RP Log: Kikumaru Eiji & Oishi Syuichirou
Rating: PG
When: The previous week
Where: The cave infirmary
Summary: Oishi tries to keep his over-active, yet still unwell, doubles partner contained
The redhead’s eye blinked open as he stared into the room he lay in. Well, it wasn’t exactly a room but it was laid out like one. He didn’t know what else he could call it if not a room. His eyes darted around, taking in everything that lay around him. Eiji had done nothing but rest for the past few days at Oishi’s request but all this rest was starting to make him feel like he was going to melt into a big puddle of goo.
Eiji had to get out. He had to do something...anything. A soft sigh escaped past his lips as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. He had enough energy to get up yesterday but the look on Oishi’s face when he attempted to was more than enough to make him lay back down. That wouldn’t work again today. He’s decided that today was the day he would explore.
Taking a deep breath, a big smile crossed his face as he announced into the room. “RECHARGE COMPLETE!” With that his arms flew into the air in a really big stretch. Time to get these muscles working again.
Oishi was taking stock of his supplies and writing a list of items he’d either need to find on the island or request for the next airdrop. As the loud announcement, he turned to see his supposedly bed-ridden patient looking anything but bedridden.
“Eiji,” he remonstrated gently. “You’re not well yet. You can’t just spend two days in bed and expect to be back to normal. I’m glad you’re feeling better, but you’ll burn through that energy fast!”
“But, Oishi! I feel completely well already.” The red head frowned slightly at the thought of having to lay back down. He got up and wandered over to where his friend was standing. He peeked over Oishi’s shoulder to see what he was doing, a cheeky grin over his face. Eiji fought hard to hide the fact that he was still a bit tired, not from his body not having recovered but moreso from the nightmares he had been having non stop since he was found.
The red head had been fighting hard to hide those nightmares from Oishi however, and hoped he hadn’t really noticed. With that thought, Eiji took a step back from his friend and performed a tight one handed back flip, being very careful to not hit anything around him. “See? I’m perfectly fine!” He grinned at his friend innocently.
Oh good god! His carefully arrange infirmary was history. Perhaps Oishi should let Eiji go. He could move to the camp, spend time with Fuji ….. who probably wouldn’t watch him as carefully as Oishi resultinginEijibeingsweptouttoseaanddrowningAGAIN!
Oishi took a deep breath, leaning on his counter to steady himself. That wouldn’t happen. He wouldn’t let it happen.
“Can you sit on the table?” he asked Eiji. “Let’s see how you’re doing.” Hopefully the prospect of being let to run free to certain death would entice Eiji into another medical examination.
Eiji’s face brightened at Oishi’s request. Maybe he would let him go if he could prove on the table that he was back to being 100%. Well, Oishi knew how quickly Eiji could recover, after all he used to let him do that in a few rounds of tennis if he played too hard at the beginning. He skipped and bounced onto the table.
Unfortunately, despite all the time they had spent together, the acrobat never really learned to be sensitive to Oishi’s small panic attacks. In fact, the time they had spent together had just resulted in Eiji getting used to it as a personality trait and something he thought was normal. While sitting on the table, the boy’s legs swung back and forth, fidgeting slightly.
The longer he sat there, the more fidgeting he did. The music playing in his head caused his body to bounce a bit to the beat. Maybe Eiji was a little too hyperactive. He could never really stay still for more than a few minutes at a time unless something really caught his interest. “So can I go and explore now?” He asked despite the medical examination not having even begun yet. All he had to do was show Oishi he was energetic enough, right?
Oishi shook his head, smiling as he turned back to his bobbling patient. Gently, he tapped Eiji’s knees, trying to discern the reflex motion from the bouncing that he knew his friend couldn’t help.
“Open,” he indicated that Eiji should open his mouth before pausing with the wooden tongue stick. “Don’t bite,” he added in a tone born of experience.
Eiji sulked at his friend for a moment as his plan was foiled before it had a change to take place. Before Oishi was able to move forward towards his mouth, the red head reached forward and gave his friend a big hug, laughing playfully as he did so before moving back and doing as he was told. He opened his mouth wide and in doing so ended up giving in to a yawn.
Second time lucky. He opened his mouth wide and stuck out his tongue, still bobbing to the song in his head. Now Eiji started humming the tune. It was a song that the crew had helped him write while he worked on the cruise ship. While doing his acrobatic performances, he had made really good friends with the band which performed after his act. A song he had written for Oishi but never got to show the other.
