A/N notes: Blaah, I just noticed how half of my previous fics are all missing the thingy I put in between that separates the different parts of the fic ;; ffnet can be so mean sometimes!! It always leaves something out from what I've wrote………..

Anyways, what got me on a much better mood was the surprise I got from all of you wonderful reviewers!! :D you guys made me very inspired! Thank you bows à and ffnet probably left out the stars there as well /glares/

Ok, onto the next chapter then I believe I will write over 10 more chapters, so have patience with me and I hope you all will continue to read!

Chapter 2: Akutsu x Taka

It was weird. Very strange. Next thing someone would come up to him and say that Tezuka had dismissed them 10 minutes earlier from practice or that Yuuta was moving back into Seigaku.

Fuji threw another piercing smile Eiji's way and the acrobatic player just blushed in the matching color of his hair and turned away to concentrate on anything else but Fuji. That was so much fun! Not to mention seeing how Eiji avoided Tezuka with a ten miles radius.

Interesting. Oishi did have a few tricks up his sleeve that the boy could use when really needing to shut his golden partner up about something.

But even if no one else knew yet, Fuji bet that all the schools in the area would know the next Monday about 'Tezuka and him'. It would be a fun fact to toy with. Especially against his captain.

Fuji's eyes fell aside the tall figure of Tezuka Kunimitsu and landed upon a very anxious looking young boy. Taka-san was still depressed. Ever since helping Eiji to hit it off with Oishi, Fuji had started to notice similar signs of Christmas depression on his other friend, much like the ones Eiji had suffered from.

Something had to be done. Fuji made his way over to talk briefly with Tezuka and moments later the captain called a short break, eyeing Fuji with one of his most famous glares.

Fuji smiled brightly and left the taller boy to seek up the other tall boy, finding him without his racket and heading past the locker room. Fuji caught up with him. "Taka-san, could I talk with you for a second?"

Takashi just nodded and they entered the empty locker room and Fuji shut the door behind them.

"Nah, I didn't really have anything special in mind. I just wanted to see what was getting you down in such times." Fuji said and Takashi rubbed his arm nervously.

"I…"

"I bet it's boy trouble." Fuji said teasefully, trying to provoke the other boy into the conversation. Taka was just a little more depressed than what Fuji had expected.

"I…um, I guess…"

"Come on, let it out. Who would you like to spend your Christmas with?" Fuji asked, face showing an innocent smile, indicating that the question itself was as innocent as any other and there was nothing to worry about. It was the 'you can tell Fuji anything' –smile.

It didn't prevent the shy boy from going bright red in the face though, but Fuji kept his mask on, not wanting to scare his friend off. Though Fuji had a pretty good idea of who this person could be, the tensai was determined to get an answer.

"A-ah, Fujiko, I'm…I don't know…Who would I…And a b-boy--"

Fuji waited patiently for a while, as the blushing boy kept on mumbling, before taking an object from his bag and holding it under Taka's hand.

"Saa, Taka-san, could you hold this for me?" Fuji placed the object into the boy's hand who just nodded absently, not even remembering what he was saying before.

A flow of energy went visually through him.

"Thank you. Now let's try this again." Fuji said, pleased with that he would most likely get his answers now.

"Yosh, BURNING!!!" Taka directed his gaze towards Fuji. "You want confessions, eh?? I've always had a crush on you, Fujiko-chan!!" Fuji jerked, as Taka stepped closer to him, blocking him into a corner in the room. Fuji hadn't expected an answer like this one.

"But I would love to find under my little Christmas tree a tall, muscular, ex-regular of Yamabuki-"

Fuji's expression lightened a bit. "Akutsu Jin." Just as he had thought.

Trying to take the racket from Taka, the taller boy suddenly pushed Fuji hard up against the wall, making him almost lose his breath.

"T-Taka-san!"

"What are you trying to do?! What are you trying, Fuji Syusuke?" Taka said, firmly slamming both of Fuji's hands above the smaller boy's head, pressing them against the wall with the same hand that held the racket. Blue eyes snapped open and Taka let his free hand stroke some of the bangs away from those eyes.

"You are such a tease, Fujiko. Maybe I could just this once…" Taka then continued, letting his eyes roam over the slim body in front of him. "So beautiful…were you trying to scheme on me now? Didn't expect me to turn the tables on you."

"Taka-san, stop!" Fuji ordered, struggling to free his hands from the iron grip.

