If Sanada had not been warned of Yukimura's crush, their study session would've been enough to clue him in. Yukimura was a touchy boy, but the frivolous touches and foot brushes went above and beyond Yukimura's usual shoulder hugs and taps on the back. Sanada fought off blushes several times during the study period. He was not an easily flustered person, but Yukimura Seiichi was confusing. His overly friendly family aside, Yukimura was, from what Sanada saw, a powerful and intimidating force on the tennis courts. Off of them, he was not ordinary per se, but normal. He smiled, he helped friends with studies, and he routinely brought treats to share. Sanada appreciated the treats, but wished that Yukimura would be a little more serious about things. Tennis was fine, but there was a future to be planned for. Tennis didn't pay bills or support families.

Yukimura's crush on Sanada was unproductive. Sanada was going to marry a nice girl and have a family. He was going to provide his parents with grandchildren who, in their time, would continue the Sanada family line. Ideally, Sanada wanted two boys; one to continue the law practice and one to run the dojo. A girl wouldn't be bad, she could easily slip into either roll, but it would be more difficult for her, and Sanada did not wish such a future onto anyone.

"You're thinking awfully hard, Sanada. Is there something I can help you with?"

Sanada jumped as Yukimura's chin landed on his shoulder. He shrugged the other boy off. "I was thinking. I do not require help."

"Just wanted to make sure." Yukimura scooted a few feet across the floor, returning to his own books. "European history is boring, ne? I can't keep all these kings and queens straight."

Sanada passed Yukimura his notes. "I've charted them out, along with any major accomplishments in the time period. Copying the chart might assist you." While Yukimura copied the notes, there was little for Sanada to do but look about the room. The walls were beige, sprinkled with the occasional tennis poster. The impressive part of the room was the trophy case, filled with junior championship medals and statuary. It was reminiscent of the trophy hall in the dojo, where Sanada's own trophies were showcased. "You are very accomplished."

"I've been playing since I was five," Yukimura said, quickly transcribing Sanada's notes. "I will be tennis captain in my third year." Yukimura looked up and smiled. There was something in the smile that forced Sanada's pulse to accelerate. It was a challenge, almost a dare. "I was hoping you would join me on the team." Yukimura set the notes aside and scooted closer. "Renji is going to be my Singles Three, but I need someone capable to be my fukubuchou and Singles Two player." Again, he scooted closer.

Sanada grabbed his textbook and held it like a shield between himself and Yukimura. "I do not play tennis. I plan to be kendo team captain." Yukimura's chest was touching the book, his hands moving to wrap around Sanada's.

"You're being wasted on the kendo team." Yukimura huffed and moved back until he was no longer touching Sanada. "They have plenty of talented players, and none of them are up to your skill level. You're not being challenged, so you'll never get to refine your skills." Yukimura glared at the ground. "If you joined the tennis team, you'd find new challenges and advance yourself. I want you to succeed."

Sanada watched Yukimura's eyes, noting the sincerity in them. "True, there is little challenge among my current teammates, but I do not wish for my kendo skills to fade. I have the dojo to consider." Also, Sanada did not enjoy tennis. There was no thrill in hitting a little green ball with a racquet over and over again. Kendo was a battle. Tennis was a game.

"Then teach me." Yukimura moved forward faster than Sanada could raise his textbook shield. "Teach me kendo to hone your skills as an instructor."

A tempting offer, indeed. Instructing was the final area that Sanada's father wished him to work on, but Sanada didn't feel comfortable soliciting his few friends into training at the dojo. "In return I am to join the tennis team, correct?"

Yukimura nodded. "Let me teach you tennis, and you can teach me kendo. At the end of the year, we'll reassess our deal. Sound good?"

Sanada considered the deal. He would get valuable teaching experience and, if Yukimura was right, he'd also gain new perspectives on kendo through tennis. Sanada was more than skeptical of that final proviso, but certainly he, through determination, could pull something useful out of this arrangement. Yukimura seemed to truly delight in the idea and, much to Sanada's distaste, he was finding that he rather enjoyed that look of delight on Yukimura. It lit up the room and warmed Sanada's stomach.

"I accept your offer." Sanada bowed to seal the deal. "Please finish with my notes quickly, I have much work to do."

"Of course, Genichirou-kun." Yukimura's pleased expression was enough to distract Sanada from arguing over the inappropriate use of his name.

&-&

Yukimura was a witch. There was no other, logical explanation for why, after three weeks, Sanada was still on the tennis team, and improving at that. The whole spectacle was giving Renji the creeps. According to previous behavioral patterns, Sanada was supposed to be practicing with the kendo team. Sanada quit the kendo team the week previous after demolishing the team captain in a match. The kendo team's coach begged Sanada not to quit, but Sanada was ruthless. He said there was nothing he could learn from such a weak team. The coach was almost crying.

Yukimura was watching from around the corner, smiling to himself. Renji observed everything from the safety of a second story window. Somehow, in the last few weeks, something shifted between Sanada and Yukimura. It was now Renji's task to figure out what, exactly, Yukimura was doing to taint Sanada's mental functions.

&-&

Kendo was difficult. The shinai didn't seem heavy, but after moving through katas for an hour, Yukimura's arms ached. Still, Sanada required two hours of practice every other day, and Yukimura was required to practice on his own in the off-training days. He would get used to the weight and his tennis game would benefit from the extra muscle.

