A/N: Okay, so this one is a little weird, and the choice for the title is also quickly revealed, but meh. I don't particularly like it until a certain point (it was gonna be a private fic, but then I decided to make it public, so meh)

It was drawing to the end of the school day, and Yuri felt nerves run through his body. He always tried to get out of the school before those guys could drag him behind the school...but so far, he'd been unsuccessful. Hopefully, he'd manage it today.

The bell rang and Yuri shot out of his seat, rushing through the halls. He never went to his locker, not trusting anyone enough not to break in there and steal his stuff, so kept it all on him through the day. He hurried for the school exit, then came to a jarring halt as a hand grabbed his shoulder, gripping it tight enough that it hurt.

He winced, then made his expression neutral, looking back.

"Oh, Tyler. Good to see you. I was wondering where you guys were. Want to get a beating today too?" he asked coolly.

"Yeah, Lowell. I was looking forward to it," Tyler replied with a smirk, grinning at the others in the group. Yuri hid the brief fear that flickered across his face, putting on an uncaring attitude.

"Good, I get to beat you guys to a pulp today, too," he said cockily, smirking.

"I don't think so, Lowell," replied one of the other students.

'If there's anyone out there...please, please, I don't want this again...If there are any angels or gods or anything..'

"Oi, Lowell! Didn't you get my notice? I need to see you up in the council room!"

The group turned, spotting Scifo standing at the hallway. He was tapping his foot impatiently. Glancing around at the others, he frowned.

"No friends allowed. Get back home already," he snapped.

The group hesitated then walked off, grumbling but not willing to pick a fight with the student with the most influence in the entire school.

Yuri eyed Scifo hesitantly. What was he getting told off for now?

"So? What did you want?" he asked.

Scifo glanced at him, then checked through his file. Then he blinked in surprise. "Oh...That isn't your name. I apologise. Why don't you just head home for the evening?"

Yuri gazed at him in surprise, then looked away. "Sure, whatever. See ya, pretty boy," he said, waving a hand as he sauntered off. But inside, relief filled him.

Even if it was only for one afternoon, Scifo had gotten him out of a beating.

Flynn was keeping Lowell under a constant observation, just as he had promised. During most of the day, he acted uncaring, but when the last lesson came around, he got fidgety. He'd bolt from the classroom and head for the doors, but he'd always be caught by the bullies.

Flynn managed to get him out of several beatings, just by holding him up and talking to him about something trivial. It was enough to send the bullies on their way, and then Flynn would release Lowell.

Some days, Lowell just didn't come school, though this could either mean he was trying to avoid a beating, or he was nursing injuries. It worried Flynn that Lowell felt staying at home was better, but there wasn't much he could do.

It was one afternoon, when Lowell was in school and Flynn had no excuse to hold him up, that he saw the students leading Lowell to the back of the gym hall. He frowned as he watched them go, wondering whether to follow them, then got distracted by Cumore, one of the head of years, asking him a question.

It took a little while for him to finally sort out Cumore's problem, and he automatically stepped towards his locker, getting his things out and putting his bag in before heading for the exit. Then he remembered Lowell and turned, hurrying towards the gym.

He thrust the door open, quickly taking in the scene of Lowell restrained by three other guys while the others took turns hitting him. Then he let the door slam behind him, attracting the students' attention.

"What do you think you're doing?! Get going already!" Flynn snapped. The students immediately hurried off, dropping Lowell and leaving him behind.

Flynn rushed forward, catching Lowell before he could hit the ground once again. "You should really stop putting yourself in this situation," he murmured, thinking Lowell was unconcious.

"...Why are you here?" Lowell mumbled, and Flynn nearly dropped him in surprise. Instead he caught himself in time and just helped Lowell up.

"I know what's going on, Lowell. I want to help you."

Lowell shook his head. "..You're like everyone else...Say you're gonna help me then turn on me.."

"I won't. I promise," Flynn said.

"Yes you wi-" Lowell mumbled before collapsing. Flynn steadied him, dragging his weight up.

"Are you alright? Hey! Lowell!" he called.

"...m'fine..." Lowell said, trying to push Flynn away.

"You clearly aren't! Let me help you!"

"I said I'm fine! Go away!" Lowell snapped, pushing him away. He stumbled the opposite way before falling, hitting the ground and panting heavily.

Flynn gazed at him a moment, then sighed.

"...I'm going to help you, Lowell, whether you want me to or not," he said, lifting him up.

Lowell eyed him, then sighed. "You're so goddamn persistant..."

"Exactly. You won't win an argument against me. So, you'll let me help you?"

"...Just this once."

"Good. I'll take you back to my place. I have better things to treat your wounds with there."

"What about your parents?"

"I don't have any. Not anymore," Flynn replied.

"Huh. Makes two of us."

"Indeed. Now shut up."

Yuri wasn't sure when he passed out, but when he next woke up he was lying on the couch. His body was sore, and he hissed in pain as he shuffled slightly.

