𝓡𝓲𝓷 𝓲𝓽𝓸𝓼𝓱𝓲 𝓫𝓸𝓽𝓽𝓸𝓶 𝔁 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓮 𝓸𝓷𝓮𝓼𝓱𝓸𝓽 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓻𝔂

36. Bachira x Rin

Mentioned of toxi relationship

Meguru Bachira wasn’t used to feeling guilt. He had never really thought about it before—why should he? Life was all about fun, the thrill of the game, and doing what made you feel alive. And Rin... well, Rin was just part of that. Someone who could be shaped, molded, controlled. He never questioned it. Rin was his to deal with however he wanted, right?

But there was something about today, something unsettling that tugged at the back of his mind.

Rin had been acting strangely for a while now. Quiet, distant. More than usual. Sure, Rin was never one to talk much, but lately, it felt different. He’d barely looked Bachira in the eyes this morning when he left for practice, just a hollow "see you later" before grabbing his bag and walking out the door.

And then there was Rin’s phone. Sitting on the table, forgotten in his haste.

Bachira picked it up, smirking at how careless Rin could be. A small pang of irritation flickered in his chest—he hated when Rin was this distracted. When he wasn’t paying attention to him. To them.

Curiosity, or maybe it was something darker, had him thumbing the lock screen. Of course, he didn’t know Rin’s passcode. Or… maybe he did. The combination was easy enough to guess—he knew Rin better than anyone, after all. They’d been together long enough for Bachira to figure out the little things, to piece Rin together like a puzzle.

Click. The phone unlocked.

At first, he wasn’t sure what he was looking for. He scrolled aimlessly through the messages, expecting nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe something cute, maybe Rin complaining about practice or talking about a game they played. But then his eyes caught on something that sent a cold rush through his veins.

A conversation with Sae.

Bachira paused, thumb hovering over the screen, his pulse quickening. Rin and Sae didn’t talk much. Rin hated talking about his brother—he never opened up about the deeper stuff between them. But these texts… they were recent.

He clicked in, and the moment the chat opened, it felt like the air was sucked out of the room.

____________

Rin: I don’t know how much longer I can take this.

Sae: What happened this time?

Rin: The same. It’s getting worse. The yelling, the way he treats me... the hitting… It’s getting more frequent.

Sae: What the hell, Rin? Why didn’t you tell me sooner? You need to get out of there.

Rin: I want to. But I’m scared.

Sae: Scared? Of Bachira?

Rin: Of everything. Of leaving. Of what happens if I leave.

Sae: This isn’t a choice, Rin. You know that, right?

Rin: I know. But it’s not that easy. I can’t just walk away. I’m… I’m afraid of him. What if he comes after me? What if he…

Sae: You can come here. I’ll deal with him if he tries anything. You should’ve come to me earlier.

Rin: Maybe I should have. But I just… I didn’t want to believe it. That it was this bad.