Hello, everyone! This is our perfect pair new one shot. I mean it, it is really a one shot. I try to write a fantasy this time. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
The Wizard of West
Echizen Ryoma stifled another yawn for the nth time and it was still morning. He looked out of the window from his study room or his teacher's study room to be exact, it was in the middle of autumn too that day two years ago when he first begged to be accepted as a apprentice.
Sure, Ryoma was the son of Wizard of East, the most powerful wizard at the eastern land but it didn't make the young boy to follow his father's steps willingly. He wanted to build his name by his own, far from his father's influence and defeated his perverted father to get his title. Therefore, he went to Wizard of the West, a mysterious wizard who no one ever seen or pinpointed what or who the mysterious wizard was. Many people speculated about the wizard; some of them said he was an old sickly wizard while another group insisted he was a heavy build thick breaded man and some even said it was a mere falsehood since no one had ever saw him. However Ryoma knew that wizard was real since his father had told him that the Wizard of West was once his rival and Ryoma was known as a strong-willed boy so he never gave up until he finally found the famous yet remarkable wizard.
The boy's struggles and stubbornness paid off. Ryoma was accepted by his teacher as his apprentice (although he didn't tell him about his father, too afraid that his teacher would refuse if he knew) making the young boy shouted in delight. His teacher, Tezuka Kunimitsu, was a calm and collected man, he could also be described as a very handsome man with his tousled dark brown hair, rimless glass and stoic face. He never saw the tall wizard smiled let alone laughed, Ryoma also never saw his teacher meet anyone besides some desperate people who needed his helps.
Ryoma was very hopeful and eager to learn more and became a great wizard in no time.
Two years later, he was a bit disappointed as he didn't learn much beside reading hundred of books, memorizing the magic circles and running throughout the neighborhood to enhance his stamina and strength. The dark green haired boy thought the last part was his teacher's own selfishness.
"Ouch!" He yelped loudly when a thick book's spine landed on his head.
"You have a confidence till you don't pay any heed, I presume." The teacher said stoically. "Seems like your training is not enough."
Ryoma gulped down nervously, "I..I'm sorry. I didn't mean.." Calm and collected he was but his teacher was the strongest wizard in the western land.
"The strongest magic is curse, Sir." Ryoma answered his teacher's question regarding the strongest magic.
"Hn.. To place a curse, we need a strong bearer and you have a stronger curse with a stronger bearer." His teacher walked back and forth slowly as he talked. "There are kinds of curse; physical curse and psychological seal. Both can be eradicated by either the the wizard breaks it himself or we present a live sacrifice." Ryoma nodded, perhaps it was the time for him to learn darker magic from his teacher anytime soon.
"The basic of these curse are—"
And the house damn bell rang which meant there was something critical happened. The bell rang only when the ringer was desperate enough to find it and if he wasn't, it wouldn't been found at all. His teacher was known as a loner for nothing.
The bespectacled man put his thick book back to the table and went away, leaving Ryoma alone in the room, well, actually he wasn't that alone since his teacher's pet, a white fluffy angora cat, was laying down on its stomach on his teacher's table, enjoying the quiet morning. Its pointed ears twitched when its master left the room and then straightened itself to look at Ryoma.
From the first time they met, Ryoma had a feeling that the pretty cat liked to observe him with its beautiful mesmerizing blue eyes but then again, he corrected himself, it was a mocking stare more likely.
Ryoma thought his teacher was a weirdo, when other wizards loved to collect apprentice or bird (for communication purpose), his teacher prefered a cat, a white fluffy cat when he even wasn't a witch. Besides, didn't a black cat fit the image more?
The white cat named Fuji loved to tease the poor young boy. Fuji would walked to Ryoma, close enough to be touched but whenever the boy succumbed to touch, the proud cat would walked away with a cunning smile. True to its habit, Fuji hopped to Ryoma's table, close to Ryoma's hand but when Ryoma tried to caress the white snow fur, it backed out elegantly.
"It's been two years." Ryoma hissed. It had been two years and he had never touched the prideful cat, not even once! "Today I will definitely get you!" He stood and stretched his hands to catch the stupid cat.
"Get back here you stupid cat!" He said in annoyance yet the cat didn't listen and continued to roam around the room swiftly, hopping around the books, documents and papers while Ryoma was too focused on the cat to realize how wrecked the room became. They were having a tight match; the cat was almost ran out of items to step on while Ryoma was almost ran out of breath, "You will regret this." Ryoma said lowly.
Fuji was looking at him innocently but when Ryoma was trying to jump on the cat the door of the room was opened and Fuji jumped into his teacher's arms smoothly. Fuji climbed on the tall man's shoulder and nuzzled Tezuka's neck lovingly while the bespectacled man scratched its neck and petted the cat warmly.
Yet his gaze on Ryoma was as cold as the winter glacier.
"Ryoma, what did you do? I don't remember leaving you to mess up the room."
"Ceh.."
Tezuka stepped into the room, stepped on floor which wasn't covered by books or papers, "What happened to you today? First, you day dreamed and now this messy room."
"But, Fuji—"
"Don't blame someone else for your own fault. You deserve a disciplining for letting your guard down, go to the forest at the back yard and collect all herbs to cure measles in one hour and using speeding up spell is prohibited."
