Chapter Text
Eiji didn’t want to go to school. His neck hurt and there were red marks on his skin under the scarf that he wore even though the weather wasn’t cold enough to wear one. But if he didn’t go, then Ash and Shorter would message him and ask him what was up. Plus, his mum wouldn’t let him skip just because he felt like it.
So he had unwillingly put on his uniform, shouldered his bag, skipped breakfast and went, hoping that Ash wouldn’t notice the puffiness of his eyes.
Yesterday had been the scariest experience of his life. He never wanted to be choked again, never wanted to not be able to breathe again. He had cried himself to sleep and didn’t know if he should tell Ash about what had happened.
But he’d seen Ash get protective of his guys and Shorter had told him that Ash tended to get suspended whenever he lost control of his anger. Eiji didn’t want him to get suspended – especially with how domineering Golzine was.
Eiji still didn’t know what to do but when he arrived at school and Ash’s usually stoic face had lifted a little with a small smile when he saw him, Eiji didn’t even know how to tell him.
“Hey, get home okay yesterday?” Ash asked him.
Eiji nearly faltered for a half second but nodded and smiled, “Yeah, all good.”
“Sorry I had to leave – Golzine didn’t even tell me about the event that he wanted me to go to.”
“That’s okay, I’m fine anyway.”
I’m fine anyway.
Eiji focused on that and kept on telling himself that he was – and no one could see the marks, even though he couldn’t stop thinking about them.
“Yo what up,” Shorter said as he came in, grinning. He raised a brow at Eiji’s scarf. “Feeling under the weather?”
“Mm, something like that.” Eiji answered. Ash seemed to be staring at him a little too intently and Eiji worried that his behavior was a little off so he cleared his throat and said, “I need to drink some water, I’ll be back,” before leaving the class in a rush.
He was walking along the corridor when up ahead, he saw one of Ash’s guys chilling and looking out the window with headphones on.
Eiji thought about turning and walking the other way but Skipper was one of the guys that he got along well with. He was also trustworthy and had a feeling that if he told Skipper about what happened, he wouldn’t tell Ash.
Skipper met him with a friendly smile as he took off his headphones.
“Morning Eiji,” he said, “are you getting sick?” He motioned to the scarf.
Eiji froze, not expecting to have to admit to what happened yesterday so suddenly but he didn’t want to lie about it again, especially since he hated lying.
He fidgeted with his fingers and couldn’t look Skipper in the eye when he answered, “Not really… A-actually, something happened yesterday and I don’t know how or if I should even tell Ash but…”
“Something happened? What do you mean?” Skipper asked, his voice full of worry and sincerity as he stood up straight from leaning against the wall.
Eiji bit his lip and glanced around. There were other students nearby them so he shook his head, “I can’t tell you here. We need to go somewhere isolated.”
Skipper nodded, “Okay, follow me, none of Ash’s guys should be in our room so we can talk in there.”
Eiji nodded and followed.