Disclaimer:I do not own Prince Of Tennis. It firmly belongs to Konomi Takeshi (unfortunately...*pout*).
Some Things Never Change
Niou yawned before glancing up the street for Marui. The redhead was better at history than Niou and had promised him that he would let the Trickster copy his homework answers. Niou was grateful for this since he didn't want detention but Marui was late and if he didn't get there soon then there was no way that Niou would be able to copy the answers in time. He couldn't even steal Marui's homework since the other boy's handwriting was so different from his own.
Niou glanced up the road again before yawning again. He hadn't got much too much sleep last night and his eyes felt itchy from lack of sleep. He closed them for a second and a memory came to him…
Five Years Earlier…
A ten-year-old Niou Masaharu waited outside the school walls for his best friend, Marui Bunta. They had history homework due in that day and he had managed to convince the other boy to let him copy his answers. Niou was now waiting for the other to show up so he could proceed with the copying. Niou looked at his watch irritably; if Marui didn't get here soon than the bell would ring and they would both be late. Niou looked up and saw Marui coming towards him. He quickly ran up to the other boy.
"Finally! I'll be lucky if I'm able to copy half the answers!" Niou snapped, stopping just short of the boy.
"Sorry." Marui said as he walked up to Niou. Niou frowned as he noticed that the other boy had a slight limp.
"What's wrong with your leg?" He asked. Marui started slightly in surprise before pressing his lips together and looking away. Niou sighed; Marui obviously wasn't talking. The white-haired boy knelt down peeled up Marui's left trouser leg and hissed in sympathy. A large, painful looking gash practically cut the tensai's knee in half and it was bleeding profusely. He looked up at Marui. "What happened?" Marui hesitated for a second.
"You know how I cut through the park to get to school? And you know how there are some steps going down?" Niou nodded. "Well, this girl ran past me and I kinda lost my balance and fell down the steps…" Marui trailed off, looking a bit embarrassed. Niou, in a moment of compassion, turned round and knelt down. Marui blinked. "Niou?"
"Get on. I'll take you to the infirmary." Niou explained, sensing the other's confusion. Marui blinked again and clambered on to his back. Niou stood up, adjusted his grip so that they were both comfy and started towards the infirmary,
"Thank you, Niou." Marui said, smiling a little as he buried his face in the back of Niou's neck.
"Don't do that, it tickles!" Niou complained. "Also, don't mention it. If I'm gonna be your best friend than I might as well act like it occasionally." Marui's smile grew bigger; he knew that was Niou's way of saying that he cared and he was glad that the sentiment was directed at him. Despite the other boy's earlier complaint, Marui nuzzled further into Niou's neck.
"Hey!"
"Thanks."
Present Time
"Sorry I'm late." Niou opened his eyes and saw Marui coming towards him.
"'Bout time. We're missing tennis practice because of you, ya know." Niou berated the other lightly. He then frowned and looked at Marui. "Did you fall down the steps again?" Marui blushed and pouted, shaking his head.
"No, it was a complicated incident that involved a dog, a bike and a flower that ended up with me tripping over a bench and banging my knee really hard against the edge of the fountain." Marui explained. Niou blinked.
"That does sound complicated." Niou agreed as he shrugged off his bag and turned round. "Come on, I'll give you piggyback to the infirmary." Marui wrapped his arms round Niou's neck and Niou picked him up. Marui immediately buried his face in Niou's neck.
"Don't do that! I'll drop you, I really will!" Niou yelped. Marui laughed and Niou couldn't help but grin. "Nothing's changed, has it?" Marui blinked before smiling a little as he caught on.
"Well, I wouldn't say nothing." Marui said as he leaned forward a little and kissed Niou's cheek. "But I guess you're kinda right. Some things haven't changed. 'Haru?"
"Yes Maru?"
"Thanks again."
"No problem, puri."
A/N: Not really sure what to say here other than 'Beware the fluff', puri. Also, is anybody else having trouble with the underline? Please tell me 'cause it's really annoying and I don't want to be the only one. Thanks, puri.