Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

~~ Emotional Roller Coaster ~~

~~ 9. March, Early Night ~~

The game had lasted till the sun had disappeared from the sky and had been replaced by the stars and darkness. The coaches had ended their little match and shooed all player from the courts when it had gotten too dark and rain started to fall. The game had ended with 2:3 for Sanada.

The moment Ryoma had stopped to focus on the match, his body began to fall apart. Shaking and shivering, his legs turning into jelly and his skin drowning in sweat and exhaustion. It had been too long since he had played against such a strong opponent. His hand's muscles twitched and forced him to let go of the racquet in his left hand. His muscles burnt.

He had no clue how he got into the shower and into his sleepwear, nor did he know how he got into the warm and comfortable bed. His mind was exhausted as well as his body and the moment he closed his eyes, he fell asleep.

Genichirou was stunned to see how such a light body could withstand such large amount of exhaustion. He had guided the teen into their house, pushed him gently into the shower and, after Echizen had magically finished his shower in some kind of trance, led the teen to the nearest bed. Echizen's body broke down as soon as he stepped out of the steam filled bathroom. The hot water had loosened his muscles and calmed his nerves a little bit. The second Echizen's body touched the bed, the teen was asleep. Unbelievable.

The house was silent and only the bedroom was filled with light. Thankfully nobody else was here. Seiichi, Atobe and Tezuka were probably still at their meeting and wherever Fuji had gone he didn't know. Genichirou was just thankful that his new/old friend was somewhere else. He didn't want to image how it would have outplayed if Echizen had realized where exactly he had been led. Genichirou sat down at the end of the bed where the teen slept deeply and watched unconsciously with fascination. Echizen looked... kinda cute when he slept... almost peaceful...

A sudden and very uncharacteristic blush spread along his cheeks and ears. Damn, what was he thinking?

He cleared his throat and mind, stood up from the bed and walked over to his dresser, pulling out his own sleepwear. The place was making him weak and careless. Something was wrong with this place. He needed to be more careful and really get a better grip on himself. A cold shower would be a start, so he went inside the still warm and steaming bathroom and took a very cold shower.

Genichirou just finished drying his hair when the front door opened and a wet brunette rushed inside, holding a large bag. Syusuke greeted him with some kind of a shy smile and stopped abruptly when his view landed on the sleeping teen. The blue eyes snapping open in surprise. "What have you done or said to manage that?" Syusuke approached the two teens quietly, put the bag in front of the wardrobe with the last empty shelf inside and started to unpack the bag.

"You troubled yourself by getting his back and now you're unpacking it?"

"I watched you both on the tennis court. I guessed and hoped that he would agree to take a shower here because the shower in the demolished house isn't working anymore, so that I could talk to him in private and maybe..." Syusuke became silent, not ending the sentence. He didn't have to. Genichirou knew that certain look already. Guilt and doubt. He closed the distance between them without knowing. Couldn't stand seeing his ex-boyfriend in this state. He put his left hand on his friend's right shoulder in comfort. "Nevermind. So what did you do exactly to lure him in here? I doubt a single tennis match did the trick and how did you manage to get him to play a match against you in the first place?"

Genichirou was quiet for a minute, choosing his next words wisely. "I think Tezuka is right. We should leave him alone for a bit and not bother him."

"What has happened?"

"Nothing."

"You had always been a bad liar, Genichirou."

"I think if you want to get to know him better and be friends with him, you probably shouldn't scare him off. Not everyone can get along with your... fierce way of making friends." Only then did Genichirou notice the exact words his friend had spoken. Syusuke had adapted to their change of relationship quickly or had he used his first name unconsciously?

Syusuke's voice grew quieter with the next words. "I called Yuuta earlier and he scolded me." The change of topic was strange but not unusual for Syusuke. Therefore, Genichirou moved along.

"For what?"

"I told him what happened so far. I think he only listened halfhearted until I told him about Ryoma." The brunette's view wandered to said teen. "He said I behaved like a maniac who is kicking an already wounded cat."

"...Not exactly..."

"But inexactly? I am at fault for his breakdown." The brunette seemed thoughtful, his gaze still resting on the sleeping teen. "A strange friend of Yuuta with black hair - I have forgotten his name - has found something out about Ryoma." Now it was Genichiriou's turn to look at the brunette in surprise. He waited for his friend to continue, not wanting to hinder him from telling. His curiousity was awaken even if he told himself, that he should pry into Echizen's past. Curiousity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back. "Ryoma hadn't always been mute. A few years ago, he had played tennis and laughed out loud on a tournament for young tennis players. Yuuta showed me a tape from it. I think Ryoma was around nine."

