Unattainable
by SIB

Author Notes: I will say no word in my defense for there are no words in language of men enough to explain why I deserve the title “the slowest updater”! Well to be honest, I was suffering a writer’s block and was astonishingly busy, although I can not tell clearly what I have been doing all these times ^_^* My deepest apology to anyone who is waiting for this update... I promise I won’t neglect it like this anymore. Well, to make some amend, although I know it’s not enough, I give you this chapter. Quite long as far as I can see and there’s interesting little detail at the near end ^^ Just read it if you want to know!

DISCLAIMER: Not mine and never will be.

WARNING:

For the entire story: (read in the first chapter)

For this particular chapter: Between PG-13 and R, depend on your own beliefs ^^ Still I strongly advise you to remember why I rated this fic R. I do have reasons and I think you may find some of them in this chapter. One more thing, for you who cannot bear the thought that Eiji was jealous of what Fuji did, I don’t think you should read this chapter.

Italicized words mean the words are somehow important.

/Italicized words in here/ represent the characters’ thought, whose thought it is I think you can guess.
Unattainable

Chapter 2: Insanity

Seigaku High School; Class 3-6

September 12 – 11:48 a.m.

Fuji Shuusuke had been staring to the tree bark behind his glass window for more than five minutes as the teacher standing in front of the class was reciting the history of World War I. Not that she did not notice him, he was sure, but it was mainly because she already knew what the particular student was capable of.

Most of Seigaku’s teachers had learned well not to mess with the new student in their class. Once the Chemistry’s teacher was fuming beyond tolerance that his new disciple seemed to be interested more to a little sparrow dancing on the dry crackly branch than his long delicate speech about atomic structure. Almost as immediate, he bombarded the smiling innocently guy with questions. Since the given answers were even more faultless than any he could imagine, he tried more questions out of the subject they were studying. And his final conclusion was an A+ was still too unpretentious to be awarded to Fuji.

The reactions of the other teaching staffs were various. There were some whose curiosity could only be sated by witnessing his out-of-question knowledge with their own eyes. And there were some who preferred to stay silent and found themselves to be astonished by the answer sheet he handed in daily tests. In a short span of time, the ‘prodigy’ title was not dedicated to the tensai out of tennis only, but also because of his academic aptitude.

Now that after two months no more teachers would shout and admonish him to pay more respectable attention, he could stare without restraint to anywhere he pleased. A lone tree bark without any sparrow was his object of attention at the moment. If the World History’s teacher had a skill to read what was in his mind, she would discover that her brightest student was far from adoring the dull brown tree. He had other things in mind, such as his best friend.

Fuji stole a look at the person sitting next to him. A hand propped his chin up and the usually effervescent blue eyes dimmed in deep sullen thoughts. Kikumaru had been in foul mood since he greeted him this morning with a ‘ohayou’, which were not replied. And unless he was only seeing things, his best friend was deliberately ignoring every little thing he said.

He drifted his eyes back to the window; this time he chose to observe a cluster of yellowish flower surrounded by green grass few metres down on the ground. It was oddly quiet without continuous sighs –combined with groans- of his friend every time their teacher elaborated more and more difficult theories or his desperate pleas for Fuji to re-explain the theories in ‘common language’.

Not that he had none in mind about the peculiar sudden alteration; they had been friends for two months and it was more than enough for Fuji to know and memorize everything about everyone close to him. And now he could indisputably tell that his ‘date’ with the vice-captain of the team was the answer to all riddles.

A band of guys running into the school building caught his attention and immediately his sight moved to a face he recognized. The cold feature of his captain. Fuji felt the corners of his lips were pulled upward as the result of some implausible delight. It always pleased him to look at the all-serious face. Tezuka might know the true identity of him but the tensai was sure, every slight of information he had bothered to share was not a threat to the assassin inside him. What could he do with all the guessing he made? Still no proof at all.

The captain seemed oblivious that there was someone on the second floor unobtrusively looking at him –except if the countless giggling girls following behind him were counted in. No wonder he was a magnet to those girls. Fuji nodded in agreement as he appraised the well-built body. It was obvious Tezuka did a lot of training –someone could only acquire the nicely-muscled body from hard and long trainings, accompanied by astonishing amount of patience.

