Oishi opened his eyes. It was still dark outside it was so early. He looked at his clock reflected backwards in his fish tank. Now it was his clocks, as he had set a second alarm using an old clock just to be on the safe side. He beat them both by about ten minutes. Lucky.

Seigaku's next Vice Captain could not oversleep. He smiled. His father had been pleased that Tezuka had asked him. Not that he said so, in fact he had asked Oishi why Tezuka had asked him in that overbearing way he had. Oishi knew his father was never Vice Captain. He was the club manager though now that Oishi thought about it. He should find a way to mention that the duties of Vice Captain were like an assistant to the manager. That would appease his father's ego and be the smart thing to do. Then his father could still brag to his friends and still save face. Oishi saw his father so much clearer these days.

He clearly saw his father and all his failings. Because of Eiji. Eiji and his big, loud, incredible, loving family. It was more important now to Oishi that Eiji was proud of him than his father was. Eiji knew him, really knew him and loved him in a way his father never could. Eiji loved him unconditionally. Eiji being proud of him mattered. His father only cared about bragging rights and status symbols but he was hard and cold inside.

Whereas Eiji was....

Where was Eiji...?

Oishi realized he must have dropped the phone in his sleep. It was next to his ear but not on it. He pressed his ear to the phone and listened to hear Eiji breathe. He heard what sounded like a whisper or a sigh, or oh maybe singing.... Oishi turned his phone up to its highest setting and strained to listen. He still could not make it out so he said softly into the phone, "Eiji?"

"Oishi!? You're up!?" Eiji said it softly, well softly for Eiji. His phone was loud.

Oishi smiled and turned the volume on his phone down so that Eiji's normal volume didn't deafen him."Good morning." He said feeling warm, "I'm up. Did you sleep okay? Are you reading? Do you need me to give you a minute to finish your chapter?" Eiji started laughing at Oishi's many questions. To keep him laughing Oishi kept asking him more, "Do you want to meet me to walk to school? Will you ride your bike today? What are you going to make for breakfast?" Eiji was laughing hard now and Oishi started laughing too. He wished he was with him and thought how if he was there, Eiji would kiss him to shut him up. He would probably have toothpaste miraculously in his mouth and would kiss him deeply, hard and sweet. Just thinking about Eiji kissing him turned Oishi on incredibly and he made a little noise.

"Hoi, what were you thinking?" Eiji asked teasingly but he probably already knew.

"I want to kiss you, Eiji. I want you." Oishi heard the lust in his own voice. Eiji could make him go from laughing to completely turned on with just a thought.

"Shower?" Eiji suggested.

"No, I don't want to wait. I want you now. I want to hear you. All right?"

"Yeah." Oishi smiled because Eiji sounded turned on now too. "Hmm. Tell me what you were thinking?"

"I thought about being with you. There. Waking up next to you. You kissing me. Your skin on mine."

"Oishi...touch me...." Eiji whispered.

"I will, love. Turn your light out." He figured Eiji must have been reading. He reached into his drawer for the lube and pulled his pants down. "Did you take your underwear off yet?"

"Nya, you." Oishi smiled; he wished he was there.

"Take them off for me. Are you sore?"

"Nya sore, just...." Eiji seemed to be looking for the right word.

"Sensitive?" Oishi suggested.

"Hmm...." Eiji agreed in a purr, "You?"

"The same. My clothes are off already though."

"Hmm..." Eiji purred and then paused, "Mine too now. The lube stuff on you?"

"I'm waiting for you. Touch yourself for me Eiji."

"Hmm...you too?"

"Yeah." Oishi thought a moment as he put lube in his hand, "Eiji, tell me what you're doing. What you're thinking about."

"Hmm...that if you use your finger I will." Oishi smiled and had to keep from laughing. Even now, totally turned on, Eiji was ready to bargain.

"All right, but only if you do too." Oishi was learning from the best so he figured he would use it.

"Hoi, but same time, Oishi." Eiji said. Oishi knew he was annoyed at getting his way but not getting his way entirely. Annoyed and yet he also knew, Eiji was happy to have Oishi still challenge him a little. If Eiji got his way all the time he'd soon be bored.

"Okay." Oishi paused a second to get a little more lube, "I'm ready."

"Hoi, talk to me first, nya. Tell me what to do. Two places at one time." He sounded like he was pouting or about to.

Oishi noticed Eiji had stopped purring after bargaining and not entirely getting his way. "Close your eyes, love. I'm there with you and you're here with me. Its my hand touching you and your hand touching me. Touch me how I like you to. I'm touching you how you like me to and I'm kissing you, Eiji." Oishi touched himself softly and listened to Eiji. "Are you touching me, Eiji?"

