Disclaimer: Sadly enough (by that I mean 'luckily' :3) I don't own The Prince of Tennis or any of its characters. ^^

Notes: Writer's block really sucks... I'm sure most of you know how it feels. >< Sorry if this chapter isn't up to the same standard as the others... Sorry for the wait... And thanks again for the reviews! You don't know how happy it makes me when I receive one. ^^;

5. Odd

Black and blue. One... Two... Three...
"Ahhh I'm exhausted... Thought she'd never leave me alone..." Oishi let out a weary sigh as he fell backwards to collapse onto his bed.

Four... Five...

"The good thing is she didn't find you though... And she didn't say anything about me wanting to eat dinner in my room," the dark haired boy smiled up at the ceiling.

Six...? Or was that the same one twice? Anyway - yellow. One...

"Heh, and now I know where I got my compulsive worrying from... I can't believe my mum got so worked up about it... But you have to admit she's sharp to notice I was trying to hide something from her..."

Two... Three... Four...

"And she just kept going on about how dangerous it was for me to bring a stray animal home, let alone a cat because of 'all the attention it needs'..." Oishi rolled onto his front to watch his new companion, head resting on one side. "But if you stay in here the whole time, we've got nothing to worry about - I couldn't have just left you there by yourself anyway..." he paused to sigh again, "I'll work out what to do properly in the morning."

Five... Six... There were definitely more of these ones...

"Hmm... You'd better not be thinking about touching those - I brought my dinner up here for a reason, you know," Oishi half frowned at the tabby.

Kikumaru broke his gaze from the coloured shapes swimming before him to turn around and stare at Oishi. True, he'd never realised before how hypnotic watching fish could be, but he wasn't going to eat them... He was just counting them... And hadn't his friend said only a short while ago how he looked like a trustworthy animal?

Oishi blinked. Was Nekomaru pouting at him?

"Hey, come here," he beckoned to the cat, holding his arms out as he lay flat on his stomach.

Obediently, Kikumaru complied with the request and sauntered over, leaping smartly onto the bed to join his doubles partner, who pulled him gently into his lap. After splitting the food he'd brought with him onto two separate plates, Oishi ate quietly, watching the ginger feline with interest.

--------------------

Kikumaru purred contentedly as he finished licking his plate clean. He always had enjoyed eating dinner at Oishi's house, and tonight was no exception - even as a cat the food tasted delicious! He was also relieved Oishi hadn't stopped to buy any cat food on the way home. Just because he was a cat, didn't mean he wanted to eat any of that nasty stuff... He wasn't going to deny he'd once wondered what cat food actually tasted like, but thinking about things hypothetically was totally different from actually doing them...

The redhead paused in his musings to look at Oishi. Yup, it definitely was totally different - he didn't think he'd ever have the courage to say the things to his double's partner that he'd ran through his head so many times. To confess how he really felt - he wouldn't be able to risk his friendship like that.

"Syuichiroh!"

Kikumaru's ears pricked up as he heard the sound of a woman's voice calling up the stairs. Exchanging a frantic look with Oishi, Kikumaru quickly bounced down from where he was curled up to scramble underneath the bed.

Just then the door opened.

"It's your friend, Fuji, ringing for you."

Oishi took the phone from his mother, trying to avoid eye contact. She still seemed mildly annoyed at him.

"Thanks..."

From his spot under the bed, Kikumaru watched as her feet left the room before hurriedly crawling out so he could listen to the rest of the conversation better.

"Yeah, I did... No, not that late... Haha thanks, Fuji... Hm? Eiji's house?"

The redhead felt his ear twitch at the mention of his name. What was Fuji up to?

"... Yeah, I'm still here... I know it's not, but...something came up... Fuji! Wha- what's that meant to mean!?! Mou, it's not funny at all... Heh, don't be silly, Fuji - I'm sure it's because he's asleep already or something... Ah, thank you... Yeah, you too... Ja ne."

