Title: Ties that Bind
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Your usual dash of Okiku.
Warnings: Unbeta-ed and long. Think 6000 words.
Notes: Inspired (picture essay) by doujinshi scans posted byhanazuke on goldenpair. But doesn't claim to stick too closely to it.
Disclaimer: Tenipuri characters are not mine. v.v
Started: Approximately 3.00am on 19 July
---
When Inui, the unofficial coach of Seigaku tennis club, had the Golden Pair tied together with a rope at the waist to make a statement to the rest of the team of how a doubles team should be, neither had complained much. After all, it appealed to Eiji's ego nicely, and you could generally get Oishi to do anything if you convinced him it was for the good of the team. Moreover, their opponents were the newly formed "Ah-Un Pair", a nickname Eiji had bestowed upon the underclassmen's combination with great glee. It was doubtlessly an arrangement for a demonstration of contrast. So while Echizen and Momoshiro had grumbled in varied volumes, the redhead had fun making provocative declarations of their certain victory. His partner, to the opposite, gave the younger boys appeasing smiles, not that it achieved any result at all. The hot blooded boys were already effectively fired up, and it didn't help that they just knew that behind the pacifying smile was a confidence, quieter than his partners but no less in intensity, that they could do it, like any other challenge they had had to face.
And they did. The club watched in awe as the Golden Pair, after the initial bit of confusion, sank back into their familiar play, the rope hardly seemed to be a disruption anymore, whereas across the net the duo was getting tangled and their faces in the court every few minutes. The game score was predictably 6-0—the cries to forfeit from the younger boys when they lost three games in five minutes were silenced on threat of Inui's new Special Perseverance Juice—it's purple.
---
So when Inui handed Oishi the rope during morning practice the next day, the pair had blinked at him owlishly before Eiji turned his suspicious glare—the one he has started to use often ever since Inui fed him vegetable juice that doesn't taste like what it should—on the taller boy.
"What, again?" Eiji demanded, all indignant. "What for?"
Inui adjusted his glasses, unfazed by the non-threatening picture of an agitated Eiji, before responding calmly, "There is room for improvement on the way you two work together on the court," he made sure to override Kikumaru's attempted interruption. "Certainly, you performed much better in comparison to your competition, but it's a known fact that your opponents aren't much of a measurement of standards when it comes to doubles." The vice-caption looked around to make sure the pair in question was not within earshot. They really could do with less of the conflicts that frequently happen within just the regulars. Inui flipped to a page in his notebook. "To be precise, you made a total of two errors, which can amount to up to an 11 percentdecrease in chances of victory in a match with more worthy opponents. Moreover, during the match yesterday, 14 percent of the time—"
Eiji's eyes had gotten that look that says he wasn't listening anymore and his indignation had followed in being subdued by the continued recitation of Inui's conclusion of the data collected from yesterday's experiment. Oishi was alternating between attempting to make sure two boys didn't wander anywhere close to them and listening to Inui with an alarmed expression.
---
"That's right." The data-collector approved, as Oishi concentrated on tying up the last knot on the only slightly sulky acrobat's end of the rope. "It wouldn't be good to get tangled in it."
---
Fuji had watched while the Golden Pair ran laps tied to each other—even their steps seem to be in synchronization—and continued to watch as the duo played another match against the resigned Ah-Un pair—who had successfully been spared damage on their dignity by their gentle and peace-loving vice-captain. He had to finish his own match early in order to do that—he hoped his opponent, a third year if he remembered correctly, did not mind. With luck, he might be one of those are proud that Fuji Syuusuke had played 'seriously' against them.
He meandered his way to where the club manager was scribbling idly in his notebook, unnecessarily wiping at his face with a towel with equal leisure.
"I hadn't realized it was necessary for them to continue with the new training." He started conversationally, and when the other boy only smiled in response, "Was that what you told them?"
