Thanks to yamatoforever! She left a nice review saying that it would not make sense to end the story there, and how I should elaborate on how lack of sleep and problems with Yuuta effects Fuji's health. So, that's exactly what I'm doing! Thanks again to yamatoforever, and to everyone who reviewed! (Again, completely revised)

--

Tezuka continued to pace through his kitchen, pausing only to glance down at his watch. It was already 7:34, and Tezuka was still debating with himself about whether to wake his best friend. He had promised Fuji that he would get him up before 8:00 so that they could leave for school, but he had looked so tiered that Tezuka was compelled to call him in sick. He was about to reach for the phone when muffled footsteps could be heard walking down the stairs.

"Morning." murmured Fuji, as he walked into the kitchen. His light blue eyes were only partially open, and the smile that Tezuka had grown so a custom to was present on his face. Fuji's uniform looked slightly wrinkled, but other wise, you would never be able to tell that Fuji had gone to sleep at all.

"I-I…was going to wake you…its just-" muttered Tezuka, slightly embarrassed.

"Saa...it's okay Tezuka-kun, you worry to much, I understand." Said Fuji, his smile growing larger still.

Tezuka stood for a moment, gazing into Fuji's brilliant blue eyes, until he shook his head, bringing himself back to reality. "You don't have your tennis bag." Tezuka pointed out blatantly.

"Well, yes, I wasn't expecting to be here you know. But don't worry I left my bag at school yesterday, I wont have to go home and get it."

Tezuka nodded, and turned to look out the window. It had stopped raining. There were still puddles of water layering the ground, and the clouds above were dark and menacing.

"Shall we go?" asked Fuji, running his pale fingers through his hair, as though making sure it was straight, as it always was.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" asked Tezuka, joining him at the door.

"Of course. I look okay don't I?" asked Fuji glancing up at Tezuka's stern face.

"Hn."

Their trip to school was conducted as usual. They walked silently through the streets, occasionally speaking a word or two to each other. But apart from that than that they walked side by side, keeping their thoughts to them selves. For most people, this would be an extremely awkward situation. But they were both comfortable with the other's presence. A mutual agreement with no words needed. All they got was a few odd glances, a smiling boy with closed eyelids that waved to everyone, walking with a scowling man with dark eyes who ignored all by passers. What a pair they made.

--

Tezuka grabbed his tennis bag and ran to practice. For the first time, in a long time, he was actually late. School had ended, and he had been held up by his Japanese History teacher. He had asked Tezuka politely to try and look less menacing in class because the other students were all afraid to be paired up with him for projects.

Upon arriving at the tennis courts, a scene of absolute chaos met his eyes. Kaido had Momoshiro backed up against a fence, threatening him to 'call him mamushi one more time, and see what happened'.

Eiji was trying desperately to get to Inui's notebook, which, he had been told, contained Oishi's deepest secret. Meanwhile, Oishi was trying to wrestle a tennis racket out of Kawamura's hands, when the other boy had suddenly gone into 'Burning mode'. Ryoma just stood on the sidelines, a small smirk appearing on his face, and Fuji was nowhere to be seen.

Tezuka took a deep breath before yelling "50 laps all of you!"

Every Seigaku regular's face turned to him. Kaido was standing above Momo, his fist raised in mid air while Eiji jumped quickly off of Inui's back.

"Now!"

Loud responses of, "H-hai!" could be heard echoing through the courts, before the seven regulars began running hurriedly around the white lines surrounding the tennis courts. Tezuka sighed, and walked toward the locker rooms while the Seigaku regulars ran laps. Just as he was about to open the door, the handle turned, and Fuji stepped out, smiling at Tezuka.

"Saa…why is everyone running? We just finished laps." Said Fuji, frowning slightly as Eiji passed, muttering darkly to himself.

"They were fooling around." Said Tezuka coldly, before walking past Fuji, and into the locker room.

"Ne, Tezuka!" began Fuji but the door shut, drowning out his words. Sighing, Fuji turned around to join his fellow teammates as he heard the door open behind him.

"You were saying?"

Fuji smiled at his best friend, and said, "They can't all be like us Tezuka. Fooling around is part of being a kid. And your only 15 years old, you're obliged to act like it once in a while. You have the rest of your life to be a heartless condescending adult." Fuji finished with a small laugh, and waved as he fell into step behind his running teammates.

--

Tezuka was forced to end practice early because the rain had started again.

As soon as all the regulars were inside and out of the rain, Tezuka was cornered by a rather exasperated looking Oishi.

"Tezuka-buchou, I was wondering if you could close the club house for me. I know it is my turn but-" stammered Oishi interrupted by a certain hyper red-heads voice that suddenly came drifting down the hall,

"Nyah! Oishi! Hurry up! You promised you would take me out for ice cream if I beat Ochibi! Come on! Nyah, before the rain gets even worse."

Oishi sighed and looked at Tezuka apologetically. "You wouldn't mind would you?"

Tezuka shook his head slightly. "Go."

"Thank you Tezuka!" yelled Oishi as he ran down the hall, "I'll make it up to you."

Tezuka sighed as he opened the door. The rain was so thick that it was hard to see the Seigaku tennis club house from where he was standing.

Cursing slightly, Tezuka ran through the rain, and through the familiar tennis grounds. Tezuka held his tennis bag above his head to try and keep from getting further drenched that he already was, but by the time he reached the clubhouse, he was already dripping with cold rainwater.

Tezuka fumbled with his keys with numb hands as he tried to slip the key into the lock. Suddenly, something black caught his eyes. Abandoning the keys, Tezuka bent down to find Fuji's tennis racket lying against the wall, completely soaked through. Picking up the waterlogged bag and putting it over his shoulder, Tezuka turned back around to face the door.

'Fuji couldn't have left his bag here again…could he?' thought Tezuka.

Maybe Fuji never left. Quietly opening the door, Tezuka found Fuji lying against the wall, his head tilted slightly to the side.

"Fuji." Said Tezuka firmly, walking toward the other boy, "Fuji."

Fuji didn't wake; it looked as though he were only sleeping.

"Fuji wake up." Tezuka bent down and grabbed Fuji's shoulders, shaking him slightly. "Fuji!" his usually calm voice was now laced with panic. Why wasn't he waking?

Tezuka grabbed Fuji's arm and pressed two fingers to his wrist, checking his pulse. It was normal; Fuji was defiantly alive.

Bracing his back, Tezuka lifted Fuji's limp body into his arms, and ran out the door, leaving the clubhouse forgotten.

Carrying two tennis bags and his unconscious teammate though the rain was harder than Tezuka had expected. Finally seeing his house, Tezuka began to relax slightly. He cradled Fuji against his chest to keep the rain from falling onto his face. Clumsily opening the door with one hand, Tezuka ran in side, carefully placing Fuji down on his living room couch. And it wasn't long before those blue eyes opened, gazing drearily around the room.

"Saa…where am I?"

--

Well, that's the end of it. I will continue with a couple more chapters…and we'll see what happens to Fuji ne? See ya next time!