rp log Tezuka/Atobe

[empathiclord.livejournal.com]

Rating: PG
Dated: Monday?
Summary: Concerned by Atobe’s journal post, Tezuka goes to the Brotherhood to visit his ex-boyfriend.

Atobe sighed and moved from his computer, catching a glimpse of his reflection in one of the many mirrors that adorn his space. He winced slightly, his arctic blue eyes appeared dulled and listless, he had dark circles and his otherwise pristine hair was a bit thrown off. For anyone else, being ill was an acceptable excuse to appear half in the grave, but not for Ore-sama. Groaning as another dizzy bout of pain seemed to converge behind his eyes, he pinched his nose and sighed. Not likely anyone would dare disturb him, as he even had a ‘do not disturb’ sign on his door.

Having decided that was that, Atobe returned to his bed, taking a few more aspirin with sparkling bottled water and crawling beneath his 300 count Egyptian cotton sheets.

Since making the decision to visit Atobe, and heading out to do just that, Tezuka had been running an internal debate. Was this really such a good idea? Would Atobe even want to see him? Did it even matter? In the end it all boiled down to one thing, the person he loved … and yes, he could still admit to himself that he was in love with Atobe Keigo … was ill, and he wanted to be there. And Atobe must be ill if he was contemplating getting medical advice, despite what he'd said online.

As his mind whirled through these thoughts he didn't notice approaching the brotherhood building until he'd almost walked past it. Back-tracking a few paces he took a moment to gather himself, debating the sense of this for a final time before actually heading in, following the route to Atobe's room through memory. He was thoroughly surprised not to have run into anyone from the brotherhood before he got to the door.

Glancing at the do not disturb sign Tezuka shook his head, tapping on the door lightly then, without waiting for an answer, walked in. "Atobe?"

He didn’t hear the quiet question, but merely rolled over in his bed toward the wall and curled up a little more, waiting for the painkillers to stop the dull thudding behind his eyes and let him at least rest a little while. The bedding was warm enough to please him for now, but he couldn’t help but think he had heard the door open.

He rolled over again, barely peeking out from the blankets, assuming it was either the birdboy or Wakato. “Can’t you people read a simple sign?” Honestly, what did he have to do to get a simple night’s rest in this god-forsaken school of idiots? Rising slowly, he glared toward the door and pulled his open nightshirt closed over his chest to keep the cold out. Kunimitsu? “Oh, did you want something, Tezuka?”

"To see just how stubborn you're being." It was a surprise to see the normally perfectly groomed Atobe looking so, well, terrible, and worrying. Something was obviously wrong for him to be in this condition and Tezuka stepped forward to press the back of his hand against Atobe's forehead on pure instinct. He was no doctor, but Atobe's skin was definitely warmer than he ever remembered it being, a slight fever perhaps? "How long have you felt this way?"

He didn’t expect this, or he would have been better prepared, or would have left yesterday. Shooting a slightly irritated frown at the other for being presumptuous over his condition, he moved back from the touch. If Tezuka felt he was too good for Ore-sama when they broke up, he had no right touching him. Even if it was nice. “The same time as the others started reporting difficulties with their mutations.”

That would make it almost two weeks then, "And you're just thinking about getting help?" It was odd, he didn't think anyone else was ill because of his, the only lasting reactions he'd noticed were the mental ones, but then, it hadn't really bothered him at all so he couldn't say anything for certain.

Folding his arms across is chest, the best thing to do since Atobe obviously didn't want to be touched, Tezuka found himself at a loss for what to do now. He'd only visited with the intention of seeing exactly how Atobe was, he hadn't expected to find that the other actually was sick and he didn't particularly want to leave him in this condition.

It was all mental stress causing the damage to his immunity anyway, too much stress or anything coupled with fatigue could lead to illnesses. But he wouldn’t learn that this time around. “I do not care for the med bay.” He rolled his eyes disdainfully. As if he would be expected to share space in that dingy dungeon with the other patients and use hospital bedding? His personal doctor would keep mutancy a secret for a price, and made house calls. He looked at the other expectantly, “so how are….things?”

Stubbornness. Tezuka should have guessed that really, though if the staff of the medbay here made even half the fuss they did in Ryuhana Tezuka could understand the reluctance, he only went himself if he had no other choice. "And I suppose you haven't let anyone else see you in this condition?" Which begged the question of Atobe's eating habits lately. Had someone at least been bringing him his meals?

“I am not a hermit, Ku-Tezuka.” He had gone out a few times, only to grab something to eat and prove to the staff and students that he was, in fact, alive. No point in causing a disaster should he disappear. “Of course I am not merely hiding in a dark room at all times.” He just made it a point of honor to look his best and wear sunglasses during his limited outings.

"Of course not," the humour in Tezuka's voice was barely there, impossible to note if you weren't familiar with the subtle variations in tone, but there nonetheless. Atobe's haughtiness, even (or perhaps especially) in cases like this was amusing to watch. And Tezuka had caught Atobe's slip, faint stirrings of hope rising in his chest only to be quashed again at the correction.

Due to their familiarity, Atobe could sense it without his powers and broke a small smirk over his pale face. He was inwardly relieved at saving himself, there was no way he was going to go back to Tezuka ever. Not unless he apologized in full for being completely wrong. “What brought you here? Going to play with the humming bird again?” There was the tiniest sliver of envy carried in his quiet tone. Not that he had meant for it to slip either, envy being a wasted emotion, after all.

"If you mean Shishido then say so. But no, I'm not here to visit him," though maybe that would have been a better idea, if the other boy wasn't so determined for him to fix his relationship with Atobe anyway. "I'm here to visit you, that is what friends do," and he'd thought they were that at least.

“Very well. Shishido it is.” For now.

Friends. Well it was mildly better than ex boyfriends. But it was close to settling, and he preferred all or none. “To visit, hn? Very well, that makes you my guest.” His way of offering a snack or for the other to get comfortable if he intended this to be a long visit.

Tezuka was at a loss for what to do next, Atobe wasn't exactly inviting his company, but he wasn't rejecting it either. Moving to Atobe's desk chair Tezuka decided he would just have to risk Atobe asking him to leave. Glancing around the darkened room, wondering why he'd been stupid enough to ever let silences get strained between them, his gaze landed on something interesting, the same photo he'd given Atobe for Christmas. Absently wondered if it had been taken out of the frame yet, then dismissed the idea, Atobe would surely have said something about the apology if he'd seen it.

Catching the other looking at the photo, he smiled faintly in the darkened room and pulled his blankets up around his shoulders slightly. “That was a long time ago, wasn’t it?” He’d spent a lot of time looking at the photo, tracing that frame with his fingers and putting it back. He’d hoped that there would be an apology, but he was always disappointed when Tezuka never spoke with him.

"Too long," back before any of this mess, before their powers, before this foolish war that was starting, even before they'd been romantically involved. Moving from the desk he took a seat on the edge of Atobe's bed to see the photo better, careful to keep an acceptable distance between them still. "If we could go back..." but that was a foolish thing to say. He, better than most, should know that it was the future they should look to not the past, and even if the could go back he wouldn't change anything. What had happened, both good and bad, were things that had shaped them into who they were now, and would continue to do so for the rest of their lives.

He had to agree. Leaning in to look at the photo with the other, he shrugged. “I really don’t even remember when this was taken.” They’d been a good deal younger though, and even then Tezuka wore those glasses that made him look a lot older than he was. Touching the frame, he tried to see if his powers were working, to see what the other was feeling. All he got was a sharp shooting pain behind his eyes that made him drop the photo and grab at his skull.

"Keigo?" reaching out instinctively, not even noticing his use of Atobe's given name in his concern, Tezuka placed a hand on Atobe's shoulder for a moment before removing and looking for some way to help his friend. Spying the water and painkillers nearby he wondered how many Atobe had taken already before taking out a couple of pills and offering them along with the water. He trusted Atobe to know whether he'd be exceeding the recommenced dose or not, and if he didn't Tezuka would make sure he got down to the medbay safely.

Accepting the bottle with a grateful expression, he quickly took two pills with a gulp of water and leaned forward slightly. “It isn’t that bad. Calm down, Kunimitsu.” He rubbed at his temples again and waited for the pills to help out with the pain. He was trying to stand on his own, and leaning against the other and crying about it was not going to help anyway.

Shifting away slightly to give Atobe a little more space Tezuka nodded. He trusted the other boy to know his limits, to know what his body could cope with, and not push too far past them. Grasping Atobe's shoulder once more, Tezuka rose, "You should rest," he told him, making his way to the door.

Smiling slightly at the friendly gesture, he nodded and made a sound of agreement before rubbing his forehead again, and deciding this was like an ice cream headache. “Visit again sometime when my head is not going to explode.”

Not expecting the invitation Tezuka paused at the door, the faintest hint of a smile colouring his voice as he replied, "I will. Goodbye Keigo." And then he was gone, heading back to his own school a great deal happier than he'd been in a long while.