Words: 2,684

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis… never did never will.

Author's note: Thanks some more to FallingSilver and all the people who have reviewed. Big thanks and lots of hugs. Happy Thanksgiving to all! This chapter is a little more longer then usual as will be the next 3 or so chapters so I hope you all like it.

Atobe's Little Plan

Chapter 5

Tezuka descended from the stairs slowly. He needed to think. Echizen was coming home. He was coming to this party, or so Fuji said. He'd stayed behind when all the others left to find out if it was the truth that Echizen was really going to show up. For some reason, he just couldn't believe it.

-backflash-

"Why would I have to lie, Tezuka?" The smile on Fuji's face never changed.

He stared at Fuji long and hard to find the lie, but saw nothing but truth. Fuji was indeed telling the truth. "Then why didn't you tell us before?"

"Must have forgotten," Fuji replied lightly, with a shrug of his shoulders.

Tezuka shook his head. "Iie. You knew. How did you get his phone number?"

That infuriating smile grew.

"Hi-mi-tsu," he chanted.

"While I don't approve of going behind our backs, I think for this time only it will be okay." He fixed Fuji with a small glare. "Just don't let your guard down. Even good intentions have a way of coming out bad."

"Daijiobu. Trust me." Fuji's eyes fully opened and those pure blue orbs stared at Tezuka. "Everything will turn out fine."

-end of flashback-

Tezuka stopped in the middle of the stairway to massage his forehead. His scheming tensai had something up his sleeve, he knew that much. Tezuka stopped massaging. Did he just say 'his'? He clutched the left side of his chest. He had to get over these feelings. He hated gays and didn't approve of what Fuji was trying to do, but he accepted it as long as it didn't involve him. He saw that his team members weren't performing as well as they should, and he even knew why. He wasn't blind as blind as some people.

Still, it just wasn't natural for him to have these feelings for Fuji. He shoved them to the back of his mind, like he'd been doing for the past few weeks. He would deal with them when this holiday was over.

He felt as if someone was watching him. He looked down the stairs to see Atobe's smiling face gazing up at him.

"My, my, don't you look splendid." Atobe glided up the stares to where Tezuka stood and fingered his white lapel. "Fuji really does have very nice taste, if I do say so myself."

Tezuka was wearing a pure white suit with a ruffled undershirt, a light tan sash tied at his waist. The light tan loafers felt comfortable on his feet which he thanked heaven for. If he had to stand this whole time, he didn't want to be uncomfortable. He was wearing white gloves on his hands and a tan bowtie around his neck. Last, but not least, he was wearing a pair of white angel wings on his back. A very majestic picture.

Tezuka smoothed the lapel that Atobe touched.

"Very well made," was the only comment with which he was going to grace Atobe.

"Hmm, I wonder why he made you an angel when there are more… interesting things out there that are more suited to your style."

The use of the pun didn't escape Tezuka's notice, but he didn't give Atobe the gratification of remarking on it. Instead, he looked around the ballroom with slight interest. It was decorated in the usual greens and reds of Christmas, but there were other colors that were very cleverly used. Atobe probably had arranged for a professional decorator to come and set this all up.

"Ah, I see you like the room. Yes, I agree that Soshui-san did a marvelous job," Atobe said, as if he were discussing the weather.

Tezuka had difficulty suppressing the wince, but was pleased when he did. Soshui was the name of a famous designer in Tokyo. Only the very rich could afford Soshui's services. Very cunning, Tezuka thought. Atobe was trying to barb Tezuka, for what reason escaped him. Tezuka knew how large of a class difference there was between them, but he didn't have to be reminded of it. Now for the payback.

"Really? I was just thinking that whoever did this had best go back to school. It really is too gaudy." He looked right at Atobe and what he was wearing to make sure he understood that he didn't only mean the room. Really, that guy was just too full of himself.

Atobe was wearing a pure black suit complete with perfectly shining black shoes. He had a royal red cape thrown over his shoulders. The cape was lined with fluffy white fur and reached the floor. He was proudly holding a gem encrusted scepter that was probably worth a fortune. The crown on top of his head was even more encrusted with gems then the scepter, but it was smaller. He had snap-on gem earrings and a really expensive gold and diamond encrusted watch on his wrist.

