Writer's Note: This is a combination of three parts, all of them relatively short. As I didn't want to spam your inboxes, I did it this way instead. If you do decide to review, at least have the courtesy to sign in and allow me to answer any and all accusations.

Shattered

Continuity: 032/100
Prompt: 032: Sunset
Summary: Eiji gets settled, and considers.
Author's Notes: You think I'd actually plan this (Prompt 32 as No. 32)? I didn't. This is in reference to where Eiji and Oishi used to go whenever they lost a match.
Disclaimer: Characters are owned by Konomi Takeshi, and whoever did the anime. At any rate, it's not me.

Reminiscing

The next day was a long one. Eiji spent most of it moving back into his parents house, restocking it and airing it out. He didn't plan on staying long, really, but it would give him a place to be while he tried to figure out what he wanted to do.

Near the end of the day, Eiji found himself on that ugly green storage container where he'd first become Oishi's doubles partner – yep, still there! – watching the sunset.

It was beautiful, in a way that the sunsets in New York never had been. He'd never noticed them when he was here, when he was younger, going over his tennis matches with Oishi. They'd never had the eyes for them. He leaned back on his hands, stretching his legs out, and, vaguely, wished someone – anyone – important were there with him.

Continuity: 33/100
Prompt: 007 - Days
Summary: Eiji begins to search for a job.
Author's Notes: I can't get away from Atobe. I don't think I'd ever write a story about him, but he just... keeps poking his nose in!

Working Again

Eiji had been back only a few days when he started sending his resume out again, because he found that being idle did not agree with him. And just looking for a place to live did not keep his attention as well as it might have, because he wanted to live fairly close to work.

The phone rang just a couple of days after he'd sent out his first batch of resumes, and he picked it up, expecting to hear Oishi's voice on the other end.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?"

"Atobe-san," he said, surprised. "I… I'm not sure."

"You're not sure. How long have you been back?" He sounded impatient.

"Six days, I think," Eiji said.

"You think?"

"Without work, the days sort of… blend together," he said.

"Ah, good. Then you have not found another place of employment."

"Oh. No."

"Good. I'm having lunch at 2:00. I'll send a car to pick you up. Give me the address where you are staying."

And just like that, Eiji had a lunch date.

It wasn't long to the time Atobe had specified, so Eiji changed into his suit and ran a brush through his hair; it was getting long and he needed to cut it. If it hadn't been so sudden, he would have done it before meeting with Atobe.

Well, it'd have to do. He headed for the front door, stepping outside as the car pulled up at the end of the walk. He locked the door behind him and went to get in.

Lunch was at a very expensive restaurant, which Eiji was not as uncomfortable in as he might have been earlier in his life. Atobe, it seemed, approved.

The conversation was lively, covering most of the work Eiji had done in America and why he'd returned to Japan. Eiji had his own questions, about the people he'd worked with while at Atobe's company, and Atobe was able to fill him in for most of them. That, too, seemed to be approved of.

It was dessert before Atobe got to the point. "Do you want to stay in Tokyo now?" he asked.

"I… don't really have a preference," Eiji said quietly. "It would be nice, I think; I could check on my parents' house while they're gone, and I have good friends here."

Atobe smirked. "Oishi."

"Yes."

Atobe tapped one finger against his glass. "I'd like you to work for me again," he said slowly. "I think I have a position here in Tokyo that will be good for a man of your abilities. Are you interested?"

Eiji nodded. "I think so. I'd need more information…."

"Naturally," Atobe said with a wave of his hand. "I would expect nothing less. I will send it to you tomorrow, if that is acceptable."

"Fine," Eiji said. "Thank you."

Three days later, he had a job, and a more specific area to look for an apartment in.

Continuity: 34/100
Prompt: 052 - Fire
Summary: Eiji and Oishi have dinner.
Author's Notes: I had some ideas - and had to work to make this not be too romantic!

Fireside Chat

"I can't believe you accepted that job," Oishi said.

Eiji smiled. "Why?" he asked.

"I don't know. I guess I'm just surprised."

They sat at a small restaurant, fairly expensive, at a table near a fire; Kippei had to work that evening. Eiji swirled the wine in his glass a moment, and smiled. "I was, too, when Atobe called. But the offer was too good to pass up."

"I guess the surprise is that you're staying here, in Tokyo," Oishi said, and hesitated before going on. "Are you sure that's wise?"

Eiji sipped at the wine before setting it down. "I don't know," he admitted. "But I decided that I was being pathetic. Even if he wasn't there, Fuji's controlled my life since I graduated from high school. Everything I've done since then has been in reaction to his presence - or to guarantee his absence - in my life. I don't want to live like that anymore."

Oishi didn't say anything for a moment, watching his friend and former doubles partner across the table. "Can you?"

Eiji smiled quickly and took a bite of his dessert - something yummy-looking that tasted as good as it looked. "I hope so. I'll find out, won't I?"

Oishi set his glass down firmly, evidently coming to a decision. "Ryoma's going to be playing in town. Want to go and see the match?"

Eiji perked up. "Yes. That sounds great. Can you get tickets?"

Oishi grinned. "Oh, yeah. I can get tickets."

Eiji picked up his wine again, hiding his uncertainty behind it. At least Oishi had changed the subject, but it did bring up a question -

Could he withstand what Fuji was likely to throw at him, once he found out Eiji was in town?