Disclaimer: I don't own PoT, the show belongs to Konomi Takeshi.

Warnings: male x male relationships...

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When you feel the dream is over
Feel the world is on your shoulders
and you lost the strength to carry on

Even though the walls may crumble
and you find you always stumble through
Remember never to surrender to the dark.

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Ryoma leaned against the fence, his eyes hidden beneath the rim of his white fila cap, lips drawn in a small frown and his hands were stuffed into the pockets of his black school pants. All in all he looked like his usual self but for the people who knew the prince, knew that something was troubling the younger boy and because of his reserve and stand-offish personality, the regulars knew he wasn't about to go and tell them his problems so they could go and help him.

Seigaku's acrobatic turned to stare at the younger male with a small frown tugging at the corner of his lips, his worry for the baby of the team apparent as he turned to look at his best friend who was standing beside him, "Ne, Fujiko-chan?"

"Saa...What is Eijiko-chan?" Fuji returned with a smile, upon seeing his best friends pout, his smile widened. Really Eiji was just so cute sometimes.

"It's ochibi-chan..." Eiji trailed off and turned to look back in the direction there youngest friend was standing his back faced towards them so they couldn't see his face. Fuji turned towards the said person and the smile he wore dimmed a bit. Yes he had noticed that the usually bratty and stubborn boy was more solemn lately. And no one knew the reason for it

Momoshiro who was walking past heard the last part and looked at the red head, "What's wrong with Echizen?": he questioned a bit too loudly which earned him the attention of the rest of the regulars, sans the one person they were speaking about.

Echizen Ryoma remained oblivious to the going ons as he was lost in his own thoughts.

Oishi rushed over, "What's going on? Is something with with Echizen-kun?" he questioned turning his green eyes towards the smaller boy and was about to walk over when Eiji latched onto his shoulder and pulled him back.

"What's going on here? Why aren't you guys practicing?" called Tezuka crossing his arms, his stern glare focused on the group. Kaidoh, Taka and Inui beside him. "And what is this about Echizen?"

Eiji shrugged and looked at the hunched form of their ochibi, "I think somethings been bugging him. Or maybe he and Atobe got into a fight!"

The rest of the regulars turned and stared at the boy in question. And yes indeed there was definitely something wrong with their baby boy. The thing is, what...

What was troubling him?

Did Atobe do something to him?

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'Cos if you turn another page
you will see that's not the way
the story has to end

And if you need to find a way back
Feel you're on the wrong track
Give it time, you'll learn to fly

Tomorrow is a new day
And you will find your own way
You'll be stronger with each tear that you cry
Then you'll learn to fly.

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Ryoma walked out of the showers, a towel wrapped around his waist and quickly walked over to his locker to change into his school uniform. Noticing that his friend wasn't present, a sigh escaped the young prince's lips as he collapsed upon the bench. He knew that his friends/ teammates were worried about him but he couldn't bring himself to tell them. It hurt to think about it and he didn't know what his friends would do upon hearing the news.

Each of them treated him like a younger brother and in turn he looked up to them not just as his friends and senpai tachi. He looked up to them like older brothers. And he knew they were protective over him after all he was the baby of the team. Of their small family. His head was bent forward, greenish-black hair fell into his face, little droplets of water fell from the strands to run down his face, eyes closed and hands clenching the edges of the wooden bench tightly. A single thought of 'why/' echoing in his head.

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In your head, so many questions
the truth is your possession
the answer lies within your heart

You will see the doors are open
If you only dare to hope and you

will find a way to fight
the fears that kept you down

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"Eiji-senpai, why did you drag us all back here?" whined Momoshiro.

Eiji turned and stared at his junior with a exasperated stare, "Because Momo-chan, we forgot ochibi. His all alone in the clubroom!" he yelled at the second year. "Remember, ochibi-chan said that he was going to take a shower."

"Eh, your right!"

"Oh no!" exclaimed Oishi as he ran forward while grabbing the keys. "I can't believe we forgot about him!"

"Saa...calm down Oishi. We weren't gone for more than three minutes, Ryo-chan could still be taking a shower." smiled Fuji from his spot beside Taka.

Oishi placed the key in the lock and turned it before slamming the door opened. "Ryoma!"

The rest of the regulars stepped inside the room but stopped upon seeing the sight that greeted them. On the bench, sat the baby of the team, nothing unusual about that. No, the thing that worried them was the sight of the younger boy shaking uncontrollably or the soft sobs that escaped his throat.

"Ryoma!" whispered Oishi as he took a step forward.

Hearing his name, Ryoma quickly jumped to his feet and wiped the tears from his face before grabbing his white cap and shoving onto his head, making sure the brim was low enough to hide his face. He grabbed his bags and went to leave when Tezuka stepped forward to block him from leaving.

"Ryoma. You have been off for a while now. We are worried for you. Is their something wrong?"

Ryoma looked up, eyes rimmed red, and shook his head, before moving to walk past his captain but was stopped when Fuji wrapped an arm around his shoulder causing him to turn his head to look at the brunette whose eyes were opened, staring at him with so much intensity that it cause boy wonder to advert his gaze but made no more move to leave the clubroom.

"Ryo-chan. What is wrong?" asked Fuji "We are your friends. You can tell us anything. We are not going to turn away from you, Ryoma."

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'Cos if you turn another page
you will see that's not the way
the story has to end

And if you need to find a way back
Feel you're on the wrong track
Give it time, you'll learn to fly

Tomorrow is a new day
And you will find your own way
You'll be stronger with each tear that you cry
Then you'll learn to fly.

