A/N The video isn't super necessary to watch, but if you wanted to know what Opal's throw would look like in real life then feel free to watch it :P

I watched Sato run off down the hall to get cleaned up and frowned, wondering why I felt weird about her being alone. Sterling called me over to finish our foosball game though so I followed him, trying to bury the weird feeling I was having. When I overheard Iris telling Rosa that Sato needed to take a shower I glanced around for a clock and frowned when I didn't see one readily in view.  After what felt like half an hour and Sato still wasn't back I made an excuse of forgetting my phone and hurried back to the room I would be sharing with Brandon, Sterling, and Dax.

I really did forget my phone, I thought to myself as I slipped the solid rectangle into my basketball shorts and waited for a minute in my room, trying to come up with a non-creepy way of asking for the girl's room number. When no obvious answers came to me I sighed and left the room, telling myself I was just imagining things.

I had just gotten back to the game room floor when I heard what sounded like Sato's voice. I sighed with relief and turned the corner of the hallway but came to an abrupt stop when I saw three of the Muheim High players brazenly blocking Sato's way. 

Anger began to boil inside me as I saw the lewd expressions on the three jerks faces. When Sato tried to leave and the lead jerk grabbed her shoulder I strode forward, grabbed his wrist and yanked it 180 degrees. He let out a yelp but I didn't care and pushed against his arm to force the three shorter guys back so I could shield Sato's vulnerable form from their view.

Trying to contain the rage that was coursing through my blood I gripped the guy's arm even tighter, causing him to wince. I slowly and clearly asked what he thought he was doing. The leader's two friends standing behind him looked between them and I could tell they were unsure what to do.

So you'll take on a lone girl but you're not man enough to face me? I thought as fury continued to course through me.

"Come on, you guys murdered us out there. You owe us some... compensation," the lead guy said with a suggestive look behind me. 

Without thinking I raised my clenched left fist. I would have punched the jerk straight in the nose but a sudden weight pulled my elbow down as Sato practically threw herself onto my arm.

"Don't do it, Dajan!" she yelled with desperation in her voice. I blinked down at her as she used all of her strength, which I was surprised was quite considerable, to keep my left arm down.

"You heard what this jerk just said, Sato," I snarled, glaring at the guy who looked like he had just seen his life flash before his eyes.

"If you hit him you won't be able to play tomorrow," she argued with equal vehemence and I felt my mouth drop open in shock.

Is she seriously trying to protect me in this situation? I thought to myself incredulously.

"Do you think I care about that right now? He practically threatened to sexually assault you! He could be arrested for that," I spit, leveling a glower at him. I saw both of his friends visibly pale and begin to take small steps backward.

"It does matter because if you can't play tomorrow then the team will have lost its foundation! They depend on you, Dajan. Don't throw them away for some jerk who doesn't know what sportsmanship means." 

Sato's words resonated in me as I thought of my team and looked at the cowering guy whose arm I still held twisted in my hand. I looked down at Sato in her pajamas and wet hair in a braid that was resting against my forearm and a realization hit me like a bolt of lightning.

I would choose Sato over my team. I'd choose her over everything. The shock of the realization made me loosen my grip. The Muheim player jerked his wrist away from me, backing up a few steps so that he was standing with his buddies again.

Slowly I relaxed the arm that Sato was holding onto so desperately. She looked up at me, blinking her huge green eyes at me in her typical surprised expression and I tried to force a smile for her. I then turned my attention back to the three jerks who seemed to be deciding between running back to the game room or past me. My eyes narrowed as I glared at them and reached for Sato's hand, enclosing it completely in my left hand before pointing threateningly at them.

"If I see you try to mess with her again I won't hold back," I growled maliciously and the two guys behind the leader nodded jerkily. "Come on, Sato," I said, leading her towards the game room.

"Looks like someone's whipped. Can't even stand up to a girl," the main jerk sneered.

Quick as lightning Sato slipped her hand out of mine, turned, grabbed onto the jerks lower arm with one hand and his upper arm with her other, turned so that her back was pressed up against his chest, and then I watched in complete shock as she actually tossed the guy. Somehow by using her hip and a fancy kick with her lower leg she made him flip over her in the air and then come crashing onto his back with a huge bang, knocking the wind out of him and leaving him gasping. Sato gave the darkest glare I had ever seen her give anyone to the two friends who were frozen from shock. Then she walked over to the guy she had tossed like a bean bag who was easily ½ a foot taller than her and stood over him with her arms crossed.

