Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of tennis or any of the characters that appear in the manga or anime. When my own characters appear all information is placed at the top of the page.

A/N: Sorry for the long wait but all documents got deleted and then my computer broke down. Mika-chan.

"Blah" Japanese but written in English due to lack of knowledge of the Japanese language.

"Blah" German

": English:"

~Thought~

Chapter ten: more unusual behaviour and discussions?

As Ryoma cried softly into Kevin's chest Eiji rubbed small circles on Ryoma's back.

"Did Ryo-chan tell you?"

"No, just implied. I have been through something similar."

"He tends to pull people with similar problems as him self to him."

Eiji nodded slightly as the others looked at the three of them oddly. Oishi and Fuji looked concerned at the boys they loved.

Tezuka's P.O.V

I frowned slightly before gaining control.

"Minna! Let's take a ten minute break before we continue with Momoroshiro and Kevin's game."

I saw Kevin nodded his thanks to me as he directed Ryoma to a secluded area in the tennis court. Eiji went to his pack and downed half a bottle of water while the others collected themselves and went to warm up. Syuuskue stood beside me still watching Ryoma.

"Syuu?"

"Mitsu-chan, he has been hurt and badly… what can we do?"

"We can just support him just now and see where it goes after that… however he might be more open if we take it slow with him."

"But that could cause trouble for both Ryoma and us… and possibly even our families."

"It is a risk I want to take.""And me… we will have to wait and see about Ryoma then."

I nodded as I saw Ryoma slowly come back to his 'normal' self. Kevin talked softly to him before they both walked to the stands and sat not far from their half/step brother. They sat there before noticing that Ryoga was kissing Koji-san. They were soon laughing at them and were soon dodging Ryoga's pretend punches.

"Tezuka-san may we join you in the matches?" Tachibana asked.

"Yes that would be sufficed. How about a double and a single?"

"That will be fine. Kaido and Inui and singles game you."

"Only if I go against you and the other two go against your best doubles pair."

"Agreed. Kamio, Ibu, you are against Kaidõ and Inui in a doubles match."

"Hai teichou." they both replied from where they were warming up. I turned to Syuusuke and saw him watching Ryoma again.

"Go look after him Syuu. We will have time to talk tonight. " I said to him before turning to get my racquet.

"I hope so Mitsu. We have a lot to talk about. " I heard him say softly before going to the benchers and sitting beside Ryoma.

Syuusuke's P.O.V.

As I sat down beside Ryoma I took his hand and slowly drew patterns on the back of it.

"S…Syuusuke-senpai?"

"Hmm?"

"W… Why are you doing that?"

"It is comforting for those that have had traumatic experiences. I found it comforting after one very bad experience."

"…Experience?"

"I don't want to speak about it just now but in time I may tell you."

"Okay." Ryoma said but didn't remove his hand from mine. As the matches continued Ryoma's hand stayed where it was and I kept glancing over at him and saw a small blush on his cheeks.

"SENPAI!"

"Yes Momo?"

"When we getting food? I'm hungry."

"Shortly Momo. We will be taking a break soon."

"He's always hungry." Ryoma said softly before taking a sip of water that Kevin had given him.

"You will be having lunch today Ryoma."

"Hai"

"Lets take an hour and a half for lunch and then we will continue the matches." Tezuka said as his match finished. I looked over at Ryoma I found him half asleep. I looked back at Tezuka and then at Ryoma and back again.

"We will go to the local burger shop and bring stuff back for everyone. Momoshiro, Eiji, Oishi, Kaidoh and Kevin, lets go." Tezuka said before going to his bag. Kevin smiled softly as Ryoma fell asleep against my shoulder.

"Are you okay with him Senpai?"

"Hai."

"I'll get his usual. Want anything special?"

"Nope. Tezuka knows what I would like."

Kevin nodded and collected his and Ryoma's wallet before joining the rest of the group. Inui went to the vending machine and got different sodas for everyone while Ryoga and Saeki went off on their own promising to be back in about half an hour.

