Understanding
by ruji
Disclaimer: must i really say it out loud? and i thought you could understand my thoughts...
Understanding
Tezuka Kunimitsu. Most people would say that he is good-looking and charming, but stoic, pokerfaced, expressionless, and some may even think that he is emotionless since that steel mask of his successfully hides any signs of emotion under any kind of circumstance. He begged to differ. He knew Tezuka was definitely not emotionless, for one most obvious thing that anyone would recognize, his passion for tennis. But expressionless… he didn’t think so either. In his opinion, Tezuka had the most expressive eyes he had ever seen. But of course, not many people knew that. They would most usually cower at the sight of the bespectacled boy’s straight features, and avoid any kind of eye contact in fear of being shot a killer glare. But he was no Tom, Dick or Harry. Tezuka’s stern face didn’t scare him, nor did his death glares pose any threat. He was probably the only one who dared challenge Tezuka’s stares, simply dissolving all the aggression with a serene smile. Needless to say, he dared look beyond the elegant glass to explore the depths of those intense hazel orbs, discovering the whirlpool of emotions within them. It was probably so, that he seemed to understand Tezuka the most. It was also probably so, that they got together. When they were together, they never had quarrels or arguments like many couples did. In fact, they rarely even had to talk. He could always tell what Tezuka was feeling or thinking, just by looking into his eyes.
It was a regular afternoon on a regular summer’s day. Of course, like any other regular school day, the Seigaku tennis team had a practice session after school. The sun was striking viciously, seemingly setting the courts ablaze, but lucky for them, there was an occasional breeze. The regulars piled into the clubroom, about to get ready for another grueling day at practice. They streamed in like a school of fishes, and politely greeted their captain as the passed him, as usual. The captain, too, nodded back curtly, as usual. Sadly, as usual, a squabble between the two sophomores on the team broke out not too long after they entered the clubroom.
“It’s such a hot day!”
“Fsshh… urusai!”
“What is it, Mamushi? You wanna make something out of it?”
“Who are you calling a Mamushi, baka Momo!”
“Hey you’re the baka here!”
“Fsshh… stupid peach…”
“What did you just say?!”
Momoshiro grabbed Kaidoh’s collar aggressively. Kaidoh returned the move. Soon, they were trying to push each other away from themselves, whileinitiating contradictingforward attacks. Out of a sudden, an effeminate voice interrupted their fight.
“Momoshiro, Kaidoh, thirty laps now.”
Heads turned and gazes fell onto the slender frame of their resident tensai.
“Fu-Fuji-senpai?”
“Yes, Momoshiro? You heard me, thirty laps.”
“Fuji nya! Isn’t that supposed to be Buchou’s line?”
He gasped slightly and smiled awkwardly.
“Gomen ne, forgot to mention that that was Tezuka’s orders.”
“Huh? Wait a minute, you’re getting me confused, Fuji.”
“Oishi! I’m confused too nya! Why can’t Buchou give out orders by himself?”
“Saa… forgot to mention this as well, Tezuka lost his voice. How forgetful of me…”
“Ano… how come? Are you alright, Tezuka?”
Tezuka nodded slightly and looked at the honey-haired boy.
“Don’t worry, Taka-san, Tezuka is fine. I think it’s because I brought things a little over the edge last night.”
Almost everyone gaped, save for Echizen, and Inui started scribbling at raging speed. Tezuka shot the tensai a glare, which was, of course, rendered ineffective.
“What did you do to Buchou nya?”
“Eiji! You shouldn’t ask that… that is Tezuka’s and Fuji’s personal privacy!”
The others gasped at the fukubuchou’s statement and tinged pink, Inui scribbled even faster this time.
“Ne, ne, what were all of you thinking? I was talking about putting too much spice into the soup last night. Tezuka drank it and lost his voice.”
The regulars looked at each other, embarrassed by the ‘indecent’ thoughts that ran through their minds. He took a quick look at the captain, and announced promptly,
“Everybody fifty laps for warm-up!”
The regulars stared at him in disbelief, but shuffled off to the courts without questioning. They started their laps for warm-up, after which, they had a quick drink break before carrying on with their usual drills. Kikumaru hopped up to him.
“Hoi Fuji, how do you know what Buchou wants to say nya?”
“I understand from his expressions.”
“Expressions?! Does Buchou even have any?”
“Of course he does. It’s just that you don’t notice. It’s in his eyes.”
