I've worked and reworked this since July, and I gave in and decided to finally post. It's funny how much I love the Kano and Takane dynamic; I can't really stop thinking on it.
I guess warnings for some tendencies Kano has because the nature of his past, and his mother, and a lot of putting down.
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game
session one
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Kano slipped behind the couch, watching Takane play a game on her phone. Her signature headphones were on her head, and she seemed oblivious to what was going around her.
Kano's voice rang through her ears as he took off her favorite pair of headphones and screamed, "Takane-chan!"
She whipped her head back, and hissed "what?" with irritation. Her amber eyes were on him and he felt a chill go up his spine. Eh, maybe it wasn't a good idea to ask now.
He was aware Takane still needed some getting used to in her physical body again, now that the daze was done and finished with, she couldn't hop back into computers and electronics when she was feeling lazy. Luckily, with its end and the powers being lifted, he felt a mixture of feeling lighter, but also heavier at the same time.
It was so much harder to hide under a mask without the boost of his powers, but it was never like he hasn't done it before. Kano was very, very used to being "fake," with or without his deceiving eyes.
"I think you're probably the best person to ask, and I honestly, honest to God, alright, think you would understand me the best out of everyone because you and I are really similar and I appreciate your input and—"
"Spit it out, kid."
"Ah. I guess I'll just say it then," he swallowed. The gaze Takane gave him was so critical and examining, he almost found it hard to breathe, especially since he could no longer easily hide. "I want to you to scold me."
"I scold you everyday, I think everyone in the Dan scolds you at least twice a day," she wrinkled her nose, shrugging. "That's not really that big of a request, you can literally ask any of us, not just me."
"No, no," She misinterpreted. "This is embarrassing, but I really want to be put down, I think it'll help me."
"You want me to shit talk you so you can get off?"
"Hey! You don't have to put it that way…"
"Again, you want me to shit talk you so you can get off?" Her eyes ran up and down his face and body, and he felt himself shrink a little. "What's the real reason you want me to do this?"
"So you'll help me?"
"I asked you a question…" Judgmental eyes stared into his, and he was reminded of the reason why he wanted her to be the one to do this. He felt the excitement growing in him.
"I respect you a lot in that you're way stronger than I am. I'm a sack of shit but no one will tell me it to my face." He found himself staring at his shoes, now unable to see Takane's face. It might have been for the better. "Telling myself that I'm no good isn't enough anymore, and I think you're the sternest, most honest person in the Dan who would actually do this for me."
"Kano, I—"
"I really like Takane-chan's personality because it fits her as much as my rotten personality is on me," he gave a small smile to the older girl, "Please do this for me. I'll do anything you want."
"Kano, I can scold you, sure, but I'm not going to call you a piece of shit or an asshole seriously, like that." She played with her headphone cord. The music never was turned off so the tiny static of the full-volume track was still on. "I care about you a lot and I don't believe you're any of those things."
The brunet felt his stomach flip; she was doing the exact opposite of what he asked and wholeheartedly at that. "Please, thank you for reassuring me, but just for a moment I want this. Just tell me I'm terrible or something to start off."
"I can't do this in the living room, Kano. The others are asleep and if someone comes in, it's not going to be very good."
"Okay, my room then. Just think up some insults or something."
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He watched Takane bite her lip without a word and followed him into the hall to his room. She was stiff and he was probably asking too much, but it was okay, it was just a reminder to him that he was just a selfish piece of trash.
When they reached his room, he suggested her stand, facing his seated body. Kano leaned against the edge of the bed, and it felt like his mother was in front of him. His dead mother, ready to raise her voice at the shell of the child he was.
But Takane is not his dead mother, or even his sister or family. Perhaps she was barely even a "friend." He could never ask Ayano, Tsubomi, or Kousuke for this. They would never understand, much less do this for him. They probably would even try to help him feel like he wasn't worthless. The thought made him want to laugh.
And cry too, probably.
"Did you figure out how you wanted to start?" His eyes trailed up her legs to her face. Truly, she was the best type of upperclassman, sisterly figure for him. Bold but caring, and knew how to lie to herself and to others.
"I don't know, Kano, it's a lot of pressure." He watched her troubled expression and felt good, but also terrible for liking the way he caused people to feel bad about themselves because of him.
