Disclaimer: Here's a random fact: Minagawa Junko-san is fabulousness. Here's another random fact: I don't own Prince of Tennis, or any of the characters. :)
Rating: … I really don't see why this can't be a G… But I'll say PG anyway n.n;;
Warnings: Mentioned/hinted shounen-ai/yaoi, minorminorminor mention/appearance of OCs.
Summary: The first Kantou Tournament of high school is finally over. And Sanada's such a happy bunny for once, bless him. n.n
Author's notes: Another Rikkai drabblething. You don't have to have read the ones that come before this, but it might help a bit. The drabblething list goes:
Times of Stress
Passing the Time
How to ask out Marui Bunta
Four Days Later
October Ice
Because I Love You
Evil
Further Nonsense
Dear Diary
Kind of… the same
100 Word Challenges
Driver in a Hurry, Child in a Coma
Doctor, doctor!
The Woes of Solomon Grundy
I'm Not Going
The Little Things
I Had To
He WHAT?!
Operation: Christmas Party
Being Fukubuchou
Once Upon a Time
My Brother Bunta
Dear Diary: Living with Niou-senpai
A Morning at the Pool
This is Love
SFRR
And So It Begins
Most Unexpected
This Is March 5th
No Small Wonder
The Last Day Of A Stage in Life
Back to Basics
Blame it On the Damn Vodka
Papercuts
The Stuff of Myths
Finally Understood
Dear Diary: Beginning the Third Year
Operation: Disbelief
May 21st
The Collective Threads
A Minesweeper Kind of Mind
Sanada Hates Random
Time Will Tell. Probably.
The Way of the Jinx
The Hottest Fire
The Name's Metaphor. Blatant Metaphor.
Circ du Rikkai
Guess Who Fate Doesn't Like Much?
It's a double update:o
I desperately wanted something Sanada-centric. And Yukimura-centric too. See, what with the manga gradually drawing to a conclusion (for once, I so won't complain if Konomi-sensei drags the matches out for another year or two. Who's with me?!), it reminded me very much of a famous story Obaasan (I can't call her grandma; it's just too weird) told me. Historical story. And if history is to be followed, then it's pretty dang sure that Yukimura and Echizen will play Singles 1 and Echizen will win. –Sighs- Poor Mura. His first match that we see, and he's to be beaten. Still, it's only a prediction, right? n.n I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, but you're curious, then type 'Sanada Yukimura' into Wikipedia. It must have some info on it. Wait… -Checks- Yep, it does. Good old Wikipedia. :D
Anywhoo, enough of my ranty thoughts/predictions. On with the fic! n.n
-------------------------------
Sanada scowled.
BEEP.
Sanada's scowl deepened.
BEEP.
The scowl threatened to tear a line down his face.
BEEP.
"Alright, that's enough!! Either fix it or take it outside!" Sanada yelled, left eye twitching up a storm.
Not particularly surprised by the outburst, Niou and Marui did an eerily well-synchronised salute and carried the portable TV out the door. Sanada was so sure that he saw Marui wink at the Trickster as the Wait Room door swung shut behind them, but he chose not to see it. He'd had enough stress for one day.
"I can't believe they managed to drag the Kantou Tournament out for this long," he complained to Yanagi, who was flicking through his notebook thoughtfully. "It's ridiculous. When did it start? The twentieth? And it's the third today."
"The Kantou Tournament last year in junior high was just as bad," Yanagi said calmly. "Admittedly, this one did last an extra three days and four hours, but it's to be expected. Everyone has to play at least an extra set now, after all."
"Still." And that sounded petulant even to Sanada, so he hastily shut up.
"It's somehow not the same without Akaya," Yukimura sighed. "He should be in here with us, laughing his head off at the other team and recreating his match with Bunta's help."
"I'm happy to live without the recreating part," said Yanagi dryly. "He does… embellish his stories a little. Exaggerating the shortness of the games I can live with, but I draw the line when he starts including camels in the match."
"The Hyoutei High team aren't as good as I'd hoped," one of the Regulars said – a second year that Sanada privately thought looked a little like a cactus. Not that he was ever one to judge on appearances, of course.
