[fic] Unrealistic
Title: Unrealistic
Rating: G
Words: ~1,500
For: singie
Summary: Fuji learns to say "I love you"
Author's Note: Thank you to eriea for betaing this! Also, I realize that I started writing both TezuFuji's after the other fics, but, uh... They wrote themselves faster?
Fuji had known from the moment that he started going out with Tezuka that theirs was not to be a romantic tale full of passionate "I love you"s or promises of forever. Tezuka had never and would never express any such intimate expressions and Fuji, for all his ungodly genius, would never find the courage to utter those thoughts without encouragement.
Fuji hadn't cared. It would never be his ideal fantasy, but ideals were almost never reality anyways. He contented himself with the little smiles that Tezuka reserved for him and way they could curl up on nights when Fuji's parents weren't home. He was content with giving Tezuka little presents that he thought Tezuka understood. A little box of health destroying chocolate, a warm winter scarf that had taken five months to make and would match with absolutely nothing, a photo album with copies of all of Fuji's favorite photos. All of them said the "I love you" that Fuji couldn't or wouldn't say himself. He was pretty sure that Tezuka understood, because sometimes Fuji would find little things in their bed that Tezuka wouldn't claim and wouldn't have used. Things like a new camera strap, a key to Tezuka's house, a scarf that was a perfectly neutral black that Fuji could wear with anything he owned.
The only problem was that while there were quite possibly a million ways to tell Tezuka that Fuji loved him, Fuji only had a limited amount of money to buy material "I love you"s. It was probably the most substantial lesson that Fuji learned in junior high-that it was hard to be creative on a budget.
Still, he tried. Which was why he was in this little store, crowded into a corner by girls streaming in to get presents for their boyfriends, no doubt for the date they had planned for Christmas Eve. Fuji was a little jealous-Tezuka had a family function and would be busy. Not that it mattered. They would see each other the next day and go see a movie or something. Christmas was just as romantic, surely. Even more so, Fuji thought. It's the actual event, not the day before the event. Still, it felt like a bit of a loss.
So he turned back to the row of singing plush Christmas trees for a thousand yen each. He thought it would be nice. But Tezuka might not have room for it and Fuji would hate to have to learn someday that his present had been relegated to the back of a closet. Tezuka's desk was always kept bare, but that was because Tezuka spread his things out when he studied, so that was out. The nightstand in Tezuka's room was full with an alarm clock, a page-a-day calendar (from Fuji), a little carved parrot with a place to put glasses (also from Fuji), and a large pile of books (not from Fuji). So that wouldn't do either.
As Fuji pondered just where Tezuka might put a stuffed, singing Christmas tree, someone said, "Oh, it's Fuji!"
Fuji turned around, smiling congenially, wondering what he would say if anyone asked what he was doing. No one knew yet and Fuji didn't want to tell anyone, not before he got a chance to tell the people who mattered himself.
"Eh? Fuji-senpai?"
"Ah, Ryuuzaki-chan." Fuji said, seeing Sakuno and her grandmother. "Are you buying a present for your boyfriend too?"
Ryuuzaki-sensei laughed. "She wishes, don't you Sakuno?"
"Grandma!" Sakuno blushed. "I-I'm not buying a present..." She muttered.
"Mm..." Fuji smiled. "So who isn't she buying a present for?" He asked Ryuuzaki-sensei.
She smiled at him. "Ryoma-kun."
"Oh?" Fuji let a little chuckle leave his lips. "Our Echizen?"
"N-no!" Sakuno exclaimed.
Ryuuzaki-sensei laughed. "All right, all right. So what are you here for, Fuji? Present for a girlfriend?"
Fuji shrugged, deigning not to answer.
"Ah. See, Sakuno? You want someone like Fuji." Ryuuzaki-sensei said. "A nice boy who'll give you all his attention."
Sakuno sputtered and mumbled and blushed and Fuji wondered just how Ryuuzaki-sensei jumped to that conclusion. He said gently, "Ah, but I'm already taken."
Ryuuzaki-sensei started to say something but Sakuno, who apparently thought it would be better to get over her shyness to talk to Fuji than to let her grandmother continue, said, "W-were you buying a present for someone?"
