A/N: My internet is a slow as a half-asleep sloth and my computer's broken, so I can't update, only write new things.

So. Yup. Enjoy.

[...]

When I was young, I was told to be wary of many things. Drugs, bullies, alcohol - stuff like that. Everyone is told that. Everyone is told that life is full of disappointments, but there are many happy times that you'll go through as well. Just like every other person on the planet, I pretty much shrugged these things away; sure, they happened to some people, but they surely wouldn't happen to me - right?

Yet, no-one ever warned of the 'good stuff' that hurts. Smiles, friends, love, family - those things. For me, they've hurt a lot more than the 'bad stuff'. The stuff my parents taught me to do, told me to steer towards and not avoid, the stuff that was supposed to make me happy, only ended up breaking me over and over.

Family was probably the first 'good thing' to change lists in my world. When my parents passed away only days before my twelfth birthday in a car crash to go get my sister and I's birthday presents, we were given to our alcoholic uncle, as he was the only family we had left. I suppose I could blame my beatings and years of horror and terror on my uncle's drinking problems, but the fact was he was family. He was supposed to be a good thing.

It wasn't like school was any better. I used to like school - learning new things was pretty exciting and easy for me. It was fun. The thing I didn't like was the people. Bullies. That was a 'bad thing', so I was pretty much expecting that to be a miserable experience. From my first years at elementary school, all the way through middle school I was shoved in the halls, tripped on the way to class and slammed into the wall by soccer balls in P.E. My locker was filled with a suspicious substance every other day, and the picture of my late parents was stolen and ripped up. My only image of them was gone. Every day, I came home from school, beaten with any self-esteem deflated. Every day, I went to school, beaten with any trust smashed. No-one ever asked any questions. No-one cared, I supposed.

I was lucky enough to have a few 'friends'. Good things. Right? People who had my back and sincerely cared for me. Right? At least I believed that. I believed it for a long time. Three years after becoming my friend, a girl named Neru Akita texted the entire school with my secret - I was crushing on another guy. I can't remember the guy's name, let alone why I liked him.

But that was enough to break any trust for people I had left. Guys who were my friends became afraid of me. Girls who were my friends sniggered when I walked past. I felt more alone than before - all because of some stupid crush. The guy I liked punched me when he saw me, kicked me in the nuts, spat on me and called me a worthless fag that deserved to die. You deserve to die, you faggot!

I hated people. I hated everything. The smiles of people around me forced me down a dark, miserable hole, where I was doomed to stay forever. My sister turned to drugs and alcohol when she turned fifteen, corrupting her innocence. She seemed so happy though. "Drugs and alcohol are bad for you, Len. They'll only make you feel misery."

Was everything I'd been told a lie? Was being a bully, having drugs and alcohol flooding through my mind, making strange deals with equally queer men and sleeping with everyone I knew the way to happiness?

Yet, I still didn't turn to that. I couldn't. My mum, the only person I'd ever trusted, the only person who'd never hated me at some stage, had told me not to. I could never go against her. When I turned sixteen, my sister and I went my separate ways. She dropped out of school, running off with some boy she'd met in an alley, grinning and stammering as she told me the good news. I bought a house, got a low-paying job at the local cafe in which my classmates often dropped coffee on me just for a laugh and continued my pointless life of suffering.

Until my senior year.

I would never forget the first day of school that year - a new boy had transferred from a school just out of town, and was going to be doing his senior year at the high school I went to. There was nothing special about that - I didn't pay much attention to him at first. But my attention was pricked when the bullies stopped harassing me as much. There was no odd smelling substances in my locker, no dead cockroaches in my textbooks, only occasional shoves and pushes. The gossip stayed around - talking about how 'that gay fag did this' and 'that gay fag did that'. And after a while of over-hearing this gossip, I realised it wasn't me they were talking about.

I was confused over this for a few weeks, until just after second period, I stumbled out of the door and witnessed two seniors shoving another senior into the wall, their fists crashing into him. The senior they were picking on wasn't even much smaller than them - he was tall and skinny, almost so skinny you could see his ribs poking out from under his uniform. Upon seeing this, I did something I'd never done before - never even dreamt of doing before.

I retaliated.

