TITLE: Waiting

BY: Simply Kim

GENRE: Implied Shounen-ai

DISCLAIMERS: The series I'm referring to does not belong to me… ^_^ only this weird story does.

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Waiting

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"Hiroshi, sweetheart... how are you feeling today?"

Brown eyes sparkled with much happiness as they caught sight of the female figure sauntering towards where he was resting. His head was nestled on his favorite pillow, and his body lay almost unmoving under pristinely white sheets.

"Ah, okaasan, I'm fine... I think. Heh-heh... I didn't know you'd be here so soon! You just left!" His lips stretched into a warm smile... a smile that grew wider as he saw the familiar logo of his favorite magazine that his mother waved triumphantly in the air.

"Honey, look! I managed to get the last copy!" She grinned, sitting down on one of the plush leather chairs of her son's room. With a flourish, she handed it to him and held up two fingers in a show of victory. "Whew! People had been digging up tennis nowadays... I mean, after Tezuka Kunimitsu, Atobe Keigo, and Ann-chan's big brother made it to the pros two years ago, everything related to the sport were selling like hotcakes!" She groused playfully, her lips settling in a childish pout. "I had to wrestle with three MEN just to get that copy!"

Hiroshi felt a twinge of guilt at the revelation. She wouldn't have gone through that if only he himself had gone out and bought it himself. I feel so useless... He thought sadly, covering his emotions with a playful smile that rivaled his mother's own. "Thank you so much okaasan... I promise, when I get better, I'll pay you back by going with you in one of your shopping sprees - promise!" He raised a trembling hand to show his sincerity. If I get well enough...

"Ah... Hiro-chan... You're so cute when you say things like that!" She ruffled his already disheveled mop of chocolate brown and stood up, excusing herself with the excuse of preparing lunch. "I'll go up here again with your food! I'll make your favorite dessert sweetheart - almond jelly!" She beamed as she waved a temporary goodbye, closing the door almost soundlessly, leaving him with silence... and his beloved magazine.

He pushed himself to sit up, fluffing a few pillows against the metallic headrest and leaning back on the soft bounty, relishing the feeling of having to move from his former almost immobile position on the soft mattress.

He quickly opened the magazine and zeroed in on the article he knew would tell him about the last day of the pros games in London. He wanted to know how his sempais had fared.

Atobe Keigo of Japan defeats Gustav Shostakovich of Russia... wow... Atobe-san sure is good... that's the third seed Wimbledon player! He thought in awe. And Tezuka-san... he defeated the first seed player? Kami-sama... Sugoi... His mouth hung open as he took in the huge colored poster of Tezuka Kunimitsu clutching his racket in a death grip with his right hand, eyes closed as if in meditation, his left hand, fisted, raised in the air as a show of victory. Tezuka-san... he was seeded only fifth... and in a small span of time... he won against the tennis star! He's the current champion! His eyes misted, wonder coursing through his veins as he remembered the first game he watched of the former Seishun Gakuen Jr. High Captain.

He was playing against Atobe-san that time... and he lost, but everyone knew that it was he who truly won. He inspired his team, gathered much respect from virtually everybody... and gave hope to many inexperienced and aspiring tennis players everywhere... he became a legend. And I know he will continue to be one, at the rate he's going now... I wonder how Fuji-san felt when he won? Hmm... He seemed happy enough in the background here... His eyes shifted to the familiar smiling figure lounging in the background, dressed impeccably in a dark cashmere sweater and white... something. I can't see what he's wearing... damn concrete dividers. Fuji-san's smile seems happy enough... and there certainly is pride in there... He smiled as he sat back, minutely aware of the sudden ache in his spine. Ah, love...

He then flipped a page and scanned more of the long article. Ah, here it is! He grinned, running a hand on the colored picture that gazed almost darkly at him. Black irises fringed with equally black eyelashes... the unruly black hair... the confident posture...

He's not wearing it anymore. Hiroshi thought, touching the exceedingly familiar face with much nostalgia. I like him better wearing it... no matter how most people found it hideous... Looking at him now, he did not seem like the man he knew many years ago... the boy with an incredibly intimidating attitude and very scary eyes. He regarded the photograph. Well, at least the eyes didn't change... He laughed softly. It seemed the world was awed by him... a newbie defeated only by Atobe before the latter's match against the Russian guy.

Maybe if he had his lucky bandanna around his head... He wouldn't have lost.

Hiroshi sighed sadly, but a smile still stained his lips.

Kaidoh Kaoru... Snake God Extraordinaire.

He had his best friend Kentarou e-mail Kaidoh five nights before... and he was still waiting for some sort of response. He hoped that he would remember him as one who constantly followed him around to the point of exhaustion, trying to bond with the elusive tennis player... and he knew that somehow, even with the cold attitude... he made one of his wishes come true.

He had become one of Kaidoh Kaoru's friends...

Or so, that was what he believed.

