Disclaimer: Still doesn't belong to me. :D

Warning: Grammar/spelling mistakes, missing words/letters. Characters are probably going to be OOC. Possible yaoi in the future, bad language and maybe fights and blood.

I Cry For The Last Time

Chapter Eleven: Seal It With a Kiss.

Akutsu and Ryoma both stood outside of the guest house that was supposed to be the place where the party was held at. There was nothing fancy done with the decorations, not that they thought that there would be any if the first place, and from the looks of it, the whole thing was already happening inside.

Akutsu sighed, obviously annoyed by the whole thing and tugged uncomfortably at the neck of the red, sleeveless, turtleneck shirt he was wearing. Over that shirt he wore a simple black jacket with some spikes sewn to it. He had knee-length black and red checked pants on too, accompanied by a pair of combat boots, left untied. Akutsu had spiked up his hair a bit, letting some of the strands hang loosely in front his face.

In three words – he looked hot. Every girl that they passed looked back at him. And Ryoma caught the attention of both girls and guys.

"Why did I agree to do this shit?" the former, and present, delinquent sighed. He was itching to take a cigarette and light it, the need of nicotine already kicking in.

Ryoma smirked back at him, those golden eyes gleaming from under the black trilby on his head. "Because you love me and I am too cute to resist." There was this snarky-ish, bratty-ish undertone when Ryoma said that.

Though, when the teen then looked at the guest house again his confident smirk disappeared. Ryoma really didn't want to go in. He stuck his hands into the pockets of his new light purple, baggy pants that were a bit too big for his size, but the leather belt kept them in their place, riding low on his hips. On top he wore a simple black dress-shirt, whose sleeves went to his elbows and hid his tattoo, together with a dark purple tie. He had chosen to wear red Mita sneakers to go with all of that too.

Instead of the usual black colored piercings, Ryoma had put two small purple ones in his lips, so that they would go together with his color themes today. And, even if it couldn't be seen at the moment, he also had changed his earring to simple hoops.

"As if." Akutsu growled and then patted Ryoma on the back, "Let's go; the sooner we go there, the sooner we get to wreck chaos." There was this playful tone in Akutsu's voice that made Ryoma blink for a few times.

"You just want to do it with Marui, don't you?" Ryoma snickered and followed his best friend. Sometimes, even Akutsu could act cute. If he wanted to.

There was a glare sent Ryoma's way and a curt 'shut it' followed it.

When they had gotten to the door, the said object was thrown open at the overly-happy face of one Akutagawa Jiroh suddenly was the only thing that both Ryoma and Akutsu cold see. The three of them stood like that for a moment before Jiroh grabbed Ryoma by his hands.

"Oh my god, you actually came! That is so awesome! I saw you two through the second floor window and thought that I should come down and pull you two inside." Jiroh talked and talked, the words came out of his mouth in such speed that it was almost impossible to follow. "And you know what, there are people that reaaaallyyyy want to see you up there!"

Before either of the two could say something Ryoma was yanked inside, Akutsu following the two since he was worried about Ryoma's safety. The music was blasting from one of the rooms where most of the people were, and those who weren't in that room stood and stared as Jiroh dragged Ryoma through the place. Some were shocked to see him there, some even happy and some.. Some looked like they wanted to kill.

"Oi, hyper dude, mind letting him go?" Akutsu finally said when Ryoma almost tumbled over a chair because of Jiroh. Even if he tried to hide it, it was pissing him off to see Ryoma being dragged around like that, as if he was a piece of furniture – there only for the sole purpose of showing off.

"Thanks Jin." Ryoma murmured when he was standing on his own two feet again. He really didn't care what Jiroh was thinking right now, he wasn't about to just get friendly with people from here as if nothing ever happened.

"Gomen Echizen. I was just sooo excited to see you! Anyway, come here, come here!" Jiroh continued to talk as if nothing ever happened. "Yuu-can and Marui-san and Shishido are up there, as well as Sengoku and the one that mutters all the time. You know what, they all soooo want to see you again! And some people want to ask you stuff too!"

The two newcomers looked at Jiroh suspiciously. There was no way that someone who was just told off would be so happy about it. And then what kind of 'ask stuff' and 'people' was he talking about anyway? Though, both Ryoma and Akutsu had an idea what those questions would be about. Most likely about the Nationals and Seigaku.

It was also the reason that Ryoma was invited too. That and the need to destroy him even more.

"So you actually came, Echizen. I thought that you won't be showing up, since, after all, people don't like you very much." The sweet tone that could only belong to Fuji made the three turn around. "And here I was thinking that you will have other, more important, things to do."

