Dear Future Husband Part 2 For the Community
Title: Dear Future Husband Part Two
Author: sagely_sea
Recipient: For the Community!
Pairing/Characters: Atobe/Tezuka, Hyoutei members
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis characters belong to Konomi
Summary: Finding your soulmate is amazing… Unless society says that you have to wait to be with them because you’re too young.
Notes: A mostly canon compliant fic in a world with soulmates. I really enjoyed writing this story and hope that the community likes it, too.
And a big thank you to my Beta <3
They finally had their match and in a way it had been everything and more that Atobe could have wanted. He felt more exhilarated than he had by any other match but at the same time the victory felt hollow and he was thoroughly unsatisfied with how things had played out. Most of all, whenever he looked over and saw Tezuka with an ice pack held to his shoulder he felt as if he was going to be sick.
He bent over further so the towel blocked more of his view and he could no longer see the Seigaku bench. He barely paid attention to how the next match went. He couldn’t find it in himself to care if Hyoutei won or loss. All he wanted was to find a way to talk to Tezuka. To reassure himself that he would be okay.
To reassure himself that Tezuka didn’t hate him.
Hyoutei lost. Some distant part of him was annoyed at the result. The rest was thankful it was just done. He went to the net for the final bow and stared at Tezuka’s face hoping to see something there.
Tezuka’s face was as stoic as usual but his eyes flickered to the side and when Atobe looked that way he saw the nearby change rooms and washrooms for the courts. He hoped he understood what Tezuka meant.
It was easy enough to tell his team that his driver was coming to get them and not get dragged along with them. Oshitari eyed him longer than was comfortable but even he was eventually dragged away when Shishido and Gakuto took an arm each complaining about being hungry and wanting to drag him to an okonomiyaki place to get his opinion on it. He didn’t know if it was just dumb luck or if they also suspected something was going on.
Either way, he was now free to make his way to the change room and did so. The door was locked but the built out wrap around wall provided enough privacy that they wouldn’t be easily seen by anyone passing by. But it also meant that he couldn’t see if Tezuka was coming. Perhaps he had misunderstood after all.
He had just pulled his phone from his bag when he heard someone approached. “Kunimitsu,” Atobe said.
“Keigo,” Tezuka answered in greeting.
They then stood there awkwardly as they stared at one another. The two of them had never really been alone together before. And while they had spent years writing to each other and hours upon hours talking on the phone it suddenly felt a little odd to be face to face without a tennis net between them and a crowd watching.
Finally, Atobe brought himself to ask what he’d been dreading since the match ended. “Will you be okay?”
Tezuka gave a small shrug and then grimaced slightly as it pulled on his shoulder. “I’ll visit the doctor later.”
“I shouldn’t have pushed so hard,” Atobe said a ball of guilt forming in his stomach.
“I was just as stubborn.”
Tezuka stepped closer and hesitantly raised a hand. After a pause, he brushed his fingers against Atobe’s cheek and tucked some of his hair behind his ear.
The touch was so unexpected that Atobe nearly jerked away from it. But it had also been nice. And as he looked at the hand he realized that Tezuka had taken off the wrist band he always wore and could see his name written as ornately as ever on Tezuka’s left wrist.
He wasn’t thinking. He just leaned in and pressed his lips against it.
This time it was Tezuka who jerked back and he drew in a shaky breath.
Atobe had just opened his mouth to apologize for overstepping when he found Tezuka’s lips upon his.
The kiss was messy and uncoordinated and Atobe was sure that noses and teeth were not supposed to bump against each other like that but that didn’t stop them and after a few stops and restarts they seemed to finally figure out how things should work well enough.
Tezuka eventually pulled away, panting for breath. His lips were wet and swollen and his hair was wonderfully tousled. Atobe hadn’t remembered running his hands through it but he must have to get that sort of affect.
Breathing heavy himself, it took a moment before he could speak and then he wished he hadn’t said anything at all. “I dream about you,” He admitted. The kiss had apparently short circuited his ability to avoid saying embarrassing things. But then again, if Tezuka had kissed him like that, maybe the confession wouldn’t be that awkward.
Tezuka blinked at him and then reached out to run fingers down Atobe’s arm. “Me, too.”
“You’re not offended?” Atobe asked.
“Of course not. We’re soulmates.”
And just like that, Atobe felt foolish for ever thinking it would be wrong or Tezuka would be bothered. Of course, there was still a chance that Tezuka wasn’t having quite the same type of dreams of himself but after that kiss, he had his doubts about that.
“That’s very true.” His eyes drifted again to his name on Tezuka’s wrist. “I wish you didn’t have to hide it.”
Tezuka glanced down at his wrist and then back at him. “It seems unfair that you can hide yours so easily.”
“I still can’t visit the onsen,” Atobe countered. At least not without a fair amount of makeup and hoping that it wouldn’t wash off.
“When we’re twenty, we can visit it together.”
Atobe smiled at the suggestion. “I’d like that.” He just wished that they didn’t have to wait nearly five years to do it.
“I should go.”
“Already?” Atobe asked and reached out to take Tezuka’s wrist, his thumb brushing against his own name. Tezuka eyes fluttered at the touch and he let out a breathy sigh before he shook his hand free of Atobe’s touch. Atobe would certainly have to remember to touch his name more often if it caused that type of reaction.
“I’m supposed to meet everyone for a celebration dinner. It was hard enough to convince Oishi that I really did have something to attend to and wasn’t just trying to escape attending.”
“Is that why you were late?”
“It wasn’t my intention to make you wait.”
“No. I understand. I’m just happy we were able to meet,” Atobe said. And then more shyly added on, “And kiss.”
“I rather enjoyed that, too.”
Atobe smiled as the very tips of Tezuka’s ears tinged pink. It felt nice to know he had that type of affect on his soulmate.
“Perhaps we can find time to do it again.” He knew there were rules and their parents were against them spending time together but surely they were clever enough to circumvent that.
“Until then, I look forward to your messages.” Tezuka pulled out his wristband from his bag as he spoke and slid it back over Atobe’s name.
“Of course. And Kunimitsu,” Atobe started but was cut off when Tezuka held up a hand.
