A Promise
by Eliza Natsuko
Disclaimers: PoT does not belong to me.
Summary: Fuji is curious what Tezuka would present him this year.
A/N: For our tensai's birthday :D It's been a couple of years since I last wrote something. So, I'm a little rusty. My apologies for that
Fuji finally had the time to rest. From the moment he stepped into his studio-office, his colleagues, though only a handful of them, surprised him with a loud cheer of "SURPRISE!" and presented him his favourite wasabi ice-cream cake. Before he had the time to register the event in his mind, a bright flash blinded him temporarily. Following that was an hour long photography and cake-eating session. After thanking his colleagues for the celebration, he returned to his. Presents pile up on one side of the desk and on the other side, was the half-eaten cake.
He counted the candles on the cake. "1.. 2.. 3.. 4.. 5.." Secretly hoping the number would just stop there, he continued counting. "6… 7. I'm already 28."
He heaved a soft audible sigh. "I'm getting older, ne?"
He remembered how he celebrated his previous birthday. Since the 29th of February only comes once in four years, they had a big celebration. The Seigaku regular members gathered at Taka-san's sushi restaurant and they had an all-you-can-eat sushi buffet under Taka-san's account. The rest of the regulars shared and bought him an all round trip to Europe. He remembered how he was touched to tears and how Eiji cried together with him. He chuckled softly at that memory.
Naturally, his mind strayed to Tezuka. The team captain never failed to send him presents on his birthdays. He recalled having a fairly big parcel greeting him on the doorstep to his house one year on the 28th of February. He noticed the postage stamp on the box and instantly knew whom the parcel was from. Tezuka was studying abroad at that time and had no choice but to send his present through mail.
Presents from Tezuka were always unexpected. One year, he received an expensive camera bag. Another year, he received a pair of earrings (after Tezuka learned that Fuji had pierced his left ear). He noticed though, that Tezuka only got him items which were useful to him. He never received any trinkets or decorative from him. He wondered what Tezuka got him this year.
In an instant, Fuji got up from his seat and grabbed his bag. He briefly informed his secretary that he had some important matter to deal with and left the office. As if rushing for time, Fuji jumped into his little Smart-For-Two and drove home.
He took small but quick steps as he approached his house. Swiftly, he fished out his house keys from his pocket and unlocked the door. He threw his bag onto the soft couch in the living room and went into a room opposite his own.
He scanned around the room. Everything was neatly arranged in place. Not a single crease on the bed, or a hint of dirt on the table. The blue-eyed boy smirked, "As expected from Tezuka."
Carefully, Fuji started digging the drawers and cupboards in Tezuka's room, searching for anything that could resemble a present. He was dead curious what Tezuka would present him this year. He made it a point to rearrange whatever items he dug out to erase evidence of his presence in the room. However, after hours of searching, Tezuka's room turned into a chaos. Fuji was not pleased. He could not find anything that Tezuka could possibly present him.
Feeling slightly tired, Fuji let himself lean against the nightstand by Tezuka's bed. He accidentally knocked his head on the little knob on the drawer of the nightstand. He cursed softly and opened the drawer feeling indifferent.
His eyes widen as a pair of blue iris caught a sight of something hidden deep inside the drawer.
"Oh kami-sama." Fuji slowly brought his hand to his mouth. "Oh kami-sama." He repeated as he reached out for a little velvet red box. "Oh kami-sama. Tezuka is planning to propose me?"
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that inside the little red velvet box lays an engagement ring. He stared at the little box and toy with it, still deep in his thoughts. It took five rings from his cellphone to wake him up from his reverie. He reached for his phone and hastily made a slide on the touch screen to answer the call.
"Tezuka?" Fuji knew it was his housemate from the caller ID. He remembered forcing Tezuka to smile for his caller ID photo. His smile widen at that random flashback. "Ah, I'm already at home. Sure, I'll prepare dinner tonight. Ok, bye. See you in a while."
After making sure Tezuka has already hung up, Fuji rushed to the kitchen and threw several pots and pans into the sink and let the water run over them- in an attempt to calm himself down. Tezuka was going to propose him! How the heck is he supposed to calm the hell down? It is just not possible!
