-1Hello anybody reading this!
Well, a few things: 1) I am sorry about the delay. There have been... Issues about the computer in my family, and I have not had as much time to type. 2) Critical Beat will probably be much shorter than Trivial Pulse. I already have an idea for an ending, and a few things between now and then. 3) I have serious writer's block. I can not think of what to do next, exactly. I hate to do this, but if you people have a scene idea, (Like the person who wanted Fuji and Tezuka to kiss in the rain in Trivial Pulse) tell me, and I'll go the whole nine yards, if I can. 4) Not review answering this time, and it's short. Sorry.
Disclaimer- I do not own Prince of Tennis, or it's characters, But I do own a few of the characters in this story (and if you're a true P.O.T. Fan, you'll know which ones they are without having to think about it).
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Sora blinked himself awake, thinking that it was rather warm, and he was quite comfortable. Upon fully opening his eyes, he was startled to find that he had no idea where he was. He let a startled gasp leave his throat, and heard a small noise in return, which made him look down. Seeing Ayumu there, curled up against his chest, left hand pressed against his own lips, eyes closed, still in dreamland, made him remember all that had happened the day before. He smiled to himself as he watched the younger boy sleep, so content just to lie there.
Sora studied his face closely, something he would have felt uncomfortable doing if Ayumu had been awake. The boy had long eyelashes that stood out against his pale cheeks like angel wings in a dark storm and delicate curves that were his high cheek bones and still boyish face. Sleeping like this, even with his short, tousled hair, he could easily be mistaken for a girl, young and innocent as he appeared, and truly was. There was a faint blush on the young boy's cheeks, Sora noted, as if he knew that he was slumbering in the arms of another man, and his lips (Sora didn't even want to get started on those, else he should ravish his young partner in his sleep) were slightly parted, his sweet breath ghosting out with a gust of spring. He could feel the warmth of it on his chest, and the balminess of that small body against his own.
Another small noise escaped through Ayumu's lips and his wrist twitched, causing Sora to have to hold back a chuckle, wondering what the freshman was dreaming about. A small nose wrinkled in distaste at something in his dreamland, and then Ayumu's face relaxed into a dazzling smile. Sora felt like he had been struck by lightning, and decided that Ayumu was rather expressive in his sleep.
'If only he could be like this when he was awake,' Sora sighed, 'He's wonderful the way he is, I mean, but that would be so much easier.'
Ayumu's eyes fluttered open as the last of his dream drifted off to the back of his mind. He smiled a little, thinking about his dream had how it had been about him and Sora playing tennis. (He's Kunimitsu's son, alright.) He had lost in the end, but it was still a wonderful dream. Now, he watched the focal point of his dream staring into space with chocolate brown eyes settled unconsciously out a window. Ayumu watched him silently enough that when Sora looked back to him, he might have shaved a few years off the other boy's life.
"Gah! Ayumu! You scared me," Sora said, patting his chest, his heart thundering. He hadn't expected those gorgeous blue eyes to be open, let alone settled so contentedly on him.
"... I'm sorry."
"Uh, no, no problem," Sora assured him, flashing a smile. "I just didn't think you were awake." He smirked, "What were you dreaming about?" Ayumu blushed slightly and Sora chuckled. "You're so expressive this morning."
"It's too early," Ayumu mumbled, and Sora chuckled again.
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"Shizuka-chan," Miki smiled, running a hand through her mate's hair. Shizuka purred and arched up into the contact, pleased, though still mostly asleep.
"Minn..." Shizuka grumbled, not happy to be awoken, despite the pleasant feel of Miki's fingers stroking her hair.
"Come on, Lovely One," Miki said, eyes soft, "Saturday or not, you can not sleep all day. Don't you want to spend it with me?" A pout went unseen, as Shizuka made a groaning noise and snuggled closer to Miki, eyes resolutely closed.
And then those startling, strangely mixed, golden-grey eyes were on her. "Five more minutes." Miki sighed and shook her head, but she could feel Shizuka's power on her, and (though she put up little of a fight) she felt herself nodding in response. Shizuka smiled and cuddled down into Miki's arms once more. Miki, on the other hand, swore that once the five minutes was over, she was going to make sure Shizuka woke up. And perhaps she would kiss her senseless while she was at it.
