Disclaimer:
Tennis no Oujisama/The Prince of Tennis belongs to Konomi Takeshi while BLEACH belongs to Kubo Tite. This is a Bleach AU – prior knowledge of Bleach would make it easier to understand the story. This also contains spoilers of episodes 174 – 178 of Prince of Tennis, i.e. Fuji VS Tezuka & the third and last of Ryoma VS Tezuka. If you do not wish to be spoiled, feel free to hit the back button. I only own the idea of combining the two animes. Thank you.
Summary:
One Shot – Bleach AU It was unpredictable when he didn't show his eyes. However, it was just the same even when he did.
He'd never admit it aloud, but he'd always thought that Fuji was at his most stunning with his eyes open, shining with the deadly seriousness to inflict damage, to kill. There was just something in those sharp azure eyes at those rare moments that drew him to Fuji.
So when Tezuka found himself face-to-face with Fuji, and the other's eyes were open with an expression akin to the one that Tezuka was so drawn to, he was indefinitely surprised. Despite being a Vice Captain – his Vice Captain and long-time Academy friend to be exact – this was the first time had had ever seen Fuji looking so serious. And it seemed to be over nothing he could phantom at the present moment too.
"Don't go."
Tezuka raised an eyebrow.
"That challenge. Don't agree to it. Don't go."
"It's not possible for me to do so."
"…"
Those beautiful blue eyes turned away from his hazel ones and in some corner of his heart he mourned the loss. But that was irrelevant at the moment and Fuji was being unreasonable here. Challenging a Captain of the Gotei 13 was one of the three ways to attain captaincy after fulfilling the requirement of having a Bankai. Despite it being a lesser-taken path, it was still written as legal in the books of Soul Society laws. Furthermore, Tezuka had no intention of losing to that young and cocky challenger.
"You're worried, aren't you?"
"I'll accept no other as my Captain."
"I won't be careless."
"You won't," Fuji agreed. "But nothing's predictable."
Fuji was still refusing to meet his gaze, which Tezuka decided that that fact had to change. Before he could make his move, however, his left wrist was taken a hold of by a tight grip. The next thing he knew, he and Fuji were flash-stepping outside and to their division's training grounds.
"Let's spar, Tezuka-taichou," was the only warning he had before Fuji flew at him, zanpakutou drawn and blade glinting in the late afternoon sunlight.
And the fight commenced.
This is not a normal sparring session, Tezuka thought as he dodged a vicious slice from Fuji's blade before quickly spinning around to counterattack. If anything, Fuji's eyes had that same intent to inflict real damage he so admired. This time though, he didn't – couldn't – allow himself to be mesmerized by it.
He was Fuji's opponent.
"Flow from the heavens, Swallow of the Silent Snow!"
Fuji, why?
"Rise, Golden Peregrine!"
He was truly and thoroughly outmaneuvered and outsmarted by Fuji this time. It was the only possible way to explain their current situation even as his mind and vision were starting to fog up.
"Fuji… why?"
"I've always wondered about fighting against you no holds barred… but mainly because… because no one else… no one else should defeat you… or see you vulnerable."
Even through his blurred vision, Tezuka could still make out with extreme clarity that Fuji's blue eyes were filling with tears and emotions.
"Syuusuke… you're… you're such an idiot," he murmured affectionately. It had to have hurt him to even decide to do this.
Fuji chuckled softly, but it broke off into wheezing gasps. "Ne, Kunimitsu… let's finish this next time… okay?"
"Aa."
"I'll beat you then."
He drew Fuji close to him, feeling the other nuzzle closer before planting a soft kiss on his forehead. "We'll see. For now, let us sleep…"
And the last of the sunset slipped away…
…
The next day, Soul Society mourned the loss of two of their elite shinigami.
Tokyo, Japan
Seishun Gakuen Tennis Courts
23 August 2002
3:00pm
"Game and match, Tezuka! Seven games to six!"
Tokyo, Japan
Tennis Court Under The Train Station
26 August 2002
6:00pm
"Game and match, Echizen."
You were right, Syuusuke. Nothing's predictable.
Shinigami: Death God. They send spirits to Soul Society (kinda like heaven but not) and cleanse Hollows (evil spirits).
Zanpakutou: The sword which a shinigami uses.Each shinigami hasa unique sword with unique powersand a name to the sword. The sword has 3 levels. A sealed state when its like a normal sword, "shikai" where a command phrase is used to release its first stage and "bankai" the final and most powerful stage.
Well, despite the summary, this doesn't seem to have that much to do with Fuji's eyes. I also hate my decision of Tezuka's zanpakutou's name. Fuji's was easier since I had 3 animals to choose from: swallow, bear and whale. As for Tezuka... Just say I spent a month fretting over it before deciding. Still, I'm not satisfied. And I know that Ryoma VS Tezuka does not end with Ryuuzaki-sensei announcing the winner of the match but with Tezuka admitting defeat. But because that would not flow well with this story, I changed it.
I hope that it came across through the use of Fuji's given name that the last 2 lines were not by present day Tezuka but his past life. My Bleach theory about reincarnation is that when a person is reincarnated in the Bleach-verse, a part of his previous life is still with him in spirit although said spirit doesn't play a large role in determining the path taken by the reincarnated. Hope it makes sense... to those who are in the Bleach fandom especially.
carzla