Hello my dear readers! :) I'm back, this time with a pretty looooooong chapter XD

I read your reviews and honestly, all your feedbacks kind of... left me... BAM. You know? Like- PYUUUU TAKE THAT LOVE! TAKE IT! CHOKE ON IT! :D I'm trying to say that I really really appreciate your reviews and feel extremely happy T.T

About the friendship x romance battle... we'll see XDD Isn't it better when you guys don't know about anything in advance? I know I'm evil.

Oh and about some of your questions/remarks:

Flover24 - I'm not sure about anyone from the former class E appearing later on. I think this fic is going to be finished in a few chapters (I repeat, it was supposed to be a one shot XDD) and bringing in any more characters would make things complicated. Sorry :/

Winged-Kitsune2 - First of all, I'm very sorry for the inaccuracy, I was searching for this on the internet and yeah, probably didn't understand it well enough. Secondly, thank you for telling me O.O! I have never really understood the way it worked tbh

Well then! ENJOYYYY :3

Third person's P.O.V.

"Do you feel up to eating breakfast?" Asano asked his roomate who was still lying in his bed, somewhere between sleep and consciousness.

"Nhh," he let out a strange noise, which the latter interpreted as a "no".

Akabane couldn't be blamed though - It was seven a.m. at the moment after all, early, dready seven a.m. Yet the strawberry blonde - just as always - has been awake for the past fourty five minutes, taking care of his morning routine, preparing breakfast and lunch, checking his homework and all the stuff he was supposed to do that day. Although it ensured him a day with almost no errors in his part, it only meant depriving himself of the much needed sleep.

Asano Gakushuu has been working on 4 hours of sleep for the last three days.

And he felt dead.

However, that didn't mean he minded because often, he the reason for his staying awake for so long was talking to his new friend. And the talks he had with him were the only ones he ever had when he didn't have to watch his language, watch his attitude, be careful about what the other one thinks.

Here, in this room, they were Gakushuu and Karma, one broken just as much as the other.

Indeed, ever since that late night incident a few days ago, talking and trusting each other became easier, even if it was only a bit.

But that was fine.

It was enough.

Very often, the redhead felt under the weather, lying motionlessly for minutes, hours, unable to move or to find any will to. He would feel his eyes burning, from insomnia, from the uncried tears, but when Asano could, he would try to speak with him. And if speaking didn't help, he was just there. Letting him know that he's not alone.

And of course, giving him the back rubs.

He sacrificed a lot of time for his classmate. During the day, school, student council president responsibilities, sports, instrument lessons and extra teaching filled up his whole schedule. In the evening, he had tons of homework, additional projects and practices. Yet he always found time to care for the other boy.

Karma, of course, was aware of that. And he felt guilty for being such a burden.

"Just in case you think otherwise, I am the one who chose to stay with you. You didn't force nor did you even wish for me to give you a helping hand. But I did. So shut up and take it," he said once with cold eyes - cold like ice, but inside so warm and kind - when the redhead showed a sign of guilt.

"But if you want to help out a bit, I have a suggestion," he continued with a sly glimpse in his eyes.

"What suggestion?" the latter gave him a suspicious look.

"Return to school. I can check on you there and you will get your very much needed education,"

And indeed, it was a good idea. A briliant one, Asano believed, as human contact would distract Karma, maybe even let him have some fun. Maybe they would get back to the rivals, neck in neck in the exams. They boy might hopefully once again be able to sleep - ok, it would be during the lessons, but whatever.

On the other hand, to the redhead, it sounded like stepping into the big dangerous world completely naked and exposed. He used to be brave and carefree. He never gave fucks about what people thought. That was before he started finding solace in the bloody cuts he painted on his skin every night. Before he went far enough to actually try to take his life.

Going out now left him vulnerable.

He was scared to return after such a long time.

He was scared of the questions, of the looks, of the hurtful words.

The boy did try to comply. He wanted to move on and get better. Drowning in one's misery was not the best way to do that, obviously. So he told himself for days that "tomorrow, I will go".

Of course he didn't.

No matter how many times he imagined the casual day at school, the pranks he could do, all the teachers he could piss off - it didn't work. There was a monster lurking inside of his head, threatening to break loose, to let everyone see what a mess he actually is.

Today was no exception.

Seven fourty and he's still wrapped in the blanket torn between rationality and feelings.

"You going?" Asano asked - and it was for the eigth day in row - still hopefully glancing back before leaving their room.

