WINTER HOLIDAY, WINTER TENNIS, WINTER LOVE

Disclaimer: Tennis no Oujisama belongs to Takeshi Konomi.

Written: 23/11/2003 – 1/12/2003

Rewritten: 22/1/2006 – 24/1/2006

Chapter 2 – A Winter Tennis

Ryoma could feel the smooth surface right under his skin as he sat on something really soft. He looked down at the white-sheeted mattress he was on and ran his fingers to feel the slippery texture. A thin white blanket was covering his body from waist to toe, protecting his skin from the cold of the winter air.

Ryoma closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, wanting to fill his lungs with the fresh air of the morning. The light seemed to surround him, making all the things around him, the mattress, the blanket and even his skin looked brighter. He looked at both his palms then his bare chest between the blurring light and felt everything was so surreal in such a pure white light.

A pair of tender arms went around Ryoma's chest from behind then gently pulled the blue-haired boy back. Ryoma's own palm automatically went up to touch the arms, supporting them in such a matter. He felt he was resting on a well-built chest as he leaned back. Ryoma inhaled again and smelled the sweet scent from the person behind him and relaxed.

The boy behind him spoke softly on Ryoma's ear, giving him a tickling yet sensual sensation from the warm breath. "Echizen, shall we?"

"With all pleasure," Ryoma heard he himself answered out of his own order. His voice sounded rather seductive as he closed his eyes again and devoured the building sensation down his stomach as the other boy placed his lips on Ryoma's left side neck and gently sucked it. Ryoma's head fell to the opposite direction, giving the boy behind him a better access to do anything as he pleased to his bare skin.

One of the arms around Ryoma's chest moved up and down gently, caressing the soft skin under its fingers. It trailed from the chest to Ryoma's belly and then lowered again to the hips. Ryoma gasped lightly as he felt a jolt inside his body, wanting more from the teasing touch. He felt a wet tongue traced the back of his neck before a gentle bit placed on his soft skin.

"Buchou..." Ryoma called the older boy in a hoarse voice. It sounded like a desperate moan. He tilted his face aside, meeting his captain's eyes staring deeply at him. Those deep brown eyes seemed to bore through his head, pulling him into the older boy's charm.

The next thing he realized was that his lips were already sealed with Tezuka's. He felt a tongue entered his mouth, exploring and playing with his own inside his mouth. The kiss felt incredibly wonderful even more as he felt Tezuka's hand made more seductive moves on Ryoma's hips.

"Echizen..." Tezuka called between the kiss, deepening the kiss.

Ryoma could only moan desperately from his throat, slightly bucking his hips forward to feel more touch. His own lips were too busy with the kiss.

"Echizen!" Tezuka's voice grew stronger, strangely too distinct during such a kiss.

"ECHIZEN!"

Ryoma's eyes snapped open, facing a white lighted-ceiling. He felt his body was all sweaty and his breath was short as if he had run for a mile. "W-what?" He snatched himself up and panted. His captain was sitting on the bed right beside him, looking at him with concerned eyes.

"Daijobu?" He asked.

"Oh... hai..." Ryoma answered, still under an after effect shock from his prior dream. His heart was beating so hard that it pounded loudly on his ears. He felt his face flushed as he realized there was also another effect of his wet dream before. "Go-gomen... did I wake you up?"

"It's okay." He answered, moving out from the queen-sized bed he had shared with Ryoma through the night. "It's morning already. Let's get ready for breakfast." Then, the nest second, he had left the dorm, probably going to the bathroom that was placed outside the bedroom.

Being left alone, Ryoma cursed himself silently for having such a dream. He must have looked so stupid back then. Thinking about what to do next, he stood up, stretching his muscles and reached up for clean underwear from his travel bag. His heart was still racing.

"Huwaaa..." Eiji panted on his knees. His face flushed red from the cold air. "This cold air makes me hardly breath."

Oishi stood next to him, blowing warm breath to his palms, trying to get it warmer. The cold air prevented them to have a long practice season. As soon as they were warmed up, their breaths started to feel too sharp for their lungs.

Ryoma was still on the court, still in the middle of a match with Fuji. His lung had already begun to ache, but Fuji on the opposite court was still wearing his innocent smile. The weather didn't seem to affect him much. Just like what Inui always said, Fuji wasn't the type who'd like to show his weakness.

Kaidoh was walking out from the court when he lost his balance, tripped and fell straight to the ground. Inui, being the closest one from the other to the mamushi, abruptly threw his notebook and reached out to catch him before hitting the ground. They both still fell though, but luckily with a slower momentum. Inui's elbow was bleeding from the impact. And that accident drew that morning practice to an end.

All the members went inside the lobby to mend Inui's wound. They gathered in front of a lightened fireplace where some couches were available for comfort. The room was utterly warm, a complete opposite from the tennis court.

