Memory Sixteen

Yumiko grasped Tezuka's tennis callused hands and smiled.

"How interesting," she said.

"Hm?" asked Fuji.

"He shall also be with the one he loves and will be involved with him and his friends for awhile. But there is once more a downside. There's also pressure his profession. He'll chose between one or the other. But after a while he'll find that he will still have his profession and love close to home. His friends bind him to the things he loves. But there's some mixed feelings between certain people," Yumiko replied releasing his hands.

"I'm sure he'll be able to handle it," said Fuji.

Yumiko nodded.

"Kunimitsu is a very strong person," she said.

Tezuka looked away embarrassed and both siblings chuckled. Tezuka decided to get some things ready upstairs and it left Fuji alone with his sister.

"Did you Yuuta tell you?" Fuji asked.

"Hm? Oh you mean about Hajime?" asked Yumiko.

Fuji nodded.

"Yes he did. I'm not sure how Kaa-san and Tousan are going to take it. But Yuuta is happier than he's been in ages. And Hajime seems like a worthy person, he'll be able to take care of him. I've accepted their relationship fully," replied Yumiko.

"I wasn't sure at first. Mizuki's done a lot to hurt my brother, but Yuuta is obsessed with him and if that boy had lasted with my brother this long and held him as tightly as he did a couple days ago when they came over. Mizuki has my trust. I can't take away something that my brother loves. That be like him taking Tezuka away from me," answered Fuji.

Yumiko smiled.

"Have you worked things out with Kunimitsu, Syusuke?" she asked.

Fuji looked out the window and then back at her.

"Yes. Not a lot has been explained to me, Tezuka tends to not want to talk about the past and likes to look at the future. But after I yelled at him last night he held me close and comforted me when I needed it the most. Both of us had fought and he put it all aside just to take care of me. That means a lot. Nee-san, I'm in love with him. I've been since I was in Junior High," he said.

"I know. I could see it. You were a little wounded when he left for Germany and the day you played a serious match together and he won, you were so happy when you got home that I had thought he had kissed you and proposed to you. Syusuke, you do what you think is right. I will tell you what I told you Yuuta. Our mother and father will never agree with us. They don't support that sort of thing because things like this weren't known or common back in time and were taboo subjects. You and Tezuka hold on tight and everything will be okay. If you need anything Syusuke, anything at all, you have me and you have your brother and Mizuki at this point. If financially things mess up you're welcome to share my house with my boyfriend. We won't mind a bit. Don't be afraid to ask," said Yumiko.

"Thank you Nee-san, that means a lot coming from you. I doubt it'll become that bad, but I'll take you up on that offer if something were to God forbid happen," replied Fuji.

Yumiko hugged her little brother tight and cried a little. And Syusuke let her, telling her that everything was going to be okay. Yumiko kissed Syusuke on the forehead and stood up.

"I'm going to leave now. I have to meet Keisumi at the house. We're having a Christmas party and I need to get back. Take care of yourself," she said grabbing up her belongings.

Fuji gave his sister a kiss on the cheek and led her out her sports car. He watched her drive off down the road and then smiled. Everything was going to be all right. He knew it would be. He had his friends that were like his own family supporting him all the way.

Two arms went around him keeping him warm.

"Mn, Tezuka," murmured Fuji leaning into his boyfriend's strong body. It was still very cold outside and Fuji was taking advantage of the warmth around him.

"You've gotten just as spoiled as Echizen. Maybe even more spoilt. Come up stairs with me," said Tezuka.

They walked inside and Fuji asked, "What do have planned?"

"You'll see."

Upstairs Fuji smirked as he heard cries of pleasure Echizen. In a way he couldn't even imagine how Momo was even managing. Ryoma has such a small frame and yet, Momoshiro was taller and a lot bigger framed. Fuji couldn't help but be a little bit curious on how Ryoma and Momoshiro's first time was going to work out.

Kaidoh slumped down on one of the park benches cold and exhausted from playing a game of tennis with Inui. He had gotten to test out his new racket and was pleased at how well the racket held up. It still didn't seem like a fun idea of playing tennis in the winter though.

"You play beautifully with that racket. I'm impressed," said Inui sitting down next to him.

"You're still good as well senpai," added Kaidoh.

