#prince of tennis fanfiction

[tcafs08]

6 years later LMAO

So I found this chapter in my WIP and it was like 3/4 of the way done, so I polished it and here it is

[hatter-and-his-tea]

Today is TRAGIC DRABBLE DAY.

Longing | Prince of Tennis | Tezuka x Fuji

…

There was this distance between them. It started out small, but then it grew further and further.

Fuji always knew Tezuka was unreachable, even for him. He was called a genius, a beauty, but those words meant nothing against that person.

The bespectacled figure and his grand ambitions, burning so ever brightly. Fuji too wished to be like him, to fly next to him, and yet the distance between them grew ever so larger.

In the end, he was but a fan. Abandoning tennis to pursue photography. Capturing the distance with an image, like a spectator aweing that unreachable figure.

Despite their history, standing side by side during those years, the bonds between them have dissolved, just like that.

“Ne, Tezuka…” He found himself calling to that person.

Clearly kissed by the sun, Tezuka Kunimitsu had grown more mature. The sculpted jawline, the wide shoulders, the strong muscles that were able to withstand hours on the court.

Was it some fate or a cruel twist in life that they were able to meet in this small cafe, in the middle of a foreign country.

Languages he barely understood, places that were unfamiliar with him, but those eyes that were looking towards him, he understood it.

“Do you love me?”

He wanted to say it, the longing within him was unbearable.

But he gritted his teeth and continued on with that fake smile.

Deep down, he knew that Tezuka would say yes. Those piercing eyes, they too were longing for him, and yet, they knew the distance between them was far too great.

Maybe in another lifetime.

…

[rainisawriter]

Missing & Cursed – Choutarou (PSF #15)

Ficography

Genre: Fluff, supernatural, magic

Prompt: Emergency, Confession, Adventure (@flufftober)

Word Count: 6,162

Pairing: Reader x Choutarou

World: The Prince of Tennis

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

You stifled a yawn as you sat behind the counter at the convenience store, trying not to fall asleep. It was pretty late at night and there weren’t many customers that came around this time which, truth be told, you were happy about. Still, it made it hard to stay awake because of how boring it was.

You were tempted to close the store early and just go home but you knew you’d get an earful from your boss if you did that. You felt confident that he wouldn’t fire you over it, but it wasn’t a risk you were willing to take. You needed the money and it had taken ages for you to get this job.

Your phone buzzed in your pocket, Choutarou’s picture popping up on the screen. Seeing his smiling face instantly woke you up, a smile coming to your lips as you brought the phone to your ear. “Chou-chan~”

“Good evening, senpai,” he replied politely. “Are you busy?“

You glanced around the empty store, resisting the urge to scoff. “I’m at work, but this place is a ghost town.”

“I’m sorry!” He apologized quickly. “I didn’t realize you were working tonight.“

“Don’t worry, Chou-chan,” you told him softly, hoping to calm him down. “You’re helping me stay awake, honestly.”

“Are you sure?“

“I’m positive. What’s up? You usually don’t call me this late.” You glanced at the clock, the time reading 10:23. He was usually asleep by now because he woke up so early to attend practice. 

He was silent for a moment before speaking, his voice laced with worry. “I think Atobe-san is missing.“

“Missing?” Your brow furrowed, eyes flickering to the door when a man entered. “Why do you think that?”

“No one has heard from him since yesterday afternoon. He’s not answering his phone, either.“

“Maybe he just decided to go on vacation or something.”

“He wouldn’t leave without telling us, senpai.” He sounded completely confident in that fact.

“Well, what if he had a family emergency or something? He wouldn’t have time to tell you, right?”

“Maybe… I’m really worried, senpai.“

“I’m sure he’s fine, Chou-chan,” you reassured him, but a strange feeling had begun to settle in your gut and you didn’t like it.

The man was slowly approaching the counter, carrying an armful of energy drinks and a family-sized bag of Doritos. 

“I have to get back to work. Try to get some rest, okay? I’m sure he’s fine.”

“Okay. I��m sorry for bothering you. Good night.“

“You could never bother me, love. Good night.” You hung up the phone, offering the guy a smile. “Good evening, sir.”

He just grunted, rubbing at his tired eyes. He honestly looked more zombie than human so you assumed he was a college kid studying for a big test or something.

As the night wore on and your shift came to a close, you found yourself unable to shake the feeling of dread that had settled itself around you like an unwanted blanket. Atobe kept appearing in your mind and, though you tried to convince yourself that you were just being paranoid, a tiny voice in the back of your mind told you that something wasn’t right.

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

The sun was just beginning to peer over the horizon when you entered the Hyotei school grounds, sipping a tall energy drink to keep yourself awake. You hadn’t slept yet, having spent the entire night out searching for the missing Atobe as soon as your shift ended.

There truly was no sign of him. It was as if he had just poofed out of existence. Something definitely didn’t feel right to you.

The plonk of tennis balls grew louder as you approached the tennis court where the regulars were. Despite the early morning hour, they were already covered in sweat and had no doubt been there for at least an hour. You would never get over how insanely dedicated they were to the sport.

Your eyes scanned the courts before settling on the chair where Atobe usually sat. It had a blue umbrella to block out the sun, a round table sitting beside it. Kabaji kept staring at the empty chair, paying no attention to the match he was playing with Oshitari.

If not even Kabaji knew where he was, this was more serious than you thought. Atobe didn’t go anywhere without the large male at his side.

The autumn wind picked up and your hair stood on end when you caught the whiff of something familiar. It was faint, most likely left over from several hours earlier, but you could still smell it and it made your shoulders tense up.

There was magic lingering in the air.

Atobe Keigo was no stranger to pissing people off. He seemed to have a penchant for getting under people’s skin and pushing their buttons in a way no one else could. It was certainly possible that he had crossed a mage without realizing who he was talking to.

However, there were strict laws in place against the use of magic on normal folk. Doing so not only risked jail time, but it risked said mage being stripped of their power altogether. Very few mages were willing to take that risk.

You tilted your head back, closing your eyes as the cool breeze wrapped around your body. Your fingertips tingled with magic. Every type of magic has a specific code to it, one that could be detected with proper training. You just so happened to excel at this very thing.

Though impossible to detect what spell was used, you could tell that it didn’t belong to the school of dark magic. ‘It feels like…’ your brow furrowed in concentration as you moved your fingers back and forth, almost as if trying to wake them after they fell asleep.

It was definitely a curse, you concluded, but not a dark one. The stench of death certainly didn’t permeate the school. An invisibility curse, perhaps? It seemed a fitting one for someone as pretty and self-centered as Atobe. A woman scorned, perhaps?

No student at Hyotei possessed magic, though. You had made sure of that multiple times after you started to date Choutarou because you wanted to ensure his safety. Then again, girls from all over the area often snuck in to watch them practice. It could be one of them.

That certainly didn’t make your job any easier.

Choutarou jogged over to you, calling out your name. He still looked worried, but he offered you a smile nonetheless. “What are you doing here, senpai?”

“I missed you,” you told him honestly. While you had come to inspect the area, you also did miss him and wanted to make sure he was okay.

“I missed you, too,” he smiled brightly, but it fell a bit as he inspected you. His large hand rested against your cheek. “You look tired. Did you not sleep well?”

You took a large gulp of the energy drink, not wanting to tell him that you hadn’t even gone home. “It was a rough night.”

His eyes flickered to the drink, sending you a disapproving look. “You really shouldn’t drink those, senpai. They’re bad for you.”

“I know,” you chuckled, letting your eyes scan the courts. “I’m guessing there’s still no sign of Atobe?”

