Archive of Our Own

At around two thirty, Baji was sprawled out on the sofa in his and Chifuyu's shared apartment, flipping through the latest release of his favourite racing magazine.

The day had been pretty uneventful so far. He'd woken up in their bed with Chifuyu still sound asleep beside him. Baji had lingered there for a while, watching him, before deciding he liked his boyfriend much better awake. He kissed him until his eyes fluttered open, and the morning slipped by with them tangled together, murmuring quietly and refusing to move for as long as they could get away with.

They both had breakfast and got ready for the day as they usually did. Chifuyu left just before eleven to help Takemichi prepare for a business meeting, then do some errands and then finish off paperwork. Much to Baji's displeasure, there were two too many thens in that sentence, and he didn't want Chifuyu to leave just as much as Chifuyu himself didn't want to leave. That fact was made evident from the way he complained about his day's tasks all throughout Baji helping him do his tie and up until the intentionally prolonged journey to the front door, where they kissed goodbye and waved each other off. Chifuyu said he'd be back by four, and with Baji free all day, they agreed they'd hang out once he returned and figure things out from there.

Baji was about to flip the page when his phone started ringing. He pat down his shirt and pant pockets, but came back empty handed. The next places he checked were the coffee table and the sofa beneath him, and when it became clear it wasn't there either, he decided to let it ring out and continue reading.

To his dismay, it started up again moments later, and this time he didn't even bother looking for it, choosing to ignore it outright since it couldn't have been that important anyway.

Whoever was calling was an insistent little fuck and after the fourth call, Baji gave in with a curse under his breath and got up to find his phone. He looked for a solid few minutes until he found it laying under the sofa. He was greeted with five missed calls from Draken and a few new messages from him too.

Answer the phone you idiot

Mikey needs you to pick up Pah's car later on today

Baji let out a confused grunt before calling Draken back.

"Why the hell does he need to get his car?"

"Apparently," Draken said, "Pah left it at the abandoned car park near the station after things got a bit messy last night."

Baji frowned. "Messy how?"

There was movement on the other end of the line before Draken finally replied. "You know how Toman is now. We're a legit bike business on paper, but some idiots still think they can muscle in on our territory. One of the smaller gangs tried to start shit during a delivery run. Pah handled the problem, but when the cops started sniffing around, he ditched the car in the nearest spot and got out of there fast."

That made sense. Toman wasn't what it used to be ten years ago, there weren't any more teenage turf wars or reckless violence for the sake of pride. Now it was mostly just logistics, workshops, warehouses, negotiations and sometimes a rare scuffle escalated to a full on fight. Still, their name now carried newfound weight, and sometimes that attracted the wrong kind of attention. Old habits died hard, especially for people who thought Toman had gone soft.

"So, Mikey wants it moved before someone recognises it or tries something stupid," Draken continued. "You're closest, and shockingly, Pah trusts you not to wreck it."

"How lovely," Baji muttered.

Draken snorted. "Just grab it, drop it at the main headquarters, and come back. Should be easy. I owe you one."

"Yeah, yeah," Baji replied. "Tell him he's buying me dinner."

"I'll tell him. Later."

The call ended, and Baji dropped his phone onto the sofa beside him before stretching his arms over his head. So much for free time with Chifuyu.

There was only an hour until he came back from work, so Baji decided he'd wait until then before heading out. The plan was simple. Take their car to the location, pick up Pah's, drop it off at the gang's main headquarters, then drive back home.

A perfect plan.

He slid the magazine back onto the shelf beneath their TV and headed into the kitchen.

Yesterday's leftovers sat waiting in the fridge, so he pulled them out and set them in the microwave. Before starting it, he washed the breakfast dishes still piled in the sink, figuring it'd be nice not to leave that for Chifuyu. Once everything was clean, he reheated the food so it'd still be warm by the time Chifuyu got home.

Thankfully, he had just set the plated food down at the table when Chifuyu entered their apartment. Baji could hear him taking his shoes off by the front door and placing his keys on the shelf as he followed the waft of yesterday's seafood dish to the dining table.

"Look who's finally here," Baji teased, grinning at him.

Chifuyu scoffed, rolling his eyes just slightly as he took a seat. "At least now you know how I feel about you working full days during the week."

"Oh, come on, Fuyu," Baji said lightly. "We both know work's been busy lately."

"A bit too busy, if you ask me." Chifuyu split his chopsticks apart and stabbed a shrimp to separate it.

"Bad day?"

Chifuyu hummed. "Takemichi's shit at playing manager. He's too good of a guy to give orders, and we both know how that goes in a business like this." He paused, then continued. "We stopped the meeting halfway through and I talked him into being firmer about what we wanted. It worked out in the end. I was proud of him."

A small smile crept into his words as he spoke.

"We celebrated a bit since the deal's good for the company. Then I realised I was running late and ended up rushing between the warehouse and the corporate buildings for errands, finished signing off paperwork, and... yeah. Here I am. It's been a busy day."

Baji could honestly listen to Chifuyu talk forever.

Adjusting to their new life had taken time, for all of them. But hearing Chifuyu talk about his day, about meetings and deals instead of street fights and bloodshed, felt strangely peaceful. Not that their business could ever truly be called peaceful, but compared to the chaos of their teenage years, this was tame.

It was nice to see how far they'd come.

"How was your day, Baji-san?" Chifuyu asked.

Baji swallowed his mouthful before answering. "It was alright. Nothing much happened while I was waiting for you."

Draken's call surfaced in his mind.

"Actually, I need to head to the abandoned car park near the station in a bit."

Chifuyu gave him a questioning look, so Baji continued. "Draken called. He wants me to pick up Pah's car and drop it off at the main building. We can hang out after."

"Can't I just come with you?"

"It's fine," Baji said quickly. "You should stay home and rest."

Chifuyu laughed. "As much as I appreciate how considerate you are, Baji-san, I think I have to come with you."

Baji blinked. "Huh?"

That only made Chifuyu laugh harder. "I didn't know you could drive two cars at once, unless that's a hidden talent you've been keeping from me?"

"Why would I be driving two ca-" Baji paused before realisation hit him. "Oh."

If he went alone, he'd have to head back to the car park after dropping Pah's car off just to retrieve his own. Curse Pah and his stupid car.

"So now I have to come too," Chifuyu said smugly.

Baji didn't bother arguing. "Yeah, yeah, alright," he said, waving his chopsticks. "We'll leave after we finish eating."

They finished their food not long after and started getting ready to head out. They washed up the plates and threw away the leftover takeout rubbish.

Baji disappeared into the bedroom first, tugging off his shirt and replacing it with something more presentable. Nothing fancy, just a worn hoodie and jeans that'd seen better days. Chifuyu followed suit, swapping his work clothes for a soft jacket and a pair of sneakers.

Baji grabbed his wallet and Chifuyu got his phone as well as the keys.

"Alright," Baji said, already heading for the door. "Let's go before I change my mind."

They stepped out into the hallway and continued talking as Chifuyu locked the door behind them.

The elevator ride down was short, filled with the same endless piano tune they'd listened to every day for the past two years. It was so ingrained into them by now that neither could tell where it started or ended. The thought that the building couldn't even switch up the music annoyed them both. They'd have to make a complaint one of these days.

As soon as the doors slid open, Baji shot Chifuyu a glance.

"Last one to the car's a rotten egg."

Chifuyu barely had time to process the words before Baji bolted.

"Hey-!"

Chifuyu took off after him, sneakers slapping against the ground as they burst out of the apartment building and into the open air. The afternoon sun was still warm, casting long shadows across the car park as the two of them sprinted past parked vehicles, laughing breathlessly.

Baji reached the car first. Barely. He skidded to a stop and turned just in time to see Chifuyu slow down a second or two later, his hands braced on his knees as he caught his breath.

"Two seconds," Baji grinned, already reaching for the keys.

"You suck," Chifuyu whined, though he was smiling too. "You only won because you cheated."

"Well, I guess it sucks to be you then." Baji plucked the keys right out of Chifuyu's hand before he could protest. "I'm driving."

Chifuyu raised a brow. "You sure?"

"Yeah," Baji said easily. "You've been driving all day while I've been rotting on a couch."

Chifuyu shrugged and moved to the passenger side. "Alright, works for me."

