"Len? If you don't want to do this it's fine," Yuuma said as he looked worriedly at the kouhai whose hand was currently in his.

"No, no, it's fine… it was my idea, after all," Len said, nervousness evident in his voice, "It's just walking into school holding hands, right?"

"You can change your mind if you want to, Len. I won't mind," Yuuma ruffled Len's hair, "I'll love you no matter what."

Len blushed, his cheeks turning pink, "Why do you have to be such an embarrassing guy? I…I love you too, so it's okay. I'm not really scared anyways."

Yuuma smiled gently at his stubborn lover. He raised the hand that was holding Len's and softly kissed the top of it.

"Thank you, Len."

Len blushed even deeper, now even his ears were pink.

Len truly was cutest and most wonderful person Yuuma had ever met.

Before Len, Yuuma had dated a few other people. Mostly girls, but a couple guys too. After meeting Len, Yuuma realized that it hadn't really been 'love' in his past relationships as much as 'like.' What was real love was the relationship Len and Yuuma shared now.

He loved Len from the depths of his heart.

But what he was most concerned about now was what would happen to Len, a male first year, for dating him, Yuuma, a popular male third year. Yuuma didn't want anyone saying anything bad about Len, but now that their relationship had been revealed it was almost certain that Len would be the victim of taunts.

Yuuma was used to hearing all the things, good and bad, other people said about him, but he didn't want Len to get to have to deal with the anxiety of having others talk behind his back.

He wanted to protect Len from getting hurt. Especially if that hurt was due to him.

He felt a twinge of pain in his heart. He should have been more aware of where and what they were doing.

Yuuma squeezed Len's hand.

I love him, I really love him, Yuuma thought.

"Senpai?" Len asked, seeing Yuuma staring at him.

Yuuma smiled at him, "It's nothing. Just thinking about how cute and pink your ears were just now when you blushed."

"They weren't pink!" Len exclaimed blushing again.

Yuuma laughed softly at his cute Len.

"Looks like we're here," Yuuma said, eyeing the school gates.

Len gulped nerously.

Yuuma squeezed his hand again, "Don't worry. I'm here; I won't let them say anything about you."

Len squeezed Yuuma's hand back and smiled a little weakly at his senpai, "Thanks."

They walked into school hand in hand.

As soon as they stepped foot on school grounds, the whispers started.

"Just ignore them," Yuuma said softly to his lover.

Len nodded stiffly and stared straight ahead of them.

"I can't believe Yuuma-sama's actually dating someone like that! A first year and a guy! What would a spectacular person like Yuuma-sama see in such an inferior person?"

Yuuma turned and glared silently at the girl who had spoke, leaving her stunned.

Yuuma sighed and turned toward Len, "Let's get inside the school. It should be less populated inside than outside."

"Okay," Len said quietly.

Yuuma felt a pang in his heart, I should have been more careful, he thought again.

Len must have notice Yuuma's pained silence because he turned toward Yuuma to give him a not-so-convincing reassuring smile, "It's okay, we'll get through this. Everyone will get over it soon enough, right?"

Yuuma smiled gently at Len, "Yes, of course they will."

He squeezed Len's hand yet again as they stepped into the school building.

It would not be pleasant having to endure the taunts. But they would get through it. Together, they would definitely get through it.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

"Hey, Yuuma! Is it true? You're dating a first year?" an annoying group of girls said surrounding him as soon as he got to homeroom.

"Yes," Yuuma said coolly, "Yes I am."

"He's a guy isn't he?" one of them asked.

"Yes, he is," Yuuma said in monotone.

By now the entire classroom was listening.

Yuuma sighed. These people were just too shallow.

"You're…just playing around with him right?"

That did it.

"Playing around?" Yuuma snapped, "I think not. No, the type I'd play around with is a pathetic girl like you."

He didn't add what he really wanted to say, 'Len is completely different. I love him.'

The girl stared at him in shock and tears sprang to her eyes. She smacked him across the face and ran out of the classroom, crying.

The other girls ran out after her, calling him a jerk and bastard as they went.

Everyone in the classroom was staring at him.

He looked at his reflection in the window. There was a big red mark on his cheek where he had been slapped.