Fuji was now looking directly at Ryoma, a small line of electric blue glinting in ice cold disgust towards the person he was speaking to. The smile that was usually on his face had turned a tad more dangerous, but not as much that the people around them would notice.

Ryoma didn't even flinch or shiver. He smirked, a shadow of what he once could do so naturally, and pushed his hands in the pockets of his pants. "Hello to you too, Fuji-sempai. I freed my time since," he pulled out the invitation, "someone really wanted me to come, if he went as far as to make this. No? And how could I just ignore it – that would be so rude."

Akutsu heh'd in approval. Even if the brat was having so many problems right now, he could still act like this – as if he didn't give a flying rat's ass about it all. Sometimes, the ability to create a fake mask for himself really did come in handy. Not that Akutsu was happy about his best buddy having to live in so many lies and having to create a different self each time something happened.

"Is that so? Well, I hope you will have a great time. Inui and some of the other's are out now, playing games." Fuji turned to leave, "It would be nice if you congratulated the two birthday boys." Then he started to go away and look for his boy-toy.

"Fuji-sempai," Ryoma called out, making Fuji stop in his tracks, "Didn't you come to make me a laughing stock? Or maybe you want to do something else?"

Ryoma wasn't as big of an idiot that they were making him to be. Hell, even people that knew the story (or at least some details) but weren't a part of it could tell that this was all just a big plan to make Ryoma even more miserable and hated. And Ryoma wasn't about to let them do that.

Even if they had exchanged only some words there already were people gathering around them now. The ex players from Rikkai, Hyotei, Seigaku and other schools were there, some from the far places of Osaka and even from other countries. But Ryoma couldn't care less about them being here – if Fuji wanted to fuck up his life even more then he will give the damn asshole a chance to do it.

"Excuse me? Could you repeat that again, Echizen? I didn't quite catch what you just said." Fuji turned to face Ryoma, his eyes now half-lidded, the blue burning with anger that could destroy. To be toying with Fuji…

Ryoma tilted his head on the left a bit, "Oh please, everyone knows why you made sure I get invited. Don't play dumb now." His voice dropped an octave and became almost just as cold as Fuji's voice was. Almost.

The tensai was quiet for a little while, oblivious to the quiet sea of whispers around them and the curious glances sent their way. That little bastard was slowly ruining his and Tezuka's plans and for that he will pay. Dearly.

Fuji smirked, his smile no longer innocently false and kind. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and stared at Ryoma, hard. Then, he opened his mouth a little, after throwing a quick glance in the direction of his little brother that was in the crowd, and was about to retort… Only, someone did it for him.

"You got invited because we hoped that there is still some way to get you to apologize for what you did to us." The tone of the speaker, the way that he managed to silence everyone and gain absolute obedience… Only Tezuka could do that.

Ryoma quickly turned his eyes away from Fuji and pointed a glare at Tezuka. The man that had planned all this fiasco and made sure that Japan, that Ryoma once loved so much, became a place he never wanted return to. His jaw clenched in effort not to throw something insulting at the bespectacled man, his fingers balling up into fists.

"Echizen has nothing to apologize about. Especially not to you, Tezuka-san." Yuuta was the one to break the silence around them, standing on Ryoma's side without even batting an eye. "You should be the one to beg for forgiveness." The youngest Fuji had come out of the crowd and stood next to Jiroh, his lover, and Ryoma. A silent reassurance that Ryoma isn't alone.

Akutsu smirked, That brat sure has guts. Maybe there were some normal people left.

"Yuuta! We have been over this already." Fuji sounded impatient and slightly annoyed now, "Echizen used us and our abilities as tennis players and -"

Yuuta didn't let his brother finish: "And I say that is bullshit, nii-san. The ones who used and stole were you all, not Echizen. He isn't the kind to need the moves of others; he has... had, plenty of his own." Yuuta glared at his brother. The Fuji blood in him was enough to not fear the elder Fuji, and even without it – Yuuta was someone who stood on the side of the one that was being blamed.

No matter what the circumstances.

"Why do you protest against the truth so much, Yuuta?" Tezuka asked, not at all supraised or taken aback by the bold declaration of lies that happened few seconds prior. "It seems as you are connected with Echizen in a way that surpasses friendship." It was as if he had told that Yuuta is sleeping with Ryoma.

That pissed Ryoma of even more than the crap they were spouting about him. "Take that back, Tezuka. Not everyone will believe you and your shit, and that is no reason to make their lives as crappy as you made mine." The golden-eyed teen hissed out.

Ryoma could feel the many eyes that were watching him. But he couldn't care less; right now he had to deal with Tezuka. "If you have to diss someone then diss me, you are already an expert at that, but leave other out of this."

