new prince of tennis ficlet: "homecoming", tezuryo, fuji, pg

[cimorene]

homecoming (≈2000 words)
by cimorene
prince of tennis
tezuka/ryoma, fuji, pg
thanks to bookshop for beta and title. ♥

Of course it was the second time in his life Ryoma came home with a deep cut over his left eye that he unlocked the door and found Fuji in his kitchen. The light was on over the stove and Fuji was making tea. He was taller and there was something different about his hair, but Ryoma still recognised him after five years by the line of his back and his hand on the kettle.

Comments

[nuhiep.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed your ficlet. There's so much tennis and/or angst in PoT in general that it made the offhand violence and casual domesticity of your fic even cooler. I also admire that you've written a Ryoma that's fairly transparent. There's something very unpreposessing, but very right about how you characterize his voice.

Very cool.

Also, Fuji and his mysterious ninja ways never fail to intrigue. ^_^ Where did he go for five years?

[cimness.livejournal.com]

thank you! what a great thought-provoking (and flattering) comment. ♥:)

as for fuji's ninja ways, i'm still thinking about that. i can't decide for certain! however, he was definitely out of the country, and in russia and south america for several chunks of time. maybe he was working secretly for some No Such Agency in the EU.

[oracle134.livejournal.com]

Wow. That is a great and happy fic; I was wearing a big, sappy smile by the end of it.

Love the domestic feel of the piece--everything just feels so right between Ryoma and Tezuka, and it just feels like they're very much in love with one another without every needing to say it:

"Okaeri nasai," he called automatically, voice smooth even though his throat still tightened, his ribcage still felt too small for his chest, every time Kunimitsu came home to him.

Loved that sentence. I liked the easy, bantering dialogue between the two, and how careful Tezuka was when taping up Ryoma's eye. And there's Karupin! Chirping and purring :)

Fuji was wonderfully in-character and Ryoma's reaction to seeing him in his house made complete sense, even after Fuji disappeared. It's Fuji after all. :)

One quibble (it may be a rather large one) -- I liked Fuji in this fic, but I didn't feel his presence was necessary here because it didn't really add anything to the TezuRyo dynamic, although it certainly wasn't intrusive. I am curious to find out what Fuji has been doing these past few years though...

If you ever decide to write more fics in conjunction with this story, it would be great. (Runs off to friend you)

[cimness.livejournal.com]

heeeee. i confess i approach little ficlets like this--that is, vignettes--a bit differently from longer more thematic stories. i'd never write a long story where so little happened. fuji is pretty much there entirely because i said to myself, "hey, self, wouldn't it be funny if fuji vanished for five years and then reappeared without warning in ryoma's kitchen?"

[oracle134.livejournal.com]

I can see where you're coming from--the fic would seem a bit anemic if Fuji got cut out of it. But I still think even the TezuRyo alone would make a beautiful ficlet/drabblesque piece. :)

But, again, I do like your randomly disappearing and reappearing Fuji! I just hope he hasn't become a serial killer in the meantime...

[fluttering.livejournal.com]

God, you know you're an amazing writer, right? I loved every little bit. *goes to read more*

[cimness.livejournal.com]

i don't know any way to reply to this except "thank you", so... thank you! i'm very pleased you liked it.

[flosspyromaniac.livejournal.com]

Ooh, I love your Fuji. The relationship between Ryoma and Tezuka was just so sweet, especially Tezuka's feelings on being called 'Buchou', it made me smile. The end was just utterly happy making ♥

[cimness.livejournal.com]

thank you! a bit of self-indulgence there you've spotted. ;) "buchou" becoming a petname in the bedroom is a bit of fanon i'm quite enamoured of. i really couldn't resist.

[ladyshina.livejournal.com]

This is utterly adorable. I love the sense of tenderness in it. :)