A/N: Hey guys, I'm just inserting a quick author's note here since it should be read before the story. I was kinda vague about the time setting the story takes place in, but it's in the current year of 2012, mid September.

Chapter 2: There's No Such Thing as Coincidence

'Handsome. Strong. Masculine.' These were the first three words that came to Kiku's mind. He was so enraptured in the beauty of the man before him he forgot he was even asked a question. Kiku tried to regain his composure while desperately floundering for an idea of what to say.

"Uh… hai." He instantly wished he had said something, anything with more depth than that.

"Well, hello to you too" said the tan boy.

"Um, I mean… yes, it's my locker" Kiku said casting his gaze to the ground. Making eye contact with the boy made him uncomfortable.

The figure in front of Kiku stood up and moved a few feet to the side. He fiddled with a combination to a locker very close to Kiku's. Kiku moved into the recently vacated space in front of his locker. The scent of the tan boy lingered in front of the locker. He smelled of subtle tones of vanilla and a deep musk. Kiku opened his locker and decided to give it a quick top to bottom inspection. He was pleased at the small built in shelf, but the true problem was the bottom. As soon as he saw the floor of the locker he jumped back with such a gasp and look of fright, any normal passerby would have thought there was a dead body inside. The tan boy noticed the commotion in his peripheral vision and stepped toward the foreboding locker. He noticed a small, dark figure inside the empty locker and a small chuckle escaped his plump, handsome lips. Kiku stared in confusion as his new savior tore a piece of scrap paper out of his notebook. What had almost given Kiku a heart attack was an insect, but not just any insect, it was a cockroach. Kiku. HATED. Cockroaches. The tan boy used the paper to herd the cockroach out of Kiku's locker, and then subsequently threw the paper away. He turned to face Kiku and regarded him with a look of both humor, and intrigue. Kiku, on the other hand, was at a loss for words. He had not expected a complete stranger to show such an act of kindness. But still, Kiku was raised properly, and decided to thank the tan boy for saving him from coming face to face with one of his worst nightmares. Still not being quite accustomed to the American way of life, Kiku resorted to thanking someone the best way he knew how.

"S-sankyu for your help" he said with a gracious bow, "M-my name is Kiku".

"No worries" said Kiku's plain-clothed hero.

"I'm Heracles", he said extended his hand toward Kiku. Being a shy guy, it took him a few seconds before he began extending his hand toward the one held out in front of him. Bodily contact with strangers was something Kiku greatly disliked, but he remembered he was in a new land with new customs. He finally made contact with Heracles, who in turn grasped Kiku's hand in his. A number of things went through Kiku's mind, the first of which was how big the other boy's hand was. It was much larger than Kiku's, and warm too. The second thing he noticed was the texture. He could feel calluses on Heracles' hand, tell-tale signs that he enjoyed tactile hobbies. Kiku's hand was enveloped in a strong yet gentle grip which caused him to blush. Of all the emotions Kiku felt, panic was the most prevalent, so he retracted his hand and returned it to his side. Kiku's apparent discomfort and embarrassment piqued Heracles' interest, but he said nothing, returning to his locker to get books for first period. Although Kiku was relieved that his locker was now insect-free, he was fairly upset that the first impression Heracles had of him was now tainted by his irrational fear of bugs. Kiku wasn't too ego-centric, but like all teenagers, he cared about people's perception of him. Digressing about the early morning's event, Kiku hung his jacket in his locker and proceeded to check his schedule to see where he had to go. His first period was Math. Kiku did pretty well in the subject, always managing to get a high B or low A. Other students began arriving, so Kiku hurried to the elevator to beat the impending crowd.

