I'm so sorry, Fuji...

Ryoma headed back to the clubroom, tired and sweaty. He'd been late again for practice and Tezuka had given him laps. It wasn't like it was even his fault that he'd been late, he hadn't asked Horio to be an idiot and get him in trouble….

Once he got to the clubroom, he leant against the wall, wanting to catch his breath before he got changed. There was a pleasant breeze and Ryoma enjoyed it as it played across his damp skin.

"Tezuka," Fuji's voice said from within the clubroom and Ryoma realised that the door was open. Tezuka made a small noise, indicating he was listening to whatever Fuji was about to say. Ryoma smiled to himself, Tezuka had never made that noise with him, they both knew that the other was always listening.

"Are you free on Sunday?" Fuji continued.

"I am," Tezuka replied.

Ryoma started to feel a bit uneasy, he was sure there was something between Fuji and Tezuka…. but Tezuka was his. He couldn't explain the thing between himself and Teuzka, there was definitely a connection there, but neither of them had worked out the words to express it. He wanted to run away, to not hear what Fuji was going to plan with Tezuka. But his feet wouldn't move, he was glued to the spot, unable to not hear this conversation.

"Would you like to go out together?" Fuji asked and Ryoma's blood froze. How dare Fuji ask out his Tezuka! Tezuka was so dense he'd think that Fuji meant as friends and agree to it!

"As friends?" Tezuka asked, clearly not as dense as Ryoma had feared.

"As a date," Fuji corrected him.

"Fuji," Tezuka said, sounding, to Ryoma's shock, slight exasperated. "We can't."

"Why not?" Fuji sounded as cheerful as ever, "I like you and you-"

"Like someone else," Tezuka cut him off quickly and Ryoma's blood melted "I'm sorry."

There was a moments silence and then Fuji sighed, "It was worth a go. It's Echizen, isn't it?"

There was no reply, or, rather, Tezuka must have replied by a head movement, but Ryoma could feel the reply. His body unfroze and he moved around the corner of the clubhouse as quietly as he could. He hoped Fuji would leave first.

He couldn't hear any more conversation from inside the clubhouse and he peered around the corner, just as Fuji walked through the door. He was about to pull his head back, but Fuji spotted him and gave him a funny look, then smiled and winked at him. Ryoma expected him to come over and make fun of him eavesdropping, but he didn't, he just turned and left.

Which meant Tezuka was alone in the clubroom.

He casually strolled in, pretending he'd just finished his laps and that he hadn't just overheard Fuji asking Teuzka out. Tezuka gave him a quickly look and Ryoma grinned at him before he went back to tidying away his racquets.

"I've done my laps," Ryoma said.

"Good," Tezuka replied, "I expect you not to be late again."

Ryoma gave him a non-committal nod, he had no control over Horio accidentally dropping buckets of water over him, and set about getting changed.

"You know you're mine, right?" Ryoma asked as Tezuka made to leave.

Tezuka stopped and turned to him, "I am aware," he replied, stepping forward and stroking Ryoma's damp hair, "and you are mine."

Ryoma nodded and smiled as Tezuka left. They'd talk about this properly one day, turn it into what others would consider to be a 'normal relationship'. But it didn't matter right now, they both know how the other felt and it worked.

He hurried to get changed, shoving his clothes into his bag with his racquets and almost ran out the clubroom.

He needn't have worried. Tezuka was waiting for him just outside.