"Probably." Fuji said. "You know, for Echizen-"
"I'm not..."
"Well, for the present that you're not giving Echizen, you might want to just tell him how much you like him." Fuji said. "He's too dense to get it otherwise."
It took a moment for Fuji's suggestion to fully penetrate Sakuno's brain. Then her blush deepened, if it was possible, and she stuttered, "N-no! I d-don't-not R-Ryoma-kun..."
Fuji shrugged. "Is that so?" He asked. "That's a pity. I thought that he kind of liked Ryuuzaki-chan."
Then he bowed politely to Ryuuzaki-sensei and waved to Sakuno and walked down the aisle to where little ceramic cups shaped like snowmen were displayed beneath a large banner proclaiming "50% off!" He laughed silently. Who was he to say what she should do? It wasn't as if he had been able to do any better.
When he left the store, though, he saw her carrying a small bag with a box of chocolates sticking out of it. He smiled pleasantly and waved at her. She blushed, seemingly fighting the urge to go hide behind her grandmother. Instead, she shuffled her feet and carefully avoided his eyes. Fuji shook his head and mouthed 'good luck' before turning to go home.
He hadn't bought anything. Perhaps Tezuka would be disappointed, but Fuji didn't think so. When Christmas came, and Fuji stood in front of Tezuka's house, waiting for his boyfriend to tell his parents that he was going out with some friends for the day, he did so empty handed. Tezuka noticed, of course. Tezuka always noticed. But he didn't ask, because Tezuka never asked.
Instead, they went to a little coffee shop that had grown to be their favorite and sat down. Tezuka ordered his normal tea and Fuji ordered a peppermint hot chocolate. Tezuka raised an eyebrow. Fuji smiled back.
"Tame." Tezuka commented.
Fuji smiled. "I thought I'd try something new."
Tezuka nodded and they waited silently for their drinks to come. Fuji stared idly out the window, wondering where each of the passer-bys were going and strained in vain to see Tezuka's reflection. When the drinks came, Fuji turned from the window and looked at the present that Tezuka had put in front of him.
"You didn't have to." Fuji said, picking the colorfully wrapped package regardless.
Tezuka just picked up his tea and took a sip. Fuji inspected the wrapping, deciding whether he wanted to take his time or just tear it open. The package was light in his hands and he decided that he might as well go slowly. The tape was put on lightly-Tezuka had made it easy to pick off. Then the paper unfolded, slowly, slowly. Out from the wrappings came a little black box which Fuji opened gingerly. Inside were a quill pen and a small inkwell.
"There are more." Tezuka said. Fuji looked at him curiously, so he elaborated. "There are more inkwells."
"Oh." Fuji said. "I just don't get them?" He picked the quill up gently. It looked like it would break with the slightest pressure and Fuji almost couldn't wait to go home and try writing with it.
"They're at my house." Tezuka said. "You'll just have to come over to use them."
Fuji laughed. "That's cheating, Tezuka."
Tezuka smiled at him. Fuji eased the quill back into its case and closed the lid. "I didn't buy anything for you." He told Tezuka. Tezuka didn't say anything, didn't do anything but look slightly curious. "I think I have something better."
"Really." Tezuka murmured.
Fuji nodded and picked up the hot chocolate that he hadn't touched yet. There was no use in getting nervous now, he told himself. "You'll like it." He promised.
Tezuka nodded and didn't ask for more details. Fuji inhaled deeply, letting the smell of peppermint and chocolate overwhelm him, then stood up. Tezuka moved to get up too, but Fuji shook his head and walked around the table to sit next to Tezuka. Tezuka watched him and Fuji was acutely aware of just how intense Tezuka's gaze was at that moment. Then he closed his eyes and leaned forward, feeling Tezuka's lips meeting his own. Fuji moved back only a second later, only a few centimeters. He took a moment to calm himself, then whispered, "I love you, Tezuka."
Then he opened his eyes and saw Tezuka, smiling at him and reaching for him. "I love you too." Tezuka said.
Fuji let Tezuka pull him closer and wondered if he should be thankful that the café was so empty on Christmas day. He wanted to shout it to the world, so everyone would know, but right then, with just the two of them, it was peaceful.
Ideals were never realistic, Fuji knew, but realistic was never ideal.