"Dajan can't hit you because of extenuating circumstances, but don't you dare insult him. He's twice the man you could ever hope to be," she seethed, her words full of acidic disdain. He continued to gulp for air, staring at her as if she were a demon.

"Do you have a problem with this?" she asked, flicking her eyes up to the jerk's two friends while gesturing to their leader gasping on the ground. They both shook their heads vigorously and she nodded. "Good to hear."

I glanced down at the jerk. He was beginning to cough and breathe a little more normal so I stepped past him and took Sato's hand in mine again, guiding her out of the hall with one last glare over my shoulder at the threesome. It wasn't until we were almost to the game room that I realized that Sato's hand was trembling in mine. When I looked down at her she was staring resolutely at the ground.

"Hey, you okay, Sato?" I asked, stopping and turning so that my back was to the entrance of the game room and I could block anyone from seeing her.

Sato's whole body was trembling slightly so I let go of her hand and gently pulled her against my chest. She stiffened instantly. It was like I could feel every muscle in her body wanting to push me away, but after a few seconds, she slowly relaxed and leaned her forehead against the fleshy part of my shoulder. I heard her mumble something but couldn't make out what she said. Uncertainly, I stroked her head gently.

"What did you say?" I asked softly and she moved her head a little away from my chest.

"I shouldn't have done that," she said in a trembling voice and I chuckled instinctively. 

She raised distraught eyes up at me and I knew instantly that this was not a joking matter to her. I quickly cleared my throat and lowered the hand that had been stroking her damp hair.

"I'm sorry. Why do you think that? I thought it was epic," I admitted with all seriousness and I was shocked to see tears begin to form in the corners of her eyes.

"Violence never solves anything. I should have just kept going. Why... why do I always resort back to violence?" she said in a cracking and warbling voice as tears slowly began to slip from her eyes down her cheeks. 

Momentary panic swept through me as I tried to remember what calmed down my older sister when she was crying. I doubted that chocolate was the answer to this problem though, so I tried to focus and think about her question.

"Of all the things you could have done, I don't know if that can even count as violence," I said, trying to sound wise. Sato blinked her watery eyes for a moment before meeting my eyes with a depth of sadness that seemed extreme for this situation.

"I hurt him, Dajan. Isn't that the definition of violence?" she retorted dejectedly.

My mind spun, trying to think of some way to answer her. Before I could think of anything she stepped away from me and wiped her eyes and cheeks. She took several deep breaths to calm herself down before looking up at me, the sadness I had seen a moment ago seemingly vanished.

"Thank you for stepping in like that, Dajan. You really are like my older brother," she said with a gentle smile and I felt a stab go through my heart at the word 'brother.'

I reached out and rubbed away a stray tear on her chin that she had missed and she smiled like I had just proved her point. A reckless part of me wanted to tell her I wasn't her brother and I didn't want to be her brother... but I was afraid that the smile I had been trying to protect for almost a year would vanish if I said that. So I stifled the urge and returned her smile.

"You know I would never have let those jerks hurt you right? And you had every right to kick them where it hurts with the things that jerk was saying," I said vehemently. 

She chuckled, but it seemed a little forced. We remained in the hall silently for a few minutes as Sato regained her composure. My newly realized feelings shouted at me to wrap her in my arms again and not let her go, but I battled them back until she looked up at me with only slightly red eyes and smiled.

"I'm okay now. Let's go back with everyone," she said in a calm voice. I nodded silently, turning to face the door, and opened it to let us both in.

Everyone greeted us and Sterling gave me a suspicious look but I shook my head, trying to express to him that something serious happened. He frowned in confusion and I sighed, gesturing that I'd tell him later. A couple of the guys dragged me into playing pool with them and even though Iris asked Sato to play a game of foosball with her as a teammate she declined, saying she wanted to watch our pool game. She leaned against a nearby wall and I watched her out of the corner of my eye.

