Haruka's Fanfiction

*NOTE* Alternate Universe wherein I shamelessly borrowed/altered ideas from various media sources and even threw in some of my own. If anything is canon here, it’s probably an accident. Some chapters contain corporal punishment. Yaoi warning.

Earlier chapters can be found here.


Changechildren (Prince of Tennis)

Part 71

By Haruka (haruka@ymail.com)

--

Atsushi shivered, feeling the cold immediately after his arrival in Russia. He looked around for Youhei, but didn’t see him. He knew he had to be nearby, so he peered in the window of the closest store. He spotted the bright magenta hair right away and went inside.

When Youhei looked up from his halting conversation with the shopkeeper’s daughter, he glared daggers upon seeing Atsushi. “THERE you are!” He jumped up and started over. “You jerk! I’ll kill you for sending me here!”

Atsushi put up his hands. “Hold it, I’m not Ryoh, I’m Atsushi!”

Youhei hesitated, frowning. “Oh yeah,” he said grudgingly. “But that doesn’t get you off the hook! You’d have done the same thing if you could!”

“Hey, I came here to help you, do you mind not giving me a hard time?!”

“You haven’t BEGUN to have a hard time! Try getting stranded in a foreign country without warning, you --!”

The girl pushed her way in between the two boys. “Stop, stop!” she said in accented English and looked at Youhei. “You two are friends?”

“We know each other,” he replied, shooting another glare at the St. Rudolph player. “His brother is the one who got me here.”

“And he’s going to make sure you get back,” Atsushi told him. “But first I want to ask you not to tell anyone what happened.”

Youhei gave a short laugh, “HA! Why the hell should I protect you guys?!”

“Well, for one thing, if you want to get home, you need us.”

“You think you could get away with leaving me here?!”

Atsushi sighed and shook his head. “No, not forever. But come on, Youhei, Ryoh says you threatened us and that’s why he did it. Is that true?”

The Jyousei player folded his arms and pouted. “I suppose so, but I probably wouldn’t have done it.”

“Ryoh didn’t know that. You both acted rashly, so how about we get us home and call it even?”

“How about you get us home and I’ll THINK about it,” Youhei told him in a tone that said he’d conceded as much as he would for the time being.

“Okay, okay. Let’s go outside.” Atsushi went out first while Youhei thanked the girl and her father before following him. He then used his power to Summon Ryoh to them.

His twin appeared in front of him, and after a moment’s recognition, Ryoh looked uneasily at Youhei. “Sorry about all this.”

“You should be!” Youhei snapped. “I was scared to death!”

“I was, too, when you said you’d turn off our senses!”

“Guys, knock it off,” Atsushi said. “Ryoh, there’s no reason for us to hang around being gawked at by the locals – can you please Banish Youhei and I back home now?”

Ryoh noticed a man and a girl watching them through the store window, and a couple of other people walking down the other side of the street who were staring at them. Whether it was because they’d seen him ‘appear’ or if it was Youhei’s weird hair that drew their attention, he didn’t know. But Atsushi was right. “Okay, I’ll send you,” he said and looked at Youhei. “I don’t suppose it would help to beg you not to tell the adults about this?”

“Your brother already asked me,” Youhei retorted. “I’ll decide later. I’m telling Kouhei, though, and he might just go and tell them himself.”

The Kisarazus exchanged a resigned glance. They didn’t really have much choice in the matter. “All right,” Ryoh said tiredly. He gestured toward his twin and Youhei and the two of them disappeared from sight, eliciting gasps from the onlookers. He hoped it wouldn’t take long for Atsushi to Summon him home, so he wouldn’t have to try and explain anything.

--

“Kouhei, I’m sure he’s okay,” Terry said, trying to soothe the frightened blue-haired boy in his arms. Truthfully, Terry wasn’t at ALL sure about Youhei’s safety. The fact that his twin couldn’t reach him telepathically was especially worrisome. They’d searched the mansion and its grounds thoroughly with no luck. He looked over at Tom and saw his brother shared his fears. “Maybe, though,” Terry added, “it’s time we told your parents he’s missing.”

Kouhei nodded and sniffed. “We’d better do that. Who knows where he could be or what’s happening to him?”

“KOUHEI!”

He turned at the sudden familiar voice and saw Youhei running toward him.

“YOUHEI!” he cried happily and nearly tackled his twin, hugging him tightly. “We looked everywhere for you! I couldn’t reach you mentally, either! Where the heck WERE you?!”

Youhei glanced over his shoulder to where the Kisarazus were coming in behind him. “I’ll tell you later,” he said. “Right now, I’m just glad to be here.”