After some moments in silence and a back and forth battle of Kano trying to make her feel comfortable scolding him, she finally started. "I think you're a brat."
"Go on…"
"You're selfish and mean."
He started grinning a little.
"You manipulate others for your own reasons."
She was starting to get the hang of it.
"You're secretive and can't handle growing up."
His mouth twitched a little and he felt himself heat up.
"You have this gross thing about your siblings, especially Ayano-chan."
Oh, yes.
"Sometimes I can tell you're trying to come between people for the fun of it, even though it hurts them."
Ah, how is she so spot on? He knew she would be good at this.
"You hurt others a lot because you're hurt and don't try to fix things. You never try to fix things."
He uncrossed his legs and sat back against the bed, looking at the ceiling, "Keep going." He was sinking, but he loved it.
"You place everyone's attention on yourself more than even Momo-chan when she had her eyes. You feed off people so nastily, and you know it.
"You get all touchy-feely with people like you're actually friendly with them, and that's rude and no one ever asks for it.
"You tease others but you're actually spiting them inside because you feel like you're not enough.
"You basically just manipulated me into doing this with you through pretty and sad words earlier.
"It probably has to do with your upbringing, right?" He heard Takane swallow at the implication of her own words. When he looked back it looked like her knees shook a little. This is his fault, exactly as it should be.
She slowly walked up to him, and collapsed in front of him, her hands clutching his shirtsleeves. He heard a whisper that sounded like "I'm sorry," her eyes were glistening, glossy with what looked to be tears.
"No, Takane-chan," he tried to brush tears away, but she was still looking down. "You didn't go too far."
Her grip on his shirt was tighter and she started making little hic sounds. "S-shut up, stop lying to yourself. Just, just stop it already!"
"You didn't go too far at all, honest," he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close against his chest. "I was being selfish."
"Stop…"
He still couldn't see her face. "I'm sorry I made you cry." He licked her tear stained cheeks, kissed her eyelids. Wet eyes and weakness, to see someone being brought down to a low, a similar low to him, felt good. Her shaking body and the little hiccups in her whole being, that kept him going.
"Don't—" she pushed him off and sat back. Her face was red and her eyes were puffy. Tears wet her face is a really, really sad way. He felt like it was a privilege to see the Takane "Ene" Enomoto like this. "Don't say those things to me. I hurt you."
Kano laughed a little. What a joke. "I'm not hurt, I asked for it. You were just nice enough to help me out."
"Kano…"
"I picked you for this because I trust you, you understand me so well, and you proved that," he smiled, a relatively honest smile. "But you're too kind, Takane-chan. That's where we're different."
She didn't say anything to him, but her face said it all, and she walked out of his room.
He got up after awhile, still looking at his left-open door. Kano didn't bother closing it or taking off his shoes. He just fell onto his bed face first and sighed. The aftertaste of salty, painful tears, tears he couldn't shed for himself, was left in his mouth. They were bittersweet, and he was disappointed.
He felt dirty and just wanted sleep for a while, now.
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When she woke up, she found herself on the couch in the living room. Hands seemed to function all right, she stared as her vision began to clear. It had been awhile since she experienced a narcoleptic attack.
Takane couldn't recall anything after she stormed out of Kano's room, and the rest of what happened that night. It felt wrong, even later.
"Good morning, Takane!" Early morning riser and boyfriend, Haruka walked up to her from behind the couch and pulled her into his arms, pressing his cheek against hers. "Did you really fall asleep on the couch?"
"Ah, I guess I did." Smiling, she turned and hugged him back. She couldn't help thinking about what happened last night, she knew she couldn't tell Haruka, either.
He turned her around, and kissed her softly, "We share a room only for me to sleep without you, Takane."
"Yeah, I just need to adjust to all of this."
Haruka didn't speak again, and leaned into her neck. She saw Kano walk from the kitchen, and their eyes met.
"I'll make sure I sleep in our room tonight, though."
Takane and Kano didn't break eye contact, and she could feel Haruka's breath on her neck as he hummed, still holding onto her. She swallowed, and raised her arms to hold Haruka. Running away, again.
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Tell me what you think so far, thanks. Also, I'm thinking of bringing the rating up in a couple chapters.