Disclaimer: I do not own POT, but I do own the DUCK! Or humanized duck.

Chapter 14: Happy family

The next morning was hectic, Tezuka who had camp with these lazy regulars knew them well, but when he was placed in a weird situation such as his house... things start to get rather frustrating.

"EVERYBODY GET UP! RUN 20 LAPS!"

Ryoma who had to deal with Momoshiro's hand attacks and Eiji's leg prowl, opened one of his eyes grudgingly. He could barely sleep thanks to these two, he didn't want to sleep with them but they insisted he slept over for some man to man talk, turns out quite troublesome. He peeked at the clock, his eyeballs rolled in annoyance. Who wakes up at 5 a.m. to go jogging? Buchou must really dislike them.

"Nyaa... is it morning?"

Eiji got up rubbing his eyes when he saw just how dark the atmosphere was. He went back to the clock, his jaw hung down before quickly returning to sleep. No way is he getting up at 5 am.

"BUCHOU! ITS ONLY 5 AM! We usually have school at 7..."

Tezuka who heard the loud commotion decided this calls for drastic measures. He had to pick up his important weapon, as he made his way into his fellow teammate's room.

The door opened in Ryoma, Momoshiro and Eiji's room. They all peeled an eye open at the door to find Kawamura thrown in! Amazing! He was still asleep, but then, Buchou stepped in and placed the tennis racquet into Kawamura's hand.

"Wake them up for me Kawamura..."

Their dropped cold sweat... This was worse than waking up Inui! At least he needed 10 minutes to make juice. Ryoma whose instinct was to quickly jump out of the window, did so and made his way round to the door. He heard voices from his allocated room.

"BURNING! WAKE UP YOU LAZY MONGRELS! RUN LAPS HUT HUT HUT!"

"HEY! KAWAMURA! DON'T HIT US WITH THE TENNIS RAQUET!"

"NYA!"

Ryoma smirked, at least he got out of the situation. Grudgingly all team members dare not argue any further in fear of Inui now that he was up and walking.

Sakuno who was awoken by surprise saw the half sleeping team members slugging their way out of their respective rooms. Poor things, she thought. But then school was going to be another 20 laps! Poor souls, how were they supposed to do any school work? She knew however, he was speaking of training. She supposed they would have to do whatever was said. Instead she thought of how she could help them...

Tezuka had noticed Sakuno on the far end of the hall way looking at them with pitying eyes. He knew that the way he was treating his team was harsh, but he should not falter as a captain. He also made note that the team still had daily school activities and decide to only make them run 10 laps later on. He had to ask her for her help, a bunch of idiots with only few sane enough for training, he needed her to take care of the household. He felt bad, but this can't be done alone.

"Ryuuzaki."

"Hai!"

Tezuka handed her a book, it was containing nutrients that the team needed and expected during their training. It looks delicious but nutritious at the same time. She nodded to see what she could do. She noticed there were some highlights, meaning he had read this last night and had insisted on certain things which they had now. They did not expect so many people, so they would just have to make sure of their resources.

"I understand! Leave it to me Tezuka buchou!"

Sakuno noticed he had worked very hard for this to seem like a training session, so she would do her best to help. Maybe she could see if she could go get any food from nearby shops. Though she should try and check it at 6 am, if it were to open then. It would seem more logical. She waved at them outside the door.

"Ano... Inui sempai...I have a small favor..."

Inui stayed just for 5 minutes before joining the rest of the team bustling out the door.

"GOOD LUCK!"

They all smiled and waved at her as they went on jogging with their buchou's strict eye following them from behind.

Sakuno cleaned up their rooms and even prepared glasses of water, Tezuka buchou had told her the time of arrival back. She stood changed and ready to welcome them. She had to make a variety of different things small dishes some could have and some others who couldn't. She already checked with Inui's data book with his permission to see which of the members would like which.

The door opened, Sakuno smiled at their return as she handed out glasses of water to each of them. Ryoma was the second last through the door, under his cap he kept an eye on her. She did look contented, and that she was no longer blushing at the sight of him. Maybe it was because her mind was occupied with something else? As everyone had passed to grab a glass of water she would say

"Good job."