"It is what is necessary for Oishi to agree to it." Fuji nodded, smiling at the honesty of the reply. "And the battle is 70 percent won when you've won over the foundation. But there was a 5 percent chance Kikumaru would act up and ignore Oishi's persuasion—"
"So you secured the victory by bombarding Eiji with information beyond his mental capacity and interest." Fuji supplied knowingly. On the courts, the boy in question was seen to be grousing as he dove after every awkward ball sent to their side of the court. No doubt the restriction of the rope bothered him more than he would let on yesterday. It was probably because he had to tone down some of his flashier moves.
Inui made a small sound of agreement. "Any ideas on how to more effectively convince them to continue this for an extended period of time?"
"'An extended period of time'?"
"I already have Ryuzaki-sensei's (1) permission."
"But they don't know yet."
"No, they don't."
---
Ryuzaki Sumire pressed a hand to her head, frowning at the slip of paper before her, hand poised before a blank.
"Please excuse the absence of Kikumaru Eiji from your lessons for the reason of ."
"How about 'intensive club training for the upcoming tournaments'?"
The woman turned her frown to the boy standing respectfully behind her shoulder.
"Or perhaps a simple 'club activities'?" came another suggestion.
The tennis coach closed her eyes wearily and thrust the slip of paper to the awaiting boy after a quick sign of her name at the end.
"Do as you see fit. If anything goes wrong, you will let the rest of the school know that this training programme was your idea."
---
The sight of two teen boys tied together at the waist is, naturally, a glaring invitation for teasing and much snickering. The Seigaku tennis club however, was made up of people who were too in awe or respect of the Golden Pair—that would mostly mean the underclassmen—or people who were used to Inui's less than common training programme to bother to make comments—that is most of the Regulars—or people who just didn't find such things amusing—represented by none other than their captain. The rare few that fell outside any of the categories above, namely Momoshiro and Echizen, were simply not in any position to mock their seniors. And that was how they were spared, and a big part of the reason they had agreed to continue with this programme.
The privilege, however, is lost when they had to walk around in school in that state. As they endured stares and giggly whispers, Eiji was almost certain that public embarrassment was right there on top of Inui's list of objectives and he had no problem voicing that out as they walked down the corridors of the third year classroom.
To his right, Fuji, who was odd enough not to mind walking beside the Spectacle of the Year, only chuckled and then compensated by offering words of consolation. Oishi, to his left, had the kind of resigned look on his face and did not seem to be paying much attention to Eiji's ramblings, but he started when Eiji almost walked into him when they reached a junction in the corridor.
"Eiji, you should be heading that way." His classmate reminded him patiently, pointing down the corridor.
He blinked. "Oh, right." Then blinked again. "... Can you imagine? Inui even has the authority to make me miss class! I haven't even succeeded once in my fifty attempts yet! He could at least pick another day! There's a literature quiz tomorrow!"
Fuji guessed that Inui had decided that breaking the news bit by bit was a better tactic and thought he would be a pal and not share with Eiji the good news that he could miss an entire week of his own class even if not lessons—something Oishi was trying to get through to Eiji at the moment.
---
Inui was a thorough person. From the explanation for absence note Fuji was relied on to show every teacher that came to class 3-6 to the letter—because in Seigaku there are currently no forms to be filled for explaining the need to place another student in another class temporarily—Oishi had to show the teachers of his class, the vice captain was grateful to the boy, dubious as he is of his theorized reasons to continue the programme for the entire day.
The girls in his class had welcomed the well-liked acrobat of the tennis club with much joy—some with more giggles than Oishi was comfortable with—and out of respect for their class chairman, they had not spent too long asking questions and making fun of their state. Maki, his secretary in the class committee had even pulled up another chair beside Oishi's and smiled expectantly until Eiji plopped down into the provided chair with a cheerful thanks.
The teachers came and went, some of whom had already had wind of the special training programme that is going on, and the rest would read the letter with a raised eyebrow but all allowed the tennis club the privilege, because they are special like that.
Oishi was diligently making notes on advanced algebra when a knock against his arm made him skewed the letter 'y' he was carefully imprinting on his notes. He blinked at the source of the interruption, which happened to be a head of vibrantly curled red hair, currently nodding in a tell-tale way that the owner is no longer in the realms of the waking.
