imaginedyou | Entries tagged with wordcount:1001-2500

To Em; February prompt number 24
Seigaku gen fic, with undertones of pairings. Snow and hot chocolate.
(Originally I had planned for something Oishi/Eiji here, but I changed my mind. XD )

Seigaku gen, skiing trip as a means of training (any excuse!). 1336 Words. Unfinished.

-

"Number Seven; skiing will improve co-ordination." Inui says, peering down his nose to read the list in his notebook. Eiji opens his mouth to ask how long the list is, so he can work out how long to tune out for, just as Momo opens his mouth to refute items two, four and five on Inui's list so far.

Ryuzaki-sensei feels a nudge in her side that brings the boys to her attention, and speaks before they can.

"Number Eight; you're going because I said so!" She barks. "I don't know why you always have to protest against training in new places! People going skiing on their vacations; it will be fun!"

Eiji and Momo give each other commiserating looks, but each is glad the other didn't get a chance to drown them out. Ryuzaki glares as the team leaves to get changed after practice, wondering how on earth someone could elbow her when there was no-one standing on her left-hand side. She, as most people on the team would, firmly suspects Fuji.

-

"How did you manage it?" Tezuka asks. His way of asking a question with no curiosity in it at all is unrivaled, Fuji thinks to himself.

"You'll have to be more specific, Tezuka." He says, lowering his head further over his books to hide the widening smile on his face.

Tezuka drops a sheet of paper over Fuji's work; it is the room assignments for the ski-trip. They are sharing a room for three, along with Inui.

"Ryuzaki-sensei said something about keeping an eye on you." Tezuka says flatly. "Why I have to be the one to do so I have no idea. But then, she also mentioned considering having Inui do the job instead, until she realised together you could overthrow the universe, beginning with the ski lodge."

"She's too kind."

"So now you'll simply be overthrowing the peace while I'm trying to sleep."

-

"Hmm," Oishi says, standing outside the door to his room and puzzling over the sleeping arrangments while Eiji peers over his shoulder. "I assumed I would share a room with Tezuka."

"Well you can't be unhappy, Oishi!" Eiji smiles. "You have me!"

"And Kaidoh too." Oishi nods. He lowers his voice and speaks to himself. "At least he'll be no trouble."

"Taka-san gets to room with Momo and Ochibi!" Eiji points out, pouting. "I want to! I bet they end up doing all kinds of fun stuff while we're asleep. Midnight snacks and exploring... Taka won't appreciate it at all!"

"Maybe Ryuzaki-sensei is hoping Taka-san will be a calming influence on them." Oishi says gently. Then wonders if she is hoping Oishi and Kaidoh will do the same in regards to Eiji.

-

The team lines up with their rented skis; Tezuka at one end in Seigaku blue, and Echizen at the other trying to peer out from under the huge woolen hat Momo had pulled down over his face after he had put his padded gloves on and been unable to stop him. Inui is somewhere towards one end, wearing a hilarious get-up that he insists, over the sniggers, is fully insulated and keeping him warmer than the rest of them put together.

"The Beginners Trail is that way," Oishi points as Ryuzaki waves goodbye and heads for the Intermediate Trail. "And there are instructors there, too." He begins to tread awkwardly across the snow, and everyone follows. Almost everyone.

"Fuji, aren't you coming?" Inui enquires politely. Fuji shakes his head and smiles.

"I'm going to warm myself up." He says, and heads in a different direction to both the team and Ryuzaki-sensei. He heads for the Advanced Trail.

"He's not serious?"

"Fuji has been skiing before?"

"Did you know that?"

"Data suggests Fuji would not pretend to attempt something he was not capable of." Inui rattles off. The look on his face indicates that he wishes he could witness Fuji's skill on the slopes.

-

Fuji takes the Advanced Trail on, slowly at first, a few times. If he slows down enough about two thirds of the way down he gets a great view of the Professional Slope. He looks at it longingly, and wonders if he's being brave, stupid, or just forcing boredom upon himself.

Just once, he tells himself. I'll try it just once at a fair speed so that I don't get in anyone's way, but slow enough that I'll be able to react if I sense danger coming. Just once, and nobody needs to know.

When he reaches the bottom one skiier glares at him for being too slow and forcing him to end without a flourish, and another peers at him with concerned eyes, as though gathering from his size that he is only a teen. But he has made it, and that is what counts.

Tomorrow maybe, he thinks to himself, I'll attempt it again.

But for the rest of that day, he will stay on the Advanced Route. No need to tempt fate. And showing off has never been his thing.

When he takes the lift back to the Advanced Trail, he finds someone stood waiting at the top.

"Tezuka?" He says, hardly able to believe it. "I thought you were on the Beginner's Trail?"

"I learn fast." Tezuka says in reply.

-

"That was not fun!" Eiji insists, collapsing into a comfy chair back in the lodge late afternoon time. "I fell on my face more times than I can count! Acrobatics don't work in the snow!"

"I could've told you that before you wasted an entire day endeavouring to find that out." Inui says, pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose.

"And!" Eiji continues. "I am cold! Why aren't you cold, Inui?"

"I already explained that," Inui says, biting back a sigh. He repeats the complex layering of his outfit, explaining how the various weaves keep in heat and the extra layers create more room for air and warm air particles. Eiji's eyes droop and he begins to wish he had never asked.

Oishi saves him by handing over a cup of hot chocolate, which Eiji jumps up to reach for and waits until Oishi sits down to jump into his lap. Promptly spilling both of their drinks. Oishi grimaces and nudges Eiji off, dragging him along to get another two cups full.

