Guess I'll double down on Pact references now. Title is the wording used to give more power to a practitioner/Other's words. Because every word spoken is already a "binding vow" this simply makes the binding tighter.

He didn't know what happened through the movie. He couldn't concentrate, couldn't actually bring himself to care about the family-friendly adventures displayed on the screen. His whole mind was overtaken by a hurricane of feelings and half-remembered moments.

Glimpses of a past that might not be entirely true anymore, degraded by emotion and time both. Leaving them as dim images that spoke more about Hachiman for remembering them, and how he remembered them, than for having happened at all. If, indeed, they happened in the way he thought they did.

Regret did that to people, it was a challenge most would go through at some point in their lives. But it didn't mean that it was all bad. Hachiman was simply slower in healing than most.

"…" Hoshino looked as overwhelmed as Hachiman felt, when he stole a glance at her to distract himself. Her eyes slowly narrowed more and more as the movie went on, finally closing at some point while her breathing remained labored. Her fingers curling around his hand as much as they could. Pulling on Hachiman's hand a little due to the seat separating them.

"Ummm…" The little boy that had his head resting against Hoshino's side sat properly, startling Hachiman a little. The way it forcefully pulled him out of his thought was dizzying, so he didn't even register embarrassment or worry about the boy witnessing the moment that Hachiman shared with Hoshino. Instead, he just sort of looked on as the blue-eyed boy pulled his mom a bit to let her hear him whispering.

Hoshino lifted her gaze and then quickly turned around, earning her daughter's curiosity when she placed the kid down and the boy also left his spot to let the idol quickly swap with him.

Her smile was cheeky, like a little girl being seen being a troublemaker. But not by an authority figure. And it became even more innocent when she got her daughter back on her lap, and her hand back to the place where Hachiman had his own.

How could she manage to look so innocent on a whim?

Hachiman didn't have it in him to move, all of this had happened before he even resuming breathing; so he continued to endure. He'd become good at it while growing up. Counting the seconds against the storm, holding his grown against the current. He didn't want to think about the things that assaulted his mind, so he turned his attention outward. Felt his eyes burn a bit when he ceased blinking a little too long, felt the same when he finally closed them. He turned his hand around, letting his palm rest upward. Startling Hoshino for a moment, or so he thought when she pulled back against the sudden movement.

"Sorry." Hachiman whispered, facing to the front but glancing at the idol while her daughter seemingly was just getting her mind to re-focus on the movie.

"It's fine." She drew her hand on top of his again, tracing his palm with her fingers first. Like she was testing for how welcome the action was.

It made Hachiman shiver a bit.

"…Are you not going to eat popcorn?" The little boy mumbled, seemingly still keeping some of his attention on Hachiman. In spite of being on the other side of the seat.

Wha…! He was sharing it with his mother! Were they both really that small? Ruby sat right in the middle of Hoshino's lap, so Hachiman had assumed that they were using the whole seat. But it seemed like Aqua still managed to squeeze in there.

He didn't fully face Hachiman, but instead leaned forward to give Hachiman a quick glance before retreating back into the cover of his mother. Which made Hachiman a lot more conscious about the fact that he was holding the hand of said mom.

"Y-Yeah." Hachiman quickly disengaged, making a point of showing his hands extending to grab the container, making even the little girl's attention get dragged into his actions.

The things he ate didn't taste of anything, his mind only registered how he chewed and swallowed. Barely feeling the salt left behind in his mouth while he sheepishly gave the container back.

Hoshino's hand was waiting for him on the armrest. She stared at him with a "neutral" smile, if there was ever something like that. A little spooky, if he had to be honest. But an expression that wasn't wholly fabricated.

It felt like a challenge, instead of an invitation. Or perhaps the whole experience had activated his fight or flight instincts and he was overthinking it…

"Hmp."

But Hachiman wasn't the same silly high school student from before. He didn't shy away from people like he used to, nor did he feel the need to put up an angry mug to stop them from getting close because he'd get his tongue twisted otherwise. So instead of doing what she wanted, he scrubbed his fingers off of the salt and butter left by the popcorn he'd grabbed onto her hand. Making Hoshino's expression change into one of confusion before she lifted her hand and stared at it while rubbing her fingers together.

