Learning to Fall. 
by Suteishichic


Chapter Twenty Nine

Warnings: Yaoi, Love, Angst, Fluff, and Lots of Sex. Some kink. You've been warned ;)

Disclaimer: Nope not mine. Still in my dreams. ;)



He lead Tezuka to the roof.

No one else was there. Oishi told Tezuka, briefly what was going on. He said how the tensai was being targeted, picked on, bullied. He told how he had stepped in and that he, Eiji, and even Kawamura were keeping their eye on their friend but simply could not guard him all the time. Oishi explained to Tezuka that when he walked in the shower the bully had his hands on Fuji and it was Oishi that pushed him off the tensai. Oishi left out the kiss part, the senpai claiming to own Fuji, Fuji saying he was giving himself to Oishi, and Eiji running out. There was enough drama without that.

"Did anyone else see this?" Tezuka asked.

Oishi was surprised at first and was wondered if Tezuka, his friend, was doubting him. But then Oishi saw how upset Tezuka was, especially for Tezuka, Oishi understood. "Eiji saw it also. There is no doubt what we saw."

"Why didn't any of you tell me sooner? Why didn't you, Oishi?"

"There was nothing to tell. You know how it is when someone is being bullied. Until something actually happens..." Oishi made a futile gesture with his hands. "Until then it was just words Tezuka. I had nothing to tell you and nothing to show you. I still don't." Tezuka looked at him wondering what he meant. "Fuji-senpai told the coach that it was an accident. That he fell. That the senpai slipped and accidentally grabbed onto Fuji. That's how Fuji says he fell."

"Did Fuji ask you not to tell me?"

Oishi paused and decided to proceed, "He did. He said he could handle it."

"Did you think he could handle it?"

"Yes."

Tezuka turned away from him. Oishi heard him say something quietly that sounded like "Fuji and his damn games!" but it was said too low and faint to be certain.

"Excuse me? Did you say something, Tezuka?" Tezuka shook his head no and they stood there quietly. "Look," Oishi finally said, "Eiji and I are staying with Fuji tonight so we'll keep an eye on him. The coach said there is no tennis for today and rankings are going to continue tomorrow. Fuji will be back in school soon if he isn't already. We'll just do our best to watch out for Fuji in the meantime."

"Can you beat him, Oishi?" Tezuka meant the senpai.

"Yes. I will." Oishi said it as a statement of fact only realizing it was true after he'd said it.

"Good. Thank you, Oishi."

Oishi was puzzled, "There is nothing to thank me for. Fuji-senpai is my friend and this should never happen to any club member. Ever. You know that better than anyone."

Tezuka nodded and turned to go back inside. Oishi followed him and they went to class, neither one saying another word.


As it was, Oishi did not have to be worried about his notes. A nice girl in his class had copied him a second set of everything. She handed them to him on their way to lunch. He was thrilled and thanked her for her kindness. She blushed, which reminded Oishi that she may not have been doing it out of kindness alone. She then asked him if he wanted to go over anything to call her. Maybe they could study together sometime? Have lunch together? She could watch him play tennis? They could go out for tea?

Oishi stopped her and again thanked her for her notes and her kindness. He repeated what Eiji had taught him, the truth, or just enough, that there was someone else he was interested in and had feelings for. She looked a little sad but seemed to understand. Oishi guessed there was also a big difference between freshman girls and juniors in the way they deal with things.

Oishi found he was starving at lunch after all the stress. He ate ravenously, and kept one eye on the clock. He left in plenty of time, and went to the roof. Eiji and Fuji were both sitting there. He sat on the side of Eiji, not Fuji, without a thought. "Hi." He said to both of them. "How are you feeling, Fuji-senpai?"

"Oishi-senpai, I am fine now, thank you. Thank you again for your kindness this morning. For, all of it." Fuji looked like he was going to say more but didn't.

"Its nothing Fuji-senpai, you're my friend."

"Ah. Thank you."

It was Eiji who saved the stilted conversation. "Hoi. Its a nice day! Tennis is canceled. We should all play later."

"We played well this morning." Oishi said to console Eiji but meant all of them played well.

"Mn. Yes, the two of you play very well together. You look good together as well."

"Thank you Fuji-senpai. Will you be up to playing later?"

Fuji paused and looked away, he said softly, "Ne, Oishi, I have no partner." Oishi knew a double entendre when he heard one.