"But the forest is two hours away by foot!"
"You can do it if you run. Don't forget to clean up this room after that. I don't want to see any papers not in their respective places."
And that was final.
Echizen groaned.
"Where is your answer?"
"Okaaay."
His teacher stepped out of the room and Ryoma swore the evil cat smirked at him from his teacher's shoulder. Stupid angora cat. "Stupit cat. It's not like that snowball is that great. I personally prefer Himalayan, anyway." He grumbled and left to fulfill his duties.
One hour later when Ryoma was busy cleaning up the room after the long run, Fuji went back to the room and sat on his back silently. Ryoma looked at the cat who looked back at him expectantly, "No, I won't fall into your game anymore. I have got my lesson today, thanks to you." He said and went back to stack the books back to the cupboard. Fuji came closer to the boy despite the cold shoulder Ryoma gave him.
They stayed in their position for a minute, Ryoma busy with the book and Fuji watched diligently until, "Gotcha!" Ryoma grabbed Fuji's tail, or where it supposed to be as he got only thin air. Fuji had escaped successfully as usual. "Damn it!" Ryoma cursed and laid on his back, sighing, "Why is only Tezuka-sensei allowed?" The cat sat on the floor, near the tip of Ryoma's fingers.
The young wizard laid on his stomach and stared the cat openly. "But, Tezuka-sensei is very weird too. He lets you wondering around but always prohibits anyone to touch you." Ryoma frowned, "Well, except kids.. But not any grown-up human, male, female, never. Why is that?"
Fuji blinked slowly as if he understood.
"Hm?" Ryoma saw a paper under Fuji's paw, "This...can't be.." He pulled the paper from Fuji's feet and looked at the paper carefully. "It's spying spell! How can it be here?" Ryoma looked around the papers and the messy room and smiled as if he had found a treasure.
"Perhaps I can find more." He worked quickly but alas, he found nothing except that paper. No problem, he could still use it and spying on his teacher; to learn his magic and his new spells secretly.
###
That night Ryoma activated the spell (an eye shaped spy spell) he had placed hidden between thick stacks of paper, big enough to see his teacher's activities in the study room but hidden enough to be noticed. He was very proud of himself when he saw the room at the night time which portrayed on the wall of his own bedroom across of his bed. He could see the room clearly thanks to the moonlight shone through the big windows.
Ryoma sat in boredom as he saw Fuji, the white cat, was sitting on his teacher's table backing Ryoma, its tail was swinging slowly. "Hmm.. It's nice to be a cat, right Karupin?" The said cat jumped into Ryoma's laps then the boy scratched his pet's ear sofly and gained a low purr from his beloved pet.
He watched the lazy cat watching the moon and almost fell asleep when suddenly a bright pale blue light brightened both his teacher's room and Ryoma's, "What the.." Ryoma squinted his eyes to see the light came from Fuji's body. Karupin jump out of Ryoma's hand and the room quickly, either was afraid or too surprised by the light.
When the light dimmed and Ryoma could see better, he saw a person with long hair instead of the white cat. The person turned around and Ryoma could help but to blush when he saw the large expand of smooth skin although flat chest, it was a man but beautiful enough to pass as a woman. Well, he was the most beautiful creature Ryoma had ever placed his eyes on; with smooth skin, oval face and small cute pointed nose and radiant smile and the lower part which left unseen as it was blocked by the table, made Ryoma felt intrigued and ashamed at the same time to see the person at his vulnerable state but he didn't find any will to stop his spell.
Just what or who is Fuji?!
Fuji shifted his face to the door, Ryoma saw his teacher entered his projection view, "Fuji, Here you are! I have been looking for you everywhere." He hugged the man desperately, "I thought you disappeared."
"Hmm.. I wouldn't even dream of it." Fuji hugged the bespectacled man back, "The moon is very magnificent, I can't help but to stare." He chuckled.
Fuji's voice was very soft and melodius that Ryoma blushed and fidgeted awkwardly when he heard it. Just who the hell was Fuji?
"Hn.. But please don't leave me so suddenly, hm?" He spread a white blanket and covered the lithe body protectively. In Ryoma's vision Fuji looked like an angel next to his teacher who looked like a death god in his dark attire.
"How are you? Are you hurt?" Tezuka sat on the table next to Fuji and started to tug the long tresses and arrange them neatly and skilfully.
"Hmm.. Nope. Just..weird that I can sit on my back and hands to hold things." It or He stretched his right hand, it was so slender and pretty. Tezuka took the hand into his bigger one and kissed the frail fingers devotedly. "I miss you." The stern teacher said heartedly.
Fuji smile brightened, he scooted closer to the bespectacled man and placed his palm on the taller man's clothed chest to lick Tezuka's lips seductively, "I miss you, too." He whispered in more seductive voice.
Ryoma didn't know how his teacher resist such tempting view but Ryoma didn't see how his teacher's pupils dilated and how tight his grip on Fuji's hand was.
"It's been a long time since last full moon." Fuji leaned his head on Tezuka's shoulder, backing Ryoma's portal.
