Disclaimer: Do not own anything!

~~ Satisfaction Brought It Back ~~

~~ 28. June, Late Afternoon ~~

Ryoma panted hard, forcing the fresh air through his lungs as he laid sprawled out on the ground with twitching muscles. Sweat had long ago drowned his sports wear, making it stick to every inch of his skin. His red racquet laid only inches from his left hand, having fallen out of his hand due to exhaustion.

God, he was so exhausted, he couldn't even move a finger without feeling any soreness. At least he wasn't the only one. Fuji was just on the opposite part of the court, also laying on the ground and panting heavily. Ryoma groaned when he felt the vibration of hurried steps and heard hushed voices from afar. The others must have returned home. For how long had he and Fuji played tennis?

"What's going on here?" Yukimura jogged up to them, or more likely directly to him, and knelt down in worry. "Are you alright? Have you overworked yourself?" The bluenette's fingers went straight to his heated cheek and chest while he stared directly into Ryoma's eyes who had opened them in surprise by the sudden contact. Amethysts glimmered and sparkled beautifully in the evening sun. It was mesmerizing.

"I'm fine." Ryoma huffed, his throat dry from running around the court. Fuji surely knew how to play tennis. They had decided to only do a three-point match but it had cost him all his strength to not lose against the genius. Ryoma had never seen Fuji play with such fierce hits and serves over the last couple of days. Never had the brunette used most of today's serves before. His play had been good all the time but not to the extent of being overwhelmingly good. Why had Fuji hid his potential until today?

If Ryoma had known about it earlier, he wouldn't have dared to speak so lightly about the winner having a free wish. It had been more of a sudden idea to make easy progress with his plan of a new start than risking his newly gained unindebted freedom. The emphasis laid on easy.

"Don't worry, Sei. We just had a serious match, that's all." Fuji huffed heavily but chuckled happily. Atobe, Sanada and Tezuka arrived too, approaching them immediately with curiosity written on their faces.

"Serious? You of all people had a serious match, Syu?!" The bluenette asked in surprise, his hands staying where they were. The hands were comfortably cool and cooled Ryoma's heated and sweaty skin. It felt so good. "And since when are you here? We have gone to your shop to pick you up but you had already returned home."

"Syu being serious is almost something to celebrate." Atobe laughed with Yukimura joining in and Tezuka and Sanada smiling mildly. Ryoma had to smile too because the statement held so much truth which he had just experienced.

"True, which makes the reason behind his seriousness all the more interesting." Yukimura let go of Ryoma's body, his worry easing away but his attention still rested on him and not on Fuji. "You played a match against each other so early in the day and without telling any of us?"

Was that jealousy in the bluenette's voice or was it his imagination?

"Saa, it started as an accidental meeting and ended in some kind of a domino effect which led to me closing up my shop early and Ryoma wanting to have a match."

"Accident?" It was comical how all four jumped at the brunette's words. But above all, Ryoma couldn't laugh because he understood in which direction this conversation would certainly go and prepared himself mentally as good as he could with a very exhausted body and a mushy brain. How should he tell them?

Fuji laughed at his partners. "Don't worry. We are both fine, though, I think we will continue our little chat after we are not drowned in sweat anymore." The brunette smiled and nodded at Ryoma. Atobe, Yukimura, Tezuka and Sanada exchanged looks of confusion and suspicion.

"Is there something you want to tell us?"

"Yes, but you will need to wait for a bit, ne Ryoma?" Fuji said. Ryoma, still out of breath, nodded and rested his right arm over his eyes, hiding from the curious stares. Having all their eyes on him made him uncomfortable and… vulnerable. It wasn't exactly how he had planned to start this. Fuji was, as always, very subtle about it. He should have known upfront.

"Alright." Sanada agreed and helped Fuji up into a standing position, steadied him lovingly. Their exchange of looks spoke volumes. Ryoma averted his gaze, embarrassed by the sight of those two being all lovey-dovey. He had much bigger problems right then anyway. His legs were still feeling too numb to move, so should he risk the humiliation of asking for help too or should he risk the embarrassment of trying to stand up on his own and fail miserably. "Ryoma?"

He groaned in acknowledgement but didn't move. Someone whispered: "He must be really tired if he..."
The rest was inaudible. Maybe he should just rest a bit more, there on the ground, and wait for them to go inside the house first. His thoughts were interrupted roughly when strong arms went under his knees and shoulders and lifted him up, causing him to yelp in a very embarrassing high tone.

"Hey!" Sanada smiled at him but kept him in his arms, carrying him inside. The others trailed behind them, following while chatting about their day. "Hey, put me down!"