He shook his head. “No… his parents called the police last night but they haven’t found any sign of him.”

You nodded, not surprised by this information. You had seen the multiple cop cars at the Atobe property when you stopped by last night to do a little sleuthing. There had been no signs of magic used there.

“You don’t think…” Choutarou bit his bottom lip as if scared to speak the words lest they somehow make them come true. “Do you think he’s okay?”

‘If he pissed off a mage, there’s no way in hell he’s okay.’ You sure as hell weren’t going to tell him that, though. Instead, you offered him a reassuring smile, taking his hand in your own. “This is Atobe we’re talking about. He’s going to be fine.”

He squeezed your hand for comfort, slowly nodding. “I really hope you’re right, senpai.”

“I’m always right,” you smirked playfully, earning a soft laugh from him.

There was a sudden yelp of pain from the courts and you both exchanged a look before rushing over. Gakuto was on his ass, finger raised accusingly.

“That cat just bit me!” He cried. “What if it has rabies?!”

You frowned at the feline sitting on the bench. It was fat as hell, more closely resembling a balloon than a feline, with dark purple fur and a white patch on its nose. He turned his head, navy eyes meeting yours. It was as if a shockwave coursed through your body, a strangled sound escaping your lips.

Choutarou looked at you with concern. “What’s wrong?”

“At -” you started before biting your tongue. The feline’s eyes narrowed at you.

“At?” repeated Choutarou with a frown. “Senpai?”

You had attracted the attention of all the regulars, the boys staring at you with a mixture of concern and confusion. You forced a smile, rushing forward to pick up the feline. He was just as heavy as he looked and your words came out strained because of the effort it took to hold him.

“M-My cat… Atoy…”

The feline tilted his head back, glaring at you.

“You got a new cat?” Choutarou put his hand on his hip, looking curiously at him. “You didn’t tell me that.”

“If someone has one secret, they probably have a lot of secrets,” commented Shishido with a scoff, arms folded over his chest. He had never liked you but it got worse when you started dating his best friend. “Really makes you wonder, doesn’t it?”

“Shishido-san,” scolded the silverette with a frown. He hated the fact that the two of you didn’t get along. You were the person he loves and Shishido is his best friend. Both of you were very important to him and all he wanted was for you both to be friends.

You forced a smile to hide your annoyance. “I just got him this morning. Why do you think I came here, huh?”

“Bullshit.”

Gakuto pulled himself to his feet before stomping his foot against the ground like a child. “He bit me! What are you going to do about that, huh? What if he gave me rabies?! What if I die?!”

You rolled your eyes at his dramatics. 

“You sat on his tail,” exposed Hiyoshi before drinking from his water bottle.

“It was an accident!”

“He doesn’t know that.”

“Who’s side are you on, huh?!”

Hiyoshi shrugged, sending you a soft smile before turning and stepping back onto the court. 

“Right, well, I better get him home. See ya!” Before anyone could reply, you turned on your heel and ran away from the group, ignoring your boyfriend’s calls.

You barely made it out of the school before you were huffing and puffing, your back hurting from the weight of the cat in your arms. “Christ, you’re so fat.”

He growled at you, attempting to swipe at your arm but he couldn’t get a good angle.

“Will you knock it off before I drop you?” you scowled, readjusting your grip before continuing down the street. “Honestly, Atobe. You’re the only person who could piss off a mage enough to be turned into an animal. Do you have any idea how much trouble it’s going to be to fix this?”

He growled again, making you sigh.

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

Kai blinked at you a few times as his brain processed the story you had told him. Then he burst out laughing, clutching his stomach. Atobe growled in annoyance, the fur on his back raised. He waited until your brother was leaning over before he hopped onto the coffee table, barely getting enough air to rake his claws across the male’s face.

“Shit!” Kai winced, bringing his hand to his face. “You brat! I hope you never get turned back!”

“Kai,” you scolded, sending him a scowl. “No matter how much you dislike Atobe, you know we can’t leave him like this. We have to help him.”

He clicked his tongue. “You’re only saying that because of Choutarou.”

“I won’t deny that.”

Atobe growled again but you glared at him, taking a step back.

“Don’t you even think about it!”

Kai sighed, holding out his hand and focusing his power. “Cursed you may be, cursed you will remain. Alter this curse, grant him the power offered by these words. Speak!”

White light shot out from his palm, engulfing the feline. It pulsed and expanded before disappearing with a bright flash. You and your brother leaned closer, staring at him.

His tail twitched angrily as his navy eyes shifted between the two of you. “Stop staring at me!”

“Holy shit, it worked,” the two of you chorused before exchanging a look.

Kai scowled at you. “What’s that supposed to mean? You had no faith in me?”

You snorted. “You didn’t even have faith in yourself. You totally pulled that spell out of your ass.”

His lips parted to protest but then he closed them, looking away with a scoff, knowing you were right. 

You shook your head, settling down on the couch. “What happened, Atobe?”

He turned around to face you, whiskers twitching. “I was getting ready to leave the school. It was late so I was alone.”

“No Kabaji?”

“I sent him ahead because his sister was waiting for him.”

You hummed, nodding. 

“As I exited the game, a woman was standing there waiting for me. She spoke another language and her eyes started to glow purple. I was hit by a purple light and, when I woke up, I was a damn cat.”

‘Another language? A purple glow? Good lord…’

Kai snorted, amusement dancing in his brown eyes. “You got cursed… by a damn fairy.”

“Fairies don’t exist.”

“You were turned into a cat, but you refuse to accept the existence of fairies? Aren’t you supposed to be smart?”

You sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose. “Fairy magic is super potent and hard to counteract. They’re on a whole ‘nother level.”

“What are you saying?” demanded Atobe, a hint of fear in his eyes. “You can’t cure me?”

“No.” “Yes.”

You sent your brother a glare, throwing a pillow at his face before addressing the cat. “You can be cured, but… it won’t be easy. Breaking fairy magic is quite tedious and I certainly don’t have any experience with it. I didn’t even know there were any fairy mages in the area…”

Kai hummed as he approached the bookshelf, eyes scanning the spines. “Fairy mages are notoriously good at hiding themselves. You could be staring one in the face and have no idea what they are. With all other mages, you can sense the magical lines within them but that doesn’t work in fairy mages. It’s pretty annoying, really.”

Your phone vibrated from your pocket and you didn’t have to check it to know who it was. You did anyway, frowning at the new message from Choutarou. He was worried, both about you and Atobe. You knew that but you weren’t sure how to appease him.

You hated lying to him and keeping secrets from him, but you were afraid to tell him the truth. Your biggest fear was losing him because you loved him so deeply. You knew it was wrong and you felt guilty about it, but you also didn’t know how to tell him.

Kai glanced at you over his shoulder before returning his attention to the bookcase. He finally found what he was looking for, tugging the book free. “Did you know the woman?”

“No. I’ve never seen her before.”

“Strange,” you mused thoughtfully, bringing your hand to your chin. “Mages rarely attack humans for no reason. It’s even less common for fairy mages.”

“Leave it to Atobe to piss off someone he’s never even met,” snorted Kai, the book resting against his forearm as he tugged it open. “This is gonna take some time to look into. You better get comfortable in that body.”

You sighed, pinching the bridge of your nose. The thought of living with Atobe was bad enough, but living with grumpy cat Atobe? You knew you were in for one hell of a ride.

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

Your eyes scanned the crowds of people as they passed by the café, looking for any traces of magic. You were sitting at one of the outdoor tables with Atobe beside you, sitting in his own chair because you didn’t want him sitting on the table.

