BP: This was just an idea that popped up in my head. I know a tragic story isn't my genre, but I thought I'd give a try, yeah? So this is another TezuRyo story (first yaoi pairing I ever liked), hope you enjoy!
Warning: Character death.
A pair of brown eyes woke up to see white. He groaned, and put a hand over his eyes as he tried to adjust to the sudden brightness. His head felt heavy, and he realized he had a bandage around his forehead. What had happened?
"You're awake." said an all-too familiar voice.
Tezuka turned to see a boy with cat-like golden eyes, emerald black hair, sitting on his bedside and staring at him with a calculating look. It was his cute lover, Echizen Ryoma.
"I…Ryoma…what happened?" Tezuka asked. "Why am I in the hospital?"
"What was the last thing that you remember?" Ryoma arched an eyebrow.
Tezuka searched his memory. It was when he and Ryoma were walking back from a date at the movies, which ended at almost 11 in the night. They were about to cross the road when some car going at 100km/hr was racing towards them. That was all he could remember before he woke up in this hospital.
"So what happened after that?" he enquired.
Ryoma shrugged. "Well, you hit your head at the pavement, which caused you to be knocked out. Someone called the ambulance, and took you to the hospital, I guess."
"What do you mean by you guess?" Tezuka frowned at that statement.
Just then, the door opened, and the other regulars came in.
"Tezuka-buchou! How are you feeling?" Momoshiro asked, smiling at him. They were all smiling in relief that he was awake. "We were so worried when we heard you were in the accident! You've been out for a week now!"
"Just fine." Tezuka replied. "I was talking to Ryoma about what happened to me, that's all." He gestured to Ryoma, who waved at them.
At the mention of Ryoma's name, everyone shot him a funny look, and looked at one another.
"What's wrong?" Tezuka asked, frowning at their reaction.
"No, it's nothing." Fuji answered, placing a huge basket filled with fruit and chocolate.
Just then, the door opened, and a female doctor walked in, carrying a clipboard. She was wearing glasses and had her hair tied in a ponytail. Her name tag read, "Ameyuri Shizuku"
"Tezuka-san, how are you feeling?" She asked the same question Momoshiro had asked moments ago.
"I'm fine. Shizuku-sensei." He repeated.
"That's great." The doctor smiled, scribbling something in her clipboard. "We agreed that once you wake up, you can be released within 6 hours. Please have a good rest." With that, she left the room.
"That's great, Tezuka!" Oishi said. "You can return to school!"
Tezuka nodded.
Tezuka was discharged, and he decided to walk home himself, and since he lived near the hospital (walking distance in fact), no one objected, knowing he could take care of himself. However, Ryoma insisted to walk him home, even making sure he doesn't leave his sight.
"Do you really have to walk me home, Ryoma?" Tezuka smiled teasingly at his little lover.
"Of course, Mitsu. Wouldn't want you to collapse now, would it?" Ryoma pouted, taking his hand.
Tezuka laughed. Ryoma was always so cute when he's all concerned about him. He ruffled Ryoma's hair, as they reached the door. He took out his house key, and unlocked the door.
"I'm home." Tezuka announced. His parents, who were watching the TV, and his grandfather, who was reading the newspaper looked up.
"Kunimitsu!" His mother jumped out from the couch, and hugged him. "Thanks goodness my son is safe!"
Tezuka hugged her back, smiling.
"Kunimitsu, are you sure you should be walking all by yourself? What if you collapsed again?" His father gently chided him.
"Oh, I'm fine, father. Ryoma did walk me home after all." He stepped aside to allow Ryoma to enter.
His parents and grandfather looked at Ryoma in shock, before looking back at him, which puzzled Tezuka.
'So this was what Oishi was talking about when he called earlier today.' His mother thought.
She gave him a sweet smile and said, "That's sweet of Ryoma, Kunimitsu. Now why don't you two take a good rest in your room?" His father and grandfather followed suit, nodding and smiling at him.
Tezuka nodded, dismissing the looks on his parents' and grandfather's faces as part of his imagination. He gestured to Ryoma, and they left for his room.
"I don't see why you still do homework. You just got out of the hospital, you know." Ryoma pouted, sitting on the bed, watching Tezuka do the work he missed for the past week.
"Well, I need to catch up on the lessons so that I can do well for the end of year exams, don't I? Besides, I got entrance exams as well, since I'm graduating."
"Fair point. But it means you spend less time with me." Ryoma replied mournfully, wrapping his arms around Tezuka's neck from behind.
Tezuka turned to breathe on Ryoma's ear, which made him giggle. "I'll play with you after I'm done, alright?"
Ryoma nodded. "Alright."
Tezuka did his homework without interruption, save for some comments that Ryoma made about his mistakes for his English homework, where Tezuka nodded, and changed his answers to the ones Ryoma told him.
That night, Ryoma slept over, Tezuka cuddling close to him.
