Yankees Don't Read [Open]

[Tsukimori Ryosuke]

Ryosuke actually felt semi-embarrassed walking into the town library after school, this particular afternoon. It wasn't like he couldn't blend in. He was wearing his school uniform, after all...

But it also wasn't like he could blend in either, with his skull pendant, waist chain, and camouflage T-shirt. He was a very obvious Yankee, a very obvious delinquent, the kind of people most places like libraries didn't regularly welcome or see. In fact, the instant he'd walked in, he'd gotten some surprisingly hostile glances from some of the people inside. While the younger students present had shied away--some had actually gotten up and left, as he passed--the adults who were there just looked him up and down a few times before scowling to themselves and returning to whatever boring reading they had been up to.

The librarians had been worse. He'd approached to ask where he could find books on the elements in Science, and not only had most pretended not to hear, but one had actually begrudgingly handed him a slip of paper, saying, "Ironic. I didn't know Yankees could read."

He'd refrained from saying anything snide back by reminding himself that having the lifestyle of shelving dusty old books and sitting on one's butt all day would probably make him a sour old hag too. Instead, he'd followed the directions on the piece of paper to the right section. And after some time, considering he didn't spend much time in libraries and therefore wasn't all that used to the way they were set up, he finally managed to find a few books that would help him out with his damned science homework. Normally, he would forgo his homework altogether and just hope to do well on the tests. But he'd recently received a progress report specifically stating that if he didn't start doing at least some of his homework, he would likely fail because of his 0% homework average combined with his 65 or so class average.

Ryosuke tossed the heaviest of the books in his arms on a nearby table, scaring away a kid half his height, then plopped down in the abandoned seat to do what Yankees supposedly didn't do.

Reading.

Opening up a book entitled, "Elements and Methods: A Study of the Scientific Method in Your Element", he frowned at a Table of Contents that extended a total of ten pages.

"Oh God, even the name's annoying," he thought out loud. He realized another student, apparently a middle schooler, was at the table across from him, staring, so he made his most sarcastic mean face, scrunching up his nose and baring his teeth slightly.

The kid packed up his things and ran.

"Oh." Ryosuke shrugged and went back to his reading. He cleared his throat and started reading out loud. For some reason, that usually helped him concentrate. "Scientific method refers to a body of techniques for investigating phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and integrating previous knowledge."

Ryosuke yawned, but continued on, "To be termed scientific, a method of inquiry must be based on gathering observable, empirical and measurable evidence subject to specific principles of reasoning. A scientific method consists of the collection of data through...."

Approximately five minutes later, Ryosuke had passed out on the moldy old book, and he was out like a light. That should have been confirmation enough to anyone around that the book, in fact, did not help him study Scientific Method in his element.

The Yankee only came around again when he felt someone tug hard on the back of his school jacket. He grumbled in his sleep a bit, then realizing someone had actually dared mess with him, he opened his eyes, got up, and turned around in his seat to see who it was, preparing himself for some kind of retaliation, if need be.

[Kiyama Ryuichiro]

He hadn’t expected to see him here.

Kiyama peeked through the cracks of the bookcase he was behind, confirming that he was indeed looking at Tsukimori Ryosuke. The kid was wearing a Karasumori uniform, and he couldn’t think of anyone else at the school with bleached hair in that hairstyle.

Instinctively, he spun around and stuck his nose from behind the bookcase on the other side of him, hoping that neither Wataru nor Nippori were in tow. He didn't see them, but those two were the type you tended to hear before anything else.

But wouldn’t it be terribly weird for them to be at the library? Kiyama then guessed that it was terribly weird to be there himself. For a "yankee" type, he wasn’t half as flashy as Ryosuke or even Wataru, so it wasn’t as easy to pick him out. That fact, in addition to his ability to act like a normal patron, respecting books and observing quiet rules made his visits palatable to the staff over the weeks and months.

He still got the looks, but he wasn’t sure if it was because he was obviously one of those delinquents, or well… that other thing.

Kiyama noticed that he was clutching the tote bag he was holding tightly; there was reason for that, of course. He knew it was odd for a kid "like him" to be in a library, particularly when his goal was to check out… the unorthodox selection of material he was currently carrying. It typically wasn't a problem, as no one he knew ever saw him during his trips there, but…

Looking again through the cracks of that bookcase, he noticed that Ryosuke was asleep. So he would have no problem. He could easily make his way to the check-out counter and avoid any unwanted attention.

