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Learning to Land	By : Suteishichic Category: Prince of Tennis/Tennis no Ohjisama > General Views: 11419 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis (Tennis no Ohjisama), nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Learning to Land. Chapter Seventy Eight ~Shishido~

Warnings: Yaoi, Love, Angst, Fluff, and Lots of Sex. Some kink. You've been warned ;)

Disclaimer: Nope not mine. Still in my dreams. ;)

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Where the hell was Choutarou?

Shishido left the party and went around everywhere looking for him. He walked silently down a hallway where he knew none of them were really supposed to be, but he had already looked everywhere else. At least twice and it was getting damn annoying. He had first walked around the party trying to act as casually as possible. He didn't want to let on that he was looking for anyone in particular and all the while, growing concern was gnawing away at him. If someone caught him down here, Shishido figured he would just tell whoever that he was lost and looking for the toilet. Which was even more annoying--having to make up a lie and embarrass yourself at the same damn time, but he was getting very worried that something might have happened to Ohtori.

Damn it. He was nowhere to be found. Maybe some damn girl carried the naive guy off. Or maybe he got lost and was wandering around. Maybe the freshman felt sick or tired or upset again and had left. Damn it! Shishido wished he'd kept his cell phone with him but he had stupidly left it in his jacket pocket because he didn't think he would need it. Although only here could he have heard it over all the party noise. And even down this hallway quite far away from everyone, the sounds of the crowd and the music still blared loud and constant. He had to accept that he couldn't find him. Something must have happened.

Shishido had just resolved to turn around, go back to the party, and borrow someone else's phone to try to call Ohtori when he suddenly stopped mid-stride.

Because for the first time in a long while, Shishido felt it.

He felt that now familiar sensation of Ohtori watching him. Even though Shishido didn't know exactly where the freshman was, just sensing that Choutarou was somewhere close by comforted him and eased his worries. Shishido could have kicked himself for forgetting what he just should have done in the first place. It would have saved him a lot of time and stress if he had just trusted himself.

When Shishido was very little, he used to believe that he could feel his brothers' presence in a room or hiding from him anywhere. He had been especially an expert at discovering his older brother no matter how hard the guy tried to hide. Their Mom always dismissed his ability and his brothers' complaints by saying it was just their over-active young imaginations, but when Shishido was young, he knew it was more than that. It was a finely honed skill. Something special that only he could do. Up a tree, down the block, playing tag, over at a friend's house, or crouching way in the back of a closet in their own home--it didn't matter where anyone Shishido cared about hid. Shishido would close his eyes, reach out, and just know where they were. Anywhere someone tried to hide, Shishido would find them and amaze them by just closing his eyes and feeling out.

Shishido mentally cursed himself for not just closing his eyes and feeling for Choutarou like he used to when he was a kid. He guessed that the reason this didn't come immediately to mind was because he hadn't tried it in years. Back then he had only used it on family members, and he knew it took a certain amount of trust and belief in something he knew most people would call silly for it to be successful. He had a feeling Ohtori wouldn't think it was silly though. Instead, the freshman would believe in it as much as Shishido had when he was little. In fact, if anything, Choutarou would probably be impressed and charmed. He would probably also think of it as a skill or a talent.

Shishido really had no idea if it would still work, but somewhere between instinct and impulse, he closed his eyes and felt out for Ohtori.

He was just ahead and to the right.

Shishido couldn't explain how he knew it because he couldn't see him, but he was positive Choutarou was there.

"Hey..." Shishido said softly even though he couldn't yet see him, "I've been looking for you."

Very quietly Ohtori answered from the exact location where Shishido knew he was. At first Ohtori sounded as relieved as Shishido felt when he heard the freshman's voice, "You...you found me. I...thought maybe that you would have gone with Atobe-san. He said he was waiting for you...he..." Ohtori then sounded upset.

Shishido walked slowly up to him and quietly said, "I wouldn't leave without you." Shishido felt an unsettling combination of guilt and anger at Choutarou thinking otherwise but when he finally saw the freshman, it looked like he had been crying. That made Shishido worry again that maybe something had happened and want to comfort him. The urge to care for him was even stronger than Shishido's anger. "Don't you know that by now? Atobe asked me to go with everyone and invited you too. You and Taki both. Taki's busy, but I've been looking for you for almost an hour to see if you wanted to go. I even worried that maybe you'd left. I've been looking everywhere for you." Shishido repeated feeling angry and knowing he probably sounded lame, "I wouldn't leave without you."

"I...I know." Even in the dim light, Ohtori's cheeks were rosy and his eyes a little glassy. Obviously he had been drinking too. Probably stupid Taki had tried to get him drunk and not taken Choutarou's much larger size into account. Although, even big, the guy seemed to be a lightweight. Shishido worried that maybe Choutarou hadn't eaten anything at the party. "Shishido-san, I...I do know that..."

Concerned, Shishido asked, "Hey, are you okay? Did something happen? Where have you been all this time?" What he didn't want to ask but wanted to know is who Ohtori was with all this time too. That would be a good place to start though."Talk to me...please...?"

