Terminology

Pairing: Inui/Shinji

Fandom: Prince of Tennis

Theme: #15. perfect blue

Disclaimer: Disclaimer on part 1

Rating: PG

It was a gorgeous day, and Shinji knew he was being lazy, but he couldn't resist stretching out on his back outside and just watching the clouds go by. After a bitter cold winter, this early and warm spring seemed like a true blessing, and Shinji was more than happy to take the time to just… be with the weather.

It was, really, a perfect day The sun was shining, a light breeze was blowing, the ground was warm under him…but Shinji keenly felt the lack of something. Or, more accurately, someone.

He and Inui had had a couple more dates since their near-disastrous first one, and Shinji was feeling more and more…comfortable with Inui. He refused to use any other words for it. He liked Inui a lot, he liked spending time with Inui, definitely liked kissing him…but he didn't want to read more into the relationship than was there. Nor did he want to ruin such a nice day with such deep thoughts. No, Shinji was going to lay back and enjoy the sun, and try to ignore that nagging desire for an equally warm body beside him….

"Is this spot taken?"

Shinji smiled up at the person standing above him. "I never thought I had magic powers, but I must have them because I was just thinking that it would be nice if you were here with me, and here you are, and now it's an even nicer day."

Taking that rambling statement as permission, Inui sank down on the ground next to Shinji. "It is a nice day." He replied, ignoring the comments about powers. "Too nice to be spending over books."

"Books?" Shinji tilted his head to look at Inui. "Do you have a lot of homework or something? A big test coming up?"

Inui chuckled. "Several big tests," he confirmed. "It's high school entrance exam season."

"…oh." Shinji felt a little sheepish. He knew that Tachibana had left the tennis club to focus on exams, but somehow he had managed to forget that Inui would be in the same position. "You're applying to Seigaku's high school, right?"

Inui nodded. "I am. It's almost automatic to take that one. But there are several other high schools I'm thinking of applying to. One in particular would be a good match, since it has a strong sciences program. That will be useful to me, since I plan on studying science in college."

"I see." Shinji tried not to sigh. "Where is this high school?"

"That's the other benefit of the school." Inui grinned. "It's actually closer to Fudomine than Seigaku is."

Shinji couldn't help showing his relief that Inui wasn't planning on going far away. "I'm glad to hear that. I don't think I'd like to give up on this…thing we have before it really has a chance to get started. Is it a hard exam?"

"One of the hardest in the district," Inui nodded, "but I am confident that I will be able to pass easily."

"It must be nice, to have that much confidence." Unconsciously, Shinji shifted a little closer to Inui. "I wish I had that sometimes. Do they have a good tennis team?"

"Well…." Inui looked down. "The school is academic-based. They don't have sports clubs that exist as competitive entities."

"So…you're going to give up tennis?" Shinji wasn't sure why that disappointed him so much. Maybe because he couldn't contemplate giving up tennis and its role in his life."

"Of course not. Surely you've noticed how we all seem to congregate at the street courts on weekends. And I still want to play you sometime." Inui smiled. "You don't need a school team to play tennis."

"You're right, of course…but will casual matches be enough for you?" Shinji tilted his head as he looked at Inui. "You seem to be such a competitive person. I don't know if I can see you happy just playing like that."

"There are options. Tournaments that aren't open to just school teams. Coming off Seigaku's team, I will have no problem entering tournaments at first, and I expect that my subsequent rankings will be enough to allow me to enter more tournaments unquestioned."

"You seem to have your life pretty well planned." Shinji was torn between being impressed and worried. He's ready to move beyond where I can reach…what if he moves beyond me and finds someone better, or more well-suited to him? What if he just lets us drift apart? That would be rude, to just walk away like that. He started all of this, and I don't know if I like feeling this uncertain….

Inui smiled as Shinji unconsciously started mumbling, unknowingly turning his inner monologue into an outer one. "There's no one who is more well-suited to me. I will always have time for you, Shinji, believe me. I will be very upset if I don't get to spend time with you."

Shinji blushed. "Sadaharu…." Once day, he swore to himself, he was going to figure out just what it was about Inui that managed to make him speechless time and time again.

"But look at us. It is a beautiful day, there's not a soul around…and we're talking about high school and tennis when we could be doing other things?"

"Other things?" Shinji propped himself up on his elbows some so he could study Inui a little easier. "Was there something that you wanted to do today, Sadaharu?"

"Definitely." With a grin, Inui moved quickly, rolling over Shinji and pressing him back to the grass. "I have a desire to kiss my boyfriend right here and now."

Shinji blushed again, but it wasn't from their positions. "You…want me to be your boyfriend?"

Inui paused as he was leaning down to kiss Shinji. "You…don't want that?" he asked slowly, feeling his heart sink a little.

"No! I mean, I do, but I thought it took longer to reach that point. More dating or something." Shinji shrugged awkwardly. "I didn't want to be presumptuous or anything like that."

"Never presumptuous. I want you to be my boyfriend. And if it takes some more dates for you to be comfortable with the term, then I am happy to oblige. This weekend?"

It took Shinji a moment to realize that the last had been a question, not a statement. "Of course. I'd love to go out with you this weekend."

Inui smiled, relieved. "Good. And now…seeing as I have you so conveniently under me…." He leaned down to capture Shinji's lips in a kiss.

As Inui's lips met his, Shinji caught a glimpse of something over Inui's shoulder, and he grinned, falling into the kiss.

He had never seen the sky look so blue before.

--The End--