"Your stance is falling apart. Stop." Sanada moved from his position near the sword rack he'd been dusting as part of his after-hours work and used his foot to widen Yukimura's stance. "There. Begin again."

"Sanada, my arms hurt. Can't we stop for a moment?" Yukimura rarely complained, but his arms were barely able to rise today. Obara-buchou made the first years do racquet forms all practice. Yukimura theorized that Obara-buchou was angry that Sanada, who'd never played tennis before, beat a second year during Monday's practice matches. Yukimura was so proud of Sanada's performance that day that he treated Sanada and Renji to expensive desserts. Renji tried to excuse himself from the celebration but Sanada wouldn't have it.

Yukimura frowned and began his katas again. Something was definitely wrong with Yanagi-kun. He was avoiding Yukimura, which wasn't so bad really except that Yukimura enjoyed Renji's company. It filled in the time between Yukimura's meetings with Sanada, and Renji was a wonderful person to discuss tennis with. Sanada didn't' discuss tennis, or much of anything else.

"Continue." Sanada said, his attention still on his dusting.

"Hai." Yukimura inhaled, tasting his own sweat, then raised the shinai. His arms burned and his back wasn't much happier, but he continued on. Sanada completed the same racquet forms at practice in addition to a more strenuous series of katas before Yukimura came, at which point Sanada demonstrated Yukimura's kata sequence twice. If Sanada could do it, then Yukimura could, and better.

"Your stance is slipping." Sanada grunted, stalking over and putting a hand to Yukimura's shinai. "Stop. You've lost your focus."

"I'm sorry." Yukimura felt Sanada's stare like small needles sliding across his spine. The urge to press forward, ever so slightly, so their lips would touch was intense. Yukimura stepped back, drawing his tongue across his lips to remind himself that now was not the time for ridiculous thoughts.

"You are dehydrated." Sanada took Yukimura's hand and pinched at the skin at the bottom of his forefinger. "Did you not drink water before you came? Between your katas?"

Yukimura was always careful to stay hydrated but, before he could protest, he stopped to listen to his body. His mouth was dry. His fingers itched from dry skin. "I suppose I didn't. How embarrassing."

Sanada moved away, returning shortly with a water bottle. "Drink, and do not be so careless again. You can permanently damage your body if you work this hard in a dehydrated state."

"This has never happened before," Yukimura explained after taking a long, refreshing sip of the lukewarm water. "I must've been too concerned with my talk with Obara-buchou to think straight."

"About that," Sanada stopped to take the bottle away, "do not overdrink or your stomach will be upset." He took a drink himself before setting the bottle aside. "Regarding Obara-buchou. You do not play him at your full strength. Why?"

"It's very good of you to notice." Not even Renji noticed that Yukimura was holding back in his matches with Obara. Perhaps Sanada knew because he was aware of Yukimura's strength from long kendo training sessions.

"You do not appear to enjoy playing him as much as you do when you practice with the machine in the gym. Your muscles do not fully tense and your eyes wander. You look bored." Sanada held up the water bottle. "It is safe to have more."

The sipper of the bottle was still moist from Sanada's earlier drink. For a moment, thoughts of indirect kisses and shared illnesses flitted through Yukimura's mind. Stray thoughts were much better than anything concerning Obara-buchou. "I thought it would be unwise to upset him this early."

"If you want to be a regular, you will need to step up soon or you will not be invited until next year." Sanada took the bottle away again. "First years can only become regulars if they defeat two current regulars in a challenge match and win three games against the current buchou."

"You've been researching."

"Obara-buchou told me. He wants me to challenge at one of next week's practices." Sanada frowned. "He says he will throw three games to ensure that I am on the team."

Yukimura was unaware that he was showing his anger until Sanada took the shinai from Yukimura's red-splotched hands. "Oh, really?" It was the only non-violent thing Yukimura could think of to say. Obara-buchou had a girlfriend; he had no business propositioning Sanada in such a manner. "I suppose I will challenge next week as well, then. It wouldn't do for my pupil to surpass me, would it?"

"I do not want to be a regular." Sanada put the shinai away, even though Yukimura had yet to finish his katas. "I will not be challenging anyone next week."

"Sanada, don't go against Obara's wishes. Things will be difficult for you if you do. He is very powerful." Obara, as captain of the team, had access to the principal, whom Obara'd wrapped around his honor student's finger.

"Are you afraid?" Sanada sneered.

"No, just cautious. I was waiting to make my move until the second half of the season." Yukimura moved forward and took the water bottle from Sanada. Dehydration stung at the back of Yukimura's throat, but was soon soothed by a rush of water. "I will have to convince Renji to challenge as well or our domination will not be properly set up." Yukimura took another sip. "But really, Sanada, your techniques are still so far off that I'm surprised Obara asked you. Your smash form is atrocious."

"It works." Sanada took the water bottle back. "It is time to sweep the floors. We are done for today."

"It works, but it looks so sloppy. Tennis and kendo are different sports, Sanada, you should not try to merge them." Yukimura accepted the cloth broom and began to sweep up the dojo floor. "I'll admit the stance is good, but the racquet forms are so convoluted, I'm amazed you manage to hit the ball at all."

"I will challenge next week and prove the efficiency of my methods, then."

Yukimura smiled. "Renji and I will challenge as well. I hope you can keep up."