Shigeo really, truly did not like a single thing about violence.

He did not like how loud people got or how their faces twisted up in ugly rage or fear. He did not like the sound of bones breaking or the color of blood spilling across the street. A fight was like looking through a gruesome kaleidoscope - dizzying and overwhelming.

Shigeo, however, learned that violence was necessary to have peace.

Vivid memories play out behind his distant eyes of grabbing the back of Ritsu's collar when his younger brother was still smaller than him to make sure he didn't forget is pepper spray before school. Of struggling to remember all the signs and symbols and colors that marred street corners of where to go and where not to go their parents drilled into their heads on top of their school lessons. Of clinging to his little brother's hand not of fear of the bright boy of running off into the street, but of one of those adults snatching him right from under Shigeo's watchful gaze.

Since Shigeo hates to fight, it stands to reason, that if Shigeo must engage in violence that he should want it over with as quickly as possible. So initially, his given nickname White T Poison doesn't really make much sense. The reason the name implies being slow-acting isn't that he drags out fights, never that, he just drags out starting them. Shigeo would really prefer to avoid violence so he has a bad habit of procrastinating it.

"So this is what I'm thinkin'. We draw out Black Vinegar's Shadow Leader as quick as possible and take him out first. The rest of Black Vinegar will probably give up right away after that - spineless bastards." Onigawara suggests, leaned against their shared chain-link fence. Below them, tires screech over asphalt through the school lot accompanied by the whooping of teen voices and a mysterious smashing sound. Shigeo knows by now not to look to see what it was.

Though Shigeo nods in agreement the humming starts. Thankfully, realizes he's doing so and cuts himself off by fiddling with the soft material in his pocket. He likes the sound of Onigawara's plan so far. It sounds like less fighting. Still, he avoids looking at Onigawara in favor of gazing out across the roof into the autumn afternoon sky. It looks so peaceful and he wishes once again that flying didn't make him nauseous. And that it wasn't so cold up there.

Since Shigeo nodded Onigawara takes that as his cue to continue. "I heard their Shadow leader is cocky so I figure we hit him where he'll feel it to get his attention - his pride."

Shigeo heard Black Vinegar's Shadow leader was powerful and cruel but he doesn't remember hearing about pride. Maybe he had zoned out for that piece of gossip. But he's never been good at the planning part or… leading, really. So it's best if he just leaves that to Onigawara.

While Shigeo is the Shadow Leader of Salt's gang the Shadow part of the name is really the one he clings to. As the word implies, he stays in the shadows. Anyone would say that Onigawara was the leader of Salt's gang and for all intents and purposes he is. He just has to get Shigeo's approval before doing anything.

Onigawara is super smart and way better at planning than Shigeo, although he always insists he isn't smart for some reason. Shigeo doesn't understand why Onigawara gets upset when his friends mention it since being smart is good so he figures it must be a social thing. Shigeo doesn't get social things.

"If we tag their turf - " The humming starts again even though he's rubbing the soft plush in his pocket. Shigeo can't help it. He doesn't like vandalism because someone who has nothing to do with their gangs has to clean it up. It's another necessary evil, sometimes, but... is it really this time?

"... Or, if we beat up just a few of his guys and leave a message on 'em in front of his school for everyone to see…"

Shigeo turns that one over in his head. He doesn't want to beat up more people than they have to but… he supposes it's better than Black Vinegar's whole gang or some uninvolved custodians. So he nods again and stops humming now that he's not too anxious to remember he's doing it again.

"Right." Onigawara's tone is decisive. "Beat up a few of his guys it is."

Shigeo's shoulders relax a bit but they're still drawn in tight to match his concave posture. He's glad Onigawara picked that one so he nods again.

"The guys are ready to move in when you are, Shadow Leader."

His own feelings aren't clear to him from those words and that makes him think he's feeling a few things that got all tangled up. Like his mom's necklaces in her tiny jewelry box only probably not as pretty whenever Shigeo manages to untangle them all. Regardless, this is a conversation and even Shigeo knows that he doesn't have enough time to work through the emotions that Onigawara has accidentally shaken up.

"Okay," The desire to put it off is swelling so he knows he needs to commit to Onigawara's plan now. "Let's do it soon…"

The plush gives in easily even in Shigeo's soft grip as he worries the stitches with his thumb.

