Hi everyone, extremely sorry for the very late update but I've just had Alevel exams, Head Girl's Day and leaving school prom as well as packing for holiday ( and the fan girl in me is being very fickle about which fandom she likes best).

Just wanted to make a note, "platonic love" means love between brothers and sisters. I realised I hadn't made this clear in the last chapter when reviews brought a lack of flames and rotten vegetables (not that I'm complaining).

Anyway, here's the next and final chapter.


Fuji looked up from his careful attending of his cacti to see Echizen flopping back onto his bed with a decidedly adorable pout on his face.

"Ne Syuusuke, does Tezuka know that the courting process involves the one being pursued to respond to the overtures of the pursuer? Because I can't respond if he doesn't make overtures!" The freshman wonder was getting frustrated.

Fuji held back his laughter and settled for his trade mark smile instead. "Patience is a virtue, Ryoma, especially where Tezuka is concerned. Our buchou likes to feel in control, you have to let him get the situation clear to himself first, and then figure out a way to approach you. Don't rush, or you'll scare him away." Fuji explained calmly, turning his attention back to his beloved plants.

Ryoma huffed. To the younger prodigy, if Tezuka had a sudden revelation that he wanted to be with the freshman, then he should act like it; not push it to the back of his List of Things To Do Before I'm 60. Fuji laughed at his impatience; the elder prodigy knew exactly how to proceed in the How to Provoke Tezuka game. It was only a matter of time and besides, the actual process was quite enjoyable; Fuji was sure that dating Echizen was the most amusing experience he'd ever had.

But either Tezuka was more inept at playing games and getting hints than Fuji realised or he simply liked his bachelor status too much. Everything that left the regulars, other tennis club members and spectators slack jawed in shock did not even faze Tezuka; the only time he appeared to notice was when Fuji grabbed Echizen in the middle of a practice match and kissed the life out of the younger boy as well as making sure his hands did not stay still. Tezuka issued laps for disrupting practice. Therefore, it was understandable that Ryoma was annoyed at their lack of progress; after all, if all had been going according to plan then Tezuka should have asked him out on "dates" and kissed him like Fuji liked to.

"Maybe we need to bring in some one else's point of view." Fuji mused as he mentally ran through what he and Ryoma have done so far for Operation Tezuka; public displays of affection, compromising positions in the club room, leaving practice together, going on dates in popular parts of Tokyo, Ryoma even allowed Fuji to drag him into one of those fancy photo booths and stick pictures of the two of them surrounded by hearts all over his phone and locker.

Ryoma narrowed his eyes at the comment. "Not Inui-senpai, he's not getting any details of what we're doing. Anyway, he'll probably suggest juice and I want Tezuka alive and relatively unharmed."

"Actually, I was thinking of someone a bit further from home. Didn't it strike you as a bit strange that Rikkai chose to have a training session with us as soon as Yukimura was back, even though they've never paid us much attention before?" Fuji added, airing his suspicions of that fateful day when all this first started.

Ryoma shrugged, "I don't know much about the history and rivalry between schools. May be they wanted to know how strong buchou really is."

Fuji hmmed in a non-committal manner. "Anyway, I thought maybe we should talk to Yukimura. Sanada has the same range of expressions as Tezuka and Yukimura's got Sanada hanging onto his every word. Maybe he can help us with Tezuka."

"But I don't want Tezuka to worship the ground I walk on; I want him to acknowledge that I exist and that he likes me!" Ryoma objected.

Fuji frowned. "Maybe we should make a visit to Hyoutei instead then and pay Akutagawa a visit."


"Does that mean I win by default?" Destiny asks innocently.

Fate gives her a condescending smirk. "The game is to match Echizen with someone, you haven't won until the two are actually together and their feelings acknowledged."

Destiny crossed her arms, irritation playing out on her face. "It's not like you can win anyway; your candidate is on my team now!"

Fate chuckles, the sound grating on Destiny's rapidly shortening temper. "As long as your candidate refuses to acknowledge and accept the subject's attentions, then the game is still undecided." He strolls over to pat the other deity before he shimmers back to his own dimension. "Better luck next time, Destiny."

Destiny glared at the general direction that Fate disappeared into. "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Keep laughing, because you won't have much to laugh about when I ask you to carry my belongings to my new office!"


Contrary to popular belief, Tezuka did, in fact, have a temper; one which Fuji and Echizen have been adding fuel to for the past week or so. When Tezuka realised that he was contemplating grabbing Echizen by the waist, bending him back and ravishing his lips for the third time in the space of ten minutes, he decided that too much Unresolved Sexual Tension was not good for his health. And promptly began to spread his dissatisfaction with the rest of his fellow club members. In the form of running laps. Lots of them.

