Archive of Our Own

It was rough. Daunting. Heavy.

A fight wasn't supposed to break out, and yet it did. It got overwhelming, chaotic, and well, one thing led to another. Brutal didn't even come close to describing what happened; savage was more apt. And Kaji was right in the center of it all.

He didn't remember everything that went down. A reminder of how he used to be lingering like a shadow; ever present and dark. Perhaps that was why everyone kept their distance after the fact. Didn't force him to celebrate their victory as they normally did, no cheers for what he had done. Instead, they simply allowed him to walk off; to take care of the damage that had been done to his bruised and broken body.

And there he sat. Off to the side, away but still close by to where everyone was. Watching as they ate, drank, and animatedly chatted over what had transpired not too long ago. He was surprised everyone still had so much energy, but adrenaline was an interesting thing, and when mixed with the promise of food? Seemed like a good enough combination to have everyone forget the struggle and just enjoy the wins. Everyone knew to ignore him, allow him some space, after an event like that. Knowing that his emotions would be high, and it wouldn't lead to anything good. Instead, they knew it was best to give him some air and allow him the chance to speak what was on his mind when ready.

Except for you. Kaji could feel your eyes on him, periodically, throughout the entire break; probing him. He knew if he did meet your eye, you would want to talk, and he was much too exhausted to want to deal with a sincere conversation, let alone one from you. Quite frankly, he would rather continue getting beaten than deal with that. So his eyes stayed downward, gazing at his phone.

Kaji knew you were many things, but he wasn't expecting you to be stupid.

Anyone could see that he just wanted to be left alone. A normal person would have felt his vibes and walked right in the other direction; hell, even his closest friends decided to leave him be. But you weren't just anyone, he supposed. You were you - frustratingly so.

He watched, out of the corner of his eye, your tentative approach. The way you moved so slowly, as if you were about to spook a feral cat that you wanted to pet, as you advanced to sit next to him. Placing, gingerly, a peach-flavored lollipop between the two of you, a peace offering of sorts to apologize for intruding. Maybe he was a feral cat. Because that small, kind, gesture made him turn to look at you - just the bait you needed.

"Are you okay?" Your voice sounded so small, barely a whisper, as if you were afraid to speak louder, afraid of losing the small step you had gained.

"Just a fight." Kaji shrugged, hand reaching out to take hold of the candy.

"It's not that." You shook your head, eyes holding a kind of concern he was not used to seeing. "It was more than that, and you know it."

'A fight is a conversation,' he could hear Umemiya's voice echo in his mind; he knew you were hearing it too. But to him? It was just another fight, nothing more, nothing less. Another annoyance like when he had to deal with KEEL. Yet, if that was the case, he supposed you wouldn't be sitting here with that look in your eye. Instead, you would have been dragging him to join in on the food and conversation. Trying to push his buttons, to push his boundaries, in your usual carefree way.

Instead… instead you….

"I know what it's like…" You interrupted his racing thoughts, as if you knew he was going down a spiraling path. "To be so overcome with emotion, with rage, that nothing else matters except getting it out of you."

He watched as your thumb gently grazed over your knuckles, ones that were bruised and bloody, now bandaged in pristine white. It made his brows furrow in confusion as he regarded your small gesture. Like it was saying everything you wished you could say in that moment. Like you knew what it was like to have a beast raging inside you; to have to constantly bang at the cages of your soul for release whenever things felt too overwhelming - whenever you were dismissed as nothing. After all, people only stood one hit in a fight against you.

"And then the regret…." Your eyes closed for a moment, to steel yourself before continuing, "and the shame, they always flood you the moment you let those impulses win. It always gnaws at you worse than the anger ever did. Because in those moments you realize that maybe they were right…. maybe you are irredeemable… not worth the effort."

You couldn't stop the few tears that fell down your face as your hand grabbed tightly to the fabric of your skirt; that, despite the tears, despite how weak you might be feeling and the tremble in your voice, you were going to continue to speak your mind.

"But that shit-heel of a man was wrong. He shouldn't have said all those things to you. He shouldn't have made you feel like all you were was a fuck up waiting to break anything that came too close. Because you're not. He just can't understand that to be seen is to be loved, because no one ever saw him."

Kaji watched you sigh as you brought a bandaged hand up to wipe under your eyes. A long pause stretched between the two of you as you took a moment to breathe, to allow him to take in your words.

"I see you."

