Easier To Run

It's easier to run
Replacing this pain with something numb
It's so much easier to go
Than face all this pain here all alone

Something has been taken from deep inside of me
The secret I've kept locked away no one can ever see
Wounds so deep they never show they never go away
Like moving pictures in my head for years and years they've played

(If I could change I would take back the pain I would)
(Retrace every wrong move that I made I would)
(If I could stand up and take the blame I would)
(If I could take all the shame to the grave I would)
(If I could change I would take back the pain I would)
(Retrace every wrong move that I made I would)
(If I could stand up and take the blame I would)
(I would take all my shame to the grave)

It's easier to run
Replacing this pain with something numb
It's so much easier to go
Than face all this pain here all alone

Sometimes I remember the darkness of my past
Bringing back these memories I wish I didn't have
Sometimes I think of letting go and never looking back
And never moving forward so there'd never be a past

Just washing it aside
All of the helplessness inside
Pretending I don't feel misplaced
It's so much simpler than change

Yuujiro looped the song for the tenth time. Unconsciously, his fingers trailed over his soft pink lips. It had been a week since he'd 'kissed' his best friend Tooru. At the time he was just trying to get Tooru's psychotic cousin to back the hell off. He had been tempted to slap the girl, but fell back on his second nature, being a horrible tease.

Looking back on it, he was kind of shocked himself. They flirted all the time, being princesses they kind of had too, but this was different and he knew it. Sighing, he leaned back in his desk chair and hung his head back, his golden hair cascading down the back of the wood. Glancing at their empty beds Yuujiro sighed heavily. After class and their princess duties were done Tooru had, once again, fled their room with some lame excuse.

This time it was because he had to go to the library. Yeah right, Yuujiro knew it was because he was uncomfortable being around him. It wasn't like they hadn't messed with people about being more than friends before; hell they did that to Mikoto at least once a week! But Tooru's absence in his life was really starting to get to him. One way or another they had to get past this.

He glanced at the clock on the wall, 5:30pm, another half hour and Tooru wouldn't have the library as an excuse anymore. That's it! Slamming his math book closed he quickly grabbed his jacket and marched from their room. He was going to get Tooru to talk to him about this right now! Patience wasn't his strongest attribute and at the moment he didn't really care what Tooru's excuse was, he just wanted his friend back.

----

(a-t/2)2 = (b-t/2)2

a-t/2 = b-t/2

a = b

Tooru twirled his pencil between his fingers, lightly tapping the desk with his free hand. This math was a pointless as hiding out in the library. He dropped his hand to the desk heavily, the pencil clattering across its wooden surface. Breathing deeply he leaned forward and rested his head on his crossed arms. Looking out the stained glass window he absently noticed that the etched glass was outlined by ruby colored roses.

Tooru mused that they were the same color as Yuujiro's favorite lipstick...he sat bolt upright, why the hell would I think about that?! Whether they were or not didn't matter, shouldn't matter at least, but they did. He knew all sorts of little things about his dorm mate, that he had a small birthmark on his lower back near his hip, that he hated broccoli, that his favorite movie was a Jackie Chan flick, that his skin was as soft as silk when it flitted across his...NO!!! Bad brain! Bad!

He flailed silently in his seat, hands on head he messed up his hair trying to get the thoughts out of his head. I do not like Yuujiro that way! I do not! He tried to regulate his breathing, counting backwards from ten he was almost under control when he noticed his fingers were slowly rubbing the place where Yuujiro had kissed him.

----

Yuujiro knew exactly where to look in the two story building. They had their own princess reading room, sure, but that wasn't their spot. He climbed the spiral staircase half obscured in shadows. The setting sun threw fiery fingers of light across the blue haired boy sitting at the old oaken desk. Yuujiro had come in halfway through his spazzing out.

He was about to call out to him when Tooru's fingers brushed his lips. The half lidded amethyst eyes were soft and sad, almost wistful looking, but that couldn't be...could it? Yuujiro wasn't thinking, not anything coherent anyways, but the sight of Tooru in the fading light, fingers slightly fondling his lips....

Yuujiro walked straight up to him in the darkening room. Tooru gave a slight start, "Yuu...Mph!" Yuujiro leaned down and took the boys' face in his hands, roughly pressing their lips together, teeth clanking as he pressed the startled boy back into his chair. Yuujiro slowly changed the fierce kiss into something lighter, sweeter. Opening his eyes partly he gave Tooru one of his best sultry looks.

----

Yuujiro's smoldering copper eyes made Tooru's breath catch. He didn't think Yuujiro would come looking for him, and defiantly didn't think he'd kiss him again...and never like this... "Mmm..." he moaned into the new kiss. Yuujiro's eyes had his stomach flipping, like he was falling into some never ending golden void. The first kiss was pure lust, but this, this was something else, something heady and magnificent and fearsome all at once.

