It's the newbie, with offering of another ficlet. Constructive and destructive comments are welcomed. Thank you kindly to commentors of the previous fic. They're hugely appreciated and eternalized on the wall of fame and shame. Thank you again for reading.

It was a quiet evening of studying and finishing up homework in the tidy room that belongs to the eldest son of the Tezuka family when it was broken by sigh, and the sound of hard plastic hitting thick papers.

'I'm hungry...' one Fuji Syusuke decided that he had enough of reading and scribbling, and now demand attention and sustenance.

Tezuka took his time to finish the last sentence on his essay before looking up at his blue-eyed friend expressionlessly.

Fuji looked up to his friends' hazel eyes and smiled before his own eyes are reduced to mere slits.

Soundlessly Tezuka stood up, and without a word, made his way to the kitchen.

Fuji decided to make use of the time by pulling Tezuka's essay papers in front of him and started reading. At one point he scribbled something down with his pencil, and resumed reading until after Tezuka had entered the room, two cans of chilled Cherry Coke in hand.

The blue eyed boy raised his eyebrows in question but smiled anyway when he is handed the chilled drink.

'There's nothing in the kitchen save for these.' Tezuka offered by way of explanation.

'You made a mistake in the third last paragraph, line 7.' Fuji offered Tezuka's paper back to him, with his own scribbling in pencil on the said line.

'I was writing that when you told me for the eleventh time that you are bored.'

'And you ignored me.'

'I was concentrating on doing my homework.'

'Apparently you didn't have much success then.'

Tezuka kept his gaze on Fuji for a few seconds before standing up. He took an olive green sweater off its hanger and put the hanger back in its place in the closet.

'Going somewhere?'

'I thought you were hungry, Fuji.'

'But I don't feel like walking,' it almost sounded like a pout.

'Fuji...' it sounded almost like a threat.

'Yes?'

'What do you want, exactly?'

Fuji stood up and hid his fading smile while grabbing his sweater from behind him. He was walking towards the door when Tezuka's hands stopped him.

'We're not going out now?' smile still in place, he faced Tezuka.

'Yes, if you really want to, and no if you don't.'

Silence ensued while Fuji tilted his head a bit, and made it looked like he was studying Tezuka's face. 'Tell me Tezuka, have you ever felt bored, tired, angry, infuriated--anything?'

One can never tell whether Tezuka was amused or otherwise, because his face is the same impersonation of impassiveness.

'Not when I'm with you.'

Fuji's smile intensified.

'Really? And have you ever felt happy then? Joyous, cheerful?'

'Why, Fuji?'

'Take a look at that face, Tezuka,' he gestured to indicate his hazel eyed companion's face, 'I bet even the Matterhorn are not as rigid.'

Tezuka kept quiet, but gently pried away the navy blue sweater Fuji is clutching in his hand. Fuji at times like this is a volcano personified; he'll purge and purge and deal with the carcass later.

'Sometimes I am almost sure that you never smiled.'

'Doesn't mean that you're right, though.'

'Well, I said "sometimes".'

Perhaps if Tezuka is really the Matterhorn, then he wouldn't feel offended even the slightest bit.

'Sometimes it's better not to smile when there's nothing to smile about, don't you think, Syusuke?'

It's Fuji's turn to keep quiet now, fixing his eyes onto Tezuka's own. Somewhere back then both had crossed an invisible line, and now they looked ready to spit fire. But instead Tezuka reached behind his friend with both hands holding the sweater open for Fuji to wear. The blue-eyed boy obeyed, although reluctantly putting in one hand after another, and adjusted the garment on his shoulder. Tezuka puts on his own sweater, and zipped up Fuji's. Gently he took Fuji's hand and led him to the doorway.

And just because Fuji Syusuke never apologize to anybody and Tezuka Kunimitsu never intended on saying sorry, it doesn't mean that they're oblivious to the hurting. But Tezuka also knew that the silence mean that Fuji does not, and will not have any intention of speaking. So he said, 'We'll go and buy some ramen from the stalls, and bring them back here so we could eat in. You're spending the night here, aren't you?'

That made Fuji stopped in his track, and snapped his gaze up to the taller boy. He looked into those hazel eyes, and Tezuka didn't waver. A few seconds passed when finally Fuji Syusuke smiled again, and this time, his eyes didn't close, but smiled like his lips.

'So now you're cruel instead,' but he certainly doesn't look victimized, 'how can I possibly say no, with you putting it like that?'