Title: Grateful Seasons

Prompt: Seasons

AU: High School AU (Yuya and friends all attend the same high school.)

Summary: How friendship turned to love across the seasons.

Shippings: Counterpartshipping (Yuya x Yuto) / Mentions of Bardshipping (Sylvio x Lulu)

Autumn

Yuya first met Yuto during the beginning of the school year. At first, Yuya didn't even know the boy even existed until he accidentally dropped his pencil on the floor and lean down to pick it up, only to stop short as another hand beats him to it.

"Here you go." He was holding his pencil out to him, a charming smile on his face.

"Oh, thanks." Yuya said, taking it.

And that was the start of their friendship.

Winter

"Are you sure you're not cold, Yuya?" Yuto asked his friend on their way to school. It had snowed about 3 or 4 feet last night and more of it was still raining down on them. To Yuya's disappointment, school hadn't been closed for the day and so he was forced into the cold.

"H-ha, honestly, who can be warm in this weather?" Yuya shutters, burying his hands deep into his jacket's pockets which had little to no effect. "But I'm fine, Yuto. I've been through worse."

"How come you're not wearing any gloves? Don't you have any?" Yuya shakes his head.

"My mom doesn't have the money for them right now." Out of the corner of his eye, Yuya saw Yuto's eyes sadden. "B-but like I said, I've been through wayyy worse. I remember one time me and Sylvio got caught in the biggest rainstorm of the year with no raincoats or anything." Yuya laughs at the memory. "And only because Sylvio wanted this new video game that just-"

Yuya is cut off as Yuto grabs his hand and slips on a black glove. Yuya blinks, realizing that it was Yuto's glove.

"Uhh...Yuto?" Yuto takes off his other glove, grabbing Yuya's other hand, and slipping that one on too.

"There. That should help." Yuya flex his fingers experimentally. He hadn't had gloves since he was young and it felt a bit strange wearing someone else's.

"Yuto, I really don't need them. I told you, I'll be-" Yuya was again cut off as Yuto wraps the red scarf he had been wearing around Yuya's own neck.

"You won't be fine. You'll catch a cold in this weather."

"And what about you?" Yuya pulled the scarf down a little to free his mouth.

"My jacket's a lot heavier than your's and I'm used to cold weather. Besides, I would never forgive myself if you got sick." Yuya smiles, his friend's words warming him better than any clothing.

"Thanks, Yuto."

Spring

"AHCOO!" Yuto sneezes hard into his elbow. A white tissue was immediately handed to him which he takes and blows into it hard in an attempt to unclog his nose. "My pollen allergy will be the death of me, I swear."

"You know, I think my mom might have some medicine for allergies." Yuya said from beside him, pausing the movie they were watching.

"She does?"

"I think so. Let me go get some." Yuya said before jumping off the couch. He returns a moment later with a tiny cup in hand, filled with a sticky purple liquid. "I will warn you, it taste pretty foul." Yuya said, wrinkling his nose.

"I've taken so much medicine over the years for these damn allergies, it hardly affects me anymore." Yuto said before swallowing down the bitter medicine. He gives the cup back to Yuya who disappears, probably to put the cup in the kitchen sink to be washed out.

When Yuya doesn't come back after a few minutes, Yuto calls out to him.

"Yuya? Is everything okay?"

"Oh! Everything's fine! Just making something!" Yuto wonders what Yuya could be up too and was surprised when he came back with a tray in hand. On it was a bowl along with a spoon. "Here ya go!" Yuya says cheerfully, handing the tray to Yuto.

"Soup? For me? Y-Yuya, you didn't have too." Yuto said as Yuya returns to his spot beside him.

"I know, but I wanted too. You take care of me all the time. It only seems fair that I return the favor." Yuya smiles. Finding Yuya's smile infectious, Yuto couldn't help but smile back.

"Thank you, Yuya."

Summer

It was the last day of school before the start of summer break. Yuya knew he should be happy about this, but he just couldn't find the energy. Not after the terrible news he had just found out about.

