DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS\
This is for the Looking Away challenge by EmInArEvOl in which Ryoma is betrayed by his teammates. So, Seigaku lovers -BEWARE! They are not going to be very nice.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:: : Please remember when reading this work of FAN-FICTION that characters are Very likely going to be OOC . Things are going to be shaped and twisted this author's way.
WARNING: This will be Yaoi / Shounen-Ai– Pairing; Meaning BoyxBoy / MalexMale. Will also have R-rated language. Turn back now if any of this offends you
Thank you for all your reviews: rosechibi, Jaynekochan , HiKaRi-ChIbI , ILOVEGAARA ,tellerofstorys ,Don Seira ,loveless996 , .rain , IceDragon21 , VanillaCream , UekiKosuke , Mirsama , Pri-Chan 1410 , herbblood , EmInArEvOl, Me , Wonderingmoon ,Gone and forgoten. elsey951 ,arashi wolf princess
As always, Atobe Keigo does not do things by half. Even when planning a party for the team, not even his own, that had won the Nationals. Tennis players from the rivals schools would arrive and their eyes would almost popped out of their heads at the sight that greeted them.
Tables laden an assortment of cuisines, from Asian to Italian with many varieties to choose from. Black and white dressed footmen roamed the room with trays of beverages and Hors d'oeuvre. Suspended in the middle of the room was a large banner in Seigaku's blue and white color.
"CONGRATULATIONS SEIGAKU!" was printed in bold letters, showered with stars on the banner.
"Wow," Kirihira whistled, looking around. "That Atobe sure knows how to throw a party."
"But of course, ahn."
"Eeek, Atobe!" Kirihara screeched, spinning around only to see Niou laughing. "Baka-senpai!"
"Hahaha, Seaweed head, ya screeched like a girl!"
"Do not!"
"Do too!"
"Enough of this childish display Masaharu."
"Aw, come on Hiroshi. Our brat is just so cute when he screeches like that, puri." Niou smiled up at his doubles partner Yagyū, who sternly looked down his nose at the two and sighed. Taking that as a good sign, Niou smirked and bopped Kirihara on the head and ran off, Kirihara chasing after him.
"I did not see anything," Yagyū said to himself.
O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O
"This is Perfect Eating!"
"Sugoi, Buchou!" Kintarou watched with stars in his eyes as Shiraishi rolled a cherry down the crook of his arm, snapped his wrist up sending red fruit right into his open mouth. "I wanna try! I wanna try!" Shiraishi laughed at his kouhai's enthusiasm.
"Right, here's how – No! Kin-chan, that's not!-" He watched in horror as Kintarou grabbed a handful of red peppers, tossed them all into the air and opened his mouth impossibly wide, catching several of them in his mouth. Kintarou flashed Shiraishi a victory grin that soon faded. His eyes watered and his face turned as red as the peppers he caught and smoke steamed out of his nose and ears.
"HOT!" Kintarou screamed, running around in circles around Shiraishi. "Buchou! Hot!"
"Calm down Kin-chan, there's some water over there!" he pointed. Kintarou wasted no time, in a zip he ran over and dunked his head in the punch bowl, chugging down the drink as fast as he could. The fire in his mouth quenched, Kintarou lifted his head and sat down with a relived ' Phew' wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, punch from his hair dripping down to the floor.
Shiraishi sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, attempting to alleviate the ache that was already forming. It was going to be a long night.
O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O
"Yukimura, glad your team could come," Yuushi nodded to the Rikkai Captain.
"Oya, everyone is so lively, neh?" Yukimura commented, surveying the room with Sanada by his side. "The only group missing is our champion."
"Hmph. They had better not miss the party Ore-Sama has thrown in their honor."
"Of course they're not going to miss it, Atobe." Yuushi soothed. Really, Atobe and his ego.
"I certainly hope not. I would like a chance to talk with that boy-a. He certainly is something, neh Sanada? After all, you did help him out," Yukimura stated with a little smile, his eyes slanting slyly at his friend.
