were sprawled on the bed instead of the chairs and quaking with giggles.

"I can't believe you said that," Eiji gasped, head dropping to the side to face Oishi and leaving only scant space between them. His amusement was really just a cover for how touched he was though, and he found his laughter dying as he saw the look in Oishi's eyes.

"Well it's true," Oishi protested, entirely sincere. "I do hope we're always together, even if it means coaching preschoolers in how to pick up a racket."

Eiji couldn't contain his smile, "Dork."

Oishi smiled tentatively as he watched Eiji propping himself up on his elbow. He knew Eiji wasn't finished, so he just waited for what he would say next.

"You realise the proper answer was 'that will never happen'?" Eiji asked, still beaming.

Oishi chuckled, reaching up to tuck a straying strand of hair back behind Eiji's ear. "I know."

Eiji's smile suddenly vanished, replaced by a pensive look as he tugged his lower lip beneath his teeth.

It made Oishi freeze and then lower his hand uncertainly. Somehow, he felt, he'd crossed some boundary he hadn't been aware of and now he was staring at Eiji and Eiji was staring back and his stomach was entirely twisted in knots. "Eiji?"

Eiji didn't say anything, licking his lips and slowly leaning down toward Oishi. Oishi forgot how to speak or even breathe as Eiji's lips brushed against his own. They were slightly rough from where he'd obviously bitten them, but Oishi found he didn't mind it in the least as Eiji paused and then pressed forward more confidently when it became clear Oishi wasn't going to push him away.

Far from pushing him away, Oishi was reciprocating as best he knew how, which was to say he didn't really since he'd never kissed anyone before but he was also sure Eiji hadn't either so that was ok. He settled his hand at the back of Eiji's neck, urging him on as Eiji pressed over him.

It was amazing how the simple act of touching mouths was making Oishi hot all over. His throat felt too tight to speak, even when Eiji pulled away, but he didn't want to stop either, not when Eiji was looking at him in the way he was with his eyes all dark.

Oishi watched mutely as Eiji licked his lips, as if he was about to speak, then the moment was broken by a knock at the door and Eiji sprang away to answer his mother. Oishi felt the loss keenly.

"Ready, Oishi?" Eiji greeted him eagerly the next morning, as though the awkwardness that had ensued the previous evening (when Eiji's mother had suggested it was time to leave and not subsequently given them a moment alone) had never occurred. The only thing that seemed to have changed was the blue name badge adorning Eiji's chest, identical to Oishi's own.

"Sure," Oishi said, finding a smile as he fell into step beside Eiji on the way into school. It only became real after Eiji's hand knocked against his own and he glanced sideways to see Eiji grinning at him though. That grin made him blush, too, and he was glad when a second glance confirmed that Eiji was a little red as well.

"Eiji," Oishi began, and suddenly he found his hand had been taken and he was being dragged off down a corridor away from where the lists for their mock-interviews had been posted, and towards the exit to the tennis courts. Oishi stumbled only once as he went, but he never tried to pull free despite protesting, "Eiji, our interviews…"

"Shush," Eiji instructed him, halting at the door which led back outside and glancing both ahead and behind before pulling Oishi through and breaking into a short sprint across to the clubhouse. Only then did Eiji ask, "You have your key, right?"

Oishi felt his face heat, but fumbled to get it out and let them both in. He'd barely closed the door before Eiji had pushed him against the lockers and Eiji's mouth was pressed to his. It wasn't anything like the previous night; it wasn't tentative and nervous, it was hungry and Eiji's tongue was wet and unexpected.

Someone made a low noise – Oishi didn't know if it was him or not – and Oishi wrapped his arms around Eiji and crushed them together heedless of their suits. Eiji's tongue against his own was making him feel dizzy and hot again. He had an urge to take his jacket off, but he suspected that mightn't be a good idea.

Eiji's fingers were digging into Oishi's shoulders where he was holding him, but Oishi didn't really care so long as they didn't stop kissing. He completely forgot about his mother telling him to keep his suit smart. He also forgot all about the interview. Oishi's world narrowed down to Eiji, and Eiji's mouth, and Eiji's hands, and then the unwanted sound of the door opening that made Eiji tear away from him abruptly, leaving him reeling.

"What?" he asked, feeling an uncanny sense of déjà vu after the night before, but then he saw the door as it moved inward, as if in slow motion, and hastily tried to straighten his suit after it had become so creased between Eiji and the lockers.

Eiji was doing the same – tugging at his suit to no avail – but even had it worked Oishi didn't think they could've disguised what they'd been doing, not when Eiji's mouth looked so red and puffy.

