AIR

Disclaimer: I don't own them, I never will. Sadly.

Pairing: Momoryo

Rating: G

Author: Sailor Gotland

My baseball-cap over my eyes, as usual. I feel comfortable this way, I don't have to look at people if I don't want to. It's my choice, no-one else's. When I hide away from the world, lost in my own thoughts, people tend to realize they shouldn't bother me. I don't want to be bothered; bothering people usually want to talk to you. I don't like talking. I don't like the idea of wasting air if you have nothing to say, it just makes you seem stupid, right? Most people leave me alone.

I shove my hands into the pockets of my jersey, walking down the street. I'm heading home, home to my sad excuse of a father, my mother and my cousin. And of course… Karupin. The only creature in the entire world I like to waste air together with.

Steps behind me. Heavy steps, running fast, towards me. Someone pants, I don't bother to turn, I guess I know who it is. Most people tend to leave me alone. He doesn't.

"Yo, Echizen", he yells. I stop, but do not turn around. The moment later, I regret it, something clamps down on me, something heavy. His hand? No… His arm, draped around my shoulder. I smell him; he smells of hamburgers, aftershave – does he really need that? – and fresh air.

"You said you'd wait for me after practice, you said we'd walk home together, right? You forgot about that? Man, I waited for you for hours!"

He couldn't have done that. I know, because I left school only fifteen minutes ago. He's so stupid sometimes, that's exactly what I mean with waste of air. Of course, he doesn't wait for me to answer; maybe he knows I can't think of anything intelligent to say.

The sun is setting behind him, throwing his face into darkness as I finally turn and look at him.

"Look, Echizen… Horio-kun told me to bring you these notes from class, you forgot them."

He hands me the papers, I try to remember which class they're from. Right, the first. I fell asleep then, and as I woke up, I was too busy trying to sneak out without the teacher noticing, that I forgot the papers. How… stupid.

"Thanks", I mumble, starting to walk again.

He follows.

"Echizen!"

Something in his voice causes me to turn around.

"Let's go grab a burger!"

"Now?"

"Yeah! Let's go!"

And I follow him. He drapes his arm around my shoulder again; talking about this and that like he always does. A pure waste of air.

"You're loud, Momo-sempai", I comment. He grins, ignoring me, and continues to waste his air.

And somehow… I don't really mind.

Owari