Hello anybody reading this! Yeah, I updated a bit faster then I should have... But I was bored, so here you go.
Blufox- Don't worry, you're no stranger then me. I actually have the Seigaku members' birthdays written on my calendar (Yeah. Bored one day, and got it for Christmas as well as a Prince Of Tennis manga)! X.X! Yeah, I changed it to April this month, and was like 'Oh my gosh! Oishi birthday is on the thirtieth!' And then, I went 'Oh yeah, my brother's is too...' Yeah. THAT is what being a loser is all about.
Kawaii-Gaara-Chan- Oh... My... Goodness... EQUAL? To CHANGECHILDREN? -Dies.- -Rises from the dead, because she feels obligated to keep writing.- Wow. That is the best compliment I think anyone could give me... I'm a fan of Changechildren too, and I guess that shows a bit (I was caught once before! )
EmoButterfly1- Wow, thank you! Please do continue reading then!
Dovaly- It's times like this I feel I should feel sorry for the poor P.O.T. Characters that I torment so much. Good thing the feeling doesn't last.
ForbiddenStars- Well, I read your story and reviewed, as I'm sure you know... I'm sorry if I sounded... Um, overbearing, maybe? Or full of myself? I'm sorry, if that is so. What I should have wrote was 'Don't let your guard down!' -Laughs.- Alright... I'm done now...
RaiPheonix015- I always acknowledge reviews, instead of sending review replies, because I think that sometimes people have the same questions, but just don't ask them. I also really think that it is important to give it a down to earth feeling (Which is funny to say about an AUish story). Relationships aren't all sunshine and flowers after all! (Actually... I think I just like making them suffer a little. Still they (Almost) always end up happy. I swear.) -Laughs.-
Shimizu Miki- No problem! But, please... For my health... Don't mention homework again? -Laughs.-
DarkDemonCat- Oh... Wow! I never even thought of that! Hmm... Well, that's marvelous, so if you don't mind, that had given me a great scene idea, and I wish to use it in the story. With your permission, of course. You'll have to wait however, so that I can answer your question in the story. If you don't want me to use it however, that's fine too, and I'll just tell you next chapter.
KiriharaAkaya- Hahaha... Wow, if I can make someone squeal, then this is going well! And yes, real. Yeah, I started with the books. I don't remember how old I was when I started reading them, eight, I think, but then again, I was a strange child. And, yes, my name used to have an 'R' in it. I changed it to confuse my meddling family. (Although it doesn't matter, because I still come up on the search.)
AnimeFan06- Neh, no problem. Yes, Saeki and Tachibana are together. I just had a quarter final, so I've been distracted lately too.
Disclaimer- I do not own Prince of Tennis
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"Eiji," Oishi said, but Eiji was elsewhere. Oishi could tell that the other boy was off in his own world, the world that he went to he was worried, or thinking very hard. Normally, Oishi would make Eiji come back to him, but now, he realized that Eiji was probably thinking about living on this property of Sakaki's. Oishi decided to be patient and wait, instead for Eiji to come back to him.
"Oishiiiii," Eiji then whined, leaning against him as they continued to dance. "What are we going to do!? Nya, I don't want to share a room with anyone else!" Oishi shook his head, smiling softly.
"If you want me to, Eiji, I'll still tell my father," Oishi offered, and Eiji looked at him, terrified. "What? I would. I will."
"Nya, Oishi... Shuichiro..." Eiji clung to him. "I don't know what to do! My parents would except us, but if your dad..."
"If he tries to send me away?" Oishi finished, running a hand through Eiji's hair. "So what? I'm already away from home."
"He could keep you from living at the property, and make you go to another school." Eiji, apparently, hadn't wasted the time he spent in that place, and had certainly thought this out. Fortunately, so had Oishi.
"Where?" He asked, "How many schools are there out there, that are sensible to send me to, and also aren't close enough that I can't come see you," Oishi then motioned around, "Or don't have a Positive in them, with whom I could catch a ride to the house after school and see you then?"
"Oishi, it's too risky," Eiji argued. "Either way I'll see you less, and I don't want that. I would rather you not tell him, so I can at least still live with you, and go to school with you. Besides, you'd lose your family the other way."
"No, Eiji," Oishi said firmly, taking the acrobatic player's face in his hands. "If they do that to me, they'll lose me, not the other way around."
"Oishi," Eiji whispered, a hand coming up to cover one of Oishi's own. "Come on. You've never taken risks like this before, please don't start now. Don't do anything that doesn't make sense."
"I won't," Oishi smiled softly, but it was a lie. He had already made up his mind.
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"Kojirou," Tachibana said softly. He could hardly believe that the other boy was here. Shaking his head to clear it, he turned to Saeki's parents and bowed. "Hajimemashite."
