Fic Type: Ficlet, Future, Drama, Fluff
Pairing: Perfect Pair, Tezuka Kunimitsu X Fuji Syuusuke
Warning: Fluff, BL/Shounen-Ai, Slash
Rating: T


Disclaimer: I do not own 'Tennis no Oujisama' (Prince of Tennis/TeniPuri/LOVE). Konomi-sensei does (bless his soul!). I do not earn anything from this aside from pure, unadulterated pleasure.


Summary: Seniors are graduating high school from Seishun Academy. People become nostalgic, especially the pillar of Seishun tennis club, Tezuka Kunimitsu. One certain blue-eyed genius also seems to be finding it hard to accept that things were about to change.


CLOUDS

"This is going nowhere." The way Tezuka's words rang ominously inside Fuji's head made the world around the two of them dissolve into nothingness. It was so much like those times when Tezuka had said goodbye to him before that Fuji couldn't help but hold his breath. "I think I'd better leave you."

Leave you... Did he just say...?

Hush, Syuusuke, don't panic. It's just a statement. Tezuka is just being Tezuka, direct and idiotic and insensitive with his remarks. He couldn't possible mean... Could he?

Leave you... Leave you... Leave you...

The phrase echoed within him, heavy and taunting. A vision of Tezuka's retreating back was all it took for Fuji to almost completely lose it right then and there. No, it can't be - he was the one leaving. Here Fuji thought that Tezuka would be here when he'd decided to stay. He must be mistaken. Tezuka just wanted to leave him alone right now... right?

Leave you... Leave you... Leave you...

Close to hyperventilating, Fuji racked his brain for clues, signs these past few days that would have made Tezuka think of breaking up but nothing was standing out. They might have seen less of each other since his birthday but they both have been busy with school requirements recently. Sure, Tezuka was still as aloof as before, too - there was nothing odd about that. But maybe that's the problem, wasn't it? Even with them being together for almost two years, friends four years before that, Tezuka was still distant and reserved with him.

And now that he thought about it, it made him feel more forlorn...

"Tezuka..." The name formed in Fuji's lips but all that came out from his dry mouth was a wheeze. He'd wanted to confirm what Tezuka had meant - he wanted Tezuka to refute his suspicion - but Fuji's apprehension and confusion effectively choked the words off.

Surely, Tezuka didn't mean he wanted to stop seeing Fuji, right? Surely, all he wanted to say was that Fuji had irritated him so well again that he didn't want to speak to him now, right? Haven't they done this many times already that this shouldn't make Tezuka mad anymore? And they haven't ever had a real fight, too. This was too petty an argument for Tezuka to want to end their relationship! Or that's exactly it. This was their routine: Fuji always annoys Tezuka so he could get some kind of response, to reveal the stoic tennis captain's feelings - other than his usual indifference and composure - but it was all they ever did, wasn't it? It was a cycle they've been repeating over and over from the moment they met - that and, since they became together, making out. Still, Tezuka wouldn't kiss and touch Fuji the way he did if he didn't at least like Fuji.

Right?

"Fuji," Tezuka called and somehow it made things worse. He must have guessed what was going on Fuji's mind the way he'd always known what the tennis prodigy was thinking. Tezuka reached out to hold Fuji's hand but the latter felt no touch. Why? Was what he suspected true? Did Tezuka really want to break up with him and found an opening because of this stupid squabble? Has he finally gotten to his senses and realized that his patience has reached its limit and the only way to keep his sanity was to walk away while he still can?

Fuji looked back to that night when he'd confessed to Tezuka at the Tanabata Festival. Tezuka didn't object to the kiss or to what happened between them when they'd found themselves in Fuji's room later but he never said anything about wanting it, too. Was Tezuka just forced into this relationship because he couldn't say no to Fuji?

And not once had Tezuka ever told him he loved him...