"You are so adorable, and persistent. Makes it more fun." the taller boy said in a smirk. "You can't possibly outpower me. Your body is far too vulnerable and I will make you feel so-"

Fuji gave a small gasp, feeling how the boy in front of him suddenly was jerked back fast and his hands were free again. The tensai hugged his bruised wrists, seeing Momo pull Taka back and then take the racket from him.

"How's it with this powerhouse then?" the junior laughed, laying the racket over his shoulder. "I bet he could outpower you."

A red blush, even more embarrassed than the last ones, exploded on Takashi's face.

"Fujiko, I-I'm sorry!" Taka stuttered and grabbed the assaulted wrists of the smaller boy. "I hurt you, I'm so sorry!"

Fuji merely pressed a comforting smile upon his lips. "I-it's fine. Don't worry about it! I know you didn't mean to hurt me."

"A-ah." Taka let go off the hands and grabbed his bag to leave the locker room as fast as he could.

"What was that all about?" Momo asked, as Taka had left. Fuji gave a fast shrug.

"Who knows." the tensai answered, not wanting to embarrass his friend any further.

Fuji guessed the loneliness during Christmas had taken its toll on Taka, as well as being the only regular with no specific partner on the team. Fuji had always been the tensai following his captain closely, the Golden Pair needed no explanation, Inui and Kaidoh spent a lot of time training together, and Momo and Echizen…Fuji looked at Momo.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

"Where are Fuji and Kawamura?" Tezuka asked and Momo stalked up to him with a grin.

"Actually Kawamura-senpai…was not feeling very well, so Fuji-senpai walked him home." Momo lied, fingers crossed behind his back.

"That can't be right." Inui's voice came behind him and Momo jumped. "Kawamura left 15 minutes earlier than Fuji from the locker room. And Fuji left together with Momoshiro."

Ryoma tugged his cap down to hide a smirk, saying busted. The other regulars turned shocked faces at Momo.

"Iie! It wasn't anything like that! Check from Inui! I was only there for about…er, 20 minutes." Momo gave a sigh. "Look, Kawamura-senpai got a racket and he sort of…slammed Fuji against a wall and I heard noises and I-"

"Decided to stick your nose where it didn't belong?" Ryoma filled the sentence for him. Momo stiffened, an annoyed expression taking over his face.

"Well it was a good thing I did, since Fuji-senpai was about to get molested!!"

Silence.

"Oh damn…I mean, not molested…about to…" Momo trailed off.

"Momoshiro. What happened?" Tezuka's voice came, demanding to know what had gone on. He had not given the tensai an extra break just for the boy to get…molested ?!

"I-it wasn't…look, I don't know, but by the look of it Kawamura-senpai was acting kind of like Akutsu when he was being all bad moody against Echizen on court…"

"You're trailing off." Ryoma pointed out bored and Momo took a hold on himself, a small pink shade coloring his otherwise also colorful cheeks. How he loved to compare everything with Ryoma. Bad slip, bad!

"A-anyway that's what it looked like when I came in, just that he probably wouldn't have really hurted Fuji-senpai. He was in the burning mode, I don't know what had gone on in there before I got there."

Inui coughed. "So, what were you doing those 15 minutes with Fuji after Kawamura had left?"

Everyone's looks returned to Momo once again. The second year went bright red this time, and Ryoma glared from under his cap.

"Nothing!!" Momo yelled. "I merely checked that he was alright and then I went to my locker to get a towel, to treat his wrists with some cold water! Fuji-senpai had this really weird look upon his face, so I had to babble on so that he wouldn't have a chance to start scheming something on me."

"And you are so good at that." the same snarky voice came again and Momo glared at the little brat.

Tezuka interrupted the fight before it even had a chance to start. "I'll check upon them. You are all dismissed."

The regulars left their captain alone with his growing headache. Lately all of them had seemed to be totally out of their minds, driving him crazy in the process.

Tezuka guessed Fuji had left the school properties already a while ago, Taka getting an even bigger head start, so he would just have to see if he could catch them at their houses or then talk this over the next day in school.

Entering the now empty locker room, Tezuka got his cell phone out of his bag. This would probably be one of the only times he had ever had to use it, but being the captain someone could have something important to discuss with him so he had it just in case.

