FIC: Parallel [Prince of Tennis; Sequel; Fuji/Kaidoh]

[sarisia]

Title: Parallel
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Couple, Characters: Fuji/Kaidoh, mention of past Inui/Kaidoh
Rating: PG
Summary: It seems like everything is going well for Fuji and Kaidoh, but when Inui starts paying undue attention to Kaidoh, Fuji's jealousy rears its head.

[Sequel to: Breathless]


It took him ten school days before Kaidoh was able to see it, clearly and without it being pointed out to him. By then, it - being the sudden (to him) and obvious (to everyone else) rivalry between Fuji and Inui - had dissolved into something akin to "see, pause, attack and retreat once Kaidoh notices." Kaidoh wasn't sure if it was fortunate or not that their battle of wits and coercion was so intense that they couldn't tell when he'd finally noticed.

It didn't help in the least that the other members of the tennis club started having lunch with the three of them, just for entertainment's sake. Kikumaru, Echizen, and Momoshiro were the worst - agreeing to situations or suggestions for Kaidoh when he'd no intention of doing so, egging the two rivals into more argumentative conversation, and smiling in a decidedly menacing way whenever Kaidoh shouted at them to mind their own business.

Inui sat to Kaidoh's left. He easily dwarfed the younger player's height, even when sitting. He put a hand on Kaidoh's shoulder and leaned unnecessarily close. "Kaidoh-kun, would you like to -"

Inui didn't get a chance to finish his question.

Fuji, sitting to Kaidoh's right, neatly split a roll in two. His eyes were focused firmly on his lunch. As much as he might have considered Inui his rival, he wasn't going to let his year mate let him know it by actually looking at him.

"No," Fuji cut in. "He would not."

"You don't even know what I'm asking yet. It could very well be something he likes. Right, Kaidoh-kun?"

Fuji frowned. "If there's something he likes," he said. Then, pointedly, "Likes and wants - then I will be the one to give it to him."

Kaidoh let out a slow hiss and blocked out the conversation that snapped around his head. It was clear to him what was happening. The way they fought over him, trying to claim as much of his time as they could, made it apparent. The reasoning behind it, however, was an entirely different matter. Inui, who'd had him once before, and Fuji, who had him now, probably wouldn't like giving him answers, even if he asked why.

Fortunately, Kaidoh wasn't the only one who disliked the fighting. Tezuka, too, made mention of it, briefly and with a sigh that surprised Kaidoh.

"This is no good," Tezuka said, eyes on where Fuji and Inui were fiercely volleying in a far court. "It needs to be fixed." This was said directly to Kaidoh.

He nodded. "I'm trying to figure it out."

And that seemed to satisfy Tezuka.

.....

So, when Fuji walked him home that afternoon - a routine that had been developed in the past week, during which Fuji seemed constantly on the lookout for trouble - Kaidoh decided to say something.

"You're getting jealous over nothing, Shuusuke," he said, as gently as possible.

"What are you talking about?" Fuji asked, smiling.

"Your fight with Inui-sempai," Kaidoh prompted.

Fuji sniffed, walked a bit faster to keep ahead. "My fight with Inui has nothing to do with you. Don't worry about it."

"Oh." Kaidoh smiled indulgently. "Then, it'll be alright if I practice with him at school tomorrow."

Fuji whirled. "But I'm the one you practice with!"

Am I really? demanded the part of Kaidoh's mind that was petulant and childlike. "I'll practice with you then," he said and caught up with Fuji in time to see the older boy smile a bit. His offer, at least, seemed to have placated Fuji. "Inui's not interested in me."

Fuji shook his head. "Of course, he is."

"He's not," Kaidoh insisted. "I'd know."

Fussing with the sleeves of his uniform in a way that was almost endearing, Fuji frowned his disagreement. "Right." He glanced away. "Because you've been with him before."

He hated to say it. "Exactly."

"Maybe he just wasn't serious before."

The words landed where they were meant to, and Kaidoh was thrown off balance by Fuji's offhand remark. He relented. Kaidoh'd been pushing before, but it had taken less than ten words for Fuji to make his point and take his easy win.