"Kikumaru? What—" Tezuka broke off as he stepped inside, taking them in. Apparently he didn't need to ask what they were doing there anymore. He was dressed smartly in a suit like Eiji and Oishi, but had his sports bag slung over his shoulder. "And Oishi."

Eiji shot a nervous glance at Oishi, ringing his hands as he fumbled for an excuse, "We were just looking for, um, something."

Oishi didn't say anything, trying to ignore the sting he felt at the idea that Eiji was trying to deny what was entirely obvious. He didn't even look Tezuka in the eye because Tezuka already knew so it was all the more embarrassing Eiji was pretending.

"Something, eh?" Echizen leaned round the door behind Tezuka, golden gaze far too knowing. He, unlike Tezuka, was not wearing a suit – Echizen should not, in fact, have been at school at all – but he was also carrying his sports bag, so Oishi could only assume they were intending to have a match. Immediately a part of him itched to watch, despite the embarrassment of the situation.

"Yes!" Eiji agreed, gaze roaming the room for some kind of excuse. "I thought I'd forgotten my racket!"

Echizen snorted, but he didn't comment. Tezuka was managing to hide his reaction for the most part, though Oishi could see he was amused when he finally glanced in his direction again – Oishi had known Tezuka long enough to be able to tell that. "Don't you have your interviews soon?" Tezuka asked.

"Yes! Yes!" Eiji nodded, grabbed Oishi's hand and dragged him out of the clubhouse, knocking against Tezuka in his hurry but unwilling to stop.

"Sorry, Tezuka," Oishi apologised on Eiji's behalf, or perhaps for their being there at all (he wasn't sure), but he didn't have time to say more than that with Eiji towing him away as fast as he could. It was only when it began to look as though Eiji intended to sprint through the school that he finally entreated, "Eiji, slow down."

"What?" Eiji asked, a frantic edge remaining in his tone for a moment before he recognised what Oishi had said and let go as he came to a stop. He looked absolutely miserable. "I'm sorry, Oishi—" he began.

"It's fine," Oishi cut him off, not sure he wanted to hear it right then. He nodded towards the reception where they'd arrived and started walking, "We should go and get our interviews out of the way."

"Right," said Eiji quietly, falling in behind Oishi. "I'll meet you in that waiting area they set up after?"

"Sure," Oishi agreed. After that, he was quiet until they reached the interview list and found where they had to be – opposite sides of the school. When he caught Eiji's pensive expression he gave him a small smile because, even when Oishi felt hurt, it was hard to stay mad at Eiji when he was feeling so visibly sorry for himself. "Good luck," Oishi told him, abruptly feeling quite nervous himself.

Eiji smiled then, drawing himself up, "You too."

Oishi nodded, summoning up a bigger smile to answer Eiji's before he set off for room B3. He supposed that he should be glad of the interview to take his mind off Eiji and what had happened, and in a way he was, but he was also worried that Eiji was preoccupying him so much he might blurt everything out to the interviewer in a fit of nerves. There was no way that that would be good.

"Oishi-kun?" his teacher called, jolting him out of his reverie and making him realise he'd arrived. His stomach was in knots again. "Come in."

Oishi nodded and hurried inside, patting his hands against his suit pants again. He could do this; it was easy. Besides, he had to beat Eiji to a job.

"And what job have you chosen, Oishi-kun?" his teacher asked.

"A pool—" Oishi found his voice went squeaky and began again, "A pool attendant."

His teacher nodded, smiling reassuringly. "Ok, could you describe somebody you admire?"

"Well, I um—"Oishi began, and Eiji was already on his mind again. "There's my doubles partner. He's very outgoing and has a good sense of humour, though he goes a little far on occasion. He's usually fearless—" Oishi said, reflecting on what had happened, "but he can be a bit silly about the things that do bother him."

His teacher raised an eyebrow in that way that made Oishi feel he'd gone wrong, then he asked, "Which of those qualities do you think you possess, and how would they be useful as a pool attendant?"

It all went downhill from there.

In the end, all the good answers he'd had with Eiji just seemed to vanish and Oishi was left feeling increasing stupid. By the time Eiji dropped into the chair behind him in the waiting area, sighing heavily, he was fed up. He'd almost forgotten about what had happened before the interview, too, and so it seemed had Eiji.

"Well, that was crap," Eiji said. "You?"

"Same," Oishi confessed. "It'll be better for the real thing," he added, wishing he felt as confident as he sounded.

"Much," Eiji agreed, stretching in his seat. He was evidently feeling more assured than Oishi so Oishi supposed his interview couldn't really have been that bad. It made Oishi abruptly more determined to beat him to a job when Eiji asked, "Ready to go?"

