A/N: Changing the story rating with this chapter, because I think the violence is a little too much for just K+.

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"What gives you the right to say anything?"

Reigen felt like icy thorns were threading into his ribcage. His heart, even as it beat hysterically, had the sensation that the thorns were death trying to squeeze it cold, and Reigen wanted to squirm against the terrible feeling, but Teru held him firm. He spread his hands out, and the thorns inside Reigen were now like fingernails running the length of his internal flesh, and the feeling was so utterly disgusting a sour taste stung the back of Reigen's throat.

"You don't know anything," Teru continued, his voice low and dark like a growl. "Who are you? A simple human! You're not special! You don't know what it's like!"

Maybe not in the exact way Teru did, but Reigen had to pretend like he knew. And if he had time and space to think over the drumming of his heart, he might have thought of something wiser, but in the end, he said (or practically croaked):

"You're… You're human, too."

Teru did not want to hurt Reigen—really. He just wanted to teach him a lesson—show him who's boss! make a point!—and if that involved forgetting the mild discomfort of brushing energy inside his ribs and instead locking his fingers around his windpipe, well…

"Don't you dare compare me to you!" Teru really did snarl this time, but Reigen reacted more to the thumbs digging into his throat than the tone of his voice. "I am a greater being—a king among men! I'm not a human, I'm special!"

Reigen gagged and choked for air as Teru's thumbs grounded into his trachea. He tried to claw them away, but Teru's powers held him flat against the wall and unable to move. Tears began to spill from his eyes as all he could do to react to the pain was mewl, and Teru looked like he wanted to laugh.

"Look at you! Unable to talk, and you're basically an animal!"

A word came into the room then. It came soft, and hurt, like a fawn approaching it's dying mother.

"Shishou?"

Teru's head whipped sideways. Mob stood an inch or so outside the doorway, so visibly upset his face looked as white as a china plate. His little body shook ever so lightly in his long raincoat. He flinched when Reigen made such an effort to speak that he spat and heaved, Teru grimacing as it splattered his face. Reigen could only see Mob out of the corner of his eye, but he hoped something communicated what he wanted to say.

Run.

Mob did not run, however. He spent another moment in the frozen confusion glancing between Reigen on the wall and Teru in attack with eyes bright and wide as Mason jar lights, until he rested his attention on Teru.

"Why are you doing that?" he demanded, but it came out more as a high squeak. "You're hurting him!"

Mob reached out his hand and moved forward. Teru thought maybe he was going to come at him with his own psychic powers, but before he had the mind to let Reigen free and turn to face Mob, he was there, and it was too late.

But… Teru did not feel the hot clash of psychic powers contacting his own. Instead, fingers not even strong enough to bruise locked around his joint hands, clawing back as they futilely tried to move them.

Teru could only stare in all-consuming shock as Mob fought with all his little might to force Teru away from Reigen. He was already breathing heavily, and his quivering hands were so weak even he had to see it was pointless trying to pull Teru away, and yet… a-and yet he still did not use a fragment of his psychic powers. Rather, he did this. It didn't make sense at all.

Teru jerked away in sheer horror. Reigen tumbled from the wall to his knees, clutching at his throat and coughing violently. Mob tended to him instantly, not knowing exactly what to do, but trying to pat and look him over to see if he was okay. Teru's legs hit the edge of the distant table, and the resulting noise seemed to make Reigen forget all his personal aliments and shoved Mob back. He had the will to lift his head, and he made sure Teru met his eyes.

They held the worst accusation in them. Reigen was not angry, precisely—no, it was more thought out than that. Protectiveness lied in the way he shielded Mob and watched Teru while making him know he did wrong in his disappointed expression—that's what it was! Disappointment. Reigen was disappointed that Teru had been moved so easily to violence.

Mob did not look the least bit afraid.

Teru had shown some sort of weakness by backing away from the fight, and that made Mob more worried than anything. Normally, Teru would have cursed himself for being so vulnerable, but in the wake of recent events, he did not feel up to it.

It didn't make sense. It didn't make sense why Mob came at him so readily without his psychic powers—why he clearly had them, and his first instinct to save Reigen was not to use them. I didn't make sense why, after it all, he just stood there, sympathy on his face and no indication he was going to retaliate. Why he allowed someone else so incredibly inept try to protect him. Teru nor the silence could answer, so he had to wonder:

"Why?"

Teru did not know exactly what to say. Mob did not know exactly how to answer. He stiffened and flushed a little, questioning the question.

"Why?"

"Why did you not use your psychic powers?" Teru did not know how he looked, but his brain was so hot he felt half-numb. "Why?"

Now it was out there. Reigen could only partially watch as Mob fumbled with it, his posture and words a mess as he slipped over an explanation.

"Oh, I don't know exactly why," Mob almost mumbled. "I-I guess it's because Shishou told me not to use my powers against other people… I've tried to change from doing that."

Mob seemed to glow as he spoke the realization. He stood a little straighter, and Reigen decided he would have to treat him to something later, but now was definitely not the time to think of praises.

"I want to be good at other things," Mob continued, "so I don't like using my psychic powers."

Teru hesitated. Then, the violence was back, and he lashed out with his words this time.

"What are you talking about? People can't change!"

Reigen visibly tensed at Teru's renewed anger, but Mob was not as moved. He remained calm and simply cocked his head, speaking in kindness and wonder, like the moon may have in different times to draw in the ocean.

"People change all the time. You are not the same as you were this morning, are you?"

Teru moved to reply and stopped. He stopped and thought.

Was he the same as he was? Certainly not, for in the morning he had the desire to confront Mob, and with that action completed it was not part of his heart anymore. All he had now was a raw space that left him a little scared, and the thoughts to accompany it.

Mob did not have some disgusting, warped view of self-worth. He had come to accept his pitfalls and minimal accomplishments in a way Teru could only marvel at; he accepted that his psychic powers did not make him a better to his fellow man. His survival and happiness did not depend on whether or not he had psychic powers or a special talent to be admired. He simply strived to be the best person he could. And Teru's comprehension of everything that had occurred meant:

"No…" Teru said softly, and he raised his head to look out the window towards the graveyard, where the rain now fell amongst the headstones. "I suppose I'm not the same."

Reigen was too focused on Teru to notice Mob move from behind him until he was just out of grasp to stop him. Mob had his own agenda, anyway, and when he did, it was wise to go along with it. Reigen always tried to guide Mob, but in the end, he knew what he was doing and often what was best.

"Hanazawa-kun," Mob paused before him and began rather slowly, and Teru's gaze lingered for a moment longer on the dreary scape of the graveyard. "I don't want to fight with you. I want to be your friend."

No matter the cost, Mob almost always returned to his innate compassion. He believed in the good of people. The surprise to such humanity in another shocked Teru from that little blister of fear and inadequacy that had grown on his heart. Not very experienced in communicating companionship, Mob offered his hand, albeit awkwardly.

"If you want to change, you can, Hanazawa-kun. You can make yourself someone you like to be."

Teru stared at Mob's hand given with such generosity. Then, with a little mutter of bubble-like laughter he joined their hands, the contact between them somehow more violent than their first, yet also more beautiful and heartfelt. Emotion sparkled about them.

Friendship.

"Okay."

What else could he say?

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A/N: Sorry this chapter took so long !