What? Goodytoe's alive? And she's writing another chapter? .

Dear Anon, nias, usa-chan, Tezuka687, Yoshiko-chan, moribayashi, and kolachess, you guys rocks. Thank you for the reviews *wipes the happy tears*

Disclaimer : Yeah. You know the drill.

This chapter is dedicated to WhiteEnsigma :)

Chapter 13

The Unleashed Shadows

Eiji came back to Fuji's apartment after sending the young photographer off with Tezuka to his much needed spring break, then he grab his forgotten key car and shawl with much lighter steps. It wasn't only because he could finally take a rest himself from taking care of his best friend- he admitted to himself that it was tiring to see Fuji depressed and drowned in his trauma- but also because he had somehow played a part in disentangling a web that is Fuji Shuusuke's relationship problems. He was actually quiet perplexed at first when he saw Atobe, whom he thought will fight with teeth and nails with his ego just to let Fuji off his sight, walking Fuji to his car calmly like a father who had practiced a lot to hand over his daughter to the waiting groom on the aisle.

Eiji snorted softly. Yes, it was exactly like that.

The silver haired businessman was saying his 'take care, Shuusuke' with, surprisingly, only a soft peck on the cheek, then opened the door to let Fuji slid inside the car where Tezuka had been waiting beside the driver seat. The highlight, however, was the warning glare he sent Tezuka right before they drove off.

It was the glare Eiji had seen on his sister's wedding when his father meant to tell his son in law 'never hurt my daughter, I'm watching you' kind of look.

The red head then softly shook his head in amusement.

Both of them are such a piece of art. Atobe doted on Fuji like a brother to his baby brother, yet it was Fuji who always cleaned up the mess from his tantrums and whimsical acts. He often set Fuji in high class blind dates with his acquaintances, but he purposely snatched the brunette's dates away like a jealous man. And this morning, he played his part of being Fuji's father.

The relationship between them was somehow platonic but not so. They never own each other and Atobe mostly keep his hands off Fuji except when the young photographer need to be comforted, but Eiji knew that Fuji let Atobe kiss him whenever his best friend needed to stake his claim on him.

He could never understand those two.

Right before he left the spacious apartment, Atobe came in and silently walked into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of wine. Eiji grinned at his attempt to straighten his unusually slumped shoulder.

"Well done, your majesty. It sure wasn't easy to let go of your precious daughter to the knight, was it?"

Atobe groaned in annoyance, "Talk all you want, commoner. Ore-sama only did what's best for him."

The stingy reply only made Eiji's grin widened, "Ne, Atobe, last night was hard for you, huh? Congratulations for finally acting like a grown up, but don't you think that the revolver was a little bit over the top?" Atobe glared some more at him and sipped his wine slowly in a measly attempt to hold his temper, "Not very sweet mannered without Shuusuke around, are you?"

Eiji laughed softly, "By now I thought you understand already that I act like that only with Fujiko. He is a middle child, Atobe. Without Yuuta-kun around I am the one who has to play the role of little brother for him."

Atobe swirled the wine inside his glass with his usual graceful, regal manner. Slowly, his annoyed expression morphed into a mischievous one, "Well, it was worth a try, though. I was hoping that those stony expression of his would scrunched up in panic or fear.. even a little shaking, weak knee reaction would be good." Atobe sipped his wine a little and huffed rather loudly, "But damn it, he was only standing there like a statue with a martyr air.."

"And why is that? Is it because you're his bodyguard?" Atobe sneered coldly.

"No," Tezuka took a deep breath, "..It's because I love him".

Tezuka held Atobe's gaze with his determined brown eyes, trying to convey the genuineness of his words. He saw something sparked in the young businessman's eyes as the revolver left his chest..

..And pressed to his forehead instead.

Tezuka's eyes widened for a split second before his formerly tensed posture relaxed and he closed his eyes slowly, as if he was entrusting his life in Atobe's hand.

"Open your eyes, damn it." Atobe muttered harshly and Tezuka obeyed him with an eerie tranquility.

"This is my last warning to you. You better take care of him, Tezuka Kunimitsu. If I ever find even a single scratch on him.." the revolver was pressed harder as if it meant to leave a mark on his skin, "..I'll definitely use something more painful than this gentle, painless revolver to make you pay."

