"-And if you see any articles on our team or opposing teams, please save them as well. Any questions?"

The girl shook her head. "I got it."

"That's good. Thanks again for becoming our new manager. I know it's a big job."

"It's my pleasure. I love American football, and I want to help our team go all the way to the Christmas Bowl."

Marco smiled at her enthusiasm, "We have a good shot at it this year, I'd say." He looked at his watch and back up at the brunette. "I'm sorry but I have to go meet someone. I'll see you at practice tomorrow."

He waved goodbye before walking away. The trees were in beautiful full bloom, filling the world with their fragrance. He had agreed to meet Gaou and Kisaragi in the park as a break from homework and football practices. The team had needed the day off anyways, some of the player's grades were suffering, and if the went down too much, they'd be pulled out of football. He spotted his friends waiting for him on a park bench and hurried towards them. Kisaragi smiled. "Glad you got here. So is the new manger any good?"

He shrugged and sat down beside Gaou, dropping his bag to the ground, "She'll be alright after she's gotten some practice at it. We were all so spoiled by Maria. Oh well."

He felt Gaou shift beside him. Marco looked up at him and commented, "Now that she's around, I'll have some free time if you want to do something sometime."

Gaou smiled a little and nodded. Kisaragi smiled lightly and got up. "As much fun as it is to hang out with you two I have to be going, I've been meaning to work on a paper but haven't had time."

He began to walk away, but then he blinked and turned to Gaou again with an impish look and said, "Oh, and Gaou, please make sure to remember when game days are so our quarterback doesn't have a limp during a game."

He giggled as he walked out the door. Marco couldn't stop himself from blushing. Did Kisaragi actually think they had gone that far already, or was he talking about the future? Or maybe he was he just joking with them? He glanced up at Gaou who looked perfectly relaxed, just leaning back on the bench. He wished he could do that, but his brain always had to keep working at top speeds – spewing out facts and ideas until he had decided upon what he was going to do. He supposed he should continue the conversation that had been kind of started before Kisaragi had left. "Hey, Gaou?"

Gaou opened one eye lazily to look at him. "Yes?"

"Since we don't have any school tomorrow, do you want to do something, y'know, together? Unless you have other things to do or something or school work." He cut himself off before he could start babbling.

Gaou nodded. "I know a good spot for hiking, we can camp there."

"Um, actually, I meant like a date." Oh god he felt like such a girl right now.

"It is a date."

"Oh, okay, whatever you say." At least had agreed and not made fun of him. Not that Gaou really made fun of anyone; he just ignored them or broke their bones. "So, should I go pack?"

"No, I know what we'll need. I'll be at your house by five."

"Then I'd better go home and finish what's left of my homework and tell my mom."

Gaou kissed the top of his head before saying. "See you at five then."

Marco got up and slung his bag over his shoulder and started on his way home.

At five o'clock he was waiting by the door. A blue car pulled up in front of his house and gave a loud beep. He called to his mother, "Bye mom, I'll be back in the morning."

Her reply drifted out of her room, "Okay, be safe and have fun! Love you."

He pulled the door open with one hand, and with the other he held a small pack with some stuff that he had decided to bring. Marco walked quickly over to the car and opened the door to the passenger seat. The woman driving had the same wild hair as Gaou, even though she tried to tame it by putting it in a ponytail. Gaou who sat across from him introduced him. "Marco, this is my mom. Mom, this is Marco."

Marco smiled politely. "Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Rikiya. Thank you for driving us."

The woman smiled. "It's nice to put a face to a name finally. Every time I've seen you, you're on the field with one of those helmets on. You're so polite, and skinny, you should eat more. Gaou, invite him over to dinner sometime, my cooking will get some meat on those bones."

Gaou rolled his eyes and looked over at Marco who had a bemused expression on his face. He held back a smile at the endearing look Marco had on his face before speaking. "I'll make sure to invite him."

Marco half listened to Gaou's mother talk to Gaou about different things. The houses sped by to slowly be replaced by more and more trees. Finally, the car slowed and Gaou opened his car door. Marco slid out as well. Gaou hefted a good-sized bag from the trunk. Gaou's mother smiled and said, "Have fun you two. Don't get eaten by bears!"

As she drove away, Marco looked at Gaou and asked, "Are there really bears?"

Gaou shrugged and started up the trail. "I suppose, none ever come near people though."

