Fuji laid on the hospital bed with eyes clenched shut, his heart thumping loudly.
"Are you okay, love ?" Tezuka took Fuji's hand and brought it to his lips as he planted a soft kiss on it.
Fuji gulped and held onto Tezuka's hand tightly. "I-i'm fine.." Fuji tried to smile. "Just a little nervous I suppose." Fuji turned towards Tezuka, his hand reaching towards the bespectacled man's face. "Promise me you will be here when I open my eyes, Kunimitsu…I want your face to be the first thing I see." He smiled softly as his fingers brushed Tezuka's face, running along his cheeks and sculpted jaw.
"I will be here, Syusuke." Tezuka brushed his lips tenderly over Fuji's and whispered into his ears. "I love you…"
………...
"It might be painful as you open them the first time, but don't push it, take as much time as you need. But if there's any discomfort you can inform me quickly." A voice said soothingly.
Fuji nodded nervously, he bit his lips and his grip on Tezuka's hand tightened. He could feel how sweaty his palms were and he felt like a jittery mess. Tezuka kissed Fuji's forehead. "Don't be scared, Syusuke, I'm here." The sound of Tezuka's voice interrupted the million things running through his mind as he realized he finally would be able to put a face to the voice he had grown to love so much.
"I'm going to remove the bandage now." The doctor took off the pin securing the bandage and rolled the cloth off of Fuji. Fuji could feel his heartbeat getting faster with each roll of the cloth, and he wondered if anyone else in the room could hear his throbbing heart. He knew everything would be different from now on and he gulped dryly, wondering what life has in store for him. The pressure of Tezuka's hand against his was the only thing keeping him sane at that moment.
A rush of cool air hit his face as he felt the final layer of cloth leave his skin. Fuji sat there silently for a few moments, afraid to open his eyes. He could feel his legs trembling and he pressed his feet to the ground firmly. "K-kunimitsu?" The name escaped through his lips softly.
Tezuka moved to crouch in front of Fuji as he took both of Fuji's hands in his. "Don't be scared, love. I will wait for you for as long as it takes." Tezuka rested his arms against Fuji's trembling legs, hoping it would soothe him.
Fuji took a deep breath and braced himself as he opened his eyes a fraction. The ray of light that he saw made him draw in a sharp breath. All he had known for the last two years were darkness and the ray of light awoke new hope within himself. He gathered the courage to open his eyes fully and blinked a few times to adjust to his surroundings. Everything was blurry, as if he was looking through a dusty window. He looked straight ahead as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. He could make out a figure in front of him and his heart skipped a beat. Kunimitsu? The figure was draped in a long white coat and as he blinked a little more, things started to get clearer. He realized the figure was a woman. She must be the doctor he thought to himself. He shut his eyes tight. I want the first face I see to be Kunimitsu, a determined thought crossed his mind. He lowered his head and prepared to open his eyes.
"Are you feeling any discomfort, Fuji san?" The doctor asked in concern. "It's normal if you could not see clearly yet, it will take some time for the eye receptors to get used to this stimulus. Your brain is still trying to perceive the impulse." The doctor continued when she saw Fuji still had his eyes closed.
"I'm fine, doctor." Fuji answered softly. He could not put a name to what he was feeling at the moment. It was as if everything in him was urging him to look at Tezuka, the man that had captured his heart, and yet he found it hard to take the first step.
"Is everything ok, love?" Tezuka asked when he saw Fuji with his eyes clenched shut. He loosened his grip on Fuji's hand and reached out to cup Fuji's face.
"Mm hmm…" Fuji replied, sounding a little anxious as he nodded his head slowly.
"Won't you look at me?" Tezuka said as he stroked Fuji's cheek gently.
"It's the one thing I've been looking forward to, Mitsu.."
"So open your eyes, love…" Tezuka said gently.
Fuji licked his lips which had gotten dry and mustered up his courage as he slowly opened his eyes. He blinked his eyes rapidly as he tried to get a clearer vision of his surroundings. His eyes moved to the figure in front of him but he still could not see clearly. He blinked again in frustration.
