Hello anybody reading this! So, the chapter is late and short... Sorry! Um... Alright, so, it's summer vacation for me (Finally!) which means that I just finished finals. I'm sorry for the delay, but I really had to study (And I think it paid-off!) and then there was Father's Day... So yeah, I was busy... And, sadly, I'm probably going to get even busier, because I'll be visiting my mom quite a bit, which means typing will be difficult to do. So, posts may become about a week apart, instead of every three-four days, like I've tried to do so far... Alright, onto the more fun stuff... Please enjoy the chapter!
Sakimi1014- Okay... Narrator's voice So then, she updated... Me That's awesome! Can you follow me around for the rest of my life and narrate? Narrator Uh... No. Me Good, because that would be strange... -nods-
Alaena Flame Dragonstar- Arigatou!
DarkDemonCat- So um... Tezuka's past, the full deal, will be uncovered soon! And, I know that I said that Ayame's fate would be determined in this chapter, but that was a lie... Sorry, it's hopefully be next chapter!
Miji-Chuu- Thank you! I am glad that you decided to read it, and I am even happier that you like it! Thank you for your support!
ShadowinRW- I really want to narrate his death... That would be so fun...
Vierblith- KYAAA!!!!!!!! I didn't realize that you'd written another sequel! I feel so dumb! Well, I'm reading it now! I'm so sorry! It must seem like I abandoned you! I'm still a fan, and I found the review, I just didn't get the alert. -Frowns.- Also... I know that I said that Ayame's fate would be determined, but it's not in this chapter... Sorry!
AnimeFan06- I'll start with your PM question... Fuji knew what Kunimitsu was doing in chapter 40 becaue Ayame told him when they were on the phone (At the VERY end of chap 39, remember the 'do you know where your buchou is?'). As for everyone's pasts, those will probably slowly filter out over time. Some will probably not be mentioned again, but others definitely will be.
Purplerainn- Thank you for answering my Mpreg question! It helped me think of... Nufufufu... Sorry, I can't tell... You'll see it in the story! I hope you enjoy!
Yoshikochan- Ne, scary-angry-Igonnakillyou Tezuka was fun to write. Still, I don't think I want to do it again, you know? At least, not anytime soon... -Plotting anyway.-
Blufox- Like a TezuFuji burnout? It happens.
Darknesswithinthebush- Two of the three things you mentioned wanting to see begin happening in this chapter... Finally! Youhei time! Woot! -Throws a party.-
Shimizu Miki- Hiyo! Yeah, I just got out of freshman year. I am very happy that it's over! When I was a freshman, it seemed like no big deal, but now that I'm out, I feel oddly happy. At my school, it's pretty fluid. I have friends in all of the grades, more or less, but, then again, I've never really given a rat's ass about hierarchy or authority, so perhaps it is just me... -Blinks.- Your view on Ayame is very... Amusing, to say the least. Also, about Diazinon, I know that it is also poisonous to humans. I chose it specifically because it was a pesticide particularly harmful to birds (And bugs, naturally), and though it could kill a human in a large amount, the fumes generally only harm humans who are exposed to them over time, mostly people who are exposed to it through their jobs. My point, naturally, was that that small amount was enough to make Fuji woozy, even from the distance between himself and the source. Nya worries, I try to do research too! Ah, perhaps I should have made that all more clear though... I'd hate for someone to feel misinformed... Also, about Ayame... Sumimasen! His 'fate' isn't in this chapter! I forgot to add it! Next time okay, I promise! Ah, don't worry though, he was already taken care of, the adults just haven't explained it to the rest of them yet!
ImmortalTigress- Reread if you need (Sorry... I just had this random urge to rhyme...) Okay, so I'll update...
KiriharaAkaya- You're thirteen? Wow. Honestly, I thought you were older than that. As mentioned before to a few other readers... I may narrate his death in a bonus chapter... That would be fun, ne? You could put your pretty little knives to good use, yeah!
Disclaimer- I do not own Prince of Tennis
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"Shusuke..." Kunimitsu said softly as he pulled the covers up over the tensai and himself. "Do you... Want to know?"
"Of course I do," Fuji smiled slightly at him, snuggling close, "But not tonight. We're both tired, and we don't need to think about any other uncomfortable things tonight. You can tell me when you're ready, but not tonight, okay?"
"Ah," Kunimitsu said, wrapping his arms around the tensai, thankful that Shusuke was willing to wait for him. This weekend, though, he would tell him. He had to tell him.
"Kunimitsu?" Fuji said softly.
"Yes?"
"Happy birthday. I'm sorry it had to be so terrible."
"No day is terrible with you, Shu-chan," Kunimitsu answered just as mutely.
"Kunimitsu?"
"Yes?"
"Shh, sleep," Shusuke smiled, and closed his own eyes, knowing Kunimitsu would follow his example. Kunimitsu soon fell asleep, smiling.
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Hiyoshi had been thinking a lot recently. Recently, being within the last two days. Ever since the snow. Ever since Youhei Tanaka had crawled into his bed in the middle of the night. That had been some night. He blushed to think about it.