You broke the silence first, as you finally looked back at him; your voice sure as you gave him a small smile before standing up and leaving him alone. He was thankful that you did, for he was sure that his face was flushed bright as his heart stuttered in his chest; completely at a loss for words and thoughts. Unable to function.

All it took was three words to completely throw his life into a spiral.

~

Kaji groaned, palms going into his eyes as he shook his head. He wanted to be asleep hours ago, and yet here he was staring in the dark at his ceiling. Your words kept running through his mind like a broken record, etching deeper and deeper into his consciousness every time. As if you were trying to make a home there, despite his reservations.

Just like a pest would.

He groaned again, clearly displeased with himself for comparing you with vermin, with something unwanted. Because truth be told, it wasn't as if you were unwanted, and truth be told, this wasn't the first time he went sleepless overthinking about you.

It started months ago. The middle of spring, not long after everyone came back from break. It seemed like it would be a normal first day back, boring and uneventful, at least that's how it started. But you always had a way of changing things up, even before he knew you. You stuck out like a sore thumb with that pretty dress you had on. Kaji couldn't remember the pattern, though he wouldn't be surprised if it was floral, but he did remember the light green ribbon you had in your hair.

It was a stark contrast to everything around you. Even your companion next to you fit in more with the crowd with her more practical attire; the only thing you really had in common was the Letterman jackets you had on.

You were oblivious too. To all the attention you were causing. To all the excited whispers and lingering stares cast your way as you glided along the courtyard, a blissful smile on your face as if you didn't have a care in the world. As if you weren't in a possible lion's den. He remembered that's what piqued his interest the most. Your laissez-faire attitude. It reminded him of Umemiya in a way, walking into danger with a smile on his face. It caused him to pause his music, eyes becoming trained on you, as he tried to make out what was happening before him.

"Oh come on now, Nanashi!" You smiled, elbow nudging your friend in jest, "You can't deny it's a classic combo!"

"Yes, I can!" She snarled. Clearly, you were perfectly pushing her buttons. "Raspberries and dark chocolate are just okay! There isn't anything special about them!"

"I dunno, they're pretty good to me~"

"It's average at best."

"Better than average."

"No, it isn't."

"Yes, it is~"

"No."

"Yes, they are~"

Kaji could practically see the steam rising from your friend, Nanashi's, head. Her hands were twitching as if she were debating dropping the large box and bags in favor of throttling your neck. Before she could even further decide to do that, Hiragi stepped in, unamused as always.

"Why must you always cause a scene?" He asked, figure looming down at you both, scowl ever present.

Kaji watched with furrowed brows as you smiled up at him, almost as if he were an old friend, as a hand came up in mock-surrender. It was a stark contrast to Nanashi, who simply bowed her head sheepishly - a surprising move given she seemed more confident.

"So so so sorry, Hiragi! You know I never mean to cause problems!" You apologized, smile growing more sheepish as he remained silent; your arm raised with the many bags attached to it. "I did bring a peace offering, though!"

Kaji watched as his mentor just shook his head, gesturing for both of you to follow him as he ducked into the building; the two of you obediently following after him. Maybe it was because his interest was piqued. That the mysterious nature that surrounded you was too much for him to handle. Or perhaps he was just sick of the constant, almost perverted, comments that kept floating around about both of you, which made him abruptly stand. Why he followed, he was not sure, but his legs carried him along after you.

It was no surprise that your small party was led to the roof. Umemiya always tried to find a way to get people to look at his produce, like a proud father doing all he can to boast about his children. Kaji couldn't help but roll his eyes when he heard his leader brightly chatting about how well they all sprouted, dragging you along with him to every single plot - clear that introductions were not important.

Not that seemed to matter, as all the Bofurin kings and their assistants seemed less than curious about your presence, like they already knew who both of you were, and probably the gang you were associated with. It made Kaji hesitate; the lack of excitement made him shrink back into the shadows as he continued to observe.

He watched as you walked carefully behind Umemiya, eyes peering down periodically at the many plots he was wildly gesturing at; nodding your head along to his excited chatter as you tried to follow what he said - tried to follow him in general. You let a small squeak as he rushed past you, wanting to show you the leeks he finally managed to have sprout. Kaji couldn't help the small step he made, an involuntary reaction to seeing someone off balance. Though it was utterly pointless, you were back on both feet with practiced ease just as quickly, eyes landing on him with quiet surprise.

