Timeline: During the start of training camp just before playing against the Australian team Big Waves. To those who have watched the anime, it's episode 71

My first Inazuma Eleven fic, yay! And since I'm simply head over heels in love with Kazemaru right now, this is Kazemaru centric, with Midorikawa in the spotlight as well, because he's just too cute to resist! ^_^

Warning: Heavy hinting towards shonen ai in the end. But can be read as a normal friendship fic too :)

"No practicing"

The words had led to shock that had soon evaporated and left only confusion and anger in its wake. And after spending a little time in his small room, a tiny feeling of claustrophobia was rising in Kazemaru. So After all their attempts to sneak out had failed, Kazemaru had opted to dribbling a ball in the tiny room that was his home until the camp ended (which wasn't for a while so he really needed to get used to the tiny room, no matter what).

After about two hours of dribbling the ball around while hitting himself more than a few ties on what little furniture his room had, Kazemaru sat on his bed, out of breath. His feet were screaming at him for not properly stretching them before starting his crazy attempt at running full speed around the tiny room. Kazemaru looked around the room and saw total chaos: He had tripped over his bag at one point, sending various things scattering on the floor and then he had bumped against his table, sending some paper sheets and more random stuff to the floor. Kazemaru smiled, all in all, it had been quite fun.

Sighing, Kazemaru got up and started cleaning the mess he had made. As he stacked the last of the papers lying on the floor, he heard a knock on his door. Kazemaru set the papers on his desk and went to open his door, wondering who it was.

"Yo!" Kazemaru blinked at the happy laid back greeting.

"Reize?"

"Midorikawa Ryuuji! Remember, I'm not an alien anymore!" Midorikawa said before he invited himself in by walking past Kazemaru and sitting on the chair next to the small desk. "You've been working out?" He asked, rising a green eyebrow while looking at Kazemaru's crumbled clothes and still slightly sweaty face.

"Of course not." Was Kazemaru's immediate answer.

"Yeah, me neither." They shared a look before both smiled at each other, seeing through each other's lies. "So, what did you do?"

"Ran around a bit with the ball, and you?" Kazemaru replied and started to stuff some things he had gathered on the bed from the floor back into his bag.

"Squats and other muscle building moves like that. You could really run in this cramped room?" Midorikawa asked as he leaned back on the chair, watching the other boy cleaning his room. Kazemaru nodded.

"Yes."

"Huh"

"…"

"…"

"…Was there something you needed?" Kazemaru asked as he put the last of his stuff away and shoved the bag underneath his bed.

"Uh no, not really. Just came to chat with you." Midorikawa answered the teal haired boy.

"Oh." Kazemaru sat on his bed and watched the ex-Aliea Academy boy who had now invaded his room. "About anything in particular?" He asked.

"No, I just thought I should get to really know you guys now that we're on the same team. Maybe I'd be able to prove to you all that I'm not all that bad of a guy either." Kazemaru smiled at the boy.

"Well, I'm really not the one to judge you about the meteorite fiasco." He said and looked out the window. He didn't really like admitting his past concerning the subject.

"Ah, yeah, I saw you from the TV." Kazemaru refused to even acknowledge the statement. They sat in silence for a while but it seemed that Midorikawa had decided to get Kazemaru speak about this subject with him. "It was really hard to resist wasn't it?" He asked as he looked at his hand. Kazemaru sighed and ran a hand through his bangs. Midorikawa shook his head "No, it was impossible to ignore its call. The power…It wasn't something one can ignore when it's shoved in your way"

"…Especially when you're afraid to fall behind" Kazemaru said and Midorikawa looked at the boy who had hung his head in defeat.

"You were afraid to fall behind?" Kazemaru turned to the other boy with a sad smile. He shook his head a little before answering:

"Well, not really. More like afraid of not being able to catch up with the others. I had long since fallen behind. I… I'm ashamed of myself. I gave up way too easily." Kazemaru hung his head once more.