Kikumaru cocked his head to one side. Only being able to hear one side of a conversation sure was confusing... Settling back onto his haunches and flicking his tail impatiently from side to side, Kikumaru waited for Oishi to explain what was going on to him, like he usually did when he was confused. It didn't seem to be happening though.

Oishi was busy staring at the phone in his hand, completely oblivious to the cat glaring at him from the floor. It was like the phone held some great mystery, and if the dark haired boy kept studying it for long enough it would tell him something really important.

It was like Oishi was frozen or something.

Of course, this wasn't pleasing to Kikumaru at all - he hated being ignored, he loved being the centre of attention. Being ignored by Oishi was particularly annoying and the redhead coughed loudly. Or rather, he attempted to cough loudly but instead ended up making a loud hissing/choking noise. The sound wasn't quite what Kikumaru was aiming for, but hey, it got Oishi's attention so it didn't matter.

"Ahh! Are you ok?"

And it got Oishi holding him again, which was always a good thing.

"Ugh, that was a call from Fuji - a guy from the tennis club. Apparently he'd just tried phoning Eiji about schoolwork and no-one answered..."

Kikumaru began to feel uncomfortable, despite the feeling of his friend's warm hand running through his fur. This didn't sound good...

"Should I be worried about him?"

Yep, definitely not good... Kikumaru needed to distract Oishi, get his mind away from dangerous things like whether or not he was ok at home by himself. Knowing Oishi, he'd probably end up cycling over and trying to find him - just think how he'd react if he found the house empty! He'd jump to crazy conclusions like he'd run away, or been kidnapped, or maybe even... murdered.

Kikumaru gulped. Bad thoughts, this wasn't the time to not be paying attention - he had to concentrate on finding a distraction! He scanned the room desperately, Oishi's mumbling keeping him focused on his task.

"Fuji asked if I went to stop by Eiji's house to see how he was doing - I can't believe I forgot to check! And he was all I could think about today too!"

The fish again? Kikumaru could pretend to attack them, but he only wanted to get his friend's attention, not get him mad at him.

"He said it wasn't like me... And he's right, I don't know what's wrong with me today... Argh!"

Kikumaru paused in his search, surprised at Oishi's abrupt exclamation. Twisting his neck round, he felt a need to listen properly to what Oishi was about to say next.

"This is all Eiji's fault!"

An odd sensation rushed through the feline, and not a pleasant one at that.

"If he wasn't so clueless all the time! If he wasn't so energetic almost to the point of annoyance! If he wasn't so fixated on strange things like toothpaste! If he wasn't so useless at everything except for tennis! Tennis and jumping around! If he wasn't always wearing that plaster, for a reason I don't even know! If he wasn't always talking in that childish way! If he wasn't! If he wasn't..."

The redhead felt a sharp pain in his chest and he turned to look away again quickly. Why was Oishi insulting him all of a sudden? Staying silent as he felt himself being lowered onto the bed, Kikumaru didn't dare to look his doubles partner in the face. He had the strange feeling he was going to start crying if he did.

The dark haired boy sighed as he stood up, and began getting undressed ready for bed, also now in silence. Kikumaru could feel the atmosphere getting heavier, and he suddenly felt awkward in the usually welcoming room.

Stripping down to his boxers, folding his clothes neatly as he went, Oishi continued, more softly now, "If he wasn't so understanding of how I'm feeling... If he wasn't always there for me... If he wasn't always so ready to cheer me up... If he wasn't my doubles partner... My other half... If he wasn't..."

Kikumaru raised his head slightly, confused again. What was Oishi saying...? The dark haired boy sat on the edge of his mattress, smiling weakly at his hands.

"...I wouldn't be in love with him."

--------------------

Odd.

That would probably be a good way to describe it. Here he was, Oishi Syuichiroh, vice-captain of Seigaku's tennis club, laying in his bed at 11pm, pouring his heart out to a cat. And no, not just any cat - a cat he'd found wandering around at school, who he'd saved from drowning in a sink, who just happened to remind him of his best friend, who caused him to fall off the roof of the tennis clubhouse, who he'd brought home with him, and who was currently laying on his stomach in his bed with him.

