Outwardly, no suspicions of anything abnormal between the two boys are brought up. Theirs is a regular companionship--somewhat odd merely because the younger takes it upon himself to cater to the other one's whims.

Maybe someone knows, but no one would ever dare to say anything about it. And for those who wonder, the very idea is not unexpected. However, many people are simply blinded by their own self-consciousness to notice the feelings of others.

Both of them are regularly in the spotlight because of their school's nationally acclaimed tennis team. The more flamboyant of the two is, in fact, the team's captain--highly honored at a such a young age. Classmates and fellow tennis players all look up to Atobe Keigo--be it with contempt, admiration, or fear.

Atobe seemingly had it all--wealth, prestige, fame. But as all blessings seem to hide curses, he lacked the ability to commune with others his own age. Perhaps even that was a blessing in disguise.

The younger of the two was the only one whom Atobe could speak to. There was a side to him that only the younger boy saw. He had known the buchou for a number of years already, and there were many things that only he could understand about Atobe.

He saw the pain of a regular teenager, the humiliation at being defeated by a twelve-year-old prodigy, the disdain for parents who were never home, the excitement at the start of the tennis season, the jealousy of an opponent who upped him, the clumsy giddiness over some new achievement, the regret at being so petty as to cause another player injury.

What he enjoyed seeing the most, though, was that Atobe liked him. Atobe likedbeing able to talk and spend time around someone who understood him or, rather, someone who held no prejudice against the great "Ore-sama."

And one thing can often lead to another.

"Kabaji?"

"Usu."

"...do you ever feel strange around someone else? As if you're forgetting something important?"

It was then, reading this new emotion in Atobe's gray eyes, that both of them knew that they had something deeper than friendship. His large hand gently grasped Atobe's, and he leaned close to him until their lips met.

It had been awkward and tentative as most first kisses are, but it had opened an even larger circle of intimacy than what they had previously shared. And when no one noticed that Kabaji never went home that night or even left Atobe's room, he was glad. There were certainly some things that he wished to remain between himself and his new-found lover.

After all, he was (and is) the only one Atobe trusted. It was only natural for something more to happen.

Waaaah, I finally wrote a fic for my favorite pairing. If you read this far, thank you! I know I ramble too much... I also realize the title is corny, but it amuses me.