You blinked, once, then twice, as you tilted your head in confusion. Kaji realized then that his position had been compromised, and that the position he made himself in was not ideal to begin with; akin to a rooftop stalker never made for the best first impression. He wanted to shrink back into himself, to hide and pretend none of this had happened, to do anything to save face.

Yet, you didn't seem to mind. In fact, you smiled. It was warm, inviting, and almost too sweet as you raised a hand to give a small wave. The first of many things you would do that would catch him off guard, to leave him confused and reeling. His heart stuttered, and it took everything in his power to stop himself from raising a hand to press against his chest in alarm. He couldn't hear anything but the heat in his ears as he felt himself flush in embarrassment.

Kaji was thankful for Tsubakino as he pulled you away in an excited manner. Towards what? It didn't really matter, as long as it was away from him, as he finally willed his legs to work once more, taking that step back into the shadows. It took him far longer to calm back down than he had hoped for, and even longer to take a step back out and towards everyone else; waiting for your retreating voice to leave the rooftops altogether. He knew it was cowardly, but he just couldn't care in that moment. He didn't want to embarrass himself further, or to be embarrassed; his heart couldn't take it.

When he finally arrived, where everyone else had situated themselves, sitting or standing casually, he noticed all the fruit. An oversight that made his shoulders rise as he tried to contain his awkwardness. Was he really so occupied with you that he failed to take note of all the produce you had provided?

"Ah, Kaji!" Umemiya's voice called out to him, thankfully killing his train of thought, "Come here!"

He, of course, obeyed. Finding relief in the mundane that was now before him. His leader wildly waved him over with a smile as his mentor, Hiragi, seemed displeased by the annoyance of it all. It was familiar. It was safe. It was routine. Kaji was finally able to slip back into the comfort of it all with a small sigh.

"Here! Saved you a few, I know you like them!" Umemiya chimed as the younger man approached, throwing a piece of fruit in his direction, which was caught easily.

"Peach…" Kaji muttered, trying to contain his excitement, his fingers carefully turning the fruit in his grasp. "Why do you…?"

"They're a thank-you gift! From the Minx Gang, the group that protects the east end of the city! We helped them out of a bind last week. I guess today they decided to stop by and showcase their gratitude!"

"So those two..?"

"Yup! They're members," Umemiya beamed, before nudging Hiragi's side in a playful manner. "Hiragi here is quite friendly with them, especially Nanashi~"

Kaji ignored the punch that his mentor threw, and the way Umemiya simply laughed over the gesture, despite the bruise that was slowly forming on his cheek. His brows furrowed as he took the information just provided to memory and heart; eyes snapping back into focus at the mention of a name.

"That's her name," Umemiya smiled, knowingly. "She's a real peachy girl!"

Kaji hated how perfect that descriptor was. Hated how it all replayed in his mind, after all this time. Hated how he felt, too. It was all foreign to him, his feelings, his reactions, everything. Kaji hoped that it wouldn't last, that he would get a handle on it quickly and no longer be bothered by it.

But here he was. A proper sleep schedule was ruined because of you. After every cheery greeting, every little smile, after every kind action you cast his way, he would end up just like this. Over and over again. Clearly, his handle on it all had long been taken from his grasp and was now in yours.

With tonight being the worst one by far.

"I see you." He knew what you meant when you said it, and yet at the same time, he didn't. You were always an enigma to him, always causing him confusion with every new piece of information you so happily gave him, and this was no exception. It was the way you looked at your hands. That was what made all of this an even larger mess, like a knot in a pile of loose yarn; jumbling his thoughts and your words around and around.

Maybe he was so confused because it all made sense.

After all, you claimed to know how he felt. What it felt like to be so overcome by emotions, to be baited to perfection that you cannot help but allow your anger to surface, only then to be faced with disappointment and disapproval; to be shunned by those meant to help you unconditionally.

It made him angry. To think of you as a small child, crying and helpless, pleading for help, only for the adults around you to ignore you. To force you to fend for yourself. To become something you didn't want to be, to become something you hated. Maybe that was why you were so bright, so cheerful, so helpful. An attempt to showcase that you were anything but violent. To tell the world you were just a sweet soul. To convince yourself of that.

It made the way you fight make more sense, too. Only one hit. To keep it clean and as painless as possible for the other parties involved, to neutralize a threat with the smallest amount of violence. And yet, it still showcased all that rage that lingered within you. Like with each punch or kick, you were reliving those horrible memories.