Hiroshi felt a sting on his eyes as he stared at the dear photograph, trying to bore into the smooth and papery still-life gazing with fervor back at him. He did not even bother mailing back. He cursed himself inwardly. Maybe if my heart held out longer, I wouldn't be like this... this... vegetable stranded in my own bed... partially paralyzed. I can't play tennis anymore... All my dreams of following Kaidoh-sempai to the pros vanished too quickly...

He wanted to scream, but his brain seemed to be winning as the thought of his mother coming in and calling the doctor again registered in his consciousness. It was a bad idea... he didn't want to see the face of the overly-genki doctor again. He never wanted to hear the lies told that he would be able to live normally again. He knew the damage to his body was permanent. Living would never be permanent when you could not even work out in a gym for five minutes before you collapse into an undignified heap on the floor - if you ever get out of bed to walk over to the building, that is.

He can't move his legs anymore.

And then there was the despicable silvery wheelchair folded beside his bed. He hated going around in the contraption... so he opted to stay in often... much to his family's dismay.

"Hiro-chan... Sweetheart... your friends are here to see you!"

Surprised, Hiroshi closed the magazine and hid it under one of the numerous pillows sitting on his bed. "Please tell them they can come in, okaasan!" He called out, wondering who the visitors were.

"Ohayo!" Came the enthusiastic greeting of his best friend. "We came bearing gifts!"

"Knock it off Kentarou - you sound like Santa Claus." He grinned, throwing a pillow, and hitting the newcomer squarely on the nose.

"MMMPFT!" Came the agitated cry from the twitching lump on the floor.

"Uh... Ken-kun... are you alright?"

"Ken-kun...? Daijoubu?"

He couldn't believe his ears...

"Echizen-sempai?" Hiroshi intoned in surprise. "Katou-sempai?"

A sweet smile greeted him as Katou stepped in, carrying a huge box of...

"Ryoma's girlfriend baked some cookies... it's for you!"

"Ah... Sakuno never let me in her kitchen - so it won't taste so bad... I think." Ryoma's lips twitched in mirth.

"You want me to make sure if it tastes good?"

WHAM!

"Ite, ite, ite, ite..." Momoshiro groaned as he stepped in, clutching his head in tears. "Why did you have to do that, Echizen-kun? I'm your sempai! I deserve some respect!"

"You're trying to have a go at Sakuno's cookies!" Ryoma glared at his best friend. "If you badly need some, then go pester Ann to bake you some!"

"But... but... but..." The spiky-haired fast food chain manager protested. "Ann doesn't know anything but play tennis and eat whatever is available! She doesn't know how to cook!"

"Then get one of your house help to make you one."

"You're so heartless, Echizen-kun..."

Hiroshi giggled at his friends' antics. They were the best - ever! "Thank you... and please thank Sakuno-san for me then..."

"Ne, ne..." Kentarou screeched as he got up from his position on the marble floors. "Tezuka-bouchou's the champion in London! Did you hear?"

Hiroshi grinned and nodded proudly. "Aa... I did - that's Tezuka-san for you! He's so amazing!"

"Hmph! I can do that too." Ryoma grumbled, crossing his arms in a show of partial jealousy. "We played together until I was new in college."

"And you've always lost." Momoshiro retorted, ducking behind Katou as Ryoma prepared to strangle him. "It's true!"

Katou laughed along with the others, and then gave the bedridden boy a mischievous grin. Tezuka-san, Fuji-san and Atobe-san are going back here two days from now..."

"Jirou-san was being overly-enthusiastic. Ch'... weirdo." Ryoma sulked, still glaring daggers at Momoshiro.

"That's to be expected." Kentarou laughed, shaking his head. "Jirou-san was crying rivers when Atobe-san left for the competition after all."

"Aa... sou." Katou agreed. "And those who lost before the final rounds came back just this morning... Kikumaru-san, Oishi-san, Ryoma and I fetched them in the airport... man, everyone sure were looking haggard... except for one though... heh, he'll look the same no matter what happens anyway." He grinned, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Anyway, they wanted to see you in here later. I heard Kawamura-san convinced Akutsu-san to come later too."

Hiroshi stiffened, his heart racing at the prospect of seeing his idols again... and possibly... seeing him again.

"Really?" He whispered, somewhat proud, knowing that they remembered him... that they still knew him after all these years...

"Yup!" Kentarou grinned, his eyes twinkling in absolute understanding. "We'll be here too! Isn't that awesome?"

Hiroshi's gaze dropped to the fingers unconsciously clenched tightly around the edge of his white blanket. After a few moments, he looked up, eyes misting, meeting his best friend's knowing gaze.

"Aa... It is."

* * *

He was crying.

It was absolutely mortifying, but there he was, sitting on his bed, clutching the soft blanket covering him waist down... and he was crying.

"Oi, oi... don't do that..."

"I know you missed us too much but - Itai! Oishi, stop pinching me!"

"You're being egotistic again Eiji."

