Aki was bored. It wasn't uncommon, for the young tom to be tired of the mundane activities of life. That was just him. He strolled down the streets, wearing tight black jeans that looked a size too small and a t-shirt with a logo on it, one that was so faded that it was no longer readable. His hands were stuffed in his pockets (he could only fit 2 fingers in, after all) and his red hair gleamed against the sunlight. It was spring. He should've been more enthusiastic, but he wasn't. Spring was just another season. He wasn't looking forwards to summer either. Maybe he was just a stick in the mud...

---

The young tom kept his feet in the water, clearly in his own mind setting. Remi was gone, the man that had plagued his existence for what felt like eternity. Aiden this and Aiden that… what kind of name was that? And his scrutiny, that had to be the worst. Well, I was RIGHT. And see where that got him. Neptune huffed fingering the fish strapped to his cannon. His loyal fish, the only one that hadn’t betrayed him and left him for dead because of some pathetic disagreement. Oh loyal cannon, where have you been all my life? Rolling his eyes Neptune lifted his feet, and wiggled his toes, glad to be rid of his navy boots for just a little while. Maybe something good would happen today, if only something good would ever happen.

---

Aki neared the fountain, feet scuffing the ground as he walked. Bored, bored, freaking bored. He'd met two people today, both of which had annoyed him greatly. First the little southern bell. She had firered hair and freckles -- ohgod the freckles -- and she'd had the nerve to ask if he LIKED her. As if! Aki didn't like anyone, at least not at first. Besides, she protected his chickens and ruined his fun. And the second was that stoic little brown cat with a scarf. What a brat, not liking dog-teasing! He was lost in thought as he passed the fountain, green eyes lingering on the boy there.

---

Neptune was staring at the depths of the pond furiously. “my name is NEPTUNE NEPTUNE YOU DUMMY.” with each time he said his name, his feet splashed more roughly into the already disturbed water. Oh why did that annoying crazy guy with the violin have to leave? To what avail? To have the nerve to treat him like a sidekick, and then leave him behind… how… “HOW DARE HE.” Furiously Neptune dragged a hand through his hair, mismatched eyes helpless watching as the water splashed upwards and covered his beloved fish. “goddamn you, this is your fault Remi.” Reaching over he tugged his cannon onto his lap, holding the fish attached to it close to his chest. “it will take forever to dry now. Baka.” he sighed, not realizing how pathetic he must look, jacket somewhere on the edge of the fountain, hair mussed up, and clutching a stuffed animal to boot.
Damn his luck that someone of a rather foul nature was watching no?

---

Neptune. He got it. His name was Neptune. Aki rolled his eyes and watched him, arms crossing over his chest as he looked upon the sight. What an odd boy... Even odder than him, he'd say. An eyebrow rose as the boy went kinda crazy, ranting to himself with a mess of hair and a stuffed toy. A stuffed toy. He snorted then, aloud, and looked right into this Neptune kid's eyes. "What the heck are you going on about?" He stepped closer. He was...crazy. Insane. "Are you quite sane?" His tone dripped with amusement.

---

The mismatched eyes narrowed at the sudden voice, and he turned -slowly- to face the man that had disturbed his rant midway through, only to find… a kit. Someone younger then him. It was Neptune’s turn to snort as he looked the kid up and down, before turning back to his ocean and staring out at the vastness. “Quire sane thank you, more sane then a child asking an adult, whom, they do not know, if they are sane.” each word was chipped, icy, but he stared out into the waves he had created the god of his own body of water, as though… someone may come by on a fleet, come save him. “Baka, backa child.”

---

Aki flicked an ear back at his snort, unphased. "You're raving like a lunatic... That's hardly considered sane." His own tone was icy. Why did he have to be such a jerk, anyways? He didn't know this guy, and here he was, acting like he'd known him for days. Right. He wrinkled a lip and snorted himself. "I won't be a child forever..." His tone was almost eerie as he gracefully sat down next to the older boy on the side of the fountain, dipping a hand in the water. Chilly. He wondered what'd it'd be like to swim in it. Surely the humans would laugh at him. The idea didn't please him. Screw the Two-Legs. "I'm Aki." Said almost nonchalantly.

