"I can't believe I let you drag me to this."

"Most girls wouldn't complain."

"Yea, but if I were 'most girls', you wouldn't set foot near me."

"This is true. Now shh, you made me miss the last play."

Aya Fujimiya groaned lightly in exasperation and flomped onto her seat in the large soccer stadium. She really couldn't remember why she had let her brother drag her to this barbaric display of testosterone and misguided masculinity that was a soccer game.

She supposed it could be worse. It could be a game of rugby or American football.

"Why am I here again?" she asked, poking the teenage male in the side to get his attention.

Pulling down his pocket pair of binoculars from his sparkling violet eyes, Ran just smirked softly at his younger sister. "You know the answer to that."

Oh right, she realized, that smirk reminding her all too well. How could she forget? Simply put, she owed him an outing. He had accompanied her last weekend to a ballet performance by an all-female troupe. It was an evening that provided her with as much eye candy as this afternoon was providing to Ran.

The Fujimiyas were a rather odd pair of siblings. They had both realized at young ages that the opposite sex held no mystery or appeal for them. When they'd gotten the nerve to tell one another, both had been relieved to have the other's approval. They knew their parents would never so easily accept and approve of their children's homosexuality.

And so began the complex game of covering for one another and being coconspirators, helping each other to hide the truth from their parents so they wouldn't be disowned. They went on double dates, their parents assuming that the boy was Aya's date and the girl was Ran's, when in truth it was vice versa. Their dates thought it was a bit strange, but understood and didn't care when the double date split off into solo one-on-one sessions.

They knew they couldn't hide the truth forever, but they'd both decided to figure out what to do when they were older and more certain of their sexual path. Neither wanted to have their parents ashamed of them for what could be a passing fancy. They highly doubted it was, but who knew. The teenage years were quite full of confusion and rebellion, and homosexuality being quite taboo could be calling to that rebelling urge.

As the girl sighed, dark cobalt blue irises swept over the field. Actually too bad it wasn't American football, then she could ogle the cheerleaders.

Instead she just cast a look over the field, over the sweaty running players chasing after a little ball and shook her head. "Really, I don't see what you see in guys. They're such showoffs. And their bodies..."

Purring quietly as he watched the game, it was obvious Ran had complaints on the male anatomy. "What about it?"

"It's so... weird. All bulky, and stinky--"

"It is not stinky, I assure you."

"--and bony--"

"It's nice when it's... bone-y."

"--and flat. And just weird looking when naked. It's really a wonder the same being made both male and female forms."

"Tsk," Ran chided her with a soft click of his tongue. "You have no appreciation of beauty. The male body is a work of art. Look at David."

"Give me the Venus de Milo, thank you very much."

Ran just shrugged softly and gazed over at a group of girls watching the game. "The female form is nice, but too... curvy and squishy for me. Be nice as a soft pillow to curl to, but for the real fun in bed, I'll take a man with all his bulk. And the boniness too, very happily." Grinning slightly, Ran lifted his binoculars and again and searched the field, sighing softly when he found his visual target.

"Why are we here?"

"One very simple, lovely reason."

Oh she should have known. She was rather ashamed she didn't guess earlier. She took another look again, noting just how intently her brother had those binoculars up to his eyes, moving them slightly to follow every move of some certain player. He was lusting. He was lusting bad. "You slut. Which one, lemme see."

Reluctantly, Ran handed over the binoculars, his eyes still not moving off the field. "The goalie."

"Which?"

"Like I'd be this gone over some foreigner. Japan's."

Taking the binoculars, Aya held them up to her eyes and adjusted the distance between the eyepieces and the focus. Looking at the field, she eventually sought out the male's object of affection and giggled slightly. "He's scrawny!"

"He is not," Ran muttered and snatched the optical devices back. "He's new to the team, but not new to the sport. He just has a more compact build."

"You pedophile. You're lusting over a kid. A celebrity kid at that."

"I am not a pedophile. He's just a few years younger than me. Hell he's older than you are." Adjusting the settings back to how he'd had them, he shrugged faintly. "Like it even matters who I lust over. Like you said, he's a celebrity. He's Japan's rising star, so I have no chance with him. Hard to if I can never even meet him. But he's still amazing to watch. I hear he just signed a small promotional deal with Gatorade."

"More posters for you to keep in my room and tell okaasan and otousan they're mine."

"You know it. Can't risk them seeing me drooling over them in my room."

