NOTES:

I wanted to gift this to you SolosOrca for being awesome and amazing and as a major THANK YOU when we met up. I don't think I did a lot of thanking for that and I admit having fallen off the face of the earth for a while dealing with my own personal issues.

Meeting you in person and hashing out random pillar pair and prince of tennis things was one of the best things about my trip.

So here's just a small token of my thanks - I hope you like it!

"Ryoma!" called out Tezuka as he entered the house. Usually he could find his boyfriend in the kitchen or out back training but the younger man was nowhere to be found. He had let Ryoma know he was arriving today and had expected him to be at the airport. When Tezuka could not find him among the crowd his heart clenched tightly in his chest. It might not have been really important, but he had always picked Ryoma up from the airport whenever the tennis prodigy came back and the fact that Ryoma failed to do that for him bothered him though he tried not to let it.

Karupin greeted him once he entered the bedroom with a little 'chirrup'. Tezuka bent down and scooped up the cat. Karupin purred in his ear. "Do you know where Ryoma went?" asked Tezuka. He felt a bit silly talking to a cat, but no one was around to judge him and Ryoma always insisted that Karupin understood more than people assumed.

Karupin let out another enthused 'chirrup' as he struggled in Tezuka's grip. Tezuka loosened his arms and Karupin lept out, landing on the floor lightly. Karupin headed out of the room and for a brief second Tezuka felt a pang of loneliness once he could no longer see the cat.

Karupin must have sensed something since he came back into the room, gave a small meow and headed back out as if beckoning Tezuka to follow him. Without much of a plan, Tezuka opted to follow the cat. Perhaps he was hungry or needed his water bowl refilled.

Karupin led him through the living room, down the hallway past the bathroom and into the backyard. Tezuka had to reevaluate why he was allowing a cat to lead him around but went along with it since he didn't have any other ideas on where Ryoma could be. He had texted him upon arrival at the airport and when he arrived home. After that he became worried. Ryoma usually hated his cell phone - he didn't like the idea that people could bother him whenever they wanted. It was a sentiment that Tezuka shared after the tenth time Inui had called him about someone's date and how he wanted Tezuka to tag along and follow for data purposes. However, Tezuka also understood it was important to retain a line of contact with people in case of emergencies or events. Having a cell phone had allowed him to attend various impromptu Seigaku reunions after all.

"Where are you taking me, Karupin?" Tezuka muttered lowly to the cat. Karupin didn't respond except to head further into their backyard. Tezuka had argued with Ryoma over which property they should purchase together. Ryoma was much more used to city-life and had wanted a loft closer to the downtown area in order to have access to the 24-hour gym and next to his favorite burger place. Tezuka had wanted something closer to nature so he could go hiking or do his daily run in the forest instead of the bleak cement sidewalks of the city. The compromise was only reached after Ryoma insisted that they build a tennis court in the back reminiscent of the one his parents had. Tezuka was quick to agree.

Therefore their property had a large and expansive backyard that petered into a forest and small slopes. There was a small trail that circled near their property that led to a small creek. Tezuka had always wanted to spend the weekend exploring their new home but with their constant tournaments and busy schedules they hadn't had the chance yet.

Karupin headed down the trail with unerring ease and Tezuka wondered how much more Ryoma trusted the cat. Karupin had escaped one day back in their Seigaku days and Tezuka remembered just how distraught Ryoma had been even if he hadn't wanted to let it show. The fact that Karupin not only traveled this far into the forest but made it safely back home was a miracle, or simply Karupin knew where to go for his next meal.

Soon enough the small forest became sparse and only a few sporadic trees lined his path. He could make out a lone figure standing by the small creek, a white cap on its head.

Ryoma

Tezuka could feel his anxious feelings calm down once he saw his boyfriend. He hadn't realized just how worried he truly was until the feeling dissipated and his heart lightened.

A twig crunched underneath his foot and the figure turned quickly around with what seemed to be a fishing pole in hand.

"Kunimitsu!" called out Ryoma, his voice seemed strained with some emotion Tezuka could not make out as he tried to hide the stick behind his back. Tezuka crouched down and picked up Karupin quickly before the cat made a dash toward the forest and they spent the rest of the evening looking for him.

"Ryoma," Tezuka answered warmly as he closed in on the other man.

"What are you - ?" Ryoma cut himself off. He fought to get his phone out of his shorts quickly then let out a small curse when he noticed that his phone was dead. Well that seemed to answer why he hadn't been at the airport and why he hadn't replied to any of Tezuka's texts.

"Sorry," Ryoma muttered with a bit of shame. Tezuka instantly forgave him.

"It's alright, I'm just glad I found you. Well, Karupin led me actually," replied Tezuka as he pet Karupin.

Ryoma smiled at him. "Told you he was smart," he replied smugly. "Welcome home."

"Thanks," said Tezuka as he leaned over and placed a kiss on Ryoma's waiting lips. "Now, what are you doing here?"

Ryoma's face gained a pink hue. He stuttered over his words briefly before showing Tezuka a slightly mangled fishing rod. "I wanted to surprise you with dinner. Freshly caught fish. I remember you mentioning how you really wanted some and how we just haven't had the time to do it," replied Ryoma somewhat sheepishly. Tezuka could feel a curl of warmth continue to unfurl in his heart.

"And I take it that it hasn't gone well," Tezuka slightly teased. Ryoma pouted.

"No," he answered somewhat petulantly. "I hate fishing," he grumbled.

Tezuka let out a small chuckle that never failed to put a smile on Ryoma's face.

"That's alright, we can try it again some other time and I can teach you how to properly fish."

Ryoma's face scrunched up but he nodded regardless. Tezuka knew that Ryoma was in no way a fan of fishing and that Ryoma was only humoring him but that didn't lessen the feeling at all. The fact that Ryoma was willing to do something he had no interest in and only doing it because he wanted to spoke much about Ryoma's feelings.

"Let's go back and order something. I don't think I have the patience to cook at the moment and I'm sure you haven't gone grocery shopping while I've been gone."

Ryoma let out a sheepish smile. "Yeah, alright." He came closer and took Karupin from Tezuka's arms and leaned over to give Tezuka another kiss. "Thanks, Karupin," said Ryoma as he cradled the cat to his chest. Karupin just continued to purr.

THE END