Trials of Trust

Chapter 9

We'll go to a place
Where no one will find us
Just you and I
I'm yours
I'll always be with you

The sharp ringing of the doorbell pierces through the noise in Tezuka's head, making it ache even more, but he keeps his finger on the button insistently.

It hasn't taken him long to check the truth in Atobe's words. Atobe has bought most of the company's shares on the market, driving the prices sky high in the process, and Kimura has sold his shares to Atobe several days ago.

Meaning, Kimura had been lying about the share prices, and had called Tezuka out the night before regarding "being sued" when the company was already no longer Tezuka's.

Tezuka doesn't know what to make of all this, he really doesn't.

The door opens, the apartment's occupant not able to stand the noise anymore. Tilting his face up slightly, Kimura glares into Tezuka's eyes in a way Tezuka has never seen before.

"An explanation." Tezuka speaks slowly, his tone cold. The mere sight of Kimura, who is staring at him so hatefully, is enough to make him clench his fists. This man has betrayed him and his father.

"I don't need to explain anything to you."

The response is quick, and the closing of the door also, but Tezuka is quicker and he blocks the door with his body.

"I deserve an explanation!" He pushes hard, forcing his way into the apartment, glad to find that Kimura's family isn't in. This is something they need to sort out without interference.

Stumbling back a few steps, Kimura steadies himself before storming over to close the door, realising he cannot keep Tezuka out by force. "Deserve? You don't deserve anything at all, Tezuka Kunimitsu. Nothing!" Spinning around he finds Tezuka standing several feet away from him. "You never deserved anything!"

Tezuka can't tell if it's the words or the tone in which they are spoken that is making everything hurt. He can't even tell which part of him is hurting.

"Why?" He finally manages to ask, his eyes still trained on the other man in the room even though it hurts to look.

"Because it should've been mine." The answers come through Kimura's gritted teeth. "Because I am the one who helped build the company from scratch, I fought to create this empire with my own hands!" Kimura steps forward, raising his arms that are shaking with tension for emphasis. "Thirty-three years I've worked for this company, and I watched it get snatched away by a kid who didn't know shit about anything, just because he's Tezuka Kuniharu's son! I deserved this company since the beginning, and what do I get? I get to sit in the next office and wipe the kid's arse!"

Tezuka feels as if the air has been knocked out of his lungs. It takes all his energy not to bend over and whimper in pain. Is this what Kimura has always thought about him? Has he been that incompetent? Has he always been hated by the man he trusts so much?

"I don't care what personal grudge you have with Atobe Keigo. He's given me the company this afternoon already. Now it belongs to me and I deserve it. If you ever deserved anything Tezuka Kunimitsu, it's the humiliation you've gotten today, and the pain of watching something being snatched away from you, like how I felt when your father gave the company to you instead of me!"

Suddenly Tezuka's eyes start to hurt, and he squeezes them shut for a moment, feeling nauseous. "Was this why you suggested listing the company on the market? Was it all your plan?" And then a shudder runs through him, the realisation of the truth too much to bear. "You were the one who sold information to Atobe."

The cold laughter from Kimura is a foreign sound to Tezuka, and it explains everything: Kimura was betraying him all along, selling their plans to Atobe, pretending to fix things by firing people, then saying that they were being sued...

"The letter from the lawyer..." Taking a shaky breath at the look on Kimura's face, Tezuka realises the letter was fake. "Why? If the company's what you wanted then you've got it already..."

The world spins in Tezuka's head. He grabs both sides of his head and bends down. Pain. Sharp, sharp pain makes his vision glow white, and he can barely hear Kimura's next words.

"Because I want more than that. I want to watch you crumble."

---

Fuji smiles and gathers the print-outs he has made when he hears the front door, and leaves the bedroom to greet Tezuka. It doesn't hurt as much to move now, so perhaps his performance in the tennis match in a few days' time won't be affected after all.

Tezuka looks drained, so he chooses not to ask about work, at least not right now. Gesturing for the man to sit down at the sofa, Fuji lays out the information he has found and his plans for their trip to Switzerland. The prospect of the trip should brighten the mood.

Smiling wearily, Tezuka nods when Fuji tells him in a soft voice that he wants to take the trip for after the AIG Open, and they should try that hotel with the famous spa. He has heard that it is very good for relaxation, something they both deserve. He doesn't know how much pain Tezuka sometimes is in, and he doesn't know if Tezuka is one of the rare cases the doctor has mentioned on the phone this morning. But even if Tezuka isn't going to get better, there are ways to at least make him feel better.

Life isn't about how long it is, but how one lives it. Whilst Fuji is never one who listens to advice and words of wisdom, he is ready to believe this particular saying.

"I've already made the booking, actually." Fuji gives Tezuka a look that says "you don't get a choice but to come with me", and Tezuka smiles in return, his shoulders sagging. Suddenly recalling that the man hadn't slept at all last night, Fuji frowns and gets up. "You need to sleep." He heads to the bedroom, knowing Tezuka will follow.

"We need to talk." Tezuka says when Fuji closes the door behind them.

They do, but Fuji cannot stand the sight of Tezuka looking like he is about to collapse. "Tomorrow. It can wait. Get changed..." Suddenly blue eyes narrow, and Fuji's hand reaches forward to feel the material of Tezuka's black coat. Feeling something wet and sticky he quickly unbuttons the coat and pushes it away. He gasps at the sight.