The bespectacled man stroke Fuji's back lovingly, "Ah.."
Fuji straightened himself and chuckled, "Say, you should talk more, I pity your student since he can barely understand what you mean." Ryoma nodded in agreement, his teacher talked only when he felt he need to, which rarely happened.
"I have talked much enough whenever he was here." Tezuka replied flatly and Ryoma rolled his eyes in annoyance and disbelief when he heard his teacher's reply.
"Teaching is different from talking, you know." The soft spoken man teased and Ryoma's jaw dropped as his teacher didn't reply in sarcasm let alone get angry. If it was Ryoma then he would run around the back yard forest for at least one hundred times. This Fuji without doubt was very special for his teacher.
"Hn.. There is nothing to talk about."
Fuji smiled, "Right, but whenever I look at you and him remind me of what we were in the past."
"You should look harder." His teacher pulled the long haired man back to his arms and hugged him tightly. The taller man clearly looked more relaxed and more open with this cat, er, man.
"You say that but you like him, don't you?" Fuji asked honestly and Ryoma was very eager to hear the answer, whatever it was. He wanted to hear his teacher's opinion about him.
The stoic man pulled Fuji more into his arms and kissed the small beautiful man fully on his lips, "There is no one beside you." He answered after a long and slow kiss.
Ryoma decided to close the portal, he didn't dare to watch more than that and contrary to popular belief, he wasn't a pervert like his father. He knew where to stop when he had to.
###
Ryoma continued to spy on his teacher using the spell for several days after that but he found nothing special besides his teacher reading or writing on something. He didn't see Fuji in his human form after that but he always saw the fluffy white cat next to his teacher, being lazy or sleeping. His teacher was busy every night but he always had time to stop and petted the cat or let Fuji nuzzled him till the cat was satisfied, only then his teacher would continue his works.
Until the time when next full moon arrived, Ryoma was very nervous that he got another scolding from his strict teacher. The white cat looked at him in a certain way that wouldn't be given by any normal cat; smirked in his small form and blinked knowingly to Ryoma, too long for his teacher's liking. The tall man grabbed the cat's small face to shift Fuji's attention back to himself and looked at the cat sternly. Fuji gave him a small lick on his lips tenderly by his small tongue as his response and it seemed innocent but for Ryoma who had seen the other form of Fuji couldn't help but to blush.
That night Ryoma saw his teacher took Fuji out so Ryoma had nothing to do but to sign off early. "Who is Fuji, ne, Karupin?" He said and petting his cat absentmindly. "He must be Tezuka-sensei's lover. Of course, he is being so loving and caring to Fuji."
Ryoma groaned, what did he expect?
Days passed quickly after that. Ryoma was very curious about what happened to Fuji that he spent all day reading and searching informations regarding Fuji's situation.
He was really curious about Fuji. Was he just a cat? Or a human who turned into a cat? Or a cat who can shape-shifting to human? He learned soon after that it was a very strong curse but which one? In his personal opinion, he was more to the second option.
His teacher was pleased by Ryoma's eagerness and Fuji, well, he was being himself; teasing and toying Ryoma until the poor boy got another scolding although it wasn't the young boy's fault.
"It's enough for today. You shall go home now." His teacher announced suddenly.
"Huh? But it's still five and I haven't finished this book—"
"You may take it home with you."
That was really a surprise. Tezuka never allowed Ryoma to bring any book back with him so why now? The young wizard realized a bit too late that it was a full moon that night. Time surely flew so fast and it almost three months he knew about Fuji's human form. No wonder his teacher insisted him to go home.
"It gets dark faster in winter so you have better go home before it's too dark."
"Okaaay." Ryoma agreed and stepped out of the house quickly. He had another way to stay in the house anyway.
That night another bright pale blue light and the most anticipated man appeared in exchange of the white cat. Fuji slumped down into his teacher's arms soon after his shape-shifting and also looked so weak.
"Sorry, I was a bit lightheaded." was the first thing he said. His teacher shook his head and covered Fuji in a big comforter then hugged him desperately, "You look pale. Are you okay?" He frowned in worry.
"It's okay, this shifting tooks more energy than I thought."
"We have to find the way out of this. I can't stand watching you, this..."
Fuji chuckled, he patted Tezuka's jaw playfully, "Yeah. Perhaps that will help."
Tezuka grunted his answer and took Fuji in a bridal style before sitting on his big chair with Fuji laid fully on him. "I'm so sorry that I can't find a way to break this curse quicker." He kissed Fuji's temple.
"Hmm? It's okay. I figure it out much. This curse..even the Wizard of West can't break it, right?"
"Sorry. It's my fault." Tezuka replied honestly, his voice was filled with bitterness and disappointment. It was the first time for Ryoma to hear such tone from his teacher and the young boy felt the urge to go and do something.
"How is Ryoma's doing?"
Tezuka hugged Fuji tightly, as if afraid he would disappear just like the smoke, and hummed, "Can't you tell? You are here all the time, with me."
Fuji didn't answer.
"What's wrong?"
Fuji blinked and said cheerfully, too cheerily in Ryoma's opinion. "Nothing. Just thinking."
