Disclaimer: Konomi-san dewa nai desu :D
Pairing: NiouxKirihara, YagyuuxNiou

Without Reason

by: yukuro

Niou Masaharu had always known Kirihara Akaya to be a prideful person who always strived to conquer his obstacles on his own and reluctant in asking for help. Perhaps that was why he was surprised when Kirihara asked him for assistance in training for tennis.

Niou's first thought as he gazed into Kirihara's serious green eyes was why the younger boy had chosen him and not Yanagi, who was at least somewhat close to him, or Sanada, who despite his unsociable exterior, really did care for Kirihara. Niou could imagine, although somewhat reluctantly, that both were better candidates than him when it came to tennis. It was difficult to understand the reason by himself, so he asked.

"Why are you asking me? Wouldn't Yanagi be a better choice?"

Kirihara's eyes softened for a moment before sharpening again and gazing down at the ground. Quietly, he muttered, "I don't want to trouble Yanagi-senpai more than I already do."

Even though he had been expecting an answer of that sort, Niou still felt surprised. Kirihara always looked tough and proud outside so it was easy to forget he was still only a child. It was easy to think he was void of emotions, so it was surprising to hear Kirihara openly express his concern for someone.

Then, even while unsure why, Niou agreed to help him.

Niou felt a bit strange as he trudged home after hours of practicing with Kirihara. It was his first time seeing the younger boy with such intensity and serious eyes. Although they had been on a team for quite a while already, Niou felt he was never particularly close to the boy.

Around school and out of it, Niou was always with Yagyuu and hardly had the slightest clue about what Kirihara was doing. He only even called the younger boy by his first name because everyone else did. It was a habit. Then why now all of a sudden did he feel such arbitrary empathy for his younger teammate; almost as if he had known him better than anyone else?

"You're getting home late today."

When Niou looked up to respond, he realized he was standing outside of his home already and Yagyuu was waiting for him outside. Running a hand through his hair lazily, Niou shrugged at his partner. "I was playing tennis for a while with Akaya."

Yagyuu faintly raised an eyebrow as he uncrossed his arms. Adjusting his glasses, he asked quietly, "Kirihara-kun? What's the explanation for your sudden friendliness?"

Shrugging, Niou pushed the door of his empty house open to step inside and slip his shoes off. Dragging himself up to his room with Yagyuu following, Niou muttered, "I don't know. The kid just suddenly asked me for help. I guess I could have just shrugged him off, but…"

Closing the door softly behind him as Niou threw himself on his bed, Yagyuu remained silent as he tried to understand Niou's answer. A similar curious thought of Niou's occurred to Yagyuu as well. "Why didn't he ask Yanagi instead?"

"Said he doesn't want to trouble Yanagi more than he already does," Niou replied carelessly, his voice partially muffled in his pillow. "…you understand what that means, right?"

"Of course," Yagyuu replied simply, approaching the other boy's bed to sit on the edge. He gazed down at his doubles partner when he flipped around to face him. "Does it bother you so much that Kirihara-kun likes Yanagi?"

Niou suddenly scoffed, his rough character returning at once. "Why the hell would it bother me?" he asked, lifting his hands to removing Yagyuu's glasses. Gazing into his partner's sharp eyes, Niou smirked. "I'm not quite so compassionate."

"You always did like things rough," Yagyuu commented vaguely, retrieving his glasses from Niou and placing them on the nightstand before he leaned over the other boy with a somewhat wicked smirk, "didn't you, Niou-kun?"

They kissed roughly and made love like always, and Niou thought nothing more of Kirihara. There was really nothing more to think of on the matter, and Niou hated getting too attached to other people's personal matters. Although, that did not explain why he even thought about it in the first place. Even if he wanted to further indulge upon the reasons why, one look from Yagyuu's possessive eyes and Niou would forget everything else.

At school the next day, Niou felt like himself again. Playing tricks, teasing his teammates, and having Sanada yell at him every ten minutes was just the way he always acted. Smirking after pulling another prank, Niou sat back on the benches to get some water. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Kirihara with Sanada. Curious, he strained his ear to hear what they were saying.

"You look pale this morning," Sanada was saying, masking his concern with his stony exterior. "Have you been getting enough sleep at night?"

"Haaaiii," Kirihara sighed in response, dragging out his words slightly. Unconsciously contradicting his response, he let out a yawn, which he tried to stifle by placing his hand over his mouth as Sanada raised an eyebrow.

From where he was eavesdropping, Niou felt his smirk widen slightly. He wanted to laugh, but that would have made his eavesdropping a bit too obvious. At that point, he could not help but think Kirihara was cute.

"Good morning, Genichirou, Akaya," Yanagi greeted as he stepped out of the clubhouse to meet them.

