A/N: I know I am way past the deadline. And will surely have no problem whatsoever if this isn't judged. I have been busy. But yeah... I already wrote it so I wanted to post it.

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A jerk of his head and the glower from the azure orbs was all that was required to actually silence everyone.

Benkei? Not so much…

The green haired lad's eye twitched as he tried to keep his cool.

His companion for the day was a purple haired blueberry who talked. A lot.

An exasperated sigh left Kyoya. He was in some deep shit.

"And then we were supposed to put ketchup but why would you even do that? I mean, ketchup does not go on top of the bun. It has to be put over the hotdog! That's the rule to a great-"

The Leone wielder tried his best to mute the blabbering lips and frantically waving hands, but no…

"Kyoya buddy? You listening?"

Gritting his teeth, the sapphire orbs tried to incinerate him with a seething look.

No effect.

This guy was just getting on Kyoya's nerves and he found himself wishing that Nile's company would have been much better. Yes, at least that tattooed lad knew how and when to keep his thoughts bottled up and lacked the fairly annoying enthusiasm of his blathering companion on the topic of the wonders of hotdogs.

Yeah and if he called him 'buddy' or 'pal' again-

"Pal? Okay, okay, I know that you don't re-"

That was the final straw!

"Shut up!"

The chubby fellow looked fairly surprised as the auburn tinge in his brown orbs widened and his lips that were parted open mid-speech jabbed shut after the bright blue fumed at him and the scowl cut deep through Kyoya's features smacked him with fear.

A sheepish smile curled Benkei's lips and he slowly scratched his neck.

"Sorry."

"You will shut up or you are going back!"

A firm and determined nod caused his choppy purple hair to bounce ever so slightly and Kyoya turned his gaze ahead once again.

But Benkei keeping quiet… Surely some god above was mocking him.

"Do you know they then came to me and were so awed!"

Yes, totally someone up there was taking his revenge.

"And I showed them. They don't mess with my buddies!"

Or maybe it was karma?

"There was an ice-cream stand nearby too!"

Definitely karma…

The universe was getting back at him for last week. He had been harsh towards a certain redhead and silenced him when he blabbered too much. So now the world had a way of showing him that he cannot shut everyone up.

"I told the stall owner that it was too expensive! It's just an ice-cream."

Yes, that was what made most sense.

"Of course, he didn't know I was short of little money."

The green haired lad wondered if a girl would be more noisy or Benkei?

"Can you believe it? He didn't give it to me, though I was a regular customer!"

Maybe Benkei…

Most probably Benkei.

"I will never buy ice-cream from there ever again."

No, nobody else showed a similar passion for ice-cream. Not even that little blonde kid who always called him 'Yoyo'.

Sighing, Kyoya shoved his hands in his pockets, head down desperately trying to think of anything else.

When something bored you, your brain was supposed to stop paying attention, right?

Well, that rule was not working in his case.

Seriously, what made him think that he could tolerate his plump face during this journey? All he does was talk uselessly and follow him around like a puppy and Kyoya was never fond of puppies. He preferred loneliness, solitude and isolation. He was a lion, the king of beasts and cared nothing about lackeys. He was neither in the need of them nor did he find them amusing or useful. He was very much capable of getting his work done on his own.

But whatever he did, Benkei would not leave.

Rudeness, rage and humiliation were all tools he used rather skilfully but it seemed to have no effect on his companion.

Eventually Kyoya had learned to just roll with it.

Kyoya stopped dead in his tracks.

He could not hear Benkei anymore.

With a swivel of his head, he realised that the chubby fellow was nowhere in sight.

What the-

The azure orbs darted all around, like a pendulum to and fro and he did not see him.

Shit!

To say Kyoya suddenly was worried was an understatement not that he would ever admit it out loud. It was maybe not because his comrade suddenly vanished into thin air but the fact that he was too far wrapped up in his thoughts to notice. Okay, maybe he was concerned about Benkei too… just a little though.

The dull green locks swayed covering his eyes and after shoving them back he looked around still standing in the same spot.

Maybe it was a blessing?

No, what was he thinking?

With an exasperated exhale, Kyoya started walking back, retracing his steps.

No one just vanishes in the middle of a city.

Complacently and almost nonchalantly the green haired lad tried to find the bloke who was making his life miserable just minutes ago at the same time internally arguing why did he even care?

After the amount of annoyance and aggravation that caved its way into his life, he should be skipping like a nine year old ballerina princess away happy to get rid of him.

Cringing at the thought, he harked back to the bizarre events linked to the blueberry not so long ago.

"It's Halloween, Kyoya buddy!"

"Hn…"

"Won't you be celebrating?"

Heaving a frustrated sigh, the sapphire orbs turned to look at the blueberry talking back at him. An actual blueberry. Never did Kyoya think something could surprise him so much.

Sweatdropping, Kyoya creased his brow, a look of disgust and exasperation mirroring his features.

"The hell are you doing, Benkei?"

"I am a blueberry for Halloween."

Kyoya's jaw slightly sagged, his eyebrows furrowing further as he tried to make sense of the stupidity in all of this. Stupidity… yes, there was no better word for this.

In all his flabby glory, there stood Benkei covered in a blue suit, more round and plump than the guy itself, if that was even possible. The obnoxious grin plastered on his face extended from one of his earlobes to the other and on his head were leaves? All green large fleshy leaves sagged on the sides of his head and his comrade had to keep pushing them away from his eyes.

