Yay I'm here! Hey guys! I am soooo sorry it took so long to get chapter 3 up! Stupid school tries to take up my whole life. Anyways, a major thanks to all those who reviewed and i am hoping that i will be able to get my chapters up more frequently. I hope. As i said, it's all about school (yuck). The title for this chapter is a little weird, i know, but i read something on Atobe the other day and i thought it would be nice to throw that in there. Enjoy and please review!

Out of Reach

Chapter 3: Meeting Homeros

Ryoma checked his watch as he continued at a fast pace towards the park. He was running late because his father had so kindly interrogated him about his plans for the afternoon. The old man had repeatedly accused him of running off to meet girls and demanded their names and where he was meeting them. It had taken him too much excessive time to shake his father, though he had achieved that with the help of his mother, and by the time he had reached the entrance to the park, it was already after 2 o'clock.

Ryoma frowned and feared that Atobe might not have shown or, perhaps he had missed him. He couldn't imagine someone like him being accustomed to waiting.

Panting slightly, he finally reached his destination and slowed as he placed a hand on the bench. It was empty. Lowering himself down, he let his disappointment sink in while silently cursing that old man he called father. He always seemed to ruin most of everything for him. Reaching a hand up, he ruffled it through his inky locks and sighed, watching others stroll happily by. It only served to darken his mood.

He dropped his hand to gingerly touch the side of his jaw. Though still a little sore, he had been able to reduce any glitch in his physical appearance and now, only the pain served to remind him of yesterday's events. As much as he hated to admit it, he had been quite frightened, but only the lingering feeling of disgusting and unwelcome hands and touches still sent chills down his spine. He could have handled being beaten up, but if that guy had been allowed to continue, Ryoma doubted he would have emerged from that alley the same person.

A few minutes passed and Ryoma was beginning to feel the disappointing sensation clench the pit of his stomach once again. Sighing, he stood, letting the wind blow dark strands of hair around his face. His T-shirt and shorts ruffled around his lean form, making him draw his arms around his body, closing his eyes to savor the sweet moment of relief from the dry and humid afternoons.

Something freezing cold came into contact with his face softly, causing him to flinch in mild surprise and move away from the source of discomfort. A Ponta can was being held out to him by a delicate hand that belonged to none other than Atobe Keigo. Ryoma's eyes widened slightly as surprise and mild excitement settled upon him. He tried to keep his expression blank, but he feared his squirming would give him away. The young captain sported a white collared shirt with the top buttons left undone, exposing creamy skin and a purple undershirt. Dark sunglasses dangled from the undershirt, also revealing a couple of black necklaces tightened around his neck. The dark expensive-looking jeans were snug around his hips, held in place by a black belt and black shoes to top it all off. Not at all the flashy outfits he had heard so much about, but Ryoma didnt care much for fashion anyways, confirming that fact as he glanced down at his own attire.

"So you finally decided to show,"Atobe said as he pushed the Ponta into Ryoma's hand.

Ryoma looked from the object in his hands back to the speaker.

"I got here only a few minutes ago, so don't worry about being late, though I wouldn't get in the habit of making Ore-sama wait. I was thoroughly parched, so I had to find something to drink, but there's nothing around here that particularly appeals to me."

Ryoma looked down at his beloved Ponta and frowned. How could this not be good enough? But then again, it was Atobe Keigo. So why get the Ponta?

Watching his face, Atobe answered his unasked question.

"I found that, though. That's your favorite, right? I always see you drinking it before and after matches."

Ryoma couldn't stop the blush forming on his cheeks. He opened the can and took a long sip to distract himself. Not daring to look directly at him, Ryoma glanced at Atobe from the side.

"Thanks."

Atobe didn't respond, he was busy staring off into the distance. Ryoma followed his gaze to no where in particular, concluding that the young captain was deep in thought. Smiling wickedly, Ryoma reached up with the drink and pressed it into Atobe's cheek. Atobe jumped slightly and frowned at the freshman, while wiping the moisture from his face. They stared at each other for a minute before averting their gazes to other places, mainly the ground.

"I know a café not too far from here."

Ryoma looked up at his soft words.

"That may be fine for you, but I am still thirsty and there isn't anything suitable around here for Ore-sama."

