(no subject)

[kat8cha]

For: ulqui for christmas_cacti

Title: tempt me from this craft
Author: kat8cha
Pairing: Fuji/Tezuka
Rating: PG
Summary: Tezuka Kunimi forswears distraction to focus on winning Nationals, but Fuji Syuusuke is a variable she had not counted on.
Warnings: genderbending
Disclaimer: Konomi owns all, I merely play with his toys when he leaves them out.
A/N: Girl Tezuka was exceptionally difficult to write! And I hope no one minds Girl Oishi sneaking in there, Tezuka would be lonely without her. Merry Christmas everyone! Thank you to Nozomi and Mel. Mad props to Ci-bunny.

Tezuka Kunimi carefully pushed her hair out of her face. Tezuka had just gotten another hair cut, specifically to keep her hair out of her face, but her hair cuts never seemed to do any good. Adjusting her grip on her racket Tezuka picked one of the many tennis balls littering the court up and tossed it into the air, bending back and serving. Tezuka ignored the whistles and catcalls from the fence, just like she ignored the same boys when they asked her in the halls if she would like to go out to karaoke. All of Kunimi's attention was focused on the girl across the net from her.

"Come, Shuuko!" Tezuka commanded, her lips twitching slightly downwards when he best friend fumbled, the ball bouncing off the edge of Shuuko's racket and out of bounds. "Shuuko."

"I'm sorry!" Shuuko exclaimed, chasing the tennis ball and tossing it back to her. The boys had whistled again when Shuuko bent over to pick up the fuzzy green ball, and Shuuko's face reddened quickly. Tezuka turned to glare at the boys, frowning in the direction of her coach who did nothing to dissuade the boys from hanging about at practice. For some reason, the girls' tennis team's coach seemed to think that the only reason girls played tennis was to show off for boys. Tezuka had no interest in any of the boys who came to stare and shout; she was focused on bigger things.

She had promised Shuuko to lead them to Nationals, and Tezuka was going to do just that.

A few of the boys seemed unsettled by Tezuka's glare, but most simply laughed. Turning to Oishi, Tezuka took the tennis ball from her and opened her mouth to ask if maybe they should practice later on, at the street courts; however, a soft, vaguely feminine voice broke through the boys' irritating chatter. "Maa, I think you're distracting them."

The boys stopped talking, and silence seemed to fall over the rest of girls' tennis team as well. Turning to look at the cluster of now-quiet boys, Tezuka raised an eyebrow.

"I think you should all go home." The feminine voice was hidden behind the cluster of boys, whose backs were now to Tezuka, "one of you might get hit by a stray tennis ball."

"Yeah?" The ringleader of the boys sneered: his name was Hakuzaki and he had been flirting with Tezuka since they were twelve. He had always been soundly turned down. "From who?"

"Oh, I think Tezuka-chan might have a mighty powerful serve with your name on it. If nothing else, I am perfectly willing to talk to the principal. He does hate to have his star pupils disturbed."

Oishi tugged on Tezuka's arm, and Tezuka turned to give her friend a questioning look. "That sounds like Fuji Syuusuke." Oishi whispered. "He's the genius from the boys' tennis team!"

"Hn." Tezuka frowned. The boys' tennis team was good - good enough to have started competing this year in the regional competition - but Tezuka never paid much attention to them.

"Everyone's scared of him." Oishi murmured when the gang of boys began to disperse, moving towards the school gates. "They say he's a demon."

There were two figures standing where the group of boys had been, one a redhead that Tezuka knew was Kikumaru Eiji, one of Seigaku's lead doubles players, the other was undoubtedly Fuji Syuusuke.

"You're welcome." Fuji said with a smile. Tezuka frowned and moved back to the serve line, intent on finishing her game with Oishi now that the distractions were eliminated. Just because the rest of the girls' team was too excited by Fuji's and Kikumaru's presence to practice did not mean that Tezuka would waste any of their training time.

Half an hour later Tezuka, frustrated and far from pleased, dismissed the regulars and curtly ordered the first years to begin picking up the courts. Ignoring the fact that Fuji Syuusuke was still lurking, along with Kikumaru Eiji, just off to the side Tezuka strode into the locker room. The regulars shifted skittishly, their normal after-practice chatter dropping off as Tezuka angrily stripped and headed for the shower. Tezuka pretended not to notice the apologetic smile Shuuko gave the team as she attempted to catch up with Tezuka, though Tezuka couldn't quite ignore the disapproving comments the team made about her temper. Frowning, Tezuka turned the shower on. Cold.

