I yawned as we made our way to school. It was Saturday, the first practice of the season now that tryouts were out of the way and everyone had been assigned or decided on a position to play. It was a little odd, not going to the dojo as I had every week for the past few months, but I was excited for the season to start back up.

When the gates of the school came into view, my eyes narrowed when they landed on Nishita. Why the fuck was that bastard here? There was no reason for him to skip class today. "Nagumo-chan!" The bastard called happily.

I felt my cheeks flush as the others laughed. "The fuck do you want? How did you even know this was my school?"

"I have my ways."

"Ryuuji told you, didn't he?" His grin was answer enough. "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be at class?"

Nishita blinked in surprise before sighing heavily and shaking his head. "You forgot."

"Forgot what?" I shouldn't have been forgetting anything. Ryuuji had even left for class already.

"Think about it Nagumo-chan. What happened last weekend?" Crossing my arms in annoyance, I glared at the older teen. If he was here to gloat about his medal again I was going to-

"Shit." Today was the start of Ryuuji's tournament. How come Ryuuji hadn't said anything before he'd left? Pulling out my phone, I grimaced. We'd have to book it if we wanted to make the start of the matches.

"We're going to have to run if we want to make it on time." I rolled my eyes. That was obvious.

Turning to leave, I paused when a hand gripped my wrist. "What about practice?" Gazelle demanded.

"Tell coach I'll make it up next time!" I shook off his hand. "I promised Ryuuji I'd be there today!" Not looking back, I hurried to catch up to Nishita. I'd promised to make it to his matches today. Not only would it be the first time I'd get to see him in a tournament, I felt I owed it to him to support him. It was only the first soccer practice of the season, so coach shouldn't be too upset at me for missing, but if I missed Ryuuji's matches, I couldn't do anything about it. You can't really make up for missing a tournament.

"Nagumo! What are you doing here?"

My right eye twitched slightly. Flicking the green haired teen in the forehead, I replied, "I promised I'd be here, didn't I?"

Ryuuji rubbed the spot I'd flicked and frowned in confusion. "But you had soccer practice today. Are you sure it's alright to miss?"

"Is that why you didn't say anything this morning?" I sighed in annoyance and glared at him. "I made a promise to be here, and I'd be an asshole for breaking it over something that can easily be made up for later. Besides, this will be the first tournament I'll get to see you participate in."

I ignored Nishita's gushing over how sweet I was being in the background and flushed at Ryuuji's happy smile. Why the hell did they have to make this so embarrassing? Clearing his throat, he crossed his arms. "Since I'm keeping my promise, you'd better take home that gold medal."

Ryuuji grinned and nodded. "I'll do my best!"

I frowned when all the black belts lined up together. "Don't they separate them by age groups like we had to?"

Nishita shook his head. "From what Hijari-sensei told me, most of the time black belts are split up based on their skill level. So First degrees are put together, then second degrees, and so on. But apparently this tournament just puts all black belts together regardless since they normally don't have an overwhelming number participate. This year is the most that's ever competed at this tournament."

I couldn't help but laugh slightly at seeing Ryuuji sandwiched between two older and much larger men. He was the only one his age in that group, but I had no doubt in my mind that he could win this.

"Coach is pissed at you for skipping the first practice." I mentally groaned. Of-fucking-course Gazelle had been waiting for him. "What was oh so important that you had to skip?"

"I told you," I bit out, "I made a promise to Ryuuji."

"Ryuuji-this, Ryuuji-that. He's all you ever talk about or hang out with now. What's so special about him?"

Damnit, I did not want to have this conversation. Especially not while Ryuuji was here. "He's right here Gazelle. You don't have to talk about him like he isn't."

"Like you ever cared before." The younger male stood up and stomped closer. "Ever since that night you came home looking like someone's punching bag, you've become secretive and protective of Ryuuji. You're starting to be like Gran."

Oh he fucking didn't. "Gran? You think I'm acting like Gran?"

"Nagumo…"

"Stay out of this Ryuuji."

"Just like that," Gazelle spat, "You used to be the one tormenting him the most, and now you're fucking defending him?"

"So what if I am? He doesn't fucking deserve all this shit he gets. Maybe it took a few punches for me to fucking realize it."

"So what, you got to play a hero for once and decided you liked it? Think you're something like a fucking bodyguard because he can't take a hit without breaking down? You're not his fucking babysitter Burn!"

I almost had to laugh at that. Can't take a hit? I'd watched him take multiple today and dish out even more. Ryuuji didn't need a bodyguard, and I was getting really sick of everyone assuming he did. "Ryuuji isn't weak Gazelle! And I'm getting really fucking sick of you and everyone else assuming he is! He can take care of himself!"