How Youhei had curled up against him that night, when the moon could hardly be seen through the snow. How he had shifted in his sleep, searching out for warmth, and finding it as he curled up around Hiyoshi, making himself comfortable. How his right wrist twitched every now again in his dreaming, Hiyoshi could only guess that he was dreaming about a tennis match, but, of course, there were other actions that would require that movement. Then there was how he sighed, and his warm breath had ghosted over his neck.
Hiyoshi sighed. It was four o'clock in the morning, and he had long ago given up any thoughts of sleep had long ago left him. Careful not to wake his roommate, who slept peacefully, unaware of his affect on the other boy in the room, Hiyoshi got up, deciding to take a shower.
And a cold one, at that.
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"Marui-kun, wake up," Bunta woke immediately at the hands shaking him. Akaya grumbled something incomprehensible beside him, and Bunta hissed for whoever was shaking him to stop. It was still very early, he could tell, and waking Akaya up at this time would result in a very angry chinchilla-boy. And you wouldn't like him when he's angry. (A/N: Sorry... I'm so lame... )
"Marui-kun, wake up!" Tarou's voice finally registered in Bunta's mind, and he sat up in bed. "Finally," Tarou's voice dropped lower. Now that Bunta was awake, he could speak quieter , "Come on. The three of us need to talk."
"Three?" Bunta looked back at Akaya, and then to Tarou once more, silently asking the sensei if he really wanted to risk waking the young boy.
"No, not Kirihara-kun," Tarou said seriously, "You, me and Ikasu." Bunta didn't understand where this conversation could possibly be going, but he nodded before silently getting out of bed, kissing Akaya's forehead softly, and following Tarou out of the room.
Settled down in the conference room, Tarou looked at the pajama-clad boy with a serious face. "Yesterday... Was a long, hard day. I'm sure that you are aware of that."
"Yeah," Bunta nodded, "I think everybody had a hard time yesterday. Just seems that things are difficult right now. The weird weather stuff, relationships, psychos." Bunta almost smiled at how he could say all of those things in one sentence without sounding foolish. How life had changed.
Tarou nodded. "So you would agree, everyone is exhausted?"
"Well, yeah..." Bunta frowned slightly, "...Why are you talking to me about this, Sensei?"
"Marui-kun, I think that what everyone needs right now is a good three-day weekend," Tarou said, nodding. "Do you think you could make it snow?"
Bunta grinned. "I can't, I don't have that much control over our power, but Ikasu can."
'I am liking the sounds of this,' Ikasu chuckled in their now shared mind.
'So, you think we should?' Bunta asked, grinning even wider, glad when Tarou guessed at the conversation he was having, and didn't interrupt.
'It's more time with the kid,' Ikasu seemed to shrug, 'School, rest... Those things don't really matter to me anyway.'
'I agree on the school part, but I think I could use a little rest myself,' Bunta scoffed. At least Ikasu was acting like his normal sarcastic self again. He was almost glad that only Akaya got to see Ikasu's, their, softer side.
'Then let's get some.'
"We'll do it," Bunta grinned at Tarou.
"Good," Tarou nodded again. He knew that they could get away with this, seeing as the weather had been so unpredictable. "Just don't tell anyone, alright?"
"Secret's safe with me!"
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It was snowing again. That was the first thing that Youhei noticed when he woke up. Immediately after realizing this, however, he remembered his 'little habit', and froze. He could feel warm, wet skin under his own. Bare skin, as a matter of fact, and that was frightening. He slowly opened his eyes, not really wanting to look up at the taller figure he was holding onto, but doing so anyway.
Hiyoshi looked down at him, and Youhei then realized that they were standing up. How on Earth did he get himself into these situations?
"Let... Go," Hiyoshi said, his voice hardly above a whisper. He fought to control the blush that lingered just under the surface of his skin as Youhei immediately jumped back, stammering out an apology.
"H-hey, I'm sorry! When it's cold, sometimes I just attach myself to people... For the warmth, you know..." Youhei felt himself blushing furiously, and felt even more like a fool.
Hiyoshi's body seemed to move on it's own, and he leaned in close to Youhei's ear, and smiled.
"Anytime, Babe."
They stood motionless for a couple of minutes, and then Hiyoshi realized what he had done, and pulled back, blushing like he had just won the national singles title... In his birthday suit. Turning, while Youhei was still stunned, he dressed at a speed that Superman would envy, and raced out of the room.
'No way...' Youhei's hand went up to his ear, rapidly cooling after the presence of Hiyoshi's warm breath. 'There's no way...'
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"What's up with Youhei?" Takahisa asked, watching the younger boy stumble through the breakfast line. Kouhei chuckled.
"Well, it was snowing when we woke up this morning," He grinned. Takahisa looked at him, confused. Kouhei frowned, "You didn't know, buchou?"
"Know what?" Takahisa asked, looking even more confused.
"Youhei is very sensitive to cold," Kouhei chuckled. "I don't like heat myself, but Youhei's is the one that causes problems. Whenever he gets cold, especially when he's asleep, his instincts take over, and he goes searching for anything that is warm."