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Ryoma shook his head and dropped his bag to the floor and heavily fell against Fuji who wrapped his arms around the younger boy. Ryoma buried his face into the brunettes shoulder and choked out a sob.

Fuji's arms tightened his hold upon the boy. "Ryoma"

The rest of the Seigaku regulars shared a worried and concern filled glance before they circled around the baby of their teams, each offering their own form of comfort to him.

"Why? Why didn't he love me?"

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Looking at your situation
there's so much that you can do
nows the time to make your stand
this is just an observation
in the end it's up to you
the future's in your hands

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The regulars shared a glance.

It was a well known fact that Ryoma was dating Atobe Keigo, the diva of Hyotei, for almost three-four years seeing as Atobe had asked boy wonder to be his boyfriend when he was in his second year of junior high and it was half-way through his first year of high school.

Ryoma was going to refuse the date offer but with prompting from his friends and teammates he had accepted the offer and they had been together ever since.

"Who doesn't love you ochibi?" whispered Eiji as he wrapped his arms around Ryoma from behind.

"Kei....go" chocked out Ryoma "He doesn't love me."

Fuji looked up and met the surprised looks from his friends before he looked down at Ryoma, "What makes you say that, Ryoma. Did Atobe say something to you?"

Ryoma sniffed and nodded his head.

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And if you need to find a way back
Feel you're on the wrong track
Give it time, you'll learn to fly

Tomorrow is a new day
And you will find your own way
You'll be stronger with each tear that you cry
Then you'll learn to fly

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"He said, he never really loved me. He was only with me because I had traits that reminded him of Akutagawa. His the person, Keigo really loves." Ryoma sniffed and tightened his hold upon Fuji. "I didn't do anything to him. Why did he do it. Why did he make me love him than do this to me."

All the reserves that Ryoma held upon not breaking down and crying, crumbled as his shoulders shook violently within Eiji and Fuji's hold. And the sobs of a broken heart was heard throughout the clubroom.

The rest of the regulars wrapped their own arms around Ryoma, forming a group hug. Each showing the small boy that they were there for him. That he was not alone. And each vowing to have a talk with the Hyotei buchou for his behavior towards their baby boy.

"Ochibi" whispered Eiji "Just cry ochibi. We are here for you!"

"We are not leaving you Ryoma!" replied Fuji

"You have eight support pillars here. And we will always be here. You can come to us with anything!" .

Ryoma sobs tore at the older males hearts,

Eiji closed his eyes, tears falling from his eyes, hating the fact the younger boy was in so much pain. Oishi wrapped his arms around Eiji while also touching Ryoma offering both boys comfort.

"I know it hurts now, Ryoma." whispered Tezuka "You had your grief bottled up for a while now. So right now, the only thing you can do is cry. Release your anguish tonight Ryoma. For tomorrow is a new day and you will never know what it will bring you." his hand placed on the boys head.

Momoshiro, Kaidoh, Inui and Taka each had a hand placed Ryoma's arms offering their own silent comfort.

More sobs were heard.

Fuji rubbed Ryoma's back "You will become stronger because of this, Ryoma and in time, you'll learn to fly." he whispered into the boys ear. Blue eyes closed as he rubbed his check against the left side of there baby's head

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Give it time
Then you'll learn to fly

Give it time…

Then You'll learn to Fly

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After several minutes of none stop crying, and sniffles, the group realized that their baby boy had cried himself into exhaustion. And lay sleeping in Eiji and Fuji's arm.

Eiji extracted himself from Ryoma and clung onto Oishi with his head burrowed in the fuku-buchou's stomach, while Fuji sat down with boy wonder lying in his lap. The rest of the team stood around, silently not knowing what to do.

Fuji who had been staring at Ryoma's tear stained face looked up. "Hyotei's buchou is going to pay for this. How dare he hurt Ryoma! His going to regret ever daring to use our Ryoma-chan for a replacement" spoke Fuji "Ryoma is no ones replacement. And that diva is going to learn the hard way why no one misses with the Seigaku tennis teams baby boy!"

What Fuji said was a threat, a promise for revenge and instead of getting the usual reprimand that he would have usually gotten from Oishi and Tezuka was not spoken, and in it's place was two nods of agreement while the rest of the team loudly proclaimed their own set of agreement.

Fuji opened his eyes. "Tezuka, tomorrow, schedule a practice match with Hyotei. I want everyone to act like nothing is out of the ordinary. Knowing that....monkey king, he'd know Ryoma wasn't the type to tell people his problems so he wouldn't suspect that we knew of what he did."

"Aa" Tezuka inclined his head showing he understood what the tensai was up to.

Inui nodded his head. "I see what you are getting at Fuji. A confrontation using tennis."

Fuji nodded his head to what Inui said.

"Let's do it, nya!" came Eiji's muffled voice as he pulled his head up to look at his friends. "Let's make that monkey king pay for hurting our ochibi-chan!"

Oishi and Taka wasn't one to condone violence, they usually tried to prevent it, but what Atobe had done was uncalled for. So he had to pay.

"Yudan sezu ni ikkou!" came the stern reply from their captain.

"Of course, buchou" was the immediate response as the group stood up, while Tezuka lifting the baby of the team into his arms.

"Let's spend the night at my house, nya. My parents and siblings aren't going to be home so we can have the house to ourselves. Ochibi can rest and we can plot revenge."

Fuji smiled, eyes opening. "Sounds like a plan. Let's go!"

....Tsuzuku....

Hope you liked it...

Review...

xKagi-chanx