One Year In Four
Disclaimer: Tezuka and Fuji do not belong to me. They belong to each other. (don't you like my disclaimer?)
Warnings: yaoi (just one chapter where I went crazy), OCs, futuristic setting
Pairings: TezukaFuji - the epitome of love
a/n:Yes, an update. I tried to write, but I couldn't. I is really very sorry for the late update.I apologize in advance for the cheesiness and the crappiness. I'm sickly and dead right now, so I'm very sorry. Rawr. –wails-
okinekko – er… It's Feb. 25 in my calendar… what I meant by nine days was… well, that's how long they've been officially back together. (now that'd have to be 10 days). Remember they got back together the day after Valentine's Day?
Soring Angle POT – sorry for the wait, here's the update!
cassie – yes, more angst on Fuji's insecurities. They're mostly in here and in the next chapter. I wouldn't want Tezuka for myself, but, yeah, I'd like someone similar to Tezuka. I'm too much like Fuji I wouldn't want someone like him with me…that's asking for too much trouble. Lol. Thanks for the review!
Thanks to kunimitsu4shusuke, SkySurf, emily, MiNKy307, Thin-K, yoshikochan, ginta, Tensa Zangetsu .15, PyroSiren, Miji-Chuu, xoHakugei, ketchupblood, wirbelwind, lovewritermaiko, okinneko, cassie, Thelchtereia, serenitatis417, hitsugayasugar, Jingy5, bjont, Nightshade Shrub, Sweet Obsidian Rain, Tora Macaw, Animestar73, Soring Angle POT for the reviews! For those who still haven't reviewed, well… I'd like to hear from you, too. This is the 3rd to the last official chapter of OYIF. Then, there'll also be an epilogue (hopefully to be updated on Oct 7th).
oOo
Love scenes, if genuine, are indescribable, for to those who have enacted them, the most elaborate descriptions seem tame and to those who have not, the simplest seems overdone. So romancers have better let imagination paint for them that which is above all art and leave their lovers to themselves during the happiest minutes of their lives. – An Old-Fashioned Girl, Louisa May Alcott
oOo
OYIF calendar: February 25, 2008 (reminder: The press-con is on the 27th)
Chapter Sixteen
"Yahoo!" Eiji yelled in triumph, practically bouncing into the lounge of a vacation house. "Oishi, look at the sea, nya. It's so blue… Let's swim!"
Blinking down at the redhead, Oishi said, "It's freezing, Eiji."
"Mn," Echizen dropped to a couch and sipped from his can of Ponta. "Why do we have to stay at a beach house in February?"
"It's Yuuta's gift," said Fuji pointedly and a bit proudly. "I asked him if he could give me ideas for new serene places where I can take shots and this," he said happily, waving a colored catalog, "Is what he gave me."
"This will help us relax," Inui muttered in agreement. "In a few days, we'll all be back to work."
"That's true, nya," said Eiji, tipping his head. "Buchou and Ochibi will go abroad soon…"
Tezuka's eyes unconsciously roved around the living room and found Fuji, who was wearing a normal slight smile.
"And I'll be stuck at the tennis club with Mamushi!" said Momoshiro, glaring at Kaidoh's way.
"Fushuu," hissed Kaidoh snappishly. "Do you think I like working with you? Idiot!"
"What did you call me, eh?"
"Idiot!" growled Kaidoh. "Why? Do you want to fight now?"
Completely ignoring the squabble, Eiji tugged at Fuji's arm and said, "We passed by a village festival. Can we go, nya, Fujiko?"
"I'm sure you can," said Fuji placidly.
"Aren't you coming?" asked Eiji, pouting in thought.
Fuji threw a glance at Tezuka and shook his head. "Kunimitsu might not do well in a crowd. Unless…" He grinned at Tezuka and asked, "Would you agree to wear a disguise?"
"No," was the quick and flat answer.
Shrugging, Fuji turned to Kikumaru. "You can all go and take Echizen with you. I'm sure he'll be okay with disguises…"
"What?" asked Echizen, gulping the soda that he was sipping. Echizen saw the gleam in Eiji's eyes and he stood up, but the redhead had already taken a grab of him. Eiji had dragged Echizen up the before the latter could even open his mouth in argument.
Eiji went down several minutes later, delightedly presenting an extremely surly Echizen. "Doesn't Ochibi look different now?"
Eyeing Echizen's beanie, white coat and scarf, Fuji remarked, "He won't be easily recognized as Echizen." There was a click and a whirr as Fuji whipped out his camera. "But he'll still be swarmed by fan girls."
"Are you sure you don't want to come?" asked Oishi as he led the lot through the door.
"Yes, very sure," said Fuji reassuringly. "Enjoy," he added, waving his hands. Upon closing the door, he could hear Momoshiro's dreamy utterance of "Food" and Kaidoh's snide remarks. He grinned at Tezuka and said, "Would you like to go fishing?"
Tezuka stared at Fuji and said nothing.
