[One-shot] After The War (Prince of Tennis)
Title: After The War
Characters: Fuji, other characters
Wordcount/Rating: 500+ words / PG-13
Spoilers/Warnings: Character death
Summary: Things change after the war, but Fuji never does.
Author's Notes: This is what happens when I don't get enough sleep. Eternal love to M and R for the once-over. Dedicated to achariya, though I'm pretty sure this wasn't what you meant by "lost-and-found".
After the war, they waited.
Yuuta came home, another scar on his forehead. Yumiko and his mother cried.
Taka-san came back with his arm in a sling. His father cried, but his mother hugged him. Eiji came back in Oishi's care. His eyes followed Oishi around rooms and Fuji noticed how Oishi's eyes did the same for Eiji.
Inui returned with no notebooks. When asked, he said he'd stopped collecting data after the third month.
Momoshiro returned. He'd stopped repeating himself now. He spoke of war, of bombed buildings, of people whose names he would never know. He didn't cry, but his eyes looked haunted. Kaidoh returned, but he didn't speak of anything.
Fuji returned. He waited and waited, but Tezuka didn't.
***
Years passed.
Yuuta married. His children played with Yumiko's. His mother took pictures, refusing Fuji's help. Sometimes, Yuuta spoke to Fuji of children and marriage, but Fuji always smiled and changed the topic. Eventually, Yuuta stopped trying.
Taka-san's wife took care of the restaurant while Taka-san made sushi. His arm had healed completely. Fuji went at least once a week. They spoke of photography, of sushi, of restaurants and of Eiji and Oishi. Nothing else.
Inui watched everyone with new data-collecting tools on hand.
Momoshiro wrote books and spoke against wars everywhere he could. Kaidoh never spoke about the war except to Momoshiro, and neither of them ever repeated their conversations.
Fuji waited.
***
More years passed.
Yuuta's son married Taka-san's daughter. Yumiko married again. No one asked Fuji when it would be his turn.
Taka-san's son made sushi while Taka-san and Fuji sat and talked of Eiji, Oishi, and their animal hospital. Sometimes, Eiji and Oishi joined them.
Inui continued to collect data. He had been consulting for the government years now as part of their Directorate of Intelligence. He had refused a permanent commission three times. He had passed security clearance investigations seven times.
Momoshiro continued to speak against war. Kaidoh continued his silence.
Fuji continued to wait.
***
Yuuta passed away before his wife. Yumiko died a rich divorcee. Fuji's mother sometimes looked at Fuji with sad eyes when she thought Fuji wasn't looking, but her grandchildren were nearby and her daughter-in-law liked her. When she died, Fuji went to her funeral, but he didn't cry.
Taka-san died saving his children from the burning sushi shop. Fuji and Eiji helped his descendants rebuild it. Oishi had died of an accident years ago, but Eiji continued to lecture anyone who brought in animals suffering from neglect.
Inui's data averted an international catastrophe. No one else knew except Kaidoh.
Momoshiro and Kaidoh fought when Kaidoh spoke against Momoshiro's latest public demonstration. When Kaidoh died in his sleep, Momoshiro spoke at his funeral. There were tears in his eyes.
Fuji continued to wait.
***
As he was sitting on the veranda in the cooling night air transitioning between summer and autumn, Fuji smiled.
"I've been waiting."
***
Eiji cried. Inui arranged Fuji's memorial service. Momoshiro spoke at Fuji's funeral. All their children attended it.
From his picture on the mantel, Fuji continued to smile.
Begin: September 14, 6:02am
End: September 14, 6:21am
Characters: Fuji, other characters
Wordcount/Rating: 500+ words / PG-13
Spoilers/Warnings: Character death
Summary: Things change after the war, but Fuji never does.
Author's Notes: This is what happens when I don't get enough sleep. Eternal love to M and R for the once-over. Dedicated to achariya, though I'm pretty sure this wasn't what you meant by "lost-and-found".
After the war, they waited.
Yuuta came home, another scar on his forehead. Yumiko and his mother cried.
Taka-san came back with his arm in a sling. His father cried, but his mother hugged him. Eiji came back in Oishi's care. His eyes followed Oishi around rooms and Fuji noticed how Oishi's eyes did the same for Eiji.
Inui returned with no notebooks. When asked, he said he'd stopped collecting data after the third month.
Momoshiro returned. He'd stopped repeating himself now. He spoke of war, of bombed buildings, of people whose names he would never know. He didn't cry, but his eyes looked haunted. Kaidoh returned, but he didn't speak of anything.
Fuji returned. He waited and waited, but Tezuka didn't.
***
Years passed.
Yuuta married. His children played with Yumiko's. His mother took pictures, refusing Fuji's help. Sometimes, Yuuta spoke to Fuji of children and marriage, but Fuji always smiled and changed the topic. Eventually, Yuuta stopped trying.
Taka-san's wife took care of the restaurant while Taka-san made sushi. His arm had healed completely. Fuji went at least once a week. They spoke of photography, of sushi, of restaurants and of Eiji and Oishi. Nothing else.
Inui watched everyone with new data-collecting tools on hand.
Momoshiro wrote books and spoke against wars everywhere he could. Kaidoh never spoke about the war except to Momoshiro, and neither of them ever repeated their conversations.
Fuji waited.
***
More years passed.
Yuuta's son married Taka-san's daughter. Yumiko married again. No one asked Fuji when it would be his turn.
Taka-san's son made sushi while Taka-san and Fuji sat and talked of Eiji, Oishi, and their animal hospital. Sometimes, Eiji and Oishi joined them.
Inui continued to collect data. He had been consulting for the government years now as part of their Directorate of Intelligence. He had refused a permanent commission three times. He had passed security clearance investigations seven times.
Momoshiro continued to speak against war. Kaidoh continued his silence.
Fuji continued to wait.
***
Yuuta passed away before his wife. Yumiko died a rich divorcee. Fuji's mother sometimes looked at Fuji with sad eyes when she thought Fuji wasn't looking, but her grandchildren were nearby and her daughter-in-law liked her. When she died, Fuji went to her funeral, but he didn't cry.
Taka-san died saving his children from the burning sushi shop. Fuji and Eiji helped his descendants rebuild it. Oishi had died of an accident years ago, but Eiji continued to lecture anyone who brought in animals suffering from neglect.
Inui's data averted an international catastrophe. No one else knew except Kaidoh.
Momoshiro and Kaidoh fought when Kaidoh spoke against Momoshiro's latest public demonstration. When Kaidoh died in his sleep, Momoshiro spoke at his funeral. There were tears in his eyes.
Fuji continued to wait.
***
As he was sitting on the veranda in the cooling night air transitioning between summer and autumn, Fuji smiled.
"I've been waiting."
***
Eiji cried. Inui arranged Fuji's memorial service. Momoshiro spoke at Fuji's funeral. All their children attended it.
From his picture on the mantel, Fuji continued to smile.
Begin: September 14, 6:02am
End: September 14, 6:21am