Tears sprung to Fuji's blue eyes but he fought them as he struggled to steady his breathing. It wouldn't do anybody any good to show Tezuka how much it scared him to lose one of the few constant and dependable things in his life. Tezuka put up with Fuji all these years in more ways that he can count, let alone comprehend. If this was what he really wanted, if he truly wanted to leave, then Fuji won't make it hard for him. He felt he owed Tezuka that, at least.

Fuji started when the phone he was reflexively crushing rang. The screen displayed Yuuta's annoyed photo. So, he's heard, too? "I have to get this. Hold that thought." Or not. "Yuuta?"

"Aniki, has Nee-san told you?"

Sighing, he peeled his eyes from Tezuka and massaged his temple. "Of course. You're the runt of the pack – you're supposed to know last, if at all."

"Che." Yuuta skipped the goading which told Fuji this wouldn't be an amusing talk. "I just got off the phone with Mother. Said we'll wait 'til your graduation before…" Yuuta heaved a sigh. "Y'know."

"Hmm… I expected that. It's, ah, a practical choice."

"That's all you have to say? I assumed you'd be more, I dunno, down?"

"It's already been decided, Yuuta. Not like there's anything else I could do about it."

"Wait a second… You're not alone, are you?"

Yuuta wasn't anyone would call perceptive but luckily he was right now – it would have been harder for Fuji to not say anything more incriminating in front of a very perceptive Tezuka. "So now you're a psychic, too?"

"It's Tezuka-san, isn't it? And you haven't told him yet?"

Stealing a peak at Tezuka, Fuji saw that he was frowning. As expected, he was looking for clues in his side of the conversation. At least, his brother had already picked up on it. "Not yet, no. Unfortunately, the timing couldn't have been worse."

"Whatever, Aniki. I told you I won't mess with your issues, especially your love life – yeah, I know about you." Yuuta added when Fuji gasped – when had Yuuta become as insightful as their sister? "Don't need to be a genius to figure out what's going on."

Fuji laughed. "It really touches me when you worry, Yuuta. But how about your affairs?"

There was an extended silence on the other end of the line and Fuji heard his younger brother sigh again before he spoke. "Yeah, I, uh, told Mizuki. He's, uhm… he's not fine with it but he promised we'd make it work."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"Che. No, you're not."

Of course not. "I only want what's best for you, Yuuta – although I won't mind if you went out with another person instead. I might even throw a party."

Yuuta ignored Fuji's comment; they'd had this discussion plenty of times before and he's gotten used to the older Fuji's teasing. "Sure, sure," Fuji could swear he heard Yuuta add 'you jerk' from the other line but let the comment pass. "But you'd better tell Tezuka-san before he finds out another way. You only have a few days."

Does he? Does Fuji still have a few days? Wasn't everything bound to end after he hangs up the phone? "I know. When will you come home, then?"

"Sometime next week. I still need to submit some stuff for school."

"I'll see you then, Yuuta. Bring home some cookies, won't you?"

Yuuta assured Fuji he'll bring five boxes of cookies (since he was probably going to eat half of them anyway) then disconnected the line. With the talk about pastry and Yuuta's coming home, Fuji had almost forgotten that Tezuka was still beside him until he turned and saw that the scowl on the tennis club captain's face got more pronounced.

Just this once, I'll listen to Yuuta, Fuji decided. He was right anyway; Tezuka wouldn't appreciate hearing the news from a third party instead of Fuji so he had to do it now while he still hasn't worked himself up more than he already has.

"Tezuka, remember my last birthday?" He hummed to urge Fuji to continue. "I told you and Eiji that I'd have loved for all the regulars to be there, right? You'd managed to reach everyone else but Echizen was still in New York so Eiji badgered him to come back even for a couple of days."

"What of it?" Tezuka asked after a lengthy pause.

Fuji's voice lowered to a whisper, his eyes wandering into the cloudy sky. "He did make it. Even though it was last minute, he was able to come to my party. It's nice to be able to just pack your bag and board the next flight out to wherever, isn't it? Makes me want to walk in his footsteps and turn pro if that's something I'd be able to do." Fuji laughed lightly but then, against his will, his tone turned wistful. "New York and Tokyo are quite far apart..."

