I do not own Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple, if I did, then there would more than enough sexy boxer to go around! ;) I would like to dedicate this chapter to everyone who favorites/ followed my story. Especially the foreigner (No name, sadly) who posted my first ever review, and inspired me to pull an all-nighter working on this this chapter! This is for you, I hope you enjoy! Anywho, on with chapter two!
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"I think I just lost at least ten years of my life." Takeda rubbed his arm, which had nearly been wrenched out of the socket while he had dangled over the edge, casually explaining to Kenichi that he was a cripple and he should save his own hide. Any rationally thinking person would have panicked and let him plummet to his death. His eyes wandered over to the passed out form that should have been too weak to hold him up. "How the hell did a kid like that save me after kicking my ass?" He watched the wind disturb the younger boy's hair, a few stray stands brushing his bruised cheek. The haze of emotions and memories that their fight had dredged up was draining away now, and he felt more in control than he had since Kenichi had shown up. Now he had time to nurse his wounded pride. "I just got my ass handed to me by the nicest fighter- nicest guy- I've ever met. I'm surprised he didn't offer me a damn Band-Aid during the break. I nicknamed him BAMBI, after a cute, cuddly, forest animal, totally new to the world. I lost to that... I feel like a pathetic excuse for a man..."
Shadow fell over the boxer, and he looked up at Ukita towering above him, wiping his face with a rag. "I could be wrong, but did I just see the same kid that introduced his knee to my face trying to save your ass?"
"Wow. Rub salt in the wound big guy, go ahead, be my guest." Takeda pulled himself to his feet, his bruised up body protesting, further injuring his pride. He forced a light chuckle. "Trying, yeah. I was fine." He studiously ignored the 'bullshit' look that the thrower was sure to be sending him in an attempt to salvage whatever pride he had left, and instead glanced in Kenichi's direction. Just as he saw a bit of movement, the door burst open for the second time that day.
Miu stood framed by the door way, pissed as hell. "Well, I guess even Bambi can score a hot girlfriend." Takeda almost smiled, if it weren't for the twinge of jealousy. Which he ignored. The second she spotted Kenichi, she growled low. His smile vanished, and he realized how bad the situation must look to her. Her boy-toy unconscious, and two thugs still standing. "What was it that Koga was going on about? A girl built like a model, but she's really... oh shit."
He looked up, just as she ran at them, an angry half-yell, half-growl rising from her. He watched her jump into a spin, quickly dispatching Ukita with a roundhouse kick into his face before he could even get a full sentence out.
"Hey! Whoa, hold up girlie!" Her head whipped around to face him, he could see the 'target found' flash in her eyes as she sprinted fearlessly forward. "Oh hell..." He felt the punch that connected with his face more than he saw it, and had the wind knocked out of him just as quickly. "Holy-" A kick to his weakened knees and he collapsed, his head impacted the concrete hard. As the black slowly blocked out his vision, his mind registered one thought. "She's a motherfucking badass."
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Miu kicked the blue haired man's unconscious body three more times before she spotted movement in the corner of her eye. She turned on her heel prepared to search and destroy, but froze when she realized Kenichi was getting up.
She fell into a crouch by his side checking for serious injuries. "Kenichi! Oh my goodness, are you okay!? What were you thinking, coming up here on your own? You could have DIED!" The worries spilled forth like a damn breaking, her feelings fluctuating between guilt for not coming sooner, anger that he didn't tell her, and more concern. She fretted over him like a mother hen, hands fluttering over his swollen cheek.
Kenichi lightly brushed her hand off and pushed himself up to a sitting position. "It's fine, I just passed out a little. I used the last of my energy to pull Takeda up..." He gasped lightly and scrambled to his feet, frantically looking around. "Where is Takeda!?"
Miu looked on, confused by her friend's actions. "Didn't you guys fight?" she prompted, hoping to get an explanation. She wasn't disappointed.
"Yeah we did, but turns out he's actually a really nice guy and he didn't really want to be a thug and he's got this injury-" His rambling ceased when he caught sight of the bluenette. He clambered over to the boxer's side, mirroring Miu's earlier actions, frantically checking Takeda over.
Miu watched him. How his hand lingered a bit to long on the other man's body, the light blush as he brushed blue bangs out of the older boys face, and how he stayed by his side even after the worry melted away, and he realized Takeda was pretty much fine. A small smile worked it's way onto the blond girl's face, and she pressed her fingertips to her lips to stop a giggle from bubbling out. "Kenichi has a crush! That's so cuuuuuute~!" Before she could tease the young disciple, she stopped herself.
Miu felt like Kenichi was a brother to her, and she knew him well from time shared at the dojo and school. The way he was acting... there was more to this than a crush. She looked closer this time, past the more obvious things to more subtle gestures. It was something in the way Kenichi hesitated before touching Takeda, the softness that came over his features, and how he seemed oblivious to anyone but the man before him.
"He... doesn't have any confidence, and he seems almost... vulnerable." The same intuition that told her Kenichi was crushing now pieced the rest together, and Miu's protective instincts went into overdrive. "Takeda is Kenichi's first love. I guess that makes sense. Kenichi mentioned he had only been pushed around before... there wasn't much of a chance for friendship, let alone love. But he goes and falls for a thug!? Oh he'll need all the help he can get..."
