• Catching a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye, I turn towards it, watching as Tenno sprawls out on the forest floor. His dark hair tousled and his clothes already rumpled, he's a far cry from the “popular” kid he plays at school. Already, it looks like the damp earth's starting to seep into his clothes and I slowly shake my head.

    He really is an idiot, despite what everyone else says. If he isn't acting out, he's got his head so damn high in the clouds that, from time to time, I wonder if he'll ever come down again. Still, there's something almost refreshing about being around him... Maybe it's that he seems so carefree all the time, or maybe it's just because I can't help but feel a little better by comparison.

    It's not like I'm better looking or that I'm more popular, but at least I'm going somewhere in life, you know? I've got both my feet firmly planted on the ground and that's where they're going to stay. I'll get into a great school next year while he's off pursuing acting, of all things. Of course, his father's still convinced he's headed for the military.

    That'll be the day.

    But I guess we can't all be successful, now can we?

    Glancing towards him, I notice that he's staring up at the trees around us with a hell of a lot more attention than he gives anything else. Rolling my eyes, I kneel down beside him, raising a brow as he doesn't even seem to notice me.

    “...just before the end.”

    The words come out with a breathy quality to them and his gaze seems to intensify.

    “What?” I demand, feeling a brief flash of satisfaction as I watch him pull himself from whatever daydream he was caught up in. For someone who never seems to think, he sure as hell seems to find something every so often to be completely immersed in.

    “What?” he echoes, blinking owlishly at me, like he's just been woken up.

    “What'd you just say?”

    “I said something?”

    Typical.

    “Yeah. Scared me. Sounded almost profound and I know how likely that is with you.” I shoot back, annoyed. True, he does look confused, but why's he going to start talking about something if it doesn't mean anything?

    This draws a laugh from him and he breaks into another one of his stupid grins.

    “Now I wish I knew what I said!” he exclaims, amused despite my frustration. “Sounds like it might've been important!”

    “Whatever... Don't you think we should start heading back, Tenno? It's gonna be getting dark soon and I don't want to have to drive in it.”

    “Right, right. Sorry, Zander. I just--”

    “Yeah, whatever. Come on.”

    Starting the hike back, I take a moment to glance back at him, making sure he's following. Aside from getting up, he hasn't moved a muscle and he's staring up at the sky, again.

    Typical!

    “Tenno!”

    “I'm coming!” he replies, dipping down to grab the tattered brown messenger bag he's never without.

    Sighing heavily, I turn and start off once more, reassured that he's following as I can hear his footsteps behind me.

    “Hey, Zander?”

    “What do you want now?”

    “I...I just... Thanks for coming out here with me... I really appreciate it. I mean...ever since my mom--”

    “Don't worry about it, Tenno.”

    “No, I'm serious, Zan! If it wasn't for you, I'd be a damn wreck...”

    “It's the least I could do...”

    Feeling his arm drop heavily on my shoulders, I stagger a moment and send him the worst look I can muster. “Don't you even--”

    I'm cut off as he presses a kiss to my cheek and my face grows uncomfortably warm.

    “Something's seriously wrong with you, Tenno.”

    “If you can't take it from one of your friends, how're you ever gonna deal with a girl, Zan?”

    “Easy. She'll be a girl.”

    “Grow up. Guys used to do it all the time a coupla centuries ago.”

    “Centuries ago. Key word being 'centuries.'”

    “Yeah, yeah. Don't blow a fuse.” he replied as he finally removed his arm, allowing me to relax again. I'm just not a touchy feely person. Tenno, meanwhile, is the poster child for them all.

    Clapping me on the back, he nearly sends me flying forward and I shoot him another look, hoping it will be more effective than the last. Met in turn with his smiling eyes, I heave another sigh.

    “Zan?”

    “What?”

    “Race ya.”

    “Tenno!”

    As he takes off down the trail, I stare mutely at his back, fighting the urge to throw a rock at him. I'm not a runner and he knows it! But fine, when he falls and breaks his neck because he wants to act like a stupid child, he'd better not come crying to me.

    We rarely, if ever, agree, we hardly have anything in common, but by some bizarre twist of fate, he's become my closest friend. Can't live without the fool and I can't live with him, either...