“It’s alright,” Tezuka said. With that he gave Atobe a nod and headed off to wherever it was Seigaku was meeting.
Atobe let out a sigh and slumped back against the wall. The things that man did to him was ridiculous. He felt as if he’d just been on an emotional rollercoaster. And even if Tezuka had not held the match or injury against him and had done a remarkable job at relieving the ball of guilt from inside of him, he still wanted to help Tezuka get better.
He would go home and find some centers in Japan that were renowned for their physiotherapy and then make sure that Tezuka could attend the one of his choice without worry about costs.
Even if his parents didn’t approve of them spending time together, they would understand Atobe wanting to support Tezuka in his healing. Especially since he had played a hand in it.
That decided, and still feeling a little giddy from the kiss, Atobe called for his driver and then after a moment called Kabaji to tell him what had just happened, too.
----
When Atobe got news of the U-17 tournament and was invited along with rest of Hyoutei he knew without a doubt that Seigaku would have been, too. But what he wanted to know was if Tezuka would be going. Tezuka had played magnificently during the nationals even if his soulmate continued to be stubborn when it came to his health. But he worried the match with Sanada would require Tezuka to take time away from tennis again.
Tezuka had insisted he was fine. But he had insisted he was fine since the first year of junior high school when some idiot upperclassman had injured him. And if Tezuka ever gave him the name of those idiots, Atobe would see to it that they ended up in the most miserable of jobs for rest of eternity.
The real answer to how Tezuka’s elbow and shoulder were doing would be in his decision for the U-17.
Pulling out his phone Atobe debated calling Tezuka directly and then switched to Line to message him instead.
‘Are you free?’
‘Yes’ Came the almost instant reply from Tezuka. Did that mean Tezuka was about to message him already? Or was he on his phone for a different reason. It didn’t matter. He was going to call anyway.
“Tezuka speaking,” The strong masculine voice said over the phone and Atobe smiled at it as he relaxed back into his chair.
“Hello, Kunimitsu. Did you get the invitation the U-17 tournament?”
“Of course. All of Seigaku will be attending.”
“You included?” Atobe asked.
“I did say all, Keigo.”
“Then I look forward to seeing you there.” And he did. It would be the highlight of the camp. Closely followed by destroying everyone else on the courts and earning a position next to Tezuka on the team.
“I hear that we’ll be sharing rooms with others who qualify,” Tezuka said.
“Oh?” He hadn’t heard that. Normally he wasn’t a fan of sharing rooms. But if his roommate was a certain captain from Seigaku he would happily change his mind about it.
“Yes. Though I doubt we’ll have any say in who we’ll share with.”
But still, overnight, with Tezuka. Even if they weren’t in the same room, they’d be away from parents and could sneak off easily enough to spend some time together. He was hoping for more kisses but he’d happily settle for just training with the other man.
“Perhaps we’ll get lucky. I just hope the bathing facilities aren’t barbaric.” Atobe could handle public baths if he had to. But he always worried that the heavy duty makeup covering the small kanji would wear off and lead to awkward questions. Fortunately it was rather rude to stare at a fellow man’s privates so people would have to be looking quite closely to notice. He wondered what Tezuka did. Probably the same. It was easy enough, he supposed, to keep his wrist to his body to not let others see.
“Timing is key with shared facilities.”
“That’s quite true.” And then Atobe thought about sharing a hot bath with Tezuka and found he had to shift in his seat a little. It was really unwise to think about those sorts of things when talking to the man he was fantasizing about.
“I look forward to seeing you there.”
“Me, too. And I look forward to crushing everyone and being on the same team as you.”
“Yes… that would be nice.” There was a hesitation in Tezuka’s voice that Atobe didn’t like. But he didn’t know how to question it so let it slide for now. He was sure whatever it was that was bothering Tezuka he would tell him in his own time.
Besides, he had more pressing issues to deal with now that his pants were tented noticeably. He would have to handle that before dinner on the odd chance that one of his parents would be home for it. “I should go.”
“Alright. Have a good night, Keigo.”
“You, too.” He hung up before he could say anything incriminating and then set the phone down.
He then undid his pants and slid his hand inside letting his mind drift once more to just what fun he and Tezuka could get up to together while alone in a public bath.
-----
The U-17 training camp did not start quite how Atobe expected it to go. But he easily caught a tennis ball and finding out he’d be playing against Hiyoshi instead of with him was no cause for concern. He did suppose it was a quick way to eliminate half of the prospective candidates even if the method meant that they may be removing some stronger players because of it. Oh well, it was not his concern if Sanada failed to get past the first true elimination round. He was sure a strong team could be formed without him.
As his match wasn’t happening right away, Atobe moved to the bleachers to watch the first games. It took him a moment to realize that it wasn’t Kabaji’s usual presence beside him but Tezuka. He glanced around and spotted Kabaji standing off some ways and smiled at him. His friend certainly knew how to read a situation far more than anyone gave him credit for.
“I’m going to be leaving,” Tezuka said after a moment. His attention was still mostly focused on the matches happening on the court but Atobe could see Tezuka’s eyes flickering toward him. Following Tezuka’s lead, he looked mostly back at the courts, too.
“The camp? Are you still injured?” He asked.
“No. Japan.”
Atobe’s mind stumbled at that. Tezuka hadn’t mentioned anything previously about leaving Japan. Was this the reason for the hesitation about the camp? “When? Where?” He asked. He tried not to sound as shocked as he felt.
“Today. To Germany.”
“Then why come at all?” Atobe asked. It didn’t make sense to come all this way to audition for the U-17 just to leave at the end of the first day.
“To lead my team here…. And to see you,” Tezuka said the last part even more quietly than rest of their conversation had been.
“I see… Does anyone else know?” Atobe would hate to be the last to know.
“No. Though Oishi and Fuji may suspect something.” That helped to soothe Atobe. Tezuka was a private person and while he had not rushed to share this news with Atobe he had still told him before his other friends.
“Why Germany? Why now?”
“I’ve been in talks with some people there for a while. But the confirmation just came through that I’ve been accepted to train with them and work towards going pro.”
“Congratulations,” Atobe said honestly and then turned to look more at Tezuka. “How long will you be there for?”
