Prince Of Tennis Fan Fiction ❯ Veil Over My Eyes ❯ The Week Before New Year I ( Chapter 10 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Tennis no Oujisama or its characters or Oxford. This is not done for profit or monetary gain, original characters and plot though are mine. Please ask permission if you would like to use them.

Warning: Some cursing. Please do not proceed if you do not know what yaoi/shounen ai is. You will be mentally scarred if you don't. Flame and hate mail will be ignored. There will be some FujiOC in this story but this is ultimately a TezuFu fanfic.

 

Again, thank you to monster1 who is apparently the only person to not give up on me. Thanks for the beta.

Thank you to my only reader on ff (dot) net who reviewed, yamatoforever.

And most especially those lj users who welcomed my fic, namely: innerdemons, thousandbirds, tyrantsoul, calindy and stevenghost.

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Veil Over My Eyes: Chapter 10

The Week Before New Year Part 1

Patient Name: Fuji Shuusuke Date of Admission: December 26, 2005 04:30
Sex: Male
Age: 21 DOB: February 29, 1984
Primary Complaint: Dizziness. Shortness of breath. Chest pain. Lost consciousness on entry.
Diagnosis: Pneumothorax. Oblique fracture of right clavicle.
Symptoms: Hypoxia. Hyperresonance and all primary complaints.
Treatment: Patient underwent tube thoracostomy. Oblique fracture set.
Notes: Paramedics have performed needle thoracocentesis and subsequent first aid. Brachial Plexus is unaffected. Signs of previous break in same site. Previous medical record proves multiple other healing bones. Patient is reported to have amnesia. Attached is a fax copy of medical record in John Radcliffe Hospital and subsequent transfer to Manzil Day Hospital. Reason unspecified.
Prescription: Confined for three days with rehabilitation. Follow-up X-ray bimonthly. Encouraged increase of Ca intake.
Police Statement: Defended a child from physical abuse.

 

Next of Kin: Fuji Yumiko (changed twice in progressing order: Fuji Yoshiko, Fuji Yuuta(was not legal age yet)), Tezuka Kunimitsu (changed thrice in progressing order: Fuji Shunsuke, Tezuka Kunimitsu, Fuji Shunsuke(deceased) )

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Patient Name: Tezuka Kunimitsu Date of Admission: December 26, 2005 20:45
Sex: Male
Age: 22 DOB: October 7, 1983
Primary Complaint: Bleeding. Bone fractures. Bruising. 2 gun wounds (exit and entry only) on shoulder.
Diagnosis: Basilar skull fracture. Severe concussion. Patient is still unconscious
Symptoms: Loss of consciousness for estimated 2 hours before entry in hospital. Several facial wounds. Leaking cerebrospinal fluid.
Treatment: Patient under monitor. Sutured 12 wound sites: 3 major, 9 minor. Cast given.
Notes: First aid administered. Waiting for test results: Physical Exam & Neurological Evaluation, Eye Examination, Laboratory Tests, MRI, EEG.
Police Statement: Confidential

 

Next of Kin: Tezuka Ayana, Fuji Syuusuke (changed from Tezuka Kuniharu)

 

Notes: Lab results and imaging attached. PE: No eye opening. No verbal response. No motor response. For immediate transfer to JR Tokyo General Hospital per request of Tezuka Ayana (Tokyo local).

 

Diagnosis: Patient is comatose. GCS 3

---------------

 

 

Fuji was happy to go home. Idle minds are the devils' workshop. While he enjoyed his humor, payback was a bitch. The nurses were practically swooning to his side during his exercises. That is until Sengoku took over his rehabilitation personally. Fuji heard a curse somewhere in his friend's rant to himself. He believed that was a Fuji - 1 Sengoku - 0. Then he learned the evils the orange haired aide could do to him. Torture didn't begin to describe it. Apparently, the pretty girls in short skirts were just being nice to him. The evil gleam didn't leave Sengoku's eyes as Fuji questioned how exactly this...torment...would ensure best possible function of his bones. When he had turned to his boyfriend for help all he got was a shrug. After a few words with the European, everyone around him laughed. They were ganging up on him. He'd never hear the end of this. To think his sadistic streak would be outwitted, verbally or not. By the end of his stay, it was Fuji - 1 Sengoku - infinity.

 

Yukio was taken from their custody sometime during the second day of rehab. How the boy was still able to visit him and go as he pleased without his brooding cousin, Fuji would never know. Yukio wasn't inclined to tattle either. Despite himself, he was missing the law student. Days were more interesting around aspiring lawyer. Eiji stopped by everyday, once with Oishi in tow. Whether his best friend had made up with their "mortal enemy" was an issue he'd rather not stick his nose into. Something happened between them, and if it was for the better then he was glad it did: even if it meant a punch in the eye or a slap in the face. Come to think of it, Oishi still had a red mark on his cheek.

 

Heading straight for his room, Shuusuke paid no heed to the concerned calls of Leon or Yuuta. There was a table at the center replacing his seat. A bit annoyed that someone had dared to meddle with his room, he slammed the door shut before anyone could bother him. Opening and closing the walk-in closet as quickly as possible, he put on the safety lock. For a few seconds he was stuck in complete darkness. Then, with practiced ease, he turned the light switch on and began the hunt. He was a man with a mission.

 

Now, who's to say that all his pictures were useless hmm?

 

"Shuusuke? Shuusuke? Where you?" That was Leon. Fuji kept half a mind to keep quiet while he shuffled through all the negatives and albums. Club, club, oh hey random Yuuta pictures in that one, beach fun with the guys and other summer trips, tennis, ski trips, family outing, photo ops, more tennis, Tezuka, tennis. Wait rewind. He had an album of Tezuka's pictures? Putting aside the club's and Tezuka's album for later, he shoved the remaining stash into its box and behind his coats. As an afterthought, he decided to let Leon panic a bit more.

 

Flipping through the first pages of his club pictures, he didn't find it as surprising as before that he had a whole album for Tezuka. He might have done so for each member if he had the chance. Most of the photos were of his batchmates. The number dwindled down by the year with a special exception for Echizen. He'd have to check how many he catalogued for the team.

 

Fuji pressed his ear against the dividing door. Either Leon was playing dead or the man already left. Abating the worse, he exited the cramped space. An arm slinked around his waist and pulled him against well packed torso. "Ack. Leon, don't give me a heart attack."

 

"Merry Christmas." Leon whispered huskily as burrowed his face on Fuji's shoulder.

 

Table plus food plus presents. Late Christmas celebration? He scoffed. Highly unlikely. There wasn't a mistletoe in sight, and anyone who was remotely related to Leon knew that was his definition for festivity. Counting the days, he concluded it was the twenty ninth. "Happy Anniversary to you too." Twisting from the awkward position, he gave Leon a peck on the cheek.

 

Yuuta broke the moment and was nonplussed at the sight. Gathering his wits about, he jerked a thumb at the hall. "Phone. It's the hospital again." Glad to have a reason to worm his way out, Fuji put down the pictures and without so much as saying a word left the room.

 

Frustrated, Leon scratched the back of his head and flopped on the bed. One romantic make-up session down the drain. After three turns of finding the right position he gave up. His foot hit the corner of a hard bound book, and he almost screamed at the antagonistic turn everything had for him. Then he realized what the books were. Interest piqued, he peered at the snap shots at the foot of the bed. This was the life of Fuji Shuusuke he never knew, rather the life Fuji Shuusuke didn't let anyone invade. It was the sacred days of holy aptly labeled by their college friend, the same friend who made the cactus plushie. The only people he could affix a name to were those who visited them and that bespectacled boy.

 

A foreign hand snapped the book shut and away from his prying eyes. Almost wanting to get caught so that their full blown shout fest would be done and over with, he was mildly disappointed to find Yuuta.

 

"Aniki doesn't let anybody see these. It's like his diary." Yanking the books from the foreigner, Yuuta huddled over it protectively and glared.

 

Miffed at the reaction, Leon rolled his eyes. "I'm not anybody." If anything, that statement made Yuuta hate Leon more. He had never been sure in the past. After all, he'd only met the boy twice but he was fairly certain this extreme dislike wasn't a spontaneous thing. More like ever since the first day they'd announced their relationship.

 

"Your being his boyfriend does not make you any different." Sparks flew, and at the back of Leon's head, he cursed himself for picking a fight with the protective brother.

 

"Hey, what's with the faces?"

 

Sparing a glance at his brother, Yuuta passed the albums to him and explained. "Somebody's been snooping."

 

Shuusuke's face was unreadable. Given it was Leon's fault alright, but this lad did not have the right to be pointing fingers at him. Riled by the attitude he couldn't bite back his comment. "Right and you're such an example of good character, aren't you otoutou-chan?"

 

Without so much as a chance to evade, Leon found himself being shaken repeatedly. In the next few minutes a stoplight for a face looked down on him. Leon had to congratulate himself. He won anger, humiliation and hate from his boyfriend's brother all at the same time without trying. Joy. "Do not call me that. Do not ever. I have a name, and you will use it when talking to me. Do you hear me?"

 

Annoyed at the blatant disregard of respect, Shuusuke pulled Yuuta away from Leon. "Will both of you quit it?" Standing in between them, he kept both at arms length. Yuuta still looked like he wanted a go at Leon's face. "Yuuta, nee-san's calling you downstairs." A lie, yes but he knew Yuuta would take it.

 

As soon as the stomping was far from the oncoming conversation, Rowe started defending himself. "Okay, let me speak first before you get on my case." He didn't expect Fuji to listen but he would try.

 

"What?" Icy blue flared at him dangerously. "That I don't have the right to a private life?" Fuji waved the two albums close to Leon's face then smothered him with them. Rowe fell to the not so soft cushions and was grateful something broke his fall. When Fuji's litany hadn't stopped there he could only act like a fish out of water. "That you're jealous of some obscure past I don't even know about? Or that your cat's finally out of the bag? Which is it, Mr. Macho?"

 

Brows furrowing at the accusations, Leon got his bearings and retorted. "Hold on here. What cat are you talking about?" They were both equally furious with the turn of events. Although Leon felt he should have deserved the benefit of the doubt. "You're the one that up and made plans not to come back to England." He stood from his sprawled position, leveled himself with the petite man and concluded in spite. "I knew that settling down with you was too good to be true."

 

Shock evident for a moment, Fuji caught himself and answered. "I do not regret answering yes, Rowe, but you're making me start to."

 

Leon was losing himself fast in the discussion. If Fuji kept to his vague references, this tête-à-tête would go nowhere. "Again. Why?"

 

A scowl marred Fuji's face. If the circumstances had been different, Leon would have teased the other for his lion cub like features. Simba meet your uncle. "How long have you known I'm amnesiac?"

 

"...you're what?" The information caught him off guard. Not trusting his voice to say more Leon wisely kept his thoughts to himself.

 

"Read the medical records, Rowe. I. Have. Amnesia." Fuji held an album up and let the pages cascade onto his arms. "You're the one who nursed me back to health. You've been my roommate for my entire college. You can't just say 'oh sorry I didn't notice you had a few screws loose'."

 

Missing the finer points of the argument, Leon raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand. So you're telling me it was wrong to help you, pms-ing and all, through rehab, is that it?"

 

Vexed he pointed at the open pages. Tezuka, Atobe, Mizuki, Shraishi...even his own father. They were just names and recently names with faces on his diaries. They were puppets going along with a wicked puppeteer. They held no emotion; soulless without his memory or heart. "These...people! I don't know who they are!" That was a sweeping generalization on Fuji's part. He couldn't help it. Fear crawled from the back of his throat. He didn't find himself a strong man but he would scorn himself as weak if he started crying now.

 

"Well, don't look at me. You never were inclined to share that part of your life."

 

Wrong come back. Seething, Fuji inched closer and pulled on the other's hair so they stared into each other for a good measure. "So you're telling me I have to believe that you don't know anything about how I lost my memory or how I never tried to regain it?"

 

"And are you still telling me that you love me despite your not coming home."

 

"Shit! Leon stop changing the topic."

 

"Well if you trusted me enough with these," Leon gestured to the room. "I would have noticed!" Shame, suffering and sadness were evident in his eyes. Shame because he was being an ass. Suffering because he was the accused. Sadness because he wasn't good enough.

 

Fuji let go. Walking towards his window, he patted one cactus soft enough that he wouldn't bleed, hard enough that it would sting. "I wanted you to work here as well." He shivered when he felt then heard the disbelief in Leon beside him. The European picked one cactus up and wiggled it in the air. "Right, and our apartment?"

 

"You were so excited when I had accepted your proposal that it was gauche to mention." Fingering a stray hair on his boyfriend's crown, Fuji was pleased to note the dark blue tinge was back. They spoke of Leon's character, one that didn't want to be tied down - not by rules that escaped reason or to his family's name that could easily win him his life, and he missed them for the last few months in Oxford. "I don't know whether you love Japan for me or you were attracted to me because of Japan. Frankly, I don't care anymore. It's a wonderful community still and well..."

 

"You can't live without the familiar. Who's amnesiac again?" Mock laughing at his own joke, Leon received a jab at his ribs. "I'd be honored to stay here, Shuusuke. In fact my job application was accepted already, by both branches. The choice to stay in England or in Japan is mine."

 

"Which company did you apply for?"

 

"Atobe Enterprises."

 

Fuji grimaced. "I should kick you right about now."

---------------

 

 

Walking away quietly may not have been the smartest thing he did but it was the safest. At least Yuuta still had his sanity in check. Fuming, he went to the workplace at the back of the house. Previously their father kept it clean and organized. Now, with Fujii-san, it was just another stock room. He cursed when he found the lights dead. No window too.

 

Thursdays were not part of his favorite list. It included training bratty kids with Mizuki and Ann and a god-awful subject called sociology. To be more precise, it was the teacher he loathed. The class was not altogether displeasing especially from an advised elective. Now he had to deal with pompous brother thieves and monster eaten rooms. Managing to find the emergency light in the hall, he went through the file cabinets. Taxes, diplomas, certificates, medical records. Fitting the penlight between his teeth, he leafed through the information. Absently he reminded himself to slip in his brother's first before anything else. With that done, he continued his search for any link between his father and Shuusuke.

 

2002. 2002. 2002. 2002. 2002. Fa~ll.

 

Skimming through the papers, he massaged a temple. All the medical jargon was going over his head. Pushing the drawer softly and expecting the rollers to still work, he separated the files per person. Yumiko had gone to the hospital once. It was a yearly check up for breast cancer. Thankfully it always came back negative. Their mother's was thick. She went on a regular basis since she had such a weak constitution but nothing more serious than a cough or flu. Shuusuke also had one record and so did their dad.

 

There was little information regarding their hospitalization since they were only fax copies. They were probably the notices to come to Oxford without delay. The original was probably kept in the apartment Rowe had bought from them. He stared disbelieving at the papers. Falling from his gaping mouth, the flashlight clattered to the floor.

 

Name: Fuji Shuusuke
Date of Admission: September 7, 2002
Status:Currently unknown. Physical damage as follows.
Cause: Car crash at Fifth Avenue

 

Name: Fuji Shunsuke
Date of Admission: September 7, 2002
Status:Survived with severe physical damage. Details follow.
Cause: Car crash at Fifth Avenue

 

Someone called for him and he was fairly sure it was his sister. Scrambling to get the papers together, he wasn't about to get caught by someone who would dare to keep this from him. He closed the cabinet with a resounding snap and tried to recall what excuse they'd given for Shuusuke's absence at the funeral roughly a month after they'd flown with all urgency. Exams? No the school would surely have let up. Sick? He would have barked at the man to come back healthy or not. His memory failed him, and he wasn't the one with holes in it. The only thing coming to mind was the grief he'd felt when he saw his father. He was mutilated. Right arm was gone. Left leg was twisted. Scars near the eyes. Heck his old man might have died blind except he hadn't died in the accident. He survived - survived with severe physical damage.

 

A tentative voice interrupted his thoughts. "Yuuta?"

 

Yuuta lifted his head up. His sister had her hands on her hips. Impatiently she tapped her foot. "Aren't you leaving yet? What are you doing there?"

 

"Filing away aniki's med records." Cutting truth was the best way to avoid questions.

 

"Oh."

 

Yuuta fought the urge to roll his eyes at the intelligence in that reply. Pinching himself, he had to get his act together. He didn't hate his sister but she was being annoyingly stubborn. Babying her kid brothers would do them no good, didn't she see that? Resigning himself to find out more before he filled his brother in on the facts, he followed his sister out of the house. Last week he got busted, and today he acquired more questions and no answers. Now he had another reason to hate Thursdays.

 

---------------

 

After the breakfast Rowe had so intricately prepared in Fuji's room, they decided to confirm their positions in the company. Calling in for an appointment, they were given the eleventh hour slot. Present time 10:55. They were seated in a luxurious lounge with a scantily clad girl serving them tea.

 

"I swear if she so much as flashes me again, I'm going to..." Rowe grumbled. He looked thoroughly embarrassed at the affections the secretary was giving him.

 

Fuji laughed. While this wouldn't have affected the European a few years ago, he practically encouraged it even, going steady with someone apparently made his nonconformist mind go right. Playfully, Fuji finished the sentence. "Grope her?"

 

"Not quite what I was thinking, more like plaster a 'please rape me' on her back." He mumbled, adjusting in his seat to get a better view of Fuji.

 

Fuji pondered on it for awhile as if it were a serious option. As the seconds grew longer, the slant in Fuji's neck tipped further. Rowe thought the man had finally given up. Then a light bulb lit. Fuji hit his open left palm with a fisted right hand, indicating he understood. "She might appreciate that."

 

Rowe was first confused, then appalled and ended with astonished. "Have I ever told you you're crazy?"

 

"Lots." Fuji gave him his best closed eye toothy grin, and Rowe threw his hands in surrender. They were called into the office soon enough. As they approached the office, a tired conversation carried over to the hallway. "Suzuki-san, my hands are tied."

 

"A sick man shouldn't be working himself to death. I know you want the best and that you don't want heartache but at least let me help you." Suzuki berated, snatching some folders away from the businessman.

 

Rowe poised to knock over the hard wood but Fuji thought differently. Assuming that they were close enough for a simple question, he cut in. "Atobe, you're sick?"

 

Grateful for the intrusion but planning on showing neither relief nor appreciation, Atobe offered the newcomers a seat. "Quite." To his surprise Suzuki piped down. He'd expected more from the strong willed girl. "Well since you're here, let me introduce you to our new employees. Boys meet Suzuki Michie, my fiancée." She flinched painfully at the title but made no move to change it nonetheless. "Suzuki-san, this is Rowe Leon and..."

 

"Fuji Shuusuke." That did not come from him. Atobe peered at the girl. She reached out a hand from the folds of her kimono. Only the tip of her fingers visible from the heavy cloth. She was lost in her musings when Fuji had inquired as perplexed as he was. "Have we met?"

 

"Ah no. I'm being foolish." Suzuki retracted her hand immediately, covered her face with the kimono sleeve and bowed post-haste. "It's a pleasure to see you."

 

"The pleasure is mine." Fuji returned the bow with the same level of respect albeit apprehensively.

 

Atobe took the chance, retrieved Suzuki's hostages, ushered her outside, locked the bolts and began business. "Enough pleasantries. Let me give you the basic outline."

 

"Not to be rude, old chap, but we already know that. Your corporation's sitting atop a gold mine except you can't get enough people. Wider market; wider horizons. So question is when do we start?" Rowe blew at his nails, admired them and repeated the ministrations as he spoke. He was upset by something, and Fuji couldn't place what. This wasn't exactly the best attitude to present the man standing in as their boss.

 

Taking the interruption astride, Atobe checked the calendar again. "January 2. Since you'll be managing everything from scratch you get the earliest shigoto-hajime." Tapping lightly on the keyboard, he extracted their biodata and a summary of missing requirements. "I need all of your records: residential, medical, financial, proof that you can exist and grovel on my Tibetan rug." The printer whirred and reproduced the files. Passing the hardcopy to the two men, Atobe looked down on Rowe from his reading glasses. "Oh and next time you call me old chap, I'll be setting your tight little British ass on fire. Any other questions?"

 

Fuji piped in. "Can it be not work related?" Pushing some of the candy he bit on at work, Atobe sat back and nodded. They weren't strangers. It was lunch break, and he would do anything to bar Suzuki's useless worrying if only a bit longer. "Did you and Tezuka go out?"

 

Smirking, he folded his hands on his lap and parried. "Why? Jealous?" Rowe was inclined to ignore the exchange completely, and Fuji seemed genuinely intrigued.

 

"Oh no. I just thought you had a particularly nice singing voice on the phone." Fuji rejoined, signature smile in place.

 

Touché. Atobe exhaled a long suffering sigh and drawled. "If you must know," He grit his teeth. He should have strangled the idiot into changing that recording. If one of his staff ever heard that he'd have to answer to his father's friendly getting-to-know-my-son questions that had him dancing atop a tightrope. "One day, Fuji. One day."

 

This was ridiculous. Popping one chocolate confectionary into his mouth, Fuji couldn't help but be amused. "Gay, aren't we?"

 

Atobe's left eye twitched minutely. "I prefer indefinitely straight, if you'd please."

 

Fuji chuckled, and Atobe humored him by joining. "Sorry, I hate being politically correct."

 

Pedantry aside, it was the truth. There was no use to political sensitivities, except the bashful politeness you receive. However Atobe sensed something else coming. Otherwise this was just a pointless chat. One that the Fuji he knew wasn't entirely fond of to have with him. If the other man wasn't going to start the inevitable then he would have to. "Fuji, do you know?" There was no need to specify, Atobe presumed.

 

"Yes. Well, I just did." Unsure of each other, Fuji tried again. "Can I ask something else?"

 

Compelled to keep the jovial mood, Atobe agreed. "Yes. Well, you just did."

 

Dipping his head, Fuji murmured in askance. "Where does Tezuka live?"

 

Atobe mulled over it. Tezuka may not appreciate his methods but they were ultimately for him. "I'll draw you a map." Taking a piece of paper he began the sketch. He remembered Tezuka's family as he did so. Ayana's voice in the phone had been extremely pained. The grandfather nearly begged as well. Tempted as he was to shell out the money from his parent's banks he couldn't. He was heir. He was not owner. He could only hope his friend would wake up soon before his personal savings dried up.

 

Snapping him out of his contemplation, Fuji spoke softly. "You're taking this pretty well for an ex." It wasn't meant to be a jibe at his relationship. It was the best condolences they could give each other. Atobe recognized the gambit long ago and returned the comment. "Same to you, Round-About-kun."

---------------

 

Fuji requested to be left alone after the meeting. Rowe was only happy to oblige, seeing that he was in as foul a mood as his lover. Staring at the map he took in the intimacy between Atobe and Tezuka. The man even knew all the buses to take without having to check at the stops.

 

Groused and hungry, he arrived at the apartment. It wasn't much considering what he knew the man could generously give away but it was nice. True enough, it was near his house - a twenty minute walk give or take a few. Forgetting that he didn't have a key, Fuji tried the door and failed.

 

Stumped, he searched places high and low for the spare: under the "welcome home" rug that was too bright for his tastes, in the plant boxes of the taken for granted plants, on the top of the door frames which on hindsight weren't all that wide to keep the stupid metal in the first place. He even fished for it under the small crack at the door only to come up with a key chain that probably belonged to Yukio. Slumping against the door, he lifted an arm and with morbid fascination began ringing the doorbell.

 

Soon enough the landlord came rushing towards him, as much as one can with a third foot, with an angry face. Fuji regretted the prank but it was effective. "Sir, do not make a racket. The tenant hasn't returned yet." With a huff, the homely old man mentioned how lucky they were being the only ones on the floor at this hour.

 

Bowing low, Fuji acted contrite. "I'm sorry but I wanted to get in. Badly."

 

Apology accepted, doubt not erased, the old man asked. "And who might you be?"

 

"Tezuka's family" Fuji answered without a hesitation in hope that it wouldn't be questioned. The scowl on the landlord's face hadn't left and soon the old man asked for an ID. Producing his driver's license, Fuji handed it over and was promptly given a set of properly labeled keys.

 

"Atobe-kun called that someone might pass by so I'm not going to ask. Get your license back from me when you're done." The landlord whirled and headed for his post.

 

Surprised but not about to question his luck, Fuji shouted thanks before rushing into the room. Hacking up a cough, he regretted shutting the door behind him. It was hot. Standing in the middle of what would be majority of the apartment, he whisked his head around and wondered what purpose he was here for. Unlocking the various doors, he found the bathroom, the study room and the bedroom.

 

Curious he took out some clothes, saw the dress shirts, had the garments flying, stripped and wore Tezuka's apparel. If one were to come in now, they'd have classified him with the crazies immediately. Wrapped around in what essentially defines Tezuka, he fell back on the cushions, allowed himself to be swallowed by darkness and breathed everything in. It smelled distinctly of before and after the rain - sweet, calming and fresh. It reminded him of a mountain and its heights, its thrills and its strengths. It took him back to Kabutoiwa - its ethereality, their hopes and his dreams. For a moment, he believed Tezuka would wake up and stretch out his hand like he did before. Daring to dream, he cracked open an eye.

 

A picture of Mt. Fuji greeted him then there was silence. "You idiot. How am I supposed to depend on you when you're not here?" Fuji said as if he was expecting the deep bass to suddenly come with a smartass reply.

 

Adjusting the overly large shirt so it wouldn't slip any farther, he went for the study room. Or well he thought it was a study. It seemed more like a sanctuary. No books of any kind. Stacks upon stacks of pictures and trinkets were neatly organized. There was only one photo on the desk. Fingering the metal simplicity of the frame, he tipped it back. They were so young at fifteen, so young and so full of life. For the life of him he couldn't summon up when and where this event happened. It seemed pretty high up indicated by a slight fog, a suburban feel and the low light attributed from a high sunrise. Nine people in all.

 

Out of all the oddities in the room, the weirdest was the jewelry box beside the frames. He stopped himself, tempted to open the box. Settling down for touching the rough carvings of the box, he brooded over the circumstances.

 

Though he had accepted Leon's excuse, it didn't mean he wasn't hurt. He was with a man who didn't even know who he was. It didn't make sense to him. It didn't feel right anymore as if there was a hole every time he had to reassure the other of his supposedly undying love. He desperately wanted someone to feel at home with except the only one coming to mind was sleeping away. Tezuka wouldn't walk in while he would continue to have his stupid memory loss and freakish nightmares that don't make sense.

 

Snapping his head back, he made up his mind. He would go out, get lunch and visit his friend because his antics thus far were in fact useless. For him and Tezuka. After a wild goose chase for his clothes and a clean up, he set off to do just that. On his way out, the proprietor didn't pay him mind much and even agreed to his coming back.

 

Tezuka, this doesn't seem like you. Wake up. For your family. For Yukio. For yourself. God...for me.

---------------

 

Rowe walked up to the receptionist and dragged Yukio along with him. "Excuse me. May I know where Tezuka Kunimitsu is?"

 

The clerk went through the charts for confirmation and shook his head. "I'm sorry sir at this point it's family only."

 

"I am family." With the incredulous look Rowe was given he was assuming it was his obvious non-Japanese descent that gave him away. "Fine I'm with family. This kid got lost, and he's a cousin."

 

Yukio jumped up and down to greet the clerk. Relenting, he let the head nurse decide when they got there. "Go to the ICU wing, check with the nurse in charge if she can give you clearance."

 

Nodding his thanks, he followed the signs for the Intensive Care Unit. No, he did not kidnap Yukio. Yes, the boy was indeed lost. They met at the entrance. The toddler was kicking empty cans, and he, on the other hand, was a tad bored waiting for Fuji all day. He proceeded to the hospital soon after remembering they'd called earlier in the day. He'd only guessed things thereafter. He might be self-centered and obnoxious at times but he wasn't stupid. This Tezuka-fellow got into trouble, and their pompous boss was just as worried as Fuji was. Sighting a bright mop of hair, he broke into a run. He nearly forgot that there was a half-pint with him. "Sengoku-san I need to find where Tezuka Kunimitsu is, can you help?"

 

Clicking his tongue in reprimand, Sengoku admonished the European. "I am nothing but an underling, Rowe-han. Don't look at me." Sengoku felt a slight tugging on his pant leg and recognized the kid. Taken aback slightly, he asked a random co-worker. Random co-worker A pointed to random co-worker B. Random co-worker B pointed to random co-worker C. It went on for awhile, and Rowe couldn't help staring at the long line of people he interrupted. Pass in hand, Sengoku urged them to follow. "I'll show you the way."

 

Just the same when Fuji had been confined, the area was deathly quiet. Sengoku was about to knock but Rowe stopped him, leaned by the door, held onto Yukio and strained his ears to listen. Sengoku rolled his eyes. There was nothing to hear except a muffled sound and maybe a few grievances. The nurse knocked and entered much to Rowe's dismay. Fuji didn't bother stopping his ministrations by the bedside. Shock evident in his eyes, he saw Sengoku's companions but Rowe didn't make a move to enter and Yukio had little power to overcome that monstrous strength. Quickly turning back to encouraging the coma patient, Fuji held one hand with the same delicacy he did his plants and closed his eyes as if in fervent prayer.

 

Sengoku has heard of Tezuka's condition but wasn't allowed to care for him. He was a fresh graduate who would probably panic in a code situation. He knew too much about the patient. Checking the charts, he confirmed the patient's status. Nothing had changed. Tezuka was in it deep. Only Tezuka himself could pull himself together and out of the next possibility: dying. Hearing a squeak in the bed, he flicked his eyes to the bedridden twosome. Fuji made to move but he was being held back slightly. "Wait. Do that again."

 

Confused and a little angry, Fuji snapped at him. "What?"

"Not to me, to HIM. Keep talking. Do it louder." So Fuji tried. There was that twitch again. He gave Fuji ridiculous orders, and thankfully the other man followed through without anymore question. There was even one time that Tezuka tried opening his eyes and moaned. Sengoku had a go at it himself and it wasn't quite the same. No twitch, no verbal response. Then when Fuji was about to leave, Tezuka said something, it was a word probably random but it wasn't garble. Sengoku was convinced. "Doctor! Coma status!"

End Chapter 10

 

 

 

 

 

 

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