Yes, he must admit that his captain was nice to be beheld. And there was his coldness. Not a minus apparently, at least not to his fans who thought it made him cooler even more. The prodigy liked it –it entertained him to see someone so sedative around him, beside the thrill he felt to demolish the calmness. Yet, for now, staring at him was adequate. He almost laughed at how the emotionless visage was tarried by a frown as the result of a screaming made by one of the girls. Oh yes, he liked to see any expression that face could show him.

Liked?

He practically froze as the train of thoughts was finished. Did he just feel that he liked to stare at him? No way he could think of such a thing. With a great effort, Fuji compelled his eyes to look at the teacher who was still chattering flatly. With more efforts he tried to listen and take notes. It worked; his heart no longer felt awkward.

Fuji heaved a long sigh. Everything had worked on the right track once more. Nothing to be worried of, or at least that was what he thought before he read his handwriting.

Buchou.

Almost as immediate, the prodigy scratched the word out in sudden fierceness. Anger bred inside of him as he snapped his notebook closed. He was furious of how he let himself to be overrun by a simple trivial matter. Tezuka was nothing, only a captain he could easily defeat. No importance at all. Would he let an outsider to ruin everything he had gained in seventeen years of practice? No, thank you.

Fortunately the bell rang, the end of the World History’s lesson had come at last. With a lighter heart, Fuji stood up and watched Kikumaru rushing quickly to the door, out of the class. Fuji frowned; his best friend was still mad with him. But why would he care? It was much more important to gain valuables information by dating Oishi than what his so-called friend felt, wasn’t it? Then why did he have an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach?

Whatever. He shook his head and decided that the school roof would be a nice quiet place to enjoy his lunch. And he had his chaotic feelings to deal with.

He grabbed his lunch box and made his way to the top of the school. Often he had to widen his smile and reply the greetings given at his direction by other students. Admittedly, the new life he gained in Seigaku was not bad at all, even rather enjoyable. Unfortunately it was out of duty only his presence there.

The cool breeze greeted him as he opened the doorway to the roof. Much to his delight, a figure of someone he knew well stood before his eyes, leaning to the rail.

“Tezuka?” What a pleasant surprise.

The captain did nothing in return, save to divert his gaze that it lay on the newcomer now, as serene as always. Fuji offered his sweetest smile; he was truly pleased by the fortuitous happening, a complete opposite of the taller guy’s must be feeling at the moment.

“A nice day, isn’t it?” the prodigy drew close to his standing leader, “no wonder you’re spending the precious lunch time here, even without any lunch,” he added after the observation he made that Tezuka brought nothing but himself and the uniform he wore. Apprehensively he opened his lunch box, revealing a great deal of onigiris and fried chicken, along with pickles. “Care to join me?”

Tezuka tore his gaze from his friend, back to the football field he had been staring at, as he murmured, “No, thanks.”

/As frosty as always./ “Really?” the smile faded a bit, showing his disappointment for only a blink of an eye, since at the next second his beam looked even brighter, “Ah, well, then I will accompany you to enjoy the view.” And I’m as intrigued as always...

This statement managed to raise even a slightest reaction from the cold guy. Tezuka stole a glance at Fuji, an evident the prodigy could proudly claim that the captain was somehow restless due to his presence. The smile remained flat as Fuji closed his lunch box and said, “I will have no lunch myself. It is impolite to eat while my company doesn’t, isn’t it?”

No response came from the captain; not that he would give a damn care whether an assassin who happened to be his teammate had any lunch or chose not to. His eyes were prolifically fixed on the green field of tennis courts. Fuji leant to the railing beside him and observed the courts himself. Even from a distance as far as where they were standing at, he could make a point of who were having a match –or at least a little game during the break- far down there. The fiery auburn hair could fraud nobody, least of all him, the classmate sitting beside.