Baji turned the key and the car came to life. They soon pulled out the lot and merged with the traffic on the roads.

The weather was nice, unusually so for this time of year, and by the time the car park near the station came to view, neither of them felt like staying cooped up in the car.

"Let's park a few blocks away," Chifuyu suggested. "I want to walk a bit since it looks so nice outside right now."

Baji glanced out at the clear sky, then nodded. "You read my mind, Fuyu."

They found a quiet side street and parked, the walk giving them time to stretch their legs and enjoy their time spent together. The car park loomed ahead of them, massive, concrete, five storeys tall and visibly run-down. Cracked walls, flickering lights, and weeds pushing through the edges of the pavement gave it an ominous feel, which was only made worse by its size.

"This place really hasn't changed a bit," Baji muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets

"It's still creepy," Chifuyu agreed as he looked on ahead at it.

They stepped inside, footsteps echoing as the space swallowed them whole. A few abandoned cars sat scattered across the lower level with their windows shattered and trash piled around them. The air smelled heavily of garbage, oil and damp concrete.

"Okay," Chifuyu said, clapping his hands once. "Let's split up. Whoever finds Pah's car first gets to pick dinner."

Baji smirked. "Payback for the race?"

"Exactly."

"Deal." Baji smirked, looping an arm casually around Chifuyu's shoulder. "Sounds fun, baby. But, how about a good luck kiss before we start?"

Chifuyu froze, cheeks immediately heating. "A... good luck kiss?" he echoed, eyebrows raising.

Baji nodded, grinning.

Chifuyu cocked his head. "Why would I want to give you luck if I'm hoping to eat my favourite food for dinner tonight?"

Baji paused for a moment, tapping his chin thoughtfully. Then a sly smile spread across his face. "Well if you kiss me, I'll be giving you luck in return since I'll be kissing you back."

Chifuyu blinked, his eyes lighting up as he considered it. A slow, sparkling grin appeared, and he nodded. "Deal. It's a trade, then."

They leaned in closer, pressing their lips together firmly, a soft warmth that almost had them forgetting where they were. When they pulled back, Baji tilted his head, letting his forehead rest against Chifuyu's. Both of them stood there for a moment, proud of their clever little exchange.

"Alright," Baji murmured, "Now we're both lucky."

"Yeah, yeah... let's see how well it's gonna work."

With that, they decided to split up, hoping to cover more ground faster and get out of the dingy, trash-strewn place as quickly as possible.

Baji moved quickly along the far side, scanning the area as fast as he could while trying not to miss the car they were looking for. None of the cars here looked like Pah's yet. The silence and boredom were starting to piss him off, but he kept his steps light, careful not to make any unnecessary noise since he hated the resounding echoes they caused.

Chifuyu, on the other side, was in basically the same position. Instead of following the spiral ramp meant to lead cars to the upper and lower floors, he chose the narrow staircase intended for people, which was closer to where he was right now. He made a face of disgust when he caught the horrid smell that seemed to reside in the staircase. He stood contemplating just going the other way, but forced himself up in favour of not wanting to waste anymore time.

He was about to turn the corner to climb the next flight when movement caught his eye.

"Wrong turn, pretty boy."

Chifuyu froze. Three figures stepped out from the shadows, standing in the stairwell like they'd been waiting for him. One leaned heavily against the wall, smirking, while another toyed with a broken bottle. The third crouched slightly, as if ready to spring.

Before he could react, one of them shoved him hard in the chest.

Chifuyu stumbled, his ankle twisting painfully against the unforgiving concrete as he almost fell hard. He hit the wall with a grunt and tried to regain his balance, but the group was already on him. Fists came at him from every direction. He swung back as best he could, landing solid hits on two of them, then pounding his fist into one's stomach, not giving them a second to breathe. A sudden shove sent him tumbling backwards. He barely managed to brace himself, scraping his hands against the rough edges of the stairs, the sting of his ankle shot through him like fire.

"Aww, he's tougher than he looks," one of them hissed, leaning far too close for Chifuyu's liking. Chifuyu swung wildly, connecting with a solid jawline, but the third shoved him again. He fell backwards once more, this time rolling against the railing as the world tilted around him.

He hissed through gritted teeth, planting his good foot to push himself back up, but another figure came at him from the side, grabbing him roughly by the collar and lifting him off his feet. Chifuyu's eyes widened in horror as he realised he was being hoisted toward the top of the staircase, and a sickening thought hit him. That if they let go...

This was going to hurt.

----------->

Meanwhile, on the other side of the car park, Baji was walking more slowly now, keeping to the shadows. This section of the lot was just as cluttered and poorly lit as the rest. None of it helped him locate Pah's car.

Baji paused, scanning the rows of abandoned vehicles and then up at the ugly ceiling, unsure of what floor he was on. "Where the hell is it?" he muttered under his breath. He was really starting to get bored now.

For a brief moment, his thoughts drifted to Chifuyu.

Maybe he'd already found it. That wouldn't be surprising, Chifuyu was annoyingly efficient when he wanted to be. Baji pictured him leaning against the driver's side with his arms crossed, wearing that smug smile he got when he won something fair and square. He would be waiting patiently and probably already deciding what he wanted for dinner.

Baji grimaced.

He really didn't want Chifuyu to be the one picking food tonight. Not because Chifuyu had bad taste, far from it actually, but because Baji hadn't even settled on what he wanted yet, and losing without a fight would sting. His stomach rumbled quietly at the thought.

Peyoung yakisoba sounds pretty damn good though...

He shook his head, refocusing. Food later. Car first.

Just as he took another step forward, he caught the faint but unmistakable sound of voices echoing down from somewhere above him.

Baji stopped completely.

He tilted his head slightly, listening. The acoustics of the parking structure warped sound strangely, bouncing it around until it was hard to tell exactly where it was coming from, but he was sure of one thing. It wasn't just one person. And it wasn't from out on the streets either.

A small part of him immediately catalogued the possibilities. Squatters. Junkies. Some wannabe gang thinking this was a good place to hang out. Could be nothing. Could be something.

He wasn't particularly worried. If they were harmless, he'd walk past them and be done with it. If they weren't...

Well.

Baji adjusted his hoodie slightly and started toward the ramp leading up to the next storey, steps unhurried and posture as loose as he could get it. He didn't try to hide the sound of his boots this time. If someone was up there, they were going to notice him sooner or later anyway.

By the time he reached the next level, he could see them.

A group of people lingered near the center of the floor, gathered loosely around an overturned crate and a pile of junk that looked like it had been dragged together to form some sort of makeshift hangout. Empty bottles littered the ground. Burned foil. A shopping cart filled with scraps of metal and loose bike parts sat off to the side, dismantled.

One of them noticed Baji almost immediately.

"Oi," the man called out, voice rough. "We got company."

Several heads turned at once.

Baji stopped a few metres away, schooling himself and thinking about all the different possibilities this encounter could turn out as. He took them in with a quick glance. Some of their cheeks were sunken in, and even their dirty, worn clothes couldn't hide their jittery movements. Their eyes were a little too sharp and a little too unfocused all at once.

Addicts, most likely. Or, if not, they were getting quite close.

One of them let out a low laugh. "Well I'll be fucked," he jeered. "Ain't this a surprise."

Another, tall with an impressive amount of muscle on him, squinted, leaning forward as if that might help him see better. His eyes widened suddenly. "No way. That's him, isn't it?"

Murmurs rippled through the group, entertained and curious, like a pack finding prey and not knowing what to expect from it.

Baji sighed, but made sure to raise his voice a bit as he spoke. "You're loud. Anyone ever tell you that?"

Some other random, who was stood closer to him than the first two started talking. His grin showed yellowed teeth and pale, cracked lips. "You always this friendly, Baji Keisuke?"

So they knew who he was.

That tracked.

"Depends on my mood," Baji replied. "And you're not improving it."

A few of them snickered. One pushed himself upright from where he'd been sitting on a crate, wobbling slightly as he did. He scratched at his arm before gesturing vaguely around them. "So then, what would you be doing here? Didn't think Toman royalty still slummed it around places like this."

Baji scoffed. "Royalty? You're flattering me. I just need to get something and then I'll be on my way."

A few of them laughed again, but there was an edge to it now. If some of them didn't know who he was before, they knew now, and the recognition probably wasn't going to do him any favours in a situation like this. That wasn't good.