"I got you a hot chocolate also, Tezuka." Fuji says softly, smiling as he offers out the cup. Tezuka stares at it as though it offends him. He looks as though he is going to refuse it, but then something in the expression on Fuji's face changes his mind. If there is anything in it he is going to regret having tasted, surely it is better than saying no and dealing with Fuji's wrath.

When he reaches out to take the cup from Fuji, their fingers interlace for just a moment.

-

Tezuka is just drifting off to sleep when he hears it. Three beds in a row and Fuji is the one in the middle, claiming it before the more sensible suggestion of Inui taking it could be voiced. He speaks towards his right, towards Inui, but his voice is purposely loud enough that Tezuka on his other side will hear it too, Tezuka knows that for a fact.

"So, Inui," Fuji asks, causing Tezuka to open just one eye as though it will help him hear better. "Naturally the first step is to gain the trust of the staff and work our way up to the owner... Have you ascertained the location of his rooms yet?"

Tezuka bolts upright and reaches out to the nightstand in the dark, fumbling for his glasses. As his fingers touch them he hears Fuji's light laughter, and even Inui's reluctant chortling. His face burns red in the dark and he is thankful for the darkness. He lays back down without a word, cursing Fuji, Inui, and Ryuzaki-sensei for putting him here in the first place. Oishi also, for not contesting the room assignments; surely usually they would have roomed together?

-

To Em; February prompt number 20
Yagyuu/Niou - Spying.
ALT: Nanjiroh-centric - I want something with Nanjiroh/Ryoma interaction (doesn't have to be sexual) about 'growing up.' Can involve any of Ryoma's teammates.

Between his father and his teammates, life is difficult for Echizen Ryoma. 1379 Words.

-

Somehow or another, though Ryoma avoids it like the plague, every single member of the tennis team manages to visit his house at some point. When it was Buchou, Ryoma's legs shook the entire time, even though Oishi-sempai was there too. He kept pushing them into the next room and the next room because his father kept coming in to interrupt, and the last thing he needed was for Buchou and his father to meet.

That just couldn't happen.

"Hiding something from me, boy?" Nanjiroh leered after Ryoma had pushed the front gates firmly shut behind Tezuka-Buchou and Oishi-sempai. "What, or who, is it you don't want your old dad to see? Not a girl, is it?"

"No, don't be stupid." Ryoma replied, walking past his dad with his nose in the air. It wasn't until he reached his room that his control faltered and his legs gave out on him.

Close, so close.

-

Momo is always at Ryoma's house, and when they are together, they play tennis a lot. That isn't unusual. Ryoma doesn't have books, just tennis magazines, and he doesn't play computer or video games much.

Sometimes Ryoma feels the leacherous stare of his father on him as they play. That is unusual. He focuses his eyes more sharply on Momo and lets him win some points, just not too many. Let the old man see that he is worth something, he can beat his teammate, the one older than him who comes round all the time on his bicycle and calls Ryoma 'friend'.

Ryoma thinks his father has no friends, after all. He wins the match, and Momo takes it in his stride, because he knows now that Ryoma is better than he is. He evolves his skills much faster. In fact, his smile isn't just easy, sometimes Ryoma thinks he sees something like... pride there. He's seen that look from his mother, but never from his father.

"You won't get any better playing someone who is no challenge." Nanjiroh says. The sun is setting, Momo is long gone, and Ryoma's feet have made themselves walk out the back door near to the steps his father is sitting on. "Shall we play a match, Ryoma?"

"Whatever." He replies, but his feet are already making to follow his father's footsteps.

-

Eiji-sempai has been to Ryoma's house with Momo a couple of times, mostly after a huge pig-out on burgers, because they insist they can't walk too far, and Ryoma's home is closest. Tezuka-Buchou and Oishi-sempai came out of concern and obligation to the team. Kaidoh and Inui-sempai have not come to his house at all, though Ryoma thinks Kaidoh-sempai jogs somewhere near the house in the hope that Karupin will sneak through the bushes and adventure close to his running route. He doesn't say anything.

When Kawamura-sempai comes by, it is a complete accident. Nobody warned Ryoma they had ordered sushi in, and so when he opens the door and sees Kawamura-sempai standing there with a package in his hands, he does not know what to say. Kawamura holds up the package feebly, with a hesitant smile, and lets Ryoma see the 'Kawamura Sushi!' on the side of the box.

"My father asked me to deliver some take-out because our delivery person is on another trip, and stuck in traffic." He explains. "I'm sorry, I didn't realise it would be you. You never told us where you lived."

"It doesn't matter." Ryoma mumbles, and invites Kawamura-sempai in, thinking he will refuse. To his surprise, Kawamura-sempai does go inside for a while, but not for long because he is probably needed back at the shop. He peers around the hall and the kitchen with interest, as Ryoma's mother and cousin unpack the food and divide up the portions for everyone.

"He seemed like such a nice boy," Ryoma's mother says when Kawamura-sempai is gone. "Very polite, if a little shy. Maybe you should invite him back sometime."

"Mmm." Ryoma replies, not intending to at all. That was even weirder than Oishi-sempai being at his house, even weirder than Tezuka-Buchou.

"What's this I hear?" Nanjiroh asks, bounding into the kitchen and sniffing the air appreciatively. "Ryoma has a polite friend? He must be growing up!"

"I'm eating now." Ryoma says, taking his plate and walking away from the whole situation.

-
If he were to list the events in order of weirdness, which in his head he technically already has, then Fuji-sempai's visit to Ryoma's house is weirdest of all. For a start, there is no reason for it. Everyone else has had a reason.