"No, you rarely do that." Tezuka tilted Fuji's head and stared at him directly, "Please don't lie to me." He begged desperately.
Fuji lowered his gaze, didn't meet Tezuka's fully. "It's nothing.." But when he felt Tezuka grunted in disagreement, "Well, I don't have my full consciousness in my cat form lately. I remember only bits and pieces of them." He looked at Tezuka's devastated face, "That's why I don't want to tell you. I don't want to make you sad or worry too much about it."
"It's too late, you know about me and my worries when you accept me." He sighed, "It's my fault.."
"No. It's not." Fuji scooted and kissed the taller man softly, "We only need to find the way to break this curse."
Ryoma saw his teacher looked uncertain before he closed the portal. He had looked enough and not be able to deny the tug in his heart to share the same sadness and desperation of his teacher and his lover. However Ryoma knew it would be difficult to find a way out if the great wizard himself couldn't figure out how to.
The next day when he went to his teacher's house he found the bespectacled man was busy writing things and reading books at the same time. Fuji was laying on his stomach in a thick blanket but didn't pay any heed to Ryoma, as if he wasn't interested, as if he was..a cat.
Ryoma swallowed nervously, "What are you writing?"
"This and that."
"Can I help?"
The older man looked at him and answered shortly, "No. Just finish your assignment quickly." So Ryoma did. He sat on his chair and started to write some receipt. What he didn't expect was Fuji approached him and sniffed around curiously like an ordinary cat; there was no teasing meowing or cunning smile which turned Ryoma's mood sour. The young boy tried to touch the cat but the white cat was brought away from his view by his teacher. "Finish those in two hours." He stated stoically and left the room quietly.
As the winter came, his teacher's works doubled as well since people got sick easily and some planned to go to somewhere far but were scared of winter storm or any natural disasters they might face so his teacher was needed to tend sick people or go to put some spell, there were many other wizards but people would be more convinced if it was Tezuka who helped them.
The mighty wizard seemed to be more protective of his lovely pet after that time as he would lock Fuji in his own shielded bedroom and nobody couldn't enter or break in except Tezuka himself. And about Ryoma, he was either being left alone or told to help his teacher whenever his teacher allowed.
"Geez..Damn it! I'm late!" Ryoma ran to his own small house hurriedly. His strict teacher gave him some ridiculous amount of assignments and house visits on the same day when Fuji scheduled to change into his human form.
He rushed to his bedroom and opened the portal swiftly, he was used to the spell that he could activate it in less than a second. The portal opened and he saw both his teacher and Fuji sat on his teacher's chair and looked very tired, they gasped and panted harshly, Ryoma didn't know whether to be grateful or disappointed not knowing what they did before he arrived.
"You don't have to give that much amount of magic to me." Fuji said finally.
"I can't..you almost couldn't make it." The bespectacled man kissed Fuji's temple while gasping.
Fuji hummed softly, "Don't push yourself for me since we both know I am counting my days."
What? Fuji almost failed to change back to his human form? And now he said he was dying?
"No. Don't you dare to say that. I forbid you." He hugged Fuji firmly and placed his head on Fuji's bare shoulder which wasn't covered by the same white comforter Ryoma saw last time.
"It's been one hundred years I'm in this state, Kunimitsu. Even I have my limit and perhaps it's sometime soon."
The hazel eyes man shook his head, "No. I won't allow it!"
Ryoma was shocked that his teacher's lover had been in that form for a hundred year, that was unbelievable. A wizard indeed had longer life than average human for they got power to sustain their lives not only from foods but also regeneration power from the nature, his own father was a three hundred years old wizard. But still, who was the crazy guy who put such stupid spell on Fuji and made him suffer so much?
"I have finalized the release spell." The deep voice shifted Ryoma's attention.
Fuji jolted and straightened himself, "You can't be serious, right? You know what it means if we use that spell."
Yes, Ryoma remembered that you couldn't unless the wizard breaks it himself or a life sacrifice.
"We can't go and fight Wizard of East in our conditions and I don't want you to sacrifice your own life to help me. I have better to stay as a cat for eternity."
"It's not what I planned, though."
"Then what? You will kidnap some innocent man to be your sacrifice?"
"I don't need to go out to get it since there is one who comes to us everyday."
WHAT?! His teacher couldn't be more crazy? He meant Ryoma, didn't he?
"You can't do that, Kunimitsu! I don't want that! Ryoma is someone I expect to replace my place here with you in the future. I know it from the way you look at him and I know he is precious to you."
"You misunderstand something, love. His purpose here is not to replace your place here." He put Fuji's slender hand on his left chest, where the heart belong. "But to replace your place in this curse. Besides, it's the Wizard of East who did this to us. He destroys what I treasure the most and this time I will take something he treasures the most, too."
His teacher's dark stare made Ryoma shivered that he disconnected the spell automatically. "Oh, shit!" Ryoma cursed darkly. There were things going around his head at the same time, the crazy wizard who put Fuji in such state was his own freaking father, his teacher knew his identity even though he had hid it, how? When? That wasn't important at the moment! The most important thing was his teacher planned to use Ryoma's life to free his lover!
Ryoma wanted to be a great wizard, not a human sacrifice! "Ugh! It's a great thing I found the spying spell or else." He groaned in frustration.
