A/N: I don't think FanFiction likes me. Every time I upload a chapter it crashes on me (T_T) I wanted to upload all three together but alas, it likes me not. (T_T)
Finished (this chapter)!!! Yes another groovy chapter, just for you. \(^_^)/
Disclaimer: I asked Takeshi Konomi why he chose to do a manga about tennis. He turned to me with a cocky glare and said, I ain't telling ya… now I know where Echizen gets it from… (Not true/randomness.)
Chapter Thirty Eight
Her heart was thumping against her chest in a way that she never felt before, thoughts and ideas played out in her mind keeping her standing outside his house for a minute. Who would answer the door? Would they let her in? Would she reach his room? She let out a panicked breath.
"Calm down." She said softly, otherwise she would have picked up her things and gone straight home, not having achieved anything.
She grasped her bag and opened the gate. It didn't squeak as it opened. The hook didn't knock against the latch when she closed it. Fuji walked up to the door and stopped on the step. She didn't want Tezuka to open the door and neither did she want anyone else to open it. After receiving that mark, she lost a part of herself. She couldn't think straight and the simplest things became tricky and troublesome. It's been a long, long time since she's felt like this.
Before she did anything, she took off his coat and draped it over her arms. A piece of dirt clung to the thick material. She dusted it down carefully and ran her hands down the sleeves unhurried. She couldn't keep stalling, wasting time and losing her chance to talk to him. She rung the doorbell and stepped back. Her hands found its way to the side of her neck where she felt the beats in her veins over her skin. What am I doing? What am I expecting? What should I tell him? What will he say? Will he listen? Will he dislike me?
The door opened and she glanced up abruptly to see his mother standing warily between the door and the frame.
"May I help you?" She asked with a light and motherly tone.
Fuji placed her palm over her heart, relieved that Tezuka didn't open the door. That calmed her greatly, making her able to composer herself for the moment.
"Erm, sorry for bothering you so late in the evening. I was hoping to speak with Tezuka-san."
His mother focused on Fuji's face. "May I ask why?"
"Yes, I-er… I'm on the tennis team at Seishun academy. I'm the captain of the girls team and I was hoping to talk to Tezuka-san about something for tomorrow."
His mother thought about it. "It's a little late, could you not talk to him tomorrow?"
"Please," Fuji pleaded. "it's very important. I won't be long. Only five minutes and I'll be on my way."
Again, his mother thought about it. Because Fuji wasn't going to be long, she opened the door wider. Once she saw the familiar Seishun colours, she believed Fuji.
"Okay, but please don't take too long, your parents won't be happy that you're out so late…"
Fuji bowed deeply. "Thank you. Sorry for the intrusion." She picked up her tennis bag and placed it inside the house and left it in the shoe area. Fuji glanced around. Most of the lights were down low, which meant he might be sleeping.
"He's upstairs in his room. I think he's studying so if you could try not to take too much of his time… erm?"
"Fuji, Sumiko Fuji."
His mother gave Fuji a trusting smile before going into the kitchen. Fuji was amazed by this trust. She squeezed the coat in her arms and climbed the stairs, step by step until she reached the landing. No lights were on but a dim glow spilled through from one of the doors. It had to be that one.
She followed the glow and stood before the door. What now? Knock, of course! She shifted her left hand when the mark began to aggravate her skin. She covered it immediately. Not now, she begged and drove her nails into her flesh. As soon as it calmed down and she calmed down, she rapped her knuckles across the door.
There was no sound beyond it; no voice or movement. Could he be sleeping? She didn't count on this, a chance to see his sleeping face! She dared herself to open the door, when she heard his voice allowing her into his room.
"Are you sure, Tezuka-kun?" She thought.
She reached her hand out to open his door but stopped. Her heart thumped inside her so fast she didn't know if she had the will to do it. She grasped the handle slowly and opened the door just as slow.
There he was, sitting at his desk with his back to her in a black T-shirt and loose fitted jogging bottoms. She glanced around his room quickly. Books, TV, no mess. She turned back to him and couldn't move. What on earth was she doing here? She took one step in, getting closer to him in this small room.
Naturally, Tezuka didn't expect Fuji to be anywhere near his house so he didn't turn straight away. He spoke but only because he thought it was his mother. He said he was almost finished studying.
