(no subject)
Who: Tachibana Kippei and Tezuka Kunimitsu
What: Tachibana and Tezuka warm-up and have a conversation. O, ye of little faith. :P
When: Couple of days ago, post Kaidoh and Inui's ghostly excursion.
Where: The Courts
Rating: G
Comments: i love tachibana-mun. <3 TENNIS.
Tezuka rotated his shoulder, scuffing his foot on the service line as he waited for Tachibana. It was warm and he felt comfortable in his shorts and t-shirt, comfortable on court. He looked up and squinted across the net at Taachibana, still not used to the blonde on the other boy's head. Somehow he looked totally different from the captain he had met the year before, almost more wild than reserved.
Tachibana threw the ball up and served. They were just warming up, but Tachibana was starting to feel the thrill already. The stronger the opponent the more he loved playing tennis, and Tezuka was looking cool as ever.
The ball connected with the court with a satisfying smack and automatically Tezuka's muscles tensed in preparation for the return. Two steps to the right along the baseline, an easy backhand and the ball was sailing back over the net. Carefully, he adjusted his grip and waited, watching Tachibana. It was only warm-up, but he was never careless.
Tachibana's feet took him to the ball, and he returned it lightly, then returning to the center of the service line and watching the other with intense eyes, waiting. As much as he wanted to bring this to the real match immediately, he knew the importance of warming up first. And let it not be said that Tachibana Kippei lacked patience.
Tezuka pivoted to the left and swung, the motion turning his torso with the careful hit. He felt the ball leave the gut of his racquet all the way up to his shoulder and, as always, wanted to smile. Instead, he steadied himself on the flats of his feet and waited, racquet clenched in both hands.
The ball was a little heavier Tachibana noted and he let his lips move into a brief smile, but he was patient. His muscles didn't feel their best yet. He sent the ball away with a steady backhand.
Ten minutes later and a lob skidded out, making Tezuka frown at his own mistake. He paused for a moment, clenching and relaxing his grip on his racquet, the way his hand moulded around it familiar. He waved his free hand towards the bench where their tennis bags sat.
"Water?" He called, tucking his racquet under his arm.
"Sure," Tachibana called back and they met by the bench, each taking out their water bottles. The blonde boy rolled his shoulders noting with satisfaction that his muscles were quite loose now. Good. He felt exited as he let the water run down his throat with a long gulp. He knew not to drink too much at once.
Tezuka rolled his shoulder, careful always about his now old injuries. His arm felt fine at the moment: loose, waiting, exactly as it should be before a match with someone as strong as Tachibana. He lay his racquet down on the bench and flipped open the cap of his water bottle with a practiced flick of his thumb.
Tachibana happened to see someone just then for a short moment, someone with grey hair. If it was the person in question he had no further proof, but it brought someone to his mind. "I don't believe in ghosts." How random of him he thought, he had only been thinking about the forthcoming match with Tezuka just before.
Tezuka titled his water battles back against his lips and took a slow drink. He had heard about Atobe's ghost around campus, though he hadn't given it much attention. Hyotei's ex-captain was known for his theatrics, and sometimes it was difficult to take him seriously. He respected Atobe nonetheless, but he tended to save that for the court.
He lowered his water bottle. "Neither do I." He replied, closing the cap.
"There's no proof paranormal things exist," Tachibana continued. He'd been holding back saying it straight to Atobe's face, that he didn't believe him at all. "It's still a completely different thing to claim having seen a ghost, but to say that it looks like someone who clearly isn't a ghost... Isn't that a little too much?"
Tezuka picked up his racquet and sat down, balancing on his knees as he considered Tachibana's words. He spent a moment considering Atobe's post from a few days before before answering. "I suppose," he replied finally, tilting his head to look up at Tachibana. "Though if one genuinely believes that a ghost is following them about, they may jump to the first logical conclusion." He tried not to think about Tachibana looking like a ghost or vice versa.
"Yes, I think that's it." Tachibana leaned his head a little back as he drank again. Then he sat down next to Tezuka. "But the problem isn't just Atobe anymore. There's two other people who claim to have seen the ghost." Inui and Kaidoh. "This group hysteria is spreading. In a week we may have half of the camp seriously believing there's paranormal activity in the shrine."
Tezuka considered this, fingering the cap of his water bottle, He didn't like to think of his friends and old team-mates as sheep and he doubted neither Inui nor Kaidoh were the type to just jump on the so-called bandwagon and see Atobe's ghost. At the same time he couldn't bring himself to even consider the existence of the paranormal.
"There must be a logical explanation," he said finally, that being the only conclusion he could draw from it. He tilted his head slightly.
