Hey hey~!
Yep, another story, even though I'm still working on Warped, Still, Time Twins, Out Of Sight, Accidental Reverse, and a bunch of other things. Hey, I never claimed I was smart ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
On the bright side, this isn't going to be longer than a three-shot, so it shouldn't be too much work. Besides, this idea just wouldn't leave me alone and I had to get it out of my head!
Anyway, welcome to the first chapter of Venous! I hope you'll like it!
It's the night after Tenma's first match with Raimon's team – he played on Raimon's team, oh god oh god oh god! – when he notices it.
He has just pulled his shirt off, throwing it on his bed so he won't forget to put it in the laundry basket later, reaching for his pajama shirt, when he catches sight of the dark discoloring on his arm. He inhales sharply and pulls his arm closer to inspect it, wincing.
The brunet reluctantly admits that he should've anticipated this, but yet… it had hurt, definitely, but he hadn't expected to find his entire arm a sickening mix of black and purple, with hints of bright red standing out between the dark colors.
Almost afraid at what he'll find, Tenma moves to the mirror and hisses sharply at the sight of his torso. The right side of his ribcage is mapped in black, purple and dark red, with a thin edge of brighter red at the outside. It spreads out, down to his stomach and hip, and upwards to his shoulder and arm.
The left side of his body, while certainly not unharmed, is much better. A dark purple bruise on his shoulder, lighter bruising on his lower arm and stomach, but other than that, the only stains on his skin are a few older and smaller yellow bruises.
Tenma grimaces at the sight of his body and turns around, looking over his shoulder to catch sight of his back in the mirror. Mostly on his shoulders and upper back is the same chaotic mix of black, dark red and purple, as if someone splashed paint together without caring about the horrid mess it leaves behind.
With a sigh, the brunet grabs his pajama shirt and pulls it on, wincing at the soreness in his body – yeah, okay, he should've expected the bruising, but this is still a little… over the top.
He continues getting ready to go to sleep and soon crawls into bed, turning the light on his nightstand off and watching as the room is flooded with shadows. As he lies under the covers, he makes a mental note to put on some concealer to hide the new bruises. He's not too bothered by it, though – there's something else at the front of his mind right now.
He's finally going to join the Raimon soccer club!
Shinsuke at first doesn't notice it.
He's just started at Raimon Jr. High and joined the soccer team, and while that isn't exactly what he was expecting, it's not so bad. He's already become friends with Tenma and Aoi, and they're really great! He and Tenma have been going to the riverbank ever since the entrance exam three days ago, and yesterday the brunet asked if he wanted to come over for dinner tonight!
That's why the two boys are now on their way to Kogarashi Manor, the manor where Tenma is renting a room. It was a little strange for Shinsuke to imagine the other boy already living without his parents, but after he met the brunet's relative, Kino Aki, it turned out that Tenma still has someone to take care of him. The other residents of the manor who he has met so far seem nice, too.
''Ah,'' says Tenma suddenly, realizing something, ''there will be some of my neighbors too… I hope that's okay? I'm sorry for not telling you sooner, I forgot…'' he chuckles sheepishly.
Shinsuke merely beams at him. ''No, it's okay, I don't mind! Who will be there?''
The brunet tilts his head as he counts on his fingers. ''Uh… Aki-nee, Kaedeno-san, Johnny-san, Tsukimi-san, Kazeani-san and Kuriyama-san. Kuriyama-san is a bit grumpy, but he's actually a big softie at heart so don't worry. Don't tell him I said that, though!''
They continue chatting away and soon reach the Manor. Tenma stops for a moment to pet Sasuke and then opens the door and steps inside, inviting Shinsuke in. They both take off their shoes and the brunet darts down the corridor to what Shinsuke knows to be the mutual living room. ''We're home!''
Shinsuke joins him and curiously looks at his friend's neighbors. There's a very big man, but he seems quite nice, who wears a pink hat and seems to be knitting something. Next to him is a girl who seems to be of high school age, who is writing something on a yellow paper. There's a young woman, reading a book, and an old man who is scowling at the documentary he's watching on TV – would that be Kuriyama?
They return Tenma's greeting in various stages of enthusiasm, with Kuriyama's being nothing more than a noncommittal grunt. The brunet doesn't seem to care though and instead turns around and moves towards the stairs, the other boy following him quickly.
Shinsuke is familiar with the brunet's room by now, having been there a few times, and the two pass the time until dinner by playing games. Aki eventually calls them and they move down the stairs again, through the corridor and the living room to the other side of the room, where a large table with about fifteen chairs is standing.
There are a few people are seated at the table. The young woman from before and Kuriyama, and a young man with glasses. ''These are Kaedeno-san, Kuriyama-san and Johnny-san. Everyone, this is my friend Nishizono Shinsuke.''
''It's nice to meet you, Nishizono-kun,'' greets Kaedeno with a kind smile and Johnny waves cheerfully, while Kuriyama only grunts again.
Tenma and Shinsuke sit down and soon enough, a young man with blue hair joins them, introduced as Tsukimi. Not long after, Aki and an older woman come in with their food. The woman cheerfully introduces herself as Kazeani and with that, they start eating the delicious meal.
They make small talk during dinner and while Shinsuke feels a bit shy in the presence of these unfamiliar adults, Tenma chats away without a concern in the world. Not that it's surprising, reflects the smaller boy eventually, since his friend does live with these people.
After dinner they return to Tenma's room again so that Shinsuke can retrieve his bag. As he does so, the brunet starts unbuttoning the jacket of his school uniform. ''Ah, you don't mind, do you?''
Shinsuke shakes his head as he checks his bag to make sure everything is still there. ''Of course not,'' he says and Tenma grins and pulls off the blue jacket. He wears a white t-shirt underneath it.
As the brunet grabs the jacket to put it away, Shinsuke sees it.
Dark splashes of color cover his friend's arm. Black and purple and an angry red, starting just below his elbow and going upwards, higher and higher and eventually being covered by the short sleeves of the t-shirt he wears.
