Konnichi wa minna-san^-^ I'm having a bit of writing block with 'sasurai.' I know exactly what's supposed to happen, I'm just having a hard time getting it to happen is all.

Not only that, but school is taking up a lot of time. I only have the time to write something short so I'm typing up this for your enjoyment instead of a chapter of 'sasurai.' I don't want to make a chapter rushed and short, so I'd rather type up something that has my full attention on it.

Oh yeah, just in case you missed the warning label before, this is YAOI. Which means there is a romance occurring between two MALES. Specifically Yaten and Seiya. If you don't like it, then hit the back button. Don't read it, make yourself sick, and then flame me, 'cause you'll just be making yourself seem stupid.

Got it everyone? No flames saying that yaoi is wrong, and that I should be ashamed of myself. I will hunt you down.

Now enough of that! On with the Yaten/Seiya yumminess^-^

Shades of Grey

Seiya lay in bed, unable to sleep for the fifth night in a row. It was no surprise to him that his thoughts should be plagued by him. That silver-haired bitch, also known as Yaten.

Seiya had known the shrimp for as long as he could remember, and he had never felt anything but friendship for the little woman, er, man.

Maybe it was because they had faced so many stressful situations together recently, but there was now some kind of deep emotion raging inside Seiya. It had started as a kind of innocent infatuation at first. A touch here, a smile there...

But now it had grown into a deep sense of want, and longing; longing to just take Yaten in his arms and... he didn't know what.

He did however know that there was only one possible name for the emotion inside him, and that name was love. Yes, Seiya loved Yaten and that confused him out of his mind.

Was it that as a man Seiya was gay? Or was fighter in love with Yaten and her emotions spilled over into Seiya's body? Seiya had been so sure she was a lesbian though... Maybe she was and she had been in love with Yaten before they ever got these damn male bodies, and now that they were both men it just didn't matter b/c they were still the same people inside?

Oh great... I even ramble in my thoughts.

Seiya sighed. He didn't think his sexual preference rated high on his list of things to worry about right now.

With thoughts like those running through his mind, it was no wonder he had spent another night without sleep. Dawn was on the way, and it wouldn't be long before Seiya had to be up for school. He lay back on the pillows and tried to get a little bit of rest.

He had finally slipped into slumber when a knock sounded on the door.

'Seiya! Come on, get up!'

Seiya mumbled incoherently and rolled over, one arm dragging on the floor.

The door opened, and a frustrated Taiki stood on the other side. 'Seiya! How can you still be asleep? We're going to be late again if you don't hurry up and eat some breakfast!'

Seiya cracked an eye open and glared at Taiki. He picked up a shoe and whipped it at the already closing door.

Yaten sat down at the kitchen table and set a bowl of cereal in Seiya's place. He sensed that there was a lot of stress in Seiya's life, aside from there mission of course, and he wanted to make things as easy as possible for him.

He would not, however, tolerate any rudeness from him. He had noticed that Seiya had been very bitchy to Taiki lately, and it was starting to get on his nerves. Seiya wasn't even this bad when she was still a woman and able to PMS.

'Taiki! Where the fuck is my hairband?'

'And how am I supposed to know? I don't waste my time hidng other people's things.'

Yaten sighed. It seemed like Seiya was finally awake.

A few minutes later Taiki walked into the kitchen with Seiya hot on his heels, the hairband still not found.

Yaten thought Seiya looked a little better this way, with his hair loose and flowing around him.

Wait.

Where did that thought come from?

No matter...

'Seiya, your cereal is on the table.'

'Thanks, Yaten.' Seiya sat down and began to groggily spoon the soggy lucky charms into his mouth.

'I'm glad sleeping beauty finally decided to join us,' Taiki commented.

'Taiki, piss off.' Seiya glared into his cereal bowl.

'Well, we can't be late for school all the time.'

Seiya's head shot up angrily, and his eyes were practically shooting daggers at Taiki. 'Screw it. I'm not going to school.' He pushed himself up off his chair and stalked off to his room.

Taiki sighed and looked at Yaten. 'Is this my fault? This recent conflict between Seiya and I...Is it somehow my fault and I don't even realize it?'

Yaten smiled. 'No, Seiya's definitely been a lot moodier lately.' He looked down at the table and then met Taiki's eyes. 'Maybe we should just stay home today. It's *Saturday after all, and I doubt we'll be able to drag Seiya to school today anyway.'

(A.N. * In Japan, the school week is six days and includes Saturday.)

There was a moment's pause and then Taiki sighed in resignation. 'Okay, fine. But next week we are attending all of our classes for the full six days!'

'Deal!' Yaten rose form the table. 'I'm gonna go talk to Seiya.'

He reached Seiya's door, pushed it open, and closed it behind him once he was in the room.

'That was really uncalled for.'

'Yaten, go away!'

'No! you've had a real attitude problem lately, and I think you should fix it,' Yaten said harshly. 'Now you're going to listen to what I have to say!'

Seiya opened his mouth to respond, and then just smirked. 'Okay, I'm listening.'

