Author/Artist: Maria
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Characters: Kunimitsu Tezuka, Syuusuke Fuji, the Seigaku people, Keigo Atobe.
Pairings: Tezuka/Fuji, Ryoma/Sakuno, Oishi/Eiji. Slight onesided Atobe/Tezuka.
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer/claimer: Not mine...
Summary: There's something different about Tezuka's outlook. And no, it's not related to his glasses. Spoilers for the TV series.
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Kunimitsu Tezuka had taken that decision quite a while ago. He had toyed with the idea occasionally in Germany, and discarded it since, in his opinion, it wouldn't be proper of a junior high student. Nevermind what people like Ryo Shishido from Hyotei had to say about the same topic.
He decided to wait for some time, until he finished highschool. Yet, he thought he should wait some more... Around two years after he started university (and, of course, he was a Top Ten in there), he was offered a scholarship in the USA, and he took it without hesitation. In the months that followed, Tezuka studied, trained, lived... and he took the change, once in a while wondering which kind of reactions would this big modification of his outlook spawn in the people he left there in Japan.
Though, deep down, he could predict what the others would say.
The Moment of Truth came when he returned home, two years after his departing. And just like he suspected...
"Kunimitsu... Oh, did I tell you that you look so cute with your new look? Come here... "
Before he went out to meet up with his friends at Kawamura Sushi, his mother had insisted that she wanted to comb his hair, just like she used to do almost fifteen years ago when he was still a child. He wasn't the type to deny anything to his mom after the years of separation, though, so he complied without any words. Thank God his father and grandfather managed to hold back their laughter.
"You're the last person I'd ever imagine with those new looks, Tezuka-buchou. You look good, as far as I can tell, but mada mada dane!".
"He hasn't taken a good look at his girlfriend's still-too-long braids lately, it seems", and Tezuka lightly raised an eyebrow after Sakuno appeared, politely greeted him with a smile, and then murmured something to Ryoma. He nodded, then told Tezuka to wait for them at the restaurant since they had to do some things before their meeting, and left. The pig-tailed girl promptly followed him, and as they walked away she even gathered the courage to take her boyfriend's hand in public.
"There was just 1 chance that you'd do something like this, Tezuka. Seems I'll have to reconsider my non-tennis data about you."
"Please stop, Inui. This isn't exactly what I'd like to talk about as we walk towards Kawamura Sushi".
Inui allowed himself to smirk. He decided to accept Tezuka's request, and they talked about the most recent events in international tennis until, near to the tennis courts, they saw a well-known common friend coming towards them...
"When you told me in your last e-mail that you looked different, Tezuka, this wasn't exactly what I thought you had in mind... "
"Says the guy who had three different hairstyles during his junior high years...?", he had asked out loud, but felt guilty immediately afterwards. Oishi blushed profusely, but then Kikumaru arrived to the scene... and looked at Tezuka very closely, blinking several times.
"Hoi, Tezuka! You look pretty! If I was a girl I'd ask you to let me run my fingers through your hair... "
"He's saying this in front of his boyfriend!", Tezuka asked himself as he and Inui took a look at the even more embarrassed Oishi, who looked like he wanted to hide under the nearest table. He was going to tell Kikumaru that he would've made him run 1000 laps alrwady if he still were his captain, but in those moments he heard a too familiar voice coming from behind of them...
"Mmmm... I'm shocked by your physical change, Tezuka. Personally, I would've expected you to start using contacts and drop the glasses..."
"Hey, Atobe... You're flirting with him, right! I swear I'll tell a certain person!".
Atobe didn't lose his composure at Kikumaru's protest. He just nonchalantly shrugged any possible discomfort he could have with a wave of his hand (though the slight blush on his cheeks was something he could not hide), and left the place. Like always, giving himself airs.
"Some things never change, heh?", Oishi commented, and both Inui and Kikumaru just nodded sagely.
The meeting at Kawamura Sushi was just like he thought it'd be. Jokes about Tezuka's now shoulder-length hair (which of course was combed neatly, thanks to his mother, and tied in a short ponytail with a white band) came and go from the people he thought they would make them, and the ones who didn't look like jokesters were more or less shocked. Hell, Tomoka even begged him to take the band off because she wanted to take a photograph of him with his hair down - and he had complied. Of course, she had to help him to tie his hair back when she was done.
But something was missing, Tezuka thought...
Fuji had not said anything about his hair. Even when he was bombarded with questions about what he thought of his boyfriend, the former genius of Seigaku skillfully avoided the subject, and managed to leave his real impression to himself. Tomoka wanted to ask Tezuka himself what he thought about Fuji's silence, but she was starting to talk to him about that, and both Ryoma and Sakuno were already pulling her away.
However, Tezuka was still curious. Normally, Fuji would've immediately said what he thought of him, or throw some hints about it in their interactions. But until then, nada. Zilch. Zero. Nope...
Until everyone else was gone. Once both men were on their own, walking away of Kawamura Sushi after they said good-bye to Kawamura-san and the former Seigaku people, Fuji grabbed Tezuka by the wrist.
"Come with me. I'll tell you what I think of your new look when we're alone, Kunimitsu".
Too surprised to even argue, the now-long-haired man allowed Fuji to drag him to the nearest park. As soon as he found a relatively empty spot under one big oak, where they'd be safe from any prying eyes, Fuji let go of his boyfriend's hand...
Only to pin Tezuka against the tree, undo his ponytail, and passionately kiss him on the mouth.
Tezuka's brains tried to register all of this, and by sheer reflex he opened his mouth - allowing Fuji to slip his tongue in. He wrapped his arms tightly around Fuji's slender body, pulling the other man closer to him...
And he realized that Fuji was anxiously running his fingers through his now-long hair.
