A/N This is a birthday gift for my beloved sister in arms, Liah, I hope you like it. Happy 18, luf U! 3

Summary: ShinjiKirihara. Fluff. "I was wondering, would you like to go sing karaoke with us tonight?" Shinji finally managed to rush out and Kirihara's eyes widen in shock, that was not what he had expected to hear.

Disclaimer: I don't own Prince of Tennis, or any of the characters, nor am I making any money from this. I'm just playing with them.

Warnings: Yaoi, fluff, possible OOC and kissing, though it should be work safe, also mentioning of child abuse. So I guess it's a sad fluff, but it's not meant to be angst. It was inspired by the song Wonderful days and episode 140, so if you haven't seen it, there might be spoilers. This is also my first PoT fic, I hope it's ok and that there isn't to many spell or grammar errors.

R&R, please?

Trying to find all his things and get packed on time before the bus left was stressful enough, a guy standing in his room mumbling was not something Kirihara needed right now… But it didn't seem like Shinji was in any hurry to leave… Or to spit out why he was there in the first place… Maybe it was because what he had done to Tachibana… Or something else he had done… Finally he gave up on finding the missing sweat band and instead started listening to what the blue haired boy was mumbling about.

"Should just ask him, but then he'd probably think I'm strange… Why would he want to come anyway? I shouldn't be here at all, now he'll probably be mad at me…" Shinji was staring out the window and Kirihara had a strong feeling that he was not at all aware of the fact that he was saying his thoughts out loud.

"Neh, Shinji? Something on your mind?" He asked and tilted his head and smirked slightly as the other was startled from his thoughts.

"Eh, well…" It seemed that Shinji wasn't as talkative when he was actually talking to someone else then himself. Kirihara just raised an eyebrow at him, silently telling him to go on. Even though no one could see it now, he had himself had a lot of trouble talking to other people when he was younger.

"I was wondering, would you like to go sing karaoke with us tonight?" Shinji finally managed to rush out and Kirihara's eyes widen in shock, that was not what he had expected to hear. He swallowed hard and mentally shook his head to clear it.

"Who's 'us'?" He asked silently and vaguely wondered why he was even considering it.

"Me, Kamio and Tachibana…" Shinji answered and looked out the window again. "Of course he won't, he probably have other plans already, I shouldn't have ask, stupid me." He mumbled and Kirihara swallowed again.

"I… I don't think it's very smart for me to be near either of the Tachibana's right now…" He finally managed to choke out, surprised himself of how unsure he sounded. Shinji turned his head and cocked it slightly as he looked at the raven haired boy.

"Things are fine now you know… Ann told him about the stair case and he actually wants to see you… If you want come with us that it… Stupid, he doesn't want to come, why can't I jut shut up? I need to leave now before I mess up more."

Kirihara was mildly amused by how fast the other boy changed his way of speaking until he realised that Shinji had indeed turned and was about to leave.

"Oi, wait! I'll tag along!" He snapped out, the words sounding harsh, even if that wasn't how he wanted them to sound and he flinched mentally.

"You will?" For the first time since this strange conversation had started, Shinji actually seemed to be truly there and Kirihara just nodded numbly, afraid that his voice would betray him and do something stupid again. The two of them stared at each other for a while and then Kirihara smirked and rubbed the back of his head.

"Che, you Fudomine people sure are strange."

"And the people from Rikkai dai are not?" Shinji countered with a grin.

"Maybe… Anyway, why me though?"

"Just thought it be fun…" Shinji said and turned his eyes to his shoes. "I should just tell him that he has a really beautiful voice, now he probably thinks that we're trying to get him or something. I just really want to sing with him again, I should just say that…"

Kirihara reached out instinctively and wrapped his fingers around the others wrist. "Do you really think so?" He whispered and as Shinji's wide eyes snapped to meet his he realised that the blue haired boy really had no idea of when he was thinking out aloud.

"Yes… You have a really great voice and from the way you acted when we were rehearsing, you know a lot about music as well… I… I just thought it could be fun… Now I've done it, now he's going to think I'm a freak or something and now he won't go. Stupid…"

Kirihara smiled and realised that he was still holding Shinji's wrist and quickly let go. "You really have no idea of when you do that, do you?" He said and tilted his head as he looked at the other boy with curiosity.

Shinji blushed and absently flexed his hand slightly, trying to get rid of the warm feeling that lingered where Kirihara's fingers had been. "No… I mean, I know I do it, I just have no control over it… Like other people stutter or something…"

"Yeah, well, it's no problem with me. So, where are we going tonight?"

"I'm not sure yet, Tachibana-san said he'd call me later and we should decide then… I… I could call you or text you or something…"

"Give me your phone."

"Huh?"

"Give me your phone, you can't contact me unless you have my number, can you?" Kirihara smirked and Shinji handed over his cell phone with a slight smirk of his own.

