Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis or any of its chars. I only own my plot.

Warning: Shonen-ai fic, Mpreg

Pairings: Inui X Yanagi, Sanada X Yukimura, Tezuka X Echizen hints.

To the story then…

Data Tales

By: Gwynhafra86

Chapter 7

Tezuka was in love.

Or at least, Tezuka was falling in love. It was interesting, actually, to see the Seigaku captain so smitten, and the guy himself was probably unaware of it. A certain Seigaku first year prodigy was running way fewer laps than he actually deserved, and Tezuka just couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from the cap-wearing freshman's matches. It was comical, actually, to see Tezuka looking so confused with the feelings and seemingly trying to pass it off as 'his duty as captain to look after the freshman's welfare'. It was very good data.

Inui scribbled into his notebook as Tezuka's gaze followed Echizen again. Well, Inui was incredibly perceptive towards other people's relationships. Now then, what should he do about his own, if he could even consider it that.

Yanagi hadn't spoken to him ever since that incident. It might be partially because Inui had avoided him after that day though. Inui had acted like a complete jerk towards Yanagi, making demands because he was jealous, and that was why he didn't dare to see Yanagi face to face again.

Jealous…yes…that was the only word he could put to the twinge he felt that time, although jealous at what, and why was he jealous, he couldn't put a finger on that. That twinge was gone now, replaced by a whole load of confused thoughts and feelings which he had filed to the back of his mind for further reference (and also to protect his sanity). He hadn't dared to approach Yanagi yet, not even for an apology, because he didn't quite know what he could say to mend their friendship.

Inui sighed. Friendship…he wondered if he still had that with Yanagi. However, aside from friendship, there was something else more important.

His one true friend was going to have a child. His child. By the traditional saying, if a man loved a woman, he would marry her and they would conceive a child after intercourse.

There were several fallacies in this. For one, Inui most certainly hadn't 'knocked up' Yanagi…and he didn't even want to think about it (he was very certain he wasn't gay). Yanagi was no woman (and Inui was not gay). They were not married…another thing he wouldn't think about. (Was it even possible? Filed away for further reference, and he was not gay.). Also, Inui didn't love Yanagi. (Because he was not gay!)

He paused on the last thought. On second thought, he did love Yanagi, but only as a friend. Yanagi was one of his first, true friends, and was the only one to approach him when everyone else shied away. So it was only natural if he did have some emotional attachment to him. Right?

Inui sighed. Somehow, with him avoiding Yanagi, his routine seemed to be completely off. He tried to preoccupy himself with data collecting, but it was half-hearted. He missed heading over to his friend's place. He missed chatting about data with his friend, who, despite being cooped up in that house for months, had incredible insight and could somehow piece together some of the data Inui collected and come up with conclusions even Inui hadn't thought of. No wonder Yanagi was the original data master.

Inui sighed again, tapping his notebook lightly against his head as if to soothe a light headache (either that or he was considering suicide by bashing his head against his green notebook). How would he ever make it up to Yanagi again?

"Inui-san?" A familiar voice addressed him.

Inui looked up. He found the blue-haired Rikkai captain smiling at him.

"Yukimura-san." Inui greeted.

Yukimura chuckled. "Just Yukimura will do." He noticed Inui glancing around and smiled again. "Genichirou's not here today. He's busy with his duties as Rikkai vice-captain. I've really placed a great burden on his shoulders by not being able to perform my duties as captain." Yukimura seemed sad as he spoke.

Inui adjusted his glasses. "I don't think he will view it as a burden." He stated. From his observations, Sanada was probably more than happy to serve as Yukimura's vice-captain.

Yukimura sighed. "I guess."

There was a short moment of silence (about 14 seconds and 3 miliseconds). "Where are you headed to, Inui-san?"

Inui thought about it a while. "Home." He finally replied. He didn't feel like data collecting so he might as well get home and check through the data in his computer again. Worst came to worst, he could always take a nap.

Yukimura nodded. "I see…you haven't been going to Renji's place recently, have you?"

Inui had calculated the chances of that topic being brought up. It was unavoidable, considering that Yanagi told Yukimura everything. Somehow, that thought brought a twinge. "Did he tell you that?" He couldn't help asking.

