Kento is sitting in a bar in a small dance club, really nothing more than a hangout. He silently peels the label off a bottle of Heineken, letting the paper fall from his fingers in a perfect picture of utter boredom. From within the bar mirror he sees a flash of blue hair and he starts to rise, thinking Rowen gave up on his game and decided to come out tonight anyway.

But Rowen's reflection is holding the door for someone, his laugh silently lost in the din of the crowd. Kento sinks back to his seat in mild dejection.

Didn't know Rowen had a girlfriend. Man, she's hot, too...

The girl in question is a slender thing in a short, filmy, powder blue dress, fluttered hem caressing the tops of bowed white stockings. She leans up to murmur something in Rowen's ear as they walk in, one soft red curl brushing the archer's cheek.

Kento settles down, hoping to remain anonymous. He has no intention of interrupting Rowen's date or introducing himself as, "Hi, I'm Kento, I'm here with nobody and that's nothing new."

One more beer.

Kento tries not to sit and just watch them in the mirror but he can't help it. He wonders what color her eyes are, softened with eyeshadow and smiling at Rowen. Her ankle-strapped silver shoes glide one toe up the inside of Rowen's calf, under the table, frosted pink lower lip caught in white teeth: an innocent, dangerous smile. Rowen whispers something to her, closer than he needs to be, whatever it is makes her laugh and blush at the umbrella in her drink. His hand rests easily on the soft white skin between the top of her stocking and the slightly ridden up edge of her skirt, fingers slipping teasingly under the nylon and making her squirm and swat at him without anger.

Not fair. It's just not fair.

I wonder where he met her? He hasn't said a word. They've been together at least a little while, Rowen takes a good week or more to open up that much. And I know, damnit! We've been friends since before we were Troopers, the only ones who were! I can't believe he didn't tell me...

She gets to her feet, shining as light catches the glitter on her skin and her nails as she brushes her fingers over Rowen's cheeks. One hand teases the sterling navel ring that shows through the blue pothole mesh of his tank top. Her hips sway to the beat of the song that's playing, wanting to dance, pulling teasingly at Rowen until he goes to dance with her.

Man, she's got great legs. Great everything. Wonder what's behind that killer smile. Bet she's a lot more than red curls and lipgloss...best kind of trouble a boy can get into.

Kento lifts his bottle to his lips, realizing it's empty, and then debates the odds of him doing something really stupid if he has another.

Rowen, you lucky bastard. Don't blame you for keepin' quiet. I wouldn't tell me either.

Kento feels like a peeping tom just watching them dance. Rowen's denim clad thigh slides between her legs with such easy familiarity, his hand possessively on her hip, their bodies pressed tightly together in the crowd of dancers. Fluid motions are made jerky by the strobelight, the sound of people just a dim rumble under the music so that the scene looks like an eerie silent film. One second she's coquettish and teasing, the next her lips are just a breath from touching his. He tilts his head and surprises her with a kiss, his fingertips trailing down her spine. The motion of his jaw is enough to convey that this is no mere brushing of mouths, and lasts far too long to be unwanted. She pulls away with a startled laughing smile, shaking one finger at him in a 'no-no' sort of gesture, then tossing her arms around his neck and hugging him recklessly. Her hips push against Rowen's as he winks at her, taking her by the hand and leading her back to their table, his arm encircling her slender waist.

Screw it, Kento thinks.

He orders another.

Over his shoulder in the mirror Kento can see Rowen, the archer's face a distant comparison to Kento's as the warrior of Hardrock regards his image. Not bad looking, he knows. Square jaw, broad shoulders, that kinda thing. Not one of those girly guys that wear tight jeans, body glitter and little else in fashion mags. No, not Kento. Nice sense of humor, honor, not to mention being bloody loaded, so where was the problem? Besides the fact that apparently girls go for the pouty model type. He'd never look like Rowen, or any of the guys. Kento's eyes follow the narrow shape Rowen's body makes in the crushed velvet booth.

All of them look like that. Even Ryou, who is oblivious to it, slender and downright pretty, like the clean swift lines in a shojo manga. A katana blade, not a mace.

Kento is the cute one, the funny one, the reliable one. Never the ohmygodlookwhatjustwalkedin beautiful one.