"You haven't gone fishing in a long time, have you?" asked a beaming Fuji. "Let's go. Yuuta told me that there's a really good fishing spot… and we can rent fishing gear there, too. We can grill the fish for dinner."
After calculating Fuji's expression, Tezuka then nodded.
Fuji's smile was content and unfaltering as they walked down to the lake that Fuji talked about. On the way, Fuji would stop occasionally to focus some small bud emerging from the ground or some small leaf on the trees.
"They're the early bloomers," Fuji said cheerily as he saw a tiny flower bud on the ground. "I think late and early bloomers are just about equal in beauty…"
Tezuka stopped for a moment to watch Fuji. "Is this what you normally do for your work?"
"Yes, sometimes," said Fuji, finally standing up after getting several angles. "I also do more thrilling works. I like being assigned in the wild."
"You enjoy it?"
"Of course," answered Fuji. "I wouldn't have stayed long in this job if I didn't. You should know that. I also learn a lot from this work seeing as I'm in the company of ecologists and naturalists."
Pressing his lips, Tezuka nodded and dipped his hand in his pockets. Then, he walked on.
The lake was only some thirty minutes walk from the vacation house they were staying at and Tezuka had to agree that the place was a nice, comfortable spot to go fishing. The lake was big and clean and Fuji said that it had really enormous fish. There were only a handful of people, probably due to the weather, and that provided the peace that Tezuka wanted whenever he went on this activity.
Tezuka frowned as he heard the camera hum while he threw the line into the water. "Shh," he shushed curtly. "You're disturbing the fish."
"Sorry," said Fuji, chuckling soft and low as he plopped down beside Tezuka. "I can't help myself. We haven't done this in a long time."
There was no note of sentimentality but a statement of a simple fact in Fuji's voice. But at the corners of his eyes, Tezuka could make out Fuji's soft smile.
"Do you think we'll be able to catch enough fish for everyone?" inquired Fuji, looking over the bank of the lake to see his reflection.
"If we have the time," answered Tezuka in a monotone.
"We can wait," said Fuji cheerfully. "Yuuta told me that the festival is really fun so they'd probably come back late."
"You planned this," said Tezuka matter-of-factly.
"Yes," said Fuji, fiddling his camera to take another shot of Tezuka. He smiled warmly as he checked the photo. "When you go back to Wimbledon, you'd be too busy to relax and do the other things that you enjoy apart from tennis. Tell me, when was the last time you climbed a mountain?"
Tezuka uttered nothing. He only held his fishing gear in place and waited for any signs of movement.
"Inui was right, we really need this break - all of us," said Fuji pensively. "That's why I'm really grateful to Yuuta, and to Mituli, too."
oOo
In a matter of hours, Tezuka fixed the fish container and said they had to go since dark was crawling in and the wind was getting colder. Fuji woke up from a nap and checked the fish.
"Just that?" Fuji asked.
"They're big," said Tezuka defensively. "They'll be good enough for us."
"But we stayed for five hours," said Fuji.
Arching a brow, Tezuka reminded, "You were asleep most of the time."
Fuji chuckled. "Yes… well, I still don't think I have enough patience to wait for hours and catch just five fishes."
"You were the one who proposed to come here," said Tezuka sternly, lugging around his catch.
"I'm not complaining," said Fuji as they started to set off. "I'm merely saying that I don't think I can wait for an hour and catch only one fish…"
Tezuka only let his brows twitch at this remark.
"Fujiko!" was the loud, high-pitched call from Eiji once Tezuka and Fuji arrived at the beach house. "Where have you been? You should have come with us! Ochibi wouldn't have been recognized if he hadn't challenge some guys to play tennis with him… There was great food and the people were very nice… We also bought firecrackers - "
"We went fishing," said Fuji, smiling patiently at his ever so zealous friend.
"Oh, fish for dinner?" asked Momoshiro, eyeing the fish net at Tezuka's hand. "That looks good, Buchou."
"Fushuu… you just ate a lot, glutton," spat Kaidoh.
"I'm not a glutton!" roared Momoshiro, glaring at Kaidoh. "I just have a fast metabolism."
Frowning, Tezuka held out the fish net to Momoshiro and Kaidoh. "Cook it," he said in a commanding tone.
At once, the two said "Yes, Buchou" and scuffled off.
"Oishi, let's make a bonfire so we can eat outside!" said Eiji gleefully.
"Yes, yes, Eiji," said Oishi, following the redhead outside.
Feeling the sand in his feet, Fuji gestured Tezuka to the shore so they could all gather around the cracking pyre that Oishi and Eiji built. Fuji stretched his legs out and watched in amusement as Kaidoh and Momoshiro fought over who should turn the fish they were grilling over the flame. The two only stopped arguing when Echizen pointed out that their meal was burning.
"Things would be more fun if Taka-san were here," murmured Fuji. He tipped his head to get a better view of Tezuka, whose eyes were reflecting the orange flames. "You're enjoying yourself, aren't you?"
Tezuka's countenance was blank as he discerned Fuji. But his eyes widened by a tiny fraction when he felt soft fingers linger at the back of his hand.
