Hiruma always did have a knack for getting into abusive relationships. In the end, no matter how aggressive he tried to be, no matter how violent or manipulative, he couldn't shake it off. You watched him stand next to Agon, watched him knowing that he knew what Agon was. Hiruma with his slim body and boney arms could never stand up in a fight with Agon, just like he was always beat by his father. He hid behind the guns and the earrings and the brightly bleached hair, but it was there for anyone who bothered to get to know him to see. Agon had no doubt pegged Hiruma's personality the moment he met him. Musashi hated himself for seeing how the shadows under Hiruma's eyes darkened day by day and the bruises appeared in too many places to hide and that demonic laughter sounded more and more forced. Musashi hated himself even more when he saw them together and imagined how they would look, pressed against each other, naked. He knew that Agon would be rough and rude and he knew that Hiruma would say it was fine. Just like the bruises were fine and the dislocated shoulder and the broken fingers and the torn ear were all fine fine fine. The harsh words, the vicious nicknames, and the disgusting looks were almost as bad. People had been calling Hiruma a failure for his entire life. He would put up with anything for the slightest affection, even if it was fake.

Musashi only started truly hating Agon, though, when he found Hiruma crying.

As he stepped towards the shaking form Hiruma turned and immediately fell into his chest. He froze, unable to comprehend what was going on. Neither of them made any move to touch each other any more than this - Hiruma sobbing raggedly into Musashi's shirt, fist clenched in the fabric. It was a long series of moments before Hiruma's tears dried and he was capable of standing on his own.

"Pretend you didn't see this, old man. It's none of your business."

Musashi only started hating Agon when he truly realized that he wanted Hiruma for himself. So he grabbed him by the arm and looked up at the ceiling as he pulled the slight, shocked body into a rough bear hug. Somehow, Hiruma seemed to understand enough to rest his head on his shoulder and close his eyes. There were no words to convey their meanings: he simply held him there, pressing his love into his skin.

"Stop it, Hiruma," Musashi said finally and he shifted against him. "He's a monster."

The next day Agon broke five bones in someone else's body and then went home before classes even started. At morning practice Hiruma had told him that it was over, with a trembling Kurota standing behind him and Musashi looking on. Hiruma's shoulders were hunched, as if he was fighting off a cold wind, and Musashi thought that perhaps he would give in, but in the end he just walked away, a painful look in his eyes.

That was the end of the worst period of terrorism that school had ever known. Agon only got worse as the years went on, but with some nurturing care Hiruma eventually got better. Musashi never saw that perfect body marred by bruises unless he knew they came from american football and his laughter regained its strength, even if his little black book shrunk by a small amount. In the end, Hiruma found eyes only for Musashi and he could only pray that he would never find it within himself to crush that tiny little flame that kept Hiruma going. It was so fragile, so easily lost, that he had to dedicate his entire life to protecting it. He could never forget how close to extinguishment it had come.