Major Content Tags: Abuse Rating: M for trauma+abuse recovery themes. Word Count: 545
There are a few little things Kinjou noticed about Imaizumi, even before they started dating.
One, Imaizumi's wrists are distressingly thin, just like the rest of him. It gets worse during the summer.
Two, when Imaizumi lies his face twitches up into a half smile and his shoulders sag.
Three, the mere mention of Midousuji Akira puts him on high alert.
Kinjou has watched his hackles raise and posture crumple, and if he were a dog his ears would be flattened against his head. All because of one person. Kinjou doesn't know, exactly, what happened between them, only that they had something very short lived and disastrous. Imaizumi is too affected for it to just have been a simple relationship
Kinjou cannot touch Imaizumi when he stands behind him unless he wants a quivering, hollow eyed pantomime of a boyfriend for the next few minutes, must be careful not to grip his hands too hard or criticize his cycling too much, no matter how well-intentioned.
Kinjou has never wanted to hurt Imaizumi. Midousuji already has, and there isn't anything he can do about that.
Once, when Onoda, pure and precious Onoda, mentions that Akira-kun is coming over to watch the Love Hime finale, Imaizumi has to leave the room. Kinjou finds him behind the clubroom, hunched over and puking his guts out.
He stops watching Love Hime, and when Kinjou next borrows his iPod he notices all the songs have been completely expunged.
Kinjou hates Midousuji for taking that away from Imaizumi, for worming his way into Onoda's life, too, ever closer to Imaizumi's sanctuary of Sohoku.
He starts inviting Imaizumi over to his house after school, and then when he graduates, over to his dorm on the weekends. One night, Imaizumi tells him that Midousuji came to a Sohoku practice, is sleeping at Onoda's house now, and asks if he can stay the night with his fearful, shaking voice.
Kinjou rocks him to sleep while he cries, and hates, and hates.
When they start dating, two years have passed since Imaizumi and Midousuji had come together in that great and terrible collision. Imaizumi stands taller, with more flesh on his face and with steadier hands. He looks tired, too, but Kinjou supposes that is what fighting every moment you're awake does to a person. Kinjou has watched him progress further and further from the frightened rabbit Midousuji made him into, and it's with familiar relief that he realizes, Oh, I'm in love with him
Kinjou doesn't know what happened between them, exactly, although he feels like he should have stopped it before it started. There's nothing he can do now but be there, with gentle hands and gentler words, being what Midousuji wasn't.
The first time Imaizumi kisses him, it lasts for less than a second and isn't repeated for two more weeks. It's no bother to Kinjou, he'll wait. For as long as Imaizumi needs. Maybe he'll never be alright with it - his eyes still get that faraway look when Kinjou touches his shoulders, sometimes, if there's been another reminder earlier in the day. And that's fine, too. Imaizumi is safe with Kinjou, will always be.
And the next time Kinjou sees Midousuji Akira, he's punching him in his smug fucking face.
FILL: TEAM GRANDSTAND, M
Rating: M for trauma+abuse recovery themes.
Word Count: 545
There are a few little things Kinjou noticed about Imaizumi, even before they started dating.
One, Imaizumi's wrists are distressingly thin, just like the rest of him. It gets worse during the summer.
Two, when Imaizumi lies his face twitches up into a half smile and his shoulders sag.
Three, the mere mention of Midousuji Akira puts him on high alert.
Kinjou has watched his hackles raise and posture crumple, and if he were a dog his ears would be flattened against his head. All because of one person. Kinjou doesn't know, exactly, what happened between them, only that they had something very short lived and disastrous. Imaizumi is too affected for it to just have been a simple relationship
Kinjou cannot touch Imaizumi when he stands behind him unless he wants a quivering, hollow eyed pantomime of a boyfriend for the next few minutes, must be careful not to grip his hands too hard or criticize his cycling too much, no matter how well-intentioned.
Kinjou has never wanted to hurt Imaizumi. Midousuji already has, and there isn't anything he can do about that.
Once, when Onoda, pure and precious Onoda, mentions that Akira-kun is coming over to watch the Love Hime finale, Imaizumi has to leave the room. Kinjou finds him behind the clubroom, hunched over and puking his guts out.
He stops watching Love Hime, and when Kinjou next borrows his iPod he notices all the songs have been completely expunged.
Kinjou hates Midousuji for taking that away from Imaizumi, for worming his way into Onoda's life, too, ever closer to Imaizumi's sanctuary of Sohoku.
He starts inviting Imaizumi over to his house after school, and then when he graduates, over to his dorm on the weekends. One night, Imaizumi tells him that Midousuji came to a Sohoku practice, is sleeping at Onoda's house now, and asks if he can stay the night with his fearful, shaking voice.
Kinjou rocks him to sleep while he cries, and hates, and hates.
When they start dating, two years have passed since Imaizumi and Midousuji had come together in that great and terrible collision. Imaizumi stands taller, with more flesh on his face and with steadier hands. He looks tired, too, but Kinjou supposes that is what fighting every moment you're awake does to a person. Kinjou has watched him progress further and further from the frightened rabbit Midousuji made him into, and it's with familiar relief that he realizes, Oh, I'm in love with him
Kinjou doesn't know what happened between them, exactly, although he feels like he should have stopped it before it started. There's nothing he can do now but be there, with gentle hands and gentler words, being what Midousuji wasn't.
The first time Imaizumi kisses him, it lasts for less than a second and isn't repeated for two more weeks. It's no bother to Kinjou, he'll wait. For as long as Imaizumi needs. Maybe he'll never be alright with it - his eyes still get that faraway look when Kinjou touches his shoulders, sometimes, if there's been another reminder earlier in the day. And that's fine, too. Imaizumi is safe with Kinjou, will always be.
And the next time Kinjou sees Midousuji Akira, he's punching him in his smug fucking face.