He was just about to remind Fuji that the three of them had, several times, played together when a distinctive voice said, "I'm free later if you're up to playing and need a partner?"

Fuji stiffened, but did not turn around. Oishi wondered if the tensai was sore from this morning and could not. Instead he looked stunned, like his mask had fallen. Then he smiled as Tezuka walked around to face the three of them. "Tezuka? Ah. Thank you. That would be, nice. If you are free." Fuji, Oishi noticed, looked for a moment, flustered. The tensai was nervous.

Tezuka stood there, and repeated, "I am. Tennis is canceled for today. How are you Fuji?"

"I'm well, thank you for asking." Fuji said inclining his head slightly.

"Then its settled." Tezuka looked at Oishi and Eiji, "Are you both still staying at Fuji's tonight?"

Fuji said, "Ah. Probably not. I'd forgotten."

"Hoi? I thought we were?"

"Fuji-senpai, has something changed?" Oishi said pointedly. "Do you not want us to stay with you as we'd planned?"

"Ne, Oishi, Eiji, its just after...thank you, its fine. Nothing has changed." Fuji smiled. Then Fuji thought a second, "Why do you ask Tezuka?"

"Hoi, Tezuka can stay too, right Fuji-senpai?"

"I...can't stay..." Tezuka said, "...but I can stop by for a while after we play. If you would like?"

"Mn. That would be, nice." Fuji smiled but looked almost, wary.

"Then I'll meet you after school." Tezuka paused as if waiting for Oishi to follow him. They were in the same class after all. But it was still very early and Oishi wanted some answers. Tezuka left a moment later.

"Fuji-senpai, please tell me if you don't want me, or both of us to stay with you. I don't want to inconvenience you or make you uncomfortable."

"Ne, Oishi, I thought that you, well, both of you, wouldn't want to."

"Not at all. Nothing has changed, has it? I'm fine as long as Eiji is."

"Hoooooi." Eiji dragged it out as if he wanted the two of them to be quiet so he could enjoy the sun. His face was turned towards it, his eyes were closed, and he was smiling slightly. The two of them looked at him, both smiling for different reasons as they watched him. Then they each realized they were looking at each other over Eiji. Oishi smiled. Fuji smiled back genuinely and nodded. The three friends sat in the sun for a few moments.

Oishi felt one of Eiji's fingertips lightly touching one of his. It was so small a gesture and meant so much. He smiled.

Fuji stood and brushed himself off.

"Ah. Then I'll see you in class, Kikumaru-senpai." The tensai turned, "Oishi-senpai, I'll see you then later also." And he went the way Tezuka did.

"Hoi."

"Yes?"

"We have to talk."

"I figured as much. Is it bad?"

"Worse."

"Oh good. I thought things were just settling down."

Eiji laughed. "Hoi? You okay?" He said it casually but still sounded concerned.

"Yeah. I really am now. Thank you, again. You?"

"Hmm. Now. Yeah."

"Then can we sit like this for a little while longer first? Its very nice."

"Hmm. It is." Eiji sat still for less than a minute and then went on. Oishi smiled, having not expected him to last that long. "Hoi, Oishi you were right. Fuji has feelings for someone else. Someone who doesn't return them."

"Not Eve?"

"Nya! She is already going back to America. They're just friends. Fuji wouldn't tell me who but I guessed and I...I'm not supposed to tell you who."

"I already know who, Eiji. I already know. Tell me the rest and you can leave the name out if Fuji said to not tell me."

"Hoi. Fuji said he was really sorry. That he wanted it to be, this other person, who saved him, but, he never came, and it was you. Nya. He is sorry he kissed you and sorry that it hurt me. He thought you would be mad and I would and we wouldn't want to be his friend anymore."

Eiji laughed suddenly, mischievously, "He said you kiss terribly, and I'm not going to tell him that he's wrong." Eiji teased, shading his eyes with his hand, waiting to see Oishi's expression.

"Do you agree with him? Do you think I kiss terribly?" Oishi asked quietly, amused.

"Nya Oishi! You know I don't think that."

"Then let Fuji think whatever the hell he wants to think. Its not like I wanted to kiss him. He kissed me. He wasn't exactly good himself!" He knew that Eiji wanted him a little annoyed but then again, well a guy has his pride doesn't he? Even though Oishi knows he isn't terrible, still, it wasn't nice of Fuji to say. Especially to Eiji.