"I just felt like it," he shrugs in response when Ryoma asks, and smiles. Ryoma doesn't even know how Fuji-sempai knew where he lived, and he is scared to ask.

He figures maybe Fuji-sempai is lonely, because his brother doesn't live at home anymore, and Eiji-sempai seems to go out for burgers or on trips with Oishi-sempai more often than not now, and even Tezuka-Buchou isn't around for him to tease, because he's all the way in Germany. thinking of Germany makes Ryoma grit his teeth. It is too far away, and he wants a rematch.

"Shall we play some tennis?" Fuji-sempai asks, as though reading Ryoma's mind, and though he wants it more than anything, he jus shrugs and says, "yeah okay."

Fuji-sempai stands up and ties his hair back, something Ryoma has never seen him do. It makes him look even prettier than usual, more girly. And his non-descript clothes add to that.

They start off rallying to warm up, and when Ryoma feels his father's approach, something is different. He stares in a shocked, open-mouth sort of way, and Ryoma knows what the problem is. Then he knows Fuji-sempai is a mind-reader.

-

"Do you want to serve, Echizen?" Fuji-sempai asks with a sweet smile. Ryoma frowns and knows he must give all his attention this time and ignore his father.

"You don't have to do me any favours, Fuji-sempai." He says, adopting a cheerful attitude, though inside he is screaming. "I'm going to beat you."

"Ah," Fuji-sempai nods. "Of course. If you say so."

Ryoma grips his racket harder and serves with his right hand. Fuji-sempai returns it easily; he has seen it too many times now to be phased by it. That's okay, that's fine, it means Ryoma can play properly and not rely on patented moves. He plays better when he has to improvise. He begins to bounce on his tip-toes. Fuji-sempai smiles.

"Split-step so soon?" He asks across the net. "This isn't a real match, Echizen. You don't have to get so serious."

"I'm going to beat you, Fuji-sempai." He repeats, and he can't understand the responding smile on Fuji-sempai's face this time. It looks a little sad. Or longing.

-

Fuji-sempai doesn't play seriously, he can tell. He can tell because it frustrates him like not having Tezuka-Buchou around right now to play a match against does, and he wonders if they're both determined to annoy the hell out of him with tennis. The sun gets warmer overheard, and Fuji-sempai just gives up when he is ahead, just like that, to reach for a towel and a drink from his bag. He came prepared.

"That's enough for today, I think." He says, sitting down and not betraying a ounce of exhaustion. Ryoma is sweating a little, but that is it. He was concentrating too hard on the match to notice anything else.

"It's not fair," Ryoma begins, and Fuji-sempai is already smiling. "You were ahead again, and you just gave up! I might have won!"

"You might have." Fuji-sempai nods in response. "But I guess we'll never know. Sometimes the game you are playing is more important than who wins, Ryoma-kun."

Ryoma just frowns all the way until Fuji-sempai leaves, which is not long after. Suddenly he remembers his father watching them again, and can feel the eyes on him from behind, not pretending to hide at all.

"RYOMA HAS A GIRLFRIEND!" Nanjiroh shouts so loud the birds in the trees dart off in all directions, and Ryoma lets his head drop to his knees in despair as his father makes the connection Ryoma knew he would.

Just outside the gates, Ryoma bets Fuji-sempai is laughing. And planned everything all along.

-

A continuation of this ficlet inspired by an image from picfor1000. This time it's the night before the morning after, but NO it's not even that part. 1152 words.

( +++++ )

To Em; February prompt number 17
Sanada/Yukimura - Discipline.

Hyotei asks for some practice matches against Rikkai and things don't quite go to plan. Kirihara, Sanada, Yukimura, Atobe. 1136 Words.

-

Kirihara was sick of it; not that he suffered much personally, because he was the second year ace and hadn't yet lost to any opponent from another school. But for the sake of others, his friends, those who weren't Regulars and lost a match now and then, he was sick of the slaps.

The resounded in his head and a little voice whispered delightedly about how it wished he would just slap back. Kirihara had almost been tempted to, once. He had been standing close enough to feel the air resistance as Sanada's hand whipped through the space between him and the other boy, had felt the vibrations of the hand meeting cheek like it had happened to him.

He just needed one opportunity, one small chance. If he could just see Sanada lose, then someone would get to put him through what he always gave to everyone else, and wouldn't that be just fine. Kirihara hoped to be the one to get to do it.

"Buchou," he would say at least ten times a day, to Yukimura's amusement, "when are you going to play Sanada-fukubuchou? I think you two should play a match. I think I could learn a lot."

Maybe if he hadn't included the last part, Yukimura might have believed him. But probably not, because Yukimura Seiichi was far from stupid. He just smiled down on Kirihara and always said, "Sometime soon, perhaps."

-

"Hyotei have requested some 'friendly matches' again, Seiichi," Yanagi said. "I believe they're looking to rearrange their team of Regulars."

"Using us to do it again, huh." Yukimura murmured. He didn't sound especially interested. "And I suppose their coach believes they'll find ways to defeat us at the same time. Fine, arrange it. But there will only be one doubles match, and two singles. I won't be playing, neither will you, or Akaya. Don't put Niou and Yagyuu into doubles; let them decide between them who will play Singles Two."

Yanagi nodded and left, picking up on everything Yukimura did not say. He passed Niou and Yagyuu on his way to return the phone call. Kirihara frowned.

"Why can't I play?!" He demanded, and told himself he wasn't pouting.

"Think of yourself as a secret weapon." Yukimura said. "A unknown variable. I will not give them what they want."

