Sport

Author: Seth


"You never know how much you cherish those little games you played until they're gone." 

Wait for it… Ease a bit to the left. Wait for it… Bit more to the right… There, an opening! Easy… easy does it and… crap.

Dammit all he's tied it with a double knot again! He's been extra careful ever since that one time we fell in the Ginsei… It wasn't like I was going to lose it! Sheesh, he could have a little more confidence in me.

Fine, if that's the way it's going to be, then that's the way it's going to be.

"Ryuu, how's it going buddy~"

Ryuu didn't even have time to turn around before Nyo tackled him bodily from behind. Stumbling dangerously close to the edge of the bridge he had been walking along, it took the Ginsenkei soldier a Herculean effort to remain on his feet with his Kurohyoutai friend latched onto his shoulder.

"Tch, I thought I told you not to do that anymore." Ryuu muttered as he tried to pry Nyo's arm off his shoulder to no avail.

"Hey, no harm no foul, right?" Nyo grinned as he tightened his one armed hug.

"No harm?! Last time you pulled that stunt we ended up in the Ginsei and washed up a mile from Argenfluo! How is that no harm?" Ryuu growled, getting blue in the face. Whether it was due to his irritation, or to the fact that Nyo had quite unintentionally cut off his air supply he wasn't sure.

"Hey, we're both alive, so everything's fine!" Nyo laughed, finally releasing Ryuu. "So, whaddaya wanna do today?"

"I've just finished a mission Nyo, I need some sleep." Ryuu sighed. "Maybe in an hou-"

"Oh c'mon, a bit of fun won't kill you, live a little!" Nyo whined. "Geez, how joining a military organization managed to make you lazier than ever I'll never know." He put his hands on his hips and sighed, before perking up. "All right, well whatever, I'll meet you in the central market. See ya then!" The thief turned and set off deeper into the city, waving his hand behind him.

"Don't wait up!" Ryuu called after him and also turned his back to Nyo, setting out for the Argenfluo outskirts, but not after hearing the Lunar Corps soldier's parting words.

"Don't worry, I won't have to!"

Returning to his march over the bridge once more, Ryuu adjusted the sack flung over his shoulder, unconsciously turning Nyo's parting words over in his mind.

'Saying 'I won't have to'… it's almost as if he expects me to follow him…' Ryuu's eye twitched as a bead of sweat rolled down his brow. Reaching up to tug at the collar of his shirt, the young brunette paused.

"Should have known…" Ryuu groaned as he planted his face in his palm. Grumbling in annoyance, the soldier turned around and headed for the market, all hopes of catching a couple of z's abandonned.

Maybe he'd make some kind of lock for the thing someday, if only to keep himself from having to hunt down his friend every week or so.