In a desperate attempt, Fuji went to his room and blasted his stereo. Music never failed to calm his nerves. Whenever he had a hectic day at work, or met some fussy clients or had an argument with Tezuka, he always sought his stereo set for comfort. He turned the volume to the maximum and sang his heart out from the kitchen as he prepared dinner.
A little more than an hour later, Fuji's ear caught the clinks of key as Tezuka open the door. Although Fuji's mind is in haywire, he managed to put on his usual façade as he stood by the kitchen bar and asked Tezuka to head for a shower first.
While the two young men were having dinner, Tezuka is quiet as usual. However, the usual chatterbox was not as talkative. When Tezuka questioned Fuji about the lack of conversation, the birthday boy simply answered that he was too preoccupied thinking about what Tezuka would present him. The bespectacled man grunted and said he would soon to find out.
Fuji couldn't concentrate in washing the dishes. He had water splashed all over his face and clothes.
After a warm shower, Fuji spotted Tezuka reading the newspaper on the couch where he threw his bag earlier that day. He shifted the bag to the floor and sat next to the other man. Quiet. Not a word spoken.
"Fuji, you're acting weird today." Tezuka pointed out.
"I am? I wonder why?"
"Alright, alright. Your present." Tezuka then got up from the couch and walked to his room. He came out several minutes later to see a panic-stricken Fuji. "Fuji, are you alright? You look.. weird."
"Must be tired from all the work." Fuji tried to brush the accusation off.
"And my room…."
"Ah! I was looking for laundry. And well, I guess I searched a little too much. Gomen, I'll clean up later." Fuji lied through his teeth.
"Don't bother. Since you've been acting strange and dying to have your present," Tezuka pulled out a small box from behind. He knew Fuji too well to know the smaller man loves receiving present. "Here. Happy birthday, Syuusuke."
Fuji stared blankly at the present in Tezuka's hand for a moment before hesitantly took it. "Th-Thank you.." He sounded unsure. Of course he little box was not what he saw in Tezuka's nightstand drawer!
Fuji tore the wrapper off the box and smiled happily as the held the camera lens in his hand. "Thanks, Kunimitsu. I've been eyeing this lens for a while now." He planted a quick kiss on his lover's cheek. "That's all?"
"That's all?" The stoic man tilted his head a little.
"I mean, that's all the present from you? Nothing else?" Fuji pressed.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but yes. I got you a lens, that's all." Tezuka's expression remained confused. It never occurred to him that Fuji would want more. Fuji loves present not because he wanted the materials but because he loves the thrill of unwrapping gifts.
"Are you sure, Kunimitsu?"
"Yes. Syuusuke, what is it?"
Fuji was quiet for a moment. Thoughts filled his mind. What was that in the little red velvet box? A ring, he was very certain. If Tezuka did not get that for him, then..? Could it be Tezuka never saw a future with him, in the first place? All this time, all these years spent together, what are these? Tezuka has a girlfriend? Of course, that seems more logical since he is the only person to bore the family name.
Tezuka could read the emotions in the blue eyes. The mixed emotions of confuse, sadness, disappointment and anger. He held Fuji's shoulders and shook him slightly. "Syuusuke?"
"Kunimitsu…" Fuji looked into the brown eyes, tying hard to read any slip of emotions from his lover of almost 13 years. "Kunimitsu, there's a box, a little red box in your drawer. And.. And I thought.."
Tezuka waited for Fuji to finish his sentence but the smaller man did not. A small smile crept onto Tezuka's face. "You thought the ring was for you?" Fuji nodded innocently. "That was Oiishi's. He was going to propose to his fiancée and asked me to keep it for the time being."
"Really?" Fuji's voice was soft.
"Really. Stop having nonsense thoughts. It'sunlike you to think that way." Tezuka pulled Fuji into an embrace. Fuji, finally realizing his childish behavior, snuggled closer into Tezuka's warm hug.
"Besides, Syuusuke.." Tezuka continued as the stroke the soft brown strands on Fuji's head. "I never knew you were so eager to marry me." Fuji punched his lover softly on the chest before burying his face into Tezuka's chest to hide his embarrassment. Minutes later, when both men were just enjoying the warmth of each other, Fuji's voice broke the silence.
"I'll be waiting, Kunimitsu."
"Aah. It won't be long."
Hope you guys enjoyed that :) Reviews are very much appreciated.