You will realize once you have lost it all.
Summary: Tezuka realizes the pain of losing the one you care for the most and fights to get it back betting it all in this one last chance. TezFuji and MomoRyo
A/N: Chapter plot suggested by: The NewKid25, Eternalxice, Yaeli54 and Moonlight-sama
Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is certainly not mine.
Rating: T
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"A match with Hyoutei?"
All of the members of the Seigaku tennis club turned to look at their Vice-captain. Oishi was looking at Ryuzaki in utmost shock. They knew about the mock tournament that was going to be held but they didn't expect their first opponent to be Hyoutei especially when...
"You heard it." Ryuzaki confirmed "A match with Hyoutei" She then turned to Tezuka and gave him a skeptical look and turned around. Tezuka raised an eyebrow in confusion.
"Hyoutei"
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Players, please proceed to court 2. The match will start in 5 minutes.
The match venue was one of the street courts near Seigaku. Hyoutei members arrived early and were followed shortly by the Seigaku regulars.
The area was unusually quiet. The two hundred Hyoutei players were present but not one of them was cheering.
It was as if they attended a funeral.
"Let's go register. The sooner we finish this the better." Oishi said while walking towards the registration booth and stopped dead in his tracks as he saw a familiar face in registering.
That familiar face was wearing a Hyoutei jacket.
That familiar face had his blue eyes open.
That familiar figure was
"Fuji Syuusuke"
Fuji looked up at the mention of his name. Not even bothering to put up the mask that he had removed. He smiled a smile that Oishi had a hard time translating.
"Hello, Oishi"
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Seigaku vs. Hyoutei! The score is tied with both teams at two wins each. Tie break match, Singles one! Kunimitsu Tezuka of Seigaku vs. Atobe Keigo
Seigaku Last Set!
Hyoutei's Atobe to serve!
"..."
"Aren't you even going to ask me anything?"
"What would I ask you?"
"How about: Why is Fuji in your team?"
"I already know the answer to that"
(Seigaku) 15 – 0 (Hyoutei)
"How silly of me... of course you do."
"...you're an ass"
"So the great Tezuka cusses straight to his enemy's face now"
"This is your entire fault"
"Pray tell, how can it be Ore-sama's fault?"
"You gave him false information"
"I can never do that!"
15 all!
"What did you tell him, Atobe Keigo."
"I think the question here, Kunimitsu Tezuka is—What did you not tell him"
15-30
"..."
"What's wrong Tezuka? Can't comprehend for once in your life?
"Echizen..."
"What?"
"It's because of the rumors about me and Echizen."
"..."
"And about your unrequited love for him"
30 all!
"Ore-sama does not know what you are talking about"
"Ore-sama doesn't..."
"..."
"But Atobe Keigo does"
40-30
"Yes he does..."
"..."
"And he's not giving up that easily to you"
"Neither am I"
Advantage; Hyoutei!
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"It's getting a bit serious in there, ne Shishido-senpai?" Choutaro Otori asked his doubles partner who merely shrugged.
"What I'm seeing is a talk show..." Gakuto complained.
"..."
"What's the matter Jirou?" Yuushi asked the usually asleep player.
"Nothing..." Jirou muttered and promptly fell asleep on the bench.
"What's eating him?" Shishido asked no one in particular
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Deuce! Tie break will resume in 5 minutes.
"What's wrong with you Tezuka?" Ryuzaki asked the seigaku captain as he sat down "This isn't your true strength... even if this is just a mock match you cannot let your guard down."
"I know..." He glanced over at the Hyoutei Bench where Fuji was talking to Atobe, a grim expression on his face. The said person then turned to face him, and Tezuka swore that he saw that expression soften.
"Fuji..."
Kunimitsu Tezuka will win this game...
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Game set and match: Seigaku seven games to six!
Tezuka and Atobe shook hands and Tezuka turned his back on the other.
"Tezuka..."
Tezuka stopped and turned around to see Atobe who crossed the net to his side.
"What?"
Atobe glared at him and did something no one quite expected him to do. Punch the Seigaku captain on the face.
"You deserve that..."
Atobe then walked away.
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"Fuji..."
Fuji was packing his stuff when he heard someone call his name. "What is it?" he knew who it was immediately, without having to look around "... Tezuka?"
Tezuka stood behind him stopping himself from reaching to Fuji and forcefully turning him around. "We need to talk"
"Sorry, my team mates are waiting for me. Maybe, some other time, ne?"
Fuji picked up his bag and walked away, and he stopped when he felt a hand grab his wrist. "We are talking now." Growled Tezuka in a commanding tone in which Fuji instinctively froze.
"Echizen and I..."
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"Buchou... are we going to wait for Fuji-senpai?" Choutaro asked as he boarded the bus.
"No need... he will be taken care of." Atobe confirmed. His eyes traveled to the courts where he saw Tezuka apparently talking to Fuji, who had his back on him head hung low. He knew from the start that this would happen. He accepted the fact that the moment he steps on the court to play against Tezuka, he would have to let Fuji go. Yet, he never expected it to hurt this much.
"Ne... Atobe, are you alright?" Atobe was cut from his line of thought by Jirou's hand pulling on his jacket.
"Hai... let's go, Jirou" As he boarded the bus and was about to take his usual spot up front Jirou tugged him towards the back seats. "Come on, Atobe!" he said childishly, not in the mood to argue, Atobe followed. As the bus started to move Jirou whispered to Atobe "It's alright now... no one's watching" Atobe looked shocked and realized that Jirou was right when he was going to ask Jirou why he had asked him to sit there he saw Jirou asleep by the window.
