Disclaimer- I don't own PoT

To say that Sakuno was in a daze, well, that would be an understatement. So far today she had walked into three walls, tripped down the stairs twice, and walked into four people. Oh yes, Sakuno Ryuzaki was definitely out of it today.

But who would blame her? It wasn't everyday that a girl's hot sempai kisses them.

So now, Sakuno was left walking on autopilot through the school, caught between day dreaming and trying to be extra vigilant as to spot that particular third year regular.

And it was in one of these dazed spells that Sakuno walked straight into a wall; or at least what felt like a wall.

"Itai!" she cried as she stumbled back with one hand over her sore nose.

"Are you alright Ryuzaki-san?"

Despite the throbbing in her nose, Sakuno was still able to stiffen at the sound of that particular baritone.

"T-Tezuka-sempai! Gomen! I wasn't focusing on where I was going!" she rushed as she bent over into a deep bow.

He gave a stiff nod, "That's quite alright. And you are not harmed correct?"

Realizing that she hadn't answered his original question, Sakuno blushed and looked at her feet, "Hai, I'm fine sempai."

Tezuka gave a brisk nod and, eyeing her once more dazed expression, decided that it was his responsibility as her sempai to ask.

"Ryuzaki-san are you feeling alright today?"

Jumping in surprise, Sakuno stammered out a weak 'O-of course I-I am s-sempai!' before once more turning her gaze to her feet.

Furrowing his brows at the obvious lie, Tezuka just nodded again and walked off with a small 'good day'.

Or at least, that's what he was going to do before his mouth seemed to open on its own and say, "I'll walk you to your next class."

Both parties stopped and tried to figure out what the older boy had just said.

Blushing a shade that rivaled a tomato, Sakuno opened her mouth to protest but shut it again when nothing came out. She nodded weakly.

Silence stretched between them, and Tezuka cleared his throat after he noticed the dazed look back in her eyes, "What class do you have next Ryuzaki-san?"

Sakuno jumped, a blush blooming on her cheeks, "H-history."

"So the second floor then," Tezuka nodded to himself, placing a hand on her lower back to steer his kohai towards the stairs.

And poor Sakuno, already tense from what happened the night before, jumped at the male contact.

And fell right down the stairs.

"Sakuno!"

Sakuno groaned as she came to, her head throbbing.

"What happened?" she groaned, trying to sit up.

"You fell down the stairs."

Suddenly a large, firm hand was on her back and another on her shoulder as they guided her up into a sitting position.

Tezuka looked at Sakuno's scrunched up face, watched her nose twitch before one eye slowly opened, followed by the next, until two wide brown eyes were starring right at him.

'Strange,' he thought as he watched her blink her eyes back into focus, 'he hadn't even realized that she had grown up.'

Which was very true. Sakuno was no longer the awkward, coltish girl she had been in middle school. Now, she was a young woman, and that fact seemed to hit Tezuka all of a sudden.

"T-Tezuka-sempai! Gomen! You must have missed class!"

He found it amusing that despite her current condition, her first concern was still him. It was endearing really.

"It's fine, the nurse is out now anyway," he said firmly, and Sakuno let out a breath.

It was so kind of Tezuka-sempai to wait for her to wake up, especially since they weren't particularly close. In fact, she was more surprised that he had stayed than she would have been if he hadn't.

"Ano, sempai, you didn't have to wait for me to wake up," she blushed.

"Ah, but you fell down the stairs and hit your head. I didn't want you to be confused when you woke up."

Sakuno felt her blush deepen till she was sure she looked like a tomato, "A-Arigato."

A silence fell over them, and Sakuno scrambled to come up with something to say.

"N-Neh, Tezuka-sempai, do you remember when you used to babysit me sometimes when I was little?"

Tezuka blinked, then nodded slowly, "Hai, you were still in elementary school while I was in middle school."

Sakuno nodded, a far off smile coming to her lips, "Remember when I fell off the swing and hit my head, and you had to stay and take care of me until obaa-san got home?"

Tezuka felt the corner of his mouth twitch for a moment, "I do."

"Nah, sempai, I guess you've been taking care of me for a while now."

Sakuno grinned, and Tezuka felt something stir in his stomach, "I guess so."

"Ah, Sakuno-chan, what did you manage to do to yourself now?"

