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Midnight couldn't have come fast enough. Mizuyo would never say it during work hours, but the night was far too quiet for how late she had to stay, which is generally a good thing; it means there weren't any massive emergencies that would have kept her past her shift. Still, though, aside from being puked on right before she left and having to get an immediate shower, the night was uneventful. Now she was on her way to her boyfriend's house, hand clasped around the key to his quarters he'd given her earlier that day.
It wasn't until he'd come over with dinner for her, and she affirmed that she was crashing with him tonight, that she registered the fact he said ‘see you when you get home’ versus ‘see you later tonight’, and now she has that dizzying realization settling in as she was left to mull it over in the silence of her walk. After already dealing with the fact that she'd fallen in love and having him return those feelings, it actually did feel like she was going home instead of just his place. Like a warm embrace was waiting for her on the other side of the door as she slid the key into the lock.
This pleasant thought was shaken when the hairs on the back of her neck stood up, feeling a dangerously unstable spiritual pressure as she stepped past the threshold of his front door. It was familiar and frantic at the same time, like there was a struggle between two halves of a whole. She cautiously continues towards his room, where the energy is strongest. “Kensei? Is everything okay?” She calls with an even tone, trying to hide the rising fear as she approaches his door.
There was a loud crashing noise followed by what sounded like a fist splitting the wood of the walls, then the bellow of his hollowfied voice. She opens his door just a crack to find him in a state of panic, his eyes completely black with the faintest red glowing within, part of his mask having formed, and he seems completely unaware of her presence. He looked like he wasn't all there, like his mind was somewhere else. She had a feeling about what was happening, and she knew she needed to try to help.
The door creaks as it opens completely, alerting him to her presence as she steels herself to approach him with vigilance. “Babe, can you hear me? You're alright.” She feels uneasy as his eyes follow her, but she chooses to inch closer. A roar stops her in her tracks, clearly a warning to stay back, but it's one she doesn't heed. “Hey, it's me, I'm not going to hurt you.” She shows her hands, a display she hopes will show her intentions to help.
She takes a few steps closer, only to have him on her in a flash, crushed into the wall with his hand around her throat. She gasps and chokes, desperately clawing at his arm as she struggles for air. There's a flicker of fright in her eyes, but she's determined to see him through this, even at the expense of her safety. She's aware he's not in control right now, but she knows he's going to be there, waiting at the other end of this. “K-Ken— Y-You’re….” She's barely able to speak past his intense grip as she gasps out her words, trying to get them out when her brain is crying out for air is incredibly difficult, and the terror of the situation shows in the tears that fall from her eyes.
“It's…Okay…” She manages, she feels his hold loosen if only slightly, her nails have bitten deep red marks into his arm, drawing blood in her desperate attempt to free herself. “I'm…Here …L-Love…Y-You…” His grip continues to slacken, allowing her the ability to draw at least a little air into her desperate lungs, and the darkness of his eyes slowly begins to dissipate as he starts coming to. When she smiles at him and combs her free hand through his hair, he lets go of her entirely and snaps back to reality.
Immediately, as soon as his hand leaves her throat, she's gasping for air and coughing, catching her breath as she moves her hand to his cheek. She's met with instant concern as he realizes what's just happened. “Holy— Are you alright?!” His honey eyes scan her and stop when they notice the bruising around her throat. “Fuck…Did I—?” He watches her smile falter, and that was the only answer he needed. He pulls away from her touch, gritting his teeth and walking away to put distance between them.
“Hey, you weren't in control. I know that you didn't mean it.” She tries to reason with him, concerned about any guilt that may be building. Since he stepped away from her, she respects his silent request for space and sits on the bed. She watches him pace, running his fingers through his hair and yanking before he hurls his fist at the wall with a resounding crack that makes her flinch.
