Disclaimer: Hikaru no Go is not my creation…sniffles… I'm just borrowing them for a bit. The song used in called "The Rose" by Bette Midler. Enjoy.

Chapter 1:

Some say love

it is a river
that drowns the tender reed

Touya, Akira had his head bowed towards a goban; shoulder length hair hiding his face. Yet his was not the posture of defeat. If anything, his tall lanky body seemed to radiate interest—curiosity even. At the sight of the other man, Hikaru grinned. Hands deep in the back pockets of his faded jeans, he slowed in his steps to be able to just watch. Watch just for a few minutes, his rival, without any need for masks. Akira's hand moved forward, touching a stone for a minute as if questioning its position before going back to his side. Hikaru didn't need to be in front of his rival to know the puzzled frown that would be marring the man's pale face. He just knew it was there because he could read Akira. Biting off a little sigh, Hikaru shook his head before taking the last few steps to reach the other.

Once he made his presence known, that little frown would leave his rival's face with only the faintest trace of a smile quirking those lips. Akira's eyes would light up and in Hikaru's opinion—that was even better than a full blown smile. A polite greeting would be exchanged and they would take a few minutes to talk about their day, their latest games. Sometimes, if they'd been away or hadn't been able to play with each other for awhile… no words would be spoken. Only a look, a nod of consent and they would start playing.

Today though, Hikaru didn't feel like following the ritual that they'd created a few years ago. He didn't want to be tied within those boundaries. He reached his rival's side and without a second thought, brought his hand to Akira's shoulder.

"Hey… whose game has got your interest this time?" He muttered, leaning towards the game as he kept his hand where it was. He felt the muscles beneath his hand tense in surprise just as he felt Akira's eyes on him.

"Shindo!" He hummed consent at his family name and continued to stare at the game. He didn't recognize the pattern right off the bat. But he had to admit at the moment, he didn't quite care. One glance was enough to show him that whoever had played it, Akira hadn't. The muscles loosened. "What are you doing?" The question was a strange mixture of emotions: surprise, exasperation, and curiosity among others.

"Looking, obviously." He gave the shoulder a little squeeze before he let go and straightened up. Hikaru finally lifted his eyes from the goban to stare directly into Akira's. "You still haven't answered my question." Akira blinked.

"Are you feeling all right?" Hikaru pondered that question for a second or two before turning and going to his chair. He slumped in it like he usually did, a contrast to Akira's perfect posture. When he glanced at his rival however to give an answer, he was slightly surprised himself to find that he lost the words. Akira had that look on his face, that little curious frown and his hand was resting on his shoulder—right where his hand had rested only moments ago.

"...Touya?" Akira's green eyes snapped back to attention.

"Yes?"

"It's sunny outside." The lost look that crossed his rival's face at that moment was priceless and Hikaru couldn't help chuckling at it.

"Are you going to start making sense any time soon, Shindo?" Then he sighed. "I suppose not. Stupid question." The hand had left the shoulder and was making its way to the goban. It started to pick apart the pattern, separating the stones by color.

"I guess…I just…I want to go for a walk outside." Hikaru stumbled over the words, knowing that his next ones might be close to blasphemous to Akira. "I don't feel like playing." Inwardly he tensed, expecting the explosion. It happened less now, to Hikaru's dismay. He supposed they were growing up. Akira's hands had yet to stop their movements,

"Why did you come then?" The rational question asked.

"Because I want to take a walk with you."

Some say love

it is a razor

that leaves your soul to bleed

The hands paused. Just for an instant before they continued their work. The stones spilled into their appropriate containers.

"All right."

"Really?" He couldn't help be a bit surprised. The look he received was answer enough. Hikaru pushed himself out of the chair before Akira could say anything. "Cool. Come on…" Akira sighed in the way he usually did but got up rather obediently.

"Do you know where you want to go?" Hikaru shrugged his answer. Anywhere was good to him. He said goodbye to Ichikawa-san, ignoring her puzzled look. "We'll be back." Akira told the woman in a way that was reassuring to both her and Hikaru. It was like a promise that even though they were breaking their ritual…it wasn't the end of it.

Some say love

it is a hunger

an endless aching need

"Touya?" Hikaru broke the comfortable 'silence' that had been surrounding them. His voice seemed a bit too loud, even foreign when compared to the soft rhythmic crunching of the leaves underneath their feet. He waited for Akira's assent to continue, ignoring the feeling that he'd just ruined something. Whatever this was. "We've known each other for awhile, right?"

Akira nodded his head, not knowing where this was going. He usually didn't when Shindo, Hikaru was involved. But Akira had decided awhile back that he didn't mind that much the not knowing. It made his life interesting. "Would…would you mind if…" This however was something that was definitely strange. Hikaru had not sounded this unsure of himself since…since forever ago. He paused in his footing and then all together stopped to face his rival as if that would get the man to say whatever he needed to say.

"If what Shindo?" He prompted gently. "You could just spit it out you know. Like you stated previously, we have known each other for a long time. I doubt that whatever you say will insult me anymore than what you've said on previous occasions." Hikaru rolled his eyes at that but had to grin too. A slight tension in his chest left him.

"Call me Hikaru." Akira was confused by the abruptness of Hikaru's tone. What did that have anything to do with what Shindo wanted to ask hi—oh. His eyes widened. Oh. Something clicked in place. He rival was waiting, fidgeting slightly as he always did. There was a faint blush painting his cheeks and an awkward, almost painful expression on his face. Akira found himself nodding slowly.

"Hikaru." He tested the name out. It was strange, like trying a dish from another country and yet it was familiar too. "Hikaru…" He repeated again. "I'll have to get used to calling you that." Akira pushed his hair back behind his ears, a small smile playing on his lips. "You can call me by my first name as well." He was gifted with one of the brightest smiles he'd ever seen on Hikaru's face.

I say love

it is a flower

and you its only seed

To be continued…