But Kiyama couldn’t help but be curious.

Practically tip-toeing to the table where his classmate was snoozing, he craned his neck to see the literature the boy was using as a pillow. A picture of a man in a labcoat and some molecule diagrams – a science textbook? So, he was studying…

Making sure that his bags were tucked squarely under his arm he decided to chance it and give his uniform jacket a yank.

Ryosuke mumbled a bit before promptly turning, looking very ready to pummel anyone who’d dare disturb his beauty rest. It was obvious he hadn’t expected to see him standing behind him. Kiyama couldn’t help but chuckle at the blonde, the combination of his half-lidded eyes and the snarl on his face was pretty priceless.

"Tsukimori… good morning."

[Tsukimori Ryosuke]

Upon turning around, Ryosuke found himself face to face with......

.....Kiyama?

For a moment, Ryosuke thought he was still dreaming. The instant he'd passed out on the stupid failure of a science book, he'd started a strange string of dreams in which he became the fruity-looking scientist depicted in the book he'd been reading and all of a sudden was receiving multiple rejections from every girl he'd ever asked out. Then there'd been a strange pink rabbit with Kashiwagi Sensei's haircut, and..... Ryosuke turned around a moment, blinking, then rubbed the tiredness from his eyes with his fists, before turning back around to find...

...Kiyama.

He raised an eyebrow, curious as to whether his classmate had followed him to this place, since this wasn't one location he could imagine the other Yankee spending time in. Though, he was here as well, so....

Kiyama chuckled. "Tsukimori… good morning."

Ryosuke had been planning on showing his disapproval about being pestered, but he couldn't help feel that much happier to see someone he actually felt comfortable with, albeit in this kind of....odd setting. He smirked, suppressing a yawn.

"Before you ask me if I have some secret passion for science or something impossible like that," Ryosuke told his friend, turning back around to gather his things together and stand up, "No. I'm failing, and this was my last resort. What are you doing here? I'm so irresistible you had to stalk me?"

He held up a fist for Kiyama to pound, smiling. It really felt ten times different having someone present who wasn't going to run, or treat him like some kind of Terminator bot come to destroy humanity. He reached a hand back to smooth out his jacket, and tried--and failed--to glance over his shoulder at it. "You didn't stretch my jacket out by any chance, did you?"

[Kiyama Ryuichiro]

From his apparent double-take, it was obvious that Ryosuke was very surprised to see his classmate and fellow delinquent at the neighborhood public library. But he also seemed glad. "Before you ask me if I have some secret passion for science or something impossible like that… No. I'm failing, and this was my last resort. What are you doing here? I'm so irresistible you had to stalk me?"

The blonde rose to his feet and gathered his things. Amused, Kiyama watched as Ryosuke tried to contort himself enough to see the back of his coat.

"You didn't stretch my jacket out by any chance, did you?" he joked, raising his fist.

Kiyama scoffed, that reluctant smirk creeping onto his face, before completing the fist pound.

“Why yes, Tsukimori, I followed you here and waited for you to take your little nap for the expressed purpose of ruining your coat. Because you enthrall me just that much. By the way, I think I did a pretty good job at it.”

He pointed to the back of Ryosuke’s coat for good measure. Kiyama wasn’t sure if his usual monotone would make his response sound humorous or creepy, though either interpretation would give him amusement. Meanwhile, he adjusted his own bags, well aware that he was avoiding the other’s question… but Ryosuke’s reasons for being the library troubled him.

“Are you really failing?” Kiyama had to admit that he’d never really thought of Ryosuke as stupid. Lazy, yes, but never stupid. Considering his, and the other yankees’ supposed enthusiasm for the tumbling club, he’d figure that they’d all make their best efforts to keep their grades up… because missing meets and the like because of academic probation would just suck.

Kiyama furrowed his brow and bit his lip, making his best mock-serious face.

“Because if you are, I’m sorry to tell you the ‘learning by osmosis’ thing doesn’t work. Of course you would know that if you’d read past page three, wouldn’t you?”

[Tsukimori Ryosuke]

“Why yes, Tsukimori, I followed you here and waited for you to take your little nap for the expressed purpose of ruining your coat. Because you enthrall me just that much. By the way, I think I did a pretty good job at it.”

Ryosuke puffed out his cheeks and made his best dragon-face at the other Yankee, which he followed up with a slight chuckle.

