Yo everyone! I'm really trying to reach 100 reviews before the 25th chapter!

Please help me get to that goal!!!!! Please!

Pairing: Trick Pair

Rating: Dark T

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"What's wrong Masa?" Akaya's tiny voice asked from under pure white sheets, climbing over to the body beside his.

"…it's nothing"

"If you had told me that two years ago I would have believed you, senpai"

"…." a hand pulled on locks of blue, drawing Niou's attention to him; letting green clash with blue.

"But now you can't fool me"

"…and I took you for an idiot" giving the older boy a cheeky grin, Akaya leaned onto the boy and buried his head into the nook of Niou's left shoulder as they laid on latter's bed.

"You don't have to tell me what's bugging you but" stopping in mid sentence the boy looked up into his boyfriend's eyes, gleaming down at him with amusement and curiosity

"If you need me to kick some ass for you I'll do it!"

"Heh" releasing his hands from behind his head, Niou pressed the younger boy's head closer to his chest, holding him close with his left hand. "The only ass I'm letting get near you is my own brat"

"Pervert!"

"You know you love it" kissing the boy, Niou smiled and let his worries leave his mind. Placing them back into the box in the dark corner, far in the back; sometime again he was sure he would go looking once more. Until then….he'd let them be.

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Everyone knew him. Since the beginning middle school he had made a name for himself as the Trickster. The number one prankster, the one person who knew all the secrets of everyone and then some.

Every time he pasted the freshmen hallway, kids would gawk and stare saying

"That's Niou-senpai!"

"The number one trickster in Rikkai!"

"Better not annoy him or he'll do something horrible to you" whispers and murmurs, every word he could hear.

They knew him and at the same time….no one understood him.

All anyone saw him was the RikkaiDai regular player, the doubles partner of Yagyuu Hiroshi, the Trickster of the courts. Very few people saw him as Niou Masaharu. And even the few who did know him….sometimes forgot.

"Niou you bastard! Stop calling me a fatty!"

"Niou please stop playing pranks on Jackal"

"Niou! 50 laps now for fooling around!"……

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"Niou-kun, just shut up" Yagyuu had never cursed before. He was too gentlemen like to do that, he got angry, he got pissed but this-

"Chill Yagyuu it was just a joke"

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't bring my personal business into your 'jokes'"

"What personal business? You have none"

"I do to have one, and it's none of your concern!"

"Yeah like that stupid girlfriend of yours is a secret" raising a fine blue brow, crossing his arms over his chest. A sharp glint of glass stopped him

"Shut the hell up Niou!"

"…!"

"Why do you always have to be a joke! Why can't you just shut up and be normal for once in your life! do you know how long I've had to deal with you!? I'm sick and tired of you!"

"Yeah? Then go off to your girlfriend, leave and don't come back then! You won't have to bother with me!"

"I plan on doing just that" taking up his things, the purple haired teen slammed the door to empty class room close.

Now that he was in high school, things were getting out of hand. Since he started his second year; the feeling of anxiety wouldn't leave him.

Niou constantly felt like there was something he had to do, something- anything! But…the only things that came to mind were pranks, jokes and teasing. Making life for the teachers cruel, teasing the freshmen, pranking the seniors, and always being Trickster.

But- nothing would stop this feeling. This darkness that would settle onto his heart and worm its way into his mind. Playing with his emotions, his temper, his self-control.

Rumors would go around and people would start talking behind his back,

"Look there goes Niou"

"His pranks used to be so cool, now they're just boring"

"I know, what's up with him? He's getting old"

"How lame" he didn't give a damn to what they thought or what they said. But- when it comes from his own team mates….then it starts to hurt.

"Niou pick up the pace!"

"Hah what's up Niou? Did the bleach in your hair finally stop your brain?"

"Come on Niou, get running!"

"You've pulled your last prank Niou! Bench!" Sanada's voice rang out on the courts. Stopping the second year high schooler from practicing with Marui, earning a scold from the blue haired boy he clenched his racket in anger.

As of late, this was a regular bases and the boy found it so-!

"Niou-senpai wait! Are you-" reaching out to grab the older boy's hand in motion, slowly as if time were playing back, watching them.

