"Hey you two busy tomorrow?" Marui asked the other two boys currently laying on the roof top cutting once again another class
"What's tomorrow?"
"Friday, it's about damn time too!" the redhead exclaimed happily
"I'm free" Akaya spoke up
"Of course you are brat, you're always free"
"I'm not a brat damn it! Stop calling me that or I'll call you-!" without a define warning Akaya had to relay on his instinct to know something was going to happen, sadly his body didn't react fast enough and his face met with Niou's hand
"Ugh!"
"You'd call me a what bratling?"
"Cocky bastard!"
"Sorry to burst your bubble but Marui thought of that long before you came along"
"And it's a title worthy of you Niou!"
"I take pride in that fact thank you"
"Tch" returning to his green bubble, Akaya tried to remove the haphazardly placed hand that was now on his chest
"Get off Niou"
"Senpai kid! Not only are you a kid brat but you're disrespectful to boot"
"Like I'm going to respect you! Marui maybe a little but-"
"What you respect me!?" blushing lightly his green bubble popped but Marui didn't seem to notice
"Uhh now that I think about it never mind, I don't respect any of you two senpai"
"You hear that Marui?"
"Yeah did Akaya just call us senpai!?"
"I think I just might cry!" Niou pattered his eyes as Marui cried into his sleeve, earning a roll of fine emerald orbs
"Would you two grow up? Hard to believe you guys are 17"
"Not really at least we look older than 14"
"That's not funny" instantly Akaya's voice had changed from the kid just moments ago was laughing with them but now, it was hard and cold.
"Chill Akaya"
"Don't talk about my childhood or my family, got that" glaring at the two silent second years, Niou responded
"Don't you go acting like your childhood was shit brat" getting up from his spot the bleach haired boy left through the roof shed, slamming the door after him.
"…"
"He's right Akaya"
"What?" looking into dark violet orbs, Marui set his gaze hard on Akaya
"What ever happened to you when you were a kid keep it to yourself, but don't think for a second you're the only one"
"…."
"People at this school have a habit of hiding raw scars" getting up to leave Marui opened the door when Akaya softly asked
"Do you have scars then, Marui-senpai?" looking back at the older boy, letting their eyes clash violet against emerald.
"…No, I have the bleeding wounds" and then he was gone.
"Niou wait up"
"Who does he fucking think he is anyway!" stuffing his hands into his pockets, the blue haired teen kept walking faster and faster away from the first year and his words
"It doesn't matter"
"Like hell! He goes off like that every time we say something about his parents or when he was younger or some shit, and frankly I'm getting sick of it"
"Give him time Niou, you and I both know that's all he needs"
"…." stopping abruptly at what his friend was saying, Niou had to listen
"He's probably suffering like we did, only…"
"What?"
"By the look of things, he doesn't even have a friend to lean on"
"…."
"We got by"
"Only because we had each other's back"
"Best buds till the end" smirking the two high fived, yet their smiles didn't reach their eyes
"Akaya doesn't even have that, he's alone and still trying to fight, on his own"
"…and what are you suggesting?" leaning on the open window seal, a light gust of wind blew
"Just chill on his sensitive spots alright?"
"Are you his mother or-"
"Niou!"
"Sorry it slipped out" rubbing the back of his head the taller of the two sighed in an agreement only Marui understood
"Just remember when you face him after school today"
"What why- aw shit! I have to tutor the kid" hitting his head the guy cursed under his breath
"I almost want to go and see how things will turn out"
"Piss off sugar freak" walking off with his hands in his pockets, Marui smirked.
He in turn used the other hallway and headed towards his favorite teacher, once more,
"Yagyuu-sensei you here?"
"Yes I am Marui-kun what are you doing here on break?"
"I wanted to ask you something" placing his book down gently, memorizing the page he was on Yagyuu looked up at his old student
"What is it?"
"You told Niou that tutoring would help him with school and crap right?"
"Marui-kun, your language"
"Ah right, but you were the one right?"
