"It's not bias if I happen to be right," Yukimura agrees loftily.

Watching the soft light of that amusement slowly darken into that admission of missing his partner, in turn, causes something to flicker to life in Yukimura. A little misplaced, irrational envy at not being the one missed, he can set aside-- there were plenty of attenions Jackal wouldn't be paid and Yukimura was happy to hoard them for himself.

And everything Marui said about Jackal was correct. Jackal was ever loyal to the club and his doubles partner, and his (comparative) lack of need for the spotlight made him an invaluable piece on Yukimura's chessboard. His ego was healthy enough to accept assistance, or even to survive a break in an established pattern, like Marui's split-second decision to vanquish Seigaku's second years.

"More proof of my theory," said Yukimura. "We're not lacking in flashy around here."

But that's not going to cheer Yukimura's boyfriend up to dwell on that. Yukimura's eyes narrow.

Was he wallowing? It was such an alien idea to Yukimura. Marui did so much work cheering him up, and so effortlessly. How was it that Yukimura was unable to achieve th same?

"Anyway, if flashy was the only criteria they noticed, they're lucky cream rises to the top."