“I’ll probably be there for all of high school. Training and playing in the junior league. I’ll have more options after that,” Tezuka explained. Atobe could see some regret in his eyes about being so far away but the passion and desire to follow his dreams burned brighter.
Atobe couldn’t hold the man’s dreams against him. Especially as his soulmate was good enough to accomplish those dreams. “I could visit you.”
Tezuka gave a small sigh and turned back to the matches. “You know our parents will find ways to stop those plans…”
“Maybe for visits… but I’ll find a way to go watch you play. They can’t deny me that much.”
“I’d like that.”
Atobe nodded. He felt a little like he’d been punched at finding out that Tezuka was leaving him behind. But the way the rules were and their parents adamant following of them, they didn’t see each other much as it was. And even in Germany, Tezuka could still write, message him and call. They may even be able to call more without Tezuka having to worry about his family overhearing him.
“You should have told me sooner. I could have helped you practice your German,” Atobe said.
“Are you going to force me to only message and call in German now?” Tezuka asked and the amusement in Tezuka’s voice made the pain in Atobe’s heart ease a little.
“I hardly forced you to write in English all those years. It was of your own accord,” Atobe pointed out. Though it had certainly helped the man improve his English more than the Japanese school system alone could have done if his teammates skill was any indication.
“...” Tezuka was adorable to Atobe when he didn’t know what to say.
“I’ll help you practice your German. I even promise not to laugh the first time you say something completely nonsensical and embarrassing to me.”
“Only the first time?” Tezuka asked.
Atobe just smiled and gave Tezuka no reassurances that he would be nice for any following mistakes. He couldn’t be too kind to the man after suddenly telling him he’d be leaving to Germany so soon.
----
“You’re on a gap year?” Tezuka asks as they sit across from each other at a cafe in Munich.
“Yes. It’s a British tradition. So I decided to take advantage of it,” Atobe explains to him. He hadn’t mentioned it in any of their letters or phone calls because he wanted to surprise Tezuka. Perhaps he had surprised him a bit too much.
“And you’ve come to visit me?”
“Only for a few days,” Atobe said hastily before Tezuka thought they could spend the whole year together or whatever else was going on in the man’s head. Tezuka’s pokerface improved every time he saw him and he really just wanted to spend the time getting to know Tezuka well enough to read it properly. But that would have to wait. He didn’t have that time to commit just yet.
“And your parents?”
“They think I’m with friends sunbathing in Greece. My friends will cover for me if anyone asks and I’ll be joining them when I’m done here so that copious amounts of photos can be taken to waylay any suspicion.”
“You’ve really thought this through,” Tezuka said and he seemed impressed.
“Of course. You’re worth the effort.”
“Perhaps I can fake a stomach ailment so we can make the most of our time.”
Clearly Tezuka was warming up to the idea and Atobe couldn’t help but smile. “I’d enjoy that. But only if it won’t compromise your playing. I already have my tickets booked to your first professional match.” And his parents even knew about that and approved of it in their own way. It was not at all odd for Atobe to show up to support a rival from his school days in a sport he was passionate about. His mother even said she’d come with him to watch Tezuka play in Wimbledon if he qualified. And Atobe knew he would.
“I’ll be fine. A short break might be good for me. Where are you staying?” Tezuka asked as he took a sip of his tea.
“Ah… about that…”
“I don’t think it wise,” Tezuka said before Atobe could even finish his sentence. Clearly he’d been too obvious about his plans.
“I’ve seen pictures of your apartment, Kunimitsu. I could sleep on the couch. It’d be fine.” Atobe couldn’t believe he was offering to sleep on anything but a bed or a luxurious futon but he long ago gave up trying to question the odd things he would do for the man across from him.
“I still don’t think it wise…” The tips of Tezuka’s ears were turning pink which told Atobe that Tezuka was definitely thinking something naughty that he was embarrassed of.
“We’re the age of majority here. There’s no reason for us to be apart. And if we get a little careless nobody is here to say anything.” Part of him rather hoped that they’d get more than a little careless while the other part worried what would happen if they did.
Being with Tezuka was a bit of a paradox. It felt so right and perfect and Atobe couldn’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else. But at the same time, since so much of their communication was long distance and they were always being watched by family or friends it felt odd and a little awkward to be alone. Though Atobe was sure those feelings would pass. And perhaps it was only awkward because of the sexual tension between them that he was sure was palatable to all those within a 100 yard radius of them.
“I honestly don’t know if I trust my control…. And our family expects better from us,” Tezuka finally admitted.
Atobe could understand. Whenever they had found even a moment alone in their rare meetings over the years, they would end up kissing and holding each other close. Only the possibility of being seen or someone needing them soon kept things from escalating. Alone in the privacy of Tezuka’s apartment would likely have them both naked before the tour of it was even done. And while they may not be breaking any laws in Germany as they were both over 18, Tezuka was right. It was still two more years before they were fully adults in the eyes of Japan and their parents.
Atobe sighed. He didn’t like it but he could understand. They’d made it this far. They could make it two more years. “Then I’ll book a room at a hotel near yours. And we can spend the days going to museums and all those little bookstores and cafes you keep telling me about.”
Tezuka gave a nod. “I think I can arrange that.”
“Excellent. I plan to make the most out of my gap year.”
“Does that mean you’ll come visit again?” Tezuka asked. And even if he hadn’t had plans to see Tezuka as often as possible, Atobe knew he would have made them in a heartbeat. Tezuka wanted to see him more and he was more than happy to agree to it.
They would have to be careful but Atobe would make it work.
-----
Atobe found that having a soulmate nearly his whole life was on occasion stressful and not being able to see his soulmate because of idiotic rules was annoying. But it had been useful on more than one occasion.
Being the only son of the Atobe family meant he got a lot of attention. Usually it was just people wanting to be a trusted friend or in his confidence. But at times, people had taken it further and insisted they were soulmates.
Really he never understood what they hoped to achieve by that. He would know soon enough that they were not soulmates if he could not find their name tattooed on him. Or did they hope to drug him and hope he didn’t noticed a new tattoo? Ridiculous all of it.