-

Victory wasn't at all as sweet as Kirihara had imagined it would be. Perhaps it was because Sanada had somehow miraculously lost; he hadn't known Sanada could lose to anyone but buchou, but now that it had happened, it sent a cold feeling sweeping through him from his feet upwards. Numb, he just felt numb. Rikkai's reputation would slide down a notch if it got about that their vice-captain was just a loser.

His opponent, Atobe Keigo was his name, did not happy even though he had won. Sure enough he smiled and showed off to his friends, but as Rikkai were silently exiting the school gates, he tailed them, grabbed Sanada's arm roughly.

Sanada shook him off, but stopped. Yukimura looked back, and glared at anyone else who dared to do so, gesturing to them to carry on walking. He did not look back a second time.

"You try doing a favour for me again, I'll make you regret it." Atobe said coldly. His intimidating face was nothing compared to Sanada's mask of impassiveness, Kirihara thought to himself. You could just tell when Sanada was making that face no matter how far away you were from it.

"At least I know for sure now you'll stick around long enough to meet us officially in the tournament." Sanada retorted, and walked away.

-

Kirihara wasn't allowed to speak all the way back to school; everytime he opened his mouth, Yanagi would either shush him, pinch his upper thigh, or plug his mouth with chewing gum to keep it busy. No-one else spoke overly much, but it wasn't fair that Niou was allowed to annoy Jackal all the way back, while Marui cracked his gum and made stupid comments about whatever scenery they passed by.

He wondered how Yanagi knew he was ging to say something more important than either of those two, then remembered that Yanagi just knew everything.

Back at school everyone dispersed quickly, leaving Sanada and Yukimura in the locker room together. Yanagi held Kirihara's arm firmly, as though to make sure he left too.

"But I've forgotten my homework!" He protested as loudly as possible. "It's back there, and if I don't get it I'll be kept away from practice until I redo it in class, and Yukimura-buchou will kill me!"

"He won't kill you." Yanagi said firmly. "Just be quick."

Kirihara slipped out of Yanagi's grasp with a grin, freedom enveloping him like a drug. He headed for his locker sure enough, but didn't bother to open it. Sanada was folding his clothes into his locker, even his towel, and Yukimura was sat on a bench watching him from behind.

"Buchou," Kirihara said, shattering the silence and not noticing at all. Yukimura didn't even flinch. "If Sanada-fukubuchou gets to slap people when they lose, what happens when he loses?"

Yukimura turned at the same time Sanada did, so that he got to see both sets of eyes on him with wildly different expression; Yukimura was smiling in a way that made Kirihara want to run, and Sanada just looked mad as always. Maybe madder.

"Well," Yukimura said pretty coldly, "you must go to the person above him in order to make sure he receives the proper discipline."

Even when Yukimura stood up, Kirihara still didn't believe he would really do it; Sanada and Yukimura were always nicer to each other than anyone else, and he'd even seen them doing things once before, and when he'd gone to Niou about it, Niou had just laughed and told him to stop being a baby, that they'd been that way long before he had come along.

"I can't believe you used my game to settle a personal vendetta." Yukimura said to Sanada. His voice was the most intimidating Kirihara had ever heard, but his feet refused to take him far away, even though his brain was screaming that he didn't want to see anymore, even if he had been the one to set it all off.

Even when he could see Yukimura's hand cutting through the air, Kirihara didn't believe he would actually do it. Sanada didn't even flinch, just stood waiting, and stayed steady as flesh connected with flesh with a resounding smack. Kirihara didn't even realise he had squeezed his eyes tightly shut until he heard voices again and had no images to connect them to. Yukimura was speaking. To him. His smile was terrible as the words came out.

"Where did you think Sanada learnt his forehand from, Akaya?"

-

title: Abridged, Part One.
characters: Yanagi, Yukimura, Sanada, Inui.
inspiration: Prompts from here, more specifically:
50_darkfics (63) - Masterpiece, 100_leitmotifs (73) - the sum of its parts, and 100_leitmotifs (90) - oubliette.
notes: 2330 words. Cathryn read it over for me and insisted it can stand as it is. And though I usually hate the way I end things and rush them and stuff, it's weird to end it like this. I'll probably add to it at some point.

( +++++ )

To Em; February prompt number 7
Fuji/Sanada - "This night is just for us."
Kushiel!verse if you can manage it; if not, canon otherwise. ;)

In Kushiel!verse think of Sanada as Prince Baudouin. Fuji/Sanada, Sanada/Tezuka. 1097 Words.

-

"These are yours," Fuji says, nodding to the housemaid with folded clothes in her arms, "put them on."

Tezuka blinks just once, slowly, as though trying to understand his situation. Fuji sighs inwardly; he does not appreciate having to take time to enlighten people, he usually does not, but the look on Tezuka's face will be worth it this time.

"You've read the contract." He says. "You know the terms. You are my gift to a friend for tonight. A very good friend. I wish him to be thoroughly satisfied."

"What I do is my nature." Tezuka says stiffly, eyes on the floor continuously ignoring the maid though she tries again and again to offer out the clothing to him.

"Which is why I know you will do the trick." Fuji replies firmly. "Now, change."

Tezuka looks at the clothes, not the girl, and hesitates yet again. The worst part, or perhaps the best, is that Fuji knows he is not trying to play a game. He becomes irritated anyway, plucking the clothes from the maid's arms and dismissing her.

"If you won't undress, I will do it for you." He says to Tezuka. He steps forward and notes with satisfaction that Tezuka does not instinctively step back. He is ready to face the challenge head on until the end, until the moment he inevitably gives into his desires.

-

Tezuka keeps his eyes lowered, on orders not to look anyone in the eye unless specifically told by them that he can. His first impression of the Sanada household, therefore, is of the elaborately decorated flooring. He follows its intricacies like coiling threads, always five paces behind Fuji.