Atobe smiled. "Thank you, Jirou" he said as he let go of the emotion he had been holding back.
"You're welcome... Keigo" Jirou whispered to himself
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Tezuka made a lot of on the spot thinking. Atobe fist connecting with his jaw jump-started his brain causing him to corner Fuji in the first place. "Echizen..." He was about to start a new sentence when...
"ECHIZEN ECHIZEN ECHIZEN! ALL YOU EVER TALK ABOUT IS THAT TALENTED FRESHMAN OF YOURS! IF YOU DAMN CARE ABOUT HIM SO MUCH WHY DON'T YOU JUST GO AND FUCK HIS BRAINS OUT?!" Tezuka froze at the sudden outburst
"HAS IT EVER OCCURED TO YOU THAT I'M SICK OF HEARING THAT NAME FROM YOU?!" Tezuka was almost at the limit of his patience, if Fuji didn't stop...
"I'M TIRED OF THIS TEZUKA! I'M GOING BACK TO MY TEAM. THIS CONVERSATION IS OVER— " Tezuka then decided that it was the perfect time to shut the ranting tensai up.
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"Tezu—" Oishi froze in his tracks. He was supposed to check why Tezuka wasn't with them yet, by Ryuzaki-sensei's orders. He had expected something drastic by the time he heard Fuji practically yelling at Tezuka, that's why he hurried up in the first place, but he didn't expect this scene...
Tezuka was holding Fuji, who seemed too shocked to move, kissing him fiercely, not caring that there were still some random players around. "Oishi, what are you staring... at..." Eiji looked at the direction his doubles partner was looking at and froze as well.
"I... I think now would be a perfect time to leave them, Eiji.."
"Y-yeah..."
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"T-tezuka..." Fuji was shocked at what just transpired between him and Tezuka who was panting slightly, trying to catch his breath.
"Listen to me...It wont take long... just listen..." Tezuka asked him, tone almost pleading. This was his last chance. He knew it. He felt it. If he didn't do anything now, he won't get another chance.
Fuji didn't answer "When I'm done, you can decide if you still wish to go to Hyoutei or if..." He paused, unsure of what he was going to say next, no, unsure if he has the right to say the next few lines. "You want to come back to Seigaku" He finished softly.
Fuji looked at Tezuka and nodded silently. They both sat down on the bleachers.
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"So they decided to patch things up after all..." Ryuzaki observed from the gates.
"Mada mada dane..." Echizen added, "I'm going home..."
"You aren't even a bit affected by this, Ochibi?" Kikumaru asked
"Why should I? This would get Buchou off my case, after all..."
"Eh? Echizen, what are you talking about?" Oishi asked getting a bit confused.
"Let's just say that Fuji-senpai's going to realize that he didn't actually see something that was happening in front of him..."
The golden pair looked at him as he walked away.
"Takeshi, didn't you say that you were going to walk me home?" Ryoma stopped without even looking.
"Oh yeah! Sorry 'bout that. See you tomorrow everybody! Ryoma! Wait up!!" Momo bowed as he went after the fresman
"Inui-senpai, since when were they on a first name basis?" Kaidoh asked Inui, hoping for an answer since he was supposed to know everything after all.
Inui looked at the two "Could it be..." He started looking absolutely perplexed.
"I CAN FEEL THE FIRE OF YOUNG LOVE BURNING!!! GREAT-O!!!"
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"ECHIZEN AND MOMO?!" Fuji looked shocked. "And... you were... because Echizen was..."
"Seigaku's next pillar of support" Tezuka finished for him.
"Why didn't I see this?"
"They were able to hide it from the team quite efficiently..."
"Then how did you..." Fuji paused... "You caught them didn't you!!"
"I don't wish to delve further in to the subject..."
Fuji can't help but chuckle. Silence passed the two.
"I'm sorry..." Tezuka looked suddenly at Fuji who had his head hung low. "I should have looked into the situation before I..."
"It's alright. It was also my fault for not saying anything before... my silence made things a lot worse..."
"..."
"What are your plans now?"
"I expect that Ryuzaki-sensei would make me run a hundred laps tomorrow..."
"You're..."
"I'm coming back to Seigaku..."
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Fuji stopped in front of their house. "Thanks for walking me home."
"I don't mind, Syuusuke..." Fuji surprised at what Tezuka said turned to him. "What did you... I mean... did you just..."
Tezuka smiled inwardly, who knew that a tensai, such as Fuji Syuusuke would actually be lost for words at him saying his first name.
"Would you like to come inside? Nee-san still at work and Kaa-san is with 'Tou-san on their wedding anniversary trip."
"Sure..."
Tezuka stepped inside the house and Fuji led him to the living room. He sat down on the couch, "Tea?" Fuji offered. "Yes, thank you"
Suddenly Tezuka smirked, "Actually Syuusuke, would it be alright if I ask for something else?" he asked the tensai who was about to enter the kitchen.
"What is it?" Tezuka stood up and went to Fuji, wrapping his arms around the smaller mans slender waist. "This." Leaning down he placed his lips on the surprised tensai who, after the initial shock, placed his hands around Tezuka's neck. The kiss deepened and grew passionate; soon they pulled apart, both out of breath.
Tezuka held him close. "I love you, Syuusuke... I hope it's not to late..." Fuji leaned on him. "You're just right on time... Kunimitsu" This time, Tezuka and Fuji saw it.
Owari.