"Yeah." Eiji let out a little breathy whimper of pleasure. "And?" He asked.

"I'm going to take my hand and put it where I was inside you yesterday." Oishi did it to himself while he talked. "I have my finger with lube on it just outside you. I'm touching you softly." He thought about if they were together, "Eiji, I want to lick you there with my tongue."

Eiji made a little whimpering noise again. "Hmm...you want me to tell you what I'm doing? What I'm thinking about?"

"Yeah. Tell me, Eiji...."

"Hmm...I'm touching myself like you touch me. I'm putting my finger inside me like you do. Like it was you." Eiji made a little noise again. His noises alone could make Oishi come. "Hmm...I'm thinking of you kissing me. You touching me. I'm thinking about you being in my mouth. In the shower." Oishi made a very small little noise thinking of that too now. "Hmm...you feel so good Oishi. Your mouth on me. You licking inside me. You being inside me and moving inside me." Eiji moaned a little at his own words. He was close, Oishi could hear it in his voice how close he was. So was Oishi. "Oh....I want you Oishi...don't stop...Oishi come inside me...." The last part, Eiji moaned.

When Eiji said that Oishi pressed that spot inside himself, "Eiji...." He whispered as he came hard.

"Oh...Oishi...." He heard Eiji say softly as he came at the same time.

It took a moment for both of them to come back to their senses. Oishi opened his eyes and realized that Eiji wasn't there. He forgot for a second. He wished they were together just so he could kiss him and hold him close. "Thank you. You make me feel really good, Eiji. Will you ride your bike today? For later?" Oishi asked and explained.

"Hmm...." Eiji was pouting, he missed him too. Oishi heard it in his voice. "Your breakfast or mine?" Eiji asked sounding very down.

Oishi thought of a way to distract him. "Yours please. Do you have lunch?"

"Nya yet. Why?"

"Your breakfast, my lunch. All right?" Oishi practically saw the look Eiji gave him. Eiji knew Oishi was a terrible cook. "Trust?" Oishi asked him though his tone was in a half demanding Eiji-like way.

"Hoi." Eiji was intrigued but still quiet and pouting. "Where will I meet you?"

Oishi smiled, "At the apartment building. Remember where it was?"

"Hoi. Why?" Now he sounded baffled.

"Because I need to kiss my boyfriend good morning." Oishi said with a smile.

"Need to, nya?" Eiji asked for clarification.

"I need to. I want to...if you want to." Oishi didn't want to pressure him.

"Hoi. I want to. I really want to." Eiji said and sounded like he was smiling again, "Oishi? You make me feel really good too."

"I'm glad. I'll see you soon." Oishi had tried to say it in the way they said it at school when they had meant love you. But then Oishi realized he didn't have to hide it now so he didn't. He shouldn't. "I love you."

"Hoi. I love you too. Up. Shower. See you soon." Eiji hung up the phone. He never was one for laying around in bed, unless they were doing something in it. Oishi smiled and went to shower.

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When Oishi was up and dressed he went to the grocery store near his house. They did a few bento lunches every day. Oishi guessed they were for kids whose parents worked. They were a kind of gourmet store and they had limited numbers of everything. Oishi usually made his own lunch or bought at school. On the rare occasions he was up early, before he was with Eiji that is, he would buy from here. It cost about the same as school and was much better but they were usually out of them by the time he went to tennis practice his regular, well, before Eiji time. He was up so early today that they had just opened and had everything. Varieties Oishi had never seen and many parents buying for their kids. Oishi picked two lunches, one that seemed like something Eiji would love and one he had tried before and liked.

He rode his bike to meet Eiji. He locked it up outside and didn't see Eiji yet but noticed his bike locked up already. He must have gone inside. The sun had risen when Oishi was in the store but it was still cold. He went inside where it was warm to look for him. He walked down the hall where they had been but Eiji wasn't there. Oishi even thought to look for a bathroom as they seemed to kiss often in them. He heard a hissing noise and turned. Eiji was standing on the stairs and waving to him to follow.

Oishi went over to him. Eiji kissed his lips quickly, made a shushing noise, and grabbed his hand. He ran up the stairs two at a time with Oishi whispering as he was pulled and dragged up, "Eiji! Wait! We can't go up here! We shouldn't! I have to meet Tezuka in fifteen minutes and I can't be...." They reached the top floor of the stairway. The building was only a few floors up but the stairway window faced the east and the sunrise was breathtaking from this vantage point.

Eiji put down his bag and hugged Oishi, melting into him. "Nya. Good morning." Eiji said and sounded completely annoyed at Oishi ruining his latest surprise.