Ryoma walked around his bedroom nervously, What should he do? What should he do? He didn't want his fifteen years of life went in vain.
"Wait!" He sat on his bed. From his teacher and Fuji's conversation he knew the curse was from his father. The old man should know how to break it or if he refused Ryoma could still find another way out. Perhaps it was the time to go home.
###
"Where have you been, stupid brat!" His father, Wizard of East roared loudly when Ryoma stepped into the big house. "I have been looking for you but can't even track you down!"
Ryoma ignored the stupid perverted man and went straight to the library while tuning out his father and his wrath.
"Hey! Listen here, you brat!" Echizen Nanjiroh barked from behind. "I will teach you lessons you deserve!" He rolled up his sleeves.
Ryoma pulled out books, reading it quickly before tossing it aside. "Dad, do you know shape-shifting curse?"
"Huh?"
"The one that change someone into one particular animal you chose." He sat on the floor and started to skimmed the lowest row of the cabinet. If it was his father, he should know what Ryoma meant.
Echizen Nanjiroh snorted, "Of course! It's a rare curse that no one can break especially if it's done by me!" He announced proudly.
"Then you remember cursing a man into a white cat? At the West?" Ryoma hinted.
"Huh? You mean that bastard Wizard of West?" He sat on the floor next to Ryoma.
"Yeah. So you remember, huh?"
"Of course I do! It was when I found the most genius and gifted young wizard. I was very sure he would be my successor one day but then he chose the filthy bastard, Wizard of West only because of his refined face." He said in disgust, "Can you be a great wizard from being pretty and dashing? Meh?! The most important thing is power!"
Ryoma snorted, he doubted his father wanted Fuji's magic and ability but more to his petite and lovely figure. What a pervert. Then he groaned, he himself was quite attracted to the same beauty.
"So I tried to coax him back and join me, the expert and real genius but it failed as the bastard West always came and disturbed us." His father slapped his tight and laughed, "Well, perhaps I was being too careless that time, I told him a strong spell before the time and hurt him accidentally. It made the West went rampant and we had a fight. I gave him the curse to teach him a lesson not to underestimate me." He added smugly.
Ryoma groaned, thinking about how protective and possessive his teacher to Fuji in daily basis was, and then thinking about his old man reckless action put Ryoma in a new light. Echizen Nanjiroh definitely was insane.
"But, why do you ask? Do you want to learn more now?" The bearded man asked in a wide grin, he even wiggled his brows cheerfully.
A thick book flew to his face was the answer.
Ryoma spent days in the library, reading all the books and almost went mad. He found nothing at all. Just how to break the curse, he groaned.
Echizen Rinko worried about his only son and sat next to her frustrated boy. "Why do you look so sad, darling?" she caressed his dark green hair in a mother way that calming her son. However, her son didn't answer and sighed tiredly. "You know, sometimes it's better to talk than to keep it yourself." she patted Ryoma's hand motherly, "I will listen whenever you feel like to talk and perhaps we can find the solution together, hm?"
"Mother." Ryoma said when she was ready to go but hearing his voice she decided to stay. "Why do people put a curse to each other?"
"Hmm.. Who knows.. Actually curse is not a bad thing, it is used to keep people safe and also for security reasons but there are people who are filled with jealousy and envy who turn curse into bad things. Ah, but there is a convenience in a curse, too. Like this." Rinko moved her hand as if she was pulling something, stretched then bent, stretched then bent, again and again, pulling an invisible rope. Ryoma sat when he saw his father entered the library backward awkwardly, there was a small portal in front of him showing a woman changing room. Ryoma rolled his eyes knowingly.
"What are you doing, Husband?" she asked in a smile despite the dark tone.
Echizen Nanjiroh gapped and mumbled nervously, "N..no..this is not..I'm not peeping. Really. I was just..Um..there's a case regarding this place yeah. You see I need to make sure that they—"
A loud slap was heard and Ryoma cringed imagined how painful it was. "Ouch! It hurts! You know that it's part of my magic but why do you still—"
"Yeah, I know it very well but shall I remind you what I say about doing amoral things under my roof?" she said menacingly.
"ouch..ouch..ouch.." Nanjiro grabbed his lower part and grunted painfully, his face turned blue and his eyes were bulging out. "Sorry..I'm—..sorry!"
Ryoma was really ashamed when looking at his father's embarrassing state, "Can't believe this stupid old man put a strong curse and makes Tezuka-sensei suffers so long." Ryoma vowed to destroy the curse as a apologize since his father put the strong curse for the most ridiculous reason.
Rinko pushed her yowling husband out of the room, "Ah, but sometimes there is a stupid wizard who always forgets about his own curses so he writes it down in a book." she added when they reached the door. Ryoma blinked in surprise when a book appeared magically and fell into his laps.
"And sometimes the same stupid wizard writes how to break the curse just in case he forgets how to." and she winked then they left the room.
Ryoma had never felt so proud of his mother. He grinned and skimmed around the pages till he found what he needed. Fuji was cursed to be a cat and could only go back into his original form every full moon, as Ryoma had predicted. However, each time he turned into human he would use more and more magic till he had no more power that he would ended to be a cat till the end of his time and Fuji might run out of time.