Scifo entered the room, carrying a couple of mugs of tea. He set one down on the table and took a seat on the opposite chair, sipping his drink.

"It's rather helpful that you pass out before I tend to your injuries," he said conversationally. Yuri remained where he was, eyeing Scifo warily.

Flynn sighed. Lowell looked so much like a predatory animal, looking almost ready to bolt at the first sign of danger.

"How are you feeling?" Flynn asked finally.

"...Fine. Thank you," Lowell said quietly.

"Learnt some manners since last time, I see," Flynn noted.

Lowell looked away, almost trying to bury his head into the cushions.

"...Sorry," he mumbled.

Yuri went red, unable to believe he was apologising to Scifo, of all people. He never backed down and apologised, and he couldn't understand how Scifo had that ability to completely cow him.

Finally he pushed himself up, grimacing as pain raced through his body, then started buttoning his shirt up. Scifo frowned.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Going home. I don't want to bother you," Yuri replied, reaching for his jacket.

"No you're not," Scifo replied calmly. Yuri blinked before looking at him with a frown.

"What do you mean? You can't keep me here."

"I can, and I will. Your injuries need to be properly tended to, and moving around too much will only cause some of them to reopen. You have enough scars as it is."

Yuri shook his head. "I'm not staying."

"Why not? You hardly have anything to be getting on with at home." Yuri still hesitated, and Scifo frowned. "I can help you, if you let me."

Yuri stiffened, a thousand memories shooting through his mind. He stepped back slightly, then swung to Scifo.

"Just go away! Stop bugging me already!" he shouted.

Flynn blinked at the sudden change in attitude, then frowned, also standing.

"Lowell..."

"No! I'm not listening to your stupid lies!" Lowell snapped, drawing away.

'Something happened...'

Flynn realised, he raised his hands placatingly. "I'm not lying."

"Oh yeah? Then why would you want to help me? Don't you just want to look like a hero at school, saving the poor bullied boy?"

Flynn shook his head, and Lowell scowled.

"Stop-!"

"It's because you feel like me."

Lowell stopped midsentence, staring at him. Then he frowned.

"How so?"

"I just...You feel lonely. Afraid. You want...someone to be there for you, to help you, but you don't want to rely on anyone else. You're scared of being hurt, but you don't want to be alone."

Yuri took this in, then frowned.

"...Like you?"

Flynn bit his lip, glancing away. "...Yeah."

"What do you have to be afraid of? You've got the most power of every student in the school."

"So? That..just makes everyone afraid of me." His eyes darkened slightly, then he glanced up at Yuri. "...Except you."

Yuri blinked. That was...like him. Everyone was always afraid of him because of his reputation. Except for this jerk.

"...So what do you want? It's all well and good saying you feel like we're the same, but that's not the best reason," Yuri pointed out.

Flynn looked away, sighing. "...I don't know. I don't know what I was trying to do." He knew how hard it was to rid yourself of a reputation, to try and make friends despite all the adversity, and still fail just because everyone believed you were something that you're not.

The two of them were complete opposites. Yuri was a delinquent, and Flynn was a model student. There was no one more different yet alike than the two of them.

Yuri gazed at him hesitantly. He thought that Flynn was just like everyone else, but...there was something decidedly different about him.

"...Why did you want to help me so badly?" he asked finally.

Flynn shrugged. "I don't know. I'm sorry. I...won't bother you anymore."

Yuri shook his head. "You do know. Why did you want to help me so badly?" he asked again.

Flynn glanced at him in surprise. "I honestly.."

Yuri gazed at him flatly. "You do know, even if you don't realise it yet. Don't lie to yourself. What did you hope to get from helping me?"

Hope to get..? Nothing, he was just helping Lowell because it was the right thing to do...

"You're still trying to do it! You probably do it with loads of people every day! Come on, you're supposed to be smart, work it out already!"

Flynn frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"It's something I want as well," Yuri finally said.

To not be picked on? Not be feared? Not be...

Oh.

"...Not to be lonely?"

Yuri nodded. "Right. A friend."

Flynn frowned. What did Lowell mean, he'd helped him so he could have a friend?

"I'm not sure what you mean, Lowell. I'm perfectly fine."

"Yuri."

Flynn looked at him in confusion. Yuri shrugged.

"...Yuri...is what friends call me," he replied quietly.

Flynn processed this a minute, before realising what he meant. Yuri wanted a friend, someone who he could trust not to hurt him, as much as Flynn did. Though they were opposites, they both understood the hurt and loneliness of abandonment, even if it was due to different circumstances.

This was simply Yuri's coarse way of reaching out to Flynn.

"...Then, you can call me Flynn," Flynn said finally, extending a hand. Yuri glanced at it hesitantly, then slowly reached out, taking it. Flynn smiled.

...He wasn't alone anymore.

A/N: So cheesy...I can't write fluff. I try (oh do I try) but I'm just too dark to write happy stuff :/

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