Oishi coloured faintly in pleasure as he was momentarily wrapped in an embrace, then the expression of concern reappeared as Eiji looked ready to fall asleep on the table. He put the wooden spatula on Eiji’s tongue to examine his throat and mouth, trying to focus through the beat of the song his patient was producing. It was rather good, if not entirely conducive to the medical exam.
Eiji was still dry. Both his mouth and skin were testimony to that fact. Oishi dropped the spatula in the trash and held up another bottle of hydrating solution. “Drink,” he instructed. “And back to bed! You’re still drier than the beach.”
More water...? And more bed...? The boy appeared completely heartbroken as he took the bottle from Oishi and held it up to his mouth, pretending to drink from it. He wasn’t thirsty, really...he’d done nothing by drink since he got here and really he was feeling fine. Eiji blew some bubbles into the bottle and held it back out like he was done. “I’m not thirsty, Oishi...I feel fine!”
He stared quietly at the other with a very sad expression on his face while his mind was formulating plans on how he was going to get past this. Maybe if he went to bed...Oishi would relax his guard. Or maybe...the other would go out on a break sometime soon. Something had to happen. The young acrobat refused to believe that he would run out of stamina so quickly when he had spent all that time on that cross trainer and that treadmill making sure it was up to scratch compared to everyone else on the team. Sleep...or no sleep.
Oishi sighed. He was running short of ways to make his energetic young friend stay in one place. Yet he knew that Eiji would collapse with exhaustion -- undoubtedly into the mouth of a never-before-seen swamp monster -- before he got 20 yards outside the infirmary entrance.
“Look,” Oishi picked up his laptop. “Why don’t we watch something for a bit and then if you still feel like going out afterwards....” I’ll come up with another distraction. “... then we’ll think about it.”
Well...he never did end up watching the end of that anime episode the other day before he fell asleep. Eiji’s eyes flicked towards the entrance of the infirmary for a moment before he nodded in agreement with Oishi, bouncing off the table and back to where he had stayed the past few days and dragging the other with him to watch some shows in the laptop. Maybe...maybe Oishi would get bored and Eiji would find his chance.
That being said...The red head was never really able to stay focused on one thing when another was dangled in his face. And...this new detective anime was very good. He fought off another yawn and stretched, trying to bring some energy back into his body. He just needed another twenty minute recharge. That was all.
It had been a tough few days. Oishi liked Eiji. No, that wasn’t right. Oishi adored Eiji who couldn’t do any serious wrong in his eyes, at least not for long. But trying to persuade the hyperactive redhead to rest anywhere close to what Oishi knew he needed to was like trying to compress coal into a diamond. Theoretically possible, practically impossible. Perhaps it was the strain from this that caused the suggestion to fall from Osihi’s lips.
“Hey, Eiji, why don’t we do some of the drills Tezuka suggests for warm-up?” He put aside the laptop and leaped to his feet, pulling the sleepy boy with him. “You know, press-ups, stretches, sit-ups... It’ll be a good start before you go out and Tezuka suggests you run laps of the island.”
They were all very good exercises in preparation for tennis practice. They were also exceedingly dull, as was the prospect of running laps. In another person, such a suggestion might have been considered mean.
Eiji's eyes snapped up as the suggestion landed on his ears and he was pulled back up onto his feet. Did he just hear that right? No way. Warm up drills? Do the boring part before tennis without the fun of tennis afterwards? And what did he do to deserve laps of the island? The boy almost panicked as he watched Oishi, wondering the idea behind this.
Although...being able to do things with his body would be a welcome change. And maybe...just maybe...a small twinkle appeared in the cat like expression Eiji now had spread all over his face. He flung his arms around Oishi in a big hug as if this kind of affection were able to convince his friend to do anything in the world. "Outside?" Once they were outside, surely then Eiji will be able to break out and do the exploring he wanted. The prospect of going outside pushed the thought of being tired completely out of his mind.
Outside?! Oh no, not good! Eiji would doubtless stretch himself straight into the jaws of a wandering flesh-eating wilderbeast. “Um...” Oishi hunted for ideas. “We can’t Eiji.... it’s too hot outside. It’s not save to stretch in the sun. When you’re warmed up, then we can go. Come on! Start jogging on the spot!” Oishi started up the brisk pace, hoping that Eiji’s body managed to get messages through to his enthusiastic brain that it couldn’t keep this up.
