Disclaimer: I'm not Konomi and am not affiliated with the creation of anything Prince of Tennis

Chapter 7: Drive

For the next few days Tezuka did as instructed and trained hard. Too hard, quite possibly. His body felt in perpetual pain and he started grimacing as he walked, the muscles in his thighs still aching. Even more so his sleeping patterns were off. And although the sleeping pills did the trick he slept later than usual. Miyaka had to start pushing him awake and it took several nudges to get him moving in the morning.

Now that's when things were…odd. Tezuka always knew that Miyaka was just trying to help him not be late for work, but it started to annoy him to no end.

He lay on his back, both hands on his face, taking his time to work up the energy to get out of bed. Miyaka, already dressed for work, started flicking on their bedroom lights calling for her husband to get his ass out of bed. In truth she was worried that he may have been coming down with something. He usually rose immediately after the alarm went off.

"I'm getting up," Tezuka mumbled his assurance behind his hands covering his face.

"Are you okay, Kunimitsu? Are you sick?"

It was a legitimate inquiry. So he had no reason to react the way he did. He flung his hands from his face and snapped, "Dammit, I'm fine! Leave me alone!"

Miyaka was taken aback by his hostile response. She could not recall the last time he raised his voice at her, if he did at all. He seemed so…angry. She thought it safe for now just to leave and finish getting ready for work.

Tezuka sighed, not quite sure what had happened. He felt his body heat up when he heard Miyaka's voice call for him to get up for the third time that morning. His response was uncalled for, so he felt at least that he would get ready for work quickly. As he got his shirt on he noticed that it was tighter around his chest and shoulder area than he remembered. He took the pills Ishikawa gave him and grabbed his suitcase.

Husband and wife walked to the train station together, but with and uneasy silence. However, they never really talked much on the way to the train station anyway but this time the air was thick with uncertainty. Miyaka wasn't sure what to say to her husband and he didn't trust himself to try to communicate back. Both felt a little at ease as they stepped off the train and headed their separate ways.

Work for Tezuka was painfully monotonous this day, and he found that he started to clench his fist at odd intervals. Tediousness penetrated him and he felt unexplainable frustration and feared for the next person who entered his office.

Miyaka returned home that night and waited until late at night to make dinner for both Tezuka and her. Usually she ate alone and was in bed by the time her husband came home, but she was going to stay up late. She had things to ask her husband.

Tezuka came home in his dress shirt and tie but held his workout bag that contained his sweat drenched workout clothes. Though it was late, he spotted his wife, still in her work clothes sitting at the dining table, having not touched the prepared meal. Sighing he sat down at his end, and they ate in silence. Again, the silence also irritated Tezuka. Miyaka obviously prepared this meal to have some time together, and possibly talk a little, maybe about work. No, she was just flicking gazes at him as she drank her wine.

He set his utensils down with a clatter, "What is wrong?"

Her eyes narrowed, "Nothing…"
His brow furrowed, "There is something. What do you want? If you don't need anything then what was the point of all of this!?" He roughly pushed back his seat and threw down his napkin. Miyaka jumped out of her seat, appalled at his attitude, "Kunimitsu, what is going on?"

Tezuka stopped in his tracks, "What do you mean?"

"You're attitude. It's not like you. Did something happen at work?"

"My attitude?!"

Miyaka crossed her arms, "What is your problem. It seems like you've been on edge lately."

"Dammit! It's none of your business!" he snapped back at her with a lashing voice that penetrated her soul.

"None of my business?" she gasped. "Are you so clueless?!"

It happened so suddenly. So fast. No one had time to think.

Tezuka brought his arm back and in an instant backhanded her across the face. Staggering backwards, she held a hand to her cheek, staring back at him in disbelief and utter shock. Tezuka stared at his hand, stunned at what he had just done. He glanced up at Miyaka, guilt crossing over his aghast face. "Miyaka," he reached out to her, calling to her softly. She smacked his hand away and ran into their bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

He wanted to knock on the door and explain his actions. Only one problem: he couldn't explain them. He had a feeling that even though he promised himself that he wouldn't ever do such a thing again, it would be only the beginning of something worse.

***

"Echizen."

Ryoma was in the locker room lacing up his shoes for his next match. He looked up to find the imposing form of the capped Sanada standing beside him.

"Are things going well?"

Ryoma chuckled lightly, "Good enough that I may face you again."

Sanada had the faintest trace of a smirk on his face as he sat down, rubbing his calf muscles. "I heard something odd yesterday…"

"About Tezuka rejoining tennis, right?"

"Er…yeah."

"They're true, just to clear that up."