When they reach a particular set of doors, Fuji stops. Tezuka's timing is almost perfect as he too stills himself. Their escort announces Fuji's name, but not Tezuka's because he has not been deemed important for Fuji to mention even to the servants. Sanada comes to the doors himself, opens them both together in a kingly manner, and casts his eyes over the scene. Tezuka cannot resist flicking his eyes upwards just for a second in a moment he is sure Sanada's eyes are on Fuji.

In almost every room Fuji is in, the eyes are always upon him.

"Sanada-san." Fuji says, smiling sweetly. Sanada rolls his eyes.

"Oh please, Syuusuke." He says, turning his back on them both. His purposeful stroll suggests that they follow.

"Sit down and stay quiet." Fuji murmurs to Tezuka in an aside. Tezuka only nods in reply, seats himself on the lone cushion in the room and places his hands behind his back.

He does not feel Sanada's eyes on him, not once.

-

As though tempting a bud to blossom and flower, Fuji begins to flirt immediately after the doors are closed on the three of them. Tezuka does not recognise the layout of the room, and is not prepared when Sanada procures a keikogi jacket and hakama trousers that are very similar to his own, holding onto them as Fuji gracefully removes his shirt and then his own trousers.

"Mmm, Genichirou..." He says, his voice subtle as falling leaves, "help me with the ties?"

His eyes are beautiful when he lapses intentionally into seduction; seeming to darken and shimmer like a night sky dotted with stars. The shape of his lips when he smiles would tempt even the blind to touch their mouths to his. Even Sanada, formal as he appears, is not immune.

His arms find Fuji's waist, feeling around as they follow the path of the trouser ties. His shallow breathing must be tickling Fuji's neck, but Fuji acts as though it is no bother, tilting his head away a little, for all appearances seeming as though it is mere coincidence that he does so.

Tezuka watches on though he knows his eyes should be downcast, and knows that nothing Fuji does is ever mere coincidence.

-

Tezuka tenses so much he feels like he might break when he sees Sanada place a weapon into Fuji's hands. By now he has realised they are about to have a kendo match, but he can't help but think of the folly it is to willingly offer Fuji a weapon, whether a literal object or simply information. Seeing how easily Sanada's cold exterior has melted under Fuji's warmth, Tezuka suspects perhaps he has already done both.

Fuji is not a weak opponent; for sure, if there is something he wishes to achieve he will do so, and would not stand to let himself look a fool in front of anyone, but Sanada is simply better. It is no longer a surprise after Tezuka discovers it is a tradition long kept through many generations of Sanada males. Still, Fuji holds his own well enough to put up quite a fight, and by the end of it they are both breathing hard; and sweating, Tezuka notices when they remove their headgear.

"Ah, you win again," Fuji says, smiling wickedly as he bows his head to Sanada. It seems to take every ounce of Sanada's control to accord the proper respect to his weapon, placing it down lovingly instead of tossing it aside. Once freed from it's reminder of discipline, Sanada practically pounces at Fuji, hands reaching to unclasp armour and untie knots as quickly and efficiently as possible.

"So where is my reward?" He almost growls into Fuji's ear from behind. Fuji's smile is slow in spreading, but when it is whole, it chills Tezuka through and through.

"It's waiting for you over there, love." Fuji says, waving an incredibly casual hand in Tezuka's direction. Tezuka cannot look away, frozen in place, eyes wide, taking in Fuji and Sanada all at once. Sanada's lips are attached to Fuji's neck at this point, but his eyes flick upward to focus on what Fuji wants him to see. They grow dark with thought.

-

"Stand up." Sanada says, and only then does the spell end and Tezuka finds himself able to look down at the floor again. Though it is obviously too late now. It amuses Fuji to no end.

"He is special," Fuji tells Sanada, whispering over his shoulder as Sanada scrutinises Tezuka's face and form, trying to push deeper and see what Fuji is showing him. "He is unique. The only one of his kind. Fit for princes."

"Or those like to them." Sanada says flatly. Fuji laughs.

"Exactly." He says. His eyes narrow. Sanada does not see it over his shoulder. Tezuka does, and wonders at the irony in Fuji's voice as he repeats it. "Exactly."

-

To Em; February prompt number 3
Oishi/Eiji - "Five glasses changed my mind".
I want this to be something twisted and complicated, if you can work it. ;)

Oishi and Fuji conspire to get Eiji in a compromising position, with or without his consent. Unfinished, 1059 Words.

-

People suspect that even though Oishi and Eiji, the Golden Pair, get along so well, even though Eiji and Fuji are really good friends, even though Oishi and Tezuka are captain and vice-captain of the tennis team and don't mind spending time together, even though Fuji and Tezuka have some kind of odd friendship where Tezuka doesn't speak much but still listens, that Oishi and Fuji don't really spend much time together at all.

That assumption is supposed to made.

-

"I feel like he's leading me on."

"So confront him about it; Eiji's not one to run away."

"I've tried! He acts like he doesn't know what I'm talking about."

"Ah. Well, perhaps he doesn't."

"Exactly. So if it's subconscious, we have to do something to draw it out of him, right?"

"To settle the balance of nature you mean?"

"Yeah, that explanation works."

-

Oishi also doesn't appear to spend much time with Inui outside of the tennis club, but it's not true for any of the members really; Oishi cares about each of them, makes an effort to spend time out with them every week or so. He likes to know them inside-out.

