Disclaimer: PoT is not mine, not at all.
On with the story.
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" I hate you aniki! "
/ I love you too, Yuuta. /
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" Ne, Tezuka? "
Tezuka Kunimitsu did not ( dare? ) look up from the pile of papers he was working on.
" Humans….. are weak. " There. He said it. Fuji announced in his very distinct and very soft voice, like it was some philosophical truth he had just uncovered.
"……" Tezuka just continued to work. From habit and experience, he had come to learn, that it was in one's best interests, just to keep quiet, when the tensai got…… how to put it? ….. moody, like this.
While Fuji Syuusuke was favorable company most of the times, he got bored very easily indeed.
And whenever that happened, he would start these little mind games.
And once you opened your mouth, you would find yourself dragged into a twisted reality, saying things you don't want to say ( or would never even be caught saying otherwise ), and in the end you are just ( utterly and thoroughly ) annoyed at yourself.
Yes, Fuji could do that to you.
" They…. lie. Everyday…… To everybody….. even themselves. No, especially themselves. "
"……" Of course, Fuji was not the type to go down without a ( valiant? ) struggle/fight. Tezuka knew that as well. He subtly massaged his forehead with the hand that was not engaged in ( pointless? ) paperwork. He could already feel the signs of an oncoming headache.
" Don't you think so? " Fuji just smiled softly, the way he always did, that annoying, all knowing smile, which said something along the lines of ' I know something you don't. And I'm not planning to tell you either. '
" Fuji. " Tezuka finally looked up at his teammate, with something akin to exasperation on his stiff face.
" Humans are horrible creatures. " Fuji just kept smiling.
"….." No. Not today. He was not going to take the bait. He was not getting himself suckered into this; he would not let himself become means to satisfy Fuji's whimsical tendencies, yet again.
" Ne, Tezuka? Why do you play tennis? " Fuji continued without the slightest change in expression; as if the other boy was not trying to be so obviously uncooperative.
"……" Tezuka had to admit though, he did not see that one coming.
" Do you like it? Or maybe because you are good at it…." Fuji pondered aloud the possible reasons, voice directed at the other, and only rightful occupant of the student council office.
" Because I want to. " Tezuka answered, as he finished signing the last of the petition papers; he quickly started packing, almost eager to get to practice.
"……." Fuji had not been expecting an answer.
At least, it wasn't a lie.
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" Ne, Eiji? " Fuji smiled at his bouncy, energetic friend, also another wonderful source of entertainment, almost as good as Tezuka, really.
" Hoi? " Kikumaru Eiji blinked in response, those big pools of indigo-blue, deep enough for one to drown in.
" Can I ask you something? " the other blue eyed boy asked lightly.
" Sure! " The redhead bounced. Truly, the boy was too innocent to even tell when he was in danger.
All the more better for one ( sadistic? ) tensai.
" Is there anyone Eiji likes? " Fuji asked cheerfully.
" N…Nya?! " A faint pink tinted the other's cheeks.
" I asked you if you had somebody you liked. " Fuji was only too happy to give a clear explanation for every word.
" Of…Of course not!" the redhead fumbled and stuttered.
/ You are lying. To me. To him. To yourself. /
" Really? " Fuji prodded.
" What's with you?! Asking something like that, all of a sudden. " Eiji pouted, and whined, protesting the unfairness of the situation.
" Ne, Eiji? " Fuji smiled again.
" Nani? " Eiji stuffed his hands in his pockets, not quite facing the other boy, a hint of annoyance, probably directed at himself as well as the tensai, tinting his pretty features.
" You know Oishi is dating, that new girl? " Fuji spoke, smile casual " That kawaii second year… what's her name again? "
Eiji's eyes went wide.
" Uso! You are joking, right?! There's no way. There's just no way! " Fuji suddenly found himself tackled to the ground by a very hyper redhead, who was now hovering above him, hands trapping him on either side.
