Daichi sighed as the bells rang. Apollo was sitting next to him, but he had barely said hello when Daichi clapped him on the shoulder. The brunet was normally such an expressive person, seeing him down made Daichi's day a bit depressing. He leaned all the way over and nudged Apollo's shoulder with his nose. Apollo blinked at him out of the corner of his eye and smiled gently. Daichi grinned and rubbed his face against Apollo's arm like a cat, moving his desk closer to his friend's.

"Fags," someone muttered from behind them.

Before either of them could whirl around and start yelling, a piece of chalk came flying from the front of the classroom and hit whomever it was square in between his eyes. The teen made a strangled sound behind them and Apollo snickered with Daichi.

"I know you know better," the redheaded teacher began, leaning one hand on his desk and planting the other on his hip. "Than to use such language in my classroom. Either get out and risk being suspended or shut your damn mouth, Jergenson. Daichi," he began sweetly, giving his student a handsome smile. "Next time you want to comfort someone, a simple 'Daijoubu?' would be fine, alright, hun?"

Daichi blushed through a smile. "Sorry, Mr. Warrington."

"That's quite alright. Okay then, books out, opened to page fifty-two, please. We were discussing the practical application of the moon as a base of operations for the governments of the world, and I believe Serena brought up a good point about the increasing pressure of glass of whatever structures one would build up there, and Apollo made the suggestion of storing nuclear warheads on its surface…"

Apollo hated his History class.

Not because of the teacher, no, absolutely not. Mr Warrington was the best...best. At everything. Period. He listened when you complained and he didn't let his students bully each other. No, it was the students. One of whom was Klavier, but Apollo wasn't gracing him with a thought at the moment.

The one who sat in the back and caused trouble for him and Daichi sometimes, was a guy named Paul Jergenson. He was annoying as shit, always making comments about someone's sexuality, picking on Daichi for his love of space and Apollo for his love of the law; he'd even made a comment about Mr. Warrington's red, red hair once (Granted, he only did that once before the teacher set him straight about just who the hell ran that classroom). Upon ranting to Mr. Warrington about it, Apollo discovered that Paul has some issues of his own to work through, and that Apollo and Daichi should refrain from touching each other in class too much, which was against school rules anyway. He had bristled at that, but Mr Warrington-Ares, he'd insisted-has only smiled and said that most adults don't understand one's need for physical contact, let alone most children. He understood that sometimes Apollo needed to be reminded that he does have friends, and it just so happens Daichi is one of the most physical people in his life at the moment.

Klavier was, too...but obviously, that died with their friendship.

What Apollo, and his friends, didn't know, was that Ares had noticed, too. Klavier sat in the back now, away from his friends, all by his lonesome. He caught the blonde staring at Apollo and Daichi occasionally, a sigh escaping his lips when he thought no one was listening. Of course, this made Ares sad, for he had secretly been rooting for Apollo and Klavier to stop being nerds and get together, but...such is no longer the case. He saw how Daichi acted around Apollo, and could tell that the space boy had a crush the size of the Titanic on Apollo and just as doomed. Daichi still tried to talk to Klavier, and get him to hang out with he and Apollo, and the german teen was always polite, but their conversation was strained now. It was as if Daichi was torn between getting them to be friends again and just admitting his feelings to Apollo. Ares wondered idly if Apollo knew about Daichi. But, seeing as how he didn't even know that Klavier was practically in love with him, he doubted it.

What made it so bad, was that Daryan Crescend, Klavier's boyfriend, was such a good kid. Ares had been the one telling him to go for whomever it was that he liked, but he hadn't known that was Klavier. He's glad that Daryan isn't the snarky upstart he used to be (though he has his moments), but now he felt responsible for the breakup of their once tight-knit group.

Being a good teacher shouldn't be this hard.

Athena smiled widely. Tomorrow was the day! She'd been waiting for this day all her life! Well, no, not all her life, but a good chunk of it! Tomorrow was the day!