Ohtori looked upset and seemed to be working himself up again, "I...I'm sorry, Shishido-san. I'm sorry. Atobe-san didn't say anything about me going, just you going...you with him, and he asked me if I'd seen you because he was waiting for you. And nothing really happened...it's just the girls were touching me and telling me I had to play games with them, and I thought that if you wanted to go with Atobe-san then I shouldn't be around because I didn't want to see you go but I didn't want you to feel bad if you did wanna go, and I didn't want you to go but he didn't invite me and even if he did, I really didn't want to go with Atobe-san, but I didn't want to go with the girls either, and there's a lot of people down there now and it's loud...too loud to think, and I didn't know where you were, and I didn't think you would leave me, but I couldn't find you and I tried to call you and you didn't answer your phone, and so I thought you didn't want me to know where you were or maybe that you left because maybe Atobe-san would convince you to go, I thought maybe Atobe-san would even tell you that I left or I was going to where everyone else was to trick you into going with him but I thought that even if Atobe-san did somehow trick you and you did leave, when you saw I wasn't there, then you would come back for me, but the girls were all talking to me at once and trying to make me play those kinda games with them, and one of them grabbed me...she...she put her hand down my pants and tried to touch me, and then when I moved away, she tried to make me to touch her..."

Shishido was instantly furious at whatever girl touched Ohtori, and he wanted to know who the hell it was. He also wondered why Ohtori was talking like Gakuto did with his stupid accent. Atobe had called it a pauper's accent. He had said similar things about Shishido's "ghetto twang" as the Vice-Captain had called it. Shishido had quickly learned to lose any trace of his dialect or accent or Atobe would make fun of him whenever he tried to say anything. Ohtori really hadn't had one before, and Shishido wondered if he had been spending time with Gakuto and why the hell that would ever happen. Did that shrimp do something to somehow hurt Ohtori's feelings?

Choutarou wasn't done with his story though, "...and I...I got embarrassed because she kept trying to kiss me and put her hands on...me and touch me and then tried again and again to make me to touch her and kiss her, and all the girls...they...they all laughed at me, and I couldn't get away from all the girls, and so I said I needed to use the restroom just to get away, and instead I came down here and I hoped you would find me here because I wouldn't leave without you so I was looking for somewhere to wait for you and Naomi told me that after I used the restroom to come down this way because someone was waiting for me down here and I thought it might be you, because I knew you wouldn't really leave me and I knew you would find me, and I came here to meet you, but you weren't here and I heard someone else coming and so I hid just in case it wasn't you...because I was worried it was those girls again and I didn't want to be alone with them, and then a girl called out for me but I didn't answer, and it was Shiori and Naomi and they were both down here looking for me but I was hiding and so they thought I wasn't here and Shiori said to Naomi that everything will work out fine because Shiori likes me even though she thinks Shishido-san likes her, and she said to Naomi to not worry at all because Shiori isn't into Shishido-san at all because Shiori likes me, and Naomi said she was going to find you and that Shiori should hurry up and find me, and that Shiori knows what to do when she finds me...and she's better damn well do it and Shiori said she would and not to worry and I didn't know what she meant but it was all stuff about me and you and..."

Shishido covered his lips with his hand and softly said, "Hey, hey, it's okay. I've got you. I found you. I'm here now, so it's okay, Choutarou. It's okay, baby." Shishido put his other hand on Ohtori's strong shoulder. He wanted to do more, to comfort him more, but their forbidden location felt so exposed and open. Naomi and Shiori were clearly up to no good and after what Atobe told him earlier, whatever Naomi was up to, it involved both him and Choutarou.

Shishido felt the need to get Ohtori somewhere safe and figure out what was really going on so he could plan their next move. They were alone in the hallway, and Shishido fought his urge to reprimand Ohtori for drinking as well as his urge to take him into his arms, hold him close, and kiss him until Choutarou was soothed. Shishido felt an odd mixture of relieved after finally finding him safe and relatively unharmed. And yet at the same time, he was still annoyed at having had to search for the freshman, and completely confused by his rambling story. "Choutarou, it's okay now, but we do need to talk. Do you know a good place where no one will find us so we can? Somewhere we can be alone? Maybe where you hid from them?"

Ohtori cocked his head to the side like a puppy in thought and then nodded. He looked both ways down the hall as if checking to see if anyone was watching them. The way he moved was comically exaggerated by the alcohol in his system, and despite what was going on, Shishido smiled because it was rather cute. Okay, more than cute, it was adorable that this big guy who looked like no one else thought he could sneak around unnoticed. Ohtori put one finger to his lips in a gesture of quiet, and possessively grabbed Shishido's hand. It would have been a bold move for any guy, but coming from the shy freshman so suddenly, it surprised Shishido.

Holding Shishido's hand firmly, Choutarou lead them down the hall, and after checking around again, opened a door to another room that they probably weren't supposed to be in. He gestured for Shishido to follow him into another dark room and closed the door. The room had a dim light glowing in it and by the clothes hanging and shelved around them everywhere, they seemed to be in a gigantic walk in closet. It was probably Shiori's and it was bigger than Shishido's parents bedroom at home. It felt to Shishido like the were locked in a women's clothing store late at night in the dark.

"Is this okay, Shishido-san?" Ohtori faced him and whispered in a worried-sounding way.

