CHAPTER 15

"Yeah, it was pretty mad." Fuji leaned against the wall. "Sei seemed pretty calm to be honest. God, Ryo-Chan is so cute." He started smiling. "With his ears and everything."

"Ears?" Tezuka didn't know where to start.

Him and Fuji had always been close. Both of them dated in secret when they where first years for about 6 months before they broke up. Fuji dated Sei at the start of the second year of school and he had been with Keigo. Him and Kei broke it off halfway though the second year so when it came to tennis they wouldn't go easy or be distracted by each other. But he still had feelings for both of them, Fuji along with Atobe. He was never able to explain it but it felt wrong for him to like more than one person. He felt unfaithful.

"Ah, don't tell anyone I said anything about ears." Tezuka gave a nod but he still didn't understand where this was meant to be going. "Anyway I can't get mad at him for walking in. He was more embarrassed about what he looks like than walking in on me and Sei having sex. Besides he seemed more interested in knowing the in and outs of everything. We once explained to him how two males did it and Shan went completely red it was hilarious. "

"So appearance matters to him then?" Ignoring the last part the other said about Shan. Syu gave him a smile.

"Why interested?" Tezuka rubbed his temple. He looked Syu in the eyes and told him seriously.

"You need to be careful. Syu your not realizing it but the way your going about it, it seems like your the one who likes him." Fuji sat on the floor with his hands on his head and his head facing the ground. He hated these talks with Mitsu sometimes. It was like he could always see though him.

"You know I've known Ryo for a little more than a week but you can't help but truly like the kid. His been hurt so badly yet there is the air of innocence around him that just makes you want to keep him safe from all his demons." Tezuka crouched down and tried to see if he could look into Syu's eyes. "But I know I'm not the only one. I think Sei is likes him to. More than he will ever admit. Hell, Ryo tried to kill the guy and yet Sei takes his time and explains everything to Ryoma even when he pushes him away. Then there is you."

Tezuka raised an eyebrow. Fuji looked up finally and into the captains eyes. "You haven't spoken to him much but I know you already know a lot about him. You want what me and Sei want but you can have it. Unlike us. Your not with anyone." Syusuke started to chuckle slightly. "You know what, I don't even know anymore. Ever since Saturday when we all went out I want to be selfish and just have everyone I love all to myself. But I know that kind of relationship is weird. It could never happen. After all you should never love more than one person like that."

Mitsu couldn't say anything. It was almost like Fuji was reading him and his thoughts about confessing to loving more than one person. He always had a thing for Fuji. He never understood what it was, but this was it. Right in front of him. No matter what, if you got the tensai to open up you see his real self and to Tezuka that was worth everything. The captain knew he had to be honest with him eventually, and it might as well be now than later. He grabbed Syu chin and pulled it up slightly until there lips connected. It was a soft gentle kiss to see if he could try get though to him. He slowly pulled himself away.

"You know, your not the only person who is in love with more than one guy." Tezuka whispered as he let his grip go and stood up before walking away.

Fuji was sitting there with eyes wide open. Letting out a sigh and dragging his knees up. He rested his head on them and looked to the side slightly seeing the fence of the courts. He didn't know if he should be ashamed that he felt like he practically cheated on Yukimura or the fact that he really wanted another kiss.

Ryoma had just come back to the courts with a ponta in hand when he saw the captain walking around the corner. In the cats opinion he looked anxious. He was about to go back on the court for his first match against a regular when he saw Fuji also appear after the rest of the regulars gathered. All 8 where soon there and it seems they where discussing something. Fuji looked on edge but Ryoma could still hear him chuckling about something.

(With the Regulars)

Tezuka was trying to fix his expression so he wasn't showing how much of what he just did effected him. This was when Oishi came over with Eiji jumping up and down excitedly beside him.

"Hey, you alright Tezuka? You seem a little out of it." As he asked as Momo, Kawamura and Inui all came to join. Mitsu never answered the question and not long Fuji had come over after cooling off completely. Making sure he wouldn't keep glancing at the captain. But what really confused everyone was when Kaidoh came over.

"Hiss, Does anyone know about a tiger eating a snake for breakfast." Fuji chuckled knowing it was Ryoma's way of saying he was going to defeat him. While the rest looked just as confused as the viper himself. Syu thought it was time he spoke up.

"Saa... Was it Ryo-Chan that said it to you?" With a nod confirming his suspicions. He saw Ryoma watching them from the other side listening to there conversation and smirking. "Well... The tiger made his move, now it's the snakes turn." They all look at the tensai and then to where he was looking all seeing Ryoma walking into the courts. Now they understood the message.

"Nya... Why would O'chibi call himself a tiger though?"

"Who knows." Fuji replied with an all knowing expression on his face telling them he knew exactly why but would never say.

The match had just started and a lot of people had gathered round to see the viper and the freshman prodigy. It had been going on for at least twenty minutes and the score was 3-1 to Ryoma. That was until Kaidoh brought out his snake. Ryoma observed the move. 'I've seen that before.' The match carried on and ended up being a battle of stamina.

The two reports Shiba and Inoue where watching from the side. Shiba had joined the Ryoma fan club despite being over 20 and no longer going to school. It was then Inoue noticed something.

"Is it just me or does it seem that Ryoma doesn't even look tired out from running so much?" He could hear a chuckle coming from behind him. He turned only to be met with Ryuzaki.

"Well it's not a surprise." The regulars hearing this all looked along with the reporters.

"Nya...What do you mean? Is O'chibi a superhero or something." Everyone looked at Eiji for a second and sweat dropped at his silly comment.

"No. But none of us that are involved so far have been able to check how long he can run before getting tired."

"What do you mean involved?" It was Inui that asked the question. Sumire realizing she had said something she shouldn't ignored him and they all just seemed to agree and drop the subject. But that's not saying that it left there minds. It just gave them more questions to the mystery of Ryoma Echizen.

The match had ended and it was 6-3 to Echizen. Despite Ryoma using Kaidoh own move the buggy whip shot or as everyone else calls it the snake against him, he was only sweating slightly. He was panting but not as heavy as Kaidoh was. The snake had stormed off the pitch and told the other regular who was in the same block as him that he will not lose. Inui just carried on writing in his book about all the data he collected this game.

Ryoma was about to make his way home when both Tezuka and Fuji came up to him.

"So Ryo-Chan want to go get some burgers with us. I'll text Shan saying your going to be late." Syu and Mitsu waited while the cat went over his options.

"Who else is going?"

"The regulars. So will you? I'm sure Momo and you can have an eating contest." You could see the spark in his eyes at accepting a challenge.

"Do burgers have cows in them?" With got a nod for the tensai. "I can keep my hood up to?"

"Yep. You can eat as many beef burgers as you like. I'll pay for you." Ryoma nodded and told them he'd like that.

So the regulars and Ryoma all made their way out of the school. Ryoma was keeping his distance at the back of the crowd and that's when Tezuka remembered.

"Echizen, what was your dream about anyway?" Everyone stopped. All curious about this dream. Ryoma not liking the attention lowered his head and said loud enough for the others to hear.

"It was about the day I got my little brother." Fuji froze at that.

"Ryoma you have a brother?" All of them where getting interested.

"Yeah, He was given to me to look after... Ummm can we go now?" With that they all carried on their way. Each thinking why the child would be given to Ryoma to look after while Fuji was more curious at who this boy was.