"Yeah, I can relate, I was like that too." Midorikawa said and went to sit next to Kazemaru, who had looked up the second those words had escaped Midorikawa's mouth.

"Really?"

"Yeah. And all I got from it was the spot as a captain of Gemini Storm, the weakest of the teams. Boy was I pathetic. You on the other hand gave Endou and the others a run for their money after they had already beaten Hiroto and rest of the Genesis."

"And that's supposed to cheer me up? I cheated!" Kazemaru exclaimed in a rather laud voice.

"So did I but you did it much better! It annoys me! You showed me up in cheating!" Midorikawa yelled back. Kazemaru just shook his head.

"I refuse to get into a yelling match with you over something so stupid." He stated flatly.

"Look, I'm not looking for a fight either I'm just… I don't know, looking for someone to relate to, I guess. And I knew you had made the same mistake as I and I thought that maybe you were feeling just as guilty and stupid as I am. That's all."

Kazemaru looked at the boy next to him for a long time before smiling.

"Sorry. I guess I'm still in a bit of a denial over what happened. I hate to look at myself in the mirror… I'm just so ashamed…!" Kazemaru buried his head in his hands. "Gah!" Midorikawa looked at Kazemaru, knowing exactly how the other felt. Midorikawa placed a comforting hand on the other boy's shoulder.

"Yeah… Sounds exactly like how I felt when I went back home. It gets better you know."

"It does?" Kazemaru stared at Midorikawa with eyes that held a tiny amount of desperation. Midorikawa nodded.

"It does, as you grow stronger without the meteorite shard. When you finally realize that you can do these things without it. "Discontent is the first step in progress", they say." Kazemaru let out a great sigh and let his body fall to a laying position on the bed.

"That sounds so far off though…" He said. Midorikawa nodded.

"But you'll be able to do it. I did it. With time."

"And practice." Kazemaru said, sounding slightly bitter. Midorikawa laughed and shook his head.

"You Raimon students really love your practices. But yeah, it took a lot of work to get to where I'm now." Kazemaru didn't say anything. He was gazing out the window again at the sky that was now colored pink by the setting sun. Midorikawa looked at the slightly sullen boy, feeling the need to somehow to lighten the mood. It didn't take long for a mischievous smile to find its way to his lips. Midorikawa leaned slightly color to Kazemaru who eyed the other boy curiously.

"You know, I know of a way to simultaneously practice one's endurance, timing and precision. It can be done alone but it's much more beneficial and fun with two people." Kazemaru raised his eyebrow at the boy. "And it can be done in a small room too." Midorikawa added as an afterthought. "Huh, really. Tell me more." Kazemaru was more than little surprised when Midorikawa suddenly threw himself on all fours above him. Midorikawa leaned closer so he could whisper into the other boy's ear. "I'm talking of course about sex! Let's do it, Kazemaru!" As he said this, Midorikawa grabbed the teal haired youth's thigh. In the first second Kazemaru turned bright red in the face. On the second he could feel his eye twitch. As the third second passed by, Midorikawa found himself flung outside the room and the door slammed shut in his face. The green haired boy smirked and in spite of himself shouted "If you change your mind, I'll be in my room!" before he picked himself up from the floor and started towards his own room with a smile on his lips. On the other side of the door, Kazemaru was fighting the blush that still colored his face while shaking his head in disbelief. He had known that Midorikawa was just joking but there was a line as to what he could stomach and being told a joke like that while in a position like that… Kazemaru shook his head and then smiled. But it had been nice, talking to Midorikawa about the meteorite incident. The green haired boy seemed like a god guy after all.

"But you'll be able to do it. I did it"

The words rang in his head and his heart seemed to respond with a warm glow that slowly but surely drove out the dark still left inside him. Kazemaru stepped up to the window and looked out at the field. He'd be able to do this.

He was sure of it.

So, how'd you like this? Should I try for more or just quit before making the effort? Leave a comment and tell me! C'ya! ^_^

-Pureya