A slightly confused expression showed up on the his face a moment before Eiji started jogging to match his partner. They used to stretch outside all the time before matches so what was wrong with outside now? They used to play full tennis matches in the hot middle of the day sun. Every dozen or so steps, the boy moved one half of a step towards the side, inching his way towards then front entrance and hoping the other wouldn't notice.
“Okay, let’s stretch!” Eiji’s tactics weren’t lost on Oishi for a second. He motioned Eiji to the floor so he could help him stretch his back. Perhaps he could just sit there, leaning against his spine, and prevent the other boy from moving ever again.
Eiji dropped down onto the ground in the stretch position and waited for his friend to join him. "Oishi...but is is so boring. We could go for a jog around the island. That's a good warm up." he leaned back against his friend. Tipping his head so he could catch his friend in the corner of his eye. Instead of stretching, Eiji just leaned backwards against Oishi. Despite what they were doing, he was actually really enjoying the other's company at the moment.
"We're...still the Golden Pair, right?"
Oishi looked down at him, a mix of anxiety and tenderness in the gaze. “Eiji,” he said, sinking to the floor so that they were propped up against each other, back to back. “We will always be the Golden Pair.” He tilted his head back so that it lay on Eiji’s shoulder, closing his eyes. “Besides, you have to get well,” he added. “I couldn’t bear it if we lost to Shishido and Ohtori again.”
In response, Eiji's took a deep breath to remain calm. It wouldn't do to act strong for so long just to break down now. A tear fell and slid down his cheek before he quickly wiped it away and forced himself a laugh. The nightmares near death experiences aren't going to beat him, especially with his backup with him now. "No way...we wont lose to anyone ever again. I just have to ... Build my stamina back up." it was almost a shame that all of that work he did for the Nationals was lost on him now.
"I'm not going to be the weak link in long matches again..." He took another deep breath and this time the smile shifting over his features more naturally. He'll deal with those feelings later. "Ne...I have a match with Momo and Kamio apparently...will you doubles me?" He wondered idly if he'd still be able to keep up with the crazy speed freak.
Eiji had already agreed a match?!?! WHAT WAS HE THINKING? It would probably kill him! Or he’s be so tired at the end that he’d walk straight into the mouth of that wilderbeast and be chewed into pieces smaller than his band-aid! HOW COULD OISHI LET HIM DO THAT?
…. How could Oishi STOP him doing that?
Oishi turned his head in time to spot the wet line that ran over his friend’s cheek. “Eiji....” How could he convince him that it was going to be all right? That they might loose a few matches while Eiji was recovering but that then they’d be an invincible as ever? That he KNEW Eiji could do this as he had at Nationals. His hands moved back to intertwine with the ones behind him. “Like I could let you play without me!” he said. “Although.... we’re both going to have to borrow rackets ….. and I’m really going to have to get back into training.”
Another laugh in response although he was beginning to feel really tired now, the actions of the past few hours beginning to take their toll. He yawned once more. "That's okay. We can train together nya~" Eiij gave Oishi's fingers a gentle squeeze with his own. "We were Japan's number one so now we will be the world's number one!" Although a small island with Japanese tennis players who have all played each other before could barely count as the world.
"Oh...and I also have a doubles match with Ochibi...and Karupin." he laughed quietly. "I want to see if I can do that again." He referred to his ability to play one man doubles...when he was forced to due to his partner dropping from the game due to injury. He didn't know if he would have the energy to so it...but heck...he got this far by trying. He'll continue to go forward. Although...maybe he shouldn't have mentioned to Oishi what he had planned on.
“You challenged Echizen to a match?” Oishi didn’t have any more energy left to be shocked. Perhaps he could just wrap him up in bandages so he bounced when he fell. “I’ll watch that one and bring …. a stretcher … a water bottle.” Maybe Tezuka would distract Echizen and he would forget. Oishi sighed. Echizen never forgot about tennis matches. Medicals, drinking Inui’s concoctions, getting up in the morning; yes. Matches? No. Unless they were in the morning. “Play him early,” Oishi suggested and suppressed a small yawn himself. It was tiring work keeping an eye on once very bouncy boy.
“Ochibi challenged me to a match. Buchou did as well but he kept saying for when I was better.” Eyes closed as he remained where he was, not wanting to move anywhere for a while. “Sanyku...for everything, Oishi.” He whispered very softly, just under his breath, not really intending for the other to hear. From here on in...things can only become great.
