Just a mini-note: several days have passed since chapter one, and several more pass between each of the line-breaks. Also: I don't own the questions (answers are mine), or the burning quote (though I've had it touted at me...).

Chapter Two

"Hey, Bon."

The brunette-and-blonde twitched at Rin calling him by his nickname, pulling books out of his locker, "What do you want?"

"Why is the sky blue?"

Ryuuji froze and looked back at the raven, "Why are you asking me?"

"Well, you said I could come to you if I had any questions, right?"

The taller teen closed his locker and pinched the bridge of his nose. He'd meant more math questions, even if he hadn't specified. But he had left it rather open-ended, "Fine. So: sky, blue. Right..." how the hell was he supposed to explain that in a way that Rin would understand?

The last thing needed was to get into a one-sided lecture about chemicals in the atmosphere and the speed-to-color components of light refraction. Rin would tune out at the first word, he was sure.

"The sky isn't actually blue, it's black, just like the rest of space. It only looks blue in the daytime."

"Yeah... but why does it look blue? When you light up black, doesn't it look- I dunno, white? Or gray? And I've seen paintings in Art where they use purple. But where does blue come from?"

Ryuuji groped after a suitable explanation that would satisfy Rin's curiosity without overly confusing him, feeling a flash of inspiration strike. Light! "You know about those new types of blindless windows? The kind that go foggy white to block out the light instead of using blinds?" (he was careful to avoid the word 'opaque') at the hesitant, confused nod he received, he let out a relieved breath, "Well, the atmosphere is like that, protecting the Earth from the sun like the blinds, and when the sun shines through it, it gives a different-color effect just like the glass turning white. And when the sun sets, it goes back to normal, and you see the black."

Rin's face lit up like a Christmas light, "Ah! That makes so much more sense than the way Shima explained it!"

Ryuuji's blossoming smile froze on his face, "Shima?"

Rin nodded, "Yeah: he said that the sky was blue because it didn't have any oxygen, and what usually happens to things that don't have oxygen? They turn blue. But I thought I'd check with you first to make sure. Now I can go tell him he was wrong; thanks, Bon!"

Ryuuji watched the shorter teen take off down the hall with a glower, knowing Shima knew why the sky was blue. Didn't Rin have enough trouble in class without anyone playing pranks on him? The next time I see Shima, I'm going to kill him.

So the Fatal Verse for a Succubus is...

"Hey, Bon."

Ryuuji didn't even look up from his book as Rin flopped next to him, nor did he chastise him on the use of his nickname even though he twitched at it. He made a hum to show he was listening, re-reading the passage he was certain they were going to be quizzed on later (Shima nowhere near-by lest he be tainted by the studying bug) as he grabbed his soda and took a drink.

"Do you go through a lot of lotion?"

It was a good thing his pink-haired friend wasn't there, with his usual seat across from Ryuuji, he'd have gotten the full brunt of the brunette-and-blonde's spit-take. He coughed on the soda that had gone down the wrong pipe (Rin 'helpfully' beating on his back: he'd likely have bruises there later...) as he wheezed, "WHAT?!"

Rin blinked at him innocently (true, naive innocence, not Shima 'the horns are just there to keep my halo straight' innocence), "Do you go through a lot of-"

"Why are you asking me about my lotion use?"

"I keep finding these lotion bottles around the dorm, and when I asked Yukio about it, he said he goes through a lot because of his training. When I said I didn't have that problem, he said that it was because I didn't go through his training, so I figured it's from being a Dragoon. But then I asked Shima, and he said-"

"Yea, I can just imagine what he said..." Rin tilted his head -not cutely- and Ryuuji waved it off, "Nevermind. And Shima said...?"

"He said:" Rin sat up straighter and tried to imitate the pink-haired teen, " 'Of course I use a lot of lotion, I have to with how often I work my staff.' " The raven utterly failed to imitate any but his own voice, and the images brought to mind about Rin working his- the dual-toned teen quickly clamped his hand over his nostrils to prevent a nosebleed.

Ryuuji's face flushed a painful red as other students around the cafeteria turned their way, Rin having made no effort to keep his voice down, the naive, adora- And there was Shima with Konekomaru in the corner, laughing his ass off, that bastard. Ryuuji glared at him until he felt a tug on his sleeve and turned back, "What?" Rin just stared at him, waiting for an answer to the- fuck, what was the original question again?

