DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN PRINCE OF TENNIS, EVEN IF I WANT IT THAT WAY. *sigh*
Chapter 7- What Ryoma Doesn't Know, Won't Hurt Him.
The whole afternoon passed and Ryoma refused to come out which made everyone sigh. No one could really blame him. They would have probably done the same thing and more if it were them. Yukimura was talking to Atobe, Inui, and Renji which Fuji noticed. He smiled as he stood up and went upstairs. He carefully knocked on the door, "Echizen, its me Fuji. Do you mind if I come in?" he asked as he waited for a reply. It didn't take long for the door to open and Ryoma looked like he was still in a bad mood. "Did you come to convince me to help the natives to fulfill their prophecy?" he asked as he retreated to his bed with Fuji behind him, locking the door as he came in.
Fuji looked saddened, "Well, if I do that, it would be very counterproductive to my own ideas and feelings." He said which made the younger boy look at him in confusion. "What do you mean, Fuji-sempai?" The tensai sighed as he sat down on the foot of the bed, "I know that this isn't the best time for me to even say this to you. You already have so much to deal with as it is. But if I don't say what I need you to know, it would just make me feel worse about myself." He began which made Ryoma sit straight. "What is it Fuji-sempai? It's not like you to beat around the bush." Ryoma teased and smirked. This made Fuji smile a little outside but he was grinning like mad within.
"First, I need to tell you about the whole information crisis. Inui had told us about the prophecy when you and Yukimura were being led to your rooms. I wanted to tell you as soon as I could because I knew better than the rest that you and Yukimura deserved to know why we were being brought here. But my hands were tied. Tezuka, Inui, Renji, and Atobe as well as Tachibana, Saeki, and Shiraishi held me down. They said that they would make sure that I would never get a moment alone with you if I even thought of telling you before you found out for yourselves." He lied. Well, it was necessary.
Ryoma looked at him. Fuji made sure that he showed remorse or everything would be ruined. Ryoma sighed and shook his head. "It's alright Fuji-sempai. I understand you better now. You have been looking out for me for as long as I can remember and I know you would have told me if you could." Ryoma said as he smiled at his sempai a little. "Perfect, my Ryoma." Fuji thought to himself. "So, what was the counterproductive part you mentioned?" Ryoma asked him, surprisingly recalling that particular part. Fuji took a deep breath which made Ryoma raise a brow.
"You see, Echizen… This may come off as a shock to you and as I said I should not even mention it now. But I have been very careful when you are around me, have you noticed?" Ryoma tried to recall a few instances that the tensai would take a while to reply to his question, he nodded. "Well, that is because ever since that game in the rain, I have grown to care for you much more than a sempai should. Do you understand that?" he asked as he carefully chose his words. This was the moment, either make or break.
Ryoma's mind slowly processed his words and his eyes began to widen in surprise. Fuji fidget and knew what to do next, having an idea what Ryoma might respond. He nervously laughed and shook his head, "I knew this was a bad idea. Just forget what I said and we can go back to normal." He said as he stood up. The moment he turned his back, a small hand grabbed his wrist as to stop him from leaving. It was convenient that he had his back on Ryoma or the boy would have since the sadistic smile that appeared on his face.
As he turned, the smile instantly disappeared followed by a shocked expression. "Echizen?" Ryoma was beet red which made Fuji so happy in his mind. "F-fuji-sempai… Say it again. I d-didn't quite hear you." He tried his best to his own nervousness. "E-echizen… I… I said that I care for you more than a sempai should. I like you, Echizen. So very much. I didn't know when it began but all I know is that everyday, it grows and grows until it became a bit hard for me to hide it. Even Tezuka noticed how I look at you but he didn't say anything." The last part was a lie but it sounded perfect.
