Author's Notes: This wasn't supposed to be my gift for Tezuka but I had limited time to write one for him since my finals were coming up. Actually, I wasn't supposed to writing; I was supposed to be studying. But I could not escape from the muses. So, this is for you, my beloved, Tezuka Kunimitsu, Happy Birthday.
Dedication: To Heiko who shares my love for Tezuka and to Reeza who will laugh when she reads this. ::grins::
Disclaimers: Everything is Konomi-sensei's. Only the story line is mine.
Three's a Crowd
Two's a company, three's a crowd, Oneesan would always say. And I believed it.
I often told myself that when I get into a relationship, I will never let anyone in except for my partner and I. However, that wasn't possible if you had a relationship with Fuji Syusuke.
It would always be you, Syusuke and his brother, Yuuta.
At first, it angered me. Yuuta-kun wasn't the type that always needed someone beside him, babying him. But that was what exactly what Syusuke did. He would always say that Yuuta-kun, no matter how old they would be, would always be his baby.
But then when I sat down and thought about it, I understood just how Syusuke felt. Oneesan might be older than me but there was this feeling of wanting protect her and never let her go.
Yet, we were all in grade school then – young and sometimes naïve. Years passed by. Seasons changed. Syusuke and Yuuta-kun moved to Tokyo and continued their junior high studies there. I remained in Chiba.
Syusuke let go of his brother though it was slowly and gradually. And this wasn't because he already wanted to do so – it was because Yuuta-kun was painfully distancing himself from his Aniki.
This saddened me greatly, yes. But there was this happiness that at last there wasn't a three anymore; there was only the two of us.
Then suddenly, he came. Tezuka Kunimitsu.
It was two plus one again. Syusuke gravitated towards Tezuka's stoic demeanor and slowly, Tezuka did so too. Of course, I remember telling myself. For who could ever resist tensai Fuji Syusuke's charms?
But no. I did not want to fall back into the cycle. And I presumed, so did Tezuka.
Two's a company, three's a crowd.
And I didn't actually like crowds.
When Syusuke let Yuuta-kun go, I thought that it was finally just the two of us. Then he had to bring someone up.
Saeki Kojiroh.
He said he loved Saeki and he loved me. Yes. Both and equally at the same time.
I didn't know how he did it, but I knew that he was telling me the truth. His cerulean eyes never hid anything.
And yet, I did not like crowds.
I decided to talk to Saeki. Wait. Saeki and I decided to talk to Syusuke. He had to pick one. We had both agreed that crowds were for friends. And we weren't just friends with the tensai.
But the day we were supposed to talk to Syusuke, he invited both of us to a date with him. There was a playful finality in his voice that although he was mischievous, no one could say 'no'.
October 7, he said. And all we could do was postpone our plans and spend the day with him.
Amusement park, a romantic flick, a lunch picnic. And to end it, a walk in the beach as the sun set on the horizon.
Tezuka smiled. Fuji had indeed planned it well. He couldn't remember the last time that he had more fun than what he had that day.
Saeki was good company, he decided. Funny and witty, Fuji's childhood friend made fun of the tensai and laughed even if he was the one Fuji was making fun of.
Silent and warm, that was Tezuka for Saeki. He didn't talk much and yet he knew – and so did Fuji – that he was having fun.
Fuji was walking in front of them, Saeki following just two steps away. Tezuka was behind them. Then suddenly, he stopped and looked at both. He smiled and slowly walked their direction. He placed himself in between and clasped both hands, Saeki at his left, Tezuka at his right. Saeki cocked his head to the left, looking at Fuji for answers. Tezuka merely raised an eyebrow, eyes at the tensai.
Azure eyes opened and remained staring at the horizon where the sun was slowly setting.
"When I was a child," he suddenly said. "I thought that the greatest wonders, the most beautiful things were only made by nature. Nature owned them and I could never have them. I could only take pictures of them but they could never be mine."
His eyes traveled from one intertwined hand to the other and went back to the setting sun.
"But today, I realized something."
He squeezed both hands.
"I had them all along."
They were different from one another: one laughed with Fuji, the other merely stood beside the tensai and smiled ever so slightly. And yet, through their differences, there was one thing that held them together...
Fuji.
Saeki smiled. Maybe this could work out. After all, sharing was better than receiving.
Two's a company, three's a crowd.
A ghost of a smile escaped Tezuka's lips. Sometimes, crowds were better than companies.
-Owari
::06Oct04:: ::10:13am:: 803 words::
Saeki-Fuji-Tezuka! Spread the lurve! ::big grin::