There was a long silence and Kaidoh pulled his coat tighter around him as they looked at some of the stars in the sky. Kaidoh allowed himself to relax and then felt an arm go around his waist and pull him close.

"It's cold," murmured Inui.

Kaidoh blushed and glanced at his senpai who was holding him tight.

"You're cold?" he asked.

"Yes. You're warm, don't pull away from me," replied Inui.

Kaidoh hissed and let silence take its place again. It was much warmer with Inui closer to him. Kaidoh didn't know weather if it was because of body warmth or if it was from him blushing…

"You worried me last night Kaidoh," said Inui laying his head down on Kaidoh's shoulder.

"You're using me as a pillow…fsshu… and I'm sorry for making you have to go through all that," answered Kaidoh.

Inui shifted a little.

"What I can't use my kouhai as a pillow? You're a good pillow… and I didn't care what I had to go through to get you away from those people. I would've done anything Kaidoh. Kaoru….I…-" Inui's voice trailed off.

Kaidoh hissed and blushed.

"You?"

"Kaoru I love you so much. I would never let anyone harm you. Ever."

Kaidoh's eyes went wide and pushed his senpai away to face him. Snowflakes decided to take their place on the ground and everything else again. They both looked at eachother for a long time.

"Do you not love me back Kaoru?" asked Inui.

"Inui-…senpai. May I love you back?" asked Kaidoh with his own question.

"Yes. You can love me as much as I love you," assured Inui.

Kaidoh leaned closer to Inui who smiled. Kaidoh closed his eyes and felt his senpai's lips descend upon his. Both of their lips were cold thanks to being outside but they kept eachother warm. Inui's tongue flitted out at Kaidoh's bottom lip giving him permission to be able to deepen the kiss. Their tongues touched and their teeth clicked against one another's. And they both broke away. There was another long silence and finally Kaidoh asked, "Inui-senpai, was that your first kiss?"

Inui chuckled and nodded looking down at the ground.

"You can stop with the senpai. I've been meaning to tell you that for a while lately that we're both not in school anymore. And was it yours?" he asked.

"Gomen, it's a habit. And it was. You're good…" replied Kaidoh.

"At kissing?" asked Inui standing up off the bench dusting snow off of himself. He held his hand out to Kaidoh who accepted it and also got up only to attach himself to Inui's arm nodding against it to say yes. Inui chuckled and ruffled Kaidoh's hair that had a couple snowflakes in it lovingly with his other arm that was free from Kaidoh's grasp.

"I'm taking you liked it. Now I'm not confident on my kissing skills, so maybe when we get back home we can practice," he said.

Kaidoh blushed at that and hissed.

"Inui, there's no practicing with kissing. Experimenting, but not practicing," he pointed out.

"Okay then we'll experiment," he said as they walked down the sidewalk together.

"Maybe tomorrow we can…maybe go and…eat out somewhere or something," offered Kaidoh blushing even more.

Inui laughed at that saying that it was a date. Kaidoh made a face at that and squeezed his boyfriend's arm tighter.

"You remember that?" Kaidoh asked.

"Hm?"

"That time you called me on your cell phone and told me to meet you at the street tennis courts and told me 'It's a date' and then hung up." Explained Kaidoh.

Inui smiled. He remembered that well. Ryoma and Momoshiro had somehow ended up on a date with An Tachibana. Well Momoshiro and An's date, but Momoshiro was so scared that he dragged Ryoma along with him. And they ended up going to the street tennis courts and from what Ryoma told Inui, Kamio Akira and Ibu Shinji, ended up being there. Kamio and Momoshiro ended up arguing over An and An was going along with everything. And Ryoma and Shinji were about to play tennis to win some remaining grip tape. And then Yuuta and Mizuki had appeared and so did Fuji soon after and there ended up being a huge doubles match after a lot of arguing over who was going to play who and why they were playing tennis was for completely different reasons.… They ended up pulling colored pieces of paper to see who was going to play. Mizuki ended up being the referee (and was majorly pissed that he wasn't able to have a rematch against Yuuta's older brother) and the doubles match was Ryoma and Shinji VS Kamio and Momoshiro.

"Did you ever come?" asked Inui.

"Yes! I debated at first wondering what the hell you meant. I think paced around for awhile and I wanted to call back. But when I did the batteries in my phone ran out. And when I finally ended up coming everyone was gone," replied Kaidoh pouting a little.