It took Ryoma a while to say anything as he was starting to get cold. Fuji noticed and quickly pulled Ryoma's hands together and rubbed his own against them to make it warmer. Ryoma was still in shock as he watched his sempai warming his hands and creeping into a part of him that he knew Fuji belonged. He too had been having strange feelings for the tensai since the rain match. "It's Ryoma, Fuji-sempai. Call me Ryoma." He said as he smiled at the other. Fuji's face showed surprise for a second then happiness the very next moment. "Call me Syuusuke… Ryoma." He said as he gave a small kiss on the younger boy's forehead.
Ryoma nodded and blushed when Fuji gave him a kiss. His heart started to beat faster inside his chest. He didn't feel that way with Seiichi. But maybe it was due to the fact that he didn't know the blue haired Captain as well as he knew Syuusuke. Fuji embraced Ryoma close and just spend a few minutes that way. "Fu-Syuusuke… I think I have feelings for you that shouldn't be here… I think it started after the match we had in the rain. You were so determined as me to not lose even if it was raining. You had your eyes open then, which showed a pair of strong and determined cerulean eyes." Fuji didn't know what to think now. This was not what he thought Ryoma would say when he confessed. But he wasn't going to complain. This was better than he ever thought.
Fuji smiled as he cupped Ryoma's cheek, opening his eyes and show adoration and care. It made him chuckle when Ryoma's breathing hitched and he buried his face in Fuji's chest. "Don't do that, Syuusuke! You have no idea what your eyes plus your smile does to me." He informed the tensai who slowly smirked. "Since I do not know what my eyes plus my smile does to you, why don't you tell me, ne… My Ryo-chan…" he said as he lifted Ryoma's face to face his own. Ryoma's face turned from pink to red in a matter of seconds. "First it was his smile, then his eyes. Now his voice makes me blush non-stop!" Ryoma screamed in his head which made his shake away the redness his face was sporting.
"You're the tensai, you figure it out yourself." He said and smirked. He was being his confident self again which was what made Fuji smile wider. He smiled lovingly at Ryoma, imprisoned in the boy's golden eyes. It was just then that he noticed how close their faces were. Fuji tried to hesitate a little which was amusing because when he tried to lean in a little, Ryoma's automatic reaction was to lean in as well. "Forgive me for what I am about to do, Ryoma." He said, not giving the younger a moment to ask.
To Ryoma, time seemed to have stopped. Fuji, no Syuusuke's lips were against his own. They felt so soft and warm. Fuji meant for the kiss to be simple and shallow. But to his surprise, Ryoma had responded to him. It was all too good to last. And as the thought passed through his mind, a knock on the door broke their moment. They separated instantly and turned to the door. "Who's there?" Ryoma asked with an annoyed tone. Fuji just had to chuckle as a pout began to creep into the rookie's face. "It's Momo, Echizen. Eiji-sempai and Oishi-sempai are here too. We want to talk to you." He said. Fuji stood up and went to the veranda with a smile.
Ryoma opened the door, "What can I do for you, sempai-tachi?" he asked as he crossed his arms. "O-chibi, we just wanted to see if you were alright. We're really sorry about today!" he said as he pulled the freshman into a tight hug and wailed. "Eiji! Let him go!" Oishi's immediate reaction made Momo laugh and Fuji chuckled as he watched behind the curtain. Eiji instantly released the boy and wailed again, "Gomen o-chibi!" Ryoma shook his head and sighed. Sometimes he wondered if his red headed sempai was dropped far too often as a baby.
"Well, I'm fine now. Don't mistake it as forgiveness. I am still mad at you all. But we're already here and there's nothing we can do about it. I just hope everyone else drops the whole topic and not mention it. I would like to help, I really do. But what they have asked is not something I can just give. I do not want Seiichi to be trapped with me just because of a prophecy. Besides, I- Just drop it, please." He said as he mentally sighed in relief. He was about to say that he had feelings for someone else. Not that Seiichi wasn't pleasing. He was. Very much.