“You should have stayed back.” His tone is harsh and scolding, and he throws another punch at the wall. “I could have fucking killed you!” His eyes bore into her with a rage she's never seen from him before, a look that makes her wilt beneath his intense gaze. “Fuck! I—” He sighs a heavy breath, starting to realize the shift in her body language. “... I'm sorry, I shouldn't be bitching at you, I'm just—”
“No, it's okay, you're right, I should have stayed back.” She wipes the tears from her cheeks. She's trying not to take his anger personally; she understands that right now he's still coming down from the adrenaline of the moment, and that he just needs to get it out of his system. “I just wanted to help.” But she still can't help but feel hurt, and it shows in the soft tone of her voice and the way she averts her eyes from him.
“No, it's not okay, dammit!” He groans loudly, hammering his abused fist into the wall yet again, blood forming on his knuckles. “It's just that—” He heaves a rough exhale. “I don't want to fucking lose you because I couldn't fucking control myself!” His voice is a harsh rasp, loud enough to echo through the room. He does his best to get control of himself before he kneels in front of her, taking her face into his hands and turning her to look at him. “Shit…Don't cry, dammit.” He thumbs away the tears, then draws her tightly against him.
His warm, gentle embrace is a sharp contrast to the aggression and roughness he had just displayed.
She accepted his approach and wrapped herself around him, burying herself in his chest as close as she could. “You're not going to lose me.” She murmurs against him, holding him as tight as she can. His hold turns into a vice grip as she feels him rest his chin on her head.
“Yeah, you say that now.” He remarks bitterly. “But it wouldn't be the first time someone's said that and then up and fucked off.” There's a bite to his voice that makes her pull away from him enough to look him in the eyes. He turns away from her as if ashamed, or hurt, she can't tell what it was. There's obvious pain in the way he speaks, but it's something that he's trying and failing to hide.
“I'm not leaving.” She speaks far more firmly now, almost as if she's offended by the insinuation that she'd just abandon him. “I said I love you, you jackass, and I meant it.” She butts her head gently against his temple, trying to get him to look at her. “Why would I up and leave you because of something you clearly can't help?” She sighs when he still averts her gaze, and then she takes his bloody hand into her hold, examining the broken skin. “I should get this cleaned up, you might have broken something, but I won't know until I can x-ray…”
“Stop…It's fine…” He tries to pull away, but she refuses to let go. Finally, he turns to face her again. “Because I hurt you, and I can't guarantee that something like this won't happen again.” He answers in a huff of frustration, and there’s a slight crack in his voice as he speaks. He observes her tend to his battered knuckles, the soft glow of her kaido makes his brows furrow in an expression of guilt. He forces his hand from hers, only to take it into his own. He then plants kiss after firm kiss on the back of her hand before yanking her into his arms to bury her in his chest. “I’m sorry….Fuck, I’m so fucking sorry…”
She tries to adjust so that she can rest at least a little more comfortably, but she stops when she feels his shoulders heave and hears what sounds like a choked-back sob. She places a hand on his cheek and feels a damp trail; it tells her everything she needed to know. She fights herself out of his grip, only for him to turn away from her in an attempt to hide the tears falling from his eyes. “Babe…You don’t have to hide it from me.” It’s a slight struggle, but eventually she positions herself so that she can draw him into her arms and let his head rest against her chest. “I’m not going anywhere. You have been nothing but the best to me. I meant it when I told you that you make me feel safe; this doesn’t change that.”
He stiffens in her hold, huffing and scoffing, but letting himself be held as he just tightens his arms around her and eventually buries his face against her chest with one last huff. “...I shouldn't be fucking crying like a baby…” He sounds deeply disgruntled at his display of vulnerability. “I should be the one holding you right now.” Gone from irritated to seemingly embarrassed. She feels the dampness growing against her skin, running her fingers through his hair. “What if this happens again? What if next time I —” His voice is a pained growl, squeezing her with so much force she finds it hard to breathe.
She allows him to keep her in the tight embrace; it's not painful to breathe, but just that much more difficult. However, she'll endure it if it means he finds solace in her arms. “Crying isn't something to be ashamed of, medically speaking, it's healthy for you, there are multiple chemicals that are released that help reduce stress, among other things.” She hopes re-framing it in this light will help him accept it, but he seems to scoff in defiance. “We're holding each other equally; you need the comfort as much, if not more than I do. Let me give that to you, then if it makes you feel better, you can hold me all day tomorrow.” She applies a soothing caress down his back, resting her head on top of his. “If you're that worried about it, then train me to deal with it. Teach me how to fight against you effectively if you lose control again.”
