Temper
Yukimura apologizes to the teams his own injured, and picks up a challenge on the way.
Seiichi’s eyes narrowed. He had come here to render an apology, but he’d be damned before he stood still to be a source of entertainment for Fuji Shuusuke.
Stories by Branch
Contrary
Kirihara decides to tease Sanada, and the results are about what one might expect.
“Do you remember what I said about teasing, Akaya?” he asked, softly.
Pressed against the length of Sanada-san’s body, so tightly he could feel as well as hear the deep, smooth voice, Akaya couldn’t hold back a triumphant grin.
“That it works?” he suggested, breathless.
Earth Over Heaven
Yukimura is finally convinced that he is fully recovered, and is beyond pleased over it.
Seiichi stepped away, and then spun to face them. “It’s all here,” he said, and Genichirou’s throat closed at the wonder in his voice, “I’m all here, still. Again.”
Restraint
Sanada teaches Kirihara a lesson about teasing. Or, possibly, a lesson in teasing.
The look in Sanada-san’s eyes should have warned him.
Need
Fuji visits Rikkai, hoping Yukimura can explicate a few things for him.
“Fuji,” Seiichi sighed, running a hand through his hair. Still, he had been trying to wake Fuji up for years, now. Something he suspected Fuji had recalled, too.
Fic, Audience Demands and Vicious Circles
Author responsiveness to audience desire is a courtesy, in our non-commercial niche, not a market necessity, and certainly not some kind of moral imperative. The same, of course, holds true for audience response. I rather think it would do fandom good to remember this. As much as authors attempting to extort feedback are overreaching themselves, so, too, are readers who attempt to impose their priorities on the writers.
Irregular
Jackal and Marui on a hot afternoon, and Jackal’s attempts to convince his partner to take it easy.
Bunta knew perfectly well what Jackal was doing, of course, but he rarely turned down the opening. It was one of the reasons Jackal found his partner endlessly entertaining; his dramatics were always perfectly sincere and entirely deliberate, at the same time.
The Continuation of War
A small snafu leads to some practice time between Rikkai and Seigaku, just before the end of Nationals.
Momo cast his erstwhile opponent a thoughtful glance. “You know, Marui-san,” he said, slowly, “all of you are acting really different, today.”
Marui cocked an eyebrow at him. “Of course we are,” he responded, easily, “Yukimura’s back.”
Credit
This story takes place in a quantum bubble of the Challengeverse (maybe it happened, maybe it didn’t), immediately following “The Continuation of War”. Tezuka offers Oishi some support after his very bad day.
It had not been a relaxing day for Oishi Shuichirou.
Dislocated
Immediately after “The Continuation of War”, Yanagi and Inui finally get around to talking about how they parted.
He had read descriptions of how it felt to have a dislocated joint realigned, and, from what he recalled, it sounded remarkably like what he had felt this afternoon: a sharp pain accompanied by a hard wrench and a sudden feeling of rightness.
Cloud to Cloud
Immediately following “The Continuation of War”, Kirihara finds himself somewhat disturbed by the day’s experiences, and Yukimura offers him reassurance.
The lurch as the bus stopped woke Akaya from a half dozing dream that promptly escaped him. All he remembered was that it had involved cutting a tall chain-link fence. And that Fuji had been mixed up in the project. There were really days Akaya wished his subconscious could just send him a memo.
Fortune
Atobe encounters Yukimura at the museum, they fall to chatting, and events take a rather sharp left turn.
Yukimura rested his chin on one hand, and lifted his brows. He was, Keigo decided, perfectly well aware of what Keigo wanted to ask and was going to sit there with that attentive expression and watch Keigo squirm while he tried to come up with a courteous way to do it.
Some Popular Styles of Writing Sex
And that’s it, really; I think the choice of style really has to depend on what you want to do with the story in question. If you want to explore gritty, real-life problems, the realistic style is probably your best bet. If you want to write a story that makes the readers laugh and say “that’s so incredibly fucked up, but really a lot of fun”, then it’s time for the dj style.
Fly
Side-story to the Challenge arc. Fuji finally plays a serious match against Tezuka.
Shuusuke was terrified.
All right, perhaps that was a bit strong, but it had been a very long time since he’d felt this kind of tension. Even longer since he’d had butterflies in his stomach and shaking hands over a tennis match.
Circle
The long awaited last match of Nationals.
Seiichi’s smile changed, undiluted pleasure added to the satisfaction. It was the last round of Nationals, and they were ready.
Games for Fun
Suppose that Sanada and Atobe were roomates at Senbatsu. Now suppose that Atobe is feeling provocative after their match in ep. 140. Now suppose gratuitous sex ensues.