It was just that Ryoma didn't really know him. And now that the prophecy had arise, he was scared of knowing the Rikkaidai captain because the other might just be fueled with the emotions of the past or something like that. Ryoma watched as his sempais nodded and promised to tell the others to stop talking about the whole prophecy all together. "By the way, have you seen Fuji, Echizen? He just stood up and left when Yukimura was scolding Atobe, Inui, and Renji." Oishi asked with concerned. Not seeing everyone in one room always made him worry.
Ryoma smirked as he leaned to his side, "Syuusuke, are you done listening? Oishi-sempai is looking for you." He said which made the three gape. Did Echizen just call Fuji by his first name? The tensai in question entered the room from the veranda with a smile on his face and his eyes were closed by then. "Saa, Ryo-chan… I wanted to hear Eiji wail again for hugging you too tight." He teased. Eiji blushed, "Fuji! You're so me- Wait." He stopped all of a sudden as Fuji stood next to Echizen. "Did you just call o-chibi Ryo-chan?" Fuji smiled and Ryoma smirked again.
"Mada mada dane, Eiji-sempai." The freshman said which made Fuji chuckle. Momo was in shock, Oishi was stunned, and looking at Fuji then to Echizen then to Eiji who he thought was no longer breathing. "Eiji! Breath!" he said as he shook his partner's shoulder. However, it was Momo who snapped out of his stupefaction. "Oi Echizen, since when do you call Fuji-sempai by his first name?" the junior asked. "Since he began to call me Ryo-chan, Momo-chan-sempai." Ryoma said cheekily which amused Fuji even more.
No one must have noticed that the sun was already setting, except maybe Fuji. Oshitari, Jackal, Wakato, Kenya, and Yanagisawa were passing. "It's time for dinner." Oshitari said as the others fidget when Ryoma's eyes landed on them. Momo's eyes widen in glee, "Finally! I thought we'd never get to eat!" he said as he smiled and began to walk to the stairs. Eiji quickly followed muttering something along the line of "You aren't going to eat everything without me." Which made Oishi quickly follow as well. This made the others look in amusement. It just really confirmed that Oishi Shuichiro was indeed a mother hen to everyone.
Ryoma shook his head before turning to the person beside him, "Shall we join them, Syuusuke? I'm sure with Momo-sempai, Eiji-sempai, Gakuto-sempai, Marui-sempai, and Jirou-sempai in the dining table already, there might not be anything left for those who arrive late." Five heads snapped to the freshman who had called the tensai by his first name. Everyone knew that except for Yukimura, everyone else was not on the first name basis with the said freshman. They were wrong again since they heard Echizen call Fuji his first name. "Sure. You forgot to mention Amane, Tanishi-kun, and Kamio in the list of people who eat faster than normal people, Ryo-chan."
This time, the other five gaped. It was well noted that Echizen hated being called O-chibi by Kikumaru and Brat by Atobe. But here it was. Fuji Syuusuke calling him with a nickname and the freshman wasn't protesting. He was smirking even. "I have then. Since the list just got extended, it shows that we really have to get down there." He said and moved. Fuji walked beside him as the other five followed quietly. Ryoma was sure that Oishi was already telling the rest to not mention the whole topic and the five behind him were going to be told at some point after dinner.
When they got to the dining room, everyone pretended that nothing had happened. Yukimura was sitting between Sanada and Atobe when Ryoma entered with Fuji, laughing about something Fuji must have said. Yukimura couldn't help but feel that something was a little off about Fuji but it must have been because Ryoma was with Fuji, laughing. He smiled when Ryoma smiled at him, sitting across him and in between Fuji and Kajimoto. When everyone was busy, talking and eating, no one noticed the predatory smirk that graced Fuji's face. Well, no one but Tanaka the head butler.
