A/N notes: If my "plot" works out as I've planned it now, there will be around four chapters more. Thank you all for reading and especially for reviewing and letting me know what you think so far :D

I'm sorry for torturing Ootori so much, please don't hate Atobe for it ;D

And May, I am relieved to hear that…I think XD

Chapter 10: A new bet

Ootori hadn't been to practice today. It was the first practice session the younger boy had ever skipped. Shishido had ended up spending time with Oshitari and Gakuto, who had behaved rather strangely today (due to a sexless week) and Atobe again had seemed to be lost into his thoughts, which also qualified for strange behavior in Shishido's books.

Shishido decided there was definitely something going on.

Atobe hadn't even noticed him leaving practice a little earlier to go and look for Ootori. That reason alone made Shishido fear the worst.

After walking over to the Ootori household and knocking on the door, Shishido had to wait a couple of long minutes for an answer.

"Shishido-san." Ootori finally greeted him, looking a bit surprised to see him.

"Hey Choutarou. Can I come in?"

Ootori only nodded and stepped aside, allowing the older boy to enter.

"I'm alone right now." the junior said and led him into the living room.

"Mmm…and you seem to have been home for a while now. How come you weren't at practice today?"

"I…wasn't feeling so well." They sat down on the couch.

"Really?" Shishido asked suspiciously and Ootori nodded a couple of times.

The junior sure looked like a wreck, but Shishido doubted he was suffering from a flu or fever. Shishido only waited for his fears to be confirmed.

"Is there something you'd like to tell me?" the older boy pressed on, but Ootori only shook his head. Shishido gave a sigh. "It's Atobe, isn't it?"

Ootori's head flew up, the look upon his face confessed it all.

"I see..."

Ootori let himself sink into the couch. "He…told me he didn't want to continue seeing me anymore. It's over, he just wanted to…"

"It's alright, Choutarou."

Ootori shook his head. "No, it's not alright…"

"Choutarou."

"I…" Ootori doubted. "I slept with him."

"I know."

"Huh?" Ootori lifted his head and met his eyes, and Shishido regretted saying that out loud. An embarrassed blush made its way onto the junior's cheeks.

"I mean I could guess that you two had…" Shishido's voice died and Ootori's head sunk again, not wanting to look him in the eyes anymore.

There was a short moment of silence before Shishido spoke again, "Well you know, I doesn't matter."

"What do you mean?" Ootori asked.

"I mean stuff like that happens, especially around Atobe…"

Ootori eyed his senpai in disbelief. What did Shishido mean by that? "How can you say it doesn't matter? Of course it matters!"

Did Shishido try to deny the fact that Ootori had been such an easy prey? Ootori didn't want Shishido to pity him or tell him lies to make the reality more bearable for him.

"Choutarou, it happens. It wasn't your fault. Atobe has a way to…" Shishido's voice died out and Ootori looked at him confused.

Did Shishido hate him now?

This was one of the things Ootori had been afraid of the most: to tell Shishido what had happened between them. Shishido had resented the thought of them dating from the beginning and even told Ootori to think twice, but Ootori had followed his heart and now he had to face Shishido in all his stupidity. He had no right to cry over this in front of Shishido.

Shishido coughed and continued. "…to get what he wants, you know."

"Yeah, I know." Ootori mumbled. He felt so stupid.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of." Shishido said and caught Ootori's gaze. "If it was then practically the whole school's male population would have to live in shame."

Ootori was silent for a while. Atobe really was a player then. He really hadn't been the only one Atobe had played.

"Myself included." Shishido then confessed.

Ootori looked at his senpai confused. "You mean you've…?"

Shishido nodded. "I've slept with him too."

Ootori didn't know what to say. Had Atobe done the same dirty trick on his doubles partner? How many had had to taste Atobe's games? If Ootori had been the only one to be hurt like this by his captain, then it still would've been alright but if others had also been fooled by Atobe… Ootori felt like just another face in the crowd. He really hadn't meant anything to the captain. He had been just another trick.

"But it wasn't like with you." Shishido hurried to add. "I never believed any of the stuff he said, actually he never made me any promises…"

"Then…um, how did he…?" Ootori asked. How did he get to Shishido if Shishido knew all along what Atobe was all about? "I mean, why did you sleep with him?"

"Because I wanted to. I wanted him." Shishido answered. "It was just another day after practice. We had stayed later and… Well, one thing led to another. I was very aware of his reputation by then."

Ootori looked down. "Then why didn't you tell me about him? I mean, you tried but…you changed your story completely…"

Shishido sighed. "What I told you at first was the truth, but I didn't exactly lie the second time either. Atobe might pull some really dirty tricks on guys in order to get them into bed, but there is more to him than that."

Ootori met his eyes again. Those chocolate brown eyes were still filled with un-shed tears.

