Written for the POT forum's Royal Flush challenge. Constructive criticism required as this is first TeFu drabble ever done.
He had been drawn in the first time he saw his face. It wasn't something that he could explain easily. Those soft, honey brown locks and beautiful smile...he was perfect in every way, so perfect that Tezuka wanted to protect him.
And he did, but the angel never knew.
Fuji was immensely popular, especially among the female population, and although Tezuka could never be said to be 'jealous', he always watched Fuji's interactions with females with impatience and a slight chafing. The involuntary reaction surprised Tezuka sometimes. He had thought he was 'mature' enough to avoid the common plague of love, the green-eyed monster that, if given a chance, could drag any relationship into the mud.
But what Tezuka was really surprised about was the fact that he even had stirrings of jealousy in the first place. Did he really love Fuji? He had considered himself to be nothing more than a 'guardian' of some sorts, someone whose duty was to protect that which was innocent and unblemished. That had seemed to be his primary objective, a self-appointed post of Fuji's protector.
But it had changed given time, and Tezuka hadn't even realized it.
Then the angel himself approached him. With a smile and a touch of the hands, Fuji politely inquired if Tezuka would mind partnering him for the art class. Wistful glances were cast in Fuji's direction, regretful that he hadn't asked them, but had asked Tezuka. They wondered that made Fuji choose Tezuka over so many other hopefuls. Whispers spread, certainly, but they never grew into anything as spiteful as rumours. Two young men, both in the prime of their lives, one with looks to rival any famous actor, the other a rising tennis star. For those who didn't mind same sex pairings, they even joked that Tezuka and Fuji would be the perfect pair.
Tezuka had accepted Fuji's invitation, of course, but never instigated any move on his own. He watched over Fuji even then, rather like a mother hen would, although he made sure that no one was aware of it. He remained stoic and stern, but whenever a group of guys wanted to stir up trouble for the popular Fuji, he was there, his presence a dampening blanket for any plot.
The hushed word spread that someone with influence was protecting Fuji, although Tezuka's name never came up. No one dared to cause trouble for Fuji after that, not with the unspoken threat that someone would clamp down hard on them if they even tried. Fuji wasn't an idiot - he knew that someone was protecting him. He had his suspects (or rather, suspect) but he could never quite prove it. Tezuka was too careful for him.
And so Tezuka continued to watch over the angel, always in the background, always obscured, but never making any attempt to get closer to him.
Tezuka was the sort of person who was content to love from afar.
'There are things that are beautiful because one cannot possess them.'
Quote from Gilgamesh, Fate/Stay Night.
xEndx