Was he blushing?
Hopefully not!
This situation was just so bizarre and embarrassing! Nobody had carried him like this before and Ryoma didn't dare to struggle, fearing he would fall down. So he did what he could do - he glared at Sanada who just grinned some more and only let him out of his grip slowly after they reached his bedroom's door. The others smirked stupidly at him as he wobbled a bit but held himself upright by leaning against the door.

Damn, he was so damn exhausted. His legs still felt as wobbly as jelly but at least he was standing and walking on his own. Ryoma opened his door and stepped inside, wanted to flee from their chuckles and chattering as soon as possible. The damn heat in his cheeks was killing his pride.

"Ryoma?" He stopped midway and turned his head around to the others. "Just come to our room after your shower, alright? You still have to tell me your wish." And with that Fuji headed to his own bedroom with an amazing Cheshire cat like grin on his face, followed by his very confused and curious boyfriends. Ryoma blinked and shook his head. It was just like Fuji to drop a bomb like this out of nowhere to let the other nosey ones suffer some more.

"Syusuke, don't you want to tell us what's going on?" Seiichi asked him curiously but Syusuke ignored him, only hummed happily while getting undressed after entering their bedroom. The thrill was still rushing through his veins. He had given it his all, using every serve and trick he had hidden for so long in his sleeves to win the game which he had lost in the end. It hadn't ended like he had wanted it to.

How had Ryoma managed to overcome him?

The last games had always been so easy going and nearly one-sided in his favor but this time their match had showed the winner clearly with the result of 3:2 for Ryoma. The young man had not only used all his lovers' special serves and attacks but also Syusuke's ones which he had only shown in this very match. How had Ryoma managed to copy him so fast? How had he managed to learn all those moves in such a short time?

Furthermore, Syusuke didn't know how but he recognized Ryoma's kind of play. He just couldn't remember the person, the place, nor the time where he had seen it before. Nevertheless, his heart was pounding wildly and his fingers still twitched. He wanted to play again, wanted to know and understand more about Ryoma. His curiosity grew steadily with each day. First the surprise with the change of attitude, then the happening with the ring and now this.

"Syu!" Seiichi's whine startled him.

"Saa, how about a quick shower together? You all must be tired after working all day." He let his sweaty shirt slip to the ground seductively and smirked at his boyfriends' immediately aroused reactions, pulling them with him into their bathroom which was connected to the master bedroom. Seven years and they still had the hots for each other. Hopefully, there would be added one more soon.

"You do know, we are never quick in showering if there is more than one of us in it, don't you?" Keigo laughed while getting undressed in slow motion too.

"All the better. Maybe Ryoma will even join us when he sees us in the middle of it." Syusuke chuckled and undressed Seiichi who smiled sweetly and gave him a lovely kiss on the lips. "I hope so too, though, it might be still impossible for now. He isn't ready, yet."

"Maybe." Syusuke kissed him back, deepening their kiss and letting his hands slide over Keigo's naked and muscled chest.

"He has grown accustomed to us and behaves much gentler and friendlier towards us all. He also shows interest and joy in certain things, compared to his everlasting scowl and cold attitude at the beginning of this."

"Ahn, Ore-sama has seen him smile earlier."

"And he allowed you, Seiichi, to touch him on his cheek without twitching and his expression had remained calm." Genichirou said, smiled and bit softly into Kunimitsu's neck. "Ryoma isn't the same young man anymore which we have seen at our first or second meeting."

"You're right. He is very sweet and so interesting. I saw it today and you will see it later." Syusuke grinned and let his fingers now roam over Kunimitsu's broad chest before kissing his way southwards. Kunimitsu closed his eyes and groaned in anticipation while grasping Syusuke's hair and pushing him down gently but forcefully.

"What had happened today?" Seiichi asked but his question was drowned by the sound of Keigo's moans who enjoyed his throughout massage from Genichirou loudly. Kunimitsu too was moaning by now, enjoying his treatment fully as his body clearly showed it. Now wasn't the time to talk and Syusuke grinned while tasting his lover as Kunimitsu grabbed the bluenette and kissed him deeply to shut him up.

Ryoma took a hot shower, just standing underneath the spray of hot liquid. It felt good, relaxed his sore and aching muscles and caressed his skin. Actually, it felt too good to leave so quickly but his consciousness warned him to not delay too much otherwise Fuji or one of the others would come to get him which brought him back to the endless cycle of questions.

How should he start the conversation?
Just giving the ring to Yukimura and leave?
Did he want to leave?

