Trigger warning: sexual assault
It had been nearly an hour since they had left the campsite. It had taken a lot of persuasion to convince Haruka to leave her friends side but eventually she realized Shinji was the best equip to keep her safe.
Shuu thought that would be enough to ease her mind but Haruka hadn't really said anything the entire time they'd been looking for firewood. Deciding he wanted answers, Shuu attempted to broach the subject. "So I'm guessing Hikari is in some sort of trouble?"
Snapping her head up, Haruka looked at Shuu with some distrust. Honestly she had known an explanation was in order but she didn't want to share Hikaris business.
After a few seconds, she sighed and turned back around. "More like family drama. Long story short? Her dad's a psychotic piece of shit." Shuu opened his mouth to ask for details but Haruka glared at him. "If you wanna know why you gotta ask her. It's not my story to tell."
Running his hand through his messy hair, Shuu chuckled and shook his head in amusement. "You're a really good friend Haruka. You know that right?"
A bitter laugh escaped her lips and she turned back, walking purposely towards the green haired man. She meant to tell him off but instead she wound up breaking down. "Not really. Hikari does so much for me and I didn't even think about the danger I was putting her in when I went off on my own. I'm a horrible friend! If Shinji hasn't shown up, who knows what could've happened!"
Shuu quickly grabbed Harukas wrists and pinned her arms to her side's, effectively silencing her self loathing rant. "You're not a horrible friend." He said staring deep into her sky blue eyes. "You're a trainer in a new region. You got excited. It happens. You can't be with her 24/7, it's not fair to you."
"But-" Haruka had so many valid arguments as to why that was still not an excuse, but Shuu was having none of it. Before she had a chance to hate on herself any more he presented her with an option she secretly always wanted but currently got nauseated at the thought of.
"What if you guys traveled with us?" The sincerity in his voice made it difficult for Haruka to know if he was trying to play her again or if he genuinely wanted to be around her.
Instead of saying anything, Haruka just looked at him like he was crazy. After a few moments of silence she realized he expected an answer so she just rolled her eyes and began walking towards an old dried up tree to snap off branches. "What are you talking about?"
"You and blue." Shuu didn't miss a beat. Rushing to the tree, he helped Haruka pull the branches off. The pile of firewood was getting pretty big at this point and he knew he was almost out of time to convince her to stay.
Clearing his throat he moved to begin organizing the pile into two large sacks they brought and decided to try his hand at persuasion. "You're with us right now already anyway. Plus were all going to the same places. Three pair of eyes watching is better than one right?"
"What about Shinji? He hates me." It was a salad concern. Although Shuu knew his cousin didn't hate her, he didn't have the emotional energy to try and explain Shinjis weird ass personality to her.
So instead, he played it off. "He can get the hell over it." With a glint in his eyes he added, "plus he's basically in love with Hikari. He won't object to you coming if it means she will too."
Haruka looked down in thought for a minute. At first she seemed to be actually considering it, but eventually she furrowed her brow and looked at him cooly. Before she had a chance to say anything, Shuu looked away and quickly said "He's probably already asked her the same thing. Come on Haruka, what do ya say?"
He waited for what felt like hours but was probably only a few moments. Haruka just shook her head and pulled free from his grasp. "Honestly, I don't trust you anymore Shuu. After what you did-"
"But that was just a misunderstanding Haruka!" She was starting to get annoyed with him constantly interrupting her. But the expression on his face told her he was seriously upset. Normally this would have called her down but for some reason it just pissed her off.
"Don't bullshit with me Shuu. I saw you!" She could see him gulping in nervousness and decided there was no more putting it off.
He hurt her and she'd be damned if he got to act like it didnt happen. "You and Brianna were all over each other when you were supposed to be picking me up for a date!"
Tears of frustration began to form in the corners of her eyes, but Haruka ignored them and continued. "Do you have any idea how humiliating it was for me to not only be stood up, but to find out by seeing pictures of it in the morning fucking tabloids?!"
"Just let me explain Haruka, please!" Shuu was practically yelling but neither of them seemed to care. He was being very uncharacteristically emotional at this point and by then he was ready to jump in head first if it meant he had a chance to tell her the truth.