Eiji laughed, delighted, at having gotten to him. "Nya, Oishi. Nya." Eiji was still laughing at him.

"Kikumaru, you're driving me crazy." Oishi said, but he was smiling.

"Good!" Eiji laughed. "Hoi? How do you know who it is?"

"I just...do. And the, person, he has feelings for does have feelings for him too. But they are both, difficult people. They'll make things hard. Harder than it has to be. They'll push and test each other all the time. They'll hurt each other just to keep it interesting. Its like mixing oil and acid."

"Nya. Oil and water, you mean?"

"No, really oil and acid."

"Hoi? What does that make?" He started to stand up and held out his hand to help Oishi up.

"A volatile mess. Look at things with us..." Oishi kept his voice down in case anyone could hear them as they walked slowly back to go inside, pausing at the top of the stairs where no one seemed to be listening or around. "Well, right now things are on edge with my Dad and everything, but after I win, eventually, don't you feel that it will settle down? That there will be a time when things with us are just normal, where we're just together and...happy?"

"Nya? Normal? Like before? When we were just best friends, normal?" He looked upset.

"No, Eiji, like that but with this too. Can't you see a time when it will be that way?"

"Hoi." Eiji said softly, "But I'll still want you, you'll still want me, we'll still have fun, still be like this, and our feelings won't change, right?" He needed more reassurances after this morning Oishi realized.

"Exactly." Oishi said almost in a whisper. "Things will be normal. School, tennis, friends, all of it and we'll be...together, like this, too. Is that what you want?" Oishi said and Eiji nodded at the thought, seeming pleased with it. Oishi felt relieved. They really had not yet talked about what after.

That settled somewhat, Oishi continued back to Fuji, "But the two other people, they wont be happy with that. They will always want problems."

"Nya. People always have problems."

"Yeah, but there are enough problems in life that you don't need to make new ones by playing mind games or fight with monsters to try to get saved, right?"

Eiji nodded solemnly, understanding totally. "Hoi, but maybe their problems will be only in the beginning. Maybe they're just both afraid?"

Oishi was surprised by the depth of the insight, "I don't know. Maybe one, or both of them has been hurt and now they're afraid. Or maybe they don't know how. But still, they'll always want to play games and test the other."

Eiji thought seriously about this, "Nya. Doesn't everyone do that in the beginning, Oishi? Everyone tests and makes mistakes. Its normal."

Oishi thought back to this morning, "I guess that's true. I made some really stupid ones."

"Nya. Me too."

"I don't think so." Oishi was surprised by Eiji saying that. Oishi could not think of one moment where Eiji did anything wrong.

"Nya, I did. You just think that now because of how you feel. But everyone does, Oishi. And we'll still make a lot more."

"We will?" This surprised Oishi even more.

"Hoi. A lot more. Everyone does. It happens. There will be times when I will be mad, or you will be and we'll even fight. There will be times when you hurt my feelings or I'll hurt yours. You won't mean to and I won't mean to but we will. There will be times when things happen, sometimes good things and sometimes bad things. Its normal too." Eiji lowered his voice, "But as long as you love the other person and they love you it will always be all right, Oishi."

"Always?"

"Hoi. Always." Eiji said it absolutely convinced. Completely believing.

"Eiji? How do you know, you can't know for sure? People have feelings like that and it still doesn't work out." Oishi was surprised as he went to reassure Eiji and somehow Eiji ends up finding another thing that Oishi was worried about.

"Nya. Always. Of course you can know. You know too. You can feel it can't you?" Eiji smiled, not afraid of anything and believing in them with everything in him. "I know because I know you. Things will happen Oishi, sometimes even bad things, but it will be okay. We'll be fine. Always." He smiled like the sun as if trying to lend Oishi a little of his confidence in him, in them. Then he groaned, instantly changing subjects, facial expressions, and moods, "Nya Oishi! And now we have to play against Fujiko and Tezuka. Nya Oishi, how could you?"

Oishi laughed, "Don't worry. You played great this morning. And I'll be with you. It'll be fun."

Eiji shot him a look as if to say oh yeah about as much fun at dinner at your house with your family!

Oishi smiled at him and said again, "See you."

"Hoi, see you too." He said it exaggeratedly down, as if every step towards the afternoon was too much to take. Oishi laughed and they walked to their classrooms.


On to Chapter 30!!