Fuji smiled shyly and spoke. "That's okay… you can study… I just wanted to see you…"
He looked up. Why was that voice in his house? In his room? He turned in his chair and saw her standing there… He didn't know what to say. She was still in her tennis gear. At this hour had she only just got back from the Sports Park? He saw something in her hands and focused on that. She held onto it tenderly in both hands. It was his coat.
"Fuji-san?"
She lifted the coat a little higher. "I needed a reason to get this far."
He stood up. His face was every bit as shocked as hers. He adjusted his glasses and told her to come in.
She stepped in gradually and closed the door behind her and didn't move from that spot. Why did I come here? She asked herself over and over again. What exactly did she plan to do after she got this far? She certainly didn't expect Tezuka to let her in… She thought… she really thought he would turn her away at the door… but lately he has been very bold towards her, doing things he wouldn't normally do. Now she was standing in his room! She lowered her head. She didn't want to look around… her shame was getting the better of her.
Tezuka, puzzled by her presence, could only watch her. He saw something different about her, something that bothered him. "Did something happen Fuji-san?" He asked.
Of course, that's why she came here after all, to finally tell him about Atobe, but she could barely face him, how on earth could she muster up the words to explain anything to him. Almost all that had happened. She also wanted to tell him that just having his coat in her hands wasn't enough.
"Not really." Was all she said, but Tezuka suspected something.
She took another step in. "Here." From her distance she held out his coat.
Tezuka watched her movements… something's definitely wrong. He stepped closer to take his coat. She was going to replace her hand by her side when Tezuka caught it and pulled her further into his room. Fuji tried to pull back but his hold was surprisingly tight. She surrendered to his strength and followed him. She glanced up and he was waiting for her gaze.
"You don't look okay to me."
"…I'm just tired."
Weakened by Atobe's poison.
Tezuka brushed her hair from her face. Forgive me. His fingertips wiped across her forehead, parting her hair on either side of her temple. He then softly brushed his fingertips down the side of her face. He did it because he wanted to and she let him. She lowered her head because she didn't know what to do. He moved his hand only seconds ago, but she could still feel his strokes.
"Your eyes seem faded."
That's the poison racing through me.
He then moved his hands down to her neck and she woke up, grabbing his hand before he could go anywhere near the mark. She wouldn't allow his precious hands to touch it.
"I… I told your mother I wouldn't be long." She said to distract him. Both their minds were wondering onto different things. "I don't want to upset her."
She could do nothing more but lower his hand. It felt nice, really nice what he just did on his own will. When she lowered his hand down and let go, to her surprise, he kept a hold of her.
"I'm more concerned about why you turned up to my house after nine, what happened?"
She couldn't say. She didn't want to bring it up, not now that they were alone together. "You're assuming the worse. Nothing… nothing happened. The girls and I just got back from Shikawara-chan's house… and I just happened to pass your home… so I took my chances to see if I could get this far."
"Was that you're only reason?"
Lately he was asking her some testing questions, ones that hit her in her heart and made her scared to answer. She turned away. Tezuka wanted to know what we going on. This was the first time she's ever been to his house, so it had to be important, but what? If he couldn't get it out of her the least he wanted to do was ease her worries. He rubbed his thumb across the top of her fingers and waited patiently.
"…You know, I was thinking, maybe we could… mix the teams up… a bit…" She could barely speak. Her body was reacting to his slow movements, reacting stronger then when Atobe attacked her, so amazing that she had to pull away. Tezuka was being very persist and grabbed for her hand again. Fuji forgot that he was on his turf, his territory. He had the upper hand. He was certainly doing things he would never do outside or in front of the team. Should she stop him or let him continue? He took both of her hands and waited.
This is what she wanted, this is what she preferred. Everything about this was better then anything anybody else could offer her. This is why she came here, to remind herself why her heart longed for him. Why on earth was she shattering it for a moment of pleasure?
"What happened?" He asked again.
Like heck she was going to tell him. Of course she remember that look on his face when Atobe was in front of him. How could she bring it up? Who knows how it will affect him emotionally? He definitely knows Atobe has been hanging around her, otherwise he wouldn't have given him such a defensive glare.
"You're shaking." He said.
She opened her eyes and looked to her hands. She really was shaking but she fibbed when she gave him a reason. "It's because you're willingly holding my hands again. I won't say that it doesn't… make me… weak."
