"Laughing Matters"

-a Tennis no Oujisama fan-fiction by Calliope-

Chapter Five: Falling Further Still

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Message: yet more! I didn't even wait between these posts, and I'll probably put up another, might as well. hehehe, I don't know how you guys are/aren't enjoying this but, hope it's not TOO bad. This chapter's uber short, but... I think it's got less mistakes in it... maybe Oo; chuu...

Summery: Eiji has found himself torn, between his new best friend, and the one person who has always been their for him. Confused and feeling like he can't have both - overcome with guilt and wishing there was something he could do - Eiji has to find a way to sort things out before he loses them both!

Warnings: shounen-ai, language, etc. EijiXOishi, EijiXJirou

(Disclaimer: as much as I wish it wasn't true - none of these characters belong to me. TT sadness)

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"KIKUMARU EIJI!" his mothers voice yelled loudly at him from the end of that hall when he tried to slip into the house that night. He'd been too confused and flustered to go home, and it was nearly eleven thirty before he even made it back. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't sneek in quietly enough to escape the ears of a worried mother.

"Hi mom." he muttered, not looking up from the floor.

"EIJI! Do you have ANY IDEA what time it is!?" She continued to yell at hm, "You had everyone worried sick! Oishi called wondering where you were when you didn't show up for practice, and you didn't so much as CALL! Then he calls me and tells me he found you but you STILL didn't phone me! Do you have any idea how worried we've all been! What were you thinking!!"

"I WASN'T THINKING OK!" he shouted back at her, holding back frustrated tears. "I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT ANYONE BUT MYSELF!" he pushed past her and ran up to his room, slamming his door behind him.

He didn't even change before climbing into his bed and pulling his covers over his head. Angry, happy, sad, upset, confused, he didn't know what he was - he just cried. Eiji couldn't sort anything out in his head, he didn't know what to feel. Part of him was still flustered and nearly giddy that he'd just kissed someone he knew he liked so much, but he was also upset about his fight with Oishi, and the fact that - he wasn't the one he'd kissed.

There wasn't any point in him denying it, he knew how he felt about Oishi, he'd always known he just never did anything about it. And now he hated himself for it. There was no one else he'd ever imagined himself kissing, only Oishi - and now what had he done?

Truthfully, Oishi had always felt too far away for Eiji to even feel like he could tell him how he felt. Jirou was his equal, he was just like him, he wasn't afraid of the fact that he liked him - it was different. But Oishi, he was so much better then him - smarter, dependable, more mature. He always felt like Oishi knew how he felt anyway - but he could never say it. Right now all he wanted to do was be laying on his bed, wrapped up in his arms again. But now - that would never happen again. Ever.

He ran his fingers across his lips, still feeling as though he could feel Jirou's lips against his own. He bit his finger, half angry at himself for doing it, and half glad that he did. Part of him wanted to do it again - kiss that energetic, happy, reflection of himself, but - what about Oishi?

Eiji was so distant after that day; his mother had grounded him for a week, and he wasn't aloud out to do anything but go to tennis practice. Fuji had, a little too happily Eiji thought, delivered him his sentence for skipping practice - 50 laps and club room cleaning duty for five days. He couldn't even look at Oishi, let alone talk to him - and it was killing him everyday.

Jirou had called him, the very next day, and Eiji had only been aloud five minutes to explain what had happened.

"I'm sorry." Jirou apologize to him, when Eiji had told him what it'd come to.

"No, it's not your fault, it's mine. I was stupid - I didn't think." Eiji assured him.

"Well, it was my idea, so I'm partially to blame, at least."

"It's alright, don't worry bout it." Eiji tried to laugh, but he knew it sounded forced.

"Eiji?"

"Uh huh?"

"I'm sorry - about - what I did."

"Don't be, it was me. I did it."

"Well then -" Eiji could practically hear him smile, "I'm glad you did." he confessed.

"Mm, me too." Eiji couldn't help but smile too, nodding to himself as they both laughed nervously.

"So what happens now?" Jirou finally asked him.

"I don't know," Eiji sighed, "I was hoping you did."

"Nope."

"Just one week - I'll see you again then, if you still want to."

"Of course, more then anything!" he exclaimed, making Eiji laugh at his unshakable enthusiasm.

"Ok, well, miss me until then!" Eiji snickered, felling distinctly better to know where he stood with at least one person.

"Course, you too. Bye Eiji."

"Bye bye."

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(To be continued)