He felt Yuujiro's tongue dance across his lips and he obligingly opened them slightly, just enough for their tongues to meet, to explore each other's mouths and share a single hot breath. Tooru felt his chair being pushed back against the wall, the slight scrapping sound breaking his reverie. The golden haired beauty broke the kiss long enough to walk around the table, but he never broke contact with Tooru.

----

A trailing finger sliding across Tooru's cheek sent small shivers running up and down his back. As he rounded the desk the blue haired princess scrambled up from the chair, backing away slightly. Yuujiro giggled, a small smile on his face, "Too...ru...-kun...You've been avoiding me." He lightly flipped his hair over his shoulder, flashing that devilishly handsome smile at his friend.

"No..no I haven't...Yuujiro...please, just..." Tooru had done something very, very stupid just then.

Yuujiro raised an eyebrow and smiled at his friend. "Tooru-kun, you do realize what you just did, right?"

Tooru swallowed nervously, of course he knew, damn it! He wasn't sure how he ended up in this position, but somehow he'd actually made Yuujiro's job easier, backing himself into the corner like this.

Yuujiro slinked up beside him, cutting off his only means of escape. "Now, talk. Why have you been avoiding me? And don't give me some stupid excuse this time." He pinned the other boy with a hard gaze.

Tooru swallowed audibly, "Err, I haven't, not really...well, maybe...i just, I just needed some time to think a bit." He looked up at the other boy sheepishly.

Yuujiro sighed and slowly wrapped his arms around Tooru's neck, leaning against him and the painted window. "You had me worried you know," he mumbled into the fabric of Tooru's jacket, "I thought you might hate me."

Tooru's eyes went wide, how could he really think that? Tooru wasn't the type to just dismiss a friend because of one little kiss. He shook his head slightly, "Yuujiro, I'd never hate you over something like this, it just, shook me up a bit. I couldn't get my head clear afterwards, you know?" he sighed and ran his fingers through the blonde's hair, relishing the feel of its silky smoothness.

"Tooru-kun, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." Yuujiro was trying to keep it together; he really didn't want this to ruin the first real friendship he'd had, but he also knew that he was seriously falling for Tooru.

"Yuu..ji..ro. Look at me," he gently lifted the boys face and smiled softly, "It wasn't that I was upset or mad or anything, the opposite actually." He blushed lightly and Yuujiro blinked up at him.

"Huh?" he asked confused.

Tooru smiled and leaned down lightly brushing his lips against Yuujiro's. "I said I didn't not like it. I just wasn't prepared that's all. Next time I will be." His voice had gotten steadily softer as he spoke, while the blush crept up to his ears.

Yuujiro couldn't believe his ears, 'next time'? There was going to be a next time?! He smiled brightly at the blue haired princess. Tightening his grip around Tooru's neck he leaned against him, pressing the boy against the stained glass. The last rays were filtering through, broken into a myriad of small rainbows that bathed the two in a glorious cacophony of colors.

Yuujiro had one of those 'your mine now' looks on, smiling a bit rakishly as he moved in closer, sliding his leg in between Tooru's and straightening out to his full height. Standing next to each other he was the taller by two inches and he used that difference to his advantage right now. He leaned down closer, sliding one of his hands around to cup the boy's chin.

"Hey Tooru?" he murmured, "Can this be 'next time'?"

Tooru's eyes closed slightly as Yuujiro moved closer to him. The sudden pressure of the blonde's knee against the inside of his thigh made him gasp softly. When Yuujiro slid his fingers across Tooru's lips, murmuring if it was alright, all he could manage was a slight nod of the head.

This time the kiss was deep and hungry, but oh so sweet, Tooru thought he'd melt. Yuujiro ran his fingers through Tooru's hair, sending little trembles running down his back. Somewhere in the back of his mind there was a pesky little voice still whispering, wondering if this was the right thing to do, but Yuujiro's tongue slipping in between his lips banished the voice. He was sure it would come slinking back someday, but right now he just wanted to relish in Yuujiro's warmth.

Yuujiro could almost read Tooru's mind, he knew there were still some lingering doubts, but the tightening of Tooru's arms around his back, the returned pressure and the slick sensation of his tongue roaming around the inside of his mouth assured him that it wasn't something they had to deal with right now. He sighed into the kiss, slowly allowing himself to fade into Tooru's warmth.

----

A notice went over the PA: last call before the library closed, time to head back. The two broke apart slightly, flushed and smiling and still a bit shy about the whole situation. Yuujiro ran his hand down Tooru's arm, twining their fingers together he started for the stairs. Tooru grabbed his math book and pencil as he passed the now empty table. A mutual thought carried them home, whatever else happened, they were together and that's all that mattered to them.

Fin.