"F-Fuji-sempai!"

The two looked up, and there was Fuji standing in the doorway to the nurse's office. Tezuka took note of the strain in his normally calm smile.

"Everyone is talking about how Tezuka Kunimitsu carried Ryuzaki Sakuno all the way across the school to the nurse's office."

"E-Eh? S-Sempai, I didn't know you carried me! Gomen!"

"I already told you Ryuzaki-san, it's fine."

Fuji took in the blush on her cheeks with a hard stare, his eyes turning calculatingly to his captain. He didn't think Tezuka had any feelings towards Sakuno, but then again Fuji had always had a hard time predicting his thoughts.

"Nah, Tezuki, you can go now, I can take care of Sakuno."

Tezuki's eyes narrowed at the familiar way Fuji addressed their kohai, then took note of the somewhat panicked look in her eyes.

"That is unnecessary."

Fuji's eyes opening into an almost glare, "I insist."

"N-Neh, sempai."

Sakuno blushed to her roots when both boys turned their intimidating gazes onto her, making her turn her gaze down into her lap demurely. She didn't exactly have anything in mind to talk about, but the building tension between the two was making her uncomfortable.

"Ano, how hard did I hit my head exactly?"

"You rolled almost all the way down to the second floor, you'll be lucky if you don't have a concussion," Tezuka said.

Sakuno paled, and Fuji stepped forward and sat on the foot on the foot of her bed. His hand came to rest comfortingly on her leg, and he offered her a genuine smile, "Don't worry Sakuno, what's important is that you're okay."

She nodded back dazedly, all the attention making her feel light headed.

"Fuji, go back to class, I'm going to take Ryuzaki-san home."

Fuji looked like he was about to protest, the hand on Sakuno's leg tightening slightly, but Tezuka stopped him before he could, "Now."

Sakuno looked at the captain in confusion as Fuji stood stiffly, taking a second to turn a soft smile to her, "Neh, Sakuno, try not to hurt yourself anymore today, alright?"

Sakuno nodded, a shy blush on her cheeks, "Hai, sempai."

Neither Sakuno nor Tezuka spoke as Fuji left, or for a few minutes afterwards, but finally felt the need to fill the silence that had stretched between them.

"Tezuka- sempai, y-you can just take me to obaa-san and she can take me home. I don't want to make you miss anymore class than you already have."

Sakuno blushed to her roots while she waited for Tezuka to respond, his intense gaze making her squirm.

"I'll take you to her office," he finally nodded, and Sakuno had to stop herself from sighing in relief.

Tezuka stepped back to let the small girl stand, ready to steady her if she needed it.

Sakuno gave Tezuka a small smile as she wobbled to her feet, looking away shyly once she was steady. Tezuka nodded and turned, and Sakuno hurried to keep pace with his longer legs.

Coach Ryuzaki's office was located on the far side of the building, closer to the tennis courts, and the walk was silent. Sakuno felt fidgety, but Tezuka's head was whirling. Fuji was clearly interested in their kohai, but for some reason the thought of the two together made him feel sick. But then again…he looked down, taking in Sakuno's wide eyes and small nose. Her story from earlier rang in his ears.

Sakuno stopped when she felt a hand on her head, and she blinked up at her sempai.

"T-Tezuka-sempai?"

He didn't respond for a minute, as if he was debating how to get the words out, but then his intense dark eyes moved down to look into hers, and Sakuno felt like she was frozen under his heavy gaze.

"I've looked out for you since we were very young."

Sakuno blinked, confused.

"Just know," the hand on her head pressed down slightly, "I'll continue to be there if you need me."

Sakuno didn't move for a second, but then a grin, one even brighter than the sun, came to her face, and she beamed up at him, "Arigato, sempai."

Now Tezuka couldn't exactly explain what happened next, but one second he felt like he had had the wind knocked out of him by her smile, and the next he was pressing his lips against hers and all he could think was that she tasted like blackberries and sunshine and that this just felt right.

And so, it was at that moment, that Fuji Shusuke got his first rival in his quest for Ryuzaki Sakuno's heart.

Holy shit it's been a while. Sorry if this was kinda short, I'm just trying to get my feet back under me a bit writing this haha. Any thoughts on who you'd like to see next? Hope you enjoyed!