Catch My Fall

Chapter 5: I must have dreamed a thousand dreams. Been haunted by a million screams.


All of my hate cannot be found. I will not be drowned by your thoughtless scheming. So, you can try to tear me down. Beat me to the ground. I will see you screaming.


Fuji was mostly silent for the rest of the evening until it was time for him to sing, and then he continued being silent all the way back to his house. He was intrigued about the song choices Fuji had made. They were loud, angry, and bitter. It was strange to hear that beautiful voice belt out lyrics to that song. He hadn’t heard it before, and he doubted the original band’s singer was anything like Fuji. He had sounded sincere as he sang the words. It worried him a little, but he didn’t say anything, not knowing quite how.

Tezuka found it odd that he kept looking at Fuji, hoping he'd speak. He normally wished people would be silent, and reveled in it when he was gifted with it. Now, however, he wanted to hear Fuji's voice. He liked listening to him chatter on about whatever he was thinking about. Tezuka sighed internally and decided that he may need to check himself in somewhere soon, because being with Fuji was making him utterly daft.


Upon entering the flat, Tezuka fixed Fuji a cup of tea before he readied for bed. He was tired and the past few nights of sleeping on the couch weren’t doing his body any favours. After he finished, he sat down to a cup of tea as Fuji used the bathroom. Contemplating what he should say to him, Tezuka stared off, only mindlessly bringing the tea to his lips every few minutes.

When Fuji emerged, he was about to bid him goodnight, but Tezuka could tell that he wanted to speak. Sitting down next to him, Fuji looked about nervously before stealing Tezuka’s tea cup and taking a sip of it.

“I need to meet someone tomorrow,” Fuji began abruptly. Tezuka heard the unspoken request for him to be there.

Tezuka calmly reached out and put an arm around Fuji, allowing him to rest his head against Tezuka’s shoulder. “Who are we going to see?”

He knew he did the right thing when he saw Fuji smile as he said we. “My brother, Yuuta.”

Surprised, Tezuka asked, “I didn’t know you had siblings?”

“You’re wondering why I’m abusing your generosity and sleeping on your couch when I have family close by.”

He shook his head. “I have no generosity for you to abuse.”

Smirking, Fuji continued. “I have a younger brother, Yuuta, and an older sister, Yumiko. We haven’t seen each other in a while, but Yuuta has some of my things, including my violin and some other precious things I didn’t take with me. He’s been protecting them for me.”

He raised his eyebrow at Fuji’s use of the word protecting because it seemed more sincere than anything.

“Yuuta and I don’t always get along. He had trouble when I was accepted into a school that he wasn’t. It’s been better since he found his own niche. He’s a businessman and has a company with his friend Mizuki Hajime.”

Tezuka was surprised. “The Mizuki Hajime?”

Fuji nodded. “I don’t know why people like his clothing, but it sells. Yuuta deals with the management aspects and Mizuki works on his designs. I get a shirt every single holiday and I’ve not worn any of them once. It’s a whole level of gay that even I can’t top.”

Chuckling, Tezuka played with Fuji’s hair. “Will you wear one for me?”

Moving his head off of Tezuka’s shoulder, Fuji turned so their faces were nose to nose. “Why would you want to see me in that? Unless it was the only thing I was wearing.”

Tezuka could feel his face heating up. “I should be so lucky.”

“I’ll think about it,” Fuji said with a grin as placed his head back on Tezuka’s shoulder.

“Erm.”

Fuji didn’t say anything else, and Tezuka didn’t either. Only five minutes later, he felt Fuji’s head move. Looking over, he saw that Fuji was sleeping. Slowly, so he didn’t wake Fuji up, he moved his head until it was resting in his lap. Tezuka hoped that it was as comfortable for Fuji as it had been for him when he’d done the same.

He had barely dozed off when the vibration of his cell phone nudged him awake. He gently moved Fuji’s head so it was on the sofa before he answered the phone.

“Atobe.”

“I wouldn’t know.”

“Must we discuss my sex life?”

“Fine. My lack of one.”

“I noticed.”

“It is very nice.”

“I do not stare at it all day long.”

“I do not.”

“I don’t think you can tell by looking.”

“Tighter than a snare drum? When did you get so crude?”

“Echizen? Ryoma or Nanjiroh?”

“I should have known. Like father, like son.”

“Why did you call me?”

“It’s so very you to be excessively nosey.”

“I don’t want to know.”

“I don’t care if he’s the best private eye in the universe.”

“He’ll tell me if he wants me to know.”

“I am not.”

“And you’re an expert now?”

“When have you ever loved anyone aside from yourself?”

“It is the point.”

“Fine. What is your point?”

“And what if I am?”

“Isn’t that what you wanted?”

"There's more to life than just sex."

"Trust you? You're not serious."

"The last time I trusted you I found a prostitute in my room when I came home from work."

"I'm sure whoever it is that you're sleeping with is missing your magnificent company."

"I don't want to know."

“I’m hanging up now.”

Tezuka glared at the phone, wishing that Atobe could feel it wherever he was now. Nothing got on his nerves more than getting relationship advice from a man who couldn’t keep it in his pants to save his life. If he were honest, he’d admit that he was curious about what Atobe’s detective found out about Fuji that would instigate Atobe to call him. But, he had meant it when he said he'd wait for Fuji to tell him.

He checked on Fuji once more and, noting that he was comfortable, went to his own bed for some much needed sleep. Tezuka hadn't been asleep for more than an hour when he heard noise coming from the living room. He almost didn't want to move, but he forced himself to see if Fuji was all right.

Tezuka wasn't sure what to do, because Fuji was thrashing on the couch, face covered in sweat, murmuring a name under his breath. All of a sudden, Fuji sat up like a shot, panting as he looked around the room wildly. It wasn't until he laid eyes on Tezuka that he calmed down. He went to the kitchen, and got a glass of ice cold water and a towel, bringing both over to Fuji.

Tezuka cleaned Fuji's face without a word as he drank the water. Nodding his thanks, Fuji set down the empty glass. When Fuji seemed calm enough, Tezuka got to his feet and made his way back to bed, and if he heard Fuji trail after him, he didn't say anything. He closed his eyes almost as soon as he got under the covers, and if he noticed Fuji settle in next to him, he didn't acknowledge it. And if he shifted to allow Fuji to press his forehead against his back and shoulders, and if he felt Fuji's arms wrap around his waist, resting on his belly, he never said anything at all.

Upon waking, Tezuka, unlike his routine, stayed in bed for a few minutes longer. Due to his tallness in height and broadness of shoulders, he, in his few relationships, always did the holding. Today, however, he was in Fuji's arms, and it felt strange and wonderful all at once. Fuji was pressed against him tightly, and he could feel the soft puffs of breath against his shoulders, and the soft hair tickling the back of his neck. Their legs were entangled and Fuji's hand was resting against the waistband of his boxer shorts.

That calm, however, was short lived. Fuji shifted in his sleep, hips moving slightly, pressing Fuji's lower half directly against his arse as that hand drifted down, brushing against his erection. Tezuka felt trapped in some sort of delicious torture device. If he moved away from Fuji's cock, his own would rub against Fuji's hand, if he moved away from the hand, he would be grinding his arse against Fuji's erection. Instead, he tried to not move an inch, and closed his eyes in an attempt to regain control. Just as he reached ten, Fuji murmured something in his sleep, causing those damned full lips to drag across his back. His eyes flew open, and did the only thing that made sense to him in that moment, he rolled over, ignoring Fuji's hand as it slid across his cock, and put his arms around the damned temptation laying in his bed.

Sighing, Tezuka shifted closer to Fuji, and whispered in his ear, "When do we meet your brother?"

Fuji blinked a few times, and sat up in the bed, looking completely bewildered about how he had came to be there before he comprehension dawned in his eyes.

"Morning, Tezuka."

Tezuka noted that Fuji did not seem to be a morning person. "Morning, Fuji."

"What time is it?"

Looking over at his clock, he responded, "Eight."

Nodding, Fuji flopped back down on the pillow that he hadn't bothered using last night. "I'm sorry." About everything went unsaid.

Tezuka frowned. "I told you I don't mind."

Smiling, Fuji looked at him for a moment, before he leaned toward him, and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you." For everything went unsaid as well.

He got out of bed, walking to the bathroom and felt a surge of delight that he wasn't the only one doing the ogling. He could feel Fuji's gaze on his arse as he walked around in his boxers. Modesty seemed unimportant when he was the focus of Fuji's attention.


They had just barely reached the café where they were supposed to meet Yuuta on time. Tezuka spotted him immediately. They looked similar, but he noted amusedly, looking at Yuuta in a suit sitting impatiently for them did absolutely nothing for him and watching Syusuke brush his teeth did.

Yuuta eyed him strangely as he sat down next to Fuji in the seats across from him. He then turned his attention to his brother. "Aniki?"

Fuji's smile was strained, and he shook his head almost imperceptibly no. "Yuuta, you look well."

"As do you, Aniki," Yuuta said as he looked at Tezuka.

This," Fuji said, placing his hand on his shoulder," is Tezuka."

Forcing a smile on his face, Yuuta acknowledged him. "Tezuka-san."

Fuji fiddled with the coffee he had ordered. "Things been quiet lately?"

Tezuka could sense that the question was loaded with heavy meaning. "Yes."

"Good."

Then it was Yuuta who looked uncomfortable. "Not for much longer, though."

The colour drained from Fuji's face, even though he tried to hide it. "Why do you say that?"

"Things are always changing, moving. Things tend to pop up when everything seems too quiet."

"I see. Excuse me," Fuji said as he got to his feet. "I need to use the men's room."

Tezuka watched as Fuji walked away before he turned his attention to Yuuta.

"He hasn't told you anything, has he?" Yuuta asked, with a frown.

Tezuka shook his head. "A few things. And there are a few things I've observed."

"Are you two involved?" Yuuta was blunt.

He appreciated not having to dance around things, but didn't know how to answer the question. They had kissed once and they'd slept in each other's arms three times. Tezuka couldn't deny what he wanted, and how he felt, so he didn't bother. "Yes."

"He said that he's staying with you until he finds his own place."

"Yes."

Yuuta placed his hand down on the table, tapping it a few times, before he continued. "Convince him to stay with you."

Tezuka was expecting many things, but certainly not that. "What?"

"You don't want him to move, do you?" Yuuta, Tezuka noticed, was very perceptive.

"Of course not."

Yuuta looked serious, frown on his face, and asked in a voice that could be considered pleading. "Just convince him to stay with you."

"Is he in danger?" Tezuka asked, thinking blunt was best at this point.

Shooting him an appraising look, Yuuta looked as if he had decided something about him. "He doesn't know how to take proper care of himself."

Tezuka didn't argue with Yuuta, but wondered what the real reason was. "I will."

Fuji had come back just after they came to an arrangement of sorts. "Sorry, I was so long."

"It's not a problem, Fuji."

"Don't worry, Aniki. Come on, your things are out in my car."

Fuji smiled at his brother. "Thanks, Yuuta."

Yuuta tried to look aggrieved, but Tezuka could tell he was pleased his brother was happy. "Come on, Aniki, Tezuka-san, I'll give you a ride back to the flat."

AN: Um. The phone conversation is entirely Tezuka's side of it, but it looks too sloppy if formatted differently. Quote at the top is from Korn's "Thoughtless"
Thank you to all the reviewers.