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Ryuu woke up with a feeling of utter self-hatred. How could he be doing this? He was getting poor Ren's hopes up now... What would happen if it was a girl? Would Ren hate her for the rest of her life? Would he hate him, because he hadn't had the power to love him like he wanted to? Would he be utterly crushed- destroyed- by that poor act of fate?
Ryuu wanted to slap himself. He was an idiot. He shouldn't have made that deal!
He looked down at his sleeping twin with regret in his heart, and yet he knew that he too wished that that little baby would be a boy. He loved Ren. He really did, and that was why he couldn't let him be hurt. If they were together... People would hate them. He could deal with that, but Ren... Poor Ren would be distraught. No, he simply couldn't allow it to happen.
That thought in mind, he slipped out of bed, careful not to wake his twin, and went out into the misty morning, hopefully to clear his head.
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"Good morning, Lover," Yasuo said with a smile on his face, lips brushing over Kaito's softly.
"Hmm," Kaito said, smiling against those lips, "Good morning indeed."
"Let's do something today," Yasuo suggested, lips descending on Kaito's again.
"Like what?" Kaito asked, leaning up to prolong their contact.
"I dunno," Yasuo said, sitting up, "We could play tennis, or go down town, or, if you wanted, we could convince Dan-oji-san to get us tickets to Jin-oji-san's fight tonight."
"Maybe... All of those?" Kaito asked, batting his eyelashes adorably.
Yasuo smiled, chuckling in amusement as he agreed, "Alright, all of those."
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"You awake, Cindy?"
"Shut up, Kazuki."
"I love you when you're not fully awake, you're so charming."
"... You're not so bad yourself."
"Why think you, Love, means a lot coming from you."
"Write it on your calendar."
"..."
"... Kazuki? Is that your hand?"
"... Maybe."
"Prick. Let go."
"Don't wanna."
Slap.
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Bade watched his lover dreaming peacefully and wondered if he had the heart to wake him. Well, a kiss was never a bad way to wake someone. But he looked so content sleeping there. Ah screw it, he was gonna kiss him.
On that train of thought, he lowered his lips to the supple ones of his half-brother and smiled at Ryan's sound of agreement. Oh yeah, this had been the right choice.
"Hmm, Good morning," came Ryan's voice as they parted.
"An excellent morning indeed, my Kingling."
"Shut up, Mr. Mooney."
"You know you love me," Bade smirked.
"... Moot point."
And then lips connected again in a passionate kiss.
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"Atsuko," Jasony started, opening his eyes, but Atsuko, it seemed, was already awake and off. He sighed, knowing where she had probably gone, and also knowing that he probably was not welcome. Daisuki's grave.
Only once had he followed her there, and the look on her face had pained him greatly. She had pushed him away then. Well, actually, she had more kind of shrugged him off, but it had really hurt at the time. Now, he thought that he understood it.
Atsuko, as emotionally average as she seemed, if a bit sadistic, was actually a very sensitive person. She hated to be comforted, because it made her feel inadequate. She was strong, Jasony knew her strength well, but she still feared weakness, and hated when it was made clear to her that she was not as faultless as she wished to be, especially when it was done by someone close to her.
He made his way, a bit sleepily, to the window and looked out towards the cherry tree, under which, he could see Atsuko, as expected.
"Jasony?" He turned at the sound of his name, seeing that Ayumu was behind him. "Um... Sora and I were... Going into town. Could you tell Atsuko?"
Jasony smiled at the uncomfortable boy. Ayumu had always been like this with him, ever since it had been discovered that he and Atsuko were mates. Jasony suspected that Ayumu had once hated him (not consciously, of course) for 'taking his sister away', and now (having realized that he had once hated him) felt uncomfortable around him.
"Sure, Ayumu," He said, smiling characteristically, "Go have fun." Ayumu looked hesitant, but then left. Jasony watched as Sora and Ayumu's hands slipped together, and waited for Atsuko to come back.
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