"Life must have been really busy for you in Wimbledon," said Fuji, shifting to sit beside Tezuka. "But it's all right, as long as you're enjoying what you're doing… and it's also a part of your dream."
Trying to read between the lines, Tezuka beheld Fuji quizzically.
But Fuji continued smiling, saying, "When you win the Grand Slam, promise that I'll be the first one to take a picture of you and your award."
Eyes fixed at the vast grayness of the open sea, Tezuka pnly listened.
"Good," said Fuji joyfully, taking the silence as a 'yes'. "I'll keep it and it won't ever get published because I'm very selfish…" He opened his eyes and, to Tezuka, they looked evidently glazed. "Kunimitsu," Fuji whispered so that none of the others could hear. "Did you ever think of what lies ahead?" Fuji stopped to trace circles on the sand with his left hand, while his other hand gently squeezed Tezuka's. "I tried," said Fuji quietly. "And I don't know what it holds."
Tezuka neither moved nor said anything. He thought he knew where Fuji was leading. And he understood because Fuji had always been the one to think of different possibilities, of different outcomes. Fuji's mind was a clock that was always ticking.
"And we haven't really talked about it before," added Fuji, whose smile was tight and strained.
There was a hiss and there was a boom. Both Fuji and Tezuka tilted their heads to see the sky lit with bright colors - red, purple, green and orange.
"Ho! Fujiko, are you enjoying the fireworks?" asked Eiji like a child waiting for approval, waving his stick of firelights.
"Yes, very much," said Fuji truthfully. "Eiji, did you know that angels are going to heaven at this time of night?"
"No," said Eiji, shaking his head.
"Some people said that the firecrackers light the angels' way to heaven. The angels usually come back for a while to grant a wish to those who illuminate their way."
"Really?" said Eiji, jumping to his feet. "We can light a stick each, then, and make a wish…"
Fog and yellow lights filled the air as Eiji lit the the sticks of firecracker for everyone.
Eiji asked, "Fujiko, what did you wish for?"
"Secret," said Fuji, smiling and teasing.
Upon hearing this, Tezuka's eyes averted to Fuji's mild smile and he wondered what that wish was. But his thoughts were disrupted when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Excusing himself, he went inside the house and answered the call.
"Are you certain about your decision?" asked Murihiko-san, Tezuka's manager for six years.
"Yes, Murihiko-san," replied Tezuka tonelessly.
"Are you sure there is no problem? This is a lifetime chance you're throwing away… You still have a full day to change your decision."
"I'm sorry, Murihiko-san," said Tezuka curtly. "I have made my mind. Winning the Grand Slam isn't so important anymore."
"In any case," said the manager, "Call me again tomorrow."
"Yes, Murihiko-san," said Tezuka, dropping the line and lifting his head only to see wide blue eyes gaping at him.
"Winning the Grand Slam isn't so important anymore…" Fuji's words were short and cutting as his eyes pierced right through Tezuka. "You didn't mean that."
"I did," said Tezuka shortly.
"But it's your dream," said Fuji in a hollow voice. "Why would you want to throw it away? You always said that you wanted to win the Grand Slam, no matter what it takes."
"I'm not throwing away anything," said Tezuka briefly without making any offer for an explanation.
"Well, at least explain," said Fuji, glaring at Tezuka so that his blue eyes glinted dangerously. His voice was hoarse and shaky. "I don't understand why you'd want to give up your dream for… anything."
The intensity in Tezuka's eyes equaled the one in Fuji's.
"If our relationship somewhat influenced your decision," muttered Fuji in a low, almost hissing tone, "I want you to call back and tell Murihiko-san that you're still aiming for the calendar Grand Slam."
"No," Tezuka quipped, his eyes were sharp and glassy. "The decision is only mine to make."
oOo
Was there ever a time when you fell in love with a person, but had to let go? When you thought you moved on, Lady Fate toys with you and makes you meet with that one person again. Other people, other loves may have come and gone through your life and yet you never forget the way that your heart used to leap or how your body used to tremble at the presence of that one person. Then, you realize that your love for him had always been there. That person is your constant. Simply put: he is your soul-mate, your one true love.
oOo
a/n: The note on the fireworks at night was lifted from Meteor Garden I, spoken by Hua Zi Lei (Vic Zhou) to San Chai (Barbi Xu). Argh. WTH. I know, this chapter is kinda off-put. Grr. If you found the last bit flat... well, I'm just using it as a take-off point. And I'm going to edit as soon as I'm free from school. While I'm on a hiatus, you can go check my profile page to know the projects that I'm working on. It also has a link to where you can get full details of the projects. And my profile page now has more amusing stuff about me. (I was amused!)
I keep on forgetting to mention the authors who answered the challenges: Nearsighted (my own take), Versions by yaelifivefour, Rooftop Confessions by Thin-K, and My Promise by Nightshade Shrub. The first one is on the glasses challenge the others are for the rooftop challenge. Enjoy them all!