Math class went smoothly much to Kiku's relief. He introduced himself to the class, stating his name, where he was from, and his age. His classmates seemed cordial enough, although Kiku tried to keep all conversation to a minimum. From there he had World History, followed by Science. By noon it was time for lunch, and the other students began making their way to the cafeteria. Kiku silently dreaded lunch time, being that he was new, plus his strong accent gave him trouble pronouncing the English alphabet. He was thankful that the trays were already prepared, so he grabbed the first tray his eyes came into contact with, not really paying attention to what was on top of it. After paying for his food, Kiku was desperate to find a quiet place to sit. He spotted what was the least populated corner in the large lunch room and quickly made his way over. The lunch tables at Sylvarant were long and rectangular, which worked out quite fell for Kiku. Circular tables would mean he would be forced to socialize no matter where he sat. There were at least a few people at every table. Kiku looked at the food on his tray and suddenly regretted not making a bento box this morning. On his tray was a gelatinous blob of white which he assumed to be mashed potatoes, along with dull orange circles and a slice of what looked like wet, brown cardboard. He lost his appetite, but was thankful that his chocolate milk was ice cold and refreshing.

As he sipped his milk, Kiku took some time to gaze upon his fellow classmates and observe them. Sylvarant High School was known for its diverse student body. There seemed to be an even mix of boys and girls and he saw more skin tones in this one room than he ever would have back in Japan. While scanning the room, Kiku happened to see Heracles sitting a few tables ahead with some friends. He sat facing Kiku's direction. He remembered how Heracles kindly and silently had taken care of the locker intruder earlier. He scolded himself for not only inadequately apologizing, but showing a complete stranger a private fear of his. Kiku still wondered what about Heracles had made him lose his composure. Was it his radiant smile? His golden skin? Or perhaps it was the fact that as soon as Kiku placed his hand inside of Heracles', he inexplicably blushed.

While he contemplated his inner feelings, he kept his sights on the only thing he thought was worth looking at in the entire room. Kiku's gaze must have been more intense than he thought, because after what seemed like a few seconds Heracles noticed his admirer staring in his direction. His soft, jade colored eyes locked onto Kiku's brown ones, and he ever-so-slightly nodded in Kiku's direction. Kiku's cheeks went from smooth porcelain to passionate pink, and he cast his head down, looking at the sorry excuse for food on his tray. This was the second time Kiku blushed with only so much as a look, and he felt as if he was the main character in a shoujo manga.

'…What is happening to me? Ever since this morning I can't look him straight in the eyes. He probably thinks I'm pathetic for being so afraid of such a small bug… Has he told anyone? All I wanted was to come to school and-'

Kiku was so busy mulling over his current situation that he neglected to notice Heracles had silently moved to the seat in front of him. Kiku's sharp intake of breath denoted his surprise to see someone suddenly appear in front of him.

"Hey" was all he said when Kiku finally noticed him.

"He-hello, Heracles-san"

"Did you crack the mystery?"

Kiku's expression changed from uncomfortable to confused.

"N-nani…?"

Heracles pointed to the brown polygon on Kiku's tray.

"Ever since I came here two years ago I've been trying to figure out what that is supposed to be. I'm not even sure it's dead yet."

Kiku was sure this had to be some sort of set up. Did he make a bet with his friends or something? Kiku couldn't rationalize why Heracles would be interested in him at all.

"M-my Engrish is… far from perfect…" was all Kiku could reply.

"Eh, doesn't really matter to me. Lots of people at this school have accents"

"S-sankyu again for your help," he said as he glanced toward his tray of questionable food.

"It's fine, trust me," he said with a friendly smile.

"Your name is Kiku, right?"

"Mm," he replied with a curt head nod.

"I like that name. So where are you from?"

"I just moved here… f-from Japan."

"Wow, that's a pretty far move. The good thing about New York City is you're never really too far from anywhere else in the world."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for one you can find almost any kind of cuisine you could ever want in N.Y.C. with all the different types of restaurants. There's Little China, Little Italy, Korea Town, there might even be a little Japan."

Kiku thought quietly for a moment. If all this was true, he would love to take time and see how the different cultures meshed. The end of lunch bell rang, and their fellow students began to make their way to fourth period.

"It was nice talking to you Kiku," said Heracles as he stood from the table.

