A/N: One thing I loved about HYD was the friendship between the four boys, especially Tsukasa and Rui. They're so opposite that it's amazing how they turned out to be best buds.

Best Friends

So even after all the shit the two of them had been through, they never did stop being friends. Great friends. Make that the best of friends. They were closer to each other than to the other two in the group and they knew each other so damn well that sometimes they could even predict what the other was going to do or say. Only sometimes. Of course things have gotten in their way, and sure, they've ever pissed each other off. Way off. But even so, that title of 'best bud' had always been reserved for each other. So maybe Tsukushi had unintentionally knocked off a few bricks from that supposedly sturdy and fixed avowal of theirs, but even after all that, they were still best pals. It never was said that they were, nor had it ever been said that they weren't. But that silent decree had always been there, tenaciously firm and unwavering. So staunch and inherently rooted in their hearts and minds that perhaps not even Tsukushi could fortuitously break it down.

It probably all started back then in that posh high-classed school, near that posh high-classed playground, on that crummy swing. Posh high-classed swings can start to look pretty shoddy when one was alone. And alone he was, a little five year old boy with beautiful gray eyes that lacked the shine it was meant to have, and hair the colour of autumn gold falling over his seemingly emotionless face.

The winds that evening were chillier than other days. In fact, a cold rain was soon to come, so most of the kids had retreated back to shelter in the school building. That would explain the empty playground. But it didn't explain the empty swings that hung from under a sakura tree a little further off from the playgrounds and school walls. Perhaps it's because the swings were and always had been empty. Empty except for that little red-head sitting by himself on one of them, rocking himself slowly, with eyes that never left its scrutiny of the grassy floor. The boy was cold both inside and out, and was without a jacket, but never made a move to make as the other kids did and spend lunch in the canteen. Call it a bad case of laziness. The boy preferred to see it as 'reserving essentially required energy'.

No, the boy had never always been by himself. Most of the kids in that school had parents who played safe, warning their children about the 'heir of the Hanazawa family' and about what he could do if they made him angry. About his status in life that determined both his living and, sadly, his social standards. Sure, some of the richer kids had approached him. Like a few boys who said hi and then walked away in less than a minute saying he was boring. And many girls bluntly saying they liked him but walking away after a short while wondering what a mute kid was doing in their school. Then the talking started. Stupid, fallacious words flying out of their mouths and unshamefully reaching his ears.

…Boring guy…

…Lonely freak…

…Like hell I'm gonna talk to him…

…Mommy said no…

…Scary…

It suddenly felt a lot more colder and his fingers were getting numb. Perhaps it was the wind. Perhaps it was his thin shirt. Perhaps it was that retching loneliness clawing at his heart.

"Oi, you didn't buy the swings, did you?"

The red-head looked up, eyes locked to dark brown orbs that stared straight back, ready to take on a challenge, if any. The other boy was about his age, with a mop of curly black hair cropped up on his head. All the gray-eyed one did was shook his head in reply.

"Oh. I thought you did. Cuz no one else ever sits on them."

No one ever wanted to sit near or on where the lonely freak sits or has sat. He may get angry and his family may buy their own parent's jobs and take all their money away…

"I'm Doumyouji Tsukasa! What's your name?"

No answer. The red-head merely gazed at the ground, waiting for the other boy to scoff and walk away, calling him a boring freak that was mute, just like all the others had done…

"…You forgot?"

He pulled his gray eyes up to look at he who called himself Tsukasa, and an eyebrow couldn't help its slow rise.

"Don't be embarrassed if you forgot. I forgot my name before too! But only once! I remember it real well now."

The red-head bit his lips, but a giggle found its way out anyway.

"Hey! It's not funny! Everyone was making fun of me after! It's not like you remember yours-"

"Rui."

"Eh?"

"My name's Rui. Hanazawa Rui"

"Oh. You remembered…" A jealous pout, then a smug smile, "Oh well. That's cuz it's pretty easy to remember. I bet you even I can still remember it tomorrow! I usually forget most names I hear…"

Rui drank in Tsukasa's smile and was starting to feel warm for some unknown reason.

"Isn't it boring by yourself here?" Tsukasa asked, sitting himself down on the vacant swing and using his legs to push himself backwards, and then using his body weight to keep the momentum.

The other didn't answer.

"I think it's boring… All by yourself…"

Silence.

"But not so boring now since I'M here, eh?? Wahahaha!" Tsukasa laughed loudly and smugly. Rui just looked up in disbelief that such a small boy could wield an ego so much larger than him. "It's even more boring with the others though…" Tsukasa suddenly said, trying to swing himself higher.

For a while, the only sound that could be heard was the creaks of the swing Tsukasa sat upon, and the soft rustle of leaves in the cold wind.

"But…" Rui said softly, "Don't you have friends?" Words were foreign on his tongue, and there was a hint of envy in the voice. But it went unnoticed by the young Tsukasa.

The dark-haired one kept swinging, while thinking about the people who had offered to be his 'friends', about their superficial smiles, about their fabricated care. "Nope."

"Oh…" Rui pressed his pale lips together, a little excited about finding someone who possibly knew exactly how he felt. Someone who had no friends too. Someone who was also alone...

"Man… It's freezing!" Tsukasa abruptly jumped off the swing, and adjusted his jacket, "You going in?"

Rui just sat there, still and motionless, with only the strong wind rocking his light weight on the swing's seat. He shivered and tightened his grip on the ropes.

Tsukasa shrugged and walked over to Rui. The red-head made no effort to look up, afraid to see an irritated face. Afraid to hear the hurtful words that may shun him away once again. But all he felt was something soft and warm dumped on his shoulders. He forced his eyes up and saw Tsukasa's jacket draped over his small, thin frame, and all he did was stare.

Tsukasa was too dense to think of anything else, "Umn… if you like it that much, you can have it…" He started walking casually back to the school building.

All the gray-eyed boy could do was sit there for a little while, pulling the hems of the comforting fabric tighter around his body, and then he finally stood up and followed the other boy…

The now 18 year old Rui rolled his lean body over in his bed and opened his sleepy eyes, which were starting to hurt form the glaring rays of the sun falling through the windows. Pulling oneself out of reminiscence was a tiring job, especially if the memories dated back so long ago. With his head still on his pillow, Rui stared sideways at a particular large teddy bear sitting not far away, with some clumsy patchwork done at the neck, attaching the head back to its body. Its plump cotton-stuffed hands were pulled through the sleeves of an all too familiar jacket – one that had not lost its warmth after all these years. He stretched an arm out for the bear but it was a few inches too far out of reach, and halfway in the midst of it all, laziness overtook him and his hand just laid there.

"It's 4:00 in the evening, baka. Don't tell me you just woke up?" Tsukasa's voice echoed through the room and the sound of the sliding door closing was heard. Rui made no move, still staring sleepily at the teddy bear with a lanky arm extended out.

"You lazy-ass." Tsukasa mumbled and sat down next to Rui's mattress, grabbing the bear at the same time. Rui still didn't move.

"Hn. This jacket looks familiar…" Tsukasa smirked and a short and peaceful silence followed.

"'Was given to me by a friend…" Rui finally mumbled hazily.

A friend.

A great friend.

No, make that his best friend.

-sylver

A/N: Ooh… I paused all my Naruto fics just for this! You should be grateful… XD Hope you enjoyed it. R&R, peepz! Tell me how it was!