The sun was beginning to set in New Haven, signalling the end of the day. Shin stood straight up from his bent position and panted as he wiped sweat from his forehead with the already soaked sleeve of his shirt. Being dismissed by Hiruma, the team began packing up the all equipment carefully. Hiruma sat down on a bench, twirling his gun and firing shots at the target that he had specially build for this purpose as he thought.

His workout was very tiring, Shin admitted as he looked off into the distant sunset. Alexon had protested when Hiruma gestured for him to begin the tests, going on about how it was Shin's first day, and jetlag, and that he was probably tired and all that. Even after Shin had started without delay, he was still harping about how Hiruma should give him something lighter for starters. However, he disappeared quickly when Hiruma actually acknowledged him and raised his gun, running his pass routes and practicing tackles as if that was what he had been doing the entire time.

Turning back to watch the ex-blonde and his bad habit as he scribbled notes down on his book, he studied his facial features intently. It was rare that he was able to get to stay so close for so long.

"Well, Mr Shin, you seem to be in better shape than you were two years ago. You pass." Hiruma grinned as he snapped his book shut and rose to his feet.

"I have been doing self-training constantly."

"Hmph." Hiruma picked up his bag as he headed in the direction of the dorms. "Go shower. You stink like someone hung you over a tub full of methane and you're soaked like a cat that got thrown into the middle of a pond."

Shin's head tilted slightly as he tried to picture how wet that particular cat would actually be as he followed behind Hiruma.

~-Shiruma for the win-~

Steam escaped from the dorm bath as Shin opened the door and dried his feet on the mat before stepping out onto the carpeted floor and made his way to his room. It seemed there was a bath on every floor. To his surprise, the bath was actually rather like a hotel's. Smooth and clean marble walls and a tiled floor with patterns. There was even a hair-dryer but he supposed that it was probably one of the student's.

He opened the door and walked into his room. Or what he thought was his room until-

"Ever heard of 'knocking', freak?" Came Hiruma's voice as he shut his laptop and turned to face him.

Shin blinked and looked around. This wasn't right. This definitely wasn't his room. He didn't have guns displayed at the corner, folders and books on the shelf and least of all a Hiruma. Looking back at said man, he noticed that he too had just taken a shower. With hair still slightly wet and with arms folded, Hiruma watched him with sharp eyes. Shin stared, following the a droplet of water as it inched its way down Hiruma's neck and behind his white shirt. Glancing to the side for a distraction, he realised that Hiruma had a bathroom of his own.

"Excuse me, I've entered the wrong room." He bowed his head slightly and headed out, shutting the door behind him.

Hiruma raised his eyebrow at the closed door. He was slightly surprised at the intrusion and at the sight of a bare-chested Shin standing in his room. He wasn't blind. Certainly not stupid. He had seen the way Shin raked his eyes down his neck and also knew he was being watched earlier. He laughed quietly as he heard soft shuffling going to and fro outside his door as the exchange student tried to locate his own room.

"Your room is right opposite, airhead."

"… Thank you."

The sound of the door opposite opening and closing were heard and Hiruma laughed to himself again.

Who would have thought?

~-Shiruma for the win-~

Pulling a shirt over his head, Shin began unpacking. It didn't take long. Shin only brought necessities and he wasn't very particular about sorting and matching of clothes. So his cupboard was pants on the left, shirts in the centre, long sleeves on the right, track pants and towel at the back and jackets all hanged. It was basic really, he never understood why some people seemed to fuss about colour and coordination. It just made things complicated.

And Shin was a simple person. He usually wouldn't be flustered about entering the wrong room. He was always teased about his lack of knowledge in technological areas so he was rather immune to embarrassment. But walking into Hiruma's room was completely different.

He shut the cupboard and picked up his keys, going down the flights of stairs with a steady rhythm. He felt lethargic from the plane ride and his bed had looked tempting, but never would he even dream of skipping a meal. Most people would have eaten by this time so the cafeteria shouldn't be too crowded.

The campus looked even more stunning in the evening with lights of different colours shining on signs and buildings. The cafeteria inside a building that was glowing green.

Shin pushed the door open to a well-lit room and was welcomed by an indefatigable Alexon waving his hands above his head and shouting to him.

"Shin! Hey, Shin! Over here!" The zippy boy seemed to almost fall out of his chair as he leaned out to put himself in clearer view of Shin. As if his shocking green hair and calling didn't attract enough attention.

But then again, that really didn't attract attention from Shin. All his eyes could see was the ex-blonde sitting opposite Alexon, chewing his food with a seemingly bored expression on his face. But to the green-haired man's credit, it was his first shout that led Shin to look in his direction in the first place.

