Title: Unaccepted Apologies

Author: Chachiri NoDa

Rating: PG

Pairing: Atobe/Tezuka, Tango

Notes: Continued from "Bizarre Feelings" which is can be found in my profile.

"I can't believe that happened," a random voice from out in the hallway wafted past Atobe's ear. "I can't believe someone could be so careless. What kind of people work for Atobe anyway?"

Atobe was pointedly looking out the window, but turned his head when a grunt interrupted his own musings about the people in his employ. His eyes fell where Tezuka stood just inside the door, scanning the room, as if he had expected someone else to be there.

"Looking for someone?" Atobe asked. "Does Oresama not qualify as worthy company now?" His voice was a bit bitter, but the disaster had left him rather annoyed. Everything had been going so well before.

Tezuka blinked, but was otherwise expressionless. "I thought Sanada-san would be in here." Tezuka sat on the chair next to the bed Atobe was sitting back on.

"He was," Atobe admitted. "He ran off a little while ago, something to do with that second year of his." Atobe easily pinpointed the source of the question. Tezuka had seen Sanada and himself in the locker room, and had known what it had meant.

Tezuka nodded, his expression tensing slightly and giving Atobe the impression that Tezuka himself was worried about leaving his own kouhai unsupervised, though Tezuka was simply nervous about being alone with Atobe. Tezuka glanced down at Atobe's leg. "How is your knee?"

"Just twisted. A little ice and it'll be fine," Atobe found himself reassuring.

"My apologies," Tezuka spoke softly.

There was a pause as the words settled in the air before Atobe responded with, "What the hell are you apologizing for?"

Tezuka blinked at the sudden venom in Atobe's voice, "For not being attentive. I should have noticed the danger before you had to resort to saving me and thus injuring yourself."

Atobe stared at Tezuka a long moment before tossing his head back with a laugh. "How like you. Of course, I'm afraid I'll have to refuse your apology."

Tezuka looked stunned, well, as stunned as he ever looked. "Why?"

Atobe smiled, "Because you didn't do anything worth apologizing for. This is the work crew's fault. It'll be taken care of." Thoroughly taken care of, as Atobe had already sent someone to yell and scream at people to figure out what went wrong.

Tezuka looked as if he might argue the matter for a moment before nodding, as if resigning himself to being unable to convince Atobe of his view. He rose to leave.

Atobe has never been able to explain why he reached out his hand and latched onto Tezuka's bare wrist. The touch sent a jolt up both their arms and they stared at each other silently in the eye, both knowing that the other had felt what they had. It was a long moment before Tezuka started to pull away, but the time between that movement and Atobe pulling Tezuka back to him was immeasurable in its quickness. Tezuka's eyes widen upon discovering his face mere centimeters away from Atobe, and Atobe simply couldn't stop himself from moving forward and closing the distance. Their lips brushed against each other softly, but the shock of it was enough to get their blood pumping.

Tezuka pulled back quickly, his face flushed as both of them panted, eyes glued on each other's face. "I'm sorry."

Atobe sent him a dirty look. "Sorry? There you go again, apologizing for something you-"

Atobe's eyes widen as Tezuka lips were suddenly on his again in a hungry, but short kiss. Atobe gaped back at Tezuka as he turned for the door. Tezuka reached it, pausing to toss over his shoulder, "There. Now I'm sorry."

Tezuka was gone in the next moment, but Atobe spoke out loud anyway, though his voice was too quiet to carry far. "I can't accept that one either."