Atobe glared fiercely at Tezuka before smoothing his face back to normal as if he hadn't said anything.

"This old thing?" he asked, staring disdainfully at the scepter. "I had this costume in my closet. It was really too cheap for me to wear to any real party."

He sneered at Tezuka while emphasizing the word 'real.'

"But," he sighed dejectedly, "It was only a party for simple commoners like yourself, so I wasn't too worried. Right, Kabaji?"

"Usu." Kabaji appeared next to Atobe. He was dressed as Frankenstein.

"Well, it was nice talking to you, but I have very important things to take care of, being the most important person in this room." Atobe started to walk away, but stopped and turned around at the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh, one more thing, Tezuka. Don't forget to put on your mask." With that, he left.

"It seems that we've already put on our masks for the night. Right, Atobe?" Tezuka whispered, fully aware the other person couldn't hear him.

He reached into the inner pocket of his suit and pulled out a white glittering mask. It was rimmed with small white feathers on the top to make the mask appear to have a halo. He couldn't see too well without his glasses, but he could see well enough. He secured the mask around his head before he descended the rest of the way down the stairs.

A servant appeared next to Tezuka. "Sir? Atobe-sama wanted me to tell you that someone who might spark your interest is next to the refreshments table, sir."

The servant bowed and walked away, caring little if Tezuka took heed of the advice.

Atobe, hm? Omoshiroi, Tezuka thought to himself.

So as not to give Atobe the pleasure of knowing that Tezuka took his advice, he first took a look at everyone else around the room other then the refreshments table.

A few people had already gathered on the ballroom floor. Ibu Shinji from Fudomine was dressed as a drama jester. The right half of his suit was white, while the left half was black. His mask was similar, but with the left half white and the right half black with the mouth doing both a frown and a smile. Shishido from Hyotei was dressed as a samurai complete with sword and wooden shoes. He kept shifting from foot to foot as if those shoes were uncomfortable. A few more were there, but they were uninteresting to Tezuka. Some of them were girls in frilly dresses and giggling amongst themselves.

He scanned the room one more time before resting his eyes on the refreshments table. Or rather, the person standing at the refreshment table. He had to close his mouth repeatedly. That girl was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. She was wearing a red Victorian dress that ended at her knees. The bottom of the dress was outlined in black fur. That same black fur was in the bodice and shoulders and had a slight hint of fur for a thin belt. There were black ribbons crisscrossing their way from the furry belt to her chest. She had on black kid gloves that went all the way up her arm and ended in some red fur. She also had on some tiny black heels that had straps winding their way up her legs.

To complete the ensemble was the red glittering devil's mask trimmed at the top with black feathers and little red horns poking out from the feathers. She had a little red feather clip in her light brown hair. Such a beautiful creature indeed. He just had to talk to her. He didn't even notice the growing amount of people in the room as he crossed it. The girl was all he was thinking about.

When he arrived, the girl's side was turned to him, but he saw her give a soft smile. He bowed formally to her, and she gave him her hand to kiss, which he did.

"May I have the honor of knowing your name, miss?"

She gave a low chuckle.

"Hmm, I would… But this party is meant to be secretive, and I believe it adds to the atmosphere to remain nameless." Her voice was very light and throaty. It seemed to caress each word it produced.

The music started playing. "Will you have this dance with me, my lady?" Tezuka asked, extending his hand out to her.

She gave him a brilliant smile. "With pleasure."

They moved out onto the dance floor, which was a bit more crowded then Tezuka remembered. It seemed that everyone was there and wanted to dance. He placed his hand around her tiny waist, and she placed her hand in his. The dance was slow, so they got to dance very close together, closer then usual thanks to the overcrowded dance floor.

Now that he was allowed to think, Tezuka thought this masked ball was really a very brilliant idea. He'd never tell Atobe, though. His overwrought ego didn't need any more boosting. The thrill of not knowing who anyone was was positively comforting. It was a known fact that all the tennis teams were rivals, but get everyone to dress up and then there would be nothing to stop them from socializing. Maybe some of that talk could even be with other teams.

Tezuka scouted out Inui in his white lab coat and his hair messed up. This would, of course, be the perfect time to get some data. Tezuka nearly let out a small smile; Inui dressed as a mad scientist wasn't being mysterious in the least bit. What surprised him was that Inui was talking to a tall female in a green outfit. He couldn't quite make out what she was wearing, but Inui seemed to have eyes all for her.

