Pairing: One-sided (?) Taiga × Koei
Tags: Taiga and his self-deprecating thoughts, one-sided affection, some spoilers for episode 18, Canon divergence (!), definitely OOC (!)
Note: I was supposed to write fluff and somehow ended up with this while trying to get myself back into writing ╭( ๐_๐)╮ very self-indulgent fic i'm sorry
It's 3AM and I have no braincells and no will to edit this
"I won't lose like you did."
The words continued to echo in his thoughts long after the ever-elusive ninja had disappeared in a blinding flash of light. Taiga could taste the words stuck at the back of his throat, the suppressed protests laced with self-pitying excuses choking him ever so slowly.
He couldn't breathe. He couldn't give himself the opportunity to let the words slip past his gritted teeth. And so, they festered, clawing at what remained of his self-esteem.
The walk back to his room was silent. Thankfully, the members of Team Shark Tooth had noticed the unapproachable aura that surrounded his entire being. It left him more time with his thoughts--fortunately, he supposed. Taiga had never regarded himself as someone who would be consumed by jealousy. He was too prideful for childish complaints. And yet, he could feel them at the tip of his tongue.
They were bitter. They tasted like defeat and sheer disappointment masked in self-acceptance. Taiga was well-aware that the only way to recover his own sanity was to defeat Yamato Shō, even if it meant going against what Gabu had planned.
After what seemed like hours, the sight of his room door was a welcomed reprieve from the dangerous slope that was his self-loathing. Yet, even more dangerous was the memory of the smile that lingered at the back of his mind. It taunted him as easily as its owner commanded the storms that seemingly raged inside his own heart.
"Fuck." Taiga cursed, lifelessly flopping on his back atop his bed. "Of all people you could have chosen..." It just had to be the man that was sent in to clean up his mistakes. He would have been consumed by shame if he wasn't so thoroughly drained already.
Reaching into his pocket, he took out a folded piece of green paper and held it above his face. It had been left behind when Koei did his disappearing act and Taiga decided to take it with him out of impulse. With a soft sigh of defeat, Taiga brought the paper down to his lips, "You stupid fool..."
It was destined to simply be a hopeless one-sided crush. One that would never be uttered, unless he wanted to give Gabu even more ammunition against him. Only god knows how that would turn out for both him and Koei. And so, Taiga could only will his tongue to grow numb to the excruciating taste of failure and rejection.
As night fell, Taiga decided to go for a stroll to calm himself down. Near the entrance, he was immediately greeted by the sight of Koei's younger sister waiting near the statue in front of their base.
'Why is she out so late?'
A sudden coughing fit caused Taiga to flinch, his brows scrunching in concern. He walked briskly to her side and called out, "Hey."
The young girl immediately jumped in surprise, "Taiga-san!"
Taiga tried to recall her name, "Your name is...Kiku, right?" At her nod, he continued, "Why are you standing here at night? You're in no condition to walk around when it's freezing cold outside." He scolded her with a frown, his voice laced more-so with worry rather than annoyance.
"Ah," Kiku fiddled with her hands, "I was...waiting for my older brother. It was getting late and he wasn't home yet..." Her voice trailed off, a bit nervous in the presence of the older Samejima brother.
Taiga clicked his tongue, "Koei received a...new mission from Gabu, so he'll likely take a while to return home." The explanation was quick and straightfoward. He had no intention of revealing more details than necessary to the young girl.
"Oh! Thank you for telling me." Understanding dawned on Kiku's features, "I'll be on my wa--" before she could finish, another coughing fit racked her body. Unsure what to do, Taiga tried to give soothing pats on her back, hoping to at least give some semblance of moral support to the trembling girl.
"Alright, I'll walk you home." It was less of a suggestion and more-so a statement that left no room for argument. Taiga was well-aware that if anything happened to her along the way, his guilt would consume him immediately. It was better to just walk her home since he was already planning on taking a stroll anyways.
"O-oh! Thank you." With her agreement, Taiga's plans for the night were sealed. The unlikely pair were mildly awkward together for the first half of the journey. It was only when Taiga asked more about her condition that they truly began to share stories, mostly of their brothers, along the way.
However, their pleasant storytelling was interrupted by the first drops of rain hitting their skin. Fortunately, they weren't too far from Kiku's home. With a decisive nod to each other, the pair ran the rest of the way to their destination.
With soaked clothes and tired exhales, the two managed to reach shelter before the heavy downpour set in. "Looks like the rain won't be stopping anytime soon." Taiga sighed, running a hand through his soaked hair.
"Please feel free to stay here in the meantime." Kiku mentioned lightheartedly, followed by a weak cough. Their walk together had been a pleasant experience that changed the way she perceived the other. Rather than an intimidating authoritative figure, she realized that he was actually quite a nice person beyond the influence of Team Shark Tooth.
The two quickly changed clothes to prevent themselves from getting ill. Kiku had given Taiga some of Koei's spare clothes to wear for the time being. Honestly, he was apprehensive, but there was an undeniable part of himself that was thrilled by the opportunity. He immediately shoved that part into the deepest recesses of his mind.
With their clothes sorted, all that was left were their hair. After brushing her own, Kiku couldn't help but let her eyes repeatedly drift from the brush in her hand to Taiga's unruly locks. She hummed in thought, before asking tentatively, "Taiga-san...would it be alright for me to brush your hair..?"
Taiga's brows rose in surprise, but he didn't really have much of a reason to refuse. "Sure, do whatever you want." The way her eyes immediately shone in wonder sent a shiver through his spine, but he didn't bother taking back his approval.
Taiga sighed and surrendered to whatever fate awaited him. For her part, Kiku appeared to be delighted at the chance to do whatever she wanted. And so, she immediately got to work.
The rain finally stopped by the time Koei returned. To his shock, what greeted him was of the older Samejima brother casually lounging outside their home, in front of a small fire.
"What are yo--" his voice immediately cut off as he took in more of the scene. Rather than his usual spiky hairdo, Taiga's hair was styled in a messy shoulder braid, the loose strands giving the image of controlled chaos. The bow neatly tied at the end immediately gave away who the culprit behind the sudden change in hairstyle was.
Also, were those his clothes?
There were no hidden traps nor other members of Team Shark Tooth in the area. Koei could even make out the vague silhouette of Kiku safely inside. Taiga was simply waiting there by himself, the flames dancing in those gray eyes that appeared so lost in thought.
Overall, Taiga looked...soft? Pretty?
Koei nearly slapped himself at the thought. Before his mind could stray any further, he decided it would simply be best to ask frankly.
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