"I'll fill the rest of the guys in." The gentle knock of the back of Onigarwara's knuckles against Shigeo's shoulders is a sign of respect that Shigeo has come to expect although he doesn't think he deserves it. Shigeo just nods again. For all of Onigawara's roughness and scary faces, he's become fairly easy to interact with over the last year. Talking to him one-on-one rather than with the group is especially easy so Shigeo appreciates the fact that Onigawara seems to be able to recognize as much

There's a long pause where Onigawara stares down at Shigeo, as though he wants to say something, and the awkward anticipation makes Shigeo squeeze the plush in his pocket tighter so he doesn't rock on his feet or hum again. Onigawara has been doing this sort of staring a lot lately and Shigeo doesn't understand it. He wonders if he's doing something weird again without realizing. If he is, Onigawara doesn't say anything, he just leaves. He wishes that Onigawara would recognize that Shigeo has no idea what that look means, only that Onigawara shouldn't be staring that much. Shigeo knows this because was reprimanded so much for doing it himself when he was a child.

A harsh shiver runs down Shigeo's spine as Onigawara's no longer looking. He'll have to suggest a different private place for their secret meetings. The roof is getting too cold for Shigeo.

Even knowing what the plan was and knowing that Black Vinegar's gang has done a lot of bad things Shigeo still feels uncomfortable when he sees the state Salt has put them in after school. Three of the members of the Black Vinegar gang were pummeled and strung up in front of their school with humiliating signs about the gang's strength and leader left all over them for all the rest of the Black Vinegar students to see. Shigeo doesn't feel any strength or pride looking at subjugated boys. There's nothing superior about this and he can't escape knowing that. He looks away from the scene and squeezes the plush in his pocket one more time before removing his hands from his pockets.

Black Vinegar is a nicer school. A nicer district. There are nice statues and the field looks nice… looking at it, Shigeo can't help but think of his little brother. Ritsu's grades are so good he could surely get into a nicer school in a nicer place. Even nicer than Black Vinegar. He holds onto that as his source of hope and reason to keep going.

"You've gotta be strong, Shige."

Onigawara's at the front of their gang with his closest friends next to him - each wielding their signature street weapon of choice with the exception of Onigawara himself. Meanwhile, Shigeo stays in the middle of the pack, his presence concealed by all the larger and more flashy boys surrounding him. Shigeo hates stand-offs so he's happy to not be in front. Onigawara agreed with Shigeo's desire surprisingly quickly, saying it was a strategy because no one is expecting someone like Shigeo to be the Shadow Leader.

"Not that I mean that in a bad way." Onigawara had added quickly and a little loudly, not looking at Shigeo for once .

"Black Vinegar's Shadow Leader is never at the front either."

Shigeo hadn't taken offense to Onigawara's words. He is small and plain-looking, after all. And he's just happy for the excuse to not be in the front for all of Black Vinegar's gang to stare at.

"There's no way the Shadow Leader won't show himself. Then we can take care of him and it's over."

Onigawara is usually right so Shigeo trusts his judgment, although he feels bad for the three humiliated gangsters. He hopes this will be over quickly, just like Onigawara said.

"Damn Salt is full of cowards!" One of the Black Vinegar boys spits, loud enough for Shigeo to hear. "Can't take us in a real fight, eh?"

"This is just a warnin'," Onigawara calls back to them, or more specifically, the real person they want to take on. "Come on out, Shadow Leader! Unless you're cool with your school knowing what a bunch 'a pussies your group really is!"

There's only one reason for gangs in the first place. It's all about protection. If a gang can't protect their people or their territory they're nothing. Shigeo may be dense, but he understands this as much as any other child in this city. That's Onigawara's real target.

The shouting makes Shigeo flinch even though the words aren't directed at him. Onigawara's using his scary voice again. Onigawara never uses his scary voice at Shigeo, but hearing it at all makes Shigeo's jaw clench in an effort to keep from humming.

Just as Onigawara said he would, a blond boy steps out to the front of Black Vinegar's crowd. He's definitely not as big as the last gang-leader Salt took down, but the air almost seems to shift around him in a way Shigeo thinks he should be able to put his finger on but can't.

And he definitely looks mad. Shigeo supposes this blond boy would be attractive if he didn't look so mad.

"So, Salt came to insult me?" The blond boy calls. His style of speech is different than a lot of the other gangsters Shigeo has met as well. He sounds clear and like he doesn't use much slang. Whatever that means.

"We came to give you a message," Onigawara replies, his chin raised high so he's looking down his nose at the blond boy although they're close in height. "Give up."

