Romeo & Romeo: University

"Ritsu! Where are you!?" Ritsu hid behind the book shelve as Kisa ran into the library. Ritsu covered his mouth as his hard breathing could be heard in the quiet library.

"He's not here Kisa!" Yoshino came running behind him out of breath trying to catch up to Kisa.

Kisa scowled. "He's going to be late!" Kisa looks left to right glaring at anyone who dared look at him.

"Leave him be, he's bound to turn up at the ceremony. He has no choice." Yoshino pulled an unwilling kisa away.

Ritsu waited as he heard the voices were slowing fading away. He signed a breath of relief. He had hoped that the University would be the one place where he could escape his home life.

That wasn't the case.

They followed him even here!

Ritsu groaned as he sat down in one of the chairs next to the window. His fingers raked his hair as he leaned back. He was next in line for the Onodera Publishing, that meant loads of protection from those who seeked to damage the Publishing in anyway.

Ritsu signed. He wished he wasn't an only child. Life was so hard because of it. He couldn't go anywhere without the gang following on his heels. His school life, dates, outings, and even in his own home! A person couldn't live in this kind of situation without someone breathing down his back every second of everyday.

Ritsu couldn't blame them though. Onodera Publishing and Marukawa Publishing were in a war with each other and there were many times when they send people out to mess with them.

Still…

He couldn't even hide in his own room! If he locked the door they would kick it down fearing that someone crept in his room and purposely locked it.

He needed his own apartment. He was old enough now, being twenty one he could work at a different Publishing to at least gain some experience before he spent the rest of his days running his old man's Publishing.

Though he did love them, he considered them family even, they didn't have to take their job so far! Ritsu groaned. That was why they were so overprotective, he was too nice. He knew that, but he couldn't help it, he didn't like to be mean. He cursed.

He instantly liked the small library. Desks were on the right with the window viewing the front University and its blossom trees as in the left were all the book shelves. He could spend the rest of his University years in this library.

Ritsu's head fell forward. He wanted a normal University life to explore the campus easily and meet new friends.

Ritsu glared. He wanted to destroy Marukawa Publishing for making his life almost a living hell.

Ritsu's head turned sharply at the sound of books falling. The man responsible hissed and quickly tried to pick them up. He must have not paid attention to where he was going and knocked down a small display of books. The man had dark black hair and strange gold-brown eyes; he looked like the type to be one of those bad boys he read a lot about.

Unable to just sit there and watch he got up and went over to him.

"Here…" Ritsu kneeled down and started picking up books and set them back on the display.

The man looked at him and hesitated.

"Masamune? Where did he go?"

"You're asking me?"

The man jumped. Curiously, Ritsu leaned back over the corner of the book shelve and looked to the direction of the door as the voices were getting louder. "Whose yell-" Ritsu yelped as the man suddenly grabbed him forward and covered his mouth.

"Shh…be quiet or they'll find us." The man looked through an opening between the books for a view of the doors.

Two men entered the library looking around frantically. "What are we doing?" Yukina said. "He wouldn't be here."

"True, but it's the only place we haven't looked." Hatori said looking around.

Yukina shook his head. "Lets go look atop the roof." The voices started fading away as they ran in a different direction.

With a sign he let Ritsu go. "Sorry, they been tailing me for hours now and I wanted some alone time."

Ritsu frowned. "You know them?" The man nodded feeling a little embarrassed. Ritsu chuckled. "I guess I'm not alone in that." The man frowned. "Ah, you see my friends don't leave me alone too."

The man's eyebrows shot up. "I guess this is where people like us tend to hide."

Ritsu shrugged. "I like reading so mostly you'll find me here even without my family haunting me down."

The man cocks his head, he hesitates again as if wondering if he should or shouldn't. "I guess I'll be here a lot too since they think I don't like to read. My name is Masamune by the way." Masamune goes back into picking up the remaining books left on the ground.

"Ah, Ritsu," Ritsu helps out. Finished Masamune heads to the seats Ritsu was sitting down earlier.

"Is this your first year?" Masamune asks as he took the seat across from Ritsu.

Ritsu nodded sitting down as well. "For this school yeah. Would have been here a year earlier but they wouldn't let me out until they reached the same grade as me. Practically locked me in my own room." Ritsu murmurs the last.

Masamune laughed, which seemed to startle him. "They're that over protective?" Ritsu nodded again, groaning as more memories similar to that came rushing through him. "Well I can relate they follow me everywhere, even in my own room." Masamune shook his head.

Ritsu winced. "We have a lot in common then."

Masamune smiled gently as if understanding. Both men were secretly happy to find a friend who wasn't in their 'family'. They would never admit that it was the first time they actually had a friend since the others were always scaring them away with their protective questioning.

Meaning a chair and ropes. The scaring for life type of ordeal.

"Let's not talk about them. You mentioned you liked to read?"

A few days later…

They were behind him. Damn it! If he entered the Library now they would see. Ritsu ran around the hallways for a while longer trying to lose them. Turning around the corner he concluded that he ran fast enough for them not to spot him enter the library.

As soon as he entered the doors a hand grabbed him to the side and covered his mouth which was perfect timing.

Kisa and Yoshino and a few other boys ran passed the library all yelling out Ritsu's name.

Masamune let go of him. He didn't get to see the boys who ran passed them since his eyes were solely on Ritsu.

"Thanks!" Ritsu gasped out hunching over.

Masamune smiled. "They almost had you." Masamune helps Ritsu to the chairs seeing the exhaustion on his face.