"Then why the fuck do you hang around with him? Trying to clear a guilty conscience?"

"Maybe I actually like hanging out with him! Is that so fucking hard for you to believe? Or what? Are you so jealous that I'm hanging out with someone other than you that you have to take it out on them?"

"You're such a bastard!" Gazelle's punch seemed almost slow compared to what I'd grown used to and had seen today. I automatically threw up a block and readied a punch of my own, however before it could connect there was a tight grip on my wrist and the next second I was on my back, staring up at the ceiling.

Blinking and attempting to get my breath back, I sat up and found Gazelle sprawled out on the ground next to me. Ryuuji was glaring down at both of us. "Nagumo." Shit. I'd never heard Ryuuji that angry before.

Taking a deep breath I felt my anger begin to fade. "I know. I let him get to me." Damnit. Gazelle knew exactly how to piss me off.

"What the hell?" Gazelle was sitting up, rubbing his head and glaring at both me and Ryuuji. "Why the fuck do you have to explain yourself to him?" I clenched my jaw and refused to answer. If I let him get to me again there's no telling what I'd do.

"What's going on?" I groaned. Gazelle was doing a great job pissing me off today. The last person I wanted to deal with was Gran. "Ryuuji, are you alright?"

And there it was again. Everyone automatically assumed Ryuuji was the victim and needed to be protected. "He's fine Gran. He's not a fucking child. He can take care of himself."

"If he can take care of himself then why do you keep coming to his rescue?" Damnit. I could deal with one or the other, but both Gazelle and Gran together were pissing me off.

"You have been rather protective of him since you saved him that night." Why the fuck did everyone have to keep bringing that up? "Not that I'm complaining. It's a rather nice change from you always picking on him."

"Don't you think I know I was a fucking bastard?" I was getting sick and tired of everyone reminding me about it. "And just because I'm hanging out with him more doesn't mean I'm protecting him."

"Then how come anytime someone says anything about him you rush to his rescue?"

I glared at the white haired male. "All I do is call people out on the shit they believe. Ryuuji isn't weak, and doesn't need protecting."

"Says the one who protected him from those assholes back then."

"Would you fucking stop talking about that! I didn't fucking protect anyone! Ryuuji protected me!" There was silence as Gazelle and Gran attempted to digest what I'd said while Ryuuji was shaking his head over in the corner. That's just fucking great. Me and my big fucking mouth.

"He protected you?" Gazelle finally repeated. "Seriously?"

As much as I knew they'd never let me live it down, I wanted to end this, 'Ryuuji needs protected' bullshit. "I was the one who pissed off those drunken idiots. I was annoyed and talked back and they decided they needed to bash my head into the wall. Ryuuji passed by and got them to leave."

"But Ryuuji said-"

"Ryuuji lied because he's used to everyone thinking he's weak and needs protected." I glared at the red head. "What was the first thing you did when we got back and you saw I was hurt?" I waited but didn't get an answer. "You made sure Ryuuji wasn't hurt. I'm the bastard with a big mouth who gets into fights, so nobody questions it when I come home with a black eye. But since you have this fucking idea that Ryuuji has to be protected, you kept doting on him and making sure he was alright."

I rounded on Gazelle. "As for why I keep hanging around him? Ryuuji could kick my ass five times over and it wouldn't even be a warm up. He's been teaching me so I don't become some other asshole's punching bag when I open my mouth and piss them off. There. That's the big fucking secret. Happy?"

I glanced towards Ryuuji only to find that he'd left at some point in the middle of my ranting. "You don't have to tell me the fucking truth if you don't want to." I frowned at the white haired teen who shoved past me. "But don't fucking lie to me."

"I'm glad you're being nicer to Ryuuji," I glared at Gran, "But saying things like this will only get him into more trouble with people who actually believe it."

Tightening my hands into fists hard enough for my nails to almost draw blood, I felt like punching the two. The still didn't fucking believe me. "Tomorrow morning." They paused and glanced back at me. "Come with me tomorrow morning and I'll fucking prove it."

"Where are we?" I ignored Gazelle and made my way towards the seats Nishita and I had sat in yesterday.

"Nagumo-chan, you made it!"

"For the last fucking time, stop calling me that!"

Nishita ignored me and glanced towards Gazelle and Gran. "Who are you?"

"Gazelle and Gran," I cut in before they could say anything. Glancing at the two I jabbed a thumb at Nishita. "This bastard is Nishita. He's an idiot. Ignore him."

