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Kim finally got Kenta back and he is never letting him go again. He never felt relief quite as intense as when he finally got to hold him again. “I already told you, I would never abandon you.” Kim says while gripping Kenta in place after kissing him. When his roommate kissed him back, nothing else mattered. The warehouse faded away and all that mattered was the man that he loves lips on his. However, when they broke apart he remembered their other mission, to save Dean.
After meeting up with Sonic and North, they all had to band together to get Dean out. Him being in a coma complicated their escape but Kenta took the gun Kim had and told them that he would cover them all. Kim did not like this plan but with Kenta's new found ability, it made the most sense.
As they hauled Dean out, Kenta scanned the perimeter ahead. Kim heard shouting, his heart sinking. When they got around the corner, he saw Kenta pistol whipping a guy to knock him out. The other two already on the ground. Kim stared in equal parts horror and awe at him. These skills came easily to this brooding man but Kim knew he hated it. Hurting people was Kenta’s worst nightmare and yet he does it for them. Kim wants to take him away from all of this as fast as he can.
The second they all got out of the warehouse, Kenta lagged behind the group. They finally got Dean into Kim’s car with Sonic holding Dean in his lap in the backseat. North walked around to the other side to slide into the seat next to his boyfriend.
Kim glanced at Kenta as he stood a few steps behind them. To anyone else, he looked as he always did. Withdrawn and tense. However, Kim saw the slight shake in his hands as he slowly approached. The weight of his capture was clear to Kim. It was the closest he’s seen him to breaking. The night he admitted his crush for Pete didn’t even come close. Kenta could heal himself now, that was clear from the fact he was now able to absorb bullets. He didn’t need a hospital, he needed to go home. Their home. He puts out an arm to stop North from closing the car door behind him.
“North, I’ll drop you guys off at the hospital but Kenta and I are going back to my apartment.” North gives a bewildered look to the two roommates. Sonic poked his head out from around North, not as shocked as the former. Kenta grabs Kim’s arm, pulling him away from the car.
“No, don't try to do this for me. They need you.” Kenta looked sick as he said it, like it hurt him. Having lived with him for months, Kim knew that he could never accept the help other people offer to him. Kim stares into Kenta’s eyes with unwavering intensity, stepping into the others' space.
“What if I need you?.” He whispers. Kenta looks down but doesn’t pull away. He nodded silently. Kim really meant what he said but if he only said it so Kenta would agree, he would never tell.
“Get in the car lover birds, we’ve gotta fucking go!” They heard Sonic shout from the car. Kenta only then looked up, embarrassment fueled rage filled his eyes. He lets go of Kim to stomp his way back to the car. North’s obnoxious laugh rang out as Kenta slammed the back door shut and silently got into the passenger seat. Kim grinned to himself for the first time since Kenta got captured.
The adrenaline of the day drained out of all of them as they drove. The only sound that filled the car was Sonic’s occasional sniffles and North’s whispered reassurances. Kim wanted to say something, anything, to Kenta but he knew that it would only make Kenta feel worse than he already did. He would never talk in front of the others and the attention would only scare him away. He was like a skittish cat and Kim would make sure with all his might not to send him scattering.
North and Sonic managed to get Dean out of the car and into the hospital together. North waved while Sonic gave a nod in acknowledgment. Kenta seemed to breathe a bit easier once it was just them two. Kim knows that Kenta doesn't hate the guys. He just feels guilty about what hes done, no matter how many times Kim reminds him that they don't blame him. He understands though, he felt on the outside for a while but the X-Hunter guys have a way of making people feel like family.
As Kim is driving, the events of the past few days cross his mind like a reel of film. All the cigarettes he smoked just to smell like Kenta, the sleepless nights, and the yelling matches he had with Pete and Alan to get Kenta back. Fear starts to claw at his chest. No matter how many times Kim takes a glance at the man in the passenger seat, he can't convince himself that he's real. That he's really there.
Kim reaches his hand over the console and grabs Kenta's knee. He jumps a bit, tensing up. Kenta shoots Kim a questioning glare. “I just need to remind myself you're really here” Kenta relaxes under Kim's hand. He places his hand over the other man's and squeezes. “I'm here.” Kenta whispers. Kim relaxes, taking a deep breath.