And just as the previous days, he got a sad, small headshake from under the bed sheets.

There was nothing he could do about that now, he knew, but it troubled him. Leaving the redhead alone for such a long time meant nothing good and there was no way Asano could be getting home before seven today.

"Akabane, let's go. Just try it. Just one period, that's all I'm asking for," he almost sounds desperate.

He is.

"I'm sorry," is the only reply he gets and it is obvious that the conversation ends there.

"Alright," he sighs and glances back for the last time before he leaves for his first lesson.

Karma closes his eyes wonders whether there's any point.

When he wakes up, it's something after ten a.m. He's hungry and even more exhausted than he should be. It's from the excessive sleeping and lack of fresh air and activity, he knows, but it's not like there's anything in him alive enough to try and do something about it.

There is nothing inside him that would make him go and eat something, but outside - that was a whole new story. Asano thought about everything. He anticipated the redhead's lethargy and that he would neglect his needs, so lunches were always prepared and there was always something edible in the fridge.

Also, as the demon king himself has said: If you don't eat what you were given, Akabane, I'm forcing it down your throat for all I care.

And the latter decided not to test how true that statement was.

He stood up and headed to the small table and took an apple lying there. That would do for now.

Although the student council president mentioned Karma is lacking his "needing education", the boy surely wasn't that far behind the lessons. He didn't go to class but that didn't mean he didn't study. After all, what was there for him to do all the time? Play games? That bored him out in a while. Going out was a pain. Finding a hobby was a pain. Everything was a pain.

Being smarter than Asano wasn't a pain.

Being smarter than the genius was cool.

For some reason, after all the shit that has happened, he still cared about that single thing thing he achieved in his life - beating the strawberry blonde.

He read somewhere that keeping a notebook where you write down "stuff worth living for" or "appreciation posts" will help you fight the bad thoughts better. For now he only had two things:

1/ Back rubs from Asano

2/ Beating Asano

He hoped to quickly find more, preferably some that didn't revolve around his tyranic roomate.

It was 14:47 the last time he checked, but that was probably ten minutes ago. Which means that the school's lunch break has ended and the next lesson started about twenty minutes ago. Therefore, there was absolutely no explanation as for why exactly there was a stray Asano literally kicking the door out.

"What are you doing here," Karma's eyes widen in something between horror and surprise.

"I live here, thank you very much," the strawberry blonde swiftly walks towards the latter, "and we're going out. Now. Let's go,"

"What? No,"

"Yes, now."

"No, I don't wan-"

"Ist mir ganz egal, now get your ass out of the bed-"

"Why the hell are you pulling German on me?" Karma grimaced.

"Because I know it and you don't, obviously,"

"Actually,-"

"Whatever, get out of the b- wait, you're already out of your bed? Great job. A step forward. Now let's take another one and have a-" the strawberry blonde went on as he grabbed his roomate's wrist, pulling him out of the room.

"What the hell are you on?!" His victim protested by digging his heels to the ground - futily though.

"Fourth cup of coffee since the morning, my head feels like a milkshake, but that's not important."

"Holy fuck, I'm calling an ambulance!"

"No need, I'm absolutely fine. By the way, I still have half an hour before the next period. Literature was cancelled, so I finally have some time to take you out for fresh air."

Upon hearing that, Akabane stiffened. He realized that Asano sacrificed his precious, limited time just to actually make him leave the room. While there was guilt lingering in the back of his mind, the thing that actually occupied his mind right now was... what was it? Happiness? Gratitude? Disbelief?

His protests stopped, which of course didn't go unnoticed to the latter. The strawberry blonde stopped forcefully dragging his classmate and looked at him: "Let's go?"

Karma's habit of looking down was hard to break, indeed, but this time, it didn't last that long. He took that one second to pity himself, to feel awful for being a pain in the ass, but then looked up to be met by the beautiful amethyst eyes. Determined, strong, yet kind. These didn't show any annoyance upon having to take care of someone damaged as the redhead. These didn't judge him.

"Okay," he whispers and the word holds more strenght and courage than anyone could ever imagine.

Karma's gradually making progress and now it doesn't take seven horses to make him leave the room. School is still something he can't get past though, but neither of them mind - for the time being - as they are both aware everything needs time and that pressure would do no good.

That morning though, it's not him who has a problem.

It's 6:15 a.m., the usual time Asano wakes up, but he doesn't get up.