"Maybe you saw a glimpse of the real Atobe at some point there, when he had unconsciously let his guard down." Shishido continued, trying to make those eyes to stop looking at him like that. It hurt him to see Ootori so wounded. "No one's ever spent so much time 'dating' him like you did."

"That's because he knew I wouldn't sleep with him unless I was sure that he cared for me." Ootori muttered. He hated himself for ignoring the signs that had been there from the beginning. He hated himself for not listening to Shishido's warnings and listening to his heart instead. Sometimes sense was the better option, but he had ignored it all because he didn't want to believe that Atobe could be using him.

"I'm sorry." Shishido said and brought Ootori back to earth. "I should've said something more."

"He told you not to, didn't he?" Ootori was almost afraid to ask.

'Told' wasn't the word Shishido would've used 'blackmailed' had suited better, but Shishido decided Ootori had had enough sorrows to deal with already and didn't need to worry about him too.

"Ah. He told me not to." Shishido replied and Ootori let his head sink once more, hating the fact that he had been right about it. He was slowly starting to learn the true nature of Atobe Keigo.

"I figured as much…" Ootori mumbled. "He turned against you as well because of me."

Shishido moved in a little closer, one hand running down the younger boy's face to his chin and tilting the head up so that their eyes locked.

"That's how he is. He has done it before, he will do it again. He will use anyone and anything to achieve what he wants." Shishido said. "You had nothing to do with it."

Ootori shot him a sad smile. "I'm the one he wanted."

Shishido sat up straight. "But it still doesn't make it your fault." he insisted and Ootori gave him a weak smile.

"Thank you, Shishido-san." the junior said and Shishido just gave a nod before standing up from the couch.

"Now what do you say if we'll surprise them all by playing the best doubles match tomorrow at practice?" the senior suggested and Ootori's small smile widened a little.

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"Atobe didn't even notice Shishido taking off after we had talked with him." Oshitari said as he opened the door to his home and let Gakuto in. "I've never seen Atobe spacing out before."

"Mmm, it would be fun to torment Atobe about it, but I don't want to run laps again." Gakuto replied and jumped out of his shoes.

Oshitari was heading towards the kitchen.

"Um, Yuushi?" the redhead asked and his boyfriend stopped. "I'll be just a sec, okay? I forgot…there is something I have to do…"

Oshitari looked after his boyfriend, who disappeared into his room and closed the door behind him. He wondered what Gakuto was being so secretive about?

After ten minutes when Gakuto still hadn't returned, Oshitari made his way towards his room to see if his boyfriend needed help with anything. Oshitari knew Gakuto, the boy would never come and directly ask for help, but he wouldn't turn his help down either.

"Gakuto?" Oshitari murmured, knocking on the door before entering. "Is everything…-"

Oshitari forgot what he was going to say next at the sight of his boyfriend on his bed.

"Yuushi..?" Gakuto asked where he sat dressed in a girl's uniform from their school.

"Gakuto…What is this all about?" Oshitari said, still pretty stunned. This was the first time Gakuto had dressed up or done anything especially for him… And let's face it, his boyfriend looked gorgeous!

Gakuto lowered his head a little to hide a blush. He wasn't good at this emotional crap. "I just thought that since we had a break from…Just that maybe we needed something different to spice up our sex life."

"A break?" Oshitari asked, confused at first but then starting to realize that Gakuto was talking about that week he had been forbidden to touch Gakuto. Oshitari smirked. Why not play a little further on this? "I'm not sure what you mean, Gakuto. A break from what? What break are you talking about?"

Gakuto squirmed where he sat, much to Oshitari's amusement. "That…week, when we had a break from sex. I just thought that maybe you had…grown tired of me."

Oshitari sat down in front of his boyfriend on the bed. "Now why would I do that?"

Gakuto shrugged. "I don't know. I came onto you, but you never wanted to…" the redhead shifted position awkwardly. "I thought that maybe you were missing the time when you were a player like Atobe."

"I think it seems like Atobe is also growing tired of being a player like that." Oshitari laughed. "Why would I want to return to that?"

"Because you'd get to be free again and get to have anyone you want?" Gakuto let his head drop. "Perhaps if you felt that the thrill between us was gone…"

Oshitari couldn't take it anymore. His boyfriend was just too cute trying to answer to his questions without letting him see how much Gakuto really cared for him. The taller third year wrapped an arm around the smaller one and gave a kiss on the forehead.

"I love you, you know that?"

Gakuto blushed. "I-I was just saying that if this thing is killing you, then I understand how you'd want to be single again…"

Oshitari's amused smile only widened. "Well, I don't have any desires for letting you go."

Gakuto couldn't help smiling, much to his annoyance, and doubted for a while before asking, "Then why? Why didn't you, I mean why didn't we…-"

It was now Oshitari's turn to confess. "Well, I sort of lost a bet against Atobe."

"…What?"