As the game progressed her eyes began to droop and she slowly sank down against the wall until she was sitting down. The guys teased me when I missed an easy shot but I laughed it off and kept watching Sato as her blinks became longer and longer.

Those muffins she brought today tasted fresh, I thought to myself. I wonder how early she had to wake up to make them.

After several minutes of not seeing Sato open her eyes, I put my pool stick down. I motioned for the guys to be quiet as I walked around the pool table and squatted down next to Sato. Her breathing was a calm and regular pattern and when I gently touched her shoulder she didn't even flinch.

"Opal!" Rosa's loud voice suddenly rang out. 

I looked up with annoyance just as the guys who were playing pool with me all shooshed her. She blinked in surprise at the quartet of shooshes but then looked past the guys to Sato's sleeping form.

"Oh, the poor dear. Did she fall asleep?" she whispered with obvious sympathy and I nodded.

"I can carry her to your room if you take me there," I offered and Rosa nodded swiftly in agreement.

Being as gentle and careful as I could be, I slipped one arm behind her back and the other underneath her bent knees. Trying to keep from even breathing too heavily I slowly straighten my back so she tilted against me, then carefully straightened my knees until I was standing at my full height.

My heart skipped a beat when she sighed and turned her face towards my neck, shifting a little so it was almost like she was cuddling up to her pillow. After a moment she settled and her breathing returned to her regular pattern. I let out a sigh of relief but took a small step back as I looked down at Rosa to see that she was looking at me with gleaming eyes and had taken her cell phone out of her pocket.

"What are you doing?" I whispered and she grinned.

"Don't tell me you don't want a picture of this," she quipped with obvious amusement. I was glad that it took a lot to make me blush.

"Hurry up, I don't want her to wake up," I whispered back.

She happily snapped a few pictures before guiding me down the hall those Muheim sleazeballs had accosted her in and up the elevator to their hotel room. The room was dark but smelled surprisingly good and I moved cautiously towards the nearest bed. Rosa motioned me to wait as she pulled a few pillows off the bed and then pulled back the main blanket before gesturing for me to lay her down. I did so as gently as I could and felt almost disappointed when she immediately turned away from me and wrapped her arms around her pillow before falling back into her sleep breathing.

Without giving myself time to ponder on my disappointment, I waved goodnight to Rosa and quickly left the room. To distract myself more than anything, I went back down to the game room and played with my teammates until curfew. When I returned to my room I stripped off my clothes and took the first shower without asking. 

The hot water did nothing to help me forget the soft feel of Opal pressed against my chest, or her breath tickling my throat. Frustrated, I turned off the water and dried myself off roughly, changing into a pair of boxers and sweatpants but not bothering to put a shirt on. To my surprise, Dax and Brandon were already sleeping, each with their heads facing the other guy's feet and Sterling was sitting on the other bed giving me a serious look.

"What happened?" he asked without preamble. 

I breathed out of my nose sharply, glancing over at the other two guys which seemed asleep. I really didn't want the whole team knowing about what happened. 

"They're sawing logs, dude. Just tell me."

Sitting next to him I flopped onto the bed and told him about what happened. Sterling listened without comment until I was finished, staring out the glass sliding door that opened onto a balcony and a view of the night sky.

"So you panicked and didn't actually comfort her. Is that what you're saying?" he finally asked. 

I frowned, pulling myself up into a sitting position.

"What was I supposed to do? She stopped crying before I could think of anything to say," I growled in a low voice and Sterling looked over at me.

"So you wanted to comfort her," he said and I glared at him in the dark room with only moonlight shining through.

"Of course I did. Who wouldn't in that situation?" I asked exasperatedly and Sterling cocked his head at me.

"Is it a bodyguard's job to comfort?" he asked slyly and I groaned quietly.

Sterling had been trying to get me to admit I had feelings for Sato that went beyond a bodyguard or even just a friend, but I had been adamant that that was all we were. Sato had become one of my best friends. I honestly had never thought of her as someone to look at romantically no matter what the guys on the team said... Until today.

"What, no comeback?" Sterling teased and I turned away from him pointedly, raising one of my feet onto the mattress to rest my elbow on and rub the back of my neck. "Wait, seriously? You finally realized you like her?"

