I got quite a few votes for two fics, so I'll be writing both, though I probably won't finish so quickly then. THIS IS THE YAOI VERSION! If you'd like the non-yaoi one, it's still there, under the same original name- "Guest for a While."
--
For a few minutes, Tezuka just stared after Atobe, gaping. Then he shook his head, as though to clear it. This won't do, he finally decided. Atobe mad he could deal with, but Atobe upset…
He knocked softly on the door to Atobe's room. "Atobe, I'm coming in."
"Whatever."
He pushed open the door, and wasn't surprised to see Atobe sitting on his bed, scowling. "Atobe…" Tezuka tried. "I'm sorry."
Atobe glared up at him. "No, you're not. You're just wondering if this whole thing is another ploy to get my way."
"Is it?" Wrong answer! Tezuka mentally scolded himself.
But to his surprise, Atobe just laughed bitterly. "Tezuka Kunimitsu, a formidable tennis player… but absolutely no social skills."
"Sorry. I get it. You're not always phony," Tezuka said at last. He stood uncomfortably, not quite sure what he was supposed to do now.
Atobe's eyes glinted with amusement. "You can go now, Tezuka."
"Thanks."
It took until Tezuka had sat down at his desk in his room before he realized what had been different about that conversation. He didn't call me Kuni-chan once…
--
The next morning was infernally bright. Atobe missed his servants more than ever. They'd shut the drapes before I woke up, so as to spare ore-sama from the glare of the sun… I wish that I were home. Why am I not at home, anyway? The fun is over now that Tezuka has seen me like that…
He sighed, squinting at his watch. It was only six-thirty in the morning- there was no way Tezuka was up. No fun fighting over the bathroom if there's no one to fight with…what to do, what to do…?
He dialed Oshitari Yuushi's phone number.
"Atobe, it's six-thirty in the morning!"
"Did I wake you?" he asked innocently.
"Not yet," Oshitari snapped, slamming down the phone.
Atobe sighed. Of all the weekends for Kabaji to be out with his family…
Well, his hair still had to be done, even if he couldn't annoy Tezuka while doing it…
--
Tezuka had woken up early that morning, intending to get into the shower before Atobe had a chance to annex it for Hyotei. Instead, he found himself sleep-deprived and standing outside the bathroom at six forty-five in the morning. It's uncanny, how he always knows just when and where he can annoy me…
"Kuso! The shampoo!" he heard the other boy snap from in the shower.
A moment later, the door opened, and Atobe emerged, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. His eyebrows shot up when he saw Tezuka waiting outside the bathroom. But Atobe Keigo was an Atobe, and not easily ruffled. "Kuni-chan! Well, don't go in. I'm just getting my shampoo!" he snapped, walking down the hall to his room.
So we're pretending that you didn't show your real face last night… Tezuka found himself watching Atobe's back as the other boy walked past him. He did have a good physique, probably from playing so much tennis, same as Tezuka. He isn't all hot air… but I knew that already...
Tezuka shook his head to clear those thoughts out of his mind. What's with me? I guess I'm just overtired.
--
In the shower, Atobe was also thinking. What happened last night… I've got to somehow undo that. It's no good if he thinks that that wasn't a performance…
He let the water run down his back, enjoying it's soothing influence. And what was with that stare he gave me when I returned to the shower? It was calculating… I don't like that. He'll try to figure me out.
Why did I have to decide to come here? Why could I have just stayed at Kabaji's? At least this wouldn't have happened there…
Idiot! He reared back, surprised at the vehemence of the self-rebuke. His confidence was a weapon, and he couldn't afford to doubt himself.
Stop it! Just stop thinking!
--
"Kaa-san, is it alright if I invite over some company?" Atobe asked sweetly as he sat down at the kitchen table. Tezuka's head jerked up.
Ayane smiled fondly at him. "Of course it is! This house is your home now- you can feel free to treat it that way."
Tezuka glared at Atobe with silent fury. He can't have Hyotei here! At MY house?
"Thanks, Kaa-san! Now I can introduce my friends to Kuni-chan like he did for me yesterday!" Atobe grinned.
"That's so sweet!" Ayane beamed. "I'm so glad you're doing this for Kunimitsu. For some reason, he doesn't like being very social, but you're really helping him emerge from his shell."
"I try," Atobe said modestly. Tezuka almost choked on his drink.
"I remember when Kunimitsu was just a small child," Ayane sighed. "He was just like this then, too. His teachers at nursery used to call me at home, all nervous because he would barely speak or interact with his playmates. We were so worried, we sent him to a therapist until he was eleven!"
Oh, god, Kaa-san, please stop now!
"Really!" Atobe looked gleeful. "Did the therapist help?"
Ayane laughed. "Not a bit! He wouldn't even talk to HER!"
"Kaa-san, I AM right here."
"Yes, I know, Kunimitsu. Don't worry, I won't embarrass you!"
Too late…Atobe shook his head. "So how'd he become such a popular guy in Seigaku if he was so quiet?"
Ayane considered. "Well, he had always enjoyed tennis, and his therapist was at such a loss, she recommended that he begin playing sports at school. Eventually, he was for the excellent player he is, and he was respected for that.
"Tennis wasn't always an advantage for him," Ayane reminisced. "Once, when he was a freshman at Seigaku, one of his sempais hit him with a racket because he was jealous of Kunimitsu's talent. He was only recently completely healed from that fiasco."
Tezuka watched Atobe, his eyes narrowed. What would Atobe say now?
"That's horrible!" Atobe exclaimed. "Poor Kuni-chan!"
And you claim not to be completely phony…Ayane nodded. "It was terrible! He actually went to Germany for rehabilitation recently, because he acted irresponsibly during a match and destroyed all previous efforts to heal it."
Atobe smacked his head. "Is that what happened during that match with me?"
Tezuka cocked his head. Had Atobe just admitted that he was the one who had ruined his arm?
Ayane's forehead furrowed. "Are you the boy who beat Tezuka?"
"Well, I don't consider it a real victory, because he was injured," Atobe said, sounding reluctant. "But I did technically win…" He looked up at Ayane, his face grave. "That victory doesn't make me happy."
"Oh, it wasn't your fault, Keigo," Ayane said kindly. "It was only Kunimitsu who had done something wrong. He shouldn't have sacrificed his arm for just one game."
"He did it for his team," Atobe said, apparently earnest. "I really admire the way he cares about them so much that he'd give up his arm for them."
Kaa-san, you can't possibly be buying this…But Ayane gave Atobe a grateful smile. "Keigo, you really are an amazing person. I'm so happy that you're spending time with my son."
Tezuka left before he vomited.