The tension and hostile emotions were so vivid in the room; it felt like someone was choking him. Akutsu glanced at his friend and Tezuka, not sure when would be the right time to join. Though, he felt that for this battle it would be better if he stayed as an emotional support to Ryoma and kept his mouth shut. Ryoma had to win this one alone, for the sake of himself.

"My, my… What is going on here?" Yukimura's pleased voice questioned, although he knew perfectly well what was going on. "Ara, ara, Echizen-kun. How nice of you to show up. I was hoping to talk to you about something." Yukimura ignored everything that went on around him.

Sanada, standing by his side, glared down on the golden-eyed teen and then switched to Akutsu. "Your clothes… they are inappropriate for occasions such as this." He said. He ignored the look Yukimura gave him.

"Why? Did this party have a dress code or something?" Akutsu could finally be a part of the whole verbal war that was going on, "Or maybe you simply don't like to get hard at seeing this brat here?" he nodded in Ryoma's direction. He had seen what Ryoma could do to guys that are even straighter than a wooden plank; Sanada was a piece of cake in this case.

He already was fucking around with a man anyway.

The way that Sanada looked down on him then… If looks could kill Akutsu would have died trice and would now be burning in the deepest pits of hell. "Insolent…!" Sanada hissed, but refrained from doing anything, "Just because you can do anything that moves does not mean that every other male is the same."

"Says the guy that serves as a portable sex toy for the four-eyes over there." Akutsu threw back at the black-haired man and slung his hand over Ryoma's shoulders. "As for me.. Bu-chan is enough." The smirk he wore was one that showed that he had won.

"I would ask you to not do wild guesses about my sexual life, Akutsu." Tezuka coldly said, throwing a quick glance at Sanada, "It seems that it would be better for you to leave. All of you." It was clear that Tezuka was talking about those that stood by Ryoma and the teen himself.

But Ryoma won't take this shit lying down. He came to show Tezuka just with who he was messing now. "Oh really? Well then, since I have to leave anyway, why don't I just leave a small souvenir behind?" the smirk that he wore now could be called deadly, "Lookie here!"

Tezuka's eyes widened, just like Fuji's when they saw the small piece of paper that Ryoma waved in the air. The same note that they had placed on Ryoma's stuff to make him understand just how unwanted he actually was. If that note were to be shown to people…

"Oh, don't worry." Ryoma added, "I won't show it to anyone. Yet. I just wanted to let you know that I can play your way too." He smirked and hid the small piece of paper in the pocket of his pants again.

"You wouldn't dare." Tezuka retorted back, his earlier coldness and superiority back again, "With that you lose everything. Besides, they will just think that you made it." Tezuka smirked inwardly. For people to doubt him – the model child and good captain… As if.

Ryoma lazily blinked. "You forgot that I have nothing to lose. And they chose to believe in what they want to believe. I don't make them, unlike you." Ryoma nudged Akutsu, a sign that they should leave now, or at least go somewhere where there was no Tezuka and bastards like him.

"Echizen-kun, what are you two talking about?" Yukimura lightly inquired. He was one of the few that were on neither side. "If you don't mind, I would like to know… Just like some of the others here." It was a lightly said order.

"You do not need to know Yukimura." Tezuka answered him back, "It's just something he tries to use to show me as the bad guy." The bespectacled teen glanced Ryoma's way and then pushed up his glasses a little. "It is nothing more than a weak try to get others to pity him."

The new wave of murmur around them made Ryoma flinch. The way that Tezuka could turn everything in his advantage… It sickened Ryoma to think that there was once a time when he looked up at that asshole and even wished to stand on equal ground with him. He was such a fool.

Yuuta no longer could stand there and be quiet: "Oh shut up Tezuka. Don't try to make yourself all white and innocent. Everyone knows what you are capable of doing and just how much you are willing to sacrifice to do it." He had seen the pang of hurt and pain in Ryoma's eyes for a split second. It was all he needed to know to know for sure that the boy was being blamed for things he didn't do.

"Yuu-chan's right, you know." This time it was Jiroh that surprised everyone by suddenly talking, "Echizen-kun was never the kind to use others… the kid was just too pure and oblivious for that." The usually happy-go-lucky tone that he used and the carefree manner he spoke was gone. It was probably the first time that someone had seen the boy so serious. "Besides, he would have been freaking famous by now, if he really did steal all those moves and whatnot, like you insist all the time."

"He has a point." Yukimura added, smiling lightly at Tezuka and then Fuji.