Tezuka's stare hardened, "Understood."

Atobe held his gaze, and time seemed to tick slow for both of them. And finally, Atobe moved the revolver from the tall brunette's forehead.

To Tezuka's horror, he carelessly throw it to the sofa.. without even putting the safety lock on.

"..Atobe-san.. The revolver.."

Atobe raised his brow and smirked, as he sat calmly on the comfortable seat, "What? Scared?"

Tezuka gritted his teeth in annoyance, "It's dangerous to throw it like that without the safety lock, Atobe-san. Someone could get hurt. You could get hurt."

Much to the bespectacled man's chagrin, Atobe only smirked wider and shrug in a nonchalant manner.

"The revolver's empty, you know".

Going out of the city, Tezuka decided, was a very good decision.

That conclusion came as he silently pondering about Fuji's behavior once they were crossing the city's boundary and taking the less crowded roads to reach their destination : a villa in the Yamanaka mountain, about 4 hours driving from the city. It was one of Fuji's childhood holiday houses, and nobody had been there for so long that it was almost practically forgotten. No one would expect Fuji to use that abandoned villa, thus made it a very convenient place of getaway.

Besides, Fuji had gone considerably more relaxed and less fidgety the further they were from the city's boundary, and Tezuka inwardly cursing himself for not confronting Atobe sooner if it means getting Fuji out of that place.

Being alone with his charge, however, means another problem for himself.

In the night he confronted Atobe, he was pretty occupied with the revolver poking his chest and then his forehead, but he was a well trained fighter and thus his senses was still pretty sharp to not being oblivious to the fact that a certain someone had been listening to his dramatic love confession.

And that person, who had been driving beside him for 2 hours, has yet to say something about that little confession of his. The bespectacled brunette didn't really know what to expect from the blue eyed man, but he wasn't ready for the awkward silence they were currently having. He didn't really know what to say to Fuji, and Fuji was obviously trying to act like nothing had happened between them. And to make things even more awkward, it would still be a couple of hours before they reach the villa and a car is definitely a rather cramped space that if Tezuka just hold his hand out, he would be able to touch the still-driving-in-silence Fuji.

It took a lot of will to keep himself in check and not just grab that slender body and shake those shoulders to make his blue eyed angel say something regarding his confession, or just caress that smooth cheek to see if Fuji going to flinch and pull away from his touch now that he knew that Tezuka's feeling towards him was far beyond the professional boundary.

Tezuka's fingers itched to touch those slightly pouting lips and kiss it senseless, and he fisted them tightly to ease the itch away.

So close.. yet so far away.

Tezuka gulped and wished the car would move faster.

The European style villa was still as beautiful as Fuji remember it to be, even though almost 6 years had passed since his last visit. The last 6 years had been a tough time for him; disagreements with his father, mountains of works, dozens of failed relationships, another truck-load of works, and then more disagreements. He simply couldn't find the will to visit the villa where the memories of his happier days are the most apparent when in reality all those problems choked him and forced him to swallow the bitterness of adulthood he wasn't quite ready to embrace.

The wooden floor creaked a little when they stepped in, but Fuji wasn't expecting the place to be very clean and well kept. He smiled a little, realizing that it was most likely Atobe's doing that someone had already cleaned the place and prepared it for them. As his blue eyes scanned the room, memories came to him like a broken dam.

There was the cozy antique sofa in front of the fireplace where his mother used to sat surrounded by her children, she would always laughed happily and told them stories until they fell asleep from her calming voice and the warmth from the fireplace, and leaving their father the job of carrying them back to their respective rooms. And then there was the kitchen where his mother used to make her famous apple pie, and after she passed, it was her sister's who baked it for she was the only one who knew the secret recipe from their mother. The brunette's eyes softened and he let out soft, unforced chuckles as he let his fingers ran over the antique tea table his mother loved.

He was lost in his memories until he felt a tender, comforting squeeze on his shoulder. It was supposed to be a comforting gesture, but Fuji felt somewhat guilty when it gave him a completely different effect. He felt blood rushed to his face and his body tingled all over from such a simple gesture.

