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Chapter 8
"I don't like guns."
Tezuka could see he'd made a big mistake, Fuji's face had gone as while as the snow that covers the mountain out side. Though the reaction surprised him. Been living in the mountains for almost all his life, Fuji should knew that having a weapon is a logical decision. But clearly, he didn't agree.
"I'm a professional marksman. Not to mention that I'm from a military."
His lips thinned into a grim line. "Thanks. How reassuring."
"There's nothing inside. It's not loaded. See ?" Tezuka said before he decide to put the gun in his bag that he'd hung over the rope. "Okay, the guns there. And I'm here."
Fuji turned his head. " Good. Now, get out of my sight."
Tezuka sighed. Maybe he'd been in a the military too long that a weapon has become a part of his daily attire just like his boots.
"All gone now. You're safe."
Fuji didn't say a word. He simply wrapped his cacti blanket around his shoulders and lean his back against the wall, staring off particularly into nothing.
Disappointment wash trough Tezuka like an adrenaline rush. They'd been having a pleasant conversation, even laughing together. He was starting to know him(Fuji) better. And then WAH! he shut down. Again.
Fuji had a habit of closing off to people. He thought they'd been together long enough to be friends. He should know by now that he would not hurt him and that he can trust him.
"You gotta be tired cause I am," he said. "We might as well get some rest."
Still, Fuji didn't answer, and from the expression of is face, Tezuka figured out that he'd rather sleep out in the storm than in here, with him. But he wasn't crazy, no matter what anybody said. He knew that wet + cold = hypothermia.
"This hut's going to get colder when the fire burns out. Why don't you stretch out closer to the fire?"
"You go ahead. I'm fine here." He stared at him(Tezuka) for two short seconds and then close his eyes again to shut him(Tezuka) out.
With a resigned sigh, Tezuka curled up in his blanket next to the fire. The hard floor rubbed his back. But he'd slept on worse.
He could hear Fuji breathing and knew he wasn't asleep. The last few moments replayed in his mind. He'd upset him with the mare mention of a gun. Lots of people disliked guns, but Fuji's reaction seemed deeper somehow.
Another piece in the Fuji Syusuke puzzle.
Fuji Syusuke. He had wall around him thicker that the snow that covers the mountains. Today, he'd been out from that wall. When he'd (Tezuka) teased him, he'd(Fuji) returned as good as he gave. Despite of being small in appearance, he was strong and independent, and tonight he'd(Tezuka) glanced behind the wall. He'd(Tezuka) seen his witty, softer side. From the moment he'd first laid eyes on him(Fuji), he'd been interested, but now he thought he actually liked the Fuji. Or he had unlit he'd(Fuji) shut him out.
When he changed clothes, he'd been sorely tempted to peek, though the gentleman in him had resisted. As cute as he was in jeans and plain shirt, he'd be killer sexy with just his underwear. But of course he don't want him to feel cold.(-_-" /pervert Tezuka, that's bad/)
His body reacted to the fantasy. Not good. Not good at all. He refocused,concentrating on the way he'd raced to his aid today when a tree limb had slapped his face and knocked him backward.
His hands was all over him, checking for injuries. He'd liked that. He'd even considered hurting himself in some other way just to get him touch him again.
Tezuka grinned into the darkness.
He, who'd sworn off attraction, wanted to kiss a porcupine.
With those amused thoughts, he dozed.
Sometime later, Tezuka awoke to the darkened room, lit only by the faintest glow of embers. The room was cold. Not nearly as cold as outside, but too cold for comfort.
At some point the storm had subsided, though a howling wind rattled the window and crawled beneath the door like icy, cold fingers. No wander he felt chilled.
He pressed the tiny illumination stem on his watch. Two o'clock it read. A few more hours until daylight.
He rolled to his side, concerned about Fuji. There he was, still leaning against the wall, his head lolled to one side in miserable slumber. He was too far from the fireplace. Stubborn guy.
He shifted, murmuring softly, then tried to burrow deeper into the cacti blanket. He moved again, shivered. One sock-covered foot pocked out from his small blanket. Tezuka wished he had something warmer for Fuji to sleep in.
With a sigh, he sat up and watched him for a moment, thinking. Would he appreciate if he help him? Or kick him in his gut?
He'd been raised to protect and provide for the needy, no matter how strong they were. Call it testosterone, call it chauvinistic, he didn't care. To him, the reaction was genetically ingrained in the male animal. If someone was in need, he was expected to take care of the problem. End of the conversation. Especially since he wondered if Fuji Syusuke was really as tough as he let on.
There was something fragile about his sleep. In the shadowy fire glow, he appeared young and helpless, his full upper lip pouting and soft-looking. Kissable. Unbelievably kissable.
But he was not the type of man to take advantage.
