AN: I wasn't planning on updating this, but I spent far too much time typing it up for it to sit on my hardrive.
I didn't return to either of the café's or the bookshop after that. The extra bus fare to the downtown shops was well worth decreasing the chance of running into Atobe again. After all of my precautionary measures, it was frustrating to run into him again less then a week later.
Eiji and I were at the aquarium, one of my doubles partner's favorite places to visit. I think the sound of water and sight of fish calmed him, as he tended to bounce less and watch more. Whatever the reason, Eiji loved the aquarium, and I loved taking him anywhere that would make him smile so much.
After a quick flurry of kisses by the electric eels (an appropriate place for sparks to fly) Eiji bounded over to look at the rockfish while I stayed back to look at him.
"If you're really so intent on not ever seeing me again, I think it'd be a good idea to stop meeting like this."
Slightly startled, I turned to find Atobe standing with that same smug look behind me. Upon catching sight of Hyotei's captain, Eiji abandoned the angelfish tank to latch protectively onto my arm. Atobe didn't bat an eye, but his expression tightened slightly.
"Hello to you too, Atobe," I greeted, careful to keep my voice level so as not to worry Eiji more then he already was. Eiji recognized the man who was responsible for maiming his captain, and didn't seem too keen on letting the boy have a go at any of his other teammates.
"Oishi," Atobe nodded his head in my direction. Eiji coughed loudly, but was pointedly ignored. "Nice to see you again," he said, punctuating 'again' and making Eiji's metaphorical hackles rise. "I was hoping to get a chance to talk to you. Care to indulge me?"
"I don't trust you to be alone with Oishi," Eiji slipped his hand into mine, shooting Atobe an angry glare. "I'd like to have the assurance he'll come back with both of his shoulders intact and functional." Atobe's lip curled slightly, but he was much too proud to rise to the bait.
"You're welcome to accompany us, Kikuharu-"
"Kikumaru"
"- if you're really that worried. A friend of Oishi's is a friend of mine." Atobe finished his seemingly innocent statement with a predatory grin that dripped with animosity. Eiji was not one to be intimidated though, and I soon found myself between the two, heading towards the cafeteria.
Eiji bounded off to get food, after shooting Atobe another glare when Hyotei's captain moved his chair too close to mine for the red head's comfort.
"He really likes you, doesn't he?" Atobe mused once Eiji was out of hearing distance. "Kikumaru. He's very protective." He chuckled at his own understatement. "Though I expect you do most of the protecting."
Not quite sure what Atobe was getting at, I held my state of silence, waiting for him to continue. The noise of the crowd seemed to die down as he prolonged his pause, and vaguely I could hear Eiji ordering something with extra pickles from across the room. Then life flickered back into Atobe's eyes, and the room became similarly livelier.
"You're a lot like Tezuka, you know?" I choked slightly on nothing but air and shock. If Inui ever tried to predict Atobe's actions, the way the data-master had a habit of doing, I had a feeling it would present quite a challenge.
"I'm serious," he chuckled, moving his hand closer to mine, then finally bringing his fingers to rest on my knuckles. "You'd do anything for those you truly care about. Self sacrifice is a small price to pay for the happiness of your friends." Atobe gestured to where Eiji was arguing with someone about the lack of appropriate condiments. "You don't like the aquarium very much, do you? It's too loud, and you'd much rather watch your fish at home then with all these other people."
"Yet you bring him here whenever he asks, even paying his entrance fee, just so he can be happy. Doing your duty as a friend even if it means not getting what you want." Atobe smiled slightly, but it only raised the far corners of his mouth, "So very like Tezuka. Only you smile more. I like that."
I became suddenly aware how close Atobe had moved to me while talking. I attempted to move back, but was stopped by his hand on the back of my head. His mouth brushed over mine once, twice, then moved to my ear.
"Oishi," he purred, then moved away suddenly. Letting out my breath, I was surprised to realize I'd been holding it at all.
"It was nice talking with you today, but I'm afraid I must be going. Family outing," he said, as casually as if he hadn't just kissed me –twice- and leaving with no explanation was the most natural thing in the world. "I trust I'll be seeing you later?" Without waiting for an answer, he swept past me and out the cafeteria doors to the street.