Since his arrival here, he hadn't spent one single day at the five's bedroom and something inside him grew with unexplainable curiosity.
Should he risk it and satisfy the killed cat to bring it back?

Five more minutes under the spray of hot water and his feeling of exhaustion had reached its limit. All he wanted then was to fall onto the warm and fluffy bed and sleep. Sadly, it wouldn't be the end of today's day yet, so he cut off the stream of delightful hot water and toweled himself dry. Ryoma headed out of the bathroom and put on his knee-long sleeping shorts and a thin t-shirt. He put the golden ring into the pants pockets, combed his messy and still wet hair with his hands and left his room, heading to the master bedroom with a hammering heart.

After one knock, followed another with both times receiving only silence as an answer. Ryoma frowned and opened the door carefully, peeking inside. Nobody was there. The bedroom was empty with not a single soul inside. Though, he heard numbed voices coming from another room.

Fuji hadn't finished his shower yet?
Were the others showering too?
Was there even enough space for all five of them showering together?

Someone moaned loudly, another one groaned in satisfaction. A sudden spark and a very erotic image disturbed Ryoma's barely existing calmness and gave him shivers. What the!
Ryoma shook his head strongly, but a sudden heat cruised through his body and stayed behind, made him feel itchy. The sudden desire to risk and take a look was all so foreign and new to him, shattering the last bit of his calmness and feeling of control. What was wrong with him? He stepped as far away as possible from the bathroom's door, bumping into one of the two desks. The tower of books swayed and tumbled down, scattering onto the ground.

Ups.
Better pick them up before one of them noticed, even when they seemed to be amusing themselves pretty well at the time and would need a couple of minutes more to leave no proof of their current activity behind. Heat scorched his body inside out.

Damn, he was thinking too much again!

Ryoma bent down and picked all the books up in a trance while trying to distract himself by reading each of the titles. Yeah, he was finally able to read those damn titles with the many kanjis. The study really did help and pride filled him. Pride and thankfulness to a certain brunette who had helped him so much. Now all he needed to do was to find a roof over his head and a simple job to earn enough money for a life.

The shower was turned off, making his heart race once anew, when he picked up the last book and found a piece of paper lying on the ground. He lifted it, reading through it as he put the last book back onto the desk.

Application for the participation of the repeat test for the achievement of the high school certification.

At the bottom line was his first name as well as a telephone number and address he didn't know already written on it. The date for the test was in three weeks. Had Tezuka did this for him? Obviously as he was very likely the only one without a degree. How had Tezuka known about it? With accomplishing this test, he would be able to finally get a decent job!

"We should hurry a bit. Ryoma will be here soon." Someone said, opened and closed the bathroom's door and entered the room. Tezuka paused midway as he saw him. "You're already here." The brunette approached the walk-in closet with only a short towel covering his privates while rubbing his hair dry with another towel. "Sorry for the wait. The others will be here soon, too."

Ryoma nodded, not able to speak at the moment. Swallowing alone and averting his eyes from the rather beautiful body was suddenly so unimaginable hard. His throat was dry and heat flushed not only his cheeks now but also the area below his stomach. It was a really very nice body and now that his own body wasn't craving sleep and food all the time, it started to awaken.

Tezuka turned and stared directly at him as the towel slipped from his hips, sliding onto the ground as he put on his underwear and afterwards his long sleeping pants rather slowly. No shirt. Honey brown eyes watched his every move and stare. Ryoma couldn't help himself, lost control over his body and it started not only to arouse him but also to frighten him. His body hadn't reacted so strongly to anybody for years and he wasn't certain if its sudden awakening was good or bad.

Was the brunette trying to seduce him or was he imagining things?

"You have already read through it?" Tezuka nodded and approached him, pointing at the piece of paper which was still in Ryoma's hands. Caught in the middle of the act. He had been so distracted by… the sight… he had forgotten about the paper.

"Y-Yeah." Ryoma cleared his throat, feeling uncomfortable with the swirl of different emotions flowing inside him.

"I didn't mean any insults. It was just a thought that crossed my mind after you started to read all the other non-kanji books I gave you too. If you do not want to participate, you don't need to." Heat radiated from the brunette's half naked body, heating Ryoma's already burning skin all the more and distracting him further.

"N-No. It's…" He tried to breathe deeply to calm himself before speaking. After all the things Tezuka had gone through on his behalf, there was one thing he needed to say in the least, even if it would embarrass the hell out of him. "Thank you, Tezuka." His voice was small but the words were out and it earned him a smile from the brunette who put his hand onto Ryoma's right shoulder, patting him in a proud manner. Butterflies flew in his stomach.