And it had been easy. Kaidoh had no doubt of that. Fuji hadn't needed to lay out proof of the possibility, merely suggest the idea that what Inui and Kaidoh had done had not been sincere.

Easy.

A breeze itched at Kaidoh's eyes. He blinked and looked away from Fuji's face. "Aa," he agreed. "You might be right."

Fuji tried to soothe him. "I'm sorry."

Kaidoh nodded, tried to accept it, but ended up hissing out exactly what he was thinking: "Don't say what you don't mean."

.....

And that night, no matter how he tried to convince himself that the thought didn't bother him, the doubt nagged at him.

.....

It occurred to Kaidoh, as Inui caught him on the way to school the next morning, that the similarities between Inui and Fuji were startling. Between Inui, who used his glasses to hide his intentions, and Fuji, who used his gentle laughter and smiles to do the same, there was little Kaidoh could find different. The same determination. The same stubborn desire to become and maintain the title of The Best.

And while Inui slid his palm across the width of Kaidoh's shoulders as soon as Fuji came into view, Kaidoh wondered if he liked in both of them the things that Kaidoh could not find in himself: the ability to hide emotions behind some sort of barrier. All too often, Kaidoh'd had his secrets spilled by some unconscious reaction - a blush, perhaps, or a hiss of irritation. He found it admirable that Inui and Fuji could protect themselves without effort.

But at least, Fuji could withstand what little effort it took to make his intentions clear.
Even so, in the same way he had learned to find Inui's intentions behind his reflection in Inui's glasses, Kaidoh was only just beginning to see past Fuji's laughter and smiles to see the truth. He couldn't just leave behind what little progress he'd made just because he doubted Inui's lack of interest.

"You must be cold, Kaidoh-kun," Inui murmured. "Autumn's almost here."

"I'm fine," Kaidoh replied. He resisted the pull of Inui's arm around his shoulders. Any second now, Fuji would look up and assume the worst. "Would you please stop playing these games, sempai?"

"Games?" Inui echoed, and relief filtered through Kaidoh when Inui's arm dropped away. "Kaidoh, I am being serious."

Kaidoh put some space between them. Safe distance. Enough distance that he could look up at Inui's earnest face. All at once, whatever honesty that Kaidoh could find in Inui didn't matter. Whether Inui had been serious then, or was serious now, didn't matter.

"I know that before..." Inui sighed. "I must seem different now, but please, understand, Kaidoh. I've only just realized." He reached out and touched the side of Kaidoh's face.

Inui was still talking, brushing his fingers against Kaidoh's cheek. "Kaidoh, Surely, you wouldn't deny me-"

"I'm staying with Fuji."

Just like that, Inui's hand fell back to his side. "Oh, I see." He pushed up his glasses. "There's nothing I can do?"

Kaidoh flushed pink and smiled softly. "Nothing at all," he agreed.

Inui laid his hand on Kaidoh's head, smoothed the spiky hair. "That's good." He pushed Kaidoh toward the gates. "I'll see you at practice, Kaidoh." And was gone.

.....

"I saw you with Inui," was the first thing Fuji said when Kaidoh came up beside him. He smiled gently. "We'll stay friends, of course."

"Shuusuke-"

"And we'd still practice together."

"Yes, but..."

"I'd still see you everyday."

Kaidoh covered Fuji's mouth with his palm. "You're being an idiot."

He could feel Fuji's frown form beneath his fingers before they were pulled away. "I'm trying to be realistic here, Kao-" He blinked, quickly. "Kaidoh."

"Realistic?" Kaidoh hissed. "Monopolize me, then. I didn't decide to stay with you for nothing." He blushed vividly as he grabbed Fuji's hand and brought his knuckles to his lips. "Shuusuke, you'll have to take full responsibility."

It took a moment to sink in, but then Fuji smiled - so brilliantly that Kaidoh didn't hold back from returning the grin. Fuji laughed before cradling Kaidoh's face between his hands and kissing him.

"You really are pushy!"