"U-um, you too…"

Heracles smiled once more, and then proceeded to exit the cafeteria. Kiku was unsure how to feel, but decided he should get to class also. His next class was English. It went by as well as Kiku could have hoped for, given that he had only lived in the country for a week, but his teacher was patient and understanding. He decided to make an effort to work on self expression in the English language. Art came after English; a subject Kiku enjoyed very much. His father had collected wood carvings throughout Kiku's childhood, and he had been interested ever since. Kiku was surprised to see his art teacher was a small, elderly woman, who seemed more like a grandmother than a teacher. That day the class began to sketch out possible designs for their upcoming clay project. She noticed the uncommon quality of the few sketches Kiku made, and was pleased to have a student who appreciated art as much as she did.

Kiku's final period of the day was a study hall. He was pleased with this, as it would allow him to get a head start on his assignments. Kiku checked his schedule to see his teacher and room number; it was in room B1. He made a quick stop at his locker to get the book he needed to start his homework, and then made his way over to the elevator. Once inside, he surveyed the different floor selections on the console, unsure of which one to press. It took him a minute to realize the 'B' stood for basement, so he pressed the button and hoped he didn't accidentally make himself late.

As the elevator doors opened, Kiku stepped out and rounded the corner in a bit of a hurry. Being punctual was a personal principle Kiku held dearly, so he breathed a sigh of relief when the bell rang directly after he entered the room. The teacher's desk was facing the door, so Kiku immediately went to check in with the teacher. He had introduced himself time after time today, so he figured the sooner he got it over with, the sooner he could get to his seat and start his assignments. When Kiku turned to face the class, he noticed the room was not furnished with the usual singular student's desk and chair, but a series of long conference room tables, lined with metal-legged chairs and plastic seats. Against the wall there were desktop computers, should a student need internet access to do research.

"Yo Kiku, over here."

'What? I just got here and I haven't said anything to anyone. Who could be calling my name already?' Kiku thought silently to himself.

He shifted his eyes to the right, and that's when he saw a red hoodie with silver shorts. It was Heracles.

The teacher had not assigned Kiku a seat, so he decided to accept Heracles' offer. He made sure to leave a seat's worth of space between them. Even still, he could smell that same scent of vanilla and musk he had earlier at his locker. Kiku thought it was quite pleasant, and not overbearing.

"So, sixth period study hall, huh? You're lucky; almost every senior tries to switch into this class. The best thing about it is you can choose to leave early, so it's like you never have to do a full day."

"Sou desu ka? But then… why are you here?"

"I wasn't in a rush to get home today, so I decided I'd hang out here for a bit."

Kiku glanced at the computer screen in front of Heracles, and saw the title for an article that pertained to some sort of philosophy. Heracles momentarily diverted his attention back to his computer, so Kiku pulled out his History binder and began to start the worksheet he had received during class. They focused on their individual tasks for a whole twenty minutes before another word was exchanged. Heracles leaned over to peek at what had Kiku so occupied. Kiku could feel his presence growing slowly but steadily closer. He didn't really know what to say, so he just continued working while trying not to show his discomfort. Heracles decided to take the initiative and strike up another conversation.

"What're you working on?"

"Oh, u-um… it's my History homework."

"Oh. How's it going?"

"I-it's ok, I suppose…"

"Any particular area?"

Kiku pointed to a map of a group of islands near the Mediterranean Sea that was on his worksheet.

"You're studying Greece? Cool, I was born there."

Now Kiku understood where Heracles got his even, bronze skin tone.

"Hontou? W-when did you move here?"

"When I was 10, the company my dad worked for wanted to expand their business into America. It was about a 50-50 chance of the new American branch succeeding, so not many people wanted to take the risk of leaving everything behind, in case something fell through. When no one volunteered, they offered to pay for moving expenses and living arrangements, with an additional pay raise, so my dad figured it was a good enough deal. Shortly after, our family started to pack our things, and we've lived here ever since."

Hearing that Heracles' story of immigration was quite like his own, he felt as if they had common ground.

"My famiry… we too came here because of my otou-san's new job."

"Whoa, really? Wow. It seems as though we have something in common."

Heracles smiled at Kiku, and although he glanced back towards his paper, a hint of a smile came across Kiku's lips.