"Oh?" The man drawled, stretching the syllable as if savouring it. He looked Baji up and down with beady eyes, and from the way everyone else seemed to hang onto his words, Baji pegged him as the one in charge.

He broke Baji's train of thought with a barked out laugh. "Is that so?"

He pointed.

Baji's gaze snapped to where the man was indicating, following the crooked line of his finger to a few rows over, where the shadows deepened between a concrete pillar and a barely standing barricade made of rusted fencing and fraying caution tape. The space looked like it hadn't been touched in years, claimed by dust and neglect, yet sitting there like it belonged was a car Baji recognised instantly.

Pah's.

The dull, unremarkable colour caught the flickering overhead light just enough to confirm it, along with the familiar dent near the back bumper that Pah had sworn he'd "fix eventually" and the faint Toman sticker on the rear window, mostly scraped away but still visible if you knew what you were looking for. It was unmistakable. Out of place and exactly where it shouldn't have been.

Baji's patience was really starting to thin.

"You've gotta be kidding me," he muttered under his breath.

Another man stepped closer, hands spread in a mockingly placating gesture, though his smile didn't match it. His pupils were blown wide, sweat shining on his temple despite the cool air. "Hey now. Looks like you found what you were lookin' for."

"Lucky me," Baji said dryly.

"You wanna take it," the man continued, "That's fine. But see, we found it first."

Baji finally pulled his hands out of his pockets, crossing his arms. "And?"

"And," the man said, grin widening, "That means that there's a finder's fee."

Baji stared at him for a long second, unimpressed. The silence stretched just long enough to make it uncomfortable.

"No."

The word landed flat and final.

The guy's posture faltered for a second, but was hidden fairly quickly with a minacious grin. "C'mon, man. Don't be like that. We're reasonable people."

Baji huffed a laugh. "Yeah, you're reasonable alright. I couldn't find a better way to describe you lot."

That earned him a few scowls. Some of them shifted closer.

Another voice piped up from behind the group. "We ain't askin' for much. Maybe we can make a trade for a little cash, or, maybe some parts." He gestured vaguely toward the shopping cart. "You're Toman, right? Big bike business. You got connections."

Baji shook his head. "Not happening."

Someone else chimed in. "What about shares? Heard you guys are legit now. Could be a good investment."

That one actually made Baji blink.

"...Absolutely not."

The refusals stacked up quickly. The group looked at Baji, who couldn't help but feel strangely amused by the situation he found himself in.

As you'd expect, the amusement didn't sit well with them. Their expressions hardened the more they spoke, and a few of them muttered under their breaths, glancing at one another. One of them finally stepped forward and spat on the ground. "You're not even gonna negotiate?" he snapped.

"I'm not buying my own property," Baji snarled, crossing his arms with ire now strung in his voice. "So, shut up and get the hell out of my way."

From the looks Baji got, it felt as if a rat had just flown into the room, shat everywhere, and vanished without a trace.

No one said a word.

A few of them tilted their heads in open disgust at the order, lips curling and noses wrinkling, but what stood out more was how calm they were about it all. Too calm, considering Baji stood there on the verge of obliterating them, tension coiled tight in his posture and violence written plainly across his face.

Then, the man who seemed to be the leader let out a slow laugh.

"You know," he said, rubbing a hand over his jaw, "There is something."

"And what would that be?"

 "Something I know you can't resist trading for."

That was enough to sour Baji's mood entirely.

"I'm really not in the mood for riddles," he replied flatly. "If you're trying to stall, you're doing a shit job."

A plane could be heard flying in the background.

One of them scratched at her neck, glancing toward the stairwell before looking back at Baji. The talking man followed her gaze, then smiled like he had been waiting for that exact moment.

"Well," he said lightly, stepping aside, "Why don't we show you instead."

Baji barely had time to process the words before the sound reached him.

Footsteps.

Not the shuffling kind he had heard earlier, but heavy and uneven, accompanied by a constant scrape, like two rough surfaces being dragged past one another. They came from the stairwell off from the side, growing louder by the second. Baji's head snapped toward the noise, jaw tightening as his instincts flared.

Two figures emerged first, hauling something between them.

No. It wasn't something.

It was someone.

Baji's breath hitched.

They dragged Chifuyu into the open, each person gripping one of his arms while the rest of his body dragged limply along the floor. His shoes scraped uselessly against the concrete, jacket twisted and torn at the shoulder, fabric pulled tight across his back in a way that told Baji their grip on him was tight and cruel. He could just make out blood smeared faintly along his cheekbone and near his lip, dried enough for it to not have just happened but fresh enough to make Baji's vision blur at the edges.

The world narrowed violently.

Before Baji could take a step forward, before he could even think, they let go.

Chifuyu hit the ground with a dull thud.

The noise made Baji's stomach twist. He hated how it carried, how it filled the space and crawled over him, sinking into his skin like something alive. Chifuyu rolled slightly on impact, breath knocked from his chest, before coming to a stop on his side.

Baji moved.

It was instinctive. Immediate. His hand twitched toward the closest man, fingers curling as his body surged forward on pure impulse. He could already feel it, the familiar rush, the snap of bone under his grip, the satisfying crunch of consequences catching up to idiots who thought they were untouchable.

But, he stopped himself.

Barely.

His nails dug into his palms as he forced his feet to stay planted. Killing them all right now would solve nothing. Not with Chifuyu hurt. Not with numbers stacked against them. Not when every pair of eyes in the room was watching him closely, waiting for him to lose control.

His voice came out louder than he intended when he spoke, but he couldn't bring himself to care all too much about it in the moment.

"What the hell did you do to him." He practically growled.

The atrocity of a man didn't even look at Chifuyu as he replied. He kept his attention fixed on the car, as if the sight of the smooth metal was the only thing sobering him up enough to keep him ground in the present and stuck on making a deal for its exchange. "We found him snooping around where he shouldn't be," he replied calmly. "Our meeting went tougher than intended, but your little pals got spirit. I'll give him that."

Baji took a step forward despite himself, teeth grinding in an attempt for some restraint. "You touch him again and I swear I'll kill you."

Looking back down at Chifuyu, he watched as he slowly, painfully, rolled onto his back, then onto his side again until he was facing Baji. Their eyes met across the concrete floor, and they shared a look which Baji likes to think had the same effect on them both.

The man finally turned back toward Baji, clearly pleased with himself now. "I don't doubt that, but see," he said, spreading his hands. "Now we've got leverage."

"What do you want."

"Simple," the man replied. "We take the car, and you get keep your precious little friend here."

 Baji laughed.

It was low and humourless, the sound scraping past his throat to get out of his chest. "You've got a death wish."

The man raised a brow. "I don't think so."

Baji's eyes darkened. "Do you really think using him gets you out of this alive." 

All he got was a shrug in return. "Lie to yourself all you want Keisuke, but we all know it's worked well enough so far."

Baji inhaled slowly through his nose. He forced himself to look away from Chifuyu, just for a moment, to meet the man's gaze head on. His voice, when he spoke again, held certainty. 

"I'll trade."

The group stilled.

"But only if you give him back first."

A murmur rippled through them. The man frowned. "You don't set the terms here."

Baji stepped forward fully now, towering closer. "I do. Because if he doesn't walk out of here with me, you don't get anything. Not the car. Not your so called leverage. Not your fucking teeth."

The threat hung heavy in the air. The man glanced at Chifuyu, then back at Baji.

"We'll move him over."

He gestured, and two of the men started toward Chifuyu.

"Don't touch him," Baji snapped.

They stopped in their tracks and turned to the main guy, who hesitated for a moment, weighing any immediate setbacks on his end before shrugging it off and waving them to the side.

Chifuyu let out a slow breath and, with a small shake of his head, pushed himself up. He braced his hands on the dirt stained ground, his muscles flexing as he forced his weight up inch by inch. When he stood, he did so with a small indifferent frown plastered on his face, looking around the group for no more than a moment before locking onto Baji's gaze once more. This same expression was one Baji had seen many times in the past, and suddenly they're fifteen again with no restraints or repercussions burdening their actions.

There was no way they were going to leave this place with the car without putting up a good fight. He can already hear Draken nagging on about getting into unnecessary scuffles and the knock on effect it will have for their company, but to hell with that crap. This is more than good reason and at this point it was necessary.