''H-how did you get those bruises?'' the question has left his lips before he can even fully think about it.
Tenma, who turned around when Shinsuke started to speak, self-consciously covers his arm with his hand – not that it does much, considering the bruise is far larger than just his hand – and glances to the side, looking just a bit uncomfortable at the sudden change in topic. ''It's nothing,'' he tells the smaller boy, ''I just bruise easily.''
The grotesque discoloring on the brunet's arm is far worse than just 'bruising easily', but Shinsuke has enough tact not to state his doubt for his friend to hear. The way Tenma bites on his lip tells the defender that it's clear from his expression what he's thinking anyway.
Shinsuke catches sight of Tenma's other one, the smooth one – or, at least, that's what he thought, but on closer inspection, there are a few smaller purple blotches there as well.
The silence is become really uncomfortable so the defender tries to break it somehow. ''How- I would've noticed them during practice…'' he stutters eventually, the unspoken but I didn't ringing clearly between them. ''So how…?''
Tenma grimaces. ''I normally use concealer to cover them,'' he mutters awkwardly. ''But, um… I don't want it to stain my uniform, so, well, I put it on before practice and take it off afterwards.''
Neither of them really knows what to say after that, so Shinsuke eventually glances at the clock and mutters something about going home. Tenma nods and walks him to the door, waving at the smaller boy, but the awkwardness is still almost tangible between them, despite their attempts to ignore it.
Shinsuke doesn't mention the bruises again after that and Tenma seems to be relieved by that. The smaller boy, however, doesn't forget about them.
The next few days during practice, he inspects his friend closely when the brunet isn't paying attention, and he finally sees the smudges of concealer on his skin and the barely there discolorations.
And when, the day after their match against Tengawara, Tenma comes in with an even thicker layer of concealer and more barely noticeable smutches of color on his arms, and even a few on his legs, Shinsuke resolves to keep paying very close attention to his friend.
Shindou hasn't said anything about it.
He hasn't approached Matsukaze, or Nishizono, after he noticed that the new defender is seeing it too.
Instead he's been watching the brunet closely, if distantly.
He saw it quickly. It took him a while to figure out what exactly was wrong with the cheerful yet annoying new midfielder, but there was something that caught his attention. It's about two days after meeting Matsukaze for the first time that it finally clicks.
His arms aren't the right color in some spaces. Shindou usually wouldn't pay attention to that – why would he care if someone's skin isn't the same color everywhere – but it only takes him one look after the realization settled in to find that no, that wasn't skin.
Concealer.
The puzzle pieces fall into place immediately after that and while there are a lot of blanks left, the soccer genius has his suspicions.
And so he watches quietly, looking for any other clues to the mystery.
He's a bit concerned, but not much. Nothing's been proven yet and while obviously he doesn't want anything to actually happen to Matsukaze, he has to admit that the younger boy is pretty annoying, with his whole idiocy of going against Fifth Sector. And so he watches from the sidelines, cold and calculating and not willing to get involved unless he absolutely has to.
Nothing else stands out and Matsukaze is just like any other first-year, although he's definitely the most annoying. Other than the time during practice he suddenly got a nosebleed out of nowhere, there's absolutely nothing that indicates he's hurt somehow – even though the concealer is there every day.
But then, they play that match against Eito and coach Kudou is replaced by coach Endou.
Matsukaze becomes Tenma and suddenly the slight concern from before turns to blinding, painstaking worry and Shindou can't pretend not to be affected anymore.
He still pays close attention to the brunet but now that he's started a tentative friendship with the younger boy – who really isn't all that bad, he finds – the mere idea of what could've been the cause for such bruises horrifies him.
After the Tengawara match, in which he stated clearly which side he is on now, he notices more discolored skin hidden with concealer, sees the way Tenma winces if he moves too abruptly.
And nothing frustrates him more than standing on the side and seeing the young brunet's injuries, but the rational part of him screams that he needs to know more before he confronts his new friend.
So, however unwilling he might be, Shindou keeps quiet and watches.
It's a few days after their match against Teikoku (he's been a part of Raimon for a month already!) and Tenma is in the changing room, sitting on one of the benches and looking through his bag. Practice will start shortly and he can't find his concealer.
After going through his bag for the third time, he has to accept defeat. He forgot to put the concealer in his bag that morning.
The brunet bites his lip, hesitantly trying to find a solution. He could pretend not to feel well and sit today's practice out, but he really can't afford to waste a day of practicing if they want to beat Fifth Sector.
And besides… Shinsuke has already seen the bruises, right? It won't be that bad if his team sees them too.
There's not much time until practice starts. Tenma, hidden behind the lockers as he always is when he changes and applies his concealer, can hear his teammates leaving the changing room.
He has to admit, it was actually a relief that his team didn't like him very much at first – that way, they didn't bother to ask about his privacy habits when they changed into their uniforms, and by now they've gotten so used to it they don't question it.
With a grimace, the brunet unbuttons his jacket and pulls it off, looking at his arms. It's been a little over a week since the last match – against Mannouzaka – where he actually got a bad beating, but the bruises are still painfully visible. While not black anymore, the dark purple and red isn't going to fade for a few more days. Beneath that are even more bruises, still from the Tengawara match, although they're green and yellow instead of their darker counterparts.
He really looks like a painting gone wrong.
Tenma sighs and finishes changing quickly, grimacing again at the sight of the bruises on his legs – not as bad as those on his arms, but still… not very reassuring.
Eventually there's no reason to prolong the wait any longer and the brunet makes his way to the clubroom, where his other teammates are gathered and waiting for coach Endou. The young midfielder slips through the door and moves to stand by the wall, right hand holding his left wrist lightly and teeth scraping over his lower lip nervously.
His hopes of remaining undetected are wiped away when Aoi and Shinsuke move over to him, their cheerful smiles fading when they catch sight of the stark color contrasts on his arms and legs.
''Tenma…'' Shinsuke trails off as they join the brunet by the wall, his expression so full of worry the brunet feels a sharp pang of guilt at hiding the truth from him.