"Never been more so," Oishi said, hauling himself out of his seat and waiting for Eiji to join him before heading for the entrance. Their silence felt companionable to Oishi, leaving him more than happy to try and ignore what had happened before, except that Eiji had to go and bring it up.

"Oishi," he said, sounding woefully sorry as only Eiji could. "I'm really sorry about what happened."

"It doesn't matter, Eiji," Oishi said, feeling the sting of hurt come back even more palpably as he lied.

"But now Tezuka knows," Eiji said mournfully. "And Echizen!"

"Look, Eiji," Oishi said, stopping where he was and looking around to check they were alone by the teachers' cars before focusing on Eiji. "Tezuka already knew, about me I mean, and Echizen doesn't bother me. If you're that embarrassed then we can just ask them not to say anything, not that I think they would."

Eiji stared at him. "Tezuka knew?"

"Yes," Oishi said, a frown creasing his brow.

"You didn't tell me." Eiji managed to make it an accusation, despite everything, and it threw Oishi off balance.

Oishi couldn't prevent himself from flushing; it was both anger and embarrassment. His words were harsher than he intended when they came out, "I wonder why."

Eiji blinked, and reached out to place a hand on Oishi's arm. Oishi stepped back and Eiji immediately looked sad. He wrung his hands in silence and eventually said softly, "I'm not embarrassed, Oishi."

"It certainly seemed like it," Oishi objected, not willing to relent and make himself vulnerable again right away.

"That wasn't it," Eiji insisted, uncharacteristically serious as he searched Oishi's gaze and tried to find the right words. "I'm not ashamed, Oishi," he said, tone pleading as he clenched his hands together.

It was Oishi's turn to be surprised then, his mouth going dry. He couldn't help a small, hopeful smile as he asked, "You're not?"

"No!" Eiji exclaimed, invading Oishi's personal space and cupping his face to stop him turning away. "I panicked because I thought I'd outed you," he whispered, smiling and earnest all at once.

"Oh," Oishi said, because he wasn't sure what else he could say to that. His face felt hot beneath Eiji's hands, but his smile just kept getting wider. "So you really don't mind?"

"No," Eiji replied, pressing his forehead against Oishi's. "Do you?"

"No," Oishi breathed, certain Eiji was going to kiss him again.

"Kikumaru? Oishi?"

Eiji broke away immediately and Oishi turned to see Ryuzaki standing mere feet away. It was only as he reflected that interruptions seemed to be an unhappy partner to Eiji's kisses that Oishi realised it was Ryuzaki's car that they were standing beside.

"Ryuzaki-sensei!" Eiji sounded as though he was about to panic again, his hands curling into fists at his sides.

Oishi simply bowed politely, wishing his face wasn't the fiery red it no doubt was.

"What's going on?" Ryuzaki asked, frowning suspiciously.

Oishi looked up sharply, realising Ryuzaki seemed to think they were fighting or something. He shot a glance at Eiji, uncertain, and started to say, "Sensei, we were—"

Eiji interrupted him though. "You don't need a babysitter, do you, sensei?"

"What?" Ryuzaki seemed momentarily stunned.

"I bet Oishi I could get a job first," Eiji informed her cheerily apparently oblivious to the fact his own cheeks were as red as Oishi's. "I'd be really good."

"I don't need a babysitter, Kikumaru. Sakuno is nearly as old as you," Ryuzaki laughed. "You two should go home."

"Yes, sensei," they chorused, and turned on their heels as one, running for the gates despite their suits being inappropriate attire for such exertion. Oishi could hear Ryuzaki's laughter behind them; he found it pretty funny himself when he thought about it and soon started laughing, too, forcing them to stop not far beyond school grounds.

"Oishi?" Eiji asked, grinning because the good humour was infectious.

"You," Oishi gasped, unable to stop laughing; he felt somewhat hysterical. "You asked Ryuzaki if you could baby-sit!"

"I wasn't thinking!" Eiji protested, already beginning to giggle.

"That was obvious!" said Oishi, amusement lighting his eyes.

"Shut up," Eiji told him with no real bite, and grabbed Oishi's hand as they started walking again.

Oishi squeezed his hand, appreciative of the gesture and, when he looked, Eiji's cheeks were rosy but he was smiling brilliantly. He shot Oishi a quick glance and squeezed his hand right back. Oishi couldn't have been blushing more or smiling wider if he'd tried.

"Don't think this means I'll let you win," Oishi warned him, despite his joy. He was quite determined he'd beat Eiji to a job still.

"Pfffft," Eiji replied.

And, just like that, Oishi knew there'd be no more awkwardness, or, at least, not the bad kind.