With a crooked bitter smile on his lips, Syusuke continued. "Asking a person to retell a moment where they lost or experienced something horrible is just cruel and I have never thought, not even once, that Ryoma is still hurt and maybe his cousin is part of the event, helping him to overcome but also remembering him of this particular event."

Genichirou had no idea how to reply to that. After all, he hadn't been so wrong with his guess. The girl was a part of the dramatic event which had happened in Echizen's life. It would just be helpful to know if she was a positive or negative influence for the teen's future. From Echizen's reaction towards her, Genichirou would guess the second and if she really did appear here at the camp, it would most likely be better for her to not meet her cousin.

Had Tezuka known?
Was that the reason why he had told Atobe's butler to drive her home the instant she arrived here?

Both teens were deep in thoughts until the front door burst open and in walked the three captains, drowned from head to toe in rain.

"Ore-sama is wet. It's unacceptable!" The diva walked into the living room, still not seeing the other three teens in the bedroom, while getting rid of his dripping jersey.

Seiichi laughed, following his boyfriend inside and slipping out of his jersey as well. "You can't do anything against it, Kei. You can't control the weather." He chuckled and petted his boyfriend's shoulder in comfort.

"Ore-sama's servant had given the information that today would be sunny."

"Your servant must have given you a wrong information." Seiichi and Atobe headed to the bedroom, followed by the silent Tezuka.

"Do you mind being a little bit quieter, please?" Genichirou interrupted their happy chatter, somehow not liking the visible closeness between the bluenette and his boyfriend. The words had left his mouth in an annoyed tone before he could stop it. He always got this feeling of jealousy, even though he had no right to feel it. Seiichi wasn't his boyfriend and never had been and probably never would be. Which was a factor why he had been together with Syusuke back then. The two were more similar in behaviour and personality than they guessed.

Nevertheless, the little green monster was always close to the surface whenever such a situation appeared which was the reason for his quick disappearances in the past.
When the camp had been decided, Genichirou had guessed to be put in one team with his best friend but not in the same house to sleep in, giving the couple a bit more privacy. He had hoped he could avoid such moments and the inner turmoil inside himself. He needed to keep his calm...

How often had he said that to himself today?
Far too often!

He avoided his eyes from the surprised and frowning couple and witnessed a silent conversation between Tezuka and Syusuke. The couple looked at each other and the almost happy and relaxed expression on Syusuke's face plus and the physical closeness between him - Genichirou - and Syusuke seemed to be enough for Tezuka to understand their current state of relationship because the right side of his mouth perked up a tiny bit.

Seiichi, on the other hand, noticed his and Syusuke's closeness as well and grew immediately angry, his beautiful eyes narrowing dangerously.

Tezuka walked up to them, putting his hand on the brunette's free shoulder in comfort and viewing around the room. His gaze paused by the bed, the control over his emotions lost for a second as he noted the sleeping teen in the bed. The captain of Seigaku blinked a few times in… confusion or maybe in surprise…

"Don't blame me. I haven't put Ryoma in your bed. Though, I doubt he would mind sleeping with you in one bed like he had yesterday..." Syusuke chuckled mischievously.

'Wait...what?!'

"Syusuke!" There was a very light and uncharacteristic blush spreading on Tezuka's cheeks.

Echizen had slept with Tezuka in the same bed…
What exactly had he missed?
So Echizen had a thing not only for Seiichi but for Tezuka too?!

And now that he knew, Genichirou noticed something else... He really had put Echizen in the wrong bed... not considering that this one had already been reserved.
Too careless!

"Echizen slept with you in the same bed?"

"What's going on? Ore-sama demands an explanation." The other two joined the rest so all of them stood in front of the bed with the deeply sleeping teen.

Tezuka sighed and cleaned his glasses from the nasty rain drops. "It was an accident."

"I wouldn't call it an accident since you offered him to share your bed in the middle of the night." Tezuka glared silently at his boyfriend that promised a lot of running extra laps tomorrow.
Since when… Syusuke would be capable of doing such a thing but Tezuka…. Genichirou was confused. Tezuka had never before offered direct closeness to another person. Beside his boyfriend of course.

Seiichi grabbed one of the towels hanging nearby and offered one to his boyfriend while using one himself. He didn't offer Tezuka one though. His friend's grudge seemingly to grow stronger against their once close friends.

Atobe muttered something, drying his hair whereas Seiichi followed suit and let his gaze wander between the sleeping teen and Genichirou. The expression changing drastically from wonder to deep anger. Seiichi would probably want to talk to him, already understanding that he had forgiven Syusuke and probably Tezuka soon too. Genichirou already feared the conversation.

