A/N: I know, the previous chapter was too long and this is too short. So, I ain't consistent.

Since I'm afraid this might come up again, I'm making a statement: When I post a story, the basic plot, and thus the pairing/pairings have already been decided. So there really is no use in making requests on either of those things.

And despite the shortness of this chapter, I hope you enjoy it.


Ryoma really didn't know what to say to Tezuka and Tezuka, it seemed, felt the same way. They just stood there, gazing at each other, with blank faces. Tezuka moved and Ryoma got his hopes up, his face brightened just a little in expectation to hear Tezuka say something, anything! But Tezuka just shifted his weight to his other side.

Ryoma heard crickets chirping.

"Yuu-chan, what has mommy told you about bringing pets on a plane?" A woman's voice scolded.

"But mooom! They'll be lonely if I don't take them with me!" a small boy answered. "Sim, Sam and Albert want me to talk to them. And I just got a new book I wanna read to them!"

"Where did you get that?! How many times has mommy told you not to go through mommy and daddy's special closet?" The woman grabbed the book from the boy and gave it to a man who grinned sheepishly at her.

"Really honey, I don't think he understands what Kama Sutra is."

"Don't honey me! He's old enough to look at the pictures! For crying out loud, why didn't I listen to mother and raise the boy as my brother! It would have worked!"

"Sure honey, I'm sure everyone would've believed the likely story, that your father, who is nearly senile and your mother, though an attractive woman, but past her prime produced a child after decades of infertility, especially since you're adopted."

"My god, you're attracted to my mother?! I want a divorce!"

"Honey? I didn't mean it like that! Come back! Fine, but I want alimony! "

Ryoma tore his eyes of the train wreck that was quickly morphing in to a divorce. He looked at Tezuka who didn't seem to have reacted to the family dispute in any way. Could it be that he hadn't even noticed? No way, how could anyone not have heard their yelling?

I don't mind the silence, there really was never any need for words between us. I'm content in simply being in his presence, and for him to come to me like this… God, I love the way he frowns!"Echizen, why are you here?"

Ryoma shrugged. "I came to see you off. Looks like I'm the only one, though…"

"I'm glad you came," Tezuka couldn't resist the tiniest of smiles that formed on his lips.

Ryoma frowned again as he saw the smile. He hadn't seen Tezuka this happy since… he couldn't remember if he'd ever seen Tezuka smile so freely. It kind of scared him since Tezuka was acting like he was living a scene from a romance movie where the guy, or the girl at some movies, always chases after the other one to tell them that they really do love them after all or something equally sappy and emotional that always made his cousin cry.

Then Ryoma remembered that he'd just hurried to the airport so he could see Tezuka to tell him –

Tell him what, exactly? Ryoma knew he wasn't in love with Tezuka and was honest enough to admit that from Fuji's attempts on making him see Tezuka the most successful had been about tennis. What he most liked about Tezuka was his tennis, the rush he felt when he played against Tezuka, knowing he was just seconds away from beating him. When he didn't win, there was always another game to look forward and when he won, he would almost certainly know that he wouldn't the next time. Tezuka would always come back stronger than before.

But still, Fuji had some other good points too. It really hadn't been that bad, the kiss, now that Ryoma really thought about it. It had actually been a very good kiss, he'd just been shocked that it was Buchou that was kissing him.

And Buchou wasn't all that bad looking either. And he could play tennis. So, good looking and could play tennis. It'd be like being back together with –

That's when he knew, that no matter what he might feel towards Tezuka, he wasn't over Atobe yet. Not when it hurt so much just thinking about him.

"So, for how long are you going?" he asked, trying to get the intimate atmosphere back to normal.

"For a month," Tezuka answered, feeling a little disappointed that Ryoma had spoiled the mood he had liked so much. I guess it can't be helped. It really is too much to hope that he would feel the same way. "I thought the time might make it easier for you."

Ryoma scratched his head and avoided Tezuka's eyes. "I'm not mad about it, you know, it's just that… I wasn't expecting it."

"I understand," Tezuka sighed. "But… when I come back…?" He did not dare to finish the sentence, but it seemed Ryoma understood.

"We'll see when you get back, right Buchou?" Ryoma smirked.

Tezuka smiled in answer to the smirk. It felt good to see it again.


When Tezuka returned from Germany they went back to the former routine. Ryoma and Tezuka grew even closer, but still remained only as friends. Tezuka was waiting for Ryoma to show him that he was ready. And he waited for months, until finally one day, Fuji told him, "What if he's waiting for you to act? It could be that he isn't sure if you still want him, hmm?"

Tezuka considered it as a possibility. Ryoma no longer seemed hesitant when they were standing just a little more closer than friends normally did. When Tezuka placed his hand on the boy's arm or thigh, Ryoma didn't shrug it off. A few times the boy had fallen asleep leaning on him and when he woke up, he never seemed uncomfortable about being so close to him.

So one night Tezuka kissed him again when they were alone, watching a movie. This time Ryoma didn't run away. Instead he kissed back.

They started to see each other more often with out the others, kissed more and one night that would always remain as the best memory in Tezuka's life, Ryoma spent the night. It was nothing like Tezuka had dreamed of; it was something much, much more.

When Tezuka invited Atobe for dinner, they had been together for nearly five months. Tezuka was confident of Ryoma's feelings towards him, the boy's commitment to the relationship they had built. And how could the two still love each other after nearly two years of separation? It was impossible.