Yukimura shook his head. "No. Renji's not the type of person to complain much about his own problems. I guessed." Seeing Inui's confused look, Yukimura clarified. "After you started visiting Renji, he has brightened up. A lot. While he remained cooped up at home, unable to leave freely, he was always in such high spirits, making him seem like a different person altogether as compared to the depressed person he was before. Now…" Yukimura paused a while, the sad look returning to his features. "He has returned to the person he was before. He tried to hide it. It's in his nature to do so, as he doesn't want to worry his friends. Even when he first found out about his condition, he had kept everything from us, but we have known him enough to catch the subtle hints."

Inui suddenly felt guilty. Here he was, always considering himself to be one of Yanagi's true friends, but Yukimura and Sanada have proven to be better friends to Yanagi as compared to him. Inui wasn't there to support the other data master every time he was in a time of need, but the other two Rikkai demons were. Suddenly, he felt very inferior as compared to them. It further strengthened his reason to stay away from his friend before he hurt him any further.

Yukimura put one hand on his shoulder. "Renji is now in a vulnerable state. He needs us, his friends to support him. It's not easy for him, being pregnant at this age. Please be there for him, Inui-san."

Inui felt a surge of gratefulness towards Yukimura. He was touched to see the blue-haired Rikkai captain so concerned. Yanagi was very lucky to have them as friends. Somehow, that spurred Inui on. He too wished to be a good friend to Yanagi. He wouldn't lose to these two.

"Aa. I will." Inui gave his promise.

Yukimura smiled. "Thank you, Inui-san."

"Don't mention it. By the way, it's Inui."

XXX

Once Inui reached home, he thought about the conversation earlier on. It had reminded him that Inui was the cause of this mess in the first place. If he hadn't been so foolish as to give Yanagi an untested drink, this wouldn't have happened.

Guilt ate at him. It was his fault Yanagi had to leave school, had to leave his beloved tennis. It was all because Inui had gotten him pregnant, and it was a complete accident at that!

Accident…hah! Inui sounded like an irresponsible teenager trying to worm his way out after knocking up a girlfriend. He supposed he was, in a way, an irresponsible teen. After all, hadn't he been avoiding this issue for some time now? He had left Yanagi to deal with it all alone.

Inui winced uncomfortably at that. Indeed. Yanagi had been dealing with this all by himself all along. Inui had always thought that Yanagi was far more mature than he was, and this incident was a proof of it. Had their roles been reversed, Inui probably wouldn't be able to handle it so well.

That brought Inui's thoughts to something else. He wasn't just turning his back on Yanagi by running away. He was turning his back to his unborn child too. Inui found his thoughts going to the baby. Yanagi was now…what…7 months pregnant, and in another two months he would be bringing a new life into this world. Inui felt rather nervous at that, feeling that he wasn't ready for fatherhood. Then again, Yanagi probably wasn't too, but the other data master made do. If Yanagi was willing to sacrifice everything for this baby, then so would he.

He raised a hand lazily and switched off his table lamp. He would go to Yanagi's place tomorrow. He was the one who had gotten them both into this situation, and he would take responsibility for it. He wouldn't leave Yanagi alone in this.

XXX

Inui was the only one who went there that day. Sanada was busy with his Rikkai duties, and Yukimura had gone for a checkup for his illness. He stood nervously outside the door after he had rung the bell.

Yanagi opened the door moments later. He stared at Inui for a while before moving aside. "Come in, Sadaharu."

The atmosphere was very awkward between them. Yanagi's face was devoid of expressions, and Inui could not, for all his data gathering skills, guess what was in Yanagi's mind.

The clock continued ticking, and while usually they would have struck a lively conversation, this round they remained seated where they were, hardly moving, and their lips were sealed (except when they drank tea). Inui didn't like this change of atmosphere. He was usually completely relaxed in Yanagi's presence, not tensed like this.

He placed his cup on the table, adjusted his glasses nervously and tried to come up with an apology.

"Renji. I-"

"I feel that I must apologize to you, Sadaharu. It was wrong of me to take my bad mood out on you that day. I shouldn't have done that." Yanagi spoke up after a while.