"Kiyama, always stalking me..." Ryosuke extended a hand back as far as it would go so that he could smooth out his uniform jacket, just for good measure. "You want tips for the ladies, right, right?" Ryosuke did a double point at his classmate, winking. He knew very well that that was probably the last thing Kiyama wanted--or needed, because the guy had a charm of his own that Ryosuke had heard plenty of his female classmates giggling over--but he also really liked the fact that Kiyama took his sarcasm generally well. Or at least in that half-expressionless way he usually acted, which tended to make being sarcastic even more fun. Ryosuke knew if he ever said that kind of thing to Wataru, he'd probably end up with a shot to the groin. Truth or not, Wataru didn't much like hearing about his downfall with the ladies.

Ryosuke hoisted his books up higher into his arms and sat down on the table top so that he was facing his friend.

“Are you really failing?” The dark-haired Yankee not only sounded pretty concerned, but he looked it too. Ryosuke wondered if it was mainly because of their relation to the Tumbling team now, and that need for them--especially the most troubled of them, like the Yankees--to keep up their grades.

“Because if you are, I’m sorry to tell you the ‘learning by osmosis’ thing doesn’t work. Of course you would know that if you’d read past page three, wouldn’t you?”

"Nah..." Ryosuke waved a hand. "I may be blonde, but I'm not stupid. That's something Nippori would try out." He shrugged. "And...it's not all that serious. I kinda manage, I think. It's the one subject I'm not doing so well in. I only came in here to study because, yeah...I'm a bit worried. Nippori was actually encouraging me to get an F on this one so we can be in the same class next year, but...." He wiped an arm across his face, trying to get rid of whatever tiredness remained in his eyes. "...I actually wanna graduate."

He paused, then added, "And hey! Have a little faith, yeah? You try reading that book with that friggin....." He gestured to book now in his arms, the image of the fruity-looking scientist he'd morphed into in his dreams coming into mind. "Whatever. It's outdated and should be burned."

Now he turned back to the front desk again. With Kiyama around and his attention diverted from anything but studying, he had a sudden urge to go to Wataru's place for something to eat, maybe just to hang out--if his mother wasn't cooking--and just talking with Kiyama and the others. Only, he didn't want to even get close to the hags behind the library front counter. Why couldn't people just take books out without having to go through the whole song and dance?

Oh yeah, cuz then us Yankees would steal them, Ryosuke thought bitterly. Oh how he hated stereotypes...

He didn't say anything as he got up to the front desk. Instead, he just dropped his pile of books on the counter and turned back to Kiyama while waiting for someone to devote some attention his way. Now he gestured to Kiyama's bookbag, sniffling slightly.

"Did you get anything?" Not that Kiyama needed it. For being a Yankee, Ryosuke knew he had the book smarts in addition to the street ones. "I didn't know you did reading in your free time."

[Kiyama Ryuichiro]

Kiyama bit his lip, looking off to the side. It’s always something about girls, right? He furrowed his brows. Surely, at least one of the girls he’d heard the blonde blubber about over the past month had to know the difference between an ion and an isotope, so couldn’t he get help from one of them? Then again, Ryosuke had his pride – a big steaming chunk of it, at that.

“Nah… I may be blonde, but I'm not stupid. That's something Nippori would try out. And... it's not all that serious. I kinda manage, I think. It's the one subject I'm not doing so well in. I only came in here to study because, yeah...I'm a bit worried. Nippori was actually encouraging me to get an F on this one so we can be in the same class next year, but...I actually wanna graduate."

Kiyama nodded; he was relieved that it wasn’t anything that bad, both for the sake of the gymnastics team and his classmate. But that brought him to another topic…

Graduation. Though he and most of his cohorts were a third of the way through their last year in high school, it wasn’t a topic they discussed much at all. He doubted that most of the yankee-types he knew would continue delinquency into adulthood, so all of them would eventually have to find ways to integrate into mainstream society… at least enough so someone would pay them.

Kiyama knew that he had been considering his own future seriously, though he had his doubts about he was able to do. As if he wasn’t encumbered with enough regrets already, he’d been wishing he’d never started associating with “that” crowd. More than anything, he found himself just wanting to be “normal”, and wondering he’d already screwed himself over for life. What happens to a yankee when he graduates?

What kind of job would Tsukimori Ryosuke get, for instance?

“And hey! Have a little faith, yeah? You try reading that book with that friggin…. Whatever. It's outdated and should be burned."

’A little faith,’ he says. Kiyama rolled his eyes. Whatever… Ryosuke was a resourceful kid. He’d work it out.