The two of you had been there for the better part of two hours without seeing anyone that even resembled the woman. Despite how many people lived in Tokyo, there was a surprisingly small number of mages. From your studies, you knew that they tended to avoid overpopulated areas simply because it increased the risk of them being exposed.

The world of normal folk was simply not ready to accept the existence of mages. They had proved that time and time again.

“This is useless,” snapped Atobe, slapping his paw against the table.

You quickly glanced around to ensure that no one was paying attention before you hissed, “Will you shut up? If people see a talking cat, they’ll freak.”

He huffed in annoyance, navy eyes narrowed. “Order me some warm chamomile tea. I’m thirsty.”

You sighed at how he completely ignored you. You waved the waitress over and she smiled politely at you. “Can I order a warm chamomile tea, please? In a saucer…”

“A… saucer?” She repeated as if worried she had heard you incorrectly.

You sent her a sheepish smile, motioning toward the feline. “My cat is, uh… he has very refined tastes…”

“Oh… I see.” She sent you an obviously forced smile before bowing and heading back inside. She returned a few minutes later, setting the steaming saucer down in front of Atobe. “Please be careful, it’s hot.” And then she patted him gently on the head and walked away.

“I am tired of being treated like an animal,” growled Atobe angrily. He placed his front paws on either side of the cup, pushing his upper body up so he could reach the contents inside.

“I mean, you are technically an animal, so…”

“I may be in the body of an animal, but I am no animal!”

You subconsciously glanced around, feeling thankful that you were the only one willing to sit at the outdoor tables due to the cold autumn air. Still, you felt anxious every time he spoke and your mind was constantly weaving excuses you could use should someone catch him.

“Ack!” He cried out, shaking his head in disgust. “I asked for chamomile tea, this is mint tea.”

You sent him an exasperated look. “It’s still tea, just deal with it.”

“They’re completely different flavors!”

“They’re both herbs, aren’t they?”

“I don’t know how Choutarou deals with someone so uncultured,” he huffed, shaking his head.

“Excuse me for not being able to name and distinguish all 842 tea flavors, half of which are more expensive than my entire house,” you snapped back, feeling annoyed by the comment.

“What a ridiculous number.”

“I was exaggerating for -“

“There are over 20,000 different types of tea in the world.”

You blinked dumbly, your brain taking a moment to process that number. “You’re… you’re joking…”

Atobe just sent you a look before returning to his tea.

“Damn rich people,” you muttered under your breath.

“Senpai?”

Your body tensed up at the familiar voice behind you, hoping you had just imagined it. No such luck.

Choutarou appeared beside you, a worried frown on his lips. “I’ve been calling you for days! I thought… I thought you had been taken, too…”

You took one look at his watery brown eyes and a wave of guilt washed over you like a tidal wave. “I’m really sorry, Choutarou. I’ve just been super busy dealing with…” your eyes flickered to the feline and you bit your lip. “Family stuff.”

The tall male frowned, not missing the hesitation or the way you had glanced at the cat. He knew you were hiding something and he felt torn. If you didn’t want him to know, if you didn’t trust him, he didn’t want to force it out of you. At the same time, he was terrified because of Atobe’s disappearance and the way you were suddenly acting so cold to him.

You stood up, resting your hand on his arm. “I promise I’ll explain everything, just… not right now.”

“I was really worried,” he stated softly, struggling to hold back his tears. “I thought I had lost you, too…”

Your heart felt like it was cracking at his pain. You quickly pulled him into a hug, wishing you were taller so you could rest your head against his. You settled for his shoulder, rubbing his back soothingly. “I’m really sorry, Choutarou. I… I should have made time to answer you.”

He held you tightly, fingers digging into the back of your shirt.

You considered asking him if he wanted to join you, but you couldn’t trust Atobe not to –

“This isn’t even good mint tea. It’s clearly cheap and not freshly made. You should have listened to me when I told you I wanted to visit La Villa instead!”

Your body tensed up, cursing under your breath when Choutarou slowly pulled away, looking around in confusion.

“Senpai, did you hear that? It sounded like -“

“Nope, I didn’t hear anything!” You replied quickly, patting his arm. “I really need to get going because I have to get to work -“

“You can’t hide it forever.” Atobe narrowed his eyes at you, front legs crossed over his chest. “He deserves to know the truth.”

Choutarou’s eyes widened, a soft gasp passing his lips. “Did Atoy just… speak?”

“My name is not Atoy! What a stupid name.”

“I am going to murder you, Atobe,” you growled angrily, fists clenched at your sides. 

“Atobe?” Choutarou looked at you in confusion, his brow furrowed. “Senpai, please tell me what’s going on!”

You exhaled sharply through your nose, trying not to snap at him because it wasn’t his fault. “Grab the damn cat so I don’t strangle him.” And then you tossed some cash on the table and started walking away.

Choutarou carefully picked him up before jogging after you, his long legs allowing him to catch up easily. The tension in the air made him bite his lip, not wanting to push you when you were clearly annoyed. 

You threw open the front door of your house harder than you meant to, muttering under your breath as you kicked your shoes off. 

Kai quirked a brow at you when you rounded the corner. “The hell is your problem?” His eyes flickered to the tall male that appeared a few seconds later. “Oh.”

Choutarou carefully set the cat on the ground before bowing to your brother. “Sorry for the intrusion, Kai-san.”

The older male pouted. “I told you not to be so formal. You’ll be my brother-in-law one day!”

His cheeks darkened at the thought. You scowled, hitting your brother upside the back of his head before heading down the hall toward your room. Choutarou bowed to him again before following you. He found you sitting on the side of your bed, head in your hands.

He sat beside you, rubbing his hand across your back. You were waiting for him to ask you what was happening, to demand answers from you, but you knew he wasn’t that type of person.

You sighed deeply, letting your hands fall from your face. “I’m sorry… I… I’ve been lying to you since the day we met.”

“About what?” he questioned softly.

You took a deep breath, trying to focus on the warm hand against your back. “I… I’m scared to tell you.”

“Why? Do you… not trust me?”

“Of course, I do!” You replied quickly, turning to face him. “I trust you with my life, Choutarou. That’s why it’s so hard to tell you, because I’m scared to lose you.”

He gently cupped your face, a loving smile on his lips. “No matter what you tell me, I’m not going anywhere. I love you.”

You exhaled shakily, your hand resting over his. “The truth is… I’m a mage. My father’s side of the family have been mages for generations.”

“Mage?” His brow furrowed in confusion.

You tugged his hand from your cheek, resting your fingers above his palm. You focused on your power, a tiny spark coming from your fingertips. He watched with wonder as it grew into a ball of flame, morphing and shifting until it looked like a tiny, flaming bird.

“Magical folk. Wizards. Witches. Warlocks. We have many names, but we are mages, users of magic.”

“It’s warm,” he spoke softly, cupping the bird as if it were real. “It doesn’t hurt, though.”

“I specialize in fire magic so I have pretty good control over the temperature. It won’t hurt you unless I want it to and I would never, ever hurt you.”

“I know you wouldn’t.” When his brown eyes met yours, there was no fear within their depths, just warmth, love and, most importantly, trust.

You threw your arms around his neck, hugging him tightly. “Thank you, love.”

“You don’t have to thank me. It’s the least I can do as your future husband,” he teased, sounding embarrassed that he had brought it up. “If that’s what you want, I mean.”

You laughed, pulling back to rest your forehead against his. “I would be honored to have you as my husband one day.” Your lips met his in a soft embrace that lasted only a few seconds.