Inui gaped. He was the one who acted like a jerk, but Yanagi was the one apologizing.

"No. I was wrong in demanding to know something which you did not want to speak about. I have been upset that everyone seemed to know except for me. I was too carried away by my resentment, and I have hurt you because of that. I am sorry, Renji." Inui watched Yanagi for his reaction.

The Rikkai data master turned to him, his face neutral. After a while, his expression softened. "Apology accepted."

Inui felt relief run through him. That was one thing he liked about his friend so much. Yanagi wouldn't hold grudges for long. "Don't hide anything from me anymore. I want to be the first, not the last to know." Inui muttered sheepishly.

Yanagi chuckled. "With those words, I could have interpreted it as you being jealous, Sadaharu."

Inui considered it a while. "I think I am." He admitted.

A flash of emotion crossed Yanagi's face briefly, though it disappeared before Inui could interpret it. They continued to sip their tea for a while. The Rikkai data master's hand rested on his stomach, and every now and then he would rub it softly.

"May I?" The words flew out of Inui's mouth without him realizing it.

Yanagi glanced over at him in surprise, as if not expecting him to ask such a question. He nodded to give his approval, and slowly, Inui reached out before placing his hand against Yanagi's stomach. He frowned, not feeling anything.

"Not there, Sadaharu. Here." Yanagi took his hand and guided it to another part of his stomach. The Rikkai data master kept his hand on top of Inui's, pressing down gently, and Inui felt that tingle on his skin again.

He also felt something else. For under his palm, he could feel a flutter. His eyes widened, the movement making everything seem more real to him.

He was going to be a father…

Yanagi chuckled. "Amazing, isn't it?"

"Aa…" Inui was at a loss for words. Despite how all these had come about, he looked forward to the child.

Inui took his friend's hands. "Renji…I…I am very sorry for getting you into this position. It was because of my foolishness that you're pregnant against your will."

Yanagi smiled at him. "It wasn't really your fault, Sadaharu. This is out of your calculations. Out of both of ours, actually."

Inui glanced down at Yanagi's stomach briefly. "I wish to take responsibility for this. It was my fault after all."

Yanagi's eyes opened at that. Inui had expected Yanagi to be happy about the news but it looked like he was wrong. Far from it, as Yanagi didn't look pleased at all. "I am not a woman, Sadaharu. I am a man, and I don't need pity. You don't have to take responsibility for this child. I can cope on my own."

Inui blinked. What did he say wrong?

"Nevertheless, I will still take responsibility for this. I want to be a part of the baby's life too."

Yanagi studied him a while. Finally, his eyes slid close. "I see. I understand, Sadaharu."

"I'm doing this because it's also my baby after all." Inui clarified further.

A flash of emotion crossed Yanagi's face briefly, and if Inui's calculations weren't wrong, it looked like a flash of hurt. Inui felt a pull at his heart at that, and that left him blinking in confusion. Surely he wouldn't be that affected by Yanagi's emotions. He was not attracted to Yanagi that way!

Yanagi pulled his hands away. Inui had not realized that he was holding on to Yanagi's hands all that time during their conversation. The Rikkai data master gave him a weak smile. "I'm feeling tired, Sadaharu. I wish to retire early today."

"I understand. I will take my leave then." The Seigaku data master stood up, thought about something a while, then walked over to Yanagi and wordlessly scooped him up into his arms.

"S-Sadaharu! What are you-" Yanagi had turned red at that.

"The doctor mentioned for you to be off your feet as much as possible once you reach seven months." Inui stated, remembering what the doctor had said during a previous checkup.

Yanagi didn't protest to that. Instead, he allowed himself to be carried to his bedroom, and Inui had even tucked him in before straightening up to leave.

"Sadaharu…" Inui turned around when he heard his name called.

Yanagi was looking up at him, a genuine smile on his face. "Thank you, Sadaharu."

Inui felt that it was a good thing he had dropped by, if he could bring the smile back to his friend's face. Yanagi looked almost beautiful when he smiled.

Somehow, deep inside, Inui knew he was fighting a losing battle.

To be continued…

Please Read and Review. No Flames Please.

-Gwyn86