Disclaimer: If I owned Prince of Tennis, they'd all lead secret lives as undercover agents or something. With detectives and guns and stuff. BANG.

That has nothing at all to do with this story, by the way.

Summary: Atobe starts these holidays like all the others: sitting at home alone and feeling sorry for himself. But this year, Christmas brings him someone just like him and maybe a reason to celebrate the season once more. Set in my own little AU where Japan celebrates American holidays and at the same time Americans do. So it's not technically AU, but I took….creative liberties.

Pairings: ToFu friendship (?), past TezuFuji. I shall now proceed to bang my head on the nearest possibly fatal object for breaking up the Perfect Pair.

Warnings: Mentions of shonen-ai. Me and my failed attempt at first-person. Some sap, some angst, some randomness.

Special thanks to Sileny for being my lovely beta (again)!

Angel Child

By FimbulvetrIce

A smiling boy wrapped in scarves and a jacket sat on the bench, alone. He gazed at the sky when he felt a cold wetness land on his cheek, such a stark contrast between the residues of warm tears still left there. The stores around him laced themselves with flashing lights, and neon blinking signs were placed on the sidewalks to announce things. Like discounts and special offers; mostly nice things, happy things.

Every now and then, the boy would watch as a family bustled past him, grinning. When they smiled and laughed at him, he would smile back. He didn't know how not to smile, even through melancholy ringing echoing through his mind.

The five words that shattered his heart.

I don't love you anymore.

***

December 24th, Christmas Eve

Merriment could be contagious. It was the time of year when everyone was just happy to be with their loved ones, and when friends and family exchanged wrapped gifts and food to show that, really, despite how they might act at other times during the year, they did care. Or maybe it was simply the mood of the season, and everyone wanted to give. Either way, it affected pretty much everyone.

The most lavishly decorated house was the Atobe mansion down the street, that big white one on top of the hill. Lights were everywhere, and at night the house could probably serve as a lamplight for those strolling the sidewalk below it if they were so inclined.

Not only were the many trees around the property all dressed in lights and tinsel, but the Atobe's also presented the biggest, grandest and most beautifully ornamented Christmas tree in the city. It was, unlike the house, at the bottom of the hill for people from all over town to visit and admire. I remember a time when we did open the mansion to the public. The cooks spent all of their time whipping up mountains and mountains of food to serve to visitors, and some people were even given tours of our more impressively decorated rooms. My only memory of those times is when I'd sneak into the kitchen and our cheery, portly chef would "Ho ho ho!" at me and give me pastries and desserts. But that was so long ago; I only ever hear of those times anymore.

Actually, we weren't quite as rich then as we are now. Perhaps that's why we don't hold those parties anymore, because the increased income meant that my parents were always working overseas. They're never really home. Of course, they'd come back occasionally when I was younger just to make sure I was being brought up properly. Nowadays they trust me enough to leave me to my own doings, or so they say. Sometimes, I wonder if they've just stopped caring.

I don't like Christmas. Can't there be a single year that they don't all make such a huge deal of this holiday? Why is it that every single soul in town is drowning in their own joy and bliss, but here I am, in my house…alone?

Actually, no, I'm not alone. The servants are always there fussing about: "Young Master, do you need anything?" and "Mr. Atobe, how about some tea?" or "Sir, what can I do for you?" What you can do, what I need…is for YOU to go away and leave me alone. Maids are poor company anyway.

Besides the servants, the only other vaguely humanoid beings in the place are the cherub statues that were for some reason placed around the whole house. I don't like them either. Look at their stomachs; do they do nothing but sing and eat or something? Are they trying to look cute? They're so fat and round, it's disgusting. If you're going do include angels in the arrangement of a room, a least make them good looking angels.

I could probably make them change it with one word. But I find that I really don't care.

They're just annoying, is all.

This year is no different from the past. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't call my teammates over for a get-together, because they're busy with their own families. Oshitari and Gakuto's families were holding their own party, while Jiroh and his mom had gone back to Germany to be with his father for the week. Shishido's family was over at Ohtori's, Hiyoshi had gone on vacation somewhere…even Kabaji was unavailable at this time of year. That is just not right.

I'll go to sleep today, wake up tomorrow, and nothing will change. Santa doesn't come to my house, but he does deliver presents by plane. And by Santa, I mean my father who is probably also affected by Christmas Fever and decided to send more presents than usual. It's probably unfair to my parents to doubt them, because they are constantly sending me things throughout the year.

There's no school, which wouldn't necessarily mean no tennis practice, but there isn't. The last time I tried that I got calls from ever so polite parents asking to excuse each and every one of my regulars until none of them were coming. I would go to a club to practice by myself, but none of them are ever open on Christmas Eve.

