Rivalry Wars [COMPLETED]

✴️ 8 - Challenge ✴️

Another brand new day has started, and currently, Duri— with his best friend, Solar— were making their way to school together. As they were walking, the leaf and light elemental brothers were happily chatting with one another, just enjoying each other's company before they separated their ways as soon as their classes start.

At this moment, Duri was trying out his half-brother's orange tinted visor, as he also tried his best to imitate his friend's cool-looking gestures. Solar on the other hand, only found his close friend cute rather than cool, which made him chortle from his friend's adorable actions.

"You know Duri, you don't have to be like me," The famed alchemist stated, curving a gentle smile on his lips. "You're already cool the way you are." He added, his exposed gray eyes smiling at his nature elemental friend.

"I know," Duri chirped, grinning adorably at his half-brother. "Though I was about to say the same thing to you." He said, causing Solar to become silent.

"The reason why I became friends with you it's because, it's not about you being cool, popular, smart and all but," The leaf element gave him a genuine smile. "Because I've seen more to you than that. You're nice, even though you barely show it to other people. You're also caring; remember that time you saved me from the bullies?" He asked, earning a slight nod from his best friend.

"And you're strong, Solar." Duri remarked. "You've remain strong all these years, even that time when we hadn't met yet from the past." He softly said, taking off the visor from his eyes and put them on his friend's, smiling warmly at him afterwards.

"And I'm proud of you, Solar, as your best friend, and as your brother."

Solar remained quiet after hearing those things that his friend just said. He stared at him, his gray, glistening eyes open widely. Without him knowing, few of his tears escaped from his eyes, as he felt his heart squeezed from the inside.

The leaf manipulator panicked the moment he saw his best friend teares up, with a worried look plastered on his face. "E-Eh!? W-Why are you crying!? Is it something from what I said!? Solar! Please don't cry! You're making me cry!" He whined, his body started trembling in fear.

Without warning, the light elemental pulled him into an embrace, hugging his concerned friend tightly and wholeheartedly. He buried his face on his friend's shoulder, sniffling afterwards. Duri was surprised from his sudden action at first, but has managed to calm down after a few seconds and gently returned the hug.

"I'm fine, Duri, don't worry... It's just..." Solar paused as he loosened the hug a bit and looked at him. "What did I do to deserve a friend like you...?"

"To be honest, I was asking the same thing." The green-eyed boy stated, as he let out a light chuckle then smiled softly afterwards. "But, I never really question it that much. Instead, what I do is, treasuring every moments I have with you." He added.

"Just so I could look back at those memories again and cherish it with all of my heart, until my life has finally come to an end."

"Duri..." The well-known alchemist pulled his friend once more for a warm hug, letting out a shaky breath afterwards. "I don't know what to say..."

"You don't have to, Solar." Duri gave him a sad but sincere smile, his nature-coloured eyes gazing directly at him.

"You, being here with me, is already enough for me."

<=> <=> <=>

"You're smiling like an idiot right now," The popular lightning elemental remarked, his ruby red eyes fixed at the rubix cube in hand while also glancing at his rivalry-friend from time to time. "I have a gut feeling that something had happened that made you smile creepily like that."