Disclaimer: In chapter uno. Yay, now go find it.

A/N: Wow. I think the last chapter got more reviews than all the others did! This makes me happy...I was worried of course, about he mpreg thing. Seeing how I didn't mention it in the summary or anything I thought more of you would get angry at me or something...More of you are more surprised than anything! I'm so glad for that. ^^

Ah, a note on Ryoma. I got carried away with the Fuji chapters huh? Well I was planning on making this one Ryoma-centric, but for some reason the last chapter ended in a place I hadn't expected, and I can't leave you guys at a cliffhanger! The next chapter will be all Ryoma, promise. Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

Chapter 11: Problematic Courage

The world seemed to freeze as the brother looked at each other. Fuji felt sick again, but he couldn't avert his eyes from Yuuta's shocked ones. He knew now. He knew about Fuji's secret. What would happen to him now? Gods, now everyone would know...he'd have to forfeit the tournament...tell the world...

No. He wasn't thinking clearly. He could still get out of this. He had worked too hard for everything to come crashing around him now. Too many things were at stake.

"Yuuta..." He started, but his brother cut him off sharply, surprising him.

"What are you thinking?! You fought knowing...! How far along are you?! To risk this...and here I thought you were intelligent!" The man yelled angrily and pointed a finger at him accusingly. "You can't continue this!"

"Yuuta, calm down," Fuji took a step towards him and sucked in a deep breath as the pain in his stomach came back. He shook it off and took another step. "I know what I'm risking, okay? I have a very good reason for doing this though. Please, don't tell anyone until I'm ready. I need you to do this for me, please." Begging didn't become him, he knew this, but the only other option was to wipe his brother's mind. That was not an option he wanted to take unless it was absolutely necessary. (1)

Cold brown eyes glared back at him. "How could you ask me to do such a thing? You'd put you're child's life at risk because you have a stupid reason for keeping it a secret? That's selfish! I won't do it!"

"If you tell anyone they'll force me to kill it! One more week Yuuta and they can't do that! I'll be...far enough along for it to stay safe," He finished softly, a hand moving down over his stomach protectively. "Please...I don't want that to happen. This is all I have..."

Yuuta's eyes shut for a few seconds before reopening. They were a bit softer now, but Fuji could still see the anger hidden deep within them. "I want you to tell me everything, okay? I can't let you do something stupid unless I know this 'reason'."

"I wish I could," The tensai sighed moving to sit on a pedestal that once held a flower pot. He rested his hands in his lap and his eyes opened slightly to stare at them. "All I really can tell you is that I'm a little over three months. Anymore than that may get me in trouble, I'm sorry."

"That's not good enough!" Yuuta snapped. "Who's the father, why are you hiding it, and what exactly are you going to do about it?!"

Fuji glanced up and him and slowly shook his head. He wanted to tell Yuuta, oh how he wanted to tell him!, but of course he knew he couldn't. No one could know. "When it becomes more obvious I plan to move back home. For now though I have to get through this tournament without any suspicious moves. I have laid enough protective spells on myself to keep it safe. Trust me, you know I wouldn't be doing this unless I had to."

"Yeah, and that's what worries me." Yuuta moved to stand in front of him and opened his mouth to speak when suddenly a group of servants burst out of the trees in their direction. Fuji stood and glanced at his brother in confusion.

"Fuji-dono! Fuji-dono! You're needed in the Prince's meeting room!" One of them said quickly catching his breath against a tree. "I shouldn't have run so fast..."

Another swatted him on the back of the head. "I told you to slow down!" She turned all smiles at the brothers. "Please hurry there Fuji-dono."

"I had better go see what is going on," Fuji sighed and swept a hand through his light brown hair and feeling comfortable enough to head in smiled softly at Yuuta. "I'm trusting you to do the right thing here. Good-bye," He left the courtyard without another word, but he could feel those confused brown eyes on the back of his neck the entire time. I'm sorry Yuuta...

The hallway outside the Prince's offices were bustling by the time Fuji reached them. He caught a glimpse of Oishi and Eiji discussing something, but several of Tezuka's private servants zipped in front of them gossiping obscuring Fuji's view. He instead went and stood in front of the rather burly guard outside the room.

"Excuse me, I believe I was called for?"

The guard looked him up and down suspiciously before nodding and stepping to the side. Fuji smiled at him and walked in...