When: The previous week
Where: The cave infirmary
Summary: Oishi tries to keep his over-active, yet still unwell, doubles partner contained
The redhead’s eye blinked open as he stared into the room he lay in. Well, it wasn’t exactly a room but it was laid out like one. He didn’t know what else he could call it if not a room. His eyes darted around, taking in everything that lay around him. Eiji had done nothing but rest for the past few days at Oishi’s request but all this rest was starting to make him feel like he was going to melt into a big puddle of goo.
Eiji had to get out. He had to do something...anything. A soft sigh escaped past his lips as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. He had enough energy to get up yesterday but the look on Oishi’s face when he attempted to was more than enough to make him lay back down. That wouldn’t work again today. He’s decided that today was the day he would explore.
Taking a deep breath, a big smile crossed his face as he announced into the room. “RECHARGE COMPLETE!” With that his arms flew into the air in a really big stretch. Time to get these muscles working again.
Oishi was taking stock of his supplies and writing a list of items he’d either need to find on the island or request for the next airdrop. As the loud announcement, he turned to see his supposedly bed-ridden patient looking anything but bedridden.
“Eiji,” he remonstrated gently. “You’re not well yet. You can’t just spend two days in bed and expect to be back to normal. I’m glad you’re feeling better, but you’ll burn through that energy fast!”
“But, Oishi! I feel completely well already.” The red head frowned slightly at the thought of having to lay back down. He got up and wandered over to where his friend was standing. He peeked over Oishi’s shoulder to see what he was doing, a cheeky grin over his face. Eiji fought hard to hide the fact that he was still a bit tired, not from his body not having recovered but moreso from the nightmares he had been having non stop since he was found.
The red head had been fighting hard to hide those nightmares from Oishi however, and hoped he hadn’t really noticed. With that thought, Eiji took a step back from his friend and performed a tight one handed back flip, being very careful to not hit anything around him. “See? I’m perfectly fine!” He grinned at his friend innocently.
Oh good god! His carefully arrange infirmary was history. Perhaps Oishi should let Eiji go. He could move to the camp, spend time with Fuji ….. who probably wouldn’t watch him as carefully as Oishi resultinginEijibeingsweptouttoseaanddrowningAGAIN!
Oishi took a deep breath, leaning on his counter to steady himself. That wouldn’t happen. He wouldn’t let it happen.
“Can you sit on the table?” he asked Eiji. “Let’s see how you’re doing.” Hopefully the prospect of being let to run free to certain death would entice Eiji into another medical examination.
Eiji’s face brightened at Oishi’s request. Maybe he would let him go if he could prove on the table that he was back to being 100%. Well, Oishi knew how quickly Eiji could recover, after all he used to let him do that in a few rounds of tennis if he played too hard at the beginning. He skipped and bounced onto the table.
Unfortunately, despite all the time they had spent together, the acrobat never really learned to be sensitive to Oishi’s small panic attacks. In fact, the time they had spent together had just resulted in Eiji getting used to it as a personality trait and something he thought was normal. While sitting on the table, the boy’s legs swung back and forth, fidgeting slightly.
The longer he sat there, the more fidgeting he did. The music playing in his head caused his body to bounce a bit to the beat. Maybe Eiji was a little too hyperactive. He could never really stay still for more than a few minutes at a time unless something really caught his interest. “So can I go and explore now?” He asked despite the medical examination not having even begun yet. All he had to do was show Oishi he was energetic enough, right?
Oishi shook his head, smiling as he turned back to his bobbling patient. Gently, he tapped Eiji’s knees, trying to discern the reflex motion from the bouncing that he knew his friend couldn’t help.
“Open,” he indicated that Eiji should open his mouth before pausing with the wooden tongue stick. “Don’t bite,” he added in a tone born of experience.
Eiji sulked at his friend for a moment as his plan was foiled before it had a change to take place. Before Oishi was able to move forward towards his mouth, the red head reached forward and gave his friend a big hug, laughing playfully as he did so before moving back and doing as he was told. He opened his mouth wide and in doing so ended up giving in to a yawn.
Second time lucky. He opened his mouth wide and stuck out his tongue, still bobbing to the song in his head. Now Eiji started humming the tune. It was a song that the crew had helped him write while he worked on the cruise ship. While doing his acrobatic performances, he had made really good friends with the band which performed after his act. A song he had written for Oishi but never got to show the other.