Chifuyu was making his way over now, and the closer he got, the more Baji really got to take his appearance in. He was limping slightly, subtly favouring his right side as he moved closer. Over the hushed conversations in the background, he could both hear and see the younger's lungs working overtime, as heavy breaths left his chest rising and falling faster than normal. Blood trailed a thin path down the side of his head, and his ripped jacket exposed scratched up skin.

Chifuyu stopped beside Baji, shoulder brushing against his arm in a manner Baji knew was purposeful.

Baji did not look away from the group around them, but his hand shifted just enough to brush against Chifuyu's fingers. A silent check but also a countdown to get ready. The words 'trust me' personified into an action.

Chifuyu scoffed as he steadied himself, but stayed right there beside him.

For the first time since entering the car park, Baji smiled.

It was not a nice one.

The man stepped forward and the others shifted around him, the noise dulling into something watchful and expectant as he extended one arm out between them, palm up, fingers twitching once as if already impatient.

"Hand them over," he said, voice even and sounding almost bored, as though the outcome of this exchange had already been decided in his head.

Baji let out a quiet breath through his nose, eyes never leaving the man's face as his own hand moved, unhurried, toward the pocket of his hoodie, his fingers slipping inside and lingering there as if he were actually considering it, fishing around with exaggerated care while the tension in the space coiled tighter with every second that passed.

"No," he replied simply.

The punch came without warning.

Baji's fist connected hard with the closest man's jaw. The impact snapped his head to the side as his body crumpled into the floor with a sound swallowed almost immediately by the sudden eruption of movement all around them. The fragile stillness shattered as voices rose and bodies surged forwards at once. Baji moved quickly, momentum carrying him through the next strike and then the next, his shoulder slamming into someone's chest as he forced space where there had been none. The familiar burn of exertion flooded his muscles as the world narrowed into sharp movements and fast decisions.

The car park descended into chaos.

They rushed them from all sides, footsteps thunderous and overlapping. Baji fought through them with brutal force, every motion wild and thunderous even as the noise threatened to overwhelm his senses. His attention constantly pulled sideways, back, then forward again as he tried to keep his position from drifting too far from Chifuyu, trying to stop the relentless press of bodies forcing separation inch by inch. Someone caught him across the ribs, the impact knocking the air from his lungs, but he twisted through it, retaliating with a vicious elbow that sent them stumbling back into a concrete pillar.

Somewhere behind him, he heard more screams and shouts, the crowd closed in like water filling a gap, and before Baji could correct it, the space between them widened abruptly, Chifuyu swallowed by the motion as Baji was shoved hard in the opposite direction, arms outstretching as he barely kept his footing.

"Fuck," he hissed under his breath, pivoting sharply, but the guy who he had previously assumed the leader was in front of him now.

The man moved differently from the rest, steadier and more controlled, likely from the lack of intoxication. He blocked Baji's first strike with minimal effort before driving a punch into his shoulder. It sent a jolt of pain shooting down his arm, teeth rattling as Baji staggered back a step and then surged forward again, refusing to give ground as the two of them collided again and again, the fight between them tighter and more punishing than the scattered chaos around them. The leader took hits that would have dropped the others, absorbing them with a grunt and returning blows that landed heavier and smarter, one catching Baji across the jaw hard enough to make his vision spark as copper filled his mouth.

Still, Baji didn't stop.

He fought on sheer will and with a deadly grin on his face, on instinct sharpened by years of brawls and survival, trading blows until his lungs burned and his limbs felt heavy, until the noise around them blurred into a distant roar and all he could register was the man in front of him.

The leader lunged again, faster this time, forcing Baji back a step as knuckles collided and forearms locked, the impact reverberating up his arms as he grit his teeth and leaned into it, refusing to yield and sending a hard punch to the guy's side. He was proud to know it was going to bruise.

Baji could feel the thrill of the fight settle through his body and the two circled around each other to keep equal distance until someone slammed into Baji's side, sending his stumbling to the ground.

He barely had time to stand and register the intrusion before another fist came swinging from his blind spot, clipping his shoulder and throwing him off balance long enough for them to gain an advantage, driving a sharp blow into his ribs that made his breath stutter violently in his chest. Baji staggered, vision swimming for half a second, and when it cleared there were more of them now, two, then three, closing in with wild eyes and reckless intent.

The grin split further across his face before he could stop it.

He met the first one head-on, ducking under a sloppy punch and slamming his elbow back into the man's gut, feeling the satisfying collapse of resistance as he folded with a strangled sound. The second sprinted up to him immediately after, but Baji grabbed him by the head, twisted sharply, and yanked him sideways into the third, smashing their foreheads together hard enough to send them both staggering back and reeling.

He didn't pause.

Baji seized the last one still standing by the front of his jacket, fingers tightening as he dragged him close, barely sparing him a glance before swinging him sideways with everything he had, the man's body colliding full-force with the leader just as he was stepping forward again. The impact sent both of them sprawling, the leader crashing hard against the concrete with the other man landing atop him in a heap of limbs and breathless groans.

Baji straightened, chest heaving, blood buzzing in his ears as he scanned the space in a sharp, frantic sweep.

His gaze found Chifuyu holding his ground against a handful of attackers, but there were too many of them, their numbers pressing in. Baji bolted toward him, and the movement must have caught Chifuyu's eye. He looked up just in time to see Baji tilt his head toward the car, wordlessly guiding his gaze and entrusting him to follow his lead.

He ran past them and shoved through bodies that reached for him, barrelling forward with speed he forgot he possessed, clearing his path as he sprinted for the car. He skidded as he rounded the last concrete pillar, hand already plunging into his pocket, fingers closing around the familiar shape of the keys as he wrenched them free and fumbled with the driver's door, yanking it open and throwing himself inside in one breathless motion.

He turned back around in his seat to look for where Chifuyu was at, and saw him stumbling just as fast as he could toward the car now, with three figures chasing close behind him. Their shouts were sharp and angry as they reached out to try and grab him, a good distance still between them and to no avail. He reached the car at last and grabbed the passenger door handle, fingers wrapping around it only for him to start yanking at it rapidly, over and over, far too fast and uncoordinated to be anything but panic-driven, but the door refused to open.

Baji swore loudly, hands shaking as he fumbled for the unlock button, hitting it too late, then too early, the sound of boots pounding closer sending a spike of adrenaline through him as Chifuyu wrenched the handle again. He threw himself inside, practically collapsing into the passenger seat after finally managing to tear the door open.

Baji's hand went straight for the button when the door closed, locking the car with a frantic motion just as fists collided with the windows, the dull thuds reverberating through the car's frame. Someone shouted, another kicked at the side panel, but Baji was already twisting the key, the engine roaring to life beneath them as drive surged hot and dizzying through his veins.

The tires screeched and smoked as he floored it, the car lurching forward violently enough to throw Chifuyu back against the seat, the men scrambling out of the way as they tore to the closest exit, surroundings blurring past in harsh angles as Baji forced the wheel into a sharp turn.

"That way," Chifuyu shouted suddenly, one hand lifting from the armrest to point sharply ahead of them, finger trembling as it jabbed toward the downward spiral ramp cutting away through the solid walls. "That way will get us out fastest."

Baji followed his line of sight instantly, wrenching the wheel in that direction. Just as Baji's foot slammed harder on the accelerator, something slammed down onto the hood with a deafening metallic thud.

They both screamed.

The sound tore from their throats raw and startled as the windshield filled abruptly with a crouched shape, hands splayed wide against the glass as the car continued hurtling forward beneath him. The impact made the entire car bounce violently, suspension groaning as Baji's foot faltered on the pedal for a split second, the sudden jolt throwing them both forward before the engine caught again and the car lurched onward, speed stuttering and then surging back as Baji fought to regain control. Baji's eyes went wide as he tried, and utterly failed, to comprehend the situation unfolding in front of him, his mind stalling somewhere between shock and outright refusal.

The leader of these insane people just jumped on top of the fucking car.

He was crouched low on the bonnet, knees bent and balanced with terrifying ease despite the speed they were going at, his face twisted into something unhinged as he stared straight at them through the windshield, eyes blown wide and glinting under the dimming sunlight and flickering bulbs above them, a grin stretching too far across his face as his fingers curled and began slamming against the glass again and again.