She then proceeded to lock her eyes into his own and licked herself clean. Casually asserting dominance with a pleasant enough smile still on her face.

Hachiman might or might not have shrunk a little in his seat.

O-Oh… Okay then…

When Hoshino asked for his hand once more, Hachiman got the right answer and simply gave it to her.

There was no point in trying to fight back if she'd just stop holding back whenever he did.

It was embarrassing, and really weird. Considering that her children were glued to her, watching the movie. It felt like Hachiman was doing something he shouldn't.

Which he was, of course. That only made things worse but…

Hoshino folded her fingers. Holding onto Hachiman's hand, but not really doing what many would consider proper handholding. So, when he got his head out of the gutter, Hachiman had no choice but to look back at her. See her watching the movie in the comfort of her children's embrace.

It felt that, just like how Ruby and Aqua had their heads resting on their mother's body, so too did Hoshino try to place some of her weight off. Rest herself against Hachiman's body, if only in a more metaphorical way. As she was forbidden from doing so physically.

Hachiman leaned down, trying to move her hand as little as possible to avoid changing the way she half-hugged her son, and held her hand against his cheek.

Hoshino's hold on him tightened a bit.

Hachiman almost didn't know what to do when the credits rolled up and Hoshino put her daughter back down, pushing her to go back to her seat and slowly went back to distancing herself from the twins and Hachiman. Not physically, but her whole vibe changed when she disengaged. Stopped paying attention to them and retrieved her hand from between Hachiman's fingers.

He unwittingly coiled them into a fist, feeling like he needed to cover the empty space she left behind. That is, until he recovered his logic and helped the little girl climb back to her seat. Sharing her disappointment in silence, even though his expression remained impassive.

Leaving the theater was a lesson in effort; his mind didn't fully cooperate. Refusing to let him remember what he was supposed to do next, where he was supposed to go. Until the little kids pointed out that they weren't going in the right direction to the apartment of the Saitou couple.

"You, huh… Did you enjoy the movie?" The little girl's question was awkward, filled with nervousness, and carrying so much apprehension that anyone listening would've thought that Hachiman led them around the city against their will. So much so that he himself wondered if maybe they'd gotten the wrong idea from his absentminded walk.

"It's a kids' movie." Hachiman replied neutrally. "It's for you to enjoy."

"Kids' movies are actually family movies. Therefore, it should have something for everyone." The little boy didn't help with his explanation, almost making Hachiman glare at him. But the young man thought better before he could make himself shake from seeing the little guy.

The prolonged exposure to Hoshino's silent yearning that, effectively, "rest" Hachiman's mind. And so, he really hated the idea of looking at the little guy more than he needed to.

Something he'd have to get over soon enough, but baby steps were required with these things.

"That might've been so before, but nowadays it feels like movies like these have been dumbed down a lot." Fortunately, the elder of the Hikigaya siblings had an explanation ready. This little boy shouldn't underestimate Hachiman's ability to be pedantic, born-genius or not! "It feels like these productions suck even more as time goes on."

"That's…" The little boy took a moment to weigh his options, something that should probably be beyond his ability at such young age. "I guess that you're right."

"Of course I am." Hachiman scoffed.

"So did you like it or not?" The little girl insisted, more annoyed now. "Feels like you were very 'happy' while watching."

Was that her way of saying that she'd seen what her mom got up to? Like, that'd make sense. But Hachiman felt like accepting that children understood the world around them that well was more a part of his paranoia than anything.

But, well, Hachiman was someone who'd rather err on the side of caution in these cases.

"I… Felt validated, I guess." Strictly true, if only for a moment. Seeing Hoshino's reaction to being messed with had given him a bit of confidence back… If only just so that the idol could reap the fruit of his efforts and savor the increased sweetness with that devilish tongue of hers…

Damn, no! Why couldn't he stop that?!

"Validated?"

"I already knew it'd suck." Hachiman hurried to reply.

"Eh… And you let us go watch it in spite of it?" It sounded like this little girl was only looking for trouble, so she'd find one fault or another in his words no matter what he said.