Niou turned his head back to glare at the arm on his- without a moment's hesitation he forced it off him in a flutter of strength. Pushing the person to the ground, rough and harsh.

On the ground the person muttered softly- in quelled pain

"Ow m-mm" holding his ankle Akaya clenched his eyes shut as he heard his name called from his teammates as they surrounded him in a flurry, he had twisted his ankle when he was pushed backward.

"Come on we have to take you to the infirmary"

"Jackal, Genichiroh carry him!"

"Right"

"I- I'm fine senpai-tachi!"

"No you're not Akaya, we need to get you treated fast, it's already swollen" Marui said as he and the rest of the team lifted their junior to the doctor's room.

Peridot orbs never left icy blue, even as they faded from his sight.

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"…are you okay?"

"…I'm fine" silence engulfed the two, as the school emptied for the end of the day, the school nurse had left momentarily to get more bandages, as the tennis team left as well when Akaya told them it was nothing

"Are you sure Akaya?"

"Yeah we don't want another person to go to the hospital while Yukimura is still there himself"

"I'm fine senpai-tachi! Go practice!"

"Alright then but get some rest and don't leave this room understand Akaya"

"I got it Sanada-fukubuchou"

"Jackal would you-"

"No! I don't need a babysitter I'm stuck here as it is! I won't go anywhere I promise!" the boy pleaded with his as of late overly protective upperclassmen

"…alright then we'll take our leave, take care Kirihara-kun"

"Thanks senpai-tachi" closing the door, the room feel silent and Akaya felt his eyes drifting. Until some time passed and the sound of the door opened, thinking it was just the nurse he kept his gaze shut to darkness. When a voice spoke

"…I'm sorry"

"N-Niou?" opening his eyes to see his blue haired senpai was there, sitting on the chair beside his bed.

"I'm sorry kid"

"…."

"…are you okay?"

"…I'm fine" clenching his sheets, Akaya looked up to stare into his boyfriend's face, they had fought before, they cursed at each other, said things that hurt. But- it was never physical, Niou would never lay a hand on him; not that way. So why?

"…am I the person whose bothering you?"

"What?"

"You were withdrawn a few days ago remember, am- am I the person who was annoying you all this time?"

"No"

"Then why did you-!"

"I didn't mean too!" getting up from his seat, grabbing hold of the boy's head gently but never willing to let go. He was losing is name, his had lost his tennis partner, he was losing so many things and the one person who made his life even remotely worth living…..no he would not lose him. Niou held Akaya tight "I never- I wasn't thinking when I- hit you"

"I'm sorry Akaya" rarely did the older boy say his name.

Grabbing hold of the blue haired boy's shirt, the younger closed his eyes

"Then why did you-"

"Things have been bothering me lately, little things, stupid things, I haven't been able to think properly and everything has been just getting worse"

"Why didn't you tell me then?"

"What could you do if I did?"

"…you could have let me share your burden" looking deep into the orbs that caught him so long ago, Akaya pulled on Niou's rat tail gently

"I'm your partner aren't I? aren't we suppose to share each other's problems"

"..Akaya" leaning down until they were nose on nose, softly and rare Niou kissed Akaya's lips, caressing and loving.

"I never wanted to hurt you"

"I know"

"You of everything, made things better for me; with you things didn't seem so bad"

"I have that charm" grinning with his cheeky smile, Niou smirked, playing with his mole. The blue haired teen fell onto his smaller boyfriend where he lay, falling onto his body; blue stared up into green.

"I'm sorry"

"I know"

"I love you brat"

"I love you too Haruharu" smiling against large wet lips at his nickname for the older, the two kissed on the infirmary's white bed.

He couldn't stop Niou's anxiety, he couldn't stop the darkness from haunting his heart and mind, he couldn't destroy that little box within his dark corner, there were many things Akaya couldn't do to help his Masaharu.

But one thing he knew he could do, was be there right beside him. Sharing the load; no matter how heavy.

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Me- and so it is done! Remember to read and review!

I want 100 reviews before the 25th chapter!!!!!! Please help me!!!!!! I'm on my (figurative) knees here!