… But really, the resemblance was rather amusing.
"Yeah. You didn't even get to play, Yukimura-kun."
Yukimura nodded. "I was looking forward to playing Atobe. I've never actually played him."
"Atobe was a reserve," Yagyuu said.
Sanada blinked, resisting the urge to flick his ears to make sure they were working properly. "What?"
"Oh, not through lack of skill," Yagyuu corrected himself quickly. "It was purely because Hyoutei's buchou decided that all of us knew Atobe's playing style well enough to beat him. Especially Sanada, Yukimura and Yanagi."
"Oh…" Yukimura looked momentarily nonplussed. "That was… a pretty good strategy, I suppose."
"They could have put him in doubles," Jackal said. "Lord knows he'd have been better than the people they sent out. I'm not even on the Regulars right now, and I think Bunta and I could've beaten them into the ground."
"True."
There was a knock on the door, and one of the tournament officials poked her head round the door. "Could the Regulars make their way out to the court now?" she asked politely. "We're ready to start the finishing ceremony."
"Thank you." Yukimura stood up and brushed a stray lock of hair back underneath his green sweatband. "Are we ready?" he asked the team. There were various nods and sounds of general readiness, and the eight Regulars started out the door, followed closely by the club members that had come into the Wait Room with them.
The finishing ceremony was as noisy and brightly coloured as Sanada had anticipated. The sun was quite low in the sky by now, casting long shadows across the court and spectator stands. Sanada watched them move with mild interest, his tiredness getting the better of him…
"… big hand for the Kantou champions, 2007, Rikkai Daigaku Fuzokukoukou!"
Startled out of his little reverie, Sanada looked down at the girl holding out a medal to him patiently. Embarrassed at his inattention, he bowed his head and she placed it around his neck with a smile.
Two more Regulars down the line (Cactus-kun and the fukubuchou, Ishihara) and finally the leading tournament official handed Yukimura the trophy. Sanada felt a swell of pride at Yukimura's smile and obvious contentment – I won Singles 2, he thought proudly. I got us the third win we needed for that trophy.
He was more than a little surprised when, in amidst the polite patience Yukimura showed the photographers taking pictures of the Kantou champions, the blue-haired boy glanced to him and suddenly beamed as though to say, I know you did.
The rest of the day was nothing short of bliss for Sanada. Even when he bumped into Atobe as the two teams exited the small stadium, he found himself perfectly able to have a civil, even amiable conversation with his ex-boyfriend.
They had dinner at Ishihara's house; his parents threw them a big celebratory meal. Sanada wasn't hungry – too tired and too happy, both unusual for him in such quantities – but he ate some out of politeness. And also to stop Akaya pestering him. Why Ishihara's parents agreed to let the little demon into their house for dinner even though he wasn't even in Rikkai High yet, let alone the Regulars, was a complete mystery to Sanada. It probably had something to do with Akaya's newfound Charming Smile. He'd just started to realise that he could use his 'look, look, aren't I such a cute kid? Don't you want to do what I want?' expression to his advantage with other people besides Yukimura and Marui. Much to Sanada's chagrin, Akaya had toned it so well that he only had to blink at Yukimura for the boy to give in instantly. And he was already far too soft on him in the first place, in Sanada's firm opinion.
"You played a very good match today," said Yukimura.
Sanada started – he'd come out into the front garden for some fresh air. He must really be tired if he hadn't heard the front door open. "Ah… thank you."
"Normally I'd scold you for letting it go to the third set," Yukimura continued, "but I'll let it go today." He smiled at Sanada who nodded, pleased. Though Yukimura's real smiles weren't nearly as rare as they were a year ago, they were still fairly restricted to Sanada, Akaya and the rest of the old junior high Regulars. Sanada half-smiled back.
"I think even you might have had to let it go to third," he said. "That captain's a dangerous one."
"Mm. It makes you wonder who they put into Singles 1, doesn't it?"
"Yeah."
They share a comfortable, easy silence – most people are very surprised when they learn that Yanagi is actually the most talkative of the three by far.