Shuuko took longer to shower then she did, and so Tezuka stood outside of the clubroom with her things clasped in her hands. She was still adamantly pretending that neither of the two tennis playing boys was there. It was a little difficult with many of the girls crowding Kikumaru and Fuji, either asking for a game or for coaching advice.

"Ah, Tezuka-chan, I was waiting for you." Tezuka looked down at Fuji Syuusuke, slightly surprised to realize she was taller than Fuji by several centimeters. He seemed taller from farther away.

"…" Tezuka did not bother to correct Fuji on the informal tone the boy took with her. She had seen the coach of the boys' team, Ryuuzaki Sumire, try to get Fuji to stop calling her 'Sumire-chan' and knew that any attempts she had made to correct Fuji will fail. Tezuka was simply relieved that Fuji did not decide to use her first name.

Fuji waited, patient, and when Tezuka didn't reply he tipped his head to the side and chuckled. It was a vaguely feminine move, one that Tezuka had seen her own mother do several times.

"Tezuka-chan. Are you shy?"

Tezuka frowned slightly. She did not understand why quiet boys were mistaken as stoic and quiet girls were thought to be shy. "No. Was there something you wanted, Fuji-san?'

"Maa… I thought you might be interested in a match."

Raising one eyebrow, Tezuka felt her interest piqued. It was rare for someone from the boys' team to ask for a match from anyone on the girls' tennis team. Even though Tezuka knew she was at least as good as any of the boys in the region, none seemed to consider her a threat. "A match?"

"Did I stutter Tezuka-chan?" Fuji teased; Tezuka felt her face grow hot. "Yes, I would like a match."

"…" Tezuka became aware that the courts were watching the interaction with baited breath, even Oishi. Tezuka weighed the joy of playing a match against a talented opponent again the rumors that would fly when it became known she had agreed to play Fuji Syuusuke. "Thank you, but I must decline, Fuji-san." Tezuka turned around and walked away.

Once she was sure she was clear of the courts Tezuka checked behind her. Oishi was walking a few steps behind and to her left, matching Tezuka's pace but not attempting to step up to Tezuka's side. Stopping Tezuka folded her arms over her chest and waited for Oishi to catch up. "Shuuko."

Shuuko looked up, apparently surprised out of her scrutiny of her shoes by Tezuka's voice. "Kunimi." Coming to a halt in front of Tezuka, Oishi looked discomfited.

Tezuka bit back a small sigh, instead furrowing her eyebrows to show her frustration. "Would you like to come over to my house today?"

Oishi blushed, possibly in the same way Tezuka had earlier. "No, I promised to meet someone… at the café. Later, I'm sorry Kunimi."

Tezuka did sigh this time, but just barely. She knew that Shuuko often accepted the invitations of boys out of politeness, but Tezuka also knew that there was only one man who could inspire this kind of reaction from Oishi. Tezuka, however, did not know the mystery boyfriend's face, since Shuuko had yet to introduce them.

"I'll see you at practice tomorrow." Shuuko stated hurriedly and Tezuka nodded. They continued walking side by side for a while until they reached an intersection and then they split, Tezuka walking left towards her home, and Oishi walking right towards the café.

Tezuka stepped inside and slid out of her school shoes, putting on the pink fluffy house slippers her mother had given her earlier that year. "I'm home." Tezuka called out, walking towards the kitchen.

"Welcome home." Her mother stood in the doorway of the kitchen. Tezuka stopped and considered her for a moment, glancing from her mother's delicate facial features down to her long and gifted fingers. "Kunimi, you're staring."

"Ah." Tezuka ducks her head. "My apologies, mother." Her mother's feet are just at the edge of Tezuka's vision, and they shuffle slightly as her mother sighs.

"You're so unfeminine." Ayana walks forward and ruffles Tezuka's hair, smiling up at her daughter. "Would you like to help with dinner?"

"Ah." Tezuka set her tennis bag down, blinking in surprise when a note fluttered out from somewhere to land on the floor. Retrieving the note, Tezuka quickly read the brief message, blushing hotly under her mother's all too knowing eyes.

Ayana's hands fluttered, as if she wished to reach for the note but restrained herself at the last moment. "Is that from a boy, Kunimi?"

Tezuka cleared her throat hastily and folded the note, tucking it into her pocket. She cannot lie to her mother, but knew her mother would grill her for information about Fuji if she did admit the truth. Stepping into the kitchen, Tezuka did her best to ignore Ayana's silent amusement.