I pulled one of the seniors back and punched him square in the nose, causing him to yelp out in pain and jump back. He clutched his nose in pain as his friend looked up, glaring at me with malice. I hadn't even realised what I'd done - that I'd fought back. And not even for myself! I had never retaliated before because it was just so stupid. I was alone, so as far as retaliation went, I'd probably end up even more bruised and busted, yet, this other boy had given me something I'd never had before. An ally. Even if he never spoke or looked at me again, we had a common enemy - a common problem. So, perhaps not allies, but we had something in common.

I wasn't alone anymore.

Sure enough, the bullies didn't like my attitude, so they punched me and shoved me into the wall. But I struggled. I struggled and kicked and punched and bit - I did things I'd never done before. I did damage, I hurt them, I insulted them and made them bleed. I knew I was bullying them in a certain sense, but I hadn't come to them looking for a fight. I supposed it looked like I had to anyone else, but really, I had had no intention of fighting when I stepped out of that classroom, nor when I laid eyes on the scene.

It just happened. Almost like fate.

As the skinny boy came to his senses, his look of fear grew. He was probably afraid of me, I realised. He probably thought I was just some other bully trying to dominate. The boy proved me wrong when he threw his arms around one of the bullies' necks, pulling him back and getting him a headlock, shoving him to ground with a punch to the face, before moving to assist me and shove the other boy off of me.

And then we ran.

We ran down the corridor as fast as our legs could carry us, scooting around corners and dodging groups of squealing girls, pushing out into the courtyard, leaning on our knees. Before I knew it, I was laughing. I was laughing my head off, my lungs and face aching more than they already did from the swelling lip and in-coming asthma attack. And he was laughing with me. We didn't know why we were laughing. It was the first time I'd laughed in a long time - so why was I?

"It's about time I did that!"He'd said with relief, holding his aching sides, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. It hurts a bit, but I'll live." I'd nodded, as we both wiped our lips on our sleeves.

"What's your name?" He'd asked, his eyes meeting mine.

"Len. Len Kagamine." I'd replied, offering a, for once, sincere smile, "Yours?"

"Piko Utatane. Nice to meet you, Len."

Before I knew it, three months had passed since that day. No-one picked on us anymore - they picked on the junior kids. I felt over-joyed that I was no longer a target, but empathised with the younger bullied students. I would've done something about, I supposed, but for the first time in years, I felt happy. I had a friend. A friend that didn't stab me in the back, or beg me to tell secrets. A friend that I talked with random stuff about - from what the world would look like with purple leaves to the new internet sensation Miku Hatsune - and nothing be taken away from the conversation but a pleasant memory. All of a sudden, 'friends' was a good thing again.

Piko, like me, had moved out of his house a few years back but, unlike me, he'd moved out when he was fourteen and lived with his older brother. He was homeschooled when he was younger, due to being bullied in elementary school for his strange looks. I hadn't noticed it when I first saw him, but Piko's eyes were two different colours - one was a sapphire blue, and the other was a deep emerald green. At first, I'd only noticed slight hue differences, but now, they seemed like two entirely different eyes. I didn't mind. His hair was even lighter than my platinum strands, being a stark snowy white.

Even his twin sister didn't look like him. And, for some reason, that made me want to protect Piko more. My whole life, I'd been surrounded by weeds that drained life from me, turning me into a rotting plant slowly and steadily, and then, finally, a strange flower had appeared and made it all better. I was selfish - I wanted that flower all the myself. I didn't want anyone else taking it from me. I wanted it - needed it.

After high school ended, Piko and I were still close. We saw each other every time, as Piko had gotten a job at the cafe after learning I still worked there. With Piko nearby, all of a sudden all the weeds were gone, and sprouting in there place was a beautiful field of roses and tulips. I began to gain more friends - and the best part was, they knew everything. They knew I was strange, they knew I was a nerd and they knew I was gay. And yet, no-one cared. The girls would talk about guys with me, the guys seemed to completely disregard the fact I wasn't straight, talking to me about normal things like jobs and family. Yet, Piko was always closest to me.

