Heroes Without Capes

Afternoon

Kimishita stiffened.

Ooshiba instinctively tightened his grip on his wrist, mentally preparing himself for yet another pointless argument. "What?"

"Walk me home if you can't help it," Kimishita frowned, "but what're you holding my hand for?"

Ooshiba jumped, letting go of Kimishita's wrist like it was on fire, awkwardly rubbing the back of his head. Crap, what had he been thinking? Nothing, probably. He should've been. Was he an idiot? Why on earth had he been stupid enough to reach for Kimishita's wrist, anyway?

Was he blushing? Probably, judging by how hot his face felt. Not good. Bad. Very bad. He needed an excuse, or Kimishita might misunderstand the whole thing. Something... anything!

"Uh..." Dammit, his mind was blank. "Um... no reason."

It sounded lame, but at least it was the truth. The truth was better than no explanation at all.

If Kimishita didn't believe him, at least he had manners enough to not let it show. He just shrugged it off, walking towards the door and pausing after a few steps, waiting for Ooshiba. "I've told you a million times to think before you act," he told him over his shoulder. "Well, whatever. Let's go before you grow roots in here."

Ooshiba nodded and followed, more than grateful to drop the topic.

They walked down the street in awkward silence. Kimishita seemed even less communicative than usual, stubbornly staring ahead, not saying a word, his expression unreadable. Ooshiba walked beside him burdened with the feeling that he should say something, but unable to come up with anything or get a word out. The silence seemed to suffocate him, strangling the words in his throat, becoming harder to break with every step they took, every second that ticked by.

If he hadn't been so uncomfortable, Ooshiba would have laughed at himself. Look at me, being too chicken to say a bunch of words. What was he so afraid of? Nothing would happen if he spoke up. It was just silence, and he was Ooshiba Kiichi. He was stronger than a couple minutes of not saying a word.

"Hey," he said, unsure how to follow it up, just trying to make this quiet awkwardness go away.

Kimishita blinked, seemingly snapping out of his own thoughts, and glanced up. "What?"

Ooshiba gave him a long look. Kimishita looked exhausted, exhausted on top of being tired, like someone who had run a marathon after not sleeping the night before. He needed rest, badly, but Ooshiba doubted he'd allow himself any. Knowing him, he probably thought he had other tasks to do.

"Hey," he said again. "What do you gotta do when you get home?"

Kimishita gazed ahead, green eyes running over an imaginary to-do list. "Mind the store," he said half to himself. "Homework. Study for the exams. Come up with a plan for teaching Hino and Komiya how to pass and shoot. Make dinner..."

"Wait," Ooshiba interrupted. "You don't have to do all that by yourself."

Kimishita stopped, turning to fully face Ooshiba, his expression cold. "I know what I gotta do."

"No, you don't." Ooshiba stepped towards him, crossing his arms as he fixed Kimishita with his eyes, giving him the most stern look he could muster. "You don't have to study every day, you're smart enough."

Wait... that had been a compliment. Had he really just complimented Kimishita? Well, it was only the truth... but still!

Kimishita gave him a pointed look. "And you're an idiot," he said, poking a finger against Ooshiba's forehead. "I get good grades because I study. And I need those grades for college application, so shut up. Not everyone can go pro."