But no matter how convincing the con, he was always able to see through it because he knew exactly who his soulmate was already. Most were angry at being seen through so quickly and more than one had demanded how he had known. And why he hadn’t even checked for his own tattoo. He never gave them the satisfaction of answering.
The ones done in school of girls using their pens and markers to create fake tattoos and confess their love was one thing. But as he got older the cons became more elaborate and people would approach him with real tattoos of his name on their body.
Depending how they approached and who he was with at the time, he would give them the chance to go away and never approach him again, or he would take some sort of legal action or call the cops. Falsifying soulmates was a crime after all and who knew just how far these people would go to get a cut of the Atobe empire.
So as he prepared for his twentieth birthday, held conveniently several days after his real birthday, he had another reason to be thankful for Tezuka meeting him all of those years ago. And for being as patient and true as he had for all of that time. Because even now that Tezuka was a pro athlete and a celebrity in Japan there was never any news of him having a girlfriend or boyfriend or so much of a scandal of him being seen on a date.
There were of course rumours that made Atobe laugh with the ridiculousness of it all. Except of course for the ones that said that Tezuka was so focused on sport and not dating was because he either had a soulmate or only his soulmate would do. The gossip blogs seemed to find both notions romantic and would wax poetic on it for ages. Those that suspected he had a soulmate already would wonder where his name tattoo would be and when they’d meet the lucky girl.
Atobe hoped they weren’t disappointed to find it was a lucky boy instead and that Tezuka’s tattoo was right under their noses on Tezuka’s left wrist.
He remembered a newscaster once asking why Tezuka wore the watch on his left hand if he was left handed and Tezuka merely mentioned comfort.
But none of that mattered anymore. He was twenty now and so was Tezuka. He and Tezuka could be together legally anywhere in the world they wished. No more need for secrets or being kept apart. Of course he still had to finish school and Tezuka was busy flying around the world playing tournaments but that was different. They were apart by choice. And they could meet up whenever they wanted; Do whatever they wanted.
That thought in mind, he practically skipped down the stairs and toward the giant birthday bash that was being thrown in his honour in the ballroom.
Tezuka wasn’t here yet to escort him in but Tezuka had promised to come. He was flying directly from a tournament and couldn’t guarantee when he would be there just that he would. And that promise was good enough for him. He was used to waiting by now.
----
The formal speeches were done, the cake was cut and the official party was well under way. Atobe was currently taking a moment to himself to eat a little of the delicious food being served in the hall and talk to Kabaji.
“Keigo,” Kabaji said and then pointed across the hall where an opening was being made around the newest guest to arrive. Of course the man of his dreams would walk in when he was eating a piece of cake.
“Do I have icing on me?” Atobe asked hurriedly chewing and setting aside his plate.
Kabaji shook his head and then turned Atobe around so he was facing Tezuka again. The strong hands gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder before withdrawing. He nodded to himself and started walking.
Tezuka always carried himself with such poise and purpose and as he moved across the floor directly to him now was no different. People moved out of his way automatically and in mere seconds they were standing face to face.
Tezuka held out a small gift in his left hand to Atobe. “Happy birthday, Keigo,” Tezuka said.
As he took the present, he noticed that Tezuka wasn’t wearing a watch or anything else to cover the mark. He looked up and met his eyes. There was such warmth and desire in them that Atobe felt his breath catch for a moment. “Thank you,” He finally said. “Let me get you a drink. I’m sure you’re thirsty after your travels.”
“Thank you.” They walked over to the present table where Atobe gently placed the lavender wrapped one from Tezuka down onto it and then led him to a nearby waiter who had a tray of champagne he was serving. He took one for himself and gave Tezuka the other.
“I’m glad I made it on time,” Tezuka said as he took a small sip.
“With plenty of time to spare…. You look handsome,” Atobe said. Tezuka had worn a beautiful three piece suit that made him look sophisticated and handsome. Atobe knew without looking around the room that he wasn’t the only one appreciating the cut of the suit.
“So do you . The silver suits you,” Tezuka said.
“I’m glad you approve,” Atobe said. He had tried nearly every suit colour on in the shop before deciding on the silver. Oshitari had teased him about wanting to win the hearts of the nation on his birthday but really, it was only ever one heart he was thinking about.
Atobe spared a brief thought to wonder where Oshitari was in the hall and what he was thinking of the scene. He was sure Oshitari would be demanding the whole ‘romantic tale’ from Atobe the second the two of them were alone.
“Would you care to dance?” Tezuka asked as he set his now empty champagne glass down on a table. He then surprised Atobe by shrugging out of his jacket. He then watched curiously as Tezuka took out the cufflinks of his shirt and artfully rolled the sleeves up slightly.
Taking in the lack of tie for the first time, Atobe wondered if Tezuka had always planned to do this. With a tie on, the rolled sleeves may have looked a little foolish but without it, Tezuka looked relaxed and ready to dance.
Atobe’s eyes drifted to his name on Tezuka’s wrist now easily on display for all to see. He didn’t know what was in that box on the present table, but he doubted it could match the gift that Tezuka was giving him now. “I’d love to dance,” Atobe said once Tezuka’s sleeves were both rolled. He set his own half full champagne glass down and held a hand out for Tezuka to take.
Tezuka led them out to the dance area and it wasn’t long before people realized that Atobe wasn’t just dancing with the handsome professional tennis player. Tezuka made no attempt to hide the name on his wrist and in fact seemed to be showing it off even more with the way he was holding Atobe. It seemed that it wasn’t just Atobe who was impatient to announce to the world that he had a soulmate and his name was Tezuka Kunimitsu.
He smiled as he realized that by the end of the dance everyone here would finally know that he had a soulmate. And by the end of tomorrow he suspected the news would have spread further than he could imagine.
It felt so good to be able to hold each other and claim each other like this in public. Never again would they have to feel like they were sneaking around or steal moments of time together. He wondered if Tezuka would stop wearing wrist bands completely and then had another thought.
“Kunimitsu, if my name had been on your ass, would you have gone without pants?” Atobe asked and was rewarded with the lovely sound of Tezuka’s laugh.
“Maybe,” Tezuka said and held him tighter as the music played on.