Yuto liked someone else.

It was during homeroom. Since school was pretty much over with everyone, including the teachers, were just lying around. Chatting, making plans for the summer, signing yearbooks, that sort of thing. At one point, Yuya spotted Yuto sitting in the far back of the classroom with Shay and Sylvio, two guys Yuya was also friends with.

Just as he was opening his mouth to greet them he got close enough to hear their conversation.

"Honestly, I don't know why you both care so much, but if I had to date anyone in this class, I guess it would be Lulu." Yuto answers. At that moment Yuya froze.

Lulu?

Yuto would date...Lulu?

It made sense though. Lulu was pretty much the whole package. She was one of the most beautiful girls in school, had high marks on all her classes, and to top it all off, she was probably the kindest person in the entire school. Who wouldn't want to date her? Yuya could actually see her right now. Chatting with her friends in the front of the room, completely unaware of the currently conversation between Yuto and his friends.

It all made sense.

Him and Yuto have been friends since the start of the school year.

And they would stay as friends. Why would it be any other way?

His heart heavy, Yuya slowly turns away from the group and walks over to the teacher where he asks permission to use the bathroom. Once granted, Yuya quickly leaves.

"Yuya?" Yuya jumps at the voice, hurriedly wiping his tear stained eyes on his arms. Yuto duck under the staircase that Yuya was hiding under and sat down beside him. This spot beneath the staircase has always been Yuya and Yuto's little getaway from the boring drag of school. It was a quiet place where hardly any teachers or students came around so they could just sit and relax. "Yuya, have you been...crying? Is everything okay?"

Yuya wishes that Yuto would just go away, but he knew that wasn't going to happen. He forced a big smile on his face.

"I-I'm fine, Yuto. I'm just a little sad that the school year is ending is all. As much as a pain school was, we made a lot of memories here." Yuto frowns and shakes his head.

"Yuya, I've known you for too long. This isn't a sentimental cry. You're really upset about something. Please tell me what it is."

"It's nothing, Yuto."

"If it was nothing you wouldn't be underneath the staircase, crying." Yuto wraps an arm around his shoulders as a gesture of comfort which Yuya accepts, leaning onto his shoulder. "Did someone hurt you?"

"...Yes, but not on purpose." Yuya sighs.

"Who was it?" Yuya stayed quiet. "Can you at least tell me what they did?" Yuya's face flush red.

"Yuto, we're...we're best friends, right?" Yuto looked at Yuya confused.

"Of course we are."

"So no matter what happens we'll always be friends?"

"Always." Yuto's hand grabs his's, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Yuya closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

"Okay. Okay." Yuya summons up as much courage as he could. "I heard you talking to Sylvio and Shay, about how you would date Lulu."

"O-oh. You heard that?"

"Yeah. And Lulu is a great girl. You and her would make a cute couple. P-probably the cutest in the school. And you're already close with Shay." As Yuya continue to ramble, Yuto realized what Yuya was so upset about.

"Yuya...do you like me?" Yuya jumped away from Yuto, blushing heavily.

"L-like isn't exactly the word I would use." Without saying another word, Yuto grabbed Yuya's hand and pulled him out from under the staircase. "Y-Yuto?"

"We gotta go see Shay and Sylvio. I wasn't being completely honest when I said that." Yuto paused for a moment. "And I want you to hear it." Yuya blinks, not quite understanding the full weight of Yuto's words.

When they got back to the classroom Yuto poked his head inside and called out to Shay and Sylvio. Once all of them were outside in the hall, Yuto shuts the classroom door for privacy.

"What's up, Yuto?" Shay asked.

"Yuya, have you been crying?" Sylvio asked, noticing Yuya's red eyes.

"I'm fine, guys. Really." Yuya said.

"Shay, Sylvio, remember when you asked me who would I date? Well, I lied about that."

"Ha! Knew it!" Shay cheers. He then sees the strange stares the others were giving him before coughing awkwardly into his hand. "I mean, continue."

