asael

This is

nonartisan's Christmas present fic. :) I do hope you get your other presents, but if not, I hope this doesn't disappoint! I tried my best.

I've never written this pairing before, and I'm not too good at humor, but it was fun to write anyway. Merry Christmas! ♥♥♥

On A Winter's Day
Prince of Tennis
Akazawa/Mizuki, Tezuka/Fuji

On some days, Akazawa wondered if he had been cursed by the gods. Maybe in a past life he’d killed a priest, or something, and was now paying for it. Or maybe his current trials were meant to make him grow stronger. They hadn't killed him yet, anyway.

The 'sinner in a past life' theory would explain a lot of things. It would explain why his team had not yet managed to win any championships. It would explain why he always seemed to end up missing the train. And it would explain why he was dating Mizuki Hajime - well, besides the obvious reasons.

To be fair, Mizuki didn’t always make Akazawa's life harder. Despite his various eccentricities, he was pleasant enough to be around (when he wasn't having a hissy fit) and he cared about his friends and teammates (though he often showed it in strange ways). Mizuki was also intelligent (or at least, he always seemed to know what he was talking about), and Akazawa had to admit that even when he was at his wits' end with his boyfriend, the more physical benefits usually made up for it.

Akazawa was a teenage boy, after all.

However, it was times like these when Akazawa questioned his fate. He was fairly certain that most people's boyfriends didn't decide to turn a Christmas Eve date into an impromptu stalking, but Mizuki was nothing if not unique.

Maybe it was Akazawa's own fault. If he'd been more careful, he'd have noticed Seigaku's Fuji Syuusuke before Mizuki did, and he'd have chosen a different cafe. Unfortunately, he hadn't even been thinking about it, and he hadn't noticed the other tennis player at all until Mizuki's eyes had begun to gleam in that particular way that always meant trouble.

If Akazawa didn't know better, he'd be jealous of Fuji Syuusuke, but it was widely known that while Mizuki might have a little obsession - Fuji could hardly remember his name. So St Rudolph's captain just sighed and ordered some tea for them both, watching Mizuki watching Fuji.

Yuuta's brother was here alone, sitting at a table by the window and sipping what looked like hot chocolate. He seemed unaware of his surroundings, gazing outside at the street, where a light snow had just started to fall. It was rather picturesque, like the cover of a greeting card.

After a few minutes, during which Fuji peacefully drank hot chocolate, Mizuki took out his cellphone and made a call. Akazawa listened to him talk as he accepted the tea the waitress brought, suppressing a sigh. Listening to Mizuki grill Yuuta on what his brother was doing out alone on Christmas Eve was not what Akazawa had had in mind when he planned this date. He had been thinking of something more romantic, or at least with more possibility of getting laid at the end (Akazawa preferred concrete results, and Mizuki was high-maintenance and insisted on romance).

Mizuki shook his head as he put his phone away. "Hmph. Yuuta is becoming very rude now that we aren't around to watch over him. Would you believe that he hung up on me?"

Akazawa sipped his tea to avoid answering. He could absolutely believe that Yuuta hung up on Mizuki, but long experience had taught him to say nothing.

"Look!" Mizuki exclaimed, sitting up slightly straighter and trying not to look as though he was staring. "Isn't that Seigaku’s captain?"

Akazawa glanced over despite himself, just long enough to note that the person sitting down across from Fuji was in fact Tezuka Kunimitsu. He was brushing the snowflakes from his hair, and Fuji lifted a finger to signal the waitress.

"What is Tezuka doing here? This is getting interesting..." Mizuki was nearly gloating at the success of his information-gathering, since Fuji didn't seem to have noticed them at all.

"Drink your tea," was all Akazawa said, mixing in Mizuki's preferred amount of cream and sugar and pushing the cup across the table. Mizuki sipped it absentmindedly as he peered at Tezuka and Fuji.

"It looks like Tezuka is drinking green tea... that sounds about right. Oh my god." Mizuki's mouth formed a perfect 'o' of surprise. "Are they holding hands? Are they a couple? Yuuta never mentioned that, he must not know." In a moment, Mizuki’s expression had changed from surprised to devious. "Nfu... an illicit relationship between captain and team member, how scandalous."

Akazawa managed, just barely, to refrain from pointing out that that was exactly what was going on between Mizuki and himself. Or at least that it was what should be going on, if only Mizuki could take his mind off his supposed rival for a moment.

At least Mizuki had finished his tea by the time Fuji and Tezuka left, because he unsurprisingly insisted that they follow at a discreet distance. Akazawa rolled his eyes and complied, even though for all he knew Fuji was leading them into a deathtrap. It was safer than letting Mizuki run around alone in the cold, he’d probably freeze to death trying to peek through Fuji's window or something.

Tezuka and Fuji seemed to be heading somewhere, but detoured a bit to stroll through a nearby park. Mizuki kept himself and Akazawa a safe distance behind, and even took Akazawa's hand - presumably to foster the illusion that they were lovers on an innocent walk rather than a dangerously insane stalker and his hopeless boyfriend.

Akazawa had just begun to enjoy the walk for what it was pretending to be when Mizuki gasped. "What are they doing?" Tezuka and Fuji had apparently disappeared into a stand of trees just off the path, and Mizuki's thoughts had immediately jumped to the most inappropriate conclusion.

Akazawa was vaguely proud of his boyfriend's perverted mind.

Mizuki tugged him along, tiptoeing closer until he could carefully peer through the trees. Despite himself, Akazawa looked as well. He had absolutely no desire to see either of the Seigaku players involved in anything intimate, particularly not with each other, but it was like a train wreck. He couldn't not look.

Fuji and Tezuka were plastered against each other, and one of Fuji's hands seemed to be under Tezuka's shirt. Their kiss was not at all innocent, and Akazawa distantly had to admire Tezuka's technique. He'd always seemed so proper, and while Akazawa could easily see Fuji being experienced (it was the smile), he'd never have expected it from Tezuka.

Mizuki pulled them both back and away from the trees, cheeks rather red. Akazawa wasn't entirely sure why, since they'd done worse together, but - well, maybe Mizuki wasn't quite as much of a voyeur as he made himself out to be.

"I think that I have enough data now," he said after they were far enough away, clearing his throat and apparently attempting to ignore his flushed face. "You said we were going on a date, right? Let's continue. Maybe go back to your place."

Akazawa shrugged. "All right." He decided not to think about it too much. He'd given up on understanding Mizuki long ago, it was just safer.

***

Elsewhere...

As Fuji pulled back and their lips finally parted, Tezuka frowned a little. Fuji was normally very discreet, the most they ever did in public was hold hands, and then only if no one they knew was around. Granted, he wasn't going to complain this time, especially when he had gone along with it so easily, but he had to ask. "Fuji... why?"

Fuji glanced to the side before smiling at him, eyes mischievous. "No reason. You're just irresistible today."