"You should experience the world for yourself." Hachiman stated shrugging to let the little kid that he was the bigger person, and that he did not care for her little games.

"That's…" The little girl furrowed her brows. "But then why did you look like you were getting away with something?"

…

What was that wording?

Hachiman chanced a glance at the boy, but he was busy looking forward. Letting his sister do as she pleased.

Eh… It seemed that, even if it didn't benefit Hachiman, the blue-eyed boy had his priorities straight. Guess Hachiman had no choice but to respect that.

"Thinking negatively is the ultimate form of winning in life: If you're right, then you can be smug about it. If you're wrong, then you'll always be pleasantly surprised." Hachiman smiled in that way of his that everyone called creepy or weird. No matter how much he grew up, some things didn't change. So could he do? At least he hoped it wouldn't take away from the life lesson he was trying to give.

"What kind of nonsense are you trying to teach Ruby?" The little boy was activated, glaring at Hachiman as he made his child voice a little deeper. Trying to sound older, probably.

Hachiman pressed his lips tightly and looked away.

"It's not nonsense." Talking to these two was really strange. It felt like he could've explained himself, made his point and expect them to at least understand enough to come to their own conclusions. But, well, they were four years old. There was no way that was the case, no matter how weird they were.

The silence that befell them was a bit uncomfortable, making Hachiman nervous because he didn't expect such things from little kids. He'd have expected more talk, one of them running off or getting distracted. But no such a thing happened.

"They really do like watching you, huh." Was all Ruby said from that point until they arrived at the apartment, looking around at the roofs while Hachiman lowered his head a bit.

The birds hadn't left, not even when they entered the apartment complex. It made Hachiman look out through the window, seek out whatever it was that kept the animals around. But he couldn't find anything.

What the hell…

"Do you think someone followed you?" Saitou (Miyako) asked while carrying Ruby and sitting down on the living room's sofa. Giving her back to the huge glass windows that surrounded her.

"No." Hachiman stated, staring at one of the birds in the distance. It felt as though the animal had noticed and was returning the gaze.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, don't worry." Hachiman sighed, putting away his apprehension and walking away from the window.

Nothing had happened, so he shouldn't be so negative about things. His hands stung a little, but that was just the phantom pains left behind by seeing those beaks turning in his direction.

His hands felt a little dumber, with less dexterity than usual.

"Then what's with that face?"

"This is just my regular expression." Hachiman replied without thinking.

"Very funny." The woman deadpanned. "I'm serious. Is something wrong? This could be important, you see."

Yes, he understood well enough. So he gave the question some thinking.

"I don't like going to movies very much." His words caught the little girl's attention, even though she tried to pretend they hadn't. So he should probably weigh what he said more carefully. "Lots of… Stuff that happened."

Lots of half-buried memories of a better time, of not so-much-better-times too. Mixed in together, creating a blend of nostalgia and bittersweetness that didn't help his mood at all.

"Really, now." Ok, so he couldn't be sarcastic but Saitou was allowed to? That was hardly fair. "I'd have guessed you were a bundle of joy."

"You don't end up with someone like me if that was the case." His self-deprecation wasn't a tool he commonly used at this point. Both because it had started hurting more, and because his friends got even more worried. But it felt appropriate here. Even though he should probably not do it in front of the kids.

Case in point, Saitou's only reaction was to scoff.

"Right, I'm-so-lonely-and-sad-san. Be my guest."

Hachiman pursed his lips together a bit, not answering immediately.

"That… Was a joke, by the way." Saitou narrowed her eyes after she noticed the silence.

"Of course it was."

"…" The woman averted her gaze, looking a bit embarrassed. "Sorry, I won't pry anymore."

"Thanks." He didn't feel grateful at all, but he had to give her something to let her know he'd heard. "I'll take my leave, then."

Saitou gave him a strange look.

"You aren't waiting for Ai to get back?"

"That wasn't part of the plan."

"Didn't I tell you we'd order something to eat?" Saitou lifted an eyebrow.

"You did, yes."

"Wasn't it implicit that you could have lunch with us if you wanted?"

"Code word: If I wanted." Hachiman tilted his head to the side while placing his hand behind his neck. "It's not right."