A small chuckle from Tezuka distracted him. "Why are you laughing, Kunimitsu ?"
"It's nothing, you just look cute blinking like that." He chuckled again and pinched Fuji's cheek.
"Mitsu! Don't joke around, I just want to see you." Fuji whined. He gulped as the blurry form in front of him started to come into focus. Brown hair, glasses, white shirt. Fuji could feel the pulse in his veins as he blinked again, wishing for the image to get clearer. Deep brown eyes were staring at him intently and Fuji could feel himself being pulled into the depth of them. Tezuka Kunimitsu...the name rang in his head as a wave of emotions flooded him. He could feel intensely the love the man in front of him bore for him and tears trickled down his face.
"Syusuke?" Tezuka moved closer to him. "Does it hurt?"
Fuji stared at the face in front of him. The look of concern in those brown eyes, the frown in between his eyes and the way Tezuka was looking at him as if he were the only thing that mattered to him in this world. "I love you, Kunimitsu…" Fuji looked at Tezuka as he uttered those words.
"I will leave you lovebirds alone for now, but I will be back later to do a further check up on you, Fuji san." The doctor said with a smile before leaving the room, but it was just background noise for Fuji at that moment as he had eyes only for one person. "Don't move, Mitsu. Just stay there, I want to look at you.." Fuji whispered.
Fuji felt like he was falling in love all over again. He could feel his heart skipping a beat when Tezuka smiled at him. It was a simple smile, but it carried the promise of an eternity they would get to spend together and Fuji thought his heart could burst by the rush of feelings he was experiencing. "I love you, Syusuke…" Seeing Tezuka's face as he heard him say those words was too much for Fuji and his hands flew to his mouth as he tried to suppress his sobs.
"Syusuke…" Tezuka pulled Fuji in for a hug but Fuji held him back. "No, I'm not done looking at you, Mitsu." Fuji smiled through his tears. " Say you love me again, I want to see your face as you say it…" Fuji said softly.
"I love you, Syusuke...now and always." Happy tears ran down Fuji's face as he saw the way everything in Tezuka's face softened and the way his eyes got warmer as he professed his love to him.
Fuji wiped his tears and nodded his head happily. "Thank you so much for coming into my life, Kunimitsu." He wrapped his arms tightly around Tezuka.
……...
Fuji stared out of the car, eyes transfixed as Tezuka drove along the winding road. Soft 60s songs playing on the radio and the view in front of him took his mind to places he's never been before, living memories he's never had before. He smiled in bliss and rolled the window down as he leaned against it, the breeze blowing softly against his face.
Tezuka glanced at his lover and his eyes crinkled around the corner. Fuji has been doing that a lot ever since he got his sight back, as if he was taking in everything he had missed for the two years he lived in utter darkness.
"We're almost here, love." Tezuka said, his hand touching Fuji's softly.
"You've been very mysterious about this whole thing, Mitsu. Where exactly are you taking me?" Fuji turned to Tezuka with a childlike smile on his face and curiosity shining through his eyes. Tezuka smiled at him, he loves seeing Fuji this way, when he is carefree and unrestrained.
"Yes Mister, where are you taking us?" Ryoma's head came in between them from the backseat as he looked at Tezuka questioningly.
"Don't interrupt when the adults are talking, Ryo chan." Ryoga pulled his brother back down.
Tezuka chuckled. "You'll see soon enough, it's a place that holds a special meaning to me."
"Oh my, now I really am curious." Fuji replied with a smile.
Fuji's eyes widened in surprise and he leaned forward to get a clearer view as he saw something ahead of him. He could see slopes of colours arranged aesthetically and as they got nearer he realized it was a field with terraces of blooming flowers spread across it in colours of the rainbow.
"What is this place, Mitsu?" Fuji asked, his eyes twinkling in wonder.
"Let's take a closer look and I shall tell you, okay?" Tezuka smiled and parked the car.
"Wow! This is magical!" Ryoma had already jumped out of the car and ran towards the field, eyes looking around in every direction. "Oni chan, quick! Look at all these flowers!" He jumped up and down excitedly.
Fuji looked at the field adorned with tulips of various colours. Lavender, pink, red, yellow, orange, white, all come together to form a spectacular view. "This is breathtaking!" He exclaimed excitedly. "Come on, Mitsu!" He pulled Tezuka's hand and made his way towards the field, delicate fingers grazing each flower along his way. He turned to Tezuka excitedly. "Look at these beautiful flowers!" His lips carved a smile as warm as sunshine before a questioning look came across his face. "Mitsu, why are you looking at me instead of the flowers?" He put his hand on his hips.
"None of these flowers can match your beauty, love…" Tezuka took Fuji's hand and kissed it. "They don't even come close…" He trailed Fuji's hand with kisses.
A sombre look came over Fuji's face and he looked down. "You said this place holds a special meaning in your heart…" His gaze moved slowly upwards to pause at Tezuka's eyes. "This was the place you confessed to me, wasn't it?" He looked at Tezuka earnestly. "I'm so, so sorry...words cannot describe how sorry I am, Mitsu…"
"Syusuke...All that matters is that you're with me now. I knew your heart was clenched shut that time because of everything that had happened to you. I will not hold your rejection over you Syusuke, so wipe that sad look off your face. I want to see you smile...Always.." Tezuka tucked Fuji's hair behind his ears.
"I love you, Kunimitsu…" Fuji smiled, the kind of smile that reached all the way to his eyes and deep into his soul.
"I love you too, with my entire being and soul." Tezuka reached into his jacket pocket and took out a small red box. He opened it to reveal a simple silver band with an engraving that says For eternity. " Will you be mine, Syusuke? For now and always?"
"Oh, Mitsu! Fuji's eyes sparkled as he smiled at Tezuka. "I'm yours, and you're mine…" He reached up to plant a kiss on Tezuka's lips. Tezuka smiled down at his lover as he slid the ring onto his finger. "You've made me the happiest man on earth, love. Thank you." He stared down into Fuji's eyes, hands reaching up to cradle Fuji's face before pressing his lips against Fuji's warm ones.
The sound of the kids playing happily brought them back to the present and they broke away from the kiss. "Look at them, Mitsu." Fuji smiled happily as he looked at Ryoma and Ryoga running along the terraces. "I've always wanted to have a big family with lots of kids." He chuckled.
Tezuka looked at the kids playing and a smile formed on his lips. "Ryoma, your shoelaces are undone, come here, let me tie them for you." Ryoma ran towards Tezuka and came to a halt as he panted heavily. "This place is so beautiful, Mister! I love it!" Tezuka leaned down and fixed the laces on the boy's shoes. "Be careful, okay. Don't run too much." He patted the boy's head.
"Ryoma nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, we'll be careful. Do sensei and Mister want to play with us?" He cocked his head to the side.
"We'll join you in a little while, okay." Fuji said cheerfully. "Oh, I've prepared a bento for you and Ryoga, so let me know when you both are hungry okay?"
"Okay, sensei!" The boy ran to join his brother.
Fuji turned to Tezuka after Ryoma left them. "Aww, you're such a good dad, Mitsu." He chuckled. Tezuka cleared his throat embarrassedly and looked away.
Fuji looked at his lover who had a slight blush on his face. He leaned against a tree and continued to look at Tezuka, at his tousled hair, the deep brown eyes that could make Fuji stare into for hours, the chiseled face, and the way Tezuka stood proud and tall. He stifled a laugh as he saw the way Tezuka fidgeted uncomfortably under his intense stare, his hand stuffed into his pocket as he tried to maintain his composure. The blush on his cheek deepened and extended to his neck as Fuji continued to look at him as if he was memorizing everything on the canvas that is his lover.
"Syusuke.." Tezuka said, his eyes still looking at the distance. "What are you doing?"
"Checking you out of course." Fuji chuckled and crossed his arms across his chest. "You know what is the best view I've seen ever since I got my sight back?"
Tezuka adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose. "What?" He answered, feeling a little embarrassed as he knew what Fuji was about to say.
Fuji reached out and pulled Tezuka's hand as he guided him towards the tree he was leaning on. He traced a finger along Tezuka's cheek and moved down to his neck. "You're my best view." He laughed at the way Tezuka got flustered. He loved seeing all the responses he could elicit from the usually stoic man. "You know, sometimes I feel like my life is complete. I'm the happiest I've ever been. Living with you and the kids have given me a taste of true happiness." He smiled a little before looking down. "The only regret I have is not being able to have a baby by you…" He said softly. "Imagine having little Tezukas running around...It would make me beyond happy…"
Tezuka looked at Fuji who had a faraway look on his face. "Syusuke…"
"I just get these thoughts sometimes, Mitsu. I see the way you are with the kids and sometimes I feel selfish...If it weren't for me, you would have married a nice girl and have children, and you would still have your family by your side…" Fuji swallowed the lump that had started to form in his throat.
"Don't ever say that, Syusuke. I would never have felt and experienced the things I have if it weren't for you. I was simply existing before I met you, but now I truly am living each and every moment of my life. It's all because of your love Syusuke." Tezuka stroked Fuji's hair softly. "And as for my family, they would come around eventually. The bond of a family is not something you can cut off that simply. Father and Grandfather will accept us in time...I have a feeling it won't be long now."
"I really hope so, Mitsu." Fuji smiled warmly.
"And there's something else I want to discuss with you." Tezuka said with a serious expression on his face. "It's something I've been thinking about for a while, and when you brought it up just now I thought now would be a good time to talk about it."
"What is it?" Fuji asked curiously.
"What do you think of surrogacy? I know our family feels complete now with Ryoma and Ryoga and I love them like they're my own, but we always have room for more right? You said you like a big family right..."
"What?" Fuji blinked up at Tezuka in surprise.
"We can have little Tezukas and Fujis like you wanted." Tezuka said softly. "Having an offspring by you would make me extremely happy too, you know."
Fuji's eyes widened as he looked at Tezuka to see if the man was being serious. He gulped when he saw the look in Tezuka's eyes. The suggestion had him bewildered as he first heard it. He could picture them with little babies of their own and a warm feeling of happiness enveloped him before he realized how costly the procedure would be. "But Mitsu...It would be very expensive, wouldn't it?" He smiled a little but even he could feel it wavering. "I don't think we can afford it right now…" He looked down before a thought popped into his head and he looked at Tezuka in excitement. "How about we adopt a baby instead? Oh, I've always wanted to have a baby!" He said happily.
Tezuka considered the suggestion before replying. "I don't mind adopting a baby, it's a good idea." He looked Fuji in the eyes. "But I still want to raise a child that's yours, Syusuke."
"Mitsu, it would cost too much. I just don't want you to overwork yourself because of this…"
"Syusuke, I don't ever want you to worry about money, okay? Just leave it to me. Besides, what value does money have compared to our happiness, hmm?" Tezuka took Fuji's hands in his. "I'm not saying we can do this immediately, but let's include it as a future plan, okay?"
Fuji's face glowed up like the sun as he replied. "Okay, Mitsu." He laughed a little as something crossed his mind. "You know what Ryoma asked me the other day? He asked when he is going to get a little baby brother or sister." Tezuka smiled affectionately as he heard that. Both Ryoma and Ryoga had grown close to him and he felt like their real father now. "Hmm, we should probably get the kids used to calling us something other than Mister and Sensei you know." Tezuka chuckled.
"Daddy and Papa sounds good don't you think?" Fuji said with a smile. Fuji clasped his hand together as images of their future babies and the two boys he had accepted as his own children entered his mind. "You have no idea how happy I am right now!" He rested his head against Tezuka's chest. "I'm happy too, love." Tezuka kissed the top of Fuji's head.