The windshield shuddered violently with each blow.

Fine fractures spiderwebbed across the surface, thin white lines spreading outward with every impact, the sound sharp and leaving behind fear of the glass giving way any second. Baji swore loudly, hands tightening painfully around the wheel as he jerked it hard to the side, tires screeching as the car fishtailed violently, swinging them into a wide, panicked drift that sent loose debris skidding across the ramp.

"Get off!" Chifuyu yelled, bracing himself with both hands as the car spun, the world outside blurring into streaks of colour.

Baji swung the wheel again, heart hammering so hard it felt like it might break his ribs from the inside, forcing the car into a tight, frantic circle as he tried to throw the man off through sheer force alone, but the guy clung on with determination, scraping against metal, laughter muffled but visible in the way his mouth split wider as he slammed his fist against the cracking glass once more.

Chifuyu's breath hitched sharply beside him, then his eyes snapped downward.

"The wipers," he gasped, already reaching forward. "The wipers-!"

Baji barely had time to register the movement before the windshield wipers sprang to life, jerking upward with a harsh whine as they scraped unevenly across the fractured glass. The sudden motion startled the man on the hood, his balance faltering just enough for confusion to flash across his face as the rubber blades struck dangerously close to his hands.

He cursed and scrambled back on instinct, his fingers slipping on the slick surface as the car jolted again.

And then he was gone.

The weight vanished all at once, his body jumping off the hood and disappearing from view as Baji floored it without thinking, the car surging forward with renewed force as they shot towards the ramp once more. They finally reached it, its concrete walls curling downward like a twisting tunnel into open air, and as Baji guided the car onto it, he cracked open the driver-side window just enough to peer outside, keeping his eyes on the path ahead to make sure he didn't hit the walls as they descended.

They were on the open road seconds later, the world moving on around them as if nothing had happened, the darkening sky and shallow light bleeding between buildings offering only a futile distraction. Baji slowed the car, easing his foot off the accelerator until they were moving at the speed limit, the scene they'd left behind still very much fresh in their minds. All either could hear was the sound of their breathing, deep and uneven now that there was finally room for it, each inhale dragging through sore ribs and tight lungs.

After a long while, Chifuyu broke the silence.

"Well," he began, staring straight ahead into nothing but white cracks, "So much for your so-called good luck kiss."

Baji let out a sharp laugh, the sound bursting out of him before he could stop it, rough and breathless as he leaned his arm against the window ledge, angling his body slightly to peer out past the broken glass. "Oi, don't say that. If anything, it worked cause we're still alive aren't we?"

"Hardly," Chifuyu laughed.

Baji reached for the window button, pressing it until the glass slid down fully, the rush of cool evening air flooding into the car as he leaned slightly toward it, craning his head just enough to get a clearer view of the road ahead as they approached a turn. His eyes tracked the street carefully as he guided the car through it, too exhausted and on edge to even entertain the thought of clipping someone now after everything that had just happened.

Once they straightened out again, he glanced over at Chifuyu, trying to take as much of him in as he could, before turning his attention back to the road.

"What happened after we split up," he asked, deliberately making sure his tone was light. "Before they dragged you in like that."

Chifuyu's gaze stayed forward, but Baji caught the brief flick of his eyes toward him before he spoke. "I checked the first level and after I got done I took the stairs to the second." He continued. "I think I was just about to turn to get onto the next flight of stairs when I looked up and saw them just standing there. I don't doubt those asshole knew we were coming."

"They charged at me," Chifuyu continued. "I fought back, obviously. I landed a few solid hits, but then someone grabbed me from behind. Next thing I knew, they were hauling me up and throwing me down the stairs from the landing." His jaw tightened. "Real honourable of those cowards."

Baji's stomach dropped.

"They what," he said, disgust lacing every word, heat flashing sharp behind his eyes. "I swear, if I ever see them again I'm going to k-"

Chifuyu cut in. "You already tried that."

That stopped Baji short, his jaw snapping shut as he huffed out a sharp breath through his nose, anger still simmering but redirected now, controlled only by the fact that Chifuyu was sitting right there beside him.

"Does it hurt?"

Chifuyu shrugged one shoulder. "It's fine."

Baji shot him a look. "That's bullshit."

Chifuyu was about to argue.

"I saw the way you were limping," Baji went on, voice low and firm. "Your ankle's fucked, Fuyu. Don't lie to me."

There was a beat of silence before Chifuyu finally sighed. "Yeah," he admitted. "It hurts."

Baji exhaled slowly, jaw tightening as he kept his eyes on the road. "Good. Because I'm not exactly in peak condition either," he added after a moment, rolling his shoulder experimentally and hissing when it protested. "Think I pulled something back there. Or cracked something. Hard to tell."

Chifuyu glanced at him again. "You were still moving like a maniac," he gleamed proudly. "You were pretty badass out there, Baji-san"

Baji scoffed, a crooked grin tugging at his mouth despite himself. "I was incredible."

"Oh, absolutely," Chifuyu laughed. "Nothing says 'incredible' like throwing a grown man at another grown man."

"Hey," Baji protested lightly, "That was strategic. Artful, even. You know I'm basically an artist."

Chifuyu laughed, the sound easing something tight in Baji's chest. "It's been a while since we've had to fight like that," he said after a moment, voice thoughtful. "I mean a big fight like that."

"Yeah," Baji agreed. "Kinda missed it. Not the part where you got thrown down the stairs," he added quickly, tone sharpening just a fraction, "But the rest? Wow, I can't believe we've been missing out these last few years."

Chifuyu hummed. "Of course you do."

"And for the record," Baji continued, clearly warming to the topic now, "We absolutely wiped the floor with them. Even after that insane bastard jumped onto the car like he had a death wish, we still handled it pretty damn well."

Baji laughed, then clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Still pissed at Pah, though. This better earn me more than dinner."

Chifuyu hummed in agreement, then suddenly stiffened. "Wait."

Baji glanced over. "What?"

"Our car," Chifuyu said slowly. "We left it parked a few blocks away."

Baji froze for half a second.

"...Oh, fuck."

They stared ahead in silence before Chifuyu let out a small, incredulous laugh. "You completely forgot, didn't you."

Baji scrubbed a hand through his hair. "Yeah. Yeah, I did."

Neither of them spoke for another beat, the implication settling in, before Baji scoffed. "We're not going back."

Chifuyu shook his head immediately. "Nope. Absolutely not."

"We'll get it tomorrow," Baji said firmly. "In daylight and when there aren't psychos crowding around the place."

Chifuyu relaxed back into his seat. "Good. Besides, we parked it far enough away that it should be fine."

"Thank god for that," Baji muttered. "If we'd parked closer, those savages would've held our car hostage instead. I'm not negotiating for that thing. You know how long it took to customise it."

They both shuddered. "Don't even joke about that. I don't want to imagine them touching it."

The rest of the drive passed in a calmer haze, the city lights flickering past as Baji turned them towards home instead of headquarters. After a few minutes, he spoke again, voice more grounded now. "We'll clean up first. Then I'll drop Pah's car off."

Chifuyu frowned slightly. "Shouldn't we return it right away?"

Baji shook his head. "Nah. He's lived a whole day without it already. He can survive a little longer. I'm not handing it over looking like this."

Chifuyu considered it, then nodded. "Yeah, okay. Let's go home first then."

They pulled into their apartment complex not long after, the familiar structure rising up to meet them. Both of them were kinda expecting flashing lights or someone flagging them down. The windshield was a complete mess, new dents had formed on the bonnet and sides and it felt impossible that no one had noticed or stopped them to ask about it.

When nothing happened, Baji barked out a short laugh. "How did we not get pulled over?"

"Don't question it," Chifuyu said quickly. "I don't want to jinx it."

Baji cut the engine and stepped out, circling around without thinking to open the passenger door for Chifuyu. "C'mon," he said quietly, offering a steadying hand.

Chifuyu took it, letting Baji help him out of the car. They both paused for a second once they were standing, looking at the damage in the dim parking lot light.

"We really did all that," Chifuyu murmured.

Baji smirked faintly. "Like you said. Badass."

Chifuyu laughed, shaking his head, and leaned lightly against Baji.

Baji, still holding him steady, fumbled with the car lock, muttering under his breath. "Stupid key fob. And why the hell are you so slippery?!" He adjusted his grip carefully, tightening an arm around Chifuyu's waist to keep him from moving too much as he tried again.