He let go of one of her hands and drew his arm behind her back and held her closer. Fuji tucked her hand between them, laying her palm flat against his chest before resting her head on her hand. Their other hands were still together. She then held tightly onto his shirt and turned her face into his torso and listened to his heart. Eventually Tezuka lend his head on hers and they stayed like that until Fuji got a thought in her mind.
Atobe might have kissed her, but he didn't steal it from her lips. That much she would only give to Tezuka and no one else.
"You heart is beating really fast Tezuka-kun."
"It's because I'm concerned."
"About what?"
He never really answered. He lifted his head off hers to study her face again. She was smiling but as before it was fragile. If only he knew what was wrong. Tezuka knew Fuji wouldn't tell him directly and he wasn't sure how to ask. He couldn't resist touching her cheek again when he saw something cute.
"You're blushing." He told her.
"I am?" Fuji moved her free hand next to Tezuka's and felt her cheek.
This never happened to her. She was always in control of herself, but Tezuka willingly hugged her and kept her close to him, that wasn't in her control and she lost it easily. Tezuka tried to touch her neck again but she clasped her hand over it and stepped back. The fear of his knowing was stronger then she first thought. She couldn't look at him, and even though Tezuka wanted to ask, he never did.
"Well… it's getting late, I should go…" Fuji decided.
She smiled at him and turned to leave.
"Sumiko?"
She froze before she could reach for the handle. Her mind said no and to keep walking, but her body said yes. She faced him slowly, not being able to resist that tone of voice. Tezuka wanted to say something to her, but once he played it thought his mind, it didn't sound like the best thing to do at this time, so stopped himself. He didn't quite know how she would react and left it, leaving Fuji staring at him unsure.
She giggled into her hand. "We're both a little flustered." The joy from seeing him flustered suddenly brought her confidence back. So much so that she didn't hear herself when she spoke. "I am leaving after all, aren't you going to give me a good night's kiss?"
The question took him aback, and in her confidence she expected it to. She giggled again and turned to leave.
"Good night Tezuka-kun."
She opened the door, and before she could walk out, Tezuka came above her and shut the door.
"Tezuka-kun?" She faced him. He was close behind her.
"Didn't you ask me for something?"
He leant closer to her. Her smile fell quickly. Her confidence disappeared. Butterflies circled and looped in her stomach. Was he really…? Even if she wanted to, she couldn't back out now.
"I… I did ask you for something."
"Don't you want it?" He tried to whisper, to speak softly but his voice made her tremble.
She hesitated, lost in the depths of his words. "…I… I want it…"
She thought he would lean towards her slowly, but he leant down without a second thought. She held her breath as he was closer then ever before. Se closed her eyes and waited for their lips to touch. Their hair intertwined and pressed against their foreheads, the rim of his glass bumped the ridge of her nose before she felt the warmth of his lips.
"Kunimitsu? Are you alright? I heard a bang?" His mother's voice was heard.
The door was pushed open, but by then Tezuka had already moved out the way. As quickly as he came towards her is how quickly he moved back. Out from behind the door came his mother. Fuji was pushed along with the door but never took her eyes off him.
"Is your friend still here?" His mother asked.
Tezuka adjust his glasses. His mother looked behind the door and saw Fuji there. She apologised in case she hurt Fuji and wondered if they had finished talking. Fuji had to force her composer to return to her because it was erratic and got worse with every breath. She patted her clothes down and adjusted her bangs (the ones Tezuka touched.)
"I was about to leave… sorry if we woke you." Fuji answered. She glanced to where he stood. She caught his gaze and smiled "Good night, Tezuka-san."
"…yeah…" He answered.
"Kunimitsu, be more polite." His mother corrected him, bringing a smile to Fuji's face.
Without delay she made her to her belongings, put her shoes on and left. Shock made her leave quickly. A confusing bliss kept her walking until she got home. She unlocked the door, went up stairs and fell to her knees beside her bed. She rested her arms on the edge of her bed and buried her head within them. She soon moved her hand and brushed her fingers over her lips. She whispered his name and the heat within her flooded over her body. Something was different. Something was changing.
Her vibrating phone pulled her away from a new reality – no longer a fantasy. She fumbled around for it to see who called. It wasn't Tezuka, but Kikumaru. She didn't answer it and left it to ring while see basked in this change.
…tbc…
A/N2: Wow Tezuka, never knew you had it in you! I told you I'd make it up to you Fuji… Do ya feel better now?!
Chapter 39: The losers have a match and Leiko makes up her mind…
