A/N: For the LJ meme for LB- san. I've decided LB- san, I want Fruits Basket Kyou and Hatsuharu. The title? Oiling My Baby Up. Heh heh heh . . .

Mainly cute but if you take it another way it becomes pervy. This means you're pervy and therefor cannot blame this cute fic of how best friends help each other out in embarrassing situations. :P Remember, think cleanly.

Marksmanship

When you're seven and you have an embarrassing secret that keeps you restlessly awake in the middle of the night, you just hope no one else notices you gingerly drawing your sleeping bag apart so you can sneak out and relieve it. Pearls of sweat beaded down his cheek while his violet narrowed anxiously as he tried to hold it in just a little longer. Cinnamon- hued hair bobbing a little as he jumped into a crouch out of his sleeping bag, Kira tiptoed to the tent flap and cast a hasty look over his shoulder.

Tucked in a red sleeping bag, Athrun was sound asleep, navy- blue hair falling silkily down his cheeks, green eyes lidded in blissful, guileless sleep. Kira gritted his teeth nervously and hoped Athrun didn't wake up to see his incriminatingly empty blue sleeping bag before he returned. With a fervent prayer, he crept out of the tent.

In the cool night air in the middle of the school field, the chirping of invisible crickets magnified threefold. It didn't do him any favours for his bladder control. Damn it! When the boys were asked to use the toilets before the camping bedtime, he had spent too much time helping Athrun with his shoelaces. By the time he had reached the washroom with his best friend, all the cubicles had been taken up. Only the urinals were left and he couldn't use those . . . Then everyone would know . . . would know . . . that he had poor aim.

Kira felt his cheeks redden and he chewed his nether lip reflexively. It was his shameful secret, one he had not shared with anyone, not even his closest buddy. In the end, Athrun had finished with a urinal before a single cubicle was vacated and Kira had no way of telling Athrun that he wanted to wait for the cubicles. At least, not unless he wanted his best friend asking awkward questions. He had been forced to trudge back to the tent, bladder fit to explode and spent the next three excruciating hours in heavy discomfort. Kira was certain Athrun had been suspicious, after all, he had begged Athrun not to start their usual tickle tackling. He just didn't think his bladder could take that.

How could he expect Athrun to understand his plight, even if his blue- haired companion was the nicest guy in the world? Athrun probably never had to worry about this sort of thing. He had perfect marksmanship. Kira had glanced surreptitiously in his direction in the washroom earlier and Athrun had looked almost bored as he aimed with perfect precision, his eyes off the target and staring idly at the light- blue wall tiles. If Kira had tried that he would have to go for a bath AND hose down the entire washroom.

Barefooted, Kira rustled through the grassy field towards the rectangular block of the boy's washroom, his little hand gripping the front of his shorts tightly. The motion detectors reacted to his sudden intrusion as he swung the bright yellow door open. The light of the washroom flickered awake and flooded the washroom in strong fluorescent. As he peered in tentatively from the doorway, he thought he would faint in relief. The gleaming white floor tiles paved the way to a row of silent cubicle doors swung invitingly inward.

Kira made an eager beeline for the nearest stall when the door behind him creaked and parted. Kira froze and watched from the wall mirror hung above the sinks before him as the yellow door swung open a second time. In the doorway stood a boy with flowing blue hair that brushed his shoulders and wide green eyes glowing at him with curiosity. Athrun continued to hold the door, his blue pinstriped pyjamas rumpled and shifting in the night breeze.

"Kira," the boy murmured softly.

"Ath- Athrun!" Kira stuttered horrified.

Athrun noted the panic- stricken look on his best friend's face and his eyes narrowed in a cross between dark understanding and disappointment. Kira spun around, hastily tugging his hand away from the front of his shorts.

"It- it's . . . I suddenly felt like I needed to use the bathroom, so I- " Kira attempted to explain, violet eyes shifting uneasily.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Athrun interrupted, green eyes glittering with an odd light.

Kira's eyes widened in surprise. Taken aback he merely gaped, uncertain if he had heard correctly.

Athrun's brows came together in a frown.

"Not about coming to the toilet but about not being able to aim properly," Athrun growled lowly as he strode up to his friend.

Startled, Kira backed up to the ceramic sink counter while his best friend strode purposefully up to him, effectively trapping him.

"I- I- " Kira stammered, caught completely off- guard as he looked up into Athrun's serious, dark blue eyes.

Athrun watched the colour drain from Kira's flushed cheeks and his expression softened.