"Need a hand?" Chifuyu laughed, or as much as he could with everything aching, leaning a little more of his weight into Baji on purpose.

"I've got it," Baji replied, voice tight with effort. "Just... hang on." He finally managed to lock the car, the click sounding far more satisfying than it should have. He slipped the keys into his pocket and tightened his grip around Chifuyu. "Alright. Let's go."

They moved slowly across the lot, steps careful and unhurried. Chifuyu leaned into him without hesitation, letting Baji take most of his weight, and Baji adjusted without thinking, matching his pace and keeping him steady. By the time they reached the elevator, both of them were breathing a little heavier again.

The doors slid open, and it was completely empty. They shared a quiet look of relief before stepping inside.

The ride up was silent, except for the stupid music that played around them, but neither of them could be bothered to fill the space. When the doors opened onto their floor, the hallway was just as empty.

 Baji looked around. "We should kiss more often."

Chifuyu gawked, caught off guard, and his cheeks flared red. He opened his mouth to respond, but the words stumbled out in a jumbled mess. "Shut up, Baji-san!"

They opened their front door laughing.

Baji guided Chifuyu inside before kicking it shut behind them with his heel. The second the door clicked closed, both of them exhaled at the same time, tension finally bleeding out now that they were safely home.

The sofa, in their line of sight and the closest thing that looked remotely comfortable, became their immediate target, and they barely made it there before collapsing onto it, groaning in unison as pain and relief hit at the same time. The cushions welcomed them like a soft, forgiving cloud.

The two of them lay there, bodies pressing against the cushions and the world shrank down to the small, warm place known as home. Chifuyu was sprawled face down with half of his chest draped across Baji's torso, one arm lazily hooked over Baji's side. Baji, on his back, enjoyed the youngers weight pressed along him and he fought to keep his eyes open as he felt the warmth of Chifuyu's breath seep through his hoodie and against his skin.

Chifuyu let out a soft groan, shifting slightly against Baji. "I'm gonna get the med kit," he murmured. "We should clean up. We'll thank ourselves tomorrow for not letting it get worse."

Baji's hand moved along Chifuyu's back, pressing him gently down. "Nope," he said quickly. "I'll get it."

He carefully wriggled free from underneath him, making sure not to jostle him too much, and slipped into the hallway. A few minutes later, he returned with the kit in hand and kneeled beside Chifuyu,  helping him sit up just enough to reach the worst of the cuts and bruises.

Baji started with Chifuyu's hands, carefully inspecting each knuckle and fingertip for cuts or scrapes. He rolled up Chifuyu's sleeves to check the skin above them, wiping away flecks of dirt and blood. His fingers were gentle, steady, but precise, moving with care not many got to see.

"Almost done," he murmured, brushing Chifuyu's dark fringe back from a cut near his forehead. He cleaned away the blood, careful not to press too hard. Chifuyu winced slightly, his right jaw red and swelling, and his lower lip split.

He finished up and shifted down to Chifuyu's ankle, gently peeling off his sock and checking the swelling. He tried moving it around and pressed lightly, watching his reaction.

Chifuyu hissed. "Okay- yeah. That's tender."

Baji nodded, expression easing just a little as he released Chifuyu's ankle and let it rest carefully back against a cushion he's moved to help prop it up.

"It's sprained and quite swollen, but it's not broken."

Chifuyu let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. "Good. I really didn't feel like dealing with crutches on top of everything else."

"Don't get cocky," Baji replied, already reaching for the ice pack. "You're still taking it easy."

Chifuyu hummed, but didn't argue as Baji pressed it against his ankle. He shifted it around with focus, testing the placement until he seemed satisfied, then grabbed the wrap and secured it firmly around the ice pack to keep it in place before sitting back on his heels and giving Chifuyu one last assessing look.

"Anything else hurt?"

Chifuyu shifted experimentally, shuffling around and doing small stretches to see if anything else hurt to move. He made a small face, but shook his head.

"No. Just sore. Everywhere."

Baji snorted. "Join the club."

Chifuyu pushed himself up more properly then, bracing a hand against the sofa before straightening. He reached for the med kit and nudged it closer to Baji.

"Your turn."

Baji blinked. "Huh?"

"You mentioned your shoulder in the car," Chifuyu said, already kneeling in front of him now. "Take your hoodie off. Let me see."

Baji blinked once, then snorted. "Bossy." 

"C'mon, Baji-san," Chifuyu said, brows knitting slightly. "You told me it hurt. Let me look."

Baji rolled his shoulder in an effort to test its limits, then reached up and tugged the hoodie over his head. It landed somewhere on the floor beside the sofa, forgotten instantly.

Underneath, he was wearing a form-fitting black tank top, the fabric stretched thin across his chest and stomach, clinging in a way that made it very clear just how much muscle he'd packed on over the years. Old scars cut pale lines across tanned skin, familiar ones Chifuyu knew by heart, mixed in with newer bruises already blooming dark and ugly along his shoulder and collarbone.

Chifuyu froze for just half a second.

He had to remind himself, very firmly, not to stare.

This was not the time to get distracted by how broad Baji's shoulders had gotten, or how the tank top rode up just enough to hint at his waist when he shifted, or how the lines of his arms flexed when he braced himself against the couch.

Focus.

He cleared his throat and leaned in, fingers gentle as they prodded carefully at Baji's shoulder. "Yeah, you definitely pulled something," he muttered. "You're gonna feel that tomorrow."

Baji hissed when Chifuyu pressed a little too close to a bruise. "Told you," he grumbled. "Worth it though."

Chifuyu shot him a look. "You say that about everything."

"And I'm usually right."

Chifuyu shook his head, but there was a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he reached back into the med kit. As he shifted himself closer, his gaze dropped to look at the other in front of him again, but this time catching on a bloodied cut along Baji's forearm, kind of hidden under smeared blood and dirt which must've gotten through a rip in the hoodie he'd worn.

"Hold still," he said quietly.

He cleaned the cut carefully, wiping away the grime until the red line beneath was visible, shallow but angry looking. Baji barely flinched, just watched him with that familiar lazy focus, with complete trust he had handed over to the younger over the years they had spent together.

Chifuyu reached into the kit again and paused. "We're down to one plaster."

Baji squinted at the contents of the kit, then looked up. "The good ones?"

Chifuyu lifted it carefully between his fingers, holding it up to the moonlight coming from their windows.

Tiny cats stared back at them, little cartoon faces frozen in a variety of cheerful expressions that felt wildly out of place after the kind of evening they'd just survived.

They both paused, eyes lingering on it a second longer than necessary.

"...Damn," Baji said solemnly, clicking his tongue. "We really gotta restock."

Chifuyu huffed out a quiet laugh. "We only bought those because you said they'd 'increase morale.'"

"And do they not?" Baji shot back immediately, then waved a hand in protest before Chifuyu could respond. "And don't even start! You were the one who wanted them more than I did. You stood in that aisle for five full minutes staring at them before I decided to just get them."

Chifuyu huffed, lips pushing into a faint pout as he looked away. "That's not the point," he said, shaking his head. He carefully set the plaster aside. "I'll put it on you after the shower. It won't stick properly when it gets wet."

"Taking a shower sounds amazing right now," Baji said, already pushing himself to his feet with a low grunt.

Chifuyu watched him for a second, then reached for the med kit, snapping it shut and setting it aside on the table. By the time he finished, Baji was standing there waiting, one hand extended without even looking at him.

Chifuyu took it.

Baji's grip tightened just enough to be steady, familiar, and he gave a small tug to help Chifuyu up. They took it slow, neither of them in any rush, and started toward the bathroom together. A few steps in, Baji adjusted his grip on Chifuyu, sliding an arm around his shoulders which let him lean without pressure, his hand settling secure and warm at his upper arm.

They reached the bathroom and headed straight for the sink, standing with their shoulders brushing each other's. The mirror relayed their reflections back to them a little too well, causing neither to bother taking another glance after the first passed. Baji grabbed their toothbrushes while Chifuyu reached for the face wash, the fancy one he'd insisted on buying months ago after declaring their skin deserved better. He wordlessly pumped some into his palm and passed it over.

Baji accepted it without complaint, already knowing better. He'd learned that lesson early on. Besides, it actually was pretty good, even if he'd never say that out loud.