---End---
Author: sagely_sea
Recipient: For the Community!
Pairing/Characters: Atobe/Tezuka, Hyoutei members
Rating: R
Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis characters belong to Konomi
Summary: Finding your soulmate is amazing… Unless society says that you have to wait to be with them because you’re too young.
Notes: A mostly canon compliant fic in a world with soulmates. I really enjoyed writing this story and hope that the community likes it, too.
And a big thank you to my Beta <3
They finally had their match and in a way it had been everything and more that Atobe could have wanted. He felt more exhilarated than he had by any other match but at the same time the victory felt hollow and he was thoroughly unsatisfied with how things had played out. Most of all, whenever he looked over and saw Tezuka with an ice pack held to his shoulder he felt as if he was going to be sick.
He bent over further so the towel blocked more of his view and he could no longer see the Seigaku bench. He barely paid attention to how the next match went. He couldn’t find it in himself to care if Hyoutei won or loss. All he wanted was to find a way to talk to Tezuka. To reassure himself that he would be okay.
To reassure himself that Tezuka didn’t hate him.
Hyoutei lost. Some distant part of him was annoyed at the result. The rest was thankful it was just done. He went to the net for the final bow and stared at Tezuka’s face hoping to see something there.
Tezuka’s face was as stoic as usual but his eyes flickered to the side and when Atobe looked that way he saw the nearby change rooms and washrooms for the courts. He hoped he understood what Tezuka meant.
It was easy enough to tell his team that his driver was coming to get them and not get dragged along with them. Oshitari eyed him longer than was comfortable but even he was eventually dragged away when Shishido and Gakuto took an arm each complaining about being hungry and wanting to drag him to an okonomiyaki place to get his opinion on it. He didn’t know if it was just dumb luck or if they also suspected something was going on.
Either way, he was now free to make his way to the change room and did so. The door was locked but the built out wrap around wall provided enough privacy that they wouldn’t be easily seen by anyone passing by. But it also meant that he couldn’t see if Tezuka was coming. Perhaps he had misunderstood after all.
He had just pulled his phone from his bag when he heard someone approached. “Kunimitsu,” Atobe said.
“Keigo,” Tezuka answered in greeting.
They then stood there awkwardly as they stared at one another. The two of them had never really been alone together before. And while they had spent years writing to each other and hours upon hours talking on the phone it suddenly felt a little odd to be face to face without a tennis net between them and a crowd watching.
Finally, Atobe brought himself to ask what he’d been dreading since the match ended. “Will you be okay?”
Tezuka gave a small shrug and then grimaced slightly as it pulled on his shoulder. “I’ll visit the doctor later.”
“I shouldn’t have pushed so hard,” Atobe said a ball of guilt forming in his stomach.
“I was just as stubborn.”
Tezuka stepped closer and hesitantly raised a hand. After a pause, he brushed his fingers against Atobe’s cheek and tucked some of his hair behind his ear.
The touch was so unexpected that Atobe nearly jerked away from it. But it had also been nice. And as he looked at the hand he realized that Tezuka had taken off the wrist band he always wore and could see his name written as ornately as ever on Tezuka’s left wrist.
He wasn’t thinking. He just leaned in and pressed his lips against it.
This time it was Tezuka who jerked back and he drew in a shaky breath.
Atobe had just opened his mouth to apologize for overstepping when he found Tezuka’s lips upon his.
The kiss was messy and uncoordinated and Atobe was sure that noses and teeth were not supposed to bump against each other like that but that didn’t stop them and after a few stops and restarts they seemed to finally figure out how things should work well enough.
Tezuka eventually pulled away, panting for breath. His lips were wet and swollen and his hair was wonderfully tousled. Atobe hadn’t remembered running his hands through it but he must have to get that sort of affect.
Breathing heavy himself, it took a moment before he could speak and then he wished he hadn’t said anything at all. “I dream about you,” He admitted. The kiss had apparently short circuited his ability to avoid saying embarrassing things. But then again, if Tezuka had kissed him like that, maybe the confession wouldn’t be that awkward.
Tezuka blinked at him and then reached out to run fingers down Atobe’s arm. “Me, too.”
“You’re not offended?” Atobe asked.
“Of course not. We’re soulmates.”
And just like that, Atobe felt foolish for ever thinking it would be wrong or Tezuka would be bothered. Of course, there was still a chance that Tezuka wasn’t having quite the same type of dreams of himself but after that kiss, he had his doubts about that.
“That’s very true.” His eyes drifted again to his name on Tezuka’s wrist. “I wish you didn’t have to hide it.”
Tezuka glanced down at his wrist and then back at him. “It seems unfair that you can hide yours so easily.”
“I still can’t visit the onsen,” Atobe countered. At least not without a fair amount of makeup and hoping that it wouldn’t wash off.
“When we’re twenty, we can visit it together.”
Atobe smiled at the suggestion. “I’d like that.” He just wished that they didn’t have to wait nearly five years to do it.
“I should go.”
“Already?” Atobe asked and reached out to take Tezuka’s wrist, his thumb brushing against his own name. Tezuka eyes fluttered at the touch and he let out a breathy sigh before he shook his hand free of Atobe’s touch. Atobe would certainly have to remember to touch his name more often if it caused that type of reaction.
“I’m supposed to meet everyone for a celebration dinner. It was hard enough to convince Oishi that I really did have something to attend to and wasn’t just trying to escape attending.”
“Is that why you were late?”
“It wasn’t my intention to make you wait.”
“No. I understand. I’m just happy we were able to meet,” Atobe said. And then more shyly added on, “And kiss.”
“I rather enjoyed that, too.”
Atobe smiled as the very tips of Tezuka’s ears tinged pink. It felt nice to know he had that type of affect on his soulmate.
“Perhaps we can find time to do it again.” He knew there were rules and their parents were against them spending time together but surely they were clever enough to circumvent that.
“Until then, I look forward to your messages.” Tezuka pulled out his wristband from his bag as he spoke and slid it back over Atobe’s name.
“Of course. And Kunimitsu,” Atobe started but was cut off when Tezuka held up a hand.
“It’s alright,” Tezuka said. With that he gave Atobe a nod and headed off to wherever it was Seigaku was meeting.