"I lost a bet." Oshitari repeated. "I made a bet with Atobe, if he scored with Ootori before Valentine's Day was over I would lose. He scored. My penalty was a sexless week with you."

"Oh." Gakuto said, suddenly feeling very stupid in his outfit. "…You bet on our sex life!"

"Yes…" Oshitari admitted. "And I wasn't allowed to tell you about it either."

Gakuto felt like hitting his head against something. He should've known he meant more to Oshitari than just another swing. He should've known that Oshitari, Gakuto blushed again, truly loved him.

Gakuto suddenly felt Oshitari's hands travel up his thighs under his skirt. "Now we have time to make up for…" the tensai's deep voice spoke into his ear and sent shivers all over his body.

Soon enough all other thoughts were gone.

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"You look dead tired." Atobe pointed out as Oshitari stopped by his side in the corridor.

"Good morning to you too." Oshitari smiled, but indeed looked a little tired. "How did you sleep?"

"Better than you, I bet." Atobe replied and Oshitari gave a small chuckle.

"I guess I should thank you for that. My sexless week ended up causing Gakuto to think that there was something wrong with our relationship and as a result I got both confessions from him and a night to never forget." Oshitari said and dropped his bag onto the floor. "But since you said you've slept better than me, I take it that you went to bed alone last night."

"Your point being?" Atobe asked and Oshitari lifted his hands up.

"No point, just wondering how come you haven't slept with another guy since Ootori?"

"Well let me refresh your memory and tell you that I was on my way to welcome the new guy to the team when Ootori interrupted me."

"Mmmm, I do recall that." Oshitari said. "But refresh my memory again and remind me: when did you sleep with that guy after that? I mean, you had plenty of chances after Ootori had stopped harassing you. I can't seem to recall seeing you with him more than that one time…"

Atobe grunted, knowing Oshitari had taken this round. "I didn't sleep with him." he muttered.

"Ah, that's how I remembered it." Oshitari showed a victorious smirk. "So, if you feel nothing for Ootori and you had all the chances in the world to nail that new guy…Tell me, why didn't you?" Oshitari pressed on further. Atobe could tell how much Oshitari was enjoying himself and it was way too early for that.

But Atobe knew if he didn't answer now, the tensai would win. If he answered and lied, the tensai would win because Oshitari knew him better than that. If he answered and told the truth…the tensai would win, although Atobe didn't understand either why he hadn't picked up that guy then later on.

Atobe sighed. "The truth to be told, I don't know the answer to that question myself."

A warm smile grew on Oshitari's face and the tensai sneaked an arm around the captain's neck. "It's alright. You can be a player even if you've got a wife."

Atobe shot the taller boy a glare.

"I am, after all." Oshitari smirked. "You've only narrowed your games down to one person, but that doesn't mean it's a bad thing. That person might keep you on your toes."

Atobe eyed the taller boy as if he didn't understand a single word the tensai tried to say.

"There are certain things you can only experience when you know another person thoroughly."

"Well, I guess I'll just have to stick to the second best things then…" Atobe replied grumpily.

"Hmmm, tell you what." Oshitari leaned in closer to the captain. "Let's make another bet. If you win I will stop putting you through all this torture about Ootori, and if I win…you won't sleep with another guy except for Ootori before you graduate."

Atobe broke free from Oshitari's arms. "I don't sleep with someone more than once and you know it."

"I know, that's the whole point." Oshitari grinned. "You were really mean to me on the last bet, I want my revenge."

Atobe sighed. "Alright, your terms sound okay. What are we going to bet on?"

Oshitari moved in closer again. "On Ootori of course. I'm telling you the boy loves you and you have feelings for him, but if you want to prove me wrong then fix him up with someone else."

Atobe eyed the tensai. "Do you want me to play matchmaker?"

"You can give up right now if you don't feel you're up for the challenge." Oshitari teased. "I mean, if you give up then you can only sleep with Ootori for the rest of your third year, that is if he still let's you anywhere near him."

Blue-grey eyes narrowed. "You're on, but I get to choose the other guy."

Oshitari shrugged. "Sure, but you don't get to pair him up with anyone else or you'll lose."

"Then I choose Shishido." Atobe said and Oshitari grabbed Atobe's hand and shook it.

"We don't have a dead line, except for graduation, and you are not allowed to sleep with anyone else besides Ootori before you've completed the task."

Atobe tightened his grip on Oshitari's hand before letting it go.

This was good. If Atobe got Ootori paired up with Shishido he wouldn't have to worry about anything anymore. He was then free to fuck around and go back to his schemes and games, plus Oshitari would just have to keep his mouth shut over the fact that he knew that Atobe had somewhere along the road developed feelings for Ootori.

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A/N notes: Hopefully I didn't make Atobe, um, un-Atobe-ish there…And ha-ha, yes, another bet XD I'm a bet-whore!