Disclaimer: I own very little.

A/N: In the DaviKai universe, the behind-the-scenes of Punishable Puns, as requested.

Breaking Through

Amane really couldn't help but admire Kaidou Kaoru.

Sure, the other boy was somewhat antisocial even to the point of being frightening. He fought with his captain on a regular basis and scared the living daylights out of the younger members of the team if they weren't training hard enough in his opinion. However, he also respected his elders and worked harder than anybody Amane had ever known.

They had agreed to train together every day until the first match in order to make their doubles combination somewhat bearable. However, by the time they were finished on the first day, Kaidou showed hardly any sign of being tired. Instead, he announced he was going to go running and asked if Amane wanted to hang along.

Now, Amane was rather proud of his stamina, but when they were finally done running, he was absolutely exhausted. Kaidou, on the other hand, looked like he could have easily run another kilometre or two. Or perhaps three.

Where did he get all that strength from, anyway?

Of course, Amane couldn't but notice that Kaidou didn't exactly look bad. In fact, if it wasn't for his difficult nature, he doubtlessly would have had several admirers. As it was, though, very few dared to approach him, which was definitely a pity in Amane's opinion. He didn't know much about Kaidou, of course, but he was learning, and for the most part he liked what he learnt. It wasn't easy, getting through the other's barriers, but he didn't mind working hard so it was all right.

Day by day, he got a bit more past the Mamushi and a bit closer to the Kaoru.

There was a cat. There was a tree. There was a cat in a tree.

The cat was crying miserably, loudly enough to get Amane's attention. He looked up, then glanced towards Kaidou, only to realise the other boy was already looking at the cat.

"Looks like she can't get down," Amane said. "And she's too high to reach her, too." Eyeing the tree branches, he then asked, "What do you think, is the tree strong enough to bear my weight?"

Kaidou hissed, although there was no sign of annoyance in the tone of the sound. "Maybe," he muttered. "Or maybe not. She's quite high, so it might be painful to find out, fsshuuu."

"Then what do you suggest, Kaidou-kun?" asked Amane. He tried his best not to get annoyed. After all, Kaidou was right; the fall would be quite long. However, he also didn't want to leave the poor cat unaided.

"Simple," replied the darker boy. "I'll go."

"What kind of a solution is that?" Amane asked, stunned. "The way down would be just as long for you as it is for me!"

"I weigh less than you do," Kaidou pointed out. "Therefore, it's less likely I'll fall. Fsshuuu." Then, with a slightly different tone, he continued, "Besides, as I have less mass, I'd also gain less inertia during my fall and thus be less likely to injure myself even upon impact."

Now, Amane blinked. "...Excuse me?"

"It's not my fault if you haven't been awake in Science," Kaidou replied, dropped his bag and started climbing.

"Don't try telling me that," Amane said. "It's clear you've just spent too much time with that dataman of yours!"

"Not enough, rather, or I'd be able to calculate how to make the idiot shut up for a while." Kaidou climbed surprisingly fast, pulling himself up branch by branch. The higher he got, the more concerned Amane grew. He hadn't even realised just how high the cat was.

Kaidou, however, seemed not to care. Persistently, he reached for another branch, getting closer and closer to the cat. Finally he stopped at the base of the branch the cat was sitting on, looking at it.

"Come here," he said, his voice so soft Amane only barely heard it down where he stood on the ground. "Come here, kitty. I'll take you down."

Amane watched with fascination and a little dread as Kaidou inched carefully closer to the frightened cat. Thankfully, the cat didn't seem frightened of Kaidou and try to escape, instead watching him warily. A moment and some more soft promises later, she took a tentative step towards Kaidou's outstretched hand, then another. Both Kaidou and Amane were holding their breath.

Little by little, the cat and Kaidou approached each other. Finally, the cat – more like a kitten, really, she was still just a small thing – dared to step onto Kaidou's palm. Very carefully, the bandanna-clad boy drew the kitten close to himself.

As luck would have it, that was when the branch broke.

Amane couldn't help but cry out as Kaidou started falling, watching with horror as the other boy fell down towards him, the kitten clutched close to his chest. A couple of times Kaidou managed to get a hold of a branch for enough time to slow down his fall, but none of those could bear his weight and stop the fall altogether. Finally, Kaidou fell down to the ground with a loud thud and a groan.