He glanced up. Yoshikuni-sensei had came to the same realization had seemed to be in a dilemma of whether he had the right to address the student that isn't his or let it slide. Oishi put a surreptitious hand on the arm of his partner and shook gently.
"Eiji. Eiji, wake up." Whether or not the teacher decided to call on him, he still didn't think it was right for Eiji to miss class.
The younger boy opened his eyes with the slowness of one returning to consciousness. He turned to look at Oishi and his puzzlement at finding his doubles partner next to him when he woke was apparent on his face. After deciding that he couldn't possibly have fallen asleep in tennis practice, his memory seemed to catch up to him. He blinked sleepily and Oishi smiled at the gesture, before both turned back to the board, Eiji having straightened from his slouched sleeping position. Yoshikuni-sensei looked relieved.
Oishi found his place and hastened to catch up. He managed about five more lines of equations before his pen skidded against his will across his notes for the second time.
---
At lunch break, after spending the morning making notes in pencil, Oishi followed Eiji to the 3-6 classroom because Eiji wanted to know what had been going on in his absence and he didn't want to leave 'poor Fuji to have his lunch alone'. As it turned out, Fuji wasn't that alone, with a number of expectant girls armed with lunchboxes surrounding him and even occupying the vacant seat that was Eiji's. Fuji, upon sighting his teammates, made his escape on claims of a club meeting—look, the vice captain himself is here to collect him. They entertained the questions and good-natured jibs of Eiji's many friends in class before taking leave for their supposed 'club meeting'.
The trio wound up in the relative peace of the rooftop, where they found and candidly ignored a sleeping Echizen. (Or rather, Eiji had wanted to do something to the unguarded freshman that a senpai (2) shouldn't and that Oishi wouldn't allow.) Fuji reported that everything was fine, except that he would be grateful if Eiji and Oishi continued to look for him during lunch as long as Eiji wouldn't be in 3-6. Eiji had agreed readily, concentrated as he was on stealing food from the lunchboxes of his friends and missed the underlying hint. Oishi pushed his lunchbox nearer his partner and was about to ask "Isn't it just for today?" when Fuji queried about the situation in his class.
Oishi thought for a while and replied that it was well, all things considered. They were getting immune to the attention, and the worst of it was over anyway. However...
Fuji smiled knowingly, flicking idly at the hand that almost closed over his fried ebi (3), and quipped, "Let sleeping cats lie."
---
They ran into Eiji's history teacher in the corridors as they were returning to Oishi's class. The fashionable lady had quirked an eyebrow at their state and Oishi braced himself for a rib.
Red lips curled up slowly and addressed Eiji.
"So this is what is meant by to excuse you from class 'for special bonding between teammates'."
---
At the end of the day, Eiji had managed to get the note from Fuji, which was a good thing, because it wouldn't do to wrongly accuse a teacher, much less your own team coach. As it were, they found out that though the signature was genuinely Ryuzaki-sensei's, as is every other word filled in on the piece of paper, one string of words weren't her handwriting.
Come afternoon practice, Inui Sadaharu found himself being cornered in the club house by Seigaku's best tennis doubles team, demanding to know why exactly he had filled in the reason for absence from class the way he did. Fuji, from Inui's vantage view from between the two boys interrogating him, was peacefully changing into his club uniform.
Inui adjusted his glasses and calculated the best way to get out of this one.
---
Afternoon practice went on peacefully after the brief discord between the Golden Pair and the Data Man—after all, there is nothing in the club that can't be solved by Tezuka's orders to run laps—except that the pair who was 'doing special bonding' had grown negligent of the rope after hours of peaceful coexistence with it. As a result, a number of inattentive club mates were unfortunately tripped up by the stretch of rope dangling innocently at ankle level between the pair when they stood at a certain distance away from each other. It was easily taken care of, despite that Eiji was nonchalant, reasoning that it wasn't like it was their fault, because the other half at least have some sense of consideration and would apologise and ask after every one of them they trip up. The hurt dignity of those who didn't dare blame the victory-securing doubles team of the club were generally appeased at receiving an apology from their vice captain.
There were always exceptions.
