Title: Only Pretence
Chapter: 1
Rating: PG-15
Fandom: Prince of Tennis
Pairing: Momo/Kaidoh, minor InuKai and MomoAnn
Disclaimer: I own neither the characters nor the manga.
Really, Momo has no idea how he had gotten himself into this situation.
Him. Mamushi. On a date.
Inui-senpai. Ann-chan. Watching.
How…? No, really, just… how?!
A familiar, creepy smile crawled to mind, one that's going to haunt him for the rest of his days.
Oh yeah... Momo remembered. That's how...
"Fuji-senpai!"
Momo caught the petite tennis genius just as he's about to leave the changing room. It was after practice and they were one of the last ones left. Fuji smiled serenely at him and Momo briefly wondered what he was thinking, and then decided he didn't want to know.
"Fuji-senpai, I err, I want some… some advice."
Fuji smiled on. "Yes?"
"Ano…" Blood surged to his cheeks and Momo scratched at his nose. "I-I want to make som-someone, well... Tachibana Ann notice me. I mean, I know she already knows who I am and all but that's not what I'm saying. I-I want her to… to…" Momo stammered but Fuji remained unhelpful. "I want her to think of me in a boyfriend sort of way, I-I suppose."
"Ah…" Fuji murmured and then stopped. Momo was sure he looked like a pan-fried tomato, and the sun will soon become a pale comparison to the brightness his face was emitting. The silence dragged on. Fuji didn't move a muscle and time almost seemed frozen. Momo got the distinct feeling that this was done on purpose.
It was moments like this that he wondered. Why the hell did he chose Fuji-senpai?
Oh yeah... The same answer he had already given himself numerous times before floated back to mind. It was simple. No one else could do it.
Tezuka-buchou, the first choice, would be as likely to be experienced with these matters as Momo would be with the concept of diet. Echizen would mostly likely (ie. definitely) just pull down his hat and snigger his ass off. And then say "Mada mada dane." Eiji-senpai and Oishi-senpai… well, Momo sincerely doubted they had much experience with girls. Inui-senpai didn't look too popular with girls either, and Momo would rather not hear "Ii data" with every word he spoke. Of course, there was always Taka-san… but any advice from him would be split between BURNING mode and meek nice-guy mode.
And yes, there was always Mamushi. But frankly, Momo would rather have both his arms amputated than ask that snake for help. Besides, there was no way Momo could be more lacking in the romance department than him.
So it all boiled down to Fuji-senpai. Who, Momo thought, was clearly very popular with the ladies if the number of Valentine chocolates was anything to go by; and looked far more approachable than a certain someone. He did take into account Fuji-senpai's sadistic side, but then (after flipping the coin twenty times) decided to chance it.
Although now, he was having serious doubts about that decision.
"Ne… Fuji-senpai?"
"Hm?"
Momo stared into that pretty but definitely satanic face. "Can you help me at all?"
Again, there was no response. Slightly irritated, Momo was about to turn around and forget the whole thing when those clear blue eyes snapped open at last.
"Date someone else."
Talk about blunt.
"Eh?"
The pretty face relaxed again, and the smile was back in place. "It is a verified fact that the only assured way to make a person notice you is to make them jealous. After all, how could they ignore you if you're constantly in their heads 24/7. And the best way to do that is just to date someone else."
Momo nodded, as the information sunk in, thinking it made a lot of sense; and then stopped, noticing the major flaw in this plan.
"Bu-But!" He wailed. "I don't know any girls I can date!"
Blue eyes flashed again, and Fuji looked over Momo's shoulder. "Kaidoh! Could you come here for a second."
A gruff looking, just-got-out-of-the-shower Kaidoh trudged over to them. His hair was still wet with water and only a towel covered his torso. He didn't look pleased, but neither did Momo.
"What?" Kaidoh barked.
Fuji didn't seem phased by the his obvious annoyance, and only beamed wider.
"I was just talking to Momo," Here, Kaidoh flashed an accusing glare in Momo's direction, as if everything was his fault. "And it appears that Momo would like you to become his boyfriend!"
The last word fell and Momo wasn't sure who was more shocked. Him or Kaidoh. Although he doubted anyone could be more shocked than he was.
"What the… No!"
They shouted together. And then looked at each other as they did so. Scoffing, they turned away at the same time.
"Fuji-senpai! What the… What are you… I mean, just…" Momo could barely get the words out.
"Psssshh…"
Fuji looked undisturbed, and mocked surprise at their reactions.
"What? Momo, you said you needed someone."
"Y-Yes, senpai, but a girl. A girl!"
"What the hell is this idiot yapping about?"
"Hey, who are you calling an idiot, Mamushi!!"
"Don't call me Mamushi!"
"Mamushi Mamushi Mamushi!!"
"You bastard! I'm gonna shut that goddamn trap of yours!"
"Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try!"
Fuji watched on, looking perfectly at home amidst the scuffle. Glancing patiently at his watch, he waited until both of them have exerted the majority of their strength before stepping in.
"Ne, I think I just saw Tezuka coming back."
Momo and Kaidoh stopped in their tracks, and whipped their heads around so fast that their foreheads bashed together. A loud clang and several stars later, Fuji led Kaidoh to a safe distance away from Momo and explained the situation in brief. Momo could've died of embarrassment and it didn't help with the disgusted looks Kaidoh kept throwing him.
"So you see, Kaidoh, Momo needs you to pretend to be his boyfriend – just for a while – so that Tachibana-san's imouto will fall in love with him."
Momo spluttered at the choice of word. Not love! He never said love!
"I refuse." Kaidoh said loudly, making sure that Momo heard as well. "Sorry but I don't have the time to play along with some idiot's silly game. Ask someone else."
Momo expected as much. Kaidoh didn't look like boyfriend material, no matter which way you look at it. And really, Momo would die rather than to beg Kaidoh for assistance. But Fuji was much more persistent.
"Wait Kaidoh." Kaidoh halted in his steps, not willing to disobey a senpai's direct order. Fuji walked up and clasped a hand onto his shoulder. "It can work for you too. Think about it. If you are seen dating Momo, then maybe Inui will finally get the idea."
A tremble of surprise shot through Momo. Inui?
"…" Kaidoh didn't say anything. But as the afternoon sunlight streamed through the open door, Momo realised with another stab of shock that the stupid snake was blushing!
Fuji leaned in towards Kaidoh's ears, and whispered something softly. Still too dazed that Kaidoh could blush, Momo didn't even bother to eavesdrop. Kaidoh… and Inui… He could've almost laughed. Who would've thought the snake had feelings of that sort towards Inui-senpai…
By the time he came around again. Fuji had already gone, and Kaidoh was standing in front of him, eyes dark and scrutinizing. Momo tried to erase all traces of glee from his expression.
"Tsk, stupid dumbass." Kaidoh picked up the towel that had fallen and threw it at Momo. "Wipe that idiot look off your face. I'll be ready in two minutes." He grabbed his bag from the corner. "You'd better act better than you play."
Momo was about to retort back with something equally scathing when the words died pathetically in his throat. And the reality crashed down on him.
Bloody fucking hell…
He was dating Mamushi.
Author's Notes
Um… New story. New pairing. New kind of romance… I've just fallen so much in love with this pairing that the fact that they're boys doesn't even register in my sleep-deprived brain.
I hope to make this into a decent-lengthed story and have the plot pretty much all carved out, all I need now is some encouragement because I am really nervous about writing something so completely new and foreign to me. So please comment and review!