Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own any of these delicious Princes of Tennis but I can visit them in my dreams right?

Author's Note: Has anyone caught OVA 17? This is based on that. Spoilers for Nationals Arc - Ishida Gin VS Kawamura Takashi, Singles 3

P.S.It really makes you feel fuzzy inside. Takashi needs more love, so here's some from me to him and all of yo

Takashi didn't care. This was it, the last lap of his journey – the Nationals Tournament. It could even be the very last time he stood, tall and strong for the love of tennis. But Takashi didn't care. Everything else but the immense passion that fuelled his burning flame seemed to fade into nothingness. The cheers, the crowd, his crazy heart pounding didn't matter. The court was his stage and all eyes were on him.

He was David, and before him the mammoth of Goliath. But Takashi wasn't fazed by Gin. He had expected all sorts of power players in the Nationals and this was nothing but normal. He closed his eyes and breathed in the static tension in the air. He could feel an aura stronger than his, in the form of Ishida Gin. And he knew he was going to have it tough this time. Gin was not one to be pushed over easily. But he didn't care. Even if he had to will himself to death, he will bring the upper hand to the men in blue and white. He had to, for this is the moment he had slogged so hard for.

Takashi was gentle by nature, a quiet sensitive man who loved his friends more than life itself. Without his tennis racket, without his power plays, without his blue and white Regular jersey, he was shy and meek. But underneath that quiet demeanour was a flame dying to be let out in the open, a light yearning to shine brighter than the sun.

He knew from the start, he was disadvantaged. Who was he kidding? 108 styles against his one and only. There was no way he could seriously win. Takashi knew but he didn't care. He didn't let it come in the way of his power plays. Time and time again, he was blown away and deep down in him, his mind told him to surrender to the will of Goliath. Time and time again, he was tempted to give in and let go. Yet time and time again, he stood against the odds and prayed for a miracle.

His team was the reason why he rose every time he fell. For the sake of the ones who watched him grow, for the ones who were by him all the while, for the ones who defended him with all they had. They were more than just reasons for him. They were love and faith. They were hope and all things great. He wanted to live for them.

Takashi knew he was the prime choice for a bench warmer. A jack-of-all-trades but master of none. He wasn't Echizen. He wasn't Tezuka. He wasn't Fuji. He wasn't even Momoshiro. Takashi knew his potential was limited. Power was everything to him for he had nothing more to offer. But they didn't care. It didn't matter to them. For he was comrade, he was friend and he was a part of them. Whether he liked it or not, he was there to stay. To them, keeping the team together was above everything.

So for every shot to his gut, Takashi's heart refused to die. He didn't care about the pain. He didn't care about the humiliation. In fact, he was past the stage of physical pain or shallow insults. Sheer will and overflowing emotions gave him strength.

Match point. His last serve. He will bet all that he had and everything he didn't for them. For the ones who didn't think he was a burden, for the ones who caught him every time he fell, for the ones who believed in his plays, they were the ones he cared for. Even if he had to use every last breath in him, he will continue to fight. For in their name, anything was worthwhile. And anything lesser than that will be an insult.

He was past his limit. He could barely stand. Tattered and torn, his soul was broken. His body giving way. Every shot he believed in had failed him. There was no rainbow in sight and Takashi felt his world sway. Perhaps, he was never good enough for them. Perhaps he was not worthy of being part of their team. Perhaps he should never have joined the Tennis Club. Perhaps Akutsu was wrong. Perhaps. Perhaps. Perhaps.

And at the very last moment, God took pity of him and granted him his desperate prayer. One last power shot, with more power than he could have ever imagined. Takashi leaped to unleash his final will and collapsed. There was nothing more he could do. This was the end. The last of his strength faded away and the world was silent. What happened next, he could hardly believe. They didn't care about the results. All they cared was he was standing, tall and strong. His smile was the only thing that mattered. Victory or not, Takashi had persevered till the very end.

Takashi knew then, that all he cared about was being part of their world. For they were the ones who ignited his burning flame. They were his pillars of strength and even if he didn't have tennis anymore in his life, he knew that they were here to stay.

Come what may, even if the world crashed and burned, Takashi didn't care. For at this very moment in time, there was no happier man on earth but Kawamura Takashi.

owari

Cheers!

P.S. written on impulse, pardon me if I'm out of character, this is after all my first PoT fanfiction :)