Kouhei didn’t press the issue, but he suspected there was something significant at work here.

“Kids, time for dinner!” came the call from the dining area.

“Not a moment too soon,” Youhei said, linking an arm with Kouhei and the other with Tom. He gave the Kisarazus another look that indicated this wasn’t over.

--

“This was a nice idea, Taka-san.”

Kawamura smiled bashfully, but he was pleased by Fuji’s approval. He had gone to Coach Ryuuzaki and asked if he and Fuji could skip dinner at the mansion so they could eat out – there was a new Italian place that sounded good. She gave permission, and he’d taken Fuji out for a great meal. Now they were back outside, heading for the bus stop, holding hands.

“It was a nice place,” he said, then grinned. “Just don’t tell my dad I was supporting the competition!”

Fuji laughed, then Kawamura saw it die off as his boyfriend’s expression changed. He followed his gaze to a couple of tough-looking college-age guys heading their way with trouble in their eyes. They stopped in front of them, blocking their path.

“Hey buddy,” one of them drawled, “that’s a pretty thing you’ve got on yer arm.” He leered at Fuji.

“REAL pretty.” The other reached out a hand to touch Fuji’s hair, but Kawamura moved in front of him.

“Please just let us pass. We’ll be late getting home.”

“Aw, don’t worry. We’ll make sure the pretty one gets home safe and sound,” one of them chuckled. “And more experienced!”

Fuji stiffened. “You know what you can do …?” he began, but Kawamura touched his shoulder.

“No, Fujiko, let me handle it.”

The smaller boy looked into his confident brown eyes and nodded. He had been about to use his power and Taka knew it, but what did he plan to do instead? Using HIS power could be fatal to these guys.

Kawamura had turned back to the bullies. “I’m asking again for you to let us pass.”

“I’ve got a better idea,” one of them said, then swung on Kawamura. In one fluid motion, he side-stepped the punch and caught his attacker’s arm, flipping him onto his back. The other one made a lunge for Fuji and Kawamura swung around, his foot making contact with the guy’s stomach and knocking him off his feet.

“Taka-san!” Fuji gasped.

“Come on!” Kawamura grabbed Fuji’s hand and together they ran for the bus that was coming.

Once they were settled in their seats, Fuji smiled at him. “I’d forgotten that you knew Karate. Thank you for saving me.”

Kawamura blushed and squeezed Fuji’s hand. “Anytime.”

Fuji moved closer and Kawamura put an arm around him. Seigaku’s tensai nestled against him with a contented sigh that made Kawamura beam with pride.

--

Atsushi and Ryoh were in their room after dinner when the Tanaka twins came in. “We need to talk,” Kouhei said.

“Okay,” Ryoh answered, watching them carefully. “What do you want to say?”

Youhei snorted. “There’s a LOT I want to say, but it might take me all night, so I’ll keep it short. We’ve decided not to tell the adults what you did.”

The Kisarazus exchanged a quick look. “Not that I’m not grateful,” Ryoh began, “but I’m sure there must be a reason behind this decision.”

“I’ll bet I know,” Atsushi remarked. “They’d have to tell them how Youhei threatened you, too.”

Kouhei shrugged. “Okay, you’re right. If we get you in trouble, then Youhei’s in trouble, too. That’s why we’re leaving the adults out of this.”

Ryoh narrowed his eyes suspiciously. “There’s something else you haven’t said yet.”

“Yep,” Youhei confirmed, giving him a direct look. “I didn’t tell the adults, but I DID tell Tom and Terry.”

“What?!” Atsushi gasped.

Kouhei smirked. “Why shouldn’t we? Youhei even told them about his threat – but said he probably wouldn’t have done it. And that’s true; he might not have. On the other hand, Ryoh DID Banish him to a whole other country where he doesn’t speak the language, didn’t have any money he could use, or have warm enough clothes. They were pretty horrified.”

“Nice work,” Ryoh said dryly. “You managed to kill our chances with them and gain sympathy for Youhei on top of it.”

“You never DID have a chance with them,” Youhei snapped. “They’re our boyfriends, and you can just stay out of it!”

The Tanakas left and the Kisarazus faced each other resignedly.

“So much for that idea.” Atsushi sighed. “I really liked Terry, too.”

“I’m sorry, it was my fault,” Ryoh told him miserably. “They shouldn’t have included you in this, anyway, just because _I_ did something stupid.”

“Well, you know what they say.” Atsushi squeezed his twin’s shoulder. “There are other fish in the sea. “Terry may be beautiful, but he’s not the only pretty guy out there.”