As usual, Kiyama had lost himself in his thoughts, and before he knew it, Kiyama had started to follow the other yankee to the checkout counter. For a moment, Ryosuke seemed annoyed and distracted, and the taller boy considered dashing away right then and there. So he nearly jumped when Ryosuke turned back around at him and pointed to his bag.

"Did you get anything? I didn't know you did reading in your free time."

Kiyama considered his answer. The first thing that came to mind was, Y’know… the usual. Dazai, Abe… even got a Dickens novel today! but he decided it was overkill. And if Ryosuke would hang around to watch him check out (which he knew he would), it would prove to be a pretty blatant lie.

For some reason, Ryosuke always struck Kiyama as the most judgmental of the infamous yankee trio… so he didn’t want to risk him finding out would he was really interested in borrowing that particular day. The blonde was quite the talker, at that, so he knew he would not hear the end of this for a very, very long time.

Instead of answering, he feigned remembering something and gestured in the direction of the bookcases he’d been in before he made the ridiculous decision to bugging Ryosuke in the first place.

“I… forgot, there’s something else I want to get! I’ll… well… see you tomorrow…” The end of his statement decayed into a stream of barely compressible mumbles while he focused on his toes. Without waiting for a response, Kiyama scuttled towards the other end of the library as quickly as he could, hoping that Ryosuke would tire of smelly literature and cranky old women some time before the building would close...

[Tsukimori Ryosuke]

ooc: You are so amazing as Kiyama. XD

Ryosuke watched Kiyama casually, waiting for his answer, when he saw movement from behind the check-out counter. One of the librarians was at a table somewhere towards the back of the employee area, pouring herself a cup of tea. She made no notion that she'd seen Ryosuke or his friend at all.

"I. forgot, there's something else I want to get!"

Ryosuke turned. Kiyama was speaking again, but for some reason, he suddenly looked a lot less serious than he had earlier. In fact, it seemed extremely rare, given Kiyama's usual nature, but he almost looked worried. Maybe even flustered. And his next words, almost barely inconstruable, seemed to confirm that.

"I'll. well. see you tomorrow."

The blonde Yankee did nothing to stop his friend from leaving. He saw Kiyama disappear off into the depths of the library again, looking serious, and he frowned. Sometimes he seriously wondered went through the other Yankee's head, day after day. He couldn't imagine it being just one empty shell, because Kiyama was probably the farthest thing from an airhead. Yet there was definitely something constantly on his mind. What that was, Ryosuke didn't know. He didn't think he ever would, either, because Kiyama was definitely the type to mind his secrets.

There was movement again from behind the counter, and Ryosuke turned. The cranky old librarian was moving for a couch at the back of the staff area, the mug of hot tea in her hands. She cast Ryosuke a dark look, then gestured to a clock of a couple of cute-looking cats on the wall.

The numbers spelled it out for him easily.

Break time. But somehow Ryosuke got the feeling that if he wasn't the obvious Yankee he was, someone would have come to help him check out whether it was their break or not. He only had a few books--it wasn't like he was asking to borrow the entire library.

Scowling he left his stuff on the counter--a little to the side so that no one would take it--and marched off in the direction he'd seen Kiyama retreat. He might as well continue chatting with the other guy, or find out what he was up to, if he was going to have to wait another 15 minutes or so before he could check out his favorite books to hate.

As Ryosuke neared the spot where he supposed the other Yankee had gone, he went quiet. He'd been thinking of just outright asking Kiyama what he was up to, but it dawned on him that Kiyama had probably left him behind for a reason. Ryosuke didn't want to be a snitch or anything like that, but he admittedly had an insatiable curiosity he knew he wouldn't mind appeasing. That, and if Kiyama had some kind of problem and needed help......

Ryosuke began to move forward slowly and cautiously....

[Kiyama Ryuichiro]

OOC: Right back at you! Your Ryosuke is pure love~~ <3

It wasn't until Kiyama was in the safety of the forest of bookshelves did he feel comfortable again. He found himself gasping for breath; he'd even been holding back his breathing... and sometime in the last few minutes, he noticed that the library had gotten very warm.

Tugging at his collar for ventilation, he briefly around to find that he was in the foreign literature section. He took a random book from a shelf, whispering in English. "Yes..." This was acceptable. This was safe. This was perfect. This was... he looked at the cover of the book.

Russian?

Kiyama sighed and replaced it.

What to do, what to do...