The blond boy's face twists further in anger and Shigeo can hardly see the hints of the potentially attractive boy under that expression anymore.

"You think I'm as pathetic as all the other gangs Salt has taken over?"

The air surges, like the tingling Shigeo feels in his spine before a lightning storm but not quite. Color starts to rise around the blond boy, and when Shigeo blinks to make sure the color is real and not part of his imagination, the blond boy has crossed the meters between their gangs to strike his knee into Onigawara's stomach. The color around him is bright and clear to Shigeo's eyes now, an erratic mix of neon green and yellow.

Oh.

Onigawara drops to the ground, hacking from the pain as he clutches his stomach and Shigeo's hands fly back into his pockets to clutch at the plushie hidden there. Onigawara had said that he would take care of it. Shigeo hardly ever has to be personally violent because Onigawara and his friends are so strong they can always take care of it. Onigawara told him to stay in the middle of the group and that's where Shigeo wants to be.

Despite what Onigawara said, Shigeo isn't so sure he'll be able to stay out of the fighting this time.

"I'm not like all you average people." Teru sneers down at Onigawara. "You're in over your head, but since you've thrown mud in my face, I can't just let you all run home with your tails between your legs."

The sight of Onigawara doubled over, so obviously in pain in front of the entirety of both gangs makes Shigeo's stomach twist. He's seen Onigawara beat up a lot, often coming to school on time with plasters and bruises on his face while boldly claiming victory to Shigeo. Those are the best of times and he doesn't like those times, but it's rare to see Onigawara looking like this.

"Bastard!" Onigawara's friends try to jump on the blond boy all at once but are sent flying with a simple wave of arms and another pulse of color that only Shigeo can see. Now that he's noticed is, Shigeo can't believe it took him this long to get it.

Telekinesis.

Things aren't going the way Onigawara said they would at all. He was wrong, and it's never good for Shigeo when he's wrong.

"Cocky pretty boy…" Onigawara wheezes from the blond's feet, pushing himself back up to fight to Shigeo's amazement. Onigawara is so tough, much tougher than Shigeo is even though he's the shadow leader.

The blond boy regards Onigawara's tenacity with mockery in his eyes that's clear even to someone like Shigeo.

There's nothing to mock about Onigawara for getting up. This blond boy isn't a gangster, he's a bully. The realization makes Shigeo's flat expression harden.

"Didn't I already squash you?"

Onigawara charges back at the blond boy despite having already been hurt so bad to try and overwhelm him with attacks.

Demon Rush. Shigeo has seen it a few times and it makes him think of that one superhero from their dad's old manga that Ritsu likes.

"... and even though it seems hopeless, Demon Cyborg keeps fighting!" Dad exclaimed as Shigeo and Ritsu looked over his shoulders. Ritsu's eyes were sparkling as he looked down at the worn pages that had been out of print for two generations. Superheros. Shigeo didn't get as excited by them as Ritsu but he liked how they made Ritsu light up.

"What are you doing?" Mom hissed. "I told you not to show them those!"

"The boys need something-"

"No. No, we discussed this!": Mom ripped the manga from Dad's hands but closed it gently despite her anger.

"You two," She continued, addressing Shigeo and Ritsu now. "You two are not to be heroes! If something happens, you run away, do you understand?"

Onigawara really is cool. Shigeo can't move nearly that fast unless he were to use his powers and that makes Onigawara even cooler.

None of Onigawara's blows can hit the blond boy who has a barrier up to hide behind as Shigeo often does. Shigeo understands using a barrier. It keeps him from getting hurt and he doesn't like to get hurt because, well, it hurts. But Shigeo definitely doesn't think that using a barrier makes him or this blond boy better at fighting than Onigawara. Just the opposite.

This time, it's Onigawara who gets blown away. But this time, Onigawara doesn't hit the ground like Shigeo thought he would. His arms are raised to protect his face but the force of the blond boy's telekinesis has shredded his sleeve and damaged his skin. Shigeo doesn't want to think about what would have happened if Onigawara hadn't covered his face.

Shigeo pulls his hands out of his pockets again and starts making his way up to the front of the crowd. His gang parts for him wordlessly

"None of you could have a hope of beating me, so how about this? You all get on your knees and offer all your territory to me and then we can start talking about mercy."

By now Shigeo has made his way to the front and is standing right in front of the blond boy. Salt is silent because by now they know what it means when Shigeo gets involved.

