Title: A Glass Half Full
Date: December 15, 2013
Thank you so much for the reviews! I know a lot of you are confused, sorry but keep reading! I'm not going to give away any spoilers! ;-P
Sorry, I've been super busy with exams so I feel bad having to make you all wait for another chapter. I put a rush on this one, so hopefully there aren't too many spelling mistakes.
Chapter 7
Kikumaru Eiji has been best friends with Fuji Shusuke ever since he could remember. According to his mother, she was best friends ever since she could remember with Fuji's mother. And he remembered spending weekends at the Fuji household, as their mothers would endlessly chat about how everything was simply perfect… because it seems that their births were far from being a mistake. Their mothers planned this. They planned to have their children at the same time, so they could play together, go to school together and grow up together, just like they did.
And for the longest time, everything went according to plan. And everything was perfect until…
It must have been sometime during their junior year at high school, but his best friend wasn't exactly acting like his best friend anymore.
He would remember finding the honey haired brunet sitting alone in an empty classroom staring blankly at the board with a void expression covering his face. And he remembered calling out to him, because school was done an hour ago and they usually walked home together. Then there would be a slight flicker of recognition in those deeply azure eyes, as they slowly glanced over at him. And he reasoned that when Fuji was ready to tell him what the heck was going on, he would listen. But in the meantime, he just had to patiently wait.
So he waited…
… And waited.
Until he met Shuto.
"Yo!" An unsuitably gruff voice sounded in his ear, "If it isn't the energetic boy!"
"Good morning Shuto-san." He offered Fuji's old man persona a slight bow.
Instead of Shuto, he was actually hoping to speak to the real Fuji today… since Fuji kind of left him hanging with some story about meeting this really good looking guy name Tezuka Kunimitsu. And after he practically pushed the honey haired brunet into asking this Tezuka guy on a date, he assumed it must have gone really well… since the next story was about how some guy (he assumed Tezuka) came to check up on him after another Shuko fiasco, going into his car and spending what Fuji described as hours just kissing and cuddling in the front seat.
But… He took a good look at his best friend, now personifying an old man.
"Hey Shuto-san, who did you say your friend is again? The guy with the dojo?" He asked, because if he remembered correctly…
"Oh!" Shuto's eyes widened, "We're not friends. We're rivals! Hahaha!"
There was always something undeniably disturbing whenever he heard those gruff hearty laughs, because the real Fuji Shusuke's voice simply wasn't designed to make those… noises.
"Why the interest energetic boy?" Shuto heavily patted him on the back, promptly knocking the wind out of him.
"I… uh…" He just hated lying to Fuji, but technically… "I wanted to learn judo."
"I'll teach you." Shuto crossed his arms, "If you go to that guy, you'll just learn half as much! Hahaha!"
"… Then can I accompany you to the dojo?" He asked, "I uh… I'd like to see your skills against um… What's your friend's name again?"
"Tezuka Kunikazu." Shuto replied with a proud smile, "Boy, I'm telling you it won't be much of a match! Haha! I'll take that guy down so quickly, you won't even see my technique!"
"… Wonderful." He blinked. But Tezuka Kunikazu was definitely related to Tezuka Kunimitsu… Fuji mentioned something along those lines, so hopefully there would be a chance he could meet this Tezuka… just to discern for himself if this guy is worthy of his beloved childhood friend.
And the walk to the dojo was a long one, especially in the dead heat of summer. As he continually fanned himself by flapping his hand (he wasn't sure if it was helping or just making him more tired), he glanced over at the short honey haired brunet. Shuto as always looked unaffected and sturdily strong. He was the perfect image of an old tough wise man (though not really old). And he remembered his best friend growing up, and that familiar subtle strength and resolution that would always shine through those sapphire-like eyes… until one day that disappeared. And he was eventually graced with the presence of Fuji Shuto.
"I wish Yuuta would take after you more boy." Shuto patted him once more on the back.
He coughed, "T-Thank you Shuto-san."
"All he does is play his video games and procrastinate!" Shuto gravelly voice made him wince, "I wish he would show an interest in something useful. Like judo. A man's sport."
"Yuuta's still a good kid." He supported. He actually felt bad for the younger Fuji, because Yuuta was always less adept at dealing with Fuji's alters due to his short patience and all.
"Kids these days…" Shuto sighed, "We're here."
He looked up to see a large wooden gate.
Fuji new boyfriend was rich or born into some money. Check.
"This place is huge." He popped his head into the dojo.
"Kunikazu!" Shuto gruffly yelled out, "Time for a match!"
The front door slid open and a young man stood there.