When I was twenty, Piko began dating one of the girls in the group - Gumi Megpoid. He and Gumi had always gotten along pretty well as they pretty much liked the same things, and everyone was happy for them. Except me. Something inside of me began stirring - something that hadn't for a long time. Jealousy?

I thought, maybe I was jealous because they got along so well. Maybe I was jealous because I didn't have someone to love? Maybe it was bringing things up from my past - like how Rin left with a guy she loved. Maybe because family and love were still horrible things to me. Nothing had changed besides that though. I still had friends that cared about me, I wasn't saying goodbye to Piko. One thing had changed though.

I was sharing my rose.

When Gumi's twentieth came around, everyone decided to throw a big party for her, setting up her place when she was out, as Piko had a spare key. I went with them all, hiding behind the couch in the dark, waiting for Gumi to come home from work. I'd been hiding behind one of the sofas with Piko standing directly next to me, his skin radiating heat even though we were about three centimetres away. He was grinning. He was happy. So why did I feel so horrible? Why did I hate every moment I had to watch this romance play out? Did I fear that Piko and Gumi would run away together? That I'd be alone again? Don't be silly Len, I told myself, you won't be alone. Look at all the friends you have!

It felt like a surreal dream though. Having all these people care about me. I knew they did - there were no lies anymore. But no-one cared for me in the way I wanted them to. That's when it hit me.

I was twenty, going on twenty-one, and I'd never been kissed.

Ever.

No-one had ever said 'I love you', no-one had ever kissed me, no-one had ever held me in their arms and told me I was theirs and theirs alone. I'd never had that movie moment. All I'd had was rejection after rejection. People had rejected me as a lover and a friend. Until Piko. He'd been the first to accept me as a friend.

And here I was, crouched beside him, looking at his grinning face, hearing his heartbeat race with excitement and what did I want to do? Did I want to tell him 'I'm excited too' in a hushed whisper like a normal friend did? No. I wanted to ruin this moment. I wanted to lean forward and kiss him. I wanted to make him mine and mine alone. I wanted to take back my flower.

The door flew open and I jumped in shock as everyone else sprung up, yelling a simultaneous 'Surprise!'. I fell on my hands, squinting my eyes together. I needed to pull myself together. Before I did something I'd regret.

Gumi was laughing her head off as Piko hugged and kissed her, wishing her a happy birthday as one of the guys, Hio, made a corny joke, causing everyone to laugh. I remained on the floor, feeling my heart start constricting. Even though I was with people who were closest to me, even though they all cared about me, I felt more alone than I ever had in my entire life. Even when I was beaten and crying upstairs above my uncle's lounge room, and he was banging and yelling at me to quiten down or get out of his house. Even more alone than when Rin told me goodbye and walked out the door, leaving me without any family.

Because I was with people who cared about me. And they couldn't even see my suffering.

And before I knew it, everyone was asking why I was crying. Why I was sobbing into my hands, curled over in misery. Patting my back and asking me what was wrong.

"Len are you okay?" Piko asked worriedly, his voice managing to blur all the others away. In three minutes of hiding, I'd managed to fall for my best friend. And I fell hard for him. All those crushes I'd had on people that had rejected me seemed bleak and meaningless. Sure - I'd liked them all, sometimes even loved. But not only was I in love with Piko, but I was hurting him even more by being so.

I was hurting myself even more by being so.

I excused myself from the room, running out in embarrassment, sitting on the patio as Hio and the other guys ramped up the party. I tucked my knees under my chin, staring out at the street in front of me. Get over him, I'd told myself, if you don't, you'll lose everything. His friendship, Gumi's trust and friendship - heck, you'll lose all your friends trusts and become the friendless idiot you used to be.

But how could I, when, if not for him, I wouldn't even have it all in the first place?

If I hadn't met him, if I hadn't retaliated to save his life, if we hadn't given each other names and talked every day at school, become such close friends we knew when the other was upset just from a single look, none of this would've happened. I wouldn't be here. If anything, I probably would've ended my misery years ago.

"Len?" A voice had said gently, someone sitting next to me, holding two glasses of some alcoholic drink in hand. Piko's jewel-like eyes met mine, causing me to abruptly look away and bury my face in my knees again, trying to hide my burning cheeks. I'd always liked him, I supposed. In fact, for quite a while now, I'd probably loved him. I'd had the urge to hug him and never let go, I'd had the urge to show him how much he meant to me. But I hadn't. Because I didn't know how or why.