The duo stared down at the vicinity of the area between their feet where a body laid prone. The area surrounding them had fallen silent, most of the people having heard the thud of falling and turned to see who the next victim was.
Then Eiji spoke up, rubbing the portion of the torso that was bound by the rope. "Ow, that hurt! I wish they'd stop doing that."
A fist clenched spasmodically in the dirt. The surrounding club members scuttled away, confirmed in their suspicions that Kikumaru had no concept of fear. Oishi sweated and tried to think of ways to stop the imminent outburst.
Kaidoh Kaoru picked himself and what was left of his dignity up and hissed. Loudly. And gave both his senpai his most impressive glare.
Eiji stared back, wide-eyed. Oishi gulped. "I'm... we're sorry." He tried. "Are you... okay?"
Kaidoh continued to hiss and glare.
Oishi was contemplating asking for Inui's assistance when help came from the most unexpected of places and started with loud boisterous laughter.
"My God, Mamushi! (4) That was stupid!" And Kaidoh's wrath was successfully redirected.
The club later decided that Kikumaru Eiji doesn't learn, something that was probably already in that notebook of Inui. After that very nearly disastrous episode, Oishi had indeed taken special care to make sure no one else trips again. But the good old 'mother' was a busy person with responsibilities, and couldn't be blamed for not noticing that his partner was gleefully nullifying all his efforts. There was no evidence, but something about the way Eiji would stay obediently by Oishi's side until someone came along, whereupon he would move to a particular distance away so that the rope hung just so, and sometimes paced in a semi circle around Oishi's back keeping that particular radius, clued them in. They watched in muted horror as the third year perked up and positively raced forward in the direction of the approaching star rookie, who couldn't be counted on to remember anything off the tennis courts, much less the fact that his senpai had a rope hung between them.
Echizen had, in a fit of vengeance, challenged Kikumaru-senpai to a match. Eiji had pointed out that Inui had not allowed them to detach the rope under any circumstances but he was welcomed to try and get Inui's permission. Eiji had then cheerfully suggested that they could play doubles instead, which Echizen flatly turned down.
"But why, Ochibi (5)? Tell you what," he added conspirationally. "You and Momo can do without the rope this time. How about that?"
Recognising a handicap when he sees it, the freshman bristled even more and adamantly repeated his request for a singles match.
Eiji shook his head emphatically and affected an exasperated tone. "You're so willful, Ochibi-chan (6)! How am I to play singles with you when Oishi is tied to me with this little distance to spare?" He moved away from his partner to stretch the rope to its limited full length for emphasis.
"Oishi-senpai can stand in the court with you if he doesn't interfere." The smaller boy groused.
Oishi, who had been listening to the squabble quietly, gave Echizen a Look.
Echizen would have given way to taking on the Golden Pair single-handedly but Tezuka's appearance and orders for the Golden Pair to practice against Kaidoh and Momo thwarted his intent and he stalked off with a scowl.
Later on—the match had ended quickly because the second-year doubles team were still bickering and spent more time attacking each other than their opponents—someone had handed Kawamura his racket and the boy was charging towards a court where it was presumed he would be playing his next match. The Golden Pair happened to be in the path of the raving maniac. Eiji had yelped and practically pounced on his partner, a second before Taka-san raced through the space where an ankle-height hanging rope would have been.
While Eiji went on about how he was sure they would both have been sent flying after Taka-san if he'd been allowed to ran through the rope, or even if they managed not to be dragged physically to the court where he would have his match, his slim torso would most definitely be snapped from the force of that impact, the rest of the club were placing bets that Echizen was the one who passed Kawamura his racket.
The club also realized that on top of being fearless and incapable of learning, Kikumaru Eiji was also suicidal. All who were aware begun to move to a safe distance away and watched not without gleeful expectations whether he would succeed in catching Tezuka Kunimitsu's feet with the rope. Those who were frank with their desire for it to happen had enough conscience to give their vice captain their blessings or feel sorry for him and hope he survived. He was, after all, an innocent, unfortunate enough to be tied to a fearless suicidal boy. And more importantly, who else would look after the club's welfare? The regulars were again placing bets on the number of laps they would have to run, it was unanimously agreed that it would be a new record yet. Someone was musing if Tezuka would keep them alive until the Nationals were over.
The club watched with bated breath from afar as Eiji shifted around experimentally. Then Tezuka moved, just a step. And Eiji stopped moving, then surreptitiously edged backwards till he was behind Oishi once more. A minute passed, the three solitude figures remained stationary and everyone craned their necks, torn between curiousity and self-preservation instincts. Only the data-fanatic moved closer to inspect the scene, pen poised above his notebook.
Oishi was nodding. "—Alright, I'll see to that then." And he turned to leave, managing all of four steps before stumbling on the fifth and being jerked a step back. Eiji's gaze had turned skywards from where he stood on the opposite side of Tezuka from Oishi. With arms crossed over and behind his head, he was the very picture of an attempt to look innocent. Oishi turned his own puzzled gaze to the rope on the ground, followed its length and stopped short when it ran into a sports shoe, which belong a long leg attached to a long torso which leads up to the stoic face of the captain of Seigaku tennis club. He blinked. He was certain that when he started conferring with Tezuka, the boy had been in front of him, whereas Eiji had been standing behind him to the right, having to be placated for having to stand through the 'boring captain's conference'. Tezuka wasn't likely to move around when he talked. Oishi stared at the strange way the rope looped on the ground. And Eiji wasn't likely to stay still when anyone talked. He turned to Look at his partner staring determinedly at the clouds.
He sighed and opened his mouth to reproach his friend—
"What's everyone standing around for? 20 laps around the courts!"
There was a collective gasp that evolved into whispered grumbles and Oishi looked around to find that the rest of the team was indeed gathered around like audiences.
"Tezuka," he said instead. "I'll get to it after the laps. And could you… well, move your foot?" He gestured vaguely at the ground near their feet when Tezuka gave him that look reserved for when Inui or Fuji does something strange. "You're stepping on our rope."
---
Oishi, Eiji proclaimed loudly as they left the school, was just too serious sometimes. Make that most of the time. Really, there was no need for him to admit that they had anything to do with the entire club terminating their activities to stare at them and go through those extra laps—it's not like he made them watch him try to trip Tezuka. Much less claiming vaguely that "'they' were responsible" when Tezuka wanted to know why he felt he had to run laps too. If anything, Oishi was the only member on the court that has any right not to join in the punishment.
Oishi just smiled at him and said that he was glad Eiji recognized that he deserved his punishment—to which the redhead scowled and complained that he was missing the entire point—and continued that it didn't matter in the end did it? Because they were bounded together. If Eiji had to run, so did he.
Oishi had called home ahead to notify his family that Eiji would be sleeping over. Eiji had also called home but took a longer time as he seemed to argue with one of his siblings and ended the tele-conversation with a repeated emphasized, "—And you must, must remember to bring my honeydew flavoured toothpaste!"
They were received by Oishi Kumiko at the door, who smiled patiently through her son's halting explanation of why he was tied to his friend, then asked Eiji what he would like for dinner. His sister had been doing homework at a desk and after exchanging greetings and a brief explanation, had continued to stare at them until they disappeared up the stairs.
Eiji's second sister arrived soon enough and looked very amused at their state, something Eiji had obviously left out when he informed his family that he was sleeping over at Oishi's. She passed Eiji the sleepover bag she packed for him whereupon the boy promptly tore into it to verifyif his toothpaste was indeed brought, and sat to leisurely converse with Oishi about Seigaku tennis club's unique training means and how neat his room was unlike her own brothers, until they were interrupted by a wail.
"Nee-chan (7)! You forgot!? How could you!?"
Kikumaru Yumi had played the apologetic sister for a full five minutes before surrendering the toothpaste she carried in her own bag and departed after ruffling Eiji's hair and apologizing to Oishi for the noise.
---
Oishi spent much of the remaining day trying to get Eiji to catch up on his lessons and found that keeping his attention was as much a challenge as usual. He was almost relieved—and felt guilty about it—when his own sister came to ask for help on her work. Miyako had stayed for a while afterwards and plucked at the rope between them, asking why they couldn't just relieve themselves of it. It wasn't like their club manager would find out, would he?