… Definitely not Tezuka Kunikazu, but probably his rumoured grandson and… he wasn't bad looking. Another check.
"Oh! If it isn't Kunikazu's grandson." Shuto gave the bespectacled brunet a brisk nod, before disappearing into the dojo, no doubt looking for Tezuka-senior.
"Shuto-san." Kunikazu's son greeted.
And he couldn't help but eye the guy. He was tall, handsome, polite and absolutely perfect. Definitely someone Fuji would go for. But that didn't mean anything to him. Fuji's last boyfriend was the same: a simple and nice guy who worked in a modest sushi restaurant. He was kind of perfect too (save for the moment the guy would take hold of a kitchen knife and go into burning mode), but unfortunately he wasn't able to handle Fuji's disorder. And in the long run, they broke up. He didn't want the same thing to happen twice.
"Hi." He stepped forward and waved, "I'm Kikumaru Eiji."
The bespectacled brunet dipped his head, "Tezuka Kunimitsu."
"Can I talk to you for a second?" He lowered his voice.
"… Sure." Tezuka seemed cautious.
"I'm Shusuke's childhood friend." He explained.
"Nice to meet you." Tezuka led him into the dojo.
He kicked his shoes off, "Shu's told me a lot about you. And I think he really likes you a lot."
Bronze eyes widened the slightest, "It's good to hear that."
"Yea." He shrugged, "You realize he has dissociative identity disorder."
"I know." Tezuka nodded.
"We're not talking about sleep talking or something." He pointed out, "It's real. If you're really going to consider starting something serious with him, you need to realize that he's not the only one inside that body."
There was a small frown on the brunet's face, "I understand you're worried for your friend. But I've already considered his disorder."
"I just don't want you to lead him on." He crossed his arms over his chest.
"I've really come to know Fuji Shusuke." Tezuka's expression was unyielding, "His alters aren't him. And I really like him… I want to support him in every way I can."
"Shu tells me you're a good kisser. Just don't go overboard. Two of his alters are still underaged." He pointed out.
Tezuka blinked, "… I've never kissed him."
The guy was modest too. And he couldn't help but give him an approving nod, "Whatever you say. It's okay though. You don't need to be embarrassed. I'm Shu's best friend remember? He tells me everything."
There was a small look of confusion covering the taller man's face.
And something occurred to him… "Wait… Are you being serious?"
Tezuka nodded.
… But if it wasn't the much spoken about Tezuka Kunimitsu... then who was it? He's known Fuji all his life and Fuji was definitely not one to two-time. It was almost as if…
"USU!"
Two loud voices echoed through the hallways, promptly interrupting whatever thoughts were floating in his head.
"Sounds like they're starting to spar." Tezuka explained, "Want to watch?"
"I suppose." He shrugged, following the bespectacled brunet into the adjacent room and to the sight of his best friend throwing an old man over his shoulder. The Fuji Shusuke he knew growing up was always amazing, but who knew he was subconsciously a judo master.
Fuji Shusuke blinked his eyes open, immediately wincing from the pain in his right shoulder. Reaching up, he tried to gently rub the area before the pain grew too intense. Just what the hell has he gotten himself into this time?
"Shuto threw my grandfather over his shoulder." A baritoned voice explained, "I'm actually surprised that someone as slender as you was able to toss my old man. He's quite heavy. But it looks like your shoulder cramped. It should feel better in a few days."
"Tezuka?" He arched a brow, regarding the taller man whose gaze was focused on the road.
"It took a little convincing, but Shuto finally allowed me to drive him home." Tezuka explained, "He's a stubborn guy, but we reasoned that he needed to accompany your friend Kikumaru home and your house isn't too far away."
"Eiji was there too?" He was beyond confused.
"He's a good friend." Tezuka shrugged, "He wanted to make sure my intentions regarding you were pure."
"… Intentions?" He could feel his cheeks grow warmer.
Eiji always took an avid interest in his love life. This was no different, but still a little embarrassing nonetheless.
He could feel his heart thumping in his ears, "… So, what did you tell him?"
They hit a red light and Tezuka's eyes left the road, a small rare smile gracing his lips, "I told him that I'm really starting to fall in love with his best friend. And alters or not, I want to be there for you."
And he could feel his own lips stretch into a wide grin.
There weren't any butterflies in his stomach, or that fervent excitement tingle throughout every inch of his body. But leaning forward to kiss Tezuka Kunimitsu felt comfortable. It felt right. It felt natural, like he had done this before. And as he pulled away to breathe, he could feel the warmth dissipating from his lips and had to lean forward once more and again and again until-
The car behind them honked.
To be continued.
Note: Thanks for reading this chapter! Please review and tell me what you think!