He sits on the bed, wishing to stand up and actually get his work done, but he can't, because the world is spinning and it seems as though the two hemispheres of his brain got into an argument and were trying to kill each other.

Despite that fact, he pulls himself out of the warm, soft matress and somehow makes his way to the bathroom. He didn't even bother look at his own reflection, not that he could actually see anything not-in-double, and only brushes his teeth and washes his face in hope it would help.

It didn't work much though. As the strawberry blonde headed to the kitchen, his view blacked out and he fell to the ground with a loud thud, not regaining consciousness for good thirty seconds.

The sound woke his roomate up, but Karma was too slow to realize that it was actually a body hitting the ground. Before he could find out though, the student council president has already come to and - in horror - pulled himself to the nearby chair to get some time and collect himself.

"Asano? So noisy the first thing in the morning," the boy who still lied on his bed muttered, his eyes half open, but too sleepy to notice that something was wrong.

"Sorry," he tries a smile and he's not sure whether it's a good one or not, "but it's about time to get up for school. Don't you want to try it today?"

Karma shakes his head and pulls a blanket over himself. For once, the strawberry blonde is glad for that answer because today, he doesn't think he's going to be a role model of "being fine".

The redhead's chest starts to steadily rise and fall again and Asano is left alone to sort out his thoughts. Thanks god he didn't injure himself seriously - if that small lump on his head didn't count.

Overwork, he realizes after a while, as he puts his face into one palm and closes his eyes.

The countless of days he went on with little to no sleep, the constant studying and physical exertion were starting to take a toll on him, apparently.

Logically, he should be probably resting today, lying in the bed and maybe even relax, but it's Friday and he doesn't want to leave a stain on his flawless attendance. He could just survive today and then sleep it up on Saturday, most likely putting off all the work on Sunday.

Yes, that was good enough, and that he went with.

The day was long and painful and on various occasions, he considered going to the nurse's office.

The expectant and admiring looks from his peers and teachers stopped him.

Karma on the other hand didn't have to worry about such things, being left alone and in peace.

However, the constant silence was starting to creep him out.

15:45 and the student council president hasn't returned yet.

On Friday, they had only seven periods after all. The football club was cancelled today as their coach was on away for a few days.

Maybe he got caught up in the crowd of his fangirls, Karma mused and returned to thinking about how to disrupt stuff Asano tried so bad to keep organised. He thought it would be hilarious to see the guy all mad.

He played his songs on full volume while messing with the strawberry blonde's sock index, order of books and hiding his so precious coffee. Oh and replacing sugar for salt. And toothpaste for mustard with wasabi.

Who said you had to be at school to do pranks.

However, it was getting late and his roommate was still nowhere.

17:12

Karma was reading a book by now and he for some reason felt unsettled. It wasn't unusual for Asano to return late, there were even occasions when he got home only past eight o'clock, but today there was a tight knot inside of his stomach.

His suspicions got confirmed right away.

The door opened and it was apparent from the first glance that something was not right.

"Asano?" the redhead stood up and walked towards the figure that sluggishly closed behind himself.

Gakushuu stood in one place without a word but immediately proceeded to slide down to the ground, his whole body totally giving up.

He has had enough. Once he was in the safety of his own territory, he finally allowed himself to take a break. Or to break. He also seemed to become apathetic towards the fact that now, there was a certain person hovering over him, probably horrified and all that. Asano didn't know for sure though, because he laid on his side, eyes too tired to even open, body too heavy to move and head hurting so bad he hoped to fall again and harder to maybe knock himself out completely.

Not that he wasn't near to losing consciousness anyway.

"HEY! WHAT'S WRONG?!" the yelling was however slowly getting more comprehensible.

"ASANO!" he felt his body being moved. It was only then that he fully realized that Karma actually sounded terrified.

Such a pain, he thought and forced the amethyst orbs open.

"Ugh," he groans and blinks a few times in attempt to see properly but his vision swims - much more than he had ever swum in his whole life.

Karma doesn't spare a second: "Holy- can you hear me?! What's wrong? Are you injured?! Please don't tell me you overdosed on coffee, or this time I'm calling the ambulance for real-"

He said it in one breath, which both amazed and concerned the strawberry blonde.

But he didn't like this way of being babied. It has happened before and he managed fine. These blackouts of his were just a slight annoyance, a hidrance he sometimes had to deal with, but nothing unusual nor important. Being held tightly by another human being and worried about made him feel pathetic and weak.

"I'm fine," he simply answered and tried to sit up.

Miserably failing.

