AN: The things that come to me when I've just woken up...geh.

Summary: Kaneda and Kei. Kei and Kaneda. Kai didn't fit in, wasn't part of their perfect life. AU, set after the movie. Kaneda/Kei, Kaneda/Kai friendship.

Disclaimer: I don't own Akira or any characters/place/objects associated with it.

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Third Wheel

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Kai looked around the remains of Neo Tokyo. It was a wasteland, there was no other way of describing it. The weak sun shone on the wreckage of buildings that had been almost destroyed in...the incident.

Yeah, that was how it was described now, wasn't it? Because if he even dared to mention the name 'Tetsuo' around his only living friends, Kaneda would break whatever he was holding and Kei would turn so fast it was surprising her neck didn't break and proceed to stare at him, as if to say 'why are you bringing up him?'

It was a month ago. Kei and Kaneda still hadn't gotten over what happened.

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It was a year ago now, since Tetsuo destroyed Neo Tokyo and tore their lives apart.

Kei and Kaneda had moved in to one of the smaller houses on the outskirts of the town. Kai lived next door, as someone Kaneda could talk to. That didn't happen much anymore, not now that Kei was pregnant.

The once glorious city was being rebuilt, during the day and night, a skyline was being erected again. Some day, maybe Neo Tokyo would be how it once was.

Some day.

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Kei had given birth to a young boy three months ago. He was named Akira. Kai almost burst out laughing when he was told. But he didn't, because he knew it would bring back memories of what had once been, back when all they worried about was whether the Clowns were going to take over their turf. It would bring back memories of Tetsuo killing Yamagata before his eyes, and how he was helpless to stop it...

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Akira was three years old now. Neo Tokyo was the thriving metropolis it had once been. Everyone had worked quickly to get the city back on its feet. Except Kai. Kai didn't go out much anymore, mainly because it meant going out alone. Kaneda spent all his time with Kei and Akira, and Kai wasn't going to beg Kaneda to spend time with him. No. He wasn't. He needed to show everyone that he wasn't weak, he could live on his own. He wasn't lonely.

No, he wasn't lonely. Just like he didn't miss Kaneda's company.

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Kaneda and Kei, along with Kai, lived in one of the old neighbourhoods, where the buildings were still flimsy, and everything was covered in dust. They were the only ones who lived there. Kai was the only one who heard the screams late at night.

"It's been four years, Kaneda! Jesus Christ, four years and you still have a fit when someone mentions Tetsuo! Get over it!"

"Shut up, Kei! He was my friend! My friend, you hear that? My best...fucking...friend! And he...he killed everyone...god, just leave me alone, okay?"

Yes, he heard the screaming. Yes, he heard the cries he wasn't supposed to hear, Kaneda's sobs and screams of 'why? How could you do this?' when Kei had gone shopping with little Akira.

He heard the cries he wasn't supposed to hear.

But it didn't matter whether he heard them or not, Kaneda and Kei didn't seem to notice him anymore.

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Today felt different. Different from every other day he had forced himself through for four, no, almost five fucking years. Kai knew that today, something was going to happen. Maybe Kaneda and Kei would finally split up, they had been having more fights than usual lately. Maybe someone would finally put Kai out of his misery and kill him.

Yeah, right. Maybe Yamagata and Tetsuo and everyone else who died would just walk out of a building, still alive, still like before.

And so, Kai went out as he did every weekto get some food from a local shop nearby. As he dragged himself out of the front door and looked up at the clouds, he smiled bitterly.

'Nothing's gonna change. Nothing ever does change around here,' he thought grimly to himself.

So it came as a shock was the fact that when he arrived home, he found Kaneda slumped on his doorstep, eyes slightly red. Had he been crying?

Kai dropped his bags and slowly walked over to his old friend.

"Kaneda? Hey, Kaneda, you okay?" He remembered asking.

The ex-leader of the Capsules laughed and shook his head.

"No," was the only answer he received.

It might have been pity that made Kai lift up Kaneda and practically drag him into his house for a drink. It may even have been hope that he wouldn't be alone any more. But he did it and that was that.

"Hey, Kaneda, when did Kei go?" Kai asked slowly, as though he feared mentioning Kei would make Kaneda go postal and beat the shit out of him.

Kaneda downed the last of a can of beer before answering.

"Around this morning. She took Akira shopping with her, like usual and she...she just didn't...come...back," he said, before burying his face into his hands. Kai could ear the muffled sobs, like he had heard many a night before this. He moved to sit next to Kaneda, putting his arm around the boy's shoulders.

"Don't worry, okay? It's...it's gonna be alright, don't worry...you've still got me, right?" he laughed nervously. Shit, he wasn't any good at this comforting stuff! He'd grown up in a world where crying was a sign of weakness, and where weaknesses were exploited and used to hurt you...

The two boys who had been forced to grow up too fast just sat there in silence for a while, drawing comfort from each other's company. Maybe...maybe they wouldn't have to be lonely any more, maybe everything would be alright...

"Hey, Kai?"

"Yeah, Kaneda?"

"I've missed you."

The shorter boy grinned happily. It felt good to hear that someone cared enough about him to miss him.

"I missed you too, Kaneda."

Yes, everything was alright now.

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Argh, the ending was sappy. No, seriously. I got cavities.

R&R please!