He sniffles and huffs, but the tears start to slow to an eventual stop the longer she holds him, the longer he keeps her close and listens to her heart beating as proof she's still there, that he didn't drive her away or worse. They sit in silence, with her continuing to comfort him; it's something that he's clearly not used to, as it takes him some time to completely relax and fully accept his position as the one being provided for. “... I'm not going to go easy on you just because we're together.” He comments about her offer to be trained by him, looking her in the eyes for the first time tonight, and an expression of fierce determination replaces all the anger and hurt he had previously displayed. “If you can handle that, we can start tomorrow.”
Her smile is so warm it could rival the sun. Cupping his face in her hands, she plants a soft, loving, brief kiss on his lips. “I wouldn’t expect you to go easy; otherwise, what would be the point?” He snorts an amused sound, it's small and quiet, but it's a welcome noise. She rubs circles over his drying cheeks, peppering him with delicate, tender kisses on his forehead, down the bridge of his nose, until eventually she plants a firm kiss on his lips that carries her spoken promise that she was going to stay. It's a gesture he reciprocates, and that they both need, so they linger for a moment before he pulls away.
His eyes eventually wander back down to the bruising on her neck, and she watches him wince, then feels him coil his fingers through her hair and take a handful of the soft locks. He gives a gentle tug to expose more of her throat. “... I'm sorry…” His free hand gingerly traces the mark as if his touch would damage the thin skin. “So goddamn sorry…” He leans down to kiss the evidence of his mistake, feather light as if he feared he'd rip her throat out. An apology is muttered between each time he makes fleeting contact; it feels as if he's trying to erase the ugly purpling splotch that taints her skin.
“I forgive you, so please, forgive yourself, okay?” Her voice carries in the silence, but her tone is gentle. She takes his face into her hands and draws his attention away from the injury. “I promise, I love you too much to leave you over something you couldn't control. For two months, you have made me feel so safe, so secure, so taken care of. You're a good man, the best person I could have given my heart to.” She firmly assures him with an expression that shines with her love, overwhelmed by her emotions, tears stream down her cheeks once again. “Please say you forgive yourself.” She wraps her arms around him and draws herself flush against him, something for both of their comfort.
Immediately, as soon as her tears start falling, he cups her face to wipe them away, followed by tender kisses placed under each of her eyes, before he rests his head against hers. “...I can't, not yet. When I feel like I've made it up to you, then maybe I can forgive myself.” It's unexpected how soft his voice sounds, after all his yelling and harsh tones; she can feel the guilt that lingers as he speaks. Suddenly, he's lifted her into his arms bridal style, carrying her to the head of the bed and sitting down, holding her firmly against him as he settles them on the mattress. He combs his fingers through her hair, even though she's snuggled tightly against him; his embrace feels gentle, protective, and an all-around reminder of why she loves him. “Tell me what I can do to make it up to you.”
She melts under the tenderness of his touch; his radiating warmth soothes her as it penetrates to her soul. Her tears don't last long, as she finds herself relaxing completely in his arms. She's silent for a moment as she tries to think of an answer that would satisfy him, but then decides she's in the perfect position to ask for something he'd otherwise probably refuse. “Let me take care of your hand and arm. I was almost done healing you when you pulled away.” It's a simple request, and she searches his expression only to find confusion etched in his normally stern features. She tries to kiss it away, but when she retreats from their brief moment, she still finds him perplexed.
“You're telling me to make it up to you by letting you heal me?” He clearly thought she'd be more aggressive with it; he's dumbfounded, and it shows in the edge his tone takes. “That's it?” He watches as she nods, offering her hands out to him expectantly. “Not a chance to beat my ass? Or slap me? Just fixing my injuries?” He's blindsided by the gentle smile she gives him, and she watches that look return to his usual resting bitch face. “...Heal yourself first.” He sounded more like he was bargaining with her than actually trying to insist on it.