"Kaidou-kun?" Amane asked, terrified, as he rushed to look closer at the other boy. "Are you all right, Kaidou-kun?"

Kaidou looked up with a slightly panicked expression, and Amane prepared himself for a declaration of "I think my arm is broken" or something of a similar nature. However, what Kaidou actually said completely surprised him.

"Is she all right?" Kaidou asked.

That was, Amane would later reflect, the moment when he truly fell in love with Kaidou Kaoru. After he had found seventeen different ways of calling him a self-destructive idiot, of course.

"A pet shop?" Kaidou sounded somewhat disbelieving.

"Exactly," Amane replied. "You should come with me, really. You need a break from all the training before you burn out. I'll do nothing with a partner who can't play because he's all work and no play." He chuckled, as usual. However, Kaidou was apparently too stunned to even hit him on the head.

"But – but why should it be a pet shop, fsshuuu?" Kaidou asked, a bit flushed. "What if somebody sees us there?"

"So what if they do?" Amane asked nonchalantly. "I'll just tell them I dragged you along if it's that much of an issue. And if you don't come along," he continued, "I'll tell your captain exactly how you got those bruises."

This threat seemed to work well enough. Soon Kaidou was following him, appearing more reluctant than he probably was in reality.

As Amane has expected, Kaidou's reluctance disappeared as soon as they reached the actual pet shop. All the little kittens and puppies and fish and birds and whatnot seemed to tear all of Kaidou's carefully crafted barriers down, leaving him with just an adoring gaze and a tiny smile. Amane couldn't help but think that he was absolutely adorable as he went from one animal to another, softly talking to them when he thought nobody heard.

They stopped before a group of kittens. One of them looked intently at Kaidou with her big eyes as though finding him interesting. Amane grinned as Kaidou cocked his head to the side in exactly the same way the kitten was doing.

Kaidou turned towards him. "Hey, Amane-kun," he started, only to be interrupted by Amane's, "Davide."

"Huh?" Kaidou looked at him, puzzled. Amane sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Just call me Davide," he said. "Everybody else does, anyway."

"Are you – are you sure?" Kaidou asked, looking rather hesitant. "I don't want to insult you, fsshuuu..."

It took Amane a moment before he understood what Kaidou was probably thinking of. After all, as far as he knew the other boy's only personal experience of being called by a name not truly his own was the captain's "Mamushi". And, like he had come to notice, Kaidou definitely didn't like that name.

"Oh, it's all right," he thus said. "I like the name, myself. But if calling me Davide makes you uncomfortable, well, please call me Hikaru-kun instead. I'm not used to playing doubles with somebody who calls me by my family name."

"Hikaru-kun?" Kaidou asked, looking stunned. "But – but I –"

"Hikaru-kun or Davide," Amane said persistently. "I'm not going to respond to Amane-kun anymore."

Kaidou glared at him. "...That's unfair, fsshuuu."

"No, it isn't," Amane replied cheerfully. "It's a perfectly ordinary way of using blackmail to achieve a goal. The blackmail usually works – even all my mail is for 'Davide.'" He chuckled, receiving a glare and a slight hit on the head from Kaidou.

Kaidou glared at him for a while, then sighed. "Fine," he said. "I'll call you Hikaru-kun... if that's okay with you."

"Great." Amane grinned. "That sounds much better."

Kaidou snorted. "It'd better."

However, his tone was not as hostile as it could have been.

"Good work today."

Kaidou didn't respond, just nodded in agreement. He had taken his bandanna off for a moment, running a hand through his hair. A few ink-black locks stuck to his forehead with sweat, lips slightly pursed as he let his breath out in a slow hiss.

Amane swallowed. He couldn't help but think that, at the moment, Kaidou looked absolutely delicious.

He perhaps was thinking this for a bit too long, as the other boy gave him a mild glare. "What are you looking at?" Kaidou asked with a half-snap. He didn't sound really hostile, though.