They lathered it onto their wet faces and let it sit whilst they brushed their teeth in quiet sync. The sound of running water, the clink of ceramic, the mint sharp on their tongues. Chifuyu rinsed first, then splashed his face, working the lather in carefully. Baji followed suit, scrubbing at his cheeks and nose with a tired huff, and following Chifuyu in rinsing blood and dirt from his mouth and face.

They finished, water dripping down their faces and necks, neither of them bothering with the towel. It'd just get soaked again in five minutes. Baji flicked the light switch for the shower and started stripping as they moved, tugging his tank top over his head first and letting it fall to the floor. As he stepped forward, he shed the rest, his jeans, socks and boxers, kicking them off one by one before turning back to toss everything on top of the tank, forming a small pile they could easily dump into the laundry later.

Chifuyu undid the wrap around his ankle first, carefully loosening the bandage and lifting the ice pack away before setting it down beside the growing pile on the floor. Then, he followed suit more slowly, mindful of his ankle as his clothes came off piece by piece. Instead of starting his own mess, he added them to the pile Baji had already made, the habit so familiar neither of them thought twice about it.

He glanced at the ice pack and couldn't help wondering if there'd been any point in putting it on in the first place, especially when it had barely been twenty minutes and he was about to step into a warm shower anyway.

The shower steam built quickly, nice and warm. When they stepped in, it felt like the world finally eased its grip on them. Water hit sore muscles and bruises, drawing low sighs from both of them as tension melted away in layers.

The water eventually got too hot, almost painfully while they were choosing which soap to use, and Baji hissed as it hit his shoulders before adjusting the temperature. Chifuyu rested a hand firmly against the tile, letting the heat soak into his muscles, eyes sliding shut as he felt more and more relaxed the longer they stayed in there.

They moved around each other easily, familiar even in silence. Baji grabbed the soap, worked it into his hands, and helped Chifuyu clean off after doing so to himself. When it was done, they rinsed off and shut the water off, already thinking about their bed as they stepped out. They towelled themselves off and the warmth clinging to their skin faded quickly as the cool air of the apartment hit them, raising a faint shiver in its wake.

Baji flicked the light off and nudged Chifuyu toward the hall with his shoulder. He rummaged through the dresser and tossed Chifuyu one of his old T-shirts, a soft, worn one that had long since become unofficially Chifuyu's, before pulling on a loose shirt and sweatpants himself. Chifuyu changed into the shirt and a pair of comfy shorts he couldn't seem to sleep without.

They moved back into the living room, where the first-aid kit still sat on the table waiting for them.

Baji dropped onto the sofa with a sigh and stretched his arm out. "Alright. Do your thing, Fuyu."

Chifuyu snorted but sat beside him anyway, peeling the plaster from its wrapper. He pressed it carefully onto Baji's arm, smoothing it down with his thumb.

"Try not to rip this one off," he said.

"No promises," Baji replied, grinning.

When Chifuyu leaned back, Baji caught his ankle gently and pulled his foot into his lap. He wrapped a bandage around it, making sure that it was snug but not too tight, careful to make it fit for sleep. If it happened to come loose in the night, he'd just fix it again in the morning for him.

"There," Baji said. "Good as new."

"Thank you, Baji-san." Chifuyu said, smiling warmly.

They left the mess for tomorrow and headed to bed, exhaustion finally settling into their bones. Chifuyu curled onto his side, facing Baji, and Baji shifted closer without thinking, arm draping over his waist.

Silence stretched comfortably between them.

"I thought you said we were gonna give the car back after we finished cleaning our injuries, Baji-san." Chifuyu said matter of factly.

Baji groaned. "Ugh, who cares. We'll definitely give it back tomorrow."

He could feel Chifuyu rubbing a hand over his eyes. "I knew you'd say that."

"And also," Baji added. "I found the car first."

Chifuyu groaned, pressing his face into Baji's chest. "Why do you still remember that?"

"Means I pick dinner tomorrow," Baji said, satisfied.

"Unbelievable," Chifuyu murmured sleepily.

Baji leaned down and kissed him, delicate and unhurried despite how quick it was. They settled back into the pillows after that, breaths evening out, the world finally quiet enough to sleep.

----------->

Morning came with streaks of sun making their way through curtain clad windows. 

Chifuyu woke to their bedroom washed in a mix of yellow light and deep blue shadow. He lay there for a moment, content, listening to the slow rhythm of breathing beside him. Baji's arm was still wrapped securely around his waist, heavy and warm, and Chifuyu huffed a laugh at the thought that neither of them had moved an inch since they'd fallen asleep, out cold like dead men.

The sound caught in his chest, the humour fading as quickly as it had come. Right. That would be why.

He stilled himself as fast as he could as he suddenly became all too aware of the soreness that had settled all throughout his body, reminding him how yesterday had turned out. With muscles stiff and protesting, and a dull ache blooming beneath his skin, Chifuyu winced and lay there, letting it wash over him.

Baji shifted behind him with a grunt.

"Mm," his arm tightened, pulling Chifuyu closer before loosening again. "You awake?"

"Yeah," Chifuyu murmured. "Didn't mean to wake you."

"Didn't," Baji said, voice rough with sleep. He nudged his nose into the back of Chifuyu's neck, warm breath puffing against his skin. "Shit, I'm sore as hell."

Chifuyu let out a low groan in agreement, shifting just enough to feel every ache protest. "Same."

There was a brief pause.

"I mean," Baji added slyly, the grin obvious even without Chifuyu seeing it, "I could give you another reason to be sore."

Chifuyu felt the smile curve against his skin and closed his eyes, exhausted enough that even rolling away felt like too much effort.

"Shut up, Baji-san," he muttered, swatting blindly at his arm with all the force of a damp towel. "If you say that again, I will kick you. Sore and all."

Baji laughed, unbothered. "Yeah, yeah. All talk."

"Go back to sleep," Chifuyu grumbled. "You're annoying before noon."

"Mmh," Baji hummed, clearly pleased anyway.

 Chifuyu stayed still for a moment longer, eyes closed, enjoying it while it lasted.

"If I don't get up now," he said finally, voice muffled against the pillow, "I'm never going to."

"Can't we just lay here the rest of the day?"

Chifuyu elbowed him lightly. "Up. Captain."

A long, dramatic sigh sounded behind him, but Baji shifted all the same. They sat up slowly, side by side on the edge of the bed, shoulders slumped and heads bowed for a few seconds like they were gathering the will to exist.

"My body hates me," Baji muttered.

"You earned it," Chifuyu replied, rubbing at his ankle absently.

They shuffled through their morning routine. They changed into new clothes. Threw their dirty ones in the washing machine. Brushed their teeth. Baji splashed water on his face while Chifuyu wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

Chifuyu headed back to their bedroom to make their bed while Baji was still occupied with brushing his hair. He tugged the blanket once, then gave up entirely and sat down on top of it instead. The sheets were still somewhat warm from earlier and Chifuyu knew he lost the battle. The mattress dipped beneath him, familiar and tempting, and for a second he seriously considered just going to sleep again.

Baji stuck his head into the room a bit later, his hair brushed down the way he normally wore it and his hairbrush in hand, seemingly looking around for something. His sight lingered on Chifuyu, the latter sending him a questioning look, before he disappeared back into the bathroom again.

Before Chifuyu could ask him anything, Baji was crouched in front of him and reaching for his ankle.

"Baji-san," Chifuyu started. "It's fine, you don't need to-"

"I do," Baji cut in, batting Chifuyu's hand away when he tried to interfere. "Hold still."

Chifuyu sighed, resigned, letting his heel rest properly in Baji's hands. "I can tighten it myself, you know."

"Yeah," Baji said, fingers working, retightening the wrap and making sure the pressure was even and secure. "And you'll do it wrong."

"Baji-san's so bossy as well," he said, dragging the words out in a sing-song voice.

"Shut up and hold still," Baji snorted at the sight.

Once Baji stood, Chifuyu pushed himself up and, together, they actually finished making the bed this time. Pillows were straightened, the blanket smoothed out with a few firm swipes of their hands.

They drifted into the kitchen after that. Morning light spilled across the counters, catching on the edges of mugs and the faint sheen of yesterday's dishes left to dry. Baji leaned back against the counter, arms folding as he surveyed the room like it might offer inspiration.

