Disclaimer: Yeah, no.

A/N: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, YANAGISAWA SHINYA. 'Tsushi loves you. ;D

Anyways. I've been on a birthday fic writing kick recently. o.o In case you've not noticed. I guess I'm just postponing that Atobe fic I promised my friend I'd write. And I still owe Roey Cleine that MaruiHara fic . . . and scarlet white cross asked for a MaruiHara fic, too. I gotta get to work. XD;

Well, I hope you at least enjoy my DuckSushi fic for Shinya's birthday~

TOOK LONG ENOUGH

Atsushi is missing something. He is definitely missing something.

Something about today feels wrong to him, but he doesn't know why or what it could be. Especially since his team won't tell him- not even his own doubles partner! He and Shinya were supposed to be close; not keep secrets. Atsushi always told Shinya what was up, and he expected to get the same in return. Apparently he was wrong.

"Ne, Shinya . . . ," he prodded, poking at his partner's shoulder. Maybe if he pokes enough, he'll get a response out of him. But Shinya just won't budge. "C'mon, please tell me?"

"Of course not, da ne." When he spoke, he even sounded like a duck- a reverberating 'quack' sound that rung in Atsushi's ears, causing him to smile, despite his failure at getting his closest friend to speak to him. "You'll just have to find out on your own, da ne," he exaggerated the last syllable with a grin before he got up and left the St Rudolph lounge.

Atsushi sighed, "This could take a while. . . ."

- - - -

From the moment he woke up, something's been bothering him. His ribbon is in place on his head, so it can't be that. He had just put new griptape on his racquet the night before, so it can't be that. Training is the same as always- especially Mizuki and his perverted 'Nfu'ing self.

What is wrong with today?

Shinya is chipper about something today, he thought, fingering his trademark red ribbon. What isn't he telling me?

"Yo, Kisarazu!" he heard a voice call from behind him, only recognized to be none other than,

"Hm, Akazawa?"

"-buchou. That's Akazawa-buchou to you, Kisarazu," the dark skinned teen said, arms folded. "Anyway"- he glared- "You by any chance figure it out yet, huh?"

Atsushi sighed. No, of course he hadn't figured it out. It's only been plaguing him the entire day. Nothing to sweat over.

"Not a clue, buchou," he said with a shrug. He was feeling lazy, didn't really want to do anything. Well, he had wanted to sit around and lounge with his doubles partner slash best friend, but Shinya refused until he figured it out for himself. This was going to tear him apart, and the whole team knew it. "Mind telling me?"

But he also knew that this was hurting Shinya more than it was hurting himself. He had to figure this out for himself . . . So, when Akazawa had been about to open his mouth- whether or not to indulge him in the correct answer, he didn't know- he put his hand up in a silent 'don't say a word', and walked away. He owed Shinya that much.

- - - -

When he got back to their shared dorm room, his partner was quieter than usual, lying on his own bed reading some kind of comic. But instead of giving his usual excited greeting, Shinya just kept on reading.

Atsushi sighed. He'd figure this out eventually.

"I'll see you later, Shinya," he said with a wave, and left the room. He'd be too tempted to pin his partner down and demand an answer. And that definitely wouldn't go over well. He was going to win this game (A/N: damn it, I just lost the game).

After he shut the door, he managed to miss his best friend's smirk towards the date circled on the calendar. Poor 'Tsushi, da ne.

- - - -

Already dinner time, and he still hasn't figured it out yet. Atsushi was going to lose his mind.

The rest of the regulars- save for Kaneda, because he felt bad, and Shinya because he actually cared about his partner's well being- were smirking at him as they ate an Only Regular Dinner together. It was unnerving.

He managed to look over and lock eyes with Kaneda; the boy was about to snap and say something, he could tell. Maybe he could use his junior to his advantage. . . .

"Kisarazu-senpai, toda-" he started, but Akazawa's large, dark hand quickly covered his mouth and he was pulled into a strong chest as his captain whispered into his ear. Oh, God, did he even lick it? Akazawa is so weird, he noted with a cringe. Kaneda sighed. "Sorry, Kisarazu-senpai . . ."

Atsushi shrugged and went back to eating until-

There was a loud slam on the dinner table and Mizuki stood up, unamused scowl on his face. "Kisarazu, can you please figure this out sometime today?" He fixed a glare in Atsushi's direction, then Shinya's, then back again.

"Mizuki-san, da ne . . . ," Shinya protested, mouth downturned. "He doesn't need to, da ne. It's okay either way, da ne."

A hopeless noise left Mizuki's mouth as Atsushi attempted a smile in Shinya's direction. His partner always stood up for him.

"That's it!"

"Mizuki, calm-"

"Mizuki-senpai-"

"Mizuki-san, leave him-"

Mizuki ignored all their protests and walked over to Atsushi, grabbed him by the collar and dragged him to the nearest dorm room, Shinya following behind. "Do you see this?" he seethed, eyes narrowed and pointed to the date on the calendar.

Atsushi nodded. "Yeah . . ."

"Well?"

He fingered his ribbon and stared at the large '9' outlined in red.

"Mizuki-san, da ne, he doesn't know," he heard Shinya say in the background, then it clicked. It was Shinya's birthday all day today! "It's okay, 'Tsushi, da ne, let's just-"

Atsushi broke out of Mizuki's grip, turned, and grabbed Shinya's wrist, pulling him into his chest. "I'm sorry I forgot, Shinya . . . ," he sighed, not letting go. "Let me make it up to you, hm?" He felt the other nod against his shoulder, then grinned. "Kusu, kusu, kusu. Sorry, Mizuki-san, everyone, we'll be missing the rest of dinner."

As he tugged his partner away, he could just make out Akazawa's manly laugh, and Mizuki's 'Nfu' down the hallway.

End Note: Er, I'm afraid I'm not too good at writing these characters. I need practice. Either way, I hoped it was to someone's liking. Please review? :3