Mint Chocolate Cookies (World trigger)

Sharktooth Saviour

Tsuji was unsure of why he never learned his goddamn lesson.

He was courageous... Inukai never failed to apply the word to him, but what Tsuji didn't do, was learn from past mistakes.

Tsuji was afraid of woman. It was common knowledge, and he took the scorn with great pride, knowing that he was familiar with his downfalls, and was working to prevent them, rather than avoiding it.

Having Hatohara back again for a week now really had motivated him to try his best, and he wanted to make her proud. Granted, having gone without her for so long, it would take a while to get used to her presence again, and she had to build her way back up to the title of 'the exception' to his irrationale condition.

Tsuji was somebody who would promise they could do something, but the moment they were face to face with the sworn challenge, suddenly was far less compelled.

Today's edition involved Inukai.

Inukai, earlier that day, with Hatohara sitting on the sofa next to them with Ninomiya reading beside her, had proposed that Tsuji accompany him to a club to see if he could talk to some new people.

A club.

Inukai had the audacity and the nerve to take him to a club. Full of woman.

Hatohara had not so coincidentally overheard, and encouraged it. And in the moment Tsuji agreed.

But here he stood.

The music was blaring, screeching throughout the trembling venue, Strobes were flashing, the kind to make you go blind after a while. They were changing color, and the smell of booze hung in the air like an unavoidable, thick fog. He could already foresee an inevitable headache, and he opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out.

"You ready?" Inukai asked eagerly.

Tsuji shook his head.

"Hey, come on, I know it's tough, but think about what a huge step this could be!"

Tsuji was petrified.

"Oh, 'Suji, are you that scared?"

Tsuji wanted to be brave and say 'No, I can do this.' but in all honesty, there were so many people in there, he didn't like his chances of a panic attack.

"I'll try." He said instead. "Please... stick with me?"

"Of course!" Inukai nodded. "We'll try one girl, and if it's too much we're headed straight home... I want you to improve, not hurt, okay?"

"Alright." He said, giving way to Inukai's suggestion.

The fully stepped in now, and Tsuji's tight throat became worse yet, and moving was next to impossible.

The music threatened to break his eardrums open, and there was so many people, all moving and crowded, he wanted to sink into the floor and die as he accidently bumped into a girl.

"...Sorry!" He exclaimed, too quiet to hear over the music, because she responded with a harsh

"Watch where you're going you freak!"

"I-I said I'm sorry..." He said, a little louder, feeling ashamed.

"Ugh, what are you even doing here? With a face like yours, you need to go crawl back into the fire from which you came."

"Hey-y, I said sorry." He insisted, stepping away.

"Well, you don't look sorry enough!" She spat, taking a step forward, and smiling as he retreated back, ducking his head.