"What happened back there?" Piko asked curiously, pushing one of the drinks closer to me. It was probably weak - Piko knew I couldn't drink strong alcohol without throwing up everywhere.

"Nothing." I said, looking at the cup with interest. Maybe I did need to get thoroughly drunk. I needed some 'bad things'. Something that hadn't ruined me before.

"Len, we've been friends for almost three years now." Piko said, "That wasn't 'nothing'. What happened?"

I'd sighed, burying my nose into my arms. I couldn't tell him. I wanted to - I wanted to so badly. I wanted it to be one of the movie magic moments, in which Piko would confess his undying love for me, explaining Gumi was just to see if I was jealous or something. In reality, that obviously wouldn't happen. Piko would be shocked, almost as shocked as I was at the fact I'd fallen for him, say it was nothing personal and not talk to me for the next few months.

Maybe... I could tell him. Just not in the up-front way of 'I've fallen in love with you.'

"...What was it like when you fell for Gumi?" I'd asked warily, not meeting his eyes.

"Well... I don't really fall for people." Piko admitted, leaning forwards on his knees, his gaze still looking at me, "I get to know them over time and I find all the good things about them - their humour, their likes and dislikes, all those little quirks, like lip-biting or a slightly lazy eye. All those things that make them who they are. I suppose I 'fall for them' over time. Picking out every detail of them so well I could make an exact replica - not that I'd ever want to."

I looked at him in surprise and he continued.

"After a while, I begin noticing if they have a slight limp, or if one of their feet is slightly bigger than the other. I note every special detail about them - from the way their irises fade into other colours, to the way they brush their hair differently depending on if they're going out formally or casually. And every little detail I notice about them, every little quirk I discover, even the undesirable ones, makes me love them even more."

"...That's beautiful." I said, smiling slightly, "What do you like about Gumi the most?"

Piko paused for a few moments, "Her laugh. She hiccups if she laughs too long, and when she laughs really hard, it becomes silent." Piko was smiling slightly now, leaning back on his hands and staring up at the roof.

I couldn't help but think of Piko's laugh. It was a lot smoother than other people's laughs, often blending in with a crowd's mixed laughter, but when you heard it alone, it was beautiful. I flushed a bit more, hiding my face again.

"Hey... Len." Piko said, causing me to look up slightly.

"Y-yeah?" I asked, stammering a bit, my thoughts still on Piko's melodious laugh.

"Have you fallen for someone recently? Is that why you were upset?" Piko asked, looking at me with considerate eyes.

I smiled slightly, sighing, supposing acting lovesick was fine. He didn't have to know it was him I was day-dreaming about, "Yeah..."

Piko grinned at me, "I really hope he likes you too."

My heart jumped slightly, but I settled it, telling myself not to be stupid. Piko already knew I was gay - I shouldn't even be surprised. But it was just him saying that. That he knew it, he didn't care and he hoped I would end up happy. I buried my face in my arms again, my eyes dampening. He wanted me to be happy with the one I loved. In a way, he was saying he wanted me to be happy with him, and he didn't even know.

"L-Len-?" Piko stammered, shocked at how I was becoming emotional again.

"H-he... He has a girlfriend." I said, my cheeks burning. Piko wasn't thick. He'd pick it up. I was being stupid - really stupid. I was ruining everything.

"Oh." Piko said, a sincere smile of apology on his lips, as he gave me a hug. Does he realise I'm talking about him? I wondered to myself.

And I swore, I heard Piko whisper very lowly in my ear.

"If you ask me, girlfriends can be quite the nuisance."

I looked at him with widened eyes, wondering if I heard correctly as he smiled at me.

"I best get back to the party - you have something to drink to lift your spirits, okay?" Piko said and I nodded stiffly, wondering if I was dreaming or not as Piko got up and went inside.

Was he... flirting with me-? I wondered, thinking over the words a few times, unable to help the small grin on my lips. He always knew how to make me feel better.