“You mean you know what he’s trying to say just by looking at his eyes?”
“More or less that’s the case.”
“Sugoi nya! Hoi try reading mine!”
Kikumaru stared real hard at him. He laughed.
“Sorry, Eiji. I can’t read your thoughts like that. It takes a lot of understanding to be able to do that.”
“Nya don’t you understand me? Apart from Oishi, you know me the best!”
“Yes, but not in that way… your thoughts are usually reflected on your face, Eiji.”
“Maa… do you think Oishi could understand?”
“You could try.”
“Yosh!”
With that, the redhead bounced off to look for his boyfriend. When he caught sight of the fukubuchou, he spun him around and widened his sparkling sapphires, causing Oishi to stare at him in confusion. He furrowed his brows and squinted his eyes, trying to convey his message solely through his eyes. Unfortunately for him, the raven-haired boy was not skilled in ‘eye-reading’.
“Eiji, did something get into your eyes?”
“Oishiiii! I’m trying to tell you something nya!”
“Oh… what is it?”
“Can’t you tell?”
“Huh?”
“Fuji can tell what Buchou is thinking just by looking at his eyes nya… he says its understanding. You understand me the best don’t you?”
“I…”
“Oishi, you really can’t tell?”
“Gomen ne, Eiji… I’m not a tensai like Fuji is.”
“Maa… perhaps it really takes a tensai to read eyes nya…”
Kikumaru pouted cutely, and Oishi couldn’t resist the urge to place a chaste kiss on the redhead’s cheek. The hyperteen blushed and Oishi broke out laughing at the display of hues.
“I can read your blushes though…”
“…?”
“You’re thinking you want me to kiss you some more, but what would happen if Tezuka catches us, am I right?”
“Oishi!”
The redhead flushed even deeper. Damn, Oishi hit it spot on.
“Everyone on court now! Oishi and Kikumaru, stop making out!”
Everyone turned and stared at Fuji, including Tezuka. Then, their attention was diverted to the Golden Pair, while Tezuka glared at the fair-haired boy sternly. The pair turned bright red, and Fuji broke out into chuckles.
“Ok, ok, I’ll admit. I added the last line. Saa… don’t glare at me like that, Tezuka, it’s scary.”
/Ya right, as if you were ever scared of it./
Fuji’s smiled widened.
Their practice went on smoothly, with Fuji giving out Tezuka’s orders. But somehow, the originally simple orders managed to make the regulars spit water out whilst drinking. Well, it was still Fuji speaking after all, what less could one expect?
“Ne, Tezuka, how was training today?”
/Eventful./
“Saa… was I a good Buchou?”
/No./
“Maa… I shouldn’t be anyway ne? or else we wouldn’t have you as our Buchou.”
Tezuka looked at the smiling face in front of him. He murmured a soft ‘Thank You’ in his deepest thoughts, hoping that the other boy wouldn’t catch it.
“You’re most welcome, my captain.”
Tezuka looked away in awkward dismay. Sometimes he really hated Fuji for being able to see right through him. It felt as though he was naked. But most of the time, he loved the azure-eyed boy. Too much for his sanity’s good, even.
“I love you too, Tezuka.”
Tezuka’s eyes widened fractionally. Was Fuji really getting that good in reading his thoughts? He had already looked away from those glittering blue orbs, yet Fuji could still know what he was thinking, no matter how small the thought was. Fuji smiled once again. This time, Tezuka smiled back.
Fuji Syusuke. Most people would think that he is kind, gentle and friendly, always a smile on his pretty face. But at the same time, they feared that smile, for they never knew what his smile meant. It was just always there. In fact, it almost seemed that he was steel-hearted, for his smile was there even in the direst situations. And when he dropped it, all the more they would flee, for that was a signal that something must have gone wrong. But he knew Fuji was most definitely not steel-hearted. Fuji was almost the most softhearted person he ever knew. Fuji never really showed his full ability in tennis, because he couldn’t bring himself to defeat an opponent so thoroughly. He could tell what each smile meant. A slight curve of those smooth lips could tell him more than what words could describe. It was probably so, that he seemed to understand Fuji the most. It was also probably so, that they got together. When they were together, they never had misunderstandings due to miscommunications, because they never needed to converse. He could always tell what Fuji was feeling or thinking, just by looking at his smile.
In that last smile, he saw, Fuji loved him just as much as he loved him.
-owari-