“What happened to Atobe-san?”

“We’re still trying to figure out the whole story,” you sighed, running a hand through your hair. “So far, we know that he was cursed by a fairy mage but we don’t know why. Kai has been trying to find a counterculture while Atobe and I have been trying to find the woman who cursed him.”

“I can’t believe Atobe-san is a cat…” 

“Not even a cute one, either.”

“Senpai,” he sent you a scolding look. “That’s mean.”

“After what he did today, he’s lucky that’s all I’m doing.”

He hummed softly, slipping his hand into yours. “I’m grateful to Atobe-san for it. I’ve always known you were hiding something and I’m happy that you don’t have to feel as if you have to hide who you are from me.”

“I feel stupid for worrying so much. I should have known you would be the last person to judge.”

“It’s a valid thing to be afraid of,” he smiled reassuringly, pecking your cheek. “It may sound strange, but… knowing that you didn’t want to tell me because you were scared of losing me makes me really happy.”

“Really? Why?”

“Because it tells me how much you love me.”

Before you could reply, Kai burst into the room, the door smacking against the desk before bouncing back and hitting him in the face. He cried out, holding his nose. “We have a problem!”

“Yeah,” you scowled, standing up to check the door. “There’s a hole in my door now, you ass!”

“Are you okay, Kai-san?” asked Choutarou with worry.

Kai smiled warmly at him before scowling at you. “My brother-in-law cares more about me than you do. That’s so messed up!”

“Because he doesn’t have to live with you,” you scoffed, sending him an annoyed look. “What’s your problem?”

“Oh, right!” His eyes widened again as he grabbed you by the shoulders, shaking you. “We have a problem!”

“You said that already.” You shoved his hands away. “Spit it out.”

“We found the woman who cursed him and you’re not going to believe it.”

Your brow furrowed, sending your boyfriend a look before the two of you followed Kai from the room.

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

“You have got to be kidding me…” you muttered, looking wearily at the black house you stood in front of. 

Kai shifted nervously from one foot to the other, nearly shrinking into himself. “We shouldn’t be doing this. If dad finds out, he’s going to freak. Assuming we even make it out of this alive,” he muttered the last bit under his breath, jumping in surprise when a raven cawed loudly.

You took a deep breath, glancing over your shoulder. Choutarou was looking around nervously, clutching Atobe to his chest. You hit your brother’s arm to get his attention. “If you take Choutarou away from here, I’ll go in alone.”

“Absolutely not!” replied Choutarou firmly. “If she’s dangerous, I’m not letting you go alone.”

“My love,” you sent him a stern look. “I appreciate your bravery, but I’m not letting you face down a mage. Especially not this mage.”

He shook his head, stepping closer and slipping his hand into yours. “No matter how dangerous it is, we do it together or we don’t do it at all.”

Kai looked between the two of you. “Welp, have fun, kids!” And then he turned on his heel and darted down the path, jumping through the portal that led out of the mage’s deadlands. 

The sky in the deadlands remained black no matter what time it was. Orange lanterns lit the pathway but they were spread pretty far apart, keeping the land dark. The area around the house was nothing but hard desert, with no trees or buildings in sight.

The house itself looked as if it had been made for a horror movie.

Choutarou squeezed your hand while simultaneously hugging Atobe tighter.

“Choutarou -“

“I’ve made up my mind.”

You were surprised by the determination in his eyes. He wasn’t a stubborn guy by any means, but he was loyal and cared deeply for his friends. You knew he was scared, but he couldn’t leave you and Atobe. Your eyes flickered to his hand, feeling a bit better to see the protection ring secured around his finger.

Taking a deep breath, you started toward the house. “This should be a fun adventure,” you muttered.

The wrought iron gate squealed loudly when you pushed it open, lightning streaking across the sky as if to announce your presence. 

“Stay behind me,” you ordered him before reaching up to knock on the heavy wooden door. 

A moment of silence passed before the door was pulled open, revealing Maira Aarons. She was a tall woman with long black hair that practically melted into the tight black robe she wore. Ruby eyes narrowed at you with recognition, purple lips pursed.

“You better have a good reason for appearing on my doorstep, child.”

You straightened your back and lifted your head. “I’d say you using magic against non-magic folk is a pretty good reason.”

Her eyes flashed and she quickly tried to slam the door in your face but you were quicker, sliding your foot between the door and the frame. “I don’t have time for your games,” she hissed, eyes glowing. “Move, child, before I curse you into -“

“Mom? Who is it?” came a female voice from within the house.

Atobe’s ears twitched at the sound, brow furrowed. You sent him a look as if to ask ‘do you recognize her?’ and he nodded, squirming in the younger male’s grip. This caught the attention of Maira, whose eyes grew wide. She cursed, trying harder to shut the door but you shoved your body against it, pushing with all of your strength.

“Mom? What’s happening?”

“Go back to your room!”

“What? No! What’s going on?”

“I’ll explain later, just please -“

With the older woman occupied, you were able to wrap your magic around your body, increasing your physical strength for a short period of time. It was enough to overpower her, shoving the door open and stumbling forward. Choutarou grabbed the back of your hoodie to keep you on your feet.

A young girl stood at the bottom of the stairs, magic encasing her fists as she took a defensive stance. “Who the hell are you?! What do you want?!”

Before you could answer, Atobe jumped from Choutarou’s grip, landing on the ground in front of you. A gasp passed her lips when she saw him, the light fading as she straightened up.

“Atobe?” she breathed out, eyes wide. “What happened?”

“Ask your mom,” you scoffed, feeling a bit lightheaded as the enhancement magic left your body. It wasn’t your strongest magic type so it always left you feeling drained when you used them and they didn’t last very long, either.

Her eyes snapped to the older woman. “Mom? What did you do?”

Maira huffed, brushing invisible dust from her robe. “I did what any mother would to someone who broke their daughter’s heart.”

“You cursed him! Are you kidding me?” She cried, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “Fix him right now!”

“I will,” started Maira, her eyes narrowed at the feline. “As soon as he agrees to date you, Maki.”

Her face burned with embarrassment, mouth opening and closing.

You scoffed, folding your arms over your chest. “Why would you want that? Forcing someone to date your daughter who doesn’t want to date her… that’s so much worse than being rejected because you know he doesn’t want to be there. All you’re doing is hurting her more.”

“Silence!” snapped Maira, eyes flashing. “This is a family issue.”

“It stopped being a family issue when you cursed an innocent non-magic!”

“He deserved it! He only rejected her because she doesn’t come from a wealthy family like he does, because she isn’t a student at that dreadful school! He broke her heart and he’s lucky he’s still breathing!”

Atobe growled at her, his fur raised. “I am not such an asshole to reject someone based on their social status. I don’t have time to date and I don’t even know her, of course I would reject her.”

“You arrogant little -” her eyes started to glow red, a ball of red magic appearing in her hand. You darted forward, conjuring a shield at the very last second.

Her magic was more powerful and it sent you flying backward, hitting the wall hard. The wind was knocked from your lungs, vision blurring for a moment. Choutarou cried out your name, rushing over to you with worry in his eyes.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” you winced, putting your arm across his chest and pushing him behind you as you forced yourself to step forward.

“Mom!” snapped Maki, her own eyes flashing red. “You’ve gone too far! You can’t just curse everyone I come into contact with! Turn him back or… or… I’ll go live with dad!”

Maira gasped, her eyes wide and hand covering her mouth. She looked as if someone had just threatened her unborn child. “You wouldn’t…”

“Try me!”