"..It's because I love him"

He flinched involuntarily from the still too vivid image of Tezuka's confession and he wondered if Tezuka knew that he was watching every second of that little event with Atobe from his bedroom. Questions running through his head at once and he suddenly felt suffocated. What was Tezuka's intention? Why did Tezuka fell for him of all people? Where were they going from that point? Why was it all so complicated? Could he just make things easy? Could he just embrace whatever it was that Tezuka offered him?

But why, why didn't Tezuka say anything? Was those words meant nothing, then?

Then Tezuka's hand left his shoulder, and those sparks of warmth left him and he suddenly felt so cold and alone. And when he saw Tezuka's dejected face and slightly unsure gaze, he froze in cold revelation and wondered if he was the one who supposed to say something after all.

It was their second day in the villa when Fuji simply couldn't take the tension between him and his bodyguard anymore that he finally blurted out what had been bothering him, straight to the point.

"I heard what you said that night, you know," his gaze burned in a slight anger and he was so sure Tezuka, who had his back to him as he stood at the terrace, could feel his gaze. Fuji was feeling a rare feeling of nervousness and insecurity, but he was glad that his voice came out firm and undisturbed.

"…I know," was the only answer Tezuka gave him. It was weird, but Fuji wasn't really surprised to hear that answer. He plastered his usual mask of nonchalant on his face before he step outside to the terrace where Tezuka stood. The fresh spring air calmed him a bit and he breathed it in, feeling it soothed the tightness he felt in his chest.

"Then why?" why did you say it?

Tezuka turned around and locked his eyes with his, and the calming air was knocked away somewhere else. He couldn't breathe.

"It was meant for you to hear".

It was his reflection he saw in Tezuka's eyes. Those brown eyes looked so sure and honest, it held no masked intensions or greed he sometimes saw in his past lovers and suitors. Fuji visibly gulped. Should he really do it? Should he move forward and embrace whatever it was that Tezuka offered?

As if reading his thought, Tezuka took one step to shorten their distance without breaking their gaze.

"I can't promise you happiness, Fuji. I can't promise you anything". I don't know what future holds for us, but I'm willing to give this a try. With you.

Fuji shook his head slowly, but he wasn't able to look away from those magnificent brown orbs. "There's so much you don't know about me, Tezuka". Do you even know how tainted, how impure I am?

"We have a lot of time to learn". You also know nothing about me.

Fuji knew that this could be another heart break story. Tezuka could be another person who will be taken away from him or leaving him once he gave Tezuka his all. There was no definite future for them, and maybe there was someone else out there, someone better for Tezuka.

But his legs already moved forward without his logic agreeing to it, his arms moved without his consent, his body had stopped listening to his reasoning and gave in to a desire, to a need he could no longer ignore named Tezuka Kunimitsu.

As soon as he reached those waiting arms, he felt himself lifted from the wooden floor by Tezuka's steady hold, and when he felt gravity pulled him he wrapped his legs around his bodyguard's waist and locked his arms around Tezuka's neck. They held each other tightly, but it wasn't close enough for them, not when even a split of air between them felt like a distance where reality could kicks in and took their chance and guts away.

Their breaths mingled and when their lips finally met in a passionate lock, it was neither fireworks nor sparks he felt. It was warmth, all over his body.

It was relief, just like he felt when he finally found something that had been missing for a long time.

He could taste the coffee Tezuka previously drank, and Tezuka could tell that it was the sweetness from the cake Fuji ate which he tasted. Everything, every little detail of that moment felt incredibly real but unreal at the same time, but they both knew that it didn't matter either way.

Then air became a necessity and they reluctantly broke their kiss, their foreheads touching. Tezuka opened his eyes slowly and took the sight on front of him hungrily. Fuji's forehead against his was warm, his beautiful face flushed, rosy lips wet and swollen from his kiss and wrapped in his arms he could felt Fuji's ragged breathing; in and out, in tandem with his own breath. He savored Fuji's sweet scent and his warmth, and he couldn't help but letting his ego soared because he knew that it was he that had made this beautiful man looking so defenseless and putty in his arms.

'God, if you ever exist, please. Don't take him away from me again. Never, never let anything hurts him again.'

