A/N: This is my first attempt at Pillar Pair!*^_^* I don't have any idea what the title should be, then I suddenly remembered the song "Sadness and Sorrow". Guess that probably gives away the mood of this sory huh?^_^
Disclaimer: I do not own Prince of Tennis. I also admit that I recycled a idea from a novel a recently read, but I wrote this story Prince of Tennis style myself. I share all thanks for the amazing storyline with this writer, as it was his story that gave birth to this story. He is a chinese writer called Cai Jun, and he really is amazing.*^_^*I just had to share.
¤Sadness and Sorrow¤
He found that person lying in a pile of corpses.
That person wore something like an armour, a blood stained armour. Blood was oozing out from a large gash by his side, and he laid there motionless, like any of the corpses.
But that person was alive.
He can see the rising and falling of his chest although it was faint. He can hear him breathe, although it was shallow.
So he pushed away the other bodies and made his way to the injured man. He was small, but somehow he managed to get that person's arm over his shoulder.
Don't do this. Something screamed danger in his head. Don't help him!
He hesitated for a while, before he pulled him closer to him. Blood spilled onto his tattered clothes and splattered against his porcelain skin, like a crimson flower blooming amidst icy snow.
Tezuka Kunimitsu groaned as he struggled to open his eyes.
Its so bright.
Tezuka allowed himself to adjust to the light before scrutinizing his surroundings. A grey wall, a small window, some simple clothings, and......he finally noticed the boy sleeping peacefully beside him.
His whole body tensed when he finally realised that the boy was too close.
How can I let anyone so close to me?! I let my guard down!
Tezuka threw himself away from the boy, but instead crashed against the wall immediately as the house was, well, small. Blood gushed out of his newly opened wound, and he winced slightly at the pain.
Despite all that commotion, the boy didn't wake up. Greenish bangs laid lazily against his forehead, and fitted his cheeks and nape beautifully. He curled up like a cat, as if he would get more warmth if he cuddled himself.
That's when Tezuka realised that the only blanket in the house was by his leg.
He glanced over to the boy again, picked up the blanket, and covered the raven haired boy. He didn't know why, but he brushed the boy's hair away from his forehead. To his surprise, the boy suddenly grabbed his hand and pulled it over his cheek, leaning into his palm.
Tezuka was shocked. He was shocked that he actually felt happy that the boy was so defenceless against him.
When was the last time someone trusted me that much?
The kitten like boy suddenly snapped open his etheral golden eyes.
Ryoma awoke from his slumber as he smelled metallic blood.
He opened his molten golden eyes, and saw blood soaking his blanket as well as the floor around it. He immediately remembered the teen he took in the day before, that blood soaked person...
Ryoma sat up and saw that person sitting in front of him. He quickly accessed the room, and finally cocluded that the person in front of him was responsible for that mess. As he stretched himself, he said,
"This is your mess, so you clean it up."
"What?" that person looked like he couldn't believe his ears.
Ryoma shrugged, "It's your blood. As far as I can remember, I didn't get myself a huge gash on my waist recently."
That person looked slightly stunned before returning to his stoic face. Then, he replied, "I understand."
Ryoma was about to leave the house before he stopped, "Oh, and what's your name?"
That man hesistated, before he fianally spoke, "Tezuka Kunimitsu."
Ryoma smirked, "I'm Echizen Ryoma."
And he left the house.
Tezuka had lived in Ryoma's house for about three months now.
He touched his wound, which has almost healed. He should have gone back to the army, his army as soon as he could move freely without his wound hurting, but he found himself unable to leave this house.
He's not attatched to this house, the one he's attatched to was the owner of this house, Echizen Ryoma.
Every moment he spent with Ryoma was wonderful. For the first time, he felt tired from all the killings and simply wanted a home. He once belonged to the warfields, but now he wanted a place to belong to.
He fell in love.
He heard the door creak, and knew that the twelve year old was back from his work. He didn't know what his work was about, but he didn't probe as the younger never talks about it. He saw Ryoma smirk when he saw him, and that smirk melted into a smile when he pulled the golden eyed teen into his lap.
"Ryoma, I love you," he said.
Ryoma hugged him, "Yeah, I know."
In another year's time, I'll be officially fifteen.
Then, I'll marry Ryoma.
Tezuka clenched his fist around the letter. He turned to see the golden eyes teen who slept peacefully, and a tear slipped down his cheek.
I'm sorry Ryoma, he kissed the teen's forehead, but I have to go.
He pulled out the armour that have not been touched since the first day the came, left the house and barged into the snow.
Kunimitsu!!! Kunimitsu, where are you?!!!!!!
The twelve year old yelled desperately as he ran aimlessly in the snow.
Don't leave me......
Ryoma broke into tears.
A year later.
Tezuka finally sliced the head of the final enemy.
His army yelled and cheered for their victory after this long fought war, but Tezuka didn't care. All he wanted was to go back to the little warm house, where Ryoma will be waiting for him.
"This will the the last war I'll ever fight, Father," Tezuka bowed, " I have someone I love."
Tezuka fastened his pace. But he stopped at his tracks when he saw somebody rumaging the clothes of a dead soldier.
Stealing from the dead is an immoral deed. Therefore, as a general, Tezuka himself had killed several of these thieves, although most of the times they are children as they had no money to eat in this war torn country. Tezuka pulled out his sword and neared the unknowing boy started to search the pockets of another corpse.
The moonlight was not enough for Tezuka to see clearly, but he had enough experience to ensure that he'll hit his target accurately.
The boy turned and moonlight spilled onto his face.
Tezuka's sword pierced through the chest of the golden eyed boy.
Ryoma looked up at Tezuka, who stumbled and fell onto his knees. He reached to wipe away the tears from his love's eyes, although tears were flowing out of his golden orbs as well.
"Kunimitsu, Kunimitsu..." he chanted, then smiled blissfully, although Tezuka's sword stuck out of his chest, "I finally found you."
Tezuka cried even harder. Only now did he finally understand what Ryoma's 'job' was all about. Ryoma stole from dead soldiers. Ryoma saved him while doing his 'job'.
He hugged the cold body tightly, willing it to warm up again. But the only thing he could feel is that life slipped away from Ryoma as blood spilled from his chest.
He couldn't apologise. Those words choked in his throat.
Tears could only flow.
I'm already fifteen, Ryoma.
But where are you now?
~The End~