With a sigh, Tezuka moved silently to Fuji's side. He stood, studying him. Finally, he slid down next to him, supported Fuji's shoulders and head, and gently eased his lax body to the floor.
He held his breath, waiting for him to awaken and punch his lights out. When he didn't, Tezuka gingerly stretched beside Fuji for warmth. That was all, just for warmth. He was survivalist. So was Fuji.
Fuji made a noise and scooted closer. His nose bumped Tezuka's hand. Fuji was so cold. Practicality said for him to put his arms around him. He eased one arm up, let it hover above Fuji while his heart did weird things inside his chest.
He was a Ranger, a man who could block out the physical and emotional and do what needed to be done. The mission was everything. And the mission was staying warm until morning.
With gritted teeth, he gently wrapped his arms around Fuji and brought him closer to his chest. Fuji burrowed in.
Tezuka's pulse skittered, danced and finally set up a steady jackhammer.
They were thigh to thigh, chest to chest, his arms cradling him closer like a child. But he's not a child.
Fuji Syusuke felt sweet and soft and sexy in his arms. Curved in all the right places, despite of him being a guy, he was completely more sexy and more tempting than he'd ever imagined. And yes, he had imagined. Even his scent, a mixture of the mountains and the fragrant of his own skin, taunted him.
Tezuka bit down on the side of his cheek and his thoughts jumping into a one particular word. Naked.
No, not naked. He didn't wan to think about naked bodies.
Fuji stirred and Tezuka stilled. His(Fuji) wiggles did ferocious things to him. One of Fuji's hands snaked between them and came to rest against his(Tezuka) neck. His fingers flexed, stroking the shock of hair behind his(Tezuka) ear.
He swallowed a groan.
Morning couldn't get here soon enough.
Fuji awakened slowly from the pleasant dream. He felt very warm. And he liked it. What had he dreamed?
his right hand seemed paralyzed, trapped somehow. He tried to move it, but failed to do so. Something heavy held it fast. He was also sandwitched between two warm sources. The dogs?
Slowly, awareness grew. No, not dogs. Although he suspected Hunter was lying behind him, the other body was decidedly that of a male. Human male. His stomach quivered. A very strong arm circled his back and rested on his shoulder, fingers trailing so near his chest. Another hand had taken up residence on his back's bottom in a most possessive fashion.
He was wrapped in Tezuka Kunimitsu's embrace.
His heart thumped once, hard, suddenly remembering his dream. A dream of Tezuka Kunimitsu . . . . . and him.
How had this happened? When had he snuggled close-enticingly close-to Tezuka?
Though they were lying on a hard floor in a musty-smelling cabin, he didn't want to move. He felt secure. Save even.
How was crazy was that?
He listened. The storm had stopped, but the wind howled like a hundred coyotes. Behind him Hunter snored. In front of him, Tezuka's chest rose and fell against his in a steady rhythm. He was asleep.
He slowly peeked beneath his lashes, unwilling to spoil this strangely restful moment. The first gray light of morning crept through the dirty window.
Tezuka still hadn't moved, so Fuji opened his eyes all the way.
He shouldn't have.
Even bathed in peaceful sleep, Tezuka Kunimitsu was a warrior, ready for battle, strong and proud. A ruggedly beautiful male, far too masculine to be pretty but too manly to be ignored.
His hair was so messy that he longed to smooth it down and let his(Fuji) fingers play there. His lips looked sexy. There was tenderness there, too, in the curve and shape of his lips. He wondered what kissing him would be like.
The idea jolted him from his sense of reserve. He never thought about any other person this way, not since the nightmare that took everything. What was the matter with him this morning?
He'd never been lonely. Alone yes, but not lonely. He preferred being alone with his dogs. He was busy, useful, and the best search and rescue trainer around.
He neither needed nor wanted anyone in his life.
Slowly, Tezuka opened his eyes, and the thoughts faltered.
"Morning." he(Fuji) whisper as his belly trembled.
"Hi,"Tezuka responded. "Sleep well?"
As hard as he tried, Fuji couldn't take his eyes off Tezuka's mouth.
"Like a rock," the words were softly murmured, intimate. "You?"
Tezuka's gaze dropped to Fuji's mouth.
"Better , you snuggle really good."
The heat of blush Fuji's cheeks.
"Can you blame me?"he(FUji) murmured, trying to maintain his control."You're warm."
"Hn. You're so soft."The hand that grazed his chest moved to his cheek. His(Tezuka) voice dropped to a whisper."So soft. Can drive a man crazy."
Fuji swallowed. What he saw on Tezuka's eyes melted his bones. Like two powerful magnets they moved closer. Tezuka stroked his cheek, let his fingers grazed the corner of his(Fuji) mouth. Fuji shivered, his lips parting. Tezuka's strong hand guided Fuji closer.