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Kenta never thought he was loveable. The thought never even crossed his mind. He did what he was told and he didn't get beat. Thats all there was to his life. Pete was a small light in the darkness but then that candle went out. Kim however was the sun. He was kindness that Kenta never knew.
Getting captured and experimented on was like being dragged back into the darkness. His body wasn't his own, he could feel it under his skin. Yet he's sure that he would do it all again to keep Kim safe. Even so, as Kenta walks into Kim's apartment he can’t help but feel sick to his stomach. He freezes, everything is the exact same. Nothing changed but everything feels different. He feels like he is carrying Tony with him into Kim's apartment.
Kim brushes by Kenta, lightly grazing his arm, bringing him back to the present. The shorter man walks through the entry way to the living room. He can still feel the shiver underneath his skin but he takes a deep breath. Kenta follows him cautiously. “Sit down,” Kim says with no room for denial. He gestures to the spot next to him and Kenta obliges. “Lets take this off.” Kim pulls at the bullet proof vest. Kenta jumps back, covering his chest with his arms. A melancholy look flashes in Kim’s eyes as he continues to reach out. “Kenta that can’t possibly be comfortable.” He shakes his head furiously. He knows that for Kim, being shirtless isn't unusual but for Kenta it reveals his past. It's all of him that is Tony.
“You won't look at me the same if you see that”!” Kenta yells. Kim doesn't flinch.
“I would never look at you differently but if you would be more comfortable, I'll get you a t- shirt to change into.” Kim says gently. He stands up off the couch but doesn't get a step away before Kenta catches his hand. His desire to cover the bad parts of himself loses to his need for Kim.
“Don't leave.” He whispers, looking at their joined hands.
“I told you, I'll never abandon you, okay? I'm not going anywhere” Kim sits down and places their joined hands in his lap. Kenta knows Kim is waiting for him to respond but he just can't. He tries but nothing comes out. He starts to shake, his body expressing the feelings he can't utter. Kenta can feel the wall that he has built falling apart. He hates it, wants to keep it standing, but Kim is so good at breaking it.
“You must have gone through so much there and I'm sorry I couldn't save you sooner.” another crack.
“No you didn't do anything wrong” Kim shakes his head despite Kenta's insistence.
“I shouldn't have left” his shaking gets worse, he can feel the cracking.
“it's not you, it's me!” Kenta snaps. “I brought us there, I put you in danger, and I paid for it. It's on me. I had to pay for my mistake.” it came fumbling out. He didn't even think about what he said until Kim's silence stretched on. When Kenta looked up he saw Kim's eyes were wide as saucers. Sadness filled his eyes but never poured out.
“You could never deserve what happened to you.” Kenta looked away, pulling his hands out of Kim's grip. Kim lightly grabs Kentas chin and pulls his gaze to him. “You're a person Kenta and people should never be treated the way you were. Its wrong and I won't let you think otherwise.” The sincerity is what kills Kenta. Its what breaks him. He doesn't even realize hes crying until the tears start falling into his lap. Kim's hand cups his face. “Tony convinced you of that but hes gone, he cant get to you anymore.”
Kenta shakes his head, sobs start to wrack his body. He starts pounding on his chest, right over his heart, “No he's not gone, he's in here. He's in my skin. I can hear him no matter what I do and I thought that would go away when he died but it's still here.” hes starting to get erratic but he can't stop it now, it all comes flowing out. “Kim, I was just a dog to him and I don't know how to be anything else.”
Kim pulls Kenta into a hug. Kenta is practically in his lap but he can't find the will to care. He's never felt loved before but he thinks this might be it. “Kim, I want to be a person.” He whispers just loud enough for Kim to hear. He makes a pained sound and pulls Kenta impossibly closer. He leans back and takes the taller man down with him. Kenta rests on Kim's chest.
“Ill help you learn, i promise” Kim whispers. Kenta curls into Kim's neck, tears wetting Kim's shirt. He comforts Kenta until he ends up nodding off. Kim doesn't move him, wouldn't dream of it. He kisses the top of his head and drifts off with him.