More Than Meets The Eye [Prince of Tennis, Rikkai pre-canon]
title: More Than Meets The Eye
character(s)/pairing(s): Yukimura, Yanagi, Sanada, Muraoka (OC).
genre: pre-series, backstory, original character
wordcount: 667
notes/summary: A series exploring the Rikkai third-years freshman year at Rikkai. There are many unspoken secrets - and not-secrets - lurking beneath the surface of the tennis club.
previous: Where Do We Begin, One Point Shy of Winning
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More Than Meets The Eye
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"We have to make alternate arrangements for practice during Golden Week," Yukimura says. Muraoka raises an eyebrow, but Yukimura's head is ducked down and he is concentrating on testing the tension of his racquet strings across the table from Muraoka, and doesn't notice.
"It's quite typical for clubs to suspend activites during Golden Week," Muraoka replies, knowing full well this isn't going to be the reply Yukimura wants to hear. "I think everyone would appreciate having their time off."
"We've barely been back a month," Yukimura says dismissively, "and we have a brand new line-up of Regulars, and barely a week to prepare for Kanagawa!"
"You don't have faith that the team you've put together will succeed?" Muraoka asks. He doesn't try very hard to keep the twist of amusement from his lips.
"That's not what I meant."
"Don't say it, then," Muraoka replies, standing up and stretching. "Even if you have concerns you can't let them show. The team needs to have utter faith in you. They need to believe that you believe in them."
Yukimura wants to argue this point but he realises Muraoka isn't talking about now. They have never spoken about it, but Muraoka has made it obvious from the get-go that he considers Yukimura captain in all but name. Though they can't really implement it now, by second year it will be a reality, and no-one will be able to say Yukimura didn't deserve it. Didn't earn it.
Yukimura is smart enough to realise he has plenty to learn in that time. Where he can pick apart a match and explain exactly where a player is going wrong and how to improve, Muraoka is the one who somehow knows what it is to be a captain, even if he never showed the slightest inclination to it beforehand.
"I still think it would be wise to train the entire week before the tournament. Can you pull some strings?"
"Not in the way you're thinking," Muraoka says. "But I have an idea; the University campus is open throughout the year, and I'm sure during Golden Week the students will only be interested in the library and computers. I'll speak to sensei about the loan of their courts for the week."
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"This was a good idea," Sanada admits grudgingly. Yukimura still can't find much to like about him, but he understands that praise from Sanada - even such a small offering as this - is a big deal. Sanada is more likely to notice faults than to praise a good effort. Somehow in a childish way it makes Yukimura want to be kinder to everyone. Just enough that his criticism comes softened in gentle words, anyway.
"Did Yanagi suggest that being nicer to me might get you want you want?" Yukimura asks, and walks away laughing as Sanada's expression turns both furious and shamed at the same time.
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"I've yet to see you play a practice match against any of the other Regulars," Yanagi says conversationally. Except that nothing Yanagi ever says is just conversation.
"I'm watching," Yukimura retorts. "Muraoka-buchou asked me to spectate and report back to him."
"He doesn't understand what it is you see," Yanagi says. "Even when you play against him."
Yukimura has long since given up wondering how Yanagi knows what he knows.
"I've never played a proper match against him," Yukimura says, and it isn't quite a lie - every game since Muraoka became the captain has been for training purposes, once everyone else in the club has gone home of an afternoon. No scores are kept and no proper game-play truly happens. They stop frequently in the middle of points just so that Yukimura can suggest a change in swing or an alternative foot movement.
The only real lie is that one match Yukimura played the same day as all the others. The other third years who quit soon after. Muraoka is the only victim left still standing on the court.
-
character(s)/pairing(s): Yukimura, Yanagi, Sanada, Muraoka (OC).
genre: pre-series, backstory, original character
wordcount: 667
notes/summary: A series exploring the Rikkai third-years freshman year at Rikkai. There are many unspoken secrets - and not-secrets - lurking beneath the surface of the tennis club.
previous: Where Do We Begin, One Point Shy of Winning
-
More Than Meets The Eye
-
"We have to make alternate arrangements for practice during Golden Week," Yukimura says. Muraoka raises an eyebrow, but Yukimura's head is ducked down and he is concentrating on testing the tension of his racquet strings across the table from Muraoka, and doesn't notice.
"It's quite typical for clubs to suspend activites during Golden Week," Muraoka replies, knowing full well this isn't going to be the reply Yukimura wants to hear. "I think everyone would appreciate having their time off."
"We've barely been back a month," Yukimura says dismissively, "and we have a brand new line-up of Regulars, and barely a week to prepare for Kanagawa!"
"You don't have faith that the team you've put together will succeed?" Muraoka asks. He doesn't try very hard to keep the twist of amusement from his lips.
"That's not what I meant."
"Don't say it, then," Muraoka replies, standing up and stretching. "Even if you have concerns you can't let them show. The team needs to have utter faith in you. They need to believe that you believe in them."
Yukimura wants to argue this point but he realises Muraoka isn't talking about now. They have never spoken about it, but Muraoka has made it obvious from the get-go that he considers Yukimura captain in all but name. Though they can't really implement it now, by second year it will be a reality, and no-one will be able to say Yukimura didn't deserve it. Didn't earn it.
Yukimura is smart enough to realise he has plenty to learn in that time. Where he can pick apart a match and explain exactly where a player is going wrong and how to improve, Muraoka is the one who somehow knows what it is to be a captain, even if he never showed the slightest inclination to it beforehand.
"I still think it would be wise to train the entire week before the tournament. Can you pull some strings?"
"Not in the way you're thinking," Muraoka says. "But I have an idea; the University campus is open throughout the year, and I'm sure during Golden Week the students will only be interested in the library and computers. I'll speak to sensei about the loan of their courts for the week."
-
"This was a good idea," Sanada admits grudgingly. Yukimura still can't find much to like about him, but he understands that praise from Sanada - even such a small offering as this - is a big deal. Sanada is more likely to notice faults than to praise a good effort. Somehow in a childish way it makes Yukimura want to be kinder to everyone. Just enough that his criticism comes softened in gentle words, anyway.
"Did Yanagi suggest that being nicer to me might get you want you want?" Yukimura asks, and walks away laughing as Sanada's expression turns both furious and shamed at the same time.
-
"I've yet to see you play a practice match against any of the other Regulars," Yanagi says conversationally. Except that nothing Yanagi ever says is just conversation.
"I'm watching," Yukimura retorts. "Muraoka-buchou asked me to spectate and report back to him."
"He doesn't understand what it is you see," Yanagi says. "Even when you play against him."
Yukimura has long since given up wondering how Yanagi knows what he knows.
"I've never played a proper match against him," Yukimura says, and it isn't quite a lie - every game since Muraoka became the captain has been for training purposes, once everyone else in the club has gone home of an afternoon. No scores are kept and no proper game-play truly happens. They stop frequently in the middle of points just so that Yukimura can suggest a change in swing or an alternative foot movement.
The only real lie is that one match Yukimura played the same day as all the others. The other third years who quit soon after. Muraoka is the only victim left still standing on the court.
-