Inui sat on one of the available couch while Fuji and Kaidoh kneeled in front of him, helping to put some antiseptic and bandage on his wound. The others scattered all around the fireplace, occupying every vacant sofas. Ryoma took a seat beside Momo while starring at Inui-Kaidoh-Fuji's direction. Sometimes, he chatted lightly with Momo about the weather. And every now, without a proper reason, he stole a glance to a tall brunette who was standing against the wall behind where Inui sat.

Sometimes, when he was lucky, he saw Tezuka was looking at him as well.

"It's done." Fuji finally said, zipping up the medical bag.

"Are you okay?" Kaidoh asked. His face flushed and he looked guilty over the sempai. "Gomen..." he said slowly.

"It's okay." Inui answered, assuring Kaidoh with a gesture from his hand, signing that the wound wasn't as bad as it seemed. "Look, I'm fine. It doesn't even hurt."

Still, Kaidoh stared at him with that guilty look. Inui couldn't help to pat the younger boy's head lightly.

"Uhm... why don't we get back to the dorm?" Momo suddenly suggested. He was rather sure that the injured and the one-who-injured men needed a more private room. "Get some rest? I guess it's been tiring enough. And it's still quite a long time before the supper."

The others didn't seem to object, but none really spoke up to confirm it.

Once again, Ryoma looked at Tezuka. His eyes were upon Inui and Kaidoh before he felt a pair of eyes was staring at him. He glanced at Ryoma for a millisecond, before annoucing, "everyone can get back to the dorm. We'll gather around here again at 7 o'clock for supper. Before that, everyone is free to do their own will."

The other cheered reluctantly and started to leave the lobby to the upper level. Once again, Ryoma and Tezuka were the ones left behind.

"Let's rest too," said Tezuka as he mounted the first stair. Then, he stopped and turned around, waiting for Ryoma to come with him. Ryoma walked closer, doubting awhile before finally mounted the first stair as well. He stopped, Tezuka was right beside him. His heartbeat grew unsteady again. The older boy gestured Ryoma to continue climbing and stayed his spot until Ryoma was two stairs above him.

In silence, they went to their room.

Ryoma stepped inside the room in silent. He knew, without looking back, that Tezuka was already inside the room as he heard the door closed gently. He was rather stunned in such a silence. In a few seconds without any movement or sound, Ryoma managed to calm himself as he felt his heart beat gradually became slower.

He was staring at the window from where he stood beside the bed, trying not to think about anything else than how beautiful the scenery before him was when he felt his back stiffened, feeling that Tezuka was actually staring at him. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to clear his mind before slowly taking a seat on the edge of the double bed and dropped his bag down with a minor thud.

Doubtfully, he looked at Tezuka who went to the corner of the room to put his bag on the table. Still, none of them said anything. When Tezuka turned back and met with Ryoma's eyes, the smaller boy carefully threw his sight away.

For a moment, Tezuka thought that this roommates' arrangement needed to be fixed up again.

"Take a rest. It's been tiring enough." Tezuka said mildly. He then took a seat on the right side of the smaller boy, in the same side of the bed. He left half a meter away from Ryoma, creating a small gap between their bodies.

Ryoma could feel his heart beat getting faster again. He realized he had never been in such a close proximity with the older boy in such a private occasion. Not knowing what to say, Ryoma said nothing and silence overcame them both again. Trying to anticipate the stiffness he felt on his body, Ryoma slowly laid himself down in the bed behind. His eyes stared at the ceiling aimlessly before they came closed. But when he felt a soft creaking sound from the bed again, his eyes snapped open again. Mentally, he could tell Tezuka was lying as will beside him.

He didn't dare to look aside. The possibility of meeting Tezuka's eyes seemed to be a real something for him. He kept his eyes away from Tezuka for a moment before he realized something more.

His right hand that was actually laid on the bed a little bit closer to Tezuka was making a small contact with something warm which he realized to be Tezuka's hand. The back of their palms were touching gently, just like a mere contact between skin and skin. At first, it gave Ryoma a jolt inside his stomach, but not long after, it sent comfortable warmth.

Both of them didn't move to remove the touch. They just let it be like that. Not moving away, not tried to get a wider skin contact in an amount of time.

After a moment, when Ryoma started to feel the urge to do something more than just a small touch, he felt Tezuka's hand moved very slowly. His little finger made a link with Ryoma's and followed by the other fingers, gently widening the skin contact between the hands. Ryoma did nothing and let Tezuka continued as his hand went crossing his arm and their inner palms met in a soft clench. Their fingers were now intertwined, sending more warmth each other.

They stayed in silence, not moving for some time until Ryoma braved himself to look at Tezuka. When his eyes made a contact with the brunette's, he saw something he couldn't be sure about. There were affection, care, as well as confusion and other mixing feelings swelling inside those deep brown eyes.

"Buchou..." Ryoma spoke up slowly.

"Have a rest, Echizen." Tezuka said again then gave a rare genuine smile towards Ryoma. He gave an assuring gentle squeeze on Ryoma's palm before closing his eyes.

Ryoma stared at the older boy for a moment before finally closing his eyes as well. And they both slept with their fingers intertwined.

To be continued

Pewe's notes:

More rewritten version.

R&R please...