Before she could further contemplate the situation, the larger thug stirred, groaning. "Oh god, my head..."
Kenichi helped the now awake boxer to his feet. Miu couldn't help but notice how reluctant the older boy was to accept the hand, and how he avoided looking at the disciple. Kenichi seemed to notice too, confusion and a little hurt flashing across his face before he turned to her. "Miu we should probably take them to Akisame, don't you think?"
She nodded briskly, offering a comforting smile. It was decided, she would help him through this however she could. As soon as they could talk without being overheard, she was going to make sure Kenichi knew he wasn't going through this alone.
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"All right, you're all fixed up Kenichi." Akisame motioned for him to take a seat. The disciple stepped past the bed occupied by Ukita, sinking into the second mattress gratefully. He was pretty much fine physically, but emotionally, he was exhausted. "Lets review today's life changing realizations. One: I'm gay. Okay, thinking about it now, not to much of a shocker..." He sighed at that, laying back into fluffy pillows for a moment. "Two: I like Takeda. A lot. Probably the worst choice ever, seeing as he hits on Miu all the time and not to mention the whole Ragnarok bit. Yeah. Sounds like my luck." Akisame was putting up the last of the antiseptics and bandages, taking his dear sweet time. "Three: If the way she's been watching me and Takeda means anything, Miu knows something. Which could be good. Or a complete disaster. Knowing me, it's the latter." "And here's a thought: If I figured out that I like a guy in the middle of getting beat up by him, does that make me a masochist?"
"Now that Kenichi is patched up and your friend is resting peacefully, I suppose it's your turn." Kenichi straitened, surprised that Akisame would address Takeda. "You must be the boxer I've heard so much about."
Said boxer seemed both cautious and guarded, "Yeah, I'm fine. Nothing serious."
The sensei raised an eyebrow, smiling as if Takeda was a child trying to lie to his elders. "I was talking about your paralyzed left arm."
The bluenette's eyes snapped up to look at Akisame in shock. "But how did you- no one's mentioned it since we got here!" He searched both Miu and Kenichi's expressions, doubting his own words. Both were just as surprised as the boxer though.
"I'm a professional." Akisame quickly grabbed the now-standing boxer's shoulder, squeezing, pushing, and prodding the area. Takeda couldn't stop the sound of pain that escaped as his injury was manhandled. As his sensei rattled off some medical knowledge about the injury, Kenichi got to his feet. The noises that left the older boy's mouth awakened an emotion that the young disciple had never felt before. Though he knew his masters would never hurt anyone without good cause, seeing Takeda being harmed caused an anger in Kenichi that made him see red. He was just about ready to snap at Akisame, when the bluenette beat him to it.
"That's enough!" He yelled, smacking away the offending hand. With his left arm. He froze up and stared at it like it was a foreign object, then looked up at Akisame. "What the hell!? I just moved my left arm!"
The tension rapidly drained out of Kenichi (A/N: His Switch at work again), and he smiled widely, laughing a bit in his relief. Miu also brightened, her own worry washed away. "Your welcome." The martial arts master said as if to call Takeda's attention.
"That wasn't a fluke right? My arm... you can heal it?" Brown eyes filled with hope stared at Akisame like a lifeline.
"Of course, we'll have you back to normal in no time. It's actually a rather simple procedure." Kenichi resisted the urge to face-palm at his teacher's not-so-subtle bragging.
Takeda's hopeful expression became wary, "Do... do you think... I could box again?"
Akisame laughed, "Boxing? Don't be ridiculous." The bluenette slumped and eyes looked to the ground- defeated, and Kenichi felt that unfamiliar rage come over him again. The disciple took half a step forward before he caught himself, digging his fingernails into his palms and screwing his eyes closed in an effort to shut the feeling out.
"When I'm done with you, you'll be able to compete in the world arm wrestling championship!"
Kenichi opened his eyes just in time to see his boxer's face light up like a Christmas tree. "Yes! Finally!" He rejoiced, pumping his right fist into the air, once again the brunette felt himself relax. "I should probably get this fixed... launching into a bloodthirsty rage whenever a boxer gets hurt sounds damn tiring. Another worry for my list." With that under control he celebrated with everyone for the next few moments.
Then it was time to actually get it fixed, and Akisame asked Takeda to sit down for the procedure. "And Miu? If you would be so kind as to take Kenichi somewhere else?"
"What? Why!?" The little brunette objected, standing firm.
The elder man merely chuckled, "Well I don't want to have to watch my back every time your new friend here so much as whimpers."
Kenichi's mouth gaped for a moment before he snapped it shut and his cheeks lit up like flames. "Oh for the love of- they don't miss anything do they!?" He coughed into his hand to half-cover his blush while he collected himself. "F-fine. I'll leave... but Miu, stay here and cheer him on for me?"
"No problem." She smiled sweetly at him, and he nodded, seeming satisfied. The brunette stood there a moment or two longer, looking at the broad back of his crush, but the older man did not turn around. Since he had lost consciousness, Kenichi wondered if he had imagined any sort of chemistry between them. Takeda had been avoiding looking at the smaller boy, or even so much as speaking directly to him.
Kenichi left with these worries heavy on his mind, wanting nothing more than to collapse in his bed and sleep off this exhaustion.
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And so, I leave this emotional shitstorm for our boys until the next chapter... I'm such a meanie to them. Teehee! :D