He wanted to look back to see if Ryosuke had checked out yet, but he was scared of turning his head. Still, he would take a wild guess and say that the blonde wasn't some kind of English prodigy. So, all Kiyama would have to do is talk his head off about some literature, the other yankee would lose interest, get annoyed, and then leave him to his own devices. Yes! He had a plan. Tentatively, he grabbed another book from the bookcase, making sure that it was an English book he was moderately familiar with.

He traced the shoulder straps of the bag with his free hand.

That bag had become the metaphorical time bomb... the longer he held it, the closer the situation was to blowing up in his face. But it wasn't like he could just leave it somewhere. It was dangerous. Someone could pick it up, and well... get hurt. Or something...

This is so ridiculous. So freaking ridiculous. Kiyama was losing his composure over... stupid crap.

Stop thinking about that, he commanded himself. He was making himself more anxious, which would make the people around him more suspicious. Though the only people -- person -- he was concerned about at the moment was Tsukimori Ryosuke. The kid he went to class and practiced with every day... the kid that, though he was rarely serious and prone to pick at people, he had an odd kind of respect for... the kid that...

"Yo!"

...was currently standing behind him.

He winced, hearing the blonde's voice. Why aren't you gone already? Kiyama yelled... in his head. Closing his eyes, and taking a deep breath, he turned around to greet the other yankee, holding up his new book.

"Oh... you're still here. Um... you know any Twain?"

[Tsukimori Ryosuke]

ooc: No way! I make him such a goofball!

Ryosuke stopped stalking forward when he saw his friend and comrade behind one shelf of books, looking quite nervous. In fact, if Ryosuke hadn't been talking to him just minutes before and seen how at-ease the other looked, he might have assumed Kiyama was sick or something. He certainly didn't look like himself, at that moment....

Ryosuke momentarily considered retreating back to the checkout counter. If Kiyama needed some time to himself, he didn't want to be the one to ruin it. He'd begun to feel like something of a nuisance recently, and he wondered if maybe that was the affect he had on Kiyama. Because if that was the case....

That made Ryosuke stop again. Maybe he did want to get over there, find out just what the heck was going on. Yeah, he didn't need to have the "nosebag" reputation further pushed onto him, but truth be told, if there was something wrong with Kiyama and he didn't try to help, he knew he'd regret it later. It was like that time Kiyama had been called a murderer.......Ryosuke had almost believed it.........until he found out the true story. And hadn't that been much better than him trying to avoid the problem?

"Yo!" It slipped out before Ryosuke even had the chance to stop himself. He moved closer to the other Yankee, so that he was behind him. It took Kiyama a good moment before he actually turned around.

"Oh... you're still here. Um... you know any Twain?"

"No, heard of him, but don't know him." Ryosuke shook his head. "But...."

Did he want to say it?

"But, wanna know something I do know? That something's wrong...."

He hesitated and took a deep breath.

"I know I don't have the best reputation as a secret keeper type person and all, and I'll be the first to admit that gossip is......kinda fun. But whatever's bothering you....I'm not bound to go around blurting it to other people who don't deserve to hear it." He sighed. "You've been there a lot for me, Kiyama. Maybe you can give me the benefit of the doubt and trust that I can be there for you, tell me what's wrong...ya know?"

[Kiyama Ryuichiro]

After Ryosuke finished his speech, Kiyama couldn't do anything but stare at him. The very last thing he'd expected from the blonde was that. There were several reasons for that, the first being that such an outright expression of sincerity was very rare for the easy-going yankee..

Kiyama suddenly felt guilty. By definition, Ryosuke was a classmate and a teammate, and there had even been a few times they'd been comrades-in-arms in the streets. But, in spite of everything that had happened, he didn't really consider him... or anyone else for that matter, a friend.

It wasn't that he didn't like them or anything like that. That'd be far from the truth. For example, he genuinely had an odd appreciation for Tsukimori Ryosuke -- though often irritating and superficial, he was amongst the most loyal people he'd ever met. No, it really had little to do with Ryosuke and everything to do with Kiyama himself. To a lot of people he'd been nothing but bad... absolutely horrific news, and he was terrible at coping with the aftermath of the trouble he'd brought. It was just so--

Kiyama stopped himself; he didn't want to dig himself into an emotional hole so deep he couldn't climb out of it... not in the middle of the public library.

He exhaled, still looking intently at the other yankee.

For Ryosuke to say all that, Kiyama obviously was worrying him a lot. It was another thing he was starting to feel terrible about. Of course, it would have been truth on any other day of the week, but on that afternoon... over something so dumb...

