A/N: Part 2 of Chapter 1. We see Kippei and An's relationship. Sleeping Lion focuses on Tachibana Kippei, how he gave up tennis only to rediscover it and rebuild it with Fudomine and lead a no-name, underdog team to the Nationals. I adore Fudomine and think that school's tale makes a more compelling story than the prince who came from America's does. I've tried to merge manga with anime as much as possible.
Disclaimer:I wish I owned Prince of Tennis, any of its characters or any part of it, but I don't!
Warnings: Slash. Shonen-ai. Yaoi. BL. Whatever you call it, it's alluded to in this fic, so don't read it if you can't stand it. The rating is accurate, however… This fic is smut-free. Watch out for mild language and some innuendo. Not every tennis player is gay--mostly because I find that unrealistic--but several are, some are hetero and some are bi (just like in real life).
Pairings: Tachibana/Chitose, Tachibana/Yuuta (later chapters), others
I love all feedback, reviews, and critiques. Flames will be tossed in the fireplace!
2 - Catalyst
An sighed when her brother reset the ball machine for the 79th time. She knew it was reset 79 because she'd scribbled hash marks in her notebook margin to keep track. He'd set a new record last Tuesday. That evening, Kippei had dumped the hopper back into the machine 121 times. Her watch read 8:05 PM when they'd finished up, and the pair had been late for dinner. Mom had been furious, but Kippei calmed her down before brother and sister had both been grounded—he could always wriggle out of punishments—with the promise they wouldn't stay out so late ever again. But he had never—which meant An never—missed a day since he'd began working on the new technique. Rain or shine or dark of night, she thought with a grin. Like postmen.
Kippei had perfected the stance for his Abare dama two weeks ago, but he could slip into position ahead of a returning ball less than half of the time. That wasn't good enough. Not for Kippei Tachibana. The movement needed to be instinctual; hence, the evening ritual with the ball machine.
He didn't always work so intensely. He'd only managed 33 resets last night, but that had been the night of An's recital and he hadn't wanted her to be late. Chitose-niisan had dropped by toward the tail end of the workout. He said it was to walk them home and go over some chemistry problems with Kippei. An suspected he'd actually shown up so he could spy on her brother. The Kouhaku-sen was just a few days away, and Kyushu's two star aces always skirmished over Shishigaku's number one spot. Now that the season had wound down, next year's captaincy was also on the line.
"You seem awfully interested in onii-chan's Abare dama," she'd told him.
"Wild ball? Is that what he's calling it?" Chitose chuckled, but he never looked away from the court. "It's beautiful," he concluded.
"Kippei's beautiful," she amended. Her brother had drawn up—like a crane, she thought—before smashing the ball across the net. She couldn't tell where it landed until after impact. The effect always made her blink.
Chitose gave her a good-natured shove. "Sisters shouldn't say stuff like that. It's weird."
"But true. You think he's beautiful, too. Don't you, Chitose-niisan?" An frowned. "I don't get it. It's just Kippei. But like this he's beautiful."
They watched the boy on the court, the soft pok-pok-thwack of the tennis balls the only sound.
"Passion."
An looked at her companion. "What?"
"Passion. That's what you see." Chitose could never talk without waving his hands around, and this time was no different. He looked like he wanted to sketch something in the air but couldn't get the picture right. "Your brother's all about contained passion. That's what the wild beast is, really. We're all taught from an early age to cage our inner demon, but on the court, Kippei slips his leash and runs free." Was Chitose-niisan blushing? "Or does that sound stupid?"
"Stupid. You think too much. But maybe," she allowed, "true all the same. Chitose?"
He had the best eyes, deep and dark and insightful. The way they looked at her now made her feel, well, all squishy inside.
"Chitose-niisanisbeautifultoo!" Oh, god! Had she really just said that?
Chitose blinked, then a slow smirk slanted across his face. For some reason, she remembered that dream she'd had about going to class clad only in her nighty. "Is that so?"
An's fingers dug into her palms, and she nodded. Heat flashed across her cheeks. Why did she blush over everything? So embarrassing. She didn't dare look at him. Beside her, Chitose shifted.
"Tell me that again in a year or two," he murmured into her ear.
An scuttled away from him. A tingle shivered its way down her neck to her toes. "Don't do that!"
He answered her glare with a grin and reached out to tap her nose with one long finger. "Just like your brother."
What did he mean by that? Best not to ask. An decided it was time to ignore Chitose-niisan. He played clever word games that always short-circuited her brainwaves.
They continued to watch Kippei as he returned ball after ball. What had Chitose meant by 'a year or two?' Did he know she had a huge crush on him? Maybe Kippei told him? Oh, kami-sama, just kill her now. An stared resolutely at the court. Her brother's Abare dama failed to reappear.