The first number he tried went to Fuji's cell phone. The only reply he got there was that it wasn't turned on, so he tried to Fuji's home only to be informed that Fuji hasn't come home yet. Tezuka's face showed temporarily disappointment and he tried then Takashi's phone next.

"Hello?" Tezuka recognized Taka's insecure voice.

"Kawamura, I called concerning an incident in the locker room today…with Fuji…and Momoshiro." Tezuka was close to gritting his teeth together, just thinking about how he had felt hearing it all blurted out from the junior.

"A-ah, Tezuka-buchou, it wasn't like that! I didn't mean to touch Fuji, I swear! I don't know what happened to me…except for me grabbing a racket, but that's no excuse, I should never have come onto Fuji like that!"

Tezuka listened to the panicked explanation, also hearing Taka's father say in the background something to Taka to put his tennis bag away, guessing the boy had just arrived at the shop.

"Listen, I'm at my father's sushi shop right now, perhaps we can talk more about this tomorrow? I really gotta go, I'm sorr…grab…yyy!! YES, WE ALL KNOW THE RIGHT TO SHOVE FUJIKO-CHAN AGAINST THE WALL BELONGS TO YOU ALONE!!! BUT I ALREADY TOOK THE LIBERTY TO DO IT, NOW WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT THAT!?!?!"

Tezuka jerked away from the phone, deciding it was probably not a good idea to reason with Kawamura right now. And what did he say about the part of his lonesome right to Fuji?!

Tezuka hung up. / 'We all know?!'/

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

Satisfied blue orbs closed. Now that wasn't so difficult… The tensai made his way in the direction towards his house.

Behind him one slightly shaking Akutsu Jin sat down on the ground. The grey-haired man knew what he had to do now. He could do it! He would just have to swallow his pride!

Slowly the boy got back up and his feet led him to outside a familiar sushi shop.

As he opened the door the first thing he saw was a boy bent down on his knees, scrubbing the floor. Akutsu recognized him as Takashi.

"What are you doing?" Akutsu's usual dead serious voice came and the other boy stiffened and got up to face his old 'friend'.

"Akutsu." Taka started. "I was just…I just cleaned something up I happened to spill when I talked on the phone with my captain…what are you doing here? –Oh, I'm sorry, what will it be?"

The boy hurried behind the counter.

"I didn't come here to eat, you idiot!"

Taka fell silent in an instance.

Who was he kidding?! He was Akutsu Jin. And Akutsu Jin grawled for no man! Next time this Fuji Syusuke would have an earful, maybe even literally.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

Fuji stood outside Taka's class room, waiting for the boy to get to class. His smile widened as he spotted the said boy heading towards his direction.

"Good morning, Taka-san." Fuji said, his smile as sunny as the weather that morning.

"A-ah, hai, good morning, Fuji-san." An almost awkward silence fell between them before Fuji continued.

"You don't need to worry about me, Taka-san, I'm fine." Fuji then said, just in case that would have been the reason bringing the taller boy down.

"H-hai." came the absent reply. "I apologize."

Fuji gave a frown. It didn't seem to be their little quality time in the locker room that was on his friend's mind anymore. "What did you do after school yesterday then? After you had left." Fuji realized it was a floppy question, but he was desperate to know how his plan had worked out. Taka seemed if possible even more depressed than before.

"I helped my father in the store." Taka started. "And then Akutsu came there…"

"Really?" Fuji's smile widened, trying to provoke the other boy into letting him in on the details.

"He was really…rude, as usual. And he was on a exceptionally really bad mood, I don't know what he was doing there in the first place."

Fuji gave another, deeper, frown. That couldn't be right! It looked like he needed to see the violent boy again for a little talk. "Is that so…"

"I've got to get to class. Oh and Tezuka-buchou called." Taka then said making his way past the tensai.

"Tezuka?"

"Yeah, he-he called about yesterday…" Taka continued, letting his head sink.

"I see, I'll talk to him about it." Fuji beamed a comforting smile. "Don't worry about it."

Taka nodded and entered his class room. Fuji was left alone, pondering about the last comment, coming to the conclusion that it was probably Momo who had blurted it out for the rest of the team. It didn't take a genius to figure that one out, but what did Tezuka want with him?

The brunette digged for his phone in the bag to check it and saw one missed call, indeed being Tezuka's. But why would Tezuka want to discuss this so urgently with him? It wasn't as if they had destroyed club property or that either one would have been hospitalized.

Fuji just hoped it wasn't laps.

¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨

The restaurant was empty and one depressed Kawamura Takashi was wiping clean a table. It felt like everything had gone wrong in his life lately. Especially yesterday. It had been his bad day.

It wasn't as if he wasn't depressed from before already and then he goes and reveals to Fuji how he's always had a crush on the boy. Fuji who's been his doubles partner and friend. And not enough there, he goes from burning mode to hot and wants to take comfort in that someone he cares so deeply about.

Tezuka also seemed pretty mad. Although he always seems mad, but especially since it's always been him and Fuji. The top two of Seigaku. On the other hand it's been a competion Taka hasn't even wanted to compete in. Fuji's eyes have never been set on him anyway.

Furthermore he never asked to fall for Akutsu! The guy who treats everyone like dirt, he is the opposite of what Taka wants…and yet! Taka sighed. The real reason for his depression is that he always lets himself hope that this time when he sees Akutsu the boy would be different, but he never is. And yet he keeps falling for him everyday.

"Isn't it closing time soon?" Akutsu's voice suddenly interrupted his thoughts and Taka spun around to meet the other boy.

"A-ah, I'm just gonna close up now!"

Akutsu just gave a nod. Slightly shaking Taka made his way to the door, fumbling with the keys.

"You are not good for anything. Here let me." Akutsu then said, watching Taka almost drop the keys while trying to get them into the keyhole.

"Shouldn't you be…" Taka tried to choose his words right. "…going?"

Akutsu didn't reply. He just snatched the keys and locked the door. Taka's brown eyes followed him confused, as he locked the door and then advanced the shorter boy, cornering him against the other door that was another way into the shop and led into the Kawamura household.

Taka was too scared to even speak, leaving the situation in Akutsu's hands, who firmly closed lips on the his in a heavy kiss. Taka was beyond shocked and too afraid to move, he just let Akutsu press him further up against the door.

As the kiss just kept on deepening and getting more and more hungry by the second, Taka was slowly trying to start showing signs of resistance. However Akutsu had anticipated that and grabbed the other boy's wrists in one hand, locking them above the boy's head.

The other hand drew circles over his chest and Taka couldn't help thinking how painfully this reminded him of his moment with Fuji in the locker room. Just that now he was in Fuji's shoes.

As the kiss finally broke Akutsu didn't withdraw far, his face still staying only inches away from Takashi's, like a promise for more 'fun' any time now.

"Wha-…What are you doing?" Takashi soon asked, catching his breath again.

"I thought you'd show me your room." the almost scaringly seductive voice came and Taka gave a furious blush.

"I- my family is…We can't do that!…Not yet." Taka tried to explain, still not wanting to irritate the taller boy. It was probably a bad idea to start questioning a man like Akutsu about his actions any further at the moment. After all he was apparentally well aware of Taka's feelings for him.

Akutsu gave a very small smirk. "I just asked to see your room. Don't draw any conclusions from there."

Taka felt like shrinking or becoming invisible. "R-right. This way…" he lead the other boy up the stairs, luckily avoiding his family in the process.

"M-make yourself at home." Taka said as he closed the door to his room, only to be immediately gripped by the taller boy and forced into another snog. Taka squirmed a little, but that only made Akutsu hold him even tighter inside the grip that already was painfully strong around his waist.

Hell, if Akutsu Jin was going to have to return Taka's feelings then he was not gonna start out with a candle light dinner or a long sentimental talk.

"Akutsu, wait." Taka begged in between the powerful kisses and after a while Akutsu finally pulled apart.

"Fine, but I won't wait long." the taller boy claimed.

"What? Wait for what?" Taka asked, his breathing slowly starting to get back to normal. Akutsu didn't reply, he only walked over to the window. "Why are you..?"

"I better start going. You don't want your folks to know that you had your boyfriend over this late, do you?" Akutsu said opening the window and looking out down at the street. Perfect. He could come in and out here whenever he felt like molesting his…boyfriend.

Akutsu would never have told anyone, but he was actually kind of glad to get an excuse to date Takashi. His current excuse would be Fuji kicking his butt if he dared to hurt Taka or keep on rejecting his feelings, that were so obvious although Taka had never spilled a word about them before.

"B-boyfriend?" he heard Takashi almost whisper, face stern in shock. Akutsu amused at the confused look and made his way out the window and down the drainpipe, leaving Taka to figure out exactly what he had meant.