Kiyama had some choices.

He could come clean. Initially, that would be the easies thing to do... but he found himself seriously doubting that Ryosuke wouldn't blabber this to every person they knew. And, even if he didn't, Tsukimori Ryosuke would certainly judge him, something that didn't sit well with Kiyama at all.

He could try the "plan", but he found that with the surprise Ryosuke brought, he'd completely forgotten who Mark Twain was, or why the hell Huckleberry Finn should matter to anyone.

He then considered simply throwing the book in Ryosuke's face and running, but he didn't want to hurt the book.

Finally, Kiyama considered lying. Frankly, the reason he preferred staying silent in situations like these was because he was a terrible liar. But given the circumstances, a possibly unconvincing lie was worth the risk. Probably. Maybe.

Kiyama thought about everything for a while before he noticed that he'd been staring at Ryosuke the whole time without saying a word. It felt like he'd been staring a while, too... like things needed to get more awkward.

His gaze dove to his toes again, and he knew before opening his mouth that he wouldn't be able to speak above a whisper. Oh well, he'd go with it.

"Tsukimori, the truth is that..." Kiyama looked around before continuing, suddenly feeling a million times more stupid and self-aware and he did ten seconds go.

Damn. No matter what he chose to say at that point, it was going to be so awfully awkward that it would physically hurt him. His head pounded and his extremities tingled and his throat was dry and--

"It's that... uh... I came here to... check out porn."

[Tsukimori Ryosuke]

ooc: WARGH! It's written so well! I can't believe you thought it was bad! >_<

Ryosuke saw Kiyama grow from simply nervous to an apparent wreck, and for a moment, he wondered if maybe by approaching the Yankee he'd simply made things worse. Much, much worse. Inside, he felt a twinge of guilt.

Had it been what he'd said? It had been a tad unexpected, even to himself, but Ryosuke hadn't thought it entirely out of the question. He was a goofball and a player and what-have-you, but he did have a soul...And he could be serious, when he wanted to be.

Kiyama seemed to be having some kind of internal battle with himself, as a moment of far too long silence passed between him and Ryosuke. The blonde looked away for a moment, unsure of what to say, feeling an unpleasant combination of guilt and unease welling up in his stomach, and unnerved that the other had also rested his gaze on him. Maybe he wasn't having an internal battle with himself...maybe he was trying to figure out what Ryosuke was up to.

It's out of character of me, the Yankee couldn't help thinking, his palms suddenly feeling a bit sweaty, but I just thought....

Suddenly, Kiyama moved. His gaze was on the floor now--Ryosuke instinctively glanced down at the same spot the other Yankee was now scrutinizing--and then he began to speak. "Tsukimori, the truth is that..."

A pause. Kiyama looked around.

"It's that... uh... I came here to... check out porn."

Ryosuke automatically looked up. His eyes widened, and he found himself moving backwards.

Just....not for the reasons Kiyama probably thought he was.

"That......that's it?" Ryosuke stood still, slightly horrified. "That's what this was all about?"

He felt a strange wave of relief rush through him, like he'd just gotten through a particularly tough battle, then sighed rather dramatically, folding his arms and leaning back against the nearest shelf of books to support his weight.

"Kiyama, you really had me going there. Porn...?" He couldn't help cracking a grin. "I'd like you to tell me the name of one guy you know who hasn't looked at porn. One guy. And I'll admit that I've looked at it before but don't really.....interest myself in the stuff, but.....it's not unusual. Seriously. I know a lot of guys who look at that stuff. Nippori, for instance. That kid is dirty. You should see what he keeps around, and he's got little brothers and a sister in the house!"

Ryosuke sighed again and shook his head.

"You don't have to feel bad about that. I'm just curious why the library's lending that kind of thing out. I'm surprised more Yankees aren't coming here, then. Where did you find it?"

[Kiyama Ryuichiro]

OOC: ...sure, it is! Anywho, I forgot to say how much I love goofy!Ryosuke in my other post~

By the time Ryosuke started to react, Kiyama's head was pounding so loud he was only able to make out bits and pieces of what he said, but not enough to really understand. And by the timehe looked up again, the blonde was leaning against a bookcase, a look he couldn't pin down on his face. Knowing he couldn't handle possible eye contact at that point, he opted to look at the books rather than the boy.

As he picked out the titles on the bindings,he began to feel more at ease. His mind slowly grew quiet, his body less achy and shaky. He was able to turn his attention about to Ryosuke in time to hear him finish whatever he was saying.