"You are Tachibana Kippei-kun?" Saeki's father asked, glaring down his nose at Tachibana.
"I am," Tachibana said, straightening up.
"Is there somewhere... We might talk?" Saeki's mother asked, a slight, polite smile on her face.
"Um..." Tachibana felt flustered, but thankfully, Ryoma was still nearby, and seemed to take care of everything. He sent a thought to Atobe, who sent a butler to escort them off. Tachibana turned towards Ryoma, who was smirking, and thought, knowing he would hear, 'Thanks. I owe you one.' The younger boy just nodded, and Tachibana moved on with Saeki and his parents.
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They had been sitting in that room for about five minutes now, not saying a word. Saeki knew, because he had been counting as the uncomfortable seconds went by. He was amazed that Tachibana was not squirming in his chair by now, as he knew he himself would be, if confronted with Tachibana's parents.
Tachibana, however, seemed just as in control of himself as ever, and it was only because Saeki knew him well enough that he knew it was a struggle for Tachibana to remain so. It was only a sign of his focus and determination that he had not cracked under Saeki's Parents' piercing glares. Saeki glanced at his parents, who seemed equally composed, and breathed a small sigh of relief when his father finally opened his mouth to speak.
"Tachibana-kun," He said, already having Tachibana's full attention. "You play tennis, do you not?"
"He's the buchou at Fudomine Middle School," Saeki said, instantly regretting it. His father turned his dull glare on him for just a moment.
"Thank you so much for that, Kojirou, but I asked Tachibana assuming he could speak for himself," he drawled, his words stabbing at Saeki painfully. "Or can't he?"
"I can," Tachibana said, diverting the attention back to himself. Saeki cast him a thankful look, and Tachibana smiled oh so slightly. "I do play tennis, as K..." Tachibana corrected himself quickly, "as Saeki-kun told you."
"Do you plan to play tennis professionally?"
"I'm not sure of that yet. I plan to go to college, first."
"Which college?"
"Depends. If my grades are good enough that I stand a chance, then I hope to make it into Tokyo University. Otherwise, I would go to the college in my home town."
"Are you... Physically attracted to our son?" Saeki's mother asked then.
"It would be a lie to say I wasn't." Tachibana answered. Saeki could almost hear him think 'Not that that matters.' Saeki fought the urge to chuckle. That was just too Kippei. He believed so much in inner beauty surpassing outer...
"Enough that you'd sleep with him?" Saeki's father attacked.
"I don't feel that physical attraction has anything to do with that," Tachibana frowned. Saeki bit his lower lip slightly, not knowing how his parents would react to such backtalk. "If... Saeki-kun wanted to, though, I would." Saeki watched in awe as Tachibana looked his parents right in the eyes, as if daring them to argue that point further.
"Personally... Saeki's mother said, "I do not approve of long-distance relationships. Otherwise, I might be able to give you both my blessing, despite... The other things, and you seem to be a fine, spirited young man, Tachibana-kun, however..." She sighed, "And even if I consented, you would have to make the other half of the jury buy your case."
"I honestly don't believe in long-distance relationships either," Tachibana admitted, and Saeki's eyes widened a bit. He had never mentioned that before. "It is only because I care about your son very deeply that I decided to enter this one." Tachibana, surprisingly, then smiled. "In fact, however, it doesn't have to be a long-distance relationship anymore, if you wish it not to be so." Saeki looked at him, quite confused, but Tachibana only continued to smile and explain.
"The adults here, Ryuzaki-sensei, from Seishun, Sakaki-sensei, from Hyotei, and Hanamura-sensei, from Jyosei, are planning on opening a large property for the use of people like us." Tachibana seemed glad to see that Saeki had told his parents about that as well. It made it easier to talk, as well, he supposed, with them watching his face instead of his steadily twitching lion tail. "They're letting any Positive that wants to stay there, with transportation provided to get each person to their own school each day."
"That... Is certainly nice..." Saeki's mother admitted. "Would we be able to see Saeki if we allowed him to go there?"
"Anytime, as far as I know," Tachibana said, "I do know that the Seishun team goes home for the day every Sunday. I don't see why everyone else couldn't do the same."
"What about rooming?" Saeki's father asked, looking unconvinced, though Saeki was sure that his mother was wrapped around Tachibana's little finger by now.
"That will either be decided by the adults," Tachibana answered, his eyes just as hard, "Or I would be his roommate, with permission from you and my parents, of course." Saeki knew that his father looked completely unaffected, but he also knew that his father and Tachibana were a lot alike, and so there was a chance that he was actually considering it. His father respected people who looked into your eyes when you talked, and he also respected those who fought for what they wanted. Tachibana was winning a game he didn't even know the score of/.
