A/N: Sorry for the lack of updates last week; I've been busy with school and work. Plus, I've gone through a small writer's block phase for Emi and Kamiko. It seems like anything I write with those two gets so... whacked out. For now. I'm working on it though, promise!

Also, I changed the title from Broken Royals to Broken Royalty. I hope that's not too confusing for anyone, but I have my reasons for the name change. ;)

Please enjoy!

"That's a stupid thing to say!" Hitomi insisted.

Jirou pouted at the disdain she showed, "But all Atobe said-"

"Forget what that pompous captain told you and use your head, Jirou!" She insisted, "Why would I ever recite the whole play in English?! Let alone recite it in front of the whole school?"

Somehow a rumor had gotten out that Hitomi could recite all of Shakespeare's plays in fluent English, and that she had confessed to Atobe in the foreign language in an attempt to impress him.

"But all he said was..."

Jirou soon dispelled those thoughts with the truth: Atobe had only mentioned that Romeo and Juliet was better acted out in it's original language, and he had also said that (with his superior Insight and the aid of the students records) Hitomi could probably act out the whole thing herself.

Hitomi asked Jirou why Atobe, of all people, would say such a thing about her (she honestly could not believe that he'd say something remotely nice about her without there being a catch- backhanded compliments were always given when they spoke). Jirou replied that Atobe had seen her yesterday whispering the English translations, absentmindedly, while the scene played out, right before they had asked if she needed a ride.

"But you can speak English, right?"

'No one ever really listens to Atobe's words, they're just impressed by how much he can own a crowd. He's charmed them all...' She noted with a sigh. Time and time again most people would be so enamored with the King that they only ever learned the gist of the real situation- always needing a shepherd to guide them to the truth while they made up stories to claim they'd heard him. Well, at least it meant she didn't need to prove that she knew English by quoting Shakespeare.

"Yes, Jirou, I can speak English."

"So you and Atobe can speak whole conversations just like that and we wouldn't really know what you two were saying!" Jirou said, "That's so cool!"

And for once Hitomi didn't try to fight it; because yes, she could speak English, and yes, it was cool. The fact that she and Atobe could speak English fluently didn't make her any less proud. In fact, it made her just a little bit prouder.

"Yuushi, what have you done?" Hitomi seethed.

Oshitari fixed his glasses. Knowing the thickness of the script, he would have to conclude that the red mark on his cheek would die down in a couple hours. He also knew that Hitomi only used his first name when she was completely serious. He figured he should be serious also.

"I simply ask for your cooperation, and let me explain."

"Alright. What is he doing here?"

She meant Atobe, and Atobe closed his eyes to calm himself down. Even the King himself didn't know what he was doing there.

Maybe it was the fact that Oshitari had asked for a favor, and, as Atobe put it, ore-sama was a generous person. After the match with Otagaki and the ever-memorable encounter with Kenji and Otto, Oshitari was discomforted at the thought of Hitomi going back home for fear of being stalked and taken advantage of while she was alone. At least, that had been the blue haired tensai's reasoning to the captain. Atobe could sense that it was something far more horrifying than that. Even Hitomi struggled to keep herself uplifted for the past few days, and Oshitari's tennis play had dwindled down to him barely beating Taki. That and Oshitari glanced far too often at Hitomi, who quietly stared at her scripts and barely spoke unless spoken to.

The worry seemed to be eating at Oshitari because, as smart as the tensai was, it didn't mean that he could keep an eye on Hitomi 24/7; Sai would kill Oshitari if Hitomi was hurt even a little bit outside of the norm. The time with Kenji was just too close of a call to let anything else happen.

"If you could just stay at Atobe's house for a few days," Oshitari began, "Then it would-"

He never got to finish as Hitomi began walking away.

"I don't know what Oshitari has told you, Atobe, but I'm sorry for wasting your time."

And then, as Oshitari always knew, his captain did the unexpected.

"Ore-sama would love to give you a special invitation to his home."

Hitomi scoffed. Atobe loved to defy situations, and Hitomi decided she wouldn't let him have that satisfaction, "And I would love to deny it."

And she refused wholeheartedly and stubbornly.

Every time after that, when the subject came up, Hitomi would refuse to listen, like the obstinate girl she was. Atobe saw through the facade easily. He saw how much she struggled with herself when the topic arose, and had seen how she faithfully kept her cool when denying his 'special invitation.'

But the King knows all, even if he doesn't know what's going on specifically. And he could see what she really wanted, even if he didn't know why she stopped herself from accepting it.

"Honestly, Atobe, if you ask anymore times I think she'll smack you. And that's in front of your petty fan club." Shishido said.

Gakuto began to snicker, "Doesn't stop him at all."

"Ah~n?" Atobe drawled in mock realization, "I don't suppose your hostility has anything to do with a certain purple haired girl switching fan clubs, heh?"

Anyone outside of the tennis circle would think that Atobe was graciously defending his fan club. But the regulars knew, as much as Atobe adored people fawning over him time and time again, stalking was a whole new level the Ice King wasn't comfortable with. Especially if it was too distracting.

And besides, Atobe was talking about how bad Shishido and Ootori's combination had been ever since this mysterious purple haired girl had talked to Ootori without even acknowledging Shishido.

"Shut your trap." Shishido sneered.