Shishido could barely see anything in the dimly lit room. He sensed Choutarou in front of him more than actually saw him. The freshman still held Shishido's hand but his grip loosened as if he just realized he was holding something he might not be allowed to. He seemed torn between not wanting to let Shishido's hand go and probably thinking he should and unable to decide what to do.

Shishido chose for him. He laced their fingers together and was determined to not let Ohtori's hand go. He figured Choutarou was worried Shishido would be annoyed at him or might even want to break up with him or some garbage, so before the freshman could work himself up again, Shishido reached his other hand out and pulled them closer together. Softly he said, "This is good, Choutarou. Really good. I'm glad you're all right, baby. I was worried that maybe you'd left or were with some girl when I couldn't find you." Shishido was feeling jealous again. He worried and wondered what the hell the girls had done to get Ohtori this upset.

"I...I missed you Shishido-senpai, but I didn't really think you would leave me. Even if you left the party for a while, I knew you woulda come back and that you woulda found me." Ohtori said and even in the near dark, his broad white smile of perfect teeth beamed at Shishido in that adoring way. The freshman blushed, and suddenly looked shy in the dimly lit room. Choutarou moved even closer and touched his hand to Shishido's face in the same soft caress he had used when he had first drunkenly kissed Shishido. "I knew you would find me, Shishido-senpai." Choutarou said this fervently, as if believing in Shishido was a religious experience for him.

Shishido smiled, more than a little touched and soothed at Ohtori believing so much in him. Any earlier feelings of anger ebbed away. "I missed you too. That's why I came to look for you. I'm sorry we got separated, but you know I would never leave without you. The only reason I was tempted to go is because you were invited along. I would only have gone if you came along and wanted to go." Clearly Ohtori would not have wanted to go. Atobe had probably left and would be annoyed at Shishido disappearing, but finding out what the girls were up to seemed more important than placating Atobe. Shishido wanted to know what the hell they had done to Ohtori, "Okay, I want to understand what happened, baby. Walk me through this. First Atobe asked you if you'd seen me because he said I was leaving with him and he was waiting for me? And he didn't invite you? He made it seem like just him and me were leaving together?"

Ohtori nodded. He looked so hurt by even the thought of this that Shishido suppressed a growl at Atobe's antics. Their Vice-Captain probably pushed poor Choutarou's buttons just because he could, and left out that Choutarou was invited just to watch his response and reaction. The more upset Ohtori would have seemed the more Atobe would have enjoyed his little game. Later, when Ohtori was sober, Shishido would have to warn him about Atobe doing things like that. He should have known Atobe wouldn't let things go easily. Shishido thought to himself that he should probably find out exactly what Atobe said also to figure out if he was up to something too, but for now, Shishido most wanted to know what the hell Naomi and Shiori were trying to do and had done. "And the girls were trying to drag you to go play games with them. The kissing kind of games, right? They picked you most likely, probably because you're new and they would have told you that they needed more guys to play?"

Ohtori nodded again. Later on at parties like this lots of people played towards the end of the evening and many would break off into little groups and couples while the games continued on, but at the beginning of the night, few guys wanted to start. Shishido could see poor, naive, sweet Choutarou as a favorite new target of the girls and he had to suppress another jealous wave. Especially as he realized this sounded very aggressive for the usually rather passive girls, "And what else did they do?"

"Sh...Shiori tried to k..kiss me in front of everyone, but I wouldn't. She said it was a kiss for her birthday, but she went to kiss me on the mouth and not the cheek. I tried to be polite when she insisted and just kiss her on her cheek but she turned her head to try to trick me into kissing her. She held my face, and I didn't want to push a girl so I just pulled my mouth away and said I didn't like kissing lipstick. She licked my lips with her tongue and tried to make me do it back, and all the girls laughed at me because I blushed. I tried to leave but she sat on my lap and grabbed at me with her hand, but she was sitting on...she was right on my...uh...you know...so she was grabbing at nothing, and then she tried to lick my lips again while she put her hand down my pants! She...she grabbed my hand and tried to put it on her...her breast!" Ohtori whispered the word as if in shock and horror. He was deeply embarrassed,and Shishido was getting more and more furious, "In front of the other girls and they all laughed. Naomi asked me if I was feeling shy and sat on my other leg. She said she would show Shiori what to do with a shy guy just like she did with you, and I didn't want her to do anything either--but especially not her because I don't really like her. She's never been nice to me, and she's always made fun of me..." Ohtori looked down at his hands, "I'm sorry Shishido-san I know that you like her, you know from the sharing and all, and I know a lot of people think she's pretty, but I don't like her. She's always been mean to me and the other freshmen."

Shishido felt guilty and furious, "I was with her at the sharing, but that was before I even knew you. It was a long time ago, and it means nothing to me. Between you and me, I don't like or trust her either. How does she make fun of you?" Shishido was annoyed that he didn't know any of this.