Fuji turned to him and his smile had spoken clearly what the butler didn't want to hear at all. Then the smile softened when the young Echizen turned to him and asked him something. "So Priest Manetho had returned as well. This will not end well if left alone." He thought and knew that he had to get help. He quietly did his duties while watching the special young masters. The older young master was glancing at the younger who was oblivious to the glances since the young man beside him had captured his full attention. Was Priest Manetho really reincarnated as well? It felt that way to the head butler.
Later that evening, Ryoma was still with Fuji. They were strolling down the path to the garden. "I just don't understand Syuusuke. Why Monkey King had to do all this." Ryoma said as he sat down on the side of the fountain. Fuji sat across him, looking at him with a sad expression. "Ryoma, when you asked Oishi to tell the others to drop the topic, I think you should do so too. It will not do you good if you keep asking why Atobe did what he did. I suggest that you think of something else and just forget about it. You said it yourself, you don't want to trap Yukimura. If you burden yourself with this, it will burden him too." Fuji explained as he pulled Ryoma close.
"Besides, now that I have been given the chance to be with you alone, I won't allow you to be sad and/or angry. It will ruin the whole vacation if it isn't ruined yet." He added as he lifted Ryoma's face to his level. Ryoma was lost for words. This would be saying a lot since usually he would have a reply to whomever he was speaking. No, that didn't apply to Fuji Syuusuke, Seigaku tensai. The freshman just blushed scarlet which made the tensai smile wider. "If you blush one more time, I might not be able to refrain myself from whatever I might end up doing to you, Ryoma." He said.
Ryoma shivered as his name rolled off Fuji's tongue smoothly. He never thought he'd hear his name spoken that way, ever. He pouted, "Well, if you stop telling me things then I won't blush as much. So much for being a genius, Syuusuke. You're the one causing me to blush." He said. The statement just made Fuji chuckle, "Well, since you pouted, I shall just have to get rid of it too. I did say that I won't give you a sad vacation." He said and leaned in to kiss Ryoma's pout away. Fuji was rewarded with a low moan from the freshman when he won the battle for supremacy.
Ryoma had wrapped his arms around Fuji's neck while Fuji's arms were around the former's waist, securely holding him close. In the shadows, Yukimura watched in silent rage as Ryoma was being far too close to the tensai. Why did Fuji had to make his move now? Why didn't he do it before Yukimura met Ryoma? Yukimura knew there was something wrong and now he knew. But there was still something else. He just didn't know what it was.
He went back inside, leaving the two alone. As he entered the hallway, Tanaka was there. It seemed that the butler was waiting for him. "Is there something wrong, Tanaka-san?" Yukimura asked. Tanaka looked around and opened the door behind him that didn't look like a door at all. It was a wall! A hidden room! Yukimura followed and the wall behind him closed. "Young Master Yukimura, there is something you must know." The tone sounded so urgent and worried. "What is it, Tanaka-san? What's wrong now?" "It seems that you and Young Master Echizen aren't the only ones who are reincarnations of our King and his Consort." The old man told him.
"What do you mean by 'not the only one'? Who else is there? Was there someone who didn't approve of the King and the Consort?" he asked. The old man nodded since he nailed it. "Yes. There was someone who didn't approve of the union. However, no one really knew about it much since the one who was against it was very close to the Consort. When the Consort was found in the temple of the sun god, the second in command of the priests, Priest Manetho, was the one who stumbled in on the Consort. Priest Manetho was very close to the Consort even when he married the King." This confused Yukimura.
"Young Master, just because the Consort had married the King, it isn't a guarantee that everyone accepted it. Priest Manetho was the one who opposed it very much yet kept it hidden. He would rather see the Consort happy than miserable if the Consort knew that the very person he knew first didn't approve of the union." He pulled an old looking scroll from the box that was behind the old man. "This is a copy of the scroll the head priest Imhotep made when the Consort was getting closer to the King up until the death of the said Consort. It is written that Imhotep had heard Manetho vow that he would someday have Amon-Rye all to himself like how it should have been if Imhotep hadn't made Manetho present Amon-Rye to the King to decide the child's destiny so to speak." He explained as he handed the scroll to the boy.