"Fine my ass, stay put. I'm really calling-"

"I'm fine,"

To that, the redhead grimaced: "You just fucking collapsed on me,"

"Nothing worth worrying about," he tried to sit up again and this time, his hands did hold him up.

"Excuse me?"

"I was just tired. That's all," Asano shrugged, keeping his calm composure despite actually being extremely uncomfortable talking about this topic.

"So you're telling me that you working yourself to the bone and then passing out is absolutely okay and normal? And you want to lecture me about the way I live?"

To that, the latter had no reply.

"Okay, if you say it's just fatigue, no hospital," Karma sighs, shaking his head, "but I'm in charge of you now. I'm taking you to the bed and you're resting for the next two days, you got that?"

"I'm not a kid, Karma," Asano objects, a slight frown forming on his face.

"Indeed. You're an idiot, that's even worse,"

"How hypocritical,"

"Aren't we?"

And with that, the redhead picked his roommate up and then put him on the bed. He notices the way Asano ocassionaly squints his eyes and how tense his jaw is and concludes that he is probably having a headache. For that, he gets him a glass of water and digs out some painkillers. The younger one seemed reluctant to accept them though the speed in which he chugged them down showed that he truly needed them.

"Have you eaten anything?" Karma asked once the latter lied down.

Gakushuu doesn't even bother thinking about his answer: "Kinda,"

"What does that mean? Didn't you like have lunch?"

"Forgot to eat it,"

"You forg- you fucking," the redhead exhales dramatically, "you want me to eat my food but don't eat yours?!"

"Shut up,"

"Oh no, I'm not letting you off the hook so easily,"

"Akabane,"

"Asano," he emphasizes Gakushuu's name even more than Gakushuu emphasized his and thanks god, the boy really stays silent.

"I'm gonna grab you something, stay put," the redhead shook his head in disapproval, looking around the kitchen to see what there was he could make use of. There were some convenience store sandwiches which they bought yesterday, some apples and oranges, a cabbage - oh, a piece of meat.

"Do you feel sick?" he asks as he takes out the bloody chunk of nutriton.

"No, why?"

"I'm going to cook, so it could smell,"

"Oh no, thank you very much, I don't need you to finish me," the strawberry blonde abruptly sat up, aghast, but got scolded and told to lie down again just as quickly.

"Excuse me, but you hurt my pride. I'm a wonderful cook," Karma declared, a hand on his chest. The only thing he got back was a suspicious look and a sigh of defeat.

Asano closed his eyes and started rubbing the area where his eyebrows start, partially releaving the pain. He didn't feel that faint anymore, but it was still like he was unsteadily floating between reality and a dream.

He fell asleep to the sound of his rival in working in the kitchen, (probably) attempting to poison him.

It was past six o'clock at the moment and when Karma finished, he found his "patient" out cold. He was torn between waking him up and have him eat something or letting him catch up on the so needed rest.

He was aware of the fact Asano liked to stay late, study and drain himself, but it was the first time he realized the extend to which it could affect his well being. Seeing the only person in this world whom he at the moment considered worth competing with, the only one whom he considered to be so strong and - he can't believe he's thinking this - perfect, suddenly passing out and so weakened he could barely stand... it was strange. It was painful. And it made him feel horrible.

"Asano, get up," he finally decided to at least make him down something and then let him return to the dreamland, lightly shaking his shoulder.

The boy was pale, even more than usual, and the circles under his eyes darker than the night.

The "horrible" feeling he felt before was now morfing into something much more concrete.

Guilt.

This was his fault. He made Gakushuu needlessly worry about aditional things even though he already had enough on his plate.

And it was starting to make Karma sick. His pathetic self, his weakness, his inability to move on - it sickened him. It made his chest heavy, but not in the I want to cut way. Unlike before, there is actually anger building up inside and telling him to do something about it. And he decided that this was the last time he would ever let such a thing happen.

He has had enough of hiding behind Asano.

"I'm going to school tomorrow," he whispers, determined. And not doing it only for Asano to check on him, but also for him to check on Asano.

"For sure,"

And this time, he means it.

Uwaaa this was realllyyy long. I mean, I worked on it a lot, I swear! Every time, it was hard to think of a way to continue, because I wanted to portray both of their hardships, not only Karma's. And there had to be something to force him out of his comfort zone, now? :) But in the end, I made it! Phew!

Well, anyway, tell me what you think! I'm looking forward to seeing/writing/reading? you guys later! :D