Rin didn't seem to get short with him, patiently repeating his question, "So do you use a lot of lotion? If Yukio and Shima both do as a Dragoon and Aria, I thought that you, trying for both Meisters..."

The smartass part of his brain really wanted to reply with 'Of course: anything they can do I can do better.' but Rin was obviously too naive to get it, and he thought 'What teenage male doesn't?' would go over just as badly, and the 'Yes, because of you.' wasn't even an option.

The next time I see Shima, I am going to kill him.

"Hey, Bon..."

Ryuuji jumped in surprise at Rin popping up out of nowhere. God, he was really beginning to hate that inquiring tone of voice, "Yes?"

"Do you wanna sleep with me and Shima?"

Without even thinking, he corrected the other's language, "Shima and I."

"...So that's a yes?"

"No, that's a-" he halted midstep, tripping over his own feet and nearly falling on his face, "Why are you sleeping with Shima?! When did that happen?!"

Rin gave him the 'why are you freaking out?' look, "Shima proposed a sleep-over for this weekend. Do you wanna come with me?"

Only if- No! Bad mind! Bad! He didn't need images like those in his head!

"Bon, you okay? You're all red. And hot." Rin added as he put his hand against the other's forehead.

"I'm fine." he ground out. And going to kill a certain monk. "Fine, I'll..." Don't say come, don't say come... "-be there. But Rin, do me a favor and stop listening to Shima."

He was certain the other didn't hear the last half of what he said as he nodded, waved, and dashed off, "Okay, Bon, see ya there!"

The next time I see Shima, I'm going to kill him!

"C'mon, Bon! Ya have ta thank me for that! I saw the way ya were lookin' at Rin-chan in his pajamas, tell me you weren't thinkin' about-"

I wasn't! Damn Shima! Ryuuji had not been watching Rin more than could ever be conceivably necessary during that stupid sleep-over!

He had not cared when Rin had fallen asleep on his shoulder halfway through the movie (because apparently gratuitous violence, explosions, and dying screams were soothing), he had not stared at Rin's exposed abs as he jumped on the bed (and gotten a pillow to the face for inattentiveness), and he had not felt a mix of satisfaction and bliss when they'd gone to sleep on the floor and he'd woken up with Rin cuddled up to him (which was an even bigger feat when one considered that Shima and Konekomaru had been sleeping between them)!

"Hey, Bon-"

"No."

"W-what?"

Ryuuji glared at the shorter teen, "You want to ask me something, and the answer is no. I'm done answering all your stupid questions."

He brutally stomped on the guilt that rose at Rin's expression, "But you said-"

"Now I'm saying I'm through with these dumbass questions! Just- just go away and leave me the hell alone!"

He walked briskly away (Trying to outrun your problems?) from Rin, ignoring the raven's crushed expression. He'd never doubted this- whatever the hell it was, before the other monk had gotten involved and messed with his head! The next time I see Shima, I'm going to kill him...

It had been days, and Ryuuji's guilt had only grown. After being shoved into a wall, Shima knew better than to come near him. Now all of them were miserable: Shima guilty as hell, Konekomaru stuck awkwardly in the middle, and Ryuuji and Rin sitting on opposite sides of the cafeteria casting sorrowful looks at each other when the other wasn't (or at least they thought he wasn't) looking.

After three days of this, he'd finally had enough. Pushing up from his table, he made his way over to Rin's table(ignoring the flinch from the shorter teen as he sat) and stared at the raven-haired boy. Rin did admirably at pretending he didn't exist, fiddling with a notebook and making notes (or at least squiggles), and not looking up at the risk of making eye-contact.

The painful silence was finally ended after the third time Rin opened his mouth as if to say something and closed it again without doing so, "Just say it."

Startled blue eyes looked up at him, "Huh?"

"Ya look like yer about to burst, Rin. Just ask: I know it's killing ya not to."

"You... won't get mad at me again?"

"Wasn't you I was mad at anyway, not really. It was Shima." He looked away, cheeks heating, "I was bein' stupid. ...Sorry."

Rin beamed up at him, making his blush worse, "S'fine! Glad you're back. So..."

Ryuuji rolled his eyes, "What d'ya wanna know?"

