*NOTE* Alternate Universe wherein I shamelessly borrowed/altered ideas from various media sources and even threw in some of my own. If anything is canon here, it's probably an accident. Some chapters include corporal punishment.

Changechildren (Prince of Tennis)

Part 20

By Haruka (email: haruka at ymail dot com)

Mizuki had ended up with Takahisa in the Tanaka twins' room – he'd wanted to talk to him but found him unwilling to leave Youhei and Kouhei alone. When he found out why, he was intrigued. Atobe Keigo in trouble? How delicious! He said as much to Takahisa, and received a chuckle as a reward.

"I know, the significance is not lost on me." His face became serious. "By the way, there's something you should know. I found out why you did what you did this morning."

Mizuki looked surprised. "And?"

Takahisa nodded. "Fuji Syuusuke is responsible. Did he say something to you about jumping in the lake this morning?"

Mizuki paused, frowning. "He might have, I'm not sure. I DID speak with him briefly, but I don't remember what was said." His eyes flashed as he raised them to meet Takahisa's. "But if he used his power on me, I'll make him sorry!"

"_Supposedly_, it was an accident – at least that's the gist I got from it. His teammates were begging for forgiveness because they hadn't believed him, I guess."

"No one SHOULD believe him! He's a snake in tensai clothing!"

Takahisa squeezed Mizuki's hand. "What goes around, comes around. He'll get his."

"Oh my GOD!" both Youhei and Kouhei exclaimed together, startling the other two boys.

"What? What?!" Mizuki demanded "And would you mind not scaring a person to death?!"

The twins stared at them. "You wouldn't believe what we just heard happened downstairs!" Youhei said, wide-eyed.

I won't laugh, I won't laugh, Nanjiroh repeated to himself, but the temptation was great. Only Tarou's obvious pain held him back.

"You really broke your wrist spanking a boy? That must be every kid's dream!"

"Nanjiroh-san, this is serious," Aoi told him, carefully studying the Hyotei Coach's wrist. "It really does look broken."

"Choutarou was as shocked as I was," Tarou said, gritting his teeth. "I think it was an involuntary self-defense move."

"We'd better get you to the hospital," Aoi said. "I'll make a sling –"

"Just a minute," Sumire interrupted. "There may not be a need for that." She went to the foot of the stairs. "Fuji Yuuta!" she called up. "Get down here, and hurry!"

The sound of feet running overheard was followed by Yuuta appearing on the landing, charging for the stairs.

"Careful, Yuuta-kun!" Aoi warned. "Don't break your neck or we'll have two medical emergencies to worry about!"

Yuuta slowed down just a bit as he pounded down the stairs. "What's going on?"

"Sakaki seems to have broken his wrist," Sumire told him. "Do you think you can heal him?"

Tarou looked at her. "He hasn't tried healing something like this before, has he?"

"No, I haven't!" Yuuta answered worriedly. "Ryuzaki-san, I don't know if –"

She put a hand on his shoulder. "And you never will unless you try."

"But broken bones?" the thirteen-year-old said uncertainly. "That's serious! I don't want to make things worse!"

"Sounds like it's up to you, Tarou," Nanjiroh remarked. "You want to spend six weeks in a cast or take a chance on the kid here?" He rubbed Yuuta's hair reassuringly.

Tarou looked down at his wrist and scowled at it like it was a foreign object. "Right now I guess I'd risk almost anything just to stop this pain, and I'm not looking forward to six weeks of not being able to play the piano." He faced Yuuta. "I would very much appreciate any help you can give me."

Yuuta looked around at all the adults and wanted to help, but so far he'd only had experience healing small injuries – scrapes and cuts mostly.

"You can do it, Yuuta!"

He turned and looked back up the stairs. Syuusuke was there, watching and smiling encouragement at him. Yuuta took a deep breath and moved to stand in front of Tarou. He held both his hands over the music teacher's wrist and focused on activating his healing power.

Yuuta couldn't really explain how it felt to heal except to say that he was drawing the injury out and away from the person who suffered it. Where it went, he didn't know, because he himself wasn't feeling any ill effects from it. All he felt was a sense of 'completeness' that grew stronger with every stage of recovery the injured person experienced. He always knew when the healing was done, and this was no exception.

