hc_bingo; trust issues
Title: Ice Prince
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Prompt: Trust Issues
Medium: Fic
Wordcount: 1031
Rating: PG
Warnings: N/A
Summary: Maybe it was best that he parted with his team that way.
It hurt when they all laughed at him, pointing out his flaws, stating what they thought of him. Ryoma stayed hidden, waiting for his former team to leave, before coming out slowly, trying his best to keep his head held high.
He then walked in the opposite direction of his teammates, stating that he didn’t feel well, and that he just wanted to go home. No one had thought anything weird, and they continued on their merry way.
Ryoma didn’t want to think about it, and nearly jumped when a hand was placed on his shoulder. He turned to face the person who touched him, a deadpan expression on his face, and he was mildly shocked to see that it was the captain of Rikkaidai (the team they had just beaten.)
“Echizen-san, we were wondering if you were lost.” Yukimura didn’t add that his team had been observing the freshman walking around, looking confused and lost, for the past half hour. It was enough to make Akaya worried, and that was when Yukimura decided intervention was best.
“No.” Echizen stared back at Rikkai’s captain, daring him to make a move.
A one word answer, and that was all Yukimura needed. “I see. Would you like to join us?”
“I’d rather not.”
Yukimura considered ordering Echizen, but he decided to leave the boy alone. (For now.) “Very well. Good night, Echizen-san, and hopefully we can play a game again.”
And then a ghost of a smirk appeared. “Perhaps.”
Ryoma watched as Yukimura walked to his team, his teammates genuinely concerned, and he felt envious. His team didn’t care like that, and it had felt forced when they did ask if he was doing okay, if he was fine.
Ryoma realized that he wanted people that liked him for being him, not for being the “Samurai’s” son, not for his tennis skills.
He left the courts, and left Japan by the next morning.
Ryoma returned three years later, emotionally dead. He was enrolled into Rikkaidai High, where he nearly bumped into Kirihara.
He watched Kirihara’s expression change in the span of a few seconds, going from angered to confused to determined. Ryoma nearly argued when Kirihara grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the tennis courts, but he didn’t feel the need to.
He didn’t meet any of the team’s stares except Yukimura’s, daring the man to make his move.
“I would like to speak to you, Echizen-san. In private.”
Ryoma couldn’t help but feel that this wasn’t a request, but an order. Nonetheless, he obeyed it, and followed Yukimura into the locker room.
“So why have you returned after three years?”
Ryoma didn’t answer him; he didn’t want to give anything away.
“Why did you come to Rikkaidai?”
Ryoma still didn’t answer, but he had a feeling that Yukimura knew something.
“What did Seigaku do to you?”
Ryoma couldn’t hide the involuntary flinch in response to that team, and Yukimura noticed it. (Ryoma had no doubt that Yukimura was looking for a reaction.)
“I see.”
That statement was worse than Ryoma could ever imagine. He couldn’t help but think that Yukimura knew, and he didn’t want anyone to know how weak and pathetic he had been three years younger (when he was naïve, when he thought he could have actual friends.)
Yukimura then allowed Ryoma to leave, stating that he should join their tennis team.
Ryoma knew, however, that it was very unlikely.
(The idea of spending time with a team, to feel like he had people to depend on, only for it to be ripped out from underneath him, he couldn’t go through that again.)
However, he found himself looking over at the tennis courts longingly, and Ryoma hated that he still wanted to play the sport that hurt him. But it didn’t matter; he still found himself walking towards Rikkai’s courts, and Yukimura was already there to welcome him. (At least he didn’t look smug.)
He found himself by the seven tennis regulars, and Ryoma couldn’t help but think that the people near him were friendly. He pushed the thought away; he would observe and play with them, but he wouldn’t be close to them for longer than necessary.
Ryoma had first been paired with Marui, to see if he could be compatible because Marui was better at doubles than singles (not that he was incompetent at singles.) Without trust, or an instinct for doubles, Ryoma found that he was a horrible partner for Marui.
It was because of his inability to cooperate that forced Yanagi into doubles with Kirihara, and a small part of him felt a bit guilty for that, but Ryoma was also okay (not quite happy) that he would be playing Singles. A part of him noticed that the two were close, but he brushed it off as a normal doubles team thing that he wouldn't understand.
When he was allowed to play with Rikkai, officially, a month later, he encountered his former teammates, and the acute pain he used to feel somehow only was a dull ache. It terrified him, what the fading pain implied, but it also gave him the courage to do what was already happening.
It was that day that he finally opened up, a bit, about what had happened. Not enough that they would be able to use it against him mercilessly, but enough that they could understand that he was hurt, and he was happy, perhaps, that they were outraged for him, and he started to slowly open up to them. First, it was a small smile shown to Marui (Bunta, as he was told to call his friend), and then he started to laugh in their presence.
The ache was still there, and Ryoma had a sinking feeling that it would always be there, but it was easier to ignore, and he was able to talk and remain cold and civil to his former teammates when they met officially in the nationals. He was hoping that Rikkaidai would never do what Seigaku did to him.
(Years later, with a small smile as Bunta somehow managed to force him to dance, Ryoma knew that his worries had been for naught.)