'Well I actually hadn't planned that far ahead, and I—Damn you Seiya!' Yaten pushed his feathery bangs out of his eyes. 'Don't you give a fuck about Taiki's feelings? Don't you have a heart?'

Seiya's eyes flashed angrily for a second, and then his expression softened and he gave Yaten a gentle smile. 'Of course I have a heart. But it can't be bothered with trivial things like other people's feelings.' His eyes darkened. 'It's too busy loving you.'

The entire world around Yaten danced in and out of focus as the realization that Seiya loved him hit him with tremendous force. He felt Seiya lean in and capture his lips in a burning kiss. He was sure he would've collapsed if it hadn't been for Seiya's arms supporting his delicate frame.

To his horror, Yaten found himself enjoying the feel of Seiya's lips on his own, and he kissed back with a force equal to Seiya's intensity. What was that feeling inside him? And why did it choose now to make itself known?

As all good things must come to an end, this kiss was no exception.

Yaten and Seiya jumped apart at the sound of breaking glass.

'Gomen...' Taiki said, blushing bright red. 'I-I came to bring Seiya his uneaten breakfast, but now it's on the floor.'

Seiya glared at Taiki, and Yaten looked ready to kill.

Taiki started to laugh. 'Just call me when you're done, and I'll come clean it up, ne?' He walked out of the room, still laughing.

'Well, that was more embarrassing than it should have been,' Yaten said, still blushing.

Seiya started laughing too. 'I should go talk to Taiki, see if I can repair some damage.' He exited the room, leaving Yaten by himself.

In a fit of stress, Yaten reverted back to her female form and threw herself onto Seiya's bed. There were thoughts and questions plaguing her mind, and the only person who could answer them was Seiya.

Damn it Seiya, why'd you go and complicate things?

'Taiki!' Seiya called after the taller boy.

Taiki stopped and waited for Seiya to catch up. They walked to the kitchen in silence.

Taiki sat down at the kitchen table and Seiya followed suit.

'I want to apologize for being such an ass. That's usually Yaten's department.'

Taiki shook his head. 'No, I understand. You seemed stressed, and now I know why.'

'Yeah, but I shouldn't have taken it out on you. I'm sorry I was such a prick this morning, and I made us late for school... again.'

'You mean Yaten didn't tell you?' Taiki asked.

'Tell me what?'

'I've decided that we can take a break form school just this once. We're going to school every day after this,' Taiki said sternly.

Seiya smiled. 'Fine with me! I didn't do yesterday's math assignment!'

Yaten lay face down on Seiya's bed, crying into his pillow. She sat up at the sound of someone approaching and furiously wiped the tears off her face. She plastered on a smile, trying to look happy.

Seiya stepped into the room and closed the door. He looked at Yaten, and concern flashed across his features.

Damn tearstains, Yaten thought.

Seiya practically flew across the room and gathered the small woman into his arms. 'Yaten, what 's wrong?'

Yaten opened her mouth to reply 'nothing' but all that came out was a sob. 'Seiya, where do we go form here? I mean, do you even love me like this? 'Cause once we find the princess there's no way I'm staying a man, and I just couldn't take it if--'

Seiya silenced her ramblings with a kiss and Yaten felt Seiya slip back into her female body. 'Yaten, so insecure.' Seiya paused. 'I realized something; it's a people thing, not a gender thing. In fact, I've always believed that love knows no gender. (A.N. I use that line a lot, don't I^-^)

This proves it. We're lucky to be on this mission.'

'How so?' Yaten asked.

'If it hadn't been for these damn new bodies, I probably would have still been poor, naïve, Seiya Kou, convincing myself that my true love had to arrive in a man's body because that's what everyone around me had said. Instead I was able to see a whole other side of things.'

'True, but you were never naïve!' Yaten thought for a moment. 'One more thing... What about you're Odango?'

Seiya smiled. 'Usagi is a pure creature and I love her, I do! But not like I love you. I love her with an adoration that matches what we feel for our own Kakyuu-hime. So you really have no competition on that one. Now come on, we better change back before Taiki comes in and lectures us for being negligent.'

A moment later two men stood where the women had previously been.

'So, Seiya, does this make us gay?'

'Oh no, we are so lesbian!'

Yaten laughed. 'Anyone who heard you say that would have thought you were the strangest man on Earth!'

Seiya laughed too and pulled Yaten into his arms. 'Ah, let 'em think what they want!'

~*End*~

There, I'm done! Can you believe it took me over an hour and a half to type this little shorty out? I can hardly believe I even got it finished by now, especially after having it kicking around my room fro the last few weeks. Okay, I don't really have much more to say except that if you're reading this sentence then you should review this as well, and that if you wish to discuss the 'gay issue' that so many people seem to have, then you should e-mail me at:

blue_angel_flame@hotmail.com

I don't have AOL or ICQ, but if you add me to MSN then we can have a discussion there too. Trust me, my friend Aurora-chan and I spend hours discussing why people are so stpid about gay/lesbians. It really is just close-mindedness, but I guess everyone has a right to their own opinion. Still, if you want to talk, you know what to do!