Weeks passed and nothing changed. Everyone dropped my outburst at the party and it was a long gone subject. What was more pressing news was the fact that Hio that he had signed up on a dating website recently, and was dating a girl he'd met on the internet. Everyone had celebrated, the chattiest girl of the group, Iroha, insisting we all meet her some time.

Gumi and Piko were still going steady, and everyone often made jokes about how the two were in a world of their own. The two often disappeared on dates, leaving the rest of the group to do whatever it was we were doing at the time - studying for university exams, eating hamburgers, meeting up at starbucks (Hio always turned up late with starbucks from another starbucks; it was an on going joke) or staying up late having movie marathons.

Before I knew it, another year had passed. Iroha was dating a man called Usee, Hio's girlfriend - Miku - and he had gone on a holiday to Hawaii for a while, and the other two of the group, Yuuma and Mizki, had gotten together.

And it was blatantly obvious that I stuck out of the group like a sore thumb. I was still the only one single. Hio had suggested I try using the online dating site, as he'd found his 'Mi-chan' on it and, in all fairness, I did try, but didn't much like the people I met up with. Yuuma and Mizki suggested meeting more people - talking to colleagues at work, saying hi to people at the coffee shop - but all that did was earn me a few more acquaintances and pay tips. And all of Iroha's suggestions involved a cat store, a tin-foil hat for protection against aliens, and Miley Cyrus. So they weren't really helpful.

After a late shift at the coffee shop one night, I headed back home to my small flat. I had to walk everywhere, as I was too low on money to buy a car. As I approached my house, I saw that someone was slumped against the door, holding a bottle of alcohol in their hands, looking a mess. At first I thought it may've been my boss, Meito, but realised he'd been drinking his pants off with some girl before I left for home. No way he could get here first.

"Piko?" I gasped as I made out the slumped figure, who's shoulders were shaking. I instantly fell before him, shaking him, trying to get a response out of him. He looked at me with a drunk gaze, his clothes stained with alcohol and tears, as he slowly began sobbing, shaking his head. I did the only thing I knew how to - pulled him into a hug and asked him what was wrong.

"S-s-she left me." Piko stammered, hiccuping, his breath heavily intoxicated with alcohol. He kept stammering things, about how she'd gone off with some guy, leaving him alone, telling him it was over. I didn't need to hear anything else. I was unlocking the door, helping Piko up off the ground and through the door, closing the door gently and setting him down on the couch, bringing him tissues, water and new clothes as he kept sobbing. He ran off to the toilet, managing to get there, despite his drunken stupor. Then again, he knew my house so well he could get there blind-folded.

I led Piko to the bedroom/study/den at the back of the house, where I had a fold-out mattress that was way too springy to be comfortable, but still comfier than the couch. He passed out soon after and I left him there to sleep whilst cleaning up the few piles of vomit in which he'd missed the toilet, before settling down on the couch myself.

I woke up at eight am, which was obviously before Piko, who was probably groaning in agony on a severe hang-over in my bedroom, or leaning over the toilet chucking up his dinner. I took the latter when I heard the noises from the bathroom. I found some aspirin in the kitchen and took it to Piko along with a glass of water.

"Thanks Len. Y-your a really good guy, y-you know." Piko said, his hand shaking as he took the aspirin and downed the water, before throwing up in the toilet again, the stench making my stomach curl.

A few hours later, Piko was having a recovery nap on my couch as I tried to unclog the toilet, finally managing to flush the damned thing, just as my cellphone rang from my bedroom. I rushed to answer it, not wanting it to disturb Piko, finding it was a call from Mizki, who was rooming with Piko, Gumi and Yuuma, and was wondering where Gumi and Piko disappeared last night.

I told her the story Piko had relayed to me through his drunken haze the night before, explaining that I was helping him get back on his feet and he'd probably come back that night. However, I realised it was time for me to go to work, so I hung up and gave Piko one last look, before deciding to at least leave him a note.

I took out a pen and a piece of paper and scrawled down quickly.

Had to go to work. Mizki's wondering where you are you best call her. You know where the aspirin and, well, everything else in the house is. Help yourself - if I'm out of something, there's cash in the you-know-what.

I stopped for a moment, before adding something to the bottom on a whim.