"You look happy."

The redhead turned to look at Ema, munching on a pack of M&M's. "Yep! Do you know what tomorrow is?"

"The nineteenth?"

"Uh, yes, but-

"Ernest Rutherford's death?"

"Uh-

"The first swearing of the the first Chief Justice, John Jay?"

"No, but-

"Paul Robert, the greatest French lexicographer?"

"EMA."

"Alright, alright," the brunette waved her hand, flinging crumbs everywhere. "What's tomorrow and why has it got you so excited?"

"My first date!"

Ema blinked. "I thought we agreed boys were stupid."

"Boys are stupid." Athena shrugged. "But that doesn't mean some of them aren't worth it."

"None of them are worth it."

"And Mr. Edgeworth?"

"I-what-he-Mr. Edgeworth is a man," Ema said finally, a determined smirk on her face.

"You're impossible. ANd no, not a boy. Junie."

Ema looked at Athena, narrowing her eyes for a moment. The ginger backed away a little, uncomfortable with such scrutiny. A few moments passed before Ema's face changed from suspicious to joyous.

"Oh! Junie! Juniper! I thought you were having me on for a moment! Good for you!" The bespectacled teen threw an arm around Athena and patted her head. "I'm so proud you finally got the guts to ask her out! She's a real cutie, too!"

"Ema, honey, are you secretly a lesbian?" Athena ask, her face deadpan.

"Where are you guys going? A movie? A romantic dinner?" she sidestepped the question. "Oh, I need details, Thena!"

"Um, okay. Well...it was last week…"

Daichi grinned at Apollo when the bell rang. Finally! He and Pollo were heading to the arcade to enjoy some much needed guy time. Athena is amazing, but sometimes, you know?

"Hey, maybe we can hit the cafe afterwards."

"Which one?"

"The Korean one. With the awesome pancakes."

"You want pancakes at this hour? You dope," Apollo shook his head, grinning at Daichi. "How about some real food?"

"Nope, pancakes. With brown sugar and honey inside."

"Ugh, you and that sweet tooth. You're gonna get a cavity one day."

"I go to the dentist every other month. I think my teeth are fine." With that, Daichi gave him a big smile, his braces glinting in the light of the gymnasium.

"Yep. Dope. Complete and utter."

They headed out the front corridor and down the side stairs, arguing about whether pancakes counted as snack food or otherwise, when Daichi heard someone calling his name.

"Hm?" He turned to see Mr. Warrington coming toward them. "Oh, hey Mr.W. What's up?"

"Hm, nothing. Give this to your father for me?" the redhead asked innocently.

Daichi stared at the sheet of paper, and then glanced back at Ares. And then repeated the motion several times. "...no."

"It's not a summons, good God, calm down."

"What is it? Am I in trouble?"

"No. Just give it to him."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

"Why?"

"Because-I am not doing this with you twice in one day." The short man sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It...just a request, okay? Don't read it, you're more than welcome to ask your father later, after all."

"Oh. Okay then. Is it a looooove letter~?" the black haired teen gave his history a rather lecherous grin.

"...I hope your face stays like that." Ares grumbled, pinching Daichi's cheek before ruffling Apollo's hair. "You two have fun on your date," he said pointedly.

Ares couldn't decide what was funnier: Apollo's choking or Daichi's record-breaking blush.

"You like him?"

"Hm."

"Come on, answer the question."

"Hm."

"I'll take that as a yes."

"N-no."

"Hm? What was that?"

"No."

"No? Then who?"

"...the other one?"

"...his friend? The black haired one?"

"...hm."

"The one obsessed about space? Oh, Vera, you poor girl."

"...shut up, Viola."

"I like space. Such an empty dark void, where no one can hear you scream...must be awfully peaceful."

"...hand me my sketchbook, please."

"Inspired? I'm good like that. Here you go."

"...Thank you."