The moment Inui steps out of his front door, Fuji sends a text message to Oishi, written in advance. His phone, along with an innocent looking bottle of mineral water, are the only things he carries today. He backtracks his steps a while, then jogs towards Inui's house. By the time he reaches the doorstep, his breathing is deep and even, and then sun has allowed him to sweat just a little.

Inui's mother doesn't seem entirely surprised to see Fuji. Especially when he mentions a maths textbook he suspects he may have left behind.

"Ah yes, I believe Sadaharu mentioned it," his mother nods. "When I was cleaning his room he asked me to leave it on the desk; I'm sure you'll find it there, Fuji-kun."

Every few weeks, though not in any kind of pattern, Fuji leaves something behind at Inui's. He finds that if he mentions Yuuta will be home sometime around that period, Inui attributes his forgetfulness to worry. It helps in instances like these.

Fuji's water bottle had been drained half-way by the time he got to Inui's house again, and made sure to ask for use of the toilet while he was in Inui's room, but the only thing he does while in the bathroom is refill the bottle to the top. Then, ignoring his textbook for the time being, he goes to the mini fridge Inui was bought in order to keep his juice drinks preserved. His father highly approves of Inui's interest in health drinks (such as they are), and hopes his son will go into chemistry, or pharmaceuticals as an off-shoot of these experiments.

Fuji always wears loose shorts to jog in; fortunately this means that smalls pots can be placed in the pockets and be unnoticable. He monitors everything he does thoroughly, knowing Inui will probably have leveled off the drink with so much air to spare in the bottle or jug it is stored in. He can only afford to snatch a small amount of each; diluting them too much can change the colour or the texture, he has discovered from watching Inui's experiments.

It only takes a little while, no longer than would be necessary to use the bathroom and collect a forgotten textbook. Fuji even accepts the offer of a snack, not wanting to seem like he's in a rush, and anyway, Oishi will keep Inui occupied for as long as possible.

Like Kawamura, he has developed a personality hard to say no to, because he never seems to ask for anything.

M.A. Fuji texts to Oishi's phone once he is a sensible distance away from Inui's house. Oishi meets him at home not long after.

-

Sometimes it feels like winning matches is to keep plans on track more than it is for the sake of winning. Oishi is glad he can rely on Fuji to always pop out a win, is glad when Fuji does not sit with himself and Eiji, but still offers to make ridiculous cocktail mixtures for Eiji to try. Eiji is always up for experimental drinks, as long as they aren't Inui's.

Which is why it is lucky he doesn't know they each contain a small sample of various Inui concoctions.

"There's one in there that can knock a person clean out." Fuji insists. "I know of a couple it is not, so we'll start with them. Don't want to have to make a disappearance too quickly."

-

Tezuka is the first to leave; he nearly always is, unless Kaidoh has an altered training menu to adjust to, and cannot return to Kawamura Sushi within a reasonable time. Oishi is glad Tezuka isn't there to see it when Eiji collapses onto the table, and silently thanks Fuji for the practice sessions in which he had to fake surprise and just the right amount of concern for Eiji.

And start a minor argument with Fuji.

"There's nothing in this place that's truly dangerous!" Fuji insists. "I used mostly fruit. Most of you watched me make my drinks. Perhaps he's just passed out from doing too much today. Maybe he hasn't eaten enough."

Oishi pretends to swallow his pride and admit Fuji might be right. Between them they insist they will get Eiji home, leaving a few team members behind, who would soon agree the celebration was over.

-

It lasts longer than Fuji had estimated, though he did cut off a good five minutes in order to make sure everything ran smoothly. As usual, no-one is home at his house, and nobody knows that it is where he and Oishi and have brought Eiji to recover. Supposedly.

When Eiji wakes up, he doesn't remember much. Fuji hands him a glass of water, which is all it is, he says smiling, and a pill he tells Eiji is a painkiller.

Eiji doesn't take a second look at it, just downs it and promptly becomes incapacitated again.

"S'ok if I watch?" Fuji asks, draping himself across his desk chair lazily as Oishi crawls onto his bed and straddles Eiji's waist.

"Whatever." Oishi replies, focusing on removing Eiji's shirt, and pretending it isn't ten times hotter to know Fuji's eyes are on his back.

-

title: Legion, Anachron.
fandom: Prince of Tennis
characters: Fuji, Tezuka. (They are involved at this point, but it's not mentioned here).
prompt: 2am
summary: Set with Tezuka in Germany. Abscence makes people do strange things, and Tezuka can't sleep.
notes: Originally written... a while ago. Reworked and finished 7/1/07. Title and lyrical inspiration care of VNV Nation ;) 1039 Words.

( +++++ )

Oh Fuji, I'm inserting you into my life, though I am decidedly minus a hot, stoic tennis captain, so you'll have to bring him with you ;) One-sided Fuji/Tachibana (I love to torture that boy), Fuji/Tezuka, Oishi/Eiji hints. Tachibana learns to drive and Fuji learns about peer pressure. 1860 Words.

( +++++ )

title: Iatronudia
characters: Fuji, Oishi, Tezuka. Vague Tezuka/Fuji towards the end. (And so much more in my head. And Fuji's. Cough).
summary: Fuji had been eight years old the first time he'd felt so ill the doctor had asked him to take off his shirt so that he could listen properly to his chest." A little risque by the way ;) 1745 Words.
inspiration: prompt table prompt #021: Iatronudia: The pretense of illness in order to be allowed to disrobe in front of a doctor.

( +++++ )

fandom: Prince Of Tennis
pairing(s)/character(s): Tezuka/Fuji, Yukimura, Yanagi, Oishi.
prompt: 014. these children-no-longer-children.
notes: Set during the Nationals at some point, before Seigaku play Rikkai (they just HAVE to play one another again, with their CAPTAINS this time). A meeting to discuss tennis-type-stuff. 1361 Words.