Kaji hoped he was wrong. Hoped that he read into what you had said, the hints you gave, were wrong - something so far off that it was ridiculous. But deep down, he knew he wasn't wrong. He knew you both were more alike than different, despite how you both portrayed yourself to others. He also knew that it was a waste of time being angry on your behalf; it wasn't his place.

Instead, he just got up. The prospect of sleep eluded him as much as you were. It was pointless to try to fight against it; instead, it was better to allow it to guide him to someplace else. In this case, to get ready to start yet another day. Another long day with little sleep.

~

His eye twitched. An involuntary reaction, of course, but to anyone who paid attention, it blew his cover. Made it clear that he wasn't just listening to his music and tuning out the world. But, in his defense, it was hard not to.

A meet-up of gangs at the east end of the city meant a meet-up with you. And with that, you were bound to be chattering away. About what, it was hard to say, but Kaji couldn't help himself from tuning in - even if he didn't care for the topic. He noticed, the first few times being around you, how you would dejectedly mumble into being quiet once you thought no one was listening, and something in him didn't like seeing you like that.

So now, he just listens in. To reassure you if needed. For better or worse. Today, he really wished he wasn't listening in.

"I want a Bofurin boyfriend." You sighed wistfully, resting your chin in your hand, as you gazed at the few couples around that were slowly blossoming.

"You do?" Your friend, Hayashi (he thinks), chimed in as she looked down at you.

"Mhmm!" You nodded, hearts practically in your eyes as you watched all the sweetness unfolding before you.

"Well, why don't you go and talk to one of them?" Hayashi offered, with a shrug, as she gazed at the crowd of people with you.

"Oh no no, I couldn't do that!" You waved her off, getting flustered as you started to shrink in on yourself - Kaji would have thought it was sort of cute in any other situation.

"Well? Why not? A lot of the guys here would love the chance to date you, let alone just chat with you!"

"Stop Hayashi! We both know that isn't true!" You hid your face in your hands, trying in vain to hide your flushed face.

And that's when Kaji's eye twitched again. Partly because he didn't like how you were putting yourself down. Another was that he hated knowing your friend was right. He would be a liar if he said that he hadn't noticed how many of his fellow classmates got excited to see you. How they would nearly topple over each other just to say hello. So, if you did go up to talk to any one of them, to ask them to hang out….

No. He didn't want to think that. He shook his head to try to rid himself of that train of thought, in hopes that it would also make the queasy feeling in his stomach go away. He felt both nervous and flustered at the same time; like something important was slipping through his fingers.

With a scoff, he opened a new sucker and placed it in his mouth, allowing his tongue to move the candy around in an attempt to both distract him and calm him down. But he could feel that it was hopeless as he watched more first years join the fray; more specifically, Kiryu.

It wasn't that Kaji hated Kiryu. In fact, he felt the same about him as he did everyone else, which wasn't much. That was, up until a few months ago, when you entered the picture. With Tsubakino, Kaji was fine with the amount of affection and compliments he gave you; after all, it felt more like a big sister giving you praise, at least that's how he thought you took it. But with Kiryu? In his mind, Kiryu was overly generous with his compliments, almost as if he enjoyed watching you get flustered and shy.

And Kaji supposed today would be no exception as he watched Kiryu walk up to you.

"What are you doing, hm?" Kiryu asked, gently taking your hands and pulling them from your face, "If you do that, then we can't see your cute face! And your make-up looks too nice to hide."

"Oh, please, you're too sweet, Kiryu!" You waved him off, but the flush on your cheeks and your large smile showcased how much you enjoyed his praise.

Kaji felt his teeth chomp down on his lollipop stick, the snap causing those around him to look over at him in confusion; their gaze following him as he stormed off. He couldn't help it. Couldn't help the anger that began to overwhelm him; that queasy feeling in his stomach grew to an almost unbearable degree. All he knew was that he had to leave or else he would do something he would regret.

"Kaji!"

Kaji was surprised that he managed to get a few blocks away before someone called out for him. But his shoulders raised to his ears as he winced at who it was. Because of course it just had to be Hiragi; and now he couldn't feign ignorance that he couldn't hear him, given his response. With a defiant huff, he stopped walking to allow his mentor to catch up, not bothering to hide his scowl from him.

"What's got you running off, huh?" Hiragi huffed out as he approached, hand placed gently on Kaji's shoulder.