"Na...Naomi says I'm ugly and...that I don't belong at Hyoutei. That I should go home. She says I look weird and old and she makes fun of me getting embarrassed and acts as if I stutter because sometimes I get angry when she tries to embarrass me. She goes out of her way to make me blush and stuff. But I don't usually stutter--not unless I'm really angry or upset. She...she's a bully. She's really mean to a lot of the freshmen too. One guy confessed to her and she laughed at him in front of everyone. She told him to get a clue and get back to her. That someone ugly like him was lucky to breathe the same air as someone beautiful like her. She called him a loser, and told the other cheerleaders to call him loser too. Even now, sometimes they still whisper it to him. A lot of the seniors call him that so much now that he dropped out of the tennis club and was talking about leaving and going to another school. Everyone has been keeping an eye on him because he's been so upset. They're worried he might hurt himself since he's so down."

Shishido was surprised, but not about Naomi doing something like that, more about Ohtori not telling him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I wouldn't bother you with something like that, Shishido-senpai. The freshmen can handle it. That's how things work here, right?" Ohtori looked earnest, but Shishido was hurt.

He hated that he didn't have the words to express himself but tried anyway, "Yeah, I guess, but I thought things with us were different. Choutarou, if something is on your mind or upsetting you, talk to me. I can help. I don't mind. It's not going to bother me. I can talk to the guy or to Atobe. Atobe doesn't really like Naomi either. He would love an excuse to cause problems for her. It's not bothering me to talk to me about stuff going on with you or in your life. Aren't you comfortable talking to me?"

"I...I am Shishido-san. I'm closer to you than to anyone else in the world, and it's not that I don't want to talk to you about things, but when I'm with you...it's that...well, I...I feel really happy. I kinda forget everything else that's wrong. When we're together, it feels like...it feels like it's just us."

Shishido half-smiled at the complement. Ohtori said he feels happy with him. "Yeah, that's what happened earlier. I was so happy with you earlier, Atobe caught us. Remind me tomorrow and we'll figure out how I can help your friend, that freshman guy, but in the meantime, tell me what else happened with the girls, okay? Naomi told you to come down here because someone was waiting for you, and you thought it was me? But when you heard someone coming, you hid here? It was Shiori and Naomi. Naomi said she likes me, and Shiori said she likes you and thinks I like her?" Shishido couldn't keep the sarcasm out of his voice on that one, or the jealousy from Ohtori's little sister having a crush on the freshman.

"Choutarou, between you and me, I really don't like Shiori much either. I was only nice to her because she's your little sister. I felt sorry for her because some guy from Seigaku dumped her a while back." He couldn't resist the jealous dig while he was talking about her. "And just so you know, the ring I gave her for her birthday I won playing pool so it's used and cost me nothing. Don't tell her, but I wouldn't buy her a gift or anything." He figured he should straighten that out right then and there. "And I already told you I don't like or trust Naomi at all, so you don't have to worry about that. Okay, is that most of what happened? Except the part where Taki told you to have a drink with him. Or a few drinks maybe?" He suddenly knew what Taki would say, "To make it up to you for earlier so that you're both friends again? And you both toasted several times."

Ohtori's mouth dropped open in shock at him figuring it all out. Shishido was rather impressed with his own detective skills but figured it was only because he knew Ohtori so well now that he could make heads and tails out of that jumbled, rambling mess he was given earlier. He was worried about what Naomi and Shiori were up to, but decided to deal with that all tomorrow. And again, Shishido wanted to be the last person to kiss Ohtori.

"So," he said and put his hands on Choutarou's shoulders. The tall freshman didn't feel so tall when they were together like this. He wondered how Ohtori managed to do that. "You're here, I'm here, we're together, and everything's fine, right?" Shishido's heart raced. He wanted to kiss him. Badly. Ohtori had been drinking though and Shishido was worried to do anything. Ohtori had already forgotten the first time. "Are you okay now, baby?"

"Now I am. I can do anything now." Ohtori smiled, but then his smile faded away. "Shishido-senpai, they...they say a lot of things about you..." A small frown crossed his lips and crinkled the skin between his eyes. Ohtori looked troubled.

"Really? What do they say?" Shishido acted casual, but was very worried. He was fairly sure Ohtori had seen both Atobe and Naomi all over him earlier. Plus Shishido knew how very much they liked to talk about him. What had Ohtori heard?

"They say you used to smoke. And get high. On drugs..." Ohtori whispered the last as if it were too terrible to say any louder. Naomi must have been opening her big fat mouth to several people and Shishido knew he had to talk to Atobe about it later. She was playing with fire and Shishido was very angry.

Angry at her but not at Ohtori who had to be confused and worried. Shishido sighed. "I used to a long time ago. For all of about two weeks my freshman year. I don't anymore, and I haven't since. I swear it. What else do they say?"

"I still can ask anything Shishido-senpai? You'll tell me?" Ohtori looked worried now but ran his fingers through Shishido's hair in that loving way and looked at him as if he couldn't believe Shishido was there with him.

"I will. Ask away." Shishido realized he would tell him anything. His pulse was pounding and he wanted to touch Choutarou back. He wanted Ohtori to know everything and he wanted to know everything about Ohtori. He wanted this awkward stage over with and all the doubts and questions hanging between them gone. "Someday, when we're both ready, I want you to know everything about me, and I want to know everything about you. I don't want there to be any secrets between us, Choutarou. I want it to just be us with nothing and no one else in the way, and I want that more than anything. Does that sound okay, baby?"

Ohtori hugged him hard suddenly and then let him go as if he was worried Shishido would push him away or reject him, "I...I want that too, Shishido-san."