He regained the confident glint in his eyes and smirked while waiting for Ryoma to respond. Ryoma just shrugged and finished off the Ponta. Smiling, he nodded to the diva.

"Sounds good. Let's go."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The café was quite a classy and expensive looking place, befitting of the Hyoutei captain perfectly. As they entered, a bell clinked overhead and they were greeted by warm smiles from the employees. Atobe led the way to a small booth positioned beside the window, gazing out into the street. Ryoma had never been to such a place, even in America, and found himself slightly uncomfortable. Atobe took note of this as he gave his order to the waitress and asked Ryoma if he wanted anything. Shaking his head, Ryoma continued to gaze out the window, silent in his pensive state as the waitress took her leave of the two attractive boys.

In all honesty, Ryoma was beginning to feel the real anxiety set in. Now that they had actually gone somewhere, he wondered what would happen. Conversations were not his strong point, as he was used to silently watching from the sidelines. The most he ever talked to anyone in the tennis club was when he was defeating them, or perhaps when Momoshiro and Kikumaru dragged him out to eat. He wondered if Atobe would even notice.

Unfortunately for him, it was something Atobe had noticed ever since he had met him at the bench. Atobe was used to people being reduced to silent fits of admiration in his presence, however, he hadn't expected the young freshman to be so silent, though recognizing that to be his nature. However, it irked him that Echizen had withdrawn to the state he was in now. The small smile that had been on his face when they left the park had given Atobe a small bit of hope, but now, he worried that this day might be a waste after all. Then again, perhaps it was too early to give in so soon. Smirking slightly to himself, he recalled the conversation he had had with Oshitari the night before.

Flashback

"You're taking out who?"

"Don't make Ore-sama repeat himself. I said that I was meeting Echizen Ryoma tomorrow."

"Why are you doing that? What possessed you to ask him out?"

"He, in fact, asked me."

Oshitari remained silent for a few moments.

"You know that this could turn into a big deal. I doubt those guys at Seigaku would take this lightly, especially if you hinted at a relationship with him."

"Who said anything about a relationship? He said he wanted to repay me for tonight. Who am I to reject such an offer?"

"You reject plenty of people. If you didn't, you would probably be dating Tokyo and maybe other parts of the world. I'm just saying that this needs to be handled cautiously. Tezuka will definitely not approve of this at all. If he really is just repaying you, then leave it at that. Besides, with a personality like his, I don't see how you would have much interest."

End of Flashback

Oshitari may have been right about the personality thing. There was something else, though. Something had possessed him to accept Echizen's offer, but what was it? Echizen had always interested him, not just with his tennis playing abilities. There was something different about him that made him stand out above the others. He was even different from Tezuka. Atobe had to admit, that ever since playing Tezuka, and he would never accept that victory, he had been almost obsessed over it and the player, even though that wasn't too long ago. He needed something else to distract him. Perhaps this might be where Echizen had come into play. He didn't want to admit to himself that he might be using the freshman, but this meant that now Echizen had to work for his attention, if that's what he truly wanted. What Atobe thought was most amusing was the fact that Echizen believed he wasn't being noticed. In fact, Atobe had noticed his strange behavior from that first meeting in the park. The subtle blushes and the sneaking looks were nothing new to him. He doubted that the boy currently across from him had even explored this part of life. He was used to those around him having crushes on him, female and male, but seeing as it was this particular person, Atobe felt compelled to explore the matter further.

Ryoma was still completely distracted. He couldn't bring himself to even glance in Atobe's general direction. Even when the waitress brought Atobe his order, Ryoma kept his gaze out the window, though it agitated him when she giggled like mad as she got anywhere within the vicinity of the Hyoutei captain. It was the Monkey King of all people! Why could he all of a sudden not look him in the eye? He berated himself mentally as he made up his mind to act his normal self for once today.

"You can say something, you know?"

Ryoma was startled out of his thoughts by the silky voice. He had been in deep thought for so long that Atobe was already finished with his drink and small desert.

"Do you just not know what to say? It's nothing new for me. Most people can barely speak two words to me without getting all flustered. Is that your case?"

Ryoma felt like throwing his napkin straight into that perfect face.

"Who needs to get flustered around you Monkey King? I am sure you are only talking about your pathetic team of monkeys who can't swing their rackets without your word."

Atobe cocked an eyebrow at the defensive outburst. It was rather amusing to see the boy's face blush at being caught unprepared.

"That's a fine way to repay Ore-sama like you said you would, don't you think? I was expecting a little more from you E-chi-zen."

Ryoma glared a hole in the window as he tried to ignore the mocking way his name had been slurred. He knew that it was up to him to come up with something, but what could please Atobe Keigo? Different places came to mind, but none really appealed to him at the moment. He knew that a match would still be pointless and he hoped that Atobe wouldn't bring that up as something they should try. He heard Atobe sigh in resignation and lean back into the booth, bringing his hand to his face to brush a strand of hair from his eyes. Ryoma watched his movements unconsciously, golden eyes glued to the small motions that outlined his features perfectly.

"Let me help. Why don't you take me to places you like?"

Ryoma stared at him in confusion.

"Why would you want to go there?"

Atobe rubbed his head in slight frustration. This kid was going to drive him up a wall. He had to give him credit, though. It was amazing Echizen had the courage to ask him in the first place. Then again, it was Echizen.

"Perhaps I want to catch a glimpse at what you do besides school and tennis."

Ryoma's eyes darkened and a strange look appeared on his face. Atobe wondered if he had approached a bad subject and a foreign feeling of concern washed over him. Recalling Oshitari's warnings, though, he willed it away.

"What else is there?"

Atobe would have fallen over if he hadn't remembered to retain his dignity. All this time he had thought the proposal had hit a nerve within the freshman's mind and, in all actuality, the brat had just been trying to understand what else was left for him at the end of the day.

Atobe recovered and gave a small laugh, "Of course. Looks like it's up to Ore-sama. Let's go," he turned to the waitress across the room, "I'll leave the money here."

She blushed at being addressed by him directly and froze, holding a tray loaded with drinks almost letting it fall to the hard floor. Atobe paid her no more heed than the floor he was walking on, while Ryoma shot a glare at her as he was ushered out the door and into the sun.

As they walked down the street, Ryoma became aware of the attention they attracted, especially from the female population. He couldn't help but roll his eyes and fume silently under his expressionless face. He wondered just how long he would have to put up with this until they got to wherever they were going.

Arriving at the destination, Ryoma was relieved to find a secluded location harboring a small bookstore. The windows seemed a little dusty and clouded while the wooden door was fading in color. He doubted many people came here, much less noticed its existence.

"Why are we here?"

"What's wrong? Don't have a taste for the literary masters of the world?"

Ryoma shook his head, "This place doesn't exactly stand out for me. Plus I suppose I never had time for such a hobby. Unlike you, I'm sure."

"Looks can be deceiving Ochibi."

Ignoring any looks the freshman shot his way, Atobe left his side and walked through the door.

"Yes they can," Ryoma agreed and followed him in.

What he saw made him stop in surprise. Shelves upon shelves were packed with books of every kind. Though small in number, Ryoma doubted that even Seigaku's library had this variety. Cutting his eyes to the captain who was currently engrossed in a book he had pulled off the shelf, he wondered what Hyoutei was like, considering the prestige of the school. It probably had all this and more.

After rummaging around the sports section, Ryoma extracted a book from the shelf on tennis. It was about playing doubles, different from the one he had at home. Doubles wasn't something he liked very much, but it was interesting to him, probably because he couldn't do it very well. He scowled as he flipped through the pages, recalling his experiences of past doubles matches, when he had the book jerked from his grasp and snapped shut over his head. Annoyed, he turned to find Atobe giving him a mock look of pity.

"Can't you think of anything other than tennis?"

Ryoma glared at him and stuck his hands in his pockets.

"What else is there?"

Atobe gave him an incredulous look.

"Why do you keep saying that? There are other things in the world, you know? Read something like this," he said and tossed a book tucked under his arm to the freshman.

Catching it, Ryoma opened the smooth cover to find characters he didn't recognize lining the page. Raising an eyebrow, he glanced up at Atobe for an explanation.

"It's Greek."

"What made you think I can read Greek?"

Atobe shrugged and took the book out of Ryoma's hands.