Oishi had glanced at Eiji, uncertain of what to answer. The thought had simply never crossed his mind. Eiji, however, leaned close to the younger girl.
"Inui said, that if the connection was broken by any hands other than the original perpetuator, it would break what held the Golden Pair together as well." He revealed seriously.
The two Oishi stared at him. Then Miyako turned to give her brother that Look.
It was just like Inui to make use of such an ominous metaphor, Oishi thought.
---
Oishi Syuuichirou was facing a crisis.
It was almost dinnertime, and long past his usual bath time.
They had taken a brief shower after practice, but he thought it unhygienic if he didn't bathe before bed. The thing was, he didn't know how to begin the topic of bathing with his partner. He would have thought they would be allowed temporary separation for such situations—he realized that the sly data-collector was likely being deliberately unspecific when he stated that they should be tied together for the entire day—but seeing as Eiji seemed to staunchly believe the precaution Inui fed him, he didn't want to be the one to suggest it and be seen as wanting to risk breaking up their doubles combination.
He stared unseeingly at his English assignment while Eiji rolled himself over and sat up from where he had been reclining on the floor and staring at Oishi's aquarium.
"Oishi," he called for his attention. "Nya (8), you bathe before dinner, don't you?" At his nod he continued pointedly, "It's almost seven."
It was really just past six, but Oishi was used to his friend's exaggerations. Besides, he thought if he continued to keep mum, Eiji could take over the situation from his hands. So he nodded again.
Eiji made an impatient noise and rummaged through his bag. "Well, let's go then."
---
Eiji grew up with two brothers, Oishi recalled. He supposed that Eiji's careless attitude indicated that there was no big deal for two boys to bathe together. It was likely that he simply was ignorant of this because he only had a sister, he reasoned.
It was sound reason, but he still couldn't stop the flush in his cheeks as Eiji threw off his clothing and launched himself into the tub and turned on the taps. He undressed himself and took a moment to gather Eiji's clothes, lying haphazardly on the floors of the bathroom, to place them with his own on a rack where they can keep dry. He stepped into the bathtub, which Eiji had mused aloud was roomy enough to fit both of them, but which he now found wasn't big enough, as his calf brushed Eiji's, who was still knelt fiddling with the taps.
He carefully placed the spare length of rope outside the tub so it wouldn't get in the way. And after that he had nothing else to occupy himself with and still couldn't look at Eiji so he looked everywhere but. He felt movement, accentuated by the slosh of water, and knew that Eiji had finally begun to settle down with cheerful humming.
"Nya, Oishi..."
Belatedly, he remembered what his bathroom looked like after Eiji was through with it during the times he slept over.
---
Oishi decided that, as far as he could help it, he would keep the fact that he just had a water-fight in his bathtub a secret. Trust Eiji to carry his playfulness everywhere with him. On the bright side, other than the fact that it made for good breathless fun, it distracted him from feeling embarrassed, which was a good thing, considering all the body contact they had in the tussle.
He felt his face redden again and ducked it in pretense of concentrating on the pools of water he was trying to mop up from the floor. Distractedly he noted that it was a good thing he had saved Eiji's clothes from the floor beforehand. The boy in question wasn't quite aware of the favour and was currently keeping true to his words that he wouldn't help clean. Oishi just sighed and kept cleaning until the boy's conscience bit at him or he was bored from standing around while Oishi cleaned.
---
They went down for dinner in time, managing to make the bathroom presentable again before long once Eiji gave in and helped. Oishi's father had greeted his son's guest warmly and asked little questions about the rope that bound his son to another boy. Miyako was staring at the rope, which was dripping little water droplets occasionally.
When their parents were out of earshot, the adolescent had asked, "So did you keep the rope even as you bathed?"
Oishi choked on his soup and Eiji turned back to him in astonishment, petting him helpfully on his back. He had been expressing his adulation for Mrs. Oishi because she cooked his favorite dishes and missed the question. Oishi decided he was glad for that. His gratitude for whomever was helping doubled when his coughing attracted his concerned mother to his side and his sister returned to her food disinterestedly. Some questions were better left unanswered.