For a moment, both of the tennis genius watched the heating-up match between Kikumaru and Momoshiro. The second grader looked as vehement as always while his adversary did nothing but returning the shots he was given with the least eagerness any tennis player could spare. This, of course, was not a thing that could be tolerated by Momoshiro regarding his conduct. A minute later the match was stopped inequitably, due to a protest from the rascal of the team.

Fuji frowned. He never had a thought of how his deeds could impinge on his friend’s performance so greatly. He had always held onto the code that no personal emotions were permitted to blight any affair as important as tennis. But apparently at this side of his world, not everybody were willing to share the same belief, save for Tezuka.

Nonchalantly he tore his gaze from the two to the captain, whose attention was foundered only too deep for the ongoing wrangle –obviously Kikumaru’s way of playing had not gone unnoticed by him. Momoshiro himself was not a person taking a sort of ‘insult’ lying down and the fact that there would be incessant objections coming from he was almost as certain as the sun rising up tomorrow. Unfortunately it was Kikumaru he was facing, and as soon as the complaints seeped through the acrobatic player’s hot head, a quarrel was indisputable. And with himself, a cold-blooded murderer lurking around, Fuji could almost feel pity to his leader. One could only deal with bad luck for so much, but didn’t he like to see people suffer?

“I can see you have so many troubles at hand, my captain.” A temptation to tease was always one of his weak points and the prodigy felt reluctant to give this chance away. Perhaps because it was Tezuka, the one that intrigued him the most.

“Hn.”

Well, at least he got a reply, even if in a shape of the simplest it was. His gaze fell back to the court and its bickering occupants. The clash seemed to mount even worse as far as his eyes could infer and Fuji could not help but to comment, “Our team will be in jeopardy if this situation last for long, don’t you think so, Tezuka?”

“I’m sure as hell you know who the person responsible for this jeopardy is,” the sarcasm within the captain’s voice was everything but inaudible.

Fuji’s smile was eternal. “Do I?”

“Don’t play around with me.”

A tone caught his attention and Fuji found himself staring back at seething brown pools. He knew he had reached what he aimed for, to see his cool leader at the brink of his patience. Nevertheless he noted a tinge of discomfort marring the rest of his contentment. Was it also because it was Tezuka? Perhaps, even if he could give nothing to enlighten those who wanted to know why it did exist in the first place.

“Is that an allegation?” the tensai could feel his mounting interest.

“Only for murderers.”

“Interesting, but it would help much if you were to give a name.”

“I know what you are.”

“I wonder which one.”

Firm fingers caught his chin in tight grasp that the prodigy almost winced. Of course he realized that Tezuka was physically powerful but never once a thought of his captain had the heart to perform any shape of violence to him crossed his mind, above all at the moment. He always thought of an announcement from the dignified leader if any battle was to take place.

“You know what, you can use those lips for better purposes.”

The grip grew stiffer –almost iron-like- and Fuji would have thrown the captain down straight on his ass if only he did not feel his lips were caught afterwards. All he could see and feel were the deep brown eyes piercing his blue one and before he could come back to his senses, he had been released.

“Rather than provoking me.”

With those four little words, Tezuka turned around and strode into the school building, leaving the tensai as a numb victim of his doings. For a full minute, only hurl of wind befriended him at the deserted school roof, as his mind, which suffered a malfunction merely a while ago, started to reel again and pointlessly tried to register the incredulous incident. Perhaps the warning was right after all; Tezuka was not one to play around.

But then, this current matter would not be so fascinating anymore if the ‘play’ was cut down.

A smile found its way to his lips, where he could still taste the short but fierce kiss. No, it was not even a kiss, just touching of lips to say. Nonetheless, it was too much if revenge was the only intention and it was Tezuka, the strict ice-hearted agent we were talking about. It must be more than that and Fuji would be only too happy to learn the veritable motive. He was not ready to cut that ‘play’ down, at least not for a while.

And he must admit, he liked the way his captain kissed him. A lot.

----- -----

Seigaku High School; Tennis Courts

September 12 - 06:01 p.m.

Think before you act.