( +++++ )

title: Old-Fashioned Medicine
fandom: Prince of Tennis
pairing: Tezuka/Fuji
challenge: From

vacivity: Tezuka gets sick and Fuji torments him with weird home remedies.
notes: Sickfic! Featuring Inui also, 1190 words, and full of fun pronounciations ;)

( +++++ )

January Fluffy Relationships Challenge Masterlist

In order of completion:

-

title: (untitled)
fandom: Prince Of Tennis
pairing(s)/characters: Tezuka/Fuji, Sanada/Yukimura, Yanagi, Echizen, Tachibana, Kirihara.
prompt: "I never knew my journey began, And ended with you my friend, Softer than your butterfly kisses, And stronger than my desire, I wanna thank you my friend, For making me feel alive." - What You Like, Darren Hayes
wordcount: 5564 Words.
completed: 28/11/06 (Cyn's birthday of course ;) )

-

title: The Double Act
fandom: Prince Of Tennis
'pairing(s)': Atobe/Fuji, Tezuka/Atobe/Fuji
prompt: Now my world is filled with so many things, But nothing compares to the touch of your skin - I Can't Ever Get Enough Of You, Darren Hayes
wordcount: 1878 Words
completed: 3/12/06

-

title: Accept and Endure and the sequel: Play and Be Played
fandom: Prince Of Tennis
pairing/characters: Pre-D1 (Niou/Yagyuu), Yukimura, the rest of Rikkai in general.
prompt: Vaguely inspired by VNV Nation's Beloved lyrics.
wordcount: 3357 words, and 2663 words.
completed: Both 5/12/06

-

fandom: Prince Of Tennis
pairing: Tezuka/Fuji
prompt: 013. Tomorrow is something we remember.
notes: Set just before Tezuka leaves for Germany. Spoilers for episodes 73 through 75. As well as events later revealed in 174 through 176. Wordcount: 1373 Words.

( +++++ )

Current Mood: accomplished

title: I had to be the good one.
characters/pairings: Fuji/Sanada, Fuji/Tezuka, Yukimura/Sanada.
summary: Set at the Junior Selection Camp. Fuji and Sanada without their captains.
wordcount: 1574
prompt: prompt table.

-

( +++++ )

title: Five shades of white.
fandom: Prince of Tennis
characters: Seigaku team, Tezuka, Fuji.
wordcount: 1293, but that includes definitions too.
notes/summary: Tezuka and Fuji debate the Singles 1 position and both luck out in different ways.

( +++++ )

Too long to fit into the

shutupanddoeet coments so I'll just link to it from here!

Kasabian Empire!Video!AU. Oh the angst. But hey if you've seen it, you know how it ends anyway! Beware of switching perspectives. 1,058 Words. And the prompts I used were:

Set 5: destruction, speed, gambling, map, antidote, energy, revenge
Set 19: armor, death, devotion, fish, soft, resist, enemy
Set 20: bloodlust, desert, dread, remedy, element
Set 23: protect, focus, track, concentration, silence

-

.Wasted Away.

Battle involved a lot of waiting around; they didn't tell you that. Tom was finding it out the hard way, and that way was living it. Though at least he could still say he was living, which was more than a few of his comrades could. Well, more than just a few. They wouldn't be saying anything ever again.

Death and destruction hadn't changed him, he liked to believe. He felt a little numb inside, but he was also bored, paranoid; watching, waiting. Always staring at people suspiciously. Looking at what they were doing, waiting to see what they might do. It wasn't really that he was changed, he was simply adjusting to his environment. It wasn't a permanent realignment.

No, if you wanted to talk about a change in personality at high speed, then you only had to look at Serge. He just wasn't the same man Tom had once known. He'd always liked his alcohol, but now he seemed to be drowning in it. Everytime Tom turned to peek at him (far more often that at any other man in rank), his hand was curled around the neck of a bottle and his lips weren't far from his antidote.

Other than it being readily available, Tom couldn't fathom Serge's problem. There was a war going on, and people were dying. The battlefield was like a desert most of the time, that was true, but you could feel the tension in the air. The energy, the bloodlust just waiting to be unleashed. Tom developed a habit of fidgeting often that he didn't even notice. He was constantly waiting to charge at the enemy.

-

Sergio lifted the bottle to his lips but no liquid touched. Staring down blankly at it, he realised it was empty; it couldn't be empty, not another one.

He never would have guessed before that he was anything less, but he had to admit, he was soft. War was not for him. ot that he wasn't ready to fight, and fight good and hard; he just hadn't realised there was a possibly you might die until now. Seeing cold, still bodies laid out in front of you bleeding at the mouth made you a different person. Knowing you were making the other side feel the same way just to prove a point and keep your own hide safe.

War had always been dates and maps at school. This happened here and people died but ultimately the good guys won. He didn't even know who the good guys were; he hoped it was the side he was on, not just because it meant a higher chance of him surviving, but because he didn't want to think he was following the wrong cause.

It was getting to be too much to think about, and his remedy was to drink and drink until he simply couldn't put thoughts together coherently anymore. Not the best method, but it worked for him, and there was a lack of other options around him.

Tom, meanwhile, seemed to be gambling with death. It was like the more people who he saw laying there dead, the more he began to believe he was invicible or something. He stopped wearing anything resembling his bloody armour, ate his rations of fish and unidentifiable vegetables like it gave him super-human powers, and tried to lead everyone into battle when they had no sense of what the other side were planning. It was almost like he was planning his personal revenge.