He looked back at the woman in his arms and let out a soft sigh of relief. If this was how the rest of the night was going to go, then he could imagine it being a very perfect night.

Near the end of the party, the two got tired of dancing and went outside for some air. Dancing was tiring work. They strolled around the garden, seeing several pairs already out there with the same idea. They had found several topics to talk about, but their major topic was, of course, tennis. She was surprisingly knowledgeable about everything and seemed very witty. She laughed at all the right times and knew how to make him laugh. This night was indeed perfect. She was perfect.

They sat at a bench by the lake to gaze at the rising moon. The water shimmered in the moon's light and cast its magic over the pair. She moved from the bench to sit by the bank, spreading her skirts around her as she sat down. She took off her glove and ran a hand through the water, making the moon's reflection ripple.

"How many masks do you think people wear?" she asked, a soft smile on her face.

"Several," he replied, moving to sit beside her.

She took her hand out of the water but didn't put her glove back on.

"I have worn my mask for all of my life. No one knew until it became a part of me. By then, I didn't even know which was really the mask. In those days, people were happy with who I was. They couldn't see the pain I was feeling, the emotional turmoil. When I thought I was finally going to crack, a person came into my life and showed me that he could see behind my mask. For the first time in my life, I was truly happy." She paused for a moment in thought. After a minute she resumed.

"After such a long time, I finally knew the difference between my mask and my humanity. And it was all thanks to this person. I owe him my life. I now wear this mask as a choice, not as a requirement."

Tezuka shuddered at the power of her look. It was the look of someone deeply in love.

"So is this person your boyfriend." He didn't want to know. He truly didn't, but he had to know.

She looked away from him and back to the moon's reflection.

"So many masks. Look, even the moon wears its own mask," she said, pointing to the reflection. "It's not real, but if people enjoy it, then why change? What mask are we buried with when we die? Does it really matter?"

She splashed at the water, making little droplets fly all over and creating several ripples. She dried her hand and put her glove back on. She glanced at him.

"No, I don't have a boyfriend. He won't look my way no matter what I do. I came to this party to hopefully forget about him and have some fun." She gave him a wide smile. "Perhaps you'll help me with this?"

That smile tickled something inside Tezuka's brain, but he was so mesmerized with her and her words that it quickly disappeared. Her sparkling blue eyes seemed to be a part of the lake at that moment.

"Of course, fair lady." A thought came to his mind. "Would you like to come with my friends and I on an adventure? Eiji is taking us on a haunting adventure one night this week."

She smiled happily. "Sure. That would be wonderful! When is this going to take place?"

They walked slowly back to the house, not wanting the night to end.

"The day after tomorrow," Tezuka answered, frowning even more then usual as a thought came to him.

"Are you busy?" he asked hesitantly.

She studied the moon for a moment. "No. I have nothing holding me down for this week."

Uncharacteristically, Tezuka let a tiny smile appear on his mouth. He heard the woman gasp. "You should do that more often. You are really very handsome, too handsome for words, when you smile."

She ran her gloved hand down the length of his face making him shudder. He caught her hand, and she made a soft gasp. He pulled her to his body, thrilled to note that she fit perfectly to his form. He cupped the back of her neck and brought his face slowly down toward her, giving her time to pull away. Near giddy, he noticed that she didn't move a muscle. When their lips met, sparks seemed to fly. The softness of this woman's lips made silk seem rough. He ran his tongue along the bottom of her lip and was happy when he felt her shudder in his arms. She hung onto him, as if he was her last hope.

All too soon, the kiss ended. They were breathing hard against one another. She looked up and down his face, as if she couldn't believe what had just happened. A noise broke them apart, and a small blush added to her beauty. He extended his arm to her, relieved that she took ahold of it, and they once again moved on into the mansion. They didn't say a word until they reached her room.

"Until next time," he whispered softly to her.

She nodded and gave him another kiss. The same electrifying force shocked Tezuka. She was an amazing woman. She went into her room slowly, as if loathe to leave him. But when the door closed, Tezuka let his composure drop, and he leaned heavily against the wall. This night was indeed perfect.

From the shadows, someone watched with a grin on their face. All was going according to plan.