'Ding, Ding, Dang, Dong,

Dang, Dang, Ding, Dong!

Attention students, classes have now ended for today.

Please be careful of the constructions sites around the campus as you make your way home.'

"Wow, time sure flew by today, didn't it?" Heracles remarked.

"U-uhh, hai…" Kiku replied.

Heracles signed off his computer, while Kiku packed his binder away in his bag. The students began to file out of the room one by one. Heracles waited until the crowd dissipated some before standing; he wasn't big on rushing himself unnecessarily. Kiku checked his schedule one more to remind him of where his locker was. Heracles noticed he was staring intently at the piece of paper in his hand.

"I can show where your locker is if you want, it's right next to mine, so just follow me."

'How did he know that's what I was thinking about? Is he telepathic?'

Heracles had already started making his way towards the door, so Kiku quickly grabbed his bag and followed behind. The afternoon rush of students had died down, so it was easy for Kiku to keep pace with his guide. After taking the elevator to the third floor, Heracles pointed out a memorable bulletin board that meant their lockers were right around the corner. At their destination, they entered their combinations and chose which books were necessary for the night's assignments.

"So where do you live?" Heracles asked nonchalantly.

"I-in the apartments on 52nd street, between 2nd and 3rd avenue," Kiku responded.

"No kiddin'? I live in the highrise two blocks below that one. Wanna walk home together if you don't have anything else to do?"

Kiku took a second to look at Heracles' face. He was busy sorting his own materials into his backpack to notice Kiku facing him, but he seemed genuine in his offer.

"A-are you sure? Y-you don't have to…"

"Yeah, positive. I can point out some of the stores on the way home. Let's go."

The duo made their way to the elevator and pressed the down arrow. Since no one else had called it since their arrival on the third floor, the doors instantly swished open and they stepped right inside. Heracles pressed the 1 button, and their descent to the first floor began. Being in such close quarters, Kiku could once again smell Heracles' cologne. Being the third time today, he started to grow somewhat fond of it. The doors opened once more to let them out, and Heracles' began leading the way down the city streets. He pointed out some of the different bakeries that lined the block, and also told Kiku which bagel shops had the best deals for students with I.D. Heracles also asked a few more general questions, such as if Kiku had any siblings or hobbies. They found out they were both only children, and shared a mutual soft spot for newborn kittens and full grown cats alike. The walk wasn't the most action-packed, but it was a lot more interesting than if Kiku made the trip by his lonesome. After sometime of walking in silence, Kiku noticed the front of his apartment building.

"A-anno, my street..."

"Wow, here already. I tend to get lost in my own thoughts and the sights of the city, so the walk never seems too long."

"Sankyu for your guidance," Kiku said with a short bow.

"Don't worry about it. Hey, do you have a phone?"

Kiku reached into his pocket and pulled out the new phone his father had given him over the weekend. Since they were in a new country with a different plan, the only numbers he had were his parents'. He had a puzzled expression, but handed his phone to Heracles anyway. With a few quick finger swipes and key presses, Heracles soon returned the phone to its owner.

"If you get stuck on that history homework again or get lost somehow, just call me and I'll help you out. See ya."

He waved goodbye, pulled his hood up, and made his way down a few more blocks to his home. Kiku watched him disappear into the crowd before he turned to head into his own building. He examined his phone while waiting for the elevator to reach his floor. A third name had made its way into its contact list, and it Heracles Karpouzi. Kiku silently repeated the name to himself. The elevator doors opening brought Kiku back to reality, so he reached for his keys and entered his new home.

"Tadaima, Oka-san."

"Okaeri, Kiku. How did your first day go?"

Aside from the very beginning, his day went fairly well. He told his mother a bit about his classes, and how he would make sure to pack a lunch from now on.

"Did you make any new friends?" his mother asked.

Kiku thought about the rather unusual events of the day concerning a particular golden-bronze teenager.

"Umm, hai."

"Hontou? Yokatta. Did you see anything interesting on your way to and from?"

