- 29 -

"Broke up?" Akaya couldn't believe his own mouth. "Broke up?"

Niou just sat there, silent. He wanted so badly to say something, that it wasn't his fault, that things just happen, but he couldn't form the words. He felt like he was drowning.

"What do you mean?" Akaya was screaming. "You two were… perfect."

Niou stared. "You do realize we're not even able to drive. We weren't going to be together forever. We just planned on spending as much time together as possible..."

He trailed off and everything went blurry. Then he felt some roll down his face. He reached up, and wiped away a tear.

"What the -?" He rubbed his eyes, his cheeks turning red. "Hell no. I don't –"

"You love him," Akaya said softly. "I know people say we're young and stupid, that we don't know what we're doing. Hell, I think I'm gay for a homophobe. Does that make me stupid?" He paused. "Don't answer that."

Niou rubbed at his eyes, as if his hands would make the tears stop. "I don't give a crap if Marui's gone. We've fought before, why should I care now?"

"Then why are you crying?" Akaya shot back. Niou glared at him, then started saying something, but it came out like he was choking. Akaya shook his head. "Senpai, I think of you guys like the brothers I never had. My sister is anything but a princess, and you guys taught me what older siblings were supposed to."

Niou stopped rubbing his eyes. "What the heck are you talking about? We gave you a swirly and you got a concussion! What does this have to do with Marui and me anyways? Why am I even here? I don't give a crap about this; I'm leaving."

Then, just as Niou stood up to make a run for the door, Akaya said, "I threatened to quit the team, and buchou said we would put it up to a team vote tomorrow – so just, just come to practice."

Then Niou left, smiling as he slammed the door up to keep his damn pride.


A/N: This is a long note… again.

I: Thanks for all of those who have read this from start to end, and I know that the story that was "one-shots" turned into a story with a plot and a heck of a lot of readers and stuff. Um, thank you? Anyone who knows me knows that I find it hard to believe that people think I'm a good writer because I just write things as the words go into my head. I'm not some egotistical person (really, I'm not), so thanks to all of you who have read the story so far!

II: On the poll on my profile, more people want Niou/Marui. Um, I'm re-writing "Love's Weird Like That" and I plan to make a lot more of Niou/Marui in that because that's when I first started to love the pairing. I have no idea when that will be up, though.

III: These "one-shots" are becoming a story with a plot that I did not have planned out, and I'm not sure where I want it to go now. So, um, yeah… Expect random updates, and perhaps no updates for awhile. I am out of school, but I have friends, and other stories, plus a I'm taking driver's ed and I have camps and crap. I think I have an idea about where I want the story to go, but that's a secret.