SNIFF

Silence.

"Oi, oi... don't do that..."

"Kawamura-sempai, you're repeating yourself again."

"Ah, heh-heh, gomen Arai-kun..."

SNIFF

"Oi, oi... don't do that..." Kawamura cried out again as he returned to Hiroshi's side.

A vein popped on Akutsu's temple. "Seriously now, Takashi..."

"Why are you crying, Hiroshi-kun?" Momoshiro asked wonderingly. "Are you alright?"

Hiroshi nodded imperceptively and gazed at them with shimmering eyes. "I'm just so happy that you're all here..."

"Of course! We're your friends, remember?" Kikumaru grinned, winking happily as he latched on Oishi's arm. "And it's great too that you and Kentarou know us by name now... not like when you're still in elementary school..."

"I was insulted that time you know... I'm not Kaidoh-sempai after all..." Ryoma huffed, slipping his hands inside his pockets. "If I was the half the man I am now... I would have beaten you to a bloody pulp."

"Come now, Ryoma-kun... you know you can't do that... you can't even resist Karupin's eyes..." Oishi grinned, chucking the smaller man on the shoulder playfully. "And Hiroshi-kun had those huge brown ones when he was still a kid..."

There was an embarrassed HMPH! And the rest of the crown laughed in amusement. Hiroshi, however, was trying hard not to feel the weight of his disappointment.

He's not here... where could he be? I mean... he should be here with the others, right? Inui-sempai usually drags him off with the gang... and he's here now without...

Without him...

Without Kaidoh-sempai...

"Uh... Hiroshi-kun?" Inui asked worriedly, laying a warm calloused hand on his forehead. "You're spacing out... Are you alright?"

He could not do anything but wipe the drying tears on his face and fake a huge smile before shaking his head in denial.

* * *

It hurts to be alone like this every night... Lying down, virtually weak and helpless as you try to make yourself fall asleep... counting sheep jumping over the proverbial fence like stupid drunken idiots auditioning for a stuntman role in the latest Hollywood movie...

Hiroshi closed his eyes, feeling the overwhelming silence rendering him deaf... and close to being insane.

Why was I, and still is, waiting like some dumb... erm...sheep anyway? I mean... I know he wouldn't care the least bit for me... I am just his follower... his rabid fan... I am nothing to him... even if we did share great times together when I was in my first year in Seigaku... He was my vice-captain after all...

CLACK!

Hiroshi opened his eyes, wandering around and resting on the open window of his room. Something... or someone was trying to climb his window!

A strong gust of wind blew the curtains away from the sill, and he held his breath, gripping the edge of his bed in fright.

CLACK!

WHOOSH!

He stifled a terrified cry, only to stare some more as the wind blew in a flurry of leaves inside his bedroom. It was then he realized that the strange noise came from the tree branch busily brushing against the frame of his window.

He let out a sigh of relief, closing his eyes as if savoring the feeling of comfort he took from the immediate recognition. Slowly, carefully, he twisted his body as far as it would go, leaving him facing away from the window and parallel with the shadows playing on the bedroom walls.

Seriously, he needed to sleep... or he would think of him again...

There was the annoying noise again, and he did not pay any heed. It's just a dumb old tree branch anyway. He thought almost crossly. He had better things to do... such as try to get some shut-eye.

The noise seemed louder now, followed by a distinct thud, as if someone had just scaled the wall and hopped into his room. He disregarded the otherwise alarming noise. It wouldn't be any use to turn around and see what it was robbing him of sleep. Instead, he focused on getting a free ride to dreamland.

It was no use waiting anyway...

As if Kaidoh-sempai would come rushing in from the window and save me like some damsel in distress... Hmph!

As if Kaidoh-sempai would care enough to visit me this time of the night just to see how I'm doing...

As if he cares...

"Kaidoh-sempai, I'm not gonna wait for you. I don't care even if you off yourself and leave this world forever and ever." He muttered bitterly almost to himself, a drop of salty fluid unconsciously slipping away from his lashes, down to his pillow... Trying to console himself somehow...

Suddenly, something firm and warm descended on his mop of brown hair; his eyes snapped open, the start of a scream hitching in his throat.

A rough chuckle intruded in the momentary stillness, and a gruff voice filled with much amusement sounded, bringing him to tears once again.

"What made you think that, Hiroshi?"

Slowly, he turned, lying once again on the flat of his back, trying to make sense of what he was hearing... and of what he was seeing.

Cloth... Green... white... those piercing dark eyes... that arrogance...

"IT'S YOU!"

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A/N: Hiroshi is not an OC. He's the child who thought Kaidoh was Echizen in one of the newer episodes of PoT. He's got those huge brown eyes ne? So cute! ^___^ Kaidoh couldn't resist cute things... as we all know, so I decided to write this fic. It isn't much but, hey, I'm just a beginner in this fandom! ^___^ Reviews please! I need to know what you think of it! ^___^