(Tennis no Oujisama doesn't belong to us. It belongs to the amazing Konomi Takeshi.)
Jiroh's Valentine Gift
By Freedom Aozu
-----
Fuji sighed softly, walking into the tennis store. Just the other day, he had broken his racket while practicing. It was rare, but it did happened sometimes when he played against Tezuka Kunimitsu. He turned down the all too familiar isle, trying to find his favorite racket, before stopping dead in his tracks. Just there, in the middle of the row, was Akutagawa Jiroh from Hiyotei. The match between them had been interesting. Yet even so, Fuji had no room for a loss, and had beaten the other boy. Surprisingly, Jiroh had loved losing to him and had gushed over him after ward. Sighing, he knelt down beside him and shook him. "Hey... this isn't a place to sleep."
"Hnnn..." Jiroh's eyes slowly opened, and blinked sleepily. "Is it time to play Keigo?" he asked tiredly, rubbing his eyes.
Fuji gave him a warm smile. "I'm not Keigo... and you fell asleep in the tennis store," Fuji said.
Jiroh awoke completely at that and sat up, blinking. "F-Fuji-kun!" He grinned and crossed his legs, looking as if it was normal to sleep on the floor in a store. "Hi! How are you?"
He raised an eyebrow, certain this boy was a little odd. "I'm good... but why are you sleeping in the middle of the isle?"
"Heh heh..." Jiroh smiled embarrassingly and scratched the back of his head. "It looked so comfortable here... I decided to take a bit of a nap..."
Fuji's eyes cracked open slightly at those words. "I take it you do this often? You were half asleep when we had our match... at first."
"Yeah... I guess I like to sleep..." Jiroh said softly, looking up at the display of tennis rackets. "It's better than having to live in reality..."
Fuji couldn't help but tilt his head, before picking up a racket and feeling it out. "I know it's none of my business... but would you like to talk about it over something to eat?"
Jiroh looked at the other for a moment a soft smile appeared. "Sure... I'd like that," he said softly.
He nodded and paid for the racket, before glancing over at Jiroh. "There is just one thing I ask of you if I'm going to treat you to a meal."
Jiroh was picking up his tennis bag before he stilled, turning to look at the Tensai. "... What is that?"
"You have to stay awake... because I don't like company that falls asleep when we're having a conversation," he said with a deep grin.
Jiroh blinked in surprise before laughing. "Okay, it's a deal."
He grinned. "Good. Don't go back on it either... because then I'll have to make our rematch look really bad."
"Saaa... you're not fair!" Jiroh complained, but sounded excited about having a rematch with the Seigaku tensai as they left the store and headed towards a nearby diner.
----------
Jiroh took a sip of his soda. "I didn't know about this place," he told Fuji with a smile, looking around. It was a quaint cafe, something that seemed to fit Fuji's personality. "It's really nice..."
He grinned. "Almost no one does. I come here when I want a good meal and a place to think."
Jiroh looked down, staring at his soda quietly for a few minutes before speaking again. "Fuji-kun, may I ask you something?"
Fuji smiled softly, genuinely, even as he opened his eyes to focus on this seriously. "I was only waiting for you to want to talk to me. I seem to be good with helping others."
Jiroh continued watching the fizz of the soda float to the top. "I like this person..." he began. "But the thing is... I'm not sure if he even think of me in that way. Sometimes I think he doesn't like me... that he only puts up with me because of tennis..."
Fuji smiled softly. Yet again, someone with a romantic problem. It was quaint. For a moment, he wondered if Jiroh knew about his match making moments... and then realized the boy possibly slept away any stories. "Have you ever tried staying awake and talking to him. Perhaps... asking him what he thinks of you?"
Jiroh frowned. "I already know I think. He always sends Kabaji-kun to wake me up, instead of doing it himself..."
He smiled softly, figuring it out. "It's Atobe, isn't it," he said, more a statement than a question.
After a moment Jiroh nodded, looking unhappy. "I'm so stupid... aren't I?" he whispered, eyes filling with tears. "I mean, what would the Prince of Hyotei see in me? He could have anyone he wants... Why would he want me..."
Fuji shook his head. "No, that isn't stupid. And I think he could see a lot in you. If you let him. Yet you sleep away so much of your life... how can he possibly get to know you? Have you ever thought that perhaps he doesn't wake you up, not because he doesn't like you, but because he doesn't like seeing you escape from the real world like that? That perhaps it hurts him?"
"I don't know..." Jiroh said softly. "Maybe there is some truth in that, but what if you're wrong? What if he just doesn't care?" The tears in his eyes slowly rolled down his cheek. "Or maybe it's just me. Maybe I'm afraid that if I do say something, he'll laugh at me and call me stupid. We've been friends since we were kids, and if I lost that... It would hurt too much."