Odd was probably a good word for this situation. In fact, odd was probably a good word for this whole day. But whatever, this cat was special. He could feel it. And he also felt like a great weight was being lifted off his chest now he was confessing how he felt about Eiji to this cat. Relaxed, pleased, satisfied. And the cat actually looked like it was paying attention and listening to him - which was a lucky bonus.

"You know, I don't actually know when I knew how I felt... I knew from when we first met there was something there, and we just clicked when we played our first game together. Then somewhere along the line, it changed... The things, the -way- I felt about him - from being close friends, from wanting to always be there for him, to something more, to wanting to always be there -with- him. I honestly don't know how it happened, but it doesn't feel wrong... And it -should-, I mean... I mean... Ahhh I don't know what I mean..." Oishi finished lamely.

He was starting to feel more like a patient talking to a psychiatrist for some reason.

"But it's useless anyway - it's not like a mutual feeling... And I wouldn't dare to risk the closeness we have now for something that might not even turn out right. I'm afraid, I guess."

Oishi's hand stopped to hover halfway down Nekomaru's back as he realised what he was saying. He was scared? Was that the only thing holding him back?

"I'm worried... I- I don't want Eiji to be hurt, or offended, or... What if he's freaked out by it?! He'll be losing the closeness we have together too... I don't want to put him through that pain, not if there's the chance he's going to reject me."

He was staring directly into the tabby's eyes now, and the tabby was staring back just as sincerely. If anything, Oishi felt strangely reassured by the look in the feline's eyes - that it was going to be ok.

Closing his eyes to massage one of his temples, Oishi finally broke the gaze. There was no doubt about it, he was acting really odd.

"Anyway, it's getting late - we should probably get some sleep."

Rolling onto his side to switch the lamp off, the room was plunged into darkness.

"Oyasumi, Nekomaru."

...Was it just him or was the tabby suddenly acting more affectionate towards him than before? Oishi just shrugged it off however, deciding he really did need to get some rest, and slowly drifted off with the comfortable weight of the tabby resting on his chest.

--------------------

Notes: Looks like I write best either insanely late at night or insanely early in the morning. ^^; Anyway, I know for a fact that the next chapter will be the last involving plot because I've got it all planned out. And I know for a fact that it won't take nearly as long as this (or the previous chapter) was to get up because I've already started on it. ^^V

Oh yeah, and the conversation on the phone! If anyone was wondering how that all fitted together. ^^;

Fuji: So did you stay behind to clear up after practice?

Oishi: Yeah, I did

Fuji: For a long time?

Oishi: No, not that late

Fuji: Ahh that's good, you deserve to be home resting after your strange behaviour today

Oishi: Haha thanks, Fuji

Fuji: So what about Eiji's house?

Oishi: Hm? Eiji's house?

Fuji: Weren't you going to check if he was ok?

Oishi: ...

Fuji: Oishi? You still there?

Oishi: Yeah, I'm still here

Fuji: *soft laugh* It's not like you to forget something like that...

Oishi: I know it's not, but...something came up...

Fuji: Something more important to you than Eiji? Ehhh I didn't know something like that existed.

Oishi: Fuji! Wha- what's that meant to mean!?!

Fuji: *soft laugh* It's funny when you get so worked up over nothing

Oishi: Mou, it's not funny at all

Fuji: I called him a while ago about some schoolwork we had - no-one answered. Do you think something happened?

Oishi: Heh, don't be silly, Fuji - I'm sure it's because he's asleep already or something

Fuji: As long as you're not worried. Just thought I'd let you know

Oishi: Ah, thank you

Fuji: Take care then

Oishi: Yeah, you too

Fuji: Bai bai

Oishi: Ja ne

Except reading it like that makes Oishi seem really mean... ^^;