Ray Kon liked to color.

It was a secret, of course. A childish secret that he kept from all of his friends and family. And one that he would keep forever, for he didn't see his secret past time going away anytime soon.

Kai had caught him once. Coloring from a coloring book that he had brought with him along for the tournament. The two shared a room, so it was really no surprise that he was eventually found.

When asked what he was doing, Ray was able to keep his cool. "Oh, I found this. Someone must have left it here from the last time, and I was bored. Wanna try?" Kai had snorted and left the room.

Ray had nearly fell to the ground in relief.

Though he wasn't sure Kai completely believed him. How ironic was it that someone left a coloring book and coloring pencils just laying around?

But besides that, not even his old teammates, the White Tigers, knew he enjoyed such a "childish" and "girly" past time.

So when he walked into the room that the boys slept in, and saw Max flipping through his coloring book, he froze, fear and anger coursing through his body.

"There you are Ray! Kenny was asking for Drigger, and I couldn't find you, so I thought that I would,"

"You dug through my stuff!" Ray said, snapping at the blonde, who's eyes widened.

"Im really sorry…….I just didn't….I mean…I….." Rays eyes slit in anger.

"What? And put that down!" He demanded as he snatched the book away from the boy.

"Im really sorry Ray! Honest! I swear I wont do it again!" He said as the others walked in.

"Whats going on, Kon?" Kai demanded, seeing an angry neko jin and a near hysterical blond American.

"He went through my things without permission!" Kai raised an eyebrow. Ray wouldn't snap at someone for something so trivial, unless he had something to hid.

"Out, everyone." He said, and the group left, Max hesitant in doing so. "So?" He asked as they disappeared. Ray glared at him.

"So what?" Kais eyebrow raised a bit more. The raven haired boy must be pretty angry to snap at him like that.

"So why are you treating Tate like….Oh. He found your coloring book." Kai stated, annoyance leaving him and amusement filling its place when he spotted the book in the raven haired boys hands. Rays eyes slitted again.

"Calm down, no ones making fun of you!" Kai snapped, and Ray snorted. "I think you owe Max an apology and an explanation, though." He said, before he turned and left the boy to himself.

Ray sighed. He had been a real jerk.

And that was unlike him. He was usually the calm, level headed one that did the peace keeping. Not Kai.

He really did owe Max and apology.

He dropped his coloring book, and made his way out to find the blonde.

-

-

-

He found the blonde out by the back, sitting near the pond. He approached slowly, and sighed seeing the depressed look. It really didn't suit him at all.

"Max?" The younger boy nearly jumped out of his skin as he turned around, and his eyes widened.

"RAY!" Before he could react, Max launched himself straight at Ray, nearly knocking him over, and hugged him for all he was worth.

"Im so, so sorry, Ray! I didn't mean to,"

"Max, stop it. Im the one that came to apologize, not for you to! Ok? I had no right to go off on you like that…its just…….that book you were looking at….its…"

"That coloring book? You colored all those, right? There amazing! I wish I could color half as good as you! You keep the lines so smooth and going the same direction. And you never get out of the lines, and you even,"

"You don't think its silly?"

"Huh?"

"You don't think its silly? For a sixteen year old to still carry around a coloring book………I mean, its kinda girly, isn't it?" Max giggled at him.

"So what! I love to color! I don't have a coloring book like you, but when I get the chance, I always do! And so does Tyson!" He said, and Rays eyebrows rose.

"Really?" Max shot him his brilliant, million watt smile.

"Yup! How about we go inside and color, together! Ill get Tyson, and you can go see if Kai wants to join in!" He said, and before Ray could realize it, the blonde skipped away.

Ray smiled.

Ray Kon liked to color, but it was much more fun to color when there were more people around - though Kai never did join in.

Of course, there were times that there were fights over who got what colored pencil, but that was to be expected.

------------------------ End ------------------------

Ahhh……….I really need to work on Life Without Tonsils……..bah…..Ill get around to it………Eventually……….

This wasn't my best work, so be as critical as you want. I got the idea from over hearing a conversation between a couple of adults who thought that their thirteen year old boy was to old to be coloring still (even though im sure it was for a school project)

Anyways, reviews are appreciated, and all that good stuff.

Pyro out!