Only to find the shock of his life standing inside wearing pleasant red robes waiting for him.

"Saeki? What are you doing here? I thought Rokkaku was helping with the war in the north?" Fuji said in surprise going to hug his old friend happily. When he pulled away he tsked at a small cut over the man's nose. "Now how did you get that?"

"One question at a time," The two-toned haired man laughed and pulled a seat out for the tensai. "Let's sit and I'll tell you everything. Your Prince is in the other room talking to the captain of our Racquets now so we have plenty of time."

Fuji sat and nodded. "Yes, I guess we would have plenty of time. Aoi-kun could talk the ears of a bat," He chuckled thinking of the young man. Several years ago Rokkaku had recruited the brilliant swordsman and almost immediately made him captain. Fuji had taken a trip to the forested country to visit this 'Aoi Kentaro' and see what it was all about. Apparently the aging king there just picked a man out of the crowd, although Aoi had proved his worth in a small district tournament a month later.

"Anyway, the war up north has settled down. Ginka decided a peace treaty was in order so they didn't need the Racquets of Rokkaku's services any longer. Instead of going home we thought it would be fun to come and watch how this tournament ends. I got this," He pointed at his nose, "When Kentaro's enthusiasm to get here ended up with us in the middle of goblin territory. Do not interrupt goblins in breeding season," He winced at the memory.

"Yes, that would have been an unpleasant experience." Fuji agreed and brought his fingers up to the abrasion and let out some healing energy. "There, all better." He went to move his hand away, but Saeki caught it with his own and held it close to his lips. Fuji watched in alarm as the man placed a small kiss on his fingertips before finally releasing them. "Saeki..."

"I apologize, but I couldn't resist," The man replied without a hint of regret in his voice.

Fuji placed his hands in his lap to avoid anything else like that occuring and looked away. "We're not engaged anymore, and I'm sorry to say but I have no interest in you in those areas. If that's why you came here you're going to be very disappointed."

Saeki leaned back in his seat with a laugh. "I know that. I just love to catch you off guard. It seems to be a lot easier to achieve these days. Something on your mind?"

"No, nothing," He looked back at him. "Just don't do that again. Some of my team mates you have not met might get the wrong impression about out relationship. While I would enjoy tricking them any other time, there's a tournament going on and I don't want to deal with out of hand rumors."

"Of course. Oh, and I also would like to apologize to Yuuta for missing his wedding. I heard it was a very lovely event."

Fuji smiled at the memory of all those flowers and his brother's happy face and nodded. "It was. He knew you couldn't make it, but I could tell he was wishing for a few more of his friends to be in the crowd." A servant walked in with a tray of tea and he took a cup. "He's pregnant now by the way."

Saeki's eyes widened as he took a cup of his own. "No way! Really? That was fast. I'm surprised you haven't made them sleep apart with your undying love of Mizuki and all," He teased. Fuji often sent letters to the man, and more than a few were about how he hated that Yuuta was dating the frivolous Lord.

"Yes well I would have, but unfortunately other kingdom's Racquets are not allowed in our chambers after dark," He sighed with a playful smile on his lips. "Seriously though, I am very happy for him. You should see him now! He's turning into quite a little gentleman."

The door to the left of them opened and Aoi's cheerful tones wafted out to them and soon the man appeared walking backwards with the Prince following him. Fuji and Saeki stood out of respect and Aoi tripped over a chair behind him. Tezuka rubbed the bridge of his nose slightly annoyed.

"Fuji, would you mind showing our guests to their rooms?"

Fuji shook his head. He found that expression on the Prince to be quite endearing. Aoi would have to stay more often. "Of course not heika," He nodded at his friend who pulled Aoi away before following Fuji down the hallway. "My, you certainly know how to get on someone's nerves, Aoi-kun,"

The younger man frowned. "I wasn't trying to! Honestly!"

Fuji chuckled and they continued their light hearted banter until they reached the guest rooms. The tensai said his farewells and headed to his own private quarters to think. After the encounter with Yuuta his mind was still buzzing. If he had made that mistake in front of anyone else...and if he had done it once it might happen again...He was going to go crazy with 'what if's' by the end of this for sure.

This tournament suddenly got a lot tougher.

"Wow! So you and Fuji were engaged?"

