Title: Buchou Gets Careless
Rating: PG
Characters: Tezuka, Echizen, Sanada, Atobe, Kirihara
Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Prince of Tennis franchise and I am not making any money from this fic.
Summary: One day, buchou gets careless.
A/N: AU only because no one said it didn't happen (even though it could have).
nimori, I really hope this hits the spot.
"So, one day, buchou gets careless." This is how Echizen starts the story.
Sanada starts it (growling): "He could have died."
Atobe starts it: "Another time ore-sama selflessly offered assistance to his friend..." and everybody rolls their eyes.
But Tezuka starts it with an I'm-disappointed-in-myself sigh and "I got careless."
"See?" says Echizen, "What did I tell you?"
*~*~*~*~*~*
Dear Yukimura-buchou,
I know I already wrote you a letter this morning when we got here, but you'll never guess what happened today after practice! Tezuka from Seigaku showed up as a coach! Isn't he supposed to be in Germany getting his arm fixed up? Anyway, I gotta tell you what happened, and I gotta tell you before you hear the story from everyone else, because this is how it really happened. Tezuka took Echizen, Atobe and Sanada-sempai up the mountain to give them special elite training, but he forgot to invite me. All of them forgot to invite me.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"All we had planned to do was hike up the mountain to cool down after practice," says Tezuka, settling down to the story in the rec room late that night after their return to camp. "So we started up the mountain. I had a thought we could go visit the temple at the top of the path, rest for a bit, then come back down."
Sanada swipes a tuna roll from the giant sushi platter in front of him. "So I asked him, should you really be doing this with your arm?"
Echizen says, "And then Tezuka said 'I'm not planning on walking on it.'"
Everyone in the rec room giggles.
Sanada follows with, "And then Echizen said 'Ooh, buchou's grumpy.'" He glares at Echizen.
Atobe sniggers.
"And then I said, and I'm saying now, 'do you want laps?'" Tezuka might be frowning, but it could also be that he's chewing a cucumber maki roll.
"No, Tezuka."
"We'll let you finish the story."
"Sorry for interrupting, buchou."
Tezuka looks around. "So, Ryoma looks up the path. It's steep. Really steep. So he apologizes for annoying me." he glares at Echizen.
"Che, I really was sorry." Echizen sulks.
"Ore-sama sees you smirking."
"That's shame, monkey king," says Echizen, chewing. "Or it could be the eel. Besides, Sanada's the one smirking."
Sanada pulls the brim of his hat lower.
"Ahem! I'm continuing with the story now," says Tezuka.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"So, buchou, where does this path go?"
"There's an old temple at the top of the hill," says Tezuka.
"I didn't know you were religious."
"Atobe, it is appropriate to say thank you once in awhile."
Sanada chokes and begins to cough.
Tezuka's worked up enough to dip a corner of his lip into a frown. "Technically, I can give you all laps," he says, walking backward to glare at them.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Which, literally," continues Tezuka, "was my downfall."
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Oh, crap! Buchou!"
"Tezuka! Are you OK?" Atobe asks.
"...I'm fine." It's a faint, far-away voice that answers.
"Can you climb back up?" asks Sanada. All of them peer through the vegetation but it's too dark in the ravine to see anything.
"...I'm fine."
"You're not moving."
"I know. ...Lovely view."
Echizen, Atobe and Sanada stare at each other in dismay.
"Ore-sama is calling his personal rescue squad." Atobe pulls out his phone.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Then get this, buchou. Atobe flies in his personal elite training squad on his helicopter, and they land on top of the mountain with all sorts of special training gear!
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Keep up your fighting spirit!" Sanada barks into the vegetation.
"Buchou, don't get careless again."
"Echizen, are you crying?"
"Oh, dear," from the ravine.
"Buchou, I'm not crying," says Echizen, giving a mighty sniff.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"And I wasn't," says Ryoma.
"Oh, yes, you were," says Sanada. "Like a baby."
"I caught it on camera," Atobe holds up his phone. "It's my screensaver."
"Che. It's too small to see, anyway. How do you know?"
"Ore-sama has satellite back-up footage."
*~*~*~*~*~*
So they set up this mini training camp in a hidden area and videotaped their training where no one could see them.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"My personal physician is coming in the helicopter," Atobe projects into the ravine. "He wants to know what hurts."
"Nothing. It's just a scratch."
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Buchou, we were worried about you."
"I know. But Junior Senbatsu isn't about me. It's about preparing all of you for Nationals. It wouldn't have been proper to let that focus change."
"Buchou, admit it. You just didn't want us to worry."
*~*~*~*~*~*
But Yukimura-buchou, here's the really rotten part, even worse than forgetting to invite me. After they were done practicing, Atobe took them all to sushi dinner in Tokyo in his helicopter!
*~*~*~*~*~*
Thirty minutes into the helicopter ride Tezuka strong-arms the doctor with firm, respectful language, into letting him sit up. He breathes a sigh of relief, crosses his legs, and asks for a cup of tea.
"There's nothing wrong with you!" Atobe crosses his arms and glares.
"I told you, it was only a scratch."
"You should have climbed out on your own!" barks Sanada.
"I still must take care of my arm. Climbing back up wasn't a good enough reason to sacrifice it, not with other options available." Tezuka turns to Atobe, bows, and says, "Thank you."
"What are friends for?" says Atobe.
"What are rich friends for?" Sanada grumbles.
Echizen stops staring at Tezuka and swings his racquet. "I'd rather have rivals."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Anyway, I was kinda hoping when Tezuka showed up that you'd be showing up, too. But you'll be back with us really soon anyway, won't you? I hope so, anyway, because Sanada's a real hardass but not in the good way like you, buchou. You would never forget to bring me to special elite training.
*~*~*~*~*~*
"Echizen," says Tezuka, stepping back into the hospital waiting room with a tube of antiseptic ointment in his hand, "where are Atobe and Sanada?"
"They're getting the helicopter ready to take us back."
"Why didn't you go with them?"
"I didn't want you to be by yourself."
"Thank you, Echizen."
"It's nothing, buchou."
"Perhaps we should stop at Kawamura's and pick up sushi for Atobe as a thank you.
Echizen rolls his eyes. "Buchou, how old are you?"
*~*~*~*~*~*
At least they brought back sushi for all of us. I'd better get back and thank them. Take care and I'll report more about Junior Senbatsu tomorrow.
Your friend,
Akaya
*~*~*~*~*~*
"So that's the story," says Tezuka, delicately picking up the last of the salmon roe.
"Where's Kirihara?" asks Sanada. "He was here just a minute ago."
"He had to go write a letter."
Sanada rolls his eyes. "Thank you for the sushi, Tezuka. I'd better go see what kind of stories he's telling Yukimura."
"Good luck with that," says Echizen.
"Shut up, brat."
"Yes, ore-sama thanks you as well," says Atobe, glaring. "See? I know how to do it."
"Buchou, are you blushing?"
The crowd is mostly disbursed before Tezuka pulls himself together (and before Echizen stops snickering).
When the last person is gone, Echizen drags Tezuka out of the rec room to the nearest court.
"The sushi was nice, buchou, but here's how you really say thank you." Echizen hands Tezuka his spare racquet. "Rough or smooth?"
-fin-