Hi, So I'm back! Hopefully for good this time. I've also been slowly updating my other stories as well. This chapter was a bit difficult to write, mainly because I need to get used to this story's writing style again. Please be patient with me.

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis

Chapter 9

Weight of the World

Tezuka allowed his gaze to drift out his hospital window to the streets below. Rain fell from the sky in a constant torrent of mist. It blanketed the world outside in a coat of grey that seemingly echoed the sombre atmosphere of the hospital.

Forcing his attention back to his current surroundings, Tezuka tried to clear the haze that clouded his thoughts. Perched tensely on the chair next to his bed, sat Hyotei's ever peculiar captain. Atobe's eyes were narrowed in unusual seriousness, his words careful as he explained the current situation.

Their train had derailed.

People had died.

Fuji had died.

"What about the others?" Tezuka forced his voice to remain calm. It wouldn't help anyone if he couldn't control his emotions. There would be time to mourn later.

Atobe's hesitation was ever so slight, but Tezuka's careful gaze picked up on it. "Ore-sama is still waiting on more information."

"Atobe," Tezuka's voice was curt, commanding more information. Even with the surge of alarm that assaulted his thoughts, threatening to break his calm façade, he needed to know.

Atobe sent the Seigaku captain a calculating glance, before resigning himself to breaking the news. The look on the bespectacled teen's face as the words left his mouth was enough to send a pang of sympathy through his veins. At the same time, he couldn't help but admire the bedridden teen's composure. Atobe had no idea how he would react if their roles were reversed, but he doubted he could have remained so collected.

"Ore-sama will come back later once he knows more," Atobe declared, making his way to the door. When the Seigaku captain didn't reply, he stepped out into the hallway shutting the door behind him.

Tezuka was grateful to be left alone. His mask was slowly shattering, despair threatening to overtake him in a fiery wave of emotion.

"Tezuka, I'm sorry, but not everyone made it."

Oishi, his precious friend and ever-loyal vice-captain.

Inui, always reliable and unfailing in his efforts to improve the team.

Kaidoh, on track to becoming an amazing tennis player.

All gone.

He couldn't believe it. In just a few hours his entire life had been utterly torn to shreds. This was never supposed to happen. They were supposed to be celebrating and enjoying their win.

Never had Tezuka wanted to run from his role of captain more than at that moment. What good had pushing his team been if they couldn't enjoy the rewards of their hard work? What had been the point of the past three years?

It should have been me.

The thought hit him like a slap in the face. The last thread holding him together snapped, tears falling from usually stern eyes.

He was supposed to be their Captain; the person responsible for guiding his team through any hardships. Now he could barely hold himself together, let alone his surviving teammates.

He felt useless.

Weak.

His thoughts were broken by the sound of the door opening. The nurse from before entered, her eyes widening slightly as she caught sight of his anguished appearance.

"I'll come back later," She didn't hesitate in exiting the way she had come, promptly leaving him alone again.

Tezuka shook his head, forcing himself to calm down.

What was he doing?

He wiped his tears away, ignoring the sharp stab of pain that emitted from his ribs. He needed to be strong. He owed it to his teammates, both the living and the dead.

He needed to be the pillar his team had come to rely on.

The captain.

The next twenty-four hours passed by in a daze of movement. Time felt unnaturally slow as Tezuka waited for more information on his member's that were particularly worse for the wear. The hours droned on in an unending silence. At one point he had tried to sleep, but unwelcome scenarios had played out in his head until he gave up.

The streets below were an endless flow of people; each lost in their own world, oblivious to his struggles. Eventually, it got to the point where it felt like he would be consumed by his own apprehension.

"Sir you can't go in there!"

A shout from the hall outside of his room snapped him out of his daze.

"I need to speak with him, I just do!"

It took Tezuka a moment to recognize the voice. In a flurry of movement, he made his way across the room, throwing the door open.

"Momoshiro," He greeted, ignoring the perplexed looks of those that crowded the hallway. He turned towards the nurse blocking the power player's way. "It's alright, I know him."

She nodded mutely, hesitantly stepping aside in order to allow the teen to pass her.

Tezuka shut the door after the younger, quickly taking in his teammate's appearance. The black-haired teen was covered with bruises, a large bandage plastered across his right eye. He moved across the room with the help of a pair of crutches, his right leg hidden beneath a cast.

Tezuka took a seat on his bed, well the younger sat himself in the empty seat next to him. Both lapsed into an uneasy silence, neither knowing what to say.

"Eiji-senpai is in surgery," It was Momo who eventually broke the silence, his voice wavering slightly as he passed on the news.

Tezuka nodded. He had heard already, but it was nice to hear the junior's voice. "How are you doing?"

Momoshiro shrugged, not meeting his captain's eyes. "Alright, I guess." After a brief pause, he continued before he could lose his nerve. "It's just hard to believe. Everything, ya' know?"

"It will get easier," Tezuka's reply was smooth, confident. Only his eyes betrayed the turmoil he was feeling.

"Echizen too," Momo continued as if Tezuka hadn't spoken. "They say he might not make it."

"He will," This time it was harder to keep his voice steady. "We must have faith in Echizen."

Atobe had already mentioned to him the extent of the younger's injuries; extensive internal bleeding, a pretty serious head injury, and broken ribs that had punctured a lung made for a dim outlook. Yet Tezuka refused to lose hope.

They couldn't lose Echizen too.

He couldn't lose Echizen.

Momoshiro nodded in agreeance, silence once again clinging to the air between them.

A/N

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

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