---
Oishi Kumiko had laid out a futon (9) for the boys when she found out that they were not to be separated even in slumber, apologizing that they didn't have anything bigger for two persons, as with a son and daughter, they hadn't had the need to stock twin futons, but at least they wouldn't have to squeeze on the bed and risk falling off in the middle of the night.
---
Eiji was a tactile person, that much was apparent from the way he tended to latch himself onto most anyone on the regulars and the way his family behaved. And he knows for a fact, from past training camp experience, that Eiji tended to hug a pillow to sleep.
He should have remembered to provide extra pillows to save himself from the fate of being their substitute.
Oishi doubted he got much rest, even though he had no dreams. Eiji was a restless sleeper and in the limited sleeping space they shared, had woken Oishi more than once throughout the night, either with an arm on his face or a leg across his. Each time Oishi would carefully shift his wayward limbs back to a more conservative position and attempt to tuck Eiji in within the blankets.
He nearly had a heart attack waking up to a warm body wrapped snuggly against him, warm breath washing over the skin of his neck where the redhead's face was tucked. He felt his blood rush to all the wrong places and resisted the instinct to bolt—he really didn't need Eiji waking up to find them in such a position right now. Instead he closed his eyes and counted till his breathing slowed to his satisfaction then carefully disentangled Eiji from his body limb by limb.
He inched silently away, putting as much distance as he could between them until the rope threatened to pull on the sleeping boy. He settled back against his untouched bed and pressed his face—more heated that it had any right to be at this ungodly hour in the morning—into the sheets.
His ears perked up, sensitive to the sound that hinted that his alarm clock was about to go off and he scrambled quietly as he could in the darkness to turn both off.
It simply wouldn't do to have Eiji wake up yet. He pressed his face back into the sheets, trying to will the heat between his legs away. It was a morning reaction, common to any teenage boy, he told himself, firmly, then again. He had a vague feeling he sounded to be in denial.
The other boy, still sprawled across the now empty space of the other half of the futon, mumbled something indecipherable in sleepy bliss.
He was so going to kill Inui.
---
For once, Oishi wasn't the first to reach the clubhouse, something he apologized profusely to Tezuka, who'd beaten it to him by a minute, about. He started his morning a bit late, he stuttered. And Tezuka had only nodded, apparently deciding that starting the morning a bit later when Kikumaru was with you was as natural as breathing. Oishi fell into relieved silence and unlocked the clubhouse while Eiji yawned repeatedly beside him. He honestly couldn't believe how early Oishi had to get up and thought it was rather inhuman. Lazily, he wondered if he could find some way to rotate duties so that Oishi won't have to be the one to suffer and he wouldn't have to either.
---
He was going to murder Inui, Oishi remembered with sudden clarity as he stared at the boy before them, who had just announced something his brain refused to process. Eiji was already in the heat of argument with him.
"What do you mean, we've to do this for a week?!"
He wondered where he could purchase a murder plan, or a "What do you do when you want to get rid of your teammate". Then remembered that it wasn't a nice thing to do and he shouldn't be harbouring not-nice thoughts.
If he ever wrote an autobiography, he thought, he would start like this:
I was fifteen when my teammate sentenced my normal life to death for no apparent reason on a sunny morning in autumn...
---
The day went past, much as the same as yesterday, but with more ease, since everyone generally knew about the bounded Golden Pair by now. Eiji, master at adaptability, had already begun to make himself comfortable in the class of 3-2, and accepted Maki's suggestion to have lunch together. Oishi spent the day in perpetual distraction, as one tended to be when one is facing a possible turning point in life.
---
Of all people to come to his rescue, Oishi hadn't expected him.
Eiji screamed when the rope dropped into two pieces during afternoon practice, making many people jumped. They all turned to see one Fuji Syuusuke standing between the Golden Pair, a pair of shears in hand, smiling in the way that he had, which meant that it freaked out a lot of the people watching.
The acrobat had latched on to his classmate tearfully, asking why he had done it. When the other boy had only continued smiling, he bounded over to Inui instead, upset.