Nodding to himself, Kyoya concluded he wanted to stay away from all this drama. Thanks very much.

"We should get you something too!"

Heck, no!

"Leave me alone, Benkei."

"But-"

"Alone, Benkei!"

A nod accompanied by the annoyingly noisy drag of his feet and he was gone.

He never really appreciated his efforts, did he?

He never felt the need to maybe.

Panting, he stood bent over and looked back. He was the head of the Face Hunters and such weakness was not in his nature. It could never be shown. Ever.

He was a leader, the one his companions looked up to, if he gave up it meant that he would lose everything; all his efforts, his dreams, but most importantly their trust.

But being a leader was not easy. It meant he was alone, not that he minded it. He had grown used to the lonely nights, the withering days, the ever-growing pain and struggle to be perfect, to make the right decision by doing what was right because they had put all they had in his hands.

But one of these days, he needed support to stop himself from drowning in the walk of life. He needed a foothold to grab onto so he would not fall down into the depths of the demanding agony following him day and night. There were times when he needed a breather, a break when he could be himself and not someone who was supposed to do everything right and make mistakes just for the sake of experience without risking the fate of his companions.

He did not get that opportunity much.

He was used to living a harsh life where he had to cope with the situations, had to fight to survive, had to adapt to his surroundings because he was not capable of molding them according to his wishes.

However, he wished for things to be different.

How he wished he could have someone like that pathetic redhead, who would support him through dark times and lighten up his good days. But he was alone and he would stay that way.

The door creaked open, the light slipped through the slight opening and slithered its way through the darkness illuminating the green hair falling down his eyes as his raspy breath cooled into a misty vapour just in front of his eyes. The azure shifted as Kyoya turned his head up and was met with reddish brown spheres gaping at him, relief flooding the flabby features.

"Oh, Kyoya pal! You're back! I thought you left us."

Trying to straighten up, Kyoya hurriedly regained his stoic and calm composure. "I went for a walk."

"Yes, yes." Benkei acknowledged, nodding his head up and down almost violently, the uneasy but comforted grin growing. "How stupid of me."

Running was not the right solution, he realised that day.

The chubby fingers were held out for him, and he grabbed the hand as he got inside, wincing at the pain in his ribs.

When he entered, he swivelled his head to warn Benkei to not let anyone else know.

Instead, an odd clayey glow met his cold icy orbs, the warmth spreading through him, chasing away the pain he had grown accustomed to.

Benkei nodded once more, slowly this time.

That was all he needed.

A silent promise that his secret and vulnerability would be safeguarded. Kyoya had never felt more grateful.

"We had burgers from downtown today. I left some for you, bud."

He wanted support. Maybe he was looking in the wrong direction.

A wave of remorse washed over Kyoya hurling him back to reality.

His idiotic friend was still missing.

Friend? His inner conscience gleamed with glee.

No… he shoved the thought away. He did not have friends.

He was still walking and with each step he took feelings of unease began to claw at him harder. Benkei was still nowhere to be seen.

His footsteps felt heavy against the pavement, soles tapping as he tried to recall what his companion had been talking about, maybe that would give him a clue.

Thunder rumbled in the sky and Kyoya gritted his teeth. Rain, just what he needed.

"You have been training hard again."

A sneeze.

"You should not overburden yourself, buddy. You are a great blader, better than Gingka Hagane."

"Doesn't explain why I lost."

"It depends… Sometimes you win, other times you lose. But losing doesn't mean you were never capable of winning."

Another sneeze.

"Doesn't mean I should not train hard either."

"Of course you should. Just don't overwork."

Kyoya had no idea why was he listening to him. Heck, why was he even saying all this. Benkei talking about something with more meaning than cakes and pies… Scoff. Kyoya lost and the next time he would cross paths with the redhead he would show him who he messed with. But why did the blueberry's words feel comforting?

Sneezing for the umpteenth time, Kyoya groaned, staring at the round globules of water splashing against the ground, patting and worsening the throbbing in his head. The sky was engulfed by the bright haphazard pattern that illuminated his surroundings accompanied by the familiar roar of thunder.

It did not mean he was not capable of winning.

It did not.

Just the echo of the purple haired lad's words comforted him and lifted the weight of his shoulders.

He felt relaxed and unburdened as an involuntary smile curled his lips.

Kyoya was now pacing forward briskly, searching.

He was some buddy! Did not even realise his companion was gone. Scolding himself, he walked hastily with bald-faced urgency to his movement. People bustled around him. Skirts, jeans, coats as far as the eye could see but he could not spot Benkei's plum hair with that ridiculous beanie.

He did not even care that his heart was hammering against his ribcage with anxiety and that he was almost sprinting, pushing past people looking for that wandering idiot.

His stupid wish, his stupid head, no, stupid him for wanting him to disappear.

He was pathetic really; wishing to get rid of someone then running around worried sick wishing for them to reappear. Totally pathetic.

Taking a turn, he rushed through a street, still searching, until he froze and jerked his head around violently.

On the corner of the street stood the cause of his trouble, his big companion grinning as he handed some money to two girls at a stand, gulping down his lemonade.

Lemonade?! He was drinking bloody lemonade all this time?!

Kyoya tried to calm the hurricane of rage boiling and roiling within him but all of it faded as he saw Benkei waving frantically at him, pointing to his lemonade with a constant thumbs-up.

Shaking his head, Kyoya walked over to his comrade.

Utterly pathetic.

A/N: Well, that was that. I hope it was okay?