Shishido put his hands lightly on Choutarou's strong shoulders so the freshman couldn't pull completely away. "Then ask me whatever you want, and I'll tell you. And someday, when we're ready, we'll tell each other everything else. So," Shishido crooked a smile half-way, "What the hell are they saying about me now? And Choutarou, you can touch me how you were, I liked it. I'll tell you if I don't."

Ohtori smiled, and looked at him adoringly. He put one hand lightly on Shishido's side and the other to his hair again. "Th...this is okay?"

Shishido nodded and smiled, "Yeah, it's better. Now what else do they say about me?"

"They say Shishido-san never makes the first move. That he never kisses anyone first. They say he's never told anyone that he likes them or that he loves them. They say that Shishido-san's never been in love. Not even with him. They say you never lie. They say you're a loner. They say you're cold, Shishido-senpai." Ohtori looked bothered the most by this, but kept moving his fingers through Shishido's hair.

The things they said and that Ohtori heard them stung, but his hands and his warm presence kept it from darkening Shishido's mood. Choutarou, being the remarkable person that he was, believed in Shishido despite whatever it was they said. That was very clear. Shishido half smiled and moved a little closer to Ohtori. He wanted to kiss him terribly, "Yeah, well, you can't believe everything they say..."

"I don't...Shishido-senpai." Ohtori moved his other hand down Shishido's side to his hip. Distantly, Shishido remembered this was where Atobe had made Ohtori put his hands and he wondered if Ohtori had thought this was how Shishido liked to be held according to Atobe. Regardless, Choutarou remembering it was adorable, and anywhere Ohtori touched him was good, "I don't believe them. They don't know you, but I do. I know you. I know you're not cold, Shishido-san. You're warm. Very warm. They just don't know you, Shishido-senpai. They don't know how warm you..." Ohtori bent down to kiss him softly and made a very tiny noise as their lips met. The freshman had one hand though the back of Shishido's hair and moved their mouths together closer while his other strong hand insistently pulled Shishido's hips towards his.

Shishido put his arms around Ohtori and it felt as if it were the most natural thing in the world. It was as if they had always kissed like this and suddenly there was no space between them. Ohtori kissed him several times with just his lips softly and then licked gently between the seam of Shishido's mouth, parting it with his warm, wet tongue that this time tasted like cinnamon.

Shishido kissed him back. He had no idea where in the hell Ohtori had learned to kiss like this but as their bodies pressed and their tongues slid together, Shishido felt his insides melt like hot liquid fire and then tingle to a burn even more as Ohtori again made a soft little noise of pleasure. His quiet, tiny noises were very sexy, and better than even the noise he had made with Atobe. One that Shishido suspected now had been faked. For whatever reason, Choutarou didn't make loud noises. At least not yet.

Shishido smiled at that thought.

He touched his hands over Ohtori's chest through his sweater as he had wanted to earlier. The cloth was even softer than he had thought and Ohtori's body under it felt strong, solid, and firm. He took Ohtori's face in his hands and Ohtori made another tiny noise as Shishido now kissed him and explored Choutarou's mouth. Shishido knew how to kiss damn well also and Ohtori responded perfectly. He matched Shishido's every move with his lips, his tongue, and his body. Shishido felt Ohtori's hands slide up and down his soft shirt and then under it, touching his skin. It was Shishido's turn to softly moan as his skin was lovingly caressed by Ohtori's strong, warm hands.

Ohtori pulled back from their kiss a little and Shishido was worried that his noise stopped him, although the freshman kept moving his hands along the skin on his back. Choutarou smiled and seemed happy. He said softly in that adoring way, "Shishido-san, you taste like coffee again."

Again? Damn it! He felt horrible about tasting like coffee, although he had brushed his teeth and chewed gum since he'd last had any. "Sorry..." Shishido said embarrassed and was glad for the darkness as he felt he was blushing slightly. Mortified, he went to pull away so Ohtori wouldn't have to suffer through it.

Ohtori shook his head no and forcefully held him. Then he kissed a surprised Shishido again even deeper as if really tasting him and wanting to taste him more. He pulled back from the kiss after a moment though, "Sorry? Why? I love it, Shishido-senpai. Coffee and vanilla and you. You taste so good. You taste good like coffee smells. Better." Ohtori kissed him this time a little more urgently and Shishido after a moment of stunned shock, responded. He started off slowly, just to be sure but ended up kissing him back passionately and lost to the moment until Ohtori pulled away again. "Coffee and vanilla." Ohtori kissed him softly and lingered on his lips, "And you. Shishido-san, I have to tell you a secret. One that no one else knows, okay? I...I want to tell you though..."

Shishido held his breath. This was it. Choutarou was going to tell him about his dead best friend. It would be better if Ohtori was completely sober, but at this point, Shishido would take what he could get. They could talk about it all tomorrow after. They could talk about it for however long his little brother needed to. He touched Ohtori's cheek softly, nodded gravely, and waited to hear it.

Choutarou took a deep, slow breath in and out as if steadying himself. "Okay, my secret is...I really need you to know, I want to tell you that...Shishido-san, I...I lo..." Ohtori hesitated, and it dawned on Shishido at that point that Ohtori was confessing, but not about his past. Shishido was too stunned at the shy freshman behaving this boldly to respond. "Shishido-senpai...I really li...I want you to know that I..."

