Disclaimer: I don't own anything Eyeshield 21, but if I did … oh man, look out if I did.

It's up when I promised it would be! Keep reviewing and adding your ideas and opinions and it will stay this way! ... depending on how uni goes ...

Thanks to: dittogrrl, nikkon, minoko-chan, aera-chan, and Alina-Cantha for reading and reviewing. They helped to move my plot monkeys along in their creations.

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Chapter Two

"He doesn't love me."

Sakuraba shook his head in disbelief, "Sorry, what?"

Takami raised his gaze from the table to Sakuraba's eyes and repeated softly, "He doesn't love me."

Still shaking his head, Sakuraba leaned closer to Takami, inquiring as quietly as he could.

"You said, 'he', right?"

Takami nodded slowly, "Wait, no. Ye-no. No … I'm sorry Sakuraba." The older boy stood and stepped away from the table. "I – I have to go, Sakuraba. I - sorry. I can't stay any more." He turned and walked quickly out of the restaurant.

Sakuraba tried to call after him, but got no response. Sighing as he stood, he left enough money to cover the cost of the drinks they had and a tip for not actually ordering food. He then left the restaurant to head home, where he hoped to find some sort of explanation for what was going on.

Takami leaned against the doorway to the weight room where he had gone after leaving Sakuraba in the restaurant watching Shin as he trained. He really hadn't planned on ending up here, but now he was. He admired Shin's perseverance and his drive, he even admired his stoic nature but what he could never understand was how the man could be so neutral all of the time.

"You shouldn't lean for so long. You will strain the muscles in the left side of your body" Shin stated.

Immediately Takami stood a little straighter, chastising himself on the inside for not realizing that. Now, his presence had been acknowledged and he didn't know what to do about it. He wasn't normally shy, not like this. Everything seemed to change with Shin though. Shin wasn't Sakuraba who was always willing to let go a little, to lighten the mood. No, Shin was the one who needed to be lightened, 'freed' as Sakuraba puts it.

"Takami, why are you just standing there?"

Shin's voice shattered his thoughts again, bringing a slight blush to his face.

"I wanted to ..." Takami muttered, shaking his head and turning to leave in order to avoid the embarrassment he was doomed to face. He heard the familiar 'clunk' of Shin releasing his grasp on the bar and placing it on the ground. He turned suddenly as Shin asked him to stop.

"You wanted to what?"

Takami hung his head to avoid the look on Shin's face. It was sheepish, childish and a little bit unnecessary but he couldn't bring himself to ask because he felt he had faced enough embarrassment for the day. It really wasn't any of his business anyway; he just wanted to know if he had a shot.

"Takami?"

He raised his head to see a confused look on Shin's face. He hadn't moved from where he had been before Takami had tried to leave but he had relaxed a little. Takami could feel a blush rising in his cheeks even though what he was there regarding really had nothing to directly do with him – only indirectly.

"I – I … I wanted to know i-if you have feelings for Sakuraba."

Takami felt the blush burning his face and he was sure he looked foolish asking such a seemingly random question. He watched surprise then amusement cross Shin's usually peacefully concentrated face before returning to its usual state.

"No."

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There we go … a little bit of an update. I apologize for it taking what seemed like forever but I couldn't figure out how to finish it. So I left it just as it is

Let me know what you think!

Comments and critiques are welcomed but flames will be met and retaliated upon by my ever quick to attack plot monkeys and their army of chimps. Be kind, be supportive, be helpful but do not be rude.