"Sir," Tachibana continued, "I love your son. I really do." Saeki's eyes widen again, as that was something else Tachibana had never said. At least, not out loud. "And I will prove it to you in any way I can." Tachibana looked so handsome just then that Saeki wanted to kiss him, his parents there or not. "I would never do anything to hurt him, either. If you do not think it is immoral for two men to be together, which I cannot prove otherwise to you, then let me prove that I do care about him. I will do anything you ask to prove it."
"Kippei..." Saeki uttered softly, his cougar tail and ears, which he had previously kept control of, were now out, whether he liked it or not. He looked at Tachibana with forlorn eyes, wanting more then anything to be able to touch him just then. To be able to hold his hand, as Tachibana didn't know that with Saeki's parents, anything really could be anything.
"I will do anything," Tachibana repeated, as if sensing Saeki's discomfort, and trying to reassure him. Of course, it did, because with Tachibana, anything really meant anything as well.
Saeki's mother looked to his father, her eyes wondering.
"Kojirou, Tachibana-kun," His father said then. "Would the both of you step into the hallway, please." It wasn't really a question, despite his phrasing, but Tachibana nodded anyway, and he and Saeki exited.
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"Keigo," Jirou said softly, trying to get Atobe to talk to him without disturbing the buchou. He really wanted to know if they would be able to room together, but interrupting Atobe while he was thinking was never really a good idea.
"Yes, Jirou?" Atobe asked, surprising Jirou a little bit.
"About staying at Sakaki-sensei's property... Do you think we'll be able to room together?"
"I don't know, Jirou," Atobe sighed, running a hand through his own hair. The wind was a little unruly tonight, but at least it was peaceful out here. "What do you think your parents would say?" Jirou's eyes widened and he grinned.
"You mean we could ask? You'd tell your parents?" He hadn't really expected that, but it pleased him.
"If that is what you want," Atobe said, smiling slightly. "What do you think yours would say?"
"I have no idea," Jirou frowned again. "What about yours?"
"No idea," Atobe sighed. Jirou knew this was a big step for him, for someone who had trouble saying 'I love you' to tell his parents he was in a relationship.
"I mean, they didn't want me to even become friends with you before, but they aren't really competing any more, so..." Jirou started, and then caught himself. Hadn't he decided to not mention anything about when they were little until Atobe remembered? He mentally slapped himself several times as Atobe gave him a confused look.
"Before?" Atobe frowned, "When are you talking about?"
"When we were little," Jirou said, knowing that he would have to reveal a little more about the past in order to make a lie seem reasonable. "I wanted to be your friend, because I would always see you at parties and things like that, but... You know how it was, with our parents' businesses competing, I was told to stay away from you."
"Parties?" Atobe smiled. "I don't think I ever saw you at a party when we were little. I'm sure I would have remembered."
"I kept a low profile," Jirou shrugged, "I slept a lot, and I looked really different back then." He smiled back at Atobe. Of course Atobe had never seen him. He had purposely avoided Atobe at parties, because if he didn't, and Atobe saw him, Atobe would have probably called out to him, and that certainly wasn't needed. Not that it ended up mattering anyway, because his parents had found out nonetheless.
"You? A low profile?" Atobe teased, and Jirou laughed.
"People change," he smiled, "It took a lot more to get my attention back then."
"What would it take to get your attention now?" Atobe asked, an eyebrow raising. Jirou giggled as the buchou moved to kiss him. When they parted, Jirou looked at him craftily.
"Well, that was a good start," he grinned. Atobe gave him a look that clearly told him that he wished they were in a place where he could go further. Jirou in turn gave him a look to say that he understood completely. Instead, they kissed again, this time letting it linger. When they finally did part again, neither spoke for a moment, as Jirou leaned again Atobe's chest.
"...Keigo," Jirou said after a moment, not bothering to look up.
"Yes, Only One?" Jirou knew he was smiling.
"Next time I ask you to dance with someone else, just make me shut up," Jirou said, and Atobe laughed.
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"Kippei," Saeki sighed, embracing him as soon as they were outside the door. "You went too far. Anything? They could ask you to quit tennis or transfer schools, or jump off a four story building, or--"
"Your parents would make me jump off a four story building?" Tachibana grinned. Saeki wasn't as amused.
"Well... They really could mean anything!" Saeki said. He knew that Tachibana really would do just about anything to prove himself, but it didn't change the fact that the anything his parents might come up with might be something that would end quite terribly for Tachibana.
"I know," Tachibana said. "I could tell that they were those kind of people. As long as what they ask of me doesn't hurt you, I really will do anything." Tachibana sighed. "That really wasn't the most romantic way to tell you I loved you, hmm?"