Love, Len.

I smiled - it wasn't really a confession, just a friendly gesture. I signed it on birthday cards, so it wouldn't be a big deal. Besides; I wanted Piko to know that I needed him and that it really was going to be fine.

I headed off to work, going through all the motions as usual, though everything seemed to be drearier and longer, knowing that Piko was at my house, suffering from a hang-over and a break-up. I'd never broken up with anyone, sure, I'd never actually been with anyone in the first place admittedly. But I'd faced rejection and betrayal time and time again, and from what I'd heard, they were similar.

And it wasn't as if I hadn't played out being broken up with through out my head before.

When Meito finally said I could go, I raced back to my house as fast as I could, stepping up to the door and unlocking it, pushing through into the living room. Piko wasn't lying on the couch anymore, but the door had still been locked, so he hadn't gone home - that was for sure.

"Piko?" I called, setting my keys down on the table and pulling the door closed. I heard a muffled voice talking from my room, like he was talking on the phone. Curiously, I pressed my ear against the wall, listening to the conversation. It only took me a few moments to figure out that Piko was talking to Gumi - and it took m even less to time to figure out he was abnormally angry. From the snippets I heard, it seemed that Piko was rejecting Gumi, saying that after the stunt she pulled the night before, they were over. And from the replies her gave her responses, she was begging him to not end it that way. Finally, Piko hung up and kicked the wall I was leaning against in rage, causing me to jump back.

A part of me, a very selfish part of me, was glad they were through. But the majority of me was sadenned to see Piko so frustrated and heart-broken. The door pushed open and I jumped again, realising he must've figured I was eavesdropping. And figuring the mood he was in, that probably wasn't a good thing. I expected him to be mad, but instead, Piko just cried.

He kept crying and crying until he had no more tears, hiccuping, his knees pulled to his chest, my arms wrapped around his shoulders comfortingly. Piko leant his head against my chest, listening to my heartbeat that was beginning to race from being so close to him, my chest rising and falling, lifting and dropping his head with it.

"Len... I... I'm sorry." He mumbled, turning his face into my chest and wrapping his arms around my waist, causing my breath to hitch in my throat slightly. He wasn't hugging me like a friend - not even a good friend. He was hugging me like I was the only thing keeping him from sinking into darkness, like I was someone he needed and loved deeply.

Like I'd wanted him to.

"For what?" I managed to say, surprised I could say anything without stammering.

"For... For being stupid." Piko sniffed, "I-I knew Gumi and I would never l-last. I knew that a y-year ago. But I stayed with her, b-because it was better that w-way. If everyone th-thought we were happy. E-Especially you. I-I'm sorry b-because if I h-hadn't been such a w-wimp none of this w-would've happened. Y-you wouldn't have to g-go through this drama, y-you wouldn't be the only s-single one, y-you wouldn't be alone a-again."

"Piko-" I started, but he cut me off with a string of more apologies. He explained he and Gumi had begun falling apart that night long before either of them got drunk, when she'd found out he'd been in love with someone else, that she was so mad she left and ran off, getting drunk a few moments later, yelling at Piko when he went to find her, begging her not to leave him. She went off with another guy, and Piko got smashed and ended up on my doorstep, rejecting her when he sobered up because of the incident that night. At least - that's what I gathered in between sobs and apologies.

I just held him, letting him know it was alright, and before I knew it, he'd passed out again. I carried him back to my room, as he was still under-weight as he had been all those years ago, so he was light and easy to lift. Setting him down, I leaned on my palms, looking down at his peacefully sleeping face, snowy white eyelashes stuck together with wet tears, his face splotched with red. To think that only five years ago, my life wasn't even a life. I was a target, bullied by anyone who wanted to do so, resenting everything in the world. Maybe I'd gone on some mumbo-jumbo 'spiritual enlightment' or something, but to me, it was blatantly clear that what had made my life better was right in front of me snoring softly, clinging to the blankets subconsciously, his fingers flexing occasionally.

The year, the day, the moment my life changed played through my head as I sat there watching him.

"It's about time I did that! Are you okay?" "Yeah. It hurts a bit, but I'll live." "What's your name?" "Len. Len Kagamine. Yours?" "Piko Utatane. Nice to meet you, Len."