The bathroom's door opened abruptly, startling both. Nevertheless, Tezuka forced him to stay put by pressing his hands stronger against his shoulder, keeping him in place. Ryoma had just enough time to put the paper into the first book he saw on the desk – Never Lose Control IV – before the other four would notice. Ryoma nearly swallowed his tongue by the sight of Fuji, Sanada, Atobe and Yukimura with only a towel around their hips too. Now, he really felt uncomfortable and very hot.

"Oh, you're already here." Fuji smiled at him and followed his partners into the walk-in closet. It was the same painful drama like before. All of them watched him, not averting their gazes and Ryoma was trapped, couldn't look away as they got dressed oh-so-slowly and seductively. Now he was sure about being seduced! After getting dressed and tormenting Ryoma more than enough - who clung onto his self-control with the last bit of strength - Fuji, Sanada and Yukimura went to the bed and sat down onto it, leaning against the headboard as Atobe went to the vanity table and began combing his hair. "So, you two wanted to tell us something."

The room was silent and the attention rested on Ryoma who was still too overwhelmed by the sudden change of atmosphere and his body's reactions to reply in any way. "Er…"

"Well, it started when I found Ryoma walking around the streets near my shop." If he didn't have their full attention before, Ryoma certainly had it now after Fuji's words. And it wasn't a good kind of attention. They all, except Fuji, had narrowed eyes and lightly angered expressions. Not good; not the reaction he had wanted to achieve but had expected it, somewhat.

"What?"

"Why?"

"Had something happened?"

"Maybe you all want to give him the time to explain?" The brunette said calmly and smiled at Ryoma, offering him an easy start. Ryoma nodded, swallowed down the uncomfortable feelings and headed over to the bed and to Yukimura with wobbling legs. He pulled the golden ring slowly out of his pants pocket and held it out in his hand, saying nothing.

Sanada, Tezuka and Atobe surrounded him immediately, not believing it. Nevertheless, Ryoma focused on Yukimura, watching the play of emotions. First it was disbelief, followed by surprise and then happiness. The amethyst like eyes sparkled in delight and a bright smile radiated all over his face. It was a very beautiful sight that took Ryoma's breath away for a moment.

"You got it back..." Ryoma shrugged, still holding out the ring for the bluenette to take it. However, instead of taking the ring, the bluenette held up his hand and wiggled his fingers a bit. "You took it from my finger than you need to put it back on." Yukimura smiled sweetly and a bit in mischief. The others laughed or smiled, sitting down onto the bed too. "So?"

Somehow, he felt very, very uncomfortable and kind of fragile with them all sitting on the bed, staring at him. He cleared his throat, feeling the heat in his cheeks but also in his body as he picked up the ring with lightly shaking fingers and slid it carefully over the bluenette's slender fingers. Ryoma pulled his hand away and took a step backward when he was done. The whole situation made him itchy and... aroused.

"How did you get it?" Sanada asked. The following words were said with a dangerous undertone. "Did you… steal it?"

Ryoma avoided their gazes and was surprised to hear Fuji's defensive words. "Ryoma told me that he doesn't plan to continue stealing in the future."

"Even if I can't favor the way you got it back, thank you very much for getting it back at all." Yukimura said gently and leaned forward, kissing him sweetly and taking him by surprise. The kiss was light and ended far too soon. "So what did Syu mean with you having to tell him a wish?"

Ryoma blinked, dumbstruck from the kiss. Once more, Fuji saved and spared him further embarrassments. The brunette was remarkable and frighteningly nice today. "Well, I found Ryoma after his… mission and invited him to eat dinner with me at one of our favorite restaurants. I told him about myself and about us. About our story and how we got together after the match."

"Ahn, so he asked you for a match to have a wish as well?" Atobe hummed, his gaze glimmered mysteriously. "Already a certain wish in mind, Ryoma?"

Ryoma could only blink. This was going rather smoothly in the right direction...

"And he won although you played serious?" Sanada asked in disbelief and made himself more comfortable onto the bed. They sat in a semi-circle with him standing in front of them.

"Ryoma was surprisingly flexible in his techniques and play. He is a very fast learner, using my own techniques against me." Fuji said and watched Ryoma too with scary glimmering blue eyes.

"Then it should be rewarded with a wish, don't you all agree?" Yukimura chuckled, playing with the golden ring at his ring finger while watching him. Fuji nodded at his words and leaned forward, speaking in a very husky tone.

"Saa, Ryoma, what wish do you have?"