Niou continued to watch out of the corner of his eye as Kirihara politely paid his respects to his senpai before immediately separating himself from Yanagi. Both Sanada and Yanagi stood, puzzled by the younger boy's sudden departure, but Niou found himself frowning.

"It's not like you to care so much."

Niou stiffened before turning around to face Yagyuu, who was musingly watching Sanada speak with Yanagi. "What are you talking about?"

"With all your sudden concern for Kirihara-kun, I wonder if you've suddenly become a wonderful senpai or if I should be jealous," Yagyuu stated passively with little to no emotions on his face. "Hmm, Niou-kun?"

"Quit saying stupid things, Yagyuu," Niou scowled gruffly, turning his gaze away from Kirihara sitting alone on a bench on the other side of the court. "I don't care about anything he's doing. Why should I?"

"Good," Yagyuu said simply, standing up to return to practice. For a moment, the sun shone on his glasses in a strange direction and Niou could see Yagyuu's possessive eyes again that he had always found attractive. "I can't have you ditching me for someone else, now can I, Niou-kun?"

Watching his partner go, Niou smirked before laughing slightly. He found it ironic that while Yagyuu was always calm and gentleman-like, he was also the most violent person there was as well. That only made Niou want him more and more. Even so, there was still a faint thought of Kirihara in the very back of his mind, even if he did not know the reason why.

On the other side of the court, Kirihara was sitting on a bench, absent-mindedly adjusting his racquet strings when Yanagi suddenly came to sit beside him. The second year temporarily froze, unsure of what to do. His fingers shook slightly as he made the hard strings crack loudly.

"Akaya," Yanagi began, sounding concerned. "I talked to Genichirou a bit just now and I know he's worried about you, even if he doesn't like to admit it. I have to admit, I'm a bit concerned as well. Is there anything that's bothering you?"

Swallowing away his awkward feelings, Kirihara shrugged, hoping he looked as if he did not care. "Not really, Yanagi-senpai. There's not really much to be worried about."

Yanagi frowned slightly in concern for a moment at the younger boy. "Akaya…"

"It's nothing," Kirihara reiterated himself, this time a bit more firmly. "I've…just been practicing more lately so I'm a little tired. That's all."

Sighing slightly, Yanagi gave up. Standing up, he placed his hand on the younger boy's shoulder. "If there's anything you ever need to talk about, just come to me, ok?"

Kirihara lowered his head to hide his faint blush. Quietly, he muttered, "Yes, senpai."

As Yanagi stepped away again, Kirihara continued to sit by himself, loosely holding onto his racquet handle. His head was still lowered, but when he brought it back up again, he had stripped it of emotions. The last thing he wanted was for everyone to find out his awkward feelings.

"What am I supposed to do, senpai," he muttered to himself as he stared out at the courts, "when the problem I need to talk about is all about you?"

--- ---

Niou and Kirihara practiced with each other more and more often after regular practice. When they were not playing tennis, they found themselves confiding in each other more, speaking of random things here and there in a friendly manner. Soon, Niou had finally figured they were technically close enough for him to ask the thing that had always been bothering him.

"What happened?"

Kirihara was buttoning up his shirt after changing when Niou asked suddenly. Expression completely indifferent, he asked, "What happened to what?"

"You and Yanagi," Niou asked bluntly. He always thought extra talk was just wasting time with useless conversation. "I thought you two were pretty close before. You've been ignoring him for a while now. What happened?"

"I saw Yanagi-senpai kissing someone," Kirihara replied simply. While his face and voice pretended he was unfazed by it, his hands shook slightly. "That tall third year regular from Seigaku's tennis club with glasses came here a while ago."

"That's a pretty stupid reason for ignoring someone," Niou commented, a frown set lightly on his face as he continued to watch the younger boy get dressed back into his school clothes.

"Not just that really," Kirihara said with a slight scowl. "I'm not that childish."

"So why then?" Niou continued to ask. He was unaware of why he wanted to know so badly, but continued to ask anyway.

Kirihara closed his eyes as he resumed getting dressed. "I was practicing with Yanagi-senpai that day when his friend came. Yanagi-senpai was really happy to see him, but since I was there, he couldn't just leave. So they went into the clubroom while I was practicing my serve. After a while, I finished and picked up all the balls, but they still weren't back. So I went up to look for them…."

Niou frowned when Kirihara's face turned red from the memory. The younger boy looked so passive, but Niou could imagine Kirihara's shock the first time. "What? You saw them kissing?"

Kirihara's face burned brighter at the memory of what he had seen. Squeezing his eyes shut, he let out a whisper, "Much more than that."