It wasn't that he didn't want to hold Echizen's hand, kiss the cute younger boy or do everything else that Fuji seems to be allowed to do, but Tezuka is buchou and has to maintain his authority and impartiality in front of other club members. He wasn't worried so much about the non-regulars but he'd never be able to live it down if any of the regulars ever saw him bending to Echizen's will. It'd be all over Kantou in a week, courtesy of Kikumaru and Momoshirou.

In the end, it was Inui who intervened, with only minor prodding from Fuji.


Tezuka stiffened slightly as he felt a shadow on him, indicating someone was staring at the second years' practice over his shoulder. The scratch of pencil on paper revealed the spectator to be Inui.

"Tezuka, Echizen's concentration appears to have decreased by 15 since two practices ago. If this continues, his playing at the Nationals will be severely impeded. There is a 26 chance that Echizen's distress is caused by family issues, 7 chance by school matters and a 67 chance of the cause being you and Fuji. Data indicates that there is an 89 chance of Echizen being willing to tell you if you ask him."

Tezuka glared at the links of the fence to divert his circulation away from his cheeks and vaguely wondered why Inui is scribbling away frantically when nothing is happening on the courts in front of them. The answer is apparent when he tilts his head as if acknowledging Inui's input, only to find the other third year staring intently at him. Or rather, the white knuckles of his tightly clenched fist. Tezuka forces himself to breathe normally as he looks over the lower years practicing their swings and slowly relaxes his grip, ignoring the marks his nails left on his palm.

"The regulars must continue to improve for the Nationals." He uttered calmly before adding his motto and walking to the C courts to watch the regulars' training.


Tezuka was still contemplating how to approach the subject with Echizen when he found the boy waiting for him at the gates as he left the school, a light frown on his face with all the appearance of inner turmoil and emotional confusion. At first, nothing was said and Echizen just walked beside him so Tezuka decided to head for Echizen's house to ensure the freshman got home safely.

"Buchou… Tezuka, do you like me?"

Tezuka glanced at the younger boy in confusion, startled out of his own rambling thoughts. Ryoma, meanwhile, continued staring at the ground, his cap hiding his eyes and the colour of his face as he ploughed on. "Syuusuke told me he loves me."

Tezuka wonders how he should answer, or indeed, what Echizen wants to hear from him. A heart warming confession explaining how he wants Echizen to be his Pillar of strength and how he may crumble if Echizen is not with him? A promise of eternal and undying love that nobody, not even Atobe or Sanada, can take away? Or may be he could get away with just a nod and a yes to the question.

They had reached Ryoma's house by now and still, Tezuka had remained silent, his internal debate not showing on his face. Ryoma stared into his face, a hint of resignation and disappointment in his golden eyes as he turned to walk to his door, tennis bag drooping on one arm as his other hand reaches up to slip off his cap.

"Echizen."

Ryoma stopped and half turned, his eyes quizzical. Tezuka closed the gap between them in three strides and pulled the younger boy towards him until Ryoma's head was leaning on Tezuka's chest. Tezuka closed his eyes, head bent forward, and tried to formulate some words as he inhaled the scent of Ryoma's shampoo.

"I like you more than he does."

Ryoma looked up as he processed what just happened and Tezuka took the opportunity to press his lips lightly against the younger boy. His eyes softened as they took in the heartfelt delight radiating from the other and he suppressed a smile. "Ryoma."

Ryoma's smile grew and he leaned in for more but sadly, the new couple were interrupted.

"Oi shounen, is that a new boyfriend? How many of them have you got? Do you have girlfriends as well? I knew you inherited my good looks and charm, but goodness, you're learning fast! Does he play tennis?" Nanjiroh bellowed from the doorway.

Ryoma pulled Tezuka back outside the gates until they were screened by the wall.

"Sorry about that. My old man is… uninhibited." He muttered, very aware that Tezuka's arms were still encircling him.

Tezuka gives him a small smile and presses a chaste kiss to his temple. "I'll see you tomorrow. Don't be late."

Ryoma watched Tezuka recede away into the distance, a small smile on his face.

"Sometimes, the best way is the most obvious way. Just ask him outright so that he can't avoid answering. If he really cares then he'll tell you the truth. It's better for both of you in the long run to get an answer as quickly as possible or else you'll both be playing games and being unsure when you don't need to be."

He had to remember to thank Hyoutei's Ohtori for the advice and to tell Tezuka that Sunday lunch times were Syuusuke's.


The steady patter of rain on the clay courts filled the air and the senses of the St Rudolph tennis team.