"Lots of boys have sports posters."

"Yes, but most boys have team posters. I wouldn't want them to ever notice all of my posters fixate on one athlete, and I usually try to pick the most... provocative poses that make my fantasizing easy." Glancing over at the girl, he rolled a shoulder in a light shrug. "You know me. I'm paranoid about all of my habits and their second guessing."

"I know."

"I'm also helping you out. And think about it," he said, already starting to subtly raise up a hand in defense, "if you ever stop being a dyke, you already have some nice eye candy."

"Ugh! Don't call me that!" the girl said in a light huff, fwapping him upside his unprotected arm (he'd been guarding his head). He was the only one though who could ever call her that without being smacked upside the head with her purse or umbrella or anything else in hand. Tossing back her hair over her shoulder, she hmphed softly and smoothed out her soft blouse. "I happen to be a lipstick lesbian, I'll have you know."

"One of the very few true ones," he said with a faint smile, reaching over to ruffle the girl's hair lightly.

"Mm hmm!" Aya agreed with a soft chirp, swatting away his hand from her hair though the wind in the stands had tousled it far more than his touch throughout the game half. Smoothing it down, she leaned lightly against the man's shoulder and yawned lightly, letting her eyes rove over to the group of girls Ran had eyed a few moments ago. "You could always keep the smaller ones in your locker at school."

"Hmm," the male pondered and nodded faintly. "True." His words were followed by a soft chuckle and a smirk. "But I'd have to stop by my locker less frequently. I couldn't be running to the bathroom before every class after going by there." Looking over at the girl, he gave her a light grin, a lusty light twinkling in his eye to let her know, if she had any doubts, just why he'd be running to the bathroom.

"Ew!" Jerking away from him, she smacked him lightly on the chest and crossed her arms over her own chest. "Ecchi."

"Only to you."

"And Youji. I'm so privileged."

"You are."

"Right."

"Glad we agree." Feeling the victor of that little spat as the girl just hmphed lightly in response with a mighty eye roll, Ran turned his attention back to the game. Mainly back to one certain member of the team. As he continued watching the game, it was hard not to notice the slow but steady change that came over the general sound of the audience in the stadium. The other side started cheering, the clapping and yelling growing louder as the seconds went by. The side of the stadium he was currently seated in, cheering on Japan's team, all inhaled almost a simultaneous breath before holding it. In his zoomed in view, he noticed the chestnut haired object of his lust crouching low and almost instantly he dropped the binoculars to hang about his neck, wanting to see the entire field for this.

"Finally!" he said almost in a low purr, leaning forward and drumming his fingers on his legs expectantly.

"Wha?" Aya asked calmly, not even looking up from filing her nails.

Ran didn't even need to look over to her to know what she was doing by her bored tone. A good thing too, because he wasn't about to take his eyes off the game. "The other team got through Japan's defenses. Time to see Ken in action."

"Oh so that's his name," Aya said and looked up from her manicured nails, staring down at the field. "Um. He's not doing anything."

Ran just waved his hand lightly at the girl and shook his head, not bothering to waste his time explaining the game to her. Instead he just stayed focused on the game, watching the other team's center forward cut his way across the bright green field, the checkered ball bouncing between his feet along the ground to keep it from other players, and then passed it back to one of his teammates running behind him. Ran had to hand it to the other team; they did play quite well together... but they weren't the one he was cheering for.

The two passed it back and forth a few times as they approached the goal box, seeming to be trying to take advantage of just how new to the game of pro soccer Japan's goalie was, and make him miss blocking it by not knowing which side to guard. As soon as the ball was actually shot, a tense and hushed silence fell over the home side as the other side cheered hopefully, honestly neither certain just who would be the victor in the last stand off of the first half. Getting out his binoculars, Ran used them to get a better look just as screams and applause broke out around him.

Ken was sprawled across the ground, both hands around the ball. It had been a risky catch but one he'd done and done perfectly.

"God!" Ran cried out softly, falling back in his seat and lounging back as the timer rang to end the first half. "He's too damn amazing."

"That was almost an orgasmic cry," Aya said in light amusement, looking over at her brother and shaking her head lightly. "Should I leave you alone?"

"Mm, I'll be fine," Ran said as he drummed his fingers on his stomach with a light sigh. Actually that block from the new but promising goalie had aroused him a bit. Seeing the sweaty nimble form sprawled over the grass invitingly had contributed to that. He would pick up his binoculars again and just add to his fantasies, but though his thoughts had been distracted earlier, he knew he had heard the game buzzer and it was half time. The team was probably already in the locker rooms by now.

