two updates in two days, just to remind you all that i'm not abandoning this fic. this is a follow-on from chapter 5, but you don't have to see them as related fics

warnings for (mild) violence and spoilers for e185

He feels good. Finally awake now, he has shaken any feelings, any annoying emotions off his body, so now all that's left to him is to feel good. He feels good, so very good.

It's nothing he has ever felt before. Even when his memories from the past seem kind of hazy and mostly unimportant, he can't remember something like this. Really, he'd remember it. Because now, he's powerful and mighty and strong. So strong, stronger than any one else and there's nothing, no one to stop him. The world belongs to him and only to him and things are easy.

He does remember Psyqualia, remembers what it's like to feel strong, but he wasn't complete back then, always seeking for someone else's approval. He wasn't enough for himself, but now he feels complete and content and strong and he doesn't need any one else.

In front of him, there's Kai, kneeling and weak, Aichi wants to laugh. Well, he does laugh, looking down at the person he used to admire and respect, Kai, who came here to tell him about the concept of friendship and trust. There's no reason why he shouldn't laugh at this.

"I can't believe that you, of all people, came here because of such things."

Kai's eyes widen and he gasps in surprise. "Aichi, I –"

"You what? Came here to make me remember the power of friendship? Want to turn me back to the person I used to be? Don't make me laugh."

Though he does laugh anyway. Taking a step forward, he stands directly in front of Kai. Close enough that he can't take another step without ramming Kai, close enough for the other to touch him. He stands there for a while, listening to Kai panting. He's so exhausted from their little fight, although it was so short and easy, not even enough to serve as a warm-up for Aichi. When his breathing steadies again and he reaches out to touch the hem of Aichi's coat, opening his mouth to say something, Aichi takes a small step back, smiling. He lifts his right leg and kicks Kai.

Hard enough to make the other fall backwards. Lying on his back, he still dares to look into Aichi's eyes. "I came here to sav–"

Aichi silences Kai with a boot on his face. "I said 'don't make me laugh'. And don't make me repeat myself. You? Saving me? Ridiculous." He wants to keep his voice calm, but he can't stop himself from showing the amusement in it. Who does Kai think he is?

Kai doesn't resist, which might seem like he's clever enough to accept his fate, but since there's hardly anything else for him to do in this situation, Aichi knows it has nothing to do with Kai being clever. He lost, after all, and the only thing losers can do is bow to the winners. Still –

"You're my friend." Kai quietly mutters against Aichi's shoe and if it wasn't for the silence around them, Aichi probably wouldn't hear that. He steps on Kai's face a little harder. Well, not just a little bit.

"Remember when I told you to not make me repeat myself? You're making me laugh again. I'm your friend? Oh, I don't think so." For a moment, he frowns. He blinks and then the smile, that vicious and twisted smile, appears on his face again. "A friend would have listened when I told them to stop searching for me. A friend would do what their friends tell them to do."

Removing his foot from Kai's face, Aichi kicks the other boys stomach once more, before taking some steps back.

"Now, I want to see you bowing to your King."