Title: Manipulation 07: More Conspirators
Fandom: Prince of Tennis: Fudomine Chuugaku
Characters: Tachibana An, Ohtori Choutarou, Mukahi Gakuto, Oshitari Yuushi, Atobe Keigo, Shishido Ryou
Prompt: 012 - Orange
Word Count: 1226
Date finished: 09/29/2007
Rating: G
Summary: The interrogation didn't end with Shishido - and Ohtori is not pleased.
Author's Notes: "Tachibana An / Mukahi Gakuto - swimming pool". Previous parts: one, two, three, four, five, six.
Disclaimer: Characters are owned by Konomi Takeshi, and whoever did the anime. At any rate, it's not me.

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"You're sure it's okay that I came?" An asked as they set their bags down on lounges on the edge of the pool.

Choutarou smiled at her as he straightened. "I'm certain. Atobe mentioned you specifically." He drew his shirt off. "An, it's okay. They won't bite."

An snorted softly. "Shishido nearly did," she said, and Choutarou had to laugh.

"He's all bark," he said softly, and laid his hand on her shoulder. "Really. I know."

"If you say so," she said dubiously, and smiled at him.

The smile never failed to amaze him; even though they weren't truly engaged, he often did things - little ones - that would make her smile.

He found himself more and more thankful she'd agreed to what had to have sounded like insanity to her.

"Hey, love-birds! Look gooey at each other on your own time!"

Choutarou laughed and dropped his hand to his side. "I guess Mukahi is already here." He said.

An grinned. "Yeah, there's no way to miss that, is there?"

"It is very difficult to miss Mukahi when he opens his mouth," Oshitari said from pool. "Are you guys coming in?"

"Of course, Oshitari-san," Choutarou said, and smiled at the grimace on his old teammate's face.

"Hurry up, then," the older boy said, and pushed off, swimming across the pool.

Choutarou smiled at An. "Be prepared," he said. "He likes a good pair of legs."

An looked up at him, confusion on her pretty face, and then smiled and slid her track pants off. They'd come dressed for swimming, as that had been stipulated in the invitation, and sure enough, as soon as she straightened to pull off her shirt, a wolf whistle echoed through the indoor pool.

Choutarou was surprised to find that the pink that dusted her cheeks was as enchanting as her smile. Confused, he set off around the pool (he'd come in just a shirt and his trunks) to the diving board. Since when had she become so… enchanting all the way around?

It was a small group of people, including the Junior High tennis team regulars and a few others. For one of Atobe's parties, it was a small gathering, and An wasn't the only person invited because of her connection to one of Atobe's friends. Choutarou kept an eye on her, not wanting to ignore her, but she seemed happy, and eventually settled down in the hot tub after thoroughly defeating Jirou in a race - the girl was half fish!

The next time he glanced at her, Mukahi had joined her. Alarmed at the angry expression on her face - and the arrogant one on Mukahi's - he started to get out.

"Don't," Oshitari said, laying a hand on his shoulder and pushing him back down into the water. "You can't protect her forever."

"I shouldn't have to protect her from you guys at all," Choutarou said flatly. "She gets enough of this from my parents. She doesn't need it from my friends."

"We just want to make sure…."

Choutarou shook his head. "Don't you guys trust me to know what I'm doing?"

Oshitari regarded him for a moment. "Not in matters of the heart," he said bluntly. "You fall far too easily for a pretty face."

"And you for a pretty pair of legs," he snapped back, and then took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. Leave her alone."

Mukahi splashed them both as he jumped in, a look of deep dissatisfaction on his face. "She's sharp," he said, leaning against the wall, arms folded.

"Got nothing out of her?"

"There's nothing to get out of her," Choutarou snapped. "I mean it. No more."

"What's the problem?" Atobe drawled, standing over them, arms folded. By the door, Choutarou caught sight of a refreshment table, a punch bowl with orange drink of some kind in the center.

"Minor disagreement," Oshitari said.

"Not so minor, if Ohtori looks that angry. Perhaps you should give up on your plan to drive his fiancée away."

Mukahi sputtered as he turned to face their host. "I'm not trying to drive her away!"

Behind him, Choutarou watched An climb out of the hot tub and walk toward them. He ducked around Mukahi - was he trying to pin him in, too? - and met her where she sat down to dangle her feet in the water. "Your friends are… interesting."

He could hear the amusement in her voice, and smiled, still tense. "I know. I didn't know… I mean, I'm sorry."

An laughed. "Don't worry about it. I think I completely threw Mukahi off. He was quite petulant when he left the hot tub."

"Good," Atobe said, sitting next to her. "If you feel uncomfortable for any reason - because of these people - tell me. I mean for all my guests to enjoy themselves."

An smiled. "Thank you. I'll keep that in mind."

"Which means," Atobe said with a smirk as he slipped back into the water, "you won't say a word." He swam away before she could respond.

An looked at Choutarou. "Is he always like that?"

Choutarou watched him go, then turned back to her. "Pretty much, yes," he said.

An laughed.

The whole thing made him angry, and he finally decided to do something about it. Choutarou spoke to Atobe after the swimming party, and asked him to invite the people he'd listed. Atobe, curious, agreed.

Choutarou was there early, nervous, but then he'd always been rather nervous around these people, even though he considered them his friends. So he got to watch their faces as they entered the room, and every one of them was confused.

He'd clear that up for them.

"Thank you for coming," he said when everyone had arrived. "I would have had this at my house, only I really don't want my parents finding out about this."

"About what?" Shishido asked.

Which was as good an opening as Choutarou was likely to get. Quickly and concisely - exactly as he'd explained it to An - he outlined his decision and why he'd chosen her.

They all stared at him as if he'd lost his mind, and that didn't change when he stopped speaking. Well, not all of them. Atobe didn't seem that affected by it. "You are sure that when this charade is over, she will let you go?" he asked.

"Yes."

"How can you be so sure?" Shishido asked.

"Because she has kept her word every time I have seen her give it," Choutarou said. "And, I have no reason to believe she will change that drastically."

Oshitari shook his head. "People change, Ohtori," he said.

"Yes," Choutarou agreed. "They do. And until she exhibits such a drastic change, please, leave her alone. She is doing me a favor, keeping me out of that arranged marriage, and I do not want you chasing her off."

"But there is no way…." Mukahi started, and Atobe cleared his throat.

"That is a reasonable request," he said. "After all, Ohtori is a grown up, now, your perception of him notwithstanding."

"I never said he wasn't," Shishido muttered, his cheeks coloring. "Fine. But just say the word, Choutarou, and I'll do my best to chase her off."

The rest of them, thank heavens, followed his and Atobe's lead. An would be left alone. They might not like it, but they'd stop bothering her. That was all he wanted.

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