Possibly taking quick showers to rejuvenate before the second half...

"Maybe I should go get a few moments alone." Squirming faintly, Ran reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. "Actually, I wonder if Kazuki would be up for a quick screw in the bathroom."

"That's dirty!"

"He doesn't mind," Ran said with a mild shrug and scrolled through his call list.

"I thought he was dating Juubei..."

"I think they're just friends."

"Not like it would matter to you anyway." The girl's only answer was a light shrug and a smirk from the man. Looking over to him again, she saw him hit a few keys on his cell and hold it to his ear. "Oi! You were serious about calling him?"

"Yes."

"So he's at this game?" she continued on, starting in on a little miff.

"He said he might come."

Scrunching up her nose, Aya reached over and snared his phone away, hanging it up. "Why didn't you just ask him to accompany you then instead of me? Sports bore me. He likes them. Or likes them more than I do, at least."

"How could I fantasize with him sitting right here?" Ran asked matter-of-factly and reached over to take his phone back, slipping it back into his pocket. Any further conversation was cut off as Ran's head perked up, listening to the loud speaker as the game commentator announced a little half time prize. The person with seat number J-13-24 would be able to go meet Japan's team in the locker room, if they brought their valid ticket stub to customer service in the next five minutes.

Pulling out his ticket stub, Ran groaned lightly and shoved it back into his pocket. "Didn't win. Don't know why I even bother keeping that."

"Hey Ran."

"Mm?" Hearing the girl's voice, he looked over and blinked to see her holding her own ticket stub, a triumphant smile on her lips.

"Subtract one from your seat number and tell me what you get."

The man blinked again and pulled out his ticket stub once more. J-13-25. In his disappointment, it had slipped his mind that the seat right next to him had been the winner... Aya's seat. "So you're going to give me your ticket stub so I can go meet the team, right?"

"Nooo," she said with a giggle, hugging the ticket to her chest as she kept that grin. "I've never won anything like this before."

"Aya please. You don't even like sports teams or boys. You don't really want to go into that sweaty locker room filled with athletic males in towels... god..." Shivering faintly at the mental image, Ran made a grab for the ticket but she quickly pulled it out of his reach. "Aya! Please! You don't even like going near the school's auditorium!"

"True. That place reeks of testosterone. Even the cheerleaders practicing there for sports day once a year can't redeem it."

"So... please?" he asked cutely, holding out his hand for the ticket stub even as he eyed the clock. Two minutes left... Good thing he was the track star in school, since he'd be pushing to beat his current best time to get to the customer service booth on time once Aya handed that thing over.

"You're not getting this for free, o-nii-chan. And I think you want to go a lot more than I don't want to go," she said sweetly even as she played with the ticket between her fingers. "Bribe me."

Ran quickly skimmed through thoughts and options in his head, trying to figure out something Aya had been bugging him about but he hadn't done yet. "I'll introduce you to Harada Risa, in my physics class. The brunette I was tutoring a few days ago and you saw when you came by the classroom?" he offered, already getting up from his seat, hoping that'd be enough for her.

"Bah, I've heard she's a twit," Aya said with a wave of her hand. "I don't think you really want this if that's your offer."

"Fine then. Her twin?"

A short little squeal issued from the girl and she clasped her hands under her chin, lusty little hearts practically forming in her eyes. "RIKU?!"

"Yea, her," Ran said with a smile and reached over to snare the ticket from the girl, very much glad he'd found a bribe that Aya was agreeable to. Holding the ticket tightly and carefully in his hand to be sure it wouldn't flutter away, the redhead made a mad dash for the exit from the stands into the hallways of the stadium, darting past people and through the rows to try to make it in time to claim his prize.

Half time was usually the time when coaches drilled new plays into the players. It was the time when players commiserated or triumphed with each other during the game played so far. Half time was the moment in which the spirit of the team was enhanced or shattered.

The locker room during this particular team's halftime was anything but the norm. The atmosphere was thick with early triumph; here was a team whose spirit, energy, and love of the game far outweighed their collective skill. A relatively new team, they were still getting into their niche, but with the help of their newest and youngest team member, the team itself was heading down a path in which those who truly loved the sport would tread down in victory.

