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Practice at Rikkai was never what anyone would call normal. With eight boys who all had some of the most powerful moves in the junior high tennis world, along with the egos to match - not to mention the Petenshi - it
was always a matter of time until the ticking time bomb went off. Most of the time that meant the baby of the team, Akaya, losing his temper and hitting something or kicking something - or someone. The team would never forget the day that Akaya missed the tennis net pole he was aiming at and kicked Sanada in the knee. To his credit, the fukubuchou held his temper and only made Akaya run five hundred laps with ankle weights on. The team, Akaya included, all agreed that it could have been a lot worse. But no one was sure who to blame when they showed up the next day and found a picture of Sanada painted on the pole Akaya had been aiming at in the first place with kick me written under it. Niou swore it wasn't him, that he had been with his boyfriend all night. Heads turned to look at Yagyuu, who was disturbed that his team thought he was dating his doubles partner. That was when they realized they had no idea who, if anyone, Niou was dating. Yukimura was seeing Shiraishi, Sanada thought the very idea of dating was foolish and refused to consider it, Marui was too busy trying out new cake ideas, Jackal was straight, Yanagi wasn't over Inui and Akaya was just clueless. Yanagi's eyes had cracked open and met Yukimura's in the group, easily reading the message to find out who, if anyone, Niou was dating.
It should have been easy. A little spy work, some data gathering and Yanagi would have an answer for his best friend. But it was Niou they were talking about and he managed to avoid every single trick that Yanagi put in place, from the cameras in his bedroom to the small group following him shopping one day after practice. Really, if Yanagi had wanted to figure it out, he should have left Akaya at the court with Sanada rather than bringing him along. Niou had heard them coming a mile off.
So the question went unanswered. It rather bothered Yukimura because he liked to know everything about each of his regulars - he claimed it was so he could train them better, but they all knew it was really because he was noisy and wanted blackmail information on each of them. Even though Yukimura had yet to actually blackmail any of his team, his blue eyes and glare of doom usually being enough to keep them in line, the team was convinced he had a notebook of all their dark secrets somewhere at his house and was only waiting for the right moment to bring out the information. They all believed he was sadistic enough to do it, too.
On the courts, Yukimura was the undisputed ruler. He stood by the bench for most of practice, eyes combing each game for flaws and mistakes that he could throw back at his players to both make them feel bad and determined to improve. If he felt like really hurting them, he'd play a match against them, secretly enjoying the tears that were the ultimate outcome from the game. There was just something satisfying about seeing his players on their back at his feet. It warmed Yukimura's heart.
It was on a summer morning that practice was going on, Yukimura watching from his normal place with his jacket blowing softly in the breeze, when he became aware of a gaze on him. Yukimura turned just in time to hear the snap and inevitable words, "be awed at Ore-sama's presence."
He bit back a sigh. "Atobe, to what do we owe this rather dubious honor?" Yukimura asked with a sweet smile on his face.
"Ore-sama is here to meet his boyfriend," Atobe replied. "And he would appreciate it if you did not keep him waiting."
"You do realize we have another three hours of practice, right?" Yukimura asked, choosing to ignore, for the moment, the line about a boyfriend. "I'm afraid you'll just have to come back later."
"Ore-sama will sit here and wait," Atobe replied. And in a flash there was a soft folding chair, sun umbrella and small table set up with a pitcher of lemonade, a glass and book on it.
"Atobe, you're distracting my players," Yukimura said. "And these are my courts. Go away."
Atobe looked up as he slid on his sunglasses. "That's hardly the way to speak to Ore-sama, Yukimura," he said. "You should be honored that Ore-sama would choose to visit your rather drab and pathetic courts."
"What did I do to deserve this?" Yukimura asked in a soft voice. "Sanada, get over here and deal with this."
Sanada, who had been playing a match with Yanagi, glanced over and narrowed his eyes. "Atobe, what are you doing here?" he demanded stalking over. "Go back to Hyotei now or I'll make you have to wear make-up for a week."
"Such violence," Atobe sighed. "It is clear that Ore-sama isn't wanted here. So if you could just give Ore-sama his boyfriend, we'll leave you alone to continue your dance lessons for the day."
Yukimura's hand shot out automatically and caught Akaya as the baby demon ran past, thinking only to beat in Atobe's head with his tennis racket for daring to call their practice dance lessons. "Not now, Akaya, you have to let some people be jerks," he said. "And Atobe takes lessons at it. Go back to your match against Jackal, please, and leave this to Sanada and me."
"Oi, buchou, let me," Niou said as he walked past.
"Niou?"
The Petenshi sank down on Atobe's lap like he belonged there and wrapped his arms around the Hyotei buchou's neck. "You're really not making this easy, you know," he said softly. "I told you what time practice was over and it's not nice to come and make trouble for us because you're bored."
"Ore-sama does not get bored," Atobe said. He slipped an arm around Niou's waist and smiled up at the platinum haired boy. "Now, Peanut, why don't you finish up quickly so we can go and finish what we were doing last night?"
"Peanut!" Sanada choked.
Sea-green eyes turned on him. "You got a problem with that, Sanada?" Niou asked softly.
"Peanut," Sanada said again turning a faint shade of green.
"Niou, just go back to your game," Yukimura said. "After you run two hundred laps."
"Yeah, yeah," Niou sighed. He kissed Atobe's cheek and stood, setting off at a jog for the track.
Atobe glanced over at Yukimura. "Why on earth would you make Ore-sama's boyfriend run so many laps?"
"That's the amount anyone has to run for interrupting practice," Yukimura said. "So either you can join him, or you can play a match against me."
"Ore-sama doesn't run laps for anyone," Atobe said. "But the prospect of a match, even against someone as weak as you, Yukimura, sounds more interesting than this blasted book the school insists Ore-sama reads over the summer. Ore-sama will change."
"Hopefully into something human," Yukimura said softly. "Back to work, everyone. Yagyuu, stay warm so you can finish your match once your partner is back from his laps."
"Hai."
Yukimura wasn't sure what to think about the new development. He would have preferred for Niou to date anyone other than Atobe. And that nickname. No one from Rikkai should have to suffer the indignity of a cute nickname. He decided never to tell anyone exactly what Shiraishi called him most of the time. He would never live it down.
Atobe walked back onto the courts in an expensive tennis outfit carrying his racket. "You can serve, Yukimura. Ore-sama feels generous today."
"Good," Yukimura smiled. "Because I don't."
By the time Niou was back from running his laps, Atobe was unconscious on the courts and Yukimura was back by the bench watching his team practice. "Niou, you need to widen your step when you're running," Yukimura said. "Your form is horrible."
"Yeah, yeah," Niou replied. He pulled Atobe into the shade thrown by the umbrella so he wouldn't sunburn and went back to practice before he had to run more laps. Maybe the next time Oshitari went out of the country for summer break, Niou would tie Atobe up every morning before he left so his boyfriend wouldn't show up and make trouble at practice. He didn't want Yukimura or Sanada to kill Atobe, just maim him a little. It was good for the spoiled brat to have his ego bruised every once in a while.