Tezuka shifted slowly from his far-from-comfortable standing pose as the words echoed inside his skull, for perhaps the hundredth times –not that he even bothered to count in the first place. The fact that he had run through a whole set of heavy sweat-dropping evening practices with those words chiming within his head and came out as a still very much sane man afterwards was a record worth writing in the Guinness Book of Records. It was perhaps unbelievable but he could never deny anyone accusing that the echo was still plaguing him, even now.

How the hell he could kiss his friend –he counted Fuji in as a ‘friend’ for now, despite his unofficial occupation- with no plausible reason at hand was a question with answers lay imperturbably unknown in front of him. It was perhaps the first time in his long seventeen years of life that he chose to foremostly act rather than to think and weigh the profits and losses. He was not sure of wanting to repeat the ludicrous blunder for the second time, if he foresaw the consequences he might have to take with Fuji involved. It was terrible enough and miserably he knew well that the predicament he was into was far from over. It would get worse, indubitably.

“Tezuka!”

The named one witnessed his vice-captain, already clad in his dark school uniform, rushed and ultimately stopped in front of him with breath ragging. Swinging his bag to his other shoulder, Oishi briskly said, “The changing room’s key, I have put it in your locker –you left it unlocked this afternoon. I hope it won’t do you many troubles, Tezuka, I’m deeply sorry. I would do my chore as usual if only I didn’t have to be in so much haste.”

Oh right, he remembered. Oishi had told him about an all-of-sudden family gathering his grandparents had arranged in order to assemble the whole large family of the Oishis in a warm yet rare meeting. And their dearest grandson of course had no heart to turn their hopes down. Since he was the key-holder, a niche which practically put him as the very last person leaving their changing room, the task ought to be handed to someone else this particular evening. Tezuka himself had never minded to help a friend, despite his rather cold exterior.

“Don’t mention it,” the captain retorted, also to convince his friend, who obviously was also a worrywart, that his request could never be more a piece of cake. What was it, compared to the innumerable calamities Fuji had brought him?

A smile lightened Oishi’s anxious face. “Well, then I’ll leave this matter at your hand today. Really thanks a lot, Tezuka. Ah, and you can put it in my locker tomorrow morning if you want –it may be easier, but I won’t forbade you to give it in class either. I’ll meet you again tomorrow, Tezuka, and my most sincere thanks! Sorry for any nuisance caused. See you!”

The taller guy nodded, watching his friend rushed leaving the courts behind. Oishi had sacrificed a lot for the team, too much for one in his position. Even Ryuzaki-sensei had noted so. A couple of breaks were well-deserved.

Involuntarily he caught a pair of dark-blue eyes watching him intently. As soon as he took at that direction, Kikumaru turned away and walked to the changing room, almost too hastily. A frown creased the captain’s brow. It was only a little chat between two in-charges for God’s sake! How he prayed the redhead would have enough senses not to breed that incredulous thought inside him! He had no wish to add more troubles to himself by a single covetous acrobatic player with burning jealousy.

Releasing a short sigh, Tezuka sent his attention back to the busily picking balls freshmen. And instantaneously, his thought was lulled back to Fuji once more. Fuji and his unrelenting smile. Almost as immediate, a headache assailed his head.

/Great./

He blinked –as if a mere blink could cure the pain- and turned on his heels to the packed out changing room. The only thing he craved for was a cool shower since the headache would eventually kill him in any minute. Nevertheless, he tried to keep his composure in place, feeling suddenly afraid of the possibility that one of his teammates was able to read his mind. It was quite fortunate Oishi had left or else he might come up with various ridiculous ideas, such as his captain kept certain secreted feelings toward the tensai of the team.

The thought stopped his strides like a thunderstruck. Was there any chance the guessing to be true? Certainly he was not fool enough to commit such idiocy or else he had been kicked out of I2 by now. To bestow a murderer with any kind of sympathy! What could be more horrifying?

More people passed him by, either with a farewell or merely a nod, and Tezuka still stood rooted to the ground. Not that the inquiring glances were unnoticed by him, instead he was clearly aware of them. Yet, his brain was so overly cramped with a certain ridiculous possibility that no other information was permitted to penetrate. Ridiculous was the right word, it was the most laughable thing he had ever come across.

