Title: Ten Men Tezuka Kunimitsu Never Loved
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Characters: Tezuka paired with... Sengoku, Kirihara, Inui, Kikumaru, Oshitari, Kajimoto, Mizuki, Yuuta, Saeki and Kamio
Word Count: 2,000
Rating: PG-13. Some sexual content.
Summary: Serving toast with a variety of non-traditional toppings!
1. Sengoku
They rarely meet in public, although they aren't ashamed of each other. Their schedules are very different, and it's hard to make time. Well, hard for Tezuka. Sengoku is better about orchestrating his life, having a better eye toward keeping all aspects balanced.
Today neither felt like cooking, so they head to a nearby restaurant Ryoma said good things about. Sengoku flirts with the waitress, who stammers incoherently before retreating to fill their order. Tezuka merely raises his eyebrow, and Sengoku shrugs eloquently.
They eat cold soba and unagi, sipping on lemonade. Sengoku carries the conversation, since Tezuka wouldn't know how to handle a conversation even if given a script. Sengoku doesn't care, because he's better at talking, and Tezuka is better at listening. It's best they both play to their strengths.
They linger over ice cream – vanilla for Tezuka, coffee mocha for Sengoku – for a while before Tezuka reluctantly announced he had to get to a game. Tezuka may not care for making a scene, but he isn't frightened into modesty. Ignoring the crowd in the restaurant, he kisses Sengoku on the lips before promising to see him that night.
Tezuka, Sengoku thinks, tastes like August.
2. Kirihara
They lay flat on the tennis court, their chests heaving in unison as they stared up at the cloudless sky. A good game is almost as enjoyable as sex, and socially acceptable in public. Not that Kirihara cares what people think about him, but Tezuka is a different story.
His head is almost too heavy to lift, but Kirihara manages to turn it slightly, staring through the net at the face of his opponent. Tezuka's face is glossy with sweat, a testament to Kirihara's skill. This was their best match yet, but Tezuka still defeated him. Kirihara claimed four games, his highest score against the former Seigaku captain, but it's still too far from Tezuka's level to take any pride in.
"Good game," Kirihara says resentfully. Tezuka merely quirks his lips, acknowledging the compliment without returning it.
Kirihara simmers, but holds his peace. Tonight he'll punish Tezuka for defeating him, leaving hickeys all over that smooth skin. He knows it will irritate Tezuka more than anything he could say since it's too hot to wear long sleeves and high collars comfortably.
3. Inui
Inui has learned to read Tezuka's state of mind through the color of his eyes, which is why he resents the sun.
Two years ago, Tezuka bought a new pair of glasses, a pair that contained light-sensitive lenses. They obstruct Inui's chances to studying Tezuka's face, and he's lost a bit of his accuracy when it came to making predictions about what Tezuka's probable actions.
Tezuka never acknowledges Inui's irritation, but Inui knows that Tezuka takes satisfaction in thwarting data collection. Tezuka isn't the type to gloat, but there's a certain smugness in his voice when he makes a command to Inui that drives the data man crazy.
There are ways to counteract this problem, and Inui had discovered a couple creative ones, mainly involving the use of a good blow-job. He knows it's not a very scientific way to go about data collection, but it sure is a lot of fun. As soon as they're alone in the locker room, Inui takes great delight in pulling the still-dark glasses off Tezuka's face.
4. Kikumaru
The air conditioning has gone on the fritz, which means Tezuka has moved to the couch. The living room is marginally cooler than their bedroom, but Kikumaru knows Tezuka is politely fleeing his clutches. He understands, since it's really too hot to want to share body heat, but the knowledge doesn't appease him.
Kikumaru enjoys wrapping himself around Tezuka, feeling the warmth of Tezuka's presence. He likes having the freedom to send his hands roaming over Tezuka's body, coaxing him into arousal. He adores the small smile that Tezuka sports right after they've had sex. He misses waking up to the sight of Tezuka's face.
He knows it's not personal, Tezuka's merely being practical, but Kikumaru hates these nights.
5. Oshitari
They stand on the bank of the river, fishing.
At least Tezuka fishes. For all his genius, Oshitari has never managed to pick up the skill, no matter how hard Atobe, then Tezuka, tried to teach him. Instead, he makes half-hearted attempts to cast the line aimlessly in the water, watching as it fell slack again and again. His mind is occupied by his surroundings as he makes mental notes of the details. This would make a good setting for his next novel, provided he leaves out the bugs. No matter who he's with, he's always their choice for buffet.
Oshitari is not an outdoorsy kind of man, and he wonders if there's something wrong with him since he keeps dating men who love it. First Atobe, now Tezuka. Maybe he has some deep seated masochistic desire he's never acknowledged.
Checking his watch, he notes that it's nearly time to turn back. Tezuka has a respectable number of fish, enough to feed both of them. He touches Tezuka on the shoulder to get his attention, and wordlessly Tezuka responds, pulling his line in and taking care of the bait.
Oshitari sighs as he counts ten fish to be cleaned. It's going to be a bitch to cook them right over the campfire, but Oshitari is a perfectionist. Since Tezuka caught them, Oshitari knows it's only fair that he prepare dinner. Not that he's particularly concerned about fair. He just knows that doing the work will put Tezuka in a better mood, and make him more willing to share sleeping bags.