Ryoh nodded, but deep down, he was still disappointed. He’d been very attracted to Tom. It looked like trying to steal someone else’s boyfriend wasn’t the best way to go, though. At least he wasn’t going to be punished for what he’d done to Youhei, and considered himself lucky for that.

--

Ritsu wandered into the living room of Shigure’s house, hair bound in a towel, robe tightly tied. Shigure looked up from his evening newspaper. “Good bath, Ritchan?”

“Yes, thank you.” Ritsu settled at the low table and sighed.

“Is something wrong?” Shigure inquired curiously.

“It’s just the date I had with Tarou earlier. It ended kind of badly.” Ritsu looked up quickly. “Not that _I_ did anything stupid – at least I don’t think so – but I guess a couple of the boys on Tarou’s team were spying on us, and he was very upset about it.”

“Well, it doesn’t seem like it’s anything that should adversely affect YOU,” Shigure said reassuringly and turned back to his paper. “Especially given the call you received while you were in the bath.”

“What?” Ritsu grabbed Shigure’s arm in a death-grip. “What call, Shigure-niisan?! Was it from Tarou?!”

“Yes, of course, please let go of my poor arm.”

The younger Souma obeyed and Shigure smiled mischievously.

“Sakaki-san said that he was sorry about how he behaved toward the end of your date, and he would like to invite you to spend tomorrow afternoon at the beach with him. Apparently, he has a house right by the water, and he thought you might enjoy a swim in the ocean.”

Ritsu looked delighted. “Oh, how wonderful!”

“Really?” Shigure raised an eyebrow. “Think about it, Ritchan, for there’s something he’s sure to discover about you if you go swimming together.” He leaned over and opened Ritsu’s robe, revealing a very male chest. “Remember?”

Ritsu gasped and snatched the robe back, pulling it closely around himself, eyes wide with horror. “What am I going to do?!” he wailed.

Shigure chuckled with delight. “Tell him the truth or learn how to stuff a bikini top!”

Ritsu wilted as his older cousin laughed. What WAS he going to do?

--

What am I going to do?

Akutsu Jin took a long drag on his cigarette and studied the slip of paper in his hand. It might be just the ticket for stirring up trouble for the other Changechildren and provide some much-needed entertainment for himself.

He’d been hearing things in some of the seedier areas of town – rumours of a couple of men who had been making inquiries. One of the names was familiar, and the questions they’d been asking gave Jin a pretty good idea of what they might want. And whom. He had the answers these guys needed, but to provide them would be a rotten thing to do – something no decent person would consider.

Fortunately, Jin never cared less about being decent. So that wasn’t really a factor here. The main thing was that while he really didn’t like any of those kids, he didn’t owe anything to these guys, either.

Well, he’d already called the number on the paper; he’d wait and see what happened.

He recognized the man as soon as he entered the club. He looked around and his gaze landed on Jin, who nodded. The man approached.

He was thin – his face almost gaunt. Squinty little eyes. Dressed like a businessman. There was a look about him, the same one he’d had the last time Jin had seen him. The one that screamed ‘sleezebag.’

“You called me?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Jin replied. “Don’t bother giving me your name; I already know it. Where’s your partner?”

“We’d rather not be seen together just yet,” the man said, looking Jin up and down. “What school are you with?”

“Yamabuki.”

The man scowled noticeably, then looked suspicious. “So why would you be willing to help us?”

Jin stubbed out his cigarette. “I haven’t decided if I am or not yet. It depends.”

“On what’s in it for you?”

“Not really. I don’t care about money, I can take that anytime I want. But I know you’re after some tennis players and there happens to be a few who screwed me over recently. Especially this one guy, Marui Bunta of Rikkaidai.”

The man shook his head. “He’s not on my list.”

“Then we’ve got nothing to talk about.” Jin got to his feet. The man grabbed his wrist.

“He care about his teammates? There’s a couple I’ve got my eye on, and losing them could be painful for him.”

Jin glared dangerously down to where the man held his wrist, then back into his eyes. “It’s gonna get painful for you if you don’t let go of me.”

The man proved he wasn’t an idiot by taking his hand back. “Sorry,” he said. “But you’re the first lead I’ve had.”

“That’s your problem. I’m not interested anymore.” Jin turned and left the club. People were so bloody stupid. He could have led the guy right to what he wanted but instead now he’d have to waste time hunting them down. Now that he was annoyed with the creep, it might serve him right if he warned the Changechildren and ruined their plans before they even got started.

Nah.

--

End of Part 71

(2007)

Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi.

This fic is not to be re-posted.