Aoi, too, looks incredibly concerned as she takes in his appearance, but she also looks resigned. Tenma's guilt increases tenfold at that – his childhood friend has seen his bruises before, and through all the years she has respected his wish of privacy, but it's clear that it's hard for her.
So he tries to plaster on a smile, but it feels weak and feeble. ''I'm fine, don't worry,'' he tells his two friends, attempting to make his voice sound light. ''Just forgot my concealer today.''
He winces at the looks from the two other first-years.
They're both aware that he wears concealer, and they're also both painfully aware of the reason why he wears it.
''It doesn't hurt,'' he tells them and it's not a lie – it hurt at first, and putting too much pressure on it makes it ache, but he can walk and run without too much trouble. Shinsuke and Aoi seem to detect the honesty in his words, for they both smile, albeit with a touch of dejection.
His friends at least seem to realize he'd rather not talk about it any longer and instead they start discussing their homework for next week. Tenma has relaxed slightly, the tenseness and worry fading away, when-
''What the fuck?''
Kurama's exclamation is heard loudly through the clubroom, and Sangoku glares at him. ''Language!'' he scolds, but the forward isn't paying him any attention.
Instead he's staring straight at Tenma and the brunet winces.
The third-year seems speechless and the rest of the team is quickly catching on that something is actually wrong, and it's a few moments later that they follow his stare and finally notice their newest midfielder… and the dark splotches of sickening colors.
Tenma shies away, pressing himself against the wall and wishing he could fall through it. Unfortunately that's not possible and the brunet resigns himself to staying quiet and cautiously trying to gauge his teammates' reactions.
Kurama has gotten over his shock and there's something dark in his eyes, narrowed into a sharp glare as he scrutinizes the brunet. The rest of the third-years – Kurumada, Sangoku and Amagi – share the same dark something in their expressions, but instead of anger, there are various stages of concern mixed in with their shock.
Hamano and Hayami are both gaping at the brunet, still seemingly shaken by the sight. Akane and Midori are much the same, though there's something angry in Midori's gaze – but it's not directed at Tenma.
Tsurugi's eyes are wide and his mouth is slightly agape, as if he wants to say something but can't think of the words. It's one of the first times Tenma has seen an emotion on him other than anger or annoyance.
Kirino's eyebrows are drawn together in alarm and his gaze is sharp and concerned, but it's Shindou who really catches Tenma's attention. The captain has closed his eyes and when he opens them again, he's frowning, but there's nothing of the shock of the rest of the team in his face, as if… as if he already knew.
''Tenma, are you okay?'' asks Sangoku as he crosses the distance between them and gently takes one of the brunet's wrist for closer inspection. Said brunet would rather pull his arm away, but the touch is so gentle and the keeper looks so worried that he can't bring himself to do it.
Instead he nods, staying silent and allows Sangoku, after a moment of hesitation, to pull him to one of the benches. The keeper gently pushes against his shoulder and Tenma takes the hint and sits down, very much aware of his teammates drawing closer and surrounding him.
''What happened?'' asks Sangoku when it becomes clear the brunet won't say anything. The others seem to want to know the answer to that question as well, but Tenma only shrugs in response and doesn't say anything. The keeper doesn't seem happy with that answer but isn't about to force him to talk. ''When did you get these?'' he tries instead, hoping for an answer.
He gets one, but it's not from Tenma. ''He already had them around the time he joined the team,'' says Shindou and all eyes are drawn to him. His stare doesn't waver from the youngest midfielder on the team. The brunet swallows and looks down, his suspicion that the game maker knew proven correct.
''Shindou, you knew?'' asks Kirino sharply and finally the captain looks away, sharing a quick look with his best friend that hides an unspoken conversation.
Shindou nods and addresses the whole team in his answer. ''I noticed the day after the entrance exam,'' he says simply. ''It was pretty well hidden, concealer, I think, but your skin isn't the right color in some spots,'' he tells Tenma. ''After a closer look it wasn't hard to figure it out, but… I didn't think it was this bad.''
His voice is finally giving away some of the deep concern he actually feels and Tenma self-consciously caresses the darkest bruises, glancing up through his bangs and finally looking at his captain.
The older boy's brows are furrowed, not in anger but in worry, and his gaze softens when he notices the young brunet looking at him. The compassion in his eyes is enough to convince Tenma to say something.
''I- it's nothing,'' he mutters finally, biting his lip at the sharp and doubting looks from his friends. ''I mean, it looks worse than it actually is, I- I just bruise really easily.'' He can see they still don't believe him and he keeps talking, stumbling over his words. ''The… the matches we've played so far, especially against Mannouzaka and Tengawara… I mean, that's where the bruises are from.'' The boy smiles tightly, trying to wave their concern away. ''R-really, it's nothing, I- it's my own fault, really, I knew this would happen so…'' he trails off.
The silence lasts for barely thirty seconds yet it's very, very uncomfortable.
''I was hurt too during the match against Mannouzaka,'' states Tsurugi and it seems he has finally recovered from his shock, his eyes instead sharp and alert as he looks at Tenma, ''more so than you, actually, and I'm much paler. And yet the few bruises I got from it faded away days ago.''
It's not an accusation, really, but Tenma flinches anyway.
While his other teammates don't really seem approving of Tsurugi's methods, they're clearly on his side.
And suddenly he feels angry.
''Leave it!''
The loud sound ripples through the room and under Raimon's shocked gazes, Tenma shoots up from the bench and takes a few steps away from them. ''I told you, I'm fine! I'm used to this anyway so stop it already!''
They stare at him in shock – it's the first time they've seen him angry like this. The brunet returns their gazes with a heated one of his own, but then seems to realize what he just said as his anger dies down instantly.
He looks horrified at his own words for a single moment and then bows, his face hidden behind his hair. ''I-I'm sorry, I had no right to get angry like that,'' he mutters, straightening and not meeting any of their gazes.
No one stops him as he slips out of the door.
Tenma doesn't speak to them much during practice and stays out of Endou and Haruna's sight, as far away from the bench as possible at all times. Once practice is finished and they all move to the changing room, he quickly changes out of his uniform and leaves before anyone else. They let him go.