"What's wrong, Renji? You're not very cooperative today, are you?"

"Aah… I can't believe this…in a place like this… Sadaharu, Akaya is…"

"You can never do much when Kirihara-kun is around, can you, Renji? You're such a good senpai."

Feeling his shoulders begin to shake, partly from the memory and partly from the cold, Kirihara squeezed his eyes shut tighter, wishing the pain away. His eyes snapped open when he felt a hand on top of his head and the weight of a coat being spread across his shoulders.

Niou remained silent even when those piercing green eyes turned to look up at him with confusion. He rubbed the top of the younger boy's head as a form of comfort as he draped his school jacket around Kirihara's shoulders. Quietly, he muttered sincerely before walking away, "Sorry for asking."

The older boy could feel Kirihara's green eyes on him as he walked away without explanation, but he continued anyway. He had to leave because his emotions were beginning to get out of hand. As Kirihara spoke, he felt himself growing angry with Yanagi. What was the reason though? Why did he feel this way?

He had to admit, the more they practiced together, the more Niou found Kirihara to be cute. Whenever Kirihara would play a tennis match, Niou would feel proud of him as he watched from the side and feel jealous at the way Kirihara would smile softly and shine with happiness whenever Yanagi smiled down at him kindly. Then even though he had Yagyuu to give him any pleasure he wanted, Niou still could not help but want to touch Kirihara. He wished he could blame it all on lust, but somehow that did not feel like the reason. It only worsened the situation that he could not understand why.

Niou continued to trudge slowly, letting his feet carry him away without thinking. He stared down at his feet as he walked, trying to bury those annoying emotions that he had learned to hate so much. Before he realized where he was, he was ringing a doorbell and Yagyuu appeared before him.

"Niou-kun?" Yagyuu said in surprise when he opened the door. His doubles partner looked indescribable. Yagyuu did not know what to say. "What are you doing here? Is something wrong?"

Without saying a word, Niou rose up to his toes to let his lips crash into Yagyuu's. Ignoring the other boy's mother's voice ring out from the kitchen, Niou kissed harder. Finally releasing his lips, he muttered with little emotion, "Let me spend the night, Yagyuu."

"Hiroshi, who's at the door?"

Yagyuu's eyebrows furrowed slightly at his partner before calling over his shoulder at his mother, "Just a friend from the tennis club. Is it alright if he spends the night?"

"Of course," his mother replied cheerfully, not suspecting anything at all. Her son, after all, was the perfect gentleman that could be completely trusted. At least, that was what she assumed. "I'll set up an extra futon in your room for you."

"Thanks," Yagyuu barely muttered the reply as he brought his hands up to Niou's shoulders. It was unlike Niou to be so clingy and somehow Yagyuu felt suspicious of something. But that was something he could not quite explain.

It was not until they were both lodged into Yagyuu's room late at night with the door shut tight did Yagyuu begin to question his partner. Watching his partner sit down on the bed, Yagyuu folded his arms, "What's wrong, Niou-kun? Are you running away from home?"

"Not a chance," Niou muttered, falling back onto the bed as if it was his own. "I'm not even sure why I ended up here. Are you going to kick me out?"

"It's a bit late for that," Yagyuu replied rather dryly, adjusting his glasses as he approached his partner lying on the bed. Taking a seat at the edge of the bed, Yagyuu glanced over his shoulder at the other boy. "Should I even ask why you wanted to spend the night?"

Sitting up, Niou's eyes narrowed slightly before leaning closer to his partner. "Shut up," he muttered, removing the other boy's glasses from his face as he felt hands roaming up his shirt. "It's not like you were eager to kick me out either."

"I'd never do such a thing to you," Yagyuu muttered with a slight smirk and a hint of mischievousness in his usually hidden eyes. "Who am I to deny you when you're in need?"

Throughout the night, Niou closed his eyes as he let Yagyuu have his way with him. He let his partner do whatever he wanted, but within in his mind, Niou was distracted. In his mind, he was kissing Kirihara's pouting lips that made him look so childish and cute. Those green eyes were clouded with lust as the younger boy's body withered beneath him. Ecstasy was on his face, and when he opened his mouth he would call out…

"Yanagi-senpai…"

Niou's eyes snapped open immediately. He gasped in surprise when Yagyuu nipped at his neck, but within his mind, he was disturbed. Somehow, even in his dreams, he could not have that green-eyed boy he wanted so much. It was pathetic for him.

"Distracted?" Yagyuu muttered, eyes gleaming as he stared up at Niou's disappointed expression. "Or are you unhappy?"

Squeezing his eyes shut for a moment, Niou wished away all those hateful feelings and tried to focus on the person before him. "No," he muttered in reply, leaning up with a bit more passion. "But maybe you should work harder."