"You," replied Amane honestly before his brain had time to catch up and point out that honesty wasn't perhaps the best option in this case. As the other boy's eyes widened slightly, he hurried to say, "Not that there's anything wrong with how you look, no, rather there's nothing wrong and –" Well, going from bad to worse. Way to go, Amane. Wasn't he supposed to be the one good with words? ...Or not, considering how rarely his jokes made anyone laugh...

Kaidou's expression was now rather strange. "Fsshuuu," he said, probably in lack of words, and it made his lips move just so...

Amane couldn't help himself. Really, he couldn't. One moment he was standing there, looking at Kaidou, the next he found himself right next to the dark-haired boy, his lips pressed against Kaidou's.

The moment after that, he found himself sprawled on the ground, his cheek still stinging from Kaidou's strike.

"What do you think you're doing, fsshuuu?" Kaidou asked, looking enraged. "I know you're weird, but don't get me involved in your idiotic jokes!"

"Jokes?" Amane echoed. "What jokes?"

"As if you don't know, fsshuuu." The dark eyes shone with anger and Amane was suddenly very, very mad at himself. "Just don't play with me, okay?"

"But I have to play with you or the line-up will be ruined! ...Or do you not mean tennis?" For once, Amane was not even saying it as a joke. For a moment he had been honestly confused as to what Kaidou meant.

"That – that thing you did." Even now, Kaidou was blushing slightly. Amane wondered what he'd look like if he actually managed to say "kiss" and found himself concluding the sight would be rather adorable. "I don't like jokes like that, okay?"

"...But it was no joke." Amane's voice was unusually quiet, his expression sincere as he looked up at Kaidou. "I really like you, Kaidou-kun. And you were looking just so – so delicious, and I couldn't resist and –" He sighed, looking away. Suddenly, he felt like the worst idiot in the entire world. He probably was. "I'm sorry, okay? It won't happen again." 'I hope,' he added inwardly.

Kaidou, though, didn't even seem to hear his last comment. Rather, the other boy was staring at him in disbelief. "Me?" he asked after a moment of silence. "You like... me?" As Amane nodded, he asked, "Why?"

"Why?" Amane echoed. "Because you're hard-working and stubborn and nice to animals and polite and just damn good-looking. And you even hit me for my jokes. After Bane nobody does that, even if I ask them to."

If anything, Kaidou seemed even more disbelieving. "...You're actually serious?"

"For once, yeah." Amane nodded. "There's a limit to what I'll do for a joke, you know. Not even I would toy with somebody's feelings like that just for fun."

Kaidou muttered something that sounded suspiciously much like "I wouldn't be so sure." Aloud, he said, "Just... just don't do that again, okay?"

Amane did his best to smile, reminding himself that at least Kaidou didn't seem to hate him for his stunt. "Don't worry, I won't," he replied cheerfully.

In the inside, though, he was anything but cheerful.

First day of the tournament over. First match won. It could have gone worse, Amane thought happily to himself.

Then again, he thought, glancing at Kaidou, it could have gone much, much better as well. The bruise was sure not to fade for quite a while, and, well, it had been a bad hit. Even if they had said at the hospital Kaidou was just fine, Amane couldn't help but worry. The idiot didn't know the word self-restraint, after all; what if he strained himself too much and ended up fainting and hit his head again? Or what if –

No, he had to stop that. Worrying wasn't Amane Hikaru's style, not at all. Get a grip of yourself, Davide.

At least he had got to hold Kaidou – most probably for the only time ever. Their team mates had seemed to think it was just one of his jokes, for which Amane was somewhat grateful – he definitely didn't want Kaidou to get any kind of trouble because of him, not even something as innocent as teasing. Kaidou definitely didn't need any more reasons to dislike him.

It had come as little surprise that Kaidou had insisted on training even after the match. Amane had agreed, more to keep an eye on the other boy than because he felt like they needed any extra training. After the scare at the match he most definitely wasn't going to let Kaidou hurt himself again.

Kaidou looked somewhat distracted, Amane noted. This was most likely his fault. Nothing else could explain this.

"I'm sorry, Kaidou-kun," he finally said. "I shouldn't have done that."

"Done what?" Kaidou seemed honestly confused.

"Held you like that." Amane grinned embarrassedly. "At the moment it seemed like a good idea, but... I'm sorry for upsetting you," he finished, and he really was.