Oishi wanted to salvage what he could. He held Eiji close and then kissed him like he had wanted to all morning. He pressed his lips to his and touched his tongue into his mouth when Eiji's lips finally softened and parted. Oishi sighed in pleasure as their tongues touched and slid against each other. He felt a little lightheaded and a shiver of pleasure went through him. Eiji felt warm and strong and he tasted sweet. Oishi half dropped his bag to be closer to him. He ran his hands down Eiji's back and even a little in his hair, careful not to mess it up and annoy Eiji any further. He kissed him until Eiji also sighed and relaxed into the kiss and his arms. Until Eiji started purring and felt good again.

"Good morning. Eiji...its beautiful. I'm sorry, its perfect, thank you." Oishi kissed him again hard and sweet and then pulled back to kiss him softer, letting Eiji be the one now to press forward to keep their contact.

"Hmm... Good morning." Eiji said again now smiling. Oishi kissed him lightly a few more times and held him close. He felt so good in his arms. "Oishi? We have to go or you'll be late."

"Late?" Oishi asked only half kidding. Tezuka could wait a few minutes, couldn't he? This seemed far more important. And nicer.

"Nya! You have to meet Tezuka! On time!"

Oishi laughed at Eiji again reminding him to do something. Oishi had helped Eiji with his English homework over the weekend. One of the things Eiji had trouble with was when to use 'who' and when to use 'whom'. So Oishi said even though he knew it was a bad pun, "Tez-who-ka?" Eiji looked surprised, he laughed quiet but hard. Oishi rarely made jokes usually leaving them to Eiji for good reason.

"Nya Tez-who-ka!" He whispered still laughing and making Oishi laugh too. "Tez-who-ka will make ME run laps if you're late! Now come on, or you won't get any breakfast." Eiji did kiss him one more time sweetly to compensate for his tart words. He reached for his bag and grabbed Oishi's too. Oishi turned for a moment to look at the sky lightening with the sunrise. It was so nice.

"Thank you." He said as Eiji handed him his bag. Oishi meant for everything though and not just this latest surprise or even his bag. Oishi's head started to clear. "Hey, I don't get any breakfast then you don't get any lunch." Eiji turned as they walked down the stairs and made a face. Anyone else and he would have stuck his tongue out. Oishi laughed.

"Hoi, what'd you get me?"

"Its a surprise...how do you know I got you something and didn't make it?"

They pushed open the door to the outside and Eiji now that he could, laughed loud at Oishi asking this. "Nya Oishi!" Eiji took a bite and then handed Oishi something warm and wrapped and amazing to eat. "Come on!" He said. Eiji had unlocked his bike and was on it ready to go before Oishi even had his unlocked. He had no idea how he moved so fast or how time didn't work the same around Eiji as it did around everyone else.

Oishi took a bite right where Eiji had bit, knowing he would like it. He climbed on his bike, balanced his bag across his back, ate with one hand, and steered with the other. They rode to school and though it was impossible, Oishi was not surprised that Eiji had manipulated time around them. There was no way all the time in the apartment building took less than five minutes. They arrived ten minutes early.

Oishi was also not surprised that Tezuka was already there, early as usual. He was slightly surprised that Fuji was there though. Eiji and Fuji seemed thrilled to be "reunited" with each other even after just over a day apart. Oishi was for a moment a little afraid. Those two together could stir up all kinds of havoc. He also cringed knowing that he, Eiji, and their weekend would be a major topic of conversation. He turned to look at Tezuka whose face looked as worried for an instant as Oishi felt. Tezuka must have thought the same things and it made Oishi feel a little better to know his friend was in the exact same precarious position.

Tezuka punched in the outside gate code and the four walked to the club door. Oishi and Eiji chained up their bikes and Tezuka and Fuji went inside. "Eiji, did you know Fuji would be here?" Oishi whispered.

"Nya, I talked to you last night, not him, but I'm happy he's here." Eiji beamed a smile towards him. Then he rolled his eyes, "Nya Oishi! I have nothing bad to say. He's my second best friend and...."

Oishi put his finger to his lips. He wanted to put his mouth on them but he didn't dare at school, outside, even this early. He wanted to tell him that he trusted him and loved him and everything else in the world he felt for him. Instead he just inwardly shrugged, Eiji and Fuji would talk and do whatever it was the two of them did together. Oishi didn't think he could stop them if he tried. He smiled and said simply, "Have fun. Thank you for breakfast and I hope you like your lunch later." Eiji smiled back and Oishi took his finger off his lips, he really wanted to kiss him again. They stayed crouched down looking at each other for a long moment and Eiji gave him that slow blink. He felt the same.