Oishi coloured faintly in pleasure as he was momentarily wrapped in an embrace, then the expression of concern reappeared as Eiji looked ready to fall asleep on the table. He put the wooden spatula on Eiji’s tongue to examine his throat and mouth, trying to focus through the beat of the song his patient was producing. It was rather good, if not entirely conducive to the medical exam.
Eiji was still dry. Both his mouth and skin were testimony to that fact. Oishi dropped the spatula in the trash and held up another bottle of hydrating solution. “Drink,” he instructed. “And back to bed! You’re still drier than the beach.”
More water...? And more bed...? The boy appeared completely heartbroken as he took the bottle from Oishi and held it up to his mouth, pretending to drink from it. He wasn’t thirsty, really...he’d done nothing by drink since he got here and really he was feeling fine. Eiji blew some bubbles into the bottle and held it back out like he was done. “I’m not thirsty, Oishi...I feel fine!”
He stared quietly at the other with a very sad expression on his face while his mind was formulating plans on how he was going to get past this. Maybe if he went to bed...Oishi would relax his guard. Or maybe...the other would go out on a break sometime soon. Something had to happen. The young acrobat refused to believe that he would run out of stamina so quickly when he had spent all that time on that cross trainer and that treadmill making sure it was up to scratch compared to everyone else on the team. Sleep...or no sleep.
Oishi sighed. He was running short of ways to make his energetic young friend stay in one place. Yet he knew that Eiji would collapse with exhaustion -- undoubtedly into the mouth of a never-before-seen swamp monster -- before he got 20 yards outside the infirmary entrance.
“Look,” Oishi picked up his laptop. “Why don’t we watch something for a bit and then if you still feel like going out afterwards....” I’ll come up with another distraction. “... then we’ll think about it.”
Well...he never did end up watching the end of that anime episode the other day before he fell asleep. Eiji’s eyes flicked towards the entrance of the infirmary for a moment before he nodded in agreement with Oishi, bouncing off the table and back to where he had stayed the past few days and dragging the other with him to watch some shows in the laptop. Maybe...maybe Oishi would get bored and Eiji would find his chance.
That being said...The red head was never really able to stay focused on one thing when another was dangled in his face. And...this new detective anime was very good. He fought off another yawn and stretched, trying to bring some energy back into his body. He just needed another twenty minute recharge. That was all.
It had been a tough few days. Oishi liked Eiji. No, that wasn’t right. Oishi adored Eiji who couldn’t do any serious wrong in his eyes, at least not for long. But trying to persuade the hyperactive redhead to rest anywhere close to what Oishi knew he needed to was like trying to compress coal into a diamond. Theoretically possible, practically impossible. Perhaps it was the strain from this that caused the suggestion to fall from Osihi’s lips.
“Hey, Eiji, why don’t we do some of the drills Tezuka suggests for warm-up?” He put aside the laptop and leaped to his feet, pulling the sleepy boy with him. “You know, press-ups, stretches, sit-ups... It’ll be a good start before you go out and Tezuka suggests you run laps of the island.”
They were all very good exercises in preparation for tennis practice. They were also exceedingly dull, as was the prospect of running laps. In another person, such a suggestion might have been considered mean.
Eiji's eyes snapped up as the suggestion landed on his ears and he was pulled back up onto his feet. Did he just hear that right? No way. Warm up drills? Do the boring part before tennis without the fun of tennis afterwards? And what did he do to deserve laps of the island? The boy almost panicked as he watched Oishi, wondering the idea behind this.
Although...being able to do things with his body would be a welcome change. And maybe...just maybe...a small twinkle appeared in the cat like expression Eiji now had spread all over his face. He flung his arms around Oishi in a big hug as if this kind of affection were able to convince his friend to do anything in the world. "Outside?" Once they were outside, surely then Eiji will be able to break out and do the exploring he wanted. The prospect of going outside pushed the thought of being tired completely out of his mind.
Outside?! Oh no, not good! Eiji would doubtless stretch himself straight into the jaws of a wandering flesh-eating wilderbeast. “Um...” Oishi hunted for ideas. “We can’t Eiji.... it’s too hot outside. It’s not save to stretch in the sun. When you’re warmed up, then we can go. Come on! Start jogging on the spot!” Oishi started up the brisk pace, hoping that Eiji’s body managed to get messages through to his enthusiastic brain that it couldn’t keep this up.