"What a crazy thing." Ryoma murmured and he looked at the release spell. He could do it, it was easy even a beginner like him understood it well. "Why can't Tezuka-sensei think about this?"
Ryoma ripped the paper from the book. "Mother!" He banged the basement door which he wasn't allowed to enter. "I will go now, thanks for helping me." He said quickly when she appeared.
"Sure, anything for you darling." she smiled. Ryoma could hear his father's grunting from the door but decided to leave anyway after saying his goodbye. He wasn't sure what his mother seen in his father.
He reached his teacher's house less than fifteen minutes using the speeding spell, it was the fastest speed he ever had and still alive. He went to the master bedroom directly since he knew Fuji was there while his teacher was away.
"Fuji! Fuji!" He beat the sturdy door using his fist. "Fuji, are you there? I have got the spell. Can you go out?! Fuji?!" He called and beat the door desperately, the shield spell was too strong, "Damn it!"
Perhaps he could find his teacher and then—
The door was opened.
Ryoma stepped into the room hastily and knelt next to the big bed when he saw the white cat there. "I got this." He showed the paper. "I can help you, okay?" He stretched his hand to the cat. Fuji stood on the bed, uncertain. "Don't worry, I can do it." He said reassuringly.
So jumped Fuji did and unlike Karupin, Fuji smelled heavenly. Ryoma went to the door only to go back and pulled a thick blanket on a nearby cabinet before he stepped out to the open area at the backyard.
He made the magic circles fast and they followed his command efficiently, Ryoma was astonished by his own ability. "Wait here, okay?" He placed the white cat in the middle of the big magic circle and ran out of it before chanting the magic spell to break the curse.
At the end of his chant, a bright pale blue light he had used to see appeared and a man with ivory skin was there instead of the cat. The portal had been deceiving Ryoma's eyes, it didn't show how beautiful the man was; how smooth and silky the skin looked, how gleaming and shiny the light brown hair was and how pretty those lips and eyes were. Fuji in human form was totally beautiful and ethereal.
"A..are you okay?" Ryoma ran to the man, the thick snow was crackling and crusty under his thick boots, he put the blanket on Fuji's bare body, he wanted to put his coat on Fuji too but his small coat wouldn't change much. Perhaps he could use some warming spell before bringing steady Fuji to the house.
"Ah,, yes.." Even his voice was more melodius and softer than he heard through his portal.
Fuji looked at Ryoma through his blue eyes, his long hair draped on the blanket creating a great view, his mouth was pink and plumped but it was his smell that pulled Ryoma the most. Fuji smelled really, really good, like flowers, apple or perhaps orange but there was a distinct smell that invited Ryoma to hug, snuggle and enjoy it all day long.
Damn, why does everything about this man is so enticing?
No wonder his teacher made a big fuss about Fuji, had Ryoma been his teacher's shoes, he would have gone crazy whenever people talking or touching Fuji, well, hell, he would be jealous even from people looking at him.
"Thank you for helping me, Echizen Ryoma." Fuji said in his surprisingly warm tone and the next thing he did surprised Ryoma more. The beautiful man kissed Ryoma on his lips and although it was a mere peck but Ryoma felt a big rush of wave entered his body, filling him and opened his senses, made him a bit lightheaded in a good way.
Ryoma blushed furiously and said nervously, "I..it's great you are AL..Alright. I..Um.." He cleared his throat awkwardly andd then looked at Fuji intently. His hand move on its own as he touched Fuji's soft cheek, it was so mesmerizing; the touch and the smell. Fuji smiled at him and cradled Ryoma's hand on his cheek.
"Take your filthy hand off of him, perverted bastard!" Someone shouted hoarsly, cutting Ryoma's clouded mind from Fuji's attractiveness. Ryoma saw a familiar big lighting ball launching to their position and it was a bit too late for Ryoma to make a shield or counterattack. He could run but he doubted his magic was enough for both of them. He saw Fuji and then the lighting ball, what should he do? Fuji had just been back to his true form, he wouldn't be able to run.
If only his teacher was there.
Yet before the angry and horrible ball could touched them, it exploded into a small pieces of dust, glinting prettily under the sunshine in the dry air. "Wha.." He saw Fuji stood on his feet, blanket protecting his lithe body, his hand was expanded to stop the attack. He stopped the attack in one move easily!
"Filthy? Perverted? They fit you better than I." Fuji smiled warmly. Ryoma saw his father twenty feets away from them, looked disheveled and there were claws and kiss marks all over his chest. Ryoma had to stop himself to face palm looking at his father's state.
The long haired man clenched and unclenched his fist, "Ah..it's been long time since last using my magic all out. It's really relaxing."
"You use my own son to release the curse, don't you?"
Fuji chuckled, the white blanket on his shoulder fell down, showing his bare shoulder shook lightly, "No way, I wouldn't dare to. He helps me willingly."
"You son of a bitch!" He prepared another attack, the lightning ball and this time was bigger and deadlier.
Ryoma knew he had to do something, "Father, stop it! You teach me not to use our magic on innocent people yet you attack Fuji to revenge on Tezuka-sensei." He stood to protect Fuji.
