Fukutomi's eyes flashed open when it felt as if his heart would escape through his throat.
His hands were clamp and his breathing ragged.
Again, the memory of that fateful, terrible day.
A nightmare that was not in the least new to him. Over and over, it would show up.
The moment he had given in to his weaknesses and had done the most despicable act of his life. The worst a cyclist could ever do:
Injure a rival.

It had nearly been a year now since these thoughts had started haunting him, but they did not become less vivid.
The dryness in his throat.
The kilometer plates flashing by.
The sun that burned on his skin on that hot summer day.
The touch of clamp fabric that his hand had grasped far too easily.
The piercing screech of tires braking against the round.
The feeling of asphalt grinding against his shoulder as he fell.
A faint scent of blood in the air...

...No.
calm down...
Calm down, Juichi. You are stronger then this...

He got to his feet and ended up wandering the halls of the inn where they were staying.
moving his muscles helped him forget. It helped him move forward.
Ideally, he would step on his bicycle and ride until his body ached more then his heart.
But as he glanced at the clock on the end of the corridor, he concluded that to be an unwise decision at such an hour.

for now, heading to the bathroom, drink a glass of water and stare at his reflection for long was the only thing he could do.

Get a grip. Those events don't control you.
The first day of the inter high has ended.
Kinjou is a formidable opponent as expected. But he cannot win.
You have gathered the ultimate team for these 3 days. You are strong.
Surely... surely, the day after tomorrow will end the specter that haunts him...

As Fukutomi left the bathroom, he noticed a figure in the common space, a few meter ahead.
He hadn't noticed them before, but neither had the other. They both hadn't really bothered to pay attention to anyone else.
Those were the kind of people both Fukutomi and this Arakita Yasutomo were, after all

"hah?" the black haired teen almost sneered as he noticed he was being watched.
But as soon as he saw who his opponent was, his tone changed drastically, almost cheery.
"Yo, Fuku-chan~" he chirped, waving his hand together with the bepsi he was holding in it.

Fukutomi's brows knitted in a slightly disturbed matter. Not that it changed a lot of his expression, though.
"You should be in bed." He replied brisk.
"ah m'bad, m'bad." Arakita knew by now that Fuku-chan's words sounded a lot harder then how he meant them.
"just thinkin bout tomorrow's got me riled up.
a three-double tie's not gonna cut it a second time. we gotta drag in the full victory, right?
Fuku-chan, you too excited to sleep too?" He grinned his trademark wolf-grin.
"Not in particular. Just a brief stop at the bathroom. Good night." Fukutomi's answer was short and he made no more effort then this to greet his friend.

The team-captain turned off. But before he left, he could feel a cold and damp sensation against his cheek.
Arakita held a second, unopened, bottle of coke against the other's skin.
"Dun be such a stick up the ass. Have a drink."

For someone awake at halve past one in the night, Arakita was awfully alert, though.
His spirited mood cooled down as he gave Fukutomi's face another good look.
"You're sorta pale..."

the blond teen closed his eyes for a moment, avoiding Arakita's keen pupils. "It's nothing..."
He paused.
"-It is too late to stay around here. You should return to your room." he continued, declining Arakita's invitation. As he did more often.
Usually Arakita gave up right away. Fuku-chan was a my-pace guy and no means no.
But this time... he didn't quite feel like obliging.

Rolling his eyes, he clicked his tongue. "It's fine right? 'f yer against it, we can drink in your room.
How bout it, Fuku-chan?"
They stared at each other for long. Almost as if they were engaged in an unspoken 'yes/no' tug-o-war.

With a sigh, Fukutomi gave in in the end.
"Come along." He spoke and led Arakita to the room where he was staying.
With a triumphant smirk, the smaller male followed, slightly speeded to keep up.

The smile was gone when they entered the room, though. Arakita was far too easily annoyed, after all.
"Huh!? This place is huge! How come you lucked out like that?
All I got is this tiny place I gotta share with Shinkai! Izumida was throwing glares at me over that too.
And switching would just set me with Toudou for an even smaller room."
Knowing nothing of modesty, he dived face first on Fukutomi's double sized bed.
"I'm stayin' here."

Fukutomi rolled his eyes. Something he never did before meeting this delinquent.
He took both bottles of bepsi from Arakita and placed them on the night cabin before they would spill on the sheets.
"The initial room was overbooked. This was the only room they had as second option." He sat down next to the other.
"hehh…" Turning his head out of the pillow, Arakita gave the room another quick glance in silence.
He then grinned once more.

"Is this the bridal suite~?"
"What of it?"

"..."

"...yur no fun."

Seeing how Arakita was snuggled content on the bed ticked Fukutomi off for a bit.
Meeting up with Arakita had changed his pace, but it wasn't like he had forgotten about the way he had woken up before.
his throat produced a sigh that almost betrayed a low grunt.
"Don't get too comfortable. If you want to sleep, do so in your own bed."
It wasn't like Fukutomi was really upset, though. He barely ever really was. It wasn't so much that he insisted, he was just tired.

"I've already installed, I ain't leavin'." The other stated cheekily.
"It's fine, right? The bed's big enough."

"Suit yourself… Just try to sleep."
With another huff, Fukutomi laid on his back, a considerate distance from the other.
Arakita didn't sleep instantly yet, though.
He turned his face in Fuku-chan's direction and peeked at the other's stern face.

"…You think you can sleep with me around?"

"…!?" Fukutomi didn't quite know how to reply at first, not quite following the intention behind those words.
So Arakita repeated:

"You think you can sleep with me around?"

The boy's words sounded far more sincere then was used of him. Almost like a gentle, docile whisper.
The man who had led him out of his mundane existence of going nowhere was the only one who deserved this much respect, after all.
But it wasn't that alone… there was something more to his words.

Unwillingly holding his breathe, Fukutomi stared back at the dark orbs of his teammate.
Had Arakita noticed something was wrong after all?
"…how do you mean?" He asked to confirm this suspicion.

The gentleness in Arakita's voice melted away before soon again as he chuckled nonchalant.
"ahhh, I dun toss a lot, but you seem like a light sleeper? Not that you saying no'll let me leave, though~"
"ah. In that way …"

With that, the cocky teen grinned a last time and closed his eyes, sleeping far too easily.
'Amazing.' Fukutomi thought sarcastically. The other had been so giddy before, it was surprising how quick he slept.

But… This wasn't all too bad.
Fukutomi dared to believe the other wanted to stay with him to clear his worries.
Such a dishonest person…

Fukutomi reached his hand out and ruffled the other's hair. Light enough to not wake him up.
Arakita's face showed he enjoyed the patting more then he'd admit.

It brought a rare smile to Fukutomi's face…
He wasn't alone…

'I know I'm not alone.

Because you are with me…

Thank you.'