But she was so angry he was afraid nothing was getting through. With slight hesitation, Shuu sighed and began trying to tell his side of the story. "I had been waiting for you in the bar at your hotel. I was so nervous I thought a couple shots would calm my nerves."
A bitter laugh followed by a loud sigh brought Harukas focus back to him as he kept talking. "What a shit idea that turned out to be. Brianna showed up out of nowhere about five minutes after I sat down, and I think she put something in my drink."
Haruka gasped and actually began listening fully giving Shuu the strength to continue. He honestly didnt want to relive that night but if ir meant Haruka would understand, then he was willing to put his pride aside and reveal the truth.
With tears forming in his eyes he continued. "The next thing I knew, I was waking up naked in an empty hotel room. My body was sore, like I had run a marathon and there was some kind of mess on me."
Haruka fought to hold back tears as she realized what Shuu was saying. She began to feel horrible because talking about this must have been hard and she had just left without bothering to ask him what happened. How could she?!
Shuu didn't pause long enough for her to cut in which was probably for the best. Turning to look her in the eyes, her heart sank at the broken look he had. "I went to find you to try and explain but the hotel staff told me you had checked out and headed to the airport a few hours before I got there. I saw the tabloids and realized you left me because of it."
She opened her mouth to say it was okay and he didnt need to say anything else But he kept going. "I swear Haruka, I don't remember it at all. I don't... This fucked me up too you know! I was a fucking virgin and that psychopath roofied and raped me! And because of it you left me behind! What am I supposed to do to prove it to you?!"
It was the first time he said it out loud and it made it all too real. He was a fully grown man who managed to have his virginity taken by force, by a small 110 pound sociopath. It was humiliating.
Now that he'd finally admitted it to not only her, but himself, he realized he really didn't deserve Haruka. He couldn't even take care of himself. How could he protect her? She was probably disgusted to look at him anyway. At least, that's what he thought until she finally spoke.
"Shuu... I didn't, I didnt know. I'm so sorry." Looking up Shuu saw that Haruka was crying and he felt the last of his emotional strength leave him. Breaking down, he finally allowed himself to shed tears. Tears of anger, fear, humiliation, grief, and relief.
"It was supposed to be you Haruka." Somehow the firewood had been forgotten and he found himself tucked safely in Harukas embrace. He didn't want her to ever let go but he didn't know how to accomplish that. "How do I fix this? Tell me what to do."
Looking up into her eyes he saw an almost motherly love radiating from her eyes and he froze. A small smile spread on her cheeks and she shifted to let go of him.
Reluctantly he scooted back and watched curiously as she wiped her eyes and walked over to the wood piles. "Stop crying and pick up the firewood."
The complete shock at her almost nonchalant response made him momentarily forget everything else. Staring at her in shock he asked more confused then ever. "Are you... are you serious right now?"
Giving him a determined not, Haruka hoisted one of the bags of wood over her shoulder dragged the other over to him with a grin."We need to get back to camp and get some sleep. I'd imagine Shinji likes to get an early start and if we're gonna travel together than I need to change my sleep schedule."
He couldn't even talk he W was so happy. He never expected admitting his horrible experience would yield such positive results. Haruka seemed to sense his sudden inability to communicate and smirked playfully. "We'll figure us out as we go along. Ok?"
Sure he felt slightly immasuclated, but it didn't matter. Haruka was going to be by his side from now on so whatever weakness he had wouldn't be a problem. Knowing she was there, that she was the goal in the end would give him the strength to overcome anything.
It would prove to be useful in the future, though neither of them could know it yet.
Xxx
Sorry for the crazy chapter monsters. What didya think?
I'm sorry I included this but I feel like male sexual abuse isn't addressed enough. It wont play a huge role but it will make certain things in the future make more sense.
Next chapter starts the next arc! (It also includes a small time skip of about one week)
Yay!
We've got 3 gyms to hit before the spring festival and the first one should be in 2 chapters! Electric arc, here we come!!!
Until next time monsters!!!