"Nothing wrong will come out of spending a bit of time indoors." Saitou pointed out.

The kids were pretending to do their own thing, but Hachiman could tell their attention was elsewhere. Probably in the conversation.

"There's a small margin of error here, Saitou." Hachiman replied, trying to sound reasonable. "I wouldn't usually say no to free food but…"

"I'm back!" Hoshino burst through the door, almost actually slamming it against the wall. But being tactful enough to hold it with her hand, narrowly missing the painting hung against it. "Are my babies here?!"

The kids didn't react as strongly as she thought they would, which made the idol scan the room while taking off her wig and glasses. Her expression brightened up when she took them all in. Her children, her mom…

Hachiman himself.

That smile was different from the one on the stage, it felt like that to him. Unreasonably so. It made him feel funny, for one. And beside…

"…Her safety is my number one priority, Saitou."

He wanted her to keep smiling like that, less in the way she did on stage. And that'd only be possible if she stayed alive.

Saitou scoffed once more.

"Is something wrong?" Hoshino walked slowly into the living room, taking the kids between her arms before crouching completely and lifting them up by pushing herself to her full height. Not a lot, but it still made Hachiman stop in his thought for a moment.

She could do that? Just like that? No hum or grunt involved? It felt like she was a little too strong for how fun-sized she was.

"This guy doesn't want to eat with us." Saitou placed a hand on her cheek, making a point of looking faux-worried about it.

"Wah!" Hoshino played along and looked overly surprised. "Why not?!"

"Because he's bad!" The little girl spoke up, showing Hachiman her tongue to make a point. "He's old, and gloomy, and silly, and…"

She furrowed her eyebrows, making her twin separate a bit from his mom to look at her.

Hachiman exchanged a look with Saitou, who did the same and just shook her head slightly at his unsaid question.

It looked like she didn't understand either.

"Huh." Ruby simply hugged her mom tighter, refusing to elaborate while looking away from Hachiman.

What an odd kid…

"Ummm…" Even Hoshino wasn't too sure about what that had been about, so she simply tightened her hold on the kid and smiled awkwardly. "So, is there a problem? Does Hachiman-san have other business or…?"

"I just don't think it's fair." Hachiman lowered his head a bit.

"Why not~? Think about it as repaying you for a favor." Hoshino smiled smugly at him, like she'd expected a bigger form of resistance.

"But I was just repaying for one." Hachiman replied, a little lost on Hoshino's logic. "Wouldn't that just make it so I owe you again?"

Her smile widened while walking toward him, kids still held.

"Well, isn't that how our relationship started?" Hoshino tilted her head to the side, looking at her boy before kissing him on the forehead. Only to repeat the same on her little girl. "I don't think there's actually a way to repay you. But, if you see it that way, then I'm okay with us continuing to dance like this."

"Exchanging favors?"

"Doing something nice for the other in order to not feel indebted." Hoshino walked up to him, but didn't close the distance fully. Instead, she basically walked in reverse to go toward Saitou and place her children on the sofa.

Like she'd wanted to fake Hachiman out.

He quickly brought a hand to his chin and the other to his stomach, scratching both awkwardly.

Why did he lift them when Hoshino got so close with her kids?

"That's… Unnecessary." Hachiman managed to get that out more or less as a single sentence, which was probably the most he could as of his brain at the moment.

"You think so? I think it's cute." Hoshino spun on her heel, reaching out to the ceiling with a hand. "You try to do something nice for me, I try to do something nice for you. And we both spin around into this spiral of niceness, and fluff, and good intentions. Isn't that right?"

Hachiman completely, totally, didn't think of the part of his life when he and two other girls ran around in circles, trying to stop each other from messing their miniature world any more than they had.

Saitou didn't say anything. She simply looked on as her daughter spewed out nonsense.

"Wouldn't that turn this into a matter of obligation?" Hachiman pointed out.

"Not if everyone involved cares."

That's…

"But think about it. Eventually, someone will get something they don't particularly care about. It could be in a day, a week, a year. But that'd be the start of something that isn't comfortable. People get complacent, default to the minimum effort possible. Eventually, it'd become something that people grow to resent. Locked into the cycle of their own making." Hachiman shook his head. "It's neither cute or wholesome. It's a damnation sentence wrapped in good intentions."