"Shut up," I said tiredly. 

Sterling snaked an arm around my neck and pounded lightly against my abs in his version of a congratulatory hug.

"Dude, this is great! You've been so focused on basketball I thought you'd never find a girl you liked!" Sterling said quietly but with gusto. I wrenched his arm off me and glared at him.

"What's so good about it?" I snapped and Sterling gave me a puzzled look.

"Come on, man, if Sato knew you liked her wouldn't it be natural for her to feel the same way? You two are hecka close," Sterling pointed out, obviously puzzled by my reaction. 

I growled quietly, rubbing my palm against my abs where he had punched me.

"Yah, we're close. Close enough for her to tell her friends in front of me to not spread 'weird rumors' about us dating. And close enough for her to say with a smile after I tried to beat up molester's for her that she's happy I'm like her older brother," I shot out angrily. All of my anger suddenly fizzled away and I sighed tiredly. "I messed up, man. I've been treating her like my kid sister since I met her. It's been almost a year now, and even if I were to tell her that my feelings have changed... she's not going to reciprocate them."

"Your feelings changed, so why couldn't hers?" Sterling asked, sounding logical. 

I flopped back onto the mattress as I remembered back to this morning. I had wanted Sato and her friends to sit with us on the ride up to the tournament, so as soon as first period was over I went over to her locker to wait for her. I watched as Castiel walked down the stairs, holding his jacket sleeve which Sato had been wearing over my jersey, and then pulled her underneath the staircase.

Suspicious that he might be up to no good, I followed and ended up overhearing their conversation. Sato's voice had seemed both stronger and more vulnerable than I had ever heard it when she spoke to Castiel and I had found myself backing away and leaving without inviting her to sit on the bus with us. Even though I didn't understand why; memories of when I had seen Sato and Castiel together ran through my mind all day and I had come to a disturbing conclusion.

"I'm pretty sure she already has someone she likes," I admitted to myself and Sterling. As the words left my mouth I was shocked as an overwhelming sense of loss flooded my whole body.

"Are you really willing to give her up without a fight?" Sterling asked after several long moments.

I stared up at the ceiling and Sato's happy smile came into my mind, but I knew it was not a smile for a lover. It was a smile for her brother.

"I'd rather keep Sato as my kid sister than lose her friendship completely by making things awkward between us," I replied sincerely and this time it was Sterling's turn to sigh.

"You're sure you won't regret this?" he asked solemnly and I raised my arms to put my hands beneath my head.

"I think I gave up the right to regret this moment the day I decided she was my responsibility instead of my friend," I answered honestly. 

Sterling chuckled without humor, patting my forearm twice.

"You're too stubborn, man," Sterling said, before rising off the bed and heading into the bathroom. I heard the shower turn on but continued to look up at the ceiling for what seemed like an eternity.

A familiar vibration whirred against my hip through my sweatpants and I dug in my pocket to take out my phone. It was from a number I didn't recognize but I opened it anyway, happy for a distraction. I instantly froze.

I was looking at the picture Rosa took when I carried Sato to bed. I didn't know how, but Rosa had taken the picture right as Sato tucked herself close to my neck and I was looking down at her with a look that was obviously filled with concern. I wanted to punch myself. I hadn't thought my feelings were so obvious. A message appeared underneath the photo and I glanced hesitantly down at it.

You two really are super cute together! It said with a million emoticon winky faces.

I ignored her message and continued pouring over the picture as I tried to imagine how things could have turned out differently if I hadn't forced myself into the bodyguard role that I had taken such pride in until now. My eyes were drawn as if by magnets to Sato's face, pale as a snowflake, and her braided hair a few shades darker than normal because of it being wet. The memory of the slightly flowery scent from her shampoo wafted through my nose as if she was in my arms again and I sighed heavily as my screen automatically turned black from disuse.

I clicked my phone back on and, before I could talk myself out of it, swiped and deleted the entire message thread from Rosa. I dropped my cell phone unceremoniously on the floor and went back to looking up at the ceiling. Lying motionlessly I did my best to let go of my feelings for Sato so that I could support her whenever she came and told me that she had started dating the guy she liked more than me.

A/N Ugh, that was painful :'(