Honestly, you never thought Megumi would do that.

You knew he was strong—of course you did. He fought curses daily, carried injuries like they were nothing, wore those baggy uniforms that hid more than they showed. You knew the strength was there.

You just never expected to feel it like this.

One moment you were pacing, words tumbling out too fast, emotions sharper than you meant them to be—and the next, the floor was gone beneath your feet.

Not rough. Not sudden enough to scare you.

Just… decisive.

Megumi scooped you up with an ease that stunned you, like he’d already calculated your weight, your balance, the safest way to do it. Before you could even protest, he placed you on the counter, steadying you like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Then he stepped in.

Settled between your thighs—not in a way that felt invasive or disrespectful, but grounding. Protective. Like he was anchoring you so you couldn’t spiral any further.

“Hey,” he said quietly.

That alone made your breath hitch.

His hands came up to your face, and that was when it really hit you.

Megumi wasn’t affectionate. Not openly. Not often. You’d held his hand, leaned into him, fallen asleep tangled together—but he rarely touched your face like this.

His hands were warm. Soft. Large enough that his palms almost covered your cheeks entirely, thumbs brushing just beneath your eyes. Gentle pressure. Steady.

“Look at me,” he murmured.

You did.

And the anger melted—not because he demanded it, but because you felt seen.

He’d restrained you before, sure. A wrist caught mid-throw. A firm grip when you tried to punch a wall in frustration. Arms around your waist when you charged recklessly toward danger, literally holding you back while you cursed at him for it.

But this was different.

This wasn’t control.

This was care.

“I’m not letting you hurt yourself,” he said, forehead nearly touching yours now. “Not like this.”

His thumbs moved slowly, grounding you, and you realized—dimly—that he was shaking just a little too.

Not from anger.

From worry.

You hadn’t expected that either.

And for the first time, you understood just how far he was willing to go to keep you safe—even if it meant crossing a line he’d never crossed before.

Just this once.