Ohtori glanced away and then his face set in resolve, just as it did when he played tennis hard and determined to win, "I want you Shishido-senpai. I really, really want you." His resolve seemed to crumble as the long moment dragged out. Choutarou looked suddenly shy and fragile as if he expected to be rejected and would be crushed after confessing even though, as perfectly obedient as always, he still said want as Shishido had told him to do instead of anything else. Shishido heard exactly what he was trying to say though.

It was the most perfect confession Shishido had ever received.

"You do?" Shishido smiled at him and gently teased. It had not been at all what he had expected and yet he was so happy he had to keep from laughing and stupidly ruining the moment. Choutarou looking this vulnerable was so adorable that it was hard for Shishido to keep himself from confessing his own feelings right back.

Ohtori nodded and went to look at his feet. "Y..yes..."

Shishido turned his face up to look at him. "Good, because Choutarou? I also have a secret that no one else knows, and I want to tell only you. Choutarou, I like you. My secret is I like Ohtori Choutarou. I like Choutarou and no one else." Shishido knew he felt more than like, but he didn't want to scare the freshman away. They had moved so fast. Within a day they had jumped from want to like. They had all the time in the world to enjoy this. There was no rush.

Ohtori looked at him for a moment stunned. His jaw dropped open and he made a small gasp. Shishido worried now that he finally confessed to someone, that he would be the one rejected--by Ohtori. He was struck by how very ironic that would be, and was trying to think of some way to turn this all into a joke when Ohtori suddenly surprised Shishido by hugging him hard. Very hard. Almost a tackling hug that knocked both of them off their feet. Shishido found they were suddenly sprawled on the floor and sitting all over each other. He was really strong. He felt very happy, and relieved, but said strained as Ohtori still held him tightly, "Choutarou...I can't ...breathe..."

Ohtori stammered an apology and let go slightly, but he must have seen Shishido was joking. At least half-joking now that he could breathe again. Shishido laughed in surprise and delight, and a second later, Choutarou joined him. They both laughed hard and held each other. It was the most incredible feeling to like someone so much and have them like you back the exact same way. Any and all stress and tension Shishido had felt melted away in light of the kissing and the confessing.

Choutarou pulled back more to look at Shishido. His eyes had well adjusted to the dark, and he guessed Choutarou's had too. Ohtori went to kiss Shishido again, but before their lips met, Shishido noticed something he hadn't seen before and was shocked. He almost couldn't believe it.

Ohtori had a huge hickey on his neck.

Shishido wondered if that was why he wore the turtleneck sweater tonight when it was still so warm outside or if someone at the party had given this gift to Ohtori.

He felt crushed.

He guessed Ohtori really hadn't gotten away from the girls, or possibly from Atobe because Shishido could also see the Vice-Captain doing something like this just to make more trouble between them. Ohtori was looking at him confused probably because in less than five seconds Shishido had gone from as happy as he could remember ever being to more angry and hurt than he thought he could ever feel.

"What is this?" Shishido asked and could not keep his anger, his jealousy, and his extreme disappointment out of his voice as he tried to pull away.

Ohtori was too strong though and wouldn't let him go. "No! No, Shishido-senpai. It's not from anyone. Its from my violin. I swear! I played for the first time today. The first time in a really long time." He tilted his head to show Shishido how it might lay on his neck. "Shishido-san, please believe me. Please, I would never. I swear I didn't and I wouldn't...I swear its not like...!"

Ohtori was getting very upset. There were tears in his eyes and Shishido cursed at himself in his head. He knew what Ohtori meant but wouldn't say because even upset, he was too damn polite. Ohtori must have seen the mark that bastard Atobe had left on him and never said a word. And here Shishido was being an idiot by accusing Choutarou when it looked like Shishido had done the same damn thing. But he hadn't, so how could he not give Choutarou a chance to explain it either? Gods, he was an idiot.

"It's not from anyone? No guys, and no girls?" Shishido touched Ohtori's neck and asked him, confirming. Ohtori shook his head no emphatically but still wouldn't meet his eyes. Shishido moved closer to him. They were sitting so close that he could feel the heat from Ohtori's face as he blushed. Shishido pulled the sweater's collar down, looked at the huge mark,and softly kissed Choutarou there. "I'm sorry." Little kisses to try to undo the damage he had stupidly done and mend any hurt he had caused, "I'm sorry, baby. I get jealous of anyone else touching you. I want to be the only one who touches you." He kissed and licked his neck slowly and sensually and tasted Choutarou's skin. Ohtori made a little tiny noise as he did. Shishido decided to clear this up right now. "And you saw this on me?" He pulled up his shirt exposing his chest and the damn mark. Ohtori looked away and nodded. Shishido dropped his shirt and took Ohtori's face in his hands. "I'm sorry you saw it. I really am, but it doesn't mean anything. Nothing really happened..."

"It's okay Shishido-san, you don't have to tell me..."