He gave Fuji another kiss and trailed soft kisses along the smaller brunette's jaw, then mapping his way back to his blue eyed lover's kiss swollen lips with his slightly wet ones. Fuji felt his eagerness and chuckled softly, slightly out of breath from Tezuka's kisses. "Don't you want to hear my answer first, Tezuka?" he said in amusement as he let his fingers ran through Tezuka's brown tresses.

Tezuka lifted his brow, "Don't you need to know if wasn't playing a cruel joke?"

Fuji laughed then, his first genuine laugh after weeks of pained smiles, and Tezuka felt his insides tightened knowing the fact that it was he, he of all people, who brought that melodious laughter back.

They kissed again, the fourth of their many kisses that night.

Because both of their questions earlier need no further proof or answer, for they could finally feel and it worth more than any verbal explanation.

The sky was so clear that night, and though the wind was very cold, Tezuka couldn't say no when Fuji gave him that smile which made his knees go weak and ask him if they could sit outside and enjoying the panoramic view of the night sky.

It took his all not to smile goofily like a love-drunk teenager when Fuji snuggled closer to him, seeking for the extra warmth that his coat and blanket could not provide. He took that slender figure into his arms and onto his lap, and as he buried his face on the side of Fuji's neck to steal some warmth and inhale Fuji's sweet intoxicating scent, he marveled on how easy Fuji wormed his way into his aching heart and healed it. Tezuka tightened his hold on the smaller brunette and kissed the back of his ear as a silent gratitude of that happiness he gave Tezuka just by simply being there in Tezuka's arms, by simply being okay and safe within Tezuka's reach.

The stoic bodyguard marveled on how easy it was to be happy after all those lonely years after his family's death.

"Ne, Tezuka," Fuji said as he took a hold of Tezuka's hand on his waist, "Tell me about your family."

Tezuka let out a small, contemplating hum as he trailed butterfly kissed along Fuji's neck that made Fuji shivered slightly. "Not much to tell, I guess. I lost them, about 11 years ago, in a.. an incident."

Fuji awkwardly turned his neck to give him a comforting peck on his forehead. The bespectacled man knew that it was his signal to continue. "My parents owned a coffee shop. It wasn't a big one, but very cozy. After they passed away, I gave the shop to my friend, Oishi. He's a barista so I figured he'll do much better than me. He said that I'll scare the customers away."

Fuji chuckled lightly, "Mou, Tezuka, you really should smile more. You're actually very good looking, you know". Tezuka couldn't resist giving those rosy lips a well deserved kiss, "..I'll save the smile for work". Fuji lifted his brow in a slight challenge, "And what is your work, Tezuka Kunimitsu?" Tezuka bit his ear gently and Fuji gasped sharply, his eyes unconsciously drifted close. "Pleasuring my boss," Tezuka whispered in his ear and Fuji laughed in amusement, "That's kind of cheesy, Tezuka. Come on, tell me more about your family. Do you have siblings?".

"No, I don't." Tezuka then told him about his grandfather and how they used to go fishing together, and about his boring uncles and aunts and little things about his family that he remembered. He knew that there were gaps in his story, some important facts that he could not tell Fuji, like where they lived and other things about lower town. He realized that Fuji was most likely knew that there were things he didn't tell, but he was very grateful when Fuji only snuggled closer and remain an attentive listener.

But soon, the tall brunette ran out of stories to tell for he usually wasn't a talkative person anyway. They settled for a comfortable silence before Fuji started to tell him about his own family.

"…And they said that I looked a lot like my mother. I got these blue eyes from my mother, I guess. And our hair color was also exactly the same, but her hair is much longer and a bit wavy.. Can you imagine how she looked like, Tezuka?"

Hazy blue eyes struggled to stay open, tears mingled with splotches of blood on her pale cheeks. "..home..kids.." Her raspy breath moved the hairs that escaped her bun on her face, her wavy honey brown hair was a mess.

Long, slightly wavy honey brown hair..

Tezuka winced at the sudden sharp pain on his head. '..What the..?'

The scene around him swirled. And white spots began to mar his vision.