"Yes I was"
"Why'd you tell him? He's not the kind of guy who'd care about college"
"No, but Kirihara-kun was in dire need of help and Niou-kun does have a knack for languages"
"Yeah he does" nodding Marui blew a green bubble letting it pop before talking again
"Still I can't help but feel like you planned this out"
"I don't know what you mean Marui-kun" a glint appeared swiftly over the man's thick glasses, and the redhead smiled
"Yeah I see alright whatever, later Yagyuu"
"Marui-kun!" and once more the teen closed the door before he got scolded. In the end he was right.
Yagyuu had put Niou with Kirihara for a reason, and although they knew some of Akaya's scars the second year couldn't help but wonder; how in the world did Yagyuu find out?
Heh. Years of old age and teaching teens at Rikkai, that's how.
"…."
"…."
"…." silence filled the English room that Thursday afternoon, both occupants sat beside the other and still awkward silence claimed the room.
"Look this isn't getting us anywhere alright" Niou spoke first
"…" with his arms folded on the desk, the first year occupied his mind with the things outside the large window to his left
"Brat, are you listening to me!"
"I'm not a brat"
"Right you're a seaweed head" this caught the boy's attention automatically as green stopped before blue.
"What?"
"You heard me" reaching over to wring his fingers within those thick black locks earning a scold
"Stop that!"
"You're asking too much of me seaweed head, what do I get after all this?"
"You get nothing!"
"That's not a fair trade" grinning down at the kid who in turn pouted
"Life's not fair Niou-senpai!"
"Very true but, brat you-"
"…" turning the other way to hide his lightly colored face, Akaya didn't see a smile take its place on the second years face; a smile he hadn't made in a long time. Niou slightly shook his head with a grin
"Come one let's get your grade up before I graduate"
"I'm not stupid senpai" glaring at the older boy, Niou took a moment to look as if he were thoroughly thinking on the matter before speaking
"Nah I'm pretty sure you are"
"Bastard"
"So you guys make up?"
"Yeah nothing big"
"Nothing big? You called me seaweed head" the trio spoke as they packed their things and headed towards the school gates, seeing as how Akaya's home was in the opposite direction from the other two, they walked slowly buying time.
"Seaweed head? That's new" Marui grinned knowingly blowing a green bubble into the air
"Don't encourage him senpai, he'll keep calling me that!"
"Nah I don't think so, it's a good name to annoy you with but it's too long I'll just call you brat instead"
"I'm not- oh whatever"
"I knew you'd see it my way" running his hand through the mess of black hair the older two laughed
"I never thought we'd all be friends like this" the redhead commented softly, his voice bouncing off the schools' empty hallways
"Life's full of surprises" Niou responded with a shrug but a glint in his icy blue orbs
"…."
"Hmm Akaya you alright? Forget something"
"…" sharing a look with the other second year, the two stopped mid step all three standing on the stairs to the first floor
"Brat"
"You alright Akaya?"
"…are we really friends?" looking up into the two upperclassmen's eyes of violet and columbia blue
"What kind of question is that?"
"Niou shut up, of course we are Akaya, what else would we be?"
"…I don't know"
"If you haven't noticed people have been talking how you might become Niou's apprentice, and how people group all three of us together instead of just Niou and me"
"His apprentice?"
"Yeah, when I leave I have to leave a mark in Rikkai history and you're going to be just that whether you want to or not" stuffing his hands into his pants pockets, the teen leaned on the rail all three still standing on the stairs.
Looking between the two older boys, for a moment longer than they ever saw emerald orbs turned to peridot and a smile came into focus.
"Apprentice huh? Who says I want to be your student?"
"I don't hear you complaining when I've been teaching you English"
"..tch"
"Hah hah come on guys, they'll close the gates before we get out"
"Shit right"
"Hey Akaya you still on for Friday?" looking back at the boy who was running to catch up, he responded grinning
"Only if you guys treat me, I'll be there"