62 Love Confessor (Character A confessing their love for B to C) + 100 Accidentally Saving The Day Kaito/Hanataro Back to classic 😎
– cherfleur
Hanataro wants to cry.
That’s… not really an unusual feeling, but it’s one he (for once) doesn’t have time or energy to indulge in. Not when Kaito is busy fighting for their lives and Ishida is busy trying to break the cage trapping the two of them and the other Karakura teens are caught in other cages scattered across the area.
Nothing Ishida is doing is really helping, though; even his seele schneider just bounces right off the strange material and glimmering barrier without leaving a dent. It’s terrifying and it’s frustrating and Hanataro just wants to be back in the shoten and safe and able to curl up at Kaito’s side and–
He crouches down in the center of the little cage and curls his arms around his legs. Breathes in. Out. Blinks back the tears that want to come.
(He wants Kaito!)
“It’ll be alright,” Ishida says awkwardly, kneeling in front of Hanataro. His free hand rises towards Hanataro then pauses, hovering in the space between them like he’s not really sure what he should be doing. “Senpai will figure it out.”
Hanataro can’t resist a watery laugh at how predictable they both are, then hastily scrubs at his eyes when the action makes his tears spill over. He can’t be weak, not right now. “I… I know. Kaito-san is… Kaito-san can do anything,” he mumbles as he forces his breathing back in line. He’s been trapped more times than he can count over the decades. This is just one more–
Kaito shouts, infuriated and in pain, and Hanataro jerks upright to stare in his direction. He clenches his hands and shifts his weight, wanting to rise, wanting to dart to Kaito’s side, wanting to help–
“I’m glad Senpai has someone like you,” Ishida suddenly says, snapping Hanataro out of his narrowed focus.
“You… what?” Hanataro blinks at Ishida in surprise. He’d never expected to hear something like that out of Ishida’s mouth; Ishida had always been the most protective of Kaito, staying close whenever he can and keeping his senses tuned towards the other whenever he can’t. To have Ishida say that to him…
Ishida fidgets and frowns and looks away at last, standing up like an affronted feline and stalking back towards the cage. “I mean it,” he says before he makes a futile strike. Another. A third. He pauses in frustration and moves closer to frown at the cage, adding, “Senpai’s happier with you around. He never… he doesn’t ever look at you with that… that sad, wistful edge that he directs at the rest of us.”
Hanataro swallows and pushes himself to his feet, slinking over to Ishida’s side since the other seems to be done attempting to brute-force his way through the cage. “He… he likes the rest of you j-just fine,” he tells Ishida as forcefully as he can, hoping the other believes him.
Ishida scoffs. “I know. But he likes you better.”
“He likes me different,” Hanataro says sternly, poking Ishida in the side when the other just gives him a disbelieving look. “He… it’s… we’re friends–”
“We’re his friends too!”
“–and the r-rest of you a-are like… like his s-siblings!” Hanataro forces out, trembling with the effort it takes to actually talk over Ishida. “It’s different!”
Ishida gives him a suspicious look, then jerks his head back towards the cage. “You like him more than a friend does,” he says sourly, pressing a hand against the shimmering barrier as his reiatsu stirs.
Hanataro blinks at the accusation, then nods slightly instead of denying it. “F-friends can lo-love each other, a-and… Kaito-san… Kaito-san n-needs friends m-more, right now.” Not that he is being entirely altruistic about it, he has to acknowledge; he is changing too, becoming stronger, becoming better, but he doesn’t feel… worthy yet.
(Being Kaito’s friend is the most he feels capable of without hurting both of them in the process.)
(But that’s alright; either they’ll both grow into it or they won’t, and either way Hanataro has no intention of losing his best friend over something so silly.)
“I supp–”
Kaito slams into the cage and slumps to the ground, clothing torn and bloodstained, hair slicked back from sweat. He’s panting, struggling to stand, and his reiatsu is wavering; something’s happened to him, something to disrupt his control, and he’s paying the price for it in blood.
“Senpai!” “Kaito-san!”
Hanataro shoulders Ishida aside without worrying about the consequences, falling to his knees and reaching out, kido forming around his hand. He tries to press it to Kaito’s back, slams into the shimmering barrier and–
It pops like a soap bubble.
Hanataro’s hand lands on Kaito’s back.
Ishida gives a harsh, victorious cry and metal shrieks, part of the cage toppling away with a crash. The teen goes flying past them, teeth bared and seele schneider poised as he drives their foe back and back again, giving Hanataro space to breathe.
He heals Kaito. Sweeps his gaze over the other cages.
Wonders.
“Get the others out,” Kaito orders as he pushes himself to his feet, shooting Hanataro a soft, grateful look. “We can do this. Together.”
He nods, straightening up and flashing Kaito a bright smile as confidence burns in his chest. “I’ll get them!”
“Thanks, Hanataro.”
Hanataro takes a moment to watch Kaito launch himself back into battle, before turning away towards the cage holding Kurosaki-san. Everyone’s relying on him and for once… for once it doesn’t feel terrifying.
He can do this.