Hoshino did not look surprised at all.

"I didn't think you'd be this gloomy."

Then she hadn't looked at Hachiman at all.

"It's the way that life has made sense to me." He replied, putting aside his previous thought to get this conversation out of the way.

"I think you just don't think people want to get along with each other deep down." Hoshino shrugged.

"That doesn't matter. What we 'want' and what we 'manage to do' are two separate things entirely." Hachiman pursed his lips, unsure of how to say what he tried to convey for a moment. "If you wrap your intentions around social conventions, then all you're doing is disabling the human aspect of a one-on-one link that comes with intimacy. Restrain the way both parties can realistically express themselves. And that can grow to fester."

Hoshino's expression became neutral.

"To become ugly." Hachiman finished, still looking at the idol for her reaction.

Then, as soon as her expression was about to shift… She disappeared from his 'sight'. Being replaced by the idol.

"Well, I just don't know what that has to do with food!"

Hachiman closed his eyes. He felt like he'd been blocked from something he really wanted.

"…It means that you don't have to bother with all this politeness nonsense."

"But I want to be polite?"

"…" Hachiman looked at Saitou. She was already ordering the food, ignoring him entirely. "I guess I can take a little advantage of that."

That did the trick, if Hoshino's expression brightening up was any indication.

Hachiman turned toward the biggest mom in the room.

"I'll take a glass of water." He told the woman on the phone; who turned to him and lifted her index finger, moving it up and down to green light his intentions.

Hachiman quickly retreated from the living room, hearing steps following him closely.

"Are you mad?" Hoshino whispered once they were out of sight and earshot, before Hachiman could turn around to regard her.

It felt like she was centimeters away from hiding her face on his back.

"Not at all." Hachiman murmured while looking for what he asked, rolling his eyes as a way to cope with the awkwardness of having to stop his train of thought in favor of keeping Hoshino's mask from actually pissing him off.

That detestable way to show bravery… What was the point of trying to be condescending when all they showed was sorrow?

"Are you sure?"

Hachiman turned around to give Hoshino a pointed look.

She didn't look confused or worried. Far from it. The difference between his expectations and reality was jarring enough that it made him flinch. Made him regard Hoshino a bit more carefully.

It felt like she was prodding him. More with curiosity than empathy.

That was… Telling. Was she always like this? One step separated from emotions?

Hachiman lifted a finger and hit Hoshino's forehead with it, making her flinch.

"If I said it's fine, then it's fine." Hachiman stated, expression as neutral as his features allowed. "That's why people say I'm gloomy and lame."

"Making so much trouble because of some food is a bit…"

"Problematic?"

"Bad-mannered."

Hachiman chuckled while turning around.

"Yeah, that'd be me. Alright."

"It doesn't suit you." Hoshino stated like she wanted to frown, but she didn't.

"That's who I am." Hachiman shrugged while opening drawers. "I was a loner most of my life, before I met people that were worth anything at all. I suppose that makes my vision of the world a little skewed. I've never been very agreeable."

He stole a glance at the idol as she ruminated his words.

"Does the world really suck that much to you?"

"Oh, it does. It's ugly, cold, awkward. A horrible, terrible place to be." Hachiman spoke from the heart while getting the water he wanted, not sparing Hoshino a glance because these words were something that he knew very well. And he knew that not many would want to hear. But, well, he'd grown up like this. He knew how to fix it, more or less. "And that's why we should avoid the ugly things as much as possible. Try to find those small mercies and be grateful for them."

Hoshino didn't visibly react. Her expression remained neutral, listening. It felt like Hachiman was a teacher, and he was talking to his star student.

"If life is ugly and short, then we should probably stop lying to ourselves. Do the things we'll regret the least." He took a sip, studying Hoshino's expression while at it. Because she'd gone completely non-verbal at this point.

She lifted her chin to regard him properly.

"I don't regret showing you the dirty side of me that night." Hoshino spoke with conviction.

Hachiman closed his eyes for a moment, screaming on the inside from having shot himself on the foot like that.