Hesitated steps pulled him out of his reveries as he pictured in mind the acrobatic player was walking out of the changing room almost stealthily. Those eyes had never left a spot few metres behind him, as if looking at his captain could put him in trouble. Tezuka almost laughed at this notion, wondering if there was really anyone on earth handling more troubles than he did at the moment. However, standing dim-wittedly there as the centre of many attentions obviously would do him no good. Then he remembered the shower he was about to take and resumed his stroll. The uncanny weariness he felt was overwhelming and eliminating the tensai from his mind for a moment seemed to be a fantastic idea. He had enough of Fuji and his smile.

Thankfully, he found the changing room to be deserted of any living man. A quiet cooling shower should be able to help him erasing any absurd thoughts plaguing his little grey cells. Much more relaxed than a minute ago, the captain searched through his locker for a towel, without awareness that one of the shower stalls had its door currently closed.

He could find no sin he had committed so great that he deserved sort of punishment as he turned into the shower stalls and met the aquamarine pools looking straight into his eyes. He would not cry out loud obviously, still he could deny that the sudden emergence almost ceased his heart from beating. It took nearly every effort he could maintain to remain his visage impassive.

“Tezuka, I thought you had left already.” And he needed to double his efforts to keep himself from flinching as the gentle voice rang merrily throughout the room.

“I haven’t.”

The captain almost could not provide adequate amount of strength within him to keep his voice even as he noticed the other guy was wrapped in nothing but a towel lavishing the slim pallid waist. He could easily make out the outline of the hipbones –it was neither thick nor heavy towel he wore- which granted him a lot easier access to picture a very much naked prodigy standing in front of him.

Now the shower did not seem so inviting.

“I suppose you want to take the shower?”

The suggestion almost felt ludicrous, even in his judgment, compared to the idea of standing right where he was, ravishing the exposed white skin. He had never thought a plain sheet of fabric such as their tennis shirt could do so much in preserving the pallor of one’s skin. And he was close enough that he could smell the fresh fragrance of the soap Fuji had used, so close that he could almost feel the skin on his lips, too close that the urge to do it placed his sanity at stake. He had to, or else the sanity itself would leave him.

A small chuckle escaped Fuji’s lips and Tezuka caught his gaze. A finely satisfied smile embellished the fair face as his owner decreased if there was indeed any distance left between them and brushed his lips, almost touching the left earlobe of his captain. With a low melodious voice, he murmured, “You can stand there, watching me if you want.”

And he walked passing him by. Tezuka chose the right time to divert his gaze and enter the shower stall as he caught a glimpse of Fuji sliding the towel off. Once he was inside, instantly the captain locked it. Well, at least now he had a quite weighty door barring him and his immeasurable desire.

It was not that he had not seen his other fellow teammates in a complete state of undress; of course he had, they had shared the changing room for almost two years in count. Yet the fact that it was Fuji made a large difference. Now that he recalled it, the captain had never seen him naked even for once. Of course the detail that there were only the two of them left also made an inconceivable diversity. Certainly he would act in a different level of wisdom with many people watching.

Tezuka took a deep breath, sensing every part of his body was in tremor. Never once had he felt so helpless, even in the most critical moment he had been going through in his countless missions. And now, his friend and actually a guy, made him quivering like a prey caught in a trap. Distinctly he could hear Fuji humming softly to himself; he was sure as hell the wicked prodigy had a smug smile on his face right now, a hint of victory. Of course, how could he be more successful than making the ice king shivering like a baby in a shower stall and he himself enjoying the upper position by prowling about outside, waiting with wolfish patience? Sure he would never trade the moment for anything.

Another breath was taken in and thankfully it lit some senses within him. He had nowhere to go, unless he was willing to face the hunter outside –obviously the last option he would choose- and the shower seemed to be the only alternative for now.

Standing under the shimmering water brought him no comfort, even the splashing of water could not extinguish the tuneless humming Fuji sang. Either it was genuinely the prodigy’s voice he heard or merely his mind fooling himself, Tezuka could not tell. The only thing he could do was wishing silently for the maddening tone to vanish into oblivion. Gratefully it did a minute later and the captain could breath in relief afterwards. In return, he thought he heard purring of a cat, which was dismissed for a fragment of his fantasy only. Never thought the tensai could do him so much.

