Catch My Fall

Chapter 3: I will ride by your side wherever you go. I won't run. I won't hide. Just letting you know.


Atobe, for once, was without words. Tezuka thought that he really needed Fuji to stay by his side, and he tried to convince himself it was only due to that one phenomenon.

Fuji walked over to him and offered him a coffee, which he stood up and accepted.

"Two sugars?" Fuji asked, and he nodded. Tezuka realised that he wasn't the only one paying close attention during those few minutes at the coffee shop. It did embarrass him a little that Fuji had noticed the way he took his drink, and he had only noticed the way Fuji's pants took to his arse.

Fuji looked back at Atobe. "No one answered my question. Whom should Tezuka sleep with?"

Atobe looked as if he was going to choke on repressed laughter. He opened his mouth to answer, but Tezuka did not even want to know what he might answer in response.

"No one will be sleeping with anyone," Tezuka said with finality, preventing Atobe from doing what he did best: acting like an arrogant jerk.

"Speak for yourself," Atobe muttered under his breath as he focused more intently on his paperwork.

Moving past him, their elbows were almost touching, Fuji said quietly as he moved toward the back, "That's certainly a pity."

Tezuka felt his cheeks burn slightly as he ignored Atobe's annoying knowing look and sat down only to bury his face in the newspaper once more.


A few minutes later, the entire staff began piling into the club. Fuji had just come from getting changed into his, erm, stage clothes and he was sidelined by Sakuno and Tomoka. Tezuka wondered if he should rescue him, but he had to get things ready himself. Instead, he kept his ear open, and decided to only help if Fuji looked liked he needed it.

"Are you dating anyone?" Tomoka asked Fuji, who sincerely seemed like he'd rather be elsewhere.

He could feel Fuji's eyes on him for a moment. "Not yet."

Tomoka bounced as she tied her apron around her waist. "I know a few girls that would love to date you."

Shaking his head, Fuji replied, "That's unnecessary."

Tomoka frowned for a moment before something dawned on her. "OH! I know a few boys as well." She winked at him as she spoke. Sakuno's face was bright red.

"Tomo-chan, please don't…" Sakuno tried to interject.

"You can go on double dates with me and Taka!" Tomoka chattered on.

Sakuno tugged on Tomoka's arm. "You shouldn't make plans without asking your husband."

Rolling her eyes, Tomoka looked over at Sakuno, "Takashi doesn't mind. Ryoma-kun might, though."

Sakuno looked at her feet. "Ryoma-kun and I aren't seeing each other."

Tomoka nudged her, and smiled at Fuji. "Unrequited love is awful, isn't it?"

Fuji looked over at him again. "Yes, it is."

Deciding to finally rescue Fuji, Tezuka walked over to the two waitresses. "Get to work or you'll be doing inventory for a month."

Sakuno scuttled off, and Tomoka merely grinned at him before following her. "Sakuno, I don't think I have to worry about match-making."

Tezuka felt his eyebrow twitch, but he let it go when he heard Sakuno shush Tomoka before she could say anything else.

"Thank you, Tezuka. It seems like you're my hero, rescuing me like that." Fuji smiled playfully at him.

Tezuka let a small smile touch his lips in response. "Anytime. Now, get to work. That punishment is for everyone."

Fuji laughed as he walked toward the stage, "Yes, Boss. Can't be naughty at work."

The bar, Tezuka decided, would hide a multitude of sins, including the erection that Fuji had just given him with a few words and a mischievous smile. He hurried back and hid behind it, only emerging to end yet another argument between Kaidoh and Momoshiro.

That night was busier than the last and he couldn't help but attribute it to Fuji's playing and word of mouth. It was only the second night and it already felt natural to have Fuji waiting for him as he closed up just as it felt equally natural to walk together to his house side by side.

He felt a bit stupid for whatever level of comfort Fuji had given him in such a short time that others hadn't managed in years and something told him it had nothing to do with how much he appreciated Fuji's rear end. Although, Tezuka thought bemusedly, he did spend an awful lot of time thinking about it.

Tonight as they enjoyed a cup of tea on his sofa, they talked instead of sitting in silence. Tezuka found himself telling Fuji a little about his family, particularly his mother, and growing up being friends with Atobe, who, Tezuka emphasized, was a good man no matter how annoying he came across.

He also spoke of school and an old dream he once had of playing tennis before he discovered music. Tezuka even found himself telling Fuji about band he once played with during high school with Atobe. Fuji just listened, his attention completely focused on him, and he felt overwhelmed by it.

"You played drums?" Fuji's smile only grew larger when he was amused by something.

Tezuka nodded. "Atobe sang, Oshitari, a friend of Atobe's, played guitar, and Yamato, a senpai of mine, played bass."

"Will you play for me? I played for you," Fuji asked with a gleam in his eyes.

Tezuka looked down at his cup. "Maybe one day. I've not played in years."

"That's too bad. I don't believe I'd survive without music," Fuji said as he played with the hem of his shirt.

Not knowing what to say, Tezuka remained silent. There was a sadness in Fuji's voice that he couldn't quite comprehend. He wished he could do something about it, but didn't even know where to begin, or why he felt so compelled.

Tezuka felt himself drift in between sleep and wakefulness and noticed, once again, his head was in Fuji's lap. Tezuka mused that he could easily get used to it before he told himself that it was a ridiculous hope. Just as he was about to sit up, he heard Fuji whisper to him, running those beautiful fingers through his hair. His whole body tingled from the light touch. He slowed his breathing and listened.

"Tezuka, I don't know how to tell you everything, but I want to. I'm just..." Fuji said trailing off.

Fuji's hand stilled and so did Tezuka's lungs. "I should leave before I get too attached to you."

Tezuka wanted to open his eyes and demand Fuji stay and never leave, but he couldn't and then he felt Fuji's lips pressed against his so lightly, and had to stop himself from kissing back.

Fuji pulled back with a sigh. "Why can't I think rationally around you?"

Tezuka fought the urge to ask question, clarifying what Fuji was saying to him. Did this mean he wasn't going to leave?

Laughing in a thoroughly self-deprecating manner, Fuji smoothed the fabric of the shirt on his chest. "Whomever you fall in love with won't stand a chance."

That surprised him. He was sure that he'd been obvious in his attraction. Almost everyone at work had commented on it, either to his face or behind his back. Tezuka couldn't fathom Fuji not noticing it. It was rather insulting, in a way, because no one else had ever made him act like such a fool, and here Fuji was thinking that was his natural state.

"Help me, I don't know what I'm saying. Sometimes this tongue can be betraying. And if I'm wrong, is that such a crime? And if you want, you can set my words to right…And as you're laughing at this fool tonight, let me rid myself of any line that I might use to trip you up. And as I'm howling at the moonlight, don't you kid yourself, I will be your luck even at my worst, I will be your luck and never be your curse."


"Is that one of yours?" Tezuka asked, thinking it was finally a decent "waking up" opportunity after Fuji finished singing.

Fuji looked surprised to hear him for a moment, before that smile was back in place. "No, not mine. Nothing I've written has lyrics."

Tezuka didn't make any move to sit up, and Fuji made no move to stop playing with his hair. "Would you play me something of your own?"

Nodding, Fuji replied, "Once I get my violin from back home."

Latching onto the rare opportunity to discover a little more about Fuji, Tezuka asked, "Home?"

Fuji stilled, clearly uncomfortable, but spoke anyhow. "I come from Chiba. However, I left the country for a few years. Traveled Europe. I just came back to Japan a few weeks ago."

Brow furrowed, Tezuka pressed on. "Problems?"

Nodding minutely, Fuji assented. "Yes. A few. I needed to get away from everything for a while."

"I understand. My mother once said that there's no point in running away because your troubles will follow you."

Fuji snorted at that. "Truer words have never been spoken."

Tezuka placed his hand over Fuji's and squeezed. "You can tell me."

"I know." It was merely two words, but the enormity of what they had meant floored Tezuka. Fuji, he thought, would never do anything by halves. He just breezed into his life, sang a few songs, smiled a few smiles and took him over completely.


Tezuka felt quite warm and comfortable and he did not want to wake up, but something told him that he should. Opening his eyes, he could see a pile of light brown hair. He blinked a few times, but Fuji didn't disappear. He wasn't dreaming. Fuji was fully on top of him, asleep and wrapped around him. He stayed still for a few moments, just savouring the closeness before he decided to repay the favour to Fuji. He brushed Fuji's hair back, tilting his chin, and kissed his lips as softly as he could manage.

Tezuka closed his eyes. He. Was. In. Trouble.

Fuji shifted on top of him, making him very much aware of their closeness, and it was then that he decided to wake Fuji for fear of embarrassing himself all over Fuji's hip.

"Fuji, wake up," he said as quietly as he could.

Shifting some more, Fuji slowly opened his eyes, before they widened at his position.

"Ah, sorry, Tezuka," Fuji murmured, blush colouring his face.

Tezuka shook his head. "I didn't mind."

Chuckling, Fuji just stared at him for a few minutes, smile playing on his lips. "Neither did I."

"Would you like to do something before work?" Tezuka asked, both hoping Fuji would and would not see this as a request for a date.

Fuji looked at him in surprise, but he also looked pleased. "Yes, I'd love to. What did you have in mind?"

AN: Song is The Curse by Audioslave.