Rating: G
Words: ~1,500
For: singie
Summary: Fuji learns to say "I love you"
Author's Note: Thank you to eriea for betaing this! Also, I realize that I started writing both TezuFuji's after the other fics, but, uh... They wrote themselves faster?
Fuji had known from the moment that he started going out with Tezuka that theirs was not to be a romantic tale full of passionate "I love you"s or promises of forever. Tezuka had never and would never express any such intimate expressions and Fuji, for all his ungodly genius, would never find the courage to utter those thoughts without encouragement.
Fuji hadn't cared. It would never be his ideal fantasy, but ideals were almost never reality anyways. He contented himself with the little smiles that Tezuka reserved for him and way they could curl up on nights when Fuji's parents weren't home. He was content with giving Tezuka little presents that he thought Tezuka understood. A little box of health destroying chocolate, a warm winter scarf that had taken five months to make and would match with absolutely nothing, a photo album with copies of all of Fuji's favorite photos. All of them said the "I love you" that Fuji couldn't or wouldn't say himself. He was pretty sure that Tezuka understood, because sometimes Fuji would find little things in their bed that Tezuka wouldn't claim and wouldn't have used. Things like a new camera strap, a key to Tezuka's house, a scarf that was a perfectly neutral black that Fuji could wear with anything he owned.
The only problem was that while there were quite possibly a million ways to tell Tezuka that Fuji loved him, Fuji only had a limited amount of money to buy material "I love you"s. It was probably the most substantial lesson that Fuji learned in junior high-that it was hard to be creative on a budget.
Still, he tried. Which was why he was in this little store, crowded into a corner by girls streaming in to get presents for their boyfriends, no doubt for the date they had planned for Christmas Eve. Fuji was a little jealous-Tezuka had a family function and would be busy. Not that it mattered. They would see each other the next day and go see a movie or something. Christmas was just as romantic, surely. Even more so, Fuji thought. It's the actual event, not the day before the event. Still, it felt like a bit of a loss.
So he turned back to the row of singing plush Christmas trees for a thousand yen each. He thought it would be nice. But Tezuka might not have room for it and Fuji would hate to have to learn someday that his present had been relegated to the back of a closet. Tezuka's desk was always kept bare, but that was because Tezuka spread his things out when he studied, so that was out. The nightstand in Tezuka's room was full with an alarm clock, a page-a-day calendar (from Fuji), a little carved parrot with a place to put glasses (also from Fuji), and a large pile of books (not from Fuji). So that wouldn't do either.
As Fuji pondered just where Tezuka might put a stuffed, singing Christmas tree, someone said, "Oh, it's Fuji!"
Fuji turned around, smiling congenially, wondering what he would say if anyone asked what he was doing. No one knew yet and Fuji didn't want to tell anyone, not before he got a chance to tell the people who mattered himself.
"Eh? Fuji-senpai?"
"Ah, Ryuuzaki-chan." Fuji said, seeing Sakuno and her grandmother. "Are you buying a present for your boyfriend too?"
Ryuuzaki-sensei laughed. "She wishes, don't you Sakuno?"
"Grandma!" Sakuno blushed. "I-I'm not buying a present..." She muttered.
"Mm..." Fuji smiled. "So who isn't she buying a present for?" He asked Ryuuzaki-sensei.
She smiled at him. "Ryoma-kun."
"Oh?" Fuji let a little chuckle leave his lips. "Our Echizen?"
"N-no!" Sakuno exclaimed.
Ryuuzaki-sensei laughed. "All right, all right. So what are you here for, Fuji? Present for a girlfriend?"
Fuji shrugged, deigning not to answer.
"Ah. See, Sakuno? You want someone like Fuji." Ryuuzaki-sensei said. "A nice boy who'll give you all his attention."
Sakuno sputtered and mumbled and blushed and Fuji wondered just how Ryuuzaki-sensei jumped to that conclusion. He said gently, "Ah, but I'm already taken."
Ryuuzaki-sensei started to say something but Sakuno, who apparently thought it would be better to get over her shyness to talk to Fuji than to let her grandmother continue, said, "W-were you buying a present for someone?"
"Probably." Fuji said. "You know, for Echizen-"
"I'm not..."
