About a Girl

Niou and Marui are together and smirking, and that is never good. Akaya squints at them suspiciously. "What?"

Marui ambles forward to drape an arm around Akaya's shoulders in a manner that is clearly intended to express that he is a senpai and thus has been there and done that and seen it all, even though Akaya is now a decent bit taller than him.

"Akaya, Akaya," he sighs. "When were you going to tell us? Really, we have a right to know."

Akaya tries to shrug his arm off. "Know what?"

Niou steps forward, his smirk edging into a lazy grin. "That you're in love."

Akaya scowls and looks around for Yanagi or Jackal or a decent sort like that to come and save him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Every time," Marui crows, "every time we come to a tournament and you see that Tachibana's little sister, you got out of your way to pester her." He shakes his head scornfully. "What a juvenile way of flirting…"

"Kids these days," Niou agrees mournfully. "Then again, it's partially our fault. As senpai, it's our duty to teach him."

"True, true," Marui agrees thoughtfully. "Well, let's start now." He returns his attention to Akaya. "Okay, pretend I'm her. What do you say?"

"You are so weird," Akaya growls, and again tries unsuccessfully to rid himself of Marui's restraining arm. His grip is surprisingly strong.

Niou makes a sound of impatience. "That's not at all what you should say. Jeez, who taught you how to talk to a girl? Sanada?"

"What was that about me, Niou?" comes Sanada's voice from behind them, low and threatening.

Without missing a beat Niou responds, "Only that having your as our vice-captain is a blessing and that we would all surely be lost without your guidance."

Sanada's answering look is edged with menace. "How flattering. To show my appreciation, you have my permission to do ten laps around the tournament grounds."

Niou opens his mouth to say something but, uncharacteristically taking the path of least resistance, offers a last mocking smirk to Akaya and gets to it.

Yukimura, who had approached with Sanada, speaks. "Now, what's all this about?"

Before Akaya can say nothing, Marui pipes in with "You remember that one guy that Akaya tried to beat up? That Tachibana guy from that no-name school? Well, know he's in love with Tachibana's little sister!"

Yukimura levels Akaya a neutral look. "Is that so." His gaze becomes narrower. "I have no doubt that this won't interfere with your tennis." The statement is a threat, albeit politically correct.

"It won't," Akaya says, frustrated, and then: "And I don't like her, anyway! She's stupid. And annoying. And her brother is a loser. So there." He glares at Marui.

Marui rolls his eyes and shoots Yukimura a meaningful look. Yukimura smiles and places a hand on Akaya's shoulder. "Well then. Let's go have a look at her, shall we? I'd like to meet this girl."

Akaya stares at him. "What? But—you can't! I…she…you can't!" he blusters.

Marui pats his head. "Aw, he's flustered. That's so cute." Then he points the girl out to Yukimura. "That's her, see her? Talking to Momoshiro. With the clips in her hair?"

Yukimura looks where Marui is pointing and then smiles approvingly at Akaya. "She's pretty. I hope you didn't choose her just for that, though."

"Not just for tha—I mean, I didn't choose her at al—she's talking to Momoshiro? What does she see in that loser?" Akaya glares at where Momoshiro and Tachibana An are indeed having a conversation.

"And now you're jealous too?" Marui wipes away an imaginary tear. "They grow up so fast…"

"I am not jealous of Momoshiro just because he's talking to Tachibana's little sister!" Akaya shouts angrily.

And then he realizes that his exclamation was so loud that everyone within seventy or so feet of them had heard it—including Momoshiro and An.

Akaya puts his face in his hands. "I hate my life."

Marui and Yukimura smile while Sanada casts his eyes skyward.

Yeah...just a fun little scene. OOC-ness galore, though I did my best without making it too deep and character-introspection-y.

Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis.