"Don't you understand simple language, Atobe?" Tezuka repeated, enraged. I said, Get your damned hands off him!"
This time, his words jerked Atobe into action, and the latter immediately released his hold on Fuji, who looked genuinely relieved, albeit a little puzzled at Tezuka's materialization. Nevertheless, Atobe seemed outrageously infuriated at the Seigaku captain, whom he loathed to a great extent. There was a shadow of fury on his face, his lips twisted in a sneer of contempt.
"Fine." Atobe had his hands up in reluctant surrender, backing away. "Fine, Tezuka. He's all yours."
Tezuka's glare never left him until the other man strode with mild grace toward him, stopped momentarily in front of Tezuka, before sidestepping him and leaving through the door. After he had left, Tezuka's anger subsided, and the violence, which had flared in his eyes, dissolved like smoke as he finally turned his eyes to Fuji.
"…Thanks…" Fuji spoke up without looking at him, his voice barely a whisper. He felt fairly ashamed of himself for letting Tezuka witness him in such an embarrassing situation. "I'm…sorry you have to see all that."
Tezuka remained silent for a few seconds. "It's nothing." He couldn't bring himself to say, "I'm just glad you're all right." He allowed that sentence to go through his mind instead.
Awkwardly, Fuji walked up to him and smiled as he often did.
I can't believe him, Tezuka thought, incredulously. He still can smile after what just happened.
"I'm okay now." Fuji tried to sound convincing.
Tezuka was no fool. But he only said, "I'll accompany you home…for today."
~ ~ ~
Stirring his glass of fresh pineapple juice, Kaidou muttered something unintelligible under his breath.
"What was that?" Inui glanced up at him from the data book he was writing in.
"I said, I can't believe you're here."
"You've been saying that for the past seven minutes."
"That's pretty alert of you to notice it," Kaidou answered dryly.
Inui stopped writing. "I say, Kaidou, would you like to go to the library with m-"
"No," Kaidou replied curtly, lifting the straw from his glass. "I'm not going anywhere with you. The day I go outing with you is the day I join the circus as a dumb clown."
Contemplating the words the other man had just said, Inui solemnly nodded once. "Okay. I understand."
"Good thing you do," said Kaidou, heartlessly.
"Hmm…" Inui tapped his pen against the now-closed data book, thoughtfully. "Surely it can't hurt to do one tiny little favor for me?"
"…What's that?"
"C'mere."
"What?"
"I wanna tell ya somethin'."
Perplexed, Kaidou leaned slightly over the table between them. Rather satisfied with himself, Inui bent over and firmly pressed his lips to Kaidou's, whose eyes went large as dinner plates.
~ ~ ~
Mukahi entered the cafeteria, still crestfallen at how the last tennis match went. Keigo nearly won, and what did that idiot do? He did the stupidest thing anyone could think of: blew his goddamn chance of winning, he thought to himself bitterly. And purposely so at that. Sighing, he ran a hand through his red hair, and looked up just in time to see a particular pair at a table, a few distances away.
He froze convulsively. Wait a minute… Those two guys are from the stupid Seigaku team, aren't they? He squinted to see better, and nearly got a heart-attack. Inui and the Viper kissing?!?! Moreover, in public?!?! His hand came up to cover his mouth, and he gagged. Retracing his steps back toward the door with a feeling of disgust, Mukahi exited the cafeteria, no longer wanting to have a drink or anything at all. Not after what he saw. Wait till the guys hear 'bout this…
~ ~ ~
His body became rigid for a second, his mind numb with shock. What the fuck?! Repelled, the smaller man broke away, coughing. However, Inui had stood up with a slight smile on his visage as he placed a few coins and an extra tip for the drinks onto the table before saying, "I really want to stay n chit chat, but I've promised to help my parents with something. Later."
Kaidou was left to gawk wordlessly in disbelief at Inui as the data man sauntered his way to the door.
~ ~ ~
The phone at the Oishi residence rang relentlessly until Oishi emerged from the kitchen and picked it up.
"H'llo," he answered, clearing his throat.
"Oiccchi~! It's meeee."
"Hey. Wassup, Eiji? …What's with that voice?" Oishi heard a loud sneeze at the end of the line, and jumped at the intensity of it.
"I've got a ccccccold."
"A cold? Don't tell me you went to bed with the air-condition on full-blast last night, again?"
"Mmhm. Could ya c'me over an help meh with s'mthin?"
Shaking his head, Oishi smiled over the phone. "Okay, Eiji. Doctor Oishi will be right over."
Kikumaru sniffed. "Thanks, Oicchiii."
Oishi winced. "Man, I hate it when you have a cold."
"Why ish that?"
"Because the way you pronounce my name sound like I'm some freakish high school girl."
~ ~ ~
The door opened on the third ring of the doorbell, and Kikumaru appeared, looking all puffy and…well, sick.
"Hi. Came as fast as I could." Oishi regarded him, concernedly. "God, Eiji… You look so…" He failed to come up with a suitable word, and finally said, "…unwell."
Eiji nodded relentlessly. "I know, Oicchii. I know. C'm in."
Oishi did so, and at that time, Kikumaru sneezed loudly, nearly blowing off his friend's feet off the ground.
"Good Lord, Eiji, you'd better get back to your bed and lie still or it'll get worse," Oishi told him.
Kikumaru staggered toward his bed and collapsed onto it.
"Here." Oishi held out two blue tablets to him.
"Nnagh? What's that?" Kikumaru looked pointedly, although a little blurrily, at them.
"Your medicine, Hotshot. That's what it is," answered Oishi, dryly.
"Oh…"
"…Your parents aren't home?"
"They're out."
"I see. I'll be here till you fall asleep then, okay?" Oishi told him after he had taken the tablets. "And if the generous mood strikes me, I might fix you dinner or something."
"Really?!" Kikumaru's eyes sparkled with delight. "I want an omelette for dinner! Oh, wait- make that two!"
Oishi eyed him bleakly. "Er…I haven't said I wou-"
"God, you're so nice, Oishi!" Kikumaru continued, not hearing his words. "I don't think I deserve it though. But that would really lift a heavy weight off my shoulders."
Oishi watched him mutely as he babbled on, persistently.
"…You're always so caring to me…too caring, I'd say…"
Oishi knew it was the medicine, had to be the medicine.
"…and kind. Why else would you be here in the first place?"
He wanted this to stop. It was making him uncomfortable.
"Sometimes, it makes me think…"
"Uh…Eiji?"
"I know very well that I wouldn't be able to repay every single one of your never-ending kindness to me, but…"
Oishi tried, yet again. "Eiji."
"But I know I'd do anything for you, even to the heights where it endangers my life, if it saves you." Kikumaru's eyelids were now fluttering; closing. "I promise…"
Helpless, Oishi let himself gaze at his friend, who had fallen asleep in the verge of exhaustion. Did Eiji really mean what he'd just said?, he wondered to himself. It could be the drug talking. Or that cold of his.
Sighing, he decided that he would prepare the omelette Eiji so loved, after all. Oishi turned to look at the sleeping form of the redhead one last time, before going off. Besides, he knew fairly well if there were any second thoughts, he certainly isn't one to contemplate.
* * *
Notes: The usual laziness kicked in again. But no worries. I'll complete this story some way or other. For the time being, give me lots of feedback, pleeeze? I'll love you to bits.