His luck did not last for long, as he stepped out of the stall and found his nightmare – only in trousers and still shirtless- sitting comfortably on the wooden bench, stroking a cat he recalled as Echizen’s. As fast as he could take a bath, certainly Fuji would need lesser time to pack up, wouldn’t he? Thankfully he had the towel already wrapped about his waist.

Aware of the quiet scrutiny upon him, Fuji looked up and smiled, “I found him inside my locker. I didn’t lock it this morning but I never thought he would actually choose mine to spend all the afternoon sleeping.”

Tezuka walked to his own locker as if he could not care less and replied off-handedly, “You should let him go or Echizen will get anxious.”

There was a content purr coming from the cat –he believed the name was Karupin- and Tezuka dug even deeper into his locker to prevent his irreverent want, that those fingers should be stroking him, from mounting even higher.

“But the door is locked, Tezuka. I suppose you’re the one with the key?”

The statement halted his hands immediately. Locked? Of course he held the key but how could it be locked when he did not have any memory whatsoever of locking it? There must be a mistake. He searched through his locker at once only to find that he could not discover any trace left of the key Oishi claimed had been put there.

His suspicion practically fell on Fuji who obviously the only one beside him in the crime scene, unless the cat accidentally moved the key somewhere else, which seemed most unlikely. With a towering wrath he decided to confront the suspect right away.

“Where is the key?”

The prodigy stared at the guy standing furiously before him in pure bewilderment –or it was an acting only too good? “Eh? I thought the key was in your possession since Oishi’s not here.”

“It was, but unless it can fly on its own, apparently someone has a very clever idea to steal it.”

The angel-like smile shone even brighter, “And you think I’m the one who steal it?”

“Since there is no one but you and me here, I don’t see any other possibility.” Tezuka felt he was loosing the small amount of left patience he had. Just how far did the prodigy intend to push him?

They stared each other for a minute before Fuji amusedly said, “I don’t suppose you have any proof to accuse me, am I right?”

It was too much. The captain knew not what had gone into his senses when he lunged forward –causing Karupin to leap down from Fuji’s lap- and caught the tensai in a kiss. The later was taken aback for a moment before he started to respond and it left them in battling of tongues. All thoughts left him and he could only feel lust and wanting. He knew he wanted the person he was kissing.

After a few minutes the battle grew worse and he could find no way to escape. His lungs were burning but the prodigy would not let him go. His tongue continuously caressed every part of his mouth, so fierce that he could feel his lips were swollen enough. Both breaths had come into ragged gasps and still he could not stop. The captain had never known Fuji possessed such strength until the tensai pushed him from the bench right to the hard floor. The pain he bore was severe yet the guy on top of him seemed to have no intention to stop.

And suddenly he did stop.

Tezuka opened his eyes and looked into a pair of azure orbs watching him keenly. He was convinced to the core that this guy was true a murderer. Only a murderer could own a kind of eyes, ominous and passionless. Yet, he had no enough valors to imagine how his own eyes were looked like. Were they showing hunger that he usually so much despised?

Without a word, Fuji lowered his lips and despite still breathing heavily, he drew his captain into another battle. Using the advantages he gained for having the upper position to its full extent, he inserted his tongue, tasted every point wildly that it was impossible for the other tongue not to react. But Fuji overlooked one little detail. His leader was stronger, even if only a bit, than him. He only felt great weight pushed him and the next second they had taken turns, yet still kissing. They broke apart and Tezuka was now hovering above him.

They watched at each other, both hungry beasts out of too much restraint. Suddenly lust overtook him and the captain remembered none, save the stripping of the trousers Fuji wore. He could faintly feel his own towel was pulled off as his mouth began to ravish the other’s. For a moment, he thought only of how wrong every thing was and yet, he could not bring himself to stop. Too long he had wanted this.

