Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me.
Inspired by and dedicated to my darling Mitsu.

"I don't get it."

Atobe muttered with a rare shrug as he stepped up to stand next to Tezuka, watching their players mingle. Tezuka turned to look at Atobe briefly, not saying anything, knowing that Atobe would elaborate if he thought the subject was important enough.

"You're dating Fuji."

Tezuka gave a curt nod in acknowledgement, noticing that Atobe's gaze was on the brunette.

"He has no regard for you, from what I'm seeing. What kind of a man are you? Allowing your boyfriend to flirt around like that."

Atobe pointed a royal finger at the group of youths mingling on the courts, particularly at Fuji, shaking his head lightly as if in disdain. Oshitari had his arm around Fuji's shoulder, the two prodigious players bickering sweetly like a couple, while Oshitari's partner fumed and stomped his feet in threat of breaking the navy-haired youth's arm if he didn't get his arm off Fuji that instant. Tezuka watched the scene and almost laughed.

"What kind of man should I be, in your opinion?"

The bespectacled captain asked nonchalantly, watching his lover with a fond gaze. Atobe almost wanted to sigh in exasperation, if only doing so wouldn't inflict a bad image on him.

"Keep him away from other men, especially the charmingly flirtatious kind? Throw a tantrum like Mukahi if you had to. Of course, its obvious Yuushi wears the pants in their relationship. And I expected you to be wearing the pants in yours."

"Have you gone fishing, Atobe?" Tezuka asked, as if not hearing any of Atobe's words. The Hyotei captain's face almost fell at that unrelated question.

"Ore-sama has servants to do that for me on my fishing trips. I just have to cast the line and then sit in the shade."

"Well, when reeling in a catch, you shouldn't pull too hard or reel the line in too fast, or the line might snap and the fish will get away."

"I appreciate the advice, Tezuka. But what has that got to do with what I've been trying to tell you?"

"Now, I'm going to reel in my catch."

Tezuka muttered confidently as he straightened himself and walked towards the courts. Atobe stood still and watched. Tezuka barely stepped on to the court and Fuji had turned to smile at him, as if he had inbuilt "Tezuka radar". Taking two steps closer and Fuji bluntly shoved Oshitari's arm off his shoulder as he turned to walk towards Tezuka. "Tezuka zone…" Atobe mused, flicking away a strand of hair from his face.

On their way over to the coolers, Tezuka stopped in front of Atobe and muttered dryly, "In fishing, that invisible strength that needs to be controlled between the fisherman and the fish is called tension. In relationships, it's called trust. That's the kind of man I am."

Atobe watched as Tezuka and Fuji headed for the coolers.

-end-

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