The air was thick with the scent of raw masculinity. Sweat steamed off bodies creating a thick haze of human fog. Men as old as thirty and as young as fifteen were milling about listening to their coach preach strategy and praise to the youngest who sat in the middle of the throng beaming with pride and the love of the game.

The boy sat there reliving the last play before the buzzer. The opposition had grossly misjudged his speed, power and most of all his reach. The crowd had seemed to doubt it as amidst the wild cheering Ken could hear the shocked gasps of eminent defeat. The ball had been fast approaching the opposite side of the goal he'd been guarding. The goalie's three game long shut out streak was in jeopardy of being lost right then, but he knew the field, and the ball. He knew exactly where it was headed and he knew his body well enough to put it exactly where he needed it to be.

Suddenly it seemed as if the boy had become wind personified. He took off into the air launching himself to intercept the ball. The crowd and the team waited with baited breath just to see if the young goalie could make the seemingly futile attempt. When a sudden cheer from the vicinity of the home stands and players, all knew just then who had won the small but significant victory. As the buzzer rang signaling the end of the period, chants of the boy's name followed him as he exited the field.

"Hidaka! Hidaka! Hidaka!"

Japan's newest hope and newest star had been born.

Ken Hidaka was still high from his personal victory. The team's strategy was shifting to focus more on offense since Ken had finally proven that the team had little to worry in the way of defense. The boy's back and shoulders were sore from the multitude of slaps and good-natured slugs delivered upon his diminutive person, and sea-green eyes sparkled with pride every time someone threw him a compliment or congratulated his save.

The sadness he'd felt at having to leave his quiet village of Sendai was finally lifting. If he could find a home with this team, then the one he'd left to join them would be worth the sacrifices his family had had to make on his behalf.

While all of Ken's friends had been studying for their high school entrance exams, the young brunette had been touring soccer camps across the nation at the insistence of his coach. They were convinced that even as young as he was, Ken was ready to play professionally he was just that good even at such a young age. The only needed a team to sign him on. From there his family would follow. They'd gone to camps up and down the country. They'd taken one look at him, and noted him for his crippling youth and had dismissed him without a try-out.

Only a relatively new team just barely celebrating a year old had decided to give the boy a chance. They'd seen in Ken what no other team had seen. A joy of the game itself untainted by all the glitter and jaded views that came with being a professional athlete. They'd found a player who epitomized the game the team had been trained to play. A game where the emphasis was on the love of the sport itself and not the spoils that came with it.

Ken had been signed on the condition that he at least finish high school which meant that he and his family would have to move to Tokyo. The coach pulled some strings to get the teen into one of the more academically renowned schools in the city. It had been arranged that Ken would be attending classes half the day, and any gaps in his education would be filled by an upperclassman who would serve as his exclusive tutor.

With everything done, Ken had begun practicing and playing with team shortly after he'd graduated middle school. He'd moved to Tokyo alone while his family wrapped up financial matters. They would join him in a year when his father's transfer went through and the house was sold. In the interim Ken lived in a small apartment not too far from either the school or the team's practice field. It was lonely, but at least he was doing what he'd always dreamed of.

The sound of the locker room door opening and closing brought Ken out of his little daydream. Apparently a stadium guard was bringing in the winner from the seat lottery to meet the team. The lucky prize winner didn't know it included dinner after the game with the player of their choice. Most of his teammates didn't want to be picked for the date; most of them had girlfriends or wives or lovers to go back to. Ken was one of the few who actually wanted to be picked. It was getting lonely in his apartment, and he was getting tired of eating noodles, rice, and prepackaged meat for the majority of his meals.

Taking the opportunity of the momentary silence at the newcomer's entrance, Ken stood on the bench he'd been relaxing on to get a better look at the winner. His jaw visibly fell when he beheld the boy in the doorway. Across from him stood, by far, the prettiest boy Ken had ever seen. Lean of build with a graceful air about him. The brilliant red of the youth's hair blinded him momentarily. He'd never seen anyone back in Sendai with hair that color. His eyes traveled briefly toward the winner's groin wondering if the color was natural or not. Blushing he pulled his eyes away to connect with seemingly bottomless pools of violet. Ken had been completely suckered in by those eyes. They pulled him in along with the boy's confident demeanor. He simply had to know who this boy was.

Ken jumped down from the bench and maneuvered his way through his teammates until he stood before the much taller teen. "Hi. Name's Ken. What's yours?"

Oh this was definitely heaven...

