a.n: For the plot's sake, as this is a high school AU,.Nai's age is fifteen(a first year) and Gareki is sixteen (a second year.) the school name would be Sasaku High School. According to Google Translate, Circus is translated as Sasaku in romanised Japanese so…. *le shrugs*. Look, I want more Nai/Gareki HS than anything, alright? Also Nai doesn't have red eyes here. ….It's just too difficult to explain why. ..It's easier to accept that people don't have red eyes. The characters might be OOC. :c Forgive . I almost forgot. Please review! *bows*

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter One

They meet on the second day of the new term.

Gareki

"Gareki!" I heard Hirato call my name and try to run immediately. Nothing good ever comes out of talking to the principal. I don't have any luck, that specie grabs my wrist and pulls me from behind. He smiles at me but I can see the smirk he has in his eyes.

"What?" I ask him, allowing irritation to seep into my voice. "I gave you the report for that intrusion this morning already."

"That's not what I wanted to talk to you about," he says patiently. I hate it when he talks to me like I'm six. I'm sixteen, goddamnit! I feel heat rush up to my face and a really snappy retort coming up my throat but it dies down when I see a boy with white hair hiding behind him.

What the…

"I see you've spotted Nai already," Hirato says brightly and coaxes the boy in front of him. He's wearing a sweater and cargo pants. He's trembling noticeably so I guess he's one of those shy types. More interestingly, he has white hair. I'm suddenly reminded of the dream I had yesterday night. I shake my head in an effort to clear those thoughts away and look at him again.

He looks taken aback and rushes behind Hirato. What did I do….

"Gareki,it might help if you don't glare at poor Nai that way,"

"What are you talking about? I'm not glaring!"

"It must hard for you to be born with a facial tic that makes it seem as though you're angry all the time."

"What!"

Hirato pushes his glasses up, ignoring me. Damn this man….

"If you're not going to say anything, I'm leaving," I tell him and I'm about to stalk off when his next words make me stop in my tracks.

"Don't you want to pay off your debts?"

I don't turn around.

"All you have to do is take care of Nai here for a while until he gets used to the school and I'll consider it cleared."

I look back and see Hirato's face, serious.

"Why me?" I ask. "Why him?"

"Because the school owes a favour to his guardian. And you owe a favour to me."

"So basically you're giving him to me because you don't want to do it yourself?" I fix him with a bored look.

"That's about it!"

Mentally, I slap a hand to my forehead.

"So…." Hirato looks at me and grins ferally. I don't like that look very much.

"Take care of Nai well!" He turns tail and walks away quickly before I can say anything, leaving me alone with this weird white-haired kid.

Great.

Nai

Gareki doesn't look too happy to be with me. He glares at me before walking down the corridor and gestures that I should follow him. He has longer legs and takes these big strides. There's no noise when he moves and I'm staring at his long legs and even longer strides…he reminds me of a cat, padding along gracefully and silently. A black cat, I think to myself. His voice shakes me out of my thoughts.

"How old are you?"

"I'm fifteen."

"First year,eh?" His eyes stare at me appraisingly. I feel violated.

"Tch," I hear him mutter. "He looks more like twelve."

"I'm not twelve!" I frown. I have enough self-esteem issues with looking so small.

"…right…" Gareki nods, clearly disbelieving.

"How old are you, anyway?"

"I'm sixteen." I feel a jab of jealously at that. Sixteen but he's already so tall…I'm only at his elbow. Where is that growth spurt Karoku promised me?

"Where are you taking me?" I ask, remembering that it's after school.

"I'm supposed to take care of you, right? You can go sit in the corner while I work on something." He opens the door and I peek in. It's a workshop.

He walks over to one of the long wooden tables at the side where there are plans on the surface. He glances over at me.

"You can do your own homework or thing there," he points to the table at the far end of the room.

Instead, I walk over to the seat in front of him. He stares at me, his black eyes questioning.

"Can I watch?" I ask, settling on the wooden stool cross-legged.

He ducks his head so his hair falls into his eyes. He reminds me of someone….I tilt my head to the side.

"Okay. But don't make any noise."

He picks up a screwdriver and starts fiddling with a metal box, looking up every now and then at the plans. I watch him attentively at first but my mind starts to wander…I'm feeling tired… this isn't really taking care of me… I fall asleep.

Gareki

It's quite some time before I look at Nai again. I was just about finished with the box when I remembered he was still here.

I closed my eyes, stretching. "Hey, let's go," I say. He doesn't say anything and I crack an eye open to see why.

He's sleeping soundly, his chin cradled in a hand.

I smirk. I guess he really is twelve.

I watch him sleeping, his small frame moving up and down in sync with his breathing. I wonder...why is he so important? Why does he need someone to take care of him? Well...He does have that innocent, gullible look. Yogi would probably be a better match though. Maybe it's because he's a third-year that Hirato doesn't want to let him do this. Maybe it's not important enough. Hrmph. That does make me a bit mad though, the thought that I would be given the lightweight duties. Didn't I already prove my worth in the last two sting operations?Whatever... I stand up,making enough noise to stir Nai up.

He blinks at me sleepily and it comes unbidden...cute.

What did I just think?

"Are you okay,Gareki?" Nai asks groggily. "Your face's red."

"No,it isn't."

"Yes,it is," he says, rubbing his eyes.

"Shut up." I walk out of the room, leaving the door open and wait for Nai oustide, leaning on the wall.

What was I thinking?