And throw a smile. But this is what struck different, because Sakuno always knows when he appears, her vision will snap to him. Alerting her to blush and stammer adding movements to cover her face. Today she just stood there and smiled even to him. To THE Ryoma Echizen, when he walked past, his eyes lingering on her face he could see Sakuno's smile turned for the better. But she did not say good job to the last person coming through the door...

"Okaerinasai."

She pulled on a gentle smile, the one that can warm up the depths of the coldest Antarctic lands. That smile reserved for whoever was entering last, as he was scanning the members who already made their way in, he did not need to look long as he heard the deep voice.

"Tadaima."

It was buchou, he was the last to enter and he had replied. There was no cold or harsh or even stoic tone in that voice, there was a slight tender and kind ring to that voice. He tried to ignore it and walked in still sipping the water he was given. Chiz! He'd rather ponta.

"SUGOIIIIIIIIII Sakuno! nya!"

Eiji had noticed that Sakuno had perfectly labeled each and every dish to a player. Naturally, they were healthy but it had their favorites within them. Eiji had leapt into his seat, Oishi sheepishly sat into his designated spot, Kawamura did the exact same thing.

Inui who was clearly pleased that his data book was satisfactory in producing the right food, Fuji kindly thanked her by giving her a smile and patting her head. Ryoma and Tezuka with slight acknowledgement to each other sat down. Momoshiro and Kaidoh eyed each other for a brief moment before trying to leap into one seat. Eiji who was already digging in looked up in a slight surprise.

"Nya? Why are you two trying to jump into one seat?"

"Yes? Momoshiro, isn't your seat over here?"

Oishi pointed at the seat next to him, but Momoshiro shook his head as he pointed at the dish that lay right in front of Kaidoh's supposed seat.

"Nya! Two buttocks can't fit one chair. I didn't know you like each other's company THAT much."

"Fsshhhh, I don't like porcupine head any more than I like rats."

"What did you say Mamushi?"

To no surprise, they were already leaping at each other instead of that lone chair. Tezuka who was impatient with such behavior had already had a migraine coming. Why is his house no longer peaceful? In his mind, there was only one reason... and that is clearly the seigaku regulars.

"Demo, why Momoshiro-sempai?"

Sakuno asked a slight worried sounding tone, she was thinking internally that she had read the information wrongly on Momoshiro's liking? She fiddled with the apron she still had on. The other seigaku members such as Inui, Tezuka, Ryoma and Fuji had noticed this. Oishi was trying to calm down the rowdy duo. Eiji was just cheering them on!

"Well, I like that too..."

Everyone in the room went silent, so this was the reason why Momoshiro was so eager to jump into the same seat as his hated enemy? Sakuno was relieved but Tezuka was angry.

"Get into your designated seat, you just insulted her cooking by fighting."

Kaidoh only quietly went into his seat as Momoshiro begrudgingly sat in his seat. Sakuno felt the need to sort out the child like temper that Momoshiro was expressing.

"Ano... Kaidoh- sempai, do you like Momoshiro's dish?"

Kaidoh who was hesitant had to agree, however much he disliked Momoshiro he had to admit their taste buds were similar. Sakuno smiling took their plates away and soon both had the same dish, half of what they each had. In other words, they shared.

Tezuka, seeing the situation was resolved had started eating. He personally admired how Sakuno had managed to calmly resolve the problem lying before her. Maybe she wasn't all so weak and helpless as many thought she could be.

Ryoma who watched as Sakuno sat down to join them for the meal, he thought, had buchou seen this happen many times before? The way she behaved now made her much more interesting and more pleasing to Ryoma. Ryoma was always unsatisfied with her wobbly hips and her long braids, also her stammers and her clumsiness. Thus this was a good part of Sakuno he actually approved of.

To be cont.

Sorry, this is just a faint outline of what their weeks are going to be like, I will make it up to you by placing in a funny scence that came into mind. Also to make up for the absence. Reason: 3 words - Wisdom tooth extraction! *_*