Once Tenma is out of sight and they're alone – Haruna and Endou are off doing whatever duties they usually attend to once practice is concluded – they move to the clubroom in an unspoken agreement. Even Tsurugi joins them.
''Shindou,'' says Kirino, his gaze uncharacteristically sharp, breaking the tense silence, ''you said you noticed almost a month ago. I think we all know you well enough to know that you have done your thinking about this.''
The captain nods and like his best friend said, no one is surprised by that. ''I have,'' he agrees, ''but before I want to share my thoughts, I need to ask some questions.'' His eyes settle on Tenma's two good friends, who fidget a little under the heavy stares. ''Shinsuke, you noticed it before as well, didn't you?''
The defender nods awkwardly, shying away under all the looks. ''Y-yes,'' he agrees, his voice wavering a little. ''T-Tenma and I spent a lot of time at the riverbank at the start of the year and a few days before the match against Eito, he invited me over for dinner…'' Shinsuke swallows, fiddling with the strap of his bag. ''It went well, but- but when I was about to leave, Tenma took off his uniform jacket. I-I think he forgot about the… the bruises,'' he has to pause there for a moment, ''and when I asked, he didn't really want to talk about it… he just told me he bruises easily and that he normally uses concealer to cover them.''
Shindou nods, already expecting something like that. ''I see,'' he hums softly and his gaze shifts towards their youngest manager. ''Aoi, you've known Tenma the longest. Have you ever…?''
Aoi is nodding before he even finished talking. ''I have,'' she says, speaking with some sort of quiet resolve. ''The first time I saw them, I think we were… nine?''
More than one person flinches at the idea of a nine-year-old Tenma – cheerful, oblivious, happy-go-lucky Tenma – with the same bruises they were forced to see during the whole practice today.
''I was really shocked,'' continues Aoi after a short hesitation. ''I saw them a lot. Back then he didn't hide them yet, but they also weren't- weren't this bad,'' her voice breaks, ''so he could get away with saying he was clumsy. But… but every time I saw him, he'd have some kind of injury, mostly bruises. He had a lot of random nosebleeds, too, still does. He already practiced soccer back then and he always said it was because of that, but there were just… so many. And- and eventually he started using concealer to hide them and no matter how many times I asked, he'd always close up so eventually I just… stopped.''
Her hands are clenching her skirt tightly and Midori has pulled her into a half hug to offer some comfort. She definitely looks like she needs it and Shindou can't help but feel guilty for forcing her to relive those memories.
The captain bites his lip and crosses his arms, frowning as he thinks over everything he's just learned. He's aware of the team watching him, waiting for his reaction, and eventually Kirino asks him what's on all their minds. ''Shindou, what do you think?''
There's only one thing he thinks and he turns his gaze back to Aoi, hating himself for having to ask this. ''How is his home life?''
It suddenly feels ten degrees colder in the room and it's very, very silent.
''Shindou…'' Sangoku's voice is thick with worry when he eventually finds it. ''You can't actually think that he's…''
The captain grits his teeth. ''I hope I'm wrong, but the signs are all there,'' he manages to say and no one can deny that.
''What is going on?'' asks Shinsuke, partly confused and partly fearful. He has no idea what his senpai are talking about, Aoi next to him sharing his look.
No one actually wants to say it, but they know they have to.
Kurama is the one who actually manages to tear it from his lips. ''Abuse.''
Shinsuke's eyes widen and he goes very still and for a moment, it looks like he's going to pass out. He gets himself together, though, and he opens his mouth to say something, but someone else is quicker.
''Y-you think he's being abused?'' asks Aoi and Midori tightens her grip on the younger girl's shoulder when it becomes clear how distressed she is. No one actually says anything, but the dark and pained looks are enough of an answer. ''No!'' protests the youngest manager desperately. ''No, that's- that's not it! Aki-san would never-!''
Shinsuke suddenly seems to be shaken away. ''She's right!'' he adds his own agreement. ''Aki-san's really nice and she would never hurt Tenma…!''
That's a name the rest of the soccer club hasn't heard before, and they share a few vague looks. ''Aki-san?'' repeats Kirino carefully. ''Do you mean Kino Aki? Otonashi-san's friend from her school days?''
''You know her?'' asks Aoi, her voice wavering now that she's not speaking in anger anymore.
''Not personally,'' answers Sangoku slowly, ''but Otonashi-san told us about her. Apparently she's a very good friend of hers and coach Endou's.''
Shindou furrows his eyebrows in confusion. ''Wait… what does Kino-san have anything to do with this?''
''She acts as Tenma's guardian as long as he lives in Inazuma Town.'' Aoi takes one look at the confused expressions and launches into an explanation. ''Tenma's actually from Okinawa, as you might know. He moved here when he was nine, on his own. Apparently, his parents really didn't want to let him go, but he convinced them and they worked something out with Aki-san. She's a distant relative of his, you see, and she rents out rooms in her manor. Tenma's parents made an agreement with her, that Tenma would live with her for a discount, since they're family, and that she'd take care of him.''
That changes things.
Shindou is well aware of Kino Aki's kindness. He might not have met the woman himself, but he's heard enough stories from Haruna, and Shinsuke and Aoi's insistence on it make it hard to believe otherwise. However… ''What about the other people who live there?'' he asks suddenly. ''You said Kino-san rents out the rooms. So that means that others live there as well.''
He doesn't need to explain for them to catch on and Aoi nods uncomfortably. ''Yes, I've met some of them. They seemed very nice…'' but now she doesn't sound so sure.
Everyone is so focused on the manager that they miss Shinsuke's sudden look of understanding. Everyone but Kirino. ''Shinsuke?'' the younger boy grimaces. ''You know something?''
And now all attention is focused on the young defender. ''Well… there are a lot of people living there, I think, and there was this man who was really grumpy all the time. Tenma said he was actually a big softie, but…'' he hesitates, ''but I don't think it's impossible for someone to live there who might… hurt Tenma.''
