trauma and it's healer [KomaHina]

Chapter 2 ~ Good Morning

It was cold. All over his body was an ice-cold, painful sensation. It hurt so much, yet he could not move. He was completely paralyzed. He tried to breathe, but he could not. The breaths he eventually choked down were icy. He coughed out, the air hurt. Was he drowning? Was he suffocating? Who was doing this to him? He took one last breath, maybe with this breath, he could live for just a tiny bit longer.

Suddenly, he was free. Free to finally breathe. He opened his eyes wide. He was sweating bullets.  Just another dream, Nagito thought. He put his backhand to his forehead to wipe the sweat off. Nagito had many dreams like this, at this point he should've been used to it, but he wasn't.

Nagito pulled his knees to his chest. Every night, ever since they got to this godforsaken island, he had dreams like that. Before Danganisland, he barely even dreamt. If he did dream, he would forget them within a few minutes or seconds.

He let it out. He sobbed every last tear his body allowed. He vented out in the way he was most comfortable, without anyone around, without anyone to judge. But, it was normal to him, to feel isolated. Before this stupid killing game, he was just as isolated out there as he was on this island.

When his sobs finally calmed down, he pulled his legs away and tried to wipe away the tears.

Nagito put on his shirt, pants, and jacket. He yanked on his socks and shoes. Nagito walked into his bathroom, he lathered his face with water, using a towel to dry himself. Nagito stared at himself in the mirror.

"Wow, I look absolutely terrible," Nagito said to himself in a sad tone, examining his eye bags and other blemishes. He sighed to himself and made his way out the door.

He made his way into the restaurant, quickly getting himself some bagels and cream cheese before speed-walking out of the restaurant before too many people showed up. The only people who were there to see him were Mahiru, Fuyuhiko, and Chiaki.

As Komaeda was scrambling to open his cabin door, he felt someone's hand touch his shoulder. Surprised, Komaeda looked behind his shoulder. Oh, it was just Chiaki, Nagito thought, sighing in relief.

"Hey, Nanami-chan" Nagito said, "What's up?"

"C'mon, Komaeda!" Chiaki giggled, "Do you want to eat breakfast with me?"

"Wow, Nanami-san, I didn't expect a person like you to invite worthless garbage like me," Nagito responded, slightly stunned at Chiaki's confidence. Normally the girl didn't talk much, strange that she went from a stranger to inviting him to breakfast with one Free Time Event.

"Well, you're surprisingly a ton o' fun to talk to. You may be a depressed marshmallow, but you're seriously funny. You sell yourself short, Komaeda. I'm telling ya!" Chiaki squealed, she thought of Nagito as a person, not a piece of trash like he thought he was.

"O-oh. Thank you, Ch-Nanami-san. I'll eat breakfast with you, if you really want to," Nagito blushed at Chiaki's genuine compliments. It wasn't common that people would say things like that to him, so hearing that warmed his heart.

Chiaki took a grip of Nagito's hand, which was warm, but a bit cold with sweat. She led him to the restaurant. (Just so you know, Nagito's still holding his plate of bagels.)

At this time, everyone was at the restaurant. Chiaki led Nagito to an empty table. Chiaki quickly grabbed an apple before sitting across Nagito. During that short amount of time, Nagito could feel his "friends'" stares stabbing through him.

Luckily, Chiaki sat down and they started chatting. Their talk calmed Nagito's nerves, he felt very relaxed, but he could still feel the stares of his classmates. Like an aura lingering silently. He tried  to keep it out of his head, but you could hear his voice shake as he talked.

"Hey, Nagito. I've noticed your eye bags are getting worse. Have you been sleeping well?" Chiaki said, taking another bite of her shiny apple. "Mmm, I guess it could be better. Actually, I've been wondering if the store has face masks," Nagito responded, chuckling while saying the last part. "Oh! Do you wanna head there right now? I think I saw some there," Chiaki replied excitedly.

As Chiaki led the albino to the store, doubts ran through Nagito's mind. Is she lying to me? Why does she care so much about me, I mean we barely talked? Did everyone else tell her to do this just to get me out of their hair? Does she actually want to be my friend? Does this m-

Before Nagito could finish his last thought, they were already in the store. Chiaki led Nagito to the Personal Care Isle. They looked for some face products, then Nagito decided to ask her. There's no point in hiding, right?

"Hey, Nanami-san. Do you really want to be friends or... is there some sort of alternative motive..? I mean, who'd genuinely want to be friends with trash like me?" Nagito asked, picking up a bottle of facial cleanser.

Chiaki got a facial scrub before responding with, "I want to be friends with you, Nagito. Everyone isolates you. I just- I just want you to have someone you can talk to. I know it's hard being alone. No one deserves that."

She handed him the facial scrub. A smile tugged at Nagito's face. Finally, Nagito had someone. He felt as if he finally had a friend.

He directed his smile at Chiaki, who smiled back at him.

It was warm. To know that he had someone who cared about, knowing that he had a friend.

"So, Nagito. You said that you liked Hinata, right?" Chiaki asked, walking over to get some Cheetos in the Chip Isle. Nagito was surprised at the question. "Uh, well, I think I just said he was pretty," Nagito responded, holding all the chip bags Chiaki kept handing him. "Well, maybe it's more than that?" Chiaki jumped up. "Whenever you talk to him, do you get butterflies? Or do you get all blush-y when he looks at you. Or, or..." Chiaki rambled on, as Nagito zoned out.

Do I like him? Nagito was questioning himself as well. He was pretty, that's all, right?

Or was it...?

Chiaki sighed. "You don't have to answer, yet. You better sleep on it and come back with an answer in the morning! See you later, dearest Nagito~!" Chiaki squealed, prancing out the door with her Cheetos.