Saeki laughed. "It doesn't matter. I was surprised though, because you'd never said it before."
"I wanted to take things slow," Tachibana shrugged his shoulders. "I wanted to stick with 'I like you' for a while. I wouldn't want to scare you off.
"You wouldn't scare me off," Saeki seemed horrified at the thought. "I... Liked hearing you say it. It was nice to hear it."
"Then, I love you," Tachibana said, moving to kiss Saeki softly on the lips. "It wasn't something I said for your parents' sake, anyway."
"Hmm..." Saeki smiled against his lips. "I love you too, Kippei."
"Kojirou, Tachibana-kun." Saeki pulled away from Tachibana quickly, and was very glad that it had been his mother who came to let them back in. She smiled kindly at them, acting as though she hadn't seen a thing, when there was no way she hadn't. Saeki knew immediately that she had won the argument. He just hoped that she had been arguing in his favor.
"Sit down, boys," Saeki's father said, motioning now to two seats side by side, across the table from him and Saeki's mother. The two boys did as they were told, and Tachibana calmly took Saeki's hand in his under the table.
"Proof, we have decided," Saeki's father continued once they were seated, "Will not be necessary."
"We may not be as young as we used to be, but we do recognize love when we see it," Saeki's mother smiled.
"So...?" Saeki asked, not wanting to get too excited before it was called for.
"Kojirou," His mother smiled kindly at him, "Do you want to stay at this property with Tachibana-kun?" Saeki's face brightened up and he threw his arms around Tachibana, laughing and nearly crying with how happy he was. "Use your words, Dear."
"Yes," Saeki smiled even wider as Tachibana in turn put his arms lightly around him. Saeki slowly pulled away from Tachibana, though he continued to hold the other boy's hand. "Can I really stay there? And share a room with him?"
"You'll have to speak to his parents about that," Saeki's father said, looking at the two of them as if to chide them about acting lovey around other people. It made Saeki want to laugh again. His father just wasn't used to giving good news.
"Then, would Saeki-kun be able to spend the night here?" Tachibana asked. "The rest of us who want to stay were asked to stay here until the final details were worked out."
"Yes," Saeki's mother smiled again, standing up. Tachibana thought then that she was quite a bit like Saeki himself. "That would work out well." She moved around the table, followed by Saeki's father, kissed her son on the forehead, and then, after a moment of hesitation, hugged Tachibana. "You'll call us tomorrow?"
"Yes," Saeki promised, unable to produce a straight face. "Right after we speak with Tachibana-kun's parents."
"Alright then, farewell," She curtsied very slightly, and headed out of the room with her husband.
"Well, 'Tachibana-kun'," Saeki smiled, "What now?"
"Hmm..." Tachibana seemed to think about it, smiling slightly. "I've spent the entire night at a ball with no one to dance with..." Tachibana smiled and held out his hand, "Dance with me, Koji-chan?"
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The night was passing quickly, and it seemed to be a short time after Fuji and the others had spoken with the adults that the DJ left, and the party ended. Well, in all technicalities, it went on, as even after that, as Atobe ordered Sleeping bags brought out into the large room, and everyone chose a place to lay their bed down, leaving a large space in the middle to continue visiting. After that, they were all taken off in pairs to rooms where they could change into pajamas Atobe apparently managed to have rush ordered.
Honestly, Fuji was worried about Kunimitsu, and how things would turn out when the pains came, this time in a group of people. A group full of their rivals and friends. Surely, showing that kind of weakness would bother the buchou endlessly. Perhaps it would be best for him to take the pain from Kunimitsu at the first sign. Ryoma smirked at him, now that they were all out in the main room again, and Fuji understood that Kunimitsu would hate that. Surely, he would be very angry at Fuji if he did something like that, despite his good intentions.
The only solution was to have Kunimitsu stay up until everyone else was already sleeping, and then hope that no one woke up when the pains actually came. It meant a sleepless night for Fuji, but there was no other way. Kunimitsu, surely, had already thought this out. No doubt, when it came time to go to sleep, he would tell Fuji to go to sleep anyway, but Fuji had made it his policy to not follow orders from Kunimitsu when they went against his own ideals.
The adults, by now, had retired to rooms in another part of the house, and so the boys were left to do as they pleased. They pleased to do quite a bit it seemed, as people separated off into groups and couples, talking excitedly.
"HEY!" The voice, of course, was Gakuto's. Fuji marveled for a moment at how such a small body could emit such a loud noise. Still, it worked, and most people were silent, turning towards the acrobatic player, who was grinning in a way that could only be described as evil. He pulled a bottle of liquor out from behind his back. "Let's play 'I never'."