Atobe let out a sigh and slumped back against the wall. The things that man did to him was ridiculous. He felt as if he’d just been on an emotional rollercoaster. And even if Tezuka had not held the match or injury against him and had done a remarkable job at relieving the ball of guilt from inside of him, he still wanted to help Tezuka get better.
He would go home and find some centers in Japan that were renowned for their physiotherapy and then make sure that Tezuka could attend the one of his choice without worry about costs.
Even if his parents didn’t approve of them spending time together, they would understand Atobe wanting to support Tezuka in his healing. Especially since he had played a hand in it.
That decided, and still feeling a little giddy from the kiss, Atobe called for his driver and then after a moment called Kabaji to tell him what had just happened, too.
----
When Atobe got news of the U-17 tournament and was invited along with rest of Hyoutei he knew without a doubt that Seigaku would have been, too. But what he wanted to know was if Tezuka would be going. Tezuka had played magnificently during the nationals even if his soulmate continued to be stubborn when it came to his health. But he worried the match with Sanada would require Tezuka to take time away from tennis again.
Tezuka had insisted he was fine. But he had insisted he was fine since the first year of junior high school when some idiot upperclassman had injured him. And if Tezuka ever gave him the name of those idiots, Atobe would see to it that they ended up in the most miserable of jobs for rest of eternity.
The real answer to how Tezuka’s elbow and shoulder were doing would be in his decision for the U-17.
Pulling out his phone Atobe debated calling Tezuka directly and then switched to Line to message him instead.
‘Are you free?’
‘Yes’ Came the almost instant reply from Tezuka. Did that mean Tezuka was about to message him already? Or was he on his phone for a different reason. It didn’t matter. He was going to call anyway.
“Tezuka speaking,” The strong masculine voice said over the phone and Atobe smiled at it as he relaxed back into his chair.
“Hello, Kunimitsu. Did you get the invitation the U-17 tournament?”
“Of course. All of Seigaku will be attending.”
“You included?” Atobe asked.
“I did say all, Keigo.”
“Then I look forward to seeing you there.” And he did. It would be the highlight of the camp. Closely followed by destroying everyone else on the courts and earning a position next to Tezuka on the team.
“I hear that we’ll be sharing rooms with others who qualify,” Tezuka said.
“Oh?” He hadn’t heard that. Normally he wasn’t a fan of sharing rooms. But if his roommate was a certain captain from Seigaku he would happily change his mind about it.
“Yes. Though I doubt we’ll have any say in who we’ll share with.”
But still, overnight, with Tezuka. Even if they weren’t in the same room, they’d be away from parents and could sneak off easily enough to spend some time together. He was hoping for more kisses but he’d happily settle for just training with the other man.
“Perhaps we’ll get lucky. I just hope the bathing facilities aren’t barbaric.” Atobe could handle public baths if he had to. But he always worried that the heavy duty makeup covering the small kanji would wear off and lead to awkward questions. Fortunately it was rather rude to stare at a fellow man’s privates so people would have to be looking quite closely to notice. He wondered what Tezuka did. Probably the same. It was easy enough, he supposed, to keep his wrist to his body to not let others see.
“Timing is key with shared facilities.”
“That’s quite true.” And then Atobe thought about sharing a hot bath with Tezuka and found he had to shift in his seat a little. It was really unwise to think about those sorts of things when talking to the man he was fantasizing about.
“I look forward to seeing you there.”
“Me, too. And I look forward to crushing everyone and being on the same team as you.”
“Yes… that would be nice.” There was a hesitation in Tezuka’s voice that Atobe didn’t like. But he didn’t know how to question it so let it slide for now. He was sure whatever it was that was bothering Tezuka he would tell him in his own time.
Besides, he had more pressing issues to deal with now that his pants were tented noticeably. He would have to handle that before dinner on the odd chance that one of his parents would be home for it. “I should go.”
“Alright. Have a good night, Keigo.”
“You, too.” He hung up before he could say anything incriminating and then set the phone down.
He then undid his pants and slid his hand inside letting his mind drift once more to just what fun he and Tezuka could get up to together while alone in a public bath.
-----
The U-17 training camp did not start quite how Atobe expected it to go. But he easily caught a tennis ball and finding out he’d be playing against Hiyoshi instead of with him was no cause for concern. He did suppose it was a quick way to eliminate half of the prospective candidates even if the method meant that they may be removing some stronger players because of it. Oh well, it was not his concern if Sanada failed to get past the first true elimination round. He was sure a strong team could be formed without him.
As his match wasn’t happening right away, Atobe moved to the bleachers to watch the first games. It took him a moment to realize that it wasn’t Kabaji’s usual presence beside him but Tezuka. He glanced around and spotted Kabaji standing off some ways and smiled at him. His friend certainly knew how to read a situation far more than anyone gave him credit for.
“I’m going to be leaving,” Tezuka said after a moment. His attention was still mostly focused on the matches happening on the court but Atobe could see Tezuka’s eyes flickering toward him. Following Tezuka’s lead, he looked mostly back at the courts, too.
“The camp? Are you still injured?” He asked.
“No. Japan.”
Atobe’s mind stumbled at that. Tezuka hadn’t mentioned anything previously about leaving Japan. Was this the reason for the hesitation about the camp? “When? Where?” He asked. He tried not to sound as shocked as he felt.
“Today. To Germany.”
“Then why come at all?” Atobe asked. It didn’t make sense to come all this way to audition for the U-17 just to leave at the end of the first day.
“To lead my team here…. And to see you,” Tezuka said the last part even more quietly than rest of their conversation had been.
“I see… Does anyone else know?” Atobe would hate to be the last to know.
“No. Though Oishi and Fuji may suspect something.” That helped to soothe Atobe. Tezuka was a private person and while he had not rushed to share this news with Atobe he had still told him before his other friends.
“Why Germany? Why now?”
“I’ve been in talks with some people there for a while. But the confirmation just came through that I’ve been accepted to train with them and work towards going pro.”
“Congratulations,” Atobe said honestly and then turned to look more at Tezuka. “How long will you be there for?”