"Alright," Takahisa said, not really understanding it any better. "So?"
"Well, normally the warmest thing around... Happens to be a person, you know?" Kouhei smiled.
Takahisa looked out over the tables and spotted Hiyoshi, who kept glancing at Youhei and blushing. The buchou laughed. "I see." He looked thoughtful, "Isn't funny how people don't notice that someone cares about them unless they're told?
"Mm-hmm," Kouhei chuckled. "Now, if only they'd figure things out for themselves." Takahisa refrained from mentioning that Kouhei himself was equally dense in that area, with how Sengoku was always acting around him. "By the way, where's Wakato-senpai?"
"Asleep," Takahisa's eyes softened, thinking of the boy upstairs. "I didn't have the heart to wake him."
"I wish I could sleep in," Kouhei smiled, "Long live snow days!"
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A lot had happened in the last few days. Fuji pondered over it now, and some of it seemed like a dream. Even more of it seemed like a nightmare. Parts here and there... Like when he tried to leave Kunimitsu, felt real in scary way, and the memories still hurt him like open wounds. Still, he knew that he could use all of this to his advantage, and he wasn't about to back down now because it hurt to think about it.
He stood up, now that everyone (Including Wakato) was now in the dining room, and cleared his throat loudly. Slowly, the sound died out, and all eyes were suddenly on him. He smiled at them as he normally would, ignoring the puzzled look Kunimitsu was sending him. He turned to the teachers, and his face became serious.
"Sensei's," Fuji addressed them, and they waited. Fuji thought for a moment about how exactly to word what he wanted to say. "I think that the people who did not get permission from their parents should get another chance." A slow murmur went over the crowd, and then they fell silent.
"Why do you bring this up now, Fuji-kun?" Ryuzaki asked, but Fuji knew from experience dealing with adults that what she was really asking was 'Why does this concern you.'
"What happened with Ayame Seikaku," Fuji said calmly, even though saying his name made him think of way to many unwelcome memories, and brought on the no longer necessary fear that Ayame could somehow still hurt Kunimitsu. He continued, "Was partly because of lack of communication between Kunimitsu and himself.
"I understand now, as I hope you do as well, that as Positives, there are a lot of obstacles in the way of us leading normal lives. Granted, in this situation that person was also insane, but there are other things out there that I had not even considered before.
"Ayame knew my information, Sensei. He knew where I was at all times over the past week, knew my cell phone number and even knew my species type and how to use that against me," Fuji tried to keep his voice unrattled, but he knew that it was going to be a long-shot. Still, he had to do this. For Yuta, and for all of the others as well. "If a crazy person can do that, Ryuzaki-Sensei, what do you think a sane person could do? Someone who thought we were abominations or... Or demons."
"Fuji," Ryuzaki said, her voice sounding concerned, "I understand that things are difficult for you all. I understand that. That's another reason that we wanted all of you together, so that if something happened, no one would end up facing it alone." She sighed. "What I don't understand is what this has to the rooming situation."
"That was what my first point was about," Fuji explained. "About bad communication. I realize that I'm preaching to the choir, but there is much more to communication than just words. Even if you don't say something to someone outright, they may be able to understand you by the way you act." Fuji paused for a moment or so, to see how the teachers would react.
"Fuji-kun," Hanamura put in, "The fact that you and Tezuka-kun couldn't get the point of what was happening across to each other, is not solid evidence for your point."
"But it is, Sensei," Fuji argued, smiling now. "Because, in truth, that point did get across, several times in fact. There were several times throughout this ordeal that I could not say what I wanted to, because of the repercussions it would cause. Still, as you can see, we made it through. Proof? I'm alive, for one. My point is, if it is this hard for Kunimitsu and I, who have permission to stay in the same room, can you imagine what it's like for those who do not have that right?
"I can, Sensei," Fuji said, "Because if I were in that situation myself, I already know how it would have turned out. I..." Fuji didn't know how to explain suddenly. "Ryuzaki-sensei, Hanamura-sensei, Sakaki-sensei, have you ever been in love?"
The adults nodded as Fuji knew they would, and he smiled as he continued. "Then You'll understand. I..." Fuji was at a loss again. 'Some tensai I am.' He scoffed at himself. He decided then to just speak from the heart. "I would do anything for Kunimitsu." Fuji told them, "I know that now, more than ever. The truth is, that if I were in that situation, I wouldn't be here today. I wouldn't have been here yesterday." Fuji took a deep breath, because he knew that he was shaking. "If Kunimitsu hadn't been there with me, I would be gone right now. I would have just given up. I don't know if I would have ended up dead, but I know, and I knew then, that I could have, and would have ended up broken."
There was silence following the end of Fuji's speech, and it finally hit him how personal that had really been, and that he had said it all in front of his friends, his rivals, and even his brother. Fuji suddenly felt very exposed, but a glance around let him know that no one was judging him. It was strange to think that they all understood, but they were all in situations a lot like his, all of them being positives, and that felt oddly comforting.
The adults all looked at each other, and Tarou nodded. "What exactly do you have in mind, Fuji-kun?"