fic - Remembrance Day 9
Remembrance
Pairing: TezukaFuji
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance, Drama
Warnings: shounen ai, spoilers
Disclaimer: Tezuka told Fuji, "Ich liebe dich." Happily enough, Fuji blushed.
Parts: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
A/N: This fic is still alive. And… this is where they finally… ;D
One runs a risk of weeping a little, if one lets himself be tamed… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry
oOo
Remembrance - Day Nine
oOo
Your arrival from Kyushuu undeniably boosted the team’s morale. Though everyone had the determination to win the Nationals and to reach the top, your presence was something else to them. How do I put it? Ah, because, yes, you were very much a pillar to Seigaku - though if you’ve been paying attention, you would have realized that already.
With your guidance and with everyone’s hard work, the team sailed through the elimination rounds successfully, gaining all of you a ticket to the semifinals. The game would be against Shitenhouji. A victory would bring you closer to the top. A loss was not an option. Then again, loss was never an option to you.
You watched him with your usual keen silence as he entered the court to face the most formidable player of Shitenhouji. You probably wondered if he heeded your warning the day before, when you told him that Shiraishi Kuranosuke was, in your opinion, the one to fear the most. As a matter of fact, he did. He respected you (and still respects you), so it follows that he respected the players you respected. As the game progressed, you realized that. He showed a different game against Shiraishi. He was no longer the player who only sought the thrill of tennis. He had become a lion struggling for its survival, its territory with both fierceness and dignity. He played a game, you would later tell him, worthy of recognition.
But though he played his best, the trophy wasn’t his for the taking. Shiraishi was the better man this time. Shiraishi was better equipped. Shiraishi had already learned the determination that he was just starting to learn.
That was the first time he lost an official singles game. That was also the first time he gave a game his all. Thus, his dejection as he joined you and the rest of the team was not unexpected.
After your own game against Chitose (which was actually a doubles game that somehow turned into a singles game between you and Chitose; you really aren’t cut out for doubles, you know?), you stood next to him. You kept glancing at him in what you thought was a surreptitious manner. But he knew better. With his agitation and dejection, he was more alert, more aware of his environment. You must have noticed that he avoided your eyes.
He rejoiced with the rest of the team as Seigaku was declared winner. But you noticed that his smile was tight-lipped, that though he smiled, his eyes did not crinkle.
Aboard the bus, you sat beside him. “You played very well,” you remarked amidst the racket Momoshiro and Kikumaru were making over some leftover packs of Pocky.
“My well wasn’t enough,” he said, smiling bitterly. “Yours, on the other hand, was exemplary. It always is.”
“Fuji, winning isn’t everything,” you said sharply.
“Now you’re contradicting yourself,” he said irritably. “Just this morning, you said we have to win no matter what.”
“We did win.”
“I lost.”
You sighed, knowing that he was doing his best to be disagreeable. And whenever he did that, you knew that his stubbornness could rival your own. Though no one knew, you were the most stubborn person you knew. Probably thinking that you should better wait till he was ready to talk, you leaned back and listened to his sullen silence.
Several minutes later, Ryuzaki-sensei called out from behind the steering wheel. “Tezuka, Kawamura, Echizen, this is your stop, isn’t it?”
You stood up and said, “I’ll be seeing Fuji off, sensei.”
This roused everyone from a sleepy state. Your teammates took a look at his forced smile, at the determined expression on your face and they sat back in quiet understanding. They knew that he was down because of his loss though he refused to show it. They also knew that he would listen to you - eventually anyway.
When everything was settled, he glanced at you and muttered, “I’m not a child.”
“Yes, you are,” you pointed out. “We all are.”
He raised a brow at that, sighed and looked away.
When the bus stopped and Ryuzaki-sensei called out for you and him, you led the way to the sidewalk.
“I can find my way home,” he said quietly as you walked.
You didn’t say anything. You just touched the small of his back and pushed gently, urging him to move forward. Realizing that you wouldn’t let him drive you away, he wordlessly continued walking.
Their house was empty when the two of you reached it. His mother left a note on the foyer table saying that she was out for some grocery shopping and that she hoped that Seigaku reached the semifinals. I think you saw him press his lips as he read the latter part of the note.
“Go ahead,” he said, jerking his head upstairs. “I’ll get some tea.”
You obliged and waited for him in his room. When he arrived, you were sitting cross-legged on the carpeted floor. You had turned the TV on and were watching some scientific documentary on an international cable channel.
“Tea,” he said, dropping to the floor an arm’s length away from you.
Both of you sat in silence, sipping your tea as you watched a jaguar climb a tree, dragging an antelope with it. What felt like ten minutes had passed when he finally spoke, “You must be disappointed.”
“I’m not.” Your eyes were still fixed on the TV. No wonder he had a hard time believing you.
He made a sound of contempt. When you realized that he was still being stubborn, you said, “The game was worthy of recognition. It was the best game you’ve ever had.”