"I'm glad." Hachiman replied neutrally. "You're on the right path."

"I want you to see me like that." Hoshino insisted.

"Finding people that won't judge you is indeed hard. But I'd advice more carefulness." Hachiman placed the glass on the counter, pushing it farther away from him. Just in case someone did something that would make it topple and fall to the floor. "You never know what kind of people are out there."

"Would you hurt me, then?"

"Not willingly, but…"

"Our intentions and their outcomes are different things?" Hoshino suggested.

Hachiman looked away.

"You're worrying about something." Hoshino spoke up again.

"I'm worried about you." Hachiman sighed. "You're too…"

"Wrong?"

"Naïve." Hachiman scoffed at Hoshino's idea.

"Rude."

"That's also me." Hachiman nodded.

"So you won't give me what I want?"

"I'll give you what I want to give you." Hachiman lifted his index and pushed onto Hoshino's collarbone with it for a moment. "And what I want for you is a plentiful, long life. I want your safety above all else."

Hoshino furrowed her brows.

"You're so annoying."

Hachiman smirked.

"That's also me."

Hoshino thought about it for a moment, before poking Hachiman on the chest with a finger. Annoyed.

"Well, I guess I have no choice but to make you want to give me everything." She smiled cheekily again, repeating the motion with her finger when Hachiman cringed against the sensation. "You think I'm naïve? That only tells me that you're easy prey."

Wow, okay. That… That was super scary.

"An idol should be able to hide the ugliness in her heart as easily as she breathes." Hoshino looked a little eviler, stretching her smirk like she was doing. "Statistically speaking, people tend to dislike fawning over people that are visibly smarter than themselves."

That… Alright. Hachiman had to admit, that sounded like something he'd have heard someone else say. It was cold, calculating. If cheeky and cute at the same time.

Hachiman stretched his arm and fetched the glass he'd put away.

"And what makes you think I want you to hide that from me?" He asked while pretending to drink.

Hoshino didn't know what to say to that.

He scoffed.

"That's not how this works." She frowned, half-confused and half-worried.

"Well, getting to know people involves letting them in." Hachiman pointed out.

Hoshino nodded but didn't take the invitation to open up.

Maybe she needed a straightforward approach, like she did with her own desires. But that was simply not his way of doing things. Instead, he offered her a small smile.

"See? Everything at its own time."

Hoshino furrowed her brows, closing her eyes and finally letting out a sigh of actual relief.

"So that's how it is…" She smiled at him again, but this felt a little more like an actual symbol of happiness. "I… Think I get it."

"You do?"

"Yeah. I… Are there things that you don't want to tell me?"

It wasn't an accusation, it couldn't be. It still felt like Hoshino carried more curiosity than actual feelings. But Hachiman still felt a bit of pressure when she asked.

"…Yes."

Hoshino nodded, almost like Hachiman had rolled a high enough charisma save to get away with the half-baked way he replied.

"But… Do you wish you were able to tell me?"

Hachiman blinked at the question, studying the way she stared holes into his very soul.

His first instinct was to lie, to call her words off. Change the topic with irreverence or a joke. But those eyes of stars kept him silent, kept him from avoiding the weight that her questions had.

If she was always like this, always one step separated from her feelings, and Hachiman wanted to protect her, he… He'd have to bite the bullet.

"I…" He tried to scramble his brain for the correct answer. But Hoshino was always tied into a web of lies and shields. He didn't have enough information about her, even now. Even with her biggest secret on the other room, waiting for her. "I don't know."

He narrowed his eyes, expecting the idol to be disappointed or mad.

It took her a moment, but her eyes widened a little. And her features relaxed a fraction.

"I see…" She looked down, with the wonder of a little girl. "So it's not just me…"

Ah… Of course.

"Things will always be difficult." Hachiman stated. "There's no shame in needing time to untie all the ugliness."

Hoshino lifted her gaze and smiled at him.

"I see, so that's how it is!" Hoshino nodded to herself. "I'll keep it in mind."

"Please do." Hachiman nodded back.

Hoshino winked at him before leaving. That had been surprisingly… Tame.

He didn't hate it, all things considered. How could he hate someone so cute?