THUD
"What do you think your doing making such loud nose, this is a librar-!?" Tezuka spat, but was interrupted when he looked up to find the smiling face of Fuji shining down on him.

"Gomen, Tezuka…" The young tensai said. He sat down in front of the books he had dropped on the table.

"What do you need?" Tezuka asked; glad to know it was Fuji and not an annoyance.

"I was wondering…" Fuji gave a glowing grin. "If you could help me study for our history final?"
Tezuka was not surprised by the question. He was always assisting Fuji with his studies, he didn't necessarily mind, it helped him prepare too.
Tezuka gave a small sigh. "Okay."

They studied for a couple hours, taking breaks every now and then to talk about upcoming tournaments and such.

Tezuka looked up to the clock to see that it was 6:00.
"Ah, I have to go now Fuji." The bunchou said as he slowly stood up from his chair.
"Okay! Bye, Tezuka!" Fuji exclaimed, his face giving off a warm smile.
Tezuka walked out of the library. He felt bad leaving Fuji there by himself, but he knew if he was late for dinner his mother would get angry.

---

Fuji rushed out of class as soon as the bell rung. He hurriedly searched the hall and then gave out a small sigh. He ran over to Tezuka, tugging on his sleeve to get his attention.

"What is it Fuji?" Tezuka asked, dismissing himself from his previous conversation with Inui.
"I got an A on my final! Arigato Tezuka, arigato!" Fuji exclaimed. He was almost jumping with excitement.

Tezuka gave a small smile. "I didn't do much Fuji."

The tensai blushed slightly but still gave out a grin.

Tezuka looked around. "Fuji, I have to go, I'll see you at practice."

---
Fuji walked down the paved sidewalk holding a small gift wrapped box in his hands, with a small tag on it that read "Thank you Tezuka."
Fuji stopped in front of a tan colored home.

He took a deep breath and took one step up the entryway before he started to hear screaming.
"Tezuka! OUT! GET OUT OF MY HOME!" A woman's voice shrieked in anger.

"Mom, I'm sorry, I truly am-"The young man's voice was interrupted by a slap.

Fuji's bright blue eyes dropped. "Tezuka…" he whispered silently.

"OUT! NOW!" The woman's shrill voice screamed again.

He heard loud footsteps and watched as a young man ran out of the doorway and pressed his back against the door.

"Tezuka..?" Fuji whispered.

The figure turned.
It was Tezuka, he could tell even with the searing red mark on the side of his face. You could faintly make out its shape, a handprint.
Tezuka looked into Fuji's eyes but sharply turned his gaze away.

Fuji walked up to Tezuka, putting a soft hand on the mark in which his mother gave him.
Tezuka pushed his hand away.

Suddenly pounding footsteps were heard running inside the house, the door's handle was being shaken vigorously.

Tezuka quickly looked around, trying to figure out a place to run to.

Surprised, Tezuka jumped when he felt a small hand grabbing his.

It was Fuji, running down the sidewalk, through yards, and across streets, pulling a confused Tezuka along.

He suddenly felt calm.
They may have been running, but he didn't care.
After a few minutes they stopped in front of another house.

They ran up to the doorstep as Fuji fumbled with his keys and jammed them into the door. He pushed the door open, grabbed Tezuka's hand again and ran up the carpeted stairway. Tezuka could feel each strand of the carpet between his toes, just then he had realized he hadn't been wearing shoes at all, from the moment he stepped out of his house, and into Fuji's. Fuji opened another door which led to a bedroom. He slammed the door behind him, finally letting go of Tezuka's hand and sat with his back against the door.

The bunchou tried to take in his surroundings. He finally realized, noting the neatness and rackets, that this was Fuji's room.
Fuji slowly stood up.

"I'm going to go get some blankets; you can sleep in my bed tonight." Fuji said, but this time there was a distant smile. Tezuka could tell the young tensai was in deep thought, but figured right now there were no words that needed to be spoken. Even if you could think of any, he probably didn't have the right state of mind to say any.

Fuji opened the door and walked out.

---

"He found out… now how am I ever going to talk to him? He knows I'm from a no good family, meaning I'm no good either." Tezuka spoke to himself. "Why am I so confused? There is no reason for me to care what he thinks. He's just Fuji."
Tezuka knew he wasn't 'just' Fuji. Fuji was his partner. He was the only one who always was on his side, the only one who didn't point out all his small mistakes. He knew Fuji was the only one he could tell anything to. What would happen without his shining smile, or without being able to see his bright azure eyes? Could he truly live like that? Without being able to see HIM? Tezuka knew the answer.
"Plus," Tezuka noted, "even if I told him the truth, he wouldn't feel the same way, it's selfish of me to put my feelings toward him."
There was a knock on the door, and Fuji came in.

He laid out the blankets on the floor next to the bed, not forgetting to put an extra one on the bed for Tezuka.

Fuji gave a small glance to his alarm clock that showed 12:30.
"I guess we should go to sleep, we have our tournament tomorrow." He added, adding a bright grin, but this time you could tell it was his true smile.
Tezuka was slightly brightened by knowing Fuji was okay.
Fuji slipped in to his mass of blankets on the floor, while Tezuka turned the lamp off and lay in the bed, his eyes still wide open.

"You're wrong." Fuji said surprising Tezuka and making him give a slight jump.

"What are you talking about?" Tezuka asked, he slightly wondered if Fuji talked in his sleep.

"You should ask before you jump to conclusions." Fuji said. Tezuka thought he must be sleep-talking.

"Fuji, what are you saying?" Tezuka whispered, hoping if Fuji was sleeping he wouldn't wake him.

"You're not being selfish Tezuka, your not pushing feelings to me that I don't already have." Fuji said, he could feel his cheeks blushing, thank God it was dark.

"Fuji…" Tezuka exclaimed, trying to think of something to say.
"I could never think badly of you. Just because you may come from a different background then I supposed, doesn't make me like you any less." Fuji said.

After a long silence, Tezuka reached for Fuji's shoulder.

"I'm sorry Fuji, I'm so sorry for not telling you." Tezuka whispered; a small tear ran down his cheek.

Fuji took Tezuka's hand and lifted it from his shoulder.
"Apology..." Fuji sat up and gave a small kiss to the mark Tezuka's mother had inflicted on him, then he laid back down, still holding Tezuka's hand, "accepted." Fuji whispered.

They both drifted off to sleep, hand in hand.