He shrugged. “My best wasn’t good enough to beat Shiraishi.”
“You’re only-“
“I know,” he said, tilting his head thoughtfully. “I’m the one who’s disappointed.” You didn’t speak; instead, you let him continue. “I wanted to win so much.”
“That’s another thing to be proud of,” you told him.
He stared at you for a while, weighing your words. Finally convinced, he nodded and gave you a small but genuine smile. “Tezuka?”
You turned to him. “Mm?”
All of a sudden, he was pulling you towards him. He pressed his lips against yours and began kissing you, coaxing you to return the kiss. You pushed him forward so that he fell flat on the floor. His arms went around your neck and his fingers slipped through your hair as you responded to his kisses.
You kissed and touched for a long time. You couldn’t even hear the roar of the lions on TV what with the moans and sounds you were both making. When you stopped, you sat up straight again. You watched him lie on the floor. You had that flushed look on your face as you watched his chest rise and fall in quick, ragged breaths.
You checked your watch. “I need to go. I’m expected home a quarter of an hour ago.”
Raising himself by the elbows, he grinned. “You’ve become irresponsible, Tezuka.”
You ignored this and said, “May I use your bathroom?”
“Sure. You know where it is.”
In front of the bathroom mirror, you fixed your hair down to the shortest strand to make it look as if it had never been touched. You kept pressing your shirt to straighten the creases he had made.
“Next time, I won’t lose,” he said so suddenly that you almost jumped out of surprise.
You turned and found him leaning against the doorframe. He had his arms crossed and he was wearing an extremely pleased smile.
“I know.”
He walked across the bathroom to reach you. He tiptoed to give you a kiss, but you backed away. “No. I just fixed my hair.”
He grinned and kissed you nonetheless.
-tbc-
oOo
As his lips opened slightly with the suspicion of a half-smile, I said to myself, again: “What moves me so deeply, about this little prince who is sleeping here, is his loyalty to a flower - the image of a rose that shines through his whole being like the flame of a lamp, even when he is asleep…” And I felt him to be more fragile still. I felt the need of protecting him, as if he himself were a flame that might be extinguished by a little puff of the wind… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry
oOo
A/N: I hope sullen Fuji wasn’t OOC. I merely wanted to show that he has human emotions too, especially after that loss against Shiraishi. If the kiss lacked… uhh… details, that’s because I didn’t want the narrator to sound like a pron storyteller. XD
Pairing: TezukaFuji
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance, Drama
Warnings: shounen ai, spoilers
Disclaimer: Tezuka told Fuji, "Ich liebe dich." Happily enough, Fuji blushed.
Parts: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
A/N: This fic is still alive. And… this is where they finally… ;D
One runs a risk of weeping a little, if one lets himself be tamed… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry
oOo
Remembrance - Day Nine
oOo
Your arrival from Kyushuu undeniably boosted the team’s morale. Though everyone had the determination to win the Nationals and to reach the top, your presence was something else to them. How do I put it? Ah, because, yes, you were very much a pillar to Seigaku - though if you’ve been paying attention, you would have realized that already.
With your guidance and with everyone’s hard work, the team sailed through the elimination rounds successfully, gaining all of you a ticket to the semifinals. The game would be against Shitenhouji. A victory would bring you closer to the top. A loss was not an option. Then again, loss was never an option to you.
You watched him with your usual keen silence as he entered the court to face the most formidable player of Shitenhouji. You probably wondered if he heeded your warning the day before, when you told him that Shiraishi Kuranosuke was, in your opinion, the one to fear the most. As a matter of fact, he did. He respected you (and still respects you), so it follows that he respected the players you respected. As the game progressed, you realized that. He showed a different game against Shiraishi. He was no longer the player who only sought the thrill of tennis. He had become a lion struggling for its survival, its territory with both fierceness and dignity. He played a game, you would later tell him, worthy of recognition.
But though he played his best, the trophy wasn’t his for the taking. Shiraishi was the better man this time. Shiraishi was better equipped. Shiraishi had already learned the determination that he was just starting to learn.
That was the first time he lost an official singles game. That was also the first time he gave a game his all. Thus, his dejection as he joined you and the rest of the team was not unexpected.
After your own game against Chitose (which was actually a doubles game that somehow turned into a singles game between you and Chitose; you really aren’t cut out for doubles, you know?), you stood next to him. You kept glancing at him in what you thought was a surreptitious manner. But he knew better. With his agitation and dejection, he was more alert, more aware of his environment. You must have noticed that he avoided your eyes.
He rejoiced with the rest of the team as Seigaku was declared winner. But you noticed that his smile was tight-lipped, that though he smiled, his eyes did not crinkle.
Aboard the bus, you sat beside him. “You played very well,” you remarked amidst the racket Momoshiro and Kikumaru were making over some leftover packs of Pocky.
