At 6 o'clock all of the athletes packed up and got ready to go home, and Luffy found himself lost and confused when he hadn't seen Kidd enter or exit the locker room yet. After having waited in the bleachers for several minutes, lonely, he remembered the image of Kidd from earlier, tell him to, "come find me later". Luffy sighed, wishing he would've thought of that earlier. He slung his bag over his shoulder with a glance around the gym before heading out into the evening.

Walking out into the warm, summer air was refreshing in comparison to the smell of the sweaty gym. The auditory side of life outside was crisp and welcomed. From the gym steps Luffy could hear the sound of the football being snapped and caught across the way in the practice field. Without a second thought Luffy wandered his way over, choosing to sit in the first bench of the bleachers while he waited to be noticed. He realized that feeling had been a common theme since he had entered high school.

Sitting there, Luffy was amazed at Kidd's agility. His physique was built and broad, and he could sure move. Just watching from his place on the sidelines, Luffy lost track of the time and fell victim to being mesmerized.

Taking a quick breather, Kidd stood and rolled his shoulders, tilting his head back to look up at the wispy clouds in the sky. He had a dazed look of fatigue about him. The sweat on his body made him shine surreally. Ace walked over to Kidd, patted him on the back and gave him a slap to the butt as they hustled back to the gym locker room to change. Kidd jogged past Luffy on the way and he gestured for him to follow behind. Luffy did so, obviously pleased to be acknowledged by him.

In the locker room, Luffy felt a little awkward with the two buff upperclassmen stripping in front of him. Pulling off his shirt, Kidd tossed it into Luffy's chest, who caught it in confusion. Kidd was amused.

"I'm gonna take a quick shower. I promise I'll hurry," he told him. Luffy just nodded- Kidd smirked.

Meanwhile, Ace had been silently observing the two while he went about his own business. He had shared three years on the team with Kidd, not like they were super close friends or anything, but he had never seen the redhead interact with anyone like he had just witnessed. He was itching to know what the story was.

Ace sat down and was taking off his cleats when he tried to get Luffy's attention. He dropped his shoe to the floor with a "thud" and received a glance in response. Ace gave him a small smile.

"Are you his brother?" he asked, leaning back on the bench. Luffy gave a feeble laugh in turn, looking at the ground.

"No, I'm just his.. neighbor," Luffy decided. He bit the inside of his cheek, hearing the water turn on to a shower further down the room. The heavy droplets made an echoing rainstorm within the enclosed space, and Luffy could feel the awkward tension building like the humidity. He just thought that maybe the word "friend" would sound weird, but his heart told him he had made the wrong choice of words. Ace shamelessly watched all these emotions go over Luffy's face, and the freshmen never once looked up from the floor around him. Ace only shook his head.

"It's okay. I could tell that you are close with Kidd, that's all. I just wondered," Ace explained, trying to relieve Luffy of whatever negativity was making him make that pitiful expression on his face. Luffy looked up at him in question.

"You can?" Luffy asked. Ace cocked his head and nodded, confused.

"Yeah. I've never seen Kidd smirk or grin or take time to talk to someone before," the senior explained, looking off in the direction of the showers. Maybe Luffy was not that close with him like he thought. This would be a story still in the midst of unfolding, he supposed, nodding to himself. He enjoyed the content look on the young one's face now that he had said that and he himself felt relieved, too, for whatever reason. Someone people called Ace "overly empathetic", but he didn't mind, knowing that it was because he enjoyed being a role model- a brother figure- for others.

Ace went on with changing then, leaving Luffy to his own thoughts. He could tell that Luffy was timidly taking peeks at him while he stripped down, but he didn't mind much. When he was done, he stuffed his clothes in a bag and looked up at Luffy one last time. Luffy turned and caught his eye, looking a little shell-shocked. Ace smirked at him and gave him a solid pat to his shoulder.

"I guess I'll see you later, then," Ace said. Luffy nodded, feeling the momentary warmth of Ace's hand make his whole body tingle. Within a moment the senior had left the locker room, leaving Luffy to the sound of Kidd's shower running in the background. He suddenly felt oddly distressed. They were alone. Luffy's mind buzzed..

"Hey Luffy?"

Luffy shot upwards at the call. "Y-yeah?"