The blond boy had been talking to Onigawara, but Onigawara isn't paying attention to him. He's gaping at Shigeo and looks more tense than he did then he was facing off with the blond boy. Shigeo wonders, not for the first time, if Onigawara looks at him the way he does because he's afraid. It seems like that would make sense.

The blond boy follows Onigawara's gaze since he's being almost ignored and finally his blue eyes land on Shigeo. Surprise flashes through his eyes, probably because Shigeo got so close without him noticing, but doesn't jump back.

The blond boy quickly composes himself so he can try to menace Shigeo next. "... you want to get your ass beat too?" The boy snarls down at him.

"What's your name?" Shigeo asks instead of answering such a strange question. Who would ever say yes to that?

"Hanazawa."

"Hanazawa," Shigeo repeats so the name will be easier for him to remember since he's not very good with names. "Please either absolve your group or join us."

"Excuse me?"

Shigeo knows by now that a lot of people say that when they have a problem with what they're hearing and not because they didn't understand so he doesn't try to clarify further. Shigeo knows he spoke clearly, since he's said this a few times before.

"I don't want to fight you, so how about we just- "

Hanazawa thrusts his arm towards Shigeo with the force of his telekinesis, probably intent on blowing him away as well, but unlike Onigawara, Shigeo has a barrier. A good one too.

The force of Hanazawa's telekinesis slams into Shigeo's barrier but can't actually get through. Hanazawa's hand stops about twenty centimeters from Shigeo's face and Shigeo doesn't budge. His gaze is steady on Hanazawa.

Blue eyes bulge when he realizes what just happened and since Shigeo is using his power he figures that Hanazawa can see the shades of blues and pinks around him now. Before Shigeo can say anything else, Hanazawa's launches himself backwards away from him at the same supernatural speed he used before.

Behind Shigeo, Salt cheers.

"That's our Shadow Leader!"

"Yeah, don't fuck with us, White T Poison's unbeatable!"

"Kageyama," Onigawara says to get his attention, approaching him as the rest of his friends pull themselves up while cradling his injured arm. Onigawara's giving him a look again. Pointed, as Shigeo's heard it described before. Shigeo really wishes Onigawara wouldn't. He definitely can't understand the silent attempt at communicating, especially in a stressful situation like this.

Since Onigawara doesn't explain his look, Shigeo looks back to Hanazawa.

"You… you also…?" Hanazawa stammers, still wide-eyed. Perhaps Hanazawa didn't know there were other ESPers his age. Shigeo's never met another one either but he figured since he was a young ESPer there had to be others too.

Hanazawa reigns in his shock and replaces it with a scowl.

"Don't underestimate my power! I'm still the biggest fish in this ocean!"

Shigeo wonders why Hanazawa would be talking about fish right now. Since it was such an odd thing to say, he supposes it must be a figure of speech. Ritsu usually helps him decipher those when Shigeo's trying to do literature homework.

Shigeo lifts his hand to try and signal Hanazawa to calm down but Hanazawa flinches.

"Don't fight." He repeats firmly. "Let's talk."

Shigeo blinks again and now he's starting to wonder if Hanazawa is really that fast with the aid of his powers or if he just blinks slowly, because Hanazawa is in front of him again. Then he keeps going to ram into Shigeo, forcing him back a few meters and Salt scrambling to get out of the way.

Shigeo wasn't expecting Hanazawa to attack without responding so he's a little startled.

"Kageyama!" Onigawara shouts and starts rushing towards them instead of away like he should be.

"I'm okay," Shigeo says to stop him as the dust from the field that had been blown into the air settles. "I was just surprised."

"I'm sorry we beat up some of your friends." Shigeo tries addressing Hanazawa again. An apology is probably best since the other boy seems so upset. "But you never show up for regular fights…" not that Shigeo does either.

"Friends?" Hanazawa scoffs. "They're just average losers like your guys from Salt. But they were mine."

Slowly, Shigeo's brows start to pinch together beneath his thick bangs in a frown.

"Why do you say it like that?"

"Huh?"

"Like being average is a bad thing. You're average too."

"Huh?!"

Hanazawa attempts to shove Shigeo with his telekinesis but Shigeo is ready this time and isn't pushed back again. Rather, he advances forward. Hanazawa tries to push him back again and again but Shigeo keeps pushing forward. Shigeo's never fought someone with telekinesis like himself before but it's not too hard. It reminds him of walking during a windy day.

Hanazawa's getting more frantic but it's useless and soon Shigeo is standing right in front of him again, looking up at the taller boy.