It doesn't matter anyway.

***

When I pulled open the blinds on my windows the next morning, I was met with a white brightness that blinded me for a few seconds. A grin tugged at my lips. Snow! As far as my memory served me, it'd never snowed this much before. But everything was covered with about five inches of the white stuff.

While I sat and ate breakfast, I spotted someone sitting on the bench at the foot of our hill. Normally I couldn't be bothered to spare it a second thought, but it was getting annoying. Well, yes, that bench is open to the public and anyone could sit there if they so wished, but…he was just sitting there (I think it was a he, at least). Didn't he have something better to do with his time?

I don't know why, probably because the figure looked vaguely familiar, but I decided to go down myself to see what this was all about.

I threw on an overcoat, boots, and a scarf (of the finest cashmere, of course), and trudged through the snow outside.

Upon closer inspection, I found that he was indeed a rather short male with light brown hair. I couldn't see his eyes, but they were blue. Because I just knew, somehow.

"Ore-sama demands to know why you sit here on such a cold day."

The boy looked up at me, and smiled. "Ah, Atobe-kun. I was wondering if you'd come out or not."

Ah, that's right. I remember now; Fuji Syusuke, that genius from Seigaku. Who was always standing next to Tezuka.

Yes, that's the only reason I made note of him.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Aren't you cold?" Well, he should be. His nose and cheeks were pink from the wind.

Fuji shook his head. "I'm fine," he insisted, smiling.

Obviously he was not. But I suppose only someone of my Insight could have seen it, so I shall pride myself in that. "Very well," I said, and sat down next to him. I'm not really sure why, but I don't see why not.

"Shouldn't you be with your family today?" The question rolled off my tongue before I really thought about what I was asking.

The blue-eyed boy didn't answer my question directly. "Where's yours?" he said, still smiling.

STOP SMILING, DAMMIT. "Not home," I huffed.

I don't think he has ESP or telepathy powers. At least, he showed no sign of acknowledging my mind-shout. Which, I promise you, was involuntary and something I would never, ever say out loud. "Ah," he cocked his head and gazed at the sky. I noticed that it was almost the exact same color as his eyes. "My dad works overseas. Mom's visiting Grandpa; he's sick. Yumiko's at her boyfriend's and Yuuta wanted to stay at St. Rudolph." Whoever those people were, I thought. He continued, "So no one's home at my place, either."

He turned back to smile at me. It struck me as odd that he could still be so…cheerful, when his family of four had pretty much abandoned him. "Then how are you still so happy?"

"Because…it's Christmas!" He clasped his hands together and laughed.

… So it's the Christmas Fever all over again.

"Hey, do you have any plans for today?" Fuji piped.

I shook my head in the elegant way that I'd perfected over the years.

"We can spend Christmas with each other then!" He jumped to his feet, grabbed my arm and started to drag me off in some random direction. Random to me, at least.

Does this guy even know where he's going?

… Maybe I should have just stayed inside…

***

Fuji had long switched from clutching my arm to leading me by my hand, like a little kid. The way he looked up at me for approval reminded me of one of my younger cousins that I'd once met.

"I was thinking we could go bowling?" He gave my hand an extra tug and grinned.

I raised an eyebrow. "Bowling?"

He gestured with his head to the entrance of the building that we were standing right in front of. "You know, bowling." With his free hand, he imitated swinging a bowling ball.

Rolling my eyes, I said, "I know what bowling is."

Apparently taking this as a "yes," he flashed his teeth at me and proceeded into the bowling alley.

He never opened his eyes, and wouldn't let go of my hand, although I didn't try to take it away.

It turned out that Fuji wasn't exactly…good at the whole bowling thing. However, he stubbornly demanded that the gutters be left unguarded and I found the sight of him scratching his head bashfully after two gutter balls quite amusing and slightly…exasperating.

I'm surprised the alley was even open today, with it being Christmas. And the fact that Fuji knew this.

As if he could read my mind (or not?) he said, grinning, "I come here a lot with Oishi, Eiji and…Tezuka."

And yet you still haven't gotten the hang of this? Aren't you supposed to be a genius?

But through it all, the smile never left Fuji's face. He was practically glowing after having only 45 points at the end of the game; me with 156.

Somehow, he got me to pay for it all.

Skipping along the sidewalk outside, he swung around to face me and inquired, "Where next?"

"Huh?"

"I picked where we went first, now it's your turn."

Like in the first grade, where everything was decided and made fair by "taking turns".

I looked at the brunette skeptically. Then he tipped his head to the side, and the sunlight hit him at such an angle that it gave him a halo. Finding myself staring at it, I inwardly slapped myself. Since when did I stare at shiny hair?