Kidd shook his head to himself. He turned off the showerhead and stuck his head out of the shower stall. "I've made a mistake. If you go into the room next door, that's where we do our football laundry. There should be towels drying in there somewhere. Would you go grab me one?"

Luffy swallowed nervously- the way Kidd's wet hair fell sloppily back and the beads of water dripping down his neck and onto his rigid collarbone.. He nodded quickly, hurriedly scrambling up and into the room next door. It was very dark in there because its windows had heavy blinds on them, and he fumbled to find the light switch in his stupor. Once he got it, he finally noticed the stench of tens of players' dirty laundry that had gone through that room. With a quick glance around he found a stack of folded towels on a large rack. Walking back out with a towel in hand, Luffy began to feel his heartbeat pick up speed again as he approached Kidd's shower stall.

"Aye, I guess you found 'em okay," Kidd mused, sticking his torso back out. Luffy could only nod with a pitiful smile. Kidd had to restrain himself from laughing at the poor boy. He was so innocent. The two stood there in silence for a moment, Kidd looking around, wondering if he missed something. He coughed, reaching out for the towel. Luffy blushed in embarrassment, pushing the thing into Kidd's large hand.

Taking the towel, he disappeared back into his stall, first rubbing his hair and the continuing elsewhere. Perhaps he would try to carry on a conversation..

"What all did you end up doing today?" Kidd asked, drying off his chest. Luffy stood outside, deciding to lean against the wall of the opposite stall.

"Oh, well.. I spent most of the time on the machines, focusing on my legs.. My lower body isn't so great," Luffy said, running a hand through his hair. Kidd nodded in approval.

"That's good. Did the other guys bring their rackets and practice, or what?"

The dialogue continued smoothly, without much hesitation or lack of thoughts. Kidd had been done drying for several minutes, but he tied the towel around his waist and stood leaning against the cold wall while he talked. When there was a pause in talking, he pushed the curtain aside and stepped out, headed towards his locker. Luffy caught his eye as he stepped out, and Kidd gave him a smirk. Luffy wondered why that was always his go-to.. It made his heart flutter. He wasn't sure if it was just an awkward half-smile or supposed to be condescending. Nonetheless, Luffy followed suit after the redhead and sat down on the bench where he once had been, his back facing Kidd. He listened while Kidd took clothes out of his locker and dropped the towel to the concrete. He involuntarily folded in half, hugging his knees to his chest. Kidd couldn't help but chuckle.

"You must not have brothers," Kidd deduced aloud. Luffy shook his head- not surprising. "That's a shame. I don't care if you look or not."

That was odd. What Kidd just said was odd to Luffy. Was that just how all guys acted? Was it bad to be shy and modest?

"I'm not saying you have to," Kidd added, stepping into his boxers- Luffy hadn't moved an inch. Kidd sighed. He put on a pair of basketball shorts and skipped the shirt, tossing the wet towel into the hamper for the managers to wash later. Luffy still had not come out of his shell. Kidd gave him a pitying look and he patted the young one's back gently, getting him out of his little world. He craned his neck looking up at Kidd and his familiar smirk.

"C'mon, let's go," he told him, gesturing towards the door with his bag in hand. Luffy nodded, standing up to exit. Kidd let Luffy go out first, turning off the light behind him and locking the door before he closed it. He quickly caught up with Luffy, not caring that he was still barefoot. Luffy noticed Kidd and his rack of muscles beside him and he wondered how he got himself in this position. Kidd put his arm around Luffy's shoulders, pulling him into his side with a grin. Luffy tensed up.

"Relax, man. You've gotta get used to guys- and being one- even if you hate being around people in general, like me," Kidd suggested firmly, trying to look the boy in the eyes but not having any luck.

They arrived at Kidd's car, the sun in its last stage of light, and the two got in without talking. Kidd pulled his shoes out his bag and slipped them on, tossing his bag back. He waited, wondering what Luffy would do next. Luffy felt the heat of his gaze on him, and he looked up into it, confused. Kidd raised an eyebrow.

"Gonna chill and put your seatbelt on?" he asked, doing so with himself. Luffy couldn't handle all the built-up embarrassment anymore. He was going to burst.

