Zero had it nice and easy staying at Soubi's place. Food, something to drink, and entertainment. It didn't feel like it was all that nice to one of them though, Natsuo.
Natsuo always had to listen to Youji saying that Nagisa-Sensei would call them back, and forgive them. He knew that Nagisa-Sensei always favored Youji over him. He just cheered himself up by thinking how lucky he was to be so close to someone so favored by someone of Nagisa's standards.
One day Ritsuka came to visit while Soubi wasn't there. As usual, Natsuo was nurturing Ritsuka, so he wasn't paying that much attention to Youji.
"Natsuo, I don't need all this attention. I'm just here to wait for Soubi."
"But you're so cute, Rit-Kun." Natsuo tugged on one of Ritsuka's ears.
"Stop it Natsuo, I'll wait for Soubi outside!" Ritsuka stormed out the door with a slam. Underneath the dead quiet that suddenly arose, Natsuo heard something else, mumbling.
"Youji? What's wrong?" He crawled up on the bed next to Youji. "You look troubled, are you ok?"
Youji looked at Natsuo with a hard face, but softened. "Natsuo, Nagisa-Sensei's never gonna call is she? We lost against Soubi, why would she take us back? We're nothing we're...Zero! Zero Zero zero!"
Natsuo wrapped his arms slowly around Youji. "Youji, you are anything but nothing." He let go and started to interlock his fingers with Youji's, which did the same. "Youji we're a great team...and you can't think of just yourself. If you're nothing then I'm nothing too."
Youji stopped and looked down at his knees. "No, Natsuo, you're not nothing. You're everything. Everything to me. And...who cares if Nagisa-Sensei doesn't call back at least i have you!" Youji looked almost near tears.
Natsuo looked shocked. "Y-Youji...I love you. Youji I loved you and I always have!" Natsuo's locked fingers tightened around Youji's. "Y-Youji?"
"Yes?"
"Do you ever feel...l-like sometimes...you hurt right here?" Natsuo took his right hand back and put it on Youji's chest. "Even though we're Zero's...we feel no pain...I sometimes hurt there."
Youji softly smiled. "Yeah...I do...umm." He started to turn red. Natsuo looked confused and nodded for him to go on. "I-I heard that if two people touch lips...they feel warm right there. If they really care about the person...they feel warm."
Natsuo closed his eyes and started to lean forward towards Youji. Youji did the same in return until they met.
Natsuo pulled away first. "I...I do feel kind of...warm right here."
Youji looked at Natsuo straight in the eye and smiled. "I've never felt more connected, Natsuo."