She scowled, glaring at the feline. “What has been done must now be undone, the curse you bear will be lifted, I declare!” She clapped her hands together and purple smoke engulfed Atobe, swirling around him like a tornado.

You could only see glimpses of him through the smoke, his body glowing and shifting as he returned to his original form. The smoke exploded outward before dissipating.

Atobe put his hand on his hip, running his other hand through his hair as he scowled. 

“I am so sorry, Atobe-san!” Maki bowed low despite her mother’s protests. 

You put your hand on his shoulder, tugging him toward the door. “Let’s get out of here before you say something dumb and get your ass cursed again.” You kept your gaze on the woman until both boys were out of the house.

“Are you okay?” Choutarou sent you a worried look, reaching for your hand. 

You offered him a tired smile. “Yeah.”

“I was the one who was turned into a cat for a week,” scowled Atobe, shaking his head. 

Choutarou sent him an apologetic look. “Are you okay, Atobe-san?”

“He’ll be hacking up hairballs for the next week, I bet,” you snickered, earning a glare from the male.

“That sounds terrible,” Choutarou covered his mouth, trying to hide his laughter.

Atobe just huffed, muttering under his breath as he walked down the path toward the portal. 

“Everyone is going to be confused. What are we going to tell them?”

“Kai will handle that, don’t worry.” You brought his hand to your lips, pressing a kiss to the back of it. “Right now, all I care about is getting you home safely and going to bed.”

“Do you mind if I join you instead?”

A smile tugged at your lips. “I’d love that, future husband of mine~”

His cheeks turned pink as he smiled brightly at you, brown eyes closed.

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

-> General Taglist: @asterhaze, @mrskenpachizaraki

[written-by-ariddletobesolved]

“I like it better when we’re playing on the same side of the court,” Hans said, gently nudging her with an elbow.

Elsa turned to him, raising an eyebrow as she replied, “Oh, I thought you liked winning?”

“Don’t get me wrong, I do like winning and beating you during our practice matches, but victory actually tastes sweeter when I win with you.”

Hearing the response, the blonde lets out a scoff, before she pretended to look busy with the new grip of her racket, trying to hide her flushing cheeks. 

 “You’re a tennis player, Hans, not a poet. If you work more on your drop shot instead of this art of seduction, maybe we’ll have a better chance of winning this tournament.”

“So, you’d rather be seduced by my tennis?”

“I’d rather not.”

“Very well, then, if we don’t win, the blame will be on you.”

Elsa looked up, her mouth curved into a smirk as she narrowed her eyes at her partner.

“I wouldn’t dare if I were you,” she said, pulling out the yellow ball from the hidden pocket under her skirt, bouncing it on the grass surface several times, before hitting an ace down the T line. She turned to Hans and flashed him a smile. “You know why.”

Once she was satisfied with the stunned look on the redhead’s face, Elsa jogged towards the other side of the court. She was unaware of the way Hans beamed as he followed her with his green eyes—both smitten and challenged by her charm.

advantage, arendahl. coming soon.

For Helsa Week 2022, Prompt 4: Rival | @helsaweekmasterlist

[ariddletobesolved]

Hi, it's me again. Can you do a drabble of Helsa with number 4, please?

Thanks for sending me the prompt. Sorry that it took a long time to respond. Hope you're in the mood for some fluff :3 this one sets in the Tennis Players AU.

4. “Do you…well…I mean…I could give you a massage?” From this post: send me a pairing and a number and i’ll write you a drabble. (if anyone would like to send a number, pls send it to @written-by-ariddletobesolved thanks)

—

The sound of grunts almost in sync with the sound of a ball being hit across the court greeted Hans when he got there.

Putting down his tennis bag on the bench next to a baby blue tennis bag bearing Elsa’s signature golden crocus logo, he then stood at the side of the court with his hands on his hips, observing closely. A towel bearing the tournament logo hung loosely over his shoulders, and he used it to wipe out the sweat trailing down his temple. The Australian summer sun was high in the sky, and Hans couldn’t help but admire his mixed doubles partner for not letting the heat beat her spirit.

“You’re done with practice, Hans?” Elsa muttered, still not losing her focus from the yellow ball that was mounted by the ball machine from the other baseline.

“Yup,” Hans said, before walking back towards the bench and grabbed a bottle of water. “And I’m here to deliver you some news from Coach Agnarr himself.”

Just when Elsa turned to Hans, the ball machine stopped working as the balls had run out. She tilted her head, her cheeks flushing and she was panting from running and returning the balls.

"What did my father say?" She asked, before doing a small jog to approach the auburn haired man. Elsa took the water bottle from his grasp and took a big gulp. "I hope he didn't plan on hosting a dinner party this time."

She almost cringed at that thought. It was an annual thing that her father liked to do: hosting a dinner party at the start of the year not only for their small team, which was mainly consisted of Agnarr and Iduna—Elsa and Anna's parents, who were coaching both Hans and Elsa respectively, Coach Mattias—Anna's coach, and the physiotherapists with whom they all travelled the world; but also for some of their sponsors, players who trained at Arendelle Tennis Academy who were competing in the same tournament along with their coaches, and some of Agnarr Arendelle's former rivals and friends who lived in Australia or were in town to watch the tournament. Elsa disliked large gatherings, and no matter how many times her parents told her how important connections are, even if you were an athlete, she still thought it wasn't exactly necessary for her to be there.

Hans grinned. "No, he didn't."

Elsa raised an eyebrow as she grabbed a towel from the bench. "Okay, don't play with riddles with me, Hans, what is it?"

"A picnic, tomorrow noon," Hans replied, biting back a smile. "But it's more intimate, so there'll be your parents, us, your sister, and Coach Mattias."

Letting out a sigh, Elsa took a seat on the bench. She started to roll her right shoulder which was seemingly sore from the practice.

"Well, at least I don't have to pretend I care about which qualifier is gonna have a good run this time," said Elsa, stealing a glance at Hans and smiling. 

"You're a top player, Elsa, of course they value your opinions about other players. Besides, you made history by being the first qualifier to win a Grand Slam two years ago, of course they're interested to hear what you have to say," Hans said.

"Now, that's just too kind, Hans." Elsa smiled even wider, but she tried to wave his reply off as a mere compliment. But her smile turned into a flinch and she went to massage her right shoulder. 

Hans, who noticed the sudden change of demeanour, quickly said, “Do you…well…I mean…I could give you a massage?”

Nodding, she then patted the spot next to her for him to sit. When Hans gently worked to loosen the tense muscle, Elsa let out a sigh in contentment, her blue eyes fluttering close.

"Hmmh, it feels better now," she muttered. "Gosh, remind me to not sleep on my right side for a little too long again."

Hans grinned. "I would, if you weren't a heavy sleeper. You keep rolling onto your side and clinging on me, even after I push you so that you lie on your back."

At the comment, Elsa felt her cheeks flush even redder. "It's not my fault that you're more comfortable than a body pillow."

"I know." Hans pressed a kiss on the blonde's temple. "But also, maybe you need to slow down a bit with this intense training. I'm pretty sure your mum would want you to be fit and healthy until the Tour Finals."

"I'm not sure if I would qualify for this year's Tour Finals," Elsa sighed. "Not when you have players like Astrid Hofferson dominating the tour."

Hans stopped for a while, before brushing back a few strands of blonde hair from her face, making her turn to him. "You'll do great, okay, Kaere?" 

Elsa pressed her lips into a thin line, as if she was thinking. "Well, I do have an idea, but only if you're up for a challenge."

"I'm always ready."

