6.

            Akira was tired as he allowed the soft rhythm of the taxi transporting him to lull him slightly into a light sleep. The heat was on nearly at full blast in the car and Akira was only too grateful about that. Winter had come early in Japan it seemed and it was cold. He'd never been fond of the cold. With a slight smile, he wondered idly what his rival would say to that… or for a more amusing yet slightly bitter thought, what Waya would think. Touya, Akira was not as oblivious as to what most people thought of him…cold, silent…arrogant.

            He opened his eyes, shaking away the last dredges of sleep. In only a couple minutes he'd be home again. Akira looked out the window, watching as the many houses past by zipping out of sight the minute they had come into sight. He also saw the water from the raindrops dribbling down the car's window and he was thankful again that he was dry and warm inside the taxi cab. He was taken from his thoughts as the driver suddenly started talking.

            "You're here lad. That'll be…" The older man muttered a price and Akira looked down, fishing for his wallet. Pulling the money out that was needed he leaned forward, handing it to the man in front.

            "Arigato." Akira said, always polite. The older man nodded his head.

            "Touya-san… good luck for your next match." Surprise by that since the driver had never mentioned Go during the entire ride, Akira could only smile his thanks and then grab his suitcase that had been resting beside him during the car ride.

It was only when he turned away from the cab that his eyes focused on a dejected and huddled form…

…

            Akira was late. At first that thought had been met with Hikaru's normal wildly cheerful spirit. His grin never wavered--it simply grew because for the first time he'd known the cool and collected Go player, he was late. And that meant he could tease him about it.

            But when an hour passed and when the cold rain had finally managed to soak through his shirt, Hikaru's good mood simply shattered. He stayed where he was, afraid to leave because what if the minute he moved away Akira appeared? It was as simple as that. So he stayed, shivering. The doubt that had been festering in his mind simply overflowing and mixing with the fear that had always been with him. Akira was never this late… never…unless…

            He wasn't coming back. After a week of waiting… Hikaru finally figured it out. Touya, Akira was not coming back. Hikaru's position slumped, his body curving in on itself as he hugged his knees to his chest, keeping only a little body warmth to him. How stupid could he have been… stupid! STUPID! He bit his lip. He was so stupid. This was why Akira had taken the news so well… why he hadn't even flinched or been disgusted or afraid or… He wasn't going to come back. It was so simple and obvious and yet, Hikaru had bought the whole thing.

            He'd been abandoned once more. First Sai and now…

            The nineteen year old still couldn't move, despite the fact that he was completely sure now that Akira had never planned on coming back—that he had been fooled. Hikaru simply closed his eyes. It wasn't worth the effort of getting up again… and he didn't want to have to face the others. A burst of shame mixed with the pain and this time he could do nothing to hold back the warm tears that prickled his eyes.

            "Shindo?" The voice was surprised, almost horrified. It took more than the sound of his voice to snap Hikaru out of his misery, so certain that it was just a figment of his imagination there to torture him further. "Shin…" A hand grabbed him at his shoulder and tugged. "..do?" He opened his eyes, letting himself be pulled up and the sight that greeted him, made relief flood his body. A small drop of warmth building in his insides, casting aside the ice that had wrapped itself inside of him. "What are you doing here?" Akira looked aghast to say the least. He let go of Hikaru's shoulder, once sure that the other could and would stand up on his own. Fumbling with his keys, he opened the door to the apartment complex and yanked his eternal rival inside the dry and warm building. Hikaru's eyes were focused on his every move, surprise and disbelief shadowing them until… "Idiot! Why the heck were you just standing in the rain without even an umbrella to protect you?"… that was snapped at his face. His eyes simply lit up. This was Akira… he… he had come home. Pushing away the hand that was shaking him as well as pulling him into the elevator, Hikaru smiled. And one famous 'Touya-Shindo' fight coming right up.

            "You're late! It's your fault! You said you'd be here by four! And here it's now six something…" He started, making Akira look at him as if he was insane.

            "Shindo…"

            "Stop calling me that! Its Hikaru… Hi-ka-ru! You haven't been gone that long to have forgotten that much, have you? Baka…"

            "You…you're impossible! I can't believe you've been waiting in the rain for that long. Don't you know how to use a computer, Hikaru?"  Akira snapped back, his cheeks flushing at being reprimanded when it was this idiot who was at fault. "My flight was delayed I couldn't do anything about it but you could have checked online and figured it out! So don't blame me for your stupidity!"