I sat playing with Ryoma's hair as we waited on the others coming back. Inui sat writing god knows what in his note book.

"Fuji, you seem rather… intrigued with Echizen… care to explain?"

"No. why I am intrigued by Ryoma-chan is between him, Tezuka and me."

"Very well till I know more I will keep quiet."

"You will stay quiet no matter what. Our lives are private and they will stay that way till Ryoma-chan says otherwise."

"Does everything have to be Echizen's decision?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because it is the way we say it is."

"And who is we?"

"Tezuka and I."

"Be that as it may we are having trouble with that team."

"I know and we can trust Ryoma-chan and Kevin. I believe that we would be able to win with them on our side."

"Syuu-senpai we are already on your side."

"Ryo-chan!" I exclaimed as I looked down at the boy that I believed to have been asleep.

"Gomen, I don't sleep well any where at the moment, any way Kev and I have always been on your side. But you are going to have to explain what Inui-senpai meant by 'that team' if you want our help."

"We'll explain it when the others are here." Inui said as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose only to have them fall back down again. Ryoma leant against my shoulder and relaxed slightly. We waited another ten minutes before the others returned Kevin walked over to us and handed Ryoma his lunch.

"Three burgers, one fires and a large Ponta."

"Flavour?"

"Grape."

"Thank you." Ryoma said as he sat up straighter. Ryoga and Saeki arrived back and took their meals. Tezuka handed me mine and sat down on the left side of me.

"Ryoma asked about the team.

"We will tell them when we have finished. We don't want them going off of their food. "

"It can't be that bad. Kevin and I are use to a lot of things. " a new voice said from my right. Both Tezuka and I turned to see Ryoma looking at us. He raised an eye brow and smirked. "What? Thought you would be the only ones to learn German? "

I giggled before ruffling his hair. "You are just full of surprises Ryoma-chan."

"Of course."

"We will explain after lunch."

"Explain what?" the rest of the team asked and Fudami team asked.

"You will find out soon." Tezuka said as he and I went back to our lunches. Ryoma finished his burgers and fries before leaning back against my shoulder. I wrapped my arm round his shoulder and pulled him closer.

Norm P.o.v.

Kevin smiled softly at the sight that Ryoma and Syuusuke getting closer. He noticed Ryoga eyeing them both up while Saeki shook his head at his boyfriend.

"Nya! Fujiko-chan and ochibi-chan?" Eiji whispered from Kevin's right hand side.

"If it is I know I wouldn't stop them." Kevin replied as he saw Ryoga going to open his mouth. Saeki covered Ryoga's mouth with his hand and whispered into his ear to stop him from commenting on the P.D.A. (Public display of affection.) that Syuusuke was showing.

"Okay. Now that we have all finished I for one would like to know what we need to discuss." Kaidou said.

"As the rest of our team knows we are having some problems with the team at the high school. When we met up we decided that we would all try out for the tennis team. We defeated the original team that was there but we were not allowed to join the team as we were 'commoners' what they have not done since they joined is win any matches or tournaments. When we decided to make a new team they attacked Fuji, Kaidou and Eiji. They stole our books, bags, jackets, everything they could get their hands on. We also had problems with them trying too close down takashi-kun's father's sushi bar. They put his father in hospital for three months but they didn't count on us pulling together to help them out while Kawmura-san was in hospital." Tezuka started. "After three months we decided to take our problem to the school council but it seems that it was their parents or aunts, uncles, cousins that was on the council so we were pushed back. Sensei offered to let us use the courts after school and that's were we have been practicing since. As you may have noticed that we are also training the elementary school as well as those that are considered commoners in the high school. We want to put a stop to this and make it one team however we need the man power, support and money, we have the support but not the man power or money. We have only gotten twenty thousand yen we need more that that the equivalent of four thousand eight hundred dollars. As we have to use the courts from the elementary school we can not get a regular coach and have not had proper training since we left elementary school. If we get higher than tenth in the school exams then we are subjected to physical and emotional abuse from the 'main' tennis team at the high school."

"Is that why we haven't seen you at any of the matches?"