That doesn't do much to reassure them.
Endou Natsumi can't help but be worried.
Her husband is commenting cheerfully on the documentary they're watching, and usually she'd laugh, but right now, her mind is occupied with something else.
She clenches her skirt tightly and then abruptly grabs the TV remote and mutes the sound. ''Endou-kun,'' she starts, but no, that's wrong, ''Mamoru.''
Mamoru sits up straighter. It's very rare for her to use his first name and from her voice, he can guess that this is not something good. ''Natsumi? What's wrong?''
She swallows. ''Mamoru, when Tenma-kun was eating dinner with us… did you notice?''
Her husband frowns in confusion and that's enough answer for her. ''Notice what?''
Natsumi sighs and grabs his hand. If she's right, the young coach could certainly use her support when she finishes with what she wants to say. ''Mamoru, I… I don't know how to say this.'' He looks really worried now, holding both her hands within his own. ''During dinner today… because of his school uniform, it was hard to see and I thought it was my imagination, but… Mamoru, his arms- he was covered in bruises.''
She keeps her gaze locked onto his as she says the words.
Mamoru's eyes widen in shock and he opens and closes his mouth a few times, his lips forming the words she just spoke.
Natsumi squeezes his hand softly. ''They were very, very bad,'' she adds, her voice barely above a whisper. ''I don't know what happened, but… it can't be good.''
Her husband's voice is tight when he finally finds it again. ''What- what are you saying?''
He sounds scared.
Natsumi has to blink the tears out of her eyes. ''I'm not saying anything,'' she whispers, and his grip on her hands is almost painful but she doesn't care in the slightest when she sees the devastation in his eyes. ''I only ask you to keep an eye out. Please.''
He nods shakily and that's the last straw. Natsumi lets go of his hands and instead wraps her arms around him tightly. He returns the gesture, weaving one hand through her hair and using the other to pull her close.
They stay like that for a long while.
''Aki,'' whispers Mamoru eventually, ''he lives with Aki, she wouldn't- she'd never-''
He's desperate in a way she never heard before. ''I know,'' she breathes, holding onto him tightly as much for his comfort as her own, ''but… but she rents out rooms in her manor… maybe it's not her, maybe- maybe it's one of the others,'' she whispers.
It's a very real possibility and they both know it.
It says a lot about the trust he has in her when Mamoru nods, swallowing tightly and holding her even closer.
Natsumi really, really hopes she's wrong about this.
It's two weeks after that Raimon finally has the chance to find out more about Tenma's home life, when they play against the Akizora Challengers – the team made up out of all the Kogarashi Manor residents minus Tenma.
They're all sharply aware of the importance of the match, with the exception of Tenma, Kariya, Aoyama and Ichino.
Sangoku, being keeper, can afford to keep a close eye on the brunet during most of the match. He knows Shindou is focusing on the actual players, if the look they shared before the start of the match was any indication, and so the keeper allows his eyes to focus on the form of their youngest midfielder.
He seems genuinely happy.
Sangoku isn't sure if it's because he can play actual, real soccer, and he thinks that's at least part of it, but the smiles and winks the Akizora Challengers give him cause him to beam and grin cheerfully.
After the match is done, the keeper and the captain share one single look.
They meet up at the riverbank field twenty minutes later. Silently Kirino, Kurama, Kurumada, Hamano, Hayami and Amagi join them.
''They like him,'' is the first thing Sangoku says. ''I've seen some of them interact with him, and they practically dote on him. I don't think they would ever hurt him or allow anyone to.''
''If they were aware of it,'' adds Kurama lowly.
No one comments on that.
Tenma, despite what his team might think, is aware of their watchful eyes on him.
Honestly, it's hard to miss it.
He appreciates it, really, but…
Well, it becomes a little overwhelming at times.
And when he finds out he's out of concealer, a few days after the match against Kidokawa Seishuu… well, who can really blame him when he tags along on one of Tsurugi's visits to his brother after the tense practice where even coach Endou kept looking at him? At least the forward doesn't do more than give him a few harsh looks. And allows him to come along when he visits Yuuichi, which is… a very rare act of kindness, actually.
They don't say much as they make their way through the corridors towards Yuuichi's room. Tsurugi pushes the door open and his brother smiles when he sees them. ''Kyousuke, Tenma-kun! It's nice to see you!''
Tsurugi softens in a way the brunet has only seen a handful of times before. They both sit down in the chairs next to the bed and soon enough, Yuuichi and Tenma are talking cheerfully, the youngest Tsurugi brother offering his opinion on something once in a while but mostly just relaxing.
It's when the brunet raises his hand to swipe at the hair that keeps getting in his eyes that Yuuichi suddenly stills.
Tenma pauses, halfway through raising his arm, and Tsurugi next to him is pulled from his relaxed daze. ''Nii-san?'' he asks, a hint of alarm in his voice. ''What's wrong?''
But Yuuichi doesn't pay him any attention and instead keeps his suddenly very concerned eyes on the brunet. ''Tenma-kun, your arm,'' he says and reaches out to grab the boy's wrist.
The midfielder is about to pull it back but the soft and gentle touch and the worried gaze freeze him. He allows Yuuichi to roll up his sleeve.
The young man gasps at the canvas of purple and red and yellow.
They aren't as bad as after the matches against Mannouzaka and Tengawara, but, well, soccer isn't a harmless sport and the excessive trainings plus the regular matches aren't helping much with getting rid of the ever-present discoloring on Tenma's skin.
''Tenma-kun,'' Yuuichi's voice is thich with worry, ''what's this?''
''It's nothing.''
Yuuichi looks like he doesn't believe that in the slightest.
Tenma pulls his arm back and stands up, rolling his sleeve down. ''I- I should go,'' he mutters and with a barely audible ''goodbye'' he stumbles to the door.
''Tenma-kun!'' protests Yuuichi, but the brunet has already left the hospital room.
Shindou is in the hospital.
Shindou is in the hospital and coach Endou is back and they want him to be captain.
He agreed, because what else could he do?
