The first surprise was that the knock came at all, as it was far past the hour when visitors were usual. The bigger surprise was that the person who had come was Atobe's former butler, an elderly gentleman who was long past his prime and had spent a good most of his years looking after and serving the Atobe family. He was a loyal man, who took his charge's well-being very seriously. His being there at that hour could only mean something extremely important had come up.

"Is Master Keigo in?" he asked in a worried voice when the door was answered.

"He is, but he's taking a bath," Tezuka answered. Then after a considering moment he added, "He'll be a while." Not that there was any doubt in the man who'd known Atobe since birth's knowing the prima donna's bathing habits. It would be a while before Atobe emerged from the washroom.

"Please," the gentleman held out a long white envelope. "Could you give this to him?" His hands that shook with aging palsy anyway trembled more than usual. "It's very important."

Tezuka nodded in grave understanding as he took the letter. "Yeah."

Atobe hummed to himself as he looked in the mirror, finishing up his hygiene ritual. With the moisturizers working their magic on his perfect skin, he chuckled in satisfaction and tossed his reflection a wink before leaving the vanity. Slipping out of his silk robe and into his satin pajamas, he crawled into bed, next to his lover who already lay there, staring at the ceiling. There was an envelope on Tezuka's nightstand, and Atobe reached for it in curiosity. "What's this?"

But before he reached it, his hand was stopped as Tezuka took hold of his wrist. "Keigo.."

"Hm?" He raised a questioning eyebrow, but the other gave no answer. Instead, after several ticks of the clock, Tezuka pulled him down into a kiss.

The envelope was soon forgotten when the kiss deepened, and Tezuka opened his legs so Atobe fell between them. His body instantly responded, hardening, pulse quickening. And as Tezuka's arms wrapped around him, he slid a hand down his lover's spread leg, pulling it up and guiding it around his waist, meeting no resistance or hesitation. "You're very obedient tonight, Kunimitsu."

Tezuka didn't say anything, but reached up and pulled off Atobe's pajama top, then leaned in to bite at a nipple.

It sent shocks down Atobe's spine, heading straight for his groin and causing his erection to throb painfully. He groaned, then became furious in his movements, forcing Tezuka's shorts over his hips and throwing them carelessly aside when they were finally removed. Thrusting his hips forward, rubbing their cocks against each other with only the satin of his pajama pants between them, he at the same time reached over and opened the drawer of Tezuka's nightstand, retrieving the bottle of lubricant he knew was there.

He only lowered his pants enough to release his erection, not bothering to waste any time removing them completely, and spread the gel onto himself, then slipped a hand between Tezuka's spread legs to coat the back entrance well. Positioning himself with his arms around the backs of Tezuka's legs, holding his lover's lower body up for better access, he pushed forward, entering him in one smooth motion.

Tezuka's mouth hung open, though no sound came out, and his hands clung at the sheets, gripping the material in tight fists. Atobe thought Tezuka was beautiful like this, and fucked him even deeper in order to revel in that tortured expression. He wanted to make the other man scream.

He dropped one leg, straddling it so he could bury himself further still into his lover's body, clinging to the other leg as he brought his freed hand up to grab Tezuka's member and pumping it in time with his own thrusts. Tezuka rocked his hips too, their bodies banging together with reckless abandon.

Generally Tezuka was silent during sex, giving only a groan here and a grunt there. But with his lover in him so deep and touching him so hard, he couldn't help but cry out loudly when he came.

Atobe was pleased.

"Here." Tezuka handed the forgotten envelope to Atobe. They had caught their breath and kissed in their afterglow, and were laying with their arms loosely around each other when he came back to the letter.

It hadn't been sealed, so Atobe easily removed the paper and began to read what it said. And as he read it, his expression changed from one of curious interest to shock, and then finally settled with closed resignation. "My father is dead."

Tezuka nodded, then said "I'm sorry," not knowing what else to say or do.

"You read this?" Tezuka nodded again, and Atobe was glad. It meant he wouldn't have to explain what it said. "Well, it's not like we were close. But still..."

"But still." Tezuka agreed.

They fell silent, with Tezuka running fingers through Atobe's hair, trying to provide even a small measure of comfort. Even if Atobe hadn't been close with his father, it was still something that affected his life. It would still change things.

"I'll have to take over his business," Atobe said suddenly.

"... Keigo?"

"It's my responsibility, what I was born and raised to do." His body tensed as his mind worked through the situation. The worst was yet to come. "It'll mean giving up tennis. There won't be time for that."

That was the worst part. Tennis was everything to Atobe; he'd played since he was a child and made his career - his life - out of it. It was everything he'd ever wanted to do. But it was also true that from the moment he was born he had been bred to someday follow in his father's footsteps. It had taken longer than his parents anticipated, since he had insisted on playing tennis professionally and did what he wanted, but it seemed his father had devised a way to force him into his office after all.

"And there's no one else who could do it?" Tezuka questioned.

"Like who? I have no siblings. Once father got his heir, that was all he needed, without a second thought as to whether or not I wanted to be his tool." He was silent a moment, then said bitterly "I don't want to give up tennis."

Neither spoke for a while, each taking everything in and thinking it over. Until finally Tezuka said "What if...I did it?"

"You?"

"From law to business isn't too far a jump. And besides..." He covered Atobe's left hand with his own, gently and purposely letting their matching rings chime against each other. "Am I not kind of like a son-in-law?"

Suddenly Atobe sat straight up. "'Mitsu, you're brilliant!" Then he threw himself on top of his lover, kissing him soundly. "We can do it together until you know everything that was taught to me, then I can resume tennis and you'll run the company and we'll have it all!" Yes, he was very pleased with this idea, and he kissed Tezuka again for good measure.

This kiss turned into another, and another, and it wasn't long before Atobe again reached for the little bottle on the nightstand.

He always knew Tezuka was the best thing for him. Together there was no obstacle they couldn't overcome; that was why they were partners just as much as they were rivals just as much as they were lovers. Always filling in for each other, without a second thought.