Tezuka/Fuji, PG-13. Sap? Slices-of-life? I don't know?
Downstroke
by Maaya
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When Tezuka thinks about it, everything started the very moment he met Fuji. They just didn't progress until their second year of senior high. Both their fault.
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Tezuka is surprised when he sees Fuji's name on his cell phone one day. He is going through his phonebook to change and delete old numbers and he has all the regulars' and his old friends' numbers (Many are still in Seishun Gakuen, most on the tennis team; he hasn't lost contact with anyone.) Tezuka has already passed Inui's and Kawamura's names, Fuji's is right after.
Tezuka stares at it, trying to remember if he had ever used it, decides no. He thinks he would have remembered hearing how Fuji's voice changed, like everybody's do when they are speaking to someone they can't see. (Less familiar, more unsure, along with some other, minor elements.)
After a moment, Tezuka presses the down-or-forward button and continues to his father's old office-number.
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When asked, Tezuka replies that he does not believe in fate and he adds, not luck either. When Fuji goes quiet (and stays quiet), the other's fingers moving over the shoulder straps of the tennis bag, then down to the pockets of the winter coat to emerge up in the cold and towards the shoulder straps again, Tezuka wonders if he had said anything wrong. It's not regret because what he had said had been truth, and Tezuka never lies, especially not about this; what is the point? (When he is with Fuji, Tezuka often wonders what the point is, or if there are more than one, hidden underneath one another.)
Tezuka knows fretting when he sees it. He also knows that Fuji is hard to push.
So he stays silent. If it's Fuji, the other might figure out that it's a questioning silence rather than uncaring.
"But." Fuji smiles after a while, face bland. "What do you believe in?"
Several responses are valid. Science. The world. Myself. One look at Fuji's face and Tezuka understands that he does not have to voice the options.
Ten minutes later they have discussed homework and sports and they part ways.
Tezuka has some things to pick up and walks towards the shopping centre.
Something nags at him as he walks and he realizes, he missed the point. Again.
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As he is working himself through equations that evening, Tezuka suddenly understands that there are layers and layers of points but they all originate from a solid ground. Like a high-rise building, and Tezuka wishes Fuji could stop playing around on the roof. (Because Tezuka can't find the elevator, but that thought sounds stupid and becomes even stupider because it is spot on.)
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Tezuka visits Fuji's classroom the next day. Eiji (still in the same class, some things just never change) looks surprised to see him, staring for exactly three-and-a-half second before recovering in typical Eiji style, getting faster over the years, and inviting Tezuka to eat them. Their teacher is absent and won't notice if other classes mix with their own (forbidden), just this once.
Fuji's smile almost drops but is recovered elegantly, if with a small frown between his eyebrows.
Eiji goes off to search for Oishi, because if Tezuka has left his classroom, that means Oishi is alone and for some reason, Eiji seems to find it important to verify.
"Eiji is like that," Fuji offers as Tezuka tries to unwrap the meaning of Eiji's hurried logic. "Fast."
His voice is calm. Like, before a storm.
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Impatience, Tezuka suddenly pinpoints the extra note in Fuji's voice.
Just as suddenly, for no reason at all, things are clear.
He wonders if he will have to go up, or if he can call Fuji down.
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It takes a while. But later, when they have figured some things out together, Tezuka asks, "Why didn't you say it?"
Fuji smiles (Tezuka notes with some annoyance, he is wearing one of Tezuka's uniform shirts. It hangs down his tights, the supposedly short sleeves past his elbows.) and tilts his head. "I wanted to see if you were interested."
Half truth. Tezuka takes pride in recognizing it. Now he can also see that perhaps, Fuji had been having the same troubles as Tezuka, only the other way around.
"I am," is the only thing he needs to say.
"Me too."
They are on the same level now. Middle ground and all that.
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(Though Tezuka does prefer the ground and no layers at all. He is still working on pushing Fuji down. He is certain he will win, eventually.)
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end