Contrary to popular belief I do not own Tales of Symphonia.

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For the first time in his life Kratos watched the clock with the rest of the students waiting for school to be let out. He couldn't wait to get started on building the clubhouse. It's odd, he thought to himself as he watched the hands on the clock tick slowly away, I can't wait to see Yuan either. We're just helping each other but I really can't wait to hang out with him! When the bell finally rung Kratos swung his pack over his shoulder and ran out of the school house with the rest of the students. Humming softly to himself, Kratos walked around to the back of the school to where Yuan sat with a couple other slaves who were already being dragged away by their masters. At first sight of Kratos Yuan got up and ran over to him and together they set off for home.

" I can't wait to get started Yuan!" Kratos said happily as the two boys made their way through the busy streets toward the edge of town. " I just wish I could teach you while I was digging. I really like teaching you Yuan."

" Shhhh! Kratos, sheesh. You want us to get caught?" Yuan grumbled looking around to make sure no one noticed. He looked back at Kratos to discover the human looked crest fallen, so more kindly he added, " I really like learning all this new stuff. You're a really good teacher." Kratos beamed and seemed ridiculously happy the rest of the way home. Yuan listened as Kratos explained what he had learned that day, and then told Kratos about the things he had seen while he waited. When they finally reached the Aurion's mansion the two split up to get the required materials.

Not long after they met in their secret area to begin the days work. Yuan handed Kratos the large shovel he had taken from a shed full of planting supplies, and Kratos handed Yuan a stack of small cards.

" What's this?" Yuan asked rifling through the stack.

" Those are flash cards. I made them last night. I can't quiz you while I'm digging, but just see if you can name the letters," Kratos answered staggering under the weight of the shovel.

" What the…? Kratos can't you even lift a shovel?" Yuan said staring in amazement as the other boy struggled and suddenly dropped it.

" I'm fine Yuan just study. Besides I need to mark out where I'm digging first," Yuan nodded and sat down but didn't look at the cards. Kratos took a little stick and marked in the ground where he would be digging. Then slowly he dragged the large shovel over to where he'd mark. Next Kratos carefully righted the shovel and tried to leap up on the top of the shovels blade. However as he leapt the shovel tilted forward and both boy and tool landed in the dirt. Yuan just stared. He would have laughed if it hadn't been his job to train Kratos.

" Do you want a smaller shovel, like a trowel maybe?" Yuan shouted. Poor little Kratos looked up at Yuan through his messy and now dirt covered bangs. He was crying.

" I can't do this it's to hard! Just give up I'm not good for anything!" Yuan rolled his eyes as he stood up and went to him.

" Kratos you're not useless. Look, I'll show you how to use the shovel." Kratos watched with deep concentration as Yuan pit the shovel up and with one foot pushed down, and then pulled up.

" I think I can do that," Kratos said.

" Good," Yuan handed the shovel to Kratos as he spoke. And, with great difficulty, Kratos actually managed to lift some dirt from the ground. He smiled at Yuan, you grinned weakly back at him.

This is going to be a long couple of months.

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The days passed quickly after that. Every day the two boys would work hard. And both got considerably better at what they were doing. Yuan had his whole alphabet down and his first ten numbers too. Kratos still went slowly, but never complained, and never cried when he hurt himself. While Kratos worked the two boys would talk, never of anything important, Kratos couldn't talk much because he was working, but always they talked. One day however a new subject came up.

" Hey, Yuan, you gasp know what. I gasp don't think you grunt ever told me where ooph used to live," Kratos grunted as he lifted one heavy shovel full.

' It's not really important," Yuan responded.

" Oh come on Yuan. I hardly know anything about you now that I think about it. I 'm not shoveling until your start talking," Kratos said putting aside his shovel.

" Fine but I don't see why you're so interested. It's not anything exciting," Yuan replied.

" But I don't have any idea how half elves live, outside of being slaves," Kratos said as he climbed into his hole. " Look Yuan! It's already three feet down. Of course it's going to be nine feet down, for the entrance. And six feet tall everywhere else. And way wider once we get there, but still three feet!"

" If you shut up I'll tell you. You're beginning to see how to manipulate me. You explain to much. But fine I'll talk. Outside of being a slave It's not all that much better. At least not when it comes to houses. I lived, about a year ago with my brother in this really tiny shack. Probably about the size of the main part of you're room, only the roof was lower cause we had a loft. That's where I slept. My brother slept down in the main room on a cot near the stove. I liked my brother a lot. He's the one who raised me, and the one who taught me to swear. He did odd jobs for all the people in our town, and helped him whenever I could. Most everyone lived in houses like ours, only we were lucky. Most families had about three or four kids and at least one parent. So they were real cramped. The only big building in town was the inn. I thought it was huge. Of course I also thought my house was nice. I don't think either of those anymore,".

" Cause oof of my house?" Kratos asked. Yuan nodded.

" Yeah, you're house is the biggest thing I've ever seen. Bigger than anything. Probably even the castle of our king," Yuan said.

" He's not really a king," Kratos told Yuan matter-of-factly.

" He is too! Just because he doesn't have a long family of kings doesn't mean he isn't one. Just because he's poor doesn't mean anything either. He's a great leader that's what makes a king. He stepped forward when the stupid elves started to hide in their dumb town and pretend they had nothing to do with the war. They left us to fight you stupid humans," Yuan yelled. " He's got the loyalty of all the half elves. Not like your king who has to force men to go to war. We have real warriors. Not like your fat old men who sit around tables and tell kids to go die."

" the only thing you have is magic. And your still losing! Don't you ever talk about my father like that!" Kratos shouted back defensively.

" That fat old man doesn't do shit," Yuan screamed. He pulled Kratos out of the hole and threw him to the ground.

" He doesn't need to fight back. That's how powerful he is. Just like me. You can beat up Yuan. But I can get people to kill you. They'll have you beaten and they'll drag your corpse through the street and… and…," suddenly Kratos began to weep. " I don't want to fight you Yuan you're the only person who's ever been this nice to me! I don't want anyone to hurt you. This fight is stupid,"

" Sorry, Kratos. I got carried away. I…" Yuan trailed off.

" Let's never fight again,' Kratos said flinging his arms around Yuan.

" Okay Kratos. I get it. Hey Kratos you can let go now. As your toughness instructor I think I should tell you that men don't hug," Yuan said as he pushed away slightly.

" My mother hugs her friends," Kratos stated in confusion.

" Men hug like this. Here give me your hand," Yuan said. He took Kratos's hand and pulled him toward him. Then he slapped him hard on the back.

" But Yuan that hurts," Kratos whimpered.

" That's how it's done. That's how my brother did it. Oh yeah, want me to tell you more about my life tomorrow?"

" Sure, so long as it doesn't hurt as much as today," Kratos replied. And together the two boys walked back to the house.

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I'm sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo Sorry that I haven't updated in like a month. But I've had a lot to do. Projects, and plays and the performance of a shortened Macbeth with sock puppets. Not to mention the holidays. And it's all led to this weird little chapter. I hate it when I catch myself in transition. And still stand by the fact that they are indeed just friends. Sorry to all those who got their hopes up. The hug thing was more of an observation. Yesterday was opening night for our school play and I watched as everyone hugged before performance. All the guy's did this sort of man hug. And these are theatre people! The most suspect for being called gay. If it wasn't for this snow day I'd have another performance tonight. Sorry for the rambling too.