A/N: I don't really have a lot to say this time... I've been starting to edit the first chapters and I'll add some clarifications and correct grammar and spelling, and change some scenes, and so on... But I'll se when I'll get to that.

I'll hope you'll enjoy this and please, R&R! (:


Silver and Solid Steel
Chapter 7


Shishido yawned as he grabbed his bag from the bed and walked out from his bedroom. His muscles and his body were sore, but he had gotten new hope, and he was more confident than ever about becoming a regular again. He was about to go to the street tennis courts to meet up with Ootori, to once again go through the painful practice, or whatever you would call it.

As he walked past his older brother's room, the door flung open, almost hitting Shishido in the face. He had put up his arms in the last moment, otherwise he would've had a smashed in face by now. He stumbled backwards, glaring at the taller figure in front of him.

"Watch it!" Shishido said to his brother, Hiroki, but Hiroki just looked at him with a bored look.

"Oops."

"Don't 'oops' me! You're not the only one in this house you know, idiot." Shishido muttered, and Hiroki grunted. Hiroki had just finished High School, but he hadn't gotten into a college and was now strolling around at home. Or rather, he was too lazy to get into college.

Hiroki glanced at the tennis bag on Shishido's shoulder and frowned.

"Where're you going, little brother?" Hiroki said the words 'little brother' in a mocking way, because Shishido hated being called that, and Hiroki took full advantage of that. Shishido narrowed his blue eyes, identical to Hiroki's, and glared at his brother.

"None of your business, lazy-ass." Shishido said with a sneer. He wasn't particularly fond of his older brother, to say the least.

"Mom is out, so is dad, and I'm your brother, so yes, I consider it my business. Where are you going?" Hiroki said, and Shishido sighed, pretending to admit defeat.

"Library." He said, not being able to come up with something better. Before Hiroki could react, Shishido had pushed his way past him and Shishido was now running at full speed towards the front door.

"You lying punk!" Hiroki hollered from behind him, but Shishido was already heading for the train. His brother could be a real pain in the ass, Shishido thought as he entered the almost empty train. Hiroki had been pissed off at him since Shishido had decided to enroll in Hyoutei Gakuen instead of Yamabuki. Hiroki still had some school spirit left for his old school, and he detested Hyoutei. It was a snob school for all the disgusting, rich people, according to Hiroki.

And according to Shishido, Hiroki was full of shit.


"Hello, senpai." Ootori said as he saw Shishido approach. Shishido merely raised his hand in greeting. It looked like Ootori had been there for a while, as he had already warmed up and was now trying to keep himself warm by running some laps. That was what he had been doing when Shishido arrived.

Shishido warmed up quickly, eager to start the training. They had been doing this for a week now, a week of endless pain, and Shishido had blue bruises covering his old one which had started to become even darker. Ootori got into position, and so did Shishido. It was chilly outside, but Shishido didn't care.

And then it began.

Ootori's serves was amazing, but at the same time scary, which they had always been. An hour in, Shishido was breathing hard.

He was lunging for the yellow tennis balls, but they seemed so far away. They were too fast. His eyes were unfocused, but when he realized that he wasn't focusing, Shishido lightly shook his head to wake himself up.

He watched as the Scud Serve hit the service court, almost in slow motion, and then bounced up at a terrifying speed. Shishido felt his body move on its own, heading towards the ball. He held up his arms outstretched, and when he felt the ball in his hand, he tightly gripped it. He wasn't going to drop it again.

He stood there for a while, like a statue, feeling his hands burn. He was in shock, and so was Ootori. It was Ootori who reacted first.

"Senpai, you did it!" Ootori's voice was relieved, and he was probably happy that he wouldn't have to do this anymore.

Shishido was still staring at the ball in his hand. Had he... had he really done it? Had he caught it? He blinked again, but the ball was still there. He looked over at Ootori, before falling down on his ground, eyes locked on the dark night sky.

"Yes!" he screamed loudly, his chest moving up and down. He had finally done it. Now that he could catch the Scud Serve, he would be able to return everything. Everything.

And what a good feeling that was.

Shishido heard Ootori's footsteps getting closer and closer, until he was standing beside him. Shishido was still staring at the ball in his hand, trying to get it all to sink in. He looked up Ootori, and Ootori had a gentle smile on his face.

"You finally made it." Shishido smiled back, feeling happier than he had done in a while.

"Yeah. I did it."

And because he caught the ball, Ootori and his practices were practically over. All Shishido had to do now was to convince kantoku that he deserved to be a regular.

But how on earth would he do that?

He had to prove to kantoku that he was better than a regular on the team, and the only way to show that was to beat one of them. He didn't like it, but that what was what needed.

"Ootori." Shishido started. "You know I have to beat a regular to become one, right?" Shishido said, and Ootori nodded.

"I was aware of that."

Shishido was confident that he would be able to beat one. Maybe not Atobe or Jirou, but Taka, Mukahi, and even Ootori, yes.

But he had already decided that it wouldn't be Ootori. It couldn't be Ootori. If Shishido took Ootori's place as a regular, he would feel like a complete asshole. No way could he do that to him, not after the help Shishido had gotten from his kouhai.

But Ootori spoke up before Shishido could even open his mouth. "Senpai, I understand if you'll try to beat me." He said, glancing down on the ground. "I took your place, after all."

Shishido stared at Ootori. Was the kid really that naïve, innocent and nice, or was he just an idiot?

"What are you talking about? No way it will be you." Shishido said, and Ootori looked up from the ground, staring Shishido directly in the eyes.

"I wouldn't mind..." Ootori whispered, and Shishido sighed.

"Okay, listen now, I would be a jackass if I even thought about taking your place, got it?"

"But who would it be?" Well, Shishido was wondering that himself. Atobe and Jirou was way out of his league, and Kabaji was like machine on the tennis court. Oshitari and Mukahi was the best doubles pair of Hyoutei, Atobe would kill him if he even tried to replace one of them. Hiyoshi would simply glare at him and then try to kill him. Everyone was expecting Hiyoshi to be the next captain of Hyoutei when the third-years graduated.

That left one single person.

Ootori's doubles partner, Taka. Not that Ootori and Taka had a really good combination, but there were still the doubles 2 pair. Ootori seemed to have realized that too.

"If that's what it takes..." Ootori started, shrugging his shoulder and playing with his racket. "Then do it." Shishido nodded. If he didn't beat a regular, he would never prove himself worthy.

Shishido looked over at Ootori as they went back to the benches to grab their stuff and head home. Ootori had really helped him out here, and Shishido didn't even know why Ootori had helped him.

"Hey, Ootori." Shishido said, but Ootori didn't seem to hear him, because he was turned away from Shishido. "Choutarou." Shishido then said. "Thank you." Ootori froze as he was about to put in his racket in his bag. He slowly looked over at Shishido with a shocked expression on his face. Shishido frowned. What was wrong with him?

"What did you say?" Ootori whispered. Shishido hesitated for a second.

"Uh, thank you?" Ootori shook his head.

"No, before that." Shishido thought about it until he realized it too.

"Choutarou..." He didn't know why he had call Ootori by his first name, but it had just seemed so right at the moment. Shishido grinned at Ootori, or well, Choutarou. "I guess I can call you that. We're, uh, friends, aren't we?"

Choutarou swallowed hard before managing to smile a gentle, soft smile at Shishido.

"Yeah. I guess we're friends."