Kiku told her about the few sites he saw while on his walk home.

"Sugoi , I might have to pick up some pastries for you and your father tomorrow. He should be home from work in about 2 hours, and dinner will be ready by then."

Kiku's mother continued to busy herself preparing dinner in the kitchen while he went to his room. He put his bag down and stretched out on his bed, tired from a day full of new experiences. Considering all the events of the day, it had gone pretty well. None of his classes seemed too difficult, and he was excited they would be making clay sculptures in art class. He missed his old life and friends in Japan, but surviving the first day at his new school gave him a bit of hope.

When Mr. Honda came home from work, the family sat down to a peaceful dinner and shared their experiences with one another. After finishing their plates, Kiku helped his mother with the dishes and returned to his room. It was around 8:00 p.m., so he decided to finish his history homework from earlier in the afternoon. He sat down at the desk in his room and took out the worksheet. He was able to answer the questions pertaining to the physical geography of Greece thanks to the miniature map on the paper. The last question asked how Socrates was able to pass on his teachings. Kiku flipped through the notes he took in class and was puzzled when he couldn't find the information he needed. He was usually very thorough when it came to his notebooks.

He remembered someone offered to help him if he ever got stuck, but he wasn't sure if he should really bother them. He reached for his phone and scrolled to the name Heracles Karpouzi. Calling his phone was definitely out of the question for Kiku as he already felt uncomfortable contacting him, so he decided to send a text instead. This way he wouldn't have to struggle with pronunciation, and Heracles was free to ignore him if he felt like it. He tapped the envelope icon on the screen and began a new message. He felt it would be easier if he announced himself in the first message, to eliminate confusion.

"Hello, this is Kiku Honda, from Sylvarant High School."

Kiku went to get a drink of water. He heard his phone vibrate on his desk as he returned to his room. There was a tiny '1' in a red circle on the envelope icon signaling a new text had arrived; Heracles had answered. He wasn't sure how to respond to Heracles' reply.

"Hey there, buddy bear. What's up?"

Kiku stared at his phone, unsure of what to say.

'Buddy bear? What on Earth is that?' he thought to himself. He decided to stick to the reason he messaged Heracles in the first place.

"Would you happen to know how Socrates passed on his teachings to his students?"

"Oh yeah, totally. Although Socrates is a well known contributor to ethics, he never made any writings himself. It was his students that wrote down his teachings for others to refer to."

"Ah, I see. Thank you for your help, I am very grateful."

Kiku obtained the information he needed and finished his worksheet. He packed it away into his binder and started to get ready for bed. As he stood up from his desk, his phone vibrated yet again.

'Hm? I already thanked him for his help…'

Kiku wasn't sure what else there was for them to talk about. He opened the message and was surprised at what was written.

"It's cool. Do you wanna walk to school together tomorrow?"

Kiku was definitely caught off guard by such a spontaneous offer. Normally he would have politely refused the offer, but Heracles had been genuinely kind to him, so he would feel bad if he didn't accept. He didn't want Heracles to think he was a bother. If anything, Kiku thought it was the other way around.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. I'll pick you up at 6:45 a.m. See ya in the morning Kiku."

"Yes, see you then."

Though Kiku would never openly admit it, he was a little happy Heracles had invited him on his walk to school. Kiku felt as though he had truly made a friend. He put his phone down and went to prepare himself for the next day. After his shower he decided to go to sleep early and returned to his bed. He was interested in how the walk to school tomorrow would go, but his conscious started to drift and he fell into a peaceful slumber.

Kiku's alarm went off at 6:00 a.m. as usual. He got up, brushed his teeth, washed his face, and combed his hair. Once finished, he went to prepare his bento box for lunch that day. He remembered the "food" served at school, and didn't want to risk food poisoning or starvation. Kiku slipped it into his bag and made sure he had everything he needed packed inside. As he zipped his bag up, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He swiped the screen to see the message.

"Hey, come outside. Let's go get a coffee before school"

Kiku grabbed his jacket and bag, slipped on his shoes, and made his way downstairs. When he opened the front door to the building, he saw Heracles standing there wearing grey sweatpants, black sneakers, and a fur-lined zip-up black hoodie. Kiku thought he looked nice in casual wear.

