Written for the LJ community 30kisses challenge
Tezuka Kunimitsu x Kikumaru Eiji
Theme #1: Look over here
--
Kikumaru Eiji hated wondering, more than anything. People likened him to a cat, and cats were very curious, right? They always wanted to find out more. But Eiji wasn't a cat- he was a person. And he knew that wondering could be dangerous. So Eiji tried never to wonder.
But he could dream, as long as he knew that his dreams would never come true.
"Kikumaru! You're late." Tezuka Kunimitsu glared at him with a stern look that hurt more than any scream. "Thirty laps around the court."
Eiji, as always, felt the need to protest. "But one of the girls from my class hurt herself, so I offered to run and put her books away for her! Why-"
He should've known better.
"Forty laps. Now."
Eiji started running.
Why? Why does Tezuka always pick on me? Why do I always get in trouble when I have a perfectly good excuse? If Fuji or Oishi had given that excuse, Tezuka would've let them get away with being late. But me… he HATES me!
And I…
I don't hate him.
Eiji winced. Yes, he had a crush on Tezuka; was that so weird? Lots of people had crushes! Even scary Inui of icky-drink fame definitely had a crush on one of his kouhai… At least EIJI's crush wasn't half-snake! No, Eiji's crush was smart and really good at tennis and composed and pretty-
Pretty? Eiji frowned. No, that doesn't work. Cool…cool.
He struggled to keep the goofy smile off his face.
If Tezuka sees my face, he'll think I'm just an immature little kid. Not like Tezuka would ever look my way…"Ne." Fuji stood before Eiji, blocking his path. "You do realize that you've already ran forty-three laps, Eiji."
"Oh! Have I?" Eiji turned bright red. "Tezuka's going to think I'm so stupid," he muttered.
"Or maybe just dedicated," Fuji offered his friend.
Eiji grinned at the other. "Nyaa! I'm going to run twenty more laps!" He took off.
"Kikumaru!" Tezuka's sharp voice cut into Eiji like an axe. "That's too many laps. Go to the third court. You have muscle training with the other regulars."
I just can't win…--
Practice ended twenty minutes later, but Tezuka and Fuji both had to make up a test they had missed a few days before after practice. As they headed home together, Fuji decided to bring up the topic of Eiji.
"Saa…weren't you a little harsh on Eiji today? He was only late because he was helping someone out."
Tezuka sighed. "Lateness is not acceptable."
"Really? Would you do the same if I were late…with the same excuse?"
"It's more believable from you."
"What? Eiji isn't capable of doing a good deed?"
"You have a better track record."
"Of what?"
"…Responsibility."
Fuji frowned. "You can't judge how responsible someone is by how sedate he is," he said reproachfully. "Eiji might be jumpy sometimes, but he's always willing to help a friend in need, and he wouldn't lie about why he was late just because he wanted to avoid running laps."
"Hn."
Tezuka stopped walking. They were at his house. "Good night, Fuji."
"Good night," Fuji sighed. Was there no way to convince Tezuka to handle Eiji more lightly?
--
The next day at school, Tezuka, Oishi, Fuji, and Eiji sat together at lunch. Somehow, (probably Fuji's doing) Eiji had ended up next to Tezuka. He shivered, though he wasn't quite sure if it were due to fear or excitement.
But Tezuka didn't even glance toward him throughout the meal.
Finally, Eiji decided to take matters into his own hands. He was going to make Tezuka see him for more than the annoying kid who played doubles with Oishi! He was going to show Tezuka that he was worthy of the serious boy's attention! But how? Ask him a question about what they had learned today? Bring up a point in tennis for Tezuka to teach him? Offer him some of Eiji's lunch?
He turned to Tezuka. "Eto…buchou?"
Tezuka turned abruptly toward the other boy. "Yes?"
"Eto…would you like a kiss?" Eiji charged on boldly.
Oishi gasped.
Fuji's perpetual smile widened.
And Tezuka…
Tezuka froze.
--
He had fallen in love with Eiji a long time before, fallen in love with every little silly antic and bright expression.
It'll never happen, he reminded himself time after time. He'll never look over here. I'm just the buchou to him. Just the stern guy who's friends with his doubles partner. So Tezuka had put up safeguards. He was especially stern with Eiji, making sure never to give him special treatment just because of Tezuka's… crush. He tried not to speak to him to often…tried not to associate with him.
But this…this was too much.
This can't be happening. Is it a dream? Am I awake?"W-what?" he asked the other boy, struggling to keep his voice steady.
--
Eiji turned red. What had he said?
He hurried to explain himself. "They're a type of chocolate from America! My neighbor brought them back from her trip there- see?" He held up a small, triangular chocolate, covered in silver foil. "A Kiss."
"Oh…" Oishi let out a sigh of relief. For a moment there…he had thought that Eiji…well, never mind. It didn't matter anymore anyway.
"Can I have one, too, Eiji?" Fuji smiled. He hadn't missed Tezuka's reaction, and found it rather amusing.
"I only have one left, Fuji. I'm sorry," Eiji said apologetically. He knew that Fuji would understand.
"Buchou?" he asked hesitantly. At last, Tezuka was looking at him. Focusing on him! "Would you like it?"
Tezuka was about to refuse. He wasn't even a big chocolate eater, and Fuji also wanted it…
But the look on Eiji's face was so distraught that he would've done anything for the smile to return. And if eating the chocolate would do that…
"Thank you-" he struggled to put on something nearing a smile- "Eiji."
And Eiji's broad grin made everything worth it.