            "I'm not stupid!" Hikaru shot back, a perplexed look on his face. "And I've never traveled on plane… how was I supposed to know about delays and…" He pouted. "You could have told me that I could see how your flight was going on the internet! It's still your fault and you were still late!" He paused, allowing himself to catch his breath. "Now you can't keep complaining about me being late all the time…"

            "I can't believe this." Akira muttered, shaking his head. His hand reached out and grabbed his eternal rival's hand, pulling him out of the elevator and eliciting a small sound of surprise at being handled like this. "Hikaru…" Akira almost had a pained look on his face as he tried to explain with a touch of exasperation how he had told the other boy all he had needed to know before he had left. "…why do you think I sent you that e-mail with my flight information? It was so you could be able to track my flight if you so needed to." He shook his head again, a slightly amused smile gracing his pale face. His warm hand unclasped Hikaru's and immediately the half bleached boy missed the touch. He was about to protest again when those serious green eyes snapped in his direction. So the argument that really wasn't an argument faded away and Hikaru was left to shiver as he waited for Akira to open the door to his apartment. The door was opened and Hikaru was waved inside. "Stay here, I'll get some clothes for you… baka." He left Hikaru blinking and realizing how cold he was. The warmth was a bit too much as it bit at his stiff hands, still that didn't do anything to lessen the feelings of relief that Akira's face had brought him. "Here. It'll be a bit big but… it should do. Bathroom is that door." He was handed a pile of clothes and towels by Akira who had just reappeared from another room. "I'll be in the kitchen making you some soup in hopes that you won't get sick."

            Minutes later, when he had cursed his hands for not working properly, a dry Hikaru made his way into the kitchen. At the table was a bowl of soup, a curl of steam rising from it, was waiting for him as well as Akira who sat at the table with his eyes closed. Quietly, Hikaru sat down.

            "Thank you…" The green eyes opened and looked at him strangely.

            "You're welcome."

Hikaru tried to wrap his fingers around the spoon, wincing as he did so because they hurt! And they were starting to feel itchy and… he made a face. So this hadn't been one of his brightest ideas but… he had just wanted to see Akira. That was all… he had wanted to know and had wanted to spend time with the other Go player. He'd missed him. The spoon clattered on the table and Akira sighed, getting up and moving so that he was sitting next to Hikaru. He took the spoon himself.

            "Oh god… no! No. No. And no. I've been humiliated too many times… Akira… no." The nineteen year old pro with the shoulder length hair ignored him as he dipped the spoon back into the soup. He also ignored the pout and the obstinate way Hikaru was holding himself, with his arm crossed against his chest and his head continuing to shake in a negative manner.

            "Open wide Hikaru." The smile that was on the pale boy's face made Hikaru's own face burn bright red.

            "This is not happening."

            "If you'd at least brought an umbrella and proper, warm clothes… it wouldn't be. Now open up… my arm is starting to hurt." With some more grumbling, Hikaru finally submitted to being fed and tried to keep his blushing down to a minimum to no avail. "Why did you wait so long, Hikaru? You could have at least taken a more appropriate shelter…" Akira's eyes were as usual, haunting in their depth as he held Hikaru's gaze. His tone was gentle though same with his movements as he continued to take care of the half frozen boy. Looking down at the soup bowl as if it somehow was now the most interesting object in the room, Hikaru clasped his itchy and still numb hands together in his lap. It was awhile before he could finally bring himself to answer.

            "I missed you." At first he was startled as he felt something wet make its way down his face. Then he was horrified, sure that it was a tear. To his surprise though it wasn't. He heard Akira sigh, moving away only to come back with a towel. Again with gentle hands he brought the towel to Hikaru's head and began to slowly dry the wet hair that Hikaru had forgotten to take care of in his hurry. The slight tugging at his hair was soothing and he relaxed under the ministrations.

            "Baka…" Akira whispered, letting the towel drop around Hikaru's shoulders when he was sure that the hair was as dry as he could make it.

            "…I know…" Another silence wrapped itself around the two, Akira picking the spoon back up and twirling the rest of the soup that was in the bowl, his eyes seeming far away, as if he was lost in his own thoughts. Hikaru was lost in his own emotions and thoughts. The initial relief dwindling down as he now waiting for something to happen…anything at all. He was also feeling foolish and a bit scared.

            "I've decided…" Akira started softly, startling Hikaru from his reverie. "…to stay in Japan for aw—" The young man never got to finish his sentence, gasping instead as the shorter of the two suddenly wrapped his arms around him, hugging Akira for the first time. With his face buried in Akira's chest, there was nothing left to wait for, nothing left to say. And a real smile touched his face for the time in days. The distance was gone, the walls were gone… and now they simply could be.

A/N- Oro… scratches head. Was that sappy and pointless or was it sappy and pointless? Shakes her head and laughs.

Hope you guys enjoyed this fic! I had fun writing it and it actually allowed me to meet some really nice people out there!!! Thank you for all the support that was given to me by Karen, Flame-spectre and many other reviewers. You guys are the best!