Oishi wondered if Eiji was even aware he did that.

They went inside the club room to change. Fuji and Eiji went to change and go play. Oishi noticed Tezuka turned and walked away from the friends undressing, laughing, and talking with their heads together. He turned away as fast as Oishi did.

Tezuka walked with Oishi over to the regulars lockers and he told Oishi it might look better if Oishi waited until the other regulars who lost their spots vacated so he wasn't taking the locker of the guy he had beat. The guy who had attacked Fuji.

Oishi agreed. He then heard a gasp from Eiji and he said, "Fuji!" in an alarmed voice. Oishi froze.

Fuji laughed and said, "Ne, Eiji its fine. I'm fine."

"Nya! Fujiko!"

Oishi heard Fuji laugh and talk softly to Eiji. Oishi went to go over to see what was going on when he looked at Tezuka. He was looking...odd. Tezuka was...blushing. He was beet red. Even his neck was red. Oishi suddenly did not want to see whatever it was on or about Fuji that Eiji was looking at and yelling about. He knew he would find out later too much as it was.

Oishi instead turned with his head down and went to put his stuff in his usual space. Before he got there, he noticed the guy who had attacked Fuji, all his things, everything including his racket and his shoes were in his cubbyhole. When someone was dropped from regulars, they usually put their jacket there to let everyone know they intended to return. Occasionally someone quit, or wanted his friends to talk him into coming back and then he put his regulars uniform there. Rare was when someone truly and completely quit and abandoned everything there. Oishi looked at Tezuka. "He really went to Saint Rudolph's?" Oishi asked.

Tezuka looked surprised so Oishi explained, "He told me after I beat him. After he apologized." Oishi thought a moment, "But, Tezuka, Fuji's brother goes there...!" Oishi said it quietly so as not to upset Fuji or Eiji.

"He isn't playing tennis anymore. He's getting help and will never meet or talk to Yuuta, Fuji's brother. I'm friends with their Captain and Vice Captain. I have both watching out for Fuji's brother." Oishi knew Tezuka well. Tezuka probably had Fuji's brother watched over when he started at Saint Rudolph's. Oishi had no idea how long Fuji and Tezuka had been involved. Fuji told Oishi they had made love at least once that he knew of before he and Eiji. So really it was possible that they could even have been involved from the time Fuji came to Seigaku. Oishi had no idea how involved they even were until this weekend. As long as his friends were happy, Oishi was happy for them.

Fuji appeared behind him. "Ne? What about Yuuta?" Oishi pointed to the full cubbyhole. "Ah. Yes. I know. Tezuka is having Yuuta looked out for. He's safe. Should we move the things however?" Fuji filled Eiji in. After he did, the tensai walked over to Tezuka. He said softly to the Vice Captain, "May I borrow your wristbands today?" The tensai held out a wrist that looked bruised and sore to explain. Oishi looked at Eiji who raised his eyebrows almost up to his hairline telling Oishi without a word that Fuji's wrists were the least of his newest injuries.

"Of course." Tezuka said in an uncharacteristic soft voice. "Perhaps we should leave his things and let the freshmen fight it out." He said louder to Oishi as he gently put the black bands on the tensai. It looked like was a private moment and that it turned both of them on a lot for some strange reason so Oishi turned away and took off his jacket and then his shirt to change.

"Nya!" Eiji came closer and said. Oishi was not sure what or whom Eiji was saying it to, him being half undressed, Tezuka and Fuji acting so strange, or the senpai's things. Eiji had on only his sweatpants so far. Oishi could not look at him to figure out what he meant because Eiji was so...naked. Oishi just kept his head down and kept changing his own clothes. "We should remove his things and leave the space for Momo-chan or Kaidoh. They've been fighting over space all year and sharing all this time. If you let one of them have it or let them fairly decide between themselves who should have it, it would stop all the fighting. Hoi, it would be good for everyone. For the team. They're both strong." Eiji insisted.

Everyone looked at him. Oishi was proud of him, he knew Eiji was a bit intimidated by Tezuka and he still held his ground and never looked at Oishi or Fuji for back up. Oishi figured Eiji knew he had their support if he needed it but was strong enough to stand on his own. Tezuka finally said evenly, "Kikumaru, why didn't you give up your space or share with one of them?"

Eiji said evenly back, "Nya, I tried. I offered to share it or to give it to each of them. Neither one will back down or lose to the other. It can't go on for much longer Vice Captain, nya." Eiji said it in a polite, respectful way, but meant every word, "Hoi, a good captain would find a way to settle this so that both of them feel like they've won and the team is stronger for it. This is the chance the situation needs. The chance our strongest freshman players need, nya." Eiji walked over to his things and put on his shirt. Everyone just stood watching him.

