Author's Note: Nice to meet you, everybody! I'm Rekkia-chan, and this is my first fanfiction. It's also the first time I've ever written yaoi, and since I'm honestly not sure how far I'm willing to take it, I rated it 'T' for now. I'll try to post warnings for you at the beginning of the chapter if any serious slash is in the chapter (if you want me to spoil it for you!). I promise that I won't write smut, though. x)

This story takes place in an AU (everyday life). Yuj's parents are still living, even though he's an orphan in the game.

Anyway, I hope you like my story. I'm not sure if anybody even remembers these characters, but I hope you do...

Chapter One: Fight For Your Right To Ice Cream

"Yuj, grab your things. I'll meet you out in the car!"

"Okay, mom," he yelled back. After shoving a water bottle, some markers, and a pad of construction paper into his messenger bag, he checked his reflection in the mirror hung over the back of his bedroom door. Licking his palm, he smoothed out his carefully-styled teal blue hair and the wrinkles on his shirt. He was wearing a white T-shirt with a graffiti-like design on the front, covered by an unbuttoned black jacket with a furry hood. Designer jeans finished the ensemble.

Once he was satisfied with his appearance, he grabbed his bag, jogged down the stairs, and climbed into the passenger seat of his mother's silver Ford. As soon as he closed the door, she pulled out of the driveway.

"We can't be late to this meeting," she fussed. A strand of teal hair fell into her eyes, which made her look all the more frantic. "We're planning next week's presentation to the city council about public awareness."

"What are we making them aware of this time?" Yuj asked, distracted by the black car that had just pulled into their driveway. He quickly averted his eyes from the rear-view mirror.

"Don't you pay attention during the meetings, Yuj?" His mother sighed dramatically when he didn't respond. "Fine. This time it's about the way that certain schools have been treating kids of different religions. They shouldn't be forced to say the Pledge of Allegiance if it disagrees with their religious beliefs! Am I right, or am I right?"

"Mm," Yuj agreed, distractedly staring out the window. He knew the real reason why his mother was so desperate to leave, and it had nothing to do with that night's NORA meeting. Another black car drove by, and he flinched.

His mother noticed his gloomy expression, and quickly turned her eyes back to the road. "I know what you're thinking. You think I'm trying to avoid your father, don't you?" Yuj didn't answer. "Well…I can't really tell you that you're wrong, can I?" She ran one hand through her teal curls and pursed her lips. "There's no way he's going to force me to miss another meeting. Just because he doesn't agree with it, it doesn't mean that I can't fight for what I believe in."

Yuj's eyes slipped down to a bandage on his mother's upper arm, barely peeking out from underneath her T-shirt sleeve. "You fought again last night, didn't you?" he asked. Instead of answering his question, Yuj's mother pulled into an empty parking space, got out of the car, and slammed the door shut, leaving Yuj still buckled in the passenger seat of the car.

Yuj didn't really mind the NORA meetings; since he was only a teenager, he didn't have to do much but make posters and attend protests when necessary. The meetings did in fact reflect his opinions very well, and he worked in a group with other teens who felt the same way. Their group was made up of three teens and two advisors: Yuj, Maqui, and Lebreau monitored by Gadot and Snow. Snow, though, hadn't been attending many of the weekly meetings due to the arrival of his first daughter, and so Yuj had yet to meet him. He was at no loss of information, though; Snow had quite a reputation.

"I'm so bored!" complained one spiky-haired blonde named Maqui. "I don't want to make any more posters. If Snow were here, he'd let us do something more interesting."

Gadot crossed his muscular arms and cocked an eyebrow. "Suck it up, bonehead. You know I could be just as fun as Snow if I wanted to be."

"Prove it!" he challenged, and Gadot bristled. Lebreau shook her head hopelessly and Yuj couldn't help but laugh. Maqui sure knows how to make things exciting around here, he thought. Maqui has been in NORA longer than I have, so he's got more experience than me and can be way more mature than he lets on. At this point, Maqui had convinced Gadot to take the group out for ice cream after the meeting. It's a shame that he doesn't show that side more often.

Re-energized by the promise of a delicious frozen reward afterwards, Yuj returned his attention to the poster he was working on. It read, "Our church and the state need to SEPARATE!" along with a hand-drawn picture of a child bowing down to the American flag. The picture wasn't finished yet; Yuj had skipped drawing the face entirely and moved onto drawing the child's outfit.