“My well wasn’t enough,” he said, smiling bitterly. “Yours, on the other hand, was exemplary. It always is.”
“Fuji, winning isn’t everything,” you said sharply.
“Now you’re contradicting yourself,” he said irritably. “Just this morning, you said we have to win no matter what.”
“We did win.”
“I lost.”
You sighed, knowing that he was doing his best to be disagreeable. And whenever he did that, you knew that his stubbornness could rival your own. Though no one knew, you were the most stubborn person you knew. Probably thinking that you should better wait till he was ready to talk, you leaned back and listened to his sullen silence.
Several minutes later, Ryuzaki-sensei called out from behind the steering wheel. “Tezuka, Kawamura, Echizen, this is your stop, isn’t it?”
You stood up and said, “I’ll be seeing Fuji off, sensei.”
This roused everyone from a sleepy state. Your teammates took a look at his forced smile, at the determined expression on your face and they sat back in quiet understanding. They knew that he was down because of his loss though he refused to show it. They also knew that he would listen to you - eventually anyway.
When everything was settled, he glanced at you and muttered, “I’m not a child.”
“Yes, you are,” you pointed out. “We all are.”
He raised a brow at that, sighed and looked away.
When the bus stopped and Ryuzaki-sensei called out for you and him, you led the way to the sidewalk.
“I can find my way home,” he said quietly as you walked.
You didn’t say anything. You just touched the small of his back and pushed gently, urging him to move forward. Realizing that you wouldn’t let him drive you away, he wordlessly continued walking.
Their house was empty when the two of you reached it. His mother left a note on the foyer table saying that she was out for some grocery shopping and that she hoped that Seigaku reached the semifinals. I think you saw him press his lips as he read the latter part of the note.
“Go ahead,” he said, jerking his head upstairs. “I’ll get some tea.”
You obliged and waited for him in his room. When he arrived, you were sitting cross-legged on the carpeted floor. You had turned the TV on and were watching some scientific documentary on an international cable channel.
“Tea,” he said, dropping to the floor an arm’s length away from you.
Both of you sat in silence, sipping your tea as you watched a jaguar climb a tree, dragging an antelope with it. What felt like ten minutes had passed when he finally spoke, “You must be disappointed.”
“I’m not.” Your eyes were still fixed on the TV. No wonder he had a hard time believing you.
He made a sound of contempt. When you realized that he was still being stubborn, you said, “The game was worthy of recognition. It was the best game you’ve ever had.”
He shrugged. “My best wasn’t good enough to beat Shiraishi.”
“You’re only-“
“I know,” he said, tilting his head thoughtfully. “I’m the one who’s disappointed.” You didn’t speak; instead, you let him continue. “I wanted to win so much.”
“That’s another thing to be proud of,” you told him.
He stared at you for a while, weighing your words. Finally convinced, he nodded and gave you a small but genuine smile. “Tezuka?”
You turned to him. “Mm?”
All of a sudden, he was pulling you towards him. He pressed his lips against yours and began kissing you, coaxing you to return the kiss. You pushed him forward so that he fell flat on the floor. His arms went around your neck and his fingers slipped through your hair as you responded to his kisses.
You kissed and touched for a long time. You couldn’t even hear the roar of the lions on TV what with the moans and sounds you were both making. When you stopped, you sat up straight again. You watched him lie on the floor. You had that flushed look on your face as you watched his chest rise and fall in quick, ragged breaths.
You checked your watch. “I need to go. I’m expected home a quarter of an hour ago.”
Raising himself by the elbows, he grinned. “You’ve become irresponsible, Tezuka.”
You ignored this and said, “May I use your bathroom?”
“Sure. You know where it is.”
In front of the bathroom mirror, you fixed your hair down to the shortest strand to make it look as if it had never been touched. You kept pressing your shirt to straighten the creases he had made.
“Next time, I won’t lose,” he said so suddenly that you almost jumped out of surprise.
You turned and found him leaning against the doorframe. He had his arms crossed and he was wearing an extremely pleased smile.
“I know.”
He walked across the bathroom to reach you. He tiptoed to give you a kiss, but you backed away. “No. I just fixed my hair.”
He grinned and kissed you nonetheless.
-tbc-
oOo
As his lips opened slightly with the suspicion of a half-smile, I said to myself, again: “What moves me so deeply, about this little prince who is sleeping here, is his loyalty to a flower - the image of a rose that shines through his whole being like the flame of a lamp, even when he is asleep…” And I felt him to be more fragile still. I felt the need of protecting him, as if he himself were a flame that might be extinguished by a little puff of the wind… - The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry
oOo
A/N: I hope sullen Fuji wasn’t OOC. I merely wanted to show that he has human emotions too, especially after that loss against Shiraishi. If the kiss lacked… uhh… details, that’s because I didn’t want the narrator to sound like a pron storyteller. XD