Title:Ruining the System

Pairing: TsumexToboe

Summary: Toboe ruins the system. Tsume explains it to him. A short, fluffy spoof on how the wolves interact.

Rating: PG-13 for kissage and the F word. 

Authors notes: I just saw my first episode of Wolve's Rain tonight,  which was  "Fallen Wolf," and I just happened to notice that every time there was  a  weird silence or something, Kiba would walk away first, followed by  Tsume,  followed by Toboe. Hige said goofy stuff. I just got an idea about  there being a  system, and this a just a romantic take on what that system is like,  based on what  I got from the one episode I've seen. Kukuku, Toboe is the cutest thing  I've  ever seen!  Disclaimer: Nope. I have a taped episode, but that's as far as it goes,  I  swear! 

Read on...readers. Eh... 

-Ruining the System- 

As always, a slightly uncomfortable silence filled the air, wrapping  around  the four boys sitting on a hill. Toboe was the first to notice it, and  turned  worried brown eyes to Kiba.

He was ready for Kiba to stand and walk  casually  away like he always did.  

Kiba was always the first to walk away, followed inevitably by Tsume.   It was almost as if there was a system--but that was preposterous!  Someone  would have surely told Toboe; he was confident Hige or Tsume would have  brought  it up.  

Kiba hadn't yet moved, and to be quite honest, Toboe didn't want him  to. He  wanted to be the one to walk away first for once. Maybe Tsume would  chase after  him and grab him by the arm to drag him back to the group. It made  Toboe  blush to think of Tsume touching him anywhere, even if it was on the  arm. Just for  a touch, it would be worth it to walk away first.  

As much as he hated to admit me, Toboe was afraid to depart from the  pack  first. What if he did it wrong? What if he was supposed to count to a  certain  number before getting up? There was probably a special walk, even!  

Toboe was feeling daring, though. It excited him to think that maybe  they  pack would look at him as more than just a child for once, that Tsume  would just look at him period.

With a rush of adrenaline, Toboe stood. He was  disappointed to see that none of his companions had turned to see what  he was doing.  Still, he wouldn't be deterred from his goal! With a self-assured  smile, Toboe  spun on his heel, slipped his hands into his pockets, and walked away.  

He didn't get very far, since it was so cold. There was a frozen pond  fairly  close to where the others were. He chose a dirty spot, with a few  blades of  grass to sit at. Toboe sat and waited. If Kiba hadn't walked away yet,  followed by  Tsume, he was sure they were all laughing at him! Hige was probably  playing  idly with the grass, asking, "What the hell is his problem?"  

Sadly, he pulled a clump of dirt from the ground and threw it at the  hard  surface of the pond. After a few angry dirt pitches, Toboe settled for  throwing  pebbles at the pond and watching them slide across slowly. He hadn't  yet given  up hope--someone had to have followed him!  

After a few seconds, it seemed Toboe's logic was broken, and he  wondered if  he could swallow his pride and return to his pack. Without a doubt Hige  would  find plentiful amounts of humor in the situation. Ugh.  

The pebbles made a melodic sound as they clinked on the ice. Toboe  could see  himself throwing pebbles for a few more hours. He would tell his pack  he had  smelt something and went to check it out.  

"I don't think you can skip stones on a frozen pond," a deep voice said  behind him.  

Toboe blushed and stared at the ground. Great, he thought, now Tsume  will  think I'm stupid! In an embarrassed voice, he replied, "I know that." 

To his shock, the leather-clad wolf sat beside him, eyes fixed straight  ahead. "I think you turned Kiba's world upside down when you left. You  completely  fucked up the system."  

He had to be joking. Toboe's mouth was dry. "System?"  

Soft brown eyes widened inquisitively, a sight that made Tsume almost  want to  smile. Almost being the key word. "I guess you don't know about it  since  you're so young," he said haughtily.   

Toboe pointed an accusatory blade of grass at Tsume. "You're lying!"   Tsume glanced at the younger boy in amusement. "No, there is a system.  All  wolves live by it. The second most important thing is walking away from  a pack.  Not just any wolf can walk away."  

Oh. Oh! Toboe's jaw dropped. "There-there really is a system?"  Hysterically  he cried, " And I ruined it!"   Solemnly, Tsume stared ahead once more. "Nah. Today will just be the day  for  ruining the system. It's amusing seeing Kiba get so riled up."  

A chuckle bubbled up Toboe's throat, but he simply had to ask about  what  Tsume had said before. "What is the most important part of the system?"  

"Mating, of course." 

Blood filled the younger boys pale cheeks. "I--mating?"  

"Yeah. Like, finding the right female, wherein the system comes into  play."  

"And..." Toboe tried to ask the right way, but felt the words tumbling  out of  his mouth, "If I don't want a female?"  

Tsume's eyes widened for a split second, before he calmly replied,  "Then  you've really fucked up the system."  

"So today it's okay to ruin the system?"   Tsume turned to ask just what Toboe meant by that, and found a small  pair  of lips pressing against his. Oh. Well, that made sense.

Toboe pulled  away and  gazed shyly at the ground. "I guess I really fu--messed up the system,  huh,  Tsume?"  

Breath. Tsume had to remember to breath. Why in the hell had the boy  kissed  him? Not that he was complaining, but why in the hell had the kid  kissed him!?  "Huh, Tsume?" Tsume looked into the naive eyes of Toboe. Such  a cute  kid,  wasting his feelings on Tsume. Well, it wasn't really wasting it they  were  returned... 

Crestfallen was the only way to describe how Toboe felt. Doubtlessly,  Tsume  would act even colder towards him from now on. He averted his eyes,  missing it  completely as Tsume dove forward.  

"I'm sorry Tsu--" A rough kiss was offered suddenly, much to the  surprise of  Toboe. Who wouldn't be surprised?  

Their second kiss lasted a bite longer, and Tsume could feel Toboe  smiling  into it. When he pulled away, he took one look at the kiss-swollen lips  and  said, "We fucked up the system, kid. Joint effort." 

Toboe bristled slightly at being referred to as a kid. He pushed away  the  anger, though, and simply scooted closer to the older wolf. "Tsume?"  

"Yeah?"  

"Can we ruin the system again tomorrow?"  

His answer was another kiss, which Toboe decided to take as a yes.  

He really needed to ruin the system more often.  

-END-  

Oh, god, how much did that suck? This certainly isn't one of my best  works. I  could have made it longer, but then I think the effect would have been  lost. 

Nods wisely most definitely lost.  

AND NOW FOR...

The Review Anecdote: I was scrolling through my e-mails the other day,  when  I stumbled upon a review. Well, it said it was a review. To my complete  and  utter shock, it was a flame. Now, such things don't offend me, they  just make me  ponder. I wondered why there isn't a button to click at the bottom that  says,  'Leave a flame for so-and-so.' Then, with a giggle at the absurdity of  the  thought, I realized that such a button would take away the element of  surprise.  Oh, and I do so love surprises.  So, surprise me already. Click!