Disclaimer: Again, not mine. I'm just borrowing them.

A/N: As I was writing this chapter, I realised this story's going to be longer than I originally thought, so I'll try my best to maintain the flow and keep it interesting. This chapter doesn't have much dialogue, as I go into their feelings and the background story a bit more. A necessary evil, I say. Upcoming chapters will have a lighter mood, I promise, I don't intend to turn this into angst. Spread the TeFu love.

Warnings: See first chapter.

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After Fuji had gotten the money and grabbed a coat, since it was starting to get chilly, they'd left the house and started their way towards the mall.

It had been ten minutes since that, and not more than five words had been exchanged between the two. It was beginning to get on Tezuka's nerves, given that the silence didn't seem to bother his friend, who was the one who usually did the talking out of the two.

Tezuka turned his head to look at Fuji, who was smiling and seemingly just enjoying being outdoors for once, and decided that the silence didn't actually look like a plot to get him to do, well... anything. It was just that, harmless silence. Not that Tezuka could be blamed for his ill thinking, after all, Fuji Syusuke was a Plotter™, and his plots usually involved him, one way or another.

Or at least they used to. Over the past few months, the mischievous side of the tensai had mellowed out. Even after he'd gotten out of the hospital, Fuji had been really accommodating. Then again, he hadn't been his usual self for a while now, either.

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After the senior regulars had graduated from Seigaku Jr. High, it seemed that they had all implicitly agreed they would attend the same high school, so that in a few years they could once again lead Seigaku to victory at the Nationals.

Finding themselves first years one more, they experienced a drastic change in their training routines. They were most definitely unaccustomed to picking up the balls and sweeping the courts. After all, they were National level players. But they grew used to it. It was only a few months until they would be able to participate in the ranking matches. Inui even developed a training regime designed to keep them in shape till then, and they all followed it religiously.

All but one.

Tezuka had first grown concerned when they'd entered the Seigaku High tennis club, and met his senpai.

While it was certainly good news that they would have no trouble making it into the regulars in their first year, he was worried that his teammates would grow used to downplay their abilities during practice, given that the good players were outnumbered, and nobody liked to embarrass a senpai. Tezuka knew that better than anyone. He didn't expect to be a team like they used to, not until Momoshiro, Kaidoh and Echizen joined them, but still, they couldn't afford to get careless. He couldn't afford to get careless.

And that's how it had all started.

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He was brought out of his musings with the sound of a soft chuckle and the sight of a smiling tensai, idly looking at him.

Hiding the fact that he'd been caught off-guard, Tezuka simply frowned and looked away. He'd already predisposed himself to ignore the shorter boy, until he heard his next words.

"You weren't even listening, were you? Tsk tsk, so rude of you, Tezuka. And after I spent all morning dutifully working on our project. I'm hurt."

Even though he knew the tensai was lying when he said he was hurt, Tezuka couldn't help but think he'd gotten the desired result anyway, as he felt slight pangs of guilt course through him.

That wasn't the way to treat the friend who'd done so much for him already.

"I'm sorry, you're right. It was rude of me. I guess I got distracted. What were you saying?"

Fuji just smiled one of his trademark smiles and nodded his head towards a big, six stories tall structure, seemingly bustling with people all around.

"We're already here so I guess it doesn't matter now. Besides, I was talking for about ten minutes, and I didn't really say anything worthwhile."

"Well, I apologise either way."

"Don't worry about it. Lets just go in and grab something to eat first. I'm starving."

As his buchou (he really had to stop calling him that, one day it could slip out,) nodded and started heading in, Fuji walked by his side and took the chance to examine him more closely.

He certainly looked better than he did when he first got out of the hospital. His skin was no longer pale, and he'd lost the dark circles under his eyes weeks ago. He'd recovered normal mobility of his left arm, although he'd never get his full strength back, and he wasn't allowed to perform any kind of strenuous activities with it. He had even lost that unbearably sad look that had seemed glued to his face for so long.

But Fuji knew better that to think it was over. Tezuka was far from being his old self. The passion that was always a permanent fixture in his eyes, that reflected in anything and everything he did, the one everyone cherished and was inspired by so much, that, he hadn't gotten back yet. And, Fuji thought, he wasn't even trying to.

He knew because throughout the whole process, Tezuka had, out of courage or helplessness he didn' know, opened up to him like he never had before. He had let himself be vulnerable in front of Fuji, allowing him to see things that were hidden from the rest of the world. People tended to forget, but after all, Tezuka was just a boy. Boys couldn't be islands.

And so, in front of Fuji, Tezuka didn't bother to pretend he was alright. That he cared about thing he really didn't. That in a single sunny, warm, and perfectly innocent afternoon, the world as he knew it ended.

That, in Fuji's humble opinion, didn't mean he had to wallow in self-pity for the rest of his days. And if Tezuka couldn't get out of the hole he'd dug out for himself on his own, Fuji was more than ready to provide a helping hand. It was high time that his dearest friend learn there was more to life than tennis. So much more, if he would just open his eyes and see what was right in front of him.

"Now it's you who's being rude."

Fuji blinked himself to awareness only to find Tezuka staring at him, amusement written clearly in his eyes.

"W-what?"

The bespectacled boy shook his head, but couldn't hide the slight, rusted from disuse smile that threatened to break out.

"I said, that we are already at the food court, and would you like to hold a table for us while I go get something to eat?"

"That's not necessary. You go look for a tale and I'll go fetch the food."

The shorter boy was caught off-guard by the sudden irate look that flashed across Tezuka's face, even if it was for a fraction of a second.

"You mean why don't you get the food since I'm obviously not capable to carry it all back by myself?"

Fuji almost recoiled at the stinging words. He tried to muster all the sympathy and understanding he had, and not to take the attack personally. He was the outlet, not the cause.

"That's not what I meant. I just-"

"I'm not crippled, you know."

Fuji couldn't help but react to this, his bottled up frustration and concern slipping past his defences.

"Of course you're not crippled. Just emotionally stunted and chronically depressed."

The words and the angry, frustrated look on his friend's face made Tezuka quiet down instantly. He was so tired. All Fuji was trying to do was help him. He had already trusted him with so much, perhaps he could also trust him to help get him back on his feet. He sighed.

"I know."

Fuji just blinked and looked at him, surprised, but silent.

"I don't want to talk about it. Could we not talk about it?"

The tensai understood what 'it' meant, and conceded. "Sure, we wont. At least not now. Now we'll eat, and then we'll shop. Go get the food, I'll get us a table."

Tezuka looked at him, uncertain. "Are you sure?"

Fuji smiled, and Tezuka caught himself releasing a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. Seeing his friend smile like that, like he truly meant it, it made him feel like things were better already. He even felt a smile of his own coming forth.

"Alright, I'll be back shortly then."

As Fuji sat and waited at their tale, he mused to himself that the road to recovery would be hard, but they were already off to a good start.

A/N: Phew, writing this by hand first was probably a bad idea. Anyway, there you go, chapter two. As I said, the next one will be more lighthearted, I promise. If dear buchou seems a little OOC, bare with him, he's going through some tough times. I'm sure Fuji will get him back to his old self in no time. You probably noticed by now that I'll take my sweet time developing their relationship, but it'll all be worth it. Until next time!

(Thanks to everyone who reviewed, faved and put this fic on alert, you filled this humble writer with Glee :D)