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The fight hadn’t gone as Kaji had planned. It almost always did, Kaji made sure it did. But today was one of those outliers where he found himself sitting on the curb, exhausted from the fight he had barely won.
Meters away is Kaji’s lollipop. He picks it up and examines it, where bits of gravel have embedded themselves into the red candy. He considers–ever so briefly–sticking it back in his mouth. He could use the comfort right about now. His jaw is sore from nast left hook and a variety of bruises are beginning to bloom along his arms and torso.
Kaji considers heading home–he had more lollipops at home–but even the thought of moving makes his entire body ache. At least no one had been there to witness the beat down. Kaji had been severely outnumbered. And, while he managed to bring them all down, it hadn’t been pretty–
“What the hell happened?”
Kaji’s head snaps towards the voice with such force that he thinks his brain rattles from it. It’s Kusumi. Fuck .
“Kusumi–” Kaji starts, stumbles over some sort of explanation, but Kusumi holds up a hand.
“I heard you were getting your shit rocked. I came as fast as I could, but–but it looks like you got it covered.” Kusumi smiles weakly.
Kaji winces. He didn’t think anyone had seen or heard the fight. He thought everyone who knew anything was lying unconscious at his feet. Apparently, Kaji was wrong. He attempts to stand, but inadvertently cries out in pain. Kusumi hurries to his side, kneeling down in the gravel next to him.
“You look like shit.”
“Been worse.” It was true. A long time ago, Kaji was weak. Maybe he still was. Without Kusumi and the rest, he could barely handle a ragtag group of hoodlums on his own. He needed them.
“We are better as a team,” Kusumi says. It’s an innocent reminder, but it guts Kaji. He hates needing people. Kaji begins, instinctively, to put the lollipop in his mouth before Kusumi catches his hand. “Uh-uh. Not this one.”
Kusumi digs around his pocket for a moment and produces a fresh lollipop. He holds it out for Kaji to take.
“Wha–” Kaji slowly reaches for the candy, pops it out of the wrapper, and sticks it in his mouth. The tension in his body eases immediately. He looks up at Kusumi, without removing the lollipop from his mouth. “Thank you.”
“Now for the rest of you.” Kusumi pulls out a handful of bandaids from his pockets, a few of them escaping on the way out. “It’s not anything fancy or professional, but it will work.”
Kaji had never let anyone take care of him like this, but he lacked any energy to protest. He focuses on the sugar against his tongue and watches as Kusumi diligently peels back bandaids.
The first one goes on Kaji’s jawline where he was punched. The guy had been wearing a ring or something that had broken skin on his cheek. Kaji flinches when Kusumi goes to place the bandaid, but his fingers press gently against Kaji’s skin until the bandage has stuck on. Kaji doesn’t flinch when Kusumi reaches to place a bandage on Kaji’s arm.
He watches as Kusumi intently lines a long cut with little bandaids. With his lollipop in his cheek and his knees pulled up to his chest, Kaji might have been a child. His head lulls in and out of dull comfort.
“That should do it,” Kusumi announces and Kaji blinks back into consciousness.
“I–uh–Thank you, again.” Kaji doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t know how to say thank you for whatever this dumb feeling is in his chest. It’s beyond fondness. It’s…it’s…real affection. Beyond what he’s used to feeling for his classmates, beyond what he feels in a fight. For a fleeting moment, Kaji considers getting in a hundred more fights just to feel Kusumi’s fingers pressed against his skin, to hear Kusumi’s voice low and gentle and comforting.
“Anytime.” Kusumi grins and Kaji’s stomach flips. “But next time, call for backup. I–We need you, yeah?”
Kaji nods, speechless. “Yeah.”
He sucks down on the lollipop. Kusumi needs him. And if Kusumi needs him, he would be there. They would be a team. Kusumi wouldn’t have to patch him up because together they were unbeatable. Together they were unlimited.