The note burned a hole in the pocket of her skirt all through dinner.

Tezuka set it on her desk when she set out her school books. The note was nothing more than a scribbled haiku, and the paper the haiku was written upon was obviously torn from Fuji's notebook. Tezuka wondered when Fuji wrote it: if it was last night, or during the day in class, or maybe a week ago, after a tennis match. The idea of Fuji feeling so strongly for her for so long would give herself too much credit, but the thought of Fuji writing the haiku on the spur of the moment while waiting for her would give Fuji too much credit. Opening her desk drawer, Tezuka set the note inside.

The phone rang three times while Tezuka did her homework: once, when Tezuka had just begun her science worksheet, and a second time just as Tezuka closed her math book. It rang for a third time about a half an hour before Tezuka's normal bedtime, just as Tezuka closed her history book. Tezuka has stopped pausing expectantly, waiting for her mother to ask her to pick up the phone. She has sternly instructed herself to stop being silly repeatedly, and has resolved to follow these instructions. And to most certainly stop thinking of Fuji Syuusuke and whether he would call or not.

Her mother walked up the stairs, laughing as she talks to the caller. The closed door separating Tezuka from the hallway muffled her mother's words, and Tezuka's fingers twitched as Ayana moved closer and closer to the door. Finally, Ayana knocked, and Tezuka stood up and moved to the door, opening it calmly.

"Kunimi," Holding out the cordless handset Ayana smiled at her daughter, "the phone is for you."

"Thank you, mother." Tezuka took the handset and waited until her mother had turned away to close the door. "Hello?"

"Your mother sounds charming, Tezuka-chan." Fuji was obviously amused.

"Ah." Tezuka sat down on her desk chair, awaiting Fuji's reason for calling. Fuji chuckled after a moment of silence.

"Most girls would ask, 'don't you consider me charming too, Fuji-kun?'"

Tezuka raised an eyebrow. "I am not most girls." If Fuji considered her one, then it would probably be best to disillusion him now.

"I know." Fuji stated. "Tezuka-chan, I was wondering, are you free this Saturday afternoon?"

Tezuka is almost glad that Fuji picked this Saturday, because she already had plans with Shuuko and that means that she will not need to turn her prospective suitor down with a lie. "Shuuko and I have plans."

"Mmm… All the better then. Eiji and I were considering going to the street courts. Perhaps you two could join us? We could play doubles."

Tezuka frowned slightly, the phrase 'mixed doubles' skittering through her mind. She knew it has some meaning: she had heard the other girls giggling about it, but Tezuka could bring to mind what exactly mixed doubles was slang for. "I don't think…"

"Oh, I know you're not much of a doubles player, but I'm sure we could work well together, Tezuka-chan! And a tennis player should be versatile."

"It's not me I'm worried about." Tezuka stated flatly. Shuuko was always uncomfortable around new people, and Tezuka could not sure how the other girl would react to playing doubles - with a boy.

"Why don't you ask Oishi-chan if she would be interested tomorrow at school? I'll see you after practice Tezuka-chan!" And then Fuji was gone, the dial tone buzzing in Tezuka's ear. Turning the handset off, Tezuka set it on her desk and stared at it.

No one had ever hung up on her before.

Oishi arrived to morning practice the same time Tezuka did. Oishi was sleepy-eyed, though, and hid her yawns behind her hands as she and Tezuka unlock the clubroom and begin to change. The rest of the regulars arrived in the locker room as Tezuka and Oishi began their stretches.

"…" Tezuka knew she did not have to ask about Oishi's yawns, but merely had to wait before her friend began to explain.

Oishi touched her left toes, bending her body to the side. "I was up late last night talking on the phone." Oishi slanted Tezuka a look when both girls shift, bending to the right now. "Kunimi… would you mind if someone joined us at the street courts?"

Tezuka paused in her stretches, and then straightened up. "…I would not mind." Turning Tezuka began instructing the other girls to start running their laps.

It began to rain halfway through classes, a light sprinkle changing into a steady shower and then a heavy torrent by the end of the day. Tezuka checked the weight room first, knowing that her team should get some more time in on the weight machines. The basketball club has already reserved it though, so Tezuka headed for the gym instead. If the basketball club was in the weight room, the gym was probably free.

However, Tezuka discovered that Inui Sadaharu, captain of the boys' tennis team, had gotten there before her. Inui gave her a slight, almost apologetic, smile. The sentiment was ruined by the brief, sinister flash of light across his glasses.