Tenma sighs as he walks through the corridors of the hospital – he has just visited his older friend – and without making a conscious decision, his feet carry him to Taiyou's room. It was reassuring to talk with Shindou, yes, but it also serves to remind him of… well, everything going on with the team right now.
He reaches the door with the nametag Amemiya Taiyou and knocks. ''Come in!'' calls his friend and Tenma can't help but smile at the familiar voice as he pulls the door open.
''Tenma!'' Taiyou immediately cheers up at the sight of the brunet. He's been in the hospital since he collapsed after the Arakumo-Raimon match three days ago, so a visit from his friend is very welcome. ''Come in, come in, here, I wanted to show you this video I found-''
The brunet allows himself to relax in the presence of the other captain – and god isn't it weird to think that – and soon enough, they're both forgetting about the current situation for a while as they talk animatedly.
That is, until Tenma feels something warm on his face. He reaches up and touches the skin above his lip carefully. His fingers come back covered in blood and he sighs.
Not again.
''Are you okay?'' Taiyou's cheerful demeanor is immediately replaced by a worried one. ''Here, I have a tissue-''
He hands said tissue to the brunet, who presses it against his nose. Arakumo's captain is still looking at him worriedly so he smiles and tries to reassure him. ''Don't worry, I get a lot of nosebleeds,'' he tells his friend. ''And I mean a lot. Did you see our match against Gassan Kunimitsu?''
Taiyou nods, still worried but at least a little calmed now. ''Yeah, you got a nosebleed somewhere in the middle of the second half, right?''
Tenma laughs sheepishly. ''Coach Endou had to switch me out for a few minutes until it stopped… that was pretty embarrassing.''
It really was.
But at least Taiyou isn't so worried anymore.
''I stand by what I said, Matsukaze-kun,'' says doctor Takahashi evenly. ''Soccer is not a very safe sport for you.''
Tenma nods and swallows, clenching the fabric of his pants as he looks down. He knows this. He knew about this for years, but still…
''And as you grow older, the risk increases,'' continues the doctor. ''Soccer becomes more rough and the danger grows. You have seen it yourself, I'm sure.''
Tenma is painfully aware of the dark bruises on his arms, uncovered by his short-sleeved shirt. He nods again.
''But,'' says Takahashi and the brunet's head whips up, catching sight of the doctor's smile, ''I suppose I'm being a bit harsh here. Yes, I would prefer if you quit, but you have been playing on an official team for months now. Besides the bruises, have you had any other symptoms?''
The brunet thinks about the last few months, starting from when he joined Raimon. ''No, sir,'' he says with surety, ''besides the bruising and the occasional nosebleeds, which I've always had, nothing else happened. I…'' he trails off but one look from the man and he finishes what he wanted to say, ''you're right, about soccer being a rough sport, but… the worst that has happened is severe bruising and a few scrapes. Nothing deep or really harming.''
''That's good,'' says Takahashi, looking at something on his laptop, his eyes scanning the text. ''You're lucky, Matsukaze-kun,'' he adds absentmindedly. ''While your case isn't the best, your situation is not a severe one either. Normally we wouldn't allow the level soccer you play, but the lack of joint bleedings over the years, even after months of playing, is very reassuring.''
Tenma can't stop his hopeful smile from growing and when Takahashi notices it, he sighs. ''Listen closely, Matsukaze-kun,'' he says and the brunet forces himself to focus. ''You can continue playing soccer, but be aware of the risk. Internal and joint bleedings will always be a possibility and if you think you're putting too much stress on your body, you're the one who is responsible for taking care of yourself. Do you understand?''
The brunet nods. ''Yes, sir.''
Tenma grimaces as both he and Tsurugi fall once again after a failed attempt at Fire Tornado Double Drive. They're both gasping for air, sweat dripping from their faces.
''It's so hard,'' the brunet manages to gasp out. ''Do you- do you think we can finish it in time?''
''Yeah, I'm sure we-'' Tsurugi pauses as he glances at the brunet. ''Your nose is bleeding.''
Tenma pauses. ''Again?'' he asks, already touching the skin above his lips, grimacing when his fingers come back covered in blood. With a sigh he straightens and walks towards the stone bench he placed his bag on, grabbing one of the tissues he brings everywhere. He presses it again his nose, aware of Tsurugi joining him. ''Sorry about this,'' he tells his friend.
The forward doesn't answer that and instead frowns. ''You get a lot of nosebleeds,'' he states.
It's true, Tenma reflects as he thinks back to the times he had to take a break from training because he had another nosebleed. ''I'm used to it. Used to worry my parents a lot when I was a kid.'' He quirks a smile and shrugs.
Tsurugi doesn't seem satisfied with that answer and his frown deepens. ''Why?''
The midfielder shrugs again. ''It's not harmful,'' he says, avoiding the question. ''Don't worry about it.'' His nose has stopped bleeding by now. ''Come on, let's try it again. I'm sure we can do it!''
When Tenma wakes up the day after their match against Dragon Link (they won, they actually won!) the soreness in his limbs is even worse than the time Tsurugi beat him up with Lancelot.
Oh boy.
He remembers very, very well how horrible and obvious the bruises were all those months ago, and now it's even worse. And if that's not enough, Tenma is pretty sure he's out of concealer.
With a groan, the brunet forces himself into a sitting position and rolls up and glances at his uncovered arm.
Okay, that's bad. That's really, really bad.
He traces one of the purplish black blotches on his arm and okay it hurts too. He can barely see his actual skin color underneath the mess of black, blue, purple and red and he grimaces at the thought of the reactions from… well, everyone.
Tenma sighs and forces himself out of bed, wincing at the pain shooting through his body, and risks a glance in the mirror.
He has already seen his arms and, as expected, his legs are also covered in bruises. What does come as a surprise, however, is the lighter purple coloring on the right side of his jaw – not even close to being as bad as his arms – and probably his back and shoulders too – but still very obvious.
Today is not going to be fun.
''Tenma,'' gasps Aki the moment he comes down for breakfast, a hand going to her mouth and her eyes wide with shock and overwhelming concern.