Sanada's lips thinned in thought, missing Yukimura's looks. His mind going to the game that he played with Ryoma before Ryoma gained his memories back. "Yes, he certainly is."
"You helped him out too, didn't you, Atobe?"
Atobe flicked an imaginary stray lint off his cuff. "Of course. Ore-Sama wanted to witness that brat's awakening. That is all."
"Well, there were other players that helped him out too, Yukimura," Yuushi pointed out. "There was Fuji Yuuta, Hiyoshi, Akutsu and many others that helped out."
"I suppose that is true. Ah, look there's the honored guests now." Yukimura tilted his head toward the entrance and frowned. "Something's wrong."
For the team that just won the Nationals, the members did not particularly in high spirit. Inui was silent, hand in his pockets, his usual notebook and pen nowhere in sight. Tezuka's frown was even more stern than usual. Kikumaru looked on the verge of bursting into tears at any given moment. Same with Kawamura. Mother Hen Oishi beside him wasn't even trying to comfort Kikumaru as he usually does. The loud rivals Kaidoh and Momoshiro were solemn. Not arguing between themselves as they were wont to do when they are in each other's company. Even Horio, the loudest of them all, was silent. The Seigaku Regular not present was Ryoma.
Speculations ran through the room.
"Eh, what's that grim atmosphere, puri?"
"Did something happen?"
"I don't see Echizen."
"Where's Koshimae?"
"Maybe that hit to the head was worse than we thought?"
O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O
Many of the team captains started to walk toward Seigaku, their team members behind them, intent of knowing what the cause for concern is. Concerns on most of the teen's faces at the thought of something happening to a friend; a rival; someone they knew and respected, despite being a cocky brat.
"Tezuka, has something happened to Echizen?" Atobe asked upon reaching the team, concern evident in his tone.
"Was it his head injury?" Yukimura asked the next question when Tezuka seemed to hesitate answering Atobe's question. "Is he in the hospital?"
"Is Koshimae okay!" Kintarou yelled out, rocking back and forth on his heels in anxiety. What happened to his rival?
"Echizen's a TRAITOR!"
"What?"
"Huh?"
"What do you mean?"
Questions rang out at Horio's angry proclamation.
"I heard him. Echizen was threatening Tezuka-buchou. Saying he knows some Mayo guy and that Tezuka was not going to every play in the Grand Slam, he -"
"Horio," Tezuka said in a warning tone, a hand on Horio's shoulder, squeezing lightly. "We will not speak of it."
"But, but Tezuka-Buchou. He is. Echizen used all of us!" Horio angrily screeched.
"This is not the time to talk about that Horio-kun," Oishi quietly said, smiling, though everyone can see the smile did not quite reach his eyes. "Atobe has this party planned for us. Let us enjoy it."
"Tch, Horio is right, buchou. That no good brat used us and -" They watched Momoshiro choked up, tears gathering at the corner of his eyes and he looked away. Kikumaru whimpered, as if wanting to cry and Oishi finally held his hand. Kawamura looked down at the ground, not meeting anyone's eyes.
The crowd was stunned. They knew Momoshiro and Ryoma were best friends. What had happened in the few hours after the game for Ryoma's teammates to act this way ?
Atobe's eyes glinted. Something was indeed wrong. "Tezuka. Explain now," he demanded. "Where is Echizen and what does this little loud mouth mean by Echizen using you?"
Yukimura nodded, agreeing. "Indeed, Tezuka. What is going on with your team. Everyone seems so... down?"
"Tezuka, you might as well tell them. They will all know sooner or later," Fuji's resigned voice quietly said. Tezuka released his own forlorn sigh and nodded.
"Very well." Another deep sigh.
"Tezuka, if you can't, I will -" Inui offered, but Tezuka shook his head. "No. I am the captain. It is my responsibility."