“It’s simply my unfortunate fate to love a good challenge. Unfortunate because I don’t get many of them. Getting you to loosen up a little, though, definitely qualifies.”
Confluence
Mild chaos and vast snarkiness as many paths cross at a music store.
He’d really never thought a simple trip to the music store would be so harrowing.
Innocence and Experience
Immediately follows “Confluence”. What would happen if they weren’t in public…
Choutarou’s straightforward sensuality could still surprise him, sometimes.
Assurance
Immediately follows “Confluence”. Mizuki and Yuuta’s various reactions to Mizuki’s clash with Fuji at the music store.
This was Mizuki without the calculation, and Yuuta liked the honesty of this raw, insistent desire.
Favors Returned
Companion piece to “Games for Fun”. Set after the US-Japan Senbatsu matches. Yet more gratuitous sex.
Keigo eyed Sanada’s back and smiled with appreciation as Sanada tipped his head back and the spray sleeked down his hair and emphasized the sharp planes of his face.
Sunao
Ryouma and Tezuka have a mild clash of wills, over which Ryouma gets rather frustrated.
Note: This particular story really came out of my personal opinion that the whole affair with Kevin Smith in the anime was rather inconsistent with the way Ryouma and Tezuka normally behave.
Ryouma could hear the mocking undertone perfectly well, and stifled a grin. It wasn’t quite time to grin at this one, yet. Not until Ryouma had him on the court.
Shinpai
Tezuka observes one of Ryouma’s matches.
He knew people had wondered, sometimes, about how hard he seemed to push Echizen, but he’d never seen it in that light. If it seemed that he placed insanely high bars in front of his best player, he did it with the sure knowledge that Echizen would go off in search of a cliff if left to his own devices.
Motto
Ryouma drags Tezuka off for an unofficial match.
When the doorbell rang, Kunimitsu knew exactly who it was. He couldn’t have said how he knew, because he categorically refused to believe that an inanimate object such as a doorbell was capable of ringing in a cocky tone just because of who was pressing it. But the information got through somehow.
Kakugo
Ryouma catches up to his senpai, and takes advantage of his second time around with Tezuka as his captain. This time with, perhaps, a few more insights than last time.
As soon as Ryouma came within range of the crowd noise that enveloped the high school tennis courts he started praying that his captain had a lineup for the ranking matches that would make the day, in some way, less annoying.
Yaru, Part One
During Tezuka’s first year of college, and Ryouma’s second year of high school, Ryouma tracks Tezuka down again and they edge into a relationship not based on the tennis club.
Kunimitsu remembered that it had taken less than a month from the time he started high school to the day Echizen Ryouma had come to find him. He was not, therefore, entirely surprised to see Echizen now, not quite two months into Kunimitsu’s university studies.
Yaru, Part Two
Ryouma comes to terms rather abruptly with the reason he’s clinging to Tezuka.
At first, it had been a matter of chance, really.
Yaru, Part Three
Tezuka finally loses his battle to stay detached.
Kunimitsu resigned himself to the knowledge that he had just welcomed all the interest and chaos and trouble and thrill that Echizen trailed after him like a too-long scarf into yet another part of his life.
Yaru, Part Four
Tezuka and Ryouma achieve some closure.
When Tezuka’s tongue still only flirted with his, Ryouma nipped at it, and then made a pleased sound as Tezuka’s low laugh vibrated down the whole length of his body.
Yaru, Epilogue
Tezuka and Echizen settle in with each other.
“But, really! I never thought, in a hundred years, Echizen would actually catch him…”
Delta
Atobe is rather tired of Tezuka brooding, and decides it’s time for another conversation with Fuji to see if the problem is amenable to a swift kick.
He couldn’t believe Fuji had misread Kunimitsu that badly. No, wait, he could believe it; after all, it wasn’t as though he hadn’t known plenty of intelligent, talented individuals who where, nevertheless, gifted with the people skills of dried seaweed. It was just that he expected this kind of thing from Ryou, not from Fuji.
Third Watch
When the third years retire from the club, Kirihara has to deal with taking over.
It was an obvious truth that few, if any, of them could become what Yukimura or Sanada or Yanagi was. Akaya nodded, and raised his voice. “It doesn’t matter. What we are is Rikkai. We will win.”
Touch
How Ren reacts to Yoh touching him.
“That was the first place you touched me,” Ren said, voice low.
Appendix
This is the running tally of side information for River—what angels I added, etymology of names, inspiration from Revelations, links to sources, etc.
The Name
Lucifer wakes up.