"He hasn't nailed it yet," Chitose concluded. "Or is he being cagey?"
"Nah. He only makes about half of them. But he's getting close. I bet he has it by rankings." She gave Chitose a playful poke. "You're going down."
"No way!"
"And you're gonna have to give me that autographed poster. I won't let you welch on a bet again."
"In your dreams."
"Loser!"
"Dreamer."
"Singles two!"
They'd bickered like that throughout the walk home until Kippei had threatened to force feed them both wasabi. But An had been right. Kippei was close to perfecting his Abare dama.
Because today, around reset 51, all the variables meshed into a magnificent whole. Only Kippei's drive for perfection kept him (and her) at the court for an additional hour and a half. An didn't mind. It made her onii-chan happy. Besides, she'd used the time to finish her world history homework and get a head start on Monday's English assignment. She'd even managed to yell the occasional sisterly encouragement when needed. An mentally patted herself on the back. Damn, she was good.
"Something funny?" Kippei asked. He'd finished up batch 79 and trotted to where An sat on the bleachers.
"Just your face!" An stuck out her tongue and dodged to avoid the incoming noogie.
Kippei accepted her proffered towel and mopped his face and neck. "Brat. Why do I put up with you?"
"Because I'm your beloved imouto and I help you pick up the balls?"
"One out of two, at least. Speaking of picking up balls …."
An shoved her textbooks back into her tennis bag—she never carried a backpack. "Sure."
"Get your racquet if you want. We can play a few volleys before we leave."
"All right!"
Kippei laughed and tugged one of her pigtails. "Not too many. I'm beat."
"You just want to look cool when you show up at the Kouhaku-sen tomorrow. Chitose-niisan says he's gonna take your singles one spot this time, but I bet him my new Chocolates CD that he won't."
"We're evenly matched. Don't come crying to me if you lose."
An beamed at her older brother. "I won't lose. I can't wait to see his face when you tell him you finally nailed the Abare dama."
As expected, Kippei demolished her on the court. An loved playing her brother because he always played her seriously even though she knew she wasn't a challenge to him. She hated it when people—especially boys—took it easy on her. Speaking of which, she thought as they walked home, she'd better ask him to sign the note Ishiyama-sensai had sent home with her. "Onii-chan?"
"Hmm?"
An felt inside the Velcro-ed pouch of her bag and found the note. "Can you sign this for me?" She made certain to keep it folded with only the signature line showing.
"When I get home. I don't have a pen." Kippei didn't bother to look. Their parents both traveled so much on business that he was used to forging the necessary signatures.
"Here's one."
This time, her brother not only looked at the proffered paper. He stopped so suddenly An bumped into him.
"What's this for? Permission slip?"
"Something like that." An studied her shoelaces as though she hadn't seen them at all today. She knew he'd read the fib if she looked him in the eye. Considering it was her brother, he might be able to read her brain waves, too. She concentrated harder on her shoelaces. Just in case.
"You don't say?"
Whoops. That was Kippei's "I know you're telling a whopper" tone. He accepted the pen and took Sensei's note.
"Maybe I should read it—"
"Field trip!"
"Really? I thought you have two exams Monday."
"Yeah, but after that's the field trip to … um … Suizenji Koen."
This wasn't going as smoothly as she'd planned. Why couldn't he just take the darn pen and sign the darn letter? She dared to peek at him through her lashes.
"Hmmm. I think I will read it."
"If you don't want to sign it, just say so. I guess I can spend my time—all alone—friendless—in the library while everyone else is enjoying the best gardens in all Japan." Gosh, that did sound fun. She wished she really was going on a field trip.
"I wouldn't want you to be lonely," Kippei allowed and motioned for An to turn around so he could use her back as a writing desk. She sighed. That was close! He handed her back pen and paper when he'd finished.
"Thanks."
"No problem." They walked on a bit further. "So, tell me. What did you get into a fight about this time?"
"Kippeiiiiiiii!"
"Well? Some boy pull your pigtails? That Onigawa girl call you pig breath again? What was it?"
An kicked at a tuft of grass . "How'd you know?"
"You're an awful liar. Besides, your left eye's starting to blacken."
An's hand flew to her face, and Kippei grinned. "You jerk! I didn't even get hit there."
"Gotchya." Kippei shot An with an imaginary finger gun. "Really, Anzu-chan—"
"I am not a stupid apricot seed!" She stomped her foot. Bad enough her mother named her after some stupid British princess, did she have to use that particular kanji, too?
"Anzu-chan, you're almost too easy to rile. You need to control your temper better. These kids only tease you because they can get a rise out of you."
"Well, you'd of been mad, too."
