Disclaimer: POT and HXH don't and will never belong to me.
Chapter 18: Solemn Vow and the Last Unexpected Twist
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It must have been a dream. Never had he thought he would still have the chance to feel Tezuka's lips on his.
But it was real, his lips were real, the warmth he felt was real, Tezuka's words were real. Then why…why did he feel like he was in a dream, so light and so surreal, and so beautiful.
Leaning closer to Tezuka, Fuji wrapped his arms around the taller man. The smell of Tezuka's, so familiar, so sweet, let Fuji forgot about the past five years. The past was nothing, the moment now was everything.
He wanted to stay like this, held so gently in Tezuka's arms. He wanted to stay like this, forever. Afraid to step out of Tezuka's arms, afraid to face the world, afraid to lose contact with him, Fuji never wanted to leave Tezuka again.
Slowly, they parted, their lips working softly for air, but their hearts were pounding so hard with the love they had found again.
Their love, like a newborn colt, stood on unstable feet, walking and faltering, but never stopping. Now that it found out the joy of walking, it couldn't wait to run across the meadow spread so temptingly before it.
Not once, had Fuji's eyes left Tezuka's. As if fearing any loss in eye-contact would throw them apart.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seeing the uncertainty in Fuji's eyes made his heart ache for him, for them and for their lost love. But now, he was determined to find that love back.
Cupping Fuji's face gently, Tezuka smiled at the perfectly beautiful face looking up at him with adoration. Lovingly gathering the petite boy close to his chest, Tezuka pressed his cheek against Fuji's soft hair.
"I wish we can stay like this, without anything between us, nothing but trust and love."
He didn't get an answer, nor did he expect one.
His statement was just an expression of love; it wasn't to demand or to expect. It was just as it was; a statement of true love.
Clasping his hands around Fuji's body, Tezuka allowed himself to relax, truly relaxed.
It wasn't until Fuji started to feel heavy and weak against him, had he let Fuji go.
Seating Fuji and himself on the leather couch, he settled the sleepy Fuji against himself snuggly.
"Kuni-chan, so comfy…"
Tezuka smiled at the soft admission. Tightening his arms, he pulled Fuji into a more comfortable position. Now, simply laying with Fuji was enough.
He closed his eyes, but he jerked awake when he felt something snuggling between him and Fuji.
He smiled when he saw it was only his cat. Relaxing once more, he allowed the gentle breathing of Fuji to lull him to sleep.
Just before he was pulled into a dreamless sleep, he thought he felt Fuji kissed him.
"Oyasumi…Kuni-chan…"
For the first time in so many years, Tezuka fell asleep with a smile on his face.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Fuji…Syuu-chan…wake up, sleepy-head!"
Fuji had actually been awake since Tezuka shifted out of his arms and went about preparing for his day. He felt a moment of loss and almost thought that it was a dream after all.
Peeking at Tezuka reassured him. Tezuka was humming as he collected his suit and prepared breakfast for them and his cat. He almost gave himself away as a humming Tezuka wasn't something you see everyday.
Pretending to stir sleepily, Fuji threw his arms around Tezuka and using his weight to pull him down beside him. Tezuka struggled for awhile, but soon he realized that he was tricked and then he laid quietly on Fuji.
"Last night I forgot to tell you something…" Tezuka looked laughingly at Fuji and raised his brow.
Fuji ignored the raised brow, in all seriousness he stared into Tezuka's eyes.
Tezuka finally realized that Fuji was being perfectly serious with him quieted down.
"I want to first apologize to you. For leaving you when you needed me most, for lying to you when truth would bring you less heartache, for being stubborn, when I should have lost my pride to you, instead of losing you to my pride."
When Fuji saw that Tezuka wanted to say something, he shushed him.
"I want you to hear me out first." When Tezuka nodded, Fuji continued.
"There seemed to be a lack of communication between us, and that led us to one heart-break after another. Kuni-chan, let's make a vow…"
"Never let words be drowned out by a moment of anger, never let our love be doused by a moment of distrust and never let ourselves be separated by pride."
"Never let words be drowned out by a moment of anger, never let our love be doused by a moment of distrust and never let ourselves be separated by pride and I will never let you go."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Somehow, that simple vow seemed more binding than wedding vows, more serious than blood oath and more touching than flowery words.
They almost went back to sleep, but Tezuka upon remembering the meeting he had with all the executives carefully disengaged himself.
"Shhh… go back to sleep, I just want to tell you I will be leaving soon, I have a meeting later. I will pick you up for lunch later?"
Tezuka didn't want to leave without telling Fuji, he no longer wants to see the uncertainty in Fuji's eyes, he no longer wants Fuji to wonder where he had gone.
Fuji nodded sleepily, Tezuka chuckled silently and pressed one last lingering kiss on his forehead and walked towards the door. Shrugging into his coat, he looked back once and saw Fuji looked at him strangely.
"Nani…"
"Iie…Aishiteru, Kuni-chan…Aishiteru…"
"Ja…" with a soft chuckle, Tezuka closed the door behind him.
His footsteps were light and his heart, even so.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuji didn't know what was wrong, the moment he saw Tezuka standing at the door smiling at him, he had an irrational fear.
I am going to lose him…again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's note: hee…hmmm…this is going to be the last few chapters. Well what would really happen? Will Tezuka survive this premonition Fuji had, or would their faith in this Dream fails them…stay tuned!