Shishido interrupted, "But...no...I want to tell you." He smiled and made a small sound as he realized it was true and said out loud, "I want you to know everything, baby." Ohtori looked at him as if surprised. Shishido was pretty surprised himself and even more so when he heard himself say to Ohtori as explanation very quietly, "I want you to know because...I like you, Choutarou. I really like you."

"Y...you do?" Ohtori's voice cracked and he looked like he might break down and cry. Shishido cursed himself for adding to Choutarou's stress after he had been so upset earlier.

"Yeah. I really do. I told you already almost all of what happened after you left. I'll tell you everything. I didn't do anything. Stupid idiot Atobe did this to me, probably to cause trouble just like it's doing, and I was so worried about him hurting you that I was an idiot and froze earlier. But really nothing else happened. I swear it. It's not what you might think."

They ended up sitting on the floor of the closet while Shishido told him almost everything, including how he had not kissed Atobe although he admitted while feeling jealous that he was amazed that Choutarou had been able to kiss Atobe--especially with that terrible smell. Ohtori had laughed and assured Shishido it had not been easy, but he hadn't wanted Shishido to get into trouble. The only thing Shishido left out were the details about Jiroh and finding him later because that felt more like gossip than anything Ohtori should know. He told Ohtori how dangerous Atobe could be, that he was going to play games but they had to be stronger and smarter than their Vice-Captain's antics. Shishido felt much better as he explained to Choutarou that his only thoughts earlier had been to get Ohtori out of danger because he didn't have any feelings for Atobe other than a friend. He swore it and said he believed that Atobe would eventually move on. In fact, that he would have to because regardless of Ohtori, Shishido never wanted to go back to him.

Ohtori was visibly relieved. Shishido was glad they were on the same page after so long of almost working against each other, and felt happy that they both wanted the same thing. They both wanted this. They curled up closely together as they talked, laughed, and finally kissed for a long time. Neither one of them seemed to be able to stop touching the other or smiling. Shishido couldn't remember being this happy before or feeling this comfortable with anyone ever.

Ohtori had on him a silver flask with a strong cinnamon liquor in it that Shishido recognized as Taki's. It was so strong it stung your throat, and he drank a few swallows from it, mostly to clear his breath, but he only let Ohtori have two small sips. Shishido was content and could have stayed there with Choutarou like this all night, but he knew it was getting late. He could think of nothing worse than them both being discovered in the closet together like this. Atobe had surely left by then and maybe even everyone else. Shishido had no idea what time it was, and here in the closet towards the back of the huge house, they couldn't hear very much from the party.

What Shishido really wanted to do was to get the two of them home, and continue this there where they were safe and it was just them. Shishido told Ohtori that he wanted them to go home. He mentioned Taki wouldn't be coming home with a full smile at Choutarou's thrilled reaction once he understood they could sleep next to each other again. Shishido didn't even have to ask Ohtori if he wanted to. By the tackling hug and long, deep kiss he got, the freshman really did.

So after checking both ways, one at a time they each went back up to where everyone else was. Shishido quickly confirmed that Atobe had left but not before sending people to search for Shishido several times. Shishido inwardly cursed and outwardly shrugged. Taki had left as well and Shishido hoped that Atobe maybe guessed he had left with Taki or something. Many people thought Ohtori had left too. Including Shiori who had been looking for him.

Shishido smiled because he realized Ohtori must have turned his phone off in the closet because people told him she had been calling the freshman constantly. Shishido was surprised to see how many people were now there, and that it was still fairly early. Atobe and his entourage may have gone but many others had arrived. People Shishido rarely saw he realized because before he had always been with Atobe.

Fortunately Ohtori seemed a little drunk again, so it was easy for Shishido to make excuses for the two of them to leave because of that. It was strange that the freshman suddenly seemed so intoxicated again. It was a convenient act, but Shishido wondered if it was an act as he lead Choutarou outside for some fresh air while waiting for a ride back. Atobe must have been seriously angry to not send a car back for him. Shishido casually checked his phone and saw there were a lot of missed calls. He hoped they were all from Ohtori, but didn't think so and didn't bother to scroll through them. He would deal with it tomorrow. Shishido wondered if Ohtori would mind if he blamed Choutarou's intoxication being the reason for Shishido's disappearance with their Vice-Captain. They would need to talk about that later and maybe come up with another excuse that didn't make either one of them look so bad.

They got back to their suite by sharing a car with some cheerleader girls also headed back to school. It was one girl's limo. Shishido was happy that he didn't have to pony up for a cab. He would have for Ohtori, but if he had been going back alone he would have taken a bus and saved the cash. Luckily also they had managed to avoid Shiori and Naomi, but only because so many other people were at the party. Shishido knew the two girls he most wanted to have a long, angry talk with would hear that he and Ohtori went home together and Choutarou seemed drunk from the girls they rode back with though.

Shishido tried to not be jealous of the two tiny girls sitting on Ohtori's lap. One sat on either leg, and each kept busy giggling at everything he said in a silly drunken way. One kept whispering in Ohtori's ear while the other kept wrapping one of his silver curls around her small, slender fingers. It made Shishido want to growl at them to get off him and claim Ohtori as his own. Shishido also tried to ignore the girl sitting suggestively sprawled across his own lap.

