--
"Saa…where am I?"
Tezuka let out a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
"Your at my house." Said Tezuka, regaining his stoic composer.
"Saa…I seem to end up here a lot ne?" said Fuji, smiling slightly as he pushed himself into a sitting position.
Tezuka did not answer. He did not trust himself to speak. He didn't even trust himself to move, in fear of letting his emotions brake loose. Instead he just stood, vaguely aware that he was soaking wet, and Fuji probably was as well. Finally, Tezuka found his voice.
"Fuji, tell me what's wrong." His voice was stern, but not unkind.
Fuji only smiled. "I can assure you that nothing is wrong buchou."
"Fuji, I found you unconscious in the club house. Please do not tell me that nothing is wrong." Frustration was getting the better of him.
Fuji's eyes suddenly flew open, and he glared viciously at Tezuka.
And Fuji repeated his question from the previous morning, only with a voluntarily harsh voice.
"Why the hell do you care Tezuka!" he yelled, his fists clenched at his side, "You have Echizen, you have Inui! Don't worry yourself with another strong link that you could do without. And don't act like you care about me Tezuka. Don't act like you care of my condition. You care for tennis and you care about winning, not for me." Fuji was standing now, his face flushed from yelling, and his eyes shooting daggers into Tezuka's.
Tezuka couldn't stop himself. Before he could even comprehend what he was doing, Tezuka walked over and pulled Fuji into a tight hug. He felt Fuji tense a little in his arms, but did nothing to push Tezuka away.
"Fuji." He said softly, "I'm sorry, I really am. I do care for you, you are my best friend."
Pulling away, Fuji looked up at him, it looked as though he was going to cry. But of course, Fuji Syuusuke didn't cry.
"I'm sorry." He said softly. "I-I don't know what came over me…I just-" but Tezuka cut him off.
"It's okay, your under a lot of pressure, I understand." Tezuka paused and looked down at his watch. '8:16' "Fuji, do you want to spend the night here? Its raining, and…" Tezuka could not think of anything else to say. He only hoped that Fuji would accept his offer. Leaving Fuji totally alone for the night was a scary thought; his mind kept filtering the possibilities.
Fuji nodded slightly, still embarrassed at his sudden temper flare. Tezuka decided it best that he wait until later to question Fuji.
"Are you hungry?" asked Tezuka.
Fuji nodded, almost to the point of shyness, which was very uncommon for Fuji Syuusuke. "Yes, very."
Tezuka nodded curtly, and grabbed Fuji's arm, gently steering him into the Kitchen.
"What would you like?"
Fuji blinked. "Anything."
Remembering that Fuji had particular tastes, Tezuka grabbed a recipe for curry rice and laid it on the counter.
Turning to Fuji Tezuka said, "I will make dinner. Go upstairs and dry off; you can take a shower as well. Extra clothes are in my bedroom."
"Thank you buchou." Said Fuji happily as he walked up the stairs and out of sight.
Waiting for the water to boil, Tezuka grabbed a washcloth and began drying the floor where he and Fuji had dripped water. He then used the same towel and dried off his hair to the extent where it wouldn't drip cold rainwater. His clothes would dry soon enough.
--
After dinner, Tezuka and Fuji sat on the couch, quietly doing their homework. Tezuka silently cursed his teachers for giving him homework on probably the only weekend he would be able to spend with Fuji.
Fuji, to Tezuka's dismay finished his homework before him. Tezuka was still stuck on English, his worst subject.
Curiously, Fuji leaned over Tezuka's shoulder to look at the problem that Tezuka was currently stuck on.
"List two words in English that are spelled the same, but said differently." Read Fuji out loud. "Hmm, lets see…what did I just do?"
Tezuka paused. "You read."
"Precisely! Read, and read."
Tezuka blinked, thoroughly confused. "But, one is in present tense…and one is in past. How can they be spelled the same if the tenses are different? How can you tell which one they are speaking of when you are speaking English, or reading it?"
Fuji shrugged, "I guess you just find which one by reading the words around it, and seeing which makes more sense. Get it?"
"Ah."
"Okay then, next one. 'List two words in English that are spelled differently but pronounced the same.' Saa, that ones easy."
"It is?"
"Well," began Fuji, "It was cloudy today, and raining. I had to decide either to go inside, or stay in the rain."
Tezuka blinked again, but this time in understanding. "Weather, and whether?" He asked.
"Yep!" said Fuji smiling brightly.
"Thanks." Tezuka closed his book and ran a hand through his hair. "You should get some sleep."
Fuji was about to protest, but Tezuka stood, and motioned for Fuji to follow. He led Fuji into his bedroom and told him he would be sleeping in there.
"What about you?" asked Fuji, sitting cross-legged on the edge of Tezuka's bed. "I will be on the couch, good night."