"My…face…" he murmured, he really didn't want Len to see him like this. It would only make him fret unnecessarily.

"What a self-centered guy," someone said.

Yuuma sighed and sat down just as the teacher walked in. He could hear the soft whispers and caught glimpses of notes with Len and Yuuma's names on them being passed.

He endured it for the rest of the class. The only thing that kept him strong was how much worse it must be for Len.

The underclassmen wouldn't say anything to Yuuma, but Len was a target for first, second and third years.

It made Yuuma's blood boil to think about it. He couldn't forgive anyone who laid a finger on Len.

I'll definitely protect him, Yuuma thought as he stared absent-mindedly out the window.

He heard rustling as a piece of paper fell on the ground. He saw the girl who sat in front of him in the next row pick it up. The girl who sat next to her in Yuuma's row had passed it to her.

He caught a quick glimpse of what was written on it; 'Len', 'Yuuma' and some word that began with y or g and had a couple a's and a j.

Yuuma scoffed and looked away.

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

Yuuma trudged out of the kendo changing room in low spirits.

He was doing pretty well sparring with the guys. He usually won, but he was having pretty amazing victories today, probably because he was channeling all his bitter emotions into practice.

He'd won several matches when his opponents started saying things about Len as they sparred.

He lost continuously after that.

It was much to the delight of his opponents of course. They seemed to think it was funny that Yuuma was so riled up about the whole ordeal.

'Just calm down, man,' they said.

I can keep calm about it if it's Len, Yuuma thought as he stepped out of the dojo.

He was surprised to see Len outside the dojo leaning against the wall.

"Len?"

"I wanted to walk to work together," he explained blushing.

Yuuma smiled, "Sorry to keep you waiting. Were you here long?"

"Not really," Len replied.

Yuuma took Len's hand in his and started walking towards the butler café.

Len was quiet along the way.

Finally Yuuma asked, "Len, are you okay?"

"Y-yes, why do you ask?" Len asked, staring up at him. Yuuma noticed a scratch along his right cheek and jaw.

"What is that red mark on your face?" they both asked at the same time.

Yuuma touched the cheek where the girl had slapped him. She'd hit him really hard. It was still red there even after Yuuma had put a cold wet cloth on it.

Yuuma didn't want to tell Len about it, but he couldn't lie about it either.

"A girl got a little mad at me in homeroom."

"What did you say to her?" Len said leaning forward to examine his cheek, "She must have slapped you really hard."

Yuuma looked at the worry in Len's eyes.

"Ah, I forgot. It was something petty," Yuuma said laughing a bit.

Len looked away and squeezed Yuuma's hand, "I don't like it when you're hurt," he said softly.

Yuuma leaned closer, "it's okay," he breathed into Len's ear, "I'm fine."

Yuuma looked closer at the cut on Len's face, "But how did you get that?" he asked referring to the scratch.

"Oh, um, I kinda ran into a wall," Len said, not making eye contact.

Yuuma didn't believe it. The scratch wasn't something that you get by running into a wall. But Yuuma didn't say anything about it.

But he still felt uneasy inside.

"You know you can tell me anything, Len," Yuuma said, "I'll help you get through anything."

"You can tell me too," Len said frowning stubbornly.

Yuuma chuckled softly, "Okay. I love you."

"I love you too," Len said blushing.

Yuuma smiled, "Come here," he said pulling Len behind a wall.

"Wha—?"

Yuuma captured Len's lips a brief kiss.

"Yuuma…" Len said as Yuuma placed a kiss on his cheek.

He looked at Len. He looked tired and weary.

He felt a pang in heart and kissed Len again.

"Let's go, we'll be late to work," Yuuma said, taking Len's hand again.

"Yeah…" Len said, holding Yuuma's hand tightly.

Yuuma was about to turn around and say tell him he loved him again when Len interrupted him.

"Senpai.. I l-love you…"

Yuuma widened his eyes in surprise.

"I love you too, Len."

Len blushed and Yuuma chuckled.

"Let's get to work," Len said furiously blushing and pushing past Yuuma but still holding his hand.

Yuuma laughed again, "Okay."

It was a difficult love but it was worth it.

So worth it. Worth more than anything else.