Talking

Pairing: Inui/Shinji

Fandom: Prince of Tennis

Theme: #24. good night

Disclaimer: Disclaimer in part 1

Rating: PG

Inui stared at the phone in his hand as if daring it to do something. Occasionally, he would transfer his stare to a slip of paper beside him. Both the phone and the paper didn't seem inclined to respond to him, though.

Collapsing back on his bed, Inui sighed. This should not be hard. I dial the number and hit "send". I've been doing this for years. Why am I failing at this now? He took a moment to examine himself. My pulse has increased by 20, and my respiration by 15. My palms are emitting 63 more perspiration than they should be when I am at rest. Conclusion: I am nervous. And hoping the phone will dial itself will not do anything to solve that problem.

Sitting up, Inui resolutely punched in the numbers on the paper, then stared at the screen. "Wait…that's not right…." Clearing the number with a sigh, Inui a little more deliberately dialed the right number…only to have the phone slip out of his hand when he tried to press "send".

"This is…preposterous," Inui muttered as he bent to retrieve the phone from the floor. "I know I have not lost my ability to dial a phone…." Putting his phone on the bed for a moment, Inui rubbed his hands on his pants, drying them off some, before hitting send.

He listened to the phone ring a few times before he heard the click of someone answering. "Hello?" The voice on the other end was soft, like Shinji's but…distinctly feminine.

Inui's jaw dropped in shock. He had somehow been expecting to have received Shinji's cell number, not the main house line.

"Hello?" the voice asked again, sounding confused.

Inui shook himself, pulling his mind back together. "Ah, yes, hello. Is Ibu Shinji home?"

"Just one moment, please." Inui heard the sounds of the receiver being covered, then "Shin-chan, phone!"

Inui grinned, filing that nickname away for a more appropriate time, listening as he heard the beep of an extension being turned on. "I have it, Mama…hello?"

The sound of Shinji's voice somehow made Inui's battle with the phone worthwhile, and he lay back on his bed again, considerably more relaxed. "Hello, Ibu-kun."

"Inui-san!" Inui heard Shinji fumble, then the faint sound of bedsprings squeaking. "I…hello."

"I told you I was going to call you tonight."

"I…I know you did, Inui-san."

Inui heard the surprise and tension in Shinji's voice, and calculated a 58 chance that Shinji hadn't completely believed him, and decided honesty would be the best way to defuse Shinji. "I wanted to hear your voice again."

"You did?" Inui noted that the surprise had increased by 13. "That's funny…most people want me to shut up."

"I'm not like most people."

"Well, I knew that much already." There was laughter in Shinji's voice now, and Inui was glad to hear it; it meant he was relaxing. "I think I can safely say that I don't know anyone else quite like you, Inui-san."

"I can say the same about you, Ibu-kun. You are definitely a unique person."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Because I've been called that before, and it wasn't meant in the most flattering way, and I really don't like being insulted, though I doubt a lot of people do, but I could be wrong…."

"Ibu-kun." Inui cut into Shinji's ramble. "Do you think I would kiss someone I had negative feelings for?"

"…no?" Shinji sighed softly, and Inui thought it was one of the more enticing sounds he had heard in a long time. "Inui-san…what do you want from me? I mean, why did you even notice me?"

"I only want a chance to get to know you better. To take you on dates, to kiss you some more—a lot more, actually." He blushed a little, glad that Shinji couldn't see it. "Hopefully, to even form a long-term relationship with you. As to why I noticed you…." Inui paused to think and put his words in order. "You're smart, talented, and handsome. You're different from everyone else, and I like that."

"Oh…I see…." Inui was willing to bet money that there was a 97 chance or higher that Shinji was bright red right now. "I think…that's the nicest thing that anyone's ever said to me, Inui-san."

"I'd like to kiss you right now, Ibu-kun."

Inui b heard /b Shinji fumble the phone, and listened as it dropped to the floor. There were some sounds of a scramble, and then Shinji's slightly breathless voice was back on the line. "I'm sorry, Inui-san…."

"It's all right. I was serious, though. I would like to be kissing you again."

"I…that would be very…nice." Shinji's voice gained some strength. "And why should I give my lips again before a proper date?"

Inui laughed. "No reason at all. If you want a date, you'll get one. Would you care to go out with me Saturday night? Say, dinner and a movie?"

"That sounds nice, Inui-san. I accept your date." Inui listed to Shinji shift.

"I'll pick you up at your place…but I don't know where you live. So I guess I'll have to meet you somewhere to walk you home, so I'll know that piece of data." Inui was grinning as he spoke.

"You're incorrigible." Shinji laughed. "I'll meet you in the same place tomorrow. Try to get there before dark, because I think I may have other things to do than wait in the dark for you."

It was Inui's turn to laugh. "Point taken…I'll meet you at 4:30. Is that good for you?"

Inui listened as paper rustled on Shinji's side of the phone. "Make it 5? Practice ends at 4:15 tomorrow, and I would like to shower and change first."

Inui nodded, making a mental note of it. "I'll be there." He glanced at the clock. "I…should probably let you go now, shouldn't I?"

"Probably." Shinji sighed. "Inui-san? I'm glad you called me. I was almost expecting to be blown off or forgotten or something like that."

"Never. I don't do things like that." Inui resisted the urge to prolong the conversation some. "Well…good night, Ibu-kun."

"Good night, Inui-san." Shinji's voice had gone soft and breathy again, and Inui's own breath quickened a little, wondering if Shinji would sound like that after an extended session of kissing.

"Sweet dreams, Ibu-kun…I'll see you tomorrow."

"Same to you…I'll be looking forward to it, Inui-san." Before Inui could reply to that, Inui head a beep, then the dial tone, indicating that Shinji had hung up.

Suppressing a sigh, Inui put his phone on the charger and slowly prepared for bed, as if in a daze. Once under the blankets, he looked up at the ceiling, only seeing dark eyes and soft hair. "Good night…Shinji."

--The End--