" Fujiko! You are lying! " Eiji insisted, stubborn. By now, his eyes were just a little wild, face was flushed, and even his breathing was a little heavy.
" I am. " Fuji admitted, after a moment's pause.
"…..! " Eiji relaxed his hold, face flaming; by now even the tip of his ears had gone red.
/ But so are you, why/
" Eiji, my uniform will become dirty. Get up, ne? "
"….." The other boy reluctantly complied.
The tensai never stopped smiling, not even once.
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" Tezuka? "
" Hn? "
" Let's go home together today, okay? " Fuji smiled softly.
" Not today. " came the stoic reply.
" Tomorrow then. " Fuji was undeterred, smile still playing on those lush, rosy lips.
" Not then either. " Tezuka nodded a no. It couldn't be helped, really; and he knew that Fuji knew. Not only was he the captain of the tennis club, he also had duties to perform as a student council representative.
" Day after tomorrow then. " Fuji quipped happily, as persistent as ever.
" Fuji. " There. That headache, no make it migraine, was going to hit him any second now.
" Fine. Fine!" Fuji waved his hand, slightly. " I got it." And ( mock? ) sighed.
"……" And Tezuka almost started to relax.
" So it's day after day after tomorrow then. " Fuji's smile was back in place.
"……" What was he doing, letting his guard down? " Fuji. I have to stay late. " Tezuka tried to explain, patiently, what the tensai already knew. He knew it was futile. But here he was explaining anyway.
" I'll wait. " Fuji just kept smiling, that charming smile.
"……" The expression on Tezuka's face was now exactly similar to exasperation.
" So it's today then? " Perfect smile, still intact.
"……" Just what was he supposed to say to that?
" Ne, Tezuka? "
"…….? "
" Is it annoying? " Fuji asked, voice soft.
" Of course. " the stiff reply came quickly. Too quickly.
" I see. " small smile.
/ Liar. You like it. /
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" Eiji? " Fuji spoke, confused. " Eiji, what are you still…." He stepped inside the club locker room.
He had been waiting for Tezuka, in fact, he was just about to lock it up, seeing as all the other members had left already; or so he had thought.
Well, Eiji was the last person he expected to see here now, the redhead was usually among the first ones to flee homewards, once school activities were over.
" Eiji. Why……. What….? " the rest of the words died on his lips as he took in the somewhat pitiful condition of his friend; the boy was sitting on the floor, against one of the many lockers, knees brought up to his chest, hands wrapped around them, tightly, hugging himself for comfort.
And if the streaks on his face were any indication, then he had been crying too. At least a little. Maybe a lot.
" It's …. it's true. " he sniffled as Fuji knelt down, beside him, and placed a warm hand on his head.
" What's true? " Fuji murmured, gently weaving his fingers through the soft mop of red, hoping to get some coherent answers, which could prove to be a difficult task, since Eiji tended to become extremely impulsive, the level of his hyperactivity would also show a considerable increase, when upset.
" Oishi… and that girl… I don't even know when….." Eiji mumbled fragmented information, but it was enough for Fuji to put two and two together.
He suddenly felt a pang of guilt; he really had been joking at that time. But it seemed things had changed.
" Oishi no baka! He didn't even tell me! I don't believe this! " The redhead suddenly yelled with newfound energy, Fuji was not really sure where he was getting it from. But fresh tears started falling down the other's cheeks anyway.
Now that he thought about it, Eiji had been a little distant during practice as well.
" Calm down, ne? " Fuji murmured, feeling somewhat helpless in this situation. Even though everyone said he knew Eiji best, he was lost as of now; Eiji was not someone who you could just handle that easily.
" I….. I…really…. really…. liked….." more sniffles.
" I know. " Fuji opened crystal blue eyes. " I know that. "
/ But you were lying.And I don't know what to say to you. /
" Fuji ….. that time….. I lied to you.." the other boy mumbled between sniffles.
"……" Fuji's hand stopped it's mild stroking of the Eiji's back and just rested there instead; this was not something he expected the other boy to say right now.