Blood. A large patch of blood covers the front of Tezuka's previously perfectly white shirt, so red it burns Fuji's eyes. Looking up he searches for an answer in Tezuka's expression, although in his mind he knows what this has to be, a nosebleed worse than all the ones Tezuka has ever had before.

"I'll get you a wet towel. Sleep now, you can shower when you wake up tomorrow." Fuji keeps the smile on his lips. He is horrified, his heart beating so fast at the sight of the blood, and Tezuka knows. It just isn't something that needs to be spoken out loud.

At the bathroom Fuji gets a small towel and soaks it in warm water. Taking it out he twists it dry, then dunks it into water again, and twists it again. Tezuka is dying right in front of him and all he can do is give him a wet towel. He wants to scream. He wants to do something, hurt someone. But rationality prevents him from tearing the towel apart and he eventually leaves the bathroom and gives it to Tezuka. Tezuka wipes his face first, then cleans the traces of blood on his skin.

Getting into bed, the two men stare at each other. As if reaching a mutual agreement, they nudge themselves closer towards each other, until Fuji can put an arm around Tezuka and hold him close.

"I'm sorry about last night." Fuji can feel warm breath blowing into his ear, and it itches a little. "I didn't mean any of it."

"I know." And he does. He has had his doubts but having known the man for so many years, Fuji knows Tezuka would never hurt him intentionally or disregard his feelings. But at that time it had hurt.

Silence falls over them, and for a few minutes they listen to each other's breathing. But Fuji knows Tezuka hasn't fallen asleep yet; the body in his arms feels too tense.

"Sometimes I just don't know what I'm doing, or can't seem to stop myself." Words are whispered again, and responded with a tightening hold.

"I don't blame you. I'm too good to resist."

A light chuckle. Just like that, Tezuka has been forgiven.

"Everything went well today?"

When Tezuka tenses up at the question, Fuji wonders if he shouldn't have asked, but pushes the thought away almost immediately. Tezuka needs to share his problems even if he doesn't want to. Sharing his problems is something Tezuka is never good at, but Fuji has the patience to wait.

"The company's not mine anymore." Tezuka answers quietly after a while. "It's been taken away from me."

"So quickly?" Fuji pulls back a little to look curiously into Tezuka's tired eyes. He has thought the process would take at least a few days. No wonder Tezuka seemed so worn out.

Tezuka merely nods, brown eyes sliding shut. Kimura's words come back to him again, that harsh tone filled with pure hatred, and that look of amusement on his face as he talked about how he played with Tezuka's mind. Tezuka has been thinking about handing the business over, and yet Kimura has to take it away from him like that. What if he had told Kimura sooner about his decisions, instead of waiting until today, and never getting the chance to?

He had trusted this man like a father and yet this man betrayed him completely, choosing to be used by Atobe over working with him. Kimura had never approved of him since the beginning. This man who always discussed every decision with him and gave him a pet on the shoulder for something well done had wanted him gone since the very start. It was power, or perhaps it was money, but Kimura had chosen Atobe over him.

Atobe has stolen his company and his second father.

When suddenly he feels himself being shifted then a pair of blue eyes searching his, trying to see what is bothering him, Tezuka shakes his head to tell the man that nothing is hurting and he should not worry. Rolling onto his back, he tugs the blanket around them tighter, then closes his eyes once again. He is tired, so tired, but he feels as if he is a tightly wound string, vibrating at the slightest touch and ready to snap any minute.

"Syusuke." Tezuka says, not quite aware he is speaking. "It's gone. I..." A pause. "I don't have anything left." Little by little Atobe has chipped away everything that was his. His shoulder, his workforce, his company, his mentor...

Fuji pushes himself up on his elbows, a frown marring his features. He has guessed letting go of the company will not be easy for Tezuka, but he has never thought Tezuka would say such words... if Tezuka means to say them at all.

"Do you remember what I said last time, Mitsu?" Fuji's words are soft as a whisper, but Tezuka hears them clearly and he turns slightly bloodshot eyes to cerulean ones, not sure which "last time" Fuji means.

"I said, 'We'll go to a place where no one will find us. Just you and I. I'll stay with you. I'll always be with you.'. Don't ever think you have nothing." Fuji watches Tezuka relax very visibly, as if the whole body is sinking into the mattress. "And don't ever forget these words."

That is all Tezuka needs. Within moments the man falls asleep. Fuji has to place a shaky hand under the man's nose to make sure he is still breathing. There is something about the whole situation that is making him paranoid. Or perhaps he is just influenced by the dramatic scenes on TV and in novels.

As soon as Fuji finishes kicking himself for letting paranoia get to him, the ringing of the phone makes him jump again. Quickly he picks it up, not wanting to let the noise wake Tezuka.

"Fuji, how lovely to hear your voice."

Fuji considers the merits of unplugging the phone immediately.

"Just calling to ask if Tezuka still wants any of his things or if I should throw them away." Atobe is almost purring down the phone. "But I suppose he has other things to worry about now."

"What do you mean?" Fuji hates to ask but he has to. Atobe is hinting at something.

"Are you sure you still want to be in that house Fuji? Are you sure you're safe?"

Blue eyes narrow to thin slits. Fuji is about to put the phone down when Atobe speaks again.

"Kimura is dead."

-to chapter 10-