"Yes. As they are the main tennis team we can not take part as the rules state that there can only one team per school and for us to enter then they must be gone."

"Well we can help with the money and what do you mean you don't have the man power? You managed to get tot the finals of games before I even got here the first time. I need to know just how bad things have gotten."

"Well, they tried to get us thrown out of school when Fujiko-chan came first on the exams saying he had cheated. The teachers there gave him a new test one they made up on the spot and he passed getting ninety nine percent on the test. Then there was the time they got us bared from the school library because they didn't want us studying in there. They try and stop other students from talking to us or befriending us. We have two hundred names on one of our proposal to start a new tennis club. Then it got taken and burnt the ashes posted through Tezuka-buchou's locker."

"Okay, now why can't you get a coach?"

"when ever we go to meet one they ask what school we attended and when we tell them they all decline saying that they can't be our coach as they have a contract saying they can not be the coach for the high school or they will be ran out of town."

"But that is shit. Don't get me wrong I understand that there are big names in Tokyo but I don't think they can be any scarier than that of Atobe and Kayoko law firms and enterprise."

"Defiantly not Kayoko enterprise I'm surprised Baa-chan hasn't said anything… unless… ne Ryoga, what has Oji-san said?"

"Just that he had to talk to oba-san and that hopefully he would have less time on his hands as baa-chan had wanted him to look into something that concerned a colleuge of hers."

"… 'Tou-san works for Kayoko enterprise and said that the head had just returned from three years of being away." Oishi said looking confused.

Syuusuke's eyes widened slightly before looking down at Ryoma.

"Hmm?"

"Sneaky little Ryoma-chan."

"Why is Ryoma-kun sneaky senpai?"

"Okka-san's maiden name is Kayoko. She is the head of the Kayoko enterprise and she met dad in America when he was pursuing his career and when Okka-san was in Business University."

"Y-Your mother is my dad's employer?"

"Wait if your parents are rich why do you live in that small house?" Momoshiro asked.

"Yes Oishi-senpai Okka-san is you dad's boss. And the house belonged to Granma Kayoko which mum inherited when Granma died."

"Then why did your dad play tennis?"

"Ah, well I don't know exactly however I think it had to do with something like he wanted to earn his name or something like that… what do you think nii-kun?"

"Its possible chibisuke however like you I have no idea why he started tennis. We should ask him tonight." Ryoga said as he hugged Saeki.

"What about when you play tennis ochibi-chan?"

"I wanted to beat oyaji's record and hold the number one place for singles and represent Japan in every major event possible."

"Can you do that?"

"Aa, both Okka-san and oyaji are Japanese even though they lived in America I can still play for Japan as it is my home country. I was born here but we move across to America for mum to finish her degree."

"Okay let's start our matches again. Momoshiro you are up against Kevin-kun and Kaidou you are up against Tachibana if that is okay."

Tachibana nodded as he gathered up his racquet.

"Teichou?" Ryoma said looking up at Tezuka.

"Hmm?"

"Am I going to be playing again today?"

"Would you like to?"

"I want to but… May I go against Oishi-senpai in a singles match?"

"Oishi?"

"I don't mind. It would be nice to see some more of his new techniques but it would also give me the experience of a top player in the world.""I forgot to ask you Echizen san what is your ranking now last I heard it was fourth." Inui said looking through one of his many notebooks.

"I'm currently at number one however Kevin is in second place and it could change in a few months time depending on the Japanese national tennis cup."

"Have you won that one yet?"

"I haven't been in the country when it was on so I am hoping that now I am here for good I can play in the tournament."

"Oyaji has already put in for you to compete the forms for you to fill out should be arriving with in the next week." Ryoga said as Saeki stood up. He took his wallet out and headed for the vending machine only to be blocked when he got within two meters of the machine.

"Well, well if it isn't the commoners…"

A/N: my internet connection was down today (14/4/2010) so I typed this up instead. I will hope fully have it up soon when my internet connection is fixed. Virgian media are taking for ever to fix it. Have had no connection since ten this morning and really want the net up again. Mika-chan.