“I’ll probably be there for all of high school. Training and playing in the junior league. I’ll have more options after that,” Tezuka explained. Atobe could see some regret in his eyes about being so far away but the passion and desire to follow his dreams burned brighter.
Atobe couldn’t hold the man’s dreams against him. Especially as his soulmate was good enough to accomplish those dreams. “I could visit you.”
Tezuka gave a small sigh and turned back to the matches. “You know our parents will find ways to stop those plans…”
“Maybe for visits… but I’ll find a way to go watch you play. They can’t deny me that much.”
“I’d like that.”
Atobe nodded. He felt a little like he’d been punched at finding out that Tezuka was leaving him behind. But the way the rules were and their parents adamant following of them, they didn’t see each other much as it was. And even in Germany, Tezuka could still write, message him and call. They may even be able to call more without Tezuka having to worry about his family overhearing him.
“You should have told me sooner. I could have helped you practice your German,” Atobe said.
“Are you going to force me to only message and call in German now?” Tezuka asked and the amusement in Tezuka’s voice made the pain in Atobe’s heart ease a little.
“I hardly forced you to write in English all those years. It was of your own accord,” Atobe pointed out. Though it had certainly helped the man improve his English more than the Japanese school system alone could have done if his teammates skill was any indication.
“...” Tezuka was adorable to Atobe when he didn’t know what to say.
“I’ll help you practice your German. I even promise not to laugh the first time you say something completely nonsensical and embarrassing to me.”
“Only the first time?” Tezuka asked.
Atobe just smiled and gave Tezuka no reassurances that he would be nice for any following mistakes. He couldn’t be too kind to the man after suddenly telling him he’d be leaving to Germany so soon.
----
“You’re on a gap year?” Tezuka asks as they sit across from each other at a cafe in Munich.
“Yes. It’s a British tradition. So I decided to take advantage of it,” Atobe explains to him. He hadn’t mentioned it in any of their letters or phone calls because he wanted to surprise Tezuka. Perhaps he had surprised him a bit too much.
“And you’ve come to visit me?”
“Only for a few days,” Atobe said hastily before Tezuka thought they could spend the whole year together or whatever else was going on in the man’s head. Tezuka’s pokerface improved every time he saw him and he really just wanted to spend the time getting to know Tezuka well enough to read it properly. But that would have to wait. He didn’t have that time to commit just yet.
“And your parents?”
“They think I’m with friends sunbathing in Greece. My friends will cover for me if anyone asks and I’ll be joining them when I’m done here so that copious amounts of photos can be taken to waylay any suspicion.”
“You’ve really thought this through,” Tezuka said and he seemed impressed.
“Of course. You’re worth the effort.”
“Perhaps I can fake a stomach ailment so we can make the most of our time.”
Clearly Tezuka was warming up to the idea and Atobe couldn’t help but smile. “I’d enjoy that. But only if it won’t compromise your playing. I already have my tickets booked to your first professional match.” And his parents even knew about that and approved of it in their own way. It was not at all odd for Atobe to show up to support a rival from his school days in a sport he was passionate about. His mother even said she’d come with him to watch Tezuka play in Wimbledon if he qualified. And Atobe knew he would.
“I’ll be fine. A short break might be good for me. Where are you staying?” Tezuka asked as he took a sip of his tea.
“Ah… about that…”
“I don’t think it wise,” Tezuka said before Atobe could even finish his sentence. Clearly he’d been too obvious about his plans.
“I’ve seen pictures of your apartment, Kunimitsu. I could sleep on the couch. It’d be fine.” Atobe couldn’t believe he was offering to sleep on anything but a bed or a luxurious futon but he long ago gave up trying to question the odd things he would do for the man across from him.
“I still don’t think it wise…” The tips of Tezuka’s ears were turning pink which told Atobe that Tezuka was definitely thinking something naughty that he was embarrassed of.
“We’re the age of majority here. There’s no reason for us to be apart. And if we get a little careless nobody is here to say anything.” Part of him rather hoped that they’d get more than a little careless while the other part worried what would happen if they did.
Being with Tezuka was a bit of a paradox. It felt so right and perfect and Atobe couldn’t imagine wanting to be anywhere else. But at the same time, since so much of their communication was long distance and they were always being watched by family or friends it felt odd and a little awkward to be alone. Though Atobe was sure those feelings would pass. And perhaps it was only awkward because of the sexual tension between them that he was sure was palatable to all those within a 100 yard radius of them.
“I honestly don’t know if I trust my control…. And our family expects better from us,” Tezuka finally admitted.
Atobe could understand. Whenever they had found even a moment alone in their rare meetings over the years, they would end up kissing and holding each other close. Only the possibility of being seen or someone needing them soon kept things from escalating. Alone in the privacy of Tezuka’s apartment would likely have them both naked before the tour of it was even done. And while they may not be breaking any laws in Germany as they were both over 18, Tezuka was right. It was still two more years before they were fully adults in the eyes of Japan and their parents.
Atobe sighed. He didn’t like it but he could understand. They’d made it this far. They could make it two more years. “Then I’ll book a room at a hotel near yours. And we can spend the days going to museums and all those little bookstores and cafes you keep telling me about.”
Tezuka gave a nod. “I think I can arrange that.”
“Excellent. I plan to make the most out of my gap year.”
“Does that mean you’ll come visit again?” Tezuka asked. And even if he hadn’t had plans to see Tezuka as often as possible, Atobe knew he would have made them in a heartbeat. Tezuka wanted to see him more and he was more than happy to agree to it.
They would have to be careful but Atobe would make it work.
-----
Atobe found that having a soulmate nearly his whole life was on occasion stressful and not being able to see his soulmate because of idiotic rules was annoying. But it had been useful on more than one occasion.
Being the only son of the Atobe family meant he got a lot of attention. Usually it was just people wanting to be a trusted friend or in his confidence. But at times, people had taken it further and insisted they were soulmates.
Really he never understood what they hoped to achieve by that. He would know soon enough that they were not soulmates if he could not find their name tattooed on him. Or did they hope to drug him and hope he didn’t noticed a new tattoo? Ridiculous all of it.