Not that Ran had never been in a locker room before, far from it. He was in and out of his school's frequently for track practice and track meets. That was different, that was home in a way. There was also the fact that when he was in the school's locker room, he was surrounded by the other males on the track team. Though he admitted to himself that many of his fellow track and field participants had perfectly well toned bodies, he couldn't very well spend all of his time openly admiring their bodies. He loved track, and being with them, and didn't want to make them uncomfortable or fear being around him in the shower especially if they happened to drop the soap.

Things had been awkward enough the first few weeks right after he'd come out to a few of them, upon entering high school. There had been discussion of dropping him from the team, before he proved himself out on the field.

Walking into the locker room, Ran turned slightly and gave a polite bow to the security guard before the man left. He walked in, giving light smiles to the soccer players who looked his way, knowing they needed their focus to keep up their winning streak so he resisted turning into a cooing little fan boy.

And though he'd been following this team since their formation a year ago, there was only one member of the team he really wanted to meet and get to know on a... personal level if luck so allowed it, which he doubted. He was completely content to admire the rest of them for their conviction to the game, from a distance.

There was his fantasy now...

A dazzling smile found its way on his lips as he found himself face to face with Hidaka Ken, the man -- well, boy more correctly, but a man in how he conducted himself on the field and in sportsmanship -- who'd caught his attention a month ago as the new goalie for the Tsunamis this season. And continued getting more of his attention with every game, and not just his but the media's, and all of Japan's soccer loving population.

He couldn't help but to give the man a subtle once over, taking in the time he was this close to the rising star to get a good look at him. Ken wasn't 'scrawny' as Aya had described him, but Ran had to admit, he was a bit smaller than a lot of professional sports players. Mostly due to his age. Ran had no complaints though about the up close glance he'd gotten at the male. No wonder he could play so well on the field. Every bit of his trim form a high amount of muscle mass, from practice and play he must have done over the years to get as good as he was so young.

Reminding himself mentally he couldn't just stand here and ogle the man until he had to go back out and continue playing, Ran gave the male a polite bow in greeting. Though his sexuality wasn't quite traditional, most other outward things were as that was how his parents had tried to raise him. "Fujimiya Ran. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ken-san."

"Ugh. Drop the 'san'. I'm way too young for it. Just call me Ken. Everyone else does. I insist." Ken smiled at the older boy then craned his head backwards arching his body to look at his coach. "Can I tell him! Please! Please! Please?"

At the boy's natural enthusiasm, the coach nodded before turning his attention back to the team's offense to drill in more strategy. Ken gleed and snapped back to Ran. "This is something we didn't want to let the public know for fear of the winner getting mobbed. You get to have dinner with someone from the team!" Ken snuck a glance at the rest of his team, and noticed they were back intently listening to the coach. He made a small fist of victory before he grabbed onto Ran's arm and dragged him away from the team. "I know I'm not much compared to Shidou or Eiri, but pick me to have dinner with. They have girlfriends anyway, and I haven't eaten real food in a month!"

Obviously Ken had missed out on the lessons of manners and politeness in favor of his ball handling.

Ran had to forcibly stop himself from squeaking as the younger male hung on his arm. He got to meet the man and have dinner with him? He had to be dreaming. Had to be. Usually though his dreams of the Tsunamis' goalie involved less clothing... Reaching back to nonchalantly rub the back of his neck as if in thought, he snuck a little tiny pinch to the nape of his neck. Nope. Reality.

Damn. Even though she had muttered during most of the game so far, he was now exceptionally glad he had managed to drag his sister with him to the game today, or he wouldn't have bought the ticket for the second seat also. And also, thinking of Aya, he was also exceptionally glad that they had kept the mention of the dinner under wraps. God knows what he would have had to bribe the girl with if she'd known about the meeting and a date afterwards.

But why the hell was he thinking of his sister when he had a delicious little goalie hanging on his arm, awaiting his reply. Cocking his head to the side, he gave the man a lilting smile and a nod. "Since you were the one kind enough to tell me of that and came over to welcome me... Hai, I suppose it would only be proper I take you."

The locker room was disrupted with Ken's sudden whoop of delight. "Yes!! I get to eat!!"

One of his other teammates looked to Ken then to another. "He didn't..."

That same teammate nodded with an indulging smile. "I betcha he did..."

"Kid's got some balls."

"Didn't you at fifteen?"