"It wasn't hard to guess, " he began in explanation with measured calm, "I've never seen you use the urinals before. You always used the cubicles, even if we were in the middle of a conversation. You'd rather break it up and use the stalls than use the urinals and carry on,"

Kira lowered his eyes, the colour returning to his pale cheeks in a shade of bright crimson. Perhaps noticing this, Athrun stepped back a little to give Kira more room to breathe.

"At first I thought you were shy and shrugged it off," Athrun continued, "But I started to notice something strange. Sometimes you'd not use the toilets at all even though you nearly always drink more juice than I do. Thinking back now, all those times you didn't go all the cubicles were full. Just like today," Athrun finished, his brows creasing back into a frown.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he demanded, the light in his blue eyes suddenly dark and offended.

Kira didn't meet his eyes. His lips moved but barely a whisper escaped. His hands clutched each other, fingers knotting tightly.

"Aren't we friends?" Athrun pressed, his anger deepening into hurt, "did you think . . . that I'd laugh at you?"

" . . . Sorry," the whisper was a faint, husky sound between the boys.

"I'm so sorry Athrun," Kira repeated, face cast at his feet and shoulder's trembling.

Distressed at Kira's reaction, Athrun's tensed expression fell into softer regret. He leaned in and pulled Kira into his embrace, feeling the tears dampening the front of his pyjama shirt with moist warmth.

"I'm sorry too," Athrun murmured sheepishly, "for being an idiot and making you cry."

"'s okay," Kira mumbled muffledly into Athrun's shirt.

They stood there for a moment thoughtfully silent.

"So . . ." Athrun began awkwardly, "you usually . . . relieve yourself sitting down?"

Athrun thought he felt Kira's cheeks burn through the thin cotton fabric of his shirt.

" . . . en. . ." came the hardly audible reply.

"But you can't go on like this . . ." Athrun murmured half to himself and the light in his eyes grew firm, "Right. I'll teach you then. How to use the urinals."

Kira sprang away from his friend and collided painfully into the cold stone counter.

"Wh- what!" Kira exclaimed shakily, forgetting the ache in the flaming crimson of his embarrassment and uneasiness.

"There's no need to be embarrassed," Athrun chided sternly, green eyes serious, "friends should help each other out. That's what YOU said to me this evening right? When teaching me how to tie my shoelaces for the hundredth time?"

"B- but this is . . . this is . . ." Kira mumbled flustered, his fingers twisting into his own t- shirt.

"Eeee – nuff," Athrun stated firmly, cutting through Kira's reluctant protests.

Taking hold of his best friend's shoulders, Athrun wheeled him to the row of urinals along the wall to their right. Helplessly, Kira allowed himself to be guided before them. He froze before the nearest one, its polished white bowl gaping forebodingly at him. The violet- eyed boy felt Athrun lean against him from behind.

"Alright now . . ." Athrun began with a touch of uncertainty in his voice, "let's get this started . . ."

Blushing furiously, Kira had half a mind to refuse, but the thought of Athrun trying so hard to help him while he shamelessly cared about his own pride made him feel small. Self- consciously, the young boy raised his hand to his fly and fumbled clumsily with it. Athrun twisted his head away, humming nervously to himself.

"Athrun?" Kira began slowly.

"Yes, Kira?" Athrun asked a little jumpily.

"Er . . . the humming. It's not helping."

"Oh. Sorry."

Finally there was the awkward sound of a zip sliding down with great hesitation and after a little shifting, Kira cleared his throat meaningfully. There was no avoiding it now and Athrun was bewildered by his own sense of discomfort. It wasn't as if any part of Kira was a mystery to him. They bathed together almost every weekend. Nevertheless, he couldn't stop the heat rising in his cheeks as he peered almost fearfully over Kira's shoulder.

Kira's hand hovered shyly, covering and yet not quite covering. Athrun could see that he needed to go really, really bad but he could also see that his best friend was deeply embarrassed and ashamed. A sudden surge of warmth rose in his chest emboldening him. The blue- haired boy leaned his lips beside Kira's ear and whispered soothingly.

"It's alright. Remember when you faced off those bullies for me? Remember when you were there for me when I cried in the classroom after they had run off? You didn't laugh at me then. It's the same for me. There's nothing you can do right now that would make me think any less of you."

Kira's gaze turned distant with recollection. His mind's eye watched a scene, unfolding a memory from a year before where a huddled form covered in bruises sobbed quietly in the shadowed corner of a classroom. He remembered panting as his body shook from the after- effects of adrenaline rush; remembered the fading steps of the frightened bullies. Limbs weak and shivering, Kira had collapsed by Athrun's side and had draped his arm around his best friend's shoulders.