Concern that is quickly mirrored by the other Kogarashi Manor residents.
He waves them off with a bright grin. ''I'm fine, really! Just decided a more colorful look would suit me today!'' he spins a circle as if to show off the bruises.
Aki cracks a smile at that but the worry hasn't left her gaze. She moves over to him and gently brushes the bruise on his jaw. ''Are you sure you're okay?''
The brunet lets his bright grin shrink to a smile. ''It hurts a little, but mostly I'm just a bit sore from the match,'' he tells her truthfully. ''And I'll be as good as new in a few weeks, so don't worry!''
She sighs but gives in and nods. ''Alright then, but if it hurts too much, let me know,'' she says and the least he can do is agree to that. ''Now, come on, it's time for breakfast! I'm sure you're hungry after yesterday.''
''Hai!''
Tenma does not like the concerned and curious looks he gets throughout the whole school day. Usually he doesn't have to deal with it, since his uniform covers his arms, but the bruise on his jaw is hard to miss.
The looks Kariya, Hikaru, Aoi, Shinsuke and Tsurugi give him are hard to miss too. Tenma hides a wince – if their reactions now are any indication, he really doesn't want to know what they'll do when they see the bruises on his arms…
The day passes by without much of a fuss, except for the unwelcome attention, and the only really interesting thing that happens is that the brunet has to leave in the middle of class because he has another nosebleed.
Once practice rolls around, Tenma is tired, irritated and at the end of his patience. It almost seems like his teammates have some kind of Tenma-bruise alarm, because while no one says anything, they are definitely looking at his bruised face.
Too done with the day to do more than mumble a greeting, the brunet walks towards the changing room, joined by his fellow first-years. Tenma glances at the lockers he usually changes behind, then decides he doesn't care, and drops his bag on one of the benches.
He's aware of the surprise on his friends' faces but he. doesn't. care.
Instead he unbuttons his school jacket and throws it on the bench and, before anyone can even do so much as gasp at the bruises on his arms, he pulls off his shirt.
For the record? His back and shoulders are about as bad as his arms.
He's not surprised by the shocked exclamations from his friends. He also doesn't pay them any attention and instead grabs his soccer shirt, pulling it on and hissing at the burning in his muscles.
A hand is placed on his shoulder, barely touching, as if afraid to hurt him which… is probably a good idea. The brunet turns around, coming face to face with Tsurugi, and for a moment he's taken aback by how incredibly worried his friend looks.
''Tenma, are you okay?'' asks the striker.
The midfielder can see the other first-years and some of the older players who were still changing – Kirino, Hamano, Nishiki and Hayami – all looking at him. The brunet quirks his lip into a reassuring smile. ''I'm fine, don't worry about me,'' and he goes right back to changing.
His friends, after a few moments of hesitation, follow his example. Soon enough the brunet is walking through the door and entering the clubroom. He's painfully aware of all the stares on him, but instead pretends not to notice and leans against one of the walls, not looking at anyone.
Soon enough, the whole team is gathered in the clubroom and Endou and Haruna join them. The coach grins warmly at all of them, but when his eyes land on Tenma it fades away. ''Tenma,'' he gasps out and the brunet swallows. Haruna, having turned to the youngest midfielder at Endou's exclamation, covers her gaping mouth with her hand. The coach seems to search for words and eventually settles on a careful, ''are you alright?''
Tenma nods and shows them a bright smile. ''I am,'' he tells them, pushing his irritation away to let his natural cheerfulness shine through.
Endou doesn't look convinced but lets it go and within ten minutes, they're on the outside field and starting a practice match.
Halfway through, just after Sangoku has stopped one of Tsurugi's shot, he suddenly pauses and stares at something. The rest of the team follows his gaze and Shindou grins at them. ''Looks like you're all at it!'' he calls to them.
Calls of ''Shindou!'' and ''captain!'' come from the team as he walks down the stairs and his friends run up to him. Tenma stays in the background, hoping against hope that he can stay undetected between the others asking questions and talking.
Unfortunately, it's not to be. Shindou is saying something as he looks at every player on the team and cuts himself off in the middle of his sentence when his gaze lands on Tenma. His eyes widen, mouth agape with shock, and the brunet fidgets uncomfortably.
Shindou pulls himself out of his daze within seconds and his lips press tightly together as he moves to the younger midfielder, the rest of the team moving out of the way, and very carefully raises a hand to brush the side of Tenma's jaw, barely touching. ''What happened?'' he asks and his voice is tight with concern and barely held-back anger. The stormy look in his eyes only intensifies as he inspects his friend's arms and the bruises peeking out from underneath his collar. ''Where did you get these bruises?''
Tenma averts his gaze. ''The match yesterday,'' he mutters, giving in to the urge to cross his arms defensively, shying away from his captain.
Shindou narrows his eyes and when he speaks, his voice is tight. ''You all played yesterday and you all got hurt, yet you're the only one with bruises like this. There's not been a day since I met you where you weren't covered in them. And you're telling me these come from our matches?''
The brunet shrugs. ''Mostly,'' he mumbles and then smiles weakly, ''though sometimes it's just because I'm clumsy.''
No one looks amused by his joke and Tenma winces at the concerned and sharp looks his friends give him. Even Endou's expression is tense.
''Shindou's right,'' says a voice suddenly and the brunet glances at Kirino. The defender has crossed his arms and while he definitely looks very worried, it's also very clear that he's not about to back down. ''Tenma,'' he says evenly, ''I'm well aware that you don't want to talk about this, but do you realize that you're practically giving the idea you're being abused?''
Grey eyes widen.
''What?'' he can't stop the word from breaking past his lips. He's waiting for someone to laugh and say that it's just a joke, but that doesn't happen. Instead the tension increases and Tenma opens his mouth to say something, but can't find his voice for a few moments. ''You- I- you think I'm being abused?'' he asks incredulously.
''After seeing your reaction, not really,'' answers Kirino, his gaze softening at the utter shock and disbelief on the younger boy's face, ''but you're definitely giving that impression by the way you keep hiding.''
