Notes - Response to a "Boiz and Gurlz" one-shot request from Blue Eyes Girl under the prompt "Light". Based pre-GX during the time when Ryo and Fubuki were best friends and before Juudai or the other students were at the academy.

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The light clicked on.

The light clicked off.

Then it clicked on again

The process repeated.

Ryo knew he had only himself to blame really. While he spent most of his time studying even when he wasn't he tended to read or watch educational books and programmes. One of the shows he had on recently was about the production of light bulbs. He hadn't really paid much attention to it, he had other things to do, but Fubuki had paid a little too much attention...

His friend was a very random individual. He went through fazes of doing whatever he felt like doing at the time. And because of Ryo the current faze were light bulbs.

So now he stood by the door turning the light on and off with a fascination that was normally only associated with a demented five year old who had just reached the right height to play with the light switch.

If it were a day-long faze this would have been fine. But he was into his third day already and still going strong. It seemed to only make him worse when Ryo had said it annoyed him.

There was studying to be done and having a light turning on and off while you're trying to study strongly prevented it from being completed. Something had to be done.

It was the fourth night now. Fubuki would come to Ryo's room as he always did. He seemed to prefer being around Ryo's room than being alone in his own room. Then the light switch abuse would begin. Only this time it wouldn't.

Fubuki opened the door and peered into the gloom.

He asked, "Ryo, are you there?" but presumed his friend would be out.

"I'm here," came the response, causing Fubuki to jump slightly.

"It's very dark..."

"I know."

Fubuki tried the light switch but nothing happened. The light did not come on.

"I think your bulb's blown," he said, glancing back down the corridor. Which was also pretty dark now he came to notice it...

"It's not, I just removed it," Ryo replied levelly.

"You what? Why?" Fubuki said, as if this was more insane than his own antics over the past few days.

"Because your demonstration made a fine point," he lied, "We can manage fine without light bulbs."

"Th-that's not what I meant..." Fubuki mumbled, stepping inside the room and closing the door.

He could have very well gone to his own room but Ryo knew he wouldn't. Not that it'd make any difference, Ryo had removed all the light bulbs from there too.

"What did you mean then?" Ryo asked with mock-innocence.

"I... well... Now that you mention it I don't know what I meant..." he muttered. He knew Ryo was doing this to annoy him and began looking for his friend in the room. It was difficult though, as it was too dark to see much.

"You need to put the light bulbs back!"

"No, I don't feel like it."

"It's not funny!"

"Do you hear me laughing?"

"You're laughing on the inside I know it."

"Are you scared of the dark?"

"Don't even go there!"

"I'm right aren't I?"

"If you loved me you'd give me the light bulbs back!"

"Don't you even go there!"

Fubuki had hit on lucky while stumbling in the darkness he'd hit something that he presumed was Ryo.

Ryo however didn't consider this to be so lucky and reached out to elbow Fubuki back.

"Don't touch that!" Fubuki yelped.

"Touch what?" Ryo asked, dreading the response.

"If I need to answer that then you're dumber than what I thought you were for taking away the light bulbs," Fubuki replied.

"I was only trying to make a point!" Ryo insisted.

"Well you could have just-"

The response was cut short as he tripped over Ryo and they both fell. There was a loud 'thud' and the sound of two boys wincing.

A few seconds later a shout could be heard from further up the corridor. They couldn't make it out exactly but it sounded like the Italian accent of Chronos shouting for quiet as lights out was a few minutes ago. He had no idea what a bad pun he'd just made.

Both of them pulled themselves into a sitting position, Ryo being leant on by Fubuki as his friend didn't want to lose him again.

"Ryo?" Fubuki asked, sounding a little pitiful.

"Yes?"

"Can you put the light bulbs back now?"

"Of course."