asael

I didn't get a lot of sleep last night, and I'm not sure I used the prompt well (or at all)... but oh well. That's it! I'm amazed I managed a fic a day, even for only five days. Huh.

Prince of Tennis
Tezuka/Fuji
prompt: oysters and pearls

Fuji made it look easy.

Not that anyone thought badly about Tezuka. Of course not, all of their friends who were close enough to know that Tezuka and Fuji were together also knew that Tezuka was more than he seemed. They knew his drive and his dedication, his stubbornness. But even with that, there was the underlying thought that had occasionally been expressed to Fuji, usually by Eiji - the most loose-lipped of them all, and the most prone to speaking without thinking.

"How can you date somebody like Tezuka?"

Fuji always smiled when he heard that question, tempted to answer back - "How can Tezuka date somebody like me?"

It's true that Tezuka was quiet and somewhat reticent. He could be overly serious, and he didn't always appreciate Fuji's unique worldview. Most of the girls in school daydreamed of Tezuka, making him into something he was not, a dashing and brave prince who would sweep them off their feet. In reality, Tezuka hardly ever touched Fuji in public, much less swept him off his feet.

And so their friends, the only ones who knew, wondered why Fuji seemed content, even happy.

Fuji didn't really feel the need to enlighten them. He liked having something for himself. And he knew that it did go the other way, even if people rarely said it - Inui seemed baffled that Tezuka would choose to be with someone like Fuji, mumbling things about 'propriety' and 'only son' and 'nervous breakdown'.

Fuji was fairly certain he wouldn't give Tezuka a nervous breakdown. By now he knew that half of Tezuka's irritated reaction to his occasional tricks was merely show. Tezuka was the team captain, and he couldn't allow Fuji to run wild - not even if he thought it was funny. But Fuji had seen his smile, when they were alone together, and even seen him laugh at the memory of a particular look Fuji had managed to coax from Echizen.

There were little pieces of Tezuka that were his, and as far as he knew, only his. Tezuka's defenses were strong, but Fuji had spent a lot of time slipping past them to find the real Tezuka. He didn't regret it. He understood his friends' questions, but - there was no easy answer. It was just worth it.

Right now, he was waiting outside of Tezuka's classroom. Tezuka had stayed late to talk with his teacher, no doubt about some kind of make-up - he'd recently missed a test because of practice.

Fuji leaned against the wall outside the door, relaxed. As Tezuka finally left the room, Fuji reached out and caught his boyfriend's sleeve, smiling at him. Tezuka turned, unsurprised to see Fuji - they regularly walked home together, and Fuji often stayed late because of him.

"Let's go," Tezuka said, nodding slightly at Fuji. Fuji smiled at him and fell in next to
him, walking in step - though Tezuka's legs were longer than his, he'd managed to get the trick down.

They were silent for most of the walk home, each in their own world. Once Fuji pointed out a small bird in a tree they passed, bright and pretty and rare, but otherwise he was content just walking with Tezuka.

As they reached the corner where they normally parted ways (except for the days Tezuka accompanied Fuji home), Tezuka paused and looked at his companion. Fuji looked back, eyes open - anticipating something.

He wasn't disappointed. Tezuka spoke after a moment. "My mother would like for you to come to dinner." He smiled, just a tiny bit, small enough so that anyone less observant wouldn't notice. Fuji loved those smiles. "She says she'd like to get to know you better, since we'll be living together after high school."

Fuji couldn't help smiling. He'd mentioned, weeks ago, that they could possibly be roommates - after all, they were headed for the same university. But Tezuka hadn't said anything then. Still, Fuji hadn't made other plans. Something in Tezuka's eyes had kept him from doing that, or maybe it was his own intuition. Either way, he was happy.

"Of course. I'd love to have dinner with your family."

Tezuka simply nodded, and they turned the corner together.