The player hung his head in shame. "I feel so old..."

"Hidaka if you've got energy to stand there and holler like a schoolgirl, then the least you can do is sit and listen to me."

Ken rolled his eyes and whined softly releasing the redhead in the process. "Aww, coaaaaach! All I have to do is stop the ball from touching the net. Why do I need to listen?"

"It builds character, kid. Now sit."

The boy's lower lip puffed out petulantly. "Okay but I'm gonna sit with my new best friend." Ken beamed at Ran and pulled him toward the rest of the team and shoved him down to a bench and sat next to him. "He's a tyrant, but he reminds me of my dad so it's okay. If you have any questions just ask."

"You'd better not ask him, he's still the newbie."

"I'm NOT a newbie." Ken frowned childishly in denial.

"You're a newbie. You're not even initiated yet."

Ken gulped nervously and looked sideways at Ran before glancing back at his teammate who simply grinned without giving an answer. The boy found himself subconsciously scooting closer to Ran.

Smirking in mild amusement at all of them, Ran sat down easily and crossed a long leg over the other. Already he could tell he was going to be a bit sad when halftime ended even though he'd be able to go back to enjoying the game from the stands. For now he was enjoying actually learning a bit about the personality about the man who'd been on his mind for a few weeks now. Would add a bit more to his fantasies about the man he'd never expected to meet, next time he popped up in his mind.

"So," he said, leaning a bit closer to the man so just he would hear his words to not interrupt the meeting. And well hell, may as well flirt a slight bit while he was here. "Why haven't you eaten real food for a month? Does that build character too?"

Ken leaned his ear closer to Ran's lips while still listening to his coach. "I can't cook. Only microwave."

"One of your parents doesn't cook?" he asked in reply, not realizing the boy's parents were in a different city altogether as not much had been released about the brunette other than his young age and his impressive record so far on his first pro team. As he stayed leaned close to the man, he caught the scent of grass and sweat clinging about the man. That and the feel of his breath brushing across his ear as they spoke made him repress a light shiver.

Turning to his new friend, Ken bumped his nose against the other boy's, not realizing he'd been that close. He rubbed it softly muttering a soft curse of pain. "My parents can cook, they're just still in Sendai for a year until my pop can transfer and sell the house. I live alone for now."

"Hey you two! Quit making out back there!"

Ken's jaw fell appalled at the notion, yet he blushed brightly, thus betraying just how severe of an appall that was. Giving a nod to his coach, he slid further away from Ran. He tossed a wink at the redhead and mouthed the words 'dinner', promising they'd finish the conversation then.

Well that about finished off all of page one... Half of page two. Skip page three because that wasn't applicable to them. A few items from page four. And all of page five.

Violet eyes wide, and widening a bit more with each word Ken said, Ran just watched the male sitting across from them. Every so often he'd glance down at the menu in his hand, checking off every single item Ken had ordered. So far, it was most of the menu. A few appetizers, soups, salads, quite a few steaks, prime ribs, burgers, a light assortment of desserts. The only page Ken had just flipped past had been the middle page of the menu, only because that was the drink menu and neither of them was legal to order alcohol in Japan.

The only thing the male hadn't double or even tripled up on was his drink order of water.

At first he'd thought the male was indecisive and had changed his order to the second thing he said he wanted, but then realized as he went on he had heard him correctly. He wanted that in addition to the first thing, and the second, and the third...

Since Ken was new to Tokyo, Ran had just asked him to tell him what kind of food he wanted and he'd find a nice place for them to spend the team's money at. He'd chosen a small American style steakhouse he'd been to before... but so far, this visit was a bit unrivaled.

When the waitress finished writing down all of Ken's massive order, Ran just shook his head, a bit speechless at the moment to give his own order. He also figured the girl's wrist needed a bit of a rest from writing all of that down.

Looking again at the menu, he just shook his head and glanced across the table at his dinner date, eyeing him in scrutiny. "I know soccer takes a lot of energy, especially the type of game you played today but... you can't possibly be that hungry."

Ken shook his head then rethought his order. He nodded satisfied with it before handing his menu back to the waitress. "I'm starving, but I don't intend to eat all of that right now or today for that matter." Picking up his glass, Ken took a healthy swallow before setting it back down. "I have to cook for myself, and since I can't, I have to go with the 'Add Water & Nuke' food group. Then there's the fact that I'm still new so I can't afford to eat extravagantly. You can say I just did my grocery shopping for the week."