“I’m sure there is.” Tachibana leaned back his hands resting on his knees. The sun felt really nice on his cheeks. If it wasn’t so worrying that Shinji might be gullible enough to start believing in the ghost, he might not have been as seriously against this nonsense as he was now. Of course, there was nothing bad in believing in ghosts, like there was nothing bad in believing in Santa Claus or Easter Bunny, but this was getting out of hand. Everyone might start getting physically sick, like Atobe, just by going near the Shrine, and Shinji in his over-analytic way of thinking was in that danger zone. “And if everyone stopped believing it’s a ghost, we might be able to find that logical answer.”
Tezuka frowned. Tachibana was right, but how could they convince everyone there wasn't actually a ghost? How could they convince Atobe, being Atobe? The answer was obvious.
"Then find proof," he suggested, nodding his head in the direction of the shrine. "And perhaps everyone will remember ghosts don't actually exist."
"I'll do that." Tachibana turned his steady gaze to the Shrine as well. "But finding proof that something doesn't exist is harder than finding proof something exists. I go to the Shrine every morning, and I've never seen or felt or other vice sensed anything abnormal." He got up to his feet to prevent his muscles getting cold. He could always warm them up again, but having no need to do that would be better. Ever since they had shook hands in the district tournament a year back he had been waiting to face this person over the net - his famous patience was getting thin. Then again, only An knew how patient he really was.
Tezuka stood as well, rolling on the balls of his feet. "I hadn't seen anything the one time I'd been to the shrine," he agreed, scooping up his racquet. He thought for a moment, testing the tension of his strings with one calloused hand. "Traditionally, ghosts come out at night." He pointed out, studying the empty courts. For a tennis school there wasn't always much tennis being played. "Perhaps we should go together one night and wait for this so-called ghost."
“Perhaps,” Tachibana agreed nodding his head seriously. He also tested his racket, then exchanged it with the one in his tennis bag. It had better tension - one that was just right for his arm. “Tezuka, I’m sorry for bringing that up right now.”
Tezuka shook his head, lowering his racket to his side. "Don't worry about it," he replied, reaching into his pocket. He withdrew a ball, squeezed it once and then held it out to Tachibana, waiting. "Shall we play? There are no ghosts on the courts, I'm sure."
Tachibana held out the hand that did not hold a racket and accepted the show of friendship. “There’s no ghost anywhere.” He turned and long strides took him to the service line. It was now that he would enjoy playing seriously with Tezuka. His eyes didn’t leave the other for a second and he felt his pulse steadily quicken as he let out the Myoujou-aura, as if to tell Tezuka he was serious from the start.
What: Tachibana and Tezuka warm-up and have a conversation. O, ye of little faith. :P
When: Couple of days ago, post Kaidoh and Inui's ghostly excursion.
Where: The Courts
Rating: G
Comments: i love tachibana-mun. <3 TENNIS.
Tezuka rotated his shoulder, scuffing his foot on the service line as he waited for Tachibana. It was warm and he felt comfortable in his shorts and t-shirt, comfortable on court. He looked up and squinted across the net at Taachibana, still not used to the blonde on the other boy's head. Somehow he looked totally different from the captain he had met the year before, almost more wild than reserved.
Tachibana threw the ball up and served. They were just warming up, but Tachibana was starting to feel the thrill already. The stronger the opponent the more he loved playing tennis, and Tezuka was looking cool as ever.
The ball connected with the court with a satisfying smack and automatically Tezuka's muscles tensed in preparation for the return. Two steps to the right along the baseline, an easy backhand and the ball was sailing back over the net. Carefully, he adjusted his grip and waited, watching Tachibana. It was only warm-up, but he was never careless.
Tachibana's feet took him to the ball, and he returned it lightly, then returning to the center of the service line and watching the other with intense eyes, waiting. As much as he wanted to bring this to the real match immediately, he knew the importance of warming up first. And let it not be said that Tachibana Kippei lacked patience.
Tezuka pivoted to the left and swung, the motion turning his torso with the careful hit. He felt the ball leave the gut of his racquet all the way up to his shoulder and, as always, wanted to smile. Instead, he steadied himself on the flats of his feet and waited, racquet clenched in both hands.
The ball was a little heavier Tachibana noted and he let his lips move into a brief smile, but he was patient. His muscles didn't feel their best yet. He sent the ball away with a steady backhand.
Ten minutes later and a lob skidded out, making Tezuka frown at his own mistake. He paused for a moment, clenching and relaxing his grip on his racquet, the way his hand moulded around it familiar. He waved his free hand towards the bench where their tennis bags sat.
"Water?" He called, tucking his racquet under his arm.
"Sure," Tachibana called back and they met by the bench, each taking out their water bottles. The blonde boy rolled his shoulders noting with satisfaction that his muscles were quite loose now. Good. He felt exited as he let the water run down his throat with a long gulp. He knew not to drink too much at once.