Saeki nodded. "Yes, but it was arranged by our parents. After the accident we decided to end it." He was referring to the fire that had claimed his friend's parents lives. The event still left Saeki feeling empty inside when he thought about what the usually cheerful Fuji had to go through. Ending their engagement was mostly out of pity more than anything. Having to wed when there were no real feeling between them after something so tragic didn't seem fair.

Eiji frowned and crossed his arms. "That's so silly making people get engaged. You should marry who you want to marry! Nya, right Oishi?" He bounced over to hug the vampire tightly.

"Right," Oishi agreed without really having heard what was going on. He found it was just easier to agree with the bakeneko most of the time. "Come along now Eiji, we shouldn't be bothering him anymore, besides we have to get ready for tomorrow's matches,"

The cat's face brightened. "We're fighting tomorrow?!"

"I didn't say that..."

"Yes you did! You said..." There voices trailed off as they turned the corner and Saeki chuckled. They were a match made in heaven. He glanced out the window and watched a few cherry blossoms swirl about before landing on the cool stone below. Seishun palace certainly was beautiful this time of year and he made a quick decision to go explore the gardens.

Outside he followed the stone path around a maze of lovely flowers and figurines. As he entered a small clearing he blushed at the sight that greeted him. "Yuuta-kun, I don't think this is the place for that..."

"Saeki! I uh," Yuuta pulled away from the grumbling Mizuki and went to embrace his old friend. "I knew you had arrived but I couldn't find you anywhere." He straightened out his hair and took a deep breath as he willed away the red tinting his cheeks.

"Are you sure you weren't fooling around with Mizuki-san there and forgot about me?" He gestured to the upset Lord still reclining on the bench with his eyes. If he had arrived a minute later...He didn't want to think about it really.

Yuuta blushed lightly. "I told him I wanted to talk, but he always seems to get the upper hand in these type of situations...Anyway, how are you?" He led him to the bench and ungracefully kicked his husband to the ground to make room for them to sit. Mizuki glared at him, but Yuuta just shrugged not really caring.

"I'm fine. Congratulations by the way, I really am sorry I couldn't make it,"

"Its alright, I got your gift anyway." Yuuta replied as Mizuki sat beside him and dusted his purple shirt off, trying to pretend he hadn't just kicked to the ground. "Well since we're all sitting again, I want to talk, and no Hajime you're not allowed to drag me off! This is important."

Mizuki held his hands up defensively. "I didn't do anything!"

"Whatever...look, I can't go into details, but something is wrong with my brother." He sighed. "I trust you guys not to go telling anyone, okay?" He shot a look at his husband who just twirled a piece of hair around his finger innocently.

"He did seem a little off when I talked to him earlier," Saeki mused. "What's going on?"

"I can't tell you, but I would like for you to keep an eye on him, just to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." He explained softly.

Mizuki wrapped an arm around his waist sensing the seriousness of the situation. "Don't worry Yuuta-kun, your brother isn't an idiot. Whatever's wrong with him won't hinder his ability to think rationally, right? Anyway, I won't admit this often, but I believe he's good guy with a lot of good sense. Don't worry so much, okay?"

Yuuta sighed. "Yeah..."

Saeki watched the exchange silently. There must be something very serious going on for the youngest Fuji to be behaving in such a way. The dark headed Lord didn't see it because he didn't know the sorcerer very well, but Saeki did. He saw the way Fuji flinched when he touched him, how his smile just wasn't quite real. He would definetely take Yuuta's advice and watch the tensai closely. Their engagement might have been called off, but secretly Saeki did hold deeper feelings for the man, and if something was causing him to be unhappy than he was going to find it and do everything in his power to set things right again.

1– Just to make this clear, its not the baby making him sick. Its the charms he keeps placing on himself to hide it. He's showing earlier than normal as well because dude, he's totally skinny to start with and since he's a sorcerer a lot of his energy is being absorbed by the baby as well causing it to grow faster.

A/N: Where the hell did Saeki come from?! Jeez, this story is doing things its not supposed to! AKA I watched the Rokkaku episodes for the first time and fell in love with him. XD Other than that I think this chapter sucks...ugh, I hate dialogue...And I thought I had made this clear, but Fuji can get pregnant because he has elf in him. I got this idea while watching LOTR, go figure.

Next Chapter: Momo gets hurt in a fight, which leads to some very nice tension between him and Ryoma. Also, another surprise visitor to the palace might just leave Ryoma wishing he was never born. Thank-you, please come again.