"It's one of my favorites, by Homeros (a/n: I think that's right, forgive me if he isnt one of the Greek ones). I have this one in my library at home, though."

Ryoma's eyes widened.

"You have a library at home?"

Atobe glanced over his shoulder to respond as he moved to replace both the tennis book and his own.

"Of course I do. Who do you think you're talking to?"

Ryoma sighed.

"Don't start with that 'Ore-sama' stuff again. I get it. Of course you would have a library in your house.

"What's wrong with Ore-sama."

Ryoma shook his head, not knowing whether he was referring to the person or the title.

"Forget it. Are you finished? I thought of somewhere else we can go."

Atobe raised his eyebrows in surprise. A perfect smile formed on his face as he continued to move to replace his book.

"All right."

As they exited the bookstore, Atobe glanced down at the freshman who was currently leading the way to their new destination. So the brat was finally gaining some confidence, eh? Echizen was even starting to act like he always did around everyone else. Atobe felt a sudden weight fall upon his shoulders. Is that what he wanted?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Atobe's eye twitched a little as he looked at the door outside the arcade while Ryoma was currently in the midst of it, trying to coax the Hyoutei senior in.

"I don't do arcades."

"Come on, I went to that stupid bookstore, you can come in here for a few minutes."

Atobe gave one last look at the flashing sign above the door, before following Ryoma in. Just as he guessed, his ears were greeted by the roar of the noise emitting from the games and the players. Atobe winced as he regarded his surroundings with a glare. This particular place didn't seem to peak his interest.

"Are you okay? Do I need to hold your hand."

Atobe narrowed his eyes at the boy by his side.

"You wish."

The rest of Atobe's time was spent watching Ryoma dabble in different games, gaining entrance into the top scores of most of them. He was beginning to grow tired of the brat's triumphant smirk after every level.

"Want to try?"

He started and turned his attention to the mocking and challenging glint in the freshman's golden eyes.

"It's alright if you don't. But I thought if it was you, you'd be fine."

Atobe gave a small laugh at the provoking statement before motioning for Ryoma to vacate the seat facing the monitor. He took up the gun and prepared to aim at the monsters that would show themselves on the screen.

Ryoma smiled slightly to himself as he watched Atobe take control of the game. Apprehension dawned on him as he kept a close watch on the rising numbers of the score. Once that score rose above what he, himself had reached, he turned and scowled before stealthily and speedily removing himself from the monkey king's presence.

Atobe smirked and entered his name into the top scores, right above Ryoma's. Turning, he finally noticed the absence of his companion and laughed softly at the actions of the sore loser.

He located the freshman silent, brooding and absorbed in another game. Atobe grinned as he approached Ryoma from behind.

"What's wrong? Things not go like you planned?"

Ryoma still remained silent as he continued to punch the buttons, though with a little more force. Atobe decided to go a little further. Leaning down, he placed his hands on Ryoma's chair to support his weight, while placing his mouth close to Ryoma's ear.

"It was only a little above yours," he breathed.

Ryoma shivered as Atobe's warm breath ran across his cheek and neck. He turned slightly and glanced up into the face so close to his.

"Consider that repayment then," Ryoma replied in a husky voice. "Now you have found some satisfaction in the day, right."

Atobe nodded, but kept their eyes locked.

"Is that all I get? Why don't we get out of here and try and think of something else?"

Ryoma's only response was to abandon the game completely and stand to follow the older teen out of the arcade.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hey Momo."

"What is it Eiji-senpai?"

"You're not gonna believe what I just saw."

Momoshiro froze at the abnormal seriousness that laced his senpai's voice. Turning from the game he had been occupied by, he found Eiji regarding him with a mixture of confusion and surprise spreading across his features.

To Be Continued

Uh-oh. The two big mouths on the team found something interesting! Lol. I really do love them...they are just the people who would most likely freak out and want to tell everybody. This chapter was pretty hard to do (this is still new to me), but my lack of free time here lately had been a factor in that. Please review! That makes me want to get my chapters up faster.

So what will Eiji and Momo do? Where are Atobe and Ryoma going and what happened in the arcade that has them acting funny (dur)? Find out next time on...Out of Reach! (that was really corny, i know...gomen) On to chapter 4!

Eclair