“Babe, love of my life, how would healing myself first make it up to me?” Her tone is light and playful as she pats his cheek affectionately. Surprisingly, she watches a faint dusting of red tinge his cheeks as he huffs. “Did calling you ‘love of my life’ do that to you?~” She coos sweetly. He rolls his eyes, but she can't help but notice the smallest smile playing on his lips that he tries to keep firmly set in a sort of pout. “Oh, hun, that's adorable.~” She chuckles, kissing the bridge of his nose as he turns her effortlessly in his lap to face him.
“Yeah, yeah.” He takes her face and kisses her firmly, deeply, and she reciprocates without hesitation. His hands ran along her back, drawing her flush against him as he did so. “Love you too.” A quiet laugh follows, and then silence settles between them as they embrace and caress each other, sharing short kisses. The tension seems to have completely faded, and both have become more relaxed. “Fine, I guess I can let my pretty doctor lady fix me up if that'll really make it up to you.” He kisses her firmly as he concedes.
She wasted no time returning to tending to his wounds, starting with the hand she had just about finished with before he interrupted her attempt, then she treated the deep nail marks on his arm. All the while, she feels him plant kiss after kiss against her forehead as he watches her work, fixated on how effortless it was for her. “There, good as new.” She caught his lips before they made contact with her head again, deepening the kiss and letting it linger as she quickly repaired the bruising on her throat. She only pulled back when she was sure it was gone. “You are my man, my big—” A pointed kiss to his cheek. “Strong.” Then the other cheek. “Protective, man.” She finishes with a kiss directly on his chest, over his heart. “And I will always be here for you, whenever you need me, however you need me. Like I know you are for me. Don't forget that. This is the last thing I ask of you to make it up to me. Don't hesitate to let me take care of you whenever you need it. As lovers, we share equally in protecting each other, so let me shoulder a load of yours now and then. Okay?”
He should have known it wasn't that simple. She feels him relax against her as they're chest to chest, like he's accepted her proposal, and without much protesting at that. Instead, all she gets as a first response is another intense, intimate, passionate kiss; it's like he can't live without her lips. It's so powerful that it wholly consumes her, and when he pulls away, she's left completely breathless. “...I will try.” He offers, and she knows that's about as good as she'll get since he's obviously not used to having something, or someone, like that around. “You're a saint. How the hell did I end up with a woman like you?”
She hummed as she ran her fingers through his unexpectedly soft, silvery white hair; its silkiness always caught her off guard. “Well, for starters, you're incredibly hot, and you cook, you're kind of like a unicorn among men.” She laughs, but her words are sincere. She smiles when he gives a cocky grin. “I knew from our first date that you were a keeper, you're a lot sweeter than you let on, and I got to see that, even if it came with your own unique edge to it. Like a bittersweet candy, and I just happen to love bittersweet candies.” He snorts a laugh, her little innuendo not lost on him. “Did I mention you're hot? I can literally just lie on you and my muscle aches are gone, it's so relaxing, curling up after a long day to your warmth is just blissful.” There's the rare, genuine smile of his, appearing like a rainbow after a monsoon. “I think I got lucky to snatch you up before anyone else could.”
With a soft grunt, he adjusted them into a far more comfortable position, lying down and drawing her tight against his chest with an arm protectively draped around her waist. She snuggled into his arms and buried herself in his heat, feeling his soothing caress trailing along her back as he held her close, his head resting on hers. “Let's just agree we both got lucky to snatch each other up, yeah?” She nods against him, her hair tickling his bare chest, which makes him sigh in contentment. “Let's get some sleep.” A firm, but gentle kiss to the top of her head. “Goodnight, sweetheart, love you.”
The new pet name sends her heart a flutter, but she doesn't have much time to dwell on it as sleep begins to beckon her through his touch. She returns his affection with a kiss to his chest, his heart, and nuzzles into him. She exhales a sigh of comfort and satisfaction, becoming nothing but putty in his strong embrace. “Goodnight, handsome, love you too.” Her reply comes in a sleepy drawl as she mutters it against his skin, and soon after, she's lulled to sleep at his hands.