"Mornin'," Heracles said as Kiku exited the building.

"Ohayoo gosaimasu," Kiku said with a short bow.

"Big Bang, right?" Heracles asked while pointing to Kiku's shirt.

Kiku glanced down at his outfit. He had on black boots, a pair of blue jeans, and a black concert t-shirt. It had Big Bang's 'Alive' album cover on it.

"H-hai…"

"Awesome, I love K-Pop. Come on, the coffee shop is this way."

Heracles started down the street, with Kiku only a step or two behind. The coffee shop, Café Au Lait, was only 3 block away, so they didn't have to travel very far. The line was short since it was rather early in the morning. Heracles stepped up to place his order.

"Can I get a large iced double mocha espresso with extra whipped cream please? Do you want one too Kiku?"

"U-um, do they have hot tea?"

"Sure, what size do you want?"

"Just a small would be fine…"

"And can I get a hot green tea? Small please."

Kiku reached for his wallet to get some money out, but as he put it back in his pocket Heracles was already handing him his drink.

"A-arigatou," said Kiku, and he handed Heracles the money.

"Keep it, it's my treat."

"Oh no, I couldn't…"

"Really, it's fine. Think of it as a Welcome-To-America present."

Kiku blushed slightly, so he bowed and thanked him once more. The two made their way to school chatting about their classes and current assignments. Kiku mentioned his upcoming clay project for art class, and Heracles gladly offered to help him with ideas on what to sculpt. Heracles divulged he had a love for art as well as history and philosophy. Kiku felt at ease knowing he had quite a bit in common with this new friend of his.

As time passed, autumn changed to early winter, and Kiku and Heracles made their walks to and from school a daily activity. Heracles would text Kiku when he was outside, they'd walk to get their morning drink, and off to school they went. Although they had only known each other for a few months, their friendship developed smoothly. As Kiku became confident that Heracles' intentions were genuine, he grew to be more comfortable around him. He didn't mind Heracles sitting next to him at lunch or study hall. In fact, he somewhat enjoyed it. Heracles always had that warm and fragrant aroma of vanilla and deep musk. He also was able to speak easier without stuttering so much around him. Sometimes on their way home, they would stop and enjoy an afternoon snack at one of the many bistros or fast food places.

On a cool Friday afternoon in December, Heracles and Kiku made plans to see a movie later that evening on their walk home. Kiku told his parents of his plans. They were happy he was adjusting so well to his new surroundings, and pleased he was growing up into a responsible young man. They agreed he could stay out late as long as he checked in. At around 9:00 p.m. Kiku received a text from Heracles.

"Hey you, Kiku! Ahaha, come on outside. We can see what they're showing and decide once we get there."

"Hai, I'll be right there."

Kiku grabbed his jacket and scarf and told his parents he was heading out. His mother kissed him goodbye and asked him to be safe. He made his way down the elevator shaft and outside. Heracles was leaning against the building waiting for him.

"Kombanwa, Heracles."

"Hey, what's up? Ready to go?"

"Mm," Kiku replied, with a head nod.

The movie theater was a 20 minute walk away. They chatted about movie promos they had seen on T.V. recently. Upon reaching their destination, they looked at the bright red L.E.D. sign showing what movies were currently playing. Kiku didn't find anything interesting until he reached the section where they listed previously released movies. The theater changed the list for previous releases every Saturday, so today was the last day for this list.

"Eh? Sugoi!"

"Huh? What's up, Kiku?"

"They are showing 'Memoirs of a Geisha' tonight, it is one of my favorites. Have you ever seen it?"

"Hm, not that I can remember. Is that the one you want to see?"

"Oh no, it is okay. We can see a newer movie if you'd rike. I am sure it is on a dvd somewhere."

"Well you said it's one of your favorites, so it must be good. Let's do it. There's nothing like seeing a movie in theaters, so we should take advantage of it."