6. Kajimoto
Kajimoto knows he and Tezuka fight far too often, but he can't help but view it as a good thing.
Tezuka lives for challenge, but no one ever gives it to him. People defer to him automatically, and Tezuka is accustomed to always being right. He wears authority like the skin he was born with. That would be acceptable, if he hadn't let it get to his head.
Tezuka cannot admit when he's wrong, and Kajimoto never backs down. He will not be another of Tezuka's sycophants, willing to overlook obvious mistakes. Tezuka returns the favor, and that is the cornerstone their relationship is built on. Kajimoto understands that he and Tezuka are far too alike in all the wrong ways.
Their fights never involve yelling – just a lot of silence. Like the silence they're keeping now, never mind the fact that they're climbing Mount Fuji on one of the best days of the year. The silence gives Kajimoto time to reflect on his studies, on his future plans. Even though he knows Tezuka is annoyed at him, their time together isn't grating.
Kajimoto has reason to be grateful to his fitness because the climb is long. Tezuka insisted on climbing the mountain from the base, rather than taking it from the fifth station like most people do. Kajimoto doesn't complain, because he believes in doing things to the fullest extent.
When they get to the top, Tezuka purchases a postcard to send to Ryuuzaki-sensei, and asks if Kajimoto will do the same for Hanamura-sensei. Recognizing the tentative apology, Kajimoto agrees and asks if Tezuka would like to sign the one Kajimoto purchases as well.
Tezuka declines.
7. Mizuki
Mizuki watches Tezuka with half-slitted eyes, trying to keep a smirk from his face, and failing miserably.
Tezuka is good at just about everything. Mizuki watches his back as he stands in front of the net, preparing to spike. He jumps into the air, and for a second all Mizuki can think is that the phrase "poetry in motion" should have been copyrighted by Tezuka's parents.
Being on Tezuka's team is easy. All Mizuki has to do is let Tezuka do all the work, and there's no problem. It's the best strategy, and Mizuki isn't overcome with any silly desire to get into a competition with Tezuka. He already knows Tezuka can't be topped – at least in this kind of sport.
Mizuki licks his lips as he dutifully watches Tezuka move. That sexy body, that steel-trap mind, and it was all his.
8. Yuuta
The phone rings at 2 a.m., and Tezuka reaches over, lifts it off the cradle, and slams it back down without opening his eyes.
Despite his lover's efforts, it's too late. Yuuta is awake and resenting it. Phone calls at weird hours of the morning have always been part of his life, but since he moved in with Tezuka, it's only gotten worse. Tezuka handles the stress better than any of Yuuta's previous lovers, but Yuuta still worries that eventually Tezuka will decide it's too much effort and leave.
Yuuta knows he shouldn't doubt Tezuka. If there's anyone who's made of sterner stuff, Yuuta's never met him. Yuuta realizes, with a touch of irony, that he's more likely to break. Tomorrow is Oban, and they plan to visit Yuuta's family. Yuuta hopes that his older brother will behave himself, but doubts it.
Syuusuke has never been the forgiving type.
9. Saeki
Saeki offers to put sunscreen on Tezuka's back, to which he receives a grunt. Interpreting it as an affirmative – or at least not a denial – he pops the lid of an SPF 15 bottle and spreads it over the expanse of Tezuka's back. He takes more time than is needed, but the excuse to have his hands all over his almost-boyfriend is enough.
Tezuka doesn't say anything, but obligingly shifts to accommodate the process. It's over too soon, and Saeki retreats back to the shade of the umbrella, trying to think of some other method of flirting. His creative mind rejects scenario after scenario as too impractical, too risky, too stupid. He tries to come up with something clever, and is annoyed that his mind is distressingly blank.
Tezuka solves the problem for him. "Do you want me to do your back?" he offers. "I like to return favors."
If Saeki isn't misinterpreting the curve of Tezuka's lips, things are about to get interesting.
10. Kamio
Kamio has taken to running every morning right as the sun rises to avoid the heat. It's strangely quiet – or as quiet as Tokyo gets – and he keeps his music turned down relatively low, his mind pleasantly vacant as he enjoys the peace.
He's not the only early morning jogger. On his third day on the new schedule, he runs into the Seigaku captain, dressed in running pants and mesh shirt. Kamio nods a greeting to him, which is cordially returned, and he thinks nothing of it.
Until he encounters Tezuka the next morning, and the exchange is repeated. And the next.
He thinks it's a bit weird they keep running into each other, and that makes him uneasy. Casually he mentions the encounters to Shinji, and receives a monologue that informs him that Tezuka's family lives five blocks away from Kamio's house, and didn't he know that, though it really wasn't that big a deal and Kamio should just ignore him unless he bashes Fudoumine.
On the start of the second week, Kamio decides to stop being polite and force the issue. When they meet, Kamio changes course and follows Tezuka's route without saying anything. Tezuka doesn't say anything, or even acknowledge Kamio's presence aside from that brief jerk of his head. They run together, their feet in comfortable rhythm as they travel through the neighborhood. Neither say farewell as they return to their original meeting place, but Kamio feels strangely bereft as he turns toward home.
The next day he wakes up early again, and isn't surprised to see Tezuka waiting for him at the gate.