"What is it already!" Shishido shouted out in impatience. He wanted to know what's going on already.
Kintarou chimed in. "Yeah, tell!"
They watched Tezuka clenched his eyes briefly, as if in pain, took a deep breath and started to speak. Everyone listened in slow disbelief.
"After the games and we were packing up to leave, we heard Echizen talking on the phone. To who, we do not know. We heard him saying he used us. All of us." Tezuka waved his hand around to indicate everyone in the room. Tezuka paused and clenched his fists.
"We confronted him about this. He said that he's got some good moves to take back to America and claim as his own. He can claim that he was the " genius " that came up with those moves. And to use them to win the next the Junior Grand Slam tournament. Since we are not known at all over there and he is, we will have a hard time proving that we, in a word, own, those moves."
Kikumaru started crying into the crook of Oishi's shoulder. Murmurs of "It's not right" were heard over and over. Oishi was squeezing Kikumaru's hand and crying himself. Kawamura's fists were clenched and tears were also splashing down to the cold marble floor.
They heard Tezuka's breath hitched, like he was too choked up and took a shuddering breath, placing his hands over his mouth. Fuji placed a trembling hand on Tezuka's arm, sinking into Tezuka's side and took up explaining.
"He admitted that he really did not have amnesia. He pretended, so that he can have a final chance at using us to show him our moves. He confessed that he knew Momoshiro so well. Knew Momoshiro would do anything to help him "Recover" if he pretended he forgot all about tennis. That he knew, one by one, you all would follow since you wanted to see Rikkai lose the National Cup this year. He told Tezuka that he has many connections such as Steve Meyers back in America; that he will use those connections to see that not one of us every plays in the tournaments. His parting shot was ' Mada Mada Dane, senpai-taichi' ."
The silence was so thick in the room that a butterknife could cut through. Everyone could not believe what they were hearing. Echizen used them.
"I..I. Sorry, about the party, Atobe. I'm leaving." Kawamura quietly said, still not looking up and not waiting for consent, he ran out, leaving everyone to stare at his back, their brain still frozen over to even say anything.
"NO! Koshimae wouldn't do that! He wouldn't, right Shiraishi-buchou?" Kintarou looked pleadingly up at his captain, hoping that he would agree. Meeting only silence, he looked at Momoshiro, Ryoma's best friend'.
"Echizen used us for our moves. He used us to win the National, to place another 'notch on his belt' as he put it. So that he can brag that it was only because of him that Seigaku won. That without him, we would be nothing." Momoshiro harshly told him. Kintarou's lips trembled, then he wailed. An ear splitting scream of denial.
As if the dam had broke, they started to believe. How could they not. His "best friend" had damned him. Oishi, who they knew mothers Echizen to the point of smothering him had said nothing. Kikumaru had cried and also said nothing to defend their young teammate.
Echizen betrayed them all.
The party ended soon after Tezuka and his team told them what had happened. Most left soon after, offering statement of sympathies to the Seigaku team on their way out. Or words of encouragement to not give up and that Echizen would soon get his comeuppance for what he did.
O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O
Akutsu Jin quietly left moments after Kawamura did, not that anyone noticed, as they were focused on was so angry!
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The lamp pole teetered as he slammed his fist against a lamp pole.
"What the fuck! Kuso gaki. Why the hell aren't you here to defend yourselves!" He growled out. Like hell he was gonna believe what those guys said and anyone that did were a bunch of idiots! Tch, he never did like Seigaku players in the first place. Not until Ryoma.
"Knew I was right about them. Should've trusted my gut instinct about those guys."
BAM! Squee!
The lamp pole tilted with a loud squeak and Akutsu eyed the weak piece of metal with disgust before walking away.
O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O
He couldn't stop crying. What they were doing wasn't right. Not right at all.
"Eiji, please understand. Tezuka did what was right for us. For the team."