"Manetho had turned into an evil priest despite looking the he always had. Imhotep wrote that Manetho had created a spell of some kind to keep the King and the Consort in the afterlife with no chance of rebirth. If Manetho indeed has returned as well, you must make sure that Young Master Echizen is safe. Nothing good ever comes out from prophecies that are being thwarted. If the King and the Consort are condemned, then Manetho's return will bring catastrophy and chaos in this time." Tanaka explained which caused Yukimura to worry.
How was he going to battle a reincarnated evil priest? "Are you sure that this Manetho had returned as well?" Yukimura asked, wanting to make sure. Tanaka nodded, "Yes, I am very sure that Manetho has returned as well. He is young master Fuji of Seigaku. Not only do they look the same, but the mannerisms, the character is nearly the same. Manetho was told to be able to make everyone believe that he was good with his smile and his eyes. But only the chief priest was immune to the lies. He had known Manetho since they were children so Manetho could never lie nor could he hide anything from Imhotep. However, it seems that the chief priest, the chief of the royal guard and the adviser had not returned like the king, the consort, and the priest." He said with a dejected tone.
"Who are the other three?" This made the butler smile a little though. "It is really fate that the king's adviser and the chief of the royal guards are close to you as well. Young Master Sanada is the reincarnate by looks and somewhat personality of the Chief of the Royal Guards while Young Master Renji is the adviser. I was told that you three are the Big Three of Rikkaidai, correct?" Yukimura nodded in shock. Sanada and Renji? Yukimura had a feeling that he knew who Imhotep was but he wanted to make sure. "And who is Imhotep?" Tanaka smiled, "Imhotep returned as Young Master Tezuka." Then everything fell into place: Yukimura's sudden edgy feeling of Fuji that didn't appear until now.
"So if what your saying is true, then I need to make sure that this Manetho doesn't merge with Fuji right?" Yukimura asked. Things were getting serious now. "You are correct, Young Master. Manetho's soul must not merge with Young Master Fuji or catastrophy will be inevitable. And if the Consort's soul doesn't merge with Young Master Echizen soon, Manetho will be able to trap Amon-Rye away with Arumi-Kuy. And no one will be able to stop him. People do not believe in magic anymore. But in the days of old, it is a power to be feared. And Manetho had accomplished that feat. He is strong and he will do everything he can to have Amon-Rye, with or without the soul." Tanaka said as he led Yukimura out into the deserted hallway again.
Yukimura felt so useless. What could he do? He was just a teenager. "I need help. I cannot do this alone." He said honestly. The old man smiled, "Do not fear. The gods will never forsake you. They will help you as well as the people. We will help you as well. But you must never reveal this to the adviser and the two chiefs. They must realize this first like you and Young Master Ryoma has seen it for yourselves first be it in a vision or the walls of the pyramids. They must awaken their own ancestors on their own." He said before leaving.
This made everything harder. He had his most trusted yet he wasn't allowed to tell them. He had to stop Manetho from fully returning as well as stopping Fuji from getting anymore closer than he already was with Ryoma. And lastly, he couldn't tell Ryoma who Fuji is and what Yukimura was sure he was planning. Ryoma might never believe him and might get the freshman made at him instead for trying to speak ill of his sempai. He sighed. What Ryoma doesn't know, won't hurt him. Yet.
TBC. ^_^
A/N: Read and Review. My deepest apologies for the errors in Chapter 5 & 6. Please bear with me. Thank you. *bows* And with that said, this would be my longest chapter since this fic started. ^_^
To all those who love Thrill Pair (Ryoma-Fuji) I am DEEPLY and most HUMBLY SORRY that I shall make Fuji evil in this series. Reassured that A Ryoma-Fuji chaptered fic will be started after the Ryoma-Yukimura and Ryoma-Choutaro stories are finished. *bows* Arigato, minna-san!
