AN: Sorry bout that wait guys, but school stuff just kind of got in the way and I am terrible at multitasking. Next chapter may take a little bit too, but winter break is coming. Anyway, I'm hoping to wrap this up in the next ten chapters (if all goes well) so that technically makes this the half way point. Yay! Now on with the story!

Tell Me

10

There were a few things about her brother that she didn't talk about anymore. Not to her mother and certainly not to Rin himself, especially since his trip to Australia. He wouldn't want that, and despite the current circumstances she would never complicate things so needlessly. Rin was her brother, her friend, but the look on his face when she entered the gym – eyes narrowed and a slightly condescending frown to his brow – made her think about reconsidering - just for a second, anyway. Instead, she let out a sigh, tucking her loose hair behind her ear as she sidestepped him and made her way toward her school bag by the ring.

"I was out."

His eyes followed her, and she could very nearly feel him burning holes in the jacket wrapped around her shoulders. "You know that's not what I meant, Gou."

"Then what did you mean?" she asked, breathing out through her nose as she slung her bag over her shoulder. Her eyes centered on him after a moment, but he looked away.

"He's not good for you."

A forced chuckle rose up her throat, "I think we've been over this before."

"That doesn't change the fact that-"

"That what?" she said, holding back the urge to poke him in the chest. "That I shouldn't be with someone I like?"

"You don't know him," he nearly growled, bristling.

She did poke him in the chest this time, hard. "I know him better than you do."

He swatted her hand away, "I'm just trying to look out for you."

"Well, the best way to look out for me is to actually be there for me and that's one thing you're not doing." There was an unusual bite to her voice, one she found was bitter on her tongue. She didn't like it and when she noticed the look in his eyes, as if she had slapped him across the face, she hastily looked away.

"Gou," he began, but his words died on the tip of his tongue and he anxiously raked a hand through his hair.

The silence that stretched between them felt like the time he had spent in Australia, when silence meant he was half way across the world and not standing before her. A part of her felt like punching him, a good right hook to the face, but another part - the one that was still five years old and saw the world in his eyes - wanted to curl her hands in his shirt and smile.

"They're worried about you," she said after a moment, when the quietness had gotten too much for her to bare, her eyes looking up at him. She had always looked up at him. "I'm worried about you. I just don't know what to say to you anymore."

His hand dropped from his hair and he stuffed both into his pockets, shoulders slouching forward as if to hide. "Look, Gou-" he said, the words strained and caught in his throat, but he forced them out. "I'm sorry."

She sighed, busying her hands by readjusting the bag over her shoulder, before looking up at him and smiling hesitantly. There were other things that still needed to be addressed, but it was enough for now. "Apology accepted."

His shoulders straightened slightly, a slight smile appearing on his face, but he quickly hid it behind his hand. Coughing slightly, he ushered her to the door. "C'mon, I'll walk you home. You can tell me all about this guy on the way." He looked down at her, "Deal?"

She smiled brightly and suddenly she was five years old again, hooking her arm around his.

When Seijuurou saw her the following morning – bright and early around seven o'clock in the morning (he had been waiting since six just to be safe) – she looked a little more than tired. Dressed simply in Iwatobi sweats, sporting his jacket and a duffel bag hanging from her shoulder, it looked like she had rolled out of bed and down the street to the gym. Her bangs were disheveled and when she made it to the door and subsequently to him, her only greeting was a grunt as she pulled him into a hug and rubbed her face against his chest before pulling out the keys from the within the confines of her pockets and unlocking the doors.

"Too early?" he asked quietly, apologetically rubbing his neck as they stepped inside and she flicked on the florescent lights.

She shook her head, a small noise of dismissal escaping her throat, waving her hand. Her ponytail jostled as she struggled to step out of her sneakers and he reached out a hand to steady her as she hopped about trying to kick off the annoying footwear.

"Thanks," came her scratchy voice, raspy and just a bit rough around the edges.

He nodded and followed her onto the floor, but to his surprise she ignored the weight benches and instead set a course for the ring, tossing the duffel bag over the side, not even bothering with the steps as she pulled herself up and over the side, squeezing through the ropes. He watched as she crawled over to where the duffel bag had landed, patted it a few times, before unceremoniously collapsing onto her side, duffel bag tucked carefully under her head.

Seijuurou carefully followed her, pulling himself through the ropes (a little bit of gymnastics was required, he wasn't as small as Gou), and kneeling not to far away from her, just enough to see her back stir lightly as she breathed in deeply. "You could of told me that it was too early, I really wouldn't have minded."

Her breathing was interrupted with something that resembled a snort, mumbling something he couldn't hear. He inched himself forward, hoping to catch the words that left her mouth, but when she made no move to repeat herself he cautiously settled himself next to her, his back pressed to her's. His heart beat fast, but when she made no move to protest, he slouched forward, resting his head in his hand and sighed.

He almost thought she was asleep, that is until a slight stirring against his back caused him to peer over his shoulder. Her hands were pressed to her face and the fact that he couldn't tell if those little tremors passing through her were sobs or laughter, or maybe even a little bit of both, caused this little bit of panic to settle in him. "Gou, are you okay?" he asked softly, his eyes giving her the once over just to be sure. "If this is about today, I promise never to ask you to get up this early ever again. Ever. I swear."

She shook her head, lowering her hands just enough so that tired and glossy eyes poked over her hands.

"My brother – he's back," she whispered through her fingers.

A smile tugged at his lips, his heart slowing, and he reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear before turning back around and settling into a comfortable slouch. "Finally came around then?"

He felt her stir, a little coughing laugh escaping her mouth. "No," she said, voice muffled as she turned her face into the duffel bag. "He's so uptight that it might take a miracle, but he's listening and I can't remember the last time he sat down to talk with me for more than an hour. At least, not since I was six and he didn't have a choice." She let out a tiny chuckle, "You should've seen mother's face when he said he'd stay the night."

"Sounds like a good time," Seijuurou mused.

"We felt like a family," he heard her say, breathing out the words almost as if she couldn't tell if it had all been a dream. There was a small pause before she continued. "I just wish he'd give everybody else a chance."

"Your boxing team you mean?"

she nodded, her cheek rubbing against the rough fabric of her bag. "I don't know what happened between them, but I know that he doesn't want it to be like this any more than they do. If only he wasn't such a porcupine."

"You want to stage an intervention?" he asked teasingly, leaning into her as a yawn escaped her mouth.

"You volunteering?"

"You know I'm up for anything," he said, chuckling. "Plus, I owe him for last time."

"Grudges are left at the door, thank you very much," she mumbled, and he couldn't help but let out a laugh.

The gym fell quiet then, the thrum of the air conditioner the only noise besides the small of puffs of breath that passed her lips, stirring the bangs that hung over her eyes. When he peered over his shoulder a few moments later, she was already asleep.