"Atobe?"

Blinking, I mentally shook my head. "Ah…are you hungry?"

At this, Fuji's face lit up and his eyes flew open. Such a deep, cerulean blue, like the sky…I'm staring again.

"I know just the place!" And he ran off.

Wait… …what?!

***

"…Fast food?"

Fuji grinned at me.

"It is unacceptable for Ore-sama to eat such fattening commoner's—"

"Oh, just suck it up and eat a Big Mac." A circular bun in a wrapper was thrust at me. "Here, fries." That, too, was shoved in front of my face. One of the…fries…fell out and was quickly swiped up and eaten by the other boy.

I stared down at the food, if it could even be called that. Eh…well, Fuji paid for this, it would be incredibly rude not to eat it…

Hesitating slightly, I unwrapped the burger. …At least it smelled okay.

***

I eyed Fuji sternly. "Next time we go for lunch, Ore-sama is taking you somewhere decent."

"Saa, next time? I'm looking forward to that."

Why is this guy so difficult to deal with? I felt a familiar urge to slap my forehead. Or his. Either one would work.

"Hm…where should we go next?"

Next?

"Ice cream!" He pointed off in some other direction and tugged me by my sleeve, prancing along almost gracefully, as if he had wings.

Honestly, I don't even see why I'm putting up with such a childish 14-year-old. Fortunately, I steered him away before he could even think of walking into such a cheap, no-name ice cream shop, and led us to a nice restaurant I'd been to a few times before instead. I'd never gone there just for sweets before, but Fuji insisted and I found myself unable to refuse.

Fuji ordered the most…exotic sundae I'd never seen or tasted. Or wanted to taste, for that matter. It had green stuff all over it, and I didn't think it was mint.

"Fuji-kun, is that wasabi?"

Through a mouthful of ice cream, the petite boy smiled and poked at a spot on the menu that he held up.

"They have wasabi ice cream in this place?"

"Hai!" Fuji piped up after swallowing. I couldn't decide whether I should be interrogating the manager of the restaurant or staring at Fuji some more because of his taste buds.

After Fuji had ordered wasabi ice cream, I decided that it would probably be most unwise to let him also choose mine. So I selected a small dish of the most elegant-looking item on the menu; which actually turned out to be not-so-bad, considering it was topped with just about everything from hazelnuts to caramel to raspberry fudge.

I couldn't stop myself, however, for gazing suspiciously at Fuji while he consumed the monstrous, green cup of stuff. And smiled serenely the whole time. If this was what Seigaku had to deal with on a daily basis, maybe I'd actually feel a little bad for them.

Although on second thought, maybe not.

Fuji lifted his head, eyes open, and tipped his head slightly to the side. I blinked a few times, and then he shut his eyes again and continued smiling at me.

***

I don't think I'll ever understand this guy.

He is a rather clingy person, I decided, as he grabbed my arm and practically walked, hugged it and swung it back and forth all at the same time. I'm sure my expression wasn't exactly one of complete elation, but if Fuji noticed he paid no heed. It was just like him, I suppose.

"Atobe-kun," he chirped, tugging my arm so hard I winced, "Could you come with me to park? I wanted to go take some pictures."

"Aah…okay."

Fuji immediately started radiating some sort of happy-aura. Imagine the most brilliant smile you've ever seen, add the brightness of stars, and multiply that by the face of an angel. He jumped up ("Yay! Thank you, Atobe-kun!") and raced off with his arms still wrapped around mine.

Ah, my shoulder…

Fortunately, he'd both dropped my arm and slowed down by the time we neared said park. With a glance at me to make sure I was still following, he let out a heavy breath and took a camera out from Kami-sama-knows-where.

"Isn't it beautiful, Atobe-kun?"

…It was. The cherry trees, stripped bare of their leafy attire, were now covered with a light coat of sparkling white. And pine trees in the background, creating the kind of Christmas-y feel we only get in Western movies (and my yard). It was almost dusk, not quite twilight, so the gentle rays of the sun so low in the sky cast a golden glow on the snow and the branches of the trees. The colors created an awesome spectacle, one that was absolutely breathtaking. But still… "Not as beautiful as Ore-sama," I said with a smug smirk.

Fuji laughed and swung the camera toward me. Click.

"Ore-sama is not scenery."

"Did I say I only came here for the scenery?" Fuji lowered his camera to give me a reproving look. "Loosen up. You are acting like Tezuka."

Like…Tezuka?

Never!

The ever-present smile reappeared on the brunette's face, but it was different this time. His gaze couldn't quite meet mine. The smile was one that whispered, "I'm alone, too". He turned his back to me to snap pictures of the park.

"Ah," Fuji's voiced called softly to me, somehow 20 feet from me now. "Look at this."

