Okay, I'm working on a follow-up fic to Wrong, but the idea for this one just struck me this morning. Hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own PoT or any of the characters therein.

Oblivious

It's very strange, Tezuka thinks as he scores the winning point in his game. First day of training for the exhibition matches, and Fuji is six minutes late. That's very unlike him.

Finally he sees Fuji jogging towards the tennis courts, tennis bag slung over his shoulder. Tezuka frowns. He's jogging much more slowly than usual.

"Fuji," Tezuka says as soon as the third year's within earshot. "Twenty laps."

Fuji, looking slightly winded, nods and heads to the locker room to change. "I'm sorry for being late," he says as he walks away, but no other explanation is forthcoming.

Tezuka frowns.

Fuji starts out jogging at a normal pace, but by the time he finishes his laps he's pale and panting, resting his hands on his knees for support. Tezuka notices and starts walking over, but Horio takes that opportunity to lose his grip on his racket, and by the time they make sure Katsuo's nose isn't broken, Fuji and Eiji are playing a match, and Tezuka goes back to coaching the first years.

"Game Kikumaru, three games to love." The words catch Tezuka off guard, and he looks over at court A. Kikumaru's moving to change courts, and dancing with his racket while he's at it, but Fuji's just standing there looking dazed. Tezuka starts walking over, but his walk tunrs into a sprint when Fuji sways and lets his racket clatter to the ground.

Eiji runs over to Fuji and puts is hand on Fuji's forehead, then just as quickly jerks it away. "Nya, Fuji-kun, you're burning up!"

Tezuka reaches them and puts his palm on Fuji's forehead. Yes, he really does feel quite hot.

"Oishi! Take over – I'm taking Fuji to the nurse."

Tezuka starts moving his hand away, but Fuji leans his head into it.

"You feel cold," he says, and his legs wobble.

Tezuka puts his arm around Fuji's back to help support him, and they start towards the nurse's office, Fuji shaking noticeably with each step.

"You shouldn't have come to practice," Tezuka says.

Fuji's eyes snap open and he looks up. "But I wanted to see…" He falters. "See if I could practice Higuma Otoshi."

Which Tezuka knows to be a blatant lie. But Fuji's eyes are slit shut again, and he looks more pale than before.

The rest of the walk passes in silence.

When Fuji is well again, he comes over to Tezuka's house to catch up on his homework, and when they've finished everything else they decide to read their English assignments outside. It's very calm in the backyard, with the gurgle of the water and the breeze blowing steadily against the house, and Tezuka dozes off ten minutes into his assignment. A while later he jerks awake and sits up. He could have sworn someone just smoothed his hair away and kissed his forehead, like his mother used to do when he was little, but when Tezuka looks around, Fuji's curled up in his chair reading, and there's no one else outside.

The day before the first exhibition match Tezuke is alone at home and trying to decide doubles two when there's a knock at the door. He opens it to see Fuji, dressed casually, with a bunch of small purple flowers gripped in his hand.

"Fuji?"

"Saa, Tezuka," says Fuji, bringing the flowers up between them. "I was buying cacti and saw these. I thought you'd like them."

Tezuka blinks and takes the flowers. Well, that's rather strange.

"Thank you," he says. Actually, they're in his favorite shade of lilac. Lucky guess. "Thank you very much."

Fuji smiles and takes a step back, and an awkward silence stretches between them.

"Would you like to come in?" Tezuka finally asks, remembering his manners. "We could discuss tomorrow's match."

Fuji's smile seems to falter a bit, and he swallows, but the next second he's back to normal and Tezuka wonders if he imagined it.

"Thanks, but I'm going to practice with Yuuta. Helps take my mind off things." With that he leaves, and Tezuka's left, bewildered, watching his back.

As Tezuka fills a vase with water and takes the flowers to his room, he wonders what's going on with Fuji. He's been acting strangely lately, even for himself. But as long as Fuji doesn't let it affect his game, Tezuka muses, it's not really any of his business, is it?