Tenma breathes in deeply, trying to get his composure back. He knew his team was worried, but this? Abuse? No way could he ever have imagined that.
But… looking at his friends now, their worried expressions and the tension between them…
''Alright,'' says the brunet finally, his shoulders lowering slightly, ''I… I should've told you earlier, so I might as well tell you now…'' he shrugs, not really knowing what to say.
Endou comes to his rescue. ''If you really want to tell us,'' he offers, smiling a little, ''maybe it'd be a good idea to sit down?''
They all agree to that and move to the bench. Tenma sits down on the grass next to Tsurugi, feeling uncomfortable under all the stares, and picks at the grass. Once everyone is seated, he sighs, hesitantly glancing up at his team. ''I… I'm sorry,'' he mutters, ''I know I should've done this a lot sooner, but I just…''
He swallows and suddenly Tsurugi gently squeezes his shoulder. Shindou moves to the brunet's other side and gives him a comforting smile. ''It's alright,'' he tells the younger boy, ''I suppose we didn't exactly make you feel welcome.''
Tenma cracks a smile at that, but it quickly disappears. ''It's just,'' he starts again, not even thinking about what he's saying anymore, ''my whole life, once people found out about… everyone just started treating me differently. As if I'm made of glass or could drop dead in front of them at any given time.''
Well, that's not really reassuring.
''I just… didn't want you to act the same way around me,'' mutters Tenma, continuing to pick at the grass. ''I'm sick of all the pity.'' He sighs – best to just get it over with – and pulls his legs to his chest, leaning his chin on them.
He stays silent for a few moments and then says, softly, ''I have hemophilia.'' The young brunet smiles weakly at the surprised looks from his friends. ''It's… well, to put it simply, it's a blood disorder.''
He waits for the reactions and the pity, but it doesn't come.
Instead Kirino mutters a soft ''well, at least it's not abuse'' that's heard clearly in the silence, and while there's definitely concern, that's all it is – no scowls or pity or anything he's used to.
''What's a blood disorder?'' whispers Shinsuke to Kariya, confusion clear in his expression, and the tealhead shrugs. The two of them blush when all eyes move to them, and the keeper smiles sheepishly. ''I mean- the name's pretty obvious, but what does it mean to have this… hemothing?''
Tenma can't help but laugh softly. ''It's hemophilia,'' he corrects, indescribably relieved at the easy acceptance that seems to come from his team. ''Basically, I miss a certain protein and because of that, my blood doesn't clot,'' he explains. ''So when I get a cut, it will keep bleeding much longer than it would for any of you. I bruise really, really easily, as you've already noticed, and I get lots of random nosebleeds.''
Shinsuke seems satisfied with that answer, and so is mostly everyone else, but Hayami is frowning. ''I've read something about that,'' he says. ''Can't people with hemophilia bleed out from just a cut or something?''
And there's the concern again.
Tenma shrugs and then smiles reassuringly. ''Technically, yes,'' he says and quickly continues when he sees the very worried looks his friend shoot him, ''but that's a bit exaggerated. It's not as if I'm in danger of bleeding out whenever I get a paper cut. Since my blood doesn't clot, there's always a danger if I get a real serious cut, but it's not as if I get hurt like that on a daily basis.''
''So it's not… dangerous?'' asks Aoi carefully and the brunet feels his guilt rise again at that – she's been supportive so long without even knowing the full truth.
Tenma pushes it away for now – he'll have to talk to her later – and shakes his head. ''No, it definitely is,'' he answers truthfully, encouraged by the lack of negativity. ''People with hemophilia are prone to joint and internal bleedings, which could lead to lifelong disabilities or death. But with modern medical advancements, the risks are reduced greatly,'' he explains, and then adds as an afterthought, ''Besides, I don't have severe hemophilia.''
''Severe?'' repeats Hikaru curiously and it seems like the first-years especially are willing to learn more about his condition.
The brunet nods and explains. ''Severe hemophilia, which is really bad, mild hemophilia, which isn't so bad, and moderate, that's kind of the middle ground. I have moderate hemophilia so it's still risky, but, well, it could be worse.''
Hikaru, Kariya and Shinsuke seem to take his easy answering as an invite to overwhelm him with questions and before he knows it, he's trying to keep up with them and answer to the best of his ability, the rest of the team watching them fondly.
Things change after that, yet at the same time… not really. His team is more protective, as proven when Kurama asked if he should even be playing soccer – Tenma had paused for a second too long and then had to hurry to explain that the doctor would rather he doesn't but that, technically, he's allowed to – and the reactions that followed, but it's not the cuddling he's used to from others.
Endou makes sure everyone is aware of where the first aid kit is in need of emergencies, and they have a few sessions in which they get an official course about hemophilia – not really needed, since Tenma explained most of it already, but appreciated nonetheless – and what to do if something were to happen.
The team still dislikes it when he pushes himself too hard, but they don't force him to stop and in return, the brunet allows them to fuss about him a little more than he usually would when he appears with another bruise.
Tsurugi drags him along to the hospital and Tenma gives in and tells Yuuichi the truth who is, while worried, also grateful and relieved. Tsurugi doesn't say anything about it, but during the visit he smiles at the brunet and he treats him to ice cream after they've left, and it's enough.
Tenma also makes sure to have a long conversation with Aoi, where he profusely apologizes for hiding so much from her for almost four years. She is, understandably, mad, but more than that she's relieved to finally know the truth.
Life goes on after that. The brunet has stopped wearing concealer, at least during practice, and he doesn't hide behind the lockers anymore when he changes. It's a show of trust that no one points out but everyone is aware of.
And honestly?
Tenma's not completely sure what he ever did to deserve friends like this, but he wouldn't change them for the world.
This won't actually have a real plot, basically it's just the rewrite of the three series with the idea ''what if Tenma had hemophilia'' in mind. Also, please understand I don't mean to insult anyone who actually suffers from this and if I did, know that that was not my goal and that I deeply apologize.
- Yara Meijer