"The connection is cut! The Golden Pair is broken! Now what do we do?!"
The tall boy appeared to be eyeing the brown-haired prodigy sedately—despite being shaken rather violently by a distressed Eiji by the collar—over the top of a head of red curls.
"What's this about broken Golden Pair?"
"I wouldn't dare damage our champion doubles team in any way," Fuji responded, smiling up at the approaching captain. "Inui has just been feeding Eiji misinformation as usual, haven't you, Inui?"
Inui pushed up his glasses from where they'd slipped from Eiji's enthusiastic movements.
"It's Inui-senpai versus Fuji-senpai!" Came a whisper in a tone reserved for when speaking of unimaginable horrors. "Who do you think will win, huh?"
"We aren't fighting." Fuji scolded gently, and Inui nodded. Momo looked abashed. "Inui has got all the data he needed—the first day was enough for data-collection, the remaining six are for entertainment... right?"
Inui's lips curled up in an answering smile. Everyone else felt rather disturbed as the two continued to smile at each other, eyes inscrutable.
"That's enough." Tezuka spoke up, knowing that sometimes there was no point trying to comprehend the behaviour of the club members. "Get back to practice now or run 30 laps."
Everyone except the four directly involved in the conflict moved away in a hurry.
"Fuji."
"Yes, Tezuka?"
"Put away the shears."
"Inui! Oishi! Kikumaru!" he warned.
Inui gestured, wobbly, at where Eiji still had a hold on his shirt and was still shaking him. Eiji didn't appear to be listening anymore. And Oishi was disinclined to leave him like this, 30 laps or not.
Tezuka sighed inwardly.
---
Oishi stayed at the back, watchful, as Eiji darted along the net before him. Eiji had been inconsolable, captain's orders or not. So Tezuka had asked for a brief update on the issue, and after giving Inui an evil eye, sent them into a practice match.
"Game, Oishi-Kikumaru, four games to two!"
Eiji turned and flashed Oishi a victory sign, fully recovered now that it was proven that the Golden Pair wasn't broken, after his initial doubts that cost them two games where it could have been prevented. Oishi was in awe of Eiji's faith in Inui's words—the boy was currently across the net, whispering something into Kaidoh's ears, seeming to have put the incident behind him to tackle the current challenge of beating Seigaku's best doubles team.
Eiji had turned and pointed his racket at them, enthusiastically taunting.
"It's no use! It'll take more than a snipped coil of rope to break the Golden Pair!"
---
Date completed: 20 July 2.41pm
---
Omake
At the end of practice, Inui stalked up to where Fuji was changing, armed with his notebook. The shorter boy refused to give the other the satisfaction of having ruffled him at all and simply smiled. "Yes, Inui?"
"According to my data," here comes the familiar flipping of notebooks pages. "The reason for your peculiar actions this afternoon has something to do with an unfortunate incident during lunchtime."
Fuji closed the door to his locker and smiled up even more widely at the other boy.
"Do my actions bother you so much?"
"No."
"Good. See you tomorrow."
---
The next morning found Inui armed with a coil of rope. Oishi and Eiji had grown wiser and went far, far away before they could be brainwashed again. But Inui headed in the opposite direction instead.
"Don't look now but there's an eccentric senpai coming your way." One of the second years helpfully suggested, which of course prompted Momo and Echizen to immediately spin around.
"Inui-senpai...! That is...!"
"Yadda." (10)
---
Kaidoh was facing a crisis.
He looked at the rope, to the person holding it, and back to the rope again.
---
Date Completed: 20 July 2.54pm
Glossary:
(1) sensei: teacher, in this context
(2) senpai: upperclassman
(3) ebi: prawn
(4) mamushi: Momo's favoured nickname for Kaidoh that means Viper.
(5) Ochibi: little one (referring to his height)
(6) -chan: suffix attached to a name to indicate affection, usually used on small and/or cute things.
(7) Nee-chan: older sister
(8) nya: nonsensical cat-like sound that Eiji attaches to his speech
(9) futon: mattress laid out on the floor that you can sleep on
(10) Yadda: Don't wanna.