Fuji stood up, scraping his chair as he did. He came around and knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "And what if I'm right and eventually he becomes so lost, so hurt, that he closes himself off fully. Then nothing anyone does can help him." He smiled softly, brushing away the tears. "I saw him even as we played. He was watching you the entire time... and was worried for you when you lost, until he realized you actually didn't mind the loss. I watched him during his match with Tezuka. He's a good man, if not a little narcissistic and into himself. He would never turn your friendship away just because he found out you cared for him more than a friend."
"You... you really think so?" Jiroh asked, sniffling, looking at Fuji with sweet hopeful brown eyes.
He smiled, his eyes closed once more, before nodding his head. "Yes.. I think so. And I haven't been wrong with a match yet."
Jiroh smiled softly and brushed the rest of his tears away. "Arigato, Fuji-kun. You're really nice."
He laughed. "Some would like to think so. I simply like to think I understand people."
"I'm beginning to believe you do," Jiroh said with a smile before standing up and grabbing his bag. He pulled out some money for his share of the bill and bowed. "Thank you again, Fuji-kun. I'm going over right now to tell Atobe how I feel. I'll let you know what happens." With a wave, he turned and walked out of the cafe.
He smiled, nodding his head. "I'll hold you to that," he called, watching him leave. "Atobe... I better have read you right, or I'll hurt you."
----------
Jiroh walked up to the large door of the Atobe mansion. He swallowed hard, looking at it nervously. 'Can I really do this?' He stood up straight, eyes determined. 'I have to. I have to tell him how I really feel. I can't be scared anymore.' With that firmly in his mind, Jiroh knocked on the door.
A few moments past before the door opened, and Kabaji Munehiro came into the view. "Hey hey, Kabaji-kun!" Jiroh said cheerfully, even though he felt sick to his stomach. "Is Atobe available? I want to talk to him about something."
"Usu." Kabaji nodded and opened the door more, letting the blonde inside.
"Thanks!" Jiroh followed the other inside and towards where Atobe was. He continued to act cheerful. "You really are here a lot-"
"You're going to tell him how you feel about him, aren't you Akutagawa-senpai?" Kabaji asked the other softly, interrupting the other.
Jiroh blinked, still not really use to the other talking much, even though they were friends. Kabaji was the only one that knew about Jiroh's feelings for Atobe. You kinda tended to open up to the person that was always sent to find you when you fell asleep somewhere. "H-Hai..." he said softly.
"I wish you luck then, because really, I think you are the only one that can get Atobe-senpai off his high horse some," Kabaji said with a rueful smile.
Jiroh laughed softly behind his hand. "Thanks Kabaji-kun. I needed that encouragement." They stopped in front of Atobe's room and Kabaji turned to look at him.
"He's inside, doing what I have no idea. I'll go downstairs and keep myself occupied. If he asks, tell him I'm getting snacks."
"Thank you Kabaji-kun," Jiroh said softly, bowing slightly.
"Hope it works out for you, Akutagawa-senpai," he said, nodding heading back down to the kitchen.
'Hope it works out for me too...' he said to himself before turning and knocking on Atobe's door.
Atobe was sitting on a large plush couch, staring at the recorded match between Fuji and Jiroh. His eyes were intent and locked on his teammate. He had been really, truly awake and enjoying himself. It was something he never normally got to see because he was always off asleep somewhere.
Yet the second a knock sounded on his door, he switched from what he was watching to the middle of the battle between Tezuka and himself. He then pulled on his air of power and raised a single hand. "Ore-sama bids you enter," he commented, like a king allowing a commoner to come before him.
The door opened and Jiroh walked in. "Thanks for allowing me entrance, oh great Ore-sama," Jiroh teased, putting his bag down by the door before closing it.
He raised a single eyebrow at who it was who came in and blinked. "Jiroh... to what does Ore-sama owe this visit to? Aren't you usually off sleeping somewhere?" He hated that fact. His friend slept his life away and it killed him to see him do it. It was why he sent Kabaji after him so much.
Jiroh blushed in embarrassment. "Yeah, well... I guess I'm not tired right now..." he said, scratching the back of his head.
"Actually…" Jiroh swallowed nervously. "I came to talk to you about something..."
He blinked, looking at him a little seriously. "Oh? Come, have a seat. Tell Ore-sama what's troubling you."
"H-Hai..." Jiroh walked over and knelt down on his knees in front of the other, looking at his plaid school uniform pants nervously. "See, I've wanted to tell you this for awhile... but I guess... no, that's not true... I HAVE been afraid to tell you..."
Atobe's playful expression vanished and he turned a serious gaze on him. "Jiroh, you aren't planning to quit tennis, are you?" he asked softly, afraid that his moments when he was sleeping had been happening more and that he was getting tired of being around at all. "Because Ore-sama won't let you quit."
"Nani! No!" Jiroh quickly said, his heart racing at how Atobe said he wouldn't let him quit. "I could never quit tennis!"
