Disclaimer: POT and HXH don't and will never belong to me.
Chapter 22: A Dream That Never Meant To End
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"I knew I would find you here" a finely cultured voice jerked Fuji from his stupor.
"Maa, you came too" wiping his tears discreetly with his fingers as his handkerchief was soiled, he looked behind.
"How can I not come, when today is the death anniversary of my savior?" walking towards Fuji and the tombstone, he laid a similar bouquet of roses down by Fuji's.
Kneeling down to a like position as Fuji, he bowed deeply in respect.
"Arigatoo Gozaimas, if it weren't for you, I would be the one laid in there"
Fresh tears spilled from Fuji's eyes and fell onto the marble ground. A new stab of pain pierced his heart.
"Doumo…Kurapica"
Covering Fuji's cold hand, Tezuka sought to give the maximum comfort.
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One year ago:
"No…Tezuka, watch out!" Fuji screamed as he opened the door to see Ann-chan charging at Tezuka with a fruit knife in her hand.
He propelled himself forward with a speed edged on by the anxiety to save his love.
Shielding Tezuka with his body, his face scrunched up in preparation of the stab he knew was coming.
Seconds passed, and Fuji opened his eyes. His heart trembled when he saw Tezuka's face hovering just above his.
Tezuka was safe, that's what matter the most to Fuji at that moment.
It was then, when the shock of seeing Tezuka in danger and the relief of seeing him fine worn off, he felt another body covering his.
Releasing his death grip on Tezuka, he turned slowly.
As if Time had stopped before and now everything was going back to normal, the body covering his slid off.
With a soft thud, it hit the floor.
Praying desperately that it wasn't what he thought, he looked down.
"KURAPICA"
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One year later:
Tezuka never thought that Kurapica would be the one who saved them.
"Please…take care of Fuji…I…I can't be" coughing weakly as blood seeped from his body, sapping his energy.
"…I can't be there for him anymore…don't let him cry again…don't let him be hurt…protect him…with your… life…Tezuka Kunimitsu…"
At that moment, he was touched. Touched as he was never touched, he felt Kurapica's love for Fuji so clearly.
"Arigatoo Kurapica, I have and will continue to keep that promise to you."
Tightening his grip on Fuji's hand, he tugged Fuji into his arms gently.
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In Tezuka's embrace, Fuji let his tears fall.
Kurapica had died, giving them a chance to live out their dream. Yet all he could give him on his last breathe was an apology.
He was always too late. Too late in seeing Kurapica's love for him, too late in realizing that his breakdown after breaking up with Tezuka had affected Kurapica, too late in saving him, he was always too late.
As his pain subsided a little, he gave Kurapica's picture a teary smile.
Ne Kurapica, tomorrow your mother and my father would be marrying. They would want your blessing.
After so long, most of us had found our own unique partners and one common love.
Straightening from Tezuka's hold, he bowed one last time in deep respect for the person who had cared so much and loved him so.
Walking slowly with Tezuka from the cemetery, he turned once.
He thought he heard Kurapica chuckling.
They said that our loved ones never die, for they lived, forever in our memories.
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Two days later, Tezuka was in bed, his body curled warmly around Fuji's.
"Neh, Kuni-chan, your mother and my aunt look so beautiful today."
"Hai"
"So did your father and mine"
"Hai"
"Everyone was blessing them"
"…"
"Have you ever regretted loving me and not a girl…?"
His question was cut off by Tezuka's mouth. Tezuka was angry; Fuji could feel it in his kiss. This kiss was out to punish, not to love.
"Don't ever ask me that question, if you ever doubt my love for you, just tell me so, and I will prove to you that nothing is more important than you, not even my life"
Staring at his intense brown eyes, Fuji knew that he had hurt him.
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After Tezuka had subdued Ann-chan, who was still screaming and crying, he stared at Fuji and Kurapica.
Fuji's arms were tight around Kurapica's body, his cries so heart-wrenching that Tezuka started to doubt his wavering memories.
He wondered painfully if Fuji really betrayed him for Kurapica.
After everything was settled, Ann-chan was brought to trial and diagnosed mentally unstable, thus ended up in a mental institute.
Kurapica's mother came back from Paris to attend to his funeral.
Upon seeing her, Fuji's father fell in love. Not only because she was twin to his love, but also because of her strong will and strength. After surviving an abusive husband, whom she had divorced, and now a dead son, she was more than strong.
A complete opposite of Fuji's mother, she was determined that he was to obtain a divorce before she would even consider him.
Tezuka's mother was more than happy now to agree to the divorce. Apparently Tezuka's father, the infamous Kuroro Lucifer had decided to confess his love.
After so many twists and turns, their parents found their true love and embarked with their new partners in this journey of life.
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Through all this, Tezuka had purposely kept a distance from Fuji.
At first Fuji thought he simply needed time to fully regain his memory, but when he saw the flick of recognition in his eyes and then seeing it chilled, he was heartbroken.
Tezuka had remembered something, yet he refused to talk to Fuji.
Finally, two months after the incident, Fuji confronted Tezuka.
"Tell me truthfully, have you regained any of your memories?"
"…"
The silence was enough.
His breath hitched painfully. Turning before Tezuka could see his tears, he took a step away.
Before he could walk away with his pride intact, his arm was grabbed from behind.
It took Tezuka a few tugs to have Fuji looked up.
"I remembered something but it was vague. I know that I love you…" at that Fuji's face perked up
"But I wasn't sure of your love…" then it fell again.
"How can you doubt my love? I love you more than life itself! If not, I would never have tried to block that knife now would I?" he yelled at Tezuka, angered at his stupidity and his doubts about his love.
"Gomen…I was scared…I couldn't remember anything solid enough to reassure myself."
Seeing Tezuka's troubled face, Fuji felt ashamed.
All along he had only thought of his feeling and never considered Tezuka's. He was the one with impaired memory; he was the one who needed reassurances.
Pulling the slightly taller boy into his embrace, he whispered something into his ears.
Almost immediately Tezuka's arms crushed Fuji to him.
"Aishiteru Fuji Syuusuke…"
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Panting softly against Tezuka, Fuji was properly "chastised" for his silly question an hour ago.
"Remember what I told you last year, before you fell to your knees and proposed?" Fuji asked teasingly.
"…"
"Oh come on…"
"I remembered…very clearly"
Staring into each other's eyes, they said the words which had given Tezuka the strength to believe. Somehow, warm within each other's arms in the chilly night breeze, it was like pledging their love to one another once more.
"Even if every dream must come to an end, there is one that won't. It would keep you asleep forever. It's our love, a dream that never meant to end"
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Author's note: Right from the start, they were living in a Dream call Love. People had defined Dream as a Fantasy which would dissolve at the mere prod of Reality. Yet Fuji and Tezuka were willing to risk this Fantasy, for they have faith that Their Dream Never Meant To End！
Well minna-san, this is truly the end. Once more, thank you for following me through this dream.