There was a flash of blue sent in Jiroh's way before Fuji said: "You should really stay out of what does not concern you, Jiroh-kun." It was said so lightly that most of the people in the room didn't hear the quiet threat underneath those words.

"It's not nice to threaten, Fuji-sempai." Ryoma threw back to the fair-haired male, "Especially when you won't be able to back it up." The courage and little snippets of ridicule where fake. Ryoma merely wanted to seem stronger than he was.

Ryoma could feel Akutsu's eyes glaring into the back on his head. The elder teen knew what game Ryoma was playing using those charades and masks of toughness that weren't real. Akutsu knew that even if Ryoma feels like crying and running away inside, he will never show weakness in front of others. That much he had learned from the pain and betrayal he had to go through.

"So you think that what I said were mere empty words, Echizen?" Fuji asked back, his voice deadly sweet and the smile no longer playing on his lips. The choking gaze of his electric blue eyes seemed to freeze the room. "Big talk from someone who doesn't get his place."

"You do realize that you are only humiliating yourself, Echizen?" Tezuka nonchalantly added, not bothering to wait for Fuji to finish whatever else he wanted to say, "Though, I don't mind watching you dig your own grave. It's actually quite…. Amusing." Tezuka's real personality had started to show and the man himself didn't bother to hide it.

Akutsu tensed up, just like Sanada did, but both for different reasons.

For Akutsu - the sheer disrespect and the ridicule that the ex captain of Seigaku showed towards his friend just made his feelings to go overboard. He saw red, and lots of it. The want to give the man a good punch in the face and other parts of his body was so great… His fists shook in weak tries to control that desire. He could feel the warm, soft hands of his boyfriend wrap around his left fist and holding it tightly.

"He's not worth it Jin. He's not worth your hits." Marui quietly whispered to the silver-haired man, hoping to calm him down just a little bit. He didn't like to hear all those things said about Ryoma either, but he knew that Akutsu took most of it personally. "He's not worth it."

Sanada, though, tensed up because of the coldness and authority that Tezuka seemed to be enveloped in. The cold gaze and the way he stood there, as if he was the king of them all.. This was when Tezuka was the sexiest. Sanada wanted to go over there and kiss those lips, having those cold eyes watch his every move. But he knew that this wasn't the place for that.

"So you say Tezuka, but are you not the one that is throwing all his hard work away, aaanh?" yet another late guest questioned, successfully getting everyone's attention.

Tezuka had to turn around to see who it was, Momoshiro, who had been quietly standing right behind him all this time, quickly moved out of the way, so that Tezuka could see.

There was a small pause before Tezuka acknowledged the newly arrived guest. "Atobe. I was told you won't make it." He pushed up his glasses, "And aren't you a bit mistaken about that?"

Keigo smirked in return, walking away from the wall he was leaning on just seconds before. He passed by Tezuka in his leisurely walk. "Believe me, Tezuka; I am most surely not mistaken." It was as if he was stating the obvious, though, Keigo always sounded like that.

The diva walked straight to where Ryoma and the four people that were on his side stood, and stopped when he was right in front of the golden-eyed enigma. His smirk widened before he grabbed Ryoma's hand and pulled the younger to his chest, wrapping his right hand around Ryoma's small waist, his left hand Holding Ryoma's right hand up. The hat that Ryoma was wearing fell on the floor in the process.

"You see…" Keigo drawled out, ignoring the surprised gasps and the scratches on his chest that Ryoma made when his free hand clutched into his dark blue dress shirt, "I would never stand against my own lover, now would I? That would only serve to dirty my own name."

"I'm sorry, Atobe, but I highly doubt the fact that you are going out with that." Fuji stated, not in the last surprised about the whole situation. "You may have had a crush on him, but for Echizen to agree to go out with you… Moreover, you haven't seen each other for five years. Everything you just said is mad up."

Tezuka almost sighed. "You know, just because he probably paid you to play his lover, does not mean you have to agree. That just dirties you're your name even more." The sheer lack of trust in Keigo's words was clears as a day.

Keigo wasn't one to surrender to such petty accusations; their truthfulness and realness did not matter. Atobes were raised to conquer and never back down. So, Keigo only 'heh'd before letting go of Ryoma's right arm, only to use his free hand to lift the smaller male's chin up a bit.

He also ignored everything that Tezuka had said.

"Seal it with a kiss, is what we should do." He muttered against Ryoma's lips before leaning down and placing his own on top of them.

A/N: This… turned out waaaaaay longer that I had planned. And it should have been put up a week ago (but Harry Potter happened). Somehow, I am so damn proud of myself right now. :D

Tell me what you think of all of this. Please?