" Demo, ne…… it was easy….. easier that way.." Eiji wiped at his face with a sleeve.
" Easy? " Fuji murmured.
" Fujiko….. humans are weak. They need to lie sometimes. They just do. " The redhead insisted stubbornly, one could almost pass it off as whining.
But Fuji knew it was otherwise. Because it was not often that his friend said something profound and wise; but whenever he did, it seemed to make sense. And he could only listen in silence.
" Nya maybe I really deserve it nya. After all, I knew…. All along, I knew….and I still….. kept liking him. I.. "
That was when he got it. While it was true Eiji had been lying, to Oishi as well as to him, his supposed best friend, but Eiji had not lied to himself.
The boy was not depending on a lie, neither was he depending on it. The truth had been accepted by him, maybe a long time ago even.
" Ok, crying time is over. " Eiji suddenly announced, getting up; Fuji himself stood up as well.
" Fujiko, I.." the redhead turned around, saying something.
And Fuji just pulled the other boy in a snug embrace.
"…...!"
" You…. deserve better, okay? Don't say something stupid like that ever again. " Fuji almost whispered in the other's ear.
" Fujiko.." Eiji relaxed in the tensai's firm hold and wrapped his own arms around the smaller boy. " Arigatou nya. Arigatou. " he mumbled, voice barely audible.
They stayed like that for a while.
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" Tezuka. "
" Hn? "
" I can't ….walk home with you today. " Fuji spoke in a small voice.
And Tezuka looked up, his eyes very unreadable behind the glasses.
" Its Eiji. Something kind of…… came up. " Fuji looked down, as if seeing the pattern of the ground tiles only recently; he couldn't bring himself to look at Tezuka, not now.
" He is still here? " Tezuka's voice refused to give away any emotion as always.
" Hai…he…"
" I understand. " Tezuka nodded stiffly.
/ No you don't. /
" Tezuka, I'll make up to you later. " the blue eyed boy murmured.
/ I'm not playing with you, I'm not. /
" Its not necessary. " And Tezuka was not looking up from his work again.
/ Stop lying already. You don't have to. /
Fuji couldn't help but feel his words were being misinterpreted here.
But there were more important things right now – Like a certain redhead who had finally stopped crying, and in desperate need of company, not to mention he didn't mind asking for it.
Not that Fuji could have ignored him anyway.
" Tezuka, I'm sorry. " He quietly apologized.
/ It's the truth. /
Tezuka just nodded in response.
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" Fuji? "
" ….? " the sky eyed boy looked at his friend.
" You like him don't you? Buchou, I mean…" Eiji mumbled, as they walked home.
" I do. " Fuji admitted. Not much to hide there.
" Fujiko, what are you going to do about it? " the redhead asked, somewhat quietly. The bounce was missing from his step; the tensai couldn't help but notice.
" I don't know. " Fuji answered with a smile.
" Fujiko is strong nya. " Eiji laughed a little.
" Saa.." Fuji wanted to tell the other boy that he was strong too, but he doubted if Eiji would understand anyway.
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When he thought about it, things were pretty messed up; his truth became somewhat of a lie today, in the eyes of the person concerned.
And yesterday's lie became the truth, even when it just shouldn't have.
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" Ne, Eiji? "
" Hoi? " some of the usual enthusiasm seemed to have returned to the boy.
" Next time don't lie to me, okay? " Fuji smiled softly.
Eiji just entwined their hands for an answer.
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And in another quiet corner, Tezuka unconsciously contemplated this feeling of disappointment at the absence of promised company of a certain soft spoken, wheat haired tensai.
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No he was not looking forward to it. He was not.
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And he did not like Fuji either. He did not.
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And even as two friends signed a treaty of truth, with smiles, and a warm hug, the world continued to immerse itself in white lies.
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Owari.
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A/N: This fic is more plot oriented and least that is what i was trying to achive xD i hope it was a good read!
Reveiws will be much loved, so if you like it, do press the little review button.
Thank you for reading.