A sudden touch of human warmth across the back of his hand jerked him out of his reverie. Kira watched as Athrun's fingers traced across his own and covered them perfectly.

"Ready when you are," Athrun murmured with a hint of mischief in his voice.

Kira couldn't help the burst of a chuckle. Then shutting his eyes, cheeks aglow with a rosy hue, he nodded.

"En."

Kira heard Athrun draw in a deep breath before he felt a coaxing pressure against his fingers. Obediently, Kira curled his fingers to its guiding touch and gripped himself firmly. He gasped softly when he felt an unexpected brush.

"Sorry," Athrun mumbled hastily.

"'s okay," Kira replied in a small, tightly embarrassed voice.

"Anytime you're ready . . ." Athrun trailed off meaningfully.

Kira felt his face heat up and bit his nether lip before . . . letting go. It hurt at first, with the all too familiar sensation of long overdue relief twisting powerfully and agonisingly in his abdomen. Then the intensity abated and there was just a floating sense of relief before he realised that he was done. Kira tried to remove his hand but it stayed locked in place in Athrun's grasp.

Kira opened his eyes and turned quizzically to his emerald- eyed friend behind him. Athrun flushed awkwardly, his gaze twisting uncomfortably away from Kira's.

"You have to . . . jerk it . . . a few times," he mumbled almost inaudibly.

Kira reddened and attempted to bury his face into his own shoulder.

"No, no, it's no big deal! I'm not making fun of you!" Athrun hastily assured and quickly jerked his wrist away, stepping back.

'I just can't possibly make you jerk it myself-' Athrun finished weakly in his mind.

"Go ahead . . . I- I won't look," he sputtered, spinning around and realising that he could still see his friend through the mirror.

Hurriedly, he draped his sleeve over his eyes and stayed strictly still.

Kira longed to dash out immediately and disappear forever into some distant corner of the world where no one would ever see him again. Instead, he did as Athrun had advised and carefully made himself decent again.

Athrun heard Kira zip up but he didn't dare drop his arm for fear of Kira mistaking the act as a sign of impatience. He locked his muscles in place, not daring to even breathe too deeply as he heard Kira's bare footsteps padding softly towards him.

A strangled cry of surprise escaped him when Athrun suddenly felt himself being tugged nearly off his feet. A Kira- shaped warmth imprinted itself against his back and Kira- shaped arms wound tightly about his waist.

"Thank you," Kira breathed into Athrun's back, voice muffled by the cotton fabric and the warmth of Athrun's body.

Relieved, Athrun's arm fell away and he carefully raised his hands to grasp the arms around him, a gentle smile playing on his lips . . .

And froze abruptly.

"Kira?"

"Yes, Athrun?"

"Our hands."

"Hmn?"

"We didn't wash them."

". . . shoot."

Many years later, when Athrun and Kira were sharing quarters once more and Kira had overdid on the grape juice, the lavender- eyed Coordinator rose drowsily from his bunk. Blinking blearily in the darkness tamed by Athrun's nightlight, he eased himself off his bunk and shuffled sleepily over to the pneumatic door.

As it hissed open, Kira heard the rustle of linen and whipped his head about curiously, twilight- painted eyes narrowed in the sudden light streaming through the doorway. Green eyes sparkled in the darkness, dancing above a mischievous grin.

"Athrun, thought you were asleep," Kira mumbled tiredly, squinting eyes registering mild surprise.

Athrun swung his legs off his bunk and rose gracefully to his feet.

"You know, we keep using those straps for our combat boots that I've quite forgotten how to tie my shoelaces properly, " Athrun murmured meaningfully, his grin broadening into a leer.

Kira's eyes widened, lips parting in shock and twisted his head away to hide the creeping blush and the growing smile.

"Well I can't teach it to you again for free . . ." the cinnamon- haired youth replied in a bashful whisper.

There was a silent pause filled by Athrun's cat- soft footfalls. Kira didn't turn around though he felt his best friend's presence close enough to feel the warmth exuding off the blue- haired youth.

"Sure thing. One good turn deserves another after all . . ." Athrun whispered with careful stress.

A flaming crimson building across his face, Kira stalked out of the room in mock anger.

"I should have known you had ulterior motives for repeatedly volunteering to refill my glass, " he called accusingly over his shoulder.

Athrun laughed and jogged to catch up.

"Oh like those trainers with the neon laces for by birthday were so innocent . . ."

The End

Porticulis, 2005