"That explains why you wanted American, it reheats a bit better than some cuisine," Ran said and glanced over the menu once more. Though he didn't know why he did, since Ken had practically just iterated all of it. Folding it, he handed it to the waitress after giving his order of a small dinner salad and marinated quail, with lemonade to drink. "Other than adjusting from home cooking to microwave meals, how is living alone? I would imagine it's your first time on your own with how old you are..."

The boy shrugged and nibbled on the buttered bread that served as a free appetizer. "Not really sure. I've been practicing and touring most of this month with the team. I haven't had a chance to really be alone, but it's different. I miss my mom though. It's rough bandaging my own scrapes and I miss the game winning cookies. I get them a couple days later and in a box. They don't microwave very well either, so I eat them cold."

"Does your apartment have an oven?"

"Like I know how to use it..."

"It's easy enough. There are two dials of main importance -- timer and heat level. If you're uncertain of if the timer works, you could always set your watch. Twist the heat to... mm... 200°F or so, wait until the preheat light goes off. Put the cookies on a pan and put them in. If they have chocolate in them, it seems to work better because it melts the chips again." He shrugged softly as he went on with the details of how to properly try to recreate home baked cookies soft warmth. "Put them in for about five minutes or so. They're not the same as fresh from the oven, but it does give a bit of that cookie baking smell into the room, and make them slightly squishy again."

Ken's eyes shone up at Ran as if he were some sort of savior. "Wow, you're so smart! I guess I never really paid attention to all the stuff Mom did. Figured I had more time." Popping a well-buttered chunk of bread into his mouth, he smiled. "I have a year to figure it out. Well... between playing, practicing, and keeping up with my schoolwork. I'm already really behind! I missed the first two weeks of school. I'll never catch up at this rate."

"I have a sister who loves to have nothing better than tease me. If I can't do something she can do, she takes great delight in reminding me, so I make sure to learn a few of those 'domestic' things that seem like everyday things everyone knows, but aren't." Reaching over, Ran picked up a slice of bread and started peeling the thick crust off of it, putting it on the plate to add it to his salad when it arrived as more croutons. Looking over at the male, he smiled lightly in encouragement. "I'm sure you'll adjust fine. It has to be overwhelming in the beginning for anyone."

"It's definitely not something I gave much thought when I agreed to go to school and play on the team."

Ran nodded softly and finished picking apart his bread and pulled off a piece of the softer part. "I have to admit I admire you for trying. I've been in track each year of high school, and I know how much time that's taken from my schedule. Even with the coach realizing I'm a student first. I can't imagine being a student and a pro athlete." Seeing the waitress coming with the first bit of their food, he pushed away the bread plate and reached over to scoot over a few things on the table to make room for the plates Ken would soon have coming.

Ken looked at the plates of food approaching and then flashed a dazzling smile at the waitress. "Before you bring out everything, can you box up everything except for what you just brought here? I guess I should have mentioned that most of it would be to go. I'm sorry. Forgive me?"

Ran just shook his head, watching the waitress leave after she set down what she'd brought out, just the beginning salads, and told them that Ran's main dish and one of Ken's steaks would be out shortly. He couldn't help but think there was a bit of relief in her eyes that she wouldn't have to bring out and balance all of those plates, and then bus them after the two left. "I think she would have only been annoyed if you changed your order just now, Ken."

"I wouldn't have done that. I didn't want her to carry in all that food when I knew I'd only be eating some of it. Not to mention I didn't want them to do all those dishes." The boy's head spun at the thought and giggled. "Ah well. At least she doesn't want to kill me now right?"

"Hardly," Ran said with a light shake of his head and he turned part of his attention to his salad, pouring the dressing she'd brought on the side over the greens and adding in the bread crust. "We'll just have to leave her a tip nicely proportional to our bill on our tab, and I promise you, she will beam any time you or I come in here again. Especially you, if the seat lottery comes with dinner often, and you con your way into getting dinner with the winner," he said with a light wink.

Ken grinned. "I think tonight will be the last time dinner is included."

An amused smile touched on Ran's lips, nodding as he did a few calculations in his head for just the menu items he could remember Ken ordering. That was about half. "Knowing that, sure you don't want to add anything else? They do have really good fruit cobbler here..."

"I feel bad enough as it is for mooching the way I did. I'll just have to come back another day and order it." Smiling the boy finished off his appetizer and began work on the second.