"B..but we lied to them, Oishi. We lied to everyone there that Ochibi used us!" Eiji cried and Oishi snapped.
"Well, Echizen did use us! Have you seen the way he plays. The moves he uses? Tezuka's style, your acrobatic style, Kaidoh's snake shot and so on! We did not lie to them. He did threaten Tezuka and us."
"But that's because we -"
"We didn't do anything, Eiji!
"We still lied about his amnesia."
Oishi scoffed. "Eiji! No one recovers in a matter of hours after a head injury. Especially one that would cause memory loss! He was surely faking as Tezuka said. He got cold feet about playing Yukimura, so he faked it, thinking he could get out of playing against "The Child of God". He used the opportunity to have the top players show him their moves."
Oishi sniffed, looking down at his hand. " I still don't -"
"Enough Eiji. If you continue, we will no longer be friends. Or doubles partner! The Golden Pair will be over. Is that what you want?" Oishi threatened and Kikumaru's chest tightened at the thought. No, he didn't want that. Oishi's his best friend. His doubles partner! He shook his head.
"No, I'll..I'll stop. I'm sorry, Oishi."
Oishi heaved a deep relieved sigh. "That's good, Eiji," he consoled, patting Kikumaru's bowed head. Because his head was bowed, Kikumaru did not see Oishi's expression.
O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O
"It was a good thing that Horio happened to hear the end part of what Echizen said, neh, Tezuka?"
"Yes, it was," Tezuka agreed. "A wonderful stroke of luck on our part."
"With this Echizen will be given the cold shoulder by everyone. No one will believe him. Not when Momoshiro and Kikumaru were not even backing him up." Fuji smirked.
Tezuka nodded a good-bye to Fuji and entered his house. Up in his room, he took off his tie and tossed it on the bed, then unbutton the top few buttons of his shirt. Next came off his glasses and he set that on his table. Sliding both his hands through his hair, he slicked them back.
He walked past the mirror in his room and paused to look at his reflection. Gone was the stern scholarly facade he has to put up daily. In his place was a teen that cold brown eyes, the right corner of his lips twisted into a cruel, sadistic semblance of a smile.
"Hahahahaha." Tezuka laughed. So uncharacteristic of him, he thought. Or at least to those that thought they knew him. This was the real him. That image of the goody two shoes Tezuka was just that – an image. A facade. A persona that he created when he got into Junior High.
"So easy," he whispered to his reflection. "Each one of them was so easy. Just whispers and suggestions into their ears. After all, I am their esteemed, respected Captain. I am Tezuka Kunimitsu. Loyal, devoted,noble and upstanding. An honor student. Who would dare disbelieve what I tell them?"
His fingers traced the reflection of his collarbone. The glass was cold to the touch at first, then warming up under his fingers, leaving streaks where he traced. He traced the neck, then up to the chin and finally the lips. His lips turned down in a hard frown, cold fury burn in his eyes.
"Echizen," Tezuka hissed out the name like it was burning his tongue. "All because you came, their eyes left me and turned to you. One by one. Atobe and Sanada. Both of them claimed I was their rival. It should only be I who could beat them. How dare you beat not only Atobe and Sanada, but Yukimura. I should have been the one to beat him! To show that so called Child of God who is better!"
Another malicious laugh reverberated in the room.
"Now, they will hate you. How do you like that Echizen?"
O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O
Ryoma rubbed his eyes, dry and red from non sleep. He couldn't. Each time he closed his eyes, what he heard his supposed friends said would play over and over, echoing so loudly in his ears he felt like throwing up.
"Shounen, you okay?" He nodded to his dad, but said nothing. He looked out the small window of the plane, watching as everything – cars, trees, buildings and people – got smaller and smaller until all he could see were patches of land. Then even that were obscured by white puffy clouds.
He looped his finger into the ring shaped piece of metal attached to shade and pulled down. Good-bye Japan.
O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O
UPDATED 8/26/2010
Please read and review