---

“No, you’re a pompous brat.” Neptune laughed to himself, not moving a inch when Aki sat next to him. “You may grow up one day, but you will always be younger then me. Remember that.” still chuckling he looked at the center of the fountain, without really -looking- at it. “Sometimes, im sure you will find once you have more years under your belt, it is best to go on long walks and rant to yourself. Otherwise, you may truly end up insane… instead of just seemingly being insane.” where did all this insight finally come from? Was it the loss of his… well ball and chain… ropes… gag? Neptune thought of Remi, of how different they always were. Aiden, … b*****d. Shaking his head the cat finally looked over at Aki, arching his eyebrow at the kids name. “sounds fancy, seems you have yet to truly accept your name and live up to it.”

--

Aki glowered at him, in the realization that the man was right -- Neptune WOULD always be older... He couldn't let it eat at him. He growled low in his throat, crossing his arms over his chest as the male raved on. "Rant to yourself? That would hardly make me look good." And he did look good. He thought so, anyways. He had Aidan's good looks -- not that his mother was a dog...he just didn't think he was all that...effeminate. He raised a brow at the other male, feeling his temper stir. No. No... Calm down, goddarnit! He wouldn't let this fish-loving, raving-lunatic boy get under his skin. He took a calm, cleansing breath. "Perhaps not," he agreed a little stiffly. "Although it's better than Neptune, Fishboy."

---


Neptune smiled to himself, completely at ease. Why should he care what this boy thought of him? He sure as hell didn’t care at the time what Remi had felt. “eh, one day you might understand better. Letting yourself hear your words, often puts them in a new light.” the boy stretched upward, letting his jacket sleeve fall just enough to examine his watch. “mmm should go soon, got to teach a class, I would rather not have a bunch of students trample me for fun.” His eyes looked up from the water, resting on Aki. “Life isn’t all bad you know, but sometimes, it feels like there’s never going to be any light in your life, to brighten the darkness. When you least expect it, something good will happen, and suddenly… poof, your not as cynical and moody as you are now, baka child.”


---

Cynical and moody, eh? He lifted another brow and feigned a yawn, as if this male was rather boring, although he did have his mind spinning. He was. Cynical and moody, that was. He was. He just was. He wasn't sure why... It was just...right. He sneered a little at the idea of talking to himself, though he would secretly try it when he was alone. Why not? What was the harm...? "I never said life was bad. I'm perfectly content. What gives you the feeling that I'm not?" But that was a lie, easily whipped up. He couldn't make friends. It wasn't possible. He was alone, a wanderer in this big old world and the sudden idea made him nervous. Him. Nervous? HAH! What the hell was wrong with him. He shook his head. "Hn."

---

Arches his eyebrow and says nothing, his feet hanging rather limply in the water. Children, were children… what could he say? Lifting a shoulder like he didn’t care either way Neptune failed to acknowledge the statement in any other way. Neptune knew it was a loosing battle to try to explain, so why in the world would he sit there and put such an effort in even trying? He knew that Remi wouldn’t, so why should he? Just because he NEPTUNE, was more caring then that… childish disaster ever was… didn’t mean much.

… but despite himself, against the odds, Neptune missed him. He missed the possibility that one day, just maybe… they would be able to forgive and forget, and treat each other as equals. A nonsensical dream, but one he had none the less. “mmm.” He sighed, once more, before bringing his head down to the water between his legs and washing his face off with the cool temperature. Damn spring was always too hot around here.

---

Aki let out his breath in an exasperated sigh. "I might be a child, but you're difficult." He turned away, hopping down off the fountain and sticking his hands back into his pockets. He didn't know what Neptune was thinking -- he wasn't a darned mindreader -- but he knew that the older male was definitely a pain in his butt. He flicked his little bobbed tail and looked at Neptune again. "Whatever, dude. You're a complete waste of time," he practically spat as he strode off, confident and calm once again. So he'd been shaken? So what. He was back. And it felt like he needed a little rush to get his mind off of what the other boy had said. Definitely a rush. The thought brought a smirk to his lips and he looked up at the darkening sky with a shrug. So what if he was a child? He would grow up...someday. Someday soon.

{Fin}