The city had always been nice during the winter despite it being crowded. There were Christmas lights all over the place making the city look really nice. Fuji and Eiji came around the late afternoon when some lights were on and some weren't. It was about 4:30 in the afternoon.
"Nya! This is hard. What to get everyone?" asked Eiji.
"You should only get something for one person or at max three," replied Fuji.
"Hm?"
"There's too many of us to buy for. Not to mention we have to buy for our families as well, I noted that to everyone else a couple days ago if you forgot. Anyway if you want help looking for something I'll be glad to help you," explained Fuji.
Eiji grinned and then frowned.
"Hm, Oishi is hard to buy for. I would get him tropical fish like I did once, but I already did that. Hm, maybe a new ring?" he asked.
"Oh you guys wear similar rings don't you? But what about you?" asked Fuji as they headed down to the jewelry store.
"It doesn't matter with me. I just know that his got destroyed because he was messing with a filter and it got bent up. The one he wears now is bronze if you didn't notice, the one I have is the one I've had since junior high," replied Eiji.
Fuji hadn't noticed that. He remembered both Eiji and Oishi giving eachother the same rings in Junior High. Nice gold bands that they always wore since then. It was to symbolize the Golden Pair.
"Get him more than just a band this time," suggested Fuji.
"That's what I was thinking. I wanted to get an engravement in it," said Eiji looking as if he was in deep thought.
It was actually amusing how hard Eiji was trying. Obviously they hadn't asked eachother what they wanted. But now it hit Fuji that he hadn't asked Tezuka either, but the tensai already had a plan.
"Hm. Engrave what on it?" asked Fuji.
"Our winning title of course!" exclaimed Eiji grinning.
That was stupid question to ask, of course their winning title was the one thing to put on the ring. Eiji and Fuji entered the jewelry store being greeted by one of the employees. Eiji examined each ring, asking what sizes there were and how much. Not that price was too big of a deal. Eiji had picked out a thicker golden band that had two emeralds on it. On the outer part opposite from where the emeralds were the engravement "Golden Pair" was placed on it. Eiji smiled happily as they walked out
"I hope that Oishi likes it," he said hopefully.
Fuji smiled.
"He should," he reassured his friend.
"Nya what are you getting Tezuka-buchou?" asked Eiji.
"All I really need is a photo album. But do you want suggest anything?" replied Fuji glancing over at the red head.
"I dunno. A phone card?" joked Eiji.
"Then he'd have no excuse not to call me," whispered Fuji.
"Ah! Gomen, gomen! I'm sorry Syusuke I didn't mean it that way!" exclaimed Eiji realizing what he just said. Fuji just grinned saying it was no big deal that Eiji's idea sounded like a good idea if Tezuka didn't already have a cell phone. Fuji thought about getting Tezuka something else but he had no idea what to get.
"Should've got him something at the jewelry store," said Eiji.
"Tezuka doesn't wear jewelry unless it's that one necklace he wears sometimes, but after that I don't think he's too fond of jewelry. Or sweets at the matter. And I've never seen him drink coffee," explained Fuji.
Dammit! Tezuka was so hard to shop for!
"Get him some new hiking gear then," said Eiji.
"But I've never went hiking before, well I have but not climbing. I don't know what he has or doesn't have. I have to shop for my brother and sister too so maybe something will come up," replied Fuji.
Tezuka had automatically figured out what to get Fuji. Because he knew better than anyone that Fuji had a fetish for sour flavored candies, cinnamon flavored bonbons and jaw breakers, and darkest of dark chocolates. So he headed for the candy store and picked up some dark chocolate and cinnamon flavored candies knowing that those were popular during Christmas. Oishi had previously got a ring for Eiji with their winning title engraved in with some sapphire stones in it. Oishi had explained that his own ring had gotten destroyed so there was no use for Eiji to wear such an old ring anymore. So he decided to get him a new one that was a lot better looking than the other one.
Tezuka wanted to get more than just candies for Fuji though. It confused him. The tensai was so patient with him, there had been barely any physical contact between him and Tezuka since a couple days when Tezuka admitted why he left. Maybe Fuji was mad? But then what was all that during the movie? Yeesh, Fuji was too confusing even for the ex-buchou of Seigaku who knew him the best. Tezuka decided to try some simple things though. Romantic things that couples would usually buy for eachother. Vanilla scented bubble bath and berry scented candles, a CD that Fuji had wanted to get for a while, and one thing that Tezuka knew the tensai would love to death, a digital camera.