Tezuka returned to school three days after he was discharged. After a whole 10 days of relaxation, it was quite hard to fall back into the morning routine. However, considering he had been doing this routine for a near two and a half years, he'll probably adjust quickly.
After school of course, was tennis practice. He arrived to the courts to see the club members practicing. Some stopped to wave at him, and he nodded to them.
Yes. Everything was back to normal after all.
One by one, all the other regulars trickled into the locker room and changed into their uniform, before taking their equipment from their bags and starting their practice matches.
All except Ryoma. Half an hour later, he's still not there.
Tezuka's brows furrowed. Where was his little lover? He went to ask Horio.
"Oh, Echizen's at cleaning duty today." Horio replied.
Tezuka nodded. At least Ryoma had an excuse.
Unbeknownst to him, when he turned his back, Momoshiro gave Horio a thumbs up.
Another fifteen minutes later, Ryoma sauntered in the locker room to find a disapproving Tezuka waiting for him.
"I don't think cleaning duty would take that long." He said a little too calmly.
"Well…." Ryoma looked rather sheepish.
"50 laps, now." He pointed to the courts.
Ryoma smirked. "Yes, buchou." He placed down his stuff, and went to run his laps. Some of the members who heard the exchange shot puzzled looks at their captain, before seeing Fuji shaking his head, indicating not to question their captain. They solemnly nodded, and went back to practice.
Tezuka was watching Ryoma run around the courts, smiling a little, before deciding to get out onto the courts.
"You alright, Tezuka?"
He turned to see his friend and vice-captain, Oishi, smiling at him.
"Yeah, I'm ok." He said, giving a brief glance over to Ryoma before saying, "Regulars! Today we would be having practice matches against each other."
"And loser gets to drink this Inui Juice." Inui chuckled in a menacing way, holding up some bubbling purple liquid. The other regulars blanched at this, even Ryoma looked like he was about to puke at the sight of the juice, and he was the furthest away.
Tezuka sighed. Well that'll at least make sure everyone performs their best. "So the schedule are as follows: Oishi with Kikumaru, Fuji with me, Kawamura with Kaidoh, and Momoshiro with Echizen."
The other regulars exchanged looks, before Inui stepped up. "Tezuka, can I suggest I go with Momoshiro instead? Echizen seems to be still running his laps."
Tezuka raised an eyebrow, before saying, "Fine. Echizen was late so I'll just punish him and not allow him to play for today. But if you lose, you must drink as well."
Inui paled, but nodded. "Alright."
"You should go first, Tezuka." Oishi said, as he, Tezuka, Kaidoh and Momoshiro were changing after practice. "Practice is over, and it was only three days since you got out of hospital."
Tezuka looked at the passed out regulars (due to Inui's Juice), and asked, "So, can I leave those four to you?" He nodded towards them.
Oishi smiled. "You can count on me."
Tezuka nodded again, and called out to his lover. "Let's go, Ryoma."
Ryoma, who had been waiting at the doorway, smirked and replied, "Ok.", and they left the locker room together.
Oishi sighed when Tezuka left, just as the four regulars recovered and entered the locker room.
"I think Tezuka had been hallucinating." Oishi shook his head.
"Yeah I know. He's seeing Echizen, isn't he?" Fuji said sadly.
"Poor Tezuka-buchou." Momoshiro shook his head.
"This is bad, nya!" Kikumaru shouted.
"Quiet. Do you want him to hear you? Your loud voice can carry over to the whole of first floor, you know." Kawamura gently chided him.
Kikumaru quickly covered his mouth to keep himself from shouting again.
"Should we tell him?" Kaidoh asked.
Inui shook his head. "No. We do not want him to disappear completely."
Momoshiro nodded. "Yeah, remember that one time Echizen was pushed down the stairs by one of Tezuka's fan girls, and he ended up in the hospital? He acted so distant you have to say things three times before he acknowledges it. If we tell him, we'll be unable to reach him."
"We just have to keep up the illusion, then?" Oishi asked.
"Yes. For as long as it takes." Fuji said sadly.
"You know drinking Ponta at this time isn't good. What would your mother say when your dinner's spoilt?" Tezuka shot him a disapproving look.
Ryoma gave him a look. "You know I'll be hungry again by the time I reach home. Hey, the road's empty, let's cross."
Before Tezuka could stop him, Ryoma had already started crossing. To his horror, a car was speeding towards him.
"Ryoma, look out!" Tezuka dashed to the road, and threw him aside. He widened his eyes at the car now speeding towards him.
CRASH!
"I swear! He just dashed on the road for no reason, screaming for someone to look out!" The driver of the car was talking to the police. "But there was no one on the road at that time."
BP: Yeah, I'm no good at writing tragedy stories, nor am I good at writing one shots. And also, I was listening to an upbeat song when I wrote this. But do review and tell me what you think.