Amidst the gasps, he looked down to the blue eyes. There was something new, he could not picture clearly what it was, but they were not as lifeless as before. Fuji wanted it also, that was all he could make out and without further warning, he entered the guy beneath him.

Fuji moaned, both in pain and pleasure, which made his lust was more blinding than ever. For a long time, only moans and whimpers filled the room, before a final scream from both rang throughout the empty room.

They stayed still for a while, covered in sweat. Tezuka kept his eyes shut for several minutes, letting flood of guilt overcame him that he felt so unworthy. But it was too late. Nothing he could do would make amend of what he had done. The fact that he was just having sex with his friend, a guy and an assassin to be precise, left him in a state of shame. Yesterday, he would laugh at anyone telling him this was about to happen and now it did.

Gathering strength in his worn-out muscles, he moved aside. With the corner of his eyes, he took a sidelong glance at Fuji, who seemed to be sleeping out of weariness. Tons of emotions overran him when he looked at the fair serene face. He knew he had to talk.

“Fuji.”

His lips tasted weird when the name was uttered. The name felt too grand, too noble for him to say.

“Look, about our love-making-“

“Love-making?” the voice of the prodigy was impassive, “I thought it was just you fucking me.”

He stared at Fuji, whose eyes were still shut tightly. Yes, everything was too late for now he could say that he had developed some feelings toward this particular friend. Tezuka was no stranger with sex, and although it was his first time with a guy, there was an immense difference in it that it was far from meaningless. Perhaps they started only with lust, but what did they end with? The tensai had a right to be furious, although he obviously had his share of responsibility too with all the teasing he made. Still, Tezuka knew it was wrong to just fuck anyone who merely teased him, even if the temptation had gone exceedingly far from normal.

After several seconds passed without anyone saying anything, he took a deep breath and murmured, “I apologize.”

“I don’t need that,” the aqua eyes flung open and they stared at him evenly, “I want to know what you feel now.”

The captain was loss at words; never in his dreams he had imagined the emotionless prodigy would inquire something as absurd as feelings. Yet now he was observed with a degree of seriousness which was impossible to ignore. The other guy was not joking.

“I don’t know.”

There was another long silence engulfing them both and suddenly Tezuka felt his hand was clasped by another. He turned to see Fuji already had his eyes closed, as if he was content by the answer. “You don’t need to. Let us just sleep and perhaps tomorrow everything will be all right. And we will forget because this is just a dream.”

/A dream?/

It could never be a mere dream for him. The fact that they had had sex could not be swept away only by a nightlong sleep, nor the emotions it had resulted. Unconsciously he muttered, “Is it what you want?”

Fuji’s fingers squeezed his. “What I want is not meant for us, unless you want to give it a try.”

Could he? Tezuka had never thought of going into relationship more than friend. If he had ever had sex before, it was merely a release of desire he felt, not a form of a melancholy feeling called love. But, well, maybe, just maybe, it was harmless to give it a try. He felt his lips slowly formed a smile –thankfully the room was dark since the sun had set for long. “Perhaps.”

All of a sudden he felt a pair of arms encircled him from behind and the prodigy’s warm skin on his back. “Thanks. That’s what I want to hear.”

Wrapped in his friend’s arms, Tezuka could feel nothing but contentment. Now, everything seemed so right, and it was only a few words which changed them. Sighing inaudibly, he threw a glance to the keyhole. Whether there was the fit key or not, he as the best agent of I2 could have easily opened it and yet, he did not feel like to. Why he chose to do so he did not understand, but perhaps he did not need to understand anyway. It was unlikely to be any rational account for what he felt at the moment.

Although most parts of the room were closed from the chill night air outside, still the coolness could penetrate into the room. As much as he wanted to stay silently held by Fuji, the captain would not risk his health. “Perhaps we should put the clothes on or else we would catch a cold tomorrow,” he suggested.

In a matter of second, Fuji had sat on his lap. Amazed by the agility the assassin possessed, the captain was purely drowned in the captivating blue depths as he stared into them.

“I have more interesting ways to warm ourselves than clothes, my captain,” and Fuji pushed the taller guy down.