Before Fuji could let Tezuka think any further of his words, he lightly added, "Oh, and Yuuta says 'hi.'" Fuji flashed him a smile he knew wouldn't deceive Tezuka but it was worth a try - besides, it might be a while before he can be bothered to fake a smile at all. "He's coming home next week. I'll give you cookies if he remembers to buy them this time."

Tezuka sighed and adjusted his glasses. "Thank you. But what is it that you really want to tell me?"

You're so unfair, Tezuka. You know I can't not answer a direct question. But whatever; he'd already determined that it was a now or never thing. Tezuka was thinking of ending things with him anyway so why prolong the goodbye?

"Father was also vacationing last month, right?" Tezuka nodded, his eyes narrowing slightly. Fuji could almost see the wheels turning behind those brown crystals he's grown to be so familiar with. If anything though, the assurance he saw in them that it was all right to tell Tezuka anything only made him sadder.

Why was this so damn difficult! All Fuji had to say was that he'd had a great time with Tezuka but he was leaving soon and he didn't believe in what that Mizuki told Yuuta that they could make things work despite the separation. He didn't need Inui's data to tell him that long distance relationships rarely ever did because how could they? Out of sight, out of mind wasn't for nothing, after all. Fuji was also a physical person – he needs to see things with his own eyes, hear words with his own ears, and feel with his own skin. And with Tezuka being on another continent, it would be extremely difficult – it was already hard enough to decipher what the man was thinking even with him being just a breath away...

Fuji took a deep breath and pocketed his phone before he continued. "Father sat our entire family down after everyone left that night. It was such good news – he got promoted and wouldn't have to travel as much as before. He could spend more time with us and Mother won't be worried and lonely anymore." Wish we still had more time, Tezuka... "Except, he'll still be based in Manhattan – he's been chosen to be the General Manager there and he's already accepted the post."

Tezuka removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. Without replacing his spectacles, he kneaded his forehead and looked straight into Fuji's eyes. "I see. He's asked you to move to America."

Of course he understood. He always knows. Tezuka looked concerned but it wasn't the emotion Fuji wanted him to show. For crying out loud, couldn't he even manage to look sad? So he really did want to stop seeing Fuji after all…

"There isn't any other choice, really."

After that, they became silent. Fuji let Tezuka turn the information over in his head so he could contemplate on how to tell Tezuka that he wouldn't make a fuss of this imminent break up without sounding regretful or relieved. Fuji will definitely miss the way Tezuka's eyes would suddenly burn a hole in his back during classes because he wants Fuji to listen to their teacher but they both end up not listening due to their silent argument... making sure he was sitting to the right of Tezuka so they could hold hands under the library table... their sleep-overs when he was supposed to be sleeping on a futon but Tezuka insists they share the bed… However, his time was up. Even before finding out Fuji and his family were migrating to another country, Tezuka had already wanted to leave him. One way or another, he'd been bound to lose Tezuka.

"When…" Tezuka broke off to scrunch his eyes then replace his glasses. When he spoke again, he didn't look at Fuji. "When are you leaving?"

"After graduation." Fuji stated offhandedly.

"I –."

"Tezuka," he cut what his captain was about to say because a thought occurred to him – one last act of kindness for his pillar of support. Obviously Tezuka was having a hard time giving Fuji another thing to worry about so he'd do it himself – this way, he'll still feel he came out on top of the situation… kind of… "There's one more thing I have to tell you."

Before he can say another word, his phone beeped to signal receipt of a text. He pulled the gadget from his pocket and read Yumiko's yet again short message.

You'll regret that.


A/N

Tanabata Festival is celebrated on the 7th Day of the 7th Month of the Lunisolar calendar. The Legend tells about Orihime and Hikoboshi, two star-crossed lovers who only get to see each other once every year on the 7th Day of the 7th Month.