"Hey, Juju, is that some kind of zombie kid you're drawing?" Yuj nearly jumped out of his chair in surprise. Maqui's face was inches from Yuj's right cheek. Yuj hadn't seen Maqui lean in, and Yuj's face had turned pink in an instant.

"How many times have I told you not to call me Juju!" Yuj spluttered, as Maqui's mouth widened into a grin.

"Aww, you're blushing!" Maqui exclaimed. He straightened up. "Am I really that good-looking?" He struck a few mock muscle-man poses and cracked up.

"No way, loser! Besides, don't you have some posters to finish?"

"Admit that I got you good and then I'll leave you alone!"

"Not gonna happen." Yuj tried once again to keep working on his poster, turning his back on the grinning Maqui. Unfortunately for Yuj, Maqui was just as stubborn as he was.

"Okay, fine then, I'll let you get back to your zombie drawing…" Maqui said innocently, and then sauntered off.

That was easy enough, Yuj thought, pleasantly surprised. He uncapped a black marker, leaned in to draw a line, then…

"BOO!" Maqui had leaned in on Yuj's left side this time and practically screamed in his ear, and Yuj yelled out in shock. Maqui was all but rolling around on the floor in laughter while Yuj tried to regain his composure.

"Fine, dammit, you got me! Now will you leave me alone?"

"Whatever you want, Juju," said Maqui with one last smile, and then returned to his chair a few feet down the table. He walked past Gadot, who promptly hit him on the back of the head as he passed. Yuj snorted. Serves him right, he thought.

"Alright, crew, it's about time to wrap up," announced Gadot. "Has everybody finished their three posters?"

Lebreau stretched, four completed posters spread out on the table in front of her, and said "Yup, I'm finished. I'm not so sure about these two knuckleheads, though." She gestured to Yuj, still working diligently on his third poster, and Maqui, who had fallen asleep in his folding chair. A single piece of red paper lay in front of him with the words "BE AWARE" scribbled across it in silver sharpie.

"Hey, Yuj," Lebreau started. "I don't mind covering for you since I made an extra poster, but this guy over here" – she gestured over her shoulder with her thumb – "needs to pull his weight."

"No, it's alright, you guys go get ice cream," Yuj replied. "I'll hang back and make sure that he gets to work. I kind of wanted to finish this poster anyway."

"Alright, if you're sure. Do you want me to bring you anything?"

"It's okay, you don't have to. The ice cream place is right down the street. I'll meet you guys down there when we're finished."

"Okay then, hopefully I'll see you soon. Good luck waking up the dumb blonde."

"Thanks, I'll need it." With a smile and a wave, Lebreau jogged out the door to catch up with Gadot. The adult members had already started to file out, including Yuj's mother, who knew about the ice cream trip. Yuj turned to Maqui, who was still snoring happily through the scraping of chairs and murmur of voices. I could just finish my poster and leave him here, he thought. The idea was tempting, but he had an even better way to get revenge. Once the community center was empty except for him and Maqui, he tiptoed behind the blonde and leaned in next to his sleeping face.

Maqui had stopped snoring. His usually-energetic face was slack and his lips slightly parted, in perfect peace with the world. His slow breathing calmed Yuj, and he re-thought for a moment what he was about to do.

Only Maqui could fall asleep in a metal folding chair, Yuj thought. He couldn't help but reach in and brush a stray lock of hair out of Maqui's face. His skin was soft and smooth, and Yuj lightly traced a line down Maqui's jaw with his pointer and middle fingers. But really…he's kind of cute when he's sleeping.

As soon as he had thought this, Yuj shook the thought out of his head and pulled back his hand, blushing madly. It was time to carry out Operation: NORA's revenge. Without another second's hesitation, Yuj sucked in a deep breath, and –

"Mm…hey Juju, what're ya doin'?"

Yuj deflated in an instant, as if the wind had been knocked out of him. Maqui's head lolled over to his right side, where Yuj was crouched next to him with his mouth still open. Maqui's eyelids fluttered, and he yawned, utterly confused. He spoke again, his slow words slurring together as he regained muscle control. "Whatever you're tryin' ta do, iz not gonna work. I'ma light sleeper, ya know." At that, his head rolled to the left, his mouth went slack, his eyes shut, and he started snoring again.

Yuj sat frozen in place, his mouth still agape, unbelieving of what he had just seen. That idiot!, he thought, and then started to laugh; gently at first, then with more and more gusto until tears were running down his cheeks. It took a good minute or two for his fit to subside.

Maqui slept through the whole thing.

Ha, Maqui really is an idiot. But a lovable one, no?

Review or Maqui will never get his ice cream!