Confession
By Yukirei (a.k.a. Cosmiko Ling)

Pairing: Silver Pair
Disclaimer: I do not own the Prince of Tennis or any of its characters. This is a non-profit fanfiction written by a fan for the enjoyment of other fans.
Summary: Shishido contemplates his feelings about graduation. Featuring a frustrated!Shishido, omnipotent!Atobe and abnormallysilent!Oshitari
A/N: First of three ficlets written for Shiy for her request (pairing: Silver Pair; prompt: confession) in my latest fanwork meme.

Shishido gave a frustrated growl as he sat down, ignoring the curious stares from the other third year regulars present in the clubroom.

"What's the matter, Shishido? Is Ootori not being receptive to your advances today?"

"Shut it, Mukahi. Choutarou and I aren't like that."

"So you say. I wonder if Ootori will sing a different tune if we ask him. Ne, Yuushi?"

"Hmm." Oshitari smirked.

Shishido stood up, hands balled in fists.

Gakuto slipped behind Oshitari who curled an arm around him protectively.

"Cool off, Shishido," Atobe said lightly from where he sat, browsing hotel banquet catalogues for the third year regulars' graduation dinner.

"Tell Mukahi to get off my back," Shishido snapped, plomping into the sofa. The impact roused Jirou, who was sleeping at the other end; Jirou merely smacked his lips a few times before snuggling deeper into the sofa.

Atobe cast an assessing glance at Shishido.

"Kabaji."

"Usu."

"Take the rest of the regulars out of the clubroom."

"Usu."

Throwing Jirou over his shoulder, Kabaji herded Oshitari and Gakuto out of the room, Gakuto protesting loudly and Oshitari flicking a thoughtful look at Atobe before walking out.

The door closed behind them and the clubroom was abruptly thrown into complete silence.

Atobe casually tossed aside the booklet he was browsing, and leant into his armchair.

"So Shishido, now that everyone else has been kicked out, are you going to tell ore-sama what's making you even more irritable than usual?"

Shishido remained sulkily silent.

"It isn't like you to be so wishy-washy."

Shishido hated to admit it, but he was being unusually "wishy-washy" about the whole affair. He had been stewing over it for over a week now, but had yet to make a single bit of progress.

In a few weeks' time, the third years would graduate from their various clubs and societies as the time to prepare for their final examinations approached. Then, in the blink of an eye, it would be the final exam and after that, graduation from junior high. In the next school year, most of the former third years would meet again as freshmen in their affiliated high school, given Hyoutei's escalator system.

Shishido would be one of them. He would probably join the high school tennis club, continue playing tennis and carry on his climb towards the top, perhaps play doubles... with a new doubles partner.

The thought shouldn't be unappealing to him.

The Hyoutei tennis club awarded regular positions - whether the main regular team or the reserve regular teams - on merit alone. As players strengthened at different paces and overtook the present players on the regulars or reserve teams, doubles partners who couldn't keep up were sometimes forced to split. And if the remaining partner was neither strong enough to play in a singles position nor flexible enough to adapt to pairing with a different player, he would soon also leave the regular ranks. Such was the harsh, unfeeling meritocracy system that kept Hyoutei's tennis club one of the best in Japan.

Therefore, to Shishido who often outlasted his partners on the regular teams, the thought of having a new doubles partner hadn't before been and shouldn't now be this repulsive.

Yet, Shishido found himself disliking the idea of a new doubles partner that was not Ootori, and even more that Ootori might find a new partner (though now that he had perfected his Scud Serve, Shishido was confident that Ootori would be strong enough to hold his own playing singles). This foreign feeling made him frustrated and annoyed, with himself and with the world at large.

"Don't you see, Shishido?" Atobe's unperturbed voice broke into Shishido's thoughts. "The boy has walls around his heart that are taller than himself - so distantly polite he is with everyone. You are the only one in Hyoutei who he allows to even peer in."

Shishido stared at Atobe wordlessly, eyes narrowed.

"Yes, do be besotted by the magnificence of ore-sama's astuteness."

Atobe flicked a glance at Shishido out of the corner of his eye.

"Tell him how you feel, Shishido."

There was a moment of silence. Then, Shishido snorted. Standing up, he slung his bag over one shoulder and looked back at Atobe over the shoulder.

"Turns out you're an even bigger busybody than Mukahi. Better watch your image, Captain."

Leaving those words, Shishido strode to the door, pausing only as his hand touched the handle. Without turning, he gave a grunt that might have been a gruff "thanks", and then slipped out of the door.

Left alone in the clubroom, Atobe smiled smugly and picked up his catalogue once more.

Date written: 15-17 December 2006

Thanks for reading. Feedback and concrit are welcome and appreciated.

If you're not into crack, I suggest skipping the 2nd ficlet and going straight to the 3rd.