Fuji often stuck with the more complicated cameras, the ones you had to change lenses to and develop film, because he worked as a photographer. He usually went out during morning or late afternoon to take pictures and then came back in no time. He still wasn't off for Christmas break until Christmas Eve, so he kept himself working. The good part about Fuji's job was he didn't have to go far to take pictures. He took pictures of mostly the city since he lived in Tokyo. He had surely traveled, but Fuji was so good at his job that his managers said it was whatever he was in the mood for taking pictures for. That's how good Fuji was. And each picture would turn out beautiful. Tezuka had seen some of Fuji's pictures because the next day after Tezuka arrived he had spotted pictures laying on the desk. They were stunning.
The sun drowning into the land and city when night was about to arrive. The city lights being the neon stars on the ground, the many cars and people of all types. The lake near the bridge where he knew Kaidoh and Inui used to train back in Junior High. Each picture had a mood. There was no editing by a computer, it was all beautiful on it's own. That's how good Fuji was. Tezuka thought getting a digital camera for him at first would be a waste, but then he thought. Fuji was talented with any camera, this thing took pictures faster, it had it's own zoom lens, and if he didn't use it for work he'd use it to take pictures of friends and family. Maybe Fuji would even keep in contact with Tezuka and he'd send him pictures by e-mail.
"Tezuka watch out for the-" began Oishi. But was too late. Tezuka was so deep in thought that he ran into the pole of a street lamp. Ouch.
Oishi didn't know weather to feel worried or to laugh. Tezuka usually wasn't this clumsy or lost in thought. Was the perfect poker-faced buchou loosening up too much? Hm, that was something to think about.
"Tezuka are you alright?" asked Oishi.
Tezuka moved away from the pole holding his forehead.
"Yeah just peachy," he replied sarcastically.
Okay when did Tezuka start saying peachy? When was he ever sarcastic? Maybe Fuji was really getting to him. Now that Oishi thought about it, Tezuka seemed lovesick.
"Did you hit your head too hard?" asked Oishi raising an eyebrow.
"No, I just was clumsy Oishi; honestly I'm fine. I need to watch out where I'm going. Now was there anything else you were going to get Eiji?" responded Tezuka glancing at his friend.
"No was there anything else for Fuji?" replied Oishi.
Tezuka shook his head no. And both went home since they were finished shopping. Fuji greeted them as they came back downstairs from hiding presents in their room and smiled his eyes opened when he spotted Tezuka.
"What happened to you? You're slightly bruised on the forehead." pointed out Fuji.
Tezuka cursed himself for being so…daydreamy. That wasn't usually him. And that damn mistake left it's own mark for everybody to see.
"Slightly? How bad is it?" replied Tezuka.
Fuji chuckled.
"Ah it should be gone within a day or two. Now tell me what happened," said Fuji.
"Ah I…I encountered a light pole," said Tezuka grimly.
Fuji started laughing, laughing so hard that tears came rolling down his eyes. Tezuka glared at him and Fuji apologized saying he couldn't imagine Tezuka being so careless to run into a light pole. And then Fuji stood up his lips brushing against Tezuka's forehead.
"It'll make it all better Tezuka," he said smiling as he disappeared into the kitchen leaving Tezuka in the living room trembling and stunned. Ryoma smirked as he walked out the door as he saw what all happened. Kaidoh just rolled his eyes following the brat.
(A/N: Thank you all for reading this far. It's meant alot to me, especially since school had just started for me and everything feels awkward. >> Anyway I'm so suprised at who is all reading! There's a couple authors that write really good PoT fanfiction and read my stuff and I'm like,"Oh my god." Heh, I always feel like it's a great honor when someone whose really good at writing reads my fic because I'm always thinking to myself that my stuff is too fangirly and not detialed well enough. Anyway I'm so sorry for another short chapter. I think the next chapter is way long. So yes please be patient. So far the prequel to this thing is about...five chapters long and it's getting very dramatic. A little quote from Mizuki in the fic,"When you play tennis I hope you break a nail you prick!" Where that part came from, I'll never tell...yet. I WILL say that never place two divas in a clothes store together though... Anyway my author's note is getting lengthy so I'll shut up and let you all go about your usual business. Until next chapter!)