Heracles went to the ticket counter and purchased two tickets. Whenever Kiku and Heracles went out to do something fun, Heracles picked up the tab, and this time was no different. Kiku always insisted that he could pay for himself, but Heracles wouldn't let him. There was one time when he let Kiku pay for himself, but it was only because Kiku secretly paid the check at the restaurant while Heracles was in the restroom. Kiku was thankful he had met Heracles on his first day and not someone else. He had a lot of fun when they hung out, and even when they just sat at study hall, he was generally happy to be in his presence.

Since it wasn't a new movie, it was fairly empty. They made their way to the back row and took 2 seats next to each other. When the movie started, Heracles looked over at Kiku, who was instantly enraptured in the images on screen. He could tell it was the little things that made Kiku happy. It was 11:45 p.m. when the movie ended. The only people left inside the theater were staff and those waiting for the midnight showings. Kiku and Heracles made their way to the exit.

"How did you enjoy the movie?" Kiku asked.

"It was really good. That Hatsumomo was a real bitch, but I'm glad things worked out for the main girl, Sayuri, right?"

"Hai," was Kiku's reply. He was also happy things worked out for Sayuri. Contrary to the popular opinion on Hatsumomo, Kiku secretly liked her, too. He admired her ferocity and ability to go after what she wanted.

The sidewalks of the city were rather empty due to how late it was. Most people opted to take the subway at night. The streets were still moderately busy with taxi cabs shuttling people to their destinations. Kiku and Heracles were walking towards an intersection when Kiku's phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and shifted his gaze downwards. His mother sent a text making sure he was ok. Kiku was so busy responding he failed to noticed Heracles stop at the end of the sidewalk.

"KIKU WATCH OUT!" Heracles yelled suddenly.

Kiku looked up to see a bright pair of lights and a screeching horn careening toward him. He felt his left arm being yanked behind him, and with it went the rest of his body. Heracles had pulled him back onto the sidewalk mere nanoseconds before a cab came into contact with the space Kiku would have been occupying. Kiku stared wide-eyed at Heracles who wore an expression of intense worry. Having nearly just been run over, his heart rate increased rapidly and his breathing became shallow. He began to hyperventilate.

"Kiku, it's ok."

"Su-su-sumi…" Kiku's heartbeat steadily elevated.

"Kiku, calm down, you're ok," Heracles tried to reassure him.

"B-boku wa…" Tears welled up in Kiku's eyes, and his face became pale.

It was clear if Heracles didn't do something, Kiku would go continue to hyperventilate and go into shock. Heracles acted on the first thought that came into his head. He pressed his lips firmly against Kiku's. It happened so suddenly Kiku felt his heart skip a beat, and then his heart rate began to fall. Afterwards Heracles wrapped him in a strong embrace and whispered to him:

"Kiku, you're okay. I've got you."

A/N: My oh my, how things can change so quickly. Kiku's mother did warn him to be careful, but would things have progressed so soon had she not sent that text message? Remember, there is no coincidence, only inevitability. You know, when I first started this story, I thought I would be able to update every other day or two, and I can tell you now, that will NOT be happening. This stuff is so difficult lol. I'm trying to pace the story so it's not just an explosion of sweaty, teenage, inter-racial man sex. I know, dear readers, it hurts me too. BUT WE MUST HAVE PLOT. I promise, things will be heating up steadily. I'm hoping to have the groundwork all laid out so that by chapter 4, there's a much deserved, properly executed sex scene, so stick with me. To be honest, I'll try my hardest to have an update out in 5-7 days per chapter, depending on whats currently happening in the story. As always, true, well-meaning criticism and reviews are always appreciated, and I thank you for taking the time to read my story. This chapter is more than twice as long as the first one. I want to make these events you look forward too, not just something when you have 3 spare minutes and nothing else to do. Plus, these updates wouldn't come nearly as fast if my beta reader/best friend wasn't so kick ass. You can find some of her work posted under the pen name WeWriteSins or xxkuroikittiexx. And as always, please do remember readers, if you're going to sin,

Sin With No Regrets~