"Stop fighting. I don't want to hurt you."

Even though Hanazawa seems pretty mean, Shigeo dislikes fighting more.

Hanazawa darts back again and with a rumble, a nearby statue is being pulled from a ground. A pretty big one, probably at least three times the size of either of them.

The statue is covered in the same light and color as Hanazawa's aura as it's launched towards Shigeo and the rest of Salt.

"Shut up! I'm not average!"

Finally, Shigeo feels compelled to raise his own arms. The statue probably wouldn't hurt him much because of his barrier but it's very big and none of Shigeo's nearby classmates have barriers of their own to protect them.

Shigeo's classmates panic behind him and try to run and Shigeo thinks they should have gotten away from him before this point. With how fast the statue is being hurled towards them, not all of them could have gotten out of the way in time.

Fortunately, that's not a problem.

Hanazawa's aura is blown away from the statue as Shigeo's own takes over, stopping its trajectory at least a meter in front of him and his group.

Hanazawa screams in frustration but he can't reclaim control of the statue and Shigeo places it to the side harmlessly.

Behind him, Salt is cheering again. Behind Hanazawa, some of Black Vinegar has taken off. That's for the best.

"Don't do that, it's dangerous."

Suddenly, Shigeo is blown back alarmingly fast, spinning into the brick building of Black Vinegar behind him. He has enough time to put his barrier back up so he doesn't get hurt as he's sent flying through the brick.

Psychic powers can only be used to attack or defend, not both, and Hanazawa had taken advantage of the fact that Shigeo had shifted his power off himself to catch the statue. Hanazawa might not be all that powerful to Shigeo but he certainly understands his psychic powers better.

Salt is probably reacting to this somehow, since this sort of thing has never happened to him before. But he's not paying attention to them right now. He just hopes that none of them try to get close although Shigeo can only think of one that would be likely to try.

"Ha! Does that seem like someone who's average to you?" Hanazawa cries triumphantly as he rushes towards Shigeo, probably trying to attack again as Shigeo's stepping out of the new hole in the wall.

But just as Shizuo can't attack and defend at the same time, neither can Hanazawa.

For the first time, Shigeo raises his hand towards Hanazawa, and holds him. His own steadily swirling aura coats Hanazawa's erratic one, forcing him to a sudden halt much like the statue.

Now that Hanazawa is still and silent, Shigeo can see the fear in his wide eyes. No matter how he struggles against the foreign aura, Hanazawa can't get free. Shigeo hardly feels any pressure against his powers although the way Hanazawa's face screws up and gets red Shigeo suspects he really is trying as hard as he can.

Keeping him in place with one hand, Shigeo steps over broken bricks to get back into the field, his hair floating in the dripping color that surrounds him.

"You're average to me." Shigeo says honestly and Salt roars in their approval of his words.

Shigeo doesn't mean anything bad by it. As he said before, he doesn't think average is an insult. But judging by the way Salt and Hanazawa react to his words Shigeo thinks he might've said something mean just now. Onigawara's friends had said something about about Shigeo being great at 'roasting' people, although he doesn't ever try to do it.

"No!" Hanazawa continues to struggle and Shigeo worries he won't listen to reason. Instead of further insisting Hanazawa's averageness, Shigeo tries to convince him to stop fighting again.

"Don't try to fight me, Hanazawa."

The veins in Hanazawa's neck bulge as he nears hysteria.

"No! No, I'm special! I can't lose! I'm the one in the spotlight! I'm the main character!"

"I don't want to take any of that." Shigeo is always honest, but these words are especially so. The last thing he wants is the attention of a crowd although he has it right now.

He resists the urge to shove his free hand into his pocket to calm himself with the soothing texture of the plushie that's still safely inside. He can go a little while longer without it. "I want you to stop fighting."

"Never!"

Despite having full control over the other ESPer's body, Shigeo feels cornered. He's running out of options and this has already dragged on long enough.

This is what happens when I try to put off the inevitable.

With a little more power, Hanazawa starts to rise. It's like the amount of effort it takes to bump a balloon into the air or blow a bubble out of your palm in the bath. The thought makes him miss bubble baths with Ritsu and the way Ritsu would get so excited over the bubble sculputres Shigeo could make

"Wait! Wait!"

Hanazawa's limbs aren't frozen anymore but he's still helpless. All he can do it flail in panic as Shigeo makes him go up and up and up.

Shigeo reminds Hanazawa of his options one last time before he rises too high to hear him.