"You're just extremely... cool, and I feel extremely inferior being around you," Luffy told him moodily, crossing his arms and looking straight out the windshield ahead. Kidd laughed. Luffy turned towards him, irked at that response.

"Oh stop. You just don't know how to handle me, that's all," Kidd replied, leaning on the console and attempting to look Luffy in the eye again. The boy wouldn't budge, and it was starting to get annoying. Kidd reached out, grabbed the top of Luffy's head in his hand and forcibly turned it towards him. He waited- finally, Luffy returned the glance, looking nervous again. Kidd only settled in, not moving an inch but to smirk. After what felt like ages, Luffy turned away, breathing heavily since he had been unconsciously holding his breath. Kidd shook his head in disbelief.

"This boy.."

He turned on his vehicle and noticed the time- although it was Thursday, they didn't have school the next day, due to "teachers' meetings". Kidd wondered what he would do. Killer was no longer an option to him, leaving him only with the option of testing out his new friend who was sitting next to him. The redhead turned towards Luffy again, and Luffy involuntarily turned back towards him.

"Haha! There," Kidd said, holding the eye-contact. Luffy blinked, blushing.

"What.."

"I can't tell if you're afraid of me or what," Kidd thought out loud, putting his car in reverse and pulling out of his parking spot. Luffy sighed, thinking he had already explained himself. Kidd stopped, looked and turned onto the street in the opposite way of home without a word. Luffy look Kidd over, confused.

"Where are we going?" Luffy questioned him, mumbling. Kidd smiled, grabbing Luffy by the wrist to shake him.

"Calm down- we're going on a roadtrip," Kidd explained. Luffy was amazed, and somewhat scared.

"I guess I'll let my parents know," he told himself, catching Kidd's attention.

"Tell them that you met new friends at practice and they wanted to hang out afterwards," he instructed Luffy, trying not to let Luffy's parents think that he was creepy.

"Sure.."

Kidd had not let go of Luffy's wrist for thirty minutes, not tightly clenching, but like how one would hold a child's hand. Luffy didn't question it out loud, but he sure did on the inside. Kidd didn't have a care in the world and actually forgot that he was even doing it.

They arrive at their destination way after sunset, which was perfect. Luffy looked around from their parking spot on the side of the dirt road- they were in the middle of the country, between a corn field and an empty one.

"It's so dark.. and quiet," Luffy whispered, looking around.

"And peaceful," Kidd added, getting out of his car- Luffy was confused. Kidd waved for him to follow suit. He did so, unsure what was going to come. Soon they were laying on top of the car, looking up at the night sky. Luffy could feel Kidd's large, warm presence next to him, and he tried to settle down. He let his eyelids slide closed while Kidd talked to him. Luffy thought that his deep voice was both exciting and soothing.

"I like to come out here when I feel restless or lonely.. or whenever I feel like I've had enough of people," Kidd admitted, nearly whispering, listening to the wind whip across the corn stalks. Luffy nodded in understanding.

"I wish I could do that," Luffy replied, opening his eyes back to the splash of stars beyond right as a small wisp of a cloud began to pass over the moon. "Which do you feel right now?" Luffy asked, turning his head towards Kidd. Kidd looked back, studying him for a moment.

"I don't know. I guess I just felt like I needed to show you this place," he said quietly, smiling. Luffy felt his face heat up. He remembered what Ace had said from earlier about Kidd not being like this around anyone else.

"Am I.. different to you?" Luffy mumbled, looking away quickly. Kidd followed his eyes, remaining silent for a moment.

"Am I?" Kidd countered, leaning up on his elbow. Luffy blinked.

"Yeah."

"Not in a scary way?" Kidd specified. Luffy paused, then shook his head. Kidd sighed in relief. "Good.. then do you wanna hang out tomorrow sometime?" he suggested abruptly, looking excited. Luffy couldn't help smiling at Kidd's child-like happiness. He gave Kidd a nod and was met with a crushing hug into Kidd's bare chest, but only for a second before Kidd hopped off of his car and into it, leaving Luffy confused and scrambling with a laugh. They sat there laughing, pulling out of their spot and back towards civilization once more. Before Luffy left, they exchanged phone numbers and quickly came up with rough plans of how the next day would look. The two of them both were looking forward to it.