"So I'll try my best to qualify for the Tour Finals, but only if you do too," she grinned. "We have months until the US Open, and whoever gets qualified first is the winner of this race."

"What's the catch?" Hans smirked.

"I haven't thought about it, to be honest, but I think the winner gets whatever they want. Deal?"

Hans leaned in to peck her lips shortly, before saying, "Deal."

[grabyourpillow]

Btw since i've decided it's announcement time lemme promote the

⭐✴️FANFIC LOUNGE✴️⭐discord server

Where writers and beta readers can come together, discuss writing and fanfic, and help each other out! We're a small community for now so there aren't betas for every fandom, so I, for one would be very happy to see some Sandman/Stranger Things/The Untamed/Beyond Evil/other dramas join! I would also absolutely love it if there were enough people for no beta request to stay unanswered 😁

People are very chill/sliiiiiightly chaotic.

👇Cooome with me free will is an illusion👇

https://discord.gg/7cQZT5NM

[night-unfurls-its-splendour]

Hello! Hope you're having a good day! = D

Could you answer #1 from the writer's ask game please?

Of course!

1. When did you start writing? How?

Okay so let's rewind to 2010. I was... fourteen? My sister and I were super into Tennis. Yeah the sport. So we spent a lot of time on a little site (now defunct) called Quizilla. It was sort of the precursor to what UQuiz is now, and it hosted not only quizzes but fanfic also. We couldn't find a whole lot of Tennis content on Quizilla--almost all of it was for an anime called The Prince of Tennis, which we promptly got very very into.

The first fanfic I ever wrote was for Prince of Tennis and it was a Seven Minutes in Heaven Quiz hosted on Quizilla. I did two of these: one for the protagonist team and one for their biggest rival team. I co-wrote them with my sister and they didn't, like, explode into popularity, but we did get a lot of comments talking about how well done they were, how each one really felt tailored to the character, rather than flattening them out into the usual dirt bag teenage hot boy antics that you would tend to find in spin the bottle/smih fics/quizzes.

That made me feel really good, that I was coming at a niche with a (very slightly) more mature lens that catered to an underfed more mature audience.

The following attempts at full-on stories were, I'll be frank, not as good. I was definitely exploring what I found attractive about each character, but as story they were definitely very threadbare. I had some good concepts but absolutely no emotional development to make them into what I could call a "story". So I set writing aside for a while, then I did some unpublished OC Bleach fanfic and after that really didn't write much of anything until March of 2021 when my Twilight Renaissance began and I decided to resurrect and overhaul my Twilight OC (you can find out all about her on my side-blog @crookdeclipses ) along with completely overhauling her, her name, and her backstory, I also started a dedicated OC fic called Moonrise. that takes place during the events of New Moon and is about her and how she meets her love interest while abroad during the Cullen exodus. But that's all currently unpublished because while it's set in the Twilight universe and directly connects to the principal cast, almost all of the action deals with completely original characters.

Cut to October. 2022. I watched the Phantom of the Opera (2004) and was high-key not okay afterwards. I discovered right from the beginning that the final lair Brings. Out. The. Worst. In. Me.

So much so that after several weeks of obsessive viewing of the film, I formulated a fix-it scenario which then became When The Longing Returns, which is my first published fic in over ten years, and is also the only thing I've written that I feel justified in calling "a story".

[alexoreality]

The Princess of Tennis - Ryoma Echizen

Summary:

Ryoma’s a girl! Surprise! Well, technically not a welcomed surprise since she apparently had a horrible experience in America tennis as a girl. 

*** 

“What are yo- HEY, LET GO OF MY HAIR!”  

“You sure like to play tennis with this long thing, what is it? Some sort of tradition in Japan? Hah!” 

“Hey, why do you have scissors-” 

Snip. Snip. 

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO MY HAIR?! LET ME GO!” 

“Pin her down boys.” 

“STOP IT, I SAID STOP-” 

“Whoops! I cut you instead, but this might be a suitable punishment for you! Why not stab you through the head while I’m at it?” 

“Y-You wouldn’t...” 

“Should’ve thought it through when you messed wih us!” 

“With that disgusting tennis play too, what are you?? A dancer?!” 

“Play tennis like its tennis you stupid girl!” 

“Aw, look! She’s crying!” 

“That’s right, cry! All girls cry over puny things, that’s why they’re so weak!” 

“If you play like that, you don’t deserve to play tennis!” 

Ryoma shot up into a sitting position, her eyes frantically searched her surroundings. Right, she was in Japan... In her room, safe and sound with her cat... 

Karupin stood up from her curled-up sleeping position and jumped up to her favorite’s bed, sensing that she has woken up from a horrible dream (or a recall of hellish memories) and urged her hand to pet her furry head. 

“Karupin...” The girl nicknamed ‘Prince’ smiled tiredly yet sweetly at the mischievous creature. 

The cat meowed in delight as her owner rubbed her palm over her head. “It’s just another nightmare, but I haven’t had it in ages ever since I joined the Tennis club and became a Regular. Neh, Karupin... I feel something bad is going to happen.” Ryoma took her family cat and scooped her into her arms, rubbing her head affectionately against her cat’s head to calm her anxiety. 

Karupin purred softly as she rubbed back, small sensations vibrating through her and sending it to Ryoma. “Well, I want to be early this time. So...” It was 6:10 AM, she settled her cat on her bed and swung her legs to the edge of her bed. 

“Morning, Karupin. Sorry I woke you up like that.” The dark green-haired highschooler stretched her limbs to get ready for the day. 

She opens her door from her room. Ryoma decides she’d take a bath first. 

“Oh, they’re going to be so surprised when they see me earl-” Ryoma cut herself off when she saw her reflection through the mirror. Her dark green strands were... Reaching her shoulders... 

“You sure like to play tennis with this long thing, what is it? Some sort of tradition in Japan? Hah!” 

Immediately going for the scissors in the bathroom, Ryoma starts to cut it short at an alarming rate. Her hazel eyes wide from fear at the thought of someone doing that to her again. 

She ignores the stinging from the cut she inflicted around her index finger, that wasn’t important, what was important was too keep her hair short so no one knew she was a girl no one knew she had long hair to forcefully brag from behind no one knew her at all and that was fine- 

“Ryoma-san? The food is ready. You should wake up soon.” The sound of her elder cousin’s voice snapped her out of her panic-like state. She now pays attention to the cut on her right palm and her left hand’s index finger. 

“I’m taking a bath!” Ryoma replied from the bathroom. 

“Really? Well then, I’ll wait for you downstairs!” 

Ryoma takes one glance at the strands of hair on the tiles surrounding her. She closes her eyes while furrowing her brows to will away the flashbacks of that horrible day. 

She went for a quick shower, reminiscing how she never told her family who even violently and practically shredded her hair off from her head. She remembers how worried her mom and dad had been when they got a call from the hospital ear her elementary school. She refused to speak; they would just hog her even more. She wouldn’t be able to have a normal high school life after that. Not like this current one is normal, she had weird senpais and that actually never bothered her the least. 

With her body on autopilot and drying herself up, quickly changing into her male school uniform. (She was thankful that he could also pass for a really short boy with a girlish face...) 

Taking her bag and happy with her new hair-cut, courtesy of herself of course. She walked down to the dining room and saw western food on her plate again, she could only sigh. “Sorry, Ryoma-san...” Nanako rubbed the back of her head. 

“It’s fine.” She drank half of her milk in one go, Ryoma started to eat to at least distract herself from her gut feeling telling her about something bad was about to happen. 

“You woke up, a bit early. What’s wrong?” Ryoma’s hand stopped mid-way from lifting the spoon into her mouth. She placed the utensil back down and breathed in. 