"You don't have to feel bad about that. I'm just curious why the library's lending that kind of thing out. I'm surprised more Yankees aren't coming here, then. Where did you find it?"

Oh.

Kiyama wrung his hands, deciding to take it one step at a time. The last thing he wanted was to get overwhelmed again.

"Uh... well..." He stopped; his voice was scratchy and crackikng. He swallowed hard and cleared his throat, figuring that he still couldn't look directly at Ryosuke, but somewhere else in his general direction before he continued.

"I, uh, guess it's not exactly porn, but... maybe 'erotica' is the word? Stuff that just so happens to have... y'know... in it." Kiyama paused, letting his mind wander. Was he really having this conversation in the library? He sighed and pointed upwards. "The cinema section is upstairs. A lot of independent foreign films can get rather... raunchy. The library is fine with it so long as they have 'cultural significance'... Take the French. They get away with everything; they don't even censor anything over there."

He stopped again, surprised that considering how nervous and uneasy he still felt, he was able to almost sound disinterested and monotonous by the end of his explanation. The way Kiyama Ryuichiro was supposed to sound.

But instead of giving himself the mental pat on the back he thought he deserved, he felt the anxiety growing inside of him again. He turned from Ryosuke-abouts to the opposite bookcase, looking to reshelf the book he'd taken. He caught a glimpse of the clock on the far wall and it occurred to him.

This happened because he tried to push the blonde out during the librarians' break time... duh. Better planning -- keeping his cool and occupying Ryosuke for just a few more minutes -- could've saved him a lot of trouble and heartbreak.

He inspected the call numbers before him not looking back when he addressed the other yankee.

"Well, you know what's up now. You want to go ahead and check out?" Kiyama really didn't want to leave with Ryosuke, not then. He didn't want to deal with more awkward conversations on the way home, or go wherever he'd be invited to, particularly if it was to the Azuma restaurant to dine on the cooking of Wataru's wonderful mother...

Kiyama bit his lip and adjusted his bag. No, he definitely was up to all that.

Not to mention he was still have to deal with checking out himself...

So he fell silent. He still felt bad about making Ryosuke feel worried just minutes before, but he hoped that hint would be taken so he would be able to walk home in peace that night. He kind of needed it.

[Tsukimori Ryosuke]

ooc: Oh my goodness.....this has become the post of pervs!!! XD

"Uh... well..." Kiyama hesitated again. Ryosuke felt somewhere inside, though rather briefly, that there was something kind of odd about all of this, then Kiyama continued. "I, uh, guess it's not exactly porn, but... maybe 'erotica' is the word? Stuff that just so happens to have... y'know... in it."

Ryosuke nodded. "Yeah."

The dark-haired Yankee pointed somewhere into the distance, and Ryosuke followed the indication to the upper level of the library. At the moment, it seemed quite dark.

"The cinema section is upstairs. A lot of independent foreign films can get rather... raunchy. The library is fine with it so long as they have 'cultural significance'... Take the French. They get away with everything; they don't even censor anything over there."

"Oh yeah?" Ryosuke shrugged. Now that he thought about it, he couldn't help wondering if some of the old bats downstairs spent their break down enjoying that kind of thing. He couldn't imagine any guy wanting to--or even remaining--married to a hag of such epic hag proportions, so he could easily believe the workers here sought comfort in their secret "cultural" porn collection. He laughed at the image.

Then he began to wonder if all the looks the ladies had given him and Kiyama had only seemed to be angry glares and had been, in actuality, looks of admiration........he'd been hit on by old women before, albethem not so much old as middle-aged and quite drunk. It came with getting mixed up in the worst kind of Yankee business. But he could only imagine....the librarians checking out his books while checking out his.....

Ryosuke felt bile rise in his throat. "Oh God I hope that's not it..." He looked up in time to see Kiyama glancing just past him. A quick look back revealed the clock, now set on the time Ryosuke knew the librarians' break had to be over.

How coincidental.

"Well, you know what's up now. You want to go ahead and check out?"

"What's up, huh?" Ryosuke gestured down and laughed, then started moving backwards, quickly raising his hands as if to defend himself from some unseen Kiyama wrath. "Just kidding, just kidding. Totally pervy, I know. And seriously, I'm off."

Turning around to move back to the check out counter, mostly relieved by Kiyama's response (because a small part of him still felt something odd about the whole thing), Ryosuke couldn't help laughing. "I'm getting as bad as you now, Kiyama!"