Kirihara glanced that the other through his bangs as he typed his name and number, Shinji really was something different… The mere fact that he was here right now was proof of that… But there was still a funny feeling in the depths of Kirihara's belly left there after those words… '…he has a really beautiful voice…' It had felt so good to have some one say something nice about him for once… He handed the phone back and grinned as he swung the tennis bag over his shoulder and grabbed his bag.

"Well, I need to get going now, or Sanada will leave without me. Oh, and if you see a black sweat band, tell it I miss it?"

Shinji chuckled and shook his head. "I doubt that you'll see it again, I have lost three and gained three new ones during this camp."

Kirihara sighed in fake dramatics. "I think you're right…" He cocked his head slightly and saluted the other with two fingers as he made his way out of the room. "See you tonight then." He said, and this time there was nothing but happiness in his voice.

Shinji laughed as they exited the small karaoke club. Tonight had been even better then he had hoped for. Kirihara had a humour twisted enough to hang around with Kamio, an intelligence to keep Tachibana satisfied with the company and an understanding of music, and maybe even of Shinji himself, that had made the two of them rule the night…

Above everything, he really was an amazing singer. Way better here then he had been during the camp. Shinji kept thinking about what reason there might be for that so hard that he didn't even notice that Tachibana and Kamio had left until he realised that Kirihara kept poking him.

"Huh?" He asked and blinked.

"Che. You sure are strange Shinji-kun. I asked if you're going home too." Kirihara said and shook his head at the other.

"I guess… Not much else to do… Not that I have anything to do at home either… Maybe I should ask him if he wants to come with me and play some video games? But no, he's not like me, he has a family that waits for him. Yeah, I shouldn't do that… It would be nice though, not being alone for awhile…" He mumbled as he continued walking, hands in his pockets and it took him a little while to realise that Kirihara wasn't walking beside him anymore. He turned his head with a frown and realised that the raven haired youth hadn't moved from where they had stood.

"Kirihara-kun?" He asked silently.

Kirihara continued to stare at his feet. "I don't know if I should think of your mumbling as a blessing or a curse Shinji-kun… But… But… I don't have anyone waiting for me… Mum's… working…" His head snapped up and the green eyes were more intense then Shinji had ever seen them. "I'd really like to have some company too… If I can really come that is."

Shinji smiled and walked back to his new friend. "I said you could, didn't I? Even if I didn't know I did. Come on." He removed one of his hands from his pockets and grabbed Kirihara's and started walking again. He didn't know why he did that and if his mind hadn't been so occupied about the warm feeling of another hand in his, he would probably have mumbled about it. But Kirihara didn't object and they soon fell in to the same form of easy battering they had had before Tachibana and Kamio had left.

"By the way Kirihara-kun… Congratulations on making the team. You truly deserve it." Shinji smiled at the shorter boy who blushed slightly.

"Thank you…"

"Do you want to become a pro one day?"

Kirihara shook his head firmly. "No, I love playing tennis, but it's not what I want to do for a living."

"Oh? What do you want to do then?" Shinji was a little surprised by Kirihara's words. He had been sure that some one that worked so hard must have the dream of becoming a pro one day.

"I… Don't laugh, I want to sing…" Kirihara mumbled.

"You're kidding me?!?" Shinji said with huge eyes and Kirihara's narrowed ones glared back at him.

"What? I'm not that bad!"

"No, no, you misunderstand me Kirihara… I defiantly think you're god enough, it's just that it's what I want too…" Shinji rambled out and raised his free hand in defence and Kirihara's anger deflated in front of his eyes. "Do you play any instrument too?" He continued and Kirihara nodded.

"Acoustic guitar… But at the moment I can't cause I need knew strings and I can't afford them right now…"

"Ahh, do you use nylon strings or steel ones? Cause I have some steel ones you could have if you want? Now I'm rambling again and he'll soon leave because he thinks I'm freakish. I'm so stupid, now I'll be alone tonight as well and…"

Shinji's rambling was abrupt halted by hand over his mouth and his eyes became crossed as he tried to look at it. He blinked once and then looked straight into smiling green eyes.

"For the last time, I don't think you're freakish. Now, could we continue walking? I'm getting cold…"

Shinji nodded but didn't move, still rather hypnotised by the strong hand that laid gently, yet firmly over his lips. Kirihara suddenly realised what he was doing and blushed as his hand dropped to his side again. It was stupid, the way the blue haired boy made him blush… Shinji smiled nervously and removed his cap and then jammed it on Kirihara's head, chuckling at the way it made him look.

"Now you'll be a little bit warmer. It's not that far, just another block." He said and tugged on Kirihara's hand to get them moving again. Shinji were vaguely wondering when he had gone insane, never before had he brought anyone of his friends home, not even Tachibana-san. "Can't believe I'm going to bring a Rikkai Dai student home, he'll think it's a dump, though I know my room is clean at least. Maybe…"

"Shinji! I live in this neighberhood as well so stop worrying so much! Just because I go to Rikkai Dai it doesn't mean that I have money. Didn't I just tell you that I don't even have money to buy new strings? Why do you think I was so obsessed with finding that sweat-band?"