"If that's what you want."

Even after he told himself to focus on Yagyuu only, Niou could still picture his mental dream illusion of Kirihara beneath him.

--- ---

When Niou's vibrating cell phone woke him up in the morning, Yagyuu was already up and half dressed. Hair terribly mussed and his body aching, Niou reluctantly answered the phone in a disgruntled manner. Groggily, he answered, "What?"

"Niou-senpai, sorry to wake you. It's Kirihara."

"Akaya?" Niou asked with more interest, voice clearing up significantly. Sitting up in bed, Niou ran a hand through his messy hair, shooting Yagyuu a look when the other boy raised his eyebrow. "Don't worry about it, Akaya. I should be the one apologizing after I just left you out there by yourself yesterday. Did you get home alright?"

"Yes," came the voice from the other line. "Sanada-san came by just after you left by coincidence, so he walked me home to make sure I would be alright."

"That's nice of him," Niou muttered, somewhat surprised. He had never seen Sanada show any compassion to anyone other than Yukimura and maybe sometimes Yanagi. "Well then… Is there anything you need?"

"Kind of," the younger boy answered, his voice sounding oddly soft-spoken. "Are you busy today?"

"No," Niou responded, ignoring Yagyuu's burning gaze on the side of his neck. "Do you want to practice again today? It's Sunday, so there's no school. I guess we can play as long as you want."

"Thanks, senpai," Kirihara said gratefully through the phone. "Sorry to be a bother."

"It's ok, Akaya," Niou replied at once. "I'll see you then."

"So that's whom you were dreaming about last night," Yagyuu muttered into the other boy's ear the moment the phone was disconnected.

Niou said nothing in reply and instead threw a pillow at Yagyuu's face. Hopping up, he quickly dressed himself. Just as he finished putting his pants on, arms rounded his waist from behind and lightly fingered his stomach. Niou stiffened slightly.

"It's odd for you to be up so early on a Sunday," Yagyuu commented, drawing his hands back once he had his partner's attention. "But I suppose it doesn't matter to you anymore."

"Don't say stupid things," Niou mumbled as he finished getting dressed and tied his hair back. "I'm just going to play tennis with Akaya."

"Niou-kun," Yagyuu began as the other boy headed towards the door, little emotion in his words, "tell me, what's the reason you like Kirihara-kun?"

Pausing at the door, Niou thought about this question for a moment. It was unexplainable. He did not know why he always thought about the younger boy or why he always wanted to be with him longer. That was just the way he felt.

Closing his eyes, he muttered a response, "I don't have a reason."

"To like someone without reason," Yagyuu began seriously, eyes on Niou's back. They held little to no commitment to each other when they messed around, but they were still partners. "You do know what that means, don't you?"

Unable to answer, Niou stepped out of the room and closed the door behind him.

There was no reason why he would do things for that person, no reason he would do anything for that person. There was no reason for why he wanted to keep that person close and no reason for the jealousy he felt whenever that person smiled his devilish smile for someone else. There was no explanation for it all, and that was just the way it was.

By the time Niou got to the tennis courts, Kirihara was already practicing alone. The younger boy looked up when his senpai appeared and with a wipe of his forehead, stepped off the court to greet him. "Sorry to bother you again, Niou-senpai."

Niou had no response. As he looked down at those devil-like green eyes, he could only replay his dream over and over again in his head. Then, without reason again, he reached out and lifted the younger boy's chin. Slowly, he leaned forward and pressed their lips together. Slowly, softly, treating the younger boy as a delicate, fragile object made of perfectly sculpted glass; the complete opposite of the way he kissed Yagyuu.

"Niou-senpai…what are you doing?"

Snapped out of his trance, Niou blinked and looked down at the younger boy. Kirihara seemed unfazed by the kiss. He had felt nothing while Niou felt as he if was gambling everything in one shot. Despite his raging emotions, Niou pressed his trademark evil grin onto his face.

"Nothing!" he called out in a carefree manner, despite the stab in his chest. He laughed out loud. "Just messing around as always! Let's play then, Akaya."

"Hai, senpai."

To like someone without reason is "love" is it not?

Owari.

--- --- ---

A/N: I believe my thoughts as I was writing this were, "Oh my god, I just broke up Yagyuu and Niou!" XD

Actually, I wrote this a long time ago and kept forgetting to post it. I mean, I thought I did, but apparently I didn't. How stupid of me. Anyway, I may have mischaracterized Niou and Kirihara. I was trying to make them seem more mature and probably did not do a very good job x.x;

I like this pairing though. Of course, I pretty much like every pairing there is, but I'm just not talented to write for them all. Lol.

Thanks for reading!