"Don't get me wrong. Lulu deserves a good guy, but that guy just isn't me. I only said that because I knew that if I told the truth, you both would pressure me to ask him out. I only said Lulu because I knew Shay would never let anyone date his sister, and Sylvio, you were already crushing on her."

"Wait, what?!" Shay sent a sharp glare at Sylvio, who begins to sweat.

"Oh, Yuto, you're so funny." Sylvio laughs, smacking Yuto's back a bit roughly. "But you clearly have no idea what you're talking about."

"For your sake, he better be." Shay mutters.

"Guys, please." Yuto pleaded, his own face redden. "I'm sorry that I lied, but the one I truly love is Yuya."

"M-me?!" Yuya stammers, his face now red enough to match his hair. Yuto ducks his head down shyly.

"I'm really sorry, Yuya. I didn't say anything because I was afraid you wouldn't want to hang out anymore if you knew." At first, Yuya just stared at Yuto before finally breaking out into a fit of laughter as well as shedding a few tears at the same time. "Y-Yuya?" Yuto cups Yuya's face so that their eyes would meet.

"I...I'm just so happy." Yuya smiles, wiping his tears. "I loved you for so long a-and I was too scared to tell you anything, because I was afraid you would..." Yuto wraps his arms around Yuya, hugging him tight to his chest.

"I love you too, Yuya." Yuto whispers.

"Well, I'm happy for ya, Yuto, but this is getting a bit too sappy for me. Let's go, Sylvio. We have a nice little talk of our own-"

"Oh! What was that? On my way, Sora!" Sylvio calls before hurriedly reentering the classroom. Shay rolls his eyes and follows him, shutting the classroom door behind him. Eventually Yuya and Yuto pull away from each other.

"S-so does this mean we're...?" Yuya begins timidly.

"Dating?" Yuto finishes. "I think so. I-I mean if you want too!" Yuya grab both of Yuto's hands and smiled up at him.

"I would love that." Yuto smiles back and leans down, gently pressing their foreheads together.

"Yuya?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I kiss you?"

"Yes. Please." The kiss was short and brief. Just a soft graze of lips. But it was everything to them. "Thank you, Yuto." Yuya murmurs breathlessly into his neck.

"No, thank you, Yuya. For being apart of my life."

Slimslam

Pen: "Well, I hope your friend has a better personality offline. You shouldn't have to apologize for their actions, but thank you anyway."

Duke

Pen: "I know and I tried. I could handle one bad message, but when they kept coming back I just didn't know how to handle that. You didn't see it, but they even insulted me for deleted their reviews. Basically, now, I have to moderate guest reviews now. It isn't a big deal, just something I didn't want to do. Thank you for the kind advice."

Dranzer

Pen: "Thank you so much! Aside from this Ice Cream prompt and this one, I don't think it was my best work but I'm glad you're enjoying them!"

YunoYudu97

Pen: "Oh, hello you three. Welcome back. Sorry for being gone so long. The months really flew by for me, but don't worry! After Arc-V Month is over I plan on getting back to my other stories."

Angel: "If you're looking for Yuya and the others, they're over there. Talking to Nova."

(Angel points to the dark brown haired girl in the corner, talking to Yuya and friends. Yuya looks up from his conversation and waves to Yuno and Yudu.)

Yuya: "Oh! Yuno! Yudu! It's been way too long! How have you guys been?!"

CeleneTheAngel

Pen: "Thank you, and don't worry. I think I took care of the review problem. At least, for now. Time Travel, huh? I hate to disappoint you, but I'm following the Tumblr prompt list for Arc-V Month. However, maybe during the end, I will try it out. No harm in doing a bonus prompt, right?"

Seena87

Pen: "Yes, I will. Thank you, Seena. Honestly, I love hearing other's opinions and take their criticism seriously. However, their review was completely harsh and narrow minded. I kind of wish I did keep the review so others could see that I wasn't overreacting or something like that, but I'm glad I got rid of it. That review hurt me a lot, but you're right. I shouldn't let it get to me so. Thank you for your support."