“I... Well, it's over now. Technically nothing to concern yourself about.” Ryoma put up her usual apathetic front, continuing to eat her breakfast. It was soon all consumed and she was ready for school. 

Nanako observed her younger cousin worriedly, her aunt filled her in on what happened to her back in America but... They simply didn’t know who or why caused it. Ryoma simply wouldn’t tell them. 

Her Aunt also said it was probably for the best since maybe Ryoma’s brain was managing heal the trauma on its own, maybe as long as they go on with their daily lives it would heal. However... 

Nanako knew it wasn’t like that. 

“You better get there in time!” 

“Yeah, I will!” 

***

Tezuka, the captain of the Tennis club watched the American tennis match provided by the coach attentively, what was she trying to convey? What is the coach trying to tellh him? 

As captain and currently the strongest regular on the first string. Tezuka has expectations he must meet or break through, what was the coach saying by ‘Watch the girl tennis player closely, she reminded me of someone on the team.’  

It was a girl, yet her tennis style doesn’t look similar to theirs. It was vastly different and felt enchanting to gaze at. Tezuka sometimes wipes his glasses every now and then to stop himself from fully immersing in the match and forgetting to observe her plays. 

It was finally her turn to serve... Tezuka thought of how she would do it but then- 

“A twist serve...?” It spun in another direction too, not like the traditional one... Could she be? 

No, no. There was no way. But... this match was aired before Ryoma even arrived in Japan... No, this was last year. This was live, last year...! A year before Ryoma attended this high school! 

The timelines mixed well. The techniques... The sudden change of movement... 

Was Ryoma hiding his- er...her identity? Was that the tennis only Ryoma Echizen can play? 

Tezuka rubbed the bridge of his nose, why though? Was Seigaku not trustworthy? Come to think of it, they didn’t have a girl's team and there was no rule that a girl can’t join. So, their tennis team was meant to be a mix. 

The captain sighed heavily; he needs to confront Ryoma with this. “Take it easy now. She needs time to talk.” Coach Ryuzaki reminded him. 

“I just need confirmation from her, that’s all. If she is hiding something, I won’t let it get out of hand, I give you, my word.” The captain stood up from the chair in front of the coach’s desk and left. 

*** 

“Hey, look who’s early!” Momoshiro called out to the only freshman regular who was in his uniform already. 

“Mh? That’s a bit of a surprise.” Eiji bluntly said, Ryoma had to resist the urge to throw her empty can at her senpai. 

“Well, you might as well keep doing it every day.” Kaidoh glanced at him, Inui was already instructing him on what they were going to do for morning training. Ryoma simply nodded. 

“Looks like we’ll be seeing you earlier from now on?” Fuji inquired, “I guess, If I keep at it...” Both of them apathetically nodded. 

“You actually came early for the first time in never, Ochibi!!” 

“Quit it!” 

***

Chapter 1 End.

Chapter 2 Soon...

[moonliel-writes]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Tennis no Oujisama | Prince of Tennis Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Echizen Ryouma/Tezuka Kunimitsu Characters: Echizen Ryouma, Tezuka Kunimitsu Additional Tags: Aged-Up Character(s), Tennis, Alternate Universe - Future, Future Fic, Boys Kissing Summary:

Echizen and Tezuka are playing doubles, and Echizen knows a good way to make them better.

[sportsfestival]

This is now the time for the last theme-imposed Bonus Round and it’s 3 words!!

You are still free to sign-up for the remaining time and the Main Round 2 theme is Wish!!!

https://sportsfest.dreamwidth.org/39914.html

[partlypoison]

The Way of the Tea

Title: The Way of the Tea (Ch.3: Nanporoku)

Pairings: Tezuka Kunimitsu x Fuji Shuusuke

Fandom: Tennis No Oujisama - The Prince of Tennis

General Summary:

Tezuka Kunimistu, former member of Germany’s national tennis team is back in Japan with a steady, anonymous desk job his old friend Oishi got him while taking care of his grandfather.

Fuji Yuuta, five years old, never stays where his older brother asks him to, and is looking at him solemnly in the middle of the hospital garden.

“It is cold here. Can I have some of your tea?”

Chapter Summary:

Tezuka ponders about his time alone and his lack of friends until he’s interrupted by the one friend he made since he’s back: A child.

[hatter-and-his-tea]

Torment | Prince of Tennis | Tezuka x Fuji

There was silence between them.

Despite sitting next to one another, they found themselves talking to the person in front or next to them, rather than to each other.

The ciggarette’s smoke in the izakaya was pungent and the lights barely illumintated their table and the foods that were scattered across the table.

They had decided to hold their reunion at this old style izakaya. Hidden in a small lane, it was a local place with a wooden interior.

The place reminded Fuji of Kawamura’s sushi, before they decided to close down. He still found himself missing that place, that moment in them where they were all much younger and fighting for the National.

With every sip of the cold sake making his way to his lips, the blue eyed prodigy found his mind feeling a little bit lighter and numb.

He needed the power of alcohol for tonight, especially when he found himself sitting next to that man.

Tezuka Kunimitsu, the current and youngest Grand Slam Champion. They haven’t seen each other for years. Ever since the U-17, life decided to drift them apart.

The last message that Fuji sent him was wishing him a Happy New Year and that was 2 years ago. Despite changing his phone, the prodigy still keeps the messages stored.

“Here’s your drink.” The waitress suddenly placed another drink in front of him.

“Ah, I didn’t order this.” Fuji chirped in. He was about to return the drink, fingers gripping the full glass of oolong hai when he felt another hand gripped his.

“It’s mine.” Tezuka told him, his fingers were still touching him.

“A-..” Fuji nodded and placed the glass nearer to the man.

He released the glass and expected Tezuka to do the same. Instead, that warm and wide hand, rough from gripping the racket his whole life, kept intertwining his fingers with the prodigy and brought it under the table, right on top of the tennis player’s hip.

Fuji felt his face flushing bright red, like a kid. At least, this time he could blame it on the alcohol.

With his head feeling light, lips numbing from the cold drink and the alcohol, heart beating loudly, and the chatter surrounding them that appeared to never ends, Fuji came to wish that the party would end soon, finally ending his one-sided love.

…

I wanted to make an r rated version. Maybe next time. Gotta be in that mood first lol

[rainisawriter]

Pumpkin Spice Fluff (Flufftober 2023 Masterlist)

🍂 Introduction 🍂

So, for the past few years I've been doing this set called Frightful October but I wanted to do something different this year. I have decided to try my hand at @flufftober this year!

I'm quite nervous because I only found this challenge last month and, as of posting this, I've only completed one lmao I really want to try and get all 31 but I'm not promising anything, knowing how I struggle to finish shit.

I originally planned to make this entire event original fiction however, then I changed my mind and decided to do half original and half fanfiction. I then changed my mind a third time and have decided to go with all fanfiction lmao

This set will be tagged with #RFO - PSF and #RFO - PSF23. You can see this set posted on AO3 and WordPress.

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

Ficography under the cut!