"I'm sorry," Fuji whispered again to Ryoma.

"Stop apologising Fuji-sempai. None of this is your fault." Ryoma mumbled.

I wonder if you would still say that, if you knew everything? Fuji thought, as memories of his secret came back to him.

Fuji was sitting in his favourite coffee house, drinking his favourite tea, reading his favourite book when someone called his name. He lifted his eyes from the book to see Oshitari Yuushi standing by his table. "Well hello Oshitari-kun. This is a surprise."

"Not really, I've been looking for you," Oshitari answered and sat down.

Fuji closed his book and smiled at Oshitari, waiting for the other boy to elaborate.

"I want to fix Atobe," Oshitari told him and Fuji couldn't help but chuckle.

"Fix him? Is he perhaps broken?"

"Yes," Oshitari didn't even smile, his face remained serious. "Has been, for over a year."

"Ah, you mean heart broken. But I don't think there's anything you can do about that."

"There is, and I want you to help me."

"Me?" Fuji didn't bother hiding his surprise. "How could I possible help to fix Atobe?"

"You can help me get him back together with Echizen," Oshitari answered, still with the serious face. Fuji was hoping he'd find some hint in the other's face that would tell him he was only joking. Fuji had no intention of ever letting Ryoma and Atobe get back together, not when he was trying so hard to make the boy accept Tezuka's feelings.

"I don't see how that would help Atobe. They were hardly the perfect couple, all they ever did was fight."

"Come now Fuji, you know just as well as I do that they liked to argue, pick on each other, pull on every possible string until the other snapped, and they loved every second of every single one of their arguments. And if you really believe that fighting was all their relationship was based on, I have to wonder, how well you really know Echizen."

The truth was there in Oshitari's words and it was hard not to face it. "They haven't spoken in over a year, what makes you think they would now. And that raises the question, why now, and not earlier?"

"Atobe is leaving," Oshitari said. "He's leaving the country in a week and this is the last chance for a long time to come. What ever you may think, Fuji, I know that once those two see each other again they won't be able to resist the temptation of throwing a few insults. That should be enough to get things started and Atobe's pride will take care of the rest."

"It seems you have thought of everything," Why the fuck do you have to be so damn clever? Fuji thought furiously, while still showing Oshitari his gentle smile. "How could you possible have any need for my help?"

"I need you to bring Echizen to the mall tomorrow. I'm bringing Atobe. Will you do it?"

"Why not?" Fuji answered.


Staring down at the crowd from the second floor of the shopping mall, Fuji wondered why he was there. He'd never intended to bring Ryoma here, but why had he himself come? So that he could see with his own eyes that Atobe was broken just as Oshitari claimed? Or so that he could see the man whose happiness he was willing to sacrifice for the happiness of his friends? And Tezuka and Ryoma could be happy together, that he knew. It wouldn't be the whirlwind relationship that Ryoma and Atobe had, but it would be a secure one, a relationship that would bring hope for their friends. Ryoma and Tezuka had been their pillars for many things, together they would be their pillars of faith that there might be something like that in their future as well. They were Fuji's shining stars of hope, that someday he might have something as good to hold on as well.

Atobe was all wrong for Ryoma, the way they had began was proof of that. Mere lust couldn't keep a relationship together, it required more. And lust was all there was between Ryoma and Atobe. Fuji knew he was making the right choice for Ryoma. And Atobe…? He would eventually get over it.

When Fuji saw Oshitari and Atobe in the crowd, he hid behind one of the columns that surrounded the second floor balcony from where he had a clear view of the entrance. Oshitari looked anxious, his head flipped form one side to the other, looking for Fuji and Ryoma. Atobe seemed annoyed.

Fuji stayed in his hiding place, not wanting to venture downstairs, where he might be seen. He watched Oshitari take his friend for a cup of coffee, pull him down when Atobe was ready to leave. It looked like they quarrelled, but Oshitari managed to convince Atobe to stay.

Finally Fuji couldn't take it any more. He went down stairs but made sure that neither saw him. He fixed his gaze on Atobe and was surprised that there actually were changes in Atobe's appearance. There had always been an air of freedom around Atobe, an impression that he could do anything he wanted and still hold that arrogant smile on his face. There was no longer any hint of that smile on his face, only a smirk every now and then, more like a grimace, than a smile. It pained Fuji to admit it, but Atobe had been happy when he had seen him the last time. And Fuji had decided to deny Atobe of the chance to gain that happiness ever again.

Fuji felt someone's eyes on him and found Oshitari looking at him. The accusation was clear and Fuji didn't even attempt to deny it. He simply stood there, returning Oshitari's look with his own dead one. Any satisfaction he might have felt just a few moments ago on getting his friends together had disappeared once he saw Atobe and began to second guess his actions. But there was no going back, he had made his choice and would see it through. Tezuka and Ryoma would be together and they would be happy.

That night he pulled Tezuka aside and encouraged him to make his move on Ryoma.

With out him, the two might have never gotten together. And he had been so convinced that it was the right thing to do, that they belonged together.

"I'm sorry."

"That's three times already Fuji-sempai. A fourth one and I'll ask what for."

"Maybe you should," he kept his voice lower than before, hoping Ryoma wouldn't hear it.

"What?"

"Nothing Ryoma-kun."