Claiming the other’s lips once more, he stole a glance at the keyhole. Of course, he wasn’t lying when he declared himself innocent and yet, to open a kind of lock was something he had done since he was seven years old, not to mention he had a complete set of lock-picks hidden in the space within his shoe heels. But perhaps, the choice he made was not wrong at all. Smiling contentedly, he diverted his attention back to the guy beneath him, kissing him passionately

/Yes, not wrong at all./

And after all, perhaps he was ready to cut the ‘play’ down.

--- ---

Coffee Shop

September 12 – 06:53 p.m.

A red-haired guy sat alone in a cozy coffee shop, facing a cup of black coffee. His arms were folded in front of him tightly, another sign of his hidden turmoil.

He rarely had any coffee, even cappuccino –he always accused them as the cause of headaches. Yet now that he had just locked his friend in a changing room out of jealousy, he felt a great urge of need to taste it.

/It deserved him well enough,/

Yes, Fuji deserved it, didn’t he? How dared he, a newcomer who barely knew his Oishi for four months, to steal him away under his nose! And he had thought Fuji as a nice person at first!

He had tried to assure his disapproving inner self of his right to commit the misdeed ever since he ran away from the grim green-painted door, leaving his friend inside, alone –he was quite sure Fuji was the only one left- and locked. Supposedly no harm could be done; all Fuji had to do was sitting patiently, though not in complete leisure, until dawn to come and Oishi, who always be the first arriving, to notice there was a key in the keyhole. A simple revenge it was, only to give a few lessons to anyone messing with the harmony of the Golden Pair.

Miserably drowning in guilt and self-reproach, he recalled of how he took the key from Tezuka’s locker –an awfully easy job since the room was far too crowded and no one would have paid any heed to what he was doing in front of other’s locker. Afterward he merely had to creep noiselessly to the door to lock it and with his light and deft build, the job could never been easier. But-

Kikumaru stared at the black liquid in front of him, feeling that his being was more even dark and filthy. He had made a terrible mistake. Oh, just how horrible it was!

Was it?

To Be Continued....

Author Ramblings: I want to be Karupin when they did it, really ^^ And I think this chapter will be better with the title, “Began with Lust, Ended with...” but I don’t really like it ^_^* Well, forget it. What do you think, guys? I don’t reckon I’m writing this chapter very well, but this is the best I can do. I apologize for any dissatisfaction caused, but please don’t flame me. The next chapter, I promise, will be updated at least on January because I will be having my final tests at the end of December (Imagine! Celebrating Christmas and New Year with studying! T_T) Last but not least, thanks for reading!

My Replies:

n3th3r^v^l@nd : You had? Well, I’m so disappointed that I don’t receive it but really thanks that you are still willing to review me ^^ I hope you like this chapter better and sorry for making you wait for so long.

last waltz : I remembered Gundam Wing when I noticed your nickname ^^ Thank you for the nice review, another proof that there is still TezukaFuji fans out there. I hope this chapter doesn’t disappoint you.

MoO : This is my favorite kind of Fuji also ^.^ Good to know we share the same taste XD About the turn of the story, I have known what will I do in the end of the chapter and it’s unlikely to be changed. I will only say that this fic has been rated ‘Angst’ not out of nothing, but you don’t have to be worried, the end won’t be a full tragedy, I promise.

strAwbErRyfAnSz : Nice to see you too! ^_^ Thanks for still reading my fic. I don’t know why this fic didn’t appear at your comp but thankfully at last it did... I hope you will still like this story and this kind of Fuji ^^

Yukirei : Truly, you significant review encouraged me in resuming this, despite my writer’s block. I apologize if I don’t update as fast as you want it and I hope you still like this fic. Thanks for the review!

Yuki : Glad to know that you like ‘True Friendship’! I don’t know if this will be as good, but in my mind it was better ^^ Yeah, too much unspoken here, as I had difficulty to pour it into words... Thanks for the review, we are all siblings for sharing the same love for Fuji XD

tezuka eiri : I like your review, even if it’s short. Thanks for encouraging me ^^ By the way this story is still far from its end, therefore I think you should wait for quite a long time to know its ending ^_^*