"Nothing." Kaji shrugged off his hand but made no attempt to walk away; there was no point in it.

"I know it's not nothing. And you know you can tell me," Hiragi stated, though after a few moments, he sighed. Clearly realizing he wasn't getting anywhere. "It's about…"

At the mention of your name, something snapped inside Kaji; turning and throwing a punch without even thinking - just like an old habit. Hiragi already knew this could be his response, as he easily blocked it as if it were the sun in his eyes; something small and insignificant.

"What about her?" He asked, allowing Kaji a moment to catch his breath and calm down.

Kaji's brows furrowed as he tried to come up with an answer, but none was coming to mind. Why was he so bothered by someone giving you a compliment? Why did he care if you got flustered or enjoyed it? Why did he get so angry when someone else touched you in such a gentle, almost intimate manner?

"I-I…. It's not her… I guess?" He finally muttered out, because it was true. You were not the problem. He doubts you would ever be a problem in his mind. Not a serious one anyway.

"Then what?"

"I… I didn't like…" Kaji felt his shoulders slouch as the answer came to him, a pout edging on his lips as he looked away, "I didn't like Kiryu being so close."

"Ah," Hiragi chuckled, casting a gentle smile, and his hand came to rest upon the younger man's head. "You have feelings for her then?"

"W-what!? No!" He tensed, voicing out of instinct instead of logic, before his body slumped once more "I dunno…maybe?"

Kaji sighed; the reality of months of overthinking was just summarized so succinctly in these few moments. He liked you. More than he liked most people, more than he liked most friends, more than just a friend even. It seemed so juvenile to admit he had a crush, and yet here he was. Admitting just that. He was just glad it was Hiragi instead of Umemiya here with him as he came to this conclusion.

"What do I do?" He asked, knowing that Hiragi was in his shoes at some point.

"Not much you can do." Hiragi shrugged and gave a reassuring pat to Kaji's head. "Just got to tell her how you feel."

~

Kaji's stomach was in knots. Uneasiness, nervousness, fear, all twisting and turning in a manner worse than it had been a few days prior; when he figured out he had a crush on you. It was almost debilitating as his hand would periodically rest over it in an attempt to calm it down and make it go away. It almost caused him to forget about his plan, to just turn around and go home. But he knew better.

'The only way to make this feeling go away is to just admit it all to her.' He could hear Hiragi's advice ring in his ear, 'Even if it doesn't go well, you'll at least know the answer and can move on.' And he really wanted nothing more than to move on from the turning and twisting of his stomach, of his nerves. It made him uncomfortable and vulnerable - something he was not used to being, and he didn't want to stay in such a state.

Besides, he couldn't chicken out now. He knew you were at the hotel. Knew you were organizing an event on behalf of your gang, and that was exactly what he wanted. When you were so focused on a task, he came to notice that you would be unable to look away from it. Not to say you weren't paying attention, he knew all too well you were always paying attention to what was going on, even if you weren't looking.

And Kaji really needed you not to be looking at him while he tried to tell you how he felt.

His stride faltered when you came into view, after being led up to the offices of the hotel under the guise of dropping something of yours off. The desk you sat at was covered with so many papers, scattered haphazardly in a manner that would only make sense to you, as you furiously scribbled things down in your notebook.

You were rather pretty like this… mesmerizing even… but who was he fooling? He thought that of you all the time. That's why he was here! And the last thing he wanted at this moment was for you to catch him staring like an idiot. Shaking his head and balling his hands into fists, he walked further into the room; doing his best to ignore the heat at the tips of his ears and the harsh knots in his stomach.

Kaji situated himself on the opposite side of your desk, needing to face you - and his fears - head-on if he was going to tackle this. To tackle expressing his feelings for the first time. Before he could question it, before he could psych himself out, or be caught off guard, he started speaking.

"I need to tell you something, so please just listen and not say anything like you always do, okay? At least not until I'm done..." He looked down to steel his nerves a moment. "I like you. A lot. It's almost annoying, actually. I like that you make all those silly bracelets. And I wish you would give me one. I like all the dresses you wear. I like how you sometimes put ribbons in your hair. I like how you smile and the way your voice sounds. I like it when you call my name, like you're excited to see me. I like that you don't mind when I yell, and that you tell me to quiet down. I like that you always have a sucker for me. I like it when you stand next to me, and it annoys me when you walk ahead of me sometimes, cause I just want you next to me, always.

