Author's Note: Yeah, I know...I haven't updated in a few days... But it's only because I was gone for the whole weekend, so please don't be mad at me for it. Anyway, here's the real chapter of conflict. Sasame has to find a way to (Or maybe a way not to) tell Hayate that he confessed to Himeno, and that she accepted him. How will he take it? (I'll give you one guess, heh heh).

Sasame teleported himself home in a twinkling of lavender light, and began walking up the stairs to his room. 'I have a date tomorrow with her.. at seven...' It felt like an incredible weight had been lifted off his heart, and he was free to float about as aimlessly as a lovesick tuft of dandelion fuzz. But his floating was soon halted by a rough hand on his forearm. Hayate.

“You look freakishly happy...what happened at Himeno's?” He added a suspicious glare to his tone and let Sasame's arm go once his eyes focused on him instead of some strange thing off in space.

His brain reeled as soon as Hayate uttered his first statement, and he began wishing that everything could work out just as well as it always did in 's romance novels. Maybe if he told Hayate about what Himeno had said, they could go back to being friends and he'd stop being protective and jealous. Or maybe not. He sighed.

“I confessed to her..” Sasame turned his head away. Hayate was like his brother, and he really didn't want to see what expression this might elicit in the easily angered knight of wind.

Needless to say, Hayate was furious.

“But you weren't even trying to impress her! You didn't try anything! I was the one that tried for her... And you were even late, on more than one occasion. Why does she always forgive your mistakes! I dress wrong once and she doesn't even tell me, but runs away! And then you saunter in there later, acting like she'll forgive you for anything...and then she does! I don't get it, Sasame. You could have any girl in this entire freaking town, but the only one you want is the one I'm interested in.” He started to stalk up the stairs to his room, then stopped at the top and looked back down on his 'little brother' with a look that can only be described as cold betrayal. “I can't believe you.” The door to his room slammed shut with sickening resonance.

Letting out a sad sigh, Sasame padded softly up to his room across from Hayate's, and threw himself carelessly on the bed. Gentle fleece blankets caressed his cheek, but they were of no comfort. Hayate would never forgive him. Never.

“I'm so stupid...” Beating his head dejectedly against a pillow, he let himself go limp. “I know everything Hayate says is true...but...I can't help it...” Letting another sigh escape him, he closed his eyes. His sighs were starting to sound more like whimpers. “...I love her...I can't hep it if Hayate does, too...” Hauling himself back up into a sitting position, he took up a pen and a small postcard.

Hayate found himself pacing around the room once again. This time, the reason was more grave.

“He probably doesn't even love her. He only wants to beat me in everything he possibly can...” Frowning, he sat in his chair by the French window and pondered. “It's not fair to her. He'll only dump her once he thinks I don't want her anymore and go on to someone else.” The thought angered him, but also secretly pleased him. 'Once he leaves her, she'll be upset and will come to me. I'll be a hero, and it won't matter what I do, because I'll save her from the 'dragon'.' Now...only to wait for light-hearted, sensitive Sasame to become a 'dragon'... 'Or...,' he thought gleefully, '...I'll make sure he turns into a dragon whether he actually does or not...'

He was jarred from his thoughts when a slip of paper sifted under his door. Hayate got up and bent over to pick it up. The lines on his brow furrowed as he read it.

' Hayate,

I know you probably hate me right now, but there's something I want to tell you. I love Himeno-chan...with all my heart. Even though I don't expect you to be happy for us, it would mean a lot to me if you wouldn't mention any of this to her. She felt truly horrible when you were angry today, and I fear that it will upset her greatly were she to be blamed for any of your anger toward our relationship. So I will ask you this as a brother and friend...Please, even though you hate me...try to act like we're friends again around her. I don't want to put any more stress on the poor girl.

Thank you,

Sasame '

Hayate blinked...then quickly glared at the postcard in his hands.

“What a load of bullshit. That bastard's really going to push it, isn't he?”

Ripping the card into tiny pieces, he let it float to the ground, watching it in scorn.

“Going to play the innocent selfless type, are you? We'll see...” Picking up a piece of old paper he'd used to try and count the number of green typis in the flock by his window, he started writing a letter of his own.

Sasame sighed as he read the scrap of parchment so viciously crumpled under his door. Why did Hayate always have to take things the wrong way?

' Sasame,

damn straight i hate you. dont give me this crap about how you only care about her. you only care about your self. your innocent nice-guy plan wont foll me. well see who relly wins this.

Whatever,

Hayate. '

Thinking a little more on Hayate's statement, Sasame wondered why the knights had never gone to school. 'Because we were desperately needed to fight Saihi... I taught myself how to read and write in order to do my job and to write music...but...Hayate never had any motivation like that... I'm surprised he can even read the newspaper...'

Stopping his thoughts, Sasame shook his head quickly. 'He's not stupid. He just never needed to learn grammar.' Sighing again, he put the paper away and returned to his bed. Closing his eyes to sleep, his last thought was 'Even though Hayate hates me right now...he'll get over it...I'm glad you care for me...Himeno-chan...'

Albino Blood-Raven: Yeah, yeah, this one was short, too. But not AS short. So...Hayate's mad at Sasame, Sasame just wants everyone to get along, and Himeno wasn't even in this chapter...though she was talked about. Review please? I'm going to see if I can make this fic longer than my first one. (Which was a Hellsing fic with seven chapters, and not even as many words as this had at four...what can I say? My attention-span was short, and people demanded updates.) Nn...Ja