Pairing/Characters Involved: LenxAkaito
Rating: K+
Genre(s): Romance, hurt

Len thought his life would become a living hell the moment Kaito ran squealing into the room, excited telling everyone his older brother would be visiting. The blue-haired man scarcely passed off as bearable, with his constant whining, and carrying-on about his beloved ice-cream. The last thing Len wanted was another person like that.

Yet, when he finally met Akaito, it was not what Len was expecting at all. He did not expect to see fiery red hair, equally crimson eyes sparkling with a mixture of friendliness and mischievousness, and a coltish grin playing across his lips. He did not expect to spend the next week laughing like he had never laughed before, smiling till he thought his heart would burst, or blushing like crazy every time Akaito sent a stray glance his way.

And he did not expect to feel so lonely and hurt as the flame-haired man stood at the doorframe, bags in hand, ready to leave.

Kaito and everyone else had already said there goodbyes. It was just Len and Akaito now.

"Do you… really have to leave?"

Akaito ruffled Len's hair playfully, giving him that lopsided grin that sent the blonde boy's heart aflutter.

"I was staying here to visit my little baby brother, it was never a long-term plan in the first place." He shifted the luggage in his hand, getting comfortable. "I really didn't think I would enjoy my time here so much! You know I'll definitely visit again."

"When?"

"I don't know, whenever I feel like it. I'm a traveller, can't stay in one place too long."

He gave that heart-wrenching smile again, and using his free hand he flipped one end of the weather-beaten red scarf over his shoulder. The tattered ends of the scarf were a tangible depiction of his travels, Len had found out, that's why he never bought a new one.

Len felt strangely jealous of the scarf. He wished he could be something irreplaceable to Akaito, something that went with the man wherever he may be.

"Well, seeya!" With a small wave of his hand, he turned his back on Len, and began walking away. Len watched, and with every step of the crimson-haired man, he felt his heart break.

Suddenly, Len darted forward. He wasn't exactly sure what was controlling his body anymore; he somehow found himself moving without his command. Within seconds Len had stepped in front of Akaito, tightly wrapped his arms around the man's waist, and buried his head into his jacket. Then Len cried.

"Hey now… Len…" Akaito hesitantly patted the distressed boy on the back, looking down awkwardly at him. Comforting people wasn't really in his area of expertise.

"A-Akaito…" Len choked out, voice breaking from the effort of crying, "Please… don't leave… Please."

Dumbfounded, Akaito just gazed sadly down at the short boy. "Len… I need to go travelling now. I'll visit soon, I promise."

Len kept sobbing, clinging onto the jacket as if it was his lifeline. He knew Akaito had to leave. And he knew he couldn't go with him. Was this that thing that everyone was always warned about? Unrequited love? No… it wasn't really love. Just a crush. Just a stupid, childish, painful crush.

"Len." Akaito's voice resounded a little more forceful, and he firmly pushed at Len's shoulder. Teary-eyed and rather pathetic looking, Len shyly removed his face from the warm jacket, and stared up at his crush.

"I should leave now. It really was nice to know you, Len."

Sniffling, Len clammily let go of Akaito, jerkily moving his hands back to his side. As his sister would say every time he got upset, he had to 'get over it'.

With a whispered goodbye, Len let the first major crush of his life depart, with his red scarf fluttering mockingly in the wind.