A strange feeling settled into Sanada's stomach. He declared that he would never play Kunimitsu Tezuka ever again, since he very well knew that his sealed moves would be broken the next time they faced. Why not stop while you're at the top. He proved that he was king that day, but Tezuka proved that he was some sort pharaoh who had received mandates from gods, nothing would stop him and Sanada would be left in the dust once again.

"How's the recovery?"

Ryoma leaned back, "I don't know why I was caught by surprise when I heard this, but Tezuka managed to bump himself up to the Minor level already."

He smirked seeing Sanada's pallid look and added, "You may have to face him after you face me, if we're lucky."

****

Stepping off the platform, he found himself back in the god-forsaken neighborhood. Ishikawa came over to Tezuka's side, "Let's try this again." They entered the club, maneuvered through the bumping and grinding dancers, and left through the back door. They sat down at one of the tables watching the brutal and undisciplined matches, anticipating for one hothead to call out for a challenger. Ishikawa reached into his pocket and took out a baggy of pills and handed one red pill to Tezuka, "Here you may need this."

"What is it?"

"Let's say it will ease the pain if you get a thrashing."

After a bearded man creamed his opponent, his bloodshot eyes scanned the crowd of drugged and high spectators and players. "Who's next?"

Ishikawa nudged Tezuka. He gripped his racket and stood, making his way to the court silently. The bearded man stared at him. "Well then."

Tezuka's opponent served first and instantly he was surprised at the power behind it. It knocked his racket out of his hand. Ishikawa was right. These bastards were not to be underestimated. And judging by the veins in the man's neck and arms, he has been juicing himself with steroids. Skill would have to win over power. He served again, this time Tezuka met force with force of his own. His opponent returned it and that's when his energy surge kicked in and finally scored a point. But that small victory didn't last long. The bearded man was a tough opponent and in the end it was a close game, but his opponent went away with a victory.

Running a hand through his hair he walked off the court accepting his defeat. Ishikawa lay a hand on his shoulder, "Don't get too worked up over it. It's not bad for your first match against these goons."

Tezuka just shook his head, "I need a drink."

****

Oishi got into his sleepwear and turned off the lights of the downstairs of his house. He was about to head upstairs for bed when he heard a knock on the door.

"Who the hell? At this hour?"

He opened the door and found the last person he expected to see.

"Tezuka?"

He looked disheveled, his tie loose, coat and shirt askew. A strong smell came from him.

"Tezuka, have you been drinking?"

He gave a silent nod, "A little…" He came in through the door, stumbling slightly. "The trains are no longer running."

Oishi just stared at Tezuka. He had never seen him drunk before. Nor ever imagined him that way. He was always that straight-laced guy. Oishi grabbed a hold of his friend and led him over to the couch. It was obvious that Tezuka was already half-asleep, so it didn't take long for him to fall asleep.

Oishi quietly went to the phone and dialed Tezuka's number.

**

Miyaka was sound asleep when Oishi decided to call. She picked it up, her voice groggy.

"Hello?"

"Miyaka, this is Oishi."

"Oishi? What's wrong? It's two o'clock in the morning," she rubbed her eyes.

"I know. But I was wondering. Did something happen today?"

The tone in Oishi's voice was not at all comforting.

"What do you mean?"
She heard Oishi clear his throat, "Tezuka just came to my house. He was drunk."

Miyaka was stunned, not quite believing what Oishi said, "Drunk? But he never drinks—"

"I know. So I was wondering if something had happened to cause him to be this way."

"To tell you the truth Oishi. I don't know. He goes straight from work to training and he comes home late so I rarely see him. God, I'm so sorry about all this."

Oishi's voice lightened a bit, "Oh, it's no trouble. I'm just worried about you."

It was nice to hear that he was so worried about her, but she never really let what was "wrong" get to her. Miyaka was truly worried about her husband. His lapse in judgment was so unlike him and thought something happened at work for him to end up like this. Maybe training and work was becoming too hard on him.

"Oishi, to tell you the truth, I'm worried about Kunimitsu. He's become restless, his sleep cycles are off, and he's become agitated. The only positive thing that has happened recently is that he's become…more sexually driven. Though I can't say I have done anything that could alleviate that drive."

Although Oishi was a doctor and an expert on this sort of thing, he cringed slightly as he tried hard not to envision his friend in that sort of way.

"Sometimes adrenaline can be transgressed to sexual energy as a result of his training. It is possible that his testosterone levels have gone up. He is a man afterall."

"I still don't see how training and all that can lead to…wait, why am I talking about this at two in the morning? I've got work in the morning."

"So do I. Don't worry, I'll take care of Tezuka. We'll talk about this later. Goodbye."

A/N: I really don't think Tezuka would be a wily drunk. He'd be the drowsy kind. Even so, it seems he still has enough sense though he is inebriated.