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Prompt: Trust Issues
Medium: Fic
Wordcount: 1031
Rating: PG
Warnings: N/A
Summary: Maybe it was best that he parted with his team that way.
It hurt when they all laughed at him, pointing out his flaws, stating what they thought of him. Ryoma stayed hidden, waiting for his former team to leave, before coming out slowly, trying his best to keep his head held high.
He then walked in the opposite direction of his teammates, stating that he didn’t feel well, and that he just wanted to go home. No one had thought anything weird, and they continued on their merry way.
Ryoma didn’t want to think about it, and nearly jumped when a hand was placed on his shoulder. He turned to face the person who touched him, a deadpan expression on his face, and he was mildly shocked to see that it was the captain of Rikkaidai (the team they had just beaten.)
“Echizen-san, we were wondering if you were lost.” Yukimura didn’t add that his team had been observing the freshman walking around, looking confused and lost, for the past half hour. It was enough to make Akaya worried, and that was when Yukimura decided intervention was best.
“No.” Echizen stared back at Rikkai’s captain, daring him to make a move.
A one word answer, and that was all Yukimura needed. “I see. Would you like to join us?”
“I’d rather not.”
Yukimura considered ordering Echizen, but he decided to leave the boy alone. (For now.) “Very well. Good night, Echizen-san, and hopefully we can play a game again.”
And then a ghost of a smirk appeared. “Perhaps.”
Ryoma watched as Yukimura walked to his team, his teammates genuinely concerned, and he felt envious. His team didn’t care like that, and it had felt forced when they did ask if he was doing okay, if he was fine.
Ryoma realized that he wanted people that liked him for being him, not for being the “Samurai’s” son, not for his tennis skills.
He left the courts, and left Japan by the next morning.
Ryoma returned three years later, emotionally dead. He was enrolled into Rikkaidai High, where he nearly bumped into Kirihara.
He watched Kirihara’s expression change in the span of a few seconds, going from angered to confused to determined. Ryoma nearly argued when Kirihara grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the tennis courts, but he didn’t feel the need to.
He didn’t meet any of the team’s stares except Yukimura’s, daring the man to make his move.
“I would like to speak to you, Echizen-san. In private.”
Ryoma couldn’t help but feel that this wasn’t a request, but an order. Nonetheless, he obeyed it, and followed Yukimura into the locker room.
“So why have you returned after three years?”
Ryoma didn’t answer him; he didn’t want to give anything away.
“Why did you come to Rikkaidai?”
Ryoma still didn’t answer, but he had a feeling that Yukimura knew something.
“What did Seigaku do to you?”
Ryoma couldn’t hide the involuntary flinch in response to that team, and Yukimura noticed it. (Ryoma had no doubt that Yukimura was looking for a reaction.)
“I see.”
That statement was worse than Ryoma could ever imagine. He couldn’t help but think that Yukimura knew, and he didn’t want anyone to know how weak and pathetic he had been three years younger (when he was naïve, when he thought he could have actual friends.)
Yukimura then allowed Ryoma to leave, stating that he should join their tennis team.
Ryoma knew, however, that it was very unlikely.
(The idea of spending time with a team, to feel like he had people to depend on, only for it to be ripped out from underneath him, he couldn’t go through that again.)
However, he found himself looking over at the tennis courts longingly, and Ryoma hated that he still wanted to play the sport that hurt him. But it didn’t matter; he still found himself walking towards Rikkai’s courts, and Yukimura was already there to welcome him. (At least he didn’t look smug.)
He found himself by the seven tennis regulars, and Ryoma couldn’t help but think that the people near him were friendly. He pushed the thought away; he would observe and play with them, but he wouldn’t be close to them for longer than necessary.
Ryoma had first been paired with Marui, to see if he could be compatible because Marui was better at doubles than singles (not that he was incompetent at singles.) Without trust, or an instinct for doubles, Ryoma found that he was a horrible partner for Marui.
It was because of his inability to cooperate that forced Yanagi into doubles with Kirihara, and a small part of him felt a bit guilty for that, but Ryoma was also okay (not quite happy) that he would be playing Singles. A part of him noticed that the two were close, but he brushed it off as a normal doubles team thing that he wouldn't understand.
When he was allowed to play with Rikkai, officially, a month later, he encountered his former teammates, and the acute pain he used to feel somehow only was a dull ache. It terrified him, what the fading pain implied, but it also gave him the courage to do what was already happening.
It was that day that he finally opened up, a bit, about what had happened. Not enough that they would be able to use it against him mercilessly, but enough that they could understand that he was hurt, and he was happy, perhaps, that they were outraged for him, and he started to slowly open up to them. First, it was a small smile shown to Marui (Bunta, as he was told to call his friend), and then he started to laugh in their presence.
The ache was still there, and Ryoma had a sinking feeling that it would always be there, but it was easier to ignore, and he was able to talk and remain cold and civil to his former teammates when they met officially in the nationals. He was hoping that Rikkaidai would never do what Seigaku did to him.
(Years later, with a small smile as Bunta somehow managed to force him to dance, Ryoma knew that his worries had been for naught.)