prince of tennis one shots 💘

Ryoga Echizen x Reader - Best Friends Brother

He was always on your mind.

Ryoga Echizen. Just thinking his name made your heart skip a beat. He was Ryoma's older brother—older than you by a few years—but that never stopped the butterflies in your stomach. You'd been in love with him for as long as you could remember. Not that anyone knew, of course. Especially not Ryoma, your childhood best friend and the younger brother of your secret first love.

No one ever suspected it. Not when you hung out with Ryoma every weekend, or when you went to his matches to cheer him on. Not even when you were over at the Echizen household so often, it felt like a second home. Your heart had always belonged to someone who'd moved halfway across the world, and still, you held onto the hope that one day, he'd come back.

And one day... he did.

It had started like any normal evening. After a long day of practice, Ryoma had invited you over for dinner. "My parents are out," he'd said with a shrug. "You can cook, right?"

You'd snorted. "I cook better than you ever could, Echizen."

He didn't argue.

By the time dinner was finished, you'd cooked enough for ten people, and Ryoma, tired but satisfied, ate in grateful silence. The quiet was nice. Comfortable. Familiar.

When the food was gone, Ryoma flopped back in his chair and groaned. "Games?" he muttered.

"You really want to get destroyed that badly?" you teased.

"Whatever," he grunted, already getting the console ready.

Round after round, you beat him. Each loss only made him more determined. You both laughed, trash-talked, and forgot about the outside world for a little while—until the sound of rustling in the kitchen froze you both mid-game.

You turned to Ryoma, eyes wide. "Did you hear that?"

He nodded, face tense. "Stay here."

"No way," you whispered, grabbing his arm. "What if it's a burglar?"

He picked up a tennis racket like it was a sword. "Just stay close to me. And keep your phone ready."

You crept through the hallway together, every step slow and silent. The kitchen lights were on. There were unfamiliar shoes by the door.

Ryoma narrowed his eyes. "That's weird..."

As you both stepped into the doorway, you gasped.

There, sitting at the kitchen counter, eating the leftover food you'd made, was him.

"...Nii-san?"

The man turned around with a wide grin. "Yo, Ryoma!"

Your heart nearly leapt out of your chest.

He looked older, tanner, even more attractive than you remembered—his hair a little longer, his smile just as roguish. He pulled Ryoma into a hug like it hadn't been years since they'd last seen each other.

Then he turned to you.

"And (Y/N)-chan! Still hanging around my little brother, huh?" He laughed and dropped onto the couch like he owned the place.

You froze in place, stunned. Ryoga. Ryoga was here. In the flesh. And god—when did he get so hot?

"Wait, what are you doing here?" Ryoma asked, closing the fridge door with a loud thud.

"Vacation," Ryoga replied casually. "Just here for a month or so. Figured I'd stop by."

Ryoma rolled his eyes. "Mom and Dad won't be back until tomorrow. Make yourself at home, I guess."

You were still standing there, stunned, until Ryoma nudged your arm. "Come on. Let's go back to my room."

You followed numbly, your eyes glued to Ryoga's lounging figure the entire time.

That night, you stayed over. Your parents didn't mind, and you crashed in the guest room while Ryoga took the couch. From then on, everything changed.

You started visiting more often, always "to hang out with Ryoma," but it wasn't just that. Ryoga was around—teasing you, throwing winks your way, joining in on games and even eating dinner with you both.

"So," Ryoga asked one evening, elbowing Ryoma, "are you two dating or what?"

Ryoma snorted. "Gross. We're just friends."

Weeks passed, and you grew bolder. Closer. You'd laugh with him, share stories, and sometimes, he'd look at you a little too long. Hope bloomed.

Until the day it all came crashing down.

You'd come over earlier than usual, heart racing with anticipation. Today, you were finally going to confess. You crept upstairs toward the guest room, the words already rehearsed in your mind.

But when you peeked through the open door, your heart shattered.

There he was—Ryoga—on the bed, laughing with a girl you'd never seen before. Her hand touched his, too familiar. Then, she leaned in and kissed him.

He kissed her back.

You couldn't breathe.

You staggered back, tears stinging your eyes, bumping into someone behind you.

"(Y/N)? What happened?" Ryoma's voice was soft. Concerned.

You shook your head, lips trembling.

"Hey," he said more gently, leading you to your room. "Tell me what happened."

It took everything in you, but the words finally spilled out.

Ryoma sighed and pulled you into a hug. "It's gonna be okay."

You didn't say anything else.

You didn't see Ryoga again after that. Maybe he knew. Maybe he didn't. But when he left Japan, he didn't say goodbye.

And you never confessed.

But sometimes... sometimes, late at night, your mind would wander back to him. Ryoga Echizen. Your first love.

Your best friend's brother.

Such a dream, and heartbreak all at once.

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