"Does Konekomaru use soap, or shampoo on his head?"

"What?"

"Well, I was thinking-"

"Ah, that's what that burning smell was."

"-shut up! Anyway: do bald people need to use shampoo, or can they just use soap?"

"I've never noticed. Next question."

"Well... Okay, this one's been bugging me all week but no one else would explain it to me, they just sniggered. If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?"

Ryuuji's face, which had been cooling off, rapidly reheated, and he felt a tic pulse at his temples, "...You've been talking to Shima again, haven't you?"

"Well, he was the only one that would talk to me... So-"

"You'll figure it out on your own."

"Hmph, that's what Yukio said when I asked about why we needed all the massage oil around the dorm."

The dual-toned teen clamped his nose. Dammit! It's like the universe is conspiring against me! "N-next question!"

Rin huffed but moved on, "Alright. If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?"

Ryuuji scoffed in laughter, "I can tell you with certainty that it does not." Shima was a perfect example.

"Why is an electrical outlet called an outlet when you plug things into it? Shouldn't it be called an inlet?"

That... was actually a good question. "Maybe, but even if you plug things into it, you're still getting electricity out of it. Though I suppose either term would have worked..."

The raven grinned at him, "Awesome. And this one has been really bugging me: if ghosts can walk through walls, why don't they fall through floors?"

Ryuuji opened his mouth and paused, "Is this really what you think about on a daily basis?"

Rin gave him a confused look. "Yeah, why?"

He shook his head in bemusement. "No reason. Well, ghosts can float, can't they? So it makes sense that if they don't want to fall through a floor, all they have to do is float above it."

Rin nodded, leaning over his notebook, "I'm so glad you're back! You're like my own personal human-library."

Ryuuji leaned in close, "What do you have written there, anyway?"

Rin showed him the list of more questions, both of them squished close so they could see. A voice called out across the cafeteria, "Glad you're over your lovers' spat!"

Ryuuji glared at the pink-haired male, "It was yer goddamned fault in the first place!"

"Ha! So you don't deny it!"

"I'm gonna kill ya!"

"Oh, shut up and kiss!"

Ryuuji could feel Rin staring after him in confusion as he launched himself over the table and Shima took off running for his life down the halls. Shima...!

It was nice to have his relationships back to normal (well, relatively speaking).

"Hey, Bon."

Having learned his lesson well over the past weeks, Ryuuji stopped in the middle of the hall (so as not to trip over his own feet), swallowed and began breathing through his mouth (so he wouldn't choke) and checked the surrounding area (to make sure that another of Rin's naive queries didn't embarrass them, and that the Pink Menace was nowhere to be found) before answering, "Yes, Rin?"

"What's yaoi?"

Ryuuji's breath stuttered, "Wh-what?"

"I was going to ask Konekomaru about the shampoo-thing, then I saw Shima reading. When I asked what it was, he said it was 'yaoi', and Konekomaru got all red and flustered. When I asked them what that was, Koneko nearly fainted and wouldn't tell me, and Shima said that after the lotion-incident, I should ask you."

Oh, this was getting better and better. "...What?" was all he managed to get out again.

Rin sighed and rolled his eyes, grabbing Ryuuji's blazer to pull him closer, "Can you. Show me. What yaoi is?" he enunciated.

Oh, fuck yes. Coming out of his disbelieving daze, he smirked down at Rin and closed the short distance between them. Rin squeaked into the kiss in surprise, leaving his lips open for Ryuuji to ravage at will. Rin seemed too confused to even struggle, letting Ryuuji's tongue play with his without protest.

When the brunette-and-blonde finally pulled away, Rin was flushed, leaned against him, and panting, "What...?"

"Hey, you asked."

The raven touched his lips, "Th-that's yaoi?"

"It's a start." Ryuuji taunted.

Rin blinked, his eyes clearing a bit from their haze, and stared up at taller teen with determination, "What's the rest of it?"

And there went the last of his control. Ryuuji turned on his heels and started pulling Rin along, "Come on."

"Wha- hey! Where are we going?"

Ryuuji threw a seductive smirk back over his shoulder, enjoying the way Rin blushed scarlet, "I'm going to show you the reason for those massage oils at your dorm."

"O-okay..."

The next time I see Shima... I am definitely going to thank him.