Theme 7: Friend

Keigo sat in the bleachers and watched. He watched Wakashi lead the team and he shook his head, he knew Wakashi could handle it – he always had. But there something about him in the moment, the small smirk, the roll of his eyes. The former captain stopped himself. They were FRIENDS. It had taken them eight years to say it and mean it – and he was NOT going to wreck that over suddenly realizing that Hiyoshi Wakashi was … He was Hiyoshi Wakashi and they were friends. It was why he was here. Five calls and a string of emails so long that even gmail put an end to it – it was time to visit the boy before he worked himself into the ground. And to read the paper that he was having issues with in person.

As a friend. Because that is what friends do. Or so he had been told. He headed down the bleachers to smirk at Wakashi in person. It had nothing to do with him being shirtless and sweaty and looking…

Like a friend. Because that was all they were….friends.

"Keigo, let me grab that paper….mind if I shower?"

"Please, I won't be able to eat whatever it is you are going to force me to endure…."

"I am not wearing a suit to go over a paper and all the places you drag me to have a tie rule."

"There is …"

"There is something wrong with a tie rule today Keigo. We are going for pizza. You will use a PAPER napkin, you will see loud and possibly hyper kids and you will read an amazing paper on the 'heart of darkness.'"

"Well if you know it's amazing…."

There was that chuckle, "Bite me Buchou." He winked and headed into the showers. Then there was that OTHER chuckle.

"Not today Ryou…"

Shishido held his hands up, "I was just coming to pick Ohtori up. His bike is in the shop and Bunta lives over by him so…." He shot his best friend a look, "You could just admit you want to be showering with him and that you want more –"

"We are friends Ryou. That is what we are. Friends." Atobe shot him a look, "Don't make me beat you – Bunta is very high pitched when he yells at me for bruising you."

They were friends. He kept letting that circle around in his head and he almost had himself believing it till Wakashi came out in regular closthes and Keigo mentally went off on him –because they were friends and he shouldn't look that way for dinner with a friend. Then said friend might get ideas and…..

"Keigo? Are you alright? I asked if you were ready to go?"

With a sharp kick to Ryou's ankle to stop the chuckle, Keigo nodded, "Of course….."

Friends….Friends….Friends…..