"Doubtful."
An narrowed her eyes. "You don't say?" She mimicked. "Tell me what you think of this, then." And she began to sing. "An and Kippei sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G—"
For the second time that day, An ran into Kippei's back.
"What brought that on?" He finally asked.
"You remember Tanaka-kun?"
"The short kid with glasses that's followed you around since fifth grade?"
"That's the one. He cornered me at lunch and asked me to a movie this weekend. I said no—I don't want to miss your tournament. Next thing I know, he's grabbing at me and trying to kiss me. So I hit him. Then one of his buddies made some crack that I only had eyes for my big brother, everyone started laughing and making kissy noises, and Tanaka started singing that stupid song—he was pretty mad—so I hit him. And, um, about five other people I think."
Kippei snorted. "You think?"
"It's not like I keep count of these things!"
"Could've fooled me. I thought you were going for a world record or something. An, you can't settle your problems like this. You'll get expelled. Besides, you're not in grade school anymore. You need to act more like a … lady."
It was An's turn to snort. "Why should I let some boy—who I don't even like, mind you—grope me just because he thinks he's in love with me? Next time I'll just flutter my hands, swoon, whisper, 'please, no!' and let him do whatever he likes! Will that satisfy your criteria for ladylike behavior?"
"Stop being difficult—"
An stamped her foot. "No! You stop being difficult! It's easy for you! You're a boy. Boys are allowed to defend themselves if they have to. Heck, they can even start a fight if they feel it's justified. But not girls. Oh, no. We have to be meek and mild and—and—stupid! I hate it! I hate it!" Darn it. She could feel that burning start deep in her chest and she knew she was going to cry any second. Just like a girl.
Kippei sighed and dug into a pocket. He didn't look at her when he handed her the handkerchief. An dabbed her eyes.
"I hate you."
"I know."
"I hate Shishigaku."
"It's a terrible school."
"I hate being a 'little lady.'"
"It's hell. I especially hate the frilly dresses."
"I ha—" An glared. "Stop trying to make me laugh."
Kippei's arm snaked around her shoulders and pulled her in for a hug. "That's better."
She allowed herself to relax against him, then thought better of it. "What? You don't mind sitting in a tree?"
"Not one bit. Forget about anything idiots say, An. It's all excess air."
"I do love you, Kippei. You're my onii-chan. I can't help it that we aren't at each other's throats like most of the brothers and sisters we know."
"Thank God. It's hard enough getting along with you as it is." He gave her a little shake. "But no more fighting. Do you want to scare away all the boys? I'm sure there're a few cute ones that aren't too stupid that would be worth your time."
"Nope. I've decided to be a playgirl when I grow up. I'll gather up their worthless hearts and trample them in the dust." Actually, on her tenth birthday she'd decided that she'd never fall for anyone who didn't shine as bright as her brother. But Kippei needn't know that.
"Have a heart. The big brother's job is to protect his little sister. You want to drive me to an early grave?"
"Okay. I won't start my heart collection until I'm 35."
"That's better. I think brothers are allowed to be a bit lax once their sisters hit middle age."
They shared a smile. "Darn you, Kippei. You never let me win."
"That's one of my big brother perks."
He gave her hand a little pat when she twined her arm through his. "You're my favorite sister, Apricot."
"I'm your only sister. And don't call me Apricot."
"Brat. Hey, you remember that time we went to Okinawa and that boy kicked over your sand castle?"
"Do I! But he didn't kick it over; he pushed me into it. I thought you were going to pound him into the surf except Dad hauled you off him. His mom sure screeched, though." An smirked at the memory. "He called me an ugly duckling and I cried and I cried and I cried. He said no one would ever marry me and I'd turn into a wrinkled old witch that ate puppies and babies."
"And I promised to marry you if no one else wanted you."
An laughed. "The ultimate sacrifice! Don't worry. I won't hold you to a promise you made when you were six."
"Nah. That makes me your fiancé in a way. Let people talk. To hell with them. So long as we know the truth. That's all that matters."
"Yeah. Who cares about sicko people with sicko minds?"
"Exactly. Hey, wanna race?"
"Last one home's a rotten—Kippei! No fair starting before I say 'go'! Hey! Wait up! Kip-peiiiii!"
Glossary
Kouhaku-sen - "Battle/Tournament of Reds & Whites" - Shishigaku's intra-squad tournament match
Abare dama - Wild Ball - Kippei's new move that had a profound "impact" on Chitose Senri.
Suizenji Koen - Famous Japanese-style garden in Kumamoto (Kyushu prefecture)
An - Yes, the kanji for An's name means "apricot" or "apricot seed" according to online resources. I decided to keep the "an" spelling and have some fun with that.