Marco let the topic go and just followed Gaou silently. It was hard to start up conversations with Gaou – well, actually it wasn't so hard to start them as much as to just keep them going. Gaou wasn't much for talking. In fact, he was probably annoyed with how much Marco talked. A sudden voice broke his thoughts. "Why so quiet?"

He looked up at Gaou who was still walking in front of him, head turned to be able to see both him and the path. He laughed self-deprecatingly. "I figured you would like the silence, that and I don't really have anything to say."

Gaou shrugged. "It's fine if you don't have anything to say. But I do like listening to you. It's interesting."

"Oh. Okay, I'll keep that in mind."

They walked in a comfortable silence; Marco could just see the setting sun through a gap in the trees. Off to their right, a deer stared at them, wide-eyed and ready to flee. Marco smiled at her before turning his gaze to Gaou's back. After they walked for just a bit longer, Gaou spoke up, "We're here."

And indeed they were. Marco felt his eyes grow wide. They had entered a clearing, and it was filled with sakura trees, all in full bloom, the last traces of sunlight making them glow. "Wow, this is amazing I'd say."

Gaou nodded, "Yeah it's nice. I thought you'd like it."

They sat down, Marco leaning against the bigger man who rested against the base of one of the trees. Their conversation turned to football, a comfortable, safe subject for both of them. As he watched Gaou talk, Marco was suddenly struck by a question, "Hey Gaou?"

"Yeah?"

"Your tattoos, why'd you get them?"

Gaou blinked and then shrugged. "I dunno, I just decided on them a couple years ago. Why, you don't like them?"

Marco shook his head and reached up to trace one serpentine red marking. "No I think they suit you, it's just..."

His words trailed off as his finger skimmed to the point of the tattoo just above Gaou's lips. It was like he was in a trance; his finger seemed drawn to the mouth below it. He looked at Gaou for permission, and at the consent he found in the other's eyes, he closed the short distance between them and kissed Gaou softly on the mouth.

Marco ran a hand through Gaou's coarse, bushy hair. Gaou drew him closer and deepened the kiss, making Marco's hands tighten in the mass of black. As their bodies moved against one another, Marco let out a slight moan which Gaou echoed. Finally, the fact that they both needed to breath broke them apart. Marco sat, panting, lips red from the welcome abuse. He could feel a blush spreading across his cheeks. Gaou was a very good kisser, not that he had anyone to compare it too. But he'd say it was a very good kiss.

Gaou kept his arms wrapped around Marco's slim frame, and he settled tentatively into the warmth that was the lineman. He reached over for his pack and pulled it closer. "Do you want a bottle of coke?" he asked as the bottles clinked, drawing one out for himself.

Gaou nodded and accepted the bottle handed to him. He ripped the cap off with his teeth and took a sip before saying, "You've never offered me a bottle before."

Marco shrugged, "Never noticed, I guess you just didn't seem like a coke-cola type of guy."

The topic was left at that as Marco yawned and Gaou chuckled, low and deep in his chest. "Did I wear you out?"

The quarterback shook his head. "No, I just haven't been getting much sleep lately. School and team stuff y'know?"

"I'd hate to keep you from anymore sleep then."

He rose to get the blankets out of the pack, two pillows followed. Marco made his bed on the ground a few feet from Gaou's chosen spot. His lack of sleep pulled him under quickly, so fast he didn't even feel Gaou run his hands through his hair gently before going to sleep as well.

The moon was still high in the sky when Marco woke up shivering. He looked at Gaou who was still sleeping soundly. The other looked warm even under just one blanket. Marco sat up, wondering if Gaou would mind if he joined him, for warmth only of course. He looked at Gaou again and decided that he would mind; and besides Gaou was asleep now. He wouldn't know till morning, and by then it'd be warm. He snuck under Gaou's blanket and curled up beside him. Because the other was asleep, he curled up against the warm chest and fell asleep, breath in time with Gaou's.

Gaou woke slowly; content to snuggle with the warmth against his chest. Whatever the reason, Marco was there – which was fine with him. But it was nice to see that he had decided he felt safe enough to sleep by his side. It could only be a step forward. He rose and set about preparing breakfast for the two of them before Marco woke up.

After breakfast they headed down the mountain. But in the days to come, Gaou would often find himself wishing they could have stayed up in those mountains forever.