"Before I forget it, you all listen." Atobe said and directed his words to the others. "The coaches agreed to my plan to let us have practice matches against each other in the next few days to search and correct our flaws. Well, your flaws as Ore-sama is flawless."

"You just want to play a match against Echizen, don't you? I had the feeling when you asked the coaches so fiercely and arguing with such heart to make them agree to your plan." Seiichi shifted his attention back to Atobe who was ready to argue back but Syusuke beat him.

"Genichirou already had the pleasure." No words left Atobe's lips and Tezuka's brows rose once more in surprise. Only Seiichi's reaction was negatively directed at him. The bluenette got even madder at him, his lips forming a very thin line. So. Not. Good. Would he see his best friend's smile ever again?

"Sanada is getting ahead of us. Ore-sama hadn't seen it coming." Atobe flipped his hair, trying to cover his discomposure.

"It was the only way to keep him from locking himself up in the old house. Echizen hasn't exactly agreed to stay here. He had been too exhausted to realize where he was before he fell asleep and he will run away anew if you continue to pressure him." Genichirou's voice was steady, his mind was not. Echizen was younger than them and somehow he awakened some brotherly feelings in Genichirou. Was that the reason why he felt the need to defend the younger teen?

"He told you what happened?" Seiichi asked, his voice still trembling with anger.

"Genichirou is good at reading other people's emotions as long as it doesn't concern or include his own." Genichirou watched as Tezuka looked at him and then to Syusuke and back to him. Tezuka nodded to him and Genichirou understood without any other words.

Another warm feeling filled his chest…. His entire body prickled. It must be the place which made him such an emotional wreck, a passenger inside a roller coaster with many loopings. Genichirou cleared his throat – Tezuka did as well – to get a better grip on his emotions. However, the funny and warm feelings never left, only intensified.

"And you know that how?" Seiichi hissed, spit the words out like acid. Syusuke's expression was once more hard as he stared directly at the bluenette.

"I know that because we have been friends for a long time, Yukimura. We all had been once."

"Yes, once. Past tense."

"Because something had been misunderstood."

"I doubt the kiss between you and Tezuka was a misunderstanding as you are together now."

"Something happened which shouldn't have happened back then." Tezuka said calmly and interrupted the fight between the two.

"Shouldn't have?" Syusuke whispered in shock. His blue eyes wide open in surprise, his face looking almost innocently in disbelief. Tezuka paused, and it looked as if he wanted to groan out loud in annoyance at himself. The rashly spoken words probably already leaving a sour taste.

Tezuka closed his eyes and his hand pushed his glasses up in a seemingly nervous movement. He cleared his throat. "Syusuke, you know I didn't mean it lik-"

"Good to know where I stand." Syusuke interrupted and shook Tezuka's hand as well as Genichirou's from his shoulder, stepping aside. Everything happened so fast, Genichirou didn't know where he stood. Syusuke's mask was back in place – cold, composed and a little streak of sadism flickered in his face. "I think I will go and see if Eiji is still up."

The brunette left the house silently.

What the hell was going on here?
Was the damn place filled with pheromones to make them all go crazy or what?!
They all behaved so strangely and uncharacteristically.

Nevertheless, it didn't stop Seiichi to continue the fight with Tezuka. "It had happened and that is what counts. Yo-"

"Seiichi, it's enough!" Genichirou spoke with a lightly raised voice, the anger which had never been so strong was clearly showing. His best friend has gone too far now. He had been mean and badmouthing all students from Seigaku and especially Syusuke and Tezuka but back then he hadn't thrown salt in an already open wound. "The past is the past. You knew from the beginning that I would forgive them after some time."

"I knew from the beginning that they, especially Fuji, were your weakness but I haven't thought..." Seiichi shook his head in disappointment. "Kei, you coming with me? I need something to calm down. The bluenette turned his back to him, throwing the towel onto his bed and leaving the room without waiting for his boyfriend's reply.

"That's not going according to my plan." Atobe muttered and followed Seiichi outside, leaving Genichirou with Tezuka and the still sleeping teen behind. Tezuka sighed and let himself uncharacteristically fall down onto the next unoccupied bed, pinching his nose with his fingers.

Genichirou could only agree. He felt the headache approach too. It wasn't even twenty four hours ago since they arrive at this camp and everything was like a roller coaster, going up and down and round and round.

His head was aching, his emotional state a catastrophe and his body felt exhausted from all the fuss around him. He didn't know what to do or to say. In the last twenty four hours, he had broken his most important rule countless times.

It surprised him all the more when Tezuka suddenly asked him if he wanted to play the game Go like in the old times.