He didn't even seem to see what he was doing, and though Serge spent most of his time now unable to talk, the few moments he found himself alone with Tom he couldn't make him understand. His devotion was unwavering.
-

They didn't see; none of them, no-one understood. Tom knew that it would only take one big victory and then they could go home and people would stop dying. Not completely, but not at his hands, and not at the hands of the enemy. If they just had the focus and concentration that he had; if they only listened to what was going on, and tried to track what the other side were doing. He was only trying to protect them all.

Serge didn't understand; in fact Tom would have been amazed if he'd been able to reply at all, the way he was soaking up the alcohol like a human sponge. If he could string two coherent words together anymore it would be a huge achievement. There were actually a good few things he couldn't do properly anymore, as they'd both come to find out. Tom's concentration was elsewhere, and Serge's mind was floating in beer, the silence had eased itself between them like an uninvited guest until they'd simply broken apart and Serge had left Tom alone in his tent. That he had come at all had surprised Tom, when he'd actually given it thought. He himself wouldn't have thought to approach Serge though, he was too concerned with adding a new element to his plan.

-

He was planning something; Serge could tell. He only looked through squinting eyes though, because it hurt to see it. A sense of dread was building in him, slowly but surely; worse than the idea of going to war, worse than the first night being on the battlefield, worse than seeing a stranger die at his feet. Tom wouldn't even respond to the most basic of human needs (and Serge knew he needed it as much as he did), and when he realised he'd lost Tom he'd become far too frightened to try. Perhaps if Tom ever stopped to think about it, he'd see it as a failing on Serge's part, but Serge knew something else had done this; he was already long gone.

Serge could only follow with a face drained of colour as Tom took wilder and crazier actions. Stripped off his jacket as though they might not recognise him as an enemy, offered himself as a hostage and pleaded peace and mercy. He'd left the drink well alone the night before, after he'd walked away from Tom, and would never have to make the decision he was dreading.

He was blown to pieces long before he would've had to resist chasing after Tom stood in front of the firing line. And ultimately losing the battle.

-

sour_kitty

2006-10-22 10:26 pm UTC
(link)

first of all let it be said ~~im crying~~ this is so beautiful and sad and totally builds on the premise of the video.

he just hadn't realised there was a possibly you might die until now

this sentence made my eyes go all o.o and then i kinda nodded because really apart from pretending to play armys and such when your little you dont realise that people die until you really think about it and see it on tv.

i love how you have them total opposites and slowly falling apart almost circling each other because their beliefs are so different yet their still in the same environment. and ok i know its in the video but the way that seems to search for more reasons to start fighting hes the last one standing at the end of it all

He was blown to pieces long before he would've had to resist chasing after Tom stood in front of the firing line. And ultimately losing the battle.

i want to sob at this line yo, it hurts omg *lip wibbles*

*memories liek woah*

(Reply to this)

truntles

2006-10-22 10:29 pm UTC
(link)

Okay, so I'm resisting highlighting all of it :P and will settle for just the last bit;

He was blown to pieces long before he would've had to resist chasing after Tom stood in front of the firing line. And ultimately losing the battle.

Because oh. It hurts but it's so goooooood and so.. wrapping everything up and puzzling it all together in two small sentences. Omg, I can't say enough good stuff about this, it's so omg.
And, like I said, I loved the way you described Tom and the way you had Serge see him. Omg I loved it. Loved it loved it loved it!

*feels all woe-in-a-good-way now*

(Reply to this)

Title: School Pride
Fandom: Daria
Characters: Daria, Jane, Quinn, Brittany, Kevin.
Challenge: Specific challenge; It has to be AU; and in the story, there has to be a scavenger hunt, where the following must be found: clock, glove, sign, and a flag. However, the story can not be specifically about a scavenger hunt; it must be written into the plot.
Notes: 1290 Words. I kind of like it :)

( +++++ )

( imagined you saw me )

Snow and Hot Chocolate [Seigaku Regulars gen, February 07 Drabble]

Growing Up [Prince of Tennis: Ryoma, Nanjiroh, Seigaku Regulars, February 07Drabble]

The Night Before the Morning After [Prince of Tennis, Tezuka/Fuji]

Discipline [Prince of Tennis: Kirihara, Sanada/Yukimura, February 07 Drabble]

Abridged, Part One [Prince of Tennis: Yanagi, Yukimura, Sanada, Inui]

This Night is Just For Us [Kushiel verse: Fuji/Sanada, Sanada/Tezuka, February 07 Drabble]

Five Glasses Changed My Mind [Oishi/Eiji, Fuji, February 07 Drabble]

Legion, Anachron [Prince of Tennis: Fuji, Tezuka]

Car-Pool [Prince of Tennis: Fuji/Tezuka, Oishi/Eiji, Tachibana]

Iatronudia [Prince of Tennis: Fuji, Oishi, Tezuka]

These Children-No-Longer-Children [Prince Of Tennis: Tezuka/Fuji, Yukimura, Yanagi, Oishi]

Old-Fashioned Medicine [Prince of Tennis: Tezuka/Fuji]

January Fluffy Relationships Challenge

Tomorrow is Something We Remember [Prince Of Tennis: Tezuka/Fuji]

I Had to Be the Good One [Prince of Tennis: Fuji/Sanada, Fuji/Tezuka, Yukimura/Sanada]

Five Shades of White [Prince of Tennis: Seigaku team, Tezuka, Fuji]

Wasted Away [Kasabian, shutupanddoeet fic]

School Pride [Daria; Daria, Jane, Quinn, Brittany, Kevin]

Profile

December 2020

Syndicate

Most Popular Tags

Page Summary

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags