TITLE: Who Says College is Easy?

PART: Ten of Eleven

GENRE: Yaoi/Shounen-ai

PAIRING: NC SengokuShishido, developing AtobeTezuka, seemingly lost OhtoriMizuki.

DISCLAIMERS: The series I'm referring to does not belong to me… ^_^ only this weird story does.

PART 10: Conquering Heaven's Demons

"You're finally here."

Akutsu glared murderously, eyes slitted, spitting fires of hatred towards his new adversary... his old friend. "Why."

"Why?" Sengoku smiled his usual carefree smile and tilted his head to the side, as if in a show of complete innocence. "Why what?"

"Don't play games with me asshole." He growled. "Why did you maul him? The drama queen."

Sengoku laughed. "Oh? Is that his pet name? Drama Queen?"

"Kiyosumi."

The smaller of the two waved a hand dismissively. "I haven't seen him since... Tezuka-san's spectacular show."

"You lie."

Sengoku eyed him, a manic glitter in his eyes. "Just like you did. In your face, Jin." And in midst of the following laughter came the clean swipe.

Then trouble started.

oooOooo

Tezuka sat in complete burdened defeat, fingers caressing the bridge of his nose in an effort to stop the pain ringing from the back of his head. He wanted to kill someone. He was turning as murderous as the two stupid idiots restrained by thick ropes to their chairs, having a glaring match for the lack of a movable arm to take a swing with.

Fuji sat near the door, blue eyes staring in obvious fascination at the two. He knew the source of the dispute, Tezuka was sure of it, for all the reaction he displayed since Shishido's misfortune. And knowing him, he wouldn't say anything about it unless necessary - or at least, when he thinks it was necessary enough.

"What am I going to do with you two?" Tezuka sighed. "It's my second day of work and you're already making my life a living hell."

"Jin was... much enthusiastic to see me." Sengoku drawled, a smile on his face.

"Ano yaro..." Jin growled back, eyes slitted enough to make him appear like a ruffled cat.

"Enough." Tezuka grated out through gritted teeth. "Save it, both of you. Starting tomorrow, both of you are going to work in the cafeteria, and that sentence will be lifted only if I said so. I will delegate people to check if you are both doing your jobs. This is your punishment."

"What, no detention?"

He glared at Sengoku. "You don't fit in detention. Work your way to the student body's grace. Now, get out."

Akutsu sighed in defeat.

"You might want to untie us first..."

oooOooo

Dinnertime found Akutsu sitting back in his usual place inside Shishido's hospital room... and for once, Ohtori was not surprised. He was getting predictable now - and frankly, he wasn't quite sure if it was a good thing or not.

What he was sure of, was that he liked the Akutsu he was seeing now - as depressed as that person might be. This man was less callous... more patient... more of a real person.

Carefully, he set a tray of food on one of the tables and silently walked out the door. Sighing, he shook his head, eyes downcast. He missed a lot of things after what happened to Shishido. He missed his best friend... he missed Akutsu's unpredictability (It made life more exciting)... he missed... He shook his head once again.

He had done something unforgivable.

Mizuki-san... He thought. Maybe I should have given him a chance to explain... and now, even if Shishido-san is his friend, he couldn't visit because he's hiding from me.

He could distinctly remember Fuji's determination to talk to him this morning. And it was quite unsettling... but then, he did not know whether or not to believe him anymore. What he said... were they true? Because if they were - he truly had done something unforgivable...

He left Mizuki alone.

If I say I'm sorry... that I misunderstood... would he still...

oooOooo

Tezuka looked up from his papers just in time to see Mizuki carefully treading through the tall stacks of books lying carelessly on the floor. It was just his luck that Jirou and Marui came in his office and ransacked the newly installed bookshelf for a reference book on Economics.

"Mizuki." He called out, making the newcomer flinch. "What brings you here?"

Worriedly, he turned right, then left... then behind him. If Tezuka knew no better, he would've thought that he was trying to hide from someone, and he had a vague idea who it could be. His eyes softened.

"He's not here. He has Exobiology 101. He won't be through until after two hours."

He did not miss the sudden whoosh of breath that came out Mizuki. He let a small smile crawl onto his face. "So, what brings you here?"

Mizuki smiled back almost hesitantly, sitting down on one of the guest chairs. "I just wanted to ask your opinion about something... a... problem."

Tezuka raised a questioning brow. "I'm listening."

"Tezuka-san... what would you do if, for example, Atobe-san caught you doing something out of the ordinary and then forms conclusions about it when in fact, it wasn't even your fault... and then he avoids you as much as possible, and then you try to explain, but you cannot because you know he wouldn't listen to your explanations and then you would end up avoiding him too... and the you have a vague feeling that you would only end up being miserable and you cannot patch things up anymore - "

"Mizuki." Tezuka cut him off mid-tirade. "You're not making any sense. Go slower... I can't understand you, please."

Mizuki took a huge gulp of air and let it out in defeat. "Tezuka-san... I just wanted to know what you would do if Atobe decided he doesn't like you anymore because he formed a conclusion of sorts when he saw you do commit something bad and then..."

"It's Ohtori-kun, isn't it?" Tezuka said gently. He gazed back at his surprised eyes levelly.

"How did you...?"

"I know what happened." He responded calmly. "Syusuke told me and asked me almost the same thing you did... just with a more intricate twist."

Mizuki was silent. "But what do you think, Tezuka-san?"

Tezuka regarded him, with a load of sympathy present in his eyes. Slowly, he stood up, circling around his desk and stopping just behind him. Mizuki's eyes widened as he felt a sudden rush of air right into his ear. He involuntarily flinched, afraid... wishing that Tezuka wouldn't do the same thing Fuji did or he would definitely go insane.

"Mizuki-san..." Tezuka breathed almost playfully.

"Y-yes?" He asked immediately, he would have bolted if not for the restraining hand that was forcing him to stay seated.

Tezuka chuckled, straightening up, eyes twinkling as he gazed down at Mizuki's bewildered eyes. "That is your problem Mizuki-san... you do not know how to control yourself. You give way to your emotions easily... and that gives others the idea that it is fun to take advantage of you... and as for you, that distances your actions from total expiation."

Trying to calm his pounding heart, Mizuki nodded. "But you haven't answered me yet..."

"I just did."

"You... did? But you..."

"Figure it out, Mizuki-san."

oooOooo

Mizuki had been thinking for quite a while now... well, since Tezuka dropped the bomb on him this morning, that he felt guilty. He was supposed to be watching Shishido, and he actually was, for three hours now, but he was doing such a bad job of it. His mind was drifting enough to be labelled as 'daydreaming'. It was a good thing he was the only one in the hospital room, or else he would feel stupid again. His nightmare was something along the lines of Akutsu cracking and bunting him multiple times on the head just for him to focus. That would really hurt.

And obviously, he wasn't even thinking straight anymore.

Shaking his head, he looked down the pallid features of his former roommate. "Ryo..." maybe we should've remained roomies... maybe our lives wouldn't be as ruined as they are now..." He murmured, laying a hand on his friend's stomach. His eyes searched Shishido's normally smooth hands, dismayed to find them scarred. Whatever happened, it was no doubt painful. Wearily, he closed his eyes... only to open them again as he felt a sudden movement underneath the palm of his hand.

His mind was screaming, and his eyes eagerly sought out more proof. Did he imagine it? Was it real? And as he saw the twinkling eyes, he couldn't help but burst out crying.

"You are being overly dramatic - and I'm supposed to be the drama queen..."

Mizuki wailed, laughing through his tears.

"RYO YOU PRICK!"

oooOooo

Tezuka was about to settle back in his easy chair and start poring over the messy books once again when the door opened. Irritated at the prospect of another problematic person asking him for advice on personal matters (Yesterday Fuji, and then this morning Mizuki... he was thinking that Ohtori, at this time in the afternoon, would most likely be the next...), he looked up - and then, earlier irritation forgotten, he smiled. "Ah... what are you doing here?"

"Can't I visit you?" Came the wry response. "Is your existence so highly-priced now that I need to get an appointment just to meet you?"

Tezuka chuckled. "You are being ridiculous. I was just wondering, since you are supposed to have a class right now, why are you in here? Won't your professor flunk you?"

"Ah~n? Are you concerned about me, Tezuka-chan?" Atobe grinned, sitting down on the edge of the president's table.

"That's not it -"

Slowly, Atobe leant down, until his eyes were level with his, lips so close that Tezuka thought he would be kissed for sure. And kissed he was. Tezuka's eyes closed in their own volition, his senses tingling as such a simple act spread magic throughout his system. He was captured... his inhibitions ruptured by a force that made him unaware of his actions... that his arms were circling up, around Atobe's neck. He wasn't one to do such thing, but he couldn't help it... Kissing Atobe was downright amazing... was it because -

"Tezuka-san! He's awake! We - uh... erm..."

At the sudden burst of Marui Bunta's sugar-induced energy in the office, Tezuka and Atobe fell guiltily apart. Gritting his teeth, Atobe turned to glare at the newcomer. "You came in at the worst possible time."

"Ah, sorry!" The red-haired wonder huffed, crossing his arms across his chest as he popped his chewing gum. "Excuse me for bearing such humongous news!"

Tezuka cleared his throat, straightening his slightly rumpled shirt. "What news?"

As sudden as he came, a huge smile stretched across his face.

"He's awake!" Marui explained happily. "Ryo-san is awake!"

oooOooo

POKE.

POKE.

POKE.

"Hajime, are you sure he's awake?" Marui asked, popping his gum, as per usual, eyes peering, wondering at the lack of expression on Shishido's face as he poked insistently.

"I'm sure..."

"Then why is he lying so still now? Maybe you were dreaming?" Atobe huffed impatiently.

"Atobe-san... I may always make the wrong choice, but I would never make a stupid mistake like that. I know what I saw..." Mizuki said through gritted teeth.

"Hn." Tezuka replied, adjusting his glasses. He reached out a hand and along with Marui, gave Shishido a hard poke on his belly.

"OW! Tezuka-san you prick! I'M AWAKE! I'M AWAKE!"

TBC

A/N: Now, the next part would be Akutsu and Shishido's side fic... watch out for it. It would be entitled: PAINFUL INTERJECTIONS. Enjoy folks and tell me what you think! ^_^