"I hold no grudge to Tezuka Kunimitsu but I have a big nasty one to the Wizard of West!"
"Isn't it Tezuka-sensei?" Ryoma asked dumbfoundedly.
"Of course not! Why would I? But that the bitch who is not only took my apprentice away and now is trying to make a go to my son!" He threw the big attack in hateful.
"What? So Fuji is the Wizard of West?" Ryoma asked dumbfoundedly. Then who was Tezuka-sensei?
No one remembered the wizard's face.
This curse..even the Wizard of West can't break it, right?
"Sorry. It's my fault." Tezuka replied honestly, his voice was filled with bitterness and disappointment.
Ryoma looked at Fuji in surprise, the said wizard smiled brightly to him. The attacks his father lauched were nothing for him; he dodged, crushed and blew all of them easily. The commotion created a big whirlwind, flowing through Fuji and Ryoma as the snow twirled around them, making an illusion as if they were flying to praise the Wizard of West.
Their fight were equal. Echizen Nanjiroh snorted knowing Fuji had been freed for real.
"Let me tell you, I have never stolen anything from anyone. However, you dare to come to my territory, create a ruckus after putting a deadly curse on me...I won't end it so fast and easily." Fuji raised his right hand, a big vortex of blue storm and dark being was created immediately, the sky turned dark while the vortex shone brightly, blinding Ryoma. The wind flew faster and harsher this time, the trees around them were swaying violently. Ryoma could only gaped, he heard his father chanting a spell, creating a shield for both himself and Ryoma but had this attack was launched, he didn't dare to think what would happen after that.
"Fuji! Stop! Stop please! He is wrong but you can't just do this!" He begged the true Wizard of West but the slender yet dangerous man didn't hear, he smiled darkly to his father.
Ryoma looked at his father, no matter how bad he was, he still was his father. "No. Please.." Someone had to stop this, anyone.
"You should stop since you are not fit yet."
A deep voice said flatly and Ryoma saw his teacher stood mightily next to Fuji with his hand holding Fuji's wrist tightly, their hair swayed as the wind blew by. Suddenly, the magical being disappeared just like when it was created.
Fuji pouted, "Mou.. Just when it starts to get exciting."
Ryoma sighed in relief, his teacher definitely his hero.
Echizen Nanjiroh took the opportunity to create another attack but Tezuka was faster, he pointed the older man then the old man dropped down on the ground on his stomach as if a big invisible boulder was befallen on him. The old wizard groaned and asked to be released.
The bespectacled wizard looked at Fuji, "Hn.. But you shouldn't push yourself. Your magic is still unstable. What if you destroy your magic and yourself?"
Fuji pouted and hugged himself, shifted his gaze away from Tezuka, "Mou..Mitsu doesn't love me anymore."
"If I don't, I won't help you to carry out this plan." He stated stoically.
Fuji chuckled and smiled, "But it works, doesn't it?" He skipped to the taller man.
"Ah.. Thanks to Echizen, we can break the curse without sacrificing anyone."
"Hmm.. But it rather all thanks to your great convincing acting that made him believed we were going to sacrifice him."
"Huh?" Ryoma blinked.
"But I won't allow another scheming involves you go parading around the world showing off your body." The taller man clearly didn't pay Fuji's words any heed.
Fuji rolled his eyes, "What parade? I was still at home and it was only Ryoma."
"Huh?! So you guys know?!" He yelped as he heard his teacher and Fuji's conversation.
Fuji giggled, "Of course we do. My Mitsu wouldn't put such important spell so carelessly. I put it there so you saw." He whispered to Ryoma who stood next to him, "Don't worry, Mitsu doesn't know the exact place your peeping hole is, I cover it for you." He winked and Ryoma blushed.
"Hey! What are you babbling about there, huh?!" Echizen Nanjiroh barked, "Let me go now, bastard!" But nobody cared about the Wizard of East.
"Why?" Ryoma asked.
Tezuka pulled Fuji away from Ryoma and placed his thick dark coat on the West's slender body. "Because we can't undo the spell only from our magic and we are sure Echizen Nanjiroh won't help. So the only way is through your help."
"By pretending to sacrifice my life?"
"Ah.."
"You exploit my son?!" Nanjiroh shouted angrily.
Fuji placed his hand on his hip. "I don't. I ask for his help."
"It should be honest and respectable when you ask for help!" Nanjiroh replied harshly.
"Huh? Does your son hurt somewhere? Do we make him do this forcefully? The answer is crystal clear. Besides, this won't happen if someone doesn't do a stupid thing." Fuji flicked his long hair to end the speech.
"Ugh.." Echizen Nanjiroh lose.
Tezuka took it as a clue to free the wizard.
"Hey! Come here you stupid son!" Nanjiroh said soon after that. "You have things to explain to me! Why did you disappear these two years? And what do you mean by calling Tezuka as your teacher? You are his apprentice this long?"
Ryoma snorted, "I'm your stupid son. I hid my presence soon after I arrived here, thus you couldn't find me."
Nanjiroh cleaned his clothes and put them on correctly, "You are my son, your magic is partly mine, too so I can know wherever you are."