He hesitated before fully approaching the counter, narrowing his eyes and leaning forward slightly to see if creepy hag women had returned to their spots and, possibly, were watching him and Kiyama.......but the coast was clear.
They were back at work, but they didn't seem to be eying him or the other guy in any bad way. Ryosuke offered Kiyama one last wave as he officially moved forward to the counter, then slid his books over so the lady could do her job properly.

"My, what a big stack you've got--"

"--What!?"

"....You sure you're going to read all this?"

Ryosuke sighed. Damn...Kiyama had turned him Grade-A Dirty. He wiped a hand across his brow. "As sure as I'm gonna get out the hell of here when you've finished checking them out."

[Kiyama Ryuichiro]

OOC: Lemme just say that what you posted there was seventeen different kinds of love. <3 I also apologize for killing this post and making this so lame long... @_@

"...What's up, huh?"

Kiyama turned to see the gesture that signified Ryosuke's double entendre, though the blonde immediately threw his hands up as if to take it back. "Just kidding, just kidding. Totally pervy, I know. And seriously, I'm off."

And Ryosuke moved to leave. Kiyama could only muster a silent nod in response; his mind had already begun to work once more. He leaned his head against the bookcase when he heard one last comment from his classmate.

"I'm getting as bad as you now, Kiyama!"

Kiyama turned around reluctantly returning a last wave to the boy as he headed off to the checkout desk.

What is that even supposed to mean? Kiyama mused, spinning around to look at the bookcase again. The books comforted him more than people. Just remembering that he was probably in one of his favorite places in the world made him feel a lot better than everything, Even if everything included his social circle thinking he was closer to the "covert pervert" rather than the "apparent asexual" side of the spectrum.

He adjusted his bag yet again. But if that was the case, it meant that Ryosuke had bought the act. Being able to pull something like that off was rare for Kiyama, indeed. He smiled to himself, game-like fanfare and a Deception Skill, Level UP! playing in his head. He then moved to see Ryosuke slinking away from the checkout counter and finally on his way out of the building. Kiyama would wait a while to ensure he wouldn't bump into the other yankee upon his own exit.

About twenty minutes later, Kiyama was practically tip-toeing towards the counter. When he got there, a final scan of the area confirmed that it was safe for him to empty the contents of his bag, and he did -- slowly and carefully.

The aged librarian sighed, probably unsure of how to characterize the boy's antics, which were weekly occurrences by then, as amusing or sad. Kiyama avoided her gaze as he presented his library card. She raised an eyebrow and began to scan up today's catch.

"A Hasegawa fan?"

Kiyama swallowed hard, still not looking at the woman. She continued, apparently not caring if the teen was listening or not.

"She lives around here, y'know. Or, rather, she did before she fell off the face of the earth... I guess that's how those types are."

Kiyama fidgeted a bit, waiting for the receipt to print. The old woman adjusted her glasses before pushing the stack of materials to the boy.

"You have until the twenty-first.... though I guess I'll be seeing you next week?"

Kiyama nodded, snatching up the pile and shoving it into his bag in one fell sweep, then dashing out the building in seconds. He missed the knowing grin of the librarian, as she looked to the door that was still swaying from the force of the boy's hasty exit.

It wasn't until Kiyama was in the confines of his bedroom that he felt safe enough to open his bag again. He found that all of the frustration and the anxiety of the library trip from hell disappeared as soon has he laid eyes on the cover of the first book. It was thin and oversized, an intricate illustration stretched across the front. He traced over the pictures, inexact lines filled with bright watercolors, and he felt a feeling swell up in his chest... one he hadn't felt in long time.

Perhaps one day, he'd be a stronger person, and would be able to talk to Ryosuke, Wataru, and the others about it. But that night, it was okay. He was fine to keep his secret secret; it was okay to lie and run and hide and hurt a little when no one would see him.

After all, the mysterious, tough lone wolf of the yankees being a fan of children's books was more was more than a little embarrassing.

"The Boy, the Dragon, and the Shooting Star... by Hasegawa Nobuko," he read aloud. Kiyama opened the book, and felt his heart sink. He'd forgotten about the dedication.

To my little dragon; I hope you're able to chase all the stars I'm no longer able to see.

Kiyama's lip trembled as he turned the page again and again and again. Maybe, if he was a stronger person...

He would read the book over and over, until he fell asleep at his desk in the wee hours of the morning.

OOC: lolz, non-canon backstory