"So you did come. I'm sorry I stood you up that day. We'll make up for it tomorrow I promise! I'll treat you," said Inui.

Kaidoh hissed a little.

"I thought I was taking you out," he said.

Inui chuckled.

"I'm paying Kaoru, protest and I'll make you drink my latest version of juice," he threatened still smiling as if he hadn't threatened the damn juice on his boyfriend.

"Fine. Where will we go?" asked Kaidoh.

"I'm not sure yet. Somewhere nice," said Inui.

"Somewhere nice," repeated Kaidoh.

"Is that okay with you?" asked Inui glancing at the boy clinging on his arm for warmth.

"As long as you don't over do yourself I'm fine with it. May…I ask you something senpai?" answered Kaidoh.

There was another silence and the watched a couple cars whiz past from the bridge they were walking over where the freeway was under them. They stopped there and Kaidoh detached himself from Inui's arm as leaned against the rails of the bridge.

"Go ahead, ask."

"Why didn't you explain to me why you called me that day?" asked Kaidoh quietly.

"About the date?" asked Inui raising an eyebrow.

Kaidoh nodded blushing

"Because it was actually a date between Momoshiro, Ryoma, and An Tachibana," said Inui.

Kaidoh's eyes went wide and looked a little hurt. Inui faced him again

"You took it the wrong way that day," he continued on.

Kaidoh hissed and looked down at the whizzing cars below him. Despite it being Christmas everyone was still driving around as though it was a regular day. Kaidoh placed his tennis bag on the ground deciding that he wanted to watch for a while.

"I'm an idiot," he muttered.

He felt a little stupid over the fact that he thought Inui had actually asked him out on a real date when really it was something between the idiot, the brat, and Tachibana's little sister.

"Kaidoh, you're not. I was the one who mislead you. I should've actually been less vague with you. I guess I wanted you to come and spy with us that day," comforted Inui.

Kaidoh glanced at his senpai who was looking down at the cars as well behind the metal gates, avoiding Kaidoh.

"Sadist," he finally said.

Inui started shivering and Kaidoh wondered if he was crying or if he was cold…. And then Inui started laughing. And then Kaidoh started too, placing all his weight on the railing to keep from falling to the ground from laughing so hard.

"I thought Fuji was the sadist," pointed out Inui finally calming himself.

"He is. You were placed in the category when you decided to play the 'Call me up, be vague, and hang up' game with me… I dunno, I feel like kissing you and slapping you at the same time," Kaidoh said.

"That's an odd combination. I'm sorry. I still love you though. Maybe I was hoping that you'd take it seriously too. I just wasn't sure of myself yet," admitted Inui.

Kaidoh heaved his tennis bag on his shoulder giving the signal that they could go home now. Inui gave him a quick kiss before Kaidoh decided to snuggle against him again. At the moment Kaidoh couldn't give a damn about public display of affection. He was cold and last nights events were still playing in his head and there was no way in hell did he want to be raped again. Yes holding on to his senpai reassured him that he was safe.

"Since when?" asked Kaidoh as they walked down the sidewalk.

"Hm? Now you're being vague. Since when-what?"

Kaidoh blushed.

"Fsshu, since when did you start having these feelings for me?" he stated in a clearer format than he once had it.

"Junior High. At the end of that time period but I was really unsure back then. When you attended highschool with me and everyone else at the matter, I was a lot surer than I was a year or two before that. I just wasn't bold enough to tell you because I didn't exactly want you to break away from me. 87 percent chance I would've been rejected anyway. But when I left for Europe…that's when I started regretting at least not trying to see if you felt the same. So when I came back to Japan I promised myself that I would tell you," explained Inui.

Kaidoh took in everything and then he was asked the same question.

"You know how I am about coming out with my feelings," was Kaidoh's reply.

Inui smirked.

"Then what are you doing all over my arm in public?" he asked.

Kaidoh blushed even redder than he already was.

"Shut up, I'm cold," he snapped.

Inui just smiled at the reply knowing the real reason even if Kaidoh wasn't exactly going to say it, he was cold….true…but he was TRYING to be affectionate which was really sweet… They both walked home the snow still falling down on the ground below them.

(A/N: I'm sick..sneaking on the computer...had to update early)