A slightly confused expression showed up on the his face a moment before Eiji started jogging to match his partner. They used to stretch outside all the time before matches so what was wrong with outside now? They used to play full tennis matches in the hot middle of the day sun. Every dozen or so steps, the boy moved one half of a step towards the side, inching his way towards then front entrance and hoping the other wouldn't notice.
“Okay, let’s stretch!” Eiji’s tactics weren’t lost on Oishi for a second. He motioned Eiji to the floor so he could help him stretch his back. Perhaps he could just sit there, leaning against his spine, and prevent the other boy from moving ever again.
Eiji dropped down onto the ground in the stretch position and waited for his friend to join him. "Oishi...but is is so boring. We could go for a jog around the island. That's a good warm up." he leaned back against his friend. Tipping his head so he could catch his friend in the corner of his eye. Instead of stretching, Eiji just leaned backwards against Oishi. Despite what they were doing, he was actually really enjoying the other's company at the moment.
"We're...still the Golden Pair, right?"
Oishi looked down at him, a mix of anxiety and tenderness in the gaze. “Eiji,” he said, sinking to the floor so that they were propped up against each other, back to back. “We will always be the Golden Pair.” He tilted his head back so that it lay on Eiji’s shoulder, closing his eyes. “Besides, you have to get well,” he added. “I couldn’t bear it if we lost to Shishido and Ohtori again.”
In response, Eiji's took a deep breath to remain calm. It wouldn't do to act strong for so long just to break down now. A tear fell and slid down his cheek before he quickly wiped it away and forced himself a laugh. The nightmares near death experiences aren't going to beat him, especially with his backup with him now. "No way...we wont lose to anyone ever again. I just have to ... Build my stamina back up." it was almost a shame that all of that work he did for the Nationals was lost on him now.
"I'm not going to be the weak link in long matches again..." He took another deep breath and this time the smile shifting over his features more naturally. He'll deal with those feelings later. "Ne...I have a match with Momo and Kamio apparently...will you doubles me?" He wondered idly if he'd still be able to keep up with the crazy speed freak.
Eiji had already agreed a match?!?! WHAT WAS HE THINKING? It would probably kill him! Or he’s be so tired at the end that he’d walk straight into the mouth of that wilderbeast and be chewed into pieces smaller than his band-aid! HOW COULD OISHI LET HIM DO THAT?
…. How could Oishi STOP him doing that?
Oishi turned his head in time to spot the wet line that ran over his friend’s cheek. “Eiji....” How could he convince him that it was going to be all right? That they might loose a few matches while Eiji was recovering but that then they’d be an invincible as ever? That he KNEW Eiji could do this as he had at Nationals. His hands moved back to intertwine with the ones behind him. “Like I could let you play without me!” he said. “Although.... we’re both going to have to borrow rackets ….. and I’m really going to have to get back into training.”
Another laugh in response although he was beginning to feel really tired now, the actions of the past few hours beginning to take their toll. He yawned once more. "That's okay. We can train together nya~" Eiij gave Oishi's fingers a gentle squeeze with his own. "We were Japan's number one so now we will be the world's number one!" Although a small island with Japanese tennis players who have all played each other before could barely count as the world.
"Oh...and I also have a doubles match with Ochibi...and Karupin." he laughed quietly. "I want to see if I can do that again." He referred to his ability to play one man doubles...when he was forced to due to his partner dropping from the game due to injury. He didn't know if he would have the energy to so it...but heck...he got this far by trying. He'll continue to go forward. Although...maybe he shouldn't have mentioned to Oishi what he had planned on.
“You challenged Echizen to a match?” Oishi didn’t have any more energy left to be shocked. Perhaps he could just wrap him up in bandages so he bounced when he fell. “I’ll watch that one and bring …. a stretcher … a water bottle.” Maybe Tezuka would distract Echizen and he would forget. Oishi sighed. Echizen never forgot about tennis matches. Medicals, drinking Inui’s concoctions, getting up in the morning; yes. Matches? No. Unless they were in the morning. “Play him early,” Oishi suggested and suppressed a small yawn himself. It was tiring work keeping an eye on once very bouncy boy.
“Ochibi challenged me to a match. Buchou did as well but he kept saying for when I was better.” Eyes closed as he remained where he was, not wanting to move anywhere for a while. “Sanyku...for everything, Oishi.” He whispered very softly, just under his breath, not really intending for the other to hear. From here on in...things can only become great.