"Hoi, where'd the Monkey King run off to?" Eiji asked upon returning with food. Immensely relieved that the redhead hadn't seen the small kisses that Hyotei's captain and I had exchanged, I merely repeated what he'd told me. "Family outing? Since when does his mother have him on a leash? Nya I probably scared him away. More food for us!" Eiji nuzzled against me, popping a piece of meat into his mouth. "Besides, now I have you all to myself."
Despite my better judgment, I actually did end up seeing Atobe again within the next few days. The occasional hello and mutually exchanged smile when we passed on the street. A number of small conversations when we found ourselves waiting in parallel lines at the grocery store. Even a walk in the park together while I searched for the owner of a lost puppy.
There were no more stolen kisses or husky whispers of my name, for which I was grateful. Yet even the smallest excursions seemed strangely intimate, and so I found myself lying to Eiji when he asked if I'd seen Hyotei's captain lurking around anymore.
The fact that I was hiding things from Eiji was my first clue that things had begun changing. These changes worried me immensely. I began making sure to cut the outings with Atobe short, before he could take my hand in his as we walked or insist on buying me something when we passed the ice-cream shop. When I'd pull away or make a hurried excuse for having to leave, it rarely deterred him. He's just chuckle ("So very much like Tezuka") and order two scoops instead of one.
Eventually I told him of my concerns, reminding him that I was already involved with someone. He nodded gravely and asked how Eiji was doing. At that moment I realized I had no idea how my doubles partner was fairing, given that I hadn't seen much of him since Atobe and I had begun seeing each other on a regular basis. I think Atobe must have realized this as well, because the solemn look was absent from his face when I looked back, at which point he informed me I had ice-cream on my face and wiped it off with a quick motion of his finger.
That night when he arrived at my door before a movie, he was carrying a good number of roses wrapped in expensive looking ribbon. Blushing, I strictly reminded him that I had a boyfriend. Atobe shook his head and laughed low under his breath ("More like Tezuka then ever").
"But Oishi, what's wrong with friends exchanging gifts?" Having no reply, I invited him in and began affixing the bouquet in a vase.
While I was busy arranging the armful of flowers, my work was interrupted by voices from the adjoining room. Apparently Atobe had made himself acquainted with my mother.
"… oh yes, I'm sure Syuichiro would love to go!" her voice got louder as I turned the corner, then halted altogether as two pairs of eyes registered me in their field of vision.
"Ah! Oishi-kun, I was just asking your mother if she'd allow you to accompany me up to the mountains for a short visit." From near the window my mother beamed, having fallen into the silken threads of Atobe's charismatic web. "It's quite nice up there this time of year, the snow's only just begun to melt and-"
"Actually," I interrupted, much to my mother's horror, "I'm afraid I've already made plans. Thank you for the thoughtful offer, Atobe-san." Smiling as best I could, I hoped fervently that someone would accept the fact that I wasn't interested in going and drop the subject entirely.
If only I was so lucky.
"Syuichiro!" Flinching slightly, I met my mother's commanding glare. "You haven't informed me of any previous plans of yours. Care to enlighten me on what's so important that you can't spend time with your friends?" Atobe raised his eyebrows in an unspoken challenge, apparently satisfied with the trap I'd fallen into.
"Can we please discuss this later?" I asked, pleading that my mother wouldn't make things worse by refusing to let me leave the house until a conclusion was made. However, she wasn't one to hamper a guest or embarrass a family member in public, so she agreed, albeit reluctantly.
I wasn't particularly pleased with Atobe's antics, but mostly I found myself questioning why I had refused his offer in the first place. It was entirely possible that he really did just want to be friends. Friends that exchanged flowers and shared a coat when one forgot theirs ("Oishi! You look so cold, let me warm you up"), but still friends. I'd certainly be hurt if a good friend of mine repeatedly took measures to avoid contact with me. Excusing the initial questions about Tezuka (which he hadn't repeated since), Atobe had never done anything to make me question my trust in him.
He looked out for me, listened with earnest when I talked, and truly seemed to care about what I wanted. I really liked him. The only reason I'd ever had not to like him was his –accidental, I assured myself- injury of Tezuka in a highly competitive tournament where injuries were bound to happen. It hadn't been Atobe's fault. He'd just been unfortunate enough to possess the talent needed to push my (already injured, I made a point to remember) captain over the edge. Atobe was a good person, and my friend. I needed to stop doubting him.
Reassured, I allowed myself to be lead out to the door where Atobe's limo was waiting.