🍂 Week 1 (October 1st – 7th) 🍂

Day 1. Cowardly San (San, Ateez) | 3k | fluff, angst, non-idol au

Day 2. To Be Family (Yamato, High&Low) | 4k | fluff, family

Day 3. What Changed? (Jaemin, NCT) | 1k | fluff, college au

Day 4. The Ugly Duckling (Amagai, High&Low) | 7k | angst, fluff

Day 5. Stood Up (Reo, Generations) | 3k | fluff

Day 6. The Sun & Moon (Bernie, High&Low) | 6k | angst, fluff

Day 7. Together-Forever (Woozi, Seventeen) | 7k | fluff, supernatural, romance

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

🍂 Week 2 (October 8th - 14th) 🍂

Day 8. Strange One (Takeshi, High&Low) | 3k | fluff, comedy

Day 9. Luck of the Draw (Wooyoung, Ateez) | 2k | fluff, friendship

Day 10. Made With Love (Shibaman, High&Low) | 5k | fluff, romance, slice of life

Day 11. A Helping Hand (Cobra, High&Low) | 2k | fluff, slice of life, romance

Day 12. One Day, You'll Be Mine (Hitsugaya, Bleach) | 5k | fluff, comedy

Day 13. You've A Lot of Explaining to Do (Yamasho, The Rampage) | 3k | fluff, supernatural

Day 14. Hyuga & the Three Kittens (Hyuga, High&Low) | 4k | fluff, slice of life

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ───��─

🍂 Week 3 (October 15th - 21st) 🍂

Day 15. Missing & Cursed (Choutarou, Prince of Tennis) | 6k | fluff, supernatural, magic

Day 16. A Halloween Miracle (Ice, High&Low) | 5k | fluff, romance slice of life

Day 17. Accept Me As I Am (Ryu, the Rampage)

Day 18. To the Hot Springs (Tsuji, High&Low)

Day 19. I'll Never Leave (Renato, Dead by Daylight)

Day 20. To Care for You (Murayama, High&Low) | 5k | fluff, angst, slice of life

Day 21. Welcome to the Realm (Nic, Dead by Daylight) | 3k | fluff, friendship

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

🍂 Week 4 (October 22nd - 28th) 🍂

Day 22. My Beautiful Captain (Futa, High&Low) | 4k | fluff, angst, comfort

Day 23. Little Starfish (Floyd, Twisted Wonderland) | 3k | fluff, soulmate au

Day 24.

Day 25.

Day 26.

Day 27.

Day 28.

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

🍂 Week 5 (October 29th - 31st) 🍂

Day 29.

Day 30.

Day 31.

───── ⋆⋅🍂⋅⋆ ─────

[written-by-ariddletobesolved]

Can you do a one word prompt with Sleep?

I really enjoyed writing this one! Thanks for the prompt, Anon! ^^

One Word Prompt 11 — Sleep

Note: This one sets in Tennis Players AU, before this. Enjoy! 

—

He wonders what she may be thinking at that moment. Lying in the dark on his side, Hans watches the way her shoulder rises as she takes a deep breath and falls as she exhales. Even with her back facing him, he can tell that she hasn’t fallen asleep. He lifts one hand, contemplating whether or not he should ask her.

‘Elsa?’

Instead of an answer, Hans is greeted by silence. He doesn’t want to sound pushy, but Elsa needs to get some rest, because tomorrow is going to be a big day for her.

‘Love?’ He calls her once again, ‘Perhaps you want to share what you have in mind?’

There’s a loud sigh, before the blonde turns to face him. Elsa frowns slightly, then she reaches for his hand in between their pillows, thumb rubbing his skin gently.

‘What if I lose tomorrow?’

Hans flashes her a comforting smile, taking her hand in between his. ‘You’ve been practising and preparing for this moment, Elsa. You beat three top ten players en route to the final round, consider yourself a champion already.’

‘But that’s not enough. The champion will have her name engraved on the trophy, and if it isn’t mine, then I’m not the champion,’ she protests. ‘I can’t have Hofferson lift that trophy tomorrow. She’s beaten me twice in finals this year. If I lose to her for the third time this year, I can’t live with the humiliation.’

‘Elsa, look at me,’ Hans says, prompting her to dart her attention at him. ‘You’re putting too much pressure on yourself, love. Remember, this is your favourite tournament on your favourite surface. That Centre Court out there is basically your playground, okay? I believe that you can do it, Elsa.’

Elsa lets out a sigh, slowly nodding her head. The talk may not help much in easing her tension, but he just wanted to show her some support. Hans had been there before, playing in the final round of a Grand Slam tournament against the (then) world number one, and he was struggling a lot. The result was not one he expected, and he was upset at himself for not being able to save a couple of break points. But he knew that dwelling on the loss wouldn’t help him get better. He needed to pick up his racket again and practice more.

Extending his arm, he gestures at her to scoot closer. ‘Come here, love!’

She takes her time rolling into his embrace. Resting her hand over his chest, Elsa murmurs,

‘You’ll be there tomorrow, right?’ She looks up through her eyelashes.

‘Of course I will.’ Hans presses a kiss on her forehead, gently combing through her blonde locks. ‘Now I want you to try to not think about the results, okay? Remember why you decided to play tennis in the first place, what makes you love the sport, and stay focused on yourself—not your opponent.’

‘I’ll try, Hans,’ she replies, before nuzzling the crook of his neck. ‘Thank you for being so patient with me.’

Hans smiles, ‘Well, we’re partners on and off court. We shall help each other through thick and thin.’

Elsa looks up at him once more and pecks his lips. ‘What would I do without you?’

‘Umm, firstly, you wouldn’t have a good looking hitting partner, and secondly, you wouldn’t reach another Mixed Doubles Final. Remember, we still have another match on Sunday.’

‘Oh shoot, you’re right!’

‘Now, let’s get some sleep, shall we?’ Hans pulls her in an embrace, spooning her from behind. ‘Good night Elsa, I love you.’

‘I love you.’

[galacticyarn]

Blabbering about Tenipuri

In early 2024, I finally read The New Prince of Tennis and had so many thoughts that I figured I may as well write them up for sharing. I got into The Prince of Tennis around 2006 when I was the same age as some of the characters. These were the days of Livejournal, as well as fanfiction dot net, AKA the pit of voles. My favorite ship was InuKai. Over the next few years, I gradually faded out of the fandom until I basically didn’t think about Tenipuri whatsoever. From roughly 2012-2017, I wasn’t really in online fandom at all. I never made the change from LJ to Twitter or Tumblr.

Sometime around 2016, I got back into Tenipuri because of a friend on Plurk, a social media site that still shows you posts from people you follow in chronological order. I ended up joining the Tenipuri Discord as well as AO3, watched some of Tenimyu for the first time, and wrote fics for the first time since the LJ days. I started playing Rising Beat, and went downhill from there (in a good way.) As an adult, my views on the characters that I used to dislike have softened to the point that I pretty much like all of them. My favorite individuals and ships definitely shifted around and I’d be hard pressed to pick only one character or one ship, because I get different things out of each. 

Now that I have read Shinteni, I gained 5 (five!) new ships. For a while they were filling my mind when I would wake up earlier than my alarm, and when I would try to fall asleep. I guess this goes to show how very much I am into Tenipuri. I haven't been very active in fandom Discord servers now that those seem to be where everyone is, but I’m feeling the urge to try online fandom again. I can’t believe I missed out on the Tenirabi zines because I had muted the entire server…

All this to say I’m back :) 

[shipcestuous]

i'm really writing a fanfiction for prince of tennis

i made a twin oc for the main character ryoma

i made them close,

bad understanding of personal space, lots of holding hands, sharing food sitting on each other's laps

and i'm like "ok now pairings"

and the twins froze "they'll share right?"

me: ... share ? i don't have an issues with polyamory but i have one pairing for ryoma and the oc is obviously just gonna be paired with my favorite character. (bc that's the point of ocs) who are you two being shared with ?

twins: *mental representation holding each other*

me:

twins:

me: who are you two going to be sharing with ??