He was holding something delicately in his hands. When I got over to him, I saw a robin, cold and shivering.

"Poor thing," Fuji whispered while carefully stroking the bird's feathers and breathing warm air onto it. "All the other robins must have left him behind."

For the first time today, he wasn't smiling. He pulled his eyebrows together into a frowning expression, lifting the bird close to his cheek and pressing against it. I heard him breathe, in an almost inaudible voice, "Tezuka…"

"Tezuka?"

He placed the robin into a hole in a tree he found and turned towards me, looking down. "He left me. He…doesn't love me anymore…"

Wait, hold on, what? "You two were together?"

"Yeah."

There was silence, and then, "The perfect Tezuka Kunimitsu." Fuji laughed bitterly. "I'm so stupid."

I tried reaching out to put a hand on his shoulder, but the moment I made contact he collapsed onto his knees with tears streaming down his face. I didn't know what to do, it was all so sudden. I've never comforted anyone before so maybe…he'll be alright if I just leave him be?

"I should have known this would happen," he choked. "I'm too careless, too fleeting. He could never have kept on loving me forever. I'll never be able to be enough for him. He's too…too…" He was cut off by sobs, trying desperately to wipe his tears from his face.

Trembling and curled into a ball, Fuji looked so pitiful that my body acted on its own and I wrapped my arms around his shivering shoulders. Tears kept on spilling out of his eyes as his words continued to tumble out of his mouth.

"It was wonderful in the beginning, you know. We were so happy. I thought…he told me…he promised, we'd be together…forever. I…I believed him… I'm such an idiot. I'm…not good enough for him…" He turned and buried his face into my coat. "I don't have anyone left anymore…"

At a loss for words, I rubbed his back in what I hoped was a comforting manner. "I didn't know Tezuka was such a jerk."

Fuji looked up at me sadly. "He wasn't a jerk about it. It wasn't the same, this past month. I don't blame him either, I…"

"Hush," I demanded. I couldn't stand seeing him so distraught after having him cheerful and childish for practically the whole day. "It's okay. Stop blaming yourself because it's not your fault. I don't know what happened between you two, but quit beating yourself up for it." I paused. "Please," I added.

He blinked at me, blue eyes huge and wet. "Atobe-kun?"

"Aah?"

"Thank… Thank you."

"Of course. One more thing. If you're upset, let it out. You don't have to cover it up and you shouldn't smile if it's painful. Alright?"

"Okay, Atobe-kun."

"You can call me Keigo."

"Okay, Keigo-kun."

I patted the top of his head. "Tezuka isn't the world. You'll find someone else who's better for you and can make you happier; someone else who will love you."

"I didn't know you could give inspirational speeches, Keigo-kun."

"I'm a captain," I sniffed.

Fuji laughed, the sound reminding me of tinkling bells. "You're very blunt, too." I didn't know how to reply to that. He hugged me around the waist and said into my coat, "Merry Christmas, Keigo-kun."

I chuckled. "Merry Christmas…Syusuke-kun."

That was the first Christmas in a long time that I didn't have to spend alone.

***

A few days later, January 1st

A smiling boy in a festive garb (that included a hat covered in glitter) sat on the bench, alone, when his cellphone sounded. Fuji flipped it open to reveal a text message from none other than Tezuka Kunimitsu. The message was simple:

How are you?

Typical Tezuka, well-mannered and sincere. Even after their breakup, he still checked up on Fuji just to make sure he was doing okay. Perhaps he felt guilty, perhaps it was out of sheer force of habit. Either way, Fuji just couldn't hold it against him.

A week ago, every word or gesture Tezuka made towards him would send a painful pang through Fuji's chest. That pang had since receded to a dull, nostalgic aching. It didn't hurt quite so much to face Tezuka now.

I'm fine :), he texted back. Did you see the fireworks last night?

There was a prolonged silence that may have lasted anywhere between one minute and ten, which was again broken by his cellphone's ringtone.

I did. Happy New Years, Fuji.

The blue-eyed boy heard the sound of footsteps, muffled by the snow, approaching so he shut his cellphone and deposited it into a pocket.

"Happy New Years, Syusuke-kun."

Fuji flashed his companion a bright smile and placed the glitter hat on the silver-haired head. "And a happy New Years to you too, Keigo-kun! You ready?"

Atobe smiled back at him and took his hand. "Let's go."

**END**

A Christmas fic in the middle of summer…woot! My first oneshot, sort of. My first vaguely "serious" fic relating to PoT (as opposed to, you know, not serious). Please drop a review! I'd love you forever for feedback on this. =D

And if none of this story made sense, I'd also be happy to explain it to you. Cheerio!