I don't know why you started hanging around me so much, and truthfully, I don't care, because now that you are, I don't want you to go anywhere. I don't care if you think that your laugh is way too loud, and I don't care if you ramble, or that you're so clumsy that you constantly get bruises all over. I just really like you.

And you don't have to like me back or anything, but I just needed to tell you that. And if you do like me, then…. we should go and get some food when you're done, okay?"

Kaji was finally looking at you, as if rambling off his thoughts made him brave, ignoring the heat of his flushed cheeks as he regarded you, trying to gauge your reaction, trying to see if maybe you felt the same way. Only to find you still shuffling all those papers, not a peep coming from you, ignoring him.

He felt anger bubble in him. You were never one to ignore someone when they were talking to you, let alone when they were so unguarded. Yet it seemed, for some reason, you were with him. You always pushed and prodded delicately at him, his boundaries and the like, to get him to open up. He couldn't even begin to count the number of times you poked his cheek to get him to join in on a conversation, or pulled at his arm to get him to join in on some fun, or hell, have you beg him to know what song he was listening to. And now you were ignoring him!? His fists clenched again, and though he didn't want to go off on you, he couldn't help it.

"Hey! Don't ignore me!" He didn't want to yell or slam his hands down on your desk, but he couldn't help it. "Did you hear anything I said?! Go out to dinner with me or not!"

You startled, unsurprisingly, at his actions. It made him falter in his conviction slightly, seeing you flinch at what he had done, but he needed to make his feelings known. He needed to know what your feelings were. He felt his breath catch in his throat as you blinked up at him - he hated how weak he got when you looked at him - and he hated how his heart sped up when you called his name

"Kaji…!" You mumbled out, hands coming up to take the earbuds he failed to notice out of your ears, "I'm so sorry, were you trying to talk to me?"

Kaji felt his world crash down on him. You didn't hear a word he said. Not only did he muster up the courage to list all the things he liked about you, but he also got so angry at you for no reason. He felt his entire being short-circuit, brain failing as he faced flushed hotter than it ever had before.

Left unable to speak, he simply shook his head before running out of the room. Leaving you to sit there confused for the rest of the day.

~

"He is not an animal."

Kaji's head darted to where you stood; he was sure anyone nearby was doing the same, eyes widening slightly as he regarded you. He had never heard you sound so cold, so vexed. Nor had he ever seen your eyes look so irate. You had never been bothered by taunting before. Never let a fight get too into your head, or cloud what you were doing. In everything you did, you were still light, airy, sweet. But it only took one statement against him for that to shatter, and now? You were the epitome of enraged.

Your fists clenched so tightly that Kaji was sure they would bleed at any moment as you took a step towards the man in question, the leader of this offending new gang who had made the comment in the first place - elevated on a precarious platform above the scabble below.

"Don't you dare, that bastard is mine!" Sakura called out, slowly advancing towards you while doing his best to dodge those who wanted to knock him down.

"Not anymore." Before anyone could say anything in opposition, or even make a sound, you darted towards your target.

Sakura called out to you to stop, stating it was not your fight. Even Kaji's arm darted out to grab you and pull you back, but a grunt took advantage of the distraction and kicked him down and away. But it was too late. Determination had taken hold of you, and now you were looking for blood. The thing was, Kaji didn't want you to bleed on his behalf. His resolve burned tenfold when he saw you throw the first punch.

"Oh ho ho, watch it there, Barbie!" Ozawa Tatsuya, leader of said offending gang, taunted, "Wouldn't want you to get hurt."

You scoffed at the smirk he threw your way; it made your blood boil into an enraging inferno, as you readjusted your stance. "Barbie can do anything, like win a fight. You? You won't last 5 minutes." You didn't give Ozawa time to give his own comeback, one that would tell you otherwise, before you swung again, beginning your dance.

In normal circumstances, you would allow your opponent to swing while you dodged; allowing you to reserve your energy and support until the fight was won. But now the tables had turned, and you, with all your fury were providing an onslaught, a flurry, of punches and kicks towards Ozawa. Your balance stayed perfectly intact as the ground beneath your feet swayed with every motion as you navigated him towards the edge of the platform.

And then, the impossible happened. You faltered.

Kaji had never panicked before in a fight. Never felt the anxious tug at his soul that some often did whenever they were faced with possible danger. But as he watched your arm lower in its trajectory, allowing for that man to strike, to hit you so hard that it threw you to the ground with a yelp did he feel for the first time that level of distress.