"Give up your gang. Get rid of it or answer to me from now on."

Hanazawa floats higher and higher, completely at Shigeo's mercy as he passes the school's roof…

"Okay! Okay!"

Shigeo can just barely hear Hanazawa's screaming. This might be the only time Shigeo has appreciated someone being loud. He stops Hanazawa's ascension right there but doesn't start to lower him yet.

"I'm sorry! I won't fight you anymore! I- I'm average! I get it!"

If only Shigeo had done this from the start. Then he wouldn't feel responsible for the hole in the brick wall of Black Vinegar's gym.

Slowly, he starts to bring Hanazawa back to Earth.

The memory is so vivid and real Shigeo's stress levels rise instantly whenever it comes to mind.

Ritsu was so tiny and in the clutches of a high school gang. Shigeo's little brother and the most important thing in the world was put in danger by some violent people twice their size. Shigeo was so small and weak then, even more so than he is now. The both of them were like baby birds, helpless in the nest against predators when their little backpacks should've been the heaviest burdens on their shoulders.

He couldn't possibly have saved Ritsu without his powers and he almost didn't. He wouldn't have had he not been knocked unconscious and lost control. Even then, Ritsu still got hurt, only it was because Shigeo wasn't using his powers on purpose. If only he had acted sooner, when he was still in control of himself. It wouldn't have had to have been anything too scary. Just pushing the high schoolers away so they could run would probably have been enough.

After Ritsu was brought to the hospital and Shigeo came out of his state of shock he decided never to let that happen again. He would use his powers even if it meant being violent. Would take control both the situation and himself to overpower the opposition and eliminate the threat - if Shigeo does that, he can keep his little brother safe.

Shigeo hates fighting but he hates the people he loves being in danger more. If he's in charge - if he's the one in control, deciding when and where violence happens - then the problem is under control. Shigeo is under control.

[Where are you?]

[I told mom and dad you were studying after school but seriously, where are you?]

[Shige, please, it's going to get dark soon.]

Messages from Ritsu, all reasonably spaced in time but still clearly showing growing worry. He doesn't mean to worry Ritsu who knows of his status in the local gang, but he really didn't have an opportunity to reply to any of the messages until now.

He walks home alone in the setting sun, his shoulders hunched. One hand is in his pocket so he can anxiously rub his thumb over the plushie and the other is typing a reply to Ritsu so he doesn't get too upset. Or worse, try to go out in the dark in search of his older brother.

[I was busy. I'm on my way home now.]

The reply comes within three seconds.

[Are you okay?]

[I'm fine.]

Thanks to his barrier, Shigeo never come home with his skin covered in the physical proof of his activities. So if his parents were to intercept him, they'd never know he was just in a fight. Probably the most dangerous fight he's ever been in, now that he thinks of it. Getting thrown through a wall was a first.

He's not sure what will happen with Hanazawa. When he let the other ESPer down his own gang had rushed him, cheering and giving him friendly shoves until Onigawara made them back off a bit, which Shigeo was grateful for.

Hanazawa looked badly shaken, his knees tilted inwards as a shadow of his former bravo. As promised, Hanazawa didn't try to fight him again to Shigeo's relief. He has really wanted to get home after all that.

From there Shigeo let Onigawara do the talking and Hanazawa looked sour. Shigeo doesn't remember exactly what was said since his attention was flying off from being so stressed out and he didn't want to get any closer to blowing up so he tuned them out.

"You went to another fight, didn't you?"

Ritsu confronts him in his room after dinner.

As good as Shigeo is at lying by omission, he's not so good at lying directly. Especially with Ritsu. So he doesn't try to.

"I knew it. You wouldn't even look at any of us over dinner, and you barely ate, and your spoon twisted three times ."

Shigeo remains silent and still doesn't look at Ritsu in the face of the accusation.

"I know you're really powerful, Shige, but I never know where you are anymore."

He knows Ritsu loves him and this is where this is coming from, but -

"It's just… I could help you. I'm on the student council so maybe I could, so you wouldn't have to be gone as long, I could -

"No."

"But - "

"No, Ritsu. You could get in trouble, or hurt."

Shigeo loves Ritsu too. Their need to protect each other is what drives them apart. With yet another rejection from his older brother, Ritsu falls silent and leaves the room. Shigeo still doesn't turn to look at the expression on his face.

He pulls the plushie out of his pocket to stare at it as he rubs the stitches until they start to fray again.