Title: Realize

Fandom: POT/Tenipuri

Genre: General/Romance

Rating: PG-13

Pairings: Kevin/Ryoma

Type: Multi-part, 6/7

Disclaimer: No, I do not own Prince of Tennis.

Previous Chapter(s): http/ of sunlight shining through the window, Ryoma sat up in bed with a lethargic yawn. His eyes scanned the surroundings in a dazed manner, having just awoken from his deep and peaceful slumber. Eyeing the alarm clock sitting by the bedside table, he started to recall the things he would need to complete on this day.

Upon the realization that the quarterfinals for US Open would be taking place today, he sighed. Throwing off the covers, he started heading towards the bathroom for his morning rituals. While in the process of getting changed, he'd wondered if Kevin was going to head over to the stadium and provide him with moral support. It wasn't as if he would need them, but he would prefer if the latter did come. /Just admit it, you missed him.../ his inner self commented dryly.

Resisting the urge to growl at that person in him, he decided to ignore the constant nagging voice at the back of his mind. Picking up his tennis bag, he headed downstairs to join his parents for breakfast.

Settling himself in the seat without a word, he reached for the carton of milk, started pouring himself a glass, and got for a slice of bread at the same time. That was when he noticed his parents eyeing him strangely.

"What?" he'd snapped, having being grouchy in the morning.

Realizing that they'd been caught staring, Rinko shook her head before replying. "Nothing, but it's rare of you to wake up so early without your father dragging you out of bed..."

"Oh..." Ryoma made a knowing sound, before he bit into his slice of bread. He should've known that his strange behavior must have caught his parents' attention unintentionally. Finishing his breakfast quickly, he picked up his bag and rushed out of the house before his parents could ask him any more questions on his sudden change in performance.

Now as he stood outside of his house, he wondered where he would be going. After all, it was still too early for him to head over to the stadium. The match was scheduled to be in late morning, he wouldn't be able to go shopping as well. The shops weren't even open at this hour of time, not that he would enjoy the idea of browsing around in various shopping malls. /Now what/ he thought nastily.

Glancing towards the direction of the park, he let out a sigh of resignation. /Looks like practicing tennis is the only solution.../ he told himself mentally. With that notion in mind, he set off towards the park where the tennis practice grounds were located, hoping that the ground would be free for usage. He was surprised when he found the boy who haunted his dreams recently lounging on the bench next to the practice court.

"Kevin?" Ryoma greeted, a question lingering in his tone of voice.

The said boy looked up at the coming intruder, and frowned. "Ryoma, what are you doing out here ... at such an early hour? The match will still start in two hours..."

"Huh? Oh... I woke up early, but I'm not willing to listen to my perverted father so I decided to head out..." Ryoma replied, pulling his cap lower to hide his faint blush.

"Aa..." Kevin mused.

"So what about you?" Ryoma countered, unhappy with the look of amusement on Kevin's face.

Kevin turned solemn for a moment, before responding neutrally, "Trying to get away from my drunken father..."

"Oh..." Ryoma's mouth formed the shape of the 'O', but said nothing more of it. The issue of bringing up Kevin's drunken father had always been a taboo among the two boys. After all, that had always been a sensitive issue and Ryoma had no inclination to lose Kevin as a friend. He did not want to lose the chance of developing their relationship into something more, either.

Ryoma frowned. From where did /that/ idea originate from? The frown must have caught the other's boy attention, for Kevin eyed him strangely.

"Ooi! Ryoma, snap out of it..."

"Huh?"

"You've been spacing out... and why are you frowning?" Kevin asked, his expression caught between a look of annoyance and, perhaps, concern.

"Aa... nothing, I was just thinking of something..." Ryoma muttered a reply, hoping that Kevin would buy his excuse.

Somehow, his prayers weren't answered as Kevin decided to pry into it. "Oh really? What were you thinking about, then?"

"..." Ryoma hesitated, taking a deep breath to brace himself for the question he was about to ask. "Ne, Kevin...

"What do you think of homosexuality?"

For a while Kevin seemed stumped into silence by Ryoma's query; whatever he had had in mind for Ryoma's response, this was certainly not part of it. He knew that Ryoma didn't really show much interests in girls around them, but to have Ryoma admit, albeit indirectly, that he was gay, was something that had never crossed his mind before.

It wasn't until he found Ryoma eyeing him intently did he realize that he owed Ryoma a reply to the question. "Oh... Well, I've never given it much thought... but I believe it's all right to begin with. After all, my ex-American teammates do consist of people who are homosexual..."

"Aa... so you have no objections towards them?" Ryoma pressed on, as anxiety seized his heart.

"Yeah, I think it's fine..." Kevin replied, choosing his words carefully as he did so. Yet, he couldn't help but wonder who was the person that captured the boy wonder's heart. /Maybe it's one of his ex-team mates/ he thought. The sheer idea of it stung him; for some reasons he did not understand, he felt bitter resentment towards whoever had captured Ryoma's heart.

"Kevin?" Ryoma stared down at him strangely, drawing him back to reality.

"Huh? Did you say anything?" Kevin asked, looking embarrassed for being caught in a dazed manner.

Ryoma sighed. Apparently the other boy had been spacing out like himself earlier on. Shaking his head, he said, "I asked if you would want to play a game with me..."

"A game? Don't you have a match later? Why are you asking for a game now?" Kevin frowned, not understanding Ryoma's sudden request.

"I need a warm up game, so are you up for it? If not, I'll play with the wall instead..." Ryoma replied dryly, as if hinting.

"Aa... sure..." Kevin agreed, and he picked up his racket, following Ryoma's lead to the empty tennis court, situated a few steps away from the bench where they had been sitting.

To be continued

Date started: 08/09/05

Date completed: 08/09/05