"Ne, Eiji?" Fuji finally asked breaking the spell, "What would you do if you were Captain?"

Eiji smiled now, and shrugged before he answered. "Hoi, I'd leave the space as marked reserved and have all the freshmen play for it. Those two are the strongest. One of the two will win and the team will pull together cheering for them. Plus they get the experience of playing in matches." He turned and quickly winked at Oishi as he passed by. Only then did Oishi remember to close his jaw. "Nya, I'll wait for you outside Fujiko to warm up. Whenever you're ready."

After he left, the three of them looked at each other and Oishi and Fuji smiled, amazed at Eiji. Tezuka looked intrigued. "You agree Oishi?" He finally asked.

"Yes, I do." Oishi replied. He was still very impressed with Eiji. Tezuka must have been too.

"Mn. Then lets see what happens." Tezuka replied giving his permission.

Fuji was finished dressing so he removed the clothes and put them aside for Oishi and Tezuka to bring upstairs to the coach's office in case in a few weeks the guy wanted his things back. But then Fuji took the guy's wooden racket and put it on top of the cubbyholes. The tensai said if he wants it back, it wasn't like anyone at Seigaku would steal it, and maybe someone would need to use it someday.

You never know, the tensai insisted as he left to join Eiji on the courts.

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Tezuka and Oishi left taking the guy's clothes up to the coach's office. Tezuka wanted to start to show Oishi some things he would need to know. Oishi had been friends with Tezuka for what felt like forever. Tezuka was a very good friend and knew more about Oishi than anyone, except Eiji of course. For the first time, Oishi found he had no idea how to start a conversation with him. He thought it was ironic that he only now noticed that with stoic Tezuka, he ended up being like Eiji, leading and maintaining the conversation. If Tezuka made even Oishi feel that way it was easy to see how Eiji really must feel inhibited around him.

Tezuka must have noticed though, he turned to Oishi and said as they went in the room. "How was your weekend?" Oishi saw a small hint of a smile on his usually permanently serious face.

Oishi knew he was blushing. Four words from a friend who knew about his boyfriend turned him crimson, but at the same time, he understood that Tezuka knew he would blush. "It was very good, thank you. How was yours?" Oishi cringed inwardly at the hidden subtext below their polite small talk. Tezuka was always like this though, always formal.

Or maybe not, "It was good. Parts were very difficult but I think things will work out so I'm very happy."

Oh. "I'm glad." Oishi said not knowing what else to say. "Parts were difficult for Eiji and I as well but I think things will work out. I want them to."

"Mn. I am sorry if I contributed in any way to your difficulties." Tezuka said quietly and sincerely although he had already apologized.

"Tezuka, you were being a good friend. What you said shouldn't have affected me so much and I should never have reacted as I did. It was my own fault." Oishi paused and let his latest worry out of his as always full bag. He smiled though thinking of Eiji as he said it, "As difficult as some of this weekend was, it was only one weekend. I have a feeling that I'll look back at this past weekend as being a relatively easy thing to get through compared to some of the things that lie ahead for us. The hard part, I believe, starts now."

Tezuka looked surprised and then he paused to think before he spoke. "You are probably right. We're in a similar situation. We fought hard to get to where we are but now to maintain it is going to be even harder with many challenges ahead." Tezuka thought a moment, "The first time I went by helicopter to ski, I trained, I was with the best, I knew what was ahead of me, but was still scared. I used to be afraid of heights." He explained to Oishi's surprise. He had never heard this before. "My trainer told me the hard part wasn't the preparation, the anticipation, getting into the helicopter, or even jumping out. The hard part is landing and not getting hurt. Its luck, work, skill, determination, and chance."

Tezuka looked at Oishi wryly and shrugged, "Then he pushed me out of the helicopter."

"What happened?" Oishi could not help but ask.

"I rolled head over heels down part of the mountain, finally found my feet, and my skis, and skied down the rest. Then I went back and did it over and over again. Its quite exhilarating. You should try it some time." He smiled now back at Oishi and the two friends shared the smile.

Tezuka looked out the window and then sighed. "Come on, lets go play. I can go over all this with you some other time." Oishi hesitated, this was so unlike his friend. Tezuka looked out the window again and further explained, "I believe it is best if we don't leave the two of them alone too long with this much fuel."

Oishi joined Tezuka at the window. They stood looking down at Fuji and Eiji at the net. They were talking and hysterically laughing over something, holding on to each other they were laughing so hard. Well, most likely laughing that hard over one or both of them. "You're probably right." Oishi agreed.