For you never faltered. You never missed, and rarely did you ever get hit. After all, you were a Cherry Bomb, a nickname given to you by the Minxes' because you were such a small force of nature. None of them ever had to worry about you for there was never a challenge you couldn't handle.

And yet, you faltered. Whatever Ozawa said, it got to you, and bad.

Kaji's eyes widened as he watched you lift your head, seeing the blood leaking from your nose, made him freeze. He couldn't feel the impact of the multitude of hits that his opponent dished out to him, even as they brought him down to his knees as it was insignificant.

Kaji's new goal was no longer to take out as many people as he could - to provide support to his fellow brothers - it was now to get to you as quickly as possible. He had to. Nothing else in his mind would allow him to divert to anything other than to figure out a path to you.

"Get up." With kick you were tossed to the other side of the platform "I said get up!"

"I will not fight you." You muttered as you got back on wobbly legs to stand, "I refuse to hit that child again."

You grunted in pain as his fist connected with your head, staggering further away. Again and again, he goaded your to fight him; screaming at your to hit him back, to relent and defend yourself, and you kept refusing.

All the while, Kaji mirrored Ozawa's actions. With every punch, every kick, that was given to you, he gave to another grunt in his way. Fighting with blind, white panic to stop what was happening to you.

"Why won't you fight me!" Ozawa screamed as he threw yet another punch at you

"You were just a kid!" You replied, dodging out of his way.

"Stop saying that!" You could tell his resolve was slowly deteriorating, as his swings grew more erratic and weak, "Stop talking and just hit me!"

You refused. and dodged.

"Hit me!"

Dodge

"Come on, hit me!"

Dodge

"Hit me! Come on!"

Dodge

"Let those primal instincts win!"

Dodge

"Fight me! Flight me like the animals we are!" He took hold of your shirt, keeping you still as he raised his arm to land a final blow to you.

"We were just kids." You whispered, causing his arm to hesitate, his eyes wide and affronted as he gazed at you, "We didn't ask for any of this, for all this pain. We didn't ask to be a burden or pushed aside…."

"Shut up!" Ozawa wailed, his fist connecting with your cheek

"We were supposed to be protected, loved!" You yelled, finally looking up at them "To be seen!"

His hold on you loosened after you spoke those words. An opening that Kaji was sure to use as he was finally able to hop onto the platform; using the chain to swing momentum into a kick that would send that bastard flying - flying away from you.

Though Kaji would never make contact. His trajectory changed when your body launched to cover Ozawa, pushing you both away."I'm sorry." you whispered, clingy tightly to him as tears began to flow from your eyes "I'm sorry they failed you."

Your breathing was ragged, your body aching, but it didn't matter to you in that moment. What did matter was that Ozawa had finally listened to you; finally heard you. The dam of his own resolve broke as he mirrored you. Tears flowing heavily down his own face as he took the moment between the two of you to finally breathe - to start healing.

Kaji wanted to be the one to help you down, to look you over, and to help clean you up, but you were a blur; always one step away from him the whole time. And before he knew it, when everyone was resting and enjoying a good meal, you were nowhere to be found.

His eyes scanned throughout the nearby cafe for you, on and off, in hopes to get a glimpse of your hair, or catch your eye, or to see your smile. After 30 minutes though, he realized that you were not coming, and that was a bad, bad thing. It meant you were in your head. Meant that whatever Ozawa said, and whatever you said to him, stuck to your ribs and made you feel inadequate; made you take a look at the things you didn't like about yourself and isolate. After an event like that, Kaji knew that no one should be alone - especially you.

So, he went looking for you. Much like you would do for him. Kaji knew you wouldn't want to see him, but you came to his defense, so at the very least, he wanted to say thank you. He knew you wouldn't be too annoyed with him if that was the case. He just wanted to know if you were okay, as he slowly approached a small side room where he knew you would be hidden.

"Why? Why are you always so focused on me?" He heard you sigh out, exasperated, when he quietly walked up to you. Your back was turned to him, rigid, your hands made idle work at bandaging themselves carefully.

Kaji ignored your question, as he looked around the room to see if there was a place he could sit, when he realized there was none, he decided to stand before you; taking note of the bandages that littered across your face - it was almost cute.

"Your nose broken?"He asked, pulling his headphones down to sit around his neck.