"Ne Yuuta, what are we doing standing in the rain?" the real captain asks the younger boy.

Yuuta shakes his head in warning.

"Silence. We must mourn our absence from the Nationals!" Mizuki thundered from under a flowery umbrella.

"But why do we have to get wet, dane? Can't we get an umbrella too?"

"Keep quite, Yanagisawa-senpai, or we'll be here even longer. Just let Mizuki-san have his way, then we can go in and forget all of this." Yuuta muttered out of the corner of his mouth.


A little something extra:

"Well, it was definitely an interesting experience. Do let me know if you need any help moving." Fate was not bitter in the least, the "project" he and Destiny had been working on had certainly been eye-opening and restored some of his faith that the human race could still bring about their own End of the World.

"Don't worry, everything's sorted. Anyway, always pleasure crossing paths and interests with you." Destiny was not flaunting her success, merely inviting her former rival to see her new office. "Nothing too special, just a couple hundred acres of garden that way, bottomless snacks,…"

"Well, hello and what can I do for you two?"

The two stopped in their tour and turned towards the desk. Cupid, also known as Eros or the Naked Baby with Wings and a Perpetually Flowing Piece of Cloth, smiled sweetly at them, although he looked more like a 20 year old very good looking man more than a cherub. But not as good looking as those we just met on Earth, Destiny added to herself.

"I though you were on the run. And this is my office now." Civility was a rarity between deities, especially the ones who were ranked high enough to know they couldn't be punished for it. Running laps around the never-ending circumference of the realm they lived in could take a while.

Cupid waved his hand as if to brush away her words. "All sorted, everyone's happy, no one's pressing charges. I'm back for good."

Fate raised an eye brow, "Seems like you've just been demoted, my dear rival."

Destiny would whine until the Eldest gave up and let her have her way. "But the Eldest said…"

"If you managed to find the soul mate of the file on my desk, which the two of you incinerated, you could have my job. Well, did you manage it?" Cupid felt safe, Destiny and Fate wouldn't know romance if it was announced in the form of flashing neon lights. Match making from the two deities who most liked to compete by messing up human lives? Puh-lease!

Smug smirk back, Destiny was going to parade this one in front of Fate and Cupid for centuries to come. "Of course, the subject is deliriously happy with my choice."

Cupid's turn to quirk an eyebrow, he flipped through the file that appeared in his hand. The eye brow came back down, then drew together with its counter part. Cupid finally looked up, smile frozen on his rapidly losing colour face.

"You paired Echizen Ryoma up with his tennis captain?"

Fate noted that Cupid's voice had quite an impressive range, that last screech was definitely at least a high C. Destiny did not seem affected by Cupid's outburst. "You're obviously not a very good matchmaker if you can't see that pairing."

Cupid did not deign that comment worthy of a response and turned instead, to Fate who had taken a seat, knowing his colleagues' utter lack of common courtesy. "Who were you trying to get the boy with?"

"Fuji Syuusuke, a team mate."

Thunk. Cupid's head was introduced to his immaculate tabletop.

"Why me? Why am I stuck with psychos for work mates?" Mumbles of a similar nature drifted back to the other two in the room.

"Who does he expect to answer him?" Destiny asked, her voice full of innocent curiosity. "The Eldest?"

Fate shook his head, "I think he's talking to himself. Maybe we should introduce him to those tennis players, wasn't there a guy who always asked questions no one would answer? And one who kept talking to himself?"

Destiny shrugged, getting bored. "Do you think he knows that talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity? Oi, Cupid, what's so wrong anyway?"

Cupid finally remembered why he was currently in such a mess. "What's so wrong? Everything! Echizen Ryoma was supposed to meet a beautiful girl who was a tennis prodigy like him, they'd meet by playing an absolutely unforgettable match, fall hopelessly in love, go through many trials and endure hardships that tested their love for one another, get married, have kids and still manage to save the world every single time! Now none of my perfectly planned script will ever grace the ignorant race that is man-kind!"

Destiny sniffed rather condescendingly, "I think my script was better. Anyway, does that mean the world will end and no one will save it?"

Fate stood and offered the shorter girl his arm. "Why don't we test it out? Let's try the Antarctic as the starting point."

Destiny took the offered arm and the two waited for the lift to take them back downstairs. A huge crash and colourful swear words in at leas twelve languages reached them as the doors slid shut.

"So, what's the second sign of insanity then?"


And done! The last bit with the deities was probably not needed but the story originally evolved through this concept, so I decided to humour myself. Apologies if the childish deites disturbed anyone. So...how was my first multi-chapter? I'm really starting to like Fuji but Pillar Pair has a special place for me. Maybe next time. Reviews please!