"I know…I couldn't let them see me entering the library so I ran longer." He sat in his chair leaning back to exhale loudly.

Masamune grinned. "You were hell of a runner I'll tell you that much." Ritsu chuckled.

They became fast friends since the first day. Both men were always waiting for the time when they could be in each other's company. Masamune never though he would be so happy in just by talking about things he loved.

Usually he would believe that people did kind gestures because they wanted something in return, but in the little days he knew Ritsu he found out that Ritsu was a kind-hearted person who wasn't like all the others.

One raining night Masamune lashed out on Ritsu because he was pissed that morning with his family and the gang. He instantly regretted it and concluded that he lost the only friend he had. He accepted it but it pained him which surprised him. He was about to head home when he saw Ritsu waiting for him with a spare umbrella.

Masamune instantly apologized and was surprised by Ritsu's easy forgiveness and understanding.

He never thought he would be so happy because someone seriously thought about him.

Same for Ritsu. Ritsu knew along the days that Masamune didn't like to talk with others that well, he was always careful and watchful. He also didn't smile or laugh as much but as days went by Masamune slowly let down his armor for only Ritsu to see. He was a caring man who in his own way did what was right for others.

They were opposites, with Ritsu showing his kindness and Masamune showing his kindness in his actions.

"So where are you going after school?" Masamune asks taking out a water bottle from his pack and giving it to Ritsu. He could see Ritsu wasn't much of an athlete.

"I thought I'd go to the bookstore. There's this magazine that's coming out today that I wanted to get." Ritsu thanks him for the water and ends up drinking the whole thing. Embarrassed he murmurs an apology.

"Don't worry about it, you deserved it." Masamune chuckled. "What kind of magazine?"

"A literary magazine."

"Is it 'Koharu Short Stories'?"

"Yes! I'm getting it for the series they started last month."

"By Akihiko Usami?"

"That's right! Are you reading it, too?"

"That author writes some unusual stories."

"They are great right?" Ritsu grinned.

Masamune smiled. "How about we go together?"

Ritsu's eyes widened. "What if we get caught by them?"

Masamune smirked. "It'll be fun to try to sneak passed them. Come on Ritsu, have you ever done anything daring in your life?"

Ritsu blushed. Masamune admitted he purposely poked at him to see that blush. He didn't know why but it made the man look cute in a way.

"Of course I have!" Masamune chuckled. He was also a bad at lying.

Ritsu was happy that they had English together, they sat next to each other and practically talked non-stop. Everyday he got to know about his new friend and every detail was both surprising and enjoyable.

They stayed a while longer when they knew many students would head home in the late afternoon, they hoped to hide themselves in the crowd and run out the gate knowing that the guys would think they were still in school.

"Alright then." Ritsu says as he gets up from the table. "Hopefully we don't get caught." Masamune nodded already standing up waiting for Ritsu. Ritsu was coming around the desk for his bag when Ritsu accidently fell against Masamune.

"Whoa there!" He grabs Ritsu in his arms before he fell face first to the ground.

Masamune's eyelids drop, Ritsu was so warm against him.

Ritsu blushes when he realizes he was actually enjoying how Masamune arms felt so good around him. He jerked back with a startled expression. "Ah, sorry! I must have tripped over the desk leg…"

Masamune looks away frowning a bit. What was that? His heart was beating so fast. "Don't worry about it."

Ritsu lectured his heart to calm down. He was sure Masamune could hear it.

Masamune looks outside the door to find students already walking out. "Ready?"

Ritsu nodded with determination. Masamune smiled, he loved how when Ritsu wanted to do something he was always stubborn to see it through.

They sneak out the door and were instantly swallowed by students trying to get out of the building. Masamune held Ritsu's hand as he guided them in the destruction of the crowed.

When they passed the doorway they ran, the front gate of the University in their sight.

"We're almost there!" Masamune yells out holding Ritsu's hand tighter.

Ritsu laughed. "This is crazy!" Masamune only grinned. He never wanted to be separated from Ritsu ever. He didn't know what he do without the man and how he was the only person out there to make him smile so much.

Masamune tightened his hold on Ritsu. Never.

His eyes widened. Was he in...?

As they were about to make it clear to the gate someone grabbed Masamune shirt and pulled him back causing Ritsu to fall down.

Yokozawa glared at Ritsu. "Takano, what are you doing with him!" He pointed at Ritsu.

Masamune scowled. "He's a friend of mine!" he went to reach for Ritsu to pull him up but a hand stopped him and shoved it away.

"Don't touch Onodera!" It was Kisa with the group behind him.

Takano froze upon hearing Ritsu's last name. They never had a chance to say it since they were so comfortable with first names.

"Kisa! Wait! He's my friend." Ritsu tried to calm Kisa down.

"Friend? Are you joking? That's Takano Masamune!" Kisa's disbelieving eyes fell on Ritsu.

Ritsu froze. Takano? From Marukawa Publishing?

Takano recognized the enemies of his father's Publishing.

Ritsu recognized the enemies of his father's Publishing.

Both Takano and Onodera looked at each other with wide eyes and a sense of growing dread.

We're enemies.

I would only upload more when I have extra time like the weekends. I decided to start this one because I had so much time on my hands today and I was used to writing everyday for you guys. XD So this came up as I was thinking how much I hate college and one of my assignments was about Romeo & Juliet XD

I don't know how they mixed but yeah! I hoped you'd enjoyed! Much love!