Fuji placed a palm on Tezuka's chest, felt the none-stop hammering of his heart. A warrior's heart that beat for him(Fuji).
And that was Fuji's undoing.
In the next instant, Tezuka's mouth was sweetly pressed against Fuji's. The world outside faded. He(Fuji) forgot the time, the place, and everything but the pleasure of being held in Tezuka's arms and their kiss.
Fuji moan, arms snaked up around Tezuka's neck, stroked Tezuka's hair. Making them closer in the process.
Last night, he'd worried about the gun, but this morning, he recognized the truth. The greatest danger from Tezuka Kinimitsu was not his gun but the fact that his making his way slowly in the insides of his heart.
With so much effort, Fuji pulled away from the kiss.
Tezuka reached for him. "More." He whispered.
The single word nearly shattered him(Fuji), but fought against the unwanted feeling and broke away. He leaped
to his feet, afraid that if he stayed close he will succumb to the sweet temptation. He would become vulnerable. And vulnerability could get you killed.
He couldn't risk being close again, even when if felt so right. Trusting brought nothing but pain. He had long ago surrendered the childhood fantasy that a handsome white knight would keep him away from evil. The evil had gotten there first.
-X~O~X-
Tezuka watch Fuji fidget around the tiny room, his movements jerky as he sorted their breakfast rations. no matter how hard he stared, he(Fuji) refused to look at him.
His body still throbbed with longing to hold him. Something else throbbed, too-his heart. Fuji was getting to him.
He'd(Fuji) kissed him with enough passion to melt steel and then shove him away so fast that his blood's still thundered through his veins. And now he wouldn't look at him. He was pretty sure, too, that he wouldn't talk to him, either.
But why?
with a sigh, Tezuka pushed away his blanket and headed outside. A few minutes in the cold would help him clear his mind and cool down his now, he was confuse and a bit annoyed. And he didn't have time for such emotional turmoil. He had a department to build, not much time to build it and failure was not an option.
"Come on Hunter," Tezuka said, using the dog as an excuse to break the deafening silence. "Time to find a bush."
Fuji waited until the door closed to glance in the direction. Tezuka was angry. And an angry man was dangerous. Seeing his chance, he quickly went to the bag where Tezuka put the little gun and removed it. No need to look around the room to know where to hide it there, so he slipped it into his backpack. He'd decided, somewhere along the trek back in the truck, he will toss the thing off the cliff.
With a relieved exhale, he got dressed for the journey home, finding his coat and gloves damp on the outside but dry inside.
After a minute, the door opened. The wind blew Tezuka and a prancing Hunter into the room.
"Woaw. Cold." Tezuka said. In a few minutes outside, the wind had whipped out color into his cheeks.
Their eyes meet. Fuji had a flashback of how warm and solid Tezuka was. Nothing about him appeared dangerous.
But there were questions in his(Tezuka) eyes and gentle accusation that left him feeling guilty.
And he(Fuji) don't even know how to start explaining.
Hiding the gun had been foolish, an unexpected reaction to the past. Tezuka Kunimitsu would not hurt him. At least not with the gun.
At lose of words to say,Fuji spun to the table for Hunter's breakfast.
Fuji's stomach rumbled.
"Better eat something." Tezuka said, reaching around her for some crackers. " I looked for some dry wood to restart the fire but everything is soaked. Breakfast and a hot coffee will have to wait."
"Coffee,"Fuji groaned, "Do you know how good that sounds?"
"Not as good as pancakes." Tezuka said.
Fuji give a smile.
After a bit, while they both crunched crackers, Tezuka shifted. Fuji, afraid he'd(Tezuka) catch him staring, studied the toes of his boots. He needed a new pair, but, with Chase's surgery, boots would have to wait.
"Come here," Tezuka said. "I want to show you something."
Fuji hesitated. The because he felt guilty about the kiss and for taking the gun, he did as he(Tezuka) asked.
"Look at that," Tezuka murmured, as he pointed towards the east.
Morning had broken over the mountain,the sun a coral fire behind it. Clouds swirled around the mountains peak,occasionally dipping to weave like ghostly images through the evergreen trees.
"Beautiful." Fuji said with a smile. He would never get enough of the stunning, unexpected beauty of the mountains.
Tezuka glanced down, gaze sincere as he touched Fuji's left cheek. "Are we okay?"
Fuji didn't pretend not to understand.
"Sure,' He(Fuji) said. As okay as they'd ever be.
"I hope I didn't cross some invisible line."
Fuji stepped back, breaking contact. He couldn't look at him and lie. "We shared a meaningless kiss, Tezuka. No big deal. Forget it."
-O~o~O-
aw..sorry for the very late update. Been very busy this days...
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Thanks :)