Shinji glanced at Kirihara at the corner of his eye. "You live here too…? But I thought…"

Kirihara sighed and instinctively tightened his hold on Shinji's hand. "My dad has money… The deal between mum and him was that she would never let dad's wife find out about me, and he'd pay my school. I've never even seen a picture of him and I honestly don't care. Rikkai dai was the one that had the most appealing tennis team and that was why I choose that school. That's all it is."

Shinji nodded and stopped by a ten story building and fished out his keys from his pocket. They climbed the stairs in silence and it wasn't until Shinji unlocked the front door the silence was broken by a low whistle from Kirihara.

"It's a mess, I know. Dad doesn't know what the word clean means and now that I've been on camp…" Shinji said as he once again grabbed Kirihara's hand and started walking through the messy apartment. There were empty vodka bottles and beer cans everywhere and the entire place smelt like a mix between a dumpster and an ash tray.

"Actually, I was thinking that it's a lot cleaner then our apartment. At least you don't have to step over people that have passed out here." Kirihara said with a grin and Shinji laughed. It was almost a little scary to see how much they had in common. He chose another key from the key chain and unlocked the door to his room and let his guest in before stepping in and re-locking the door. Kirihara was looking at him with an amused smile and just as Shinji was about to ask what was so funny realisation dawn on him. It really wasn't normal to look out your own parent from your room, nor was it normal for the teenage-boy-room to be the cleanest in a home. But it seemed that even there they had a full understanding and soon their smiles turned into laughter. Better to laugh then cry, right?

Soon they were seated on Shinji's floor, playing Super Mario on an old Nintendo 8 bits console and an even older TV. But none of them could stop smiling, it was simply so much fun. Kirihara kept trying to grab Shinji's control and Shinji kept nudging Kirihara with his toes. Their play time came to an abrupt stop as they heard the front door creek open.

"Shit!" Shinji cursed silently and threw himself at the remote, killing the TV. Kirihara got the idea and switched the table lamp of. For some reason they both scrambled onto the bed, huddling toghter in the corner as the obviously drunk man stormed around the apartment. Even after the place had fallen silent again they both just sat there for a long time, Kirihara between Shinji's legs, clinging slightly to the taller boy and Shinji's arms almost painfully tightly wrapped around him. After awhile Shinji realised that the raven haired boy was trembling slightly in his arms.

"Are you scared?" He whispered and more felt then saw the slight nod. "Don't be, one he can't get in here, two: he's to drunk to hurt anyone and three: He has never hurt me, just trashes my stuff in search for something to sell. So you're safe, I promise." A slight frown appeared on Shinji's features as a suspicion was born. "Does your mother hit you Akaya-kun?" He whispered even lower.

"No, she doesn't… But… But some of her boyfriends have…" Kirihara whispered equally silently and Shinji's embraced tightened even more. "Where's your mother Shi… Ibu-kun?"

"She died in a car crash when I was two, don't remember her."

Kirihara nodded again and looked out through the window. "I like the moon… It always makes me want to make music when it's full like this… The nights seem more magic in someway you know? Less…"

"Less threatening… I agree… You know, as soon as I finish Jr High, I'm out of here. I'm working part time as delivery boy for a ramen restaurant, and as soon as I'm 16 I can rent my own apartment." Shinji sighed and looked at the moon too.

"Mhmm… I have the same plan, even started buying stuff you know? Like plates and stuff. Silly, I know but…"

"But it makes you feel like you're already one the way… I know… I know…"

They fell into a heavy, yet comfortable silence again and after what seemed like hours (which it also was) of moon gazing, Shinji gazed down at the boy in his arms and smiled lopsided. "I want to tell him he's really beautiful like this, but I can't do that. Boys don't want to be called beautiful, and boys shouldn't think other boys are beautiful. But I still think he is, much more then Ann-chan or any girl… He'll run away from me if I say it though, and I just want to keep him here. I want to have this much fun and feel this good everyday. Maybe I can ask him if he want to come over tomorrow too, but I really want to tell him he's beautiful and…"

During Shinji's entire rambling Kirihara had stared wide eyed at the boy who currently held him and he kept swallowing hard. In that second he decided that Shinji's ramblings was a blessing, not a curse and he reached up and grabbed the soft blue hair and pulled the other into an awkward but sweet kiss, noses bumped and teeth scraped over chapped lips. But they tried again, and again, and again… and finally it was perfect, tongues twisting and twirling and eyes closed. For the first time ever they both felt as if they weren't alone, as if they didn't have to be alone ever again.

Just like their voices blended perfectly, so did their souls.