He sighed, leaning back and his I'm-the-best grin back on his lips. "That's good. Then what is it you needed to tell Ore-sama? Ore-sama doesn't hear much from you lately," he commented.
Jiroh felt his hands get clammy and he ducked his head down again, unable to look the other in the eyes. "I'm scared..." he whispered.
Hearing those words, Atobe couldn't keep his attitude in place. Leaning forward, he placed a hand over one of Jiroh's that was toying with his pants. "Jiroh, you can tell me anything, you know that, don't you?" he said, seriously.
The blonde looked up then, tears rolling down his cheek. "I'm scared you're going to hate me..." he said in a almost broken voice.
Worry crossed his fine, aristocratic features just then, something no one ever saw from him and he leaned in close, wiping the tears from his cheeks. "Don't cry. I had expected tears when you had lost to Fuji. Not now when you're talking to me."
Jiroh looked into the other's eyes, sniffling. Atobe was so close... He smelled of the colone that he always bought from those ritzy store. Without even thinking, Jiroh moved closer and buried his face in Atobe's neck and breathing in softly. He always felt so safe when he was near his friend...
Atobe blinked in surprise, his hands up in the air above Jiroh's shoulders. He wasn't certain what to do. Did he comfort him or did he push him away. If they had been out of his own room, he might have pushed him away and told him to stop crying. But they were alone and Jiroh's tears hurt him more than he wanted anyone to know.
"Come now, Jiroh. Don't cry. You don't have to tell me. I... Ore-sams doesn't mind not knowing if it upsets you," he murmured, having only realized just now that for a couple minutes, he hadn't referred to himself as Ore-sama... and instead had been just an average boy.
"No... I want to tell you..." he said softly, not moving from his position. "I've been wanting to tell you for so long. It's why I sleep so much. So I don't have to confront and deal with it. But I'm tired of sleeping, and I think I'm ready now to tell you."
His hands came down on his shoulders then and he gently pulled him back so he could meet Jiroh's brown gaze. "What is it?"
"I..." Jiroh swallowed, knowing it was now or never. "Ato... Keigo, I love you..." he whispered.
His eyes widened as he stared at his friend. He then smiled softly. "You can love a shallow, cool, and narcissistic bastard like Ore... I mean, like me?"
Jiroh smiled shakily back. "I've also seen you as a warm and kind person. I remember when we were seven and I had my favorite ball stolen from me, and you went over to the boy that had stolen it and beat him up, even though you ruined your new clothes."
He laughed softly. "Only you have ever seen that side of me. Back then, I never wanted to see you cry. I did everything in my power to keep you from doing it. Even now, I hate to see you sad."
Jiroh moved to wipe his eyes. "G-Gomen..."
He shook his head, a soft smile passing his lips. "When you're in love, you hate to see the one you love sad. It makes you sad, ne?"
Jiroh froze, not sure if he heard right. "N-nani?" he whispered, eyes wide.
He looked away. "Ore-sama does not repeat himself. Ore-sama knows you heard exactly what was said," he murmured, nervousness filling his voice as he looked away, fearful Jiroh would suddenly not want him now that he knew that he was loved in return.
Fresh tears rolled down the blonde's face. "You... you love me..." he started to cry, both happy and relieved.
He jumped, waving his arms wildly looking for a tissue. "Aw, Jiroh, I was trying to make you happy. Not have you crying on me again. Stop it!" he cried, finally taking his own handkerchief and handing it to him.
"I... am happy..." he cried, blowing his nose into the handkerchief and drying his eyes. "My best friend just told me he loves me back!"
He blinked, before giving him an exasperated sigh. "Then why are you crying still?"
"Because these are happy tears you baka!"
He snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, how was I supposed to know. They weren't happy a short while ago," he muttered, looking away.
Jiroh made a face, slowly getting a hold of himself. "Why would I be crying unhappily when I was just told I was loved back by the person I just confessed my own love to?" Jiroh laughed softly, hiccupping. "Ore-sama is so silly sometimes."
He snorted once more, before worry and concern crossed his face. "Will I... have to see... you continue... sleeping your... life away?" he asked haltingly, knowing it was a dangerous subject.
Jiroh blinked before smiling softly. "No, you don't have to worry about that anymore. Though sometimes... I do want to take a nap during practice, just to piss Mukahi and Shishido off."
He laughed softly, pulling him close. "I won't mind, as long as you use me for your pillow when you do."
Jiroh laughed again and snuggled against the other. Fuji had been right. Atobe hadn't pushed him away, and he was glad he was able to tell him finally. "That's a deal."
----------
(Yes, as we promised back when we finished the Christmas stories, here is your Valentine's Day fic! Since this will probably be the only one we do, we're going to make it longer than the others. Hope you all enjoyed our first Atobe/Jiroh fic, hope we didn't kill it much, and we'll see you next chapter!)
Chapter completed February 4, 2006