Said bastard waved off my insult and happily continued talking. "Are you two here to watch Midorikawa-sensei?"

I snorted at their confused looks. "Sensei?" Gran asked.

Nishita blinked in surprise and tuned to me with a questioning look. "I tried telling them and they didn't believe me. They still think Ryuuji is weak and needs protected." The older teen stared at me as though trying to figure out if I was joking before he burst out laughing. Ignoring his idiocy, I scanned the mats for Ryuuji and elbowed Gazelle when I spotted him. "There. See? What did I fucking tell you?"

Ryuuji was warming up as he spoke and laughed with some of the other black belts from the dojo. I couldn't wait to see Gran's and Gazelle's faces when they saw him in action. "So he's stretching," Gazelle muttered, "Big fucking whoop."

Rolling my eyes, I ignored him and turned to the still laughing brown haired male on me left. "Shut up already."

Finally reigning in his laughter, Nishita took a few deep breaths. "I'm good. I'm alright." He took another deep breath. "Anyway, are you going to be ready for the test next month? You haven't been coming to many practices since you started soccer again."

I grimaced at the reminder. Since I'd skipped out on the first practice, the coach has been making me stay an extra hour every practice to make up for it. "Ryuuji agreed to work with me when I had time to make sure I'd be ready. Like hell I'm going to let you get ahead of me."

The elder male sighed lightly. "You're so lucky. You get Midorikawa-sensei to help you make up for what you miss while I have to deal with Hijari-sensei. I think he's taking it as a personal insult that you've been missing class and is having me work harder as a result."

"Serves you right."

"But you're the one that always talks back and annoys him. So why is he taking it out on me?"

"Because you're probably slacking off."

"Lies! I work twice as hard because I don't have to spend half my energy babysitting you." I elbowed the bastard in the side as he laughed but didn't get the chance to respond as the announcer called the participants to line up.

It was rather amusing, seeing Ryuuji's small form next to the bigger, older males that were there. Rather than having multiple matches going on at the same time like they had yesterday, today was going to be one match at a time. The first two fights would determine which two made it to the finals. After that the losing two would battle it out for third place, and finally after that would be the final match. Four fights in total, and Ryuuji would fight in two of them.

"Based on the results from yesterday Midorikawa-sensei will fight in the second round. If he wins, then he'll fight in the finals, but if he loses he'll go onto the next match to try and place third."

"Either way he's already in the top four."

"Ryuuji's going to fight them?" I snorted at the worry in Gran's voice. "Will he be alright?"

Nishita grinned and answered before I could open my mouth. "Midorikawa-sensei will be fine. The most anyone walks away with are bruises. Besides, this isn't his first time in a tournament like this. You should see all his medals and trophies back at the dojo."

"Why hasn't he ever said anything about this before?"

I frowned. "Would you have believed him?" He didn't believe me when I told them. "None of us fucking noticed anything before. We were so wrapped up in everything soccer we didn't give a shit about anything else. Answer honestly, if he'd said he didn't want to play soccer, would you have said okay and still hung out with him?" Seeing his mouth open, I glared and cut him off. "You were the one who dragged Ryuuji into soccer and you never once noticed that he didn't like it. So don't give me that bullshit that you would have, because you didn't."

I turned back to the match just in time to see it end. Next up was Ryuuji. "This is what Ryuuji enjoys," I muttered, just loud enough for the others to hear. "So shut up and watch."

"Ryuuji!" I raised my hand as he turned towards my voice. He smiled and ran over. "Nice job."

He held up his gold medal proudly. "It was close, but I won!"

"I thought for sure that big guy was going to crush you," Nishita joked, clasping Ryuuji on the shoulder. "Wouldn't have been as exciting, watching you try to win third place."

I grinned as Gran and Gazelle stared at Ryuuji in bewilderment. They still couldn't believe what they'd just seen. It was hilarious. I elbowed Gran in the ribs.

"That was…amazing." Ryuuji smiled at the red head and held out a peace sign.

Gazelle shoved his hands into his pockets and nodded. "Pretty badass."

I grunted in surprise when Ryuuji hugged me. "Nagumo," He said softly, smiling up at me. "Thank you!"

Smirking, I rubbed my hand on his head, messing up his hair and earning a pout. "Yeah, yeah. That what big brothers are for."

So here's the last part of it. I hope it turned out well. Let me know what you thought! I'd originally had something like Gazelle getting hurt and Burn going to get payback but because he throws the first punch he gets suspended from classes and in trouble and all this happens, but I just didn't know how I'd work that in, so I gave up on it.

Thank you to everyone who has read this and left a review!