"I'm finished," he said, a touch of awe to his voice. He'd really done it!

Nanjiroh and the women watched Tarou gingerly flex his wrist. He looked at them in surprise. "It's as good as new," he said.

"Atta boy!" Nanjiroh grabbed a startled Yuuta in a headlock and noogied him. "Way to go, kid!"

"Congratulations, Yuuta-kun!" Aoi clapped her hands together. "You're a hero!"

"Nice work," Sumire commented, feeling Tarou's wrist experimentally. She smiled and nodded in Yuuta's direction. "Good job."

Tarou bowed to the teenager. "Thank you very much, Yuuta-kun."

"Y-You're welcome," the boy answered, feeling embarrassed now. He wasn't used to adults making a fuss over him.

However, when his big brother glomped him from behind in a bear hug, THAT he was used to. And for once, he didn't protest.

Tezuka entered his bedroom and nudged the door shut behind him with his elbow. His hands were already full, as he carried a basin of water and a washcloth. He set both down on the bedside table and regarded Atobe.

The Hyotei Captain was laying face-down on his bed. He had changed clothes while Tezuka was out of the room, and now wore a purple satin robe with ruffles at the collar and wrists. His legs and feet were bare.

"What's all the noise out there?" Atobe asked wearily.

"I think it has to do with Sakaki-san's injured wrist – I wasn't paying attention." Tezuka dipped the washcloth into the cool water, then sat on the edge of Atobe's bed and lifted the lower half of his robe, revealing his naked backside. He frowned thoughtfully.

"How bad is it?" Atobe asked warily. "Should I take pictures before I sue him for everything he's got?"

"You're red, all right, but it would have been worse if he'd taken your pants down." Tezuka laid the washcloth across Atobe's skin, causing the other boy to draw breath sharply. "This should cool it off," the Seigaku Captain remarked, then smiled wryly. "Unless you'd rather just ice-over your butt instead."

Atobe gave him a Look. "I think I'll refrain from coating any part of my anatomy with ice for a while, thank you."

"Then it would appear that Sakaki-san's punishment was a success, hmm?" Tezuka turned the cloth over.

"That has nothing to do with it! It's not as if I would ever have done it again – why would I?" Atobe shrugged. "Besides, I would still need Choutarou to get out of it."

"Speaking of Ohtori-kun and getting out of things," Tezuka began, "it's not exactly fair that you got spanked and he didn't, even if he didn't break Sakaki's wrist on purpose."

"I was rather perturbed by that myself at first," Atobe admitted. "But I WAS the one who pressured him into going along with the idea. I suppose I can be magnanimous about it, considering that side of things."

"Well, I can't!"

Atobe looked back again, surprised at the vehemence in Tezuka's tone. "You're angry with Choutarou?"

"I'm angry with BOTH of you!" Tezuka told him. "Sakaki-san was right; you could have been killed! It wasn't worth it, but you did it, anyway, and Ohtori-kun went along with it." He removed the cloth and dipped it back into the water, his jawline tight with annoyance. "If he hadn't spanked you, I might have done so myself!"

Atobe's eyebrows shot up, but he didn't reply. He gave a yelp as Tezuka put the cloth back onto him. "Careful with that, I think you gave me a shock! Electricity and water don't mix, you know!"

The other teenager met his eyes. "Ironic you should say that, since I AM electricity now, and you're frozen water."

Atobe's expression held a hint of doubt. "Are you so angry that you would start thinking like that now?"

Tezuka caught Atobe's chin and bent down to kiss him hard on the lips. The Hyotei Captain could almost feel Tezuka's anxiety over the near-miss as a tangible object during their contact, and when he drew back, he could see it in the other boy's eyes.

"Don't take anymore foolish risks, Keigo. Please."

"I won't," Atobe answered breathlessly. He winced and smiled ruefully. "But just in case, I think I'll hire a whipping boy."

Choutarou was on his bed with his legs drawn up, his arms wrapped around them, and his face buried in them. Shishido was next to him, rubbing his back in comfort, while Gakuto leapt around the room like a hyperactive jumping bean with Yuushi standing beside him.

"I don't BELIEVE this, I flat-out don't believe it!" Gakuto declared, then dropped down on his knees in front of the youngest boy. "Tell me again, Choutarou! Go on, say it!"

