The wind was cool and a bit strong on the roof as the three of them huddled silently by the door, hiding as they tried to judge how distracted Yuy was.

Leaning against the protective railing with his back to the door, Yuy seemed to be in his own world, resting his chin on his arms.

Polanco, trying to soften his nervous breathing and slow his heart, prepared himself by the open door. He told the others he could get to Yuy before he noticed the approach, but they only scoffed at his boast.

"Toullon tried that last week, and she only got two steps out the door before that bloodhound called her out," said Ino, a sensible little pessimist, "and she's a snake."

"Please don't call her a snake," Take said gently. He had a bit of a thing for the serpentine Toullon.

Polanco, not necessarily the most daring, nor the most light-footed, felt too lucky that afternoon to let talk of snakelike women and Yuy's legendary senses bother him. Brazenly, he swore he could get father than Toullon.

Sure, the last three times he tried to catch Yuy off-guard, he barely took his first step before Yuy noticed him, but he could feel this time would be different. Different enough that he may get five steps in, at least.

With Ino and Take watching, Polanco steadied himself. Mentally whispering "Go!", he took one step towards Yuy with all the stealth of a young lion on the hunt.

"What is it, Polanco," Yuy said, not bothering to visually confirm what he somehow already knew.

"Err," Polanco stalled, startled a bit by the unmoving back and the too-sudden defeat. "Nothing."

Knowing they failed, the three left the roof and headed back down to their homeroom, passing an upperclassman on their way down.

Maxwell had only to look at the grumbling defeated and the still back of the victor to get an idea of what happened.

Half-certain of how far he would get, he mentally whispered "Go!" and made his way to Yuy.

One step. Two steps. Seven steps.

At eighteen steps, with Maxwell looming just feet away, Yuy stared out towards the river, yawning.

At 22 steps, Maxwell's chest was just a sliver away from Yuy's back. His face dark, he waited for a moment before scooping the shorted, completely startled Yuy into a choke hold.

"What's wrong with you, asshole, sneaking up on me like that!" Yuy yelled, glaring up at his assailant as he tried to break free.

"What's wrong with you, when I wasn't even trying!" Maxwell yelled back, trying to keep the hold from breaking. After a playfully aggressive struggle on Maxwell's part, he chuckled, loosening his grip and letting Yuy escape.

"Fuck's wrong with you." Yuy growled, but that only made Maxwell chuckle some more as he stuffed his hands in his pockets and stood next to Yuy at the railing.

"I was actually wondering why you're the only one that can," Yuy said carelessly after a while, leaning against the railing.

Maxwell blinked. "And?"

"I couldn't think of anything."

They stood side by side against the railing, Maxwell's hand absentmindedly ruffling Yuy's hair as one would pet a loyal dog's head.

~~~end

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