But no matter how convincing the con, he was always able to see through it because he knew exactly who his soulmate was already. Most were angry at being seen through so quickly and more than one had demanded how he had known. And why he hadn’t even checked for his own tattoo. He never gave them the satisfaction of answering.
The ones done in school of girls using their pens and markers to create fake tattoos and confess their love was one thing. But as he got older the cons became more elaborate and people would approach him with real tattoos of his name on their body.
Depending how they approached and who he was with at the time, he would give them the chance to go away and never approach him again, or he would take some sort of legal action or call the cops. Falsifying soulmates was a crime after all and who knew just how far these people would go to get a cut of the Atobe empire.
So as he prepared for his twentieth birthday, held conveniently several days after his real birthday, he had another reason to be thankful for Tezuka meeting him all of those years ago. And for being as patient and true as he had for all of that time. Because even now that Tezuka was a pro athlete and a celebrity in Japan there was never any news of him having a girlfriend or boyfriend or so much of a scandal of him being seen on a date.
There were of course rumours that made Atobe laugh with the ridiculousness of it all. Except of course for the ones that said that Tezuka was so focused on sport and not dating was because he either had a soulmate or only his soulmate would do. The gossip blogs seemed to find both notions romantic and would wax poetic on it for ages. Those that suspected he had a soulmate already would wonder where his name tattoo would be and when they’d meet the lucky girl.
Atobe hoped they weren’t disappointed to find it was a lucky boy instead and that Tezuka’s tattoo was right under their noses on Tezuka’s left wrist.
He remembered a newscaster once asking why Tezuka wore the watch on his left hand if he was left handed and Tezuka merely mentioned comfort.
But none of that mattered anymore. He was twenty now and so was Tezuka. He and Tezuka could be together legally anywhere in the world they wished. No more need for secrets or being kept apart. Of course he still had to finish school and Tezuka was busy flying around the world playing tournaments but that was different. They were apart by choice. And they could meet up whenever they wanted; Do whatever they wanted.
That thought in mind, he practically skipped down the stairs and toward the giant birthday bash that was being thrown in his honour in the ballroom.
Tezuka wasn’t here yet to escort him in but Tezuka had promised to come. He was flying directly from a tournament and couldn’t guarantee when he would be there just that he would. And that promise was good enough for him. He was used to waiting by now.
----
The formal speeches were done, the cake was cut and the official party was well under way. Atobe was currently taking a moment to himself to eat a little of the delicious food being served in the hall and talk to Kabaji.
“Keigo,” Kabaji said and then pointed across the hall where an opening was being made around the newest guest to arrive. Of course the man of his dreams would walk in when he was eating a piece of cake.
“Do I have icing on me?” Atobe asked hurriedly chewing and setting aside his plate.
Kabaji shook his head and then turned Atobe around so he was facing Tezuka again. The strong hands gave him an encouraging pat on the shoulder before withdrawing. He nodded to himself and started walking.
Tezuka always carried himself with such poise and purpose and as he moved across the floor directly to him now was no different. People moved out of his way automatically and in mere seconds they were standing face to face.
Tezuka held out a small gift in his left hand to Atobe. “Happy birthday, Keigo,” Tezuka said.
As he took the present, he noticed that Tezuka wasn’t wearing a watch or anything else to cover the mark. He looked up and met his eyes. There was such warmth and desire in them that Atobe felt his breath catch for a moment. “Thank you,” He finally said. “Let me get you a drink. I’m sure you’re thirsty after your travels.”
“Thank you.” They walked over to the present table where Atobe gently placed the lavender wrapped one from Tezuka down onto it and then led him to a nearby waiter who had a tray of champagne he was serving. He took one for himself and gave Tezuka the other.
“I’m glad I made it on time,” Tezuka said as he took a small sip.
“With plenty of time to spare…. You look handsome,” Atobe said. Tezuka had worn a beautiful three piece suit that made him look sophisticated and handsome. Atobe knew without looking around the room that he wasn’t the only one appreciating the cut of the suit.
“So do you . The silver suits you,” Tezuka said.
“I’m glad you approve,” Atobe said. He had tried nearly every suit colour on in the shop before deciding on the silver. Oshitari had teased him about wanting to win the hearts of the nation on his birthday but really, it was only ever one heart he was thinking about.
Atobe spared a brief thought to wonder where Oshitari was in the hall and what he was thinking of the scene. He was sure Oshitari would be demanding the whole ‘romantic tale’ from Atobe the second the two of them were alone.
“Would you care to dance?” Tezuka asked as he set his now empty champagne glass down on a table. He then surprised Atobe by shrugging out of his jacket. He then watched curiously as Tezuka took out the cufflinks of his shirt and artfully rolled the sleeves up slightly.
Taking in the lack of tie for the first time, Atobe wondered if Tezuka had always planned to do this. With a tie on, the rolled sleeves may have looked a little foolish but without it, Tezuka looked relaxed and ready to dance.
Atobe’s eyes drifted to his name on Tezuka’s wrist now easily on display for all to see. He didn’t know what was in that box on the present table, but he doubted it could match the gift that Tezuka was giving him now. “I’d love to dance,” Atobe said once Tezuka’s sleeves were both rolled. He set his own half full champagne glass down and held a hand out for Tezuka to take.
Tezuka led them out to the dance area and it wasn’t long before people realized that Atobe wasn’t just dancing with the handsome professional tennis player. Tezuka made no attempt to hide the name on his wrist and in fact seemed to be showing it off even more with the way he was holding Atobe. It seemed that it wasn’t just Atobe who was impatient to announce to the world that he had a soulmate and his name was Tezuka Kunimitsu.
He smiled as he realized that by the end of the dance everyone here would finally know that he had a soulmate. And by the end of tomorrow he suspected the news would have spread further than he could imagine.
It felt so good to be able to hold each other and claim each other like this in public. Never again would they have to feel like they were sneaking around or steal moments of time together. He wondered if Tezuka would stop wearing wrist bands completely and then had another thought.
“Kunimitsu, if my name had been on your ass, would you have gone without pants?” Atobe asked and was rewarded with the lovely sound of Tezuka’s laugh.
“Maybe,” Tezuka said and held him tighter as the music played on.
---End---