"… Just a little sore." You replied as you attempted to tie off the bandage on your hand; sighing in quiet frustration when it did not work.

Kaji stepped in, deft hands making the task look easy as he quickly did it for you, "Did you know him?"

"No," You shook your head with another little sigh "I didn't meet them until today."

Kaji's brows furrowed, confusing etching into him as he tried to connect the dots. "Then why did…?"

"Just a broken soul seeing another, that's all." You huffed a laugh, he was always so close to the answer and yet so far.

You sighed once more after a moment, bringing a hand up to rub between your brows; trying to release some of then tension there. You both knew Kaji was not leaving anytime soon, and if he was, he was going to be bringing you with him. And you knew he was patient, and would wait all night for you to speak about what was upsetting you.

"He was a kid like me." You decided to rip the band-aid off, so to speak, and just dive in. "Alone, and only ever seen as a problem."

"You were a problem?"

"Not like you… not exactly....Not that you were a problem." Your eyes glanced at him before looking up to gather your thoughts more succulently "You were just a kid that needed someone to help and no one came. Just like he was. Just like…."

"You?"

"Yeah." You started to pick at the cloth around you hands, a nervous tick when you were uncomfortable "I don't know why my parents had me; they already had sons and daughters, but they did."

You looked back up at him as his hand covered yours; giving you some warmth, some comfort, to help steady you to keep going. "And… I always felt like an afterthought. Like I was the family pet. Never really thought of until something like moving was to happen. The only time they ever paid attention wasn't when I was being bullied, but whenever I stood up for myself. They would rather me be in pain if it meant I was quiet, because it was easier to deal with. I felt like debris in the wind. Floating, never being able to find purchase. Never being able to just…be. I knew Ozawa went through something similar. I know you did too…"

You could no longer meet his eye, taking your hand away from his as you took a step back; an arm crossing your body in an attempt to cover yourself, like a form of armor "Just a kid who needed love, and did everything possible to try and get it but couldn't."

You let out a self-deprecating laugh as you shook your head, as if reliving some of the poor choices your family doted upon you in your time of need. "I sometimes still feel lost in that wind. Like an imposter in someone else's clothes. Like something to be forgotten. And on days like today, it makes me realize how easy it would be to forget me."

"That's not true." Kaji interjected , shaking his head, looking at you as if you said the most ridiculous thing "Ozawa wouldn't forget you, or what you did for him. Neither would the Minxes, or the people at that fruit stand. Or me."

"Or you?

"Or me." Kaji nodded, resolve in his eyes making it clear he was not lying "After all, I see you."

He watched as your eyes widened, breath turning shallow, as you did your best to stop yourself from becoming overwhelmed; tears welling into your eyes, as they so often did when you felt something too strongly, as you tried in vain to blink them away. It was clear you were caught off-guard over his simple confession - the same confession that you gave to him weeks ago. Your mouth kept opening, trying to say anything in response, but only for broken words could form

"You… you… like…?"

"Yes," Kaji smiled, closing the gap you made as he took a gentle hold of your face; his thumb swiping away your tears, "you crybaby."

Airy laughter bubbled out of you, your joy unable to be contained, causing you to hiccup as your body tried to balance both your tears and your happiness over what this all meant. Kaji simply allowed you to do so, resting his forehead against yours as his own laughter mixed in.

Once your laughter died down, he couldn't help but glance at your mouth, shifting on his feet nervously, his eyes met yours once again. "Can.. can I?"

Your cheeks flushed hotly as you nodded your head, and you waited with baited breath for his lips to meet yours. They were soft, tentative, as to be expected from someone who had never done it before. But you didn't care, as you hummed, melting into it and him as your hands clung to his sleeves.

It only lasted a brief moment, but it felt like a beautiful lifetime for you both; bashful smiles accompanied you both when you finally parted, as if you both wanted to say what you were, but were too shy to. Instead, he pulled you into him; wanting to bask in your warmth for a little while longer.

'I see you' hung in the air as you allowed yourself to fall full into him. To allow yourself to be loved by him in this moment, and many more to come, as he allowed himself to do the same with you. Another hum escaped you, a sweet sound that Kaji hoped he could hear forever, as you allowed yourself one more second of enjoyment in his hold. A shuffle of feet and a shadow by the doorway made you gently push at his chest and pull away with a strained smile.

"Haragi, how long have you been standing there?"