Flash Effects
Summary: Before classes start for Fuji, Atobe, and Shiraishi, Fuji finds out something no one can predict. Then, all kinds of problems start popping up.
Warnings: Shounen-ai
Pairings: Shiraishi x Fuji, Tezuka x Atobe, Chitose x Yukimura
Disclaimer: Prince of Tennis is not mine.
Yay, I've finally finished my sequel to 'Osaka'! No flashy chapter titles for this one, though. They're just going to be 'Chapter 1', 'Chapter 2', etc. Since this is kind of a prologue, it is the shortest chapter of the story. But I think one of the chapters to this has over 4000 words! I'm so excited to share this with you dedicated Tenipuri fans that actually read up to the latest chapters! Or at least the ones with Shitenhouji in them. But anyway, please read, review, and enjoy!
Chapter 1:
"Keigo, there's something I need to tell you," were the first words that Atobe Keigo heard one Wednesday afternoon, the day before their classes were to start.
-----------------------------------
Fuji and Atobe were currently going to college and rooming together at the Osaka College of Arts. Since it was obviously customary, and they both needed to get settled, they had both arrived a couple days before the college classes started, and those were the busiest days since they had graduated from high school.
Especially for Fuji. Yes, especially for Fuji. He could remember it vividly. Even though it was only a couple days ago, Fuji felt like it had been years. Fuji had run into his old friend from Osaka's Shitenhouji Chuu, Shiraishi Kuranosuke first thing after arriving at the college gates. He had even seen Shiraishi before he had run into Atobe, who he found out that he was rooming with a little while later.
Fuji and Shiraishi had gone to visit all the friends that they had in Osaka, since Fuji hadn't seen them in a while. After that, everything got insanely hectic. Not that Fuji minded, though, since he loved to have a good time with his friends. Especially his friends from Shitenhouji.
And then the contest happened. While walking to the mall with his Shitenhouji friends one day in the morning, they spotted a poster advertising a photography contest being held in Osaka for all residents. All of Fuji's friends thought he and Shiraishi should enter together, since Fuji was a good photographer and Shiraishi was majoring in graphic design. The prompt for the competition was 'shadows'.
While walking back from the mall, after Fuji's other Shitenhouji friends had gone their own ways, Fuji and Shiraishi were walking back to the college dorms. That was when the two had first kissed. Then the memories of the past tragedy with Tezuka had come flooding back to him.
The days after that, Fuji had started remembering the past more than he himself wanted to. It was almost like Tezuka was invading his mind, but Fuji was pushing him away. The only things keeping him from completely breaking down were his dear friends comforting him. They were always by his side when the memories were the worst.
The tragedy happened in Seishun Gakuen, in their third year. Fuji and Tezuka had been dating each other for a while, when one day, Fuji found Tezuka kissing someone else in the locker rooms. Fuji had broken up with Tezuka in a matter of two words the day after that. Fuji transferred to Hyotei Gakuen, who accepted him with open arms and smiles on their faces. Fuji instantly felt at home. And he didn't talk to Tezuka directly all through high school.
For the contest, Fuji ended up entering a picture with Shiraishi and him sitting at the banks of a river during sunset, with Fuji leaning his head on Shiraishi's shoulder and his back on Shiraishi's arm. They had used the timer on Fuji's camera, and the previous Shitenhouji captain had edited the picture to make it look better. They had ordered prints from a photo shop, and that was where Fuji and Shiraishi had officially become a couple. They had stayed at Chitose's apartment after that for a sleepover.
The next day was the award ceremony for the contest being held all throughout Osaka. After sitting through nearly an hour of talking of other peoples' entries, it was finally time to announce the first place winner. Or maybe it should be winners. The winners, of course, were Fuji and Shiraishi, and they were overjoyed.
When Fuji had gotten back to the dorm that one day, he had showed Atobe the picture and the trophy (that Shiraishi decided he would let Fuji display in his dorm). Atobe hadn't commented much on the picture, but only congratulated Fuji. Fuji brushed it aside, because he just figured that Atobe had been in the middle of something. Atobe tended to be slightly cold when he was interrupted.
Fuji hadn't informed him of him and Shiraishi dating, though. And he didn't tell Atobe the title of the picture, 'Forbidden Love'. He was afraid to figure out what would happen next, and he didn't really want to know, anyway.
-----------------------------------
And right there, right now, they were each sitting on the two beds, with Fuji just resting on one and Atobe reading on the other. Fuji had just randomly started talking, and he was saying, "Keigo, there's something I need to tell you."
Atobe lifted his head up in curiosity. "Yes?"
Fuji sighed. He knew that he should tell Atobe about the news about him and Shiraishi sometime, but he had just been delaying it and delaying it. He knew that Atobe might get distracted from his classes and all the such if he told him now, but it would be better than if Atobe found it out for himself. "Keigo…Kuranosuke and I…are…"
"Dating?" Atobe finished as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Fuji blinked and nodded.
"Congratulations." Atobe turned back to his book and continued to read. Had he not been affected at all? Fuji continued to sit straight up on the bed and stared at Atobe. What was wrong? Fuji didn't mind the nonchalant reaction, but it wasn't what he was expecting. And Fuji almost always got what he expected. What was wrong this time? Was Atobe distracted? Could he not hear right?
Fuji had known that Atobe had liked him since when he moved to college. There was definitely something about the way he treated him that signaled it. Atobe was kind of a flirt, but the way that he kissed Fuji and hugged him made Fuji sure that he really loved him. Or at least, had a crush on him. What was this reaction?
"Is that all you have to say?" Fuji asked. It wasn't in an irritated tone, but a genuinely curious one.
"Yeah. What else should I say?" Atobe replied, not looking up from his book.
"Well at least look at me," Fuji said. Now, he was irritated. Atobe sighed and closed his book after sticking the piece of paper that he was using as a bookmark in it.
"Congratulations," he said again.
"Say it like you mean it. Do you not care?" Fuji asked.
"What is there to care about? You two are dating. So what? What else am I to say?" he repeated.
"What are you, a broken record?" Fuji asked.
"Hey, I'm kind of in the middle of something. So would you just leave me be for now and we can chit-chat later?" Atobe asked.
"Oh, yeah, I can definitely see that." And with that, Fuji got up off the bed and walked out of the room. He wasn't one of those people that would storm out of the room and slam the door, he just calmly walked away. But inside, he was very annoyed.
He stood out in the hallway, leaning against the wall of the room that he and Atobe shared. What would make Atobe act like that? He knew that Atobe was reading, but a book wouldn't be enough to make Atobe totally distant. There was something about what Fuji had told him that made him act like that, since he was fine before. Was it the way Fuji said it? No, there was nothing different about his tone of voice except the fact that he sounded a little more nervous than before. And since it was Fuji talking, and Atobe had his book on his mind, he wouldn't have picked up on that.
Fuji thought more. Lately, Atobe had shown a little more disinterest in Fuji, since Fuji had come back with the trophy and the picture. Maybe since Atobe knew Fuji was taken, he didn't really care anymore. But anyone who really liked someone couldn't get over them that easily. Take Fuji and Tezuka for an example. It had been over three years since they had broken up, and Fuji still wasn't thinking clearly when he thought about Tezuka.
Besides, it wasn't really that same type of air that Atobe was giving off. It was almost like he was tired of…putting on an act…?
Did you like it? Just a little prologue kind of thing. Leaves you hanging...a bit. I'm going to be out of town until Monday, so my next update will be then. I apologize for making you wait, but it wasnt' really my decision. xD;; Anyway, please review!
