and dark_kana's requests almost done!
Jun. 29th, 2010 11:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kat8chaAtobe has changed since his match with Tezuka. He has not become less ruthless, or less dangerous, or any better a player. He has become a better play, he has gained some sense of fair play, but he has not lost that ego in the least. Tezuka could feel Atobe's yearning for a match with him.
Tezuka could not allow himself to play Atobe. There were reasons. Ryuuzaki, his teammates, and Atobe himself. The match would have drained the both of them past the point it would be intelligent to play, and Tezuka would have needed to break out every trick he had.
He could admit that he was not ready to play Atobe again. The yips had been overcome but the memory of the pain was still there.
They meet after the match is done, Atobe's hair hidden poorly under a borrowed ball cap. Tezuka will think back on this meeting when he faces down Chitose, except Atobe has not yet spoken. He looks unsure, novel for him Tezuka is sure, and when he finally opens his mouth to speak Tezuka knows what he will say.
"Don't ask me what I think of you, I might not give the answer that you want me to." Tezuka says solemnly when Atobe manages to open his mouth. Atobe pauses, and the unsure look in his eyes changes to a look of amusement, then his face flicker-shifts to his typical 'holier than thou' look. He stares down his nose at Tezuka.
If one was watching closely they would see the slight quirk to Tezuka's lips.
"After this is all finished," Atobe states dramatically, pre-empting a similar request from Fuji only a day away, "would you do me the honor of a match?"
Tezuka does not even pause before holding out his hand. "Ah."
The two opponents shake hands, and then Atobe shifts his grip and lifts their conjoined hands to catch the light of the setting sun.
"Ah." Atobe mimics. "Don't let me down."
Tezuka could not allow himself to play Atobe. There were reasons. Ryuuzaki, his teammates, and Atobe himself. The match would have drained the both of them past the point it would be intelligent to play, and Tezuka would have needed to break out every trick he had.
He could admit that he was not ready to play Atobe again. The yips had been overcome but the memory of the pain was still there.
They meet after the match is done, Atobe's hair hidden poorly under a borrowed ball cap. Tezuka will think back on this meeting when he faces down Chitose, except Atobe has not yet spoken. He looks unsure, novel for him Tezuka is sure, and when he finally opens his mouth to speak Tezuka knows what he will say.
"Don't ask me what I think of you, I might not give the answer that you want me to." Tezuka says solemnly when Atobe manages to open his mouth. Atobe pauses, and the unsure look in his eyes changes to a look of amusement, then his face flicker-shifts to his typical 'holier than thou' look. He stares down his nose at Tezuka.
If one was watching closely they would see the slight quirk to Tezuka's lips.
"After this is all finished," Atobe states dramatically, pre-empting a similar request from Fuji only a day away, "would you do me the honor of a match?"
Tezuka does not even pause before holding out his hand. "Ah."
The two opponents shake hands, and then Atobe shifts his grip and lifts their conjoined hands to catch the light of the setting sun.
"Ah." Atobe mimics. "Don't let me down."