"I'm sorry Tezuka-san. We got here first." Tezuka nodded, conceding defeat this time. She and Inui had a longstanding rivalry over indoor space on rainy days.

"Now Inui, surely we can share the space?" Fuji materialized from the shadows at Inui's back. Inui turned slowly, nodding at Fuji. Tezuka stopped; she was turned halfway, ready to go to the clubroom and post a sign warning that there is no practice. Instead she watched the silent exchange between Inui and Fuji.

Near silent anyway.

"There is a 100% chance that you are up to something Fuji." Inui stated before he turned around and walked into the gym. Fuji merely smiled and stepped up to Tezuka's side.

"Saa, that's his way of saying I win. So, will the rest of your delightful team be joining us Tezuka-chan?" Fuji stood a little too close for Tezuka's comfort- not close enough that their bodies would brush, but close enough that he stepped inside Tezuka's personal space. Tezuka looked into Fuji's face, and knew without a doubt that Fuji was testing her.

"Ah." Turning around, Tezuka walked off and ignored the fact that she was blushing again.

Observing the way her team attempted to show off and succeeded only in making fools of themselves, Tezuka realized that agreeing to share space with the boys' tennis team was a bad idea. Again, Tezuka and Oishi were the only ones making progress, and even Oishi was not at her best. She kept glancing over at the boy's team at crucial moments, undermining Tezuka's orders to the rest of the team that they should pay attention to their own practice, and not to the boys.

There were only a few members of the boys' team who were not as distracted by the girls' team as the girls were by the boys. The few members were the regulars though, and Tezuka was almost awed by the ferocity of their practice. Almost, because she knew she could do better, but awed because the team was good.

The rain was steadily continuing at the time practice ended, and Tezuka waited for all the other girls to get ready and to make sure they have either a ride or umbrellas. Stepping outside the school, Tezuka opened her umbrella, and stared out into the pouring rain.

"Nature's fury." Fuji murmured, and Tezuka turned to look to the right. Fuji was leaning against the school, protected by the rain by the overhang, but out of sight from the school doors. He did not have an umbrella. "It is awe inspiring, isn't it Tezuka-chan?"

"I'm surprised you didn't name any of your counters after the rain." Tezuka stated, pretending that Fuji had not fazed her. Fuji chuckled, pushing himself off of the wall and walking over to her. He stuck his hand out, thrusting it into the rain. When Fuji pulled his hand back, the sleeve of his uniform is soaked through, and his fingers drip.

"You don't play tennis in the rain Tezuka-chan."

Tezuka paused, a small smile twitching her lips as she simply looked at Fuji. Fuji's own smile widened.

"So you heard about my match with Echizen? I did not think you cared about the boys' team at all."

"I don't. My teammates do." The fact that Echizen and Fuji had continued to play each other even during a thunder storm had awed many of Tezuka's teammates. Tezuka glanced back into the school, and then out into the rain. "Do you have an umbrella?"

"Maa… I must have forgotten it this morning." Fuji claimed, showing Tezuka his empty hands and shrugging. "My sister will be here to pick me up… eventually. She's not answering her cell phone."

Tezuka felt foolish, standing outside the school as the pressure of the rain increased, the spatters from rain hitting the sidewalk now hitting Tezuka's ankles, dampening her socks. "Would you like to call her from my house?"

Fuji considered the offer, and Tezuka felt herself blushing yet again. Only Fuji Syuusuke had ever made her blush, and he seemed to be doing it with alarming frequency.

"If you would be kind enough to share your umbrella, I would love to."

Tezuka held up the hooked plastic handle of her clear umbrella, making space for Fuji underneath. The shorter teenager stepped up beside her, his body radiating warmth despite the chill of the rain.

Tezuka's mother was waiting in the living room, anxiously hovering when Tezuka stepped inside. "You should have called for a ride," Ayana began to scold, cutting herself off when Fuji slips in behind Tezuka and Tezuka shuts the door.

"Excuse me for intruding." Fuji murmured, bowing with a flourish. "Ayana-chan, you are as beautiful in real life as you sounded on the phone."

"I hope the phone doesn't make me sound like a hag then." Ayana stated with a smile. "Would you like a towel for your hair Fuji-kun? You look soaked."

Tezuka found the pale blue guest slippers and set them in front of Fuji for him to step into before she pulls on her own pink ones. Ignoring her mother and Fuji's banter Tezuka walked to the bathroom and picked up two towels, one for herself and one for Fuji, offering Fuji the towel when he appeared behind her.