He makes a disgruntled noise in his throat, irked at himself for the train of thought. Kento thumbs a few bills onto the bar and edges out, carefully unnoticed by the couple sharing drinks before another dance.

He shoves his hands in his pockets, heading back to the station. Back home to Mia's.

Some hours later Kento pauses the video game he was taking out his aggression on, trying to remember where he left his strategy guide for this level. Oh, yeah, he'd been reading it in Sai's room. He walks down the hall and raps once on the door as he opens it.

"Sorry to bug you Sai but I left my-" his voice dies as he sees a gauzy blue dress and bowed white stockings spilled on the bed. Sai is sitting by the window, toweling his shower-damp hair. His fingernails are still painted blue, with sparkles.

"Oh, yes, you left your book here before you went out." Sai rises and gives it too him, moving with a grace that Kento never noticed until it was in satin and hose. Now he wonders if he'll always see it, in every motion Sai makes. Sai sits back down on his bed, worrying at his nails with a q-tip. "Where'd you go, by the by? I do wish you'd waited. Rowen got to a saving spot and decided he wanted to go out anyway."

Kento just stares blankly at the dress and at his best friend, perched on his bedside working off nail enamel. "That.. that was YOU?" He sweeps up the filmy garment in one hand, stomach knotting unexpectedly at the soft smell of violets clinging to the folds. The fabric is still warm from her- from Sai's body, one sleek shoulder strap teasing his wrist.

Kento's mouth goes abrubtly dry.

"This is damnably hard to take off..." Sai discards one swab and douses another, busying himself with his other hand. "What? You were at Hijinks? Why didn't you come over and join us?"

Kento fights to control his breathing, not sure if it's the heavy acetone smell of cutex or the sensual curve of Sai's body that's making his chest tighten. He fears it's the latter, and not because of the memory of feminine masquerade.

Oh... no....

"Well?" Sai prompts blithely, blowing on his fingertips to evaporate polish remover. "What, didn't want to hang out with a friend in drag? It was Mia's idea... Keep people from hitting on us when we just wanted to dance. Well, less people anyway. "

Kento swallows, forcing himself to release the dress instead of clutching it to his chest like a holy relic. "I thought Rowen was on a DATE." He prays silently that the darkness in his tone will pass for annoyance, not what it really is.

You did admit to yourself that they were beautiful...

"You thought I was really a girl? Oh, what a SCREAM!" Sai leans his head back and laughs; his abdomen tightening and making the towel slide lower around his hips. "Honestly Kento, you never cease to amaze me." Sai hands a bottle of polish to Kento, tossing his head to get hair out of his eyes. The red-brown strand still clings stubbornly to its curl, despite being washed. "Here. Take this back to Mia with my thanks, would you? I want to launder the dress and things before sending them back to her. I do wish you'd come over, though. It would have been ever so much more fun with you. Rowen thought so too."

Kento nods, not trusting his voice just now. His heart seems thunderously loud to his own ears. His hand closes tightly on the small cosmetic item, as Sai eyes him worriedly. "Kento, you look a bit off, are you feeling okay?" Sai places his hand against Kento's forehead. "You're all flushed..."

The casual touch that was nothing before tonight is suddenly overwhelming. Kento bites his lip and backs off, exerting all his willpower to keep himself from acting on the impulses flashing warm and vivid through his mind. "Yah.. m'fine, s'nothin..." He turns and all but flees into the hall, escaping into his room and leaning against the shut door.

"No way. He's my best friend." Kento stares at the bottle of nail polish sparkling in his palm. Now he understands the kiss and the laughter that went with it, Rowen would like nothing more than cornering Sai into shock value. His heart aches at the memory of Rowen swirling his tongue in Sai's willing mouth, then burns with the thought of doing it himself.

He sinks limply to the floor when he realizes he has not dressed Sai as a girl for that dream sequence. His hands go shakily into his hair, wondering what sort of rollercoaster he has boarded, knowing that the bar is down and there's no way to leave now.

At least, he consoles himself with a bitter, bewildered laugh, now I know where to find a woman like that!

~owari~

by Tenshi no Korin
yoroiden samurai troopers
b i s h o n e n i n k