"Well, for the present that you're not giving Echizen, you might want to just tell him how much you like him." Fuji said. "He's too dense to get it otherwise."
It took a moment for Fuji's suggestion to fully penetrate Sakuno's brain. Then her blush deepened, if it was possible, and she stuttered, "N-no! I d-don't-not R-Ryoma-kun..."
Fuji shrugged. "Is that so?" He asked. "That's a pity. I thought that he kind of liked Ryuuzaki-chan."
Then he bowed politely to Ryuuzaki-sensei and waved to Sakuno and walked down the aisle to where little ceramic cups shaped like snowmen were displayed beneath a large banner proclaiming "50% off!" He laughed silently. Who was he to say what she should do? It wasn't as if he had been able to do any better.
When he left the store, though, he saw her carrying a small bag with a box of chocolates sticking out of it. He smiled pleasantly and waved at her. She blushed, seemingly fighting the urge to go hide behind her grandmother. Instead, she shuffled her feet and carefully avoided his eyes. Fuji shook his head and mouthed 'good luck' before turning to go home.
He hadn't bought anything. Perhaps Tezuka would be disappointed, but Fuji didn't think so. When Christmas came, and Fuji stood in front of Tezuka's house, waiting for his boyfriend to tell his parents that he was going out with some friends for the day, he did so empty handed. Tezuka noticed, of course. Tezuka always noticed. But he didn't ask, because Tezuka never asked.
Instead, they went to a little coffee shop that had grown to be their favorite and sat down. Tezuka ordered his normal tea and Fuji ordered a peppermint hot chocolate. Tezuka raised an eyebrow. Fuji smiled back.
"Tame." Tezuka commented.
Fuji smiled. "I thought I'd try something new."
Tezuka nodded and they waited silently for their drinks to come. Fuji stared idly out the window, wondering where each of the passer-bys were going and strained in vain to see Tezuka's reflection. When the drinks came, Fuji turned from the window and looked at the present that Tezuka had put in front of him.
"You didn't have to." Fuji said, picking the colorfully wrapped package regardless.
Tezuka just picked up his tea and took a sip. Fuji inspected the wrapping, deciding whether he wanted to take his time or just tear it open. The package was light in his hands and he decided that he might as well go slowly. The tape was put on lightly-Tezuka had made it easy to pick off. Then the paper unfolded, slowly, slowly. Out from the wrappings came a little black box which Fuji opened gingerly. Inside were a quill pen and a small inkwell.
"There are more." Tezuka said. Fuji looked at him curiously, so he elaborated. "There are more inkwells."
"Oh." Fuji said. "I just don't get them?" He picked the quill up gently. It looked like it would break with the slightest pressure and Fuji almost couldn't wait to go home and try writing with it.
"They're at my house." Tezuka said. "You'll just have to come over to use them."
Fuji laughed. "That's cheating, Tezuka."
Tezuka smiled at him. Fuji eased the quill back into its case and closed the lid. "I didn't buy anything for you." He told Tezuka. Tezuka didn't say anything, didn't do anything but look slightly curious. "I think I have something better."
"Really." Tezuka murmured.
Fuji nodded and picked up the hot chocolate that he hadn't touched yet. There was no use in getting nervous now, he told himself. "You'll like it." He promised.
Tezuka nodded and didn't ask for more details. Fuji inhaled deeply, letting the smell of peppermint and chocolate overwhelm him, then stood up. Tezuka moved to get up too, but Fuji shook his head and walked around the table to sit next to Tezuka. Tezuka watched him and Fuji was acutely aware of just how intense Tezuka's gaze was at that moment. Then he closed his eyes and leaned forward, feeling Tezuka's lips meeting his own. Fuji moved back only a second later, only a few centimeters. He took a moment to calm himself, then whispered, "I love you, Tezuka."
Then he opened his eyes and saw Tezuka, smiling at him and reaching for him. "I love you too." Tezuka said.
Fuji let Tezuka pull him closer and wondered if he should be thankful that the café was so empty on Christmas day. He wanted to shout it to the world, so everyone would know, but right then, with just the two of them, it was peaceful.
Ideals were never realistic, Fuji knew, but realistic was never ideal.