"So," he said. "What're we eating."

Chifuyu opened the fridge and stared inside for a moment. "We've still got the microwavable pancakes." 

Baji squinted.

"They expire tomorrow."

Baji sighed. "Alright. Fine." If Baji had learned one thing from his mum, it was not to waste food.

They waited while the microwave hummed, the smell filling the kitchen in an oddly comforting way. When it beeped, Chifuyu split the stack between two plates and slid one across the counter. They ate standing up, forks tapping softly against ceramic, the pancakes warm and sweet enough to justify the decision.

"This was the right call," Baji said around a bite.

"Told you."

They set their plates in the sink and headed to the door. Neither of them mentioned it, but they both knew what they were doing next.

Up close, the damage was impossible to ignore.

The windshield was the worst of it, a web of cracks spreading outward from several impact points, lines catching the sunlight and turning it into fractured glare. The hood bore a deep dent that caved inward at an awkward angle, the metal warped and scraped raw along the edges. One side panel was streaked with long, ugly scratches, paint stripped down to dull grey beneath. The passenger door had taken a hit too, its surface uneven, handle scuffed like something had clawed at it.

They stood there for a moment, just looking at the car. Baji scratched at the back of his neck.

"...At least it still runs," he said, like reassurance might make it true twice.

Chifuyu gulped. "Let's just hope we don't get stopped."

Baji opened the driver's door and slid in. "Relax," he said, already turning the key. "I've driven worse."

"That's not reassuring."

The engine started on the first try, cheerful and completely unconcerned with the state of the car attached to it. Baji pulled out of the lot, smooth and steady, like the windshield wasn't one bad pothole away from collapsing entirely.

They made it two blocks before Chifuyu started fidgeting.

"Why are you driving so normally," he asked.

Baji glanced over. "What, you want me to speed?"

"No, I just-" Chifuyu gestured vaguely at the windshield. "Look at the damned windshield? It can't be legal to drive around like this."

Baji shrugged. "We need to be confident Chifuyu. If you act like nothing's wrong, people don't question it." Baji said it so matter of factly Chifuyu was almost touched.

To Chifuyu, everything seemed like it was watching them. When a police car rolled by in the opposite lane, Chifuyu held his breath so hard his chest hurt.

Baji waved.

He fucking waved.

Chifuyu, thoroughly exasperated, grabbed his wrist as fast as he could and yanked it back down. He leaned closer and hissed, "What is wrong with you."

He let out a quiet breath after, reminding himself that this was Baji he was dealing with and that the police around here were notoriously terrible at their job anyway, but even so, Chifuyu really didn't need any more drama in his life right now.

"They waved back." 

Chifuyu mentally face palmed.

"They did not."

"They thought about it."

By some miracle, they made it the rest of the way without sirens or flashing lights. The Toman building came into view, and Chifuyu let out another breath he didn't realise he'd been holding.

"See," Baji said, smug. "Told you."

They rolled into the lot and immediately caught attention.

Baji hadn't expected anyone to be around that early, let alone a whole group. Mikey was perched on the low concrete barrier near the entrance, legs swinging idly as he ate something from a crinkled wrapper. Draken stood a few feet away, arms crossed and engaging the shorter in some conversation. Mitsuya leaned against a pillar with a drink in hand, also conversing with them, while Pah paced back and forth like he'd been wound too tight and left that way like those toys.

They all turned to look their way when the sound of the engine came into range.

Draken turned. Mitsuya followed. Mikey's head snapped up a second later. Shock and confusion was evident on every single one of their faces.

Pah, on the other hand, seemed ready to combust right there on the asphalt. His pacing stopped mid-step, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. His eyes locked onto the windshield, then darted to the hood, and then back to them.

Mikey's eyes lit up. "Whoa."

Draken squinted, trying to take it all in. "What the hell happened to it."

The car rolled to a stop as it parked into the lot, directly facing the four members.

For half a second, no one said anything.

The intensity of the staring made both Baji and Chifuyu awkwardly raise a hand and wave through the cracked windshield, unsure if anyone could even see it.

Apparently they did.

Pah made a noise that sounded like the beginning of a scream.

Then Mikey burst out laughing, loud and unrestrained, bending forward at the waist like the sight of it had hit him all at once. "No way," he wheezed. "There's no way."

Draken grabbed Mikey by the back of his jacket to keep him from falling, snapping, "Don't encourage him."

"One job, you had ONE JOB," Pah shouted suddenly, voice high and incredulous, "Baji you bastard get the fuck out and explain yourself!"

Baji killed the engine and swung the door open casually, stepping out like this was just another Tuesday. Chifuyu followed behind, careful with his ankle, eyes darting between the car and Pah's increasingly dramatic display.

Pah's hands flew into the air. "Do you know how long it took me to get this thing right?!" His voice cracked as he leaned closer to inspect the front of the hood, running a finger along a dent like he could somehow will it away.

Baji leaned back against the frame of the car, arms crossed, grinning lazily. "Still runs."

Mikey clutched his stomach, laughter fading into muffled snickers. "Yeah, barely."

Draken's head snapped toward him. "Shut the hell up, Mikey."

As both Baji and Chifuyu fully stepped out of the car, the whole area seemed to have all the air sucked out of it. The lot went silent. For the second time that day, the four of them seemed frozen in place, eyes wide as they took in Baji and Chifuyu's appearance. 

Even Pah, who was already on both his knees with tears rolling down his face, looked as if the physical shock had finally caught up to his rage. Even his complaints had stopped. Mikey, Draken, and Mitsuya all just stared, wide eyed, at the two as if expecting them to crumble under the weight of their own appearance.

Mitsuya was the first to break the silence. "What happened?" His voice was careful, almost tentative, as he studied their bruised and scratched up faces, as well as their tired looking posture.

Chifuyu spoke first after exhaling slowly. "We went to grab the car," he started, "But we ran into this group in the car park and got ambushed."

Baji picked up the thread. "The freaks came out of nowhere. We fought our way through, and then we ran to the car to try and drive off." His gaze flicked to the windshield. "The leader of the group, some crazy bastard, actually jumped on top of the car while we were trying to get away."

Mitsuya's mouth fell open. "He what?!"

"And that's why the car looks like this," Baji added, gesturing lazily to the dents, scratches, and fractured windshield, "And why we look like this." He moved his arms around himself, then glanced at Chifuyu before doing the same to him. "Pretty self explanatory, right?"

Pah made a low groan from the floor, finally sitting back on his heels, hands dropping to his sides. "I... I see why," he muttered, voice muffled but laced with defeat.

Baji leaned forward slightly, voice calm but sharp. "By the way, we left our own car parked nearby that place, but like hell we're going back for it. So you guys better figure out who is, because we're definitely not."

Draken looked at Mikey and Mitsuya and shook his head, still in some stage of shock, but finally spoke. "Alright, alright. You two look like hell. Take a couple days off." He pulled out his phone, tapping quickly. "I'll get someone to drive you home. I don't need you idiots getting jumped again and causing more problems."

Baji smirked, leaning back against the car again. "Couple days off? Guess I can live with that."

Chifuyu could've cheered. "Hell yeah, sign me up."

Mikey chuckled, still seemingly amused by the whole situation. "Just try not to get yourselves killed before then, alright?"

"We'll do our best," Baji said, his grin returning. "But no promises."

Pah finally stood, brushing dust off his pants, muttering under his breath about something to do with how much he had done for his now basically totalled car. Mitsuya just shook his head, sipping his drink, silently grateful nothing worse had happened.

Baji didn't care much about the logistics of who picked up the car or what paperwork needed signing, but one thing was clear - the group that had dared to ambush them were now officially enemies of Toman. They had messed with the wrong people, and someone would make sure they got found, and properly dealt with, sooner or later. Baji's lips curled into a faint grin, more out of curiosity than malice. He was almost interested, in a way, to see what kind of trouble those idiots were in, and how they'd try to face Toman next.

As the assigned driver pulled up and they climbed into the car, the pair looked at each other.  Baji caught his eye and raised a brow, smirk still teasing at the corners of his mouth.

Chifuyu leaned back in his seat and asked quietly, "So... what do you want for dinner later?"

It was like he had read Baji's mind.

"Peyoung yakisoba sounds nice."