Ryoma shifted his gaze to Fuji, don't tell me!
Fuji giggled, "Ah! That's me! It's really tiring to cover your presence here 24/7 for two year but it worth it." He leaned on Tezuka's arms and hugged the man.
Ryoma didn't know he should be afraid of Fuji's manipulating ability or his monstrous magic, not anyone could produce his magic constantly for two years.
"Enough is enough?!" Nanjiroh shouted and sent a breeze to bring Ryoma back to him. "Let's go home! I don't want to see this crazy dog for any longer. He is very dangerous and contagious." He hoisted and sling Ryoma on his board shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "We have no business anymore. Don't you dare to come and take my son away!" He snapped to the smaller man.
"Wait! I want to learn from Tezuka-sensei!" Ryoma protested as his father paced away quickly.
"It's impossible. You are a son of Wizard of East therefore you can only learn from me."
"What do you mean?" Ryoma asked in confusion, he bent his body to see his father clearer.
"Almost all of the magic is inherited not learned. You can break my one hundred years seal easily, you are very talented. I can give you that." His father grinned.
"That's why Tezuka-sensei teaches me only the basic things?"
Then why did he take me as his apprentice if he knew I wouldn't learn anything?
Fuji.
And his scheme.
He looked back to the house which went smaller as each step they made. His teacher and his lover who surprisingly the real Wizard of West had disappeared from the backyard. "It's sensible now as I can understand your magic better than Tezuka-sensei's. Does that mean I can defeat you using your own magic one day?" Ryoma asked hopefully.
"Huh? Just try it, brat. Although being a Wizard of East has its own curse for its bearer."
"A curse?" Ryoma had had enough of curse for time being.
Nanjiroh laughed, "It's more like a limitation so the wizard doesn't do stupid things or worse invading other wizard's territory. The curse is insignificant but is still a curse, it depends on each individual."
"Even you?"
"Naturally. I am the Wizard of East, aren't I?"
"Even Fuji, too?"
"Especially that bitch, you must have feel it, don't you? Now you know how enticing and seductive he is."
Ryoma frowned, pretending he didn't understand.
Nanjiroh snickered, "As if I don't know. You kissed him, didn't you? Had I come later, you would have been turned into his devotee. For a two hundred years old man he is beautifully deadly."
Fuji is that old! Unbelievable!
His father continued his explanation, "His curse is an enchanting type, making people around him falling for him so desperately. Everyone will fall for him without exception, there is no exception. Damn it, he was very attractive that one time years ago."
Ryoma believed his father was one of Fuji's worshippers too in the past.
"Isn't that good? That means he is loved, right?" Ryoma asked innocently.
His father looked at his face and said seriously, "Good? Can you imagine people snuck in to your bedroom in any creepy way and try to rape you every single day all year long? Or when people try to get into your pants in every wake day?"
Ryoma thought about his impression of Fuji everytime he saw the man and being near the man. He never had such corrupted thought before he met Fuji yet he still couldn't resist the wizard, then what about some perverted men? The curse was terrible. No wonder his teacher was being overprotective.
"Say, then what about Tezuka-sensei?"
"I don't know but from what I see, he is different. Only that two persons who know why."
"But, what is your curse again?"
Nanjiroh looked at his stoic boy, "That..is something you will know if you can get the title from me. And I can tell, it is still way too long." He laughed.
Ryoma grunted his protest as his father laughed.
Omake
"Mitsu...e..enough.. I can no more.." Fuji panted heavily as he slumped down on his stomach on their big bed. Tezuka moved and hovered above Fuji's smooth back which now was filled with kissmarks.
"No. Not yet. It's been a long time. I want a pay back from years holding back my desire and hunger for you." He kissed Fuji's shoulder and nibbled it playfully.
Fuji moaned, "It's not fair. You are not fair. My curse doesn't work on you, yet you are the most eager one." He whimpered when he felt Tezuka touched him intimately in a place he had never used for long time.
Tezuka shifted his mouth to Fuji's ear, nipped his soft earlobe then whispered lowly, "That's because I love you." His hot breath brushed Fuji's cheek and ear just so, added with sensitive body tripled the impact.
Fuji shuddered, "Oo..oh!" The bedsheet went wet was one of the evidences of Fuji's high.
"So beautiful, my Syusuke." Tezuka grunted in satisfaction seeing his beautiful lover in such state.
Fuji's curse didn't work on Tezuka. More likely Tezuka was just like his personal magic container. Fuji could take Tezuka's magic but he also could give Tezuka his overwhelming power as much as he would, there was no limit in Tezuka. When Fuji's power was kept low, people wouldn't notice him as quickly as when he had all his power. Therefore it helped Fuji getting away from unwanted attention, much to Tezuka's delight.
"Again." Tezuka announced readily and enthusiastically which happened only whenever he was with his beloved Fuji.
Fuji yelped in surprise when he was hoisted up on his knees and Tezuka wounded his arms around Fuji's bare torso then settled on Fuji's back.
Perhaps Tezuka was going to fill the next hundred years on the bed as he said.
It's not like Fuji was complaining, though.
Okay, done. I need your love to replenish my energy. *giggle*