"Oh." Kaidou looked away. "Well, I... I wasn't really upset about that. Not much, at least, so... please don't be sorry, Hikaru-kun."

"So what are you so distracted over?" Amane asked. "And don't even try to deny it – you are."

"I was just... thinking." Kaidou looked anywhere but at him.

"Oh? Thinking about what?" asked Amane, now curious. As Kaidou muttered something inaudible, he pressed on, "What was that? I didn't quite catch it."

"That – that thing you did." Kaidou flushed. "Not today, although it reminded me... of... earlier..."

"Oh yeah?" Amane couldn't help but grin, now. Kaidou looked simply adorable when he was so flustered. "Do you mean that kiss?"

"...Fsshuuu." The strengthening flush was the only answer Amane got – or needed.

"I'm glad to be able to occupy your mind so," Amane said, then decided to risk it. "May I... kiss you again?"

Kaidou looked startled. Finally, after a moment of silence, he muttered, "...I won't say no. Fsshuuu."

This was apparently as close to a permission as he was ever going to get. Thus Amane gathered his courage, stepped forward and kissed Kaidou.

The kiss was even better this time, and not only because he wasn't hit this time. After a moment, Kaidou actually began to respond, slowly at first but then more bravely. One of Amane's hands settled itself on Kaidou's waist, drawing the shorter boy closer. Kaidou didn't push away.

At last, they pulled apart, gasping for breath. Amane looked down at Kaidou, smiling at the other's still flustered face. "Do you believe me now?" he asked quietly.

"I – I guess I do," Kaidou muttered.

"And what about you?" asked Amane softly, hardly even daring to hope for an answer. "Do you like me?"

"...Fsshuuu." The flush on Kaidou's cheeks deepened. He closed his eyes, not looking at Amane.

Well, this was a perfect chance. With a mischievous smile, Amane scooped Kaidou up into his arms, marvelling at how light he seemed to be despite all that muscle mass.

"Wha –" Kaidou's eyes flew open as he stared at Amane. "Put me down! Put me down right away, Hikaru-kun!"

"No, I won't," Amane replied cheerfully, ignoring the fist now banging at his shoulder. Although Kaidou hit rather hard... "Not before you give me a proper answer."

"That's blackmail!" Kaidou hissed, hitting harder yet. "I'm not some child so put me down!"

"Aww, and here I was hoping I could awe you with my masculine strength," Amane sighed. "Guess not, then. But that doesn't change the fact that you owe me an answer."

"Well, fine!" Suddenly, there were lips upon his own. The kiss didn't last long, more of a peck than anything, but Kaidou had not only responded but actually kissed him, and it was only thanks to the dark-haired boy's reflexes that Kaidou didn't hit the ground rather painfully as the surprise caused Amane to let go of him.

Kaidou was hissing now, the most adorable flush on his cheeks as he looked away, but Amane was happier than ever. From Kaidou, this was all the answer he would probably ever get – and it was more than enough.

It was he who kissed Kaidou again, this time, but he concluded from the response that he had interpreted the answer right.

"So... you're leaving, Hikaru-kun."

Amane nodded. "Yeah, tomorrow."

Both were quiet. Of course, they had known that the tournament was short and would soon be over, but still... they had never actually thought of the day it would be over. Most probably they hadn't allowed themselves to do so.

Amane didn't know what to say. He liked Kaidou, he really did, and he didn't just want to forget him, but... They lived too far apart, didn't they? He couldn't just suggest a long-distance relationship after such a short time of acquaintance. Kaidou would surely turn him down; it would simply be too difficult.

Suddenly, a hand was tugging at his shirt. Looking down, he saw Kaidou's hand, a slip of paper held in it. Kaidou himself was looking away, flushed.

Amane curiously took the paper and unfolded it. Then, he stared at the number on it.

"It's my cell phone number," Kaidou muttered. "Although you'll probably forget me as soon as you get home, but... fsshuuu."

Amane smiled brightly, placing the paper carefully into his pocket. "I definitely won't forget you, Kaoru-kun," he promised. "We're too good a pair not to even try being a couple, ne? ...Pu."

Kaidou hit him on the head.

Suddenly, the sun seemed to shine brighter.