"Let's go back inside," Yukimura said suddenly. "I want to watch Akaya and 'Haru talk Random at each other until Ishihara-senpai makes the mistake of asking them what they're on about."
"That's cruel." But Sanada followed quite happily. "He is hosting us, you know."
"Technically, it's his parents that are hosting us. Besides, it's a good life experience for him. And you can't say that it isn't amusing to watch him flail."
Sanada laughed despite himself, and he thought he saw Yukimura giving him an affectionate look before going into the front room. He felt another swell rise in his chest, but this one was much more returning affection than pride. It was startlingly similar to how he used to feel when Atobe said something deliberately pretentious to make him smile. He pushed that thought to the back of his mind to examine later. For now, he had to concentrate on not imploding as he listened to, yes, Akaya and Niou talking Random until Ishihara made the mistake of asking them what they were on about.
-------------------------------
"What's the time?"
"What are you asking me for?" Niou said, amused. "You've got a watch on."
"Mm. Can't be bothered to look at it."
Shaking his head, Niou checked his own watch. "Just past eleven," he reported. "Time for little children to go to bed, I think."
Yukimura almost aimed a playful swipe at Niou's bleached head before the larger part of his mind informed him primly that they weren't in private, thank you, and he had an image to maintain in front of his team. "Good point. 'Haru, you're taking Aka-chan home, aren't you?"
"Like I have a choice," Niou snorted.
"Great."
"I'll walk with you two to the bus stop," Sanada said. "It's quicker for me, I think."
"Actually, us too," said Cactus-kun and his friend.
"Oh, yay," Niou muttered under his breath. "Let's all go walk home together, shall we? One big happy gang." He didn't protest any further, though, when they split off from Yukimura and the other two Regulars.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Mura-buchou!" Akaya called. Yukimura nodded and waved at his favourite kouhai as the little group turned the corner.
Three minutes later, the last two gave Yukimura little nods (buchou he might be, but they weren't going to bow to a first-year, damnit) as they reached their turn-off point.
"Are you sure you're alright to get home from here?" the taller of the two asked.
"Perfectly, thank you," said Yukimura. "Thanks for the concern."
"Alright, if you're sure… Good night, then. Next practice is on Thursday, right?"
"That's right. I'll see you then. Thanks for the hard work." The two nodded and headed off down their street.
It wasn't far to Yukimura's house – maybe a matter of ten minutes maximum. His parents and little sister Mie were already asleep in bed, but the door was unlocked as ever so Yukimura let himself in, closing the latch behind him and taking his shoes off.
There was a message on the answering machine. Yukimura pressed the 'play' button as he passed it – his family were heavy sleepers anyway – and the familiar beep sounded. The sound reminded him of Sanada for a second, and he smiled, shaking his head a little. "Poor Genichiroh," he said aloud over the answer machine woman informing him that he had One Message. "They do like tormenting you, don't they?"
"Hello, Yukimura Seiichi-kun? I'm sorry to be calling so late, but blah. I expect you're either out or asleep, hmm? Never mind, never mind. Anyway. I'm a professional tennis coach from America; I do apologise for my accent. I saw you playing a couple of times during the last fortnight at the Kantou Tournament – I was hoping to see you play today, but of course things didn't turn out like that. In short, I'm just calling to let you know that I'm very interested in your tennis skills, and I would like to offer you an opportunity to come to America and train for the professional circuit. I'll phone back tomorrow afternoon or so, so that we can talk and possibly set up a meeting with you and your family. Thank you for your time."
There was a beep, and the answering machine went back to Standby. As did Yukimura's temporary capability of thought.
-------------------------------
Sandy: -Dramatic music-
Hmm. This turned out a little more - I dunno, stylised? – than I intended. n.n;; Let me know if it stuck out? I think I had a little problem with tenses in one of the bits too…
Oh, and I put Rikkai High and Hyoutei High purely for convenience n.n;; Since I wasn't too sure that everyone would understand if I put Koukou. If that annoyed anyone, sorry. xD
Questions, comments, suggestions, rants, theories, constructive criticism, total hero-worship (;p)… all are accepted and loved! xD So please leave me a review?
Until next time!