It had shattered.
Everything he had worked for, had recklessly pursued, pushed himself over the edge and sacrificed had all come down to this- he wouldn't be able to be reckless again, sacrifice and simply enjoy the thrill of tennis again. No, he couldn't play tennis again. All because of an injury he thought he had overcome, his only weakness became the deciding factor of his career and there was nothing he could about it. Everything that could be done had been done. Rehabilitation in Germany, three surgeries and countless sessions of physiotherapy for post-operation recovery but this time the doctor had told him that they have run out of options.
Tezuka turned the collar of his coat upwards until just his eyes were visible barely from underneath his spectacles. The cold wind was sweeping from underneath his coat and sweater and he hurried along the almost deserted streets of Berlin clutching the file the doctor had given him earlier with a firmer grip. The sight of his hotel loomed before him and he greatly welcomed the heat that was radiating from within. He stepped into the golden light and felt the black hole in his heart continue to grow and swallow him. Despair was closing in and panic had hit his nerves. He made it to his room on the fourteenth floor and clocked the door and stood with his back against the cool wood.
"Ganbatte, buchou"
"Kunimitsu Tezuka, become the Seigaku's pillar of support"
"I will save you a ticket for the nationals. Be sure to come back to us"
"Our hopes are riding on you Tezuka"
He shut his eyes tighter. He was shunning his duties as a captain. Seigaku was playing a match today in the Kantou Games. He quickly mailed Oishi a few simple words that carried the strength of Seigaku within them.
Let's not get careless.
He flipped the phone shut and made way to sit on the edge of his bed. If he had known today would be the last day he would pick up a racquet, he would have played just more time. But that's what he didn't have-the chance. A few hours of just sitting there, he let the whole of the situation sink in, not thinking anything when his mind and heart were so badly troubled and agitated. The despair he had felt earlier was gradually sinking into a deeper part of his brain and he was able to have a more rational, coherent thinking process. Just how much of him was left if the ability to play tennis was taken away from him? He was about to find out now. He had been good at multiple things but it was tennis that motivated him to reach for that goal that you believed was impossible and then the exhilaration of attaining it. Just pushing him for that one more step, one more challenge and one more mountain for him to scale. All of that had been rudely snatched away from him, without proper warning and he was now expected to cope with it. He laughed at the irony, without any mirth, tears leaking down his cheeks in the dark room but no one would find out that Tezuka Kunimitsu was human too.
Tomorrow, he would walk around with his mask intact, stoic and ever the practical one. No one would find out that he was indeed just a seventeen year old who craved for warmth when he was vulnerable. And he was vulnerable without the tennis racquet in his hands. The phone beeped twice indicating a new message had been received.
He was surprised to see the sender's name.
From Echizen Ryoma
We won.
See you in Tokyo soon.
A second message followed from Oishi declaring they had won. But what surprised him was Fuji's message. And he hated to admit it but it scared him too.
Tezuka, I am here and home is here. Just one more challenge that you need to overcome and you will be on the top again. Ganbatte ne, Kunimitsu.
Just how did his boyfriend know what was going on in his life or was it a lucky guess? Was Fuji talking about something else entirely?
I am coming Syusuke. You are there and home is there. It's just one more challenge I need to overcome. So what if my dream will take a little longer to realise? I know I will get there and we will be on the top again. With that resolve in his mind, he wiped the first and the last of his tears and let the warmth from Fuji's message spread over him.
He was Tezuka Kunimitsu, captain of Seigaku's tennis team, student council president, and pillar of support, friend, boyfriend and human. He is Tezuka Kunimitsu and he is all of these things.
A/n: Wondering if to leave it as a one-shot or continue to develop this? Review please?