The blond leaned against the cement wall outside the middle school. Soubi lit a cigarette, ignoring the weird looks he was getting from women that walked passed him as he was used to it now. Since he'd met Ritsuka he'd come by the school almost every day to pick him up, save for the few he was ordered not to come, and the few where he had other matters to attend to.

The last the bell of the day rang and kids poured from the middle school. Soubi stood up, eyes searching for the heads of the three kids that he'd come to care for deeply. The three he'd been looking for finally came out of the building. The pink haired girl ran up to him first. She excitedly greeted him as she always does, the two boys following behind her at their own pace.

"Soubi! You're here to pick up Ritsuka!" He smiled at her.

"Of course Yuiko, I wouldn't miss picking up Ritsuka and getting a chance to see you." She smiled brightly at him her short tail wagging.

The two boys had made their slwo way to the tall girl and the taller blond male. Ritsuka looked at the blond who was smiling at him. He felt the imaginary butterflies flutter in his stomach; he had hoped that the feeling would eventually fade, but every day the feeling returned when he saw the twenty one year old. The three children chatted about everything form school to the newest video game as the small group of four walked home. They dropped off each child at their respected home, Yayoi first, Yukio second, leaving Ritsuka alone with Soubi. The butterflies flared again.

"Would you like to go home Ritsuka?" The twelve year old shook his head.

"No not yet, let's go to your house. I haven't seen Youji and Natsuo in while." Soubi nodded, falling a step behind his young master. He followed the young boy to his own apartment. The young black haired boy stepped aside to allow his fighter to open the door and they were greeted by the pair of boys having a tickle fight in the middle of the small room. The red head was laughing as Youji was wriggling his fingers up and down his sides.

"Stop! Stop! You win, Youji you win!"

"That's right!" The blond blinked at the two boys.

"What are you two doing?" The pair turned to look at Soubi.

"Natsuo said he wasn't ticklish but I proved him wrong. Are you ticklish Soubi?" The blond shrugged.

"Who knows?" Youji smirked at the cryptic response.

"What about you Ritsuka?" Black ears flattened at the question.

"I would prefer not to be tickled." Two devilish grins settled upon the lips of the zero pair. They both lunged at Ritsuka who managed to duck before they could grab him; they chased him around the apartment before he hid behind his blond fighter, clutching the velveteen purple coat. He yelled the command before he knew what he was doing.

"Soubi stop them!" The blond took a step forward grabbing both boys by the collar of their shirts, dragged them out the door shutting it in their faces. The pair banged on the door.

"Hey let us in!"

"Yeah that's not fair Soubi!"

"You can be let in when Ritsuka says you can be." Said boy sighed.

"I didn't mean for you to that!" Soubi looked down at the boy.

"I only did what you asked of me." The young boy rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms.

"Now that we know that I'm ticklish, are you ticklish Soubi?" The blond lost his smile and stared at the sixth grader.

"Uh…" Ritsuka grinned. He leaped at his fighter. When he missed he had begun chasing him around the room. They had run around in circles for a while before Ritsuka finally turned around and Soubi ran into him. His hands were immediately poking at his fighter's sides. The blond man had begun to squeal and giggle, falling backward onto the bed. Ritsuka jumped on his fighter and continued to tickle him until he was gasping for breath.

"OKAY OKAY! I'm ticklish." Ritsuka fully smiled, poking Soubi in the side one more time watching as he flinched, his body jerking to the side. He was panting from laughing and giggling so hard. Banging on the door made them both look at it.

"Will you let them back in?" Soubi nodded, sitting up, which cause Ritsuka to flop over onto the bed. He opened the door allowing the zeros back into his home.

"Soubi is ticklish!"

"Wait till Kio hears about this." Soubi rubbed his forehead. He was well aware that his painter friend was going take that info to heart and attack him the near future. The things kids being out in him.