Tezuka rolled his shoulder, careful always about his now old injuries. His arm felt fine at the moment: loose, waiting, exactly as it should be before a match with someone as strong as Tachibana. He lay his racquet down on the bench and flipped open the cap of his water bottle with a practiced flick of his thumb.
Tachibana happened to see someone just then for a short moment, someone with grey hair. If it was the person in question he had no further proof, but it brought someone to his mind. "I don't believe in ghosts." How random of him he thought, he had only been thinking about the forthcoming match with Tezuka just before.
Tezuka titled his water battles back against his lips and took a slow drink. He had heard about Atobe's ghost around campus, though he hadn't given it much attention. Hyotei's ex-captain was known for his theatrics, and sometimes it was difficult to take him seriously. He respected Atobe nonetheless, but he tended to save that for the court.
He lowered his water bottle. "Neither do I." He replied, closing the cap.
"There's no proof paranormal things exist," Tachibana continued. He'd been holding back saying it straight to Atobe's face, that he didn't believe him at all. "It's still a completely different thing to claim having seen a ghost, but to say that it looks like someone who clearly isn't a ghost... Isn't that a little too much?"
Tezuka picked up his racquet and sat down, balancing on his knees as he considered Tachibana's words. He spent a moment considering Atobe's post from a few days before before answering. "I suppose," he replied finally, tilting his head to look up at Tachibana. "Though if one genuinely believes that a ghost is following them about, they may jump to the first logical conclusion." He tried not to think about Tachibana looking like a ghost or vice versa.
"Yes, I think that's it." Tachibana leaned his head a little back as he drank again. Then he sat down next to Tezuka. "But the problem isn't just Atobe anymore. There's two other people who claim to have seen the ghost." Inui and Kaidoh. "This group hysteria is spreading. In a week we may have half of the camp seriously believing there's paranormal activity in the shrine."
Tezuka considered this, fingering the cap of his water bottle, He didn't like to think of his friends and old team-mates as sheep and he doubted neither Inui nor Kaidoh were the type to just jump on the so-called bandwagon and see Atobe's ghost. At the same time he couldn't bring himself to even consider the existence of the paranormal.
"There must be a logical explanation," he said finally, that being the only conclusion he could draw from it. He tilted his head slightly.
“I’m sure there is.” Tachibana leaned back his hands resting on his knees. The sun felt really nice on his cheeks. If it wasn’t so worrying that Shinji might be gullible enough to start believing in the ghost, he might not have been as seriously against this nonsense as he was now. Of course, there was nothing bad in believing in ghosts, like there was nothing bad in believing in Santa Claus or Easter Bunny, but this was getting out of hand. Everyone might start getting physically sick, like Atobe, just by going near the Shrine, and Shinji in his over-analytic way of thinking was in that danger zone. “And if everyone stopped believing it’s a ghost, we might be able to find that logical answer.”
Tezuka frowned. Tachibana was right, but how could they convince everyone there wasn't actually a ghost? How could they convince Atobe, being Atobe? The answer was obvious.
"Then find proof," he suggested, nodding his head in the direction of the shrine. "And perhaps everyone will remember ghosts don't actually exist."
"I'll do that." Tachibana turned his steady gaze to the Shrine as well. "But finding proof that something doesn't exist is harder than finding proof something exists. I go to the Shrine every morning, and I've never seen or felt or other vice sensed anything abnormal." He got up to his feet to prevent his muscles getting cold. He could always warm them up again, but having no need to do that would be better. Ever since they had shook hands in the district tournament a year back he had been waiting to face this person over the net - his famous patience was getting thin. Then again, only An knew how patient he really was.
Tezuka stood as well, rolling on the balls of his feet. "I hadn't seen anything the one time I'd been to the shrine," he agreed, scooping up his racquet. He thought for a moment, testing the tension of his strings with one calloused hand. "Traditionally, ghosts come out at night." He pointed out, studying the empty courts. For a tennis school there wasn't always much tennis being played. "Perhaps we should go together one night and wait for this so-called ghost."
“Perhaps,” Tachibana agreed nodding his head seriously. He also tested his racket, then exchanged it with the one in his tennis bag. It had better tension - one that was just right for his arm. “Tezuka, I’m sorry for bringing that up right now.”
Tezuka shook his head, lowering his racket to his side. "Don't worry about it," he replied, reaching into his pocket. He withdrew a ball, squeezed it once and then held it out to Tachibana, waiting. "Shall we play? There are no ghosts on the courts, I'm sure."
Tachibana held out the hand that did not hold a racket and accepted the show of friendship. “There’s no ghost anywhere.” He turned and long strides took him to the service line. It was now that he would enjoy playing seriously with Tezuka. His eyes didn’t leave the other for a second and he felt his pulse steadily quicken as he let out the Myoujou-aura, as if to tell Tezuka he was serious from the start.