A mumbled response came from the Sophomore, "Sensei spanked Atobe-buchou."

"I can hardly believe it myself," Yuushi admitted.

Shishido snorted. "I don't know why you're so surprised! What adult WOULDN'T flip out if they found out a kid risked their life for a gag?"

"True, but I'm certain Atobe has never been spanked before," Yuushi mentioned. "Even if his parents were so inclined, they'd probably hire a whipping boy first."

"Maybe THAT'S why he keeps Kabaji so close all the time!" Gakuto laughed.

"Senpai, please, this isn't funny." Choutarou looked up, his handsome face a vision of distress. "Not only did Atobe-buchou get spanked and I didn't, but Sakaki-sensei broke his wrist on me! I feel terrible!"

"Personally, I'd feel worse if I DID get spanked," Gakuto said dryly, then snickered. "And Sensei breaking his wrist on your butt IS funny, Choutarou!"

"Don't be such an insensitive jerk, Gakuto!" Shishido snapped. "Can't you see that this is really bothering him?"

"Oh, since when are YOU Mr. Sensitivity?" the acrobat retorted. "I'm just saying what you're thinking, and you know it!"

"Maybe, but Choutarou sees things differently and he's the one involved, okay?!"

"PLEASE stop fighting!" Choutarou cried. "Sakaki-sensei will be out of commission for weeks and Atobe-buchou probably hates me. I should have never agreed to help him with this!"

"I'll second that."

The boys looked toward the doorway where Tarou stood.

"Sensei!" Choutarou scrambled to his feet. "Your wrist! Why aren't you going to the hospital -?!"

Tarou held up his arm and rotated the wrist. "It's fine now; Fuji Yuuta healed me."

"He can heal broken bones?" Yuushi remarked. "Impressive."

"I'm so glad!" Choutarou said, smiling with relief.

"We need some time alone, Ohtori-kun," Tarou said seriously and looked at the other boys. "Leave us."

Yuushi and Gakuto went out of the room quickly and Choutarou turned a little pale. Shishido hesitated.

"He didn't want to do it, Sensei," he said. "Either going along with Atobe or breaking your wrist. It wasn't –!" He stopped suddenly when Choutarou touched his arm.

"Don't," the younger boy said, giving him a nervous but reassuring smile. "It's okay." He glanced toward their Coach. "We … have unfinished business."

Shishido looked like he wanted to protest further, but couldn't argue with the plea on Choutarou's face. He jammed his fists into his pockets and headed for the door, pausing at the threshold to look back at the younger boy significantly.

"Good luck," he mouthed.

Tarou closed the door.

Ryoma went into his room and picked up Karupin, nuzzling his face into the cat's thick fur. He figured he'd better finish his homework and put the cat on his bed, then noticed something on his pillow.

"What the -?" He reached down and picked up a jumbo-sized chocolate bar wrapped with a ribbon. There was a gift card attached to it. He flipped the card over and read it out loud.

"'With love, from your Secret Admirer.'" Ryoma did a double-take. What the heck? He had a secret admirer now? Well, at least they had good taste in presents. He sat on the edge of the bed and opened the bar, breaking off a piece and popping it into his mouth. He was studying the card when Shinji came into their room.

"Fudomine tennis practice ran late and now it seems that we missed some kind of excitement around here, although I don't know what it is yet. I wonder if we'll be sorry that we missed it. Right now I'm just curious, but I'm also hungry." Shinji glanced at the bar in Ryoma's hand. "That's a humongous chocolate bar for someone your size. If you eat that, are you going to be hyped up all night on a sugar high? I won't be able to sleep if you're bouncing off the walls, and –"

"Can you be quiet for a minute?" Ryoma asked in irritation. "I'm trying to figure out who sent this – I don't recognize the handwriting." A thought occurred to him and he held the card out to Shinji. "You're the one with the connection to inanimate objects. Can you tell me who wrote this?"

Shinji took the gift card and read it, then paused for a moment. The look of surprise on his face made Ryoma uneasy – Ibu-san didn't usually reveal that much emotion in his expression. "What?" he asked, taking another bite of chocolate. "Who wrote it?"

Shinji looked up to meet his eyes. "Hanamura-san."

Ryoma choked.

End of Part 20

(2006)

Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi.

This fic is not to be re-posted.