Ootori fiddled with his fork, wishing silently that Shishido would calm down.

Oshitari fixed his glasses as he spot the next students to enter the cafeteria. One of them was hidden in the center of the large group, but whenever she did show herself to any outsider she made sure to never look at the tennis team.

Oshitari stood up from his place, "I'll ask her once more."

The table fell silent while watching Oshitari walk over to Hitomi and begin to reason with her.

"A hundred yen says that Yuushi gets smacked by the script." Gakuto smirked when seeing Hitomi frown.

Ootori gaped at his senpai, "Gakuto-san! That's-"

"That's a given; be more specific. I'll bet a hundred and fifty yen that it'll be the right cheek." Shishido smirked as well.

"Deal."

Before Ootori could fully express his horror a voice piped up beside him.

"Senpai, you're wrong. I can perform gekokyujo and say that this time, Oshitari-senpai will be slapped, bare handed, on the left cheek."

"Hiyoshi-kun!"

Ootori would have fainted if he weren't so anxious to see what would happen next; Ootori knew Hitomi-senpai well enough to make his own assumption- a barehanded slap coming from both angles, if Hitomi moved fast enough. He decided not to place a bet, it would be rude, and if Hitomi found out he didn't want to be punished.

Hitomi had pushed her friends to go on without her as she talked to the Osakan. Her fake smile soon threatened to turn downwards, and soon enough actually did. She narrowed her eyes, said something, and the next thing everyone knew Oshitari had a red spot on his left cheek.

It was safe to say that Hiyoshi had clearly won that bet, earning himself 300 yen from Shishido and Gakuto.

"Ore-sama will take matters into his own hands." Atobe proclaimed.

He continued on with lunch as if his tensai friend hadn't been slapped in the face because Hitomi was avoiding them.

"Why does it even matter to you?" Hitomi asked.

She was trying to walk out of the tennis area before she could fully weigh out the pros and cons, but was stopped by the King himself, at which point he proceeded to ask her, yet again, if she was going to yield.

"Ore-sama believes that your question isn't relevant to the topic at hand."

'It's completely relevant and you're too much of a prick to tell the truth!'

Hitomi didn't bother with the subject of her whereabouts any longer. Not when Atobe was concerned.

"That arrogant, no-good, prissy, handsome-devil, stupid, obnoxious, self-righteous, haughty tennis captain isn't worth my time! Him and his stupid money." Hitomi whispered to herself as she sat in her seat for morning classes to start.

"Who's good-looking?" Jirou yawned and stretched his arms.

Hitomi scoffed, "Good-looking?"

"Yeah," He yawned once more and blinked his eyes open, "Whoever you were talking about you said something about him being handsome. I didn't really... Catch-" Yawn, "-the rest.-" Yet another yawn, "But you never really talk about boys that...way."

He had fallen asleep just as soon as he'd awoken, never noticing the shades of pink that began to show on Hitomi's cheeks.

"Idiot King is the more appropriate term for what I called him." Hitomi muttered, she looked out the window and sighed.

'Stop. Asking. Me.' Hitomi thought ferociously in her mind, but of course, Atobe was no mind reader. If he were, he would show it off to the world; and if he were Hitomi would constantly have to think of distractions. It wasn't that she was obsessed with Atobe, but she did end up observing him more than a common bystander should.

Then again, was there such a thing as a common bystander when it came to Atobe? It was gawk, flock or fight him head on, never just normal standing around not caring. His presence demanded much more from people, Hitomi included. And that thought pissed her off.

She walked away from him while he was in mid sentence, only to turn back because of his words,

"Are you running away because ore-sama intimidates you?"

Intimidate? The two of them knew that it was the exact opposite. He was provoking her. The question now was whether she would take the bait.

"About as intimidated as the cologne you wear. It seems to me that your cologne acts more of a repellant than a deodorant."

"A repellant to you, maybe. And that's exactly what it's intention might be." He countered without blinking.

Hitomi finally turned to face him again, "If you're willing to wear something that repulses me, then why keep inviting me back to your home so incessantly? Bored with your little toys?"

'I knew Oshitari's favor would end up haunting me.' Atobe smirked to cover up his irritation, "Would you be willing to keep me entertained?"

From what he knew, Hitomi hadn't even dated, hadn't even kissed. But she knew an innuendo when she heard it, and as great an actor as she was, she couldn't act off the blush that had adorned her face.

"By the looks of it, you keep yourself pretty busy." She mentioned before leaving the room, and this time quickly so Atobe couldn't pull her in for another round of banter.

That last one was a bit of a low blow, considering the fact that Atobe was currently single. He'd never been in a serious relationship, but he was known to have a string of ladies at hand when time permitted. Hell, even Osaka knew how much of a ladykiller he was. As a rich boy with the athleticism of a pro and the taste of a god, no girl could complain when he chose them for a small little soirée (as he so smoothly named them). Recently though, he'd been single; not even bothering himself with a fling or playing around with girls since the tennis tournament began. Most assumed that it was because of how he wanted to propel Hyotei to Nationals, but only Atobe, himself, questioned why each girl seemed so plain all of a sudden.

Though his reason eluded him at the moment, Atobe was certain he would have the answer soon... But maybe after Nationals.

Disclaimer: I do not own any characters/plot/etc., of the PoT manga/anime.