He would have rolled his eyes over her antics to Ohtori, but the freshman wouldn't meet his eyes. The girl straddled his lap and whispered in Shishido's ear about how much she had always liked and admired him. She whispered that she secretly was in love with Shishido so it must be fate that brought them together tonight. She invited him to her room and asked him if he ever thought of her. It was her limo so he didn't want to anger her and end up with one or both of them tossed out on the side of the road. He told her he was interested in someone else and hoped Choutarou would remember to do the same thing to the girls on his lap. Shishido had to suppress another growl at the two girls now practically cooing at how soft Ohtori's sweater was as they ran their little pale hands over his chest and arms. Damn annoying.

They left the girls and all their hints that they would like to be sneaked up to their rooms to "continue the party" or "let's hang out" behind. Shishido tried to act sober and serious as he and Choutarou signed in downstairs and showed their ids. It was difficult because Shishido felt so elated at being alone with Ohtori for the entire rest of the night, he felt high and like laughing. Choutarou either felt the same or was drunk again because he kept holding back giggling fits which weren't helping either of them to keep from laughing. With Ohtori's arm slung around his shoulders for support, Shishido walked Choutarou up the stairs after deciding that keeping him moving would be better than waiting for the slow elevator. They really only had a few hours to spend together because they had to be up at dawn. They would need to get some sleep, especially Ohtori who had been so tired that day. Shishido remembered that he was playing tomorrow, singles three, and even if it was a crap unranked team, that he was picked to play made him feel good too.

Even better, Choutarou would be there and would see him play. He would cheer Shishido on. That alone insured that no matter who it was he was facing, Shishido would beat them, probably in record time too. Shishido couldn't keep the smile off his face as he reveled in his fantasy of showing off playing like that to Choutarou while unlocking their door. The thought that maybe Atobe now might take the spot away from him which would be annoying and embarrassing because everyone would wonder what happened wiped Shishido's grin off his face and steadied his hand to turn the key.

As soon as they were inside, Ohtori suddenly straightened his spine, pressed Shishido hard up against the shut door, and kissed him as if he had been storing it up the entire trip back. Shishido was too surprised to react at first and then too turned on to do anything but react to Ohtori's touch, and smell, and taste. It was like he was drowning, Shishido thought, and he didn't want to come up for air or stop.

Shishido stopped suddenly and cursed himself.

He had a strange feeling and pulled away, whispering his explanation to a confused Ohtori, "We need to be sure that we're all alone, baby..."

Even though Ohtori had surprised him with the sudden kiss, Shishido chided himself in his head. He should have thought ahead at least this far. Had he learned nothing when Atobe caught them earlier? He was smarter than this and Ohtori was relying on him.

With Ohtori closely following after him as if they were looking for ghosts, Shishido checked every room including the bathroom and Ohtori's bedroom closet. He had an unsettling and exposed sensation they were being watched, and he realized for the first time it wasn't just Ohtori that he had felt watching him constantly. In fact, the only place Shishido felt safe from that naked and vulnerable feeling was in his room. He took Ohtori there and sat him down on his bed--silencing the freshman's questions with an impulsive, deep kiss before touching his hand to his lips in a gesture of silence before walking out. Shishido had been holding his water since the girl in the cab basically sat on his bladder, and he cursed at having to urinate now around his erection after that last kiss.

As he brushed his teeth to rid himself of any coffee taste just in case, Shishido figured he would have to get used to that since he was nearly constantly hard around Choutarou. Shishido really wanted a shower after Naomi, Atobe, and the girl in the cab had all groped him but there wasn't enough time. Ohtori might have come looking for him if he took too long, and despite how nice it would be for Choutarou to join him someday in the shower and how damn sexy that would be--they weren't there yet. All Shishido would get now was an adorably embarrassed and blushing freshman, and while that was sweet and hot to think about, their time together alone tonight was growing shorter. Shishido wanted to spend it better than that.

On the way back to his room, he grabbed two bottles of water and then shut his door behind him. Ohtori adorably was peeking into the box next to Shishido's bed again and went to stammer a shocked apology when he was caught. Shishido set the waters down and kissed him quiet while pushing him back onto his bed. Despite his being embarrassed at being caught, Choutarou yielded to Shishido's kiss and touch in a sexy, mind-numbing way.

Gods, he was so sexy was all Shishido could think about as he broke the kiss. "I don't mind. You can look at whatever or mine you want, baby." Shishido enjoyed how his hair tented around the two of them making it feel even more intimate. Even closer between them. It felt exactly as Choutarou had said, as if nothing else in the world mattered when they were together. Shishido kissed him for a long time.

Shishido kissed him one more time, and decided to take a chance. He touched Ohtori's cheek softly with his hand. Choutarou was looking up at him in that sweet, adoring way as if he could not believe Shishido was even there, let alone that he wanted and liked Ohtori back.Shishido needed to do this, and he wanted to start slow, yet still he felt his heart pounding,"I meant what I said earlier. Someday, I want you to know everything about me, and I want to know everything about you. I don't want there to be any secrets between us, baby. So, will you answer a few questions I have?"

A/N: Wishing a very happy and healthy birthday filled with love, luck, and lots of yaoi to lissiel!

See? Begging and bribes work! lol

More soon! Working on 6 chapters at once. XDDD

Thanks for reading and reviewing!

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Learning to Land