Taking off his shoes, and changing his shirt, Tezuka lay down onto the couch and stared at the ceiling. He was not an insomniac like Fuji; it certainly didn't take him hours to fall asleep, for him it took ten minutes, tops. Slowly, Tezuka closed his eyes and fell into his usual Syuusuke Fuji filled sleep.
--
Tezuka woke with the instant feeling that someone was in the room with him. He was right.
Tezuka looked over the end of the couch and saw Fuji asleep at the foot of it. Quietly, he got up and knelt down by the other boy. Tezuka, burning with guilt, suddenly realized why Fuji was here. He always forgot how he hated to be alone.
…Flash Back…
Tezuka finished locking up the clubhouse, and turned to see the familiar figure of Syuusuke Fuji waiting for him.
Walking along side his best friend, Tezuka turned to him curiously, asking, "Why do you always wait? Why not leave with Eiji?"
Fuji smiled, only a hint of sadness showed. "Because, I don't want you to have to walk home alone."
Tezuka returned his gaze to the street in front of them. "I don't mind being alone."
Fuji sighed. "Really? Your lucky then." He said softly. "I hate being alone."
"You do?"
Fuji nodded. "It makes me sad; depressed. Sometimes I'd rather die than be alone."
Tezuka stared at Fuji with wide eyes. He had never seen Fuji so upset about something.
"But some times I feel like I have to be," continued Fuji, "Like everyone wants me to be…Yuuta most of all." Fuji paused, "I'm just being silly aren't I?"
"…No….your not…and you don't have to be alone, ever…I promise."
…End…
Sighing, Tezuka (for the second time that day) gently hoisted Fuji into his arms and carried him upstairs. Unfortunately for Tezuka, Fuji was a very light sleeper, and woke almost instantly as Tezuka laid him on his bed.
Staring at Tezuka with slightly wide eyes, he quickly mumbled an apology.
"G-gomen nasi buchou." Stuttered Fuji, "I…I didn't mean to wake you…"
Tezuka only blinked, and pulled his chair away from his desk, placing it to that he could sit in it and face the bed. "It's fine, you didn't wake me up. I woke you up, and I'm sorry."
Fuji stared at him, his expression showing an emotion akin to shock.
"You need to get some sleep now okay? Your lucky its Friday night-" Tezuka glanced down at his watch again which had become almost a nervous habit, '1:48' "Saturday morning." He corrected him self, "So you can sleep late."
"Buchou-" began Fuji but Tezuka stopped him again.
"It's okay. I'm staying up here this time, I won't leave. I promised, remember?"
Fuji nodded, clearly at a loss for words. "B-but, how are you going to sleep in that chair?"
"I wont."
Fuji shook his head almost in disbelief, "I don't want you to be deprived of sleep instead of me." He said softly.
"Better me than you."
Fuji smiled, until he realized that Tezuka was perfectly serious.
"I will stay here all night, if that's what it takes to give you 15 minutes of sleep." Said Tezuka as if it was something one did naturally.
"Saa…" after seeing that there was no was to persuade him Fuji continued, "Well, you don't have to stay awake. Your bed is made for two people. I'm sure it can fit three, there is certainly plenty of room."
Tezuka blushed, he could feel it. But thankfully, Fuji was to tiered and most likely sick, Tezuka added mentally, to notice.
"F-Fuji…"
"Saa…I'm sure Tezuka. I would go to sleep better knowing that you get some sleep as well." Fuji's eyelids began to drop. Exhaustion was clearly taking hold.
Tezuka nodded, getting into bed beside Fuji. He stayed as far away from the tensai as possible (for Fuji's own comfort of course).
Fuji rolled over, his back to Tezuka, and muttered, "Good night buchou."
Tezuka did not reply until after he was sure the other boy was asleep, "Good night…Syuusuke."
--
Tezuka did not know what woke him this time. It must have been pure instinct. But as soon as he opened his eyes, he knew that Fuji was not beside him.
Quickly reaching for his glasses, he got out of bed and threw himself down the steps, horrible visions slipping through his mind.
"Fuji!" he yelled, "Fuji!"
Tezuka checked in his kitchen. There was no sign of the Tensai. He raced into the living room, and let out a sigh of relief. Fuji was standing at the window. He was holding on to the windowsill so tightly that his knuckles were white. His face was pale and drained of all color. Fuji turned to him as he heard Tezuka enter the room. His icy blue eyes were glazed over, almost gray.
"Tezuka-" but Fuji didn't finish his sentence, his hand slipped off the windowsill, and he fell to the ground, unconscious.
"Fuji!"
--
Thanks for everyone who reviewed, it is greatly appreciated. I had a LOT of trouble on this chapter so please tell me how it turned out. Suggestions, constructive criticisms? Thanks!