When Hiruma looked up at him, Shin looked straight and nodded his greeting. But when Hiruma smirked, Shin almost panicked because he felt his breathing cease momentarily. Sure Hiruma smirked at him before, and he would take it with a blank face, masking his emotions. Though Hiruma had never smirked at him like that, he was still shocked at his lack of self-control. Could his feelings for Hiruma be deeper that he initially thought?

Shaking his head to clear it, Shin went to order his dinner before going to join his two seniors. Just as he predicted, the cafeteria was empty except for a few professors in the corner and some students scattered around.

After Shin broke eye-contact, Hiruma returned to his food, while planning the next training schedule on his phone. But inside, he smirked even wider.

"Hey, I was getting worried when you hadn't come down for such a long time. I was afraid that you forgot where the cafeteria was or that I forgot to show it to you or something. I'd feel terrible if you went hungry because of me." Alexon started talking even before Shin sat down.

"Anyway, you were amazing at training today, you passed the tests quite easily! And you're still walking! You should have seen how some of us crawled to bed without even a shower after taking the tests. I think there were even a few who just slept on the field." On and on Alexon went as Shin put his first mouthfull in his mouth.

"Oh hey, let me tell you something funny! Do you know why our dorms are called 'dorms' and not 'blocks'?"

Shin shook his head taking a sip from his cup of apple juice.

"Okay, just think for a moment. If the dorms have a dorm head, what would the head of the block be called!?" Alexon burst out laughing at his own joke, while Hiruma rolled his eyes. He had heard this one so many times. Alexon told it to practically everyone he met.

"Blockhead! Haha! Can you imagine anyone calling Hiruma that?" Alexon rested his head on his arm as his fist made thumping sounds on the table. Hiruma and Shin both lifted up their drinks to avoid the liquid overflowing from the table-quake caused by the unwearying thumps of Alexon's fist.

"That is quite true." Shin agreed as he put his cup down when he was sure there were no more aftershocks.

"I bet you'd want to know how I became budd-IES!" Alexon's pitch raised slightly from the kick he received from Hiruma. "Hey, I'm the best friend you've got here." Hiruma scoffed and kicked him again.

"Anyway, you see Hiruma here was picked on during his first year because word got out that he swung the other way. Bullies kept coming onto him. Some leechers too. But no fear! I was there to protect him! Behold the heroic, straght kid Alexon beating up bullies and saving the innocent gay kid who till this day claims to have been able to fend for himself." Alexon ran his fingers through his hair in a pose of coolness.

However, Shin had no doubt whatsoever that Hiruma could definitely fend for himself.

"Hey, Shin." Alexon chimed as he leaned closer to Shin. "Do you have anything against gays?"

"No… not at all." Shin replied, finishing his dinner. "…I myself like a man."

He glanced said man but Hiruma just continued typing on his phone without appearing to have followed the conversation at all.

"Wow. Who's the lucky guy?" Alexon leaned closer.

Shin remained silent and swallowed the rest of his apple juice.

"Not telling, huh?" Alexon sat back, but looked from Hiruma to Shin and back to Hiruma. Something clicked in his head.

"Oh~! I bet it's-" poor Alexon was cut off by shot to the head. There were even less people in the cafeteria now. Students glanced at Hiruma and returned to their food. The professors also paid it no mind.

Shin was stunned, but even more so when Alexon sat back up and rubbed his forehead.

"Ow! That was terribly mean of you. You know how much those hurt!" Alexon pouted. A rubber bullet rollled a little on the floor.

"Shut up, f*cking moss-head. I can't think." Hiruma grunted, resuming plotting their next training.

"Pfft. Yeah right, you just—" Alexon shut up when Hiruma raised the gun again. "O-kay! Nice dinner. Nice evening to be alive, everybody. I'll be turning in now. Goodnight!"

Alexon fled the cafeteria. The other students and professors had also left a little earlier. Shin was now very conviniently alone with Hiruma.

Standing up, Hiruma also made to leave.

Shin helped to return the tray that Hiruma left behind as well as his own before running out after the man. He caught hold of Hiruma's arm and held it fast.

"Follow me." He said to the rather bewildered man and pulled him in the direction of the football field where they practised.

The night view from the grass hill facing the field had a very nice view of the sky as well. The sky was clear this night and the stars were in plain sight. Stopping at the top of the hill he finally turned to face Hiruma who had protested the whole way.

He gazed at the man he had fallen for. His now black hair. His slightly pointed ears. The sharp dip of his jaw. His eyes that were ever-keen, reflecting the moonlight. And he felt suddenly full. Full of words. Full of feelings towards this man.

Hiruma pulled his hand from Shin's now relaxed grasp.

"What is it? I have things to do." Hiruma said placing that hand on his hip and yawning.

It didn't occur to him before, but now that he was standing before Hiruma, he wondered if he actually should have prepared a script beforehand. He wondered if he should have given it more thought. But no, that was not the kind of man he is. He was Shin Seijuuro. Simple. And straightforward.

"Hiruma Youichi, I love you."