"Thank you." Fuji's fingers brushed Tezuka's as he took the towel, and Tezuka busied herself with drying her hair. "Your mother said I could wait in your room, so long as we kept the door open."

"Ah…" Tezuka rested the slightly damp towel on her shoulders before leading Fuji down the hallway. Opening the door to her room, Tezuka motioned for Fuji to sit on the computer chair while Tezuka herself took a seat on the bed.

Fuji gave his hair a cursory rub before wrapping the towel around his shoulders. "I'll be out of your hair soon enough Tezuka-chan."

It was odd having someone else in her room, especially a boy. Tezuka had only invited Oishi to her house before and that was for a study group. Still, Fuji being in her room did not seem like an intrusion.

"What are you thinking about?" Fuji questioned, and Tezuka blinked, surprised when she realized that Fuji's face is inches away from her own. Tezuka scooted backwards a few inches on her bed and Fuji gave an understanding smile before sliding the computer chair away from the bed. "You were so deep in thought Tezuka-chan, I could not help myself."

Tezuka glanced at her clock, noting that almost fifteen minutes had passed since they entered the house. "Have you tried your sister again?"

"Mmm, I'm going to do that right now." Fuji slipped his phone out of his pocket and punched in a few numbers. Tezuka reached for her backpack and began pulling study materials out. If she started now, Tezuka might have time for some light reading later tonight.

"Sister? Yes, I left the school… well you weren't picking up your phone." Out of the corner of her eye Tezuka watched Fuji spin slightly on the chair. "I'm at a friend's. No, not Eiji's. Can you come pick me up? Ah, hold on." Fuji pulled the cell phone away from his ear and smiled at Tezuka. "Tezuka-chan what's your address?"

Tezuka told him and Fuji ended the call quickly.

"She'll be here in around a half-hour." Fuji placed his cell phone in his pocket and then set his hands on his knees. Tezuka's eyes wandered over Fuji's fingers, noting how even though they're calloused from tennis, they are hardly rough. Tezuka wondered what it would be like to touch those hands.

"Did you ask Oishi-chan about this weekend, Tezuka-chan?"

Tezuka looked up, surprised by the sudden question. "Ah… no. I thought you had talked to her." Tezuka remembered Oishi's sleepy crusted eyes, and the shy way the other girl had mentioned being on the phone all night.

"Saa, not me. Though Eiji might have asked her." Fuji leaned forward conspiratorially. "I think they're dating."

"…ah." Tezuka blinked, the idea of Oishi having a boyfriend was something that Tezuka has gradually accepted, but the idea of Oishi dating Kikumaru was a little harder to imagine. "Hm." Though, they could work well together, in a very strange way.

"So, there will be no objections to a double date?" Fuji asked cheerfully; Tezuka gave him a disapproving look. "Saa, Tezuka-chan, you can't say no forever! I'm very charming."

Tezuka looked unimpressed.

"Very charming. And a good poet, did you like the poem?"

Tezuka blushed and looked down at her history book. "I will not deny you are a good poet."

"Saa, so you did like the poem." Fuji dropped out of the computer chair, kneeling on the floor in front of Tezuka. Fuji's eyes were open now, and Tezuka found herself staring into them. "I did not think you were a candy and flowers sort of girl, but I thought you might like poetry."

"I enjoy reading poetry." Tezuka admitted. "Though I do not understand it."

"Should I explain my poem then?" Fuji's hand was on Tezuka's textbook now, closing the heavy hardback tome and setting it aside. "I was talking about your hands," Fuji ran the tips of his fingers over Tezuka's knuckles, "and how much I would like to photograph them."

"…I think I'd like that." Tezuka admitted, smiling slightly back at Fuji's openly happy expression.

"I'll bring my camera to school." Fuji said, standing up and brushing off his pants. "Sister, Ayana-chan, are you two just going to stand there?"

Tezuka glanced over at her doorway, unsurprised to see his mother and a woman who must be Fuji's sister standing in the doorway.

"We didn't want to interrupt." Ayana stated primly, unfazed by the look Tezuka turned her way. "Fuji-san your sister is here."

"Ah, thank you Ayana-chan." Fuji bowed to Tezuka's mother, picking up his things and turning to give Tezuka a short bow as well. Tezuka wasn't sure how someone's eyes could twinkle when they're hidden in a smile, but Tezuka knew that Fuji's were. "I'll bring my camera to school on Wednesday Tezuka-chan, and I'll see you on Saturday."

"Ah." Tezuka replied out loud. Inwardly she smiled to herself and thought quite calmly, 'it's a date'.