The fog around his senses was thinning. He was waking. The soft words that he caught in bits and pieces told him this was unlikely to be enjoyable. When he finally opened his eyes he could only reflect on the accuracy of his instincts, because he recognized the person leaning against the glass above him.
Mercurial
Mad Hatter has a few difficulties coping with how people have changed, post-canon.
“You are not fit to carry the weight of Pride,” hir lord said, evenly. “You have none. Not really.”
The Mind is its Own Place – Part One
The world is changing for everyone, and everyone has to find some way to deal with it.
“The land is… refracting. Structures are appearing that aren’t quite like anything ever created in either Heaven or Hell, and they seem remarkably resistant to being changed. I don’t know who first started calling the new area Abe, but it’s very fitting. The land grows like a living thing.”
Detour
Roy and Gracia discuss some difficult plans.
Gracia Hughes had been blessed with an innocent face. It had served her well, as the wife of an investigator. She had also been blessed with a sharp mind, which had served her even better, as the wife of Maas Hughes, in particular.
Hageshii
Lust comes looking for Greed before things heat up. They get to know each other a little.
He was tall and built more powerfully than most of them. And he held himself differently. He draped himself against the air, with none of the tension she was used to seeing in her own kind. Insouciance wrapped around him, from the pointed toes of his boots to the furred collar of his vest. He could really have been human.
The thought lasted until he turned, and she caught his eyes.
Demonstration
In honor of issue 250 of the manga. After that match Tezuka and Oishi have wild sex in the locker room.
“Ah! Tezuka…” Shuichirou leaned his head back against the wall, panting now. “You took me slow once already today. Hurry up.”
Tezuka laughed low in his throat at this interpretation of their match. “If you like. Turn around, then.”
The Mind is its Own Place – Part Two
The world is changing for everyone, and everyone has to find some way to deal with it.
Lucifer’s eyes were hooded. “I am very dedicated to a stable world for all of us, but I’m doing it out of spite towards the dead. I’m not going to kill you off with unwarranted optimism.”
Six
Lucifer and Michael deal with their history.
Warning: While it’s not exactly non-con, there are violent and coercive elements to the sex in this story, and the sex in question is between siblings.
Before Michael could find some way to show just how pissed off he was getting, Lucifer leaned into him again. And kissed him.
River – Chapter One
Those who are left forge connections along with their new world.
“Remind me again why we’re bothering to talk to anyone else about this little project of yours?” Arariel asked as she strode back to him.
Wild
Pet Shop of Horrors crossover. While visiting the US, some of the tennis boys come across an unusual pet shop. This evolves, as such things do, into some strange situations for a few of them.
If anyplace could hold the interest of his senpai when they were determined to play tourist, he’d figured Chinatown would be it. Something was always happening.
Verbalize
In which Momoshiro is inexplicably exhbitionist. Also featuring Atobe Keigo, Sex God.
Momo’s mouth curled up. It was always kind of fun when he could get people to play this game, especially someone who didn’t like backing down. He’d given the viper a nosebleed, once, that way.
Time Table
This is a visual index containing all the Tennis Sanctuary fics in order of occurrence. It’s laid out as a table, since so many happen simultaneously.
What’s in a Name
Belial and Kanzeon have tea.
Belial took another sip of hir tea and aimed a glittering smile at the being across the table. "So. We’ve caught up on gossip, traded fashion tips, and one has flattered your latest blend. Don’t you think it’s time we got around to business?"
Revenge
How Ryouma got so girl-clueless.
"Gabriel-sama?" Arariel leaned around the doorway, and raised her brows at the seal Gabriel had just completed. "Um. Someone due for a little divine punishment?"
"Eminently," Gabriel said, between her teeth.
Unexpected Guests
How Ryouma’s uncle came to be away from the temple.
Temples and their priests got all kinds of visitors, some of them pretty odd. But the last thing Konzen had expected, when he opened the door to answer the bell, was for a tangle of limbs to land on and hug him while crowing "Sanzou!"
Under the Knife
Mad Hatter and Yukimura start to get acquainted.
"Experimental surgery, hm?" he asked without turning away from the window.
"One could just snap one’s fingers." Hatter’s breath was warm against the back of his neck. "One gets the impression from your other visitors that a miraculous recovery would be only what’s expected from you."
Long Story
Belial introduces hirself to Rikkai.
Masaharu nudged his partner. "Who’s that?" he asked, nodding at the slight, lean figure in black lounging against the fence. Yagyuu finished a swallow of much needed water and raised a brow.
"I think that’s Yukimura-san’s visitor. The one from the hospital that no one ever quite managed to meet."