Soft, honey brown hair soaked with deep red; blood on her blouse, blood on her face, blood everywhere.

"…suke.."

There was a beautiful glow from her ring finger, a very beautiful blue gleam. It was a very beautiful sapphire, as blue as her now lifeless eyes.

"..and then Yumiko-neesan would say… Tezuka?" A soft hand caressed his jaw, "..Are you okay? You look a bit pale.. Should we just get back inside?"

Tezuka squeezed the hand on his jaw softly. "Hn, it's all right. I'm okay."

Fuji frowned and opened his mouth to argue, but Tezuka cupped his face with his hands and kissed him, swallowing his protest. "Let's just here a little bit longer. I'm okay."

No he was not. His head hurt like hell.

Tezuka, Oishi, and Inui had been friends for as long as they can remember. And just like a solid team, they had unwritten rules that was pretty much like a job division between them.

Tezuka will always be followed as the leader between the three of them, but every time they had to decide on anything, be it small matters or a major problem, it was Inui's predictions and calculation who will determine the end of their discussion. And among the three, it was Oishi's intuition that they trusted the most.

That night at the coffee shop was no different either.

When Oishi suddenly barged into the kitchen with a confused look on his face, Inui immediately stopped his merry juice-making charade and nodded readily when his barista friend said, "I don't know why, but I have a feeling that something big is going to happen.. We should see Momo and Echizen."

Oishi was right.

The moment they stepped inside Tezuka's cramped apartment, Momo practically shoved them to sit on the sofa. Echizen kept his mouth shut, but there was a brief look of anger on his gaze. It was enough to alert the two seniors that something went very, very wrong.

"…Did something happen?" Oishis concerned voice somehow eased that look of anger in Echizen's eyes and made Momo groaned tiredly.

"We just realized that there's still a lot we don't know about buchou and you two. Apparently, we don't know each other that well, Oishi-san, Inui-san." Their youngest member said coldly and Inui's brows furrowed in confusion.

"..What the hell are you talking about, Echizen?"

Echizen gave them a cold silence, and Momoshiro finally decided to take over.

"There's.. a situation, something that we need to confirm. Me and Ryoma… we went to Seishun and we received information regarding Fuji Yoshiko's case."

Oishi's eyes widened in surprise and Inui's glasses glinted in interest.

"We got a photograph of the Christmas party.. the one which only days away from her death. We.. we got a clear view of the person who delivered the cheque from the late Fuji Yoshiko, the one who we assumed playing a big part of her assassination. It was a lucky shot, I guess. The focus wasn't very good, but it's still clear enough to..you know, recognize the person." Momo fidgeted uncomfortably and the way he crossed and uncrossed his arms almost made him looked like he was trying to sink himself further into the sofa.

Echizen then threw the old photograph to the coffee table between them, and upon seeing that picture, Oishi had openly gaped in shock and Inui instantly shot up from his seat to look at the thing in disbelief.

"Don't even bother to ask if it's genuine or not. I had check in every method I know to make sure that it wasn't modified in any way," Echizen eyes glinted dangerously, "you got any explanation, senpai?"

Oishi's hand shook as he lifted the photograph and took a closer look at it.

The person who was handing the envelope to Banji wasn't a stranger to them. He was much younger and had a disturbingly haunted look on his face, but they wouldn't have mistaken him with someone else.

The proof sat before their eyes. The one who delivered the envelope was no other than Tezuka Kunimitsu.

That, my dear readers, was NOT a cliffhanger. It was another piece to complete the puzzle! We're getting closer to the complete picture, people! Fufufu…

This chapter is.. I dunno. I was very dissatisfied with it. I wrote and stopped to frown, then I probably pressed backspace even much more than I typed.

Aaanyway, those hardships is something I had to endure – come on, what wouldn't I do for our perfect pair? This chapter is dedicated to WhiteEnsigma as a bribe for updating her fic, fufufu. Yes, I would even bribe someone for some good fics. I'm into shady business now, people. Now I want you to start bribing me with reviews for the next chapter.

Go on and offer me your best bribe. This fic is not cheap, you know.

…joking, ladies. Don't worry, I'll be back to my humble persona on the next chapter. I just need an ego boosting sometimes, teheee.