"Len..." Piko mumbled into my pillow in his sleep. I looked at him, wondering if he was half conscious and talking to me, or if he was dreaming about me. As I just thought over that, I flushed.

"Y-yeah?" I asked, deciding to go with that he was talking to me.

"I love you."

I froze for a few moments, staring at the resting albino, with his jewel-coloured eyes and soft hair. Did I hear him right-? I wondered, staring at him in surprise as his eyes slowly open, the tears keeping his bottom lashes clumped together, his top lashes falling slightly into his eyes that searched mine, as if he was looking for an answer to his statement.

"I... I love you too." I stammered, my cheeks flaring up, praying I hadn't heard wrong almost as much as I was praying it wasn't a dream.

Piko's lips curled into a giant smile, the smile meeting his eyes as he nuzzled his forehead into my wrist, kissing it lightly, "Stay with me?"

"S-sure." I stammered, mentally smacking myself for not coming up with something like 'forever' or another corny movie lines. I flopped back onto my bed, for once glad it was large enough for two, wrapping my arms around Piko's waist as he left his arms around my shoulders, burying his face in my chest.

"Not just tonight." He clarified, "I want you to stay with me forever."

He stole my line. Of course he did. I grinned.

"Of course."

We stayed like that the entire night and for the first time in my entire life, I felt true happiness.

Piko and I spent more and more time together after that, with Piko eventually moving in with me, pitching in to help by a bed that wasn't so uncomfortable, dumping the old one on the curb. Some kids even turned it into a jumping castle it was so springy. Eventually, I got a better job and, surprisingly enough, I was a teacher at a local school. Years passed and our group drifted apart. Gumi and her new boyfriend, Mikuo, went off to travel the world, occasionally sending everyone post-cards about their trips around the world. Miku and Hio got - if possible - even MORE lovey-dovey, going off to Hawaii for their honeymoon only three years after meeting. Iroha eventually ended it with Usee, but it was a mutual agreement, and they both decided to work as volunteers at a cat shelter every weekend, meaning they stayed in touch. Yuuma and Mizki being the quiet couple they were, remained together, but took no further steps than living together for about ten years, before FINALLY getting married. They also adopted two young children, as Mizki was infertile. Piko and I didn't really change much - we stayed just as we always had been. Friends. But of course with something more now.

Five years after Piko moved in with me, we got a knock on the door. When I answered it, it was none other than the blonde-haired, cerulean-eyed little punk I called my sister, a blonde, blue-eyed six-year-old standing by her side. She threw her arms around me in the biggest hug I'd ever received.

It turned out Rin's boyfriend - Kaito was his name apparently - had left her a few years ago, and she'd been a single mother of 'Lenka', who she admittedly named after me, trying to find me. Rin and Lenka stayed with us, but it was odd having so many people in a cramped flat, so she left after a few months, moving down the road.

When I was young, people told me to beware of all sorts of things. Drugs, alcohol, bullies - stuff like that. What people never told me was that sometimes, a little bit of a 'bad thing' can be good for you. A little alcohol can help you relax, a few drugs can take away pain, a very strange deals can get you some stuff that would otherwise never be found, bullies can toughen you up and sometimes strange men can turn out to not be that bad. They also forgot to mention that the good things in life - love, smiles, friends, family - can sometimes be bad. Too much of a good thing makes you take it for granted, and not enough makes you begin to doubt it even exists.

There's no way you can avoid the bad things, and there's no way that good things will never hurt you. Life is full of disappointment, heart break, death and agony. But life is also full of happiness, love, friends and fun. And as long as you keep the balance, everything will be fine.

And as a very wise person once told me:

To fall in love, you just have to see the good things in people.

[...]

A/N: That took a lot longer to write than I expected it too *sweats* 6,381 words!

I finished this at exactly 1:40am! So yeaaaaah... Sorry if any typos - I'm really tired.

Reviews are nice. They taste like cookies. Yes. I eat reviews. With an empty stomach I can't write. x3

Also, check out 'Yuri first academy of love' by 'Rinto Kagamine' if you like Rui x Rin x Gumi and Oliver x Len x Piko.